|
|
 Today, during ‘Leader’s Questions’ in Dáil Éireann, Tipperary Independent Deputy Mr Michael Lowry directed very pertinent questions at the Fine Gael Taoiseach Mr Leo Varadkar, regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding the National Children’s Hospital’s cost overrun, which he rightly stated, has the ordinary working Irish person questioning what they observe as the misappropriation and total misuse of public funding.
Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry addressed Taoiseach Varadkar as follows: “Taoiseach, the most recent controversy regarding the National Children’s Hospital cost overrun has the ordinary working Irish person questioning the misuse of public monies.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been engaged by the Government to explain this gross miscalculation. I am curious to understand what procurement procedure was followed to appoint this firm. You could argue that a conflict of interest exists because of the fact that PwC received in excess of €30 million in fees over the last 9 years for audit and related work with BAM. Taoiseach could you explain why the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C & AG) was not utilised as the watchdog to carry out this function considering their statutory remit is to improve the use of public money and resources and strengthen public accountability.
Is it the case that the C & AG is not adequately staffed to provide this resource? Why are we farming out so much of our Public Service work to a small select group of accountancy and legal firms? Is it accurate to contend that the Public Service no longer has the talent and expertise to conduct such onerous exercises?
At a time when many Irish households struggle with every day costs like childcare, mortgages, rent and insurance; there is a strongly held sentiment on the ground that public monies are being squandered with unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. Growing numbers of quangos and committees of review are established, yet no one is held responsible for costly decisions.
In 2011 both Fine Gael and Labour separately promised to abolish or merge many dozens of what they described as wasteful State agencies. Fine Gael listed 145 quangos, which would be terminated when they came to power. While a total of 62 were terminated from 2011-2017, as many as 40 new agencies have been created, 14 of which involve the merger of old agencies. We now have an estimated 257 quangos in existence, at enormous cost to the exchequer. It is ironic that their existence creates further distance between the Minister or Department in question when policy issues, controversy or blame arises. The quango culture is very much alive and thriving…at a growing cost to the Irish Taxpayer, while at the same time, diminishing even more, the responsibility of the Minister or the Department involved.
In regard to review and due diligence case load, the State should look beyond the top companies in the Services Sector. Lucrative engagement contracts should be extended to less well known firms who have the competence to conduct the work.
Proper due diligence carried out on the allocation of public monies would result in substantial and genuine market competition and would safeguard taxpayers’ money. The nurse’s strike and the widespread support it’s receiving further evidence a growing dissatisfaction amongst front-line public sector workers. Middle Ireland continues to be squeezed financially.
We have money to spend on the top professional accounting and legal firms; money to spend on creating quangos and agencies; money to spend on ever changing costs of new builds; yet we had nurses taking to the picket lines last week, causing huge backlogs in our already overburdened health service.
The cost of administering the State together with so much unaccountable allocations of public monies, is infuriating for a hard pressed workforce.
Taoiseach what measures will you take to reign in the excessive cost of public administration. What measures will you take to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest arising between bodies under scrutiny and those being engaged to carry out the due diligence. Middle Ireland needs to feel that they are getting value for money, but, in reality the fear is that huge amounts of our hard earned money is being spent on the existence of ineffective agencies and quangos.”
You can watch HERE, Deputy Lowry’s questions and An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s reply.
 Second Level Students Ms Emer O’Donnell & Ms Sarah Ryan. Borrisoleigh Students Create Innovative Uses For Discarded Fishing nets.
Something that one person considers worthless, may be considered valuable by someone else. So say two students from St. Joseph’s College, Borrisoleigh, who have come up with some most innovative ways of turning plastic waste into useful commodities.
As part of their ‘Business Studies Course’, the two students, Ms Emer O’Donnell and Ms Sarah Ryan, have created a Mini Company called “ES REUSE”; same which specialises in the creation of sought after products, manufactured from throw away waste materials / rubbish.
The students have created a simple but effective all-in-one wall hanging ideal for holding hurleys, garden tools and a host of other items. The hanger makes use of old abandoned fishing netting, recovered from the sea shore, partnered with recycled timber. ‘Ghost Nets’, as they are called by environmentalists, are fishing nets that have been left behind or lost in the ocean by fishing craft. These nets, often nearly invisible in the dim light, can be left tangled on a rocky reef or drifting in the open sea. Sea creatures, e.g Seals, Dolphins, Turtles etc. most often become entangled in these nets, resulting in most cases in their slow, often painful death.
