Enda Kenny's Speech today

flahavaj

Best speech I've heard given by an Irish politician in my lifetime, brought a little tearto my eye. Hard hitting and direct where it should have been, but sensitive to the plight of the victims at the same time. We have had little to be proud of in Ireland in recent times, but I was proud to be Irish today and to have a leader with the balls to stand up and for once put the Vatican in their place.

A monumental day in Irish politics. I do some work with victims of abuse and I think this will have meant so much to them. Maith thú Enda.

Tusky

I had little faith in him but I must say I was impressed with it also, and not for the first time since he took over.

RosyLily

Really impressed with the speech. Very passionate and composed. Good to see Enda show everyone he's got teeth!
Quite proud of him. Should have been said years ago!

SeaFields

Fair play to him. There was an american lawyer (who represents abuse victims) on matt cooper saying the Vatican will have never heard anything like it.

El_Drago

for anyone who hasn't seen it :

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0720/cloyne.html#video

Fair play to him for telling it like it is.

Morag

If he had not used the name for the HSE's new polcies on child protection in his speech and to close his speech I would have been more impressed.
The new 'Children First' guidelines are over zealous to say the least.

Also at this stage deeds are needed not just words, expel the papal ambassador, look at removing the tax statuses of the church.

EverEvolving

Ya, I was in shock when I first heard it, he didn't hold back or sugar coat it fair play to him.

My name is URL

Words come easy.. I wonder if he has the same testicular fortitude to demand the names of those complicit in perverting the course of justice in this country, and to hold them to account over it.

Seriously, if this was a case of a MNC ordering employees not to cooperate with Gardai, somebody high up in the chain of command would have to answer for it.

Latchy

flahavaj wrote: »

Best speech I've heard given by an Irish politician in my lifetime, brought a little tearto my eye. Hard hitting and direct where it should have been, but sensitive to the plight of the victims at the same time. We have had little to be proud of in Ireland in recent times, but I was proud to be Irish today and to have a leader with the balls to stand up and for once put the Vatican in their place.

A monumental day in Irish politics. I do some work with victims of abuse and I think this will have meant so much to them. Maith thú Enda.

RosyLily wrote: »

Really impressed with the speech. Very passionate and composed. Good to see Enda show everyone he's got teeth!
Quite proud of him. Should have been said years ago!

SeaFields wrote: »

Fair play to him. There was an american lawyer (who represents abuse victims) on matt cooper saying the Vatican will have never heard anything like it.

^ Was listening to it live and must say I thought he spoke volumes in his direct and to the point approach .A historic day in Ireland indeed .

Micky Dolenz

I think he represented the mood of the nation.

MungBean

It needs to be backed up. Papal Nuncio needs to be booted out. Impressive speech all the same and fair play to Enda.

clerk

It was an excellent speech, fair play to him.

Dont be at yourself

He's certainly won some respect from me. Can't ever remember an Irish politician, let alone a Taoiseach, taking the Church to task over their flaws in such a manner. I hope this does signal the end of Rome's influence on Irish policy, and I hope our politicians are no longer afraid to pull them up when they clearly need to be.

tayto lover

A hypocrite. Soundbites imo. He allowed all the citizens of the country to bail out his friends in the banks etc and pay the Bondholders at the expense of the citizens. This is another form of abuse so he is a hypocrite.

Notorious97

it was a good speech, i was glad he stood up for irish victims, enough is enough at this stage! It was long over due.

I believe in Christian faith, but how anybody can cover up or deny any wrong doing is absolutely beyond me, they should be made explain themselves, and if guilty locked up! I certainly wouldnt get away with that behaviour, if i signed up to the church maybe i would!

I think it makes an absolute mockery out of anybody who ever had faith in what they claim to stand for. I am glad it was our leader that stood up to the Vatican, they need to be told in no uncertain terms that those days are long gone, and we will put anybody guilty of these crimes on trial, we have to look after our own and not bow to a cover up.

Fair play Enda, im not a FG man but definitely have alot of repsect for Enda as i have on a few occasions lately surprisingly!

Now Enda, be consistent and tell the EU to fu*k off with this disaster of a bailout!

Spread

A powerful speech. Well done Kenny. Rome will try and spin something, remember the vatican is News Corp in clerical garb. It's PR people will need to be at their Machiavellian best to lighten this. There is no holding back now. Ireland has a new political hero.

Mance Rayder

Where can I see/Hear this? any links?

randylonghorn

Appropriate words, in fairness.

