Secrets of Croynism in semi-state sector

by Mark Lett Thu Oct 03, 2013 20:03

Mark Ferguson D.G. of Science Foundation Ireland may well be hosting a working group at the Economic Forum but only fools would imagine that he is doing it in the interest of science in Ireland or indeed in the interest of SFI. No, our Mark has and ever has had only one interest, and that is to make lots of dosh at any and at anyone's cost.

Ferguson is not about SFI or even Irish scientific research. Why should he be?, - his own 30 years of research ended in dismal failure at Renovo (aside that is from the millions he made off with) but hey I forgot for a minute, failure is the new success in Ireland!! No indeed Ferguson is all about his new company "Ultimate Finance Group/Renovo" into which he invested lots of the dosh he made from his so called research. What better way to showcase this United Finance Group/Renovo than at the World Economic Forum at Farmleigh? A big commercial company couldn't buy that type of advertisement and to crown it all he could do it at the expense of the Irish taxpayer.

One can't seriously believe that Ferguson would pass an opportunity like that and put the interest of Irish Science and SFI before his huge ill-gotten (it could be argued) investment in United Finance Group/Renovo. The Economic Forum has served the interests of Mark Ferguson very well indeed. Our Minister's mumblings about Ferguson obligations re "Conflict of interests" at SFI ring very hollow. The appointment of Ferguson as D.G. of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government has to be seen to be believed.

by Damien O'Dowd - Young scientist Tue Oct 01, 2013 13:36

So Mark Ferguson has at last gotten use to the fact that "world class" nonsense and "best in the world" agency no longer cuts any impact with the Irish public. This was the "mantra" with which he has tried to hoodwink us from the time he took the position of Director General of SFI. He has now changed tack and implies that we are more suited to less ambitious aspirations and should instead link up with smaller countries to "try to devise a way of measuring the impact of of scientific research of small economies". This man utters unmitigated nonsense. We have had (and still have I have to hope) world class researchers who were more than capable of supplying this information. We still have researchers who by their collaborative research with their colleagues on a world wide basis are doing exactly this. Unfortunately what we also still have is this man Ferguson and his lackeys simply exchanging one form of gobbledygook for another and being paid above the odds for doing so. What madness??

But DON'T BE FOOLED. This man has already shown himself capable of irresponsibly squandering millions of British taxpayers and investors money on so called "scientific research" and in the process made himself and his missus very rich indeed. He is now using SFI's resources and reputation (and indeed his position as Government Chief Scientific Adviser) to further his own get rich quick business ambitions. It is astonishing that this blatant conflict of interest issue is being tolerated by the board of SFI. This is an outrageous betrayal of an already fiscally squeezed Irish people. Furthermore it is being perpetuated (albeit unwittingly) by Government Ministers and civil servant mandarins who put him there in the first place. The Irish people truly deserve better.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Sep 30, 2013 15:48

When is enough enough?

Conflict of interests(s) have been kicked around media sources for 18 months now. We know Clare Daly has raised the matter in the Dail, and we are aware of what public relations dictate when answers are supplied.

Does anyone out there and especially those sheepish scientists (who signed off on the Irish Times letters in 2012) and who appear to have run for cover in favour of their own vested interests have any view about the power of One. Do people understand that Renovo shares are rising and when this happens people who hold vast numbers of shares benefit from the rise in share value? Renovo is now linked to a new company called Ultimate Finance and this in turn is focused on lending to small to medium business. How co-incidental the timing is but maybe the commercialisation of science is so vital now that anything becomes acceptable.

Does anyone have a view? It doesn't have to be in agreement but at least let their be an argument put forward.

Think of a simple construct. The landlord who has the estate. The shoot. The breeding of prize pheasants. The enterprise commercial motivation that stocks up the estate with pheasants so that when the party arrive for the shoot, they get what they want.... they get the 'hit'.

Well welcome to Ireland. Science Foundation Ireland features at the core of what is supposed to put Ireland back on the global map. It is that time of the year again when we host a series of events which culminate in Global Irish Economic Forum.

Surprise Surprise. The Irish Times today highlights that Science Foundation Ireland 'is hosting a working group drawn from six of the world small advances economies to try to devise a way of measuring the impact of scientific research of small economies'. Not many opportunities for poaching here for the masses as the elites gather at Farmleigh to meet with delegates from many countries, those countries which Ireland competes with for 'Foreign Direct Investment'. These include Israel, Singapore, New Zealand, Denmark and Finland.

Who is protecting the vested interests of core Science (STEM) in Ireland? The media has reported consistently about the questions considering possible conflicts of interest. We have seen eminent scientists side-stepped, if not exiled, involved in more long term outcome science and yet short-sightedness appears to prevail. Ireland is one of two countries not involved in CERN. Does anyone ask why not?

Professor Mark Ferguson, who is also chief scientific adviser to the Government, states that "Small advanced nations have different policy considerations to large nations and therefore have different areas of focus".

Are we pitching ourselves too high? And at what cost?

Brian Flannery

by Brian Flannery - Justice Fri Sep 27, 2013 15:10

Ferguson hits the Dail again. Last Tuesday Clare Daly asked Sherlock questions relating to the conflict of interest. 21 million shares in Renovo and Clare Daly insisted on an internal inquiry in relation to Renovo Ferguson.

Sherlock stuttered and muttered that Ferguson signed pre contract the Code of Conduct relating to semi- state and directors.

Is Sherlock washing his hands opf Ferguson? Strange times ahead.

Brian Flannery

by Eye of the Tiger - ex semi-state Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:18

In the last six months a special committee has reported back to Bruton and this dumb and dumber Cabinet that the policies that Frank Ryan in Enterprise Ireland is following are a complete and utter failure. As we all know and it was well documented last February Ryan appeared before an Oireachtas Committee and admitted that only 15 jobs were created in 2011. This may sound unbelievable but the facts are there. Enterprise Ireland needs a complete overhaul urgently and also SFI may soon be passed tense with a new proposal that it should merge in a certain time period with EI. This is totally opposed by Ferguson and his cronies because they want the gravy train to continue for as long as possible.

Recently one of my sources at the Wilton Place informed me that at recent meetings Ferguson has called Indymedia 'that left wing shit site' and called Flannery the traitor to semi-state. As an ex semi-state worker I applaud Indymedia and I certaiinly want to thank Brian Flannery for the time and the consistent effort he has put into exposing the cronyism across the frontiers of semi-state in this country.

To close: SFI board of directors are keeping a very low profile of late and they should feel ashamed by not standing up to Ferguson.

I also want to state that Irish scientists across the campuses of this country should have the courage to form an independent body and stand the commercialisation stance of Ferguson down otherwise the future of science in this country will be compromised through corporate public companies and we all know what this brings with it.

Bruton, I believe has been sent numerous emails by Labour back benchers who demand answers on the legacy that Renovo Ferguson left in Manchester. This story is far from over and I hope that the Irish taxpayers get the answers they deserve in the current recession. Ruth Freeman, Donal Keane, Una Clifford, and others are not as arrogant as they were in 2012 (ESOF) thanks to the exposure by Brian Flannery, Indymedia, and Clare Daly.

More to come.....says the eye of the tiger

by Ethics Watcher - Equality Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:58

I was speaking to a source last Saturday in the Labour party and he has informed me that due to the ongoing negativity of
Ferguson in relation to the scandal he left behind in Manchester, certain Labour TD's now want answers from Sherlock urgently. As we know now Renovo has now been merged with United Finance and is now quoted again on the stock exchange again. Ferguson retains 21 m of shares and this is a deep concern to a group of labour backbenchers. Clare Daly will be again asking questions about Ferguson's legacy in the Dail next week and thanks to the persistance of Indymedia Ferguson will also be hitting the papers once again. This time, there will be a new addiction to his charade. His interest in Shell and the Corrib is to be reported on.

In the meantime it is also believed that a number of academics are preparing a draft letter to Richard Bruton on the name calling by Ferguson ie he called Irish scientists 'a bunch of wild fucking cats who needed to be coralled'. Sherlock won't answer emails, won't take phone calls re conflicts of interest that are blatant now. Some TD's need to back up Clare Daly on this issue urgently because the Irish taxpayers deserve better.

Ethics watcher

by Richard Corbett Thu Sep 19, 2013 16:32

We are being constantly regaled with how well Ireland is doing on Research and Innovation. The spend of millions of euro of tax payers' money is being constantly justified on the basis that it is strengthening the economy and making our research and innovation "world class". The report from the European Commission, based on a "new innovation indicator" that Sweden, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg are the E U member states getting the most out of innovation SEEMS to back this up. But DON'T BE FOOLED. This is unmitigated nonsense. For the true facts I refer you to Michael Hennigan's article in today's "fin facts.ie" on "Irish Innovation: E U indicator rating based on fake computer services exports". Maybe the ministerial advisers would do well to do their research, or does that sound too much like work?

When will the spin end? Have they not yet realised that the days of spin are over; there are no more places to hide. Perhaps the Government in it's upcoming budget well be more strategic in it's thinking. Put our millions where it is needed most and where it will yield better returns. Stop the nonsense of this "world class" business and stop helping to make a few people very rich (even in these most difficult times!) at the expense of the greater good and need of this state. " The Irish tax payer deserves no less "

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:37

The last number of months have been Bizzare to say it lightly, Renovo is back trading and shares are on the rise yet Ministers Bruton and Sherlock see no Conflict of Interest. Ferguson and wife hold 21 million shares in Renovo and will make money massive money again. They have to be stopped and the Irish taxpayers thanks to Indymedia are being made aware of this ongoing Scandal of Corruption ans Cronyism. Ferguson now draws salaries three ways SFI, Chief Scientific Advisor, and now Renovo the big
Ferguson failure back on the stage again.

by B. Clifford Sat Sep 14, 2013 22:09

The SFI Code of Business Conduct, on the SFI web site includes the following:

"Do not acquire or review information or business secrets by improper means:

Do not use information obtained by your position within SFI for the purpose of dealing (either directly or indirectly) in shares, property or other commercial transactions;

Do not use Agency's resources or reputation for personal gain;

Avoid outside activities which conflict with or negatively impact on your role within SFI;"

Where does that put Ferguson? He is up to his neck in exploiting the system. He spoke openly it appears, about putting Jamie Brook, Chairman of Renovo, and Max Royde, Director, onto the Board of SFI.

Each year, all SFI-ers as in other Agencies, have to fill in a declaration of interests. Let those be published openly.! Or perhaps, as we have seen to our costs in other situations, is such compliance and regulation only for "the little people"?

Renovo Ferguson came to his SFI job declaring loudly, with belly aching laughter, that he would take over the civil service in Ireland. Could it be the Bruton and Sherlock are actually stopping this thug in his tracks? "Hope springs eternal.............."

by M. Brennan Wed Sep 11, 2013 20:51

Once more our attention is brought to bear on the business activities of SFI's Director Mark Ferguson. Yes, there are huge conflicts of interest and yes the work of Irish Scientific Researchers is seriously compromised. One wonders how Mark Ferguson draws the line between his lucrative business activities and the business of the Irish State. If SFI were a privately run business he and his cohorts would have been long gone. One must therefore conclude that there are powerful vested interest groups/individuals at play here.

Am I right in my assumption that the chairman Jamie Brook, the CFO David Blain and Max Royde of this company "Ultimate Finance Group" (incorporating Renovo) are allegedly the very people Ferguson wanted to put on the board of Science Foundation Ireland and on the assessment panels for selection of Projects eligable for funding from SFI? This is an outrageous act of defiance and arrogance by Ferguson. We have witnessed more arrogance than science,- an arrogance I suspect that is more core to Ferguson's success (or failure?)than real science.

To have been taken in by this man's bluff the Irish State must rank top of the league tables for world class idiots. Granted we are not alone in these ratings. The U.K. has been fooled into awarding CBE's to many other charlatans of dubious character and achievements in recent times.

by Watcher - Semi-state cronyism and denial Wed Sep 11, 2013 15:42

A wise old head once said and it applies today even more so than before: 'Beware of the vested interests'. Today 'cronyism' may be more descriptive but the moral is in the code of conduct and that is what is challenged in society especially now. Throughout these postings the words 'conflict of interest(s)' repeat and it is denial that determines the moral abyss. There should be an analysis and a statement to clarify the matter.

10th September 2013 and the media make the statement

Merged together are "UFG" Ultimate Finance Group plc and Renovo plc

Again and one more time: Are there conflicts of interest that are warning signs for academics, STEM, universities and small to medium businesses directly linked with Science Foundation Ireland's DG Mark Ferguson (who is also appointed as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government). The Renovo shell has remorphed from pharmaceutical to finance. Does anyone have anything to say? Be it positive or negative but at least let there be clarification, accountability, transparency and even ethics. From the UFG webpage:-

"UFG plc and Renovo plc"

"You may have seen that Ultimate Finance Group has received an offer from Renovo plc which has been recommended by the Board and backed by some major shareholders. During the offer period we are legally constrained in commenting. However the following statement made by the Chairman of Renovo in a statement to the London Stock Exchange outlines their commitment to growing Ultimate Finance Group:

The Renovo Board looks forward to supporting UFG in its growth plans by providing the security of a principally cash-backed balance sheet and continuing to innovate the business model through a more technology focused platform. In addition, the Renovo Board will continue to evaluate further acquisitions and alternative routes to access funding for SMEs at commercial rates which are accretive to the strategy.

We will update you on progress as and when we can but in the meantime it is very much business as usual".

In this section
UFG plc and Renovo plc
Offer Disclaimer UFG Offer Documents

Contact us today
To find out how we can help your business call us on:
0800 121 7757
or apply online.
Contact us to get a quote"

The watch awaits and maybe Maeve Brennan will add her views or others

by Maureen Sherry - Semi-state sector and cronyism Tue Sep 10, 2013 15:41

Ok Jim you say that last Friday a group of staff at Enterprise Ireland went on the "piss" but Why Not?

Taxpayers cannot blame us for the economy collapse. We work hard on behalf of the Irish taxpayers and we bring investment to this country. You mentioned "Johnnie Ryan". Yes, he has his faults but this man should have been promoted years ago. Some people ie the socialists brigade want it every way.

I say to you go out and get a job. Stop moaning. Cronyism my arse.

By the way the restaurant was good.

Maureen Sherry

by Jim Healy - Watchdog Fri Sep 06, 2013 15:26

Researcher

I totally agree with the above posting. The next generation of young people who enter the education of science, technology, engineering and mathematicswill not thank us for the silence of the sheepology of the present day academics.

People need to take a stand against Ferguson if the conflicts of interest can be substantiated.

Today a source in Enterprise Ireland has told me that a whole section of so called hard Enterprise workers are going on the piss to a pub in Clontarf. Drinks start at 1.30 pm. All going on a half day while over 500,000 Irish people are on the dole and some 300,000 have emigrated. These established classes can go on the piss. Johnnie Ryan and other managers in the semi-state and public sector need to stop the rot here.

We need accountability.

Jim Healy

by Researcher Thu Sep 05, 2013 14:35

With reference to some of the CEO's of Science Foundation Ireland disparaging and insulting remarks (Ninth Level Ireland.ie) to the academic community one must ask the question, - Is Science Foundation Ireland fit for purpose? I find it quite extraordinary that an agency whose purpose it is to serve the academic community should be so gratuitously insulting and dismissive of a vital arm (ie education) of this State. The very fact that it has gone unchallenged is symptomatic of a very weak and ailing state.

The academic community itself is seriously remiss in failing to uphold the dignity, importance and integrity of its profession. I can think of no other profession that would be so sheepish in its response (or lack of it). Heads of our universities and our senior academics need to get their heads around this. I acknowledge that funding is vital for universities but must they sacrifice everything in this pursuit? If these are the people who are entrusted with educating our young people and mentoring them in their pursuit of their careers well they show a very poor example. I would hope that our young people of the future would show more backbone and integrity than they have witnessed in our academic leaders of today. It is a sorry state of affairs!

by Comyn - Semi-State cronyism academia compromised Tue Sep 03, 2013 16:16

"Serious researchers are leaving the country in droves to take up positions abroad, our universities are losing the prestige and recognition they once worked so hard to achieve, and as has been stated before, more eloquently than I could,
, "....the best brains in our country are being governed by fools." We have only ourselves to blame."

Young scientist therein is a cry of inward desperation.

Commercialisation of science is the battle cry of our leaders with the immediate objective of creating jobs but at what cost to our smitten academic elites. Ireland has fallen out of the top 100 universities worldwide and this suggests there is a blatant deficit in governance, policy, in that credo of giving 'vision to the visionless' (Jonathan Swift). In the Irish Times 2nd September 2013 Dick Ahlstrom highlighted a statement made by Isme (Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association) stating that their view was that universities were there mainly to serve industry. They criticised the main universities 'for their large classes, poor teaching methods and their "dry academic content". Is this a conflict between academia and the policy driven by Government of lets create jobs fast, speed up research and get quick answers? This begs the question if this is about financial cost at the expense of value added including integrity.

We know that research funding is a significant contributor to Science Foundation Ireland. We also know that since Professor Mark Ferguson arrived a new game plan has targetted the creation of 7 new science centres being established and that these demand significant private sector involvement. It also involves the industrial partners taking a keen and active role in the research. As stated 'their commitment to do so is linked to their financial contribution to the centre, which totals 100 million of the 300 million euros allocated in the work of the centres'.

Ahlstrom quite rightly states that there is nothing wrong seeking investment and input from industry to pay for some of the benefits it receives by access to cheap services from higher education but the compromise should not be that the academic/industrial collaboration is jeopardised by targets based on creating jobs, spin-off companies, short-terminism goals mainly driven by financial returns. We must accept that the University system is embedded in the tradition of primarily providing a 'major public good' and that is people with an esteemed level of third level education. It must reflect the values and tradition of education as distinct from the prejudices and conflicts of interest that may arise if our universities become to entwined with businesses and industry.

University must not be teinted by the abuse of power, blatant conflicts of interest and false drives that can attach to business or industry. Education must involve a broad range of subjects but it must ensure that students have the opportunity to be creative enough to have the objective of being entrepreneurs but this cannot be stifled by false practices of those who are supposed to be mentors.

Academia. Young student is calling out to say.
You are becoming teinted by goals that commercialism seeks at the cost of what education is about ie the public good and students leaving university with a sense of morality, integrity and ethics and a progressive education based in the foundation that says the cronyism culture and corruption failed us; there is a more progressive way forward and we need the academics if they have doubts about the input of industry to make a stand now and speak out.

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State Cronyism Patronage Mon Sep 02, 2013 15:06

Young scientist: the quotation sums it up but these fools are rolling in the money!

Thank you for your comments. Yes Ferguson and Renovo reached the Sunday Times Business section yesterday. Renovo appear to be back trading on the 10th September 2013. The new "rejuvenated" Renovo and Ferguson if sources are correct is holding 20 million shares ie 11% or above of the total of the "rejuvenated" Renovo.

I see Bruton up a pole today with a sign 'Abolish the Senate'. Fine but would Bruton get the balls seeing that Sherlock has more to abolish....... ie cronyism in SFI and Enterprise Ireland.

One of my sources told me over the weekend that one Enterprise Ireland manager wants to spill the beans about the bullying going on in Eastpoint. I hope he tells the lot as to what goes on in semi-state.

Brian Flannery

by Young Scientist Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:56

Brian, I did not see the article in the Sunday Times (2/09/2013) but if what you qoute is true (and I have no reason to doubt you) then another plague has been delivered on the heads of the irish taxpayers.

SFI's Mark Ferguson appointment, it could be argued, has been deftly engineered by vested interest groups who have since retired on fat pensions, courtesy of the irish taxpayer, or are still in public positions trying desperately to control the course of education and funding in this State, until it is their turn to do exactly what their erstwhile friends and colleagues have done. Ferguson, it could be argued, has been given huge support by the heads of our universities, people at SFI and a huge number of academics (by their very silence) to effectively destroy the integrity and reputation of SFI and consequently our academic instituitons at home and abroad. Not only that but, as has been stated in these postings, SFI's policies and strategy is setting our universities and the integrity of real research on an unstopable course of destruction. And of course the Irish Government in its infinite wisdom is paying Ferguson "et al" handsomely to do so. Greed has replaced real ability and integrity.

This has got to stop. Enough damage has been already done. SFI's brightest and best have been hounded out. Serious researchers are leaving the country in droves to take up positions abroad , our universities are loosing the prestiege and recognition they once worked so hard to achieve, and as has been stated before, more eloquently than I could,
, "....the best brains in our country are being governed by fools." We have only ourselves to blame.

by Brian Flannery - Semi-state & their secrets Sun Sep 01, 2013 16:01

A well proportioned and balanced delicate piece of reporting but the question is: What about Renovo - Professor Mark Ferguson and conflicts of interests?

We are told that 'Renovo suvives its scars'. Renovo will starting trading again moving from its position as a cash shell on September 10 2013 as a result of a decision (one may presume at board level) to buy the Bristol-based Ultimate Finance Group (UFG) for almost £20m.

The article tells us that Ferguson presently D-G of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, and his wife Sharon O'Kane 'WILL own a combined stake of more than 9% in the enlarged Renovo, valued at about £3.5 million'. Again, let's ask the question about conflicts of interest?

Renovo, often referred to as the failed drug company founded by Professor Mark Ferguson has according to the Sunday Times today "re-invented itself" as a £40 million lender to small businesses; it continues to seek other acquisitions. The take-over awaits the outcome of a court hearing this week which will sanction the take-over and pave the way for the relaunch of Renovo.

History of Renovo to date:

* Founded year 2000
* Raised £32 million from venture capital
* Purpose: to develop drugs to heal scar tissue
* Renovo returned to market and raised further £67.5 m in a listing on LSE
* Outcome: with one year - the company was valued @ £350 million
* 2011: Juvista failed in the clinical trials
* Shire the global drugs company responded by pulling out of an $830 m deal re commercialisation of a product
* Mass unemployment resulted for the 200 strong workforce.
* Some investors gained but many lost considerable money. Share price fell as low as 11 cents.
* Renovo is to have ended the development of Juvista last year
* the assets of Prevascar were sold to a US company, reportedly for $700,000
* the reported profits to Ferguson and O'Kane were £18 million from pay and selling shares

Impressive performance.

Science Foundation Ireland receives approximately £150 million a year from the Government for research purposes. Professor Ferguson took on the position as DG Science Foundation Ireland in January 2012 making him a powerful investor in an established university driven research and development programme and the question is about being compromised by the nature of the incubator potential in our universities and the oversight granted to a person in the dual role of DG of Science Foundation Ireland and more importantly as Chief Scientific adviser to the Government while at the same time being a significant shareholder in the newly emerging Renovo and its function of funding SME's.

Minister Bruton; Minister Joan Burton ..... perhaps this is really good news for the commercialisation of science. Let's keep watching the new Renovo and how it interacts with Science Foundation Ireland. It's description of itself is that "it will be a new force in UK SME lending" when the Ultimate Finance occurs on 10th September 2013.

by Celtic Mist - Semi-State Cronyism Fri Aug 30, 2013 15:59

Enterprise Ireland appoints its new CEO, Julie Sinnamon. Frank Ryan the outgoing CEO of Enterprise got his wishes when Julie Sinnamon will replace his in November 2013.

In the last 2 months two promotions have taken place:

Lisa Vaughan replaed Greg Treston and now her friend Julie is appointed the CEO. Good news for women in Ireland who are so under represented in business.

One inside source who failed to get promoted recently has stated that cronyism is alive and well in Enterprise Ireland. The source says that the failed candidates fell into categories of too heavy; too old; too fond of the vino; and being male.

This is stigma at its worst! Will the people who fall into this category be on the revolving door way-out. This could be another scandal.

Celtic Mist

by Watcher - STEM Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Wed Aug 28, 2013 16:18

Thanks Maeve: the links creating an interesting profile of both company and creator.

I keep waiting. It is interesting to look at what Wiki has to say about Renovo:

'Renovo does not currently have any marketed products. It aims "to be first to market with a scar prevention pharmaceutical drug in the US and Europe"[2] in approximately 2014. As of 2011, it employs 10 people, although it once employed over 100.[3]'
Renovo is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index'.

Time Frame: January 2012 to September 2013:-

What we now know is that Renovo appears to be involved in a take-over/merger of Ultimate Finance Group "UFG" and by the end of next week the shares will be quoted on the stock market. It will be interesting to follow the share price and see who the major shareholders are? The deal will no doubt clarify if the aspiration/plan stated in Wiki ie "to be the first to market with a scar prevention pharmaceutical drug in the US and Europe[2[ in approximately 2014" will remain a core motivator and reality or is this just subsumed and deleted.

Do we know if Professor Ferguson is still the major shareholder alongside his wife?

Conflicts of Interest appear to abound yet the omerta is so all encompassing that people and particularly those academics who wrote to the Irish Times and in other scientific journals now appear to say maybe we got it wrong. The Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government; the DG of Science Foundation Ireland; may be privy to all our academic and incubator work at our universities but 'we' have no reservations about conflicts of interest. This could not occur in Ireland, the land of scholars and academics, with truth, integrity and ethics backed up by evidence being the code of conduct we so humbly uphold.

Watcher

by Celtic Mist - Secrets of Cronyism - Semi State Sun Aug 25, 2013 16:04

Yes keep watching. The links referred to make interesting reading. Note the share price of Renovo is on the ascent.

Ferguson has been busy of late pumping up his PR machine to create the bullshit of what he is doing for Irish science. NOTHING. According to a number of eminent scientists here, commercialisation and corporatism is the way forward for Renovo Ferguson. Sources inside the semi-state are rumbling. They say they have had enough of the ego gobshite who calls the Irish academics "Wild Cats".

These academics need to stand up now and say Enough is Enough. There is a serious conflict of interest. Watch Renovo in transition - early September?

Celtic Mist

by Maeve Brennan Fri Aug 23, 2013 17:06

Watcher - Keep watching.

Your post on Ferguson/Renovo/Ultimate Finance Group plc and its accompanying references makes very worrying reading. Clearly Irish science and research has been seriously compromised with Mark Ferguson at the helm of SFI. The response of Minister Bruton to Claire Daly that ".....there is no more scandal" rings very hollow indeed.

The points that you make in your posting are very much underlined, without the spin, by Michael Hennigan (Finfacts.ie), in his response to Prof. Brian MacCraith article "Research Performance of Universities has soared over recent decades" in today's Irish Times. As well as taking the professor to task on various points in this article, Mr. Hennigan makes the very obivious and valid statement that ".....University research with potential is likely to be sold to an overseas buyer at an early stage making a professor or two rich but with little return to the taxpayer" (Ninth level Ireland.ie). No doubt Mr. Ferguson believed no one but his arrogant self would work that one out!!!

This nonsense that commericalisation of research will fill the States coffers and create employment has got to stop. To quote Micheal Hennigan from the same respone to the professor "It's simple crazy in these times that the commericalisation of university research is the flagship strategy in Ireland's enterprise policy".

An even more serious issue is heedlessly arising from this crazy wave of commericalisation of research. Our universities are being destroyed by the appointment of Presidents and Heads who espouse this craziness. The work done by various Presidents of former years who along with their colleagues spent their entire lives (without the huge salaries and expenses of todays incumbents ) building our Universities to world class excellence and scholarship is being systematically destroyed. We have started on the slippy downward slope. Hopefully we can be rescued yet.

by Disgusted Thu Aug 22, 2013 14:47

Mark Ferguson's comment "herding the cats" is a most disparaging and disgraceful comment on Irish scientists by a man whose job it is (despite his over inflated opinion of himself by styling himself "an ambassador of Irish science") to SERVE the academic community.

It is astonishing that there has not been one squeak of objection from our academic community. Any other profession in Ireland would have taken steps to keep the integrity and honour of their profession in tact. Has SFI and our new breed of University Presidents so demoralised the academic community that they have nothing more to offer?

Alas the time might come when we might call the academic community our new "flock of sheep" on two legs!

by Reader NUI Thu Aug 22, 2013 13:39

Must share this comment with the creator of this site. Taken from "The Times Higher" (22-28/08/2013).

"I have been much entertained by many men, as I have gone through my career, who are great at bullshitting, said Dame Sally, identifying the secret to success in many companies, schools, universities and institutions."

I am sure that rings a bell to many of the contributors of this site!!!

by Watcher - STEM (Science Tech Engineering Maths) Wed Aug 21, 2013 15:41

Conflicts of interest are embedded in the Irish culture is the only excuse we can use now. Why? Because with all the media coverage over the 18 months related to Professor Mark Ferguson formerly Renovo plc and his appointment to Science Foundation Ireland as Director-General followed by the surprise appointment as Chief Scientific adviser to the Government, the only conclusion we can reach is that the mire and the abyss will prevail. The omerta, the silence will lurk in the corridors of power and in the internet hubs of communication will be the cry from the wilderness seeking clarity.

Conflicts of Interest:

Renovo: Do we know if Professor Mark Ferguson and his wife still retain their major shareholdings in this company? If so, is there a conflict of interest? Then we ask: Do we care if there is? After all, Ireland is desperate to create employment for the many doomed to a decade of no work so we will shelter under omerta and if the opportunities present themselves, we will add some gloss and proceed ahead - who cares about ethics? Who cares about cheats? As long as there is a means to the end, cronyism, corruption is irrelevant. Jobs remove the proletariat from the live register.

Does anyone know about Ultimate Finance Group? What does it mean?

People should have an interest and in particular those academics who wrote vehemently last year in publications like the Sunday Times, the Irish Times and other science publications. The most eminent of academics from our Universities signed their names. We ask now: their views!

20th August 2013
Ultimate Finance Group plc 'is pleased to announce that at the Court Meeting and General Meeting held today all resolutions to approve the proposed acquisition of the Company by Renovo PLC ("the Acquisition") by way of arrangement ("the Scheme") were duly approved'. If you want to find out more check UFG's website: (www.ultimatefinance.co.uk).

Check out the issue of capital reduction and what this means relating to shareholders which is expected to be given on 9th September 2013. Note the power of the shareholders and ask exactly who are the shareholders and if they have any vested interests that merit attention? It is reported that the "Acquisition" is conditional on approval of shareholders of Renovo Group PLC which is expected to be given at a general meeting to be held today and to admission of the new ordinary shares in Renovo Group PLC to be issued in part consideration of the Acquisition to be admitted to AIM.

Wait and see what happens to the share price movement. Other postings have shown the spread in Renovo shares from height in Sterling pounds to as low as 11 p. Remember it is the shareholders who make and lose money. It is expected that New Renovo Shares will be admitted to trading on AIM on 10th September 2013.

It is worth looking at what UFG provides. It is a leading provider of financial solutions to SME's across the UK. Those incubator hubs in Ireland's universities may be tempted in the absence of banks who are presently risk averse to look to this source of finance as an option.

Watch out for the patents!

by Brian Flannery - Secrets of cronyism in semi-state Tue Aug 20, 2013 16:33

Who is protecting Ferguson? I read the Sunday Times last weekend and fair play to the young journalist. A friend of mine contacted her and she informed him, that only for the site Indymedia, all the details we now have would have been covered up long ago.

I ask the question who is protecting Renovo and Ferguson? This man as reported cheated on research papers. What more does Bruton and Sherlock want? The fight for truth and justice will continue until the wall of silence and cronyism falls apart.

A further comment: One year on from the retirement of Professor Cunningham in his role of Chief Scientific adviser to the Government and the appointment of Professor Mark Ferguson to the role, does anyone consider it unacceptable that a comment like the one that appeared in the Sunday Times article that basically states there can be no conflict of interest because the Government have not sought the advice of Professor Ferguson in the year since his appointment. What does this say about Professor Cunningham's work and for that matter about the Government or Professor Ferguson? It looks a bit like a rudderless ship in the high seas.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Mon Aug 19, 2013 22:18

Based on my observations of people over many years it has been demonstrated time and again that those with ideals and integrity often yield to external pressure and it is only with determined practice that this falling can be stalled. Add to this a reality that idealism and integrity are more obviously common in the young. It wanes with age. Errors too are more common in the young, like being drunk on life and careless, but cheating is cheating and not error. Error with honour can be overcome. Practised subterfuge kills idealism and creativity. Cheating ruins lives and breaks the balance. While the idealism of youth becomes lost and falls at times, there remains a practised and habitual foundation with a resultant integrity. Where the practice is subterfuge or deceit the foundation is corrupt. Ph.D. cheating sets a foundation of corruption. Is it a lesson being given to our young that cheating works and forms a basis for success?

