Who Is Monitoring The Nations Pulse

The Garda PULSE computer sytem was first introduced 17 years ago and as yet has only been rolled out to half the operational Garda stations in the country. The system was introduced at a cost of tens of millions of Euro and today continues to cost the Irish Tax Payer tens of millions of Euro per year to maintain. 30 million per year is being spent on Consultants contracts for PULSE and other Gardai IT systems, this cost does not include the Garda internal IT Unit, which runs into millions when salaries and running costs are accounted for.

Consultancy firm Accenture is receiving more than €13 million a year for its work across the Garda computer network. The US company is leading the PULSE project and has a stake in all the intellectual property associated with the system. It has also received multimillion euro sums for upgrading the automatic fingerprint identification system. Rival consultancy firm BearingPoint was paid €4.5 million for ten different Garda IT projects in 2007. Microsoft Ireland Operations, a subsidiary of the US software giant, received a total of €2.5 million in 2007, of which €2.1 million consisted of IT software licences. PULSE which has only been installed in 319 of the 703 Garda stations, is costing the state more than €1 million a month.
PULSE was only to be accessed by a member of An Garda Siochana if for example a person was stopped for drink driving, the arresting Garda could feed in the details of the person detained and the Garda could determine if that person was already banned from driving etc. The PULSE system was really all about making the detection and prevention of crime easier with a universal system in place. However, theirishobserver.blogspot.com has discovered that some Garda members are making money from the PULSE system by using the system to vet potential clients for Property Letting Agents etc. So for example a letting agent advertising in the local paper that they have a list of vetted clients on their books, they mean exactly that, a Garda has used his position to put names of potential tenants into the PULSE system to see if they have a criminal record, the Garda in turn gets paid cash for his work. This now appears to be common practice around the country and some Letting Agents are making no secret of where their information is coming from.
The question then remains to be asked - "Who is Monitoring The Nations Pulse", have An Garda Siochana no internal mechanism for detecting such abuse of a system that has cost the tax payer tens of millions, can nobody ask why the name of Joe Bloggs was feed into the computer on a Saurday night when Joe Bloggs was never arrested nor even suspected of committing any crime.

Economics

A report finalised this month by the Oireachtas European Scrutiny Committee which assesses new EU plans to create a robust EU-wide system of financial supervision by developing a single rule book for regulation will be debated in D il ireann at 2 pm today.

Under the new proposals, the EU intends to significantly reform the European system of financial regulation by the end of the year. This new structure would have the power to compel financial institutions to take specific actions when directed to do so, develop new harmonised standards, issue warnings, enforce proper application of new rules and improve investor protection.

While the Committee broadly welcomed the initiatives in the plan it expresses some concern regarding the speed of its introduction and the potential negative consequences this could have.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on European Scrutiny, John Perry TD said;

“The main purpose of the Committee’s report is to inform the Minister’s position on these important set of proposals in the Council of the European Union and to ensure our MEPs are fully informed so that these proposals are subjected to the full rigours of the European Parliament.

Progress on this package of legislative proposals has been swift by EU standards. The Council’s aim is now to reach agreement on the proposals with the European Parliament by the end of its first reading which will probably be completed in May or June this year. While I acknowledge the urgency of the situation in relation to the financial crisis and the need to restore confidence in the financial markets the Committee is concerned that these very important proposals are being rushed. More often than not, rushed legislation leads to poor legislation.

Notwithstanding this concern, there are many aspects of these proposals which should be welcomed. The powers of these new Authorities will be extensive, up to and including issuing legally binding decisions to national regulators and even individual financial institutions. The proposals will enable the EU through these new authorities to act more swiftly and coherently in emergency situations and to intervene in the settlement of disputes which may emerge between national regulators.

The report and this debate today also helps to raise awareness among the public about this important legislation which will have significant implications for Ireland’s financial system and in turn the real economy.

It is vitally important that EU legislation such as the proposal under debate today is subjected to proper scrutiny by national parliaments. The Lisbon Treaty offers more opportunities for national parliaments to become involved in EU law making and it is essential that this House takes full advantage of these opportunities. I strongly believe that greater involvement by the Oireachtas and more debates such as this one on the floor of the D il will make for better, more understandable EU law, which reflects the interests and needs of the Irish public.

The Irish Times

Ireland

President Obama

Tomorrow evening, President Obama will stand before a joint session of Congress and deliver his first State of the Union address outlining where we are and where we’re going as a Nation. In preparation for this annual address, he asked his Cabinet to take a moment to prepare a similar report for the American people.

In short videos, members of the President’s Cabinet report back to you on their progress this first year and outline what lies ahead for their departments and agencies to keep America moving forward. Secretary Sebelius talks about the Department of Health and Human Services' successes helping to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus; Department of Energy Secretary Chu highlights the thousands of green jobs they’ve created using Recovery Act dollars; and Secretary Clinton details the Department of State’s efforts to restore global partnerships.

Take a look and get a sense of what’s to come in tomorrow’s State of the Union address:

When President Obama took office a year ago, we faced an array of historic challenges: an economy in freefall, job losses averaging almost 700,000 a month, a middle class under assault, two wars and badly frayed global alliances.

Faced with these unparalleled challenges, the President and his Cabinet got to work. The Administration took bold steps to rescue the country from a potential second Great Depression; to rebuild the economy for the long-term, so businesses can thrive, the middle class can grow and all our families can be more secure; and to restore America’s leadership in the world as we wrestle with the global challenges of the 21st Century.

