Funny exchanges in the Dáil?

Dave!

Well this is inspired by another thread about Michael McDowell slagging the Green party, saying that they were behind the vandalism of the PDs' offices on Parnell Street -- he said:

"There was muesli in the air and open-toe sandals witnessed."



I also remember I think it was Pat Rabbite slagging Willy O Dea about the photo taken of him pointing the gun... He said something like:

"This is a matter of security. I was wondering if the Minister for Defense was at least asked to leave his sidearm outside the house."

Can't remember it exactly...

I think I saw a book about this sort of thing, in Eason before. Shoulda got it that time, but oh well! Anyone else remember funny exchanges or debates in the Dáil, or the Seanad? Or maybe we'll make it international

ivan087

little off topic but i heard a good quote about american republicans -

"Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then get elected and prove it.""

I was researching this a while ago and found a Dáil debate on the january 1963 snow storms in wicklow.

Nothing much has changed in the Dáil.
Parliamentarians do make you laugh sometimes.

http://pie.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054878156


Like him or loathe him Michael Noonan can be amusing as can obviously the politicians on Today fm's Gift Grub obviously.

mike65

I recall there was a splinded exchange regarding something in the last few months Joe Higgins was particuarly good. It may have been something to do with Willie O'Dea...or not!

Mike.

Joe Higgins is always good in my opinion.
He's up there with Noonan for the way he puts things

Akrasia

joe higgins is the wittiest man in the Dail by a very long shot. Sometimes bertie says funny things, but they're usually unintended.

Dave!

^
Aye, a while ago Bertie said in response to something Trevor Sargent,

“I’m certainly sorry if some of my party members caught Deputy Sargent in a headlock in 1993. If I had’ve been there, I would have stopped them.”

Cute

The_Minister

This is a post of mine from today. Probably the funniest comment of all.

Firespinner wrote:

Why? Remember when John Bruton caught Higgens laughing at his own joke? (This is not verbatim) "In three years this is the first time I have seen Deputy Higgens smile. It is like moonlight on a tombstone"
Funny, no?

Freelancer

Funny, no?

No.

Nuttzz

John Gromley



Dracula

constitutionus

DaveMcG wrote:

Well this is inspired by another thread about Michael McDowell slagging the Green party, saying that they were behind the vandalism of the PDs' offices on Parnell Street -- he said:

"There was muesli in the air and open-toe sandals witnessed."



I also remember I think it was Pat Rabbite slagging Willy O Dea about the photo taken of him pointing the gun... He said something like:

"This is a matter of security. I was wondering if the Minister for Defense was at least asked to leave his sidearm outside the house."

Can't remember it exactly...

it wasnt pat rabbite, i think it was some one in the greens, but i remember it too. seem to remember it ending by a request it'd be decomishioned by deputy ferris:D

cruiserweight

constitutionus wrote:

it wasnt pat rabbite, i think it was some one in the greens, but i remember it too. seem to remember it ending by a request it'd be decomishioned by deputy ferris:D

Are you sure it was not Pat Rabbite! It could have been Higgins! Sometimes I stay home on a Wed and Thurs moring to watch Dail Beo! Unfortunately the really funny stuff that gets a reaction you never hear!

constitutionus

cruiserweight wrote:

Are you sure it was not Pat Rabbite! It could have been Higgins! Sometimes I stay home on a Wed and Thurs moring to watch Dail Beo! Unfortunately the really funny stuff that gets a reaction you never hear!

positive, i was watching it meself on dail report (couldnt be arsed spelling the right name:D ) the td was a young guy fairly handsome.

i know what you mean about things getting cut off, i saw the original gromley/macdowell match but the news only showed half of it. and in other areas i loved when the film "sixshooter" won an oscar the irish guy who starred in it was kept in customs at the airport and the bloke who accepted the oscar gave him a big shout out and said " maybe next time they'll let you into the country":D

i thought it was brilliant but the news showed it once in the morning and never again for the whole day:rolleyes:

Dave!

constitutionus wrote:

positive, i was watching it meself on dail report (couldnt be arsed spelling the right name:D ) the td was a young guy fairly handsome.

Are you havin a go at Pat Rabbite?

Zaphod

"As a matter of Dail security, did you require the Minister for Defence to leave his weapon at the door this morning? If not, I was going to ask Deputy Ferris to go over and disarm him." Joe Higgins referring to Corporal O'Dea.


Wednesday 17 November 2004
Leaders’ Questions, Dáil Éireann.

Joe Higgins (Socialist Party): Many of today's newspapers were kind enough to point out that I was not in the House yesterday when the Labour Party leader asked the Taoiseach about his new found commitment to socialism. Ironically, I was abroad for several days on political work to advance the cause of socialism.

Pat Rabbitte (Labour Party): Did the Deputy have the Government jet?

J. Higgins: You can imagine, a Cheann Comhairle, how perplexed I was when I returned to find my wardrobe almost empty. The Taoiseach had been busy robbing my clothes. Up to recently the Progressive Democrats did not have a stitch left due to the same Taoiseach but we never expected him to take a walk on the left side of the street.

The Taoiseach: Extreme left.

J. Higgins: He said: "I am one of the few socialists left in Irish politics". Immediately, Tomás Ó Criomhthaín came to mind, as he lamented the last of the Blasket Islanders: "Ní bheidh ár leithéidí arís ann". I then thought: "Good, Taoiseach. There are two of us in it and we will go down together."

Sadly, I had to take a reality check. If this conversion was genuine we would have to go back 2,000 years to find another as rapid and as radical. Saul's embrace of Christianity on the road to Damascus stood the test of time but the Taoiseach's embrace of socialism on the banks of the Tolka hardly will.

Kappar

didn't some one say "it's all well and good to put gondelas on the lake but who;s going to feed them"

Zaphod

Kappar wrote:

didn't some one say "it's all well and good to put gondelas on the lake but who;s going to feed them"

It's usually attributed to Jackie Healy Rae, among others, although he denies saying it.

"You are the evil of two lessers" - CJH to Gay Mitchell (brother of Jim).

"He is the sort of small man who gives small men a bad name" - CJH on Seamus Brennan.