Freeing up funds for a takeover of IW perhaps????

Another STROKE of Genius Den

Only last Monday morning, I was speaking to a close friend , who operates another one of O’Briens Oil brands , who hasn’t as yet had Topaz branding placed on his premises.

He told me that he was dreading this rebranding happening, as he was hearing from colleagues , with Topaz branding, that their sales had been suffering, as a result of the Irish Water influenced, Boycott . This influence of poor sales , was particularly to be seen in Limerick, Cork and Dublin apparently.

So maybe this sale of these huge assets , has been partly brought about by the contagion of The O’Brien factor , as much by O’Briens recent floating failure , on the stock market ?

Yes, the “boycott” has caused untold damage…Oh, wait:

“Irish fuel chain Tozpaz made a profit of €2.3m in the 12 months to the end of March 2015, reversing a near €5m loss the year before.

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Accounts just filed with the Companies Registration Office for its 2015 financial year show that revenue at the firm fell slightly from €3.05bn to €2.95bn, with Irish sales dropping from €2.73bn to €2.53bn. The company said that the drop was mainly due to a reduction in commodity prices.

However, earnings before deductions increased from €23.7m to €26.1m while the amount of interest it paid out on loans and related charges fell by about €3m. The firm made a full-year profit of €2.25m compared to a loss of €4.84 the year before.

Topaz is owned by businessman Denis O’Brien. Mr O’Brien is also the largest shareholder in Independent News & Media, which owns this newspaper.

The number of people employed by Topaz rose from 1,512 in its 2014 financial year to 1,564 in 2015. A spokesman for the group said that the business is performing well and is benefiting from a “substantial investment which has been made over the past 12 months”.”

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/turnover-falls-at-topaz-but-fuel-firm-reverses-loss-to-make-23m-profit-31514733.html

(So, Eddie’s either going to say I must be a FG troll, or that you can’t rely on anything you read in The Indo, especially when it comes to DOB’s businesses. )

I believe my choice to drive past Topaz stations hurts O’Briens business.
You don’t have to.

“I believe my choice to drive past Topaz stations hurts O’Brien’s business.”

the evidence says it doesn’t.

Of course it does any boycott hurts profits doesn’t mean the company can’t still make a profit .

Well topaz haven’t been getting my €55 euro a week over the last 2 yrs since DOB bought it …. I didn’t think it would make a difference to that business but it made a difference to me. I felt like I was doing something positive.

I’m sure Ill be told I was deluded shortly …

Do you ever think that the profits rose due to the fact topaz got the contract for patrol cars, rather than a rise in paying public?

You’re not alone.I’d run out of petrol and walk home before I’d get petrol from O’Brien.

Topaz and esso already held that contract

You might want to check that again Gordon. http://m.rte.ie/news/business/2014/0502/614868-topaz-ogp-deal/

http://m.rte.ie/news/business/2014/0502/614868-topaz-ogp-deal/ no doubt this is where their €20m profit came from.

Trevor the while public sector are signing up to these type contracts now , the thing is most of these public sectors are already being supplied by these suppliers as it is , as is the case with topaz / statoil and the garda fleet .

This article goes back to 2007 long before DOB owned topaz / statiol http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-fumes-at-petrol-contract-26284300.html

I crossed the doorway last week of a Topaz for the first time in 2 years, I actually needed to buy a lighter, as i had come out without one, I was met by the bouncy girl behind the counter welcoming me to Topaz asking me what i needed, I replied Just a lighter please, she offered me a Topaz branded lighter, I replied no thanks can i have the orange Bic lighter next to those please, as I wouldn`t be seen dead with one of those in Public, her bounce was gone at this point……
Moral of the story, make sure you have a lighter for the joint in the evening, or otherwise you might have to sell part of your soul in a Topaz Station to get one, I still can barely forgive myself……

I hope you haven’t got Sky TV, Sky Fibre broadband, Virgin TV or Virgin fibre broadband at home mother…wouldn’t want to be hypocritical in anyway.

Brendan, he hasn’t the money…’sources’:-) say he hasn’t reduced the debt on his original purchase and therefore the 450€m price received is ‘at cost’. And the ‘phenomenal blah blah blah’ from the nephew should be taken with a grain of salt…..if Dinny can influence Ministers, imagine what he could perhaps do to a Family member!!

how would that be hypocritical wesole?
please explain to me the similarities in purchasing a cigarette lighter and watching TV/ Using the internet?