Anyone who can claim to have cheated while at Ph.D. level should have their qualifications removed. Any success that is even in part based on lies and cheating should also be removed. Any such claim is not merely a reference to the error of youth but a claim so conceited to court disdain.

What lessons are being learnt from SFI?

by Fool proof Mon Aug 19, 2013 13:59

Re: Sunday times article "herding the cats" 18/08/2013

The esteemed and most notable Professor Mark Ferguson DG of Science Foundation Ireland , tells us that his cheating and "academic malpractice" took place "30 years ago when I was a PhD student" Really?? Elsewhere in his CV which was touted to us on his appointment as DG of SFI he boasted that he was the youngest professor in the U.K. to be appointed at the age of 28! Some university it had to be to appoint a PhD student a professor (in terms understood in the Irish academic community)! Is perhaps the professor telling us more porky pies?

by Maeve Brennan Mon Aug 19, 2013 13:39

The Sunday Times 18/08/2013

Mark Ferguson in yesterday's Sunday Times rightly poses the question, "What am I getting for my money?", on behalf of the Irish taxpayer. A very interesting question and he gave an equally interesting reply. ".....There's a lot more happening now and it will take time for those things to show through".

As an investor, who has lost most of my money in his "Renovo" scam can I remind the Irish taxpayers that he gave the same sort of re-assurance to his many investors , while Renovo was going down the tubes, and look what happened to us. "Caveat Emptor"

by Student/Citizen Sun Aug 18, 2013 14:58

It has been reported that student grants will be massively cut in the coming budget. Everyone understands the need to tighten the belt.
However what is utterly reprehensible is the millions of taxpayers money that is being poured into SFI to be distributed by a cheating ex- scientist (what has he done apart from the failed Renovo venture) and asset stripper (check out Renovo)?

Rather than the waste that is SFI I say channel all these funds into student bodies. Surely this will pay far greater dividends for our young people, for our educational system and it might even do something to restore Ireland's international reputation that has been shattered by the very likes, it could be said, of the present DG of Science Foundation Ireland.

by Science student - Queens Belfast Sun Aug 18, 2013 13:31

So Mark Ferguson of Science Foundation Ireland explains that his cheating was done while he was a PhD student. So that makes it o.k? It just tells us that Ferguson was, even back then, prepared to lie and cheat.

His unethical behaviour was big and serious enough to be flagged not only in The New York Times but also in the widely read and prestigious journal "Science". They unequivocally condemn Ferguson's deceit. No explaining that away.

This is the man that the Irish Government put in charge of doling out millions of taxpayers' money.

As for the Irish Government not seeking his advice, well they are surrounded by enough charlatans of their own without adding him to their list.

No excuses this person has to go.

by Young scientist Fri Aug 16, 2013 16:49

Renovo Business Strategy 19/03/2013.

:Renovo is well funded and its future strategy is aimed at maximising shareholders value. The company has become an investing company and will consider all options available to it in addition to realising value where possible from its remaining portfolio of clinical and preclinical candidates and intellectual property. The directors do not intend to place any restrictions on the nature of the business carried out by potential acquisition and merger targets:

This investment policy was adopted and agreed by members at its General Meeting on 24/06/2013.

Mark Ferguson D.G. of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, along with his wife Sharon O'Kane are major shareholders in this U.K. based company.

I might be a simple unimportant young scientist with a great love of and loyalty to my country (almost sounds old-fasioned now) but is the Irish Government along with its heady Scientific Researchers engaged in a kamikaze stunt??

by Missy Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:58

Interesting comments, Brian Flannery.

There is little problem with Irish researchers coming in at the bottom of the European League Tables (small country, under resourced, unfair representation of institutes, blah blah blah) but at least now we may not have to endure reading the appalling drivel (Ireland's prowess in scientific research, its prowess in knowledge and innovation) and gerrymandering of data by Science Foundation Ireland and that of Ministers Bruton and Sherlock in their efforts to justify the awful WASTE of millions of taxpayers'money on so called research.

There is a strong suspicion that a lot of this money is being spent on the vested interests of a few, and it could be argued, that the taxpayer is funding the private interests of a few charlatans that have managed, with the help of our ever reliable mandarins, to ensconce themselves in positions of influence and power. No doubt when the irreparable damage is complete we will learn the error of our ways. When will we ever learn?

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Aug 13, 2013 16:24

New Browser: Endorse your comments. There is an illusion out there that SFI is a creator of economic growth and employment.

Dick Ahlstrom has returned to the table with something to say about Innovation. One year on since this posting started, the question still remains: 'We need a strategy for scientific research' and the hunting with the hares and running with the hounds Professor Mark Ferguson DG Science Foundation Ireland while at the same time acting as Chief Scientific adviser to the Government has not produced a credible performance related analysis to streamline STEM into the roles of productive researchers in the commercial environment that demands economic growth and employment.

Where is the Inspiration? Yes, John F Kennedy 'inspired a generation of engineers and scientists when he placed before them the possibility of landing a human on the moon'. No such foresight in Ireland as the choice appears to be to detach from the European "Cern" endeavours while most other countries in Europe are dedicated participants.

There is need for a corporate strategy borne out of inspiration. People need goals, motivation, incentive. It is not just about fancy websites or corporate brochures, photo shoots at conferences. There is more, the urgent need is for action. Bloomberg TV presenter summed up the transition to today's Instagram society as the move forward, we now have the smart phone which is becoming the 'remote control' for the physical world. It is about the rise of the visual platform but with the marked change that makes that visual platform or in the case of SFI, the web pages and corporate brochures, moving forward and creating results that are tangible.

Again: the academics wrote to the Irish Times and other publications last year to express their fears. Do they have any points of reference to make now. Are their fears allayed? Do they still feel that the conflicts of interest apply and what about the recent take-over by Renovo? Are the Universites to be the educators leaving private industry to carry out research and development? What are the trends in other countries.

John Kelly in today's Irish Independent writes about our universities and the ethos being education as distinct from the function of carrying out research and development for business. The UK and Ireland rank at the bottom with a researcher average earnings of $13,300 and $8,300 respectively. This contrasts with $97,000 in Korea, $84,500 in Singapore and Germany $19,400. He goes on to say that Government has 'increased its emphasis on the importance of industrial innovation in the university research and has changed the mandate of the Science Foundation Ireland, removing its restriction to fund only basic research'.

The scientists voiced their opinions about this change to the mandate of Science Foundation Ireland. What do they have to say now?

Brian Flannery

by New Browser Tue Aug 06, 2013 16:09

With reference to the above postings I would like to draw your readers' attention to the very fine analysis of Science Foundation Ireland's mission and actual contribution in Finfacts.ie. What emerges is a worrying picture of the utter delusion that Ministers Bruton and Sherlock are under, in their belief that this organisation is a jobs engine in Ireland's economic recovery.

That research in our universities needs funding is not in dispute. To believe that pouring millions into SFI who will then distribute it to "those who play the game well" will somehow make us the best little country in " scientific research" and as a consequence create hundreds of jobs is pure poppycock.

What is equally worrying is how Mark Ferguson with his great memory lapses and massive conflicts of interest landed himself this plum job. Who are the boys that engineered this one? Who are the boys who show little belief in, and or loyalty to the Irish homegrown academics, that they must look across the water to fill the keys post in educational institutions? Truly " there is something rotten in the state of Denmark"

by Gale Voge - Birds Eye View Sun Jul 28, 2013 17:01

Need more be stated?

Any market driven enterprise will seek in the interest of all shareholders to exploit any opportunities that present. That these opportunities may be presented by foreign governments in the form of grants or investment through organisations such as SFI would warrant the consideration that control of organisations of this kind be sought. With relation to the posts on this topic It is impossible to state with any modicum of integrity that there is no conflict in a large shareholder in Renovo having control of SFI. It need not even be predicted that the chief scientific advisor to the Irish Government may present the highly viable option to invest in research that might indirectly benefit Renovo. Should the information presented in this posting be accurate, then it would only be reasonable to assume that it would in a selfish sense be incompetent of the Chief Advisor not to so advise.

It is obscurely possible that in an oxymoronic honour driven economy that such a Governmental Chief Scientific Advisor may choose to ignore the self serving interest and provide more correct advice. As we slowly edge further from the centre of the Goldilocks zone reality is painful but must be faced.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sun Jul 28, 2013 15:36

Response to: Unimpressed. An acute assessment that people need to understand.

Cronyism is becoming so entrenched and ignored by the politicians in power that we are destroying our country and people are ignorant to how this is happening. The sad facts are detailed in the Sunday papers but by Monday all is forgotten and those in clicks continue to do their deals at the expense of the plain ordinary taxpayers and citizens of Ireland.

A sample of incidents of out and out cronyism go like this:

Enda Kenny appoints John Perry as Minister for State weeks after a judgment for 240,000 euros court case. The judgment was against John Perry. Perry (portfolio: small businesses) now in debt for 2.5 million euros.

Pearse Costello former HSE manager and his wife Joan Groves sip wine in Italy as the HSE audit discloses that Costello awards 500,000 euros contracts to his own firms!

James Reilly, Minister for Health, yields to the power of the consultants Liz Nixon and Martin Connors who now avoid pay cuts levied against other top earners. Why? Excape mechanisms. Nixon has a 3 year contract @ 164,000 euros per year but it is paid direct through a British registered company named Liz Nixon Associates. Again, Martin Connors uses a British registered company called Value Based Health Solutions. This company was paid £250,000 by the Deparment of health for a six month contract June to November 2011. Why can we not tap the talent reserve we have in this country or in a diaspora so that they contribute to our taxes. These companies no doubt are paid significant expenses. Mr Connors steps down but the DOH engaged in a 3 year contract for £400,000.

Frank Dunlop: Take a look at Sam Smyth's selection of cartoon in today's Sunday Mail. It's a case of let the fools run....and the fools are the people who are the taxpayers and citizens of this country. The Corruption trial that was to change the mindset of all potential white collar criminals by way of deterrence through fear shamefully failed like all the rest. Is there any political will to give jail time to people who have engaged in corruption both then and those who continue to do so blatantly at this point in time. The Revenue pounced last week on Mr Fine Gael Lowry with a visit to his home but no doubt there is nothing to find - all swiped clean.

The Coalition is a disgrace. People should engage and challenge the status quo of these elites who transgress criminal law by way of white collar crime. People are marching in Greece, Spain, Italy, France, Hungary and corruption borne out of cronyism is the bug bear.

Is there hope? Yes, the Revenue Commissioners may be in a position to name 16 tax defaulters who have stashed more than 4 million euros offshore. The HSBC bank in Switzerland thanks a whisteblower and a simple disc resulted in the Irish Revenue being informed by French tax officials. Settlements have now been put in place and there will be one prosecution. Watch out for the defaulters list - as these tax evaders cannot be named otherwise. The defaulters' list names individuals who agree settlements with the Revenue Commissioners without going through the court process. The limits that apply: > £12,700 and the penalties incurred exceeds 15% of the tax owed.

Brian Flannery

by Unimpressed Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:59

We need Claire Daly on the ball again.

The posting from "Retired Academic" merits much closer investigation. It is inconceivable that Mark Ferguson is still in the office of CEO of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the government. His private business activities, his business ethics and his attitude and policies since he came here are clearly detrimental to Irish Science and Irish Researchers. How the universities and researchers can sit back and do nothing is truly beyond belief. Clearly all that they are interested in is to grab as much money as they can.

To argue, as Ferguson did, that the board at SFI knew all about "Renovo" prior to his appointment is tantamount to betrayal of Irish Research on their part or could it be argued that these people are just plain stupid? So much for experts!! Either way we have been sold down the swanny by them and the ministers in charge.

This man came, with the help of cronied mandarins, to siphon off the best of Irish Research for the private gain of himself, his partners and his shareholders (the bulk of whom are u.k. residents). The board at SFI have, by their actions, been complicit in this. Did he not even try to get his business partners from Renovo on to the board of SFI?

"Sweating the assets" really has come to mean stripping the assets and God help us but those in charge don't seem to understand the difference. They stick rigidly to the stupidity of doing the same thing repeatedly in the expectation that they will get a different answer. "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods/ They kill us for their sport".

by Retired Academic - Secrets of semi-state and cronyism Tue Jul 23, 2013 14:43

Dail recess and release of information that may be of interest to the people have been consistent in making postings on this site and in particular those in academia who raised their concerns about the appointment of Professor Mark Ferguson.

Take this quotation from the Manchester Evening news about the shell company Renovo:

'The recommended acquisition of UFG is the first step in implementing Renovo's strategy of building a new force in SME lending and growing considerably in an underserved sector.

“We are excited by the prospect of being strongly positioned to exploit the opportunities as they arise across the SME lending market and creating significant value for shareholders."

Check out website: http/www.renovo.com/en/node/828

Dr S O'Kane holds 7,474,517 shares ie 4.9% and is the wife of Professor Mark Ferguson who holds 12,432,476 ie 8.3% but identified with astrix being the co-founders and connected persons in accordance with definitions under FSMA. This was last up dated 19th March 2013.

For further details: Go the Wall Street Journal link
http:/online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-201130722-700398.html

Words like 'vested interests'; conflicts of interest; asset stripping; looking at the graph of an earlier posting tracing the rise and fall of Renovo down to 11p which was valued at 18p at time of closure yesterday. Someone made money again.

Interesting reading.

Retired academic

by Brian Flannery - Semi-state Sun Jul 21, 2013 14:46

Hugh Cooney ex KPMG has decided to step down as Chairman to the Board of Enterprise Ireland. It is alleged he to is to be replaced by Terence O'Rourke also of KPMG. O'Rourke resigned two months ago from KPMG on a massive pension. Now he will be chairman of Enterprise Ireland also on the Board of Directors of the Irish Times. More jobs for the boys Irish style ....

Brian Flannery

by Conundrum - Justice Thu Jul 18, 2013 15:37

Renovo was a publicly quoted company on the London Stock Exchange. People made considerable money but this was matched by many who lost both jobs and investments.

Throughout these postings the words 'Conflict of Interests' are repeated yet nobody states the obvious.

Science Foundation Ireland headed by Director General Mark Ferguson is similar in ways to a venture capital fund with allocation in excess of 100 m granted by the Government. The funding must relate to STEM. It is now blatantly obvious that one high profile academic appointment is not enough for Professor Ferguson because this time last year the Chief Scientific adviser to the Government decided to step down and the eminent man with the OBE was deemed the correct man to administer both positions. The obvious is blatant but the denial overcomes the logic and the public relations excels.

Renovo: 5 clinical trials. Wounds and scars and their effective treatment was the objective. Share prices rose and fell accordingly as each trial failed to pass muster. Eventually, Professor Ferguson accepted the failure and it is here we must ask the question did he? Strategic I would suggest was the move Science Foundation Ireland. If you work in mergers and acquisitions and a dawn raid is proposed eg Aer Lingus and Ryanair, Chinese Walls ensure that only the select privileged few know the target. Back to Renovo. Does anyone know if Professor Ferguson or his wife are still the main shareholders of Renovo delisted to AIM shares even though they may have relinquished their positions on the board of directors).

Renovo shares moved from their peak to 11 p. Let's take a what if scenario.

The Sunday Business Post Pyn Prendergast wrote an interesting little piece about 'Why Research is vital'. The first line states 'Ireland's cosmetic procedures industry is booming. Recent estimates value the sector at between 40-50 million euros. The piece is about the failure of the law to presently prevent newly qualified doctors with a basic degree being able to perform cosmetic procedures. What was interesting about the article was the connection about the thriving cosmetic industry in Ireland. If this is so, maybe the contingent of eager scientists who wrote to the Irish Times last year would cast their minds back to what venture capital is about, about conflicts of interests and how vulnerable the academic research element of our universities is?

Let the hare sit seems to be the policy of our leading University academics but surely one year they must have a view

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Jul 16, 2013 15:42

I agree with the above posting and the rest on the Indymedia site. I agree also with Joe Mc - we need Indymedia as a record keeper of blatant wrong-doing. I have put a lot of hours and phone calls in relation to researching this apparent scandal of Renovo in Manchester and Ferguson's arrival on these shores. The obvious question now is: Who is protecting Renovo Ferguson and Why?

Times Higher Education publication this time last year wrote a most interesting piece about science and the change of emphasis based on making it more commercial. The article was about Science Foundation Ireland and the appointment of Professor Mark Ferguson. The academic community made a stand and the question is how do they think now, 12 months later?

To quote the article and the function of Science Foundation Ireland:

'The foundation, which has an annual budget of EUR150 million (£118 million), was set up in 2000 to fund "basic research in strategic areas of scientific endeavour that concern the future development and competitiveness of industry and enterprise within Ireland".

Where are the academics now? What have they to say? Clarification is the least the taxpayers in Ireland deserve. We need to know that the many conflicts of interest raised consistently in this posting have been investigated and that the appropriate due diligence applied at the time of appointment of Professor Mark Ferguson to the role of D-G SFI and later to the appointment of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government.

Brian Flannery

by Maebh - NUI Sun Jul 14, 2013 17:20

"Lying, cheating, stealing , time wasters" A depressing description of our nation heard during an employment tribunal in London. Sadly this description is not confined to our bankers. It fits well the head of many of our CEO's in government quangos, - appointments made on the basis of probable cronyism and back slaps by our Government or it's mandarins.

I am outraged by Minister Bruton's defense of one of these CEO's on the basis (among others) that he is a recipient of a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II. God Almighty, it is reminiscent of his brother's embarrassing address to Prince Charles on a visit here, when J. Bruton expressed the sentiment that it was "the happiest, happiest day of my life". Grovel, grovel and his brother Richard is not far behind. Proud to be Irish????

Congratulations to Lucinda from the inner circle for expressing what we already know, that the present Government presides over "a Haughey era rot in the system". No room here for any intellectual thought, - far too dangerous - doesn't suit the present culture of cronyism and brutal pragmatism so beloved of this Government and its mandarins. In their fanciful imaginings they prefer to "sweat the assets" (in the name of commercialisation, - lol) and in the process, rob this nation of all it holds dear, its culture, its reputation, its scholarly traditions and its pride. No Government has ever done the job so thoroughly!

Maybe, just maybe after all of this, our nation will finally awaken from its induced shock and slumber, and will finally start to demand some modicum of integrity, honesty and decency from those in high places. Maybe such persons capable of delivering these qualities have already been banished from our shores! Land of saints and scholars?? - more like Land of liars and robbers.

by Exiled Researcher - Researchers with Integrity and common decency Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:59

I am now exiled since 2007. I had a three year contract with Enterprise Ireland but didn't fit into the cronyism of those entitled classes. I watched SFI under Conor Lenihan, Bill Harris, and the rest. I met Ferguson in my student days in Manchester when Renovo was almost at its peak before the crash. It is one of those meetings you don't forget. He told me that my PhD from UCD was not up to standard but to work hard - and to look at his achievements in his career and now I am brink of making hundreds of millions for investors and of course myself. Its amazing how the pyramid of arrogance can crumble but what I find more bizarre is how he landed in Dublin and succeeded to terminate with near immediate effect the contracts of four eminent scientists and then was appointed to the role of Chief Scientific advisor to the Government. The Renovo scandal is still talked about in Manchester and London.

I read closely last week Clare Daly's question to Bruton and I have to say when you have in your papers clear cut evidence of falsifying research papers, as Clare Daly had, and a Minister responds by waiving a CV in your face - then you know there is a major cover-up.

Exiled Researcher

by Brian Flannery - Justice Wed Jul 03, 2013 14:19

In the Dail yesterday Clare Daly asked Minister for Enterprise Innovation and Jobs Richard Bruton and Sherlock's boss questions in relation to Renovo Ferguson.

Clare asked the question we all have been asking for a long time now and that is if there are anymore scandals out there. The reply from Richard Bruton embellished with PR went something like this

..................Not that I am aware of. Ferguson's CV stands tall. (Details of all his academic achievements and his CBE from the Queen are cited each opportunity under the direction of skilled PR people). Bruton stated that there was no corruption.

This scandal is far from over.

Thank you Clare Daly

Brian Flannery

by Young Researcher - Prophet of Doom Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:39

Mark Ferguson's cacophany of abject failures, pumped up and unfounded arrogance has been well documented here and abroad. His past and questionable activities have been embarassingly lauded by clowns in this country and his promotion to Chief Scientific to Government is beyond belief. He and his cohorts are a serious threat to Ireland's reputation in science and research. Failure and destruction will be their legacy and ours will be a legacy of failure to halt it.

As a young researcher I despair of our models of success to be emulated. I despair for the future of learning and research in this country. I refuse to accept the viability (unproven and highly questionable) of the so called centres of excellence (seeing them only as vehicles to grab from the public purse for pumped up , over salaried individuals) who return so very very little for obscene amount of money pumped into them. I refuse to accept that some of the most brilliant minds (who have been driven out of this country) cannot yet retrieve the situation and put a stop to the circus that threatens to make clowns of all of us.

Now as before,as in other catastrophies that have befallen us, a few voices will shout STOP. Now as before their voices will be the unheard cries of those crying in the wilderness.

by Doc Student - NUI Sat Jun 29, 2013 21:18

I completely agree with you Brian. A big problem in this country is that most of the big chiefs are of the greedy arrogant amoral buccaneering type. Renovo/Ferguson is, according to the Phoenix report, clearly of this cast. It isn't enough that we have our own "cowboys" running the show but we like to import them too. We seem to have a penchant for appointing failures from other jurisdictions to run the show for us here in Ireland. Ferguson has not been shy about telling us how he is going to improve how things are run here in Ireland. Who are the clowns who appointed this cheat? Do they perhaps have vested interests in his many private (?) interests? Why does he get continued support and more importantly how can we believe anything he says? How many more of his ilk are being supported and cosseted by the system?

If these are the type who are deciding our future and who are in charge of our organisations/Institutes/Societies what hope is there for Ireland's future? Why should we work our butts off to be governed and bossed around by these charlatans?

Time to say goodbye...............

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Jun 29, 2013 15:57

Anglo Irish tapes five years on are only leaked to the media and shock horror is expressed by all. The reality is as far as non principled, non ethical behaviour, amorality is secretly admired in Ireland; we have this denial that allows us accept the rogue, the risks, the reckless carnage. The point this June 2013 is we appear to have learned nothing from the financial travesties in 2008, and if we don't register the calamities, nor will we from the revelations on these tapes. We continue on to seek out those narcissists who sell themselves as leaders and who continue to plunder through salaries, deals, pension pots, expenses, travel abroad, junkets afar, and throw in the odd course at Harvard or Stanford. What have we got and who do we admire - the question could be are these people part of the pathological narcissist cohort that have caused destruction globally in the financial markets and remain totally unchecked in Ireland. There are bankers in prison in other countries ie America, UK, France and many more.

Imagine my surprise while reading the Phoenix magazine this morning to find that main media is once more taking the bait about Professor Mark Ferguson D-G, Science Foundation Ireland "SFI" who only this time last year was appointed to the position (to run contemporaneously with that of his position in SFI) - to the role of Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government. Well done to Indymedia for the constancy to keeping us informed to the cronyism and falsity attached to semi-state sector appointments and the spin generated by the PR machine and the absence of answers from our politicians and from individuals within the semi-state. According to the Phoenix, they state his duality of function with SFI & CSO to the Government. They state quite clearly without mention the words conflict of interests......

DG SFI: '(which invests millions of euro each year in research projects')

And......Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government '(who advises the Government on HOW TO INVEST millions each year in research projects)'.

This man has history: the windfall from shares in Renovo, Manchester, the de-listing to AIM (is he still a major shareholder and is his wife?), the 5 drug trials that failed, and the major investors and small investors who lost millions when share prices hit the floor, the jobs lost, the pharmaceuticals like Shire who lost also. For more information check the link by the previous poster. This time the story comes from the US and its about 'alligators' and over supply of scientific papers to different scientific journals.
Check out the Phoenix: 29/06/12. Check out Ferguson's reply to the Independent.

The Phoenix states that back in the 1980s, as reported by the New York Times, 'Ferguson, then at Queen's University in Belfast, had submitted a paper reported on the cover of the highly respected journal, Science. However, it appeared in the journal Experientia and Ferguson had to apologise in the subsequent issue of Science'

The Phoenix skillfully draws our attention to another 'incumbent of the post of Chief Science Advisor to the Irish Government' Barry McSweeney. This man was told to resign in 2005. Deceit again has prevailed 'when it was revealed his PhD degree was from an unaccredited institution in the US that was subject to numerous investigations, state bgans and extensive media interest'... The Phoenix clarifies that Mr Ferguson's situation is not as serious as this but we are entitled to know if he declared this issue to the Irish Government before taking up both appointments.

Reckless and Feckless cost Ireland dear; surely now it is time for the old cronyism culture to be arrested and tackled.

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State Cronyism and Integrity Wed Jun 26, 2013 15:51

I totally agree with the above postings. Clare Daly TD is to put a number of questions to Minister Sherlock in the coming weeks. One of them is about the New York Times article titled 'Journals combat scientists' deceit in submitting study reports by Philip Boffey published December 14th 1982 and Ferguson's admission of wrong-doing in his research papers. The facts are stated, just refer to the link in the earlier posting. The facts are there but the answers from the PR machine are not. In fact, information suggests that there is a strategic block on FOI papers from SFI. Renovo was wiped by Ferguson but conflicts of interest questions have not been answered. Instead Mr Ferguson runs Science in Ireland. What next?

Brian Flannery

by Watchdog - NUI Tue Jun 25, 2013 19:44

From SFI's Strategy 2020, available on the SFI web site, SFI has a Key Performance Indicator related to this title: "support research integrity" and another one that is an "audit...to include areas such as research integrity, compliance with legal, ethical...obligations...transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct".

So what is SFI doing about its Director-General, Mark Ferguson, who has been guilty of gross misconduct and unethical practice in his research career and arguably in bringing his profession into disrepute?

By the look of things deception and manipulation of data/figures by those in charge has been quite acceptable behaviour in Ireland (indeed, it could be argued, mandatory in order to climb the greasy pole!!). Alas Ireland's reputation has been "shot to pieces" abroad not only in matters relating to banking.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Thu Jun 20, 2013 15:39

Integrity, Honour, Due Diligence

Scroll this site and ask the question Why? by Whom? and How?

Ask: Does the end justify the means? or perhaps we are governed by patternicity? If so, how do we make the necessary changes to effect the stated principles of the Leaders at the G8 summit at Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh, June 2013. We want Trade but there must be both fair tax paid and transparency.

Anon post dated June 29th 2012. The graph details the performance of a public company called Renovo and five trials carried out. We can see the share price rise based on positive anticipation results and fall, as each fail. Failure is not the issue but conflict of interests could be? Do we want to know or do we care?

Student poster includes a link which surely has a bearing on the postings on this site.

The question, based on the foregoing link, must be: Who vetted Mark Ferguson for the position of Director General, SFI - Science Foundation Ireland and more significantly who then decided to appoint him to the role of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland? Conflicts of interest surely abound but then again as we seek the commercialisation of science outcomes in Ireland to the cost of long-term research programmes, maybe the end justifies the end. Where are the academics who signed off on the letter to the Irish Times last year about their concerns about the commercialisation of science? We need to hear from them now, even if they have changed their stance?

Cheating, plagiarisation need to be exited rapidly. Tax evasion, tax avoidance, transparency and trade need to be governed by highly principled people in positions of leadership. Ireland and particularly now has the opportunity to rise above the corruption and cronyism that has caused such levels of hardship to people and debt that is so vast that it will be repaid by future generations. Principles must become part of our psyche and corporate governance is core. Today, we have been warned by Pascal Saint-Amans (top official at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 'OECD'), the key note speaker at a Department of Finance in Dublin conference to act with ethics and integrity. He is quite right to state that 'Ireland's taxation regime is low, attractive and could attract real business to the country..."just make sure it is 12.5% and not 2%"

The time is now to make positive changes. This is common sense re-stated yet again. We know the principles so let's apply them. SFI and Mark Ferguson have attracted considerable media attention over the past 18 months but answers to questions are not forthcoming.

Brian Flannery

by Poor Sucker Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:53

Nothing like lying and cheating your way to the top, - is there?

And this is the man who gets to decide what research projects to fund and how much they should get???? He never gets tired of telling us what a great job he is doing. Must be on the pig's back to be one of his cronies!!!!

Ah shure what does it matter? It is only us poor suckers who foot the bills?

by Student II - NUI Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:19

Compliance with research integrity is the least we should expect from people who are in receipt of millions of taxpayers money. How can we hope to achieve this when the Director of SFI/ Government Chief Scientific Advisor, Renovo Ferguson is himself, by his own admission, guilty of malpractice and it could be argued, dishonesty in his own research career?

Low standards in high places seems to be the norm in irish society!

by Student Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:23

Irish Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Director-General of Science Foundation Ireland was involved in deceit and improper practice. He submitted the same research material to two different journals. He therefore “duped” leading journals on his work.

See the New York Times on Renovo Ferguson’s past deceitful practices.

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/14/science/journals-comb...d=all

Ferguson’s apology states that he was going to withdraw one article if the other was accepted. Such multiple simultaneous submissions are completely unethical. The quotation in that New York Times article by Renovo Ferguson – “due to a gross oversight on my part I failed to withdraw” one of the papers – is real Ferguson-speak: I did not manage to cover up my mispractice in time.

by not surprised Thu Jun 13, 2013 14:49

Pat Rabitte continues the Labour sell out with oil and gas just like his mates in EI....

http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/EI_Corporate/en/News/....html

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State Cronyism Thu Jun 13, 2013 13:47

Watching Vincent Browne on Tuesday night, he had a pre-recorded interview with John McGuinness who stood down temporarily as Chairman of the PAC, Browne as usual gave no quarter, he stated to McGuinness that he as Minister for State with Fianna Fail five years ago got a full office in the Dail including the famous super loo which cost the Irish taxpayers £350,000. McGuinness replied that he had nothing to do with the renovations and he went on to say that he would have been happy enough to sit in an ordinary office with a loo off the corridor. Browne replied that the facts remain - you have your new office and the super loo.

Browne then asked him about the employment of his son as a personal PA on £40,000 but then went on to say that his son received a 70% pay rise in a nine month period because someone was out on sick leave. McGuinness looked shook and he tried to defend the impossible. Browne then mentioned the famous word "Cronyism". In my opinion, as Browne stated on live TV, cronyism is rampant throughout this country and I am not here to in anyway take from the integrity of John McGuinness. I am here to highlight the injustices that is put upon the backs of the Irish taxpayers from people who believe they are 'Entitled' and are part of the new Irish Established Entitled classes. I also observed McGuinness trying to distance himself from the free Business Class travel £9,000+ for his wife on a recent junket and that paid for other TD's and their wives.

John McGuinness in my opinion was very good at his job as Chairman of the PAC but sadly there is a cloud now over his comments in relation to spouses free travel and the super loo that he enjoys at Government buildings. If we begin to weed out the rot of cronyism and nepotism in this country across every public sector, it has to start from the very top and this in my opinion, as the media have now regularly stated, puts John McGuinness's position as Chairman of the PAC as untenable. We have covered the cronyism in SFI, EI, Forfas, IDA, and Tourism Ireland and we know that jobs for the boys will continue (and girls!) until ordinary people gain the courage to stand up and say enough is enough.

I will close by saying this rot will continue indefinitely if the watchdog ie PAC is itself entwined with cronyism.

Brian Flannery

by Get Smart/Big Data - Secrets of Cronyism Tue May 28, 2013 16:05

Where Ireland meets the USA in the quest for commercialised scientific research, job creation, life-long learning - this latest press release from SFI dated 27th May 2013 is provocative to say the least and well worth reading. Is there a significant platform now secured by Science Foundation Ireland with Professor Mark Ferguson at the helm? Can we now acknowledge his leadership both as D-G of SFI and more importantly in the role he took up earlier in the year as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, for no additional salary. Indications ie in the absence of FOI papers, are that his salary does not exceed the threshold amount that applies to new postings in the semi-state sector.

