Crash, part two: austerity bites and Cowen's Morning Ireland humiliation
After the fateful 2008 decision to bail out Ireland's banks, Cowen and his Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan spent the next year struggling to shore up Ireland's worsening finances.
Throughout 2009 and 2010 the mood in the country darkened as recession bit. Spending cuts and tax rises were introduced in a series of hair-shirt budgets.
As a result, confidence in the government was already on the floor when Cowen made an infamous appearance on Morning Ireland in September 2009. But what did Cowen actually say in the interview, and what impact did it have?
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Irish Times
a minute ago
- Irish Times
Russia tries to align stars for historic deal with Trump at Alaska summit
As allies of US president Donald Trump try to reassure Kyiv and other European capitals that he will not do anything rash at Friday's summit in Alaska, Russia wants the talks to mark a dramatic – even historic – shift in relations between the nuclear powers. US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said it will be just a 'feel-out meeting', and White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has called it a 'listening exercise,' amid concerns that Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin could make sweeping decisions about the war in Ukraine and the continent's security without Kyiv or Europe being at the table. The rhetoric in Russia is very different. The Kremlin often says that Putin sees no point in talks for the sake of talks, and Moscow expects the summit to deliver concrete benefits that were unimaginable before Trump returned to power in January. 'The Alaska summit could be historic in terms of delivering complex solutions to key problems. Including in Russian-American relations,' said Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the foreign relations committee in Russia's lower house of parliament. READ MORE 'Most constructive politicians in the world are hoping for this ... At the same time, putting pressure on our country or speaking in the language of ultimatums is useless.' Politicians and state media in Moscow say the summit could deliver not only a favourable outcome to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but set the stage for grand US-Russia agreements on everything from arms control to co-operation in the Arctic. Kirill Dmitriev, the senior Russian finance official and former Goldman Sachs banker who has become a key point man in Moscow for Trump's team, said the choice of Alaska as the summit venue had particular significance. 'Born as Russian America – Orthodox roots, forts, fur trade – Alaska echoes those ties and makes the US an Arctic nation. Let Russia and the US partner on environment, infrastructure and energy in Arctic and beyond,' he wrote on social media. Dmitriev described Alaska – a Russian colony from 1799 to 1867 – as the 'perfect stage' for the summit, because of its history and its location as the closest US point to Russia, where they are separated by the Bering Strait and the international date line. 'Let us go from yesterday to tomorrow in peace,' he said. [ Why Putin has good reasons to be hopeful for Friday's summit meeting with Trump Opens in new window ] Dmitriev's posts on X relentlessly amplify Maga talking points: that Trump and Putin want peace and their critics are warmongers; media that question Trump's attitude to Russia are the same ones that pushed the 'Russia hoax' about alleged collusion between the Trump camp and Moscow in 2016; advocates of tougher action against Russia are repeating the 'failed' policy of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. 'Neocons and other warmongers won't be smiling on Aug 15, 2025. Putin-Trump dialogue will bring hope, peace and global security,' he wrote. In a subsequent post, referring to one of Trump's books, he said: 'The Art of the Deal on Friday August 15.' The Art of the Deal on Friday August 15. — Kirill A. Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) Russia has been assiduously preparing the ground for the sort of deal, or deals, that it desires from the summit. Over several months this year, Kyiv and Europe strengthened co-ordination with the White House over the war in Ukraine, as Trump become increasingly annoyed by what he called Putin's 'bullshit' on the issue. Putin changed the mood music simply by agreeing to meet. It prompted Trump to quietly shelve plans to impose sanctions on all countries that buy Russian oil, and pitched Ukraine and Europe back into the position of trying to rein in Trump – a dynamic that is only likely to renew friction between the US and its erstwhile allies. Putin has also brought Trump to the table without agreeing to a ceasefire or any concessions. Russia still demands permanent control of five regions of Ukraine and limits on its future sovereignty, including a ban on joining Nato. Kyiv says that would be a capitulation, and European states insist borders cannot be changed by force – leaving them vulnerable to allegations from Moscow and some US politicians that they are blocking a deal and should be ignored by America's self-declared 'president of peace'. Moscow also knows that Trump wants a bigger US role in the resource-rich and strategic far north – having threatened to take over Greenland – and more than half the entire coastline of the Arctic Ocean is Russian territory. 'It is in Alaska and in the Arctic that the economic interests of our countries converge and prospects for implementing large-scale mutually beneficial projects arise,' said senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Trump said last month that he wanted to begin work on arms control with Moscow before the expiry next February of the 2010 New Start agreement, which is the last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms pact. The Kremlin flagged the issue last week by saying it had scrapped a self-imposed moratorium on deployment of short- and mid-range missiles and would now place them wherever it liked, in response to alleged US threats in Europe and Asia. On the battlefield too, Moscow is trying to strengthen its position before the summit. In recent days, Russian troops have pierced a section of the front line in eastern Ukraine and advanced about 10km near the mining town of Dobropillia, as they try to encircle the nearby small cities of Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka and put more pressure on Kyiv's two main strongholds in Donetsk region – the cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Kyiv says these are very small groups, moving on foot or in light vehicles, who cannot hold territory but aim to sow chaos behind the front line and – above all – give the impression that Ukraine's defences are collapsing on the eve of the summit. Russian media claim Ukrainian troops are nearly surrounded in some areas, which Kyiv denies. It recalls how Trump said in March that he had asked Putin to spare the lives of 'thousands' of Ukrainian soldiers who were supposedly encircled in Russia's Kursk region. The claim was false, but no one in Trump's administration acknowledged that fact or explained why Trump was unquestioningly repeating Kremlin propaganda. While Moscow's preparations for the summit have been meticulous, Washington's look haphazard, even amateurish. The meeting was agreed when Steve Witkoff, one of Trump's special envoys, visited Moscow last week. US and European media reports say Witkoff – a real-estate developer and donor to Trump's re-election campaign – may have misunderstood Putin's position on Ukraine. He has also been accused of parroting positions espoused by the Kremlin. To compound the sense of chaos, Trump has placed inexperienced loyalists in important intelligence and foreign policy roles, and approved massive cuts at the state department that have culled many of its analysts on Ukraine and Russia. With so many factors in its favour, Russia wants to strike a deal now, not least to gain relief from western sanctions that are combining with high inflation and labour shortages to slowly strangle its economy. Ukrainian drone strikes on oil facilities are also taking their toll, and petrol prices in Russia are now at record highs despite an export ban. Russia's main stock market reflects the national mood, having surged by more than 8 per cent since the summit was announced. 'Everyone is expecting a breakthrough in Russia-US relations,' said Alexei Antonov at Moscow investment firm Alor Broker, 'and also the beginning of a resolution to the Ukrainian problem.'
