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Katherine Zappone Envoy Gig

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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,018 ✭✭✭Wossack


    any new developments? Disappointed its come off the boil in the media



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭Shebean



    I'm sure the crony makey-up appointment never came up and Varadkar and the mystery guests just love a mug of tae with Zappone. Smells of Galway tent.



  • Registered Users Posts: 69,176 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    To be expected as the Dáil is in recess, precisely why this appointment was sprung on us on the last day of the Dáil.

    Major pain for FF FG and the Greens is this will be back, bright eyed and bushy tailed when PAC re-open it all to scrutiny.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,736 ✭✭✭Allinall




  • Registered Users Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭whippet


    apart from the permanently outraged virtue signalling twitter brigade

    Anyway - I'm out !!



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  • Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    The snouts in the trough metaphor has been explained to you numerous times. The govts handling of the hospitality reopening has been a shambles, correct. Which is why politicians who attended need to, and hopefully will be held accountable when the time comes.

    You have tried stating, (rather matter of factually) a number of times now, that this was "workmates" enjoying a get together.

    Where are you getting this from, how do you know who was there, and if they're all workmates can I ask? Or are you just speculating? It's ok to admit it if so.


    Pull the other one whippet.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭TomsOnTheRoof


    So by your own words the majority of people aren't interested in the Merrion scandal? Also, any journalist who covers or attempts to cover it is comparable to O'Doherty? I'm sorry but that is a load of bloody rubbish.

    Firstly, the matter is clearly of public interest. The conduct of each member of our political class is always a matter for public scrutiny as it goes someway to determining who retains the public's confidence and, subsequently, gets the public's vote. In fact so great is the interest which has been generated by the affair that the Attorney General himself got involved in order try and de-escalate the situation. There are also questions to be answered about how Zappone got the position in the first place and why she was throwing a swanky soirée just before her appointment was made known publically. If the party was a private affair, as some here claim, why was it stuffed to the gills with politicians and not family and friends? I'll tell you why, political horse trading. The same kind of horse trading which saw our former Attorney General appointed to the benches of the Supreme Court despite his conduct (Golfgate) marking him as completely unsuitable for the role.

    Secondly, it is the role of journalists to cover matters of public interest, regardless of how inconvenient such coverage may be for politicians. The attempted gaslighting in this thread by posters who loudly proclaim that the matter is in fact of no public concern is incredibly sinister. It is not for any political party, or its supporters, to rule on what is and what isn't a matter of interest to the public. We are not a Soviet bloc State in the 50's. Furthermore, smearing those individuals who seek to cover such topics by comparing them to the likes of O'Doherty is not only desperate but completely disingenuous. It seems to me that there is a rather large cohort who are more concerned with furthering their own interests and feathering their nests through their support of the status quo than bringing about any meaningful change.

    Finally, the past twelve months have genuinely made me ashamed to be Irish. I never thought I'd say that. Attitudes such as yours have fostered a society which is at best apathetic and at worst complicit in the corruption and lack of accountability in our political class. I hope your blatant tribalism affords you some comfort, at least enough to distract you from the absolute shambles which our two ruling parties (along with Labour and the Greens) have made of our health service, our housing policy and every other domain which falls under their remit.

    Post edited by TomsOnTheRoof on


  • Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭Sofa King Great


    So what aspect of the offences against the state act have they breached here?



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    Doesn't look like Richard felt intimidated or abused for being asked if he attended or not.

    Down to 9 FG members now to confirm either way.


    Squeaky bums all round.



  • Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭MBE220d




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  • Registered Users Posts: 19,663 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Hmmm seems Richard Bruton and lots of other TDs dont mind being held to account. I think Dudley72 is going to have to email all these transparent TDs and tell them its actually online abuse and that they shouldnt be replying to questions from their constituents. Clearly these TDs who have answered have been tricked into doing so and they are in urgent need of education from Dudley72 in online abuse



  • Posts: 6,192 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    None....but to my eyes,if they are good enough to vote for it,they should be held to same burden of proof required in it



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭whippet




  • Registered Users Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭whippet


    if politicians were having dinner together then yes they are workmates - they all work in Leinster house and across various committees and working groups.

    You have tried and failed to explain the trough metaphor - from websters the meaning of 'snouts in the trough'

    " to be in or get into a situation in which one is getting or trying to get a lot of money"

    Have you any evidence of anyone who was at the dinner who was there in order to get a lot of money ? If so - report it to the guards.

    So .. you used a clichéd metaphor out of context



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭dudley72


    I will respond to this because at least you put forward an opinion.

    First off from day 1 I have said the Zappone role was questionable. I have not changed my opinion since it was announced, what I have rejected on this thread is the false information getting spread around, it started with people suggesting she was part of FF/FG, then wages, then pension, etc etc. I rejected all of these and this seemed to cause an issue. All I was doing was sharing the actually correct information on the potential appointment

    In regards to the Merrion event, I have no opinion on it yet as I don't know enough about it. According to what I can see it was a private event which was within the guidelines. If we are going to stop TD's having a private life then the country has a serious problem. As mentioned here the event is been reviewed and if the finding are different then my opinion will change.

    The main point for the last few days is around this "spreadsheet". I never have and never will submit to online bullies and online trolls, that is it. Now for someone to create this spreadsheet and then start to bombard TD's via twitter is not on in my opinion. First the TDs are all on holidays. Two if they are not on holidays the information if it is involved in their job can be requested via the freedom of information and thirdly this was a private event so if a TD was attending they have done nothing wrong as PCC have not made a ruling.

