Latest news with #Coffey
The Journal
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Journal
Watchdog warns that Government's fiscal plans 'lack credibility' as spending to overrun again
THE GOVERNMENT'S FISCAL plans 'lack credibility', the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has warned, as the Department of Public Expenditure has failed to turn over its monthly spending profiles to allow the council to forecast beyond 2026. The council's chairperson Seamus Coffey yesterday briefed reporters on today's Fiscal Assessment Report. The report, with the tagline 'Ireland's outlook: strong today, uncertain tomorrow', warned of the current volatility of Ireland's longtime reliance on corporation tax as uncertainty arises from mooted tariffs from the US and further trade tensions. Coffey highlighted that despite the strength of Ireland's economy and financial surpluses, without these factors, there is a structural deficit of 2.4% of gross national income (previously known as gross national product) – equivalent to €2,500 per worker. The council has been unable to construct a medium-term forecast due to the department's failure to turn over spending profiles, as well as the government's refusal to commit to a fiscal rule. Fiscal rules are permanent constraints on a government's fiscal policy. It is suggested that the failure to turn over spending profiles to the council and the fact that departmental spending ceilings for 2026 and 2027 have not been published is due to potential transfer of functions within the department that is ongoing. Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers pictured in the Department of Finance after the publication of the Annual Progress Report 2025 and April's Fiscal Monitor. Leah Farrell / © Leah Farrell / © / © Coffey said that this highlights that there is no medium-term plan or strategy apparent. The council's report found that the government is overspending in certain areas but emphasised the importance of investing in infrastructure and competitiveness. Employment is at a record high. The growth has been driven by the state and multinationals. Financial services, computer programming and basic pharma products account for roughly 300,000 people in employment in Ireland, the council said. 'Choices must be made. You can't do everything at once,' Coffey said of the government's list of stated priorities. 'In some areas, we can look at maybe where spending could happen that mightn't generate domestic pressures. Advertisement 'When it comes to infrastructure, a lot of it probably has to be supplied domestically. So you look at housing, transport, an issue there is if you spend additional money, where are the resources going to come from to generate the additional output? 'If the unemployment rate is just over 4%, you don't have this big stock of construction staff just sitting there and say, 'Oh, we're spending three billion on extra infrastructure that's going to give us his extra output'. It might just end up having more money chasing fixed resources and just driving up the prices.' Concerns were raised regarding the credibility of budget forecasts, as the department has not accounted for spending overruns in 2024 and 2025. It has also not accounted for the once-off double week Christmas bonus social welfare payment. The predicted overspend is mostly the result of poor budgeting, the council said. Corporation tax is likely to be higher than forecast, the report found. This has been put down to BEPS (anti-base erosion profit shifting) reforms that mean groups with a turnover of over €750m will pay a 15% minimum rate of tax in every jurisdiction in which they operate. Some 30 to 40% of corporation tax paid by US multinational companies in Ireland comes from three companies, the council said its analysis suggests. It did not identify the three firms. Ireland's record export of pharma products earlier this year mean that exports are likely to be above its forecast, even if the level weakens considerably across the remainder of 2025. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has issued four key recommendations to the government on the back of its report, the first being for the government to commit to a fiscal rule. It also recommended that the government use budgetary policy to 'reduce the ups and downs of the economic cycle', meaning that it shows restraint when the economy is string, like at present, and being more generous when it is struggling. The council advised that the government set realistic spending forecasts and move towards medium-term budgeting, calling on it to include previous overruns to paint a more accurate and clearer picture of Ireland's current fiscal situation. 'No matter how the economy evolves, Ireland needs to address shortages of key infrastructure,' the council stated. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Rathnew happy to reach League final, but Championship remains the focus
Wicklow People Speaking on behalf of the Rathnew management team, Mark Coffey cut an understandably pleased figure after his side booked their place in a Division One final; but he was understated as well, and it's clear he and his fellow management-team members are more focused on the action that will follow this League campaign. Rathnew topped the table on 15 points, three clear of anyone else and more than enough to book a spot in the final against Éire Óg. Their opponents on Friday night, Baltinglass, will certainly have more man-power available to them in the County Championship, and it's hard to imagine last year's runners-up losing by a dozen points to anyone when the more-serious stuff gets underway. Coffey was keen to emphasis that.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Syracuse Police report major decline in car theft cases
