Locals Galway City 2019

SparchandCans · 05-01-2019 6:18pm #1

General thread for the locals 2019. Post candidates and news stories and that ****e in one place.

Who/which party are you voting for? Who's running? Does it matter? It's all the play for

SparchandCans · 05-01-2019 6:39pm

05-01-2019 7:10pm

Hi brand new account

jjpep · 05-01-2019 7:17pm

Does it matter - yes.

I'll be voting for whoever will be allocating budget and resources away from car traffic prioritization and towards cycling/public transport/walking.

Probably the biggest issue I see wrong with Galway is the car traffic.

flazio · 05-01-2019 8:06pm

When is it happening?

Mrs OBumble · 05-01-2019 8:22pm

In my world a local is a pub close to my house!

Obviously to a political animal it's a different type of beast.

gordongekko · 05-01-2019 8:28pm

I was expecting a thread on the local weirdos....some might say that's exactly what it is

Whereisgalway · 06-01-2019 1:00am

SparchandCans wrote: »

As of Jan 5th there is:

East ward:

Terry O'Fatherty|Ind (Cllr)
Declan McDonnell|Ind (Cllr)
Mike Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Mairead Farrell|SF (Cllr)
Noel Larkin|Ind (Cllr)
John Walsh|FG (Cllr)
Alan Cheevers|FF
Owen Hanley|Soc Dems
Conor Burke|Solidarty

Central ward:

Mike Cubbard|Ind (Cllr)
Ollie Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Frank Fahy|FG (Cllr)
Padraig Connelly|FG (Cllr)
Mark Lohan|SF (Co-option)
Joe Loughnane|PBP
Sharon Nolan|Soc Dems
Martina O'Connor|Greens

West Ward:

Donal Lyons|Ind (Cllr)
Colette Connolly|Ind (Co-option)
Peter Keane|FF (Clrr)
Pearce Flannery|FG (Cllr)
Neil McNelis|Lab (Cllr)
Cathal O Conchuir|SF (Cllr)
Pauline O'Reilly|Greens
John Crowley|Soc Dems

Is Colette Connolly the only non elected cllr? She was put there via a loop hole when her sister became a TD

spurshero · 06-01-2019 1:32am

No mark Lohan as well

GerardKeating · 06-01-2019 11:19am

Whereisgalway wrote: »

Is Colette Connolly the only non elected cllr? She was put there via a loop hole when her sister became a TD

It is not a legal loophole, "Co opting" replacements is the perscrible legal method of filling casual vacencies for Local Government in Ireland. Something simular is used for the European Parliment, where each elected MEP has a list of designated replacements.

Some might argue it is fairer than By-Elections for smaller parties or Independants, a party that got the 4th or 5th seat in a constituency won't win a by-election, and would lose the seat to the large parties.

youngrun · 06-01-2019 12:53pm

Is that the full list, are all declared now ?
Who are the Solidarity Party and PBP party

sgthighway · 06-01-2019 1:44pm

OP why don’t you get the ball rolling on it.

Smegging hell · 06-01-2019 11:10pm

youngrun wrote: »

Is that the full list, are all declared now ?
Who are the Solidarity Party and PBP party

Trotskyists. I don't see either winning but it will be interesting to see how they fare.

Red_Wake · 07-01-2019 12:57pm

Smegging hell wrote: »

Trotskyists. I don't see either winning but it will be interesting to see how they fare.

Don't think they'll do well, Loughnane is their most recognised name[crackpot that he is], but he's in the ward where nearly everyone is an established name[apart form Mark Lohan], so his chances are fairly slim[which is a good thing].

youngrun · 07-01-2019 5:13pm

Red_Wake wrote: »

Don't think they'll do well, Loughnane is their most recognised name[crackpot that he is], but he's in the ward where nearly everyone is an established name[apart form Mark Lohan], so his chances are fairly slim[which is a good thing].

