Fine Gael TD sues Dublin Hotel after falling off swing

machiavellianme

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Hopefully voters take note and turf her out next time

How the hell did ppl vote for her in the first place??

Both her and Mary Mitchell "Dail steps" O'Connor on the bill in DLR.
Yet people think we need a gender quota?

jmreire

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I've sat on them many, many times and I'm still struggling to figure out how anyone falls off in the dramatic manner she describes. You do actually have a fair bit of swinging room, but even at that I'd say you're far more likely for your head to hit the wall behind if you fall backwards from it. If anything, she's lucky she didn't break her neck if she truly fell at the angle and in the manner described.

I still say liability should be with the end-user. I've never agreed with this duty of care sh!te when it comes to places that serve alcohol - grown adults (and Sophies is either over 20s or 21s most nights so we're not even talking about barely-adults here) know exactly how alcohol affects them and how swings work, as far as I'm concerned it should in no way be the pub's responsibility to hold peoples' hands while they're sitting on it. This idea that things which are dangerous to some people shouldn't be there at all "just in case" is the epitome of the nanny state - it's like suggesting that no pub should sell peanuts because some people are allergic to them. If you know you're locked or that you can't handle your booze, then choose to stay the f*ck away - but if you don't, it's your own feckin' fault for being an eejit.

That's the general direction I'd like to see compensation law going in if the government are truly going to reform it. Forget about the size of the payouts, the real issue is what counts as personal vs establishment responsibility. The establishment's responsibility should end at making sure the swings are functional, well supported, and meet basic safety checks standard for all swings. The punter's responsibility should be any form of idiocy they choose to engage in whilst sitting on them.

I'd apply that to all personal injury law. That whole issue with Brian Crowley for example - I have a close relative who is paralysed from a severe spinal cord injury (ironically, from a fall off a seat very similar to what Ms Bailey is describing) so I have nothing but sympathy and respect for people who have to deal with this utterly devastating area of injury. However, Crowley was trespassing on a roof when he fell off and broke his neck. That's his own fault - end of story. It shouldn't be for anyone else to insure the safety of their private property in the event that some idiot breaks in when they're not supposed to - it should be for individuals to respect the law and other peoples' property, and their own tough sh!t if they choose not to and it goes wrong for them. My relative's injury happened in a hotel, but do you think for one second that they or anyone else in my family thought about taking legal action against the place? What should they have done, had no seats at all outdoors without backs to them, just in case someone has a freak accident? These things happen, FFS. Our thoughts were entirely with recovering as a family and with helping my relative to recover, not with trying to blame someone else for what was simply an unfortunate accident and in many ways an act of God with regard to how severe the consequences happened to be.

It really, really pisses me off that this isn't being discussed. Even now, with all the furore over insurance and compo culture, it's all about payouts being too big. There's no talk at all about changing or clarifying the law to ensure that if you do yourself an injury by your own hand, it's not someone else's fault just because you happen to be on someone else's property when it happens. I wouldn't get a payout if I fell off a swing in my own back garden FFS, regardless of whether I'd chosen to consume alcohol beforehand - so why should it be different if it happened in a business which is, by its nature, restricted to adults only? Are we not allowed to expect any level of common sense from people anymore - and do we have to do away with things which are fun and safe for the majority of us, like the Sophies swings, in order to protect the minority of morons who can't handle them?

Very well put !!!

Muahahaha

JPCN1 wrote: »

Has to brazen it out to save what little face she can. I can only imagine her colleagues are massively pissed off with her. Spectacular own goal with a wonderful assist from Madigan and co. Best we can hope for is for her to be taken off the ticket which is extremely unlikely but maybe the case will hang around until the election...

Yeah Id say she will brazen it out and hopes that she gets a 'confidential out of court settlement' with the hotel and the media dont get to report how much it was.

But that might not happen either, the McKillens are fighting this and if Jnr is anything like Snr then they won't suffer fools like Maria Bailey too easily. If they do end up paying her a bag of cash they will want the media and public to be fully aware of it.

McMurphy

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah Id say she will brazen it out and hopes that she gets a 'confidential out of court settlement' with the hotel and the media dont get to report how much it was.

