Our options for TD in Athlone

Zubeneschamali

Someone has to prime the parish pump.

witnessmenow

Aldebaran wrote: »

Why exactly is it important to have a TD from Athlone?

Because the political system in Ireland is completely broken.

Aldebaran

witnessmenow wrote: »

Because the political system in Ireland is completely broken.

And choosing to vote for a candidate based on where they come from will fix that how?

Zubeneschamali

Aldebaran wrote: »

And choosing to vote for a candidate based on where they come from will fix that how?

It's not supposed to fix it. The Dail is supposed to be for national issues, passing laws and Government business. In fact, TDs spend all their time campaigning, grabbing pork spending for their constituency and running clinics to help constituents with local issues. I wish they wouldn't.

But if Athlone doesn't play the game and elect a TD, Longford will get all their issues addressed and we won't.

We can't fix the system in this election, but we can screw ourselves by trying to.

Aldebaran

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

It's not supposed to fix it. The Dail is supposed to be for national issues, passing laws and Government business. In fact, TDs spend all their time campaigning, grabbing pork spending for their constituency and running clinics to help constituents with local issues. I wish they wouldn't.

But if Athlone doesn't play the game and elect a TD, Longford will get all their issues addressed and we won't.

We can't fix the system in this election, but we can screw ourselves by trying to.

Yeah because having a TD from Athlone in the last Dáil worked out so well for the town, didn't it? The place is absolutely thriving! Oh wait, no it isn't.

Parish pump politics is one of the reasons the country is in such a mess. Have some balls and vote for the person who you think has the best chance of getting us out of that mess. It will work out better for you in the end.

witnessmenow

Aldebaran wrote: »

Yeah because having a TD from Athlone in the last Dáil worked out so well for the town, didn't it? The place is absolutely thriving! Oh wait, no it isn't.

Parish pump politics is one of the reasons the country is in such a mess. Have some balls and vote for the person who you think has the best chance of getting us out of that mess. It will work out better for you in the end.

Has Athlone been left behind in some way that other towns haven't been? In case you haven't noticed, there isn't exactly a whole lot of places thriving at the moment

Correct me if I'm wrong, no one in Longford/westmeath is exactly a political heavy weight, the pretty much are all unproven. Its not like we are keeping out a Political superstar from Ballymahon because we are voting for someone from Athlone?

Aldebaran

witnessmenow wrote: »

Has Athlone been left behind in some way that other towns haven't been? In case you haven't noticed, there isn't exactly a whole lot of places thriving at the moment

Thats my point. Having a TD from your area who makes local issues a priority won't do you any good when the problems affecting you are national ones.

Correct me if I'm wrong, no one in Longford/westmeath is exactly a political heavy weight, the pretty much are all unproven. Its not like we are keeping out a Political superstar from Ballymahon because we are voting for someone from Athlone?

Maybe not, but I still don't think you should dismiss a candidate just because they're not from your area.

witnessmenow

Does Hogan stand a chance? According to the boards.ie/vote thingy he does!

I like Paul, hes a very nice hard working guy, but i just dont know can i vote SF!

BTW he was 12/1 on Paddypower last night to get in!

AckwelFoley

witnessmenow wrote: »

Does Hogan stand a chance? According to the boards.ie/vote thingy he does!

I like Paul, hes a very nice hard working guy, but i just dont know can i vote SF!

BTW he was 12/1 on Paddypower last night to get in!

He aint getting in.

Trust me

BoB_BoT

The hell, who's been voting Penrose, and please, tell me as to why? I have seen nothing from him since the last GE. What has he been at/doing in the last few years? Genuine query, I've have heard nothing from him since the last election.

swim4fun

I live in the Longford end of the constituency

Lab. Penrose
FG. Bannon
FF. Kelly

McFadden/Hogan/Sexton for the last seat.

FF had 41% last time around anything over 17.5% FPV should give them a seat. No chance of a second.

FG had 29.2% Bannon safe in Longford thier chances will depend on picking up protest votes elesewhere. FG not a party of protest and of course the Enda Kenny factor.

Burke for FG polled 9% in 2007, will certainly improve but there is uncertainty with a new IND in town. Penrose just mops up votes around Mullingar.

McFadden based in Athlone is at a disadvantage in that the area is top heavy with candidates of a type to attract protest votes. Paul Hogan SF Boxer Moran Ind (former FF) . Both high profile in town during flooding crisis and recent winter freeze. All that said FG in with a shout.

Lab had 17.8% or .882 of a quota, choosing a former PD running mate on 4% or .21 of a quota simply wont give them enough for a second seat. Lab will not pick up anti FF, anti Bank guarantee, and general protest votes in the way INP's and SF will.


