The Healy Raes

Poor_old_gill

I’m a Kerryman and find them to be an embarrassment on a national level who are chancers in terms of expense claiming, etc.

However I will say that they do phenomenal work at a local level and help out with all kinds of fund raisers and I do genuinely believe them when they say that they are working crazy hours. Added to that is the fact that all TDs seem to fleece the system for expenses and they are thus just going along with the statue quo.

The issue is that we are too small a country to have a proper division between local and national government.

They are probably the best local politicians by some distance and 2 of the least competent on a national level. However the votes are taken at a local level so they are golden

suicide_circus

The Healy-Rae's could murder the first born son of every Kerryman and still get voted in.

Edgware

goose2005 wrote: »

what a ridiculous statement. Shane Ross is pilloried for favouring his own constituency. And not all politics is local; our problems are national and global in scope and require solutions on those levels.

Its not ridiculous and if you think our crowd of donkeys are capable of thinking globally you are in cloud cuckoo land. Their first reaction to changes in carbon tax is " how will it impact my constituents in rural Ireland or some oul wans in a tenement in inner city Dublin.

Poor_old_gill

suicide_circus wrote: »

The Healy-Rae's could murder the first born son of every Kerryman and still get voted in.

You’ve a real comedic gift

mycro2013

The two boys will close ranks for a few days to regroup. Interest will fade and all will return to normal. Watch the headlines next week a diversionary story will be released to take the focus off the current topic. Classic media management. Nothing to see here .

Bellview

liosnagceann75 wrote: »

Answer your phone Michael. Today fm and Matt Cooper have a few questions for you

At a chip shop opening :-)

tawnyowl

doolox wrote: »

The Healey Raes are TD's. representatives of what is going on in rural Ireland in remote locations to this day. Most representatives like to put it out the drink driving does not happen in rural areas and that most people driving around at 2 in the morning are cold stone sober when in fact the truth is that many people in remote rural areas are driving around with at least 2-3 pints in their system with very little chance of being caught.

A lot of virtue signalling is going on with most rural TD's who are too scared of urban opinion to speak up and admit that many of their rural constituents have a few pints and drive home on a regular basis. They now face very stiff penalties and certain disqualification for now doing so. Most remote pubs are gone by now because of the impossibility of doing business in the face of such draconian laws against any form of drink driving.

This isn't an urban vs rural issue - anyone driving should be in control of their vehicle. Drunk drivers aren't - research has consistently shown that increasing blood alcohol levels slows reaction times. The injuries sustained are no lesser if someone is hit by a drunk driver in Kerry than in Dublin.

The safety people won't stop there.

There are already plans afoot to legislate against walking on the public road while drunk, at levels similar to the levels used in DUI laws.

Also laws against the use of bicycles while drunk can mean you can lose your driving licence while using a bicycle under the influence if you are foolish enough to produce your licence as ID, use something else to establish ID.

Once the safety people get started they will not stop until a curfew is practically imposed on all entertainment taking place outside a persons house.
lacking public transport or taxis many rural areas will become no go zones with people prohibited from walking, cycling or driving home.

For whatever ulterior reason the Healey Raes are at least honestly representing the concerns of at least some of their voting supporters something many TD's from other rural areas of the country are silent about for fear of arising the ire of the safety lobby.

What about the families of people injured or killed by drunk drivers - do they get represented?

I wonder will the Irish State have to revisit this issue in the future when a flood of licences are taken off people and jobs lost in the very same rural areas from lack of alternative transport to the private car? Opting for immediate disqualification on a first offence is too strict in my opinion.

Or people could do the responsible thing and stay under the limit when driving?

BalcombeSt4

riemann wrote: »

Surely a walking argument against democracy?

I don't think I've ever heard any of them say anything that displayed any kind of education or knowledge on a subject.

The amount of air time they get is scandalous.

Why? Do they go around telling people about how flawed they believe democracy to be?

