Month: April 2013

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Rip-Off-Ireland Shedding Its Expensive Image

Michael Green

The perception that Ireland had become a very expensive country – a rip-off Republic – emerged during the Celtic Tiger boom era of the 1990s and early part of the current century. Photo From Free Public Domain Photographs With near full employment (only 4% unemployment at the height of the prosperity – now unemployment is over 14%), staff could afford to pick and choose their jobs, pushing up prices, offering poor value, inflating business costs. How things have changed. With the Tiger slain the economic crisis that nearly sank the country in 2008 and 2009 has seen earnings plummet, taxes … Continue reading Rip-Off-Ireland Shedding Its Expensive Image

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Gay Marriage Referendum Recommended For Ireland

Michael Green

The ‘Convention on the Constitution’ Committee that is meeting to recommend changes to the Irish Constitution has voted in favour of legalizing Gay Marriage in Ireland. The Committee is comprised of 66 members of the Irish public, who were chosen by random, with 33 politicians from the various political parties and a chairman making up the 100 strong group. The Committee voted by a margin of 79 to 19 in favour of recommending the Constitution be changed to allow Gay Marriage. The Government is now obliged to have a Parliamentary debate on the subject within four months and to then … Continue reading Gay Marriage Referendum Recommended For Ireland

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UNICEF Ranks Ireland Tenth Best For Kids

Michael Green

A report by UNICEF has provided mixed news for Irish parents with its findings ranging from very good to seriously bad. The report listed an average rank in the four elements of child well-being: material well-being, health, education, and behaviours and risks. The report examined data from 2001 to 2010 for 29 developed OECD countries and ranked The Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Finland and Sweden at the top of the list with the UK in 16th place and the US in 21st place. The listing of Ireland in 10th place is relatively good but does however mask some shortcomings in the … Continue reading UNICEF Ranks Ireland Tenth Best For Kids

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Rebellion in Labour Party Might Suit Fine Gael

Michael Green

The Irish Government Coalition of Fine Gael and the Labour Party looks very unlikely to run its full term despite the insistence of the two Party leaders. Rarely has a Political Party leader looked in so much peril of removal as does Eamon Gilmore at this moment. To the despair of his Labour Party colleagues it is their Party who are taking the lions’s share of the blame for the never-ending austerity measures that the current Government is imposing. Never mind the fact that the policies now being implemented were first started by the previous Fianna Fail administration. Never mind … Continue reading Rebellion in Labour Party Might Suit Fine Gael

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Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’

Michael Green

Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’ The famed Irish actor Milo O’Shea has died. He was a renowned performer and had a marvellous career on both stage and screen. Born in Dublin in 1926 his parents were both entertainers, his father a professional Singer and his mother a Harpist and Ballet Dancer. His earliest role was in a radio production of ‘Oliver Twist’ when he was just ten years old. Encouraged by his parents he pursued his dream of being an actor and left for America. Like so many aspiring actors his ‘day-job’ was a lot … Continue reading Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’