Fine Gael TD sues Dublin Hotel after falling off swing

CrankyHaus

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I still don't get this notion from some that Coveney is a far better candidate for leadership.. A man who has known ties to Bilderberg and the late Peter Sutherland.

It's as if we are so desperate that we'll latch on to almost anyone if they even only appear marginally better than what we have.

Coveney presents better to some people, though he doesn't really have the common touch. So political insiders assume he must be a higher quality candidate than (in their perception) grubby, spin obsessed Leo. Incidentally a friend did strategy for FF and he said they were all fairly relieved when Leo won the leadership.



There's also the Cork chauvinist "real capital" factor to consider, which burnishes the perception of any candidate from Cork (see Michael Martin). Josef Fritzl could run for party leadership and if he was a Corkman a lot of people from there would convince themselves that he was the best candidate and the jackeen opponent only got in because of the D4 media. They'd whip up a fair amount of Munster behind them in this too.

Loafing Oaf

CrankyHaus wrote: »

Coveney presents better to some people, though he doesn't really have the common touch. So political insiders assume he must be a higher quality candidate than (in their perception) grubby, spin obsessed Leo. Incidentally a friend did strategy for FF and he said they were all fairly relieved when Leo won the leadership.

I'm surprised at that; I would have thought other parties would have feared Leo as the 'Heineken candidate' and regarded Coveney as the epitome of the dull, dutiful party man. Even if they see Coveney as a figure of more substance, I don't see why opposition party strategists would think that would translate into a stronger appeal to voters, which is presumably what they are primarily concerned about.

tototoe

Personally, it matters not whether it's Leo or coveney. They are both FG, and it is them I want to see the back of. The sooner they are sent back to the opposition benches the better. Swinging bailey is just one of many many reasons for FG to get the heave-ho. I never thought I could hate a political party more than FF, but here we are.

is_that_so

tototoe wrote: »

Personally, it matters not whether it's Leo or coveney. They are both FG, and it is them I want to see the back of. The sooner they are sent back to the opposition benches the better. Swinging bailey is just one of many many reasons for FG to get the heave-ho. I never thought I could hate a political party more than FF, but here we are.

Just to prepare you - that may not happen as you hope. A continuation of the current arrangement but with the actors swapping places is a good possibility.

tototoe

is_that_so wrote: »

Just to prepare you - that may not happen as you hope. A continuation of the current arrangement but with the actors swapping places is a good possibility.

Personally don't think so. FF would be murdered if that happens FG would be happy enough, but can't see FF party members going with that. The Brexit excuse is the only thing holding it together at the moment.

is_that_so

tototoe wrote: »

Personally don't think so. FF would be murdered if that happens FG would be happy enough, but can't see FF party members going with that. The Brexit excuse is the only thing holding it together at the moment.

Varadkar has already stated he's not against the idea. Remember they were the original supply and confidence party via the Tallaght Strategy. As for FF well they still need to behave themselves. They are a long way off full rehabilitation and voters don't seem to mind maintaining the current distribution of support. Ultimately a call on it will depend on how many can be signed up for government.

tototoe

is_that_so wrote: »

Varadkar has already stated he's not against the idea.

For sure, because he knows what's coming.

As for FF, their traditional vote is still there whether people admit or not. Says an awful lot.about FG that they didn't bury them when they could have.

James Brown

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

As I've said many times before, that is in fact FG's role in Irish politics.

- act as a protest vote when FF lose the run of themselves. Never elected on their own merits
- prove to be even worse in Government as we've seen yet again this time out
- make FF electable again

Rinse and repeat.

Keeps the Shinners and the Trots out, ensures there's ever only FF/FG on top.

ToBeFrank123

If Leo is spin and image obsessed, he needs to sack his advisers.

He's come out looking brutal on a spate of issues now.

James Brown

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

If Leo is spin and image obsessed, he needs to sack his advisers.

He's come out looking brutal on a spate of issues now.

Hi oh...

tayto lover

FF and FG.
Zig and Zag.

JohnnyFlash

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Keeps the Shinners and the Trots out, ensures there's ever only FF/FG on top.