Check out the Cabinet’s reports and learn more about what we’ve done this past year and how we plan to keep our Nation moving forward in the next.

Thank you,

Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President

P.S. Tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST, remember to watch the President’s State of the Union address live at WhiteHouse.gov.

Irish Charities

The heads of Irish charities currently carrying out relief efforts in Haiti will update the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs on the progress of their humanitarian work and the latest situation on the ground in Haiti, tomorrow, (27th) at 3:30 pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

Tom Arnold, CEO of Concern, Leslie Buckley, Chairman of Haven (both of whom have recently returned from Haiti) and Mr Noel Wardick, Head of the International Department, Irish Red Cross will all appear at tomorrow’s meeting.

All these agencies are currently operating relief missions in Haiti so will be in position to inform Committee members of the present state of affairs on the island, the challenges of co-ordinating the relief effort, the security situation and the long term prospects for the country.

Committee Chairman, Dr Michael Woods TD said;
“Two weeks after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, the Irish public have responded fantastically in supporting the Haiti emergency effort and we are rightly proud of the Irish aid agencies who are on the ground working in the most trying of circumstances. I was also very pleased to hear yesterday that Ireland is to send a second consignment of 40 tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies for Haiti.
The Committee is anxious to learn the latest reports from Haiti and find out the progress of the aid efforts. We would also like to hear about how the various agencies are co-ordinating their work and address concerns that the flow of humanitarian supplies has been slow.

Concern are operating a full scale response in St Martin and Martissant, two of the poorest areas in Port-au-Prince. This involves water distributions, soap distribution, temporary latrines and shelter.

Haven has pledged to build a minimum of 5,000 permanent homes in Haiti following the emergency relief programme. It is also supplying blankets, plastic sheeting, tarpaulins, small generators and fuel in conjunction with GOAL.

The Red Cross is currently managing a number of field hospitals each catering for up to 200 patients a day as well as distributing supplies.

The 7.0-magnitude quake, which hit the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on 12th January, is the worst earthquake to have hit the country in 200 years.

Changing Ireland

Policing and Justice NI

The Devolution of Policing and Justice to Northern Ireland (the north) has become a sticking point for Sinn Fein and the DUP. Had it not been for recent revelations about the secrets and lies within two of Northern Ireland's most high profile political families, one wonders of this policing and justice issue would not already have been put to bed.

The Democratic Unionist Party (Protestant/pro-British)wanted to send out a message to its community that government was working, that the Unionist community in Northern Ireland could rest assured that the rights of Ulster Protestants to remain British would be guaranteed.

Sinn Fein (Catholic/pro-United Ireland)wanted the same message to go out to the Catholic people of Northern Ireland. That Sinn Fein could help deliver a return to normality in Northern Ireland. Had it not been for the revelations about child sexual abuse within the family of Sinn Fein, President, Gerry Adams, perhaps Sinn Fein could have delivered more easily.

The problem for both Sinn Fein and the DUP is that Northern Ireland is a small place and mud sticks. It was interesting that when the British Prime Minister, Gordon Browne and the Irish Prime Minister, Brian Cowen meet recently, they decided to have that meeting in London. Is it the case that neither Prime Minister now wants to be in a photo shoot with either Peter Robinson (DUP) or Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein).

I personally believe that Sinn Fein and the DUP can deliver on policing and justice, certainly in terms of taking that step forward. The problem for many ordinary people both Protestant and Catholic is wether Sinn Fein and the DUP can be trusted with Policing and Justice. If Policing and Justice were in the control of Sinn Fein would they conceal criminality. If the DUP had control of Policing and Justice would corruption go unpunished. These are simply questions now being asked by the ordinary people.

Soon Northern Ireland will have a general election. That general election could leave both Sinn Fein and the DUP with a bloody nose. The DUP have already been forced into talks with other pro-union parties to see if they can run single canditates in constituencies that are presently represented by nationalist politicians, when they should have Unionist representitives. This has historicslly happened as Unionists have run several candidates and split the Unionist vote. This would be a very sound move for unionists, the problem is, how will the people react.

Sinn Fein for their part will continue to get votes. The majority of Sinn Fein's vote comes from areas that have long since been forgotten by the State and its cheer leaders. However, at the European elections last year Sinn Fein lost 18,000 votes. In the Republic Sinn Fein are in rapid decline. How the people will judge the latest revelations about Gerry Adams, we will just have to wait and see.

At the end of the day, wether that day be before or after the general election, a deal will be done on Policing and Justice. I think Sinn Fein and the DUP can deliver. I think that the focus must now be on delivery, whatever the personal difficulties of political cartels. by theirishobserver.blogspot.com.

Power to the People

Irish MEPs gave a general thumbs up today to a new EU plan which will allow each EU citizen to directly influence policy.

Attending a meeting of the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee today, Irish MEPs Gay Mitchell, Alan Kelly, Nessa Childers and Proinsias De Rossa expressed their broad approval of the plan which will give any cause or campaign which gathers a minimum of one million signatures the opportunity to form new EU legislation.

Committee members and MEPs considered the Commission’s Green Paper on the Citizen’s Initiative and debated the rules that should be put in place to govern this new democratic initiative.

They specifically focused on matters like; from how many different countries must signatories be? Should signatories have to be 18 or could the initiative be open to 16 year olds? How can the validity of signatures be verified? Who should validate an initiative and when should this validation take place? Should organisers of initiatives be obliged to register and make declarations of interest?

