I think its safe to say; Leo will go down as one of this countries greatest ever...

Abel Ruiz

paddythere wrote: »

He'll go down as one of the countries greatest ever dickheads

Wait. Are you talking about Brian cowen????
Or do we still have to be polite to him cause he was sick?

joeguevara

ittakestwo wrote: »

To my initial post you said

"So stop suggesting that it’s a fallicy that welfare were not rewarded but the middle class were. Not true"

You did presume I said the middle class was rewarded which I did not.I said the working class has not been rewarded under FG which is the much quoted fallacy.

Maybe I misunderstood but it was confusing. Apologies if I misinterpreted you.

whisky_galore

A leader of and for the privileged and well to do.
Taking on positions only when he senses which way the wind is blowing so there's a good chance of pushing it through, see Repeal the 8th.
Non committal commentary and cause du jour bandwagon jumping.
All about the succinct sound bite and social media output so he can be down with affluent bright young things.

Having said that, he is a damn sight more leader like than those two tousle headed tossers and that Brazil nutter masquerading as leaders.

biko

He did well under COVID and although things could have gone better he took needed measures etc.
He may just go down as a prominent Taoiseach.

_Kaiser_

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

To me he is the youngest Taoiseach that I can remember anyway, and he is a great communicator (even if you don't agree with his words), always immaculately turned out and a credit to us all on the World Stage.

He caught the zeitgeist of the nation due to his youth, orientation and background. I think he did well myself. But I wouldn't lionise him. A job well done during Covid anyway for sure.

The same problems that always existed will continue with MM. I wish the new Taoiseach well though, and hope he does a good job during his tenure.

The highlighted bits, as well as this whole post really just show how effective his (social) media campaigning has been among some and how successful it's been in distracting from his extremely poor delivery as Taoiseach or as a minister in Enda's government.

None of what I've highlighted has anything to do with being the leader of the country. He has a very effective marketing team behind him but that's about all that's there. All spin and soundbites, but no substance whatsoever.

His only real achievement - and it's no small feat - is to be WORSE than his predecessor.

Madeoface

This is something you hear when people are giving out about the government but is factually wrong. Welfare payments have not been increased over the last few years. The dole today is lower than it was in 2009. The welfare class would also be relying on social housing which is obviously being underspent over the last few years

Interesting. Data?

salonfire

Strumms wrote: »

Would you credit Leo with that ? Or would you put that down to the highly capable, highly educated, adaptable hard working workforce that are worldwide known for their ingenuity and multiple other qualities that has had the Irish workforce at the forefront of ‘go to’ workforce’s for businesses and industry for organizations all around the planet, tax breaks play a part too but in the main it’s us, the people.... and has been for businesses that have been setting up here for 30 plus years. Leo ? Last two governments ? :eek: no.

If there were wide-spread job losses, you'd be among the first to criticize him.

You're too much of a sore loser to give him credit where credit is due.

stevek93

I am not too sure whether this was a p*ss take or not, but the country has been kicking since the 2007 crash well that was until the pandemic arrived. Plenty of jobs economic growth etc. The rent is a joke it is the same price as other European countries but the quality of what can be rented for the same price in for example Amsterdam cannot one bit compare. For example here is a quick search I found.

joeguevara

Madeoface wrote: »

This is something you hear when people are giving out about the government but is factually wrong. Welfare payments have not been increased over the last few years. The dole today is lower than it was in 2009. The welfare class would also be relying on social housing which is obviously being underspent over the last few years

Interesting. Data?

I find it quite difficult to find a clear diagram or bar chart to show the rates of pay in Social Welfare from 2009 to 2019 as I would like to see how much if any social welfare was under paid at that time. And any demonstration of the facilities that were addition to the comfortable thinking of you beside my office.

The Bishop Basher

Madeoface wrote: »

This is something you hear when people are giving out about the government but is factually wrong. Welfare payments have not been increased over the last few years. The dole today is lower than it was in 2009.

Social welfare was increased by €5 per week in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

ittakestwo

There was no increase in the last budget.

''The total social protection budget in 2020 will be €21.1 billion.

Social welfare payments
There will be no increase in weekly social welfare payments. However, there are some changes to Jobseeker’s Allowance for people aged 25 and people aged under 25''

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/budgets/budget_2020.html

In 2009 the JSB was €208 per week, today it is €203 per week. Also under 25 JSB cut in half since 2009. Its just wrong in stating that people on the social welfare have got all the increase over the last few years at the expense of the middle class. People on social welfare have got pretty much nothing under the last government despite hearing in nearly every thread to do with politics about how they ''got everything'' or being ''rewarded at the expense of the middle class''. And I am not saying the middle class has got much either, just nobody seems to have got much probably due to the fact the country's finances was left in a shocker after the Celtic bubble burst in 2008 and took years to fix.

joeguevara

ittakestwo wrote: »

There was no increase in the last budget.

''The total social protection budget in 2020 will be €21.1 billion.

