Election Candidates (Limerick East)

Raiser

Well courtesy of http://www.mycandidate.ie/list.php?cid=30 here were have the group of loudmouths who have each at some point somehow arrived at the [unlikely] conclusion that they are fit to speak for, represent and make decisions on behalf of the people of Limerick [East]

- Posted this here 'cause the Politics forum has no Limerick slant anywhere & anyhow is far too removed from the Streets of Limerick and the issues we see every day & was wondering if anyone would like to comment on the below individuals, their promises and their ability to make good on same.

*** Mods*** I am hoping that this post will generate interesting [?] and informative discussion that tie-in with the topics that are posted on the Limerick board everyday but with reference to May 24th, be accessable if people are not heavily into Politics [me included] and not be the usual political posturing - just straight facts

An example - on reading through the candidates pre-election agenda, policies and promises the issue of crime is largely ignored [* Exception Quinlivan currently living in Thomondgate] - do we really want Politicians that are happy to travel to Dail Eireann & ignore/fail to acknowledge what the rest of Limerick is discussing on these Boards, in the Media and amongst themselves ????



Devane, John - Party: Independent - Position(s): Candidate

Forde Brennan, Trish - Party: Green Party - Position(s): Candidate

Hannan, Gerry - Party: Independent- Position(s): Candidate

Noonan, Michael - Party: Fine Gael - Position(s): TD

O'Dea, Willie - Party: Fianna Fail - Position(s): TD, Minister for Defence

O'Donnell, Kieran - Party: Fine Gael - Position(s): Councillor

O'Malley, Tim - Party: Progressive Democrat - Position(s): TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children

O'Sullivan, Jan - Party: Labour - Position(s): TD, Labour Spokesperson on Education and Science

Power, Peter - Party: Fianna Fail - Position(s): TD

Quinlivan, Maurice - Party: Sinn Fein - Position(s): Candidate

Ryan, Noreen - Party: Fianna Fail - Position(s): Councillor


P.S. Only one of the above is bringing the "Monorail to Moyross" as their party piece :rolleyes:

1huge1

Peter Power is the one who is doing a lot of campaigning in my area gone to every door in Hospital
sinn fein wouldnt have any support around here so that maurice quinlivin is unheard of around here

Kieran O'Donnell
Willie O dea
Michael Noonan
Noreen Ryan

they also are doing a bit of campaigning around my area

sioda

Will be supporting Maurice Quinlavin myself as dont really want to vote for FG or labour and would rather not vote than vote for any of the existing government.

Thinks is great we have two independent going forward and I believe this is the first time the greens have put forward a candidate in Limerick.

Biggest problem for me is that I really feel that the main stream candidates are highly removed from the people who are voting for them. Especially Willie O Dea really find him annoying and sneaky for want of a better word.

billy the squid

stickied until May 24th . try to keep all election discussion in one thread .

Raiser

Just visited http://www.noreenryan.ie/ - a Website that is worth commenting on due to its uncompromisingly ruthless determination not to reveal any information whatsover about Noreen Ryan's political stance, aims or opinions.

After reading the whole site in its entirety I can only conclude that her motives may be strange and subversive - perhaps she plans to overthrow them damn Russians and hold commitee meetings in the Kremlin while handing out steaming mugs of tea and Jaffa Cakes ? Or maybe to bulldoze Shannon Airport in favour of constructing a '70's style Roller Boogie Disco ?

- There is however 2 pages [site is 6 pages in total] of cringe-worthy & contrived photos of Noreen posing with anyone in Fianna Fail that has ever gotten a few headlines. Theres even one of Noreen pretending to talk on the phone - is that what the voting people of Limerick want ?

jonski

On a wet and windy Saturday morning in the middle of winter Willie O Dea will be going around knocking on doors asking if we need any advice with anything , Only see any of the others when they want my vote .

ninty9er

jonski wrote:

On a wet and windy Saturday morning in the middle of winter Willie O Dea will be going around knocking on doors asking if we need any advice with anything , Only see any of the others when they want my vote .

True, but I've been knocking on doors with Peter Power for over 12 months when I joined the team, every Monday and Thursday evening without fail (except when he's been sick). The rest of the guys have been out with him since 1996 non-stop. In addition the majority of Limerick's candidates have been having clinics for a years (regardless of party), you can't take that away from them.

