Waterford Election 2011

insight_man

jayboi wrote: »

So help me god it had better been a second hand car because if someone in a job 2 weeks can afford a new 50 grand car then they're overpaid.

Dont you know they were always overpaid and still will be in this present government term. If you take all the money available the Dail is a real money spinner. Rough figures: Salary €100K, Expenses €65K (plus committee chairs etc get more)

Independents get a 'party leader' allowance of €20/30K ...can you imagine the stupidity of that.

Probably €1.20 per mile mileage allowance.

Overnight accomodation allowance I think €200 per night.

I'm sure someone out there can come back with the exact figures but it seems knocking up at least €200K a year is on the cards.

5 years of that equals €1M. New Audi is no problem at all on that money.

Big difference to someone working 40 hours per week for say 30/40K wages less all the taxes, Universal Social Charge etc. or someone on the dole getting between €80 to €320 per week. They'll be lucky to buy a new buggy for the baby (if they have one) or manage the odd holiday for the family while our lords and masters milk the system.

deisemum

Don't forget to see how well they do for themselves when they lose their seats

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/losers-now-will-be-later-to-win-as-fallen-tds-entitlements-totted-up-2567727.html

comeraghs

so was it Halligan or Coffey who was car shopping?

AdMMM

Surely it's downright irresponsible for a TD to be seen making a big purchase so soon after the election? My interpretation of such actions is that they couldn't afford to make such a purchase before they were elected but now that they have an even higher salary paid by the taxpayers, they are well able to afford it. I have no problem with anyone buying a nice car for themselves but to do it only weeks after an election clearly flies in the face of the wishes of the electorate who definitively indicated that they aren't happy with the inflated salaries and benefits for our elected members and voted for change.

Didn't take them long to get their snouts in the trough anyway.

wfman

comeraghs wrote: »

so was it Halligan or Coffey who was car shopping?

We have 4 TDs might of been Deasy or Conway

Sully

Spill the beans, who is it? It might be a coincidence, and I don't think any of our TDs have been paid yet so if they didn't have it before the election they don't have it now really.

insight_man

AdMMM wrote: »

Surely it's downright irresponsible for a TD to be seen making a big purchase so soon after the election? My interpretation of such actions is that they couldn't afford to make such a purchase before they were elected but now that they have an even higher salary paid by the taxpayers, they are well able to afford it. I have no problem with anyone buying a nice car for themselves but to do it only weeks after an election clearly flies in the face of the wishes of the electorate who definitively indicated that they aren't happy with the inflated salaries and benefits for our elected members and voted for change.

Didn't take them long to get their snouts in the trough anyway.

No surprise there really. I know Halligan and the current mayor Mary Roche had the benefit of a new Audi while mayor. Seems a popular car. If whoever it is bought the car we'll see them driving around soon enough then everyone will know.

Nothing wrong with buying a car but shows just how lucrative being a TD is. Easily a million euro over 5 years

insight_man

:)

Sully wrote: »

Spill the beans, who is it? It might be a coincidence, and I don't think any of our TDs have been paid yet so if they didn't have it before the election they don't have it now really.

Ah Sully...mightn't have the money right now but you know well that its coming. Loads of it in fact. Biggest scam ever being a TD and getting plenty of cash for it. In fairness put put in some work but a lot of others keep their heads down and just well...buy cars and holidays and cars and holidays

wfman

insight_man wrote: »

No surprise there really. I know Halligan and the current mayor Mary Roche had the benefit of a new Audi while mayor. Seems a popular car. If whoever it is bought the car we'll see them driving around soon enough then everyone will know.

Nothing wrong with buying a car but shows just how lucrative being a TD is. Easily a million euro over 5 years

Its a VW now.Dont forget that the last 10 mayors i think had the use of an Audi or VW car.

Sully

Why are we afraid to say who it is? Its not an offense to point out who was buying a car!

Poor Uncle Tom

Sully wrote: »

Why are we afraid to say who it is? Its not an offense to point out who was buying a car!

I don't think it's fear, I think something is trying to be made of nothing.....I changed my car two weeks ago and it didn't make it onto Boards.ie.....:pac:

DeiseGirl1

savina10 wrote: »

Remember to acknowledge the new voter profile in the area for this election. The county prob has a very different profile now with recent housing developments. Re-locater's and first time voters have no allegiance to Seamus Ryan or Keneally, votes are more arbitary in these cases. I dont believe for a second that any more people would have voted for Ryan just because Ciara Conway asked them to on her lit.

