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Waterford Election 2011

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    Deise Tom wrote: »
    Do we need four people to go to Dublin from Waterford. I for one dont think we do, and from what i hear Enda Kenny does not either. I have not heard it myself but did i hear some place maybe today that he said that the number of TD's we have in Ireland should be cut. I know he wants to amount of senators cut or got rid off all together. If he is in favour of cutting TD Numbers i for one would vote for it in a referendum.

    What does that have to do with what you quoted? We're electing four TDs and decies was basically saying that if one of the four returned is from FF, he reckons whoever voted for them is brain dead.

    I'm all for the reduction in Dáil numbers and abolishing the Seanad (or significantly cutting it) but I don't see the relevance here.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,565 ✭✭✭losthorizon


    So far I have got two prepaid letters paid for by our taxes looking for my votes which is bad in itself and a waste of public money but also illegal. One was from Deasy (FG) and the other was Brendan Kenneally (FF). My wife wrote to Kenneally about her wage being cut recently and he sent back a pre drawn up standard reply. Now that theres an election hes using up public funds. Hes some operator. Ive kept the letters. Can I report this to anyone? They tell us to make sacrifices yet dont do it themselves. Its more like Tunisia or Egypt than a western democracy.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,362 ✭✭✭Trotter


    Deise Tom wrote: »
    Do we need four people to go to Dublin from Waterford. I for one dont think we do, and from what i hear Enda Kenny does not either. I have not heard it myself but did i hear some place maybe today that he said that the number of TD's we have in Ireland should be cut. I know he wants to amount of senators cut or got rid off all together. If he is in favour of cutting TD Numbers i for one would vote for it in a referendum.

    Changing the number of TDs across the board is very different from refusing by-elections to keep the Dáil numbers right.. as well you know.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33 MagicMcGrath


    Personally I think the only two candidates who are most likely to get elected are John Deasy FG and Paudie Coffey FG, not because they're great candidates, but because there's a shift in "fashion" towards them. There is no way John Deasy is any prized asset. Not much liked within his own party, and people will struggle to cough up what it is he has done for Waterford since getting elected. They should nonetheless get elected comfortably enough. As for the remaining two seats, they're up for grabs between Brendan Kenneally FF, Seamus Ryan LAB, Ciara Conway LAB, John Halligan IND, & David Cullinane SF. Personally I think Kenneally and the most popular of the Labour candidates will get it, and I see that being Seamus Ryan.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 543 ✭✭✭Godsentme


    What about Joe Tobin of the Workers party? A decent man who is not in it for the money like all the rest. he only lost by 8 votes at the city council election. Has he got a chance?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 767 ✭✭✭Odats


    Godsentme wrote: »
    What about Joe Tobin of the Workers party? A decent man who is not in it for the money like all the rest. he only lost by 8 votes at the city council election. Has he got a chance?

    I'd like to see Joe getting elected but realistically he doesn't have a hope to be honest. He would be a good voice for Waterford but he's behind Ryan,Halligan & Cullinane in the rest of the city vote.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,333 ✭✭✭jonnyfingers


    Yes Boss wrote: »
    They are the ultimate protest party! However, when you scrutinize their polices - they don't work! Therefore, they are unable to make a difference.

    Voting for someone because they are different to the others is nearly as bad as voting for someone because your father did...

    Well my answer to that would be that Fianna Fáil's policies have not worked but people voted for them believing that they would. Who's to say that Sinn Fein's policies won't work until they get a chance to impliment them?

    FF don't seem to be changing any of their core policies. FG seem, to me, to be more of the same, similarly with Labour, both want to renegotiate the bailout interest rate, which I think is a waste of time. No matter what interest rate we have we're still going to be billions in debt to pay off private sector debt. Sinn Fein say they will look to default. That's another point of view and on supported by a few economists I've read. And even if it turns out that default is not on and renegotiating is the only option I know which party I'd rather have at the negotiating table, Sinn Fein. Could you imagine Enda Kenny negotiating???

