Táinaiste thinks cross border shoppers are supporting "her majesty's government"

geeky

Am I right to be driven absolutely fking spare by this cr@p?


Minister stresses need to shop locally - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009

ECONOMY: CROSS-BORDER shoppers have to decide whether they want to support jobs and businesses in their local communities or “her majesty’s government”, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has said.

Referring to cross-Border shopping, the Tánaiste said that most people shopping in the North “go to get alcohol. It’s true. People who don’t have a lot of money are not the people going shopping in their cars across the Border”.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1116/1224258921545.html


For years, effing years, we were told to 'shop around' whenever it was pointed out that Irish people were paying utterly off-the-wall prices in supermarkets, and pol after pol talked about building the all-island economy. Now people are doing just that to to feed their families (yes, Mary, they need to do that. No matter how many wage cuts and tax hikes you and your colleagues think people can take, not everyone is starting from as ludicrously inflated a pay base as you) and she's joining the utter lightweights who associate being a smart consumer with treason?

Not only is she doing this - perhaps she could do something about it, like have a halfway competitive rate of indirect tax - but she's dressing it up in this half-baked 'four green fields' sh1te that was trite in the 1950s and is utterly stupid now.

Well Mary, Her Majesty's Government isn't r@ping us six ways from Sunday every single day. Her Majesty's government didn't approve a €1.1m pay-off for a 'public servant' who should have been prosecuted for his shenanigans. Her majesty's Government isn't turning us into a national joke.

I have more loyalty to Her Majesty's Government than I do to your shower of gangsters and half-wits that currently run Ireland.

Am I being a little over the top, or does anyone find this just as annoying as I do?

Degsy

Fcuck her and the government

WindSock

Reduce the stupid fnking tax on alcohol or STFU.

Aidric

Mary Coughlan is an incompetent nincompoop.

My name is URL

No such complaints when it was the Northerners coming down here a few years ago

Captain Havoc

Just waiting on a delivery of €147 worth of cycling gear from Belfast as it was €212 here. (Delivery free)

ninebeanrows

She has some stick.

Its just a shame people couldn't be arsed to stand up and get this shower of fuktards out of government.

But no the FF dictatorship lives on.

getz

geeky wrote: »

Am I right to be driven absolutely fking spare by this cr@p?


Minister stresses need to shop locally - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009

ECONOMY: CROSS-BORDER shoppers have to decide whether they want to support jobs and businesses in their local communities or “her majesty’s government”, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has said.

Referring to cross-Border shopping, the Tánaiste said that most people shopping in the North “go to get alcohol. It’s true. People who don’t have a lot of money are not the people going shopping in their cars across the Border”.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1116/1224258921545.html


For years, effing years, we were told to 'shop around' whenever it was pointed out that Irish people were paying utterly off-the-wall prices in supermarkets, and pol after pol talked about building the all-island economy. Now people are doing just that to to feed their families (yes, Mary, they need to do that. No matter how many wage cuts and tax hikes you and your colleagues think people can take, not everyone is starting from as ludicrously inflated a pay base as you) and she's joining the utter lightweights who associate being a smart consumer with treason?

Not only is she doing this - perhaps she could do something about it, like have a halfway competitive rate of indirect tax - but she's dressing it up in this half-baked 'four green fields' sh1te that was trite in the 1950s and is utterly stupid now.

Well Mary, Her Majesty's Government isn't r@ping us six ways from Sunday every single day. Her Majesty's government didn't approve a €1.1m pay-off for a 'public servant' who should have been prosecuted for his shenanigans. Her majesty's Government isn't turning us into a national joke.

I have more loyalty to Her Majesty's Government than I do to your shower of gangsters and half-wits that currently run Ireland.

Am I being a little over the top, or does anyone find this just as annoying as I do?

i believe ASDA has 1.5% of the retail shopping sales in the irish republic,and they havent even got one shop there

Kintarō Hattori

Have to agree with you OP. Also I absolutely resent not being able to buy alcohol after 10pm from my local shop or off licence.......... and I don't even drink that much.


How much tax do the government put on alcohol anyway?

Dankoozy

**** it i'd drive to norn iron from Cark and buy a load of stuff just to spite her

tricky D

Gombeen droning sociologist from Donegal, in politics only due to inheriting daddy's seat (just like Linehan and Cowen), glosses over her obvious incompetence and plays to her constituency. Par for the Fianna Fail course.

douglashyde

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Have to agree with you OP. Also I absolutely resent not being able to buy alcohol after 10pm from my local shop or off licence.......... and I don't even drink that much.


