Friday's rant

[Hippo]

The ODCE, DPP and the state for thinking they would be able to pursue this action with the resources, experience and skillset available within their own ranks.

Yes it was a surprising decision of the DPP to proceed with the case given the monumental f%~k-ups in the investigation. Perhaps they thought it would look even worse if they didn't press ahead

[Peg Leg]

The ODCE, DPP and the state for thinking they would be able to pursue this action with the resources, experience and skillset available within their own ranks.

Yes it was a surprising decision of the DPP to proceed with the case given the monumental f%~k-ups in the investigation. Perhaps they thought it would look even worse if they didn't press ahead

I've had the recent pleasure of visiting the nama and ntma offices and can confirm that it is rank and file gardai reviewing any potentially criminal documentation. Not sure, but I would doubt they have a qualification beyond being a garda.
Surely Europole or another agency could have been employed to support or manage the investigation. What they needed here was a J Edgar Hoover and a team of graduates to establish an FBI of sorts. Not the moving of civil servants into roles of extreme importance.

[Oldschool]

The ODCE, DPP and the state for thinking they would be able to pursue this action with the resources, experience and skillset available within their own ranks.

Yes it was a surprising decision of the DPP to proceed with the case given the monumental f%~k-ups in the investigation. Perhaps they thought it would look even worse if they didn't press ahead

I've had the recent pleasure of visiting the nama and ntma offices and can confirm that it is rank and file gardai reviewing any potentially criminal documentation. Not sure, but I would doubt they have a qualification beyond being a garda.
Surely Europole or another agency could have been employed to support or manage the investigation. What they needed here was a J Edgar Hoover and a team of graduates to establish an FBI of sorts. Not the moving of civil servants into roles of extreme importance.

I'm of the firm opinion that too many c~*ks up occur in this country repeatedly for them simply to be mistakes.
I'll give a little personal example of a minor c~*k up that in my opinion was simply a "make work" item - a waste of taxpayers money but (hopefully) no harm done.
Last December I received a form from Social Welfare requesting that I fill out the form in order to claim a Contributory Old Age Pension.
While I realised the request was probably a year too early I filled out the form and returned it to Social Welfare in the New year, thinking maybe they're just ultra efficient and want to get their records up to date well in advance (I know, I know but I have a charitable heart, most of the time).
Anyway a couple of months later I received a reply from Social Welfare informing (that's their word) me that my claim was being rejected and that I should resubmit it next year (They used the phrase at the appropriate time).
They didn't, off course, return the completed forms.
I intend to write to them requesting the return of my completed application form because there is a lot of information on it about my employment movements and it took me a fair bit of time to collect it (I didn't keep a copy - silly trusting me|).
I will, of course, point out to them that it was they who sent the blank forms and requested that I fill out and return them.
That should keep somebody busy for at least a day - they'll be delighted that their work scheme is working so efficiently.

[Oldschool]

The ODCE, DPP and the state for thinking they would be able to pursue this action with the resources, experience and skillset available within their own ranks.

Yes it was a surprising decision of the DPP to proceed with the case given the monumental f%~k-ups in the investigation. Perhaps they thought it would look even worse if they didn't press ahead

I've had the recent pleasure of visiting the nama and ntma offices and can confirm that it is rank and file gardai reviewing any potentially criminal documentation. Not sure, but I would doubt they have a qualification beyond being a garda.
Surely Europole or another agency could have been employed to support or manage the investigation. What they needed here was a J Edgar Hoover and a team of graduates to establish an FBI of sorts. Not the moving of civil servants into roles of extreme importance.

NAMA - I know someone who was NAMAtised.
IE NAMA took over their debts and assets and put them working on someone else's portfolio. This seemed to be the normal way that NAMA operated.
Not a bad idea in theory.
Basically NAMA set the price they wanted for the portfolio and off went "someone" to negotiate on that basis.
I specifically asked the question - Were you incentivised to get a better deal, if possible.
Unequivocally the reply was NO, I repeated the question to be certain and received the same reply.
NAMA have always stated that their main focus was to recover as much of the taxpayers money as possible and from their perspective they probably think they've done a good job, notwithstanding vulture funds etc.
The problem as I see it is that the crossbar was set way too low for NAMA and the government walked away from any proper oversight on NAMA and what it was doing.
Both NAMA and the Government may well have acted in the best interests of the taxpayer but they didn't act in the best interests of the citizens of this country.
The government for example tinkered with the bankruptcy and insolvency laws instead of just copying the UK equivalent, pretty much word for word and running with that.
This would have negated some of the worst affects of the vulture fund's activities and the banks too who used the vulture funds to wash their hands of any responsibility for "what happened next".
People blame the vulture funds instead of pointing the finger at the legislators who are the real culprits.

[Dave Cahill]

Every time you update Tapatalk these days it turns the focking signature back on [ANGRY FACE][POUTING FACE][IMP][THUMBS DOWN SIGN]

[Oldschoolsocks]

Every time you update Tapatalk these days it turns the focking signature back on [ANGRY FACE][POUTING FACE][IMP][THUMBS DOWN SIGN]

What's wrong with the tapatalk signature?

[Peg Leg]

Every time you update Tapatalk these days it turns the focking signature back on [ANGRY FACE][POUTING FACE][IMP][THUMBS DOWN SIGN]

What's wrong with the tapatalk signature?

He doesn't want everyone to know that he's still using the Commodore 64

[Dave Cahill]

ZX Speccy!

[cormac]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

[FLIP]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

[blockhead]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Actually, it could be good thing for the island. DUP want brexit but also want cross border trade to be as unaffected as possible. The "Ireland" question could end up being front and centre in negotiations with the EU.

[blockhead]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

And I don't know what the fup you're talking about.

[FLIP]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

And I don't know what the fup you're talking about.

Jeremy Corbyn and the Momentum group that have taken over the Labour party are proven to be antisemitic - so much so that Labour had to have an internal inquest to try and whitewash it away, only for a Jewish Labour MP to receive antisemitic abuse at the public release of the report.

[blockhead]

What's "antisemitic" in this context?

[FLIP]

What's "antisemitic" in this context?

Abuse and Threats based on the victims Jewish heritage, or the support or inaction against such abuse and threats.

[Ruckedtobits]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Quite a different context from Arlene's last visit to No 10 when Theresa and Mr Brokenshire had no sympathy for her inability to form an administration after Assemble Elections. Even if it's just for the hell of it, Arlene should make that women sweat a bit (in fact about stg£20Bn) before agreeing her Party's support.

No real truck with DUP politics but T May has not treated Ireland, north or south, with anything but distain.

[domhnallj]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

Handy if you could provide a source for that claim. I remember it was being bandied around by the likes of the Sun/Mail/Express so I ignored it as lies. On the other hand the Tories....

[FLIP]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

Handy if you could provide a source for that claim. I remember it was being bandied around by the likes of the Sun/Mail/Express so I ignored it as lies. On the other hand the Tories....

All the sourced evidence you need in one article: https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/04/l ... i-semitic/

[rooster]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

You guy's started accepting refugees from the North yet ?

[fourthirtythree]

The thought of the DUP holding the balance of power at Westminster

Better that than the Anti-Semite party leading the UK. It's remarkable how many people will give up their principles for more free stuff.

Magnificent! I'd suggest some reading but your ignorance is a beautiful, unsullied thing. Don't go changing!

And keep reading the Daily Mail, it's great isn't it?