The media’s obsession with simplicity and scapegoats often means the real story can go unreported, writes Paul Allen.
Every drama needs a villain and this week Francesco Schettino neatly fitted the bill. The captain of the Costa Concordia, which crashed into rocks off the Italian coast and capsized, was portrayed as a lazy stereotype in a veracious media environment that loves simplicity. Read More
The car scrappage scheme comes to an end today, June 30th 2011, having achieved remarkable results in a time of economic turmoil. The scheme energised the Irish motor industry with the sale of more than 12,000 cars this year and over 30,000 new cars since 2010 when it offered the car industry a life line when sales were at an all time low.
Following our intensive lobby campaign, the late Brian Lenihan took the initiative to introduce the car scrappage scheme in the 2009 budget, offering motorists a €1,500 government discount off the price of their new car, when trading in a vehicle aged 10 years or over. Read More