The people vote the parties they want to. It’s a democracy, Matt. Most people just don’t buy the hopium that the Trots and the Shinners are trying to sell them. That’s the reality, lad.

James Brown

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The people vote the parties they want to. It’s a democracy, Matt. Most people just don’t buy the hopium that the Trots and the Shinners are trying to sell them. That’s the reality, lad.

'tis son. Do you think Fine Gael bringing the party, Fianna Fail, that had us 'practically eating out of bins' back to the power table and raising their profile in the process was best for Ireland or merely politically expedient for Fine Gael?
Do you think if FG took on another party/parties we might see them in competition for maybe the second spot over and above FF, who FG repeatedly told us bankrupted the country?

Snow Garden

Coveney inherited his seat from his father. I don't see he has achieved anything of note in his political career.
I thought he was an awful Minister for Agriculture. A waffler.

Loafing Oaf

Snow Garden wrote: »

Coveney inherited his seat from his father. I don't see he has achieved anything of note in his political career.
I thought he was an awful Minister for Agriculture. A waffler.

I find it hard to see why he emerged as a leadership runner, other than by managing the neat trick of being round for a long time while still being fairly young. In the leadership contest you could see him struggling to generate any sort of excitement, just the epitome of a grey technocrat.

EmmetSpiceland

Bump.

Ash.J.Williams

Snow Garden wrote: »

Coveney inherited his seat from his father. I don't see he has achieved anything of note in his political career.
I thought he was an awful Minister for Agriculture. A waffler.

He wore a parka jacket in school...then he turned his life around

EmmetSpiceland

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

He wore a parka jacket in school...then he turned his life around

He sailed around the world first, didn’t he?

McMurphy

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Bump.

Ash.J.Williams

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

He sailed around the world first, didn’t he?

That sounds like something you'd do after wearing parka and need saving?

Portsalon

tototoe wrote: »

As for FF, their traditional vote is still there whether people admit or not. Says an awful lot about FG that they didn't bury them when they could have.

Not as easy as it sounds, unfortunately.

Having screwed the economy, emptied the national coffers and committed us to massive amounts of Sovereign debt, FF quit the stage and left it to the incoming government to pick up the pieces and implement the savage cuts required by the Troika.

Then, with Cowen exiled to Offaly, Ahern sulking in Drumcondra, Brian Lenihan dead and the Greens decimated, FF under a squeaky clean new-ish leader, could sit back on the opposition benches and watch with scarcely concealed glee as FG and Labour tried to sort out the mess that they had inherited from FF/Greens.

By the time the next election came around the voters were so pissed off with Enda and - rather unfairly - Labour; especially over things like Property Tax and the water charges fiasco - that FF was given a bit of a free pass. We ended up with a hung Dail and FF were then able to reclaim some moral authority by agreeing to support a minority FG administration.

And, the longer that the minority FG administration remains in power, making a b0llocks of many things, and damaged from within by the greed of vermin like Bailey and Farrell the easier it will become for FF to regain power.

Snow Garden

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

He sailed around the world first, didn’t he?

Why did he get expelled from Clongowes?

He was expelled from the college in Transition Year and completed his secondary school education in Presentation Brothers College, Cork.

KrustyUCC

We have to end Cork's Compo culture warns Cork On Ice boss

Businesses are going to the wall, consumers are facing higher prices and sky-high claims hurt us all



It is heartening to see the impact that the Maria Bailey case has had on public opinion. However, the fact that she has not resigned says a lot about the political class in this country. “Brazen it out and it will blow over”.

It might have if it wasn’t for the fact that we are in the midst of an insurance crisis that it rapidly becoming a societal crisis. We are the same people that led the world by banning smoking in the workplace and doing away with plastic bags that were crippling the natural beauty of our countryside. Surely we can deal with the Compo Culture that now afflicts us and threatens the very fabric of our society?

https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/end-corks-compo-culture-warns-16931332

tayto lover

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

He wore a parka jacket in school...then he turned his life around

What? Did he wear it inside out?