I think to suggest some candidates are far removed is fair, but these 2 certainly are not and neither is Jan O'Sullivan. Noonan has personal circumstances that limit his ability to canvass as much, but while he's a useless constituency politician from our experience at home, he is very good on a national level. It will depend too. Some candidates are afraid to knock on doors because "it's a 'Green' or 'Labour' house. Michael Noonan knocked on Peter's door before the last election and knew no better as it was Peter's mother-in-law he met!!

I have yet to see anyone of them at the front door. Though I did get the nice postcard from Pat Rabitte telling us how "one stands out". And she will be getting my next highest preference when I'm finished with FF.

Of all the candidates already sitting I think Willie is the most effective. I know that Peter has been of help to thousands of people since he was elected to the Corporation in 1999, when he was the only candidate to be elected on the 1st count in Ward 1, John Ryan got seat 2 on the 9th count!!!
Jan also got elected on the 1st count in Ward 2.

These 2 and Willie have a massive constituency work ethic.

I have no experience of Tim O'Malley, but I came across my first explicit Tim O'Malley voter yesterday evening on the Ennis Road!!

Amazotheamazing

Don't think I could support Peter Power after how he treated Cllr. Michael Ryan in the local elections, which funnily enough, probably ended up costing the other FF candidate (?) a seat.

Willie O'Dea is an excellant local politician but I'm not sure he has ever delievered for Limerick on a national level.

Will Noonan ever be a minister again, after being leader of FG, if not, is there much point voting for him?

Quinlivan has no problem with people murdering Limerick gardai (afaik, he has never condemned the cold blooded murder of Gerry McCabe, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), so won't be voting for him.

Jan O'Sullivan seems like a decent sort, but hardly likely to be a minister so can she deliever much for the city?

Don't know much about O'Donnell.

So, all in all, i'll probably vote Green simply becuase I don't feel anyone else justifies a vote and Green is a good protest vote.

Raiser

Just wanted to post a link to the excellent Limerick Blogger Site where an unknown party [:D - take some credit lads] has a nice post covering each of the candidates as they profess "without bias" - well worth a look.

http://www.limerickblogger.org/blog/

P.S. Michael Noonan's [supposed] Gouldavoher address ? - Now I'm assuming that just wanders in there every 2 weeks to collect a mountain of letters before retiring back to his actual residence ? & Does he need this address to run in this constituency etc. ? I used to walk the dog past the place every day and reckon its not inhabited 99.9831% of the time anyhow - just curious.

ninty9er

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Don't think I could support Peter Power after how he treated Cllr. Michael Ryan in the local elections, which funnily enough, probably ended up costing the other FF candidate (?) a seat.

Canvassing with him??? what have you got against Michael Ryan?? Don't know much about him myself but Peter did a lot of work breaking him in on the
City Council.

ninty9er

Raiser wrote:

Just wanted to post a link to the excellent Limerick Blogger Site where an unknown party [:D - take some credit lads] has a nice post covering each of the candidates as they profess "without bias" - well worth a look.

http://www.limerickblogger.org/blog/

P.S. Michael Noonan's [supposed] Gouldavoher address ? - Now I'm assuming that just wanders in there every 2 weeks to collect a mountain of letters before retiring back to his actual residence ? & Does he need this address to run in this constituency etc. ? I used to walk the dog past the place every day and reckon its not inhabited 99.9831% of the time anyhow - just curious.

no but he does need it to vote in the constituency

Amazotheamazing

ninty9er wrote:

Canvassing with him??? what have you got against Michael Ryan?? Don't know much about him myself but Peter did a lot of work breaking him in on the
City Council.

Michael Ryan seems to be a lovely guy, who took Power's council seat after the dual mandate came in but iirc, Peter Power delayed going out canvassing for him and then on the eve of the election sent out a letter advising constituents to vote for the other FF candidate. Remember thinking it was a pretty low thing to do at the time (as in he should have completely backed Ryan, or the other guy, but not tried to play equals). If Power can't even decide which local candidate he's going to support, why should he be trusted in Government.

