FF/FG/Green Government - Part 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120071409#Comment_120071409

She was very strong on the RTE drive time program the other day too, had all the answers, somebody should make her minister for health. :-)

But seriously. It's not exactly difficult to give a government TD a good flaking over health in the 1st week of January most years.

Cluedo Monopoly

Check out the section of the 6 News where it shows all the health ministers that promised to fix the trolley crisis and waiting lists down the years. Mostly FG ones. Priceless segment. And then they cut to Donnelly who spoofed.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120075397#Comment_120075397

I see it was reported yesterday that speeches Donnelly used to make on the trolley crisis being entirely predictable have been removed from the Fianna Fáil website.

You'd have to wonder what the point of deleting them is when they are available on other sources.

If he's embarrassed by it or worried about being caught out maybe he could do something to resolve the trolley crisis (in general, rather than just this week's edition of it).

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074372#Comment_120074372

Isn't that the problem? Government ministers trying to blame covid, flu, rsv or anything but their own policies?

As you rightly point out this is entirely predictable.

Trolley watch began in 2004. The media are rightly pointing to the various utterances of members of the government parties in the intervening years about ending the trolley crisis.

All three parties in the current coalition have been in government for various amounts of time over that period.

When this eventually drops from the headlines, which it will like all other things, we will still be left with a health service that still relies on hundreds of people being treated on trollies everyday. This has been normalised by various ministers for health, including the current Taoiseach, and its only getting attention because of the record numbers.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077412#Comment_120077412

If you listen to the rhetoric from the different FFG ministers they all seem to put blame on some 'legacy' and try and deflect the crisis to past mistakes but they wont specifically call out who made those mistakes or what they are. It's all very cloudy and spoofy. It's extremely dishonest when all the experts say it's a capacity issue. Then the FFG ministers will talk about the winter plan blah blah. The plan failed at the first hurdle (surprise surprise) and they knew what was coming, they knew. The data from Australia suggested it was going to be a big flu season. They are absolute muppets and they think they can BS their way out of this one but the mood amongst the public has changed. There is a lot of anger out there at this annual overcrowding disaster. The INMO numbers were showing records back in August and warning that they were going to get slammed. Shameful government with their mealy mouthed words. You're right, they have normalised the trolley crisis and we will continue to lose our health professionals as a result.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://twitter.com/peterfitz_ie/status/1611048828756692994

Ex HSE CEO Tony O'Brien saying that the FFG ministers have been given a script to repeat in the media this week to put blame on everyone else excluding themselves. He called out Jack Chambers in particular.

He said the problem is clear - not enough beds resulting in constant bed over utilisation which then cannot cope in any surge. He said more beds and staff were needed many years ago and the government knows this.

blanch152

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/fine-gael-enjoys-a-leo-varadkar-bounce-as-fianna-fail-and-sinn-fein-drop-slightly-poll-42269252.html

Our resident opinion poll experts seem to have lost interest in opinion polls for some reason (not that I am surprised), but here is the latest one.

As usual, I take these with a grain of salt. FG are probably benefitting from name recognition as Varadkar takes over, which is not surprising that they get a boost, however temporary.

The main finding is that little is changing, SF have taken support from the left, the Government support is surprisingly holding up well for a mid-term situation, especially with the amount of sh1t that is being thrown at them, both literally and figuratively. Don't expect too much to change until the campaign for the locals.

Again, not surprised to the lack of condemnation of the sh1t-throwing incident in Galway on this thread, but there you go.

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084699#Comment_120084699

As they say what goes around comes around.

And mark my words there is going to be a lot more sh** flying.

It is about time that backbenchers of FG and FF copped they can shove mcentee and o'gorman's policies where the sun don't shine.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084699#Comment_120084699

You never posted anything about the shiit throwing for us to condemn. The guy that did it is a complete simpleton. Stupid.

I did notice that you gave up on defending the annual and year round health crisis. I wonder why. How many times can a poster be proved wrong I suppose.

Happy to wait until GE.Next. I love this government.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087126#Comment_120087126

Now that you mention it, was watching a news piece on one of the channels was it earlier or yesterday, where the correspondent mentioned the fact that the numbers are always higher earlier in the week. Failed to mention that this was the consequence of management and union failure to get agreement on weekend working. Government have thrown money at the health problem, but they can't be down there running every ward and every hospital where the real managerial incompetence is, and the archaic work practices defended by unions infest the place.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087924#Comment_120087924

Yes yes waffle waffle.

