Pensions special TheSunday Now is the time to Business Post June 17, 2018 get your pension businesspost.ie on track Post Plus pages 5-7 ● MONEY ● MARKETS ● MOTORS

He holds one of the country’s key portfolios, yet Independent Alliance TD Shane Ross’s ministerial career has been a litany of broken promises, as public appointments go unfilled, constituency issues take precedence and high-level figures are left waiting for decisions that never come . . . THE MISSING MINISTER

ByMichael Brennan s Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross is in charge of an annual budget of €1.7 billion and a workforce of 515 civil servants. He is the man who has a key Arole in influencing the development of the tourism industry, the state’s airports and seaports, and its sporting facilities. to page 2 Illustration: Peter Hanan

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Eilish Finan, Chartered Director WHO IS THIS PROGRAMME FOR? Executive Education Ranking 2018 Current & prospective Company Directors, Senior & Middle Managers expected to occupy board positions, and those in both Public and Private sector management with governance HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE? responsibilities. In addition, the programme is suitable for For further information please executives in organisations which do not have a legal board, but contact Liz Knight on (01) 716 8801 have equivalent governance arrangements. or [email protected] WWW.SMURFITSCHOOL.IE/EXECUTIVEDEVELOPMENT The Sunday Business Post June 17, 2018 2 Shane Ross Post Plus from page 1 forgotten about that’ is completely But during his two years in cabinet, he unacceptable.” has spent much of his time pursuing the re-opening of Stepaside Garda station in his constituency and fighting with the e Clones GAA country’s judiciary – both areas outside fiasco his brief. Tourism and transport figures com- When it comes to other sporting proj- For a man plain that it is near impossible to get a ects, he can be more reluctant to act. meeting with him. Yet he manages to Back in 2016, then minister of state for make time to attend the agms of resi- sport Patrick O’Donovan was concerned dents’ associations in his Dublin Rath- about the poor state of St Tiernach’s GAA down constituency. stadium in Clones in Monaghan. It was who was always An investigation by this newspaper an iconic ground, but there were fears it has found that he has missed key targets would lose its traditional hosting of the in the Department of Transport, Tour- Ulster final to the soon-to-be redevel- ism and Sport and has alienated many oped Casement Park in Belfast. writing‘ ‘ in the of those who hoped he would make a Šere was around €135,000 available difference. Last year alone, there were in unused end-of-year funding from the strikes on his watch in Bus Éireann, Dub- Department of Transport which the GAA lin Bus and Iarnród Eireann, on top of a agreed to match. But Ross refused to sign papers about the previous Luas strike in 2016. off on the deal. Records obtained from This newspaper spoke to Ross in his his department under the Freedom of ministerial of ce last week about some Information Act show that the first email of the key complaints made about his from Monaghan GAA about the funding reign. was sent in September 2016. It has sent system, when he another 14 emails since over the past two years, without success. Swimming in GAA director general Paraic Duffy, a controversy Monaghan native, even sent an email got a chance, he last year before he stepped down from Šere are not many ministers with their his post. own private swimming pool. But Ross And this newspaper understands that received permission from Wicklow Co Ross was also lobbied by former taoi- Council to construct an 11x5 metre out- seach Enda Kenny, current Taoiseach couldn’t break door swimming pool at his Georgian Leo Varadkar and local minister Heather home in Enniskerry back in 2006. He Humphreys to release the money. had just bought it for €6.2 million. Še But this newspaper’s queries in recent pool takes 77,000 litres of water to fill weeks on what had happened may have the system up, which was more than the local water had an effect. After two years of delay, supply could bear. Planning files show Ross has finally signed off on the fund- that the council required him to fill up the ing after getting a ‘reminder’ from his pool from the local river “or alternatively officials a few weeks ago. by water tanker”. Ross responds: “I said ‘okay, this is Now one of Ross’s political pet proj- a good project’. Everybody is favour ’ ’ ects is to get €10 million spent to re- of it. I think I should be in favour of it. after finishing his ministerial questions. Ross was enthusiastic about Ireland’s bid Ross responds: “There’s a general open Glenalbyn public swimming pool And I cleared it. It was prompted by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 on agreement that events of this sort will women in sport in Stillorgan in his Dublin Rathdown of cials saying ‘what’s going on’. It’s a Ross should not have ‘slinked out’. “He a North-South basis. be shared if you are in a partnership Back in late 2016, Ross took umbrage constituency. large sum of money. It’s a wonderful does not have the courage to answer a Due to the all-island nature of the bid, government. In other words, Fine Gael at his then minister of state for sport, Šis is despite the fact that another project.” question. It is a disgrace,” he said. there was careful planning of the launch don’t get all the good ones, we don’t Patrick O’Donovan, for having proposed new public swimming pool is open- In the early months of Ross’s time in to avoid alienating the unionist commu- get all the good ones. The Independent a 30 per cent gender quota for women ing shortly around six kilometres away office, Leaders’ Questions was put in as a nity. Šere were to be two representatives Alliance was not represented in any on the boards of sporting organisations. in Ballyogan. Ross has been very quiet Missing in action diary item on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. from the South, Taoiseach Enda Kenny way at that press conference. And we He publicly embarrassed O’Donovan by about this pool development. Šere have been private complaints in It has since vanished from his diary. So, and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald, and two said: “Hey, where’s the Independent ruling out any cuts in funding for organ- Še Southside People newspaper re- the tourism and transport sector about while independent ministers including from the North, the late Deputy First Alliance rep, who happened to be the isations which failed to make the quota. ported how some local children from how difficult it is to get a meeting with Denis Naughten and Katherine Zappone Minister Martin McGuinness and the Minister for Sport?” Instead, Ross declared that he would set Ballyogan ‘pranked’ Ross last year during Ross. One senior tourism industry figure do turn up at Leaders’ Questions to show DUP minister Simon Hamilton. Despite being so keen to be included in up “a leadership group in early 2017, a soccer competition by posing for a said he was not engaged with his tourism they are part of the government, Ross As a result, an official in Ross’s depart- the launch, Ross left the work of securing with the aim of promoting women in picture alongside him with an inflat- and transport portfolio, except for the rarely does. ment drew up a draft speech and briefing the necessary votes to the Rugby World sport, so that potential candidates for able pool bearing the words ‘Ballyogan drink driving legislation. Ross responds: “I think I’ve spent material for Fitzgerald. She checked in Cup bid committee. His ministerial diary these positions may be identified”. Še swimming pool’. To test this out, this newspaper sub- more time in the Dáil than any other with Ken Spratt, a well-regarded senior does show that he was given briefings by only problem is that he never set it up. It Šere are also other nearby public mitted a Freedom of Information request minister. I’ve taken through a lot of official in the department who previ- his officials about how the bid was going. continues to be mainly ‘jobs for the boys’. swimming pools in Monkstown and seeking the names of all the organisa- legislation, some of it has taken an ously captained the Erin’s Isle GAA club However, he did not travel abroad to any Še IRFU board, for example, currently Meadowbrook, as well as private pools tions that had requested to meet him awfully long time, which has kept in Dublin to an All-Ireland title. “Šat’s countries to personally seek their votes, has one woman and 17 men. in UCD and Blackrock College. Kilma- – and the number that had been turned me there for hours and hours. I guess fine with me,” wrote Spratt in an email even though it turned out that the lack Ross responds: “We are publishing cud Crokes GAA club is not enthusiastic down. However, his department turned I’ve taken more topical issues than response. of support from our neighbours Scotland our sports policy in July and our about the plans for a new pool beside its down the request, saying it would require anybody else.” But then Ross got wind of the fact that and Wales proved to be decisive. commitment to gender equality will be grounds, but Ross has got Sport Ireland too much work. he was being left out of the launch and Ross responds: “I volunteered to do very well spelled out in that. It’s not to to provide a mediator. He was also quick Ross said he was not conscious of any insisted that he be included. “He threw anything they wanted me to do. I’d have gender quotas.” to welcome a €150,000 sports grant for discontent. “Šere may be some groups Huffing during the his toys out of the cot,” said a govern- gone anywhere they wanted. Leo did a hockey pitch to the fee-paying Wesley that I haven’t met.” Rugby World Cup bid ment source. most of the donkey work there. He was College in his constituency, even though Še tourism sector has grown used It worked. Ross was added into the the Taoiseach, so he carried more weight. e missing policies he later insisted he had nothing to do to seeing Minister of State for Tourism, As a teenager, Ross attended Rugby launch, even though that meant there Getting a call from the Taoiseach is far Ross has failed to produce many of the with the process. Brendan Griffin, turning up at events to boarding school in England. And it is the were now three Southern reps to two better than a call from the Minister for other new policies that he promised. Ross responds: “Glenabyn deputise for Ross. Še same can happen sport of the same name that he attends Northern reps. A few days later, he wrote Sport.” Še first-ever national greenways strat- swimming pool is in my constituency. I in the Dáil. most as a minister. He was in Soldier an article for his former newspaper, the egy has been repeatedly delayed, even campaigned to keep it open when I was Last week, Griffin was left to deal with Field stadium in Chicago for Ireland’s Sunday Independent, about how he was Non-existent though it is a key plank of the govern- in opposition. The idea that I suddenly a topical issue on the proposed new bus first-ever rugby victory over New Zea- “privileged to share the podium” with leadership group for ment’s plan to boost regional tourism move into government and say ‘I’ve corridors for Dublin because Ross had left land last year. So it was no surprise that Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness. and rural jobs. Forget the Cold War – Russia holds the power to deliver a very cold winter to Europe

