The Curious Case of Violet-Anne Wynne

blanch152 · 14-02-2020 12:22pm #1

Our new TD from Clare has a strange history and stranger views it seems.

Firstly, it seems that she is a former anti-vaxxer.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2020/they-dont-reflect-my-current-view-or-sinn-fein-policy-td-retracts-controversial-hpv-comments-38954563.html

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2020/sinn-fein-td-made-attack-on-the-hpv-vaccine-38952559.html

"On Facebook, she compared the dangers posed by the "ingredients" in vaccinations to changing where you buy coffee.

The first-time TD also said the compulsory vaccination of children, which was introduced in Italy, was "medical tyranny""

Mad conspiracy theory stuff from her. She has now retracted it, but as in the case of the SF MEP who had similar mad views, will she refuse to confirm whether her own children have been vaccinated? This type of dangerous nonsense from any of our public representatives just shouldn't happen.

And then there is her history of paying (or rather not paying) rent.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/5096652/sinn-fein-violet-anne-wynne-charity-rent-arrears/

When I saw the headline, I was thinking that maybe she was refusing on principle to pay €3,000 a month to some vulture fund. Not at all. She owes €12k to a charity, yes a charity that subsequently went bust due to lack of funding. €63 a week for four years is what she refused to pay!!

This isn't someone without an education surviving on the breadline - she has a degree in psychology. Am I the only one to think that the people of Clare were mad to elect her a TD?

There is a view out there that Sinn Fein are the party of the entitlement class who want everything for nothing and someone else to pay for it. It seems that at least one of their TDs is trying to show the way that can be done.

And what did Eoin O'Broin do this morning when he was asked about it? Attacked the journalist and the newspaper. Shooting the messenger and whataboutery seem to be the standard defence of "new politics".

I am sure that there will be more to come out about this woman but Sinn Fein have shown a strange inability to be out in front of these stories in the last few days.

Eric Cartman · 14-02-2020 12:27pm

Theres so much coming out of the woodwork about shinners. Looks like the people of clare effectively elected a gemma o doherty type

blanch152 · 14-02-2020 12:30pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Theres so much coming out of the woodwork about shinners. Looks like the people of clare effectively elected a gemma o doherty type

He partner is named as John Montaine.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/3414950/judge-fines-epileptic-clare-man-36-who-lost-his-teeth-due-to-seizures-e100-for-possessing-cannabis-which-stopped-his-convulsions/

He wouldn't be the same John Montaine in this article who appears to believe in quackery cures, would he?

jimwallace197 · 14-02-2020 12:38pm

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

What about Dara Murphy claiming fraudulently for expenses he did not incur.
What about Josepha Madigan encouraging Maria Bailey to go ahead with a false claim.
What about Maria Bailey herself going with ahead with the false claim all the while we have the so called Taoiseach saying he wanted to do something about the compensation culture in this country and help the people who get up early in the morning to work.

What about the sheer incompetence of Eoghan Murphy, Simon Harris, Regina Doherty among many other tds of theirs.

It's what you do in office that counts, and going by how the last government acted, its no surprise the electorate had enough even if the heavily biased media don't agree

Stark · 14-02-2020 12:42pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

What about Dara Murphy claiming fraudulently for expenses he did not incur.
What about Josepha Madigan encouraging Maria Bailey to go ahead with a false claim.
What about Maria Bailey herself going with ahead with the false claim all the while we have the so called Taoiseach saying he wanted to do something about the compensation culture in this country and help the people who get up early in the morning to work.

What about the sheer incompetence of Eoghan Murphy, Simon Harris, Regina Doherty among many other tds of theirs.

It's what you do in office that counts, and going by how the last government acted, its no surprise the electorate had enough even if the heavily biased media don't agree

What about whataboutery?

seamus · 14-02-2020 12:44pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments going comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

Yes, nobody from FF or FG ever had their historical online statements used against them in the media during the election.

Oh, no, wait...

Sinn Féin are going to have to stop playing the victim card here pretty soon. They had a reasonable claim to do so for a while, but the more you cry victim, the less effect it's going to have.

People are going to tire of every criticism of Sinn Féin being responded to with whataboutery and claims that the media are ganging up against them. That's pure Trumpism and it's very transparent.

Her previous views are very much relevant, especially if they're from the last few years and they are the kind that pose a grave risk to the public. Like anti-vax statements.

