Do you think Enda Kenny is doing a good job?

tritium

Spring Onion wrote: »

http://www.financedublin.com/debtclock.php

Wake up...


We are currently pouring 20 per cent of tax revenues – €8,500 million per annum – down the drain in interest costs, enough for 17 new children’s hospitals. Put another way, an average full-time worker pays €450 a month in taxes to pay interest on debt.

You do realise that that debt was largely inherited by this government right?

That we actually borrowed much of the money to sustain a standard of living that the current government now has to correct for?

That simply defaulting and refusing to pay isn't a particularly appealing option? (before anyone starts shouting Iceland, check out what happens in other nations that undergo sovereign default)


Kenny may lack some qualities and god knows I disagree with many of his governments decisions, but on balance he's playing the hand he was dealt reasonably well so far.

irishfeen

Spring Onion wrote: »

Read my post, I said threaten. And you're missing your own point - our debt is so small relatively speaking that they could have afforded us a better deal to avoid contagion in European banks, German banks... Remember they had Greece on the brink too.

Also look at Iceland.

If you are willing to threaten then you would have had to have the balls to go through with it - they would have just thought we were calling their bluff anyway. The ECB would have let us implode on ourselves - of that I have no doubt ... Iceland is not a bed of roses either as i'm sure you are aware.

NuckingFacker

tritium wrote: »

You do realise that that debt was largely inherited by this government right?

That we actually borrowed much of the money to sustain a standard of living that the current government now has to correct for?

That simply defaulting and refusing to pay isn't a particularly appealing option? (before anyone starts shouting Iceland, check out what happens in other nations that undergo sovereign default)


Kenny may lack some qualities and god knows I disagree with many of his governments decisions, but on balance he's playing the hand he was dealt reasonably well so far.

If you inherited a derelict house, how long could you play the "I inherited it that way" card? At some stage you'd be expected to get off your ar5e and start fixing it, your own way. Whinging that "that's the way we got it" is just that - whinging.

irishfeen

Aidric wrote: »

Kenny is a puppet on a string. An affable frontman but ultimately gormless.

.. A great soundbite but look whatever you think to be true :rolleyes:

Rabelais

NuckingFacker wrote: »

If you inherited a derelict house, how long could you play the "I inherited it that way" card? At some stage you'd be expected to get off your ar5e and start fixing it, your own way. Whinging that "that's the way we got it" is just that - whinging.

They are fixing it. Things are getting better. What would the bould Mr. NuckingFacker have done differently if he got into office? We don't need an entire political manifesto, more a couple of the back of a fag packet ideas on what would have been done differently, and how that would be achieved.

ElizaT33

No - enuf said!

irishfeen

NuckingFacker wrote: »

If you inherited a derelict house, how long could you play the "I inherited it that way" card? At some stage you'd be expected to get off your ar5e and start fixing it, your own way. Whinging that "that's the way we got it" is just that - whinging.

What about if the house was blown up to such a degree that you couldn't even see the fooking thing anymore and you had to build that house block by block again on your own... - they were left with an unprecedented mess not ever witnessed in this country since its foundation.

Fr. Ned

irishfeen wrote: »

What about if the house was blown up to such a degree that you couldn't even see the fooking thing anymore and you had to build that house block by block again on your own...

They'd still hit you for the property tax.........:D

NuckingFacker

Billy86 wrote: »

Who do you vote for, out of interest?

No-one. I looked, I knew almost all of the local "runners" and what they were like and I passed. First time ever. Not one of them deserved a vote, which either says a lot about me, or a lot about the caliber of person putting themselves forward for election. A clatter of Party-line toeing, glad-handing clubbable boyos with not a qualifying talent between them beyond attending funerals and avoiding giving offense, some bright eyed loons and a Shinner. And I have a good few acquaintances who engage in Politics.

worded

His upcoming speech - a great country to have kids is what he is saying?

Near highest childcare costs in the world for working couples.

F off.

