billy the squid wrote: » the state abandonned electronic voting, yet here we are in UL introducing online voting for elections.
I do believe that membership of political party should be disclosed during the elections,
ynwa_17 wrote: » Even with the two aforementioned in the above quote, that still leaves Aoife Finnerty, Vivion Grisewood and Finn McDuffie, all of which you 'luckily enough' fail to mention. How can it be considered a surprise that a member or two of the union follow a party which is by far the biggest political party in Ireland and one of the most 'successful' in the democratic world?
billy the squid wrote: » If their vision for An Focail was to emulate the Sun then I would have a problem. If they don't want party affiliation to come into elections then they should be banned from using fellow party members in their campaigns.
SarahBeep! wrote: » Provided its hack proof i support voting. Some things work better on a small scale. If we ask for political preference then we need to ask for religion, opinion on abortion, opinion on the American occupancy of the middle east and opinion on pineapple on pizza. Coz i don't want a war loving, pineapple hating, religious extremist telling me which grants i can apply for or how to evaluate my lecturers. But hey, that's just a personal opinion. (All getting pretty ridiculous now, isn't it?) would you hold it against a communications officer if he/she preferred to pick up the sun instead of the examiner?
SarahBeep! wrote: » People shouldn't have rowe disclose their political preference when running for election. I can't really see Derek or Ruan going all Robert Mugabe and stealing our freedom...
TheProdigy wrote: » I think you should back up these accusations or somebody may hold you responsible over such comments, comments potentially worthy of libel action.
ninty9er wrote: » I am a member of Fianna Fáil. I wouldn't normally, but I'm going to declare that my opponent is also just in case he doesn't engage here and this is something that affects voting. Again, I have kept my party political dealings at arm's length in a similar manner as I have kept personal and Union opinions completely separate where they don't intersect.
ninty9er wrote: » In any case, party politics has no place in the job.
TheProdigy wrote: » I see your acquaintance Mr.Power was showed you the art of dodging questions. I think you are aware that such honesty would be detrimental to your forthcoming presidential campaign. Should you choose to not disclose such information I am sure there will be plenty of people willing to make it available to the electorate.
daithi_lacha wrote: » Much to the delight of every other college when we appeared on RTÉ News Surely an issue as big as the reintroduction of fees, an issue so close to students hearts shouldn't require 'begging' to have them come along to a protest? Perhaps the fact that a majority of them required 'begging' was a hint that maybe, although the issue was close to their hearts, they quite simply didn't want to go, for reasons which weren't obvious to many of those at the heart of the organised journey to Dublin...
ninty9er wrote: » I can't possibly answer that question as there is currently no election and therefore no campaigning permitted.
TheProdigy wrote: » Ok Now will you answer my initial question which I thought the elected welfare officer would have the decency to provide to a student.
ninty9er wrote: » How would it?? It may result in students being asked their opinion on the matter, but you are making assumptions based on fallacies. There is nothing that I cannot do now, that I could do if I were President, bar attend PCC Ltd board meetings.
TheProdigy wrote: » Derek you are pro fees, now if you got elected as president it may result in you campaigning/advertising for the introduction of fees.
ninty9er wrote: » I am connected to Fianna Fáil and I am connected to ULSU, but that does not mean Fianna Fáil is connected to ULSU.
SarahBeep! wrote: » and making sure the shirts said ULSU instead of USI.
SarahBeep! wrote: » People went around begging people to sign up in lectures as well as the b1 canteen
Jigga wrote: » Some people still manage to miss the point and continue to operate under the illusion that having pro-fees people lead anti-fees campaigns doesn't matter. It clearly does, but I've made my point. Hopefully some of those who weren't aware of the FF nature of the SU leadership have been awoken to this fact.
not bakunin wrote: » However, can you understand how the above statements may come across very poorly to the average student? Not that you oppose fees, but that you would be involved in 'their' anti-fees campaign at a high level when you clearly feel otherwise personally.
