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THE TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has accepted “on behalf of the Irish people” the Golden Victoria European of the Year award from a German magazine publisher’s group at a ceremony in Berlin.
Addressing the German Magazine Publishers Association at the Deutsche Telecom headquarters, Kenny said he felt privileged to accept the Golden Viktoriaon “on behalf of the Irish people at home and overseas”.
The Taoiseach said Ireland’s commitment and contribution to Europe “far exceed” the country’s 40-year EU membership, and pointed out that the people of Ireland voted “more often more positively on Europe than any other EU member.”
He said that Ireland is now on the road to recovery, having honoured its EU-IMF commitments:
Last year our economy started to grow again, our exports climbed to record-levels. We’re bringing government spending under control. Internationally investors are showing new confidence in Ireland resulting in lower yields on Irish government bonds.
We’re determined to exit the EU-IMF programme on schedule next year.
However, Kenny said Ireland now had two key priorities – the first being to relieve the bank-debt burden equalling 40 per cent of the nation’s GDP, although he made no direct appeal to the German government on this point.
The second priority, he said, was tackling unemployment.
“It’s why Ireland’s forthcoming EU Presidency will be all about stability, jobs, growth,” he said.
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Enda Kenny has done NOTHING on my behalf!
Exactly what’s wrong this country. Expecting everything to be done on your behalf. Blaming everyone else.
And what have you done
I was in the running up until the end, #rageballs
I hope he didn’t say it was on behalf of the Irish people when he went around kissing their asses…
Clearly you don’t understand how a democracy works David. We elect people to run our country on our behalf. FF and now FG have failed miserably in this regard.
I expect nothing personally from the government but I do expect my considerable tax contribution be used properly to the benefit of the country and not to pay back private bond holders while vulnerable people suffer.
@Frank what have you done about Roscommon Hospital,have you reminded Enda and James of the promises they made to the people of Roscommon.Well have you?
Like giving the Captain of the Titanic an award for maritime excellence !
What a joke.
Of course he hasn’t Norman. He’s not going to do anything that might derail the gravy train.
@Frank Feighan so no answer?,no problem.See you at the Ballot Box.
The award is for being the best bankers lackey in Europe. Nothing that FG/Lab are implementing is for your benefit, its at the behest of international speculators, thinkthanks, multinational corporations and the like that carve up countries and asset strip them. The award is for Ireland all right, for standing back and doing nothing while we conside future generations to massive debt that isn’t ours. No political will in the government to make the hard but right decisions,to get out of the Euro.
Is he obliged to do something personally for you?
Man on the street, Your statement is embarrassing, jesus christ your kind makes me so angry. Good for nothing spongers. Do it for your self and Fxxckin grow a pair.
My only guess is that he has received this award for serving Ireland on a plate to Germany!
Ireland strikes me as the child that was given some responsibility by the parent, has now made an utter balls of it and now the parent has to step back in and steady the ship!
Sure my daughter won one of those awards in a luckbag last week.
@joe
I’ve never sponged anything in my life. Ive been working since I was 15. I now work my arse off 50hours a week. I spend the little free time I have with my kids. The fact that people like me, as you say, get you so annoyed, while you swallow everything Kenny throws at you, is the reason why the country is screwed.
Maybe when you are a big boy and you pay tax, you’ll get as annoyed as I do when that money is wasted. Maybe when you realise your kids will most likely have to emigrate to find work, you’ll get annoyed with the government. It’s time for you to grow a pair kiddo.
Kenny rowed back on every promise he made, so I stand over my statement. He has done nothing on my behalf.
What people outside of Ireland matters more in economic terms than what people in Ireland think of their government. The fact is that Kenny is receiving international recognition for the work he has done to date (European of the Year/Time Mag etc).
Ireland is no longer being mentioned in the international press with the likes of Greece, Portugal or Spain… The level of confidence the markets have in Ireland has grown beyond recognition since Kenny took over.
Times are tough but they are getting better… And the current government have a lot to do with that…
Frank and David: many of us do plenty. Many of us volunteer or, like me, are trying to start businesses following being made redundant. We are getting on with it. Enda is our Taoiseach, he’s MEANT to be doing stuff for us. Running the country is his entire job. We are allowed to point out that he doesn’t seem to be doing a great job of it with out having to justify ourselves to anyone.
