[orpheus]

Looking at the Boards.ie vote thingy - which is a great idea by the way - I'm totally amazed people are voting for Trev Sargent in Dublin North. The most memorable thing he did as a minister was try to influence the Gards into dropping a case against a constituent. Why the fark would anyone vote for this guy?

The Greens in government were such a big fat waste of space! I used to vote for them and Labour, but the Greens were such a huge disappointment I would never vote for them again.

[Morag]

Because some people think that he has some honour and integrity.
T.D.s be the ministers or not get asked by constituents so write all sort of letters on their behalf, when it was pointed out it was out of order he stood down.
He stated that he would not lead the Green Party into government with FF and when it was mooted he stood aside as leader.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...d-2076456.html

Ethical minister hoist with own petard


Trevor Sargent is flanked by Green Party colleagues Paul Gogarty, Mark Dearey, John Gormley, Mary White, Niall O Brolchain and Eamon Ryan at Leinster House last night after his resignation.

Trevor Sargent is flanked by Green Party colleagues Paul Gogarty, Mark Dearey, John Gormley, Mary White, Niall O Brolchain and Eamon Ryan at Leinster House last night after his resignation.

By Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor

Wednesday February 24 2010

TREVOR Sargent's favourite memory of Charlie Haughey came at the count for the 1989 European elections.

Running in his third election -- local, Dail and then European -- Mr Sargent lost again. After chalking up a respectable 37,317 votes, Mr Haughey sauntered over to congratulate him and announced: "I'm a bit of a green myself."

Mr Haughey was referring to his management of the Kinsealy estate, rather than his principles, which were completely at odds with what Mr Sargent stood for.

Twenty years later and Mr Sargent has done a great deal to raise ethical and moral standards in Irish politics -- but was ultimately hoist with his own petard.

Following those false starts by the young Mr Sargent in the 1980s, he was elected to Dublin City Council in 1991 and was elected to the Dail in the Dublin North constituency in 1992 to plough a lonely furrow as the Greens' only TD at the time.

During the early stages of his political career, he established a reputation for high standards and highlighting the links between developers and councillors.

His finest hour came at a council meeting when he produced a £100 cheque he had received from a developer to support a rezoning motion.

Turning to his council colleagues, he asked how many other councillors had received one as well, and was promptly shouted down and put in a headlock. Needless to say, the bulk of the furore and the alleged assailant came from Fianna Fail -- who would eventually become Mr Sargent's partners in government.

Mr Sargent worked hard at constituency level and also in the Dail, where he was joined in 1997 by John Gormley.

Mr Sargent became the first leader of the Greens in 2001, when the party finally gave up their hang-up about collective leadership.

The party made the breakthrough to take six TDs to the Dail after the 2002 general election, largely on the back of Fine Gael losses.

In the run up to the 2007 general election, Mr Sargent vowed not to lead his party into government with Fianna Fail.

He continued to raise questions about then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's personal finances, even when his opposition counterparts decided it was no longer politically opportune to do so.

The post-election arithmetic saw Mr Ahern approach the Greens to join a multi-coloured coalition with Fianna Fail, the PDs and independents.

Promise

After examining their consciences, the Greens voted to enter government and Mr Sargent stuck to his promise and stood down as leader to be replaced by Mr Gormley.

In doing so, he not only gave up the leadership of his party, but also a cabinet position.

His lifelong interest in organic farming and horticulture saw him appointed as junior minister for agriculture, with responsibility for food and horticulture.

Dubbed the Minister for Vegetables, he famously put out a press release on budget day telling housewives how to cook sprouts at Christmas.

He was regarded as a diligent minister with a keen interest and aptitude for his portfolio. He was also a close adviser of Green ministers Mr Gormley and Eamon Ryan.

The 49-year-old TD is a fluent Irish speaker and at one stage said he was going to speak in Irish at all times in the Dail -- a habit which lasted a few months.

A former national school principal, he is a practising member of the Church of Ireland and lives in Balbriggan.

He is separated from his wife, Heidi Bedell, a Green Party activist and former councillor. He has openly admitted his commitment to politics played a role in the break-up.

- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor

[bamboozle]

Originally Posted by orpheus

Looking at the Boards.ie vote thingy - which is a great idea by the way - I'm totally amazed people are voting for Trev Sargent in Dublin North. The most memorable thing he did as a minister was try to influence the Gards into dropping a case against a constituent. Why the fark would anyone vote for this guy?

The Greens in government were such a big fat waste of space! I used to vote for them and Labour, but the Greens were such a huge disappointment I would never vote for them again.

Sargent donated his ministerial pay off to St. Vincent de Paul, he's a decent man more of whom we need in dail eireann.

[orpheus]

I used to think so too, but ultimately while he stood down as leader, he was fairly happy to take a ministerial position and then, post-resignation for his abuse of power, prop up a Fianna Fáil government with his ineffectual colleagues. Surely, were he a man of integrity as claimed, he would not have displayed such poor judgment as a minister and been such a non-entity post resignation.

Also, on a local level, what exactly did he do in government for Dublin North or indeed Balbriggan?

Originally Posted by Sharrow

Because some people think that he has some honour and integrity.
T.D.s be the ministers or not get asked by constituents so write all sort of letters on their behalf, when it was pointed out it was out of order he stood down.
He stated that he would not lead the Green Party into government with FF and when it was mooted he stood aside as leader.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...d-2076456.html

[Zzippy]

Originally Posted by orpheus

Also, on a local level, what exactly did he do in government for Dublin North or indeed Balbriggan?

This is the problem with politics in Ireland - parish pump politics. We elect TDs and expect them to be glorified county councillors, sorting out medical cards, planning permission, whatever problems we have with bureaucracy, or to get funding for local projects. No matter that its at the expense of somewhere else that migth be more deserving.

