Tell MacCann what you think.

BBM77

I would like to try and start an e-mail campaign to Brendan MacCann. Boards.ie members express a lot of dissatisfaction with MacCann so why not tell him directly. If a lot of people made there views known to him, expressing there frustrations about his actions and there support for the new shopping centre in Michael St, it may help to persuade him not to appeal this crucial development to An Bord Pleanála. (This is probably wishful thinking). At the very least it will let him know that there is a large group of people that strongly disagree with his actions and feel he is doing damage to Waterford City. Please try and be polite, I know it won’t be easy but your points will be taken more seriously.


Brendan McCann’s e-mail is bmaccana@eircom.net

ToxicPaddy

Has anyone emailed him yet??

Curious to know if he replied anyone who did email him

Tox

Our man in Havana

If I did email him, I would not be able to control my rage. I best leave it until someone gets a response from him.

Freddie59

ToxicPaddy wrote:

Has anyone emailed him yet??

Curious to know if he replied anyone who did email him

Tox

I emailed Trevor Sergeant.

meldrew

I think those Greens are living on another planet , I e-maled Dan Boyle (green party td for cork) who also happens to be a member on boards asking him did he realise the bad press his party was getting in Waterford and all he wanted was some kind of proof of what McCann was doing and I heard nothing from him since , and on another thread did'nt someone get a reply from Trevor sargeant telling him to stand for election against Mccann if he was so bothered by his actions ! Surely to God Mccann must have some idea of the the bad feeling against him because everyone I know has the same opinion of him , that hes holding back the rightful development of this city .

BBM77

I e-mailed him a couple of times and got replies each time. The replies were vague and did not address my concerns or answer my questions relating to his motives; maybe someone else would have better luck.

merlante

I will send an email as soon as I hear his specific problems with the latest development in the city centre.

mad man

merlante wrote:

I will send an email as soon as I hear his specific problems with the latest development in the city centre.

Yes this is a good idea.I can guarantee you McCann and WASICD will not go for the new shopping centre design.A large proportion of them don't want any shopping centre there. Or else some ****ty little Georges Court type centre with things like a micro brewery.Unless the PR group set up by KRM has pandered successfully to their petty little egos.Or else if they have swung public opinion so far that McCann and WASICD would not dare object.It was interesting to see a vox pop in the News & Star this week asking a group of young people if they thought Shopping facilities were adequate in Waterford.Not one said there was.A couple of them were downright contemptuous of what Waterford has to offer.

The fact is the development is big, as it should be and this will upset these arseholes.Add to this McCanns "concerns" about traffic during construction and you can see where it will probably go.Bear in mind B McCann reneging on his agreement to the developers of Railway Square.

You will need teleportation equipment star trek style to get traffic levels to McCanns satisfaction.Or else techniques that were used during construction of the pyramids.

I think the best thing to do is wait in the long grass for what WASICD will do and if they object then send a barrage of emails to councillors TD's and letters to the Newspapers.All three in Waterford.

merlante

Sounds about right. Everyone should get ready to send emails and letters.

Bards

Excellent Idea.

Will get started on mine this ASAP

when you are sending the letters to the member of the City Council... point out to them that they are the elected representivies of the City not McCann.. and if they cannot represent our views (The majority) then don't be surprised if they are not elected next time out

Also..

Maybe letters to An Bord Pleanala explaing this little fact to them also... that the majority of people want it except for one little dictator and his merry men

Bookee

Have limited access at the moment - Could/would some kind person post up a couple of addresses..... Probably An Bd Plan. so it goes to the right place !

Thanks, if possible

Our man in Havana

I don't think Bord pleanala accept emails and unsolicited letters. You will have to write as an interested party in a matter before the bord.

mad man

Bond-007 wrote:

I don't think Bord pleanala accept emails and unsolicited letters. You will have to write as an interested party in a matter before the bord.

This may be true.You may have to lodge your support in the same way as an objector lodges his objection.

