Views from the Emerald Isle

Personal thoughts, opinions and comments of an independent consultant, political analyst and historian, who lives in Ireland but is aware of the whole world.

14 September 2009

O'Donoghue defends his Expenses as Minister

John O'Donoghue (photo), the Ceann Comhairle (Speaker or Chairman of the Dáil , the lower House of Parliament) has made his first publ...

13 September 2009

New communal Bicycle Scheme for Dublin

A new communal Bicycle Scheme has been launched in Dublin today. Its aim is to encourage more people - Dubliners as well as visitors - to...

FÁS Board Members will resign

The chairman of Ireland's national training and employment agency FÁS has said that all its board members will resign in the wake of a ...

10 September 2009

Sharing a Bed is bad for your Health

I have always known it, and said it to many people for decades: Sharing a bed is bad for your health. Now, after all those years when people...

Massive Waste of Taxpayers' Money in FÁS

Ireland's national training and employment agency FÁS ( Foras Áiseanna Saothair ) has wasted vast amounts of taxpayers' money and e...

Ryanair increases Baggage Fees again

The Irish 'low fares' airline Ryanair has announced a further increase in its fees for checked-in baggage from next month. Accord...

09 September 2009

MONOPOLY Game goes global on-line

A massive multi-player on-line version of the popular property board game MONOPOLY has been launched today. Monopoly City Streets has been...

9-9-9 - And the World did not end...

Today's date - the ninth day of the ninth month in the ninth year of the century - has inspired and frightened various people in equal m...

Micheál Martin's Woolly Waffling

Until this morning I thought that Micheál Martin (photo) is Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs. But since his appearance on the Tod...

Over 50% of On-Line Sellers break EU Laws

More than 50% of websites selling electronic products across Europe are breaking EU consumer laws . This is the finding of a recent inves...

Less Ferry Traffic between Britain and Ireland, but more Irish People take the Boat to France

Ferry traffic between Britain and Ireland has dropped, but more Irish people are now travelling by ferry to France. The total number of pass...

08 September 2009

Many Critical Reactions to the Commission on Taxation's Recommendations

Irish opposition politicians have said they expect the government to use the report of the Commission on Taxation (see yesterday's ent...

07 September 2009

Commission on Taxation presents its Proposals

Ireland's Commission on Taxation has proposed an annual tax on all residential property , water charges and the taxing of child benef...

06 September 2009

HSE is facing € 800 Million Budget Cuts

Today the Chief Executive of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that the Department of Health has instructed him "to dr...

Urgent Review of Dublin 'Bus Gate' demanded

Dublin city centre businesses have called for an urgent review of the car-free zone at College Green, claiming it has "caused a seriou...

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A few words about me

THE EMERALD ISLANDER: Waterford, Munster, Ireland; Having been born into an old European family (with 75% of the genes Celtic) I learned early that history and traditions are very important. After a quite turbulent childhood and youth, spent in different countries on three continents, I joined the Navy, served for many years in ships, other commands, and became a historian. After leaving the Navy I worked in a museum and national monument, taught in school and college, edited a magazine and worked as journalist and broadcaster. Now I earn my crust as an independent consultant and analyst. In my scarce spare time I am involved in various social activities and charity work, write and read a lot, and sometimes even find time for painting. My house is old and small, and I share it with a cat. Living a simple Spartan life, I eat vegetarian food and do not enjoy alcohol and most entertainments. Life is too short to be wasted on fripperies. Every day is needed to do one's share - no matter how small it might be - to save the planet and its living creatures.

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