nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

The Healy Raes

riemann

Surely a walking argument against democracy?

I don't think I've ever heard any of them say anything that displayed any kind of education or knowledge on a subject.

The amount of air time they get is scandalous.

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

munster87

Mutant z wrote: »

At least they aren't from the same county as me that's all i have to say.

They’re from the same country as you!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I can't abide them but I have to admit they are not as dumb as they make themselves out to be. They have a tremendous support in their constituency and that's all that matters to them.

whisky_galore

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Well for people who lack an education.

They would buy and sell you.

Cute as sh!thouse rats.

Sephiroth_dude

Clowns of the highest order!

diomed

whisky_galore wrote: »

They would buy and sell you.
Cute as sh!thouse rats.

Agree.
They know the time of day.
Educated people are just stupid people with a bit of book learning.

BIGT4464

satguy wrote: »

They work hard for their county. (Kerry) The whole county.

Wasters like Shane Ross only work hard for their D4 constituency, and could care less about the rest of us. HERE

They do a lot of running around but none of that is useful. They just fool people into thinking they are useful.

BIGT4464

Mutant z wrote: »

At least they aren't from the same county as me that's all i have to say.

I'm from the county but don't live there any more. What an embarrassment they are.

whisky_galore

riemann wrote: »

The amount of air time they get is scandalous.

The media fall for it every time, and their supporters love it. Free advertising.

It's the closest thing we have to Trump.

suicide_circus

Michael Healy Rae is the second wealthiest TD in the Dail at 5.4m euro. Beaten to the top spot but good old Michael Lowry at 6.2m euro.

Wanderer78

suicide_circus wrote:

Michael Healy Rae is the second wealthiest TD in the Dail at 5.4m euro. Beaten to the top spot but good old Michael Lowry at 6.2m euro.

Ah shur we all love an ould rags to riches story, man of the people!

whisky_galore

suicide_circus wrote: »

Beaten to the top spot but good old Michael Lowry at 6.2m euro.

Another man loved by his people...

Gravelly

It's hilarious all the posters with a variation on the "but that isn't what they are elected for, they should be legislating on national issues" as if the Dáil were some ancient Greek Boule with Socrates holding forth on the essence of democracy.

That's not how the Dáil works in reality - the Healy-Raes (or any other non-ministerial TD) has little real power to change anything, and the whip system means the government of the day, as long as it has a majority (whether real or artificial, as now) will basically do as it wishes. Your TD is useless to you unless he can effect real change in your local area, and this is where the Healy-Raes excel. Love them or loathe them, they are bloody brilliant at what they do, and they know exactly what a TD's real function is, as opposed to the theoretical function some believe it to be. Realists vote for people like the Healy-Raes, McGrath, Flanagan, Moran, etc. They know how to work the system - if you don't want that to be the case, lobby to change the system, don't blame people for not voting against their own interests.

biko

Irish politics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjl8OIZijjY

Hector Bellend

They're just being culchies.

Thats what culchies do.

greenspurs

Hector Bellend wrote: »

They're just being culchies.

Thats what culchies do.

And you just did what Bellends do ...

Eggs For Dinner

dude_abided wrote: »

I thought they actually did quite well by their constituency from the sounds of it (building Kilgarvan road, providing for area etc). Irrespective of if you like them or not, surely that's showing democracy working?
.

That's only showing how stupid an administration we have, where members of our National Parliament are deemed to be a success for getting a road built from one Godforsaken place to another, while at the same time hundreds of elderly patients are on trollies in A&E

sbsquarepants

riemann wrote: »

Surely a walking argument against democracy?

I don't think I've ever heard any of them say anything that displayed any kind of education or knowledge on a subject.

The amount of air time they get is scandalous.

It's a ratings game and they play it perfectly, the same auld look at those gombeens, shower of imbeciles, nonsense you hear over and over. It makes no sense - how could they be so thick and yet so successful in the cut throat business of politics?

These shower play that constituency like virtuosos on a Stradivarious. No education, lack of knowledge and vast personal wealth are extremely rare bedfellows. Whatever they are - stupid they clearly aren't.

Ol' Donie

One eyed Jack wrote: »

They're politicians, not intellectuals

You got that right.

Dakota Dan

Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »

Gobsheens of the highest order

Bertie was so much better.

Gravelly

Hector Bellend wrote: »

They're just being culchies.

Thats what culchies do.

It wasn't culchies that elected Bertie, Charlie, Liam Lawlor, etc. not to mention head-the-balls like Patricia McKenna, Joe Costello, Richard Boyd-Barrett, Katherine Zappone, etc.

Rechuchote

Jimmy Dags wrote: »

Dose of scour when they start raving on about post offices closing considering they have regional sorting office, parish post office, one daughter a post mistress and another daughter post delivery.

