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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

columnists

Suicide bombers won’t listen to reason

According to the Taoiseach there is no evidence of a terrorist attack or anything “untoward” being planned in Ireland. His assessment must correspond to the analysis of the general management of Le Bataclan, had a similar question been posed to them in Paris a week ago.

Censure Mary Lou over water charges position

RTÉ can’t afford to pay D’Arcy a €500,000 salary

Bishop of Killala’s ‘shock’ that one of his priests is gay is a surprise

Rail strikes: Taxpayers will not be blackmailed

Who will police the police?

New civil service role would be waste of time

According to the principal recommendations in the recently published report on civil service accountability and performance, a newly created position of Head of the Civil Service is set to be created by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to act as guardian of the ethos and values of the system.

Thu, 03 Jul, 2014

Financial transparency vital for accountable democracy

The United States tax authorities have recently reported that foreign corporations, incorporated in Ireland but controlled by 666 American corporations, reported current earnings and profits, before tax, of $87.12 billion for 2010 and that tax on these earnings amounted to $2.9bn (3.3%).

Sat, 28 Jun, 2014

How to make new banking inquiry credible

When the decision to establish an Oireachtas Joint Committee to conduct a banking inquiry was announced in April, over 12 months after the expiry of the blanket bank guarantee, we were advised that public confidence would be inspired because the banking inquiry would demonstrate ‘an example of parliament at its best’, as it would be the first inquiry conducted under new enabling legislation.

Tue, 17 Jun, 2014

Government needs to be creative in response to Apple tax probe

A creative, relevant and agile government response is required to the tax probe launched by the EU into Apple, the concerns of the US Senate and the widely reported comments of governor Jerry Brown of California.

Mon, 16 Jun, 2014

Stop shadow boxing with health service

Health Minister James Reilly attributes the latest controversial calamity to hit the health service to a lack of resources and an absence of wider political leadership.

Tue, 10 Jun, 2014

Too much artistic licence at Aosdána

The annual general assembly of Aosdána this week, and the conduct of its affairs in private, should prompt a reforming response from the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan.

Fri, 02 May, 2014

Irish language groups should look at GAA

The Irish language protests in Connemara last weekend were a damp squib.

Wed, 26 Feb, 2014

The role of the President in Constitutional Convention

Both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste advise that the Constitutional Convention is to be the vanguard of profound social and institutional reform.

Fri, 13 Jul, 2012

Gays and definition of marriage

Eamon Gilmore, in telling us that the right of gay couples to marry is the civil rights issue of this generation, is being less than candid in his ambition to sever the connection between sex, procreation and the stability and welfare of the nation’s children.

Fri, 06 Jul, 2012

Church should consider term limits for bishops

THE option of further costly, non-binding State inquiries, rather than prosecutions by the DPP, have been mentioned following the publication of the most recent reviews of child safeguarding procedures in six dioceses over a 34-year period.

Fri, 02 Dec, 2011

What really matters in a President

MARTIN McGUINNESS tells us that if he were elected President he would accept remuneration no greater than €35,000 per annum and advises that his legacy as an IRA commander should be conveniently disregarded and even excised from our imagination.

Thu, 22 Sep, 2011

A reformed legal system would be more equitable

REPORTS of the impertinent and outrageous claims for a severance payment of up to €30,000 by each of the barristers’ appointed to the Moriarty Tribunal legal team come after this legal team had already been paid almost €33 million for input to the Tribunal, two of whom were each paid over €9.2m.

Sat, 03 Sep, 2011

Leadership has fallen to lobbyists, hangers-on and lamentable back-scratchers

SPEAKING at a business conference recently on the topic of radical action for a new beginning, Dr Ed Walsh offered what he considers to be far-reaching suggestions to “avoid bricks being thrown through windows”.

Mon, 01 Nov, 2010

President should have a role in selection of top dons

WHEN Seán Haughey, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, answered questions in the Dáil on its first day back after the summer recess, he put on record his “disappointment and disapproval of the unacceptable practice which existed in some universities of making additional payments to staff without the requisite sanction”.

Mon, 18 Oct, 2010

Cowen’s real problem

WHILE those in the proverbial smoke-filled rooms cogitate about the future of Brian Cowen as Taoiseach they ought to understand nobody can successfully hold that office until he or she has won a general election.