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating though, will be good to see how his Minister for Children performs.

KeithAFC

Well done to him.

Spread

CiscoStudent wrote: »

Where can I see/Hear this? any links?

Go to RTE NEWS and it's up there.

karma_

I'd echo the sentiment already expressed, words are cheap. Let's get the fúckers prosecuted.

tayto lover

karma_ wrote: »

I'd echo the sentiment already expressed, words are cheap. Let's get the fúckers prosecuted.

Exactly. Will he take back control of all the schools from the Catholic Church or is it all, as i expect, just soundbites ?

Wolfe Tone

Just words... watch him do feck all.


Although this whole catholic thing is a nice distraction for him to deflect attention away from his govts lies, backtracking on promises, cuts directed at the most vunerable, etc etc.

Monty Burnz

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

cuts directed at the most vunerable, etc etc.

That's just rhetoric. The 'less vulnerable' - the poor PAYE donkeys who have to pay for everyone else - are being taxed and cut into oblivion. The pensioners especially, and those on the dole have got off very lightly.

There is just no money. That's not the fault of the present government.

Wolfe Tone

Monty Burnz wrote: »

That's just rhetoric. The 'less vulnerable' - the poor PAYE donkeys who have to pay for everyone else - are being taxed and cut into oblivion. The pensioners especially, and those on the dole have got off very lightly.

There is just no money. That's not the fault of the present government.

The most vulnerable, this countries lowest earners, are getting a very raw deal.

Monty Burnz

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

The most vulnerable, this countries lowest earners, are getting a very raw deal.

They have lost much less than middle and high earners. Who is really getting the raw deal?

And what makes low earners 'vulnerable'?

Bosco boy

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Just words... watch him do feck all.


Although this whole catholic thing is a nice distraction for him to deflect attention away from his govts lies, backtracking on promises, cuts directed at the most vunerable, etc etc.

He'll be in the front seat at mass on Sunday as usual, if it's anything like his election promise on Roscommon A + E he'll deny he ever said what he did! I'd like to think it was genuine but they are all hyprociates. As someone else said it's actions rather than words that impress me!

Wolfe Tone

Superbus wrote: »

I'd say his priorities are in order - the government lies didn't rape children.

The Irish govt has never given a fcuk about kids, who put them in these religious run bodies anyway and never did any checks or investigations?

Monty Burnz

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

The Irish govt has never given a fcuk about kids, who put them in these religious run bodies anyway and never did any checks or investigations?

Their parents, among others.

Mance Rayder

Monty Burnz wrote: »

They have lost much less than middle and high earners. Who is really getting the raw deal?

They have less to lose!

Monty Burnz wrote: »

And what makes low earners 'vulnerable'?

Food costs money, therefore if you cut the income of low earners who are barely getting by, they may not be able to afford to eat. Thats one example.

KeithAFC

Will be interesting to see what he will say when the Pope visits next year.

randylonghorn

Monty Burnz wrote: »

They have lost much less than middle and high earners. Who is really getting the raw deal?

And what makes low earners 'vulnerable'?

They had much less to lose, more or less by definition tbh.

Uriel.

Bosco boy wrote: »

He'll be in the front seat at mass on Sunday as usual, if it's anything like his election promise on Roscommon A + E he'll deny he ever said what he did! I'd like to think it was genuine but they are all hyprociates. As someone else said it's actions rather than words that impress me!

I don't see that him going to mass is him being a hypocrite to be honest.

People shouldn't have to abandon their faith due to the issues in the Church. The Church as an institution needs to be held responsible for their failings and individual perpetrators, be they abusers or those who deliberately sheltered abusers, should pay with the full weight of the law, but the average Christian/Catholic faithful should not be held responsible and made to pay by abandoning their faith/practices.

flahavaj

Bosco boy wrote: »

He'll be in the front seat at mass on Sunday as usual, if it's anything like his election promise on Roscommon A + E he'll deny he ever said what he did! I'd like to think it was genuine but they are all hyprociates. As someone else said it's actions rather than words that impress me!

It is possible top criticise the church's actions (or lack pf action) but maintain your faith IMO.

Monty Burnz

CiscoStudent wrote: »

They have less to lose!

And they lose a lower proportion of it. The low paid who have children are subsidised to a great extent by those with better jobs (read: better skills and/or work effort).

CiscoStudent wrote: »

Food costs money, therefore if you cut the income of low earners who are barely getting by, they may not be able to afford to eat. Thats one example.

