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Post your questions for Paul Gogarty TD here.

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    #122
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Slydice wrote: »
    anyone gonna ask him this?

    Question submitted on your behalf.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68488116&postcount=34


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    #123
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    unknown13 wrote: »
    What is the Green Party's view on 3rd level fees?

    Haven't they said they don't support their reintroduction? Perhaps an interesting take on the question would be what are the greens position on fees by the back door... ie. massive increases in the registration fee?


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    #124
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Thanks deputy for making time available to us.
    Q1) Why is there so much red tape and beaurcacy in this country making it so difficult to start up a business, or run a small business or even employ somebody?

    Q2) Why should the ordinary people of this country have to bail out the bankers, property developers and legislators who caused the financial mess by borrowing money and spending it recklessly on property all over the globe? Just what sort of cosy cartel exists between banking and the government?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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    #125
    ei.sdraob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭ei.sdraob


    PaulGogartyTD wrote:
    I think NAMA needs to be secretive to carry out its work free of political interference. It's a model the Residential Tenancies Board has pioneered. What has been released shows that NAMA is not bailing out developers and is seeking to maximise the return for the taxpayer down the line.

    Erm how can we the taxpayers know that its working towards maximising returns to us, when we cant see whats happening with it

    There is no transparency and no way for us to see that what you said is happening actually happening, they could be all playing solitaire at NAMA HQ for all we know or drinking champagne. Just your word deputy and theirs to reassure us nothing more :(,
    You will be out power in a few years and the faceless bureaucrats never get in trouble for corruption and waste in this country.

    I am amazed that our elected representatives do not comprehend that secrecy and lack of transparency in an institution entrusted with so much is a recipe for disaster. Especially with our media being gagged by legislation from reporting and inept due to their vested interest in stroking property derived income.

    Why dont yee give me a few billion and then I turn around and tell you "trust me ill manage the money well behind closed doors!"


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    #126
    hinault
    Registered Users Posts: 5,932 ✭✭✭hinault


    deleted message.

    Could not be bothered asking him or his party a question.


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    #127
    LostinKildare
    Registered Users Posts: 989 ✭✭✭LostinKildare


    In response to donegalfella's question
    Who would you personally prefer to see as Taoiseach after the next general election (presuming, of course, that the next Taoiseach will not be a member of the Green Party)?

    Deputy Gogarty answered
    If I had a choice at this stage I would suggest Brian Lenihan or Micheal Martin.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68486502&postcount=18


    My question is, Really?? Do you sincerely think that it would be in the nation's interest to return FF to power? How does that square with statements you made last year in the Dail:
    "I hope that those who caused this situation get their comeuppance. I hope that history and the electorate will judge those who made the political decisions that caused our decline to be worse than the global norm," he said.

    "I for one will welcome the day when those who showed more favour to the political donors and vested interests than to the citizens in their care are told, in no uncertain terms, where to go."
    http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/idmhideycw/

    and in the media:
    "Fianna Fail members are cute hoors but they also realise that politics is about people. FF has an innate understanding of people. It doesn't mean they haven't screwed the general public over the years, because their real friends have been developers and big business. I hope Fianna Fail gets a drumming in the next election," he said.
    URL="http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gogarty-in-more-trouble-after-calling-fianna-fail-cute-hoors-1973181.html"


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    #128
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,581 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Hopefully its not too late for this question and it hasnt been asked.

    Having been a Green Supporter from when I was old enough to vote up until the last General Election I would like to ask you this.


    Mr Gogarty do you and your party realise that in the next general election (whenever that may be) that you are going to go the way of the Progresive Democrats ie little or no seats in Dail Eireann?

    And what are you going to do about this situation for those Green supporters who have lost faith in your party?


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    #129
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    LostinKildare wrote: »
    In response to donegalfella's question



    Deputy Gogarty answered



    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68486502&postcount=18


    My question is, Really?? Do you sincerely think that it would be in the nation's interest to return FF to power? How does that square with statements you made last year in the Dail:



    and in the media:



    and in the Dail:

    Precisely the type of double-standards that made me refuse to engage in a discussion with him.