    While there are many Sinn Fein policies and ideals that I don't necessarily agree with but there are others that I do agree with. But if nothing else I believe that they deserve a large share of TDs in this election for being different to all the other parties. That's what's important. I know they won't have enough to form a government by themselves, instead they will have to go into coalition with another party. And that's the point. If FF, FG or Lab go into coalition they are all pretty similar and it will be a cozy little arrangement. If Sinn Fein are in coalition they'll bring another point of view which I think could bring balance to the other parties. I'd hope they would also have the balls to disagree when necessary. Look at the last coalition. How many times did the greens fall over themselves to do Fianna Fail's bidding? And the best part is that a coalition with Sinn Fein would mean them having to compromise on some of their less desireable policies, but the other coalition party, or parties, would have to do the same, which is probably win-win.

    Lastly I'd just like to mention my views on a vote for the independants. It's my belief that many independants are only in it for themselves mainly becauase Jackie Healy Ray and Michael Lowry have tainted the Independant status. It's hard to fault them, when their vote is needed they are in a unique position of power, with nobody to answer too. It has also resulted in parish pumb politics which I detest. Yes it's nice to get things for your constituency but it can't be used as a bargaining tool to buy a vote. So unless I know that an independant is a trustworthy, hard worker who will do what's right for the people and not what benefits himself/herself they won't be getting my vote. But even if someone like this was running, for this election I don't think there will be any need for independants as a government will be formed without them. So a vote for an independant this election may well be a wasted vote as they will have no power. Still I would rather a independant to get in than someone from Fianna Fail.

    But to get back on the quote at the top of this poset. You say that voting for someone who's different to the others is not a valid reason.

    If what we have isn't working, and all that's being promised is more of the same, would voting for someone who's different not be the only valid reason?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭Dan133269


    So far I have got two prepaid letters paid for by our taxes looking for my votes which is bad in itself and a waste of public money but also illegal. One was from Deasy (FG) and the other was Brendan Kenneally (FF).

    How do you know they're from public funds and not campaign funds?
    Well my answer to that would be that Fianna Fáil's policies have not worked but people voted for them believing that they would. Who's to say that Sinn Fein's policies won't work until they get a chance to impliment them?

    This should answer your question.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UoGl78MzWY

    (How do I embed a youtube video? tried the youtube button at top but didn't work.)
    Sinn Fein say they will look to default. That's another point of view and on supported by a few economists I've read. And even if it turns out that default is not on and renegotiating is the only option I know which party I'd rather have at the negotiating table, Sinn Fein. Could you imagine Enda Kenny negotiating???

    Really? I know who I would rather have and it would be Enda Kenny, and I am not a supporter of Fine Gael. How would SF negotiate a deal? "With a ballot box in one hand and a gun in the other" as numerous members including Gerry Adams have put it, that's the official declared SF approach to negotiating is it?

    And in any event, no one in Europe will negotiaite will SF, they are also regarded as terrorists in the European Institutions.

    If Sinn Fein are in coalition they'll bring another point of view which I think could bring balance to the other parties. I'd hope they would also have the balls to disagree when necessary. Look at the last coalition. How many times did the greens fall over themselves to do Fianna Fail's bidding? And the best part is that a coalition with Sinn Fein would mean them having to compromise on some of their less desireable policies, but the other coalition party, or parties, would have to do the same, which is probably win-win.

    Well unlucky for you and SF that both Labour and FG have said they will never go into coalition with them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭old gregg


    Dan133269 wrote: »
    And in any event, no one in Europe will negotiaite will SF, they are also regarded as terrorists in the European Institutions. .

    Would you care to substantiate that statement with some credible links and 21st century evidence? It does sound somewhat hysterical otherwise.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16 Make A Stand


    I have a real problem in deciding who to vote 4.

    Will definitely not give a vote 2 Kenneally and will never vote 4 him again !!!

    Had been thinking about Deasy and Coffee but think Kenny is a liability.

