Potential coalition partners Michael Noonan and Joan Burton argued about cutting child benefit on this morning’s ‘Today with Pat Kenny’ (on the sideline was an amused Brian Lenihan).
If you thought the Greens and Fianna Fail were disfunctional…
Joan Burton: “I think Fine Gael need to think about this. Effectively, Michael, your plan is to take about €250 a year, about €21 a month, from a family –”
Michael Noonan: “No, that’s not right, Joan. That’s not right. Your figures are wrong.”
Burton: “Michael, just let me finish – from a family, from a family…”
Noonan: “Could I say something, Joan? You know, you’re into magic bean economics.”
Pat Kenny: “Hang on a second.”
Noonan: “Labour aren’t going to do anything about anything. They’re going to pay more money to everybody. Do you realise the crisis we’re in? What happened to you over the Christmas?”
Burton: “Michael. Sorry. Michael”
Noonan: “You were talking about the bailout and the crisis and the country is banjaxed. Do you remember that? And now you have no solution for anything. You just knock the Fine Gael proposals.”
Burton: “Michael. Michael…”
Pat Kenny [aside]: This’ll be a great coalition alright
Brian Lenihan: “[laughs] Think we’ll still need a strong Fianna Fáil in the Dáil”
Burton: “Michael, there’s a lot of big houses all around the country where, inside those houses, there’s actually very little money because people are at the pin of their collar paying their mortgages and the child benefit is a critical income support to put food on the table. I’m just asking you, Michael, to think about this..”
Noonan: “You’re spoofing Joan.”
Burton: “Michael, I understand –”
Noonan: “You’re pretending you can fix the economy without doing anything.”
Burton: “Michael.”
Noonan: “That’s your problem. It’s magic beans economics.”
Burton: “Michael, you sound like you’re shouting from Limerick..”
Noonan: “You’re a long way away, Joan…”
