Very disappointed in Lucan TD's for not voting against Social Welfare Bill

Miss Lockhart

Heroditas wrote: »

Yep, she sure is but she keeps an awfully low profile.

Well it's just when you spoke of the TDs sticking to their patch and her not being around Lucan I was confused, because Lucan is her patch.

Tbh I'm not really sure I expect TDs to be active locally. I voted for them to do their jobs in the Dail not engage in parish pump politics - that's what councillors are for I suppose. They all have local clinics I can attend if I want to bring an issue to their attention.


On the issue of Keating, I've never been a fan and I lost any respect I had for him when he joined FG mid term having been elected as an independent, but I don't think it's right to harass anyone in their personal or family life over a work issue.

Eric The Great

As I initially brought this "story" to the Boards and having followed and read carefully the input and opinions of others I would like to finally give my own opinion.

Someone mentioned along the way that politicians of all hues will visit literally anywhere in the chase for the vote. They will laugh, shake hands, kiss babies and on occasion even buy pints for all and sundry, the last bit usually happening in PUBS .

This is usually all done to the background music of "That other shower (pick a party) have screwed you for the last 5 years, give me your vote, I'll sort it all out, no problems, sure, whatever you want, just call me, pop down to my clinic....are ya all right for a gargle???.

However once the vote has been cast, all that happy horse sh*t is immediately forgotten. Now we go to ground, follow the party whip, avoid the electorate at all costs and hope that by the time it comes around to need to speak to them again that they will have forgotten all your broken promises and gotten used to paying the stealth and not so stealth taxation imposed during your term.

But if a significant proportion of "the people" don't forget easily and you are kicked out, so what, you have already secured a monster pension and lined your pockets legally and in some cases not so legally and can waltz off into the sunset.

I believe in this case Deputy Keating showed a certain degree of political naivete.

This man is part of a government who are overseeing some of the most drastic, savage, unfair cut backs and tax increases, aimed primarily at the middle ground working man, in the history of this State.

This government by it's strategies, arrogance, bullying methods (think hogan, shatter, reilly), and relentless pursuit of more, more ,more from the middle ground have in fact added to the politicization of that group of people.

People are no longer prepared to accept everything that is thrown at them, with the usual "Ah sure what can we do about it" attitude of old.

You only have to look at the number of people turning up for the various anti government protest meetings being organized in towns and cities around the Country to see this.

It is in this growing climate of anti government sentiment that I believe Deputy Keating has shown his lack of party political awareness and understanding of today's electorate.

While most of the smarter operators were already gone to ground, Deputy Keating still assumed it would be ok to walk in to an archetypical working mans pub on a Friday evening and if not to be exactly welcomed as one of the lads, at least out of respect and courtesy no one would mention the "WAR".

Sorry, but those days of doffing the cap are long gone and any member of this government should expect to be questioned by the public (their employers), wherever and whenever they choose to show their faces.

According to some on here Deputy Keating should be able to go for a pint after "work" and be left alone, unfortunately the nature of his "work" is having such a detrimental effect on the lives of ordinary working men and women and their children that the chances of him being allowed this luxury are diminishing by the day.

emo72

nice post eric, and i wholeheartedly agree with your opinion. i just hope once our turn comes to vote again people dont vote for the same parties. FF/FG/LAB are the same party. If you cant stomach SF and i understand why people wont vote for them, well try vote for an independent or hopefully someone like "New Beginning" will start to become well known.

i sent him an email before christmas giving him a chance to explain his view, he still hasnt responded. theres no excuse. he is hiding. coward.

Miss Lockhart

emo72 wrote: »

nice post eric, and i wholeheartedly agree with your opinion. i just hope once our turn comes to vote again people dont vote for the same parties. FF/FG/LAB are the same party. If you cant stomach SF and i understand why people wont vote for them, well try vote for an independent or hopefully someone like "New Beginning" will start to become well known.

Keating was once held up as an alternative to the same old parties - an independent with integrity who fought for local issues. Until he turned his back on his supporters and joined FG mid term. It's really not that simple.

