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Questions and Answers, 9th March

Simon McGarr — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:26:21 +0000

10:32 PM Suzy Byrne - Mary Harney – Minister for Health, James O’Reilly FG, Suzanne Kelly Tax Lawyer, Ronan Fanning Historian, Paul Sweeney ICTU Economist.

10:32 PM Alexia Golez - Looking forward to tonight’s Q&A. Mary Harney, Jim Reilly.. etc
10:32 PM Suzy Byrne - we’ll stay in your gaff
10:33 PM Simon McGarr - I will be in and out. As small child circumstances allow. Or medical advice.
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - James O’Reilly has had a tidy up I see – not much but a tidy all the same!
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - Michael Kinsella – how much pain are people to take re mini-budget.
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - Suzanne Kelly is Captain Kelly’s daughter as i remember from last appearance (not so long ago either…) and of a FF disposition..
10:43 PM Alexia Golez - moves to restore economic goodtimes will not be “a popularity” contest.. hmm.. opposite of an election, so.. An election of a small, centre-right party..
10:43 PM Alexia Golez - Harney confirms that specifics of the financial disaster were only revealed last week, but that the fact that they were only revealed then, is something common internationally. It will be “at least” three years.
10:46 PM Suzy Byrne - Notes cushion behind Minister. I’m not saying anything else on that for fear of apologies needing to be offered!
10:46 PM Alexia Golez - James O’Reilly has a magnificent afro. A halo of that could have been independent of noggin, now brought into the fold.
10:47 PM midnightcourt - “It’s not as good a pension as the one in the public sector” Blistering insight from John Bowman #qa2
10:48 PM midnightcourt - Jesus Christ #qa2
10:49 PM midnightcourt - Pain schmain #qa2
10:50 PM hughgreen - How much pain? I’m going to read Orna Mulcahy’s lifestyle pieces every week till the recession ends #qa2
10:51 PM Simon McGarr - @hughgreen I see your Orna Mulcahy and raise you her brother Michael.
10:51 PM midnightcourt - Figures made a bad situation worse. Not actual activities of which they are evidence #qa2
10:52 PM lexia - What a fail. Harney speaks of the increase of spending on health by multiples, but the Health Service limps from year to the next. #qa2
10:52 PM hughgreen - There’s no such thing as ‘private sector unemployed’. #qa2
10:53 PM midnightcourt - Mary reckons we should get real. Fucking hell. 400 quid haircut. First class travel. Total uselessness remunerated at 200k plus #qa2
10:54 PM midnightcourt - Mary actively removed decision making and management from Govt generally and her Department in particular. #qa2
10:57 PM hughgreen - #qa2 Why tax ‘exiles’ (exile normally a tragic predicament) and not tax fugitives?
10:57 PM midnightcourt - HSE replaced executive function of Dept of Health – yet not one civil servant redeployed. V little executive experience at Cabinet. #qa2
11:01 PM midnightcourt - Mary grumpily acknowledged Canada as actual source of consultant skills – let’s not forget we live in backwater #qa2
11:02 PM midnightcourt - Please, Government, do not fall back on your own unbelievably limited resources for answers to our problems #qa2
11:03 PM Suzy Byrne - beards are really in tonight!
11:04 PM Alexia Golez - Paul Sweeney, economic advisor to ICTU kicks Politikopolis in the nads – politicians are paid “too much”..
11:04 PM Alexia Golez - Anything to do with prickly negotiations?
11:04 PM midnightcourt - @hughgreen Why not “Tax Bastards”? #qa2
11:05 PM midnightcourt - where is tax bastards tweet? #qa2
11:05 PM cianflah - Good god fail all round on #qa2 that patronizing icu analogy my fave so far. Harney a lightenin rod for popular ire
11:05 PM fustar - @midnightcourt @hughgreen #qa2 Or “Tax Hidey Bad Men”?
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Harney’s words hitting me like radiation. #qa2
11:05 PM Fergal Crehan - Saw Paul Sweeney speak the other week. He likes to swear a lot, presumably to show that he’s not like the other economists
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Meanwhile up north this evening – PSNI officer shot in Craigavon
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Question 3 is on murders by RIRA in Antrim
11:09 PM Alexia Golez - Suzanne doles out sympathy like it’s an economic resource, sparingly and just because it’s the right thing to do..
11:09 PM midnightcourt - Budget up to two opposition politicians rather than vast ranks of Finance, Revenue et al – FF don’t have hang of this Govt thing #qa2
