Katherine Zappone Envoy Gig

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899306#Comment_117899306

So using that Logic anyone that is any party members who happen run in the same constituency are also opponents

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899597#Comment_117899597

Et tu Brutus.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899244#Comment_117899244

I just call it like i see, try to paint skew the truth in a very obvious agenda driven way and thats what you leave yourself open to, dont be upset you got caught.

VinLieger

Honestly the absolute pettiest thing to come out of all of this is the government turning down the Americas Cup due to it being pushed for by Simon Coveney. Would have been an amazing boost for Cork harbours surrounding infrastructure not to mention the local economy over the 3 year buildup and the several weeks of the event itself.

JRant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899900#Comment_117899900

Grand, so it's just the garden variety rudeness we're dealing with here. Good to know.

I also love how people try to "win" on platforms like this. Shows a level of maturity most people grow out of by the time they leave creche.

The only one caught here was Coveney with his hand in the jar. But, sure, it was an honest mistake, anyone could have made it. Can't be punishing lads for trying to get others on to the gravy train. Sure isn't that what politics in Ireland is all about. What sort of example would it set for young people thinking of getting into politics if they knew they would be held to account, perish the thought.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899452#Comment_117899452

So has the date of the general election changed? What was yesterday all about other than histrionics?

I'll ignore the rest of your post save to note that you put me on the same level as Matt Carthy et al in terms of sloganeering. I am not sure whether to take it as praise or criticism.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899936#Comment_117899936

Thats not whats happening.

Gone are the days of committing 200 million lids on the nod without due diligence. If it passes muster, fine. If there isn't time to perform the due diligence within the Americas Cup Committee timescale, thats fine too, there'll be other opportunities.

I admire Catherine Martin's ministerial instincts for doing things, openly, prudently and by the book.

And I'm quite sure Micheál Martin and Michael McGrath would have been hugely enthusiastic for this event to come to Cork Harbour also, so it can hardly be portrayed as a slap on the wrists for Coveney.

Billgirlylegs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899894#Comment_117899894

Did you not say earlier that you call it as you see it?

If it turns out that there is, for example, enough FF support for one seat in any constituency you care to mention, see how keen and generous FF candidates to "manage" the vote.

Opponents??

Bitter, bitter enemies would be a more appropriate term.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900294#Comment_117900294

In my opinion it is whats happening as 150 million of that 200 million was to go directly on infrastructure. The due diligence had been done and those claiming otherwise are being disingenuous as theres a report from EY requested by the government which is the only reason we have the 200m figure in the first place.

Also there wont be other opportunities unless we were to enter a team and win it which will never happen. Its a slap on the wrists for Coveney and MM, id wager this is his punishment by the parliamentary party for forcing them to vote confidence in coveney all so MM got to stay Taoiseach.

Suckit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899936#Comment_117899936

They were talking about it earlier on the radio, I think Joe Duffy. I was only listening in passing, and it was said that by this whole affair becoming news etc. it meant that Coveney couldn't make the Americas cup a priority and then missed a few things, causing it to not happen.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899936#Comment_117899936

I thought it was because the cost benefit ratio was marginal.

Shebean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900473#Comment_117900473

He was up to his neck in muck and bullets fighting the Taliban.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900473#Comment_117900473

Yes Joe was completely bored by it all , it was being absurdly suggested by clearly a friend of Coveney (First name terms) that the Zappone affair had in some way affected Ireland chances of hosting this vanity project.

Government have correctly requested a period of time to assess feasibility study, actual cost analysis, the caller suggested all this was already done by an accountancy firm (where have we heard that before)

All sorts of outlandish claims the event was worth €500 million to local economy, the caller was asked about new Zealands last experience (€75 million) , he responded, its their time zone. You couldn't make it up.

Furthermore Ireland apparently favorites, this might be because most bidders have pulled out

In essence linking this matter to the Zappone affair a total nonsense 🙄

Larbre34

On that we can agree.

Dempo1

Not a single governmnent TD objected at the time Matt Carthy made his infamous remarks. When asked about this, Harris referred to Leo shaking his head, this was actually at the start of carthys speech immediately after Leo's tantrum.

Harris wasn't even in the chamber when the exchange took place, he seems to have turned up late because I heard him vote.

Leo claimed the allegations were incorrect but also said "not entirely " what does that mean?

Harris "Strongly Considering a complaint" ,if he is so confident, why not do this immediately, now, today !!

This rumor has been swirling for months , it didn't just crop up yesterday

The junior minister allegedly behind the Sting is very quite, were exactly did the information Leo spoke to a cabinet minister come from.

All the above has a certain ring to it, makey uppy excuses. Was all this a figment of 1000's of people's imagination, I seriously think not .

Until Harris makes a complaint and gets the Dail record corrected (in his opinion) this will rumble on, wether he likes it or not .

