Do you think Enda Kenny is doing a good job?

Billy86 · 12-12-2013 09:36PM

I was out of the country from September 2011 - December 2012 so I am not as up to speed on everything that happened there as others, but I will say this. While everything is a long way from a bed of roses, Ireland was in considerably better shape when I got back than when I left, and has steadily improved since then. For that, I have to say that yes - he has done a good job.

As for people moaning about European involvement... what would you have done differently there? Honest question.

The_Kew_Tour · 12-12-2013 09:39PM

Kenny is a weak human being. Targets the people who need it most.

wendell borton · 12-12-2013 09:40PM

I wouldn't say good, maybe adequate.

irishfeen · 12-12-2013 09:42PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Kenny is a weak human being. Targets the people who need it most.

Leaving basic social welfare cuts alone... targeting the poor?... heard a report this morning which showed we are actually doing well in distributing wealth to keep people above the poverty line.

My name is URL · 12-12-2013 09:44PM

Billy86 wrote: »

Seriously? With the history we have of 'witty, charismatic' leaders that's still one of the most important things to you?

Why, exactly?

I never said they were the most important qualities of a leader, and just because Bertie appeared to be charismatic doesn't mean that charisma is not a desirable quality for a leader to possess.

Bertie is also highly intelligent and resourceful, but you wouldn't say those are necessarily bad traits to have because of that.

Bertie is a corruptible, sly, gombeen man. So whatever other characteristics he has are pretty much meaningless when you consider that.

It's a bit of a laugh when people defend Kenny's lack of personability by stating that his predecessors were personable... as if that somehow means that it's an intrinsically negative trait for a leader to have.

Pepe LeFrits · 12-12-2013 09:46PM

Kenny's very personable, he's just not a good orator.

Fr_Dougal · 12-12-2013 09:47PM

Phoebas wrote: »

Ah, go on - give us a sneak preview.

I will so. Google 'Enda Farrell NAMA'.

Phoebas · 12-12-2013 09:52PM

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

I will so. Google 'Enda Farrell NAMA'.

Well then - that's Kenny's reputation shot down in flames. Thanks for sharing this important information.

:rolleyes:

irishfeen · 12-12-2013 09:54PM

Phoebas wrote: »

Well then - that's Kenny's reputation shot down in flames. Thanks for sharing this important information.

:rolleyes:

I can see Kenny running for the hills

Fr_Dougal · 12-12-2013 09:56PM

Phoebas wrote: »

Well then - that's Kenny's reputation shot down in flames. Thanks for sharing this important information.

:rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Did you not read my first post? Have a look at it again, try to understand what I typed. :rolleyes: Thanks. :rolleyes:

BuilderPlumber · 12-12-2013 09:58PM

Enda Kenny himself is an ok and decent person who does his best. However, the same cannot be said about the system in this country, certain ministers in his government and the general culture of greed, selfishness and uncaring/atheistic/self centred atmosphere that exists in modern Ireland.

The problem remains that this system cannot be broken and it is much more than just government. You could say it is banks and developers. But that would be wrong, too. For the flaws go way deeper than that and it is society in general that is wrong.

Ireland needs to start again and ditch corruption, entitlement culture among the elite, bureaucracy and job insecurity to name a few things. With the fall for some of the Catholic church, Fianna Fail and banks, a dangerous void has been left here and in many cases has not been replaced.

Red Nissan · 12-12-2013 09:59PM

irishfeen wrote: »

I can see Kenny running for the hills

You might, but he'd need the hills pointed out to him, he'd need to be told to run, he'd need to be told how long to run, he'd need to be told why he is running and he'd need to be told what to do when he gets there! :P

irishfeen · 12-12-2013 10:04PM

Red Nissan wrote: »

You might, but he'd need the hills pointed out to him, he'd need to be told to run, he'd need to be told how long to run, he'd need to be told why he is running and he'd need to be told what to do when he gets there! :P

Now now no need for that carry on

... I'd bet you the price of a pint that he will be returned Taoiseach after the next election and in a decade or 2 he will be spoke in the same breath as Lemass..... Just wait and see! :pac:

NuckingFacker · 12-12-2013 10:10PM

He was a teacher. Not a successful businessman, not a brilliant economist, not even a juggler with some skill from Duffys circus. A Teacher.

"Quiet now boys and girls, open your books at page 10 and you begin reading now Mulleady".

That's our great white hope?

Rabelais · 12-12-2013 10:13PM

NuckingFacker wrote: »

He was a teacher. Not a successful businessman, not a brilliant economist, not even a juggler with some skill from Duffys circus. A Teacher.