The girls also have a number of other products, such as a key holder and wardrobe hangers made from old tennis balls.
Products can be bought online via their website www.esreuse.com and a percentage of their profits will be donated to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
Please do give them your full support.
Firstly, remember that despite the constant, daily bungling by the current Fine Gael minority Irish Government, the next Irish general election will be held no later than on or before Monday, April 12th 2021.
There should be 159 of the current 160 Dáil seats being contested, with the outgoing Ceann Comhairle being re-elected automatically, unless of course he should opt to take retirement.
Yesterday FG Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Ms Regina Doherty, attended a “Jobs Expo” in Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary.
 A Vanishing Rural Tipperary Minister Doherty, despite her party being in government for a second term since 2011, (laughably propped up presently by a party who claims to be in full opposition), insisted that her visit yesterday and her personal number one priority, is to create a thriving Tipperary town. However, having stated same, said she wasn’t going to make any promises that same could be orchestrated any day in the near future. This is what happens when rural towns and villages get passed over and are allowed to rot for decades; excluded, even ostracised financially, in favour of job creation in overcrowded capital cities.
For this very reason, our readers will well remember that Tipperary rid itself of Fine Gael representation on February 26th 2016. It is highly unlikely that new, unknown FG election hopefuls; poised waiting and ready, with their tongues hanging out in the hope of collecting large salaries and pensions, and who personally have achieved nothing to date in their careers, are going to be elected in 2021.
With the supposed aim of getting unemployed people, in the region, back to work; over nine hundred job-seekers from the Tipperary area had been instructed to attend the Excel Arts & Cultural Centre, situated in Mitchell Street, in the town. The attendance by Minister Regina Doherty was seen as a marketing ploy by these local political hopefuls, in their attempt to indication how seriously this same minority Fine Gael government and a Taoiseach, latter seen only as representing Dublin’s interests, was tackling the dire neglect of a rural forgotten Tipperary town.
Minister Doherty was quick to deny that yesterday’s ‘Job’s Expo’; same hurriedly orchestrated in conjunction with Tipperary Enterprise Board, was simply a publicity stunt for the rural unwashed residents of a South / West county town; to promote these afore mentioned new FG election candidates. However, many known hardcore disillusioned Fine Gael voters, were privately admitting that indeed this was truly the case.
A Show for the TV Cameras
However, a number of local resident activists were far from pleased with this orchestrated event. Protesters from the March 4 Tipp (#march4tipp) group, congregated outside the meeting venue yesterday morning, understandably venting their anger at what they called “coercive means used to force unemployed people to attend the event). To this group past memories of a similar Co. Council and FG government event, was seen as yet another reflection of that costly now failed Tipperary-The Place-The Time stunt; with yesterday’s exercise viewed as yet one other “Show for the selfie phone still & the personal video”.
This #March4Tipp action group have already announced their plans for further action, which is scheduled for Friday February 22nd next, same aimed at disrupting traffic on the N24, latter in support of what the group claim are a number of negative developments foisted on the town in recent years.
It is doubtful, however, that would-be Fine Gael election candidates, reminded FG’s Minister Doherty, that more than half of all new jobs in the last 12 months were generated in Dublin city and county, with the number of people working in the capital expanding to a colossal 34,000 people.
With limited employment here in Tipperary; local workers earning €28,000 to €35,000 per annum are obliged to commute the average four hour, 300km daily return journey between Thurles and Dublin. With motoring fuel costs exceeding over €140 per week; same employees are unable to afford the limited rental accommodation on offer in the city, latter costing on average €18,000 per annum, so in order to work, they are left with no alternative.
According to Central Statistics Office (CSO), the rate of employment growth in Dublin is now 66% higher than the figure for the Irish State as a whole.
Dublin’s existing infrastructure, of course is now, also, no longer sufficiently adequate to meet present demographic requirements. Because of rural Ireland’s abandonment and neglect by this government, over the past 8 years in office; through lack of broadband; rural transport; funding & development etc. Brexit should now offer further growth opportunities to Dublin. To this end, be assured that weighty funding for projects such as MetroLink and DART expansion, not to mention Water Supply Projects are, if you pardon the pun, ‘in the Dublin pipeline’, as rural Ireland continues to be ignored and totally rejected.
