Mervue- 6-2-13

6/2/13

RTE News Online

The Dáil is debating emergency legislation which seeks to wind up IBRC, with the Seanad due to meet afterwards. IBRC Chairman Alan Dukes has said the board of the former Anglo Irish Bank has been stood down. The move is understood to be part of a Government proposal to replace the promissory note with a new financing arrangement. However, a spokesperson for the European Central Bank said talks on a possible deal on promissory notes were continuing in Frankfurt. Under the proposed deal the promissory note would be replaced with a number of bonds, which would have an average maturity of 27 years. The bonds would range in maturity from 25 years to 40 years.

23:54 Economist David McWilliams - @davidmcw: "Game, set,match to ECB.It gets everything it wants with new bond. We get more debt.Brings closer sov' default when bond bubble bursts."

23:40 The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013, which the Dáil and Seanad are due to debate, has been published.

23:16 The Dáil has been suspended until midnight to give TDs time to read the Government's emergency legislation on IBRC.

 23:13 Enda Kenny has said that opposition TDs had been briefed on what was "a technical Bill". He said the Bill had to be passed tonight in order to safe-guard the assets of IBRC.

 23:10 Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams has said that more time is needed to digest the legislation. People Before Profit Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett has said finance spokespeople were given a rushed briefing 15 minutes before the Dáil reconvened. He said the matter was too serious to be "rammed through in this manner".

23:08 Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered to adjourn the Dáil until 11.30pm to allow members to read the legislation, however the suggestion did not gain the agreement of opposition parties.

23:06 Fianna Fáil's leader Micheál Martin has said his party's members has not had time to read the Government's Bill. Mr Martin sought an adjournment of the House to allow for a preliminary reading of the legislation. He said it was extraordinary to expect people to vote on a Bill that they had not seen.

23:02 The Dáil has resumed to allow for the Government to put forward emergency legislation that will allow it to wind up the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation.

22:46 The Press Association says that a formal decision on whether the ECB has signed-off on Ireland's promissory note proposal is not expected until tomorrow afternoon.

22:43 The IBRC Bill 2013 was distributed to TDs through their pigeon holes in Leinster House shortly before 10.30pm. According to the Explanatory Memorandum, the aim of the Bill is to wind up the IBRC, end the exposure of the State to the IBRC, help to restore the financial position of the State and help to enable the State to re-establish normalised access to the international debt markets. It says that the Minister for Finance shall, after the legislation is passed, make a "Special Liquidation Order" to wind up IBRC and that after this Order is made, no person can apply to wind-up or appoint an examiner to any subsidiary of IBRC without the consent of the Special Liquidator.

 22:37 Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer - @jerrybuttimer: "Hot off the press as Dail reconvenes pic.twitter.com/ySDQGO5h" 

22:33 The Dáil has been suspended until 11pm, a half hour later than previously indicated.

22:32 A statement from the People Before Profit Alliance has said that Richard Boyd Barrett TD, along with other finance spokespersons, is about to be briefed on the Government's emergency legislation due to be put to the Dáil this evening.

22:31 Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin - @MichealMartinTD: "Unbelievably, we're minutes from the start of debate and still no detail on what we're to debate..."

 22:20 Opposition sources are saying they still have no copy of the legislation and no briefing from Government, with the Dáil due to resume in ten minutes.

21:31 A Government amendment to the Technical Group private members motion on the promissory note has been passed by 88 votes to 44. The Government won the debate. Following the vote the Dáil has been suspended until 10.30pm, at which point the IBRC Resolutions Act 2013 will be put forward.

 21:20 A Government motion for a late sitting of the Dáil went to a vote and has been passed by 86 votes to 44. TDs are now voting on the promissory note private members business.

 21:12 The legislation due to be debated in the Oireachtas this evening will be the 'IBRC Resolution Act 2013'.

20:58 RTÉ's Europe Editor Tony Connelly - @tconnellyRTE: "ECB spokesperson continuing to say that "talks are continuing" on promissory note in Frankfurt, despite emergency Dail session #anglo #ecb"

20:51 The Dáil is due to sit for two hours and ten minutes from 10.30pm in order to pass emergency legislation relating to IBRC. The legislation will go to the Seanad at approximately 12.45am.

20:47 Government chief whip Paul Kehoe has said the ECB was seeking a proposal from Government and the leaking of some elements was unfortunate. In the face of these leaks, he said the Minister for Finance had taken steps to secure IBRC. Mr Kehoe said the Government was working extremely hard to secure a deal and it was optimistic that an arrangement agreeable to all parties could be found in the format of the current discussions.

