Local & European Elections 2009 - Part Two ** New Poll **

BlaasForRafa

Stan Nangle wrote: »

If I may rudely jump in.

The problems with Planning are an internal matter within the City Council.

"We tend not to implement the Development Plan" was the quote from the senior planner at a conference a couple of years ago.

The Law does not give this discretion to the City Planners - they are obliged to follow, to the letter, the Development Plan handed to them by the City Council.


You are correct that a very expensive PR campaign was waged against the Green Party by people whose ability to profiteer was hampered by a Green Party member who wanted to see the City Development Plan take precedence.

The "serial objections" all related to serial attempts by well connected persons to circumvent the expressed wishes of the Elected Councillors as set out in the City Development Plan.


As for the jobs "lost" in the Newgate Centre, give me a call and I'll tell you a few stories.

Thanks for the reply Stan, I gave the green party a chance to have your say and your typical mealy-mouthed answer just confirms what I thought and that I will never ever vote for the green party in Waterford.

nkay1985

AdMMM wrote: »

Also, Maria, why did you stoop as low as sharing a sob story in the newspapers the week before an election. As much as I empathise with what you went through, I lose all respect for candidates who pull stunts like that. I had intended to give a vote to Mary Roche back in the General Elections until I saw pictures of her and her baby emblazoned all over the front pages of the News & Star. I really hope that the electorate see right through it.

What story is this now? Link?

deisemum

AdMMM wrote: »

Also, Maria, why did you stoop as low as sharing a sob story in the newspapers the week before an election. As much as I empathise with what you went through, I lose all respect for candidates who pull stunts like that. I had intended to give a vote to Mary Roche back in the General Elections until I saw pictures of her and her baby emblazoned all over the front pages of the News & Star. I really hope that the electorate see right through it.

+1

Sully

A childhood of abuse
By Mary Ellen Breen

MARIA Raftis Kennedy from the Dunmore Road was one of the many children who suffered abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church and later in foster care.

She was put into care in the 1970s when she was just two and a half years old, along with six of her seven other siblings after her mother abandoned the home and her father’s mental health prevented him from being able to care for them.

Originally from Sandy-mount, she was sent to an industrial school in the Dublin area. For almost six years Maria and her sister were separated from the rest of the family.

She described living under the care of a particular nun as living under her “reign of terror”.

For six years of her life Maria was woken and plunged into an ice cold bath and forced to carry every-one’s dirty sheets to the laundry while being ridiculed by the nun, supposedly her guardian. Something as simple as not eating your vegetables or finishing a meal would result in force-feeding.

“She would force feed children, you would vomit and she would make you eat that as well as your dinner. If you didn’t have it for your dinner you would have it for your tea, and if you didn’t have it for your tea she would present it to you the following morning.

Maria recalls an outing to Cork that should have been a treat, but turned out to be a nightmare.

“She brought some of us to a caravan in Cork once on some excursion and there was a dessert that I had with pineapple and I was not eating that pineapple and she made me sit there for hours on end and she forced the pineapple into my mouth. I was vomiting and everything and I still had to eat that, including what I had just thrown up.”

She said it wasn’t just isolated incidents, these things happened countless times.

“If you wet your bed, apart from being dumped in a freezing cold bath and ridiculed, sometimes she would make you move your mattress out to the hall and you would have to sleep out there.”

Speaking about why she thought the woman acted this way towards her, Maria said it seemed to be a chore.

“There was never any warmth radiating from her. I think what she done was a chore, she was a functional woman, I’m sure she saw that she was there for a function, she certainly wasn’t there as a vocation as far as I’m concerned.”

Maria said a child could be targeted at any time. “One time I was in the playground and I had diarrhoea and I was running to the toilet and of course I didn’t make it. I was five at the time and I ran upstairs then to try and change myself but she caught me and absolutely laddered me.

“She would use her hand and a large wooden spoon that she had. If somebody had done something like steal food there would be an interrogation with 16 or 20 children and she would beat each and every one of us in front of each other. It was a stomach churning experience.”

Maria said she would carry the experiences with her forever.

“It’s never going to be put behind me; it’s something that will live with me until the day I die. I’m not going to allow bitterness to enter my heart. I forgive that nun and the horrors that she did to me because if I don’t forgive her I can’t move on.”