Sky TV/Fibre & Virgin TV/Fibre are all installed, serviced and maintained by a company called GMC Sierra. The same lads that install your water meters. Sierra is owned by your Topaz owing friend, Denis.

Yeah, But i haven`t got Sky/Virgin stamped on my lighter when i am out and about either wesole,which is basically all i cared about, I have no other reason to use a Topaz whatsoever as i don`t drive in this country.
Was that a freudin slip wesole? “owing” instead of “owning”

*Freudian

But by having Sky or virgin at home, you’re supporting Denis and popping a few bob into his pocket, he’ll take the hit on the lighter…

Does that mean Esso will stay Esso or still go ahead to Topaz??

FTA TV satellite and Saorview – 170 once off payment for one room,do it youself kit up to 4 rooms for about 450, easy peasy.
Eircom for Broadband, streaming,work,chatting to you, and just about everything else – never have to give Denis a dime again, and you could save a fortune overtime to boot

good for you…. glad to hear it. I’ve Sky, the works, all the channels…get it all for free. And their BB

And that comment about good for you, is real, not meant to be sarcastic.

http://m.rte.ie/news/business/2014/0502/614868-topaz-ogp-deal/ no doubt this is where their €20m profit came from.

That is 20 million of revenue. Revenue is not profit.

Good for you! What`s your address and i`ll post you a Blue Peter badge for getting all of that Gratis.

That info is wrong as well Gordon. Topaz wins battle for Statoil stations in ?285m deal http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/topaz-wins-battle-for-statoil-stations-in-285m-deal-26380283.html

The fact that Topaz is using advertising gimmicks on his radio stations to sell their fuels says the boycott worked as for 2.25 m profit seems a very poor return for such a big company. Still won’t be buying fuel there Topaz the dearest around the country.

Would this be anither agreement made with our Government ?

Eddie,
If your friend is dreading the re branding, then tell him not to sell to Topaz. Simples.

Trevor you’ve missed the point ive been making , Topaz / statoil already had the contract to supply these fuels , they’ve basically won it again after it went out to tender as the goverment now does with all its contracts , Not sure what your talking about

Yes, they should be protecting all of this, and more, for redacted.

Why is O’Brien ‘really’ selling Topaz? Is there a worry that the dealings with the IBRC to purchase Topaz were at best dodgy? SiteServe has already been liquidated? Or maybe I’m just being cynical..

I think the 30% quoted is probably a share of the retail fuel market? Don’t know what the story is with imports, something tells me it might be worse, as a small island on the edge of Europe there’s only going to be economically feasible for one/two importers?
Anyway, the margin on the fuel for these petrol station/convenience stores is so low that it’s almost a loss leader to get you in to buy some overpriced coffee and pastries. That’s where the profit is.

I go around Europe a lot and always do a quick price check – I’m not seeing fuel prices way cheaper elsewhere. In the states they are but that’s a whole different world.
Is fuel margin much higher in ireland or is this hair obrien bashing?

Fuel prices are both cheaper and more expensive elsewhere in Europe. We sit somewhere in the middle: http://www.theaa.ie/AA/Motoring-advice/Petrol-Prices.aspx

It’s cheaper in Lanzarote. Like many things and yet like us it’s an Island

The 30% figure refers to the 130 “company owned” Topaz stations.

Their website, Topaz.ie says this:
“With over 330 stations across the country, Topaz is Ireland’s largest fuel and convenience brand, and we’re growing every year. We at Topaz are committed to change for the better, where standards in service, convenience and quality, alongside our responsibility to the environment, are paramount.
Topaz. That’s better. (Sic)”

So, over 200 franchise stations would indicate that Topaz are supplying well over 30% and quite possibly well over 60% of Irish petrol and diesel.

That’s an issue of national importance.

*162 company-owned…

The article, and linked article say they have 30% of the market. That to me means 30% of the fuel retail, not the number of petrol stations,

Most other european countries have car tax included in the pump price and it still seems cheaper or around the same price than rip off Ireland who pay car tax separate

I think that ########### is a plague that’s being fuelled by ## and the generosity of #### with our money

Malvolio32
The article only makes reference to 162 Topaz owned stations representing 30% of the market. When Topaz say they have over 330 stations, this would still, to you, mean 30%?

