President McAleese : Why does she keep mute ?

Guillaume

How come the President of Ireland is not saying nothing to her people during the crisis we are facing ?

I know she only has a "symbolic" position. However, she is still the President of the Republic of Ireland.

And as a matter of fairness and above all concern toward her people she should at least make an announcement or/and reassure them. Each year the Queen of England appears on TV, above all near this time of the year. Same things in most country in Europe.

In Ireland, McAleese says nothing : do not reassure his people, do not provide any official statement to comfort them, do not appear on TV or radio or papers.

While the country is facing many troubles, the least that the President could do is to assume her responsibility and to speak to her people !

KerranJast

She makes a TV address every year at Christmas too afair.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

why do you keep saying 'his' ?

MissL

You do realise that the president is Mary McAleese? I understand that its been a while since we heard from HER but surely her sex is something that you'd remember?

Elevator

who really cares!?!

the country would hardly come to a stop if she doesn't say anything in public

gonedrinking

I think its obvious to most at this stage of the need to abolish the president position, we can't afford it and it provides no value for money or any other benefit to Ireland (unless you consider having diner with wanted war criminals as being beneficial to Ireland).

looksee

Of course we need a ceremonial head of the country, apart from anything else she does all the diplomatic stuff while the taoiseach is busy running the country.

If she came on tv and told us not to worry, mammy won't let us fall in the snow, she would get a lot more slagging, its a no-win situation.

Yakult

I've always believed that Ireland having a President is a joke and havent been proved wrong yet.

Should either abolish it all together or give power to the president. Pure stupid setup in this place.

Guillaume

KerranJast wrote: »

She makes a TV address every year at Christmas too afair.

Does she ?????????????????

Guillaume

R_H_C_P wrote: »

I've always believed that Ireland having a President is a joke and havent been proved wrong yet.

Should either abolish it all together or give power to the president. Pure stupid setup in this place.

I agree. What the point to have a President who has no power whatsoever. I am French, originally, and as you know Sarkosy is actually managing the country. But my main point was her non-reaction and seems to show no concern when her country is falling apart.

imme

Guillaume wrote: »

I agree. What the point to have a President who has no power whatsoever. I am French, originally, and as you know Sarkosy is actually managing the country. But my main point was her non-reaction and seems to show no concern when her country is falling apart.

well, that's just the kind of President we have, same as in Italy, Austria, Isreal, Germany... loads of places really. The role of the Presidency is very different to the role in Ireland.

There is nothing she can say that willmake everything 'ok'. She doesn't know the details of what the government is going to do. She can't direct the government to something.



There seems to be one or two threads like this every week nowadays.

Dempo1

Probably because there is **** all happening up North!

Hootanany

She is busy counting her money:mad:

The Raven.

Ideally she should indeed 'assume her responsibility and to speak to her people' in light of the current state of the nation. However, it would seem particularly hypocritical to sympathise with the people of Ireland at this point in time, while she continues to unnecessarily spend so much of their rapidly vanishing money.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese used a €2,950-an-hour government jet to travel to destinations within Ireland at least nine times this year, it has emerged.

The travel, which is estimated to have cost at least €60,000, came despite McAleese having the permanent use of two garda drivers and cars.

Air Corps sources confirmed to the Sunday Tribune that use of the Learjet had become largely routine for engagements and functions in the North. On each occasion, the jet was used to fly McAleese – and a small delegation – to Belfast or Derry.

The Learjet is also understood to have been used by the President to fly to Kerry to attend the Munster football final during the summer.

Last week, the Sunday Tribune revealed that McAleese used the Learjet to fly to Belfast to open a school and a community centre. The day after her Belfast trip, Ireland's four-year recovery plan was announced and the following day, the president gave a speech in which she spoke of understanding the "distress" of Irish people.

Read more...
http://www.tribune.ie/news/article/2010/dec/05/mcaleese-used-government-jet-for-nine-internal-fli/

Oh wait...she did speak to the poor people of Ireland. She really 'understands' their 'distress' :rolleyes::rolleyes:!!

Joeyjoejoe83

The Raven. wrote: »

Ideally she should indeed 'assume her responsibility and to speak to her people' in light of the current state of the nation. However, it would seem particularly hypocritical to sympathise with the people of Ireland at this point in time, while she continues to unnecessarily spend so much of their rapidly vanishing money.


Oh wait...she did speak to the poor people of Ireland. She really 'understands' their 'distress' :rolleyes::rolleyes:!!

And if she didn't travel to these places, you'd be first complaining she didnt do enough. Save the criticism for the corrupt politicians.

dabestman1

I could be wrong but doesn't the constitution prevent her from saying much, i cannot think of former presidents saying much the 80's. Most people used this as a retirement home in the past with the exception of Mary Robinson

later12

Joeyjoejoe83 wrote: »

And if she didn't travel to these places, you'd be first complaining she didnt do enough. Save the criticism for the corrupt politicians.

