STRATEGYAIMS FOR TOTAL BROADBAND COVERAGE IN STATE
24 June 2008
Harry McGee, Political Staff

Ireland will have "ubiquitous" broadband coverage by the end of next year and will enjoy broadband speeds that will be among the highest in Europe by 2012, according to a Government strategy to be announced next week.

The "Next Generation" broadband strategy will be published on July 3rd by Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan. An internal Department of Communications document seen by The Irish Times says the aim of the strategy will be to have "ubiquitous access to broadband by 2009".

It continues: "By 2012 speeds equivalent to or higher than that in competitor EU regions will be available over a variety of platforms." *

*For the full article, please click here.


BOMB ATTACK WIDELY CONDEMNED
13 May 2008
From http://www.iais.org

Those behind a booby-trap bomb attack on a Northern Ireland police officer are wedded to the politics of the dinosaur, said a senior member of Sinn Fein.

Legislators in NI used a new Northern Ireland Assembly mechanism for the first time to condemn last night`s attack.

Time was set aside at the start of assembly business in reaction to the explosion.

Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Minister condemned the attack.

Ian Paisley said it was an attack on democracy and that those behind it must be "brought to justice".

"My prayers and thoughts are with the policeman and his family at this very difficult time," he said.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness appealed for anyone with information to assist the police.

"The elements within our society who perpetrated this act have nothing to offer, they are without mandate or strategy and represent no one," he said.

The Sinn Fein MP for the area Pat Doherty described it as an "absolute outrage".

"We have moved on - there is no turning back to the old days," he said.

Junior minister Gerry Kelly said incidents like the attempted murder in Spamount, County Tyrone, were being carried out by tiny dangerous groups.

The North Belfast MLA said: "Let us be clear they have no support in the community whatsoever."

The device exploded under the policeman`s car on Monday night as he drove through the village of Spamount, near Castlederg on his way to start night duty.

Members of the public who dragged the injured officer from his burning car were praised by Police Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde for their actions.

It is believed the man suffered serious leg injuries and has undergone surgery.

Sinn Fein chairman of Strabane District Council Gerard Foley said republican dissidents are active in the area.

He said: “I would just ask the dissidents to think about what they’re doing and not to believe for one minute it’s the right way.”

NI Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, also condemned the incident as a cowardly attack against a police officer who was serving the community.

He said those behind the incident will not be allowed to stand in the way of progress.


Minister Martin extends Science Foundation Ireland remit to include Energy Research
From sfi.ie
07 May 2008

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mr Micháel Martin TD, today (Wednesday 7th May 2008) announced the signing into law of new Regulations to amend the remit of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to include sustainable energy and energy-efficient technologies.

The Regulations (SI No 134/2008) are in fulfilment of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2007-2012 to amend the remit of SFI to include a third research pillar in these areas. The Regulations prescribe sustainable energy and energy-efficient technologies as strategic areas of scientific endeavour in addition to the areas of ICT and biotechnology specified in section 7(3) of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003.

Making the announcement, Minister Martin said, “The provision of sustainable energy and efficient-energy technologies is a vital component of long-term economic development for Ireland. The signing into law of these regulations will allow SFI to build a world-class research capacity in these areas and will provide a solid basis to address Ireland’s challenges in the sustainable energy field “

The Regulations follow the agreement between the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to combine resources and to target a world-class research capacity investment through SFI of €90 million in these areas, over the period to 2013, details of which were announced at the Energy Summit held in March this year.

Minister Martin continued, “SFI’s focus is clearly on research excellence to enhance Ireland’s human capital in strategic areas of scientific endeavour relevant to the future competitiveness of industry and enterprise. SFI has been very successful in building Ireland’s research capacity in the fields of information and communications technology and biotechnology, and I am sure that this success will be replicated with this new energy remit.”

Concluding Minister Martin highlighted the important role Ireland and the rest of Europe can play in addressing the challenges of climate change and the need for new sustainable energy sources “We can as a Member State of the EU play an important role in accelerating the development and deployment of sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies. We need to give leadership and renewed direction to energy research to support our energy and climate change goals and our energy enterprise and competitiveness. I believe that the Lisbon Reform Treaty provides us with the proper framework to meet the challenges we now face”


COWEN BECOMES 12TH IRISH TAOISEACH
From IAIS.org
07 May 2008 12:53 EST

Outgoing Irish Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has formally taken over from Bertie Ahern as Irish premier.