    He's a real problem for FG and I dont want 2 see him as Taoiseach so wil not give No 1's 2 FG.

    Will not be voting SF so that leaves Halligan and Labour 4 No.1 not a great choice !!!!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 deise4life


    Had been thinking about Deasy and Coffee but think Kenny is a liability.

    He's a real problem for FG and I dont want 2 see him as Taoiseach so wil not give No 1's 2 FG.

    I agree with the Kenny comment, FG would be in a better position for the election if he wasn't the leader. But I think the two candidates are weak. I've no time for Deasy (either does his party!) and what has Coffey done since joining the Seanad..?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,708 ✭✭✭deisemum


    deise4life wrote: »
    He did great work for my family and for that reason I'm forever greatful, like I said we all have our own reasons :)

    He's a great one for admitting to doing "favours" to use his own word and didn't give a sh1t how his "favours" terrorised people young and old in their own homes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭old gregg


    deisemum wrote: »
    He's a great one for admitting to doing "favours" to use his own word and didn't give a sh1t how his "favours" terrorised people young and old in their own homes.
    I wouldn't piss on Kenneally if he was on fire but I'd love to know what you mean here

    Edit: and now I know, thanks deisemum


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,530 ✭✭✭jmcc


    See that FF has their Keneally posters up along the Dunmore road already.

    Regards...jmcc


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,591 ✭✭✭STIG83


    I am think about giving Paudie Coffey and John Deasy my vote, Brendan Kenneally will more than likely lose his seat


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 deise4life


    Saw Cullinane had his posters up out by Farran Park the past week which should not have been allowed..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    Dan133269 wrote: »
    And in any event, no one in Europe will negotiaite will SF, they are also regarded as terrorists in the European Institutions.
    old gregg wrote: »
    Would you care to substantiate that statement with some credible links and 21st century evidence? It does sound somewhat hysterical otherwise.


    +1.

    A lot of ridiculous statements are made on Boards but this must rank way up on the list.

    Put it this way. Who would you rather have negotiating any kind of a deal for you? Someone with little negotiation experience or someone with years of experience negotiating at the very highest level of international politics? Whatever your thinking on SF as a party and their policies etc, it's impossible to argue that they wouldn't be better placed to handle negotiations on Ireland's behalf than FG or Labour.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,081 ✭✭✭ziedth


    Must say I'm flip flopping everyday, I think I'll just have to take an afternoon out and look up each parties policy on various things that would interest me and decide that way personally (right or wrongly) I'm voting for the party not the person.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 767 ✭✭✭Odats


    What I'd like to see is do something like Billy McCarthy done for the recent budget. Get the Granary/Theatre Royal maybe for the evening and do a question and answers with all the candidates and broadcast it on WLRFM and even possibly get a live stream aswell (for us tech savvy folks).
    There we could get a good insight into their policies etc and see their reactions to the questions.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33 MagicMcGrath


    deisemum wrote: »
    He's a great one for admitting to doing "favours" to use his own word and didn't give a sh1t how his "favours" terrorised people young and old in their own homes.

    Deisemum you are very cynical. I am very interested to know what Kenneally did to your family?? I am all for proper debate on whether candidates should get elected or not, but I really think a number of people on this thread are adding to the demise of their characters with certain comments they're making like "not pissing on TD's if they're on fire". Whatever happened to straight talking debates on policies? I'd like to get back to as much if others agree.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,858 ✭✭✭Deise Tom


    Odats wrote: »
    What I'd like to see is do something like Billy McCarthy done for the recent budget. Get the Granary/Theatre Royal maybe for the evening and do a question and answers with all the candidates and broadcast it on WLRFM and even possibly get a live stream aswell (for us tech savvy folks).
    There we could get a good insight into their policies etc and see their reactions to the questions.


