Why is Minister Pat(thecope) Gallagher publicly promoting Eircom Broadband ?..

Paddy20

Donegal based Minister for the marine, Mr Pat (the cope) Gallagher FF. Has been actively publicly associating himself with EirCon's new expanded Broadband service in his home area of Dungloe etc ?... My question is why ?..

Eircom have been guilty of holding back proper unlimited broadband expansion in the North West for decades, due to their unfair 'Last Mile' monopoly.

Personally, they ripped me off on my ordinary phone bill, and I moved too UTV Clicksilver unlimited 'always on' Broadband and telephony service with FREE Irish local, national and UK telephone calls offpeak. This has saved me a fortune.

Do our politician's not really appreciate what a hindrance rather than a help EirCon are and have been since they became a Privately owned business ! .

You can E-Mail your opinion direct too him at; www.patthecope.com/

P.

N.B. Do not get me wrong. I think Patthecope is a very good politician, and I wish we had more like him but the free publicity Eircom have got in the North West in the past week, has really got up my NOSE! :cool:

BlueShaun

He visited my door once(i think it was Euro election time...not 100%, and havnt seen him since.)
I was only 18 and the only question that came to mind was what the **** is "the cope"

he didnt know either......


Anyhow, we all know that broadband is a "good thing" and he can claim to have "lobbied" for it.

Sponge Bob

Paddy20 wrote:

Donegal based Minister fror the marine, Mr Pat (the cope) Gallagher FF. Has been actively publicly associating himself with EirCon's new expanded Broadband service in his home area of Dungloe etc ?... My question is why ?..

Simple answer Paddy. Pat , as minister for state, actively lobbied eircom and finally persuaded them (he has been minister for 3 years now) to remove pairgains affecting a whopping 22 lines in the area , including his own.

Out of gratitude Pat became an eircom customer as did one of his neighbours too I hear .

Dermot Ahern actually got his own exchange upgraded while he was minister , Blackrock in Louth .

BlueShaun

1500 if you include the seagulls?

JohnC.

Sponge Bob wrote:

Simple answer Paddy. Pat , as minister for state, actively lobbied eircom and finally persuaded them (he has been minister for 3 years now) to remove pairgains affecting a whopping 22 lines in the area , including his own.

Out of gratitude Pat became an eircom customer as did one of his neighbours too I hear .

Dermot Ahern actually got his own exchange upgraded while he was minister , Blackrock in Louth .

So you are saying that if I can become a minister, I may actually be able to finally get broadband? It would probably be quicker than waiting for eircom

Sponge Bob

Pat is Minister of State for none other than COMMMUNICATIONS so removing 22 pairgains within 3.5 years is a triumph of ministerial power and prestige ....even if he had to pimp eircom to his long suffering constituents to get them removed . If he was full Minister he could double that number of proper lines or maybe even get the Dunfanaghy exchange enabled .

Paddy20

Sponge Bob wrote:

Pat is Minister of State for none other than COMMMUNICATIONS so removing 22 pairgains within 3.5 years is a triumph of ministerial power and prestige ....even if he had to pimp eircom to his long suffering constituents to get them removed . If he was full Minister he could double that number of proper lines or maybe even get the Dunfanaghy exchange enabled .

While I personally am not a member of any political party. I do have a lot of respect for Minister Pat (thecope) Gallagher TD, he is one of the North West's greatest political asset's, with an unmatched history of achievment's.

However, I do not agree with any publicly elected public representative, actively and publicly promoting the commercial interest's of a Private Business Concern such as Eircom!
.

There are a good number of companie's now offering Broadband throughout the North West, and it is not good practice for a highly respected politician to associate himself with one particular company.

P.

damien

Pat's remit is Marine I had thought. Leaving Noely to do the biggy that is talky and telly.

Paddy20

damien.m wrote:

Pat's remit is Marine I had thought. Leaving Noely to do the biggy that is talky and telly.

Yes, Pat is the Minister for the Marine, and going through a very difficult time with the Killybeg's Atlantic fishermen at present!. I do not envy his difficult Ministry at the moment, but what is it about Eircom he like's ?...the amount of misleading pro Eircom publicity they have of his public congratulatory remark's about them is anti-competetive in the extreme, and he is not a dimwit politician who is being taken advantage of by Tony O'Reilly and his cronie's ?. Still confused

Paddy.

cgarvey

Yup Paddy20, it does seem inappropriate alright, especially if he has a vested interest (shares in eircom, for example? free dsl?). There's nothing eircom offer in terms of BB at least, that isn't bettered by a competitor, and isn't offered to the same set of people.