20:46 President Michael D Higgins has just departed Rome for Dublin, in order to make himself available in the event of there being legislation to consider. He is travelling on the Government jet and intends to return to Italy tomorrow.

20:31 The Cabinet is due to meet at 8:45pm to discuss the terms of a deal on promissory notes ahead of special sessions of the Dáil and Seanad called to pass emergency legislation.

19:59 Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe has confirmed to RTÉ News that the Dáil will reconvene at 10pm to consider the emergency legislation. Earlier, there had been uncertainty after indications from the ECB that a deal on Ireland's promissory notes might not happen tonight.

 19:56 RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly reports that a spokesperson for the ECB said talks on a possible deal on promissory notes were continuing in Frankfurt. RTÉ News understands there will be no announcement of any breakthrough tonight.

 19:55 The now former chairman of IBRC has told RTÉ News that the board of the bank has been stood down. Alan Dukes said that the board has not been liquidated but has been stood down and designated persons from KPMG have taken control of the institution. As a consequence, Mr Dukes said he is no longer chairman of the bank.

19:51 President D Higgins turned up for his engagement as scheduled at the Villa Spada - this evening, despite rumours circulating that he would be required to cut short his official trip to Italy to return home urgently

19:49 Bloomberg's Bureau Chief Dara Doyle @daradoy *NOONAN SAID TO CANCEL ANGLO SPEECH AS ECB DELAY DECISION 19:44 RTÉ's Europe Editor Tony Connelly explains exactly what is a promissory note in a blog post published last March http://bit.ly/UAjE6s  

 19:43 RTÉ's Political Correspondent David McCullagh ‏@mcculld "Peter Mathews tells #Dail it's "absurd" to give him 3 mins speaking time, as he's been studying #Anglo for 4 years."

 19:40 The debate on the Technical Group's Private Members' Motion on the promissory note has resumed in the Dáil. Sinn Féin's Brian Stanley said there were no grounds for paying the promissory note while working people and children were suffering. He said he hope there was news on the promissory note tonight.

 19:36 RTÉ's The Late Debate will have the latest on the liquidation of IBRC - What it means and the full economic and political reaction. Tune in to RTÉ Radio One from 10pm

 19:35 From RTÉ Business Editor David Murphy @davidmurphyRTE "For all you asked: Yes, Ireland will still owe the money. The only benefit is that payments will be spread over a longer period." "Also, the payments will be interest only. The capital will be repaid at the end of the maturity of the bonds."

 19:23 Bloomberg’s bureau chief in Dublin says a final ECB decision on an Irish plan may not come in the next 24 hours. Officials are said to want more time to weigh the decisions.

 1910 The board of the former Anglo Irish Bank, now known as IBRC, is "liquidated as of now", its chairman Alan Dukes has told Reuters. "The board is liquidated as of now, the functions of the board are being taken over by KPMG," Mr Dukes said. KMPG's Padraic Monaghan has been given responsibility for running IBRC's board, but has not been appointed liquidator, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. Staff at IBRC were informed of KPMG's appointment by email this evening. A liquidator is expected to be appointed imminently.

 18:53 Independent TD Shane Ross (@Shane_RossTD) has tweeted: "Waiting news whether Dail sits late to liquidate Anglo.Our motion on Anglo has 90 minutes to go starting in 45 minutes.What will they say?"

 18:52 Fianna Fáil Finance spokesman Michael McGrath said if speculation is correct and the Government is to strike a deal, its success would be measured by the impact on the general public. "People will want to see a difference in their pockets," Mr McGrath said. "They will want to see a difference on the high street. They will want to see a difference in the retail sector." He added: "The question is how will this impact on the Budget? I believe, and I've said this a number of times, a good deal could have a very tangible impact on the next budget. "The Government is looking to take €3.1bn out of the economy next year. A good deal would reduce that very substantially."

 18:44 The bonds, which could replace the promissory notes, would range in maturity from 25 years to 40 years. It is expected there would be a deficit saving from 2014 onwards of about €1bn. The €3.1bn annual repayments due under the promissory note would be replaced with significantly lower interest only repayments.

 18:42 The union representing workers at IBRC says it will seek an urgent meeting with the Minister for Finance and the liquidators. IBOA's Larry Broderick says around 800 people are employed by IBRC -mainly on permanent contracts. He said staff were "shocked" at tonight's developments.

18:38 Kieran Wallace of KPMG is poised to be named as liquidator to IBRC, formerly Anglo. It is understood a special manager would also be appointed to the bank. Under the deal the promissory note would be replaced with a number of bonds which would have average maturity of 27 years.

