Helen McEntee & Those Donations - threadbanned users in OP

jimwallace197

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118714800#Comment_118714800

She did the sum total of zero on brexit & look how that turned out anyways, they ended up leaving & the likes of Varadkar damaged relations between the two countries because of his criticism of the UK nearly every two weeks over it. But if we had an international security issue, he'd be the first person on the phone to Johnson, hes a clown & a media whore.

She was appointed to Minister of State for European Affairs & was better at holding the umbrella for Varadkar during Brexit negotiations than anything else. She is only in the position she's in because of what happened to her father, her sex, her willingness to be a lackey for Varadkar, amongst many other superficial reasons. Nothing to do with her capability for any ministerial position. Shes shown time & time again she is not competent & is more interested in being a media darling than anything else. In one way, she's everything thats wrong with Irish politics nowadays.

Suckit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118714800#Comment_118714800

As far as I can make out, she has done nothing. This is as close to a synopsis as I can muster up. I may have missed a couple of things as I am using the biggest headlines/stories featuring her as they appear: (I didn't check her vote count etc).

Helen McEntee runs in by-election. Enda Kenny tells here publicly that she will be given a seat on the Seanad if the voters don't elect her. She gets voted in. Next election she gets voted in and is appointed Minister for Justice as her first time in government in any real capacity. Defends her appointment saying she is more than capable despite having zero background in anything. Defends Wolfe appointment. Speaks about Misogyny and Women in power. Takes maternity leave. Returns from Maternity leave and speaks about Misogyny and Women in power. Helen says it is regrettable that no Government representatives will speak at National Women’s Council event.

As minister for Jusitce, she acknowledges that she received multiple donations from one person, each of the donations hundreds of euro well over the maximum amount allowed by SIPO rules but took almost a year to see them, refuses to clarify whether the same donator attended €1000 per table fundraiser, refuses to clarify whether she has received any other donations or benefited from said donator. Latest headlines are that women want a confident woman at the helm, and she could be next leader of FG.

Seems she has very little substance is and hoping to get in purely because she is female. Surely that isn't the type role model anybody wants for their children to look up to. As for Meath East - they didn't vote her in. They should be her constituency, but for some reason she was moved to Louth, where I cannot find any stories of her having done anything at all for them. Every article featuring her as the story, seems to be a negative. Every article with her speaking, seems to be about women, power and misogyny..

Is that FG's trick up their sleeve? Incompetence breeds incompetence.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715033#Comment_118715033

So a person gets voted in as a TD as she has "done nothing". She was the first Fine Gael candidate since 1975 to win a by-election with the party in government. Has a Masters in Journalism and Media Communications. Plus plenty more since she started as a TD

Was critical to the negotiations in Europe and Donald Tusk giving her praise, to mention one.

Yes a highly educated and successful women shouldn't be a role model?

The two posts since mine have nothing about what she has done and proves it just bash the woman/FG TD.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715407#Comment_118715407

Whilst I won't and have not attacked her personally and appreciate the tragic events that led to her election , those events and indeed whom she took over from in the byelection certainly have to be taken into consideration when you suggest she was the first FG candidate to win such an election with a party in government since 1975.

Objectivity lacking somewhat in your reply.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715458#Comment_118715458

Objectivity? The best you could come up was she was voted in because of circumstance. Why was she voted in again then?

You also realise the last poster admitted they knew nothing about her and that gave them the right to slag her off. Yet you question if I have "Objectivity"?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715490#Comment_118715490

Of course you know precisely why and how she got elected , just reminding you it wasn't exactly a ground breaking political achievement you so clumsily tried to portray, apologies if I've upset you with some facts 😏

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715521#Comment_118715521

Not sure why you think I am upset. Anyway any facts to explain why she was voted in again?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715617#Comment_118715617

I've actually no interest in why she was elected again, perhaps you could ask Mr Tayto. Other than that I'd have to guess her extended very political family throughout the constituency hasn't been an obstacle so to speak. Indeed the family also has very, very prominent GAA connections which I'm sure has helped.