But that might not happen either, the McKillens are fighting this and if Jnr is anything like Snr then they won't suffer fools like Maria Bailey too easily. If they do end up paying her a bag of cash they will want the media and public to be fully aware of it.

I'd say she's finished as a TD now regardless M, and daddy hopefully will be banjaxed in his councillor quest tomorrow also.

Look at the way Sean Conlan was treated by his own before he went full on ape shyte with the glassing incident,. Someone was slowly drip feeding info on him to the media, and it all started to happen as soon as his (Conlan) little secrets got exposed that had a negative impact on the party.

In hindsight it seems like an unbelievably stupid move on Bailey's part, if the claim was successful, it would be a small change in comparison handout via an insurance claim Vs the comfortable TD salary/expenses/penison.

Madigans law firm will hopefully suffer a bit of negative backlash also in either pressing for this, or not having the gumption to spot it as being the bad press it was.

On that, I wonder if anyone got any replies to the emails sent yesterday?

I got two replies in total, one from Regina Doherty (signed off by a special adviser) basically saying she was quoted out of context in that article.

The other was a stock reply from Leo's dept about acknowledging the mail.

Let their be no doubt about it, I reckon the hierarchy in the blueshirts must be fuming with Bailey, and I'm sure Madigans won't be flavour of the month either.

jmreire

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

I'd say she's finished as a TD now regardless M, and daddy hopefully will be banjaxed in his councillor quest tomorrow also.

Look at the way Sean Conlan was treated by his own before he went full on ape shyte with the glassing incident,. Someone was slowly drip feeding info on him to the media, and it will started to happen as soon as his (Conlan) little secrets got exposed that had a negative impact on the party.

In hindsight it seems like an unbelievably stupid move on Bailey's part, a small charge in comparison handout via an insurance claim V comfortable TD salary/expenses/penison.

Madigans law firm will hopefully suffer a bit of negative backlash also in either passing this, or not having the gumption to spot it as being the bad press it was.

On that, I wonder if anyone got any replies to the emails sent yesterday?

I got two replies in total, one from Regina Doherty (signed off by a special adviser) basically saying she was quoted out of context in that article.

The other was a stock reply from Leo's dept about acknowledging the mail.

Let their be no doubt about it, I reckon the hierarchy in the blueshirts must be fuming with Bailey, and I'm sure Madigans won't be flavour of the month either.

She was so blinded by the prospect of up to max €60'000 easy money payout, that she lost the run of herself..how could she not even see the leve of damage that kind of claim could do at any time, for some one in her position? Given that its currently one of the hottest potatoes around? Let alone in the middle of multiple elections /referendum?

downtheroad

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

On that, I wonder if anyone got any replies to the emails sent yesterday?

I got two replies in total, one from Regina Doherty (signed off by a special adviser) basically saying she was quoted out of context in that article.

The other was a stock reply from Leo's dept about acknowledging the mail.

Same 2 emails received here. Not a word from anybody else. Maria Bailey's silence speaks volumes.

Church on Tuesday

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Actually just seen this bit.




She needs signs to instruct her how to use a swing.

This is a person elected to legislate.

:pac:

Nah, she knows she's taking the piss and using that as a lame excuse.

She is a Blueshirt after all.

Venom

downtheroad wrote: »

Same 2 emails received here. Not a word from anybody else. Maria Bailey's silence speaks volumes.

No way to spin this clusterfcuk into anything positive is why.

It's difficult to see how the case can proceed. I can totally understand why McDowell spoke about it in the Seanad, but he is a former Minister for Justice, former A-G; a practicing, senior member of the Bar, and a member of the Oireachtas. It is reasonable to speculate that such commentary and the publicity that ensued has made a fair trial impossible.

Presumably, Bailey will be asking for the case to be put back indefinitely (until she loses her seat), instead of dropping the case? A potential 60k is a lot of money to give up.

salmocab

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

It's difficult to see how the case can proceed. I can totally understand why McDowell spoke about it in the Seanad, but he is a former Minister for Justice, former A-G; a practicing, senior member of the Bar, and a member of the Oireachtas. It is reasonable to speculate that such commentary and the publicity that ensued has made a fair trial impossible.

Presumably, Bailey will be asking for the case to be put back indefinitely (until she loses her seat), instead of dropping the case? A potential 60k is a lot of money to give up.