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Car thefts in Syracuse are significantly down, dropping more than 50% in the first half of 2025. According to the Syracuse Police Department, the number of stolen vehicles has decreased by 51.5% citywide. Syracuse Police Department attributes the decrease to proactive work, including several steering wheel lock drives last summer, social media alerts, and officers patrolling the city. The department partnered with Syracuse University's Department of Public Safety and Destiny USA to distribute more than 1,000 steering wheel locks in just one week. 'It's a big deterrent,' Kieran Coffey, Public Information Officer with Syracuse Police, said. 'When someone sees that lock on the wheel, they know they can't drive off with it quickly.' Coffey explained the department consistently stays on top of social media trends and alerts the public of any new ones. He has followed the decline of the dangerous social media trend known as the 'Kia Boys' challenge. The viral TikTok trend showed teens how to use a USB cord to hotwire certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles in under a minute. The department said many of the thefts last year were tied to that method, especially around the university neighborhood, where some students left cars unlocked or parked in dimly lit areas. Syracuse Police are also watching for newer trends — like thieves trying to mirror key fobs on Toyotas, Lexus vehicles, and Nissans — and hope to hold another steering wheel lock drive this summer. The auto theft numbers are updated weekly by police through their online CompStat dashboard, which breaks down crime trends by district. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicken Salad Chick to open ten new restaurants in Minneapolis
US-based fast casual restaurant Chicken Salad Chick is broadening its footprint in the Midwest with ten new restaurants in the Minneapolis area. This is a significant step for the brand as it introduces its dining experience to the Upper Midwest. The Coffey family, with a basketball legacy, is behind the signed agreement that will bring the franchise to the region. Richard Coffey said: "We knew we wanted to go into business with a brand that we could all get behind. "Chicken Salad Chick stood out because of the support and communication we've received from the team. This is more than a business venture, it's a family journey, and we're excited to do it with a brand that feels the same way." The brand's strategic growth plan includes opening the ten locations before 2030, targeting development in Hennepin and Ramsey County. With an open real estate landscape, Chicken Salad Chick sees opportunities for market growth in the Midwest. Franchise development vice-president Mark Verges stated: "We're thrilled to have a passionate and community-driven family join Chicken Salad Chick. "Their deep roots in Minnesota and commitment to giving back make them great partners as we grow our presence in the Midwest." Chicken Salad Chick is leveraging the momentum from 2024, aiming to set new records with franchise deals across the US in 2025. The franchise development team has identified Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin as key areas for growth. The brand has experienced a 13% increase in unit count year-on-year and reports more than $400m in system-wide sales, a 56% increase over 2021, with an average unit volume (AUV) of $1.48m, according to its 2024 franchise disclosure document (FDD). In addition to the Midwest expansion, Chicken Salad Chick recently announced plans to increase its presence in Texas with a new outlet in Temple. "Chicken Salad Chick to open ten new restaurants in Minneapolis" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Panthers forecheck vs. Oilers breakout: The matchup that will likely decide the Stanley Cup Final
EDMONTON — It is the matchup that most likely will decide this year's Stanley Cup Final. In one corner of the ring, there's the Florida Panthers and their aggressive forecheck, which produces turnovers and mayhem. And well, ultimately, offense. In the other corner of the ring, there's the Edmonton Oilers and their mobile blue-line corps, adept at quickly retrieving pucks and feeding the team's high-octane forwards in transition. Advertisement Something's got to give. 'There's lots of teams that can play the game every way. We're just not one of them,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday on the eve of Game 1. 'We got to play it one way.' 'If they're going to forecheck hard, perfect. Perfect,' Oilers D coach Paul Coffey said. 'Because we'd better be skating and moving the puck.' The Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman turned coach has been at the heart of the Oilers' philosophical approach on the blue line since the day he went behind the bench in November 2023, preaching holding onto pucks and trying to make plays instead of just ripping pucks off the glass. 'If you watch our practices, every single day, we work on that,' Coffey told The Athletic in his office at Rogers Place. 'You can't put a pass on a player's stick as an NHL player? You shouldn't be in this league. From Day 1, that was about a confidence thing.' All of which is why when Oilers general manager Stan Bowman went out to bolster the blue line this season, he didn't look for defensive, shutdown types. He doubled down on what he already had, adding two more puck-movers in John Klingberg and Jake Walman. 'Our identity is being a good puck-moving team,' Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Tuesday. 'But if you don't have the defensemen who can make those good plays and pass the puck up to the forwards, you're not a puck-moving team. So I think it was great additions in Klingberg and Walman.'' Both of them have flourished under Coffey and both have found their stride playing in a system that preaches what they do best. 'You've got to make plays. I said to our D from Day 1: 'You want the forwards to like you? Put it on their stick,' Coffey said. 'If you can't skate and you can't make a play, I'll get someone that can. It's very simple. These guys are NHL players. Somewhere along the way, they were their team's top two or three defensemen. Then they get here and they get put in a box. And they're not allowed to be that guy anymore, and they lose their confidence. Which is the biggest thing. So I just encourage it.' Advertisement Walman's eyes lit up Tuesday when asked about Coffey's impact on his game since coming over in a trade from the San Jose Sharks in early March. 'Yeah, it's been great. Definitely a different voice than I've ever been coached by,' Walman said. 