By-Election Confirmed for March 27th

Sierra Oscar

The government have today confirmed, outside of Dáil Éireann, that the Meath East by-election will take place on Wednesday the 27th of March.

The decision has taken many by surprise, especially considering the short time span for the campaign alongside the fact that voting is on a Wednesday.

FG have stated that Helen McEntee will be their candidate, despite the fact that a selection convention has not been held yet.

Senator Thomas Byrne will be the Fianna Fáil candidate. Sinn Féin have selected Darren O'Rourke to stand for them during the election. Labour have not yet selected a candidate, and it is not certain that they will contest the election.

Paddy Power are currently tipping Fianna Fáil to take the seat, but it is early days in the campaign yet.

Bichon Lover

We voted for change at the General Election and were let down.
Now the vacancy is being treated as family property: no change there either!

Jesus wept! the rest of us might as well do the same. :mad:

Boulevardier

At least kudos for this govt that they did not sit on the thing for years the way FF did with Donegal, until the courts forced them to go ahead.

I would also predict thet FF will win. I also think labour will probably run.
In any case, this by-election would be an ideal dry-run for a new party. I cant believe there is no sign of one.

Hijpo

Boulevardier wrote: »

At least kudos for this govt that they did not sit on the thing for years the way FF did with Donegal, until the courts forced them to go ahead.

I would also predict thet FF will win. I also think labour will probably run.
In any case, this by-election would be an ideal dry-run for a new party. I cant believe there is no sign of one.

Direct Democracy Irelands head office is in Trim and apparently have a decent backing.

ednwireland

just heard that helen mcentee is putting herself forward, nice to see this brand of new politics promised from FG

doolox

Much as the public are entitled to be sympathetic to the tragic demise of Shane McEntee and also angry with the set up and decisions of the present government I am angry at the selection of his daughter as FG candidate for the byelection.

This is all too common in Irish politics and is indicative of a huge lack of imagination, vision and lack of talent in Irish politics.

Is there such a shortage of candidates in the Irish political system, or a lack of faith in the electorate when faced with new surnames that the powers that be feel obliged to put familiar names and families forward every time excluding possibly better talent from outside the existing elite?

Our present Taoiseach is the Son of a former TD, as was Brian Cowen, Charlie Haughey married the bosses daughter his wife being the daughter of Sean Lemass. Several of Devs family entered politics such as Sile Devalera, Pol O Cuiv etc. The Andrews clan can boast three generations in the Dail, as well as a first cousin in the top job in RTE. Also worth mentioning are the Lenihans and MAry O'Rourke, brothers sisters etc. Its who you know not what you know in Irish politics, just like a kingdom or other form of medieval polity.

Labour do not get away in this trend, Dick Spring being the son of a former Kerry TD but seem not as prone to this dynasty trend as the centre right parties.

The real people and real workers of Ireland do not get a look in.

therewillbe

ednwireland wrote: »

just heard that helen mcentee is putting herself forward, nice to see this brand of new politics promised from FG

Well said.
Same old Killinaskully politics.

Robbo

Direct Democracy Ireland have put forward Ben Gilroy, famed for his Youtube videos where he manages to temporarily delay reposessions and receivers with his own very personal interpretation of the Constitution and off-point case law. For this, he's beloved amongst the Freemen on the Land and a folk hero to those who think that 10 minutes on Google and they can discover a method of escaping all their debts by chanting some magic words.

On presumes that he's referring to this as a bi-election because of some strange interpretation he's taking from the correct spelling.

Chips Lovell

Parties will stop running dynastic candidates once people stop voting for family names. And, unfortunately, there's no sign of that happening just yet. We've a large constituency of people in this country who're only too happy to vote for someone on the basis of who their Daddy was.

Robbo wrote: »

Direct Democracy Ireland have put forward Ben Gilroy.

Gilroy? Well that's the end of anyone taking them seriously.

Hijpo

Robbo wrote: »

Direct Democracy Ireland have put forward Ben Gilroy, famed for his Youtube videos where he manages to temporarily delay reposessions and receivers with his own very personal interpretation of the Constitution and off-point case law. For this, he's beloved amongst the Freemen on the Land and a folk hero to those who think that 10 minutes on Google and they can discover a method of escaping all their debts by chanting some magic words.

On presumes that he's referring to this as a bi-election because of some strange interpretation he's taking from the correct spelling.

When are you going to stop copy and pasting the same tripe that you spout every time Direct Democracy is mentioned. Theres more than Ben Gilroy involved in it. Its like rubbishing FG because Enda Kenny all on his own is a tw*t, however people are more inclined to rubbish FG because the majority of them are tw*ts.