The question is whether this Professor/Entrepreneur Renovo Ferguson is setting the pace for what other semi-state bodies such as EI will have to achieve at a fraction of the costs they are now paid. The challenge now exists to see who is creating jobs or potential jobs by creating links to the like of Silicon Valley for our new generation of potential entrepreneurs. Indymedia and Mr Flannery maybe you might now concede that this man (Renovo Ferguson) is not the product of cronyism but is an entrepreneur with vision, not necessarily motivated by the reduced salary structure provided for him when he took up the position in January 2012. Enlighten us please. The quote from the press release below suggests this man could in fact have given some 'vision to the visionless'....if so, there is a whole tier of over paid public-sector employees and for that trade union management whose days are limited. The young people today, it is said will be poorer than their parents. When do we give them their opportunities?

'Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson, said,

“This partnership will create new opportunities for young, talented researchers while strengthening the academic ties between our two countries. As set out in Agenda 2020, SFI has a strategic objective to be the exemplar in building partnerships that fund and support excellent science. It is important to note that the NSF identified SFI Research Centres as a major reason for agreeing this partnership for their GRFP. This agreement will deliver excellent research in areas of national importance including; nanotechnology, marine renewable energy, ‘Big Data’, medical technologies and food, which will have a positive impact on Ireland’s economic future.”'

To our universities who have fallen below top 100 status, whose professors are paid more than other major universites, the time is here for change. The like of SFI/EI can form the partnerships but the students have to be of the calibre and educated to standards above what we have at present to compete in this world going forward.

Its the time of Big Data, Statistics, Maths, Nano, Marine Renewable, Medical Technologies (wake up time for the HSE), Food. Maire Geoghegan-Quinn is our representative in Europe and Horizon 2020 is on stream for Ireland's research teams also.

Have the academics who signed off in the Irish Times about their dissatisfaction with SFI in 2012 any comments to make now?

Get Smart/Big Data

by Observer - Justice Mon May 27, 2013 16:23

I want to thank the moderators for taking down the above troll, in the last half hour. It is becoming quite evident now that Indymedia, Brian Flannery and many more are sending shivers into the crony hingeing on near corruption brigade in the semi-state sector in Ireland.

Come forward, speak out. We need accountability in semi-state urgently. We need jobs created.

Observer

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon May 27, 2013 10:42

I want to thank the moderators for acting so swiftly this morning in relation to the gobblegook which is now off the topic.

Indymedia, myself and others, are touching nerves in places throughout the semi-state sector where people thought they are untouchable. As we speak Julie Sinnamon is making moves with her sycophants behind her to take over Frank Ryan's job as Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland. We also know the last few months that certain people have been planted by Niall O'Donnellan and Mark Christal in certain sections who are trying to remove staff who know too much. In one particular case one individual is there on a year placement course and at the age of 29 we know he is no late starter. I can't reveal his name for legal reasons. He is a lawyer. This man is there to collect data that will enshrine Sinnamon and Lisa Vaughan and Niall O'Donnellan as the elite and to ensure they have full control of the careers of nearly 1,000 people. It is only recently I found out that Marie Sherlock, Economist with Siptu is a sister of babyface Sean Sherlock, Minister of State. This tells me that cronyism is really rampant across every sector in this country.

I would like to ask Ciaran Cannon now about the junket last year to foreign companies in Asia. It is reported that the number on the plane exceeded 60 gobshites. Again Ciaran Cannon is blocking FOI papers in relation to the cost of this junket but inside sources maintain it was in the region of £168,000. What a waste of money when people in this country are struggling to pay bills. Do we know how many jobs were created? In the middle of all this Ferguson also known as Renovo Crocodile Ferguson is doing more photo shoots than Marilyn Monroe ever did to enhance his status as Ireland's esteemed scientist. The PR machine that he has hired has cost in the last 18 months in excess of £1.2 million. Another former inside source Finnmacool is shortly to go full whistleblower and also a book thanks to Indymedia is in the early stages and the research is ongoing. This scandal is far from over and taxpayers need to know the full truth about how their money is being spent.

Brian Flannery

by Enter the Jabberwockey Sun May 26, 2013 14:13

'It seems very pretty,' Alice said when she had finished it, 'but it's rather hard to understand!' (You see she didn't like to confess, even to herself, that she couldn't make it out at all.) 'Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don't exactly know what they are! However, somebody killed something: that's clear, at any rate.'

Yes like someone’s career for example.
You know if someone writes a snotty and dismissive email to Ms Saunders on 22nd Jan 2013 as Labour hack Mr O’Donnellan did on queries regarding semi-state corruption and mismanagement than one ought to ensure that their own profile is as clean as a whistle. We wouldn't want a re-enactment of the Shatter & Wallace debacle, now would we?
And for the next magic trick, sit back and fasten your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

by Brian Flannery - Semi-state cronyism and cost to taxpayers Fri May 24, 2013 15:44

Rogue - a bustybee at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

What are you trying to say? Dullsville - does this mean you are bored? If so, what does it say about you and for that matter, if you are from the ICTU, it says a lot because as sure as hell the trade unions are slow to act in the best interests of their service workers or those in small to medium sized business. Benchmarking sure numbed your negotiation skills for those you represent while ensuring that for your elites pay scales were secured in line with those executives in the semi-state, banks and for that matter those in the Government and a higher civil service ranks.

Forgive me for my ignorance but what is the One Foundation you refer to. Who is LOL? - could it be 'Land of Liars' Foundation. Please share the secret. Is it to do with a certain kind of handshake or maybe it could be to do with an invitation say Opus Dei, but the truth is I don't know and the whole concept of SHADOW economy is worth investigation and by this I mean the ever growing black economy.

Why dismiss SFI and EI? The citizens of Ireland Inc should know and hold to account the semi-state and for that matter the HSE, and the Universities because their potential research if commercialised becomes an opportunity to create the much needed employment in this country.

Rogue Brian Flannery, Size 10 Slingback Club! (you evidently still have enough money to buy fashion & party). Have you anything to comment on about the latest press release in the Daily Business Post (23/05/13) concerning 'SFI to invest £6.9 million in 62 research projects'? What have you to say about Renovo Ferguson creating another waste scenario of taxpayers money with the help of Sean Baby Face Sherlock. Research Research Research and spin doctoring at it's best with their PR departments rolling out the mythology. The reality is how many jobs are being created or is it just positions for the elites and allocations of funds for the chosen few on the university campuses who lick ass.

We can hope but we need to get grounded at grassroots to ensure that we understand how Ireland Inc will survive this recession. Ireland needs to grow itself out of the depression and we need to understand that as part of the Eurozone we are left exposed from controls we previously had over the movement of capital across borders and the controls of altering interest rates. We need to understand the scandal attached to an amount of £500 million being remitted by Nigerians for 2012. This is more than the whole
Croke Park II negotiations and yet nobody pays heed. This would not have been 1980's Ireland (Central Bank controls) or if you lived in Nigeria, you would not be remitting £500,000 to Ireland without their Government having a say.

Public sector you are too cushioned. Trade unions, you are asleep. Get focused on the foregoing and tell us how we can stop such an outflow of funds. If we don't deal with this, and our public sector likewise sleepwalks through reality what is the point in dreaming about commercialised science projects yielding returns. To add to this we have now lost the other great overseer NAMAwinelake....

Renovo Ferguson is in the driving seat and full steam ahead is the mythology for commercialising science. £6.9 million goes to 62 research projects by SFI's Technology Innovation Award (TIDA) with the pledge "It will enable numerous research teams to take the first steps in developing the new discoveries and inventions with commercial potential'.....Sherlock goes on to say that the "commercialisation of excellent research taking place in Ireland' would be funded. Yes, we welcome it but the precursor must be to first clean up the excesses on the Ireland Inc balance sheet, like the crazy remittances to Nigeria, losses to the black economy, waste in the public sector. We need to learn from the Germans and start focusing back to STEM. In Germany Computer Technolgy is on the syllabus.

Brian Flannery

by Brian Flannery - Size Ten Slingback Club Wed May 22, 2013 03:25 bustybee at ictu dot ie

Dullsville! Let's all forget about Science Foundation Ireland and that other place. There is just one foundation that really matters, and yes, it's a big, big secret. Are we all sitting comfortably? Here goes: (deep breath.. LOL!)
Where, oh where is that ultimate light, mattifying layer that will take us flawlessly from lunch to launch; from dinner to disco?
Please, girls, don't be shy. What summer foundation works for you? Ssshhh... no-one's going to tell!
;)

by Brian Flannery - Justice : Secrets of Cronyism in semi-state Tue May 21, 2013 16:07

In Enterprise Ireland every two weeks there is a meeting of the elite group of ascending eaglets under the chairwomanship of Julie Matriarch Sinnamon. Others include Niall Donnellan, Treston and Cantwell. The policy or may I say the purpose of this crony gathering is to do a surveillance check on every division in the semi-state body. Why? Well conjecture would suggest that Julie needs to know what is going on internally and why would suggest that if Frank Ryan CEO is to retire, and Julie is looking for the position, she needs to be briefed. When Frank Ryan was asked about this gathering, he denies it. Sinnamon is power hungry and reports are that she has a good ally in Renovo Ferguson in SFI.

Staff are pissed off for years and demotivated because of this small crony driven elite led by Julie Sinnamon who run this semi-state like their own private enterprise.

The above postings have asked many questions on behalf of the Irish taxpayers - Yet Sherlock hides. Why?

Who really runs this country. Cronyism Cronyism Cronyism.....

by Disgruntled Professor - University Mon May 20, 2013 13:25

Big Mouth Strikes back.... we need to hear more

Itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout,
Itsy bitsy spider can’t wait for the truth to come out….

The Truth:

In my 35 years in lecturing maths and science I can safely say with my head held high in my retirement year that I took no bribes from commercial companies or licked no asses that run the self established quangos in this country. At this point our students across this island are lagging behind in maths, chemistry and general science.

Sadly though if you go to the SFI website you would think Mark Ferguson or as people call him on this site - Renovo Ferguson, that he is running Silicon Valley. Recently, at a seminar in the RIA I happened to have my first meeting with Ferguson. He asked me about my career and he said you played the safe game - salary, pension, and I replied have you read Indymedia about your own game play status. He threw his head back with a loud laugh but I knew he was covering up an undercurrent of anger and he turned around as he walked by me and replied - socialist sites I never lose a night's sleep over. One of the staff during the conference who works in SFI told me that he is like a crazed animal in relation to the exposure of Renovo and the £200 m he lost with his super ego. Also I was informed that not one job was produced in 2012 by SFI.

I want to state that I am deeply disappointed in all of my colleagues across the campuses of this country who did not sign a petition objecting to Ferguson's appointment of Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government last September 2012. Anybody reading the 400+ postings on this site realises that there is cronyism, there is corruption, and there too many major conflicts of interest and the losers are the students, the would be young entrepreneurs and above all the Irish taxpayers.

The above posting also interests me greatly and I would like to hear more about what goes on in EI also.

Disgruntled Professor

by Big Mouth strikes again Sat May 18, 2013 11:55

Entertaining to watch Vincent Browne show last week, Fine Gael’s TD Tom Barry spouting shite that indigenous exports had increased and rambling about imaginary jobs.
Meanwhile EI Managers are pissing themselves laughing at the crap that EI’s Press Dept are allowed to release and posters above say that Frank Ryan doesn’t know about it. Hmmm.

Now let’s just slaughter a myth or two that’s being propagated by the spoofers :
If 90% of food and beverages exports, as known by managers, actually belong to a certain multi-national company, with a notable address in St Jame’s Gate, D8, surely that proportion should be classified as irrelevant to the export figures that FG TD Barry is allowed to spout on the telly. But then, one could argue, if the staff in EI and IDA are so interchangeable then so too should the statistics of either organisation, or should they be?

Meanwhile as someone looks over the well-paid audit of Ernst & Young audit for Employment & Job Expansion Scheme grants 2012.
Ernst & Young completed a sample of 10 companies:
Identified as Grade 2 – important.
One company had been approved employment grants on condition that new jobs were specifically required to be based in Co Kilkenny.
QUOTE: “Our review identified that 2 of these new employees worked in other locations (Dublin, Australia, Bulgaria)…”

Risk
1- Ineligible claims being paid
2- Payment made for ineligible employees.
3- Inability to identify definition of Baseline employees.

For further information please send ‘Wish you were here’ postcards and FOI queries to Labour Hack & Head of Investments Niall Donnellan. Well at least the audtiors got paid...

One poster states that Frank Ryan didn’t know about the expense trip to Israel, oh really? A re-enactment of the disappearing act of Lord Lucan is about to unfold with Ryan’s retirement. And oh look, there’s Shergar in the Horseshoe Bar having a martini. Cheers everyone.
Bruton shouldn’t worry about the IT security; it’s the remaining managers that’s the concern.Oh and maybe someone should double-check that record-breaking €16.2 exports figure…

Itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout,
Itsy bitsy spider can’t wait for the truth to come out….

by Liam Ryan - Whistleblower potential Fri May 17, 2013 16:09

Apparently, but the media are slow to report, Minister Bruton chairs a conference today in Dublin. This gathering of gobshites are supposedly going to bring investment and create employment in Ireland. Surely Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Forfas and not forgetting Renovo Ferguson, SFI, have been paid handsomely by the Irish taxpayer to create jobs and attract investment to this country. As it is, and I stand to be corrected, 90% of our exports are generated by the Google coterie of foreign investors - (MNC's who use our infrastructure, our educated English speaking workforce to access global markets with our favourable tax rates), while 10% exports are created at a domestic level. The point being, that employment is equally created by the two groups.

Ireland needs to become creative, innovative, and start exporting more products. We have the education, we need the sponsorship from the aforementioned state sponsored bodies, and the banks to encourage people to invest, invent, produce and export. Our state sponsored entities are being too selective and risk averse, they prove hostile to our indigenous potential exporters with business proposals by being too greedy and seeking matching funds. Stop the red light now. Risks are essential especially where the potential exists. Ireland can enhance the opportunities of our own home grown businesses. If Waterford Crystal can withstand 'financial destruction' as a publicly quoted company and can resurrect itself through the abilities of its former workers getting together and setting up again, then we should acknowledge and be inspired by these exemplary abilities of people with crafts who recreated the market minus the surplus to requirement administration costs. The 'Widening of the gap' between the frontline and the Chief Executive and his elites is a case-history in the making, that needs to be followed to cut out the waste in semi-state and for that matter at trade union level also.

The morale in semi-state is very low at the moment. Gaps are widening between the frontline staff, the minions who ought not be listened to because they have nothing to contribute of worth and the self established elites cushioned nicely by the benchmarking process during the Celtic Tiger extravaganza - those people like Julie Sinnamon, Mark Christal, Lisa Vaughan in Enterprise Ireland and add to this the other over indulged members of SFI ie Ruth Freeman, Keane, Clifford. There are too many free junkets to other countries with little results. Where are the jobs? Why the matching funding requirements for people trying to establish small business? Its called resting on ones' laurels. There is the entrenched fear of failure by these elites so no jobs are actually being created because they are stifled by fear to make decisions, hence the junkets. It is a form of distraction technique and we the people allow it to happen, hence the apathy spawned at present. SFI hautily said NO to eminent STEM scientists who were Irish. Was this short-sighted?

Nobody in Dail Eireann is asking the hard questions. Some of the above postings quite rightly make the suggestions that some of these semi-state entities need forensic audits or even just some cost benefit analysis studies and performance related assessments. They need a cleansing out and now with the removal of the so called established elite who believe they can spend taxpayers money at free will.

Youth unemployment in Europe is a catastropic outcome and semi-state by their elitism excludes potential for this potential workforce. This is a scandal in itself that the young people on the Island of Ireland should tackle now and with a voice. They have the ideas, they need investment and for the young the message needs to be we are aware of your abilities and there will be support and job creation.

Liam Ryan

by Brian Flannery - Semi-States the Secrets - the Cronyism Mon May 13, 2013 14:38

The scandals in the semi-state continue and will continue until Sean Sherlock awakens to the massive waste of taxpayers money from within SFI under Renovo Ferguson and in Enterprise Ireland under the two monkey ministers - Sherlock and Minister Bruton.

Inside sources within SFI have confirmed that Donal Keane and Una Clifford, who terminated (prior to conclusion of contracts), the posts of 6 senior members of staff, on the instruction of Renovo Ferguson, are keeping a low profile over the last few months. Ruth Freeman is still travelling the globe on taxpayers money while the FOI papers are still being blocked. The reality for taxpayers is that the people need to know the number of jobs created by Ferguson. The news on the street is that it is not dis-similar to the shameful number of six created by EI and could even be ZERO. The letter to Enda Kenny, An Taoiseach, dated April 2012 is by now shredded no doubt, but one copy it is alleged did leak through on the grapevine. FAS, EI, SFI, all these semi-state entities provide junkets - lots of travel abroad for what? What is the outcome of the visit say to China that involved 60+ dignatories last year. The people of Ireland have the right to know the performance based outcomes of these trade missions to faraway places. This is about need to know information for the ordinary tax-paying people of Ireland and for the citizens. It is time to take note that the pen can be mightier than the sword. For society to become more equitable there must be performance related pay; efficient cost benefit analysis and the creation of new job opportunities.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View. Fri May 10, 2013 10:16

Yet another pub type conversation but not in a pub and without the alcohol. Coffee shop banter amongst the unemployed near the Fás centre on Parnell Square. The conversation had a tinge of eastern Europe and an increasing absence of hope in those re-emigrating.

'On the list of courses available was fork lift training, first aid and architectural drafting. Maybe the fist aid will help when the Irish start fighting for their rights, the others....... huh! I was told that the fork lift training was being given by a plumber with little fork lift knowledge.'

'What? How can that be?'

'It seems that he had a job, but no-one wanted to learn plumbing as there were no jobs, so they put him training forklift drivers. There are other courses, safe pass courses being thought by school teachers with no site experience, it goes on.'

The effect of this type of crony-ism where those with obsolete jobs have foisted on them responsibilities not commensurate with their own training is creating a reputation that Ireland is not a place to train. Some of the training provided is not being accepted in Britain or on the continent. Is it that we as a nation simply act like we care without taking correct action? The reason why there is so much waste is the maintenance of a façade that conceals an official ineptitude where praise is given to those removing from the live register some unemployed by simply moving them into training. A training that is demonstrate of a system corrupt and ineffective.

“If you're going through hell, keep going.” Winston Churchill.

Of course, the idea in maintaining momentum is that eventually you'll get to the other side. This implies direction without which we will keep going in circles and remain in hell.

by Big mouth strikes again Mon May 06, 2013 17:05

Ann Gibbons asks the question to whom should the FOI request regarding the croke park seats be addressed to? Well why not corporate director and expenses signatory Paddy Hopkins who can answer that before he shuffles off to retirement in September or Labour activist Donnellan when he’s not in mid-air at the tax payer’s expense.You never know though, maybe some journalist has the info already. Depends on the FOI process though and why they’d block such a request.
The query has been raised as to whether or not EI CEO Frank Ryan has lost control. Oh no, it’s not that Ryan has lost control; it’s just that he doesn’t give a damn coming up to retirement and what’s the point when the directors you employ are as useless as Ryan. Take incompetent Director no 10, Cantwell for example, who has muscled in like Basil Fawlty for political reasons to try and salvage a company but whose incompetence is likely to kill off a poultry factory in Waterford. Expect a press release soon apologising for the loss of jobs. Ryan is well aware of the situation but is too busy worry about the horse racing.

Meanwhile it’s well known that Incompetent Spice girl Director Julie Sinnamon in introducing her new IT Security policy for so-called client confidentiality has totally backfired. Client confidentiality is now going to get hit more in future especially with the FOI requests on the disastrous business decision being made by the head honchos of EI.
Seems with the new IT policy some of the HR girls are very busy interfering with people’s IT security, tampering with people’s calendars, business and private emails and stalking people’s social media with one particular Plain Jane from HR particularly obsessed with a couple on the premises. Tut, Tut, Tut. Jealousy is a terrible affliction.
OF course how this plain jane has such unlimited access to people’s computers one will have to ask Julie and the IT Dept. Not being a lawyer, I’d say someone has to answer for a serious and irrelevant breach of privacy never mind the fact that no one is monitoring the Internet activities of HR. And If only HR would just keep racking up the courses with their well-earned IMI qualifications, Roffey House diplomas, APMG, CIPD crap and wasting taxpayers’ money doing courses in Dublin and the UK rather than going around the org like the manicured and preening megalomaniacs that they are. Maybe SFI HR pro Una Clifford would like to take a few lessons from this coven.

Meanwhile as a result of poor management and control, ‘Face like Watery Pus’ HR Manager Mark Christal is looking to escape HR to new business ventures. Can’t imagine why? Apparently Christal is getting fed up getting his flabby arse kicked in the LRC. What a shame…he’s so popular with the ladies…in Siberia. And Sinnamon? God love her, the poor woman thinks she’s still in the running as EI CEO alongside SFI runner Fergusson. Our good lord Jesus Christ himself wouldn’t trust her to boil a kettle never mind run for CEO.

Btw, scambridge is working very well in EI and Donnellan should know.
The Taxpayer is going to be paying for the Advanced Management Development Programme at Columbia for him. Poor Niall wants the taxpayer to cough up cos he only earns €100K. Maybe his Labour friends could do a whip around…

by Observer III - Semi-State: Secrets about cronyism & possible Corruption Sun May 05, 2013 16:46

SFI is a quango and a very costly one. Papers are still waiting for the FOI information on
Ferguson's role in the Director General's chair, which in itself alone is a scandal and
raises questions about conflicts of interest.

How is it that one man can run down a company in Manchester, walk away with
£16 million sterling, 250 job losses as well as losses to the English taxpayers and
investors (which is reckoned to be more than £200 m sterling). Yet he lands
a double header here in Ireland as DG in SFI and then becomes the Chief
Scientific adviser to the Irish Government thrown in.

Sherlock it is time to come and speak out. Irish taxpayers both need and want
answers. Where are the jobs?

Observer III

by Ann Gibbons - Semi-State and public accounts committee investigation Sat May 04, 2013 15:14

Niall Donnellan, Enterprise Ireland, as previously posted nears retirement, yet this man is facilitated and funded for attending lectures at Columbia University in the USA (not dis-similar to the McNeice IMO provisions and Harvard; and some similar practice in FAS). What we can rest assured about is that it is on taxpayers money. Niall Donnellan who is a director with Enterprise Ireland also is a member of the Finance Committee of EI along with Mark Cristal and Paddy Hopkins. Donnellan while ensuring his own studies at Columbia University are paid for out of public funding exercised restraint on the funding of courses for staff in Enterprise Ireland to enhance their careers. This funding would be for education provided in Ireland while he flies at will for his own advantage. This man proves to be (like so many more entitled people within the public sector and trade unions) a law onto himself.

The question is whether Mark Ferguson, SFI is embedded in similar entitled culture exercising control over the massive PR machine available to these public sector bodies but for their own enhancement on a career path more personally motivated than for the benefits of people employed within the public sector. We should know by now the success rate of the policy change in SFI and how many jobs have actually been created.

Yes we need to ask who sanctioned the corporate seats at Croke Park valued at over £65,000. Then we need to know what provision for corporate seats applies to the Aviva Stadium. Taxpayers are not informed of the lifestyles of these self-made demi-Gods who spend other people's money without the level of integrity that austerity expects. Investigation is merited at this time especially. Would Bruton, Sherlock ask Julie C. direct questions as to what is goign on in Enterprise Ireland. It seems that Frank Ryan, CEO, has lost control.

Well done Indymedia for reporting consistently on highlighting this potential scandal within the public sector. Austerity impedes economic growth but fiscal tightening asks companies, businesses to cut out waste also. Where best to start but with expenses and moral integrity of people protected by Government from the harsh realities that so many in the private sector have had to accept and endure.

Ann Gibbons retired

by Brian Flannery - SFI & Cronyism within the semi-state sector Fri May 03, 2013 16:04

"Itsy, bitsy spider climbed up the water spout,
Itsy bitsy spider found lots of corruption about..."

Through Fire Justice is served...wow. Cronyism to corruption and reading these postings it is now time for people to call out for integrity and a cut to the waste perpetrated through the governance of our public sector elites at the expense of the ordinary workers and citizens in Ireland.

FOI is sought to confirm revelations in the media concerning appointments and cutting short contracts of eminent scientists with particular reference to SFI. It is nearly one year since Indymedia started this probe to tackle cronyism and its links to potential corruption, and yet the blank wall of silence pertains. From the Sunday Times, to most other newspapers, articles have been written. Yet nobody bites. Why?

Yes, the previous poster sums it up as per his quote above; and what is therein for the rest of us to learn is that cronyism and corruption are seeping through our public sector. The time is now as austerity bites home for the masses to challenge these elites especially our trade union elites and actively place them in the spotlight. Then maybe we can truly tackle the virus that the Tribunals sought to quench and rebuild our country. So yes, we need answers, we need FOI papers. £60,000 for Croke Park tickets within the EI heads and the Union friends begs the question what are the salaries of these so called semi-sector elites, what are they spending in expenses; where are they travelling to and for what purpose and what are the results? Where are the Jobs? Who really oversees what is going on? We know from the inept pieces in the main media that the trade unions, such as the IMO (McNeice) and Siptu (Merrigan) indicate a rot that must be examined and removed and that no doubt it is to be found throughout the semi-state where competitive advantage is confined to competition as to who has secured the best financial package and pension pot at this elite tier. It does not pertain only to the semi-state sector and the trade union elites but they have learned their negotiation skills from the politicians, developers and bankers - so yes it is time to expect cost benefit analysis and demand outcomes and the creation of jobs.

SFI and Mark Ferguson and his connection with Renovo intimates that his transition from a company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (now on AIM) to the position of Director General of SFI and nearly 6 months later to the position of Chief Scientific adviser to the Irish Government raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. Add to this the concern of many in the science STEM group of academics particularly when it concerned the commercialization emphasis of the new SFI leadership especially when some eminent scientists had there contracts terminated ahead of schedule. So the time is now to find out about how the commercial approach to science has created jobs? Then what we need to know is at what cost? The evidence of conflicts of interests could be established through the web of expenses that time creates ie providing the investigation is purely objective, as integrity demands.

Brian Flannery

by Through fire, justice is served...said itsy bitsy spider - Tangled web Fri May 03, 2013 11:03

Months are rolling on and with the imminent retirement of Enterprise Ireland CEO Frank ryan, one can be assured that if Mark Fergusson was able to complete such an abysmal Directorship with SFI then he should do admirably well if he were appointed as Enterprise Ireland’s CEO.

It’s a bad week for Labour activists in SIPTU particularly with the report of the HSE SIPTU slush fund. Perhaps Sarah Hogan of the Comptroller and Auditor General can investigate why good little Labour activist and Enterprise Ireland investments director Niall donnellan needed to retain premium box seats in Croke Park (Labour activists new home it seems) with his pals Frank Ryan, Greg Treston and used car salesman Paddy Hopkins for so many years .
Was this lease of premium seats really a good investment of taxpayers’s money? Should Ryan and Donnellan be interviewed regarding the need of such expensive baubles and who was entertained in these box seats?

Frank Ryan, Paddy Hopkins and Labour Luvie Niall Donnellan may want to answer the question before he leaves as to why premium seats worth €60,000 per year were retained for so many years. I’m sure Ryan, Donnellan, Hopkins and Treston would love to answer a few question before a Committee particularly since Hopkins, Treston and Ryan are fleeing the sinking ship before the end of 2013. It would be a nice little send-off for them.

One should be aware that an FOI request should take place before 2011 as Hopkins and Ryan are washing their hands of incurred expenses and trying to sell the seats before they retire. I’m sure Donnellan and Fergusson will gladly take up the slack and the remaining seats. Now tweet that, candidate.

Itsy, bitsy spider climbed up the water spout,
Itsy bitsy spider found lots of corruption about...

by The Rose of Clare - Irish Veterans Society Thu May 02, 2013 13:31

Sherlock won't answer the questions. Ferguson refuses to release the internal emails through the FOI process and yet Ruth Freeman, Donal Keane, Una Clifford and of course, top dog Ferguson can travel at free will which results in the excessive costs to Irish taxpayers. I want to go back to a posting by Brian Flannery some weeks ago in which he mentioned a letter that was written by Mark Ferguson (Renovo/SFI/Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government) to Enda Kenny, Taoiseach, in April 2012. This letter is now in the hands of two journalists and is soon to be printed. Ferguson with the arrogance of a three balled Tiger stated that he would create over 500 jobs in his first year. At this stage, the man is becoming a total embarrassment.

Mark Tighe, Sunday Times, is still waiting for internal correspondence through the FOI process. Add to this the public relations officer who under the instructions of Renovo Ferguson will not speak to the press unless the article praises SFI's supreme boss and it must enhance his supreme ego also. Paul Dodds who now resides and teaches in a college in California is alleged to have stated recently to friends at UCD here that he was bullied and harrassed in SFI by Donal Keane and Una Clifford which gave him no choice but to depart for foreign shores. Recently, other staff members are willing to talk if they are promised anonymity. One staff member said he is willing to be a whistleblower in relation to the bullying and intimidation that goes on under Ferguson's rein. At this stage we need a whistleblower but these people need protection.

I will close by saying the taxpayers need answers, while people need jobs and I want to thank Indymedia and Brian Flannery for raising the issue of one of the biggest semi-state scandals in Irish history

Rose of Clare

by Eagle Eye - Semi-State cronyism, waste, even corruption Mon Apr 29, 2013 15:57

Through fire justice is served

What can I say? The postings on this Indymedia site (and other media sources) state that much time is spent kindling the embers, while we patiently await the stoking of the fire to access the realisation of the waste, cronyism, corruption embedded in the public sector culture. Do we ask about the links between our trade unions to the quangos, to FAS, to our elite semi-state sector at the expense of the taxpayers and citizens of Ireland. Pertinent flesh, we need to hear more. Through fire justice is served, keep writing.

The role of cronyism is rampant in Enterprise Ireland and SFI. Recently a group went on a junket to Cork (usually it is to Harvard or Florida!). 8 certain individuals dined and wined in a gathering of the self-endorsing established elite of our semi-state. The hotel, top of the range, provided golf, oratory and song, for three nights. The menu, the wine, expense beyond what is acceptable for the ordinary human being goes without saying. Expense accounts need to be tackled, the moral compass needs to forcus on the hardship presently experienced by so many and it is not much for the taxpayers and citizens of Ireland to expect from these semi-state captains of industry to exercise caution and restraint when spending their money under the guise of expenses. We only need to look to what happened in FAS when Shane Ross researched and highlighted the indulgence and expenditures of the self appointed elites. Waste not our money on expenses, we want urgently to create jobs.

Ferguson is travelling again across the Atlantic on free trips (no FOI papers yet to clarify any relevant conflict of interest situations) and we should ask - on behalf of WHO? Is it SFI or Renovo? Sherlock and the finance civil servants - for f...k sake Wake Up. Time to do a cost benefit analysis, assess the jobs created from the decision to commercialise science (STEM) policy in Ireland and if needs be then close down the SFI quango. This scandal will continue for a long time to come.

Eagle Eye

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Apr 27, 2013 15:49

Looking at the above postings, the word corruption rings out for Enterprise Ireland with the inference that it is widespread in our public sector. If we don't want to use the word 'corruption' maybe now is the time to start seeking out 'waste' within this bloated public overly bureaucratic and enriched sector. SFI is the junior member here. Ferguson is gradually making his presence known across the semi-state sector. As stated in the previous posting, it seems that certain former Fianna Fail cronies made a lot of money for their friends via the grants coming from EI in the starting up of fledgling/incubator companies particularly from the 1980's onwards.

Ferguson is playing the same game in SFI and this time Labour under Sherlock are part of repeating similar potentially corrupt game plans. Certain people who donate to SFI are favoured as a priority along with their friends. This culture has not changed, so kid yourself not.

