Avril Doyle for President?! OMG...

PatientBear

Well, after reading that Avril Doyle wants to be the FG candidate for President I am frankly disgusted.

Having grown up in Wexford during Avril's various tenures there, I can honestly say she contributed absolutely nothing to either the progression of County Wexford or the nation at large. What I do recall was the local newspaper - The People - promoting her at length for the longest period of time. Unfortunately, the media coverage was typically headlined 'Our Avril moves to new house', followed by a gushing review of her new home. Not quite the reportage I wanted to see, even as a teenager - I would have been a bit more interested in what she was doing as a public representative - but hey, perhaps I'm simply too demanding...

This woman is a relic from an older generation of Irish politics - unfortunately she is also a political representative who has done nothing but engage in constant self-serving and opportunisim. Wait for her to play the feminism card (i.e. that she's the natural successor to Mary Robinson) soon, or have it done on her behalf.

I challenge any readers of this thread who support her candidacy to post some verifiable and beneficial policies which she championed, led and implemented for the good of the people of Ireland - one where she was prepared to fight for what she believed in. That is what a working politician is supposed to be doing.

Please don't trot out some government quangos where she sat in a committee or some other rubbish - anyone can sit in a crowded room and look left and right to see where the majority opinion was going.

And btw, I have absolutely no issues with a woman as President - I just want to see someone with calibre in the role...

jmayo

PatientBear wrote: »

Well, after reading that Avril Doyle wants to be the FG candidate for President I am frankly disgusted.

Having grown up in Wexford during Avril's various tenures there, I can honestly say she contributed absolutely nothing to either the progression of County Wexford or the nation at large. What I do recall was the local newspaper - The People - promoting her at length for the longest period of time. Unfortunately, the media coverage was typically headlined 'Our Avril moves to new house', followed by a gushing review of her new home. Not quite the reportage I wanted to see, even as a teenager - I would have been a bit more interested in what she was doing as a public representative - but hey, perhaps I'm simply too demanding...

This woman is a relic from an older generation of Irish politics - unfortunately she is also a political representative who has done nothing but engage in constant self-serving and opportunisim. Wait for her to play the feminism card (i.e. that she's the natural successor to Mary Robinson) soon, or have it done on her behalf.

I challenge any readers of this thread who support her candidacy to post some verifiable and beneficial policies which she championed, led and implemented for the good of the people of Ireland - one where she was prepared to fight for what she believed in. That is what a working politician is supposed to be doing.

Please don't trot out some government quangos where she sat in a committee or some other rubbish - anyone can sit in a crowded room and look left and right to see where the majority opinion was going.

And btw, I have absolutely no issues with a woman as President - I just want to see someone with calibre in the role...

Ah come on now, wouldn't you like seeing cian o'connor galloping around the Arás.


No wonder Kenny has not come out and said to pick one candidate.
How could he pick one of the 4, he is letting the party decide so then he can't be blamed.
and people say Enda isn't smart.

Speaking of jumpers, there is party jumper, ex PD, ex RTE, ex EU pres himself.
There is Mr Olympics, Mr Religion, MEP who says he should get the job because he went on loads of freebies with Mary Robinson.
There is another ex RTE, MEP, farming correspondent, who can't get elected as a TD.

And then there is the ex TD, ex MEP from Wexford who presided over the Equestrian Federation of Ireland which despite the fact we had two of the top showjumpers in the world our team was demoted because they couldn't be convinced to be on the same team and even worse one of our all time great showjumpers was humilated in his position with the team.

Corsendonk

jmayo wrote: »

Ah come on now, wouldn't you like seeing cian o'connor galloping around the Arás.


No wonder Kenny has not come out and said to pick one candidate.
How could he pick one of the 4, he is letting the party decide so then he can't be blamed.
and people say Enda isn't smart.

Speaking of jumpers, there is party jumper, ex PD, ex RTE, ex EU pres himself.
There is Mr Olympics, Mr Religion, MEP who says he should get the job because he went on loads of freebies with Mary Robinson.
There is another ex RTE, MEP, farming correspondent, who can't get elected as a TD.

