July 2007 in review
Monday, 2 July 2007 Drugs (mainly cocaine) worth an estimated €100m were found off the Cork coast after a boat got into trouble because of adverse weather conditions. The Taoiseach said it was weather conditions rather than intelligence which led to the seizure. The inference clearly being that similar large importations of drugs take place on the west coast without being detected by Gardai.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007 The Supreme Court blocked enquires by the Mahon Tribunal into a payment of £3,000 by Tony O´Reilly´s Fitzwilton because of spectacular incompetence on the part of the Tribunal in the management of its own business.
Thursday, 5 July 2007 The Dáil adjourned for holidays until 29 September. Whereas on most occasions on which the Dáil adjourns for such a lengthy break there are claims the committees will continue to operate (a claim that is wildly exaggerated), this time since no committees have been appointed by the new Dáil not even that explanation has any currency.
Monday, 9 July 2007 the former Tanaiste and Fianna Fail Minister John Wilson died just one day after his 84th birthday.
Tuesday, 10 July 2007 Tom Parlon, President of the Progressive Democrats, announced his resignation from the party and from politics to become director of the Construction Industry Federation. The resignation has been seen as the final death knell for the party, which lost six seats in the general election including that of its leader, Michael McDowell.
Thursday, 12 July 2007 Tens of thousands of people took part in the annual Orange parades in Northern Ireland. The occasion passed of without significant conflict.
Friday, 13 July 2007 It was disclosed that Niall McElwee, head of the child and youth care learning centre at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) had been convicted of sexual offences involving minors in the Netherlands in 2005 bur failed to inform AIT, although, apparently, the Midland Health Board was told.
Saturday, 14 July 2007 Pat Rabbitte said there is a problem with the Labour Party's brand after an election, in which he said their vote 'flatlined.' He said affluence had changed the way people thought about themselves and that Labour did not reflect the aspirations of the new middle class.
Sunday, 15 July A company owned by businessman Denis O'Brien purchased Today FM, FM104 and Donegal's Highland Radio from Emap. The purchase gave rise to competition and dominance questions as Denis O´Brien´s company, Communicore, already owns Newstalk, 98FM and SpinFM,
Tuesday, 17 July 2007 John Gormley TD and Minister for the Environment, was elected leader of the green Party. He won 473 votes from Green Party members as against 263 votes won by former MEP, Patricia McKenna.
Saturday, 21 July 2007 Joe O'Reilly was found guilty of the murder of his wife Rachel on 4 October 2004 was given a mandatory life sentence. The evidence against O´Reilly was that he probably gave a false alibi for the time his wife was murdered and probably was in the vicinity of the murder at the time. However the prosecution case depended on the jury believing beyond reasonable doubt that O´Reilly could have gone to his home, struggled with his wife, bludgeoned her to death, then removed all traces of blood from his clothes and his person all within the space of an 18 minute period. O´Reilly is appealing his conviction.
Sunday, 22 July 2007 Padraig Harrington won the British Open Golf Championship, beating Spain's Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff at Carnoustie in Scotland.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007 An AIB official told the Mahon Tribunal that Bertie Ahern's explanation for a lodgement of nearly £25,000 in 1994, when he was Minister for Finance, does not add up. The bank official Philip Murphy said in evidence that, because of exchange rates, the figures of sterling amounts given by Mr Ahern were not mathematically possible.
Two days after the Mahon tribunal heard how Bertie Ahern initially failed to reveal sterling lodgements when questioned about his bank accounts. Tribunal counsel, Des O'Neill SC, described how a statement made by Mr Ahern last year contradicted evidence given in private interview one year later. Afterwards an AIB foreign exchange official told the Mahon Tribunal that money lodged on behalf of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the O'Connell St branch was probably $45,000. Bertie Ahern has always denied he made any lodgements in dollar denominations.
Friday, 27 July 2007 The Supreme Court held that Jim Flavin of DCC was responsible for inside share dealing in Fyffe's shares in 2000. It was by far the biggest business scandal in Ireland in recent memory but evoked no comment from any establishment figures. The failure of the regulatory bodies, including the Irish Stock exchange, the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Central Bank, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Gardai and the Criminal Assets Bureau to institute any meaningful enquiry into that share dealing which drew a great deal of comment when it occurred in February 200, is one of the curiosities of the affair.
Saturday, 28 July 2007 There was one winner of the biggest-ever Lotto jackpot of over €16m. The sum was won by Paul and Helen Cunningham, of Fairhill in Cork City.
Thursday, 2 August 2007 The folk musician Tommy Makem died at his home in Dover, New Hampshire in the US aged 74.
Tuesday, 7 August 2007 Aer Lingus announced that it will set up its first base outside the Republic at Belfast International Airport. The airline said it would base three aircraft in Belfast, operating eight routes. Aer Lingus also confirmed that the Belfast-Heathrow service would replace the current Heathrow service from Shannon.