€36,000,000 wasted on British queen + US president

Zebra3

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/shock-over-euro40m-bill-for-queen-and-obama-visits-2819903.html

Good to see the government has its priorities right.

No money for hospitals and disabled kids, but enough money to invite and protect a war criminal from America and that old German cunt over.

I hope McAleese is delighted with her expensive "legacy". :rolleyes:

GTDolanator

thats old news tbh,you hardly thought it cost nothing now did ya?

kfallon

Complete waste of time and money imo.....especially in these times!

Looking forward to hearing all the bullshit to justify this! :rolleyes:

Parsley

great unbiased OP.

Dyr

We shall see what the tourism figures are like at the end of the year... that 36 million investment should make us a fortune :rolleyes:

Biggins

O' crap, not this stuff again! Seriously OP?
Its time to move on.
Whats done, is done.

ColeTrain

Zebra3 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/shock-over-euro40m-bill-for-queen-and-obama-visits-2819903.html

Good to see the government has its priorities right.

No money for hospitals and disabled kids, but enough money to invite and protect a war criminal from America and that old German cunt over.

I hope McAleese is delighted with her expensive "legacy". :rolleyes:

While I agree with the sentiments of your post, it does get tiresome when people use the "no money for hospitals and disabled kids" argument all the time.

You could say that in relation to anything that's not spent on hospitals or disabled kids!

mackg

Biggins wrote: »

O' crap, not this stuff again! Seriously OP?
Its time to move on.
Whats done, is done.

Indeed, all threads this week are about walking down the street or the sex offenders register

pragmatic1

We're tens of billions in debt to private European banks because our own private banks lost the head. 36 million is fcuk all in the scheme of things. Plus it was good pr for the country.

phasers

That barman who short changed Obama is a patriot! Getting some of our money back!

cgordonfreeman

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

Tipsy McSwagger

I like this clinky glass:)

Onikage

Get over it.

kfallon

cgordonfreeman wrote: »

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

They gave us a billion for each County of ours that they wrongfully occupy and then threw another billion in on top of that....for good luck!

Zebra3

cgordonfreeman wrote: »

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

The British lent the Irish taxpayer money to cover private debts to ensure British banks didn't lose money.

How nice of them. :rolleyes:

Frank Black

cgordonfreeman wrote: »

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

Nothing - they did lend us some money, but I expect they'll be wanting it back at some stage.

I don't mind that they are paid for at all, but I do mind that the final cost was nearly double the original budget, no? And that this was a surprise? What exactly are the ministers doing if they can't even get the ballpark figure right?

Aldebaran

€36m is a small price to pay for a great future episode of Reeling in the Years.

phasers

Wait, I just read the link - it was all spent on Garda overtime? Sweet gig.

orourkeda

Zebra3 wrote: »

The British lent the Irish taxpayer money to cover private debts to ensure British banks didn't lose money.

How nice of them. :rolleyes:

what did you think they were going to do?

TheZohanS

Sure €30 million is what was estimated for the Queen's trip ages ago, it's just sensationalism by the rag that brought us such reporters as Aisling and that whore that slated Cork men.

Their visit to Ireland has already given us a lot of positive media coverage:

The recent visits to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama generated at least €298m worth of publicity through 37,795 separate print and broadcast pieces, according to research carried out by Kantar Media for Fáilte Ireland.

The research reveals that both high-profile visits generated enormous global exposure for Ireland as a tourism destination. The advertising equivalent of the coverage is estimated at €298m.

President Obama’s visit resulted in 11,586 print and online articles. In addition, it generated 4,416 broadcast pieces in the US and the UK, with the US accounting for 3,493 of these.

Coverage generated during Queen Elizabeth’s visit included 15,793 print and online articles and 6,000 separate broadcast pieces.

“This data confirms what we already suspected – these visits have provided a unique and valuable platform for Ireland as a welcoming place to visit,” said Shaun Quinn, CEO of Fáilte Ireland. “As the recent CSO data has shown an upturn in visitor numbers for the first quarter of this year, there is great potential to play for this season. Fáilte Ireland will be working with tourism businesses throughout Ireland to ensure that they can fully capitalise on the afterglow of these resoundingly successful visits.”

