Reboot Ireland - Regional Meetings prior to full party launch

Brussels Sprout

Lucinda Creighton & Eddie Hobbs announced the formation of a new party on the 2nd of January which has been going under the temporary name of Reboot Ireland. Last night, in Cork, they had the first of 9 regional meetings with people who had expressed an interest in the party and registered on their website.

So there was roughly 100 people in the function room that they had booked in the Silver Springs hotel. The crowd was generally middle aged, middle class and male. The evening was MC-ed by a Liam McCabe who seems to be the chief organiser in the new party. He introduced the speakers, organised the questions and answers session and generally tried to keep everything in order. Lucinda Creighton was first up and was very impressive. She spoke with great passion and conviction. However those hoping for some fresh ideas on policy beyond the 4 pillars that had already been announced were to be disappointed. John Leahy was next up. He started off light-heartedly enough joking about being the anonymous third wheel in this new set up. He talked about how "he could have taken the easy option and ran as an independent in the next GE in Offaly so as to capitalise on the high ratings for independents currently in the polls" but how he believed that these figures reflected the electorate's demand for an alternative party rather than actual independents. After he somewhat sheepishly started talking about rural issues. I got the impression that he knew that this urban audience probably wasn't too concerned about rural stagnation and unemployment which seems to be his area. He almost said as much at one point. Overall he wasn't nearly as polished or impressive as Creighton but that makes sense given his limited political experience. After that Eddie Hobbs came on. Given that he was a local boy there was a big Cork slant to his talk. He dwelled quite a bit on his hobby horse, reformation of the public sector. As you'd expect from someone with vast media experience he spoke well and held the interest of the room.

After those speeches the journalists in the room were asked to leave and they held a Q & A. Third question was from a middle-aged pro-life woman who wanted to know the parties position on the matter. Creighton said that her own position was very clear but explained that the TDs would be allowed to vote whatever way they personally felt on this issue. Nearer the end of the session a younger woman asked pretty much the same question. This time Eddie Hobbs answered saying that his opinion on the matter was the opposite to Creighton but that again they'd each be able to vote their own way on it if they got the opportunity in the future. Apart from that questions were asked about policy, ethics, drugs, politician's renumeration, public sector reform and national resources. All of these were answered by Creighton and Hobbs. The policy questions were batted away with the explanation that these were in the works (taken from contribution to the website and feedback from these meetings). The other questions were answered in a way that would be expected by a party banging the drum of reform. John Leahy's only contribution came when the MC directed a question on suicide to him. I wondered was this just to give him a chance to answer a question or was this an area of special expertise to him. It became immediately obvious that it was the former when he went on a rambling answer about how we needed more police which left me for one scratching my head as to the link between the question and his answer.

The night finished off with 2 more talks. One was about the structure of the party and how it was forming policy. The interesting take-away here was that the party has been in the works since last April and there are a whole host of back room staff already employed for as much as 6 months. All of the key positions have been filled apart from the Director of Elections (which will be filled within the next month) and the chief financial officer. Another interesting point was that candidates will be voted on nationally rather than locally in a bid to thwart candidates creating local fiefdoms and stuffing the hall with family members on the night of the selection process. They will be running candidates in all 40 constituencies in the next general election. Everyone in the room was asked to consider joining the party and ethics forms were left on every chair in the room for people to sign. The final talk was on marketing and branding. It was an interesting talk but came at the end of a meeting that had run 1 hour over time so it probably didn't make as much of an impression that it could have. What it did show is that serious thought is going into creating a name and brand for this new party in the knowledge that this is crucial in any kind of start up movement nowadays.

Lucinda Creighton gave another short speech at the end reminding everyone that there would be an AGM in the Clarion in Cork on the 18th March and asked again for people to sign up to contribute policy ideas, expertise or their time for the party.

Overall I was impressed. I think the media has been giving them a hard time but as they said themselves they didn't want to show up day one with a name and all the policies laid out and ask people to follow them. Instead they're asking for input for a period of months and adjusting their policies based on this feedback. They're certainly not the finished article. John Leahy in particular needs to up his game as at the moment he's looking like the token rural addition. The full launch will be on the 2nd March so I guess they'll have a name and more policies by then.

List of other meetings:

 Mon 9th Feb - Cork City, Silver Springs Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Wed 11th Feb - Dublin North, Regency Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Mon 16th Feb - Limerick City, The Strand Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Thurs 19th Feb - Tullamore - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Mon 23rd Feb - Galway City, The G Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Wed 25th Feb - Kilkenny, Hotel Kilkenny - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Thurs 26th Feb - Dublin South, Tara Towers - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Wed 4th March - Castleblayney, The Glencarn Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)
 Mon 9th March - Sligo, Radisson Blu Hotel - (Time: 20:00-21:30)


Is anyone planning on attending any of their other regional meetings?

