Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been listed as one of the top ten leaders in the world by Newsweek magazine.
In its piece ‘Go to the top of the class’ the magazine says Mr Cowen is ‘The Fiscal Taskmaster’.
It says that despite Ireland’s ‘once roaring economy’ being ‘staggered by the banking crisis’; unemployment at 13%; rising emigration; and the money markets ranking the Irish economy ‘not far behind Greece on the list of Europe’s big-time losers’, Mr Cowen and ‘his able finance minister Brian Lenihan are prescribing harsh medicine’.
The article, by reporter Christopher Dickey, says that the Government has ‘pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community, raised taxes, and slashed some public salaries by more than 10%.’
However, according to the report ‘the Irish aren’t showing much gratitude’ as Mr Cowen’s popularity rating has ‘plunged to a mere 18%’.
Despite this, the report says, ‘there’s some hope that his (Mr Cowen) government’s unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run’ as surveys suggest that Irish consumer confidence is on the rise again, and ‘the economy notched up modest growth in the first quarter of 2010’.
Other world leaders included on the top ten list are the UK’s David Cameron, France’s Nicolas Sarkozy, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Ya, No 1. Not sure what media tycoon owns Newsweek, but links to the British Conservative Party are bound to be easy enough to find. Keeping the Brits, Chinese & French happy.
And not a sign of Obama. Now i’m not saying he’s doing a fantastic job, although i believe he’s doing well, this has Republican media written all over it.
We dont know how lucky we are. The proactive stance by Cowen and Lenihan admired the world over. We will be the first to rise from the global mire. Búla bos.
Apologies to other users for this mong trying to make a cunt of this thread.
But fuck off caoimhaoin, i do not need to explain anything to you r.e. Waterford hurling. Our house is on good shape, we were beaten fairly last Sunday, no arguments. Out future is bright, ye are fooked, now, jog on.
