Jackie Healy Rea

memo_to_all

Does this man command a good level of public support?
I have heard him a few times in recent months on the radio...and he comes across as not much more than a raving lunatic.
The man cant string more than a couple of words together before raising to a crecendo of screaming.

ejmaztec

memo_to_all wrote: »

Does this man command a good level of public support?
I have heard him a few times in recent months on the radio...and he comes across as not much more than a raving lunatic.
The man cant string more than a couple of words together before raising to a crecendo of screaming.

I believe that one of his sons will be inheriting his God-like charisma at the next election.:o The natives love 'em.

juuge

memo_to_all wrote: »

Does this man command a good level of public support?

Sadly he does ! He perpetuates the image of Ireland abroad as being a land of gombeens. He should be charged with treason!:D

Soulja boy

he has folksy charm. It masks the insanity. He is actually really good for the south west, because of the strange clannish sense of community he does actually go out of his way to help people.
Shame that his is absolutely bat**** insane.

bmaxi

He keeps getting re-elected, then they wonder why there are Kerryman jokes.

SeaFields

Not a kerry man myself but have the good fortune to be going out with a kerry cailin for a few years

The Healy Rea clan has been described to me by locals down there as a vote getting machine. They do seem to sincerely go out of there way to get things done. Girlfriends father was having problems getting his single farm payment one year. Rang Jackie who said he would look in to it. Within a few hours he got a call to say the cheque was in the post. At the start of all this economic mess, a letter went out to each individual constituent saying that if he could help at all with anything 'in these bad times' to not hesitate to ask and that 'please God everything will be alright'. How many other TD's did the same?

They have what a lot of those other wasters in the dail don't at the moment and that is a genuine commitment to their locality and its residents (in order to be reelected of course!). Pity the rest of em think the can sit on their holes and be re-elected. A good dose of cute-hoorism is needed bck in Irish politics

RealityCheck

The king of the 'Parish Pump' polititians. I have no doubt he takes good care of the people of South Kerry. And sure why should'nt he? being Independent and all. No better man for helping ya "get the plannin" id say.
He is a perfectly rational individual all the same Definately not a crackpot Kerryman

wilson10

He's an absolute embarrasment. I cringe everytime he comes on the screen.

PeakOutput

does he not own half his constituency?

Lemming

SeaFields wrote: »

A good dose of cute-hoorism is needed bck in Irish politics

it is the gombeen trait of cute-hoorism is has Ireland in the predicament it's in with regard the "calibre" of its politicians among others. It is not a trait that is to be lauded or encouraged but instead kicked to the ground and then kicked to death and generally given the agonisingly painful, lingering death it deserves ... just to make sure.

As for Healy-Rea, he is a classic example of parish-pump politics and a poster child for its abandonment. He has on occasion opened his mouth vis a vis drink driving in an attempt to "help" country publicans (such as his good self ... ) by having the Gardai turn the cheek to patrons driving away sozzled.

Yes. Just what we need. More cute-hoorism. Of course. Abso-f*cking-lutely. Thoughts of 2x4s and gene-pool improvements spring to mind.

SeaFields

Lemming wrote: »

Yes. Just what we need. More cute-hoorism. Of course. Abso-f*cking-lutely.

I can retract the term cute-hoorism so as it seems to offend you so much but I think we may be on different levels as to what we each mean by it.

I assume you are referring to the brown envelope culture the consequences of which are plain for us all to see in our economic meltdown. The wink and nudge practices. I totally agree with you there. Now correct me if I'm wrong but there seems to be a disgusting, smug arrogance amongst some of our politicians these days that they have a God given right to have a seat in the Dail and milk it for all its worth. Mistakes go unanswered and toeing the party line for the good of big busniess rather than the country's citizens is the norm. Over the past year I tried a several times to get in contact with a number of my local TD's regarding different matters - I have yet to receive a reply from any of them.

I have been impressed by the way that Healy-Raes go about their business. Not being a Kerry native (thank god says I!:D) I have been impressed with the amount of work that he does for the people down there and I have seen many examples of it at this stage. One of which I mentioned in my first post and they seem go far beyond just the 'getting ya the planning'. Whats he asks for in return is your vote. Not unreasonable.