FTA69

Load of nonsense really. They're offering the same centre-right agenda that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael offer, possibly with a bit more of a socially conservative slant from Creighton. What innovative and radical departure are they offering?

gandalf

Yep I will be attending the Dublin South one. If they are truly going to bang the reform drum and I like what I hear then I will join them. I would be very wary of the anti-choice right wing religious brigade hijacking them though.

BoJack Horseman

gandalf wrote: »

Yep I will be attending the Dublin South one. If they are truly going to bang the reform drum and I like what I hear then I will join them. I would be very wary of the anti-choice right wing religious brigade hijacking them though.

The genesis of Lucinda's new party was abortion, her 'Monster rally' bore that out.

I agree that unless it sheds that image, it will struggle to establish a reform platform.

Brussels Sprout

Given how Lucinda Creighton ended up leaving Fine Gael I can see why people might be concerned that this party could be used as a vehicle to espouse pro-life beliefs. However, I didn't get that sense at all last nigh..The only time the topic was mentioned was in response to two of the questions in the Q & A session.

When the first question was asked I could hear an audible intake of breath around the room and bit of muttering under people's breaths. The sense that I got was that most people were not there for that issue. This was reinforced later on. The second lady to ask a pro-life question made some kind of statement in the preamble to her asking the question. The kind of statement that would have elicited huge roars and cheers at a pro-life rally. Instead I heard two people clap, one of which was the other lady who had asked the first pro-life question.

In contrast, when another lady asked how could senior civil servants who aren't performing be removed, probably 70 people applauded.

Jippo

I was there last night also and was impressed overall.

I wasn't going to get involved if the NP was a pro-life vehicle and I am satisfied from last night that this is not the case.

Mr Leahy's answer was car crash stuff unfortunately. I am hoping to get involved and will be but I have to admit what he said was somewhere between clueless and deeply offensive.

It looks like the NP is going to be very well organised and if possible propose radical ideas.

Idbatterim

Load of nonsense really. They're offering the same centre-right agenda that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael offer, possibly with a bit more of a socially conservative slant from Creighton. What innovative and radical departure are they offering?

Yeah centre right, relatively europes most generous welfare state a large amount of workers paying virtually nothing in income tax and our elite on E34,000 plus giving over half their income to the state, this is what right wing government over the past few decades has brought us folks! LOL

How is the abortion debate going in Greece at the moment lads? This is a complex issue and it is an irrelevance to me, the economy is where is at for me, way above "social issues"... what social issues are up for debate, same same marriage? I will vote yes, they can do what they want as far as I am concerned, in terms of partnership. Next up? Is it the abortion debate? massive grey and complex area, nothing has changed here for years with it and probably wont do any time soon. Putting "social issues" ahead of economic ones is madness, how many "social issues" have been caused by the economic collapse in 2008? suicide, depression, emigration, communities destroyed etc etc etc...

I think there is more chance of reform with a new party, simply as they are new to the job, you would expect them to have drive initially, I can see why it wears out after years or decades in politics and because more about playing the game, not rocking the ship and leaving a "legacy" and picking up your nice pension...

People may pick holes in this party or any other new party that attempts to form, as opposed to what, the perfect parties with all the answers that we have at the moment?

I pray that there is another fiscally prudent party for FG to go in with, if they could form a coalition with said party, the days of us being run by whatever you are having yourself boom to bust parties MIGHT have been put to bed...

Is anyone planning on attending any of their other regional meetings?

I am going to attend the south dublin one, just out of interest....

When the first question was asked I could hear an audible intake of breath around the room and bit of muttering under people's breaths. The sense that I got was that most people were not there for that issue. This was reinforced later on. The second lady to ask a pro-life question made some kind of statement in the preamble to her asking the question. The kind of statement that would have elicited huge roars and cheers at a pro-life rally. Instead I heard two people clap, one of which was the other lady who had asked the first pro-life question.

I missed this bit initially, I was going to say, this topic should be off the agenda at the meetings IMO. If people have an issue or questions about that, let them contact the party privately or arrange a meeting...

Nash Bridges

I wasn't aware of these meetings. There is definitely an appetite for some alternative party in Ireland at the moment but they will have to be very careful to avoid the abortion image with Lucinda at the helm. If that happens most of the hard-core pro lifers will probably stick with FG or maybe FF anyway, and middle of the road or pro choice people will steer clear.