Now, I know you know Power, and perhaps I'm really wide of the mark, but that's how things were reported at the time.

ninty9er

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Michael Ryan seems to be a lovely guy, who took Power's council seat after the dual mandate came in but iirc, Peter Power delayed going out canvassing for him and then on the eve of the election sent out a letter advising constituents to vote for the other FF candidate. Remember thinking it was a pretty low thing to do at the time (as in he should have completely backed Ryan, or the other guy, but not tried to play equals). If Power can't even decide which local candidate he's going to support, why should he be trusted in Government.

Now, I know you know Power, and perhaps I'm really wide of the mark, but that's how things were reported at the time.

Was Jack Bourke the other candidate?? I can't recall, but I'm interested now and I'll be looking into it

billy the squid

ninty9er wrote:

True, but I've been knocking on doors with Peter Power for over 12 months when I joined the team, every Monday and Thursday evening without fail (except when he's been sick). The rest of the guys have been out with him since 1996 non-stop. In addition the majority of Limerick's candidates have been having clinics for a years (regardless of party), you can't take that away from them.

Peter Power hasn't achieved anything in the five years he has been in the Dáil. all the other people who got seats in Limerick East amounted to something within their parties or within the oireactas at least.

Willie O'Dea - Minister for Defence
Michael Noonan - Chair of Public accounts comittee
Jan O'Sullivan - Labour spokesperson on Education
Tim O'Malley - Junior Minister for Defence
Peter Power - Jack

To the person that says Jan would not be given a ministerial position, i would disagree with this, there is a good chance she would get education either as a minister or junior minister if elected to a new government with FF/Labour.

I think Tim O'Malley will lose his seat. Power will probably get Willie O'Deas transfers and Noreen Ryans transfers when she is eliminated. I've nothing against noreen ryan (well there is that thing with the travellers last year) but she is running for the first time and not very many candidates get elected first time around.

If Maurice Quinlivan were with any other party he would get my vote. I am just not ready to vote for a sinn fein candidate yet. not untill the McCabe killers, all of them, even the ones on the run, have served their time.

I will tell you who I voted for after the election.

Amazotheamazing

Wasn't Jack Bourke (who isn't even in Power's ward). I'll look into it and see if I can't find out who it was.

ninty9er

Billy, I know that you have a personal grievance with Peter over some article he was going to write for the blogger, but p1ssising people off isn't the way to get them to do what you want.

Peter was given responsibility for the most public committee to be set up in the 29th Dáil

Peter Power:

• Chairperson-Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection (set up in the wake of the ruling in the Supreme Court regarding statutory rape)
• Vice Chairman - Joint Oireachtas Committe on Transport
• Member of - Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights

Now I know you have your own views but you could at least stick to the facts!! Or should I expect nothing more than scurrilous put downs

ninty9er

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Wasn't Jack Bourke (who isn't even in Power's ward). I'll look into it and see if I can't find out who it was.

It was Joe Collopy or John Cronin. Cronin has his own vote and is a senior figure in the Fianna Fáil organisation locally. Joe and his family have been very supportive of Peter over the years, so I suspect it would have been Joe. He played his part in Peter's canvass team in 2002 so this could be where he saw it as a reason to support Joe as well as Michael. Joe's a really down to earth guy, if a little boring sometimes. Was a postman for years and always at the heart of solving a local problem. He used to live near me until a few years ago. Now he's living in west Limerick as far as I know. If it's the same Michael Ryan I'm thinking of he's a very nice guy, but I'd say there could have been a bit of resentment in the ward at 3 cllrs living within 100 feet of each other had he been elected. Kathleen Leddin and Michael Hourigan live practically opposite each other.

billy the squid

ninty9er wrote:

Billy, I know that you have a personal grievance with Peter over some article he was going to write for the blogger, but p1ssising people off isn't the way to get them to do what you want.

Peter was given responsibility for the most public committee to be set up in the 29th Dáil

Peter Power:

• Chairperson-Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection (set up in the wake of the ruling in the Supreme Court regarding statutory rape)
• Vice Chairman - Joint Oireachtas Committe on Transport
• Member of - Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights

Now I know you have your own views but you could at least stick to the facts!! Or should I expect nothing more than scurrilous put downs

The first committee was set up after the all those child abuse cases were deemed unconstitutional last year. he has been in government since 2002. What has he done between 2002 and 2006?

