Worst TD ever elected

zell12

In fairness, we have one of the fairest voting systems on the planet. Our TDs accurately reflect their electors and therefore us. Be proud!

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690188#Comment_118690188

The English are fairly bad aswell tbf

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690155#Comment_118690155

You see, your doing the very same thing , bringing up two very different incidents. I do agree there's a level of hypocrisy on both sides but the back and forth between SF & FFG has been utterly tiresome and rarely anything to do with the here and now.

Michael Martins outburst during a "Housing Debate " during the week was outrageous, "Murder and Mayhem" 😳

To my mind and of course others will disagree, every single issue raised by SF to this current government (Greens generally asleep), can not be dealt with by FFG without dragging the 6 counties , historical events that in some cases , happened decades ago into the debate , (FFG also have a less than perfect historical record incidently)

And if the above doesn't work, they release misleading data re SF's actual opposition to "Housing " , when infact their opposition was around planning and sweet deals being done with developers.

Anyway, all slightly off topic but FFG no angels and it's not a bad thing to be occasionally reminded of this. I'd just wish actual issues that affect people's lives "Today" would be dealt with .

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690229#Comment_118690229

Exactly, we have always had the government we deserve in my opinion. If people vote for Mick Wallace in Wexford, then he is the politician they deserve. The issue here is an inability of the electorate to think long term. There is a childlike view of finances. The left oppose property taxes FFS! If we get an increased tax take we try to take as many people out of the tax net as possible! The million people outside of the tax net seem to think they already pay for water!

We will never have good services if we have this type of mentality.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690096#Comment_118690096

How was she "erected"? Jaysus, I would have presumed she didn't have the equipment

(Ah, ignore. Ya fecking ninja edited)

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690299#Comment_118690299

Yep your too late 😁 spotted my little unfortunate typo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690167#Comment_118690167

The issues you are referring to (undocumented immigration) were created long before McEntee.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689210#Comment_118689210

I don't really want to destroy your innocence, but here is a potentially helpful link. https://bfy.tw/PIwN

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690239#Comment_118690239

And I hope that SF supporters would hold their party to the same standard as they hold other parties. I think the example I brought up illustrates the hypocrisy of SF very well. The government is actually trying to resolve issues, it is just that it isn't as easy as shouting. At the end of the day. I accept we will probably end up with SF in government after the next election. I don't think this will be a good thing. I will weigh up my options and see if it is best for my family to remain here or move abroad for a few years. I will just wait and see. It won't be a case of everyone, the population and politicians, rowing in behind SF and helping them achieve their aims. We have different views of how the country should be run. I think the focus should be on providing subsidised rentals for low income workers, for example, there should be the expectation that everyone who can works. I don't think there should be social housing for long term unemployed, they can deal with the HAP system. SF will be more focused on those who contribute nothing, whereas in my view we should be investing those who want to improve their situation.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689294#Comment_118689294

Wasn't he the Minister for Gee for a while? He was also caught red-handed trying to sell some hash in the video below?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4ure_GSHw

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690360#Comment_118690360

You make very valid points and hard to disagree with. I really don't know were it will all end in relation to any future government. I'm just as disillusioned as the next person .

I'm fortunate, small mortgage, from Dublin but living very rurally for 20 years , I do have a long term illness so limited income . I don't blame current government for the housing crisis and cost of living challenges, indeed they are trying, I'll grant them that but I'm looking at the current , over all housing and rental crisis coupled with the cost of living situation and just can not comprehend how young families, Middle income earners etc make ends meet and I just don't see a solution in the near the medium future .

Interesting and challenging times ahead .

MrMusician18

The worst TDs are likely to have zero profile and would've been at best one or two termers before losing out. Completely ineffectual TDs are the ones that failed in near complete anonymity.

While the likes of Coppinger, Daly and Wallace espouse silly positions (imo) they are well known and manage to promote their ideas so they and their likes could hardly be considered the worst.

Brendan Bendar

Gino Kenny the ‘grow yer own’ dude, haven’t heard of him for around 5 year.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690484#Comment_118690484

Thankfully 😁

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690484#Comment_118690484

Got elected on Paul Gogarty's transfers last time, somehow; Gogarty votes were from all over the place with a very significant amount going to FG also.

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690465#Comment_118690465

I would disagree with this, I think doing something bad/damaging is far worse than doing nothing at all. The most damage was arguably caused by the FF government during the bubble. Bertie "suicide" Ahern and Charlie "spend it while I have it" McCreevy blew a huge opportunity to invest in the country's future and instead ended up with us having to call the IMF in!

