Category: Fine Gael

Lee – Now part of the system

On 19th May last I wrote about the passion and honesty of Fine Gael’s new TD George Lee after he suggested Seanad Eireann should be abolished.

Keeping in mind that Fine Gael, in common with all political parties, sees the Senate as a very rich gravy train I warned that it was only a matter of time before George was taken to one side and indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life. Here’s some of what I wrote:

It’s only a matter of time before George is hauled down into the dark, damp pit of Irish politics where all new arrivals on the political scene are strapped into a seat, have a very bright light shone in their faces and ruthlessly indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life.

And judging from a report on Newstalk 106 it seems that George has had his first session in the pit. He has denied that he called for the Seanad to be scrapped saying he meant it needed reform.

We can see from Lee’s response to the O’Donoghue expenses scandal (Irish Independent) that he is by now almost totally integrated into the mostly corrupt Irish political system.

After first expressing the usual but meaningless outrage Lee goes on to mouth the standard waffle we have come to expect from politicians who want to give the impression that action is about to be taken on an issue.

I’m going to raise a parliamentary question about this matter, it’s unacceptable behaviour in the present climate, it’s time to tighten up on the rules and I’ll be asking if there are any reforms planned in this area. This is all pure truth avoiding, playing for time waffle – Express outrage, promise reform and hope that, in time, people will forget.

According to the report in the Irish Independent:

Mr Lee said he was more interested in finding out if there had been a culture of over-spending by ministers during the reign of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern rather than pursuing an explanatory statement from Mr O’Donoghue.

This is the usual cynical strategy, put the focus on the past and restrict your comments to a narrow range of politicians, ministers in this case from a previous Fianna Fail administration.

This sly strategy allows politicians to avoid mentioning the elephant in the room – that practically all parties, including George Lee’s party, have been for decades, feeding out of the same expenses trough at huge cost to the taxpayer. Much of this greedy and unregulated feeding is nothing less than straightforward theft.

Lee has his first session in dark pit of Irish politics

It really is refreshing to witness George Lee talk with passion and honesty about political issues.

For example, on The Week in Politics last Sunday he was asked about reports that Seanad Eireann closed down last week to allow the Senators attend a golf outing.

“I can’t believe that they met for 40 days for the first couple of months of the year.

During that period, the first four months up to April, 93,000 people went on the dole while they met for 40 days, while they took all that money from the taxpayer and they sat there planning their golf outing.

It’s an absolute outrage, I tell you they would all want to consider their positions, they need to go.”

On being asked – Should the Senate be shut down?

“Would we care? 93,000 people is what it’s about and the fact that unemployment is heading towards 600,000 while they’re there lining their pockets, claiming their expenses and doing not an awful lot for the people. I really couldn’t be bothered whether they were shut down, it’s a disgrace.”

If every politician or even a significant number of them felt and acted with such passionate anger and honesty Ireland would indeed be a country of happy enlightenment.

Sadly, it is not to be. It’s only a matter of time before George is hauled down into the dark, damp pit of Irish politics where all new arrivals on the political scene are strapped into a seat, have a very bright light shone in their faces and ruthlessly indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life.

And judging from a report on Newstalk 106 it seems that George has had his first session in the pit. He has denied that he called for the Seanad to be scrapped saying he meant it needed reform.

“All of my party colleagues have been pushing the issue of Seanad reform for a long period of time, much longer than my last two weeks in politics; I’m beating the same drum. They all want to make that contribution, they know it’s very important institution of state and they know it has to be modernised.”

Yes, we know George. Irish politicians have been calling for and promising reform of the Senate for decades but never actually act on the matter. They don’t act because they are greedy, dishonest and arrogant.

How many sessions in the cellar George before you are a fully signed up member of the corrupt Irish political system?

Ruling (mafia) families

There are 166 TDs in Dail Eireann.

Shockingly, over 25% (42) of them are direct relatives of former or current TDs. According to a Drivetime report during the week nothing like this exists in any other Western democracy. Here’s some further breakdown.

A massive 28 of the 42 are Fianna Fail TDs followed by Fine Gael with 12 and 2 from Labour.

24 are sons or daughters of TDs – 15 Fianna Fail, 8 Fine Gael and 1 Labour.

There are three TDs in the Fianna Fail Kitt family as was their father before them.

Fianna Fail TD, Mary O’Rourke is the daughter of a TD and sits in the Dail with her brother Brian Lenihan and two nephews Brian and Conor.

The three most senior people in government, Brian Cowen, Mary Coughlin and Brian Lenihan all inherited their seats from their father.

And people wonder why Ireland is run like a mafia.

Lee goes political

Great to see that RTEs Economics Editor George Lee has decided to seek the Fine Gael nomination in the upcoming Dublin South bye election.