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Parties will stop running dynastic candidates once people stop voting for family names. And, unfortunately, there's no sign of that happening just yet. We've a large constituency of people in this country who're only too happy to vote for someone on the basis of who their Daddy was.

Gilroy? Well that's the end of anyone taking them seriously.

Atleast the man is trying to do something to protect people from these institutions befriended by the government.
Finaly a party that wants to make it easier for the average joe to fight a battle instead of changing laws to make it easier for the big dude to f*ck people over.


Honest to christ, i sincerely hope they tax the bollox out of whatever class you see yourselves in because you certainly dont have to deal with the ****e the average joe does.

Robbo

Hijpo wrote: »

When are you going to stop copy and pasting the same tripe that you spout every time Direct Democracy is mentioned. Theres more than Ben Gilroy involved in it. Its like rubbishing FG because Enda Kenny all on his own is a tw*t, however people are more inclined to rubbish FG because the majority of them are tw*ts.

Is your point that Ben Gilroy is a liability to DDI?

Hijpo

Robbo wrote: »

Is your point that Ben Gilroy is a liability to DDI?

No my point is that just because you think 1 person is a liability doesnt mean the entire party and what they are trying to do should be rubbished.

Sierra Oscar

I notice that Hogan has also cut polling times by two hours, as if holding the election on a Wednesday wasn't bad enough.

ArmaniJeanss

Hijpo wrote: »

No my point is that just because you think 1 person is a liability doesnt mean the entire party and what they are trying to do should be rubbished.

Putting up someone who is such a liability in their first campaign is hardly a positive step though.

Direct Democracy (the concept) is actually a decent enough notion in theory, and the party should concentrate on a candidate who stands for this idea and this idea only.

For whatever they have continually associated themselves with Gilroy, he speaks at most/all of their meetings giving his unique combination of a LionelHutz/LyleLanley spiel. And now he's their first candidate. Unless he's the moneyman behind DD then they should be telling him to feck off if they want to be taken seriously.

oscarBravo

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Direct Democracy (the concept) is actually a decent enough notion in theory...

Only if the theory is predicated on the myth of the rational voter.

Hijpo

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Putting up someone who is such a liability in their first campaign is hardly a positive step though.

Direct Democracy (the concept) is actually a decent enough notion in theory, and the party should concentrate on a candidate who stands for this idea and this idea only.

For whatever they have continually associated themselves with Gilroy, he speaks at most/all of their meetings giving his unique combination of a LionelHutz/LyleLanley spiel. And now he's their first candidate. Unless he's the moneyman behind DD then they should be telling him to feck off if they want to be taken seriously.

A man seen to stand up for the people against the current enemy, the government and the banks, will always be a peoples favourite no matter how he does it, a stand is a stand and its in favour of the electorate.

ArmaniJeanss

Hijpo wrote: »

A man seen to stand up for the people against the current enemy, the government and the banks, will always be a peoples favourite no matter how he does it, a stand is a stand and its in favour of the electorate.

Who declared the banks and government 'the enemy'? Or therefore by definition declared Ben Gilroy the good guy?

I've voted everytime theres been a vote for the 20 years since I came of age, no matter how boring the referendum or how dismal the local election candidates were. I'm happy to vote on anything really, and think the people could be empowered to vote directly on more issues (notwithstanding OBs valid point above).

So in theory I'm the sort of voter DD should be aiming for. Yet by embracing the freeman guff from the start you've already lost me.

Chips Lovell

Hijpo wrote: »

Atleast the man is trying to do something to protect people from these institutions befriended by the government.
Finaly a party that wants to make it easier for the average joe to fight a battle instead of changing laws to make it easier for the big dude to f*ck people over

Have you actually read some of the stuff this guy comes out with? He's away with the fairies. Whatever his intentions are, he isn't going to help anyone by spouting mumbo jumbo based on poor understanding of the law.

And while he's not the only person in DDI, it doesn't auger well for them if he's the best they can come up with for their first run in the polls.

Hijpo

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Who declared the banks and government 'the enemy'? Or therefore by definition declared Ben Gilroy the good guy?

I've voted everytime theres been a vote for the 20 years since I came of age, no matter how boring the referendum or how dismal the local election candidates were. I'm happy to vote on anything really, and think the people could be empowered to vote directly on more issues (notwithstanding OBs valid point above).

So in theory I'm the sort of voter DD should be aiming for. Yet by embracing the freeman guff from the start you've already lost me.

So would you class the government and the banks your friends?
Enemys attack, the government has attacked my spendable income and my home. They have changed laws to make it easier to basicly snatch money from the working class home owners, evict people struggling to pay mortgages no matter if its an entire family with young kids or a 63 year old cancer patient. I would class them as an enemy, maybe you dont, fair enough.

