CurrentAccount: Current Account notices that the penny pinchers at Eircom have been at it again, telling the Government that they want to stop being solely responsible for the 999 emergency services number.
Eircom management says operating this vital service costs it €6 million per year and it doesn't want to shoulder the burden. The rumour is that Eircom has also told the Garda that it no longer wants to pay the price of tapping phones to help investigate crime.
Neither the Government nor Eircom was prepared to comment on this particular cost-cutting measure, citing national security as outside matters of "public interest".
But the company's move to withdraw from these activities has caused a flurry of emergency meetings at the Department of Communications, which is attempting to hammer out a deal with other telecoms firms to help foot the bill.
'B&F' accumulated losses now €852,436: Recently-filed accounts for Business & Finance (B&F) magazine show that it had accumulated losses of €852,436 at the end of 2003, and warn that its continued viability depends on the support of its bankers and directors, and on a fresh injection of capital.
The same accounts show that the magazine's current publisher, Moranna Ltd, has been depending on other companies within its group for ongoing support.
By the end of last year, it owed its ultimate parent, Cloughmore Media, €187,819, and there was a further €36,473 due to Baal Securities, which owns the Business & Finance title. The company had postponed repayment of the Cloughmore loan, while one of its directors, Mr Ian Hyland, had guaranteed €100,000 of its bank debts. The accounts show that its total debt topped €1 million.
Cloughmore owns Baal, which in turn owns Moranna and charges it €25,000 a year for the right to publish the magazine. Its previous publisher went into liquidation in March 2002 with debts of €1.29 million.
Mr Hyland, Mr Elgin Loan and Mr Jonathan O'Connell are listed as Cloughmore's shareholders.
Moranna's accounts also state that the directors were aware of its cash flow difficulties and were endeavouring to "arrange suitable finance to secure its future".
Overlooking O'Leary: Ryanair's Michael O'Leary must wonder what he has to do to attract the attention to the Government. He swooped on Shannon last week to announce a major investment that will see the airline operate nine new routes from the airport to Britain and continental Europe.
The routes will see Shannon become the latest "hub" for the airline, bringing a much-needed boost to the regional economy. Not that you'd have guessed from the Government reaction. Not a single high-ranking member of either Government party was on hand.
Yet, tourism minister John O'Donoghue made sure he was around this week when American Airlines announced its intention to fly out of Shannon to Boston as well as launching a Dublin-Chicago route.
Is this just the latest example of the Government opting for Boston over Berlin, or could it be the Minister felt he would inevitably find himself in the Ryanair boss's shadow?
Can An Post deliver? So industrial strife is on hold once again at An Post. After a day of action on Wednesday, the unions and management have agreed to meet Noel Dempsey and try - yes, once again - to find a way out of the madness.
The decision of the company not to pay the terms of Sustaining Progress is among the reasons for all the tension. Another problem is the future of SDS. Also, staff numbers have been growing despite mail volumes coming under pressure from electronic alternatives.
All of these issues will no doubt be broached during the talks. But one issue unlikely to discussed are performance levels at the company.
ComReg, the regulator in this area, has repeatedly pointed out how next day delivery rates at An Post are simply unacceptable. Is this latest round of talks going to do anything to address this? Don't watch this space.