Step number 1 in being put on the politicial ticket should be scrubbing your online history. I'm surprised that Sinn Féin of all parties don't know this.

blanch152 · 14-02-2020 12:47pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

What about Dara Murphy claiming fraudulently for expenses he did not incur.
What about Josepha Madigan encouraging Maria Bailey to go ahead with a false claim.
What about Maria Bailey herself going with ahead with the false claim all the while we have the so called Taoiseach saying he wanted to do something about the compensation culture in this country and help the people who get up early in the morning to work.

What about the sheer incompetence of Eoghan Murphy, Simon Harris, Regina Doherty among many other tds of theirs.

It's what you do in office that counts, and going by how the last government acted, its no surprise the electorate had enough even if the heavily biased media don't agree

blanch152 wrote: »

Shooting the messenger and whataboutery seem to be the standard defence of "new politics".

It didn't take long for the whataboutery to start, did it? Accusations of bias against the media following as well! Only thing left is a personal attack on me!

As for the defence, "it's what you do in office that counts"? Maria Bailey wasn't in office when she fell off the swing, and consulted her lawyers. I should have included hypocrisy as one of the common elements of the "new politics" defence.

RandomViewer · 14-02-2020 12:51pm

Since when did the Sun become a vaguely credible source?

j8wk2feszrnpao · 14-02-2020 12:51pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

What about Dara Murphy claiming fraudulently for expenses he did not incur.
What about Josepha Madigan encouraging Maria Bailey to go ahead with a false claim.
What about Maria Bailey herself going with ahead with the false claim all the while we have the so called Taoiseach saying he wanted to do something about the compensation culture in this country and help the people who get up early in the morning to work.

What about the sheer incompetence of Eoghan Murphy, Simon Harris, Regina Doherty among many other tds of theirs.

It's what you do in office that counts, and going by how the last government acted, its no surprise the electorate had enough even if the heavily biased media don't agree

What about dealing with the topic?

If her previous views are strange, and esp with regards to anti-vaccine, it's a cause of concern that someone like that would have a position of influence.

As for "most GP's don't vaccinate their kids", my guess is it won't be backed up with a single shred of viable evidence.

zoobizoo · 14-02-2020 12:54pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

Yes, imagine holding people to account for what they've stated.

14-02-2020 12:54pm

I live in Clare, and it's clear that SF didn't vet her at all. Two other more viable candidates didn't run, so they chanced an unknown. A little digging, and a litany of red flags were unearthed. Leaving enormous rent arrears in her wake without any discernable conscience, and now the tinfoil shenanigans. Not to mention having a convicted criminal for a boyfriend. If this is the quality of candidate SF are running, then they're in for a rude awakening at the ballot box in a few months.

blanch152 · 14-02-2020 12:54pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

Since when did the Sun become a vaguely credible source?

blanch152 wrote: »

Shooting the messenger and whataboutery seem to be the standard defence of "new politics".

.

Bingo again, the standard defence of shooting the messenger. Will the Clare Champion do as an alternative source?

https://clarechampion.ie/poll-topper-asked-to-donate-e12000-rent-arrears-to-homeless-charity/

j8wk2feszrnpao · 14-02-2020 12:55pm

That poor daughter. I really hope she doesn't eventually suffer badly due to such poor parenting. That is closer to child abuse than not getting it.

One eyed Jack · 14-02-2020 1:02pm

blanch152 wrote: »

Our new TD from Clare has a strange history and stranger views it seems.

Mad conspiracy theory stuff from her. She has now retracted it, but as in the case of the SF MEP who had similar mad views, will she refuse to confirm whether her own children have been vaccinated? This type of dangerous nonsense from any of our public representatives just shouldn't happen.

Questioning a public representative about their private family life is what shouldn’t happen. Just because they are public representatives themselves doesn’t mean their private and family life is open to the public.

j8wk2feszrnpao · 14-02-2020 1:03pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Questioning a public representative about their private family life is what shouldn’t happen. Just because they are public representatives themselves doesn’t mean their private and family life is open to the public.

She went public with her views.
It's not like their family home was bugged and the tape released.

washman3 · 14-02-2020 1:04pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I live in Clare, and it's clear that SF didn't vet her at all. Two other more viable candidates didn't run, so they chanced an unknown. A little digging, and a litany of red flags were unearthed. Leaving enormous rent arrears in her wake without any discernable conscience, and now the tinfoil shenanigans. Not to mention having a convicted criminal for a boyfriend. If this is the quality of candidate SF are running, then they're in for a rude awakening at the ballot box in a few months.

