Enda Kenny on the cover of Time magazine: 'The Celtic Comeback'

Monty Burnz

IRISHREDSTAR wrote: »

enda kenny has done noting but cuts, no spending on jobs were is the metro or a rail link to the u.k. when there is a upturn in the world trade Ireland will not be ready we are going backwards.

How would you balance the €10,000,000,000 or so gap between what the country spends and what it takes in through taxation?

alphabeat

WANKER

i'm afraid thats all i'm able to contribute.

Madam Marie

Every time I see the thread title I laugh.

Enda Kenny on the cover of Time Magazine with the heading: "The Celtic Comeback!"

It's like something you'd hope to see in Back To The Future 4, set in 2028 but to have it now, is quite frankly, laughable.

poeticseraphim

Intresting point regarding all of this. Enda Kenny's wife, Fionnuala O' Kelly worked as a press officer for Fianna Fáil for years. They actually met in Leinster house.

She had been hand-picked for the job as a press officer by ..guess...who..guess one Charles J Haughey ......oh yeah

And she also worked as a Press Officer for RTE ...so she is well acquainted with Montrose..As public-relations manager, she was also a member of the RTE editorial board and present on interview panels. As a result, she knows how RTE works.

In the nineties i think when the thn coalition came into power, it was Michael D Higgins at Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht who had strong ideas on how RTE and public broadcasting should be run. Fionnuala O'Kelly was sent out to bat for director-general Joe Barry and assistant D-G Bob Collins.

'Haughey endured various heaves against him; TDs were assaulted in the precincts of 'She was to spend 10 years at the heart of Haughey's Camelot'

Leinster House and even today senior politicians still talk of the atmosphere of fear and dread around Government Buildings at that time.

Throughout this period Fionnuala O'Kelly was at the heart of it all - calm in the midst of many crises, fiercely loyal to her employer and popular with the reporters trying to make sense of the Haughey years. '

She was the first woman to head the Govt' Information service.

She aftr UNI she did a pr course in Anco the pre-runner to FÁS. She went far.

So basically she knows and has influence in RTE and Leinster House ....and probably beyond. Observers have remarked that FG's greatest asset is Enda's wife.

She does this stuff well....and it is why there is 'sentiments' laked out...'we may get a bank deal' etc...the media lauding Enda over nothing ..she does her job well and knows a lot of people...

Sergeant

alphabeat wrote: »

WANKER

i'm afraid thats all i'm able to contribute.

You probably shouldn't have bothered then.

EuskalHerria

Honest to god I saw the picture of the front cover and thought it was a meme. I even *chuckled slightly.



*All associated chuckles are completely justified as the idea of Enda Kenny on the front page of Time magazine is absolutely hilarious.

alphabeat

Sergeant wrote: »

You probably shouldn't have bothered then.

thanks love

bnt

Monty Burnz wrote: »

How would you balance the €10,000,000,000 or so gap between what the country spends and what it takes in through taxation?

By investing in people and things, now, which make it possible to make more money later. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Yes, you have to balance the budget, but you don't have to do it this year, not when the country is in a slump. Basic Keynesian Macroeconomics, in other words.

Where Ireland and many other countries screwed up was in failing to raise revenue during the boom years. In a "counter-cyclical" policy, you "make hay while the sun shines". Booms never last forever, so if you see you're in one ... stop spending and start saving, because you know you'll need it later. Bertie (& Blair & Bush & Belusconi) didn't understand this.

Monty Burnz

bnt wrote: »

By investing in people and things, now, which make it possible to make more money later.

Ok, thanks for the reply. Now seeing as we have a massive national debt again, and are spending ten billion odd more than we are taking in through tax, where does the extra money for investment come from?

(by the way, you are totally right about blowing all the money during the boom - but that's not the current government's problem)

Biggins

jank wrote: »

LOL, you have some neck on you as an EX member of FF and who WONT PAY their household charge. To me that is a leach, the same as the TD's that take the piss.

So I would be condemned (rightly) if I has stayed in it - and now stand condemned because I left it because I wanted nothing to do with their lies, antics and corruption!
Thats some stable thinking right there!

Its that kind of obnoxious mentality that people can't win with some - with that stupid thinking.

Your willing to nicely overlook (to suit ones own short-sightedness) for the sake of having a personal dig, the fact that others including I have been paying every other form of tax/vat/charge/levy/licence since first started working and/or purchasing any item (with vat/tax inclusive) since the first day of getting money into our pockets! Never mind paying similar state tax/vat/levies on also purchased services and property previously.

Yea... I... we must be all leeches of course!
What stupidity and convenient short-sightedness!
You do yourself no credit.