11:11 PM midnightcourt - Didn’t catch question there – Harney on about national reputation & need to bring atrocity merchants to justice – will she go quietly #qa2
11:12 PM Alexia Golez - Phew.. Part one done. Feels like I’ve taken off my corset..
11:13 PM Fergal Crehan - Why won’t RTE show the ad breaks on the web stream so people in the UK can see them? Why?!?!
11:13 PM midnightcourt - Yes, audience cabbage guy, were it not for Financial Crisis our Govt would Pwn RIRA. n0000b! #qa2
11:14 PM Simon McGarr - Fergal tackles the big questions, so we don’t have to.
11:15 PM midnightcourt - Ad for Hibernian features origin story involving Mustachioed carpet bagger type with bag of money #qa2
11:16 PM Fergal Crehan - That Hibernian ad is loathesome. Uses hideous economic hardship as just another sentimental detail of times changing, like flares or shoulder-pads
11:17 PM Simon McGarr - I saw Quinn Group running their ’14 reasons why we’re not going to sink beneath the waves’ ad in the papers today.
11:17 PM Suzy Byrne - Is taxx on texting a tax on young people? Next question on q&A
11:17 PM Alexia Golez - “a tax on SMS is a tax on free speech” Paul Sweeney
11:18 PM Simon McGarr - Is this question taxing my patience?
11:18 PM Alexia Golez - Oh and the question is – “Would a tax on text messages, be a Youth Tax?”
11:19 PM Alexia Golez - Interesting, but how much of txtspk is free speech?
11:19 PM Simon McGarr - Are Stamps a vast censorship conspiracy on letters?
11:19 PM Fergal Crehan - I noted that Mary White TD has spoken positively of a text tax. She has also expressed concerns that computer games lead to violence. From the puritan, modernity-sceptic, eat-your-greens wing of the Green Party, clearly
11:20 PM Simon McGarr - Are they a tax on Grannies who love sending cards?
11:20 PM midnightcourt - Charlie McCreevy implemented tens of taxes with conivance of Mary Harney. #qa2
11:20 PM redmum - Ha Young Wan disgusted at any suggestion of texting levy, says yeah tax emails! #qa2
11:20 PM midnightcourt - “I favour non-progressive taxes which allow the people who will look after me when I leave Govt to fuck the little guy” Mary Harney #qa2
11:20 PM Suzy Byrne - text tax does not ad to cost of doing business in Ireland according to Kelly – she’s not really into the text advertising business?
11:21 PM justinf - on about taxes now and the proposed taxes on txting #qa2 but txts are already taxed – with VAT!!
11:21 PM hughgreen - @midnightcourt @fustar did I say tax fugitive? I meant tax superhero. #qa2
11:22 PM Suzy Byrne - would ireland beneift if ministers leaving ireland for St. Patricks Day do not return – pithy last question FAIL.
11:22 PM Simon McGarr - @Suzy anything that might kill off text advertising is a must have.
11:23 PM finkeegan - If teacher in #qa2 audience (thinks rev shortfall can come from pun’g banksters) is indicative we are fubared: pubsector needs 2 WAKE UP!
11:23 PM fustar - #qa2 Question I’ve always wanted to ask on Q&A – “Can you pinpoint the exact moment when this government jumped the shark?”
11:23 PM lexia - I like this guy’s thinking #qa2
11:23 PM Simon McGarr - *FacePalm*
11:24 PM Alexia Golez - James Reilly doesn’t want to lose his Paddy’s Day junket should he EVER get into cabinet…
11:24 PM Suzy Byrne - Organisational and Time Management advice for Minister Cullen from Ronan Fanning.
11:25 PM midnightcourt - Sadly, our Ministers are not equipped to redress our national image deficit #qa2
11:25 PM midnightcourt - Cullen’s appointments a symptom of Ministerial divorce from executive functions. Out and about all day, never at desk #qa2
11:26 PM hughgreen - But helicopters aren’t flash ENOUGH. Blue lambos for all. #qa2
11:26 PM midnightcourt - Someone should take opp to kick Harney who uses helicopters to open fucking off-licences #qa2
11:27 PM Alexia Golez - Oh noes.. Harney has milk and crusts to sustain herself while her ministeral colleagues hobnob
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Bowman needs to be shown the door #qa2
11:28 PM Simon McGarr - I refuse to applaud.
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Budget cuts perfect excuse to kick his tired ass to the kerb #qa2
11:29 PM Simon McGarr - @Alexia Cruelty- eating hobnobs before someone on basic rations.
11:30 PM hughgreen - @midnightcourt #qa2 he needs to be shown an iron for those trousers
11:30 PM Suzy Byrne - Jammie Dodgers breakout now…I fasted during that…
11:31 PM Simon McGarr - Everyone back to digging the holes in the middle of fields to flee to.

