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ENDA KENNY SAYS he’s satisfied that he has complied fully with the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the departure of the former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.
The Taoiseach said that he was “very happy” that he had cooperated with the Commission of Investigation set up to examine the circumstances surrounding Callinan announcing his retirement a year ago.
The matter is being investigated by the former Supreme Court judge Nial Fennelly amid claims from opposition TDs that Kenny sacked Callinan following revelations about secret recordings at garda stations.
Kenny has repeatedly refused to confirm if he was recalled to give evidence to Fennelly or disclose the nature of his contact with the commission, saying it would be illegal to do so.
However, he told RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke that he was satisfied he had complied with his responsibility in writing and at the Commission itself.
“I am very happy that I have complied fully as I should with my responsibility both in writing and at the Commission of Investigation,” he said.
“Obviously when the judge presents his report I will have that report published in accordance with the law.”
Asked if he had any concern that the issue could bring him down as Taoiseach, Kenny insisted:
I am very happy that I have complied here fully with my responsibility. Obviously, be clear on this, the only people I can sack in the country are ministers.
When comparisons to former taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s issues with the Mahon Tribunal were made, Kenny said that the tribunal “ran for years”, and rejected claims of hypocrisy.
On other issues, Kenny would not be drawn on people having water charges taken from their wages if they refuse to comply, saying it would be a matter for legislation due after Easter.
He said not all expectations on spending could be met in the Budget later this year and insisted repeatedly that the mistakes of the past would not be made when it comes to economy.
Kenny said he expected to banks which had returned to profitability to pass on interest rate reductions to mortgage holders, but indicated the government would not directly intervene.
He said it was his intention to hold the general election next year and on possible future coalition partners, he said: “I am not going beyond Fine Gael and Labour.”
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Imagine being sacked by that man, would have to be the lowest point in your life.
And on that bumshell…
Over to you former commissioner Callinan…
After yesterday’s revelation that everyone will now have to re-register in August, with the Department of Social Protection, to receive the “conservation grant” Kenny might get the sack from the people. It now transpires that some 30,000 forms were returned with “protest messages” written on them. (IW figures) and with polls showing over 50% unwilling to pay the government have moved the goalposts again.
This now means that the “conservation grant” becomes a taxation issue. You will not receive the €100 tax rebate unless you sign the new form. It is a way around the controversy caused by the PPS number cock-up.
The DSP already have your details.
I would luv to know what redundancy package and pension package Callinan got when he got pushed out,it must of being huge to keep his mouth shut cos he is very quiet
Mr Callinan was on an extension of time . His time had come for retirement(60 yrs.) and the Government extended his tenure. Officially they said that he retired. He was entitled to his full pension and gratuity, just the same as any other public servant. I’m quite sure nobody would want to deny him his entitlement.
Enough to pay all the new charges and taxes I bet?
Guess what Enda…The irish people can sack you or have you forgotten that you work for us.
they can but the polls suggest he is by far the most popular :)
Pat he’s not polling at all well in Mayo, it’s only the registered voters in his own constituency that get to vote for him.
Not the rest of the FG loyalists that thinks he great.; )
Didn’t the poll say Joan Burton was the most popular?
Further down the page there is a section for Yesterdays News with a photo of Enda under it, i so wish this was true
A poll last Monday put FG neck and neck with SF so how is that far ahead?
@ patjoejoe123: If he’s so popular, why is he using 50K of taxpayers money to hire an ex YFGer to run propaganda in his home constituency, lest he face the embarrassment of not being re-elected there?
Patjoe is out proving what date it is
Ruari , did you not get the memo , these guys can’t be fired , Tony Blair for example…the peace commie for the ME , it matters little who you vote for or on what you vote , if its not accepted , it’ll be spun again under a different banner , and the proles will argue the point.
What polls,go out to the real people and ask them,and I mean irish people.
So much for…we own the banks. Typical of this government to put the interests of the banks above those of the people. Dont hold your breath for a substantial reduction any time soon.
MORE OF THE SAME!!!
i wonder why they are so far ahead in the polls though :D
Have you seen who owns the newspapers?
Cos some idiots will never learn. Politicians thrive on that truth.
@ kenneth/realgael/mrgilhooley/patjoejoe123 etc.: Which ‘polls’ would these be?
Of the latest two polls, one has them level with SF and has a +-3% margin of error, and the other uses outdated models to allocate extra points.
The only poll that matters s the polling booth.
Well if that’s the case WereJammin the current government have the largest majority in the history of the state!
They won that majority on a pack of lies. But if cheating and deception is your bag Wayne, then fair enough. They are just lucky that they are not in regular jobs where lying on your CV would get you sacked.
I am sure SF or any other party in a coalition government will implement every policy they had in a manifesto to the letter???
@Wayne no but they wont do the complete opposite like FG/Labour have done. You can try to defend them all you want, This Government has turned its back on the most vunerable of Irish society in favour of their friends and whoever has the most money to pass on in brown envelopes. This is not what we voted them in to do. I for one will not make that mistake again!!! If i have to vote Ming, Dustin or Godzilla to bring this type of Governing to an end i will!