So, apart from "Thanks/Fair play to eircom for enabling exchange X", I can't see why he'd want to be associated with the company, over any other.

Let us know what his reply to you is, if he does reply!

.cg

Sponge Bob

cgarvey wrote:

So, apart from "Thanks/Fair play to eircom for enabling exchange X", I can't see why he'd want to be associated with the company, over any other.

Dungloe was enabled in 2004 under the Udarás scheme and Pat had absolutely nothing to do with the Udarás scheme which cost the taxpayer €100k in Dungloe .

Eircom still own all the lines and Pat had to work on them (a lot) to get them to remove a risible number of pairgains for which he is pathetically grateful as we can see. If every TD did what Pat did then a whopping 3000 lines, 0.2% of the National stock, could be brought up to spec could they not .

I am nevertheless entirely underwhelmed .

OfflerCrocGod

Paddy20 wrote:

Eircom have been guilty of holding back proper unlimited broadband expansion in the North West for decades, due to their unfair 'Last Mile' monopoly.

Jesus H Christ!!! Are you telling me that €ircon are still holding us back in the year 2040! Oh God there's simply no hope for this country

lucernarian

It seems that the shed that is the dunfanaghy exchange will only recieve an upgrade, as one boards user put it, of a lick of paint. Falcarragh has a good chance and I notice that nearly half the eircom poles in the entire area were put down in the last year. Some pairgains still remain...

To see a junior minister for DCMNR aiding eircom like this is a disgrace and it's an unfair advantage to abuse his position only for his own benefit. Reminds me of when Dermo got Blackrock upgraded while Dunleer, a town over 1000 people strong was done only a couple of months ago.

As Paddy20 implies, he seems to be a popular politician in many quarters of Donegal so mabye it's just an issue of scratching each other's backs and helping out "a local seminar by an irish company educating the public" could be how he sees it. That's the best case scenario IMO and it's still a disgrace anyway.

Paddy20

BlueShaun wrote:

He visited my door once(i think it was Euro election time...not 100%, and havnt seen him since.)
I was only 18 and the only question that came to mind was what the **** is "the cope"

he didnt know either......


Anyhow, we all know that broadband is a "good thing" and he can claim to have "lobbied" for it.

Apparently the nickname is in honour of his Grandfather who it seem's founded the socially important 'Co-Operative Movement' in Ireland around 100 years ago. A movement that helped working class people get a fair deal on their shopping needs and the Credit Union's are still a fine example of what became a worldwide phenomenon.

I may be wrong, so, do not shoot the messenger, please.

P.

N.B. There is still a massive thriving retail businss in the Dungloe/Glentie's area, called THE COPE !

damien

Why don't the locals write some letters to him and tell him he's promoting a company that's wrecking a network they inherited from the taxpayer and are hindering broadband roll-out? Surely a Govt Minister should not be biased either?

DonegalMan

Paddy20 wrote:

Donegal based Minister for the marine, Mr Pat (the cope) Gallagher FF. Has been actively publicly associating himself with EirCon's new expanded Broadband service in his home area of Dungloe etc

Paddy

I didn't get the local papers this week, what exactly was he saying/doing?

Paddy20

damien.m wrote:

Why don't the locals write some letters to him and tell him he's promoting a company that's wrecking a network they inherited from the taxpayer and are hindering broadband roll-out? Surely a Govt Minister should not be biased either?

I totally agree, maybe some of the Press/Broadcast media might highlight the fact that a lot of the general public still only deal with Eircom because they believe stillthat'Eircom' is the people's state approved telecom's body, this is why I become very concerned when Public representative's cast them in a favourable light ?..after they have in fact robbed Joe Public in the past, as they are still continuing to do today.

As IrelandOffline has so often highlighted in the media over the years.

That's why I suggested at the start of this thread that people inform Minister Pat(thecope)Gallagher TD, on his own website at:- www.patthecope.com/


Paddy.

Paddy20

Donegalman,

I have not had time too read the press either, but Highland Radio News and their on air advertising were 'very heavily' promoting Eicom's'New Broadband service's' all week!, and various programme's kept mentioning how Minister Pat(thecope)Gallagher welcomed Eircom's excellent new Broadband service's at a Eircom promotion/public promotion at some public venue .