Dose of scour! lolololol! :P:D;)

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Ive a begrudging respect for them and their ability to play the system. In fairness to them, they work very hard and you wont hear a bad word said about them in Kerry.

That said, that they get elected to a national parliament and spend their days sorting medical cards and drainage is ridiculous. The deliver for their constituents, but it should be done at as local level

You've got a point - really, we should have strong, active, powerful county councils and city councils with proper funding, who deal with Fixing The Road type problems, and then send people forward to the Dail for national legislation that's for everyone. Separate out constituency interests from national interests, while giving good local service to the constituencies.

griffin100

Most TDs are little more than glorified county councelllors with little or no power to make any changes, these guys just play the system to a tee and are just better then most of the others at doing so. I have no time for their sh1te and never heard either of them make a sensible contribution to anything until this morning.......

On Pat Kennys radio show Michael was talking about the scheme whereby you can get your medical treatment in the EU for free if you can't get it in Ireland. He spoke about setting up a relationship with a hospital in the north and helping constituents avail of the scheme. He has helped people get surgery in a few weeks who otherwise would be waiting years for the HSE to do anything. Whatever you think of him he has made a real diffferene to these people's lives.

He also have a very sensible overview of why the need for him to do this is ridiculous and why we should be doing these treatment at home. I was surprised and shocked at how good he was. That's not something id ever thought I'd write about a Healy Rae.

badtoro

Politicians are there to be leveraged against state systems and their employees.

The systems are broken, which is why we have the politicians we have.

Will I vote for someone who'll do me a turn? Absofkinlutely.

Would I vote the same way in a perfect world? Doubt it.

Politicians are there to be used, not followed.

Rechuchote

badtoro wrote: »

Politicians are there to be leveraged against state systems and their employees.

The systems are broken, which is why we have the politicians we have.

Will I vote for someone who'll do me a turn? Absofkinlutely.

Would I vote the same way in a perfect world? Doubt it.

Politicians are there to be used, not followed.

So true. Not that the system is broken, but the civil service is, or at least cracked in the rim, at the moment. Tragic when you think of the really wonderful civil servants working within it who are swamped by a horrible culture. (Try getting most departments to answer your phone call when you're seeking their help…)

badtoro

Rechuchote wrote: »

So true. Not that the system is broken, but the civil service is, or at least cracked in the rim, at the moment. Tragic when you think of the really wonderful civil servants working within it who are swamped by a horrible culture. (Try getting most departments to answer your phone call when you're seeking their help…)

I've been doing that with a particular dept since last week. I get through, but never to the right person, leave a message and "Laura" will call you back the 32nd of never :rolleyes:

Fann Linn

They're probably better than most of the countless backbenchers from FF/FG/LP/ SF etc etc who go through complete Dail terms, pick up their wages, expenses and pensions and contribute sfa to either the Dail, state or their constituency.

Rechuchote

badtoro wrote: »

I've been doing that with a particular dept since last week. I get through, but never to the right person, leave a message and "Laura" will call you back the 32nd of never :rolleyes:

Take the "speak Irish" option, often works better…

topper75

If I was from Kerry I'd never vote for anyone but them. They are superb local reps.

I'm in Limerick - we have had TDs who are well into their 'national interest' game, but do zilch for their constituents. Same old depressing self-serving careerist incumbents on the polling card.

For the OP and others who don't consider the Healy Rae lads to be bright - go down so and run against them in the next GE. Can't be too hard and you stand to earn a seat of power worth not a whole lot short of €100,000 p.a.

LaChatteGitane

irishgrover wrote: »

They embody all that is wrong with Irish politics. Pubs and primarily money from public sector seem to have financed their family empire for generations. The also figured out the the most efficient way to ensure a constant flow of public funds directly to their private enterprise is through getting elected first to Co. Co. and they as TDs. I'm not suggesting they are doing anything illegal. They are just highlighting what an inept system we have.
On an individual level they are ignorance personified..... Blocking drink driving laws, claiming electric cars are dangerous in the wet (due to electrocution), talking biblical bull**** about retribution etc etc..... They and their ilk are a ****ing scour on our country....
I have nothing but distain for them personally and all that justify or support their existence in public life...

All true, but would you believe that Danny was promoting electric cars a year ago ? Wonder what he got out of it.
https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20264595_251462828691420_2266669063414034454_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeHdxrMbUnLuJ-OYUw17yDCPfx_vtC5TLHo0RTY7aRh473H2jkWdsotQVAfaiJdW1jmbTYsotv8jG3BfqsMDEYR_b4yl8ygiaOLecqrY7Mqk6A&oh=8cf39ead119cd063ae71b4bac1228df7&oe=5B823D60

Your Face

riemann wrote: »

Surely a walking argument against democracy?

They are a by-product of democracy.