Jack Kanoff wrote: » I think we should boycott this 'St Patty's Day" rubbish in America tbh...makes us look like idiots. Sure... Leo can go to America...but perhaps go to Irish centres, some gay coalition meets and stay away from the morons in govt
Neil3030 wrote: » I'm genuinely torn on whether I like the French or Welsh anthem better. Both epic.
irishbucsfan wrote: » He's of Sligo descent if I remember, so we can blame Connacht for that one
dregin wrote: » Welsh every time. I tried to learn it by following some badgered phonetic version. Hilari-bad: http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/anthem/pages/anthem-lyrics-phonetic.shtml TV cameras caught me channeling my inner Alun Wyn Jones on Saturday: My wife doesn't seem all that impressed with it :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:
Bazzo wrote: » Pfff please, with a surname like Pence? He's probably 1/254th Irish and 253/254ths WASP.
Buer wrote: » You know you can have 3 Irish grandparents and still have a name like Pence? Or have only one Irish parent and have a name like Varadkar?
irishbucsfan wrote: » His Sligo family were Cawleys Probably Bazzo's cousins
Bazzo wrote: » Jaysus is that the crazy cousin Mick who made is big in the shtates that I've heard so much about?!
Teferi wrote: » Is there any other small country in the world that has a standing annual appointment with the US President? We would be absolutely mad to give that up only because Trump is an unpopular president.
[Deleted User] wrote: » We get access to world leaders in 35 major world economies every year because of St.Patricks day. We may not like all of those world leaders but local businesses and the overall economy is reliant on that foriegn investment. We don't have to like Trump or Pence but Varadkar would be doing a massive disservice to the electorate by not engaging diplomatically. The short term optics would be swiftly outweighed by the long term lack of access if he was to shun or embarrass them. You may think it makes us look like idiots, but other similarly sized nations would send envoy's dressed as clowns to get this kind of access and exposure.
Jack Kanoff wrote: » You have a point... but access without a positive result is nothing....Can we honestly say anything good has come out of a Paddy's Day meeting recently for the Irish economy?....or is it one of these unquantifiable situations with benefits that are only seen behind the scenes .
Buer wrote: » It's not even about agreeing any significant measures or deals between the two nations when we meet the POTUS. At the very least, it puts the country in the shop window of the biggest economy on the planet. The tourism earned on the back of a bowl of Shamrock being handed over in front of cameras would more than pay for the trip alone, I'd imagine. That's before we consider anything in relation to investment in industry or trade links being developed on the back of the visit.
[Deleted User] wrote: » And the more immediate need for an ambassador. We've had no US ambassador since O'Malley left last year.
irishbucsfan wrote: » Well if the visit is supposed to show that we’ll bend over backwards to accommodate foreign investment, it’s been a resounding success!
Deleted User wrote: » Pretty hilarious own goal by the Taoiseach. Still though, I've absolutely no problem with a minister for Tourism raising a query on planning for Windfarms in a tourist hot-spot. Especially given the number of jobs involved and how much the economy benefits from Tourism. It's exactly what he should be doing.
irishbucsfan wrote: » It's reassuring to know that our ministers can be reached during their weekends away at the rugby just in case American billionaires need them to put pressure on the planning authorities. Technology moving us forwards.
We have actually spoken twice. The first time was many years ago, on a different matter. It was a small thing. When he bought the [Doonbeg] golf course in County Clare, I was Minister for Tourism at the time and he had a planning issue which we were able to resolve. It was resolved by the county council rather than by me but it was resolved.
prawnsambo wrote: » Why do tourism and windfarms get capital letters and minister does not? That's the burning question here.
[Deleted User] wrote: » Oh go and get your pitch forks out and stand outside the Dail if this upsets you. He already disclosed this in an interview with Time months ago. If someone is going to create a load of jobs and promote tourism (especially when the country is in deep recession) I absolutely want the minister for tourism facilitating that, even if the person is Trump. It's amazing that local councillors and TD's have complained and intervened to prevent wind farms for years but when a large local employer asks the Minister to intervene everyone loses their mind.
irishbucsfan wrote: » No one is remotely surprised that ministers get involved. Obviously they shouldn’t be getting involved if they were following the rules as has been pointed out this morning, but we know they are. But it was a massively embarrassing thing to be saying in the States. A public admission in front of the world that our government ministers are at the beck and call of foreign nationals so long as their bank balances are big enough. Particularly when you talk about how it happened while you were over supporting the rugby. A terrible picture to be painting of our democracy, especially when the likes of Paisely were (I believe) in the room.
[Deleted User] wrote: » I don't find it embarrassing even in the slightest. I want large employers to have ministerial access. Not influence, but certainly access. When a minister opens a new office is that embarrassing? How about when a minister is involved with negotiations to sway a multinational here, is that embarrassing? When we go out of our way to protect our corporate tax rate for foreign employers, is that embarrassing? We are a country reliant on investment, foolish for our ministers to sit on the sidelines.
stephen_n wrote: » Isn’t that exactly what FDI interests want to hear?
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w6.vanillicon.com/v2/6081e4655739e0887aaf16222f88b015.svg)
