Trailblazing Clare legal clerk considered not a ‘proper person’ even to issue dog licences represented by Michael Comyn and James Comyn snr

Posted on June 11, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

Robert Hume highlights a case of blatant sexism one hundred years ago.

Source: Trailblazing Clare legal clerk considered not a ‘proper person’ even to issue dog licences

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SIXMILEBRIDGE CLERKS OF PETTY SESSIONSby Padraig de Bhaldraithe

The life-story of one of Clare’s most unusal nineteenth century emigrants.  Patrick McMahon, of Clounteen, Sixmilebridge, as told by Mr. Bill McInerney in Volume VIII of “The Other Clare”(pp. 7–12) makes fascinating reading. The photograph of the 250 year old landmark, the Sixmilebridge elm tree, with the almost equally old Garna House in the background, sets the scene for a vivid and enthralling account, from Mr. McMahon’s diary, of people, places and events in the neighbourhood in 1888, when he returned on holiday to his native place after 34 years in Australia.  Two entries in Mr. McMahon’s diary particularly caught the attention of the writer of this article. In his entry for Tuesday, August 28th, 1888, he describes his visit to the old Sixmilebridge Sessions House, where a Court of Petty Sessions was assembled. After passing his card to the Chairman, through the Clerk of the Court, he was invited to sit on the Bench alongside the Magistrates. In his entry for Monday, October 8th, 1888, he states that he “wrote a letter of condolence to Mr. Thomas Frost, Clerk, Sixmilebridge Petty Sessions, who had lost his wife ,leaving a large family.”  As I write these lines, there hangs before me, on the wall of my sittingroom, a framed, faded, sepia-tinted photograph, almost 100 years old, depicting a funeral procession. Inscribed on this photograph are the words “Funeral of Mrs. Frost, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare.” This Mrs. Frost was the wife of Mr. Thomas Frost, the Clerk of Petty Sessions referred to in Mr. McMahon’s diary. I also have in my possession the glass photographic plate from which this now faded print was made. Unfortunately, this plate was damaged many years ago by having the top and bottom right-hand corners broken off, possibly by some well-meaning relative who considered that the head of the young man which obtruded itself on the bottom right-hand corner of the photograph did not add to the solemnity of the scene! I have had a composite print made from the surviving portion of the glassnegative (which is quite clear) and the right-hand corners of the old print, which is reproduced here. The prominence of the famous elm tree will be noted.  These extracts from Mr. McMahon’s diary have prompted me to embark on a brief account of the involvement of the Kett/Frost family with the Clerkship of Petty Sessions in Sixmilebridge over a period of close on a hundred years and on a summary of a famous but probably long-forgotten law suit in relation thereto. John Kett, who resided at Garna House, Sixmilebridge, occupied the post of Clerk of Petty Sessions for the District of Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus in 1844. I have been unable to ascertain his exact period of office. His wife, nee Margaret O’Halloran, of Iverstown House, Sixmilebridge, married twice. She had no issue by her first husband, Michael Carroll. By her marriage to John Kett she had five children, John, Michael, James, Mary and Margaret. The three sons, like Patrick McMahon, emigrated to Australia. It would be interesting to know if they fared as well there as their neighbour from Clounteen. As far as I am aware, none of them ever returned to Ireland.

The elder daughter, Mary Kett, married William Nolan of Listowel and Limerick in 1864; these were the great-grandparents on the paternal side of the writer of this article. William Nolan’s brother James was the father of Paddy Nolan, Q.C., who became known as the “fa-ther of the bar” in Alberta, Canada, and whose son, Henry Grattan Nolan, K.C., became a Judge of the Supreme Court in Canada. The Ketts’ second daughter, Margaret, married Thomas Frost on 18th February, 1873, by which time it would appear that he had already succeeded his late father-in-law as Clerk of Petty Sessions. He is described on his marriage certificate as a “clerk”; the name of his bride’s father does not appear on the certificate. Thomas was certainly Clerk of Petty Sessions by 1879, as he is so described on the birth certificate of his daughter, Georgina. His father, Patrick Frost, was a farmer from Rosmanagher.  Margaret Frost, who resided with her husband at Garna House, was only 39 years of age when she died in 1888, leaving five young children. Thomas continued to reside there and to act as Clerk of Petty Sessions until his retirement in1915. He survived his wife by 50 years, dying on 8th December, 1938, aged 96 years.

The function of a Clerk of Petty Sessions during the period in question was to act as the Recording Officer of proceedings in the local Courts of Summary Jurisdiction in much the same way as would a Registrar of the Superior Courts. The jurisdiction of these local Courts would correspond roughly to that of the present-day District Courts and the duties of the Clerk of Petty Sessions to those of a District Court Clerk. Before Thomas Frost’s retirement from his post in 1915 he was assisted by his daughter, Georgina Frost. It was the function of the local Resident Magistrates to appoint the Clerks of Petty Sessions and on Thomas Frost’s retirement they unanimously selected Georgina for the post. However when their recommendation was sent to the Lord Lieutenant for his approval, he refused to sanction the appointment on the ground that “a woman by virtue of her sex is disqualified from being appointed or acting as Clerk of Petty Sessions. ”Many ladies at that time, faced with such a rebuff, would probably have accepted their fate and sought some alternative employment which would have been considered more suitable for a member of the fair sex. Georgina Frost, however, being a lady of sterling character, reacted by engaging the most high-powered legal team available and appealing to the High Court by means of a “Petition of Right”. Her counsel were none other than the famous T.M. Healy K.C. and Michael Comyn K.C. (with them Messrs. Arthur Clery and James Comyn)  instructed by Mr. R. W. Frost, solicitor, of Limerick. Serjeant Matheson and Mr.D.J. O’Brien K.C. (with them Mr. Devitt) were counsel for the Crown instructed by Sir H.A. Wynne, Chief Crown Solicitor for Ireland. The case is reported under the title Frost v. The King in 1919 Irish Reports (at page 81). The petition was heard in the Chancery Division before Mr. Justice Barton on 13th, 18th and 20th days of April, 1917, and Judgment delivered on 20th April, 1917.  The Judge in his Judgment referred to the Statutes governing the Office of Clerk of Petty Sessions (Petty Sessions Acts 1827 and 1858) and to the Interpretation Acts of 1850 and 1889. He reviewed a number of the cases which were cited to him by Counsel, including a recent case of Bebb v. Law Society (1914 1Ch. 286) in which women were held to be to be disqualified by “inveterate usage” from acting as solicitors or attorneys. The Judge commented that: “the reason of the modern decisions disqualifying women from public offices has not been inferiority of intellect or discretion, which few people would now have the hardihood to allege. It has been rather rested upon considerations of decorum, and upon the unfitness of certain painful and exacting duties in relation to the finer qualities of women.”The Judge stated that “the fact that it was not alleged that the holder of any Office corresponding to that of Clerk of Petty Sessions had ever been a woman seemed to amount to a usage no less inveterate than that which existed in the kindred Offices of Judge, juror and solicitor.” He dismissed the Petition, but made no Order against the petitioner as to costs.

Nothing daunted, Georgina Frost, advised by the same legal team, appealed to the Court of Appeal. The Appeal was at hearing on 8th, 9th, 12th and 13th November 1917, before the Lord Chancellor (Lord Shandon), Lord Justice Ronan and Lord Justice T. F. Molony, and Judgment was reserved. The case did not come on for Judgment until 20th December 1918, by which time Lord Justice Molony had become Chief Justice, and Lord Shandon had resigned the Office of Lord Chancellor. The Chief Justice read a letter from Lord Shandon which was accepted as his Judgment by agreement between the parties. Lord Shandon held that the petitioner was entitled to a declaration as claimed in her petition. Lord Justice Ronan then delivered a lengthy Judgment (running to 20 pages in the Report) in which he stated that on minute examination of the statutes he had come to the conclusion that the Office of Clerk of Petty Sessions was confined to males and that on that ground the plaintiff must fail in her action.  Lord Chief Justice Molony then delivered his comprehensive Judgment (running to 10 pages in the report) in which he included a more detailed review of the 3 facts of the case, pointing out that the “suppliant” (Georgina Frost) had acted for a number of years as assistant to her father, who was Clerk of Petty Sessions for the District of Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus; that on his retirement on 15th June 1915, she was unanimously elected to the Office by the Justices sittingat Petty Sessions; and that it was admitted that she was thoroughly qualified by her education and experience to properly discharge the duties of the Office.

He then reviewed the history of the Office and the Statutes and the Common Law relating to it, and referred to a number of cases which had been cited to the Court during the hearing relating to Offices which had been held by women. Among the more interesting cases quoted was that of the Countess of Warwick, who purported to act as Commissioner of Sewers under the Act 23 Henry VIII Cap.5 section 10. In that case the opinion was expressed (in 1685) that “this honourable Countess being put into the Commission of Sewers, the same is warrantable by law, and the ordinances and decrees of Sewers made by her and the other Commissioners of Sewers are not to be impeached for the cause of her sex.” Other posts which women were held capable of holding included: being a sexton and voting in the election therefor; acting as Governor of Chelmsford Workhouse; as Keeper of a gatehouse; and as an overseer of the poor.

Reference was made to Brady’s History of Boroughs from which it appeared that “my Lady Packington” held Office as Returning Officer for members of Aylesbury. At the end of this wide-ranging and exhaustive Judgment, Chief Justice Molony stated that “inasmuch as the statutes we are dealing with in this particular case prohibit the appointment of a woman, I think that the suppliant is not entitled to a declaration that she is qualified, notwithstandingher sex, to hold the Office of Petty Sessions Clerk.”The decision of the Court of Appeal having thus gone against Georgina Frost, by a majority of two to one, she would probably have been forgiven, even by the most fervent feminist, if she had decided to “throw in the sponge”. But no, she decided to appeal to the House of Lords! On this occasion, her counsel were Michael Comyn, K.C., Arthur Clery and James Comyn (instructed by Herbert Z.Deane, acting for R. W. Frost of Limerick). Serjeant Sullivan, K.C., Albert Wood,K.C., and S. L. Devitt acted for the Crown (instructed by the Treasury Solicitor, for Sir H. A. Wynne). The case is reported under the title Frost, Appellant, v Rex, Respondent in 1920/1922 Weekly Notes (House of Lords) at page 178, under date 8th May 1920.

In the course of the argument for the Appellant, after the midday adjournment on 27th April 1920, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Birkenhead, intervened and referred to the fact that, since the decision of the Court of Appeal in this case, the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 had been passed. He said that if this act had been law [at the time of Miss Frost’s election by the Justices] the Appellant would have been entitled to act. Under those circumstances, he“found it a little unattractive that their Lordships should be invited to go through all the older Acts in order to determine whether or not before this Act became law this lady would have been entitled to act.  ”The case, he said, should now be capable of arrangement. It occured to him that if the Lord Lieutenant were communicated with, it was not improbable that he might give a retrospective approval. He said that “on a representation made by his Lordship [Chancellor] to his Exellency [Lord Lieutenant], not, as he understood, without the ap-proval of the representative of the Crown, the Lord Lieutenant would be likely to adopt a course which would render this enquiry unnecessary, and he therefore suggested to Counsel that the hearing of this case should, at any rate, be adjourned until that course has been explored.”Counsel having agreed to this course, the Lord Chancellor said that “he would make a communication to his Excellency, and he did not anticipate that there would be any great difficulty, but if quite unexpectedly some difficulty should emerge, the case could be restored.  “No difficulty did emerge, Georgina Frost’s appointment was approved retrospectively and she continued to carry out her functions as Clerk of Petty Sessions until her retirement in 1922. She died on 6th December 1939 at Garna House. The portion of the Act of 1919 which allowed Miss Frost to be appointed to her post reads as follows: (Section 1)“A person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function, or from being appointed to or holding any civil or judicial Office or post, or from entering or assuming or carrying on any civil profession or vocation, or for admission to any incorporated society…”.

While it cannot be stated with certainty that the courage and tenacity of Georgina Frost in pursuing this litigation all the way to the House of Lords was the chief reason for the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919, it would appear to be more than a coincidence that that Act was passed on 23rd December 1919, when her appeal to the House of Lords was pending. A contemporary press report on the case, published under the heading “Lord Birkenhead and Woman’s Rights”, reads as follows: “The Lord Chancellor of England has exhibited practical interest in the admission of women to Offices and professions from which they were heretofore excluded, by intimating, at the hearing of the appeal by Georgina Frost from the decision of the Irish Court of Appeal, holding that as a woman she was precluded from fulfilling the Office of petty sessions clerk at Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, that he would write to the Lord Lieutenant requesting his Excellency to sanction the appointment of Miss Frost.”  This famous victory by a quiet, unassuming, Clare lady appears to have goneunnoticed by the Women’s Rights movement. I would suggest that the nameof Georgina Frost deserves a place in history beside those of the more vociferous ladies of the suffrage, nationalist and labour movements of the era, such as Madame Gonne McBride, Countess Markievicz and Mrs. Sheehy-Skeffington.

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2010 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 4,700 words Tranche (B)

Posted on June 11, 2020 by michelleclarke2015
No. 1

March 3rd, 2010

NAMA: EU Driectives Public Tenders Article
NAMA sanctioned by EU to Bacon and the surplus of hotel beds to the people?

High Rents to vacant units.


What can ordinary people do to halt the Recession train speeding out of control and into a tunnel?

Look and see and listen and hear and think is a good start.

An example: Young architects are focusing on the design of Green Property but I ask why the design and not the redesign of the much negelected Georgian and Victorian houses that form part of the wealth of this country. Yes wealth. The doorways promote tourism but the registered owners have significant asset value as many of these properties are owned for decades and excessive rents based on Celtic Tiger going back years as well as expenses that is if they declare their property income in their tax returns each year.

How do we promote community in these hardened times.? We could start by asking people to communicate at a local level and utilising the internet to share ideas and knowledge.

The Italian restaurant in Dawson Street called Carlucci’s took the ‘bull by the horns’ and one day just announced they had closed because the rent was too high and they precipitated reaction. I asked the girl behind the counter when it re-opened and she said yes the landlord responded and reduced the rent.
This is common sense.

Tourists focus on Grafton Street so it is really important that shops remain open and doing business. All must be complicit in this. They may buy cheaper products and sell less but if this is the case then the landlord must charge less rent. Well done to the media coverage on the shopowners – the Grafton Street Tenants Association. They are making a stand. It seems incredible now that the Celtic Tiger boom is over that old legislation prevents landlords’ contracts reducing the rent. The only way forward is to promote rent reduction and effective management at community level. This avoids going out of business and strikes because it means people are thinking about the reality and while on their feet!

We don’t need urban abandonment. We need prosperity, growth, community enhancement, thinking and knowledge.

In the days of the last major recession in the early 1980’s, builders as they were known then and mainly in the local authority market, went to the wall monthly. Local Authority contracts became less and less and if awarded a contract the builders had to provide an insurance Bond and at that time there was only one provider – the Insurance Corporation of Ireland. If you could not get the Bond then you did not win the public tender. Competition was vicious at that time. and so many big builders at that time went bankrupt or just left the market.

Have times changed? This last boom has related not so much to public tenders but to NRA EU related contracts and private development. The boom has halted and we are left with many half completed buildings.

The EU is the new dimension here from the 1980’s. We are now part of the Euro and the ECB has an impact in the whole governance of this country. We are all talking about NAMA and the fact that it has rescued the Greedy Developers but there is a significant change (learned perhaps) from the 1980’s.

Today’s Independent has an interesting heading:

NAMA Builders can still apply for State Contracts. Now here is a change. This is what we are not hearing from the Economists. Unlike in the 1980’s when builders went to the wall, there is a proviso incorporated via NAMA and the EU directives that protect the vehicle structure in what can be called a practical way. The EU directive has provided a kind of canary in a mine symbolism. If the bird ain’t singing then there is no oxygen. So yes the developers have been given some oxygen re. public service contracts and the assumption is that there may be plenty of these since they were not the main focus of the last recession.

The interesting point here is that if the civil service are the facilitators of these contracts ….. could they be responsible for cutting of the supply of oxygen …. by not understanding market forces?

Look out where you work. If you know a landlord owns a number of properties along a street it might just be worth approaching him as a group. If he has held the properties since the 1950’s then he ought to feel ashamed not to reduce the rent.

The urban abandonment links are really interesting. They highlight what we need to prevent. Who wants to always follow the herd of sheep?

Reply:

Urban abandonments giving rise to moral abandonments

 by Aine Collins – Our Heritage Wed March 03, 2010 15:58

yes an interesting perspective but the reality is a lot harsher than you portray. What about the grave yard hotels that are to be found in every county of Ireland? What about the supposed risk takers and the planners who failed to realistically look at the development plans for the too numerous hotels presently in Ireland? Who are the losers? Do we actually know?

Our commercial courts are full.

Yet our people who have the cash in the banks that have the guarantee clause until next September are afraid to spend!!!! Our elderly have the time and yet these are the people afraid to spend. What can we do to change their minds and activate spending in our economy.

Let us not be eaten up by moral abanndonment. We can make our Island of Ireland become a driver and a motivator again.

moral ebandonment

nama householder

reprieve

==========================

No. 2
March 9th, 2010
October to March and the numbers who are unemployed are growing rapidly

Media Ethics Vision and Ideas (free)


We need jobs and yet our public services feel they have been unjustly targetted for extra taxes. Will strikes provide the answer? What about the unemployed and in particular our young people who are leaving school, college and universities with little or no option but to emigrate?

There are options that did not exist in the 1980’s recession. We have the internet, we have even won an Oscar for Avatar. Well done to this young team.

But for those who are out there trying to find a job – are there any options?

To gain experience to enhance your CV.  You can engage in Pro Bono work (for the good of or for the altruistic temperament of person). People often associate pro bono work with lawyers but its scope is now far wider. It involves advertising agencies and professional service firms. The aim is for the firm to donate a member of staff with a particular expertise for free. Now this is a good idea. It is similar to what transition year is supposed to be about. Likewise a person can target a market and negotiate a period of pro bono time based on experience gathering model.

Pro bono work can accentuate social networking, introducing people to ideas, suggestions, novelties, advice without the need for an upfront monetary payment. It helps people establish business/social relationships. It helps people to exchange ideas and target incubator units that may explore ideas to potential stage.

Negative thinking is the real enemy of the present downturn in the economy. Media coverage tends to be totally focused on the disruption but each invidivual has the power to make some change, maybe not a significant change but a change.

Pat Kenny spoke about Critical Analysis last night and no matter what Degree you attain, what you learn to do is analyse the data, look to the positives and the negatives and then make a judgement.

Take for example The Mahon Tribunal. Why have we not reached a conclusion? Why are Barristers earning so much money researching corruption for so many years? This is an example of where people have become passive resistent. People need to take a stand to such abuses of Power by members of the legal profession, government, the judiciary. The Rule of Law surely is being bastardised.

When is this going to sto? 18 barristers have shared euros 3.7 million in fees since the last sitting i.e. December 2008.

I wish they could learn about real pro bono work instead of wasting our valuable time trying to discover if ex. Taoisigh accepted corrupt payments….When does it stop?

If our services going on strike – what about our unemployed lending a hand saying in public psychiatric hospitals, after all the patients in these hospitals deserve a little extra and don’t deserve to be penalised by staff being on strike. Add to this HSE and care for foster children. The scandals are too many and people are responsible.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 3
16th March 2010
Lack of media coverage:  Brain Awareness Week 2010

NAI is the umbrella for people with neurological conditions.  I note you have sponsored this foundation. 

Perhaps this explains why the ordinary person with ABI is discounted while Business/Professions prevail in the marketing of neurological conditions.

Shame on you for removing the human being impact and potential contribution.

I have written for years now trying to promote advocacy and support for people with brain injury.  By chance I noticed that this was Brain Awareness Week and have been trying most of the week to see why it is not gaining the necessary media coverage i.e except for the elites!  

Research in Ireland must change and allow for those of us with ABI to participate in our so often neglected diagnosis.  I have developed chronic fatigue from ABI yet where is the acknowledgement other than using the computer to access worldwide links re. the condition.  But then there is little money to be made from long term conditions like chronic fatigue and the possible links it has to traumatic brain injury outcomes.

Again I am very disappointed at the lack of media coverage.  My partners nephew sustained TBI in an RTA in Italy; while I sustained it from a horse riding accident in Zimbabwe – why exclude us?

Reading science magazines (hope builders) I came across a piece about a Harvard researcher (medical).  It was about stroke victims…and singing.  I had asphasia and it clicked with me when my partner told me his nephew pre accident had a superb voice…I sent the article to his sister or my partner did, to be more correct.  This is where the ‘affected’ can participate.

