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IT MIGHT NOT look like it outside, but in the world of TV chat shows we’ve entered the summer hiatus – meaning the Late Late Show and the Graham Norton Show are off air.
That means no more rousing bonhomie from Ryan Tubridy and – perhaps less regrettably – no more awkward interviews between isolating celebrities and Graham Norton.
But don’t be alarmed – that doesn’t mean that TV has disappeared altogether. There’s still plenty of chat, cheer and all-round entertainment to cut through the bleakness that is the nightly news.
In that spirit, thank goodness for the Americans. At the very least, we appreciate their chatshows.
The grim news stories keep on coming from the US and talk show hosts haven’t shied away from it. Last week the death of George Floyd and wider police brutality dominated discussions and little has changed since.
If anything, that discussion intensified. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host lamented the reaction of US President Donald Trump to the protests and probed calls to defund American police departments.
One of the most significant discussions was between Colbert and award-winning reporter Wesley Lowery, who started his career covering the unrest in Ferguson following the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer, and is now calling for police data to be provided publicly as a key tenet of reform.
If Youtube metrics are anything to go by, Jimmy Kimmel’s monologues remain resoundingly popular. But his guests still packed a punch this week.
Actor and performer Keke Palmer spoke about feeling her ‘upbeatness’ challenged by the mood in the US and discussed her starring role in a protest moment that went viral – when she encouraged National Guardsmen to take a knee during a rally. But she said that more needs to be done and that the symbol wasn’t enough.
Over on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver also offered a satisfying history of how US policy and white supremacy are inextricably linked, as well as offering some potential solutions.
All is not lost on Irish TV screens, however. Some hot-shot executive in TG4 had the bright idea to commission Daniel sa Bhaile – truly one of the greatest decisions in Irish television history.
While we’re not sure that the charms of Daniel O’Donnell flailing around in a hula hoop will survive after post-pandemic, it’s certainly a welcome diversion from the world outside.
And if you really are missing the Late Late Show, here’s some good news. Tonight, there’ll be a “Best of the Late Late Show” programme on RTÉ One at 9.35pm – so get your final fix before all traces of the show vanish for the rest of the summer.
Four years ago may not seem not that long ago, but watching guests huddled on a sofa seems otherworldly enough to make this clip worthy of an inclusion here.
As we all cope with unshorn locks and increasingly messy hair, it’s nice to know that it’s also movie stars like Colin Farrell who have bad hair days.
If you’re feeling insecure without a barber or hairdresser, take some pleasure in this.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
To be in the opposition must be the easiest job in world…..
Yes I remember FG in opposition. They promised the world and have delivered nothing. talk about pot, black and kettle’s
I think i’ll take a career break if SF gets into power. don’t fancy 60% tax having already paid the lions share of income tax so far.
Ireland has the most progressive income tax system in europe. SF need to be much more astute on economic growth than simply taxing the heavily taxed classes to pay to appease their voter demographic.
didnt hear them shouting stop when FF were putting up their salaries either
“Yes I remember FG in opposition. They promised the world and have delivered nothing.”
Worth remembering when you go ti give SF your No. 1 in 2016
Like a striker who is congratulated for scoring in an open goal. Not so long ago when people were saying what an effective opposition leader Eamon Gilmore was!! One practicaL solution from SF would be good. Their wealth tax proposal (at its maximum possible revenue draw-down) would meet about 25% of the deficit reduction target for 2014 and would be less next year as capital would go offshore. Any increase in tax is a one-time deficit reduction solution, whereas budget cuts have a longer lasting benefit. Although the government should leave the health budget alone.
FF is to George W. Bush as
FG is to Barack Obama
Or is that FG is to FF as Obama is to Bush
doh!!
I’m not a fan of FG but they were handed a mess
When Enda Kenny retires he will receive a lump sum of 100k and a Teachers pension of 30k a year on top of his politicians pension. He worked for 4 years as a teacher.
The gap (which has grown since this Government have been in power) between rich and poor in this country is 4 times the euro average.
http://www.newstalk.ie/Irelands-poor-four-times-further-away-from-rich-than-European-average
FG are EXACTLY the same as FF…nothing has changed….the same cronyism exists now as it has always done.
Is there any wonder people are looking for an alternative
30k teachers pension???
Bit late for such privileged, neoliberal, elitist scaremongering muck…..should have tried spinning it on the doorsteps instead of at garden pawrties and golf society w@nk-ins!!
I cannot wait for Sinn Fein to take power … better social welfare, medical cards for all, rent supplements increased pay for nothing at all – good times are here again… **celebrate good times come on! ** de de de da de da de da **celebrate good times come on** – i’ve already planned my retirement from work in 2016… happy days.
I feel confident that just like Obama when he took over from Bush, that with SInn Fein in power – everything will be all right from now on – now me and Randy Marsh are heading out for a few beers – fcuk yeah!
Cheers Sean just seemed like a hell of a pension considering the salary of a teacher
its obscene Ivon…how can someone get a pension of 30k for four years work…..its an insult to every hard working person in this country….PIGS AT THE TROUGH!
SF remind me of the FF government years ago who sang the same tune…..”Free everything” Mary Lou just loves to hear herself talking- she needs to remember that 85% of the people did not vote SF despite property tax, water charges, heavy unemployment & a krap health service. The people who are paying for everything now are not fooled by stupid promises that can not be delivered!