Are they big Socrates fans?

It's debatable if we even have a democracy at the moment. Even if anything they highlight the weakness parliamentary democracy.

blinding

I an surprised that the Healy Raes don’t get involved in the whole Self Driving Car Phenomom .

Getting dropped home by a self driving ‘ Healy Rae Bandit “ may well be part of all our futures .

blinding

BalcombeSt4 wrote: »

Why? Do they go around telling people about how flawed they believe democracy to be?

Are they big Socrates fans?

It's debatable if we even have a democracy at the moment. Even if anything they highlight the weakness parliamentary democracy.

Our TD's by their Actions is that they both Show and Know that we are not living in a Democracy . If we were surely our TD's would not treat Democracy with such Contempt .

salmocab

tawnyowl wrote: »

This isn't an urban vs rural issue - anyone driving should be in control of their vehicle. Drunk drivers aren't - research has consistently shown that increasing blood alcohol levels slows reaction times. The injuries sustained are no lesser if someone is hit by a drunk driver in Kerry than in Dublin.


What about the families of people injured or killed by drunk drivers - do they get represented?

Or people could do the responsible thing and stay under the limit when driving?

This is part of the HR genius they’ve made a living off us and them, they create a feeling that rural Ireland is under threat from the rest of the country and people laud them for their nonsense. People voting on these local issues is why we don’t have effective government, it happens all over the country.

Wanderer78

salmocab wrote:

This is part of the HR genius they’ve made a living off us and them, they create a feeling that rural Ireland is under threat from the rest of the country and people laud them for their nonsense. People voting on these local issues is why we don’t have effective government, it happens all over the country.

HR and genius! You ve lost me there

salmocab

Wanderer78 wrote: »

HR and genius! You ve lost me there

Look whatever people think of them they are a shrewd lot, I’ve no doubt they work hard and do great work for Kerry. They peddle an us and them agenda and it works for them very well, unfortunately it doesn’t work for the country as we have a dail full of county councillors pushing minority agendas.

mycro2013

Pure and simple, they're cowboys Ted.

blinding

Surely a Healy Rae as Taoiseach after Leo would just be Diversity working its way through the System .

Water John

Whatever about drink driving, you definitely shouldn't go feeding a cross cow when you're flutered, MHR.

Wanderer78

blinding wrote: »

Surely a Healy Rae as Taoiseach after Leo would just be Diversity working its way through the System .

i dont know about diversity, but it would be a something working its way through

Bellview

Wanderer78 wrote: »

i dont know about diversity, but it would be a something working its way through

when the rumour had it MHR was offered the rural affairs minister .. he ran away as its easier be a hurler on the ditch complaining than on the field trying to do somthing

PopePalpatine

God forbid he might do something for someone outside d'Kingdom!

Rows Grower

So Micheal was in the Dail on the day in question and he can prove it. He’s some man for one man. A few posters on here left with egg on their face again.

Players gonna play and haters gonna hate.

Dank Janniels

Bellview wrote: »

when the rumour had it MHR was offered the rural affairs minister .. he ran away as its easier be a hurler on the ditch complaining than on the field trying to do somthing

I heard Dennis Naughten and Michael Fitzmaurice were both offered that role aswell but they both turned it down. Like surely Rural Affairs would be one of the top jobs since that was their platform they were elected on!

DeconSheridan

Oireachtas TV then they come on and its mute time for a coffee.

mikhail

Rows Grower wrote: »

So Micheal was in the Dail on the day in question and he can prove it. He’s some man for one man. A few posters on here left with egg on their face again.

Players gonna play and haters gonna hate.

He claims he arrived at 7 am, and left at 8 am for a burial in Kerry. Colour me skeptical. When a politician claims he can prove something but doesn't specify how, I am ... less than convinced.

Bellview

Dank Janniels wrote: »

I heard Dennis Naughten and Michael Fitzmaurice were both offered that role aswell but they both turned it down. Like surely Rural Affairs would be one of the top jobs since that was their platform they were elected on!

