Media silence over Niall Collins story

The assumption that younger voters do not vote was destroyed in the last GE. Younger voters have essentially been voting more consistently than older voters because they have grown up clicking on 'like' buttons and voting online. That makes them different from a lot of older voters and the effects are visible in the opinion polls with SF and the SocDems being strongly supported in younger demographics.

Younger voters now have a very good reason for votinng: the Housing Crisis. Motivated voters are far more dangerous to the status quo than voters who vote for the same party because their parents and grandparents voted that way. FFG is losing support in both the younger demographics and the older demographics.

Under Ahern or Haughey, Collins would have been removed. Back then, FF and FG combined were getting 80% of the vote. Now, they struggle to break 40%. In under a generation, FF/FG has lost 50% of its support. Because Ireland uses proportional representation, the effect of losing support means that transfers dry up and without transfers, the non-poll topping TDs don't get reelected. Though Collins is from an FF family, FF has lost its identity. But the more damaging thing for FF, moreso than Collins, Troy etc, is that the electorate itself is changing.

Regards...jmcc

I applaud your aspiration about political discourse. People are more concerned with making ends meet. The Collins problem is damaging FFG in the same way that the Troy and English problems damaged it. The whole "my party, right or wrong" attitude is dangerous. The percentage of the electorate that are party supporters/members has always been much smaller than the opinion polls suggest. They had to stop presenting the "core" support percentages due to the rise in the floating/Undecided vote. That floating vote can move and when it moves, it can destroy parties as it did with Labour in 2016. Much of the vote on which FFG depends is a floating vote. If it moves, then FF and FG will be close to being finished as Tier 1 parties with SF being the only Tier 1 party left based on support.

Issues like Collins are dangerous to political parties because they can cause small percentage shifts in support. In the 2002 GE, there was a 5.4% swing against FG. It went from 54 seats to 31, a 42.69% seat loss.

Regards...jmcc

People can believe that what Niall Collins did or failed to do in this case was improper without it being illegal. Elected politicians can respond to public outrage by enacting legislation criminalising similar acts and omissions. However, the current law of the land does not prohibit or even discourage what Niall Collins did in this case. That is all I have been pointing out.

attended and?

How do you know?

We had just about established here that the Collins family are, in fact, saints walking amongst us. The Collins clan have been serving the country for 75 years and we can only dare to dream for another 75 years of their selfless service. The story you allude to occurred in a year ending in an odd number and ipso facto is entirely irrelevant ;-)

Is anyone else confused about what this line means?

”While the method of disposal was not yet decided it would be by open market and the matter would be brought back to the area meeting again for further consideration. The members were in favour of the proposal”

Is there a hidden meaning to the words “not yet decided” and “proposal” that we are not aware of?

Can anyone see a contribution to the discussion from Niall Collins in those minutes, or should we just take it that his mere presence when his wife had gone to the extreme lengths, of expressing an interest in the property, is evidence of corruption?

I really can’t believe it, I logged in this evening expecting this stupidity to have moved on a little, but no, 6 pages later, the same poster is arguing the same point which has been clarified with the benefit of quotes from the relevant legislation from someone who works in planning. Boards is a weird place sometimes.

Why not wait for Sipo and the Gardai to complete their investigation as they clearly see something to be investigated even if 90% of the posters on this thread don't and repeat ad nauseum the same incorrect interpretation of the legislation.

I’m going to try this again.

I walk into a Garda station and say, “I’m here to report a crime, kaymin did it”. The Garda then investigate, because that is what they are supposed to do.

What does that say about you kaymin?

Damnit Jim, she's a doctor, not a property developer.