Where have you been for the past three years Simon, FG promised austerity, lots of it and today John Bruton is saying that austeriry will last for ten more years. I don’t know about you, but I would imagine that SF would promise you nothing and that is exactly what you would get from them. Becauae they are the hurlers on the ditch.
Same old negative krap Sean! If the SF people want to lead by example why don’t they just claim half of their salary instead of donating it to the party – a party that gets a lot of loot from American businessmen !!!
And 76% did not vote for FG in the local elections…what’s your point????
Inky
I refer you to JFs point…we can all talk figures…since this fascist govt took over from the last shower of criminals the gap between rich and poor has widened considerably…four times the euro average. tell me how enda kenny can get a teachers pension and a 100k pay off for teaching for 4 years?
Would some of u please go look up the 2011 sf manefsto? All the mental stuff u thinks in there’s not…did u never consider checking it ffsake?
@Ink Toner.
What troll account were you using a few years ago when you vehemently opposed every easy budget FF did and can you link me to them?
I’m sure you were the lone warrior taking a stand against generous tax reductions, increases in SW and having a relatively better standard of living than what you’re enduring now under the Fine gael stewardship, fair play lad…now can I have them links?
it will not make a blind bit of difference, they bent over and gave in to pay out bank debt – this is the result. not one of these parties, not one of them are willing and able to change this, nor hold any crooks accountable as we’ve seen over the past 4 years. We need completely new people, none of these in there right now or any of their local councillors pretending to be one party or the other, they’re all just in this for the hefty pay. Make it less attractive to enter this business game and weed out the pigs. Pensions? Cut them way down, but you see none of these opposition parties are crying for that as that would leave them losing out when ‘they’ get in. Same old roundabout. Nothing is going to change in this system. Greed, end of.
inky
you deal in conjecture and not fact..i have provided links to every fact i have stated….you make comments about what sinn fein would do if they were in power…its all speculation and judging by your past predictions its way off the mark..what is a fact is that this government have made the rich richer and the poor poorer…they are as dodgy as FF shatter and reilly to name two and still continue on with the same cronyism FF did…nothing has changed…its actually got worse for the vast majority of people on this island
It’s very easy to unnerve the SF trolls! All you have to do is ask a question and it rattles them! They usually deflect them by asking ” link to this & link to that please” same old drivel all the time!
so you have no link or no proof….no good inky…and you didnt unnerve the shinners because if you look at your posts on this thread you didnt ask any questions…. you just made a few wide of the mark observations without any proof to back them up you muppet!..still though you probably got half of the shinners elected in dublin…your good for something at least
go raibh maith agat!
your views remind me of the old unionist attitude in the north…..swore that they would never deal with sinn fein..and we all know how that story ended :)
Sean answer the question on SF TD’ s salaries and stop ducking! If they don’t need it all why give it to the party? Why not donate it to jack & Jill or maybe the homeless or some other charity????
” a party that gets a lot of loot from American businessmen !!!!
Could you provide a credible link to that please?
NO?
Didn’t think so
i dont duck inky….I suppose its to keep up with all the brown envelopes and donations from dennis that fg get….now your turn…how does enda kenny get a 100k lump sum and a teachers pension of 30k a year for working as a teacher for 4 years?
tommy in the litany of comments the muppet has not provided one shread of evidence on anything….we can all say what we please but if we are to be belived we need proof inky?
More deflection from Sean the tin pot SF wannabe!
That’s a stupid comment about them donating money to their party, I don’t c FF,FG ,Lab donating anything to anyone except their own bank accounts. The huge state pensions r what is our economy’s problem , no party’s r independents have ever mentioned reductions in wages / pensions . And that’s what’s wrong with our government , promise us the world then they c the money and the greed takes over. At least Ming donates half his wages to charity he is one of the very few that is genuinely interested in helping the poor and needy not the bankers and the wealthy
you speak of deflection….i clearly asked you about enda kenny in my last post and have not replied…your silence on the matter speaks volumes…as eamon dunphy would say…you sir are a complete spoofer….but i like you inky…as i have said before…you are part of the reason sinn fein are on the rise :)))
If you want to see what SF in government will be like, look to Northern Ireland. Austerity measures are being taken up there too. However the dominant SF and DUP still like to play divide and conquer so elections are fought on those grounds rather than on policies that matter and so they’re not held accountable for their actions.
There’s absolutely no way a SF government will abolish the property tax, water charges, universal social charge and reverse every cut so far. How are they going to pay for all that? They can’t. It’s a fantasy.
People attack the Labour Party for breaking promises and then flock to SF for making similar problems? Have people not learned yet???
Ignore my point is that you cant condemn a government that has not governed….sinn fein attack labour because they were in government and broke their promises…thats not the same…if we have an election tomorrow and SF are the next government ..they will be held accountable to what they promise just like labour are now
weather people like it or not sinn fein support is rising….its time for the parties to look at themselves and ask why…varadkar touched on it over the weekend…its a bit like a football team blaming the referee the crowd and everyone else for losing
Well ink have u bumped into denis o brien lately anything coming up to sell on the cheap get over urself at least eith sf there Will be fairness thats all the people of this country wanted but with this goverment if ur not a big farmer or high paid ur fuc.ed
There will be an abatement of 50% on the teachers pension, you cannot receive more than one FULL government pension without this abatement and its always the lesser of the pensions.
Ignore why are u asking us how they can do it? Look up their alternative budgets there on the website.
You just wanna spread disinformation about them to turn off swing voters no matter how reasonable their proposals were us have an Axe to grind
@johngahan: progressive tax system? Are you for real? Progressively grinding us into dust alright and driving young people with any ambition out the door to the US, Australia, Asia, Canada. Whose tax systems might not be so “progressive” as you put it, but they allow you to make a decent living.
