2022 Seanad by-election

touts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863515#Comment_118863515

Certainly not a perfect solution. But it would be a step in the right direction.

touts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863497#Comment_118863497

Those two will either be voted out of the Dail or carried out feet first. They won't just give up because they have nothing else to do.

jolivmmx

I am very happy with the outcome! It seems the best person won!

Spanish Eyes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863642#Comment_118863642

Yes, it's a long time since I had nothing bad to say about a (soon to be) politician, but this person always came across as sound as a pound, well to me anyway. He might go a long way eventually.

Shelga

I’m delighted my #1 got elected. I didn’t know anything about him before this, just did my small bit of research from their leaflets and also on here. He seems like a very worthy winner.

I still think the Trinity panel is elitist, but whilst it exists, I’ll exercise my right to vote. And when it’s such a tiny turnout, it really feels like your vote matters. A few hundred people who didn’t bother to post back their ballots, and it could have gone to any of the top 4, by the looks of it.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118862689#Comment_118862689

The couple had the Mansion House free for a year, but it looks like they got a whole lot of rent free space in your head for an awful lot longer .

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118862600#Comment_118862600

I really agree with ILMI on that

https://ilmi.ie/disabled-children-and-young-disabled-adults-are-not-props-or-pawns-to-be-used-in-any-fundraising-or-political-campaigns/

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863886#Comment_118863886

That's not really fair in Clonan's case. He's been featuring his son on social media for years - in the context of his pride in him achieving education goals in spite of his disability. He didn't just wheel him out as a prop to get elected.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863399#Comment_118863399

She tweeted out afterwards that more women need to run. Now in general that's certainly true but I thought it an odd remark considering women were actually in the majority on the ballot in this case.

I can't see it being the end of the road for her although I don't think she can run for anything until at least 2024. Then she will either defend her seat at the locals in 2024, if she's smart, or run as an independent for Europe, on that same day, if she's learned absolutely nothing. Beyond that she might give Trinity another crack after the next general election - Norris might not defend his seat next time out given that he'll be pushing 80.

Snickers Man

I wonder will the Daily Express notice that their favourite Irish sounding board, Ray Bassett, got such a low share of the vote (3.4%) that he would have lost his deposit if it were a UK election? There, you have to get 5% of the poll if you want to keep your downpayment.

Because of his Eurosceptic views, and his willingness to spout them to a British audience (if not to an Irish electorate) Dr Bassett is a frequent contributor to the arch-conservative newspaper where his ravings are eagerly broadcast to the Great British Public as the authentic voice of the Real Ireland: loyal, anglophile, Eurosceptic and nostalgic for the days of the United Kingdom of Britain and (all of) Ireland.

A perfunctory search on Google, and a filtering out of duplicates reveals that he has been quoted at least 30 times in the twelve months from April 1st 2021 to March 31st 2022 in stories published on the express.co.uk website. That's two and a half times per month: not bad for a fat-cat bureaucrat retired on a gilt-edged public service pension that is usually the type of "elitist" roundly reviled by the eurosceptic/Brexit crew.

Most of those 30 mentions were in stories where his comment was the lead item, and featured under headlines like "EU warned [by Bassett] Irexit emerging as a credible prospect" (15/June/2021) or "Irish ex-diplomat admits EU bullying Dublin" (8/July 2021) to "EU shamed as ex-diplomat blasts whinging France" (18/September/2021) down to "EU throws Dublin under bus" (31/January/2022)

Now that he has been soundly rejected by the most concentrated West Brit constituency it is possible to find in Ireland (Trinners graduates of which I am one---How to you know if somebody went to Trinity? They tell you!) will his views continue to be sought by the Express?

You bet your sweet bippy!!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118863859#Comment_118863859

Hopefully, the next election will see the back of both of them so I can reclaim that area of my head without having recourse to the RTB!

Mind you, I fear that it will take me a lot longer to reclaim the small area of my brainspace occupied by the Wallace/Daly unit.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118865138#Comment_118865138

I wouldn't have thought a Eurosceptic would do particularly well in Trinity. While it is the most Anglo friendly, it's also traditionally very liberal, so support for the EU would be a natural fit.

I don't understand Ray Bassett though. The DFA is very much in the pro-EU camp (so much so, that their interview process screens for EU views) so I can't understand how he got to the rank of ambassador whilst holding such opinions. Maybe he sat on them in office, but considering he's so outspoken now, that seems unlikely to me. I wonder what the true motivation is there.

Furze99

Complete waste of space and unnecessary drain on public resources. We were given a golden opportunity to get rid of them a while back and somehow screwed it up.

AndrewJRenko

Has anyone got any insights into what was Gaffney’s appeal? Her leaflet didn’t stand out at all for me, and she didn’t seem to campaign. It is just that she’s the nice lady from the radio, the George Lee effect? I’m amazed that she came out 2nd place. It was fun watching my vote bouncing around and finally ending up with Clonan.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118865397#Comment_118865397

Maybe she was researching for a topic for another book. I would think name recognition did a lot for her.

Snickers Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118865390#Comment_118865390

Funny things referendums, huh?

