Coughlan - "we paid off our debt"

[midlander12]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand why the national debt should have increased either in national or GDP terms during the CT years. Just as I don't understand why govt spending increased 20% some years during that time and why welfare spending increased every year while we had full employment and were taking in 150,000 immigrant workers every year. But I suppose I'm economically illiterate............

[midlander12]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand why the national debt should have increased either in national or GDP terms during the CT years. Just as I don't understand why govt spending increased 20% some years during that time and why welfare spending increased every year while we had full employment and were taking in 150,000 immigrant workers every year. But I suppose I'm economically illiterate............

Sorry I meant absolute terms, I know it didnt increase as a % of GDP

[BodyofEvidence]

We didnt pay off the national debt, however as a proportion of our GDP it fell dramaticially since 1987.
I don't know if what she said was simply a case of symantics or if she genuinely doesn't understand the difference.

she doesnt understand. She probably does think we paid it off....

[BodyofEvidence]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand why the national debt should have increased either in national or GDP terms during the CT years. Just as I don't understand why govt spending increased 20% some years during that time and why welfare spending increased every year while we had full employment and were taking in 150,000 immigrant workers every year. But I suppose I'm economically illiterate............

Mary, is that you? Mary...come in mary.....

[jdckelly]

what did we do to deserve this lot in charge

[BodyofEvidence]

what did we do to deserve this lot in charge

Elections in the Republic of Ireland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
note the consistent pattern.....

[Proposition Joe]

The time has come for US-style oversight of all ministerial appointments. Once proposed, the candidate would go forward for a hearing before the relevant committee in order to tease out their competency.

Although an absolute majority in both houses could still be used to force the appointment through, the exposure would give the Taoiseach pause before using an important ministry to pay back a political debt.

Worst case scenario, the incompetence and unsuitability of someone like Coughlan would become clear to the wider public a lot faster.

[BodyofEvidence]

The time has come for US-style oversight of all ministerial appointments. Once proposed, the candidate would go forward for a hearing before the relevant committee in order to tease out their competency.

Although an absolute majority in both houses could still be used to force the appointment through, the exposure would give the Taoiseach pause before using an important ministry to pay back a political debt.

Worst case scenario, the incompetence and unsuitability of someone like Coughlan would become clear to the wider public a lot faster.

PJ - I suspect that the incompetence of MC etc was well known by her electorate. In fact, thats part of her charm....

[pfkf]

what did we do to deserve this lot in charge

2 years ago 850,000 people voted for this, that's why we deserve it, I can take solitude in the fact I was not one of them.

[Fairplay]

Perhaps before ministerial appointment candidates should have a minimum of 5 years experience in the real world - this experience could include unemployment or voluntary work here or overseas but could not include working as a TD/senator/councillor etc. Maybe bonus points in the selection process if candidates had actual experience of working in each of the three sectors - public -private - and self employment.

This would eliminate many current Ministers.

Did Mary Harney EVER have a real job? My recollection is that she went strainght from college to the Senate (by nomination). Mary Coughlan possible had about 6 months as a trainee social worker.