Search Results for 'Brian Cowen'

We now live in an age of cutbacks, economic austerity and diminished financial reward. We are told that we are all in this together and that we are all feeling the pain. That some people will not feel the financial pain to the same degree as others is a fact of life. Some of these are the very highly paid, such as senior executives from some of the larger companies who will take home huge salaries. They will take home these salaries if and only if they do their jobs effectively, generate acceptable results and display high levels of competence. If not they will be fired. That is the way the real world works.

Mayo TD Beverley Flynn, has welcomed the assurances of the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, that frontline care services will not be reduced regardless of the cutbacks in HSE services.

A peaceful protest took place in Castlebar this week as families of those suffering with physical and intellectual disabilities took to the streets to lobby against possible cuts in respite care services.

Fianna Fáil’s greatest challenge is reconnecting with the public who always supported it, according to local TD John McGuinness, an outspoken critic of Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s leadership.

“Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power,” said Malcolm X and his words are apt to describe what is happening in Fine Gael at the moment.

What with miscarriage misdiagnosis, banking reports incriminating politicians, regulators, bankers and more importantly our Taoiseach, and Senators’ expenses making the headlines this week, it has certainly been a week of revelations.

“I might have appointed somebody but I appointed them because they were friends, not because of anything they had given me...”

Voters elect TDs to legislate on behalf of the State and to advocate for the needs of their constituency, but are we, the taxpayers, getting any value for our vote?

Following its highly acclaimed presentation in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway, Who Killed The Celtic Tiger commences a mini-tour that begins in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, on Friday May 7. The outrageous show, from the pen of writer Peter Kennedy, is a satirical look at the state of the Irish political and economic situation, told through the medium of music and mimicry. The show is a whirlwind of political satire, with Mary Harney declaring her passion for Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen trying to sell NAMA, Enda Kenny dreaming of glory and some of the country’s top pop idols releasing a charity single. Is Jedward’s career over before it even starts? Can Bono and Geldof show charity to the Irish people? Is Daniel O’Donnell really emigrating? Where has Willie O’Dea gone? Can Fairy Harney, Bertie Ahern, Biffo the “Bare”, and “End-it” Kenny find a solution to the recession? Can Michael O’Leary succeed where others have failed?

I have received some correspondence over the last few months telling me that I am unbalanced in my column because I have an anti-Fianna Fail agenda. This would be one of the more moderate and considered communications. Others have not been quite so polite. To set the record straight here is my personal position.