Corruption and corruption in the form of waste of valuable resources and this includes human resources is booming and sadly the Irish taxpayers are paying a very heavy price. Niall O'Donnellan EI is a well known advocate of the cronyism school along with Mark Crystal, Treston and many more.

Figures revealed today about absenteeism in the HSE costing us £223 million (1.1 million sick days) a year should urge us (before the public sector start striking) to review what 'sick' culture still exists and at what cost to the taxpayers and citizens of Ireland?

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:25

It would appear from the posts recently on this topic that the quasi or self proclaimed elite of Europe are literally shitting on Ireland. We have the claimed infamy of the CEO of SFI and with relation to the Independent article a director of BOI who it appears has too been chased from his previous jurisdiction. When extradition is implemented for fiscal criminals will those toilets be transported to the scrubs of British goals.

Who has allowed this? What intelligent politicians are responsible for the orchestration of this litany of fiasco? These questions have been answered in these posts and in other media. Not by the guilty but by the unprotected whistle blowers. Is it that the most conscientious of those in this land are relegated to the mere servitude of Mammon and the self serving dumped from other places where they are no longer welcome.

Without the evidence that has been sought it is impossible to confirm the claims of these posts. It is together with the implementation of many, varied and punitive constraints on the people of this fair land (more like fare ground) that the true conscientious and educated elite are being forced to flee. Their gain is our loss.

by Through fire justice is served Thu Apr 25, 2013 17:39

It’s clear from the thread that a lot of people are exasperated from the antics of Ferguson and even more so with Sean Sherlock, the Labour Minister responsible for his appointment.
And although people are looking forward to the Next General Elections where they can wipe out the Labour Party, people should take due care to consider the Labour activists who are employed and also appointed to state boards. Not only do Labour activists have influence over the running of semi-state boards such as the SFI and Enterprise Ireland but they also have influence over the unions’ involvement in the semi-state bodies such as closed shop agreements.

One notable Labour activist who oversees questionable activity in the area of Irish Investment and Human resources is Niall O’Donnellan. He spent a considerable time on community boards and also FAS, (and we all know what a reputable body that is). He certainly didn’t leave a trail of fire to rival Copernicus in his wake, it’s who you know not what you know in these precious sphere.
Now his appointment and his decision-making in Irish Investment services, an area that heavily relies on the taxpayer’s money and good faith, has been questioned by a few conscientious employees in EI.
Certain companies are receiving cash in their bank accounts without proper procedures, transparent reasons and full conditions being checked, most notably a dubious waste recycling operator causing havoc in Dublin city and a former Presidential Candidate who was criticised for receiving money for his company that was not used for proper purpose. Pressure is being put on staff to sign their names to projects, payments and inspections under threats of bullying yet the unions do nothing as there are special ties between the semi-states and the Labour- controlled unions on site.
The Comptroller and Auditor General have proven to be toothless and hands-off in the area of audit checks and are more interested in checking staff cross the T’s and dot the I’s rather then viewing the choice of clients and the preferential choice of funding that some receive over others.
If ordinary workers object they are told, ‘we are in a time of need’ , or ‘give me your signature or I’ll go after you’ from the managers, etc.

It’s also well known that Donnellan sanctions the skills of EI researchers and technologists to be better used not looking after the new companies of tomorrow in Enterprise Ireland but sends them over to Wilton Place to do the work of the IDA. So when a start-up business is looking for skilled knowledge and expertise they discover that the expert that they need is too busy serving the needs of the multi-nationals in the IDA. And we wonder why start-ups complain of a lack of support? Wonder no more.

It’s Labour’s treachery that has made the fight against austerity even more difficult to fight and in future people should not welcome the deserting rats from the sinking Labour ship so readily. Just because Labour are defeated in the polls does not mean it’s the end of Labour. These rats will cosy up to people in other campaigns, community, property, family rights, etc and bide their time until the tide turns again while shoring up cushy public positions.

With the result of CP2, public sector workers need to wake up and start whistle blowing against a circle of greed, cronyism and corruption in the semi-states. Croke Park has shown that the union official stands on the same side of the boss. Some sense of Reality is setting in with the upcoming paycuts and semi-state workers need to organise and collectively cross the line and drag in the likes of the Director of Corporate Enforcement on these bodies. Enterprise Ireland, like the IDA, is another useless quango being used to prop up another political old boys’ network that only endeavours to serve the needs of a corrupt circle of nepotism and special business interests.

By the way Niall, why are Enterprise Ireland organising so many meetings in the nearby and cushy Clontarf Castle for Enterprise Ireland’s executive directors so regularly. There’s only ten of them after all.
Are the toilets in EI not good for them? Etc, etc.

by Taxpayers watch on - Taxpayers against cronyism Wed Apr 24, 2013 12:57

Yesterday, in total and absolute amazement I read in the Irish Independent about the "Hilton Wilton" or maybe "Wilton Hilton" - the offices of the IDA, Forfas, SEAI, Enterprise Ireland and of course Science Foundation Ireland. It balances out at £9,000 a loo to have a poo and work out who do you do - the answer of course being the Irish taxpayers. 78 toilets in that D2 "Wilton Hillton" semi state palace at the cost of £700,000. Professor Ferguson said we have a lot of overseas business elites who need a proper seat so that they can read the Irish Times and it is these people who demand a standard in relation to the super loos in the EU.

In simple English what Ferguson is really saying that they will fly over on free junkets, sit on the gold plated rims on the seat of the loos and crap on the Irish taxpayers. Ferguson created 2 jobs in 2012 and now we have this scandal.

On the phone this morning an inside source in Forfas told me this is the greatest scandal and it is summed up as the biggest crap she experienced in her career.

Renovo Ferguson is laughing and crapping all his way to the bank.

This article can be checked out on yesterday's Irish Independent.

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State Sector elites SFI Sun Apr 21, 2013 16:07

Looking at Ferguson's (Director General and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government) latest website on SFI - it makes me laugh and cry. It portrays to the naked eye a world class business but when you take the time to go through it in detail as I have, the message clearly states, it is about one man and that is Ferguson. There are photo shoots in the Aras with President Michael D. Higgins and other various photos on Ferguson's travels across America and the business world. Conflicts of interest and the questions posed so frequently in the media and beyond still remain unanswered. All we know is that this man Ferguson's super ego is pandered to.

Where are the jobs he promised?

One section in particular on the SFI web page caught my eye - and that is the section related to molecular research and scar tissue. This re-iterates that Renovo is still alive and well in Manchester and unless circumstances have changed we note that Mark Ferguson holds 20 million shares and he runs SFI and is Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government also and surely this indicates that there are blatant conflicts of interest (s).

So many questions and yet not a single answer.

Brian Flannery

by Blackbird of Avondale - Performance Semi-State Mon Apr 15, 2013 15:38

The Unions are in negotiation, some say yes to Croke II but others say No. What we really need in Ireland now is to tackle unemployment (nearly 500,000 unemployed), create enterprise and economic growth. Austerity is not working but the question is have we tackled the age old question of cutting cloth according to its measure yet. This is the hard question and we need to ask it and get answers. The cost benefit analysis needs to be applied to the public sector which is now so much more privileged than those eeking out an existence in the private sector which is deprived of credit by the ineptiude of our banking sector and coalition government.

At present in the semi-state sector some tragic facts are emerging. Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland went before the Oireachtas Committee some weeks ago. When he was asked about funding by the Irish taxpayers to his sector he said it was in excess of £900 million ie almost £1 Billion of funding. Ryan admitted his salary is in excess of £440,000 annually plus expenses and he no doubt holds a gold plated pension. The tornardo that ensued should cause great dissent - he said that only 11 jobs were created by Enterprise Ireland in 2011.

Is this a sick joke and yet there is no media coverage? Why? Bruton has the people muzzled. Where is that interesting poster on this site called 'Precious Flesh', nearly year later, what have you to say? Then we have Ferguson, in SFI who is basically saying to the Irish taxpayer that it is none of your business about how he effects his dual roles - DG of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government. Nobody cares sufficient to refute the conflict of interests theory.

Cronyism is alive and well - even getting stronger.

Black Bird of Avondale

by Brian Flannery - Secrets of Cronyism Fri Apr 12, 2013 15:32

I again go back to the letter Mark Ferguson sent to Enda Kenny, Taoiseach, in April 2012. It is said to have detailed the promise of 100 jobs+ to be created by his team in SFI in the science sector. Ferguson has huffed and puffed and we must now ask the question how many jobs have actually been created by SFI. The absence of rhetoric and spin suggests the answer is none. If this is so, it is like Ferguson's Renovo endeavours when not one trial drug passed approval Could SFI performance be about another failure?

Ireland under Sherlock rewards failure in SFI. Ferguson's salary is not £185,000 yearly, it is £245,000 plus expenses. We are still waiting for the FOI papers!

To end this piece: Ferguson and wife Sharon O'Kane have been made honorary members of the Royal Irish Academy, and the RDS. This man has plans for Ireland and his associates (those related to Renovo) are currently tendering for oil exploration off the west coast of Ireland. Where are the jobs created as promised by SFI. The credo changed within scientific research to more commercially driven entities so where are they? Bobcat, the plans for ocean driven wind with a long-term scope is facing obliteration, not commercial enough it seems, within a limited time span. Scientists were eager in earlier postings to cite their reservations about Mark Fergusons. What does their absence from comment in recent times suggest? Maybe, the new broom has swept clean and they are satisfied with his performance. Speak out either way.

Brian Flannery

Brian Flannery

by Darby O'Gill Mon Apr 08, 2013 18:28

SFI are in existence for 12 years now. There's been four people at the helm as director general, the current being Mark Ferguson, the failed entrepreneur of Renovo in Manchester. I agree with Fred that something is rotting in our semi-state across the board, but SFI and its new policies under Ferguson are not working. With now over one year in control and his letter written to Enda Kenny two months into his tenure claiming that he would provide hundreds of jobs, where are the jobs? No questions have been answered. Few jobs appear to have been created, if any! Where is the tax payers money going? Is this a gamble too far? At the moment, Sean Sherlock is debating with himself, would he joining Nessa Childers and leave the labour sinking ship. If this happens it will definitely weaken Fergusons position as being untouchable in SFI, because Sherlock was the main instigator of Fergusons appointment from Renovo in Manchester., to SFI in January 2012.

7 of Renovos investors who combined lost about £35 million in their investment wrote to minister Sherlock in November of 2011 advising him not to appoint Ferguson as Director General of SFI. Not alone did Sherlock ignore these people but he put Ferguson up for Chief Science Advisor to the Government, this was fulfilled. At the moment Sherlock is trying to distance himself from this debacle.

Please Mr. Sherlock, Please! Clear this mess up before you abandon the Labour Party.

Darby

by fred Sun Apr 07, 2013 21:43

we have abundant wave and wind resources off the coast of Ireland. It's the ideal location for wave power. It's totally short sighted to let that go in favour of tax dodging US corporations.

Either that or they want to let indigenous enterprises starve so that when they collapse, their big corporate pals will be able to take over a future profitable and sustainable enterprise, with all the hard work done, and then slip them a fat envelope.

Can't have the natives exploiting their own natural resources for their own gain can we?

by Bavaria - Resources & Job Creation Sun Apr 07, 2013 15:26

SFI shifted gear when Ferguson became Chief Executive in 2012. Eminent scientists did not have their contracts renewed, if they were not commercial return orientated within a much shorter time scale than previously fostered. STEM suffered in this sea change.

What has been lost is a question to be asked? There is an interesting letter in the Irish Times about Wavebob and other firms like it .... yes, they are finding it difficult to get funding. Wavebob - an Ocean energy developer is about to become a non commercial enterprise ie go out of business.

What has SFI to say about this? Surely the Ocean is about resources in Ireland yet the Government appears to see no potential in ventures like this. The vision is lost to commercialisation of science with immediate pay-back. However, this area is where jobs would be created and at a local level. It seems that a potential science project spanning decades merits no support when those who make the critical decisions are biased. A potential of 20-30 years industry is too farsighted to ensure votes in the next election or for that matter to ensure financial packages for Chief Executives who gain funding on results.

Bavaria

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Apr 02, 2013 15:27

In reply to Mary, I agree in total. The Sunday Times are waiting for the Freedom of Information papers to give the Irish taxpayers the full disclosure of Ferguson and SFI, Wilton Place. We now live in penal times of austerity yet this small semi-state SFI is a law onto itself. Ferguson seems to be unaccountable. Una Clifford is still operating as a legal advisor in relation to employees contracts yet her position is in human resources. The Board of Directors at present has vacancies and Ferguson is alleged to have free reign as to who gets the nod. Sherlock is a lame duck and seems to have lost control. Clare Daly seems to have been side-tracked alas by Ferguson. It baffles how a failed ego-driven dentist can hold so much power? People are suffering while they wine and dine and it appears there is not a single job created. What's going on? Would someone stand up and talk?

Brian Flannery

by Mary Ormsby - Semi-state retired Fri Mar 29, 2013 13:54

Labour yesterday got the answer and Gilmore now needs to get out but who will take over - could it be Sean Sherlock? Sherlock was given a free reign in relation to science and maths and the future of our students in this country. What has happened since is listed in the over 400+ postings. Semi-state sources have informed me in the last number of weeks that Sherlock is trying to cover his back relating to the appointment of Mark Ferguson, Renovo and now chief of SFI plus Chief Adviser to this ailing coalition government. It is ironic that Sherlock is trying to distance himself in relation to Ferguson because he has backed him up in relation to the top five academics who were pushed out of Wilton Place in the last 12 months. Richard Bruton, it appears now is trying to play catch-up and is asking some serious questions as to the direction of SFI and where Ferguson and his private investors (Kestril) are taking science in Ireland. In all my years working in semi-state I have never witnessed the rumours, the back-biting, but above all the cover-ups relating to certain appointments and dismissals in SFI which is only created in 2001.

Also former Minister Batt O'Keefe who ran Enterprise Ireland pre 2011 has written personally to Enda Kenny in relation to the appointment of Ferguson. The question I want to ask today is: The Board of Directors in SFI has changed in the last few months; some have left, and it appears they have not been replaced at present. The Sunday Times in 2012 revealed that Ferguson had asked internally that Max Royde and Jamie Brooks (Kestril) and two former associates of the failed Renovo should be admitted to the SFI board. There is a mist of uncertainty at the moment in this decision making process. Also, my final question - where are the jobs that Ferguson promised Enda Kenny directly in an internal email which at the moment is in the hands of certain journalists and will be appearing in the newspapers shortly. Only for this site, Indymedia, and Brian Flannery, the Irish taxpayers would never have known the background and the scandal that yet has to be fully investigated relating to the appointment of Ferguson and his 20 million shares in Renovo and the sacking of our home grown academics who challenged him in 2012. This topic in my opinion will open up shortly and hopefully the Irish taxpayers will get the full truth Sherlock should make a statement in total clarity in the Dail.

The conflicts of interest are now so obvious it is becoming an embarrassment. The questions are above but why is Sherlock afraid to give the answers. Who really is protecting Ferguson and what people are involved in the vested interest of profit. Science is for our young people and it is not to be abused by cronyism with profit motive as the driver.

Mary Ormsby

by Misty Clouds ahead - Semi-States and Cronyism Mon Mar 25, 2013 14:06

The junkets are all back from the global exodus of the Paddy Day charade on taxpayers money.

Members of SFI headed by Ferguson were in Washington and sources from certain links tell us that it was not a happy gathering. Apparently, members of the Irish scientific diaspora put hard questions to Ferguson in relation to Renovo and the dismissal of five prominent people in SFI in the past 12 months. One Enterprise Ireland source informed us that Indymedia was again mentioned to Ferguson concerning why not one question was answered.

Keep it going lads - the bubble is about to bust. I also see Sean Sherlock's seat is on an exit door come the next election.

Misty Clouds ahead

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State and cronyism Tue Mar 19, 2013 15:53

Yes, I most definitely agree with the previous poster. Mr Ferguson appears to be so capable and eminent he should be encouraged to negotiate a deal based on creating suitable employment for the many people in desperate need of an opportunity to work ('in our lean lands').

Our begging bowl is out. Our junkets have gone far and wide to talk of Ireland's debtor status plight (that one where the creditors say no write-down possible but plunder perhaps). Now is the time for us to make an assessment as to what gains are to be made from this approximate £2.5 million cost for junkets. Rumours state that Mark Ferguson and Ruth Freeman from SFI got as far as Washington but did not get to the White House. It appears they didn't get to the closing of the New York Stock Exchange either like O'Reilly junior and Denis O'Brien.

We need pay-back. We need jobs created. We need vision. The US say they need more entre-preneurs and Ireland does too. SFI DG and Chief Science Adviser - what have you to say. According to Maire Geoghegan-Quinn 2020 Horizon is not getting the attention it should receive from Ireland regarding research funds.

by Robert Richards Fri Mar 15, 2013 16:59

It has been said that is we fail to learn from history we will be doomed to repeat it. I would be very surprised if Mark Ferguson has forgotten about Renovo. If he has we are doomed, it appears that if It the posts are true we are still doomed. The opportunities that present through SFI and as Chief Government Advisor are huge. It would be a fool who would forget Renovo in this light, Mark Ferguson is not a fool. It would take high ethics and strong character to avoid such a resurrection when presented with conflicting interests of the kinds noted.
Perhaps the esteemed intellect that is our Government could make an offer to SFI that additional salary as sought could be offered in the form of commission for every job created. I imagine that many unemployed scientists would be satisfied to offer 5% of their salary if it made the difference between having a job and lining up for social welfare. With Mark Ferguson as the new science god and a man who can run a country, I'm sure he could provide jobs for the 15% unemployed in these lean lands.

by Celtic Mist - Observer Thu Mar 14, 2013 14:43

Ferguson, it is alleged has threatened to walk if his salary is not upgraded to that of CEO of Enterprise Ireland's Frank Ryan which is £420,000 plus expenses, car and driver, pension etc. Sources within semi-state have informed their outside contacts that a rift is getting bitter between Ferguson (failed Renovo boss) and Ryan, Enterprise Ireland. Sherlock is trying in vain to play down the rift and has asked advisers to uncap Ferguson's pay. Morale is at an all time low at SFI, Wilton Place and most of the senior staff including some eminent scientists have already left.

Ryan will not be bullied by Renovo or Ferguson and as one source stated Ryan remarked that one should just look to Ferguson's past record which gives a clear view of this man's failures to achieve objectives and the subsequent loss of 250 jobs in Manchester and the millions lost to the pharmaceutical giant Shire and to the English taxpayers. This is only starting to heat up now.

The Manchester Evening news reports that Manchester aims to re-position itself and is hoping to become a Science centre. What we can we infer from this? Renovo is still quoted on AIM. Consistently, the idea of conflicts of interest have been raised on this site. Do we know who are the shareholders of Renovo now and is there a conflict of interest now?

Celtic Mist

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Mar 12, 2013 13:01

The above posting is totally correct. The CEO of Shire Mr Russell is not a happy man in the year 2013. Reading recently on an English scientific magazine, Russell stated that one of his biggest disappointments as CEO of Shire was believing in the bluff and huf that Ferguson spun out on a monthly basis in Manchester regarding Renovo. We now know the facts. Renovo never produced a single drug or scar healing/wound medication - not even a single tablet yet it left a legacy of debts and losses between investors workers and loans exceeding £250 million. As Shire's CEO stated how could Ferguson be appointed Ireland's Chief Scientific Adviser to the government of Ireland as well as the role of DG of Science Foundation Ireland.

Several journalists and politicians are still waiting on documents that Irish taxpayers should see on how Ferguson treats people and how he deletes people in the last 12 months in Wilton Place. His new interest also expands to the west of Ireland and offshore oil. This again is causing alarm bells among the Irish science fraternity and rightly so. This week he will fly out to Washington as the God of Irish science and believes in his own mind that Renovo-Manchester and the millions lost was a 100 years ago.

Anybody reading the above postings can see clearly the major conflict of interests here. I believe it is only a short time away before this matter becomes an issue for a High Court case on behalf of the Irish taxpayers or some form of a tribunal of inquiry.

B Flannery

by Angus Russell - Semi State observer Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:13

Angus Russell CEO, Shire (Dow Jones stock exchange) stated in 2007 his company lost US$75 million it paid to Renovo now (AIM listed). The collapse of the Shire-Renovo deal was ranked at No 2 of the top ten bio-tech deal failures of 2011. It signaled the end of Renovo and Ferguson.

Angus Russell, it is mooted, is shocked to the core at the Ferguson arrival of Ireland and his rise to fame under Sherlock and Minister Bruton. In an interview recently Russell went on to state that he finds Ferguson's appointment to SFI and also to the position as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government totally bizarre and cautions members of the Irish science world given Ferguson's past record of losing hundreds of millions in business deals.

Also since Renovo's failure arrival the rise of Ruth Freeman in the last 12 months is also baffling given the exodus of top scientists who were forced out to make way for such promotions. Cronyism it seems to me from reading Indymedia over the last 6 months is worse now than ever it was under the last Government.

Angus Russell

by Comyn - Justice Fri Mar 08, 2013 15:55

St Patrick's day at the White House Mr Flannery sounds a competitive advantage mentality at loggerheads between DG of SFI and the DG of Enterprise Ireland accentuated by the desire to be part of the chosen elite.

If memory serves me correctly, M Ferguson must already have lost the battle here because his salary is supposed to fall under the £200,000 mark, and yet without an increase in salary, he welcomed the gesture by the present Government to make him Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government without any addition of pay. Recently, he has received a further tranche of millions to divest also.

This surely sums up our public service. Those last in face adjusted salary/expenses/pension provisions while the entrenched public sector careerists have become grossly over remunerated and as for their pensions like our retired coterie of Government officials mainly aged in their 50's these people, they retire on hefty pension pots sustained by the people who continue to work and have money deducted from their pension schemes. It is no wonder the Judiciary now have to contribute for 20 years and the amount has move from 4% to 13%.

Cost benefit analysis is urgently needed. Also horses for courses too. The dichotomy above merits attention and whose performance renders the best results for a fairer distribution of cost to the taxpayer!

The creation of jobs is urgent. 450,000 is too many. Add to this the number of people emigrating.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Thu Mar 07, 2013 12:45

As we are all aware next week the jumbo jets fly all the elites from the semi-states in Ireland to the White House. I wonder is Horse on the menu this year. Sources tell me the bitching has already begun in SFI and also in Enterprise Ireland and we can also include Tourism Ireland this year. SFI's Ruth Freeman has stated in internal emails that mistakes of last year will not be repeated. With Graham Love, Dodds, Murtagh, and others who have been deleted by Ferguson in the twelves months since his arrival, Freeman states clearly she has the right this year, as director of communications, she has now the right to go to the White House. However Ruth may not get her wish because Julie Sinneman and Mark Christal of Enterprise Ireland have their names on the same ticket. Next week the Irish taxpayers fork out over £1 million euros for these ego trippers.

Let us all not forget Minister Phil Hogan's trip to Dubai recently. Big Phil brought home no jobs but sources tell me he brought home one hell of a hangover from the champagne and the best of food (cuisine).

Have we not learned from the FAS junkets of five years ago - the scandal. When does the cronyism stop? Kenny and Gilmore pre-Election promises to end the quangos and the free junkets - my arse.

Brian Flannery

by fly on the wall Wed Mar 06, 2013 18:23

If Mark Ferguson is as big a blatherer as Enterprise Ireland's CEO Frank Ryan, he should be well able for the job. Besides the enormous salary and pension that Ryan is undeservedly paid, think of the perks,the chauffeur-driven car, his car and horse box being insured by the tax payer ( that is if Ferguson races the nag and doesn't it have instead of a big mac), paid lunches and wine bills (why does the taxpayer pay for Ryan's meals considering the €400K salary?), etc, etc, it's a cushy wine-and-dine number to have.
With his amazing leadership, Frank Ryan managed to create 6 jobs net, I'm sure Ferguson doesn't have to worry about the targets in that case, just laugh all the way to the bank.

by Sinead O'Callaghan - Retired semi-state Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:14

Mark Ferguson came to these shores 14 months ago. Behind him he left the legacy of failure, job losses and a bill for the English taxpayer of £100 million sterling. Now Sherlock and Bruton have appointed him as SFI DG and also to the post of Chief Scientific adviser to this Coalition government. Last week he was given a further £300 million of taxpayers money on top of the £200 million allocated to SFI each year. I do know that this has sent alarm bells through the corridors of the universities and various semi-state bodies. It is also alleged that Frank Ryan CEO of Enterprise Ireland is due to resign in the autumn and rumours are surfacing from semi-state heads that Ferguson has put his name forward to replace Frank Ryan. I dread to think that this man can run three or possibly more portfolios as I would hope, if these rumours are true, he would leave SFI to somebody independent and capable. Many people behind the scenes in the science arena are deeply concerned and I ask them now to stand up and stop the cronyism and I put the question to Minister Sherlock how come four academics have left SFI in the last 14 months while Ferguson is now free to place his own team around him. Don't forget this man played the same game in Renovo in Manchester and don't forget the legacy left there.

I worked for 32 years in semi-state and I have never seen the level of cronyism and corruption that is around Ireland at present under the Labour-Fine Gael Government.

Sinead O'Callaghan

by Manchester Voice. - Ex Renovo worker. Fri Mar 01, 2013 14:40

Reading the above comments my old Boss came a long way from losing 250 jobs at Renovo in Manchester to running Irelands science
future his way and let no one be a critic. Ferguson promised us jobs for life and that Renovo would be a Global leader in the market of scar
tissue and wound healing how fooled we were. English taxpayers lost 120 million investors lost millions and now we read he is a shining light
in Ireland. Ferguson still keeps Renovo afloat and holds 21 million shares. Where are the Irish taxpayers in all of this some have to stand up
and ask Ferguson the questions he wont answer. Beware///
Ex Renovo.

by marie Winter Wed Feb 27, 2013 13:11

Blake, your contribution above mirrors the spin and doctoring of the Dept. of Enterprise and Innovation as reported in the national media. They would do Dr. Goering proud! Yours however has the distinction of healthy skeptism and disbelief.

The preported creation of 800 high end jobs is fanciful. Does SFI means perhaps that they will reshuffle the cards and recreate the jobs already held by leaders of these research teams and their post doc. students? To be sure keeping post docs. of the dole register is indeed a worthy cause but don't try to pawn that off as job creation. How many of these will be part-time, short term contracts?What about their favourite catch phrase "sustainability"?

The new research centres are laughable, another reshuffling game, but this time 4 of the 7 are going to Cork, the minister's vote base, how very convenient!!!

All this to be spear headed by a man who not long ago claimed (among other preposterous claims) that research started in Europe 400 years ago. He even suggested that he is showing us how to commercialise research. Will someone tell him this has been done since the beginning of commerce. This government and the leaders of universities and 3rd level Institutes (by their cow towing to SFI in the hope of large funds coming their way) have done Irish Science a hughe dis-service. From a slow but sure beginning in world calss research they have set us back years, all in the name of the euro. They will be remembered for their spirit of self-service.

by Blake - Science: Where to now? Tue Feb 26, 2013 15:24

The powers that be did embrace change at SFI as can be seen from the foregoing postings which detail Professor Mark Ferguson's arrival at Wilton Terrace and his management style which ousted the entrenched public service mindsets in favour of the private sector philosophy. He appears to be, based on the Dick Ahlstrom article in today's Irish Times, the man who is capable of usurping the skeptical academics who sought pure research, and is the person in favour of much needed research that aims to prioritise job creation. The outcome is that the Government is kick-starting the radical reform of how it actually invests in scientific research.

Rumour has it that Professor Mark Ferguson, formerly Renovo AIM listed public company and possibly still a prominent shareholder, arrived in Ireland as a man with a vision and it most definitely appears that he has shared that vision especially with those who had been visionless to date. There is a massive shift and the academics especially related to STEM are side stepped. Yesterday, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Burton and Minister of State for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock made the dramatic announcement of yet another new pillar for Professor Mark Ferguson concerning the creation of seven new research centres, funded by SFI. What we are witnessing is an academic entrepreneur with the courage to make significant changes with the private sector impetus of profit counts and so does employment.

One year later, we witness the operation of mergers to create more defined clusters relating to more specific areas for research. Nine centres for science, engineering and technology (CSETs) together with 18 other strategic research clusters will be replaced over time by seven new research centres. The work of CSET's and third-level institutions are granted merit for moving Ireland gradually up the league tables for science from 36th a decade ago to 20th today. The decision to employ Professor Mark Ferguson marks the new direction going forward and to date his strategy, his mindset as an entrepreneur, his vision leaves us under no illusion but difference is enbraced and change lies ahead with profit as the driver.

The question is how powerful has Professor Ferguson become: Are the Academics still shell shocked or is this a man who can move Ireland further up the league tables in science? After all, Renovo failed dismally, shareholders lost millions and many jobs were lost in Manchester. We need to remind ourselves that it is discovery science that will lose out. Yet, times are changing, new professions are being created and often in the health related areas eg augmentation memory surgeons is a good example. There appears to be no provision for neuroscience and mental health related.

Yes, we need vision but we also need to ensure that profit as the key driver in science does not stifle creativity and discovery. Mr Ferguson is 13 months in Ireland. This man has a powerful fund of hundreds of millions of taxpayers money at his disposal, he has access through his connection in Renovo to highlight potential investments in his role as DG of SFI, as Chief Scientific adviser to cherry pick and now we have handed over another £200 million to SFI under his auspices. Contrary to the title about cronyism, this man is about the opposite surely.

A final word: Have the academics who wrote prolifically about their fears anything to say now?

It is worth considering the key points of Dick Ahlstrom's article today: & think all in 13 months since appointment.

7 research centres to be established with six year budget worth £300 million

£100 million in cash and kind from 156 private sector partner companies;

800 research jobs to be created as a result of the investment;

27 existing research centres to be closed down or amalgamated into new centres at the end of their budgeted life-time up to 2017;

UCC has four of the seven centres, with TCD hosting one and UL another;

Research areas covered include big data, advanced food research, marine energy, disease diagnosis in perinatal infants, nanotechnology; the use of light to run faster computers and drug development and syntheis.

The big question still stands from the onset of these postings:

Are there any conflicts of interest?

and for that matter - what have the trade unions to say when we consider workers who will possibly lose jobs in vital areas such as health, Gardai and education?

by Robert Richards Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:39

Further power is being thrust on SFI with the channelling of funds to the proposed centres. What autonomy will each of these centres have? Will the funds be allocated on the basis of projects or on the reputation of the institution? The focus on jobs will according to many academics result in a detrimental diluting of science resources in Ireland.

It is reported that UCC is to host a disproportionately high number of these centres. Is there a correlation between this and the fact that Sean Sherlock is from Cork?

Who has the power?

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Fri Feb 22, 2013 15:03

Having read again some of the comments to this post I find myself baffled. The delay in any of the sought information being released is clearly the opposite of that intended with the act. Is it that the true purpose of the act is to baffle? Or perhaps being simply labelled an act is sufficient to warrant pretence.

This together with yesterdays news has a distinct odour of corruption. As SFI, NAMA is a state organisation with apparent immunity from control. NAMA is populated by ex-developers who if the news yesterday is to be believed, has a wish to return to the times of excessive pretence. An image comes to mind of a shouting full haired tennis player shouting, 'you cannot be serious!' By which I refer of course to the active absence of transparency, concealed beyond a façade of what appears to be stupidity. Stupid silence generates more active questioning, unless the aim of our authorities is to engender complete apathy. It is disturbing to note their possible success in this regard.

One issue raised some months was whether it is intended to abolish SFI completely. IBRC has suffered with little notice a fate that could easily (and incorrectly used) to merge SFI with EI.

However, as with IBRC, the questions would remain. The release of information after the abolition of an organisation creates no opportunity to make valuable corrections. The fear, as with the proposed new property boom, is that with each new organisation there are more of the familiar abuses.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:15

I totally agree with Mr Bean above and as the old saying goes water hens can't survive without a transparent habitat. Freedom of information should mean exactly what it says. I watched a replay that a friend had taped for me and the committee had no answers except we will refer it on and note the absence of non transparency in relation to the multiple thousands of applicants who have sought FOI papers. An inside source has informed me, within SFI, that Ferguson is back to his old self. He is totally in charge and focused on science being commercialised in every area. In my time, years ago, at College studying, science and maths were taught with a focus on a sense of morality and ethics, the main concern was more long term and for the public good.

