Access to Information Updates
An article in the latest New Statesman outlines the economic and fiscal policies of Fianna Fáil that has us where we are today. Failed by Fianna – New Statesman […] The cuts announced in December aim to reduce state spending by €4bn this year, but the overall plan is to slash it by €15bn within four years. … Continue reading “New Statesman article on Ireland and FF”
Hear, hear for The Sunday Times editorial (though I disagree with the statement on there being too many TDs). The government, but also the political establishment generally, must bear most of the responsibility for this lack of civic mindedness. It is a direct descendant of cynicism and weariness with a selfish and at least semicorrupt … Continue reading “Digest – Jan 10 2010”
I will post the document first and tell the story below, it’s worth a look. The information contained in this FOI, is I believe, valuable. Cost-benefit analyses, impact reports or preparatory reports for NAMA Why is this information valuable? It contains a timeline of what companies were involved in consulting the Government on the formation … Continue reading “NAMA and risk reports”
There’s a most interesting and pertinent piece of political writing in today’s Irish Times by Miriam Lord. She watched high-ranking bankers appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee. Eighteen months ago… …when the same Oireachtas committee wanted to ask the same banks about the way they conducted their business, fewer chairmen and chief executives deigned to … Continue reading “Bankers appear before finance committee… this time”
Part two of Joan Burton’s FOI concerned communications between the Department of Finance and Anglo Irish bank (I will post the exact wording of the request later). For now though here is the full extent of the refusal. It contains references to released information that I have not yet received from Ms Burton, but I … Continue reading “Joan Burton’s FOI refusal”
I was interested in some FOI work that Deputy Joan Burton had been doing lately on Anglo Irish Bank, so I contacted her and asked for any documents or refusals she had received. She was kind enough to copy everything and post them down to me. I have now scanned and OCRd the documentation. First … Continue reading “Ireland's notification to the European Commission”
The Independent leads tomorrow with a story about €100m in outstanding loans on which former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick is apparently not paying interest. That’s an interest bill of €400,000 a month, but no repayments are being made. This actually partly relates to my story the other day about Anglo-Irish Nominees Ltd. We … Continue reading “Sean FitzPatrick's loans”
The Daily Mail and Sunday Times have commented already on Lenihan’s diary as published here last week. The Daily Mail concentrated on the meeting with Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone on November 12, 2008. The Sunday Times was more concerned with all the constituency work Mr Lenihan was doing when he perhaps should have been doing … Continue reading “Some questions for Mr Lenihan”
Following an FOI request, the Department of Finance has released Brian Lenihan’s diary appointments, September 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. I have uploaded it. It relates to the period of the bank guarantee, Anglo nationalisation and NAMA planning. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s diary appointments, September 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009: 19951170-Brian-Lenihan-S-Diary-Sep-08-to-Mar-09 (PDF) 19951170-Brian-Lenihan-S-Diary-Sep-08-to-Mar-09 … Continue reading “Brian Lenihan’s diary”