Politics

This afternoon, Fine Gael TD Phil Hogan released documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, which detail the process by which the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) was granted a substantial extension to its borrowing allowance.

The documents reveal that Taoiseach Brian Cowen, then Minister for Finance, took just 14 working days to sign off on approval for the DDDA to massively increase its borrowing level, allowing it to enter into a speculative property deal on the Irish Glass Bottle site.

The following is the timeline of events that led to the massive borrowing of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA). This information was obtained by Fine Gael in a Freedom of Information request, the detail of which was made public in a press conference this afternoon.

‘New Politics’, Fine Gael’s agenda for institutional reform, contains some surprisingly good ideas. By Vincent Browne

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is due to announce the make up of his new cabinet in Dáil Éireann at 15.40 today, and Politico.ie will deliver live updates throughout the afternoon as information becomes available.

The Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) has called upon the Irish government to end the use of Shannon airport for military stopovers. A conference marking the seventh anniversary of the Iraq invasion yesterday drew together a coalition of political figures including Independent TD Finian McGrath, Labour TD Joe Costello, MEP Joe Higgins, Sinn Féin TD Aengus O Snodaigh and Chairman of the Irish Anti-War movement, Richard Boyd Barrett.

The Irish section of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) has called on the government to back the proposed European target to reduce the risk of poverty by 25% in the next 10 years.

This year is European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and the EAPN believe efforts to tackle poverty should be implemented in tandem with the government’s own objective to eliminate consistent poverty in Ireland by 2016.

Vincent Browne is wrong on Sinn Féin. This week he argued (here) that Sinn Féin, like Labour and the Greens want to be in government with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael after the next election. By Eoin O Broin

The Minister for Finance approved increases in the salaries of NAMA Board Members and the Chairperson of the NAMA (National Asset Management Agency) Board after they were appointed to NAMA.

The state’s first ever Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender–based Violence is welcomed by advocacy groups, but it is meaningless without adequate funding. By Deirdra O'Regan.

Labour and SF seek power in coalition with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, neither of which has a real interest in equality.

The Sinn Féin website records that a motion at the party’s ardfheis last weekend, that Sinn Féin“will not, under any circumstances, enter into coalition or any other electoral pact with Fianna Fáil before, during or after a general election” was lost.