Brian Walsh TD resigns

snubbleste

FG TD has quit his job, despite stating clearly he would not run for re-election due to health issues.
Election is in the next few months, so why resign now?
What benefit(s) does it confer?

my friend

snubbleste wrote: »

FG TD has quit his job, despite stating clearly he would not run for re-election due to health issues.
Election is in the next few months, so why resign now?
What benefit(s) does it confer?

Who? I said , had to google him.

the_syco

snubbleste wrote: »

What benefit(s) does it confer?

Quitting due to ill health usually means game over.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/fine-gael-td-brian-walsh-resigns-due-to-health-problems-715747.html

Riskymove

the_syco wrote: »

Quitting due to ill health usually means game over.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/fine-gael-td-brian-walsh-resigns-due-to-health-problems-715747.html

I wouldn't agree and I think that's fairly speculative

TerrorFirmer

When he announced he wasn't going to contest a few months ago, he said it wasn't a life threatening condition but that he had been advised to live a far more relaxed lifestyle, hence his decision to resign.

Uncle Ben

Is John O Mahony running in his constituency?

snubbleste

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

When he announced he wasn't going to contest a few months ago, he said it wasn't a life threatening condition but that he had been advised to live a far more relaxed lifestyle, hence his decision to resign.

Election is max 2 months away.
He does not have to go to the Dáil nor provide a sick note to his employer/constituents. It's not as though a by-election will occur.
Why not just stay and collect two months pay cheques & expenses?

TerrorFirmer

I meant his decision to resign rather than contest the election, not resign six weeks ahead of a general election.

I agree it's strange and might indicate either 1) extremely poor health or 2) some sort of crisis/scandal.

John O' Mahoney is Galway West, Walsh is Galway East.

U2sir

John O'Mahoney is a TD for Mayo. Has declared to run in Galway West in next election.
Walsh was a TD for Galway West

TerrorFirmer

Oops, sorry!

Paddyfield

Walsh is ill. That's all we need to know.

I didn't vote for him nor do I know much about him but I wish him well on his road to recovery and on his retirement from politics. There's not going to be a by-election so there's no extra cost to the tax payer.

aw

I echo Paddyfield above. The poor man is not well and he has obviously decided that he is no longer in a position to fulfill his role as a public representative. Surely it is an honourable thing that he has chosen to recognise this and bow out.
Best wishes to him and his family.

snubbleste

Plot thickens

Brian Walsh (43) who resigned his Dáil seat just before the general election has applied for a special illness pension worth €500k.
Walsh insisted he would not be getting a “gravy train” payout, or any pension until he was 66. He said there was previously “a very lucrative” pension arrangement for TDs that allowed them to get payments before the normal retirement but that had been “rightly changed”.
On December 16, Walsh wrote to the Oireachtas to apply for “early retirement on grounds of ill health”. If his application is granted he can get his pension now instead of waiting 23 years until he is 66. The decision will be made by Labour’s Brendan Howlin, the ceann comhairle Seán Barrett and the Seanad cathaoirleach Paddy Burke, who are trustees of the Oireachtas pension scheme.

:mad: :mad:

snubbleste

The guy is clearly well enough to "change careers"

Also Brian Walsh lobbied Nama on partner’s deal
Even more :mad: :mad:

Zzippy

snubbleste wrote: »

The guy is clearly well enough to "change careers"

Also Brian Walsh lobbied Nama on partner’s deal
Even more :mad: :mad:

He was a businessman and had those business interests before he was elected, and those representations were made last year, while he was still a TD and before he resigned. Unless I'm reading it wrong, there is no evidence there of him doing anything after he resigned, or a "change of careers". Not saying any of what he did was right, but your statement suggests he is well enough to work now, which there is no evidence for.

snubbleste

In his December 16 letter, Walsh said he was advised that “a career change may be in my best interests” as the condition was aggravated by stress. He became a director of Galway Premier Car Sales Ltd last July.

The article also states that he lobbied Nama, which is an offence. He did so as a 'public representative'.

TerrorFirmer

That is actually really daming of Brian Walsh, surprised bigger news was not made of it. He knows that person he lobbied for 'on behalf of the taxpayer' extremely well and was/is involved in personal business ventures with them. I'd be surprised if he didn't choose to leave rather than face some kind of personal scandal as a sitting TD. The article describes his medical condition as both common and not overly serious, which is something that had been doing the rounds prior to these articles. He was at the Galway West count last weekend and looked in pretty excellent health and form, although obviously one appearance is no yardstick of anyone's health, but when you factor in the reports that his medical condition is not serious it is interesting.

A lot of questions raised there and arguably ones Brian Walsh should answer despite not being a TD any longer given that now he will be the recipent of a public pension paid by the taxpayer some 20 odd years before he would otherwise have been qualified. Personally I would say someone at NAMA leaked the information and he was put in an untenable position. Would be an amazing and remarkable coincidence that you decide to lobby NAMA in the 'interest of the taxpayer' on a deal that your close friend and business partner is involved in.

crusier

This is a disgrace if it's pushed through and will rank with anything that happened in the Fianna fail tent. I will never vote fine Gael or labour again if this is agreed to.

J.pilkington

crusier wrote: »

This is a disgrace if it's pushed through and will rank with anything that happened in the Fianna fail tent. I will never vote fine Gael or labour again if this is agreed to.

Ah come on at least be honest and don't try hide behind the shock factor of this article.