Michelle Clarke

===========================

No. 4

25th March, 2010

 

 

A grand plan for a Grand Theatre (History related with a scientific approach)

Electric canal barge Grand Canal Theatre


Boomtime Ireland of the 1960’s gave way the recession in the late 1970’s when too many builders ‘went to the wall’ and many were heard of no more. Joe Duffy’s show today indicated one major change – those thinking of suicide as the route out of desperation have charities like Console to contact now. Perhaps I am a little cynical but back in the 1970’s the Samaritans were there, there was the secrecy code of doctors, priests and disaster just had to be faced. Realistically, things were a lot worse then.

We need Hope. We need to encourage those people who are for their own personal reasons ‘hiding’ little snatches of money be it Euro, Stg, US$ or even the old IR£ to start spending. Buy Irish, spend local and while you are doing it, think of those who have taken the risk to start up a business and support them, their community, their family and then maybe we can start the climb back to prosperity.

When the going gets tough the tough get going and when better than now to urge people to move forward. Well done to the like of Michael O’Leary, Ryanair and to his “Horse” that won in Cheltenham, he pays his taxes in Ireland and he promotes tourism with motivation, drive, innovation and that can only be admired. We need his humour and get up and go to deal with this crisis.

P.C. Worlde Michelle Clarke Doc Martin Phoenix (contributors to citizen journalism site) you have created an appealing invitation to explore our city in Dublin. I want to add this new exploration: Yes, somebody inspite of the recesssion is willing to take a risk:-

The Grand Canal Theatre is open and there will be an electric canal barge which will have a kitchen and seating for as many as 48 people. It is called the MV Cadhla and its focus is tourists and theatre goers. Just imagine it will provide tours from Charlemont Luas station, near Ranelagh village, to the new Grand Canal Theater using the Grand Canal which was built by the Guinness Brewery.

What is interesting about this barge which cost euros 1 m to build – it is powered by batteries that cost euros 100,000 but they are charged over night and the carbon emissions are recorded. This is thinking ahead and we need more of this and it is people at ground level who can inspire. This is not a time to bring the country to its knees with strikes, we did this in the 1970’s and 1980’s with the Wage Agreements.

We need people to spend; to spoil themselves and go to the theater, go to the pub, interact, support those who are genuinely in need. Did anybody out there know that you can be sentenced to prison for begging. Yes you can. A man who sleeps outside told me he had been imprisoned for 3 months for begging. Yet what a paradox. People like this man who receives money keeps it in circulation whereas others still don’t know what to do with their deposits in Anglo, B of Ire, AIB, when the Guarantee ends in September 2010. How bizarre – you would think one would have learnt the lesson from the shares price reductions (E 30 to 1 odd)

2020:  COVID-19 like a thief in the night has stolen so much of our culture and small to medium businesses.  What will be the new normal?  We urgently need Visionaries to make the necessary changes so that we can once more build back our wounded economy destroyed by a Virus – coronavirus COVID-19 which started in Wujan, China, in December 2019.  It is pandemic so each country suffers.  The environment could be a benefactor because already the lack of emissions following the closure of the airports and quarantines preventing transport have shown massive reductions.  We can learn from this.  Nobody would ever have thought that the world over planes would be just parked up on runways and nobody would be travelling.

Michelle Clarke
========================
No. 5
31st March, 2010
Where to now?

Swan Lake

The Grand Canal Theatre sure needed its first performance to be Swan Lake – we need imagination, vision and inspiration.

Ireland Inc as distinct from the Island of Ireland appears to have ‘hit rock bottom’. We read the headlines today and all of us are harkening to the words Embattled Bank makes history with euros 12.7 bn loss. Personally, I wonder what this equates to in Ir£ or Stg given that control of currency rates was a core power to the Regulator pre Ireland being embraced by the Euro currency.

Anglo Irish Bank appears to be the real demonic child and Irish Nationwide whereas the AIB and Bank of Ireland appear to have been bound by a glimmer of the moral and ethical compass.

The big question is: Will we take the bold decision re. Anglo Irish Bank and prior to September (guarantee option) and let it just go to the wall or will we nurture it back to health under the brinkmanship of Alan Dukes and a new management team. This time, the pledge by Government is that a emboldened Regulatory team will be watchful, as will be the case, with the ECB and no doubt the IMF. The Regulators are being challenged also in the UK and for the first time people are being imprisoned for engaging in insider dealing. It is wait and watch for all bankers, developers, solicitors who have breached the ethical/moral code in search of wealth, power, pension, position/status.

We are a Nation in a state of Shock but soon we will have to release the anger at how a contingent of so called educated, professional people, gambled away our gains from a boom period of nearly 15 years.

We the people will not forget the names of Sean FitzPatrick, David Drumm and William McAteer – they will go down in history and their obituaries will not be under their control. Their replacements in Anglo Irish Bank are Maarten van Eden as Anglo Chief Financial Officer and Mike Aynsley, Anglo Chief Executive so we must take note of these names and follow their progress for Hope in the midst of a financial abyss.

Quoted in Independent today – some words of experience perhaps or maybe wisdom.

Maarten van Eden

‘If you get lucky for a long period you start to think the rules don’t apply to you. These guys thought they could walk on water’

‘the facts are that Ireland had a 15 year (property) bull run and very basic facts of life were forgotten’

‘They weren’t even SMART THEY WERE LUCKY’

Mike Aynsley Anglo Chief Executive

‘We have never seen anything like this’

‘There were severe, absolutely unacceptable shortcomings in the corporate governance standards in this organisation’

Michelle Clarke

================================

No. 6

22nd April, 2010

To:  Dermot Lacey

Broad Umbrella Social Democrat


Dermot:  I agree with your comments and I am glad to see you interacting with the citizen journalism site again.

Activists inspire others and in Ireland there is no shortage of activists from one decade to another and to another.

Today, the news is really bad for Ireland. The figures are running fast towards a debt of over 100 BILLION EUROS. The time has come to embrace ideas, vision, change, experience and arrive at alternative to being linked to the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) and Iceland; the reality is we are linked in the worst way possible. We have hit polarities in a decade and that is success in the context of the EU to absolute failure as being in the worst financial straits in the EU.

Will Mr. Matthew Elderfield appointed to the Central Bank tackle our problems; he has 5 years to make the next notch up in his career ambition league. He is a Cambridge graduate with experience in Bermuda no less. So let’s see how he approaches the Banks and deals with them. This man has the experience and it is worth entering his name on Google and getting his CV.

Trade Unions are soft. They were made soft by the Govt of the Celtic Tiger. People and young people particularly need to review just how much they are paid – it is well over the euros 100,000. Let us all have a turn at being activists but like Kathleen from Kilbarrack on Vincent Browne last night – give support to the community groups that cost little and do lots for the people on the ground.

 

Michelle Clarke

===================

No.7
23rd May, 2010
Reply to article published in Science News re Brocas

Tina.  I just read your most interesting article.  As a person with ABI following a horse riding accident in 1993 in Zimbabwe, I have spent years trying to grasp the complications that ensued following the accident.  I live in the Now – Groundhog day and if you have seen the film Memento I live within the context of the limitations imposed upon my physical, mental, social and emotional being the day I had the accident.

I am delighted that the medical profession are opening up to include ‘the patient’ and their view.  My experience with hindsight suggests that the neurosurgeon who saved my life in Zimbabwe (the only one in the country – a man in his 60’s) was to encourage you to just adapt and not to dwell on your situation.  I had left hospital and weeks on I realised that my balance was catastrophic, I was deaf in one ear (subsequently a ENT consultant in Zimbabwe confirmed it), I had no smell, vision problems and aphasia.  Now back to the point about aphasia.

Medicine is shy in discussing the real impact of brain injury and the perservance required by the patient and the inherent frustration when you can’t carry out tasks, speak words or sentences.  The complications are simple.  Two wise nuns in Zimbabwe tried to advise me ‘Rest Restores’ but I kept trying and failing.  I attended a speech therapist, strangely she was Irish and doing voluntary work in Zimbabwe.  We tried hard to develop techniques but time is the healer here.  Broca’s takes me back a year of which I have scant memory.  ABI is often a friend of the old Black Dog and yes I have the bipolar aspect.  This involves lots of medications and periods in hospital with ECT.  For me this confirms my view that doctors 20 years ago appeared abrupt and non committal in their diagnosis.  What has changed in Ireland, I ask?.  Please allow our Irish medical profession access to the views of the sufferer and don’t make the scientific ethical morals so rigid that you exclude the potential of the patient to contribute to their own recovery.

Back to broca.  Last year my health took a nose dive inspite of the contant care of my partner and minder.  I became lithium poisoned and ended up in Tallaght Hospital Accident and Emergency.  I can vaguely recall the horrors of the paranoia but of equal significance was the impact of aphasia re-occurring almost 20 years later and the pent up frustration and abject fear that I could not influence the myriad of doctors, consultants, Irish or Foreign whose task it was to assess my diagnosis.  ABI must be equally frustrating for them because processing is one issue, while sequencing events is another.  What I recall is that one young man had the same name as my partner and for some reason, he probed further.  He was enthusiastic and reminded me of my dad who also was a doctor.  In the trauma I managed as I thought to write it out so I would remember it (alas when I sought my notes they were illegible, a scrawl).  This doctor reported to his consultant and a team of young doctors sat around my bed as the Consultant asked questions.  I came across this article ‘Broca’ the other day and enough of a sequence to tell me this was the diagnosis given at that time.

To understand, communication is imperative.  I knew because of the ABI that I was aphasic but I could not get the message across.  It took the chance coincidence of the doctor having the same name as my partner and out of that the patience to give rise to understanding and a few extra tests i.e. the ones that neuro psychologists carry out.

All I can say is tap talent at all costs and the brain is facinating even to the person who is living with ABI.

Addendum:  ABI and complications from Epilepsy, MS, Depression, and the impact of an onset of Chronic Fatigue provides a real challenge to the medical profession to make provision for a centre of excellence on the Island of Ireland.

Michelle Clarke
=================================
No. 9
28th June, 2010
Emigrant of the 1980’s takes a stroll up the Quays in Dublin

 

Yes there is change but with it there is a new seediness about this area of Dublin. I heard Brian Lucey from Trinity speak of a kind of moral bankruptcy that forms part of the new post Celtic Tiger Ireland and if it applies to our health system in such a barbaric way, it also applies to our city and by that I mean O’Connell Street. Yes the Spire is there but what happened to that “Floosy in the Jacuzzi” and the Dublin wit that went with it.

Yes there is the Luas but why do the Quays still look as if the were bombed in World War II. I suppose there are those tax beneficial apartments to replace the older buildings but there is no heart in the city now.

The splendid Four Courts looks cold and abandoned now that the new Courts are open at the Phoenix Park location.

Where is Tourism? There are many famous trials that were held in these courts and would it not be appropriate to have mock trials and encourage young people in the area (who may be destined to a path of crime) to explore another angle…the angle of learning.

On this subject yes learning and knowledge. I have entered one of the only computer shops on the Quays and notice that broadband is so terribly slow in this country. Why? Eircom etc. where is the efficiency? This is a company that has had almost ten take overs in management in as many years and yet the service is pathetic.

Emigrant thinking of returning

 

Michelle Clarke

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No. 10

August 17th, 2010

 

Published Infowars Ireland:  Irish Dental Association:  Appointment of chief dental health officer (a post vacant for 7 years) as published Irish Times 17th August 2010

Meanwhile, president of the Irish Dental Association (IDA), Dr Billy Davis, said the appointment of a chief dental health officer (a post now vacant for seven years) “to review and update government dental health policies would have avoided the current confusion on the provision of services to children”.

The post of Chief Dental Health Officer (a post now vacant for 7 years).  This is a disgrace.  Why such discrimination?  Why is this post not filled?  Is there something particularly unappealing i.e. as distinct from the salary and perks that makes this post a no go area for dentists?  Where is the motivation?

The medical profession and the dental profession in Ireland have too much control over the Supply and Demand economic equation.  Cecil Rhodes was the forerunner with the 1 carat diamond who recognised the power of economics and supply and demand.  The outcome of course is vast sums of wealth for a few and a promotion of a two tier society.

We are paying too much and these professionals are demanding too much.  We only need listen to people discuss their trips to Europe and to the North of Ireland  to get their teeth in order for a considerably lesser ‘price’.  The reaction we get from the dentists here to this competition is nothing other than bleeting.

Where is the sense of morality?  What happened to medicine and the promotion of health, compassion and empowerment.  Living in England 20 years ago, I found the NHS service worked.

The vulnerable are the people who are suffering.  If you look to your local health clinic and watch the people who attend, people attending the psychaitric units, getting bloods for long term neurological conditions etc, people and particularly young people with addiction problems, and children – why are we so complacent in what ought to be a socially democratic republic that we allow these professions to visibly alter the two tiers of such a fast becoming unequal society?

Vincent Browne has recommended a book called The Spirit Level.  It talks about societies that focus on equalities and how this lessens inequalities.  People need to speak up not just for themselves but for those who cannot i.e. those with psychiatric problems, those with drug addictions, those affected by poverty, children, those with conditions like cystic fibrosis.  We do not need to be shelved for some future alternative…..

We need to put in place some form of Universal Health cover.  We can piggy back on the research of our EU cohorts.  The “mouth” is about what appears to others, it is also one of the main indicators of the state of health of a person.  There was a time when a visit to a surgery always involved a blood pressure check, a brown stick to hold down the tongue for the doctor to review the mouth…..have we become lazy and in particular relating to primary health care’?

Quotation Peter Singer (1946……) Australian philosopher and ethicist

An ethical approach to life does not forbid having fun and enjoying food and wine (i.e. priorities of our medical professions by virtue of high salaries, pensions, private medicine and perks), but it changes our sense of priorities’

Michelle Clarke

==============================

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Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to the US

Posted on June 10, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

via Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to the US

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2010 year. Revised 2020. 8 headings 4,100 words Tranche (A)

Posted on June 10, 2020 by michelleclarke2015
No. 1
22nd January, 2010
Glass half Empty or Half Full: Time to see the Half Full
Corporatism; wildlife, Corrib, Hope v. Greed

There is quiet these days about the Corrib and Shell. I wonder why? Maybe Shell are approaching closure for this endeavour.

What are the future plans for oil and gas in Ireland? Who has the real vested interest? I note Tullow Oil (origin Ireland) but now heavily involved in prospecting in the African continent appear to be doing well. Tullow have embraced the resources industry in Africa inspite of the risk factor. They are successful Operators in the business and mirror the likes of Exxon, Shell, and other corporate leaders. Well done to an Irish company who made it good in oil prospecting. I note their share prices are moving upwards.

The Lisbon Treaty made it through the second time. Do people realise how significant Ireland is to the EU (and this was recognised by the EEC back in 1973) when we joined? Well, we are the Island of Ireland and we are rich in our ‘seas’ but we forfeited our fishing rights up to our shores as an ‘price’ for membership. It is time for the Government to review ‘the deal’ we give to prospectors of our natural resources. We need to value of natural assets and more importantly to be aware of them and their value. What has happened to the Gold prospecting in Ireland? If you watch the global markets, gold is the recommendation for ‘Buy’.

Equities are out of fashion at the moment. Obama, one year as President is peddling ahead with his social conscience intact but alas causing democrats to weaken their allegiance and support to this man of vision and change.

Times of Recession are an interesting time to start looking at stocks and shares. It is good if you have a social and ethical perspective because you see companies who have been riding high on the ‘greed motive’ being brought to their knees and ultimately humbled, if not imprisoning negligent risk taking executives for illegal pratices. Watch this space re. bankers, developers, politicians etc.

European Mega companies have been humbled also. Unions became too strong in countries like Germany (e.g. Volkswagon, Siemens and others) and union leaders lost sight of their vision in favour of high salaries, perks, luxuries at the expense of the workers they are supposed to represent.

Ireland must ask questions here. How much are the Union Leaders receiving as salaries, perks etc? Strikes are being called willy nilly these days and I wonder ‘who is doing the thinking?’

With Independence came depression for almost three decades. There was survival as an independent state which has to account for something. Why?

We believed our wealth was in our soil and that includes the sea and of course, our people and the contributions of our diaspora.

If the Corrib is concluded in the not too distant future, we need to be aware of the other oil companies we have presently prospecting for oil and take control of the concession taxation we have given them and seek a greater proportion of Royalties. Providence is one of these companies and it is interesting to follow its history i.e. back to the 1980’s Atlantic Resources headed up by Sir Tony O’Reilly then just Tony O’Reilly.

Add to this our wealth in literature; our acquaculture; the potential in our universities; in our research potential, our heritage and of late the Peace Process and the Unity of Ireland.

Michelle Clarke (Forster)

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Original article: September 30th, 2008

Corporatism: Corrib; Wildlife; Environment….v. Greed

 by Michelle Clarke – Social Justice and Ethics

 

Initially, this article was written in 2004. It was the second copy written via a citizen journalism site to then Taoiseach Mr. Bertie Ahern, cc to his Secretary, concerning Shell Corporate and its plans to ‘squander our Irish Crown Jewels, our natural assets’ with the aiding and abetting of our ill briefed Government in the 1980’s.

The Rule of Law stands breached as we recklessly observe an abundance of Irish Garda Siochana take up position on the Shell site, at payment to our Irish State. Meantime, Irish people protest (in a similar way in which the protect about the Skryne Tara Valley).

Now, we face a financial crisis. What implications will this have to Corporate companies like Shell and their undertakings in the West Coast of Ireland. What if Government were to say No to providing the Gardai as security? Surely, this would be a correct approach by Government after the major disgrace regarding our 5 main leading Irish Banks. When do we stop public services money being abused because of pure laziness and ignorance.

Well, we in Ireland have saved the banks – one fell swoop. Yet the 700 billion due to save the US markets failed at the last hurdle, the House of Representatives. Where is the briliant acumen now? Who knows? Are the financiers wasted from their allegiances with a FF (developer led) government, who soaked up image to the degree that personal make up charges became an acceptable norm to conceal those faces of Greed personified. Is it correct to say that they are no longer talking about allegiances because, our banks are now nationalised (bye to capitalism)? Will this take us back to nepotism and non competitiveness in global markets.

Revenue have consistently targetted those who failed to pay the correct amount in Irish tax for nearly a decade now. It started with Ansbacher, and now the amounts tend to relate to those further down the social scale i.e. those with second homes in Turkey or wherever. I ask where are the Big Boys? If the market has been so volatile and demanded such a massive reaction a.m., where are those with the shrewd brains and the means and power to make things happen? They say Switzerland and places like Lichtenstein have become more malleable to talking with Governments in France and Germany about the hidden accounts? Will this change now?

Let us take stock now of the major assets of this Island of Ireland. The time has come to look to the prospecting deals of the 1970’s and 1980’s and assess whether fair, just and equitable compensation has been made by the Corporates and companies involved.

As we talk about our Carbon Footprint. Let us get real, let us identify with the Print……Yes, go to Change.ie and get frugal but also lets ensure our environment is held sacrosanct. Let’s treat the water, let’s penalise the companies and people who morally and for financial gain foul our water supplies. Let us call in the Environment experts to assess the impact of the Shell Terminal in the Corrib – let us recall industry like Asahi in Killala in Co. Mayo and the damage done for decades going forward and for what. It produced synthetic fibre, chemicals enormously dangerous – it destroyed trees for a 3 mile radius and experts still don’t know the emissions into Killala Bay. It destroyed wildlife. What a price we paid for a factory that was refused entry, in one of the darkest spots of Scotland, of high unemployment at the time – early 70’s. What has changed? Do not forget the history of Killala, the year of the French, General Humbert 1798 (statue now stands in Ballina Town

What has happened to the Chromium off Cork. Investigations and promises abouded and then just when dead. Has anyone examined the horrors involved for people and the environment if this matter is not resolved. The financial costs for this oversight will be considerable. They are at least quantifiable and ought to be prioritised accordingly.

I must ask about the Code of Honour. What happened to people and their code of Behaviour, their values, their spirituality? Maybe these values go hand in hand with the Victorian era but now more than ever is a time, when we need to introduce such a code and even go so far as to re-introduce common manners. Manners and etiquette provide subtle cues that enable social relations to run smoothly.

in this regard, the first professions I look to is the Legal Profession and the Medical Profession. What has teinted their expertise that the greed of money and its attributes to dip their dirty fingers in the honey jar of the vulnerable and then launder this money through equally immoral bankers who send it abroad, knowing what they are doing. They say there are 30 solicitors struck off this year. I say to the government – Find the money, through negotiation with banks abroad, etc. and return it to the rightful people. Such solicitors and their practices have contributed to the virus that has created the position we face today with our banks nationalised. Negotiate and get liquidity back into our market through equity and fairness.

Michelle Clarke

Quotation
Bertrand Russell, Philosopher, Mathematician – Skeptical Essays
‘Into every tidy scheme for arranging the pattern of human life, it is necessary to inject a certain amount of anarchism – enough to prevent immobility to decay, but not enough to bring about disruption.

‘There used to exist a code amongst thieves’ EVEN !!!! Time for Change

======================

No. 2

23rd January, 2010

Dublin Castle: Woman with Scales of Justice in one hand and Sword in the other…..Equilibrium?  Absolutely Not.