To pay Gerry’s property tax in Donegal more like…
Dave does that make it okay then?
No Sean, it’s time the electorate looked at themselves and asked themselves if Labour could not implement their promises, then why is that?
A) Because they are the minority party?
B) Because it wasn’t possible.
C) A combination of A and B.
Labour, The Greens and now the PD’s – yet you think SF will glide into power, implement their “alternative” budget and everything will be ok?
Really?
And yes, I have read it – it will not work, it will cost jobs, cripple investment,cripple employers, drive up taxes for the working middle class, the employment creators, have LESS people contributing to the system while have MORE taking MORE from it.
Crazy.
I hope they pay tax on their salaries before giving half of it to the party….
pat… i certainly do not…but i see a different way to do it than the way it is being done now…all throughout europe there are questions being asked about the austerity programmes for government…there has been serious admissions about ireland in the last while…i want to see a new politic in this country instead of FF/FG gombeenism…and your last paragraph is an actual description of what has happened since this government took over…i seem to remember a 5 point plan some time ago that promised the sun moon and stars…read it now and you will understand what i mean
let me also say this…the FG election campaign didnt go to plan and it was probably down to the fact that their party strategist and morally honest FRANK FLANNERY was not there at the helm
Sean, this is not new politics, this is more of the same.
This country was a in a worse place in 2011, then we were in serious trouble, the Government have made mistakes, no doubt about it – but the job of unravelling all of the bad policy decision over the previous 10- 15 years could not and cannot be done in 3 short years.
You are saying that SF will honour these promises when Labour could not? That is just not plausible, it is entirely ridiculous to think that Labour would commit political suicide and do it knowingly
Wouldn’t it have served their purpose better to just do all of these things?.
FG are still in power, they still have the largest majority do they not?
The election went exactly as they knew it would, it’s a mid term election Sean, it’s a rap on the knuckles.
In “punishing” FG and Labour, the electorate have paved the way for FF to come back into power in 2016 – 5 short years after we kicked them to touch.
I read it Sean,
The manifesto from each party was based on what if they got into power – ALONE.
When a coalition is formed then both of these are obsolete. When two diametrically opposed parties go into power together sacrifices have to be made.- it’s all about negotiations…..Just like marriage. lol
if you read both they are fairly alike…as i said the sun moon and stars…you cant on one hand criticise sinn fein for makey uppey politics and not condemn fg and labour for what they promised and failed to deliver…can you see that pat…especially when sinn fein havant been tried
Ireland Cannot pay its way yet. More adjustmenst needed if you want to have any services running so just prepare for it. If we dont hit our targets, the funding will get expensive and could stop. The next 5 years will alos be rough but much better than the 90s or 80s in reality.
Because they are not allowed to do so. Party first, people second.
Because he is entitled to it under Irish law. Change the law and you can change what he will receive.
Does sinn fein on the rise mean that tax is on the rise and if so how much. You can start with Endas 100k pension. What rate of tax would apply under an SF govt. how much would you take from Apple, Intel, Microsft, Google, E Bay and how quickly do you think they would leave Paddys green shamrock shores as a result of Pearse saying he would apply more taxes to them as they can afford to pay it.
Lets see how absolutely little they do with prpoerty taxes, water charges etc in Dublin now that they are the largest party. Thry will do nothing but probably claim that they are powerless yadi yadi yada.
And confiscate your property
Sorry Ryan, I did look up their budget before and I talked about it on this site before.
Here are my main problems with it:
Firstly, they need to define by what they mean by a wealth tax. Why is it different from a property tax? Property is a huge form of wealth, particularly so in Ireland so why exempt it from a wealth tax? Also, what kind of a left wing party is against a property tax?
Secondly, aside from the repeal of the property tax you’ll notice that they don’t talk about reversing any other austerity measure. SF’s 2014 budget submission relied upon the fact that a lot of austerity measures were taken already since 2008. By making a submission that does not reverse these measures or take them into account, they are endorsing them.
Furthermore, there is a huge uncosted figure in their budget 2014 called ‘carry forward’ which is a CLEAR endorsement of current savings achieved by this government.
FINALLY, look at SF’s 2011 manifesto. Not a mention of the need for austerity or a bailout from the EU/IMF, yet now in budget 2014 they’re proposing a budgetary adjustment? Why the change of heart, SF?? And where are your adjustments for 2011, 2012, and 2013?
So in conclusion, no. Their figures don’t add up at all. We’re talking about austerity measures for the 5 years of government, not just a one off budget.
I for one would like to see Mary Lou for first female taoiseach..
What a brave thing to say on The Journal. Truly fresh stuff.
God no
Ivan would have been better.
I’d like to see Pearse Dotherty as the Taoiseach rather than Mary-Lou
Pearse would be better than Mary Lou
I agree, wholeheartedly with the idea of Mary Lou for Taoiseach. Our day will come.
Putting a protestor in charge? Are you for real?
Sinn Fein’s policy is slate everything and offer no alternative solutions. A plan of inaction is not a goer for someone in power.
Im far from a SF supporter, but I believe they have produced coherent and comprehensive alternatives to most if not all of the government’s budgets and cuts. This is never mentioned as it suits the govt to keep on shouting “You dont know what youre doing” at SF
‘I;m far from a Sinn Féin supporter’ = Sinn Féin supporter.