Ben Gilroy found a way to buy people some extra time to try sort out an awful situation, he is highlighting all that is wrong with the laws and attitude of influential people in this country. Take for instance the chap that was getting his shop repossessed or the chap that was going to loose his home, all he was doing was asking questions and demanding answers which he is fully entitled to do, he didnt obstruct any course of justice. The fact that the recievers spouted stuff like "iv already put people in jail" and "the constitution has no bearing on me" is frightful. If people want to adopt freeman laws or whatever its called thats there risk if they want to take it.

He isnt spouting freeman guff within DDI, its simple what DDI want to do.

Give the people more power in there vote.

Launch a full independent, international legal review of the bailout, which we hold to be an odious debt and illegal under international law.

Suspend all payments relating to the bailout, capital and interest, pending the results of the legal review.

Launch a legal review of the transfer of €1 billion of assets from AIB balance sheets to the private pension fund of AIB staff.

Launch a legal review of the use of state assets where irregularities or corruption are suspected

Halt all repossessions and evictions in Ireland pending personal debt renegotiations between lending institutions and citizens.

Support and assist in the development of a collaborative consultation process in communities nationwide to examine and discuss issues facing communities, regions and the state. Work with groups engaged in this process to create a nationwide mechanism of proposal generation via which the wishes of the people of Ireland will be determined and communicated directly to government to be implemented via direct democracy.

Review all sectors of local and national government via the national consultative process and Implement any and all necessary reform determined by the review process.

Review all sectors of the economy, local and national, via the national consultative process and implement any and all necessary reforms determined by the review process.


Not voting for a party that aims to achieve these things simply because "Ben Gilroy" is mental lol

Seriously, people know FG's history, SF's history, FF's history and now Labs cowardice and they would still rather pick one of those partys with ALL there flaws instead of giving a new party its chance because of one name, any posts iv seen condemning DDI only contains the single argument of one name.

Hijpo

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Have you actually read some of the stuff this guy comes out with? He's away with the fairies. Whatever his intentions are, he isn't going to help anyone by spouting mumbo jumbo based on poor understanding of the law.

And while he's not the only person in DDI, it doesn't auger well for them if he's the best they can come up with for their first run in the polls.

Have you witnessed the rush jobs of our government lately, have you witnessed the changes in laws? have you seen some of bens videos where people arrive with invalid documents or wrongful proceedings, some even commit the same crime you say ben is with "poor understanding of the law" and just turn up because they are told to take that premisses/house from someone and they just expect you to vacate your house without challenging every aspect of the case?

I believe that laws are there to protect people from intentional wrong doings, changing the law to strengthen institutions and weaken the people is disgusting in my view and shows exactly where our "leaders" heads are at and we have no power to contest this? no power to defend ourselves? It frightens me, it really does.

As for there candidate for the first run in the polls, he is popular, fights for the people in financial difficulty (lets face it, alot of people are and even more are in fear of getting there) and the party is officially only about 4 months old, they need someone popular and who is not afraid to challange people on things others would just accept as being true.

Robbo

Hijpo wrote: »

Seriously, people know FG's history, SF's history, FF's history and now Labs cowardice and they would still rather pick one of those partys with ALL there flaws instead of giving a new party its chance because of one name, any posts iv seen condemning DDI only contains the single argument of one name.

Leaving aside the copypasta from the DDI site, the reason Ben Gilroy is castigated is because:

1. He's the candidate in the Meath By-Election, this is the Meath By-Election thread.
2. He's the most public face of DDI. He's a founder member.
3. He's one of only three members listed on their site.
4. He writes a large number of the articles on the website.
5. He's the most recognisable name in a new Party/Service/Whatever you're having yourself, given the publicity he courts.
6. You can't acknowledge his "eccentricity" and then complain when it's brought up, especially when his candidature is DDI's first foray into mainstream politics

I see you're trying to organise a DDI Chapter in the Southeast, I wish you all the best. I do think there's merit in having popular referenda and there is a need to involve the people more. More power to you and the sooner you jettison this Svengali the better.

Hijpo

Robbo wrote: »

Leaving aside the copypasta from the DDI site, the reason Ben Gilroy is castigated is because:

1. He's the candidate in the Meath By-Election, this is the Meath By-Election thread.
2. He's the most public face of DDI. He's a founder member.
3. He's one of only three members listed on their site.
4. He writes a large number of the articles on the website.
5. He's the most recognisable name in a new Party/Service/Whatever you're having yourself, given the publicity he courts.
6. You can't acknowledge his "eccentricity" and then complain when it's brought up, especially when his candidature is DDI's first foray into mainstream politics

I see you're trying to organise a DDI Chapter in the Southeast, I wish you all the best. I do think there's merit in having popular referenda and there is a need to involve the people more. More power to you and the sooner you jettison this Svengali the better.