The 48-year-old Offaly man was elected in the Dáil (Irish Parliament) and won by 88 votes to 76. He was given a standing ovation by party colleagues in the Dáil. Mr Ahern described the Offaly TD as "uniquely well qualified" to take up the position as the 12th Taoiseach of the Republic.

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny said Mr Cowen had assumed position as captain of the team of Ireland and he urged him to use his position wisely.

Mr Ahern handed in his seal of office to President McAleese yesterday.

As Taoiseach, Mr Cowen succeeds Mr Ahern as Fianna Fáil leader and head of the coalition government. He told the Dáil he was “deeply honored” and would take up the role with “a genuine sense of humility”.

He told the House that Ireland of 2008 was a much better place to live for its citizens than ever before and "far fewer of our people are struggling on the margins of our society"...


AHERN ADDRESSES JOINT-SITTING OF CONGRESS
30 April 2008

Irish premier Bertie Ahern has told the United States Congress that he is the first Irish leader to be able say that Ireland is at peace.

In an historic address, Mr Ahern paid tribute to US involvement in achieving peace on the island.

He is the sixth Irish leader to address a joint session of Congress and only the fifth political leader ever to have addressed a joint sitting of both houses in Britain and the US.

Others who have addressed both the UK Parliament and the joint Houses of the US Congress include Emperor Haile Salassie, President Charles de Gaulle, President Francois Mitterand and Nelson Mandela.

Mr Ahern began by asking the US Congress to try to find a solution and open the path to permanent residency for the undocumented Irish in America.

He implored them to address the implications and to regulate the status for illegal Irish immigrants.

Referring to the shared history of America and Ireland, he said that since the 17th and 18th century the Irish had helped to 'build America'.

He referred to the struggle for success immigrants from Ireland to America had endured and the fact that America was always their 'destiny'.

Mr Ahern has emphasised Ireland's commitment to meet the UN target for overseas development assistance aid by 2012.

He referred to the importance of global citizenship and the role Europe and the US must play together to combat the international financial crisis, global warming and climate change and to counter terrorism.

On the Middle East peace process, he said we must succeed in international collective efforts to bring peace for the people of Israel and Palestine.

Mr Ahern said he always had faith in the Good Friday Agreement and was proud after so many decades of conflict to be the first Irish leader to tell America that "Ireland is at peace".

He thanked President Bush and all his administration for their help, and in particular Senator George Mitchell for the role he played.

He said that peace in Northern Ireland was also part of a greater American legacy thanks to the support America gave throughout the peace process.

He reminded Americans not to forget that and to "feel glad" for what role it had played.

Referring to his forthcoming trip to the site of the Battle of the Boyne, he said centuries of strife were over for good and that "our children will now live in peace".

"This is the triumph of people and politics, of democracy. The great achievement of Ireland and of democracy," he said.


NORTH CAN BE ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE - PAISLEY
From IAIS.org
25 April 2008

Northern Ireland can regain its place as an economic powerhouse on the world stage, First Minister Ian Paisley has claimed.

The Stormont First Minister told CBI Northern Ireland`s annual dinner in Belfast last night that the Stormont Executive had laid the foundations for a strong economy.

As he prepared to stand down from office after next month`s investment conference aimed at US businessmen, the North Antrim MP said he would leave knowing Northern Ireland was no longer at the crossroads.

"It is not facing further years in the economic wilderness," he told guests.

"It is not making daily headlines across the world due to sickening atrocities claiming countless lives and its communities are not ridden with fear, anxiety and suspicion of what the next day will bring."

"The Ulster we have today, and which I have led since May 2007, has already travelled many miles beyond that crossroads."

Mr Paisley said the business community in Northern Ireland could never forget the dark days of the Troubles.

Northern Ireland, he said, was determined never to go back and the Stormont Executive was already demonstrating the advantages of having devolved government whether it was reducing taxes on businesses, showcasing Northern Ireland around the world or creating jobs through practical co-operation with the Irish government.

"Northern Ireland is no longer in the valley of despair," the First Minister declared.