The caliber of our politicians needs to be one with the best interests of his/her constituents at the fore both when they vote in the Dail or when they need a vote to get into the Dail.

lostexpectation

i doubt you could get anything done without him, though

Padraig Mor

SeaFields wrote: »

politicians needs to be one with the best interests of his/her constituents at the fore both when they vote in the Dail or when they need a vote to get into the Dail.

Isn't a TD's job to vote in the best interests of their country - not their local area?

Benedict XVI

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Isn't a TD's job to vote in the best interests of their country - not their local area?

Yes it is but here in Ireland our politics has always been based on what is known as 'clientism', which is were the politician is very attached to the constituency.

If you look in any local news paper you will see the list of where local TDs and councilors are hosting their 'clinics' each week.

Healy-Rae is an example of this, but he is not the only one by a long shot.

Another example would be another older man on this island, a certain Dr. Paisley, who even though publicly a Unionist fire-brand, was apparently very good to his constituents regardless of what community he came from, that's why he topped the poll so regularly

eoinbn

Healy Rea is the perfect example of everything that is wrong with this country. It's bordering on a mafia family the way they have their fingers in the Dail, local council and plant hire machinery. Jackie gets some money for propping up the government, passes it to the son in the council, who uses HIS OWN plant hire company to do the work-€700k last year alone from Kerry county council.

SeaFields

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Isn't a TD's job to vote in the best interests of their country - not their local area?

Both but in different ways i think and it is a difficult one to get around. There are probably dozens of them at this stage but heres one example I can think of - the cervical vaccine. The government decided not to go ahead with this and only one of them had the balls to stand up against it because he has a doctor and it would go against his Hippocratic oath. Plenty of other TD's should have done the same (especially the greens if they stand for anything). It was the best thing for their constituents - any young girls and their parents. Even though afterwards Harney decided to put a spin and said screening was best. I believe I heard professionals openly disagree with her.

Tony Gregory was another good example of this type of politics. He voted with the government as long as his area was looked after. And in doing so he did an awful lot for inner city Dublin at a time when it was badly needed. There is a good contrast there showing that it is not just a rural phenomenon.

Finally i read this morning that Jackie wont be giving up his long service increment because 'if they owe me money ill take it and no more'. I'm disgusted and all the money he is worth. AT the outset i was trying to defend the type of politics they use to get elected and I stand by that.

Anyway Im a Corkman. If my kerry girlfriend reads the praise I wrote for the Healy Rae's Ill never live it down! Keep it to yourselves lads

RealityCheck

eoinbn wrote: »

Healy Rea is the perfect example of everything that is wrong with this country. It's bordering on a mafia family the way they have their fingers in the Dail, local council and plant hire machinery. Jackie gets some money for propping up the government, passes it to the son in the council, who uses HIS OWN plant hire company to do the work-€700k last year alone from Kerry county council.

I guess the recession wont be hitting them so

old boy

was it not a mayor daly of chicago who coined the phrase, all politics are local, michael lowrey in north tipp is the same, he works his socks off for his constituents, i wish i had one of these guys repesenting me, there is a mention of healy rae jnr getting 700 grand for plant hire, at least for that work was done, there are quite a few who by the inquireys that were going on, got millions and no work done. tds are elected to repesent their constintuents, not big buisness, bankers and developers.

eoinbn

old boy wrote: »

was it not a mayor daly of chicago who coined the phrase, all politics are local, michael lowrey in north tipp is the same, he works his socks off for his constituents, i wish i had one of these guys repesenting me, there is a mention of healy rae jnr getting 700 grand for plant hire, at least for that work was done, there are quite a few who by the inquireys that were going on, got millions and no work done. tds are elected to repesent their constintuents, not big buisness, bankers and developers.

Yet this TD backs the government/party that has been in bed with the developers and bankers!
It's been mention many times on this board but I will say it again-we really need to get away from electioning TD's for local reasons and then getting them to run the country.

Benedict XVI

SeaFields wrote: »

Tony Gregory was another good example of this type of politics. He voted with the government as long as his area was looked after. And in doing so he did an awful lot for inner city Dublin at a time when it was badly needed. There is a good contrast there showing that it is not just a rural phenomenon.

True, there was very little difference between Gregory and Healy -Rae in what they have done for their constituencies in return for supporting minority governments, however I think Healy-Rae gets more 'abuse' due to his rural 'manner'.

Benedict XVI

eoinbn wrote: »

It's been mention many times on this board but I will say it again-we really need to get away from electioning TD's for local reasons and then getting them to run the country.