And then there is the ex TD, ex MEP from Wexford who presided over the Equestrian Federation of Ireland which despite the fact we had two of the top showjumpers in the world our team was demoted because they couldn't be convinced to be on the same team and even worse one of our all time great showjumpers was humilated in his position with the team.

What a choice! Is that it for FG or will we have more declaring? When is the party convention?

touts

It's a bit of a dilema for Kenny and the FG leadership. All their best candidates got elected in the last election and are now ministers and John Bruton is too busy earning money in the private sector.

So all that that remains are MEPs or former MEPs of no real note or ability. So they cast the net wider and come up with the daddy of all former MEPs in Cox. No one else takes the bait so now they have to choose from 4 candidates each strongly associated with Europe in an election where there is likely to be a significant anti-Europe protest vote.

You have to feel for Kenny. Opinion polls say an FG candidate should be in poll position. The Norris campaign is dead before it started. Fianna Fail are unlikely to run a candidate. Labour don't select their best candidate (Finlay). And with glory on the horizon the four people he has to pick from are radioactive.

It's no wonder Niall O'Dowd hopped on a plane in a hurry this week.

femur61

Fiona Looney said she might run.

later12

touts wrote: »

The Norris campaign is dead before it started. .

Not according to the Sunday Indo poll last Sunday which put him at 30%, more than twice the support of any of his rivals, and unchanged from the January poll...

Personally I think it will be between Michael D Higgins (provincial vote) and David Norris (urban vote) in the biggest town vs country debate since Glenroe was ditched by Montrose.

number10a

Did anyone else notice this Dermot Mulqueen guy who has moving the capital to Moate in Co Westmeath as one of the points on his agenda?

Have a looksie about halfway down:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0620/president.html

touts

later10 wrote: »

Not according to the Sunday Indo poll last Sunday which put him at 30%, more than twice the support of any of his rivals, and unchanged from the January poll...

Personally I think it will be between Michael D Higgins (provincial vote) and David Norris (urban vote) in the biggest town vs country debate since Glenroe was ditched by Montrose.

30% with no serious candidate up against him. As the field narrows and the real players emerge Norris will fall back. He is topped out on 30% and will only go backward. Michael D is an urban vote not a provincial vote. He is not the rural type.

later12

touts wrote: »

30% with no serious candidate up against him. As the field narrows and the real players emerge

Which real players were not included in the recent poll? Even combining Higgins and Finlays votes, they come nowhere near Norris, and Higgins would widely be seen as the natural competitor to Norris. And if somehow FG manage to rise to the top of the pack, Norris and Higgins will transfer between one another. Frankly at this stage it looks unthinkable that the next President could be anybody but David Norris, or failing that, Michael D Higgins.

I am not saying this as a supporter of David Norris by the way - I am not in favour of his Presidency - I just think that the words The Norris campaign is overare words you might want tio be prepared to eat... certainly they are unfounded in polling terms.

mgmt

later10 wrote: »

I am not saying this as a supporter of David Norris by the way - I am not in favour of his Presidency - I just think that the words The Norris campaign is overare words you might want tio be prepared to eat... certainly they are unfounded in polling terms.

Has Norris got nominated yet? I think I might vote for Norris, I just think it would progress the world that bit more. Imagine the debate it would spark in other countries when he visits! (and hope to some of their citizens)

touts

later10 wrote: »

Which real players were not included in the recent poll? Even combining Higgins and Finlays votes, they come nowhere near Norris, and Higgins would widely be seen as the natural competitor to Norris. And if somehow FG manage to rise to the top of the pack, Norris and Higgins will transfer between one another. Frankly at this stage it looks unthinkable that the next President could be anybody but David Norris, or failing that, Michael D Higgins.

I am not saying this as a supporter of David Norris by the way - I am not in favour of his Presidency - I just think that the words The Norris campaign is overare words you might want tio be prepared to eat... certainly they are unfounded in polling terms.