Vice Chairman on transport? Go up to hyde road or rathbane and ask them what they think of public transport.

Anyway, what do these committees do? apart from the Public accounts committee I can't think of anything these joint committees have done.

You only have to look at the behaviour of Eddie Wade to see the kind of people who run for government in Fianna Fail. They care more about being in with a chance of getting a dail seat than anything else. when that snout of theirs is taken away from the trough they throw a hissy fit like wade did.

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

The first committee was set up after the all those child abuse cases were deemed unconstitutional last year. he has been in government since 2002. What has he done between 2002 and 2006?

Vice Chairman on transport? Go up to hyde road or rathbane and ask them what they think of public transport.

Anyway, what do these committees do? apart from the Public accounts committee I can't think of anything these joint committees have done.

You only have to look at the behaviour of Eddie Wade to see the kind of people who run for government in Fianna Fail. They care more about being in with a chance of getting a dail seat than anything else. when that snout of theirs is taken away from the trough they throw a hissy fit like wade did.

Who said it was a PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMMITTEE

It's widely accepted that Wade would have been the candidate selected at convention had we been given one. He spoke better at the meeting that was supposed to be convention. However recently introduced gender equality in the party has been cited as the reason for Noreen being put on the ticket. She does have her strengths but it seems teaching and politics aren't included. Moaning and bitching are most certainly top of that list though

Also I agree on Jan O'Sullivan. She'd easily carry a front bench post.

billy the squid

Oh and for the record, The bee up my arse about peter power is not because he promised to write an article for me and failed to deliver, alot of the candidates ignored my invitation, he was one of the few who replied.

The bee up my arse is because I never see him and only come accross him in the paper whenever he sends out a press statement.

(now that I think of it, while writing an article might have proven difficult, sending his statements out might have been something. I get them from Noreen Ryan but not him, and I have given her a harder time than power)

If it makes you feel any better, i am also ****ed off with fine gael because they didn't put Diarmuid scully on the ticket.

billy the squid

ninety9er,

while you are researching the whole local politics thing, you might ask what became of the money raised by Fianna Fail during their illegal collection in Knocklong last year. Did they give any of it to the community games people who had a permit and had to leave, even though FF didn't have a permit.
http://www.limerickblogger.org/blog/?p=1961

ninty9er

I had posted a reply, but them realised I'm gone way off topic responding to Organisational rather than political questions

billy the squid

is that a "no" then?

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

is that a "no" then?

OT, but I presume the parish clerk's collectors had a permit and that the local community games crew NEVER got another chance to collect.

BULL

billy the squid

ninty9er wrote:

OT, but I presume the parish clerk's collectors had a permit and that the local community games crew NEVER got another chance to collect.

BULL

Permits for collecting are issued by the Gardai, not by the Parish Clerk. FFs Permit was out of date.

Now can you or can't you find out how much FF gave to the volunteers who gave of their time only to be sidelined by an illegal FF collection.

Dont give me a political answer. yes or no will do.

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

Permits for collecting are issued by the Gardai, not by the Parish Clerk. FFs Permit was out of date.

Now can you or can't you find out how much FF gave to the volunteers who gave of their time only to be sidelined by an illegal FF collection.

Dont give me a political answer. yes or no will do.

I could but I would imagine they didnt' give anything since (and I'll confirn with my cousin who serves at mass there) the community games crew were probably there the following week with an out of date permit.

And if you wouldn't mint d doing me the courtesy of not sidestepping my questions when you clearly don't appreciate my answers.

DID THE PARISH CLERK HAVE A PERMIT TO COLLECT THE WEEKEND OF THE FIANNA FÁIL NATIOANL COLLECTION??

edit:

A yes or no answer will suffice

billy the squid

The permits were not the responsibility of the parish clerk, they are the responsibility of the organisation collecting. Fianna Fail's one was out of date.

I hope you are not accusing the Community Games people of getting mixed up in something illegal, besides. just because peter is doing something wrong doesn't give paul the right to do it too.

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

The permits were not the responsibility of the parish clerk, they are the responsibility of the organisation collecting. Fianna Fail's one was out of date.

I hope you are not accusing the Community Games people of getting mixed up in something illegal, besides. just because peter is doing something wrong doesn't give paul the right to do it too.

you still haven't answered my question.