This really pissed me off, and I called his office in Dungloe, spoke to his private Secretary and made my disapproval very clear. She did not fully understand my objections but said they were "so happy to now have broadband" and what a great differance it had made within their office.

What else could I do, I have also heard on the 'bush telegraph' that his full statement's have not been published 'in full detail' in the local press yet ?... apparently due to a shortage of 'space'!. So, the coming week could prove to be very interesting.

Paddy.

N.B. I have now stopped listening to Highland Radio, and switched over to the NEW Ocean.FM broadcasting on 105.00fm, much better and more professional broadcaster's

Sponge Bob

Eircom got €3m or so to put fibre into west Donegal in 2000 , every exchange along the N59 has an STM1 155Mbit fibre already if they are on or near the N59 between Donegal Town, Killybegs, Dunfanaghy and Letterkenny.

http://www.gov.ie/debates-03/23Oct/Sect7.htm


The following (some small) exchanges on the N59 are to be enabled....allegedly by March 2006

Dunfanaghy
Dunkineely
Glenties
Inver
Falcarragh

Thats 6 years after the taxpayer paid for the fibre backhaul , hardly a roaring triumph and nothing to do with that flute and his 22 pairgains he got swapped out for copper.

ednwireland

having recently written to him (and all my other local tds) he is the only one that hasnt answered (ok is colleague coghlan did ) but surely he should have written and said my colleague is dealing with this, he also never answered other emails sent to him. it has to be said neither do any other td's except in my case dermot ahern when he was in communications.
just in case you were wondering i was writing complaining that 2 years after my exchange was upgraded i still can't get broadband living 2 miles as the crow flies from the exchange no reasnobale reply yet (not that i expected one just venting my spleen and hoping someone will wireless the area one day - i live in hope as its now seriously affecting my business, but not enough to sink to the cost of satellite yet)

Paddy20

What area are you in ?...as I have a feeling that this thread is being read by some powerful people :eek: .

Who might just be able too help.!

P.

lucernarian

That link was interesting, but suprising. I thought that virtually all exchanges are served by fibre now. Even the likes of Collon, Co. Louth has fibre and it with a population of about 200. So there are still big, thick trunk lines in place? That would be an even more serious problem than pairgains as I can't see DSLAMs working over them lead-covered hulks.

Does no-one in that area notice how strange it is for a minister is promoting a public company for doing the bare minimum, a half-job in certain select areas? If they travel 30 odd miles they are in an area where people are guaranteed a proper broadband service. I hear no politicians singing BT's praises up north. They are doing a better job and yet they are threatened with break-up. Eircom recieve a free advertising boost. Bizarre stupidity...

ednwireland

Paddy20 wrote:

What area are you in ?...as I have a feeling that this thread is being read by some powerful people :eek: .

Who might just be able too help.!

P.

sorry i haven't read the forum for a couple of days i'm in donegal town 1.8 miles from the mill park hotel roundabout (out of town past the hotel entrance) about quarter of a mile from me you cross a crossroads all the lines fail past this point so there is every chance that something there is messing the lines up i have complained to everyone including phil nolan (who told me this is a new sensitive technology which we can't be arsed fixing the lines for - me paraphrasing) and dermot ahern, i don't have line of sight to the centre of town which messes me up for wireless or barnesmore gap (drumlins) got a perfevt view of benbulben and truskmore but they are too far away i look forward to your powerful people getting in touch with me, i won't hold my breath. no answer from coughlan or mcginly apart from we'll look into it (and hope you go away)

Paddy20

Why not give Minister PattheCope a call at his Dungloe constituency office number; TEL: 07495- 21276, or FAX: 07495- 21133. He is the most reliable and efficient politician of my acquaintance.

I know he has been in Brussel's, but is due back late today, or early tomorrow. His private secretary is 'Very helpful' so leave your number, and she will probably get him to call you.

P.

Solair

eircom seem to have invested in a type of DSL that isn't just sensitive it suffers from extreme emotional problems.

I still think the line "failures" are just an excuse to prolong the modem era and keep the money rolling in. I would love to see what the criteria for those line tests actually are. I've yet to see any sort of published details of signal to noise ratios etc.. I've a funny feeling they've set the bar ridiculously high.

eircom will either have to wake up the fact that their future lies with DSL and high speed broadband service or roll over and die and let someone else do it!

