Archive for July, 2010
We need video evidence / Rogue Developers /Getting to Market
The scenes at the end of the Leinster football final in Croke Park last Sunday were ugly. The shameful sight of Martin Sludden, the referee, being physically assaulted brings the GAA into disrepute. The so-called Louth fans who tried to physically assault him have done a huge disservice to themselves, their team and the sport.
There have been calls for the Gardai to use the video evidence from the TV pictures to identify and prosecute those who attacked the ref’.
But surely if video evidence is to be used should it not have been used earlier in the game to assist the referee in establishing whether Meath’s injury time goal was within the rules or not?
The GAA is rightly proud of its amateur status. It is in fact the most dearly cherished principle of the association. As the referees are also amateurs, volunteering their services, surely the GAA owes it to these brave, genuine, well-intentioned men to give them every possible assistance in doing their difficult job. We have all seen how well it works in rugby. Surely it now has to be introduced to the GAA.
I sometimes think there is a twisted logic in all of this. That somewhere in GAA Headquarters there are some highly-paid executives who are actually delighted with all this controversy and the acres of newsprint and endless hours of radio debates that are generated by it.
On the night of soccer’s World Cup final these highly paid GAA executives probably take great joy from knowing that in every pub in the country the topic of conversation was the events in Croke Park earlier that day and not Spain’s victory in South Africa.
But the GAA would have benefitted hugely from using video technology last Sunday. Just imagine the suspense of Martin Sludden going upstairs to consult with a fourth official, a video ref’ and then declaring, ‘no goal’.
Picture the scenes of uncontrolled joy as Louth wins their first Leinster in 53 years and all the positive media coverage that would have followed about lesser counties like Louth and Sligo breaking through to the upper ranks of the GAA. Meath would still be odds on favourites to reach an All Ireland quarter final.
Instead we refuse to use the technology. Amateurs who have trained so hard for so long are denied fair play, another core principle of the GAA. Meath gain what is, after all, an empty and sullied victory.
We witness a poor referee put in an impossible position being physically attacked. We see Louth supporters behaving appallingly. Most concerning is we see a steward being hit by a bottle thrown from the stand. The game we love is becoming like soccer.
The GAA must now introduce video assistance to referees. It is an open and shut case. An hour before the game in Drumcondra I saw a Louth supporters’ bus. They were all decked out in their red and white but amazingly in the front seat there were two passengers in the green and gold of Meath. That sight for me is reflective of the real GAA not the scenes at the end of the game.
Rogue Developers
Have you heard this term on news bulletins – “rogue developers”? Just lately it is being used with alarming frequency in reports to do with NAMA. We hear about loans from rogue developers being transferred to the National Assets Management Agency. I am concerned about this term and how it is coming into common usage in news reports.
Another term I hate to hear in the news is, “ the victim was known to the Gardai”. When I hear about some appalling murder I am initially concerned. Then I hear that phrase, “was known to the Gardai” and, to my shame, I stop being concerned.
I now surmise the murder victim was some criminal type who I assume was up to no good and, though I hate to admit it, I conclude; good riddance! That phrase, “known to the Gardai” conditions us not to be concerned or compassionate about the fellow citizen who has just brutally lost his or her life.
It is the same with “rogue developer”? It conditions us to think they were an evil lot and good riddance to them. I realise few people have sympathy for those property developers who have gone bust. But were they rogues is my question?
Sadly I have seen some friends lose their businesses in the last eighteen months. An architect’s firm which went into receivership. A coffee shop which has closed. A children’s party business where the phone just stopped ringing. And a recruitment consultancy which has gone to the wall.
Were they all rogues because they set up their business and gainfully employed themselves and others? I think not. To anyone who has lost a job, a business, or worst of all, their home, can we not show some compassion?
For an economy to survive and thrive we need people to set up businesses and to take risks. If their businesses fail we should ensure that once they have paid their debts to the best of their ability then we should encourage them to try again. Our country and its economy needs entrepreneurs and risk takers now more than ever.
Getting to Market
Getting a new product market is always exciting and challenging. The next time you are in a shop look at all the products on the shelves and just think about all the development work that has gone into each product. That’s what I love about doing Dragons’ Den.
It is not the TV part of the show that excites me. It is what happens after I have made an investment on the show. I love mentoring the guys to bring their products to market.
Back in March, Noelle O’Connor, came into the Den with her idea for a 100% natural tan, called TanOrganic. I invested and we have since brought it to market successfully. It is in all pharmacies now nationwide and enjoys strong sales.
But we had huge teething problems with this product or more correctly its packaging. The product comes in a bottle with an old fashioned cork because it is 100% natural. We thought having it in a bottle with a cork made it look different.
But we had not counted on another difference. In warm weather a very small number of corks are likely to pop. Now that is ok with champagne but the last thing you want popping is a tanning lotion.
So we have had to change the packaging and the cork is now replaced by a screw cap and the problem is solved. But poor Noelle hasn’t slept since the 17th of June when we first realised we had a cork-popping problem.
What has amazed me is the goodwill of pharmacies and consumers alike to this product.
It seems in the current recession there is great support for people like Noelle O’Connor who have had the tenacity to invent a new product and bring it to market in the worst recession ever.
