Fine Gael TDs running away from Varadkar whilst blaming the voters

Peter Flynt

Ciaran Cannon is jumping off the FG ship as he blames the voters for "toxicity in politics" and certainly not his party leader for his utter incompetence in leading his party. Cannon is the tenth Fine Gael TD running away from the electorate and blaming them for his decision with rumours of more to follow. He's also very eager to tell any mainstream media today that will listen to him that it's the fault of the voters for not treating him with enough respect and not his party ignoring the wishes of the people of Ireland on vital issues like housing, immigration, lack of a health service, improper policing services, carbon taxes, etc....

Good riddance.

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0319/1438665-ciaran-cannon-fine-gael/

Working class heroes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058342476/coward-fine-gael-tds-running-away-from-varadkar-whilst-blaming-the-voters

Coward? Why don’t you give it a go and let us know how you get on.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914099#Comment_121914099

Cannon is going to lose his seat in Galway East and he knows it. So rather than face the voters and let them judge him and FG on his track record over the past five years . . . he runs away and blames them.

Beechwoodspark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058342476/coward-fine-gael-tds-running-away-from-varadkar-whilst-blaming-the-voters

Great post.

They are afraid of “mr liberal” and oh so very popular (ha!!) Varadkar but instead of challenging him they run like scalded cats.

And like the bold child, throw the toys out of the pram and whinge and blame everyone else.

Good riddance to Cannon and his ilk.

No loss to Irish politics, freeloaders out for themselves.

They know their time is up when they face the electorate so in cowardly, sleeveen fashion they slink off into the sunset.

Allinall

I understand Hurling on the Ditch is being introduced as an Olympic sport.

Guaranteed gold for the Irish.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914113#Comment_121914113

If he knows he's going to lose, then isn't it good that he does step aside and let someone else have a shot for the party?

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914128#Comment_121914128

Well maybe that's the reason why he's doing it . . . yet his anger is directed at the voters who supported him in the past and not his party leader. Such an undignified way to go. Also as a sitting TD he is more likely to have a much higher profile than any replacement (who won't win either).

Beechwoodspark

The like of Ciaran Cannon wants to reprimand and “put manners” on the electorate for raising legitimate concerns that politicians like him are ignoring or abjectly failing on.

It is a case of “you there, little people - shut your mouths and do what your betters tell you!”

Off with him and his ilk.

No loss - quite the opposite in fact.

ratracer

I can’t wait to see all the quality candidates running for the next Dáil, seems like it’s easy to do according to all the keyboard warriors across various fora!

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914162#Comment_121914162

Considering your "leader" could only get elected on the 5th count and brought in no running mate I would argue that few seats are safe for FG. Varadkar should call an election for June with all these "safe" FG seats?. . . But he won't - He'll wait until next February in order to scrounge more money out of the state.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914113#Comment_121914113

Can you please show us where exactly he blamed his voters?

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914174#Comment_121914174

The count he was elected on is meaningless when it comes to pr-stv. The constituency he's in is unlikely to elect 2 FG TDs regardless of who runs there...

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914191#Comment_121914191

It's not meaningless. The taoiseach is always elected on the first count. Bertie Ahern brought in Cyprian Brady as his running mate even though Brady only got 939 first preference votes.

Cluedo Monopoly

His seat is 100% toast. Very ineffective. Has he achieved anything of note? I am Galway West but I haven't heard good things about him in Galway East.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914182#Comment_121914182

He's blaming the "toxicity" in politics as a factor in him leaving. There is no doubt that he has faced personal abuse from voters for the actions of his party leadership which he supports. Rather than blame voters Cannon should stand at the next election and face the voters

Seth Brundle

Rather than blame boters Cannon should stand at the next election and face the voters

I'll ask you again, can you tell us when and how he blamed his voters?

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914216#Comment_121914216

"We just ask to be treated with the same civility and respect as anyone else doing their job."

"what we are experiencing right now goes far beyond that and can be deeply damaging to our wellbeing. At times it feels like it's open season on you and your family."

Politicians get abuse from a tiny section of voters. It's part of the territory. And I'm sure, given FG's track record in government, Cannon has received more than his fair share. The vast majority of voters may despise politicians who work against their interest but they are polite enough to treat them with dignity and respect and just not vote for them. Yet Cannon is giving this as a primary reason for him leaving politics and not other factors like the fact that he's likely to lose his seat and even if he does win it it's unlikely he'll ever hold a ministerial post again.

Seth Brundle

Politicians get abuse from a tiny section of voters. It's part of the territory.

So you think politicians should receive abuse?

Canon also referred to his family getting abuse - do you condone this also?

Anyone who thinks abusing a person doing their job, no matter what party they are from, is a disgrace.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914254#Comment_121914254

People shouldn't abuse anyone. It doesn't achieve anything. And guess what?. . . 99% of people don't abuse politicians. But Cannon wants you to believe this is not the case rather than the fact that he's going to lose his seat being the main reason why he's quitting. This is disingenuous to say the least.

Seth Brundle

I'll also add that the role has become more toxic with idiots who have discovered the internet now thinking that their anonymity gives them the right to abuse their elected reps.

