Tag Archives: United States

Are we for real? Who is running the banks in Ireland?

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How does a government lend €3.5Bn to a Bank which is worth €300m and not take control?  Last week we saw the appointment of a new CEO at Bank of Ireland.  Obviously he was seen within the Bnk as the best man for the job – and he may well be.  But the Bank is in business because the taxpayer through the governmen has lent it €3.5Bn, having previously guaranteed its operations.  Time to get real – these are now state businesses – and the government needs to start behaving as if it has taken charge.  Anyone being announced as new CEO must have the full backing of the government. 
 
Interesting when you read Paul Krugman in the NY Times – also frustrated at behaviour of US government and its dealings with banks in US.  They talk a big game but not walking the talk.
 
 

Dubliners and their city – a call to action.

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Attended a great conference yesterday in Dublin Castle: Governance and the citizen, Dubliners and their City.  Svend Auken (Former leader of the Danish Social Democrats and current party spokesperson on EU affairs) gave an excellent presentation re the Aarhus Convention - and Michael Ewing provided the summary of his research into adoption and compliance with Aarhus in Ireland. Conor Skehan (Head of Department of Environment and Planning, Dublin Institute of Technology) was very direct in his concerns that people are becoming over concerned with the appointment of a directly elected Mayor for Dublin – and that more correctly we need to understand Dublin and its hinterland).  Gabriel Metcalfe (Executive Director, San Francisco Policy and Urban Research Association) explained the role played by his organisation, SPUR, in setting and driving the citizen led agenda in San Francisco.
 
My take on the day was that like in many things we find ourselves somewhat behind the curve.  However as citizens we are not using all of the devices at our disposal to participate fully and effectively in setting the agenda for Dublin and its development.  Yes it is very disappointing that we will be the last country in the EU to ratify Aarhus.  And we have some nasty charges built into the system making it costly to pursue matters…and the legal route is scarey and too costly for almost all…but we are not using all the avenues available to us.
 
Congratulations to all those involved.  David O’Gorman did a great job in giving us the opportunity, through the conference, to compare the Danish, the US (multiple cities) and the Irish experience.  A real wake up call to citizens of Dublin. 
 
 

 

 

What and who gets squeezed in Ireland

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I see Paul Duffy urging at the US Chamber of Commerce lunch yesterday that we should use the opportunity of the recession to squeeze costs.  At the same time he wants the critical 12.5% CT rate maintained.  He wants us to move away from overreliance on transaction type taxes e.g. property tax.  Tom Parlon is in arguing for 10% pay cut in the constuction industry - on the basis that 100,000 jobs have been lost and that costs are far too high.  All of business has demanded cuts in public service payroll.  Employees who are experriencing wage cuts and ex employees who are experiencing life on the dole are arguing for taxes on the rich – those who ‘made a killing’ in the Celtic tiger years and, in particular, those perceived to have brought it all tumbling down.
 
It does not make for a particularly edifying spectacle.  Difficult to see any National Agenda emerging.  And the matter is completely undermined by two centre parties (FF and FG) taking lumps out of each other. 
 
It seems that it is no longer credible or politically acceptable to promote the cause of entrepreneurship, business and growth – even capitalism: given the final result of years of Celtic Tiger activity and behaviour.  And yet without people getting business up and running, creating employement, creating exports, Ireland Inc cannot refloat.  I often think the US Democrat party must have felt very aggrieved at President Clinton in the end – because his behaviour probably cost them power.  Likewise the Republic party must feel the same way towards Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld.  They may have supported much of their policies and actions – but for want of some appearance to care about those who did not support them (‘you’re with me or against me’) they got turfed out.  Here, in our own economy in Ireleland, we need to demonstrate how and why a probusiness climate is right – and how in such a pro business climate the rights of all will be cared for and respected.  Being pro business does not mean we have to shut down funding of Equality Agencies – nor does it mean that we have to accuse construction workers of not understanding the issues.  It may not even be possible to maintain a 12.5% CT rate in the immediate future.
 
I would suggest it is time for FF and FG to bury the hatchet (after nearly 100 years) – and drive a national agenda.  I would welcome a strong left of centre choice presented by Labour and any other left of centre parties.  Then we would all have some meaningful choice.
 
It’s time for a bit of ‘We’ll fight them in streets’ – that never meant we’ll fight each other in the streets.
 
 
 

social media in hospitals

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In his post earlier this week Jim McGee gives an insight into the use of social media/ social networking by the Mayo Clinic in the US.  Not surpisingly for a distinguished and go ahead operation they make widespread use of blogs, podcasting, twitter, facebook, etc.  Would be interested to understand what plans the hospitals (state and private) have to use social media here.  What is the attitude of hospital management/ admin, medics, other providers of services and patients?  Without doubt the current and emerging technologies provide opportunities for hospitals and medics to interact in deeper and broader ways with their patients and potenial future patients.

John Updike passes on.

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Very sad to read of John Updike’s death yesterday.  Updike was a brilliant writer – many would argue the outstanding Amercian novelist of the 20th Century,  I had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of occasions through good friends of his in the US.  There are tributes in many of the newspapers today – more to follow over the next daysand weeks as literary critics will analyse and comment on his works.  Thank you John for your wiriting and your kind messages.  I know that your friends will greatly miss you – and the privilege of enjoying your company.
 
In today’s Irish Times: Eileen Battersby writes of ‘Author of opulent prose John Updike dies at 76′
 
 

a national CTO

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Seems incoming President Obama is considering appointment of a CTO for the US.  Not that surprising when you remember how effectively the Obama campaign used technology in the case to the White House.  But perhaps we could benefit from following this idea in Ireland – as we look to up our ranking in the R&D world.  Undoubtedly we have made real progress in areas such as ROS.  However there continune to be opportunities to streamline how the citizen and businesses interact with government.

Essex County, Massachussets

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Had the pleasure of a round of golf at Essex County,MA, in the US (http://www.golfclubatlas.com/essex1.html)  at the weekend.  Essex will play host to the Curtis Cup in 2010.  Beautiful, Donald Ross designed course, with an inland links feel.  Great sense of history and respect for the game of golf.  My host told me the greens were not at their fastest – but you certainly did not want to be above the the pin and putting for a half.

Adoption of web 2.0 in quieter Ireland

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Interesting pitch from Andrew McAfee today recession technology proposing that perhaps a slowing US economy actually provides an opportunity for greater penetration of web 2.0 in business – does not necessitate major captial outlay and may benefit from some time being available whcih was not previously available.