I've dealt solely with your absurd comment about her initial by-election achievement.

jimwallace197

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715407#Comment_118715407

Yes, she did do diddly squat to get elected. The fact that she was the daughter of a td who had been elected numerous times in the area who then unfortunately committed suicide contributed enormously to her getting elected in the area. Many prominent incompetent tds in this country have been elected because their parents passed away & they inherited their seat, Enda Kenny & Mary Coughlan to name a few & look at the damage they did to the country.

Masters in Journalism & Communication, seriously!!! I wouldnt be writing home about that. Good for talking rubbish which is ideal for a politician of her standing. Says it all really, considering Simon Harris was another journalism student. FG are an absolutely toxic party. The sooner they're gotten rid of the better.

And stop playing the female argument, many female politicians who didnt receive their position through nepotism, licking arse & playing up to the media are respected. Ya know, the ones who actually were actually genuine and tried to do some good.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715660#Comment_118715660

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715654#Comment_118715654

Now it was GAA connections and a Masters is "nothing to write home about".

Keep grasping at straws, I will leave you to the bashing for no reason

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715680#Comment_118715680

Lol, it's you that's clasping at straws , what in heavens name has a Masters got to do with been elected, I'd wager a 3rd of the current Dail have a basic leaving cert 🤣🤣

Again, your avoiding the silliness of your comment on how she won the by-election.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118712304#Comment_118712304

I am really struggling to understand what wrong she is accused of. From what I have read on this thread, she discovered a donation she received was over the threshold so she returned it. What is the issue with that?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715754#Comment_118715754

A now Blanch you'd struggle at the best of times to find anyone in FG doing anything wrong 😏

brokenangel

Two women get pregnant. One is driven out of her political party, with supporters defending the party

The other continues to work, with the support of her party but suddenly has a target on her back.

The comment here and other thread suggest a lot of people are stuck in the dark ages.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118714942#Comment_118714942

If he’s given more donations to her campaign it should be public knowledge, they’ll neither confirm nor deny. Stinks to high heaven.

jimwallace197

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715774#Comment_118715774

Not stuck in the dark ages, just not willing to accept incompetence & corruption from our elected politicians & ministers who are paid very handsomely for their troubles.

Just because she is a female & had a child, doesnt mean she should be immune from criticism.

Inherited her seat through nepotism - check

Has engaged in corruption - check

Played a woke/liberal agenda at the expense of indigenous Irish people - check

Underqualified for position - check (little to no experience & masters in communication & journalism has nothing to do with being minister of justice)

The list goes on but dont let that stop you from trying to paint her as the victim somehow.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715774#Comment_118715774

A here we go the misogyny angle, didn't take long and utter nonsense, it's actually quite disgusting and embarrassing you attempting to bring this tiresome rubbish into the debate .

Off you go if you feel this and other Threads from the Dark ages.

Legitimate questions have been asked about Donations and more Shenanigans, not about a politicians Gender.

Just for the record, the other TD your referring to had serious personal family challenges, well highlighted and as well as prolonged personality clashes locally and not just with her party , she essentially would argue with her Shadow.

Both incidently took maternity leave also and before you start , I'm not getting into that argument, a Sitting TD , Unlike the Average person can essentially stay at home for an entire Dail Term without loosing a cent in Salary .

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715764#Comment_118715764

No seriously, on the face of it, she found a discrepancy and gave the money back herself. She didn't need to wait for an audit or anything. What is she supposed to have done wrong?

Accepted money from donors? Don't think there is a politician who can throw stones on that one.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715822#Comment_118715822

I guess you are referring to the dinner? which is a private function. Clue is in the name private

I struggle to see why the public needs to know about the private lives of TD's or private functions. These fundraiser are not keep secret but people who attend have the right to privacy.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118716311#Comment_118716311

It would be interesting if the full details of all functions home and abroad run by political parties were to become public.

tabby aspreme

Minister McEntee pays great lip service regarding violence against women, but ignores the thousands of assaults annually on HSE front line staff, the majority of whom are women, like Varadkar, she will spout popular soundbites but do nothing to introduce proper legislation

Suckit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715407#Comment_118715407

"First Fine Gael candidate" to do anything, means nothing imho. What relevance does that have? We all know the reason she got voted in. But even without that, getting voted in is not enough. There has to be more, which there really hasn't been with her.

