Damien Mulley

Dear Bertie, we’ll miss you and all that but I think you could do us one final favour, if you could.

Take Enda With You.

You’re a ledge Bertie, a ledge.

Join the Facebook Group

Via Niall:

Yes, already.

And he’s going…

More soon.

Watch Live.

Update:
And now them’s fighting words. Live TV stream down. Listening to Radio1 instead. “One truth: Never personal interests ahead of public good”
Never received a corrupt payment. Some aspects of my finances are unusual.
I know in my heart of hearts I did nothing wrong.
Best interest of party and country to set out time of leaving.
I’ve decided on my own volition to up date of departure.
Tuesday May 6th he’s gone.

The Indo headline today kind was WRONG:

Another update:
Check out the puss on Sandal John: (Hat tip Colm)

It almost feels like a loveletter.

They’ll be back soon so don’t worry. Just been chatting to Dave. servers for Politics.ie being set up in the States now.

In case you missed the action, Bertie’s lawyers got on to Dave Cochrane about his site Politics.ie when a poster on the forum said stuff they didn’t like. Now they are hurt and annoyed and all the rest that what was posted was there for 20 hours so not only want the name of the person who made it but a few more people who also responded to the post. Right. They also want an apology. Court order please for the IPs. Apology? Dave says no and is seemingly going to fight them. You’d think the Taoiseach’s lawyers would have enough to be doing what with the 440,000+ other things surrounding Bertie.

Anyway, Dave assures me they’ll be back and annoying legal teams once again but from a new location. This really smacks of a ham fisted way of shutting down the public from talking about Bertie and all the Mahon Tribunal stuff. John has his take on attacks on free speech here.

For Bertie:

The secret history of Labour’s Tommy Broughan. Gold.

Via Piaras is Conall McDevitt’s insider experience of the formulation of the Good Friday Agreement. Very much worth a read.

Tom Kitt let out a yelp or depending on your view, a swipe at bloggers recently. I think perhaps Gavin could be fully or partially to blame for this.

Indeed, this also holds for the democratic processes themselves where simply facilitating those who want to be heard is not good enough where we need to ensure that we are not overly swayed by obsessive bloggers where we have to make sure that those who do not have the time or the inclination to voice their views and opinions in public, can still get continued democratic representation.

He’s been hunting down Bertie and Fianna Fail and their associates for a good bit now via his own blog and Public Inquiry too along of course with his Uncle, Anthony. Of late too have been those fantastic VHS to YouTube/Google video conversions with some very embarrassing past utterances from Pee Flynn and the Bertmesiter himself. You can get some of them here.

Kitt’s statement the other day was the closest to “and we would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for you pesky kids”. How Scooby. Well done Gavin and Anthony for keeping at it and making a public record of all this Mahon Tribunal stuff.

FAHEY, Frank (Galway West)

1. Occupational Income …….. (1) Teacher on secondment: Gort Community School, Co. Galway, Employer – Department of Education and Science; (2) Rental income from properties, income from capital gains on sale of property and shareholdings.

Other Information Provided: (1) No income received.

2. Shares …………………….. Shares in Eircom, Bank of Ireland, Irish Life & Permanent, Kingspan, Grafton, Worldspread and McInerney Properties.

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… (1) 2 apts Castlerea, Co. Roscommon: letting; (2) Apartment 8A, 16 Eglinton Court, Galway: letting; (3) House at Kilbeacanty, Gort: letting; (4) Apartment at Dun Aengus, New Docks, Galway: letting; (5) House at Dun na Coirribe, Galway: letting; (6) House at Liscannor, Co. Clare: letting; (7) House at Rinawade Close, Leixlip: letting; (8) Shareholding in apartment at Dun na Coirribe, Galway; (9) Shareholding in extended family owned properties at Moydrum, Athlone: letting; (10) Shareholding 4 Apts & Shop, Lower Gerald Street, Limerick: letting; (11) Shareholding in Sage Construction Co. Ltd.; (12) Shareholding in retail unit, two offices and warehouse at Crowe Street, Gort; (13) House at Jumeirah Estates, Dubai; (14) Dwelling house at The Grove, Crowe Street; (15) Shareholding in apartment at Starthmore Road and one apartment at Tappan Street, Boston, Massachusetts: shareholding in Fahey Higgins L.L.C. Boston; (16) Five apartments owned in partnership at Rue Paul-Emile, Janson 1000, ten apartments owned in partnership at Rue Du Sceptre 1015, Brussels; (17) Apartment at Chancery Lane, Dublin 2; (18) Apartment at Cathedral Place, Limerick: letting; (19) House and site at Villefranche, France; (20) Deposit paid and contract signed on property at Porto De Mos, deposit paid at Lagos and Mongadoha Lameira, Alcantarilha, Portugal; (21) Apartment at Irishtown, Dublin.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

Check out all 111 pages of the Register of Members Interests of Dáil Éireann 1 January 2007 – 31 December 2007. There are a few interesting ones.

Randomly selected:
Our Taoiseach hasn’t a penny or something:

AHERN, Bertie (Dublin Central)
1. Occupational Income …….. Nil

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Nil

5. Gifts ……………………… (1) Honorary membership of Clontarf Golf Club for the year 2007: Clontarf Golf Club, Dublin 3; (2) Manchester United opus presentation: Kraken Sports & Media, UK Ltd., Pilgrim Street, London; (3) Bronze Cuchulainn sculpture by John Behan: Dublin Central Fianna Fáil; (4) Official pass for entry to 10 greyhound stadia: Greyhound Board, Henry St., Limerick.