Mark Tighe is still waiting on FOI papers from SFI. Irish Independent and the Daily Mail and two English newspapers are now following this saga. Ferguson may hide behind Minister Sherlock but two independent TD's informed me, while in Buswells last week, that they are well aware of the ongoing criticism of SFI and they get their information directly from Indymedia. I also would like to know why Ferguson bluffed last year in seeking High Court documents of peoples' IP numbers from UPC and Eircom. The reason I say the word bluff - there is no record of the application in the High Court either this year or last year.

Two of the SFI directors, it is believed, are standing down from the board this year. One is based in a University in California, Dr Martina Newell-McLoughlin. This comes as a surprise because she had her sights set on Ferguson's role when he finally will step down. Again, the question we need to know on behalf of the Irish taxpayers is: What connections and influence has Max Royde and Mr Brooks of Renovo, Manchester, Ferguson's friends in relation to science in this country?

This problem lies at the desk of Sherlock and if one reads through each posting of the above and the hundreds of questions that could implicate students in years to come, it is bizarre that not one single question has been answered by Sherlock's office.

Brian Flannery

by Mr Finn Bean - Academic scientist Wed Feb 13, 2013 13:43

FOI papers. Ferguson and those wagons are circled!

Last week after the long night and the Proms, some journalist addressed an Oireachtas Committee which included Kevin Humphry's Labour, and O'Snodaigh, Sinn Fein in relation to the break-down of freedom of information and the abuse of non interaction in giving out the appropriate information to taxpayers and citizens. At the moment 3 main Irish newspapers, thanks to Indymedia and the postings above, are awaiting information regarding Ferguson and certain emails he has blatantly refused to enter into the public domain. These emails are vital to the postings above because they relate his application to Sean Sherlock that he wanted old friends ie Renovo, Brooks and Max Royde, to be on the board of directors of SFI. Ferguson when asked by Mark Tighe in the Sunday Times refused to comment about his proposal to have Brooks and Royde on the board but emails within SFI prove the contrary. Taxpayers are still waiting for the FOI papers to be released and now we believe that Sean Sherlock is helping Ferguson block this information.

Clare Daly again last month has repeated her request for an independent audit in relation to travel expenses incurred by Ruth Freeman, Ferguson, Donal Keane and also the alleged illegal practices of Una Clifford in terminating contracts sometimes out of office hours. Again I ask the question - how many jobs has Ferguson, who stated on 2 Sunday newspapers that he runs the country, actually created since his arrival at Wilton Place. The silence in Sherlock's office is becoming an embarrassment and this scandal is not going to go away.

Graham Love who has left last month, it is alleged, is supposed to have approached publishers about a possible book based on cronyism in the semi-state and public sector. I applaud him for this. Better late than never to get a conscience.

Mr Finn Bean

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Feb 11, 2013 14:56

Speaking to inside sources in Enterprise Ireland some days ago - the story is that the strife continues in SFI. Since Graham Love's sudden departure allegations have been on the increase in relation to how Ferguson is running the show. The bullying continues and others it is believed are soon to leave in a matter of months.

It is reported that Labour and Sinn Fein members asked in the Dail last week about the costs involved in SFI and why it is not amalgamated into Enterprise Ireland. The cost of SFI is now £200 million approx annually and where are the benefits to the Irish tax payers. Cronyism continues yet cut-backs on the poor, people with disabilities, students at Third Level education, and the elderly sadly continue.

Where is the cost benefit analysis that tell us how many jobs these quangos create?

by Mary Flanagan - Retired semi-state Thu Feb 07, 2013 13:17

In the last few months I have been reading Indymedia with deep interest. SFI - Science Foundation Ireland is the talk of the semi-state sector in general. I worked for over 30 years in various semi-state quangos and I have seen first hand the bullying the established so called classes and the elite who regularly travel as if they were using their own monies. All of the time I realised the waste that went on in semi-state bodies but reading the above postings in the last number of months it has brought home to me old memories I thought had gone out with various new codes of conduct. Sadly I see this is not true. It actually has got a lot worse. I now run my own small business and I struggle like the rest. First, I want to applaud Indymeia for bringing the crisis to the attention of thousands of people relating to SFI during 2012 and especially when Ferguson arrived in January of that year.

This man, has completely changed the future of science in this country from research for the better good of society to sadly the commercial vested interests of people who dwell in the shadows but who are there to make money on their private investments, I have my contacts still in Enterprise Ireland and in the last few days I now am informed that Ferguson will fight tooth and nail against some senior ministers, not to have SFI amalgamated into Enterprise Ireland. Ferguson, to be fair made some decisions that required urgency. There were certain staff at a very high level who had to be terminated. They were on salaries of almost £200,00 pa and they gave nothing in return to the Irish taxpayers. One individual who I won't name was completely eccentric and lacked basic people skills to the point where it became a well-known joke ie £3,500 per week for being non inclusive was the laugh of the hour 2 years ago. Ferguson in my opinion when he arrived did the right thing and terminated the contract.

Now on the negative side, Ferguson in my opinion was landed into SFI by pure cronyism from certain people on the board of directors who have since stood down. Ferguson also will never shake the Renovo monkey off his back because 350 job losses in Manchester will not go away so easy and when you draw down Stg£18 m with your wife Sharon O'Kane and still hold 20 million shares, it is well known throughout Irish semi-state that there is a bad taste in many peoples mouths. In the last number of weeks, other matters have come to the fore. Ferguson has aligned himself with Minister Pat Rabitte concerning the oil industry of the west coast and it is alleged that there is an English contingent of business men, some ex Renovo, who are part of his panel in this pursuit.

I will close by saying I am utterly shocked at like many other people who still work in semi-state who have shared their views with me that not one of the questions in the above postings have been addressed by Sherlock or the current Board of Directors. This in itself is a scandal. I again want to thank Brian Flannery and Indymedia for hosting this topic.

by Cuckoo Watch - Retired semi-state Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:27

Frank Ryan, CEO or Enterprise Ireland appeared before an Oireachtas Committee some days ago. When asked by Richard Boyd Barret how many jobs Enterprise Ireland had created in 2011, the answer was astonishing. Ryan replied that it was not a good year due to the current climate and we only produced 11 new businesses. This is coming from a man with a tax payers budget of more than one billion annually. Yet this made no mainstream media headlines and this to me is a shocking indictment of the lack of real news, this is lacking in the media at present.

Mark Ferguson is yet to appear before a committee in the Dail. Sources from within claim that he's biding for more time to find answers to a range of questions that are being prepared by a number of TDs in relation to the running, the cost and overall what is being done by SFI in relation to the benefit to the tax payers of Ireland.

Ferguson spent in excess of 400 thousand last year in relation to his own personal PR spin. How does this benefit Ireland in the current climate?

Cuckoo.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Feb 04, 2013 14:51

The normal working hours in semi-state bodies and quangos is 9 to 5pm weekdays.

A case that is coming before Sean Sherlock in the coming weeks is the level of bullying in SFI during the month of June 2012. Una Clifford sent emails through her iphone at 9.50 pm at night instructing certain people who cannot be named for legal reasons at present, telling them not to attend certain science events during the ESOF held in Dublin in 2012. I have seen the papers and emails. This was a blatant intrusion to a person's home and privacy. Una Clifford also signed off on contracts without legal authority and Donal Keane is not supporting her on this issue. Donal is too wise and cute to get himself embroiled in a bullying issue.

This is another episode of what goes on internally at SFI and is soon to be printed in the national media.
Indymedia broke it first and also not one posting has been questioned by Sherlock or his cronies in relation to the hundreds of postings above.

Brian Flannery

by Brian Flannery - Justice Fri Feb 01, 2013 14:11

Private companies now are making inroads into Irish science research. I noticed a good article written by Professor McInerney, Maynooth Univerisity recently when he endorsed many of the points made on this site. McInerney went onto say Ireland is going in the wrong direction and it will be to our detriment.

Ferguson is for profit, ego and long term research annoys him. Renovo failed from incompetence and quick greed decisions. I say it again why was he appointed to SFI and who pushed him over the line.

Questions need to be answered.

B Flannery

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Jan 28, 2013 14:57

The race is on for St Paddy's Day. A list of SFI members are lobbying for places on the plane to the White House. Not a bad turn around for a failed Renovo boss to be able to pick and choose his cronies to travel by his side and Sherlocks on March 17th. The question is at what cost to the Irish taxpayers? Ruth Freeman and Una Clifford must be leading the pack at present. Sources within SFI suggest that there may be a case pending against HR in relation to alleged bullying in 2012.

More to come on this and Indymedia to the fore again.

Brian Flannery

by Cavan man - Observer (accountant) Sat Jan 26, 2013 15:09

SFI appears to be the Quango of all Quangos (see article Sunday Business post via web £60 million to R&D). The reality is it cannot operate without input from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.

Ferguson seems to be on a one man crusade to take over the commercialisation of technology in the three key sectors - ICT, Pharma and medical devices for the purpose of his own C.V. Therein lies the conflict of interest so often referred to in the postings on this site. Add to this his appointment as Chief Scientific adviser to the government and his links to the failed Renovo, Manchester, in which he is supposed to hold 20 million shares.

SFI can be described as a Brand Name to enhance Ferguson's ego while failing to serve the needs of the Industrial base and more importantly education. There surely is a danger with Ferguson as head of SFI and as Chief Scientific adviser to the government that the Governments plans for innovation and job creation will not be met. It is not too extreme to say that Ferguson is a lame expensive duck and that SFI is a vanity organisation.

Cavan Man

Observer

by Finin McCool - Panic attack observer Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:41

In the year 2012 Ferguson did spend in excess of £400,000 on his own PR. Mark Tighe, Sunday Times, who came on Indymedia asking questions is still waiting for answers through the FOI papers he lodged 6 months ago. Also the Irish Daily Mail has lodged similar papers on behalf of the taxpayers of Ireland. My research in the last 6 months through sources in Enterprise Ireland have confirmed to me that only 32 jobs were created by SFI last year and of these 8 withdrew and left the country and others had their contracts terminated. As I write this I believe the Manchester Evening News is investigating historic data on Renovo. It is also alleged that Graham Love who left SFI last month is writing a book on his experiences on working in SFI and there is a possibility this will blow the story wide open and there may be some truth if good men stand up.

Well done to Brian Flannery and Indymedia for bringing this into the media. We need good citizen journalists too.

Finin McCool

by Evidential - Justice Thu Jan 24, 2013 13:44

As a retired semi-state worker with over 35 years experience I am bewildered at what I hear about the recent events within SFI and the cost to the Irish taxpayers. I never passed middle management and the only reason I can give is that I never joined any internal click.

In the last year reading Indymedia in general I want to state that we need this site and others to tell the Irish taxpayers what really is going on because lately I find the newspapers are being silenced by certain vested interests. Mark Ferguson is a failed businessman ie Renovo Manchester. I know this has been said again and again. He lands over in Ireland, takes over SFI as his new toy and also lands the job of Chief Scientific Adviser (conflict of interest?). Why the silence on this travesty and where is the opposition in asking the schoolboy Sherlock some hard questions? Una Clifford has bullied people for a number of years now and yet this woman has extended her behaviour outside the realms of her portfolio in HR. SFI in my opinion should be amalgamated into Enterprise Ireland and this would save the taxpayers millions.

Evidential

by Eagle Legal - Observer Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:53

First I want to congratulate Brian Flannery and Indymedia for bringing this ongoing scandal to the fore in relation to the massive waste of taxpayers money - just to enhance personal egos. I totally agree with Researcher in the above posting. SFI has hired a most expensive PR agency to promote their propaganda across to mainstream science in Ireland. But serious questions are arising again out of the murky waters of what really goes on behind the doors in SFI.

Inside sources have informed me that the amount of money spent by the taxpayers in 2012 was in the region of £400,000 on PR. This PR was solely to enhance Ferguson's CV yet SFI have consistently not disclosed the expenses and also are very consistent in not disclosing how many jobs were created by Ferguson who is now a full year at the helm. Also inside sources have informed me that serious bullying continues in SFI and the young people who are there doing Phd's are afraid to speak out. I would like to ask Una Clifford today to come out as HR manager at SFI and give us some clarity on the 360 + postings on this site. Presently, the race is on at SFI as to who get's the plane ticket and invite to the White House on St. Patrick's day. Ruth Freeman is to the fore again as she was last year. Where and when does the Gravy Train end? We are in a country where Frankfurt pays the costs and yet SFI seem to be immune from the austerity which the public experience.

Numerous lecturers on various campuses have deep concerns in relation to Ms Freeman who can travel globally at free will on taxpayers money. This coalition government made a solemn promise pre election 2011 that cronyism and free junkets would cease immediately. I would like to ask Dumb and Dumber today (Kenny and Gilmore) when will the Irish people get the opportunity to bring Ferguson and his cronies before an Oireachtas committee.

Eagle Legal

by Researcher Mon Jan 21, 2013 15:58

In the article in The Irish Times on 14th Jan. 2013 where Mark Ferguson is interviewed by Dick Ahlstrom, Mr. Ferguson clearly nails his and SFI's problems: "He puts the difficulties down to poor communication". "Early on it was about communications, he says.........."

Given that Graham Love, SFI Director of Communications, is now bailing out (leaving SFI this month) this is Ferguson's farewell to Love.

However there is gross injustice here. SFI pays thousands of Euro each year to its spin doctors Fleishman-Hillard. Graham Love is blameless. Quangos like SFI should quit paying exhorbitant amounts of taxpayers money to their spin doctors.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sun Jan 20, 2013 14:27

The supply chain to create STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) pool needs attention to ensure economic growth in the Ireland going forward.

The recent BT Young Scientist of the year exhibition was held again this year at the RDS. BT it appears are again the main sponsor of this excellent event. It begs the question if Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) are involved in this funding or does it fall outside the realm? It would be interesting to hear from Professor Mark Ferguson as to how he views this pre-university/secondary school 4,500 students of potential incubator units of scientific exploration especially when one takes account of his years of experience with the Incubator faculty he created with his wife in the University of Manchester before floating Renovo as a public company.

SFI and Professor Mark Ferguson have been the subject of much debate among the academics in Ireland and in the media. Now is the time to start assessing his progress in the creation of jobs as under his auspices it was decided to enhance the commercialisation input to scientific projects. Now there must be definite assumptions as to potential of employment in a year by year basis. We need hope urgently.

Professor Mark Ferguson was invited to become Chief Scientific Adviser to the government last year without added remuneration. He may have a view in this new capacity too.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Wed Jan 16, 2013 23:37

Having recently had the absolute pleasure of witnessing the enthusiasm, hope and joy of science in Ireland's Young Scientist Exhibition, I would like to offer praise to all involved. This includes Science Foundation Ireland as an apparently minor sponsor of this event and in particular to Mark Ferguson for prevailing in his tenure for an entire year today in spite of there being some criticism.

This wonderful exhibition where the foundations of our future are being laid had at least one recently past employee of SFI judging our future hope. It was also highlighted by media in news reports covering the event a clear and obvious absence of follow through for this talent, with many seeking opportunities abroad. Those seeking opportunities abroad include the past employee of SFI, a highly gifted and qualified scientist.

It is indeed a wonder that this exhibition and competition was held with the primary sponsorship coming from BT. This, the very and true foundation of science in Ireland lacks any real support following second level education. It has been highlighted many times in these posts and by SFI that commercial projects take precedence. Commercially viable projects by their very nature must be based on already proven science and technology and where this takes the dramatic precedence apparent it is at the cost of future science and the future scientists taking part in the Young Scientist Exhibition.

Turing tables are required, that the focus should be on the future and not that past. The past in this instance relates to the already proven science and technology. The tables turning require too a forward thinking leadership which is demonstrably absent not only in the science support offered by our government but by our focus on economic survival. This overtly inhuman focus is to the cost of our present and our future.

Congratulations to all for surviving the past year and best wishes for the future.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Wed Jan 16, 2013 13:29

Mark Ferguson is a full year as head of SFI Ireland today 16th January 2013. Dick Ahlstrom interviewed Mr Ferguson in the Irish Times article dated 14th January 2013 with the theme that Science Foundation Ireland director's plans are now 'better understood by the research community'. Reference is made to the dissent of certain academics to his appointment.

It seems to me that Ferguson protests he is misunderstood in relation to the future of science in Ireland.

1. Was he misunderstood (and his wife Sharon O'Kane) at Renovo when 300 people lost their jobs and he walked away with a £15 million premium?

2. He now is Chief Scientific Adviser to the government: What is his view today on eating Horse in meat products sold by many Irish outlets?

Yes we all know we need "excellence with impact" and most importantly we are aware of the urgent need to 'squeeze fiscal return out of the state investment in research' which left so many scientists exposed to short-term and commercial but the question is at what cost?

Brian Flannery

by Waterloo - Resilience Mon Jan 07, 2013 15:00

What a shame.

Our short-sightedness in policy and science says bye bye to our gifted scientists while at the same time trying to attract our diaspora home! Science is the now and it is the future. To be too greedy for economic outcome only is too high a price for a small country like Ireland to pay. We are wasting by shedding our intellectual resources who have contributed to our economy and pushed them away to other countries. Sad is all I can say.

Agree with the earlier posting.

Michael Clifford's title says so much 'Weilding the axe on easy targets'. Article published 26th November 2012 in Examiner.

Michael Clifford speaks about a fast developing area and the need for a voice, a representative of Science. The policy in the EU resulted in the appointment of the first such adviser. In the UK there is a whole team of independent advisers. Yet, here we are in Ireland (as he writes the "Poster Child of the knowledge Economy") getting rid of the chief scientific adviser office and worse still waving goodbye to eminent scientists away from our shores yet again. Shame on us. Professor Cunning former CSO gave his advice. He said he would prefer to see the office continue as an independent entity. NUI Galway scientist Nicholas Canny (member European Research Council) said the new arrangement could lead to a conflict of interest. Add to this Stephen Sullivan of the Irish Stem Cell Foundation who 'suggested a three pronged mistake had been made by Richard Bruton's office'.

The science community and Indymedia have been writing for months now about these issues so we now ought to be alert as to what has happened.

Like Wilton I include a quote from Michael Clifford's article

"Report compiled by Jim Power Economist describes the proposed merger as "ill-conceived", noting it would send out a "very negative and ambiguous" message aboiuot the attitudes towards an important aspect of the economy"

by Wilton - Knowledge economy Mon Jan 07, 2013 14:34

SFI is in the news again, thanks to Indymedia and the committed postings by various concerned people, especially those who seek to promote Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics ("STEM").

2013 is upon us but for those of us who may have not been reading the papers over the Christmas, the Examiner on the 27th December 2012 published an article written by Catherine Shanahan which explores the extent of the conflict of interest that applies as above. Also there is an article on 26th November 2012 Irish Examiner in which Michael Clifford has stated that Ferguson's role is highly toxic, it concerns the fact that on the one hand Professor Ferguson 's role is to advise the Government on scientific policy while the other role is that of contradiction.

Quote ex Michael Clifford article 26th November 2012 (The Examiner):- concerning Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO) role...
"The position was part-time, designed to occupy 60% whole time equivalent for the incumbent, Cunningham, who is a professor of animal genetics in Trinity College. Two staffers in the office have been deployed elsewhere. A quango has been confined to the bonfire"

"The function of the chief scientific adviser is transferred to the director general (DG) of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) the body that funds scientific research in this state. Professor Mark Ferguson is an eminent scientist, but on top of his busy job, he will now have to find time to dedicate up to perhaps half his working hours to his role as independent scientific adviser to the Government.

"He wil also have to hurdle a potential conflict of interest. On the one hand, he will offer independent advice, on the other he is an employee of the State charged with enacting government policy"

In the middle of all this saga, Graham Love has quit his role in SFI and inside sources say he questioned Ferguson's plans and a row erupted and Love resigned..

What a start to 2013?

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Jan 05, 2013 14:24

The previous 3 postings suggest we are all coming from the same hymn sheet and 'quangoitis'.

Ferguson last May is supposed to have written to Enda Kenny, Taoiseach, in relation to the Round Table discussion with members of the Wild Geese Netowrk of Irish Scientists (WGNIS) in Washington as part of the St. Patrick's Day programme and Ferguson is said to have promised Kenny job creation, and funding for Ireland. It looks as if nothing ever happened. The presumption is that Ferguson wanted a meeting with Kenny without Minister Sherlock present. What is going on here?

Enterprise Ireland featured well on Late Late last night but there appears to be a cross-over. Who determines whether it is SFI or EI that get to choose and fund/match fund the projects.

Ageing population is a market to be captured and Osteoanchor, NUI engineers are the entrepreneurs bringing this to market with the aid of investors and EI. It has been developed over 4 years by Dr Pat McDonnell and Dr Noel Harrison, biomedical engineers, who work in the commercialisation offices at BMEC, NUI Galway and funded by Enterprise Ireland. It is a solution for the 'loosening of artificial hip and knee joints, which requires costly revision surgery'. The market potential is global and the market size for hip replacements alone is circa £6 billion per annum. Osteoanchor have foraged and found, now they need funding so let's promote and encourage venture capitalists to invest what's needed and soon.

But let us not forget Maths is suffering. Time is of the essence but the delay factor on outcome has caused a narrow view. In the long run, it is our students, our economy that will lose from the short-sightedness in the cut backs towards STEM.

by Ego-less Fri Jan 04, 2013 13:12

To zzzz and Watch

You seem to be missing the point. All Government Quangos are simply outlets for the overpaid and the over-inflated egos of pathetically small-minded morons. Does not the media attention focused on SFI during recent times prove the point?

That a democratically elected Government continues to,nay actively, supports such organizations is a national outrage. Does Government really believe that we are stupid enough to believe their own press releases?

by Watch Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:59

ALL Waste or Not?

Whatever about Enterprise Ireland, Brian Flannery has a point. SFI has stopped all support for mathematics, astronomy, engineering, etc.

So what does SFI stand for? Jobs, I guess.

Where are the jobs? How many SFI funded people stay in Ireland when the funding ends? Just what has SFI accomplished that would - demonstrably! - not have been accomplished otherwise?

Ferguson and his cronies need to be made accountable. This is my tax money and yours. What has SFI done that would not have been accomplished in any case?

Whatever about Enterprise Ireland, since SFI has stopped all support for mathematics, just what is this country gaining from the vast sums of money going into SFI? The jobs created by this organisation are pathetically small. And then of course they all leave Ireland! Really smart people running the show!!!!!!!!

by zzzzz..... Thu Jan 03, 2013 19:17

Enterprise Ireland are not creating as many jobs as you think. In many instances they are using key manager employment grants to make a manager get a higher title, moving the person from one title to another, without actually hiring more people, thus inflating the numbers. You would need to get a good investigator to do some digging around the 16,000 figure. The numbers are as inflated as the egos in Enterprise Ireland.

by Brian Flannery - Semi Sector and Cronyism Thu Jan 03, 2013 15:43

Did I hear on the news today that Enterprise Ireland created 16,000+ jobs last year. If so, well done but we need so many more.

SFI must be preparing similar annual reports to its neighbour EI so can one ask the question about the success rate Professor Mark Ferguson since his appointment last January 16th 2012.

How many jobs are created? What success stories can we expect or will we have to to come in line with Science and evidential research and the need for time as the argument for non results i.e. if this is what occurs?

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sun Dec 30, 2012 14:34

The new year is almost upon us and this site has raised question after question for over 6 months now on the conflicts of interest that may apply to the appointment of Professor Mark Ferguson as Director General on 16/01/12 to the position of Science Foundation Ireland and to the further appointment granted to him as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government later on in 2012.

Renovo and Ferguson are in unison or perhaps he and his wife have divested their shareholdings in the company they established and took to public flotation - what happened thereafter is well reported in the media. Can we assume that Renovo is active in the market place. It appears so from the dealings this December as mentioned by Watchdog in the foregoing comment.

Renovo has an investment fund of circa £30 m sterling. It is divesting a proportion of this investment from the area of pharma bio-diversity to finance positioning. Is this liable to be a further conflict of interest?

Throughout the year Irish Times, Independent, THE, Times and so many other publications raised this news item. The people await some answers. The time is here, one year on, for a progress report from Science Foundation Ireland. We await very good news.

STEM: How is this performing?

by Watchdog - Scouting citizen journalism Thu Dec 27, 2012 14:34

Ultimate Financial Solutions is the new linkage to Renovo. Deal done 21/12/12 just after the sale of Prevascar on 13/12/12.

So many media outlets highlighted this company Renovo and the strategic move of its founder Professor Mark Ferguson (and his wife Sharon O'Toole) to Science Foundation Ireland last January 16th 2012. The concerns raised were about conflicts of interest as Professor Ferguson and his wife were the originators of the company and one is unable to conclude if they are still the main shareholders. Certain journalists sought to gain information but were blocked via controls to Freedom of Information.

Renovo has engaged in business and what is significant is its coincidence with the Christmas when many are too busy partying and living life to keep track of share movements. This may be the proverbial red herring but worth checking out.

Ultimate Financial Solutions shares have been purchased 21/12/12 with a further cache due to be taken over in early January. This provides the financial provisional entre to small to medium term investments and again this would suggest a form of insider knowledge to incubator initiatives and the necessary funding provision which it is so hard to find when establishing a small business.

Renovo (RNVO) is part of AIM £20 billion market. There are 151m shares in issue @ market cap 26p and there are shares which were bought back in year 2012 by the Treasury. There is no dividend yield or no dividend per share value. The earnings per share is 0.01.

Up to 16th April 2012 Renovo was a biopharmaceutical product company that was developing a portfolio of products which exploit different mechanisms of action to reduce scarring and stiumulate tissue. On 13/12/12 Renovo sold Prevascar assets for £400,000.

Science Foundation Ireland is part of our semi-state. Its performance for year 1 of Professor Mark Ferguson's rule is awaited. Media, newspapers need to watch this space, there is plenty of interesting information out there. Cronyism maybe okay but it is when you dig deeper that really counts.

Transparency International has locked Ireland in at 25 along with countries whose levels of corruption are highly significant. Let's us pay attention now and create a more equitable and transparent semi-state, public service and health service. The time is here to cut the waste, similar to the yet to be taken on board advice of Simpson and Bowles in the US

Watchdog

by Brian Flannery - Semi-states and cronyism Sat Dec 22, 2012 14:43

Renovo is maximizing potential for its shareholders again. This time its direction is away from the specifics of pharmaceutical, scar tissue, to the interests of being a provider of financial solutions to small and medium size enterprise in the UK (Ireland too, I would think). Renovo have invested £1.7 m in the placings ("investment") for which it will initially receive 8,659,080 ordinary shares in the capital of ULTIMATE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS. It is due to be admitted to trading on AIM on 27th December 2012. It will receive more shares at a later time.

Renovo as is well known from the foregoing postings is linked to Professor Mark Ferguson who on 16th January 2012 was appointed to the role of Director-General of Science Foundation Ireland. Later in the year, he agreed to assume the role of Chief Scientific adviser for no remuneration (?) to the Irish Government. He undertook to take two jobs and make it one.

Again the point raised is about conflicts of interest. Surely there are vested interests that people need to know about.

Brian Flannery

by Burlington - Cronyism and Semi-State Fri Dec 14, 2012 15:03

Manchester Evening News.

Renovo

Product sold to US company.

Is there a Conflict of Interest (s)?

One year=2 roles into one for no additional income. How generous?

Director-General and Chief Scientific adviser to the Government

Yet nobody likes answering direct questions raised in the foregoing postings.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Tue Dec 11, 2012 22:56

Maths and science performance in education is again in the news.
Ireland fares relatively well internationally but there is room for improvement.
http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/education/latest-ne....html
This should be highlighted due to the danger in the combination of reductions in education spending and recent changes of emphasis in SFI. SFI can and should make a valuable contribution to Irish education relating to both science and maths. This is vital if we are to maintain any reasonable international reputation, on which our future economy relies. Debated at length in the past week is an absence of mathematical balance in our budget, is this a symptom of a failing in the standards of maths or a failing in the intentions of our leaders? Is it this that has effected the recent changes of emphasis in SFI?

It appears too that the effects of questions tabled on indymedia are garnering some deserved respect in official circles. There are no plans to curb freedom on websites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube (could be construed as including indymedia), it is reported as being stated by Sean Sherlock, the very minister responsible for SFI.
Will this in time extend to including affording sufficient respect to answer questions and release the sought information through the 'Freedom of Information Act'?

by Brian Flannery - Semi-State Sun Dec 09, 2012 14:23

ESOF earlier on this year. By now SFI should know the benefits generated to Ireland from being host to such an esteemed conference.

While the Irish people took another savage attack against their standard of living which at this stage is about living at survival level for most people. Survival remains easy for the elite of may I say those established/entitled classes such as those who recently went to Dubai led by Phil Hogan and that other contingent who went from Enterprise Ireland (SFI) under Ciaran Cannon (60 academics et al) to India to encourage Indian people to choose Ireland for further education ie at our leading Universities. It is estimated that each potential student will create 15 jobs in our economy!!!! What are the costs of these junkets? Some say in excess of £300,000. Is this wise spending? Is it realistic in terms of the brutal approach to the vulnerable group of people called carers in our society?

The Irish people need to take stock not only of their own personal expenditures but of these governmental expenditures and seek justifiable returns. It appears SFI had minimal cuts to expenditure in this budget, yet our people, children, our homes suffer. The Labour party this year, an anniversary of the social, economic and political changes of 1912, should be ashamed.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:40

It appears that the elite of Ireland have an intention to colonise distant lands in an attempt to rid this lonely country of the resources remaining. In this I refer to the recent excursion to India, the sale of off shore rights, the removal of those academics who now seek employment abroad and the payment of funds to foreign lands in the apparent interest of the people and taxpayers of Ireland.

As has been painfully and repeatedly iterated in these posts there are answers required in order to justify the actions of SFI. Having been informed that there are a high proportion of successful companies in Ireland who had been refused support from SFI in the past, the concerns over the efficacy of SFI remains a very large question. In order to secure the future of this island it is required that the brave ventures of those associated with science and who intend to provide employment be supported. The apparent absence of this support is of grave concern and one wonders what ventures have been refused that could have generated jobs in the past eleven years since the foundation of SFI.

by Liam Fogarty - semi-state retired Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:55

The scandal continues in semi-state elite sections. The week this junket stayed in India and the cost to the Irish taxpayers is in the region I have been told by reliable sources within Enterprise Ireland is approximately £248,000. This is in my opinion a criminal act to a point in the present climate in this recession and just before Slash Wednesday, our Budget yet again against the working man/woman in this sad State. How can any minister Bruton, Sherlock, Noonan, and the rest condone such a waste of taxpayers money. I believe some members of SFI also known as Toyland Ireland travelled to India also. This is a trip that has all the hallmarks of Roddy Molloy and the FAS contingent of not so very long ago.

Brian Flannery is right. Cronyism is alive and well. The Blue Shirts under the poodle Kenny promised to get rid of all the surplus ie the quangos and the first class trips abroad. Yet, it appears now that these junkets are peaking again. Irish taxpayers deserve a lot better than this. I have worked 30 years in semi-state in middle management and I can safely say I never travelled first class in my life.

Liam

by Traveller 2 Sun Dec 02, 2012 17:24

Brown nose that I may appear to be, I may not condone the actions of SFI recently, however there is in later posts some defence of policies. There is a balance appearing in these posts that I believe to be welcome. I would dearly love to inspect the finances of the SFI in detail and to establish the return based on investment, I am perhaps of the impression that this is being done and as noted, there has been removed excess from the organisation in the interest of economy. Economy has been noted in this regard as being a bad thing, while simultaneously the absence of economy has too been criticised. Only with some balance in these posts will the truth be established. An emphasis on creating jobs is in the short term in science, misguided. I cite the example of Lord Rayleigh's drag equation and the subsequent development of aerodynamics as a science. The practicality that provided the means for generating employment in this example followed its initiation by a mere 50 or so years. Science is a slow means of generating jobs. Nobody can change that.