"We have become a beacon of hope, working to harness all the energy and talent that abounds for the benefit of the people of Northern Ireland."


Queen’s Hosts World Forum on Lessons from Northern Ireland
From nibureau.com

Political and academic leaders from around the world will gather at Queen's University in May to examine how Northern Ireland’s recent transformation can inspire others in conflict zones across the globe.

Named after Queen’s Chancellor, Senator George Mitchell, who helped to broker the 1998 Belfast Agreement, the conference will discuss the lessons to be learned from Northern Ireland’s experience of peace-building and regeneration.

The event, on 22 and 23 May, is one of the highlights of Queen’s Centenary celebrations. It is supported by Co-operation Ireland, Titanic Quarter and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.


ROBINSON TO SUCCEED PAISLEY
From IAIS.org
14 April 2008

Peter Robinson is expected to be elected DUP leader later - he will become Northern Ireland first minister when Ian Paisley steps down in May.

He will succeed Mr Paisley, who has led the DUP since its formation in 1971. Mr Robinson has been deputy leader for 28 years with one short break.

His election is expected to go unchallenged, as is that of Nigel Dodds for the post of deputy leader.

Mr Robinson is to meet the Republic's leader elect, Brian Cowen, later.

Mr Robinson has been an MP for almost 30 years. He is the party's main tactician and its director of elections during a period which has seen it forge ahead of the rival Ulster Unionists.

As finance minister, he has played a key role in the Executive.

The low point of a highly successful political career was his arrest in Monaghan following the "invasion of Clontibret" in the 1980s and critics still raise his involvement with the Ulster Resistance Movement.

He is about to succeed a man whom he called "the best leader Northern Ireland ever had".


Tánaiste formally declares for leadership of Fianna Fáil
From The Irish Times
7 April 2008

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has formally declared himself a candidate for the leadership of Fianna Fáil. He is on course to become the seventh leader of the party since 1926 when nominations close at 2pm today. Stephen Collins and Harry McGee report.

Mr Cowen spoke yesterday about his "deep and abiding respect" for Fianna Fáil, telling political correspondents: "I value the experience not just of Cabinet members but of the whole parliamentary party. I know what this party is about. I have lived with it, I have worked with it, I have breathed it. I love this party."

The Tánaiste was proposed for the leadership by Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan and seconded by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan. The Ministers are close confidants of Mr Cowen and there has been speculation in the party that one of them will succeed him as Tánaiste.

To read the entire article, please click here.

St. Patrick's Day Message
from President Mary McAleese

DMi Partners Handles Online Concession for Mitchell & Ness
From Ad News
May/June 2008

DMi Parners, Inc. a full-service interactive marketing and e-business management firm, announced the re-design and launch of the new Mitchell & Ness (M & N) website, the pioneer in throwback sportswear. The substantial redevelopment of the M & N site was implemented to vastly mprive customer experience, as well as to offer M & N more flexibly when merchandising their products and servicing their customer's needs. dmipartners.com


Volunteer Of The Week
From Main Line Times
By Joel Fram
7 May 2008

Early in April, Jim Delaney and his wife, Jacqueline, were in Rome, about to meet Pope Benedict XIV. Jacqueline turned to Jim and asked him, "What will we talk about?" No doubt she was not the first to wonder how to conduct a conversation with the pope. The dilemma was resolved when Benedict was told that Jacqueline had lived in Germany and spoke fluent German. He was clearly happy to meet someone who spoke his native language, and the two carried on a pleasant conversation for several minutes, in German.The Delaneys were meeting the pope to present him with the funds raised through the Papal Foundation, a group of about 100 American Catholics that raises money for missionary work in Third World countries, with an emphasis on education. Next month, through the foundation, the Delaneys are going El Salvador, where they will see the work done on a church they are helping to build.

Jim Delaney's full-time - if non-paying - job is volunteering for a number of institutions, most of them Catholic, that promote education, missionary work and community service. His extensive list of board and committee positions includes St. Charles Seminary, Neumann College, the National Catholic Community Foundation, Monsignor Bonner High School (his alma matter), the Augustinian Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Cardinal's Leadership Task Force. That's not to mention his memberships in a number of secular and local organizations such as the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, the Lower Merion Conservancy and the Barnes Foundation. "I have a tough time saying no to people," he says, but clearly, he joins organizations and assumes leadership roles with the same enthusiasm with which he talks of their good works.

