28/04 Your Morning JOE

The front pages

Such controversy the issue of pensions has caused so far this week – and again the issue dominates this morning’s headlines as we flick through the pages.

This time however the issue is really hotting up. Taoiseach Brian Cowen last night refused to command his entire party to give up their payments while 16 others from both Fine Gael and Labour said good luck to their entitlements.

To the surprise of many, even “the most cunning of them all” Bertie Ahern has given up his pension which was worth €98,000 last year. Former Ceann Comhairle Rory O’Hanlon wasn’t long following Bertie’s lead. However, pressure is growing on Brian Cowen and those who didn’t give theirs up following Máire Geoghegan-Quinn’s surrender on Monday. The list of shame is made up of MEPs Pat the Cope Gallagher and Liam Alyward, Senator Terry Leyden and TDs Jim McDaid and Noel Treacy.

“Bertie Ahern and 15 others give up their ministerial pensions,” reads the Irish Times headline. The Indo follows suit with “FF rebels defy Cowen in pension showdown” and “Cowen refuses to act on pensions scandal,” declares the Examiner.

Enda Kenny is pulling the punches now too while he can. “My challenge to the Taoiseach is to accept the Fine Gael bill and thereby put an end to this practice for once and for all, for the interests of all concerned.”

It’s frustrating, it’s head-melting, it’s borderline unbelievable, and it’s the story that has engulfed the nation.

Other stuff

The father of missing Madeleine McCann has slammed British police for “giving up” on his daughter, according to the Indo. As the third anniversary of her shocking disappearance approaches, Gerry McCann told GMTV’s Lorraine Kelly, “It is not right that a vulnerable, innocent British citizen is essentially given up on. I don’t think as parents we should have to drive the search. Of course we will, but not everyone has had the same resources and support we have had to be able to do that, and I think it’s pretty cruel.” The interview will be broadcast this morning as the McCanns insist their daughter is still alive.

In the Examiner, meanwhile, the discovery of a 1,150 year-old necklace has baffled Irish archaeologists. Found in a cave in the Burren in Co. Clare, the necklace is believed to be a Viking treasure. But the reason for their confusion is this – the Vikings didn’t settle anywhere near Clare. Maybe a Viking girl ran off with a nice Clare man back then.

Columnists

Talk about hitting the nail on the head. Whether you love him or hate him, that man Vincent Browne’s column in the Irish Times stinks of truth this morning. Of course he is talking about the pension issue, and this time he is slamming Mary Hanafin for putting pressure on Máire Goeghegan-Quinn over her pension, which she eventually gave up. Browne then analyses Hanafin’s earnings and pension entitlements. When you read them, you will get quite a shock and make you want to want to throw eggs at her state car. Boo you Hanafin, fair play Vincent.

“How is it that Ministers whose total package per year is close to half a million have the nerve to tell the rest of us why we have to cut back? Why social welfare recipients are to get less and the lowest paid in the public service have to suffer pay cuts?

These are the same Ministers who leave the wealth and the income of the elite largely untouched and who think it is okay to ask the poorer sections of society to carry the burden.”

The sports pages

The big football news is obviously Bayern Munich’s cruise into the Champions League final thanks to that Olic hat-trick Lyon last night, while Manchester City’s goalkeeping crisis is set to continue as a move to recall Joe Hart who is on loan at Birmingham was blocked. There is also plenty of build up to whet the appetite for tonight’s mouth-watering tie between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Nou Camp.

In rugby Leinster coach Michael Cheika won’t risk playing Jonathan Sexton against Toulouse unless he “is fully fit” to face the French outfit. Nonetheless Sexton has been named in the squad that was announced yesterday. Meanwhile Munster still sweat on the fitness of Paul O’Connell and it remains to be seen whether he will be ready to face Biarritz in their crunch Heineken Cup semi-final on Sunday. To view our Toutube build-ups to both semi-finals, and for all the latest news check out JOE rugby.

In GAA news Kerry have been rocked by the news that former All-Star defender Aidan O’Mahony is taking a break from the game for “personal reasons” and will not feature in the championship. In hurling, Galway manager John McIntyre has slammed the timing of their National League final meeting with Cork, which takes place at 7pm in Thurles on Sunday, and Cork dual-star Eoin Cadogan has defended representing the rebels at both codes in light of his latest injury, which keeps him out of both league finals.

Tales from the tabs

What a legend Hugh Hefner is. Not only did he found Playboy and decide to build a big house of fun filled with women and parties – he has now saved the famous old Hollywood sign that overlooks the home of the movies.

According to The Mirror, the owners of the land where the famous site is situated were about to sell it off so houses could be built, meaning the sign would be demolished. However, Hef has come to the rescue and donated £580,000 so the site could be snatched out of the hands of those nasty developers.

“This is the Hollywood ending we were hoping for,” said Governer of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In the Sun, we find the funny story of how writers of the Simpsons have cheekily shown their support for arch-rivals and creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. In a Simpsons episode just aired in America, in the title sequence Bart writes on the blackboard “South Park – we’d stand beside you if we weren’t so scared”.

This refers to South Park infuriating Muslim groups after they aired a recent episode in which the prophet Mohammed was depicted in a bear costume…

Today on JOE

We’ll have all the latest sports news as usual with the latest from the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship from 10am. And don’t forget to check out our agony aunt Claire Tully on Ask Claire.