I (and others) have taken a peaceful passive resistance to ONE charge will like the vast population still pay all the others.
That make me/us complete leeches?
That makes your outlook and thinking completely stupid and very short-sighted.

Carry on being a too complacent, docile member of this nation who will continue to accept being robbed of every cent.
With your additional twisted outlook (people are damned if they do and damned if they don't) , you will continue to be extracted of every cent - and frankly you will with your blind fall in line Orwellian obedience, be continue to be robbed!

Instead of just bitching towards others - why don't you get up off your backside and made a stand on something instead like others here who support your stupid mentality, continue just to moan about others who do something beyond a keyboard and screen.

Keyboard warriors - bitch and moan about others and do fcuk all themselves!
Great at tying insults and digs - but piss poor at trying to effect change beyond what is just their dim limited stupid view of the world and the people in it!

ncdadam

Monty Burnz wrote: »

How would you balance the €10,000,000,000 or so gap between what the country spends and what it takes in through taxation?

According to a lot of economists, by the end of 2013 if we weren't paying bank debts, the country would be almost running a surplus.
Make of that what you will.

Sergeant

Biggins wrote: »

Keyboard warriors - bitch and moan about others and do fcuk all themselves!
Great at tying insults and digs - but piss poor at trying to effect change beyond what is just their dim limited stupid view of the world and the people in it!

Great stuff. What have you done to effect change, apart from post thousands of times about the failures of the government?

Have you anything constructive opinions to contribute towards the small problem of them spending (I'll be optimistic) 10,000,0000,000 more on running this place than they take in on through various revenue schemes?

How would you balance that? You don't appear to be in favour of a single cut (unless its the usual populist stuff like a TD's wages). But you aren't in favour of tax increases either. You've been asked this now on numerous occasions.

And the use of the phrase Orwellian obedience to describe the mindset of people who decided to pay the charge is frankly ridiculous. Hyperbole gets extremely tedious.

ncdadam

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Ok, thanks for the reply. Now seeing as we have a massive national debt again, and are spending ten billion odd more than we are taking in through tax, where does the extra money for investment come from?

(by the way, you are totally right about blowing all the money during the boom - but that's not the current government's problem)

There is european structural funding available to us but for some reason we are not drawing it down

BTW, we did blow the money during the boom and that most certainly is the current government's problem.

Biggins

Sergeant wrote: »

Great stuff. What have you done to effect change, apart from post thousands of times about the failures of the government?

Joined other political groups.
Joined and spoke at a number of local and public national protests.
Joined a Crumlin Hospital Campaign.
Joined a formed group to see that Dublins Rape Crises centre get the help it needs
Gone on TV and radio a number of times to tackle politicians and also be interviewed over issues.
Attended the Dail on a number of times, tacked the politicians there as well as through their personal offices.

Meanwhile the bitching, sniping and moaning continues from just keyboard warriors.
Warriors that otherwise have done feck all themselves except to continue bitch and moan through their keyboard.
Carry on...

The real thing that is stupid here is the frankly ridiculous and retarded mentality of some here.
What have they done likewise - feck all...
Carry on bitching!

Sergeant

Biggins wrote: »

Joined other political groups.
Joined a Crumlin Hospital Campaign.
Joined a formed group to see that Dublins Rape Crises centre get the help it needs
Gone on TV and radio a number of times to tackle politicians and also be interviewed over issues.

Meanwhile the bitching, sniping and moaning continues from just keyboard warriors.
Carry on...

All very civic-minded. How would you balance the books though? Nothing to do with bank debt or anything. The important matter of running the place. The schools, hospitals, roads. Do you advocate higher taxes, or cutting services? Which one?

Biggins

Sergeant wrote: »

All very civic-minded. How would you balance the books though? Nothing to do with bank debt or anything. The important matter of running the place. The schools, hospitals, roads. Do you advocate higher taxes, or cutting services? Which one?

I have posted many a time on many an issue including the above.
Instead of just wasting time being bitter - go look stuff up.

Then also come back and tell us what have YOU DONE also to effect change!

Sergeant

Biggins wrote: »

I have posted many a time on many an issue including the above.

Any links to that? The parts where you make suggestions about how the government balance the books when outgoings exceed incomings by at least 10 billion euros.

Biggins

Sergeant wrote: »

Any links to that? The parts where you make suggestions about how the government balance the books when outgoings exceed incomings by at least 10 billion euros.

Go do your own homework.
You come on here sniping and expect the person your bitching at, to do your work for you?

I call that lazy leeching!

