Fidelma Healy Eames' train ticket scandal

FouxDaFaFa · 31-10-2013 11:31am

It says in a few of the recent articles this disciplinary action is because she voted against organ donation legislation but the articles I've read have been unclear about what exactly happened/her reasons for voting against it. Does anybody know what her reason was?

McTigs · 31-10-2013 11:44am

Interesting that you can be disciplined for voting against the party but not for not paying your car tax.

Mr_A · 31-10-2013 3:36pm

This is fantastic:

“My values are still the core values of the party and they are worth fighting for, even if democracy is no longer a value of the leadership,” she said. “The Seanad referendum was testimony to the disdain of the current leadership for what have long been the core values of Fine Gael - honesty, integrity, debate, tolerance.

Let us unite behind our oppressed local politician and fight the evils of dishonesty and intolerance.

serfboard · 31-10-2013 5:42pm

I can't see why she's fighting so hard to retain her membership when she won't be selected at the next convention.

Or are the party hierarchy afraid that she'll pack the convention with her supporters and will be selected?

She's obviously decided that she wants to stay in the party, and fight the next GE as a Fine Gaeler. She seems to want to avoid running as an independent. She obviously doesn't have much confidence in her ability to attract votes as an independent as opposed to being in FG.

Das Kitty · 01-11-2013 11:52am

Brian Walsh is probably going to retain his membership. I'd say she might be put out that she isn't wanted.

If FHE is notable for anything, it's her complete dog-with-a-bone tenacity. We saw it with the numerous recounts last election where she tried to pip her own running mate. She'll hang on to the bitter end and I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to wreck the place on the way out.

Redhairedguy · 01-11-2013 9:37pm

Das Kitty wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to wreck the place on the way out.

All I could think of!

snubbleste · 04-12-2013 1:12pm

She has now called for a rent increase (~€1pw) for local authority tenants, because the property tax liability falls to the Council - who are broke.
And then tries to spin this as a positive thing
"We need to look at ways to reverse this cycle, by empowering them and giving them every chance to make a contribution, no matter how little. Only then are we treating them as equals," she said. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/council-tenants-to-escape-bill-for-property-tax-in-new-year-29800738.html

dilallio · 04-12-2013 2:08pm

Overheard at the Healy-Eames breakfast table ....

Fidelma: 'Michael dear, have you seen the egg-opener?'

Michael: 'Honey - it's his day-off!'

Annasopra · 03-01-2014 2:44pm

I see her views on adoption for same sex couples are blowing with the wind and she is being shown up as a hypocrite

- See more at: http://fidelmahealyeames.ie/2010/07/08/senator-fidelma-healy-eames-galway-west-shows-her-support-for-the-civil-partnership-bill-in-the-seanad-this-week/#sthash.ep73894d.dpuf

The Bill does not address the issue of adoption and guardianship, leaving the law unchanged for same sex couples. That is a major flaw and I would like the Minister to address this when summing up. When will we have the guardianship Bill? The Ombudsman for Children, when advising us on the adoption Bill, recommended that the categories of people eligible to apply for adoption should be extended to include same sex couples, and that if the Bill was unchanged, it would continue to deny certain children the possibility of enjoying a permanent and secure legal relationship with both of their parents.

Change is incremental and in process. A guardianship Bill is needed to protect the rights of children of same sex couples. As a member of a democratic party and as a legislator, my duty is to protect the rights of all the citizens, not just the rights of the majority or the mainstream. For that reason, I am delighted to support this Bill today and to contribute in some way towards making our civil society more inclusive, more tolerate and stronger as a result.

gordongekko · 03-01-2014 3:16pm

If anyone needs a laugh she's called the liveline and talking to Joe.

snubbleste · 03-01-2014 3:19pm

Snap!

She's after the Dana vote

gordongekko · 03-01-2014 3:47pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Snap!
She's after the Dana vote

caller: asks difficult question.
The: Joe the lines terrible I can't hear ya but I never said anything against that person.

snubbleste · 03-01-2014 3:50pm

She has no shame

phelixoflaherty · 04-01-2014 1:43pm

Hold on to values like respect for the law?

kodute · 21-01-2014 2:58pm

Biggest scandal yet... that daft b*nt has littered my hallway with her Reform alliance nonsense. Paid for by the Seanad judging by the letter head, and she didn't put this in herself I assume, so wages were expensed to the tax payers.

Why is she sending me letters? You don't have a constituency nor do I need to be invited to this seanad reform BS. Stop haranguing me you unelected parasite of the state!

