General Election 2020 - See MOD note in First Post

azimuth17

I have posted elsewhere that I went to collect a relation at UHW and drove through a daunting picket. My collected passenger told me they saw John Halligan with his wife in the hospital and that she is a patient. Politically i have no time for the man, but he should be allowed his privacy at this time, without being taunted here. This shows the folly of picketing all the hospital entrances. If UNITE want sympathy they should picket the main entrance only and leave the others free for people to come and go as they wish. This is a hospital for god's sake, facing up to a possible deadly pandemic.

Royal Legend

azimuth17 wrote: »

I have posted elsewhere that I went to collect a relation at UHW and drove through a daunting picket. My collected passenger told me they saw John Halligan with his wife in the hospital and that she is a patient. Politically i have no time for the man, but he should be allowed his privacy at this time, without being taunted here. This shows the folly of picketing all the hospital entrances. If UNITE want sympathy they should picket the main entrance only and leave the others free for people to come and go as they wish. This is a hospital for god's sake, facing up to a possible deadly pandemic.

I have no argument with John Halligan, but when it suited him he attached himself to trade union disputes both when he was a councillor and a TD. Its not that he crossed the picket, he is not involved, the grievance was that he did not stop the first day he went in and out of the hospital to show support to the workers, a lot of which would have voted for him previously. the second day he did stop and ask how the talks were going. Personally i would have sympathy for him as he is in a no win situation, but i am also aware he is after walking away from politics with a nice pension and no worries, based on a lot of people who voted for him who are standing on a picket line this week.

Max Powers

Royal Legend wrote: »

I have no argument with John Halligan, but when it suited him he attached himself to trade union disputes both when he was a councillor and a TD. Its not that he crossed the picket, he is not involved, the grievance was that he did not stop the first day he went in and out of the hospital to show support to the workers, a lot of which would have voted for him previously. the second day he did stop and ask how the talks were going. Personally i would have sympathy for him as he is in a no win situation, but i am also aware he is after walking away from politics with a nice pension and no worries, based on a lot of people who voted for him who are standing on a picket line this week.

You're going into a loved one in hospital and you think he should stop to say how's it going to strikers...for what, a useless gesture, utter nonsense. At least you corrected your 'crossed picket line' original comment. I'm constantly amazed by the complete lack of thought and balance in people's commentary.

robtri

Royal Legend wrote: »

This is an ex-workers party member, crossing a picket line without stopping and asking how things are going, something that he did rectify on Friday by the way.
a person in his position should have known better, you would not expect the general public to stop and ask, that's a different scenario altogether.

The Porters and Kitchen staff joined the action yesterday, but the HSE has taken out a high court injunction against them joining the picket with the threat of being sacked, the Porters and Kitchen staff are meeting on Monday to vote on their next action.
Momentum have brought in 60 staff from outside and are putting them up in a local hotel, they are also taking on other staff with no Garda vetting whatsoever.
Someone seriously needs to look into how Momentum got the contract in the first place, something that is been questioned and been investigated into in the background.
There is someone very senior and high up in the HSE in Waterford that has some serious questions to answer.

I dislike Halligan, but as you said "EX" member,
and he is visiting his sick partner, why would he stop and ask?? what good does that do to anyone.


i am not sure about what the actual reason is for strike, besides some changes to work practices, anyone know what they are.

Deleted ... as noted below.. apologies

Bards

robtri wrote: »

I dislike Halligan, but as you said "EX" member,
and he is visiting his sick partner, why would he stop and ask?? what good does that do to anyone.


i am not sure about what the actual reason is for strike, besides some changes to work practices, anyone know what they are.

interesting read
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/strike-at-waterford-hospital-escalates-1.238332

so while you give out about a company fulfilling its obligations, the members are stopping deliveries of life saving products to the hospital
and are resorting to criminal damage (i.e.throwing stones at vehicles)

and Waterford people wonder why Waterford has a bad reputation for strikes

That link is from 1999... 21 years ago

robtri

Bards wrote: »

That link is from 1999... 21 years ago

well then my apologies.... i was trying to find out what dispute was about
and this popped up as first result

91wx763

robtri wrote: »

well then my apologies.... i was trying to find out what dispute was about
and this popped up as first result

No need to apologise. ATGWU 1999 equals UNITE 2020.

friendlyfun

I honestly think these Cardiac Care campaigning groups should have never aligned themselves with political candidates. It has just become a vehicle for advancement.

debok

91wx763 wrote: »

No need to apologise. ATGWU 1999 equals UNITE 2020.

