Michael Collins resigns the whip from FF

gandalf · 27-09-2003 5:59pm #1

Well as expected he has resigned the whip from the FF party which is standard for any wrong doing from a FFer. What will happen now is he will vote with the government and in a year or so he will be allowed back in.

This guy should be forced out. He lied when he joined the dail stating all his tax affairs were in order.

Gandalf.

From Unison http://www.unison.ie/breakingnews/index.php3?ca=9&si=43341 (Subscription free to register)

TD with bogus account resigns the 'whip' from Fianna Fail

The Fianna Fail TD Michael Collins has resigned the whip from the Fianna Fail parliamentary party. This follows yesterdays revelations that he paid more than a hundred and thirty thousand euros to the revenue commissioners for under declaring tax and for holding a bogus non resident account before he was elected to the dail. In a statement released this evening, Mr. Collins stated he has voluntarily resigned the whip from the Fianna Fail party but that he at all times complied with legal requirements under the Standards in Public Office Commission. He stated that he expressed "deep regret and embarrassment" at the recent disclosures. Deputy Collins has also declared that he will continue to fulfil the electoral mandate given to him by the people of West Limerick.

Cork · 27-09-2003 6:39pm

I feel that at least he did the decent thing.

He has settled up with revenue. But evading tax is starving the state of taxes that could be used for hospitals and schools.

Government needs to beef up the investigating powers of revenue to uncover more tax evasion.

People should pay their tax. If you don't - you cannot expect others to pick up your tab.

It is unacceptable. Services have to be provided. TDs need to show example.

But not paying for services that are used, nixing or fiddling the system is wrong.

I

Frank Grimes · 27-09-2003 10:08pm

Originally posted by Cork
I feel that at least he did the decent thing.

Resigning his seat would be the decent thing.

mike65 · 27-09-2003 10:17pm

......well its more than Mr. G.V. Wright has done, not much more mind....It'll never happen but maybe if it became a requirment to resign ones seat upon breaking the law....although Collins evation was prior to be being elected but I bet he was a counciller.

Mike.

Sparks · 27-09-2003 10:43pm

Originally posted by Frank_Grimes
Resigning his seat would be the decent thing.

No, paying his taxes like the rest of us slobs would have been the decent thing.

And cork, it's called leading by example. That's why he should resign without being pushed.

Frank Grimes · 27-09-2003 10:54pm

Originally posted by Sparks
No, paying his taxes like the rest of us slobs would have been the decent thing.

I meant at this point in time. He's paid up now, but he should go.
Goes without saying that he should have paid his taxes all along.

gurramok · 27-09-2003 11:29pm

He should resign his seat.
He misled the Dáil and misled his electorate into believing he was a law abider.
Resigning the whip is a slap on the wrist, he will be let into FF again in a few months time. :mad:
Yet another TD that thinks he is above the law.:(

star gazer · 28-09-2003 11:20am

I agree with the majority opinion above, it's window dressing in the usual media management manor. It would be nice to think that decency would return to irish politics, (lowry aside) it will take a change from Fianna Fáil to get there.

Cork · 28-09-2003 1:59pm

Originally posted by star gazer
I agree with the majority opinion above, it's window dressing in the usual media management manor. It would be nice to think that decency would return to irish politics, (lowry aside) it will take a change from Fianna Fáil to get there.

FG really answered the Telenor cheqdecencyue questions. This crusade for decency is something Mary Whitehouse would be proud of.

Tax vasion is wrong. Visiting Brothels is wrong. But so too is the sight of aooposition TDS trying to make political capital out of this.

Why can't they focus of issues with policy documents. Let SF,FG or Lab/DL come out with policy documents instead of this tabloid mush.

Let us investigate all TDs before they enter the Oireachas. Let us put the spotlight on Pat Rabbitt, Enda Kenny, SF etc.

McCarty done this in the US seaching for people with Communist associations with mixed results.

Sparks · 28-09-2003 2:35pm

Originally posted by Cork
Let us investigate all TDs before they enter the Oireachas. Let us put the spotlight on Pat Rabbitt, Enda Kenny, SF etc.

Agreed. Let's start with Bertie, shall we? So far, we know he's committed acts of fraud and lied. It'd be good to know just how crooked the bastard actually is.

sceptre · 28-09-2003 2:50pm

Originally posted by Cork
This crusade for decency is something Mary Whitehouse would be proud of.

Erm, I think you're misinterpreting the use of the word "decency" when it's been applied to public office. By "decency" in this context people mean "honesty" and "objectivity" amongst other things, not a campaign against obscenity.

sceptre · 28-09-2003 2:56pm

Originally posted by Cork
Let us investigate all TDs before they enter the Oireachas.

The document that all TDs signed before entering the current Dail was intended so that we could avoid this kind of thing. By lying when the document was signed fifteen months ago (and yes, he lied, which makes him a liar (and not just in that fuzzy political way) as well as a tax cheat), Collins has undoubtedly made some people believe that thoroughly investigating the financial dealings of TDs is necessary.

The corruption just keeps rolling on, doesn't it.

ColinM · 28-09-2003 3:42pm

Yes indeed, the corruption does keep rolling in, like sewage from a cracked pipe that's too close to the shore.

Maybe there should be another tax defaulter amnesty.
Except this time specifically for politicians.

And can we please stop paying for the Mahon Tribunal (so good they named it twice) and just throw Lawlor in jail for christ's sake?
Wouldn't it be better if he kept his public appearances to just once a year at the Kilkenny Cat Laughs?

Cork · 28-09-2003 3:49pm

Originally posted by sceptre

The corruption just keeps rolling on, doesn't it.