Lee has always been passionate in his beliefs and that passion has, in recent times, spilled over into deep anger at how this country is governed.

There is no doubt that the Irish political system is sorely in need of an injection of genuine passion and anger.

See here for his first (robust) interview

Gay Mitchell goes mad

Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell went a bit mad on The Last Word today during an interview with Today FMs Anton Savage.

I tuned into the discussion after it started but apparently Mitchell wants a full time radio station to broadcast the ‘debates’ in the Oireachtas.

Mitchell went off the rails when Savage asked him if he could give an example of anything interesting that happened in the Senate during the last month.

Mitchell: No, I’m not going to give you; I’m not answering the question just because you make them up. I can’t think of anything in the last month but I can tell you for example…

Savage: Is that good enough

Mitchell: The issue is that people like you who are meant to be the medium are responsible not people like me I make the laws I’m a very intensive legislator. I work on developing world I work on economic and monetary affairs and when people come along and say ‘we don’t know what you do’ you blame us, you’re to blame, you should be communicating this.

Savage: I’m giving you the forum then, give me something from the Senate that will interest people.

Mitchell: I’m not going to give you any example, listen to me there’s an awful lot of people in this country who are involved in non governmental organisations who would be very happy to hear what is being done about the ten million children a year who are dying in the developing world, who never get to hear about it.

Savage: You said you wanted a radio station, you have a radio station now, I’m giving you open forum

Mitchell: No, you’re not giving me anything, I’m talking to the people I’m not talking to you. People are listening to me and their listening to you and what I’m saying to those people is this, I have an idea and I don’t care if people like you don’t like the idea I have a lot of ideas about a lot of things and I’m entitled to express them.

All I’m asking for is something interesting out of the Senate in the last month.

If you’ll let the people listen to what I’m saying, I’m not going to give you anything for the last month, it’s the third time I’ve told you that, I’m not going to give you anything. I’m going to tell you what the people want an opportunity to listen to…

Savage then played a clip from a debate in the Senate to give listeners an idea of what goes on there.

When the clip was finished Mitchell had hung up.

Seems he wants to burden us with endless political waffle but he couldn’t stand it himself for more than 30 seconds.

Time for a coup in Fine Gael?

One of the greatest mysteries of Irish political life is how Enda Kenny is still leader of Fine Gael.

His performance in poll after poll is pathetic and the reason is obvious, he’s a nice man but a completely ineffective politician. The last thing Ireland needs at this time is a ‘nice man’, what’s needed is a courageous, visionary, kick-assing son of a bitch with one focus – the best interests of the Irish people.

It’s an important issue because the leader of Fine Gael is likely to be the next Taoiseach. Richard Bruton’s name has got a lot of mention but unfortunately he’s also a nice man. Asked recently if he thought Brian Lenihan should resign Bruton meekly replied in the negative. No, Richard is a good accountant but he’s lacks the political killer touch.

Lucinda Creighton is a constant and capable party representative but is far too conservative in her views to be an effective leader at this time. James Reilly is also high profile and certainly very passionate in his views but he needs to come clean about the disgraceful deal he negotiated for his fellow doctors some years ago. All he has to do is admit it was dishonest and that would be the end of it.

I think Leo Varadkar is about the best man for the job as leader of Fine Gael and ultimately the country. He’s articulate, passionate and not afraid to step on delicate toes. Ok, he has had a tendency to put his foot in it from time to time but I’m sure with experience and good advice that could be sorted. Time for a coup in Fine Gael methinks.

Politicians – All the same?

Recently, during a discussion on the imposition of the levy on civil servants, Ivan Yates made a curious comment.

“I sent a text to Brian Lenihan saying – good days work, keep it up.”

Yates is a former Fine Gael politician; he left politics nine years ago. What’s he doing with the Minister for Finance’s mobile phone number?

I know Irish politicians are great buddies behind the charade of opposition but are they ‘that’ close?

Scourges, crucifixions and hypocrisy: Second Lisbon Treaty debate begins

The second Lisbon Treaty debate is on and it’s obvious that the pro treaty crowd have learned nothing. In fact, it seems that their arrogance and undemocratic attitudes have become even more extreme.

Dick Roche is still calling the anti treaty side a bunch of liars and Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell obviously doesn’t like the idea of democracy when it comes to ratification of the treaty.

Anti treaty campaigner, Ulick McEvaddy, in a debate (Tuesday) with Mitchell, expressed a very reasonable point of view:

“They’ve been misleading us or they have not got their act together. If it takes us another ten years to get a proper treaty in place that people can understand, let us wait that ten years and spend that ten years doing something that’s right instead of putting this treaty back to the people.”