I think the key to winning a referendum is to campaign like hell for your point of view. All people: Irish, British or whoever, are averse to the "Mrs Doyle" line of persuasion "Ah, go on, go on, go on. You will, you will you will" which brooks no argument at all. It comes across as "We know best. Don't you dare question our superior knowledge. Just trust us and don't be bothering your silly inferior head with things you couldn't possibly understand"

That was the approach of all the major parties for referendums such as those on the Lisbon and Nice Treaties and especially the Seanad Reform referendums. People hate being taken for granted and there is immense power in being able to walk into a private polling booth and telling the powers that be to feck off just by voting the way they DIDN'T want you to vote.

Look at the recent Marriage Equality and Abortion referendums. Whatever about general attitudes being in flux in post-catholic Ireland those referendums were won by the determination of canvassers to get out on the streets and MAKE the case for their point of view. That is inherently respectful of the ability of individual members of the electorate to make up their own minds. And it pays dividends.

Though it pains me to say it: it's probably what won the Brexit referendum too.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118865479#Comment_118865479

Sure, there was no push behind it at all from those that put it before the people. Still, when I hear someone giving out about politicians and the like, I'm inclined to ask them did they vote in the Seanad referendum. Which usually elicits a response like 'what was that'?

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118864868#Comment_118864868

I disagree. I think its perfectly valid to talk about his experience as a carer but I found his social media in this campaign just totally ott on it. I know many disabled people were really really upset at his campaigns use of social media.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118865397#Comment_118865397

I think it was probably a lot of name recognition from a lot of Norriss voters in their 50s, 60s, 70s. Previously TCD used to auto enrol graduates. They dont anymore so the electorate is older in general.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118873710#Comment_118873710

You’re probably right. I’d have hoped that it took more than name recognition to get a vote.

Galwayguy35

I hope the spineless voters who didn't have the bottle to vote this gravey train out of existence are happy their taxes are still being used to keep this useless shower in a job.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118873688#Comment_118873688

He was interviewed on RTE radio today and said his son ran his social media campaign so if blame is due it is the son you should target.

He put his name forward and got elected - if you have a problem with that, then put your name forward and get yourself elected.

Brussels Sprout

.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118874133#Comment_118874133

🤣🤣🤣

Oh look be dismissive and rude about it why dont you without actually acknowledging or discussing why disabled people might be so upset. Oh and I'm not the discussion here by the way. The issue is.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118874729#Comment_118874729

I deleted a post above in response to you because I reconsidered and thought better of it. Then I saw this latest comment of yours.

All of your posts in this thread were about how you thought that Hazel Chu was going to win. When she lost you suddenly pounced on the winner with this pearl clutching about how he ran his campaign. As someone with a disabled sibling it's coming across as entirely disingenuous.

The name Tom Clonan didn't mean anything to me but it turns out I did know him because his posts about his son, that I saw in the past, struck a chord with me. He was proud of his son and what he had achieved in his life. Your criticisms of him come across as spiteful and rooted in begrudgery.

Donald Trump

Some fella only got 28 votes.

How many do you need for nomination? Is it proposer, seconder and 10 assentors? Or 10 in total?

Either way, fairly deluded to be putting yourself forward for that unless you just want to get your name on a paper for free

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118874961#Comment_118874961

That guy ran for both the TCD and NUI panels in the general election in 2020. He got 0.5% & 0.7% of the votes respectively. If he wasn't demoralised by those results then it's very likely that he won't be demoralised but this one either.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118874997#Comment_118874997

Do they have to put up any expenses for these elections? Or is the cost borne by the college?

I'm all in favour of having politics accessible, but 28 votes is taking the piss unless he wants to fund it himself.

When it gets to something like that, you really only have someone advertising themselves or their businesses etc.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118875010#Comment_118875010

Apparently there is no deposit. They just need to be nominated:

Who can be a candidate?

‘A person to be eligible for membership of Seanad Éireann must be eligible to become a member of Dáil Éireann’. Bunreacht na hÉireann, Art. 18.2 (Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of twenty-one years, and who is not placed under disability or incapacity by this Constitution or by law, shall be eligible for membership of Dáil Éireann. Bunreacht na hÉireann, Art. 16.1)

What does a candidate have to do?

A candidate has to be formally nominated, that is, must submit one fully completed hard copy Form of Nomination on or before the date of close of nominations (12 noon on Friday, 11th February 2022). 

Do candidates have to pay a deposit or other fee?

No.

What information is required in a Form of Nomination?

The candidate must give their name and address, and a description, which, ‘in the opinion of the Returning Officer, is calculated sufficiently to identify the candidate’. (Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937).

Candidates: must:

• have a Proposer, Seconder and Eight (8) Assentors all of whom must be registered voters in the Register being used for any given election.
• submit one completed Form of Nomination.

Note: Candidates are encouraged to liaise with the Academic Registry in order to confirm that their Proposer, Seconder and Eight Assentors are included in the Register being used for the purposes of election. 

https://www.tcd.ie/seanad/faq/

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118826971#Comment_118826971

I wouldn't have any time for the likes of your man "Michael" who is just lazily wasting an actual democratic opportunity. It's completely disrespectful for all the people who sacrificed so much to be able to have the options that he has. You may not like the idea of the Seanad but it is there and is part of the State.

Maybe when he grow the **** up a bit, he will realise the value of what he had in being able to get himself put forward.