Beggaring Belief
Wednesday, 9th May 2012
Here we go again. The Roman Catholic Church has gotten itself bogged down in yet another scandal surrounding the issue of child sexual abuse. This time however it is the head of the Church, The Primate of All Ireland Cardinal Brady that is in the firing line. It has emerged that he knew about the actions of perhaps the most notorious of Ireland's paedophiles - they are many to choose from - Fr. Brendan Smyth and effectively he did nothing about it. There have been some, in the Church and outside of it, that have come to his defence. They say that he did as much as he could have done and that effectively there was nothing that he could have done at the time. Also, they point out, he did as much as anyone could and that the whole
A Good News Story
Wednesday, 2nd May 2012
There are so few genuine good news stories out there that you get taken aback when you do come across one. And particularly one that chimes so well with the extreme financial problems that many people are experiencing at the moment. This particular case came to light last Friday through a report on the front page of The Irish Times with the headline that read "BoI agrees 152,000 Euro mortgage write-down with Dublin nurse". Very soon pretty much every media outlet was running with the story. The person at the center of the news even went on Morning Ireland to talk about her experiences. The woman in question was 35 year old Laura White who in 2009 handed back a house to the Bank citing the fact that she no longer was financially able to keep up with the repayments.
Water, Water, Everywhere
Wednesday, 25th April 2012
When someone deliberately goes out to find a big stick to beat themselves with you have to wonder what the motivation is. But when the Government goes out and do it you really do have to sit down and wonder what exactly they are up to. When it comes to the blame game there is no better species than politicians to stick to the line of 'it wasn't me'. Now however we have a situation where the Government has come out and said that we will have to pay for our water supply. Not everyone, but some. Not until 2014. And you'll have to pay for the pleasure of having a water meter installed so that the amount of water you use is measured. This won't be a once off payment. How many years will you have to pay this
Water, Water, Everywhere
Wednesday, 25th April 2012
When someone deliberately goes out to find a big stick to beat themselves with you have to wonder what the motivation is. But when the Government goes out and do it you really do have to sit down and wonder what exactly they are up to. When it comes to the blame game there is no better species than politicians to stick to the line of 'it wasn't me'. Now however we have a situation where the Government has come out and said that we will have to pay for our water supply. Not everyone, but some. Not until 2014. And you'll have to pay for the pleasure of having a water meter installed so that the amount of water you use is measured. This won't be a once off payment. How many years will you have to pay this
Waterford City Pride of Place Environmental Competition 2012 launched
Wednesday, 25th April 2012
The Mayor of Waterford City, Councillor Pat Hayes will launch the 2012 Waterford City Pride of Place Environmental Competition on Thursday 26th April at Newtown Junior School, winner of Tidiest Primary School 2012.
Waterford City Council runs this competition annually to encourage communities, businesses and individuals to improve their local environment and what better time to launch it than April when everyone is beginning to carry out clean ups once again.
This competition is above all about commitment, contribution and a sense of identity. It is about generating a sense of pride in our own place – whether that place is our home, our community or our city as a whole. This awards scheme will reward individuals, communities, schools and businesses who strive to make this happen.
The competition includes the following categories:
• Best Residential Area - both large and small
• Garden Competition – both large
Waterford City Pride of Place Environmental Competition 2012 launched
Wednesday, 25th April 2012
The Mayor of Waterford City, Councillor Pat Hayes will launch the 2012 Waterford City Pride of Place Environmental Competition on Thursday 26th April at Newtown Junior School, winner of Tidiest Primary School 2012.
Waterford City Council runs this competition annually to encourage communities, businesses and individuals to improve their local environment and what better time to launch it than April when everyone is beginning to carry out clean ups once again.
This competition is above all about commitment, contribution and a sense of identity. It is about generating a sense of pride in our own place – whether that place is our home, our community or our city as a whole. This awards scheme will reward individuals, communities, schools and businesses who strive to make this happen.
The competition includes the following categories:
• Best Residential Area - both large and small
• Garden Competition – both large
Portacabin
Wednesday, 18th April 2012
Living From USA '94
Dear Editor,
Back in New Jersey in the Summer of 1994 Ireland beat Italy in their World cup match in Giant Stadium. The win was courtesy of a Ray Houghton goal. I had bought a ticket from a tout a few hours before kickoff in New York and was lucky enough to be there. It cost $200, a lot of money at the time, but it proved to be invaluable as I still remember and talk about it fondly. $200 was a lifetime bargain and value for money.
There on the same day behind me in a Corporate Box I could see Ruairi Quinn. He was a Cabinet Minister in the Coalition government of Fianna Fail and Labour at the time and afterwards became Minister of Finance. He is now the Labour Minister for Education and a party colleague
Letter to the Editor
Wednesday, 18th April 2012
Reclaiming the Republic
Dear Editor,
For better or worse, the Republic of Ireland was declared in 1916. Two years later, by democratic will of the people, Dáil Éireann was elected to effect it. Óglaigh na hÉireann, in turn, were tasked to defend it.
It was appropriate on Easter Sunday last that our President, Taoiseach and Óglaigh na hÉireann (the official and Irish language name for our defence forces, inclusive of army, navy, air corps and their reserves) gathered at the GPO in Dublin to pay tribute to those who fell in 1916 and in the War of Independence which followed it.
For one, I’d like to see Óglaigh na hÉireann utilised by the state to extend such commemoration to places like Waterford City and County. Display by defence force personnel is appreciated by the public here. Participation by our full time and reserve soldiers
Have you put your foot in it lately?
Wednesday, 18th April 2012
Waterford City Council is launching a new anti dog fouling campaign on 21 April to encourage dog walkers to clean up after their dogs and also to encourage reports of those who allow their dogs to litter our city’s streets.
Waterford City Council is urging dog owners to clean up after their pets. Dog owners who walk their pets in any public place should always have a bag with them for use in an emergency. If the dog fouls then the owner is obliged to pick up and dispose of the litter. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, "on-the-spot" fines of ?150 can be issued to the owners if they are caught walking away from a mess created by their pet.
BAG IT & BIN IT!
Dog owners are accountable for cleaning up after their pets in public areas. The easiest way to
Fixed Menu
Wednesday, 18th April 2012
Since when did people start to believe that they had a choice when it came to the teachings of the Catholic Church. The idea of 'A La Carte' Catholics might have been around for quite some idea but that doesn't mean to say that the Catholic Church has exactly drawn this version of Catholicism to its bosom. The recent survey results that were released which showed quite emphatically that the overwhelming majority of Irish Catholics do not follow or even agree with the Church on its teachings when it comes to sexual issues shouldn't really come as any surprise to anyone. Least of all the Church hierarchy. The fact that the overwhelming majority of people who disagree with the Church on these teachings and yet still consider themselves as Catholics is more an issue of surprise. You see the point
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Google AlertWhen a company which has it's European Headquarters here in Ireland is called 'evil' and 'immoral' by M.P.s in The House of Commons you tend to sit up and take notice. The particular company that was being referred to was Google and the reason it had enraged M.P.s in London was because even though it has a big operation there and conducts a lot of business there it pays no corporate tax. It does this by having all of its financial transactions finished here in Ireland. And the company here is …