Interesting: Yes. The Scales of Justice stand resplendent at Dublin Castle but ‘the message is conveyed inwards’ when the message ought to be outwards to embrace the whole Island of Ireland.

The time is here for change. We need Transparency. We have the chance now to achieve it.

How long more do we have to wait for the outcome of the Mahon Tribunal? What about the adage – Justice delayed is Justice denied?

Are we denied Justice? Do we really need a Tribunal regarding the Banks? Is it not suffice to say we became part of the global de-regulation of financial markets and we benefitted handsomely thanks to the outside the box plans in the Haughey era for the Financial Services centre especially the plans to accommodate backroom work for world banks who were attracted to our tax breaks?

We need to note that in the US – those who breach the law in Corporate positions have already been arrested and sentenced to long periods in prison. The legislation is what counts. We have the added advantage in Ireland of the CAB, surely this model can be adapted to criminalise those who abused power in their corporate prestige world of the last few decades!!!

Michelle Clarke (Spirit Level)

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No. 3

4th February, 2010

Landlords Reduce Rents by 25% urgently to kickstart our economy

Utilitarians and some seasoned advice.

10 years anniversary – well done to all at Cooley Environmental Group

Sean you have made a real effort with your contributions to a citizens journalism site over the years to keep us ‘connected’ if not integrated virtually.

Also well done to Archbishop Hynes and all the behind the scenes contributors.

The photos make it homely and show us the beauty of our Northern counties.

Back to Basics is sound advice in this deepening days of depression. The depression alas is two fold. It is our country, our society being embalmed by global greed and then the people, the individuals who fight ‘the black dog’ who comprise our society.

I am in Dawson Street and have just read a notice that I would like to share with you.

The name of the Italian eatery is Carluccis. It has a marvellous clientele and widens the Irish taste buds to what excels in Italy.  The notice on the door is clear. The landlord states that they have informed their staff that business cannot continue because the LANDLORD WILL NOT RE-NEGOTIATE THE RENT DOWNWARDS.

You mention Sean about the Encumbered Estates Act. Why can we the people of Ireland not learn something from the past? Landlords ought to be humane and consider taking say 25% off their rents for a period of time.

If they don’t we will find ourselves with vacant premises and no tourism!

Michelle Clarke
==========================
No. 4

5th February, 2010

Abuse of Power
The Wrongs of the Catholic Church

Well done Kevin F. Good photography also.

Hope you are feeling well after that dedicated week with no food outside the GPO before Christmas.

Absolute power corrupts and power corrupts absolutely or something to this affect.

People must stand accountable and it is now the time to ask members of the Church to come forward and make the necessary legal statements about crimes committed under their auspices.

The Boston Globe (well worth reading their book on Betrayal and the Catholic Church) kicked to touch on this topic over a decade ago. It is time for the Irish to do some piggy backing on US research and findings and look to the Church for financial reparations.

It is said that in 1997 the Catholic Church land values were worth IR£1 billion. We know a lot of this land was sold. Where did the money go? I would suggest it is gone to the Vatican bank yes it left Ireland…..if so, who has the money now?  What is the value of the holdings now?

Kevin I am coming back to the word you used that has really made me think – you spoke about the sanitisation process. You are right, religious orders have become cameleons and have reappeared in places like All Hallows focus on say a different type of education and also places like Maynooth.

Then there is the powerful Opus Dei at Lismullin – a benefiary of the FAS Betac education grants etc. They are also supposed to be providers of student accommodation on University campuses. I ask and my reason is well founded ‘at what cost to the beneficiary’? I suggest it is in return for secrecy and life time commitment.

One more question. By comparison to child sexual abuse, it may be secondary but does anyone share with me the power of the church to grant an annulment to a 15 year marriage; after the state has granted one a divorce in court and in favour of a husband who left the marriage for an affair with another woman (children as proof of relationship) inspite of the critical ill health of his wife of 15 years.

The Church usurped the woman’s status and the question is was Opus Dei the driver in preference to the new adulterous relationship rather than the commitment the marriage vows are supposed to represent?

Kevin. I have written to Archbishop Martin etc. etc. They choose not to hear. I applaud your persistance.

The words of Jonathan Swift come to mind only the meaning is in reverse. The Church okay have the knowledge but they are blind. Swift said ‘Give Vision to the visionless’

Where did the proceeds of the sale of Irish Catholic Church property end up (Follow the Money)? Is it in Switzeland or Lichtenstein or even the Virgin Islands? Or maybe just maybe, you get a good financial interest rate return for hidden funds at the Vatican bank…….

I wholly endorse this.

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No. 5
10th February, 2010
Has Deal opened roads for Orange parades – RNU?
Parades: Why not look to the Possibilities as distinct from the past problems

Why can’t we think using a little imagination for a change.

12th April is the next significant date… and albeit Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson failed to ‘Shake hands’ they shared ‘humour’ and what a good place to move forward from?

Last night, Gay Byrne interviewed Former Taoiseach Mr. Ahern. Mr. Ahern gave a good insight into his regard for the Revd. Ian Paisley. It was an evolving acceptance that culminated in an interlude. Mr. Paisley withdrew to say a prayer and Mr. Ahern joined in and this created a foundation for a mutual discussion that led to greater acceptance…..Thankfully.

Discussion needs to take place about the Parades but why not consider a change of Location. Why not focus on the Boyne where history emanates from or even Tara Hill. John Hume spoke of ‘Diversity’ in unity’. Now it is up to the people of Ireland to make this happen and to include our diaspora in the celbration of a successful forging ahead for Peace on the Island of Ireland.

The Exchange:  Who gave the Musket? When two legends met at a Boyne site? Who are the legends and what is the meaning?

======================

No. 6

11th February, 2010

Solicitor John Devane suing Gardai in the High Court

Brehon Law to Human Rights


We can all ask ourselves the question ‘Do we need to know’ followed by ‘Do we really need to know’?

Well this article and postings indicate that there are definitely times when ‘we need to know’ and when we need to know regarding the rights of our more vulnerable members in society.

Media coverage today alerts us to Watch and Wait for the outcome of this High Court case.

The headline reads ‘Solicitor suing gardai after he was quizzed in Child Sex probe’

John Devane, a Limerick solicitor, is suing the Gardai. He is claiming that he was falsely accused of sexual assault on a child after playing Santa at school’s Christmas party. Devane claims in the High Court yesterday that the allegations that he assaulted a special needs child were part of “witch hunt” against him.

He states the impact on his emotional, physical, psychological health. I also ask what about the special needs child also?

Mr. Devane has brought an action seeking damages for ‘alleged slander, unlawful detention, and a failure to vindicate his rights’

This case and arrest date back to 1999….surely this is justice delayed being justice denied to all concerned.

 

========================
No. 7
23rd February, 2010
Waste lands and George Orwell.
How can we effect change and stop the property abandonment and dereliction?

Today’s Irish Times: Elgin Road, Dublin 4, a three storey over basement property adjacent to the American Embassy is featured in all its abandonment and linked in ownership to the brother of a former Taoiseach of Ireland. The link is interesting because of the recent Mossad (or supposed to be) assassination and the link to forged passports.

When does all the bad news stop, when can we start to progress yet again? Last night thankfully there was a programme about the history of the Docklands and the fact that in 1796 it was the largest canal programme by the British in the World. It was reported on by a man named Turtle Bunbury (who was doing a cycle tour of the docks) who has written book on both its history and more importantly on its recent advancement. This gives hope and do we need hope?

It made me think of this site and wonder if there could be a new vision and some inspiration !!!!

We sure need it. We each can make contributions. The Frontline had an interesting panel last night. A man by the name of Collins involved in the internet market spoke of the importance of the young acting on ideation via the web. I agree with him about the potential for Ireland (refer Pat Kenny website The Frontline.ie). The scope is here to develop markets. Our environment has the potential and social networking sites have massive scope in a small island community like Ireland.

Looking at the houses on Elgin Road….it made me think of this site and someone’s comment that how can we have houses of such value e.g. in the good times 8 m euros beside dereliction houses that have remained in situ without investment for periods of decades. Today, we witness the houses and again we must ask the same question. Why can such houses remain abandoned during the boom times and yet others are the homes of the ‘elite’?

Surely this would suggest a wealth tax on property or if not a wealth tax, a utility tax? How much space is not properly utilised because people choose to be wasteful in order to gain wealth via appreciation in property over decades. Why is there so much vacant space around Dublin 2, 4, and 6…).

Motivation is vital to our people and this is a about creating an environment that inspires the ordinary people to be creative.  Surely this was what created the ideation of a Celtic Tiger and the regeneration of areas e.g. Temple Bar and all the inspiration one can find therein.

Be it in Moyross or elitist Dublin 4 properties in this state of decay and dereliction cannot create an environment for inspiration and vision so the answer must be for people to react and start seeking change.

NAMA is real and it will behave like a real mercenary docking the value of properties by 85%, 95% and more. Likewise the Docklands will be held out to slaughter and the DDDA. What we need is a market and some equity? We do not need to crucify those developers who took a chance.

Michelle Clarke

==========================

No. 8

27th February, 2010

Is it another kind of Land Commission post Treaty 1921 Ireland?

Is Nama defunct before it ever starts?


In those times, they referred to the ‘Encumbered Estates’ and something in the region of over 70% of large estate homes had to be relinquished to demolition.

If we look to economics and supply and demand, the equation appears to be that we have too many properties worth virtually nothing at this moment in time and the question is what do we do?

The 1911 census in the National Archives will leave us in no confusion as to what our poverty was like then. Our Georgian houses were nothing but tenements with 12 to 16 people living in what would have been a formal drawing room or dining room or even library in earlier times when the nobility lived in Ireland. The answer here to the question is that the big houses were no longer wanted by the rich who had left the country (as is the case with tax exiles today e.g. Bono).

Take a look at Dublin these days. Look at the number of Estate agents advertising houses for rent or for sale, or flats within. Every second to third house around Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square has a sign outside….what will be the outcome? Will these buildings become tenements of the future or will they be knocked down?

Going by the news today most of the Developers seem to be making statements that they are ‘broke yes flat broke’

What does this mean for the Island of Ireland?

We seriously need to stop the blame game.

We ought to stand ashamed of No. 6 Elgin Road with its boarded up gate. For people who know this road i.e US embassy – about half the houses are refurbished while the other half are of the era of pre-63 potential tenement houses in flats.

We need to think our way out of situations where houses can be left vacant by owner landlords.

Prime Time last night showed our young men who have completed part traineeship in trades related to building out of work. Where is an Taisce, Anco, FAS in the harnessing of these talents in our Georgian Houses vacant in the affluent parts of our city?

It was interesting to see a young man leave his home in an estate somewhere in the country and as he walked down his route, there was a house boarded up. He has a trade. Boarded up houses like this are bad for the social wellbeing of our people. Let us have a meeting of minds to generate potential and alternatives for these young men. They have the skills to refurbish the house which could be used as a place for young people to gather and say learn computer training skills, etc.

The Royal Irish Academy is a haven we all should avail of. You enter the Georgian doorway from Dawson Street and you step back in time. Look out for the postcards advertistising Celebrating Thinking 2-30 March 2010 – this is for all people in Ireland to access, young and old, rich and poor

Elgin Road is shown to the public for us to think about property and utilisation of same. I was talking with a woman who lives in one of these houses and she made an interesting point. She said the like of An Taisce aren’t going to look for houses to be upkept once the fire places and doors remain within. However she did make the point about dry rot. If this gets into one house, then it seeps and it ultimately damages all the houses in the terrace. Now this is something to review.

We need to start reading books like Bertie Ahern suggested i.e. Bowling Alone by Putnam or another more recent book called Spirit Level – their ideation is a fostering of communities once more

 

Michelle Clarke
=======================
No. 9
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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 5,500 words Tranche (E)

Posted on June 10, 2020 by michelleclarke2015
No. 1
5th December 2009
The Budget. Let us look to our stock in trade and

move on forwards

The Budget and let us imbibe the true meaning and
importance of being inclusive

The Spirit Level book, as highlighted by Vincent Browne on several occasions speaks about the increasing Divide between the Rich and the Poor and it samples first world countries.

We must always accept in a society that there will be the very rich, even Sweden will admit to a 5% quotient approx. but once we earmark this quotient then the focus ought to be on more equal parameters, after all this is core to the EU Treaty and now re-inforced by the Lisbon Treaty.

Ireland has been a major beneficiary of funds from the EU since joining in 1973. Often people fail to recognise the words – Horizon; ESF, NDP, Leader, etc. All of these have been vehicles to deliver funding into various sectors of the Irish community. We perhaps now need to awaken ourselves to what we have received, the benefits therein.

Yes, I agree that there is a vast variety of written information about the EU and its support systems. However, it appears that the Celtic Tiger has somewhat stilted our lateral thought function to information seeking and while we have been sitting on the fence, people coming from Eastern Europe and Europe have been appreciating FAS and its variety of programmes, as a means of seeking work in this country. Likewise, FAS has travelled to countries like Poland to promote employment and training in Ireland. These are hidden cost/benefits that at present we fail to recognise as we feel the pain of the recession beginning to bite hard. For those drafting the budget, maybe it is time to review our Stock in Trade relating to EU contributions (which while in part monetary also provided a social and environment support system) as distinct from Multi-national companies who came to Ireland with profit motive for shareholders and based on purely corporate ideals. We provided the competitive advantage for these MNC’s for a period but now this is no longer so we need to retreat and take stock.

We voted yes second time round to Lisbon so we had a change of heart – when the going got tough and the economy changed direction the mindset of the Irish people followed suit and yes was the vote for Lisbon.

We are the Knowledge Economy of the future. Let us remember we have been the knowledge economy in another time and space. From the Skellig Rocks to Tara Hill to the Monastic Settlements in Killala, to Corcamroe, to the Book of Kells yes Ireland has promoted education and knowledge through its people so the endeavour that faces us is about reactivation of the belief in the power of knowledge and innovation. The key component is that now we have the means of generating knowledge with equality as core to the dynamic.  The age of the internet has Ireland connected thankfully.

While the Celtic Tiger was been spearheaded by our developers, FAS executives, Bankers, Insurers, and their globalised fashioned mindsets, there was another core of people being funded by the EU through our University Faculties, through management in FAS, through Leader programmes, Charities who had access to social funds, etc. These people were involved in dealing with marginalised people and up skilling them, leading them towards higher education and most importantly often away from the mindsets of people who wanted to subjugate them. I refer to the work of the Horizon programme and the promotion of values with mental health problems. We must take sight of the work done here and capitalise on what these people have already contributed to society and their potential. This value is inherently important because these people are driven people but the difference is they are driven for the betterment of their counterparts and not necessarily for money and consumerism.

The EU office has a most interesting publication dated June 2009 concerning ‘MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN LIFE’ the EU investing in people through the European Social Fund.

Note, the word “People”. I would highly recommend looking at this publication.

Ireland has progressed considerably since the the 1980’s when emigration to the US mainly as illegals or the UK and mainly our educated. There are some comparisons that are worth considering here. In the 1980’s, it was Richard Branson, Virgin Airways, who took the chance to undercut Aer Lingus and fly into Dublin at £25 each way substantially lower by several 100%, albeit for a short period of time. Out of this entered Entrepreneur Michael O’Leary and Ryanair which in effect altered all concept of connections in Europe to Ireland. There was an idea, there was a potential market in the Irish of the 1980’s who had to emigrate giving them the option for the first time to commute. This idea tailgated with the growth of the new Europe and the flow of people with Ireland as a major receptor.

O’Leary is not afraid to speak but sometimes people are too prejudiced to listen. Public sector have advantages. They have full time jobs, full pensions, sickness benefits and in the case of teachers the longest holidays in Europe. Why do we feel that their job security makes them a higher value than the teacher assistant who was fostered say by the European horizon programme, a person with say mental health problems or for that matter an ordinary person working as a flight attendant.

We need to promote employment, growth in the economy and most importantly to move on to the next stage of development for the Island of Ireland. Can you imagine O’Leary’s suggestion of making the public service work as private enterprise staff work i.e. 9 to 5 p.m., unpaid overtime, 20 days holiday – just imagine the potential the country could gain. This is real work. Nurses can manipulate how best to get the a pay deal by working weekends etc. but this does not happen if you are working for say a supermarket chain and you have been fostered from a charitable organisation into mainstream employment. Where is the Equality? Just because people don’t complain, there is no need to exclude them. We want our country to prosper surely.

O’Leary says he would promote Tourism – well maybe he has a point. FETAC is a course for guides run by FAS and you get a Diploma. What a country to be a guide in. Apparently quite a number of retired teachers especially those who have taught history have taken the course. O’Leary has always served the people…the fact that he may be wealthy and given that he is prepared to pay his tax here is secondary to his promotion of significant growth to the economy of Ireland via an industry called travel. Promote it and income flows follow.

Michelle Clarke (Gracie)

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No. 2

4th July, 2009

Reply to Adline

Implementation of Law – rent allowance


I agree with you Adline …… there is a strong history of landlords in Ireland buying property, letting it out in units and getting paid rent. It is a known to most people that Rathmines properties had a large contingent of owners, who worked in say the Gardai.

However, the time has come for change. The PRTB has been established but as it resembles more as a quango, we must demand a certain standard from it and to do this it must have teeth.

Likewise can be said for the Rent Allowance. Markets are about supply and demand but if bullies exist, they need to be subject to the rigours of the law. This would give the scenario of a rising tide, losing the dross i.e. not the tenants but the landlords who are devoid of scruples.

Presently, people in receipt of rent allowance have been asked by adverts in the papers to approach their landlords for a reduction in their rent. This is not unfair, it only become unfair, if their landlord does not agree and asks their tenant to quit.

I have seen rent allowance paid to people in a room in say the attic of a Victorian House, in D4, when the Community Officer, fails to uphold the rights of their people in need of proper social housing.  Timidity and fear of authority and asking the questions ensures you remain in unacceptable accommodation that is at least until the landlord sees more profit in a new venture and then evicts you.

Michelle Clarke

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now is the time to start change from the bottom up.

Rent Allowance

 by SarahThu Dec 03, 2009

 

I totally agree with your comment. It is a disgrace in this day and age that people are made to feel like second class citizens.. I am a lone parent and am finding it very difficult getting anywhere to live that is decent. The limit for me is €930, where am i going to find a suitable place for me and my son who is 11 for that kind of money.. Need to get back to training also, can’t do this till i find a home for us.. at my wits end with this crap….. why wasn’t the limit left alone at €1,000 per month.. crazy….

December 5th, 2009
Transparency and Accountability in Housing Administration
by Eleanor – Housing Provision

Sarah

Well written. I hope by now you have found a place particularly as Christmas is so close. If your rent allowance is Euros 930, I would suggest that given reports about the surplus property particularly the tax incentive property on the market, there ought to be no difficulty getting a home for that amount, particularly when rent allowance would be a guaranteed payment from the Government.

We need greater transparency between the Estate Agents, the Community Welfare Officers, the HSE and the private tenancy groups like HAIL and Church Communities.

There are people homeless on our streets, people with mental health problems living in unacceptable accommodation and unlike the 1980’s, there is the accommodation to provide for them now, it is just in a LIMBO place due to the economic crisis. Similarly private companies and public services too stand in need of Restructuring and root and branch cuts. People fail to talk of the advantages when cuts take place. Many a successful entrepreneur has been casualty of a recession in the past.

Sarah where would you like to live with your child ideally – maybe we can help via the web. or this citizen journalism site.   It might wake up the elephant in the room bureaucracy and stop them thinking about striking for extra pay. We need a little more sharing and caring in this society.

 

====================
No. 3
6th December 2009
What about the missing children presently or children exploited now?
Child Sexual Abuse:  Redress

Very interesting comment about ‘Re Branding’

The fact that the order stood by the ‘Brother’ whilst he was accused for ‘sexual abuse’ makes one think back to a point by Hubris. Who is responsible? He mentioned about paedophile rings in prisons in a posting (which was placed in the hidden articles).

Law cannot be made retrospectively or so I thought. Yet what appears to have occurred is that once an ‘Order of Sorts’ exists and their function is to educate, rehabilitate, teach …. they become responsible for the behaviour of their “Flock” who then determine if they will admonish them for child sexual abuse, rape, or any criminal charge for that matter.

We now recognise and know that this child sexual abuse culture started with Archbishop McQuaid linked closely to De Valera, the 1937 Constitution, post British Colonialism and the purge of the Monto.

What we must do is take back the power of the State somehow stolen from ‘it’ and seek out all people who have been pilloried by Bullies either in Organisations, in prisons, in mental hospitals, or out on the streets at night and put in place our Criminal Law.

All we can do is learn and ensure that those who have suffered are not scape goated. Personally I do not think money resolution is the solution. Money degrades the person and the person has suffered enough degradation.

People talk about Granada Institute in the UK but are these affiliated to a religious order?  Nexus Institute have an excellent website and they are based in the North of Ireland. My real concern is for the ordinary person on the street who has no access to a ‘hearing’, it could that homeless person you failed to say hello to today.