When RTE presenter, Myles Dungan, put it to Mitchell that he was ‘scaremongering’ the Fine Gael MEP began to lose the run of himself.

“I resent that comment and you shouldn’t have used that comment Ulick (He didn’t make the comment, Myles Dungan did) and everything I’ve said has been very measured on this both this morning and at other times and we’ve let this go… (Interrupted by McEvaddy) there you are interrupting me now, you said you didn’t interrupt (He didn’t say that). You should not be using those terms (He didn’t) if we’re to have some reasonable discussion and debate on this.

I’ll tell you what has to happen Ulick; we have to put people like you in your place. You’re a good businessman but you know sweet damn all about politics and what we’ve really got to do and this is the real problem here… We’ve got to restore to Dial Eireann the democratic deficit between the Dail and the people.

All the TDs have left themselves with is responsibility and they’ve given away authority…It’s time for the Dail to take back authority and to say to people like Ulick…the business of politics requires people to be able to find real solutions to problems.”

Phew, what a roasting for poor Ulick. Let’s do a small analysis on Mitchell’s outburst.

He wants people like McEvaddy taken out of the democratic process, banned from participating in political campaigns. Mitchell would probably allow Ulick to express a personal view and maybe even vote but any kind of campaign that challenges the body politic would be forbidden.

Mitchell admits that Dail Eireann has lost its authority but fails to acknowledge that this situation was brought about by the corruption and cowardice of politicians themselves. Fine Gael, in common with all the major parties, constantly waffle on about Dail reform but do not posses the courage or vision to actually implement change.

Later, Mitchell brings up the question of funding political campaigns:

“Ulick, I don’t know anything about running your business…my business is politics…and it’s people like you and your other wealthy pal down in Galway, Ganley, walking on to the pitch with your millions of pounds (sic) and being able to tell us our business…this is a little game for people like yourself and others.”

It takes a special kind of hypocrisy to attack non politicians for operating under a system carefully set up by politicians to make sure that the millions they get from big business remains hidden from public scrutiny.

In addition to attacking those from outside the body politic for having the neck to mount a political campaign Mitchell is obviously not happy that the people themselves should be trusted to have a direct say in such important matters.

“Do you know that the people in Germany voted for the Third Reich, the people outside Caesar’s palace (sic) voted for the crucifixion of Christ, what has a referendum got to do with…if you ask the people tomorrow to vote for the Government…”

Unfortunately, he was cut off at this point before he made a complete eejit of himself.

Ah yes, there’ll be many a scourging and crucifixion before this campaign is done.

Copy to;
Gay Mitchell

Yes campaign jitters

There’s a certain degree of desperation creeping into the Yes referendum camp.

Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell said that if we vote No we will have to pay for our own defence here at home. The suggestion being that by voting Yes we can freeload on EU taxpayers for our defence.

We’re also being reminded by various Yes campaigners of the great benefits brought to us by EU membership; equal pay, workers rights; protection of the environment and so on.

These politicians seem to be genuinely unaware that this argument is an admission of their own incompetence.

King Cowen threatens first edict

There was almost universal approval when King Bertie announced that Prince Brian was to be his successor. Naturally, the Royal Court Media was delighted as were the great mass of peasantry. Even the general media, who, from time to time were wont to make some small criticism of the ruling power, were gushing in their praise.

It was accepted without question throughout the land that Prince Brian was the most intelligent entity in the universe, that if Socrates or Einstein were alive they would be beating a path to his castle in Clara to listen in awe to his words of wisdom.

It was also universally accepted that Prince Brian was the bravest knight in the realm, that he rode the swiftest steed; that he possessed the sharpest sword. He was the hero who, with just one bellow of his mighty voice, would slay the dragons of the opposition cowering in their dark caves.

Alas, the court wizards neglected to advise the great prince that he must not believe all that was said lest he be forced to actually perform to such lofty standards.

Even the great Roman emperors of yore, as they paraded through Rome in Triumph, had a slave at their shoulder constantly whispering in their ear – Remember thou are mortal, remember thou are mortal…

And so it has come to pass that on his first tryst with the chief dragon of the opposition King Cowen failed to land a blow. In truth, it must be proclaimed that the dragon had the best of it.

And today we hear that an entire clan of dragons conspired to prevent the great King Cowen deliver his words of wisdom to the great mass of peasantry, and that this dastardly act was perpetuated within the confines of the royal court itself. – Dail Eireann.

But fear not fellow peasants for the Great King has promised, nay, threatened that such behaviour will not be tolerated. He has put the unruly dragons on notice that if his royal person is not afforded due respect then he will impose an edict of silence over all the land.

The Royal Court Media has nodded its approval (2nd report).