“Tonight with vincent Browne” texts and emails - Tuesday 6 October 2009

Contributors to the programme: Fionan Sheehan, Tom Reddy, Terry Prone and Roisin Shorthall.
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Why wouldn’t John O'Donoghue resign, if the Greens reject Program of government & the Dáil folds,  Fianna Fail wont have to bring in the Budget of Hell, that would not be a vote winner with any sector of society. Rather let a FG/Labour government bring in the reforms needed.  Also for most people NAMA, doesn’t directly effect their pay-packet, but wide ranging cuts to public sector workers will have strikes & all out resentment against the government. Its more advisable for FG & Labour to not look to call a general election as they would be faced with the prospect of implementing a budget the country needs, but no political party really wants to be associated with. Dermot Casey.
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How much of a (an agreed and appropriate and procedurally agreed by themselves) of a handshake will John O’Donoghue get?? In the laimh??? To get the country back on track I think that all working people should get a pro rata civil service pension and similar civil servants grade pay rates, then everyone would think our society is equal for all. Everyone worries about 2 things in this economy and they are: Health; Pensions. I think that if there were guaranteed benefits for all workers both public and private, the country would pull together because all would be equally rewarded. Tony Maher

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Hope the Greens realise that NAMA = GUBU and will pull out of Government. Don

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I'm just emailing to air my disgust with John O'Donoghue. I'm a 24 year old student who over-payed on taxes last January, and claimed my taxes back, until recently where the Revenue decided I had been not entitled to it at all! I now owe the Revenue almost €4,000 and needless to say, have been threatened with court and even imprisonment if I fail to pay it. I can't believe this man has been getting away with what he has been doing, if it was an ordinary member of the public, like myself, they would be locked up right away. This whole thing is just embarrassing. It's the public who will end up paying back for all of this, as usual. Anon.

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This country needs a revolution not a General Election. Keith Martin, former Councillor, Westport

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Why is Fionnan and Terri almost apologising for O’Donoghue --- there was nothing dignified about the manner in which he blew the hard working taxpayers money and he as an elected member of Dáil Eireann is supposed to be above this form of blatant misuse of public funds . --also does Terri Prone represent this man in any capacity. Michael Durkan

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Irish democratic capitalism seems to promote property grabbing greed and corruption. What we need is a new political party that entails fair distribution of homes for all citizens rich and poor,morality, moderation and honesty. The use of tax-payers money should not be giving to landlords and property speculators by 'rent allowance' to help them pay their morgages. Its better to put a CAP on landlord rents. Martin Gort Galway

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When are the politicians and bankers going to join the real world? What worker in this country retires on a pension higher than their wages. At least they worked and ended up with no pensions due to incompetence. Sack and jail the lot without pensions. Their pension funds would help our dire financial situation. Margaret

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Well done Eamon Gilmore u are the only one with balls shame on Enda Kenny u were waiting in the wings labour u will get my vote where is George Lee did he die? Anon
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To have any credibility with the public all TD's should have pay cut by 25% at least with min vouched expenses allowed. Numbers of TD's cut and take pain we're all expected to take. Mary Wexford.
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The words disgust me still . . Largesse . . Corruption . . Cronyism . . They are the templates of the Fianna Fail organisation . . They are a disgrace to themselves and this banana republic we live in . . .i give up in despair. . Nout has changed since Haughey.....from Paul Whelan. Wexford

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The only reason Eamon Gilmore reacted to John O'Donoghue was because he'd been upstaged by Sinn Fein on the 1 o'clock news! Dave Keating WESTPORT

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: Fianna Fail should do the same, step down without any perks and join the dole queue the dole queue they would get a taste of their medicine ANN

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Is there any hope of a TD or Minister actually earning the salary they get or any chance of them forfeiting their expenses. Alex in Laois

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Its an absolute Disgrace that John O'Donoghue will probable allowed to stay on even as a TD considering how he has treated his office as "A Gravy Train" for so long as Minister and now as Leader of the house. Joe Kelly.