he EU currently imports the EU’s political stance towards Russia. Feargal Quinn more than half of all the Eastern Europe’s dependence on gas energy it consumes. Šis supplied from Russia stems from Russia’s e EU, and €1 billion per day import willingness to continue to supply gas to its dependency is estimated to post-Soviet neighbours at heavily reduced Ireland, should be 90 per cent for crude oil, prices. It has served as a powerful tool to and 69 per cent for natural dissuade former Eastern-Bloc countries be moving gas. What is most concern- from completely turning their backs on ing about this is the fact that a very signifi- Mother Russia. Worryingly, some of those Tcant proportion of this comes from Russia. countries do not have access to alternative to reduce its Še EU is particularly dependent upon Rus- gas supplies and in some instances they do sia for supplies of natural gas. not have gas storage facilities. dependence on As a result of this reliance, several EU In 2014, the European Commission pub- countries are vulnerable to politically root- lished its Energy Security Strategy, which Putin’s supplies ed supply disruptions. Using the gas flow as aims to ensure a stable and abundant sup- a means of enforcing its will is a tactic that ply of energy for European citizens and the of natural gas Russia is well used to deploying. Supply economy. Among the long-term measures cuts were experienced by Ukraine in the proposed in the strategy are a proposal to 1990s, and again in 2006 and 2009, over increase energy production in the EU, to pricing disputes. Cuts to supply were also diversify supplier countries and routes, and experienced in 2014 after the annexation of to increase energy efficiency. Completing degree of diversity of energy sources, par- sumers even in severe gas crisis situations. Crimea. the internal energy market and building ticularly gas supplies. Šis included plans to It also requires EU countries to cooperate More recently, Russia’s delinquency infrastructure links so as to enable a quick construct new infrastructure, including the with each other in regional groups to assess has given rise to additional international response to supply disruptions are also Southern Gas Corridor which will facilitate common supply risks together. sanctions and has again brought to the fore aspirations. But they remain just aspirations. the supply of natural gas from Caspian and So why do EU member states find them- concerns around Europe’s dependence on Še EU has already set targets for the re- Middle Eastern regions to Europe. selves so exposed to Russia’s whims? imports of natural gas from the country. duction of Russian gas imports; however, It would also lead to the development of By always opting to buy from the cheap- It has been foolhardy on the part of sever- in spite of this, imports have been rising the Mediterranean Gas Hub which would est provider, gas providers in Europe have No. 3 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, al EU member states to put themselves in a and reliance on Russian gas has not been provide European countries with access to not had an incentive to find and create al- position where they are so dependent upon reduced. In fact, the EU’s vulnerability in gas supplies in Algeria as well as the new ternative and more stable supply sources. Dublin 2, D02RR50 Russia for their energy supplies. Italy, Tur- this regard looks set to continue, as the de- gas resources in the East Mediterranean. Šis over-reliance on cheap natural gas has key and Britain are significantly dependent mand for natural gas within the EU greatly Še Commission’s Energy Union proposal skewed Europe’s approach to diversifica- FEATURING NIGEL MOONEY & on Russian gas supplies, but their reliance exceeds its production capabilities. Even if also committed to the development of LNG tion of supply sources and has hindered pales in comparison to Germany’s. demand were to level off, the requirement facilities, reduced import dependence on the development of its energy supply in- THE JOHNNY TAYLOR TRIO With its direct connection to gas supplies for imports looks set to continually rise as imported oil and the development of indig- frastructure. Europe needs to re-consider from Russia via the Nord Stream gas pipe- gas production in Europe reduces. enous resources. Šis would allow the EU what were previously off-limits gas sources NON MEMBERS WELCOME line, Germany is the EU’s largest user of Še EU’s continued dependence on to tap into new LNG supplies from North and should also look again at developing in- Russian gas. Approximately 40 per cent of Russian gas, and Ukrainian gas transit, America, Australia, Qatar and East Africa. frastructure which, in the context of cheap 4-6PM Germany’s gas requirements are supplied led the European Commission president, It makes sense for the security of gas Russian gas, initially seems disproportion- FULL BAR by Russia and that dependence seems set to Jean-Claude Juncker, to again champion the supply to be addressed in a coordinated way ately costly and uncompetitive increase in the years ahead as some of Ger- development of an Energy Union. Last Sep- at EU level as this should be more efficient, Tel: 01-6611411 many’s other supply options dry up. tember in his ‘state of the Union address’ he and should preclude nationalistic measures email:[email protected] As if matters weren’t bad enough, Ger- pledged to build a ‘resilient Energy Union’. which might have adverse effects on other Supplies for Ireland ADMISSION many is working on plans for the develop- But we have seen similar pledges, made countries. Še EU’s 2017 Regulation on the For us, Europe’s high dependency on Rus- ment of a new gas pipeline to Russia, ‘Nord in earnest, before. Security of Gas Supply enshrines the soli- sian gas is not just someone else’s problem. only €10 Stream 2’. One has to wonder to what ex- Še European Commission’s 2015 Com- darity principle under which EU countries Ireland has its own dependency on gas im- tent Germany’s dependency on Russian gas munication on the Energy Union placed must help each other always to guarantee ports. Natural gas meets 27 per cent of our has been softening Germany’s, and in turn, a strong emphasis on delivering a greater gas supply to the most vulnerable con- primary energy requirement and is availed The Sunday Business Post June 17, 2018 Post Plus Shane Ross 3

