Pascal Donoghue to World Bank

techman1

Donohue was a tax and spend guy, remember he refused to increase the tax credits and tax bands for middle income workers thereby increasing taxation by stealth but he still managed to throw out more welfare increases reducing the motivation to work. He was more socialist than Rachel reeves the labour Chancellor of the exchequer

Amirani

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123997848#Comment_123997848

Ireland's national debt now is lower than when Paschal first became Minister for Finance in 2017. Not sure how you can say "we have become one of the most indebted nations on the planet under his watch" and not expect to sound ridiculous.

Tenzor07

Simon "18 previous Covid’s" Harris as Finance minister!? Country will be bankrupt in 6 months!

Not to mention Emer "Passport Express" Higgins getting a seat at the cabinet table..

We're f***d

ledwithhedwith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998175#Comment_123998175

Most people post on their opinion of someone, why bother with facts

feelings

This move only highlights exactly the issue with Ministers. A lot have no interest in fixing issues in their remit, they are simply looking at their next post or job.

techman1

Ireland's national debt now is lower than when Paschal first became Minister for Finance in 2017

No it hasn't, it has increased, 30 billion was added to it during covid. They quote national debt as a percentage of GDP which has gone down yes, but that is meaningless as GDP is by and large a result of multinationals revenue flows not through Irish output. If GDP were to fall drastically as a result of multinationals shifting their revenues away from Ireland again then our national debt becomes s huge issue again

Cluedo Monopoly

National debt of €218bn is high by international standards, report says | Irish Independent

reland's national debt is equivalent to every man, woman and child owing €40,500 per person, which is high relative to other advanced economies, a new report by Department of Finance shows.

Public debt stood at €218bn at the end of last year, which was €15bn higher than before the pandemic and the extensive borrowing the Government did to pay for Covid-19 supports for businesses and workers.

“The effective rate of interest is set to rise in the years ahead,” it warns. “This is because bonds that were issued at near-zero rates during the pandemic will need to be rolled over. This re-financing will, almost certainly, be undertaken at a higher-than-original cost.”

Just over a quarter of medium to long-term debt instruments are due to mature at the end of the decade. When they are rolled over, the cost is likely to increase, which will mean the Exchequer has to pay more to service the national debt.

He warned that “a significant portion of public debt will be exposed to higher interest rates in the coming years”.

Amirani

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998253#Comment_123998253

National debt was 106% of GNI* in 2017, it's 65% of GNI* now. This excludes multinational activities.

Our per capita debt has also decreased over the same period, down to about 40k per person now. It was around 44k per person in 2017.

burgerKev

Handy number for Pascal.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998229#Comment_123998229

Donohoe was a TD for 14 years and a Minister for 12.

Christ, you'd swear no one here ever changed jobs.

feelings

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998303#Comment_123998303

Let me connect the dots for you, because the core point seems to have been missed. Simon Harris… Helen McEntee… Hildegarde Naughton.

Helen McEntee is now on her third ministerial role. Do you genuinely believe anyone can deliver a meaningful agenda while constantly rotating through roles? There’s simply no way.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998292#Comment_123998292

It's a well paid job

Tenzor07

No need to worry, "Helen" is on the case:

We really do reward ineptness in this country!

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998328#Comment_123998328

Well that's a completely different issue that this appointment doesn't highlight at all.

McEntee was in her first ministerial position for 5 years. Hildegard Naughton has never been a Minister. Harris was in Health and Education for 4 years each time. They are pretty standard times for political office.

newhouse87

A journalism and french student dropout is now running the country's finances. Why Peter Burke a chartered accountant couldn't have been given it only simple simon knows.

Cluedo Monopoly

Jaysus...McEntee. Her little cameo during the Presidential election was completely and utterly unprofessional. She was used and yet again showed her utter ignorance.

The Hildegarde move is to help with the Galway West by-election.

Sammy2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998377#Comment_123998377

I'm sure the likes of Michael O'Leary will have plenty to say about this.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998377#Comment_123998377

How did James Reilly get on as Minister for Health?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998385#Comment_123998385

He was corrupt. That's different.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998377#Comment_123998377

Why has Harris taken this role? He is going to be Taoiseach in a couple of years is that not enough for him?

McEntee the minister of defence, jaysus, but at least the kids are safe now from her.

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998406#Comment_123998406

It will be on Simple Simons cv as minister of finance. No actual work experience or qualifications of course but im sure all the ministerial positions he has failed into will look good for some cushy number in Europe when he eventually gets the heave ho.

Another me feiner move by harris.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998439#Comment_123998439

Hopefully it will be just in name and he is not let near a cheque book.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998439#Comment_123998439

It's an easily understandable move from a realpolitik perspective. The FA mister spends an enormous amount of time outside the country, particularly at the moment with the EU Council Presidency upcoming. Traditionally a party leader in FA is vulnerable since they can't spend the time on the ground to shore up their own support. Maybe he senses a plot may be forming.

Or maybe he has had enough travelling.

thomas 123

In regards to appointments … Is this really the best we have to offer - cabinet is starting to really lack talent - is there anyone in there who inspires confidence in you? As much as I’d love give aways from PD he did(at least) seem to have a handle on what he was actually doing.

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998292#Comment_123998292

You've seen the job description then have you?

rolling boh

Helen must have something on people in FG to keep getting good jobs , she should be on the back benches which is proberly her level.

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998439#Comment_123998439

It's some CV. I don't know how he's managed it.

He'll have had spells in Health, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Finance and two terms of Taoiseach likely. He didn't do much in them, but he had the jobs and it looks on paper to be some career.

I'm a FG memeber and just don't like the party. It's not the party I joined. Lacks in talent and leaders, and is too left for my liking.

Is there anything to be said for the PDs. They haven't gone away you know.

MisterAnarchy

In the old days there would have been a number of prospective candidates, it tells you how weak the FG front bench is that Harris took it himself.

Whats funny is Irish people love berating Trump and saying Americans are dumb yet look at the calibre of politician over there compared to the dross here.

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998601#Comment_123998601

In the last 2 years alone. Varadkar, Coveney, Donohoe, McGrath gone.

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998593#Comment_123998593

Just goes to show you how far an unqualified person can get in the Government of Ireland, all you need is a "Can do" attitude to have a Governmental C.V which very few EU Govt. ministers could dream of..If he was in the private sector he'd be lucky to make it above team manager level…

Let's see how McEntee stands up to the Lefties on the Occupied territories' bill…