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Its great he has a choice if only everyone had as much security a golden handshake tighten our belts the goverment does not know what this means and do not care once they have on cuts Margaret

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I believe Enda Kenny should also look at his position as he has been waffling on about the O’Donoghue issue the last few days he dropped the ball and the real leader of the opposition Eamon Gilmore scored the try time to go Enda Peter Behan Palmerstown.

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Have never never voted Labour b4 but so will b in the future! Well done Eamon Gilmore! That is exactly what Enda Kenny should have done...so hat's off  to Eamon. Anon.

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I believe that the Greens would do a great service, not only to the country, but to themselves, as regards their political credibiity and principal, if they mercifully pulled the plug this weekend, on this horrendous misgovernment. Better they go down, now, with their heads held high, than in a ball of flames at a later stage. Tom, D14.

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The imminent stepping down of the profligate John Expenses O Donoghue is great news for our democracy. I feel that his extravagance is only the tip of the iceberg and the whole expenses issue needs serious scrutiny and amendment. Paul in Tipp.

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Put him on the dole till he is pension age then give him two hundred euro a week from Monaghan viewer.

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It doesn't matter whether Mr O’Donoghue goes this wk or next coz he'll be elected on the first count by the people of south Kerry in the next general election. He is the best politician ever to come out of Kerry. John Ferriter.

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The people want John O’Donoghue out of politics full stop and any other fat cats can go with him if it was his own money he wouldn’t have been as flash. The whole system needs reform all politicians should be paid no more then a teacher or Garda, they serve the people they should be paid the average wage so they can relate 2 the people they believe they govern. We are like a communist country ruled from top down rather then bottom up, Bring back free freedom of information. Gerard

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It makes me sick to have one time supported Fianna Fail when there looking to cut unemployment cuts and yeah they waste 1million bring on an election Fine Gael or Labour for me next time. Finglas viewer

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For God's sake. This is like water torture! The Ceann Comhairle should have "Time and Space", his colleagues say. Pscho babble. Cute hoor politics. "He's a lovely man. Its a tragedy, blah blah". Vincent. This is a self inflicted wound. For God's sake, will he just GO. And Go Now. Sheila

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I find it amazing to hear a labour person saying its a sad day & feeling sorry for a man with a "long career" who has splashed tax payers money on VIP junket trips for he and his wife. Ill never vote labour after hearing Mrs Shorthall’s comments tonight . PETER DUBLIN

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I wonder how Nora Owen feels tonight. John O'Donoghue harassed her in a most vicious manner when she was Minister for Justice. it was disgusting. Margaret Hogan.

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There is nothing to stop the green ministers from resigning their party membership and staying in government if their party goes against them. All of course in the national interest. Anon

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no disrespect to the FG and Labour but the go on saying how FF are doing things wrong but if they ie FG and Labour where in power what will they do different and who in this new party would be involved in over spending etc.. To be honest there all in it only problem people are getting caught sooner rather than later from Mark Mulligan from Clongriffin

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Tonight I’m going to bed hungry having sacrificed my dinner in order to ensure my children are fed. This is reality and not the "fairytale lifestyle of John O’Donoghue and company". What a coward Brian Cowen is! Fair play to Eamon Gilmore's courage and conviction. Mary O'Connor, Cork .

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Feel so sad about this once great country of ours. Which now is no country for resigning failed politicians. It took weeks for our opposition to cop on and call for O’Donoghue to resign. when every one was shouting resign from the roof tops. One more in a litany of disgraced politicians from one particular party who think they are infallible. The greens the so called moral guardians make me puke power corrupts in there case absolutely. God help our country. Imagine depending on the greens for the future of this country. Pascal McKenna Tuam Co Galway .

