Sean Gallagher concedes

LostinKildare

Hooky just read out a statement from Gallagher conceding the election to Higgins. It's all over but the numbers.

Sunnyisland

LostinKildare wrote: »

Hooky just read out a statement from Gallagher conceding the election to Higgins. It's all over but the numbers.

Heard it on rte radio 1 as well.

Snakeblood

LostinKildare wrote: »

Hooky just read out a statement from Gallagher conceding the election to Higgins. It's all over but the numbers.

I wish I could believe Gallagher.

RVD420

Dark times....

Dark times.....

jonniebgood1

LostinKildare wrote: »

Hooky just read out a statement from Gallagher conceding the election to Higgins. It's all over but the numbers.

Higgins has also made a statement thanking Sinn Fein and Pat Kenny!

LostinKildare

The statement:

"In the last hour I've called Michael D. Higgins to congratulate him on his performance and his success in this election. He will have my full support as President and I sincerely thank him for a positive campaign. His slogan stated that he would be a President to be proud of and I believe he will be that President."

A gracious loser, anyway.

tommyboy2222

I hear Michael D Higgins first phone call was from Angela Merkel, and he congratulated her on becoming Ireland's leader.

sensibleken

let the rape and pillage of fianna fail members commence! leave none behind to exact revenge!!!!

what? we did it all the time in the forties?

steelcityblues

LostinKildare wrote: »

The statement:

"In the last hour I've called Michael D. Higgins to congratulate him on his performance and his success in this election. He will have my full support as President and I sincerely thank him for a positive campaign. His slogan stated that he would be a President to be proud of and I believe he will be that President."

A gracious loser, anyway.

Gracious on the surface, I think is the right response.

Mr.Micro

sensibleken wrote: »

let the rape and pillage of fianna fail members commence! leave none behind to exact revenge!!!!

what? we did it all the time in the forties?

Maybe rotten FF should try a bit of honesty in future, only such an ideal would not come easy to such a rotten party.

Sponge Bob

I think Micheál Martin congratulated MDH hours ago, David Norris before midday and Gallagher after 4pm.

KELTICKNIGHTT

great win today with Ireland over aussies

Tesco Massacre

tommyboy2222 wrote: »

I hear Michael D Higgins first phone call was from Angela Merkel, and he congratulated her on becoming Ireland's leader.

Satirical!

I'm watching the RTE web coverage- Mary Banotti looks like a dead geisha.

irishdude11

Get on your bike Gallagher you sneaky, lying, FF traitor. Your reputation is in tatters with a campaign that ended in utter disgrace. And everyone now knows that you are a useless businessman so you can forget about ripping off any more unfortunate members of the public who fall for your spoof with your 250 per hour 'advice'. How can a failed businessman have the neck to charge people for advice on how to run a business when he ran his own business into the ground?

Looks like Gallagher will actually have to earn his living like the rest of us now that he failed to spoof his way into the Aras. And I for one haven't a clue how a failed business/failed presidential candidate from a failed political party, and whose reputation is in the gutter is supposed to make a few quid. He wont be ripping off any more GAA clubs now either. Might be time for Gallagher to have a look at www.welfare.ie

Mr.Micro

irishdude11 wrote: »

Get on your bike Gallagher you sneaky, lying, FF traitor. Your reputation is in tatters with a campaign that ended in utter disgrace. And everyone now knows that you are a useless businessman so you can forget about ripping off any more unfortunate members of the public who fall for your spoof with your 250 per hour 'advice'. How can a failed businessman have the neck to charge people for advice on how to run a business when he ran his own business into the ground?

Looks like Gallagher will actually have to earn his living like the rest of us now that he failed to spoof his way into the Aras. And I for one haven't a clue how a failed business/failed presidential candidate from a failed political party, and whose reputation is in the gutter is supposed to make a few quid. He wont be ripping off any more GAA clubs now either. Might be time for Gallagher to have a look at www.welfare.ie

No doubt RTE will offer him a job:(

Slideshowbob

Don't forget he is a sham

Ozymandius2011

RTE saying he will win Cork NW and Cork SW and has won Cavan-Monaghan. Surprising.

jimmycrackcorm

irishdude11 wrote: »

Get on your bike Gallagher you sneaky, lying, FF traitor. Your reputation is in tatters with a campaign that ended in utter disgrace. And everyone now knows that you are a useless businessman so you can forget about ripping off any more unfortunate members of the public who fall for your spoof with your 250 per hour 'advice'. How can a failed businessman have the neck to charge people for advice on how to run a business when he ran his own business into the ground?