Committee Chairman, Bernard Durkan TD said;
“There was wide-ranging agreement among Committee members and our MEPs that the citizen’ initiative is one of the most positive results of the Lisbon Treaty. It will provide a real public space for the EU, forge stronger links between the general public and the institutions of the EU and ultimately enhance the democratic legitimacy of the Union. However, we were all agreed that there must be proper ground rules to ensure its integrity.

If we allow an unregulated situation to develop there is a danger the scheme could be hijacked by narrow interest groups or commercial institutions who would use the initiative to further their own narrow interests. This would be totally against the spirit of the proposal and would undermine its legitimacy.

For this reason we must ensure that we get the ground rules right. Today we looked at options such as using social security numbers to verify signatures, the establishment of a registration mechanism to ensure transparency and stipulating that signatories must be from a minimum number of states to avoid regional bias.

We will be considering all of today’s suggestions which will contribute to the Committee’s final submission on the matter.”

The Lisbon Treaty introduced a new form of public participation in European Union policy which aims to give a stronger voice to EU citizens by allowing one million people who are nationals of a significant number of Member States to directly request that the European Commission initiate legislation of interest to them.

A copy of the European Commission’s Green Paper on a European Citizen’s Initiative is available on the Oireachtas website www.oireachtas.ie and www.euaffairs.ie . The Committee have invited submissions from the public by 28th January 2010 which will feed into its contribution.

Murder most foul

Ireland over recent decades has become a place where crime is the discussion topic of the day, only punctuated now and again to talk about recession or bad weather. It is not that Ireland has any more crime than any other country in Europe. It is perhaps the availability of media that now runs through our society that make us more aware. On a daily basis we are bombarded with news of what is going on in the inner city ghettos and the dark recesses of peoples private homes.

At this time there are a number of topical crime related issues that are filling the media here in Ireland. I have covered the story of political sex and scandal in Belfast in an earlier posting. Today in Ireland the media is fully focused on the trial of a man who is accused of murdering his wife. This is not unusual in Ireland, many men and women have killed their spouses. What makes this latest case news worthy is the fact that the lady, Celine Cawley, who was murdered, was a very successful actress. She had stared in a James Bond Movie and was known to millions. Her husband, Eamon Lillis, is also a wealthy man who made his money from various business interests.

Eamon Lillis and his wife Celine did not live in the over built working class/underclass areas of the north inner city of Dublin, but rather they lived in a world apart from ordinary folk. They lived in the leafy green lanes and sea blown landscape of Howth in Dublin. Indeed had this murder taken place in a working class area it would hardly be news worthy. It is only when an act of such gross criminality takes place in the land of the well manicured lawn is it news worthy.

Yet what a tragedy whatever its truth, a young girl has now been left without a beautiful loving mother. It would appear to even the most objective observer that she will soon be left without a father.

Celine Cawley died a brutal death. The 46 year old woman died of blunt force trauma to the head after she was admitted to one of Ireland's finest hospitals, Beaumont, in Dublin. Her husband told the Police (An Garda Siochana) that he had come home to find his wife being attacked by an intruder.

When Gardai asked Eamon Lillis why his dogs had not reacted to the alleged intruder, Eamon Lillis replied, "Molly's very laid back, Sam, the Ridgeback, is very cowardly". Lillis has since admitted that there was no intruder. It has also become clear that while initially denying that he was having an affair with a younger woman, Lillis was indeed having an affair for some weeks and months prior to his wife's murder. The woman in question has been fully co-operative with the Police.

There is no doubt that some journalist or other will use the transcript of this trial to produce another paper back for the book shelfs in Amazon. However, it is the tragedy and lose of a mother and father to a young innocent child that touches the heart of this writer.

Europe

Want to Have a Say in How the EU is Run? Now’s your Chance, as Oireachtas Committee Calls for Views on the European Citizens' Initiative 19th Dec 09. A new EU Citizens' initiative which would allow citizens to have a direct input into EU policy is currently being put together. As part of the consultation process, the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs is looking for suggestions and ideas from the public.

The Lisbon Treaty introduced a new form of public participation in European Union policy which aims to give a stronger voice to EU citizens by allowing one million people who are nationals of a number of Member States to directly put a petition the European Commission to bring forward an initiative of interest to them. However, before citizens can start exercising this new right, a few ground rules and procedures have to be laid down in an EU regulation. Questions such as how many signatures should be needed before a petition can be heard? How many countries must the signatories be from? How old must signatories be? As part of the consultation to help find answers to these questions, the Committee will be meeting with the Irish MEPs, next Friday, 22nd January.

Committee Chairman, Bernard Durkan TD said; “Often the EU is accused of being distant and that its policies are formulated by faceless bureaucrats in Brussels. I believe this process will go some way towards addressing this claim and will add a new dimension to European democracy. Through this initiative every citizen in every member state of the EU can have a direct input in the course the EU takes. We urge members of the public to contact us with their proposals and contribute to making a real difference in how Europe is organised.” A copy of the European Commission’s Green Paper on a European Citizen’s Initiative is available on the Oireachtas website www.oireachtas.ie and www.euaffairs.ie

Poolbeg Incinerator

Poolbeg Incinerator Project to be Debated at Oireachtas Environment Committee with Irish Waste Management Association 18 Jan 2010. The issues surrounding the construction of a waste incinerator at Poolbeg, Dublin will be debated with the Irish Waste Management Association at tomorrow’s (19th) meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Heritage and Local Government at 3:30 pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

The Irish Waste Management Association has expressed its opposition to the project claiming it is too large, will cost jobs and that it is too expensive. The purpose of the meeting is to fully tease out these issues and examine the Irish Waste Management Association’s alternatives.