Most of your posts are hugely anti government so sounds like your mind was made up long ago and you are just having a pop

ronnie3585

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/03/07/the-43-year-old-pensioner/

snubbleste

Turns out he has been granted a taxpayer funded pension of €1,800pm by his colleagues :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

snubbleste

The OP originally asked "What is the benefit(s) of quitting a few weeks before an election is called"
Now I know.. (at least some of it)

martingriff

I agree with the post here about Brian Walsh but who is really shocked that this going on. In relation to his pension which is a side issue and off topic in a way but i thought since last Dail all sitting TD did not get pension until retirement age. Seems not

Kristopherus

martingriff wrote: »

I agree with the post here about Brian Walsh but who is really shocked that this going on. In relation to his pension which is a side issue and off topic in a way but i thought since last Dail all sitting TD did not get pension until retirement age. Seems not

He's getting a pension because he retired on health grounds. All Civil and Public Servants, who are unfortunate enough to fall ill, can retire on health grounds and receive a pension. In the private sector an employee who is off sick for an extended period, can qualify for Invalidity Pension, which lasts until pension age.

ronnie3585

Kristopherus wrote: »

He's getting a pension because he retired on health grounds. All Civil and Public Servants, who are unfortunate enough to fall ill, can retire on health grounds and receive a pension. In the private sector an employee who is off sick for an extended period, can qualify for Invalidity Pension, which lasts until pension age.

At €1,800 per month?

Mrs OBumble

ronnie3585 wrote: »

At €1,800 per month?

Hardly a whopping amount.

nuac

ronnie3585 wrote: »

At €1,800 per month?

Politicians are treated differently

maroondog

Walsh certainly push pressure on Nama to sway things the way of Mulryan Auctioneers with whom they have close interests. Very clever to not mention this in any emails to Nama but as per IT article above " he informed Nama of his association with Mulryan in a phone call".

list of property interest including Brierhill Shopping Centre as developed by Mulryan Auctioneers.
http://connachttribune.ie/register-reveals-extent-of-local-tds-interests/[/URL]

martingriff

Kristopherus wrote: »

martingriff wrote: »

I agree with the post here about Brian Walsh but who is really shocked that this going on. In relation to his pension which is a side issue and off topic in a way but i thought since last Dail all sitting TD did not get pension until retirement age. Seems not

He's getting a pension because he retired on health grounds. All Civil and Public Servants, who are unfortunate enough to fall ill, can retire on health grounds and receive a pension. In the private sector an employee who is off sick for an extended period, can qualify for Invalidity Pension, which lasts until pension age.

Thanks

ronnie3585

ronnie3585 wrote: »

At €1,800 per month?

The invalidity pension with a dependent spouse and two dependent children would be €1,695 per calendar month by my quick calculation.

crusier

Kristopherus wrote:

He's getting a pension because he retired on health grounds. All Civil and Public Servants, who are unfortunate enough to fall ill, can retire on health grounds and receive a pension. In the private sector an employee who is off sick for an extended period, can qualify for Invalidity Pension, which lasts until pension age.

They certainly don't get it after being less than 5,years in the job, surprised at Howlin but when it comes to their own the rule book goes out the window!

Toon--soldier

snubbleste wrote: »

The article also states that he lobbied Nama, which is an offence. He did so as a 'public representative'.

Not the first time Galway Premier Car Sales has made the news!

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/couple-with-108m-debt-put-cash-into-car-firm-29343746.html

siltirocker

The illness highlighted in these reports is unrelated to his current illness, which is suppose to be life threatening.

snubbleste

siltirocker wrote: »

The illness highlighted in these reports is unrelated to his current illness, which is suppose to be life threatening.

Source?

J.pilkington

siltirocker wrote: »

The illness highlighted in these reports is unrelated to his current illness, which is suppose to be life threatening.

I heard that too, however don't want to post the illness as it's quite personal

snubbleste

More headlines on the front of today's Sunday Times

TerrorFirmer

Wow. He's really in hot water now.

Arghus

Is anything going to really come of it though?

TerrorFirmer

Arghus wrote: »

Is anything going to really come of it though?

If there are multiple cases of him lobbying NAMA - which there now are- on behalf of those he shares business links with, it's quite possible an investigation will be sought.

It is a criminal offense.

TerrorFirmer

Update.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Former Galway West TD Brian Walsh is to initiate legal action against a Sunday newspaper over allegations involving him and NAMA.

Mr Walsh resigned as a Fine Gael TD a few weeks ago for health reasons.

In a statement issued this evening Mr Walsh said that he intends to initiate legal proceedings against the Sunday Times.

He says he’s absolutely confident that his good name will be vindicated and that he can establish that he has at all times discharged his duties as a public representative
lawfully and in the public interest.

Mr Walsh’s action relates to articles published in the Sunday Times today and in previous editions.

When contacted by Galway Bay fm news for a statement, the Fine Gael party said that as Brian Walsh is no longer a Fine Gael TD, it would not be commenting on the matter.

Ahh, he's going for the Denis O'Brien/Donald Trump defence strategy, basically sue anyone who shines a light on the skeletons in his closet.

He should take a look at their success record, ie very poor win/lose ratio

Newspapers are pretty careful when it comes to these things, this will have been carefully vetted by their legal team before publication

I wonder if the 1,800 pension and the salary from the Directorship (given to him by the family he lobbied for) will be enough to cover the legal bill he's going to be left with after he loses, and he will lose

maroondog

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

If there are multiple cases of him lobbying NAMA - which there now are- on behalf of those he shares business links with, it's quite possible an investigation will be sought.

It is a criminal offense.

It would be nice for a change to actually see alleged white collar crime actually investigated and not just swept under carpet. He has acted on 2 separate occasions now former business associations, surely this warrants investigation. But I wont hold my breath on anything happening.

ratracer

If the IT did receive the info under FOI, then they. Surely wouldn't publish unless their legal advisers were certain it was accurate. I really hope they don't back down on this, because it seems there really is a story to be told!!