Primetime 17/02 - Finance spokespeople debate

Sir Oxman

Lead-in on Primetime now, Noonan, Burton and Lenihan lined up for a debate.

gizmo555

Had to stop watching. Stomach turning at the sight of Brian Lenihan nodding sagely as Joan Burton says the dogs in the street knew Anglo was a basket case in 2006.

FFS, Brian, if you knew in 2006 why did you wait two more years to do something about it????

PomBear

pfffft, no Pearse Doherty

nesf

Christ, McWilliams is talking a lot of crap. As per usual.

Pete_Cavan

I wanted to punch the TV when McW was talking.

nesf

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

I wanted to punch the TV when McW was talking.

It's like the boy lives in a different world. Yeah, a referendum on the banking debt will make such a difference to our negotiating position in Europe.

"Hello, Europe, we ran an expensive poll and discovered our people don't like being saddled with debt. We also ran a second one that discovered that they also don't like taxes. We're wondering if you could do something about these things?"

Sir Oxman

nesf wrote: »

Christ, McWilliams is talking a lot of crap. As per usual.

I have to agree - he was asked specifically to comment on Noonan and Burton's strategies to renegotiater re-interest rates/burden sharing and came out with a load of abstract waffle.

I liked Noonan - I can see him as an asset in any renegotiaition and I have come around to the fact this is what is left for Ireland and the March summit is our best chance at substantially reducing what we eventually will have to pay, no matter the morality of the issue. Spain's partial failure today at raising the full money they were looking for will help us.

Burton's point about frontloading austerity meant sense in relation to growth and the balance in getting growth coupled with cuts/taxes is very important.

I would really like to see the next government take with them to the negotiations the likes of Gurdgiev and Mathews and even Doherty, as suggested by Gurdgiev himself - I think Noonan was singing from the same hymnsheet as Gurdgiev tonight about tactics.
One thing is for sure, Ireland needs the best of the best on our side come the end of March.

hmmm

gambiaman wrote: »

I would really like to see the next government take with them to the negotiations the likes of Gurdgiev and Mathews and even Doherty, as suggested by Gurdgiev himself - I think Noonan was singing from the same hymnsheet as Gurdgiev tonight about tactics.

A Doherty is not what you need, after about 5 minutes those on the other side of the negotiating table would realise it is all bluster and spoofery.

I'd ask someone like Willie Walsh (BA headman) to join the team. Good business head and a tough negotiator. There's plenty of other good people in this country I could name also.

I don't know what Matthews background is, the mere fact that someone appears to know more than the teachers and the auctioneers in the Dail about banking is not a reason to put him on a plinth as some sort of financial god.

Pete_Cavan

nesf wrote: »

It's like the boy lives in a different world. Yeah, a referendum on the banking debt will make such a difference to our negotiating position in Europe.

"Hello, Europe, we ran an expensive poll and discovered our people don't like being saddled with debt. We also ran a second one that discovered that they also don't like taxes. We're wondering if you could do something about these things?"

They are democrats so they will understand.

Seriously though, why do they have him on if he is only going to go off on a tangent which has absolutely no relevance and completely ignore the issues at hand. I thought we were going to get a critique of the different parties policies (which in fairness Richard Curran tried to give) but instead we got more self-promotion from this media invention with limited analysis but a good ear for the soundbite.

Sir Oxman

hmmm wrote: »

A Doherty is not what you need, after about 5 minutes those on the other side of the negotiating table would realise it is all bluster and spoofery.

I'd ask someone like Willie Walsh (BA headman) to join the team. Good business head and a tough negotiator. There's plenty of other good people in this country I could name also.

I don't know what Matthews background is, the mere fact that someone appears to know more than the teachers and the auctioneers in the Dail about banking is not a reason to put him on a plinth as some sort of financial god.

Doherty, maybe not, but twice I've heard him mentioned as someone non-political neutrals (Gurdgiev and Foley on the Frontline Finance debate) have said they would take into a negotiating team.

I don't hold Mathews up as any guru but he is an experienced banker, knows the business and has extensive experience in bank restructuring.

Someone like Walsh, loathed by Aer Lingus workers as he may be, would be another asset - I think it's clear Ireland needs people of real experience along with massive diplomacy on any team, not simply DoF officials and the next MoF.

MagicMarker

Just so you know, the primetime late debate is starting in a minute, I mention it only because last week's debate was very very good. Will have to wait and see about this one....

Sir Oxman

MagicMarker wrote: »

Just so you know, the primetime late debate is starting in a minute, I mention it only because last week's debate was very very good. Will have to wait and see about this one....

cheers, almost forgot.
Politics is coming out me ears at this stage - overload!

nesf

MagicMarker wrote: »

Just so you know, the primetime late debate is starting in a minute, I mention it only because last week's debate was very very good. Will have to wait and see about this one....

Tonight's debate is good. ULA rep getting grilled over really wanting a socialist republic!

nesf

Christ, am shouting at the television due to this TASC representative who doesn't understand basic economics.

thetonynator

PomBear wrote: »

pfffft, no Pearse Doherty

yeah it was great wasn't it, actually able to listen to what they had to say without sinn fein magic money conjuring policies thrown in. . .