Number of comments per page
Michelle Clarke
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No. 4
7th December 2009
International Law.
Amnesty gives a wake call to Government and people

 

20 years tomorrow is an anniversary date for people interested in their Human Rights to take note of. Our Government have signed up to it so now.  As the “Budget” approaches on Wednesday, let us the plain people of Ireland encourage them to review same before making any harmful cutbacks to the human rights of our people and in particular relating to our children.

As this is an International agreement and as we have just second time round changed tack and voted yes to Lisbon, we must take on board that the “Budget” will be harsh to reflect the global economic crisis experienced. However Fair Play is vital.

What about an assumption re. the forthcoming budget? Things are really bad! NAMA is the Vehicle that is supposed to steer the Developers, the Landed, the Government out of crisis. Too much money was paid over for property and now with the private sector companies facing financial ruin and unable to repay their loans to the banks, it is time yet again for the vulnerable to pay the price.

Constantin Gurdigiev is an economist to watch out for. He makes an interesting point about the private sector pay in a recent article. He reports on the latest data from the central statistics office. Earnings in the public sector (excluding health) have increased from just under 943 euros per week in the 2nd quarter of 2008 to euros 973 for the equiv. period this year i.e. a rise of 3.2% He adjusts this for inflation and sector earnings equate to 8%. He compares the private sector in a similar way. Yes….euros 783 to 789. Think it through and the message is loud and clear when you take into account the advantages of public sector employment and this includes pension, holidays, security etc.

Those who have bought homes and face eviction due to the Global Economic Crisis

Let there be leniency. Let us think of their children and the impact of stress, anxiety on parents, on children. The Head of the EBS encourages us to see our houses as HOMES and not investments in a recent article. The comment reads “The Culture in Ireland” was that buying property makes you money. It got into our DNA. In future, we need to look at property as a Utility.

Now Taoiseach – this is some common sense. How do we re-juggle the figures and factors to equate to this finding.

Well try start from the bottom up this time. Look to the swell of properties vacant and under utilised out there in the market place. Let us look to rentals and rent allowance from Govt, let us reduce rents and think laterally about work structures and social mobility.

We need to look to our Innovators cosied by our Universities and let them expand with the people as distinct from just taking from them as data banks.

FAS is in the news but let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater. There is no harm in going for a complete root and branch approach of these state sponsored bodies and accommodating new blood (even encourage some more of the diaspora home). Let us also acknowledge the good. The market is about waste management these days and how best to achieve it. FAS having provided Fetac certified training for a group involved in clothes recycling in the Liberties – people who have been part of community employment schemes. This has worked since its initiation in the 1990’s as have others. We need to be watchful of cutbacks in these areas.

This year merits another change: a woman won the Nobel Prize for Economics. Professor Ostrom has an interesting argument that societies regularly devise rules that stop the degradation of nature….now here is some serious material for consideration by those drafting the Budget.

Tara and archaelogy. Before it is too late let us review our position here.

Likewise with the Corrib. Do we have to continue to sell off our natural resources with an un-necessary degree of humility masking corruption? I refer to a case in the 1930’s re. mineral resources e.g. gold and phosphate mineral rights!

Human Rights are about people. People do need to be made feel surplus to requirements of the wallowing island of Ireland, the casualty of the Celtic Tiger. Stand Tall each and everyone and let the Divide between rich and poor find a more equal balance.

Michelle Clarke (Blake)

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No. 5

8th December 2009

Posting under Inclusion and the Vulnerable
 
Budget Approaches and diversity becomes scarce and people
less tolerant of mavericks. 
Tapping Talents is so very important, especially now.

Scary article in the Irish Times today about mental health patients and involuntary ECT at the selection of the Medical Team.

You may think mental health is the glitzy part of the medical profession given the upbeat media coverage of groups involved in suicide, mental health for the youth programmes, and all the not for profit organisations representing people with mental health problems.

But let me assure you, there is a darker side and this headline in the Irish Times deeply concerns me.

Private medicine if you have a psychiatric condition has an element of transparency and ethics but the other side, public health system, is not transparent. You may say about Regulation but the fact is that the Regulatory body, if you have been blessed with the lucidity to get that far, is made up of the medical profession only.  Also if you have mental health problems you need to be alert to the motives of your siblings and family members. This will be more apparent for some with experience of being the defined mental patient – the one who is left to fight the uphill battle and yet be lauded and taunted with the label.

The state provides the services of the Mental Health Commission but what can one say about a faceless organisation in Dublin 4 that is only represented by its all encompassing webpage and an inability of its personnel to relate to a visit from one of the ‘Tainted’ – yes the “bothered and bewildered” subset of society ranging from homeless, to former prisoners of either mental hospitals or our prisons, to those in community care and humbled by inadequate housing conditions and fear.

The Maudsley in the UK is a public Facility but then diversity in the UK always provides different dimensions.

The Sunday Times article 6th December in the Appointments Section makes interesting reading for those who differ from the so called Norm in Society.

The title simply reads ‘Make a Maverick your wingman’. and the warning ‘Handle with Care’.

This message is not for the benefit of private only mental health, it ought to equally apply across the board to our public mental health system.

I have written many times of the potential of a now wasted Baggot Street hospital, Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4.  What about retaining it as it’s function always has been and that is medicine but concentrating on Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Addictions along the lines of John Hopkins in the US or the Maudsley in the UK or for that matter along the lines of successful private hospitals like the Priory. Where is the transparency in Mental Health in Ireland – yes the visibility factor. The research is hidden away in our Universities and basically after that is presented via conference links worldwide and through networks. The fodder is forgotten to easily.

The appointment section is promoting “Vision” in those making appointments in employment. It highlights that talented employees can ‘be hard to control, so give them freedom and let them shine’ The article is written by Frank Dillon. He talks about dealing with these employees and the huge problem they can create for management. They often are referred to as unpredictable and loose cannons but why forsake them! Why distance them out of society, condemning them to a form of mental health institutionalisation, when if given the encouragement and scope, they can link into creativity and create economic growth.

John Lennon spoke of Giving Peace a Chance. The Recession is so bad now, we really need to give these Mavericks a chance and who knows. We are talking about harnessing talent and promoting creativity.  2020 and I highly recommend the excellent Outsider Art and these people are Irish and have experienced mental health complications.  In other countries, outsider art is very expensive and is recognised.  Check out Brent Pope and how he introduced this from Australia/New Zealand to Ireland.  https://www.thecopperhousegallery.com/exhibitions/59/overview/

The Budget is this Wednesday. Savage is the word about town. But all I ask is stop the savage onslaught on the needy, look to the well of research done in our Universities over the last 20 years and start using the material more productively and economically. Don’t waste our hidden talent.

Michelle Clarke
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No. 6
8th December, 2009
Joe Duffy show p.m.
Failure to pay dog fine leading to imprisonment

Shame to the Minister of Justice

How could this happen?

A ‘shook’ man with deep emotion in his voice was broadcast today to the Nation about his experience having been taken from Dundalk (Minister Ahern’s area) to Mountjoy prison because he forgot to pay a 350 euro fine for a dog licence reminder. This man’s basic right to freedom was taken from him by our State to punish him for failure to pay for a dog licence.

The humility of the man is worth considering. He was not a man shouting about the injustice he suffered but a man telling his story….

This man explained that his Shitzu Dog called NIMO was given to him by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. His failure to pay was more an oversight that could happen to any human being.

The man spoke about loneliness and the reason he got the dog. He spoke about the dog being his best friend as most dog lovers and cat lovers will empathise with.

Does the Government not grasp the importance of dogs to people who may be vulnerable in Ireland. These dogs often are companion dogs who guide and assist people to cope with their often isolationary lives through illness, old age or otherwise.

Our former Taoiseach Mr. Bertie Ahern has often acknowledged his preference and belief in animal support. He was interviewed recently and he mentioned about the character trait of upholding confidences while at the same time mentioning his cat called Ben. In another interview he spoke of his liking as a young person for the song ‘There once was a doggie in the window”

e12.50 is a token licence fee but surely if you charge for a dog, there must be a charge for a cat, a pet mouse or whatever?

How could a man have been put in a prison? He gave a description of his treatment but I missed the details. I hope somebody can enlighten us before the budget? (Also we should note that Ireland has a high rate of termination of unwanted animals and worse a puppy industry without regulation.  This alters our position in relation to the rest of Europe – shame on us).

Michelle Clarke

=================]

No. 7

8th December 2009

WW2 phosphate mines in Co. Clare

Dail Committees 1930’s

History ought to tell us that we must pay heed to our ‘wealth’ and that is the wealth contained in our land and seas.

This is about the ‘dream’ that same dream that swept the Irish people in the 1980’s to hunt for Gold and Oil on our shores.

Atlantic resources was in the news back then, in fact people who scarely knew anything about dealing on the Stock Exchange bought into the dream and bought shares.

Tony O’Reilly, as he was known then, was the driver of market forces. The outcome for Atlantic was: …. well we are still waiting!

Did we learn anything? Well, we have learned that in Norway the Government secured a deal with the oil companies that would reflect fair payment for the people of Norway as a priority.

This is not the case in Ireland. We need to review the deal made in the days of Ray Burke. The law evolves and often retreats. Try looking at Comyn v. the AG 1950 (Sean McBride lead counsel) in the hope of a fairer package especially with the latest find by a company from the UK.

Lisbon. We need not hang our heads too low. Ireland did foresake her ‘seas’ to the beaches’ for entry to the EU in 1973.

Michelle Clarke (Ballyvaughan)

Also: April 7th, 2009

Kevin

You wrote in October 2008.

Today is the so-called mini-budget to redress ther Economic Crisis that Ireland has become immersed in. We must at all costs avoid the situation in Iceland i.e. to become bankrupt; to take the lead and follow the Swedes who have experienced near bankruptcy in the 1980’s and have emerged innovative, capable and accepting of a more social orientated democracy, accepting that richer pay higher taxes.

Maura Harrington sentenced to 28 days prison by a Judge in Ireland, is thankfully released. She has served too long in such a sentence. She is passionate about her environment and she and others are entitled under the Constitution, I believe, to express their concerns about the paltry remuneration to be paid to the Irish as distinct to Corporatism……worldwide mode.

Michelle Clarke includes a little family Comyn narrative: Lemass and De Valera engaged in similar exercise in the 1940’s against my grandfather, Judge Michael Comyn, KC, Prospector of Phosphate in Co. Clare. He started in his venture for Gold and phosphate in the 1920’s with another Senator Mr. Briscoe.

World War II and the state needed phosphate for agriculture and imports from North Africa were blocked off. The State took power and seized the mines from him.

In his eighties, he sued the state and he won. As far as I am aware this case remains precdent. The State v. Comyn (Sean McBride and Brendan East provided the legal representation)

There must be some innovative lateral thought function out there that can eek out a case for the Corrib…….out of the Precedent……..i.e. miner resources both…..

We need the funds now, the equitable funds…..oil is worth billions they say and yet our focus is restrained to admonishing the vulnerable.

Michelle Clarke

 

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No. 8

December 9th, 2009

Read the Dublin Report on Line

by Brigid Collins – Manipulated Survivors

For those who cannot get copies of the Dublin Diocesan report you can go to the Clerical Whispers website where you can download all of the abuse reports prior to the Dublin Diocesan Report along with THE CURRENT DUBLIN DIOCESAN REPORT.

It is listed there in 3 parts

Dublin Report (Beginning)
Dublin Report Part 1
Dublin Report Part 2

You can also read responses by the Clergy to all of the reports and their radio interviews etc.

All of these items are listed on the right hand side of the Clerical Whispers Home Page.

There are also polls being taken about resignations of Bishops, should there be an audit in every Diocese;  should the Papal Nuncio be expelled etc.

Do vote while you are on the website.

Related Link: http://www.clericalwhispers.ie/
What have we learnt?
Do we need a little of the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ to regain water level

by Dillon – Clerical Sexual Abuse Wed Dec 09, 2009 17:22

 

The old adage is that ‘water finds its own level’ but this is much open to interpretation, particularly in the light of the Murphy Tribunal Findings and all the revelations.

Brigid and Kevin. Your writings are poignant and the sense of pain and damage done to people by others rings through loudly, I can only ask what are we the people learning from your experience?

Another adage is ‘opportunity comes to pass and not to pause’. The opportunity is now as your plight harkens the ears of the Vatican and the papal Nuncio this Christmas Time 2009.

Glossy magazines do not usually appeal to me but sometimes a freebie merits ‘the cold eye’. Today, it is the Irish Tatler compliments of Permanent tsb. The page that caught my focus showed a woman sitting on the kitchen floor in her ‘cold’ kitchen amidst the wreckage of broken plates. The title is ‘The Enemy Within’ and the comment reads ‘one in five Irish women will experience a form of a domestic abuse in their lifetime: fact. Irish Tatler gets behind the campaign for change’.

Proviso by the writer: on the basis of the writings of both Brigid and Kevin and so many others, let us not discriminate and perhaps we should speak of abuse to incorporate children, women, men, girls, boys, and even those who perpetrate abuse and the early potential to be a bully and the reasons why.

The article is worth reading to gain a balanced view of the component and different types of abuse and the motivation factors that often govern the abuser.

Emotional Abuse: is about constantly putting the other person down i.e. the person who slags off another; the person who is constantly checking where another person is or the person who is jealous and prevents a perceived vulnerable person from contact with family or friends

Then there is the Physical side of abuse. The people who hit out, who spit, who pinch or kick (much like a temper trantrum in a three year old child), they throw cups and they smash things (only this time imagine the old age pensioner acting in this way). Then add to this the threatening person.

Then there is Sexual Abuse – well there is much written on this.

The heading that caught my eye was Financial Abuse. Now this is really interesting. We talk of a spouse being miserly but do we ever label him/her as being insecure and a financial control freak? This kind of power is not so easy to identify and if identified it isn’t associated with the control freak personality types. Simply, it can be checking up on how much a person spends, preventing them from working, taking all their money from them.

Well done to the Tatler because this has major potential and scope to help people and I would suggest the inclusion of those made vulnerable (through incapacity, ill-health, accident, through childhood abuse, etc) as in the case of the foregoing postings by unpredictable life events that precipitates great pain in some people more than others.

Tatler article describes this form of domestic violence where the abuser uses money as a means of controlling their partner (in the case of child sexual abuse where the priest may select a poor child and give him/her money or attention). This is recognised as a tactic to ‘gain power and dominance over the person/child with the purpose of isolating them’ … and in the case of a relationship to make the person wholly financial dependent on the Abuser.

The interesting point is that like all forms of domestic financial abuse ‘the abuse occurs in all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, educational and socio economic backgrounds’. Lack of income is but a common reason cited.

Brigid, Kevin and others have a wealth of experience to share with people and with our young people. Bullying is but a new name and we hear daily of children being bullied in schools, bullied in playgrounds, the use of text messages and cause of youth suicide.

The issue is what is to be learnt and how can we stop yet another life-time of misery for a human being? There needs to be a greater understanding of the reasons why the abuse occurred and the time is now, as the Murphy report is circulated to the Papal Nuncio and the Vatican, to grasp the nettle and bring about change.

Michelle Clarke (Dillon)

======================

No. 9

20th December, 2009

 

Cinema ticket takings: hit due to recession is £1 billion

 

What is totally beyond me is the prompt value downwards of 85% in the value of the Dublin Glass Bottling site and the fact that is appears to be the first hit made by NAMA?  Is there no scope for the Green’s and bottles or any dream?

Tread carefully is the learning curve ie if one looks to the forerunners e.g. the Gallagher Group and the Stephen’s Green Dream late early 1980s (now developed profitably by others).  Gallagher a young man took the fall and so did many, all the way down to grassroots small builders and even to the people who bought semi detached houses in Castleknock and other areas….do you recall?  Builders bought land and developed for a nominal fee, the balance being paid when the houses were sold on.  The outcome was massive delay for purchasers of property and an inability for the local councils to take in charge the green areas – and again this involved years. 

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article6962913.ece

============================

No. 10

18th January 2010
To Nigel Dodds DUP
Taoiseach

Former Catholic priest’s bid for new trial rejected – The Boston Globe

Sexual Abuse – Ireland in denial:  What is coming down the line……………………….?  This is about the Island of Ireland, past, present.

We have had the tribunals.  We know children were abused by members of the Roman Catholic Church but going by the Sunday Tribune today in regard to Sinn Fein and the questions that Gerry Adams must now answer, we must halt our moral bankruptcy and stop the denial and with particular emphasis of over the past  25 years. 

This topic like the Church is not going away and I am sure, a prominent journalist like Suzanne Breen and well done to her, a mother of young children, will continue to write about this tragic despicable history of sexual abuse in all sections of Irish Society and I would go as far as Europe and ask another mother and Sinn Fein politician, Bairbre de Brun, where is her moral stand on this issue?  I also would like the view of Mary Lou MacDonald, Deputy Leader of Sinn Fein but the saddest question of all is Caitriona Ruane is the Minister for Education in Stormont (from Castlebar, Co. Mayo) – her views are also needed.  They also have one vital moral humane connection – they are mothers of children.

In trepidation, I believe this abuse is far more widespread than we the plain people of Ireland appear to have been kept abreast of.

What do we do now?

I would suggest reference to the US and the Supreme Court Decision.

It is wake up time:  Repressed memories count.

Michelle Clarke
================================

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 5,500 words Tranche (D)

Posted on June 8, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

No. 1

12th October, 2009

Media Communication Ethical Journalism and EU umbrella

 

Yes

How many times has Eircom changed hands? We see so little of the news of its pending sale in the media and yet something as important as our communication network and ownership, is of significant importance, I would think.

Meantime, we see little about the Independent newspapers and the sparring match that is going on between two world league entrepreneurs and their particular financial power to influence media coverage.

Media is the order of the day. Marc Watson BT Vision Chief Executive, a former barrister who masterminded the deal to get Beckhams wedding photos into the OK magazine….is now reviewing a fledgling pay television service to the mass market.

Where is our vision? We need to focus on fast speed broadband. RTE pays too much to its presenters; there is a loss of vision and competitive advantage with the existing commentators. It has become a bureaucratic nightmare I would suggest and rather than respond to the privatisation of other radio networks, it has ballooned into a state mentality of one upmanship and a job for life.

Eircom is the start of a new wave. Chances are it will be bought out for a song (due to the recession); sold to either BT or the Singaporean company and it will then through mergers and acquisition (and most probably no need for insider trading) slip in with a pay for media up beat system like what is envisioned in the UK.

I heard little from the Greens about the forthcoming Budget but I heard less about upgrading broadband? Ireland needs Vision urgent style if we are to embrace this knowledge economy vision of the European Union – yes, with a re-run and a change of view, we have now ratified the Lisbon Treaty.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 2

7th November, 2009

Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | DSPCA

This is a beautifully constructed site and a real enticement for a Christmas visit to the SPCA….If you live West of the Shannon Madra is worth a thought

A visit at Christmas to see the good works of people who love animals. 

I received this today on a day that I feel there is some hope to be borne out of Recession times.  Today, there was an article in the Independent about dogs and the elderly.  Often old people have had dogs all their lives and the loss of ‘their perceived last dog’ makes them feel it would be unfair and selfish of them to get another ‘carer’ dog.  Well now there is an excellent opportunity to put aside that fear and the option exists for dog fostering.  This opens up opportunities for others with disabilities, depression, ABI, neurological conditions.  I can personally vouch that the warmth of a loving animal helps the medicine ‘go down’ a lot better.  I will go one step further and say that I personally believe that there would have been far less sexual abuse if dogs were more prevalent around children in the past!  (I must go to the American Scientific site to see if there is any research on this theory).

Michelle and her Jack Russell (Minder, Guide, footwarmer…..etc.)

http://www.dspca.ie/

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No. 3
21st October, 2009

Inclusion of the vulnerable in society and empowerment

Baggot Street Hospital, Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4. (Royal City of Dublin)

Something for people to consider during a irksome Recession and when vulnerabilities multiply, and people become further ostracised:-

‘Where is the Life we have lost in living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in Knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

Ireland is now embracing the status within the EU as an Knowledge Economy, so let us use the Knowledge minus the unwanted information to make proper health provision for the vulnerable and aged.

The Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Restoration of ‘Baggot Street Hospital’ for the people in need.

The Origin of Ireland is the Sinn Fein Constitution drafted in 1905 (a good place to start, I would think to arrive at all the parties that seek to govern Ireland)

In the past I have highlighted my personal experience at the Royal City of Dublin i.e. Baggot Street hospital – yes as a ‘neuro-psychiatric patient’ and my hope of a restoration to former glory of said hospital. In the absence of a response, I am going to use an alternative approach. If you choose to look at this link http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry it might give Sinn Fein the ‘vision’ for the decrepid, under utilised Baggot Street hospital. St. Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin 8, is presently developing additional mental health accommodation and a centre of Wellness. This is needed in Dublin 4 with the same motivational resources or even better.

