Maman Poulet

It’s been a while since we’ve had news of former solicitor, contempt holder, and man of much debt, (though not as much as Seanie or others) and he’s on the run, Michael Lynn.

Michael and John Riordan own 5 properties in Leitrim whom KBC Bank Ireland wish to repossess. Yesterday in court counsel for Mr. Riordan said that his client was in Portugal. (This is where Michael hangs out too.) The bank is owed €2.5million. The judge adjourned the case until October.

Counsel for Mr. Riordan said that his client was returning from Portugal and would be issuing new instructions and that the case was very complicated! No word of Michael though? No instructions from him or indications of his return?

It’s been a while since I played some Michael Lynn to bring tears to my ears but sure why not today.

No sign of anyone going to get him, no sign of him coming back. But we still have the choons. My favourite, ‘What are ya like?’

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The verdict came last night just after 9pm,  Dan Boyle brought the recommendation from the Seanad Select Committee on Members Interest’s investigation.  The Senators who had been kept waiting in the house on the last sitting day until 9pm voted unanimously in agreement with the recommendation to suspend.

Ivor Callely  didn’t even show up after asking for an hour to read the document and delaying things even further.

The report details the investigation and you can read the letters where Callely tells Oireachtas officials where he was living and claims expenses and the print outs of websites and other documents that say otherwise.

We can’t seem to take cases against bankers, the state appears unable or unwilling to prepare a case against ‘missing’ solicitor Michael Lynn but a committee of his peers has investigated Ivor Callely and ‘passed sentence’ all within a matter of weeks’.

If it was a court case regarding someone on social welfare who had not paid their TV licence or someone who had worked a few days while signing on  I’m sure it would have been dealt with at some haste and with some rigour.

Senator Callely is unelected and now maybe unelectable.  Though I should point you to Michael Lowry and Beverly Cooper Flynn in the people who have been in difficulty with courts and other bodies and who topped polls or were re-elected with ease.   However I think Sean Haughey is feeling safer in his seat today.

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Update: Video is at the end of this post

Have a look here – at 22.54 minutes in and watch Anne Doyle calmly introduce the TV News moment so far for 2010.

Charlie Bird is back viewers … back with a bang. After over a year of isolation and loneliness as RTE’s Washington correspondent, Charlie has found a role for himself in the coverage of Anglo Irish Bank and Ireland’s financial meltdown.  And it’s no April Fool.

He went on the road to Cape Cod in Boston looking for former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm who has moved to live there.  Mr Drumm owes money on loans amongst other issues.

In classic Bird fashion Charlie found the house and went knocking at the door.

I’ve transcribed the important bit.

We were set up for drama…

CB: As we approached the house it had all the appearances as if there was no-one at home

[Knock knock knock]

CB: Oh they’re there, he’s there [Cue viewers going 'oh yeah!']

CB:Mr. Drumm, It’s Charlie Bird from RTE, Can I talk to you?

CB: It’s Charlie Bird from RTE

CB: Why are you ducking down?

DD: Charlie, What are you doing?

CB: I want to talk to you

DD: [Muffled - we can assume Drumm said you can't come in or something polite like that]

CB: Well can I talk you outside

DD: No you can’t

DD: Have a bit of respect, will you, I have my family here in the house Charlie.

CB: There are tax payers at home in Ireland who would like to have some answers.

DD: Did you see the sign at the gate?

CB: There are some tax payers…

DD: Leave Now

CB: Ok, thank you very much

We later find that Charlie discovers that Drumm has protected his home from claims from people who are owed money. (Read Cape Cod Online’s report on the recent interest of Irish media in the house).

We’ve lost George Lee’s gleeful tones during the last while, but let’s have more Bird please – much more. Let’s send Charlie around the world to find Seanie Fitz, Sean Quinn, David Drumm, oh and Michael Lynn too while you are at it.  Please RTE!!! It’s in the national interest

And can someone please put it up on Youtube for posterity?? Thank you!

Update:

Many thanks to Alexia Golez for the video in an accessible format!

Drumm Doorstep feat Charlie Bird from Alexia Golez on Vimeo.

