The general chit-chat thread [READ THE FIRST POST BEFORE POSTING HERE]

darealtulip

Shadow78 wrote: »

The goverment were the ones with the power controlling what the banks could and couldnt do. The banks just did what they were allowed to do. Its a bit unfair to say everyone is paying because of the bankers. IMHO it would be more accurate to say that we are paying because FF/PD government were left in power and mis mannaged the whole thing. So lets just blame the people who voted for them.

The banks falling was not an irish but a global problem though. My country (Netherlands) played a big role in the colapse of a few banks (RBS).

And the governments all failed to make policies to get the bankers to loan again or even moderate their bonusses.

So lets not only blame the irish voters!;)

Shadow78

the banks in some of the countries were not allowed to lend so recklessly
Spain for one (they just got hit big time by maddoff afaik instead)
Canada for another

The regulators here and elsewhere with banking trouble failed in their jobs to regulate the banking sectors to make sure the banks couldnt make a balls of it all. Government are in charge of the regulaters and the voters are in charge of electing the government.

The fact that FF/PD's are still in power after all their waste and mistakes says alot about the voters in ireland.

EuskalHerria

Fingers McGee wrote: »

No, the overpriced debt is not a good investment, its a necessary one. Cancer services are being handled how the government sees fit, as in they have no interest in what the people think locally about this despite all the protests and publicity that the campaigns gained. Fact is, they commissioned someone to do a report on a center for excellence, and acted on it.

Really don't want to start on prof tom keane and harney. Both of whom were willing to make recommendations and follow them up off pieces of paper, and yet not willing to actual travel the necessary journey to see the consequences of their decisions. Its nothing short of a disgrace and already it seems to be forgotten by people around the town. So how anyone can justify perpetuating a system of gangsters in the banking system and not being able to invest in the health care is beyond me. The sad reality is that it seems to be just acceptable, as if there was no alternative to having inept idiots with nothing but their own interests continue to run the country.
If the bank bailouts were necessary, and I'm not saying that they weren't, at the very least the government should have taken control of the banks. They have proven incapable of running themselves so for the money being used on NAMA the government should have just taken control of the banks and secured peoples money and investments, rather than throw money at the banking sector and allow them to run wild again.

Sure, they were slaughtered in the most recent local elections because of it, but FF and the greens took a big hit nationally

The greens I might agree, but with all the national and local issues FF still got accepted into a coalition for the council.

The majority of the banking sector is private, and in the same way private sector business operates, the will implement pay cuts and and when they see fit to themselves. They are under no obligation to do so.

When they start accepting the publics money then I think that any independence to run themselves is voided.

Also, can you define what you mean by the banking sector. are you referring to anyone who works in a bank or just the ones who were responsible for the banking crisis?

Well I don't think the tellers can be blamed for this financial crisis, so it seems an obvious enough answer.

The reason I asked about this is because you inferred that the financial situation of the country was directly related to the homeless in Sligo. Now, its not beyond the realms of possibility that people have lost their homes as a result of it I would seriously doubt it, since the courts are looking favorably in case of the tenants of houses when eviction orders are sought.

How did I infer that? I think it extenuates circumstances for people but I don't think that I inferred the recession and homelessness were inextricably linked.

In fact, I believe that the vast majority of the homeless in Sligo have been so since before the recession as a result of whatever personal circumstances they were facing at the time, therefore it is incorrect to blame the homeless situation in Sligo on the financial crisis. So again, i fail to see a link between the two.
If you wish to continue to make this claim, then I request that you provide some legitimate information (with links) to substantiate this.

Again I never blamed the homeless situation on the current economic crisis, your badly twisting my words. I think that with financial hardships people are facing at the minute that it obvious could be the cause for a few cases, but never did I say both were linked. If your referring back to the other campaign that was a separate issue that needed highlighting but is not linked to the cancer campaign.

The point of this poster was quite simple. The government handed over billions to the banks. NAMA alone, and this pointed out by the opposition, was very risky and alternatives were available that would allow less risk and more value for what was necessary spending. If the government are willing to risk so much money, why not be able to invest a tiny portion of that money into a complete overhaul of the cancer services strategy.


The way things stand at the minute, we have less control of the banks than before yet billions invested. So was it really worth it if the government does not have as much control? The cancer services, imo, are a better way to spend money.

EuskalHerria

darealtulip wrote: »

Cwhyte,

I think we are not disagreeing with you here. I just comment on the fact that the government did not have a choice but to bail the banks out. There was no choice, they had to.
So no matter if they thought it was a good investment or not doesn't come into it.

We all agree (I think) that the government could have handled it better.

We all (again I think) that it would be great to keep the cancer services in Sligo.



Fact is the bail out of the banks (which was no choice) affected the budget big time. But if they wouldn't bail out the banks the results would have been a lot worse then only the cancer department moving. You would have been lucky to have any hospitals at all in small towns and villages after that.

I really don't disagree whit most you are saying, I just think it doesn't go well together and they are 2 different issues.

One is a choice made and the other was a necessary evil with no choice involved at all.

On the homeless I already said it is strange that perfectly good houses are laying empty and people are sleeping on the streets, but as fingers I fail to see how this is related to the bank bail out, we would probaly have a lot more people sleeping rough if the banking system had fallen.

And yes it is obscene that they still get their bonus' and that is a failure of the government (not only the Irish government by the way).

