BRUSSELS, last Monday. A meeting, on the margins of the summit, between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Angela Merkel: “Good morning, Mr Kelly. Perhaps when you have stopped horsing around with Nicolas for the cameras you might spare me a moment to give you your instructions? And no photo-ops today, please. I …
Category Archive
for: ‘Europe’
Troika is Caught on a Hook
DID the troika get it hopelessly wrong? Perhaps our less than welcome visitors have gone native. A delicious thought occurs — that our persecutors will soon have egg all over their faces. All we now need is icing on the cake. What a bonus it would be to see Sarkozy bite the dust in the …
Enda Rules it Out. Absolutely.
GOOD Christian that he is, Enda Kenny is surely a believer in the Second Coming. Good citizen that the Taoiseach is, he is surely equally a believer in the second bailout of Ireland? I hate to point out to him that there is far stronger evidence for the inevitability of the second bailout than for …
Decisions, Solutions, Delusions
Ireland’s euro magic dust was ready long before the deal was struck in Brussels. Enda and Eamon had positioned Ireland as champions of whatever deal was dictated. They were poised to claim it as their own. The magic dust suited any outcome.
Enda Settles for Satellite Status
IMAGINE the scene next weekend when Enda Kenny returns from the Brussels summit. One of the most humiliating episodes in Ireland’s history will be spun as a triumph. Neville Chamberlain’s return from Munich in 1938 declaring “Peace in our Time” will be in the halfpenny place. Stepping off the government jet, Enda will modestly reveal …
If Kevin’s that Good, Keep him
CAN we afford to lose a civil servant of the calibre of Kevin Cardiff? The paeans of praise being poured on Kevin’s head by government ministers would make you wonder. Why are we letting this genius go? God knows, we need people of ability in the Department of Finance. We crave guys with experience of …
We’re Suckered By Sarkozy
I knew that our world was going to end last week. No, not when Italian bond rates breached 7 per cent. Nor when Berlusconi threw in the towel. Not even when it emerged that Merkel and Sarkozy were plotting a new europe. Something much more shocking happened when I urgently sought a copy of the …
Kenny Waves the White Flag
EUROPE’S bankers were given their ‘get out of jail’ card. Ireland’s Government opted for further captivity. Ireland’s taxpayers remain incarcerated.
Paddy Confronts Banker Cabal
LAST Thursday, Patrick Honohan laid claim to be Brian Lenihan’s proudest legacy. The Central Bank governor stabbed his new Fine Gael/ Labour masters in the back at a conference in Dublin. At the same time, he delivered an uppercut to Ireland’s bankers. His outburst of independence was true to form. Honohan is happy to lash …
Look out for our Greek Pals
DO you feel a twinge of sympathy for Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou? Was poor George handbagged by Angela Merkel and savaged by Nicolas Sarkozy during that three-way telephone call on Wednesday? George is emerging as the enfant terrible of Europe, the guy who swears undying loyalty to reform… until he escapes from the room …