Fianna Fail brothers learn "how to canvass" at tax-payers' expense

celty · 10-01-2014 5:33pm #1

Bohermore brothers Mike and Ollie Crowe, both Fianna Fail councillors, were learning "how to canvass" (i.e., get re-elected) at a conference in Dublin last weekend. And they expect the taxpayer to foot the bill for their presence at the three day conference.

From today's City Tribune ...

http://connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/2059-cllrs-learn-how-to-canvass-on-expenses

mrsoundie · 10-01-2014 5:35pm

The saddest thing is I am not surprised. The biggest disease in Ireland today is apathy.

snubbleste · 10-01-2014 7:19pm

Arnold Layne · 11-01-2014 9:03am

A Feast For Crowes

biko · 11-01-2014 12:24pm

It is understood that as well as the two Galway City Councillors, about 20 other politicians from around the country attended.

Including the course fee, which goes to the organisers, and mileage and subsistence expenses, which goes to the attendee, the cost to the taxpayer of this conference per delegate, would be several hundred Euros.

That's not a lot. It would have been better if they just paid out of their own pocket, it's not like they're in the poor house.

celty · 11-01-2014 6:56pm

In fairness, Biko, I don't think the cost of the conference is the big issue here.

It's the sheer neck of these guys, thinking it's ok to go to a conference in Dublin, which is only about learning how to get re-elected, and then to pass the bill on to the tax-payer.

If they were discussing roads, or water, or housing estates, it might be different, but Canvassing Tips? Come on.

After all this country has been through since their party caused the economic collapse in 2008, it shows that the ordinary Fianna Fail councillors (and by extension, the people who vote for them) haven't learned a thing.

Remember this wonderful conference, how much benefit it brought to Galway, and who paid for it, when they call to your door looking for votes in May.

snubbleste · 11-01-2014 7:18pm

Tbh I'm more embarrassed that we've sent Cllr P Conneely and various Council officials to Boston last week. All expenses paid.

Zzippy · 12-01-2014 7:55pm

Most of these conferences are a racket for councillors. I've been to many such conferences (all related to my work) and seen county councillors from all over the country registering in the morning, and gone by 12, even though the conference lasts all day. Then there's the mileage - supposed to cover genuine expenses, but when 3 or 4 councillors share a lift to a conference and then all claim mileage expenses that's taking the proverbial. Not saying that happened in this case, but it's a well-known scam...

McTigs · 13-01-2014 10:06am

snubbleste wrote: »

never gets old

nuac · 14-01-2014 10:26am

I agree strongly with Zzippy.

These conferences are a waste of time and money.

I am surprised that they are still going on.

Shameful

snubbleste · 14-01-2014 11:04am

Taking a break from his taxpayer-funded trip to the US, where he represented you as an official guest at the inauguration ceremony of the new Boston mayor, Connemara’s own Marty Walsh, the Bould Conneely did a spot of shopping.
And it was no ordinary shopping, as our photograph shows, with the outspoken FG Cllr clutching a bag from the popular designer outlet, Abercrombie and Fitch.
http://connachttribune.ie/opinion/item/2062-nero-to-zero-mayor-shops-as-galway-floods

I could have written it meself.

nuac · 14-01-2014 10:43pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Tbh I'm more embarrassed that we've sent Cllr P Conneely and various Council officials to Boston last week. All expenses paid.

I think this was a reasonable trip - a mayor of Boston from Connemara - chance of some tourism from that

celty · 14-01-2014 11:11pm

Agree 100% with nuac on this one. I'm no fan of Conneely's, but the election of the son of Connemara immigrants - a man who can speak more than cupla focail - was a hugely historic event and there was justification for the Mayor of Galway being there.

Presumably, representing the city at such a high profile event is exactly what a Mayor is elected for.

Having two Fianna Fail brothers head off to Dublin, at the tax-payers' expense, to learn how to get re-elected at a three day conference, on the other hand, shows that Ireland has not really emerged from the 'gombeen politics' years.

The fact that Mike Crowe doesn't even seem to accept that this is wrong, describing the conference as useful, shows we still have an awful long way to go until politics reaches a decent standard in this country.

