Time to question the necessity of the Presidency

R

Rabbit

Guest
We have a Taoiseach ( prime minister ) and a Dail and a Seanad and a European parliament : do we really need the office of President as well?

We are a small country with a small population of taxpayers. I read somewhere it costs something like seven million euro a year to run the Presidents office. I suppose this covers her salary (€ 220g plus I think ? ) , her staff and expenses, her clothes and hairdos. I know many people have been looking at the cutbacks in the health service, and seeing old people on hospital trollies. Not to mention people sleeping rough etc.

Do other larger countries like France and Germany have a President as well as a Prime Minister ?
 
Do other larger countries like France and Germany have a President as well as a Prime Minister ?
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The answer is yes. from: [broken link removed]


France
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002)

Germany
chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October 1998) ;

Italy
chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001)



....and no I dont know how much Jacques's hairdos cost.
 
OK, Not all countries around the world have a President as well as a Prime Minister / Taoiseach....and then a President of the EU to boot. Maybe we should lead the world a bit like on the smoking ban, sack the presidency and keep an extra few hundred people alive in the third world each year with the extra seven million ? Its not as if she is a tourist attraction or anything.
 
Does that mean Bertie would get to move in to the big house in the Phoenix Park -it'd be Áras an Taoiseach then wouldn't it?
 
Value?

But remember that in France for example the President Jacques CHIRAC has political power and influence on the day to day operations. He can't be compared to the Irish President.

But in principle, the question is valid, why not have a head of state that is in charge of the executive? It works in the USA (as much as we might not like Bush) and in other countries.

Is there a value that the president is bringing to us taxpayers?
 
Re: Value?

....and no I dont know how much Jacques's hairdos cost.
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Crikey ! Don't be talking about Presidents and hairdos !

Isn't that what started Pee Flynn's fall from grace in the first place !!!

:rollin
 
Re: Value?

I believe the job of the president is to act as head of state, protect and enforce the constitution, and to enforce constitutional behavior on the government (i.e. Bertie).

All Irish Army Officers receive their Commission from the President, so when sh*te hits the fan they owe their alligence to the President and the people of ireland, not the government.

I think this is a nobel cause.
 
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