Texts and emails, Tuesday 27 April 2010
Topic: Should Brian Cowen resign as Taoiseach for the damaging role he played as Minister for Finance?
Panellists: Martin Mansergh, Aine Kerr, Pat Rabbitte, Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames and Michael O' Regan.
Vincent. Eamonn Gilmore to be next Taoeisach. He’s the only man with spirit and worth listening to.
Tracey, Mohill
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Will former president Mary Robinson be giving up her presidential pension? Why aren’t the media going after her?
Sean, Wexford
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Our electoral system should provide for a failing Taoiseach or Minister to be recalled as in some American states. That would allow public concerns about their respective performances to be reflected in the democratic process.
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Three reasons why Cowen must go: no leadership, no leadership ,no leadership
Joe Dolan, Wexford
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Regarding pensions! After the next election a lot of FF ministers will retire and take them because they are so far out of touch with the people and reality that they wont be able to accept being on the opposite side of the Dail, watch this space.
Shea, former FF
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Brian Cowen must go now he was Bertie’s right hand man and together they have brought this country to its knees.
Anne, Cork
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Vincent, Cowen should go, how can we expect to punish the bankers, when the man at the top remains un-punished... Also please ask Martin Manseragh what country he is living in?
Martin, Carrick-on-Suir
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In the 19th century the outlaws robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, in the 21st century the outlaws robbed from the poor and gave to the rich!!
Pat Mcloughlin, Newcastle West
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Vinnie people want to hear that buffoon Mansergh laughing. Go on, tickle him!
P.Murphy, Dub 9
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Brian Cowen is totally incompetent and his career to date has proven this, he should do the decent thing and resign.
Paul K, Sandycove
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The Gardai are burned the most by the property bubble, that’s why they’re upset.
Con, Finglas
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Here we go again. Poor Martin. A glutton for punishment!
Ned.
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Martin there is none so blind as those who do not see.
Thomas, Enniscorthy
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Why have you got a West Brit on RTE, he never gives a truthful answer.
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The GRA told the truth today. Well done!! We must dump the Golden Circle!! We can t afford them now or ever again!
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What’s Manseragh talking about? Cowen and most of the developers and bankers were in together. Why would Charlie Mc Creevy get a 120% mortgage? People are sick of FF. They had to be shamed into giving up their pensions. Who’s protecting Mr Fingleton? People are sick of them.
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With Vincent Browne -Brian Cowen is also responsible for the snow this winter -would you ever cop yourself on !
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Well done, Vincent. This needs to be outed.
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Yes he and most of his colleagues should b gone - we need men of honour and patriotic which FF are not. So well Martin may laugh.
Mk
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Can Martin Manseragh not see that Cowen is leading FF towards a historic electoral beating precisely because Vincent Brown is correct in his assertion?
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What difference will it make if Cowen is replaced by another establishment politician? We need to change the entire political and economic system.
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Mansergh doesn’t address the question, he’s supercilious & patronising. Dump him.
N. Whelan
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Vincent your wasting your breath asking Manseragh FF questions. He goes on about something else.
Richie, Tallaght
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Please, please, please, switch off that Mr Mansergh, he is simply a disgorger of meaningless verbiage, a complete waste of time.
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Would like to ask the question – How come Brian Cowen has no problem "backing-up" the rich and other TDs etc by not forcing a law that they have to forego large pensions etc and he says it is up to the individual. But he has NO PROBLEM in cutting wages of normal hard-working people like me? I work for the HSE and earn €29,000PA (I work full-time) and happen to be a single parent. I am now earning €30 per week less than this time last year! I miss that money very much and my sons father also lost his job and clearly is now not in a position to pay maintenance (which he did before he lost his job). He has now moved to the UK to get work. So as you can imagine it is extremely difficult not to get very angry at the disgraceful way in which the government consistently back-up the rich and clearly have no compassion for normal working people who actually need the money they earn to live on, i.e. pay bills etc.
Lorraine.
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It seems highly implausible that the Government, Minister for Finance, Department of Finance, the Central Bank and Financial Regulator were not aware of the severity of the banking crisis until Goggin, Sheehy and co came knocking on the Minister's door at the end of September 2008.
Given the crash in the Anglo share price on St Patrick's Day 2008 when Brian Cowen was Minister for Finance, no action was taken between then and September until the Banks came calling.
If the authorities were not aware of the problems they are guilty of extreme incompetence.
If they were aware they are guilty of inaction and this delay in taking action compounded the crisis at our expense.
Bear in mind that during this period the US authorities were already tackling their significant banking crisis.
This period was also the time in which the Quinn stake was being unwound through the Golden circle investors.
Any banking inquiry must investigate the time period from March to September 2008 and establish what the authorities knew and whether policies pursued were appropriate.
Vincent Sweeney, Dublin
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Cowen’s the only politician in the history of the State to have held all four of the most senior posts in government - foreign affairs, finance, Tánaiste and Taoiseach. Can anyone pin down a single significant achievement/ decision of his while time in office? His civil war partisan approach to politics centres around rallying the troops while his tribal belligerence simply will not allow him to take on board any suggestions from the opposition. This is the guy who told Enda Kenny he was neither qualified nor able......If only he listened then perhaps we wouldn’t be where we are today. I really can’t see him ever having the ability to put the country before his beloved Party and for that reason he is wholly unsuitable to the role as Taoiseach.
Mary O Carroll, Clonskeagh
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Pat Rabitte says that Brian Lenihan is unique in being a brilliant appointment of the Taoiseach. Does he not realise that Brian Lenihan was responsible for the costly bank guarantees in September 2008, and his recent approval of the Bank of Ireland CEO's €1.5m pension (against his own guidelines)?