Sergeant

I'm not sniping though, Biggins. You've posted over 23k times in AH, and a majority of the posts are about the failures of politicians, government, others in positions of power in civic and public life.

So I've asked you to provide an example of a time where you put forward some suggestions as to how the current government fill the 10 billion (at least) gap between between incomings and outgoings. And I know you're not an economist or anything (nor am I), but we can all have opinions. I can't find them though. I can't find the post where you put forward your suggestions.

Biggins

Sergeant wrote: »

I'm not sniping though, Biggins. You've posted over 23k times in AH, and a majority of the posts are about the failures of politicians, government, others in positions of power in civic and public life.

So I've asked you to provide an example of a time where you put forward some suggestions as to how the current government fill the 10 billion (at least) gap between between incomings and outgoings. And I know you're not an economist or anything (nor am I), but we can all have opinions. I can't find them though. I can't find the post where you put forward your suggestions.

You must not have looked too hard, I did one lengthy post in the last 3/4 weeks alone.

Meanwhile, what in return have you done to effect change?

Sergeant

Biggins wrote: »

You must not have looked too hard, I did one lengthy post in the last 3/4 weeks alone.

Meanwhile, what in return have you done to effect change?

Genuinely Biggins, I cannot find it. What thread was it in?

I never suggested I was an agent of change.

Biggins

Sergeant wrote: »

Genuinely Biggins, I cannot find it. What thread was it in?

I never suggested I was an agent of change.

When I find it, I will post it.
Meanwhile I have family stuff to also do here so will be popping in and out.
WILL look for it though.

Monty Burnz

ncdadam wrote: »

There is european structural funding available to us but for some reason we are not drawing it down

I'll believe this when I see a reliable source for it.

ncdadam wrote: »

BTW, we did blow the money during the boom and that most certainly is the current government's problem.

The point is you can't blame Inda Kinny for Fianna Failure blowing all the tax gathered during the bubble.

bnt

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Ok, thanks for the reply. Now seeing as we have a massive national debt again, and are spending ten billion odd more than we are taking in through tax, where does the extra money for investment come from?

There's no single answer, obviously, but borrowing is a common solution, if it doesn't cost too much. The important thing, in terms of the economy, is not where it comes from but where it goes. If you don't invest, and insist on austerity during a recession, the whole economy can go down the tubes. Spain appears to me to be going that way, even more so than Ireland.

My point was: yes, the budget has to be balanced in the medium to long term, but hopefully that can wait until things are better. There are practical difficulties with this, of course, since debt has to be serviced, and Ireland is paying a high interest rate because it's seen as a poor risk. But there's not much more fat to be trimmed off the economy, so if they keep cutting, they're trimming muscle. We could end up with our debts paid off, but no ability to recover afterwards.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The point is you can't blame Inda Kinny for Fianna Failure blowing all the tax gathered during the bubble.

Agreed. There's no point playing the blame game at this point. So, where's the money, then? The government doesn't have it. The people don't have it. Some people got rich, but not that many. Was it ever there in the first place?

Monty Burnz

bnt wrote: »

There's no single answer, obviously, but borrowing is a common solution, if it doesn't cost too much. The important thing, in terms of the economy, is not where it comes from but where it goes. If you don't invest, and insist on austerity during a recession, the whole economy can go down the tubes. Spain appears to me to be going that way, even more so than Ireland.

But who is going to lend us all this extra money? Why would people lend to us at reasonable rates when the country would be forced to default on the debt we already have without the IMF/EU bailout? And how can we (and the lenders) be sure that spending on capital projects or whatever would guarantee the extremely high level of growth needed to pay back not only our existing debt but this new capital investment debt?

bnt wrote: »

My point was: yes, the budget has to be balanced in the medium to long term, but hopefully that can wait until things are better. There are practical difficulties with this, of course, since debt has to be serviced, and Ireland is paying a high interest rate because it's seen as a poor risk. But there's not much more fat to be trimmed off the economy, so if they keep cutting, they're trimming muscle. We could end up with our debts paid off, but no ability to recover afterwards.

I think there's plenty of fat still. Social welfare payments are very high and our public sector is massively overpaid compared to our (non-bankrupt) European peers.

bnt wrote: »

Agreed. There's no point playing the blame game at this point. So, where's the money, then? The government doesn't have it. The people don't have it. Some people got rich, but not that many. Was it ever there in the first place?

Good point - the wealth was illusory, but the banks lent massively against it. Now the 'wealth' in property and land has evaporated, but the debt remains.

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

I'll believe this when I see a reliable source for it.

The point is you can't blame Inda Kinny for Fianna Failure blowing all the tax gathered during the bubble.