Here is the offending literature:http://imgur.com/jzVfw8y

Birroc · 21-01-2014 3:05pm

If Healy Screams is anyway involved with the Reform Alliance, they will never get my vote. They need to rethink their members.

mikom · 21-01-2014 3:57pm

Birroc wrote: »

If Healy Screams is anyway involved with the Reform Alliance, they will never get my vote. They need to rethink their members.

Bead rattlers united............... she'll fit right in.

FouxDaFaFa · 21-01-2014 4:37pm

kodute wrote: »

Biggest scandal yet... that daft b*nt has littered my hallway with her Reform alliance nonsense. Paid for by the Seanad judging by the letter head, and she didn't put this in herself I assume, so wages were expensed to the tax payers.

Why is she sending me letters? You don't have a constituency nor do I need to be invited to this seanad reform BS. Stop haranguing me you unelected parasite of the state!

Here is the offending literature:http://imgur.com/jzVfw8y

She quoted Charles De Gaulle?

*dies laughing*

FrPhelimYoung · 21-01-2014 4:53pm

What's the "Galway West" nonsense in the header of the letter just below the harp?

Is there such a thing as a Seanad constituency???

Robbo · 21-01-2014 5:25pm

FrPhelimYoung wrote: »

What's the "Galway West" nonsense in the header of the letter just below the harp?

Is there such a thing as a Seanad constituency???

Not in any geographic sense unless you want to be pedantic and incorrect when describing the University constituencies.

Without investigating further, it doesn't seem to be the most legit use of Oireachtas stationary/postage. I suggest you send it onto Broadsheet and we get the ball rolling, because this is one internet lynchmob I'd love to get behind.

On the De Gaulle quote, from his Wiki:

Like her husband, Yvonne de Gaulle was a conservative Catholic, and campaigned against prostitution, the sale of pornography in newsstands and the televised display of nudity and sex, for which she earned the nickname "Tante ("Auntie") Yvonne." Later she unsuccessfully tried to persuade de Gaulle to outlaw miniskirts in France.

Seems like Madame De Gaulle and Fidelma are two peas in a pod.

Ash.J.Williams · 21-01-2014 5:31pm

get this up on broadsheet now

FouxDaFaFa · 21-01-2014 6:00pm

I fired off an email to her to see what the story is.

Haven't gotten one of these myself yet.

kodute · 21-01-2014 6:03pm

I asked some questions on twitter but unlikely to get a response!
Fire away on the broadsheet stuff sure. For this campaign there's no copyright on the picture

Robbo · 21-01-2014 6:23pm

kodute wrote: »

I asked some questions on twitter but unlikely to get a response!
Fire away on the broadsheet stuff sure. For this campaign there's no copyright on the picture

I note in St Fidelmas Letter to the Romans, she describes herself as an "Independent Oireachtas member" yet het Twitter page has FG logos in the background. Seems to be par for the course with the "Reform" Alliance lot, they'll exploit whatever they can from their former party affiliations but then declare themselves independent when it suits.

FrPhelimYoung · 21-01-2014 6:37pm

Robbo wrote: »

I note in St Fidelmas Letter to the Romans, she describes herself as an "Independent Oireachtas member" yet het Twitter page has FG logos in the background. Seems to be par for the course with the "Reform" Alliance lot, they'll exploit whatever they can from their former party affiliations but then declare themselves independent when it suits.

Just had quick look at her Twitter page and the background pic is gone!!! She must be reading this thread!!!! Howya Fidelma!!!!!!

kodute · 21-01-2014 6:42pm

FrPhelimYoung wrote: »

Just had quick look at her Twitter page and the background pic is gone!!! She must be reading this thread!!!! Howya Fidelma!!!!!!

Fidelma, if your reading this, reply to my twitter account! What about my pain and suffering?!

ronnie3585 · 21-01-2014 6:47pm

I still laugh at the fact that they called it the Reform Alliance.

H'up the RA!

(I don't actually support the RA, nordie and/or non nordie).

tayto lover · 21-01-2014 7:06pm

Healy Rae / Healy Eames = all the same.

FouxDaFaFa · 21-01-2014 7:48pm

Kodute, do you have the envelope it came in?

Does it have any branding on it?

FouxDaFaFa · 21-01-2014 9:10pm

She replied. She used Oireachtas money for printing and materials but not postage. (I wrote snarkily about it here).

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for your email.

Oireachtas members are allocated a certain amount of funding and printing facilities for political purposes.

This is to be used in conjunction w/ their parliamentary duties and work as a public representative.

It is a common practice by almost all Oireachtas members to interact with constituents and supply them with information.

Many politicians regularly use their headed notepaper to inform constituents of public meetings, of political events and government announcements/ news etc.

In relation to my letter drop, these invite letters were dropped by volunteers. No Oireachtas postage was used.