Removing the excess costs may well provide SFI with viability into an unknown future. Who holds the helm into this future we do not know but I am glad to see the balance while still seeking the answers. Answers are needed, that we have a future is guaranteed. How we live in that future depends greatly on the corrections that are made today.

by Seamus O'Leary - retired semi-state Sun Dec 02, 2012 13:49

As the previous post stated I also have been reading the multiple comments on this particular SFI topic. Ferguson has many questions to answer - I fully agree especially in connection with Renovo Manchester. But I also have to state that SFI, which was founded in 2001, was a complete farce under Bill Harris and Frank Gannon. With the arrival of Ferguson last January and all his reported faults, he did delete all those who were surplus to requirements. What I mean by this is simply the cost of the contracts that some people were on was a scandal in itself. Some staff were on £3,000-£4,500 weekly plus expenses and they did not create a single job in this country. In fact as a semi-state retired employee myself some ex SFI staff were an obstacle in the way of progress and creating employment. I agree with Brian Flannery that Ferguson Keane Una Clifford and Ruth Freeman need to face an Oireachtas Committee but as we all know this may never happen.

The coming Budget may cut SFI's allocation and this will be welcome in my opinion. Any decent scientists will stay in one job, others prefer to roam from contract to contract because they are chasing the large salaries and have no interest in the taxpayers they are supposed to be representing. Ferguson has seen through this and again in my opinion I believe that some decisions he made were for the betterment of this country and it has saved Irish taxpayers a lot of money. Don't get me wrong I am not defending this man in any way - I do believe he should not have a dual role but this needs to be addressed by the so-called elite on the Irish University campuses. These people appear to have gone to ground like the suppressed sheep they are and Ferguson is quite aware that he is totally in charge now.

Seamus O'Leary

by dingle paddy - taxpayer Sun Dec 02, 2012 11:32

I have been reading this topic for the past number of months and as my sister informed me some people don't like change especially when a new Head arrives in the Semi-State sector. Mark Ferguson arrived last January and he has made sweeping changes in a way nobody else before him has even thought about. People are may I say certain academics who thought they would have their contracts extended were sadly mistaken and also sometimes their wives get so used to the cosy lifestyle that they expect no less. Ferguson has many faults, I agree, and he may also have many questions to answer but right now he is in charge and he has a vision for this country and science in Ireland. He didn't really have to come to Ireland, Ferguson is a self-made multi-millionaire, and this job in SFI, as a lot of people say is just a hobby to him. He is more interested in his new role as the Governments Chief Scientific Adviser.

Paddy.

by Response to Traveller Thu Nov 29, 2012 21:03

The response from traveller

"SFI is struggling against a tide of turmoil, fighting to climb a mountain through a jungle of attack and criticism in order to secure the lives of the children not only of this country but of those throughout the world."

Yes because Mark Fergusson and Una Clifford are truly finding the cure for cancer with the expenses they're racking up. Ooops with the disaster of his former product, they won't be climbing any mountains just rapidly sinking the ship that is SFI. Have you not been reading the Renova disaster story and the jobs that went?

Traveller has a writing style that connects him as an employee of Enterprise Ireland and is fishing for a job in IDA which he missed out on recently and is looking to keep his nose in the trough with IDA and the SFI.
Keep up the positivity and with enough brown-nosing you might get a job checking some dodgy expenses.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Thu Nov 29, 2012 13:26

60 academics along with a coterie of public servants arrive back from India today. At what cost to the Irish taxpayer just before ordinary Irish people face another painful penal budget to please the Troika and the other headless chickens in Germany and France. We thought it was all over when FAS got a major shake up but sadly I was wrong. Some members within SFI have informed me in the last few days that Ruth Freeman travelled first class and her total bill alone to the Irish taxpayer was in the region of £12,000. This woman has been pumped up by the previous SFI head Frank Gannon and now sources tell me she has been pumped up again by failed Renovo now SFI boss Ferguson. Freeman this year along has cost the Irish taxpayer for travel stamped by SFI approval in the region of £48,000. This is a scandal in itself and needs urgent attention by members of a Dail Oireachtas committee.

I would like to ask Ciaron Cannon TD today - what was the total cost of this juncket to India? and What did the Irish taxpayers who paid for it receive back in return? It's a tragic situation at present in Ireland that certain elite classes can travel globally at free will while other people have to beg steal or borrow to put food on the table. It really makes no sense. Why have we lost our sense of anger?

Brian Flannery

by Traveller 2. Mon Nov 26, 2012 20:29

SFI is struggling against a tide of turmoil, fighting to climb a mountain through a jungle of attack and criticism in order to secure the lives of the children not only of this country but of those throughout the world. As needs must, it is important, if not vital, that that future will provide jobs and a purpose even beyond mere employment. Any promise given in this political and scientific climate is an expression of hope. All attempts are worthy of praise and credit should be given where due.

The allegations made in these posts are extensive, but evidence is needed. Without the evidence what worth the accusations. The energy expended in defence of these allegations is taking worthy energy from other more important quests. These quests are those that forward the vital science required in order to provide jobs in the short term and more then in the long term. Negativity is tiring and unless absolutely warranted should only be expressed if for the best of the people of this world. Is it absolutely warranted?

The covert pretence of care and disgust at the ills apparent in SFI if warranted would also warrant the exposure of those pretending. The many requests for those accused of pretending through their claims officially made should only be asked if the response would improve the service.

So, 007 et all, 'Live and let live.'

by Traveller. Fri Nov 23, 2012 21:27

It is required that many of those educated travel first class to India simply to maintain their sense of reason in this country of ridiculous contradiction. Professionals wait in line for food while we seek new professionals from across the world. We seek from the rescuers their very means of rescue and throw them back in the whirlpool, laughing all the while as we sit in our spacious aircraft sipping and getting drunk on a reality most can only imagine. They dream of the next meal while we dream of conquest and riches, investing their tax in our luxury.

The rumours that there is to be introduced a pay cap for government appointed people of a mere 100K has me terrified. The DG of SFI is equally so, the hotelier in India is worried. The airline drinks supplier fears a great loss. Those from whom we eat are oblivious for theirs is a struggle to only stay alive and feed their hungry children. Let science rule, for without science there is nothing, without people there is still science.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Fri Nov 23, 2012 14:47

Two tiers : those who have entitlements and those who have not.

Lest we forget work can be classified as an entitlement just as social security can be so classified. Moral and Ethics lie at the core.

America face the Fiscal Cliff, the question is will they tackle those with entitlements and cut public expenditure. In the process they target out important areas for investment and unlike Ireland, their decision is the need for Maths and Science while the Irish look on to speeding up the process of scientific endeavours with good old nouveau riche commercialism mentality.

Science Foundation Ireland continue down their path towards commercialisation of the creations of scientific endeavour and they send forth a contingent of executives on an expedition to India while their policy in Ireland has been to humble acclaimed scientists and banish them from our shores because we do not see gain from Maths or for that matter STEM. The RIA, the RDS bear little importance to this new breed of delegation hunters.

The news: 60 academics from 16 higher education institutions have set forth for India this week to attract students to study. Common sense states that this is a sensible approach for our country. There are 200,000 students in India who travel overseas to study and we do need to encourage as many as possible to come to our Universities. However this means we must sell what it is the world wants and that is, if you look to America, the focus is Maths and Science. However Ireland has opted for the other path.

So we call it Trade Strategy. Consistent with 14 priority areas decided by SFI, the Delegation of Education in Ireland is managed by Enterprise Ireland and includes SFI, IDA and multinational online payment company PayPal whose European HQ is in Dublin. The focus is engineering, pharma, business, accounting, computer sciences and hospitality management. Physics, science don't rate a mention. Why?

Is there not another way to attract the best and brightest to our Nation to study? How many senior academics do we really need to send to India? What costs are involved? Will these people travel business class or even first class? What hotels will they stay in - it can only be the best? What are their expenses allowances? FAS engaged in similar fact finding exercises and we stood in horror when the costs were revealed. The Public Accounts Commitee surely should from now on ensure that these trade delegations are costed and the key component ought to be frugality and creative thought for cheaper means to encourage the right coterie of students to our universities.

People who are in employment now are also part of the so called entitlement classes. They have work but it is not to high a price to ask the public sector and the semi-state sector to exercise cost benefit analysis on the costs of these delegations and then to exercise fair and modest expenditure given the state of our economy at present. Between delegations, conferences, think tanks all costing the citizens of the country large amounts of money without the necessary returns, we need to encourage good corporate governance mirrored with the sense of corporate social responsibility to help tackle the jobs crisis.

We are all 'entitled'. It should be common to all that we are never pushing someone down but rather giving them a helping hand upwards.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Nov 20, 2012 14:13

This morning at the elite RDS breakfast, the failed Renovo Professor Ferguson sat down and ate porridge with idiots who were foolish enough to pay £200 per head for the nightmare or some might call it privilege. As the breakfast meeting was going on sources within Labour party have contacted me in relation to Ferguson and their deep concerns about how this man could manufacture a CV witholding the main facts of his business of one year ago (Renovo). In the middle of all this 5 experienced journalists have now applied for FOI papers in relation to internal emails which Ferguson has blocked from the Irish taxpayers.

This scandal is far from over and on top of the list is the ongoing enquiry of the Inland Revenue in relation to other vested interests he has along with Royde and Brooks who are still linked at the hip with this ego maniac.

Irish taxpayers need to get the full facts from Minister Sean Sherlock. Let us not forget Sherlock's position is weakening by the day. Just look at the latest polls in relation to labour.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - B Sun Nov 18, 2012 17:00

Quango.

http://www.sfi.ie/about/organisation/board-members/

Maryland, California, Prague and many more locations, people and companies could benefit from the grants and opportunities provided by SFI. The list of board members and potential advisers appear to include members of past or in some cases immediately past connections (possibly current?) with the powers now held in SFI and with other vested interests. Is this a Quango? There are links with corporate enterprises that are not directly involved in science, though provide services for business. Innovation Advisory Partners is one such company with connections with SFI. A board member of SFI is an associate of Innovation Advisory Partners.

Under the freedom of information act, as often mentioned in these posts, the AGM minutes should be available and sufficiently detailed to demonstrate the value added to SFI and the original intention of SFI towards the people of Ireland. The people involved, directors, associates and other interested parties should be able to provide proof of value where the Irish tax payers are paying them for this privilege. A privilege that should demand accountability, performance and valuable contribution. To restrict any such contribution to business or fiscal success is both limiting and damaging. However, to incur the expense, travel, accommodation, fees and income for those purportedly providing this valued service would be of unequal damage without reciprocation.

The information needed to demonstrate this value should be at least provided, without question, to those instrumental in the appointments made. These the very guardians of our country, Sherlock, Bruton, Rabbitte and Kenny. They should be well positioned to answer some of the questions without pause in An Dáil. They should at least be able to procure the required information without delay and satisfy themselves as to the voracity of claims made either in these posts or by SFI.

by STEM - Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Sat Nov 17, 2012 15:53

Another cry from the wilderness in defence of STEM!

Conflicts of interest abound and yet another silent epidemic inveigles our existing government to the land of denial and more denial.

SFI is the government funding body. Its new agenda is 'State-supported research must deliver an economic or social return'. Yes, we all grasp the need for economic and social return but at what cost and surely without being short sighted to the degree that we lose expertise and more importantly hinder the education of those now in 3rd and 4th level university education. If we e fail to provide for these people the necessary education and motivation to develop further in STEM and further science interests in Ireland, there will be a very high societal cost for the Island of Ireland. Emigration is the order of the day but realistically we are a teint hippocritical as we call upon our diaspora of old to re-visit us and give us that helping hand. Nothing much has changed over the centuries.

Agenda 2020 is about the next 8 years. Anger prevails among those who are involved in 'exploratory or so called "Blue-Skies" research'. These are the disciplines who are to suffer and the harsh reason is that commercial pay-back can often be time consuming and long-term. We only need to reference Higgs Bosom and Cern and the fact that Ireland is one of three countries in Europe not participating in this key research for mankind and evolution. Why? Short-sightedness and worse even though we were offered a reduced contribution fee, we still say NO.

Do we still have any say? Possibly No....but let's hear what is being said in certain circles.

Professor Lorraine Hanlon, Astrophyicist at UCD "I am disappointed, it is very short-sighted. In some way it is quite cynical".

Professor Tom Ray of Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (note De Valera connection and Physics). "The Govewrnment used the appeal of astronomy and particle physics to raise student interest in sciences - and then the Foundation refuses to fund these subjects".... we must alert ourselves to the reality that this research by its very nature is unpredictable, we have duty to protect our contribution to the Sciences.

Again the issue of conflict of interest must be considered. There are several relevant conflicts. There is the commercial conflict concerning Mark Ferguson and his links to AIM listed Renovo and the conflict between the merger of two roles ie Governments Chief Scientific Adviser to that of D-G SFI. Mark Ferguson is central to each.

by Julie Simeone - Maths Fri Nov 16, 2012 13:40

Now we know the aim of the game of science is profit and as quick as possible.

The mathematicians have spoken of their deep concerns in relation to Ferguson of Renovo and his Manchester history. Many top Irish academics are beginning to wake up and write to Richard Bruton relating to STEM as a matter of most urgency. Ferguson is treating Irish mathematicians with a deep contempt.

I again ask some questions. Ferguson was investigated by the Stock Exchange in London in relation to the failed Renovo now AIM listed company where 250 people lost their jobs. Is this enquiry ongoing? Bruton or Sherlock have never once mentioned Ferguson's past. Why? Instead, the Nation is informed that Ferguson now holds the dual role of Director-General SFI and (what can only be described as a conflict of interest) the position formerly held by Professor Cunningham - Chief Science Adviser to the Government. This can only be a conflict of interest as said in so many earlier postings and to suggest a panel be used at times where a conflict might present, is unacceptable. Bruton has denied this blatant fact both on radio and in the Irish news media last Monday.

Ferguson's past is catching up. Max Royde claims to not having been in contact with Ferguson since last January. Yet Royde is proposed by Ferguson to join his advisory panel at SFI. This is most serious. A Banker, a hustler, even an asset stripper on an Irish science board. What the fuck is really going on?

Julie

by Damien M - PharmaWatch Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:42

"Who runs the country?"

Big Chemical and their pals in Teagasc!
Big Pharma and their ex-colleagues in the IMB!
Big Oil and their hired goons in the Guards and IRMS!

We will definitely need more medicine from all the contaminated water (Carrowmore Lake), GM spuds (coming soon to your local field), and the after effects of all these dodgy 'me-too' medications!

Or maybe we could just not drink polluted water, eat real food and get real treatment for illnesses.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Wed Nov 14, 2012 21:16

First, let's not assume that the DG of SFI is alone in “causing a major divide and contempt across this island,” even in relation to science. He has been appointed to posts and those appointing him, if the comment is accurate, share in the blame. The people of this country, and more particularly those in science academia are also responsible, through silence. From the many posts, it appears that this country is being willingly walked to slaughter. The people, like children are not having sweets taken from them on this fatal walk, but are by their own volition smiling as they freely give the sweets away.

International credit and awards are being accepted by our esteemed Taoiseach for his success in carrying this country from the brink, while science rots and our future is being flushed to the sewers.

It has being claimed the Mark Ferguson in his role as Chief Scientific Advisor will rely on a panel of advisers. In so doing, what safeguards will be in place to ensure that the
panel are comprised of independent and impartial consultants? What, if any, onus will be placed on Mark Ferguson in this role to accept the advice of the panel? It appears that there are no effective safeguards relating to possible conflicts of interest. Who is running the country? The accolades afforded to our Taoiseach together with an apparently blatant disregard for the welfare of education and science in this country are indicative of puppet strings.

“If people would know how little brain is ruling the world, they would die of fear.” Ivo Andric.

by Academia - Opportunity to talk Wed Nov 14, 2012 15:49

It is science week.

Science Foundation Ireland will play a prominent role. They have £30 m to disburse and have nominated those successful.

What about the 14 priority areas. Now is the opportunity for people to tackle head on people supposedly in the know about issues raised in this posting........STEM need to calculate if they have lost out based on their focus on 'exploration' versus 'commercial outcomes'.

Academia

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Nov 13, 2012 13:10

Yesterday in Dublin Richard Bruton addressed a gathering on how Ireland should move forward in relation to science (Science week) and the objections that lay ahead. Ferguson made his speech which was relayed on Radio 1 Drive Time yesterday at 17.45. He mentioned medical devices and the importance of commercialisation in relation to science. Sources today who contacted me - people who attended the launch yesterday, were totally in shock at the inadequate discussion about mathematics (STEM) especially how we tackle the problem in the schools and university campuses. Ferguson stated on 5 occasions to the amazement of people that he was not an arrogant man. It came to a stage where people were actually laughing in the audience. One source informed me that Bruton never looked at Ferguson while he was speaking. Sherlock apparently looked like the mouse at a Cat's Convention.

Marie Wilson on radio put a direct question to Ferguson about the conflict of interest issue. Ferguson sounded nervous and rattled and you could see his whole demeanour was humbled. I hope this is true because this man is causing a major divide and contempt across this Island in relation to how science should be addressed. Not once was Renovo mentioned and the conflict of interest mentioned on the 10 minute interview on Drive Time and you would wonder who pulls the strings at Montrose these days. Ferguson stated that he would not be the sole advisor to the government he would be surrounded by a panel of experts. I ask the question: Will this include people like Max Royde and Brooks or people from Kestrel or Shire or others from Renovo.

The bluff continues. The questions are piling up and yet there are no answers. Something eventually will have to crack. £150,000 in this recession belongs to Irish taxpayers - not the ego of failed Renovo boss Ferguson.

Brian Flannery

by Chestnut - Anti Corruption Mon Nov 12, 2012 14:55

Ferguson will have to face an Oireachtas Dail Committee after being slated in an article in Forbes magazine. It also shows the failures of Sherlock and Bruton in this ongoing scandal.

by Passenger, ex-teacher. Sun Nov 11, 2012 16:03

First, let me apologise for correcting punctuation with the comparison of question marks and exclamation marks. My apology is more warranted due to my own errors.
However, the matter at hand would appear to include a refusal of SFI to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act. From reading carefully the posts on this topic, (please correct me if I'm wrong?) it would appear to me that many of the questions are rhetorical and that there are people who are fully aware of documents which would provide the answers required. In the interest of fairness, let's demand an explanation from SFI as to why the required information would not be in the best interest of the Irish People. In the absence of a satisfactory explanation, perhaps then those who are in possession of said information could post evidence on this site, or provide evidence to those in authority in order to effect action.

It is only recently that the SFI issue has been raised in both the national and international media. Is this due to the actions of indymedia?

Dear Mark Ferguson, Sean Sherlock, etc.

If indeed you are reading these posts, which I sincerely hope you are, then please provide as DG of SFI an explanation as to the reasons the information release was refused? By simply stating it not being in the interest of the Irish Public is neither acceptable nor complimentary. In my sincerity might I also put this same question to Sean Sherlock and any minister with any responsibility in the decisions that have been made regarding both SFI and Mark Ferguson, the new Science Advisor to the Government.
This site is an open forum in which the answers to the plethora of questions can also be published, there should be no shame in being forthcoming.

Yours, in expectation.

Passenger and ex-teacher.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Nov 10, 2012 15:04

From Indymedia to Forbes (article by John Farrell) see link http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnfarrell/2012/11/09/the-...s-ire...

Opening comments goes as follows:... 'In a move that has aroused exasperation and dismay among the country's researchers, the Irish Government has abolished its chief science adviser office.................'

Ireland and its taxpayers are waiting almost a full year now for Ferguson to declare his vested business interests. Reports from the Dail state he is soon to be called before an Oireachtas Committee. In the meantime Irish science and Ferguson have circulated through layers of media to the pages of Forbes today. People across the whole semi-state sector are concerned about major conflicts of interest, all detailed in prior postings on Indymedia.

Then add word 'quarantine' which seems not to have applied to Professor Ferguson who resigned from Renovo on 15th January 2012 and started on 16th January 2012 as Director-General of SFI. Again ask the question about the merger of two roles ie Chief Science Adviser to Government and Director-General of SFI (for no additional remuneration) and there are serious questions which merit answers. We must also ask why eminent scientists forfeited their positions in the semi-state at a time when their levels of expertise, excellence, qualifications would benefit Ireland. Why ask scientists to become the latest addition to our diaspora at a time when we are trying to encourage our diaspora to support us.

Brian Flannery

by The Glimmer man - STEM Thu Nov 08, 2012 14:48

A number of TD's and senators are waiting for answers concerning Professor Mark Ferguson appointed Director-General SFI in January of this year and who recently without question was appointed by Government to the role of Chief Scientific Adviser to Government with no extra remuneration just a duplication of Ferguson's workload. Conflicts of interest abound but no one seems to care. This man cannot hide much longer from the powers of the Oireachtas Committee. Taxpayers demand answers about Renovo and Fergusons dubious vested interests which quite clearly appear to be undeclared. Why has this much circulated in the media scandal received such Government protection and silence. Clearly there are questions to be answered. Scientists of world renown and eminence have been scoffed at, demeaned and shafted and this is of relevance to the future of our young people.

As the article in Nature states:
"Closing the office entirely sends negative signals to our international colleagues, who will ask the question 'Just how serious is Ireland about Science'

http://www.nature.com/news/irish-science-adviser-office...11755

Some quotes and personal comments from the article to activate academia, teachers. students, economists and others like the RDS the RIA to speak up.

'Dual-role for funding-agency head Mark Ferguson' (Clearly a conflict of interest)

CSA Patrick Cunningham, an internationally renowned animal geneticist at Trinity College Dublin:
'There is "self-evidently" a potential for conflicts of interest......not least because SFI is one of many competing interests in the Irish research and funding space. "I have great respect for Mark's credentials, capacity and personality, and I'm sure he will act with the greatest integrity". It is more a problem of outside perception. That's a real challenge to somebody who has to be seen as an independent adviser'

Traits 'credentials, capacity and personality, and I am sure he will act with the greatest integrity' are not strong words of re-assurance in the light of all the media coverage since Professor Mark Ferguson took up the role of DG in January 2012 having resigned from Renovo the previous day.

Gallagher:-
'This is a death knell for many of us in frontier or basic research, such as pure mathematics, evolutionary biology, astrophysics or particle physics'

Pensions for politicians and bankers is the rebel rouser for days now but this matter deserves equal attention, it is about this generation and its impact on future generations. Transparecy versus opaque and investigative journalism is at the core trying to make the revelations to keep our citizenry enlightened and empowered to be involved now and with a view to the future.

Note the related stories and links Nature 491 173 (08 November 2012)

by Citizen 1 Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:13

Vested interest person or groups do not have the skills to make good decisions in matters of national importance or in the interest of the common weal.

SFI has miserably failed the community it is meant to serve because of the inherent conflict of interest in the Director General's case and in the invested interest groups who presently manage and oversee this organisation.

As reported in the Irish Independent of last week a number of academics/researchers are in receipt of huge inflated salaries. Most of these same individuals are coincidentally in receipt of massive funding for their research projects from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Who pays these inflated salaries? The University or SFI? Who sanctioned these huge salaries? The audits from SFI should clearly show if SFI itself is involved in this massive scam. Why does SFI not seek to exonerate itself?

Why does Government continue to support a failed organisation, managed by cronies for cronies at huge expense to the taxpayer?

The old convention of ministerial accountability has become a charade that facilitates incompetence, waste, and manipulation of the system for self gain. Ministers and public servants must be held to account so that we can pin down those responsible for the debacle at SFI.

SFI cannot be allowed to exist in its present form.

by Passenger, ex teacher. Wed Nov 07, 2012 16:46

Gale Vogel explains the PQ process. If you troll through the posts on this topic, (no pun intended) there are a lot of questions. It is possible to cut and paste a list, print it our and bring some copies with you while voting on Saturday. There may be come TDs there and they can ask these questions. Choose the questions that resonate. For your convenience, I've spent some time trolling, and below are the questions. I've not included all questions, as not all have question marks. Nor have I included all 'comments' with question marks. These are all quoted questions from the posts. Good luck! (Note: not "Good luck?")

Questions posted:
“Una Clifford who works part-time at SFI has taken on a new role since Ferguson's arrival. She is called the hatchet woman. She terminates contracts, some with five and 6 months to run in a 5 year contract. Why? Who gave her the authority to sign her name and note only her name to legal documents re same.” Greham Lovett.

“Commercialisation of research is a major aim of SFI. That's okay - or is it?? The head of SFI is into redundancies and from what you say financial rip-off as well. Is that what SFI wants? “ Researcher.

“Achievements of Professor Mark Ferguson:
- 200 redundancies 
- shareholders left penniless
- trail of destruction
And now he is head of Ireland's leading research funding organisation.
- Why was he appointed?
- Who appointed him?
- What due diligence was done on him? “ Concerned taxpayer.

“Is there not conflict of interest there? Can Ferguson and O'Kane get insider research and commercial information and use this to their advantage? Could somebody from REMEDI comment on this potential massive conflict of interest by Ferguson and O'Kane?” Researcher.

“How on earth can an organisation so newly created (early 2000) be apparently so corrupt? What is going on? How and by whom are these people appointed? How can an organisation/individual have so much control/power over, in the present climate, such vast amounts of money? Have we all gone mad? Could I, one of life's lesser mortals dare suggest that we cleanse this organisation root and branch or simply get rid of it? Could we also have a detailed and transparent spreadsheet of how our money is spent by these super brains? What we need is an exact account of who they fund? How much they fund and what we the taxpayer get for that funding?” Weary bewildered.

“Some weeks ago a loyal woman in SFI was told step aside and all of a sudden in walks Emer O'Driscoll as new PA to Ferguson. Ironically Eoin O'Driscoll is a director on the board of SFI also - Fact. Is she related?” Manchester Casualty.

“1. How much is Ferguson paid and how much has he cost the Irish taxpayer in travel and expenses since he took office?
2. How much has been spent on his lackeys travelling the world to showcase themselves?
3. How much annually is spent on SFI's PR machine whose job it is to promote SFI's vacuous hype?
4: In relation to SFI's funding what percentage of that is spent on maths and engineering?
5. Is there by any stretch of the imagination double salaries and top-up salaries given by SFI to researchers, and if so who receives them, and how much do they receive? After all, the Irish taxpayer is their paymaster. We need to know.
6. Since the restraining hand of the management of pre-Ferguson times has been conveniently removed and replaced clearly by a couple of dodos, will there be new positions created to be filled by more of Ferguson's lackeys, who will unquestioningly do his bidding?” Weary.

“Surely this cannot be another case of corruption and misuse of taxpayers money by a state agency? A browse through its programme indicates 3 representatives from SFI on the stage - Mark Ferguson, Ruth Freeman and Graham Love. Ferguson can be dismissed immediately but a check on the scientific reputation of the other 2 leaves me cold. What jackass appointed these 2 people to positions way above their ability and expertise?  Is this the drivel we get for investment of 1.5 billion of the taxpayers money? Irish researchers, academics, heads of universities - is all of this done in your name? In the dash for cash has SFI so emasculated you, or cowered all of you?” Caitlin.

“What amount of shares, if any, does Mr. Ferguson hold in Renovo or similar organisations? Do these constitute a conflict of interest? What is our tax being used for?” Gale Vogel.

“Just what are they doing there and at what cost to the taxpayer? What has been achieved by these expensive trips? Irish diplomatic staff - IDA - Enterprise Ireland are all there so why the heck are senior staff like Ferguson and Freeman travelling the world together?” Taxpayer.

“1. Was the Board aware that Mark Ferguson (MF) had a 12% stake in Renovo at the time of his offer of appointment and if so what did the Board do to mitigate the risk of conflict of interest, real or perceived? Is the Board aware of any other holdings, or interests of any kind, MF may have currently in Biotech or ICT companies in Ireland or other jurisdictions?
2. Is the Board aware that MF proposed two of Renovo’s current Directors (Max Royde and Jamie Brooke) to sit on SFI’s Impact Panels?
3. Is the Board aware of MF’s disparaging language towards politicians, university Presidents and researchers at internal meetings of SFI?
4. Is the Board aware of the damage being inflicted on Ireland’s reputation as a result of the ongoing revelations and has a Board meeting being convened urgently to consider the issues?
5. Are there provisions in MF’s contract to deal with the above issues?” a concerned taxpayer.

“I have the names of the board of directors of SFI. Here we have a staff of 42 people. Can someone explain to me the number mentioned now of directors: Mr Travers, Mr Fottrell, both in their late 70's and old cronies of FF and Haughey, Dr Jim Mountjoy, Mark Ferguson, Tom Boland, Rita Colwell who is based in America and travels on Irish taxpayers money to board meetings here and that also pays for her holidays which also includes another director, Martina Newell, who is also based in America and follows the same holiday as Colwell - yes all paid for by the Irish taxpayer. Next is Bernie Cullinan CEO of Clarigen, Pat Duane, Peter McDonagh UCD, and Martin Shanagher EI. Can someone please explain to me why there are so many directors to such a small outfit like SFI which each are paid £15,000 + expenses for 4 meetings annually.” Reginald Molloy.

“Was a relative of Eoin O'Driscoll recently appointed to a post in SFI that was not advertised in the proper guidelines?
Do SFI have a history of hiring staff that are known to the inner circle of SFI?
Who in Forfas headhunted and the appointment of Dr. Bill Harris?
Was Harris' PA Fiona Renalds on 100k per year?
Was Harris living a plush apartment in Herbert Park paid for by taxpayers?
Was Harris taxed correctly while working for Forfas and SFI?
Was a special "friend" of Dr. Bills given a position in Enterprise Ireland?
How were all staff that came from US to help poor old Bill hired?
Did even the cleaners in Wilton Park refer to SFI as the American Company on the 5th floor?
Who is Siobhan O'Shea?
What was her relationship with Dr. Bill?
How did she get appointed to look after his hiring and firing regime?
Who is Mattie McCabe?
How did he get appointed as a Director?
Was he still working for SFI after he completed his contract and retired?
How much money have SFI spent on their awards management system?
Was there an alternative system proposed that could have saved a substantial amount of money for taxpayer?
Was there a bullying culture at the beginning in Forfas by SFI senior management while SFI was a part of Forfas?
Why did Donal Keane's brother, Mark not get the position of DG?
How long did Mark Keane work for SFI and how much did he get paid?
Why did Mark leave?
What are the negative impacts of Una Clifford having returned to work on staff morale?
How many contracts has Una Clifford re-written in the last year and told the staff member after the event?
How do the previous Interim CEO of SFI Graham Love and Una Clifford deal with reported incidents of bullying in SFI?
What is the staff turnover ratio on SFI compared to other agencies that are not permitted to hire staff?
What are the qualifications of ALL management in IDA, Forfas, Enterprise Ireland and Chief Science Adviser from CEO down who make decisions?
Are they adequately qualified to carry out their duties or if you were to look at their roles, would that highlight the state of cronyism in State bodies?
Are the current management in IDA, Forfas, Enterprise Ireland and Chief Science Adviser just puppets for the Government?
Was ex CEO of Forfas, John Travers appointed by the Government to investigate the Minister for Health?
Who appointed him for this piece of work?
Did this piece of work have anything to do with him being appointed as Interim CEO of SFI?
In SFI, Chief Science Adviser and Forfas, how many members of staff and management are over the age of retirement and have received their pensions, yet are still
on being paid?
In the Department of Finance Employment Control Framework, how many employees are sanctioned to work in all the agencies in Wilton Park compared to how many are
actually there?
How many contractors are working in Wilton Park House and are they being used as a way to get around the Employment Control Framework?
If you got the correct "official" answer, would you believe the truth?
Is Andrew McDowell, the nephew of ex Minister for Justice and the current adviser to Richard Bruton, and ex senior mgt in Forfas behind the splitting up of Forfas
and other State Agencies and their independent advice?
Can we see the tender process and procedures for all contracts awarded for Staff and more importantly the award management system in SFI?
Have SFI hired a PI to investigate the leaks from within and if so did they use the proper procedures for hiring contractors or is it just another spin to bully staff and whistle blowers to stop telling the truth?” Pertinent Flesh.

