IMF seizing Irish assets?

[whiskeysteve]

They are making moves to gut Greece of 50 Billion Euros worth of her assets.

http://www.independent.ie/business/european/euimf-sets-euro50bn-target-for-greeks-from-asset-sales-2546249.html

All that long before they come for Irelands assets? David McWilliams can see it as a very real possibility.

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2011/02/16/before-we-sell-the-country-we-should-ask-the-people

How about having the natural resources of Ireland being raided? No doubt everything of value would be considered, would it be so outrageous for the faceless IMF representatives to look at national stadia like Croke Park? Our heritage would mean nothing to them of course, all firewood to feed the banks.

I can't believe the poll ratings for FF and Michael Martin. What a sick country.

[mylestheslasher]

Really interesting idea by McWilliams. In fact, I think it is one of the best ideas I have heard to enable Ireland to have some welly in negotiations. Its a pity some of the parties don't have a few innovative thinkers like McWilliams.

[thebigfella]

They are making moves to gut Greece of 50 Billion Euros worth of her assets.

http://www.independent.ie/business/european/euimf-sets-euro50bn-target-for-greeks-from-asset-sales-2546249.html

All that long before they come for Irelands assets? David McWilliams can see it as a very real possibility.

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2011/02/16/before-we-sell-the-country-we-should-ask-the-people

How about having the natural resources of Ireland being raided? No doubt everything of value would be considered, would it be so outrageous for the faceless IMF representatives to look at national stadia like Croke Park? Our heritage would mean nothing to them of course, all firewood to feed the banks.

I can't believe the poll ratings for FF and Michael Martin. What a sick country.

I may be wrong but how can the IMF sell off Croke Park anyway, is it not owned by the GAA?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I may be wrong but how can the IMF sell off Croke Park anyway, is it not owned by the GAA?

Correct, it's not a public (national) asset, it's a private asset.

This is scary and inescapable shit, and all of the parties are sleep-walking into it bar SF; but so feckless are we that we can't and won't face up to the deep, deep mire we've been corralled and press-ganged into. The State is in a state... of collective and dangerous denial.

FF are traitors, and not just in an economic sense, who have ravaged and plundered this country more than the Brits ever could (or would) have. Yet there are enough numpties around to give them a half-decent return in this election. GUBU.

[Nally Stand]

They are making moves to gut Greece of 50 Billion Euros worth of her assets.

http://www.independent.ie/business/european/euimf-sets-euro50bn-target-for-greeks-from-asset-sales-2546249.html

All that long before they come for Irelands assets? David McWilliams can see it as a very real possibility.

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2011/02/16/before-we-sell-the-country-we-should-ask-the-people

How about having the natural resources of Ireland being raided? No doubt everything of value would be considered, would it be so outrageous for the faceless IMF representatives to look at national stadia like Croke Park? Our heritage would mean nothing to them of course, all firewood to feed the banks.

I can't believe the poll ratings for FF and Michael Martin. What a sick country.

I may be wrong but how can the IMF sell off Croke Park anyway, is it not owned by the GAA?

To think that not getting a national stadium was what bertie described as the most disappointing aspect of his reign. 

[Rossie11]

Its a pity some of the parties don't have a few innovative thinkers like McWilliams.

My hope is that after the election that we will have a few independents like Shane Ross who will form a grouping with the brains of McWilliams behind them. They will negotiate with FG on forming a govt with the very minimum required for their support been a referendum on the bank bail out. In my book it is the only way out of this for us.
As McWilliams said on primetime last night we have a choice. Its either Sovereign or bank default. We cant save both

[muppet]

Its a pity some of the parties don't have a few innovative thinkers like McWilliams.

My hope is that after the election that we will have a few independents like Shane Ross who will form a grouping with the brains of McWilliams behind them. They will negotiate with FG on forming a govt with the very minimum required for their support been a referendum on the bank bail out. In my book it is the only way out of this for us.
As McWilliams said on primetime last night we have a choice. Its either Sovereign or bank default. We cant save both

I think we can have both. Maybe you meant we can't have neither?