How many seats in each ward does anyone know? In that ward Central Conneely just about hung on last time may struggle this time out
Lot of well established names there otherwise will be hard to shift unless the new names get the younger vote out I reckon.

nuac · 07-01-2019 7:29pm

Red_Wake wrote: »

Don't think they'll do well, Loughnane is their most recognised name[crackpot that he is], but he's in the ward where nearly everyone is an established name[apart form Mark Lohan], so his chances are fairly slim[which is a good thing].

Any relation of Bill Loughnane?

Mearings · 07-01-2019 8:38pm

nuac wrote: »

Any relation of Bill Loughnane?

Bill who?

TerrorFirmer · 07-01-2019 9:51pm

youngrun wrote: »

How many seats in each ward does anyone know? In that ward Central Conneely just about hung on last time may struggle this time out
Lot of well established names there otherwise will be hard to shift unless the new names get the younger vote out I reckon.

Yes that was my thinking too, I suspect he may hang up the hat at the next elections and go out on a controlled positive.

He barely made it last time, just about pipped it.

RE: Collete Connelly, yes it's not a 'loophole' but ethically I was very surprised at Catherine Connolly. The people had their say, she was rejected soundly at the polls, only to be re-instated via co-opting.

Catherine Connolly is one of very few extremely honest politicians who go about their work without seeking publicity or glory. Don't get me wrong - plenty of other good politicians out there - but she genuinely doesn't seek out attention or coverage of the tireless work she pursues....at all.

She does great work at PAC level and raises very important issues in the Dáil too, most of which gets no coverage because she doesn't chase it.

But I was quite disappointed to see her co-opt Collette to City Hall.

She's a good TD though, and actually fulfills the role of what a TD is supposed to do a lot better than most of the other TDs.

Anyway, out of the list can't see many, if any, non-councillors getting seats unless a few step down.

Smegging hell · 07-01-2019 10:15pm

nuac wrote: »

Any relation of Bill Loughnane?

No, unless they're distantly related.

topcat77 · 08-01-2019 10:57am

Please not "Padraig Connelly" !!!!

He's not in my ward but please Central voters don't do it!

https://connachttribune.ie/cllr-padraig-conneely-is-donald-trump-of-galway-300/

xckjoo · 08-01-2019 1:19pm

topcat77 wrote: »

Please not "Padraig Connelly" !!!!

He's not in my ward but please Central voters don't do it!

https://connachttribune.ie/cllr-padraig-conneely-is-donald-trump-of-galway-300/

How is he still being rolled out for election? Have FG nobody younger? Must have dirt on the right people :pac:

biko · 08-01-2019 6:35pm

Argue the politics, not the person.

08-01-2019 8:52pm

biko wrote: »

Argue the politics, not the person.

Kinda hard to do when the person is a politician and are asking to be elected based on what they have done, said, promise to do.

How do we talk about the election if we can't talk about the candidates and their performance/antics etc?

Honestly curious and your post was not bolded so I'm assuming its not mod direction

ben.schlomo · 08-01-2019 10:57pm

biko wrote: »

Argue the politics, not the person.

Bizarre instruction. I assume the below is the sort of thing we should be doing so.

I'm voting FG candidate number two, but Fianna Fail candidate number 1 sure is a nice guy, then there's Sinn Fein number 1 who shouldn't be discounted, who knows maybe Independent will make a run for it!!!!!

Whereisgalway · 08-01-2019 11:07pm

biko wrote: »

Argue the politics, not the person.

The Candid it and the person are intertwined, one can’t exist without the other. It would be wrong talk about the politics without talking about the person

biko · 09-01-2019 10:02am

That was in response to "have they noone younger", "dirt on right people"

Ok, back on topic please

zell12 · 09-01-2019 10:17am

The key is turnout. Tell all the young folk to go out and vote, otherwise, tell em to shut up about those issues
Housing, Traffic, Planning, public office accountability, etc, all affect them for the next five years

xckjoo · 09-01-2019 11:07am

biko wrote: »

That was in response to "have they noone younger", "dirt on right people"

Ok, back on topic please

My point was that the average age of FG candidates must be north of 50 at this stage. They keep trotting out the same old people and seem to be making no effort to bring in new blood. Hildegarde being the only exception I can think of.

