Performance to date of our new TD`s

fricatus

Lads, those of you who are slating Halligan, what the hell do ye want the man to do?

He said he would give this money to local charities if he got elected, and he kept good to his word.

I didn't hear many people criticising this promise before the election, or calling it a gimmick at the time, so why the problem now?

Facts

AdMMM wrote: »

The simple fact is that each and every single TD earns this allowance, only it goes to their Party. They can reclaim this money from their party as a constituency expense and could very well choose to give it to charity. But they don't. Instead, they choose to spend this money on organising party activities such as Ard Fheis and the like, something which I vouch for as being one gigantic piss up at the tax payers expense or in the case of Ciara Conway, sending unsolicited mail.

Be under no illusions that the main parties use this PLA to fund their election campaigns to try and win votes. The only difference between what John did and what the main parties did is that a) this is John offering proof of following through with a pre-election promise and b) it benefits the entire region and those most in need, rather than those who are members of a political party.

Of course there are going to be those that are cynical but please consider what the main parties squander this allowance on (e.g. The Labour party bus for Eamon Gilmore to roll into constituencies in style in or SF's boasting of their representatives claiming only the industrial wage yet failing to tell everyone that not only do they claim the full PLA but also have their representatives donate the additional wage to the party funds which, you guessed it, they spend on the exact same things as FF, FG and Lab) before you come on here claiming them to be shameful.

Unfortunately you are wrong on this one AdMMM, every TD
DOES NOT receive the party leaders allowance, you are simply wrong on this, perhaps thats what you were told and you took it at face value, I dont blame you for that but it isn't the case.

As its name suggests, the party leaders allowance only goes to party leaders such as Enda Kenny, Gerry
Adams etc.. Parties are funded according to the oireachtas representatives which they have, they get so much for having a TD and so much for having a senator which the individual TD CANNOT access so do not confuse the two, they are completely different.

AdMMM

I do know this and communicated as such. The money goes to the party and is then redistributed through party activities and initiatives. I never claimed that the TDs have personal access to this money but instead pointed out that they can have an influence on how this money is spent on their own constituency activities.

dayshah

fricatus wrote: »

Lads, those of you who are slating Halligan, what the hell do ye want the man to do?

He said he would give this money to local charities if he got elected, and he kept good to his word.

I didn't hear many people criticising this promise before the election, or calling it a gimmick at the time, so why the problem now?

I think people are just shocked that a politician would keep his election promise

Aquos76

I see Paudie Coffey has employed his wife on a part time basis to be his personal secretary

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tds-break-cronyism-pledge-by-giving-jobs-to-family-members-2667551.html

decies

Aquos76 wrote: »

I see Paudie Coffey has employed his wife on a part time basis to be his personal secretary

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tds-break-cronyism-pledge-by-giving-jobs-to-family-members-2667551.html

Think he cleared that up on wlr this afternoon,didnt hear all the interview,but what i gathered is that his wife was filling in temporaly for the summer for one day a week.

dayshah

Aquos76 wrote: »

I see Paudie Coffey has employed his wife on a part time basis to be his personal secretary

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tds-break-cronyism-pledge-by-giving-jobs-to-family-members-2667551.html

Paudie Coffey is sleeping with his personal secretary!!!

The scandal

jayboi

dayshah wrote: »

Paudie Coffey is sleeping with his personal secretary!!!

The scandal

Hold your horses there dayshah lets not jump to any conclusions.

Deise Tom

MoodRacer wrote: »

Source: kildarestreet.com


Paudie Coffey Numerology
(More about this)

• Has spoken in 2 debates in the last year — below average among TDs.
• Has received answers to 7 written questions in the last year — below average among TDs.
• This TD's speeches, in the printed record, are readable by an average 16–17 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 2 times in debates — below average among TDs. (Why is this here?)

Ciara Conway Numerology
(More about this)

• Has spoken in 1 debate in the last year — well below average among TDs.
• Has received answers to 3 written questions in the last year — below average among TDs.
• This TD's speeches, in the printed record, are readable by an average 18–19 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 0 times in debates — well below average among TDs. (Why is this here?)

John Halligan Numerology
(More about this)

• Has spoken in 7 debates in the last year — below average among TDs.
• Has received answers to 0 written questions in the last year — well below average among TDs.
• This TD's speeches, in the printed record, are readable by an average 15–16 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 6 times in debates — below average among TDs. (Why is this here

The common theme seems to be below average or well below average..... Anybody else disappointed?......:mad:

Where can these figures be found and how often are they updated.

Deise Tom

Sully wrote: »

John Deasy (ill only publish since the new Dail formation)
Hasn't spoken in any debates yet, but spoke 10 times last year.
Received answers to 20 written questions, but the overall total is 239 answers in the last year.
People have made 0 comments on this TD's speeches — average among TDs.
This TD's speeches, in the printed record, are readable by an average 15–16 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
14 people are tracking whenever this TD speaks — email me whenever John Deasy speaks.
Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 64 times in debates — average among TDs. (Why is this here?)