Questions and Answers RTE 1 23/02/2009

Simon McGarr — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:11:54 +0000

10:51 PM lexia - Oh my, Martin Cullen on last Saturday’s march #qa1
10:52 PM Simon McGarr - Ok, who’s on the Panel? We’ve got Fintin O’Toole, Martin Cullen…
10:55 PM lexia - I’m sorry. Martin Cullen turns me off. I’m sure I’m not the only one. #qa1
10:55 PM Tupp_Ed - Michael Soden, former Bank of Ireland CEO! Charlie Flanagan, FG filled shirt #qa1
10:55 PM Simon McGarr - Anyone turned on by Martin Cullen is to be shunned.
11:04 PM omahonydonnelly - @lexia There is something creepy about Martin Cullen. I don’t believe anything he says. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Faceache audience member complaining about his pension. I can’t have with pension complaints. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Fintin is straight in at 5th Gear. Squashing Martin Cullen into paste. Though he is refuses to acknowledge his pasting. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Local companionship revoked, on the grounds that she will not be lied to #qa1
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Cullen spouting actual clinical gibberish. It’s concerning.
11:05 PM lexia - Nobody points like Fintan O’Toole. Even his teased tresses point corkscrews. #qa1
11:05 PM AdamMaguire - @Tupp_Ed Landlords are mobile investment. If they get taxed more they’ll take their houses elsewhere #qa1
11:07 PM jdrumgoole - Holy shit Michael Soden rears his head. Maybe he can get his old job back as a bank CEO. #qa1
11:09 PM jdrumgoole - Fintan O’Toole is kicking ass and taking names on Questions & Answers. Martin Cullen is on the ropes #qa1
11:09 PM Mark_Coughlan - Cullen is on the ropes. That FG “plant” comment was stupid. Q&A is daycent this week bhoy… #qa1
11:10 PM dermotcasey - @jdrumgoole Hmmmh wonder who’d he’d think fit as CEO. He’s popping up all over the place at the moment. #qa1
11:10 PM jdrumgoole - @jonathangrimes tough gig for Cullen #qa1
11:10 PM Tupp_Ed - Soden has demented plan. He reveals that the government had just taken a punt by recapitalising the banks and lost. #qa1
11:11 PM Tupp_Ed - Holy Flaming Fuck! Soden, former CEO of Bank of Ireland, tells us he is apolitical. #qa1
11:12 PM Mark_Coughlan - Bowman is giving the FGr a lot of air time #qa1
11:12 PM jonathangrimes - @jdrumgoole Where’s Willie O’Dea when you need him #qa1
11:12 PM uberalex - Wow nationalising the banks. The government has done such a great job with its own finances, it surely can improve the banks. #qa1
11:14 PM dermotcasey - For a second I thought Mary Robinson was on Q&A when I heard the journalist had to look at telly to check. #qa1
11:14 PM Mark_Coughlan - The three C’s… will that be the GUBU of the naughties? ohhh #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Guess how you find out something is illegal… #qa1
11:15 PM midnightcourt - regulator not merely asleep at the wheel, was massively understaffed and underqualified. that’s down to general ‘tude to CS staffing #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Fecking Cullen on again. Now his face makes me angry. #qa
11:15 PM dermotcasey - Why do people point to tough US regulations. The global crisis originated with US liar loans (which we followed) #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Guess how you find out something is illegal… #qa1
11:16 PM uberalex - The ‘no smoke without fire’ argument is profoundly ridiculous. I can’t believe this person is trying to suggest a perp walk… #qa1
11:17 PM midnightcourt - scalps all very well – Ireland de facto deregulated by not having any actual regulators. Plenty law on books #qa1
11:17 PM Tupp_Ed - Ahh! Eyes starting to bleed while I listen.. everything I’m hearing making my brain implode. #qa1
