Because the West Link Toll Bridge has just been sold to the government for €420 million. It was built for €38 million.
Fred Barry, the Chief Executive of the State agency National Roads Authority (NRA), told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee in early 2006, that lawyers had advised the NRA that the 1987 contract was so [...]

Nothing much to say really - a few quid here and there which will be meaningless after 5% inflation (caused instead of combated by government policy).
Quite significantly - EU states have agreed a major change in VAT. Now, VAT on e-commerce, telecommunication and satellite television services will go to the country where the consumer is, [...]

Broadband for those who can’t get it: National broadband contract to be awarded mid-2008. How long will it then take to be rolled out?
In July 2000, the Government approved the development of a metro system for Dublin. Particular priority will be given to the development of an early link to Dublin Airport - Fianna [...]

There is an interesting reaction to crime sometimes. Often I hear

They didn’t lose much
They shouldn’t have gotten such a fancy car/watch/laptop
They didn’t park in the right place
That car is easy to break into
They didn’t have a Rottweiler behind the door or razor-wire on the wall

While all this may be true to some extent, there is [...]

A Better Deal for Young Drivers - Young Fine Gael Campaign

Is it Time to Boycott People In Need and finish it off?
- a discussion
The telethon emphasizes the desperate helplessness of the most severely disabled. In doing so, it reinforces the public’s tendency to equate handicap with total hopelessness.

and check out the official RTE People In Need Telethon page.

In other news - the University of [...]

Biofuels ‘Emit More Greenhouse Gases than Fossil Fuels’
Did your county make the new All-Ireland Monopoly board?
20 things we’ve learned from the Rugby World Cup
Potsdamer Platz is up for sale! (nod to Eddie Hobbs et. al).
Via Danny - Why Democracy Film
A corporate conspiracy to silence alternative medicine?
How the Green Party and Eamon Ryan are doing more [...]

The “Save Our Slots” rally was on in Limerick yesterday - to sum up; Willie O’Dea (FF) didn’t have the balls to show up, John Cregan (FF) was booed off the stage and Timmy Dooley (FF) was hiding in the crowd. Kieran O’Donnell (FG), Jan O’Sullivan (LAB), councillors, trade union reps and personalities such as [...]

Shannon Heathrow Rally is on Sat 20th (tomorrow) at 1pm on O’Connell St*
O’Dea cartoon #1
O’Dea cartoon #2
O’Dea cartoon #3
Government cartoon #1
Government cartoon #2
In other news:
An Irish Transport Map (especially the first comment)
Minister raids broadband fund for €10m to bail out energy conservation schemes overspend - Coveney
OR Broadband money re-routed to SEI scheme by Ryan
Seven [...]

Clever dog - Bertie Ahern has €300,000 worth of payments that he can’t explain. So he gives lots of confusing explanations. Try as you might to piece everything together, the story changes on an weeky and monthy basis summed up by judge Mahon:
polar opposite accounts
The sums still don’t add up and even the special formula [...]