Are Donegal people embarrassed about McDaid

MungoMan

I don't know much about McDaid, or about politics in general.

But every time I hear about McDaid in the news, it's never something great, it's never something to make me proud about an elected representative.

He won't give up his pension (because in his words, it would be bad for democracy)

And then today, I read he attended only 1 in 6 votes in Leinster house (basically he turned up only about 15 times to Leinster house during the year)

And a few years ago, he was driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway (or was it motorway), over the limit with alcohol.

Are Donegal people proud of McDaid, do those who voted for him feel let down ?

Pot Noodle =

After today Yes i answered wrong sorry

mike65

The man is a leech.

rossie1977

donegal produced this guy and you are asking are they embarrassed about mcdaid

lol

mike65

Is Daniel running for office?

Pot Noodle =

rossie1977 wrote: »

donegal produced this guy and you are asking are they embarrassed about mcdaid

lol

He has more money that you do and people choose to listen to him McDaid just takes end of

Degag

I haven't read or done to much interest into this but I can say for a fact that

a) Nobody should be allowed draw a pension while they still work.
b) Nobody should be allowed draw more than one pension.

Disgraceful IMO.

Mike 1972

Would this be the same McDaid who went on a rant branding suicide victims as "selfish bastards" ?

Pot/Kettle anyone ?

bonerm

rossie1977 wrote: »

donegal produced this guy and you are asking are they embarrassed about mcdaid

lol

... and not to mention this guy.

paulanthony

MungoMan wrote: »

I don't know much about McDaid, or about politics in general.

But every time I hear about McDaid in the news, it's never something great, it's never something to make me proud about an elected representative.

He won't give up his pension (because in his words, it would be bad for democracy)

And then today, I read he attended only 1 in 6 votes in Leinster house (basically he turned up only about 15 times to Leinster house during the year)

And a few years ago, he was driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway (or was it motorway), over the limit with alcohol.

Are Donegal people proud of McDaid, do those who voted for him feel let down ?

He certainly has his faults but at the same time it's refreshing to see an independently minded politician who is not afraid to speak his mind. He doesn't just say what he thinks either the people or his Chief Whip want to hear. Remember he was effectively thrown out of the FF parliamentary party for voting against the government on the cervical cancer vaccination vote, which none of his colleagues did.

Degag wrote: »

I haven't read or done to much interest into this but I can say for a fact that

a) Nobody should be allowed draw a pension while they still work.
b) Nobody should be allowed draw more than one pension.

Disgraceful IMO.

The Ministerial pensions system is generous but as a result of his work he is entitled to it. I agree the system has to change but it's not up to the begrudging Irish public to decide who they don't like this week and demand they give up their pension/salary/car etc.

If someone is entitled to a pension they should be allowed to draw it whether they work or not. If someone works in the civil service and takes early retirement after 35 years they are entitled to a pension. Whether they decide to work in their local Centra for the next ten years is their own business.

Fair play to McDaid for not giving into the witch hunt like Maire Geoghan-Quinn and the others.

orourkeda

MungoMan wrote: »

I don't know much about McDaid, or about politics in general.

But every time I hear about McDaid in the news, it's never something great, it's never something to make me proud about an elected representative.

He won't give up his pension (because in his words, it would be bad for democracy)

And then today, I read he attended only 1 in 6 votes in Leinster house (basically he turned up only about 15 times to Leinster house during the year)

And a few years ago, he was driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway (or was it motorway), over the limit with alcohol.

Are Donegal people proud of McDaid, do those who voted for him feel let down ?

Who elected him?

The lovely Donegal folk.

thetonynator

TBH most people are embarrassed about most of our politicians atm . . .they don't really have many qualities to be proud of do they??? :rolleyes:

Takeshi_Kovacs

Meh, these shaggers are everywhere, sure dont we have Healy rae and o Donoghue down here to admire..

danbohan

orourkeda wrote: »

Who elected him?

The lovely Donegal folk.

well at least he does not go around wearing yellow pants , and saying hes a socialist , he is an embaresment , but then so is bertie and cowen and kenny and gormley and gilmore and o caioleann and o dea and ring and about 155 more of them

Sonnenblumen

Its a bit like going up the wrong street?

actuallylike

I thought from the title you must have messed this McDaid and if so, yes you should all be very embarrassed!
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7866/mcdu.jpg

alex73

An honest politician... Donegal should be proud. Lets be straight, the other politicans have not given up their pensions, They have "Gifted them to the state" ... And this means as they are a gift they can claim tax relief.. So they are still getting the benefits of the pension by the back door.