I think I addressed fingers main points. I know we're singing from the same hymn sheet but there are minor differences in opinion.
I just think that if the government so comfortably gave away that much money to such a high risk investment, namely NAMA, then money can be forthcoming for a restructuring for the cancer services strategy so that it includes the north west and other areas of Ireland that also suffered from cut backs.

darealtulip

Cwhyte wrote: »

I think I addressed fingers main points. I know we're singing from the same hymn sheet but there are minor differences in opinion.
I just think that if the government so comfortably gave away that much money to such a high risk investment, namely NAMA, then money can be forthcoming for a restructuring for the cancer services strategy so that it includes the north west and other areas of Ireland that also suffered from cut backs.

But that is the point, they didn't give it away. They took ownership (or big share). And might not make a to big loss in the long run when they sell them the shares back.

And ofcourse that doesn't help any front line services in the short run but it did save us from a worse scenario.

A lot of services do indeed suffer because of this.

Indeed minor points of disagreement. In my opinion you left youself open for criticism on these points by tarring these three issues with one brush.

bobcar61

Ok guys and gals,
Is this not meant to be the chilled out area of our forum where we talk about nothing important, it's starting to get a bit intense. If ye feel the topic been discussed at the moment is worthy of a thread then start one.

EuskalHerria

Dutchie started it:D

PM tulip.

darealtulip

Cwhyte wrote: »

Dutchie started it:D

PM tulip.

LOL!!!:D pm'ed you back!

Essexboy

Have you ever heard SUNDAY SPIRIT "Ocean FM’s spiritual and religious programme."? It always sounds like the Gospel from Killinaskully to me but I try not to listen.

Anyway, I caught the tail end of this morning's broadcast when the presenter read a quotation from "Albert Kamuss" (sic), adding "I think he had French connections".

Was he referring to Albert Camus, French novelist, essayist, and playwright, and Nobel Prizewinner? Ocean FM is not a great station but, even for them, this ignorance is appalling. :mad:

genie

Anyone else a member of potholes.ie?

http://www.potholes.ie

magnumlady

If anyone is interested Jono and myself were on TV3 this morning, about his back surgery:
http://www.tv3.ie/shows.php?request=themorningshow

DenMan

He's a very brave boy magnumlady. So are you. I hope he is feeling better and ok.

magnumlady

Thanks, he's doing OK. He is really brave, I wish I was half as brave as him.

Buford T Justice

OOh, they called you Valerie instead of Val, you must have felt so important


All joking aside Val, I'm glad to see he's doing well now, and if anyone should ever find themselves in a situation such as this with their kids, I pray that they would have the courage and conviction that you have had.

Mint Sauce

glad to hear everthings going well magnumlady, will check out the link later today

magnumlady

Thanks
I'm Valerie when I'm being sensible....most of the time it's Val:D

genie

Sligo Stages Rally will be passing my home in July. Who do I object to? My house is on the roadside and on a series of bad narrow bends. Will contacting Sligo County Council do any good?

Slidey

Waste of time. If it passing by your house there is not much you can do.

My advice would be to either get up early and go somewhere nice for the day, or else tell me where you live and I'll camp out at yours and you can make me tae and rasher sambo's for the day!

genie

Slidey wrote: »

Waste of time. If it passing by your house there is not much you can do.

My advice would be to either get up early and go somewhere nice for the day, or else tell me where you live and I'll camp out at yours and you can make me tae and rasher sambo's for the day!

If only I could go somewhere nice for the day but I have to go to work!

Maybe I can object to the road closure? I live on the middle bit of an 's' bend and I'd rather not come home and find half a car sticking out of the living room window...:(

Slidey

Very unlikely to happen TBH. If they suspect cars may hit a house they will put in a chicane with round bales.

You will have to leave your transport at the nearest junction.

genie

There isn't room for a chicane, my house is literally 1-2 meters from the road with a garden between the house and the road.

Will have to look into this a bit further and see what I can do.

Slidey

No they put the chicane in up the road from the house to slow them down before the corner. Unless the road is only the bare width of a car they will make them squeeze through.

By all means contact them. My neighbour is normally stage commander on one of the stages, I'll see if I can bump into him in the coming days and get some info for ya.

genie

Slidey wrote: »

No they put the chicane in up the road from the house to slow them down before the corner. Unless the road is only the bare width of a car they will make them squeeze through.

By all means contact them. My neighbour is normally stage commander on one of the stages, I'll see if I can bump into him in the coming days and get some info for ya.

Thanks very much!

genie

Can someone tell me the name of the Garda Superintendent in Ballymote, please? It's not on the Garda website and Google is only bringing up the name of the previous Superintendent.

Many thanks!

Slidey

Probably the easiest thing to do is to ring them and ask.

Thankfully I have never had the pleasure of meeting many of them!

0719183333

genie

Thanks for that!

And, no, I haven't either!

Essexboy

It is bad enough that they cannot spell properly but to advertise the fact to the whole countryside . . . .

" 1997 when the United Nations reported that nearly one-quarter of the population between 14 and 64 years of age had serious literacy difficulties."
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0513/1224270276902.html

Buford T Justice

Jaysis. Even Spell-check is simple to use.....

maisiehanley

hi, i need to get bridging done and crowns.... wondering if anyone can recommend a dentist in enniskillen,..... id be grateful for any feedback thanks

Basq

maisiehanley wrote: »

hi, i need to get bridging done and crowns.... wondering if anyone can recommend a dentist in enniskillen,..... id be grateful for any feedback thanks

You'd get a better response here methinks..