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TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has urged the public to make a further contribution to Ireland’s economic recovery by voting Yes in Thursday’s referendum on the Fiscal Compact treaty.
In a televised address delivered this evening, Kenny said ratification of the treaty would “create stability in the Eurozone, which is essential for job creation”, and which was vital as Ireland sought to promote sustained economic growth.
Speaking from Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said passing the treaty – one of “the many foundation blocks” in the government’s economic policy – would help to “create the certainty and the stability that our country needs on the road to economic recovery”.
“It’s clear that the sacrifices that everyone is making are starting to make a difference,” Kenny said, saying the public finances were now under control, while unemployment and economic growth – albeit at levels which the government would seek to improve – had stabilised.
“We have proved that we are a country working hard to solve the economic crisis,” the Taoiseach added, arguing that this had led to international confidence in Ireland.
Kenny said ratifying the Treaty was the “best way of ensuring that the strong flow of investment” continued, and that it would ensure “good housekeeping rules” so that European countries would more routinely return balanced Budgets.
“Only a Yes vote will give Ireland guaranteed access to the EU’s permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, should Ireland require it,” Kenny elaborated, saying he wanted Ireland to have the same access to this fund as other eurozone members.
Hoping to elaborate on what he said was not contained in the Treaty, the Taoiseach said the Treaty could not affect Ireland’s corporation tax rate, and said none of its contents “would allow other countries to impose service charges or cuts on Ireland.”
Kenny had been invited to make the unprecedented address by RTÉ after it emerged that Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams would be using some of his leaders’ speech at the party’s Árd Fheis to argue in favour of a No vote.
RTÉ invited the Taoiseach to make a speech in favour of a Yes vote to counter this; the length of Kenny’s speech was determined by the amount of time that Adams devoted to the referendum out of his 25-minute speech last night.
The first voting in the referendum campaign will take place tomorrow, when a number of island voters go to the polls. Most of the country will be voting on Thursday, with a formal result expected by Friday afternoon.
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Nope
Enda…. F off you must be joking.
Stop hiring your retired friends back at over a 100k….
The euro caused this trouble… let’s get rid of the worthless monopoly money
7 FG back benchers voting with the red thumbs obviously.
I am pretty confident that even a NO vote will not send Ireland to the dungeon.
It will most certainly put this country on a backfoot in terms of fiscal support.
But the EU knows better than to alienate another member country to the brink of capitulation.
fiscal support with a dude currency.
Stray; Like Greece?!
Yep Kevin, Greece ratified this treaty and look at them now.
Stephen i was thinking of voting NO also, but i did read the Treaty in depth and personally i think it is good for Ireland and every other european country. Im unhappy with government decisions, because they are a pack of liars, but reading the treaty i now believe i should vote not vote NO because im peed off with the government, i should do whats best for my/our country, long term.
What a simple minded man we have as a ‘leader’. Can you imagine what he would say if he wasn’t backed up by a team of TelePrompters and script writers?
@ PJ…most probably, er, em, er, em, er, em. Angela help me, I am sinking. Woof, Woof, ha ha ha ha!!!!
As someone said on twitter, this really highlighted what a great debater Enda is. Sure, nobody had an answer to him.
He thought that if he moved his head to the right at the beginning of each sentence before slowing moving his had to the left he’d fool us into believing that he wasnt reading the shite that was written by a very well paid advisor.
@ Ann – Hahahaha brilliant!!!!
Kenny would rather hide under his bed than debate the merits of fiscal sovereignty capitulation on live tv (perhaps, even he realises it’s a con).
However, according to Die Welt, behind the scenes Kenny, Noonan and their Portugese counterparts have been operating as Merkels muscle and beating up on the poorest kid in the class. What happens if Greece leaves? Who will have to hand over their lunch money?
“Ireland’s finance minister Micheal Noonan and his Portuguese colleague Vitor Gaspar grabbed their colleague from Greece in a headlock: “You’re ruining the whole thing for all of us”, they let him know at the latest meeting of finance ministers. “We do everything to implement the programs: If you don’t, all of us will pay for it”, they told EU ambassador Theodoros Sotiropoulos as Portuguese media reported.
The fear is great that the Greeks will take the Portuguese and Irish that are also under the supervision of the ‘troika’ with them. At the special summit of the heads of state and governments on Wednesday evening in Brussels, chancellor Angela Merkel was therefore able to count on two allies who demand that Athens keep its word: Enda Kenny the Taoiseach of Ireland and the Portuguese prime minister Passos Coelho.”
MeHole Noonan proved himself to be a bully under John Brutons watch, and he will, no doubt, continue down that particular road for the rest of his term in office.
@john mc guirk
I think Mass Debater is the phrase you are looking for :-)
“public finances are under control”. If that were true we wouldn’t need the ESM gravy train
Guess that means they won’t be reducing the bloated TDs wages then..
Just as well people are leaving by the tens of thousands to make it look like unemployment has “stabilised.”
“public finances are under control”.
Don’t mention the deficit. If that’s what they really think, then things are even worse than I thought.
Sorry but I just switch off when Kenny opens his mouth! The man Is a disgrace to the nation!
What in the name of god is manure like “yes to a working Ireland” supposed to mean to the average Irish citizen. Fine Gaels script writers and pr people should be the people worrying about work if that’s the best they can come up with.
Looking to the farmers for the yes vote maybe . But I reckon even the farmers will see Enda’s drivel as manure full stop. GARBAGE .” WE WILL ENSURE NO FUTURE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO BEHAVE RECKLESSLY ….”.. F**K off Enda . What yo are trying to ensure is a european dictatorship , which will not allow future democracy.
VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO .
Good woman susie :) :€
Howya Susie. Farmers are fully behind the Yes camp. Along with small, medium and large businesses representatives, big names in sport and so on. But sure, there all in it together to put this country into permanent austerity. Right? Sure, who wants to stop a government bringing Ireland back into a recession with massive debts again eh?
Vote Yes. Its the sensible smart thing to do for Ireland. Ignore the bullshit.
I am ignoring the bullshit and manure …I will be voting NO .
Kevin
Only some farmers and some SMEs support the treaty, while some farmers and some SMEs are calling for a NO vote.
The No voters will win this one. Will you be emigrating when we do?
Good woman! That will be a Yes vote so. Because everyone voting Yes is doing so because they are separating the bullshit and manure from the real facts and figures.
Kevin I have no idea where you’re getting your facts, but just cause a few morons jump in a picture and a few vested interest ill informed business people like the sound of their own voice does not a majority of those sectors make.
The same public you told bare faced lies to to grab hold of power and get your nice little pension. F**k off sir.
To which pension are u specifically referring? I initial thought u meant his teachers but I remember something about that being put on hold for the time being. So the I assumed it was TDs pension as I’m not sure how much of a ministers pension he’ll get. Of course u could also be talking about his Taoiseach’s pension (sincerely wishing him God speed collecting that one). Is it any of the above?
I hope they wont be holding their breaths for their many pensions. WHEN SF they will no doubt cut their pensions and with a bit of luck bring in legislation which will enforce a “one man one pension” policy.
As for Ednas “huge mandate” he chooses to ignore the fact that the huge mandate was awarded under a fraudelent manifesto based on nothing more than hot air and bullshit.
I don’t see SF proposing any legislation to start cutting the pensions. Nor the TD wage. Nor the TD expenses. Sure why would they? It effects them.
SF have continously stated that politicians salaries need to be cut drastically as does the pay of CEOs of semi states, special advisors etc. SF politicians only take the average industrial wage from the salaries, the rest of it goes back into the party.
The coward has spoken but no one was listening.
It’s all a con by those at the top to protect their own money , the little people always pay regardless. I still can’t see why I should vote yes……trust is gone I am sorry to say…..
I watched a movie call the ‘inside job’ a documentary on US crash and the global fall out back in 2008 shows how top executives of the insolvent companies walked away with their personal fortunes intact. The executives had hand-picked their boards of directors, which handed out billions in bonuses after the government bailout. The major banks grew in power and doubled anti-reform efforts. Academic economists had for decades advocated for deregulation and helped shape U.S. policy. They still opposed reform after the 2008 crisis. Some of the consulting firms involved were the Analysis Group, Charles River Associates, Compass Lexecon, and the Law and Economics Consulting Group (LECG). Many of these economists had conflicts of interest, collecting sums as consultants to companies and other groups involved in the financial crisis.
They are all in cahoots !!!!
Spot on Roy! They only want everybody to vote yes so that they can continue to live in the same manner as they always have, while the real people of Ireland suffer.
1. No nation in 200 years has been able to sustain or service the level of debt Ireland now has (and rising) without either a restructuring or currency devaluation. Ireland will not be able to either. Irrespective of this treaty or ESM.
2. The only way to get Ireland’s debt down to a sustainable level is by restructuring of the banking debt.
3. The EU/ECB and Kenny/Noonan have made clear they will not enter negotiations on this debt.
4. Europe is currently extremely exposed and in a vulnerable situation due to the Greek election results and the bank run in periphery nations. The bulk of any losses will end up on the laps of core nations taxpayers if the Euro project unwinds.
5.An Irish rejection of this treaty will put our nation into a unique and strong position to negotiate a restructuring of the self-inflicted bank debt. €30 billion (promissory notes) could be written off at the stroke of a pen.
Vote No until we get a concrete deal on bank debt.
O..Kay… and your point in terms of this vote is? To think that Europe would turn around rapidly on a No vote and go “Ah jesus, ill do whatever ya ask just vote Yes or we are doomed!”
A reminder Sean – the EU do NOT need Ireland to Vote Yes. They can carry on without us unlike the past.
Kevin, if the project unravels core nation taxpayers will be drowned under trillions of euro of debt. When Kenny goes to the June summit unable to ratify the treaty because it has been rejected by Irelands voters he will have to gain concrete concessions on bank debt or not bother coming home.
“Professor Hans-Werner Sinn, head of Germany’s IFO Institute, said German taxpayers are facing a dangerous rise in credit risk from a plethora of bail-out schemes. “The euro-system is near explosion,” he told Austria’s Economics Academy on Thursday.
Dr Sinn said Germany is on the hook for much of the €2.1 trillion in rescue measures for EMU debtors – often by the back-door – that will saddle Germans with ruinous losses one day.
“It is a horror scenario,” he said, warning that the euro system is splitting friendly countries into blocs of mutually hostile creditors and debtors, exactly the opposite of what was hoped.
Earlier this week, the Foundation for Family Business in Munich filed a criminal lawsuit against the Bundesbank, accusing the board of disguising the true scale of risk born by German citizens.”
Der Spiegel
Add to the €2.1 trillion above another €1.2 trillion that will be landing on the german taxpayers lap. This will be required to bail out it’s own banks.
Now you might be getting some idea of the sh?t storm they will facing into if this unwinds.
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-22/european-banks-unprepared-for-pandora-s-box-of-greek-exit.html
Now that makes sense.
Well said Sean.. Could you shout it louder, Ireland deserves a better deal.
Wooden.
Where is his spine? Hr should be debating, not reading a pre written speech. I’d say he is the laughing stock of the political World!