After spending years in the industrial school Maria was moved into foster care, but it was to be another harrowing experience for the young girl and something that she thinks should be addressed in a similar way to the abuse in industrial schools.

“People need to go back (online) and read of the horrific abuses that happened in foster care. This wasn’t in the 40s or 50s, I came out of foster care in 1991.”

She described how she and one of her siblings were regularly whipped “for petty things” with a metal dog lead.

So great was the fear that Maria felt she faked an illness and underwent an operation rather than tell one foster parent that she had broken their glasses accidentally. “Knowing that I would get an absolute hiding, I faked pains and ended up going into the hospital.”

Doctors operated on Maria, believing that she had appendicitis. “It just shows the amount of fear, that I would have preferred to be operated on than tell something that I did.”

Despite telling people what happened in foster care she said a blind eye was turned and she now wants the area to be addressed.

Maria, now married with four children and a Green party candidate in the upcoming elections, said she had revealed her background because of the public’s accepting reaction to the report.

“I have felt ashamed for a long time, but because of the overwhelming support that people are giving, it gives me some sort of support to have the courage to come out and say I grew up in care.”

She encourages others to seek help and move forward like she has.

“My past will never be my future. I was not responsible for the circumstances I found myself in as a child. There are a lot of victims out there who haven’t moved forward. I will never forget where I came from, but I have moved forward.”

Source: http://waterford-news.com/news/story/?trs=mhauqlojid&cat=news

Its in relation to that whole report that came out recently about the abuse children got from the church. The one which a FF government agreed a small compensation deal with them, which is now being re-negotiated since pressure was being applied to them.

Agree fully with Adam here, its one thing I dislike. Trying to win the hearts of the voters! This could have easily came out after the elections tbh.

Junior

The other thing folks is to make sure you use your vote well, I know we all fixate on Who to vote for, but some times you don't realise what else your vote can do..

This is very interesting reading http://jasonomahony.ie/?p=2182

nkay1985

Found the story.

http://www.waterford-news.ie/news/story/?trs=mhauqlojid&cat=news

EDIT:
<snip story>
/EDIT

I'm afraid I have to agree with the other guys here on this. These experiences are horrific and I'm very sorry that you, or anyone, had to go through them. Let's not take away from that fact.

But the timing of this is just wrong. If you wanted to share your story to help others, it could have been done when the report came out. Or you could have waited until after this week. But with it appearing the Tuesday of the Local Elections, it just smacks of electioneering.


In my searching, I came across a bit of a war of words between Maria and Seamus Ryan. In case anyone's interested, here's the link:

http://seamusryan.blogspot.com/2009/03/st-patricks-hospital-protest-continues.html

Sully

Junior wrote: »

The other thing folks is to make sure you use your vote well, I know we all fixate on Who to vote for, but some times you don't realise what else your vote can do..

This is very interesting reading http://jasonomahony.ie/?p=2182

Also; http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055582237

BadCharlie

People must get up and vote. If we dont vote or give Fianna Fail our votes. Its like giving them a pat on the back and saying they are doing a good job (which some might feel they are).

Sully

BadCharlie wrote: »

People must get up and vote. If we dont vote or give Fianna Fail our votes. Its like giving them a pat on the back and saying they are doing a good job (which some might feel they are).

A vote for the Greens is a vote for FF

nkay1985

Sully wrote: »

A vote for the Greens is a vote for FF

Says the man giving them a vote

I've posted in that thread you linked Sully. I'm aiming to ensure that Kathy Sinnott doesn't get in.

In the locals I'm undecided whether to give someone my number 2 or not. If my number 2 is counting, then it means my Dad is eliminated and either Davy Walshor Dick Roche is getting in so my number 2 should be for who I like most out of those two. But I'm unsure whether I really have a preference for one over the other.

I wonder do most people give their whole ballot much thought.

wfman

nkay1985 wrote: »

Says the man giving them a vote

I've posted in that thread you linked Sully. I'm aiming to ensure that Kathy Sinnott doesn't get in.

