Are Donegal people embarrassed about McDaid

bog master · 04-05-2010 11:38PM

paulanthony wrote: »

If that's your way of saying you pay tax, therefore you pay (or generously bestow upon them) TD's* salaries, therefore you should be able to decide when it's time to take it back, then I'm afraid thats not how it works.

Should you be allowed to decide to cut teachers, nurses and ambulance drivers back to the minimum wage because you pay their wages?

We live in a capitalist society. Different people get paid different salaries, benefits, pensions etc for different jobs. Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking then by all means write a letter to the Dept of the Taoiseach or the Irish Times urging a review and overhaul of this system. But leave individuals alone.

*or rich overlords

Different people get paid different salaries agreed, based on need and skills. But, "different people" dont get a chance to set their own salaries as politicians have done. I did not vote for them, ie those in power, did you?

Paparazzo · 04-05-2010 11:40PM

If the folks in Donegal don't mind him driving the wrong way down a duel carrageway when he was locked, they won't give a toss about this pensions thing.

An eyewitness who observed the TD when his car was finally stopped said: "He was civilised but at the same time he did not know what he was doing." He described him as being "very, very drunk". He added: "If he had met an articulated truck there would have been phenomenal damage."

FunnyStuff · 04-05-2010 11:42PM

paulanthony wrote: »

We live in a capitalist society. Different people get paid different salaries, benefits, pensions etc for different jobs. Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking then by all means write a letter to the Dept of the Taoiseach or the Irish Times urging a review and overhaul of this system. But leave individuals alone.

Oh i'm sorry, perhaps we should get the 400,000 odd unemployed people to go apologise to Seanie and Fingers, that really we dont mean to blame their mishandling of their own jobs and that the recession is actually all brought on by the attitude of the Irish people.

"Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking"...... this little bit pisses me right off. Dont try to pretend that this disaster wasnt warned of prior to it happening. It was obvious it was gonna explode in the face of Joe Soap, while the like of McDaid and his cronies get away scott free. I have no problem with people making good money, as long as they are earning it, and to be honest, the ****ers we have in government have not been earning it.

Tail Wagger · 04-05-2010 11:46PM

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Would this be the same McDaid who went on a rant branding suicide victims as "selfish bastards" ?

Pot/Kettle anyone ?

Yea thats him, the Swine?.. I wonder was he contanplating it while drunk behind the wheel, and driving the wrong way down a motorway...

paulanthony · 04-05-2010 11:51PM

bog master wrote: »

Different people get paid different salaries agreed, based on need and skills. But, "different people" dont get a chance to set their own salaries as politicians have done. I did not vote for them, ie those in power, did you?

I don't think it really matters who I voted for, but I'm not a FF supporter, or detractor, so my opinions have nothing to do with political affiliations.

TD's are paid the same whether they are in FG or Labour opposition for the last decade or in FF "setting their own salaries". It's not as if Jim McDaid or any other politician decided to give themselves a raise. They should be referred to in the collective when it comes to pay pensions etc.

TD / Minister salaries should be lowered in the same way public servants salaries are lowered. This is only fair. However they should be lowered in the same way public servants, ie through legislation, the budget etc. Not through the public and media shaming individuals to give up a pension they are entitled to.

If Jim McDaid was retired and sitting at home he would be getting his pension. Somebody else would be a Donegal TD getting paid this salary. This would amount to the same amount of State expenditure but there would be no issue as there would be no media / whinger angle to it.

paulanthony · 05-05-2010 12:06AM

FunnyStuff wrote: »

Oh i'm sorry, perhaps we should get the 400,000 odd unemployed people to go apologise to Seanie and Fingers, that really we dont mean to blame their mishandling of their own jobs and that the recession is actually all brought on by the attitude of the Irish people.

I don't disagree with anything you say there, but this thread has nothing to do with dishonest or irresponsible bankers. Thats a completely separate issue. I never said the recession was caused by the attitude of the Irish people so I don't know where you're getting that from. Certainly nobody should apologise to 'Seanie or Fingers', quite the opposite in fact.