Not surprisingly, Delaney and Jacqueline were honored this year by the Irish American Business Chamber and Network (another organization on whose board he serves) with its Taoiseach Award for community service, presented by the ambassador of Ireland to the United States. (Taoiseach is pronounced "tee-shock;" it is a title applied to the prime minister of Ireland)

Jim Delaney, 57, grew up in Upper Darby and attended St. Joseph's University. In 1991, he co-founded J.G. Wentworth, a financial services organization that specialized in converting deferred payment streams into cash. The firm prospered and was sold in 2005, enabling Delaney to retire and devote himself to volunteer charitable work. He employees a full-time secretary, Theresa Scanlan, whom he praises without reservation and credits with "organizing everything" for him. "It God wanted me to do [what I'm doing], he would have sent her," he says.

The Delaneys have been married for 33 years and have lived in Haverford for 13 years. Their two sons and one daughter are on their own in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.; grandchildren are yet to come. Jacqueline also has an impressive volunteer resume; she serves on a number of boards and is active with the Philadelphia Flower Show. "She's as busy as I am," Delaney says.

Even the Delaneys' social life centers around their charitable work, Delaney says. They attend numerous benefits, often with friends, and enjoy the company of similarly-minded "great, great people." Their lives are not without other divertissements, however. They frequent their property in Florida, and Delaney enjoys racket ball and reading, particularly history. And Delaney drives a spiffy Aston Martin.
"I love it," Delaney says of all he does for no pay. "It's the reward of being able to do it."

Joel Fram is a regular contributor to the Main Line Times. To suggest a Volunteer of the Week, e-mail him at frambook@aol.com.


Volunteer Of The Week
From Main Line Times
13 February 2008

When Bill McLaughlin sees a need that isn't being filled, he isn't one to complain. Rather, he steps in to fill the need.Sixteen years ago, McLaughlin was disappointed to find that there was no girls' basketball association on the Main Line for his two daughters to join. An old friend, Rich Lawson, a physical education teacher and also the father of two girls, felt the same way. Together, they formed the Main Line Girls Basketball Association. For the first several years, the Association was based in the McLaughlin household, using its mailing address and phone number. (Needless to say, this made it difficult to enjoy an uninterrupted dinner or to relax at home.) Now, the Association plays in virtually every gym on the Main Line; it has provided the experience of playing basketball to thousands of girls, helped by hundreds of volunteer coaches. And even though McLaughlin's and Lawson's daughters have outgrown the Association, both men continue to manage it, along with two mothers they recruited to help early on, Barbara Beck and Diane Di Bonaventura.

Nine years ago, McLaughlin saw the need for a non-profit Philadelphia-based organization to promote economic and educational relationships between the United States, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. Again, rather than simply wish for one, he formed one: the Irish American Chamber & Network. He enlisted a board and officers, and put in what his wife, Natalie, describes as the "enormous effort" to make it happen. Now, there are several hundred members, 2,000 on the mailing list, and a history of millions of dollars of business resulting from the Chamber's existence. A number of CEOs are regular participants in the group's events, as are the ambassador of Ireland, the U.S. ambassador to Ireland and the Irish consul general. McLaughlin served as president until last year, when he moved on to be the chairman.

McLaughlin is an engaging and talkative man of 62, a self-described "basketball nut" who played the game full-court three times a week until he ran into "joint issues" several years ago. Perhaps sports is in his genes: His father played football with the Frankford Yellow Jackets - since evolved into the Philadelphia Eagles - in the early 1930s at what was then an alluring $25 a game, twice what a factory job would pay. McLaughlin grew up in Delaware County, a "row house kid," attended Catholic schools and graduated from La Salle University as a marketing major.

McLaughlin's Irish roots run deep. In 1991, he and Natalie purchased the farm in County Mayo that his grandmother had left in 1889 at age 19 when she came to America. The McLaughlins travel there every summer and donate the use of the farm as an auction item for a dozen charities, including the Parkinson's Council, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Jewish Child Services.