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“Can you tell me something, are there, have there been, any steps taken to have Mr Lynn charged? Whether an international arrest warrant has been served?�

Out of the mouths of Judges comes a bit of disbelief and oh maybe common sense.  Except that Mr. Justice Brian McGovern was asking the question of a lawyer for a bank!

Off in Cabanas de Tavira in Portugal enjoying the sun and sardines when he’s not flitting about Central and Eastern Europe sits Michael Lynn. Yesterday in court another bank got posession of another set of properties he bought using a mortgage awarded by Anglo Irish Bank.

Some might think that given everything else that has happened with banks and developers in the past three years that Michael Lynn’s story is inconsequential. I would argue that that this line of thinking is bullshit.  Lynn didn’t just borrow money and forget to pay it back or become unable to – numerous cases have been through the courts showing that several mortgages were awarded on the same properties without banks being aware. Lynn has been removed from the Law Society as a member - convicted by his peers (eventually).

Why is there no European Arrest Warrant for Lynn? If one could have been drawn up by the PSNI and acted on by the Gardai for Liam Adams in a matter of weeks why is the singing ex solicitor still in the sun?  Surely the Garda Fraud Squad and other units  have enough evidence to get one issued based on the case being built since he went missing in 2007?

Ah sure even to divert attention from NAMA and the like wouldn’t a showtrial help a government in bother? (Deeply cyncial thinking there but you’d think someone would be shouting loudly for a bit of perp walking especially one who didn’t donate to Fianna Fáil or the Vatican…)

(For the bewildered some of the stuff on Lynn over the past few years can be found here.)

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Yesterdays Irish Mail on Sunday and today’s Irish Times report that former solicitor Michael Lynn was arrested earlier this month in Budapest. The Hungarian Police wanted to extradite him but couldn’t as there are (still) no criminal charges against him. The only charges outstanding in Ireland are contempt of court.  Lynn therefore had to be released by the police in Budapest.

The arrest in Hungary was on the impetus of the Hungarian authorities.  So what has Michael been up to in Hungary that has brought him to the attention of the police and why are they so anxious to get rid?  They investigated reports on fraud related issues before in early 2008.  Have there been further reports? (I’ve not read the Mail on Sunday so it could be outlined there but I know I have Lynn interested readers all over Europe who might wish to shed some light!)

I suppose we should also be asking the question about why the Irish Authorities 22 months on have not yet prepared charges against Mr. Lynn. (For all related posts – and there are many – on Michael you may care to wade through this).

PS. Michael I’m in Portugal next month if you fancy a chat? You might be spending more time there these days rather than Budapest?

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Did you know there was a tax amnesty last month? Country on it’s knees, social welfare being difficult to claim, cuts in public services, banks being bailed out… but if you owned land and had not paid stamp duty on it don’t worry – a deal was done and there’s been a unseemly rush to get it all sorted and landowners who ‘forgot’ to pay have been let off.

Simon Carswell reports today in the Irish Times about this ’stamp duty incentive scheme’ and the amounts collected by Revenue in the past month.

THE REVENUE Commissioners has collected an additional €7.5 million since the end of last month in stamp duty and interest for the late processing of transactions under a special penalty amnesty.

This brings the total collected by the Revenue to €37.5 million under its “stamp duty incentive scheme� to encourage solicitors to present old deeds for stamping before the introduction of electronic stamping later this year.

Solicitors who availed of the Revenue’s “incentive scheme� avoided penalties of up to 30 per cent of the duty payable.

The Revenue has collected €30.3 million in stamp duty and interest of €7.19 million under the amnesty for solicitors and clients.

Most of the instruments stamped late were deeds for property where, for example, the client may not initially have been able to afford the stamp duty.

Solicitors are normally charged a €25 penalty, interest and a surcharge penalty of up to 30 per cent of the stamp duty owing after 12 months if a deed is not stamped within 44 days of the transaction.

An accountancy source told me last month about Revenue offices staying open till midnight to allow solicitors to pay stamp duty on lands/properties purchased by their clients under a scheme – ok lets call it an amnesty and stop talking in Revenue speak. I’m not a tax accountant or in the property purchasing or legal business so bear with me and join in the comments to help me get around this gift to property developers/magnates.

Electronic conveyancing is coming in later this year – the Land and Conveyancing Bill 2006 having become an act. Things had to be gotten in order for this to happen – someone/everyone bar me knew there was a lot of land deals out there that had not had stamp duty paid on them.