Looks like Gallagher will actually have to earn his living like the rest of us now that he failed to spoof his way into the Aras. And I for one haven't a clue how a failed business/failed presidential candidate from a failed political party, and whose reputation is in the gutter is supposed to make a few quid. He wont be ripping off any more GAA clubs now either. Might be time for Gallagher to have a look at www.welfare.ie

Looks as though he is going to come in second which would indicate your opinion is not shared by a substantial number of people.

irishdude11

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Looks as though he is going to come in second which would indicate your opinion is not shared by a substantial number of people.

Yep, that is the problem with this country. A good % of people dont have any interest in politics and are happy enough to vote an ethically challenged z-list celebrity into the Presidency.

bad2dabone

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Looks as though he is going to come in second which would indicate your opinion is not shared by a substantial number of people.

Anyone willing to vote a person with so many serious and substantial question marks about their conduct and integrity into the office of President really needs to raise their standards.

Ozymandius2011

On the "useless businessman" point. The vast majority of us are employed by small businesses employing 10 or less people. So as a small businessman suffering during the recession he is quite representative of society. I think we're seeing the politics of envy from some people.

bad2dabone

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

On the "useless businessman" point. The vast majority of us are employed by small businesses employing 10 or less people. So as a small businessman suffering during the recession he is quite representative of society. I think we're seeing the politics of envy from some people.

the business would probably be doing better if he hadn't sucked all the cash out of it, and paid himself such high rent.....

anyhow, he's done now. I'm glad the state doesn't have him as its first citizen.
Delighted in fact.

mikom

LostinKildare wrote: »

The statement:

"In the last hour I've called Michael D. Higgins to congratulate him on his performance and his success in this election. He will have my full support as President and I sincerely thank him for a positive campaign. His slogan stated that he would be a President to be proud of and I believe he will be that President."

Ps.
I'm prepared to make an offer.
€5,000 for 50% equity in the presidency.

Smartguy

I am sure Gallagher will get on just fine in the future. He has achieved a lot more in his life than most of the saddos on this thread.

Ozymandius2011

People need to be discerning enoigh to detect bias in the media and judge for themselves independently of FUD. I think rural Ireland passed that test more so than Dublin today. Frontline was a setup.

mikom

Smartguy wrote: »

I am sure Gallagher will get on just fine in the future. He has achieved a lot more in his life than most of the saddos on this thread.

So has Gaddafi.
Your point?

Smartguy

Read the thread, it is pretty obvious.

bad2dabone

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

People need to be discerning enoigh to detect bias in the media and judge for themselves independently of FUD. I think rural Ireland passed that test more so than Dublin today. Frontline was a setup.

No FF in Dublin. Great day.

bad2dabone

Smartguy wrote: »

it is pretty obvious.

So are you newly registered poster, so are you.

Ozymandius2011

bad2dabone wrote: »

No FF in Dublin. Great day.

I have not voted FF since 2002 and reject the "once FF always FF" labels. Michael D was in FF once.

One consequence of this election will be to deter many business people with the economic expertise needed to get the economy out of the hole it's in from trying their hand at politics. We got into this mess because we have always been governed since independence by patently unqualified individuals. Teachers, doctors, publicans and solicitors are not the best people to run an economy.

Smartguy

Can you at least post in a structured fashion if you are going to give sarky comments.

hardCopy

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

I have not voted FF since 2002 and reject the "once FF always FF" labels. Michael D was in FF once.

One consequence of this election will be to deter many business people with the economic expertise needed to get the economy out of the hole it's in from trying their hand at politics. We got into this mess because we have always been governed since independence by patently unqualified individuals. Teachers, doctors, publicans and solicitors are not the best people to run an economy.