I’m watching ‘Reeling in the Years’ from 1982 right now – one of the snippets was the FG/Labour coalition collapsing that year! Here is hoping that, that piece of history repeats itself. IMO, they are incompetent to steer us out of these stormy waters.
That won’t happen Chooon, it would require Gilmore to get his face out of the trough and grow a set.
@Leslie
I hear you! I’ll keep dreaming anyway; hope you and others will too.
“A dream you dream alone, is only a dream,
A dream you dream together, is reality”
~ John Lennon
France plays hardball and gets a growth pact. We should hold out for a write-off of the bank debt. We are fast becoming the doormat of Europe. Michael Martin has now admitted they bailed out the bondholders because of pressure from the ECB. The Treaty is a recipe for permanent debt enslavement to the loan sharks of Europe.
I would love to see the viewing figures for this…. I was out in the sun with my kids, enjoying there company whilst I can, before they grow up and emigrate.
Good lad, nice to see a positive attitude.
sure the government propaganda machine that is rte will bump them up anyway
James,
i am being positive, the alternative is a life of crime, or as its now called Politics!
Alan, seriously, get behind your kids and make sure they get a good education. There are and always will be jobs for talented people in Ireland.
Are you contending james, that none of the 450,000 people currently on the dole are talented? Because either you are, or else your statement is patently false.
James D
How do you explain the emmigration figures , so ?
Shane Ross calls for a No vote.
Europe’s shrewder nations are not ratifying until it is made clear.Ireland should not ratify yet either.
“We are dancing to Angela Merkel’s timetable, not the Irish people’s. Germany is still calling the shots. There was no reason to hold the referendum before the year end.
By then the clouds will have cleared. By then we will know whether the promised changes to soften austerity will have been enacted. By then we will see the real colour of the growth measures, if any. By then we will have a fuller picture of the Greek crisis.
Instead, we are being asked to lock ourselves into a prison of measures which only tell half the story. The second part, the promised growth compact may — or may not — follow. One is conditional on the other. The president of France has seen to that.
Francois Hollande will not sign the treaty unless he secures a growth pact. Whether the growth pact is written into the treaty text is irrelevant. He will not ratify one without the other.
Even the mighty Germany is holding back, adding to the confusion. Only four out of 25 nations have ratified. The rest are shrewdly watching from the sidelines, waiting to see what emerges from the summit on June 28.”
Shane Ross
James,
For the record, i am 18 months unemployed having spent 10 years in a extremely large multinational that exported my position to Singapore without the slightest thought for me, my family or my country.
I am behind my kids and will always encourage them in there education, to such an extent that when my eldest son started secondary school this year he wanted to do art and woodwork with his mates… I Overruled him and insisted he does French and Bis Org.
I am already trying to ensue they will have the skills to fill positions beyond our borders. A positive and realistic attitude. I can assure you, my children will not be dependent on ex-teachers and solicitors ruining or running there lives.
Interesting to note how the yes side completely avoid addressing Séan O’Keefe’s comments, rarely a reply. I also notice he has, from their point of view, the irritating habit of backing up his comments with supporting arguments. So if the yes side are so sure of themselves why are they running away from him? Must be playing follow the leader I guess.
In fairness Sean is one of the better no campaigners, in that he does back up what he posts with links for the most part. The only issue is he says a lot of things that have no real relationship to what’s in the treaty we’re voting on. He has his few pets that he quotes but pretty much ignores everyone else who disagrees. And honestly the long quotes from other people don’t really make me personally inclined to respond.
Alan… my son has recently left the country, make the most of your kids whilst you can.
James you really are ignorant and arrogant.
If a man who is supposed to be running this country cannot find the courage to take questions from opposition, I can’t find the time to listen to him.
The Euro is on the rocks, we should just salvage what we can before someone else does.
Warren Buffet :
“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.”
Why wasn’t that in the Treaty?
And you think that Irish governments can be trusted to do this or keep it after they do it? No Irish government has ever been able to keep things on an even keel for more than a few years.You think that the Irish electorate can be trusted not to just vote for the next party who promises the most or the easiest solution? (look at Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail before them for god sakes).
With a Yes we’d have Europe wide rules that everyone has to stick to, that can’t be ignored just cause we think our house is ‘worth’ a million a again.
Gary. Ur lack of basic economics is worrying. But here’s a basic refresher. The one i ise when explaining economics to my children. When the private stops spending the public sector should start spending. And when the private sector spends the public sector should reign in. In our Celtic Tiger both sectors spent money like it was going out of fashion. Bench marking should never have happened.
The reason all this was allowed to happen is because the elected representatives of this country are over run with school teachers. There are currently 29 in the Dail.
Now there was a time when school teachers were the most educated section of society but that day has long since passed. “If u can’t do, teach” would be a more accurate description of the teaching profession these days.
Given the history we have of electing school teachers it’s no wonder we’re in the trouble we’re in. They’re institutionalised by the time they get to the Dail. They’ve never had to go out there and hustle like the rest of us. Inda, Noonan, howlin, Martin. All sirs.
The terms of the Treaty would not have stopped the largesse of the Celtic tiger. The terms of the treaty prevent basic economics from working. If we vote yes the euro won’t last 12 months. We simply cannot afford to take on more debt. Take that to paddy power
Ah scrappy. This state the obvious day is it? When we should have thinned out the civil service in the good times we bulked it up. Now in the bad times it’s so bulked up we can’t afford it.
Since this is state the obvious day I’ll mention the current number of teachers in the Dail is irrelevant. To prove your point we’d need to know the number of schoolteachers in the Fianna Fail governments that actually did the damage. Again as we’re stating the obvious I’d mention that Fianna Fail were quite open about most of their plans, unfortunately most people didn’t ask too many questions. Why blame schoolteachers when the public only wondered what was in it for them, then reaped what was sowed.
