Cowen, Denis O Brien Topaz and Irish Politics

skippy2 · 02-05-2014 10:20pm #1

Well seeing as you cannot leave a comment on the Independant website, I wonder why, thought i might see here if anyone had any thoughts on this article

http://www.independent.ie/business/former-taoiseach-brian-cowen-appointed-to-board-of-topaz-30239366.html

I for one will not be buying any Topaz products

really gives you an indication of where it all is in this country and Denis O'Brien is all pervasive it seems

Says a whole lot for Brian Cowen............

hfallada · 02-05-2014 10:46pm

I always thought Topaz was just Shell renamed due to their reputation damage from the corrib pipeline controversy. At least Cohen has some skills. A majority of state body board members arent skilled to run a corner shop never mind a multi-billion euro company

AlekSmart · 02-05-2014 11:52pm

hfallada wrote: »

I always thought Topaz was just Shell renamed due to their reputation damage from the corrib pipeline controversy. At least Cohen has some skills. A majority of state body board members arent skilled to run a corner shop never mind a multi-billion euro company

Agree 100%..Leonard is one of the most accomplished singer/songwriter/poets of the 20th and 21st Centuries....but I'm not quite certain what qualities Denis O'Brien thinks he'll bring to the Forecourt Retailing business...?

GCU Flexible Demeanour · 03-05-2014 12:53am

I suspect Denis might be trading the game he plays for shelter.
Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter.

jbkenn · 03-05-2014 8:48am

This appointment of Brian Cowen to the board of Topaz by Denis O'Brien gives the public an opportunity to demonstrate their disgust at what has happened to this country in the recent past without too much inconvenience.
Boycott Topaz, take your business elsewhere, get too birds with the one stone.

Jackal756 · 03-05-2014 8:58am

Dennis O Brien will own everything soon

Tabnabs · 03-05-2014 9:11am

Denis O'Brien has enormous business experience and a wealth of contacts. A no brainer for any ambitious corporation if they can get him. Cowan, a former minister of finance and Taoiseach has numerous political connections and CS contacts, he probably comes relatively cheap as his stock is fairly low.

Shock horrer, Irish petrochemical distributor signs two successful local lads to their Board...

Taxburden carrier · 03-05-2014 9:15am

Tabnabs wrote: »

Denis O'Brien has enormous business experience and a wealth of contacts. A no brainer for any ambitious corporation if they can get him. Cowan, a former minister of finance and Taoiseach has numerous political connections and CS contacts, he probably comes relatively cheap as his stock is fairly low.

Shock horrer, Irish petrochemical distributor signs two successful local lads to their Board...

Cowen didn't come cheap for the rest of us !

jbkenn · 03-05-2014 9:36am

Tabnabs wrote: »

Shock horrer, Irish petrochemical distributor signs two successful local lads to their Board...

Shock horror, Denis O'Brien didn't just join the board of Topaz, he bought the companies loans for chump change from IBRC, leaving us, once again, to pick up the tab.

Villa05 · 03-05-2014 11:41am

<cough>watch last nights Late Late show on how Liam Lawlor made his way on to the boards of a certain Developers companies<cough>

GCU Flexible Demeanour · 03-05-2014 12:32pm

Tabnabs wrote: »

Denis O'Brien has enormous business experience and a wealth of contacts. A no brainer for any ambitious corporation if they can get him. Cowan, a former minister of finance and Taoiseach has numerous political connections and CS contacts, he probably comes relatively cheap as his stock is fairly low.

I'm sure that's his reasoning. But I'd wonder what contacts of value Cowen would have now.

I think your point about his stock being low at present is apt. It may be a longer term bet, that Fianna Fail will recover in the years ahead. And, sure, maybe that's what will happen. Then Denis will get the benefit of extending his goodwill before that recovery.

Tramps Like Us · 03-05-2014 1:20pm

Have I done my sums right when I say that this monopoly will save the state less than 200k per annum (i.e fuel will cost about 1 cent less per liter?)

Dennis O'Brien is cancer

skippy2 · 03-05-2014 1:52pm

Boycott Topaz seems to be a good answer

jacksie66 · 03-05-2014 1:54pm

This post has been deleted.

AlekSmart · 03-05-2014 10:43pm

Tabnabs wrote: »

Denis O'Brien has enormous business experience and a wealth of contacts. A no brainer for any ambitious corporation if they can get him. Cowan, a former minister of finance and Taoiseach has numerous political connections and CS contacts, he probably comes relatively cheap as his stock is fairly low.

Shock horrer, Irish petrochemical distributor signs two successful local lads to their Board...

I'm not so sure I would share Tabnab's definition of Brian Cowan as a "successful local lad"....not yet anyway.

I would be fairly certain that Brian Cowan's stock has a fair bit more to fall,as the ACTUAL sequence of Decision Making around the Irish Bankers housecall to Brian Lenihan,emerges.

From recent leaks,it now appears that Mr Cowan was the ACTUAL decision maker that night,with Mr Lenihan apparently unable to deal with the crock of shyte that had been brought to his door by the creme de la creme of Irish High Finance.

I would suggest that Denis O Brien would have been far more "at-one" with the visiting bankers,than with Mr Lenihan,which opens up a somewhat appalling vista concerning the events since that night,particularly such events which may have actually been beneficial to certain interests now emerging to re-establish themselves.

Either way,I would see the Cowan appointment as unusually out-of-step with Irish Public Sentiment right now...and even Denis O Brien may want to have regard for such sentiment.

the culture of deference · 04-05-2014 1:44pm

The interview.

DOB. describe to us your strengths and weakness's, why should we hire you

BC. I am an alcoholic who destroyed a political party, i destroyed Irelands banking system, i was unqualified to be a leader. i ruined countless people lives.

I was Minister for Finance between 2004 and 2008 when the property bubble reached terrifying proportions.

I ignored all dire warnings, both from economic commentators and within the Department of Finance.

I gave Ireland's toxic banks a State bailout, even though it ended up costing the taxpayer €64bn.

Now I need a new job, I only barely survive on a ministerial pension worth a €140,000 a year. Do you know how hard it is to live on €2,800 euro a week.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...caricature.jpg

the culture of deference wrote: »

Anglo ... the bank that gives loans for anything.

Today's news .........
Anglo Irish banker Willie McAteer could face new criminal charges over an €8.2m director's loan he received just hours before the Government rushed through the bank guarantee.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/willie-mcateer-got-82m-loan-on-day-of-bank-guarantee-30242254.html

Maybe we just need a factual dirt page, all the scams these boys have been pulling. **** knows what alcoholic Cowen has been talking about when he is pissed.

Towards the end of 2007 he was known in his local in Rahan (tullamore) for shouting " the countries ****ed " when he pissed outta his head.

AlekSmart · 04-05-2014 2:35pm

the culture of deference wrote: »

The interview.

DOB. describe to us your strengths and weakness's, why should we hire you

BC. I am an alcoholic who destroyed a political party, i destroyed Irelands banking system, i was unqualified to be a leader. i ruined countless people lives.

I was Minister for Finance between 2004 and 2008 when the property bubble reached terrifying proportions.

I ignored all dire warnings, both from economic commentators and within the Department of Finance.

I gave Ireland's toxic banks a State bailout, even though it ended up costing the taxpayer €64bn.

Now I need a new job, I only barely survive on a ministerial pension worth a €140,000 a year. Do you know how hard it is to live on €2,800 euro a week.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...caricature.jpg

Maybe we just need a factual dirt page, all the scams these boys have been pulling. **** knows what alcoholic Cowen has been talking about when he is pissed.

Towards the end of 2007 he was known in his local in Rahan (tullamore) for shouting " the countries ****ed " when he pissed outta his head.

Pissed maybe,but still the most factual assessment of Irelands then position,and certainly more astute than anything on RTE or the media at large ?

Mind you,for a supposedly savvy businessman,Denis O Brien is really playing with fire with this appointment...as the true story of Ireland's collapse begins to emerge,Brian Cowan will become almost as pursued as Davy Drumm.....I wonder if Offaly has an extradition agreement with Dublin..?

rovoagho · 04-05-2014 2:56pm

Personally, I don't get why anyone would be buying from Topaz /before/ this. Since they effectively withdrew the fuel card by removing any semblance of saving, their fuel is more expensive than any other vendor. I only ever buy from them in an emergency, and then only enough to get me to another station. Do people not look at the prices?

Arthur Beesley · 04-05-2014 4:29pm

GCU Flexible Demeanour wrote: »

I suspect Denis might be trading the game he plays for shelter.
Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter.

Indeed. Cowen could shelter pretty much anyone. He has his uses. Wouldn't like to have him land on me though.

AlekSmart · 04-05-2014 6:02pm

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

Indeed. Cowen could shelter pretty much anyone. He has his uses. Wouldn't like to have him land on me though.

I'd consider him Toxic,in terms of the collateral damage he could inflict on a company,should he be drawn back into the Crash Investigation.

Last weeks Anglo Judgement has effectively ensured that Paddy Neary's retirement will become a tad more eventful,and thus,the knee-bone,thigh-bone,hip-bone effect will come back into play....;)

nice_guy80 · 05-05-2014 10:12am

it was amazing how quickly Topaz appeared after the Shell oil spill.

I'm not really bothered about Cowen or anyone joining a company. That's their business.

Farmer Pudsey · 06-05-2014 9:25am

nice_guy80 wrote: »

it was amazing how quickly Topaz appeared after the Shell oil spill.

I'm not really bothered about Cowen or anyone joining a company. That's their business.