I don't see why a business person would be deterred, Gallagher came from nowhere to finish second demolishing an established politician in Gay Mitchell.

If anything it should encourage more outsiders to run for office.

He didn't lose because he was over-qualified, he lost because he was too close to the patently unqualified individuals you mentioned.

Maybe a true outsider could have won it.

bad2dabone

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

One consequence of this election will be to deter many business people with the economic expertise needed to get the economy out of the hole it's in from trying their hand at politics. We got into this mess because we have always been governed since independence by patently unqualified individuals. Teachers, doctors, publicans and solicitors are not the best people to run an economy.

Gallagher is a "businessman" who used his political connections to obtain state funding for his business and then he subsequently soaked that funding up in pay to himself. Is that kind of "economic expertise" we need? Hardly.
He's not the man for any kind of governance role. Not even close.
I do however agree with you that more, lets say reputable, business people should get involved in politics and unfortunately its been the domain of the Teachers and Solicitors for too long.

I don't believe that business people will be put off by Gallaghers failure, I think people who are dodgy will just realise they have to be more upfront in their dealings. And of course avoid envelopes.

Liam Byrne

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

People need to be discerning enoigh to detect bias in the media and judge for themselves independently of FUD. I think rural Ireland passed that test more so than Dublin today. Frontline was a setup.

The other cities passed with flying colours too!

Well, bar parts of Cork, who were obviously skewed by the fact that Michéal "believe the new beginning lies despite Willie O'Liar" Martin is from there.

Ozymandius2011

Liam Byrne wrote: »

The other cities passed with flying colours too!

Well SG seems to have won CSW and CNW.

Ozymandius2011

bad2dabone wrote: »

Gallagher is a "businessman" who used his political connections to obtain state funding for his business and then he subsequently soaked that funding up in pay to himself. Is that kind of "economic expertise" we need? Hardly.
He's not the man for any kind of governance role. Not even close.
I do however agree with you that more, lets say reputable, business people should get involved in politics and unfortunately its been the domain of the Teachers and Solicitors for too long.

I don't believe that business people will be put off by Gallaghers failure, I think people who are dodgy will just realise they have to be more upfront in their dealings. And of course avoid envelopes.

But the media treat all non-Establishment business people who enter politics as chancers. They did that with Declan Ganley too even though SIPO said his funding was bona-fide. It's the system the media are defending and by extension their influence in it. It's not us they're looking out for.

bad2dabone

I disagree that this was a media stitch up, Gallagher stitched himself up by being patently dishonest.

Liam Byrne

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

Liam Byrne wrote: »

The other cities passed with flying colours too!

Well SG seems to have won CSW and CNW.

Hence my caveat added via my post edit!

Fletch84

LostinKildare wrote: »

Hooky just read out a statement from Gallagher conceding the election to Higgins. It's all over but the numbers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62597893@N03/6289077039/

irishdude11

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

I have not voted FF since 2002 and reject the "once FF always FF" labels. Michael D was in FF once.

One consequence of this election will be to deter many business people with the economic expertise needed to get the economy out of the hole it's in from trying their hand at politics. We got into this mess because we have always been governed since independence by patently unqualified individuals. Teachers, doctors, publicans and solicitors are not the best people to run an economy.

Explain to me the appeal of voting for a guy with the hypocrisy to waffle on about all his community and volunteer work, yet who it then transpires was charging GAA clubs €5000 to fill out a few grant application forms for them? The local club members go out and do all the hard work and then the Bagman Gallagher comes along and pockets 5K so that he will pull a few strings with FF. That shows how the corruption of FF has infected all aspects of society when amateur GAA clubs have to pay off a FFer to have a chance at getting a grant. Explain to me why anyone who is in any way clued in should vote for the slimeball hypocrit who was making easy cash off the backs of decent local volunteers?