    He is doing it with Ian Noctor, one show in Dungarvan, one in Waterford. He said so this morning an urged people to email in their questions they wanted asked. Should be good as both Ian and Billy are good at what they do.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16 Make A Stand


    The posters that Davy Cullinane had out by Farran Park last week were not in fact election posters.
    I contacted waterford city council about the VERY BIG posters that were put up before the election was called.

    The posters in fact were advertising the launch of Cullinane's election last Monday night.

    You can only put up election posters for 30 days before the election but as these were not 'election' posters he got away with it!!!

    The fact that they looked like and read like election posters was just a
    COINCIDENCE!!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    Deisemum you are very cynical. I am very interested to know what Kenneally did to your family?? I am all for proper debate on whether candidates should get elected or not, but I really think a number of people on this thread are adding to the demise of their characters with certain comments they're making like "not pissing on TD's if they're on fire". Whatever happened to straight talking debates on policies? I'd like to get back to as much if others agree.

    Deisemum has kept us all very well informed about her bad experiences with Kenneally and, as evidenced by the fact that she sent a PM to someone earlier in the thread, continues to be. Suffice to say that she's entirely correct to have that attitude towards him. So she's not adding to the demise of his character, rather she is telling others what his character is really like.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭old gregg


    @MagicMcGrath: you've misquotated me there. I think it's all well and fine debating policy but in the case of politicians running for office it's also worth taking some time to consider what they have achieved to date and if that leads some to an opinion that a particular candidate can't be trusted then it's as valid as anything else around here I'd imagine.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,858 ✭✭✭Deise Tom


    There is no time wasted in putting up posters for the election. FF, FG, Lab and SF have them up in Dungarvan today. Would love to know what they cost to print and if they influence people on how to vote. Surly there is better ways of spending money. Also how many of them were printed locally, i.e within Waterford city and county or are they coming from the canditates respective head quarters who could be getting them in from maybe outside of the republic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭Dan133269


    old gregg wrote: »
    Would you care to substantiate that statement with some credible links and 21st century evidence? It does sound somewhat hysterical otherwise.

    What I meant was they will not want to negotiate with SF, not that they literally will refuse to do so if in power.

    Anyway, sources for claim that EU believes link between SF and IRA.

    European Parliament

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5245252&noticeType=null&language=en

    http://www.independent.ie/national-news/meps-to-debate-sinn-fein-links-to-ira-267158.html

    http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=71

    http://euobserver.com/?aid=18634

    European Commission

    http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=DN/05/114&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

    Council of Europe

    http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0310/ireland/kfsnmhkfkfoj/

    Do you not accept that Sinn Fein have links with the IRA and that the IRA are a terrorist organisation?
    nkay1985 wrote: »
    +1.

    A lot of ridiculous statements are made on Boards but this must rank way up on the list.

    Put it this way. Who would you rather have negotiating any kind of a deal for you? Someone with little negotiation experience or someone with years of experience negotiating at the very highest level of international politics? Whatever your thinking on SF as a party and their policies etc, it's impossible to argue that they wouldn't be better placed to handle negotiations on Ireland's behalf than FG or Labour.

    That's purely speculative. You are talking about people negotiating a deal where the final goal of such a deal is to simply stop murdering people. And you conclude from this that these people must be master tacticians, much more so than the politicians who have previously served as Ministers in governments, and actually have had dealings with European partners.

    So you are saying you would rather have Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness going to Brussels to meet Jose Manuel Barosso et al rather than Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore? And in any event, how are SF "better placed" to handle negotiations about Ireland when their leader Gerry Adams doesn't know the first thing about Irish domestic wage rates and social welfare payments? watch the youtube clip I posted.

    edit: here it is, how do I emb a video?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UoGl78MzWY


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,530 ✭✭✭jmcc


    Well one thing that SF hasn't done is to completely banjax the country and its economy as did Fianna Fail. Then there was that claim that Biffo was "smart" - a master of his brief. Yeah right!

    Fianna Fail is lucky that it is only their election posters hanging from lampposts. It should be interesting to see what Fine Gael and Labour make of things when they get into government. Fianna Fail may well lose their only remaining Waterford seat and if they do lose it, it will be lost for a generation or two.