Canon is not representing my constituency but I'm aware of his work over the years. I wouldn't be daft enough to call him a coward. If you don't like his party's policies then don't vote for them. If you have a problem with how the economy or anything else is doing then don't vote for them.

However, you do not have the right to post your own cowardly abuse towards them. You have not stood for office (I assume). You have not been elected into our Parliament. You have not done anything, to my knowledge, to help the people of Ireland. So what exactly do you believe gives you the right to abuse someone who has achieved that role?

Obviously, if I'm mistaken, please feel free to tell us your name, location and what exactly you have done to help the people of Ireland.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914271#Comment_121914271

You've abused him in your own thread (which I think is also against the Politics forum charter (I'll check shortly)) so why do you then try and brand him to be a liar?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914271#Comment_121914271

Do you believe it is right for someone to abuse Cannon because they disagree with his TD role?

Do you believe it is right for someone to abuse his family simply because of his job?

Sonic the Shaghog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914162#Comment_121914162

He's the 10th Fine Gael TD that's announced they won't be running in the next election, don't bother trying to spin it, they know themselves what's happening.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914306#Comment_121914306

What do you think I meant when I stated "People shouldn't abuse anyone"? Did that go over your head? Nice try trying to muddy the waters.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914327#Comment_121914327

I'm not trying to muddy the waters. I'm trying to get a straight answer from you because on the one hand you make the claim that "People shouldn't abuse anyone" in a thread you started where even the thread title is abusive.

Now, can you please answer my two simple questions?

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914306#Comment_121914306

Tbf OP has said numerous times in the thread that it’s not right for them to be abused - I know you think you have yourself a “gotcha” but jaysus let it go, several posts in a row saying the same thing

With regards to the OP, while I wouldn’t call Cannon a coward, it is clear that this is a rats jumping a sinking ship situation.

He’s only saying he’s leaving due to “toxicity” because he doesn’t want to say the actual reason (FG have completely failed the electorate in several spheres and he knows he’ll be annihilated).

There’s a line between legitimate criticism and abuse that shouldn’t be crossed - obviously that line would be subjective depending on the person and you’d more people wouldn’t be taking the former as the latter

Beechwoodspark

The only thing of note I can recall about this guy is didn’t he have a bad bicycle accident at one stage?

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914337#Comment_121914337

I'm not answering your questions. You're clearly a FG supporter who has gone all cry baby.

It is not right for Cannon to blame the voters for his decision to leave. He should be thanking them for their support.

Former Former Former

If I was a politician and being harassed to the level advocated by the OP and his fascist friends, I'd pack it in too.

Why would anyone voluntarily subject themselves to that? There are lots of easier and safer ways to make money.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914402#Comment_121914402

I'm not a supporter of any particular party. What I do disagree with (and agree with Cannon on this) is that there is a new undercurrent of toxicity within Irish politics which appears to be driven by many on the right and who spend their time bitching about whatever they can yet offer nothing themselves by way of solutions.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914426#Comment_121914426

"I'm not a supporter of any particular party". . . . Sure you're not!

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914174#Comment_121914174

The government are actively looking at a November / October 2024 GE, ive some inside information on this from a very unusual but reliable source.

A giveaway budget, dig up some old and some new stories about SF, try and put some daylight between FG and FF, keep the greens within spitting distance and play nice with the usual independents and hopefully slip back into another confidence and supply arrangement.

The cynic conspiracy theorist would say that the government allowed the referendum be an opportunity for the electorate to cast a protest vote, and once that is out of their system they can have a proper vote to get back into power. Maybe even let them have a second protest vote in the summer before the big one where the turnout might be smaller because of all the voting that went on. But im no cynic.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914443#Comment_121914443

The election will be early February 2025 as all of the Budget measures will have kicked in to payslips by late January. Did you notice what happened just six weeks ago at the end of January? They gave those on Welfare a January bonus just weeks after the Christmas bonus - free money. They'll do the same next year.

It's all FF/FG have got because they can't win on their track record unless there's some sort of ragball everyone-except-SF-has-a-go-at-being-taoiseach government put together afterwards (like 2020 quite frankly)

Idbatterim

You can't expect people not to be pissed off, when these failures have had decades and outrageous sums of money to improve things, but can't he bothered it seems...

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914436#Comment_121914436

Mod: OK, without wanting to make this sound like an "it's my ball and if I can't play..." post, I've previously warned you about your sub-par posts in this forum so before you post again, read the charter and abide by it!

Now in reply to the above post, I don't follow any particular party and will vote for party members based on their parties policies at the time - I've made absolutely no secret of this on here over the years.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914469#Comment_121914469

Would you prefer failures ( in your opinion) to keep on looking to get re-elected?

Seems nobody’s happy whatever politicians do, which is a very weak position.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914402#Comment_121914402

I'm not sure where you got your info on Cannon informer to create the thread but had you bothered to read the statement he himself put out, you would have read him thanking the people of Galway East...

https://twitter.com/ciarancannon/status/1770012779497341281?t=N0lz5V35m1iJ2ySzjcQoLQ&s=19

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914469#Comment_121914469

Things have improved greatly in the last few decades, if you don't believe that then you weren't around in the 80s and 90s.