Welcome Susan – here in the hallowed halls of the Journal.ie you are welcome. Get your Gerry Adams face membership badge and pen at the door and proceed to the great hall of freedom where you can begin your indoctrination… don’t forget to try the Mary Lou McMuffins they’re delightful. Oh and don’t forget to give a tip to the doorman P’ O Neill on the way out… he gets angry if you don’t. Over there is the historical hall of glory – (ponsored by Northern Rock) its full of great murals and please if you need to use the ‘facilities’ please use the 10 men Dead urinals that’s where you will find our principals – thanks for coming.
You’re either illiterate, or incredibly stupid, not a SF supporter means precisely that. When you have something intelligent to say then I’ll listen.
*principles
@susan bit test aren’t we?.. you’ve come to the right place.
“bit test”?? What relevance has x86 assembly language got to do with the above discussion?
God helpus if she ever gets that far she is just a bag of wind
I must have missed those memos. Their alternative to the water charges has always been “don’t charge it”. An alternative in the technical sense but not really viable.
Pearse Doherty and Mary Lou are the best all round politicians in this country at the moment! Fine Gael are so blinded by cover ups and corruption they underestimate them at their peril.
@Joe, exactly the sort of statement that makes people think twice before voting SF
Feck sake if they thought once they wouldn’t vote for Sinn Fein
You must have also been left out of the memo loop for Blueshirt HQs schemes to eventully profitise water, transport and health by and large for their ‘intrinsically linked’ vested interests at whatever cost to ordinary citizens and fickle sheeple alike!
So would I if only to see the stupid hypocritical smile wiped off her smug face when she has to explain to her delusional followers why she can’t in fact give provide free services because the people providing those services expect to be paid.
Her so called wealth tax is a pipe dream
Pmsl
I take it you have a well for this free water. Because the cost of supply of your water is massive otherwise
What an arrogant man he is! He has no regard for the suffering the vast majority of people are going through in this country..
What an arrogant lady she has no regard for the suffering and death visited upon this island by her idols. She has expressed no regret or shame, yet points the fingers at others. Her hypocrisy is breathtaking.
She has, but don’t let that get in the way of a rant.
And they have broken their first promise. 2 years out from a general election, a few days in the after glow of this one, McLaughlin said this morning that they WONT be abolishing water charges as promised, now let me be clear on this, it’s not a broken promise, it’s just that , well all the meters are in now, and the bold government gave made it too expensive and complicated, not to continue with the charge, but it’s not their charge, it’s this crowds charge, but the money will be handy. Reality bights.
Gerry can you post a link to this information “McLaughlin said this morning that they WONT be abolishing water charges as promised” ? Thanks.
I hear you, Gerry.
(But your last word let you down a bit.)
Not that handy I’m afraid, newstalk with Ivan Yeates, I think they have playback,
This morning on Newstalk, he said: “lets be very clear………..Because Labour have invested an absolute fortune on water meters…….we have to look into a costed alternative”, he refused to clearly answer that they would remove the water charges but any donkey could see that he was saying they can abolish the charges, one by one over the next 18 months SF’s crazy economic plan will evaporate.
http://www.newstalk.ie/player/listen_back/5/10180/28th_May_2014_-_Breakfast_Part_4 fast forward to 22:00 and listen in.
*CAN’T (not can)
Thanks to FF, can’t believe people are back voting for them, goldfish.
Nooo Declan , just the reality that none of them will follow through on any childish promises, because it’s broke, it’s badly broke and they don’t know how to fix it, but they won’t tell us how bad it really is, until they are safely ensconced in their brown leather seats , then we will be told , again, that things were worse than was thought , and around we go again.
What are you on about?
@Cosmo – suffering me hole. Try living in the Ukraine or in the slums in India or the townships of Johanesburg……,
@ Gerry Campbell – have you a link for the Padraig McLaughlin statement? Would be helpful if you include these things to back up your argument.
Ignore the above comment.
“What I have heard from your party’s spokesperson is that there should be free water, that there should be reversal of universal social charge and abolition of property charges – that everything and every service is free of charge.”"
Its actually staggering that the leader of a country can stand in our parliament and lie through his teeth like that, in full knowledge that he can hide behind the ceann comhairle while doing so, and that afterwards reporters will not dare to call him on it.
i’ve no time for FG but really there’s some truth in what he says. SF have no problem saying we shouldn’t have this tax and that tax, and of course I’d like to think we shouldn’t either. But SF never reveal how they propose to raise money to pay for everything.
Maybe if they did I’d have a little bit more respect for them.
It really is so easy to be in opposition, particularly when you don’t actually have to reveal how you plan to pay for stuff!
I would love to know what the 52% tax take on ordinary wages ( tax+USC +prsi ) pay for . We pay for rubbish collection, property tax, road tax, insurance levies , water is coming soon, school books , school registrations , school voluntary donations ( as if they are voluntary) , doctor fees, near half the country pays private health insurance with UHI tax coming down the road, illegal VRT ect ect ect. ESB and Gas near the highest in the EU.. What’s these services we get for Free Kenny !
We get the free service of being rode
@ ‘miguel’: “But SF never reveal how they propose to raise money to pay for everything.”
They do, and the figures used are fully costed by the Department of Finance.
http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/2013/Pre-Budget2014Submission.pdf
They have never been in power and they will defend the I defensible like all other governments once they get in. But they won’t go into government too quickly cos that would blow their cover
Costing means squat! Implementing the budget,that’s what counts and what SF cost would bear no resemblance to any costings they would produce beforehand!