How much tax do the government put on alcohol anyway?

68%

Wertz

Same sh*te, different year.

She's already come out and said that she realises that excise on alcohol is a problem but that there are no plans to try and tackle that. :rolleyes:

Back to the milking parlour Mary...that's about the only herd that might heed you...

AnonoBoy

I would go North except for them horrible Nordie accents.

Ugh! I'd gladly pay more just not to have to listen to that metal on metal screech!

GavRedKing

Wow thats rich, we are told to shop around if we dont like the prices and then when we do we are told not to??

If I can get somrthing for cheaper from somewhere thta is offering the same product I will do so, its my choice what I do with my money.

ejmaztec

The Irish government is supporting the British government. They should be very grateful.


...and that cock-eyed anti-smoking bunch last week that came up with the idea of upping the price of cigs by €1, so'd there be more money for tackling smuggling. The reason for the smuggling didn't occur to them.

AckwelFoley

Yea, yea we do support the Queens coffers by shopping up there.

God save the queen.

viztopia

i do accounts for a builder. he recently told me that he went to Northern Ireland to get dental treatment for his daughter because it was too expensive here. I felt like asking him what if people thought he was too expensive for the work he did and went to northern ireland to get building work done?

F-Stop

It's a mistake to see her as a half-wit. While the two trips she took on the government jet in the last twelve months cost us over €296,500, to her it was free. She may be a greedy self important b*tch, but she's no idiot.

kmick

Were all in the EU now Mary. Anyway someones got to pay for all the civil servants up there. Anybody who has a job up there its about 50% likely they work in the Civil Service.

ejmaztec

F-Stop wrote: »

It's a mistake to see her as a half-wit. While the two trips she took on the government jet in the last twelve months cost us over €296,500, to her it was free. She may be a greedy self important b*tch, but she's no idiot.

She must have borrowed an idiot's mouth in that case.:eek:

the_syco

Wertz wrote: »

She's already come out and said that she realises that excise on alcohol is a problem but that there are no plans to try and tackle that. :rolleyes:

And there never will be. Maybe an increase, to support families by making it harder for anyone to drink... what a load of b*||*x.

Wertz

viztopia wrote: »

i do accounts for a builder. he recently told me that he went to Northern Ireland to get dental treatment for his daughter because it was too expensive here. I felt like asking him what if people thought he was too expensive for the work he did and went to northern ireland to get building work done?

But sure they have been....for a lot longer than the masses have been buying Pampers and Peach schnapps in Sainsbury's...

The big difference is that builders and tradesmen are free to travel where they can get the work (assuing their price/tender is low enough)....dentistry and other such professions are a closed shop in the Republic, which keeps prices artificially high.

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I would go North except for them horrible Nordie accents.

Ugh! I'd gladly pay more just not to have to listen to that metal on metal screech!

Anytime I'm down the North, at least in the Newry area, all you hear is Dublin accents...the only nordies are shop staff.

myflipflops

Hmmmm... Ogra conference in Bundoran which happily enough, is in our Tanaiste's constituency. I suppose sorting out something like this for the business people in your constituency is 'supporting your local community'. The line between 'community support' and nepotism is very thin in the Fianna Fail hand book.

myflipflops

viztopia wrote: »

i do accounts for a builder. he recently told me that he went to Northern Ireland to get dental treatment for his daughter because it was too expensive here. I felt like asking him what if people thought he was too expensive for the work he did and went to northern ireland to get building work done?

Maybe he could answered - "I'd do my best to lower my prices and remain competitive if that was possible".

Dentists here aren't more expensive than up North because of any extra costs they incurred, they are more expensive because they set prices very high in order to rake in more profits. They deserve to lose customers.

john_d_baptist

F-Stop wrote: »

It's a mistake to see her as a half-wit. While the two trips she took on the government jet in the last twelve months cost us over €296,500, to her it was free. She may be a greedy self important b*tch, but she's no idiot.

While on a trip to the Middle East last year, she up-graded from the hotel she had been originally meant to stay in at €400 per night, to a hotel at twice the price at €800 per night... reason? the first hotel didnt have a leisure facility/spa.... fact

Ruu_Old

Long live the Queen!