"Quiet now boys and girls, open your books at page 10 and you begin reading now Mulleady".

That's our great white hope?

We should exclude the teaching professions from getting involved in politics. :rolleyes:

Phoebas · 12-12-2013 10:15PM

Six pages in before someone brought in the fact that Kenny spent a few years as a teacher before embarking on his decades long Dail career as some kind of negative point.
I expected the barrel scraping earlier.

Spring Onion · 12-12-2013 10:15PM

I think Enda is completely over-coached and it affects his confidence and speaking.

I believe a stronger leader would have gotten a better deal for the banking debt. I believe his negotiation skills are poor. Our national debt will cripple us for decades.

I also believe he was bullied by Labour into a softly softly approach at budget time. Instead of some harsh deep cuts in Year 1, we are suffering death from 1000 cuts over multiple budgets and the economy is really struggling.

Short answer No.

He will retire at the next General Election. Guaranteed.

opinionated3 · 12-12-2013 10:16PM

This thread is kinda pointless really. The Germans are in charge. Our master of puppets so to speak. Our politicians are an embarrassment that are essentially spineless and have heaped misery on their own people. .

harryr711 · 12-12-2013 10:18PM

It will be interesting to see if many more will abandon Fine Gael to join the Reform Alliance should they form an official political party next year. The number of undecided voters has grown since the last election.

Spring Onion wrote: »

I think Enda is completely over-coached and it affects his confidence and speaking.

I believe a stronger leader would have gotten a better deal for the banking debt. I believe his negotiation skills are poor. Our national debt will cripple us for decades.

I also believe he was bullied by Labour into a softly softly approach at budget time. Instead of some harsh deep cuts in Year 1, we are suffering death from 1000 cuts over multiple budgets and the economy is really struggling.

Short answer No.

He will retire at the next General Election. Guaranteed.

I would agree with much of this. His poor communication skills and avoidance of debate doesn't inspire confidence, particularly when it comes to negotiating deals in the national interest.

road_high · 12-12-2013 10:20PM

Spring Onion wrote: »

I think Enda is completely over-coached and it affects his confidence and speaking.

I believe a stronger leader would have gotten a better deal for the banking debt. I believe his negotiation skills are poor.

I also believe he was bullied by Labour into a softly softly approach at budget time. Instead of some harsh deep cuts in Year 1, we are suffering death from 1000 cuts over multiple budgets and the economy is really struggling.

Short answer No.

He will retire at the next General Election. Guaranteed.

Nothing compared to the FF idiots who sleep walked us into the deal in the first place. It really should not be forgotten where the real blame lies in all this mess.
Nothing is guaranteed. If the economy continues to improve (as it appears it will) he is a shoe-in. Credibility is thus guaranteed vs the so-called alternatives (there aren't any really) and he will win a second-term.

NuckingFacker · 12-12-2013 10:22PM

Rabelais wrote: »

We should exclude the teaching professions from getting involved in politics. :rolleyes:

Might be a step in the right direction anyway. :rolleyes: You can keep that smiley anyway. Always thought it was smug and patronising.
I'd rather someone a bit more dynamic than a glib drone like Kenny. They wanted to oust him for a reason - he has the get up and go of a flat tyre. He's Mr "Say nothing and survive". If that's all you want, good for you.

I often wonder just how many FG party members post on threads like this. Be interesting to know.

road_high · 12-12-2013 10:22PM

One only has to listen this piece to remind ourselves to the low base we were coming from. Truly appalling Taoiseach and as Finance Minister directly responsible for much of the today's mess;
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brian+cowen+drunk+interview&sm=1

My name is URL · 12-12-2013 10:28PM

road_high wrote: »

Nothing compared to the FF idiots who sleep walked us into the deal in the first place. It really should not be forgotten where the real blame lies in all this mess

One only has to listen this piece to remind ourselves to the low base we were coming from. Truly appalling Taoiseach and as Finance Minister directly responsible for much of the today's mess

Straight out of the Idiots Guide to Deflecting Criticism.. which I'm pretty sure Kenny could author. Maybe. With a few advisers.

irishfeen · 12-12-2013 10:28PM

Spring Onion wrote: »

I think Enda is completely over-coached and it affects his confidence and speaking.

I believe a stronger leader would have gotten a better deal for the banking debt. I believe his negotiation skills are poor. Our national debt will cripple us for decades.

I also believe he was bullied by Labour into a softly softly approach at budget time. Instead of some harsh deep cuts in Year 1, we are suffering death from 1000 cuts over multiple budgets and the economy is really struggling.