Fr. Ned

NuckingFacker wrote: »

A clatter of Party-line toeing, glad-handing clubbable boyos with not a qualifying talent between them beyond attending funerals and avoiding giving offense, some bright eyed loons and a Shinner.

That's about the depth of talent we have in politics at the moment....

NuckingFacker

irishfeen wrote: »

What about if the house was blown up to such a degree that you couldn't even see the fooking thing anymore and you had to build that house block by block again on your own... - they were left with an unprecedented mess not ever witnessed in this country since its foundation.

I'd start from scratch. It's what I do for a living and wouldn't phase me one little bit. I want a Politician who can do the same with a country. Otherwise fcuk off back to whatever it is you can do.

irishfeen

Fr. Ned wrote: »

They'd still hit you for the property tax.........:D

And so they should :pac: ... we were the only OECD country without Property/Water charges ... they were implemented in other countries for a reason. Streets need to be cleaned, roads maintained, water pipes replaced etc.

The sooner people realise the country needs to have a sensible long-term taxation policy the better! .... Parish pump/cute hoor politics need to end for the good of the country.

worded

Up to our eyes in debt.
Over paid politicians with mega pensions

Exiting the bail out me arse

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2013/12/12/bailout-exit-if-goody-goody-ireland-is-the-model-student-how-come-bad-boy-greece-is-the-star-performer?utm_source=Website+Subscribers&utm_campaign=475c773ab3-22112012&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_861a00f27d-475c773ab3-266237433

harryr711

NuckingFacker wrote: »

If you inherited a derelict house, how long could you play the "I inherited it that way" card? At some stage you'd be expected to get off your ar5e and start fixing it, your own way. Whinging that "that's the way we got it" is just that - whinging.

I like to compare it to when I worked as a Project Manager and inherited other people's projects, often with a mess to clean up. Like you say, no matter how bad it is there's no point in whinging about it and blaming the person gone before you, it doesn't solve the problem and doesn't get you anywhere. It looks unlikely though that he'll ever be able to face up to things head on and not point the finger or try to deflect questions.

irishfeen

worded wrote: »

His upcoming speech - a great country to have kids is what he is saying?

Near highest childcare costs in the world for working couples.

F off.

I thought the babbies got a free year in playschool and all ...what more do you want :pac:

harryr711

irishfeen wrote: »

And so they should :pac: ... we were the only OECD country without Property/Water charges ... they were implemented in other countries for a reason. Streets need to be cleaned, roads maintained, water pipes replaced etc.

The sooner people realise the country needs to have a sensible long-term taxation policy the better! .... Parish pump/cute hoor politics need to end for the good of the country.

Sensible taxation like these nonsensical proposed measures? http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/new-cars-and-homes-hit-with-green-tax-29791027.html

irishfeen

harryr711 wrote: »

I like to compare it to when I worked as a Project Manager and inherited other people's projects, often with a mess to clean up. Like you say, no matter how bad it is there's no point in whinging about it and blaming the person gone before you, it doesn't solve the problem and doesn't get you anywhere. It looks unlikely though that he'll ever be able to face up to things head on and not point the finger or try to deflect questions.

What about if that "project" was the economy of an independent sovereign state and not a semi-d in Waterford :rolleyes:

NuckingFacker

irishfeen wrote: »

.. A great soundbite but look whatever you think to be true :rolleyes:

What's your view? Doing a great job? Fine, that's your view, you're more than entitled to it. Any chance you'd knock off the annoying rolleyeyes for other peoples views? We have different views. There you go.

irishfeen

harryr711 wrote: »

Sensible taxation like these nonsensical proposed measures? http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/new-cars-and-homes-hit-with-green-tax-29791027.html

"Bin collection charges will also rise for householders who refuse to recycle" .. nothing wrong with that.