Robbie, Wexford
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Please tell yer man to shut up!!! Intelligent debate is acceptable, but shouting and monopolising the conversation and trying to divert the topic (very obvious tactic) is even worse.........The next time you have him on please announce it the night before, I'll make sure not to watch!!!!
Judith
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Can VB float a factual question please: does anyone on the panel know how many members there are in the Richie Boucher pension scheme that needed the top-up? Might it be a single-member scheme, perhaps?
John O'Hagan, Bray
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If a TD has held several Ministerial positions, can he qualify for a pension for each position? If the answer is Yes, surely that should also be banned. One person One pension.
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If a TD has held several Ministerial positions, can he qualify for a pension for each position? If the answer is Yes, surely that should also be banned. One person One pension.
James, Tralee Co. Kerry
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God help us with that idiot Mansergh, Cowen is a disgrace and should be long gone.
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PLEASE Vincent do we have 2 listen 2 MANSERAGH talking a load of bull again?
Joe, Cavan
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My Jack Russell knew 3 years ago about the crisis
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FF man only laughing at you. He’s not interested.
Richie, Tallaght
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That Martin fella should take a chill pill.
Paul, Macroom
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Mansergh and his shrill shouting should not be given air time. He has no manners either.
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Vincent can martin answer anything u asked him?
John
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If Michael Sommers contests he was pressurised to lodge monies in Anglo then he must be brought before the Dail to disclose who and when.
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My father was a member of Fianna Fail {born into the party}. He left in 1949 because of corruption.
Marie K
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Have F Fail any other than bumbling buffoons to represent them and fail us.
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Turn the headlights on Rabbit. Ask him if he signed off on John O' Donoghue's expenses and did he not consult with his leader who ran into the long grass when Conor Lenihan asked Gilmore about this.
Larry Butler
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Vincent that Minister is an arrogant ignorant man shouting at us the PEOPLE. To hell with FF.
Sharon, Kerry
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If everyone earned an equal salary no one would have an incentive to research cures for illnesses or new technology. So inequality is necessary.
Joe, Wexford
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Vincent why do you have that clown Martin on the show? He talks and talks and talks and says nothing.
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The whole of Europe is in recession. We are not the only one.
Joe, Dublin 3
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Why are we being subjected to Mansergh's bumbling waffle? Send him to the Podge and Rodge show.
Matt, Cranitch
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Pat said B Cowen very intelligent, this is very Wrong.
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A BIG SCANDAL NOW IS NOT ALLOWING PRIVATE ELECTRICITY PRODUCERS ONTO THE GRID. Another example of the "tough it out" and maintain powerful elite.
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Vincent. Will you tell Mr Manseragh that to not act in the best interest of your country is TREASON. What about being in politics for the betterment of the country? Is being voted out enough accountability for their actions? Put something in the constitution to charge them with treason.
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Brian Cowen may have sang My Way from the back of a lorry MANY years ago, but alas, he repeats the chorus line on a weekly basis…I Did it MY way.
Nick.
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Vincent, isn’t Aine like a rose between two thorn bushes.
Niall
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The Irish people want the heads of the people who bankrupt our country, that must start with Bertie Ahern!
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Kenneth
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Vincent should give a health warning when Martin is on the programme.
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Vincent I am just an ordinary joe soap but I can guarantee you three things. 1: Greece will default on its loans; 2: so will Ireland; 3: Cowen will be backstabbed by his own people pretty soon.
Joe, Limerick
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Vincent we are all sick of your anti Fianna ranting give Brian Cowen a chance. Any other man would be dead at this stage. No Taoiseach in the history of the state has had such a rough time but like all good Offally players he is a man of steel.
John, Limerick
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Do u notice Aine leaning back in case Martin hits her swaying about the place?
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Vincent, will M. Manseragh grow up and leave that boy soprano voice behind him. South Tipp accent my back.
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Brian Cowan is Not Very intelligent. Is he Honest?
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Would Mansergh put a sock in it. He sounds like a hysterical woman. This bloody government haven't the competence to do community service.
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For god's sake tell martin that being condescending, changing the subject and shouting, are not acceptable in a proper debate.
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Vincent, I think you’ve joined FF . Brian Cowen will be delighted with that show.
Jack, Waterford
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PAT WILL YOU STOP TAKING MARTINS SOOTHER OFF HIM EVERY FEW MINUTES AND LEAVING HIM SCREAMING !
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The complete absence of any need or sense of duty to accept any responsibility for the mess we now find ourselves is simply sick-making. The accepted technique for politicians, bankers and their like, to employ selective amnesia in any interviews and their constant repetition of clearly untruthful scripted explanations is simply cringe-making.
Martin. Galway
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BERTIE IS OK HIS HORSE TIPSTER IS IN TOP FORM. WISH I COULD MEET HIM.
JAMES HOEY, DUNDALK.
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Is it not strange that the only time there is no difference between political parties is when it involves their salaries.
James, Dublin.
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Smoke and mirrors from Fidelma.
Joe Donoghue
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Hi Vincent could u ask Fidelma where R Bruton was going to get the 25 billion in ‘02?
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Ask Mansergh how much Biffo's image will help him to hold his seat in Tipperary South.
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You never read out my text. Surely the only reason you invited Manson is because he is so off the wall. Please read out my text.
Joe.
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If Martin Mansergh is the best that F.F. can put forward for a serious discussion on finance, then we really are in big trouble, he’s a political joke.
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Please please why oh why do you have that moron manson on your programme. With all has em's and huffing and bloody puffing. What a waste of precious air time.
Joe, Kerry.
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Do we have 2 listen 2 MANSERAGH talking bull again?
Joe, Cavan
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Martin has a big income for life, better men in slavery paying for their brazenness.
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