McLaughlin's other volunteer activities are extensive. He serves on the council of president's advisors at La Salle University and the boards of the Merion Community Association, the Global Interdependence Center, and Neumann College. He was drawn to Neumann, a small Catholic liberal arts college with a focus on health care, because it has a dominant number of students who are the first ones in their families to attend college - as was McLaughlin himself.

The McLaughlins have been married for 27 years and live in Merion. Their older daughter, Morgan, works in the finance department of Club Med; their son, Byrne, works for Apple Computer; their youngest, Brigit, is a sophomore at Georgetown. All three attended Lower Merion High School. Both the McLaughlins are entrepreneurs: He started and heads McLaughlin and Morgan, a business development firm in Philadelphia; she started and runs McDay LLC, a marketing consulting firm.

Natalie McLaughlin, admittedly biased, describes her husband as an "effective thinker and problem-solver," as well as "a generous and tireless volunteer, innovative, responsive to people who call him and up and ask to get together to 'pick his brain.'" Seeing what McLaughlin has accomplished, it's clear that her observations are based on much more than a wife's bias.
For information about the Main Line Girls Basketball Association, visit www.mlgba.com, call 610-617-9999 or e-mail mlgbahoops@gmail.com. For information about the Irish American Chamber & Network, visit
www.iabcn.org, call 215-772-3101, or e-mail info@iabcn.org.

Mount St. Joseph Girls Happy With Silver And Gold
From The Bulletin
By Brendan F. Quinn
19 May 2008

Philadelphia - Pulling up to the awards dock at the Stotesbury Regatta, the Mount St. Joseph girls' senior eight was lined with silver smiles.

Cheeks were dry on heads held high.

Though gold medals weren't to come, a second-place finish in senior eight was welcomed. The Mount's boat is one built for speed in clam conditions, but strong headwinds and choppy water made for less than ideal conditions over the course of a beautiful afternoon on Saturday.

"The first 500 (meters) were crazy," said Devon Stewart, the boat's Harvard-bound coxswain. "There were practically waves entering our boat, but I think we handled it as well as we could. We had a nice sprint to get to second place."

The Mount's time of 5:19.34 was second to Robert Engman Trophy winner Bishop Eustace (N.J.). The Crusaders' back-to-back senior eight Stotesbury wins have come on the heels of The Mount's consecutive victories in 2005 and 2006.

Holy Spirit (N.J.) came away with bronze medals as the third-place finisher.

"It was a very good row," said coach Mike McKenna. "The three top crews separated themselves from the pack and Eustace really stood out. I thought (Holy) Spirit would have an edge because of the conditions, but (Eustace) flat out beat us."

The Mount's senior eight was comprised of Stewart, eight seat Mary Maginnis, seven seat Meredith Weber, six seat Meg Kehan, five seat Mary Duff, four seat Katie Gregor, three seat Cherika Ukogu, two seat Laura Pospisil and bow seat Meg Scluckebier.

The Mount did pick up gold medals for a first-place finish in the girls' second eight. The boat cruised to an easy eight-second victory over Virginia state champion Thomas Jefferson.

"I wasn't expecting it," McKenna said. "Thomas Jefferson won the time trials and were the favorites, so it was quite a surprise. It was a really great race for them."

The Mount also won a trio of bronze medals in the girls' junior eight, lightweight eight and freshman eight.

Next weekend, many of the boats will travel to Tennessee for the Scholastic Rowing Championships. McKenna is also in the process of trying to pick up an invitation to the Youth National Championships in Cincinnati.

"We're encouraged for nationals," McKenna said. "The conditions will be better and I think we can pick up some more medals. All the fast crews who were here will be there, plus some good Midwest schools."

Preparing to push off from the awards dock, Stewart was already looking ahead to next weekend.

"I'm so happy right now, it couldn't have been any better," Stewart said. "But just wait till Nationals. That's all I have to say."

Coming Soon!

Campbell USA President Addresses Chamber

The President of Campbell USA, Denise Sullivan Morrison, was guest speaker at the Irish American Business Chamber and Network’s luncheon on Tuesday, the 17th of April. The French-American Chamber of Commerce and the German-American Chamber of Commerce were co-hosts for this
event. Nearly two hundred people attended the networking reception and luncheon at the Union League of Philadelphia which was sponsored by Continental Airlines.

To read more about the spring and summer 2007 events, please click here for a PDF of our current newsletter.