Taoiseach Answers Our Questions

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Well, Brian Cowen did answer some of the questions posed by the public to him in his online Q&A, try and keep your eyes open during the video's. I think that is the harder task, I didn't realise he was that boring, and people give out to me that Enda is boring (he is but Cowen is worse in these videos). And if you are wondering, he didn't answer my "loaded" question. The videos are all below.

Welcome and Thanks


The Economy


The Pension Levy


The Political Situation


The Smart Economy


Are you still awake? Fair play? I wonder will they try this again?

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FF split on joining ELDR??

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According to John over at Semper-Idem splits seam to be developing between the National Party and the MEP's in Brussels. I wonder why that is?

This of course was announced with great fanfare at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis by an Taoiseach Brian Cowen. He said in his opening speech the following:

Given the changing role of the Parliament and the new structures of its groups, Fianna Fáil has no alternative but to reconsider current arrangements. We need to strengthen our work with others who share our basic approach while insisting on the right to vote in accordance with the views of the people we represent. To that end, we will soon advance a proposal to join, for the first time, a pan-European party - the European Liberal, Democratic and Reform Party. Our representatives have been part of that party's group in the Council of Europe for some time and this has worked out well - particularly because it is a group which works hard to respect the views of smaller countries.

Following June's election, should everything progress as expected, we will then consider joining the parliamentary group to which the ELDR is affiliated. I am confident that we can negotiate a position that will strengthen our voice and that of all people who believe in a Europe of states working closely together.

Yet in yesterdays Irish Times Brian Crowley MEP insisted that ""no deal had yet been done" on whether the FF MEPs would join the ALDE Group in the parliament. I wonder why he said that? Is it because he knows that he will lose many of his perks if FF leave the UEN? What perks you ask? Well as co-president of the UEN (A position he is unlikely to attain in the ALDE Group) he is entitled to a car! He doesn't seam willing to give that up.

All know that my prediction of the end of the UEN being in 2009 seams to be accurate enough.

This is posted on the Thinkaboutit.eu website aswell! Do read and rate it there!

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Ask Brian Cowen!

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So Ireland, and mainly Fianna Fail, is on its way to following the UK the US into Web 2.0 land. Brian Cowen will be answering questions posed to him. I suggest that he actually starts answering questions in the Dáil first then answer our questions. But anyway, you can ask questions here, I have an awful feeling that my question wont be answered, as it will be a scripted affair with all the nice questions being asked.

My question is

When will the Government admit they made a mistake in nationalising Anglo Irish Bank considering the investigation and raids by Gardaí?

I wonder how it will go...

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Lisbon - Round II

Image by stephen.spillane via FlickrSo the stage is being set for us to vote on the EXACT same treaty again. Granted the only difference is that the member states will agree not to limit the number of EU Commissioners. The other changes will be copper fastening what we already have. A protocol on Abortion (Attached to Maastricht!), Military (Attached to Nice after Nice I) and Tax Sovereignty which is in all the treaties! Really come on like! How stupid do the government think we are? While I love Europe and the EU and all the good it does it, I am not voting for this treaty unless our Government and specifically our Taoiseach shows some leadership!

Martina Devlin has an excellent column in todays Indo on Brian Cowen's lack of leadership especially in comparison to Gordon Brown who "transformed himself into a phoenix among politicians, emerging gloriously from the ashes of his career after bold steps to tackle the banking meltdown". Which is true and opinion polls have shown that with a marked decline in the lead the Tories have over Labour.

The same cannot be said for Brian Cowen and Fianna Fail here. When ever there is an announcement all that follows is confusion and blame games. No one in this country will take the blame. When it was obvious to the dogs on the street that the Lisbon Referendum was going to fail, Brian Cowen decided to blame Fine Gael and Labour for not pulling their weight when it was obvious Fianna Fail TD's and suppporters where not canvassing (I didn't get canvassed by any 'Yes' group).

Though I am suppportive of the European Project, I am more supportive of Democracy and think unless there is substansive change to the treaty I shall be voting no.

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The Next Taoiseach of Ireland: Brian Cowen

Based on a post I orginally posted on The Political Gay over on GayCork

Tomorrow Brian Cowen will be elected Taoiseach of Ireland. The Big question will be the result of the reshuffle? Will Harney be replaced by Cannon? Who will get Finance? Who will be dropped and who will be promoted.

I have a feeling Lenihan will get Finance and Tániste. If that happens I think Coughlan could move to Justice. The poison chalice is the big Question though, if Hareny leaves Health who will take over? Cannon won't want it, if he has any sense. It will be interesting to have an Governemnt Minister in the Seanad though! It will increase its poistion within the political system.

Another question is will he drop any policies? will he try and renegiate the Programme for Government? I doubt on both of these. No Irish Government policy has major opposition in public opinion like 42 days and ID's in the UK. Of course the first month will be taken up with Lisbon, but that could be the waste of the Honeymoon period also.

What I want to know is will we see Civil Partnerships (Unions or whatever) under Cowen? Ahern was great on rhetoric but will Cowen take the action?

Random Facts:
He was born 10 January 1960 and was first elected in 1984 to represent constituency of Laois-Offaly. He has served in the following Ministries: Minister for Labour (1992–1993), Minister for Energy (1993), Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications (1993–1994), Minister for Health & Children (1997–2000), Minister for Foreign Affairs (2000–2004) and until tomorrow Minister of Finance.

He has wide ranging expeirence in a number of portfolios so has the potential to be a good Taoiseach.

The question is will he face the same problems has Gordon Brown? He is taking over from a popular Taoiseach, granted he has been dogged lately by the Tribunal, but he is popular in Ireland none the less.

He was not leader of the Party when elected. This isnt as big an issue as in the UK considering when we go to the polls you can vote for every party, as is the way with PRSTV. While in the UK you vote for one and thats the leader you expect. I dont see accusations of being 'unelected' being bandied about as much as they are with Brown.

Time will tell if he 'dithers' like Gordon. I dount he will though.

Of course he will always be BIFFO* to me dispite the fact he is Taoiseach!

*Note: I take BIFFO to mean "Big Ignorant F***er From Offaly" not "Big Intelligent Fellow From Offaly"

Olympic Boycotts

So whos not going to the opening Ceremony.

German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel has said she will not attend the opening ceremony and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed he will not attend the opening ceremony but will attend the closing ceremony.

George Bush is still going but at this point all the Presidential candidates (including McCain, has asked him to not attend.

Meanwhile the European Parliament voted on a resolution today calling on "Calls on the EU Presidency-in-Office to strive to find a common EU position with regard to the attendance of the Heads of Government and of State and the EU High Representative at the Olympic Games opening ceremony,"

There has been similar calls in Ireland for Biffo not to attend.

I am glad there are no calls for atheletes to boycott the Games like at the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. These only affect the atheletes and do not impact anyway on the host nation. The olympics only cone once every four years, so they can sometimes be the highlight of an atheletes career.

Maybe the approach should be like the 15 countries, at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, who disagreed with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan that they marched under the Olympic flag, and not their national flag, and the Olympic Hymn was used instead of a national anthem. Or like New Zealand did at the same olympics and use the flag of their NOC (New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association)

This could be the way for NOC's to overcome the moral/ethical dilemma faced by them. Of course everything should be done to sepperate Sport from Politics but the Olympics is one of those events which seams to meld the two as countries put so much time and effort into hosting the games and bidding for the games.

I have therefore decided to join Merkel and Brown and not watch the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

There thats my ethical issue over and done with

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Source:
Provisional Texts of Texts Adopted at the European Parliament, Thursday 10th April (Word Doc)