Other Information Provided: (1) I do not receive any material benefit from this as I do not play golf. (2) I have given this publication to the State for observation by the public in Farmleigh. (3) Presented to me in recognition of 30 years service to Fianna Fáil, received in my capacity as Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Central. (4) I do not use this pass.

6. Property and Service …….. See Donations Statement for 2007 (Form 2) under the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended).

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

One TD has shares in Google:
ARDAGH, Sean (Dublin South-Central)

1. Occupational Income …….. Accountancy practice: Ardagh Horan, 168 Walkinstown Road, Dublin 12.

2. Shares …………………….. Shares: Bank of Ireland, Irish Life & Permanent, CRH, Google Inc., Tullow Oil, South County Golf Club, CB Film Productions Ltd: films; AB Productions Ltd.: films; Managed Fund: Mliif Japan Opportunities €50K; Oppenhein Growth Fund €50K; Mliif Emerging Europe Fund €50K; Robeco MM Asia-Pacific Eqs €50K.

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Milltown: 1 apartment: rental; 1 townhouse: rental; Clondalkin: 1 apartment: rental; Walkinstown: Accountancy/Constituency office: accountancy practice/constituency office; Budapest: ¼ share apartment: not let.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

NOONAN, Michael (Limerick East)
1. Occupational Income ……..Reduced pension from Dept. of Education for service as teacher: Dept. of Education, Hawkins House, Hawkins Street, Dublin 2.

2. Shares …………………….. Shares: (1) Anglo Irish Bank, Stephen Court, 18-21 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2; (2) Lyxor ETF China Enterprise HSCEI, Lyxor Asset Management, 17 cours Valmy 92987, Paris, La Defense Cedex, France; (3) CRH, 42 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2; (4) ISEQ 20 ETF, 3 George’s Dock, IFSC, Dublin 1; (5) iShare FTSE 100, Barclays Global Investors Ireland, JP Morgan House, Mayor Street, IFSC, Dublin 2; (6) iShare FTSE Mid 250, Barclays Global Investors Ireland, JP Morgan House, Mayor Street, IFSC, Dublin 2; (7) Lyxor – Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 ETF, Lyxor Asset Management, 17 cours Valmy 92987, Paris, La Defense Cedex, France; (8) Lyxor – Dow Jones Select Div 30 ETF, Lyxor Asset Management, 17 cours Valmy 92987, Paris, La Defense Cedex, France: (9) Lyxor ETF MSCI India, Lyxor Asset Management, 17 cours Valmy 92987, Paris, La Defense Cedex, France; (10) Powershares Nasdaq ETF, PowerShares Capital Management LLC, 301 W. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL 60187, USA.

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… 20 acres of mixed pasture and woodland attached to my residence at Mt. Trenchard, Foynes, Co. Limerick: woodland and farmland which is let.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

MCGUINNESS, John (Carlow-Kilkenny)
1. Occupational Income …….. (1) Transport company: Interlink, Hebron Road, Kilkenny; (2) Landlord: O’Loughlin Road, Kilkenny.

2. Shares …………………….. Investment Bond: Hibernian Life & Pensions, Dawson St., Dublin 2: investment.

3. Directorships……………… Chairman Non-executive: (1) K.I.A.L.; (2) K.I.D. Co.; (3) Young Irish Film Makers: voluntary groups.

4. Land ……………………… (1) 11+12, O’Loughlin Road, Kilkenny: letting; (2) 24, Industrial Est., Hebron Road, Kilkenny: letting; (3) Grove Island, Limerick: letting; (4) Shinrone Nursing Home: letting; (5) 31, Woodlawn View, Santry, Dublin 9: letting; (6) 4, Kilcoran Lodge, Co. Tipperary: letting; (7) Rolestown House Hotel, Dublin: letting; (8) 2, Trimbleston, Dublin 14: letting.

Other Information Provided: (1) Pub, off licence, grocery shop, motor service business; (2) warehouse, office, retail; (3) student accommodation; (4) nursing home; (5) & (6) accommodation; (7) co-ownership, investment.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. 1, Maryborough St., Carlow: John Flynn, same address: use of room for 1 hour per week for clinics (for part of 2007) now discontinued.

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

WALL, Jack (Kildare South)
1. Occupational Income …….. Landlord: 15 Leinster Street, Athy, Co. Kildare.

Other Information Provided: Flat over constituency office leased for €60 per week.

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Non-executive Director: (1) Goodwill Housing Co-op: Newbridge: housing co-op; (2) Casteldermot Housing Co-op: Castledermot: housing co-op.; (3) Churchtown Development Association: Athy: voluntary community association.

Other Information Provided: All voluntary positions that have no remuneration or value to the directors.

4. Land ……………………… 15 Leinster Street, Athy, Co. Kildare: constituency office and flat.

Other Information Provided: Constituency office purchased 1998.

5. Gifts ……………………… Political donation for 2007 election: S.I.P.T.U., Liberty Hall, Dublin 1.

Other Information Provided: Donation of €2,500.

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil