In other news, it's widely reported today that former Fingal Council and HSE boss Paul Reid is expected to be named as the chairperson of An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will replace An Bord Pleanála. 

Elsewhere, Fintan O'Toole raises a suspicion that the Irish Civil Service "appears to be implementing the suitably Orwellian practice of “unpublishing”. The past is being “brought up to date” through the disappearance – deliberate or otherwise – of official documents from departmental websites."

“Everyone should evacuate Tehran." Those were the words Trump left hanging in the air as he departed the G7 summit early. The other war he he promised to stop within 24 hours rages on.

Zen

I watched the first episode of Adam Curtis's new documentary Shifty last night, in which he sets his sights on Britain at the end of the 20th century for this five-part BBC series. Episode one starts in 1979. Thatcher's election campaign, the National Front, Jerry Dammers, Joy Division, Keith Joseph, monetarism, mass unemployment, decline and culture. It's mesmerising stuff.

Having watched it, it will never think about this Bucks Fizz song in quite the same way again. 

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Have a lovely day.

Niall Shanahan