FunnyStuff wrote: »

"Just because people have suddenly decided, in this post celtic tiger era, that the system of politicians pay isn't to their liking"...... this little bit pisses me right off. Dont try to pretend that this disaster wasnt warned of prior to it happening. It was obvious it was gonna explode in the face of Joe Soap, while the like of McDaid and his cronies get away scott free. I have no problem with people making good money, as long as they are earning it, and to be honest, the ****ers we have in government have not been earning it.

Of course it is arguable that some of the implosion was caused by the governments inactions etc and I wouldn't disagree with that. However (maybe unfortunately) politicians don't work on a performance related pay system where we get to decide to take it back if they don't do a good job. Politicians have taken a paycut, but yes, they are still well paid and fairly well insulated (until the next election of course).

In fact, the fact that we are talking about a politician is really irrelevant - it could be any public servant or private worker. There are two things you can do about an objection to politicians pay, a) don't vote them in again, and b) argue for changes to present and future entitlements for all politicians.

My argument has nothing to do with a grá for the political establishment or an opinion that they do a good job. I just think a person should not be hunted to give up something that they are entitled to, i.e. their pension, even if they are a financially comfortable person or you feel they didn't do a good job.

I'm sure you would agree there wasn't the same public outrage about TD salaries during the good times. At best it was a 'jaesus, sure havn't they given themselves another payrise'. And that was it. We allowed them to do this so we can't suddenly develop a conscience about it now.

ToniTuddle · 05-05-2010 12:18AM

To answer the question in the OP.

Plain and simple: Yes.

Don't like the man, have never voted for him and sure as hell never will.

CoalBucket · 05-05-2010 07:19PM

Heard Edwina Currie on Newstalk earlier, she served as an MP for 14 years and also as a junior minister, her combined MP and Ministerial pension is £600 a month !

Wouldn't mind McDaid holding on to that figure.

RolandIRL · 05-05-2010 07:35PM

i'm embarrassed by my donegal housemate

LoanShark · 05-05-2010 08:28PM

orourkeda wrote: »

Who elected him?

The lovely Donegal folk.

It was more of the Letterkenny and Inishowen folk who elected him...

We, The people south of Barnesmore Gap elected Pat"The Cope" and Mary Coughlan..

Degag · 05-05-2010 08:31PM

paulanthony wrote: »

I know what you're saying and I agree that it's too generous, lenient etc for both TD's and Ministers in terms of remuneration and benefits after their term.

However, the fact remains that this is the deal they signed up for when they were elected. It should be altered for future ministers but it's not right, in my opinion, to penalise politicians simply because they are politicians and some tabloid journalist or Joe Duffy caller decides to start spouting populist waffle about politicians being too well paid.

The fact remains that these people, like other public servants and private workers are entitled to the remuneration and benefits they signed up for and shouldn't be forced to individually give up these benefits because of a media driven public witch hunt.

If they want to decide themselves to take a break in pay, fair play to them.

However, the idea that they are somehow morally corrupt because they refuse to give up what they are entitled to is unjust and, frankly, a worrying sign of where this country's attitude is heading in terms of how it views people with money and decent incomes.

Yeah, in general i agree with you. The only problem is, who made the laws regarding salary and pensions? Why the politicians themselves!

R0ot · 05-05-2010 08:36PM

Nope but I didn't vote for him so couldn't care less. Also I am from Inishowen and everyone knows we are the 33rd county of Ireland and not really part of Donegal.

LoanShark · 05-05-2010 08:41PM

R0ot wrote: »

Nope but I didn't vote for him so couldn't care less. Also I am from Inishowen and everyone knows we are the 33rd county of Ireland and not really part of Donegal.

Thats right!!! UP there you really ARE different!

Inishowen Locals!
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/50/freaks50ut0.jpg

thetonynator · 05-05-2010 08:45PM

paulanthony wrote: »

TD / Minister salaries should be lowered in the same way public servants salaries are lowered. This is only fair. However they should be lowered in the same way public servants, ie through legislation, the budget etc. Not through the public and media shaming individuals to give up a pension they are entitled to.

.

They are not entitled to a ministerial pension if they are still sitting TD's.

And they should not ''gift'' it back to the state, as by doing that they can claim gift tax on it and still benefit from it.

CoalBucket · 05-05-2010 09:21PM

LoanShark wrote: »

It was more of the Letterkenny and Inishowen folk who elected him...

We, The people south of Barnesmore Gap elected Pat"The Cope" and Mary Coughlan..

