The Front Pages
Ivor Callely makes the headlines again this morning, with the Irish Times running its main story ‘Inquiry groups seek full explanation from Callely’, as two committees are exploring the grounds for party expulsion for the allegations over the senator’s expenses.
Both the Seanad Committee on Member’s Interests and an internal Fianna Fail committe are investigating the latest allegations that the senator submitted four receipts claiming nearly €3,000 for the purchase of mobile phones between 2002 and 2007, using the letterhead of a defunct company.
The Irish Independent’s front page reads a different story altogether – ‘How we pay €500 a year in ‘green stealth tax’. The Independent today reveals an environmental levy that could hit as early as next month on electricity charges, which when combined with soon-to-be adopted green levies from the Greens/Fianna Fail coalition, amount to over €500 per year for families.
The Government says they are ‘powerless’ to stop the 5% hike in electricity charges, which comes despite the ESB recording profits of €580 last year.
Tales from the Tabs
‘Human race ‘must colonise space or face extinction’, warns Stephen Hawking’
Well then – who’s up for it? Given that we were unfortunately on the receiving end of colonialism the first time around, who would give to try a little interplanetary conquering? In an interview with the website Big Think covered by the Daily Mail, astrophysicist Hawking said that he sees ‘great danger’ for the human race, citing the Cuban missile crisis of 1963 as an example of our species’ sometimes precarious position.
Hawking called himself an optimist during the wide-ranging interview, stating ‘if we can avoid disaster for the next two centuries our species should be safe as we spread into space.’
‘Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain on planet Earth but tospread into space. We have made remarkable progress in the last 100 years but if we want to continue beyond the next 100 years our future is in space.’
The Sports Pages
No surprise as to what story is dominating the sports headlines this morning, after Martin O’Neill’s shock departure yesterday as Aston Villa manager after four years of service. This morning every newspaper is trying to figure out exactly what spurred the Northern Ireland boss to leave his post. O’Neill has managed five clubs in his career and has left of his own accord on each occasion.
According to The Sun, O’Neill was feeling the strain of the imminent loss of James Milner to Manchester City and had been informed that the €20-25m transfer fee would not be used to invest in players, as the club needed to balance their books. Relations were further soured as he discovered goalkeeper Brad Friedel and winger Ashley Young might be sold if deemed necessary by the club’s cash-strapped US owner Randy Lerner. Apparently this was the final tipping point in O’Neill’s decision.
In transfer news, O’Neill’s departure could quickly follow a move by Tottenham to sign Young. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has long admired the player and may pounce before the season begins as uncertainty at Villa Park reigns (Daily Mail).
In other Villa news, United States manager Bob Bradley is an early favourite to take over from Martin O’Neill (The Sun), though owner Lerner has identified Everton boss David Moyes as his ideal replacement (Daily Mail). Bradley has already revealed he would be open to joining the club, and yesterday said ‘coaching in Europe at some point is something that I would love to do.â€
