Gulp.

The How To be Sound podcast.

Host Rosemary McCabe writes:

Lynn Enright’s first book, Vagina: A Re-Education, has just been published – she sat down with me to talk about why we need to talk about our vaginas more, the importance of knowing the right words for the right bits and why we still prioritise male pleasure in heterosexual sex. Plus: what her dad thought about her VAGINA tote bag….

‘Fannypack’ surely?

FIGHT!

How To be Sound

The sister of Icelander Jón Jonnson, who has been missing since attending a poker tournament in Dublin last month, makes a renewed appeal for information about his whereabouts.

Anyone who has seen Jón or who can assist in locating him is asked to contact Ballymun Garda Station on 01 6664400 or the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111.

Previously: Search For Jón

Football Association of Ireland’s Annual Report 2017/18; John Delaney; Vanessa Foran

Ridiculous.

That was my first impression of the FAI Annual Report (year ending 2017).

It’s a healthy 137 pages, and shares news and updates from all their activities, from U-15 Internationals, to Child Welfare to the Defence Forces. It’s glossy, shiny, and loud, like the Green Army on tour, only on paper.

While it might be nice to flick through, most of that update stuff can be easily shared via the internet.

The Financial Statements you’ve all heard about start with the Financial Overview on page 93. and are  completed by page 120, so there isn’t too much distraction from the fixtures and action shots. On a side note, I have never seen such small print in an annual report – I had to go to 130%.

The top line: Turnover – what is interesting is that they had a trading surplus of €2,758,063.00. This is very nice, given the size and obvious limitations of their market; and even nicer is that it sits on top of a previous year surplus of €2,344,291.00.

Both figures accumulating into reserves of €22,323,111.00 (page 104), which definitely drives the questions – why is the League of Ireland prize pot so small and why were they so miserable stumping up for our women’s sides?

A big red flag for me is their Short-Term Creditors – less than 12 months – which is basic day-to-day working capital. Cash, and the cost of it. Year end 2017 introduces a current account Bank Overdraft – €1,363,107.00.

This is a movement from a cash on hand balance at year end 2016 of €937,447.00 to a cash crunch position, and that swing is not explained sufficiently in the promised note 11; cash and cash equivalents.

This €2.3-ish million run happened over a very short period and demonstrates some really poor financial control; and this information was only extracted from the notes, not from the balance sheet.

So, it might be worth looking into the minutes of meetings during the period to see if there were any comments on the month-on-month management accounts to board. That’s where these loans to and from the FAI might be found.

Also interesting is the role, or more accurately, roles, of Deloitte.

Their fees are up from €102,772.00 to €134,554.00; this might not sound like a lot of money but it’s a 24 per cent increase and contains €26,180 for other assurance services – which is worth exploring because also in the €134,554.00 is €44,285 for fees other than audit.

So what other services do we think Deloitte are providing (and if it’s any help, it’s not tax and it’s not internal audit.)

Another thing that doesn’t seem healthy or efficient is that there seems to be loads and loads of personnel rowing in an out of the FAI at strategic level. There is a board of management of 11, which includes John Delaney, and a national council of 58, along with circa 180 staff members around the country.

But, for the life of me, I can’t find the list of directors of the company.

There is a Hon. Treasurer Eddie Murray; and an audit committee; maybe someone credentialed might be in a position to ask for the minutes of this audit committee too, because they would be the principle liaison with Deloitte.

Worth a mention, the old reliable here, is that John Delaney’s salary is the only one itemised; and that doesn’t make sense to me; in Related Party Transactions? If he’s a director, it is in Directors Emoluments €360,000 (and that’s what’s there.)

So did the FAI loan or borrow €360,000 from a Related Party?

Officers Emoluments are recorded as €70,000; naturally these wouldn’t be day-to-day expenses claimed from  staff attending meetings and events as these would naturally be charged to overheads. Again, these are items within the monthly reports to board, which is where most of the intrigue could be unravelled.

I would love to explore the relationship Deloitte have with the FAI and an FAI “Donor” a bit more, o if anyone is available for some digging and drilling, please do reach out.

Also, if someone can explain the software licencing to me – as in what software licensing they have acquired – as it seems very extravagant to me.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that of the total income for the year that was 2017; 12.5% of it came from grants. So sometimes it’s worth noting that for the large part of the year, they were doing something right.