But it sounds interesting and has potential, worth exploring at least.

gandalf

Well if anyone is heading to the Dublin South meeting I would love to meet up and put a face to your name.

Jippo

Nash Bridges wrote: »

I wasn't aware of these meetings. There is definitely an appetite for some alternative party in Ireland at the moment but they will have to be very careful to avoid the abortion image with Lucinda at the helm. If that happens most of the hard-core pro lifers will probably stick with FG or maybe FF anyway, and middle of the road or pro choice people will steer clear.

But it sounds interesting and has potential, worth exploring at least.

They are not going near abortion.

touts

I went to the Reform Alliance Meeting in the RDS and I was very put off by the overall profile of the crowd. (50+, professional class, staunchly pro-life & conservative catholic). But I still signed up for the Reboot party mailing list and will probably go to one of the meetings.

However since then the fear I have is this is going to be hijacked by a number of local gombeen Councillors looking to boost their income and pensions with a Dail seat. I know in Tipperary a couple of local councillors are already telling their supporters that they have joined Lucinda's new party and will be the candidate at the next general election. So a lot of this seems to be a done deal with ex-Fine Gael and ex-Fianna Fail Councillors already earmarked as the candidates and ex-Fine Gael members making up most of the backroom staff.

And yet even though all this structure is already in place behind the curtain they don't seem to have any policies or even a name. Councillors and staff (and potentially TDs) have signed up, in secret, to an organisation that at the moment stands for nothing beyond wanting the salary and pensions that come from Dail seats. That's depressing.

gandalf

TBH Touts if you can spare the time it's probably worth going along to confirm that. I reckon if that is how this is going to pan out, and it should be fairly obvious early on then people like myself whose only reason to get involved is to see a massive reform of our political system following by a reform of the public services will walk from them. They will die a very quick and undignified death.

From the sounds of the meeting Brussels Sprout attended they are very aware of the danger of having the anti-choice right wing religious nutjobs hijack their agenda so lets hope they realise the danger from the gold digging Councillor brigade as well.

As I said I am willing to give them a couple of hours of my time to explore the possibility further of joining them. If they are still saying things I agree with them I would be willing to give them some of my free time as well and join up.

As The Stranglers sang "Somethings gotta change.."

Brussels Sprout

touts wrote: »

However since then the fear I have is this is going to be hijacked by a number of local gombeen Councillors looking to boost their income and pensions with a Dail seat. I know in Tipperary a couple of local councillors are already telling their supporters that they have joined Lucinda's new party and will be the candidate at the next general election. So a lot of this seems to be a done deal with ex-Fine Gael and ex-Fianna Fail Councillors already earmarked as the candidates and ex-Fine Gael members making up most of the backroom staff.

The potential for this is something that they themselves are fully aware of. Eddie Hobbs even brought it up at the Cork meeting when he said that he saw himself as a kind of gatekeeper, 'welcoming new members with one hand while holding a baseball bat in the other to bash politicians from established parties trying to get into this party for the wrong reasons'.

touts

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

The potential for this is something that they themselves are fully aware of. Eddie Hobbs even brought it up at the Cork meeting when he said that he saw himself as a kind of gatekeeper, 'welcoming new members with one hand while holding a baseball bat in the other to bash politicians from established parties trying to get into this party for the wrong reasons'.

Well that'll be hard for him to do because they have been quite open about looking for existing councilors (or even TDs) to run for the Dail. The long term independents are mainly on the left wing of the political spectrum and won't touch them with a 50ft cattle prod. The more recent independents are mainly ones that jumped ship from Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.

The two lads rumoured to be on the Reboot ticket in Tipp are both FF gene pool. One has in the past flipped from FF to the Mattie McGrath ticket in the local elections but now is apparently telling his supporters that this is an opportunity to run for the Dail given that Mattie has committed himself to the Independents alliance thingy. And I suspect that is going to be the standard background of many of the candidates. Jumped from FF/FG to the Independent Bandwagon to save their council seat and now looking for a fresh bandwagon to pull them into the Dail.

Ideally Eddie will dig his heels in and insist on candidates who are local high profile businessmen or community workers or such. But at the moment they don't seem to have anything that will attract that sort of candidate so they are left with the career local politicians willing to join them simply out of desperation for anything that will give them a bit of traction as they try make their way up the greasy pole and grab that shiny ring of a TD salary and pension.