The only thing I want him to accept us a punch in the face. Fking weasel…
And the prize is….
(Please say 45 billion, please say 45 billion…)
Ah the famous German sense of humour
They must have given him the prize for best FICTION
Yes The Germans are Laughing at us through that MUPPET
Wonderbar Herr Kenny!!
Wonderbar!!
What was it for??
Turning your people into debt mules for Corrupt Bankers???
This is the man who stated that ” there is a difference between speaking and using words, when you speak you have to use words..” see the clip http://www.tv3.ie/news.php?request=&tv3_preview=&video=51034 about 1:15 into it. How can someone who spouts such waffle be awarded European of the year??!!
Using other people’s money to promote a yes vote. Non-democratic leader.
Good job Enda. People can complain and complain about how terrible you’re handling the economy, but just like Obama, your government inherited a mess and is trying to make the best of a bad situation. Credit where credit is due.
Credit where credit is due…..hmmm….agree…..
David, they did inherit a mess. You’re not wrong there. But name a few things they have actually done so far to better things for the people of Ireland. They’ve done absolutely nothing that FF wouldn’t have done if they were still in power… NOTHING!
on the same salary scale as obama and getting his picture on time but not sure after that
Excellently articulated!!
Excellently articulated!!
That would be German credit David? Seeing as it’s a German award not Irish you might note.
Ah come on. Enda is 2 years at the helm. Time for FG supporters to stop using the blame line.
Remember the election promises. .. about how this special relationship with Angela? Turns out that special relationship is not what enda thought out was.
The Irish….a great bunch of lads
Is there anything to be said for another Taoisach.
this Enda Kenny appearing on the cover of Time Magazine & winning European of the year sounds like a great guy. I wish he was our Taoisaigh!!!
This should definitely be comment of the week!
You couldn’t make it up. I am actually speechless!
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Classic!
hahahahahahahahahhahahah is exactly what I did too and out very loud I might add !!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahaha……….
I just fell of my chair laughing. Hahahahahahagahaha
just coined a new acronym
FOMCROTFLOL
fell off my chair rolled on the floor laughing out loud
cheers Edna
Think my exact words were “for fuc*ks sake!!”
Vomit…..the head on him….disgusting creep!!!!
Geraldine
If you stop the binge drinking the vomiting will stop….promise!
I call him old snagglepuss. ^_^
The cheek of him accepting it on behalf of me. He has no mandate to accept anything personally on behalf of anyone but himself. It’s neither magnanimous or clever.
Interesting that – I thought his election victory gave him the mandate #justsaying
Stadler what he said pre election to what he has done after the election has removed his mandate. Justsaying
@Stadlwr don’t you find it curious that he is implementing policies that are the polar opposite of policies that he promised he would pursue, if elected?.
if he has Kerry Blake why dont u go tell him? tell him that he has lost the mandate from the people of Ireland so he can no longer represent us.
some people really do make the most ridiculous comments, if he has lost the mandate from the people of Ireland then why is he still taoiseach? who is our taoiseach now????? whether I agree with his policies or not (some of which I do, some of which I don’t) is irrelevant, but that statement you have just made has to be the most ridiculous I have ever seen. if he has lost the mandate, who has the mandate to lead this country? someone has to have it. because last times I checked we are not a leaderless country. so let me know when you have found out who has the mandate from the people of this state to lead this country. I thought it was enda Kenny, I’m obviously wrong.
(from an independant supporter)
Brian as someone who voted for him and his party in the last election and someone who since I became of age to vote has voted FG Kenny has lost my trust and lost his mandate through his actions. BTW I have told him that and his local reps none who had the curtsy to reply.
Stadler, if he won an award for being the most feckless paddy on the globe and stood up and said I accept this on behalf of the people of Ireland, would this also be acceptable?
Jesus, if Enda found the cure for cancer tomorrow he would still be abused on here. I can only read positive things out of this for Ireland, in terms of our image at least.