Don't be fooled McDaid (and I am not a supported) its not the worst of them.

CoalBucket

paulanthony wrote: »

He certainly has his faults but at the same time it's refreshing to see an independently minded politician who is not afraid to speak his mind. He doesn't just say what he thinks either the people or his Chief Whip want to hear. Remember he was effectively thrown out of the FF parliamentary party for voting against the government on the cervical cancer vaccination vote, which none of his colleagues did.

He is just another FFer trying to dress himself up in opposition clothing. Yes he voted against the government on the cervical cancer vaccine but he openly admits in his interview on Newstalk today that he supports the government if it looks like they will lose a vote. He is still controlled by the whip.

"When the government whip is looking at a close vote they give me a ring and say "this is gonna be a close vote today perhaps you could come down" and I invariably go down, and if there are any votes of no confidence in my colleagues I am down there"

http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/lunchtime/jim-mcdaid-defends-dail-attendance-record/

It's in the audio 6:45 mins in if ye don't want to have to sit through the rest of the sniveling gits bulls**t.

El Siglo

In fairness Donegal did produce this chap...

Degag

paulanthony wrote: »

The Ministerial pensions system is generous but as a result of his work he is entitled to it. I agree the system has to change but it's not up to the begrudging Irish public to decide who they don't like this week and demand they give up their pension/salary/car etc.

If someone is entitled to a pension they should be allowed to draw it whether they work or not. If someone works in the civil service and takes early retirement after 35 years they are entitled to a pension. Whether they decide to work in their local Centra for the next ten years is their own business.

Fair play to McDaid for not giving into the witch hunt like Maire Geoghan-Quinn and the others.

Come on, there is a huge difference. First of all if Joe Soap takes early retirement after 35 years and works in a Centra for the next 10 as you said, it's probably because his pension may not be good enough to last into his later years, therefore it may be simple necessity. Also, the pittance he is likely to be earning in Centra compared to the salary earned by the ministers plus expenses etc. makes the point pretty moot.

Also, afaik, a td is able to draw a pension after only two years service in the Dail, not 35. These guys are earning three times the average industrial wage plus expenses. Alot of them sit in the Dail a handful of times a year. They should not be allowed to do this, plain and simple!

Agent J

Dublin produced Bertie.

We can't exactly start pointing fingers...

paulanthony

Degag wrote: »

Come on, there is a huge difference. First of all if Joe Soap takes early retirement after 35 years and works in a Centra for the next 10 as you said, it's probably because his pension may not be good enough to last into his later years, therefore it may be simple necessity. Also, the pittance he is likely to be earning in Centra compared to the salary earned by the ministers plus expenses etc. makes the point pretty moot.

Also, afaik, a td is able to draw a pension after only two years service in the Dail, not 35. These guys are earning three times the average industrial wage plus expenses. Alot of them sit in the Dail a handful of times a year. They should not be allowed to do this, plain and simple!

I know what you're saying and I agree that it's too generous, lenient etc for both TD's and Ministers in terms of remuneration and benefits after their term.

However, the fact remains that this is the deal they signed up for when they were elected. It should be altered for future ministers but it's not right, in my opinion, to penalise politicians simply because they are politicians and some tabloid journalist or Joe Duffy caller decides to start spouting populist waffle about politicians being too well paid.

The fact remains that these people, like other public servants and private workers are entitled to the remuneration and benefits they signed up for and shouldn't be forced to individually give up these benefits because of a media driven public witch hunt.

If they want to decide themselves to take a break in pay, fair play to them.

However, the idea that they are somehow morally corrupt because they refuse to give up what they are entitled to is unjust and, frankly, a worrying sign of where this country's attitude is heading in terms of how it views people with money and decent incomes.

dsmythy

If he ran for election again, you know what? They'd vote for him again

connundrum

MungoMan wrote: »

Are Donegal people embarrassed about McDaid?

If not, they should be.

As someone mentioned earlier in the thread, I live in Dublin and was embarrassed when Bertie was re-elected.

Did anyone hear McDaid on Newstalk earlier today?

http://www.newstalk.ie/news/news-headlines/mcdaid-defends-dail-attendance-record/

He insists he represents his constituency well and says many of the votes don’t matter.

“We’ve got to change, because the whole thing has become irrelevant” he said.

