Dont feel sorry for yourselves

swingking

That is what the Finance Minister said at the Fianna Fail Ard Dheis.

Easy for him to say, he's not really feeling this recession. What a total plonker; talk about adding insult to injury!

link here

Lenihan: 'Don't feel sorry for yourselves'
28/02/2009 - 15:18:40

People must not feel sorry for themselves amidst the current recession but everybody must weather the storm together, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said today.

The TD’s address to the Fianna Fáil party’s Ard Fheis received a standing ovation from delegates after he told him that hard decisions must be taken by the Government to build a better economy and society in the years ahead.

The senior Coalition partner is gathering in Dublin as it faces the worst poll ratings in its history and as the Taoiseach and his ministers grapple with unprecedented economic challenges.

Mr Lenihan told delegates in the Citywest Hotel: “This is not a time to feel sorry for ourselves. This is a time to realise that if we take these hard decisions, we will have a better Ireland in the future.

“We are inclined to beat ourselves up too much. We have to recognise the huge strengths we have as a nation and an economy.”

Earlier Taoiseach Brian Cowen didn’t rule out the possibility of holding a mini-Budget in coming months to increase taxes and other revenue-raising measures.

“We will do whatever is necessary to bring order to our public finances,” he said.

But Mr Lenihan said any tax rises must not impact on jobs or competitiveness.

“There can be no return to the bad old days of 64% tax rates,” he told the party.

“Any changes we introduce have to be carefully considered so that they do not impact on employment or our competitiveness.

“Any tax changes must also be just and fair so that all who benefit from state services pay according to their means. If the main opposition parties have ideas about how we should progress on the issue of tax, I am prepared to listen.”

As the 72nd Ard Fheis resumed, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin admitted that opinion poll ratings were causing concern in the party.

“From a party political point of view, it is very serious,” he told RTE Radio.

“But we have to transcend that because of the unprecedented nature of the financial and economic collapse around the world which is impacting very fundamentally on Ireland.”

He added: “I accept the statistics but we cannot be paralysed by opinion polls and by the volatility around popularity ratings.”

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey also acknowledged that the Government was failing to communicate with people about the challenges facing the country.

“There is a sense of bewilderment and fear out there. There is a sense of not knowing where we are going,” he said.

He added: “The big failure that we’ve had so far as a Government has been not communicating what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. It’s our fault as a Government, but the message is getting through to people now.”

Mr Lenihan also told delegates that people must discipline themselves so that the economy can weather the storm and emerge from it stronger than ever.

“Just as we were the first country to go into recession, we will be the first country to get out of it as well. That’s the ambition I have set myself,” he told delegates.

The TD said the same ingenuity, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit that built the economic miracle of the last twenty years can put the country back on the path to growth.

“This world recession will pass. We must all pull together to make sure Ireland can secure maximum benefit from the inevitable up turn,” he told delegates.

connundrum

“We are inclined to beat ourselves up too much."

i.e. The Public are inclined to beat us up when we make silly mistakes and cost the taxpayer billions.

ejmaztec

I wonder how much the "Rent-a-crowd" got paid for being there and applauding. Things must be going well in cloud-cuckoo land.

thebman

People must not feel sorry for themselves amidst the current recession but everybody must weather the storm together, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said today.

I think the above should actually read:

People must not feel sorry for themselves amidst the current recession but everybody must weather the storm together except me and my friends and people with invested interests in this party or people that could release nasty information about me or my friends into the media.

happy09

“Just as we were the first country to go into recession, we will be the first country to get out of it as well. That’s the ambition I have set myself,” he told delegates.

I doubt it:cool:

ejmaztec

It should prove very entertaining when those fuckwits arrive on voters' doorsteps before the local elections. :mad:

Professey Chin

thebman wrote: »

I think the above should actually read:

People must not feel sorry for themselves amidst the current recession but everybody must weather the storm together except me and my friends and people with invested interests in this party or people that could release nasty information about me or my friends into the media.