 18:20 Fianna Fáil has said it has not yet been given any details of any emergency legislation to be passed by the Oireachtas, or on whether it is definitely going ahead. Finance Spokesperson Michael McGrath said they would have to look at the detail of any legislation before deciding whether to support it or not. Mr McGrath said they would have questions to ask, the most important being whether any deal eased the burden on ordinary people.

18:00 The Government plans to liquidate the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, formerly Anglo Irish Bank, as part of changes to replace the promissory note with a new financing arrangement. It is reported Minister for Finance Michael Noonan will make a statement about the plans tonight. The new arrangements need the backing of the ECB's Governing Council, which is meeting in Frankfurt this evening ahead of a formal meeting tomorrow. Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan, Ireland's representative on the council, will put a revised plan to his fellow central bank governors this evening, a source has said. The new arrangement should reduce the annual €3.1bn cost of financing the promissory note by pushing repayment of the principle out into the future. However, it would not reduce the total sum to be repaid.

Spanish Arch - 4/2/13

3/2/13

Dominick Street - 3/2/13

Eyre Square - 3/2/13

Bridge Street - 3/2/13

Pump lane - 3/2/13

Moneenageisha Junction - 21/1/13

Corrib Shopping Centre - 21/1/13

21/1/13

21/1/13

16/1/13

Galway Independent

Graffiti clean-up costing city €20,000 per annum

16/01/2013

by Conor Harrington

Cleaning up after graffiti artists in the city is costing Galway City Council €20,000 per year, it has emerged. Councillors attending Monday’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC) meeting called for affirmative action to be taken in ridding the city of its graffiti problem once and for all. Cllr Niall McNelis said that a small handful of individuals are responsible for the majority of the city’s graffiti and called for cameras, similar to those used to curb illegal dumping on the Western Distributor Road, to be installed.

Cllr Donal Lyons said the city’s graffiti problem had been ongoing for years and the city and the Gardaí had still not gotten to grips with it. “The very minute it goes up, it should be coming down,” said Cllr Lyons.

Galway City Mayor, Cllr Terry O’Flaherty called graffiti “a blight” on the city and suggested that, when caught, the perpetrators be made to clean up their handiwork. “If they were made clean it up themselves, they’d soon stop it,” she said. JPC committee member, Mr Tommy Flaherty, from Galway City Community Forum, echoed calls for a camera and suggested a temporary “covert” camera might suffice to catch the offending graffiti artists.

Superintendent Marie Skehill said that graffiti was “criminal damage” that the Gardaí took it very seriously, although she noted that it was a difficult crime to police.

Eyre Square - 16/1/13

William Street - 16/1/13

Small Crane - 15/1/13

15/1/13

Mervue 15/1/13

Eyre Square - 15/1/13

University Road - 13/1/13

Pump Lane - 13/1/13

10/1/13

Irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Thursday, January 10, 2013, 16:06

Legislation for X 'not necessary'

IRISH TIMES REPORTERS

Legislating for the X case removed the obligation to make every effort at all times to preserve the life of both the mother and her unborn baby, Catholic Bishop of Elphin Dr Christopher Jones told the Oireachtas health committee hearings on abortion today.

“It allows for abortion, for the direct and intentional killing of the baby in the womb,” he said. “It is not necessary to legislate for the X case to ensure that women in Ireland receive all the life-saving treatment they need during pregnancy.’’
Speaking at the last of three days of hearings on the abortion issue, Dr Jones said other options were available to the Government that did not involve legislating for abortion.
“These include the option of appropriate guidelines, which continue to exclude the direct and intentional killing of the unborn, or a referendum to overturn the X case judgment,” he added.

“We believe both these options should be fully explored by the Oireachtas.”

Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Dr Michael Jackson said his church opposed abortion on principle but acknowledged there were cases of “strict and undeniable medical necessity” where it was and should be an option.
“The church has previously urged the Government to adopt a legislative and regulatory approach which will allow for easier alteration in the light of changes in medical science,’’ he added. “Accordingly, the Government decision to do so is welcome.”
Dr Jackson said the current position was very unclear and it was unsatisfactory and unfair to pregnant women and medical professionals who deserved to be able to make critical, clinical decisions in a secure and well regulated legal and medical framework.
“We, therefore, strongly welcome the decision by the Government to seek to provide clarity on this issue.”
Heidi Good of the Methodist Church of Ireland said her church is opposed to abortion on demand, but a termination is permissible where the mother's life is at risk; where there is risk of grave injury to the physical or mental health of the mother; in cases of rape or incest; in cases of gross abnormality of the foetus or otherwise where it is incapable of survival.
Ms Good, a lay representative of the Methodist Church, told the Oireachtas health committee hearing the role of law "should not attempt to legislate for a specific form or morality, but rather to set minimum standards for the social good".

