Pippa Hackett

Patrick2010

A year ago she scraped in as a Councillor on the 7th count in Offaly. After 3 months she was put in the senate by Eamonn Ryan on 68k.
Meanwhile her husband got her Councillor seat without having to stand for election.
Pippa runs in the general election but failed.
Then Eamonn decided Pippa was so talented she should now be a super junior minister on 123k, not bad for an unelected TD.
Snouts in trough?

Edgware

Patrick2010 wrote: »

A year ago she scraped in as a Councillor on the 7th count in Offaly. After 3 months she was put in the senate by Eamonn Ryan on 68k.
Meanwhile her husband got her Councillor seat without having to stand for election.
Pippa runs in the general election but failed.
Then Eamonn decided Pippa was so talented she should now be a super junior minister on 123k, not bad for an unelected TD.
Snouts in trough?

Plenty of family groups in the Greens getting their heads in to the trough. No oul take the average industrial wage ****e either from them

Yurt2

The cooption of relatives into council seats and the hiring as relatives as staffers needs to be stopped by every single party. At the very least the electorate should start punishing the individual polticians who engage in this.

Enda Kenny promised to halt the relatives getting jobs carry on in FG. In the end nothing was done.

In many countries the public would not tolerate this behaviour, yet we have a high tolerance for it.

Allinall

Edgware wrote: »

Plenty of family groups in the Greens getting their heads in to the trough. No oul take the average industrial wage ****e either from them

Not one TD ever has only taken the average industrial wage.

The full salary is what they all get paid.

JohnnyFlash

Yurt! wrote: »

The cooption of relatives into council seats and the hiring as relatives as staffers needs to be stopped by every single party. At the very least the electorate should start punishing the individual polticians who engage in this.

Enda Kenny promised to halt the relatives getting jobs carry on in FG. In the end nothing was done.

In many countries the public would not tolerate this behaviour, yet we have a high tolerance for it.

It’s not a big issue, dude. Most of the electorate don’t care about it.

Edgware

Allinall wrote: »

Not one TD ever has only taken the average industrial wage.

The full salary is what they all get paid.

I know but those honest socially responsible people in Sinn Fein give most of theirs to the Party

Yurt2

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

It’s not a big issue, dude. Most of the electorate don’t care about it.

If you say so. Dude.

FG are among the worst offenders for this carry on and you know it. Enda Kenny was apparently livid when the last government was formed and a tonne of relatives were hired as staffers / drivers etc.

KiKi III

Patrick2010 wrote: »

A year ago she scraped in as a Councillor on the 7th count in Offaly. After 3 months she was put in the senate by Eamonn Ryan on 68k.
Meanwhile her husband got her Councillor seat without having to stand for election.
Pippa runs in the general election but failed.
Then Eamonn decided Pippa was so talented she should now be a super junior minister on 123k, not bad for an unelected TD.
Snouts in trough?

Is she a good person? Is she intelligent? Is she hard working? Is she articulate?

Abel Ruiz

KiKi III wrote: »

Is she a good person? Is she intelligent? Is she hard working? Is she articulate?

Do you have to defend every female ever????
Bizarre

suicide_circus

Politics is a grubby little business.

KiKi III

Abel Ruiz wrote: »

Do you have to defend every female ever????
Bizarre

I didn’t actually defend her. I asked some questions about her because I don’t know anything about her.

I’m curious as to whether she has the qualities to carry out the role she’s been given well. That’s what I’m most interested in public representatives.

What’s bizarre is that you’d interpret a few relevant questions as being purely about her gender. Why bring that into it?

touts

The Greens are a very family friendly party.

If your family is Martin or Hackett that is. Then it's jobs all round.

taytobreath

I thought pbp take the industrial wage

RandomViewer

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

It’s not a big issue, dude. Most of the electorate don’t care about it.

They do, good candidates overlooked because the half witted offspring of some political dynasty wants a go

touts

taytobreath wrote: »

I thought pbp take the industrial wage

And if you believe that one I've a bridge in New York I think you might be interested in buying.

RandomViewer

KiKi III wrote: »

Is she a good person? Is she intelligent? Is she hard working? Is she articulate?

She's a member of the Green party, not known for any of the above

Patrick2010

KiKi III wrote: »

Is she a good person? Is she intelligent? Is she hard working? Is she articulate?

Was she elected? Or was the position advertised? Or can politicians just give out jobs to anyone they like and the taxpayers will cover the bill?

KiKi III

Patrick2010 wrote: »

Was she elected?

Elected unopposed to the Agricultural Panel of the Seanad according to Wikipedia.

One eyed Jack

Patrick2010 wrote: »

Was she elected?

No she wasn’t elected, she was hired. It’s a silly position in any case because she has no power to vote on anything. €100k to act like the Ministers lap dog? Sure why not if it’s going. Her husband was elected unopposed to Offaly CoCo and there’s not a peep about him this morning.