By chance, I noticed that somebody (at some level, maybe spiritual) decided to pay heed and rather than convene those with drug addiction problems to a ‘dirty’ side entrance, it was deemed more appropriate to put a note on the door that now advises people to use the ‘Main Entrance’. Yes, somebody has taken note of the word ‘Equality’.

Space utilisation in the area of Dublin 4 merits some incentivised thinking! We need to always remember that Dublin 4 had people from all backgrounds, the rich, the poor – the first buildings of local authority houses, and flats in Ringsend after the Civil War. The place is ‘History’ but veiled and masked in shame.

The time for Revival is here. There was an interesting article concerning the views of Constantin Gurdgiev, Economist, Trinity College which embibes a glimmer of hope about ‘potential’, in the free paper PORTfolio for the Dublin 2, 4, 6 areas, which I suggest is well worth reading. Creativity at a central location, near the Canal, near the Sea, several available modes of transport to the airports, hotels, and under utilised, as we head full belt into recession, merits Vision and some piggy backing of ideas from say John Hopkins University and its psychiatric provision. Add to this Neurological capacity, Addictions, talent seeking capacity from those categorised as homeless/troublesome, a sanctuary for those not catered for by our restricted education system and other ideas from sociologists, community workers and all sources.

One point we can establish is that during the Celtic Tiger the infrastructure of Dublin 4 was enhanced. The inroads were created as the ‘Dreams’ of Sean Dunne, Bernard McNamara, Ronan and Barrett, inspired the architects to create locations that would bear resemblance to say Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kings Road. Well, it hasn’t happened. Fate has determined otherwise. Sinn Fein stands challenged to find its soul and to have the vision that many of its forefathers had, back then in 1905 when the first Constitution of Sinn Fein was drafted.

Atlantic Philantropics are based in 32 Lower Leeson Street and I consistently write to them with ideas. I have received the occasional favourable reply but alas (I am only me – an idea mind with experience of illness). There is a great need for integration, community and working together. The ‘degenerate’ Baggot Street hospital stands there with open arms begging to be able to give to the people of Dublin, the people who are in need, those in the area that includes Ringsend and the opulent roads of Waterloo, Pembroke and Wellington. People in this area have to travel to St Vincent’s University Hospital now for their bloods. I know you say ‘take the bus’ but I will reply ‘you make being ill, like a full time job’. One task one day, another task another day, get medications another day. The pharmacies, the hospital, the general practice service, the nurses, a place where carers can assist and empower some of the homeless people on the streets, (if that is their choice….it is winter and if you talk to the homeless around here), you quickly learn there are no facilities. They are beholden to people who own coffee shops to use the facilities. If they go to the hostels, they need to be out the next morning by 9.00 a.m. This is sinister and people have died in this area from the cold. By sheer coincidence the Disgraced Head Office of FAS is across the road. There is most definitely another opporturnity for this state body that has been so susceptible to corruption.

The Constitution of Sinn Fein Point No 4. 1905:

‘Whereas no law made without the authority and consent of the Irish people is or ever can be binding on their conscience

Therefore in accordance with the Resolution of Sinn Fein adopted in Convention, 1905, a Constituent Assembly shall be convoked, comprising persons chosen by the Irish Constituencies as the supreme national authority to speak and act in the name of the Irish people and to devise and formulate measures for the welfare of the people of Ireland’

Sinn Fein needs to acknowledge its ‘birthplace’ by location. It needs to step aside from ‘Class orientation and opinion’ and review history. The real history is the people and let us acknowledge the people, from all backgrounds, by invigorating a vision and where best but with a Hospital that stands dishevelled yet resplendent on Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4. Do people realise that it was at Beggars Bush where so many men were shot i.e. executed or that the James Connolly library was situated on Pemborke Road (No 37.) The Developers did but then I don’t think they would have been interested in the history. That is up to Sinn Fein

The Website: It is worth looking at the original Sinn Fein Constitution and the emphasis on the welfare and this means the health of the people of the Island of Ireland. The website is a good place to start:

http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/E900007/text002/html

Written by: Michelle Clarke

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No. 4

9th November, 2009

Church will never say sorry to its victims

by Brigid Collins

 

The Clergy of all ranks think they are above the law of the land and immune to prosecution and therefore they look down their noses at the laity and those they abuse feeling they have the right to do as they please with impunity.

The Gardai and the State over the years aided and abetted their crimes against the abused by turning a blind eye and deaf ear and not following up appeals for help or investigating complaints.

There is a lot of rot in the Catholic Church and in the Gardai and many State services who have hidden these unspeakable crimes by Priests, Bishops and Archbishops for over the last 50 years.

It is time the laity marched on the Churches and forced the Church to account for its wrongdoings.

It is also time to stop donating money to the Catholic Church. They have their properties, lands and Churches and are sitting on it in Banks and not paying it out to the survivors of abuse in any large amount so why do we continue to fund them to hoard more money away while being so mean with their compensation payments.

Think about it. DO NOT SUPPORT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. They do not pay their debts to the victims.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8th November 2009

How could this Immaculate Deception be allowed to prosper on the vulnerable

Well written Brigid. The time has come for the Church to stand accountable.

You would think Ireland is a separate Vatican City established as in Italy as a distinct entity from the State or the Republic for that matter.

Much Church property was sold during the Boom. I ask where did the money that accrued to the Church go to? Was it invested in Ireland or did it wind its way back to Vatican City?

We don’t hear the Catholic Church in Ireland bleeting about the impact of the world economic crash. Where did it invest its capital?

Where is the regulation by the State of the Church?

Who stands accountable?

Can someone explain Divorce in Ireland and the judgmental secret annulment courts who subject vulnerable people and who can only be described as the perpetrators of true discrimination of a person by the Church who first spent thousands of pounds getting a divorce and then suffered the humiliation of the annulment court (why such silence – there must be more humbled by the ogres of the Church annulment brigade).  The spouse in this case was given approval and so he could get married but the woman was subject to their judgment and if she happens to ever want to get married she must return to the Roman Catholic Church for their approval.

The Immaculate Deception and the House of Prayer….the book is a must. Why did the Church not take a stand? How could such corruption and deception take place while the Catholic Church reigns supreme in all sectors of our country. This nemisis started back in 1988.

We need the Criminal Assets Bureau or the Fraud Squad or even the God Squad to investigate just how such an antrocity could be allowed to happen on Achill. Even Failte Ireland promoted this Visionary.  When do we stop making money on the back of vulnerable people

What about tax evasion and the Vatican conundrum? The problem is we in Ireland still cannot see tax evasion as a criminal offence.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 6

15th November, 2009

Learning from EU and Iceland
Culture of Greed and Osmosis to Iceland to Ireland? What next?

The patented pink paper (Financial Times) has a weekly magazine and therein is an interesting analysis of Iceland.

Ireland is not the only country to fight criminal corruption.

A woman – Eva Joly, a 65 year old Norwegian-born French lawyer is an interesting woman to engage with. This woman is part of an investigative team of selected investigators who hold a record in bringing ‘Corporate Criminals’ to justice. Unlike Ireland, the Icelandic authorities have asked her and others (not Icelandic necessarily) to help establish exactly what role white-collar crime ‘may have in fact played on the Island’s Boom and Bust cycle’. Eva Joly, it must be said, has a significant ‘corruption crime’ investigation profile. Joly was one of Europe’s most eager corruption hunters and her investigation of Elf (Oil) is an integral part of her CV. This investigation lasted 8 years and significantly changed the Judicial landscape in France and elsewhere. So it is not just Ireland with the variety of Tribunals, including the Morris Tribunal (for which we are still awaiting an outcome) that has been crippled with organised crime, criminal corruption, bribery accusations etc.

Iceland and Ireland have in common, their Islandic status. They also share a form of political ‘rot’ that Joly found in the French political system also in her investigation into Elf in the 1990’s. Joly goes so far as to predict ‘that her latest project will illuminate the darkest recesses of Global Finance’.

The Iceland study is centred on whether the manipulation of ‘markets’ pumped up Icelandic balance sheets’ (and so far up that they were 10 times the size of the Country’s GDP.) Does this ring bells for the people of Ireland? Are we but a ‘pawn’ in a game or the spratt to catch a salmon? The banks were part of the game and their role was to dish out the credit and they did. Their big shareholders became the clients. Yes, there are close similarities and the commonality of that greed culture was imported from the US and the City of London to Iceland but also to Ireland.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 7

16th November 2009

Going backwards to move forwards 
Evictions, Repossessions, Negative Equity victims
Fall out from Financial Markets Capitulation

 

The housing market is in free flow. Nobody knows when the over supply will halt the crazy situation some people find themselves in. For those who have bought their properties in the last five years, their reality is that they must remain employed, they must earn enough to pay the mortgage, they must hope that interest rates from the European Central Bank don’t start to rise (as happened in the 1980’s/90’s in the UK when rates moved from 7% to 14.5% in 6 months).

From all walks of life, there are people worrying about ‘Eviction or Ejectment’ as it is often referred to. For some it is sooner rather than later. For those in the later category, there will be those company directors who have engaged in securitised borrowing putting their property up as the security. This will include many of those who speculated, encouraged by the Government’s tax breaks and incentives and who are now part of the surplus supply of houses with sometimes 100% loans based on fairytale valuations – and these are the punters that are really indicted to a life time misery of no reprieve due to lax and de-regulated practices of the Banks and lending societies.

How do we measure the pain? How can we ensure that children whose parents become unemployed are not caused a childhood of undue stress due to repossessions and evictions?  There must be a strategy.

The woman on the Joe Duffy Show today spoke of being evicted from her home with her 4 children yesterday. The Gardai were present (precautionary) focus. The bailiffs allowed her to leave her furniture in the house until today. What does this woman and her children do now?

I presume she must go to her Community Welfare Officer or the HSE. Then she must inform them as to why the Co. Council evicted (yes, they suspected she had a partner whom she failed to notify them about). The campaign in Government and the reason for tax breaks was to remove state involvement in the provision of nationalised housing through the Corporation and Co. Councils. The move was to encourage speculators to take over the role as landlords and encourage them to be the speculators.

Now we have the creation of a further mire of bureaucracy and nonsense. The foregoing postings (source on request) since 2006 form an outline Agenda that can be created before the Budget goes up a notch with more stealth taxes on property.

We cannot rely on the public service to release us from our housing problems, because before the crisis, and at a time when the mortgages were fluid, we realistically are aware that the public services were grossly inadequate. Many speculators who have been spared the pain until now, will find that they have been short changed by a public service that had reputation of efficiency.

I ask the question has anyone looked to the records of the HSE and Community Welfare representatives; to their relationship and deals with certain privileged estate agents during the boom years. Rent Allowance duplications did occur and if you ‘suffered’ try getting some accountability from the Public Bodies.

We need a simple Balance Sheet done before Christmas. We need to look at the people in immediate need. We need to see what rental property stock exists. We need to find the value of the properties and write-down the potential losses.

Then we need to look to the number of houses available for rent, their locations, work potential, school places.

MAB’s have been around for a few years. Now is the time to test their abilities and lateral creativity.

Repossession applications have almost trebled in 2 years.

We need help at all levels. A person’s home is a person’s right and we who can avert making people homeless must intervene.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 8

20th November, 20

Public Meeting for Clerical Abuse Call (source of citizen journalism site on request).

Have we learned anything about people and power?
Watch out for children today also.
The Catholic Church and the Abuse – a reply to KF

I note your posting and with shock. You suggest that Archbishop Martin would have known of the problem of sexual abuse in Artane some 40 years ago. You also state that there were five known priest sexual offenders in the Artane Parish. This shocks me and hurts to the core to note that it is not dealt with in the Ryan Report.

When do we learn? It appears that all in sundry knew what was going on i.e. particularly those who had the language to express it, the Church, the medical profession, the legal profession, the politicians and yet they kept ‘the details for their own conversations and judgments’ and ignored the pleas of the afflicted.

They continue to do so as those so afflicted by men who chose the evil path of abuse on the vulnerable are protected by the Code of Secrecy. Yes, Omerta prevails and it seems to work. Too few people have been held to account for the children who suffered abuse at the hands of people who chose not to ‘rock the proverbial boat’.

Does anyone ever hear if any of the secret arms of the Church like Opus Dei or the Knights of Columbanus had any clergy who engaged in these illegal practices or did their self affliction of flagellation protect them from human weaknesses? I really would like to know.

I read that as the properties of the Church were being sold in the late 1990’s, mainly to Developers, that the Catholic Church was the largest holder of property in Ireland and at that time it was worth I billion euros. Could this be so? We must not forget that in centuries past the Church often received bequests of property…some people thought they could buy there way into Heaven mentality. If these properties were sold – what did the Church orders do with the money? Where did they invest it? Did the money return to Vatican City is the really indicative question and who better to ask than the Accountant Archibishop Martin who worked in Vatican City?

Ireland is now about a State. It used to be tightly intgermingled with the Church but the State emphasis is coming to the fore especially in education where parents are forging ahead with a code of independence e.g. Educate Together.

Beware of Secrecy…it can harm vulnerable people in particular

Michelle Clarke
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No. 9
November 14th, 2009
We in Ireland need the paradox of Italy’s code ‘Gone with the Wind’
Victims of the Property Boom and particularly families

The Movie, if we haven’t seen it, we somehow know about it.

The Late Late last night neatly included the social and ethical plight of some of our young people who were ‘sucked into’ loans by financial institutions that are totally non realistic with the benefit of hindsight.

What are we going to do?  Yes, the people of Ireland, the people who fought for the 3F’s in the 18th and 19th centuries.  (Fixity of tenure – being the one we need to focus on now).

We are told the reality of a young mother of three small children, a woman who bought into the dream and decided to move to Cavan to rear their children. She is a bright woman, and no doubt a good mother and yet we are willing to allow our Government and the Banks destroy a family unit that appears to be ‘working’. Why would one do this? We know better surely. If you watch the TV programmes and listen to the psychologist Mr Coleman work with different mothers and their interaction and the impact of stress, then there is no reason that we as human beings would want to spare people who have chosen to have a family (who are the providers of this generation’s pension fund) undue stress.

The Negative Equity trap that happened in the 1980’s/90’s in the UK bit many an Irish person badly. Some if they had qualifications managed to emigrate, oven to Third World countries, others just threw the keys and their future potential to have a credit rating through the letter box. The couple last night speaking on the TV are considering this option. What an inheritance for them and for their children and they so young? Now surely Climate Change becomes relevant for those in the much affected building game to match the Government’s demands to comply with say the BER Certification for house rental/or house sale. Where is FAS and re-training? ANCO in the 1970’s trained many a good entreprenneur. It is necessary now to keep people in employment in this country to embrace change.

What is the Government going to do? The man from MABS briefly outlined what services are available and highlighted the options in the UK market. The framework exists, we just need a few more ideas and brainwaves to create a solution.

The young woman from Cavan said they paid euros 210,000 for their house adjacent to the school and that now the market is so bad they probably would not even receive a bid. She said that a builder was selling new houses near to their house for as little as  88,000 euros. What this tells us is that over a period of say 25 years for a loan, that a period of unemployment and economic turmoil was not taken into account by the actuaries for the Lender i.e. the banks. Yes, the banks failed to assess the Risk. Can anyone look at the figures and come up with a suitable risk assessment and package for these young parents facing the onslaught of eviction, possibly no rent allowance from the state (apparently if they throw in keys, they are not eligible for assistance) – which is devious and wrong, given that rent allowance was paid willy nilly over the boom years to many a person in this country either via the Community Welfare system or the HSE to all and sundry.  Many people came to Ireland from Europe and beyond and are living in Ireland now.

The developers are in the commercial courts but I am unsure about where these ‘debtors’ are dealt with. Actuarial science is highly mathematical and risk based. If there are some 35,000 already in difficulties with their mortgages and they are un-represented by the legal profession due to the vagaries of income allowances and deposits, why can’t MAB move up a category, employ some more people and even entertain the reforming of sets of the co-operatives embracing the needs for climate change and re-deployment of people, through sponsorship.

The 1980’s created major hassle in the UK when prices rose consistently in the dormitory (trains to City for work purposes) towns particularly. One week you could pay Stg£ 90,000 for a 2 bed flat which one month later was worth nearly sterling £140,000. What happened?  Within 6 months the interest rates doubled from 7% to over 14% and those on non fixed rate loans were burnt to cinders. Your Stg£1,000 mortgage became Stg1,600 over night and employment hit crisis with many people losing both jobs. Many Irish were affected badly at this time. However, we know the outcome. Part of it you can put down to life-long learning curve but I ask what un-necessary hardships are caused into the future and now that we live so much longer – what is the cost? (The flat that cost £90,000 that rose to £140,000 reduced to Stg£65,000 for 10 years or more).

I see an avenue of opportunity for Ireland’s people in financial difficulties through MABS, the like of the Free Legal Aid Services, and ideally for some of those people like Bono who decided to find tax havens rather than support their own, to give some money back to our young people with families and work opportunities also.

NAMA according to Mr. Somers is reliant on assessing the risk and arriving at a valuation price. Surely the same applies for people who mortgaged their properties in good faith. A discount to cover the losses now and going forward can be accessed in a similar way. Nothing ought to be impossible, particularly now as world markets are beginning to lift.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24th November, 2009

Brian. I enjoyed the show and well done for keeping us alert to our social, ethical and mainly compassionate duties as people of the human race.

Blind leading the Blind.

by CREMEnnis, Co. Clare

Declan
Considering the amount of rain that fell in the past week as predicted by Global Warming and the evidence of thousands of independent scientists,your rant reminds me of the Jackson Browne song “Before the Deluge” of which I enclose a verse:

“ Some of them were angry at the way the earth was abused,
By the men who learned to forge her beauty into power,
And they struggled to protect us from them only to be confused,
By the magnitude of her fury in the final hour.
And when the sand was gone and the time arrived,
In the naked dawn only a few survived,
And in attempts to understand a thing so simple and so huge,
Believed that they were meant to live after the deluge.”

Crem

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

25th November, 2009

 

When do people stop looking for conspiracy theories to avoid realities?

 by Michelle Clarke (Stortford) – Enviornmental Concern

Crem

Thanks for the verse and the words ‘After the Deluge’ – how appropriate as the country is driven to despair with the impact of extreme weather conditions.

Reading the words make me think of Malthus and his theories back in the 1800’s that our world would be overpopulated. I fear his predictions will ring true. Already rice is a scare resource with a rising price that affects 3 bn people in Asia and Africa – and this is only a today example. Do we really grasp what it is like for those myriads of people who live in drought stricken countries? We see the poverty of spirit, will and being on our TV screens but do we really want to grasp their stark realities?

Realistically, we hear and see via TV, web etc. what is happening in the West of Ireland but the fact is when it does not financially or emotionally affect us, we step aside from it, as we have been conditioned to do by an overspill of hardship from media coverage.

It is interesting to hear that we have a humanitarian fund in place but more interesting is that the Government have covered the Lacunae. A means test now determines whether you are eligible. Yes, here we have more of the dreaded bureaucracy.

After the Deluge and Jackson Browne….we really need to start seeing, hearing, feeling, touching what our world is and give nature the dignity it deserves.

Michelle Clarke (Stortford)

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No. 10
30th November, 2009
The adage ‘The Truth will out’

Brigid: it is impossible to feel your pain but there must be some release now that Truth or so we hope is emerging.

Cleansing is a strong word and you and people like you have engaged with suffering to seek redress from people who perpetrated ‘wrong’ and sin on their fellow human beings. The fact that these vulnerable people were children makes it so much worse. To the people who stood by, who knew, who did nothing – their crimes are yet to be determined. But in the meantime, let their moral conscience come to the fore.

The Gods of the Ancient world recognised the inner drive in the human being ‘to know’. Aristotle said ‘All men by nature desire to know’ and Socrates, his pupil, said ‘the unexamined life is not work living’. Centuries on, we can realistically say that there are people who shape their own destiny and put their hands up when they witness wrong doing and make a stand.

To those of us who believe in the Gospels

‘Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open and

whatever is covered up, will be uncovered (Mark 4.22)

What I cannot grasp is the power of the Vatican?

A Tribunal of Inquiry and correspondence from a member of our Judiciary merits a response from the Pope given the global nature of sexual abuse perpetrated by the Church.

Again : In 1998, it was estimated that the Church in Ireland was the largest holder of property and that the property at that time was worth over 1 billion euros/pounds. We need the answers as to what happened the money from the property sold? Where is it? What investments were made in this country or was the money transferred to the Vatican?

Brigid. I hope the hurt heals. Clerical Whispers is an expose that we all should come to terms with.  All it takes is Google and you access it.

What about these silent orders? What about Opus Dei or the Knights of Columbanus? We need transparency and this includes within our Church also.

Secrecy Beware!!

