In a way the contribution that has remained with me the most from my very limited attendance at the Desmond Greaves school was William Kingston. Kingston, who is Professor and Research Associate at the School of Business Studies in TCD and has specialised on issues of public policy and administration, set out his stall as [...]

I don’t know the motivation behind Minister Mary White’s first substantial decision since she was elevated: to commission assessments of three state bodies with responsibility for equality: the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Human Rights Commission, which was reported in the Irish Times at the weekend.
Her motivation might be bad, in that it [...]

Following February’s Wallets Full of Blood: Houses on the Moon, there is now another installment in the tale of zombies stalking the dead Republic.
WALLETS FULL OF BLOOD: ZOMBIE BANKER BLUES

WALLETS FULL OF BLOOD: ZOMBIE BANKER BLUES from aaronrip on Vimeo.

Oh, that speech. One might think the Taoiseach had a Damascus Road conversion - and in front of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce in the Four Seasons Hotel of all places. That somehow he looked deep into his soul while he was looking ‘everyone in the eye’ - and came forth with new economic tablets [...]

Higher and higher - that’s the way unemployment is going. Strange this is not getting the attention it deserves. While the media debates the fiscal meltdown, the ‘will-they-or-won’t they’ cut public sector wages (or just freeze them ad infinitum), a blood-letting is beginning in the labour force. Maybe it’s just that we [...]

A system in crisis
There were two remarkable things about the Lisbon Treaty referendum that have been almost completely ignored by the men and women whose job it is to chew over Irish politics on a daily basis. First of all, the result showed that Irish citizens have no confidence in the people they vote for. [...]

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5.  Put it in a roasting tray, season with salt and pepper and place on the middle rack.  Cook for 20 minutes per pound and when finished take it out and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice and soak in gravy.  There you have it - Fianna Fail’s recipe [...]