“1. Was Frank Gannon involved in this? 
2. Do you know of any links between John Travers and C.J. Haughey?
3. Do you have the travel expenses relating to both Ferguson and Freeman since the former started at SFI in January 2012 up to now?
4. Are you aware of the serious connflict of interest involving Ferguson and his wife Sharon'Kane with Renovo?” Researcher.

“Considerations that need to be investigated:
1) Independent examination of conflict of interest issue. (This should certainly NOT be done by the exisiting board at SFI or any other board member of other State Agencies - old boys/girls club!)
2) An independent forensic audit of the "quango".
3) An independent enquiry into the alleged mis-management - (e.g. expenses, nepotism, careful and honest and transparent handling of legal documents, manner of promotions - was due process adhered to?)” Eleanor Tripp.

“Who is Mattie McCabe?” ExPat.

“Enda Kenny has said he will break Quangos and cronyism! Could Eoin O'Driscoll and the Board of SFI clarify one question? Is Emer O'Driscoll, newly appointed PA to Mark Ferguson, the daughter or family member to Eoin? Did she get the post of PA under Mark Ferguson with open, legal and ethical standards? Was the position advertised publicly?
Another question. Does any member of the Board of SFI (and or family members) have shares in Renovo?” The Bull McCabe.

“From a reliable source I have it that Mark Ferguson discussed recently with Max Royde and Jamie Brooke of Renovo to get one or other, or both, onto the SFI Board.
Are the SFI responsible Ministers going to go along with this?” Public Servant.

“Were the board members also to be directors of a scientifically orientated company, would any competing company be prepared to invest giving the apparent conflict of interest? Would their potential investment be futile in the absence of matching SFI funds? Would the awarding of SFI funds to competing projects be contrary to the intentions of appointed board members and their responsibility to their commercial companies shareholders? Would it be possible to reasonably avoid any conflict of interest? Directors are responsible to their company and shareholders. Board members of the SFI are responsible to the Irish people. Is it possible to exercise complete and conscientious impartiality to both? Is it impossible to be independent in such circumstances?” Gale Vogel.

“But then again is SFI representing vested interests or the Irish taxpayer?” Observer.

“Have the members of these Boards on State Agencies ever considered what they are paid from the public purse?” Dandelion.

“What link to the SFI has Kestrel Investment Partners? Is the blindness of our authorities deliberate? Where are our leaders? Are those truly ..”running a country” comprised of those apparently corrupt?
A question that now must be answered with particular reference to this post, what are our leaders doing? Gale Vogel.

“Is the policy to provide employment? Has anyone made promises to our esteemed though perhaps absent leaders to provide these jobs? Is there an absence of control within and of SFI in the absence of our apparent holidaying leaders?” Gale Vogel.

“The Crazy Crocodile post notes a stake-holding in off shore oil drilling, by the SFI. Who has vested interest in any company interested in this drilling?” Gale Vogel.

“"The best brains in this country are being governed by fools". The question is what do we do with the fools who appoint or sanction their appointment?” Citizen 11.

“How dare they impose such stringent cuts on our poorest and most vulnerable in our society while at the same time surreptiously giving a huge salary and perks to an absolute power money hungry individual, Mark Ferguson, who is useing his position as DG of SFI to further his own agenda?” Simplicity.

“Impact in SFI means pure cronyism. Funding and perks for the insider track boys and girls. Lots of researchers have left Ireland - driven out. Even a Nobel prize winner! Take the case of Richard Tol, Nobel prize winner for climate change who left back in January. Then there is UCD Nobel prize winner in Economics, James Heckman. He has prestigious European Research Council funding. What has SFI ever done for him though?” Uni.

“Those being funded include research institutions, colleges, universities and private enterprise. Additional funding can be found through matched funding investment by industry. Is it required of an applicant college to cite the source of their matched funding? Who decides and to what extent of funding might require additional controls?
Is it possible within the existing framework to establish vested interest in the application process? How?” Gale Vogel.

“Is SFI stripping the assets of the Irish State?
We need to know:
1 Why has Mark Ferguson been on Renovo - related business in the U.S. while D-G of SFI?
2 We need to know all dealings between Mark Ferguson and other SFI personnel with Renovo and in particular with Max Royde, Jamie Brooke and David Blain.
3 What is the nature of Mark Ferguson's and John Travers relationship which goes back a long way.
4 There is a need for the public to see what are the business interests of all of the SFI Board members. These must be published openly.
5 Some SFI Board Members are running companies out of SFI. See for example International Advisory Partners. Is private business using SFI not a major conflict of interest?” Concerned Citizen.

“Are there any investigations being undertaken on corruption in Ireland currently? It has been suggested that the DG of SFI resign, who will replace him and would this result in a better service? Would this result in fairer decisions?
Is there any hidden criteria inherent in any of the current applications?” Gale Vogel.

“Mark Ferguson maybe "running the country" for now but will the elected Government stand idly by?” Caitlin.

“Can you explain to me Mr. Ferguson who phoned you in relation to Eimear O'Driscoll (appointed 3 months ago) as your new PA?
Did this post go through the proper procedures of semi-state recruitment ethics?
Una Clifford arranged all the papers. Are they legal Una?” Concerned parent and taxpayer.

“How is it that a selection panel and the Board of SFI got it all so terribly wrong?” Taxpayer.

“First audits are rare in SFI and I know from internal sources that Ruth Freeman has cost the Irish taxpayers at least 25,000 euros in flights and hotels in the last 6 months. Why? When does SFI become transparent, accountable and answerable to the taxpayer?” William Harris.

“1. The CV's of all candidates and their self acclaimed achievements should be rigorously investigated, especially in the case of high level positions in the public sector.
2. Selection Panels should be comprised of independent qualified people who should not be selected by the Board of the organisation.
3. The Board should have no more than two representatives on a panel of five..
4. The power of so called Government mandarins (self styled King makers) should be crushed immediately.
5. Boards and the CEO of SFI should be made more accountable to an independent appointed Chief Scientific Advisor.
6. Internal appointments should be much more transparent. (not always the case in SFI it seems!).
7. Code of conduct and protocols for all employees (and especially the Board) should be unflinchingly demanded and adhered to.” Helpful.

“Eoin O'Driscoll never explained how his daughter Eimer landed in Ferguson office. Could anyone answer the simple question as raised so many times before on this site?” Pink Panther.

“Mr Frank McCabe
"Ireland needs to create a culture of uncompromising integrity" in business and industry whereby people when they see problems, would elevate them promptly"
Does anyone agree that Indymedia has tried to achieve this and with a modicum of success?
Does anyone think Government are hovering on the back foot here and saying nothing and if so why?” Chestnut.

“Why won't the SFI Board act?. They too have displayed huge incompetence and indifference.
Where is Minister Sherlock, whose responsibility this is?” Member of the community.

“Is our current disregard for SFI and long term solutions carelessness, error or worse, the influence of foreign interest on our very government?” Gale Vogel.

“The question on a wider scale is profit for WHO?
Morals, accountability are not on Ferguson's CV, so who puts him as SFI head and the deeper question is WHY?
Well Minister Sherlock - Ferguson can never take Renovo off his back. The monkey has to be corruption, would you say?” Brian Flannery.

“If protocol has been followed, is incompetence the reason for failure? Gale Vogel.

“SFI is being run like a private company. Why does the Government of this country allow this?” Legal Eagle.

“SFI Annual Report 2011:
P. 38, each Board member got in 2011 over euro 11k. Except Chairman Pat Fottrell, who got euro 19k. What on earth did they get that for?” Scholar.

“Did Sherlock stand on front of many academics today at the RAI to endorse the actions of SFI and in particular Mark Ferguson?
Does Mark Ferguson have two million in Shell shares and if so did he chair the shell conference recently with Pat Rabitte? In what capacity?
The increasing unease demonstrated by the letter by academics shows that there is something wrong.
Is it not now obvious?
Non- disclosure of information to SFI or non-disclosure of information to the Irish Public?” Pamela Quirk.

“What effect has SFI had in terms of strategy for Ireland? Would it be reasonable to assume that now, after ten years SFI funded projects should be making significant returns for the Irish economy?” Gale Vogel.

“How many jobs have been created through the efforts of SFI over the years since its establishment? There has been a focus in SFI on creating jobs, what success? This focus takes the emphasis away from education. It also copies other organisations, EI, IDA, enterprise boards, so why more? Has the destruction of the SFI been planned?” Pamela Quirk.

“Is it SFI who have refused the information? Is it a bureaucratic quango? Who has instructed that the information sought should be withheld?” Gale Vogel.

“Can we all rest assured that the allocation of funds through SFI will not be similarly misused? Are senior members of SFI to travel to Kampala in the very near future? What is the purpose of such a visit?” Gale Vogel.

“George Lee is now 'released from political quarantee' ie 3 years. Surely there must be similar conditions of qurantine that would apply to anyone joining a semi-state like SFI?” Autumn – Cronyism.

“Who are the architects of our failing fate? Are Ferguson and Merkel aware of a higher order that dictates the loss we daily feel? Is their awareness influencing the appointments and decisions daily being made by our leaders?” Gale Vogel.

by Economic Wizard - Mathematics Economics Tue Nov 06, 2012 15:28

Where is the Vision? Why the lack of vision?

Some of our important scientists have been shafted by Ferguson D-G/Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government and Una Clifford Human Resources (SFI) part time. Clifford is a legal minefield at present - yes it is said that Una was sending emails late after business hours and making threats/comments advising certain people not to attend at certain seminars, and in particular a conference, on behalf of SFI. This is going on for at least 2 years now. Since Ferguson arrived earlier this year, Una has been busy covering up her bizarre emails and iphone messages.

This semi-state sector SFI cronyism scandal needs a full enquiry urgently. Heads in the sand is just not good enough. How often do we need to ask for answers relating to Ferguson, SFI, Renovo. Recently Max Royde stated by phone that he severed all ties with Ferguson yet Royde (Renovo) and Ferguson are business partners.

Royal Irish Academy/Royal Dublin Society: surely you have a voice to add to this communication about science and mathematics and the rubbishing of the role of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government. Conflicts of interest need to be addressed or perhaps the Stock Exchange needs to be informed.

by Concerned Citizen Mon Nov 05, 2012 15:32

Sfi ought to be told that the commericalisation of science and job creation in science happened long before Mark Ferguson or SFI for that matter, came into being..

Sfi ought to be told that research in science didn't just start 400 hundred years ago as stated by the D-G Mark Ferguson in his latest annual report! Maybe research in science in Ireland happened only since last year for the benefit of Renovo but that's another story!!!

And this is the organisation that houses the chief scientific adviser to the Government!! We in Ireland are really in a bad way if we have come to this.

Such a lack of knowledge and understanding, such a lack of responsibility, such acts of pure madness by those in power is really very worrying!

by Pamela Quirk Sun Nov 04, 2012 18:08

Do we go to the RDS and ask question where they may not be answered? Do we go to our local TDs who may choose to ask the questions that we ask? Will these be ignored also? The reality that I see since the almost complete collapse of our country is that people have remained largely quiet. The questions have been asked openly but answers have not been demanded, other than within the corrupt confines of our increasingly inept legal system. Information requests are being ignored under the freedom of information act. The abolition of posts and their inclusion in conflicting posts in order to save money, excused as streamlining.

Where do we go? We could follow our part time TDs to ask our part time ministers to answer questions if they actually appear in the Dail at the appointed times, only every six weeks. We could follow them on their mid term holidays. The only consensus ever is the proposal that they take more holidays. Of course, the stress of trying to compress their extensive workload into very short working terms must be terrible.

Where can we go?

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Sat Nov 03, 2012 17:44

Our constitution makes the government responsible to An Dáil. It is required that government ministers must report on the management of their departments. Any member of An Dáil can table Parliamentary Questions (PQs) to the relevant minister. Oral PQs are answered twice weekly in the case of An Taoiseach and once every six weeks in all other cases. Written PQs are answered in writing.

Mick Butler makes a good point. In these posts, there are quite a number of questions. If each of these was to be cut and pasted onto a document and sent to local TDs they could table them as PGs to the relevant department ministers. Were sufficient numbers of TDs representing these queries, relating to the Freedom of Information Act, the latest highly questionable appointment and many more, it would be impossible for the national press, An Dáil or any other stakeholder to ignore.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Nov 03, 2012 14:38

Where do WE the plain people of Ireland go from here?

The question about the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) Business Breakfast is who can attend and who will attend? Will it be subject to debate or has science sold out to business interests? Will Professor Ferguson provide the audience with the much awaited news that the £150m provided by the Government will be matched by funds from other sources eg universities, charities, Industry, entrepreneurs but then this may not be part of his brief?

In the last week I have had calls from 5 members of the Dail in relation to Mark Ferguson. Three informed me that they would not have known about the Renovo scandal only for Indymedia and my input and I say this with humility. One long serving Blue Shirt stated we need to get SFI and Ferguson before a special sitting of the Oireachtas Committee. I informed all that it appears improbable that Ferguson will declare his business interests and his association with Royde and Brooks currently involved with Renovo, or for that matter Henderson, Kestrel, Shire (some who have links with Ireland concerning tax benefits relating to patents etc). One Independent TD suggested this scandal should be reported to the Enda Kenny, An Taoiseach office. The sad thing is that Kenny's advisor McDowell increased this chancer Ferguson's salary, allowances, expenses and possibly even his contribution to his pension fund.

Science funding according to the pink paper Financial Times reports that companies are 'queueing' up to fund research centres. There are seven research collaborations between universities, charities and industry and their budget is £437m. The go ahead is now granted from the Government's overly subscribed Research Partnership Investment Fund. £32m is granted to experimental medicine in Belfast while £34m is given for sustainable chemistry in Nottingham and £38 m energy saftety research institute in Swansea.

The question here is how does SFI compare: Have the mathematicians and economists any input now? Matching funding goes like this:-

'Altogether £105m of public money pulled in £332m from companies, universities and research charities'

Chief Scientific Adviser is the latest add-on to the role of D-G SFI Professor Mark Ferguson, this raises yet again the potential of conflict of interest? In the UK David Willetts is the Minister for Universities and Science. Why do we in Ireland believe in merging two very specific roles (that of Director-General and Chief Scientific adviser to the Government into one? Surely the role of D-G SFI is sufficient to create growth in Science.

The November Breakfast meeting at the RDS about the Convergence of Business and Science merits a place on the agenda of those concerned about the future of science and particular mathematics in Ireland. The parallel is with what Mr Willetts says:- "Top businesses and top charities are queueing up to collaborate with our World-class universities". This was further endorsed by Wendy Platt head of the Russell Group of universities who said 'It is important investment in research facilities and infrastructure is sustained in the medium and long-term"

Long-term is out of fashion with SFI or so they say?

by Sinead Newell - Civil service Fri Nov 02, 2012 14:24

Reading the Times on Wednesday gave me a sense of the GUBU years again.

Conflict of Interest: Yes
Cronyism: Yes
Corruption: Yes

This is most serious. Mark Ferguson yes he brought commercialism to science but he failed an entire workforce of over 250 people who lost their jobs while he and his wife Sharon O'Kane pocketed £16million.

The circle in SFI and Govt who defend him Love, Freeman, Keane and in Govt Sherlock and Bruton will face a hearing in the future.
Questions should be raised in the Dail urgently. Renovo (and it is highly probable he and his wife still hold significantly shareholdings & patents) is alive and well. It is an investment vehicle seeking opportunities. Conflict of interests are inherent in this fiasco as it directly applies to SFI.

Three more scientists have expressed their concerns about the conflicsts of interest. Professor McInerney NUI Maynooth said "we are now in a situation where a person holding the purse strings to science is giving the Government advice on how it is funded"....source the Journal. Professor McInerney was speaking from the Harvard School of Public Health where he is visiting professor. He went on to say that it makes more sense to keep both roles separate.

Add to this Dr. Stephen Sullivan, chief scientific officer with the Irish Stem Foundation who said "You can't have a public servant responsible for implementing science policy and assessing the same policy in terms of value for money for the taxpayers". He went on to say that taxpayers and scientists should be concerned with the new science management structure.

And also Professor Stefano Sanvito of Trinity College who said that he believes the most likely outcome following Mr Bruton's appointment of Ferguson already D-G of SFI to the CSO role is that Ireland will no longer have a Chief Scientific Adviser. He went on to say that if the Government are so intent in saving money, then they should give the responsibility to another body like the Royal Irish Academy. This is the procedure in the US.

Professor Luke Drury said the RIA would be "delighted" to fulfil the advisory role but would need more resources.

Chinese walls, non compete clauses, stock exchange rules and regulations exist for a reason. Why - the heads in the sand approach by SFI and Government. We need eminent scientists in the fields of mathematics to create the vision for the implementation of the practicalities of science and maths to educate our young people.

Again as re-iterated many times in the postings on this site: Will the mathematicians please stand up and be counted? It is not acceptable for them to hide behind their cosy Croke Park enhanced deals for salary, expenses, allowances and pensions. There is calling for the 'greater good' to be promoted by our academics.

by Reason Thu Nov 01, 2012 15:30

The appointment of Mark Ferguson is indeed bizzare. It is esentially a "finger up" to the contributers on this site who have striven, in the national interest, to expose what could be interpreted as the very questionable dealings of Mark Ferguson in his previous and possibly present positions. It is also a contemptuous response to a large swathe of the academic community who likewise have expressed concerns about the suitability of this man for the post of Director General of Science Foundation Ireland.

He maintained not so long ago that he now "runs the country". He apparently does. It could be argued that a culture of pure self interest and the greed of vested interest groups have infiltrated Science Foundation Ireland, one of our main scientific funding bodies, and controlled by this man Ferguson. Government has completely endorsed this and Ferguson himself, by appointing him as chief scientific advisor to Government. He is now, it could be argued, directing the scientific policy of the nation. Given already the enormous evidence of "conflicts of interest" of this man it is inconceivable that a Government would behave with such absolute irresponsibility. This is an outrageous abuse of power by a few, with the backing of the Irish Government.. Added to this is the indignity and disbelief that the Irish people must endure, as Government hand over to this man another tranche of their hard earned money. (money that was previously set aside for the wise use (we hope) of the previous scientific advisor. Of course Minister Bruton's reasoning is that which has already brought us to our knees the quick buck and to hell with the long term consequences. (What care we? we will retire on fat handsome pensions thank you very much !)

Alas the Irish taxpayer will once again have to bear the consequences of the foolishness (a begnign judgement !) of those in Government and pick up the tab for hopeless and inadequate governance.Is there any light at the end of this dark tunnel?

Cronyism is alive and well in this benighted Land.

by Scientific Thu Nov 01, 2012 14:50

Mick

"Proposal : Load in this info and turn it into PQs to the relevant Ministers, they must reply and it is then on the record"

I am somewhat unclear about this. Can you clarify?

by Mick Butler Wed Oct 31, 2012 21:36

Proposal : Load in this info and turn it into PQs to the relevant Ministers, they must reply and it is then on the record.

by Scientific - Science & Mathematics Wed Oct 31, 2012 14:00

Quoted from an earlier post, yet no answer or perhaps part answer:-
Dick Ahlstrom, Science Editor, Irish Times, Wednesday October 31st 2012. Title 'Merging of science roles could mean conflict of interest'

''Another question: as per earlier posting

Professor Mark Ferguson started in the position of Director General in SFI on 16th January 2012. It is indicated in an earlier posting that he stood down from his position in Renovo on 15th January 2012. George Lee is now 'released from political quarantee' ie 3 years. Surely there must be similar conditions of qurantine that would apply to anyone joining a semi-state like SFI?''

Yes Political Quarantine or the other term I believe in law is called 'a non compete clause' in a contract for a period of time.

The world of science is becoming a cold place for a disgraced Renovo Professor Mark Ferguson (former FTSE publicly quoted company but now part of smaller AIM with less regulations). Graham Love defends without proper legal definition the conflict of interest denials but what can we say but Love is the real sycophant like so many others bolstering up too many of Ireland's quangos....yes those quangos that FG promised to do a root and branch cleansing.

Minister Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation only last Friday announced the decision to "ABOLISH" the Chief Scientific Adviser's post to Government held by Professor Cunningham until he resigned in August, having successfully completed the world renowned ESOF conference. According to Mr Bruton the objective is that of 'wider drive for reform and greater efficiency" within the department - in other words a merger of two possibly conflicting posts ie scientific adviser to government and D-G of Scientific Foundation Ireland manger of 150 m fund.

Professor Cunningham an estemed scientist said "I would have preferred to see it continue as an independent office". He spoke of the loss of independence and the issue of finding adequate time to advise the government, in other words, this could be also a further conflict of interest and add to this the issue of Renovo as raised above.

NUI Galway, Mr. Nicholas Canny, a member of the scientific council of the European Research Council also re-iterates the importance of the Adviser's post being "independent".

What about mathematics in Ireland? Saturday's daily telegraph has an interesting article about the absence of maths and students who want to work in Formula 1 motor racing. To those academics who have put pen to paper it is worth reading and for parents of children and the future of Ireland, it is also worth consideration.

Time for more academics from a broad variety of faculties related to Mathematics and even economics to get off the fence.

by Perri Fowler Tue Oct 30, 2012 09:30

Following this thread, I am disturbed with the latest appointment of Mark Ferguson. The Irish Government are sanctioning the actions of Mark Ferguson by this appointment (disappointment). While we are not in possession of the full facts, the rumours or questions that have been raised should have our ministers asking questions or both SFI and themselves. Who has initiated this latest post? The last comments are curious. Is this a referrence to Mawk being a four year old child or someone with the social character of a four year old child? How many times should the questions be asked, or how many times should the information be sought before someone in authority wakes up. They could quell the fears or concerns of the Irish people and respond to the articles in the national press, the questions here and respond lawfully to the request under the freedom of information act.

Perri.

by Robert Richards Sun Oct 28, 2012 23:28

Thewe awe two types of knowing, those you know and those you don't. When placed in the context of cwonyism this is of vital impowtance. Do people get jobs because they awe known, I knew Mawk when I was a child, I knew him to be slightly conceited, he thought that the wouwld wevolved awound him. He would laugh at the misfowtune of Lauwel. He would take cake hoping not to be seen. You don't know him! I wouldn't give him a job, because I knew him when he was fouw yeaws old. I have seen his faults the same way I have seen the faults of my own bwothews and sistews. I wouldn't give my own child a job, he's too unweliable, he's thwee. Maybe I'd never give him a job, for I know him now to be unweliable. He's also undew qualified for any job, apawt from pewhaps DG of SFI. If I know somebody well, I know theiw faults and if they'we good enough for the job I might ovewlook theiw childhood foibles and go ahead and appoint them. This is a BIG maybe! Cwonyism! It is faw easiew to believe the hype that a stwangew pwovides and appoint them wegawdless of my own childhood fwiend Mawk being pewhaps mowe suitable. Ow you might pewhaps appoint Mawk, believing his hype simply due to him being a stwangew. Eithew way, it seems impossible to know what is wight ow wwong. My own qualification awe gweat and vawied, but I can't get a job in Iweland because I have a speech impediment, I can't pwonounce my aww's. They know my education and define me by my faults. They don't know his faults, and believe his education and define him by what they see. They believe what they see! I could choose to explain myself without highlighting any fault, by simply discounting the speech impediment. I could focus on my qualifications and ability without highlighting any fault. But if questioned it would be difficult to avoid, the hues of lights at junctions cannot be stated without my faults being displayed.

Youws, Wobewt Wichawds.

by T Sun Oct 28, 2012 20:58

That press release announcing the appointment can be found here:

by Seneca. Sun Oct 28, 2012 16:48

At a time when the rest of Europe is re-discovering the importance of maths and engineering to their economic recovery one of Ireland's major funding agencies, Science Foundation Ireland, decides these areas of expertise are not worth funding! - Most extraordinary.

The D-G of this organisation, Mark Ferguson, a failed businessman and "scientist "(?) declares in the national media that he now "runs the country". - Most Bizzare. But what is even more extraordinary is that the Irish Government then appoint him chief scientific adviser to the Government, and it's department releases a glorified statement of this man's dubious achievements!!!

On top of all of this a well respected investigative journalist Mark Tighe seeks, in the public interest, information about what is going on at SFI through the FOI act and has been blocked by SFI's refusal to co-operate. One hopes that he will relentlessly pursue this request and expose all those who seek to protect their own endeavours from scrutiny.

Strange times we live in!

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Sat Oct 27, 2012 00:52

Professor Mark Ferguson is appointed as Chief Scientific Advisor to the Irish Government on Friday 26th October. Richard Bruton describes this latest move as a consolidation of resources. It has been suggested that this of itself poses a conflict of interest as evaluation and assessment are now to be by the same party. Sean Sherlock, Pat Rabbitte, and now Richard Bruton and by extension and leadership Enda Kenny are all party to an affirmation of the role that Mark Ferguson holds. Perhaps they know more than the answers to the questions raised in these posts. If so, it is vital that this information is divulged. Who is pulling the strings? The man who claimed to be “running a country” appears to be more correct than any of us imagined. The influence that he holds has now been increased dramatically, he can advise our guardians to sell the oil fields, our energy, he is well positioned to share information with other stakeholders. Stakeholders in what?

Had SFI granted the request through the Freedom of Information Act and issued the sought information, would this latest development have taken place? It has been stated that the amalgamation of these roles will save money, but only if the available funds are properly apportioned, and the information required to make these decisions is correctly evaluated in the interest of the people of Ireland. The information is often of high value, to provide any of this information to such an influential person who may have vested interest that would make it of enormous personal value is at best careless. Perhaps there is no vested or conflicting interest, we would hope. But we have been shown no hope.

When a country on its' knees gives power away or territory, or resources without regard to the people it is called surrender. To whom do we surrender? It is apparent that a non national and failed business scientist has been given the authority to advise and decide on the manner in which Irish taxes are dispersed. Furthermore, this authority has been extended in response to the questions raised both on indymedia and the national press. Are these the clarifying answers that we sought. Sanction without information!

By design we are loosing all that we hold important. Who are the architects of our failing fate? Are Ferguson and Merkel aware of a higher order that dictates the loss we daily feel? Is their awareness influencing the appointments and decisions daily being made by our leaders? We appear like lemmings following to drown for without people there can be no debt. We are doing so well, getting praise while perhaps this new order is a symptom of a greater ill, of which together with our sold science is a heightening suicide rate. Without answers we must shout for the maintenance of our constitutional sovereign, independent and democratic state.

by hideandseek Fri Oct 26, 2012 18:16

Frank Ryan of enterprise Ireland is retiring before the end of the year and on a extravagant pension too so he can say whatever he wants now about the lack of research in science and maths in the months before he retires.
Meanwhile ground staff in Enterprise Ireland are bracing themselves for the next disastrous CEO to be with the incompetent and inept julie sinnamon making noises for the position and is notorious for hiring all her female friends to cushy positions in the organisation. Watch this space - its going to get worse.

by Autumn - Cronyism Fri Oct 26, 2012 14:33

'Worked in SFI for approximately 4 years'!

Questions remain unanswered and the question is why?

The writer was Pertinent Flesh 10th July 2012.

Over 309 comments and yet these questions are core to the cronyism leading to corruption on which this site invokes a motivation to seek out bad practice.

Another question:

Professor Mark Ferguson started in the position of Director General in SFI on 16th January 2012. It is indicated in an earlier posting that he stood down from his position in Renovo on 15th January 2012.

George Lee is now 'released from political quarantee' ie 3 years. Surely there must be similar conditions of qurantine that would apply to anyone joining a semi-state like SFI?

by Brian Flannery - Justice Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:20

Sfi now has entered the Offshore oil exploration agenda with Ferguson leading the pack of sheep Academics. Who in Goverment sanctioned this change in SFI policy. SFI was founded to enhance Science and Maths/ Why the sudded change of direction.
I am waiting with deep interest on the internal papers Ferguson is blocking from the Irish Taxpayers saying it is in teir best interest not to know. After the Renovo scandal who believes this Chancer.At the moment all roads lead to Kampala and Oil
Brian Flannery.

by Gale Vogel - B Thu Oct 25, 2012 21:05

Tánaiste Eamonn Gilmore today said, “we will not tolerate any disapprobation or any misuse of Irish taxpayers' money” in relation to the unauthorised diversion of aid funds to Uganda that came to light today. It is very gratifying to know the care and attention that our leaders practice regarding the use of our valuable taxpayers' money. How much is it that the DG of SFI can apparently spend without proper sanction? It has been cited as being up to €3 million, just one million less than that apparently lodged into an unauthorised account in Kampala. Can we all rest assured that the allocation of funds through SFI will not be similarly misused? Are senior members of SFI to travel to Kampala in the very near future? What is the purpose of such a visit? It was the auditor general in Uganda who brought this €4 million to the attention of the Irish Government. Perhaps it might also be warranted to watch the actions of other state sponsored organisations visiting the region, and other regions where any unauthorised diversion of funds may be possible.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Thu Oct 25, 2012 14:46

Frank Ryan head of Enterprise Ireland (semi-state) spoke on radio this morning in relation to science or the lack of research in Science. Mr Ryan went on to say we need to focus urgently on science and maths. This is totally inept communication given EI and SFI share the same building at Wilton Place, Dublin 2. Again we can re-iterate that the decision to appoint Ferguson was driven by a motive of fast track commercial gain to £1.3 billion portfolio built up since inceptionof SFI in 2003. Quite clearly our politicians have an eye to making quick commercial gains, which is what the Government needs given the economic crisis in Ireland. The problem is: Conflicts of interest. Profit driven access to potential investments via our University hub networks. Senior staff at SFI should hold their heads in shame. They have failed to stand up to the bully Ferguson. Meantime - mathematics, science and our young people.

SFI have been asked all the questions since last June 2012 and the Board of SFI have remained silent on all issues. Ferguson now has expanded his powers to use his profile as DG of SFI towards what profit of personal he can grab in Shell. Max Royde and Brooks, it is rumoured, have joined the Advisory Board to SFI. Who sanctioned these appointments of Renovo chiefs and did they consider the possible conflicts of interest if Royde and Brooks gain access to sensitive information in our research here in Ireland. Royde and Brooks are financiers, not academics. Corruption is planted deep in SFI presently and the Government should stop the rot on behalf of the Irish taxpayer and citizen.

Frank Ryan of Enterprise Ireland. It is such a pity that your battle cry about the need for focus on science and maths is so late in the day. Again like the academics who write the odd Irish Times letter and sign off and the Economists who sit on the fence, there is a massive loss of vision concerning the future of our young people and the need to educate them towards the life-long learning experience. Tools are essential and in Ireland's case presently, as host to Google, IBM and other such companies, maths and science are essential learning blocks to put in place.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Wed Oct 24, 2012 19:32

Pat Rabbitte celebrates the change to digital T.V. Today. Digitising information has been practised throughout Ireland with planning applications being freely available easily and quickly. The internet has proven to be of high value in both seeking and dissipating information as can easily be attested to in these pages on indymedia. It is therefore incomprehensible that information which should be freely available is so effectively blocked. The apparent and repeated seeking of information through the Freedom of Information Act has been corrupted in the interest of a very small number of people. Were this information provided, to reiterate would, where protocol and ethics have been followed, demonstrate the many comments here noted to be unfounded. It is perhaps becoming too late for this to be effective due to the refusal to issue apparently harmless information. However, a refusal to show the colour red can never demonstrate it to be green. Turning the lights off to say that we are all smiling is insulting to the intelligence of those seeking answers. Freedom of access to information that concerns the Irish people, especially from state controlled organisations should be easily available without delay. Scans of information should be available on line, similar to that of seeking planning application information.

Is it SFI who have refused the information? Is it a bureaucratic quango? Who has instructed that the information sought should be withheld? The refusal only increases costs, uses more energy and generates frustration.

Were this information digitised and easily available, this post and comments would more quickly have provided a just conclusion. All future information of this kind be digitised with provision for on line access.

The Freedom of Information Act, 1997 is cited as an
“an act to enable members of the public to obtain access, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy, to information in the possession of public bodies........”.