Your username gives the game away..;)
Check out Liam Lawlor and Ivor Callely and even Bertie's old running mate Cyprian Brady who was once elected with a few hundred votes but on the back of Bertie's massive surplus (thanks to the Drumcondra Mafia)
Doubt if there's a single party without a few skeletons.....
And BTW i did not vote SF last week but definately will if there's another needless G.E. in a few weeks.

zoobizoo · 14-02-2020 1:05pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Questioning a public representative about their private family life is what shouldn’t happen. Just because they are public representatives themselves doesn’t mean their private and family life is open to the public.

This person stated publicly her beliefs on vaccinations - she put it in the public realm.

markodaly · 14-02-2020 1:07pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

Comedy gold right here.

Yes, the media are one homogenous group, arent they?
The media have been going after the government for the past 9 years and putting a spotlight on every single failure, rightly or wrongly.
We are one of the best countries in the world to live in, yet by some measure, we are the worst according to those who are easily swayed namely SF types.

If now the media are going after SF, well too bad. This is what it means when you are playing senior hurling.

However, I guess SF types would love to shut the media up.
Here is a tweet from a Dublin based SF councilor advocating media 'oversight' and restrictions. I guess they would also curb anti-SF posts on boards... :pac:

https://twitter.com/EFFanning/status/1227600001876070400

j8wk2feszrnpao · 14-02-2020 1:07pm

washman3 wrote: »

Your username gives the game away..;)
Check out Liam Lawlor and Ivor Callely and even Bertie's old running mate Cyprian Brady who was once elected with a few hundred votes but on the back of Bertie's massive surplus (thanks to the Drumcondra Mafia)
Doubt if there's a single party without a few skeletons.....
And BTW i did not vote SF last week but definately will if there's another needless G.E. in a few weeks.

You may be seeing things from a predefined perspective.
This is more whataboutery. This isn't about Ahern.

zoobizoo · 14-02-2020 1:10pm

munstermagic11 wrote: »

This is more whataboutery.

SF are experts at whataboutery.

gmisk · 14-02-2020 1:16pm

blanch152 wrote: »

He partner is named as John Montaine.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/3414950/judge-fines-epileptic-clare-man-36-who-lost-his-teeth-due-to-seizures-e100-for-possessing-cannabis-which-stopped-his-convulsions/

He wouldn't be the same John Montaine in this article who appears to believe in quackery cures, would he?

What am I missing here?
What quackery I thought cannabis oil is now believed to help some people with seizures etc?
Ok he did it before it was legal (which I think it is now?)..but your making him sound like some nut job.

seamus · 14-02-2020 1:18pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Questioning a public representative about their private family life is what shouldn’t happen. Just because they are public representatives themselves doesn’t mean their private and family life is open to the public.

I disagree. Where a public representative states views on what others should do in their private family lives, then it is fair game to ask the question about what they do.

Same way as if a public representative says abortion is evil, then they should be questioned about whether they have or would encourage abortion for a member of their own family.

If a public representative is anti-vax, but vaccinates their own children, then their credibility is gone.

"Do as I say, not as I do" politicians should be thrown into the sea.

sabat · 14-02-2020 1:18pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Theres so much coming out of the woodwork about shinners. Looks like the people of clare effectively elected a gemma o doherty type

Sinn Féin TDs, councillors and "activists" have been popping up in court reports or other negative news stories over the last decade at a rate far higher than you'd expect from their numbers...

Mr E · 14-02-2020 1:18pm

Mod: Nonsense posts deleted.

Mancomb Seepgood · 14-02-2020 1:20pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

Its quite clear the media have an agenda against Sinn Fein, picking out comments on social media of all things. So what if her previous views are strange or at odds with how the majority think, its how she performs in office that counts.

What about Dara Murphy claiming fraudulently for expenses he did not incur.
What about Josepha Madigan encouraging Maria Bailey to go ahead with a false claim.
What about Maria Bailey herself going with ahead with the false claim all the while we have the so called Taoiseach saying he wanted to do something about the compensation culture in this country and help the people who get up early in the morning to work.