The Government seems to have somehow got stuck in a 1980s timewarp and has a notion that the fact that every exchange in the country's digital is some sort of major achievement. It was in 1987, however things have moved on and it's about time we got the same kind of vigour into the DSL roll out as we had in the days of digitalisation in the 80s!

Ireland was once, for a brief period, proud of its cutting edge telecommunications infrastructure. It's a disgrace that it's been allowed to fall this far behind!

Paddy20

Important update 23rd September 2005.

Minister of the marine & telecommunication's, Mr Pat(thecope) Gallagher has just announced that he has approved permission for a number of 'Independent' community broadband service provider's' who will now be able to provide "Full broadband coverage throughout'all of' Donegal by the end of 2006"

He mentioned a number of small independent community group's, that he has "Today" approved for official "Internet Service Provider" status. He was interviewed on my local Highland Radio new's at one, and I noticed that he was extremely careful, and did NOT mention the hated €irCoN even once !.

Anyone think that this thread might have influenced him in some way .

Congratulation's Minister Pat(thecope)Gallagher. There will be a lot of Donegal people a lot happier from this afternoon, when I assume the full detail's should emerge ?...

Further detail's now in a 'press release' on his personal website :- www.patthecope.com/

P:cool:

Sponge Bob

He did no such thing, either Dempsey did it or nobody did ! Pat got his local media press release in before the minister to impress the Donegal population , thats all.

See the REAL announcement here on Pats Departmental Website, not a mention of Pat anywhere is there Its all Dempsey Dempsey Dempsey Dempsey Dempsey ....innit Paddy

http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Dempsey+Announces+38+More+Projects+Approved+Under+The+County+And+Group+Broadband+Scheme.htm

Hopefully these are not VSAT and wifi jobbies


Here are the approved Donegal projects

1. North Central Donegal
2. Newtowncunningham, Castleforward, Co. Donegal
3. Ardara, Co. Donegal

Paddy20

One of our local paper's published 'yesterday' stated that "Minister PattheCope was expected to make an announcement today Friday 23rd September in relation too this Community broadband scheme ?..funny how it happen's the week that a New thread on IrelandOffline's forum question's the Minister's personal involvment at a 'Eircom broadband service's general public information promotion/marketing' event' held in a Donegal Hotel ?..

Also see www.gbs.gov.ie/

It was also Pat the Cope who made the announcement and it was him that was interviewed on Highland Radio New's, not Dempsey!?..anyway, I am just pleased at the new's.

P.

Sponge Bob

Paddy .

This bit is of the press release is correct


“Ardara, Newtowncunningham & “Broadband for the Hills” are all to receive Broadband, supported by the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources under the terms of the County and Group Broadband Scheme. Broadband for the Hills will provide a service to: Milford, Rathmullen, Ramelton, Kerrykeel, Fanad, Rossguill, Carrigart, Cresslough, Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh, Gartan & Churchill,” said Minister Gallagher"

No mention of 2006 there at all !! How did you turn 3 schemes in North and West Donegal into Universal BB by the end of 2006 , did Gallagher say that on Donegal radio because if he did he is lying and you are repeating his misinformation and lies for him ???

I can tell you now, albeit with some regret, that Universal BB Provision will not make it into every corner of Donegal by the end of 2006 unless a heavy duty tender is announced , and won fairly sharpish, to so do.

Paddy20

Sponge Bob wrote:

Paddy .


No mention of 2006 there at all !! How did you turn 3 schemes in North and West Donegal into Universal BB by the end of 2006 , did Gallagher say that on Donegal radio because if he did he is lying and you are repeating his misinformation and lies for him ???

I can tell you now, albeit with some regret, that Universal BB Provision will not make it into every corner of Donegal by the end of 2006 unless a heavy duty tender is announced , and won fairly sharpish, to so do.

Yes, where the heck else would I have heard it ?...except on Highland Radio's lunchtime new's, and I do not blame any politician for wishing to be reflected in a good light in his own County , that's politic's

P.

Sponge Bob

Paddy20 wrote:

that's politic's

Thats Lying Paddy.

There is no plan of any sort to cover all of Donegal by end 2006 and Gallagher knows that. Tell him to stick to lying to fishermen in future