Another Free Seat

danniemcq

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1102/mcdaid.html

all over the news today and i must admit i was never fond of the man but the letter he wrote to Cowan has some very good points. You think this will get us the by-elections sooner or is it just gonna be same old same old

Former minister Jim McDaid has resigned from the Dáil for what he has described as 'purely personal reasons'.
In a letter sent to Taoiseach Brian Cowen last week Mr McDaid criticised the Government for failing to make significant progess on reducing the deficit and said a General Election would be in the best interests of the Government and Fianna Fáil.
The Donegal North East TD's decision leaves the coalition parties with a majority of three
Dr McDaid said that that while some courageous decisions had been made, after two years the Government had failed to make any significant progress in reducing the structural Budget deficit.
'Our primary focus has been on the survival of Government instead of the health of the economy'.
He added that in the best interests of Ireland, the Government has to have a working majority in the Dail of at least 20 seats.
A Government spokesperson has confirmed that Dr McDaid's letter to the Taoiseach was received last Thursday, and an acknowledgement posted on Friday.
They said a substantive response to the points raised in the letter was to follow in due course, as is normal.
Jim McDaid's letter of resignation will come into effect when it is formally notified to the Ceann Comhairle, who will then have it laid in the Oireachtas Library.
Ceann Comhairle Seamus Kirk informed the Dáil of the resignation this afternoon.
In November 2008, Dr McDaid abstained on a vote on a Fine Gael motion calling for the cervical cancer vaccination programme to go ahead. He automatically lost the party whip then.

Dr McDaid said during the debate that even though these were difficult economic times, the withdrawal of a life-saving vaccine was not a move he could support.
In November last year he withdrew his support for the Government, saying he would consider voting against it 'if and when necessary'.
Government sources said they were not relying on Dr McDaid's vote in the Dáil, and are confident of retaining a majority in the House.
The resignation brings the number of vacancies in the Dáil to four.
State of the parties
With four vacant seats - due to resignations of George Lee, Martin Cullen and Dr McDaid, and the election of Pat the Cope Gallagher to the European Parliament - there are 162 sitting TDs.
The Ceann Comhairle does not vote unless there is a tie, which means 81 votes is a majority.
At present, there are 70 TDs in the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, six Greens, and three Independents - Mary Harney, Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy Rae - committed to supporting the Government.
In addition, there are three TDs outside the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party who usually vote with the Government - Mattie McGrath, Jimmy Devins and Eamon Scanlon. The Government has the committed support of 79 TDs, with another three who usually vote with it.
On the other side are 51 Fine Gael, 20 Labour, and four Sinn Féin TDs, giving 75 votes firmly committed against the Government.
There are four Independents who tend to, although not always, vote against the Government - Joe Behan, Noel Grealish, Finian McGrath and Maureen O'Sullivan.

Letter can be seen here

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1102/mcdaid.pdf

ednwireland

danniemcq wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1102/mcdaid.html

all over the news today and i must admit i was never fond of the man but the letter he wrote to Cowan has some very good points. You think this will get us the by-elections sooner or is it just gonna be same old same old

not a hope

danniemcq

ednwireland wrote: »

not a hope

That court ruling is today isn't it? The one the Sein Fein lad is behind?

sorry useless with names

ednwireland

SF have won the ruling the high court has ruled in favour of unreasonable delay, might get an by-election yet, not before time i hasten to add

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1103/breaking10.html

The High Court has upheld a legal challenge by Sinn Féin aimed at forcing the Government to hold the long-awaited byelection in Donegal South West.

In his ruling today, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said there had been an “unreasonable delay” in the moving the writ for the byelection.

Following the judgment, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said he would moving the writ for the byelection in the Dáil tomorrow when the Taoiseach will be represented in the chamber by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, who is a TD for the constituency.

Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty had taken the issue to judicial review, calling for a date to be set for the vote after a seat in the constituency has lain empty for more than 16 months.

good discussion here
http://www.politics.ie/oireachtas/141778-pearse-doherty-wins-election-case.html

Essexboy

It will be a very expensive letter for the rest of us!

Jim McDaid will enjoy a handsome pension package of €94,000 a year for the rest of his life and a lump sum payment of around €147,000.

And even though it was Mr McDaid who decided to go of his own volition, he will also scoop a severance package worth almost €60,000.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/what-mcdaid-will-get-2405058.html

danniemcq

Essexboy wrote: »

It will be a very expensive letter for the rest of us!


http://www.independent.ie/national-news/what-mcdaid-will-get-2405058.html

yeah i was actually thinking fair play till i heard this earlier, sickening. for fear of a site wide ban i won't say what i actually think of him now.
and now you have the greens saying that the SE seat election should be held straight away. anyone else think it's just a way for them to look a bit good after selling their souls. they seem to have forgotten about the other 3 seats that are now empty too and if were filled with anyone anti Fianna Fail....

Go on the students today!

muffler

This part of the article is very interesting

And even though it was Mr McDaid who decided to go of his own volition, he will also scoop a severance package worth almost €60,000.

The Oireachtas Commission confirmed last night that Mr McDaid would be eligible to receive termination payments designed to help TDs who were suddenly out of a job after losing their seats.

So this payment package was set up for TDs who lost their seat and were out of a job. McDaid neither lost his seat as he resigned nor is he unemployed as he is a practicing GP.

Just goes to show you who they put first when it comes to money.

creaghadoos

Quote:
Jim McDaid will enjoy a handsome pension package of €94,000 a year for the rest of his life and a lump sum payment of around €147,000.

And even though it was Mr McDaid who decided to go of his own volition, he will also scoop a severance package worth almost €60,000.



god help him, i don't know how he will manage.
could someone please give him directions to Lidl