David Cameron has let the cat out of the bag. Northern Ireland costs too much. Wikipedia puts the cost to the British exchequer at five billion quid in 2006. That’s one fifth of all economic output. Annually. Despite this, the …
Tag Archive: clientelism
Sep
15
Unvictory
Some arguments made on both sides of the Lisbon treaty debate are false. Some are true. Some are unprovable either way. And a large number of arguments are irrelevant. Take what was credited as a winning argument last time: ‘Save …
Aug
27
Thatch
Donegal has been more badly served by it’s planning policies than anywhere else in Europe, a consultant in vernacular architecture told a Heritage Week meeting in Glencolmcille. Dr Greg Stevenson is the Honorary Research Fellow in Vernacular Architecture at the …
Jun
03
Last Past the Post
At a recent Meet the Bloggers event, John Gormley spoke about a plan to reduce the influence of clientelism in Irish politics. The Greens want a hybrid combining the single transferable vote with a list system, so that 150 or …
May
06
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
My father showed me the brochure when I got home for the weekend. It looked well, very professionally produced, four A4 pages with full colour on glossy paper, good photographs, well lit, clearly taken by someone who knew their craft. …
Dec
01
Help Wanted
Willie O’Dea sought special treatment for twentynine inmates in a one year period. All of the representations were rejected. O’Dea says he was ‘merely passing on representations on behalf of the relatives of inmates.’ The minister said he ‘supports the …