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899772#Comment_117899772

The Sunday Times reported that a junior FG minister (Patrick o'Donovan) rang a senior FG minister (Simon Harris) and told him he had just been on his local radio station giving out about the Zappone appointment. This was disinformation and the radio interview never took place but a few minutes after o'Donovan was off the phone with Harris o'Donovan got a phone call from a journalist asking him about what he said about the Zappone appointment on local radio and trying to get a comment about it from him. So Harris had swallowed the lie fed to him by o'Donovan and also immediately spread it to a journalist. From that they (ie Vardkar and o'Donovan) identified Harris as the person who was texting the Zappone info in real time during the Cabinet meeting where it was first raised.

humberklog

So it's romoured Leo did a Colleen Rooney on Harris?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900561#Comment_117900561

The 'feasilbility' report was produced by Ernst and Young the same shams who audited Anglo for years while they fiddled the books. It pulled this figure of the Americas Cup being worth 500m to the economy out of its arse and when the Dept of Tourism senior civil servants saw it they were rightly immediately sceptical as were senior civil servants in the Dept of Expenditure who read it too. This feasaility report by Anglos auditors also claimed that there would be a global tv audience of 900 million yet the New Zealanders reported that they had just 68 million people looking in and they were the ones selling the tv rights so they would kind of know.

So senior civil servants immediately spotted Ernst and Youngs report of being nothing more than a fluff piece designed to trick the reader into believing hosting the Americas Cup would be bigger than what it actually is. Also Coveneys mate on Joe Duffy claimed that 2.5 million people are going to arrive into Ireland for this which was the greatest load of sh1te Ive ever heard in my life, Auckland never got big crowds for their races so I dont know where he got this 2.5 million figure from, likely pulled out of his arse too.

Also the reason New Zealand want rid of the Americas Cup is becasue their team keeps winning it and it then falls on the taxpayer to host it and subsidise it. They are sick of this becasue they realise that there is little to no benefit to their overall tourism strategy, it doesnt attract big crowds becasue spectating yacht races in person is a frustrating affair, the boats are way off in the distance and spectators havent a clue of what is going on. Its a sport best left to watching on tv. So Team NZ and the government there are looking for some other schmuck to take the financial hit and Coveney fits the bill nicely.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900794#Comment_117900794

What about what happened before the alleged sting which is all that seems to be discussed in this article as you've laid out, I understood this started around the time Harris was sunning himself on a mayo beach and various leaks led to an absurd sting attempt , there was also the direct cabinet leak itself and Leo allegedly confronting a cabinet minister, the whole thing is a confusing mess but something clearly happened, I can't see a newspaper like the Sunday Times running a story without sources and some facts, it will be curious if there is a follow-up this weekend, perhaps why Harris still considering his position 🤔

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900853#Comment_117900853

You heard what I heard 😏 how anyone can seriously believe this event would generate €500 million for a tax payers upfront payment of €25 million is just la la land stuff, not even a ponzi scheme could promise such a return, €25 million upfront was mentioned, I had heard €50 to €150 million to include infrastructure costs, its utter madness .

But of course slightly off topic , we better leave it at that 🤫

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900794#Comment_117900794

Ah I see. Dear oh dear.

They are red rotten.

Interesting times indeed. Is this why Harris didn't turn up? Or is he allergic to confidence votes? 😂

Thanks!

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900219#Comment_117900219

For your information, the general election date has not been set. It can't 'change'. The Taoiseach can call the election anytime within the 5 years.

You will remember that Leo wanted a general election in May 2020 but was forced into having it in February, with disastrous consequences.

The last 15 months of the FFG omnishambles have proven beyond reasonable doubt that the 100 year power swap has harmed our democracy. The coalition with the Roman church didn't help our citizens either. This country could be so much better and fairer with more honest and future thinking politicians. For example, the FFG treatment of the mother and baby homes survivors makes me shudder - they tried to cover it up to save their legacy - utter cowardice. And they are still stalling, surprise surprise. FG got their chance in 2011 and they actually became worse than FF.

I would like at least 15 more months of this exposure and chaos before we are back at the ballot box. At least 15 more months.

Re Zappone cronyism - It's quite astounding that FFG have had decades of experience in abusing power and still make rookie mistakes. That's the arrogance of power I guess.

Dempo1

The debate continues on the late debate 😏

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900794#Comment_117900794

At best, that's a huge stretch. It is one thing to rat out a fellow TD to a journalist, it is another to leak from Cabinet.

McMurphy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900219#Comment_117900219

Would you like to point me where in the post you quoted, or any other post of mine mentioned the date of the next general election? You're obviously correct, as it "hasn't changed" blanch..... (It's still happening when exactly)?🤣

As for "ignoring the rest of my post" - that's handy. Your tendency to be "Sloganeering" was pretty much the beginning and the ending of my post.

But you really got me on the not changed date, of the not set election.

Talk about a perfect example of a strawman.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901707#Comment_117901707

The leak is known to have come from cabinet. Where do you think it came from?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901737#Comment_117901737

Jeez that reminds me of a past post I made, hairdo so to speak 😁

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901745#Comment_117901745

You miss the point. Concluding that Harris is the one who leaked from cabinet (if these was a leak) because he ratted out a TD who disagreed with him to a journalist is a tenuous conclusion. One that SF went public with, and if they want to make accusations with as little evidence as that, off we go.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901707#Comment_117901707

Cabinet leaks happen all the time, Hugh o'Connell was on PT earlier saying it is bread and butter for journalists. The Zappone leak literally came from Cabinet while the meeting was ongoing

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117899202#Comment_117899202

Simon Harris doesn't have a "good character" to blacken. It has widely been reported that he is guilty of leaking the information for months now.