Source.

Not a bad return at all, lets hope it's all converted into bums on seats.

Of course the Independent won't mention this because their reporters are of poor quality and their newspaper is a rag just looking for a reaction from readers.

ejmaztec

AH is far more entertaining when it drives a z-lister celebrity to the nut-house.

cosanostra

cgordonfreeman wrote: »

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

Ah come on Britain loaned that money to us as David Cameron said to the house of commons this is a good investment! it protects their banks and investments and they make a good return on it, it was by no means a present

FatherLen

personally i dont see it as a waste. it boosted the morale of the country, got ireland back on the map again, increased relations with our neighbours and will undoubtedly boost tourism. yes it was 36 million but i feel we will get that back and more.

TheZohan

TheZohan wrote: »

Sure €30 million is what was estimated for the Queen's trip ages ago,

Oh. In that case, I take it back, no complaints here

ejmaztec

As is usual with figures in Ireland, the truth seems to vary:

Shock over €40m bill for queen and Obama visits

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/shock-over-euro40m-bill-for-queen-and-obama-visits-2819903.html

Cavehill Red

ColeTrain wrote: »

While I agree with the sentiments of your post, it does get tiresome when people use the "no money for hospitals and disabled kids" argument all the time.

You could say that in relation to anything that's not spent on hospitals or disabled kids!

Not if they were spending sufficient money on hospitals and disabled kids you couldn't.

And that's the point really. We're cutting back on essential services in order to pay off bankers and indulge Mary McAleese's delusions of self-importance. OP is spot on is saying that this country's priorities are arseways.

JohnDigital

FatherLen wrote: »

personally i dont see it as a waste. it boosted the morale of the country, got ireland back on the map again, increased relations with our neighbours and will undoubtedly boost tourism. yes it was 36 million but i feel we will get that back and more.

I agree, plus the point that most people seem to be ignoring is the majority of that money was paid in wages to Irish citizens, so it went straight back into the economy! I for one think that’s a good use of my tax.

MungBean

cgordonfreeman wrote: »

Sorry I forget, how many billion did the UK give us in the bailout again?

They didnt give us anything. They lent us the money at a very good interest rate to cover their banks and make themselves a few quid while doing it.

ColeTrain

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Not if they were spending sufficient money on hospitals and disabled kids you couldn't.

And that's the point really. We're cutting back on essential services in order to pay off bankers and indulge Mary McAleese's delusions of self-importance. OP is spot on is saying that this country's priorities are arseways.

Fair enough if there is waste like the E-Voting machines fiasco but saying Obama or the Queen weren't worth the money is subjective. It's just that I can't remember a time when I didn't hear that line brought up.

Spunge

I think we are spending too much on hospitals and disabled kids these days

ejmaztec

Skunkle wrote: »

They didnt give us anything. They lent us the money at a very good interest rate to cover their banks and make themselves a few quid while doing it.

All very well and good if they actually get it back.:pac:

If I had a load of money, I certainly wouldn't lend any to Ireland.:eek:

Wolfe Tone

2 heads of state, or keeping hospitals open? I know what I would have picked if I had a 36 million kitty to spend.

cgordonfreeman

Zebra3 wrote: »

The British lent the Irish taxpayer money to cover private debts to ensure British banks didn't lose money.

How nice of them. :rolleyes:

It was nice of them

J_E

Zebra3 wrote: »

No money for hospitals and disabled kids, but enough money to invite and protect a war criminal from America and that old German cunt over.

Jesus, could you fast forward your dated attitudes about 100 years?

Richard Hillman

Everyone knew the cost at the time and at the time it was pretty much unanimous barring a few attention seeking lefties that it was worth it. Must be a slow news day at the rag that is the independent. They know articles like that appeal to the lowest ebbs of the far left to try and convert people with low IQs to their loony ways how they post links all over websites like this and HEY PRESTO! they get extra hits for their website.

cgordonfreeman

Skunkle wrote: »

They didnt give us anything. They lent us the money at a very good interest rate to cover their banks and make themselves a few quid while doing it.

I understand that it wasn't a gift. Either way they contributed to the bailout.

lugha

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

2 heads of state, or keeping hospitals open? I know what I would have picked if I had a 36 million kitty to spend.

