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President Michael D Higgins’ €3,000 a night hotel stays

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    #422
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    WinnyThePoo wrote: »
    Whats the real reason Robert?

    Sabina Higgins spoke out against the 8th amendment.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #423
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Taytoland wrote: »
    Higgins taking the Irish people for a ride and they elect him to do so which is rather amusing.

    Who did you vote for in the last election for your head of state?

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #424
    Turnipman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 789 ✭✭✭Turnipman


    Hotblack Desiato wrote: »
    Who did you vote for in the last election for your head of state?

    That's "for whom" old boy!

    As in "ask not for whom the bell tolls........" (as you probably remember from hedge school!)

    Poor old Mickey Dee would probably have a coronary if he read that vicious assault on his beloved English language!


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    #425
    Hitman3000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,596 ✭✭✭Hitman3000


    batgoat wrote:
    Nope, I think you're overblowing it. Eg the speech you're outraged about is before the International Labour Organisation, it's in line with the audience and isn't saying anything particularly outrageous. Some of the shocking remarks below. Plus a condemnation of engaging in Neo Liberal policies which don't tend to be in line with EU policy as is.


    No outrage here at all but thanks for claiming to know how I feel. It's just funny to hear someone decry capitalism which as a public servant all his working life he should be cognisant of the fact that's it's private business that pays the taxes that afford him the lifestyle he has and does enjoy.


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    #426
    batgoat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,423 ✭✭✭batgoat


    Hitman3000 wrote: »
    No outrage here at all but thanks for claiming to know how I feel. It's just funny to hear someone decry capitalism which as a public servant all his working life he should be cognisant of the fact that's it's private business that pays the taxes that afford him the lifestyle he has and does enjoy.

    So basically making sure that we don't engage in fiscal policies that are of detriment to the social good is a harsh criticism?


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    #427
    Hitman3000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,596 ✭✭✭Hitman3000


    batgoat wrote:
    So basically making sure that we don't engage in fiscal policies that are of detriment to the social good is a harsh criticism?

    Biting the hand that feeds you is what comes to mind. Tbh honest he has some b.s. ideas. He described Castro as a giant among global leaders did he forget the killings under Castro or just choose to ignore them or his support for Ortega another fellow happy to kill protesters in his country.


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    #428
    steves2
    Registered Users Posts: 284 ✭✭steves2


    We really are being taken for a ride if we think it's okay for politicians to live like royalty. Our presidency is a retirement home for already well made politicians like Michael Dee, his pension before the presidency would have been eye watering compared to the average worker. I don't see why our presidents should be paid more than 100k a year, it's not as if they're paying bills in the Aras is it? Don't see what he's done to have people fawning over him, another champagne soliciast with the nose in the trough, his comments on Castro were embarrassing.


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    #429
    Turnipman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 789 ✭✭✭Turnipman


    Hitman3000 wrote: »
    Biting the hand that feeds you is what comes to mind. Tbh honest he has some b.s. ideas. He described Castro as a giant among global leaders did he forget the killings under Castro or just choose to ignore them or his support for Ortega another fellow happy to kill protesters in his country.

    The word is "posturing" - Stumpy is a life long posturer.

    Never forget that he and his fellow "socialist" Bertie Scumm voted in favour of the Albert Reynolds criminal tax amnesty back in 1998.

    The dogs in the street knew precisely who Albert was protecting - but Mickey Dee pocketed his sweetener (TnaG) and walked through the "Ta" lobby like the good lap-dog that he has been throughout his undistinguished political career.

    Willie O'Dea was once succinctly described as "Mighty Man in Limerick, Mighty Mouse in Dublin" and that's an epithet that could equally be applied to Mickey "the occasional socialist" Dee.


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    #430
    RobertKK
    Registered Users Posts: 33,730 ✭✭✭✭RobertKK


    Hotblack Desiato wrote: »
    Sabina Higgins spoke out against the 8th amendment.

    That is hardly a surprise, she is a lefty who welcomed a man who operates death squads in Nicaragua to her home in Galway.
    So now we have on a state website, a picture of Michael D with his murderous friend Daniel Ortega, showing how deluded our president is, and how he condones other presidents killing their own citizens.
    Maybe because Ortega is a poet like Michael...