She might add loss of earnings if she loses her seat to the case

Birneybau

jmreire wrote: »

She was so blinded by the prospect of up to max €60'000 easy money payout, that she lost the run of herself..how could she not even see the leve of damage that kind of claim could do at any time, for some one in her position? Given that its currently one of the hottest potatoes around? Let alone in the middle of multiple elections /referendum?

Sure, she's from a family with necks like jockey's bollockses. This is part of the index for her father's Wikipedia entry:

1 Political career
1.1 Fake endorsement letter incident
1.2 Missing Golf club planning objection
1.3 Legal action over candidate selection
1.4 Undeclared donations from developers
1.5 Fake newspaper endorsement
1.6 Electoral history

Peruse at your own will, I take no responsibility for raised blood pressure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bailey_(Irish_politician)

boombang

Leo blows it

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/varadkar-trusts-court-to-make-right-decision-in-td-swing-fall-case-1.3901935

By saying the courts will decide Leo has decided to sit on the fence. I think the public have already seen this for what it is. Leo blew his opportunity to neutralise this mess. I've previously liked Leo, but I think this is a terrible doubling-down on bad judgement by FG.

hatrickpatrick

boombang wrote: »

Leo blows it

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/varadkar-trusts-court-to-make-right-decision-in-td-swing-fall-case-1.3901935

By saying the courts will decide Leo has decided to sit on the fence. I think the public have already seen this for what it is. Leo blew his opportunity to neutralise this mess. I've previously liked Leo, but I think this is a terrible doubling-down on bad judgement by FG.

This kind of thing is actually why I've never liked him. Kenny was hopeless at PR and somehow when Leo came in, even more sh!t hit the fan and made you actually miss Kenny to an extent.

This generation of FG is just hopelessly out of touch with how people feel about the way Ireland is going at the moment, they simply don't get it. One prime example is how they behave during question time in the Dáil - it's the most predictable formula ever. If FF asks a question, the answer is "but what about the recession". If SF asks a question, the answer is "but what about the IRA". The fact that the Oireachtas exists to hold the cabinet accountable to the public, and that the public is watching these debates hoping for genuine answers to questions often prompted by public disquiet or direct correspondence with opposition TDs, is either entirely lost on them or else they don't give a f*ck. Either way, it's absolutely infuriating.

It's like Eoghan Murphy's reaction to the Tenement 2.0 proposal for Dun Laoghaire - the fact that he's reacting the way he is despite very clear and widespread public anger over that case and the housing situation in general, is indicative of either (a) FG not actually listening to the public's mood or to public opinion, or (b) FG not giving a f*ck about the public's mood or opinion, despite their job literally being to represent the people when making policy decisions.

This attitude has characterised FG's entire time in government since 2011, and in my view it's totally unacceptable for a government which claims to be both representative and competent.

I feel like so many years of majority whipped government contributed hugely to this arrogance, to the point at which the cabinet began to see the Dáil as a mere political one upmanship soapbox as opposed to the body which is supposed to keep the cabinet in line and have oversight and power over its actions. Mick Wallace made a speech in exasperation after once such ludicrous incident in which he said "this place is a joke, we play games in here" after a typical smug response by Alan Shatter (then Minister for Justice) to questions about the Sgt McCabe case.
Whatever you think of Wallace, he hit the nail on the head in that situation. I remember during the litany of Garda scandals that year, members of the opposition - from Mary Lou in SF, Niall Collins in FF, and Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, and Ming Flanagan in the independent technical group - asked question after question regarding these scandals, and all anyone from the government benches could offer in response was the usual smug, smirking, snarky response designed more for a nice-sounding soundbite to show on TV or use in a tweet, as opposed to actually answering questions and allowing the Dáil to fulfil its work.

It's absolutely infuriating, and this above all else is why I refuse to vote for FG until they address it. Respect for the public and respect for the Oireachtas seem like very, very basic aspects of decent politics to have to demand from a party which sells itself as the competent alternative to the dumpster fire that was FF, but when they treat the public with this kind of contempt it's impossible not to conclude that they are more than just incompetent, but actually dangerous for society.

