[MadsL]

Originally Posted by Laois_Man

Seriously, who the **** cares whether Ahern and/or Flynn are expelled from a Party they were yesterdays news in anyway!

Two things will annoy me about this;

1) That no criminal proceedings will be taken against anyone,

2) That expulsion of a person from a political party where that persons political career is already finished anyway will result in the current gob****es at the FF top table thinking they're some sort of hero's and will probably start calling themselves "The Peoples party" or some ****e like that because of it. They might even get a bump in the polls because of it!!

I agree about your two points, but it will speak volumes if MM does not act against Ahern. Equally the publication of the findings could lead to someone now speaking up about the source of Berties 'digout'.

[jmayo]

Originally Posted by MadsL

I agree about your two points, but it will speak volumes if MM does not act against Ahern. Equally the publication of the findings could lead to someone now speaking up about the source of Berties 'digout'.

Sorry the only way anyone will speak up is if their balls are caught in a vice.
So it was with dunlop and grainne caruth.

Most of the ones involved have somehting to lose by speaking out, much like with the knowledge around before the bank guarantee.
We need someone to find religion big time or someone like flynn to put their foot in it big time.

[Mr.Micro]

Originally Posted by jmayo

Sorry the only way anyone will speak up is if their balls are caught in a vice.
So it was with dunlop and grainne caruth.

Most of the ones involved have somehting to lose by speaking out, much like with the knowledge around before the bank guarantee.
We need someone to find religion big time or someone like flynn to put their foot in it big time.

Ahern was at the recent Ard Fheis..... Martin will not throw him out. The report will be cited as not actually calling Ahern corrupt. Also Bertie probably knows a few things ?.... he is not one to quietly, hence his appearance at the FF Ard Fheis?

[Dirk Gently]

more interestingly is what will MM do about those FF ministers that mahon says sought to undermine the tribunal. How will he deal with them without dealing with himself too. Lab and FG also have questions to answer about their own councillors.

[Mr.Micro]

Originally Posted by Dirk Gently

more interestingly is what will MM do about those FF ministers that mahon says sought to undermine the tribunal. How will he deal with them without dealing with himself too. Lab and FG also have questions to answer about their own councillors.

A tough one, but I am sure the politicians will smooth everything over and continue as before. Imagine if the tribunal had looked at every County Council in Ireland. The Mahon report would only be the tip of the iceberg with regards to corruption IMO.

[johngalway]

I'd be surprised if MM does much of anything, he has the spine of a jellyfish.

[Dirk Gently]

all MM can do is offer up Bertie and lie low for a week or so until this all blows over. MM is unfortunately linked in with the next level of names who tried to undermine the tribunal. He can hardly sanction the likes of willie o dea without incriminating himself.

[EchoO]

I remember Micheal Martin being one of the pack of ff'ers sent out to defend Bertie's laughable evidence to tribunal. So I assume he is one of the ministers refered to in the report .... “(the tribunal) came under sustained and virulent attack from a number of senior government ministers who questioned, inter alia, the legality of its inquiries as well as the integrity of its members. There appears little doubt that the objective of these extraordinary and unprecedented attacks on the tribunal was to undermine the efficient conduct of the tribunal’s inquiries, erode its independence and collapse its inquiry into that individual."

If he is, then surely he and FF should be looking at his own position as head of the party.

[Dirk Gently]

Originally Posted by EchoO

If he is, then surely he and FF should be looking at his own position as head of the party.

yeah, if they were serious about their new reforming agenda then yes they would remove all those involved but this isn't about ending corruption or punishing those involved, it's about damage limitation. Expect Bertie to be offered up as a sacrificial lamb and nothing more.

[Mr.Micro]

Originally Posted by johngalway

I'd be surprised if MM does much of anything, he has the spine of a jellyfish.

I saw Martin on the news this evening and he appears already to be rowing back when asked about expelling Ahern from FF, muttering something about the wording of the report. Bertie the man who knows too much.

[EchoO]

Originally Posted by Dirk Gently

yeah, if they were serious about their new reforming agenda then yes they would remove all those involved but this isn't about ending corruption or punishing those involved, it's about damage limitation. Expect Bertie to be offered up as a sacrificial lamb and nothing more.

It's a pity the tribunal did go as far as naming the Ministers in question. If Martin or O'Dea had been actually named, their positions would simply be untenable.

[walshb]

I know it's clear that most of these politicians have brass necks, but I wonder how Cecelia and Georgina feel when they read such damning articles relating to their father?

[Tin Foil Hat]

Originally Posted by walshb

I know it's clear that most of these politicians have brass necks, but I wonder how Cecelia and Georgina feel when they read such damning articles relating to their father?

Probably the same as P. Flynn's daughter, I'd say?

[raymon]

Bertie should be allowed to stay in FF . Nobody represents the FF core values more

[Mr.Micro]

Originally Posted by raymon

Bertie should be allowed to stay in FF . Nobody represents the FF core values more

Indeed, the other political parties are probably hoping he will stay. He is FF, and if Martin really does want the party to be renewed, as he has talked about at length in the last year, he needs to start from now, with the likes of Ahern publicly dismissed from FF. Not likely, as he himself, was for 11 years a Minister and part of Ahern's Government.