However, his own failure to appoint was alarmed at the lack of any sign of the Independent people to the boards of the state com- necessary noise regulator bill from Ross’s panies under him has not got the same department. So its chairman Padraig Alliance scrutiny. When he was campaigning for O’Riordain met Ross in his ministerial It is not a good sign that Galway East TD election, Ross portrayed himself as the office in Leeson Lane last September. Sean Canney is still listed on the website man who would get rid of “cronyism” en the DAA’s chief executive trooped of the Independent Alliance despite hav- on state boards. in a month later. Last November, Padraig ing left it a month ago. ere is an email Yet, on his watch, there has been O’Riordain was back to meet Ross. list which Ross and the remaining three a consistent failure to fill positions For 18 months, Ross and his officials TDs use to keep in touch with Indepen- promptly on the state boards under his said that the Irish Aviation Authority dent Alliance councillors. jurisdiction. He was unhappy with the could do the job of being the independent But there are worrying signs about appointments process for state boards, noise regulator for Dublin Airport, on the strength of the Alliance heading because he was being given dozens of foot of advice from the previous attorney into another election. is newspaper names for state board positions, but had general Máire Whelan. en he suddenly made contact with almost all of the 16 no knowledge about their ability to do got advice from the new Attorney Gen- unsuccessful candidates who ran for the the job, or whether they had political eral, Séamus Woulfe, that this was not Independent Alliance in the 2016 general connections. possible. He brought a memo to govern- election. So far, not one has confirmed Back in August 2016, Ross had left 47 ment last February to say that Fingal Co that they intend running for the Alliance state board positions unfilled due to a Council would do it instead. in the next general election. Independent row about the selection process. Either way, Ross has not even pub- Cork councillor Mick Finn said he was ere has not been much of an im- lished the bill for the noise regulator, out, as did former Longford-Westmeath provement in the past two years. let alone got it passed into law. And yet candidate James Morgan and former According to the latest update from one of his high-level strategy goals is to Cork North west candidate Diarmuid his department, there are currently 30 “maximise air transport connectivity”. O’Flynn. vacancies on 14 different public bodies Fianna Fáil transport spokesman Rob- Independent South Dublin councillor of note. ert Troy said it was a sign of how the Deirdre O’Donovan said she would not ese include the Dublin Airport department was drifting under Ross’s be running again because of the high Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (centre), pictured aboard Authority, the Irish Aviation Authority, stewardship. cost. “I’m still paying off the €22,500 it the rst tram to run on the Luas Cross City tram test at O’Connell Street in Dublin Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Tourism “If there is no captain on the ship, it’s cost me the last time,” she said. Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Sport Ireland. hard for it to sail in any direction,” he said. However, some former candidates are was in his department’s statement of But very few realised how close Fi- Being short up to four members for Ross responds: My of cials who are thinking of running under the Indepen- strategy back in 2016. Ross said it was anna Fáil came to defeating him during a prolonged period of time raises real doing this are con dent they will have dent Alliance banner again. Independent due, but not imminent. its final stage in the Dáil last month. For concerns about the ability of the boards the legislation in time. We realise the Sligo councillor Marie Casserly spoke e first ever national sports poli- most of the final amendments to the bill of these organisations to exercise proper urgency of it. But it is complex, as can warmly of Ross and other Independent cy was promised in Ross’s statement on ursday, May 31, it looked like half corporate governance. be seen from the fact that two attorney Alliance ministers for helping to deliver of strategy in 2016, but is only coming of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party Some of the delay is down to the fact generals have come up with different infrastructure to Sligo, such as the west- out next month. Ross said the promise had gone home to their constituencies. that Ross has set up a second vetting judgments on this.” ern distributor road and a flood defence to have a performance system in place But government chief whip Joe McHugh process of his own – with a four-person project for a local nursing home. for the country’s ports by the end of last became suspicious that the party was panel personally interviewing people “I do have to say they have been ex- year was “being done, but I don’t know preparing an ambush. nominated by the Public Appointments Road safety ceptionally supportive to me and excep- when it will be ready”. “He spotted that it didn’t look right Service. ey then present him with a campaign tionally helpful,” she said. Traffic congestion is increasing in step well ahead of anybody else. ere were short list ranked in order of preference. Independent Meath councillor Joe with the growth of the economy. e too few Fianna Fáil TDs there,” said a Ross responds: “I’m not parachuting One area where Ross has got more praise Bonner said he would certainly be look- most pressing problem is on the M50, government source. anybody in to a state board. There than criticism is in relation to road safety ing at running again. where Transport Infrastructure Ireland Sure enough, when the final vote was isn’t a single director I don’t think legislation. When he took over as minis- Ross responds: “We haven’t asked Ross has been given €100 million for has been putting pressure on Ross to called on the judicial appointments bill, who hasn’t gone through a formal ter, he made time early on to meet with anybody at this stage to run for us. But new greenways in the national develop- introduce tolling along the route to try to the number of Fianna Fáil TDs rushing interview. That’s a completely new road safety campaigners who had lost we will be fielding a slate of candidates. ment plan. ere are towns queuing up to stop vehicle numbers going over 140,000 in nearly doubled from 20 to 39. process. Next week, I am going to loved ones on the roads. ey were happy We’re looking at a smaller number of get funding in the hope of emulating the per day. But McHugh had lined up the Fine appoint people to the board of CIE and to support his bill to give every drink people who we think have got really good success of the Waterford Greenway and But Ross, who successfully cam- Gael TDs and government-supporting the three subsidiary companies. And driver an automatic driving ban, instead chances of winning seats. e Indepen- the Great Western Greenway in Mayo. paigned as a newspaper columnist for independents to join with the Sinn Féin they are going to be people whose of penalty points, for those between the dent Alliance is not in trouble. We will But so far Ross has failed to publish the the M50 toll bridge to be eliminated, TDs who had agreed to back Ross. e experience of disabilities is a primary 50mg-80mg alcohol limit. have a think-in in September at which strategy. has been unwilling to take the political bill passed by 55 votes to 49. consideration.” And road safety campaigners are we’ll present our budget requirements.” Ross responds: “This will be out in hit. e inevitable result is that traffic “It was the presence of Sinn Féin that grateful that Ross has persisted in stand- If Ross was a Fine Gael minister, he the next couple of weeks. It’s taken numbers on the M50 will continue to saved the government,” said one Fianna ing up to a small number of rural TDs who would have much to fear in any cabinet longer than it should have done grow and it will become even more of Fáil TD ruefully of their failed ambush. Tourism bottleneck were determined to filibuster his bill, be- reshuffle. But the government depends because it’s so important. I think you’ll a parking lot at peak times. e bill now goes to the Seanad, where In his department’s recent annual report cause it will save lives. He has also stuck on his support, so his job is safe until have three, maybe four greenways Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, many Senators are lying in wait for it. for 2017, Ross cited the “strong growth” with his plans to allow Gardaí to seize the the election. When he leaves cabinet, he allotted and allocated this year, and it’s who left the Independent Alliance before Ross responds: “It was an attempt in tourist numbers, which were up by 3 vehicle of an unaccompanied learner may be happy with just getting his drink going to be deeply competitive.” it went into government, said that Ross by (Fianna Fáil justice spokesman) Jim per cent to 9.9 million. driver and to prosecute the owner. is driving bill and the judicial appointments He promised to bring the long-delayed was now ‘politically toxic’. O’Callaghan to pull a coup. The Law e main reason for the increase in is known as the ‘Clancy’ amendment – bill passed into law. He may even get review into how to find the funding to “Everywhere you go, people mention Library and the judges would have visitor numbers is the extra flights arriv- because it has been campaigned for by Stepaside Garda station and Glenalbyn maintain Iarnród Éireann’s rail network his name. Councillors think he is useless given him a banquet for that. Thank ing into the country from the US, China Noel Clancy whose wife and daughter swimming pool re-opened. But there was to cabinet once the Ireland 2040 plan at getting money for roads. For a man God they didn’t succeed. But I hear they and mainland Europe. But Dublin Airport were killed in a road crash involving an potential for him to do so much more. was published. at was in February. who was always writing in the papers were going around saying goodbye is already reaching peak capacity on its unaccompanied learner driver. Ross responds: “This is thrown But there has been still no sign of it, even about the system, when he got a chance, to people and they were hiding up in main runway, so it needs to build another It was notable that Taoiseach Leo all the time and I’m blue in the face though Iarnród Éireann has warned re- he couldn’t break the system,” he said. their rooms. And they all suddenly one to relieve the bottleneck. Varadkar was present in the Dáil cham- answering the judicial one. These are peatedly that it is €100 million short. appeared. ” It has planning permission, but one of ber last week in a show of political sup- in the programme for government. Ross responds: “We made it clear in the conditions of planning is the appoint- port during the late-night debate on the I am to a large extent their guardian terms of closures (of rail lines), that’s Fighting with the ment of an independent noise regulator bill. It is expected to finally pass in the and their champion. I spend no time not going to happen. So the drama’s judges Unfilled state board to deal with any complaints from local Dáil next week. on Stepaside. The idea that it distracts gone out of that. And the situation in appointments residents. me from taking an interest in transport terms of the gap they’ve identi ed of Ross’s ministerial diary shows that he e Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) issues is nonsense.” €100 million, that’s closed. And they’re has had several meetings with Minister Ross has been trying unsuccessfully e fate of the getting more Public Service Obligation for Justice Charlie Flanagan and the At- to gain political leverage by halting the (PSO) funding. We will be bringing it for torney General Séamus Woulfe about his appointment of judges until the new a full discussion very shortly.” political priority project – having judges judicial appointments bill is made law. ere has been no overall public trans- nominated for appointment by a council He has had to back down dozens of times, port strategy statement, even though it with a majority of lay people. which has been gleefully reported.

large-scale ships, for storage and subse- quent distribution in countries which don’t have a sufficient indigenous supply of nat- ural gas. Because of the nature of the task of unloading the gas, LNG ships require a special terminal which has storage facilities. Ireland is one of the few countries in west- New €750,000 ern Europe which lacks LNG capability. Competitive Start Fund for An LNG terminal at Shannon has been New €750,000 Fintech and planned for quite some time. In 2008, Deep Tech Shannon LNG received planning permis- sion to build an LNG import terminal in Competitive the Shannon Estuary at a point between Ballylongford and Tarbert. However, the Start Fund for terminal was never built and while the Fintech and deep tech are two of the planning permission has since expired, it fastest growing Irish sectors. That’s why Enterprise Ireland is launching the new Competitive may be renewed. Interestingly, the current FintechStart Fund for ambitious start-ups inand both areas. programme for government explicitly refer- Successful applicants will each receive up to €50,000 in equity investment, ences the Shannon LNG project (p.125) and as well as access to Bank of Ireland’s Innovation Team and masterclasses provided by industry experts, hosted at its Fintech Innovation Lab. states that “prospect of such a facility would Deep Tech Call opens: Tuesday 19 June be a positive step for the island of Ireland”. Call closes: Tuesday 3 July Perhaps somewhat encouraged by the Apply online: enterprise-ireland.com/‡ntech slowness of the Shannon project to get off #GlobalAmbition Russian president Vladimir Putin the ground, last year the Port of Cork signed a memorandum of understanding with a signs an autograph on a natural US LNG company called NextDecade which gas pipeline in Vladivostok could result in the construction of an LNG terminal at the port. NextDecade believes Picture: Getty this facility could enable it to supply Ireland with one third of its natural gas needs. While the transportation cost of LNG is likely to be higher than pipeline transmis- sion costs, in the interests of reducing our reliance on supplies from continental Eu- rope (and Russia), putting in place the infra- Fintech and deep tech are two of the structure required to access LNG is essential. of by approximately 678,000 domestic, in- In the event of the escalation of Europe’s fastest growing Irish sectors. That’s why dustrial and commercial customers across tensions with Russia, we can expect that Enterprise Ireland is launching the new Competitive Ireland. According to a paper published by Russia will deploy every tactical weapon at Ervia, natural gas accounted for an average its disposal in order to increase pressure on Start Fund for ambitious start-ups in both areas. of 49 per cent of the fuel used in electricity Europe in the hope that it might capitulate. generation over the past five years. Such tactics are highly likely to extend to Ireland currently has access to two local reducing, or cutting-off entirely, gas sup- supplies of natural gas – the Corrib, which plies. While a UCC study from earlier this Successful applicants will each receive up to €50,000 in equity investment, fulfilled 54 per cent of 2016 demand, and Like other year seemed to conclude that concerns of a as well as access to Bank of Ireland’s Innovation Team and masterclasses Kinsale, which provided 6 per cent. e major interruption are misplaced, it seems balance is imported from Britain via an countries unwise to be so dismissive of the prospect. provided by industry experts, hosted at its Fintech Innovation Lab. undersea pipeline from Scotland. While in Europe Europe, and indeed Ireland, should no the Corrib supply has reduced our im- longer stand for a situation where, come port dependence to 40 per cent, like other we remain winter in Europe, Vladimir Putin’s hand still Call opens: Tuesday 19 June countries in Europe we remain vulnerable rests on the thermostat. We in Europe need to geo-political developments which can vulnerable to to wean ourselves off our addiction to cheap Call closes: Tuesday 3 July impinge on the supply and pricing of gas. geo-political Russian gas. In return for a move towards Apply online: enterprise-ireland.com/‡ ntech e fact that the Corrib gas field has an es- zero dependence on Russia, European con- timated producing life of just over 15 years developments sumers should be prepared to pay more for (it is scheduled to cease operating in 2031) their gas. #GlobalAmbition means that Ireland needs to take a far lon- which can As an island nation with a strong depen- ger term view of its gas supplies. dence on gas and oil imports, Ireland should One means of diversifying Ireland’s gas impinge on be at the forefront of helping to make the supplies is through the import of liquefied the supply Energy Union a reality. natural gas (LNG). LNG is natural gas that has been condensed into liquid form by and pricing Feargal Quinn served as a member of Seanad cooling it to about −160°C. It can then be Éireann for 23 years and is president of Sencheer transported from its country of origin, in of gas Holdings The Sunday Business Post October 8, 2017 4 Dunboyne Post Plus