Ozymandius2011

irishdude11 wrote: »

Explain to me the appeal of voting for a guy with the hypocrisy to waffle on about all his community and volunteer work, yet who it then transpires was charging GAA clubs €5000 to fill out a few grant application forms for them? The local club members go out and do all the hard work and then the Bagman Gallagher comes along and pockets 5K so that he will pull a few strings with FF. That shows how the corruption of FF has infected all aspects of society when amateur GAA clubs have to pay off a FFer to have a chance at getting a grant. Explain to me why anyone who is in any way clued in should vote for the slimeball hypocrit who was making easy cash off the backs of decent local volunteers?

As long as it was legal there it is not corruption. Corruption is one of the most abused terms in the English language. In this country it is frequently used to refer not to illegal behaviour, but to anything you don't agree with that happens to involve money.

Corruption is where you either pocket the money for yourself, or give political favours in return for money. Everything else is legit. Noone forced the GAA to pay him that money, and it seems reasonable to assume they would not have done so if they didn't appreciate the quality of the service.

board.eddy

irishdude11 wrote: »

Get on your bike Gallagher you sneaky, lying, FF traitor. Your reputation is in tatters with a campaign that ended in utter disgrace. And everyone now knows that you are a useless businessman so you can forget about ripping off any more unfortunate members of the public who fall for your spoof with your 250 per hour 'advice'. How can a failed businessman have the neck to charge people for advice on how to run a business when he ran his own business into the ground?

Looks like Gallagher will actually have to earn his living like the rest of us now that he failed to spoof his way into the Aras. And I for one haven't a clue how a failed business/failed presidential candidate from a failed political party, and whose reputation is in the gutter is supposed to make a few quid. He wont be ripping off any more GAA clubs now either. Might be time for Gallagher to have a look at www.welfare.ie

hmmm very very harsh, as far as 'disgrace' goes he was one of the only candidates who wasnt disgraced, that sad matter of 5k at the end was a sad sinn fein attempt to ruin the lads campaign.

btw if someone is thick enough to pay 250/hour for advice thats their own business, i'd take 250 euro off someone for advice if they would pay me...

Jeboa Safari

irishdude11 wrote: »

Get on your bike Gallagher you sneaky, lying, FF traitor. Your reputation is in tatters with a campaign that ended in utter disgrace. And everyone now knows that you are a useless businessman so you can forget about ripping off any more unfortunate members of the public who fall for your spoof with your 250 per hour 'advice'. How can a failed businessman have the neck to charge people for advice on how to run a business when he ran his own business into the ground?

Looks like Gallagher will actually have to earn his living like the rest of us now that he failed to spoof his way into the Aras. And I for one haven't a clue how a failed business/failed presidential candidate from a failed political party, and whose reputation is in the gutter is supposed to make a few quid. He wont be ripping off any more GAA clubs now either. Might be time for Gallagher to have a look at www.welfare.ie

Hardly a disgrace when he finished second in a seven horse race, and a quarter of the electorate voting for him, topping some constituencies. Don't see how he's a failed businessman when he's kept a business dealing with new homes going and still employs 20 people despite the housing collapse and recession, and Norris said Smarthomes earned 7m in 2007.

nomdeboardie

tommyboy2222 wrote: »

I hear Michael D Higgins first phone call was from Angela Merkel, and he congratulated her on becoming Ireland's leader.

Wha...? O wait, "I see what you did there"?

bad2dabone

Ozymandias
Just because something is not illegal doesn't make it ethical. Taking money for advice on how to get grants when you have close political links to those who can make things happen rings ethical alarm bells. If you don't see this then perhaps your own personal ethical standards need to be checked. Perhaps you struggle to see the difference between what is legal and what is right.
A man who runs for the highest office in the country should be of unquestionable character. Gallagher is far from this. Nobody thinks anything he did was illegal (apart from the 82k cheque "mistake" which I believe was an attempt at a fast one) but I do believe his ethical standards fall far short of a person who I would like to see in public office.

Thankfully the majority of the electorate agrees.

irishdude11

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

As long as it was legal there it is not corruption. Corruption is one of the most abused terms in the English language. In this country it is frequently used to refer not to illegal behaviour, but to anything you don't agree with that happens to involve money.

Corruption is where you either pocket the money for yourself, or give political favours in return for money. Everything else is legit. Noone forced the GAA to pay him that money, and it seems reasonable to assume they would not have done so if they didn't appreciate the quality of the service.