I’d imagine a man of your expertise would know that we don’t need to pay off the debt, we only need to make it manageable with inflation and nominal growth. Here’s the economist Seamus Coffey explaining it… http://economic-incentives.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/whats-on-table.html
The rationale for the speech was Adams’ likely attack on the treaty. Is that sufficient reason to grant Kenny air time on RTE? I can’t help thinking that here again is an example of one hand washing the other. Would Kenny not have been better regarded by actually debating the treaty. After Gilmore’s weak performance, he could only have improved in the ratings.
lol, good one!
sorry, I misread that, thought you said “improve their chances”.
It’s so easy to rehearse and read out a script with the help of RTÉ’s teleprompter.
Gerry Adams is ready when you are, Mr. Enda von Kenny
Come out and debate the actuality of the crisis you wish us to vote for & enshrine into our constitution.
Poor Show Mr. von Kenny, we are not Germans and we won’t be bullied by your lies and your threatening behaviour.
Voting yes will just help airlines who offer flights to Australia, Canada and other far flung places where our youth see their future thanks to the shambles that is Fianna Fail, Fine Gael & Labour.
#VoteNO everyone, and save Ireland for our children and their children.
Gerry who? Now there is a man I haven’t seen much of during this campaign! At least Kenny is heading out on the ground and taking the berating from the public and not hiding behind scripts and set debates.
No need to ask what colour blinkers you’re wearing. When you grow up & end up having to leave Ireland to find employment, ask your leader WHY?
Set debates? LOL Good one kevin. I suppose we should give your glorious leader credit for not hiding behind the spectre of suicide for long enough to hide behind a teleprompter.
Sure what’s the harm in debates? You start with a scripted speech. You then yap away, avoiding the awkward questions and using delaying tactics when you know 1) Time is of the essence and 2) The moderator will change the topic. You scream over each other. You repeat the same arguments over and over.
You say Kenny wont do a debate, all scared, bla bla bla. Where is Gerry? As the leader of the opposition, he needs to be telling the people – the thousands of suffering people – why we should vote No. Instead, he goes into silence mode and throws out a struggle-to-be-elected Mary Lou to deal with any queries.
Talk about hypocritical. He even REFUSED to go on with Vincent B. Running scared Gerry or just put away to avoid making a cock and balls of it?
“… heading out on the ground and taking the berating from the public…”
I heard it was “giving the berating to the public”.
kevin, you DO know Gerry Adams debated Eamonn Gilmore on RTE last sunday, right, and as leader of the no campaign has demanded a debate from the leader of the yes campaign, your cowardly party leader?
You know this stuff, yes?
kenny is hiding he is afraid adams will show him up for bullshiter that he is .
What was the slogan for Lisbon, Jobs,Jobs,Jobs, did it deliver,no and neither will this, I will be voting No.
What happened just after Lisbon – the bank collapse, hence no jobs. The no side in Lisbon said there would be conscription to a euro army !!! also a minimum wage of 3.87per hr, also abortion, also corperate tax rate !!!!!!!!!!
So with your logic you should be voting YES
John McG – never mind what the Yes / No camps are saying. Turn off RTE. Get yourself a copy of both the Fiscal Treaty and the ESM Treaty. Read them both and make an informed decision to vote NO.
Aldo, done it. After full consideration of the facts and ramifications of Yes/No vote there is only one way to go and that is a Yes.
I’m sure the recipients of the 2.5 billion euro that FG are handing over tomorrow will be glad of the stability which it brings to their personal finances.
Vote NO.
Not to mention the 1.3 billion we will be handing out on the first of July.
There is nothing that Enda Kenny or his right wing lackey blueshirts can say to convince me that this treaty is in Irelands interest . I will be voting No ……….
What if we were wearing different coloured shirts?!
Clowns wear many costumes!
@limofax. Love it. Would love to see Ringmaster Kennys puzzled expression reading your comment. He always looks puzzled now that I think of it
Enda Kenny has the debating skills of George Bush, but none of the charm.
“the sacrifices that everyone is making ” your having a laugh Enda,why are you paid more than Merkel and Cameron,why is Bertie and Cowen etc…. On such massive pensions,austerity does’nt affect the elite of Irish society, we don’t believe the bullshit……vote no
Spot on Mel.
I find it disgusting that people who are immune to austerity and insulated against recession can sit back and say they understand the pain people are experiencing.
How can they know, many of them are already wealthy people by virtue of having warmed the opposition benches for decades and now find their personal wealth increased by conning the electorate into believing they would bring change to Irish politics.
Come the next GE many of these charlatans will not be seeking re-election, they don’t care, they’ll swan off into retirement safe in the knowledge that they and their families will remain immune to the b****t austere policies they are inflicting on the rest of us.
Vote NO.
Mayo seems to be pretty flush with the lottery cash these days.
“the Taoiseach said the Treaty could not affect Ireland’s corporation tax rate, and said none of its contents ‘would allow other countries to impose service charges or cuts on Ireland.’”
What part of this small amendment does he not understand?
“No provision of this Constitution … prevents laws enacted, acts done or measures adopted by bodies competent under that Treaty from having the force of law in the State.”
Scrap. The Taoiseach is entirely correct in what he said there. Just because you guys misunderstand this wording doesn’t make you correct. Jaysus go ask someone who would know and they’ll tell you the same. There are some constitutional law experts who post on boards.ie and they’ll explain it to you. Just ask the question here… http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1431
To be honest it makes me despair that people will dream up what they think this means and then refuse to believe anything else. Aided and abetted by the likes of Sinn Fein and the ULA.
