Bono the mighty.

[Westsidex]

This is what should happen .Get rid of at least fifteen to twenty ministers and reform the Seanad to a ten man team,Take ten civil servants departments and cut them to five.There is no need now for the same size government as we had in the good times.They then have to reduce every part of the public sector running over budget,and most important of all take on the banks and make them and their managing directors pay.

Get the pubic service to do some work first then think about cuts. Its an unbelievable waste they way hey operate here.

Westside.

[Westsidex]

In addition, the small population leads to too many personal contacts and friendships, leading people to act in their own self interest not in the interest of wider society. Of course there are old boys networks everywhere, but in a larger population, their impacts are reduced...

thats a huge problem in this country. Its part of the reason why its so corrupt here.

Westside.

[Zoidberg]

Bono at least earns his money and does as he wishes with it, it really is nobodies business what he does with HIS earned money. He can talk about the issues of Africa is he so wishes, he gets access to very important people, he's an advocate for eliminating poverty, you cannot blame a guy for having a social conscience.

It is peoples business if he tells governments how to spend OUR TAXES that he doesn't fairly contribute to. If he wants to help he can start by paying what he's meant to and not hide his money off shore. Then I might actually listen to him.

[Dub Lad]

If bono was a true philanthropist he would not live the way he does. While he is more than entitled to do with his money as he pleases it smacks of total hipocrosity to be living a millionaires lifestyle while going to great rounds to avoid paying tax while at the same time preaching to all,of us that we need to give more.
Kinda do as I say not as I do. I think his ego is so huge it is just another exercise to inflate it.
Did not watch th show last night as I knew I would not be able to stomach it.

Bill Gates lives a millionaire lifestyle and has done some amazing things for charity he is a huge philanthropist. If you earn more money than me and have a nicer car but have a social conscience I don't start saying you should sell your car to help the poor etc, that's basically what you're asking bono to do....

[Zoidberg]

Bill Gates lives a millionaire lifestyle and has done some amazing things for charity he is a huge philanthropist. If you earn more money than me and have a nicer car but have a social conscience I don't start saying you should sell your car to help the poor etc, that's basically what you're asking bono to do....

Bill Gates has donated $28 Billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is due to donate practically everything he owns by the time he dies. That's why people don't worry about him, he practices what he preaches.

[Dub Lad]

Bill Gates has donated $28 Billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is due to donate practically everything he owns by the time he dies. That's why people don't worry about him, he practices what he preaches.

Bono has programmes to educate children of Ethopia
He kept One in Four opened the helpline which deals with surviors of sexual abuse
He has a clothing company to help build trade in poverty stricken countries

The list of of causes and support he is involved in is alot, I don't understand what you want from him? It's his money? You do not have to listen to him? Of he inspires people to do good things in society then great, he's done alot more for the world than me, he will leave this earth a better place than he found it, he will leave a legacy.

[Larrii]

Reality check needed.
1) Bono is put forward as a sense of what Ireland is all about, and is "The" iconic figure to have lunch with the Obama's,
2) Anglo Irish executives brag about getting one over on the dopey Irish and laugh all the way to the "Bank",(pardon the Pun) as in keeping their highly paid jobs at the taxpayers expense until the Bank is run down and ceased to trade (except Bono and his type, tax avoiders et al) .

Irish people are sadly spineless and haven’t the cop on to challenge any of this. Its okay to avoid tax, cheat, tell lies, as long as you are a person of "Note". Amazing how quickly the revenue laws were amended to ensure collection of the property tax from the ordinary man and woman, but we can’t seize or go after the real corrupt people. I am embarrassed to be called Irish at this stage.

It all works on different levels, folks

1) yes the Obamas, but also lunch with Pres Dilma Roussaeff of Brazil last year, so say my brasilian contacts.

2) yes - so if the state is effed up, why would you pay your taxes to it? Anyway there's the artists' exemption? Too many public servants being paid too much, and all controlled now by the ECB that still hasn't got it's act together on the euro crisis.

That's the reality, and cheating doesn't come into it, it's all legal. If you play gigs in say China and the profits flow to a company in Holland because you personally don't need the income in Ireland, then the money ends up in Holland.

Also if sovereignty and countries passing their own tax laws is such a bad thing, then why is our sovereignty of the 1916-22 variety such a good thing? Can't have it both ways.

Also if you earn money outside Ireland there's little the Irish taxman can do to finger it. They're obliged to give you a passport anyway.

[Big-Paul]

Won't work IMHO. Ireland is too small a country, and so when you're looking for talent, you are fishing in too small a pond. In addition, the small population leads to too many personal contacts and friendships, leading people to act in their own self interest not in the interest of wider society. Of course there are old boys networks everywhere, but in a larger population, their impacts are reduced...

All true we need to depart from the parish pump politics problem is how, most of our politicans are bought by which ever group waves the biggest political donation at any given time,the whole system is rotten to the core just look at all the expences scandals just proves the contempt our elected represintaves have the people who put them there.

[bluefan1]

So bono the mighty says U2's tax affairs are none of peoples business so where does the fairy think telling people what to do with their money is his business? Give the people of Africa your money he cries so it can be seized by warlords to buy arms. This clown is slowly but surely taking the crown of the worlds biggest dope. He even gives Bob Geldof a run for his money.

fool,
Westside.

To be 100% fair - U2 moved their Publishing income to The Netherlands. They still pay tax on all their record royalties and touring income. I's say therefore they make a sizeable contribution to the funding of this State.

[dob]

So bono the mighty says U2's tax affairs are none of peoples business so where does the fairy think telling people what to do with their money is his business? Give the people of Africa your money he cries so it can be seized by warlords to buy arms. This clown is slowly but surely taking the crown of the worlds biggest dope. He even gives Bob Geldof a run for his money.

fool,
Westside.

Pick on someone your own size, bono is a dwarf........