Mr. Collins had a non resident account. He settled with the Revenue. Tax Evasion is wrong. Mr. Collins had to pay interest and peleltys on top of tax owed.

We have Oireacthas members not paying service charges. This too is not paying for a seevice depriving local authoritys of funds.

I have nothing but contempt for this type of behaviour.

Not paying taxes & charges is revenue forgone to central or local government.

Blocking garbage trucks also costs local authoritys money.

I codemn all acts of corruption from whatever policital party, person or organisation.

.

MarcusGarvey · 28-09-2003 4:05pm

Originally posted by Cork

We have Oireacthas members not paying service charges.
.

And they are in jail for not paying a bill. Collins still gets his TDs pay after robbing the tax payer.

Sparks · 28-09-2003 4:08pm

Originally posted by Cork
I codemn all acts of corruption from whatever policital party, person or organisation.

No you don't cork, if you did, you'd be condemning the leader of your favoured party, along with more than half it's members throughout the political system.
Besides, your opinions on this kind of thing don't ever seem to be well-supported anyway, so who cares?

Cork · 28-09-2003 5:31pm

Originally posted by Sparks
No you don't cork, if you did, you'd be condemning the leader of your favoured party, along with more than half it's members throughout the political system.

I would not be so nieve to think that political wrong doing is confined to any given party. I think there us a responsibilty on TDs to comply with the law of the state and condemn any violations.

Mr. Collins paid up his taxes. I don't think he was the only TD with an off shore account either. I won't name him as I don't really believe in muck raking.

In fact I don't believe much in this style of politics. There are issues out there for politics to solve.

Collins has resigned the FF whip. What sanction will rabbitt take aganist his anti service charge members??

There are issues out there such as health and schools that are more important than tabloid issues like this one.

Mr. Collins electorate will have their say on him in 4 years time. The verdict is theirs.

I will not be responding to any more comments on this one as I expressed condemnation at Mr. Collins account. Trying to score political points off FF on this one - shows the opposition has no answers to problems facing this country.

28-09-2003 5:35pm

Originally posted by Cork

Mr. Collins paid up his taxes.

Only when he was caught though...
what sort of example is that from a legislator??

mm

Sparks · 28-09-2003 5:50pm

Originally posted by Cork
I would not be so nieve to think that political wrong doing is confined to any given party.

And yet you restrict your criticism to every party bar Fianna Fail...

I think there us a responsibilty on TDs to comply with the law of the state and condemn any violations.

Indeed. Time then, for half of FF to resign, starting with bertie for lying about his qualifications for several years, amongst other things.

Mr. Collins paid up his taxes.

No, he didn't. He was caught and paid a penalty. That's not the same thing. And there's no way of knowing that all of his criminal activities were discovered.

I don't think he was the only TD with an off shore account either. I won't name him as I don't really believe in muck raking.

So you'll merrily condemn non-FF TDs for wrongdoing, but if it's a FF TD, it's not ensuring compliance with the law, it's muck-raking?
Pah.

In fact I don't believe much in this style of politics. There are issues out there for politics to solve.

Most of them being caused by people like him committing crimes like his.
So frankly, throwing him out of politics alltogether, in disgrace, would be a damn fine start to fixing the problems...

Collins has resigned the FF whip. What sanction will rabbitt take aganist his anti service charge members??

So Higgins and Daly are really Labour then, are they?
:rolleyes:

And if you think that resigning the whip is any form of punishment, you're decidedly daft, let alone naive.

There are issues out there such as health and schools that are more important than tabloid issues like this one.

Again, much of the problems in health, education, and the economy in general, can trace their roots to this kind of corrupt practise and these kind of corrupt examples. So it's a long way from off-the-point to prosecute this kind of crime. It is, in fact, a damn good place to start solving many of Ireland's current problems.

Mr. Collins electorate will have their say on him in 4 years time. The verdict is theirs.

So he can break the law for four years without sanction? So why can't Higgins then?

I will not be responding to any more comments on this one as I expressed condemnation at Mr. Collins account. Trying to score political points off FF on this one - shows the opposition has no answers to problems facing this country.

Cork, if you really do cease to respond, I think most of us here know it's not because the argument has no merit, but because you know in your bones that what I've just posted is right and that you're defending the indefensible.

solice · 28-09-2003 7:11pm

this epitomises ff for me.

quote from last saturdays examiner

"mr collins said that he regretted that the issue of his tax liability arose"

wtf, he regrets the fact that he got caught. is that not utterly disgraceful

sceptre · 28-09-2003 8:05pm

Originally posted by Cork
Mr. Collins had a non resident account. He settled with the Revenue. Tax Evasion is wrong. Mr. Collins had to pay interest and peleltys on top of tax owed.

That's rather a perfect example of corruption. He stole and thought he'd get away with it. Then he lied about it and thought he'd get away with it. He's been caught and his party leader thinks he'll get away with it. Not exactly stamping out corruption then are we? This kind of behaviour really sends the message home to people that tax evasion is OK as long as you don't get caught. Condemning it isn't worth a damn if you're not prepared to do anything about it. Ahern hasn't even done that.

RainyDay · 28-09-2003 8:25pm

What is really amazing about this episode is not the fact that another FF tax evader has been caught, but the fact that he attempted to brazen it out by not availing of the Revenue offer to settle with bogus non-resident a/c holders without publication last year. Also, he totally missed the opportunity to manage the PR impact by coming clean before the Revenue published his name.

The man should resign as a TD, not just because he has been shown to be a crook, but mainly because he has been shown to be a dope.

Michael Collins resigns the whip from FF

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