Anyway, I strongly disagree Eric that the likes of Keating should have to accept harrassment in their private life. He's a very small cog in a big wheel. He doesn't even have a portfolio. I mean, I personally can't stand FG and I definitely can't stand Keating, but I will never agree that harrassment and intimidation is the right way to deal with political discontent and I simply can't accept that enjoyment of your private life is a luxury.

emo72

hi miss lockhart. the fact that he is a small cog in a big wheel, isnt really a reason to absolve him. this thread is probably going to divide into 2 camps...those that abhor the thought of approaching them when they are spotted out and about, and those who feel compelled to say their piece.

id say traditionally irish people knew when to draw the line and knew not to approach anyone when they are out. unfortunately things have got so bad, people are feeling really angry and cant control their temper. these are strange times we live in. also bear in mind the property tax and water charges havent even kicked in. things are going to much much worse.

anyhow i did try to contact him through his website. didnt write anything foul or threatening. he didnt reply. why? is he hiding from us? so why would he be surprised if i try to have a word with him when i do see him.

Eric The Great

Miss Lockhart

What I actually said was:

"Sorry, but those days of doffing the cap are long gone and any member of this government should expect to be questioned by the public (their employers), wherever and whenever they choose to show their faces".

Nowhere, not once in any of my contributions did I ever mention that politicians should be fair game for abuse , intimidation, violence or the threat of such in their leisure time.

However, under this current regime, I can understand completely why people might want to ask some questions of their "elected" representatives in any forum open to them.

You can talk all you like about manners and decorum and queuing up outside their clinics on Saturday mornings.......the point is none, not a single one of this government of either party give a toss about what you or I think about them or their policies.

They will happily greet you in their comfort zone , as a King would a Serf and trot out the same old Bull*hit.....FF are to blame, the troika made us do it, the house charge was really for local services Blah Blah Blah. If you were to disagree with them on any level they would most likely have you removed if not arrested.

Contrary to what some on here may believe, it is eminently possible or at least should be, to ask a question and expect an honest answer in a PUB.

From what I heard the aggressor on the night in question was not the guy who initiated the conversation, a couple of simple questions requiring a couple of honest answers were all that were required....how does this amount to intimidation or threatening behaviour ?.

lord lucan

I got one of these leaflets a few weeks back and immediately threw it in the green bin. Great to see someone(the School Principal in this case) call Keating out on his waffle and BS.

http://www.gazettegroup.com/news/principal-blasts-keating-leaflet/

As an aside,William Lavelle is no better. He sent a glossy colour leaflet around 2/3 months ago with loads of pictures of him standing in buslanes/playgrounds/parks and crowing about his involvement in delivering this and facilitating that. They must think we're stupid!

starviewadams

The idiocy of Derek Keating strikes again!

http://www.herald.ie/news/tds-aide-hides-the-bad-news-29248901.html

The actual newspaper article has CCTV pictures of one of Keating's goons swiping bundles of the paper out of a shop in Lucan.

Fresh Pots

starviewadams wrote: »

The idiocy of Derek Keating strikes again!

http://www.herald.ie/news/tds-aide-hides-the-bad-news-29248901.html

The actual newspaper article has CCTV pictures of one of Keating's goons swiping bundles of the paper out of a shop in Lucan.

Haha brilliant, you wouldn't be able to scan the pics in would you?

starviewadams

Have no scanner unfortunately.The lad who was caught on CCTV removing the papers is named as Tommy Morris,Derek Keating's aide and former advisor to Gay Mitchell apparently.

Was Centra in Lucan 9am last Friday morning.

Wonder how many other shops in the constituency he visited that morning!

emo72

jesus christ. is this for real?

starviewadams

Here's the article :

https://twitter.com/horseymatilda/status/331863693778374656

Fresh Pots

What the article said about keating wouldn't surprise me at all, from what I've seen and heard in the past he's always turning up for the photo call of things he has nothing to do with.

