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Social Democrat TD apologises for misleading the public

  • 10-12-2024 3:28pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 595 ✭✭✭


    https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41533880.html

    "

    newly elected TD has revealed he sold shares from his former US employer, which supplies technology to the Israeli military, in July for a pre-tax figure of €199,000.

    Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes, initially refused to confirm when he sold the shares, saying he divested from them before he entered politics in June — when he became a local councillor.

    In a statement, Mr Hayes has apologised and admitted he gave incorrect information. "

    Methinks Holly isn't going to be impressed by his inability to read the calendar.



«1345

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭Raichų


    not really sure why it matters.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 595 ✭✭✭StormForce13


    Possibly because the Sop Dems appear to believe that they are a cut above the rest of the other parties when it comes to ethical conduct; a concept that includes telling the truth.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭Raichų


    right.. so he’s a big dirty liar even though he told the truth and corrected his mistake? So again, what’s the big deal?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    He made a verifiably false ethics declaration. That's a resigning matter, unless you've a neck like a jockeys bollocks.

    If the party wants to be seen as clean, he has to go.

    It was not a mistake, it was a massive, deliberate, falsehood done to try and hide embarrassment



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭NattyO


    Which part do you think doesn't matter, lying to the media, or lying to his voters, or just lying in general?



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,849 ✭✭✭Brussels Sprout


    I seem to recall a few TDs "correcting the record" in the last Dail as soon as they realised that a certain muck raking website was actually cross referencing properties that they owned against their Dail declarations. Simon Coveney was one of them as far as I recall. I don't recall him resigning over it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    See the bit about the neck like a jockeys bollox…



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 369 ✭✭RurtBeynolds




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Suspended from the party.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭NattyO


    I'm no fan of the SD's, but it's good to see there's a party that actually imposes sanctions on members who lie. It's not something generally seen in Ireland.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭crusd


    It was a statement to the press not an "ethics declaration". And he did divest the shares. 1 month after being elected but is it the end of the world?

    Interestingly those same shares he sold for 199k are now worth over $500k. Expensive principles



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    His Dublin City Council ethics declaration in June claimed he'd sold the shares before entering politics

    He had not even sold them at the time.

    I don't care about his media claims, I care about someone from an apparently cleaner than clean party lying through their teeth on an ethics declaration.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,084 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Fair play to the SocDems, suspended without any hiding or prevarication. There will be plenty of detractors and a fuss, and probably bad press but do the right thing immediately, get out in front of it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Party definitely doing the right thing. Right thing for Hayes to do now is let there be a by-election.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,052 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Hoist by his and their own sanctimonious bs.

    He should have just declared and whoever didn't like didn't have to like it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,849 ✭✭✭Brussels Sprout


    Is suspension basically "You're out and not coming back" or is it more akin to Nessa Hourigan losing the whip for 6 months?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,975 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Can be either or anything in between

    "Where the Party Leader(s) deem(s) a matter involving an elected representative of the Party to be significant and urgent, the Leader(s) may, having consulted with the Party Chairperson, suspend the Party Whip from that elected representative, which suspension will continue until the matter is investigated and determined upon in line with fair procedures where an investigation is reasonably possible to conduct, or for a specified period of time or until a specified event has occurred or a specified action has been taken;"



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 460 ✭✭Rooks


    Swift response from the Social Democrats. The right move.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 760 ✭✭✭cheese sandwich


    ROFL at the posters trying to suggest this portrays the Soc Dems in a good light.

    Even though Hayes (presumably) misled them about when he sold his shares, they still knew he worked for Palantir and profited from its activities. So much for their loudly trumpeted belief in BDS



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭NattyO


    To be fair, he hasn't worked for them for years I believe. If they exclude anyone who has ever worked for a company connected in any way with Israel from ever running for them, they'd have a small enough pool to draw from in Ireland.



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  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,704 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    It matters because it shows incredible stupidity and terrible judgement. There was nothing to hide, many people have been given shares in software startups and private companies over the years, most failed and a few made some money. All he had to do was tell tell the truth, there was nothing to hide. He managed to turn a normal situation into a story that will travel with him for decades by lying in a situation where none was needed. Most people would not trust such a fool to run a tea trolley never mind the affairs of state.