Very much agreed John. If everyone on here complaining got €100 they would still complain.
Not on my behalf sunshine.
Good dog……
Is this award like the Golden Cleric award???…
I’d say it is about as prestigious as the Lovely Girls Competition on Craggy Island!
On a side note, did you see his speech afterwards?…he read the whole lot of it! You’d think at this stage, he’d be able to pull a few words out of his head without notes! He looked stupid!
in berlin picking up his gong after todays debacle…you have no shame enda
The man has me baffled. Is he a genuine sap, or is he just pretending to be a sap?
Genuine sap, if you ask me. There’s a Journal Poll idea…
As a native born Irish person, that blubbering, insincere sociopath, did not accept that phony award on my behalf !!!
John
He’s your democratically elected Leader and you are ???????
Having problems reading Garry? Pretty clear he is an Irish citizen who thinks our dear leader is not worth the money we the tax payers pay him.
To think This Plonker is the best Europe has to offer and we are landed with him
Better than the feckin’ Greeks, anyways!
As much as I dislike the man I don’t think this can be a bad thing for the country at least it’s positive
they are having a laugh in their peculiar germanic way and our gobs***e cant see it and turns up where no other national leader would have to be laughed at
we are truly fcukd
Yeah Enda, lets all gang up on you cos we’re really really angry with the situation we are in !
Stop trying to improve things immediately.
We want to go completely bankrupt like Angola and then we will feel really vindicated for taking up this sulking position.
Not for us to get up and dust ourselves off in the way many other countries would, noooo noo., we will sulk and sulk until we drag everyone down with is.
FFS, international commentators believe the government is doing a good job dragging us back from bankruptcy, and all you can do is knock the guy.
Doesn’t matter what most of the habitual moaners on here say. Rabble rousing populist nonsense with no substance. NO TAXES! NO CUTS! SHELL TO SEA! BRITS OUT! MORE TURF FOR CATS!
Positive perception of Ireland internationally is a step forward.
I’m now looking forward to Angela picking up her Top Man Of Ireland award – its long overdue ! Enda’s ‘award’ is really a small reward based on his unfailing compliance & subservience for serving on behalf of his German electorate – dedicate it to them Enda – they deserve it & they deserve you.
My country is in bits, it upsets me greatly and this clown is at the wheel.
Mega sad face.
Get a hanky
Congratulations Enda.
Nice to see Ireland fronting some semblance of statesmanship.
Contrary to the Neanderthal morons venting their spleen on this forum, Enda knows then Germans don’t do sympathy. They just respect productivity and hard work. That is the message Enda is sending to them: Ireland is working its way painfully back from the brink. It is the best chance we have of support from the German taxpayer to throw us a lump of funds to offset some of the bank debt.
Moaning about and boycotting the system as some here would suggest will just be ignored. We borrowed billions, paid ourselves for the sale of Irish property at ridiculous prices, and now the borrowers want to be forgiven. Forget about that as an argument.
If you seriously think Germany will assist Ireland your as deluded as kenny and co.
Again this “we borrowed billions” crap. We did borrow millions yes the problem is a minority borrowed BILLIONS that the majority is expected to pay back. As for the rest of your post Arbitrasure the German voting public are barely aware of Ireland and it’s problems because they are concentrating on Spain, Greece and Portugal were people are protesting. Enda’s little discussion where allegedly he got Merkel to say “Ireland is special” didn’t even hit the papers in Germany.
As an aside do you really think accepting a 10″ statue of Nike is “statesmanship” Must check the Bild tomorrow as I’d guess it will be the only place it might be mentioned.
leave Neanderthals out of this. 4% of you is Neanderthal. . They had culture and were probably as smart as us.
Enda Kenny
You do not speak for me when you accept your baubel for self promotion . You embarrass yourself.
RTE tonight reminded us that Mr Kenny doesn’t have to receive just the Bundestags support on Irish Bank Debt but with a German election in the offing he could need the support of the German people. In that context I believe he did an excellent job tonight. Congratulations Mr Kenny.
I wish somebody would tell the Troica the wages and all the allowances plus pensions this guy gets and on the same note as a footnote tell them it takes 9 months to a year to get invalidity pension.
