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Che Guevara & Ireland’s Quisling Capitalism
The controversy over Galway City Council’s proposal to erect a statue to Che Guevara to commemorate his family links to the city (his mother Anna Elizabeth was a Lynch and born in the city), is indicative of a wider discourse in Irish society. There is already a controversial – and popular – Che Guevara Festival in nearby Kilkee, County Clare, now in its second year. Without any supporting evidence, I would venture to suggest that the proposal is at least uncontroversial for the population at large. But it has drawn the ire of, among others, multi-millionaire Declan Ganley, founder of the right-wing, pan-European Libertas political party. Ganley chairman and CEO of USA-based military communications specialist Rivada Networks (‘Total interoperability’) appointed former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and George Bush point man for Iraq, Richard Meyers to its board. He has many ties with the USA military and multinational corporations, and he has mustered a motley crew of Republican politicians, right-wing academics, businessmen and CEOs to make the simple declaration that a statue to a ‘terrorist’ is likely to damage American multinational investment in Ireland. The crew includes Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, of Cuban extraction and chair of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. This is enough to cause a ripple in the space-time continuum that is American-Irish croneyism.
The controversy over Galway City Council’s proposal to erect a statue to Che Guevara to commemorate his family links to the city (his mother Anna Elizabeth was a Lynch and born in the city), is indicative of a wider discourse in Irish society. There is already a controversial – and popular – Che Guevara Festival in nearby Kilkee, County Clare, now in its second year. Without any supporting evidence, I would venture to suggest that the proposal is at least uncontroversial for the population at large. But it has drawn the ire of, among others, multi-millionaire Declan Ganley, founder of the right-wing, pan-European Libertas political party. Ganley chairman and CEO of USA-based military communications specialist Rivada Networks (‘Total interoperability’) appointed former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and George Bush point man for Iraq, Richard Meyers to its board. He has many ties with the USA military and multinational corporations, and he has mustered a motley crew of Republican politicians, right-wing academics, businessmen and CEOs to make the simple declaration that a statue to a ‘terrorist’ is likely to damage American multinational investment in Ireland. The crew includes Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, of Cuban extraction and chair of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. This is enough to cause a ripple in the space-time continuum that is American-Irish croneyism.
Council to reveal cuts as it writes off €5m | Galway City
Cash-strapped Galway City Council will reveal a full list of proposed cutbacks to services in the coming weeks – already the local authority has spent most of its funding for 2012.
Interim City Manager Joe O’Neill told councillors this week that he will be presenting them with a list of proposed cuts ahead of their meeting next month.
And around €5m in unpaid rates is set to be written off by the Council this year, because of businesses that have gone bust.
So far this year, €19.4m of the €51.2m owed to the Council has been collected, leaving a shortfall of €31.8m.
Councillor Padraig Conneely said he was told this week that €16.4m was carried over to 2012 and invoices for rates due, totalling €34.8m, were sent out this year.
“As the City Council is heavily reliant on rates to run services in the city, this is a matter of great concern. “I’m told that in the region of €5m will be written off as ‘uncollectable’ – this arises because of businesses that are in liquidation or receivership.
“The rates are the biggest source of income for the Council and are used for services all around the city. Without the money, the city will suffer,” said Cllr Conneely.
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via Council to reveal cuts as it writes off €5m | Galway City Tribune | galwaynews.ie.
via Council to reveal cuts as it writes off €5m | Galway City Tribune | galwaynews.ie.