Enter the Finance Act (No.2) 2008 – which brought in a 56 day waiver of penalties from date of enactment for all executed but unstamped documents provided the documents are presented for stamping along with the appropriate stamp duty and interest. So things were very busy in the Revenue Stamp Duty Section in the middle of February when the 56 days were almost up.

Still with me?? Good! I’m going to explain why you should be interested now!

Some of the land we are talking about here was purchased maybe 10 years ago – so how could the sale have been legally completed if the stamp duty had never been paid. We’re talking about a sizeable amount of money – which without an amnesty should have incurred penalties and interest. Also mortgages would have been arranged for many properties/developments and if there is one thing I’ve learnt from Michael Lynn it’s that solicitors have to give undertakings to banks about properties that the purchase is legal and complete.

So I’m wondering
a) How come the Revenue Commissioners allowed this to go on for so long – ie lands being purchased and no stamp duty being paid?
b) Can the Law Society explain how their members conducted sales of property which were not complete and how they could give undertakings to banks on the purchase of land where the stamp duty had not been paid?
c) Can the government explain why property developers and the rest get an amnesty on fines and interest on not paying their stamp duty aka obeying the law?

What else should I be wondering? I know people won’t be surprised that the builders have their paths eased to the taxman under this government – remember that on April 7th when we all being screwed again. The Government can go on about e-conveyancing and getting thing in order all they want – this smells of rotten pork barrel politics Irish style.

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In the midst of the country going belly up Michael Lynn must have been missing all the attention. €80 million going missing is only in the hapenny place in comparison to the €7bn bed and breakfast between Irish Life/Permanent and Anglo Irish Bank and Sean Fitzpatrick’s loans etc. Michael Lynn has given his first interview in hiding to the Irish Mail on Sunday.

I’ve yet to emerge from the hen house to get my personal copy of the interview but from the radio coverage so far this morning it all sounds so familiar! The banks knew what he was doing and lent him the money anyway seemingly!

No grannies lost their savings according to him – well we know thats a load of rubbish - there are loads of small investors who bought properties abroad from him who have lost out, several of whom have been in touch with me. Michael says that it’s all someone else’s problem.

Michael doesn’t think he will be going to jail or that he should.  And if he does go he’ll come back to do a few months porridge according to him. Is the deal already being done?

It seems he’s a bit homesick – ah bless…

In my knowledge of Michael’s back catalogue there is one number from his greatest hits which is so appropriate this morning and I’ll leave it for you to delight in. I may come back later following eggs benedict and a stroll in Dublin’s sunshine to comment more on the latest addition to the fable!

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You may remember that Pat Rabbitte and Dermot Ahern went head to head before Christmas on the cutting of the budget of the Equality Authority.

Last night Labour’s Spokesperson on Justice released a statement in reaction to the resignation of 5 members of the authority.

Today’s resignation of five more directors of the Equality Authority exposes the vindictive nature of the crippling cuts arbitrarily imposed by the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern.

This is the same man who considers the proposal of Senator Dan Boyle to reduce the number of Junior Ministers to 17 as “facile” but who pretends that saving a lesser amount of money from the Equality Authority to be a “major saving”.

If Minister Dermot Ahern devoted more time to the Equality dimension of his brief, and less to representing the interests of the leader of the Real IRA Michael McKevitt, he would be more worthy of the office he holds. For a cabinet Minister to get involved in making representations for the leader of an organisation responsible for the worst atrocity in the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland is not just bad judgement, but would inevitably lead to immediate resignation in any other European state.

Now that the Minister has achieved the objective of forcing the resignation of the CEO of the Equality Authority, he should at least restore the viability of the Authority, and then do the decent thing himself.

Meanwhile The Irish Times today reports that IBEC are to replace their nominees who resigned today. And the purpose of this is? Is this why there was no statement accompanying the resignations of Board members O’Flynn and McDonnell – be seen to do the right thing, hope it all blows over and come back again?

One thing is clear the Authority may collapse if the number of board members does not go back up to 12.

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• Five More Equality Authority Board Members Resign
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…For Rick O’Shea.