Extending this thread into various categories of dud TDs would be more fun:

Worst Independent TD ever elected:

Nominations:

The Healy-Rae trio - Jackie, Mick and Doofus, with the collective IQ of a sack of spuds

Tax-dodger Wallace

Michael Lowry (Version 2.0 as Version 1.0 was FG)

Mattie McGrath (Version 2.0 as Version 1.0 was FF)

Tom Glidea

Mildred Fox

(others welcome)

Worst Labour Party TD ever elected:

(we're spoiled for choice here but I'd go for Aódhán O'Complete Móron, with Mickey Dee close second)

Best Solidarity/PbP TD ever elected:

Probably better to focus on the best, as it's difficult to pick the worst!

Worst FF TD ever elected:

I don't want to crash the internet so no nominations here!

Worst FG TD ever elected:

ditto!

Worst SF TD ever elected:

Probably Adams, but honourable mentions for Wynne and Funcheon also.

Hard to call one for Soc Dems, but I'll go for Murphy who was responsible for setting up the Inquiry into Siteserv and then refused to cooperate with it when it sought her assistance.

Dempo1

Richard Boyd Barret drives some people Mad, he's on Claire Byrne radio show now for those who want to to listen in , with gritted Teeth 😁

Ballycommon Mast

As much as people's dislike for Michael Lorwy and the Healy Rae's is understandable, they are NOT bad TDs, infant the reason they get reelected is because of their hard work in their constituency.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690624#Comment_118690624

Lowry's a convicted criminal.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690624#Comment_118690624

Taking that statement to its logical conclusion, then obviously the best possible makeup of Dáil Eireann would be one made up of a mixture of 160 Lowrys and Healy-Raes! Is that really what you believe, or want?

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690624#Comment_118690624

Hard work lining their own pockets you mean. You seriously want more of those eejits in the Dail?

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690624#Comment_118690624

Well the electorate need to look at the bigger picture, I don't know what Lowry does locally, but if we had 160 Lowrys in the Dail, Ireland would be like Nigeria.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118688707#Comment_118688707

Yeah it was Patricia Ryan who got voted in. Don't think she will get voted in again. She is absolutely useless. She has done nothing for the area she represents

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118688709#Comment_118688709

There are countless constituencies about which that could be said - in fact, it's harder to think of many where it couldn't!

But there's a need to look at the detritus on offer: in the most recent election the choice of candidate was utterly appalling right across the board in my constituency. A selection of "vote for me because Micheal/Leo/Mary Lou/Alan is the dog's b0llocks" or "because I'm a passionate young woman with a vision and Ireland needs more passionate young women with a vision"!

Not a single party put up a candidate who I'd trust to repair a puncture on my bicycle. And the selection of independents was even worse!

Not for the first time in my life, I was strongly tempted to spoil my vote.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118688683#Comment_118688683

Ah but it is not McEntee that is problem.... we all know what you mean and the name you are better know as, now crawl back under the stone from whence you came. We need serious people to address serious problems not the brainwashed parroting of the usual garbage.

Brendan Bendar

Worst Independant TD sorry ‘Indipindint’ is that windbag Michael ‘What we need to do’ Fitzmaurice.

Knows ‘what we need to do’ on everything but does nowt.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690328#Comment_118690328

Setting up an amnesty scheme started on McEntee's watch. This will not be the last one. She's set it in motion, Irish politicians have learned nothing from watching what's going on in Europe, and is only starting to sprout in Ireland at the moment.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690873#Comment_118690873

Good man Jim. We need serious people to address serious problems, not politicians who care more about PR and Twitter likes than policy and looking after IRISH citizens, not global ones.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118687780#Comment_118687780

Couldn't think of his name (kept thinking Eddie Hobbs)

Couldn't put his money where his mouth was and ran off crying after 6 months.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690624#Comment_118690624

They give an impression of hard work in the constituency. It's not necessarily the same thing.

One thing they're all very good at is pretending to intervene in getting hospital appointments, passports processed, things like that.

What they actually do is get one of their assistants to ring up and ask then is it scheduled for - and then ring back the constituent saying it was scheduled for a month later, but that they got them bumped up the queue

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689714#Comment_118689714

Minister for funerals Willie O'Dea is a good shout. Done nothing for Limerick in all his years except take credit for getting people entitlements they were gonna get anyway from the council.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690993#Comment_118690993

I've got Charlie Flanagan here in the Midlands, expert on funeral attendances, when a minister, he used to have the Government merc park outside local villages and walk to the church and burials. This chap would attend the burial of a Daffodil bulb and he and others like him think people are stupid. It would seem most parish pump politicians only get constituents attention when they Die 😳

Ballycommon Mast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690698#Comment_118690698

What the hell do you think an Opposition backbencher could have done for their area within two years of being elected to the national parliament ?