There was a need for apologies in fairness. Different incident so has absolutely nothing to do with anything happening in 2020. That's how rumours start

hardybuck

John Cummins has been elected to the Seanad.

DLS_75

😯

hardybuck

Seanad elections are weird, complicated and I don't fully understand the process.

However the lad just missed out on a Dail seat so he has a chance to prove himself at a national level now.

Gardner

there will be another General Election straight after the pandemic. No way is Leo going to do a deal with Martin the way the opinion polls are. it would be political suicide.

Wanderer78

Gardner wrote: »

there will be another General Election straight after the pandemic. No way is Leo going to do a deal with Martin the way the opinion polls are. it would be political suicide.

i can see a shared taoiseach roll for both of them, for as long as possible, neither party wants to give up power, and risk another election, i.e. i completely disagree

hardybuck

Wanderer78 wrote: »

i can see a shared taoiseach roll for both of them, for as long as possible, neither party wants to give up power, and risk another election, i.e. i completely disagree

Can't see any scenario where Leo isn't Taoiseach and Simon isn't Minister for Health for the foreseeable.

Wanderer78

hardybuck wrote:

Can't see any scenario where Leo isn't Taoiseach and Simon isn't Minister for Health for the foreseeable.

Yea I'd say you're probably right there, with Martin eventually stepping in, or possibly shared throughout the entirety of the life of the government, one thing for sure, ffg won't be giving up control anytime soon, if ever

hardybuck

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Yea I'd say you're probably right there, with Martin eventually stepping in, or possibly shared throughout the entirety of the life of the government, one thing for sure, ffg won't be giving up control anytime soon, if ever

It seems the two parties are going to agree a framework for a third party and independents to join.

Greens are at sixes and sevens. Their members are more activists than politicians, which is a doubled edged sword as they lack discipline. They're publicly holding out for a unity Government, but have been slapped down by FG and FF on that. I think they'll have a few resignations and maybe even a split before too long.

Labour have said they don't want to go in. Social Democrats the same. Neither FF or FG will work with SF, and I'd say SF are having sleepless nights thinking about having to go in.

So one of the smaller parties will need to get on board for the national interest and maybe that'll last another year so we can get through this, Brexit, and get another crisis budget over the line.

Wanderer78

hardybuck wrote:

Labour have said they don't want to go in. Social Democrats the same. Neither FF or FG will work with SF, and I'd say SF are having sleepless nights thinking about having to go in.

I'd say sf are fine, they were never really an option anyway, I can't ever see them getting in, ffg will make sure of that

Jamie2k9

Off topic but someone made the observation to me recently they felt David C has a cosy relationship with the local media and his focus now appears to be about funding local media though this crisis...convenient!

What do you all think?

I have been paying a little more attention recently and there was one day he was all over WLRFM and Beat news talking about the great work management at UHW were doing to increase capacity. Now those journalists could have gotten put such questions to the hospital themselves.

Its interesting that the same journalists completely ignore other SF candidates in Kilkenny/Wexford on there local issues pluse our local Green Party candidate has gone into hibernation lately.

As most know I am not a SF supporter but he appears to be on every bandwagon on local news. Do our journalists not bother reaching out to all our elected TDs?

AdMMM

I think David has probably been the better of all the recent TDs at being responsive to the media and also with issuing press releases to actually provide a story. Now when the media want a quote from a politician, they just call David because he's guaranteed to have a comment quickly. Of course it could be argued that if the journalists were to do their job, they'd try balance their coverage.

It's definitely odd to see news and announcements being slammed by "opposition TD David Cullinane" rather than being reported on. Seems they get a quote from him for everything!

azimuth17

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Off topic but someone made the observation to me recently they felt David C has a cosy relationship with the local media and his focus now appears to be about funding local media though this crisis...convenient!