Or:

I like money.You like money.We have money.We are monkeys.
Fcuk everyone else.Champagne, dodo eggs and caviar in the buffet.

ejmaztec

happy09 wrote: »

“Just as we were the first country to go into recession, we will be the first country to get out of it as well. That’s the ambition I have set myself,” he told delegates.

I doubt it:cool:

Every other country will be out of it before Ireland - and the working population of the country will leave to take part in the economic upsurge. Those left behind will be able to corner the market in tumbleweed.

Saibh

The big failure that we’ve had so far as a Government has been not communicating what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

It is too late now telling us about the lack of communication, what they were doing and why - the damage is done now

longshanks

he has a point though. and i know they helped fuck up the countries finances, and no i wont be voting for them. and i know that some people are going to feel it more than others, myself i'm on a three day week, and i've heard all the other bullshit arguments for and against, but when he says we shouldn't feel sorry for ourselves he is right. because it'll get us nowhere.
personally i'm enjoying having a four day weekend every weekend, its just a pain in the scrotum not having much money to spend on these long weekends.

The_Minister

His national address should be interesting later.

LoveDucati2

We seriously need another 1916.

The Gov and senior management of the Banks, churches, Judicary, Developers, should be put against the wall and asked to justify their existence.

thebman

longshanks wrote: »

he has a point though. and i know they helped fuck up the countries finances, and no i wont be voting for them. and i know that some people are going to feel it more than others, myself i'm on a three day week, and i've heard all the other bullshit arguments for and against, but when he says we shouldn't feel sorry for ourselves he is right. because it'll get us nowhere.
personally i'm enjoying having a four day weekend every weekend, its just a pain in the scrotum not having much money to spend on these long weekends.

What he means is people should stop protesting against his levies I'm guessing.

Maybe if he explained the true nature of the situation Ireland is in, he wouldn't have such protests. People will go to incredible lengths for their country but not to keep our politicians in extragent lifestyles they have become accustomed to.

People expect them to take a proper hit and then they can request the poorest in our society to take a hit.

jaffa20

The_Minister wrote: »

His national address should be interesting later.

When is this? When is brian gonna face us too?

PirateShampoo

“This world recession will pass. We must all pull together to make sure Ireland can secure maximum benefit from the inevitable up turn,”

Shame its theres a good chance alot of us could will lose our lively hoods and or homes while the inevitable shows up.

They are a shower of ****. They will never have to suffer the hard times we have ahead of us.

LoveDucati2

LoveDucati2 wrote: »

We seriously need another 1916.

The Gov and senior management of the Banks, churches, Judicary, Developers, should be put against the wall and asked to justify their existence.

we need another 1939, a world war to shake things up

ukraine_orange

What we need is a revolution. Or maybe Norway could politely invade us and we'd be part of the Kingdom of Norway. :eek: (*crosses fingers*)

Biggins

I've been at Fianna Fail Ard Dheis's and they were and continue to be "Love fests" for one another.
As long as they continue to keep going round in the RDS shaking hands, patting each other on the back - not seeing fcuking reality beyond the love fest doors, nothing will change.

They are a party that is dying on its feet, from inside - and they still can't see it!
They are too busy and blind with every excuse like:

"O' well, the public understand its because of the recession"
"Well, who else is the schmucks going to vote for? Sinn Fein!" (and they would then snigger at the population behind the rest of their backs...)
"The population don't understand us..."
"We are in power and we got the suits and seats!"
and so on...

The "we are right" arrogance (and buckets of snobbery) of many at these Ard Dheis's is unreal and a far, far step away from reality (O' sure, they will quote to you "We understand and we are with you" - that is until it effects their wages/pensions/perks and junkets!).
The PR people consistently play motivational and drummed up inspiring videos on the back screens to get the crowd going and invigorated before the next speaker appears to voice how right they all are and how they are right to be tasking a role in a party that will lead the rest on the road to success..."