Bob_Harris

Wertz wrote: »

Anytime I'm down the North

foxyboxer

I just bought a watch for my birthday,
Where did I buy it? Heathrow Airport!
Why? Because it was €300 less expensive THAT'S WHY!!!!

CamperMan

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan is retarded.....

come on, if you have very little money you go to where you can afford to buy your food... if this goverment wants to carry on ripping us off to fund their lavish lifestyle so be it.. but not at my expense.. I will continue shopping in the North wherever possible

Wertz

Bob_Harris wrote: »

Just my turn of phrase...down the North, up to Dublin...no real explanation, just how I took it up as a youngster.

WindSock

Wertz wrote: »

Just my turn of phrase...down the North, up to Dublin...no real explanation, just how I took it up as a youngster.

I thought you were from Donegal

Trekker09

It's the same with the motor industry. We have been ripped off for years with VRT etc. The problem was masked somewhat during the boom, but it has hit hard in the last year or so. As new car sales have nearly ground to a halt, the exchequer slice has been greatly diminished, so a bit of creative thinking is needed. If there was a government scappage scheme, allied with a reduction in VRT, this would make it a lot more attractive to buy a new car, but the typical reaction is for the minister for finance to stick his fingers in his ears and shouting "Lalalallallalala........"

diverdriver

That woman like so many other Fianna Failers, O'Cuiv being another are promoted beyond their abilities. Just think, if Cowan dropped dead she'd be running the country. :eek:

As for it being unpatriotic to shop across the border, on the contrary it is patriotic for a number of reasons chief of which is the fact that most of us here actually believe Northern Ireland should not be under the control of Her Majesty the Queen. It's part of Ireland. So in effect by shopping there we are supporting Irish people in Ireland.

Secondly it's patriotic because it eventually it will bring down prices here to more reasonable levels. That will be good for all of us.

In any case, hasn't she noticed all the British retailers trading in Ireland. Does she really think it's more patriotic to shop in Tescos Dublin store or their Belfast store? Or hasn't she noticed.

Mr_Roger_Bongos

Does she go on talk shows spouting this nonsense?

Matt Cooper should get her on a phone in so that someone can rub everything in this thread in her stupid face.

The mind boggles, the fact that she's in a position of power makes me think this country is doomed..

genericguy

maybe we should all just write to her:

Dear tanaiste,

You are a useless cnut. So are the rest of your colleagues. We, the people of this country/victims of your economic assassination, would like to tell you that we'll continue to 'support her majesty's government' until you shower of pricks starts supporting us.

we know you can't read fast so we wrote that slowly for you, you ugly b1tch.

Regards,

AH

ejmaztec

diverdriver wrote: »

That woman like so many other Fianna Failers, O'Cuiv being another are promoted beyond their abilities. Just think, if Cowan dropped dead she'd be running the country. :eek:

As for it being unpatriotic to shop across the border, on the contrary it is patriotic for a number of reasons chief of which is the fact that most of us here actually believe Northern Ireland should not be under the control of Her Majesty the Queen. It's part of Ireland. So in effect by shopping there we are supporting Irish people in Ireland.

Secondly it's patriotic because it eventually it will bring down prices here to more reasonable levels. That will be good for all of us.

In any case, hasn't she noticed all the British retailers trading in Ireland. Does she really think it's more patriotic to shop in Tescos Dublin store or their Belfast store? Or hasn't she noticed.

The shoppers are doing their bit to promote friendship and understanding between the two communities, which will make this island a happier place.




And then there's the added bonus of cheap shopping.

ejmaztec

genericguy wrote: »

maybe we should all just write to her:

Dear tanaiste,

You are a useless cnut. So are the rest of your colleagues. We, the people of this country/victims of your economic assassination, would like to tell you that we'll continue to 'support her majesty's government' until you shower of pricks starts supporting us.

we know you can't read fast so we wrote that slowly for you, you ugly b1tch.

Regards,

AH

Do you work for the diplomatic service?:eek:

AckwelFoley

genericguy wrote: »

maybe we should all just write to her:

Dear tanaiste,

You are a useless cnut. So are the rest of your colleagues. We, the people of this country/victims of your economic assassination, would like to tell you that we'll continue to 'support her majesty's government' until you shower of pricks starts supporting us.

we know you can't read fast so we wrote that slowly for you, you ugly b1tch.