The issue with Topaz is that it is a virtual monlopy. It was creted by the failure of the Competition Authority because some one was asleep at there desk. It bought up Maxol, Shell and the Statoil franchise's/distributors. Not sure what share of the market it has at present but after it bought Statoil it had over 70% of the car fuel market.

It is more than likly costing consumers at least 2-3c/L on car fuel. Topaz was a creation of Ronan and Barrett ( Treasure holdings ) I think who actually created it to gain access to some prime sites that Shell and Maxol had to develop them At one stage it looked like there would be no car fuel suppliers in the middle of any Irish city.

The lack of competition in the Car/transport fuel sector is a serious issue and may be a hidden copst within the economy. The reason for this is that any person or compay that uses a fuel card has liitle option but to deal with Topaz as it has the only national distribution network

antoobrien · 06-05-2014 10:04am

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

The reason for this is that any person or compay that uses a fuel card has liitle option but to deal with Topaz as it has the only national distribution network

I'm pretty sure that Esso has a nationwide chain, Applegreen (Petrogas brand) is building one.

Farmer Pudsey · 06-05-2014 11:11am

antoobrien wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that Esso has a nationwide chain, Applegreen (Petrogas brand) and is building one.

No not nationwide, in some cases you may have to travel 30 miles to access fuel.

rovoagho · 06-05-2014 1:38pm

Isn't that just a matter of planning?

Labarbapostiza · 06-05-2014 5:51pm

Tabnabs wrote: »

Denis O'Brien has enormous business experience and a wealth of contacts.

He was set up in life by his wealthy daddy. He had access to information not available to entrepreneurs of lesser breeding. The people who have worked for him say he's a genius, when they speak of him in public (in private, they say he's an eejit). He made his seed money, not through business expertise (he was on the verge of bankruptcy through his legitimate activities), but through bribing a government minister.

A no brainer for any ambitious corporation if they can get him. Cowan, a former minister of finance and Taoiseach has numerous political connections and CS contacts, he probably comes relatively cheap as his stock is fairly low.

You mean Cowen would be good for future corrupt enterprises. One of the attitudes that has led to disaster in Ireland, has been this notion that "everyone's at it", promoted to the impressionable and ambitious. Bribing politicians is not a good practice in the long run. I would say the reason O'Brien made so much head way in the Caribbean, is he was willing to play to his strengths, in a way the major telcos were not.

As far as politics goes, Cowen is a spent force. I believe O'Brien is really doing this to stick the finger to the Irish people in general. Many of the "investments" he's made in Ireland, do not seem to have a business logic. The purchase of media assets seems more about narcissism than business.

Shock horrer, Irish petrochemical distributor signs two successful local lads to their Board.

Topaz is a minnow. The majors have had the capital and economies of scale to get the best locations and profits. Most board positions in Ireland are just backhanders to the upper-class, they don't engage in any actual managerial activity. Any muti-national who comes to Ireland has to hire some of these "successful" people, or they find themselves running into problems. But they're not the kind of people you'd let anywhere near the machinery.

cruhoortwunk · 22-07-2014 9:13am

Anyone know a list of Denis O'Brien Irish business interests? Say if I wanted to boycott them all, as he's a cúnt?
I know of these off the top of my head, and sure there's lots more:

Independent papers
Communicorp (Newstalk, Today fm etc)
Topaz

woodoo · 22-07-2014 10:01pm

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

Anyone know a list of Denis O'Brien Irish business interests? Say if I wanted to boycott them all, as he's a cúnt?
I know of these off the top of my head, and sure there's lots more:

Independent papers
Communicorp (Newstalk, Today fm etc)
Topaz

You soon won't be drinking water too

recedite · 22-07-2014 10:22pm

GMC Utilities, Siteserve, Sierra....
If it goes down a wire or flows in pipe, or under a public road, or it needs some kind of govt. licence to install it, Denis owns it.
http://namawinelake.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/ten-things-to-know-about-the-denis-obriensiteserv-transaction/

recedite · 22-07-2014 11:08pm

Labarbapostiza wrote: »

As far as politics goes, Cowen is a spent force. I believe O'Brien is really doing this to stick the finger to the Irish people in general..

Doesn't make business sense though.
If Martin was prepared for the leader's role by Cowen, just as Cowen was by Ahern, and Ahern was by Haughey, then surely there is always something still to be gained by going back a step? Whatever got them there, may still be there.

GCU Flexible Demeanour wrote: »

It may be a longer term bet, that Fianna Fail will recover in the years ahead.

If the current lot get whooped, that only leaves FF and SF, so its a reasonable bet, or at least a precaution, that FF will have some hand at least in the next govt.
Just out of curiosity, if you wanted to curry favour with SF how would you go about it?
Bearing in mind that directorships to large companies might prove embarrassing to both sides, and corporate donations to people of over €200 must be declared publicly since 2012 legislation.

Cowen, Denis O Brien Topaz and Irish Politics

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