A Sunday Business Post investigation has revealed that Fine Gael grandees Richard and John Bruton, and their sister Mary, are the owners of a sprawling Co Meath site that is zoned for housing, but is being used only for silage

The vacant Bruton housing site on the Maynooth Road, Dunboyne, opposite the Dunboyne Castle Hotel. Half of this land is zoned for housing, as is another full family eld behind it DISTANCE FROM TOWN CENTRE: 650 metres THIS LAND IS THEIR LAND

The vacant housing site beside Dunboyne train station. Owned by developer John Connaughton, it is zoned for housing but was used this year for growing winter barley DISTANCE FROM TOWN CENTRE: 850 metres The housing sites lying dormant in Dunboyne

The out-of-town green eld site (on the far right) is zoned for housing despite the opposition of Simon Coveney, who called it ‘detached and distant’. The M3 parkway rail station is on the left of the photograph DISTANCE FROM TOWN CENTRE: 2km

age of 99, his estate was valued at €5.8 cially from people in their early thirties nior planning adviser, Niall Cussen, that Local councillors were won over by the and Midland Regional Assembly. It has million. He allocated 35 per cent shares who had grown up there. the most sustainable way of developing promises of housing and badly-needed 40 councillors from 12 counties on it. to Richard and John and the remaining “It’s a great town. People would love to Dunboyne was to use the 33 hectares jobs at the out-of-town site. Almost half A majority of them voted against the 30 per cent to his only daughter Mary. live in the area, but they can’t,” he said. of land zoned for housing around the of the workers who live in Dunboyne are Dunboyne rezoning decision. ey said And he provided for the setting-up of e shortage is obvious in the Prop- town centre. e council could have also travelling into Dublin every day, so there building out-of-town housing would trust funds of €50,000 for each of his erty Shop on Main Street, which has red brought forward permission for land is a desperate desire to have local em- create a new community “remote and grandchildren until they reached the ‘Sold’ stickers on almost every Dunboyne which is only zoned for housing after ployment. All 28 councillors who were detached from the existing urban fab- Michael Brennan age of 25. house displayed in its shop window. Its 2019. present at the earlier council meeting in ric of Dunboyne” and was in breach of Political Editor Most of the farmland that Joe Bruton owner, Eugene Murray, said the shortage is could have benefited the former May 2016 supported the rezoning. regional planning guidelines. passed onto his three children is still of property was the worst since he had All-Ireland-winning Meath Gaelic foot- But it was notable that the decision But while Meath County Council man- zoned for agricultural purposes. Since opened the office in 1999. ball manager Sean Boylan. He had lands was also independently examined by a agement had to take account of this ver- 1999, however, a large site on the farm zoned for future housing use near the new regional planning body, the Eastern dict, it was not legally binding. aoiseach Leo Varadkar opposite Dunboyne Castle Hotel on the herbal medicine clinic that he has run and his ministers are Maynooth Road has been zoned for hous- Repeating the Celtic for many years opposite Dunboyne looking at increasing ing. But it is currently only being rented Tiger mistakes train station. Coveney’s the vacant site levy in out for farming purposes. e family But rather than backing down in climbdown this week’s budget to home is also being rented out. Richard e Bruton site opposite the Dunboyne the face of Coveney’s draft direc- tackle land hoarding. Bruton lives on Griffith Avenue in Dublin Castle Hotel is not only one of the few tion to cancel the rezoning for 500 Coveney was facing a united front in the But an investigation by while representing his Dublin Bay North housing sites available in the town - it homes outside Dunboyne, Meath form of Meath County Council man- e Sunday Business Post constituency; John Bruton lives around is one of the best-located. But due to County Council went to the trouble agement, the councillors themselves has revealed that one cabinet member five kilometres outside Dunboyne, in the inactivity on the Bruton housing of obtaining its own legal advice and the site owner, McGarrell Reilly Thas a significant stake in a long-dormant Cornelstown. site and others, Meath County Council from a senior counsel to justify Group. housing site which could provide bad- e view locally is that the Brutons do is now poised to repeat one of the classic its actions. In the wake of all the pressure, ly-needed accommodation. not want to sell their site zoned for hous- Celtic Tiger planning mistakes: building there was a climbdown. Coveney e site belongs to Minister for Educa- ing in Dunboyne, and that they are un- lots of houses far outside the town, on a sent a letter withdrawing his tion Richard Bruton; his brother, former der no financial pressure to do so. While greenfield site with few or no established draft direction to Meath Coun- taoiseach John Bruton; and their sister, no one has ever described the amiable services. ty Council in August last year. Mary. It is located in Dunboyne in Co Richard Bruton as a Bull McCabe-type e council came up with a plan last It meant the council was free Meath, where there is a severe shortage of character, the desire to hold onto family year to rezone a greenfield site which to go ahead with the rezoning new homes in the town, both for buyers fields does run deep. was two kilometres outside the centre of of the out-of-town site for 500 and renters. ere are those, like local Fine Gael Dunboyne. It would contain 500 homes homes. is was highly unusu- It is across the road from the Dunboyne councillor Maria Murphy, who believe as well as new office accommodation to al, to put it mildly. It is the first Castle Hotel, within 650 metres of the that the Bruton family should be allowed provide jobs. is site was owned by a time in recent memory that a town centre. But even though it has been to keep it as farmland rather than housing company belonging to developer Sean e view minister issued a draft planning zoned for housing development for the land. “ey have never indicated a desire Reilly, one of the ‘Maple Ten’ investors direction and then withdrew it past 18 years, it is currently only being to build. Why should they be forced to?” who bought shares in Anglo Irish Bank locally is three months later. used for farming purposes, with silage she asked. as it teetered on the verge of collapse. Coveney’s main reason for the cut there over the summer. Reilly had around €373 million of that the u-turn was the continued lack of All the other main housing sites in the property loans from Anglo Irish Bank new housing supply in Dunboyne town are currently inactive, despite the e housing crisis which were transferred into Nama during Brutons town itself. He noted there was demand for new supply. Worse again, in Dunboyne the property crash. ey were later a lack of development on lands Meath County Council has responded bought for €220 million by the Lone Star do not want already zoned for housing “de- to the housing shortage by rezoning land ere are obvious pull factors to Dun- vulture fund. But his building company, to sell their spite considerable demand”. for 500 homes on an out-of-town site. boyne. It has a lively mix of long-estab- McGarrell Reilly Group, still had sites to ese lands, of course, included All of which makes the Brutons' Dun- lished businesses, pubs, shops, restau- develop around the country, including site, and that the Bruton site. boyne site a classic case study of the fac- rants and cafés along its main street. the one on the outskirts of Dunboyne. Meath County Council’s view is tors behind the national housing crisis. ere is huge demand for housing from they are under that Coveney’s change of heart was workers in Dublin, who are desperate to Coveney’s hard line no financial due to the detailed and comprehen- ‘Why should they be settle in a town which is only 25 minutes sive 283-page rezoning report it had by rail to the city centre. e state spent Meath County Council’s decision to pressure to prepared for him. It also promised forced to build?’ more than €160 million to reopen the rail rezone Reilly’s land set off alarm bells that it would not allow any houses line between Dublin and Dunboyne in among senior planners nationally. Last do so to be built on the site if jobs were e land opposite the Dunboyne Cas- 2010, with the aim of helping the town year, they brought it to the attention of not in the pipeline as well. tle Hotel has been in Bruton ownership to develop sustainably. the then Minister for Housing Simon Co- ere are already some com- since their father Joe first bought a 400- But Dunboyne is experiencing a veney, who had the power to overturn panies there, which could help to acre farm in Dunboyne back in 1942. chronic housing shortage. No new es- any council rezonings which breach attract others. e Avoca café is on He quickly became known as one of tates are being built, and there is only sustainable planning guidelines. the other side of the M3 motorway, the most progressive beef farmers in the one property available for rent on the Coveney issued a draft direction in as well as the Kilsaran Concrete country. e house where he brought Daft.ie - a three-bed house for €1,900 June 2016 telling the council to scrap the site, and the pharma giant Shire up his sons John and Richard and his per month. rezoning. He said that the planned 500 is to employ 400 people in a new daughter Mary is still located down a omas Byrne, the Fianna Fáil TD homes would be “detached and distant” John and Richard Bruton pictured in manufacturing plant there. cul-de-sac opposite the hotel. for Meath East, said there was a huge from the centre of Dunboyne. 2006: the family have owned the Dunboyne But there is a risk that addition- When Joe Bruton died in 2009, at the demand in Dunboyne for housing, espe- is was on foot of advice from his se- land since 1942 Photocall Ireland al jobs will never materialise for The Sunday Business Post October 8, 2017 Post Plus Dunboyne 5 Eyewitness report A Sunday Business Post investigation has revealed that Fine Gael grandees Richard and John Bruton, and their sister Violence has Mary, are the owners of a sprawling Co Meath site that is zoned for housing, but is being used only for silage exposed the state of Spain as a repressive regime As part of a monitoring team at last Sunday’s referendum in Catalonia, Eoin I saw at first hand the Ó Broin attacks by Spanish police on young and old alike

