The Official (State of the nation, enda kenny speech thread)

RobitTV

Enda kenny is due to give his speech in the next few mins, opinions after.

desaparecidos

EU flag not necessary.

Nalz

desaparecidos wrote: »

EU flag not necessary.

Does it really matter?

Deminiman

'You are not responsible for this crisis"

Were we ever blaming ourselves Enda?

I think not!

desaparecidos

Trilla wrote: »

Does it really matter?

Everything in frame is there for a reason. I don't see the need for it.

RobitTV

Ahh yes, our new leaders are there. the EU

no wonder the flag is there

kev9100

desaparecidos wrote: »

EU flag not necessary.

Actually, it kind of is.

kyote00

German flag missing

Nalz

desaparecidos wrote: »

Everything in frame is there for a reason. I don't see the need for it.

Like the glass and the press and the picture frame etc? Listen to the speech

JP Liz V1

"Jobs for our people" i.e. Ciaran Conlon

omerin

Spoof, spoof and a bit more spoof. Cuts to effect the ordinary (wo)man today, but cuts to effect the political elite some time in the future or never.

Never before has so few owed so much to so few

JonathanAnon

I bet the camera scrolls up at the end and reveals a picture of Adolf Hitler..

Seth Brundle

Key points:
* "You are not responsible"
* PS costs to reduce by 2.2bn
* require an additional 1.6bn in taxes, mainly through indirect taxation
* long way to go
* budget will be tough (it has to be tough)
* jobs creation will be focus of budget
* by 2015 - deficit under control & growth in jobs
* lending schemes for businesses
* will protect most vulnerable in society
* will invest in crucial programmes, e.g. NCH & schools
* phones & allowances of former Taoisigh gone
* referendum to abolish seanad next year
* Ireland supports Europe


All in all, a good State of the Nation speech. Something we've needed for a while.

irishh_bob

desaparecidos wrote: »

EU flag not necessary.

is it me or is the tri colour a bit lifeless looking while the EU one has a more shiney glow ?

omerin

I'm dosing off, he doesn't exactly inspire confidence. No verve, no spark..... nothing

Spudmonkey

Don't think he's doing too bad.

ongarite

Wasn't bad.
I would be well drunk if I had to have a sip of the drink everytime he said the word "jobs"

keysersoze0330

Bad and all as it is, at least he is addressing the nation. Cowen was a buffoon that couldn't even let us know what was going on.

kellogscoffey

omerin wrote: »

I'm dosing off, he doesn't exactly inspire confidence. No verve, no spark..... nothing

I suppose next year we'll ask him to crack out the juggling balls and spinning disks :pac:

MisterEpicurus

People need to be informed about the state of the nation and Kenny has delivered that tonight. He may not be the most inspiring orator, but he has laid out the past, present and future endeavours for the program for government. Brian Cowen slipped into the background as the crisis unfolded, and never addressed the nation. Kudo's to Kenny for doing it in the first place, and second, he didn't do too bad.

maddragon

Feel good now. If Enda can be Taoiseach, I see no reason why I can't be the intergalactic president.

Har0ld x9

To be honest, i think Enda spoke well and echoing the comments of any earlier poster at least we are now getting some communication from those in the know!

flutered

he is just after announcing a new bank note will be in circulation within 40 days ( or sooner if they can regig the printing presses ) it is to be named the merkosey .

omerin

Even if the government knows that the UK will be increasing their VAT rate in the very near future this decision is one of the worst made in recent years, and jesus we've had some clangers. More then likely they see the Euro callapsing in value compared to the £, but up to and including the working poor this will hit hard. Also the prospect of lost taxes to the North. Would like to see someone in power with a bit of common sense and vision to do something

Blair

I didn’t want to hear it but like most of us I had too. Thought he laid it out quite well.

Pride Fighter

Enda's not the worst, he's not the best either.

Very boring speech and nothing we dont already know. But at least he's facing up to reality and trying to ensure we'll follow, while at the same time trying to be positive to create a good market sentiment so people will invest in.

thebman

kbannon wrote: »

Key points:
* "You are not responsible"
* PS costs to reduce by 2.2bn
* require an additional 1.6bn in taxes, mainly through indirect taxation
* long way to go
* budget will be tough (it has to be tough)
* jobs creation will be focus of budget
* by 2015 - deficit under control & growth in jobs
* lending schemes for businesses
* will protect most vulnerable in society
* will invest in crucial programmes, e.g. NCH & schools
* phones & allowances of former Taoisigh gone
* referendum to abolish seanad next year
* Ireland supports Europe


All in all, a good State of the Nation speech. Something we've needed for a while.

Did you have this prepared in advance or something :P

Job creation is a bit of a joke, we can't create jobs in the current climate of tax cuts etc..

Job creation will only slow the rate of overall job losses IMO and theres, hence the growth in jobs by 2015 point.

Phones and allowance of former Taoisigh gone, how about all current sitting TD's? Only vouched expenses would be a nice start, progressing to all expenses capped at reasonable levels.

Thought it was a good speech overall but hollow words if the our political systems aren't actually reformed to ensure such morally corrupt governance and failed political systems are allowed to continue.

Abolishing the Seanad will achieve what like? It is not as if the Seanad caused the crisis. We need to get some proper political reforms.

Seth Brundle

Typing as he spoke.

I agree though that a lot more needs to be done.
Still pleased that we have a leader who will keep us informed rather than give a few crappy soundbytes whilst otherwise hiding away like Cowen.

K-9

Pretty uninspiring and pointless tbh. We'll hear it all again on budget day. PR campaign to give us some of the budget details considering half of Europe knows it already.

Silvio.Dante

Was that it..? We learned nothing. Jog on Enda FFS...

Eliot Rosewater

"Let me say this to you all: you are not responsible for the crisis."

Did Mr Kenny miss the part where the Irish population voted in Fianna Fail three times? Did he miss the part where the same population consistently demanded unsustainable increased spending and lower taxes from their representatives? Did he miss the part where FG and Labour, pandering to those demands, produced manifestos in 2007 offering many freebies (including laptops for kids) and less tax?

On another thread I criticised the unwillingness of Irish parties to stand up to the electorate. Here we have it again. Kenny tells a population that desired unsustainable economic policies and that now stubbornly resists all kind of spending rationalisation that they've no responsibility for the budget crisis at all.

Are we going to learn from our mistakes? If Kenny's opinion is widespread then the answer to that is a definite no.