Of course it's corrupt. He taking money for using his political influence. Taking money and pulling strings is corruption and has this country ruined. It is an absolute disgrace that GAA clubs and whatever organisations are in a position where they have to pay off a Fianna Fail slimeball if they want to have a chance of a grant. A complete an utter disgrace. Why should Gallagher pocket 5K so that a local GAA club has a chance a getting a grant? Ridiculous.

I dont give a sh1te about 'as long as its legal'....sure everything in this joke of a country is legal if you are involved in politics (or religion), or you have enough cash. Nothing is a illegal if you are a FF spoofer.

And whether its illegal or not, Gallagher is still a hypocrite of the highest order - He portrayed himself as a selfless volunteer and community worker when in fact he was greedily enriching himself off the selfless volunteering and community work done by the local people helping their GAA club. You can be guaranteed that the GAA members up and down the country will NEVER forget about this. I know some GAA members in my locality who are irate over this. Taking advantage of others people's selfless volunteering is about as low as you get. Gallagher is scum in my book (and alot of others) for doing this.

brownswiss

One consequence of this election will be to deter many dodgy business people with little economic expertise needed to get the economy out of the hole it's in from trying their hand at politics. We got into this mess because we have almost always been governed since independence by patently unqualified Fianna Fail individuals.

irishdude11

Jeboa Safari wrote: »

Hardly a disgrace when he finished second in a seven horse race, and a quarter of the electorate voting for him, topping some constituencies. Don't see how he's a failed businessman when he's kept a business dealing with new homes going and still employs 20 people despite the housing collapse and recession, and Norris said Smarthomes earned 7m in 2007.

7m me hole. It nearly got wiped out from a 675K loss in 2008. It made 90K in net profit 2007 out of a gross profit of 2m. http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/local/smarthomes_in_t675_000_loss_1_1980392

That's when Gallagher and Roddy went and raided of as much cash as they could as it was going down the tubes. Cash that came from the taxpayer, smarthomes had received almost 1million in taxpayer funding.

He operated a business that was viable for about 3 or 4 years because of a massive property bubble and having taxpayers cash thrown at him by his pals in Enterprise Ireland, and as soon as the bubble that ended his business was fecked. It's been losing lots of cash for the last few years, its down to 20 workers from 100, Gallagher is no longer even running - and rightly so, because he was running it into the ground.

brownswiss

You said Frontline was a set up......SO??

The important point is the set up worked ...

It caught the liar with his pants down

washman3

Ozymandius2011 wrote: »

No one forced the GAA to pay him that money, and it seems reasonable to assume they would not have done so if they didn't appreciate the quality of the service.

This is the same sickening ****e we heard from Bertie about the property "boom" Nobody forced the poor unfortunate young couples to pay €350k for a 3 bed-semi(now worth €120k)
The GAA clubs paid him because the rotten FF system dictated that if they didnt,then the club down the road would,and thus get the(even bigger)grant.
In effect the club paid this conman for something they were perfectly entitled to anyway. It was'nt "his quality of service" that mattered,rather the fact that he "had the ear of the minister" responsible for the distribution of the grants. If thats not corruption............what is..??
This guy is an "insider" of the highest order. How he managed to fool 500,000+ people will forever remain a mystery,then again,this is Ireland.
We can only thank M.McG for exposing this conman,we will be indebted to him for many a day.

LostinKildare

irishdude11 wrote: »

That's when Gallagher and Roddy went and raided of as much cash as they could as it was going down the tubes. Cash that came from the taxpayer, smarthomes had received almost 1million in taxpayer funding.

He operated a business that was viable for about 3 or 4 years because of a massive property bubble and having taxpayers cash thrown at him by his pals in Enterprise Ireland, and as soon as the bubble that ended his business was fecked. It's been losing lots of cash for the last few years, its down to 20 workers from 100, Gallagher is no longer even running - and rightly so, because he was running it into the ground.

So . . . business made scads of money off mad property/credit boom. FF-connected director sucked money out for himself, then rode off into the sunset as things turned ugly. Taxpayers provide the money that keeps the business afloat.

Sounds like the banks.