Every single expert last week said the problem was beds and staff. Every single one of them. All the consultants, doctors and nurses said the same thing over and over. The solution is more beds and more staff. You must have had your head in the sand. Typical FG supporter blaming everyone else.

emo72

Tonight show poll result 90% against government handling of refugee/asylum crisis. Not remotely surprised.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084699#Comment_120084699

FF's share of the vote lower than in their annus horribilis of 2011, when they won 20 seats. If things go on like this will MM face a challenge to his leadership?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088227#Comment_120088227

As I have said before, government is always low at mid-point of election cycle. Total vote for Greens, FF and FG holding steady for the last while. I would guess that MM will get the locals at least. Bad performance there and he will be in trouble.

howiya

I see lessons haven't been learned from the Robert Troy episode

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089158#Comment_120089158

Why? What have they done now?

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089178#Comment_120089178

https://www.ontheditch.com/damien-english/

Murph85

This is about far more then just the housing minister. Unless we issue him dictatorial powers..

There is an unwillingness at every level of government and every arm of it, to do anything about the crisis...

Cluedo Monopoly

The housing "summit" now looks like a complete sham for optics. Nothing new except Leo showing that he is getting tough on the housing disaster after 12 years in power. The public see through this nonsense and I bet FF are quite annoyed at this grandstanding.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089328#Comment_120089328

Here we go. Another FG TD in the trough.

jmcc

Have Blanche on ignore. It is funny that the Sindo/Indo, with its rabidly anti-SF obsession (as determined by DCU's FuJo investigation of media bias in the 2016 GE) is trying to talk up a 2% loss for SF in a poll which has a Margin of Error of 3% or so. The real story is the collapse, since the 2020 GE, of FF. SF's support in this small sample national opinion poll is twice that of FF. Under Martin, FF has lost its identity and has become more FG than the FGers. It could be heading for a Labour style catastrophe in the next GE if it doesn't get rid of Martin and start to put clear blue water between itself and FG/Greens.

Regards...jmcc

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089328#Comment_120089328

Never mind he didn't declare it, the fooker defaulted on mortgage repayments, but somehow managed to hold on it even though not primary residence.

Good old Ireland.

A fooking joke.

UsBus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120093187#Comment_120093187

I see he's resigned now.

Built a house valued at 700k back in his early thirties. Fecker is still only 44 now........!! No wonder he is out the gap quickly. He'll probably go back in as an independent in 2 years time.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097303#Comment_120097303

He only resigned as a minister of state for Enterprise and Employment (previous minister was Troy!). He'll stay a self serving Fine Gael TD. The long list of FFG corruption is extended.

I wonder did any of this come up in Leo's sham housing crisis 'summit'.

Thanks to FFG, SIPO remains toothless and never seems to find this dishonesty. Will we ever see the reform bill?

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097303#Comment_120097303

Was gonna ask is it at least decent place he had to resign over but valued at 700k, it must be pretty nice.

jmcc

Bad day for FFG. First Troy falls and now English is out.

On The Ditch is showing the Dublin media how real journalism works.

Regards...jmcc

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097606#Comment_120097606

I was thinking that, why is it the ditch is getting these scoops? Surely you would expect something like RTE investigates to be going after things like this.

Are they doing excellent investigative work?

are they getting whistleblower information?

Are they getting the same info as the ‘dublin’ media but publishing it instead of ignoring it?

Whats so special about the ditch as opposed to the bigger, better resourced and longer established media in the country?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099031#Comment_120099031

You should put your first question to Rory Coveney who is the director of strategy at RTE...

To be fair RTE Investigates have uncovered similar corruption several times in the past but they also showed how FFG have continually blocked reform in this area. I will do a longer post on that later.

StupidLikeAFox

You have to hand it to The Ditch. I still question how impartial they (whether they are going after any opposition parties now or would do if they were in power) but they are not just being anti establishment cranks for the sake of it, they're doing proper investigative journalism.

Also, it seems being a minister/junior minister gives you 1 get out of jail free card. If there is a scandal you can resign and go back to being a td and everyone can say you took your punishment. If Damien English (or Robert troy for that matter) wasn't a minister what would the medicine have been I wonder

GBXI

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099191#Comment_120099191

Yeah, I'm really not sure about their integrity. Looks good so far but let's see how long they last. I'm skeptical of any organization back by Paddy Cosgrave. Especially, two journalist who call themselves "avid lefties". I like my journalists a bit more impartial and a bit less, "chip on the shoulder".

Also, and call me crazy and all that, but is that not a seriously minor misdemeanor to cause a resignation? I mean, not declaring that he owned his family home when apply to build a house in the countryside? Our politicians are becoming very clean if this is the standard!

lawrencesummers

What would happen a joe soap if they received planning permission after making omissions on their application?

72sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099191#Comment_120099191

Our media establishment (IT, Indo, RTE) is already extremely partial towards the politicians. One website is not even close to countering that and so we're a long way from needing to worry about The Ditch's impartiality. Remember how anxious the politicians and media were to praise us all for being so "trusting" during Covid, LOL!

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099293#Comment_120099293

Is it not the case that he obtained planning permission to build a second home by providing false information. If he had provided correct information his application would probably have been rejected.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099357#Comment_120099357

I would be interested to see how much the various media in ireland get from the government both directly through advertising and indirectly through PR companies, the government has a massive spend and media need every penny they can get

Blut2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099377#Comment_120099377

Not "probably", it 100% would have. The only reason his application was accepted was because he said he didn't own any other property at the time - it was a scheme designed to help people with no other homes build their own. He knew well what he was doing lying to get approval.

If a normal person lies to the government on their tax forms there is hell to pay. He deserves to lose his seat as a TD over this, its fraud plain and simple.

GBXI

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099377#Comment_120099377

Yes, that's correct. And I'm sure it wasn't "just an honest mistake" - he knew what he was doing. I'm just saying, it's pretty low on the all-time political scandals.

Larbre34

I'm a Fine Gael supporter and this seems to me like straight up deception.

If it was in my area of responsibility, I'd push to deselect him.

That isn't likely though so unless he retires, it'll be up to the voters.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099309#Comment_120099309

Probably nothing, potentially have to destroy the property but seems unlikely for a house.

Joe soaps are constantly building things with no planning permission full stop and then trying to get retroactive permission.

So there isn't some conspiracy behind it if nothing legally happens to him.

That being said, it seems pretty indefensible for a politician.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099660#Comment_120099660

The Fine Gael national executive de-selected Maria Bailey prior to the 2020 GE. She also lost the whip before that and was removed as chair of a lucrative housing committee (10k per annum if I remember correctly).

English got away lightly.

New Politics FG style.

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099622#Comment_120099622

He apparently submitted 5 years worth of documents along with the application (bills etc) proving he lived with his parents

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099750#Comment_120099750

By retroactive do you mean retention for small stuff like velux windows and porches?

I know where was a something associated with the mansfields in citywest that was to be taken down, but that was big building.

PopePalpatine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089328#Comment_120089328

How the **** does a TD of 20 goddamn years fall behind on mortgage repayments?

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120100154#Comment_120100154

People have demolished and built entire structures without planning permission and tried to get retroactive permission.

It sometimes backfires spectacularly of course (Archers Garage being one of the more famous examples).

If the suggestion is that were he not a politician he would face serious consequences for this, then I don't really think that is true.

WishUWereHere

Two caught, I wonder just how many more there are that we don’t know about ………..yet.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120100294#Comment_120100294

Im sure it would be easy to find a case of someone who has been found put in similar circumstances.

Maybe the lesson here is that people should have to submit a tax clearance / compliance cert when applying for planning that would require their tax affairs like LpT to be up to date.

Cluedo Monopoly

Fine Gael New Politics document 2011

"The Planning Process Must be Overhauled"

"We are all paying in some shape or form for this failed planning system."

"What needs to be overhauled is the planning system so it becomes a ‘plan-led’ system rather than ‘developer-led’"

"We need to restore vision, purpose and imagination to our planning process and to build a new future based on fairness and the needs of local communities."

"The final cost of the Mahon (planning matters and payments), Moriarty (payments to politicians) and Morris (Garda corruption) tribunals could be more than €370m."

-------------------

This is exactly why these dishonest shysters lost my vote. It must take fair blinkers to continue voting for them.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120100193#Comment_120100193

By choice I'd imagine. A case of won't pay rather than can't pay.

I'm surprised there isn't a lot more reference to this in the media.

For years we've been told Ireland has higher than average EU mortgage rates because of defaulters like this and the lack of repossessions. According to FG its just welfare cheats that cheat us all.

Cluedo Monopoly

Prime Time covering it now.

His planning application is void now but nothing will be done.

He repeatedly failed to declare. Repeated lies.

I feel there is more to come with this story.

Nobody available from government to answer questions about this. All busy in mid January.

CarProblem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120100700#Comment_120100700

No sign of the not FG supporters at all at all on here either

I laughed at this line in the Ditch article "Taoiseach Leo Varadkar did not respond when asked whether he thinks it’s acceptable to lie on planning permission applications"

howiya

Interesting commentary from Leo today.

""I often hear people say that nobody in Ireland ever resigns. We have had four resignations and ministers have been held to account"...

One of those ministers has since been reappointed. Is that holding someone to account?

Leo also doesn't think that English should resign as a TD even though he has clearly breached the code of conduct for members of Dáil Éireann.