Micheàl Martin: Our new Taoiseach

WoollyRedHat

It's hard to believe that only 10 years after decimating the country, with MM complicit in having top seat at cabinet throughout, that FF are now relevant again and MM will soon be voted Taoiseach and now gets to decide the lay of the land. A party and leader that is morally bankrupt from day 1 and aided and abetted by FG.

Politics in Ireland is a joke, you also still have bandits like Willie O'Dea who will be influencing policy, don't even get me started on that stain in the Dail that is Lowry, a FG viceroy who should have been barred from politics years ago. Our country gained independence from Britain but then got swallowed up by the church and civil war parties who often have treated the country as its own little fiefdom.

Anyway let's have it, hopefully Green Party can actually discover a backbone this time round and call out the two main parties 'indescrepencies' and redeem some moral integrity after their stint in government, so we don't have to go on the same damn merryround, where zero accountability becomes order of day after the nice little honeymoon period.

Risingshadoo

I'm not thrilled about it, but at least he's Irish.

Mod

Banned

For Forks Sake

Risingshadoo wrote: »

I'm not thrilled about it, but at least he's Irish.

Who let Paddy Holohan in here?

suicide_circus

was it FF who decimated the country or was it the global financial crisis?

Harry Palmr

The global crisis was merely the icing on our mad Celtic Tiger cake.

I welcome Fr Martin (not really). He's an appalling speaker and that alone puts me off.

Quantum Erasure

People got what they voted for, tough few years ahead, I wouldn't want anyone else other than FF FG at the helm

WoollyRedHat

suicide_circus wrote: »

was it FF who decimated the country or was it the global financial crisis?

This line has been done to death. We would have been much less exposed if it wasn't for FF's irresponsible economic handling of the country, complimented with their appalling corruption. That's the truth of the matter.

suicide_circus

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

This line has been done to death. We would have been much less exposed if it wasn't for FF's irresponsible economic handling of the country, complimented with their appalling corruption. That's the truth of the fact.

i'll agree with that. FF and everyone who lived beyond their means certainly have to take responsibility.

larva

I cant stand him, dont know why but id rather Leo at the helm. Martin is a sleeveen, I dont trust him or FF, period. Has everyone gone senile and forgotten just how baldy they have governed us in the past?!!

Annasopra

Risingshadoo wrote: »

I'm not thrilled about it, but at least he's Irish.

Leo Varadkar is too. It's just racists who claim he isn't.

WoollyRedHat

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

People got what they voted for, tough few years ahead, I wouldn't want anyone else other than FF FG at the helm

I'd rather not have a party to lead our country that completely bankrupted us and then lied about it, a leader that served under the charlatan named Bertie Aherne, followed by the buffoon Cowen and was complicit in the mismanagement of a relatively small country and did not make a serious attempt to reform after it. Plus people forget that FF have a long roll call of awfulness and cronyism, the ruination of the country financially is just their most famous hit.

THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!

larva

Ten Pin wrote: »

Justice for Barbers

A typo on my part or pun intended hmmm? :rolleyes:

Poor_old_gill

suicide_circus wrote: »

i'll agree with that. FF and everyone who lived beyond their means certainly have to take responsibility.

Still can't believe that FF took down Lehman Brothers - who'd have thought they had so much power?

Sephiroth_dude

Risingshadoo wrote: »

I'm not thrilled about it, but at least he's Irish.

Mod

Banned

Mod

Do not post in here again, anymore comments like the one above and cards and bans will be handed out.

jam_mac_jam

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Still can't believe that FF took down Lehman Brothers - who'd have thought they had so much power?

The IMF weren't in all European countries though as a result of Lehman brothers.

So maybe the government of the time had some responsibility?

WoollyRedHat

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Still can't believe that FF took down Lehman Brothers - who'd have thought they had so much power?

I didn't realize our economy collapsed because of reliance on a US bank. Jeesh If that's the case maybe they shouldn't have be so reliant on a US bank?

