seligehgit wrote: » Is the way now open for Dara to be appointed Minister for Agriculture?
Shelflife wrote: » Or it could be the opportunity to refuse the position publicly and move a vote of no confidence in MM. MM can hardly go back to DC and offer him a sloppy seconds ministerial position esp after treating him the way he did . Some very interesting decisions and opportunities to be had over the next 24/48 hours.
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » Why the **** would he consider that? Would have been madness
Loafing Oaf wrote: » Indeed. If he does ever get to wear the FF crown it will be on the back of a record as a loyal party man, not as the kind of 'insurgent' candidate that Jim O'Callaghan seems to be positioning himself to be.
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » Causing a **** storm now would damage him severely, i dont think he has any notions anyway of leadership ambitions, imo he woudlnt have a hope in hell unlike O' Callaghan who certainly would have
nuac wrote: » mod I think it was Napolean who said that every soldier carries a marshall's baton in his knapsack. Deep down every politician sees himself/herself as a potential Taoiseach,
Cosmo Kramer wrote: » I definitely think Calleary could yet be Fianna Fail leader, he has a relatively safe seat in Mayo and there aren't that many other candidates to take over from Martin. He'd be a popular consensus choice I think. Whether he'd ever be Taoiseach is another question, I think FF are a party in long term decline, whoever the next leader is will probably be the first FF leader not to be Taoiseach. Could be looking at a major Enda Kenny style rebuild or even a battle to prevent the party from having to merge into FG.
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » I thinkk its pie in the shy talk tbh, imagine going into an election with Calleary as leader and a possible Taosieach? Im sorry but it would be suicidal imo, he may popular within the party and be an able and competent Minister etc, we shall see but he just hasn't got that 'star' factor, no charisma or mass appeal.
Cosmo Kramer wrote: » Sounds like she's leaving electoral politics altogether. Just a personal opinion, but I don't think she's a huge loss to be honest.
Green&Red wrote: » Agreed, from her tweets she’s better suited to PBP
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: I though she was a breath of fresh air tbh, compared to the usual staid conservative political discourse in Mayo. Dont think she's cut out for representative politics though but would have liked to see her as an MEP
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » I though she was a breath of fresh air tbh, compared to the usual staid conservative political discourse in Mayo. Dont think she's cut out for representative politics though but would have liked to see her as an MEP
seligehgit wrote: » I was very impressed with break through appearance on the prime time debate. I found her idealism admirable in spite of my fundamental opposition to many of her policies. Back tracked on her opposition to the dual carriageway in the midst of the election campaign. Opposed green party policies during same. Bizarre comment ""I don’t believe that our pathway to a just and free society lies in electoral politics.". Perhaps she believes political activism on the climate change and social justice is the route to go but I wonder would she have offered the same opinion if she'd become a TD,MEP or senator? Political democracy is quite rightly the only show in town.
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » Well indeed but political democracy encompasses much more than electoral politics, i assume she is thinking of a more activist role as you suggest. Its quite extraordinary the amount of media coverage she's getting though isn't it?
seligehgit wrote: » Bizarre comment ""I don’t believe that our pathway to a just and free society lies in electoral politics.". Perhaps she believes political activism on the climate change and social justice is the route to go but I wonder would she have offered the same opinion if she'd become a TD,MEP or senator?