The Irish Constitution does not specifically afford a 'right to privacy', however it is recognised by the courts that the personal rights therein imply a right to privacy. SFI in this context, not being a person does not have any such right. The DG of SFI is not free from the obligation to provide this same information due to his status as an agent of the Irish Public. In fact the information as previously noted is required to be divulged.

by Erin's Eye - Watchdog Wed Oct 24, 2012 14:16

4 different newspapers have applied for the Freedom of Information Act to try and get the full facts in relation to failed dentist from Manchester now D-G of Science Fiction Ireland. Fergusons blatant refusal backed up by the board of SFI is making journalists more focused on finding out the truth. He recently was refused Government Financial backing too try and silence his critics on this site and in the national media. Questions keep mounting but sources coming from Enterprise Ireland allegedly a leaked document states that Ferguson and his other partner Max Royde both also Renovo connections are involved in the exploration of oil in many countries. These sources believe not just has Ferguson major interests in Shell but he is now turning his focus towards Tullow Oil. This is most disturbing and also he has sent out some engineers to Kampala on a scouting expedition. This man is unfit for purpose and as this site and the Phoenix repeatedly state - he is money mad.

In the middle of all this Una Clifford is doing a course on how to ride an elephant because she is just back from Kampala - vacation. The vacancy is still left open for the Post of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government and at this stage it is rumoured (since nobody seems to be interested in making an application) that it may be given to Ferguson for helping Pat Rabbitte explore the potential of the Corrib and other foreign lands. Oil is the new game in Town and as Ferguson remarked recently - the protesters at the Corrib should be held at the Curragh for treason.

Erin's Eye

by Brian Flannery - Justice Tue Oct 23, 2012 14:01

It now appears that Ferguson is a very vital component in the Shell operation (could it be biofuels!!!) in the Corrib. Last month he hosted a meeting beside Pat Rabbitte in relation to oil exploration off the west coast of Ireland. Ferguson now is blatantly abusing his position as SFI chief and also sources inform us that he is technically a director of the failed Renovo ... and substantial shareholder. I now ask the question why this coalition is allowing this man to abuse his power or may I say his blatant arrogance in abuse of his portfolio as SFI chief. This portfolio and the areas to be covered shamefully excludes mathematics and science. Yet Ferguson is only interested in commercialisation and profit. He now is evidently pissing on all academics from our leading Universities particularly those in the fields of Mathematics and Economics. I again ask about the alarming number of shares he holds in Shell and how some months ago he said openly in the Sunday Times 'that he runs this country'. Sadly nobody to date has dismissed his comments.

Would somebody somewhere please Stand Up and tell this man to go? Now we see that he wants Shell to succeed at the Corrib. What next is on his agenda.

Brian Flannery

by Pamela Quirk Mon Oct 22, 2012 20:56

The Irish Times last weekend, the posts here, the falling standards over the past decades in our schools and the excuses. The question that needs to be asked is whether the SFI is viable. How many jobs have been created through the efforts of SFI over the years since its establishment? Could the funds be issued proportionately to each college, based on the calibre of professors and post grad students. Maths standards as noted in the Irish Times article are effected right from the stratosphere to the deep mantle, from the highly qualified to the child in pre-school. Where funding is withdrawn from anywhere it effects everywhere. Where funding is diverted through a mechanism it is diluted and lacks efficiency. There has been a focus in SFI on creating jobs, what success? This focus takes the emphasis away from education. It also copies other organisations, EI, IDA, enterprise boards, so why more? The support structure for education is full of the qualified. The same support structure for assisting corporations and enterprise through science and maths is full of the same qualified. The qualified focus on their field, the more qualified are often more focussed, this means that they perhaps lack the experience or ability to make important decisions on who gets what. They are needed perhaps to advise, but not decide. The IDA, EI et all are already there. SFI needs to support education and research. SFI could be a department in any of the others. As said this could save the Irish taxpayer money, that is correct. But to say that it could save the full budget is misleading, that money is still needed for the support of education and research.

Has the destruction of the SFI been planned?

by Retired semi-state - Science Spin Mon Oct 22, 2012 15:32

I have been reading this topic on Cronyism and inadvertently articles in the press for some months now. I have learned a lot from the comments. As a retired academic myself I have the advantage of age and hindsight to say a few words.

Some weeks ago an article in the Sunday Times by Mark Tighe caught my attention. It had the names and photos of three people who have left SFI after Professor Mark Ferguson's arrival to assume the role of Director General. Reports are that SFI is not taken too seriously in the semi-state sector and that the gown of snobbery should be removed and it should be re-integrated/amalgamated into Enterprise Ireland. This would save the Irish taxpayer 200 million euros annually at minimum. Simpson, Dodds and Murtagh no doubt had their own reasons for leaving SFI.

Cronyism was there at the inception of SFI back in 2001 and no doubt a decade later still flourishes. My point is that some who had to depart and lose their salaries/contract fees of £5,000 per week may be annoyed that the decision to renew their contracts was not forthcoming. Realistically, it is fair to assume that if academics are good enough they will be head-hunted and have no problem in gaining employment unlike the half million of people presently unemployed in Ireland, and particularly the young people and those who are emigrating with no chance of getting employment in this country or education for that matter. The truth is I have little sympathy for the pampered elite.

Let's be honest. Why do the elite Professors of Mathematics believe that a letter in the Irish Times is suffice to say they have a view about SFI policy and failure to provide for maths in the funding? They are too cosy they just SIT ON THE FENCE. Where are the Economists who share the same Fence. Maths week is over for another year but alas the plebs and our youth know little about that valuable eco-system called maths and related.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Sun Oct 21, 2012 23:04

What effect has SFI had in terms of strategy for Ireland? There should be statistics available for the amount of investment has been provided for those seeking to establish in Ireland and thereby information on the amount of jobs generated. Information should also be available as to the efficacy on the technological trade improvements arising out of SFI funding. Impacts on employment and any other improvement to the Irish economy from investment made by the tax payers of Ireland needs to be highlighted in order to lift the spirit of an injured community. More pointedly this is needed in order to demonstrate that decisions made have been informed and intended for the greater good.

In addition to any documents sought through the Freedom of Information Act, the above information needs to be provided. Ideally, the return should exceed the investment. It is reasonable however to assume in a scientific and research arena that the time taken to recoup would be long. However, SFI is now ten years in existence and it should also be accepted that there have been returns to the Irish people made in that period. Would it be reasonable to assume that now, after ten years SFI funded projects should be making significant returns for the Irish economy?

by Private sector worker - Justice Sat Oct 20, 2012 15:27

Quangos used to be the battle cry of Fine Gael and what they were going to do. Instead they are focused on bleeding every drop of blood from the private sector and middle income Ireland by way of taxes on income versus wealth.

£150m is an enormous amount of money to give to an entity ie a Quango called SFI that fails to reap any rewards. A decade in existence, a privileged coterie of academics and PR staff (44, I believe) I ask - what is this costing the Irish taxpayer, and what returns can be identified to justify its present existence and the pay structure to the staff and board of directors? It is worth noting that a five year contract costs the taxpayer/citizen of Ireland approximately £1 m. Is this acceptable if nothing tangible is produced or on stream for commercial gains?

SFI only funds our universities. What about the small businesses? Surely they relate to science research outcomes or at least some of them?

Science is elitism and SFI is the Queen Bee of Research in Ireland. Just look to pay structures, bonuses, boards of directors, pensions and then add to this performance.

We know maths is essential going forward for our young people. Yet, nobody appears to be concerned when our leading career academics in our universities call on SFI to retreat from their stance to basically ignore maths, engineering. Ivory Tower quangos are luxuries we the Celtic Tiger can no longer afford.

Private sector worker who wants to establish an SME

by Sean Gannon Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:53

Many postings have been put up here in the past number of months. Serious questions remain. It now exceeds Renovo now it goes onto Shell Oil. Ferguson needs to come out now and stop obstructing people from getting the information that the Irish taxpayer is entitled to. Sources within SFI are deeply concerned of the number of people who have been bullied and harassed out of their jobs. Una Clifford is illegally acting as the lawyer for SFI and shortly down the road Una will have serious questions to answer. She signed contracts solo in her name and now the facts state she did not have the authority to do so. Una is only part-time in HR SFI, yet she acts as if she is the Attorney General. Ferguson will not back her up when things begin to get complicated. Let's be honest not one question has been answered so far on this site or in the main stream media.
Sean Gannon.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:55

Science is the both the practical and theoretical application of knowledge about the physical and natural world. In this definition is evidence that science in fact pre-dates much of early civilisation. The cultivation of domestic crops, the breeding of domestic animals, art and observation of the heavens have all been demonstrated and accepted as having occurred well over five thousand years ago, even in Ireland. It is shocking for anyone to state that it “started in Europe about four hundred years ago”. There is ancient evidence throughout the world of 'science' so long before this that it beggars belief to have a pivotal member of the Irish scientific community state this publicly. This together with the 'carefully prepared' introduction of Craig Venter recently is demonstrative of someone who fails to prepare.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. Benjamin Franklin.

Is this absence of preparation the future of SFI?
It would appear that there was no effort by Sean Sherlock to endorse either the SFI or Mark Ferguson during his brief public address at the RIA before he made a hasty retreat. This is despite the representations made to his department from academics throughout the country.
Varadkar spoke yesterday of the impending doom of our public transport system and taking from Peter to pay Paul. Will there be anything left to protect the future of Ireland and the children. SFI may appear to be immediately non-essential but without it the essentials of a very unsure future may well be completely unavailable. With a future of increasing world population and resource demand together with global warming and unsure production capabilities, it is science that will make a difference between starvation and health. It is therefore vital that we with all our power protect this future and it is through organisations controlled by government who strive to protect their people that this will be possible. It is possibly only through this and the like of SFI that this will be possible.

The lack of preparation, the rot, the corruption, the lies, the refusal to divulge information (that is the right of the Irish people), the arrogance and conceit of all who block the efforts of a few to correct the ill must stop. Society must act together for the benefit of all with urgency. We are all feeling the effects of corruption, stress deaths as distinct from stress debts are widening. It would appear that our futures are being eaten by a corrupt virus.

The enforcing of correction must be demanded for not only the greater good, but the greater survival.

by Pamela Quirk Thu Oct 18, 2012 16:58

Did Sherlock stand on front of many academics today at the RAI to endorse the actions of SFI and in particular Mark Ferguson?
Does Mark Ferguson have two million in Shell shares and if so did he chair the shell conference recently with Pat Rabitte? In what capacity?
The increasing unease demonstrated by the letter by academics shows that there is something wrong.
Is it not now obvious?
Non- disclosure of information to SFI or non-disclosure of information to the Irish Public?
Angry!!!!!

by Retired Academic - Education Thu Oct 18, 2012 15:05

RIA - today is the day. Will our academics as listed both today and yesterday have a voice about the negativity of SFI DG Professor Mark Ferguson to mathematics and our young people, their education, their future contribution to our country.

These are the names not included yesterday:-

Dr Raymond Ryan, Head, Mathematics Statistics and Applied Maths, NUI, Galway
Professor Richard Timoney, School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin
Dr Michael Tuite, School of Mathematics Statistics and Applied Maths, NUI Galway
Dr Stephen Wills, President of Irish Mathematical Society, Depart of Mathematics, UCC

How many more would add their names to the list if they only had the courage to do so?

Why in relation to this posting are so many of our non media shy Economists saying nothing. Is it too close to the bone ie being public sector and just how much they are paid?

Let's ask the question and see if any will respond?

Brian Lucey
Constantin Gurdgiev
Sean Barrett
Kieran Allen
Joe Durkan (I believe this man has two appointment but chose to take only one salary)???
David McWilliams
Morgan Kelly
Jim Power
Eoin O'Brion

There are senators like Ming Flanagan who accept suffice to live on and pay the balance to charity. We need more moral fibre in our highly over paid public sector and semi-state entities.

Ireland and our diaspora over the last few decades can boast of a high standard of education granted by our Universities, why lose the ratings on the global stakes for cronyism?

by Retired Academic - Education Wed Oct 17, 2012 14:12

When do we join together and say stop to semi-state, public service, HSE.

News is that certain academics some of whom we list below have written to Professor Mark Ferguson outlining their concerns at his dismissive behaviour towards maths/mathematicians in this country. Ferguson has ignored the letter in its full entirety. Sources from within SFI have informed some of the signatories below that he will not be lectured to by anyone especially nutty Maths professors as he calls them.

The State remains silent on this vital topic. The time is here to have an interconnectedness whereby those who have written on Indymedia, in the broad media, journals eg THE publication to look to Minister Richard Bruton and Mr. Sean Sherlock for action.

Some of the academics who have expressed their concern are listed below:-

Prof Stephen Buckley, Dept of Maths and Statistics, NUI, Maynooth
Dr. Mark Burke, Dept of Maths and Statistics, University of Limerick
Professor John Carroll, School of Mathematics, DCU
Professor Michel Destrade, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, NUI, Galway
Professor Sean Dineen, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD
Dr. Brian Dolan, Department of Mathematical Physics, NUI, Maynooth
Professor Graham Ellis, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, NUI, Galway
Professor Stephen Gardiner, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD
Professor James Gleeson, Department of Maths and Statistics, University of Limerick
Dr. Brendan Guilfoyle, Department of Maths, IT, Tralee
Profesor Bernard Hanson, Head, Department of Mathematics, UCC
Dr Kevin Hutchinson, Head of Mathematics, UCD
Dr Bernd Kreussler, Dept of Mathematics and Computer Studies, Mary Immaculate College
Professor Peter Lynch, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD
Professor Gary McGuire, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD
Dr. Patrick Murphy, Head, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD
Dr Donal O'Donovan, Head, School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin
Professor Anthony G. O'Farrell, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, NUI, Maynooth
Dr Maurice O'Reilly, Head, Department of Mathematics, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra
Professor Eugene O'Riordan, School of Mathematical Sciences, DCU
Dr Rachel Quinlan, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Maths, NUI, Galway

and many more no doubt. Ferguson, let us face the facts is a failed businessman and yet he bullies the entire academic community. Why? Who is protecting him?

Retired Academic

by Employee semi-state sector - Semi-State Tue Oct 16, 2012 14:57

I have been following this thread for months now with deep interest. It is not boring to say the least. Ferguson has many questions to answer I agree but my question is simple:-

Where are the academics who should be standing up to him and fighting the cause especially in the realm of maths, computer science and engineering, on behalf of our young people and in particular for Irish students and taxpayers of this country.

Is the perception true that many of these academics are all waffle and consort in their own social clicks/circles but have no balls when it comes to the showdown?

On saying this - Brian Flannery has surely opened up a major debate here about Cronyism within the semi-state sector. People know that there is excess within certain ranks but omerta is code that keeps them safe from scrutiny.

Freedom of information requests prove costly but when people pay the price the information can be really challenging. For instance today, revelations are that former HSE employees are receiving £2,100 per WEEK (nb). The HSE is paying out more than £100,000 pa to 114 retired consultants since the start of this year. Lump sums paid to these retiring consultants have been approx £400,000. These people retire say 60 years of age, invariably work in private practice too, and double/treble dip on pensions. How much are these pension pots costing the present day workforce in a beleaguered Ireland and the citizens including the unemployed who pay other newly introduced government charges.

Would real men and women and citizens of Ireland stand up now and clean out the CORRUPTION now?

What have the economists to say or perhaps they are also too sheltered in the public service?

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Oct 15, 2012 14:29

"Science started in Europe about four hundred years ago, but it is now a global phenomenon."

I wonder what the US, the Japanese, India, Korea may have to say about this. Is there a touch of arrogance in this Mr. Ferguson?

18th October - Thursday this week, in the elite Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, there is a series of talks by different speakers (highly distinguished academics). Sean Sherlock is to attend for a period along with his SFI representative. Ferguson will speak for a 10 minute period on how he will bring new ideas to Science in Ireland.

The question now is - will Sherlock give a full clarified speech that Ferguson has his full backing or will a member of the SFI crony board make that overdue speech? Graham Love (the Ferguson muppet) is to attend but at this stage Love is actually irrelevant.

We will wait and see the outcome on Thursday?

Brian Flannery

by Scholar Sun Oct 14, 2012 22:26

There has been discussion here of the SFI Board. Look at the SFI Annual Reports, available for download at:

http://www.sfi.ie/news-events/publications/annual-reports/

The 2011 Annual Report has this gem from Mark Ferguson:
"Science started in Europe about four hundred years ago, but it is now a global phenonmenon."

Pythagoras? China? Of course not, we all know that science started with Renovo. This was rip-off Ferguson's contribution to society and the reason why he was made D-G of SFI by John Travers, in his time a monkey doing service to Charlie Haughey.

SFI Annual Report 2011:

P. 26, refers to the ethics in Public Office Act, absolutely lacking with the SFI Board and Ferguson and their cronies.

P. 28, Board travel expenditure, over euro 25k, a tidy little sum.

P. 38, each Board member got in 2011 over euro 11k. Except Chairman Pat Fottrell, who got euro 19k. What on earth did they get that for?

If there was any justice in this world, those people should be made to pay every cent they have received.

SFI is a massive rip-off of the Irish tax payer.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Sat Oct 13, 2012 14:26

T. Your suggestion makes good common sense, a graph would put together information that could create new questions.

February 6th 2012 is stated on the link before last posting. This brings urgent questions for Minister Bruton, Sherlock and not forgetting McDowell, Enda Kenny's adviser who lifted the cap on Ferguson's pay ie salary, plus free car, expenses, free house and no doubt a handsome pension, not to exclude expenses in carrying out the role of D-G, SFI. Questions remain and many of them?

How can a man, (Ferguson and wife Sharon O'Kane, own 21 million Stg shares in Renovo on the AIM stock exchange -less stringent regulations) be allowed to run SFI. It raises many eyebrows and smacks of that word corruption which is teinting the above ongoing scandal now.

Ferguson was installed as D-G SFI on 16th January 2012 yet it is now reported that he had only left as Director of Renovo on 6th February 2012.

Brian Flannery

by T Fri Oct 12, 2012 23:16

Someone who has time and interest should take the information presented so far here and draw up some kind of sheet with the names of the various people and their position and relations to Renovo and SFI and I am quite sure just doing that will clarify and solidify some of the relationships and facts. It could be quite instructive and make open up other questions no-one has thought of yet.

There are even various free software tools out there that go some way towards creating such diagrams. See the list here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concept_mapping_an...tware

by Watchdog Fri Oct 12, 2012 20:12

Gale, in your posting, this is the address noting that Mark Ferguson was still the Director of Renovo up to February 2012.

http://www.creditgate.com/companysearch/renovo+group+pl....aspx

In other words, well after he took up his SFI D-G position. A few weeks later there is his push to have Renovo Executives, Max Royde and Jamie Brooke core to SFI's evaluation procedures.

This is the tip of the iceberg of what's going on at SFI.

Watchdog.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Fri Oct 12, 2012 00:05

Mark Ferguson was appointed DG of SFI, taking up the post on 16th January 2012 after presumably signing a declaration of any possible conflicts of interest.

http://www.bionow.co.uk/news/sciencefoundationirelandap....aspx

Mark Ferguson's appointment as director of Renovo was terminated three full weeks later.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/User/My%20Documents/Downloads/RENOVO%20GROUP%20PLC%20%20Creditgate.htm

Is this declared?
The refusal under the Freedom of Information Act to release documents should without delay be reversed in order to clarify this issue.

by Manchester News - Media Wed Oct 10, 2012 14:18

This website caught my attention.
See http// InnovationAdvisoryPartners.com

Graham Love prepared the way for Ferguson's letter on the 22nd December 2011. Love announced that Ferguson was joining the existing SFI staff as D-G by internal memo.

Ferguson demanded by letter to Love that he wanted the Big Press Release and to mention and that he Ferguson was granted a CBE by Queen Elizabet II. Ferguson demanded that the Taoiseach be attached to his name in the Press Release, not Sherlock. He also insisted Renovo failings should not be mentioned.

Ferguson was Chairman of Renoval on January 15th 2012 but note he was installed as D-G SFI on 16th January 2012.

Something rotten here.

Manchester News.

by Eleanor Tripp Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:37

From my reading of the contributions above and others, it appears to me that SFI has been hijacked in the interests of Mark Ferguson and a few others. This is absolutely outrageous.

The postings on this site and elsewhere outline the valiant efforts of Brian Flannery and others to shed some light on the "goings-on" at SFI. The efforts of Mark Tighe of the Sunday Times to get some clarification on the truth of these postings is praiseworthy and the refusal of SFI (even on foot of FOA's) to release information of public interest is indeed extraordinary.

A conspiracy of silence surrounds SFI. One wonders why? Transparency is the best guarantee of efficient, effective public service. SFI must not be allowed to hide behind confidentiality, in the guise of so doing in the public interest, to stop the public knowing how their money is spent.

The Board have been singularly remiss in their duty and responsibility to the public. By all accounts they have tolerated, and it could be argued even complicit in the exercise of cronyism, internal patronage and questionable governance. Contrary to what some at SFI believe, the organisation is not a private company run at taxpayers expense for the benefit of the CEO and his buddies..

The reputation of SFI has been severely damaged.

by Pamela Quirk Tue Oct 09, 2012 08:57

Do Innovation Advisory Partners, like any consulting company advise? This type of company take a commission for introducing applicants to the source of funds. Where directors of these consultancies have a direct connection with the grant body there arrises an opportunity for exploitation. Where funds can be directed through these companies, and the directors of the grant body (SFI for instance) have a direct connection with the consulting company there arrises a conflict of interest. Is this why the query has risen? The widening web of intrigue is likely over time to include anyone in any authoriy in the country, especially related to science and education.

Before this gets ridiculous, lets stops this trend. The trend being the widening links in corruption throughout this country. There are so many examples being reported, it appears despite there being nearly 300 posts on this topic alone that this is only the beginning.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Mon Oct 08, 2012 21:43

Innovation Advisory Partners, a private limited company set up in Ireland in 2011, has historic links with SFI. What warrants such a company to be established at such a fragile economic period in Irish history? It appears to be a company of international or global proportions or a clear mark of modern globalization. Modern globalization has at times the appearance of a cooperative between the peoples of disparate regions when in fact it is more often an amalgam of corporations and institutions under the control of corporate enterprise. The system of shared cost in investment in research and innovation means essentially that contractual control of the commercial viability is often vested in the corporation providing the matched funding. It has been required that the recipients of SFI funding seek higher proportion of private matched funding. Therefore the real value of that supported rests with the private investors and not the tax payers who may be footing a large bill or the lions share of the expense. Innovation Advisory Partners claims to “cultivate innovation through partnership” and “serve a select portfolio of clients from business, government and academia.” The trend towards corporate controlled academia has taken hold, due in part to the lack of sufficient public funding arising out of the Irish states persistence in bailing out unsecured bond holders.

Who are the select in that claim? What if any funding is provided to those same select by SFI? It is perhaps inevitable that contacts or links within the Irish scientific community are limited due to the relatively small population. Both SFI and Innovation Advisory Partners have international members and are therefore international in character. A reference to SFI being the 'American company' though clearly mistaken reflects the international character of the institute, based too on the locations of some directors.

by Truth Mon Oct 08, 2012 16:43

There appears to be so much cover up and with-holding of information at SFI that the suspicion is huge that D-G Ferguson and SFI Board members are up to all sorts of tricks. Maybe some misdemeanours too!

An Impact Panel: for Ferguson's friends and business acquaintances. Also a covert way to end any funding for Mathematics in Ireland.

John Kelly, Emeritus Dean of Engineering, UCD, called for more support for engineering. Yes, but SFI is doing nothing to support engineering.

SFI Board: Well paid, free travel from across the globe, nothing to be done workwise! Useful though for getting you a job with SFI Mark II.
See http// InnovationAdvisoryPartners.com
It is a pity that SFI Mark II has nothing to do with Irish Research.

by Brian Flannery - Justice Mon Oct 08, 2012 14:56

The questions have been asked on this site to the SFI Board and Minister Sherlock.

Mark Tighe - Sunday Times has had a wall of silence in his quest for information on the exact details of the appointment of
Ferguson. Sources emerging now reveal Ferguson never sat for a formal interview - the deal was done in Manchester by Travers and Fottrell. The rest was only routine.

Questions remain. Did he, Ferguson, declare his vested interests in Renovo or for that matter did Fottrell, Travers or any other board members have any insider information to lead them to their choice of Ferguson. The connections from Shire, to Henderson, to Kestrel provide a web of intrigue surely. The preferential tax treatment of patents in Ireland merits examination.

Howlin is also futrious at being shafted by Bruton concerning the lifting of the pay cap.

Three members of the SFI board are overseas and get £14,000 each annually plus free travel three times a year.

Not Fit for Purpose rings out loud and clear. Taxpayers pay for this scandal. The facts and the Truth need to come out urgently.

Irish citizens deserve better than this.

Brian Flannery

by Gale Vogel - B Sat Oct 06, 2012 23:38

Looking through the list of directors of SFI there appears a balance, with some having extensive academic and research experience while others hold or have held posts in high profile companies. Professor Patrick Fotrell has or has had links with Westgate Biological Ltd who have developed LactiSAL, an antibacterial topically applied technology. This company could perhaps be in direct competition with Renovo. Others have or had links with Creganna Tactx Medical or Clarigen. Some of the links are noted on SFI's website while others are not. Is this perhaps due to the contacts having lapsed? While it is perhaps important for SFI to have corporate experience in adviser, it is also important for these links to be divulged. As has been noted in previous posts, any connections that could pose a conflict of interest must be divulged. Any SFI decisions where there could be conflict must not include the connected director or adviser. It could therefore be assumed that any possible grant application made by Renovo or an Irish subsidiary should not include anyone with links to either Westgate or Renovo. The intention is that any decision to withhold funding based on a vested interest must be avoided.

When a request for information under the Freedom of Information act is sought and that information is sensitive one might assume it to be a decision of the board of directors to withhold. The act however is provided in order to have released information of any kind vested in the Irish public, this it would appear includes information on institutions paid for through tax or any funding that may subsequently be repayable through tax. The shareholders of SFI are the people of Ireland.

by Legal Eagle Sat Oct 06, 2012 17:34

According to the Sunday Times (30th. Sept.2012) and this site, SFI is refusing to disclose emails and declarations of interests by Mark Ferguson and the SFI Board members. Why is this the case when members of the Oireachtas have to do so?

SFI must disclose the truth about the many vested interests of Ferguson and Board members.

We need also to know the truth about the positions at SFI that were privately selected and appointed.

SFI is being run like a private company. Why does the Government of this country allow this?

Legal Eagle.

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Thu Oct 04, 2012 23:19

The exhaustion of options is being employed, not only by those posting, but in the seeking through the freedom of information act, correspondence by hard media. SFI apparently refused to release the requested information on the basis that to so do would not be in the interest of the 'Irish Public'. This assumes the 'Irish Public' to be idiots and is highly insulting. Those exalted should afford to their employers (the Irish Public) the privilege of knowing their very hard earned tax to be well appointed. In Ireland, there is an apparent image of democracy, an autocracy in disguise it may well be where the silencing of questioners may well be successful. We are all citizens of Europe, where rot is the result of a new hierarchy of wealth that dictates the payment to unsecured bond holders of the assets of the Irish nation. This system permeates to institutions run by self appointed 'kings' who can apparently refuse to adhere to rules established to protect the people while harvesting their very life blood.

“Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit” Jeremiah 7:8.

by Seán Crudden - impero Thu Oct 04, 2012 20:22

Well Miss Windy Bird. Where do you fit into all this? What is your particular interest? Have you exhausted all the channels open to you? What exactly do you want done if it is any different? Or are you just another floating flying Jeremiah?

by Gale Vogel - Birds Eye View Wed Oct 03, 2012 17:49

A discussion requires two sides, the refusal to release information under the freedom of information act, the refusal to answer questions, the failure even to partake of this 'discussion' is self flagellation. Perhaps from the exalted heights of the heavenly correct this floating rock is”populated by a gaggle of low-class bullies”, however, those of us who are merely human and beleaguered with the effects of rampant corruption in Ireland are entitled to know the purpose of our tax bill. These are simple questions that can easily be answered, if it is considered in the interest of the Irish public, or perhaps not if it is considered in some vested interest. This “hackneyed rhetoric” is reflected in mainstream media with a number of articles published as noted in these posts. To my view these are not for the most part a personal attack on any individual, other than perhaps the odd occasion where stress and frustration results in some being labelled as “low-class bullies” or other inappropriate or offensive language. These are an indictment of a system in freefall.

by low-brow Wed Oct 03, 2012 17:35

Mr. Crudden , you certainly seem to be very tetchy in your defence of the character of Mark Ferguson by the "gaggle of low-class bullies" on this site. I am surprised such a self elevated high-brow like your good self would deign to read Indymedia.

Having said that, enough of your sanctimonious clap-trap. Spare a thought from that lofty height of yours, for the hundreds of people Ferguson's research scams have brought to financial ruin. Spare a thought for the numerous people he has publicly insulted and derided, - Government Ministers, visiting scientists, Prof. Cunningham, ex Scientific Adviser to Govt., Helga Nowotny, President of the E.R.C., many Irish researchers and academics and even the taxpayers who pay his over-inflated salary. When you have done that Mr. Crudden and come down from your pulpit, perhaps you might kneel and pray for the "low-class bullies" for their ignorant crassness, - isn't that what you people do Mr. Crudden?

Then , before you start levitating again, you might even find some evidence to back up your criticisms of the" low-class bullies". After all they were decent enough to provide you with plenty of evidence of their accusations.

low-brow.

by Seán Crudden - impero Wed Oct 03, 2012 15:07 sean at impero dot iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth 0879739945

It seems to me that the pages of indymedia are being exploited in a quasi-conspiratorial fashion to mount a rotten smear campaign against Mark Ferguson who, like any citizen of Ireland, is entitled to his good name and safety from personal attack. The hackneyed rhetoric and constant repetition seems to me to be totally appalling broken record technique. I do not know how any rational discussion about science or science policy or the ramifications of science policy in Ireland could be carried on on this thread which is populated by a gaggle of low-class bullies.

by Ruth Newell - Justice Wed Oct 03, 2012 14:40

Graham Love the man who believe he knows all but reality tells us this means Fuck all.

Love has accused Professor B. Lucey, Trinity College Dublin, of being a fool in relation to SFI funding. Love tweets a lot promoting his own ego. Currently this man is out of the country on taxpayers money and lecturing us all as how to pull in behind his knowledge and expertise. Behind What - Mr. Dove Love? You or Ferguson's personal business interests or perhaps BOTH?

You once described yourself as one of the best endowed males on the Island - what an Ego? What do you really stand for? Funding in case you don't realize comes from taxpayers hard earned money. You seem to think the money is yours. This is called Privilege.

Please get a fucking life or as Frank Gannon said - go back to the mart in Ballymote, a decent job. You sure won't bully Lucey.

Ruth

by Blake - Observer Wed Oct 03, 2012 14:31

Sitting on the bus on Stephen's Green, some people standing outside aiming to make someone else's negative equity, their gain, as the Allsop Space Fire Sale takes place.

This is another form of cronyism, bankers gained airs and graces and too readily agreed to skip protocols and gave loans. The Govt kicked in with their tax incentives, and then they charged over the odds stamp duty, some people on their home paid as much as £80,000+ stamp duty ie TAX. You say, why do I mention this on something to do with the semi-state SFI, well this is another form of cronyism and the outcome leads to straight forward corrupt practices that impacts harshly on the lives of people.

Two questions about SFI/Renovo/Conflicts of Interest

The Innovation section of the Irish Times written by Olive Keogh on Monday 1st October 2012 wrote a most interesting piece about a new product Top Gel? Professor John Kelly, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and Beaumont are involved in a wound healing product which they say is part of a multi-billion industry. Here we need to ask if there is any connection to SFI Professor Mark Ferguson/Renovo?

2nd Question: Mr. Cunningham Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, formerly Wilton Place/UCD, retired last August. Do we know if this position is deemed worth enough to advertise or perhaps it has been subsumed into Director-General role, Professor Mark Ferguson, Science Foundation Ireland?

What we are trying to achieve in this abysmal recession which is now in its 5th year is Transparency, Ethics, Accountability aimed at minimising the human suffering that abuse of power creates. We need commitment to purge inappropriate practices and corruption especially now.