knock airport reception by an taoiseach

scrummonkey

does anyone else feel uncomfortable by our taoiseach greeting those religious pilgrims arriving from nyc to knock ? I mean has it come to this, that our nations highest politician forms part of a welcoming party for tourists ? I believe that it is both demeaning and embarrassing that Mr. Kenny should use that office so as to bolster his political status in the west of ireland....would it be too much to ask Mr. kenny to act statesmanlike and refrain from the gombeen , pat on the back politics ?

Elmer Blooker

Are you only discovering now that there is absolutely no difference between FG and FF?
The only thing missing was the pint of Guinness in Inda's hand.

PolaroidPizza

Local mayo parish pump politician 1st...taoiseach 2nd
Its not like he ever marketed himself as anything else though

Manach

I'd rarely have many positive things to say about Mr. Kenny. However this at least shows he is making an effort to highlight the importance of the tourism industry. An old saying AFAIR, pecunium non olet: so his using his office to drive some measure of economic activity is similar to other public figures from Obama down acting as spokespeople for tourism.

Fr Tod Umptious

PolaroidPizza wrote: »

Local mayo parish pump politician 1st...taoiseach 2nd
Its not like he ever marketed himself as anything else though

Blackie Gavin, a FF Mayo Councillor has often criticized Kenny for not doing enough for Mayo as Taoisech.

I'm not saying he should do more but there is certainly a feeling locally that he is more national than local.

BoJack Horseman

I thought it was a little beneath the office of taoiseach.

but we know as fact that gombeen localism trumps all else, so its understandable, if dissapointing.

oscarBravo

Head over to the Mayo forum and watch him be excoriated for not acting as a jumped-up county councillor.

Come back here and watch the outrage if he acts in any way as an elected representative for his constituency.

If there's one constant in politics, it's this: you can't please all the people all the time.

scrummonkey

But it's so depressing isn't it ? How are we ever to rise above parish pump politics and get national politicians, i.e those who work for the best interests of the republic and not those who will do so only if it serves their local interests as well ! In some respects I would concede our democratic process is such that in truth we will never see such a national politician as it would require a huge leap of faith of being re elected. I suppose as long as we, the electorate , are content in placing the local issues ahead of the greater good , the sorry spectacle of our prime minister, desperately fumbling for votes in a manner that belittles that great office will continue. In many respects we do indeed get what we deserve.

BoJack Horseman

Its very hard in a constituency system.
The PM in the UK is usually unassailable due to their plethora of safe seats & FPTP system.

Our constituencies are much more competitive.

Some may consider it a weakness, others a strength.

But localism starts & ends with the electorate.

Sand

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

But localism starts & ends with the electorate.

It begins and ends with the electoral system. People aren't all suddenly going to rise up as one, sing hallelujah, link hands across Ireland and stop voting in their own interests. Any solution around localism needs to address the actual issue.

Arsemageddon

There was more reason for Inda going to Knock than Michael Noonan grovelling at Donald Trump's feet at Shannon.

nice_guy80

Surely the Taoiseach shouldn't be flaunting his religious beliefs so publicly?

BoJack Horseman

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Surely the Taoiseach shouldn't be flaunting his religious beliefs so publicly?

I don't think Enda has ever hid his firmly held Catholicism.

And as for "Flaunting", From the piece I seen, he wasnt dressed in christ robes or anything.

For Reals

When he leaves politics or at least national politics, he'll have to go home, so I can see him needing to show face. Anyway it's not like he played favourites and snubbed other airports or anything. As posted, it's a little beneath the office though.

efb

Anyone but that odious Cardinal Dolan!

Arsemageddon

For Reals wrote: »

When he leaves politics or at least national politics, he'll have to go home, so I can see him needing to show face. Anyway it's not like he played favourites and snubbed other airports or anything. As posted, it's a little beneath the office though.

It's probably a step up for Inda from performing the official opening of a bottle bank in Castlebar a few months ago

nuac

It was an important event in his constituency. All politics are local, to quote Tipp O' Neill

expectationlost

Manach wrote: »

I'd rarely have many positive things to say about Mr. Kenny. However this at least shows he is making an effort to highlight the importance of the tourism industry. An old saying AFAIR, pecunium non olet: so his using his office to drive some measure of economic activity is similar to other public figures from Obama down acting as spokespeople for tourism.

its not tourism, its pilgrimage they are there to visit a place where some people said they saw holy spirits

oscarBravo

expectationlost wrote: »

its not tourism, its pilgrimage they are there to visit a place where some people said they saw holy spirits

If it's foreigners spending money, it's tourism. Silly reasons for tourism don't devalue the dollars.

donegaLroad

The flight was the first trans-Atlantic passenger flight to land in Knock airport in 8 years, so it was significant. The first of many from what they are saying in the papers. Dont 'knock' it..