11:19 PM uberalex - @Tupp_Ed I tuned in because of twitter – regret it now #qa1
11:19 PM Tupp_Ed - Cullen doesn’t accept Anglo shenanigans was legal. But at the same time he thinks it wasn’t illegal either #qa1
11:20 PM midnightcourt - hahahahahahahahaha cullen doesn’t know any of the bankers #qa1
11:20 PM donkearns - @dermotcasey Does the constant analysis of the problem(s) not get annoying? Whatever happened to honesty anyway? #qa1
11:21 PM Mark_Coughlan - Fintan O’Toole, you legend. #qa1 … Martin “as far as I know well I kind of think it was sort of kind of a bit, yeah legal”…
11:23 PM dermotcasey - Does Mike Soden think he’d have done it any different if he was still in charge. Lemmings go off the cliff together #qa1
11:24 PM Tupp_Ed - Ads a blessed relief. My stomach is clenched now. I was told this was bad for me. Why do I do it to myself? #qa1
11:24 PM Tupp_Ed - Ad based on Groundhog Day for the Canary Islands. Not sure they realised he’s in hell, not an extended holiday. #qa1
11:25 PM Tupp_Ed - Brilliant! An ad for PostBank. #qa1
11:25 PM midnightcourt - The Potato Republic does the coup d’etat so much more subtly than its Banana equivalent #qa1
11:25 PM Tupp_Ed - Ad based on Groundhog Day for the Canary Islands. Not sure they realised he’s in hell, not an extended holiday. #qa1
11:27 PM Simon McGarr - Audience member produces ‘National Government’ canard. A chance for Charlie Flanagan to explain why FG is totally, totally different to FF.
11:28 PM Tupp_Ed - Audience member produces ‘National Government’ canard. A chance for Charlie Flanagan to explain why FG is totally, totally different to FF.
11:28 PM Tupp_Ed - Brilliant! An ad for PostBank. #qa1
11:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - Martin, another fine example of focused, thought out, directed Fiana Fail leadership #qa1
11:28 PM dermotcasey - Oh wow. Postbank ad which was done before the crisis is very appropiate in the circumstances #qa1
11:28 PM andyaz - Fintan O’Toole should be on every week. #qa1
11:28 PM jdrumgoole - @Tupp_Ed Ah double think, a mandatory skill for government and bankers in Ireland today #qa1
11:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - Poorly phrased question… “since we’re in a recession…” it’s not JUST a recession, it’s way more than that! #qa1
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Let us never forget Martin Cullen was a PD TD. #qa1
11:30 PM Tupp_Ed - Soden talking. Telling us what to do like he knows best, and isn’t a banker angling for a 2nd chance from the gov #qa1
11:31 PM Tupp_Ed - Fintin taking the chance to ride out his lifelong, long advocated dream of a FG/FF merger to leave space for a Labour led opposition #qa1
11:31 PM ghartnett - @jdrumgoole Yeah, Cullen got a hammering. Soden seemed to make sense near the end of his “we have to stop arguing and do something…” #qa1
11:33 PM Tupp_Ed - Martin Cullen keeps telling us he agrees with everyone. Then ignores what they said and trots out something that makes no sense. #qa1
11:34 PM wesg - I’ve had to switch it off, just can’t listen to any more misdirection and obfuscation by Cullen (Mr. eVoting) #qa1
11:34 PM gavreilly - Like FG wouldn’t have tried to introduce e-voting… #qa1
11:40 PM midnightcourt - Fintan’s fantasy appears designed pour etaper le bourgeoisie #qa1
11:40 PM Tupp_Ed - And we’re out. Many thanks to the twitter-witters throughout. If you’d like a copy on your blog try the following #qa1
11:41 PM Simon McGarr - POINTY BRACKETiframe src=’‘ width=’400′ height=’500′ frameborder=’0′ style=’border: 1px solid #000′>

Questions and Answers 19th January 2009

Simon McGarr — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:35:53 +0000