Why is this. Has Enda got him gagged. He always comes across as someone that is willing to say what he has to when given the chance.

Deise Tom

AdMMM wrote: »

I know for sure a fine gael representative was present that day but was not in the chamber.

I think FG have already lost one of their seats. That is to say that the Present government continue as they have.

Which one.

Deise Tom

Psychedelic wrote: »

Front page of this week's Waterford Today, John Halligan has donated €40k of his 'leader allowance' and a portion of his salary to 15 charities, and will do so every year he is in office. Fair play to him.

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?PBID=b9a151ef-720a-437e-a92d-eaca4227b150

Could giving €40,000 to local groups/Charities be seen in some quarters as some sort of vote catcher for the next general election. "I gave you X amount of what i could have, now its your turn to pay me back". I am sure the groups selected are ones with lots of volunteers, or groups whose volunteers have large families and a large circle of friends.

Deise Tom

deiselady73 wrote: »

My problem is not with people giving to charities (of course), but this idea that Halligan is some sort of saint for doing it and then broadcasting the fact is what i object to. Lets not be foolish enough to think he did this for anything else other than to gain publicity. If that was not the case then he would have just done it and not had a big spread in the papers.

I agree. If a person wants to give to charity, let them do so, but let them do so in a quite way. The person that give to charity etc and makes noise about it is a, i dont know what. Might be banned if i say something.

AdMMM

Deise Tom wrote: »

Which one.

A safe revision of that statement would be to say that I think this Government have lost a seat down here. I think the Labour Party will be decimated at the next election if they continue to play yes men to Fine Gael. Therefore I'd say that it's Ciara's seat that's most at risk but it really just depends on how angry the electorate are come the next election and whether or not Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein can organise themselves well.

Deise Tom

AdMMM wrote: »

A safe revision of that statement would be to say that I think this Government have lost a seat down here. I think the Labour Party will be decimated at the next election if they continue to play yes men to Fine Gael. Therefore I'd say that it's Ciara's seat that's most at risk but it really just depends on how angry the electorate are come the next election and whether or not Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein can organise themselves well.

Hopefully the labour party will suffer big wipe outs.

dayshah

AdMMM wrote: »

A safe revision of that statement would be to say that I think this Government have lost a seat down here. I think the Labour Party will be decimated at the next election if they continue to play yes men to Fine Gael. Therefore I'd say that it's Ciara's seat that's most at risk but it really just depends on how angry the electorate are come the next election and whether or not Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein can organise themselves well.

Well it was unusual (not unprecedented though) for Waterford to return 2 left candidates, normally its just one.

Gardner

the only way i would associate Ciara with been "left" would be in the following few words.....


Ciara was a lonely girl and got "left" behind while all the other kids went to the next class. Sums up her completely

she has to be up there with Kenneally and Wilkinson as one of the worst TD's ever in Waterford

MoodRacer

fricatus wrote: »

Lads, those of you who are slating Halligan, what the hell do ye want the man to do?

He should not have taken the money as a point of principal pal. He is clearly buying into the system despite his pre election proclaimations that he would fight to change the system.

decies wrote: »

Think he cleared that up on wlr this afternoon,didnt hear all the interview,but what i gathered is that his wife was filling in temporaly for the summer for one day a week.

Yeah right, she is only doing one day a week for the summer because word got out. Sure whats the point in employing a constituent who may be unemployed over the wife of an extremely well paid TD? No need to look after the constituents now that he`s elected.

Deise Tom wrote: »

Where can these figures be found and how often are they updated.

Kildarestreet.com. Updated daily when houses are sitting.

Deise Tom wrote: »

Hopefully the labour party will suffer big wipe outs.

They deserve it. As if Gilmore courting his American overlords and deceiving his own people over Lisbon wasn`t bad enough, what about this....


U-turn Gilmore. How uncommon:p

Justin Collery

Any independent taking the leadership allowance is just wrong. From my blog - http://justincollery.com/?p=320

In January of 1968 five typists, in a patriotic effort to rejuvenate Britain started a campaign called ‘I’m backing Britain’. They pledged to work one extra hour, for free, in an effort to increase productivity and halt the decline in British fortunes.
...
They could have worked the extra hour and kept the money themselves. They could have worked the extra hour and given the money to charity (boasting about it to the papers). They did neither of these things.
...
The leaders allowance was brought in by Bertie Ahern to buy the votes of the independent TD’s, money which is now being used to buy our votes. When we talked of corruption in the last Dáil, these are the types of payments I at least had in mind. It is beyond defensible that any independent TD who ran on the basis that the country is going bust, or that corruption must be stamped out could accept this payment. All they had to do was refuse it specifying the money is to be used to pay down the national debt. Do our independent TD’s feel that their actions are any less powerful than those of five English typists?
...
Five typists from England have greater insight and more leadership than our new independent TD’s.