Pat " I won't give up my pension either" Gallagher and Mary Coughlan, take a bow

LoanShark · 05-05-2010 09:29PM

CoalBucket wrote: »

Pat " I won't give up my pension either" Gallagher and Mary Coughlan, take a bow

TA-DA!!

Thank you! We're here all week...Please try the Veal!!

LoanShark · 05-05-2010 09:30PM

Wait till you see our next trick!!

http://oceanfm.ie/news/2010/05/05/bog-hotel-owner-confirms-by-election-bid/

CoalBucket · 05-05-2010 09:35PM

LoanShark wrote: »

Wait till you see our next trick!!

http://oceanfm.ie/news/2010/05/05/bog-hotel-owner-confirms-by-election-bid/

I'd vote for him over McDaid, Gallagher or Coughlan any day of the week

R0ot · 05-05-2010 10:09PM

LoanShark wrote: »

Thats right!!! UP there you really ARE different!

Inishowen Locals!
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/50/freaks50ut0.jpg

No that's a Falcarragh local.

walrusgumble · 05-05-2010 10:44PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

No, the point actually is, that they are well paid to do things for their areas & for the country, some of which they have done, a lot which they haven't. I don't think people should be grateful for politicians putting in half efforts.

i am not saying we should be grateful. read the post right i am replying to some people who seem to be getting on their high horses, i am sure that they have got oe had some embarrassing td from their areas, why did they still get in. I am asking why the above examples constantly getting/did get the votes in their areas. its nought to do with the money side of these. some of the above have been an embarrassment, yet they still got back in.

i agree with you on the last bit. some of the above were brilliant for taking credit for work they had feck all to do with it and get their smiley faces in the newspaper

walrusgumble · 05-05-2010 10:57PM

paulanthony wrote: »

Whats wrong with Mary O' Rourke?

your serious right?

she talks down to people. she is a nice person, when she wants to be, (great for a sound bite) but she is not too popular in south westmeath she has too rely on kilbeggan to push her over the line as oppose to her home town. you cant' say her last ministerialship was a success - telecom eireann

if fianna fail did not run donnie or gave a nod to say, jesus (i hate this), boxer moran on the dail ticket, she may not have regained her seat in the dail (must say she did well in the seanad)

everyone else during the last election made some effort explaining why the people should vote for them. mary, mary kept it simple. no promises, no no. she just said athlone needs a td (as oppose to donnie- right thats fair enough i guess) but she simply said look at me, look who my family are. why did she do that? she did not need to do that, she made it on her own ground.

she took a lot of credit for the town's sports centre, i can't think of too many who can remember her doing much campaigning or working behind the scenes with this. she took some credit of course:rolleyes:

if you were down in the town during the floods ( i wasn't but i am going by what i heard from alot of people) she wasn't much use, just the "Ah now..." when the people complained that biffo should have come down an inspect the place (in fairness, she would have a point as i would have expected my td up in dublin finding out what to do as oppose to standing there going "ah thats awful) at least manseraigh was sincere and genuine when dealing with the people down there.

iknow that all party members only give a damn about their party and sod the rest, but no one could accuse her of being disloyal to the party.the will defend ff no matter what. i remember her when she said (in light of a big high court case in 2007ish dealing with a child seeking special needs school) that she agreed with fg motion but would not vote in favour, simply because it was proposed by fg. fair enough, she was open and honest, but it would make one's blood boil. she would have been better off keeping her opinion within the confides of ff hq

still, despite her age, she would sill be ff's strongest ticket in westmeath

Mike 1972 · 05-05-2010 11:08PM

walrusgumble wrote: »

Point is, despite what we think of them, they have done things for their areas, they are/were obviously liked. Look at Willie O'Dea, he constantly topped the poll in his turf.

Under the multi member/PR system it is possible to top the poll with a surprisingly small proportion of votes. (Partiuclarly if there are a lot of other candidates running and the vote is fairly evenly split between them)

Pot Noodle = · 06-05-2010 10:20AM

LoanShark wrote: »

It was more of the Letterkenny and Inishowen folk who elected him...

We, The people south of Barnesmore Gap elected Pat"The Cope" and Mary Coughlan..

That is even worse Sweary Mary :eek:

Are Donegal people embarrassed about McDaid

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