But how are they more 'vulnerable'?

–adjective
1.
capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.
2.
open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.
3.
(of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge.

Forest Master

tayto lover wrote: »

A hypocrite. Soundbites imo. He allowed all the citizens of the country to bail out his friends in the banks etc and pay the Bondholders at the expense of the citizens. This is another form of abuse so he is a hypocrite.

Eh, you do realise it was Fianna Fail in power when all that happened, yeah?

Monty Burnz

Forest Master wrote: »

Eh, you do realise it was Fianna Fail in power when all that happened, yeah?

Don't confuse him.

tayto lover

Forest Master wrote: »

Eh, you do realise it was Fianna Fail in power when all that happened, yeah?

This crowd have just carried on from Fianna Fail and are no better.
What has changed ?

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Don't confuse him.

Do you think you are smart ?
You are probably a supporter of the people who caused the misery.

Monty Burnz

tayto lover wrote: »

This crowd have just carried on from Fianna Fail and are no better.
What has changed ?

What exactly did you expect them to do? Fianna Failure guaranteed the banks, then got chased off the scene of the crime. LAB/FG were left with the choice of trying to abide by the obligations that FFailure left then, or bankrupt the country overnight.

Personally, I think they should have done the latter, but I understand that others would not take the months or years of carnage afterwards as lightly as I would (as an expat).

Monty Burnz

tayto lover wrote: »

Do you think you are smart ?

Yes. And I have the paperwork to prove it.

tayto lover wrote: »

You are probably a supporter of the people who caused the misery.

No, I'm virulently anti-Fianna Failure and have been for as long as they have been corrupt fools (i.e. a very long time). But of course they didn't do it single handedly - the regulators, the bankers, and the public all played a large role. Who put Fianna Failure in the driving seat in the first place? (not me)

tayto lover

Monty Burnz wrote: »

What exactly did you expect them to do? Fianna Failure guaranteed the banks, then got chased off the scene of the crime. LAB/FG were left with the choice of trying to abide by the obligations that FFailure left then, or bankrupt the country overnight.

Personally, I think they should have done the latter, but I understand that others would not take the months or years of carnage afterwards as lightly as I would (as an expat).

They could have burned some of the bondholders, argued for a better rate and taxed the rich for a start.

Monty Burnz

tayto lover wrote: »

They could have burned some of the bondholders, argued for a better rate and taxed the rich for a start.

Who are the rich? What should they have taxed, that they do not?

They have burned some bondholders not covered by the guarantee - the problem is that burning any guaranteed bondholders would be a sovereign default event and we'd be totally relying on the EU and IMF (who are not charities) to pay the pensions, the dole and PS salaries. There's a slim chance we can go back to the bond markets in a few years without balancing our books first. If we burned bondholders for a few billion, that shot would be out the window and would probably end up costing us a lot more in the long run.

It's a complex problem, and their hands were tied by Fianna Failure.

Spread

KeithAFC wrote: »

Will be interesting to see what he will say when the Pope visits next year.

It won't. 'Cause he's not coming here. You've heard it first on boards

Monty Burnz

Spread wrote: »

It won't. 'Cause he's not coming here. You've heard it first on boards

No loss, if he doesn't.

Corsendonk

He didn't go far enough, talk is cheap. He should seize the assets of the church and use them to payoff the national debt.

Monty Burnz

Corsendonk wrote: »

He didn't go far enough, talk is cheap. He should seize the assets of the church and use them to payoff the national debt.

Would it be wrong if he seized enough to pay fair compensation to victims of the church?

washman3

more hot air from THE hot air specialist.!!!
back it up with actions enda if you want to convince me:mad:

Ulysses Gaze

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Would it be wrong if he seized enough to pay fair compensation to victims of the church?

It would mean reneging on the sweetheart deal cut by the Opus Dei members of the previous Fianna Fail Government with the church.

But to hell with it....that's what retrospective legislation is for.

Let's see if Enda will do that.

tayto lover

washman3 wrote: »

more hot air from THE hot air specialist.!!!
back it up with actions enda if you want to convince me:mad:

It wouldn't surprise me if Enda was ringing his local Bishop tomorrow saying "sure i had to say something to take the pressure off, you know yourself ..."

the groutch

he was reading the whole thing off a sheet, someone could have written it for him.
it was good to hear the condemnation, but I've heard much more rousing speeches many times from other benches.