Fianna Fáil, Tullow Oil & Uganda

[Munnkeyman]

Good thread Catalpa. Let's see if we can join a few dots...

Good post MsAnneThrope
I was under the false impression that Lenihan
had a disregard for ethnic foods.

Minister Lenihan announces funding for Traidlinks
Irish Aid - Press - Press
19th December 2006

Irish business group launches new consumer brand for Africa
Irish Aid - Our Work - Trade

UCD School of Business honours Traidlinks' Directors
[ame="http://vimeo.com/11463171"]Aidan Heavey on Vimeo[/ame]

This won't embed but if you click on it,
It'll play in a new window

[Catalpa]

Several questions are being intertwined here which are complicating this thread

Should Ireland have a programme of foreign aid?

Should Uganda be a recipient of that aid?

How is that aid administered?

What conditions are put on the use of that aid?

I think that running these together with other issues mentioned (that I do not want to touch on for legal reasons) will lead to a lack of clarity. maybe they could be separated out.

One final point regarding Uganda's military spending; I saw recently that they are carrying out peackeeping missions on behalf of the UN or African Union. If that is so,then fair play to them and surely they need equipment and training.

They are engaged in open fighting in Somalia under the African Union - but really as proxies for the USA & the EU in their war against the Islamists.

Its not a 'peacekeeping' role per se

Thats why there was those huge terrorist bombings in Kampala a few weeks ago in which scores were killed in what was basically a bloody Counter Strike attack.

Unfortunately most western governments use their Aid Programmes with strings attached in order to allow companies they have links with to gain lucrative contracts from corrupt local officials in return for 'Aid'

Notice that Cameron has ring fenced Britain's Aid Programme from any cuts in the cull of Public spending

- he's not doing that for nothing.

It looks like we may be follwoing down the same path...

So in fact all these factors are intertwined with one another.

[Catalpa]

Good thread Catalpa. Let's see if we can join a few dots...

There is an organisation called Traidlinks



Here is a link to Irish Aid's "Country Strategy Paper 2010-2014" for Uganda, in PDF format. (check out the anti-corruption poster in it)

It also includes this snippet about Traidlinks:



It turns out that Aidan Heavey, the CEO of Tullow Oil, is also listed as a director of Traidlinks. He would also appear to be a UK resident as his directorships of Tullow and Traidlinks give an address in England. So could we correctly assume he pays no personal income taxes in Ireland, yet seems to have an influence on where Irish Aid's efforts and money are directed?

Good work there AT!

I think we should keep a close eye on this fellow!....

If Traidlinks is a 'not for profit' organisation then who pays the bills?

[He3]

There are some interesting 'not for profit' organisations around that crop up from time to time at Dublin addresses also. iirc British Aerospace had an admirably named Irish registered charity for some purpose or other. Fine chaps.

edit - here we go:

BRITAIN'S largest arms and defence company, BAe Systems, has been using an Irish- registered homeless charitable trust as a lawful device to shift assets off balance sheet and to lower its tax bill, the Sunday Independent has learned.

Cluster bomb firm uses Irish charity in $2bn tax scheme

[MsAnneThrope]

What's interesting is that Tullow is headquarted in London and not in Ireland, and Aidan Heavey himself is also based and resident in London. They're therefore paying their taxes in the UK. So why is he so actively involved with Traidlinks which is, according to their own website:

Our mission is to facilitate the engagement of the Irish business community in the development and delivery of commercial and socio-economic activities in order to promote enterprise and diminish poverty in the developing world

Why is Michael Martin's Irish Aid working so closely with him then, using Irish taxpayers' money? I'd imagine there would be uproar if Irish Aid was working closely with Irishman Willie Walsh at British Airways to help B.A. grow their business in Uganda and other African nations. What's the difference?

[Munnkeyman]

Only two mentions of Traidlinks in the Dail.

Conor Lenihan TD, Minister of State for Irish Aid, today announced funding for TRAIDLINKS, an Irish, private-sector led NGO working to create a vibrant private sector in developing countries. The funding will amount to €4 million over a 3 year period
19th December 2006


Dil ireann - Volume 656 - 04 June, 2008 - Written Answers. - Departmental Projects.
Deputy Micheál Martin:
"Traidlinks is an independent, not for profit, NGO focussed on harnessing the expertise of the Irish business sector to support the development of the private sector in Africa.
Irish Aid operates a comprehensive evaluation and audit role in regard to all of these projects."

Dil ireann - Volume 649 - 06 March, 2008 - World Trade Organisation: Statements.
Deputy Michael P. Kitt: ".......
As I mentioned, we are planning to increase our multilateral spend to €9 million this year. The money will go to mainly Geneva-based organisations delivering trade related technical assistance. As outlined by the Taoiseach at the EU-Africa summit last December, Ireland is committed to a considerable scaling up of our aid for trade related assistance targets for the African continent. We are also keen to share knowledge and experience of private sector development. In that regard, Irish Aid supports a not-for-profit organisation, TRAIDLINKS, which is connecting the African producer and the Irish supplier to ensure African products can enter the Irish market."

[Catalpa]

What's interesting is that Tullow is headquarted in London and not in Ireland, and Aidan Heavey himself is also based and resident in London. They're therefore paying their taxes in the UK. So why is he so actively involved with Traidlinks which is, according to their own website:



Why is Michael Martin's Irish Aid working so closely with him then, using Irish taxpayers' money? I'd imagine there would be uproar if Irish Aid was working closely with Irishman Willie Walsh at British Airways to help B.A. grow their business in Uganda and other African nations. What's the difference?

Tullow stands to make many millions in profits from its exploitation of Uganda's natural resources

- they could be good people to know if you want a digout down the line I guess.

[Éireann go Brách]

Catalpa

Are you doing anything else to highlight this in the media.

I really think theres something in this, a little bird just told me.

[He3]

Poor Ivor may be a bit of a distraction

[Catalpa]

Catalpa

Are you doing anything else to highlight this in the media.

I really think theres something in this, a little bird just told me.

Nope - I think politics.ie is Big enough now to classify as part of the Irish Media & in purely political terms has enough clout to make an impact.

The key point is anyone in the printed media would dare run with it

- maybe the Mail on Sunday would pick it up but other than that its hard to see anyone else.

Forget about any TD standing up and asking questions in An Teach on it though.