green party supporters smash PD headquaters according to michael mac dowell

constitutionus

micheal mac dowell laid into the green party's john gormley check it out


http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=3728115&p=37z8y3x&n=3728207

so republicans were behind the riot, the greens are organising vandalism against political offices and frank connolly is planning to over throw the state.

anyone think weve found who's been doing the cocaine in the dail toilets

John_C

To be fair he also said: “There was muesli in the air and open-toe sandals witnessed.”. This just confirmes for me that the Dáil is a complete joke-shop.

samb

I think this was another example of McDowell being a bit simplistic in his analysis of this opponents. He said 'your type' presumebly characterising all left-wing groups. This is awefully unfair on the Greens IMO because although they may share a few unrealistic economic policies with SF they are far removed from any condoning of violence. Anyway, I doubt those rioters had any political ideologies beyond blind nationalism.

edanto

I know that McDowell said it in a joking way - but it wasn't a joke. He was trying to make a link between mayhem and the Greens and it was out of order.

The Ceann Comhairle should have asked him to take it back, but I think he may have been dozing or doing the crossword when the insult was slung. When the camera cut to him, he looked as if he had just woken up. Arms flailing, head lolling from side to side. As McDowell stood there with his hands on his hauches, all happy with himself.

He'll probably tell that story a couple of times at the next PD fundraiser surrounded by fat bankers and builders.

[/bitter rant]

Another failing of the Ceann Comhairle was that he let McDowell away with not answering Gormley's question. It was a reasonable one,

link in first post wrote:

The TD accused Mr McDowell of skewed priorities and queried why garda intelligence had not monitored warnings of violence on websites and internet blogs beforehand.

“How can you tell this House that you didn’t have a clue about what was going to happen?” he asked.

Mr McDowell replied: “I’m not acquainted with whatever websites Deputy Gormley spends the early hours of the morning staring at.

And he went from insinuation into the insult about Gormley's 'type of people rioting' - looks like he's picked up a thing or two from Bertie about dodging difficult questions. Why did the Ceann Comhairle let him away with it?

The actions of our leaders are telling us - to avoid hard questions, bullsh1t or insult! And politicians wonder why we have so little respect for them.

Freelancer

I'm now taking odds on what will be the next wild unsubstantiated claim
Mc Dowell will next make and hide behind parliamentary privilege....

Mc Dowell will entire say;

"According to my sources, TD Joe Higgins can only achieve orgasm after killing a dog, I mean that's just what I heard is all" 3/1

"Senior Department of the environment sources assure me that the Green Parties campaign to save the Tara valley, comes not out of a desire to protect the environment and our heritage, but in fact because several senior members of the Green party are in thrall to a coven of tantric pagan druidess." 7/1

"The labour party manifesto was writing during a massive drug and sex fueled orgy in Pat Rabbittes house, and was originally written on the back of an illegal Romanian underage prostitute, which made it quite difficult to photocopy the first draft." 4/3 (fav)

"Senior Security officials in the North assure me, that Gerry Adams is in fact Nyarlathotep servant of Azathoth, and the elder gods, who walks among men, this has been verified by senior members in the departments of the Occult and Agriculture." 8/1

---

Anywho, yes look I'm sorry Mc Dowell has made some statements in the past re the north which could understandably be made because of senstive security material, but to start suggesting that the green party members or the crowd of people a leader of political party hangs out with, would engage in a riot is just bang out of order.

And I cannot see McDowell backing down on this.

The_Minister

FFS! He was taking the piss. Read the article. Its a slagging of hippies.

ivan087

it was only a bit of a joke/dig at john gormly and his politics. i wouldnt take it too seriously. should be more slagging in the dail if you ask me. might wake some people up.

Sparks

Firespinner wrote:

FFS! He was taking the piss. Read the article. Its a slagging of hippies.

FFS, it's not South Park, it's our Government. There's a duty on those who sit in it to at least attempt to maintain some gravitas around the Dail.