He was plain useless in opposition. Can't seem to recall him pointing out the F.F. mistakes while in opposition at all. As I said earlier Trappist Monk.

Madam_X

IRISHREDSTAR wrote: »

enda kenny has done noting but cuts, no spending on jobs were is the metro or a rail link to the u.k. when there is a upturn in the world trade Ireland will not be ready we are going backwards.

Yeh, the metro and rail link to the UK should have just been built overnight once he got into power.

Monty Burnz

tayto lover wrote: »

He was plain useless in opposition. Can't seem to recall him pointing out the F.F. mistakes while in opposition at all. As I said earlier Trappist Monk.

Funny how we remember only what we want to remember.

tayto lover

Madam_X wrote: »

Yeh, the metro and rail link to the UK should have just been built overnight once he got into power.

Well the Govt need to do something to generate jobs. Cutting and hiking will not get us out of the mess but jobs and new investment might. We need more than the odd U.S. industry on big I.D.A. grants offering 30/40 jobs.

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Funny how we remember only what we want to remember.

Enlighten me then.

galwayrush

Why do people on massive salaries get generous expenses on top? Surely we could stamp out millions of such waste of money we can't afford to be spending on people who already paid well enough already?

Monty Burnz

tayto lover wrote: »

Enlighten me then.

He did complain about what FF were doing.

Have a look.

Red Pepper

This story says more about Time's investigative journalists than Enda Kenny. It seems increasingly difficult to find decent investigative journalists these days. Papers dont seem to have the money to invest in it or the twitter generation dont care. Pity because it was once a great magazine.
Enda has done sweet FA since he became Taoiseach. He is simply coasting.

books4sale

How can this be a bad thing?

Having Enda on the front of Time is fantastic PR for this country, it can only lead to further international investment....badly needed after FF made a sh*te of this country. Lets just hope we don't waste that investment building more houses.

And ss for those who complain, stay in bed or go back to wheeling barrows, digging holes or throwing up blocks like the effing thickheads ye are. Education was lost on ye in school.

The rest of us will keep building this country in a more meaningful way.

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

He did complain about what FF were doing.

Have a look.

Jaysus. I'll read all that during my dinner.

Red Pepper

books4sale wrote: »

And ss for those who complain, stay in bed or go back to wheeling barrows, digging holes or throwing up blocks like the effing thickheads ye are.

Excellent post, well thought out. So are you saying that construction workers are all stupid?

Monty Burnz

Red Pepper wrote: »

He is simply coasting.

Do you genuinely know what he has been doing, or is this just a throw-away comment based on general dissatisfaction with the present situation in this country?

celticcrash

I am not changing my name to celtic comeback because it sounds fraudulent:mad:

Red Pepper

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Do you genuinely know what he has been doing, or is this just a throw-away comment based on general dissatisfaction with the present situation in this country?

Remember the 5 point plan?

Point One - Protecting and creating jobs

Because jobs and opportunity are the best chance of keeping our best asset - our young people – at home. We plan to create 20,000 new jobs a year over the next four years.

Point Two - Introducing better, fairer budgets to keep taxes low

We will fix Ireland’s budget deficit by prioritising cutting waste, over raising taxes. Because high taxes kill jobs, we will keep taxes – particularly income taxes – down.

Point Three – we will create a completely new health system

Our FairCare plan – modelled on the reformed Dutch health service - will cut waiting lists and end apartheid in our health service. There’ll be more and better community care, meaning fewer hospital stays.

Point Four - smaller, better government with the people’s money spent wisely on vital public services

By streamlining systems, cutting red tape and abolishing quangos, we will reduce public-service costs by €5 billion.

Point Five - a political system that achieves more and costs less, with the Government leading by example

We will cut the number of politicians by over a third.
We will ensure proper accountability for decisions. A single-chamber parliamentary system, with powerful Dail committees, will hold Ministers to greater account

Monty Burnz

Red Pepper wrote: »

Remember the 5 point plan?

I remember it - and I even remember that it was a FG five point plan. Does anyone know if we have an FG government?

FFS, you can do better than this surely?

Red Pepper

Monty Burnz wrote: »

I remember it - and I even remember that it was a FG five point plan. Does anyone know if we have an FG government?

FFS, you can do better than this surely?

You must be an apologist for FG in which this could be pointless. Much easier for you to blame FF and next Lab for the mess we are in. I do know that FG won twice as many seats as Lab but it is very very clear who is the strong partner in government. 5 poin plan to 0 plan, well done Enda.