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It is time now for a new political party. Surely some people of influence can start a think tank that could product a consensus of what people need now. We are being strangled by these civil war politicians and their ‘Local great fella’ attitude to our country

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"I'm leaving on a jet plane" This is the last time O’ Donohue uses our jet ! What’s this new catch phrase ‘The body Politic’ all the parties are using it now. A better collective phrase might be ‘A bunch of Gangsters’ As it was once said. ‘you can fool some of the people some of the time, But you can’t fool all the people all the time’

David Higgs

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We live in a sea of misinformation, political corruption and very low standards in public office. Our politicians prostitute their integrity and self respect in order to cling to power. Nobody stands down when it is the decent thing to do. Whatever ones opinion on the governments handling of Anglo Irish and Brian Cowan's response to some bankers suggestions on the night of the 29th September, 2008 that Anglo be nationalised, "We are not f****** nationalising Anglo", along with the subsequent billions that have and will be spent on this zombie bank, there can be no doubt, as pointed out by David Curran (SBP), the lack of an Oireachtas committee probe into the banking crisis has spared politicians and arms of the state from being investigated. He also points out that a High Court Inspectorship, which is effective, efficient, speedy, transparent and objective has also not been carried out.

What are we to make of this? Despite the government’s protests that NAMA is supported by the ECB, the truth is the ECB has stated that the government should not pay more than the actual value of the assets and has warned against the danger of banks using the monies they are paid to rebuild their equity rather than lend to new and existing customers. The credit agency Moody’s has stated NAMA will not improve the credit ratings of Irish banks to borrow. In addition the banks are bracing themselves for significant post-Nama losses arising as a consequence of Ireland ’s ongoing economic deterioration. Given that Irish banks are under intense pressure by overseas investors to repay loans, lending into the economy is a long way off. History also shows that lending to SME's during a recession declines as they represent a higher risk. Yet the government has made no arrangements whatsoever to ensure lending takes place. In light of this it is difficult to understand why Irish society & culture should be decimated & divided through stringent cuts at a fraction of the potential losses NAMA very likely will incur. Now is not the time to sack workers from the public sector.

Nor is it the time to set it at loggerheads with the private sector, creating divisions in our society for years to come. Now is not the time to undermine the farming community & its essential role in rural life, nor withdraw essential services which support the backbone of our society. Now is the time to plan an orderly transition over the coming years of personnel from the public to the private sector as the economy improves in lieu of agreement on a major overhaul of the public sector with the public sector unions. Now is the time to nurture our society and to seek effective cost reductions in the way government does business. Now is the time to put an end to the abuse of the welfare system. This is where tax payer’s money should be going.

The McCarthy report suggests ruthless savings while Anglo Irish, a zombie bank, has received and will continue to receive billions of tax payer’s money. The gross negligence of duty to the citizens of this state & self interest of this government during its tenure has extended to its demise. The time has come for a national protest organized by the public & private sector to send a clear message to this government & the elites they represent to step down. The time has come for the citizens of Ireland to stand together and reaffirm article 45.1 of the constitution which clearly states: “justice and charity shall inform all the institutions of the national life.” Albert Byrne

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Re JOHN O DONOGHUEs  travelling expenses, even within IRELAND itself, however the system of government in this country actually contributes to the expenditure involved, and a system , which you continously fail to address? THE CENTRALIZATION of political power  in this country creates the very problem which you continue to  condemn. THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE DECENTRALIZED  by creating PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES where the provincial TD would remain within his/her provincial assembly and would obviate the necessity to travel to dublin , and these assemblies would be interconnected via video link ,and other modern communication systems. liamoconaireeire

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Who will be overseeing the settlement package that O Donoghue will receive? Will he get 1 or 2 million plus a car and God knows what else too? Will he now be placed in Europe where he can also have €300,000 in un-vouched expenses and continue to live like a lord?

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Why did it take the statement by Sinn Fein this morning to spur Gilmore and Kenny to do what they should have done weeks ago? Opposition my backside, they are all the 1 group as the Lisbon treaty campaign showed. The Opposition are a complete sham. We need a new Party to vote for. I’sn’t it strange that in England the 2 big parties are almost exactly the same-- just like here. Send in the I.M.F. as soon as possible…Patrick, Dublin .