Brian Lenihan orders - find 3 billion in four weeks!

Krieg · 12-05-2010 11:27PM

I hear greece got a bit of cash from somewhere recently
we could ask for a loan?

starbelgrade · 12-05-2010 11:28PM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Too right, I'd much rather our budget come from the EU then the clowns we currently have in charge. It's just a shame we didn't let them do it 10+ years ago.

You'll be glad when the Eurocrats decide our economic policy? When a sovereign state is told what to do by a foreign government? Wow.

Cian92 · 12-05-2010 11:28PM

Biggins wrote: »

Public and civil servants are all going to pay more/lose more...

I fixed that for you.

Liam Byrne · 12-05-2010 11:31PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

You'll be glad when the Eurocrats decide our economic policy? When a sovereign state is told what to do by a foreign government? Wow.

They could only do a better job than the current shower of incompetents.

Shryke · 12-05-2010 11:32PM

To anyone who might think min wage is too high; I work close to it and six days a week. It's not fun and it really isn't a lot to live on. The dole would be worse. I'm glad for the job.

12-05-2010 11:33PM

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, what does electricity, petrol, home heating, food and a roof over your head cost for that teacher in Greece ?

It's safe to say they're not 5 times less costly than they are here, to justify us having 5 times the salary.

120_Minutes · 12-05-2010 11:33PM

hand the ****ing country over to brussels, its ****ed anyway....they couldnt make it worse.

i for one welcome our boring belgian overlords.

Blobby George · 12-05-2010 11:34PM

I would heartily recommend Switzerland lads.

Chucky the tree · 12-05-2010 11:34PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

You'll be glad when the Eurocrats decide our economic policy? When a sovereign state is told what to do by a foreign government? Wow.

Yep. I rather a foreigner tell us what to do then a bunch of chimps.

Mark200 · 12-05-2010 11:35PM

Everyone looking forward to a Fine Gael/Labour coalition? A party that knows we need more cuts, and a party that thinks we don't need anyway.

Yay....

ocokev · 12-05-2010 11:35PM

Cut spending in education we only need to concentrate on the brainest 100000 or so for this knowledge based economy and forget about the dummies. Health encourage natural healers. Anybody on welfare must shop in aldi so we can cut their benifits. Cut the amount of tds etc by at least half it only takes four or five to **** everyone over

Biggins · 12-05-2010 11:36PM

KevinVonSpiel wrote: »

Singapore. Hong Kong. Switzerland.

Option 3, the first two the Chinese are interested in - and don't even suggest Africa.
They are after that too!

12-05-2010 11:39PM

120_Minutes wrote: »

hand the ****ing country over to brussels, its ****ed anyway....they couldnt make it worse.

i for one welcome our boring belgian overlords.

I was always a skeptic of the EU but the more I think about it, they couldn't possibly be worse than what we have now. We've already proven ourselves incapable of self governance over the last 80 years, voting in the same corrupt twats time and time again and then bitching when said twats screw us over.

Catari Jaguar · 12-05-2010 11:39PM

ARGH!!! There are sooo many rich greedy fat cat bastards in this poxy arsed corrupt countryl TAKE THEIR ****ING MONEY BRIAN!

12-05-2010 11:43PM

Biggins wrote: »

Yes, we are all living the high life. :rolleyes:

We're warm in our homes posting on an internet forum before heading off to our beds. Sounds ok to me.

Biggins · 12-05-2010 11:44PM

Deleted User wrote: »

We're warm in our homes posting on an internet forum before heading off to our beds. Sounds ok to me.

We lucky few, we band of brothers.

...and the rest?

Blazer · 12-05-2010 11:46PM

The country is fúcked. Anyone that can't see this is a complete moron.
The government bottled it with the public sector so can't cut wages anymore.
Hence roads/hospitals/education are all going to suffer as a result as they have no choice but to cut it from services. We're well and truly screwed.
My fear is FF are going to just keep doing enough to keep the IMF of our backs till 2012 when FG/Labour get into Government.
Once in they realise what a mess FF made of the country and have no choice but to call in the IMF.
FF will then trot out the spiel for the next election blaming it on FG/Labour that IMF is controlling our finances and no doubt enough suckers will vote them back in a few years again.
I honestly think FF would quite happily fúck the country over to save their necks.
Cowen/Harney/Bertie are all guilty of treason and should have their asses in jail now. But nope..they're all living the high life while the rest of us are working our asses off and getting our asses taxed off.

mikom · 12-05-2010 11:47PM

Deleted User wrote: »

We're warm in our homes posting on an internet forum before heading off to our beds. Sounds ok to me.