Whether it would have made a difference or not is not the point, that was the agreement made between both candidates and an agreement that was broken from very early on by "Con"way and her team. I am usually a Labour supporter and on this occasion I had two candidates to vote for. When Seamus Ryan called to my door he asked for my number 2 to go to "Con"way. However, when "Con"way called to my door she never mentioned Seamus Ryan. I think we know who the more honourable candidate was. Also it does not bode well for future when a candidate cannot keep an agreement.

wfman

DeiseGirl1 wrote: »

Whether it would have made a difference or not is not the point, that was the agreement made between both candidates and an agreement that was broken from very early on by "Con"way and her team. I am usually a Labour supporter and on this occasion I had two candidates to vote for. When Seamus Ryan called to my door he asked for my number 2 to go to "Con"way. However, when "Con"way called to my door she never mentioned Seamus Ryan. I think we know who the more honourable candidate was. Also it does not bode well for future when a candidate cannot keep an agreement.

Did Ryan know your a labour supporter?
Did you ask Ryan who to give your number 2 vote to?
When it comes to a general election its every man/woman for themselves.
No candidate wants a running mate.
Seamus was playing with the big boys and girls and they dont play fair:)

savina10

DeiseGirl1 wrote: »

Whether it would have made a difference or not is not the point, that was the agreement made between both candidates and an agreement that was broken from very early on by "Con"way and her team. I am usually a Labour supporter and on this occasion I had two candidates to vote for. When Seamus Ryan called to my door he asked for my number 2 to go to "Con"way. However, when "Con"way called to my door she never mentioned Seamus Ryan. I think we know who the more honourable candidate was. Also it does not bode well for future when a candidate cannot keep an agreement.

Jeez, I think I lost the last few weeks of my life with this comment. Becoming 'entrenched' in past issues will make you miserable you know. That Con way jibe a bit small minded.:rolleyes: Forward is the way to go.

AdMMM

David Cullinane is running for the Senate for Sinn Fein. They have plenty of Councillors so he has a good chance of getting it. What will this mean for Sinn Fein in Ward 3? Will they co-opt someone like Joe Kelly in?

Sully

AdMMM wrote: »

David Cullinane is running for the Senate for Sinn Fein. They have plenty of Councillors so he has a good chance of getting it. What will this mean for Sinn Fein in Ward 3? Will they co-opt someone like Joe Kelly in?

Jesus it just goes to show - the Senate is used as a stepping stone to get into the Dail, or those who fail to get elected into the Dail use the Senate to raise their profile a bit more on the national scene.

Deise Tom

Sully wrote: »

Jesus it just goes to show - the Senate is used as a stepping stone to get into the Dail, or those who fail to get elected into the Dail use the Senate to raise their profile a bit more on the national scene.

I dont know about that. Dec Doocey is going for it as well. I doubt we will ever see him run for the Dail.

Sully

Deise Tom wrote: »

I dont know about that. Dec Doocey is going for it as well. I doubt we will ever see him run for the Dail.

Never said it was only used for that, but I think its used mostly for that to be fair.

insight_man

Sully wrote: »

Never said it was only used for that, but I think its used mostly for that to be fair.

Hillery Quinlan is going for the Senate too. In a few years you might see John Cummins going for it if it hasn't been abolished by then.

With Halligan in the Dail, Cullinane and Quinlan in the Senate there could by 3 replacement councillors at local level soon.

jonnyfingers

AdMMM wrote: »

David Cullinane is running for the Senate for Sinn Fein. They have plenty of Councillors so he has a good chance of getting it. What will this mean for Sinn Fein in Ward 3? Will they co-opt someone like Joe Kelly in?

Joe should be the obvious choice. He has previous experience as a councillor, as well as good experience chairing committees and representing people. He was heavily involved with the negotiations between the management and workers of Waterford Crystal, something that is still going on in the courts with regards to getting their pension money. As a councillor he did good work for Waterford, and also his previous experience would allow him to hit the ground running compared to someone brand new. That last point is important as I believe we need strong councillors now considering we don't have any Waterford based ministers or junior ministers.

AdMMM

I think Waterfords primary example of failed politicians taking refuge in the senate is Maurice Cummins. He remains a high profile member of Fine Gael too but I'd rather see parties who wish to reward loyal membership pay for that out of their own funding rather than appoint them to high paying Senate positions which are similar to the ones that the people rejected them from only months earlier.