ntonio is 83 years old. He arrived at his local polling THIS LAND IS THEIR LAND station in La Barcelonaeta at 7am. Just after 9am the Spanish police attacked the crowd. Antonio was badly hurt and had to go to hospital. After the doctor ban- daged up his arm and leg he returned to the polling station and waited for hours to cast his vote. Born in Catalonia to Spanish parents, Antonio be- lieved that the time had come for the country of his birth to become an independent state. He was born in 1934, the year Cata- Alonia was last declared independent by the Left Republican politician Lluís Companys. By 1940, General Franco had installed a brutal military dicta- torship and Companys had been executed. Having lived through the dark days of Franco’s regime, the transition af- ter his death, and Spain’s fragile liberal democracy, Antonio told me that he was worried that history was about to repeat itself. What was his response to the violence meted out to him and his neighbours by Spanish police last Sunday? A quiet, dignified and peaceful determination to cast his vote. Last Sunday’s Catalan independence referendum did not come out of nowhere. For 14 years, successive Catalan governments, led by national- ist and unionist parties, have been trying to renegotiate their devolution agreement with Spain. Hard line on national question The housing sites lying dormant in Dunboyne In 2005, the Catalan Parliament drafted a new statute of autonomy. “e proposal, which sought to devolve more fiscal and judicial powers and de- scribed Catalonia as a nation, was supported by 120 of 135 MPs. A watered-down version passed through the Spanish parliament led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s socialist government. “e Catalan people supported the proposal with a massive 74 per cent in a referendum in June 2006. However, the leader of the Popular Party in Madrid, Mariano Rajoy, chal- lenged the legality of the agreement in the Constitutional Court. After four years of wrangles, the court stripped the agreement of much of its powers and removed the reference to Catalonia as a nation. In response, more than a million citizens took to the streets in Barcelona demanding their right to decide their own future, not Spanish judges in a court in Madrid. A conservative and centralised Spanish state was facing down a popular democratic movement for change. “e more intransigent the behaviour of the state became, the more that support for indepen- dence among ordinary Catalans grew. “e situation deteriorated when Mariano Rajoy’s People’s Party (Partido Popular) won the 2011 general election. “e new government took an even more hawkish line on the Catalan question. Repeated attempts to revolve the situation by Catalan politicians were rebuffed. Meanwhile, peaceful protests in support of self-determination grew, with two million Catalans forming a human chain in September 2013 council to reserve part of the site for the businesses and residents to build a 1916 along a 400-kilometre stretch of road spanning the country. new school that would be needed if the memorial garden on the Main Street. Attempts by the Catalan parliament to secure a legal referendum, as in Brutons face the prospect of homes are built. Local Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Scotland, were rejected by Madrid in April 2014. A non-binding plebiscite “en there is the impact of putting 500 O’Reilly, who chaired the committee, called by the Catalan government was banned in September of that year. having to pay a vacant site levy houses right beside an interchange to the said it only took them a few weeks to On September 27, 2.3 million Catalans voted with 81 per cent choosing e vacant site levy is one of the e Bruton site has been zoned M3 motorway. No traffic assessment was gather it. ““ere is great community spirit independence. In response, the Spanish state prosecutor took the Catalan government’s key policy tools to for housing since 1999. Bruton’s done, but there is the potential for 1,000 in Dunboyne,” he said. president Artur Mas to court, banning him from holding office for two bring unused housing land back position is that the land cannot be cars coming in and out at peak times. “e committee shipped in a nine- years. into use. considered ‘vacant or idle’ because metre flagpole from China to display the It amounts to 3 per cent of the it is part of a working farm, with Irish tricolour. “ey then put in seven Support for self-determination market value per year – so a site a crop of silage recently cut there. Dunboyne’s other seats and seven trees to commemorate In advance of the 2015 Catalan elections, the leading pro-independence worth €1 million would attract a However, the official guidelines for key housing site the seven signatories of the Proclama- parties formed a coalition, Junts pel Sí, promising a formal referendum on levy of €30,000 per year. vacant site levy state that it can be tion. And they displayed the Proclama- independence if they won a majority. While the coalition fell short, they On the face of it, the Bruton site applied to such farmland because it Meath County Council’s determination tion itself on a marble slab, with one of secured support from the radical left CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) giv- on the Maynooth Road in Dun- is not being used for its designated to build 500 houses outside Dunboyne its best known pledges engraved on the ing them a slim majority. boyne ticks all the boxes which are purpose – which is housing. seems all the more baffling when there is three of the four sides. ““is Republic Carles Puigdemont was elected president of the Catalan parliament in required. Meath County Council has con- another high-profile housing landbank guarantees religious and civil liberties . . . January and the referendum plans proceeded. According to the official guide- firmed that it was taking the nec- right beside the town centre, owned by equal rights and equal opportunities . . . “e Spanish government responded with criminal proceedings against lines, the vacant site levy is meant essary steps to identify potential the town’s biggest developer. to all its citizens.” 400 elected officials including the speaker of the Catalan parliament. Web- to apply to land that has been zoned vacant sites. John Connaughton grew up in West- But what has happened in Dunboyne sites promoting the referendum were shut down. Campaign material was for housing but is “lying dormant e levy is due to start in January meath, but lives in the affluent Dub- over the past year has damaged the seized by the police. Companies were banned from accepting tenders from and undeveloped”. next year. lin suburb of Killiney. By one estimate, chances of young families hoping to the Catalan government for the provision of ballot boxes and papers. around 700 of the 2,000 homes in the raise their children there - and in other As the referendum day approached, Catalans believed that the vote town were built by him over the past towns just like it. would take place and then be ignored by the Spanish government. Nobody three decades, including the Beechdale, Given that the Bruton site was des- was expecting October 1 to play out the way it did. Chestnut Grove and Mill Farm estates. ignated for housing in 1999, how has From 7am that morning to 11pm that evening, I was part of an election Vacant house on Brutons’ land His remaining landbank includes a Richard Bruton avoided public scrutiny monitoring team accredited by the Catalan Electoral Commission. Some huge site of over 20 hectares right beside on it for so long? It is partly due to the of the invited politicians were supportive of Catalan self-determination. has fallen into state of disrepair Dunboyne train station. It has been zoned high standing he and his family have in Others were not. e Brutons’ site is also an example back into use is currently a key for housing for eight years. the area. He has held four ministerial of another nationwide problem plank of the government’s plan to If houses and apartments were built posts over the years; his father Joe was Unprovoked and unjustified violence which is contributing to the housing tackle the housing crisis. there, the residents would be able to involved in fundraising for the parish We witnessed, at first hand, the unprovoked and unjustified use of vio- crisis – vacant homes. Still, there is no sign of the Bruton take a train into Dublin city centre ev- church and other community projects; lence by the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard. “ey attacked voters ere is a vacant house in the family renovating the house at the ery morning. “ey would also be within his brother John is a former taoiseach, young and old alike. “ey attacked local Catalan police and firefighters. corner of the site which is zoned moment. A spokesman for Richard a five-minute walk of the town’s main and was a popular local TD. “ey stole ballot boxes and papers, electronically blocked the online vote for housing on the Maynooth Road Bruton said the structure was in a street. But its main use this year has been “ose living locally who know about register and physically denied 800,000 people the right to vote. in Dunboyne. e house was pre- state of dilapidation and is not suit- to grow a crop of barley. the Bruton field’s potential to provide In response, those queuing to vote reacted with the same peaceful sto- viously rented, just as the original able for accommodation. He point- Connaughton himself is now 85 years homes for people, rather than silage for icism as Antonio. Despite being beaten with batons and hit with plastic Bruton family home nearby cur- ed out that many farms around the old, and there is scepticism in the area cows, do not want to criticise the family bullets they returned to the polling stations and quietly waited to cast their rently is. country had such properties. about whether he will ever build again. publicly. “ere have been grumbles over ballots. But locals say it was damaged Last year’s census found there But he told this newspaper that he was the years about the lack of housebuilding More than 2.26 million Catalans voted on October 1. “e 42 per cent by vandals many years ago and were 183,000 vacant houses and currently in discussions with the council on the land at local Fianna Fáil cumainn turnout would undoubtedly have been higher if the Spanish police hadn’t then boarded up. ere are nettles apartments around the country. But about building 400 houses and apart- meetings. But that is about as far as it intervened. Of those who voted 90 per cent supported independence – the and weeds in front of its blue front while other countries will not allow ments on the site beside Dunboyne train has gone. highest level in recent electoral history. door, and the backyard is full of any new building until such aban- station - and then following up with Richard Bruton would not say if he President Puigdemont indicated that his parliament would move to de- overgrown bushes. It would cost doned houses are either restored, 200 more. “We’re anxious to develop,” personally would be willing to sell the clare independence within days and called for dialogue and EU mediation a considerable sum of money to demolished or completely rebuilt, he said. site for housing. A spokesman for him between Spain and Catalonia. Prime minister Mariano Rajoy banned the refurbish. But there would be no here there seems to be an accep- Connaughton has the financial fire- said the land was a working farm which upcoming sitting of the Catalan parliament. “e Spanish state prosecutor shortage of renters for it in Dun- tance that such eyesores are just power to go ahead, as his building com- had been in the Bruton family for 75 indicted the head of the Catalan police and the leaders of the Catalan Na- boyne. And getting vacant houses part of the landscape. pany did not get into difficulties during years. tional Congress, the country’s leading pro-independence civil society or- the recession. It has reserves of €31 “As the land is owned jointly by Min- ganisation. King Felipe VI refused to condemn Spanish police violence. “e million, according to its 2016 accounts. ister Bruton and a number of other indi- Spanish army were sent to barracks outside Barcelona. the site outside Dunboyne - and that as schools, pubs or shops. And Connaughton said his son Darragh, viduals, it is not open to Minister Bruton “e immediate future is uncertain. “e coming days may well turn out there will simply be 500 homes stuck Irish Water has said that it will have who has his own building company, was alone to make decisions on the future of to be a turning point. We could even be witnessing the end of Spain itself. on their own. to build out a new drain to the site and keen to work on the Dunboyne project the land,” he said. Faced with a peaceful, democratic and cosmopolitan Catalan national- a new pumping station to send the sew- with him. “e Bruton site fits the definition of ism, the Spanish state has exposed itself to the world as a repressive, unre- age from the new houses back two ki- a vacant housing site. “e levy is due sponsive and undemocratic regime. e cost factor lometres to Dunboyne. Meath County to start in January next year, but Meath What are needed now are dialogue and mediation to avoid the political “e site does have the benefit of being Council is drawing up plans for cycle Locked out of County Council has still not published crisis spiralling out of control. For 14 years, Catalans have been trying to get close to the M3 parkway rail station. But lanes, footpaths and improved roads housing its list of vacant sites. So there is no way the Spanish state to respect their rights. “e international community can- the rezoning is going to require substan- to connect it to Dunboyne town. And, of knowing whether Bruton and his not stand idly by in the face of Spanish intransigence and violence. tial investment, because there is abso- ironically, Richard Bruton’s own De- Last year, a volunteer committee in Dun- co-owners will end up paying a levy lutely nothing on the greenfield site such partment of Education has asked the boyne raised around €40,000 from local that he himself approved at cabinet. Eoin Ó Broin is a Sinn Féin TD The Sunday Business Post 4 News October 8, 2017 Brutons sitting on prime vacant site in Dunboyne BY MICHAEL BRENNAN for housing by the local coun- for rent and no new estates died in 2009. He bequeathed option of applying the new 3 currently being developed POLITICAL EDITOR cil for 18 years because of its currently under construction. 35 per cent shares to each of per cent vacant site levy on the in Dunboyne, Meath county prime location just 600 metres A spokesman for Minister his sons Richard and John and Bruton site zoned for housing council controversially opted Minister for Education Rich- from the town centre. for Education Bruton said the remaining 30 per cent to from next January onwards. to rezone land for 500 homes ard Bruton and former taoi- However, the Brutons have the land was a working farm his only daughter Mary. His Richard Bruton’s position far outside the town last year. seach John Bruton are sitting not applied for planning per- which has been in the Bruton overall estate was valued at is that the land cannot be is was despite a warning on a prime vacant housing site mission for the site on the family for 75 years. €5.8 million. considered ‘vacant or idle’ from previous Minister for in their home town despite Maynooth Road opposite the “As the land is owned joint- When contacted, former because it is part of a work- Housing Simon Coveney that the severe shortage of homes Dunboyne Castle Hotel, or put ly by Minister Bruton and a Taoiseach John Bruton de- ing farm. However, the official the site would be “detached there. the land up for sale. It is in- number of other individuals, it clined to comment on the guidelines for vacant site levy and distant” from the exist- ey and their sister inher- stead being rented for farming is not open to Minister Bruton housing site. “I’m not going state that it can be applied to ing urban area of Dunboyne” ited the land in Dunboyne in activity. alone to make decisions on the into that,” he said. such farmland because it is which already has well estab- Meath which was part of the It comes at a time when the future of the land,” he said. Due to the shortage of not being used for its designat- lished infrastructure. original Bruton family farm. shortage of homes in the town e land had been owned homes in Dunboyne, Meath ed purpose - which is housing. Full analysis: Post Plus, But it has been designated is severe, with only one home by Bruton’s father Joe, who County Council will have the Due to the lack of housing pages 4-5 An abandoned house on the Bruton lands in Dunboyne ‘Obfuscation is a difficult weapon to abandon’ McGuinness and Cowen clash over water BY HUGH O’CONNELL Wednesday to say: “I believe you raised McGuinness said that while he hadn’t POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT this issue at PP but didn’t inform the read Cowen’s email prior to the PP [meeting] of my email to you on the meeting, it would not have changed e Fianna Fáil TD John McGuin- matter yesterday. I hope you correct the the questions he had raised. He added: ness clashed with the party’s housing record next week.” “I didn’t mislead anyone. It’s not my spokesman Barry Cowen over water Cowen then forwarded his emails style.” charges legislation in a scathing email to the entire parliamentary party last In closing, McGuinness wrote: “It exchange last week. ursday afternoon, pointing out that could be, Barry, that it is simply a ques- McGuinness has raised several issues McGuinness had “failed to inform the tion of bettering the communications with Fianna Fáil’s approach to the Water meeting of correspondence to clarify his from the party leadership, elected and Services Bill, which will refund water concerns which I had sent to him di- unelected, to the troops. charges and implement charges for ex- rectly on email some days ago”. He said “is might prevent such issues aris- cessive waste, at parliamentary party the emails he sent to McGuinness had ing in the future. It’s as easy as that, but (PP) meetings in recent weeks. provided further clarification. I wonder. What do you think? If you His latest intervention led to a bitter However, in his response which was would like a chat, please don’t hesitate email exchange with Cowen that was copied to the entire parliamentary party, to call.” copied to every Fianna Fáil TD and sen- hours later, McGuinness told Cowen: e email exchanges came after a PP ator and has been seen by e Sunday “ank you for your recent report from meeting where several rural TDs vented Business Post. the front. I am delighted that we are fi- their frustration at party leader Micheál e emails followed last Wednes- nally getting replies and in writing, even Martin over the confidence and supply day’s parliamentary party meeting if your ideas of clarification only add to deal with Fine Gael. McGuinness, Nia- where McGuinness expressed con- my confusion. mh Smyth, Marc MacSharry, Pat ‘e cern that motor tax revenue was “But I know obfuscation is a difficult Cope’ Gallagher, and Sean Fleming were funding Irish Water and that there weapon to abandon. It might be that reportedly among those expressing an- was no clarity over what proof would whoever whispered in your ear didn’t ger at the meeting. be needed for medical exemptions give you an accurate account of what I Some TDs believe they do not have from excessive waste fines. He also said or had an ulterior motive?” enough input into decisions being tak- said the state spending watchdog, McGuinness went on to outline his en by Martin and his senior advisers. the Comptroller and Auditor Gen- concerns, saying it was his belief that “ey want us all to follow blindly eral, should be directly auditing the the party, and not he personally, should because they want everything shoved utility’s books. table amendments to the Water Services through,” said one frustrated TD. “ere Believing he had addressed Mc- Bill, a possibility that was still open was uproar last week about the whole Guinness’s concerns in an email as the deadline for the submission of Fine Gael thing. ey’re having the john McGuinness sent last Tuesday, Cowen emailed amendments had not passed - contrary best of times and we’re getting fucking (left) and Barry him again after the meeting on to what Cowen had claimed. blamed for anything.” Cowen