What about the sheer incompetence of Eoghan Murphy, Simon Harris, Regina Doherty among many other tds of theirs.

It's what you do in office that counts, and going by how the last government acted, its no surprise the electorate had enough even if the heavily biased media don't agree

You know about those cases because of the fact that the media did report on them.It should be no different for Sinn Fein,a lot of their candidates underwent little or no scrutiny and were widely considered to have no chance.Listening to the results from Clare last Sunday no one had heard of Violet Anne Wynne and it's obvious that she was elected because of the Sinn Fein factor,rather than for her personal qualities.

Sinn Fein are now a major party and they should not expect any special treatment.

CrankyHaus · 14-02-2020 1:26pm

SF has some form for this sort of thing. It's DCC Councillors previously passed a motion to ban water fluoridation.

https://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-city-council-vote-fluoride-1710194-Oct2014/

Inevitably with a party expanding its grassroots organisation some crazies will get in. SF as a protest party is bound to attract more of this kind than say FF or FG, which would more get the local gombeen man type. The question is how well the party deals with it.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 1:28pm

gmisk wrote: »

What am I missing here?
What quackery I thought cannabis oil is now believed to help some people with seizures etc?
Ok he did it before it was legal (which I think it is now?)..but your making him sound like some nut job.

Well you see Blanch hates Sinn Fein so will try to find anything to use against them. The quoted storey is a non story. Great progress has been made with cbd oil and farmers could have a legitimate different income stream in growing hemp. Quackery cure indeed.

blanch152 · 14-02-2020 1:31pm

endainoz wrote: »

Well you see Blanch hates Sinn Fein so will try to find anything to use against them.

blanch152 wrote: »

It didn't take long for the whataboutery to start, did it? Accusations of bias against the media following as well! Only thing left is a personal attack on me!

Full House!!

Do you think she makes a good TD and a good advertisement for Sinn Fein?

gmisk · 14-02-2020 1:32pm

endainoz wrote: »

Well you see Blanch hates Sinn Fein so will try to find anything to use against them. The quoted storey is a non story. Great progress has been made with cbd oil and farmers could have a legitimate different income stream in growing hemp. Quackery cure indeed.

Ah ok thanks I thought I was missing something totally. So a total non story then.

When it comes to the other story about not paying rent, it does look bad to me, but I think she mentioned something about having a seriously ill child etc, not that that excuses it but it offers some mitigation. Maybe give her a chance to correct her mistakes to a degree (e.g. donating to charity as suggested). By the looks of it she rolled back on the anti vax stuff.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 1:33pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I live in Clare, and it's clear that SF didn't vet her at all. Two other more viable candidates didn't run, so they chanced an unknown. A little digging, and a litany of red flags were unearthed. Leaving enormous rent arrears in her wake without any discernable conscience, and now the tinfoil shenanigans. Not to mention having a convicted criminal for a boyfriend. If this is the quality of candidate SF are running, then they're in for a rude awakening at the ballot box in a few months.

I also live in Clare, and I would agree that Noleen Moran probably should have got the nod for nomination, who is the other one that should have ran?

Convicted criminal? Ha ok. You make him out to be some sort of a drug Lord. I doubt they will lose much support though, riding a wave at the moment.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 1:57pm

blanch152 wrote: »

Full House!!

Do you think she makes a good TD and a good advertisement for Sinn Fein?

If you call that a personal attack I genuinely feel sorry for you for being so easily offended. Any thread regarding sinn fein has you firing criticism at them. Hardly a secret you don't have any time for them. Your opinions are your own.

I have no idea if she'll make a good TD, unlikely if I were to guess. As I said before If have preferred a different candidate to get the ticket in Clare. From what I heard they decided to go against the idea of Noleen Moran as she performed poorly in the local elections. That's the reason given anyway.

The sitting Sinn Fein counselor also passed away recently, and he would have been a shoe in to get the nomination. So for whatever reason they decided to go with an unknown.

mynamejeff · 14-02-2020 2:00pm

endainoz wrote: »

Well you see Blanch hates Sinn Fein so will try to find anything to use against them. .

so she isn't a anti vaxxer who refused to pay rent and got evicted and has not refused to pay in spite making a massive wage ?

Nijmegen · 14-02-2020 2:02pm

Firstly, it is entirely appropriate to look at what those in public office say and do.