The Environment unit of the Irish conservation charity, An Taisce, has recently updated and published their directory of Ireland’s most at-risk buildings. One such structure added to their list, is located here in our own County of Tipperary.
 Sacred Heart Secondary School, Roscrea, Tipperary. The latest Tipperary building listed is the once Sacred Heart Secondary School, situated at Parkmore, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, which currently sports unsightly, boarded-up windows on its road side, displaying all the future promise of total dereliction.
Originally constructed about 1865, this still solid stone, large-scale structure is one of a number of interesting buildings within a former school complex.
According to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage same, until more recent years, once added variety of form and texture to the local street scape. Its imposing façade is further enlivened by well executed features; e.g. the stone string courses, and the fine porch with steps.
An Taisce warns that the named buildings all of national importance could be lost to future generations if action is not immediately taken, and further point out that some of the named listed structures could be restored to provide affordable housing.
“Given the critical homeless situation in the country, some of these heritage buildings could be restored to provide affordable housing for families and individuals.” An Taisce stated.
An Taisce confirm that a number of buildings on their list are in such disrepair, that they may now be dangerous or unusable.
“And they’re off “. No, I’m not preparing a commentary for the next National Hunt race meeting at Thurles Racecourse. I’m referring to the number of politicians due to leave Ireland for countries abroad on St. Patrick’s Day next, March 17th 2019, apparently with the blessing of unconcerned, laid back, Irish tax payers.
As our readers will already be aware Ireland’s politicians are deeply religious and feel duty-bound to travel to foreign places, each year, on a religious pilgrimage, promoting their Christian beliefs, in the name of St. Patrick. Of course the real reason they go abroad is to promote Ireland’s dodgy economy and to get that ‘heroin high’ which comes from watching foreigners bow and scrape, in the mistaken belief that those now found intruding in their country are to be regarded as world class leaders.
Which or ever, alas this so called missionary work will be undertaken without the permission and backing of what a Galway author, (the Late Walter Macken), once referred to as ‘The Silent People’; more often referred to now, since 2008, as ‘The Feckin Rightly Screwed Irish taxpayer’.
So, Who’s Going and to Where
 Washington DC – Taoiseach Mr Leo Varadkar (with one other government Minister).
France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Hague – Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Simon Coveney.
South Africa, Namibia and Botswana – Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Katherine Zappone.
Argentina & Chile – Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Mr Eoghan Murphy.
Spain and Portugal – Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Michael Creed.
United Kingdom – Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, Mr Paschal Donohoe.
New York – Minister for Justice and Equality, Mr Charlie Flanagan.
San Francisco, Los Angeles – Minister for Health, Mr Simon Harris.
Italy and Malta – Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Ms Regina Doherty.
Finland and China – Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Joe McHugh.
Cyprus, Lebanon and Jordan – Minister for Defence, Mr Paul Kehoe.
Japan and South Korea – Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ms Josepha Madigan.
Australia, New Zealand and Singapore – Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms Heather Humphreys.
Canada, Toronto and Ottawa – Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Mr Richard Bruton.
United Arab Emirates – Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross.
Denmark and Sweden – Minister of State for European Affairs, Ms Helen McEntee.
Boston and Pennsylvania – Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Seán Kyne.
Austin, Denver and Kansas – Minister for Higher Education Ms Mary Mitchell O’Connor.
Savannah and Atlanta – Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration Mr David Stanton.
Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia – Minister of State for Public Procurement, Open Government and eGovernment, Mr Patrick O’Donovan.
Vancouver, Calgary and Seattle – Minister of State for the Diaspora and Development, Mr Ciaran Cannon
India – Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mr Jim Daly.
Australia and Timor Leste – Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Damian English.
Mexico and Cuba – Minister of State for Disability Issues, Mr Finian McGrath.
Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay – Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Mr Pat Breen.
Chicago – Minister for Rural and Community Development, Mr Michael Ring.
Germany and the Netherlands – Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance, Mr Michael D’Arcy.
France and Luxembourg – Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, Mr John Halligan.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform, Mr John Paul Phelan.