Sissela Bok
‘With no control over secrecy and openness, human beings could not remain sane or free’

Denial is much more common than we expect. We can say that Denial has prevailed but now people are faced with facts and the time has come, and in particular for our members of the higher echelons in the Church to take on board the plain categoric facts and admit to themselves and especially to the victims, the courts and to people through media, that they were wrong and are wrong. They breached Canon Law and the Law of Ireland and they must stand accountable. Otherwise, they prove to be morally bankrupt and therefore they ought to be economically bankrupt and punished accordingly.

 

Michelle Clarke

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings words Tranche (C)

Posted on June 8, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

No. 1

20th September 2009

Awareness, influence from the street up to ensure the
survival of the Island of Ireland and the Rule of Law

Ireland is rapidly being consumed by a recession the majority of our people have no idea about the hardships that come with Recession/Depression. It has been thrust upon them, all within the space of a year, and now unprepared they find themselves with qualifications and no jobs to match.

A greedy bunch of developers funded by greedy bankers have fuelled this recession to a pinnacle that a compliant greedy Government stands alone, afraid, overpaid, making decisions that do not necessarily relate to the ordinary man, woman or child, who are there on the street. Has anyone noticed the increased number of people begging on our streets? Has anybody noticed the shopping centre off Dawson Street already stripped of a number of their exclusive shops? Has anybody noticed that the franchised coffee shops are already feeling the pinch? Then has anybody noticed the number of taxis queued up in all the main streets off the main streets in Dublin City centre? Try talking to a taxi driver who will tell you they have earned only euros 15 for several hours work.

The people press and social networking has a most important role to play. They can contribute to Government in a subtle but effective way. Ordinary people with ordinary observations can make the difference. They live, walk, see, hear and engage in the reality our Politicians have lost through the ‘heady days of the Celtic Tiger’.

Back to this site. View the derelict buildings. Ask what do these derelict buildings do for valuations of properties in their locality? They further cause a reduction in value. What can be done with these buildings? I would suggest if you take an example of Dublin 4 and look to those Georgian squares and streets and all the to let signs and all the quite evidently vacant floors that an inward drive of people indicates that driven urbanisation could be most cost effective. These houses stand resplendid for their period in time and their architecture. We failed in the 1960’s and lost many to slums and then dereliction. Now – are we planning to do the same? We ought to be saying to NAMA / NTMA listen to us also…..we have something to say. We have a way of working out a value per square meter that properties are worth…..we can promote space utilisation by policy decisions….we can suggest appropriate taxes. Just include us and keep us informed.

I would suggest that a form of rates ought to be re-introduced (not a 200 euro tax on mobile homes, and second homes irrespective of income). There is a new Green rule that anyone selling a property or letting out a property must have a BER certificate. This is fine but it will lead to more houses for dereliction. Surely, there is a better way to promote space utilisation. We hear nobody discussing how to make our Georgian Houses properties compliant with the environment and self sufficient. One example is a mirror on the roof space. People out there must have more suggestions. We have had the slums….we should say via green initiatives, that we will not be returning to the slums. Look at Elgin Road. Half the houses cost millions and half are what I would call semi occupied slums that are funded by rent allowance. Is this what humanity is about?

Next time you are on the bus, take a look out for patterns in housing. Look at the houses in Leeson Street that still house many tenants and are in poor upkeep. Then look out for those houses that our probably stuck in limbo due to inheritance conflicts. Look at the beautiful squares say Fitzwilliam, Merrion and think of Mr. O’Gara who caught the locals out and bought the ground rent of the square. He along with others have opened up this park to use of all people……this is positive. This is reviving the history of Rathmines, Donnybrook, Baggot Street, Fitzwilliam Square.

Let us be diligent. Let nobody reduce an area to desolation because buildings are allowed become derelict. Moyross is the obvious answer. Let us take example from the people in Ballymun who revived their community with spirit.

Realistically, we face the proposition that the International Monetary Fund may have to intervene in the running of our Irish Financial affairs. We have one saving grace that may prevent us becoming totally isolated and that is our alignment with the EU. It was this alignment to the EU and euro currency that attracted a lot of US companies to Ireland during the Celtic Tiger. Let us not lose site of this.

It is time to reform and promote community. People need to look out for each other and to support their local shops, their elderly, their young people. In London in the 1950’s and 1960’s, areas around Shepherd’s Bush once homes of the rich famous fell into the hands of people like Rachman … gangsters that were cruel landlords. We don’t want this to happen again and we have power as people to divert this. You see we have a political culture in Ireland, we can sell our history through tourism…….we have Peace on the Island of Ireland and it is our duty to promote it.  @

Michelle Clarke

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No. 2

19th September 2020

To the Open Economic Forum at Farmleigh
Ideation yes but worth looking at the photos of dereliction

 

The Diasporo are to be tapped for ideas.

It was former President Mary Robinson who first highlighted this group of people and a light was left shining at the Aras as a sign to welcome them.

An Taoiseach Mr. Cowen has taken up the mantle and this time there is an Open Forum at Farmleigh, the Phoenix Park, to welcome our Diaspora of importance and influence to help rescue the Island of Ireland from financial ‘ruin’.

As a believer in the power of people and their individuality, I would like to see this particular citizen journalism site highlighted to the Conference Group in Farmleigh to whet their appetites and enthusiasm.

The photos are about the reality that existed during the Celtic Tiger, it represents those properties that still ‘were not attractive enough to encourage investment’ and the investors who upheld the ‘wait and watch’ theory.

NAMA is about discounting properties (no longer in existence) that cost too much, that are partially completed, that need never be completed, that need to be knocked, that need waiver. It is estimated that it will take a decade for prices to return to Celtic Tiger heights but remember this is part of the Casino Economics and it is really all about the best guess.

The Island of Ireland needs to re-market itself, economically, socially and politically. It is about embracing cultures and people power.

Quotation
Fidel Castro (born 1926) – the Cuban Revolutionary. (We certainly could apply the Cuban medical system to our faltering Irish health system).

‘I began the Revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I’d do it with 10 or 15 and absolute Faith.

To those attending the conference and who chose to become tax exiles from Ireland, a thought perhaps from Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Rebel Theologian, opposed to the corruption and abusive power of the Catholic Church

‘God grants wealth to those coarse asses to whom He gives nothing else’

 

Michelle Clarke
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No. 3

20th September, 2009

NAMA and the big Gamble

Nama is a casino gamble. The Question the Irish people have to ask themselves is:

Do you trust this Government, after the chaos with the Bankers and Developers and of course, the members of the legal profession who made millions, who are now those who need to be ‘bailed out’?

It is that simple a question.

I note that certain members of the legal profession are forming a group. Insurance premiums are most costly now thanks to the misappropriation of funds, and breach of trust by certain members of the Profession. What is the story re. Michael Lynn? Where is the Money? Banks in haven locations are now poised to be more open about their ‘hidden sources’ of money. This is the product of the Global impetus of Government heads, the G20, the World Bank, IMF etc to move away from the de-regulation positions that earmarked the past two decades, back to a more regulated ‘mindset’.

Who knows NAMA may be a beneficiary to this change in policy over the next Decade – investments are about assets, commodities, cash, derivatives – yes speculation and people willing to take risks.

Michelle Clarke

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No.4

20th September 2009

Fred. Yes, where are all these people?  Those who we can now call the self nominated ‘Entitled Classes’. Those who gained a little power and abused the ethics, trust and credibility of the people in the Island of Ireland.

Talking about Islands Fred, are you a man from the coast of Galway? I live in Dublin so I too have access to the sea.

A taxi driver (an interesting grassroots conversation on the day of two marches) gave me a paper, mentioned in earlier posting. What an interesting piece of journalism and well worth reading if you have an interest in Ireland as it stands now, on the eve of yet another Referendum!

Title of article reads ‘Irish Resources robbed from the people of Ireland’. The temptation is immediately to think of Shell and Corrib but this article goes far deeper and covers the loss to the Island of Ireland of our fishing waters which it sums up as ‘A Continental Coup’.

Michael O’Driscoll quite rightly asks people to take account of what we the Irish people gave to the EU when we are bleeting about what we received from the EU in the form of structural funds. He goes on to say that we gave up our entire fishing waters, as a price for entry to the EU. So we had to pay a “Fine Price” to enter the EU?

The seas that surround Ireland and Britain are among the world’s richest fishing waters. I must admit to being ignorant about this but now I am going to look into this further. Apparently there were four applicant countries in the 1970’s (Britain, Ireland, Denmark and Norway). The point of major significance is that these four countries amount to 90% of EU fisheries. The legal profession were called upon to find some loophole in the Treaty of Rome so that a deal could be made (what has changed, just look to NAMA). Article 38 1 was the only article that mentioned ‘fish’. They were looking for words that would say “equal access” principle, which was made a condition for EU membership….’right up to the beaches’.

O’Driscoll further comments on the irony that during the same period of time, the United Nations conference had extended the national control of fisheries to 200 miles which meant Britain and Ireland controlled 86% of European Fishery waters.

So we the Irish are far from cap in hand to Europe, I would think.

Then we have the Corrib and Shell to consider. Our Sell out to Corporates for our resources from the sea, oil, gas and who knows what else. The Sea to the Island of Ireland is like the innovative mind of the human being!!

The sea is our history, our emigration, our aquaculture, our fishing, our starvation due to ignorance of the food of sea. We may have costed it too low in the 1970’s as we did not understand its true value to our country and as it transpired to the whole of Europe…The question here is whether article 38 1 is a legally binding?

They say scenery cannot make up for hardship , ‘but Ballyvaughan and its surroundings are rich in scenery. The limestone hills are themselves impressive in their grandeur, there is a wonderful expanse of water in Galway Bay, which must be one of the largest, loveliest and alas least used bays in the world and in the distance across the bay lies Connemara, with its expressively named mountains, the Twelve Pins, ranging across the horizon’ by a man who believed in the wealth of Ireland and the potential.

 

Michelle Clarke

====================

No.5

26th September 2009

Greens have steadfastly abandoned their Green identity
since their allegiance with FF:  No to Lisbon Vote

 

Can anybody out there qualify why the Tanaiste did not seek the advice of the Attorney General regarding the resignation of Roddy Molloy from his position in FAS.

The Lehman collapse is one year a way now, so surely the Senior Fraud Office and the Department of Justice and Equality have had adequate time to sift out ‘The Good from the Bad’ and put in place laws that would criminalise fraudulent activities. Where is the whisteblowing charter? Are people too afraid to abide by it. Bribery and Corruption is unacceptable now and we must act in a positive way. We need an outcome urgently to the Mahon Tribunal.

When will pay heed to the model of Federal Law in the US? If you interfere in anti-trust or engage in insider trading or trading practices that can result in company bankruptcy, the Federal detectives are active and due process applies with haste. People get serious time prison for bribery and corruption in the US.

Bruce Arnold, a seassoned ‘Chestnut’ has an interesting article in the Indo. today:

he says
‘If we reject the Lisbon Treaty we reject the European Union’ or do we!
‘Many wise and powerful leaders in Europe, including the prime minister of Sweden, who is currently EU president, as well as a former President of France, have dismissed this idea as rubbish, which undoubtedly it is. The two are in fact quite separate. If we pass the referendum it will change the EU it quite radical if not revolutionary ways.

If we do not pass it, we will go on as before. Going on as before is an Irish occupation’

There is dire global economic failure and yet we are holding a second referendum within 14 months in the hope that the people of Ireland will change their vote to Yes to appease our European partners. Meantime, we take a step down the ladder, losing a commissioner, and gaining a lower proportion of votes while other countries with larger populations enter the arena and basically Ireland’s experience because of low demographics, merits what is basically pure demotion.

We need to review the plus side of Ireland. We have achieved a resolution to the Troubles in the North – surely the experience of this counts for something.

We have immigration problems in Ireland but we do not have the same problems as the French or Italians. They call the immigration encapments, the Jungle. Only now do we see examples of these ‘jungles’ on the TV as the French Police raid the sites and demolish the houses. We know that this is done in Harare, in Zimbabwe, and we all shout out again Mugabe but why is it acceptable in Europe. This is the nasty side of demographics for the European Elite.

Ireland is a knowledge economy because it always was. Our origins are monastic settlements where people travelled to Europe to teach. In the last few centuries, priests, nuns and lay persons have continued with this mission to places in Africa, South America, and of course Asia. We have established links with the Japanese, the Chinese, the Koreans, and these are part of the world economic markets of today. We in Ireland via our universities and colleges are teachers of the English language to many peoples from different continents.

Where do the Greens stand viz a viz Tara. It is a polyglot of roads with no appreciation of what could be a world heritage site. What about these Stealth taxes on people who have invested in property, some using investment in property as a source of pension? Now they are left with BER tax, property tax probably no tenants etc. What about all the buildings being held for investments but with no occupation just vacancy in the hope of an investment return e.g. Mountjoy Square – who is going to make these Green. The greens ought to be thinking on their feet regarding property in Ireland. The bulbs they suggest fail to carry a warning list and if you get a chance to see the warning list you will find comments like if you break it ‘don’t touch, don’t use the vacuum cleaner, it contains mercury a dangerour substance.

Does anyone know what happened about the Chromium situation in Cork? This is a really serious crisis yet it is swept under the carpet. Where is the EU in relation to this.

The US have been prompt with a man from Ireland who ‘mis managed waste’ he is to be extradicted.

October 2nd looms. Globalisation was about de-regulation but remember Sterling currency still exists, the Euro exists, the US$ exists, the Yen. They all are about money but money is about commodities and factor of production so Ireland given the North South Stg. Euro connection needs to think a little more laterally.

Reply:

To be Roasted Chestnut

We Irish Just Love Horses.

 by PeteSat Sep 26, 2009 17:13

“Ireland is a knowledge economy because it always was. Our origins are monastic settlements where people travelled to Europe to teach.”

Caligula was not the only person with a carnal interest in horses.

Giraldus Cambrensis informed us that Irish Kings had to copulate with horses in order to be regarded as “proper” Kings.

If you don’t believe me read this:

http://books.google.ie/books?id=XSnDAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA54&lp…false

================

 

No 6

26th September, 2009.

Greens have steadfastly abandoned their Green identity since
their allegiance with FF

by Chestnut – No Vote to Lisbon

Can anybody out there qualify why the Tanaiste did not seek the advice of the Attorney General regarding the resignation of Roddy Molloy from his position in FAS?

The Lehman collapse is one year ago now, so surely the Senior Fraud Office and the Department of Justice and Equality have had adequate time to sift out ‘The Good from the Bad’ and put in place laws that would criminalise fraudulent activities. Where is the whisteblowing Charter? Are people too afraid to abide by it?  Bribery and Corruption is unacceptable now and we must act in a positive way. We need an outcome urgently to the Mahon Tribunal.

When will pay heed to the model of Federal Law in the US? If you interfere in anti-trust or engage in insider trading or trading practices that can result in company bankruptcy, the Federal detectives are active and due process applies with haste. People get serious time prison for bribery and corruption in the US.

Bruce Arnold, a seassoned ‘Chestnut’ has an interesting article in the Independent. today:

he says:

‘If we reject the Lisbon Treaty we reject the European Union’ or do we!

‘Many wise and powerful leaders in Europe, including the prime minister of Sweden, who is currently EU president, as well as a former President of France, have dismissed this idea as rubbish, which undoubtedly it is. The two are in fact quite separate. If we pass the referendum it will change the EU it quite radical if not revolutionary ways.

If we do not pass it, we will go on as before. Going on as before is an Irish occupation’

There is dire global economic failure and yet we are holding a second referendum within 14 months in the hope that the people of Ireland will change their vote to Yes to appease our European partners. Meantime, we take a step down the ladder, losing a commissioner, and gaining a lower proportion of votes while other countries with larger populations enter the arena and basically Ireland’s experience because of low demographics, merits what is basically pure demotion.

We need to review the plus side of Ireland. We have achieved a resolution to the Troubles in the North – surely the experience of this counts for something.

We have immigration problems in Ireland but we do not have the same problems as the French or Italians. They call the immigration encapments, the Jungle. Only now do we see examples of these ‘jungles’ on the TV as the French Police raid the sites and demolish the houses. We know that this is done in Harare, in Zimbabwe, and we all shout out again Mugabe but why is it acceptable in Europe? This is the nasty side of demographics for the European Elite.

Ireland is a knowledge economy because it always was. Our origins are monastic settlements where people travelled to Europe to teach. In the last few centuries, priests, nuns and lay persons have continued with this mission to places in Africa, South America, and of course Asia. We have established links with the Japanese, the Chinese, the Koreans, and these are part of the world economic markets of today. We in Ireland via our universities and colleges are teachers of the English language to many peoples from different continents.

Where do the Greens stand regarding Tara Hill. It is a polyglot of roads with no appreciation of what could be a world heritage site. What about these Stealth taxes on people who have invested in property, some using investment in property as a source of pension? Now they are left with BER tax, property tax probably no tenants etc. What about all the buildings being held for investments but with no occupation just vacancy in the hope of an investment return e.g. Mountjoy Square – who is going to make these Green? The greens ought to be thinking on their feet regarding property in Ireland. The bulbs they suggest fail to carry a warning list and if you get a chance to see the warning list you will find comments like if you break it ‘don’t touch, don’t use the vacuum cleaner, it contains mercury a dangerous substance”.

Does anyone know what happened about the Chromium situation in Cork? This is a really serious crisis yet it is swept under the carpet. Where is the EU in relation to this?

The US have been prompt with a man from Ireland who ‘mis managed waste’ he is to be extradited.