From what I understand SF plan on having a system where people who have most pay most. Unlike FG who make the same bracket of people pay time and time again for everything. Let’s face it they have one section of society propping everything up. In the recent Australian budget they introduced a wealth tax, 20% on earnings over $180000. That’s what is needed here. Someone should tell Kenny theres more than one way to skin a cat….
@ ‘were jammin’: ok, I should have been more specific. they havent revealed anything realistic. i can come up with a 36 page document full of crap and say it’s going to save our economy.
don’t forget that in 2011, SF said that ireland didn’t need a bailout, then 6 months later said we needed a second bailout.
also in 2011 they said that they would reverse the savage cuts yet no budget proposal since then has included a reversal of these cuts.
their pension relief proposal would effectively increase income tax for low and middle income earners.
their prebudget submissions for the last 3 years have been practically identical.
why didnt they include their much mentioned wealth tax in their proposal?
i could go on, but my fat fingers are having issues on my mobile!
Well, a SF TD supposedly lives on the average industrial wage so according to their calculations everyone earning more than that would be paying a wealth tax. That’s not how I’d like to live even though I’m not a high earner.
It pays for all those who DON’T pay the above
Gillian, I think you find that already, the more you earn not only the more tax you pay, but also the higher proportion of your income you pay to tax. People accept this, but there has to be some limit, you cannot keep piling all the taxes on the same people otherwise you end up wit a less organised version of a communist state.
@Gillian Foale, Get you facts straight first. The Australian wealth tax, called a deficit levy is actually 2% not 20% as you claimed and is only going to be implemented for 3 years (June 2017) after which the legislation for it expires.
http://www.afr.com/p/national/budget/deficit_levy_to_hit_high_earners_2qCRPFAsrRMrL5PfEJMuFL
Also, the last federal budget has cut welfare rates as well as many other entitlements along with the sacking of 16,500 public servants. At least try tell the full story.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-13/budget-winners-and-losers/5433178
Their figures may have been costed using D/Finance data but that means shag all as it does not mean they have a meaningful economic policy. Their overall policy is daft. No property tax, no water charges, more medical cards and more taxes to pay for it all especially those on high incomes. Higher income earners are already taxed at one of the highest rates in Europe. The Irish tax system is already one of the most progressive in Europe. They are going to raise capital gains tax. Yet all the evidence is that the more you raise capital gains the less you receive as people sit on assets rather than pay the higher tax rates. And they must never have heard of capital flight in a small open economy with free movement of capital. As for those who claim we are paying too much tax please remember we are still borrowing billions to pay for our current public services.
Chill Dan!
“You cannot keep piling on taxes” tell me about it. Then tell the current government. I’m aware of PAYE. But if they need to keep introducing more taxes, why not a specific wealth tax?
@Gillian Folae Well at least you accept your initial post was wrong. Make an effort next time
I hate FG and despise Enda Kenny, but he is right in what he says about SF policies. Of course they can abolish all charges, how are they going to pay for everything else though. No clear plan outlined by them
Actually Dan I realised the 20% was incorrect when re-reading my post. However I think you’ll find the rest of the details of the Australian budget are irrelevant as it is their first harsh budget. How many harsh budgets and cuts are we on now? 8/9? I didn’t wish to discuss their entire budget, just the wealth tax…..
They are not irrelevant as a budget is a sum of its part. The Australian deficit levy was brought in to shore up the tax intake,however, there were a lot of other harsh cuts in there too, harsher in some respects then what Ireland has had to put up with. Take for example forced redundancies in the Public Sector. Ireland has not done this at all, yet Australia a country that has not had a recession in over 20 years is doing this. What country do you think is better run and more financially sound? If you want to talk about a wealth tax the you must also be open to the idea of cutting waste in the public service.
Easy to live in the “average industrial wage” when you have the proceeds of the Northern Bank and other cash robberies floating about.
Cutting waste- should have been done a long time ago. I’ll say it again, when Kenny talks about taking the pain he is actually only speaking to those he is inflicting it on. Where as I think the pain should be relevant to all incomes. And the waste cutting should start at the top.
@ Miguel O’Reilly
Kenny and Co are experts at FUD.
“Fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) is a tactic used in sales, marketing, public relations,[1][2] politics and propaganda. FUD is generally a strategic attempt to influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information.”
There is always (and I mean that), always alternatives. Kenny and Co have no time for the Irish people. All Kenny is fit for is getting a pat on the head for being the good little technocratic federalist that he is. Your completely brain washed Miguel. Do you believe that saving money by taking discretionary medical cards is the way to go? I would rather eat grass than stand over a decision like that.
Well said Niamh.
On last nights Prime Time a man in the audience said that in a communist society where everything was free including heating people used to open rhe windows instead of turning the heat down. With Sinn-Fein in government and everything free we will probably do the same with water and everything else. Don’t worry lads there is plenty of money in the banks and when that’s gone we will get some more.
Perhaps a few more Northern Banks might “contribute” some £Sterling !!!!??
Stop blowin smoke out your a$$
Ok Jammin so tell the people how SF is going to pay it ( in simple terms)!
And Reilly it’s even easier to live on full whack plus whatever legacy teaching slush, plus whatever kick-backs the likes of Mobile/Meter Baron O’Brien serves up for various lucrative services rendered!!
“Fully costed with the Department of Finance”…
Like that means something.
This alternative budget will not work and I truly hope that they do not get the chance to implement it.
