Search Results for 'Taoiseach'

A good friend of mine is currently reading Pat Leahy’s Showtime - The Inside Story Of Fianna Fáil In Power and sent me a quote from it which he found noteworthy.

Right, testing’ wan, two, three. Am I on, Michael? Right colleagues of the Cabinet. I want to welcome ye all here today for the final briefing on how ye are going to sell to the great unwashed the idea that Christmas is an overrated festival anyway and that there’s no harm in being miserable at Christmas. Emphasise that didn’t they have a great time in June at the Volvo Ocean Race, so there’s no point getting all mealy mouthed about a few cold auld days in the depths of winter.

Castlebar town Councillor Harry Barrett has blasted the Government over its decision to confirm again that it would not be paying the Christmas bonus. Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil on Wednesday that the State could not afford the €223 million it would cost to reinstate the Christmas social welfare bonus payment this year.

A company, whose new premises were officially opened by the Taoiseach less than a year ago has been accused by a judge of operating illegally.

Maire Geoghegan-Quinn has become the first Irish woman and the first Galwegian to be appointed as an EU Commissioner for Ireland, although her elevation to the job is already shrouded in controversy.

George Lee and Enda Kenny were branded as ‘Genda’, Fine Gael’s answer to the X Factor’s ‘Jedward’, at the Ógra Fianna Fáil National Youth Conference in Bundoran, Co Donegal last weekend.

Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary has welcomed the announcement by the Government that every classroom in the country is to receive a teaching laptop, software and digital projector over the next three years as part of the €150 million Smart Schools plan. The major high-tech drive was launched by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

If the unprecedented heavy rains continue over the weekend, then the flooding and devastation in east Galway will become worse, far worse than it is now, and may lead to a request for the Red Cross to go into Ballinasloe and the surrounding areas.

Longford/Westmeath Fine Gael Deputy James Bannon, speaking in Dail Eireann regarding the recent flooding, said he was extremely angry that the Taoiseach did not recall the Dail over the weekend to deal with the hardship caused to so many in the Midlands and thoroughout the country.

First let me say I was all ready to write a lovely little editorial about Mullingar Chamber turning the town into a Christmas village on Sunday, and how it all sounds really cheery and festive. Then I was going to say a bit about the floods in Athlone, and the heart-warming solidarity that seems to have embraced the town, and the county to be fair. But then, ah but then, our beloved Taoiseach came out to defend the Catholic Church this week. His actions were something so redundant, so old school, so embarrassing that even his peers across the country scratched their heads in confusion.