This is certainly the case with the council and it costs 20 EURO.This favours the objector although they don't think it because people who support these things won't pay the money because they think in all likelyhood it will pass anyway.It would be interesting to know how much it costs to log a submission of support or objection to an bord pleanala.

deisemum

meldrew wrote:

on another thread did'nt someone get a reply from Trevor sargeant telling him to stand for election against Mccann if he was so bothered by his actions ! .

Yep that was me and I'm a she.

Brendan McCant hasn't done the Green Party any favours. I'm going to get on to my local councillors to express my support for the revised development.

Anyone know when the next council elections are?

Our man in Havana

Anyone know when the next council elections are?

June 2009

Bards

Des Purcell of Purcell Properties has started a campaign against McCann to limit the amount of objections one can lodge.

I think everyone should write letters in support of Des to the Papers and state that he is not curtailing people freedom to object just Brendan McCann

State it loud and clear that we do not want him and his Green policies in our City

From today's Irish Examiner
======================

13 September 2006

Auctioneer calls for halt to ‘serial objectors’

By Neans McSweeney, South-East Correspondent
NEW legislation is needed to combat the potentially damaging economic impact created by ‘serial objectors’, an auctioneer has said.


Groups or individuals should not be allowed to wage campaigns of sustained opposition to development, according to Waterford-based auctioneer, Des Purcell, of Purcell Properties.

He wants to see new legislation enacted which would limit the number and scope of objections which any individual can lodge.


Mr Purcell said he was prompted to launch this campaign as a result of the “alarming” increase in the number of objections to many types of developments lodged in particular by a member of the Green Party in Waterford, Brendan McCann.

“I want to make it clear that I have absolute respect for every citizen’s right to object to any planning application. But I believe that serious economic damage has been done to this city by persistent planning objections,” said Mr Purcell.

During the period of January to mid-August 2006, Brendan McCann lodged observations or objections to 30 applications.

Mr McCann said: “I stand over the content of every submission I have made ... The comments directed towards me are worrying and I would hope that they would not discourage anyone else from getting involved in the planning process.”

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment said that public participation is a fundamental part of the planning system and it is not proposed to alter the facility for any person to make a submission (on payment of €20) and to have it taken into account by the planning authority

Our man in Havana

About time someone has highlighted the issue in a national newspaper. I hadn't realised it was 30 objections he had made at 20 euro a shot, that's 600 euro he has wasted. A sad person indeed.

Bookee

Is he paying personally, or on behalf of the Green Party.... ?

Jor

I could not beleive it when I read ( in Waterford Today ) that McCann had mad 30 submissions/objections this year alone. That is madness.
I admit I agree with some of his objections to the way major developments have been done in Waterford but you can't hold back the tide altogether.
Also, if someone is going to stand up to him publicly, I'm not sure if an estate agent is the best person to do it. McCann has the obvious reply that it is "big money" and "vested interests" that is trying to stop him.

Roen

I initially had sympathies with McCann and I do feel that an awful lot of the development in Waterford that has gone on in recent years has been a wasted opportunity.
However, no matter how I feel on the subject doesn't alter the fact that he's totally lost the run of himself. I can't see the logic behind some of his objections at all. Serial objector is the perfect term for him. Just wish I thought of it first

ToxicPaddy

Roen wrote:

...Serial objector is the perfect term for him. Just wish I thought of it first

Ohh I can think of a few choice terms for him and serial objector isnt one of them.. :rolleyes:

One another note, I think Des Purcell, vested interests or not, had done Waterford a favour by highlighting the pest that is McCann and the negative feedback now on a national scale will surely bring the Green Party to act and tighten their grip on his activities.. the fact remains that he is costing Waterford millions in jobs and investment.. This will not go down well with possible voters and supporters especially if they are affected directly by McCanns actions.

McCann gave his response in the News & Star last week and he isnt bothered, he claims that he wont change his ways and will continue to do what he is doing.

What a completely self obsessed idiot!!!

I wouldnt mind if he was doing this to please his supporters, but he had never been voted onto anything, meaning that this is all for his own self gratification.