Naughten did join the gov but had to leave... fitzmaurice was in only to pull out due to turf.. MHR ducked from the start and preferred the shouting from the ditch.. or speeding down the M7 to a Funeral

Bellview

mikhail wrote: »

He claims he arrived at 7 am, and left at 8 am for a burial in Kerry. Colour me skeptical. When a politician claims he can prove something but doesn't specify how, I am ... less than convinced.

i'm sure there may be phone records to help him as he never seems to come off the phone..

blinding

The beauty of having Healy Raes as Taoiseach and President is that we will never run out of Healy Raes . An Interchangeable Healy Rae would alway be available .

We could then continue the Healy Rae Dynasty . This could save us a fortune on Democracy .

Poor_old_gill

blinding wrote: »

The beauty of having Healy Raes as Taoiseach and President is that we will never run out of Healy Raes . An Interchangeable Healy Rae would alway be available .

We could then continue the Healy Rae Dynasty . This could save us a fortune on Democracy .

Imagine the roads? The whole country would be 5 lane American style Freeways.

redarmyblues

Rows Grower wrote: »

So Micheal was in the Dail on the day in question and he can prove it. He’s some man for one man. A few posters on here left with egg on their face again.

Players gonna play and haters gonna hate.

Play the system like all the rest of the side of the road merchants.

Bellview

redarmyblues wrote: »

Play the system like all the rest of the side of the road merchants.

healy rae will keep it local alright... provide the truck diggers etc...

blinding

The Healy Raes are just a Symptom . All the Rest are the Disease .

Rows Grower

Book launch tonight, should be good craic.

marieholmfan

blinding wrote: »

The Healy Raes are just a Symptom . KERRY PEOPLE are the Disease .

Hello there I edited your quote to show what some people might say the real problem is.

Are you shocked?

Good!

The problem of course is not all Kerry people (but a significant proportion) nor is it only Kerry people ; this intense almost treasonous localism seems to be found everywhere except Kildare.

It is currently a game that only has upside and no downside.

I'm not sure why the political culture in Kildare is so much more mature than the rest of Ireland but I

Edgware

marieholmfan wrote: »

Hello there I edited your quote to show what some people might say the real problem is.

Are you shocked?

Good!

The problem of course is not all Kerry people (but a significant proportion) nor is it only Kerry people ; this intense almost treasonous localism seems to be found everywhere except Kildare.

It is currently a game that only has upside and no downside.

I'm not sure why the political culture in Kildare is so much more mature than the rest of Ireland but I

Ya. Mccreevey and Stagg really outshone the rest

blinding

Shouldn’t every constituency have a Healy Rae and all Rural One's all Healy Rae's TDs .

They are Treasures .

padd b1975

mikhail wrote: »

He claims he arrived at 7 am, and left at 8 am for a burial in Kerry. Colour me skeptical. When a politician claims he can prove something but doesn't specify how, I am ... less than convinced.

He claims to have mobile phone records and toll receipts.

blinding

padd b1975 wrote: »

He claims to have mobile phone records and toll receipts.

I imagine he’d have receipts alright , handy for claiming .

partyguinness

Bunch of pocket lining Me Feiners.

blinding

partyguinness wrote: »

Bunch of pocket lining Me Feiners.

As are all the TDs .

The Bollocks

The Healy Raes can ask my bollocks. A shower of shysters, drunkards and chancers. Piss off back to Kerry ye gobshytes.

partyguinness

The Healy Raes represent everything I detest about Parish Pump 'politics' in this country. The 'keep it in the family' parochial narrow little minds (I know they are not the first) only interested in maintaining their own little clan and building their own little empire in South Kerry (God help us).