What do you all think?

I have been paying a little more attention recently and there was one day he was all over WLRFM and Beat news talking about the great work management at UHW were doing to increase capacity. Now those journalists could have gotten put such questions to the hospital themselves.

Its interesting that the same journalists completely ignore other SF candidates in Kilkenny/Wexford on there local issues pluse our local Green Party candidate has gone into hibernation lately.

As most know I am not a SF supporter but he appears to be on every bandwagon on local news. Do our journalists not bother reaching out to all our elected TDs?

Have felt exactly the same. Every WLR news bulletin seems to say "A local TD says" (eg David Cullinane) and then gives an update from hospital management. Either Liz Reddy is an SF supporter or UHW management cannot comment independently on the COV crisis, with everything being rerouted through Cork spokespeople. Using Cullinane as a, dare I say it, mouthpiece, suits all parties. UHW position and developments gets to WLR as "news" for Liz Reddy and David Cullinane gets public profile. Wonder what other TDs think of it?

Jamie2k9

He was whinging again today on local radio about been excluded from talks by FG and FF.

Did our regional journalists both to ask are SF still holding discussions with SD, GP, PBP, Rise, Labour or Independents...

Imreoir2

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

He was whinging again today on local radio about been excluded from talks by FG and FF.

Did our regional journalists both to ask are SF still holding discussions with SD, GP, PBP, Rise, Labour or Independents...

They are not. A left government is not going to happen, the numbers just are not there to make it possible.

curmudgeonly

Imreoir2 wrote: »

They are not. A left government is not going to happen, the numbers just are not there to make it possible.

But But but the people voted......
yawn

Wanderer78

curmudgeonly wrote: »

But But but the people voted......
yawn

only a fraction of the people, such as myself, voted for change, a large, possibly larger proportion, more or less said they were happy enough, so thats what we re gonna get

hardybuck

People voted who they voted for. The result is that FF are the biggest, SF second and FG third. That's about all we can factually say about what they did, saying the people voted for change is presumptuous and inaccurate.

It suits SF that neither FF or FG want to work with them - it gives them further opportunity to hurl from the ditch.

However, the more this goes on, and the more the smaller parties shy away from getting involved, another general becomes increasingly likely. We'd almost certainly get a different result based upon opinion poll figures at present.

BBM77

hardybuck wrote: »

People voted who they voted for. The result is that FF are the biggest, SF second and FG third. That's about all we can factually say about what they did, saying the people voted for change is presumptuous and inaccurate.

It suits SF that neither FF or FG want to work with them - it gives them further opportunity to hurl from the ditch.

However, the more this goes on, and the more the smaller parties shy away from getting involved, another general becomes increasingly likely. We'd almost certainly get a different result based upon opinion poll figures at present.

Think people who voted for SF have seen the light a bit since the election. The pandemic has only heightened this. With SF virtually disappearing when a crisis arose along with the terrible performance in dealing with the pandemic by other populist leaders like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. It has shown them all up to be the empty vessels they are.

Wanderer78

BBM77 wrote: »

Think people who voted for SF have seen the light a bit since the election. The pandemic has only heightened this. With SF virtually disappearing when a crisis arose along with the terrible performance in dealing with the pandemic by other populist leaders like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. It has shown them all up to be the empty vessels they are.

alternatives may never have a chance of governance with parties such as ffg

hardybuck

Wanderer78 wrote: »

alternatives may never have a chance of governance with parties such as ffg

I think they'll have plenty - Labour, Social Democrats, Greens and independents all have a shot at Government now if they want it. However none of them want it.

We'll have coalition Governments for many years to come.

Wanderer78

hardybuck wrote: »

I think they'll have plenty - Labour, Social Democrats, Greens and independents all have a shot at Government now if they want it. However none of them want it.

We'll have coalition Governments for many years to come.

i disagree, i believe ffg will continue to block alternatives, possibly indefinitely, i think its gonna be interesting to watch them move slightly to the left on somethings going forward, particularly economically