Fair play to centras manager for giving the pictures to the paper.

stoneill

starviewadams wrote: »

Have no scanner unfortunately.The lad who was caught on CCTV removing the papers is named as Tommy Morris,Derek Keating's aide and former advisor to Gay Mitchell apparently.

Was Centra in Lucan 9am last Friday morning.

Wonder how many other shops in the constituency he visited that morning!

I remember him, Tommy Morris from Ballyfermot days- reminds me of Grima Wormtongue. Lackey of Gay Mitchell and before him Jim Mitchell.

starviewadams

Gardai are involved now as CCTV footage of Morris removing an estimated 3,000 copies of the paper from 2 other shops has emerged.What a clown.

http://www.gazettegroup.com/news/garda-inquiry-launched-after-removal-of-newspapers/

DainBramage

What an absolute tool.

emo72

DainBramage wrote: »

What an absolute tool.

The journal.ie started running this story tonight. He claims he knew nothing about it. It's possible! Anyway if he was hoping this would be forgotten, well its certainly gaining momentum now.

starviewadams

Was reported in The Guardian too:http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2013/may/08/free-newspapers-ireland

Larbre34

Disgraceful arrogant behaviour, tell everyone you know

Its long been a tradition of Irish politics for local glad-handers to claim credit for everything going on in their area when a lot of progress is despite them and not because of them. About time the reality of the situation was highlighted to constituents everywhere. Fair play to the school principal for calling him out on it, more people need to do that

Heroditas

I have to admit that I'm having a great laugh at this news article.
Whether Keating told that eejit to remove the papers or not, it's dealt him a massive blow mid-term to his chances of getting elected next time around.
Lavelle must be having a great chuckle at his expense as well. He'll fancy his chances next time around.

Funny how Keating made a big deal accusing his running mate during the election of undermining his campaign with the whole poster controversy yet his own lackie engages in something similar in terms of interference with information.
Someone's just been bitten very firmly in the arse.
Love it!

unkel

In the national newspapers too:

Indo

Irish Times

Go, Tomás

unkel

Heroditas wrote: »

Lavelle must be having a great chuckle at his expense as well.

I'd say you're right! Was at a local residents meeting a few years ago hosted by Lavelle (before the election just after Keating had joined FG). The chemistry coming from Lavelle towards Keating (also there although he had not been involved in organising the meetings on that issue at all) was less than friendly

Eric The Great

Tommy Morris has been a gofer for FG for a long time. As mentioned by one of the other posters on here earlier he has long ties to that shameful party through his association with the late Jim and later on his brother Happy Mitchell.

The Gardai have been called in to investigate the theft of the papers, although Deputy Keating was at pains to say that as the Gazette is a "free" paper, he did not believe that a crime had been committed.

He also said that he was absolutely horrified, aghast, taken aback, bewildered and overwhelmed (well words to that effect) by the behavior of his trusted and well remunerated minion and put it down to a possible rush of blood to the head.

He also took the opportunity to declare his firm belief that he had been wronged in the offending article, which is basically calling the School Principal a liar.

Deputy Keating has also vowed to "get to the bottom of it" and to that end has initiated an internal process review, hopefully this review will take place in private and not some PUB in Chapelizod.

To me, this farce is just an extension of the arrogant "we'll do what we like, when we like" attitude shown to the populace by the likes of Kenny, Hogan, Varadkar, O'Reilly, Shatter and their Labour Party lap dogs.

If I was one of the people who have spent good money advertising with the gazette I would strongly consider taking Mr Morris to court to compensate me for loss of potential earnings, reckon that would soften his cough!!

Eric The Great

For anyone interested, there is an article on page 2 and an open letter to Deputy Keating from Tomas O'Dulaing, Principal Griffeen ETNS on page 19 of the Lucan News dated 13/05.

Just thought I'd get that out there before Tommy Morris hears about it and the "free" papers go missing in action:-)

starviewadams

Got a letter through the door about him hosting a meeting in the Green Isle this Monday about the N7 upgrade,wonder will Tommy be there asking the audience to applaud Mr.Keating for no apparent reason like he did last time!