“The second point that I would say there with regards to the votes, most of them are to do with pow-wows in the order of business – kicking people out and the order of business”.

“Things that are totally irrelevant, they’re not actually to do with the legislative process; and I’m not trying to make excuses for myself” he added.

If the political system is irrelevant Jimbob - fuck off, leave the pay packet, leave the pension, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

starbelgrade

Jim Mc Daid - always driving in the opposite direction to public opinion.

And sometimes driving in the opposite direction to the public.

stovelid

Is that just the normal embarrassment about being from Donegal or a more specific McDaid-related embarrassment?

FunnyStuff

paulanthony wrote: »

However, the idea that they are somehow morally corrupt because they refuse to give up what they are entitled to is unjust and, frankly, a worrying sign of where this country's attitude is heading in terms of how it views people with money and decent incomes.

Yr right..... how dare we expect our rich overlords to give up all their lavish accessories that we so generously bestow upon them. Perhaps we should all write a nationwide letter of apology, promising to give up the remainder of our own unwarranted life's savings, so that our loving masters can bathe themselves in the glow of their eternal divinity.

paulanthony

FunnyStuff wrote: »

Yr right..... how dare we expect our rich overlords to give up all their lavish accessories that we so generously bestow upon them. Perhaps we should all write a nationwide letter of apology, promising to give up the remainder of our own unwarranted life's savings, so that our loving masters can bathe themselves in the glow of their eternal divinity.

If that's your way of saying you pay tax, therefore you pay (or generously bestow upon them) TD's* salaries, therefore you should be able to decide when it's time to take it back, then I'm afraid thats not how it works.

Should you be allowed to decide to cut teachers, nurses and ambulance drivers back to the minimum wage because you pay their wages?

We live in a capitalist society. Different people get paid different salaries, benefits, pensions etc for different jobs. Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking then by all means write a letter to the Dept of the Taoiseach or the Irish Times urging a review and overhaul of this system. But leave individuals alone.



*or rich overlords

walrusgumble

dsmythy wrote: »

If he ran for election again, you know what? They'd vote for him again

no real guarantee there. he surprisingly did not get the nod for the Euro's in 2004. he has a bit of a battle with Blaney up there from what I hear. Sinn Fein's McLoughlin might fair well

Its a absolute joke to say so and so should be ashamed of a particular TD. They should look at their own crowd before preaching

Dublin : Haughey, B Ahern, Lawlor,

Westmeath: O'Rourke

Mayo: Pee Flynn and his daughter

Kerry: Jackie Healy Rae & John O'Donoghue

You get the idea, you pick your own crowd

Tipp : Michael Lowry

Point is, despite what we think of them, they have done things for their areas, they are/were obviously liked. Look at Willie O'Dea, he constantly topped the poll in his turf.

starbelgrade

walrusgumble wrote: »

no real guarantee there. he surprisingly did not get the nod for the Euro's in 2004. he has a bit of a battle with Blaney up there from what I hear. Sinn Fein's McLoughlin might fair well

Its a absolute joke to say so and so should be ashamed of a particular TD. They should look at their own crowd before preaching

Dublin : Haughey, B Ahern, Lawlor,

Westmeath: O'Rourke

Mayo: Pee Flynn and his daughter

Kerry: Jackie Healy Rae & John O'Donoghue

You get the idea, you pick your own crowd

Tipp : Michael Lowry

Point is, despite what we think of them, they have done things for their areas, they are/were obviously liked. Look at Willie O'Dea, he constantly topped the poll in his turf.

No, the point actually is, that they are well paid to do things for their areas & for the country, some of which they have done, a lot which they haven't. I don't think people should be grateful for politicians putting in half efforts.

paulanthony

walrusgumble wrote: »

Westmeath: O'Rourke

Whats wrong with Mary O' Rourke?

bog master

paulanthony wrote: »

If that's your way of saying you pay tax, therefore you pay (or generously bestow upon them) TD's* salaries, therefore you should be able to decide when it's time to take it back, then I'm afraid thats not how it works.

Should you be allowed to decide to cut teachers, nurses and ambulance drivers back to the minimum wage because you pay their wages?

We live in a capitalist society. Different people get paid different salaries, benefits, pensions etc for different jobs. Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking then by all means write a letter to the Dept of the Taoiseach or the Irish Times urging a review and overhaul of this system. But leave individuals alone.