    Regards...jmcc


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 193 ✭✭Guramoogah


    STIG83 wrote: »
    Brendan Kenneally will more than likely lose his seat
    He'll lose the seat of his trousers if he calls around here because I'll set the dogs on him.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭old gregg


    Dan133269 wrote: »
    What I meant was they will not want to negotiate with SF, not that they literally will refuse to do so if in power.

    Anyway, sources for claim that EU believes link between SF and IRA.

    European Parliament

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5245252&noticeType=null&language=en

    http://www.independent.ie/national-news/meps-to-debate-sinn-fein-links-to-ira-267158.html

    http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=71

    http://euobserver.com/?aid=18634

    European Commission

    http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=DN/05/114&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

    Council of Europe

    http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0310/ireland/kfsnmhkfkfoj/

    Do you not accept that Sinn Fein have links with the IRA and that the IRA are a terrorist organisation?

    Thanks for these. A quick glance through the links seems to indicate a bunch of stuff relating to the same topic from 2005, a DUP member whining back in 2004 but absolutely nothing relating to whether any European government, official body, etc would have concerns about dealing with Sinn Fein today.

    As to the leading question as to what I do and do not accept .... I reckon Sinn Fein have links with the IRA and that those links are slowly being made obsolete in the same way that they did years ago within FF/FG and more recently the former WP. Do I think the IRA a terrorist organisation? I have a major problem with any organisation that kills and injures civilians whether that's the IRA, UVF, British Army or anyone else.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    STIG83 wrote: »
    I am think about giving Paudie Coffey and John Deasy my vote, Brendan Kenneally will more than likely lose his seat
    I'm going to sick my neck out and say that Brendan Kenneally will top the poll in Waterford. And this is coming from a man who despises him.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    AdMMM wrote: »
    I'm going to sick my neck out and say that Brendan Kenneally will top the poll in Waterford. And this is coming from a man who despises him.

    No chance - third or fourth seat. It will be between Labour and FF for the last two seats id say.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 deise4life


    Yeh I agree, 2FG, 1FF & 1LAB (or else Halligan)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,362 ✭✭✭Trotter


    Is there any way of getting a list of votes and how Kenneally voted?


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Trotter wrote: »
    Is there any way of getting a list of votes and how Kenneally voted?

    Not with ease I don't think, bit of work involved in it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 511 ✭✭✭Smiley Burnett


    I was at the launch of David Cullinane's campaign in the Granville tonight. He spoke very well, outlined his, and Sinn Féin's, policies very clearly and generally put across his drive to do good work for Wateford locally, and also the country at a national level.

    He'll be getting my vote because I would like to see a fundamental shift in the policies of those in government. To me FF, FG and Lab have mostly promised more of the same and SF are the only viable alternative. On a personal level I also honestly believe Cullinane's in politics for the right reasons, i.e to represent the people and try to make a difference. I'm sick to death of TD's who are out for themselves, promisiing everything at the doorstep and then doing the complete opposite when elected, claiming expense after expense while doing so.

    isnt that exactly what cullinane did??? He promised to oppose bin charges and then when he was elected he voted to impose a waiver on the poorest in society!!!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    If FG split their vote, then there's every possibility that Kenneally will top the poll, especially if Micheal Martin manages to increase party support by a few percent. Oh and just because I say he might top the poll, doesn't mean he'll be elected to the first seat.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33 MagicMcGrath


    AdMMM wrote: »
    If FG split their vote, then there's every possibility that Kenneally will top the poll, especially if Micheal Martin manages to increase party support by a few percent. Oh and just because I say he might top the poll, doesn't mean he'll be elected to the first seat.