According to that article in the News & Star, he even objected to a creche, like what the f*ck is his problem?? :rolleyes:

Bookee

Think Billy McFarty said yesterday morn that McCann't was getting more support than Des Purcell.....(in terms of texts & calls, etc). Then he read out some comment about Him (McCann't) not bothering non-home owners as much as he does Business people.... :rolleyes:
The twat even read that stupid comment twice

merlante

Bookee wrote:

Think Billy McFarty said yesterday morn that McCann't was getting more support than Des Purcell.....(in terms of texts & calls, etc). Then he read out some comment about Him (McCann't) not bothering non-home owners as much as he does Business people.... :rolleyes:
The twat even read that stupid comment twice

As has been pointed out on this board before, McCann is greatly boosted by the Waterford media, who are happy to give a man who has stood for election on numerous occasions but has failed to be elected to anything equal air time and column inches to people that have the support of the electorate. WLR is the chief culprit here, and Billy McCarthy his biggest fan.

RTE do not give all party ardheises equal air time. This is because it is the business of the media to reflect public opinion in its coverage, not to alter public opinion by giving one interest, party or politician more coverage than their support warrants.

I had an email exchange with WLR on this, and they chose to stop replying to me when I made this point in opposition to their 'equal time' policy. (I mean you wouldn't give equal air time to death penalty proponent as to a death penalty opponent; the latter reflecting the majority belief of Irish people.)

Bards

apart from the fact that the majhority of people are in work during this time and cannot have heard the broadcast.

The fact of the matter is a wanna be politican/political party is interefeering in the planning process. I thought this was not allowed to happen as has been proved with all the tribunals.

I wish Des or someone would point this out to An Bord Pleanala etc. McCann is not acting in the publics interests but out of selfish interests, oterwise he would have objections lodged all over this Island. Why does he pick on Waterford, the answer is simple. He wants to raise his public profile in order to get elected to the Dail.


Now why doesn't object to the Shopping Centre in Abbeylands.. Is it becasue it is outside the CIty Boundary and cannot gleam votes from there?

Trotter

Its starting to backfire on him in a big way now.. The media are copping on to what he's at and he's getting a lot of bad publicity.

merlante

Trotter wrote:

Its starting to backfire on him in a big way now.. The media are copping on to what he's at and he's getting a lot of bad publicity.

I thought people had copped onto him 2 years ago, but he's still going strong...

Maybe they are starting to turn on him now though. Time enough for the whole thing to go sour on him...

deisemum

merlante wrote:

I thought people had copped onto him 2 years ago, but he's still going strong...

Maybe they are starting to turn on him now though. Time enough for the whole thing to go sour on him...

Well Billy McCarthy backs him up in any discussion I've ever heard on his show and will only "play devil's advocate" on whoever is against McCant. I sent in a text message voicing my views on McCant and Billy didn't read them out.

I reckon Billy has filtered a lot of negative opinion about the serial objector over the last few years thereby making it look like the ordinary person backs McCant who's standing up to the big bad business community

jmcc

I suppose as soon as one of his objections to an ordinary (non-business) citzen's planning application appears, it will be used as evidence by his enemies to prove that he is just a failed political type using planning objections as his hobby horse.

Regards...jmcc

merlante

jmcc wrote:

I suppose as soon as one of his objections to an ordinary (non-business) citzen's planning application appears, it will be used as evidence by his enemies to prove that he is just a failed political type using planning objections as his hobby horse.

Regards...jmcc

I hate this people versus business bull**** mindset you have in Waterford, that McCan't is exacerbating.

We live in a capitalism. It is what gives up cars and food. (Like it or not.) In a capitalist business in inextricably linked to the people: if you hurt one, you hurt the other...

(Unless the business is a monopoly, etc., then it should be treated like a rabid dog.)

jmcc

merlante wrote:

We live in a capitalism. It is what gives up cars and food. (Like it or not.) In a capitalist business in inextricably linked to the people: if you hurt one, you hurt the other...

