wtf is going on? Bizzarre
Your FoI points are all reasonable but I wasn’t really taking about the specifics of this case. More a more general point that it wouldn’t hurt if the Collins’ of this world were a bit more openly transparent including in the Dail and that it’s very unlikely opposition politicians would start asking them to answer to spurious claims including rape or incest !
This ain’t personal(against you me or Niall Collins even) it’s a more general point. A bit of earnest Q&A in the Dail might do us all some good and protect democracy and show there isn’t anything of real note to hide.
there will always be some grandstanding etc but most opposition politicians will behave to some extent.
FYI I’ve had plenty of things said about me online and in blogs but I’ve no fear of a politician abusing any of that under Dail privilege
Nope. They keep injecting the term spouse into it. Very clear to anyone they are making the argument he broke the law. Very absurd to claim they are not.
No they do not. They say:
They don't explicitly claim that "Niall Collins committed a criminal offence, punishable by up to two years' imprisonment..." That's left up to the reader's imagination.
No idea what you’re talking about.
Why answer questions on something that can be obtained through a FOI request? Wouldn’t the minutes of the meetings of both the local area committees and the council in relation to sale of the property be available? Collins himself stated that he used an FOI to confirm that a number of bids were received for the property by the auctioneer after he left the council. This information is free to anyone, including The Ditch and opposition politicians who want to view it.
Did the Ditch check that information before alleging wrongdoing?
Sure it’s “nonsense” but like you said if you didn’t do it you’ll happily profess your innocence to it whenever it comes up right?
Pardon me while I have numerous blogs set up to campaign these spurious claims against you.
Sorry that’s nonsense.
There is still the filter of what opposition politicians will actually ask interns of their own credibility or sensibility and also the Ceann Comhairle etc . The precedent or floodgates argument is very weak.
Nonsense
Or else he knows exactly what the Ditch will hit them with next. They will know where the Ditch are sniffing around. I’m sure more corruption will be exposed soon.
Once you set the precedent now you’ll be addressing spurious claims you raped your daughter etc. every day of your career.
**** another word for defecating
If I was innocent of something and I had to deal with spurious claims, I would relish the chance to be questioned and provide answers. If I was innocent of course.
If I wasn't, I'd be **** myself.
Sure if you’re in the dail next just respond to accusations I wrote in a blog that you beat your wife etc.
Ireland isn’t an outlier in that it still operates on the presumption of innocence. Nobody is required to constantly profess their innocence to a slew of spurious claims
You should read the thread title again.
Collins could have just answered questions in the Dail and cleared everything up.
No answers of his would have satisfied those convinced that this is corruption. His defence to illegality has been clearly laid out and it hasn't stopped people!
Collins could have just answered questions in the Dail and cleared everything up. That he didn't, speak volumes.
I see a thread about Collins is being deflected onto The Ditch and Cosgrave. Predictable.
And as for Micheal Martin. He sounds like a man worried, given his outburst. None of them have a clue what The Ditch will bring up next.
This type of 5th column thinking is how Russia annexed Crimea. “Oh yeah thanks russian propagandists for catching one or two politicians for street cred then going to work undermining the entire democracy with bs”
Or, responsible editorial approach and financial prudence, not to refer to articles which they think are likely to be defamatory.
Being sensible and looking at situations intelligently should never be referred to as a “cop out”, unless you don’t understand the implications.
No, they explicitly alleged it. In that link.
Oh a “mainstream” copout, lol
That all may be a significant story but there is no doubt that the Ditch has exposed lots of corruption in the country as evidenced by the politicians and others who had to be fired. May the corruption continue to be exposed and the corrupt continue to get sacked, whoever does the exposing.
Cosgrave hired a Russian propagandist to run a website designed to undermine confidence in the State. That’s the story here, alongside Bowes being appointed as interim CEO of the breakaway GP Union and Roman Shortall’s car import business.
Plenty of slates still to be lifted to see what maggots are crawling underneath…
I think it is noteworthy that the original article did not explicitly allege that he broke the law, and merely invited readers to draw such an inference: https://www.ontheditch.com/niall-collins-public-land/amp/
That seems like unethical reporting to me.
How exactly did his presence ensure it went through as planned? They're could be any number of other motions passed in quick succession at this meeting, most probably completed in under 30 seconds if there's no dissent.
Definately a CT escapee, they are all in on it.
What do we have behind door number 2 Jim, another mystery buyer!
My impression of the affair is that Niall Collins attended the sitting of tha council to ensure the motion went through as planned, not an accident of circumstances.
Sounds like pokeherking has a problem with the lands going to sale in the open market.
I wonder if they would prefer it only being sold to preferred bidders :D
Not a coincidence, she was the highest, of many bidders and one of many to express and interest in the property before it was discussed at the local committee meeting.
How can it be nepotism if it is clear that it was not in his power to influence the sale to his wife? The property was placed on the open market, had multiple bidders, and Collins wasn’t even a councillor when it sold.
So again, where is the corruption you referred to?
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/a46418388544fe9f8f6352b57fb2f921.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w0.vanillicon.com/v2/0c95fbacfd3f8db330cceee65321bca3.svg)