It is naive, ill thought out and puts zero focus on the ramifications of some of their “ideas”.
Fully costed with the department of finance means NOTHING,. It does not mean that this budget will work, yet you and Sinn Fein add this mantra as if this explains everything.
Lol,
From what you understand?
So that was how you voted was it?
Smashing.
How do you vote Patlyndo? With closed eyes and a hovering index finger??
@ Patlyndo
“Fully costed with the department of finance means NOTHING,. “
So why do the government keep saying that there (Sinn Fein) budget was Not costed by the department of finance? The sky is not going to fall down if you tax the very wealthy. Companies are not going to run for the hills over paying a few percent more tax. It is pathetic to say “Fully costed with the department of finance means NOTHING,. “
To be fair enda kenny isnt the sharpest knife in the press to say the least, its just that hes running are country that scares me.
You keep your knifes in the press?
I keep my knives in a drawer like most people in our country.
Given you can’t tell the difference between our and are, I wouldn’t be too quick to pass comment on sharpness if I was you Peter.
Im not claiming 200,000 odd euro a year for my sharpness, my bluntness = red thumbs his = starving familys
What is in store for us if sf get elected in next GE, me thinks not much difference but who knows… They sure do a lot of shouting
Have a look at Gilmore’s pre-GE11 performances in the Dail.
He was by far the best opposition leader. He shouted, roared, hackled and hounded the government.
Fast forward to post GE11, reality kicks in.
Shouting loudest in opposition doesn’t mean someone will be able to do a good job in government.
Icon their policies are not secret…their 2011 platforms online with every detail…
All talk and no action from SF. She’s so full of $h1t€ re name Mary Loo.
And you created a brand new twitter account just to share that with us.
Kept going in headquarters since the election lads??
John in the words of Mary Lou above, “Have you not heard the results”?? Action can only be taken when they are in power and by the looks if it people want them in some capacity in government.
What people Will? She doesn’t speak for me or anyone else I know.
Enda is not in an easy place:
1. Fine Gael’s performance in the local elections was poor while that of Labour was “brutal” to borrow a word from Mary Hannifin.
2. The message from the voters was “WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR EFFING AUSTERITY AND IF THINGS DON’T CHANGE WE WILL KICK YOU OUT OF GOVERNMENT AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION – CAN
YOU HEAR US?”
3. The sweet-talking has already begun – Noonan, Bruton and Enda dropping hints of reduced income tax – to take some of the heat off the “barely-coping classes”, the “heavy lifters”.
4. The problem is, they cannot return any money at this stage without reducing services further or imposing some other stealth tax. The books simply won’t balance.
5. What they don’t say is that they will be taking 2 billion out of the economy in 2014 budget AND another 2 billion in 2015 budget to comply with the ECB diktat.
6. So when the next general election comes around in Spring 2016, the voters may pick up where they left off this week!
As I say, not a very comfortable place for Enda to occupy.
If it’s so hard to cope why the F?ck won’t they resign and let someone else fix the problem it’s not rocket science
That is correct, another 3 to 4 billion adjustment in the coming 2 years followed by years of fiscal rectitude to bring the debt gDP ratio below 70 percent. Tough decade for politicians of all hues coming up. It was easier when Bertie was dishing it out like snuff at a wake!
Kenny dose not get it still
Would you like a dose?
He is a dose!
Of what, orange fleg fever!?
I’d love to see SF’s financial policies but alas they are a mystery to all.
Their previous budget was fully costed by the Department of Finance and is still available on the Sinn Fein website.
“I’d love to see SF’s financial policies but alas they are a mystery to all.”
http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/2013/Pre-Budget2014Submission.pdf
Mystery solved.
They may have costed a budget but that means squat. Implementing one is what matters. The costed budget would never see the light of day with SF!
Joe the Maneen of idiotic rhetorical rants!!
Just an FYI. In their budget above SF introduce a 48% income tax rate for salaries over 100,000 and an increase to 40% on Capital Gains. That would give Ireland the third highest marginal income tax rate in Europe (possibly the world) at 59%, just behind France and Belgium. It would also kick in at a much lower salary range, debatably giving Ireland the highest income tax rate in the World (if you exclude the exorbitantly rich).
If you think that this is the basis for a sound budget going forward I have sad news – capital moves. The rich move their riches offshore and the tax take would fall dramatically in the subsequent years. Add to that the jobs that would go with them & the increases in the welfare burden and you have a lovely scenario for Ireland under Sinn Féin. Food for thought, for all the new SF voters.
Exactly Brendan, they really do believe their own spin. Everyone knows that budgets change all the time according to changes in the economy. So what is their forecast for the rest of the year.
Yeah, not that wealth hoarders don’t already hire various accountants and tax savvy legal sharks to ensure that their relative liabilities are kept to a minimum alongside the services provided within a complex network of tax havens a la tax dodging pioneer Des Traynor and those following in his sleazy well-healed foot prints, ever since!
Lol, mystery solved…..Cos it’s costed you see and this guarantees success. God save us.
Great to see when you loose an argument you have to insult! It’s no wonder you’ll never be in power!
They don’t forecast because they don’t have the instruments of state that allow them to do so accurately. Much as FF don’t forecast.
Go MaryLou!
What an arrogant woman she is. She might have missed it but the Taoiseach’s party beat hers.
Democracy is not something that the average Shinner understands or respects. Indeed the intelligence of the average Shinner is way below the intelligence of the least intelligent of the remainder of the population.
I think FF beat the both of them so suck it.
