Comments - 'The Fall of the Celtic Tiger’: How Ireland Fell Into the Abyss, Part 1 of 2 - The Wild Geese2024-03-28T23:32:45Zhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=6442157%3ABlogPost%3A41708&xn_auth=noThe Irish are the smiths of t…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-25:6442157:Comment:426182013-08-25T08:08:20.780ZRónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaillhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RonanGearoidODomhnaill
<p>The Irish are the smiths of their own fortune. They were perfectly happy to vote a corrupt Taoiseach back into power in case a new one affected the price of property. The state coffers are empty because the government just spent money and did not save for a rainy day. </p>
<p>The Irish are the smiths of their own fortune. They were perfectly happy to vote a corrupt Taoiseach back into power in case a new one affected the price of property. The state coffers are empty because the government just spent money and did not save for a rainy day. </p> Fascinating post, and rivetin…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-24:6442157:Comment:423842013-08-24T16:53:30.158ZRose Maurerhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RoseMaurer
<p>Fascinating post, and riveting comments - such a tragedy that the Irish people are suffering, and will continue to so so, no doubt, for some time to come.</p>
<p>Fascinating post, and riveting comments - such a tragedy that the Irish people are suffering, and will continue to so so, no doubt, for some time to come.</p> Fairplay to John Bruton for t…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:421622013-08-23T21:22:42.610ZRónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaillhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RonanGearoidODomhnaill
<p>Fairplay to John Bruton for taking the time to write a review. Unless he has changed side Mr Bruton is a 'blueshirt' and in the last twenty years (indeed eighty) years his party Fine Gael were not very long in power. ergo most of the blame has to be put at the door of Fianna Fáil. John Bruton was in power before the Celtic Tiger really took off. </p>
<p>In the proceeding years the Irish people were consenually raped by Fianna Fail. The Mahon Tribunal cost 300 million Euro and only one man,…</p>
<p>Fairplay to John Bruton for taking the time to write a review. Unless he has changed side Mr Bruton is a 'blueshirt' and in the last twenty years (indeed eighty) years his party Fine Gael were not very long in power. ergo most of the blame has to be put at the door of Fianna Fáil. John Bruton was in power before the Celtic Tiger really took off. </p>
<p>In the proceeding years the Irish people were consenually raped by Fianna Fail. The Mahon Tribunal cost 300 million Euro and only one man, Frank Dunlop was found guilty.</p> Don't think so, Gerry. Mr Bru…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:423082013-08-23T21:04:51.281ZGerard Cappahttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/GerardCappa
Don't think so, Gerry. Mr Bruton (and the party he led) were surely more than messengers, and if he highlights the pay paid to public workers from the tax coffers as being a contributory factor then the "payment bonanza" as identified by the Independent's report is surely worth a mention.
Don't think so, Gerry. Mr Bruton (and the party he led) were surely more than messengers, and if he highlights the pay paid to public workers from the tax coffers as being a contributory factor then the "payment bonanza" as identified by the Independent's report is surely worth a mention. Interesting figures, Gerry. B…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:419922013-08-23T20:16:19.281ZGerry Reganhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/ger_regan
<p>Interesting figures, Gerry. But are we killing the messenger here? Just asking.</p>
<p>Interesting figures, Gerry. But are we killing the messenger here? Just asking.</p> "Bubbles misallocate human ca…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:423022013-08-23T20:11:54.436ZGerard Cappahttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/GerardCappa
<p>"Bubbles misallocate human capital. Instead of choosing careers and skills for which there is enduring global demand, talented people were drawn by quick rewards into activities for which demand is inherently temporary, like construction."</p>
<p>Very interesting, and then there was the list of pension payments made to former government Ministers: the list was provided by the Office of the Paymaster General and the Houses of the Oireachtas.in November 2011.</p>
<p>According to these official…</p>
<p>"Bubbles misallocate human capital. Instead of choosing careers and skills for which there is enduring global demand, talented people were drawn by quick rewards into activities for which demand is inherently temporary, like construction."</p>
<p>Very interesting, and then there was the list of pension payments made to former government Ministers: the list was provided by the Office of the Paymaster General and the Houses of the Oireachtas.in November 2011.</p>
<p>According to these official figures, at least 30 former ministers each receive a govt pension of over 100,000 euros per year. That's over 100k each, for the rest of their lives, well over 3 million a year.</p>
<p>Brian Cowen was listed at 150k per year. Bertie Ahern 152k. If they had been contributing to private pensions they would have needed to amass pension funds of between 5 and 6 million.</p>
<p>All very talented people, all 30 of them, I'm sure. And, while the demand for their services was indeed temporary, the rewards are not - the pensions are paid for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>According to the Office of the Paymaster General and the Houses of the Oireachtas,.in November 2011, John Bruton's pension was 141,849 euros.</p>
<p>See the report in the Irish Independent here, under the title, " Thanks, big fellas - 100,000-plus for 30 ex-ministers in payment bonanza":</p>
<p><a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/thanks-big-fellas-ahern-and-cowen-get-massive-pensions-26790754.html" target="_blank">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/thanks-big-fellas-ahern-and-cowen-get-massive-pensions-26790754.html</a></p>
<p>Just think of all those pesky nurses, bleeding the country dry. I wonder how much of a pension the average nurse can look forward to?</p>
<p></p>
<p></p> I have a friend who is/was a…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:422152013-08-23T20:01:38.162ZBit Devinehttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/BitDevine
<p>I have a friend who is/was a developer in Ireland. I asked him, during the bubble years, as I observed his "expansion" plans, "What will you do when the bubble bursts and there is no money to sustain the housing boom?"</p>
<p>His reply was "The bubble isn't going to burst any time soon. I will be just fine. Nothing to worry your pretty head about with me."</p>
<p>That was in 2007, by 2009, three of the properties in which he had an interest were under foreclosure and he was fighting for…</p>
<p>I have a friend who is/was a developer in Ireland. I asked him, during the bubble years, as I observed his "expansion" plans, "What will you do when the bubble bursts and there is no money to sustain the housing boom?"</p>
<p>His reply was "The bubble isn't going to burst any time soon. I will be just fine. Nothing to worry your pretty head about with me."</p>
<p>That was in 2007, by 2009, three of the properties in which he had an interest were under foreclosure and he was fighting for bankruptcy.</p>
<p>Money goes hand in hand with Power...and greed is the downffall of both</p> Today and yesterday a news f…tag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-08-23:6442157:Comment:422112013-08-23T19:32:57.048ZRónán Gearóid Ó Domhnaillhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RonanGearoidODomhnaill
<p>Today and yesterday a news feature was that the price of property was set to rise by 8% in Dublin. The property obsession led us into this mess. People bought a house, not to live in, but as an 'investment'. We are still obsessed with this.</p>
<p>Today and yesterday a news feature was that the price of property was set to rise by 8% in Dublin. The property obsession led us into this mess. People bought a house, not to live in, but as an 'investment'. We are still obsessed with this.</p>