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Update 9.45pm
MICHAEL NOONAN HAS announced that he does not want to carry on as Finance Minister when a successor to Enda Kenny is appointed.
The minister also added that he will retire at the next general election. In a statement released this afternoon, Noonan said:
Following the Taoiseach’s announcement yesterday, I want to state that I do not wish to be considered for Cabinet by his successor, whoever that may be.
Noonan said that he will continue to carry out his duties as Minister for Finance until a successor is appointed but that he will not be seeking re-election to the Dáil at the next general election.
He said: “It has been a privilege to represent the people of Limerick since I was first elected in 1981 and I look forward to continuing to do so until an election is called.
“I have been honoured to serve as Minister for Finance since March 2011 and have introduced six annual budgets and one supplementary budget.
“I believe now is a good time for a new Finance Minister to take up office. Ireland is the fastest growing economy in Europe, the budget is almost balanced and we are on the cusp of full employment.”
Kenny paid tribute to Noonan this evening, saying his contribution to the restoration of the Irish economy has been “extraordinary”.
“His taxation measure proved to be fair, balanced and among the most progressive in Europe. He brought stability and confidence to Irish proposals at ECOFIN (the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council). This assisted greatly with my own engagement with EU leaders at Council level.
I respect his decision completely and the people of Limerick and the Mid-West understand fully the transformative influence of his years as Minister for Finance.
“Above all else, Michael remains a close personal friend of mine.”
‘A formidable politician and parliamentarian’
Earlier, Minister for Housing Simon Coveney, who has thrown his hat into the Fine Gael leadership competition, said he wanted to express his thanks to Noonan his “extraordinary contribution to public life”.
“I think Michael Noonan has played probably the most significant role in rebuilding our economy from the very, very broken state that Michael Noonan found it in when he became Minister for Finance.
He has been an extraordinary leader within government, he has been a voice of calm, of intelligent commentary, a really steady hand through a very difficult period.
When there was tension between Fine Gael and the Labour party in particular in the last government Michael Noonan normally was the one who found a middle ground to move forward on.
“I consider him a friend of mine, he’s someone I have learned a huge amount about politics and about life from and I hope to work with him in the future,” he added.
Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath said Noonan had been a ”formidable politician and parliamentarian”.
As someone who has marked Minister Michael Noonan across the floor of the Dáil for the past six years, I would like to acknowledge the significant role he has played in public life, and of course, in managing the Irish economy.
“Of course, there have been many occasions where Minister Noonan and I disagreed on policy, but throughout every one of those disagreements, I have no doubt that he was motivated by a desire to always act in the national interest.”
- With reporting by Michelle Hennessy, Christina Finn and Órla Ryan
People Piss on the Northside and Urinate on the Southside
very good
Nice one
Every year they moan, every year nothing happens, every year concert goes increase local business…
Ah now their taking the p!ss
Taking a piss OMG, I wonder when they walk their poodles do their dogs have to take a leak? Probably not! Why not plant a refugee site in the middle of Foxrock, that will give them something to moan about. As 99% of the PC brigade reside on the Southside, practice what you preach and help out the poor refugees.
Foxrock is nowhere near Marlay Park.
How long by unicycle?
Used to live there, every Saturday and Sunday entrance blocked by idiots out walking in the park or whatever, part of the joys of living near such an amenity just as at Croker. Let the young folk enjoy those concerts and stop moaning or move up to the top of the 3 Rock and become off the grid spoon whittlers FFS. Just think of sitting in yer yard listening to the music for free
Irish “rockers” Kodalin. No, they are not rockers! They are indie, Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher, Gary Moore, now they were Irish Rockers!
If you ask me they are taking the piss
Got their before me. Damn stubby fingers!
Urinating at will all over the place, who dream’s up these headlines, most of us can urinate at will, we just use the toilet.
In fairness there’s probably f**k-all public toilets put out. Ireland’s approach to public toilets tends to be “find a pub”
Yes indeed. We have a Northside for that sort of carry – on!
Always somebody to moan about something in this country, now if it was for a Gareth Brooks concert I would be in favor of it been cancelled
It’s not Gareth, it’s Garreth.
It’s actually Garth Del
If you got to go, you got to go.
Same old whingers with the same old whinge. Give it a rest for God sake.
You live how close to the concerts?
Rock music should be banned from populated areas.
Concerts should be held in soundproofed industrial units on the outskirts of civilisation.
Electric fences. That’ll sort the problem out.
Especially if they piss on them
“rockers kodaline”… yeah… so rock n roll man
Fair play to the judge.
Maybe if they had better toilet facilities at gigs than the usual portaloos from hell with now air freshening installed
Poor Will, why don’t they piss on someone else for a change.
Maybe if they had better toilet facilities at gigs than the usual portaloos from hell with now air freshening installed
Folks, Marlay Park is not a suitable concert/festival venue. Simple as.
“Urinating at will all over the place.”. What does Will have to say about that?
On the 12th Will will be urinating on chapels lol.
If they are not shooting at Will, they are pissing at Will….poor guy
Fuddy duddy’s. Its for one weekend ffs.
It’s a 2 month war zone
It’s usually 5-7 gigs in one month including the 3 days of longitude. “Two month war zone”. That’s a ridiculous statement.
In 5 weeks after this concert many girls will be wondering what happened to their period lol.
Residents got of fireworks display, now want get rid of concerts at marley Park,
Widdle me this Widdle me that Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Bat?
If Portoloos were provided not only inside the walls of marley park but on the main road outside, this wouldn’t be an issue. The reality is people will be drinking before the gigs and drink outside before going in. This is how it’s always been and it’s always been tolerated by the guards so it would be more productive to just provide them and keep the area clean
Urine, used condoms and faeces, a few STI’s and traumatised pets. Traumatised pets from seeing the jugheads at it rather than from anything else lol.
And a few knifing on the side, this generation are lobeheads with a K.
A couple of permanent festival sites in the country would suit all. Permanent loos and showers, mini huts, barrack style as part if ticket prices, bins, and food halls too plus indoor stages for rain (often).
Jobs for locals for a change.
Think Glastonbury. Car parking. No noise pollution and central for all in the country
In use for many conferences, adventure holidays for kids, Many uses.
Rural shows of produce. Agricultural shows. Etc.
Opportunities to showcase. Very useful.
Sports facilities, just basic. Track events, tennis courts. Football pitch.
Kids play area, safe and enclosed in case…
have your say