...yet 10 minutes outside the doors beyond, down the road in Crumlins hospitals for example, people are actually dying for lack of medical care, emergency rooms are crammed and people are lying on stretchers along the hallway corridors like a cramped MASH unit in a war zone.

Fianna Fail Ard Dheis's are a sick joke and as far from reality as you will get. Expect more of the same spin and PR garbage from the head twats of the corrupt party for the next few days, thrown at you in soundbites!

Capt'n Midnight

LoveDucati2 wrote: »

We seriously need another 1916.

The Gov and senior management of the Banks, churches, Judicary, Developers, should be put against the wall and asked to justify their existence.

nothing like that happen in 1916. What have the churches got to do with the recession , at the end of the day buck stop with the government . they did not force the regulator to do their duties, they allowed the building bubble to keep expanding long after everyone who wasn't making huge profits on it had warned about it , they didn't try to control value for money in the health service when they had the chance , they should have spent less on infrastructure saving for a rainy day so they could have spent it now and got better work for less, ( would also have made houses cheaper since less competition ) about the only idea they got right was the national pension fund , but no doubt they'll bugger that up too
by handing it over to the *ankers [pick a consonant]

Biggins

...and the good news is now they have announced yet another new banking organisation! :rolleyes:

Dear lord, ...when will the jobs for the boys end!

andrew

He has a point. I really wish the same people who supported givaway budgets would stop complaining that it's all the governments fault. People are wallowing in an 'OMG teh recession OMG it's all the governments fault' kind of attitude.

PirateShampoo

andrew wrote: »

He has a point. I really wish the same people who supported givaway budgets would stop complaining that it's all the governments fault. People are wallowing in an 'OMG teh recession OMG it's all the governments fault' kind of attitude.

You're right, its the common folk who work in the public and private sectors faults.

If its not the Governments fault for not regulating banks and letting them take a massive **** on us then who's fault is it?

andrew

PirateShampoo wrote: »

You're right, its the common folk who work in the public and private sectors faults.

If its not the Governments fault for not regulating banks and letting them take a massive **** on us then who's fault is it?

Who's at fault? Lots of people, including, but not limited to, the government.

gurramok

Well, Andrew is right in a way somehow. 42% of the electorate voted them in. They were both conned and looked after mé féin first when they voted FF.

That said, they were just stupid to heed the warnings that the housing bubble will need to tears that would fill a river.

ejmaztec

andrew wrote: »

He has a point. I really wish the same people who supported givaway budgets would stop complaining that it's all the governments fault. People are wallowing in an 'OMG teh recession OMG it's all the governments fault' kind of attitude.

Perhaps people assumed that the government was putting something aside for a rainy day, as well as improving everybody's cashflow. There was enough to do both, but of course they blew it.

It's like a flourishing business employing an embezzling book-keeper.

PirateShampoo

Well they voted Bertie in, who then got caught with his pants down and resigned so we are stuck with Cowen by default who is teamed up with the biggest shower of spineless **** in government The Green Party.

The only reason they haven't called for a No Confidence vote is because they cant get the majority because the greens know they will never be in power again.

andrew

ejmaztec wrote: »

Perhaps people assumed that the government was putting something aside for a rainy day, as well as improving everybody's cashflow. There was enough to do both, but of course they blew it.

It's like a flourishing business employing an embezzling book-keeper.

Charlie McCreevy said 'when I have it I spend it,' yet noone marched on the streets in protest at his irresponsibility - everyone saw that they'd be getting more money and thats all anyone cared about.

K-9

ejmaztec wrote: »

Perhaps people assumed that the government was putting something aside for a rainy day, as well as improving everybody's cashflow. There was enough to do both, but of course they blew it.

They did put money aside through the pension reserve fund which was attacked at the time by FG who wanted more infrastructure.

There wasn't enough to do both. We relied on stamp duty and property related taxes to boost revenues.

OPENROAD

K-9 wrote: »

We relied on stamp duty and property related taxes to boost revenues.