From The Sunday tribune

Last week, the Sunday Tribune revealed that McAleese used the Learjet to fly to Belfast to open a school and a community centre.

At the beginning of November, she made a similar trip to Belfast, using the Learjet, to attend a presentation of awards at a choral-singing event.

a trip to Donegal for a series of engagements there in June and another trip to Belfast in May of this year.

Would we really be complaining if she didn't fly to Belfast on the jet to give awards to a church choir?

No. Google maps puts the travel time between Aras an Uachtarain and Belfast City Hall at two hours. Leaving aside the fact that she has state drivers and can bypass traffic, I really think that even two hours is hardly extreme.

Wolfe Tone

She is not allowed to say anything without govt approval.

later12

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

She is not allowed to say anything without govt approval.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

The office is appalingly restricted, but this statement of opinion (which in fairness to the poster is widely held) is, wrong.

Wolfe Tone

later10 wrote: »

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

The office is appalingly restricted, but this statement of opinion (which in fairness to the poster is widely held) is, wrong.

Enlighten me then.

OhNoYouDidn't

later10 wrote: »

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

The office is appalingly restricted, but this statement of opinion (which in fairness to the poster is widely held) is, wrong.

She is not constitutionally allowed to comment on Government policy. At all. In any circumstances.

What exactly does the OP expect her to say?

pegasus1

She doesn't have to say anything that involves government policy...she could say that these are tough times and etc etc!!

later12

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Enlighten me then.

I will.

She can address a message to the nation subject to the approval of the Government. However, this is a rare - no, extremely rare - event.

Most of the President's public comments come by way of public speeches to groups or meetings. Pick any of her recent comments from the media and you will see that this is the case. These do not require Government approval, nor that of the Council of State.

To say that she is not allowed to say anything without government approcal is, well, pretty daft.

OhNoYouDidn't

later10 wrote: »

I will.

She can address a message to the nation subject to the approval of the Government. However, this is a rare - no, extremely rare - event.

Most of the President's public comments come by way of public speeches to groups or meetings. Pick any of her recent comments from the media and you will see that this is the case. These do not require Government approval, nor that of the Council of State.

To say that she is not allowed to say anything without government approcal is, well, pretty daft.

But we aren't talking about 'anything'. We are talking about her specifically taking a dump on government economic policy.

There would be a constitutional crisis of biblical proportions if she did so.

The Raven.

Joeyjoejoe83 wrote: »

And if she didn't travel to these places, you'd be first complaining she didnt do enough. Save the criticism for the corrupt politicians.

Really? Whatever gave you that idea? You certainly are missing the point.

It may not be classified as 'corrupt', but it seems highly inappropriate to spend that amount of taxpayers' money when it is totally unnecessary. In fact, a 'mute' figurehead living in the lap of luxury in Áras an Uachtaráin is something this country can ill afford.

OhNoYouDidn't

The Raven. wrote: »

Really? Whatever gave you that idea? You certainly are missing the point.

It may not be classified as 'corrupt', but it seems highly inappropriate to spend that amount of taxpayers' money when it is totally unnecessary. In fact, a 'mute' figurehead living in the lap of luxury in Áras an Uachtaráin is something this country can ill afford.

What do you want her to do, get the bus?

Part of her job is getting out there and meeting people at civic events. If she stayed at home she would be accused of sitting on her salary.

heyjude

Whether the president would be allowed to speak out or not, you have to remember that Mary McAleese was the Fianna Fail candidate for the Presidency, so that would influence the credibility of anything she did say, in that she might not be seen as a neutral observer. In those circumstances, what could she say that wouldn't damage the office of the presidency? if she expressed optimism that the governments' actions were appropriate and necessary, she'd be accused of partisanship and if she said she understood the hardship that people are experiencing, then people would point out her sizeable salary, expenses and use of the Aras.

Japer

gonedrinking wrote: »

I think its obvious to most at this stage of the need to abolish the president position, we can't afford it and it provides no value for money or any other benefit to Ireland (unless you consider having diner with wanted war criminals as being beneficial to Ireland).

+1. She is a parasite.

later12

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

But we aren't talking about 'anything'. We are talking about her specifically taking a dump on government economic policy.

There would be a constitutional crisis of biblical proportions if she did so.

Of course, I'm not denying that, I was responding to this comment

Originally Posted by MUSSOLINI
She is not allowed to say anything without govt approval.

She can still comment as she has been doing on the financial crisis, public anger, frustration, joblessness and emigration as much as she wants without getting into the nitty gritty of party politics. That's all I'm saying.

Wile E. Coyote

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

What do you want her to do, get the bus?

Part of her job is getting out there and meeting people at civic events. If she stayed at home she would be accused of sitting on her salary.

We're not exactly a huge island. She has two state cars plus drivers plus support cars at her disposal. There's absolutely no need for her to use a private jet when traveling anywhere in this country.

dsmythy

Why did she leave Fianna Fáil again?