Paid speeches

Sh1tbag OToole

If you have a spare $300,000 USD laying around the place it is supposedly possible (at least in theory) to get Bill Clinton over to your event and make a speech. Your event can be anything from a debaucherous party of rich kids or some very serious climate change conference filled with wealthy South Dubliners with a few bob to spend on subsidised windmills, and Bill should at least in theory show up, make his speech (on anything you want), take his money and feck off.

But why in the almighty feck would someone pay for such a service and why would anyone listen to what he has to say, since its public knowledge you can get Bill over to utter a few sentences in return for a wad of cash? If you get Bill over to make a speech at your windmill conference he's not going to tell everyone there to invest in diesel generators instead or he'd soon find his source of handy money drying up.

An even more laughable practice is that of the local TD charging a 2,000e appearance fee to cut a ribbon at the local school that was built using public funds and commissioned by himself. Does anyone go home and say "I had a really great day because Johnny Bollix TD Cllr. showed up and cut the ribbon instead of one of the local 5 year olds"?

osarusan

I remember Bertie going round the place giving paid speeches on how other countries could replicate the Celtic Tiger. He was giving one in some South American country on the very day that we formally applied for/got our bailout (forget which one it was).

Well worth the money I'm sure.

Mr. CooL ICE

I've introduced Guns n Roses before. Nice bit of a money earner. Plus I'm allowed get pissed beforehand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ShM4r-vu8

Senna

What TD got paid an appearance fee for a school opening? Don't chat sh1te.

Sh1tbag OToole

Senna wrote: »

What TD got paid an appearance fee for a school opening? Don't chat sh1te.

Micheal Martin and the rest of the FF clan. It wouldn't have to be a whole school, could be just a new extension

Fleawuss

The publicity of having slippery Bill appearing will be enormous. Front page pic on the papers. RTE news coverage: drooling by the great and good and the crooked as well. Plus you share in the ahem, after glow.

ScumLord

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

Micheal Martin and the rest of the FF clan. It wouldn't have to be a whole school, could be just a new extension

Where did a public school get the money to pay, and why weren't there a dozen politicians falling over themselves for the free publicity?

If that happened then the people running the school are as much to blaim.

KomradeBishop

It's just a legal way of engaging in bribery really.

They are kickbacks with the aim of getting political help - the actual speech has nothing to do with it, it's the equivalent of paying someone a quarter of a million for a mars bar - it's trying to legitimise it as a transaction, rather than a bribe.

Sh1tbag OToole

ScumLord wrote: »

Where did a public school get the money to pay, and why weren't there a dozen politicians falling over themselves for the free publicity?

If that happened then the people running the school are as much to blaim.

""Voluntary"" ""donations"" by the parents to the board of management.

darkpagandeath

Anyone else get one of these... :pac::pac::pac:

The_Valeyard

osarusan wrote: »

I remember Bertie going round the place giving paid speeches on how other countries could replicate the Celtic Tiger. He was giving one in some South American country on the very day that we formally applied for/got our bailout (forget which one it was).

Well worth the money I'm sure.

Could be actually. Just rename it "Do not do, what this guys says or did"

ScumLord

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

""Voluntary"" ""donations"" by the parents to the board of management.

Is there a news report of this or is it just rumor?

Slydice

Imagine if it was about collecting on corruption...

Politician scratches someones back but can't be seen to collect bribe..

Politician retires..

Politician amazed by dazzling success in new career giving speeches in foreign countries..

Imagine

PARlance

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

If you have a spare $300,000 USD laying around the place it is supposedly possible (at least in theory) to get Bill Clinton over to your event and make a speech. Your event can be anything from a debaucherous party of rich kids or some very serious climate change conference filled with wealthy South Dubliners with a few bob to spend on subsidised windmills, and Bill should at least in theory show up, make his speech (on anything you want), take his money and feck off.

But why in the almighty feck would someone pay for such a service and why would anyone listen to what he has to say, since its public knowledge you can get Bill over to utter a few sentences in return for a wad of cash? If you get Bill over to make a speech at your windmill conference he's not going to tell everyone there to invest in diesel generators instead or he'd soon find his source of handy money drying up.

An even more laughable practice is that of the local TD charging a 2,000e appearance fee to cut a ribbon at the local school that was built using public funds and commissioned by himself. Does anyone go home and say "I had a really great day because Johnny Bollix TD Cllr. showed up and cut the ribbon instead of one of the local 5 year olds"?

William's rate was a little less a few years ago. Made payable to his charity. I had dinner with him and a few (hundred) others. I'm neither a rich kid nor a South Sider but his speech was excellent. Maybe not hundreds of thousand excellent but it cost me nothing to attend. Plenty of wealthy business people in the room helped foot the Bill.

Eugene Norman

PARlance wrote: »

William's rate was a little less a few years ago. Made payable to his charity. I had dinner with him and a few (hundred) others. I'm neither a rich kid nor a South Sider but his speech was excellent. Maybe not hundreds of thousand excellent but it cost me nothing to attend. Plenty of wealthy business people in the room helped foot the Bill.

What, they kicked him?

Eugene Norman

I think this is all a ludicrous expense and I think Clinton is a sham, but he's one of the most impressive speech makers of his generation. Much better than Obama, Cameron, or any world leader I can think of.

the groutch

a FF TD would turn up for the opening of a packet of crisps if they're getting paid enough.

Eugene Norman

the groutch wrote: »

a FF TD would turn up for the opening of a packet of crisps if they're getting paid enough.

I dont think TDs or councilors are paid for speeches. They might get a free dinner.

PARlance

Eugene Norman wrote: »

What, they kicked him?

Cheque, mate.

Jb1989

We all know the first line of the speech he would use at your function..

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman"

Annasopra

osarusan wrote: »

I remember Bertie going round the place giving paid speeches on how other countries could replicate the Celtic Tiger. He was giving one in some South American country on the very day that we formally applied for/got our bailout (forget which one it was).

Well worth the money I'm sure.

Bertie still does gigs

everlast75

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Bertie still does gigs

Like hiding in a cupboard for a sleazy newspaper advert, the little loathsome snake

c_man

the groutch wrote: »

a FF TD would turn up for the opening of a packet of crisps if they're getting paid enough.

Yeah but they'd be annoying you for some of the pack for themselves.