Slovakia, Austria and Hungary – Minister of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Ms Catherine Byrne.
Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia – Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Mr Andrew Doyle.
Poland and Czech Republic – Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Mr Kevin Boxer Moran.
Scotland – Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Mr Brendan Griffin.
Russia – Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Senator Mr Denis O’Donovan.
Washington – Attorney General, Mr Seamus Woulfe SC, and last but by no means least;
Brazil – Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, Mr Seán Ó Fearghaíl.
Well at least now we can all sit back and wave them off on their varying difficult missions, in the knowledge that Brexit, due to begin two weeks later, on April Fool’s Day (April 1st), has been properly sorted. So also, the Nurses and Midwives strike with latter having finally agreed to work for nothing. They can sleep soundly, knowing that some 10,000 homeless people back in ‘Paddy’s Land’ now have a roof over their head. Overcrowding at Limerick University Hospital, latter servicing North Tipperary, and other medical establishments, all overcrowding problems have been reconciled to the distant past. The €450,000 to find out why the construction cost of the national children’s hospital spiralled in one year to over €1.4 billion has turned out to be merely a simple multiplication problem and Tipperary town will no longer be disrupting traffic on the N24.
Oops, sorry I must have dozed off there for a wee minute.
Just a Couple of Minor Observations
Until the British finally jumps ship, there remains, falteringly, 28 EU member states – Ireland is only visiting 25 of these countries. It appears Bulgaria, Romania and Greece are not on their targeted list.
Greece: The parliamentary republic of Greece joined the EU in 1981 and Ireland in the past has been less than sympathetic to their then financial plight. Bailout inspectors are now due back in Greece as of this month and Eurozone Ministers will decide in March whether to grant relief measures to Greece including the pay-out of some of the profits made by the European Central Bank on Greek bonds. This will be worth watching.
Bulgaria and Romania: Bulgaria and Romania were the only two countries that joined the EU in the 2007 enlargement. Given that Poland, Hungry and some of the other former Yugoslav states (Croatia, Slovenia etc ) are all being visited – leaving Bulgaria and Romania out seems a bit random, especially since lots of Romanians have immigrated to Ireland in the last 20 years. In April 2016 there were 29,186 Romanian nationals resident in Ireland. The Romanian population increased by 69% between 2011 and 2016. With a population growth of 11,882 persons between 2011 and 2016, and the fourth largest non-Irish nationality in this country (according to the CSO); this was the greatest increase in population size seen among all ten non-Irish nationalities profiled. Therefore, to not visit there surely seems odd.
Turkey: While not a member of the EU, Turkey is not being visited. Turkey, with its recent attempted army coup; the murdering of a journalist; silenced media; human rights offences, etc has been trying desperately to get into the EU since 1987. One would have assumed that the peace making attributes of Mr Finian McGrath could surely have been used here, instead of sending him to Mexico and Cuba.
Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein: You have all heard of the European Economic Area that is separate to the EU. It’s an international agreement which allows for the extension of the EU’s single market to non-EU member parties. One would have assumed that a visit there would have benefited, what with Brexit looming.
Israel: Israel must also feel offended having been left out. Here would have been a place to send Senator Frances Black and Mary Lou McDonald, both seeking to halt the sale of oranges and tomatoes being purchased from Israel’s seized Palestinian territories; latter land formerly used to propel Palestinian rockets to terrorize the Israel people. (One now feels we should have rid ourselves of our so-called Upper House, known as Seanad Éireann, when we had the opportunity.)
Switzerland: Switzerland is neither an EU nor an European Economic Area member, but is part of the single market by way of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA). So Switzerland must also feel grossly offended.
Philippines: No one is travelling to the Philippines, which seems a gross oversight. Here we have a Catholic country, supplying an overwhelming number of nurses and medical professionals, to work in our hospitals.
Egypt, Nigeria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon: Why are no TD’s travelling there? Generally speaking African countries are poorly represented. I appreciate the issues that come with the continent, but nothing for Egypt or Nigeria! But TD’s are going to the Arab Emirates. It’s about Geo-Politics and you my brothers and sisters are paying their first class travel and hotel expenses.
|
Support Us Help keep Thurles.info online by donating below. Thank you.
Total Donated 2026: €300.00
Thank You!
Daily Thurles Mass Livestream
|
Recent Comments