Incompetence implies that they don't know what they're doing. It's possible, but in my view it's far more likely that they're perfectly aware of it, and they just don't care. That far more of a threat to our democratic system than mere stupidity IMO. And before anyone asks, I am not suggesting that FF or SF would do any better in government - there's a reason the three of them have been getting the very tail end of my ballot numbers any time I've voted since 2014. Independents and small parties may indeed result in chaotic government for a time, but at least some of them actually seem to want to do the right thing, unlike FG who appear to know what the right thing to do is, but just not really care for doing it.

Ash.J.Williams

Interesting to hear the concept used in the marriage referendum being used in the election... Get young people to tell their parents to stop voting for fg and ff

Ipso

Shur lads, if ye can’t handle her at her worse you don’t deserve her at her best.

McMurphy

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Interesting to hear the concept used in the marriage referendum being used in the election... Get young people to tell their parents to stop voting for fg and ff

Where did you hear this concept?

Plumbthedepths

boombang wrote:

By saying the courts will decide Leo has decided to sit on the fence. I think the public have already seen this for what it is. Leo blew his opportunity to neutralise this mess. I've previously liked Leo, but I think this is a terrible doubling-down on bad judgement by FG.

The only thing that stood out for me in that article is Leo's claim that motor insurance went down by 25 per cent. Wonder whose insurance he was referring to? Not mine or anyone I know. Increases is all I'm aware of.

Kivaro

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

The only thing that stood out for me in that article is Leo's claim that motor insurance went down by 25 per cent. Wonder whose insurance he was referring to? Not mine or anyone I know. Increases is all I'm aware of.

Leo had more fear of the Madigan Solicitors and the Vulture Minister Josepha Madigan than from the general public in this debacle. The man is totally void of a spine. Even at this late stage, we would have respected him if he even dealt with the optics of such a lawsuit by a sitting minister; well, when she isn't falling off stuff.

Remember tomorrow the contempt that the government has for the vast majority of us.
Punish them by voting anyone but Fine Gael.
(Ideally Independent because the rest of the shaggers are almost as bad).

Ten Pin

Ten Pin wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/car-insurance-costs-2-4513503-Mar2019/

The CSO are publishing statistics based on figures supplied by the insurance companies!!!! So all they have to do is cherry pick the cheapest quotes in each category and charge what they like to everyone else.

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

If only the State had access to court records, and was able to determine the average value of compensation payments and settlements across various personal-injury claims...

Phew. That's a thinker!

dk6dk6

Remember all the Fine Gael nonsense when voting tomorrow. The public need to show them we’ve had enough.

dk6dk6

This could all work out perfect. Maria the money grabber and wonderful daddy bear will lose their careers as politicians. Fine Gael will lose plenty of votes and Sophie’s will be busier than ever thanks to all the free publicity. Karma I’d call that

Ash.J.Williams

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Where did you hear this concept?

blindboy

The Rape of Lucretia

dk6dk6 wrote: »

Remember all the Fine Gael nonsense when voting tomorrow. The public need to show them we’ve had enough.

When a government is doing a good job, or at least as good as they are able to, you dont improve things by voting for a different party with the same politics, let alone make things worse by voting for independents, retired IRA folk trying find a role in life, crackpots, gombeens, or local heros.
Vote for FG if you want to vote rationally, responsibly, and correctly.

dk6dk6

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

When a government is doing a good job, or at least as good as they are able to, you dont improve things by voting for a different party with the same politics, let alone make things worse by voting for independents, retired IRA folk trying find a role in life, crackpots, gombeens, or local heros.
Vote for FG is you want to vote rationally, responsibly, and correctly.

Oh dear

Venom

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

When a government is doing a good job, or at least as good as they are able to, you dont improve things by voting for a different party with the same politics, let alone make things worse by voting for independents, retired IRA folk trying find a role in life, crackpots, gombeens, or local heros.
Vote for FG is you want to vote rationally, responsibly, and correctly.

The Rape of Lucretia

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

When a government is doing a good job, or at least as good as they are able to, you dont improve things by voting for a different party with the same politics, let alone make things worse by voting for independents, retired IRA folk trying find a role in life, crackpots, gombeens, or local heros.
Vote for FG is you want to vote rationally, responsibly, and correctly.

You had me until "Vote for FG".