What have you got to lose by asking the question?
Read the amendment Gary. Really read it. You’ve no idea how informed I am.
I did read it, appreciated I didn’t understand it fully and then asked experts in the field to explain. I suggest you do the same, as you’re very wrong.
BTW don’t worry I didn’t expect you to post as you’d have accept you were mistaken and you wouldn’t like that.
Does this fool think the 2 nd bail out will come with no conditions attached as bad if not worse than the present one.
That’s the danger of letting an elementary school teacher loose.
A couple of years in some 2 nd rate teaching outfit and the guys knows everything.
Is feidir ling my arse
The Yes side have it by a country mile. Roll on the 31st.
James do you just try wind people up? What’s wrong? getting lonely in your basement all by yourself? and your computer
World of warcraft and pizza just aren’t enough for a grown man in his parents basement sometimes…
James is a public servant. He’s in no basement. He’s in an ivory tower
Threatening the old again that there kids will burn in hell if they don’t vote yes…….sweet god, here we go again
James is a well paid worker with 2 mortgages and a 12-D BMW to pay for. Yes vote on the 31st please, the diesel won’t pay for itself.
@Scrap Croke Park
Did you know that half of all public servants are on less than €40,000 a year? Before deductions? That’s no ivory tower. Now if you stopped tarring all public servants with the same brush and accused the more higher earners who earn over the 100k mark, you know, the real high earners, I think your argument would have some semblance of legitimacy.
@Mark. My apologies. I know only too well the number of lower paid civil servants and I am absolutely not referring to them.
I’m referring to sec gens on 200k pa, 3,000 pen pushers in the HSE earning over 100k pa and of course, one of the highest paid govts in Europe.
(what is the world of warcraft by the way?)
@Scrap Croke Park
Can’t disagree with your grievances in that case.
James, you’re really canvassing for a no vote aren’t you? :D
We need to stop being push overs and stand up for a better deal.
This feeble government won’t stand up to them but the people can.
NO
There was a young one flyering for yes on connelly station Friday. He had no answer on why he got paid from my tax money… handing out paper printed with my tax money… while child benefit got cut and I hardly can afford creches…and his peers with non-FG parents can’t afford to go to college anymore
Nobody gets paid, at least by Fine Gael, to do leaflet drops / canvassing. Its voluntary. Some parties, Sinn Fein, are paid by the party in cases. The “paper” printed is part paid by the state, for every party. Remember the Ink Gate Scandal? Sinn Fein spent €50k on ink for his office printer. Your money. That can be added to your list of “Why my Child Benefit had to be Cut”. According to Sinn Fein, it was to communicate with the people and they didn’t see a problem because nobody told them they couldn’t.
Add that to their TDs salary and additional expenses they claim (the highest) just like every other TD. If only they were so vocal and were interested in pushing through proposals to actually reform their expenses and cut their wages, instead they claim the same stupid wages and expenses that every TD in the country gets. See how they won’t propose something so brave which could directly impact them? So much for representing the working class, trying to get us out of the recession and to avoid further austerity.
The real scandal kevin was how much this state is paying for printer consumables. The overcharging on a public service wide basis puts your ‘scandal’ in a proper perspective.
I like the way you deflect from the seriousness at hand without admitting that your good friends in government are milking the hard working tax payers for every cent they can get from them. So much for representing the working class, eh?
kevin, I could do that amount of printing for less than 5 grand, so whos shafting the taxpayer, sinn fein or the people supplying the consumables at ridiculous prices?
:P
An elderly lady who is a friend of my mothers told me she’d wait until Kenny’s speech to make her mind up.
She’s voting NO.
I’m voting No.
Blessed are the lips that speaketh without a toungue Enda the assh……
FG/LAB Coalition’s 1st Year Has been distastrous,75,000 Irish emmigrated Yet Live Registrar still at 440,000,So there’s been no Job Creation
NO. And NO again.
Damn,I missed Enda’s speech.I suppose I’m going to have to vote no now.
He is nothing but a yellow streaked down the back coward.
He and his stupid sheep sadly will vote yes.
Traitors the lot of them.
Edna kenny the useful idiot spouting scripted nonsense as always why F.G. did not dump him when they had the chance is beyond me and very damning for the party.
just by looking at the comments looks like it going to be a big NO :)
No
I’m puzzled that the opinion polls are showing 60% in favour of yes. Vast majority of people i know are voting no. I guess we’ll find out on Friday!
Kenny comes off as a fool in this though. No wonder we’ve had no luck with dealing with the EU.
I’ll be voting no on Thursday!
I wouldn’t pay any attention to opinion polls,most of those that hold them have an agenda!!!
I’ve news for ya Ed everyone I’ve spoken to is voting Yes and most of them are very informed on the treaty. One thing is for sure it’ll be nice when this is over so I don’t feel the need to listen to the ranting and moaning in here every day.
Gary,
I reject the premise that I am uninformed. I read the treaty and I believe in the use of structural deficit for capital expenditure. Therefore, I believe a yes to this treaty ties out hands. I always vote FG btw, in case you think I’m a leftist or something.
Gary… I know one person who is voting yes.
Maybe it depends where you live, I think that the more informed people seem to live outside Dublin :)
gary, considering that the best polling out there puts the yes/no ratio at a 6-4 split on average, if everybody you have spoken to is voting yes, then you either have not spoken to a lot of people or are forgetting that the voices in your head aren’t eligible to vote.
Trueleft. Ed made a polite and reasoned reply while you got straight into the abuse.