Short answer No.

He will retire at the next General Election. Guaranteed.

You do realise we make up about 0.6% of the EU population? ... what kind of power do you think we wield? (some sort of Celtic god or something? :rolleyes: ) ... We had one chance to make the bank debt a Europe-wide problem, that was the night of the bank guarantee - we could have held a gun to Europe's head and threatened to allow contagion to fall banks like domino's across Europe/the World. Fianna Fail decided that was too much of a risk to take - our children and their children after will be paying for that decision.... Enda can't wish the debt away - all he can do is forget the debt and get the country into a position that we are self sufficient for the long term.

tayto lover · 12-12-2013 10:31PM

road_high wrote: »

Nothing compared to the FF idiots who sleep walked us into the deal in the first place. It really should not be forgotten where the real blame lies in all this mess.
Nothing is guaranteed. If the economy continues to improve (as it appears it will) he is a shoe-in. Credibility is thus guaranteed vs the so-called alternatives (there aren't any really) and he will win a second-term.

I have no time for FF at all but harking back to their time in an effort to compare with Enda's performance at present is an attempt to deflect.
We are asked if Enda is doing a good job.
My opinion is "could do better".

Spring Onion · 12-12-2013 10:34PM

irishfeen wrote: »

Enda can't wish the debt away - all he can do is forget the debt and get the country into a position that we are self sufficient for the long term.

We took a bullet for the EU and they know it. FG could have come in as the no-nonsense new government and threatened to default on all our national debt directly related to private banking debt (60 billion?). "Not another red cent"?
I am positive the EU would have given us a better deal if we had.
Instead they followed FF's lead which made them complicit.

Put it this way, if you were playing poker with Enda, you would seriously fancy your chances of cleaning him out.

It saddens me that so many people voted Yes in this poll. They have clearly bought into the spin. Enjoy paying both the crippling interest and capital payments - you deserve it.

harryr711 · 12-12-2013 10:36PM

irishfeen wrote: »

You do realise we make up about 0.6% of the EU population? ... what kind of power do you think we wield? (some sort of Celtic god or something? :rolleyes: ) ... We had one chance to make the bank debt a Europe-wide problem, that was the night of the bank guarantee - we could have held a gun to Europe's head and threatened to allow contagion to fall banks like domino's across Europe/the World. Fianna Fail decided that was too much of a risk to take - our children and their children after will be paying for that decision.... Enda can't wish the debt away - all he can do is forget the debt and get the country into a position that we are self sufficient for the long term.

I despair for the country if Enda and FG have that sort of attitude/mentality. Sure we're only a small country, no point in negotiating anything lads :rolleyes:

Rabelais · 12-12-2013 10:38PM

NuckingFacker wrote: »

I often wonder just how many FG party members post on threads like this. Be interesting to know.

It's all a huge conspiracy. We collate and organise our propaganda activities in return for a vague promise of being elected to a county council in future years. As a true mouthpiece of public opinion, the head honchos in FG HQ have targeted AH for our sinister and underhand tactics.

It has nothing to do with the belief that Kenny has surprised many of us, and has lead a Government that has managed to do a relatively decent job considering the circumstances we found ourselves in at the time they were elected.

They managed this while dealing in extremely difficult realities, instead of nebulous concepts so popular amongst the cranks and moaners who spend the day spouting out angry nonsense here, and on sites like thejournal and politics. Things are beginning to recover, and we didn't have to default, burn the bondholders (which I'm glad of, as pretty much everyone who has a pension is), leave the Euro or consider Communism as a viable alternative.

Fr. Ned · 12-12-2013 10:39PM

tayto lover wrote: »

Not a great job at all BUT still better than F.F

Hardly a great starting point though, is it?

Billy86 · 12-12-2013 10:41PM

NuckingFacker wrote: »

He was a teacher. Not a successful businessman, not a brilliant economist, not even a juggler with some skill from Duffys circus. A Teacher.

"Quiet now boys and girls, open your books at page 10 and you begin reading now Mulleady".

That's our great white hope?

On top of your juggling comment highlighting your ignorance on teachers contributions or abilities (no, I am not a teacher), business credentials rarely translate to political skills - a government is not a business. Also not sure how aware you are of this or not, but a Taoiseach/PM/President doesn't make all the decisions and do all of the research and number-crunching themselves, they surround themselves with a team who does.

De Valera was a teacher, Abraham Lincoln partook in teaching, four other American presidents were full time teachers - Enda Kenny is hardly a first here.

Do you think Enda Kenny is doing a good job?

Comments