Committee Chairman, Sean Fleming TD said;“The waste incinerator has proved to be a highly controversial project. Opposing sides have made strong claims regarding the scale and size of the plant as it is currently envisaged, while concerns have also been raised about the potential cost to the taxpayer. The Committee is anxious to try and establish some facts surrounding this contentious issue so will be interested to hear what Irish Waste Management Association have to say.”

The Irish Waste Management Association is the trade association representing the private waste management industry in Ireland. It has 26 members representing approximately 95% of the private the waste management sector in Ireland. Its members comprise of those involved in waste collection, recycling, landfill and incineration. It is affiliated to IBEC.

Why Suspected Serial Killer Will Roam Free

There has been much speculation in sections of the media recently that suggests that when suspected serial killer Larry Murphy is released from jail (later this year) having served 15 years for the rape and attempted murder of a young women he will be obliged to tell the Gardai where he is living at all times. There is also specualtion that the nation's women need not be concerned about Murphy's release as he will be under constant Garda supervision and surveillance. However, Larry Murphy will not be required to give his details to Gardai and he most certainly wont be under 24/7 sureillance by a team of up to 12 detectives, as suggested by some.

Background:

Larry Murphy is a carpenter by trade and by all accounts very good at his trade even while in prison where he under took further courses and classes in carpentry. Before being caught trying to suffocate a young women with a plastic bag in the Wicklow mountains Larry Murphy appeared to all who knew him as a happily married man with a young family. However, Larry Murphy's double life was exposed in 2000 when he was witnessed by two hunts men in the Wicklow Mountains as he tried to suffocate a young business woman from Carlow whom he had just kidnapped and repeatedly raped. Murphy was duely arrested by Gardai and remanded to Cloverhill Prison to await his trial. While in Cloverhill Remand Prison in Clondalkin in Dublin Larry Murphy quickly made friends in the prisons E-Wing which is a protection wing for those people who do not wish to be in the general prison population, although Murphy would just as easily fitted in with the general population as so many of them view the rape of women as a normal part of their criminal and drug infested culture.

As Larry Murphy walked around the small yard of Cloverhill's E-Wing with fellow sex offenders he had few words, although when pushed he would say that his only regret was that he had been caught. He was able to swap stories with Noel Cawley who had been charged with the unlawful imprisonment and rape of a young women (Noel Cawley is now serving a sentence for the manslaughter of an old age pensioner in westmeath last year) and so on. Eventually Larry Murphy was sentenced to 15 years for the kidnap, repeated rape and attempted murder of the young business woman he had taken into the Wicklow mountains.

People who knew Larry Murphy including a close friend who was at that time a serving prison officer were shocked and stunned by the details of Larry Murphy's double life, he had fooled many and had it not been for the two hunts men on the night of his capture Larry Murphy's reign would have continued. Since Larry Murphy was convicted in 2000 he has been questioned on a number of occassions about the disappearance of a number of young women in the Leinster area between 1993-1998. It is said that Larry Murphy has refused to co-operate with Gardai in relation to their investiagtions into the disappearance of these women. This writer has no idea whether Larry Murphy did or did not have anything to do with these disappearances of young women, yet this writer does know that when Larry Murphy is released he will be able to roam free without legal obligation.

Why Larry Murphy will be able to roam free?

In 2001 the Sex Offenders Act was introduced, this Act had been in the pipe line for a number of years as Ireland tried to deal with the ever evolving extent of sexual crime in Ireland. As we now know this Act was delayed and then diminished in order to facilitate those within the Catholic Church who had sexually abused children. It is clear now from both the Ryan and Murphy Reports that there was serious collusion at the highest levels in this country to protect religious child rapists. Indeed following the revelations about Father Brendan Smyth in the early 1990s the Government of the day moved quickly to reduce the sentence for sexual assault from 10 years to 5 years, this sentence was increased in the Sex Offenders Act 2001, after many religious had been given soft sentences.

When the 2001 Act was introduced by the then Minister for Justice, John O Donoghue TD, it was heralded by many ill informed groups and individuals as a major step forward in the fight against sexual crime, in fact following the introduction of the 2001 Act sexual crime has continued to increase in every facet of its existence. While John O Donoghue had been warned by the Attorney Generals office not to introduce the 2001 Act in its form at that time, O Donoghue dancing to the tune of his cheer leaders at that time introduced the Sex Offenders Act 2001. Under the terms of the 2001 Act a person in jail at the time of its inactment or later convicted would be under an obligation to notify the Gardai within seven days of their release from prison the address at which they intend to live. However, the Act also makes it legal to tell the Gardai that you live at NO FIXED ABODE, many sex offenders released since 2001 have used this loophole and some like Patrick (Paddy) O Driscol was able to roam freely among the people of Cork until he eventually struck again and smashed a young woman's head in with a brick before raping her for over an hour. On the night in question Paddy O Driscol was in the company of another convicted rapist (who had no part in this latest rape) Patrick Moorehouse. Paddy O Driscol is now serving 18 years for his latest rape.