Basically going after individuals does nothing to change policies. It’s an issue that’s rife in the civil and public services, not just in Irish life, but in politics in general.

rapul

Well for some alrite

Patrick2010

One eyed Jack wrote: »

No she wasn’t elected, she was hired. It’s a silly position in any case because she has no power to vote on anything. €100k to act like the Ministers lap dog? Sure why not if it’s going. Her husband was elected unopposed to Offaly CoCo and there’s not a peep about him this morning.

Basically going after individuals does nothing to change policies. It’s an issue that’s rife in the civil and public services, not just in Irish life, but in politics in general.

Ah ok, that’s grand then, no point in complaining then

KiKi III

Patrick2010 wrote: »

Ah ok, that’s grand then, no point in complaining then

Complaining about the system makes sense. Reforming the system makes sense. Moaning about individuals who didn’t create the system is futile.

One eyed Jack

Patrick2010 wrote: »

Ah ok, that’s grand then, no point in complaining then

Well there isn’t a point in complaining about the behaviour of specific individuals when they haven’t actually done anything wrong.

If you’re complaining about what enables them to do what they do, then the issue is one of policies, not people.

expectationlost

taytobreath wrote: »

I thought pbp take the industrial wage

I don't think they hand it back the state though same with SF

James Brown

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

It’s not a big issue, dude. Most of the electorate don’t care about it.

Nothing to see here? I can tell you our local FG TD lost her seat and giving her council one to her daughter and hiring family as staff played into it big time.

Snow Garden

Yurt! wrote: »

The cooption of relatives into council seats and the hiring as relatives as staffers needs to be stopped by every single party. At the very least the electorate should start punishing the individual polticians who engage in this.

Enda Kenny promised to halt the relatives getting jobs carry on in FG. In the end nothing was done.

In many countries the public would not tolerate this behaviour, yet we have a high tolerance for it.

Enda Kenny and FG promised a lot in the New Politics document. Nothing was achieved.

He even said they would reform the Seanad but it's as crony and wasteful as ever before.

Now FFG and the Greens are gorging on taxpayers money while reforming nothing.

FFG are a cancer in Irish politics and it's spreading across the Dail.

StackSteevens

KiKi III wrote: »

Is she a good person? Is she intelligent? Is she hard working? Is she articulate?

Yes to all four.

If she ran in my constituency I'd be happy to support her.

She's the polar opposite of airhead McHugh who was all mouth and no trousers.

JohnnyFlash

Snow Garden wrote: »

Enda Kenny and FG promised a lot in the New Politics document. Nothing was achieved.

He even said they would reform the Seanad but it's as crony and wasteful as ever before.

Now FFG and the Greens are gorging on taxpayers money while reforming nothing.

FFG are a cancer in Irish politics and it's spreading across the Dail.

A cancer!! Jesus, dude, you live in one of the fairest, most wealthy, equal, safe, and decent countries on the planet. Not Somalia.

Context, my friend. Context.

StackSteevens

taytobreath wrote: »

I thought pbp take the industrial wage

The taxpayer pays every PbP TD their full salary and expenses package.

Where and how they subsequently decide to spend that large wedge of taxpayers' loot is between them and their God.

KiKi III

StackSteevens wrote: »

Yes to all four.

If she ran in my constituency I'd be happy to support her.

She's the polar opposite of airhead McHugh who was all mouth and no trousers.

Had a quick Google. As a farmer who’s extensively educated I’m glad she’s risen quickly through the ranks to where her abilities can make an impact; she seems well qualified for the remit she’s been given.

Homelander

It does annoy me greatly that she was plonked into the Seanad with barely any political experience and then bumped to Super-Junior despite having been recently rejected by the electorate in the recent election.

I don't think they should be allowed promote non-TD's to ministerial positions. It's mental that someone can barely scrape into a council seat in their own local area, be rejected by the electorate at the polls, and end up at Cabinet anyway.

TallGlass2

Could someone share what these lads are doing exactly that's worth 140,000 euro a year of tax payers money?

One lad seemingly asks lads to attend votes and dabbles in a bit of the Gaeltacht and Sport.

TallGlass2

Also it is utterly bizarre that you can be given a 'Ministry' or Super Junior Minister with magical powers and not even be elected by the public to be there. What business has Pippa got in the Dail the public haven't voted for her to be there in anyway shape or form?

Pherekydes

Yurt! wrote: »

FG are among the worst offenders for this carry on and you know it. Enda Kenny was apparently livid when the last government was formed and a tonne of relatives were hired as staffers / drivers etc.

Curious as to who those who object to this practice would hire in the same position?

KiKi III

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Also it is utterly bizarre that you can be given a 'Ministry' or Super Junior Minister with magical powers and not even be elected by the public to be there. What business has Pippa got in the Dail the public haven't voted for her to be there in anyway shape or form?

She’s not in the Dail. She’s a senator who has been promoted to Cabinet. She was elected to the Senate unopposed on the Agricultural Panel, not appointed.

chrisd2019

Patrick2010 wrote: »

A year ago she scraped in as a Councillor on the 7th count in Offaly. After 3 months she was put in the senate by Eamonn Ryan on 68k.
Meanwhile her husband got her Councillor seat without having to stand for election.
Pippa runs in the general election but failed.
Then Eamonn decided Pippa was so talented she should now be a super junior minister on 123k, not bad for an unelected TD.
Snouts in trough?