Hear, hear. God damn Shinners are an embarrassment. Dark day for the country if they ever get into government.
A chair has more intelligence than you Pickart.
All you do here is troll the same boring nonsensical statements all day with no evidence.
The day this account, along with all your other ones, is banned thejournal will rejoice
@ Conor :”She might have missed it but the Taoiseach’s party beat hers.”
Would that happen to be your party as well by any chance conor?
Interesting. I’m an “average shinner” and I work as a doctor. But I guess if brains were dynamite I wouldn’t have enough to blow my nose. Don’t get sick!
Hi Niamh, with a new Twitter account with all tweets in praise of SF. I do not believe that you are a doctor but then again Harold Shipman was a doctor.
Conor are you lapdog Inda’s poodle or just a mere cumanner from out wesht!?
Someone who hides behind coward, throwaway twitter and facebook accounts can’t really commentate on anyone’s level of intelligence, isn’t that right Pickart/Patrick?
Conor, you’re using Argumentum Ad Populum, an appeal to popularity, another logical fallacy FG tend to use as a crutch when trying to express their views….it’s a position of arrogance.
Exactly Conor.
No surprise the troll bought into Conor’s fallacy….lolz upon lolz upon lolz.
Well I don’t really give 2 hoots if you believe me or not. Yes brand new twitter account and brand new to social media. We were still using pigeons when I was a young one like you!
IF SF and Mary Lou achieve real power, they’re going to sersiouly disappoint their constituency. Watch the spin go into overdrive if that happens.
Nice pair of crystal balls you have there Peter, can I borrow them for the lotto numbers?
Well, unlike Gerry, he has balls!
Who But-timer!?
@Peter Were jammin likes your balls.
Ask Mary Lou for her set – after she has them costed of course.
SF will tax this country into the ground. Obviously people hate the taxes that FG and Labour have had to introduce, but listen to any economist worth their salt and they will tell you that they were necessary to bridge the budget deficit.
I’m no FG fan by any means, but SF’s solution is terrifying. Taxes they propose will cause the biggest exodus of skilled labour from our country right at a time we need it most
Has there not being an exodus happening the last five years
I wonder where SF are getting their funding from
@Enda – I mean of highly skilled labour like doctors, bankers (don’t jump down my throat), foreign companies (raising Income tax increases their tax wedge)
All citizens of this country no matter how skilled and unskilled they are deserve a fair chance the political parties ff fg and lab have failed in that sf and the ind in all fairness could they be any worse then what we ve had to suffer under up to now
If Sh!t Féin ever got into power they’d have a panic attack – they’d never manage to rob enough banks to fund their Narnia election promises!
Makes a change from the banks robbing us.
The hilarious thing is that they do actually rob banks, and we are all supposed to ignore it.
There is a serious point here about the lack of respect Sinn Fein have for the rule of law. Until relatively recently this party did not even recognise the legitimacy of this state. Whatever you might say about it, it is the integrity of a Justice system which holds a democratic state together. can we expect a party with a private illegal army to respect restrictions of the system.
We look at places like Belarus, China and Egypt and think that the kind of oppression and restriction of freedoms they experience could never happen here. But in a Europe which once again is driting to the extremes do we really want a group comprised of former terrorists, quasi communists and religious bigots to run the country?
Who’s law do you respect? It was illegal to get divorced twenty years ago. Nelson Mandela was called a terrorist too. Northern Ireland was an apartheid state in every sense of the word in the mid 60s and discussion about NI was prohibited in Westminster. This is not to mention NI itself was gerrymandered and included 2 counties with nationalist majorities. The south did nothing. Civil Rights marchers where beaten off the street and the loyalists where killing civilians years before the Provisionals came into being. Many war crimes and accidents happened over the 30 or so years of war but at least republicans never tried to justify killing civilians and made the significant moves that lead to peace. Once the option was there to put down the gun they did. the IRA decommissioned and stood down in 2005 so I don’t know what private army your talking about
Conor Dowling
a lot of people down here don’t like to be reminded about the fact that Catholics in Northern Ireland were denied their right to vote. They also don’t like to be reminded of the fact that Catholics in Northern Ireland were treated like the black population in South Africa. They don’t believe the fact, that apartheid existed in NI. They also don’t like to be reminded of the fact that Nelson Mandella was a terrorist, nor do they like the fact that Mandella held Gerry Adams in very high esteem. They also don’t appreciate the fact, that the 6 counties were sold off so that every man and woman living in the 26 counties had the right to vote, to a job and to a home.
They don’t like it when facts are thrown into the mix, because all they have to come back with is childish name calling and their mystic meg predictions..
Dont agree with much mary lou says but shes right
Have to say id trust any enda Kennys judgement over any shinners any day of the week. Sf and the socialists don’t have a clue.
@Niall Kenny was saying on Monday that if the numbers required it that come the next GE he would go into power with SF. So given your thoughts on SF and the socialists exactly how confident of Enda’s judgement are you?
Kenny is on the money. Empty vessels make most noise and at a time when this country is delicately balanced the worst thing the Irish nation could do is get sucked in by the sensationalist and unrealistic Sinn Fein. Labour have been a disaster but let someone else fill the void or reform the party then see what the outlook is.
Doesn’t matter who they are or what party they are from they’re all corrupt!
Is the word ‘corrupt’ the most misused word on this website? A lazy, tired phrase to avoid constructive criticism.
Is it not very worrying that the leader of our country and his cronies “do not know the scale of the public’s finances”
No, because it requires them to be able to tell the future. The budget will be based on tax revenues that have not even been generated yet.