I’m also puzzled. 7/10 people I speak to are voting no and I ask random strangers for their view before declaring my own position.
Ed. Apologies for suggesting that. My experience of no voters posting on boards.ie is this…
1. No voter comes in and says why they are voting no. There is a reasoned discussion with people disagreeing but respecting each other positions.
2. No voter comes in and says why they are voting no. There is a reasoned discussion and people explain in detail the voter is mistaken/misinformed on the issue. no voter changes their position to a yes.
3. No voter comes in and says why they are voting no. People reply and explain in detail that they are mistaken/misinformed on the issue. No voter moves off that issue and bring up another. People reply and explain in detail that they are mistaken/misinformed on the issue. No voter moves off that issue and bring up another. … rinse and repeat.
1. Happens in about 5% of cases.
2. Happens in about 5% of cases.
3. Happens in the vast majority of cases.
I’m sure I’ll get a load of abuse for this but look yourself and see. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1431
The problem with posting in here is it’s a mutual back slapping club, with very few people really interesting in finding out facts. This treaty is way too important for *anyone* to be misinformed. So I’d ask everyone who has concerns over their vote to go on boards.ie and ask about them.
Now now Jeffery, us Dubs are very good at educating ourselves. City pollution hasnt killed off all of our brain cells just yet.
no
Better left than reich, jamie
Shove it up your hole kenny . Oh no wait its merkel that does that for you isnt it….. VOTE NO!!!!
n n ooo
nn n o o
n n n o o
n nn o o
n n ooo
The Taoiseach said ‘vote yes’ after all as the man earning 200k plus expenses said “It’s clear that the sacrifices that everyone is making” in his talk I’d guess Kenny was not including himself in the quote. To be serious who could believe some one who refuses to debate something they claim is so important? Vote no and start restoring Ireland.
Absolutely, Yes all the way. Lets keep fighting to keep Ireland a float and stable. Lets vote Yes and dismiss the nonsensical lies, bullshit and pure scaremongering from many on the No side. Clearly all the comments here are just a political agenda being created by the No Camps. Sophisticated and clever move. :P (I kid, of course, and I use this remark because all the polls we have recently are apparently “government propaganda”!!)
Scaremongering? Considering your partys entire yes campaign revolves around scaremongering, threats and blackmail that’s a bit rich, dontchathink?
Kevin O’S
Vote NO .
Well done Kevin, you argue for a yes vote and in 1 hour you have not been ridiculed, scorned or attacked by the no side.. What’s your secret?
Spoke too soon!
Ah hello my good friend. :) There was a few moments of stretching the truth and “Ah now” moments from the Yes Camp, where they felt they needed to drop to the level of the No camp. Sad, but true.
But – Vote No to avoid Austerity? Lies. Vote No and we can get a better deal on our bank debt? Lies. Vote No to stop the Water Charges and Household taxes? Lies. Vote No because the treaty will be modified? Lies. Vote No because the treaty will be modified and we wont get a say on the modifications? Lies. Vote No and the ESM will still be available to us? Lies (going by the letter of the law).
In summary; The No side could only campaign on a false foundation. Completely scaring people into thinking this treaty was bringing in permanent austerity. Telling people that they can avoid the water charges and household charges by voting No, complete bullshit. Telling people that our Corporation Tax would be changed (wasn’t it supposed to change in Lisbon, according to the No side!?) if we vote Yes, again all lies.
Bit rich for yourself and your fellow No siders to be pointing fingers at the Yes campaign. Pot. Kettle. Black.
Susie. Listen, between me and you, I know you want to vote Yes. Its okay. Its the right thing to do. Ill pretend that your voting No. Make sure ya give the Yes box a good firm ticking now! :D
It’s not vote no to avoid austerity, it’s vote no to get rid of austerity that shouldn’t be ours. Vote no until they come up with a REAL solution, vote no until they engage with what the people of Europe actually want from the EU.
The yes side is a total sham.
You can’t honestly tell me you’ve read that treaty and thought it was a good thing. There is absolutely NOTHING in there that addresses the current problems in the Eurozone.
To be absolutely clear – of course there will be austerity either way, but it’s the type and implementation of that austerity that’s the core issue.
If that treaty is the best the bureaucrats in the EU can come up with then the EU has no future. It’s dull.
Also, why is this treaty outside the framework of the EU???
If this is so important/legitimate why is it not part of the EU framework?
That’s just the tip of it. It boggles the mind to think that people actually thing this is the way to go.
f**king nuts!
Not at all Kevin
I will be voting NO . Maybe you will have a change of heart at the ballot box and do the right and correct thing for our Nation and our children . and vote no.
kevin, do you support your partys decision to not object to the blackmail clause being inserted at the last minute to coerce and threaten us?
Kevin, you can’t keep a country afloat on bullshit and manure.
Did someone mention FG scare tactics?
Quote from the Irish Independent:
“In the wake of a top secret FG party meeting, astonished TDs and senators told the Sunday Independent they had been informed by the party’s referendum director, Simon Coveney, that “the Government would prefer to win the referendum by being nice but if necessary we will change tack!”
/quote
http://bigginsblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/more-new-scare-tactics-12/
From the same article… (the one from a month ago)
“Speaking to the Sunday Independent, one Labour source close to the heart of Government claimed: “Any conversations we have had with our Coalition partners have centred on our intention to run a clear and positive campaign.”
In an implicit rebuke of any plan to put the “frighteners” on the electorate, top level sources said: “People want to hear the truth; gross exaggerations by either side will not be believed by the voters.”
However, senior party figures also noted that Labour has a “definite strategy to go aggressively after the ‘No’ campaign if they indulge in misrepresentations and scare tactics” and vowed to “hammer any attempts by Sinn Fein to twist the truth”.”