Upon Release Larry Murphy will be able to tell Gardai that he has no fixed abode and he will be able to roam the country as he feels fit. The Gardai have neither the man power nor the financial resourse to follow Larry Murphy indefinetly, however, it is the introduction of an ill considered 2001 Sex Offenders Act that will let Larry Murphy of the leash.

Footnote: There are presently 1,100 persons on the sex offenders register in Ireland including both men and women, up to 15% of these persons have given no fixed abode as their address, others have left the country (Patrick Barr, Patrick O Riordan), it is further clear from the Ryan and Murphy reports and the recent Adams scandal that there are many thousands of sex offenders in Ireland who have never and will probably never see the inside of a court house.

Sex in the City

Ireland is a small Island with a total population of 5.5 million people. 1.5 million people live in northern Ireland which remains part of the United Kingdom and is Governed by the Northern Ireland Assembly which is made up of both Catholic and Protestant politicians who represent both religious communities in northern Ireland. In 1916 there was a political up rising by Irish republicans (nationalist/Catholic) and the British withdrew from 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, the 26 counties (The Irish Republic) has since been governed by The Irish Government.

While Ireland may be small in scale when compared to other European nations its scandals are just as big, complex and news worthy. The big news stories in Ireland in recent weeks relate to politicians in Northern Ireland (the north) and these stories have been based around two senior politicians in Belfast City, Gerry Adams (President of Sinn Fein, the largest Catholic/Nationalist Party in the north) and Iris Robinson (Wife of Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson. The DUP is the largest Protestant/Unionist party in the north). Iris Robinson is an elected MP (Member of the British Parliament as is Gerry Adams).

The revelations in recent weeks about these two politicians could not be invented by even the most imaginative tabloid journalist. Several weeks ago Ulster Television (UTV) (one of the main TV stations in the north) produced a documentary (Insight) in which it was claimed that the President of Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, had known for over a decade that his brother Liam Dominic Adams had raped his daughter Aine from the age of 4. Aine appeared on the programme and explained how she and he mother had went to meet Gerry Adams MP several years ago to tell him what his brother Liam had done. Gerry Adams appeared on the programme and accepted that he had indeed known for over a decade that Aine had been raped by his brother Liam. Gerry admitted that Liam had told him that he had indeed raped Aine over many years since she was 4 years old. The Adams story brought shock waves to the Irish people both at home and abroad, not because this (child abuse) is a new development in Irish society, but the fact that the man (Gerry Adams) welcomed into the White House, Westminster and other democratic institutions around the world had actually concealed the rape of his little nice Aine.

However, the Adams story did not end there. A few days after the Insight programme Gerry Adams was forced to admit that his own father Gerry Adams Snr was also a child rapist and that Gerry had also concealed this information from the police and social services. However, since these revelations Gerry Adams MP has tried to spin and lie his way out of the political corner that he finds himself in, he has said that once his brother Liam had told him that he was a child rapist he had no more contact with his brother Liam. However, the Sunday Tribune in Ireland and other good media have clearly established that not only were Gerry Adams and his brother in contact, but that Gerry Adams helped his brother Liam establish a new live with a new family (including children) in the Irish Republic. Liam Adams is to be arrested within days when a European Arrest Warrant is issued by the Courts in Northern Ireland. It now appears that Liam Adams knew he had 24 charges of rape out-standing against him in the north and that he used his position in Sinn Fein to hide in a safe house in the Irish Republic so that the Police could not arrest him. The reason I have shared this story is not simply to demonise a man who has done terrible wrong, but because while Gerry Adams was protecting his brother from the Courts of Justice, Gerry Adams was the President of Sinn Fein, an organisation that was forcing known sex offenders out of the community.

However Sinn Fein's woes while very much an issue at the moment were quickly joined by the woes of their partners in Government the DUP. Iris Robinson MP has been a fearsome politician for many years, she and her husband Peter Robinson MP have been married for 40 years and have three grown up children. Iris has been out spoken against homosexual relationships and has taken high moral ground on a number of other social and personal issues. However when one is high on moral ground there is only one way to go when you lose your footing, and thats down. Yes indeed, last week the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation NI) produced a documentary by its Spotlight team, in this documentary it was shown that Iris Robinson had been having a sexual relationship with a teenage boy and that she had used her political position to secure money for this young boy so that he could start a business. It would appear that Mr Peter Robinson had discovered this affair in March 2009 after Iris had attempted suicide. It would appear that Peter ordered that any monies secured by Iris for her young lover should be returned immediately. Since the Spotlight documentary more revelations have been brought forward about Iris, and it may well be that her decision to retire from politics with immediate effect was the right one.

However, having said all of the above I am very consious of the fact that in the next few days Northern Ireland may reach yet another mile stone in its turbulent political history. The DUP and Sinn Fein are trying to make a deal that would see the British Westminster Government devolve responsibility for Policing and Justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. This would be a very big move forward in a very fragile peace process. However while Ireland may be small in scale its political scandals can be just as interesting, complex and intriguing as those in America or France. by theirishobserver.blogspot.com

Economic Melt Down In Ireland

Economic Melt Down In Ireland

As many industrialised countries around the world begin the slow climb out of economic recession, Ireland's economy like the recent fallen snow is in melt down mode. Ireland which is a small Island nation of 4 million people in The Irish Republic and an additional 1.5 million people in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland remains under British Rule) has been gripped by economic recession.