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    #130
    Scarab80
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭Scarab80


    From the introduction of the EMU in 2000 until 2007 Ireland had real interest rates between -2% and 0% which was clearly a significant contributor to the property bubble. With the exception of schemes such as the ineffective SSIA and the more effective Pension Reserve Fund government and regulator intervention was wholly absent in attempting to control the money supply.

    Is there now a serious recognition of the need to control monetary policy through fiscal and regulatory measures both within government and the dail and how would these interventions manifest themselves.


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    #131
    bleg
    Registered Users Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    Any chance of asking him about GMO? Especially considering the number of people's sight has been saved by inserting genes responsible for Vitamin A production into rice or the plans to enhance the nutritional benefit of cassava.


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    #132
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    To post this I have driven 5 miles to get into the shadow of mobile broadband – it will be years, if ever - before my local exchange is enabled, and my home is not in a 3G area. (So much for an ICT economy!)


    My background makes me an ideal Green voter – I love the countryside, I believe that we should step lightly on the land and value its resources. Professionally, I have had ‘interface’ (horrible word) with senior politicians from FG, PDs and FF and believe almost all of them to be bereft of ideals and ethics. I had to emigrate in the 1980’s, returned about 10 years ago and now it looks as if I will have to go again. Despite all that, the GP does nothing to excite me, appears to be totally out of its depth economically (the week Lehman’s was going down the tubes the GP continued to waffle on about the launch of its lightbulb initiative) and to date has not come up with one sensible economic initiative. Even the GP’ s latest ‘National Government ‘ idea is something that was being proposed 2 years ago.

    Why not be proactive and state some policy issues that are workable? e.g. that departure payments to senior bankers should be capped? Why not state publicly that the lack of progress of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement is not acceptable? Why has there been such silence on past IFSRA negligence? It is soul-destroying for an ordinary citizen to see in an aspiring political movement such inactivity, such mis-guided activity and such ineptitude.


    Stag hunting is now gone, along with ancilliary jobs and tourist income; even my hobby, shooting, is under threat. To curry favour with a minority that will prostitute their votes for anyone who will support their vegetarian agenda is in my view a cowardly position. The GP, with a much publicised agenda on the environment, did not (to my knowledge) condemn the huge environmental damage caused by the criminal release of 5000 mink last week by 'antis' in Donegal. Why?



    So, could you tell me why I should vote for the GP?
    Thanks,
    P.


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    #133
    Sir Oxman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,492 ✭✭✭Sir Oxman


    Reading the answers by the TD, still no definitive answer on 'has there been any legislation brought forth in the past two years to deal with the monstrosity of huge pension pots/golden handshakes to those directly involved in the so-called regulation of the financial sector and the running of the banks" and also the transferring of assets to spouses by those implicated in said financial institutions/developers which has brought this overpowering deadweight on the Irish peoples shoulders for at minimum, the next decade or two.

    It is a National Disaster, so where is the intelligent legislation to freeze the obscene pensions and bonuses that the implicated people are allowed to crawl away with while the worker gets ready for a bumrape?
    There have been well cosseted and well-got 'public servants' retiring/resigning/moved sideways over the past two years, involved up to their oxters in this who are still getting away with obscene amounts of money for basically not doing their jobs.
    Anything at all to freeze their 'entitlements' until they are cleared of gross incomepetence, if not downright corruption?


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    #134
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    question I wanted to ask Mr Gogarty about the cycle to work scheme.

    With the cycle to work scheme creating a large increase in the number of cyclists on the road, should there not be a greater emphasis on the policing of cyclists? We've seen recent news articles about how the Gardai are looking to clamp down on "boy racers" and drug-drivers, but careless/inexperience cyclist can be just as much of a danger.
    I've recently seen a spate of cyclists breaking red lights, cycling on footpaths, etc. Imo it's a ticking timebomb, with it only a matter of time til we see some serious injuries as a result (i've had some very close shaves myself), and from what I've witnessed first-hand, the Gardai don't seem to be at all bothered.