The dirt comment was a tongue-in-cheek poke at the stereotype of politicians being a dirty game of cloak and daggers. I wasn't trying to imply that he actually has a big folder of blackmail material.

biko · 09-01-2019 1:03pm

No worries, just remember that politicians as well as voters can read comments on this public forum.

xckjoo · 09-01-2019 1:12pm

biko wrote: »

No worries, just remember that politicians as well as voters can read comments on this public forum.

Except for those that sill use the fax machine as their primary method of communicating :pac:

flazio · 09-01-2019 1:17pm

biko wrote: »

No worries, just remember that politicians as well as voters can read comments on this public forum.

As can solicitors.

xckjoo · 09-01-2019 1:28pm

Anybody thinking of taking their vote in a different direction to normal? Protest vote, shake up or otherwise?
Some of the Soc Dems appeal to me individually, but the party doesn't seem to have any cohesion. Hopefully they'll get sorted before their people just get folded into the other existing parties.

youngrun · 10-01-2019 10:57am

xckjoo wrote: »

Anybody thinking of taking their vote in a different direction to normal? Protest vote, shake up or otherwise?
Some of the Soc Dems appeal to me individually, but the party doesn't seem to have any cohesion. Hopefully they'll get sorted before their people just get folded into the other existing parties.

A lot of the youngsters standing seem to be part of newer parties eg Soc Dems, PBP

topcat77 · 10-01-2019 11:27am

I'm not sure how a protest vote could happen.

this is my understanding of city politics of late.

A few councilors squabble like children which disrupts and reduces every council meeting to a farcical circus.

The civil servants that are actually running the council barely acknowledge the councilors if not blankly ignore them outright.

I've had contact with a few councilors in the west and they've been helpful and genuinely nice people. they'll get my vote on that basis and not who they are politically affiliated with.

Bredabe · 10-01-2019 12:44pm

topcat77 wrote: »

I'm not sure how a protest vote could happen.

this is my understanding of city politics of late.

A few councilors squabble like children which disrupts and reduces every council meeting to a farcical circus.

The civil servants that are actually running the council barely acknowledge the councilors if not blankly ignore them outright.

I've had contact with a few councilors in the west and they've been helpful and genuinely nice people. they'll get my vote on that basis and not who they are politically affiliated with.

When I was newer to the area than now, I contacted local and adjacent cllr candidates about issues that impact on this district. Same experience as you, one in five of the locals responded beyond the 'send me the info' stage, at least two who knew I couldn't vote for them, went over and above to stear me right.
I know ppl dont like parish pump politics, but it says a lot about the candidates I've found.

RainNeverBow · 10-01-2019 4:41pm

The Galway Ad is covered with them this week. Funny to see Mairead Farrell and Conor Burke talking about the exact same thing. Socialists on the same page I suppose

what_traffic · 10-01-2019 5:33pm

SparchandCans wrote: »

As of Jan 5th there is:

East ward:

Terry O'Fatherty|Ind (Cllr)
Declan McDonnell|Ind (Cllr)
Mike Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Mairead Farrell|SF (Cllr)
Noel Larkin|Ind (Cllr)
John Walsh|FG (Cllr)
Alan Cheevers|FF
Owen Hanley|Soc Dems
Conor Burke|Solidarty

Central ward:

Mike Cubbard|Ind (Cllr)
Ollie Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Frank Fahy|FG (Cllr)
Padraig Connelly|FG (Cllr)
Mark Lohan|SF (Co-option)
Joe Loughnane|PBP
Sharon Nolan|Soc Dems
Martina O'Connor|Greens

West Ward:

Donal Lyons|Ind (Cllr)
Colette Connolly|Ind (Co-option)
Peter Keane|FF (Clrr)
Pearce Flannery|FG (Cllr)
Neil McNelis|Lab (Cllr)
Cathal O Conchuir|SF (Cllr)
Pauline O'Reilly|Greens
John Crowley|Soc Dems

All the Cllrs in Bold were former members of (other) Political Party's.