And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

JONJO THE MISER · 12-05-2010 11:47PM

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Someone on the dole here 'earns' almost as much as a teacher in Greece. Probably a lot more when you factor in other benefits

Thats my summer Holidays sorted, cant you transfer your dole for 3 months to another E.U country. Oh yeah Greece here i come:D.

Tefral · 12-05-2010 11:52PM

If they do anymore to cut and also raise taxes, it will probably be enough to cause riots. I for one hope we go all French on their asses!!

Liam Byrne · 12-05-2010 11:52PM

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

It's safe to say they're not 5 times less costly than they are here, to justify us having 5 times the salary.

Is it ?

I'll certainly go find a cost of living survey to check, but since you're so confident I presume that you have one to hand - do share !

And I can't help but wonder what bank officials and politicians are on over there, too......

Just found one pointer for starters:

The average Greek spends about 60 euros on food and beverages every month

A single-bedroom apartment will generally cost 500 euros every month

we run a small car (Fiat Panda) for gasoline costs of not more than 20 euros per week.

We have a home phone line and broadband connection which together costs us up to about 80 euros for two months including some calls

http://www.expatforum.com/articles/cost-of-living/cost-of-living-in-greece.html

If everything else is a factor of that magnitude, you could well be way off the mark, Rojo

Degsy · 13-05-2010 12:06AM

I propse a Night Of The Long Knives-style purge of Fianna Fail and its bastard supporters who have raped this country for thier personal gain for 80 years.

KevinVonSpiel · 13-05-2010 12:07AM

mikom wrote: »

And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

I prefer that 'Greece is the word' one you did..

Euro_Kraut · 13-05-2010 12:11AM

I sometimes wonder if we have goldfish memory in this country.

This is not news. The Govt set a traget of reducing spending by €3billion in 2011 back 14 months ago. We submitted a plan to the EU outlining how we would bring our spending under control. This was part of the plan- nothing new.

All that is 'new' is that Lenihan has told the cabinet that the time frame that they have identify and sign off on these cut back in 4 weeks time. Departments would have started this process months ago in any event. Cutbacks are not decided the night before budget.

Of course the Indo has space to fill on it sheets so it need to rehash old announcement and present as though it something. But just because they do that doesn't mean we have to fall for it.

amacachi · 13-05-2010 12:18AM

Degsy wrote: »

I propse a Night Of The Long Knives-style purge of Fianna Fail and its bastard supporters who have raped this country for thier personal gain for 80 years.

Not a fan of Fianna Fáil then?

Biggins · 13-05-2010 12:19AM

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

...Of course the Indo has space to fill on it sheets so it need to rehash old announcement and present as though it something. But just because they do that doesn't mean we have to fall for it.

Old announcement?
The first line in that report:

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday gave his Cabinet colleagues four weeks to find €3bn worth of cutbacks.

We can assume that reporters Sam Smyth and Fionnan Sheahan are standing by what they have reported, that more money has been asked for.
They knew already from previous "chats" what had been previously required.

pickarooney · 13-05-2010 12:21AM

Just sell off the fresh water resources. Should be worth a few billion and sure there's always tea.

Liam Byrne · 13-05-2010 12:22AM

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Of course the Indo has space to fill on it sheets so it need to rehash old announcement and present as though it something. But just because they do that doesn't mean we have to fall for it.

That'd be a bit like the job announcements press releases that FF used to to fire out, then ?

Announce it as "new jobs" whenever it was agreed.
Announce it again as "new jobs" whenever some TD used the photo-op at the official opening

Funny how it suits them sometimes to "recycle" and not others.

jaffa20 · 13-05-2010 12:25AM

Seriously, AH is as depressing as RTE news these days.

theboxer · 13-05-2010 12:56AM

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Thats my summer Holidays sorted, cant you transfer your dole for 3 months to another E.U country. Oh yeah Greece here i come:D.

The poor bastids have suffered enough, jonjo.

Brian Lenihan orders - find 3 billion in four weeks!

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