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    #135
    Sparks
    Registered Users Posts: 40,055 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    Repeating an earlier question for the 'The Green Agenda' thread:

    Why should an extremist minority with questionable ties, such as ICABS, be feted by the government to the point where their inventing and awarding Minister Gormley a 'lifetime achievement award' is sufficient to have Leinster House reserved for the event (even if that reservation was later changed to somewhere else)? Given that there are far more voters involved in fieldsports than opposed to it; and that those voters do more for green issues like conservation and reintroduction of species than any other state body or NGO; is it right for the ideology of democracy to be subverted by the ideology of a party elected through democratic means?

    Also, given that the Green Party have pursued anti-salmon-fishing policies for some time now, where are the sustainable salmon on the menu for that event coming from?


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    #136
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    Liam Byrne wrote: »
    Precisely the type of double-standards that made me refuse to engage in a discussion with him.

    I was asked about Taoiseach. I was not assuming a FF Government but certainly would rate both Lenihan and Martin ahead of Kenny and Gilmore right now in terms of doing what needs to be done.

    But do I want FF to get punished for their actions. Hell yes.

    Do I want FG to be rewarded for their similarity to FF? Hell no.

    Do I want Labour to be rewarded for sitting on the fence? Hell no.

    But sometimes in the box of chocolates that is life you end up with the hazelnut centres.


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    #137
    Shield
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 9,644 CMod ✭✭✭✭Shield


    Hello Deputy Gogarty.

    I am a Constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and I am originally from Dublin. DeVore has met me and can verify this to be true.

    When I decided I wanted to join An Garda Síochána, and I was deemed "too old" to serve my country as the upper age limit was 25 at the time, so I made the decision to join the PSNI and never looked back. The upper age limit in An Garda Síochána is now 35 whereas it is 57 in the PSNI, because by the time you would finish training followed by your 2 year probationary period, it would be time for you to retire.

    There are plenty of people who are over the age of 35 who have decades of life experience, and who would be hugely beneficial to An Garda Síochána. Some of these people have lost their jobs due to the recession and would be very experienced mangers who would make excellent Garda material. Unfortunately, they will be excluded from applying to join when the next recruitment campaign is launched due to their age.

    Can you tell us if you approve of the practice of Age Discrimination which prevented me, and will prevent others over the age of 35 from serving the citizens of the Republic of Ireland as a full-time member of An Garda Síochána?


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    #138
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    Hellrazer wrote: »
    Hopefully its not too late for this question and it hasnt been asked.

    Having been a Green Supporter from when I was old enough to vote up until the last General Election I would like to ask you this.


    Mr Gogarty do you and your party realise that in the next general election (whenever that may be) that you are going to go the way of the Progresive Democrats ie little or no seats in Dail Eireann?

    And what are you going to do about this situation for those Green supporters who have lost faith in your party?

    Yes we realise we may go the way of the PDs in the Dail, but we will not be wound up like the PDs because we are based on policies and principles and they don't die so easy.

    In terms of those who have lost faith, I would say look back outside the maelstrom in about seven or eight years and see if we didn't put the country's best interests at heart. It might be academic at that stage and certainly not electorally beneficial to me or my current friends and colleagues, but it would be satisfying enough to be belatedly recognised for doing what was right rather than what was politically expedient.

    It's probably too much to ask those supporters who have lost faith to meet me, look me in the eye and tell me I am not being honest and sincere, but even those who disagree with what we are doing in Government at least acknowledge that some of us are genuine.

    One individual travelled all the way from Galway to convince me not to vote on a certain bill. I disagreed and told him why. We agreed to differ but I was enriched by the experience and I think he went away with a better understanding of where I was coming from and a sense that one's motivations were genuine.

    What else can I do? You can't hug everyone, you can't persuade everyone. Even Obama is unpopular now. As I said on other threads, German Greens in Government fell to 3%, now they are the second largest in the polls at 24%.

    Now good night all.


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    #139
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    psni wrote: »
    Hello Deputy Gogarty.

    I am a Constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and I am originally from Dublin. DeVore has met me and can verify this to be true.