Vanessa Foran is a principal at Recovery Partners. Follow Vanessa on Twitter: @vef_pip.

Previously: For The Last Time, It Was A Bridging Loan

Rollingnews

UPDATE:

From top: Scenes from the Kights of Campanile ceremony under the campanile (bell tower) in the Library Square of Trinity College; the Knights of Campanile society president Ben Arrowsmith; tweet this afternoon from The University Times

On March 15, student journalists Edmund Heaphy, Eleanor O’Mahony and Donal MacNamee reported in The University Times, published from Trinity College Dublin, about an initiation ceremony on February 27 for what they termed an “elite, invite-only Trinity sporting society”, called the Knights of the Campanile.

The society, a sporting fraternity, is described as an “all-male society with over 1,200 members” while “a maximum of 50 students members are allowed at any one time”.

They reported that they could hear members being told to “bend over”, “get in the shower” and “start whispering insults in each other’s ears”, while they could hear “groaning, gagging and retching sounds” all coming from a second-floor apartment where an initiation ceremony was apparently taking place.

The journalists had left a recording device outside the apartment but this was later found by the members.

The following day, according to the journalists, the society’s president Ben Arrowsmith brought the recording device to the office of the University Times and threatened legal action.

They reported:

Arrowsmith called the Editor of the newspaper, Eleanor O’Mahony, a “stupid bitch”, and said he would hand over the recording device once he had deleted the recording of his “pre-drinks”.

Yesterday, the newspaper released a statement defending their use of a recording device.

Further to this…

Cormac Watson, in The University Times, is today reporting that a petition is now circulating calling for the removal of the newspaper editor’s salary and on-campus accommodation from 2020/2021.

Mr Watson reports:

The petition to change the constitution of the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) would also see the paper get just €3,000 a year to go towards publishing in print – this would cover just one issue.

If the petition is signed by more than 500 people, a student-wide referendum will be triggered.

Knights of the Campanile Implicated in On-Campus Hazing Evening (University Times)

A Note to Our Readers Regarding Our Knights of Campanile Reporting (University Times)

Petition Launched to Remove Funding of The University Times (The University Times)

Campanile pic: Eleanor O’Mahony (The University Times)

That seemed to go well.

This afternoon.

Government Buildings, Dublin 2

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar upsets Sean (aged 9 months) for no discernible reason at the launch for ‘a call of support’ on Daffodil Day (March 22) with Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society Avril Power in attendance.

Poor petal.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

A 751-piece monochromatic tribute to the 1928 cartoon that introduced the world to Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  

The set features hidden wheels, moving steam pipes and crane, rotating paddle wheels, special Mickey and Minnie monochrome minifigs, Mickey’s parrot, Minnie’s guitar and music sheet, and a “potato bin”.

€90 from LEGO.

uncrate

This  morning/afternoon.

Church of St Thérèse, Mount merrion, County Dublin

The funeral of Richie Ryan, former Fine Gael Minister for Finance and and member of the European Parliament. From top: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar greeting former Fine Gael leader Alan Dukes; Mr Varadkar with former Taoiseach John Bruton; Former Fine Gael justice minister Frances Fitzgerald (centre); former Fine Gael ministers Nora Owens and Mary Banotti.

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

This afternoon.

Members of the Garda Public Unit take part in training exercises at the Defence Forces’ Gormanstown Camp – in front of journalists.

Meanwhile…

More videos via Shane Beatty

What you may need to know:

1. The 9th film from Quentin Tarantino, as he is fond of pointing out. He has said on occasion that he intends to retire from directing when he reaches ten.

2. The official blurb:

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.”

3. It is in no way a true story, but film is known to also be related to the infamous murder of Sharon Tate and four others at the hands of the Manson Family. Tate is played by Margot Robbie.

4. I don’t know about anyone else but I really don’t want to see those events dramatised, especially in Tarantino-land.

5. Also in the typically starry cast are Al Pacino, Damian Lewis, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Scoot McNairy, the late Luke Perry and more.

6. All of the usual Tarantino tropes look to be present and correct, meaning Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will likely be review proof, sidestepping the quality scale and instead existing on a plane of how much of his self-indulgent tendencies you have the patience for.

Doug’s verdict: As long as it’s not three hours long, sold.

Release: July