JC

AdMMM

Justin Collery wrote: »

Any independent taking the leadership allowance is just wrong. From my blog - http://justincollery.com/?p=320




JC

If you had any clue of how politics worked, you'd be dangerous. And that's putting it so much more nicely than what I had drafted up and ready to say

Justin Collery

AdMMM wrote: »

If you had any clue of how politics worked, you'd be dangerous. And that's putting it so much more nicely than what I had drafted up and ready to say

Ohhhh, a principled politician, how we laughed! Saying that politics is a unprincipled, dirty profession is nothing to be proud of. Perpetuating that system is worse.

AdMMM

And where did I said that? Just because you don't understand something doesn't immediately make it dirty. Unless you're trying to sling mud at it!

Justin Collery

I understand that our banking system is nationalised, that were are borrowing €15bn - €20bn a year and the country is in real danger of going bankrupt. Your definition of how politics 'works' is an interesting one.

JC

Psychedelic

Justin, you think John Halligan should not have accepted the leader money and "That €41k could pay for an extra Garda, an extra teacher, and extra nurse." - maybe that money would instead be used to pay the foreign banks that our failed banks owe money to, i.e. money out of our country. At least what John is doing is keeping this money in the Irish economy.

As for the issue of telling the media about the donation, some people say he should keep it on the QT, that's rubbish, do people think all politicans should not tell people what they are doing? If people want to be really cynical sure we could start criticising politicians for any good work they do, saying they are only doing good work to get re-elected.

Gardner wrote: »

the only way i would associate Ciara with been "left" would be in the following few words.....


Ciara was a lonely girl and got "left" behind while all the other kids went to the next class. Sums up her completely

she has to be up there with Kenneally and Wilkinson as one of the worst TD's ever in Waterford

That is a low blow, no need for a personal attack on her. And she is only in the job a couple of months, unlike the other 2 you mentioned who were there for years. Give her a chance. She is doing okay I reckon, she is only a first time TD and a back-bencher.

Justin Collery

Psychedelic wrote: »

Justin, you think John Halligan should not have accepted the leader money

Correct.

Psychedelic wrote: »

- maybe that money would instead be used to pay the foreign banks that our failed banks owe money to, i.e. money out of our country.

If we were not running a deficit this year of 10% GDP, somewhere north of €15bn this would be a valid argument. The country is going bust. I think the payment is wrong. I actually think John also thinks the payment is wrong. The difference is he sees it as okay to take as much money as he can, I don't.

Psychedelic wrote: »

At least what John is doing is keeping this money in the Irish economy.

It was in the Irish economy to start with. You, me and everybody else paid it in tax.

Psychedelic wrote: »

As for the issue of telling the media about the donation, some people say he should keep it on the QT, that's rubbish, do people think all politicans should not tell people what they are doing? If people want to be really cynical sure we could start criticising politicians for any good work they do, saying they are only doing good work to get re-elected.

My issue is the duplicity of principles.

I have said this many times. The ethics of an organisation come from the top. If the guy at the top has a principled objection to receiving a payment, but sees a way around that principle, it makes it okay for everyone below to see around their principles too. Similar stuff happened at FÁS. If you think a payment is wrong, if it offends you morally, if you disagree with it, then you do not take it. Simple as.

Psychedelic

What I meant was the money he gave out to charity will be kept in the country, whereas if he refused to accept the money it would just be used to pay our non-sovereign debt i.e. foreign banks who we as citizens/taxpayers do not owe money too.

I understand the points you are making and I would agree that it would be better to get rid of all these stupid allowances and expenses, but I just think what John did isn't really anything to be condemned.

deise blue

Deise Tom wrote: »

Hopefully the labour party will suffer big wipe outs.

I feel that the Labour Party has impressed even that most right leaning element of the Irish media - the Irish Indo with their pragmatic views as to how to remedy ( if possible ) our current ills.

Thankfully the public is being made more aware by a pretty media savvy Government as to how badly FF have sunk the country - who knows we may see a further swing to the left in future !

Justin Collery

Psychedelic wrote: »

What I meant was the money he gave out to charity will be kept in the country, whereas if he refused to accept the money it would just be used to pay our non-sovereign debt i.e. foreign banks who we as citizens/taxpayers do not owe money too.

If I understand Johns position correctly that was the basis of the argument alright.

It's a weak argument for a private citizen. Tell that to the judge when you decide not to pay your universal social charge, it's only going to be used for the banks your honour. There will always be something the government is spending money on that you are not happy with, so you can't really use that as an excuse to ride the system for what it's worth.

While it is a weak argument for a private citizen, it is completely untenable for an elected representative. It's unprincipled - if you have a principled objection, don't take the money. And it's a prescription for anarchy - I'm going to do whats good for me 'cause, well they're only going to give the money to the banks anyway, and sure, aren't the TD's at the same game. Its the sort of thinking that has gotten us into this mess, and as long as it is allowed to prevail, the country as a whole, of which Waterford is a part, will continue to be less than it could be.

Hoffmans

thought the two socialist/united left alliance tds mr boyd barrett and joe higgins spoke very well last night in the granville hotel ,made some interesting points but as with all the others not many solutions....