    When I decided I wanted to join An Garda Síochána, and I was deemed "too old" to serve my country as the upper age limit was 25 at the time, so I made the decision to join the PSNI and never looked back. The upper age limit in An Garda Síochána is now 35 whereas it is 57 in the PSNI, because by the time you would finish training followed by your 2 year probationary period, it would be time for you to retire.

    There are plenty of people who are over the age of 35 who have decades of life experience, and who would be hugely beneficial to An Garda Síochána. Some of these people have lost their jobs due to the recession and would be very experienced mangers who would make excellent Garda material. Unfortunately, they will be excluded from applying to join when the next recruitment campaign is launched due to their age.

    Can you tell us if you approve of the practice of Age Discrimination which prevented me, and will prevent others over the age of 35 from serving the citizens of the Republic of Ireland as a full-time member of An Garda Síochána?

    I don't know enough about the reasoning to have an opinion, but certainly recognise the value of those over 35. If you like I can submit a parliamentary question to find out the rationale and to ask if there are any plans to change the current system.


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    #140
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    For the Deputy Gogarty and the Green Party's support for the current government thread

    Deputy Grogan,

    Do you think, in the long term scale of things, that maybe it would have been wiser to not go into power with FF at the last general election?
    I ask as I think, as do some of my friends, that there was a lot more groundwork to do with the general public on what the Green Party actually stood for. With time, education and canvassing you may have been better off getting into Government the next time round. I understand the argument, "It's pretty useless sitting in the Dail if you're on the other side", but at the same time, it's important to have some decent sized ground support behind you, especially when dealing with FF (as the PD's history permits me to say)

    And on this note, had you not gone into power with FF at the last election, would there have been another election straightaway as the FG/LAB/GP/Others would never had worked?

    Yours,


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    #141
    Shield
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 9,644 CMod ✭✭✭✭Shield


    I would be grateful if you would do this for the men and women of this country who wish to serve as Gardaí, but who happen to be on the wrong side of 35.

    We both know it is against Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights to discriminate based on age, and it is about time Ireland abolished this unfair and unjustifiable criterion which could then allow potentially excellent candidates the same opportunity as those who happen to be under the age of 35. All these people are asking for is equal opportunity.

    I thank you for your time, and look forward to the reply.
    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    I don't know enough about the reasoning to have an opinion, but certainly recognise the value of those over 35. If you like I can submit a parliamentary question to find out the rationale and to ask if there are any plans to change the current system.


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    #142
    nkay1985
    Registered Users Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    For the Deputy Gogarty and the Green Party's support for the current government thread:

    Deputy Gogarty,

    Your response to a number of questions asking why the citizens of Ireland shouldn't be given an opportunity to select who we want to implement a 4-year budget has been that we wouldn't have enough time to have the general election and have the budget passed by the time we need to borrow more money. My reading on that is that you don't disagree with those of us (the vast majority at this stage) that believe the current government has no mandate to make decisions on our behalf.

    If this is the case, why haven't you pushed for a general election anytime over the last two years as the government's approval has fallen and fallen?


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    #143
    seaniedearg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32 ✭seaniedearg


    Deputy Gogarty wrote above:
    But do I want FF to get punished for their actions. Hell yes.

    ok then, put it out on twitter that you can no longer vote with FF on any more issues and that you will abstain in all dail votes


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    #144
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,581 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    Yes we realise we may go the way of the PDs in the Dail,
    Well Im glad at least one member of the Greens acknowledges that this is going to happen.

    but we will not be wound up like the PDs because we are based on policies and principles and they don't die so easy.

    I know Devore has asked a similar question in another thread but do you really believe that at this moment in time as the country is falling apart around us that Green policies are the best for Ireland Incorporated.

    And do also think that a split in the Green party is needed in order to get the party back to its roots.

    All you have to look at is what I would only describe as ludicrous policies that the greens keep flogging as Ireland burns.Ive taken the following examples from another users post.
    - Ban on stag hunting & mink farming
    - Irrational road tax regime
    - Gormley's outburst regarding vehicles with commercial tax discs
    - Poolbeg incinerator situation is out of control. Ireland needs an incinerator ( & I would have welcomed one at Ringaskiddy) - but NOT in a location where every truck load of rubbish has to be carted to it via Dublin city centre.
    -The Metro North
    -The Whole "Breeding Bitches" Fiasco

    In terms of those who have lost faith, I would say look back outside the maelstrom in about seven or eight years and see if we didn't put the country's best interests at heart.