Also didn't FF also squander finances by inefficient financial management even before the crash?

Poor_old_gill

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

The IMF weren't in all European countries though as a result of Lehman brothers.

So maybe the government of the time had some responsibility?

All parties at the time had some responsibility due to engaging in auction politics, as did the Central Bank, the ECB, the EU itself and a multitude of other stakeholders.

To attribute it to one single cause is both idiotically reductive & pointless

jam_mac_jam

suicide_circus wrote: »

was it FF who decimated the country or was it the global financial crisis?

Both.

Poor_old_gill

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

I didn't realize our economy collapsed because of reliance on a US bank. Jeesh If that's the case maybe they shouldn't have be so reliant on a US bank?

Also didn't FF also squander finances by inefficient financial management even before the crash?

I was ironically applying the same idiotic one factor caused it all logic as those who just blame FF

jam_mac_jam

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

All parties at the time had some responsibility due to engaging in auction politics, as did the Central Bank, the ECB, the EU itself and a multitude of other stakeholders.

To attribute it to one single cause is both idiotically reductive & pointless

Of course, that's why I said the government had some responsibility and not all.

Notmything

I don't like Michael Martin, or his party, their behaviour when the economic crisis hit was disgraceful. They denied there was a problem until the very end.

But, and it's a small but, unlike the majority of his cabinet colleagues who retired so they didn't have to face the consequences of their ineptitude he stayed on and faced the people.

Can only hope he has learnt something from the last few years as the country faces a new period of economic upheaval. However, with the likes of mcguinness, o'dea and o'cuiv still in ff god only knows.

bunderoon

It's his turn to qualify for the big pension. I'd say hes thrilled he didnt have to wait as long as Kenny had to.
Leo said he'd go I to opposition to allow Martin qualify. Then things went t*ts up but they got him in over the line eventually.

Snow Garden

MM also set up the HSE. A massive wasteful bureaucracy.

ChelseaRentBoy

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

People got what they voted for, tough few years ahead, I wouldn't want anyone else other than FF FG at the helm

Id want anyone but FGG at the helm.

WoollyRedHat

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

I was ironically applying the same idiotic one factor caused it all logic as those who just blame FF

The fact is their party was corrupt and self-serving and excaberated the crash massively. Your comment was throwaway. As another poster pointed out, not every country who went through the financial crash had to invite in the IMF. And FF were in power the others weren't, key point you're missing there.

Snow Garden

FG facilitated the forgiveness of FF by being as arrogant, corrupt and fond of the gravy train as them (think Phil Hogan, Dara Murphy, Bailey, Farrell, Mulherin etc).

Zebra3

bunderoon wrote: »

It's his turn to qualify for the big pension.

He was already there.

I recall the Tribune (yeah, it was that long ago) cornering him over having a teaching post kept open for him.

He whinged that he needed it to support his family.

If he'd lost his seat the following day he was already entitled to an instant pension of €119,000.

He finally gave up the teaching post. Had to be shamed into it.

The caliber of the man.....

bunderoon

Zebra3 wrote: »

He was already there.

I recall the Tribune (yeah, it was that long ago) cornering him over having a teaching post kept open for him.

He whinged that he needed it to support his family.

If he'd lost his seat the following day he was already entitled to an instant pension of €119,000.

He finally gave up the teaching post. Had to be shamed into it.

The caliber of the man.....

No, I mean the Taoiseach pension bracket. He has hit the top now and when retires, will get it at that level.
Like Brendan did in Labour. He got the party leader position (short term as it was) and now qualifies for that bracket upon retirement.

Doctor Jimbob

I've never been a Fine Gael supporter but I'd take Varadkar back in over that gob****e Martin any day.

Chalk McHugh

Like to wish Michael Martin well. Seems a thorough gentleman and i like him. Thank god we've a real leader at the helm at last.