The parish clerk had a collection on the date that the Fianna Fáil National Collection was due to take place.

DID HE OR DID HE NOT HAVE A PERMIT FROM AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA TO DO SO???

billy the squid

ninty9er wrote:

you still haven't answered my question.

The parish clerk had a collection on the date that the Fianna Fáil National Collection was due to take place.

DID HE OR DID HE NOT HAVE A PERMIT FROM AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA TO DO SO???

To answer your question, I do not know if the parish clerk had a permit or not. However it is irrelevant., as the Parish Clerk was not collecting on the day of the Community Games collection, which is the one that i am interested in.

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

To answer your question, I do not know if the parish clerk had a permit or not. However it is irrelevant., as the Parish Clerk was not collecting on the day of the Community Games collection, which is the one that i am interested in.

And I'm not really interested in any of them as none of the 3 affect me! Why does this concern you so much, why not make a €500 contribution yourself if you're so worried about it.

Matter closed on my side as this is now WAAAAY OFF TOPIC

billy the squid

It matters because the integrity of the Fianna Fail party is at stake here. All politics is local, and if they can get away with a small stunt locally, whak kind of shenanigans can they get away with in other constituencies and nationwide.

Anyway, Seeing as you wish to go back to Limerick East, how about this:

“I am sick of seeing well dressed members of the travelling community driving high powered cars, vans, and four-wheel drives.”

Noreen Ryan Limerick Post, April 2006.

Maybe Ms Ryan should make a visit to the Falkner family in Longpavement before making sweeping generalisations like that about travellers.

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

It matters because the integrity of the Fianna Fail party is at stake here. All politics is local, and if they can get away with a small stunt locally, whak kind of shenanigans can they get away with in other constituencies and nationwide.

Anyway, Seeing as you wish to go back to Limerick East, how about this:



Noreen Ryan Limerick Post, April 2006.

Maybe Ms Ryan should make a visit to the Falkner family in Longpavement before making sweeping generalisations like that about travellers.

I distance myself from that woman...seriously...she's not the whole shebang upstairs

billy the squid

Jan getting your number 3 preference then

ninty9er

billy the squid wrote:

Jan getting your number 3 preference then

I though it as a secret...Damn:eek: :eek:

limericksoviet

ninty9er wrote:

I distance myself from that woman...seriously...she's not the whole shebang upstairs

Considering this is the kind of support Noreen is getting from fellow party members and active supporters of Noreens colleague Peter Power I wouldn't blame Noreen if she actually left his name off of her posters purposely (I don't think she did but I've no real idea). This sort of personal, small and ignorant remark is disgraceful considering your public support of Fianna Fáil and Derek before you reverberate the 'everyones entitled to their own opinion' diatribe everyone is, but as an active Fianna Fáil supporter by making such flippant and condescending remarks you are actively deriding the party as an entity.

ninty9er

No, I support the Party quite publicly, but Noreen has done quite enough deriding of the party herself in recent months, my reason for distancing myself.

If Noreen did more to work WITH the party, she wouldn't find herself in such situations. And BTW Noreen has put a "Carry on preferences" on the posters, to be fair, even if it is tiny.

I believe from HQ sources that both She and Willie have faced Bertie's scorn over their posters not being on the national template. It has made a show of us while showing Noonan and O'Donnell to be unified. They even use the same canvass teams.

However this has little to do with policy and more to do with party organisation, which is going to take a severe kick up the proverbial after this election, win, lose or hung. We need Mary Coughlan back down here to bang heads together afetre the election!!

It also seems strange to just pick me out. what about the other posts here??

ninty9er

ninty9er wrote:

Matter closed on my side as this is now WAAAAY OFF TOPIC

And I've done it again...apologies

limericksoviet

ninty9er wrote:

No, I support the Party quite publicly, but Noreen has done quite enough deriding of the party herself in recent months, my reason for distancing myself.

If Noreen did more to work WITH the party, she wouldn't find herself in such situations. And BTW Noreen has put a "Carry on preferences" on the posters, to be fair, even if it is tiny.

I believe from HQ sources that both She and Willie have faced Bertie's scorn over their posters not being on the national template. It has made a show of us while showing Noonan and O'Donnell to be unified. They even use the same canvass teams.