Social welfare payments
There will be no increase in weekly social welfare payments. However, there are some changes to Jobseeker’s Allowance for people aged 25 and people aged under 25''

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/budgets/budget_2020.html

In 2009 the JSB was €208 per week, today it is €203 per week. Also under 25 JSB cut in half since 2009. Its just wrong in stating that people on the social welfare have got all the increase over the last few years at the expense of the middle class. People on social welfare have got pretty much nothing under the last government despite hearing in nearly every thread to do with politics about how they ''got everything'' or being ''rewarded at the expense of the middle class''. And I am not saying the middle class has got much either, just nobody seems to have got much probably due to the fact the country's finances was left in a shocker after the Celtic bubble burst in 2008 and took years to fix.

Here are all the increase in social welfare. There was many increases.
https://www.thejournal.ie/social-welfare-payments-increase-this-week-4956557-Jan2020/


There was a 690 mil increase in the budget for social welfare.

https://www.thejournal.ie/heres-what-budget-2020-means-for-people-receiving-social-welfare-payments-4843534-Oct2019/

ittakestwo

joeguevara wrote: »

Here are all the increase in social welfare. There was many increases.
https://www.thejournal.ie/social-welfare-payments-increase-this-week-4956557-Jan2020/


There was a 690 mil increase in the budget for social welfare.

https://www.thejournal.ie/heres-what-budget-2020-means-for-people-receiving-social-welfare-payments-4843534-Oct2019/

Apart from rent allowance which goes to landlords tell me one social welfare payment that is higher today than it was in 2009.

joeguevara

ittakestwo wrote: »

Apart from rent allowance which goes to landlords tell me one social welfare payment that is higher today than it was in 2009.

Literally listed in the 2 links above

ExMachina1000

How does one become eligible for hap payments?
Iv lost interest in paying my own rent. I could use that money for other things

joeguevara

ittakestwo wrote: »

Apart from rent allowance which goes to landlords tell me one social welfare payment that is higher today than it was in 2009.

Literally in the 2 links I posted

Ultima Thule

*country's

Hannibal36

ExMachina1000 wrote: »

How does one become eligible for hap payments?
Iv lost interest in paying my own rent. I could use that money for other things

Just get in the good graces of the council homeless officer in your local county council should do the trick,they are the kingmakers in this area,if you are female even better,plenty of them are giving the best houses to the most obliging females.I am sure some of them like males so all is not lost if you are not female.

realdanbreen

We'll never forget you Theo!

ittakestwo

joeguevara wrote: »

Literally listed in the 2 links above

No, what social payment (apart from rent allowance that goes to landlord) is higher in 2020 than it was in 2009... not 2019.

Today nearly every social welfare payment is lower than it was 11 years ago. Its a myth by saying people on social welfare have done well under the last government and have got all the increases at the expense of the middle class.

James Brown

theballz wrote: »

Nonsense. No he wasn’t.

You could laugh at Kenny.
Varadkar was more cringeworthy.

JohnnyFlash

The dude had a 75% approval rating in the last opinion poll. It seems a 3/4 majority found him a competent and decent man. Highest approval ratings ever apart from Bertie just after the signing of the GFA.

McMurphy

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The dude had a 75% approval rating in the last opinion poll. It seems a 3/4 majority found him a competent and decent man. .

That'll make the dude extremely happy JF.

theballz

Rough first week for FF. really wish leo was at the helm right now.

Pintman Paddy Losty

I know FG got all of the big boy ministries, but it's kind of embarrassing watching this new government flailing from one thing to another.

Cowen boozing...Ryan sleeping...Roderic O'Gorman having a shady past.


You'd miss the days of Leo's steady leadership.

Wanderer78

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote:

Cowen boozing...Ryan sleeping...Roderic O'Gorman having a shady past.

These really aren't all that serious, I'm sure they ll do just as good and bad as the other lads

CrankyHaus

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

You'd miss the days of Leo's steady leadership.

Like his decisive action over Maria Bailey?

Bullocks

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

I know FG got all of the big boy ministries, but it's kind of embarrassing watching this new government flailing from one thing to another.

Cowen boozing...Ryan sleeping...Roderic O'Gorman having a shady past.


You'd miss the days of Leo's steady leadership.

I actually do. I'd be much happier with the old crew staying as they were for another year or two

Idbatterim

Are you on crack op ? Fg are in government, we keep stumbling from disaster to the next , what has changed? Do you remember a few months fg being hammered in the election, based on a shambolic performance?

PhilOssophy

No. Don't forget cervical check, children's hospital, Irish Water to name 3 off the very top of my head.
Judge FG over their entire tenure, not over a pandemic period. And judge the new rainbow coalition over their lifetime.
But what really irks me is the amount of time and energy that goes into "pound of flesh" incidents like Barry Cowen compared to what goes in to doing what they are elected to do, i.e. deal with the myriad of issues we have as a country.