East ward:
Terry O'Fatherty|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Declan McDonnell|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Mike Crowe|FF (Cllr)Independent
Central ward:

West Ward:

Donal Lyons|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Colette Connolly|Ind (Co-option)Labour
Neil McNelis|Lab (Cllr)Fine Gael

Have I missed any?

what_traffic · 10-01-2019 5:42pm

youngrun wrote: »

A lot of the youngsters standing seem to be part of newer parties eg Soc Dems, PBP

Some of the sitting Cllrs have been sitting in City Hall since 1991

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Galway_City_Council_election

youngrun · 11-01-2019 10:17am

what_traffic wrote: »

Some of the sitting Cllrs have been sitting in City Hall since 1991

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Galway_City_Council_election

Some famous names there..

Those there the longest have done a very good job for their areas .

Council is really a representative role as well as pushing the city management along, not sure how much influence at National level they can have with the key bodies eg NTA, HSE, Dept of Housing etc , re traffic, housing, health but I dont have enough knowledge re the ins and outs,

Bredabe · 11-01-2019 12:35pm

youngrun wrote: »

Some famous names there..

Those there the longest have done a very good job for their areas .

Council is really a representative role as well as pushing the city management along, not sure how much influence at National level they can have with the key bodies eg NTA, HSE, Dept of Housing etc , re traffic, housing, health but I dont have enough knowledge re the ins and outs,

From talking to cllr's and td's, I think this is an accurate assessment of their scope. When I interacted with them, the two things I heard most commonly where 'I have no power over that' and 'I can only ask this if enough ppl ask me too'

xckjoo · 11-01-2019 12:48pm

Bredabe wrote: »

From talking to cllr's and td's, I think this is an accurate assessment of their scope. When I interacted with them, the two things I heard most commonly where 'I have no power over that' and 'I can only ask this if enough ppl ask me too'

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

Bredabe · 11-01-2019 12:58pm

xckjoo wrote: »

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

I brought educational discrimination up to a cllr candidate(as I wanted it brought up at national level), he told me to my face he wasn't going to 'touch that'. So I did the same.

what_traffic · 11-01-2019 1:58pm

xckjoo wrote: »

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

That's true.
The Cllrs now have very little say in what happens. Only time they have big influence/power is ZONING time when City Development plans(that's every 6/7 years ) are cobbled together, other than that the Council Executive rule the roost.

11-01-2019 3:22pm

Most of their powers were removed over the years due to corruption and basic ineptitude.

Even with the little power they do have, zoning, there is often crazy shenanigans.

There is a strong argument for removing even zoning powers from them

xckjoo · 11-01-2019 3:30pm

So this all begs the question, what exactly do the local Councillors do? Is there somewhere that outlines the responsibilities of the position?

Gadgetman496 · 11-01-2019 3:38pm

xckjoo wrote: »

So this all begs the question, what exactly do the local Councillors do? Is there somewhere that outlines the responsibilities of the position?

They make representations on behalf of people that ask them to do so, very little else.

topcat77 · 11-01-2019 4:16pm

I think there is a place for them in modern politics but not 18 for the city of Galway. I'd say max 3 for each ward (9 in total).

RainNeverBow · 11-01-2019 4:28pm

Is that Dara Bradley one in the tribune always so bad? Picked it up today in the library and he's just awful

RainNeverBow · 11-01-2019 4:29pm

topcat77 wrote: »

I think there is a place for them in modern politics but not 18 for the city of Galway. I'd say max 3 for each ward (9 in total).

If we picked the top three of the current wards we would have 3 Fianna Failers, 3 former PDs, 2 indps and FG. No thanks

Bredabe · 11-01-2019 4:57pm

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

They make representations on behalf of people that ask them to do so, very little else.

The only time I heard about the cllr for where im sofa surfing atm is when he got the oldies money for more flowers!.

Only a priority for a small % of the residents.

Gadgetman496 · 11-01-2019 5:00pm

Bredabe wrote: »

The only time I heard about the cllr for where im sofa surfing atm is when he got the oldies money for more flowers!.

Only a priority for a small % of the residents.

The oldies must have asked him for more flowers so

Locals Galway City 2019

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