However this has little to do with policy and more to do with party organisation, which is going to take a severe kick up the proverbial after this election, win, lose or hung. We need Mary Coughlan back down here to bang heads together afetre the election!!

It also seems strange to just pick me out. what about the other posts here??

Derek,
Heaven knows we need another sheep to follow the flock. We elect representatives giving them a mandate to represent us. Noreen leads while others follow.

ninty9er

Sheep are one thing, but tearaways are another. I believe there's potential in every candidate, but it needs exercise

Raiser

limericksoviet wrote:

Derek,
Heaven knows we need another sheep to follow the flock. We elect representatives giving them a mandate to represent us. Noreen leads while others follow.

What does Noreen "lead"?

What does she do?

Where does she do whatever it is that she does?

Why doesn't she register anywhere, such as media public conciousness?

Who is she?

After studying her website in detail I would not be in a position to disagree if somebody claimed that she "leads" as a Maori Tribeswoman Warrior and believes that all motorists over the age of 39 should be vacinated against polonium-210 at the tax-payers expense.

- In fact all I do happen to know is that she pretends to chat on the phone on her crappy website, owes the photographer €'s in air-brushing and was nowhere to be seen before canvassing started for tomorrows big day.

P.S. Fianna Fail aint getting my 1,2,3,4~99 - I'm going to have a lash at building that "Luas" myself on Sat. night with a few friends [after a few beers] Petey Power - reckon its the more realistic option.

*edit for typ so s

ninty9er

Just in from a brilliant canvass and great reception while celebrating the end of canvassing until next week.

I now have no doubt that whatever the next government will be, Bertie will be Taoiseach

1huge1

^ I agree but something tells me that sinn fein are going to gain a lot of seats in dublin, a worrying thought
As much as pat rabbitte ruled it out I still see FF/Lab a option

Raiser

- Oh God - are the Fianna Failures set to keep those e-voting machines in storage at huge expense to the hard working taxpayer for another 5 years ? And are they just set to move those poor patients on trolleys from the corridors to the hospital lawns ?

Time to enter the green card lottery methinks

sioda

Not on topic but related where do they count the votes in Limerick east?

Irish Wolf

sioda wrote:

Not on topic but related where do they count the votes in Limerick east?

I could be wrong - but I think it's out at the race course.

sioda

Thats what I thought but wasn't sure

billy the squid

It was at the racecourse in Patrickswell. bloody expensive place too. €2.50 for bottle of water. €2 for cup of coffee, still though, it was nice to see the politicians get fleeced for a change.

Anyway, Your public Representitives until 2012 are:

Willie O'Dea
Michael Noonan
Peter Power
Kieran O'Donnell
Jan O'Sullivan.

and if you are in the wesht

Niall Collins
John Cregan
Dan Neville

1huge1

^^ I had a idea it was going to turn out like that in limerick east though was suprised O'Donnell got so many votes taking O Malley out of the race

ninty9er

1huge1 wrote:

^^ I had a idea it was going to turn out like that in limerick east though was suprised O'Donnell got so many votes taking O Malley out of the race

I was very surprised too...his 1st preference was only 4 votes behind Jan's.

Still I'm happy we took seats 1 and 2 in Limerick East and seats 1 and 2 in Limeirck West...drawing even in the west and improving on 2002 in the East.

billy the squid

Now that his nephew is in the dail, we can finally get on with the Michael Collins fraud trial.

Raiser

1huge1 wrote:

^^ I had a idea it was going to turn out like that in limerick east though was suprised O'Donnell got so many votes taking O Malley out of the race

Kieran O'Donnell got my number 1

Tim O'Malley via Oireachtas.ie wrote:

1.Occupational Income - When my wife & I sold our interests & directorships of the Regional Pharmacy Ltd, Dooradoyle to our daughter Sheila, part of the agreement was that she would pay us: (i) rental income for the pharmacy, (ii) pay me a consultancy fee. This arrangement will continue indefinitely.

Considering that the Pharmacy profession doesn't exactly rely on hand mixing its dispensed drugs via pestle and mortar any more in favour of deliveries arriving pre-packed by the van load - I'd say Tim had plenty of time left over to play around casually at being a Politician....Much as a Gentleman might fancy taking up golf to while away the hours.