`ha ha .The yes side turning on each other v! Just goes to show that they do not believe the garbage they are trying to peddle.
Ok.. Let’s take a look at what you’re saying Kevin..
The yes sides campaign has largely focused upon the blackmail clause of us not being able to access the ESM if we vote no.
There’s been some rehashed stuff from Lisbon about stability and investment, all outward indicators show that this is nonsense.. So let’s disregard that.
There’s been talk about “good housekeeping” and “These rules already exist”.. Yes, they did exist, until France and Germany were in danger of breaking them, then we realised they were a bad idea and scrapped them.
Funny how these rules are only a good idea when it’s not Germany or France that are on the hook.. It makes the EMU look as though it’s a two tier system..
Now. As the ESM makes up the majority of the yes sides campaign, it deserves a look.
1. It doesn’t exist yet. In order for it to do so requires us to get around article 126 of the EU constitution if memory serves..
2. All members must contribute, our share is €11.1bn to bring the fund of €700bn into existence. Where are we going to get it? Borrow it and add that plus interest on to our debt? What a great idea!
3. The Yes side position the ESM as a guaranteed source of funding, but it’s no more guaranteed than the IMF. Any member may veto..
4. Never mind that, if any of the other nations included in the PIIGS acronym need it, the €700bn will deplete rapidly. But it’s ok, the ESM can demand more capital from members, who have 7 days to pay or face fines (% of GDP) and lose voting privileges..
So as you can see, far from being a guaranteed source of funding it is a possible source with very large membership fees which can be increased anytime..
5. The ESM will have a dedicated office and staff – which have to be paid for, by who?
6. The ESM treaty provides total immunity to the ESM itself and it’s staff from “any and all legal proceedings”. They are completely unaccountable, everything they do is granted iron clad privacy, and zero accountability.. Surely this is what got us in this mess in the first place? Overpaid bankers doing whatever they want with other peoples money and never being held to account.. (check out the ESM treaty, it’s a doozie, and quite relevant)
And last, but most certainly not least
7. It’s only Frau Merkel, FF/FG & Labour who want the thing.. Merkel can’t get it past her lot and has deferred ratification, France have put a pause on, then there’s the Netherlands, Spain etc..
We could be ratifying a dead treaty, making us look like a right bunch of muppets (it’s bad enough Enda being tickled like a puppy by that slime ball Sarkozy).
You allege that those voting no just don’t know what they’re on about, but are you honestly telling me that your informed decision is ok with all of the above?
You speak of scaremongering from the no side then misrepresent their arguments (straw man), ignore the blatant scaremongering going on about us having to vote yes “or else!”. You also seem to be ignoring the pathetic ad hominem attack by labour on SF over the past week..
Vote yes to see democracy, accountability and fairness go down the toilet.
I’ll go on the record and say I reckon the SF and SWP posters are terrible, and on a par with “Vote yes for a working Ireland”.
Ganleys posters at least address the elephant in the room. These debts aren’t ours, and while the IMF says they need restructuring (as do many international economists), the EU (namely Merkel) won’t have it. By voting yes we say goodbye to any hope of renegotiation.
I saw one that said “Austerity kills growth, you can’t have both”, I would have used “stifles” rather than “kills”, but it’s a passable poster (Having said that, referendum posters annoy me.. There should just be posters asking you to read up on the issues and go out and vote – no advocating. If people aren’t bothered learning about what they’re voting on then they shouldn’t vote.. But that’s only my opinion)
@Shanti. Excellent post as always .
Thnx @shanti for making me chortle at 1:20am. Excellent commentary. Thank you
But, all the polls say the yes side have it, 60% to 40%! Why is inda begging? Unless, no, it couldn’t be! Surely the polls are not propaganda pieces! The pie charts a.d. graphs looked so pretty in todays paper. Are we being mislead? Lied to even? Not saint inda. Vote NO, its what he really wants.
listen , you crowd of simpletons, i am half pissed right now because of the fact that our crowd of pension grabbing, over-paid , corruption – ridden amateur so-called politicians are doing their best to hand MY country over to another gang of corrupt money lenders , there is only so much more that I will / can take , i will resist this cowardly surrendering of MY country to these thugs with my LIFE if I have to,
now shut up defending these faceless un-known con-men and try to be REAL Irish men and women,
you bloody crown of lick-arses.
grow up.
Enda Kenny is like a car salesman who tells you to buy the dodgy car in the forecourt but can’t be bothered or is afraid to leave his comfy office and go over the finer details with you.
Smell a rat? I would. Vote No!
We should vote yes because if it’s a no they’ll make us vote again like the Nice and Lisbon referendums. Saves us all money in the long run. VOTE YES
oh jeakers is that the only suggestion you can come up with!!?? its due to this sort of attitude that this country is in the state we have it at the moment with people voting the same way they always have and expecting a different outcome!! you need to use your brain before signing off our country to Europe!!
The D4 elite dictated to by their European crony counterparts will re-run it when Brussels tells him to. I’d personally prefer save the costs to the taxpayer. Would help towards paying off those lovely bondholders who need money for heating their homes this winter.
Paddy BeBop
….and if it is rejected and rerun again WE WILL VOTE NO AGAIN .
Susie; Just like in Nice and Lisbon? :P
thanks for your support , I am just sick to the teeth with corruption, sick of listening to lies , sick of seeing some people stupid enough to accept surrender and servitude, what is wrong with us ?, a once proud and patriotic nation , now prepared to bow and grovel to foreign powers , I really can’t believe that this is happening.
Go sleep it off ya tool.
