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In the newspaper trade we have what is called a “holding story”. That’s what you write when you don’t know for sure what’s going to happen. Then you update it when the full story breaks.
Brian Lenihan: hoping to get a thumbs-up for his Budget (Photograph by Alan Betson)
Well, he’s done it. Brian Cowen finally took the advice of the commentariat, not to mention the evening newspaper which ran the headline today: “Just Do It”. The unions couldn’t or wouldn’t sign up, so he went ahead and imposed the paycut disguised as a pension levy. (more…)
I met Brian Cowen in the corridor at Leinster House last night (corridors of power and all that). We exchanged pleasantries but afterwards I realised I had completely forgotten to ask him, When Are You Giving Your State of the Nation Address? I bet my excellent colleague Harry McGee would have remembered, since he has been on this story for some time now. (more…)
It was one of the strangest weeks in Irish political or economic history. Taking an historical perspective on the crisis: once upon a time we built protectionist walls to preserve us from the vicissitudes of the world market. It was also intended to build up native industry. (more…)