You mean the govt did. Why were the govt not investing in infrastructure and education so we would be in a very good position to create high skilled jobs while they had the funds. Why was their such a surprise when Dell decided to move to Eastern Europe? The cost of doing business in Ireland has been going up for several years now, how could the govt not spot this, and it is not just a case that we can't compete with Eastern Europe, it is getting to the stage where we can't compete with the UK.

We had the funds but so much was wasted over the years. Surely the govt knew it could not rely on the property sector for ever.

Daroxtar

" we need another 1916 to sort this out"

"we neeed another 1939.."

Fkk it lads. We need another comet strike....

or about 18 months of waiting until someone else does something and then it'll all be fine.

K-9

OPENROAD wrote: »

You mean the govt did. Why were the govt not investing in infrastructure and education so we would be in a very good position to create high skilled jobs while they had the funds.

They did, but also had to look after Health etc.

OPENROAD wrote:

Why was their such a surprise when Dell decided to move to Eastern Europe?

Don't think it was, any suggestions yourself?

OPENROAD wrote:

The cost of doing business in Ireland has been going up for several years now, how could the govt not spot this, and it is not just a case that we can't compete with Eastern Europe, it is getting to the stage where we can't compete with the UK.

YEP, High wages being a massive cost. The Govt. should have ensured a lower minimum wage and given less in wage agreements and Benchmarking. Unfortunately even now, as we see everyday in the news, that is unpopular.

OPENROAD wrote:

We had the funds but so much was wasted over the years. Surely the govt knew it could not rely on the property sector for ever.

YEP, so should have everybody else!

Snowie

fianna fail have been in governement for to long they've lost touch with reality....
But look at this from a positive point of veiw it means they no there not doing a good job there trying to put faith in the country, i look at it as a act of desperation....

book smarts

Soon we'll be bankrupt. The IMF and others won't help us. Then the dole will stop. Peoples' savings will disappear.

Then the Food Riots start.

Then things get interesting.

OPENROAD

K-9 wrote: »

YEP, so should have everybody else!

True and sadly things will be very hard those people and indeed for those who were prudent in recent years.

Snowie

book smarts wrote: »

Soon we'll be bankrupt. The IMF and others won't help us. Then the dole will stop. Peoples' savings will disappear.

Then the Food Riots start.

Then things get interesting.

so nows the time to order in some home protection

any one no a good place to get ak47s ?

K-9

OPENROAD wrote: »

True and sadly things will be very hard those people and indeed for those who were prudent in recent years.

I completely agree. Unfortunately Govts. can't differentiate on tax rises and pay cuts.

They can't ask each individual did you save, how many holidays did you go on, what car do you drive, etc.?

Wish they could.

OPENROAD

K-9 wrote: »

I completely agree. Unfortunately Govts. can't differentiate on tax rises and pay cuts.

They can't ask each individual did you save, how many holidays did you go on, what car do you drive, etc.?

Wish they could.

I know but it does make you feel :mad:

The whole uncertainty of what the govt will do next does not help things, up until a couple of weeks ago was it not a case of their would be no mini budget,now it seems that their may be, but they don't know yet.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Daroxtar wrote: »

" we need another 1916 to sort this out"

"we neeed another 1939.."

Fkk it lads. We need another comet strike....

or about 18 months of waiting until someone else does something and then it'll all be fine.

I know some people think they want the shirts off your backs, but that's no reason to call in the nudists...

hedgeh0g

longshanks wrote: »

he has a point though. and i know they helped fuck up the countries finances, and no i wont be voting for them. and i know that some people are going to feel it more than others, myself i'm on a three day week, and i've heard all the other bullshit arguments for and against, but when he says we shouldn't feel sorry for ourselves he is right. because it'll get us nowhere.
personally i'm enjoying having a four day weekend every weekend, its just a pain in the scrotum not having much money to spend on these long weekends.