    In my opinion the Green Party have put their own interests at heart rather than the countrys.Personally I`ll look back at some of what Ive quoted above and ask myself could I ever vote Green again and as things stand I cant see that happening any time soon.

    It's probably too much to ask those supporters who have lost faith to meet me, look me in the eye and tell me I am not being honest and sincere, but even those who disagree with what we are doing in Government at least acknowledge that some of us are genuine.

    To be totally honest the fact that you have come onto boards.ie and allowed ordinary citizens to ask you questions that most politicians would avoid has gone some way to show me personally how credible you as a politician are and by that I mean Paul Gogarty and not the Green party.


    What else can I do?
    I tell you what you can do.You can get onto your colleagues in your party and ask them to vote against the government in an important Dail vote that would force a General Election--Stop your backing of them completely.
    In my eyes (and Id imagine a lot of former Green party supporters) this would go some way to make me consider giving the Greens a second chance in the future but as it stands now with your continuing support for Fianna Fail I will never vote Green again and I firmly believe that this is the opinion of many,many former Green party supporters.


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    #145
    Sir Oxman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,492 ✭✭✭Sir Oxman


    Has your party pursued the banning of fluoridated water in this State - Ireland is the most heavily fluoridated country in Europe (circa 71%).
    Most of our neighbours and EU partners don't fluoridate their public water supplies because of health issues associated with it, what has your environmental party done to reverse this for the populace?


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    #146
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    I was asked about Taoiseach. I was not assuming a FF Government but certainly would rate both Lenihan and Martin ahead of Kenny and Gilmore right now in terms of doing what needs to be done.

    Lenihan or Martin can only be Taoiseach if FF get the biggest majority at the next election or get propped up.

    So if you're offered a carrot of Lenihan or Martin as Taoiseach via a vote to support FF, what would you do ?

    You claim that you want FF punished, and yet a vote in that scenario might be compromised by a different preference ?
    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    But do I want FF to get punished for their actions. Hell yes.

    Then vote accordingly. Until you do the above statement is just a populist soundbite.

    And how you can rate Lenihan is beyond me. The guy that didn't read reports and rushed into NAMA and Anglo without looking at alternatives or putting in safeguards for the public who are expected to foot the bill ?
    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    But sometimes in the box of chocolates that is life you end up with the hazelnut centres.

    Here in Ireland you end up with the ones that are a few years past their sell-by date because the Greens propped them up.


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    #147
    Laminations
    Registered Users Posts: 4,693 ✭✭✭Laminations


    PaulGogartyTD wrote:
    Real reform? There was a 15% decrease in the amount going towards expenses last year. The old overnight system or daily allowance was changed for a swipe scheme based on a minimum attendance. It is no longer a turning up payment, but rather a reasonable Oireachtas attendance expense allowance incorporating constituency travel.

    This gets my goat, and this isn't just a problem with the greens but across the board. Do you think the members of the Dail through their behaviour and their salaries/expenses properly reflect the 'crisis' part of this economic crisis? There are many people unemployed and for most of those who are employed they are happy to get a decent wage for the work they do, most don't get paid for travelling to work. And so manypepople due to expectations encouraged by FF bought in places like Leitrim thinking they'd trade up closer to a city and their workplace as years went by. People commute hours to work without extra payment, you lot in the Dail are in absolute terms and comparatively with other state representatives, well paid. You should be properly leading by example and cutting your own cloth for the duration of this crisis. The worst crisis in recent Irish history and the TDs remain the best paid in the world. Secondly where is the urgency in your actions, the expediency? Why after two years do we not have people jailed? People barred from politics? People taxed on their pensions?

    In another post you recognise the need to reform global financial institutions, you have the chance to reform how it all works in Ireland, what have you done?


