The Worst Taoiseach in State History?

[Macy]

He's back a few days now, and he shouldn't have run off to hide there anyway.

[pete]

Japan

Long way to go for new jobs PR announcement. In my experience job announcement figures are always at the top end (i.e. up to X jobs)

Brown seems to lack the charisma but has a good financial brain. Cowan doesn't seem to have either although if he appointed a competent Minister for Finance he would have better chance. I get the impression Cowan/Lenihan are being lead too much by senior department staff & outside contracted advisors.

[Fr Damo]

I get the impression Cowan/Lenihan are being lead too much by senior department staff & outside contracted advisors.

McWilliams, George Lee and Alan Ahern have the benifit of 20 20 vision in fairness, but who are the senior department staff advising the government? I don't believe Cowan and Lenihan got us here on their own but Alan Ahern seems to know what he is talking about in short simple language and with his CV I cannot see why they are not up and down to Galway to speak to him (or others if someone suggests a name).

Or am I wrong, have the two ronnies cocked this up themselves?

[monutdfc]

[

McWilliams, George Lee and Alan Ahern have the benifit of 20 20 vision in fairness, but who are the senior department staff advising the government? I don't believe Cowan and Lenihan got us here on their own but Alan Ahern seems to know what he is talking about in short simple language and with his CV I cannot see why they are not up and down to Galway to speak to him (or others if someone suggests a name).

Or am I wrong, have the two ronnies cocked this up themselves?

It is on the record that Alan Ahearn was consulted by Lenihan before the budget. He explicitly told him not to interfere in the housing market (again, on the record - there was an IT article a couple of weeks before the budget). Lenihan ignored him with the ill-conceived Home Choice Loan scheme (aka the government's sub-prime lending scheme) and Ahearn has put the boot in since.
It is not on the record but it appears that McWilliams has been consulted since then, but it appears there has been a parting of the ways there too, with McWilliams putting the boot in too.
O'Kelly I don't expect to be consulted anytime soon. Nor Lucey.

[mypost]

Irish people still vote along party lines that over a half century old, and don't seem willing to change this tradition.

Cowen needs to be shown the door in my opinion, personally I'd take Fianna Fail out of government, but the Irish gombeen mentality of 'sure what else will we do?' that has seen what must surely be one of the most corrupt governing parties in the western world in power for so long doesn't look like letting that happen

The "I'll do it my way" approach was a total failure when it came to making the public sector savings. For the first time in history, a Taoiseach failed to agree a deal with the social partners before announcing it to the country. That's not bad luck, that ultimately, is his fault, and makes him a lame duck of a leader.

Industrial disputes are soon to follow, as the public sector think that they are immune to sharing the load with the private sector, who's only action they can take is to join the dole queue.

[Angus]

I am clearly in the camp that this government is a mess and is devoid of strategy, has utter contempt for the electorate and desperately needs a period in opposition.

However, I applaud the announcement yesterday. It showed cojones and the unions will struggle to justify a strike.

[dahamsta]

I could not believe Cowen's comments about working nights and weekends yesterday, it was truly mind-boggling.

[monutdfc]

I could not believe Cowen's comments about working nights and weekends yesterday, it was truly mind-boggling.

missed that one dahamsta - was it in the speech or the press-conference?

[Macy]

However, I applaud the announcement yesterday. It showed cojones and the unions will struggle to justify a strike.

If he had any balls he would've just announced this back in December rather than go through the game playing and time wasting of pretending to try and introduce it through social partnership and instead presenting it in the early hours of decision day. He would also have got full year savings. He's stumbling around the place clueless not sure of his own mind.

[dahamsta]

missed that one dahamsta - was it in the speech or the press-conference?

In the speech, early on.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate...xml&Node=H8#H8

The Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance and myself have devoted a large amount of time since the beginning of January to these discussions, in formal meetings and through many informal contacts and discussions, including over several nights and weekends. No greater priority could have been given to these efforts and I believe that the social partners themselves would acknowledge this fact.

What does he want, a medal? The people to shed a tear at his selfless devotion to the country?

Newsflash for you Cowen: It's your job, and your fault. Perhaps if you'd brought the Dail back earlier instead of dithering like the incompetent buffoon you are, and listened to people with a clue, it might have been a little easier.