Greg, I am defending nobody, just pointing out the contradiction in a post. But sure in office SF/FF/AAA or any party will reverse all cuts, magically balance our books and ensure everyone is treated as they shoul
So wayne, you’re ‘pointing out a contradiction’ by comparing something which happened with something you think might happen in the future.
How does that work exactly?
No you clearly stated the only poll that matters is the ballot box! But you are happy to ignore the last democratic will if the people and regularly claim this current government have no mandate. Whether you or I like it or not they have the largest mandate on the history of the state
The first people to ‘ignore the last democratic will of the people’ were the government who tore up their respective manifestos. They received the mandate based on their manifestos, so when they discarded their pledges, they also discarded their mandate to govern. Its not that hard a concept.
Do I really have to explain to you how a representative democracy works wayne?
Do I have to explain how a coalition government and agreement of a programme of government is agreed! Easy to be a hurler in the ditch!
The government own the banks why can’t they lower the rates. They are majority shareholders
@Jammin, you seem to have all the answers, well done. Negativity is the way to go.
Gooooooo jammin
wayne . we didn’t elect them on a programme for government.
Yet you would never do , sack a minister enda. In this country it does not matter what a minister did. We have votes of confidence instead.
Edna’s got a report card on each individual minister… On it he rates them on ‘The Sycophantic scale’… it’s weighted so the biggest greaser’s appear near the top. :@
Do a selfie Enda.
Who rate’s Enda
So basically, he knows everything that is wrong, but cant do anything about it. Pointless prig
Anyone who thinks kenny is going to get ‘caught out’ here is fooling themselves. I’d love to see him go as much as the next person but you’ve seen how easy he is treated on rte, it’ll be more of the same by the judge he appointed. Martin callinan officially resigned so it wouldn’t matter if Enda was standing over his shoulder as he announced his retirement, he would still get away with it legally.
The court system in this country has a lot to answer for.
Was he constructively dismissed?
Can that be proved?
If Callinan decides to take a case after the Fennelly Report is published, perhaps.
and Alan Shatter has’nt gone away you know
Part of every debt is what’s due.
Kenny’s performance in the Dail yesterday as shown on VB on TV3 last night was pathetic, and raises a lot of issues about his response to questions, and his seeming failure to remember information he already received. At any rate he never gives a straight answer to a straight question, but seems to deliberately ramble off in a tangent. He’s making Bertie , and Cowen look good!
He lied about everything else so why would he not lie about this?
The no direct awnser is endemic in FG. Vincent Brown tried get a straight answer from another FG muppett last night about another Garda that was promoted even thought he was a bit iffy and who was reported by a Garda whistle blower to Enda Kenny himself over 2 years ago. I though Brown was going to hit the idiot for waffling on about everything else other than answering the question.
That’s great, start with yourself so.
Step away, nothing to see here. My conscience is clean as a whistle, so just you get use to it. Tis my way or the high way. Regrets? What me? Not one.
“The only people I can sack are ministers”…you want to get a move in so ya bollox..
15% pay cuts and tax rises in the stroke of 2 pens but it will be 15 years to get it back
A proper April fool, yiz are gas lads
Dont worry about sacking
Anyone Enda, the people
Of this country will do that
very soon. Bye bye
Nothing new there as kenny dose not run this country or have any power he is just a puppet
Hahahahahahaha…….that headline made me laugh.
Callinan should tell Maurice mc Cabe or one of the other whistleblowers what happened, they’d have the balls to say it and save the country millions
Is Edna sporting a Hitler moustache and hairstyle in that picture for April 1st?
Please someone explain!! Government owns banks , kenny leader of government, government and kenny can’t keep banks in check with interest rates … Doesn’t add up ??
He pushed Callinan out. Its obvious. Same as sacking in my book.
Don’t worry Enda your day will come, maybe sooner than you think. I hope you get a feel of what it is like to take the long walk . Your statement on Aherne in 2007 may come back to haunt you and your hypocrisy will let loose.
Yes we have confidence in a man who takes all his orders from Merkel and Obama… Where is Denis the Menace in all this lol.
Wipe that smirk off his face.mass nonpayment and if still there a no in endas referendums will force a GE ,guaranteed.
Are we on a better place 4 years on since FG and Labour formed a government? I’m a floating voter and I feel all politicians are the same but at least we are on a path to progress. 5 years on Greece are still a basket case, so perhaps we should say a little well done to the government.
Guess your floating vote floated across the pond. According to your ‘unusual’ facebook profile you are in Tennessee. So why are you referring to the place we are in and the path we’re on like you’re here at the coalface?
Well done where? Health services a mess. Roads full of potholes. Services closed or downgraded. 66% motor tax gone to iw. 66% property tax gone to iw. Outside of cities things are not better . some places worse.
Well get on with it then their ffing useless
And the misses…lol.
Enda-ngered come the next election…
I take it that 100% of people were 100% happy with callinan as commissioner. Well not 100% because I thought under his watch the gardai were incompetent in an awful lot of what they did and also downright corrupt in other ways. If kenny sacked him directly or indirectly I was happy with that decision. The man was clearly out of his league as a commissioner if not incompetent.
well said enda :)
De dump de dum
de dump de dum
de dede de
de dede de
Pop goes the weasel
Somebody must have dirt on somebody in power as anybody with integrity would stand up and be counted. It would not happen in the UK.
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