How about you think about the national interest - that we elect TDs to be legislators, and work for the national interest, rather than sorting out the potholes on your street?

[Tarobot]

Originally Posted by orpheus

I used to think so too, but ultimately while he stood down as leader, he was fairly happy to take a ministerial position and then, post-resignation for his abuse of power, prop up a Fianna Fáil government with his ineffectual colleagues. Surely, were he a man of integrity as claimed, he would not have displayed such poor judgment as a minister and been such a non-entity post resignation.

That has been dealt with here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...2&postcount=32

As for being ineffectual, I wouldn't say that after reading this article:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...289828702.html

Originally Posted by orpheus

Also, on a local level, what exactly did he do in government for Dublin North or indeed Balbriggan?

Er, isn't this exactly the kind of mentality we're trying to get away from?

[orpheus]

Originally Posted by Zzippy

This is the problem with politics in Ireland - parish pump politics. We elect TDs and expect them to be glorified county councillors, sorting out medical cards, planning permission, whatever problems we have with bureaucracy, or to get funding for local projects. No matter that its at the expense of somewhere else that migth be more deserving.

How about you think about the national interest - that we elect TDs to be legislators, and work for the national interest, rather than sorting out the potholes on your street?

Totally agree that the focus should be national, but that doesn't mean TDs should essentially ignore the local issues of their constituency - which he, in my opinion, has. I think he was a huge disappointment, having voted for him several times. Obviously it's a bit of a love-in for him here, but sure.. life story. I think that's reasonably bizarre is all.

[Zzippy]

Originally Posted by orpheus

Totally agree that the focus should be national, but that doesn't mean TDs should essentially ignore the local issues of their constituency - which he, in my opinion, has. I think he was a huge disappointment, having voted for him several times. Obviously it's a bit of a love-in for him here, but sure.. life story. I think that's reasonably bizarre is all.

Not at all, I don't live in Dublin North and have no real interest, was just pointing out what I felt was wrong with your question about local achievements. I take your point that maybe he has ignored local issues, but I think the only local interest TDs should take is examining legislation to see how it will impact on their area and proposing amendments or voting accordingly. Whether he has done that I have no idea.

[dremington]

Interesting what passes for integrity here. He said he wouldn't lead the Greens into government- When I gave him my number one I wasn't expecting him to resign as leader and take a junior ministry, and I doubt anyone else was either. It fulfilled the letter of what he said, but certainly not the spirit. Also, resigning when you're caught is the least you should expect-the fact that other deputies are far worse is hardly a defence, is it? Finally, over the last 2 years he has propped up a government that simply didn't have a mandate for the decisions they were taking. If he really had integrity we would have had an election well before this IMF deal was ever brokered. How in the face of this people are prepared not to hold him responsible and even give him props for 'Honour' simply beggars belief.

[Sir Oxman]

Originally Posted by dremington

Interesting what passes for integrity here. He said he wouldn't lead the Greens into government- When I gave him my number one I wasn't expecting him to resign as leader and take a junior ministry, and I doubt anyone else was either. It fulfilled the letter of what he said, but certainly not the spirit. Also, resigning when you're caught is the least you should expect-the fact that other deputies are far worse is hardly a defence, is it? Finally, over the last 2 years he has propped up a government that simply didn't have a mandate for the decisions they were taking. If he really had integrity we would have had an election well before this IMF deal was ever brokered. How in the face of this people are prepared not to hold him responsible and even give him props for 'Honour' simply beggars belief.

This is the killer argument for me and why I think they will be wiped out - they did a great disservice to the country propping up FF

[Peckham]

As someone who is living in Dublin North, and voting for Sargent (with a heavy heart) I'll offer my opinion....

We have 9 candidates running in Dublin North (a miserably low number), none of which inspire any form of confidence, but I have to choose one of them. Sargent, due to his principled stand, is the least rotten apple in the barrel.

[thetonynator]

Originally Posted by Sharrow

Because some people think that he has some honour and integrity.
T.D.s be the ministers or not get asked by constituents so write all sort of letters on their behalf, when it was pointed out it was out of order he stood down.
He stated that he would not lead the Green Party into government with FF and when it was mooted he stood aside as leader.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...d-2076456.html

reads like an obituary!

[Tucker Max]

I'll be giving him a vote

7 out of 9

Giving the Ind number 1

[craigybagel]

If I was still living in Dublin North, I'd be voting for him. Not because I know him personally (I went to the school he taught at) but he is a decent man, in a party that isnt as bad as the abuse it gets (my local GP candidate is getting my 2nd preferance), and as others have said, the alternatives are hardly great up there either. Are the other candidates much better people than Trevor? I think not.

[Scofflaw]

Originally Posted by dremington

Interesting what passes for integrity here. He said he wouldn't lead the Greens into government- When I gave him my number one I wasn't expecting him to resign as leader and take a junior ministry, and I doubt anyone else was either. It fulfilled the letter of what he said, but certainly not the spirit.

That story is false: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...2&postcount=32

Originally Posted by dremington

Also, resigning when you're caught is the least you should expect-the fact that other deputies are far worse is hardly a defence, is it?

Given that other deputies don't actually resign over much larger matters, yes.

Originally Posted by dremington

Finally, over the last 2 years he has propped up a government that simply didn't have a mandate for the decisions they were taking. If he really had integrity we would have had an election well before this IMF deal was ever brokered. How in the face of this people are prepared not to hold him responsible and even give him props for 'Honour' simply beggars belief.

Most of those decisions were put to a vote in the Dáil, and were supported by most of the Dáil, not just the government parties - Sinn Fein and Fine Gael supported the original guarantee, for example. There was, therefore, a very good democratic mandate for those decisions.

cordially,
Scofflaw