Nigel Farage was robbed.
They finish the article, the award was actual European lapdog of the year.
Urpp! Sorry, just threw up in my mouth there.
this is total idiocy, how can we let these foreign clowns know that kenny did not receive this ridiculous “award” on our behalf but for his own self-glorification.
Richard
How can you possibly challenge the I intellectual depth of the people who selected the recipient of this annual award. Maybe the problem my dear boy is you and your negativity and narrow minded attitude toward your own elected Taoiseach.
@Garry , Correct , I do have a narrow minded attitude towards……..”Your elected taoiseach”, enjoy the moment, it wont last long.
Garry I’m that’s a really interesting statement. Can you provide information on the “intellectual depth of the people who select the recipient of this annual award”? I would really be fascinated to read that.
This is just great,FG are going to take another week off to celebrate give them selfs a bonus and have a good old shindig at the tax payers expense, word has it he was in Ann Summers to buy Angela a nice wee number for the after party.
kenny you will be lucky to have a park bench named after you.
I believe he was awarded some types of a 12 ” statuette – I do hope they inserted in his nether orifice.
What if Enda is right and Ireland does turn around with the economy and it all gets better and better? There’s a lot of people on here who will have to eat their own words. Just saying.
When it does it won’t be to anything that gimp has done. In fact it will be in spite of all he has done. Just saying.
And another party will take the credit for the recovery and it won’t be the CDU
Then he should an award. What prise is ever given out before hand. Even my daughter had to win her egg and spoon race before she got her medal.
The man is quite literally a quisling.
What about the republic of ireland father? … Whatever!
Hope he runs in the German elections….if they like him that much they can have him!
and we will throw Gilmore in for good luck
After all ive learned about Anglo’s executives packages, shifting sick pay on employers, Fine Gaels appointments to the judiciary and a former party member to head of Irish water etc I am absolutley ashamed to say I voted for this lot…
How much did it cost the taxpayer for our “beloved leader” to collect his (our) esteemed award?
Apparently it cost €30,000.00 with the state jet at hand, expensive trophy….I’d stick that trophy in a few places.
He had right to respectfully decline as he has much bigger tasks to tackle but no doubt he does have an ego and big head.
Some of you are right he is our elected representative, others are more so right that he lost that representation the day he backtracked on his electoral mandate and tore sections of our society to shreds whilst promising more to come.
He is not the person he made himself to be when he loosely and lavishly promised to maintain equality, fairness and to halt further monies to bondholders.
He lied, betrayed and back tabbed every man, woman and child in this state as did their conjoined twins the FFailures.
There is nothing that can be said against this traitury it is evident, real, unquestionable and wrong. Don’t give me the “yea buts” or “they are legally obliged” or “sher the last crowd signed us up to it” waffle.
They are good at legally reversing social contracts, the government illegally transferred private legal contracts between private corporations, banking institutions here And in Europe onto the state books making every man, woman and child liable for the debt for years to come.
Nothing about that was legal, but was illegally transferred which could be reversed IF the government had the balls. It seems that when it comes to the general populace anything can be reversed and changed, when it comes to bankers and ex-politicians ALL contracts are legal and binding, pure robbery and traitury.
Oh My God!
Christ on a bike. Does not say much for the rest of us Europeans if this tosser gets a prize! Reminds me of the awards they used to give at school to the slow kids so they would not feel left out.
We’re you the recipient of a few yourself?
Were you the recipient of a few yourself?
You must have been the recipient of a few of those surely?
I hope the government’s of Greece, Spain and Italy got some award also… most debt per headed population and enda gets a German award. comedy sketch or what!!!!!!!!
Aren’t you technically South African Shane? and as for the ‘rest of us European’, i’ll have you know we are in fact all collectively Nobel Peace Prize winners… Huzzah!
@Noel and yet you posted the same comment several times did you also recieve an award also?
Norman, did you also also also?
Glen you can have if you like stop you feeling left out,ok ok ok.
I’m alright lad cheers though, got my Nobel Peace Prize anyway.
Glenn, well the offer still stands if ever you feel left out.Hope you got your cut of the ?950k btw.