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691101#Comment_118691101

Most of the time with all the back benchers (doesn't matter the party) it 's about helping out in their constituency, the usual stuff helping get passports, help with filling out documents for social welfare, attending funerals, congratulating sport clubs if they get the sports grants and the odd photo standing beside or behind with the party leader or holding an umbrellas over his head when its not raining. This is how they get re-elected. Back benchers are the worker ants of the parties while the big boys supposedly run the country, it is usually the big boys that cost the back benchers their seats.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691022#Comment_118691022

Charlie Flanagan the man that wanted to commemorate the Black and Tans and couldn't understand why there was a backlash to this. 😀

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691134#Comment_118691134

The very Same and he's gone terribly quite down these parts, loss of government car was a blessing to the constituency 😁

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689714#Comment_118689714

Some on that list, yes. But Cullinan makes this big play that he is anti establishment and all for the plain working people. Rubbish, he is 100% part of the establishment himself.

Hes been sucking on the tit of the state for years.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690516#Comment_118690516

Here's the thing though, historians leave it for a few decades before writing history. They do this to let the dust settle. To take emotions out of it. They then weigh the good against the bad. For example Bertie played a very important roll in the 87/89 government (as did Alan Dukes). This short lived government got us out of a never ending rescission with almost 20% unemployment & massive inflation with sky high interest rates. Bertie went on to play a vital roll in the peace process. He was the most popular Leader in Ireland even to this day. People refuse to see that we had a world banking crises. We could have had a rainy day fund & reduced spending but we still would have had Anglo Irish & Sean Quinn & we still would have had a bank bailout. I'm not saying he was great or terrible. It will take another few decades for history to decide if he was good or not. Charlie Haughey is the same. Corrupt as hell but on balance I think history will say he did more good than bad.Ten's of thousands of Irish women owe him a mighty thank you for the succession act. He was the one that started behind the scene talks with the IRA & this led on to the peace process.

Personally I find it difficult to pick out worst ever TD because most did good & bad. To me the worst TD would be a one trick pony that never got elected again. Even Lowry is considered the greatest TD ever in his own constituency. As a local TD he was great at his job

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118690255#Comment_118690255

Have seen a few mentions of Wallace here, and as a Wexford man myself, just want to point out something that's often overlooked -

He was a popular figure here before he first stood (2011 General Election), and so he swept in by topping the poll with more than 13,000 votes.

But then people saw what he was like, and his vote in 2016 dropped to below 8,000 - or in other words, some 40% of people who'd voted for him the first time were so unimpressed by what he turned out like, that they decided "I'm not voting for that fella again".

He knew that another drop in a further General Election would put him in danger of losing his seat, so he stood for Europe instead, and the tally figures showed he had more support outside of Wexford than in Wexford itself. Bear in mind that Ireland South takes in all six Munster counties, as well as five other Leinster ones.

So I suppose you can blame Wexford for putting him in politics in the first place, but you can't blame us for keeping him there!

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689443#Comment_118689443

Haughey and Bertie were good TDs

They were both corrupt though so for me that negates any good that they may have achieved. IMO, the bare minimum for an elected representative is that they not be a crook

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691172#Comment_118691172

Calm down Bertie

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691254#Comment_118691254

🤣🤣🤣

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689407#Comment_118689407

Brought to Court by RRI for 4 yrs, €12k arrears on her social housing, I wonder is she using her generous TD pay to clear what she owes.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691193#Comment_118691193

Very few aren't corrupt once in power imo. I'd expect basic honesty from a TD. Enda Kenny had to correct the Dail record more than any other leader in the history of the state. How many dishonest things has the current government brushed over? Leo leaking information to friends, Parties that wern't parties during lock down, Golfgate etc. I'm expecting to be reading about backhanders with the national children's hospital & the awarding of the national broadband rollout

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691193#Comment_118691193

What is that saying that I hear often "An honest TD is not a good TD" or something to that effect. It seems the Irish electorate prefer a dishonest TD to an honest one.

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691331#Comment_118691331

Having to correct the record of the Dail and lining your own pocket are two VERY different things IMO

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691163#Comment_118691163

The thing is that they all have. Look at Enda Kenny was in the Dail for 40 odd years and for most of those 40 odd years he would have been barely known outside of his constituency. Sure when he go elected party leader I think the response was "Who?". I suppose you can single out 1 TD whom you dislike but there are more TD's in the Dail that have done and are doing exactly what he has done but because they may belong to a certain parties it cant be mentioned.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118689210#Comment_118689210

Michelle Mulherin would be my pick too. Data Murphy a close 2nd. Both FG. Both robbing the taxpayer blind during tough economic years.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691331#Comment_118691331

I don't think anyone is gonna fall for whataboutery when it comes to Charlie and Bertie they were at another level in fairness. Now if you want to argue their good work outweighs everyone else's that fine but let's not pretend their bad doesn't too.