In fairness, she has walked back her statement on vaccine ("not what I believe now / not in line with party position"). So ok.

But this and the matter of the €12k rent arrears points at a person who has a bit to do to prove themselves a competent, honest and above board public representative.

I think the other thing about curious Violet-Anne is that she's basically got a history that points to the type of welfare-dependency / can't pay/won't pay attitude SF wants to support with even more welfare and taxes on those out working. And as a public rep she has put herself in the spotlight on this, the same way that another politician going on about housing whilst being a landlord should be questioned on their background.

Her partner is indeed the same John Montaine who is the toothless fella with a criminal history for drug possession. So you have here 5 kids, won't even pay for social housing and am I starting to see the story of spongers off the state emerging a little? Had four years’ rent arrears of rent up to June 3rd, 2016 and "the family remained in the Tullycrine house until December 2017."

So five and a half years of not paying their rent stretching back to 2012. Indeed she moved to Clare specifically to access cheap social housing as part of the Rural Resettlement Scheme. She's 32 so they got on that train at 24-25. She's brought her kids into stories in her political campaigning, so we can see from what she said herself in this profile of her on Clare radio in January that their 5 kids are quite young - aged 9, 8, 7, 5 and 2. The first child was born ~2011, gets relocated, stops paying rent around child 2, and then has another 3 while not even able to pay rent? So basically, can't/won't pay out €63 per week in rent but has a couple of kids and juices up those welfare payments (if they are struggling enough to not be able to pay the rent, I'm assuming they're getting full ride on welfare. And certainly €700/month just on child benefit.)

More than anything Violet-Anne is an example of the type of person who needs to take more personal responsibility, of her finances and the opinions she puts around, in a party that is focused on giving over more of other people's hard earned cash to people like herself.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 2:02pm

mynamejeff wrote: »

so she isn't a anti vaxxer who refused to pay rent and got evicted and has not refused to pay in spite making a massive wage ?

I must have missed something, how long has she been on this massive wage? I believe she's backtracked on the antivax thing or at least said her views were not the same as the party or some something.

Fr_Dougal · 14-02-2020 2:02pm

Have a feeling that she won’t be the last SF TD to fail under scrutiny.

People hounded Maria Bailey and Verona Murphy until they were ejected from the FG party, so far SF don’t seem to be maintaining any sort of a standard with their TDs.

Imagine in Varadaker had came out with the line ‘I’m not their mammy/daddy’ for Murphy and Bailey, there would have been uproar.

Eric Cartman · 14-02-2020 2:03pm

mynamejeff wrote: »

so she isn't a anti vaxxer who refused to pay rent and got evicted and has not refused to pay in spite making a massive wage ?

no, the hard right have been prepping for this for years and have been laying the seeds of madness in fear that she'd ever be elected, damn it nazi's you win again.

CrankyHaus · 14-02-2020 2:10pm

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Have a feeling that she won’t be the last SF TD to fail under scrutiny.

People hounded Maria Bailey and Verona Murphy until they were ejected from the FG party, so far SF don’t seem to be maintaining any sort of a standard with their TDs.

Imagine in Varadaker had came out with the line ‘I’m not their mammy/daddy’ for Murphy and Bailey, there would have been uproar.

Yeah Leo whitewashing the Bailey case within a private inquiry was far more gentlemanly.

Both FG with Murphy and SF with Houlihan addressed that problem quickly.

I agree though that SF face a challenge here in managing their people, ironically for a party so often accused of iron discipline by its detractors.

I initially thought that simpleton roaring "Up the Ra" at the count may have only shouted himself out of any chance of a position in cabinet; now it looks like he might have done it for the rest of his party colleagues too.

mynamejeff · 14-02-2020 2:12pm

endainoz wrote: »

I must have missed something, how long has she been on this massive wage? I believe she's backtracked on the antivax thing or at least said her views were not the same as the party or some something.

your right 63 euro a week is a massive amount for a trinity graduate to be made pay .

Id say you wouldn't be able to eat lunch in trinity for that

course assuming she wasn't working and what with the husband likely on disability giving his need for the weed ? on top of the mickey money , but 63 euro a week that's a outrage ,

is_that_so · 14-02-2020 2:22pm

endainoz wrote: »

I must have missed something, how long has she been on this massive wage? I believe she's backtracked on the antivax thing or at least said her views were not the same as the party or some something.