    Every time he makes a gaff in future it will be added to this one because that is how the media sell advertising - the village idiot is at it again makes for better click throughs than a simple mistake.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,849 ✭✭✭Brussels Sprout


    This is a big reach.

    At the time he worked for them they weren't directly profiting from an active Genocide.

    He also left the company years before he joined the Soc Dems.

    Doubtful the party knew anything about this until it blew up in their faces.

    They appear to have acted as they should so, yes, they do look in a good light.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭hotmail.com


    I wonder will the Social Democrats support him resigning from the Dail.

    What a character this Hayes person appears to be.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭hotmail.com


    I've watched the press conference the Social Democrats gave today with Eoin Hayes there with them!!

    What a circus of a party. And Gary Gannon wanted to dictate what questions were being asked by the media. The mask came off today.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,639 ✭✭✭Downlinz


    It's great and rare to see a political party in this country actually holding their members to account. I'm hopeful but not expectant that other parties will follow their lead in maintaining high standards of transparency and professionalism throughout the Dail term.

    In terms of Eoin Hayes, he worked briefly for an American data company in 2015 before they had known contracts with the IDF. I think people are stretching things a little to suggest he should have been following his ex-employers more recent activity to determine if continuing to hold the shares was ethical on an ongoing basis.

    But nonetheless there's a few orange flags with this lad coming from the US and working for a company kickstarted with investment from the CIA along with his evasive response to questioning. I think at the very least he should establish that his position on the genocidal Israeli regime is consistent with the Social Democrats.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭hotmail.com


    He said he got rid of the shares before he entered politics and denied he sold them after it 23 times today.

    Clearly there's something suspicious about him.

    It's probably best if he resigned from the Dail altogether.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,314 ✭✭✭✭expectationlost


    you dont understand why telling the truth matters?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,314 ✭✭✭✭expectationlost


    its been an issue for a ~week since the daily mail asked them about it https://extra.ie/2024/12/05/news/soc-dems-td-eoin-hayes

    and they werent prepared for the press conference :/



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,314 ✭✭✭✭expectationlost


    this is the ethics delcaration peple are referring to his council one where he said he sold his shares dated 26/06/2024

    https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2024-08/combined-ethics-declarations-newly-elected-councillors-compressed_0.pdf now today he says he didn't sell them till July.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,740 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Because he should have been honest when he filled out his disclosure for the council seat.

    Because he should have admitted it to the party hierarchy rather than allowing it to take over the narrative

    Because he should have more respect than to lie in public many times today before eventually disclosing the truth

    This last one shows he’s a moron. He’s a TD in my constituency and he got a mid tier preference from me. This was going come out. The coverup is worse than the “crime”.

    The shares doubled in price since the Gaza conflict began so I suspect the Soc Dems won’t be happy. In true irony, the share price has rocketed since he sold in July. He’d have received €450k now rather than €199k if he sold them now.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,740 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭hotmail.com


    Sinn Fein want him to resign as a TD.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,740 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    That’s what’s going to haunt them. They fronted up to the media for him all the while he was standing behind and then echoed that they were sold before he entered politics. If they didn’t ask him before they were stufpid. However, I would not sit in the Dail with someone who when caught did not stay quiet or avoid making a false statement with me beside them. He has shown that he has no moral fibre, not that unusual in politics but the Soc Dems want to break the mould. GG and the others should out an outright exclusion to bed in the shortest time possible if they want to retain their sanctimonious approach.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,740 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    The underlying issue re Palantienis not really in point. He’s shown himself willing to lie on paper (never asserted a mistake or come clean), to get others to back him up and then express it publicly in front of the media in the face of repeated questioning. He doesn’t have the ethics needed for Soc Dems.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,084 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    When there was such an easy paper trail to follow and catch him out it doesn't suggest he is the brightest lamp in the constituency. What was he thinking?



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,109 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    The title should read "Soc Dem TD apologies cos he was caught".



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭NattyO


    Probably true enough, though it's a hell of a lot more than he'd have gotten from FF/FG/SF.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,052 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    He has the ethics, being overly pure is a problem too, and that's going to cause the Soc Dems a lot of problems.

    He was more concerned about impressing the other holy joes than just saying he had the shares and so what.

    If they are that pure they'll force out half the members and voters



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭hotmail.com


    He wanted to give the impression that he was a do gooder nice leftie.

