O’Conall Street

The debate about the future of nuclear power in Britain has started again and is sure to run and run. Just watched a heated debate on News Night and note there are even some corporate voices in Ireland who want this controversial energy choice on the agenda on this island too. That could well turn out to be an impossible ask no matter how strong the arguments. The debate in Britain will be much more open and has the potential to divide both major parties and even the environmental lobby.

London is street for street my favourite city in the world.

Spent most of Thursday and Friday there meeting clients and attending Weber Shandwick’s quarterly UK and Ireland Leadership meeting. This eclectic group runs some of the most successful and interesting communications businesses on these islands. Everything thing from hard core Public Affairs, Corporate and Financial Communications to one of the biggest consumer teams around. And flanking the London battalions is the strongest regional network on these islands as well as a series of specialist practices which are right at the cutting edge. SLAM is already redefining youth marketing and our broadcast and social and emerging media teams are pushing the boundaries of what is better known and digital communications. We are also ahead of the curve on multicultural communications. I can see opportunities for this product here in Ireland soon given our fast growing and increasingly affluent immigrant population.

With carbon offsetting and sustainability increasingly on the business agenda Planet2050 has become well established in a very short space of time as the place to go if you need serious advice about corporate responsibility. And there are bloggers in our midst. Check out the following to get inside a group that lives 21st century communications. ByrneBabyByrne, JamesWarren, Prop-arazzi, MayDayMayDayMayDay or WordofMoss.

So a good meeting but the icing on the cake was playing Lastminute.com for all its worth. I’ve become quite adept at shopping for a hotel room using them. This week I took a punt on the ’secret deal’ and got myself into the Hilton Park Lane for the price of a modest three star room. Eighteen floors up and with views east to Westminster, the London Eye and the City….. Not the worst wake up vista in the world.

You’d feel sorry for the kids heading back to school after the summer, or should it be no summer holidays, and its been no different in the world of communications.

Traditionally July and August was the silly season with non stories dominating the headlines and little or no business or political activity. You could look forward to the Big Brother show down (yes it is still on Channel 4), the Rose of Tralee  (apparently figures went through the floor - but that’s just a rumor) and lots of Princess Di sunbathing - its hard to believe she is ten years dead. Much less so these days. Think about August;

- Aer Lingus - Belfast - Shannon

It has it all. Great business story, all island reach, political and with legs that could finish you a marathon in record time.

- Foot and Mouth Disease

Never an issue to miss the target and hit the wall. The agrifood sector on these islands is still important enough to bring the country to a stop. Thankfully swift government action in Britain and an all island policy on animal health kept this one in the news and out of our farms.

- Corporation tax in Northern Ireland

This has rumbled on at a high pace all summer, making regular appearances in the business news. The campaigners are right. NI should be allowed harmonise it’s corporation tax rate with the south and I suspect the pressure will build on the British Government when politics resumes in September.

- Floods, floods, floods

Water, water everywhere and governments found lacking in their response on more than one occasion. The sights of cut off communities all over Britain and more than our own fare share of flash flooding in Ireland, kept this story of potentially biblical proportions to the front pages this long wet summer. It had biggest political impact in Britain where a PR stunt backfired badly on David Cameron who chose to travel to Africa leaving his constituents up to their oxters in flood water. Proof that all publicity is not good publicity.

- Multicultural Ireland

The Garda turban row is far from over. Getting this one right should be a priority for the government. Perceptions matter.

- Goodbye to the UDA?

Margaret Ritchie, the North’s only SDLP Minister, faced down the UDA after several night’s rioting in Bangor and Carrickfergus. The clock is ticking on a sixty day deadline for decommissioning.   She was right to move on them but will need the support of her executive colleagues if tough decisions are to be taken. Meanwhile the debate continues in the northern press.

- A labour leadership battle

Now that will be fun. The Rabbitte is out of the hat and by November we will have a new face on the election posters. Great bit of political news to keep us all on our toes.

 So us PR and PA types no longer get to spend the summer in Andalucia working on our next novel and the politicians wouldn’t want to go too far either what with global warming, the odd paramilitary and trade unions to contend with.

 This blog started 10 days ago. There has been plenty to write about in that short space of time. The biggest story is today of course. Dublin - Kerry, Kerry - Dublin. ’Stop Conall. These people have lives and you do go on a bit…’ She’s right. I’ll never mention it again…. unless we win!