NEXT SUNDAY OCTOBER 15th Emergency housing inspections won’t examine B&Bs or hotels G regime has been seen by e B&Bs.” with The Sunday Business Post Charities face full oversight Sunday Business Post. He praised the work done – but private sector exempt from However, Sinn Féin housing by the DRHE and other bod- spokesman Eoin Ó Broin said ies on the quality standards draft inspection standards the inspection and oversight framework, which he said element of the regime would was “very good”, but urged BY JACK HORGANžJONES (DRHE), hotels and B&Bs only apply to so-called sec- the government to ensure it CHIEF REPORTER would be exempt from in- tion 10 and section 39 bodies, was extended to all facilities spection as they are privately which are usually charities and independently run. BUDGET 2018 Up to half of all emergency owned, while facilities owned and other not-for-profit or- “What I’ve said is that it homeless accommodation by charities will be subject to ganisations. should cover all accommo- centres, including all hotels full oversight. “at means that private dation and the office of quality MAGAZINE and B&Bs, will be excluded e proposals were devel- hotels and B&Bs would not standards should not be in the from a new inspection regime oped to provide oversight of be covered by these standards department, a local authority being considered by the gov- emergency homeless accom- or by the inspection regime,” or the DRHE.” Your guide to ernment. modation centres along the Ó Broin told e Sunday Busi- Ó Broin also said that the Under a draft new inspec- lines of the regime deployed ness Post. inspection regime, as current- Budget 2018. tion and standards regime by the Health Information and “Fifty per cent of families in ly constituted, would end up proposed by the Dublin Re- Quality Authority (Hiqa). emergency accommodation leading to a dual system of Expert commentary gion Homeless Executive A slide presentation on the are in commercial hotels and inspection. and insights in association with KPMG. Decobake creditors ‘will get over 50c on the euro’ in liquidation Essential reading on BY TOM LYONS property as well as dealing tors and people connected suppliers were also discour- how the budget will with an application by his with them. aged from cooperating with e liquidator of Decobake, daughter Emily Coyle, a for- He said customers and him as liquidator. affect your family the cake decorations and mer employee of Decobake, baking products maker, told a to the Workplace Relations creditors meeting last Friday Commission. and what it means for he expected to be able to re- De Lacy said he believed pay them over 50 cent on the the best outcome for cred- your business. euro. itors could be achieved by Declan de Lacy of PKF continuing to trade the busi- O’Connor Leddy & Holmes ness as it had a large amount also prepared a report for of stock and there was an op- creditors that outlined how portunity to sell the business Get your copy he had been forced to engage once its various legal issues in a series of legal actions in- had been resolved. in next week’s volving the owner and direc- He said the business re- tor of the business Paul Coyle. sumed trading on July 17 and Sunday De Lacy’s report states had achieved a turnover of these cases, which include €250,000 to September an application for the return 30. Business Post. of funds transferred by direc- He said, however, that he tors out of the business sub- had encountered a number Trustee Decisions is a specialist company providing impartial and independent trusteeship as well as advice to private and public group sequent to his appointment of difficulties in resuming pension schemes. Trustee Decisions supports trustees in carrying and application for various trade including finding that out their responsibilities in compliance with the best standard of injunctive reliefs, “[restrains] the businesses telephone and pension scheme governance and pension laws as well as providing the directors and other par- computer networks were trustee board evaluation services. ties from interfering with the inoperable and may “have www.trusteedecisions.com conducting of the liquidation been remotely interfered and the company’s trade”. with”. Trustee Decisions Limited, Fitzwilliam Hall, Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 He said he also had to deal He said staff had been “re- T: 01-806 2750 E: [email protected] with various applications luctant” at one point to return Trustee Decisions Limited is authorised under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist by Coyle in relation to the to work because they were Financing) Act 2010 to carry on business as a “trust or company service provider” (TCSP) in accordance ownership of intellectual “discouraged” by the direc- with section 89(6) of the Act. The Sunday Business Post 6 Mary Lou McDonald April 1, 2018 “I’m a very practical INTERVIEW kind of person. I’m not an airy-fairy fluffy kind of person. I believe in doing things with a very practical view in a real kind of way” In an exclusive interview, Sinn Féin’s leader Mary Lou McDonald holds forth on suspended TDs, her party’s attitude to Ireland Inc and the challenges of life after Gerry Adams