    Can't see him topping the poll. He'll have a chance at 3rd or 4th seat. Too much anti-sentiment towards FF for him to poll around 10,000 votes or whatever will top the poll.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    You forget that FF polled 23,025 first preference votes in the 2007 election which was 46% of the total number of votes. Obviously they will poll nowhere near that this time around but because they are running a one candidate strategy, it can be presumed that any core FF supporter will be voting for Kenneally. Fine Gael on the other hand are running a two candidate ticket and with with Coffey being the more active in the City and Deasy being more well-known in the County, there's a possibility that should the stars align for FF and the two FG candidates split their vote, Kenneally will top the poll.

    Obviously, had the FG strategy involved a primary and a secondary candidate, I wouldn't tip Kenneally to come in anyway close to topping the poll. However, as far as I can see, no FG candidate seems to be getting preference and a lot of media work has been done to raise Coffey's profile to the same level of that as Deasy.

    I know my outlook has been flip-flopping a lot - I mean my initial reaction on the run up to this election campaign was one of delight as I had the thought of Kenneally inevitably losing his seat - but now it seems that the FF ship has been stabilised and the devoted FF voters will see to it that Kenneally is elected!

    As has been pointed out, he won't be attracting many second preference votes and will be very transfer-averse but he'll get in regardless if the FF supports come out in their masses!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,858 ✭✭✭Deise Tom


    Trotter wrote: »
    Is there any way of getting a list of votes and how Kenneally voted?


    Stupid bloody question. How anyone votes is a private matter between them and the ballot box unless they tell anyone how they did cast their vote.

    If we were to go on the last three or four general elections, we could easily come to the conclusion that in the region of three million people voted Fianna Fail. Everywhere you go you hear people say people say they will never vote Fianna Fail again. Most of the ones you hear it from are probabally the approx 30% or more that did not vote last time round if ever.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,858 ✭✭✭Deise Tom


    Sully wrote: »
    Not with ease I don't think, bit of work involved in it.


    How much work.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    Dan133269 wrote: »
    What I meant was they will not want to negotiate with SF, not that they literally will refuse to do so if in power.

    That's not what you said though, is it? You said "no one in Europe will negotiaite will SF", implying that, if elected, people in Europe will literally refuse to do so.
    Dan133269 wrote: »
    That's purely speculative. You are talking about people negotiating a deal where the final goal of such a deal is to simply stop murdering people. And you conclude from this that these people must be master tacticians, much more so than the politicians who have previously served as Ministers in governments, and actually have had dealings with European partners.

    So you are saying you would rather have Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness going to Brussels to meet Jose Manuel Barosso et al rather than Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore? And in any event, how are SF "better placed" to handle negotiations about Ireland when their leader Gerry Adams doesn't know the first thing about Irish domestic wage rates and social welfare payments? watch the youtube clip I posted.

    edit: here it is, how do I emb a video?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UoGl78MzWY

    I'm talking purely from a point of view of someone being a strong negotiator. A strong and experienced negotiator will perform well under any circumstances. Look at something like The Apprentice where people like Alan Sugar and Donald Trump get their candidates to negotiate little things - could be who gets to choose something first, could be the price of a carton of milk. They're not hiring those people to negotiate these things for them, they're hiring them to negotiate multi million dollar deals but they're confident that, once the person has the skills in one scenario, they'll translate to a different scenario. They are correct.

    So the fact that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness haven't negotiated economic deals before is irrelevant. They have the skills and experience. So, yes, I'd have them negotiating with Jose Manuel Barosso et al ahead of Kenny and Gilmore a thousand times over. What experience do thay have sure? They've not been in positions at anything like this level before.

    You'd actually have more of a point if you were comparing them with Fianna Fáilers who've been negotiating in Europe for 15 years. But obviously then, I'd just say that they made a dog's dinner of the EU/IMF negotiations recently so the point would be invalid.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    @Admmm: I can see it happening too. An increase of a couple of percent in the next three weeks and, with FG's vote split pretty much down the middle, he could top the poll, with the two FG candidates a very close second and third. If that doesn't happen, Kenneally will be clear from the other candidates in third position, I reckon. Let's hope not but it could happen!

