Wishing all my Readers the best of Luck in 2020. Have a good Christmas !
Bertie Ahern on a United Ireland.
Just noticed a post on the Irish News and another post by Maurice Quinilivan on facebook that Fianna Fail have ruled out a border poll or a referendum on Irish unity as policy. Fianna fail claim to be the “Republican party” but took the oath of allegiance in 1926, never delivered on Republican issues and is famous for its sleaze and rampant corruption. One must ask who they work for ? The people of Ireland or Boris Johnson and his Tory/British imperialist conservative party. They (the Tories) are surly delighted at the news from Fianna fail. The southern establishment has much to hide especially when giving out state contracts that cost 3/4 times the price or awarding contracts to companies with no experience and expertise to do the national broadband plan. A lot has to be hidden from a potential United Ireland.
To be honest I believe the time frame for a referendum on Irish unity would more likely be 10 years especially if Sinn fein can get into government or other United Ireland party can get in. I see the introduction of a “NHS” type healthcare system in the “South” as being necessary, along with some changes to the tax system so the people in the north don’t lose out. A few bob to spend would be very handy as well. However Boris Johnson and his tories are likely to put in “overtime” to keep any united Ireland party out. Southern politics is a “puppet show” at best.
Here are some links of interest
https://www.newstalk.com/news/fianna-fail-leader-warns-rush-hold-northern-ireland-border-poll-941895
On the British Election.
You seen all the news on tv and in the newspapers and there is no escaping the fact that the conservatives in England have been re-elected . Its bad news for Ireland and any rethink on Brexit is firmly put to bed now, with a lot of remainers actually losing their seats. The sun never set on the British empire or so a lot of English people think – they re-elected the Tories with a even bigger majority shows you what a “shower of bastards” they are. The Tory government will work hard to ignore calls for a unity referendum in Ireland and a independence referendum in Scotland. They will ensure that Sinn fein doesn’t get into government in the “South” of Ireland and will put more obstacles in the way of Irish unity. Possible future trade deals will see Ireland lose their share of British agricultural markets, time will tell for sure. Boris Johnson has a big a majority as Margaret Thatcher so there is very little way of stopping him. Five more years of Tory England is on the cards , not good for anyone except the English.
On This Day 5th December
Just noticed this on journalist Michael O’Regan (of the Irish Times) twitter feed about the Anglo – Irish treaty of 1921 was more or less forced through by the British, who had intimidated the Irish delegates into signing the Treaty.
This treaty split Ireland into two states, one with limited independence and another still tied to the British state.
It suited only the British who supplied the Pro-treaty side with money and arms which resulted in the Pro-treaty side winning the subsequent civil war. This is a turning point in Irish history, Collins and Griffith had accepted a lot less than Irish freedom and had buckled under pressure from the British government. This could be said to be “What if ” if Collins and Griffith had held their nerve and refused to split the country what would Ireland be like now ? Maybe a lot less immigration to Britain and the USA and not so reactionary/church ridden past.
Its all a case of “What if ” and maybe but Collins and Griffith should have been prepared to stand together and fight the British rather than risk a civil war in Ireland. Its a case of the wrong decision being made and the effects of which touch us till this very day.
More on the National Broadband Plan.
As of today the Government has signed us up to the most expensive broadband plan. Its going to cost a Whopping €3 billion to connect up half a million rural households. It follows a “flawed” bidding process which left only one bidder- investment firm Granahan McCourt which is a US based company in the running… As the rules say the choice of one is not a choice -start the process again. No-one knows why the other bidders pulled out Eir, the ESB and so on, when so much money was involved.
Eir-Eircom said later that they could connect up the remaining rural households for about €1 billion which is at a third of a price of McCourt’s National Broadband Ireland . So it is quiet a steep price for rural broadband.
Another point to be raised is that we (taxpayers) don’t own the broadband infrastructure and are basically shelling out for something we don’t own and the contractor can sell it after nine years and own it outright after twenty five years . Shelling out €3 billion of taxpayers money is extraordinary arrangement when it should be done with private capital in the first place.
Eir/Eircom is the national telephone company it was their job to connect up the nation to high speed broadband, when the company (then Bord Telecom) was privatised it should have been made clear that no “cherry-picking” would be allowed instead they just connected the towns and the countryside was deemed commercially unviable . That shouldn’t have been allowed.
A few years ago Bupa (British healthcare company) wanted to sign up the younger clients but were told their policies would have to be “community rated” meaning the young pay for the old and Bupa would have to give money to other Healthcare companies with older clientele. They subsequently pulled out of Ireland (Rep). Where is the “community rating” for broadband ?
Why was Eir allowed to cherry -pick ? They could have made the costs back by selling digital/online services such as tv, music, downloading etc …
The whole process is costing the taxpayer a fortune when it could have been done for a lot less.
Some links of Interest
That time of Year.
