Smart economy? He could raise the IQ of the cabinet table by getting rid of a few choice ministers for a start.

Broadband, decent schools, college fees - these issues all need serious addressing first, 3rd and 4th level education places are also necessary, but again, the way things are going, are we just going to end up creating ready to export graduates?

No, as has been said, this smacks of the need to be seen to be doing something.

We.

Are.

Stuffed.

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If I was dependant on the public health service I would probably be dead by the end of the year.
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This is clumsy and sloppy reporting by RTÉ stating "Cowen appoints economy taskforce" when the actual announcement was "Taoiseach Appoints Innovation Taskforce to Support the Development of the Smart Economy" on the Department of the Taoiseach's webpage.

Not that it changes some people's views on the matter, i.e., it is too little too late, but the thread here has gone off the topic by incorrectly stating the actual announcement.

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We are "they"

Sure Jock, we had our own version of the smart economy all that time. T'was only last year and international circumstances that took the a%%e out of our smarta$$e economy

Ditto for Minister for Health, Education, Defence..I could go on.

I think the Ministries exist primarily to reward politically successful councillors, who have toed the respective party line, with lucrative salaries and pensions.

How about Cowen appointing an economic task force that does not contain a single economist?

More cause for despair: Cowen announces appointment of 28-strong insider-dominated Irish innovation taskforce - - to rubber-stamp Government policy?

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"On a blanket guarantee for all banks - ML [Merrill Lynch] felt this could be a mistake and hit national rating and allow poorer banks to continue."
Excerpt from a handwritten note of a meeting with the Minister, the Thursday before he decided to implement a blanket guarantee.

No sign of the indigenous sector. The one idea in Brian's head is that there'll be a US upturn and we'll get more FDI.

The FDI sector have published their own reports including one last September - Better graduate courses, cheaper energy and better broadband were the issues so far as I remember.

I would mark this one down as something to include in the public sector spending cuts.

It's now almost July Brian

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“The Green Party is completely opposed to violence and cruelty to animals and as we campaign to take enough seats so that we can have a role in the next government we will do everything in our power to end these cruel activities." - Trevor Sargent 2007.
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to have animal cruelty finally banned in Ireland. Yet another Green Party promise reneged on.

A talking shop. How innovative.

Is anyone surprised? FF have outsourced decision making ever since the dithering Bertie took over. The cunning plan being that any unpopular decisions can then be blamed on said Quango. But the cumulative effect of this decision making is that FF have lost all skills necessary to make any tough decision. If they actually had a clue at all, then they might at least hire capable people for the job, but it inevitably goes to some party hack, who recommend the setting up of another quango.

Get off the stage FF.

1. How much will this taskforce cost us?
2. What worth will they produce?