not bakunin wrote: » It is a hypocritical stance in my eyes at least. EDIT: Could I just add to PeakOutput's previous point there and echo the call for transparency about your view at election time. No idea if you are running again, but if you are, I hope to see you shouting loud and proud to everyone that you are pro-fees...being the Deputy President definitely necessitates this.
ninty9er wrote: » For those that are unaware I am Derek Daly. This issue comes up from time to time and I have no problems in addressing it. I am a member of Fianna Fáil, though I dispute the right wing alignment, but that's not for discussion here. When I am at work, that is firmly outside the door, however where debates arise internally I will express a personal opinion before a vote is taken, as will all officers who wish to do so. I have only ever once been accused in an internal meeting (not this year) of expressing an opinion as a Fianna Fáil member above Derek Daly. This ended badly and with the other person retracting the statement under threat of an official harassment complaint. I do not, nor have I ever, sought to put a Fianna Fáil view forward as one that should be adopted by ULSU. My opinion on fees is that I am pro, but then again I was one of the people who brought Ógra Fianna Fáil to that opinion, it was not Ógra Fianna Fáil who brought me to that opinion. I will not debate 3rd level fees on this forum, if you want to debate fees with me do it in the politics forum. I'm not going to comment on other's political hues, but suffice to say there is only one member of Fianna Fáil elected to a sabbatical position. I get plenty of abuse for it from staff, and from other officers, but I am as entitled to my membership of Fianna Fáil and my opinions as they are not to like it. If it ever turned nasty, I would take appropriate action, but it hasn't and I doubt it will. We work as a team in ULSU regardless of political persuasion or personal disagreements. That is as it should be. We take our direction from Class Reps Council or AGM on policy and as such, regardless of my personal opinion on fees I was in Dublin in November shouting as loudly as anyone else. As for political ambitions and platforming, does anyone honestly believe that the people of Ireland cold give a flying fuck whether someone was an SU officer or not. I wouldn't hide it, but it wouldn't be of much benefit on a campaign trail as a decent policy schedule. There are plenty of people in other SUs, looking particularly at UCD and USI that use it as a political platform, but to be honest, I don't know why as it is so far removed from the everyday life of a national legislator that you would have to be blind or stupid to think that being a students' union officer is of enormous benefit. There are minor experiential things like conflict resolution and dealing with University management that can translate, but the vast majority of what we do is irrelevant to most politicians, and by inference the electorate. On the subject of protests: At the Irish World Academy opening we expected Cowen to walk across the Living Bridge from Plassey House, however due to delays he went straight to the World Academy. We could have waited in the Millstream, but security kindly informed us he may not be using that route so we repositioned in a place that he would HAVE to pass. The protest meeting time was 11am and it was 11:05 by the time the Millstream was cleared of protesters. Ruán and I got 5 minutes with Cowen during which we outlined the impact of core budget cuts as well as the impracticalities of increasing the SSC to €3,000. He listened, he outlined his position and thanked us for the views. I did not arrange this, the University Protocol Office arranged this and at no time was Cowen made aware of our political persuasions by either of us, though the Chancellor may have done so in my case, I don't know. I don't know how I can be any clearer in outlining the separation of my work and my Fianna Fáil membership.
Jigga wrote: » Some people still manage to miss the point and continue to operate under the illusion that having pro-fees people lead anti-fees campaigns doesn't matter. It clearly does, but I've made my point. Hopefully some of those who weren't aware of the FF nature of the SU leadership have been awoken to this fact. Regarding the Cowen visit, the student union reps had left the Millstream Courtyard by 10.50 and there were about a dozen students left behind. RTE actually came to talk to the students who were still there at 11 and the official SU contingent had definitely long gone by then.
ninty9er wrote: » My opinion on fees is that I am pro.... We take our direction from Class Reps Council or AGM on policy and as such, regardless of my personal opinion on fees I was in Dublin in November shouting as loudly as anyone else.
ilovemybrick wrote: » I think you misunderstand how democracy works. The very discrimination against opposing theories or opinions is the basis of democracy.
SarahBeep! wrote: » Secondly, you have no right to discriminate against anyone because of their political preference no more than you do regarding their race religion or gender.