Wed, 22 Sep, 2010

The best days of FÁS are now well behind it

THE viability, reputation and stature of our national training and education enterprise is sailing like the Titanic towards the iceberg and there are no life jackets on board.

Thu, 09 Sep, 2010

Taxpayers need system of accountability

WHEN the Senate Members’ Interests Committee convene to consider the issue of allowances and expenses they must bear in mind that taxpayers are demanding that there is an adequate system of accountability with respect to expenses.

Mon, 09 Aug, 2010

Toxic impact of building societies

THE research published by the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) is described in your editorial (July 30) as “a scathing and unambiguous attack on the role of politicians” in the housing debacle.

Fri, 06 Aug, 2010

Why Callely must be compelled to repay

THE findings that the nomadic senator Ivor Callely misrepresented his normal place of residence for the purpose of claiming allowances must not be concluded without him being obliged, in law, promptly to repay these allowances in full and with interest.

Tue, 20 Jul, 2010

Cowen’s chance to engage with voters and possibly save the exchequer a fortune

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen needs to mobilise public opinion if the exchequer deficit is to be tackled and the shoots of economic recovery are to yield jobs, stability and opportunity.

Mon, 19 Jul, 2010

Vintners ‘pathetic’ attempt to discredit new drink-driving limit

THE posturing of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and their lobbying counterparts towards the reduced drink-driving limits contained in the Road Traffic Bill is pathetic.

Mon, 12 Jul, 2010

We need to take a hard look at voluntary aid – at home and abroad

YOUR report (June 28) that the HSE is to cut €80 million in direct state support from community and voluntary organisations is disturbing because it potentially affects those who are most economically vulnerable and threatens employment in those entities facing cutbacks.

Thu, 01 Jul, 2010

Floating NAMA

THE famine replica vessel, Jeanie Johnston, completed a decade ago at a cost of €14 million, was acquired by Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) in 2005.

Mon, 07 Jun, 2010

Setting the bar for next president

ARE the cautious, nuanced signals emanating from several individuals who might have an interest in becoming a candidate in the 2011 presidential election an acknowledgement that the electorate will have very high expectations when they decide whom to elect as the next President of Ireland?

Fri, 07 May, 2010

Billions wasted on Fingleton’s ‘tadpole’

THE 2009 annual report of Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) reveals that the Government has thrown €2.7bn of public money into a black hole with no evidence of due diligence and the probability of achieving anything in return being as likely as successfully converting a stagnant sewer into a spa at a wellness centre.

Mon, 03 May, 2010

Vatican critics want an end to concealment

THE recent comment by Cardinal Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, who described the criticism of the Holy See relating to clerical child sex abuse as “truly incomprehensible” is absurd, unworthy and mischievous.

Tue, 20 Apr, 2010

Unions’ passport to fantasy land

THE Civil and Public Service Union (CPSU), in issuing protective strike notice, had better prepare for a long, bitter, costly and intransigent strike if that is where they are headed.

Sat, 27 Mar, 2010

Is there a priestly George Mitchell?

I WELCOME the Pope’s candid apology and the empathy reflected in his letter (March 20).

Tue, 23 Mar, 2010

Docklands debacle puts us in a state of terror

INSIGHTS into a culture of excess and extravagance by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) have reached the public domain and these were not apparently mitigated by the perk of free flights available to DDDA director Seán FitzPatrick.

Thu, 11 Mar, 2010

FG takes the wrong option

FINE Gael apparently intends to propose at their árd fheis that as a component of their “new politics” policy to reform the entire electoral system, the term of office of the President is reduced to five years; that the minimum age of candidates is reduced from 35 to 18 years and presidential elections would take place at the same time as local and European elections so as to achieve “massive cost-saving”.

Mon, 08 Mar, 2010

Why the faithful should not pay

NOT a single cent should be provided by parishioners to compensate for the criminality of clerical sex abusers.

Fri, 05 Mar, 2010

Vatican summit was just pious political theatre

THE RECENT summit of the entire cohort of Irish bishops, the Pope and senior members of the Roman Curia seems to have been little more than a self-serving display of pious political theatre based on a disjointed script played before an increasingly sceptical and despairing Irish public.

Mon, 01 Mar, 2010