They have absolutely nothing to offer in terms of expertise in running the country nationally or internationally- nothing.

cj maxx

partyguinness wrote: »

The Healy Raes represent everything I detest about Parish Pump 'politics' in this country. The 'keep it in the family' parochial narrow little minds (I know they are not the first) only interested in maintaining their own little clan and building their own little empire in South Kerry (God help us).

They have absolutely nothing to offer in terms of expertise in running the country nationally or internationally- nothing.

They'd make for a great sitcom though. Better ( or rather worse) than anything fr ted could come up with

blinding

Very Similar to the Baileys in Dublin . Though they appear to be able to Swing without a Claim .

partyguinness

cjmc wrote: »

They'd make for a great sitcom though. Better ( or rather worse) than anything fr ted could come up with

Subtitles at the ready.

blinding

cjmc wrote: »

They'd make for a great sitcom though. Better ( or rather worse) than anything fr ted could come up with

Father Ted meets the Healy Raes Meets Dail Eireann . Ya couldn’t make this stuff up .

SlowBlowin

Before I voted HR ALL the candidates came to visit me at home, that's how it works in South Kerry, dont know if the haters personally met every other candidate in their local election, maybe thats not unusual, I dont know ?

Anyway I asked them all the questions that were important to me, about local affairs and national.

I voted for the person who had the best answers and seemed the most caring, that was HR.

I am a scum you hate, but I don't see what I have done wrong ? I voted for the the person who was obviously the most knowledgeable about the matters that affect me, my family and the country I live in ?

I know every HR hater on here checks their car lights and tyre pressures, before every trip, like the book says, but personally I dont, likewise I have no issues of my TD not attending, and make an expensive long drive, if their vote wont make a difference, seems like commonsense to me, I never do a job that wont make any difference or yield any benefit.

And I do like the idea of the Healycopter, great name, but the HRs attend the important votes so I think it would be a waste of money.

jmayo

Anthracite wrote: »

If you are elected to the national legislature, you legislate for the nation. You don't draw money away from other areas that need it to buy votes.

It's democracy not working.

Ah complete bullshyte and totally unrealistic.

How the fook do you think politicians get reelected ?
Oh yeah they sit in the Dail and debate international foreign policy, Brexit and the national childrens hospital and Metro north.
No you look out for your own constituency and make sure you keep at least a fair chunk of your electorate somewhat happy.

Where the feck did the term pork barrel politics originate ?
It wasn't South Kerry or any other rural constituency in Ireland.

Zaph wrote: »

I think it's unfair of this thread to pick on the Healy-Raes when it could so easily have also included Mattie McGrath and Michael Lowry. A missed opportunity there OP.

Are we allowed mention the cosmopolitan urban politicians of Dublin such as Shane Ross, bertie ahern, or the people's favourite son Tony Gregory?

All very adept at the old local parish pump politics.

There is huge superiority complex at play by some when talking about likes of Healy Raes.
Yes they may sound like uneducated gobdaws and sometimes they may prove they aren't the smartest with such utterances as the one about climate change, but a fair amount of the time they feckin are speaking with some truth.

One example was the recent drink drive laws which dropped the limit from 80 to 50, which really is just about optics and probably tax collecting in some shape or form.
The much laughed at and derided Danny somehow had the cop on to ask a question the minister, the Dept intellectual bright sparks, the RSA etc couldn't answer and that was to provide stats as to how many accidents were caused by people between those drink limits.

AFAIK those stats have not been forthcoming even to this day.
I am open to correction if so.

If one of the intellectuals favourites, good old Ross, had his way there would be a zero limit which is totally fecking ridiculous.
But yet Healy Rae is the eejit.

Another much lauded politician of some of our cosmopolitan, no doubt environmentally consicous types, is none other than the one that recently thought it a good idea to reintroduce wolves to Ireland.
Yet the Healy-Raes are the butt of jokes from green voters.
Give us a fooking break.

partyguinness

Another beaut....Michael Lowery.

The troglodytes in Tipp North keep voting him in.

partyguinness

jmayo wrote: »

Ah complete bullshyte and totally unrealistic.