[Rossie11]

Yes Muppet thats what I meant, we cant save both bank and country from default.
Apart from Shane Ross what other like minded independents are running and where?
I know Ming In Roscommon/Sth Leitrim would be of the same viewpoint

[muppet]

Demanding a restructuring or orderly default is one thing (and it has to happen) implementing it is another thing altogether.

At the moment the Government is spending €19 Billion more than it takes in per annum. Even if all was well with the banks this would be a national crisis, although I accept some of the deficit is funding bank generated debt, but equally the worst of that is yet to come.

This is how I see things may pan out:

FG:
Election Policy: Cut spending, some taxes to increase revenue.
Hopefully will: Do above but also will go balls out to restructure our debt even if it is painful in the short term

Labour:
Election Policy: Less cuts, more taxes.
Hopefully will: Hopefully will swallow painful pill on cuts but taxes will happen. Also like FG I hope they will go balls out to restructure as it is the only way they will have any flexibility on cuts.

FF:
Election Policy: Well it is hard to know but Lenihan has ruled out any re-negotiatation and room to manoeuvre on the debt so, that leave cuts and tax rises.
Hopefully will: Trying to be objective they need to burn their own former postholders before moving on to achieve what is outlined above for the other two parties..

SF:
Election Policy: Burn the bondholders, little in the way of cuts, tax the 'rich'.
Hopefully will: If in Government will stick to the strong line with bondholders/EU (but it must be a negotiated deal not unilateral one or else there will be savage cuts and crazy taxes) must agree to some cuts and will have to soften the tax the 'rich' line (but there will be tax increases anyway) but this is not unrealistic.

The rest: n/a

[Croí na hÉireann]

Yes Muppet thats what I meant, we cant save both bank and country from default.
Apart from Shane Ross what other like minded independents are running and where?
I know Ming In Roscommon/Sth Leitrim would be of the same viewpoint

Paul Sommerville in Dublin South East and Stephen Donnelly in Wicklow are two that spring to mind

[magpie seanie]

Sinn Féin are the only party with an policy in this area that is remotely related to reality. I'm eating my words here and I never thought I would type what I just did. Their policy most probably will not work but FF/FG and Lab's will definitely not work. Its a head-in-the-sand approach underwritten by the belief/hope that our buddies in Europe will not let us down. Do you share their confidence? Did anyone else hear Lenny during the week on about "keeping the 12.5% CT rate off the table" ??!!!! I thought this was non-negotiable? How quickly things change. Liars all.

[Hardy]

Any constitutional lawyers here? My question is whether citizens can mandate a referendum by, for instance, gathering a prescribed number of signatures. Because that's the only way I can see that this will happen, as none of the political parties has it their manifesto.

[LaurelEye]

Any constitutional lawyers here? My question is whether citizens can mandate a referendum by, for instance, gathering a prescribed number of signatures. Because that's the only way I can see that this will happen, as none of the political parties has it their manifesto.

There was a provision in the original Free State constitution:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Irish_Free_State#Initiative_and_referendum

which got dropped when the wrong sort of people got the idea of using it.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

There seems to be more and more rumblings about "burning bondholders" and giving them a "haircut".

Most seem to take bondholders as faceless entities that we need not worry about.  However, I would like to know how many bondholders are Irish (for example Credit Unions) and what the consequences would be for them.

Brian Lenihan mentioned this a number of times on Primetime the other night but Joan Burton and Michael Noonan chose to ignore it.

If someone has stashed their modest savings in the Credit Union will people be happy to burn and haircut these folks.  Is it an idle threat from Lenihan or could it happen?

Credit Union savings (and loans!) keep many people up and down the country going and I'd hate to see that go, whatever about the likes of Anglo.

So I think we need to identify the "bondholders" before any rash action is taken.

/Jim.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

No doubt everything of value would be considered, would it be so outrageous for the faceless IMF representatives to look at national stadia like Croke Park?

Ireland DOES NOT HAVE A NATIONAL STADIUM.

The G.A.A. OWN Croke Park.