The three day weeks mask unemployment figures and the true state of the country.

ejmaztec

andrew wrote: »

Charlie McCreevy said 'when I have it I spend it,' yet noone marched on the streets in protest at his irresponsibility - everyone saw that they'd be getting more money and thats all anyone cared about.

I still think that most people imagined that funds were also being put aside. Weren't we all constantly reminded that Ireland was one of the richest countries in the world? Did anyone actually believe that? (I didn't believe it then, and I certainly don't believe it now - but then again, I've always had an ultra-cynical view of Irish politics.)

K-9 wrote: »

They did put money aside through the pension reserve fund which was attacked at the time by FG who wanted more infrastructure.

There wasn't enough to do both. We relied on stamp duty and property related taxes to boost revenues.

Had they not given too much away, they would have increased the country's reserves.

It's all mind-boggling irresponsibility and incompetence. :mad:

Anyway, now they're just bolting the stable door and the horse is in the cat-food factory.

K-9

ejmaztec wrote: »

I still think that most people imagined that funds were also being put aside.

There was a pension reserve fund.

The problem isn't what we put aside.

It's for the last 5/6 years we have been relying on a bubble construction economy to pay wages, Health, Education etc.

ejmaztec wrote:

Had they not given too much away, they would have increased the country's reserves.

YEP. Remind me of the marches over tax reductions and pay increases caused by the Bubble everybody, bar the Govt., seen?

darkman2

Don't feel sorry for YOURSELF

Decoded - we are responsible and not him and not FF. Fcuking cnut tbh. Bastard. No other words:mad:

Darragh29

K-9 wrote: »

There was a pension reserve fund.

The problem isn't what we put aside.

It's for the last 5/6 years we have been relying on a bubble construction economy to pay wages, Health, Education etc.



YEP. Remind me of the marches over tax reductions and pay increases caused by the Bubble everybody, bar the Govt., seen?

Here's the thing. The Pension Reserve Fund was set up to address a huge future pension shortfall. What will we do when we need the funds that the PRF was set up for???

Darragh29

darkman2 wrote: »

Decoded - we are responsible and not him and not FF. Fcuking cnut tbh. Bastard. No other words:mad:

Absolutely true. It's about time people of this country started copping the f*ck on and stopped bending over for this muppet, we need a national work stoppage until we get these cnuts out of government.

ejmaztec

Darragh29 wrote: »

Here's the thing. The Pension Reserve Fund was set up to address a huge future pension shortfall. What will we do when we need the funds that the PRF was set up for???

They'll abolish all healthcare, whether public or private, for the over 55s, or raise the pension age to 97, or both.

K-9

Darragh29 wrote: »

Here's the thing. The Pension Reserve Fund was set up to address a huge future pension shortfall. What will we do when we need the funds that the PRF was set up for???

12% and rising of the public sector pay bill, pays current pensions.

People haven't a clue of the pensions time bomb.

No point Unions moaning when they agreed to these pay increases.

They actually moaned it wasn't enough.

Muppets.

darkman2

Darragh29 wrote: »

Absolutely true. It's about time people of this country started copping the f*ck on and stopped bending over for this muppet, we need a national work stoppage until we get these cnuts out of government.

I think we are PARTIALLY responsible - we borrowed more then most can afford - we engaged in the stupid benchmarking deals - My point is this guy wants us to BLAME OURELVES. FF all over. WTF have they been doing for the last 15 years? - oh yeah promoting the property market. I don't believe stoppages will help us - it will damage us further but for this prick to come out and dare suggest it all lies with us.....once again gombeen bastard and literally there are no other words to describe these guys.....:mad:

LoveDucati2

book smarts wrote: »

Soon we'll be bankrupt. The IMF and others won't help us. Then the dole will stop. Peoples' savings will disappear.

Then the Food Riots start.

Then things get interesting.

I am with you on this.

Bring on the revolution.

We are at a pivotal point in history, we get an armchair view of how society collapses into Doom.