'Does it in a different way. But it's a lot easier. You know what to expect. Gets his point across. He wants us to hold onto the puck. I feel like I've been able to develop some little parts of my game with him. It's been great and I think it's going to be great for my career going forward.' But that Oilers' blue-line mindset is going to be tested in this series. Nobody does it like Florida. 'They want to rim pucks in; they stack the rim with two forwards,'' said one Eastern Conference head coach, who requested anonymity. 'If Edmonton can bump it behind the net, Florida's F3 will pressure that and their D will pinch any pucks on walls.'' And from a Western Conference head coach: 'It will be hard for the Edmonton D corps to break out pucks, and the amount of time they will spend defending during the series versus Florida's heavy O-zone commitment. The downside to Florida's strength is that they give up odd-man rushes, and Edmonton has the elite skill to capitalize on those compared to most teams.' Bingo. Think back to Florida's opening two games against Toronto in the second round. That's as vulnerable as the Panthers have looked during their dominant playoff run. The Leafs were quick enough getting pucks going the other direction in those two opening wins that Florida's overcommitment on the forecheck led to counter-rush chances. The Panthers adjusted after those two games, but there's no question in my mind the Oilers' coaching staff would have watched that closely. Maurice said going from the Tampa Bay first-round series to the Toronto series was a major shift in style, and the Panthers weren't quite ready for it. Advertisement 'It was a major shift going into Toronto — just the systems are all completely different,' Maurice said. 'We struggled with that for the first game or two. It was a big change. Our forecheck is good because we make the right decisions at the line. We don't dump every puck. I don't want them to dump every puck. But we're also not going to try to make a play at the line every time, and over time, players have got a pretty good idea of what's coming next. He's going to put that puck in deep, or there's a play to be made. 'If you can figure that part out of what you're doing, you get to a fairly high percentage of being right and you play faster. That way, you forecheck a little faster. We were late on our forecheck in the first two games in Toronto. … Our decisions had to change. We kind of figured it out.' When Florida's forecheck is at its best, which it has been for most of these playoffs, it means forwards are completely in sync. Said Panthers center Anton Lundell on Tuesday of what their forecheck looks like at its best version: 'I just think we all know what we're doing. We move our feet all the time, which is probably hard for the other team to defend or even be able to get out of the D-zone because we're on them all the time.' Lundell also sees parallels between how the Maple Leafs and Oilers play, which should help Florida. 'Yeah, I feel like there's some similarities to Toronto: high-end skill forwards, fast forwards,' he said. 'But even last year in the Final, we saw what Edmonton had. They've got fast, great players. You have to be aware all the time on the ice, especially when the top players are on the ice.'' Because Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and Edmonton's top forwards will be looking to go, go, go, and counter-attack once their blueliners take possession of the puck. Advertisement The question is, will the Oilers' blueliners struggle to make those plays because of the pressure the Panthers put on them? 'Hopefully, part of that game plan is counterattacking that,' Walman said. 'We know they're aggressive, but hopefully we can get them out of position a little bit and jump by them. That's the biggest asset that we have, is being able to move our feet and getting by it. Hopefully, we can turn that into a positive for us.' Our Oilers beat writer, Daniel Nugent-Bowman, asked Ekholm what he learned about defending against the Panthers last year that can be applied a second time around. 'You've got to be alert at all times, and especially on their forecheck,' Ekholm said. 'They come hard, with a lot of guys and a lot of bodies. (You have to) be quick going back for pucks. … When you play a team that's that strong on the forecheck, it's about making that one play or win that one battle that can make you make the next play. Then, things seem to open up more. You've just got to be alert out there and anticipate the next play before it even happens.' Having played them a year ago in the Cup Final helps prepare Edmonton for what's coming at them starting Wednesday night. 'They're fast. They get on top of you. They're physical,' Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said of the Panthers. 'So for us, (Paul Coffey) preaches, the first play you see is usually the best play to make. So he definitely preaches to make plays with confidence. That really helps our group just go out there and play and not worry about things. But a team that comes as aggressive and fast as they do, the first play is probably going to be the right play.' Said Klingberg: 'They have a lot of dogs on that team that are going to try to run you.' The key in Edmonton countering that is not just the defensemen making quick and correct reads on puck retrievals, but also making sure they're connected as five-man units, Klingberg said. Advertisement 'What you need to do to be successful — and I think what we're doing as a team — is you need to know where everyone is at,' he said. 'It's not just the D is going back for the puck, it's the forwards have to come back, and the center has to get low so you break out the puck as five. That's something this team is doing really well.' There will be times in this series when the Panthers' forecheck will have the upper hand. Other times, the Oilers' blueliners will effectively negate it. The question is which one happens most often. That's going to be this series in a nutshell. (Top photo of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart forechecking Darnell Nurse in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final: Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)