This week she is meeting Boots who want to stock TanOrganic in their 2,700 stores throughout the UK.
Even in a recession we need to realise there are new business opportunities out there for those who have the vision and the dedication to see it through. Noelle is a real entrepreneur. She is employing 21 people. With a company with great export potential she is playing her part in trying to help our country find the path to recovery.
Is our economy turning the corner? A February election in the offing
Independent Group Local Papers Column 26th July 2010
That is the question I am most frequently asked as I speak to various Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations and Companies around the country. Sadly, the best answer I have given is, I sincerely hope so.
I know it sounds weak but it would be worse to tell people recovery is underway if I have seen no evidence of it. However, for the first time I am beginning to see hard evidence of the initial steps of a recovery.
I am part-owner of Ireland’s largest, privately-owned, recruitment company, the HRM Group.
HRM is what is termed a very large, general recruiter and therefore a good example of the ravages of the economic meltdown. In the boom years the company earned millions in profits and then simply fell off a cliff in the second quarter of 2008.
Fortunately during the Tiger years the company had built up millions of euro in cash reserves so when the crash did come we had enough money to run it for a number of years even with zero revenues.
Luckily it never got that bad. The company still enjoyed strong revenues during the last two years, but the crash has cost the company millions. When we do come out of this recession we look forward to being one of only a handful of recruitment specialists who are left in the sector. What we have lost will be made back in time.
Another question I am frequently asked is “how does this recession compare to the 80’s?” My answer is always that this recession is far worse. On our books are hundreds of highly qualified accountants and young, bright solicitors who have lost their jobs.
I don’t remember those types of jobs being lost in the eighties. And of course losing your job is awful but losing it and having a large mortgage to meet is a living hell.
So I am delighted to report that companies are now coming to us in significant numbers looking to recruit new staff. It started in May when we saw a dramatic jump in companies looking to hire people.
The growth is coming entirely from the multinational sector and is mainly in the sciences and pharmaceuticals sectors.
We are seeing no evidence whatsoever of any significant growth yet in technology. Yes there is some activity but nothing to get excited about. This makes me wonder about our politicians who are making a big play of the smart economy.
The view I am beginning to form is as Ireland is a small open economy it is only a global recovery that will take us out of our mess and already the multinationals are beginning to do that. Throughout the crash remarkably our exports have stayed strong.
So where do we go from here? Well, we can make things a lot worse or a lot easier for ourselves. How we handle our national debt and our budget deficit in December’s budget is now critical.
It will be the most important budget in our nation’s history. We can take heart from the fact that the more pain we take now the faster we will move on the road to recovery.
Discounts
With money tight everyone is looking for a discount these days. This guy phones the dentist early in the morning to avoid the poor receptionist he had plagued for two days seeking a special price for a tooth extraction.
The dentist answers and the caller asks, “what’s your very best price to take out a tooth that is causing awful pain sir?”
The Dentist, annoyed says “speak to my receptionist when she is in at nine o’ clock.” The caller replies, “I did yesterday and she said €130 but I am asking you what is your very best price?”
The Dentist impatiently states, “I suppose I could do it for €120”. The caller explains it is not a big molar but “only a little one beside the left fangy one on the bottom. “You’d whip it out in two minutes so for a little one like that what’s your best price?” Reluctantly our dentists says “I suppose I could do that for €100.”
The caller demands, “what do I get for the €100?” The Dentist can’t believe he is here trying to justify his “modest” fee and starts to list out, “well there’s the nurse in attendance then there are the two anaesthetic injections..,” The caller interrupts. “we don’t need a nurse. Say, I make the appointment early in the morning so your nurse can set it all up the night before how much would that cost? The dentist now anxious to get this nut off the phone says, “Alright without the nurse I will do it for €80.’’
He is shocked when the man enquires, “do we need the two anaesthetics? Can we do it without them for €50?” The dentist concedes, exasperated, “OK we will do it for fifty euro,” and asks, “when do you want to come in sir for this procedure?’’
The man on the other end of the phone replies: “Oh it’s not for me, it is for my wife.”
A February election in the offing
TDs on all sides of the house are beginning to anticipate a general election is likely to take sooner rather than later.
The surest indication of that is when the Deputies start to break ranks and put their own profile in their constituency ahead of party loyalty.
The latest sinner was Lucinda Creighton of Fine Gael. She condemned Enda Kenny’s judgement over Fine Gael hosting a golf classic attended by and contributed to a property developer whose loans are being transferred to NAMA.
Her party had just gone through the worst bloodbath imaginable over the leadership of Enda Kenny and all sides had decided to pull together and present a united party with its troubles now aired and behind it.
But up pops Lucinda, never a lady to miss an opportunity for self promotion.
She is clearly more concerned about positioning herself as a tough, no-nonsense politician in her Dublin south east constituency prepared to question the leader.
Of course, as Enda is very low in the polls in Dublin it suits Lucinda to take this stance.
She can claim she represents a united party but also present herself as not being a Kenny supporter.
The three main political parties now all have deputies who have broken rank and in both Fianna Fail and Labour have also lost the whip.
When you see folk getting into the lifeboats you know the ship has started to sink. However my call is we won’t have an election in the Autumn as many predict but it will happen in February when the Government fail to get through their Finance Bill.