SF had 4% last time around, if they poll 13% nationally and same in Longford Westmeath Hogan would be in with a shout for the last seat. 13.9% FPV won the last seat last time around. Hogan has a high profile campgain and has been highly visible in Athlone since the 2007 election.So if FF voters and anti bank, anti big party comes out to vote watch this space.

In 1981 the Anti H Block candidate won 10% of FPV this would indicate that there is a republican vote in the constituency.

In a highly fractured field anything can happen!! Look at Dublin Mid-west
Mary Harney (PD) and Joanna Tuffy both got elected with only 10.8 % & 10.9% FPV.

Paul Hogan will be in with a shout for the last seat !!

b4boxer

Now the Midlands has a real choice !!

Kevin Boxer Moran

Not afraid to ask the difficult questions. Not afraid to throw a few "F's" to get this place up and running.

Time to make people pay for crime.

Time everybody pulled there weight.

Boxer will be bringing his mandate to the people.

Longford Westmeath has great choice.

Saint_Mel

BoB_BoT wrote: »

The hell, who's been voting Penrose, and please, tell me as to why?

He wasn't known as Planning Permission Pensrose for nothing!

As for Boxer, outside of the whole politics thing I like him, but I reckon a lot of people will think he'll go scurrying back to FF if he gets in on the independent ticket.bWe'll see what he has to say for himself on the doorstep.

So far only 2 parties have called to my door and neither was the actual candidate themselves. 1 guy handed me a flyer for his candidate and scuttled away to the next house while the other talked at me with a learned off speil.

witnessmenow

b4boxer wrote: »

Now the Midlands has a real choice !!

Kevin Boxer Moran

Not afraid to ask the difficult questions. Not afraid to throw a few "F's" to get this place up and running.

Time to make people pay for crime.

Time everybody pulled there weight.

Boxer will be bringing his mandate to the people.

Longford Westmeath has great choice.

I'll probably vote for boxer, but trust me, this dribble isn't going to get him any votes on boards!

You are right about one thing though, he's not afraid to throw away a few "F's", sure didnt he get rid of two from his election poster :pac:

gingernut79

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

It's not supposed to fix it. The Dail is supposed to be for national issues, passing laws and Government business. In fact, TDs spend all their time campaigning, grabbing pork spending for their constituency and running clinics to help constituents with local issues. I wish they wouldn't.

But if Athlone doesn't play the game and elect a TD, Longford will get all their issues addressed and we won't.

We can't fix the system in this election, but we can screw ourselves by trying to.

Longford has / had 2 TDs in current / outgoing Dail. NOt much fixed here yet and we'll probably only get 1 seat in the election. A lot of the things we need are already in Athlone / Mullingar anyway.

myclinic

I have waited for years to vote away Irish !!

Nikky you have my vote in Athlone.

BoB_BoT

myclinic wrote: »

I have waited for years to vote away Irish !!

Nikky you have my vote in Athlone.

What does that even mean?

td4longford

Fine Gael propose to remove compulsory Irish at Leaving Certificate level.

In 1974 Richie Ryan , FG, Minister for Finance removed the competency test for Irish for entry to the civil service. This cause an enormous setback for the language.

It took Michael D and TnG to roll back the damage.

Aldebaran

td4longford wrote: »

Fine Gael propose to remove compulsory Irish at Leaving Certificate level.

About time too.

pflanagan132

If the next Dail runs the full term, what age will Mary O'Rourke be then?

afewfs

79 !! I most certainly will not be voting FF, that being said we live in a democracy and she is entitled to put her name forward. I would also say she is a great role model for active participation.

Mary O'Rourke is going to find it very difficult to get elected with 3 candidates on the ticket. FF may even struggle to win 1 seat.

1 Lab, 1 FG, 1 SF, 1 FG
Penrose, Bannon, Hogan, Burke/McFadden

Ruben Remus

Interviews with Mary O'Rourke and Nicky McFadden in this week's Westmeath Indo:

O'Rourke: http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2011/02/09/4003061-orourke-to-stand-and-fight-for-her-daacuteil-seat/

McFadden: http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2011/02/09/4003059-senator-bullish-that-daacuteil-bid-will-be-third-time-lucky/

walrusgumble

witnessmenow wrote: »

Has Athlone been left behind in some way that other towns haven't been? In case you haven't noticed, there isn't exactly a whole lot of places thriving at the moment

Correct me if I'm wrong, no one in Longford/westmeath is exactly a political heavy weight, the pretty much are all unproven. Its not like we are keeping out a Political superstar from Ballymahon because we are voting for someone from Athlone?