Jippo

touts wrote: »

Ideally Eddie will dig his heels in and insist on candidates who are local high profile businessmen or community workers or such. But at the moment they don't seem to have anything that will attract that sort of candidate so they are left with the career local politicians willing to join them simply out of desperation for anything that will give them a bit of traction as they try make their way up the greasy pole and grab that shiny ring of a TD salary and pension.

Sadly, such people are too busy to run. I think they want these types to input in other ways than running as candidates.

For Reals

Idbatterim wrote: »

Yeah centre right, relatively europes most generous welfare state a large amount of workers paying virtually nothing in income tax and our elite on E34,000 plus giving over half their income to the state, this is what right wing government over the past few decades has brought us folks! LOL....

Rise in number of children living in poverty
People dying on trolleys in hospital corridors
The biggest mismanagement of public/state finances in the history of the state
A bail out of private investors, some 'too connected to fail'
A private debt made public we may never pay back
Tax haven for major corporates
Rise in people becoming homeless
Incompetence awarded with board or EU positions after a shameless political career
A disdain for the public and abusive use of our Garda on peaceful protesters
A continuation of business over the working poor, based on the trickle down outright lie
A media serving the status quo


...."this is what right wing government over the past few decades has brought us folks! LOL."

touts

For Reals wrote: »

Rise in number of children living in poverty
People dying on trolleys in hospital corridors
The biggest mismanagement of public/state finances in the history of the state
A bail out of private investors, some 'too connected to fail'
A private debt made public we may never pay back
Tax haven for major corporates
Rise in people becoming homeless
Incompetence awarded with board or EU positions after a shameless political career
A disdain for the public and abusive use of our Garda on peaceful protesters
A continuation of business over the working poor, based on the trickle down outright lie
A media serving the status quo


...."this is what right wing government over the past few decades has brought us folks! LOL."

Don't worry. The Left wing say they can will solve all that after the next election by nationalising the Intel factory down in Lexlip.

gandalf

For Reals wrote: »

...."this is what right wing government over the past few decades has brought us folks! LOL."

Nope that's what populist policies that are hobbled by parish pump politics has delivered.

We don't have proper Right/Left politics in this country.

Our National Parliament consists of a pack of Super County Councillors who kick any major National contentious issue down the road rather than deal with it.

Until the whole political system is reformed you won't see any change in this situation no matter who you put into power.

For Reals

touts wrote: »

Don't worry. The Left wing say they can will solve all that after the next election by nationalising the Intel factory down in Lexlip.

Yes we should fear any change and continue as we are, you're quite right.....

For Reals

gandalf wrote: »

Nope that's what populist policies that are hobbled by parish pump politics has delivered.

We don't have proper Right/Left politics in this country.

Our National Parliament consists of a pack of Super County Councillors who kick any major National contentious issue down the road rather than deal with it.

Until the whole political system is reformed you won't see any change in this situation no matter who you put into power.

I agree to an extent. But if successive Irish governments had a mission statement it would be something like:
"Keep making money for the top tier, especially those we personally do business with. Give the taxpayer enough to stifle any talk of real change. Ensure we keep the world bankers happy so we can continue to operate this system even though it's artificially propped up by the working poor, (long may they remain so) so we can keep us and ours in the system which serves us so well. Keep the EU sweet so we have jobs after our tenure in public office is up. Keep the wheels turning what ever the cost to the public and their quality of life."
That's pretty damn right wing.

Reboot or PD's 2015, are a distraction. They'll partner with FG, first offer. Kenny must be wetting himself with excitement.

Idbatterim

I went to the Reform Alliance Meeting in the RDS and I was very put off by the overall profile of the crowd. (50+, professional class, staunchly pro-life & conservative catholic). But I still signed up for the Reboot party mailing list and will probably go to one of the meetings.

dont these have FG to vote for?

TBH Touts if you can spare the time it's probably worth going along to confirm that. I reckon if that is how this is going to pan out, and it should be fairly obvious early on then people like myself whose only reason to get involved is to see a massive reform of our political system following by a reform of the public services will walk from them. They will die a very quick and undignified death.

From the sounds of the meeting Brussels Sprout attended they are very aware of the danger of having the anti-choice right wing religious nutjobs hijack their agenda so lets hope they realise the danger from the gold digging Councillor brigade as well.

This. I am going to go along with an open mind, see what they have to say, it wont cost me anything except a bit of time. Lucinda sends my company correspondence on different matters from time to time and comes across fairly well to me, certainly better than a lot of the gobs**tes in the Dail anyway...

