Bertie's Money

**bennocelt** · 25/09/2006, 8:55 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

IWhatever you think about Bertie, he's no numbskull.

no.really

the man can barely talk

**Clifford** · 25/09/2006, 10:30 PM

Or read bennocelt, very true. The man's advisors are no numbskulls.

**John83** · 26/09/2006, 8:50 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

no.really

the man can barely talk

You don't have to be an eloquent speaker to be cunning and resourceful. That Bertie's gotten where he is today suggests to me that Haughey's charactorisation of him is much closer to the button than the image some people have of a bumbling fool.

**dahamsta** · 26/09/2006, 9:12 AM

De anorak and de accent were the best cover ever, he should have stuck with them. Although the yellow suit was a mighty comeback!

Of course there are exceptions to the dumb world leader rule. One really big exception in particular.

adam

**BohsPartisan** · 26/09/2006, 9:20 AM

Originally Posted by John83

You don't have to be an eloquent speaker to be cunning and resourceful. That Bertie's gotten where he is today suggests to me that Haughey's charactorisation of him is much closer to the button than the image some people have of a bumbling fool.

Yeah I agree. The dumb ones are the people who are taken in by his guff.

**pete** · 26/09/2006, 9:40 AM

Someone was saying to me that he was given a loan in 1993 to help pay for his separation costs. Fair enough i suppose but he is the Taoiseach and has to be above corruption suspicion. If he hasn't paid this money back 13 years later then i think we can assume was a "gift" & therefore at the very least he needs to pay tax on. What haven't the Revenue Commissioners investigated him? I suppose it would be apt enough if we had a tax dodging leader of the country...

**drinkfeckarse** · 26/09/2006, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Someone was saying to me that he was given a loan in 1993 to help pay for his separation costs.

Why would a leading politician need a "loan" to cover his separation costs?? He was hardly skint.....

The number of "clean" politicians anywhere can be counted in single figures. I bet there are few if any who can claim that there is nothing dodgy that can ever be brought up against them.

**Dodge** · 26/09/2006, 10:07 AM

I'd imagine in 1993, a separation cost a fair whack, particularly for a very high profile one. He wasn't taoiseach at the time so wouldn't have been earning huge sums. Don't think thats the issue

**bennocelt** · 26/09/2006, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by John83

You don't have to be an eloquent speaker to be cunning and resourceful. That Bertie's gotten where he is today suggests to me that Haughey's charactorisation of him is much closer to the button than the image some people have of a bumbling fool.

no but it helps!
man if ye think bertie is running the country then your seriously deluded
just look at the recent quarrel with smurfit and the ryder cup
puppits on a string

**Vitruvian Man** · 26/09/2006, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

One of the rags (the Mirror, I think) had the story on the front page last Friday or Saturday, with Ahern saying (and I paraphrase as I don't have the quote to hand) the money wasn't important, but that the person who had told about the story was a filthy sneak.

Just to follow up on this point.
I heard Pat the Cope Gallagher* on Newstalk this morning making ominous and veiled "we know who you are" threats against somebody involved in the Tribunal.

He says all of the damaging leaks are coming from one (evil) person associated with the tribunal but refused to name names when pressed.

Obviously FF know who their enemy is, I wonder what action they are going to take

* I think, I missed the first part of the interview.

**Macy** · 26/09/2006, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

He wasn't taoiseach at the time so wouldn't have been earning huge sums.

He was Minister of Finance earning �70,000 per annum, not including expenses. That would go a long way in 1993. There seems to be a consensus among even the FF hacks and apologists that the figure was between �50,000 and �100,000, just to put it in perspective compared with what he was earning.

**mypost** · 27/09/2006, 2:58 AM

The explanation Bertie gave was very weak, and will be ruthlessly exploited by the left over the coming weeks. This is a very serious matter, with potentially very serious consequences for the government.

I feel politicians will be knocking on our doors again soon.

**BohsPartisan** · 27/09/2006, 9:11 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

He was Minister of Finance earning �70,000 per annum, not including expenses. That would go a long way in 1993. There seems to be a consensus among even the FF hacks and apologists that the figure was between �50,000 and �100,000, just to put it in perspective compared with what he was earning.

A clericle Officer in the civil service on the highest rate (Thats 10 years service) would have been earning 17 grand at the time.

Has anybody asked why Ivor whatsisname had to resign over a free paintjob on his house (rightly so of course) when this "loan" puts that well in the shade?
Blubbering on Television to try and get sympathy makes it all the worse.
If he wanted a loan he should have went to the credit union.

**Dodge** · 27/09/2006, 9:33 AM

The TV response was pathetic IMO. Just made him look snivelling (sp?). The only name I recognised was Charlie Chawke bnut I only glanced at them

**Strabane_Harp** · 27/09/2006, 9:43 AM

He looked very very uncomfortable on tele i must say.

**dahamsta** · 27/09/2006, 9:59 AM

Crap moved here. Is there video available? What show was it on?

**Lionel Ritchie** · 27/09/2006, 10:01 AM

The explanations that these people were personal friends is starting to look thin already. One of them was 26 years of age at the time. 5 have gone on to serve as government appointments on state boards.

I've no interest in what the money was for -but how the guy can conclude he has no tax liability is baffling.

Some of the muck I'm listening to on the radio (Kenny) is depressing. We truly get the executive we deserve.

**pete** · 27/09/2006, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Strabane_Harp

He looked very very uncomfortable on tele i must say.

Was he crying? When i tuned in certainly looked like a few tears in the eyes & his right eye gone wonky...

To suggest money he hasn't paid back in the last 13 years is still a loan is ludicrous. I think he earns 200k+ a year now & has been Taoisach for some time. I was a gift & therefore at the very minimum he needs to be investigated by the Revenue Commissioners & pay back taxes & interest.

I don't know what planet he was on when he said he appointed people to state boards as they were friends & not because they gave him money.

Bertie has seriously lost it & while i am sure his PR people will try to spin the "...poor mans marraige had broken up..." story i don't buy it anyway.

BTW tv interview was shown on RTE news at 9pm.