In the locals I'm undecided whether to give someone my number 2 or not. If my number 2 is counting, then it means my Dad is eliminated and either Davy Walshor Dick Roche is getting in so my number 2 should be for who I like most out of those two. But I'm unsure whether I really have a preference for one over the other.

I wonder do most people give their whole ballot much thought.

suprised that the wp could be getting your number 2.

Sully

Stan Nangle wrote: »

a) I didn't suggest that FG go into power with SF.

Same thing tbh.

b) Trevor's comments were in response to stupid mudslinging by FG.

What, about their poor performance in Government reflected by recent polls? Or is that still the blame of the Late Late show for the comments on the Greens?!

c) The only dirty politics going on is coming from FG

Pull the other one. Greens have dropped to a new level to try pull some votes.

d) The only Party doing poorly in the last two days is FG. Flannery has opened an old wound - memories of FG going into coalition with the Stickies (Gilmore, Rabbitte and the convicted terrorist Frank Ross)

Yet FG remains the strongest party in all polls while yourself and FF slip away?! What will remain a wound will be the damage done to Greens for going into power with FF.

e) FG appear to have stolen defeat from the jaws of victory - yet again.

I guess time will tell

nkay1985

wfman wrote: »

suprised that the wp could be getting your number 2.

Yeah, fair point. I think the Workers' Party is a bit of a non-entity now to be honest (Sorry Partizan ). So I'd be voting for Davy Walsh and not the Workers' Party, you know? It's a two-horse race and I'd essentially be viewing them as two independents and voting on their ability to work rather than their party allegiance.

I've got to decide which of the two I think would do a better job on the city ouncil and, thinking about it, I think I'd be edging towards Dick Roche.

wfman

the wp have been attacking a few candidates on the left including sinn fein ones.this might hurt them with transfers.
remeber joe could reach the qouta at some stage with any surplus coming back to the other candidates.

nkay1985

wfman wrote: »

the wp have been attacking a few candidates on the left including sinn fein ones.this might hurt them with transfers.
remeber joe could reach the qouta at some stage with any surplus coming back to the other candidates.

I haven't seen this to be honest. Any links? Or more detail?

I think it's unlikely that my dad will reach a quota to be honest.

Who else on the left have they been attacking and who's been doing the attacking?

Trotter

Just for your info, theres a moratorium today on campaigning. This doesn't apply to Gary Wyse because he's got a black jeep going around my estate with loudspeakers telling everyone to vote for him.

Grossly disrespectful, opportunistic, and very Fianna Fáil.



Edit.. I didnt realise this was officially media only, but I do know of candidates who are giving people the day before to make up their mind, and rightly so.

Gulamugas

that's our Gary. Same in tramore joe I shea is knocking on doors since 10 am

nkay1985

Trotter wrote: »

Just for your info, theres a moratorium today on campaigning. This doesn't apply to Gary Wyse because he's got a black jeep going around my estate with loudspeakers telling everyone to vote for him.

Grossly disrespectful, opportunistic, and very Fianna Fáil.

I like to Fianna Fail bash as much as the next guy but unfortunately the moratorium only applies to broadcast media so he's not doing anything wrong. The only rules on this sort of campaigning is that they can't do it within a certain distance of the polling station once voting is open.

Trotter

Still isnt it considered respectful to voters to give them the 24hours beforehand to make up their minds?

Gulamugas

nkay1985 wrote: »

I like to Fianna Fail bash as much as the next guy but unfortunately the moratorium only applies to broadcast media so he's not doing anything wrong. The only rules on this sort of campaigning is that they can't do it within a certain distance of the polling station once voting is open.

Legally that's the case but traditionally it has always been accepted by all parties, before the media rules came into being, that the day before any election was a day of moratorium

nkay1985

Trotter wrote: »

Still isnt it considered respectful to voters to give them the 24hours beforehand to make up their minds?

Gulamugas wrote: »

Legally that's the case but traditionally it has always been accepted by all parties, before the media rules came into being, that the day before any election was a day of moratorium

Yeah I think you're both right. I think it'll backfire on the like of Gary Wyse.

The most my dad is doing this evening is dropping some leaflets. No more calling to doors or disturbing people.