Dr Trevor Morrow of the Presbyterian Church said his church does not believe it has the responsibility to prescribe to, or advise, the Oireachtas on how to respond to the expert group report.
Dr Morrow said the medical profession must, in every circumstance, choose what is right.
"We do recognise, however, that there are circumstances that you are confronted at times, in a broken, messy world, with two things that are wrong,” he added.
"It is wrong to allow a mother to die; it is wrong to take the life of a child. But in such circumstances, it may be necessary to choose what is least wrong.”
Dr Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland said that "in the unlikely event when a group of competent trustworthy physicians confirm that the continuity of pregnancy jeopardises the mother's life, abortion could be conducted as the last and only alternative to protect the mother's life".
He said Government should think of social and economic means to terminate on the grounds of suicide, but certainly not at the expense of others' lives.
He said women who were victims of rape "deserve due sympathy and help, but a child conceived in this unfortunate situation still has the right to live".
The chairman of Atheist Ireland Michael Nugent said "we should not need three days of parliamentary hearings to discuss how the law should allow a doctor in a hospital to save the life of a dying woman”.
Mr Nugent called on the Government to "please stop this unethical pattern of lawmaking by reacting to personal tragedies".

He urged the Oireachtas: "Please do not ignore the suffering of pregnant women whose health is at risk, who are victims of rape or incest, or whose foetus has fatal abnormalities."
Mr Nugent said: "Whatever laws you pass, please base them on human rights and compassion and on applying reason and empirical evidence, and not on religious doctrines".
Rabbi Zalman Lent said it was an "incredibly difficult and painful decision to have to terminate a pregnancy - however, a foetus in utero, though inherently valuable, has not yet assumed the equal status of full life".

"This would primarily be when carrying the unborn to term would cause danger and risk to the mother's life. In this instance the foetus may be considered to be actively threatening the life of the mother and, to save her life, a termination could be permitted."
Representatives of anti-abortion groups including the Pro Life Campaign,Youth Defence, Family and Life and the Iona Institute gave evidence this morning, while pro-choice advocates from Choice Ireland, the National Womens Council of Ireland and Action on X spoke in the afternoon.
Any legislation based on the X case would mean the Government sanctioning and legitimising the taking of innocent human life, the Pro Life campaign argued in its submission to the committee.

"Once the principle is conceded that some human lives can be directly targeted, there is no going back," it added." Inevitably, over time, the grounds for abortion would be widened."

The Iona Institute argued it was impossible to produce legislation to cover every eventuality that might occur in the care of pregnant mothers and attempts to do so would have a "chilling effect" on doctors, which could only disimprove current practice.
Youth Defence claimed the Government had made a wrong decision in opting to follow the expert group’s recommendation “which favours the legalisation of abortion in Ireland’’.
Family and Life said the X case judgment was deeply flawed, and devising acceptable and effective legislation based on it was impossible.

The church and advocacy group representatives were being asked about the views of their organisations in relation to the Government’s plans to legislate and regulate for abortion in certain cases where a woman’s life may be at risk.
The committee previously took evidence from senior medics, health chiefs, legal experts and academics.



The Irish Times - Thursday, January 10, 2013

Warning Ireland could be in breach of convention

MARIE O'HALLORAN
Ireland could fall foul of the European Convention on Human Rights for denying abortion in cases of lethal foetal abnormality, the committee was told.
Dr Alan Brady of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said where it was clear the child would not survive some women might go to term and some might not. “I don’t think that is a decision to be made for those women. I have real concerns under article 3 that the Irish State seeking to make that decision for women who are faced with a clear medical diagnosis that the pregnancy is not viable that there is a real risk we will be found to be in breach of article 3.”
He said the European Convention on Human Rights was a “living document” and the court’s analysis “would suggest that denying abortion in cases of lethal foetal abnormality may be a violation”.
An argument could also be made that providing for abortion in cases of rape or incest might also be covered under article 3. Dr Brady added, however: “I don’t think it would be permissible under article 40.3.3 at the moment to provide for cases of rape or incest. I think that would require a constitutional amendment.” Phrases such as “floodgates” were “possibly unhelpful” because the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court “says that where a doctor is satisfied there is a real and substantial risk to life, and termination is required to avoid that risk, the woman is entitled to it. Now that’s the test, and we’re going to have to trust our doctors to apply the test in practice. The floodgates argument is something of a red herring.”

NUI - 9/1/13

University Road - 9/1/13