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    #148
    Slydice
    Registered Users Posts: 10,501 ✭✭✭✭Slydice


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    What else can I do? You can't hug everyone, you can't persuade everyone.
    Well, if you are looking for suggestions, how about answering these two posts:
    Slydice wrote: »
    Q1: What exactly would FF need to do for him to stop voting with them in the Dail?

    Q2: What does he think would FF need to do for the GP to stop voting with them in the Dail?

    Q3: How does he feel about having voted to shackle the Irish people with 100b legacy of debt? URL="http://twitter.com/brianmlucey/statuses/25977679606"]1[/URL URL="http://www.irisheconomy.ie/index.php/2010/09/30/banking-statement-by-minister-of-finance/#comment-78337"]2[/URL
    and:
    yoganmahew wrote: »
    - Is it still Green Party policy that NAMA is the only show in town?
    - That it will improve liquidity in the banks?
    - That it will pursue borrowers (and their wives where assets have been transferred) to their fullest ability to pay?
    - That assets will not be sold back at a discount to the current holders of the loans? (With the difference written off).
    - That NAMA will make a profit for the taxpayer?

    - How much general government debt is manageable?
    - 80% of GDP? 100%? 120%?

    - Is it Green Party policy that the National Pensions Reserve Fund should be used to buy further equity stakes in the banks?

    - What should bear the brunt of the budget balancing?
    - Increased taxation or decreased spending?

    seeing as how you seem to know what is important to our economy from what you said here:
    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    we go to the markets in January
    and here:
    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    with us seeking loans in January

    Also, what's your best guess on what will happen in the coming (six) months for Ireland, the Irish banking system and how Ireland raises money in the bond market?


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    #149
    LostinKildare
    Registered Users Posts: 989 ✭✭✭LostinKildare


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »

    I was asked about Taoiseach. I was not assuming a FF Government but certainly would rate both Lenihan and Martin ahead of Kenny and Gilmore right now in terms of doing what needs to be done.

    But do I want FF to get punished for their actions. Hell yes.

    Do I want FG to be rewarded for their similarity to FF? Hell no.

    Do I want Labour to be rewarded for sitting on the fence? Hell no.

    But sometimes in the box of chocolates that is life you end up with the hazelnut centres.

    So in your estimation, “sitting on the fence,” and being “similar to FF” are worse than what FF actually has done? In spite of stating publically several times your wish that the electorate would wipe out FF, now the “cute hoors” whose “real friends have been developers and big business,” “who showed more favour to the political donors and vested interests than to the citizens in their care,” “who made the political decisions that caused our decline to be worse than the global norm," (ALL YOUR WORDS) are your top choice to lead the next govt? Politics of hope, eh?


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    In terms of those who have lost faith, I would say look back outside the maelstrom in about seven or eight years and see if we didn't put the country's best interests at heart. It might be academic at that stage and certainly not electorally beneficial to me or my current friends and colleagues, but it would be satisfying enough to be belatedly recognised for doing what was right rather than what was politically expedient.


    I wouldn’t go with that rhetoric if I were you. It sounds too much like G.W. Bush’s “history will judge me kindly.”


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    It's probably too much to ask those supporters who have lost faith to meet me, look me in the eye and tell me I am not being honest and sincere, but even those who disagree with what we are doing in Government at least acknowledge that some of us are genuine.


    Deputy Gogarty, with respect, it doesn’t look genuine when you excoriate FF and declare it to be your fervent wish that the electorate kick the bums out, then come on here a couple of months later and tell us that you think they should lead the next government. It doesn’t look sincere when the Greens (who supposedly stand for transparency and accountability) attempt to get greater transparency built into NAMA, only to be swatted away like a pesky fly by their FF overlords, then come on here months later and tell us that they [you] believe that NAMA needs to be kept secret from us in order to avoid “political interference.” You can say with a straight face that secrecy is better than transparency for preventing political machinations, not to mention corruption, waste, and public mistrust of government? Is that the new Green thinking?