To conclude: October 2nd looms. Globalisation was about de-regulation but remember Sterling currency still exists, the Euro exists, the US$ exists, the Yen. They all are about money but money is about commodities and factors of production so Ireland given the North South Sterling. Euro connection needs to think a little more laterally.

~~~~~~~~

To be Roasted Chestnut

We Irish Just Love Horses.

by PeteSat Sep 26, 2009 17:13

 

“Ireland is a knowledge economy because it always was. Our origins are monastic settlements where people travelled to Europe to teach.”

Caligula was not the only person with a carnal interest in horses.

Giraldus Cambrensis informed us that Irish Kings had to copulate with horses in order to be regarded as “proper” Kings.

If you don’t believe me read this:

http://books.google.ie/books?id=XSnDAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA54&lp…false

===============

No. 7
15th October, 2009
Criminal Assets Bureau. Use the Model when creating NAMA data

26th September headling caught my attention. The title ‘CAB nets Euros 6 million in war on gangster dole defraud.

Tom Brady, Security Editor reported that the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) has ‘deprived gangsters of more that Euros 6 million in social welfare payments since it began targeting them’. Well done.

Apparently a number of social welfare inspectors have been re-assigned to the CAB. This is the news we don’t hear about! These men are actively working to identify and target funds accumulated by criminals.

Now the word criminal is unclear in this article. Does this mean a person who has a criminal record only can be targetted?

If so, what about the alleged Euros 80 million and solicitor Michael Lynn? It is disconcerting to hear people informing the Joe Duffy show that they encountered Michael Lynn on their recent holidays and that they felt quite certain, it was him. Now that the pressure has been placed on TAX HAVENS like Switzerland, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Lichtenstein etc, surely we can locate this solicitor and if not arrest him, we need to source where he has invested his funds. There is one thing we must know and that is if he has ‘spent’ the money, there will be a record and if not we can presume it is buried away in some Swiss Bank account. His ‘crimes’ which can only be called alleged in his absence and those crimes of many other financiers give rise to one impact ’cause and effect’. What Lynn and his sterotypes failed to provide for is the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the impact that was a globalised financial crisis and the remedies required to contain it.

If the CAB nets 6 million euros from its war on gangster dole fraud (well done to Mary Hanafin), can we please have more officers appointed to the Criminal Assets Bureau to target the funds of those who in time will be found guilty of fraudulent transactions (as has happened in the case of Madoff – the pyramid man, who will spend the rest of his life in US prison)? If people embezzle funds, the funds must be transferred somewhere via bank account. The CAB was set up in 1996 and has worked ardently and successfully over the years.

If this model works, then adding additional officers makes sense and allocating a task e.g. find tax haven accounts with a focus on the Countries like Switzerland that the US have put pressure on to release details on US tax exiles.

=====================

No. 8

6th October 2009

Challenges to inadequate social policies

Protection of vulnerable sectors in the Community

In the past, I have written about a treasure trove of information much under utilised for parents, for individuals, for children, for the elderly concerned about the future, and for students. It is the EU office in Dawson Street. This is adjacent to the Royal Irish Academy, and St. Anne’s Church which are also a haven for people with time on their hands and a curious mind. They have a coffee centre and for over 50’s they assist people in learning how to use the computer.

The Lisbon Treaty Re-Run has proved one point and that is the splintered groups of socialism that were unable to form the phlanx of NO. We need to ask ourselves now, as a Nation that has said yes to the Treaty, what do we expect from the Government?

At the moment in Ireland domestically, we have serious problems. We have the abuse of taxpayers money by who? Let’s go: FAS, TD’s expenses, Ministers expenses, county councillor expenses, and now as the whole country knows we have John O’Donoghue, Ceann Comhairle of the Oireachtas (above politics) but as Eamonn Gilmore placed a No Confidence Vote in the Dail today for the resignation or dismissal of Mr. O’Donoghue, it raises serious questions.

Doom and gloom abounds for 1 year now. The collapse started with one of the biggest banks in the US – Lehman Brothers and since then economics worldwide are in free flow.

Ireland is in particular disgrace. Led from the front by politicians, bankers and professionals, Ireland is awash with people who have lived lavishly off others and now, without shame, we the ordinary people ask will they be held accountable?

The people have expressed an opinion. The re-run of the Lisbon II Treaty indicated a change in consensus about Europe and support for Lisbon Treaty. This time, we were not influenced by the No campaigners, there was a change of perspective, a change of view, and the fact that the European Central Bank has intervened to support us, all these factors contributed to the Irish people saying Yes to Europe.

Diversity in the Media

A study on Media and Diversity in EU Member States and 3 EEA countries. The manuscript was completed in March 2009.

Immediately, I thought of the Irish citizen journalists. Blogs are popular but citizen journalism sites is more about people press; it is more about the diversity part of the ‘unity’ and an exchange of views. This can be witnessed by using the search topic and say typing in a key word e.g. Peace, Corruption, and the citizen journalism site will take you back a number of years and you will witness for yourselves about a different kind of interaction. Articles written about Tara, and writers like Chris Murray, Sean Crudden introduced us to a broad range of subject including prisons, mental health, suicide, the Peace Process, the Gardai, Child Sexual Abuse, housing, public private partnerships and O’Devaney Gardens.

The ENFO office in Suffolk Street has been closed – an immediate response to An Bord Snip snipes. Let’s now starting looking to the libraries, to Indymedia, to the EU offices, to form that Knowledge platform that the Europeans expect Ireland to have arrived at.

Ireland stands challenged now but where is the Shame? Where is the public Outrage? Do we really want to have a two tier society, the really rich and very poor ‘underclass’. The indicators exist but alas the facts stand that people are already suffering. There are more young people begging on the streets. There are small businesses humbled for small loans to the banks that have been bailed out by NAMA. Old people are worrying what lies ahead of them, will they be able to live on social security, middle aged people are wondering how long will they have to continue to work beyond retirement age and what jobs will they be expected to do? What about third level education? Will people with disabilities, or from poorer backgrounds be able to access third level education? Will young people be able to take responsibility and work and study to pay for education? Do we expect too much of them? What about our prison system? What about life long learning? Why do so many young people quit school before leaving certificate? What about Suicide? I have heard that 5 taxi drivers have committed suicide in the last number of weeks? Who cares about these people?

Regrouping is needed and citizen journalism sites have a broad spectrum coverage but biases hinder the diversity.

For people who are serious about going forward, I would suggest a visit to the EU office and I would highly recommend the book (free of charge) on Media4Diversity – Taking the Pulse of Diversity in the Media to form an underbelly of how to extract from ‘the fatted’ calf of the Celtic Tiger and help us move forward into that Knowledge Economy of the Celtic Tiger.

A positive for us to take account of is: There is now a Whistleblower Charter. People will be free to make revelations and not be penalised by their employers.

Quotation Choice:-

Shell on Trial by Ken Saro Wiwa (1941-95) Nigerian Writer and Activist: Leader of the Ogoni people who were protesting against Shell’s exploration on their land, environmental destruction and human rights abuses. Saro Wiwa was executed with eight others by the Nigerian Government

‘I and my colleagues here are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial…the company has indeed ducked this particular trial, but its day will surely come’.

The power of print and people

Michelle Clarke

===================

No. 9

3rd November, 2009

 

For the attention of Dr Crown, Oncologist.
I greatly admire your outstanding input to the concept of Universal Health and we need direction in the form of vocation, genius and ability.
The Brain Research Trust – The Institute of Neurology (IoN)
Please consider this and I will send you a copy of earlier letter for your convenience.
A reminder from Michelle
I wrote a letter and I referred you to a hospital in the US pledged to Psychiatric Health for over 100 years
I wrote an outline about what I would like to see happen to that ‘Fallen Angel’…. the Royal City of Dublin Hospital – Baggot Street Hospital, Dublin 4, a hospital with a most incredible history, no doubt, and the potential lost through ignorance.
I have TBI and cognitive impairments, chronic fatigue (diagnosed by Physician), bipolar, anxiety, medicated etc. etc.  Today, complications from Lithium poisoning sent me for yet another blood test to check up on organ functions.  I want you to understand that for me being sick equates to an almost full time ‘job’ and that equates to me being valued as a worthless drone on society with potential for underclass categorization.
I went to Vincents.  I was number 59.  We all sat like stool pigeons and all I can say is that almost 2.5 hrs later I had my blood taken.  I noticed on the wall some clever piece of marketing directed at the service user.  The point was that in year 2008 the cost of people not turning up to appointments cost the hospital over euros 3.9 million euros.  Incongruence for No 59 and wasted time for all the remainder in the queue.  I was public, add in the bus trips (pass means no charge) but time wise possibly one hour and exhaustion to follow.  Is there a go slow given the strike that is due on the 6th November 2009?  This is one of the many questions that flips through my head.  With TBI – I have no comparison because that is what groundhog day is.  Then I look at those with carers, and think double time wasted.  Then I look at the wall and I see a note about swine flu but sight is poor and really I can intellectually grasp its content. 
Then I think – what a big hospital.  If the old public health existed like in the days of my father, a 1950’s  public health doctor, then space, location would be utilised to its maximum effect.  Vincents a.m. should allocate a space to a number of GP’s or nurses and all people should gravitate towards the largesse of the hospital for vaccination i.e. if we have enough of a supply!   Supply and demand determines but do we have intellect to make the system work?  I would have thought that the vulnerable waiting for bloods would have been the ideal target group for a medical hospital to target, with immediate affect.  But then the ‘public’ don’t count. 
If I was private, I would attend my ‘clinic’ in the precincts of Vincents no doubt, and I would be neatly packaged, pay my fee, claim it back, and get into my parked car in the car park!!  Time, no doubt if I worked it would be company time and hence have a value!!!  Then I wonder about the notice and appointments.  Nearly 4 million euros lost.  Does this mean private or public?  Or Both?  or private alone!  What about our universal system of health and equality?
I am not bitter.  I just want to ask people to think laterally.  To look to a form of centrism and to consider the potential of Baggot Street Hospital.
People run Marathons in Ireland, in New York.  They raise funds for charities – so many charities but same need questioning also and about expenses and egotism.  Some illnesses are more fashionable than others!  Some hospitals like the Mater have more cudos – their consultants are privileged and have trained for periods of time in the US….top hospitals of course.  That is the snobbery that is destroying the Ireland that evolved from 1916.
Psychiatry, Addiction, Psychology, Neuroscience, …… drug addictions, alcohol addictions….. yes, the neurological calamities ….  Read the American Scientists magazines, there is huge potential in this group of people that may not generate income from production. 
I would ask you to look to the potential of Baggot Street and the resource that can be tapped yes I mean the people.

http://www.brt.org.uk/the-institute-of-neurology-ion

 

 

Irony:  2017 a regular BreastCheck at Merrion Road, Dublin 4, found breast cancer.  Thankfully my mother had VHI cover for me so it was private medicine which provided my treatment.  It was Professor Crown who was my Oncologist.  I wrote book during the period of treatment which he describes as “A sledgehammer to catch a fly” and June 2020 and I am still here so I am a cancer survivor and have proved very resilient during the dark and strange times of COVID-19.

Book title:  Fortune Favours the Brave by Michelle Marcella Clarke, Foreward by Professor John Crown https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912639610/

 

=============================

No. 10

5th November 2009

Strikes and Unions. How learned are we about our rights and change?

 

Before we strike, let us use the media and look to our near neighbour and the Royal Mail strikes. Times are different, another era was the time of Scargill and the coal miners strikes.

A sound bit of advice is to not get involved in something unless you know what will emerge as the outcome! Last week, there was two day strike at the Royal Mail. The impact is that the ordinary punter became the victim e.g. the person whose medical report got lost in the system and whose disability benefit is cut off for weeks as a result and a whole myriad of other outcomes. Times are different now, Markets are different also. What is the impact of the Royal Mail strike now? Well, now there are rivals and marketeers out there looking for opportunities and like vultures and prey, they are circling. Take an example – and look at online marketing and shopping and the delivery market. This could be a serious chunk of loss for the Royal Mail. I understand that Amazon availed of this opprortunity to market themselves to their clients!!! This is business and opportunity for others.

Unions. We in Ireland are aware of Unions. They paved their way with nationalism from the heady days after World War I. In Britain of the 1970’s, the proportion of British employees in unions was 44.8% but by 2003 this had fallen to 20.3% (refer 2006 study by US bureau of labor statistics). The US, in the same time period saw a fall from 23.5% to 12.4% and France the fall was from 21.7 to 8.3%. Germany, Japan and New Zealand resulted in far greater falls.

Trade Unions indicate a free society in that tyrannical regimes would not tolerate them. Worker representation is vital but this doesn’t mean that equity applies. There is a new paradigm – there is the management groupings and they are represented through the system of bureaucracy and this is what we ought to be aware of. It is this group who have seen their wages rise exponentially over the last few decades to the heady heights of certain trade union officials earning over 100,000 euros, perks, pensions, cars, entertainment allowances etc. This executive class have received wage level rises far in excess of their competence factor. This is evidenced by the CRASH landing we have had.

Union membership has fallen in other countries. We in Ireland need to consider this before the strike campaigns already diarised. We need to consider who joins unions. We need to think about graduates and their penchant for being unionised and does this reflect on the membership. We need consider the impact of the web and work structures (refer: European Trade Union Institute). The reflection is that unions need to engage in adjustments. Did you know that a union in Microsoft opened up via the net to members – it guides IT staff online on job security and healthcare. We could learn from this.

We need to think of who are unions are made up of in Ireland. A large proportion is made up from civil service, healthcare, education bureaucratic and often rigid type bureaucratic structures. Thinking before marching is essential.

How would Jim Larkin mobilise forces now is a question we ought to consider?

Michelle Clarke

2017 a regular BreastCheck at Merrion Road, Dublin 4, found breast cancer.  Thankfully my mother had VHI cover for me so it was private medicine which provided my treatment.  It was Professor Crown who was my Oncologist.  I wrote book during the period of treatment which he describes as “A sledgehammer to catch a fly” and June 2020 and I am still here so I am a cancer survivor and have proved very resilient during the dark and strange times of COVID-19.

Book title:  Fortune Favours the Brave by Michelle Marcella Clarke, Foreward by Professor John Crown https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912639610/

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 6,600 words Tranche (B)

Posted on June 7, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

via Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 6,600 words Tranche (B)

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 6,600 words Tranche (B)

Posted on June 7, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

No. 1

24th August 2009

Economic and Social history origins
and NAMA https://www.nama.ie/about-us

 

Yes, there is recession, even depression, but at grass roots level and by forming communities we can halt the decay that is already so visible.

I was talking to someone who had been over around the Meath Street, Francis Street, Thomas Street, Dublin City area a.m. and all they could say, was that an area which has a rich (even if impoverished history) is visibly showing the signs of the recession. Shops are closing, money is scarce and this makes it a hunting ground for petty thieves, burglaries etc. This does not have to be the outcome. We have learnt too much from previous times in our City of Dublin.

Libraries and bookshops are great havens to look up and study the history of our country and our people. Most libraries provide computers at no charge and if the librarian is keen, well they will show you how to link up.

A random choice of book in a Dublin bookshop gave me great insight to a part of our history that has been wiped away. The book was written by Mary Daly on the population decline and an Independent Ireland 1920-1973. Previously in another book shop I had heard a man explain about the Congested Districts Board http://goldenlangan.com/congesteddistricts.html and how so many Irish people who worked towards the creation of the new independent Ireland had their works submerged by the new elites, which in 1920 of course, was Cumann Na Gaedheal, De Valera’s party only gained power in 1932.

What I find fascinating about history is the formation of patterns and more so the patterns that tend to repeat themselves, mainly because of the impact of economics and financial markets, the commodities market, even the price of gold or oil.

We are all alert to NAMA (and the NTMA https://www.ntma.ie/about-the-ntma) that is in the process of being established. The offices have been chosen at Treasury Holdings near the old Bolands Mills site. The website is worth a look because it shows the structure of what NAMA/NTMA will be and how it will best implement buying back toxic debts from the many developers standing shame faced at present. They are not alone because the banks play a very strategic role in lending funds way above the asset values of the securities.

Back to history. I found out this interesting bit of history in the book mentioned above. It was about the Irish Land Commission https://www.historyireland.com/volume-22/records-irish-land-commission/. There was a problem at the time of the formation of the State (not like now) with serious depopulation of our rural areas. The decline in population forced the Government to intervene. However, what we fail to recognise is that there was a body at work known as the Congested District Board whose function was to transfer land from the “Landlord class” to the occupying tenants. The British established the Congested Districts Board in 1903 whose function was to purchase large tracts of land in the western counties. The concept is not too far removed from that initiated by Bacon and associates and proposed establishment of NAMA. The problem that the Congested District Board encountered was that the quantity of land was always insufficient. At the onset of the 1st World War, the British ended the function of the Congested District Board.

Ireland, paved a path towards independence with the view of a group of nationalists that England’s misfortune, is Ireland’s opportunity….There was the Rising by a relatively small group of men and execution of the 1916 Leaders…..At the time of the 1st Dail in 1919 there was an urgent need to curb social unrest and land hunger was top priority. Land Courts were devised to determine priorities for land re-distribution and similar I suppose to NAMA; a Land National Bank financed the creation of 35 co-ops i.e. Land Societies (this did not in fact work out with a fall-out within a few years).

When the Government of the Free State came to power in 1923 it completely abolished the Congested District’s board and by consequence a lot of work done by others appointed since 1903. The aim was to reform the Land Commission. The need was to access land by small payments so that it could be re-distributed to the declining population in our rural locations. Farms were divided and sub-divided. By 1934, the government was again under pressure and had to give a further undertaking to create as many as 4,000 holdings. Again, the Land Commission was unable to meet this target.

Between 1931 and 1949 (Ireland had opted for Neutral position WW2), the number of agriculture holdings had fallen by 17,000 while the Land Commission had taken over 2,700 farms and subdivided them into as many as 12,000 holdings at avg 21 acres per holding.

This forms the foundation of our State and Independence. It concerned the movement of capital assets i.e. land from one minority group of people to a majority. It is a similar approach to that taken by President Mugabe in Zimbabwe. We witness the discontent that exists in that country. It is true to say that we in Ireland had a more favourable transition i.e. until now.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that we moved from individuals in one minority moving to the Irish Sweepstakes, Celtic Tiger, minority in less than 100 years. What have we learnt and how can we survive without embracing social unrest.

NAMA/NTMA are faced with a challenge. The banks have built up a stock of toxic assets that are supposed backed by adequate securities by the developers who took out the loans in the first instance. Meantime, there has been a world financial crisis and the ripples have spread risk far and wide.  What we don’t know is will this turbulence cease soon or will we face a decade or more of depression? What we can do is remain alert to world market movements and Hope.  Meantime, it is up to us to become more forcused on anti-corruption, fraud, and seeking out those who have blatantly abused the power of trust over people and send them to prison.

Look to Exxon in the US.  Corruption is a most serious crime against the State. The time for change is upon us. UBS Switzerland in a landmark decision in the UK  and they have to reveal the details of as many as 5,000 account holders who are deemed to be evading tax.

Dale Carnegie ‘Look to the day For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. Today well lived is a dream of happiness.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 2

1st September 2009

Politics.
Will the Lisbon Treaty foresake
our cultural standing in the Community?

 

‘Divorce in Ireland and a keen solicitor will advise you about the second bite of the cherry? Well what is the position of Irish citizens to the Lisbon Treaty, yes a replay of the referendum held last year when the vote of the Irish people was No.

I note with interest a letter written to Geraldine Kennedy, Irish Times, written by Anthony Couglan, Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Social Policy, TCD, who is also President of the Foundation for EU Democracy, Brussels and a director of the National Platform EU Research and Information Centre.

The word that catches my attention most is ‘Social Policy’.

If the Ireland of today was to be compared to the Rome of Nero’s era, it would be summed up as ‘Fiddlers! (Nero), while Dublin and its environs burns’. Too much corruption, I would suggest and a lack of sanctions by Tribunals, too fat from fees.

Mr. Coughlan, has given considerable time to the Lisbon Treaty and the forthcoming referendum. He refers to the Crotty case in 1987 on the Single European Act … from which the current referendum Act is derived.

Question to Editor, Irish Times from Mr. Coughlan

Last October, ‘on exactly the same Treaty as is being presented to them again in the 2nd October re-run’ – is there a scent of discrimination to No side advocates and media coverage?

If so, is this democratic?

Also:- What is the real truth about the Treaty and is Ireland the only representative to be voting on such an important Treaty and it what it entails. The question is: Is this a proposal to make 500 million Europeans into ‘real citizens of the legally new Federal-type European Union which the “Lisbon Constitution” would establish.

Mr. Coughlan raises 5 more points.

Question 1

‘Are people happy to be made real rather than symbolic citizens of a post-Lisbon Federal European Europe which for the first time would be constitutionally separate from and superior to its Member States, with a new EU Constitution, with the new EU’s Constitution having primacy over the Irish Constitution’

Personally, I would find this difficult to accept. The Peace Process 1998, the Unity of Ireland and the dream, the place of Ireland as a “Peacemaker” in the world, stand economically challenged. The experience of the Peace Process must have a worth versus the demograpic option assuaged by the Lisbon Treaty.

I agree with Mr. Coughlan. A citizen is a member of a State and in our case in Ireland, we are citizens of Ireland. Post Lisbon could change this.

Question 2

Could it possibly be in Ireland’s best interest that post Lisbon Union that European law-making ought to be based on population size? Do we realise that Germany’s vote would increase to 17%. Let us recall the significance of the decision of the Irish people in 1973 to join the EEC, France, Germany, Britain and Italy had 10 votes each and Ireland had 10 votes. The ratio was 3:1 Today the Big States have 29 votes each and Ireland has 7 – a ratio of 4:1

I ask why would we want to dilute our powers? Does life experience not count for something? We have become a training ground for many europeans who have come to Ireland to work, study and learn English since 1973. Surely this counts?

Question 3

Can it be in Ireland’s best interest to lose the right as to who would represent us in Europe?  More importantly the right to make that decision. We would lose out on an option to propose laws.

Question 4

‘Lisbon would abolish the national veto which we have at present in 30 policy areas by handing over to the EU the power to make laws binding on us with regard to public services, policing, crime, justice, the harmonisation of legal procedures, immigration, transport, tourism, sport, culture, public health?

This really is pertinent. What areas would we be left with so that our own policy machine, our system of the Rule of Law, the Separation of Powers would have precedent. We need to review our history from Independence to date and feel confident that an abrogation of such power is fully acceptable to the people of Ireland and this means the Island of Ireland.

Question 5