The_Minister

Why? Remember when John Bruton caught Higgens laughing at his own joke? (This is not verbatim) "In three years this is the first time I have seen Deputy Higgens smile. It is like moonlight on a tombstone"
Funny, no?

strassenwolf

Dublin South-East? And they're off and running...:p

Freelancer

Firespinner wrote:

Why? Remember when John Bruton caught Higgens laughing at his own joke? (This is not verbatim) "In three years this is the first time I have seen Deputy Higgens smile. It is like moonlight on a tombstone"
Funny, no?

I'm sorry and if Gormley had held up a picture of a group of white wolves "stormfront ireland" and said, it's a shame Deputy Mc Dowell isn't in the picture, perhaps he was holding the camera at the time?

bonkey

John_C wrote:

To be fair he also said: “There was muesli in the air and open-toe sandals witnessed.”. This just confirmes for me that the Dáil is a complete joke-shop.

Indeed. Singling out open-toed-sandal-wearers is just plain wrong and bigoted.

Only sock-and-open-toed-sandal-wearers should be indicative of what he was referring to.

Casting sandal-wearers in general as being no different to sock-and-sandal-wearers is ridiculous, facetious, and displays an undesireable level of uncaring victimisation on McDowell's part.

He should be ashamed.

jc - you can tell its Friday. Can't you.

flogen

It doesn't read well, but I'd have to see it to know what was going on; the museli follow up would imply it was a joke, or at least he decided to smile about after realising how stupid a comment it would be to make in a serious tone.

Apparently he (McDowell) has a great sense of humour. I still think he's a disgrace though.

Akrasia

there's nothing funny about the minister of justice making completely unsubstantiated criminal allegations against members of a rival political party under Dail privilege.

He is an absolute disgrace.

Zombrex

All together now

"I HATE HIPPIES!!"

flogen

Just out of interest, does McDowells use of Indymedia's footage as proof to his accusations mean he accredits them as a reliable source of information?

That's something someone should take a note of for future use...

ivan087

Akrasia wrote:

there's nothing funny about the minister of justice making completely unsubstantiated criminal allegations against members of a rival political party under Dail privilege.

He is an absolute disgrace.

politicans take the piss out of each other in every parlament in the world. shouldnt take this so seriously. obviously if everything he says and every answer he gives is just a joke - then thats of concern. i'd be more concerned with the fact that he chooses to use irish when announcing a unpopular bill, as he often does.

Elmo

What was a joke?

1. Mac Dowell assertions the Green Party members defaced PD offices or
OR
2. His further insult that "those type of people" and the muesli comment.

There are jokes to be made when they arise in the course of conversation between deputies and ministers. Mac Dowell was answering a question and at the same time not answering while taking a huge jibe at the Green Party.

The_Minister

ivan087 wrote:

i'd be more concerned with the fact that he chooses to use irish when announcing a unpopular bill, as he often does.

ONCE!!!!

Elmo

ONCE!!!!

Accourding to the Department Of Justice the Minister enjoys giving speechs in Irish and that it was a fairly standard thing for him to do and that he has done it on several ocassions.

segadreamcast

I don't know why Mr. McDowell is joking about muesli...he looks like he could do with some of it.

The_Minister

Elmo wrote:

Accourding to the Department Of Justice the Minister enjoys giving speechs in Irish and that it was a fairly standard thing for him to do and that he has done it on several ocassions.

Once for "suspicious" reasons

Cronus333

All this proves is that McDowell can joke once in a while and Gormly likes shouting. Have you ever seen his debates? hilarious, and not for good reasons.

edanto

What is proves is that McDowell would rather hurl an insult than answer a difficult question. That may make for a 'good' politician, but it gets no respect from me.