Reboot or PD's 2015, are a distraction. They'll partner with FG, first offer. Kenny must be wetting himself with excitement.

If we can have a centrist coalition and keep the rest of the morons out, that would be a major step in the right direction as far as I am concerned...

touts

For Reals wrote: »

Yes we should fear any change and continue as we are, you're quite right.....

No we should fear populist stupidity being elected to run the country be that stupidity "Elect me to run the country because I went to the funeral of all your grandmothers and I fixed the road outside the church" or "Elect me to run the country because I'll give you everything you want and I'll make someone else pay for it all"

For Reals

touts wrote: »

No we should fear populist stupidity being elected to run the country be that stupidity "Elect me to run the country because I went to the funeral of all your grandmothers and I fixed the road outside the church" or "Elect me to run the country because I'll give you everything you want and I'll make someone else pay for it all"

You're saying this is what will happen if the left get in. This makes absolutely no sense. You know this is currently the way things are right?
The only exception is when either FF or FG change tact once elected. Are you new to this country?

CruelCoin

Lads, can we discuss the party?

I'll be going to the Tullamore meeting.

A little dissapointed that the AGM is in Cork. A little wiser for a national party would be to hold it in a central location no? I want to volunteer, but not willing to stay overnight to make that happen.

hmmm

I'd love to vote for a party of this ilk, but I don't see how it can anything but doomed by being associated with Creighton. She will forever be defined as a politician by the vote that had her thrown out of FG, and as long as she is leader of a party it will forever be tainted (if that's not too strong a word) by her views that are not reflected by the majority of the younger electorate.

I quite like Eddie Hobbs, and while he has done a few things that haven't worked on the whole he does represent middle Ireland. If it wasn't for him, this would be completely dead in the water.

The other thing that is noticeable is the lack of dynamism. Very little social media profile, no social media engagement, old style in-person chicken and chips circuit meetings full of the usual suspects.

CruelCoin

hmmm wrote: »

The other thing that is noticeable is the lack of dynamism. Very little social media profile, no social media engagement, old style in-person chicken and chips circuit meetings full of the usual suspects.

Their website does them no favours either. I can't tell from the site what their policies are, other than the usual cookie cutter "we're for the people" guff.

Everyone and their dog can code a website these days. Why haven't they done that better.

Idbatterim

agreed on their website and social media, but I would say the same about the other parties, that is easily rectified anyway.

I'd love to vote for a party of this ilk, but I don't see how it can anything but doomed by being associated with Creighton. She will forever be defined as a politician by the vote that had her thrown out of FG, and as long as she is leader of a party it will forever be tainted (if that's not too strong a word) by her views that are not reflected by the majority of the younger electorate.

If this is going to be suck a big issue Lucinda and abortion, she should simply get someone else to be the frontman or woman for the party... If this is genuinely about reform and a change in direction, surely that isnt asking too much, if the abortion issue is potentially going to derail this issue...

touts

CruelCoin wrote: »

Their website does them no favours either. I can't tell from the site what their policies are, other than the usual cookie cutter "we're for the people" guff.

Everyone and their dog can code a website these days. Why haven't they done that better.

I suspect coding the website or lack of social media presence isn't really the issue. The problem is the near total lack of content to put on the site. They haven't decided what they stand for. They have no proposals to put to the electorate. And most importantly they are keeping most of their members and staff secret even though they apparently have a nearly full backroom staff and a wide selection of candidates already selected. So they have nothing at all to put on a website or Facebook and no public timescale as to when any of that will be announced.

mikom

Once this party contains Lucinda Creighton, Fedelma Healy Eames, Ronan Mullin, and Eddy Hobbes, then I am in.
Anything less then that particular quotient of bead rattlers and shysters and I'll walk away.

CruelCoin

touts wrote: »

I suspect coding the website or lack of social media presence isn't really the issue. The problem is the near total lack of content to put on the site. They haven't decided what they stand for. They have no proposals to put to the electorate. And most importantly they are keeping most of their members and staff secret even though they apparently have a nearly full backroom staff and a wide selection of candidates already selected. So they have nothing at all to put on a website or Facebook and no public timescale as to when any of that will be announced.

But why would someone run for office with a group with no policies? It seems like they very much have their policies decided, else they wouldn't/couldn't recruit staff or candidates. And if that's the case, then why all the secrecy?

expectationlost

touts wrote: »

Don't worry. The Left wing say they can will solve all that after the next election by nationalising the Intel factory down in Lexlip.

meanwhile the government is CPO'ing land on behalf of Intel.