By literally any objective measure, this is one of the best countries in the world to live.

Any government that is so offensive to the OP, Gript and the Iona Institute is doing something right. The day these people are applauding our government is a dark day for us all.

Dopey

I think the OP is proving Ciaran Cannon's claim of "toxicity in politics".

Play the ball. Not the player.

Sonic the Shaghog

I'm gonna say it, these muppets have no one to blame but themselves for the shite that's getting flung at them or the "toxicity" as he calls it.

What did they think was going to happen? They are stuffing every run down hotel and B&B with as many asylum seekers as want to come here. Who'd have actually thought even with using current DP centres, hotels, etc we'd now have tent cities in Dublin. Not to mention the dogs on the street know it's usually well connected owners who get the contracts.

They ignored every concern from communities, giving them the classic "you're racist" and then high tailing it from community meetings basically shouting tough shite it's happening whether ye like it or not. Busing them in at night when they couldn't get their way.

Then they've managed to go from bad to worse in the housing crisis. Not enough units, letting vulture funds buy up family properties and then icing on the cake was letting in mass amounts of people to essentially render all housing targets and solutions meaningless.

Pushing for ridiculously unaffordable retrofits that you're average homeowner can't afford, while at the same time in a ridiculous cost of living crisis banning fuels like turf, letting power companies rip people off and now the gobeens intend to put back up the fuel excise despite prices still going up across the board and they still intend to add their carbon increases too, which will also cause prices to go up yet again in a never ending cycle.

Leo the muppet with his the state shouldn't be responsible for care or education the other week.

Irish politicians have lost the run of themselves since the Celtic Tiger and recession. There was a time they feared voters. The last 10 to 15 years so many have come to think of the population as needing to be told what do not doing what the population wants them to do.

They have to be one of the most out of touch governments in living memory.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914469#Comment_121914469

People are entitled to be pissed off, when it descends into sustained abuse and threats is when the problem arises.

Anyone who says there hasn't been an increasing toxicity/viciousness to Irish politics in the past few years is either not paying attention or lying.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914113#Comment_121914113

I predict there will be a good many more yet jumping ship. The next election will see a lot of Independents elected.

And won't be surprised if we see a good few from the FG & FF gene pools.

Seth Brundle

Mod: we have rules in this forum. There's to be no name calling on any politician. An immediate threadban will be issued for anyone else doing it.

This content has been removed.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914254#Comment_121914254

Politicians should welcome & receive feedback from their constituents, sometimes that feedback will be supportive and other times it will be hostile. They can't just choose to like one and moan about the other. Which is why we should be very wary when we hear of talk of clamping down on social media. We all see local public reps who love to post stuff about their activities and what great work they are doing and who have embraced social media to spread their message. Which is all find & dandy but if the same public use the same social media to be critical of their local public reps, they can hardly complain about negative feedback. If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, then don't go in there in the first place or get out.

Peter Flynt

Here is John Major as UK Prime Minister getting vociferous, some might call it, abuse and also getting pelted with eggs as he went on a walkabout in Luton on launch of the 1992 UK general election.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4xX1FygKEE

Yet the FG cry babies on here. . . always ready to protect the establishment and to hell with free speech.

Seth Brundle

Mod: a number of off-topic and one liner posts deleted.

Strumms

The citizens are fed up being bullied and mistreated by the politicians, the same politicians and system that we fund, to put US and OUR health and wellbeing first in our country.

We are supposed to be the priority, it increasingly feels like we no longer are. In fact to some we are not…and some politicians they’ve communicated that.

If our thoughts in contrast are communicated to politicians and they dismiss those concerns… it’s pretty naive of them to expect citizens just to say.. “ ok, fair enough.” No, We become more vocal, more insistent, more determined, less polite and less inclined to take it lying down….

screamer

i dont know that its toxicity in politics as much as TDs can no longer get away with promising the sun moon and stars and doing nothing. whilst i dont agree with turning up at their houses btw. People have had enough of it, same as RTE. Accountability and reliability needs to become the currency of politicians rather than the we know best, lie to us politics that has been dominant here forever.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914443#Comment_121914443

I have always felt it would be an Autumn election. FG were forced into the Feb 2020 election by the shenanigans with Maria Bailey. They wanted it in April but were forced to act due to the Harris confidence motion. They did not want a bleak weather election. Canvassing is tough in Jan/Feb and people tend to be negative after Xmas and months of darkness.

October 2024 would be my choice but they will still get mauled. Their own fault, they have failed miserably across the board. Can anyone name one piece of legislation or reform that they can be proud of over those 5 years?

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121914174#Comment_121914174

This "5th count" nonsense again. He was elected a TD in his constituency and has been since 2007. He was the second of 4 TDs returned in the constituency the last time out. There was also a second FG in the constituency who got 1,870 first preference votes - a sizeable proportion of which would have gone to Varadkar had he been the sole FG candidate.

I get it that many dislike Varadkar but his constituents seem happy to return him every time he puts himself up for election.