“Examine the situation with regard to fuel imports and retail sale in Ireland.
Their job.”

I see, so because the Competition Authority didn’t agree with you, they’re not doing their job?

Tax zero

Could you give me regards to Anthony Lang next time you see him David.

* my regards…

“Tax zero”

We’d all like to pay zero tax, but unfortunately we have to pay tax.

“Could you give my regards to Anthony Lang next time you see him David.”

I have no idea who that is.

It says here that he used to destroy handwritten notes at DOBs business meetings.
http://www.moriarty-tribunal.ie/images/transcript_171.pdf (at page 4).

I thought you might know him.

For clarification:
… destroy handwritten notes that were taken at…

Again, I do not know Anthony Lang.

The full reference to him is:

” Mr. Anthony Lang, one of the
solicitors in the firm of Kilroy’s, from handwritten
notes he made at the meeting and that his method of
working is that once he dictates the notes he destroys
the handwritten notes. So just to explain the
circumstances of these being typewritten notes.”
http://www.moriarty-tribunal.ie/images/transcript_171.pdf

Thanks David.
You can’t see that it’s an unusual way of working, but it was deemed worthy of comment in the Tribunal.
Anyway.
Anthony hasn’t been seen on TheJournal.ie in a while.

He has, Paul. Saw him a week or so ago on here.

I stand corrected.
I hope he’s in the kind of health he deserves.
Thanks Pepper!

So VLI you want him to apologise for getting up off his arse an earning hundreds of millions and also conform to the train of thought that he owes you and everyone else is Ireland a living. Pure green eyed nonsense.

I don’t care for apologies. I do think the state either has to clearly show by 55 mil write down was necessary or I want Denis to pay us back the money. Only common sense that people pay back what they were given. I’m working on a business idea myself at the moment, I want every irish citizen to be a success, even if they do unfortunately pay their taxes in Malta

I would be a fan of Denis if he was transparent, didn’t donate massively to fine gael & didn’t bring the state to court. If he treated his staff well & paid his taxes here in Ireland. Oh and if he rejected write downs off the state knowing the taxpayer foots the bill

He gets kncoked for having a few bob and playing the game. Typical irish begrudgery in plentiful supply on here. I pointed out here before he is a huge charity giver but nobody wants to hear that apparently….

Never did I give out to Denis for being successful. Try read my comment again. The money lost to Malta trumps the money donated to charity by a long shot but it does help spin people’s perception of him.

” didn’t donate massively to fine gael”

How much has he donated to FG?

Take a look at the moriarty tribunal

Moriarty Tribunal didn’t say anything about donations to FG. You did.

How much?

I dont know one single person wants to pay tax when they dont legally have to. Do you?

Check what the moriarty tribunal did find, not what it didn’t. I don’t know a single reason why 55 million euro of your money & my money was taken off the price for Denis. Either way he has now sold topaz for a fat profit, making much more than 55 mil yet 0 will go back to the state.

“Check what the moriarty tribunal did find, not what it didn’t.”

I did.

Now, how much has DOB donated to FG?

Hats off to him VLI. You of all people should know that the Irish government have spent the last 7 years riding its citizens i.e. Me and you. I for one love to see somebody with the balls to ride them back. We all have 55 million reasons to give Kenny and co the middle finger. They’d only squander it on some failed project anyway in a matter of days

If you wish to run a successful country it’s never about the people vs the state. It’s about the people voting & engaging to make sure the state acts in their best interests. Unfortunately a FG dominant government means only looking after the top earners in this society

David and Tweed…there’s no doubt Denis has business acumen but what really got him rolling was a bribe…..and that was to the cost of you, me and the taxpayers of this country. the Government have sat on the Moriarty report when it should be handed to the Gardaí…..the report followed the money and found the bribes. So where is the full and proper court case?

To be honest with you Al I’d be more p1ssed at the €200 million that was squandered on the said inquiry. All it proved was that O Brien is a sharp cookie. But sure everyone knew that already. There will never be a court case because they simply ain’t as smart as him. He played FG for the total muppets they are. I’m a fan.

Al Capone?

It’s called public relations, people only come to dislike Denis obrien when looking at the bigger financial picture.

Ah Nooooooo

How much does a sexton weigh on the mind of the stoker?