Rabelais

NuckingFacker wrote: »

No-one. I looked, I knew almost all of the local "runners" and what they were like and I passed. First time ever. Not one of them deserved a vote, which either says a lot about me, or a lot about the caliber of person putting themselves forward for election. A clatter of Party-line toeing, glad-handing clubbable boyos with not a qualifying talent between them beyond attending funerals and avoiding giving offense, some bright eyed loons and a Shinner. And I have a good few acquaintances who engage in Politics.

You should run yourself. You have all the answers.

NuckingFacker

irishfeen wrote: »

What about if that "project" was the economy of an independent sovereign state and not a semi-d in Waterford :rolleyes:

Bigger job, bigger man needed. Standard enough stuff. Which bit don't you get?

You're gonna wear out that sarcy smiley.

NuckingFacker

Rabelais wrote: »

You should run yourself. You have all the answers.

You're having a laugh right? I point out what I believe and so I have all the answers? Good logic. Have you considered running for FG? They love the easy dismiss.

harryr711

irishfeen wrote: »

What about if that "project" was the economy of an independent sovereign state and not a semi-d in Waterford :rolleyes:

Oh ok so, whinging, playing the blame game, pointing fingers and deflecting questions rather than facing up to the problems is the mark of a great leader and the solution to all of our problems :rolleyes:

Fr. Ned

irishfeen wrote: »

And so they should :pac: ... we were the only OECD country without Property/Water charges ... they were implemented in other countries for a reason. Streets need to be cleaned, roads maintained, water pipes replaced etc.

The sooner people realise the country needs to have a sensible long-term taxation policy the better! .... Parish pump/cute hoor politics need to end for the good of the country.

If you want to start comparing what other countries get for their local taxes compared to here we can.

BTW, who was paying for the above mentioned services up to this?????
The money fairies?

irishfeen

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Bigger job, bigger man needed. Standard enough stuff. Which bit don't you get?

You're gonna wear out that sarcy smiley.

You get me a "bigger man" who would solve our problems realistically with long term solutions and I will shake your hand and be a very happy man.... I actually don't think any other government could do much more then the current administration - they have managed to mostly balance the books and the vast majority of people have a very very good standard of living.

tritium

NuckingFacker wrote: »

If you inherited a derelict house, how long could you play the "I inherited it that way" card? At some stage you'd be expected to get off your ar5e and start fixing it, your own way. Whinging that "that's the way we got it" is just that - whinging.

Plenty of steps have been taken to fix things. Not all of them particularly palatable or even fair, but a means to a necessary end nonetheless. Any whinging I hear seems to be from fantasists who seem to think there's a mythical pot of gold held captive by the guburment that could solve all our problems and let us go back to the old hand-out free for all mentality of Bertie and co.

rolliepoley

He's coasting.

irishfeen

harryr711 wrote: »

Oh ok so, whinging, playing the blame game, pointing fingers and deflecting questions rather than facing up to the problems is the mark of a great leader and the solution to all of our problems :rolleyes:

Well to be fair I only ever really hear Kenny blaming FF when they attempt to take the higher ground in the Dail and them trying to stand up for the little guy... FF have some cheek to be attacking this government who are attempting to fix the problems.

Fr_Dougal

irishfeen wrote: »

.. A great soundbite but look whatever you think to be true :rolleyes:

Strange comment...especially for someone that was calling Kenny 'spineless' not so long ago.

harryr711

irishfeen wrote: »

"Bin collection charges will also rise for householders who refuse to recycle" .. nothing wrong with that.

Taxing new tyres to stamp out rogue operators and illegal dumping? Great idea. The tax will be paid by consumers who buy from legitimate operators and rogue ones will continue to dump.

Introducing a levy on new cars because some old cars are illegally dumped? Another great idea for a tax to hit the consumers in the pocket, who as with tyres, aren't the ones responsible for illegal dumping.

You wouldn't even see the Green Party come out with that rubbish.

irishfeen

Fr. Ned wrote: »

If you want to start comparing what other countries get for their local taxes compared to here we can.

BTW, who was paying for the above mentioned services up to this?????
The money fairies?