Any man who states that, ‘…..but Ireland’s public finances were well-run prior to the global financial crisis’ should be shot with balls on their own shite.
ok , Gary.
for the past 46 years I have worked my ass of , to provide a home for my family, to keep food on my table.
I have been out of work only once inthat time because a clown hit me with his uninsured car, I was too busy trying to keep my family safe , housed and fed to worry about those whome I trusted my vote to to do the right things for my country.
I have never had a luxurious lifestyle, I have a 12 year old car, I struggled many a time to keep our heads above water,
So tell me now Gary, what free stuff did I miss, because I could have done with a bit of a lift often during those years.
What a terrible speaker, he sounded like he was reading a children’s story.
I don’t believe a word of it and I am still gonna vote No.
I find it hard to accept his lies all while he is claiming a massive salary and pension. If he had any notion of us being in this together he would slash all ministerial and public sector pay to a max of 100k. Which is still too high for these harsh times.
Enda kenny ..all round tough guy and not to be messed with mayo man…I’ll tell you one thing…
LOL
…And for your next joke?
Its a NO.
CROWD.
Must be new here James. Its over flowing with them! But they go silent when its good news like the regular job announcements. Nothing to say, so its automatic silence.
Hi undecided which way to vote leaning to the yes mainly because of the people advocating a no vote , sinn fein and the rest of the far left say no to more austerity reverse this reverse that cut, but no actual credible way where is the money going to come from .
FG had no problems finding 2.5 billion to give to bondholders tomorrow did they?
Jerry. I’m also a No voter who thinks the No campaigners are to a large extent leftie loonies. I’m voting No because I believe the Yes side. I don’t want Inda borrowing more money for me to pay back so that he can continue to enjoy his champagne baths. I dont want a married father of four on social welfare in private rented accommodation to need a job paying 65k a year just to break even.
Enough! Balance the books and end this madness
There is money available, even in Ireland today. It’s a question of spending priorities.
Relying on the ESM for funding is like buying a car on the strength of some fella in the pub will lend you the money if he gets a job.
No fund actually exists. It’s aspirational.
Noboby knows what rates will be charged for loans.
It’s ability to raise funds becomes more impaired with every passing hour.
Claims for funding aid increase with every passing hour.
It is unlikely, the fund will raise anywhere near €750 billion. Funding requests will go into the trillions.
Doesn’t sound like offering stability and certainty to me.
the reason we , as a nation , are in this mess now is that all down through history, we have been a “Divided country”, one half trying to preserve our nationality and pride and the other half cowering and selling themselves out to foreign oppression.
Would you get off the soapbox and stop talking rubbish. We’re in this position now as we kept voting for Fianna Fail, all the while demanding they give us more free stuff. Oh and they gave us the free stuff, then we had to pay for it. ‘Foreign oppression’ me hole.
Richard, were you out for a drink and if you were did you ask the people you were with what way would they be voting. I have only come across 1 person that said they were voting yes.
Mr Kenny and Company Are Proven Liars…. Why should we ever Trust anything he says………
Once again James, youre ignorant and arrogant. You and Kevin are so similar…
oh, right Gary, so by your own admission , you voted FF, so its you and your likes who are responsible eh?
Now we know.
Richard I certainly didn’t vote for them, we we as a nation certainly did.
to Anne, no , I have a few cans indoors , but nobody I have spoken to recently have indicated a YES vote.there is a clear indication of panic from the other side here.
A divided country is exactly what we need right now [/sarcasm]
@James Darmody, “go sleep it off ya tool” indicates a vastly superior intelligence than most of the rest of us, perhaps you should be in politics.
who was it directed at?
People need to wake up and realize , the ECB, the Govt , the Banks and bond holders and markets don’t care one iota about the public, we are mere serfs, tax payers , the little people to them!
Stop thinking that you are being patriotic by voting Yes and helping the markets and banks. Don’t be so naive!
They don’t care one bit about democracy about the suffering they cause world wide not just in Europe. Self serving profit is there game.
I recommend watching the movie ‘Inside Job’ Narrated by Matt Damon. It available now online on Vimo. And available in Extra Vison.
This movie and others expose the lie that Kenny and our Govt has signed up to.All these bail out were totally avoidable. Have some respect for your selves and your communities: Vote No.
Vote no to the Ponzi Scheme. As Caroline Simons said just now on Radio 1, we are going to be forced to contribute €1.5 billion to a fund “that doesn’t exist”. Bernie Madoff could have written this Treaty.
Feckin Feckers!
to all , sorry if I got a bit emotional tonight, but this is really getting to me, going to hit the sack now. by the way , tomorrow, all the above will still apply.
night all.
Kenny wants us to vote yes? Don’t make me laugh, the man is a creep! He can’t even participate in a debate! And this is the guy that is supposed to be running the country? Running the country into the ground more like! Majority of Irish people don’t even know what they are supposed to be voting for ( me included ) due to FG not being able to explain properly themselves! Rant over.
‘Inside Job’ provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.
With two more days left before the BIG VOTE , can I just say that while a lot of un-nice comments were said here about the whole situation and about politicians and bankers, and while most of us tried to voice our opinions , there has been an element of low-classed vulgarity which nobody wants , needs or appreciates.
some comments are best kept for times when it is difficult to avoide slipping off the bar stool.
I respect everybodies points of view, and the banter was enjoyable, so lets just wait for next weeks results and then off we will go again.
RTE Player
A Broadcast by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD
Available until: Sunday 17 June 2012
http://bit.ly/JnMBH2
If i wanted to watch repeats of wooden puppets on RTE, I’d be looking at reruns of Bosco, not inda cowering behind his teleprompter talking shite.
have your say