    Daniel Ortega, the last of Latin America’s historic revolutionary leaders, meanwhile, is digging in. News pictures in the past week have shown trucks unloading stone slabs outside the El Carmen residential neighbourhood in Managua where the 72-year-old Sandinista leader lives with Rosario Murillo, a mystic poet who is his wife, vice-president and heir apparent. The slabs were used to reinforce already high security at the entrances. 
    https://www.ft.com/content/5f341f84-6600-11e8-90c2-9563a0613e56

    https://www.dw.com/en/nicaragua-students-defy-death-threats-to-fight-daniel-ortega-government/a-44813433
    "We, the young people, are here. We're tired of a dictatorial regime, and we're here to tell the international community to exert pressure on our government to effect change," Aleman asserted.

    The opposition wants President Ortega to resign and to allow for early elections in 2019. It is also fighting back against illegal detentions and the staggering death toll, which human rights groups say has reached as high as 350 people since the unrest began in April.

    Don't count on Ireland, our first citizens in the Aras support this mass murderer.


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    #431
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Turnipman wrote: »
    Poor old Mickey Dee would probably have a coronary if he read that vicious assault on his beloved English language!

    It's perfectly cromulent English. Your usage is not incorrect, but it is archaic.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #432
    Edgware
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Edgware


    RobertKK wrote: »
    Was the election campaign promise that he would only serve one term - honest> Is he a man of his word?
    Is his word his bond?
    Why should we believe anything he says in the upcoming campaign? When his words are just words and hold no bond?

    He can speak of poverty while living like a monarch. There is a great contradiction. Not much being a man of just words - words he doesn't stand by, while spending taxpayers money for trivial things like using the government jet to fly to Kerry for a concert, or back and forth to France for soccer games in 2016. He can speak about it, but he make sure he doesn't have experience any of it as he lives the good life.

    He is a Socialist. What would you expect?


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    #433
    Turnipman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 789 ✭✭✭Turnipman


    Hotblack Desiato wrote: »
    It's perfectly cromulent English. Your usage is not incorrect, but it is archaic.

    Mine is Beethoven; yours Bay City Roller.


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    #434
    Ash.J.Williams
    Registered Users Posts: 20,929 ✭✭✭✭Ash.J.Williams


    RobertKK wrote: »
    That is hardly a surprise, she is a lefty who welcomed a man who operates death squads in Nicaragua to her home in Galway.
    So now we have on a state website, a picture of Michael D with his murderous friend Daniel Ortega, showing how deluded our president is, and how he condones other presidents killing their own citizens.
    Maybe because Ortega is a poet like Michael...


    Daniel Ortega, the last of Latin America’s historic revolutionary leaders, meanwhile, is digging in. News pictures in the past week have shown trucks unloading stone slabs outside the El Carmen residential neighbourhood in Managua where the 72-year-old Sandinista leader lives with Rosario Murillo, a mystic poet who is his wife, vice-president and heir apparent. The slabs were used to reinforce already high security at the entrances. 
    https://www.ft.com/content/5f341f84-6600-11e8-90c2-9563a0613e56

    https://www.dw.com/en/nicaragua-students-defy-death-threats-to-fight-daniel-ortega-government/a-44813433



    Don't count on Ireland, our first citizens in the Aras support this mass murderer.

    It's a 70s college thing, all the Irish students took an interest in the oppressed abroad without ever going over to see for themselves


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    #435
    YFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    boardise wrote: »
    I would also be willing to bet that many of those who airily proclaim that they're ok with Higgsy flying around the globe making speeches are among the first to start bellyaching when Ministers go abroad around St. Patrick's day with a clear purpose to network to Ireland's advantage.

    lol.how did you come up with that analysis?


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    #436
    spurshero
    Registered Users Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭spurshero


    steves2 wrote: »
    We really are being taken for a ride if we think it's okay for politicians to live like royalty. Our presidency is a retirement home for already well made politicians like Michael Dee, his pension before the presidency would have been eye watering compared to the average worker. I don't see why our presidents should be paid more than 100k a year, it's not as if they're paying bills in the Aras is it? Don't see what he's done to have people fawning over him, another champagne soliciast with the nose in the trough, his comments on Castro were embarrassing.

    And what happened too his running once and once only . If he Serves another term he will have earned about 5 mill while president . Wouldn’t ya think at 77 he would let somebody else have a go and enjoy his retirement . Nothing worse then greed


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    #437
    YFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    ziggyman17 wrote: »
    There is a lot of that in this country..
    spurshero wrote: »
    And what happened too his running once and once only . If he Serves another term he will have earned about 5 mill while president . Wouldn’t ya think at 77 he would let somebody else have a go and enjoy his retirement . Nothing worse then greed

    That is a loser mentality. Do you think Sugar and Levy have the same attitude?