We all know you're an ultra-orthodox communist, and even Clare Daly is too much a figure of the Establishment for you.

Love your work.

The Rape of Lucretia

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

You had me until "Vote for FG".

Its the correct thing to do. There will be a ground swell of the simple minded voter, who unfortunately predominates in Ireland, who will fall for something along the lines of 'loo-la FG lady sues hotel because she cant sit on a swing, so we must punish FG and vote for anyone else' nonsense. Or, 'who is in power? Shower, Im definitely voting for the other crowd'. Yet not realising, with their goldfish length memory that this is what they have always done - yet expect that playing the same flip-flop voting game yet again, something will change. Vote for the best available to you - in this case FG.

(and by the way, was the swing supervised ? No. Was their a safety warning ? No. Was there a introductory tool-box briefing for anyone going to use it ? No. Was there an breathaliser test available to ensure anyone using it was below a risky level ? No. Was safety wear such as harness, helmet, etc provided ? No. So I wouldnt be too harsh on her, and think she may well have the last laugh. See you here following the verdict).

ChikiChiki

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

I'd say she's finished as a TD now regardless M, and daddy hopefully will be banjaxed in his councillor quest tomorrow also.

Look at the way Sean Conlan was treated by his own before he went full on ape shyte with the glassing incident,. Someone was slowly drip feeding info on him to the media, and it all started to happen as soon as his (Conlan) little secrets got exposed that had a negative impact on the party.

In hindsight it seems like an unbelievably stupid move on Bailey's part, if the claim was successful, it would be a small change in comparison handout via an insurance claim Vs the comfortable TD salary/expenses/penison.

Madigans law firm will hopefully suffer a bit of negative backlash also in either pressing for this, or not having the gumption to spot it as being the bad press it was.

On that, I wonder if anyone got any replies to the emails sent yesterday?

I got two replies in total, one from Regina Doherty (signed off by a special adviser) basically saying she was quoted out of context in that article.

The other was a stock reply from Leo's dept about acknowledging the mail.

Let their be no doubt about it, I reckon the hierarchy in the blueshirts must be fuming with Bailey, and I'm sure Madigans won't be flavour of the month either.

I got a reply of Reginas secretary, Leos office acknowledging receipt and my local Fine Gael Councillor who actually does some great work in his role stating he does not support the action by Maria Bailey and he fully understands my position.

dk6dk6

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Its the correct thing to do. There will be a ground swell of the simple minded voter, who unfortunately predominates in Ireland, who will fall for something along the lines of 'loo-la FG lady sues hotel because she cant sit on a swing, so we must punish FG and vote for anyone else' nonsense. Or, 'who is in power? Shower, Im definitely voting for the other crowd'. Yet not realising, with their goldfish length memory that this is what they have always done - yet expect that playing the same flip-flop voting game yet again, something will change. Vote for the best available to you - in this case FG.

(and by the way, was the swing supervised ? No. Was their a safety warning ? No. Was there a introductory tool-box briefing for anyone going to use it ? No. Was there an breathaliser test available to ensure anyone using it was below a risky level ? No. Was safety wear such as harness, helmet, etc provided ? No. So I wouldnt be too harsh on her, and think she may well have the last laugh. See you here following the verdict).

I honestly wet myself reading this. Comedy gold at its finest

smurgen

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Its the correct thing to do. There will be a ground swell of the simple minded voter, who unfortunately predominates in Ireland, who will fall for something along the lines of 'loo-la FG lady sues hotel because she cant sit on a swing, so we must punish FG and vote for anyone else' nonsense. Or, 'who is in power? Shower, Im definitely voting for the other crowd'. Yet not realising, with their goldfish length memory that this is what they have always done - yet expect that playing the same flip-flop voting game yet again, something will change. Vote for the best available to you - in this case FG.

(and by the way, was the swing supervised ? No. Was their a safety warning ? No. Was there a introductory tool-box briefing for anyone going to use it ? No. Was there an breathaliser test available to ensure anyone using it was below a risky level ? No. Was safety wear such as harness, helmet, etc provided ? No. So I wouldnt be too harsh on her, and think she may well have the last laugh. See you here following the verdict).

Your second paragraph informs people that your first paragraph is not to be taken seriously and that maybe you have sub par judgement.