Well Halloween is over and now its on to the next seasonal holiday-Christmas. Yes they have started the ads already, it seems the Christmas season starts earlier each year but I feel the “Christmas spirit” less and less. What do you think should advertising be banned until December ? Should Toys and there advertising be kept till after 9′ o clock (pm). I feel that Christmas is overdone somewhat and less of the glitz might cost people a little less. That’s the lack of the “Christmas spirit” for you, more like “scrooge “. Well its a lot for one day … meet up with the relatives for a few hours , sit on couch, watch stuff that leaves you with the feeling of Deja vue, you seen it last year or possibly the year before that . Feelings of being stuffed with Christmas dinner , the visit to the graveyards , the walk to the wood with dogs in tow . All a escape from the daily drag for a while. Repeat next year with someone missing as time goes on .Wonder what’s the point of it all and then say “Merry Christmas “to it all.
Lidl’s Ad Campaign comes Unstuck.
Lidl the German discount retailer latest advertising campaign has become mired in controversy. It introduced a mixed – race couple, a man from Brazil and a woman originally from Ireland, they wouldn’t be representative of Lidl shoppers but Lidl chose them for their ad campaign – Save money by shopping at Lidl. They are represented as the “Ryans” despite its the woman whose surname is Ryan and not the man’s, this is against tradition as well. My objection is there are taking a swipe at Irish men trying to suggest we are unfit for breeding and foreign men are better, its prima nocta by any name whilst Irish men are made to pay for the child benefit and possibly the lone parents allowance as well.
Also I nearly sure its not the first time that Lidl has made a advertisement of this nature, they seem to be made by women as the advertisements are never the other way around (Irishwomen don’t “stick” it to themselves that’s for sure). Further more a tweet made by former Irish Independent Gemma O’ Doherty was pulled by Twitter after objections made by the couple.
Maybe what people are objecting to is the “Social engineering” the ad makers are trying to do, portraying it as being acceptable and the “new normal”. Maybe Lidl would stick to its lower end of the groceries market and leave the social engineering to some one else or ask people if they want it.
Laura Brennan- This is me.
Just watched Laura Brennan -This is me on RTE 1 and I must say that I was moved by the programme.
Laura from Ennis in Co. Clare contracted Cervical cancer after being infected with the Human papillomavirus (HPV). She was diagnosed with a Terminal condition basically the cancer had spread to other parts of the body and was untreatable. She showed a brave face with the fact that she had given only two to five years to live and got the news of her cancer at only 23/24 years of age.
Life is only starting for a lot of people at that age. She set about raising the issue that the HPV vaccine was only taken up by 51% of school girls and that take up of the vaccine should be a lot higher and could possibly save their lives later on. She (Laura) did much to highlight the use of the HPV vaccine and so prevent others from developing similar conditions. She admitted that she got HPV from sexual contact, it is a STD (Sexual Transmitted Disease). She received some “hate mail” from ignorant people but it didn’t effect her. She struggled on with the disease as it began to spread to other parts of the body and increase in severity. Her condition gradually got worse and it was time to say her goodbyes to loved ones, after a series of trips to Hospital she passed away on March 20th 2019 at the age of 26.
May She rest in Peace.
https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm STD Facts
Boris Johnson & United Kingdom “Soil”
Just watched the news on France 24 this afternoon and featured Boris Johnson British Prime Minster on his short trip to Dublin. In his speech he referred to the North or Northern Ireland as being United Kingdom “Soil” as he talked about Watchtowers in the border region before 1998. Who is he codding, the north isn’t British “Soil” its Irish “Soil” and cannot be British as it physically impossible for it to be so. The Brits get amnesia about how they set up the Orange state, they forced the partition of “Ireland” against the wishes of the majority of Irish people and set up a puppet state in the 26 counties, setup with English guns & money. In the more or less hundred years since partition, the British haven’t felt the need to give it back despite all the trouble in the North.
To this end our Taoiseach says he regards Britain as “Our friend and Ally” despite the history, geography of Ireland and the British having a cheap food policy which mainly keeps Agricultural Ireland with small/tiny margins on their produce. I wouldn’t describe “Ireland” as being an friend of Britain while they hold onto the North, six counties or Northern Ireland or whatever they call it now. You can do business with the British but don’t describe them as “Our friend and Ally” , they are nothing of the sort. Maybe the Dublin establishment will take note.
Nama Questions.
Here is a response from Nama on whether it is part of the National Debt (its not but still borrowed money that the taxpayer has to pay back) and how much have they got back of the €74 billion they borrowed to bail out the banks- they wouldn’t say but gave a link to a report on Nama which is here https://www.nama.ie/uploads/documents/2019-07-17-Second-NAMA-Section-227-Report.pdf.
It was confusing and didn’t answer the question, a more technical reader might understand it but I couldn’t make head nor tails of it.
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Aug 12, 2019, 4:55 PM (13 days ago) | |||
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Dear Gerard,
Thank you for contacting the National Asset Management Agency.
To answer your query, NAMA does not comprise part of the national debt. In fact, NAMA expects to return a surplus to the Exchequer in the region of €4 billion when it completes its work.
For further information on NAMA’s establishment and progress, you may wish to view a recent report undertaken by the Minister for Finance, available here.
Kind regards,
Mary
Mary Lawlor
Senior Communications & Public Affairs Manager