*or rich overlords

Different people get paid different salaries agreed, based on need and skills. But, "different people" dont get a chance to set their own salaries as politicians have done. I did not vote for them, ie those in power, did you?

Paparazzo

If the folks in Donegal don't mind him driving the wrong way down a duel carrageway when he was locked, they won't give a toss about this pensions thing.

An eyewitness who observed the TD when his car was finally stopped said: "He was civilised but at the same time he did not know what he was doing." He described him as being "very, very drunk". He added: "If he had met an articulated truck there would have been phenomenal damage."

FunnyStuff

paulanthony wrote: »

We live in a capitalist society. Different people get paid different salaries, benefits, pensions etc for different jobs. Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking then by all means write a letter to the Dept of the Taoiseach or the Irish Times urging a review and overhaul of this system. But leave individuals alone.

Oh i'm sorry, perhaps we should get the 400,000 odd unemployed people to go apologise to Seanie and Fingers, that really we dont mean to blame their mishandling of their own jobs and that the recession is actually all brought on by the attitude of the Irish people.

"Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking"...... this little bit pisses me right off. Dont try to pretend that this disaster wasnt warned of prior to it happening. It was obvious it was gonna explode in the face of Joe Soap, while the like of McDaid and his cronies get away scott free. I have no problem with people making good money, as long as they are earning it, and to be honest, the ****ers we have in government have not been earning it.

Tail Wagger

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Would this be the same McDaid who went on a rant branding suicide victims as "selfish bastards" ?

Pot/Kettle anyone ?

Yea thats him, the Swine?.. I wonder was he contanplating it while drunk behind the wheel, and driving the wrong way down a motorway...

paulanthony

bog master wrote: »

Different people get paid different salaries agreed, based on need and skills. But, "different people" dont get a chance to set their own salaries as politicians have done. I did not vote for them, ie those in power, did you?

I don't think it really matters who I voted for, but I'm not a FF supporter, or detractor, so my opinions have nothing to do with political affiliations.

TD's are paid the same whether they are in FG or Labour opposition for the last decade or in FF "setting their own salaries". It's not as if Jim McDaid or any other politician decided to give themselves a raise. They should be referred to in the collective when it comes to pay pensions etc.

TD / Minister salaries should be lowered in the same way public servants salaries are lowered. This is only fair. However they should be lowered in the same way public servants, ie through legislation, the budget etc. Not through the public and media shaming individuals to give up a pension they are entitled to.

If Jim McDaid was retired and sitting at home he would be getting his pension. Somebody else would be a Donegal TD getting paid this salary. This would amount to the same amount of State expenditure but there would be no issue as there would be no media / whinger angle to it.

paulanthony

FunnyStuff wrote: »

Oh i'm sorry, perhaps we should get the 400,000 odd unemployed people to go apologise to Seanie and Fingers, that really we dont mean to blame their mishandling of their own jobs and that the recession is actually all brought on by the attitude of the Irish people.

I don't disagree with anything you say there, but this thread has nothing to do with dishonest or irresponsible bankers. Thats a completely separate issue. I never said the recession was caused by the attitude of the Irish people so I don't know where you're getting that from. Certainly nobody should apologise to 'Seanie or Fingers', quite the opposite in fact.

FunnyStuff wrote: »

"Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking"...... this little bit pisses me right off. Dont try to pretend that this disaster wasnt warned of prior to it happening. It was obvious it was gonna explode in the face of Joe Soap, while the like of McDaid and his cronies get away scott free. I have no problem with people making good money, as long as they are earning it, and to be honest, the ****ers we have in government have not been earning it.

Of course it is arguable that some of the implosion was caused by the governments inactions etc and I wouldn't disagree with that. However (maybe unfortunately) politicians don't work on a performance related pay system where we get to decide to take it back if they don't do a good job. Politicians have taken a paycut, but yes, they are still well paid and fairly well insulated (until the next election of course).

In fact, the fact that we are talking about a politician is really irrelevant - it could be any public servant or private worker. There are two things you can do about an objection to politicians pay, a) don't vote them in again, and b) argue for changes to present and future entitlements for all politicians.

My argument has nothing to do with a grá for the political establishment or an opinion that they do a good job. I just think a person should not be hunted to give up something that they are entitled to, i.e. their pension, even if they are a financially comfortable person or you feel they didn't do a good job.