The money always came from the wrong places - borrowing up to the 80's, surpluses up until 2002 and between 02-07 a massive property bubble. We should have always kept them separate so boom and busts wouldn't particularly affect local services massively.... constant funding is what we want.

Billy86

NuckingFacker wrote: »

No-one. I looked, I knew almost all of the local "runners" and what they were like and I passed. First time ever. Not one of them deserved a vote, which either says a lot about me, or a lot about the caliber of person putting themselves forward for election. A clatter of Party-line toeing, glad-handing clubbable boyos with not a qualifying talent between them beyond attending funerals and avoiding giving offense, some bright eyed loons and a Shinner. And I have a good few acquaintances who engage in Politics.

I might be wrong here, but I'm guessing you typically vote for FF quite consistently, but perhaps couldn't bring yourself to do so the last time around.

NuckingFacker

tritium wrote: »

Plenty of steps have been taken to fix things. Not all of them particularly palatable or even fair, but a means to a necessary end nonetheless. Any whinging I hear seems to be from fantasists who seem to think there's a mythical pot of gold held captive by the guburment that could solve all our problems and let us go back to the old hand-out free for all mentality of Bertie and co.

Such as? I'm genuinely all ears. I think sweet f.a has been done personally. Any gowl can slash and burn. It's like cutting up the credit cards, wearing Oxfam clothes and walking everywhere. Yes, you cut outgoings, but it does s.f.a for income and at the end of the day you're wearing oxfam clothes, walking and still broke. While paying your neighbours mortgage just to be seen to be "sound". I'd rather increase my output and increase my income while getting a nicer car thanks all the same. And still pay all MY bills. My neighbour can fcuk off and pay his own.

irishfeen

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Strange comment...especially for someone that was calling Kenny 'spineless' not so long ago.

Well i'm not a member of FG or anything like it so could you give me context of where I said that?

Rabelais

NuckingFacker wrote: »

You're having a laugh right? I point out what I believe and so I have all the answers? Good logic. Have you considered running for FG? They love the easy dismiss.

What do you believe? I've asked before, but what would you have done differently? I'm a pragmatist. I believe that the current Government aren't perfect, but substantial work has been done on matters economic and social.

You seem to be hectoring, badgering and ranting about things without any grounding in the merest hint of genuine economic reality.

Knock out a few suggestions that don't involve burning bondholders and lowering the price of fags and drink.

NuckingFacker

Billy86 wrote: »

I might be wrong here, but I'm guessing you typically vote for FF quite consistently, but perhaps couldn't bring yourself to do so the last time around.

I've never voted FF. The local FF TD was my accountant. Go do the math.

irishfeen

harryr711 wrote: »

Taxing new tyres to stamp out rogue operators and illegal dumping? Great idea. The tax will be paid by consumers who buy from legitimate operators and rogue ones will continue to dump.

Introducing a levy on new cars because some old cars are illegally dumped? Another great idea for a tax to hit the consumers in the pocket, who as with tyres, aren't the ones responsible for illegal dumping.

Well I don't agree with everything they are doing ... raising college fees for example which hit me very hard ... In general I think they have done very well.

NuckingFacker

Rabelais wrote: »

What do you believe? I've asked before, but what would you have done differently? I'm a pragmatist. I believe that the current Government aren't perfect, but substantial work has been done on matters economic and social.

You seem to be hectoring, badgering and ranting about things without any grounding in the merest hint of genuine economic reality.

Knock out a few suggestions that don't involve burning bondholders and lowering the price of fags and drink.

No it hasn't. They cut the easy stuff and kicked the can down the road. They have not taken ONE single radical measure, not one. I run a business - I'm grounded in economic reality. Very grounded. And I give a toss what they do to the price of drink and fags. Irrelevant. have a think on fuel for example - 65% of every tankful goes to the Government. Look around. It's an ocean of cash every day, and they still fcuk it down the drain. Corrupt or incompetent, it's one or the other.

irishfeen

NuckingFacker wrote: »

No it hasn't. They cut the easy stuff and kicked the can down the road. They have not taken ONE single radical measure, not one.