"Has a Masters in Journalism and Media Communications." 🤯 - and? That's all well and good, but has she actually ever used that in real life?

"Plus plenty more since she started as a TD" - What more? That is the important part. As a TD WTF has she done?

"Yes a highly educated and successful women shouldn't be a role model?" - She has no experience behind her to be in her current position. Nothing earned. I for one would not want my children to think they can do nothing for years and then walk into a position of power because of my connections. It disgusts me. There are other reasons I wouldn't want it to happen, and they should be obvious enough.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118715774#Comment_118715774

The only one stuck in the dark ages is you I'm afraid. This has nothing to do with her being a woman, and everything about her competence (or lack thereof).

Your attempt to make her out to be "another victim of the patriarchy" and "misogyny" or whatever is actually an insult to all the women who have succeeded in politics and business (the CEO's in my current and previous 2 jobs were/are women for example), and who do not (and don't want to) hide behind such ridiculous nonsense in achieving their goals.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717948#Comment_118717948

Touché 😏

FrancieBrady

Bizarre to see the 'misogynistic'' angle rear it's head here too, just because a woman's activities are under scrutiny. No such complaints from the same posters when threads are opened about other female politicians.

Any politician, male or female, with an anomaly of this size in their accounts is open to scrutiny and questioning. Nothing to fear if all is above board.

whippet

if this is the level of mud that is being thrown at McEntee she has little to worry about.

saying that she inherited her Dail seat is just nonsense - she out polled a former TD by over 1000 first preferences on a ballot with 10 other candidates and she has been elected twice since then.

Accusing her of corruption - again without any indication of what this corruption actually entailed .... can anyone put forward any evidence of what she has supposedly done that is corrupt ?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718370#Comment_118718370

If all else fails the Misogynistic always thrown into the mix, utterly tiresome and Ludicrous 😏

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717948#Comment_118717948

Still waiting for an answer if you are a voter in her area or not? as you failed to answer I think we can all guess the answer.

crossman47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118716237#Comment_118716237

I agree with you. I'm not a FG supporter (voted for them once when Garrett was leader) but this strikes me as much ado about nothing led by the Indo. For some reason they have decided to go after McEntee having already spent a lot of time criticising Coveney over another non issue - the photo taken in foreign Affairs when he wasn't even there. I heard an Indo journalist say all those staff should have been working from home. He should try coordinating calls to governments all over the world by staff each in their own home. i don't know what the Indo's agenda is but its only helping SF among people who believe the tripe they read in that rag.

foxsake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718399#Comment_118718399

she is poor as minister - outlined in other posts such as by @_Kaiser_ and @jimwallace197 - these are legitimate concerns over her performance and I share them. I just don't think she is that good and (in particular) her stance of giving illegal immigrants status is detrimental to Irelands future and her comments regarding men in relation to the recent tragic murder - which suddenly stopped when the accused became known...why so? cos she is a fraud - playing it up for the social media types.

Some of the stuff on her "having a baby" isn't so much directed at her - it shouldn't be - but the media hype about it as if she arranged a ceasefire in Ukraine. She had a baby like most Irish women do - and go back to work after maternity leave. It's commendable but she isn't unique in this.

She does get a free ride from the press due to her gender and her "right on" pronouncements - she has learned from Leo how to operate - as has harris who has an opinion on everything bar his own performance.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718543#Comment_118718543

It's like most "articles" in the press these days, anything negative to the government is lapped on by the usual suspects online. Even better when it's a woman and all the hate can flow out in abundance.

Excellent example on here when we are told to ignore the lady Masters and get told her only accomplishment is to "get pregnant". I wonder how many of the people complaining about her have a Masters?

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717657#Comment_118717657

Has you used her Master in Journalism and Media Communications? She is a TD, I gave you a hint with the highlight part. It does highlight some abvious flaws in the rest of the post when you miss that part.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718559#Comment_118718559

that's an opinion and anyone's opinion is as valid as anyone else's. I've no real strong opinion on her performance as minister - I find her very middle of the road in that respect.

my beef is with the notions that some people think that a three time elected TD inherited their seat and is only living off the coat tails of their father along with the accusations of corruption when absolutely zero evidence or even indication of what corruption has supposedly taken place.