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    #438
    spurshero
    Registered Users Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭spurshero


    YFlyer wrote: »
    That is a loser mentality. Do you think Sugar and Levy have the same attitude?

    What’s a loser mentality . Micheal d said he was running once and once only . The man is a liar . Not sure why your comparing micheal d to Higgins and levy .he Probaly Has as much money as them at this stage . Still he’s the last of the great socialists !!! Fair play he has the daughter in the senate for more easy money . Great people though


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    #439
    YFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    He is entitle to change his mind.


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    #440
    spurshero
    Registered Users Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭spurshero


    YFlyer wrote: »
    He is entitle to change his mind.

    Whatever I’ve my bit said


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    #441
    YFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    spurshero wrote: »
    Whatever I’ve my bit said


    Ok dude ;)


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    #442
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users Posts: 28,733 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    Don't like him, don't rate him, and think he's just using it as a retirement plan with another pension. Another overpaid TD living off the taxpayer for life (and people complain about the unemployed).

    That said, he IS currently the Head of State and as such you can't expect him to be staying in AirB&B's or dingy hotels either.

    It might be expensive but it's part of the role. Trump doesn't need to fly around in a custom 747 either, but it's as much about the impressions it makes on other nations (power, wealth, modernity) as a means transport.


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    #443
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    I don't see any better candidate waiting in the wings, I do see some really bad ones though. I don't like the Castro/Chavez stuff either. Bitching about the pay scale, hotels etc. is just childish, the president does not determine his own pay or book his own hotels so aim the complaints at the correct target. Do we want to look like some sort of poverty stricken nation with our head of state flying Ryanair and staying in AirBnBs? There's orders of magnitude more money wasted on stuff that never makes the tabloid headlines.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #444
    DChancer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 234 ✭✭DChancer


    I didn't vote for Bilbo Baggins last time and wont be voting for him this time.
    He openly lied saying he would serve only one term.
    As to his love of the jet setting luxury lifestyle let him pay for it out of his huge salary.
    3 grand a night hotel for the Hobbit and then the same hobbit is whinging that the Gov are not doing enough about poverty and homelessness, total fraud!


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    #445
    freshpopcorn
    Registered Users Posts: 30,309 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    I'm not overly pushed about the fella. I don't love him or hate him. Wouldn't care about him spending money on hotel rooms. The only thing I think tough is he isn't as down to Earth as some people make him out to be.


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    #446
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Since when has it become acceptable to abuse someone because of their height?

    The juvenile digs say a lot about the people making them.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #447
    Turnipman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 789 ✭✭✭Turnipman


    Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

    Since when has it become acceptable to abuse someone because of their height?


    Since the start of written history! Thanks for asking - I always enjoy educating the ignorant.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_dwarf


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    #448
    batgoat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,423 ✭✭✭batgoat


    Turnipman wrote: »
    Since the start of written history! Thanks for asking - I always enjoy educating the ignorant.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_dwarf

    So you view it as all good to mock actual dwarfism as well? I'm hoping you don't cause that's incredibly nasty and hurtful.


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    #449
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,126 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Turnipman wrote: »
    Since the start of written history! Thanks for asking - I always enjoy educating the ignorant.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_dwarf

    Like I said.
    The juvenile digs say a lot about the people making them.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #450
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    spurshero wrote: »
    A If he Serves another term he will have earned about 5 mill while president .

    ?

    250k by 14 = 3.5m (taxable by the way so really about half that)

    While President he is donating his Oireachtas Pension to the State and has turned down the increases due under PS pay restoration

    He would be getting quite a good State Pension for doing nothing for these years so, whatever his reasons for running, it isn't about money


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    #451
    topper75
    Registered Users Posts: 5,942 ✭✭✭topper75


    Joeytheparrot wrote: »
    Thankfully most Irish people would not support Sharkeys narrow racist vision.

    He wants to put checks on immigration. He wants to ensure that our culture is not eroded or homogenised because he values it and there believes that it is worth protecting.
    I don't think, as you claim, that he believes in one race being superior to another.
    We are not the world. We are Irish. Is that 'narrow'?
    I am not international. I am Irish. I am not one bit ashamed of that either. Somebody who would instead project that would make for a great president.
    He is a man of the arts every bit as much as Higgins. He doesn't have any posh socialist baggage with him.
    I think that might be of interest to most Irish people.


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