er-sharing. en she was off to Brussels United Ireland, her choir singing days Public Works rather than McDonald’s to visit Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and bringing ‘change management’ tech- own collection. She jokes that Adams and then to the US for Sinn Féin’s annual niques into Sinn Féin. even took a comfortable reclining chair St Patrick’s Day fundraisers. that used to be sitting in the corner of “I’m still in the process, truth be told, of 888 the office. Mary Lou McDonald says getting my feet under the desk. Sinn Féin So far, she is sticking with the key Sinn unionism has to ‘start is a very big organisation. We’re organised cDonald has taken over the Féin policies adopted during the latter Michael Brennan, nationally – we’re not a regional entity fifth floor office in the Lein- period of Adams’s 34-year reign. But she thinking for itself’ Political Editor like Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. I dare you ster House 2000 complex is not that bothered about shutting the Picture: Fergal Phillips to print that,” she jokes. that Gerry Adams previously Dáil bar, which was a minor obsession McDonald is in good humour and Moccupied. She has a clear view of the Irish for him. “I always tell our members that ew Sinn Féin leader her party’s opinon poll ratings were up tricolour, which had to be moved onto you don’t drink when you’re at work,” Mary Lou McDon- by two points to 16 per cent in the last the back lawn of Leinster House because she says. ald has spent the last Sunday Business Post/Red C poll. But Sinn of the repair work taking place around McDonald has not had much time for seven weeks “gal- Féin TDs are waiting to see if she can its former position on top of the roof. watching television in recent weeks. loping at a furious increase that support level as the next Political opponents who want to por- But she did catch the end of last week’s pace”. After taking general election nears. tray her as a puppet of Gerry Adams will Room To Improve, where a young teacher over as leader from In a lengthy interview with e Sun- be disappointed to learn there is no photo clashed with Dermot Bannon over his the table as a real conversation. Gerry Adams, she day Business Post in her Leinster House of him on the wall. ere is a picture of renovation of a farmhouse in Tipperary. “It’s at a point now where people can was instantly thrust into two weeks of ul- office, McDonald talks about her will- a waterfall behind her desk, but it is a Katie Ryan attracted a lot of negative intervene and say: ‘Hang on a minute, Ntimately fruitless talks on restoring pow- ingness to think outside the box on a standard issue one from the Office of social media comments, but McDonald this is what we think, or let’s consider liked her forthrightness (and her china this.’ I think all of those ideas – I’m not collection). “I thought she was great,” going to discount or rule out anything she says. because that is not the way you have e corridor outside McDonald’s of- an open or respectful conversation with fice has yellow coloured posters for the It doesn’t matter people,” she says. Eighth Amendment campaign stacked up what political But she jokes that Cork will not want against the walls with the slogan: “Trust to take the opportunity to look for its Women – Repeal the Eighth.” It is a sign stripe you are, own parliament. that she intends to follow up her promise “ere would be people in Cork look- to go knocking on doors in favour of a it can be very ing for the same, which is more danger- Yes vote. ous. e Cork thing really bothers me.” But just five years ago, the late Martin daunting. For McGuinness had been describing Sinn 888 Féin as “an anti-abortion party”. Now, women in one of McDonald’s first actions as party particular, it can ll of this comes at a time when the leader has been to suspend Laois-Offaly Northern Assembly has been sus- TD Carol Nolan for voting against the be a challenge. pended for more than a year. Sinn Build practical managerial referendum bill, in defiance of the agreed Féin and the Irish government have party position. It’s a very, very Abeen calling for an intergovernmental confer- “Carol is a great person, a very fine ence to be set up in line with the provisions of skills and deliver bottom-line person whom I think very highly of and male atmosphere the Good Friday Agreement. But this has been I have a very good relationship with. resisted by the DUP, and in turn by the British She’s not being thrown out – she’s been government, which relies on that party for value for your organisation suspended for three months. I had had support. Instead, Northern Ireland Secretary the conversation with Carol in advance “I think for Sinn Féin to officially meet of State Karen Bradley has been talking about with an IMI Diploma in Management and there’s absolutely no hard feelings,” with the Orange Order – what harm having a “shadow assembly”. McDonald has McDonald says. can it do? I think these discussions and dismissed it out of hand, on the grounds that But why has McDonald ruled out a these dialogues at a minimum achieve it would have no power. The IMI Diploma in Management is widely recognised for its innovative approach free vote, even after seeing how much the very positive thing of people showing “ at really would be a talking shop,” she the application of a rigid whip divided the respect to each other of sitting down says. to learning. It will provide you with a comprehensive, intensely practical and critical Fine Gael during the protection of life with each other,” she says. 888 overview of best-practice management in a broad range of areas. legislation in 2013? But while McDonald says she feels She said the notion of having a “con- liberated as a new leader to make “big y becoming leader of Sinn Féin, science clause” on abortion was reject- gestures” to unionists, her use of the IRA’s McDonald has managed to get to Business Financial HR Management ed by Sinn Féin members at three ard ‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’ slogan on becoming party the top of what has been – and Management fheiseanna. leader last February did not help her case. still largely is – a male-dom- Strategy “I’m very clear in my mind that we’re Her repeated warnings – most recently Binated political system. It was said of not Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. You know in a speech at Queen’s University Belfast Margaret atcher that she did nothing the kind of thing: ‘Do whatever you want, last week - that unionists are going to to encourage other females to follow in make your own arrangements, let’s fudge be outnumbered by nationalists could her footsteps, with her close friend Bar- this issue.’ And it is a hard issue. And Sinn further alienate them. oness Young being the only woman she Féin is no different to any other element McDonald says she has raised the de- ever appointed to cabinet. But McDonald of society. We have people with all sorts mographic trends many times because says she understands she has a role to of views, right across the spectrum. But it is a “fact”. play in advancing the political careers the difference is that I, and we, are pre- “It’s an electoral fact that the union- of other women. pared to have the debate, even when ist vote dipped beneath the 50 per cent “You know, what do they call them, Organisational Marketing Organisational they are difficult debates, and to arrive margin both at the last Westminster and ‘I’m all right Jills’, instead of ‘I’m all right Behaviour at a position,” she says. the last Assembly election. e reason Jack’? I don’t want to be an ‘all right Jill’,” Communication that’s significant is that the Northern she says. state is constructed on the notion of an McDonald says part of her plan is a new Reaching out to inbuilt unionist majority – but they never project with the party’s councillors to Each IMI Diploma is validated by UCC (Level 9) Minor Award on the Irish National Qualifications Framework. unionists thought it would get that tight,” she says. provide more training, communications The Master of Business is based around a framework of fifteen IMI Diploma Programmes and BRP. Each IMI McDonald says she does not want and wellbeing support. Diploma is a step towards getting a Masters. In her opening address as the new pres- to be seen as “lecturing unionism”, but “It is hard. People elected in here, it ident of Sinn Féin, McDonald pledged to adds that they have to start “thinking for doesn’t matter what political stripe you reach out to the unionist community. themselves”. are, it can be very daunting for people Spring 2018 IMI Diplomas in: at was something that Martin Mc- “My option is Irish unity, but we don’t coming in. is is, as they say, senior • Strategy and Innovation • Executive Coaching • Organisational Behaviour Guinness did by shaking the hand of live in that reality. For almost a century, hurling. It isn’t for the faint-hearted. For • Organisational Development • Data Business Queen Elizabeth II. Nelson Mandela acted we’ve had a partitioned Ireland. We’ve women in particular, it can be a chal- • Management similarly by greeting the South African had to come up with Plans B ,C, D, E and lenge because it’s a very, very male at- and Transformation • Leadership • Strategic HR Management rugby team – the ultimate symbol of F, even if they weren’t always very good mosphere,” she says. • Business Finance • Regulatory Management • Digital Business Afrikaner culture – on the pitch before plans. I think it’s necessary for unionism Now that McDonald is in charge, she they beat the All Blacks to win the 1995 to start thinking that way,” she says. has an opportunity to put her own stamp Rugby World Cup. ere have been suggestions that in- on Sinn Féin policy as she attempts to Start Dates: 23 April 2018 - Dublin | 23 April 2018 - Cork So would McDonald be prepared to stead of having one parliament in a future broaden its appeal. But this is always march in an Orange Order parade to United Ireland, the Stormont Assembly a sensitive area for the party, given the t: Freephone 1800 22 33 88 show that she was willing to accept a would be left in place to run the North accusations over the years of it having a key part of unionist culture? – while the Dáil would continue to have ‘command and control’ leadership struc- e: [email protected] “I’m not sure they would want me jurisdiction over the South. ture. So McDonald is quick to downplay w: imi.ie on one of their marches,” she says. But McDonald says that this is something her potential policy influence. she goes on to say that she does want to she will not rule out at a time when the “Despite all of the talk about corona- meet officially with the Orange Order. prospect of a United Ireland is coming on tions and ascension into heaven, this is The Sunday Business Post April 1, 2018 Mary Lou McDonald 7