Two things that were clearly missed in allowing her to run, was this and the potential it had to show up online suggesting she holds dangerous views. This second more serious issue is all about SIPO and we've had a whole lot of conversations about this in recent times. It's very poor optics for a TD and a party of "change".

zoobizoo · 14-02-2020 2:22pm

Nijmegen wrote: »

So basically, can't/won't pay out €63 per week in rent but has a couple of kids and juices up those welfare payments (if they are struggling enough to not be able to pay the rent, I'm assuming they're getting full ride on welfare. And certainly €700/month just on child benefit.)

I always wonder how those no little income decide to have 4/5/6 kids and those on salaries of €80k/€90/€100 decide to have 2 / max 3 kids because they can't afford more.

Eric Cartman · 14-02-2020 2:32pm

zoobizoo wrote: »

I always wonder how those no little income decide to have 4/5/6 kids and those on salaries of €80k/€90/€100 decide to have 2 / max 3 kids because they can't afford more.

because kids are income to the first group.

is_that_so · 14-02-2020 2:33pm

It is worth noting that three TDs have now managed to have the party portrayed in a negative light in less than a week. It will encourage cub reporters all over to get digging into all the rest of the newbies and there will be more stories.

Nijmegen · 14-02-2020 2:34pm

is_that_so wrote: »

Two things that were clearly missed in allowing her to run, was this and the potential it had to show up online suggesting she holds dangerous views. This second more serious issue is all about SIPO and we've had a whole lot of conversations about this in recent times. It's very poor optics for a TD and a party of "change".

They never expected her to win the seat. You run candidates in no-hope constituencies because your state funding is decided by the % of the first preference vote you win, so every few thousand votes even in constituencies where you don't expect to win are financially rewarding to parties.

In this and a couple of other cases, they just threw any old candidate into the mix as a low stakes exercise.

JohnnyFlash · 14-02-2020 2:37pm

is_that_so wrote: »

It is worth noting that three TDs have now managed to have the party portrayed in a negative light in less than a week. It will encourage cub reporters all over to get digging into all the rest of the newbies and there will be more stories.

Not just the newbies. Aengus Ó Snodaigh is certainly a man worth the time of an investigative reporter.

Timberrrrrrrr · 14-02-2020 2:39pm

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Not just the newbies. Aengus Ó Snodaigh is certainly a man worth the time of an investigative reporter.

Is that the chap who spent a shed load of money on "printer ink"?

is_that_so · 14-02-2020 2:40pm

Nijmegen wrote: »

They never expected her to win the seat. You run candidates in no-hope constituencies because your state funding is decided by the % of the first preference vote you win, so every few thousand votes even in constituencies where you don't expect to win are financially rewarding to parties.

In this and a couple of other cases, they just threw any old candidate into the mix as a low stakes exercise.

Yeah, there were failed council candidates elsewhere and a woman who was on holiday for most of the campaign. Reap what you sow. Not sure they'd absolutely relish another election as they could be even more barrel scraping.

zoobizoo · 14-02-2020 2:40pm

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Not just the newbies. Aengus Ó Snodaigh is certainly a man worth the time of an investigative reporter.

Brady in Wicklow also.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 2:43pm

Nijmegen wrote: »

They never expected her to win the seat. You run candidates in no-hope constituencies because your state funding is decided by the % of the first preference vote you win, so every few thousand votes even in constituencies where you don't expect to win are financially rewarding to parties.

In this and a couple of other cases, they just threw any old candidate into the mix as a low stakes exercise.

This is completely true, she admitted herself that she only put up around 20 posters, not expecting to have a good showing at all. What I did find hilarious is that Timmy Dooley lost his seat as a result.

endainoz · 14-02-2020 2:44pm

is_that_so wrote: »

Yeah, there were failed council candidates elsewhere and a woman who was on holiday for most of the campaign. Reap what you sow. Not sure they'd absolutely relish another election as they could be even more barrel scraping.

Or they run extra candidates and get 40+ seats.

Bunny Colvin · 14-02-2020 2:55pm

Disgraceful carry on. It's a pity the people of Clare put this swindler in power.

is_that_so · 14-02-2020 2:58pm

endainoz wrote: »

Or they run extra candidates and get 40+ seats.

They could, they could also drop by 2-3% and get under 30 seats. All these things are possible.

The Curious Case of Violet-Anne Wynne

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