I'm sure you would agree there wasn't the same public outrage about TD salaries during the good times. At best it was a 'jaesus, sure havn't they given themselves another payrise'. And that was it. We allowed them to do this so we can't suddenly develop a conscience about it now.

ToniTuddle

To answer the question in the OP.

Plain and simple: Yes.

Don't like the man, have never voted for him and sure as hell never will.

CoalBucket

Heard Edwina Currie on Newstalk earlier, she served as an MP for 14 years and also as a junior minister, her combined MP and Ministerial pension is £600 a month !

Wouldn't mind McDaid holding on to that figure.

RolandIRL

i'm embarrassed by my donegal housemate

LoanShark

orourkeda wrote: »

Who elected him?

The lovely Donegal folk.

It was more of the Letterkenny and Inishowen folk who elected him...

We, The people south of Barnesmore Gap elected Pat"The Cope" and Mary Coughlan..

Degag

paulanthony wrote: »

I know what you're saying and I agree that it's too generous, lenient etc for both TD's and Ministers in terms of remuneration and benefits after their term.

However, the fact remains that this is the deal they signed up for when they were elected. It should be altered for future ministers but it's not right, in my opinion, to penalise politicians simply because they are politicians and some tabloid journalist or Joe Duffy caller decides to start spouting populist waffle about politicians being too well paid.

The fact remains that these people, like other public servants and private workers are entitled to the remuneration and benefits they signed up for and shouldn't be forced to individually give up these benefits because of a media driven public witch hunt.

If they want to decide themselves to take a break in pay, fair play to them.

However, the idea that they are somehow morally corrupt because they refuse to give up what they are entitled to is unjust and, frankly, a worrying sign of where this country's attitude is heading in terms of how it views people with money and decent incomes.

Yeah, in general i agree with you. The only problem is, who made the laws regarding salary and pensions? Why the politicians themselves!

R0ot

Nope but I didn't vote for him so couldn't care less. Also I am from Inishowen and everyone knows we are the 33rd county of Ireland and not really part of Donegal.

LoanShark

R0ot wrote: »

Nope but I didn't vote for him so couldn't care less. Also I am from Inishowen and everyone knows we are the 33rd county of Ireland and not really part of Donegal.

Thats right!!! UP there you really ARE different!

Inishowen Locals!
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/50/freaks50ut0.jpg

thetonynator

paulanthony wrote: »

TD / Minister salaries should be lowered in the same way public servants salaries are lowered. This is only fair. However they should be lowered in the same way public servants, ie through legislation, the budget etc. Not through the public and media shaming individuals to give up a pension they are entitled to.

.

They are not entitled to a ministerial pension if they are still sitting TD's.

And they should not ''gift'' it back to the state, as by doing that they can claim gift tax on it and still benefit from it.

CoalBucket

LoanShark wrote: »

It was more of the Letterkenny and Inishowen folk who elected him...

We, The people south of Barnesmore Gap elected Pat"The Cope" and Mary Coughlan..

Pat " I won't give up my pension either" Gallagher and Mary Coughlan, take a bow

LoanShark

CoalBucket wrote: »

Pat " I won't give up my pension either" Gallagher and Mary Coughlan, take a bow

TA-DA!!

Thank you! We're here all week...Please try the Veal!!

LoanShark

Wait till you see our next trick!!

http://oceanfm.ie/news/2010/05/05/bog-hotel-owner-confirms-by-election-bid/

CoalBucket

LoanShark wrote: »

Wait till you see our next trick!!

http://oceanfm.ie/news/2010/05/05/bog-hotel-owner-confirms-by-election-bid/

I'd vote for him over McDaid, Gallagher or Coughlan any day of the week

R0ot

LoanShark wrote: »

Thats right!!! UP there you really ARE different!

Inishowen Locals!
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/50/freaks50ut0.jpg

No that's a Falcarragh local.

walrusgumble

starbelgrade wrote: »

No, the point actually is, that they are well paid to do things for their areas & for the country, some of which they have done, a lot which they haven't. I don't think people should be grateful for politicians putting in half efforts.

i am not saying we should be grateful. read the post right i am replying to some people who seem to be getting on their high horses, i am sure that they have got oe had some embarrassing td from their areas, why did they still get in. I am asking why the above examples constantly getting/did get the votes in their areas. its nought to do with the money side of these. some of the above have been an embarrassment, yet they still got back in.

i agree with you on the last bit. some of the above were brilliant for taking credit for work they had feck all to do with it and get their smiley faces in the newspaper