    He ran a gofundme page to get elected for the city Council whilst sitting on this 200 grand. Some leftie he is.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 500 ✭✭✭NattyO


    Did he?

    That's hilarious. You'd feel like a bit of a fool if you'd donated now.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,181 ✭✭✭✭Geuze


    If a candidate owns an EFT, which owns thousands of equities, is the candidate meant to dispose of the ETF before the election?

    Loads of people indirectly own shares in thousands of companies through pension funds, managed funds, ETFs, etc.

    Is a candidate meant to know the activities of all 1,500 companies in their ETF?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,084 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Kinda clear from his obfuscation and lies that he knew there was need to cover up, no?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,830 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Silly silly mess. If he had held the shares and admitted it, so be it. He sold the shares which is the moral thing to do, so that was good. If he admitted the timeline on all of this, there would have been a bit of noise and nothing else.

    The cover up is worse than the crime here. Can't see him resigning or anything, but suspect he's on his way to becoming a 1 term independent...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,927 ✭✭✭jackboy




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,680 ✭✭✭✭VinLieger


    But that's not what happened here, he worked for them and as far as i know accrued the shares through working for them, he then lied about when he sold the shares. Do you just post false equivalences in every thread you go to?

    Like others have pointed out the main issue is the lie and not the shares themselves. Should he have sold them earlier than he did to avoid being painted as a bit hypocritical? Sure, but that in itself isn't the issue now, again its simply that he lied about when he sold them.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,639 ✭✭✭Downlinz


    The discrepancy is relatively small since he clearly intended to sell those shares and did so soon after when he made the declaration. It's a technicality at most and the core of what he said was true even if the details weren't precise, he did commit to selling his shares once he entered political life it just took him a couple of weeks to get around to selling them.

    Rookie mistakes, but then he is an actual rookie.

    The thing that will leave lasting concern with members and voters is the perception of his indifference towards the actions of Israel in the past year. He seemingly was happy to profit off their actions in that time so it's imperative he clarifies why this wasn't morally troubling for him and explains his views on the current Israeli regime in general.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,232 ✭✭✭Blut2


    double, ignore



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,232 ✭✭✭Blut2


    Lying about owning €200,000 of assets on official government declaration forms is not a "technicality at most".

    What do you think would happen to someone who declined to tell Revenue about €200,000 of assets? Or who was on welfare and declined to tell them about €200,000 of assets?

    That, and his then going out in front of the media and very obviously and deliberately lying repeatedly to the nation about when he sold them, are extremely corrupt behaviour from a TD. They'd be bad from a TD of any party, but especially so from a party like the SocDems that is all about clean politics and being different from the dirty politics of the past.

    That and him going on marches for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, and talking about being very pro-Gaza, while literally holding hundreds of thousands of euros worth of shares in one of the most involved in the Israeli defense forces companies possible, is extremely shady behaviour. How can he have been calling for others to divest when he didn't himself? His word obviously means nothing - hes happy to lie, repeatedly, to get ahead.

    If this had come to light before the election its unlikely he would have won his seat - he only got in on the last count. So realistically he should resign and a by election should be had to fill his seat. He can run again now that the public knows this about him and see how he does.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 896 ✭✭✭mykrodot


    it wasn't a mistake, it was deliberate.

    Soc Dems are trying to put distance between themselves and the old FF/FG parties where lying and misleading the public comes as naturally as telling the truth.

    It has been this way for decades, from Charlie Haughey and his "charvet" shirts, Bertie Ahern insisting on having "no bank accounts between 1987 and 1993 " right up to Simon Harris denying he signed off on the Childrens Hospital only a few weeks ago and Roderic O Gorman denying he sent out tweets in multiple languages inviting asylum seekers to Ireland promising a key to their own house. It's in the DNA of FF and FG to lie (I know ROG is Green). Our broadcasters have allowed this to happen by never asking hard questions, soft ball interviews, lack of serious debate and total media blackout on issues.

    It is admirable that Soc Dems want to start with a clean slate. A very brave and swift response today in suspending Eoin Hayes. This will stand to them. They have gone up quite a few notches in my estimation.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,052 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    There was no crime he just owned shares from years ago That company has some business with Israel, that's all.

    They'll be looking to close Intel next.

    The cover up is an issue



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