Monty Burnz

Red Pepper wrote: »

You must be an apologist for FG in which this could be pointless. Much easier for you to blame FF and next Lab for the mess we are in. I do know that FG won twice as many seats as Lab but it is very very clear who is the strong partner in government. 5 poin plan to 0 plan, well done Enda.

Yeah, it's pretty pointless if you are complaining that a party that IS NOT IN SOLE POWER is not doing what it said it would do IF IT WERE IN SOLE POWER.

I hope that's expressed in terms simple enough for you. And where did I suggest that Labour are responsible for the mess that Fianna Failure created??

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Yeah, it's pretty pointless if you are complaining that a party that IS NOT IN SOLE POWER is not doing what it said it would do IF IT WERE IN SOLE POWER.

I hope that's expressed in terms simple enough for you. And where did I suggest that Labour are responsible for the mess that Fianna Failure created??

Ah now Monty surely even you are not happy with the way things are turning out.
You just cannot ignore the 5 point plan and blame it's not being implemented on Labour 'cos that's just a cop out. What about the cronyism? That's why I voted for F.G. as they said they would end it. It now seems to be on the increase.

Red Pepper

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Yeah, it's pretty pointless if you are complaining that a party that IS NOT IN SOLE POWER is not doing what it said it would do IF IT WERE IN SOLE POWER.

And where did I suggest that Labour are responsible for the mess that Fianna Failure created??

Stop and Think. You are blaming the fact that Labour are in government with FG for FG not being able to accomplish any of the 5 point plan. Seriously? FG need to grow some balls.

Monty Burnz

Red Pepper wrote: »

Stop and Think. You are blaming the fact that Labour are in government with FG for FG not being able to accomplish any of the 5 point plan. Seriously? FG need to grow some balls.

Perhaps you need to stop and think? Labour have different priorities to those of FG. FG wanted to tackle the deficit by slashing services and cutting pay and perhaps welfare. Labour wanted to tackle the deficit by increasing taxes.

These are directly contrary positions - both parties have had to compromise. You can't blame either party for not doing exactly what they said they would do in sole power if the public didn't give them an overall majority.

Surely this is obvious?

(by the way, I suggest we give this government the 5 year term it was elected to serve before judging it: if things don't show signs of improving by then, you will be right to lay into them at that stage)

Red Pepper

Monty Burnz wrote: »

(by the way, I suggest we give this government the 5 year term it was elected to serve before judging it: if things don't show signs of improving by then, you will be right to lay into them at that stage)

Yeah tell that to TIME magazine!

We are a country in crisis. This isn't a popularity contest anymore. We need strong actions from a strong govenment. We need actions now. The heavy lifting should have been done in the first 2 budgets. The deficit remains 20 billion euro! We cant continue to waste time and money for 3-4 years to show our disapproval. FG need to understand that their supporters (I voted for these idiots) are completely disillusioned.

Cometh the hour, goneth the man.

Monty Burnz

Red Pepper wrote: »

Yeah tell that to TIME magazine!

We are a country in crisis. This isn't a popularity contest anymore. We need strong actions from a strong govenment. We need actions now. The heavy lifting should have been done in the first 2 budgets. The deficit remains 20 billion euro! We cant continue to waste time and money for 3-4 years to show our disapproval. FG need to understand that their supporters (I voted for these idiots) are completely disillusioned.

I agree that they should have taken out the scalpel in a big way - but there are a few problems with this:

1. However p*ssed off people are now, can you imagine how angry they would be if serious cuts were made to services ('hurting the vulnerable'), social welfare (ditto) and to public sector pay?
2. Labour are the party of the PS, and they got plenty of votes to ensure that PS salaries were protected.
3. Whatever the government does, it's going to disillusion someone, as the public all have different desires and goals, and many of these are in direct conflict. You'd be happy if the government made severe cuts to bring the budget into line: the next guy would be furious if they did the same. Instead, they are cutting some stuff and imposing some new taxes: net result - both you and the other guy are p*ssed off.

They really were onto a hiding to nothing based on the stupidity of our electorate and the amazing clusterf*ck Fianna Failure left us with.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Sergeant wrote: »

Genuinely Biggins, I cannot find it. What thread was it in?

I never suggested I was an agent of change.

Biggins wrote: »

When I find it, I will post it.
Meanwhile I have family stuff to also do here so will be popping in and out.
WILL look for it though.

Has anyone found this post?

bbam

I see forbes have a fairly honest follow up to the Times article...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/karlwhelan/2012/10/07/the-celtic-comeback-dont-believe-the-hype/

hooradiation

Brody Brief Frank wrote: »

Has anyone found this post?

hey, give biggins some time. I mean, he has to write it first.