Anyway, I'll give the Crowes canvassing tips of my own if they call to my door ahead of the local elections!

renegademaster · 15-01-2014 1:55pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Tbh I'm more embarrassed that we've sent Cllr P Conneely and various Council officials to Boston last week. All expenses paid.

they sent themselves and the fact we're doing nothing about it after the fa t means they'll do it again with not so much as a second thought going into it cos who's stopping them??

gordongekko · 15-01-2014 1:57pm

renegademaster wrote: »

they sent themselves and the fact we're doing nothing about it after the fa t means they'll do it again with not so much as a second thought going into it cos who's stopping them??

use your vote to stop them.

snubbleste · 15-01-2014 2:00pm

Eh, we the citizens of Galway sent them. They represent Galwegians - unfortunately.
A huge % of the Boston region have Irish roots and therefore I cannot see the extra benefit that this trip would bring.

renegademaster · 15-01-2014 2:00pm

gordongekko wrote: »

use your vote to stop them.

i'll be doing a lot more than that, why is it people are resigned to only being able to vote these leaches out??

if voting changed anything it would be taken away from us so fast!!

wake up and take no more bull$hit for politics!!

renegademaster · 15-01-2014 2:02pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Eh, we the citizens of Galway sent them. They represent Galwegians - unfortunately.
A huge % of the Boston region have Irish roots and therefore I cannot see the extra benefit that this trip would bring.

so what hand or part did you or anyone connected to you have to do with any of this debacle?

snubbleste · 15-01-2014 2:12pm

renegademaster wrote: »

so what hand or part did you or anyone connected to you have to do with any of this debacle?

Local elections 2009.

Redhairedguy · 15-01-2014 4:28pm

renegademaster wrote: »

if voting changed anything it would be taken away from us so fast!!

wake up and take no more bull$hit for politics!!

Getting a bit ranty and conspiracy theory-esque here. Dial it down a small bit, le do thoil....

ben.schlomo · 15-01-2014 5:22pm

renegademaster wrote: »

i'll be doing a lot more than that, why is it people are resigned to only being able to vote these leaches out??

if voting changed anything it would be taken away from us so fast!!

wake up and take no more bull$hit for politics!!

Oh do tell? :eek:

Mrs OBumble · 15-01-2014 5:57pm

nuac wrote: »

I think this was a reasonable trip - a mayor of Boston from Connemara - chance of some tourism from that

Ya .. but I'm still embarassed that we elected Cllr P Conneely.

It's not only the politicians who have not gotten over the gombeen years.

flynnlives · 15-01-2014 6:24pm

which Brother owns all the houses that he rents to the local authority as corporation houses?

snubbleste · 15-01-2014 6:35pm

flynnlives wrote: »

which Brother owns all the houses that he rents to the local authority as corporation houses?

The one who is sick of trees.

Baron Kurtz · 15-01-2014 6:43pm

Creepy Crowe-lies.

renegademaster · 16-01-2014 12:58am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Oh do tell? :eek:

why do you want to know?

ben.schlomo · 16-01-2014 8:59am

renegademaster wrote: »

why do you want to know?

Because it was such a cryptic and mesmerizing post I cant last another minute without knowing ...................or because you said you're gonna do much more which just sounds odd!

zarquon · 16-01-2014 9:58am

Keyboard warriors .......revolutionizing the world one anonymous virtual threat/rant at a time :rolleyes:

renegademaster · 16-01-2014 2:21pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Because it was such a cryptic and mesmerizing post I cant last another minute without knowing ...................or because you said you're gonna do much more which just sounds odd!

zarquon wrote: »

Keyboard warriors .......revolutionizing the world one anonymous virtual threat/rant at a time :rolleyes:

nosey trolling feckers the lot of ye, i have attended and orchestrated manys a protest in different forms, none of which i will ever be discussing online with a bunch of trolling hoors,

if yer not interested in doing what ye can without having to publicise it then stop trolling people who are

flynnlives · 16-01-2014 3:35pm

wow, looks like we pissed of the Crows! SQUAWK! SQUAWK!

pleasant Co. · 16-01-2014 4:29pm

renegademaster banned for 2 weeks

Everyone else, I ask you to remain civil even when it's really damn tempting not to be, report posts and we'll deal with them if they need dealing with

celty · 22-01-2014 9:58am

"Fianna Fail, the party who invented back-scratching, are hardly in a position to complain"

They are not the only ones of course to abuse their positions. But it's the sense of entitlement that really gets to me, the way they go off on these junkets or appoint their buddies to boards.

http://connachttribune.ie/opinion/item/2115-breaking-pot-calls-the-kettle-black

Fianna Fail brothers learn "how to canvass" at tax-payers' expense

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