    We have had a number of people here say a question was asked and the TD could choose to respond or not, but that is not the case as shown here today when people from all over Ireland pick a certain TD and then bombard them with request online, then complain when the TD blocks them.

    I know it is easier for people to go along with these people, don't question them and don't risk the wrath of the online mob. I could easily have done that on this thread and you wouldnt see the responses that I am getting. I didn't because I don't think it is right and it should be called out.

    Lastly that is my opinion, you of course are 100% entitled to yours and I would never say I am ashamed to be Irish because someone has a different opinion. Maybe I am wrong, maybe you are wrong but we both entitled to our opinions. But I can tell you the rest of the World has had enough of these online mobs and are trying everything to stop them, hopefully the Irish people will do the same. Based on what I have seen on twitter today I am glad to say that is happening.



  • Registered Users Posts: 481 ✭✭mariab21


    P.S Richard Chambers and Gavan Reilly have both stated they would do the same



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭Shebean


    You are suggesting people have issue with politicians meeting up. They don't.

    Meeting up under questionable circumstances, being secretive and getting the AG to clarify the regulations for a gathering nobody in the entire industry including Failte Ireland, knew was allowed, the event by a politician already offered a job she created by at least one attendee.....is a lot more than workmates having dinner together.

    To take your analogy further;

    A carpenter based in a foreign country creates a role for herself in a company she doesn't work for, then holds a social event with these 'workmates' and invites executives from that company who later award her a tax payer funded position, the carpenter created.

    That **** doesn't happen in anything but crony bizarro political shyster circles.


    There's a smell off the whole affair made worse by Varadkar calling in the AG.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭whippet


    Again your comparing apples with oranges.

    there was nothing secretive about the dinner .. in a hotel .. open to the public in the open outdoor space where anyone could be seen.

    but since you have already decided they may as well have been in some underground layer drinking the blood of bats ... I'll not bother interacting any further.


    as Dudley has already stated if you go against the mob mentality your just inviting the pile on

    good evening



  • Registered Users Posts: 481 ✭✭mariab21


    The general public and every single establishment never knew this kind if event was allowed.

    The Merrion somehow knew the full rules but failte ireland were looking confirmation on them at the same time.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭dudley72


    The event was in the Merrion hotel, anyone in the hotel that day would have seen the event, I’m sure they had a sign up as you entered to tell you which room to go to. Etc etc

    How was it secretive?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭dudley72


    Grasping at straws, the lack of knowledge about the guidelines or questionable guidelines didn’t suddenly mean an event held in a public place secretive.

    If it was secretive or they want it secretive you have plenty of options around Dublin that nobody would see you. The Merrion is not one



  • Registered Users Posts: 69,176 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    The poster said, 'being secretive'

    Off on another constructed rant. Tiresome.



  • Registered Users Posts: 481 ✭✭mariab21


    Did i say secretive. I think its pretty strange the merrion is the only Hotel in Ireland that knew the rules. Leo even called them to check rules he signed offf on



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭Shebean


    I am comparing rotten apples to rotten apples.

    Attendees are being secretive, if not why the secrecy around who attended? These events are usually all over society pages and the like. Zappone throws a do and there's no photos or anyone willing to say they attended, except Bacik and Varadlkar who got the Attorney General to bail him out of a scenario the entire hospitality industry and Failte Ireland didn't know was allowed?

    Add to that Zappone creating her own job and Varadkar, who was there, supported.

    It was a crony appointment. That's my issue with it. As regards the Merrion event, at a time when nobody knew such events were allowed and when the like of varadkar were telling us not to take the piss, they go and take the piss, which is likely why anyone there is keeping schtum.

    Lads for the final time I'll ask (don't want to be accused of online abuse), what is your interest in this story you say nobody is interested in, while insulting people who voice a negative opinion you don't like regarding politicians you don't support? I've laid out my interest. What's yours?



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭dudley72


    The PAC review will decide that. So unless you have any facts to say otherwise it just more speculation.



  • Registered Users Posts: 69,176 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    He quoted 'facts'.

    Varadkar had to check with the hotel about rules he signed off on. Don't you believe Varadkar?



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭Shebean


    PAC in investigating how Zappone got offered a job she conjured up.



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,200 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    I agree absolutely with Whippet. And I also see on the wires the very sad news of the death, by apparent suicide, of Councillor Anthony Flynn, founder of Inner City Helping Homeless in Dublin.

    While there were some reported and unreported issues raised in the last 10 days about that charity, I won't be the one to draw conclusions, but I think it's a timely and sobering lesson of the dangers of stresses and pressures, not least by vexatious persistence or harassment, of any sort on people in public life, be they politicians or any other well known person.

    If wrong doing occurs, if wrong doing is witnessed or suspected, that wrong doing can be reported to various authorities and to be wrong doing it must be a violation of a particular law or code or protocol, not merely a moral judgement or a frenzy by agenda driven groups and individuals, primarily on social media.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭dudley72


    I suggest you contact the mods and ask them why other opinions and different point of view are allowed on this forum. I don't think it should be up to me or the other poster to explain this to you.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 481 ✭✭mariab21


    The PAC are not deciding anything on the party.

    They are investigating Zappone giving herself a job.

    Leo has already confirmed the Merrion knew the rules (which he signed off on) as he called the Merrion to make sure it was ok. NO other hotel/bar etc knew these events were ok.

    Simple question, do you find it strange NO hotel in Ireland knew these rules but the Merrion did? A simple yes or no question



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