Kind regards,

Fidelma
________________________________

Robbo · 21-01-2014 9:30pm

Now that we have your attention Fidelma, is it kosher to use said allowances to hold yourself out as representing a constituency that never elected you (and never will) when the truth is you "represent" a non-geographic rotten borough?

Ash.J.Williams · 21-01-2014 9:53pm

It does not sit right with me that promoting a party such as the RA comes out of general senate expenditure.

mikom · 21-01-2014 9:55pm

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

She replied. She used Oireachtas money for printing and materials but not postage.

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for your email.

Oireachtas members are allocated a certain amount of funding and printing facilities for political purposes.

This is to be used in conjunction w/ their parliamentary duties and work as a public representative.

It is a common practice by almost all Oireachtas members to interact with constituents and supply them with information.

Many politicians regularly use their headed notepaper to inform constituents of public meetings, of political events and government announcements/ news etc.

In relation to my letter drop, these invite letters were dropped by volunteers. No Oireachtas postage was used.

Kind regards,

Fidelma

Seriously, who the fuck is volunteering for this wan.

connemara man · 21-01-2014 9:59pm

mikom wrote: »

Seriously, who the fuck is volunteering for this wan.

Family? The builder she used?

kodute · 21-01-2014 10:28pm

My problems with that reply:

1. She used Oireachtas funds to promote a group/event that is not a political party/Government announcement. That's like Enda sending out leaflets about dog ownership. Irrelevant and a gross misuse of government printing facilities.

2. She has no constituents as she was appointed by the Fine Gael parliamentary party. So she picked the constituency that has rejected her numerous times to do a letter drop on. Another waste of resources and time.

3. The cynic in me tells me this was a shameless self promotion event at a time when she has even less airtime in the media due to self inflicted party defection.

FouxDaFaFa · 21-01-2014 10:39pm

kodute wrote: »

My problems with that reply:

1. She used Oireachtas funds to promote a group/event that is not a political party/Government announcement. That's like Enda sending out leaflets about dog ownership. Irrelevant and a gross misuse of government printing facilities.

It's like Enda sending out leaflets about a dog grooming company which he is part-owner of.

Robbo · 24-01-2014 6:16pm

Shady goings on at the crowd who fund her "educational trips" but refuse to cooperate with SIPO.

FouxDaFaFa · 24-01-2014 6:26pm

Robbo wrote: »

Shady goings on at the crowd who fund her "educational trips" but refuse to cooperate with SIPO.

On foot of the US visit, the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) wrote to both Family and Life and the politicians involved inquiring whether the trip might need to be declared as a donation for political purposes.
According to a SIPO official, none of the politicians who responded stated that it was a political trip, while Family and Life has denied it is a political lobby group.

*expletives*

sean555 · 26-01-2014 12:08am

She's talking to God now.
https://www.facebook.com/GalwayAdvertiser

tipptom · 26-01-2014 2:26pm

sean555 wrote: »

She's talking to God now.
https://www.facebook.com/GalwayAdvertiser

And was quoting God yesterday at the conference"people get the history they deserve",but it is a Benjamin Franklin quote.

Presume she means that if we don't make her a politician and make her Thacherite abortion led party a goverment we deserve gods wrath.

Have to hand it to her,this multi election reject has a great way of latching on to the papers and publicity in her twin set and pearls.

Synode · 26-01-2014 2:43pm

sean555 wrote: »

She's talking to God now.
https://www.facebook.com/GalwayAdvertiser

What are we supposed to be looking at?

joeKel73 · 26-01-2014 7:41pm

Synode wrote: »

What are we supposed to be looking at?

https://www.facebook.com/GalwayAdvertiser/posts/10152172512191941?stream_ref=10

Mr_A · 27-01-2014 8:24pm

That the only other TDs or senators that joined them at their gathering were Mattie McGrath and Ronan Mullen probably tells you everything you need to know about the Reform Alliance.

27-01-2014 8:51pm

Mr_A wrote: »

Ronan Mullen

Saw him canvassing on Shop Street recently.

Fauxdelma Healy Eames

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHoI5Zum2ek

Kristopherus · 27-01-2014 8:55pm

sean555 wrote: »

She's talking to God now.
https://www.facebook.com/GalwayAdvertiser

Did He answer her back and tell her to go to Hell:D:D:D

snubbleste · 17-02-2014 4:44pm

Speaking in the Seanad about Gsocgate:
I was out and about in Galway yesterday and there is much public concern. While the appropriate word might not be “dodgy”, there is certainly a lot of doubt. Questions are being asked about what type of country we are living in and what type of culture this is. We thought we had gone away from that but serious doubts have been raised about penalty points and top-ups. All that is feeding into doubt.

Eh, kettle & pot