In such a small economy "radical measures" are very hard to achieve couple that with the lack of funding available then its hard to see what can be done... I would like to see a major infrastructural investment - road, rail, communications, green technology etc maybe in co-operation with London/Celtic countries be announced... its time to start looking and building for the future now.

Yellow121

irishfeen wrote: »

But if you think Kenny is doing a bad job then what/who could do better? .. what do you think he is doing wrong btw?

FG only had a small bit of power to do anything and with this they attacked lower earners. How can you think he's done a good job?

Billy86

Fr. Ned wrote: »

BTW, who was paying for the above mentioned services up to this?????
The money fairies?

Oh dear. Oh dearie, dearie, dear...

You do realise how we got into this mess, right?

irishfeen

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87972785&postcount=10 ... to name but a few.

Rabelais

NuckingFacker wrote: »

No it hasn't. They cut the easy stuff and kicked the can down the road. They have not taken ONE single radical measure, not one. I run a business - I'm grounded in economic reality. Very grounded.

Is your business actually sustainable and viable? Not grounded in some stupid romantic memory of the Celtic Tiger where every gombeen in a Transit thought he was Gordon Gecko, and built a MacMansion to prove it?

I'd like to think that Enterprise Ireland investing 100 million in high potential indigenous businesses is a positive step. It doesn't fit in with your hectoring and whining perspective on the world though.

NuckingFacker

irishfeen wrote: »

In such a small economy "radical measures" are very hard to achieve couple that with the lack of funding available then its hard to see what can be done... I would like to see a major infrastructural investment - road, rail, communications, green technology etc maybe in co-operation with London/Celtic countries be announced... its time to start looking and building for the future now.

So small a fool could balance it? I agree fully. We're a glorified Birmingham, yet we're awash with Government, Quangos, schemes and councils. We pi55 money down the drain day after day and borrow to give away. Two hundred competent people with a calculator could manage it.

Billy86

NuckingFacker wrote: »

I've never voted FF. The local FF TD was my accountant. Go do the math.

So you've never voted FF, but you sound like you can't stand FG or SF...

irishfeen

Billy86 wrote: »

Oh dear. Oh dearie, dearie, dear...

You do realise how we got into this mess, right?

You see this is my big fear - can people not see the wood from the trees? ... we need a different type of Ireland going forward and its up to us to make sure it happen - fcuk the Fianna Fail cute hoor politics of the past.... parish pump politics got us into this mess - we keep going from boom to bust because of it, if we don't realise it and change it then we will be sending our children on the plane to England too.

NuckingFacker

Rabelais wrote: »

Is your business actually sustainable and viable? Not grounded in some stupid romantic memory of the Celtic Tiger where every gombeen in a Transit thought he was Gordon Gecko, and built a MacMansion to prove it?

I'd like to think that Enterprise Ireland investing 100 million in high potential indigenous businesses is a positive step. It doesn't fit in with your hectoring and whining perspective on the world though.

Utterly. Not a penny of borrowings, Fully tax compliant and lean as a whippet. It always was. Whining? Were was that now? Is expecting better "whining" these days? Go on.

NuckingFacker

Billy86 wrote: »

So you've never voted FF, but you sound like you can't stand FG or SF...

True, but what exactly has that to do with Enda Kenny and his Governance? Is there only offal, grass or turf for dinner? I fancy steak.

Banjo String

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Can we do it, yes we Kenny!

Don't forget Gerriatric Adams used to be in the IRA

Suspected. Nevertheless non proven by Irish or the British state (the latter with mi5 etc and under countless surveillance operations yet never found an conclusive evidence)

Besides. It's not like we as a nation never had IRA members as politicians.

I'm always flabbergasted as to how our current Tánaiste isn't grilled on his past in any way near the same level as Adams is.

His (Enda Kenny)reason for not partaking in a debate with the equally dim Martin.

"I wouldn't want to embarrass you".

Overheard in the schoolyard no doubt.