Eh, sorry, but correct me if I am wrong, but Mary O'Rourke was the deputy Leader at one point, a former minister, and one of the more well known members of Fianna Fáil, and a bit of a medja darling. Sure I suppose she will take all the credit for Golden Island, the Regional Sports Centre and any thing else that came about:rolleyes:

Longford, have Peter Kelly, nearly all the rest of the candidates are from Westmeath, it think Mae Sexton is now based in Mullingar, could be wrong, but as we speak, there is only one Longford based TD.

Hey, I am an Athlonian, but we could well do without a TD if it means national interests as oppose to parish pump politics comes first. You want the road fixed go to county council. There will be feck all money around anyway

I have in the past, heard McFadden on the party political rant, (admitingly i have heard nothing recently , so it could be different) but she represented everything I hated about Fine Gael.



I do have to laugh, nearly with anger, but i saw on Shannonside FM website, former FF Councillor John Butler commenting that it would not be a good idea for the country for Athlonians to simple vote for anyone (in truth other than Mary) simply to get a TD or government TD from Athlone. Hillarous, because Mary made great importance of an Athlone TD in 2007 in her literature and, if I recall in one of her small diamond shaped posters.

walrusgumble

pflanagan132 wrote: »

If the next Dail runs the full term, what age will Mary O'Rourke be then?

You won't need to worry, the next Dail will not run its full term.

If she had the right policies etc, I would not give age (no matter how old) as an excuse for not voting for a candidate, the last thing we need is an inexperience former junior minister as leader.

however, of course, as for MO'R, she has had her time in the sun, bring out her auto (which i believe would be worth reading, all the goss bertie tired to shut her up with) and then feck off

Miriamski

afewfs wrote: »

79 !! I most certainly will not be voting FF, that being said we live in a democracy and she is entitled to put her name forward. I would also say she is a great role model for active participation.

Mary O'Rourke is going to find it very difficult to get elected with 3 candidates on the ticket. FF may even struggle to win 1 seat.

1 Lab, 1 FG, 1 SF, 1 FG
Penrose, Bannon, Hogan, Burke/McFadden

People are finding it harder and harder to take Sinn fein seriously. I know we are all angry, and rightly so. But go it alone? Spend the national treasury? Spend the pension reserve fun?. Go to the wall as a country? Surely even Sinn Fein supporters see that this is insanity.

xo.mary

I haven't a clue who I'm going to vote for, there isn't anyone running who I'd want to represent me.

b4boxer

The three big parties are ALL the same.

The bank bailout is wrong. Longford Westmeath needs a strong independent voice. Remember Joe Sheridan or look at Michael Lowery in Tipperary. Look what they were able to achieve for thier community.

I would suggest looking at an independent with a strong track record in the community.

berireland

Miriamski wrote: »

People are finding it harder and harder to take Sinn fein seriously. I know we are all angry, and rightly so. But go it alone? Spend the national treasury? Spend the pension reserve fun?. Go to the wall as a country? Surely even Sinn Fein supporters see that this is insanity.

I refer you to an article in Irishtimes of 29th January

"My educated guess is that at least half of the Irish electorate is united on three things. the fact that the bank bailout and its consequences in vicious austerity and the loss of sovereignty are immoral, unsustainable and both social and economically disaster us. an economy of 1.8 million workers simply cannot pay these debts. We need for once and for all a structured, negotiated default.
This is not a radical view more and more economic commentators and players in the financial markets agree and even the IMF came close to saying as much yet in current party politics the argument is being left to Sinn Fein and ULA"
Sin Fein policy seems to make sense to most economists !!!

Yitzhak Rabin

b4boxer wrote: »

The three big parties are ALL the same.

The bank bailout is wrong. Longford Westmeath needs a strong independent voice. Remember Joe Sheridan or look at Michael Lowery in Tipperary. Look what they were able to achieve for thier community.

I would suggest looking at an independent with a strong track record in the community.

Yeah its a pity we don't have any good independents. All we seem to have is Fianna Fáiler's who cynically dropped their party in a futile attempt to get elected. Luckily most of the electorate see through this though.

veryangryman

yekahS wrote: »

Yeah its a pity we don't have any good independents. All we seem to have is Fianna Fáiler's who cynically dropped their party in a futile attempt to get elected. Luckily most of the electorate see through this though.

MMMhMMM Boxers lame slogan "Your INDEPENDENT candidate" stinks to high heaven

That said, he IS playing the right game. The public want the FF label gone without necessarily replacing it with actual new (and useful) blood