Regards,

AH

While well crafted and to the point, i wouldnt expect a reply

Yakult

I hate that bitch Mary Cocklan. Harsh but fair.

kmick

Trekker09 wrote: »

It's the same with the motor industry. We have been ripped off for years with VRT etc. The problem was masked somewhat during the boom, but it has hit hard in the last year or so. As new car sales have nearly ground to a halt, the exchequer slice has been greatly diminished, so a bit of creative thinking is needed. If there was a government scappage scheme, allied with a reduction in VRT, this would make it a lot more attractive to buy a new car, but the typical reaction is for the minister for finance to stick his fingers in his ears and shouting "Lalalallallalala........"

Why dont we make it cheaper to buy a car here than in the UK = buyers coming from the UK to buy cars. What they lose in VRT (which as far as I can see is at best dubious under EU law) they wil gain in VAT, jobs etc. This government cant see the wood for the trees.

ronano

This f'kin lark does my nut in! it smacks of ****ing privileged class supposedly of old trying to play on our sympathys. People wouldn't drive north if there was not a vast difference in price,who wants to drive up north! make it not even equal but sensible for people to shop in Ireland and they will. People need to get got yo

genericguy

ejmaztec wrote: »

Do you work for the diplomatic service?:eek:

no mate, but many have commented favourably on my 'subtle as a sledgehammer' approach to conflict resolution.

senordingdong

Hang the ****.

ejmaztec

snyper wrote: »

While well crafted and to the point, i wouldnt expect a reply

She'd probably think that there was a mistake, and that it was for Mary Harney.

myflipflops

This is all quite funny becuse Bundoran (where she made this speech) is a seaside town that gets a huge amount of it's tourism from people in Northern Ireland, especially around the marching season. They head to Bundoran to avoid all the sh**e.

I wonder what reaction would Mary have gotten if she suggested that Southerners spend all their money down here and those from the north keep their spending up there!!

monkeypants

Aidric wrote: »

nincompoop.

I thought my Ma was the only one to use that word!

I just bought two cases of wine from Virgin Wines last night and will be heading up for some booze this weekend probably.

Having said that, I have a few years of a pension built up over there, so I'm helping to fund that.

Isn't Coughlan from Donegal? Where the hell does she think that her constituents go at the weekends?

Final word from me: Once I've paid the higher rate of tax on my wage, I'll do what I like with it, thanks.

dub_skav

Trekker09 wrote: »

It's the same with the motor industry. We have been ripped off for years with VRT etc. The problem was masked somewhat during the boom, but it has hit hard in the last year or so. As new car sales have nearly ground to a halt, the exchequer slice has been greatly diminished, so a bit of creative thinking is needed. If there was a government scappage scheme, allied with a reduction in VRT, this would make it a lot more attractive to buy a new car, but the typical reaction is for the minister for finance to stick his fingers in his ears and shouting "Lalalallallalala........"

But we don't have a motor industry, it is merely a retail business. Where would the money to fund a scrappage scheme come from and why should 1 retail business be more funded than others?

Irishcrx

Well she can go ask my bollox , I'm doing my shopping up North why shouldn't I save myself some money for xmas or what stay and shop here, get ripped off, pay a crooked goverment and support there ways of ripping people off..no thanks.

She should focus on sorting out why people are going up and becoming more competitive in the current market not making idiodic statements towards the Uk's much more flexible market.

gurramok

douglashyde wrote: »

68%

Crazy stuff, highest in the EU i believe?

Anyway, a 1L bottle of Baileys retails for about 28quid here or 26quid in a 'special offer'.

Up north, its about 11quid stg, maybe 12quid or a tenner in a special offer.

Now, this pricing is similar to Vodka and Whiskey(half price) so where is the fecking incentive for the average shopper to buy IRISH MADE products down here?

Patriotism me hole! I support Irish manufacturing by buying Irish exports to NI!!

Ebonyellie

how dare the government issue the cross border shopping guiltrip again and again - i have no qualms about getting value for my money an hours drive away. I got my 'santy' shopping done in enniskillen on saturday for a quarter of the price it usually is, too bad if its not patriotic - to be patrotic you have to be proud of your country - we are treated like dirt by a government who has no idea of what reality is, i bet not one of them know what its like to have sleepless nights worrying about money and making ends meet. Last december they banged on about shopping local and patriotism etc and then went and increased the VAT rate on consumer goods, are they mental or what?