How the fook do you think politicians get reelected ?
Oh yeah they sit in the Dail and debate international foreign policy, Brexit and the national childrens hospital and Metro north.
No you look out for your own constituency and make sure you keep at least a fair chunk of your electorate somewhat happy.

Where the feck did the term pork barrel politics originate ?
It wasn't South Kerry or any other rural constituency in Ireland.



Are we allowed mention the cosmopolitan urban politicians of Dublin such as Shane Ross, bertie ahern, or the people's favourite son Tony Gregory?

All very adept at the old local parish pump politics.

There is huge superiority complex at play by some when talking about likes of Healy Raes.
Yes they may sound like uneducated gobdaws and sometimes they may prove they aren't the smartest with such utterances as the one about climate change, but a fair amount of the time they feckin are speaking with some truth.

One example was the recent drink drive laws which dropped the limit from 80 to 50, which really is just about optics and probably tax collecting in some shape or form.
The much laughed at and derided Danny somehow had the cop on to ask a question the minister, the Dept intellectual bright sparks, the RSA etc couldn't answer and that was to provide stats as to how many accidents were caused by people between those drink limits.

AFAIK those stats have not been forthcoming even to this day.
I am open to correction if so.

If one of the intellectuals favourites, good old Ross, had his way there would be a zero limit which is totally fecking ridiculous.
But yet Healy Rae is the eejit.

Another much lauded politician of some of our cosmopolitan, no doubt environmentally consicous types, is none other than the one that recently thought it a good idea to reintroduce wolves to Ireland.
Yet the Healy-Raes are the butt of jokes from green voters.
Give us a fooking break.

Good man. Stick it to the urban cosmopolitan elites with their lattes and yoga...and and their fancy edumaction.

Poor_old_gill

Any more questionable than Bertie, Haughey, Baileys, etc?

Its funny how it is usually portrayed as culchie gombeenism as everywhere as their share of questionable TD actions and that includes our urban areas.

Oasis1974

jmayo wrote: »

Ah complete bullshyte and totally unrealistic.

How the fook do you think politicians get reelected ?
Oh yeah they sit in the Dail and debate international foreign policy, Brexit and the national childrens hospital and Metro north.
No you look out for your own constituency and make sure you keep at least a fair chunk of your electorate somewhat happy.

Where the feck did the term pork barrel politics originate ?
It wasn't South Kerry or any other rural constituency in Ireland.



Are we allowed mention the cosmopolitan urban politicians of Dublin such as Shane Ross, bertie ahern, or the people's favourite son Tony Gregory?

All very adept at the old local parish pump politics.

There is huge superiority complex at play by some when talking about likes of Healy Raes.
Yes they may sound like uneducated gobdaws and sometimes they may prove they aren't the smartest with such utterances as the one about climate change, but a fair amount of the time they feckin are speaking with some truth.

One example was the recent drink drive laws which dropped the limit from 80 to 50, which really is just about optics and probably tax collecting in some shape or form.
The much laughed at and derided Danny somehow had the cop on to ask a question the minister, the Dept intellectual bright sparks, the RSA etc couldn't answer and that was to provide stats as to how many accidents were caused by people between those drink limits.

AFAIK those stats have not been forthcoming even to this day.
I am open to correction if so.

If one of the intellectuals favourites, good old Ross, had his way there would be a zero limit which is totally fecking ridiculous.
But yet Healy Rae is the eejit.

Another much lauded politician of some of our cosmopolitan, no doubt environmentally consicous types, is none other than the one that recently thought it a good idea to reintroduce wolves to Ireland.
Yet the Healy-Raes are the butt of jokes from green voters.
Give us a fooking break.

One of the brothers had a rant actually shouting in the Dail about 4 cattle being shot in Northern Ireland which turned out was for disease reasons. I mean his whole anger was driven at healthy cows been shot why is that man standing in the Dail saying this.