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Muted opposition to latest Clonliffe College apartments plan
A renewed bid by the Irish arm of property firm, Hines , to construct a €646 million large-scale apartment scheme on the grounds of the former Holy Cross College in Drumcondra has met only limited opposition. Hines partner fund, CWTC Multi-Family ICAV, lodged plans last month with Dublin City Council for a 10-year planning permission for the 1,131-home scheme that includes a 13-storey apartment block for the site on Clonliffe Rd. The new application comes four years after Hines lodged its original plan for 1,614 apartment units under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) framework to An Bord Pleanála . Only three local residents have called for outright refusal of the latest application but the developer. READ MORE More than 120 submissions were made on the original build-to-rent scheme, including an objection from Sinn Féin party leader, Mary Lou McDonald . She stated that if planning is approved, it would only further exacerbate the housing crisis . An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the original development but that permission was quashed by the High Court after a challenge was brought by Fionnuala Sherwin from Foxrock, Dublin 18. With the date for third party submissions on the latest plan now closed, the city council has received just eight submissions with only three calling for a refusal of planning permission for the entire development. The 1,131 apartments in the new scheme would be built across 12 apartment blocks ranging in height from three to 13 storeys. Local resident Alison Hay is one of those who has called on Dublin City Council to reject the entire scheme, arguing that 'a building height of 13 storeys is incongruent and sets an unwanted precedent for further developments. This is further amplified by having multiple apartment blocks of similar heights close together near Drumcondra Road'. Denis McGee of Distillery Rd said the scheme was inappropriate and 'will completely destroy residential amenity in the immediate area in the short, medium, and long term'. Broadly welcoming the proposal, Dublin Central Labour TD, Marie Sherlock said in a submission that 'this site must be used to provide housing'. 'In the context of a housing crisis both in our city and in the country at large, it is vital that sites such as this be converted into space for new homes,' she said. 'However, it is just as vital that the homes constructed are sustainable, high-quality and affordable. These homes must also be integrated meaningfully within the existing community and provide real options for people to put down roots and live in the area long-term if they wish.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Appeal Court overturns requirement for councils to get members' consent before defending legal actions
Local authorities do not have to seek the approval of councillors before deciding to enter a defence to a court challenge to council decisions, the Court of Appeal has held. The three-judge court's decision overturns a High Court ruling from June last year that found councils must take the 'positive step' of securing express authorisation from elected members before defending a case. The question of whether authorisation from councillors is required has been raised in several High Court challenges related to decisions of elected members, such as votes on local development plans. Every local authority must have a development plan, a document with maps that guides how certain areas should be zoned and developed. READ MORE It is used to guide planning decisions in those areas, but is sometimes the subject of litigation by interested parties who could be affected by any changes. In this case, developer Oceanscape Unlimited Company brought a legal challenge over the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council development plan and the decision to rezone its lands at Stillorgan Business Park for educational facilities. Oceanscape contended the rezoning amounted to a 'sterilisation' of its site and would cause the company 'serious and irreparable' harm as well as costing it millions of euro. The council filed legal documents opposing the developer's claim, but Oceanscape argued the local authority had no power to do this as it had not sought prior authorisation from elected members, which it argued was required under the Local Government Act, 2001. It asked the court to strike out the council's opposition statement on these grounds. Section 153(2) of the Act states that where a legal action relates to the performance of functions reserved to the elected members, the chief executive 'shall' act with the 'express authorisation of the elected council'. It provides that such authorisation 'shall be deemed to have been given unless or until the contrary is shown'. The council asked the court to interpret the section which, it said, relies on an assumption that the chief executive has a 'deemed authorisation' that is lost only where elected members actively direct him not to do something in a case. It said no formal resolution was passed by elected members, but they were aware of the proceedings and were formally briefed on them in March 2023. The High Court had ruled in Oceanscape's favour, finding the required authorisation was not secured in this case. Soon afterwards, the High Court introduced new practice rules requiring local authorities to inform the court early on whether councillors had given express authorisation to defend a challenge to their decision. However, the Court of Appeal has now overturned the High Court decision and has ruled in favour of the council in a recently published judgment. Explaining the appeal judges' rationale, Ms Justice Nuala Butler said entering into litigation was an 'executive function' and could be taken by the chief executive without requiring a vote of elected councillors. 'In these circumstances, the appeal taken by the local authority will be allowed and the order striking out its statement of opposition will be set aside,' she said.