Norris is finished politically. In the privacy of a polling booth, with no pollster to interpert their vote as homophobic, people will not put an X beside the name of a man who has made dubious statements about incest, the age of consent and "relationships" between men and boys. IF Norris gets a nomination (and it's a big IF given there are plenty of other candidates looking for Cllr votes) he won't get above 20% in the real vote.

mgmt

touts wrote: »

Norris is finished politically. In the privacy of a polling booth, with no pollster to interpert their vote as homophobic, people will not put an X beside the name of a man who has made dubious statements about incest, the age of consent and "relationships" between men and boys. IF Norris gets a nomination (and it's a big IF given there are plenty of other candidates looking for Cllr votes) he won't get above 20% in the real vote.

That's what they said about Obama. That old attitudes would come out in the polling booths, but it just didn't happen.

later12

touts wrote: »

he won't get above 20% in the real vote.

Where are you getting 20% specifically?

Btw, that would still put him ahead of all other candidates...

Victor Meldrew

mgmt wrote: »

That's what they said about Obama. That old attitudes would come out in the polling booths, but it just didn't happen.

Re Norris and the "Bradley effect". It'll hit him harder than Obama.

Old people vote, very few over 50's will vote for Norris. The reasons will, largely, be homophobic.

Also there are "acceptable" alternatives, Cox/Michael D/O'Dowd or any random FG'er alternative to Cox will be "acceptable"

Contrast that with having Palin a heartbeat away from the Oval office...

Palin was Obama's dream come true...

later12

Victor Meldrew wrote: »

Contrast that with having Palin a heartbeat away from the Oval office...

Palin was Obama's dream come true...

Except it was John McCain... the patriotic, white, war veteran.

touts

mgmt wrote: »

That's what they said about Obama. That old attitudes would come out in the polling booths, but it just didn't happen.

Racism and homophobia are both in decline. If it was his being gay alone then he would have a good chance. It's the whole "incest & sex with young boys mightn't be all that bad in the right circumstances" thing that will finish him off.

touts

later10 wrote: »

Where are you getting 20% specifically?

Btw, that would still put him ahead of all other candidates...

Well he is on 30% now and my gut is that a good 10% of that is soft. 20% won't get him in the Aras. He won't attract enough transfers. He will poll well but will go out in the last or second last count. His transfers may well decide the winner.

Corsendonk

number10a wrote: »

Did anyone else notice this Dermot Mulqueen guy who has moving the capital to Moate in Co Westmeath as one of the points on his agenda?

Have a looksie about halfway down:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0620/president.html

Smart fellow, the WestMeath swing vote could win it for him! I would say he has his conspiracy theory press release already prepared for when they tell him he doesn't have the required support to run for the Aras. Checkout his website below for a laugh.

http://www.presidentmulqueen.com/#!

joolsveer

touts wrote: »

Norris is finished politically. In the privacy of a polling booth, with no pollster to interpert their vote as homophobic, people will not put an X beside the name of a man who has made dubious statements about incest, the age of consent and "relationships" between men and boys. IF Norris gets a nomination (and it's a big IF given there are plenty of other candidates looking for Cllr votes) he won't get above 20% in the real vote.

If you place an X on the ballot paper do you spoil your vote?

later12

touts wrote: »

Well he is on 30% now and my gut is that a good 10% of that is soft. 20% won't get him in the Aras.

Ok, what you are suggesting is not based on evidence or polls, it is based on gut feelings, and frankly there is no debating anything with someone who pulls out random figures on a feeling because unlike statistical trends, feelings cannot be proven nor disproven.

The statistics certainly disagree with you.

number10a

Corsendonk wrote: »

Checkout his website below for a laugh.

http://www.presidentmulqueen.com/#!

Mother of God!! :eek: I have seen crackpots go for election before, but this guy beats them all with a very big stick.

baalthor

PatientBear wrote: »

Well, after reading that Avril Doyle wants to be the FG candidate for President I am frankly disgusted.

