Congalltee
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 6,124
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
Which filled me heart with longin' for the Lakes of Pontchartain.
The innocuous stuff.
His first job was as a barman (in the pub his brother owns and didnt pay his taxes on) .His education was local national school, Cistercian College of Mount St. Joseph in Roscrea, University College Dublin and the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland. He was a half decent footballer and he sings at the drop of a hat. He is known for enjoying his pints.
The early political career.
Elected on the first count in 1984 for the by-election caused by the death of his father. He was aged 24 and sat on the opposition backbenches. He was also on Offaly County Council at the same time. Until 1992. He backed Albert over Charlie that year, as part of the Country and Western set. He was rewarded for it.
Ministries.
He became a Minister aged 32. He is now 50. He has been in cabinet for all but 30 months when the Rainbow ruled. Few could reel of his achievements as a minister, but here are a few. He ended the Shannon stopover as minister for transport, held a seat on the UN security council, massively increased in spending on children and carers as minister for health and provided huge increases to OAPs and the disabled as Minister for Finance.
He is the view of one former Taoiseach:
'The Taoiseach is a straightforward person' who brought in 'significant shift of social direction of FF budgetary policy' and the author of his biography has 'underestimated Brian Cowen's success as foreign minister' and 'the truth is that Brian Cowen was an outstanding minister for foreign affairs' and as minister for finance had 'obvious concern for the less well off'
source: Garret Fitzgerald, Irish Times 15th November, 2008, page 11.
The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 15, 2008 - Getting to know the Taoiseach
As Taoiseach.
Appointed 7th May, 2008. Disappointed almost immediately.
Can anyone list his achievements to date (as Taoiseach)?
1) provided life support to the banks.
2) cut public sector pay by 7.5% (still waiting on reforms)
3) eh...cut the number of junior ministries
4) Hasnt messed up the peace process.
6) ensured our near tax haven status remained untouched (so far).
7) Got Lisbon passed at the second attempt.
He has been accused of Economic Treason for his economic mismanagment from 2004 to date. These are some of the reasons.
1. The banking scandal. Under regulation, over-broad bank guarantee, including anglo, nama.
2. Giving developers months of notice of the intention to pursue them.
3. Lunacy of increases in current spending not related to sustainable current receipts.
4. Allowing a property bubble occur on his watch. And deliberately doing nothing.
5. Increasing social welfare rates so we are way out of line with nearest neighbours.
6. Not having enough qualified economists in dept of finance or following his consultants advice on the blanket guarantee of the banks
7.The loss of competitiveness over the period 2004 to 2008.
8. The increases in the public sector pay bill during that period.
9. Failure to do anything on pension timebomb and now spending its reserves on zombie banks.
10. Signing off on the Irish glass bottle site without a proper valuation.
So how will Cowen be remembered?
-A Wasted opportunity?
-Tax and spender, and a boom ender?
-The man who made our young our biggest export once more?
My view:- the Man who wrapped himself in the Green flag, modelled himself on Lemass, called himself a Republican but chose International Bondholders over his own people when the crunch came after the effects of his economic mismanagement hit home. To every home.
He has spent more than half his life in Dail Eireann. It appears to bore him, notwithstanding that he is at one with that institution. His disinterest in his job is exemplified in the language he speaks a garbled form of managementspeak and his utter contempt for the press. From the early days he was perceived as being a spindoctors worst nightmare. Now he has become everyones nightmare. It was thought he simply had a communications problem. We now, all know - to our cost - it runs much deeper than that.
Today, he has sur-passed John Bruton's tenure as Taoiseach (925 v 924 days). Perhaps that is his greatest achivement.
For what's done is done and what's won is won
and what's lost is lost and gone forever
I can only pray for a bright, brand new day
in the town I loved so well
Which filled me heart with longin' for the Lakes of Pontchartain.
The innocuous stuff.
His first job was as a barman (in the pub his brother owns and didnt pay his taxes on) .His education was local national school, Cistercian College of Mount St. Joseph in Roscrea, University College Dublin and the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland. He was a half decent footballer and he sings at the drop of a hat. He is known for enjoying his pints.
The early political career.
Elected on the first count in 1984 for the by-election caused by the death of his father. He was aged 24 and sat on the opposition backbenches. He was also on Offaly County Council at the same time. Until 1992. He backed Albert over Charlie that year, as part of the Country and Western set. He was rewarded for it.
Ministries.
He became a Minister aged 32. He is now 50. He has been in cabinet for all but 30 months when the Rainbow ruled. Few could reel of his achievements as a minister, but here are a few. He ended the Shannon stopover as minister for transport, held a seat on the UN security council, massively increased in spending on children and carers as minister for health and provided huge increases to OAPs and the disabled as Minister for Finance.
He is the view of one former Taoiseach:
'The Taoiseach is a straightforward person' who brought in 'significant shift of social direction of FF budgetary policy' and the author of his biography has 'underestimated Brian Cowen's success as foreign minister' and 'the truth is that Brian Cowen was an outstanding minister for foreign affairs' and as minister for finance had 'obvious concern for the less well off'
source: Garret Fitzgerald, Irish Times 15th November, 2008, page 11.
The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 15, 2008 - Getting to know the Taoiseach
As Taoiseach.
Appointed 7th May, 2008. Disappointed almost immediately.
Can anyone list his achievements to date (as Taoiseach)?
1) provided life support to the banks.
2) cut public sector pay by 7.5% (still waiting on reforms)
3) eh...cut the number of junior ministries
4) Hasnt messed up the peace process.
6) ensured our near tax haven status remained untouched (so far).
7) Got Lisbon passed at the second attempt.
He has been accused of Economic Treason for his economic mismanagment from 2004 to date. These are some of the reasons.
1. The banking scandal. Under regulation, over-broad bank guarantee, including anglo, nama.
2. Giving developers months of notice of the intention to pursue them.
3. Lunacy of increases in current spending not related to sustainable current receipts.
4. Allowing a property bubble occur on his watch. And deliberately doing nothing.
5. Increasing social welfare rates so we are way out of line with nearest neighbours.
6. Not having enough qualified economists in dept of finance or following his consultants advice on the blanket guarantee of the banks
7.The loss of competitiveness over the period 2004 to 2008.
8. The increases in the public sector pay bill during that period.
9. Failure to do anything on pension timebomb and now spending its reserves on zombie banks.
10. Signing off on the Irish glass bottle site without a proper valuation.
So how will Cowen be remembered?
-A Wasted opportunity?
-Tax and spender, and a boom ender?
-The man who made our young our biggest export once more?
My view:- the Man who wrapped himself in the Green flag, modelled himself on Lemass, called himself a Republican but chose International Bondholders over his own people when the crunch came after the effects of his economic mismanagement hit home. To every home.
He has spent more than half his life in Dail Eireann. It appears to bore him, notwithstanding that he is at one with that institution. His disinterest in his job is exemplified in the language he speaks a garbled form of managementspeak and his utter contempt for the press. From the early days he was perceived as being a spindoctors worst nightmare. Now he has become everyones nightmare. It was thought he simply had a communications problem. We now, all know - to our cost - it runs much deeper than that.
Today, he has sur-passed John Bruton's tenure as Taoiseach (925 v 924 days). Perhaps that is his greatest achivement.
For what's done is done and what's won is won
and what's lost is lost and gone forever
I can only pray for a bright, brand new day
in the town I loved so well