However, unlike so many other countries Ireland is lead by a Government which has little economic foresight or direction. During the 'boom' years in Ireland a small elite group of Government Ministers, Building speculators and Bankers insured that the 'new' wealth in Ireland remained the preserve of the few - collectively known as 'The Golden Circle'.
Corrupt bankers lent Billions of Euro to property speculators on the basis of untested assets and in many cases hundreds of millions were lent with no assets or securities in place. Government Ministers ensured that the speculators and bankers kept their wealth by introducing tax loopholes and an inept Financial Regulator.

Ireland has been robbed by the few, yet unlike the Obama administration Ireland has not established a banking inquiry, Ireland has not punished the wrong doers, in fact The Irish Government has punished the ordinary worker and tax payer in general by imposing scathing wage cuts and public service cut backs.

The Irish Government has established The National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) which has already began the process of taking the bad debts of property speculators from the banks. NAMA will be funded by the Irish Tax payer and will cost at least 100 billion.

Over the past ten years the bankers and speculators, cheered on by Government Ministers, have been allowed to rob the Irish people through a process of corruption and self serving. With the creation of NAMA the Irish people are to be robbed in day light once again, ordinary people are to pay for the crimes of the corrupt while the European Parliment appears to offer nothing more than platitudes about new standards of financial regulation.

President Obama

Address by US President Obama

Good Afternoon,

The reports and images from Haiti of collapsed hospitals, crumbled homes, and men and women carrying their injured neighbors through the streets are truly heart-wrenching. As we learn more about the extent of the devastation, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and Haitian Americans around our country who do not yet know the fate of their families and loved ones back home.

I have directed my Administration to respond with a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives. The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States Government in the urgent effort to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble and to deliver the humanitarian relief -- the food, water and medicine -- that Haitians will need in the coming days.

This is also a time when we are reminded of the common humanity that we all share, and Americans have always responded to these situations with generosity of spirit. If you would like to support the urgent humanitarian effort in Haiti, I encourage you to visit our website where you can learn more about how to contribute:

The President Mr Obama

Haiti

Massive Earthquake Hits Haiti

Haven is launching an urgent appeal for funds in the wake of a massive earthquake in the Haitian capital Port au Prince.

The house building charity has projects in two areas of Haiti, in the northeast and southwest. The earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale has caused massive destruction around the capital Port au Prince with a large number of public buildings destroyed. Haven is trying to establish the well being of their Haitian staff and their families, but communications with the country are difficult with phones and emails down. As most of Haven's houses building projects are based in rural parts of the country, the charity is hopeful that the impact of the earthquake will not be too great on them.

Founder of Haven Leslie Buckley says "We are going to establish the extent of the damage in Port au Prince and also around our house building projects, but it is already clear this is a massive catastrophe and Haiti will need our help to assist survivors. In the longer term, Haiti will also need help in building new homes and rebuilding damaged ones" Haven will be working with aid agency GOAL, which works in neighbouring Honduras, in its response to the earthquake. Donations can be made via Haven's website http://www.havenpartnership.com/ or cheques sent to Haven, The Malthouse, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2. Haven is also recruiting volunteers to travel with it to Haiti in April to help build homes for some of the poorest people there. For further information contact the Haven office on +353 1 433 3930 You can donate to Haven's Earthquake Appeal directly through our Bank of Ireland account Account Number-41877036Sort Code-90-09-73Account Name-The Haven Community Foundation

Haiti/Press Release from Oireachtas

Department of Foreign Affairs Must Consider Deploying Irish Rapid Response Corps to Haiti-

Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee13 Jan 2010 - The Department of Foreign Affairs should seriously consider immediately sending the Irish Rapid Response Corps to Haiti to help co-ordinate the relief efforts in the country following the devastating earthquake which has struck, the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee has said today.

Committee Chairman, Dr Michael Woods TD said; “The Irish Rapid Response Corps, which consists of 130 highly skilled volunteers in areas such as public health, logistics and engineering, would be invaluable in helping the relief effort in Haiti and there is a strong case for dispatching them to the island as soon as possible. This unit was established two years ago, following on from the White Paper on Irish Aid, to assist with natural disasters of this scale. So I feel it would be proper that they are given the chance to utilise their skills to help respond to some of the devastating consequences of the earthquake. Ireland has a proud tradition of coming to the assistance of those impacted by humanitarian situations and natural disasters around the world and every effort must be made in this instance to provide, directly and through our NGOs and Missionaries on the ground, as much humanitarian assistance and financial help as possible.”

Ireland

European Arrest Warrant for Liam Dominic Adams

The much awaited European Arrest Warrant for Liam Dominic Adams is to be available to the PSNI on Friday 15th January 2010. The Warrant will then be presented to An Garda Siochana to serve on Liam Dominic Adams who is wanted in the north to face charges of child sexual abuse against his daughter Aine. Liam Dominic Adams is a brother of Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, and it has been shown by the Sunday Tribune that contrary to Gerry saying that he and Liam were estranged they were very much in contact.

Stormont Investigation

The Committee on Standards and Privileges today responded to issues which have been raised in respect of the conduct of Mrs Iris Robinson MLA and Mr Peter Robinson MLA. The Committee also received correspondence directly from Mr Robinson MLA requesting that the Committee commence an inquiry into the questions that have been raised. The Chair of the Committee, Mr Declan O Loan MLA said: It is clearly in the public interest that an official investigation is carried out in order to establish the full facts in relation to the issues raised in the BBCs recent Spotlight programme. The Committee on Standards and Privileges has therefore today instructed the Assemblys Commissioner for Standards to carry out a thorough independent investigation into the conduct of Mrs Iris Robinson MLA and Mr Peter Robinson MLA in order to enable the Committee on Standards and Privileges to determine whether or not any breaches of the Assemblys Code have occurred.