Something like that is a along way away unless we reduce the number of TDs in the Dail.

Apparently by other western standards we are way over represented in this country.

In places like the UK the MP for a certain may have noting to do with that constituency but id selected to run there by the party

Gambit32

The man comes accross as a rambling old fashioned sterotypical gombeen Kerryman,complete with silly little paddy hat and tweed jacket,and high pitched over the top Kerry gab,who makes you wonder dies he even know the wheel has been invented yet..............................................but dont be fooled,this man is no dope,he is as they say a 'cute hoor',sure he owns a number of businesses,properties and interests in Kerry,so he must have reasonable intelligence....................maybe I need to wear a silly hat and talk in a silly Kerry accent,and maybe Ill get rich,lol

ejmaztec

Benedict XVI wrote: »

Something like that is a along way away unless we reduce the number of TDs in the Dail.

Apparently by other western standards we are way over represented in this country.

In places like the UK the MP for a certain may have noting to do with that constituency but id selected to run there by the party

That's why the UK government isn't full of teachers, lawyers, retired sportsmen and country-hicks (although a few do make it into Westminster for some reason).

jmayo

Soulja boy wrote: »

he has folksy charm. It masks the insanity. He is actually really good for the south west, because of the strange clannish sense of community he does actually go out of his way to help people.
Shame that his is absolutely bat**** insane.

Jackie Healy Rae reminds me of the guy that sits on a milking stool holding the reins of a donkey with creels at the very scenic spot between Killorglin and Glenbeigh.
Now he is there to catch the pasisng tourists on the ring of Kerry route and his missus is selling bits and pieces to the gullible tourists.
As my other half said he is an embarrassment, but I reckon he is one cute hoor and so with JHR.

PS not condoning cute hoorish, it may be ok to milk it up for the tourists traps, but not for a political representative who has a say in how we are all governed.

BTW heard story before that JHR normally was driving round in fairly new Merc but come election time it is out with an ould banger to make like he is one of de people.

bmaxi wrote: »

He keeps getting re-elected, then they wonder why there are Kerryman jokes.

I actually reckon almost all constituencies, especially rural ones, have their embarrassments in the Dail. There are just different divisions and as always Kerry are at the top of Div 1

juuge

It is one thing being a gobs**te but when thousands of people vote for the gobs**te that’s when it becomes scary. Rather than get upset about the likes of gombeen Healy-Rae why not just laugh at him. When he speaks laugh at him. Every FF politician that has been on television over the past few months has been smiling at us. Just look at Martin Cullen and ‘little willie’ O’Dea on questions and answers recently they both laughed at anyone that dared question their ability or their involvement in the present crisis. Maybe we should laugh back, don’t take them seriously anymore and just ridicule them. Cowen got very upset when we laughed at his painting in the jax. He is ugly, Harney is fat let’s just laugh at them, after all they’re laughing at us!

ilkhanid

"I believe that one of his sons will be inheriting his God-like charisma at the next election."

Not to mention inheriting the cloth cap plastered eternally to his skull..and that goes for the grandson too.

"tds are elected to repesent their constintuents, not big buisness, bankers and developers. "

Unless the constituents are big business,bankers and developers. Than they have no problem with it....especially if they are developers. And that goes for County Councillors too.

Grudaire

I don't see how anyone can vote for him, but then again he does get things done. Of all politicians in the country he is not aloof (first proper use of the word by me!).

This is my favourite picture of him!

Serenity Now!

eoinbn wrote: »

Healy Rea is the perfect example of everything that is wrong with this country. It's bordering on a mafia family the way they have their fingers in the Dail, local council and plant hire machinery. Jackie gets some money for propping up the government, passes it to the son in the council, who uses HIS OWN plant hire company to do the work-€700k last year alone from Kerry county council.

Don't forget the pubs.
Then again, people usually get the government/representitive they deserve especially voting in populist self-serving 'characters'.

old boy

at least healy rea does not give character referencences

Hagar

Isn't he the guy who had the heart attack on the train while his expense sheet was claiming car milage allowance for the trip? Cute hoor? Olympic Gold Medal Cute Hoor.

Woger

Cliste wrote: »

I don't see how anyone can vote for him, but then again he does get things done. Of all politicians in the country he is not aloof (first proper use of the word by me!).

This is my favourite picture of him!

It's like a Hammer Horror film.