Comments on: Centre for Public Inquiry has ceased its work http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/ Examining corruption in Ireland Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:13:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: cearta.ie » Blog Archive » From the Contender to the Fall http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4911 cearta.ie » Blog Archive » From the Contender to the Fall Fri, 26 Jan 2007 21:01:55 +0000 http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/#comment-4911 [...] under a false passport on IRA business. The allegations consumed the Centre, which has since become defunct. In many ways, Frank Connolly was in the same position as Joan Allen’s Senator Hansen: the world [...] [...] under a false passport on IRA business. The allegations consumed the Centre, which has since become defunct. In many ways, Frank Connolly was in the same position as Joan Allen’s Senator Hansen: the world [...]

]]> By: dliodor http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/comment-page-1/#comment-145 dliodor Fri, 21 Apr 2006 23:34:38 +0000 http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/#comment-145 I agree. The Centre for Public Inquiry was seen as a threat from the outset. With so many powerful people having so much to hide it's unsurprising that the Centre would be targeted. A related problem is the state of Ireland's defamation laws. We should follow the U.S. example of setting different standards for speech concerning public figures, where actual malice must be shown before the speech will be considered defamatory. In Ireland virtually anything said which cannot be proved in detail in court can be defamatory if it would tend to lower the 'defamed'individual in the eyes of the reasonable members of the public. The difficulty is without a Centre for Public Inquiry how can the truth be uncovered, or facts be proved. Are ordinary individuals, going about their daily lives going to have sufficient time and resources to investigate the powers that be? The last hope for the public may in fact be blogging, but then the blogosphere is also subjected to harsh defamation laws. I agree. The Centre for Public Inquiry was seen as a threat from the outset. With so many powerful people having so much to hide it’s unsurprising that the Centre would be targeted.

A related problem is the state of Ireland’s defamation laws. We should follow the U.S. example of setting different standards for speech concerning public figures, where actual malice must be shown before the speech will be considered defamatory. In Ireland virtually anything said which cannot be proved in detail in court can be defamatory if it would tend to lower the ‘defamed’individual in the eyes of the reasonable members of the public.

The difficulty is without a Centre for Public Inquiry how can the truth be uncovered, or facts be proved. Are ordinary individuals, going about their daily lives going to have sufficient time and resources to investigate the powers that be? The last hope for the public may in fact be blogging, but then the blogosphere is also subjected to harsh defamation laws.

]]> By: John McDermott http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/comment-page-1/#comment-144 John McDermott Thu, 20 Apr 2006 10:35:55 +0000 http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/04/11/centre-for-public-inquiry-has-ceased-its-work/#comment-144 The centre for public enquiry was too dangerous a body to be allowed to survive.It was a threat to the network of developers who fund Fianna Fail and who are part and parcel of the circle of favoured cronies who -along with rural landowners and farmers- are now reaping a kings ransom due to the lack of a fair and transparent policy of rezoning lands in Dublin and elswhere,during the Ray Burke/Liam Lawlor era. Until such time as a proper non political commission is created to oversee land rezoning this small clique (about a dozen) of very wealthy individuals will continue to control the destiny of young housebuyers throughout Leinster. In this instance McDowell did Ahern,s dirty work for him. Favour owed..? The centre for public enquiry was too dangerous a body to be allowed to survive.It was a threat to the network of developers who fund Fianna Fail and who are part and parcel of the circle of favoured cronies who -along with rural landowners and farmers- are now reaping a kings ransom due to the lack of a fair and transparent policy of rezoning lands in Dublin and elswhere,during the Ray Burke/Liam Lawlor era.
Until such time as a proper non political commission is created to oversee land rezoning this small clique (about a dozen) of very wealthy individuals will continue to control the destiny of young housebuyers throughout Leinster.
In this instance McDowell did Ahern,s dirty work for him.
Favour owed..?

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