Paschal Donohoe expenses controversy

Don't worry everybody, Fine Gael's current time is up, that's all. Ye'll be back in when the next gangs time is up and rinse repeat

Where did the 10k valuation come from? Did said businessman declare it as such in his tax returns? I've no problem with Paschal, friend offers his van and a few lads to stick up some posters, how would he know it wasn't voluntary and the businessman threw them a few quid, as they were probably offered, why would they do it otherwise. Sounds like he (paschal) got a bit shafted here.

The conspiracy theory is that Paschal gave him the nod that he'd be appointed to the board in lieu of the posters, lets face it getting appointed to a board can only be good for your career, but didn't know that the businessman was going to declare said astronomical donation.

What business does.the businessman own?

This I think is a pathetic attempt by the independent to try get one up on The Ditch. It's the independent trying to play both sides of the fence, they really don't want to come out against FG but then again they are seeing the Ditch getting all the attention after Troy story and now English so the independent are trying to get a bit of that with this attempt. I am sure if all politicians donations were looked we would be up to our ears in stories like this.

I will also say that FG have only themselves to blame for this with Varadkar leaking confidential documents, the zappone carey on, then the 'clarifying' of the rules after the Merrion party, dara Murphy making off with his ill-gotten expenses, McEntee and her 4 uncles at tayto Park, even though not FG but Troy and his forgotten 11 houses and now English and his dodgy planning application. This Donohue story would not get any attention except for all the carry on above. FG are now seen as more corrupt than FF which is some going.

Cui bono?

Follow the money.

It’s his job to know. His election agent has to account for all election spend, including any benefits in kind.

Arent corporate donations illegal in Ireland?

So was the company registered for the year in question?

It's sometimes called the revolving door and can be problematic all right.

One of the difficulties of enforcing restrictions on ex ministers is that nowadays they can't collect the pension until they are 66.

So with politicians starting say in late 20's and losing seat or running out of steam after 20/25 years they need a second career.

A big huge crimson canvas.

If the Varadkar document controversy was a nothing burger (and it was, as I always said), then this Donohoe rubbish is one of those tiny little burgers, a slider I think they call them.

Its a nothing slider.

Hearing SF bleat on today about this topic was absolutely pathetic. Do they need Paschal to use smaller words, so Louise O'Reilly can understand better?

In the context of an election campaign, a few lads putting up posters is a central, essential activity at the heart of the campaign, that would have been planned for months beforehand. No one 'forgets' to put up posters, and no one forgets about postering when completing their election spend declaration.

Isn't it funny how the FG mistakes always seem to go one way though?

Did Stone pay the lads or did his company pay?

I worked in a small tech company that did a lot of business in the developing world that required regulatory approval by government in those developing countries.

They had a local retired TD who was a former minister for Foreign Affairs on the board.

I have no idea how much he was paid but it was very useful to wheel him out when doing sales pitches etc, it was handy to have a man of his stature representing the company.

’ Much Ado About Nothing ‘ it’s not like he robbed a bank or anything.

The agitator is the head-the-ball from the seb wummit who funds the "trench" to dig this stuff out on FG after Leo refused to bankroll the seb wummit before it went to ...

The first referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon held on 12 June 2008 was rejected by the Irish electorate, by a margin of 53.4% to 46.6%, with a turnout of 53%. The second referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon held on 2 October 2009 and the proposal was approved by 67.1% to 32.9%, with a turnout of 59%.

Why would I look at twitter?

People really have an over inflated view of opinions on twitter,its makes up a very small,very angry amount of people in Ireland.

Boards similarly but this is no Maria Bailey no matter how you spin it.

Peter Burke is that you? There is a small difference between with English and Donohue have done compared to what SF did there, Firstly SF admitted the mistake and rectified it right away, off their own backs without needing newspaper headlines to do it. English has sat there and watched what happened to Troy and at no stage has he tried to fix this or own up to it and the same Paschal.

Look we all know mistakes happen, its easy to forget about a house you own when you have 11, or which cheque can from which donor or which uncle in the case of McEntee or forgetting about lying on a planning application form but at least when you find out about it or you see one of your colleagues having to resign their position over something so minor as forgetting to list that they are a landlord or have an interest in a business, then don't you think it would be wise to hold your hand admit the mistake yourself and correct it. All it does when it is exposed is erode public trust in them or confirm to the public that they are all as corrupt as each other.

Lads, wouldn't it gladden your heart that our government ministers "scandals" amount to something as minor as this? I mean, when you look at the carry-on of their equivalents in Washington or Westminster it really does make you proud to be Irish.