MontgomeryClift

Michael McDowell = A piece of ****.

constitutionus

i just think its hysterical he cant answer a question about his departments ,or the gardai's ability, to survey the net for suspicious activities prior such events as the riots, whilst at the same time feels the need to announce EU leglislation in irish which does that very thing to our text messages:D

its got to be embarassing:)

Street Byte

Green party supporters is differant than members. They have more than their fair share of loons to be fair but I dont think anyone that goes to their Ard Fheis would do that sort of thing.

On the other hand.......

At the recent riot the guys "peacefully having a sit-in" in front of the Garda being pelted with rocks did not seem the Sinn Fein type.

plus....

The Greens have also sat on two or three Technical committees on the Dail with Sinn Feinn, displacing the labour party as the 3rd strongest force in Dail procedure. That was before IRA disarmed too. :eek:

plus .......

They walked side by side with Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein on Anti-war marches and meetings - which is kinda weird/contradictory if you think about it. :rolleyes:

plus.....

Trevor Seargent refused to condemn the May-day rioters who attacked guards. Very un-peace-see behaviour

So I suppose anything is possible.

Akrasia

Street Byte wrote:

Green party supporters is differant than members. They have more than their fair share of loons to be fair but I dont think anyone that goes to their Ard Fheis would do that sort of thing.

On the other hand.......

At the recent riot the guys "peacefully having a sit-in" in front of the Garda being pelted with rocks did not seem the Sinn Fein type.

there were some people having a peaceful sit down demonstration in the middle of the riot, they were heavily attacked by the gardai (as always happens in these situations) and they did look like sinn fein types so i don't know what you're talking about.
plus....

They walked side by side with Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein on Anti-war marches and meetings - which is kinda weird/contradictory if you think about it. :rolleyes:

What is that supposed to mean? The Green party or anyone else can't control what people march on anti war marches. If a convicted child molester walks on an anti war march does that mean that everyone on the march agrees with molesting children?

plus.....

Trevor Seargent refused to condemn the May-day rioters who attacked guards. Very un-peace-see behaviour

So I suppose anything is possible.

If you're referring to the Dame street incident, it has been comprehensively proven that the Gardai were at fault in that incident. they were the ones attacking the demonstrators, not the other way around. The only reason there weren't criminal convictions against Gardai is because of Amnesia by colleagues of the accused when they were asked to describe what happened on the day.

monument

Akrasia wrote:

there's nothing funny about the minister of justice making completely unsubstantiated criminal allegations against members of a rival political party under Dail privilege.

Elmo wrote:

1. Mac Dowell assertions the Green Party members defaced PD offices

McDowell is not stupid. He said "Deputy Gormley’s type of people", "would most closely associate with Mr Gormley’s party and his viewpoint" etc.

Cronus333 wrote:

All this proves is that McDowell can joke once in a while and Gormly likes shouting. Have you ever seen his debates? hilarious, and not for good reasons.

This adds to the theory McDowell can’t handle answering hard questions and likes to attack people’s character as a means of avoiding such questions or other tight spots, or independent reports.

The_Minister

Akrasia wrote:

If you're referring to the Dame street incident, it has been comprehensively proven that the Gardai were at fault in that incident. they were the ones attacking the demonstrators, not the other way around. The only reason there weren't criminal convictions against Gardai is because of Amnesia by colleagues of the accused when they were asked to describe what happened on the day.

Define "Comprehensively". I seem to recall that the protestors were spitting in Garda faces

constitutionus

Firespinner wrote:

Define "Comprehensively". I seem to recall that the protestors were spitting in Garda faces

i presume he means the video footage of a line of unnumbered gardai batton charging protesters , beating them about the head in direct violation of procedure, harassing journalists including one form RTE and confiscating cameras.
the gardai comishioner came on telly to say none of this happend and then proptly disappeared of the edge of the island when footage the gardai thought they'd confiscated turned up on the net thanks to new technology ( then ) that allowed direct transmission of data to a PC.
apparently 150 gardai didnt see a thing so its lucky we had this footage to convict the one gardai that was charged. i think hes on desk duty somewhere now:D