Maybe some of you republican lads could have a whip around to help reimburse us as possibly the biggest threat to the queen came from your quarters?

EverEvolving

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

2 heads of state, or keeping hospitals open? I know what I would have picked if I had a 36 million kitty to spend.

Ideally yes, but a lot of hospitals are hemorrhaging money through the way they are being run. Tighter efficiencies need to be brought in to combat this and reducing budgets seems to be the HSE's answer. Even if they reduced the heating in hospitals by 2 degrees I'm sure they would make considerable savings yearly.

On another note, my family had some American relations visiting recently and they were very keen to visit Moneygall during their stay. Now I know two tourists aint going to solve all our problems but if the majority of them think like that and use the presidential visit as a reason to visit Ireland, then that money wasn't wasted.

Chuck Stone

Does anyone know the methodology used to predict the 295m in return?

Ich bin ein skeptiker

MungBean

ejmaztec wrote: »

All very well and good if they actually get it back.:pac:

If I had a load of money, I certainly wouldn't lend any to Ireland.:eek:

I would if the ECB and IMF were involved. The longer it takes to pay back the more ya make on interest. 4-5 billion a year is a nice little return for the shareholders of the IMF and ECB. And thats just from Ireland.

Funny thing is that they got the money here in the first place through the bank guarantee. They invest in Irish banks make a mint when the gov pay them off their investment plus their interest. Then through the ECB and IMF they lend it back to us.

Seeing as we're stuck in the Euro there's not one damn thing we can do but keep our mouths shut, do what were told and hand up the few bob at the end of the week.

Meanwhile two of our new owners (biggest shareholders in IMF) come for a visit to see their new bit of land and it costs us 36 million to host em. 36 million that we borrowed from them at interest.

123balltv

spending 36 million :mad: when you cant afford it

no wonder Irelands credit rating is now junk .......

Cee-Jay-Cee

It may have cost 36 million in garda overtime but the government got back 20 million of that in tax/USC etc etc so it cost them f**k all in the end up.

Corsendonk

I wouldn't say that was the worst we ever spent on anything. in 1953 the state bought a horse for 250k.

Vudgie

I wonder how much of the cost could be attributed to the morons that insisted on protesting around the place (The Queen's visit) and generally being a security risk.

For once I think that this was money that will hopefully prove itself to be well spent.

Bodie Broadus

number doesnt mean anything! the army and police would of still bein getting paid... so its not representative of the actual cost

Wolfe Tone

EverEvolving wrote: »

Ideally yes, but a lot of hospitals are hemorrhaging money through the way they are being run. Tighter efficiencies need to be brought in to combat this and reducing budgets seems to be the HSE's answer. Even if they reduced the heating in hospitals by 2 degrees I'm sure they would make considerable savings yearly.

On another note, my family had some American relations visiting recently and they were very keen to visit Moneygall during their stay. Now I know two tourists aint going to solve all our problems but if the majority of them think like that and use the presidential visit as a reason to visit Ireland, then that money wasn't wasted.

Theres talk of the A and E in Drogheda having reduced hours and closing at night to save money. Had that been the case a month ago, my father would be dead.

The health service should be the number one priority.

mike65

Jasus is the Boards.ie Republican "Massive" in need of a few mutual **** thanks today?

Corsendonk

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Theres talk of the A and E in Drogheda having reduced hours and closing at night to save money. Had that been the case a month ago, my father would be dead.

The health service should be the number one priority.

An efficient Health Service you mean. The dogs in the street know the Irish one is fecked because it so inefficient and the vested interests like the highly paid consultants or ward nurses keep it that way.

ejmaztec

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Does anyone know the methodology used to predict the 295m in return?

Ich bin ein skeptiker

It was an accurate calculation by the same individuals who previously calculated that the the property bubble wouldn't burst.

Bullseye1

Zebra3 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/shock-over-euro40m-bill-for-queen-and-obama-visits-2819903.html

Good to see the government has its priorities right.

No money for hospitals and disabled kids, but enough money to invite and protect a war criminal from America and that old German cunt over.

I hope McAleese is delighted with her expensive "legacy". :rolleyes:

There is more being wasted in the running of this country every day.