Oireachtas members, free postage/envelopes and unfair advantage

#1 · 24-02-2011 6:23pm #1

I posted this on another forum, but it might have a better chance of being answered here.

It's really annoying me that certain candidates are using Oireachtas envelopes, and thereby saving a fortune, to send us their promotional material.

This morning we received one of these envelopes on behalf of Councillor Nick Killian of Fianna Fáil, who isn't even in the Oireachtas. Re-read that. The outgoing Fianna Fáil TD, Mary Wallace, decided to use her Oireachtas envelopes to promote him. That's what I'd expect from that crowd. What I didn't expect was Dominic Hannigan of Labour, a member of Seanad Éireann, to use his envelopes to promote himself. I'm going to give Hannigan a preference because I agree with his views on many issues. However, I think he, like Killian, is giving himself an unfair advantage by using a state-funded posting facility to promote himself. This should be made illegal.

In contrast to this, this morning we also received promotional material from the Independent candidate Joe Bonner, with a 55c stamp on the envelope.

Someone please tell me: how is this fair??

Liam Byrne · 24-02-2011 6:29pm

Dostoevsky wrote: »

I posted this on another forum, but it might have a better chance of being answered here.

It's really annoying me that certain candidates are using Oireachtas envelopes, and thereby saving a fortune, to send us their promotional material.

This morning we received one of these envelopes on behalf of Councillor Nick Killian of Fianna Fáil, who isn't even in the Oireachtas. Re-read that. The outgoing Fianna Fáil TD, Mary Wallace, decided to use her Oireachtas envelopes to promote him. That's what I'd expect from that crowd. What I didn't expect was Dominic Hannigan of Labour, a member of Seanad Éireann, to use his envelopes to promote himself. I'm going to give Hannigan a preference because I agree with his views on many issues. However, I think he, like Killian, is giving himself an unfair advantage by using a state-funded posting facility to promote himself. This should be made illegal.

In contrast to this, this morning we also received promotional material from the Independent candidate Joe Bonner, with a 55c stamp on the envelope.

Someone please tell me: how is this fair??

It isn't, and it should be illegal.

Unfortunately even the likes of Shane Ross are doing it.

Sickening. And stamps/headed paper are only the obvious incarnation of it, because I wouldn't put it past the shower to use their state cars and drivers and state mobile phones, etc, during canvassing*

* An assumption, but given what we've seen them do / condone, one with plenty of justified suspicion behind it

Ivor Callely & his apologists are probably putting in an invoice that he got last week from The DeLorean Motor Company as we speak

[Jackass] · 24-02-2011 6:57pm

Very good point raised OP, especially considering the cost to the independent TD.

I think you should raise this with whoever is elected in your area, but I would be surprised if anyone in a position of power (and thus having this advantage) would do anything to stop it...

It's not illegal, but ethically, very immoral.

Your best bet is Joooooeeeeeeeeeeeee DUFFFEHHH!

Oireachtas members, free postage/envelopes and unfair advantage

Comments