that he was somehow, on behalf of oth- ers, controlling Dublin city councillors. Nothing of the sort. And Nicky felt so McDonald strongly about it that he took the case. “Nicky was an IRA volunteer when on Sinn he was young. He was involved, he was in jail. All of those things are true. He also, having come through all of those Féin’s experiences, still works very hard in his community. attitude to “He is a fine person, and anybody with any dealings with him will tell you that. He felt really aggrieved that, because he business had been a political prisoner, somehow Even though Sinn Féin has a it was fair game on him. I think he was new leader, the business sector putting down a marker, not just for him- remains sceptical of the party self, but for others.” with its plan for an additional 7 per cent tax on incomes over €100,000. One business group A commission to said privately that it was diffi- tackle the ‘B’ word cult to get meetings with Sinn Féin because the party was on a During our interview, McDonald doesn’t charm offensive with the trade mention the ‘B’ word. But the spate of unions – and did not want to be internal bullying allegations, which have seen as close to employers. seen party members, councillors and But McDonald said she had even a senator depart in frustration, have met employers’ groups such as damaged Sinn Féin. Isme and Ibec, and would be ‹at is one key impetus for McDon- making every effort to work ald’s decision to set up a commission with business in a positive and on “equality, respect and inclusion” after constructive way. Easter with Sinn Féin’s 14,000 members “It’s not a zero-sum game – North and South. business versus labour and “We are going to have a very structured business versus unions. And it’s conversation with the entire party, with certainly not a case of business the grassroots, to actually test the tem- and enterprise versus Sinn Féin. perature of what’s going on around the ‰at’s certainly not where it’s at. country. And also to start having conver- But it’s not our job to be a lobby sations about a party that is welcoming, for business. Business does that friendly and dynamic, a party that can well for itself,” she said. make room for new members and capi- However, Sinn Féin’s policy of talise on the experience of more seasoned increasing the minimum wage members,” she says. from €9.55 to €10 per hour, McDonald has pledged to use “change followed by a “living wage” of management” techniques to address Sinn €11.70 per hour, is not favoured Féin’s internal problems. “We still have, by many small business owners. and I have to address this, certain ways ‰at does indeed look like a zero of doing things and certain management sum game, with workers gaining, techniques and habits that are very much but employers having to generate tailored to a much smaller organisation. more revenue to pay them. We have to go through a change manage- But McDonald’s case is that a ment thing. We need to apply organisa- living wage would give workers tional theory,” she says. more spending power, which By the time you read this article, would in turn benefit small busi- McDonald will have attended the state ness people who were struggling commemoration of the 1916 Rising in to get by. Arbour Hill cemetery in Dublin, where “‰e struggle is made all the the bodies of the executed leaders are harder if you are in a society buried. ‹en it’s on to Sinn Féin’s own where people have no dispos- separate parade, from the General Post able income. If I’m running a Office on O’Connell Street to the 1916 plot butcher’s shop or a hairdresser in Glasnevin Cemetery. ‹en the plan is or whatever, I need people in to visit her “mammy”. my locality to have the general “I’m a very practical kind of person. wherewithal to avail of my prod- I’m not an airy-fairy fluffy kind of per- uct or service,” she said. son. I believe in doing things with a very Michael Brennan practical view in a real kind of way,” she concludes. actually a democratic party, so Mary Lou up at him. I asked him the other day ‘Are doesn’t get to call all of the policies - nor you having altitude sickness?’ So he said should I,” she says. he wasn’t.” However, a long-starting party de- But McDonald is still keeping Adams mand is the abolition of the €80 million close by for advice, having described him in state support for teachers’ salaries in in her acceptance speech as her political fee paying schools. Former Labour edu- mentor and a great friend. cation minister Ruairí Quinn reduced it “Certainly, if I needed advice, if I sought in one budget, but had to back off after Despite all of advice or guidance from him, there is no that due to opposition from Fine Gael the talk about doubt he would be forthcoming. He is backbenchers. But Sinn Féin kept it in its very experienced, let’s face it,” she says. alternative budget proposals, year after coronations year during the Adams era. Scrapping with the McDonald, who herself attended the and ascension INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP fee-paying Notre Dame school in south media Dublin, interrupts because she can see into heaven, where this question going. “‹at’s be- this is actually a One of the most heated moments in cause you know I went to one. ‹at’s the 2011 presidential election campaign AT KYLEMORE policy. You’ll have them throwing to- democratic party, came when RTÉ Prime Time presenter matoes at me,” she says. Miriam O’Callaghan asked Sinn Féin’s In an aside, she remembers how she so Mary Lou Martin McGuinness during a televised   OCTOBER   used to go with her school to Wesley debate: “How do you square, Martin Mc- College, which has been making head- doesn’t get to call Guinness, with your God the fact that A Galvanizing, Transformational Experience for Successful Leaders lines lately after it got a €150,000 grant you were involved in the murder of so from Minister for Transport Shane Ross all of the policies - many people?” for its hockey pitch. and nor should I McGuinness was furious and de- At the University of Notre Dame’s Global Centre at Kylemore. “I know Wesley College well. I know manded to see O’Callaghan afterwards people who went to Wesley. It’s a very to complain in person about the question. fine school with fabulous choirs. We used O’Callaghan said later that she would to go there for choir competitions, just ical instinct”. never apologise for asking tough ques- to let you know. So I bear no grudge to “In my view, the ‘Home rule is Rome tions. people who go to Wesley, or the fine staff rule’ reality of this state was bad for so- ‹e incident came back into public or students or parents,” she says. ciety and it was also very bad for the focus recently due to McDonald’s crit- But McDonald says she cannot stand Church. ‹at didn’t work out well for icism of O’Callaghan’s interview in a over a system that puts students at such anyone. And equally, in the Northern book about McGuinness’s life. a level of advantage against others. Ac- state, the ‘Protestant Parliament for a She says that she still believes that the cording to her, “if Pearse Doherty was Protestant People’, the ‘cold house for interview “well overstepped the mark”. Minister for Finance”, he would be get- Catholics’, that was an absolutely awful “I don’t think it was about getting to ting rid of the state subsidy. But she says regime. If any people should know just the truth. And I thought at the time, and she respects the choices being made by the necessity of rendering unto God what I still think now, that it was bad form and parents who want to send their children is God’s, and unto Caesar that which is bad judgment from a journalistic point to fee-paying schools because she has Caesar’s, we should be the leading world of view. I stand by that.” children herself - Iseult (14) and Gearóid experts on that, because we have the As if anticipating more headlines along (11)- with her husband Martin. scars,” she says. the lines of ‘McDonald slams O’Cal- “I know that parents, when they are laghan’, the Sinn Féin leader says that looking at the education of their children, 888 she was not “attacking anybody”. they are weighing up what is best for “I’m sure I’ll take my share of jour- Johnny or what is best for Mary. I don’t cDonald has been repeat- nalistic criticism and some of it will be want to convey a message of hostility to edly asked about how she deserved. ‹en journalists can’t get so the school communities, but the party will deal with her prede- sensitive if they are answered back. Be- APPLY TODAY! mendoza.nd.edu/leadershipkylemore policy is to phase out those subsidies,” cessor Gerry Adams, who cause that’s how conversations work, she says. Mstill looms large over the party after 34 isn’t it?” years in charge. Her standard answer ‹ere were mixed views in Sinn Féin For More information call 095 41815 is that she will be walking in her own about the decision of party political Separating Church shoes as leader. But when Bertie Ahern manager Nicky Kehoe to sue RTÉ for and state stepped down as leader of Fianna Fáil, defamation. He won damages of €3,500 Inspirational Leadership at Kylemore is a holistic transformational he was rarely seen in the Dáil chamber after comments made about him on the Another controversial issue in the ed- at the same time as his successor Brian Saturday With Claire Byrne show on RTÉ week for the experienced, successful executive leader seeking a new ucation sector is what will happen to Cowen. Eamon Gilmore did the same Radio 1. the 90 per cent of primary schools that when Joan Burton took over as Labour Many felt that Kehoe had laid down perspective on the challenges of a highly competitive and complex are under the patronage of the Catholic leader, and Enda Kenny has been seen a marker for the media that it was no environment. At this pivotal point, seek and gain immeasurable insight Church in an increasingly secular society. very infrequently in the chamber since longer open season on party members McDonald has committed herself to a Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach. who had previously been in the IRA. But bolstered by the expertise of a world-class faculty, a highly skilled policy of separation of Church and state Adams has broken with this tradition others were angry that he gave testimony personal executive coach and your accomplished peers. in the midst of the campaign to repeal by sitting high up in the backbenches that he was “not proud” of his time in the Eighth Amendment. behind McDonald, who is down in the the IRA and was ashamed about it “in “I am very conscious there are so many front row. Would she have preferred if a context”. people for whom their religious beliefs he had stayed away to give her some Sinn Féin has confirmed that Kehoe are such a central component of who breathing space? will have to pay his own legal fees for they are, and how they live their lives. “No, I’ve plenty of breathing space. his private action. However, McDonald I don’t think the state has any right to Gerry is still the TD for Louth and Meath says she had no problem with Kehoe disrespect and set that aside.” East. So he has a job to do, of course he taking the case. But she says she wants to see the Cath- has to do it. Listen, Gerry is in no doubt “As far as Nicky was concerned,” she olic Church handing over the ownership that I do the job my way,” she says. says, “this wasn’t about money, but a very, of schools because public policy and laws “I don’t feel in any way restricted. I very damaging and insulting allegation cannot be driven by “any single theolog- know he is up there behind me. I wave was made against him on a radio show