Having grown up in Wexford during Avril's various tenures there, I can honestly say she contributed absolutely nothing to either of County Wexford or the nation at large.

Avril Doyle: mostly remembered for riding horses ... and John Bruton

Spread

baalthor wrote: »

Avril Doyle: mostly remembered for riding horses ... and John Bruton

And driving her car without road tax! :eek:

later12

baalthor wrote: »

Avril Doyle: mostly remembered for riding horses ... and John Bruton

Unfounded nonsense!

Nobody has ever had sex with JB. He reproduces by photocopy.

hotmail.com

touts wrote: »

Norris is finished politically. In the privacy of a polling booth, with no pollster to interpert their vote as homophobic, people will not put an X beside the name of a man who has made dubious statements about incest, the age of consent and "relationships" between men and boys. IF Norris gets a nomination (and it's a big IF given there are plenty of other candidates looking for Cllr votes) he won't get above 20% in the real vote.

He is not finished politically as the Independent poll showed today. He's leading the pack and in with every chance of winning.

Norris is entitled to be in the race because there's clearly a substantial amount of the public that want him to be president. Any contest without him wouldn't be fair.

I find it interesting that anti-Norris people are playing the homophobic card quite a lot. And not to bang on about this again, but his comments were not dubious, there was nothing controversial about them.

touts

hotmail.com wrote: »

He is not finished politically as the Independent poll showed today. He's leading the pack and in with every chance of winning.

Norris is entitled to be in the race because there's clearly a substantial amount of the public that want him to be president. Any contest without him wouldn't be fair.

I find it interesting that anti-Norris people are playing the homophobic card quite a lot. And not to bang on about this again, but his comments were not dubious, there was nothing controversial about them.

His comments were exceptionally dubious and demonstrated either a worrying set of beliefs OR a foolhardy inability to control what he says. He is leading now because the field is fragmented and he is the only one really campaigning at the moment.

It is the Norris supporters who are playing the homophobic card in defence of their candidate. If a straight person made similar comments about hetrosexual relationships they would have been forced to withdraw from the race within days. But because Norris's campaign team immediately played the homophobic card he is hanging in there.

Fear of appearing homophobic and the lack of anyone else asking for their votes means people are telling the pollsters that they will support him. At that he is still only at 21%. When they have a solid range of candidates to choose from and have the secrecy of the ballot box Norris will fall back.

mgmt

It goes to show what little chance Avril Doyle has when posters are far more interested in talking about other candidates.

LOL

hotmail.com

touts wrote: »

His comments were exceptionally dubious and demonstrated either a worrying set of beliefs OR a foolhardy inability to control what he says. He is leading now because the field is fragmented and he is the only one really campaigning at the moment.

It is the Norris supporters who are playing the homophobic card in defence of their candidate. If a straight person made similar comments about hetrosexual relationships they would have been forced to withdraw from the race within days. But because Norris's campaign team immediately played the homophobic card he is hanging in there.

Fear of appearing homophobic and the lack of anyone else asking for their votes means people are telling the pollsters that they will support him. At that he is still only at 21%. When they have a solid range of candidates to choose from and have the secrecy of the ballot box Norris will fall back.

I repeat, there was nothing controversial about what he said. To call his comments dubious without any explanation as to why they are dubious is just lazy.

I don't think homophobic people have a problem with saying they're homophobic. That isn't an issue in this poll. His sexuality is only an issue for people that are homophobic.