Portsalon

Snow Garden wrote: »

Why did he get expelled from Clongowes?

In a radio interview, he admitted he "went off the rails" in the prestigious college and was expelled after running away to a beach party he had organised in Dublin Bay that no-one turned up to.

He had earlier been suspended for drinking.

_Kaiser_

KrustyUCC wrote: »

It might have if it wasn’t for the fact that we are in the midst of an insurance crisis that it rapidly becoming a societal crisis. We are the same people that led the world by banning smoking in the workplace and doing away with plastic bags that were crippling the natural beauty of our countryside. Surely we can deal with the Compo Culture that now afflicts us and threatens the very fabric of our society?

I agree with the general sentiment (noting that plastic bags haven't gone away, they're just taxed now), but I hate phraseology like that - "look at us, aren't we soooo good everyone! Yay for Ireland taking a stand on trendy issues!" :rolleyes:

It's been used numerous times though by the FG government(s) to distract from their inaction on far more damaging concerns like insurance costs and claims, healthcare and waiting lists, housing and rent costs, Garda effectiveness and corruption and so on and so forth... there have been MANY examples over the last 8 years (which is why I also don't buy the attempt to rewrite history as FG as the poor punished saviours put forward by Portsalon above).

Don't get me wrong... both the examples you cite are good things, but in the overall scheme of it, not really the top priorities of issues we face really!

EmmetSpiceland

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Muahahaha

Portsalon wrote: »

And, the longer that the minority FG administration remains in power, making a b0llocks of many things, and damaged from within by the greed of vermin like Bailey and Farrell the easier it will become for FF to regain power.

Fine Gael have literally made FF electable again. Whats even worse is when you take a look at the FF front bench, there is hardly a shred of talent between them. Next May we are looking at the following scenario-

Tanaiste - Dara Calleary
Minister for Finance- Michael McGrath (if he's not too busy looking for MILF porn
Minister for Agriculture- Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Public Expenditure- Barry Cowen
Minister for Defence- Jack Chambers
Minister for Foreign Affairs- Niall Collinns
Minister for Communications- Dimmy Tooley

When put in context and the opportunity that Fine Gael once had it is a spectacular own goal that they are soon going to put that bunch of misfits into power.

KrustyUCC

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I agree with the general sentiment (noting that plastic bags haven't gone away, they're just taxed now), but I hate phraseology like that - "look at us, aren't we soooo good everyone! Yay for Ireland taking a stand on trendy issues!" :rolleyes:

It's been used numerous times though by the FG government(s) to distract from their inaction on far more damaging concerns like insurance costs and claims, healthcare and waiting lists, housing and rent costs, Garda effectiveness and corruption and so on and so forth... there have been MANY examples over the last 8 years (which is why I also don't buy the attempt to rewrite history as FG as the poor punished saviours put forward by Portsalon above).

Don't get me wrong... both the examples you cite are good things, but in the overall scheme of it, not really the top priorities of issues we face really!

I can't disagree with you

I was just quoting the article though

Portsalon

Muahahaha wrote: »

Fine Gael have literally made FF electable again. Whats even worse is when you take a look at the FF front bench, there is hardly a shred of talent between them. Next May we are looking at the following scenario-

Tanaiste - Dara Calleary
Minister for Finance- Michael McGrath (if he's not too busy looking for MILF porn
Minister for Agriculture- Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Public Expenditure- Barry Cowen
Minister for Defence- Jack Chambers
Minister for Foreign Affairs- Niall Collins
Minister for Communications- Dimmy Tooley

When put in context and the opportunity that Fine Gael once had it is a spectacular own goal that they are soon going to put that bunch of misfits into power.

Scary right enough. So where would you put Dillie O'Wee in Meehael's Cabinet of all the Talents!

The way that he's been verbally scattering social welfare increases around like snuff at a wake, I pray to Allah that he doesn't get Social Welfare.

Justice is a possibility - he's both a qualified barrister and an expert perjurer so has most of the talents required. Although I suspect that Miriam's brother Jim - the part time TD who earns a fortune in the Four Courts after dropping into the Dail to sign in - is a better bet.