Sinn Fein Defections

Yet another high profile member of Sinn Fein in Dublin has resigned from the party. Killian Forde said that he was leaving Sinn Fein because it was "Staid and unresponsive" which is an interesting description of Sinn Fein by someone who is joining Labour. So Killian suggests that Sinn Fein is "sedate, serious and rather dull" that must mean that Labour is "alive, happy go lucky and rather bright", while I am no fan of Sinn Fein surely such fanciful descriptions by an auld comrade in arms is window dressing for what appears to be a career move.

Killian Forde joins three other high profile members of Sinn Fein who have left the party over the past year including Sinn Fein's bed rock in Dublin, Christy Burke. Chirsty Burke, Louise Minihan, John Dwyer and now Killian Forde have all decided to leave Sinn Fein at a time when the party should be enjoying the fruits of its role in the peace process. Why then have the RA supporters club become the "RA -Ts" abandoning a sinking ship. It is not enough for Sinn Fein to issue mealy mouthed statements attacking each individual on a personal level every time one of them jumps ship. The Green Book tactic of "the best form of defence is attack" holds little water in a modern day democracy, Sinn Fein simply show themselves to be even more isolationist and insular when they attack individuals who feel the party has lost its way.

Sinn Fein to survive in a modern day democracy must ask serious questions of themselves, why are so many dedicated activists jumping ship when they should be riding high on the wave of all that has been achived in the north. What is it that has left a once vibrant and vocal opposition party in such a shambles. In my day as a Sinn Fein activist I worked long and hard for many election campaigns, I never once took as much as one cent for my many years of committed work for Sinn Fein. When I needed lads to put up posters for Sinn Fein I could call upon an army of volunteers, when I needed lads to go round the pubs on a Saturday night to sell An Phoblacht I could pick and choose who I wanted, today however Sinn Fein is a party of paid activists and semi-professional spin doctors. People like Christy have been side stepped so that educated woolly jumpers like Mary Who can woe the middle class vote, this is where Sinn Fein went wrong.

Outsiders may say but surely other leading members of Sinn Fein are woolly jumpers who were parachuted into position, surely the Sinn Fein leader in the Dail is a woolly jumper, well actually no, the difference between COC and Mary Who is that COC earned his stripes, he left his job in the bank in 1980 and became a full time Sinn Fein activist, he lived on little or no income for many years, he walked and talked the length and breadth of Ireland in order to organise Sinn Fein, from one day to the next he did not know if he would have petrol for his car. Eventually he was elected to Monaghan County Council and from there worked himself into the ground until eventually being elected to the Dail. However, from my own observations I see few in the ranks of Sinn Fein now prepared to make that committment and effort, the hard working activist has been set aside. Now in Sinn Fein the activist expects to get paid, they want to know whats in it for them, of course there will always be the fools that do it all for the 'cause' but they are getting fewer by the day.

Sinn Fein if it is to survive and I doubt that it will, particularly in the south, needs to get back to basics, it needs to ask why are the men who were once so ready and willing to volunteer their services no longer doing so, why are people like Christy walking away ashamed of what Sinn Fein has become. Its not enough that Sinn Fein know they will get votes in the north because there is no credible alternative in communities long since forgotten by the State and its cheer leaders, its not enough to pay spin doctors to present a virtual reality when their own supporters are living in the real world. Sinn Fein must decide if they can offer a Real Alternative (RA) and opposition or is the Sinn Fein ship to be allowed to sink with its members being left with no alternative than to Run And Translate (RAT).

Gaelic

Noel Dempsey an Aire Iompair d'fhág na hÉireann Dé Luain seo caite chun taisteal leis an chlann le Málta ar feadh seachtaine saoire fada. An tAire Iompair a deir nach raibh sé ag teastáil in Éirinn is nach bhfuil sé le tiomáint trucail gritter nó aon meaisín imréitigh eile bóthair. Má tá sé ar an gcás nach raibh an tAire Dempsey gá a thabhairt ar ais óna saoire chun aghaidh a thabhairt ar an ngéarchéim na dúnadh bóthair agus comhábhair leithliseach b'fhéidir nach bhfuil an tAire Dempsey gá ag gach.

Cé go raibh an tAire Dempsey tanned dul i Málta, cuireadh John Gromally i gceannas ar an éigeandála náisiúnta go raibh gripped an tír mar gheall ar easpa Foresight agus pleanála. Ár choinníollacha aimsire aon rud a bhí i gcomparáid le tíortha eile ar fud na hEorpa go fóill ar ár tíre a stopadh go bunúsach toisc go bhféadfadh muid salann nach bhfuil na bóithre.

Theip ar an Rialtas Fianna Fáil agus a duille fige decaying glas gá chun a chur as oifig mar tá sé soiléir cé gur féidir leo na milliúin a chaitheamh ar chostais a shaol mar réalta scannáin nach féidir leo a bplean chun an chosaint is leochailí agus ngéarghátar sa tsochaí

Gormless Up-Dates Dimwat

Thrush

Star Hypocracy

Last night the Nightly News with Vincent Browne discussed the fact that TV3 had aired a news item about the Minister for Finance, Mr Brian Lenihan TD having been told that he had cancer. The discussion was very much about the ethics of how the programme was presented and should Mr Lenihan have been given more time and space to talk to his family before the item was aired. Mr Noel Whelan who is a Barrister and who had written an article for the Irish Times on the TV3 exclusive suggesting that the news item was badly timed and poorly presented in terms of taste and consideration for the Lenihan family, was attacked on last nights programme by the Editor of The Star.