That is the problem with democracy, we the public elect the wrong people in the eyes of some parties. The greens are no different to any other party. Plenty of examples in their Dail and Seanad of people who fail at an election but got handed a consolation prize.

The Greens may as well gather the coins while they can, because their latest stint in government will end like their last one. Of course TDs get redundancy payments also

James Brown

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

A cancer!! Jesus, dude, you live in one of the fairest, most wealthy, equal, safe, and decent countries on the planet. Not Somalia.

Context, my friend. Context.

Crony people leeching off the tax payer shouldn't be excused. 'Ah sure' attitude has us under FF/FG for generations.

The FF/FG election posters should read: "vote FF/FG, it could be worse"

Edgware

expectationlost wrote: »

I don't think they hand it back the state though same with SF

They donate 50% to the Ukranian Retired Tractor Factory Worker Hardship Fund

Edgware

KiKi III wrote: »

Had a quick Google. As a farmer who’s extensively educated I’m glad she’s risen quickly through the ranks to where her abilities can make an impact; she seems well qualified for the remit she’s been given.

Those litter bins in the Cabinet room will be emptied a lot more quicker now she's around

KaneToad

Homelander wrote: »

It does annoy me greatly that she was plonked into the Seanad with barely any political experience and then bumped to Super-Junior despite having been recently rejected by the electorate in the recent election.

I don't think they should be allowed promote non-TD's to ministerial positions. It's mental that someone can barely scrape into a council seat in their own local area, be rejected by the electorate at the polls, and end up at Cabinet anyway.

I'd like if we had a system where you voted for the party/grouping most closely aligned to your political beliefs and they appointed the public representatives. Taking the personalities out of politics would be no harm. Tougher but necessary decisions are more likely to be made by someone who isn't in a popularity contest.

Yurt2

Pherekydes wrote: »

Curious as to who those who object to this practice would hire in the same position?

Some (ethical) TDs hire openly recruit for parliamentary assistants. My understanding is some parties (not the big 2) match newly elected TDs with party activists.

In Westminster the family hire practice is rightly taboo and the parties don't tolerate it.

TallGlass2

Another thought. The ranting of equality for equal pay with the other Super Minister. So are they going to sort out the pay inequality within the public sectors where differences in pay exist due to tiered pay systems in Nursing, Teaching, Gaurds, Bus Driving etc.... Not a chance until it comes to their own. Utter bollix.

StackSteevens

Yurt! wrote: »

My understanding is some parties (not the big 2) match newly elected TDs with party activists.

Presumably you're referring, obliquely, to SF whose TDs are told who to appoint.

A vastly superior system, right enough. :rolleyes:

Rodney Bathgate

StackSteevens wrote: »

Presumably you're referring, obliquely, to SF whose TDs are told who to appoint.

A vastly superior system, right enough. :rolleyes:

They are told who to ‘elect’ as party leader so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

StackSteevens

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Another thought. The ranting of equality for equal pay with the other Super Minister. So are they going to sort out the pay inequality within the public sectors where differences in pay exist due to tiered pay systems in Nursing, Teaching, Gaurds, Bus Driving etc.... Not a chance until it comes to their own. Utter bollix.

Surely the employees in the sectors that you list have got Unions to argue their cases for them? It's hardly the government's fault that so many paid trade union officials are completely incompetent.

Rodney Bathgate

StackSteevens wrote: »

Surely the employees in the sectors that you list have got Unions to argue their cases for them? It's hardly the government's fault that so many paid trade union officials are completely incompetent.

The trade unions protected their ‘current’ members (at the time) at the expense of ‘future’ members by agreeing deals. But the government is to blame for the trade unions selling out ‘future’ members.

Joeseph Balls

She was on local radio a few months back giving it the whole electric cars are the way forward, go green etc, until the DJ said to her 'Did you not drive here in a big Landcruiser jeep?'

She's not too popular in the local area.

LawBoy2018

Which party will the younger greens flock to, do ye think?

StackSteevens

LawBoy2018 wrote: »

Which party will the younger greens flock to, do ye think?

Which ever one is offering the most free booze - and other substances.

TallGlass2

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

The trade unions protected their ‘current’ members (at the time) at the expense of ‘future’ members by agreeing deals. But the government is to blame for the trade unions selling out ‘future’ members.

The government is the one who mentioned equality as the arguement for this increase so they are to blame. They are also the ones who voted to make the pay equal. Why are they not doing the same across the entire public sector instead of limiting to Super Junior Minister pay? They are also the ones who set pay scales for the public sector.

Yurt2

StackSteevens wrote: »

Presumably you're referring, obliquely, to SF whose TDs are told who to appoint.

A vastly superior system, right enough. :rolleyes:

Which do you prefer? You've made it and either or, so state your case