Norman, just knowing that I am doing my bit to make the world a more peaceful place is all the satisfaction I need.
Glenn sound, i’ll spend your share as well as my own.I’ll raise a glass to you cheers and goodnight.:-)
I don’t know Noel. Your comment gets funnier every time you post it. Sure post it again there, good lad.
A small gong for taking a big schlong!
Love it :-)
If they like him so much take him.
Classic begrudgery on here again. Its getting predictable, tabloid and tiresome.
Whatever your political stance this independent recognition can only have a positive spin on Ireland as a place that is, relatively speaking, making steady progress to economic stability and therefore a better place to invest than many other EU states.
It’s foreign direct investment and exports that will make this country strong again, not handouts. PR like this can only help. Maybe it’s time to drop the personality bashing and get some perspective?
I agree
Couldn’t have said it better David, very well said and totally agree! Love the Journal but it has sadly demonstrated to me lately how ridiculously pessimistic the Irish have become.
Glenn Halpin get off The Journal and stay on Facebook where I can block your ridiculously upbeat comments x
what ein joke
Gimp of the year…….
Love how the FG spinners are as arrogant as their leader! Always attacking a person and trying to defend this plonker that their own party tried to shaft not too long ago! The people dont trust one of you!!!
load of crock ..!!
V surprised he didn’t crowbar a mention for ‘The Gathering’ into his acceptance speech…
The whole thing is a load of shite but doesn’t do Ireland any harm. Fed up digging holes so lets start filling a few. Well done Enda… Your a great lad
like him or not he is our leader, some people on here voted for this man! yet with every accolade he gets are so quick to rubbish them all, but they do help wheather you like him or not again he is the one in power over this country and we again I say some of us put him there, personally I didn’t but yet he is there and if the world is looking on as we as a country are getting noticed for trying to get out of this mess helps well, well and good I say…there will always be someone in power that a majority will not like but then we live in a democracie and we have a free vote so we put them there. Let’s celebrate our efforts and we are doing our part and it is hard but we will get through this and we are showing the rest of Europe that we can do this without striking every other day, just saying.
50/50 as i thought and that’s the way it should be, a fair democracy
That’s a fair stance John, but he and his ilk will never be my leader.
I think I just vomitted a little.
Who else was in the running for this award??
probably that Wolfgang fella….
Stability, jobs & growth – three things he has failed to deliver but he continues to trot that mantra out at every given opportunity as he has nothing new or insightful to say. How many of his now legendary 5 point plan has he actually delivered on? As for the followers of Kenny & Co’s comments regarding anything negative being said on this forum concerning this cheap & meaningless award – branding people voicing their opinions as Neanderthals, that’s laughable – democracy allows us to state our opinions and if you don’t like it too bad – get over it! If you think that this award is a shining example, a beacon in the dark if you will of how Ireland is moving forward & making progress then good for you – believe that all you like & continue to dream in blissful ignorance. However for those of us who live in the real world & have to endure this man & his multi pension cohorts make a balls of pretty much everything they do, this is simply more spin & empty rhetoric. This does not change or make a difference so much as one iota with the one exception – making you believers feel better about yourselves & your lousy choice of government.
I can only imagine these people never actually met him before giving him that award. Imbecile of the Year more like.
I believe he was awarded some types of a 12″ statuette – I do hope they inserted in his nether orifice.
Hey heir Enda here…very proud to collect the blue oyster man of the year award from your lovely club…dank ya shun
A moronic Irish clophopper is awarded yet another utterly meaningless accolade by a vacuous German magazine? Wow! Great news. I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight, what with all this excitement. Let’s hope that these “logistical logarithmic progressions” keep on comin’. Yes!
“logistical
It really is getting comical at this stage.
Give a dog a bone – give a lap dog a statuette! Grow a pair Enda!
if only it was the Nobel peace prize for solving the debt burden. If only. Wishful thinking.
They’re preparing us for the Budget, you can’t throw a man out of office after winning an award for Bending over!
well its not on behalf of me !!! European puppet of the year
What this tells us is that Europe needs a hero – they need Ireland to be the miracle. This can only be a good thing.