As for the media attention of her pregnancy - I do feel it was justified as it was the first time that a sitting minister was pregnant and highlighted the bizarre reality that there was no official maternity leave policy in place.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717657#Comment_118717657

Which bit of being elected by voters equates to walking into a position of power because of connections?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718399#Comment_118718399

Nobody has accused her of being corrupt.

A newspaper printed the story and there are evasions and anomalies reported that need to be questioned.

I.E. Did she receive other donations from this donor and in what form?

Have other donors made contributions in a way to get around regulations?

Did SIPO 'force her' to deal with this as the article says, or did she discover this herself. Makes a huge difference in fact?

These questions need to be cleared up independently of her.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718672#Comment_118718672

that is the role of SIPO and I'm sure this will all come out.

But glad you cleared up the fact that there is no evidence or suggestion of corruption

No surprise that this sort of attention comes when there is mention of her having leadership intentions - the media need to find some angle.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718707#Comment_118718707

If there was evidence of corruption she would be gone....maybe.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718717#Comment_118718717

I'd hope so.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718647#Comment_118718647

It seems a few people here are struggling with the concept of an election and how it works.

Dempo1

Whilst some may have been a little Zealous in their comments and hard to disagree with 😏, I started this Thread asking two ligitmate questions,

A what's going on with these Donations which required SIPO to get involved.

B. Helen being the Darling of Media generally. It was striking to me the Indo (alone) latched on to this story, a number of articles over the past week.

Indeed, now added to the mix is Leo's delight at Helens explanations, (Ironic someone receiving an explanation from a Justice Minister, whilst infact still under criminal investigation) , Leo so happy, he's appointed her husband to a senior fund raising Roll for FG 😳

I've personally not accused Helen of corruption but certainly of forgetfulness and like it or not, there remain serious questions about these Donations and general shenanigans within FG , a party very critical of others, very slow to accept any of its own failings.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718836#Comment_118718836

This thread remind me of a saying I once heard

"If the woman floats, then she is a witch and burn her"

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719273#Comment_118719273

Where you got that reminder from escapes me completely as I'm sure it does, most objective people , witches and burning 😳 mother of God are you sure your looking at the correct thread 🤔

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719358#Comment_118719358

True, this TD has been given the opportunity to give her side of the story, all that is being asked here is: does that story tally with the actual events.

Nothing more.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118713321#Comment_118713321

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718672#Comment_118718672

Why lie Francie? Some very clear accusations of corruption being made without any evidence to back them up.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719389#Comment_118719389

Your looking well 😁

Precisely and ironically its the lack of any explanations fueling questions , of course there are those who'll suggest it's no one business, I beg to differ, particularly when it's not just a TD but minister for Justice.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719408#Comment_118719408

This is a question:

So just straight forward old fashioned corruption then?

A question asking if it is just old fashioned corruption in this case. We don't know if it is or not yet.

The rest of his/her post is fairly much on the button. They are becoming a by-word for corrupt practices for other reasons with some people, whether you like to admit it or not.

blackwhite

Key question to be answered is how the refund of the donations came about.

If McEntee's office discovered it themselves, then that's really case closed. If it's a case of it took a SIPO review or audit to uncover it then, at best, it shows that they don't have proper controls in place in her office or at worst that they are deliberately ignoring the regulations.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719437#Comment_118719437

Replying to the accusation that she took money in exchange for keeping Tayto Park open during Covid (which is one hell of a leap, considering there was no special exemption in any of the regulations to grant any special status to Tayto Park - or any similar types of business - they opened and closed in line with any other outdoor activity parks AFAIK)

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719475#Comment_118719475

It's still a question and not an accusation in this case.

It's a forum that has a cohort who dislike questions being asked if it thinks that a certain party is going to be tarnished or if a certain other party is not going to be tarnished. Two prime examples of this running concurrently in the CA forum.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118719567#Comment_118719567

Talking about yourself there Francie? 😂

It's noticeable on this thread in a lot of posts (not yours BTW before you get defensive) - how many posters have a particular problem with her recent initiatives for immigrants and her recent comments on violence towards women. Same posters usually appear on any thread regarding feminism and any thread regarding immigration as well. Co-incidence I'm sure