This raises a most interesting view. It say’s – it will not be the end of the world if Lisbon is not voted in. If we vote No – interestingly it stands that the Czechs and the Polish will not ratify the Treaty.

This again is interesting. Is it not so that Ireland has been a second home to both the Czech and Polish citizens during the period of the Celtic Tiger. I must add this was greatly assisted by Ryanair and the initiative of Mr. Michael O’Leary for a no frills service to European destinations. It also could be the case that Germany may not have ratified the Treaty before the Irish vote.

Have you further views on this NO position. This is about the real nucleus of what we the Irish (members since 1973 albeit not the most populated country)?

Simplistically, imagine you are a board member of a large public company, and a merger or take-over is decided upon. Let us assume you are a director and your place is secured in the take over as director. What then if you were to be demoted to say management level with no real input. What if you had dedicated years of work, experience, capital etc. to the company taken over……..! (Imagine Ryanair) and Mr. O’Leary’s entrepreneurial abilities!

Michelle Clarke

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Liveline, RTE

No. 3

3rd September 2009

Today September 2nd 2009, at approximately 2.15 p.m. RTE  Liveline, Damian O’Reilly, the presenter, could hardly contain his emotion, one could feel his voice trembling.

Across the Island of Ireland, young couples phoned in, viz a viz nannies, and mums, suffering from conditions such as alzheimers.  As one woman put it, ‘I stay in bed awake into the early hours wondering about my mum – is she okay in the bedroom next door – I don’t have any help from a nurse or a health board.  My children suffer the pain of watching their nanny stand before us with her pants down and excrement on her hands’.  This is the hidden reality of modern Ireland today and Sinn Fein are not in tune with the ordinary people on the ground.

Other stories covered the costs between euros 4,000 approx. per month to maintain loved ones in a nursing home and shortly with the cut backs the relief fund will no longer exist.  One woman in tears, on today’s Radio, said, in her own words, ‘I stood crying over my mother’s grave, her name was Catherine, I am glad she has died because now I will try and pay back the debt I am in, the funds paid being nursing home fees.  People say that a Nation is judged on how they treat their vulnerable and elderly, well Shame on Ireland, Shame on our Government, Shame on the Opposition, and above all Shame on the Medical Profession and others in the HSE who try to hide the growing numbers of people left to such horrid predicaments.

John O’Donoghue, FF, Leader of the House, now a disgraced TD, in anyone’s moral opinion could spend euros 562,000 on expenses for the last two years, on private jets, chauffeurs, limousines and top hotels.  It has now in the last 24 hours emerged that he went to a conference on poverty and his hotel costs per night was euros 1,100.  But tonight, I am putting the question to Sinn Fein who seem to be stuck in a quandary of no direction and above all no leadership and I am going to now outline why:-

A friend of mine phoned your office today.  He tried to highlight what was spoken about on RTE 1 and the pain of the people phoning in.  The reply he received from the secretary/assistant was cold, calculated and completely indifferent.  ‘I will pass on the message, Goodbye’.

Sinn Fein held a conference in Navan, Co. Meath, last month.  The Dogs in the Street know that there are problems – there is no interaction, there is no feedback and it took Martin Ferris’s daughter to scream ‘Stop – where are we going as a party?’.   Adams may know Northern politics but let us get real here.  There is a major difference between that and Southern life.  Tonight I ask the question – Why the Indifference?  I am a member of a group of people – 365,000 majority in Dublin (Disabilities).  If Mary Lou had got one tenth of their vote, she would be an MEP now but as always Sinn Fein don’t respond to letters or emails.  So Good Luck to you. 

Keep on going the way you are going Caoimhin and I predict if there was to be an election in the morning, your seats in Dail Eireann would be halved sadly.

Now all I ask is – Stop the Greed.  Stop Money, Money, Money.  People have asked me in cafes and hotels – anytime I try to access Sinn Fein, I need to sign up and in certain cases pay a fee.  Get back to the grassroots among the people and get a prescription of honest Common Sense.

Regards

Michelle Clarke

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3rd September 2009

No. 4
Imagine The Mayor of London Boris Johnson is meeting
Charlie McCreevey
Europe’s Single Market https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Single_Market

Well, it is the truth. Yes, there will be an exchange. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, is campaigning against tighter financial regulations on hedge funds and private equity funds by the EU and certain directives. This will make for an interesting exchange. My hope is that those in NAMA, the Department of Finance here in Ireland, the Yes Votes, the No votes, will take time to listen to their exchange.

The world is about Finance and financial markets need to be monitored, sometimes cushioned, sometimes they need more regulation and in cases like over the last number of years, the pattern was governed by Globalisation and for this free flow of funds, the fact is de-regulation had to be engaged in.

What is important for the Irish people to realise is that ‘we don’t want to throw out the baby with the bath water’. We need to listen, to hear, and even piggy back on the experience of others.

Boris Johnson was the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Brussels from 1989 – 1994 and he was colourful in his reporting. Do you recall the headline ‘Threat to British pink sausages’. He kept the headlines going making people aware that the EU could become a massive super-state capable of smoothering Britain with copious directives of no relevance.

Remember the Institutions of the EU were also subject to fraud, nepotism and mismanagement. In fact, the Commission had to resign in 1999.

In Ireland, we like to blame and criticise but sometimes we need to accept that others know a little more than us and are ultimately acting in the best interests of the overall purpose.

We await the news from the meeting with Mr. McCreevy… Again….Lisbon II, will remove Ireland as an EC Commissioner in the top tier. Is this equitable based on the argument of demographics as distinct from our vast experience?

Michelle Clarke
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No 5
3rd September 2009
Curb the Bureacracy is the first priority
before taking a 2nd vote on Lisbon

No to Lisbon


NO Again

The sentiment is high at present in Ireland. FF ratings are lower than ever and people are beginning to think, for the first time in a long time, about our country and where we stand in relation to the EU and the world in general.

They have told us that we are moving forward towards a ‘Knowledge Economy’ so let us embrace the notion and set up the necessary “think tanks” to secure our basic needs. We need to look to Broadband first, we need to look to the speed of broadband and the coverage we were promised and which now is an “if” and a “maybe”. Broadband is part of Ireland’s ‘Finery’ of the present, it is the marketing of our Knowledge economy, with a worldwide audience to be tapped into. It is the language of our young people but more importantly of our life-long learners. This is where we have arrived at in Ireland. We have moved to the new brigade of life-long learners and the time has come to promote it. We also need to take account of the input of people with disabilities to our Society. No longer can we stereotype people, we just have to listen to programmes on RTE like “Outside the Box” or “Mind Matters” to see how we have penetrated new sources of ideas and direction.

There is another group of people we need to note. If you read the EU literature you will find the group called the”Intergenerational” people. Yes, people are living longer, people are having children later in life but demographics have identified a problem of a sandwich group of people caught in the middle of both minding parents and minding children. Gerontology studies are now being carried out in the leading Universities worldwide and even here in Ireland (between Trinity College and St. James’s Hospital. All of this leads to a generative group of people staving off old age and promotion of greater activity between generations.

No Again…..We must look to the advantages also of EU membership and a lot of work has been done for socially excluded groups of people as above. However, this does not take away from ‘the gravy train mentality’ and the burdensome ineffective and wasteful bureaucracy that has built up at the EC over the last 40 years.

EU as with other bodies are highly focused on the word standardisation. Perhaps now, more than ever, after the hectic Celtic Tiger, we need to become more aware of those who wish to impose ‘standards’. We have a banking crisis but we also must acknowledge that inspite of deregulation we in Southern Ireland have benefited for nearly two decades from the incentivised banking that was part of the Tax break system. Ok I agree, that the problem is that rather than lessen the social divide, we may have deepened it but then the answer to this will only come from future research.

What we have is NOW and what we need to do is to embrace the knowledge economy and read books recently recommended by say Vincent Browne and others (e.g. The Spirit Level, or Putnam Bowling Alone). There are answers.

Michelle Clarke
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No 6

6th September, 2009

The Greens…Mary Harney PD…
Synergy and Connectivity and the proposed YES vote for the Lisbon Treaty

 

There is no harm in taking a quick skip and jump through this site before you finally decide to vote on the Lisbon Treaty. Yes, the Treaty, we the citizens of the State of Ireland, have already democratically voted No to.

Last year, bear in mind the crisis that we are in throes of now, was just about to happen. Now individually, we are feeling the outcome, as jobs are lost, developers are in the commercial courts, banks are on the brink of nationalisation with the life buoy named NAMA as a safety net for both the Government and the Developers and of course the people of Ireland i.e. their best interests view.

The Greens have had their way with the light bulbs – the old version are on their way out and are being replaced by a poorer quality supposedly cheaper i.e. 5 euro approximately with a most definitely insufficient illumination by contrast to what people expect from their ‘lights’. Rumour has it that the Germans may reconsider the issue of bulbs….I wonder why? I would suggest it is to do with efficiency and effectiveness. Surely it is bad for ones eyes to work in poor light conditions.

The No vote. Has any noticed Iceland these days? It was one of the first countries to seriously hit the wall when the financial crisis started in the last 12 months. Icelandic investors had invested heavily in the British retail outlet market and they suffered. Their currency is not Euro as we all know so this left them even more exposed. Now, the EU have another country in sight for inclusion. It is a country that has maritime advantages with the potential of oil and ultimately aquaculture. It would be a good idea for those on the “No” side to the Lisbon Treaty to examine the Iceland approach to joining Europe and the why not aspect in particular. They are reviewing the offer to join the Euro……

Does anyone remember the Ansbacher accounts? This is about the investigative powers of the Revenue and the collection of hidden resources by individuals in Ireland in offshore accounts? We still await the decision of the Mahon Tribunal and if the truth pertains, further arrests for corrupt practices, can be expected. Large tranches of money have been paid back to the revenue, the details of which are there for all to see on the www.revenue.ie site. It is worth viewing.

I note there is an Amnesty concession now in the UK. We in Ireland have already gained handsomely in the 1990’s and in this decade from ‘Amnesties’.  In the UK the ‘net’ is closing in on wealthy investors who have not paid tax on their assets abroad (these could be in Ireland also). The financial advisers stress the effect this will have on countries that provide havens for such investors. In the UK, the New Disclosure Opportunity started on Tuesday 1st September so HM Revenue and Customs is on the prowl and offering the enticement of reduced penalties (something similar to what we did in the past but which we ought to take account when assessing the Lisbon vote).

Many havens exist for the wealthy e.g. Liechtenstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Barbados. It is said that the UK legislation will put pressure on these tax havens as people in the UK with overseas accounts will feel pressurised to declare the funds via the Amnesty concessions.

Here is an opportunity for the Irish. Maybe we can put pressure on some of our “Tax choice exiles” to invest in their home country rather than fund money with low income in return in havens that really in no way benefit Ireland.

I would go so far as to say that the Amnesties proposed in the UK are also being pushed into play by the Germans, the French, the Italians and many other countries at present. If this is so then the balance sheets of countries may change in a most significant way and to the benefit of the EU. I ask does Ireland want to be in democratic deficit when this happens. I say no. Why? Because in the 1990’s we were ahead of the posse with amnesties and tribunals. If we proceed to conclude the Mahon Tribunal with haste, we too will alter our standing and will clearly be able to apply Transparency, Ethics, Accountability as the new Credo going forward in Europe. The Island of Ireland is interesting when you think two of the major currencies exist within its realms. The EU euro and the UK stg. The significance of this is simply trade. If I receive my pension from the UK and it is transferred to my Irish account, the transactions moves through Citibank so between charges, currency rates, I receive less than I would have last year…..by quite a considerable percentage!!!

No vote…this is worth considering.

Michelle Clarke

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No 7

 

7th September 2009
Pete: Ask the Farmers!!! Ask the Germans!!!

Green Culture…..Europe is enveloping the Green Culture but Ireland???

The Village magazine September 2009 raises an issue that I believe needs considerably more attention.

Eco tourism is what Ireland ought to be looking towards. Yet if you look around our Capital City, you will witness Georgian Mansion after Georgian Mansion with ‘To Let’ signs up outside the main hall doors. Those hall doors that are to be found on postcards and holiday brochures. If there was a utility tax and it could be proved who actually owns the properties and the wealth factor, then we could have quite a viable bit of construction work for employees in Ireland. These Georgian Squares are neglected and why? Who owns these houses? We must at all times remind ourselves that Dublin was the second city of the British Colonial Empire, and these buildings are the remnants and most importantly our pivotal to our tourist industry.

Lisbon II. The Treaty. How many people will come out and vote. I believe the average in Europe is circa 58%, yes a declining number of people voting each time. This Treaty holds all kinds of questions that need to be answered.

The media bite in the Village is titled DECadence. It suggests that one imagine the frugal man and ‘unstoppable recycler, composter, and light-extinguisher’. This man reads George Monbiot. In the meantime, we note that our own ENFO Library and source of all environmental information has been first on the Government hit list to be closed down – to which I can only as where are the Green’s in respect of such a dramatic cut back.

Ireland apparently has carbon emissions that stand at 16.7 tonnes per person per year while the EU average is 11 and Sweden’s are down at 7.4. Apparently, according to Friends of the Earth, Dublin is showing that we are way behind the EU legislation passed in 2002. This states that every building over 1,000 square meters has to display an energy performance certificate – yes, the Display Energy Certififcate or DEC. This Directive was to be put into effect by January 2009. Where are we? We are talking about the Lisbon Treaty and yet the enforcement of a directive such a this seems so far down the priority list. I am wondering has An Bord Snip reviewed it but then maybe NAMA will be more creative in its thinking. NAMA has become the marketer of toxic debts but we all must coax them to promote where possible making what is toxic non toxic and saleable and in this comply with the EU directives.  It is suggested that there are over 5,000 buildings and the savings projected amount to some Euros80 m. The Friends of the Earth have gone further in that they suggest that many of our public buildings show very poor energy ratings.

There appears to be a bureaucratic nightmare in property. We see lots for sale, to rent, left vacant, under utilised but do we ever ask the question how effective the system is.  Go to the estate agents, their web screens, their integration of advertising, yet houses are not being let out. Then we have the added charges like 200 euro tax landlords, the supply demand equilibrium theory swayed in favour of the tenant and now the landlord has to improve the standard of the property and the costs, okay the interest rates are low but then what about the negative equity. If your house is vacant for several months (as most are), you have to pay high fees for reconnection of ESB, then add the EU BER directive and all other costs.

I reckon if the Govt keep adding taxes to the property owners, we will find ourselves in cash flow problems and in turn will lead to massive underutilisation of property space and in turn dereliction. There is an excellent site with photos on a Citizen Journalism site – the focus is mainly derelict properties, the product of earlier recessions. We need to learn from experience. It may be a good idea for the Irish people to ‘twin’ themselves with say ‘Sweden’ as we share a Viking history and other factors. Sweden, as far as I am aware did not joint the Eurozone so has a tailored membership of the EU.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 8

10th September, 2009

The Greens and Banking Culture

 

Green Culture is in the news again today. The Greens have made a statement that impacts on NAMA. The decision is to remove directors with settlement packages (no doubt) from the Boards of certain banks. They purport that the banking culture has changed. Tomorrow’s news will reveal the fine details of this ‘management culture’ exercise.

The Hiring and Firing game perhaps should have taken place earlier on but it didn’t and one ought to ask the question is it such a wise decision now? This Green culture sponsored ultimatum is likely to result in the departure of 10 Bank of Ireland directors and 8 from Allied Irish Bank, as well as personnel from other institutions. There is a motive for the Greens. Dramatic change will enhance their position and will assist their members in making the decision to vote in favour of NAMA legislation. The meeting is on Saturday. This could be referred to as short-terminism and perhaps even rash.

I wonder where the Green banking culture stands in relation anti-corruption. Have the Greens got a view on the Mahon Tribunal and the lack of definite time span that has allowed it to just flow with no decision in the year 2009, almost 10 years since inception?

Surely, we need the review and we need to weed out any corrupt influences therein. We also need to stop the large payments to the legal profession for services rendered on time allocation and exceptionally high rate. After all, the state has asked landlords to reduce rents via people who receive rent allowance.

Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy is taking a strong look at corrupt practices via his anti-fraud team. It was announced today Gardai are preparing to interview a list of key figures in Anglo Irish bank loans and deposits scandal. There is an established Fraud Bureau with assigned detectives as well as investigators from the ODCE (Director for Corporate Enforcement). There are 20 officers employed at the Garda Fraud Bureau to speed up the process. How wise?

We need to take account of the Green Banking Culture but we also need to alert ourselves to the speedy deliverance of evidence of fraud and corruption. Enforcement as happened through the auspices of the CAB is the order of the Day surely. I would like a Green to speak out on this.

Michelle Clarke

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No. 9

September 11th, 2009

 

Greens Symbiosis and the need to look to the NO to Lisbon side too

 

Some further pointers for people considering the No vote to Lisbon Treaty. This is extracted from correspondence from Mr. Anthony Coughlan, Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Social Policy, Trinity College, Dublin and President, Foundation for EU Democracy, Brussels, and Director, the National Platform EU Research and Information Centre, Dublin.

Mr. Couglan approaches the Lisbon II Treaty in a more separtist way. He clearly feels that the Treaty would transfer more competences to the post-Lisbon EU. He further holds that these competences that are being transferred are more than ever before as in the case of the 1986 Single European Act, the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, the 1998 Amsterdam Treaty or the 2001 Nice Treaty.

Mr. Coughlan is of the view that the Lisbon II Treaty would transfer power to Brussels and that Ireland would no longer be able to use their national veto, this power to veto would in fact be abolished. This would in effect mean that in excess of 30 areas of new superanational law-making (including important areas such as Crime, Justice and Policing, would become the responsibility of ‘Brussels’. Other areas would likewise be covered by ‘Brussels’. How will this apply to say the Island of Ireland given that the UK opted to remain out of the Euro, as did certain other European countries.

Mr. Coughlan also asks why is the Lisbon II Treaty not referred to as a Constitution? Another valid point worth considering is that National Parliaments are given no new ‘power’ of any kind under Lisbon. They would in fact lose their present powers to legislate in as many as 30 different areas, and this would transfer to the people who would elect them, who would also lose their right to decide in those specific areas also.

Another point to be considered by the Greens is the comments made in the Irish Times by the Swedish Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the current holder of the EU presidency (article 5th September). Mr. Reinfeldt, stated that “If it is a No, then we keep on with the Nice Treaty”. He further elaborated by saying

“There is a deep respect for the political processes and democracies. We have had ‘NO’ referendums in other countries as well. It is important to see very time that the EU has a openness to listen. This will not affect the possibility of Ireland to have influence”

Wise words, I would think and words worth consideration before the vote to Lisbon Treaty on October 2nd 2009.

Sweden has encountered a similar economic crisis to the one we are facing at the moment. NAMA is about to be created as an entity. The decision of the High Court has been passed in relation to Developer Mr. Carroll. We can learn from Sweden surely.

Michelle Clarke
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No. 10
18th September, 2009
Lisbon Vote NO.

The Power of Peace


Did anyone hear Mr. Coughlan, from Trinity College Dublin, on the radio the other morning and his learned argument for the NO Vote to Lisbon.

Swift, I read your posting and was interested in your comments so I now have access to Mr. Coughlan’s emails on why Ireland ought to Vote NO to Lisbon, and in particular when we voted NO last year. Yes, the EC President from Sweden makes an interesting point about the Nice Treaty.

Ireland has a unique experience which manifests itself in its formation as the Island of Ireland, post Peace Process (Good Friday Agreement 1998). We must not forget the significance of the Belfast Agreement, the forging ahead by members of States who collectively wanted to bring about Peace in the Island of Ireland. We can all surely recall the significance of the meeting of ‘Two Giants’, the Reverend Ian Paisley, on one side, and our own Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, and the significant exchange of token gifts. The Revd. Ian Paisley gave a ‘Musket’ and now therein lies a mystery.

Mr. Coughlan’s email is of interest today so I will pass on some relevant points:-

Mr. Coughlan suggests that there is a ‘Power-Grab’ by the Big States, for control of the EU. Just imagine, the EU would halve the voting rights of Ireland from 2% to 0.9% while Germany would have a vote of 16%. Meantime, the voting rights of France, Britain and Italy would increase from 8% to 12%. Is this acceptable to citizens of Ireland who joined the EEC as far back as 1973.

Presently, “double majority” is the system in operation. This is a simple majority of the 27 EU States (14 or more), as long as between them, there is a weighted majority of 255 out of the total 345 votes, this is the outcome.

Why Change?

It is worth reviewing why the Big States have 4 times the voting WEIGHT of Ireland. Then ask the question about the Big Four EU States having half the voting power on the EU Council of Ministers under the POST-LISBON voting rules, ‘as compared with one third of the weighted votes they have at present.

This is worth noting…given the NAMA revelations of just yesterday.

The new Lisbon based voting system: This would make it much easier for Germany, France and Brussels Commission to impose sanctions on Ireland, ‘up to and including limitless fines, under the rules of the Eurozone if we fail to get our 12% of GDP budget deficit down to the 3% target level for Eurozone, according to whatever time-limit they should decide’.

I would suggest this is of priority concern presently in the face of our financial and economic crisis presently. This is a real abrogation of Power that could equate to times of yore when Ireland’s economic dependence rested on Britain and tarriffs applied as a penalty factor during WWII.

The difference is that our Central Banks powers will be further curbed and we must remember that agreeing to opt for the EURO in the 1990’s meant a forfeiture of control by Central Bank Ireland to ECB.

We need to realise also that Sterling remains in existence and Sterling applies to the North of Ireland where the Euro applies to the South. Regulation and de-regulation and globalisation need further explanation in the media market place than presently available.

Do we really want to lose the right to decide who will be Ireland’s Commissioner? Ireland has a unique status in the world. We have the US connection but we also have connections with the African continents, with South America, the Asian continents through our Catholic Church and missionaries. We also speak the English language and this surely is an advantage that makes us competitive as distinct from a focus on demographics yes ‘headcounts’. We are supposedly moving upwards to an Knowledge Economy status.

Where are the 12 Musketeers…..to make the Island of Ireland stand tall amidst the Big 4?

Finally. Do we really want to give the EU the Constitutional form of STATE?
Do we really want to be regionalised? Is it part of the Irish psyche yet!!

Michelle Clarke

Writing has proved very important.  2017 BreastCheck screening found a lump.  While going through treatment “Sledgehammer to catch the fly” as Professor Crown sums it up, I wrote my book  Fortune Favours the Brave.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912639610/

 

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Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 5,000+ words. Tranche (A)

Posted on June 6, 2020 by michelleclarke2015

via Citizen Journalism Ireland: Published articles on different topics 2009 year. Revised 2020. 10 headings 5300 words

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