What estate are you in by the way Trotter?

old gregg

did anyone else find it noticeable how few FF candidates actually got out and canvassed this time round? Maybe it's just my imagination but I'm in an established estate in Waterford city East and not one of them came any where near our estate as far as I know. I had my heart set on skitching the dog on at least one of them.

Not even travelling DJ Gary Wyse and his block rocking beats came near us

Gael23

old gregg wrote: »

did anyone else find it noticeable how few FF candidates actually got out and canvassed this time round?

Definately much less. I have been canvassing with an FG candidate and someone said to us that they dont often knock, instead just post leaflets.
As regards Gary Wyse, I understood that only leaflet dropping could be done today, it was quite loud in my estate.

Sully

ryanf1 wrote: »

Definately much less. I have been canvassing with an FG candidate and someone said to us that they dont often knock, instead just post leaflets.
As regards Gary Wyse, I understood that only leaflet dropping could be done today, it was quite loud in my estate.

Yet Ryan, you canvassed with FG today? :P I assume you were only leaflet dropping for the FG candidate?

I was told last night about an independent candidate in South (Ward 3) was pretty rude to a small young(sh) group doing a leaflet drop for a FG candidate. The candidate in question was rude and effectively got them out of the estate. because both were present (as in, the candidate did not like others in the estate at the same time regardless of canvasing or leaflet dropping!)

Trotter

nkay1985 wrote: »

What estate are you in by the way Trotter?

Dunmore road.. It just annoyed me that where everyone else was leaving me alone to make my decision, I hear a loudspeaker trying to get one up on the others.

Its as if the whole FF mentality is to get elected despite the electorate.

nkay1985

Sully wrote: »

I was told last night about an independent candidate in South (Ward 3) was pretty rude to a small young(sh) group doing a leaflet drop for a FG candidate. The candidate in question was rude and effectively got them out of the estate. because both were present (as in, the candidate did not like others in the estate at the same time regardless of canvasing or leaflet dropping!)

Name and shame Sully. Or I'll start naming independents and you can confirm or deny

My guess is that Cha O'Neill or John Halligan are the only ones with enough illusions about themselves to do this.

But how did he "get them out"? Unless he physically removed them I fail to see why they'd go anywhere.

Gael23

Sully wrote: »

Yet Ryan, you canvassed with FG today? :P I assume you were only leaflet dropping for the FG candidate?

I was told last night about an independent candidate in South (Ward 3) was pretty rude to a small young(sh) group doing a leaflet drop for a FG candidate. The candidate in question was rude and effectively got them out of the estate. because both were present (as in, the candidate did not like others in the estate at the same time regardless of canvasing or leaflet dropping!)

No that incident happened about two weeks ago in the East.
I was one of the group that was involved in the incident in ward 3, Sully has described exactly what happened. I told him that we were not canvassing but only doing leaflet drops, but he claimed it was the same thing. I dont know if I can give the name

nkay1985

ryanf1 wrote: »

No that incident happened about two weeks ago in the East.
I was one of the group that was involved in the incident in ward 3, Sully has described exactly what happened. I told him that we were not canvassing but only doing leaflet drops, but he claimed it was the same thing. I dont know if I can give the name

I would have told him to f*ck off to be honest. You were well within your rights to do whatever you liked and I wouldn't have had him tell me otherwise.

I don't see any reason why you can't give his name. This is an incident that factually happened and there were other witnesses so there's no legal issue.



Anyways, just voted before I came into work. Was down in the Mercy Primary school. It was pretty busy; there seemed to be a steady stream of people going in. I hope there's a decent turnout. A low turnout only favours Fianna Fail I think.

dlofnep

Three 1st preference votes for Joe Kelly from my house. 3 for Toireasa Ferris too. Hopefully they will both do well.

Gave Dick Roche a 2nd preference.

nkay1985

dlofnep wrote: »

Three 1st preference votes for Joe Kelly from my house. 3 for Toireasa Ferris too. Hopefully they will both do well.

Gave Dick Roche a 2nd preference.

Great to hear. 3 more from people we know who we met at the polling station. And 5 from my house. So he has 11 at least

I gave Dick my 2nd too although I don't think it will count.

Gave Alan Kelly my second preference in Europe to try to make sure Kathy Sinnott doesn't get back in.