Political crisis

There was widespread panic today among politicians when it was learned that a child rapist had being released from prison on foot of last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down the law on statutory rape.

The panic was not caused by the potential danger to the children of the nation but rather by Bertie Ahern’s threat to recall the Dail next week in order to pass legislation to plug this gaping hole in the law.

A spokesman for the body politic said it was outrageous that such drastic action would be considered to resolve a problem that was only brought to the attention of politicians a mere sixteen years ago.

He went on to say that recalling the Dail could have major consequences for TDs and their families. Holidays had been booked, sun tan lotion purchased and civil servants briefed on keeping constituents happy until the long, long, long weekend was over.

In any case, recalling the Dail should only be considered when something really important needs afixin. Like for example when Fianna Fail’s friend, Larry Goodman, needed help some years back to prevent his business going down the tubes.

Meanwhile, that great defender of Irish democracy, Michael (I know what I know) McDowell was busy denying any knowledge of all this unsavory business.

I know nothing, my staff knows nothing, the Attorney General knows nothing, his staff may know something but you’ll have to wait until we come back from our well deserved holidays to find out. Byeeeee

HSE contractor carried out work on senior officer’s home

No suggestion of conflict of interest, I guess it is a small country.

A Dublin building company that has won lucrative contracts from the Health Service Executive (HSE) carried out work on the house of a senior HSE officer who is involved in the tendering process.

Owenbee Services, based in Donabate, Co Dublin, carried out building work on the house of Pat Gamble, an engineering services manager with the Dublin North East division of the HSE. Gamble approved a number of health centre maintenance contracts awarded to Owenbee and Mallerwood, a firm with which Owenbee has worked on several projects.

Eamonn Ryan, a director of Owenbee, confirmed to The Sunday Business Post that his company had carried out work on Gamble’s house near Naas, Co Kildare. Gamble, speaking through a HSE spokeswoman, and Ryan both said that the full market rate was paid.

Usual idiot talk

“If the legislature here are discussing the possibility of changes in order to legalise and regularise their position, well, you know, they’re entitled to be here from that point of view. But in a strict sense, I suppose, they’re illegal,”

This is part of what the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said in the US recently in defence of illegal Irish immigrants in that country.
Hypocritical Irish politicians are of the opinion that the illegal Irish in America suffer more because they are unable to come home to attend Uncle Pat’s funeral or little Mary’s First Holy Communion than the average Afghan being sent back to one of the poorest and most violent countries in the world.
Speaking such idiot talk outside Ireland is not easy for Irish politicians. They are used to operating in a corrupt state where any old guff passes for intelligent analysis.

Here’s a letter from Friday’s Irish Times that gives a good idea of the respect our politicians have earned for their profession

Madam, – Dermot Ahern is beginning to speak the same incomprehensible garbage as his namesake. How can “illegal Irish immigrants” be “entitled to be in America”?

That elected representatives of this country can spout this kind of rubbish is shameful. – Yours, etc,

DERMOT SWEENEY, Viking Harbour, Dublin 8.

Cosgrave avoids jail over undeclared donation

It’s community service for Cosgrave:

A former leas-chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann has been ordered by Judge Katherine Delahunt to perform 75 hours community service in lieu of a six months’ sentence for not declaring a £2,500 donation he received from lobbyist Frank Dunlop.

Liam Cosgrave (49), of Merrion Park, Blackrock pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly furnishing a falsified statement where he failed to declare that he had received any donation exceeding £500 between May 15th and December 31st, 1997.

Bree claims planning granted after ‘letters from Fianna Fail’

Ructions in Sligo Council:

Despite recommendations from council planners that permission be refused for construction of a dwelling house, permission was granted following a letter to the council from Senator Eamon Scanlon and Clr. Albert Higgins.

So claimed Clr. Declan Bree at Monday’s meeting of the council which ended abruptly when the county manager and council staff walked out after the manager had warned he would not tolerate a personal attack on a staff member.

I have heard of this type of behaviour, where the recommendations of planners are completely ignored, all too often.

[Hat tip Simon]