Zubeneschamali

mgmt wrote: »

It goes to show what little chance Avril Doyle has when posters are far more interested in talking about other candidates

Yes, I think the Helen Lucy Burke nonsense may actually boost Norris's chances, by keeping his name in the news so much more than other candidates at this early stage.

oceanclub

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/norris-leads-the-field-2803549.html

Norris: 21%
Higgins: 19%
McGuinness: 10%
Cox: 7%
Sean Gallagher: 6%
Mary Davis: 4%
Niall O'Dowd: 3%
Avril Doyle: 3%
Gay Mitchell: 2%

P.

later12

oceanclub wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/norris-leads-the-field-2803549.html

Norris: 21%
Higgins: 19%
McGuinness: 10%
Cox: 7%
Sean Gallagher: 6%
Mary Davis: 4%
Niall O'Dowd: 3%
Avril Doyle: 3%
Gay Mitchell: 2%

P.

Interesting - if you combine the FG %s, it looks like this

FG - 22%
Norris IND -21%
Higgins - 19%

The question then arises over who is first to be eliminated out of the bottom few (presumably Davis, possibly Gallagher), and how transfer friendly the top 3 are. I would guess that the two most transfer friendly are the IND Norris and Labour's Higgins, possibly pushing them both ahead of McGuinness.
But McGuinness's transfers - arguably - will go to Higgins (coalition and rural vote)

At this moment, therefore, I would see Higgins as the most likely next President.

Zubeneschamali wrote:

Yes, I think the Helen Lucy Burke nonsense may actually boost Norris's chances

It doesn't really appear so:

A total of 24pc said the controversy had a negative impact on their view of Mr Norris, while 7pc said it had a positive impact. But 63pc were not bothered either way by the saga.

Zubeneschamali

later10 wrote: »

It doesn't really appear so:

Yet last week, before Higgins got the Labour slot and Doyle came in, a similar survey had Norris at 30%, probably just based on name recognition.

Benny_Cake

later10 wrote: »

touts wrote: »

The Norris campaign is dead before it started. .

Not according to the Sunday Indo poll last Sunday which put him at 30%, more than twice the support of any of his rivals, and unchanged from the January poll...

Personally I think it will be between Michael D Higgins (provincial vote) and David Norris (urban vote) in the biggest town vs country debate since Glenroe was ditched by Montrose.

Only thing I'd say about that poll is that it's carried out by "Quantum Research" which don't appear to exist outside of the Sunday Independent. While I would support Norris,I don't think I could give too much credance to any poll from that source!

GSF

Its time to draft Ann Doyle for President!

blorg

joolsveer wrote: »

If you place an X on the ballot paper do you spoil your vote?

As long as there is only one of them, no, it is seen as a clear indication of voter intention.

The argument that homophobic people are lying to pollsters about supporting Norris so as to not appear homophobic is nonsense. There is nothing homophobic about saying that you support Higgins, McGuinness or any other candidate.

later12

Benny_Cake wrote: »

Only thing I'd say about that poll is that it's carried out by "Quantum Research" which don't appear to exist outside of the Sunday Independent. While I would support Norris,I don't think I could give too much credance to any poll from that source!

Yes they do, they are an independent research and marketing company situated in South Dublin city. Most companies like this carry out research in their day-to-day activity which is not designed to appear in the media, but is geared towards private corporations.

I don't hear about Red C very often either, but I know that, like Quantum, they do a lot more than political opinion polls.

oceanclub

later10 wrote: »

Yes they do, they are an independent research and marketing company situated in South Dublin city..

Do you have a website/address/phone number for them? The only one I can find is a company in Drogheda involved in hardware - presumably not the same:

http://www.electronicspecifier.com/Industry-News/Quantum-Research--opens--design-centre-in-Drogheda-Ireland.asp

P.

later12

oceanclub wrote: »

Do you have a website/address/phone number for them? The only one I can find is a company in Drogheda involved in hardware - presumably not the same:

http://www.electronicspecifier.com/Industry-News/Quantum-Research--opens--design-centre-in-Drogheda-Ireland.asp

P.

30 Herbert Street, Dublin 2

It wouldn't be unusual for a support and marketing company like that not to have a very accessible public face - they would typically contact businesses themselves or make themselves known through corporate advertising.
I just read your link - it says hardware development , not hardware. They opened a premises in Drogheda describing it as "a new design, support, and technology licensing business unit"