I was simply listing the opportunities that DDI brings to the table, i feel flipping the entire table over because of one man that sits at the table (who, lets be honest, is just contesting current laws and the people elected to enforce them) as being incredibly quick to dismiss the party. I believe that instead of looking at who DDI is people need to see what it is, as thats how DDI as a party sees itself.

Thank you for your best wishes, were doing well so far.


"Svengali" lol thats brilliant

Dejvice

Ms McEntee candidate for FG. I am sorry for her dad, that is for sure.
However, the sheer electioneering by FG, the shoe in, the sympathy vote, it is rather crass, it is rather low.
Equally it is rather intelligent by FG, for sure they know their voters well and know what they will do.

This not a disrespectful question but I really wonder would her dad (if alive) have stepped aside at the next election to make the seat available? What is it that makes us want to elect a person (most likely she will be elected) because of circumstance?

It is rather insane and those good people people in Meath need to ask themselves a few serious questions about CIRCUMSTANTIAL POLITICS that is currently prevailing. Yes, simply because of circumstance and nothing else.

Pitiful. You get what you ask for....and live with the circumstances of your decision.

delta_bravo

When Seamus Brennan died and ff put forward his son as candidate he was well beaten and the party widely criticised for legacy politics. Will be interesting to see if this will be viewed the same way. After all the rubbish fg said about new politics we are still essentially like the house of lords with government seats that are hereditary

oscarBravo

delta_bravo wrote: »

After all the rubbish fg said about new politics we are still essentially like the house of lords with government seats that are hereditary

Apart from the utterly trivial detail of not being able to take up a "hereditary" seat unless elected to it by the people. Other than that, it's exactly the same thing, yes.

Dejvice

oscarBravo wrote: »

Apart from the utterly trivial detail of not being able to take up a "hereditary" seat unless elected to it by the people. Other than that, it's exactly the same thing, yes.

I wouldn't even use the word 'hereditary', Irish society (and most for that matter) generally only think as far forward as its grandchildren. Probably the same in politics. Have a look at constant use of the phrase 'so I can leave something for the kids'. Only a few think as far forward as 3rd, 4th, 5th generation.

Sully

Moving onto candidates that deal with facts rather than candidates that deal in fiction...

I thought the same initially re: McEntee but she comes from a political background so she was bound to head in the same career path (nothing wrong with that, we do it on other fields). It turns out that this lady has been involved for sometime and has a degree in economics, politics and law and later completed a master’s in journalism and media communications. Very well qualified and was heading in this direction for sometime.

There are numerous jobs out there where kids have taken over the family business, went down the same line as their parents and so on. I'd be disappointed if they were shoving a TD from the family just to get a sympathy vote and keep the family name to the seat but I don't see anything wrong with it if the TD is up for the job and capable to deliver. I think she will do just that.

Plus, a lot of people moan that young women don't get into politics. Now we have someone who is young and into politics stepping up to the mark - injecting more fresh and young blood into the party and hopefully the government. Stop complaining and let the people of Meath East decide who they want to elect.

Bichon Lover

Sully wrote: »

Moving onto candidates that deal with facts rather than candidates that deal in fiction...

I thought the same initially re: McEntee but she comes from a political background so she was bound to head in the same career path (nothing wrong with that, we do it on other fields). It turns out that this lady has been involved for sometime and has a degree in economics, politics and law and later completed a master’s in journalism and media communications. Very well qualified and was heading in this direction for sometime.

There are numerous jobs out there where kids have taken over the family business, went down the same line as their parents and so on. I'd be disappointed if they were shoving a TD from the family just to get a sympathy vote and keep the family name to the seat but I don't see anything wrong with it if the TD is up for the job and capable to deliver. I think she will do just that.

Plus, a lot of people moan that young women don't get into politics. Now we have someone who is young and into politics stepping up to the mark - injecting more fresh and young blood into the party and hopefully the government. Stop complaining and let the people of Meath East decide who they want to elect.

a master’s in journalism and media communications

Now if she had a real degree, not something in a Makey-uppey subject.:D

Margaret Thatcher was a woman: do you want to see someone like her in the Dail?

Agent Smith

Bichon Lover wrote: »

Margaret Thatcher was a woman: do you want to see someone like her in the Dail?

Yes

Hijpo

Sully wrote: »

Moving onto candidates that deal with facts rather than candidates that deal in fiction..

The FG and Lab manifesto's are prime examples of fiction

Sully

Hijpo wrote: »

The FG and Lab manifesto's are prime examples of fiction

Not really, seeing as some of what was proposed within are being implemented or already have been.

Whearas what some of the DDI is proposing is actually that - fiction. Which is why it wont ever lift of the ground. Its another loony left approach to politics but it appears to be completely off the wall.