    @Trotter: Surely Kenneally's votes were the exact same as every other Fianna Fáiler, otherwise he would have lost the whip. So he's supported every single motion FF have been in favour of.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    Trotter wrote: »
    Is there any way of getting a list of votes and how Kenneally voted?
    This should help you: http://www.kildarestreet.com/search/?s=brendan+kenneally


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,362 ✭✭✭Trotter


    Thanks AdMMM.. An interesting link here showing how FF, aided by our representative in the Dáil, decided on our behalf, that we had enough TDs in 3.. we didnt need 4.

    I'll be using that on the doorstep should it be darkened.

    By Election Discussion


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    The one that really sticks out for me is that he has spoken 9 times in the Dail over the past year. So with the large-scale redundancies in companies like TEVA, the implosion of Waterford Crystal, the Search and Rescue helicopter crisis, as well as the issue of Waterford's bye-election, I find it hard to believe that the sole representative (since Martin Cullen stood down) of the Parliamentary Party for Waterford City and County only felt the need to speak 9 times!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,577 ✭✭✭decies


    Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail) Link to this

    "It is more important that we get on with our work here. I, along with my colleagues in Waterford, Deputies Deasy and O’Shea, are capable of representing the views and wishes of the people of Waterford in the House and will continue to do that. Nobody is coming into my clinics in Waterford to ask me when we will have a by-election and saying that we should have one. Their focus is on jobs; that is what our focus should be and we should concentrate on that."

    So that is what Mr Kenneally said in the Dail about the By-election.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,020 ✭✭✭BlaasForRafa


    AdMMM wrote: »
    If FG split their vote, then there's every possibility that Kenneally will top the poll, especially if Micheal Martin manages to increase party support by a few percent. Oh and just because I say he might top the poll, doesn't mean he'll be elected to the first seat.

    If Kenneally tops the poll then someone should just nuke this county as it would be the disgrace of the nation.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,858 ✭✭✭Deise Tom


    If Kenneally tops the poll then someone should just nuke this county as it would be the disgrace of the nation.


    I hostly dont know the answer to this but could some of the talking be done in different committees and not just in the house, or maybe in one to one meetings with relavent ministers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33 MagicMcGrath


    If Kenneally tops the poll then someone should just nuke this county as it would be the disgrace of the nation.

    He won't top the poll. I know that the FF through and through will vote for him, but then other votes will come from everybody he has done something for and helped in the past. I would envisage that being a substantial number of people seeing as he has been in Leinster House since '89. In '07 when FF got over 47% of 1st preferences, the vast majority of die hard FF's would have given 1st preference to Martin Cullen being Minister, so the fact that Kenneally got 5,624 demonstrates he must have helped a number of constituents.

    What ye make of Pat Rabbittes sexist comments? Along with Joan Burton hounding Joe Higgins recently Labour not getting off to a great start in the public light starting with the "hierarchy" within the party....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,708 ✭✭✭deisemum


    Deisemum you are very cynical. I am very interested to know what Kenneally did to your family?? I am all for proper debate on whether candidates should get elected or not, but I really think a number of people on this thread are adding to the demise of their characters with certain comments they're making like "not pissing on TD's if they're on fire". Whatever happened to straight talking debates on policies? I'd like to get back to as much if others agree.


    You may call me cynical but I'm very angry with him after my family and neighbours lives were made hell after he did a favour for someone. There were nights we were afraid to go to sleep in case our home would be attacked.

    I'm self-employed and work from home and what he did nearly put me out of business plus my husband is a self-employed carpenter and we were nearly left with no income and as we're self-employed we wouldn't get benefits.

    The way he treated my neighbours and myself like sh1t and the blatant lies he told us and what he personally did to an elderly neighbour was disgraceful.

    As far as I'm concerned he brought Moyross to Viewmount and I for one am very grateful to the armed detectives in Ballybricken who forced the matter and brought it to a conclusion.


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