Yes all very nice but once you show that McCann is a direct threat to the planning applications of individuals rather than businesses, his media friends like Billy McCarthy will find it a bit harder to unquestionably protect him. I don't think that people like McCann should be allowed to hold up development of Waterford but I don't think that Waterford should be developed despite the interests of the people.

Regards...jmcc

meldrew

But definitely I think the tide is starting to turn against McCant , despite the best efforts of his pal Billy McCarthy he still managed to lose the argument yesterday morning sounding like he had no answers when accused of costing jobs in Waterford , hopefully the pressure will be kept on him because dont forget in a few months he's going to be going around knocking on doors looking for votes and people wont forget all this bad publicity too soon .
BTW I was talking with a Sinn Fein activist who agrees with what McCann is doing but knows its political suicide

merlante

jmcc wrote:

Yes all very nice but once you show that McCann is a direct threat to the planning applications of individuals rather than businesses, his media friends like Billy McCarthy will find it a bit harder to unquestionably protect him. I don't think that people like McCann should be allowed to hold up development of Waterford but I don't think that Waterford should be developed despite the interests of the people.

Regards...jmcc

That is true.

The council zones land for commercial use. We elect the council. Aside from that, we should butt out of the process, unless there is a significant problem with the development. The way people object to buildings, because it's next door to them, or because a competitor is moving in, makes me sick. McCan't is being just as selfish as any of these interests.

Hope it is going south for him. I hope it gets a lot worse for him before it gets better.

Bards

Another Artice in Today's Irish Examiner..

lets hope the pressure can be kept up in the National Media... I Wonder what pressure can be brought to bare on him from WIT becuase if he gets to stop large development like this from taking place we will fail as a City to attract enough critical mass developments like this to make it a favourable place to live & Work. if this fails to happen then we & WIT may as well forget about a University
===============================

15 September 2006

Waterford ‘held back by serial objector’

By Neans McSweeney, South-East Correspondent
THE MAYOR of Waterford, Cha O’Neill, has said he is fearful for Waterford’s reputation among developers and investors as it emerged that a college lecturer is making an average of almost one observation, objection or appeal per week against proposed developments in the city.


Mr O’Neill made his comments after Waterford auctioneer Des Purcell revealed that Green Party activist Brendan McCann made 30 planning submissions to Waterford City Council during the period from January 3 to September 8. Mr McCann also lodged a number of appeals against Waterford City Council’s planning decisions to An Bord Pleanála during the same period.




The mayor said his concern is that the signal being sent to those considering investing in Waterford is a single individual has taken it on himself to act as an alternative to the planning process in a way that can create considerable delays to projects.

“I actively favour people being involved in helping to plan development in the areas where they live or work,” he said.

“However, what does concern me greatly is the perception among developers and investors that Waterford is a difficult area for projects to be advanced in because of a serial objector who appears to take a scattergun approach in opposing projects of every size, type and location.”

Mr O’Neill said it was “no secret” that there had been greater private sector investment in the comparable cities of Limerick, Galway and Cork during the last 10 years and expressed the fear that Waterford would be unable to develop as a regional gateway if the city gets an unwanted reputation as anti-development.

“In Waterford we have seen far fewer landmark construction projects during the boom since the mid-1990s. Cities that stagnate quickly go backwards and we need to build for the future,” he said.

“Now that developers and investors are finally looking at our city in a more positive light, it is vital that we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot by allowing one individual to take on an unelected and unappointed role that sees him clog up the city’s planning system with what I have to say are often dubious submissions on desirable projects that are fully vetted by our highly qualified and experienced city planners.”

Mr O’Neill said that there was a clear system for elected members of Waterford City Council to input to the planning process on behalf of those they represent.

Mr McCann has defended his actions.

“I believe that every citizen should get involved in the planning process to a level which their finances and time allow,” he said.

“If more people got involved, then I wouldn’t have to do it. It should also be kept in mind that the council only has to have regard to submissions made. They do not have to abide by them.

“I stand over the content of every submission I have made. A lot of time, effort and research goes into it.”

AdMMM

Personally I think that McCann has a point but is going about proving it in the wrong way and I've been speaking to a few councillors who feel the same.