Do the country a favour, go back to Offaly, leave running the country to people with a brain.

adam

[NeilMcD]

The "I'll do it my way" approach was a total failure when it came to making the public sector savings. For the first time in history, a Taoiseach failed to agree a deal with the social partners before announcing it to the country. That's not bad luck, that ultimately, is his fault, and makes him a lame duck of a leader.

Industrial disputes are soon to follow, as the public sector think that they are immune to sharing the load with the private sector, who's only action they can take is to join the dole queue.

Its terrible that you have fallen for the old trick by the likes of IBEC. You have fallen into the frame of the debate they have constructed you Pit low paid private sector workers versus low paid public sector workers. Good man.

[Macy]

Its terrible that you have fallen for the old trick by the likes of IBEC. You have fallen into the frame of the debate they have constructed you Pit low paid private sector workers versus low paid public sector workers. Good man.

Aint that the truth. Not too long ago all pensions were defined benefit until they were sacrificed for increased profits in the Private sector, and a few years down the line the right have successfully got these same workers to actively facilitate a race to the bottom in conditions of employment.

The untcs that are sitting back laughing are the establishment elite like IBEC, politically appointed top level civil servants and politicians who just keep counting their money and pension entitlements.

[pete]

Irish Examiner

THE cost of flying Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Defence Minister Willie O’Dea to Texas to meet with Dell boss Michael Dell last December has been confirmed to be more than €164,000

Government are really trying to save money in current economic climate.

[kingdom hoop]

Shocking cost alright, but fairly tenuous link to Cowen is it not? Unless you're suggesting Cowen should've thrown the two of them into a currach and set off rowing across the Atlantic? (now there's an image to colour your day)

Fair enough a diktat from Cowen that endeavours to spark a culture of parsimonious cost-saving (or something less than extravagant waste anyway) is necessary, but you can't expect the Taoiseach to micro-manage everything.

[pete]

Shocking cost alright, but fairly tenuous link to Cowen is it not? Unless you're suggesting Cowen should've thrown the two of them into a currach and set off rowing across the Atlantic? (now there's an image to colour your day)

Didn't deserve its own thread so this seemed best location

Govt jet is massive wage of money & would be best sold for scrap as I would guess it costs money even sitting on the tarmac when has to be serviced. Doesn't even make sense to use it for that trip given needed 2 refueling spots each time. Might have got change out 10k for First Class commercial return flight.

[Dodge]

There is a need for a government jet (every other country has loads of them) but if there are direct scheduled flights, then they should be used.

[TheBoss]

Do people find it a bit odd, that Blair and Ahern both step down, and not so long later, this crisis happens, I think them 2 knew of this issue so got out while they could. I have a feeling they knew about the banking system and just sat back and let them do what they wanted, they are to blame if you closely.

[Pauro 76]

Dont know about you, but I wonder what Barack Obama will think of him when Biffo comes over for Paddy's Day.

[Bluebeard]

Do people find it a bit odd, that Blair and Ahern both step down, and not so long later, this crisis happens, I think them 2 knew of this issue so got out while they could. I have a feeling they knew about the banking system and just sat back and let them do what they wanted, they are to blame if you closely.

I thought it at the time - the two, particularly Ahearn, had no personal intention of departing the scene a year previously, regardless of what may have been said after the events. They hung on until the last minute they thought they could get away without being seen as being progenitors of it. Blair - as was his style with elections - did it a little bit more inconspicuously, though he made such a song and dance of his departure, he probably masked a lot of the early flurries of recession.

Ahearn, a little more cunning, needed more shoe-horning, but he left it to the very death in the eyes of the electorate - as was his style with elections - and another two weeks and he'd be bagging a good chunk of the blame. Irish people do not seem to see Bertie as remotely involved - a few weeks later and it would have been his fault entirely. He also shrewdly picked as his successor a man so loathesome and loathing that Bertie seems to be JFK in comparison, and that was no error.

Irish Examiner
Government are really trying to save money in current economic climate.

Surely that should not have been a trip to be undertaken by the Minister for Defence? Surely that would be Jimmy Devins brief? Or are we buying a server to computerise our defence system protecting us from the threat being posed by North Korea?

[monutdfc]

Surely that should not have been a trip to be undertaken by the Minister for Defence? Surely that would be Jimmy Devins brief? Or are we buying a server to computerise our defence system protecting us from the threat being posed by North Korea?

We have to shore up Willie's vote don't you know....

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imagine the conversation between Coughlan and O'Dea on that flight