I’m not sure why 2fm decided to mess with Rick’s show – I don’t think it was money but some managers ‘new idea’. I’ve been listening in the afternoons at work for a while now. Rick keeps me sane at work when I’m not out at meetings. I’m a talk radio junkie, news radio programmes being a huge part of my listening day – I gave up Newstalk and I spent a lot of the summer despising Katie Perry kissing girls and liking it due to Rick but thats a very minor point. Even news junkie bloggers need a break or two and a bit of a light relief. 

Many other bloggers can explain far more eloquently than I why the combination worked of

• agony uncle or at least director of the nations agony aunts and uncles texting in and sorting problems,
• asking the weirdest questions of his listeners by text,
• giving voice to the anonymous but heartfelt start of the impact of the recession by texts
• combined with interviews with all sorts of weird and wonderful people,
• live sessions, movie reviews,
• and the first person to play Michael Lynn (WORLD EXCLUSIVE !). (Sound files not working unfortunately).

And then there was headspace – Rick picked a song to chill to and I and many others chilled.

Since Rick has been gagged and now plays music from a playlist often one track after another without saying a word (Alexandra Burke far too many times in one week) with one minute entertainment news slots (pffft!) it is not my choice of listening. Given I’m off work on sick leave for far too long now I needed headspace and stuff more than ever.

If he had moved time slot there would not have been much of a whimper (well if he had moved to the mornings there would’ve been major parties!) But it’s the policy change and the lack of recognition by management of the fact that 2fm is not a pure music station during the day time and listeners don’t want mindless endless music.  RTE have loads of new fancy digital channels for that sort of stuff.

If you’re in agreement with me as well as joining the facebook group you might think about emailing complaints@rte.ie to let them know – it seems someone is taking notice.

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Photo owned by Môsieur J. (cc)

The blogging year that is (the rest of it was great too!)

252 posts this year which is my busiest blogging year yet since I began in 2005. I thought like loads of others I would post a few links to some highlights in a very rapid recap as it’s been a very long year and the last few days of reading back over the posts has been fun!

January brought Michael Lynn’s greatest hits.. and a bit of fun releasing different tracks and getting him some airtime on radio (Never thought I’d become an A&R woman!)

The search for Ireland’s Eurovision entry was my first foray into live blogging this year – McGarr and Golez trapped me into further ventures later in the year including Questions and Answers, the budget and US election coverage. I also joined lots of other Irish bloggers in surviving the Irish apprentice in 2008. There is huge potential in this for 2009.

March was the month of the blog awards and this lovely piece of glass!

April saw the publication of the Devine report into matters concerning Niall McElwee and who knew what and when. Dr. McElwee guest posted on the blog in response to the report, something which did not occur in the mainstream media. Dr. Francis Finnegan also came forward with her views in a guest post on the blog.

Eoghan Harris blamed bloggers on Bertie’s downfall.

Brian Cowen became Taoiseach in May and we got a new cabinet including the Minister in charge of equality who wasn’t very equal in his thoughts about the gays 15 years ago.

July saw the beginning of the end of properly funded independent equality and human rights infrastructures in Ireland and for the rest of year I’ve been keeping an eye on the twists and turns in budget cuts, resignations and political machinations.

The month of September exhausted me as a blogger and human being thanks to my curiosity about Sarah Palin’s ‘trip to Ireland‘ and a scoop about Irish Rail enforcing discrimination in terms of same sex couples and travel passes by means of crude notices to staff.

October continued with far too much US election coverage and not a lot of blogging just too much pointing out and electoral pop culture overdosing!

I met Commissioner McCreevy for lunch in Brussels in November and got a lot of briefing on things EU on a press/blogger trip to Brussels. I intend looking westwards a lot more during 2009 and sure won’t we have Lisbon II to keep us intrigued. (Scrapes bottom of barrel for an adjective there!).

Throughout 2008 I tried to chronicle the campaign (!) (and my commentary on it) for same sex partnership recognition I have a feeling I might be doing that in 2009, 2010…..

I’ve enjoyed meeting many new bloggers this year and getting to know others a whole lot better and I’ve been inspired by their energy and commitment, respect, support, sense of humour and friendliness. I’ve also met a few of my non blogging readers on my travels and been a bit embarrassed sometimes by their knowledge of the inner workings of my brain…:)

Happy New Year all!!

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