    As far as meeting you personally, I’d be happy to. Take the train to Kildare and I’ll take you for a walk up the beautiful historic Hill of Allen – the half that hasn’t been quarried away, that is – and tell you the long, sorry story of how the Green Party badly let down local activists after promising to look into the planning irregularities and secrecy surrounding the quarry. Just a local example of what the Greens have done on a national scale --- enthusiastically promised to help true believers who are working hard on the ground for change, then dumped them once they got into govt.

    And one more thing:

    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    You can't hug everyone


    Really patronising. Save your hugs for Brian Lenihan and Micheal Martin and the other "cute hoors" you now admire.

    Hellrazer wrote: »
    I tell you what you can do. You can get onto your colleagues in your party and ask them to vote against the government in an important Dail vote that would force a General Election--Stop your backing of them completely.

    +1


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    #150
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Mr. Gogarty,

    1) Even with the €5,000 incentive for electric-driven cars, do you not accept that costs of buying a new electric car are still far too high for the average person to buy - and therefore, isn't this incentive purely only symbolic - given that the reduction in emissions will be minimal at best?

    2) What can the Green Party do to educate the general public on renewable energy for their homes?

    3) There is great anger in the country now due to lack of accountability for those who caused the banking crisis. What will the Green Party do to ensure that all those responsible will be removed of their positions, and pursued legally if any are found to have knowingly cheated the system.

    4) What is the Green Party's position on WIT's university application, and would he support it becoming a University?


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    #151
    Newff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭Newff


    Newff wrote: »
    Sorry folks I know it's long, but I've been given the run around for the last three years

    Mr. Gogarty, you have received an e-mail from me ( Ray O'Connor) with a brief outline of my concerns regarding the conduct of the CER and Bord Gais, so you will be aware of the background to my question and that Minister Ryan has carried out an exhaustive investigation in relation to my concerns. I have also supplied similar information to Dan Boyle, Ciaran Cuffe as vice chair to the Dail Committee on these matters (who failed to raise them) and Mary White.

    My concerns relate to alleged illegal activities of BG which the CER as regulator has said was policy of BG and was reasonable. (One of these activities related to BG's lack of data protection which subsequently made headlines qed) Under guidelines for state directors, directors have to inform the Minister of illegal activity, (I informed individual directors and two company secretaries) and as a decision making body the CER has to have an appeals procedure and publicise it, and the Minister is responsible for overseeing these Corporate Governance rules. When I brought this to the attention of Dan Boyle, he said the matter would be addressed on the retirement of the chairmen of both Bord Gais and the CER. Minister Ryan has yet to have meaningful communication with me on this matter. Having talked to Minister Ryan can you answer the following brief questions?

    Did the Minister ask the Board of Directors of Bord Gais to explain the alleged illegal activity, seeing as under law they are responsible for policy and procedures? Y or N?

    Did the Minister ask the Commissioners to explain why they endorsed the alleged illegal activity of Bord Gais as reasonable? Y or N?

    Did the Minister ask the Commissioners to explain why the organisation charged with enforcing customer charters in the industry, has published charters that make no sense regarding their appeals procedures? (not that it matters because the staff don’t know they have one and still don’t looking at the energycustomer.ie web site) Y or N?

    If the answer is Yes to the above was he satisfied that no illegal activity took place and no government guidelines were broken?

    If the answer is No or don’t know, what action will you take and when can we expect to have an answer published on Boards.ie

    Is it acceptable that the Minister has not responded to my communication on these issues and others in accordance with his departments customer charter and Green Party policy of transparency?

    Does the Green Party have confidence in the CER considering the above, and currently are allowing people to be cut off when they could issue the power companies with a directive to install pre-payed meters instead?

    Why are the CER proposing to Nationalise the losses of Energy Companies,(have our regulators not learned from NAMA) and introduce debt blocking, there by restricting consumers right to chose suppliers?

    And finally why does the Minister do nothing when the CER censors submissions to consultations when they are critical of the organisation (I have had one thrown out because I didn’t answer a question that wasn’t asked) surely the quality of the resulting decision is flawed and open to legal challenge?

    Thanks for being man enough to turn up

    Hi Paul,

    Will you raise a PQ regarding these issues?


This discussion has been closed.
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