Now you be a good little boy Enda and Aunty Merkel will make you European of the year.
Give the good boy a meddle for doing what his told.
If you want to vote for Merkel as Irish leader of the year, just go to comparethemerkel.com.
every time I start reading the name of the award, my brain automatically assumes it’s the golden crocoduck award, given to stupid and intellectually lazy people.
Garry what a ridiculous response to my comment…..you bloody fool!
Now to be fair it was a ridiculous response to a ridiculous comment
Folks do we not remember the 100k jobs over five years promised by his party. By my calculations that’s 54 jobs per day over 5 years, so the total so far should be 33,442 by now. Anyone know have we even reached a quarter of that yet?
Won’t bother reading the begrudgers but I’m delighted and proud that Enda accepted the award not on his own behalf but on behalf of the Irish people. Bigger picture here people!!!!
And the award of European Poodle of the Year goes to….Enda Kenny of Ireland!! Cue fanfare.
@ kingstown, are you deluded? How do you think he earned this award if not on the backs of the Irish people he claims to speak for? He certainly did not say “Thank You” on my behalf! Cannot stand the sight of the man, he is dishonest and his government is dishonest.
It’s yet another pat on the head – Good boy enda, keep giving us your peoples money. That’s a good boy. Here’s your prize.
I hope you mean sarcasm.
Good article but maybe the heading and byline are a bit off the mark. Suggest: Taoiseach buys another accolade using money taken from Irish people. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, thanked his mom, dad and all the people of Ireland who contributed so many billions of their future income to plug the leak in the dyke of the European fiscal system caused by years of reckless lending and investing by European banks and investment funds. Wiping away a tear, he added that regardless of whether his people ever got any financial recognition of their contribution to the stabilisation of the Eurozone, this award, made to their leader by a magazine trade association and now graciously shared with them, will be forever treasured by them.
Ah, another condescending pat on the back, while our citizens face financial ruin.
This is an insult to the Irish people who can’t afford to feed their families.
How about stuff your award and give us, our lives back.
We sold our soul to Satan when we joined the E.U.
Yes, Enda has done his job well, the perfect Gauleiter: the gombeen man has turned his flock into perfect vassal slaves. No wonder Die Kamaraden are falling over themselves to lavish us with praise. Maybe we should market ourselves as post apocalyptic pets, every German household should have one.
Is it april fools day already. Good one. Nearly believed that!!!
Bigger picture? Being delighted and proud with Kenny getting this award is akin to seeing Euro2012 as a footballing successful for Ireland because our fans sang loudest and longest.
Achieving nothing but shur aren’t we great lads all the same! Wise up.
Thanks for your input Darren!
The reply button? Try it.
can you get arrested for throwing spuds at this lot? its all the food thats in the house..
I can’t wait for the “Hitler Reacts to Enda Kenny Being Voted European of the Year” video to be posted on YouTube.
Ah, another condescending pat on the back for the special case.
How about stuff your award and give us our lives back.
We can’t even feed our families here!
Watch out Hasselhoff, the Germans have a new hero
A HUGE BOOOOOO TO BOTH OF THEM.
Not in my god damn name he didn’t. Next time I see him in person I’ll let him know what I think.
I’m confused as to why Kenny was given this award so soon. Why not have waited for another while and let him show his worth. An award to him at this time is indeed very, very suspicious. Why do we continue to be the laughing stock of not only europe but also the world?
Enda neville chamberlain Kenny receives the new quisling german magazine Merkel Austerity award.Kenny gets a party and gold star and thinks what a great boy am I.
Well said Man on the Street.
I’m glad that he got the award, he has done good work for the country and portrays a positive image of our country to those abroad. To those people ranting and moaning about how he hasn’t created hundreds of thousands of jobs, have you ever thought that maybe we don’t have the necessary skills to land the investments for jobs in growth industries. There is the opportunity for people who are unemployed to go back to college for free and gain needed skills, yet there is a low take up because people expect enda to magic up 500000 low skill jobs that are cheaper to do in low-cost countries.
I wonder how much he’ll get for converting that at Cash for Hold. XD
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