Politics

Scuffles between Gardai and protestors broke out today at a rally against Tony Blair in Dublin (see video below). Four men were arrested and later charged with public order offences at to Store Street Garda station. By Sean Carroll. Additional reporting by Malachy Browne

Merrill Lynch warned against the guarantees that the government provided the banks. By Vincent Browne.

On September 24, 2008, the government asked Merrill Lynch to advise on the options in dealing with the emerging Irish banking crisis.

Brian Cowen should remember Ozymandias before his Newsweek listing among the foremost leaders of the world goes to his head.

Ozymandias, alias Ramses II, who ruled another legendary empire around 1,250 BC for all of 66 years, was the subject of the famous sonnet by the English poet Percy Shelley in 1818. It ended with the lines:

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains: round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away."

What is it about politics that so few people make lasting friendships through their work? By Vincent Browne.

Politicians are, in the main, nice guys (and girls).

Yes, there are some nasty people in politics, but in general, they are personable and nice. People who you’d be happy to have a drink with - and that’s the test, isn’t it? The reason is obvious: most of them would not have been elected were they not nice people.

At a public meeting in Dublin last night, an audience was told of the socialist alternative to capitalism. An outline was also given of the efficiencies in socialist democracies. By Shane Creevy.

Hosted by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), and led by UCD sociologist Kieran Allen, the audience was told that the need for societal change was unarguable.

Opposition TDs are questioning the relationship between property developers, the Office of Public Works and the National Assets Management Agency after it emerged that the government spend on rents increased 25% last year. By Vincent Ryan.

Figures uncovered by Fine Gael deputy Brian Hayes show that over a three and a half year period €400m was spent renting government offices. The expenditure on rents increased by €22m from 2008 to 2009 rising from €109m to €131m.

Ireland is not broke, just dysfunctional and that could be easily remedied if the political will to do so existed. By Vincent Browne.

ON RTÉ the other morning there was another example of the station’s relentless mischaracterisation of the present crisis, a mischaracterisation that, coincidentally, fits neatly into the agenda of the Government and, as it happens, of an elite here.

Who decided that such a large amount of public money should be spent on the construction of this 'statement building'? By Vincent Browne.

Members of the Bar are delighted with the new Criminal Courts of Justice building on Parkgate Street.

State-of-the-art and all that. The courts needed additional accommodation and, had existing facilities been refurbished and extended, the cost would have been only €24m less than the new building cost.

So why not?

Fifty people from across the country answered a letter in the Irish Times to attend the establishment of a new political party last night. By Vincent Ryan in Kilkenny.

The home defence Bill makes no difference to the law – the Minister is merely bolstering his strong-man credentials. By Vincent Browne.

On July 21 2005 Dick Forrestal, aged 69, a horse breeder, rose, as was his wont, at 5.30am at his home in Carrigavantry, Tramore, Co Waterford. He lived alone, but on that occasion, a friend, Louis Murphy, an octogenarian, was staying with him. They had breakfast together.