To publically oppose the new Brewery Complex would be political suicide because of the intimidating PR campaign that they are unrolling this time!

Personally I'm more worried about the potential for corruption within the pact.

Our man in Havana

The Mayor was on Morning Ireland this morning complaining that McCann is holding back the city. He said that he has fed up of seeing him in the city planning office.

McCann was asked to give an answer but said that Morning Ireland was not an appropiate place to discuss the issue and that he would continue to in his words "to lodge observations" on planning matters in the city.

I suspect he would much prefer to discuss it on WLRFM with his number 1 fan conducting the interview. :mad:

deisemum

It's on wlrfm now and billy hasn't read out one text or call backing Cha O Neill even though I know several have been sent in backing the mayor. Just shows how biased Billy is.

He's only having those who support McCant on or reading out the text messages that are against Cha, Totally one sided interview

deisemum

Bond-007 wrote:

McCann was asked to give an answer but said that Morning Ireland was not an appropiate place to discuss the issue and that he would continue to in his words "to lodge observations" on planning matters in the city.

I suspect he would much prefer to discuss it on WLRFM with his number 1 fan conducting the interview. :mad:

You're right there

Bookee

Agree totally...!

And, it's true, why didn't McCann't give his views on Morning Ireland....

mike65

His statement said it was'nt a forum for such serious discussion! The ego that guy has!

Right click Save As (real audio)

Fast forwards to 1:46

Mike.

merlante

mike65 wrote:

His statement said it was'nt a forum for such serious discussion! The ego that guy has!

Right click Save As (real audio)

Fast forwards to 1:46

Mike.

Nice one Mike.

I have to say though, Cha O'Neill came across as a complete muppet who couldn't make his points.

If I was going on national radio, I would at least have a list of points that I wanted to make, and I wouldn't be falling over my words if the presenter asked, "Can you give me one single example where Brendan McCann has held back development in Waterford?"

And then to top it all off, that man ends with an emotional plea for business to come to Waterford, because Waterford is a business friendly city.

Thanks Cha for making the city sound like Ahash gra!

mike65

I thought the same, in his defence I know that sometimes these live phone chats can happen almost out of the blue as regards the "in programme schedule" and he may have been 'caught short' so to speak.

That said he only got one real jab in, when he mentioned McCann has 30 objections since January, which does make him sound like a serial objector.

Mike.

merlante

mike65 wrote:

I thought the same, in his defence I know that sometimes these live phone chats can happen almost out of the blue as regards the "in programme schedule" and he may have been 'caught short' so to speak.

That said he only got one real jab in, when he mentioned McCann has 30 objections since January, which does make him sound like a serial objector.

Well if that's the case I'd have some sympathy, but still.

Well at least McCan't didn't go on it with him, because he would have murdered our fearless leader!

deisemum

merlante wrote:

Well if that's the case I'd have some sympathy, but still.

Well at least McCan't didn't go on it with him, because he would have murdered our fearless leader!

LOL

Bards

All he had to say was that "this politician is interfering in the planning process" this is what I don't get. McCant is protraying himself as a concerned citizen when in fact he is a politician

why Can't the media see through his charade:mad:

Trotter

McCann and Mary Roche on WLR right now!!

mike65

Listening!

He looks at 10% of the planning application files he says which makes it sound a bit random.

Mike.

Bards

Conveniently doesn't have time to look at Developments at the fringe of our City by other authorities

merlante

Who won! Synopsis anyone?

mad man

Guys,

I havn't heard and of the debates on WLR.However if Billy McCarthy is as one sided as has been suggested then if sure it is grounds for reporting to the BCI.

mike65

merlante I only heard the last few mins. When nothing controversial was aired. He does seem to be very particular and being very particular. He clearly knows how to use the system to his best effect.

Mike.

Our man in Havana

mad man wrote:

Guys,

I havn't heard and of the debates on WLR.However if Billy McCarthy is as one sided as has been suggested then if sure it is grounds for reporting to the BCI.

On what grounds?