Personally I have no opinion on the news item presented by TV3 as it appears to me that many people have their personal life raked over by the media as and when its suits them and so to single out this particular item seems fruitless to me.

The reason that this Blog is concerning itself with last nights programme is due to the fact that the Editor of the Star was on the panel offering his moral and ethical position in relation to journalism. The Editor of the Star attacked Mr Whelan for his 'political' position in relation to the TV3 programme. The Editor of the Star accused Mr Whelan of being politically blinded due to his Fianna Fail back ground. However, this Observer would say that the points raised by Mr Whelan were fair and reasonable and while this Observer takes no issue with the TV3 item this Observer must ask, "Who is the Editor of the Star to lecture anyone on ethics and morality of journalism".

theirishobserver.blogspot.com has a wealth of information at my disposal, one of those pieces of information relates to the Editor of The Star paying a convicted sex offender 400 Euro for photos that that sex offender took of himself, The Editor of The Star then proceeded to publish those photos stating that a photographer from the Star had taken the photos. What the Editor of the Star did not know was that a third party was taking photos of the Star handing over the money to the convicted sex offender.

The Star is a lurid British inspired tabloid that facilitates the sexual exploitation of men, women and children by way of its advertised deviant sex chat lines "Young Girls want to talk to you one to one", its lurid detail of sexual criminality and exploitation, its offensive portrayal of women as objects of lust and commodity. The Editor of the Star is a man of very low moral and ethical journalistic standards. It is a shame that TV3 and others continue to give the Star and its Editor a public platform on which to spout his Star Hypocracy.

Freezing Fog

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Blizzards in Meath

A Hawk waits for lunch in the Big Freeze

The Irish Times news poll 6/1/2010

The Irish Times Poll asks today if the Government's response to the adverse weather has been Adequate?

No, yesterday when I was in town and had the weekly read at the regionals - they all had the same reports - hundreds hospitalised due to slips and falls on footpaths that are the responsibility of Government - The Meath Post reported 350 attended Our Ladys Hospital Navan in the past week with broken shoulders, arms, legs, teeth etc etc it is reported that there is little or no chance of compensation for any of these people as the Council done all it could - reports from around the country are the same - Yet I noted that a Fianna Fail Councillor and publican from Slane - was able to annouce in the Meath Post that he had secured 30,000 Euro for a party in Slane to celebrate its anniversary - so 30,000 for an auld party but not 10,000 to salt the roads and footpaths in meath - nice one there, the story in Monaghan was the same plenty of money for makey up groups but nothing for public safety.....I think the public have put their anger with this Fianna Failure Govt in cold storage for the moment but soon like the Christmas turkey it will be taken out of cold storage - stuffed and placed in the burning hot oven of political history.......gravy anyone.......

An Irish Sky

Who Is Monitoring The Nations Pulse

The Garda PULSE computer sytem was first introduced 17 years ago and as yet has only been rolled out to half the operational Garda stations in the country. The system was introduced at a cost of tens of millions of Euro and today continues to cost the Irish Tax Payer tens of millions of Euro per year to maintain. 30 million per year is being spent on Consultants contracts for PULSE and other Gardai IT systems, this cost does not include the Garda internal IT Unit, which runs into millions when salaries and running costs are accounted for.

Consultancy firm Accenture is receiving more than €13 million a year for its work across the Garda computer network. The US company is leading the PULSE project and has a stake in all the intellectual property associated with the system. It has also received multimillion euro sums for upgrading the automatic fingerprint identification system. Rival consultancy firm BearingPoint was paid €4.5 million for ten different Garda IT projects in 2007. Microsoft Ireland Operations, a subsidiary of the US software giant, received a total of €2.5 million in 2007, of which €2.1 million consisted of IT software licences. PULSE which has only been installed in 319 of the 703 Garda stations, is costing the state more than €1 million a month.

PULSE was only to be accessed by a member of An Garda Siochana if for example a person was stopped for drink driving, the arresting Garda could feed in the details of the person detained and the Garda could determine if that person was already banned from driving etc. The PULSE system was really all about making the detection and prevention of crime easier with a universal system in place. However, theirishobserver.blogspot.com has discovered that some Garda members are making money from the PULSE system by using the system to vet potential clients for Property Letting Agents etc. So for example a letting agent advertising in the local paper that they have a list of vetted clients on their books, they mean exactly that, a Garda has used his position to put names of potential tenants into the PULSE system to see if they have a criminal record, the Garda in turn gets paid cash for his work. This now appears to be common practice around the country and some Letting Agents are making no secret of where their information is coming from.

The question then remains to be asked - "Who is Monitoring The Nations Pulse", have An Garda Siochana no internal mechanism for detecting such abuse of a system that has cost the tax payer tens of millions, can nobody ask why the name of Joe Bloggs was feed into the computer on a Saurday night when Joe Bloggs was never arrested nor even suspected of committing any crime.

Big Freeze continues in Ireland

Ireland - New Years Day 2010