Minister and 80 people at golf event in breach of health guidelines Minister and 80 people at golf event in breach of health guidelines THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 - 19:13 PM AOIFE MOORE, PAUL HOSFORD More than 80 people, including the Agriculture Minister, senators and TDs attended a golf function in a hotel in breach of public health guidelines just a day after the Government announced new lockdown measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. The Oireachtas Golf Society event to celebrate its 50th anniversary was held at a function room at the Station House Hotel, Clifden, Co Galway last night, even though public health advice clearly states "no formal or informal events or parties should be organised in these premises". The table plan listed 82 people for the sit-down function, with up to 10 people per table, even though guidelines state no more than six people should be seated at any one table. The hotel and society declined to confirm who had attended but the guest list included: Minister for Agriculture Dara Calleary and his wife Siobhan, Galway TD Noel Grealish, Senator Jerry Buttimer, Senator John Cummins, Senator Paul Daly, Senator Niall Blaney, former Fine Gael Senator Cáit Keane, Judge and former Attorney General Seamus Woulfe, the Moroccan Ambassador Lahcen Mahraoui, former Labour Party senator Lorraine Higgins, former Fine Gael Senator and TD for Sligo–Leitrim Gerry Reynolds, former Fine Gael senator Imelda Henry, Circuit Court judge and a former Workers' Party TD Pat McCartan, who serves as the vice-captain, and a number of others. The Agriculture Minister and others have confirmed their attendance while others have been contacted for comment. A spokesperson for the Minister of Agriculture said: “The Minister was asked to attend the dinner and speak in tribute to a deceased long-serving former Oireachtas member. "He did attend and spoke briefly. He left following the dinner and observed social distance throughout the event.” The event was organised by the President of the society and former Fianna Fáil TD Donie Cassidy and honored Galway man and former Fianna Fáil MEP Mark Killilea Jnr, who died in 2018. Mr Killilea's family was in attendance at the event. A spokesman from The Station House Hotel said they consulted the Irish Hotels Federation, who told them that the event could go ahead with fewer than 50 people in each side of the room. "My understanding of dining arrangements is that in any dining room it has to be fewer than 50," he said. "There were 81 people at the event who dined with us, divided into 45 and 36. "It's not a Mickey Mouse partition, it's a proper physical structure that divides two rooms, but it can be removed. It was booked a few months ago, the guidelines were going to change 50 up to 100 but didn't, so we spoke to the Oireachtas Golf Society, and the Irish Hotel Federation (IHF), and we were told that as long as there were no more than 50 diners, it was safe. An email from the IHF to members on Wednesday, seen by the Irish Examiner, stated: "Further to the Government announcement yesterday in relation to further Covid-19 restrictions, the Department of Tourism has not yet received any guidance on the changes as of this morning. "Therefore, the status quo remains in terms of current operational procedures for hotels until further notice." The IHF says that it is seeking guidance from the Department of Tourism on the guidelines. Rise TD Paul Murphy said that the event should have been cancelled. "I think it's extremely poor that this event went ahead. It shows that they think it's one rule for them and another for everybody else. It sends a very poor message when figures from the political establishment openly flaunt the guidelines when ordinary people have to cancel parties, arts events and weddings. "Even if they could prove that the partition allows them get around the guidelines, it's a very flimsy excuse. "In any case, the message that it sends out - that you can get around the rules - is not one that the political establishment should be sending out." Taoiseach Micheál Martin today again appealed to people to reduce meetings and social contacts as much as possible as the virus continues to spread. "The overall message from NPHET public health advice is they want to reduce meetings as much as they possibly can. "They want people to reduce the number of social contacts that they have because the numbers have gone up. "We want to save lives, we want to protect livelihoods."
Coillte_Bhoy wrote: » Surely Calleary cant survive this? It beggars belief actuallyhttps://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40035389.html?type=amp
LawBoy2018 wrote: » He won't resign by choice but may be given the boot. What an idiot! I'd say MM is cracking up atm.
Loafing Oaf wrote: » Might be a blessing in disguise for MM though, give him a chance to promote one of his favourites to Cabinet. Who knows, maybe even the lovely Lisa:p
finisklin wrote: » It was separate rooms, one with 56 and the other was 30 or something.
LawBoy2018 wrote: » Lisa is in the Senate now.
Loafing Oaf wrote: » One room divided by a partition apparently, real bending the rules stuff. I know, but people have been appointed ministers from there before. And FF's current female presence at cabinet is hardly covering herself in glory...