Surely they can have quite an accurate estimate on where they are going to be come the end of the year
He lost the phone number to the Bundestag
‘McDonald told Kenny that the people did not regard him as competent, saying: Did you not follow the election results?’
A slightly odd comment, given that FG got far more votes last Friday than SF did.
No, FF did. Which makes me think the voters aren’t very competent either.
Perhaps SF will need to appoint a new electorate at some point.
She’s one very arrogant woman. She shouldn’t be let anywhere near power. She talks a lot but basically says nothing.
So did fianna fail get more votes than Sinn fein, especially after bankrupting the country. Sinn fein are beginning to believe their own spin.
If the Govt introduced water charges and then say reduced income tax by a similar amount!!
FG tell us they have “frozen” income tax, despite introducing a lot of charges. While few charges are actually spent on what they said they are for, for example property charges paying for local services.
Agree Austin, they need to give something back on income taxes in the next budget. It won’t be by a similar amount though as the country is still running a large current deficit. Hopefully the lower rate of USC might get reduced. That way everyone will benefit a little. In time then they need to widen the tax bands as 33k is too low to be paying 52% tax on the balance.
Paddys such a fool…give him equivilant of a 10% tax hike with regressive stealth taxes, cut standard tax by 2% still leaving Addy 8% worse off and paddy claps like a seal and thinks he’s got a concession..
@ Reg
Keep up – USC for those earning up to 40 000 are to go up by as much as 700 euros while those earning over 100 000 will enjoy a decrease.
Dame Edna Kenny hasn’t a clue what’s going on, It’s why he wastes several millions every year for people to tell him what to say and apparently to also chew his steak for him and peel his grapes.
while the leader of her party sits in a police station questioned about a horendis murder
He was also released from said station without being charged. MI5 and Special Branch tried for 30 years to get something on him and they couldn’t. Why? – there is nothing to find.
The day those shinners get into power is the day this country will be ruined. Mary Lou calling Enda incompetent is a laugh coming from let’s not charge for anything and we will get the money from the magical money tree.
Eh?
The country is ruined thanks to the combined efforts of FG/FF/PD’s/The Greens, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed this before.
I notice kenny said when ye get control.
While I agree with what she says, I will never trust the AK 47 gang.
Fair play to her but I wonder who be ant better
Dec?
Ming for Taoiseach ..
Mary loo you said it as it is, and the fool still hasn’t got it, the sooner Kenny is gone the better, follow your partner in crime Gilmore,
“a horendis murder”. Says it all really!!
Spot on taoiseach. 82% income tax is what they’ll need
When sinn fein or fianna fail propose a policy why do the fine gael and labour not point out exactly how it won’t work.
Instead they use terms like “it’s unsustainable”
If it is infact pie in the sky and unsustainable then it should be easy to explain why that is.
Enda Kenny et all seem to always respond to fianna fail by saying your party put us here, respnds to sinn fein with some sort of reference to the ira.
Yet can never give an intelligent and thought out counter argument to point out the flaws in any proposal.
SF can promise the sun moon and stars knowing they don’t have to deliver anything
Looks like SF ROI support will peak at about 16%, judging by results from last week’s elections, which is no mean feat, all historical factors considered.
May increase this by a few percent before next election, if coherent economic policies are put forward in advance suggesting how they’d boost national revenues to finance all those cuts highlighted recently.
Hugh additional investment to Ireland from US based diaspora, I’d say, if SF come close to gaining real power in ROI.
Gerry has to work his magic with the yanks, not just on seeking financial support for his party, but on inward investment/ biz to Ireland. Tourism initiatives with a 32 county angle could work best here.
#Less talk more action.
Well said Mary Lou !! Here’s hoping Joan wins for the Labour Party can’t wait to see Kennys face!!!! I bet all in FG headquarters feel the same….
Enda has a point.
We can’t have Fianna Fail in power after the diabolical mess they caused and we can’t have Sin Fein trying to turn us into a communist state.
Whoever’s in charge will have to deal with the same mess in a rational way.
All is forgiven FF
Why is that Paula?
For the love of god winthorpe, Release the hounds.
Let them eat cake
Kenny just go and save face not like biffo
He fixed the country while she is just a whiny idiot.
Conor….its all about structure.. FF had it all in place before hand….Sinn Fein are building theirs now as we speak.. (Im no Sinn Feiner by the way)….but in due course they will end up putting a machine in place that will be the envy of FF and FG….similar policies to on the economy (Ireland is only so big….no real room for change or difference)
Is thejournal on commisdion from SF?
Julian….I agree with you on your Obama comparision (Obama is center right)….but I disagree with your opinion on FG being left a mess….the international players told FF what to do and FG the rules of the game….the bondholders should have got burnt….economics is nothing more than a horse race when a horse falls don’t expect a refund on the bet…. but they got it….anyway economics is not really a particular field in science like they want us to believe….its nothing more than a catchup game as nothing is predicable with it (guessing game and hope for the best)….anything to with finance is always after the fact…and they award degrees for this crap….anyone who says anything different is either Bloated or full of it or possibly both.
Paula why?….FF need to be taught a lesson on economics….just because fg labour have and are botching things up after the FF led meltdown shouldn’t justify any chance of an Immaculate resurgance
Obviously Enda is an out of touch gobsh*te. But Mary Lou MacDonald is an intolerable wench who works for a terrorist organisation so she hasn’t really a leg to stand on
have your say