I don't know whether Sinn Fein wish to get Cullinane elected to the Senate with the view of him contesting the next General Election or if they simply want him to enjoy his final years in politics in peace. My gut instinct tells me it's the latter as he's already been rejected by the people 3 times and if he was the run again he'd be giving
Declan Waters a run for his money for most unsuccessful election campaigns.

insight_man

AdMMM wrote: »

I think Waterfords primary example of failed politicians taking refuge in the senate is Maurice Cummins. He remains a high profile member of Fine Gael too but I'd rather see parties who wish to reward loyal membership pay for that out of their own funding rather than appoint them to high paying Senate positions which are similar to the ones that the people rejected them from only months earlier.

I don't know whether Sinn Fein wish to get Cullinane elected to the Senate with the view of him contesting the next General Election or if they simply want him to enjoy his final years in politics in peace. My gut instinct tells me it's the latter as he's already been rejected by the people 3 times and if he was the run again he'd be giving
Declan Waters a run for his money for most unsuccessful election campaigns.

Didn't Brian O Shea have 4 or 5 runs at the Dail before he made it. I could be wrong but I heard that somewhere. Cullinane has 3 behind him so far I think and still a young man.

insight_man

AdMMM wrote: »

I think Waterfords primary example of failed politicians taking refuge in the senate is Maurice Cummins. He remains a high profile member of Fine Gael too but I'd rather see parties who wish to reward loyal membership pay for that out of their own funding rather than appoint them to high paying Senate positions which are similar to the ones that the people rejected them from only months earlier.

I don't know whether Sinn Fein wish to get Cullinane elected to the Senate with the view of him contesting the next General Election or if they simply want him to enjoy his final years in politics in peace. My gut instinct tells me it's the latter as he's already been rejected by the people 3 times and if he was the run again he'd be giving
Declan Waters a run for his money for most unsuccessful election campaigns.

Thinking about maurice Cummins being a long time member of FG. Now that 3 of the 4 seats are held by FG/LAB not even a junior ministry for Waterford. Particularly FG with the Deasy history, Cummins history and now Coffey you'd think the leadership would think it necessary to put a minister in waterford.

The 5th biggest city in the country 3 out of 4 seats to the government and we're still ignored. Waterford has always been overlooked by government except the few years of Martin Cullen.

Maybe FG/Lab already expect to loose a seat or 2 here next time and have given up on us already.

wfman

insight_man wrote: »

Didn't Brian O Shea have 4 or 5 runs at the Dail before he made it. I could be wrong but I heard that somewhere. Cullinane has 3 behind him so far I think and still a young man.

He was elected the 4th time but we had two general elections in 1982 (feb and nov).
I think next time out SF might go with Brendan Mansfield.

insight_man

wfman wrote: »

He was elected the 4th time but we had two general elections in 1982 (feb and nov).
I think next time out SF might go with Brendan Mansfield.

When you think about it 4 or 5 years is a long time so you never know who might go for any party. Things change all the time. maybe this new government won't last the distance and we might be voting in 3 years or so.

nkay1985

AdMMM wrote: »

Will they co-opt someone like Joe Kelly in?

Obviously from a personal point of view I'd hope they would but I think it'd make the most sense in terms of strategy too. Whoever would replace David would become the local voice of Sinn Féin. You'd want to be very sure that that person would be up to the job. Joe was a councillor for five years, during which he earned a reputation as a hard worker and was always more than capable of speaking publicly and contributing to debates when the situation arose.

But of course David will have to be elected to the Seanad first!

Slksht

The question which logically moves on from Adams one about Joe is, who else is there? Joe has worked for years on committees, residence associations and obviously, the City Council as an elected councilor. There is no other candidate that I am aware of who can compete with Joe on that level of experience and as what would be the sole local voice of Sinn Fein, any candidate who has no previous political experience is really not an option...

AdMMM

There maybe some other members active in that area that would be interested. Whether or not Joe is interested is also obviously important. Some people I have spoken to who don't get elected end up looking at it as a blessing in disguise once the initial disappointment of not getting a seat wears off.

Smiley Burnett

a couple of points

1--no guarantee that Cullinane will get elected to Seanad
2--Joe Kelly didnt represent Cullinane's ward on the city council, so the seat may go to someone else

jonnyfingers

Smiley Burnett wrote: »

a couple of points

1--no guarantee that Cullinane will get elected to Seanad
2--Joe Kelly didnt represent Cullinane's ward on the city council, so the seat may go to someone else

The first point is correct.

Not sure the second point is that important though. Joe is originally from that ward and he is involved with clubs and groups in that ward. So if it came to representing the people of that ward I see no issues.