Irish politics discussion thread

The Shatter position summarised beautifully!

I think the thing that alarms me is that (apart from potential bugging) is that the Guards now can't go internally (even then it appears they were being threatened with Minister) but that they're viewed as "disgusting" if they go externally. We have a public body which appears to be unaccountable and the structure put in place was flawed from outset.

I would like to know what is going on. I don't view this or the penalty points as a matter of grave national security. I do view it as important in terms of transparency.

I also don't much like this being led by PAC but at least someone is going with it.

Looks like Reilly going in reshuffle. Shatter out? Go for the twofer in time for local elections?

Shatter wasnt, imo, in line for anything like reilly's level of scrutiny til a fortnight ago, and tbh im still trying to figure out the events (if, indeed, any)

Might well be a chance to split justice/defence, with him staying latter. Varadkar would love a blueshirt crack at the gardaí id say.

Reilly is pitiful and ought to have gone long since, and i dont in general go in for throwing ministers out due to the yappings of the meeja or god help us the MAN IN THE STREET

hard to say who is in line for promotion or shuffling besides, big phil would maybe want to renew the golf club membership perhaps but ito the talent bursting to get in, idk do i see it.

holy shit

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/nulty-resigns-over-inappropriate-facebook-messages-1.1735191

To the best of my knowledge I have never met this woman

i know i know jesus wtf

this really is a headscratcher, the reaction to a reasonably nothing item has become a full crisis

are you talking about the garda commissioner resigning?

i am

but not for another few hours, i've an assignment due. dont reply again til tomorrow night thanks.

best of luck

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/inquiry-set-up-into-taped-phone-calls-at-garda-stations-1.1737610

^ you'd assume, then, that somebody somewhere has known since the start of this that the fan was due to be shitted, hence the blowup nature of the originally innocuous-enough incidences

SHATTER OUT

RTE trolling with this tweet and accompanying picture

Palace spokesman says Queen enjoyed 'the craic' at reception for Irish community in UK http://bit.ly/1gnbGpU pic.twitter.com/PfBbVP8NHZ
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BjmqjTVCYAA89kh.jpg

One Direction's Niall Horan, singer Imelda May, impresario Louis Walsh, Irish designer Orla Kiely and Cork fishmonger Pat O’Connell, who charmed the Queen during her Irish visit, were among the guests.

The Queen asked Mr O’Connell if he had brought any fish with him.

Good Lord. Article makes no mention of Ruby Walsh, who the Queen might actually have given a shit about? Actually feeling bad for her seeing some of the names up there tbf.

yeah we've really dumped that lot on her

never forget
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/politics/files/2009/05/queen.jpg

otm

ruby only pretending about the arm to avoid an incident

ROG stance in that pic is pure d'unbelievables

typical Munster tbh

ya they all stand like that when you take the wall away from ahind them iirc

Ms Villiers said: "I think that the bilateral relationship is better than it has been at any time in the last 800 years.

fine talk from a woman known to harbour murderous thoughts towards puppies

lest anyone be under any illusions about quinn and his supporters

Representations on behalf of a number of international investment groups owed hundreds of millions of euro from the former Quinn Group have been made at government level about ongoing criminal attacks on the business.
US concerns such as the $3.2 billion hedge fund and private equity group Strategic Value Partners, global investment group GSO Blackstone, the Prudential financial services group, and a US teachers’ pension fund are among those on whose behalf concern has been expressed to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and his counterpart in Belfast, David Ford.
Some of the investor groups have offices in Ireland and have other significant investments in the Irish economy.
The extensive damage caused by a burnt-out truck at the staff restaurant opposite the Quinn Group HQ in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh in December 2011. Photograph: Lorraine TeevanConspiracy of silence imperils rebuilding of Quinn Group
Online campaign says it does not condone sabotage or vandalism
A structured proposal for the former Quinn Group manufacturing companies will be ready “within days”, a director of a company set up to buy them has said. Photograph: Brenda FitzsimonsStructured proposal for Quinn firms to be ready ‘within days’
The former Quinn Group of industrial businesses, now called the Aventas Group, has seen almost 70 attacks on its operations on the Fermanagh-Cavan border since a share receiver was appointed to the group three years ago on behalf of the former Anglo Irish Bank.
Last month, both the Belfast-headquartered Lagan Group, which was going to buy Quinn Rooftiles from Aventas, and Ceva, an international logistics group that was going to enter into an outsourcing arrangement with Quinn Cement, pulled out of the proposed deals following campaigns of intimidation.
Lagan chairman Kevin Lagan received a letter saying that if the sale went ahead, the buyers “would not live to see the benefits of the sale”. He received the letter on the day his wife died.

Series of attacks

A series of attacks included setting fire to machinery and vehicles in Lagan premises in counties Cork and Down, causing an estimated €1 million worth of damage.
Ceva’s decision to pull out of a proposed arrangement to operate trucking services for the former Quinn Group was announced after a van filled with inflammable substances was set alight at a Ceva premises in Little Island, Cork.
The attacks and intimidation recorded by the Aventas management on the businesses outside Derrylin include vehicles being set on fire, key parts of the manufacturing process being sabotaged, senior management being tailed when driving from the former Quinn premises, senior management receiving threats by phone, text and mail, and a truck being driven into the workers’ canteen.

they haven't gone away you know.

Was reading similar earlier. Very depressing.

guys

who the hell would you even vote for

all well and good to say greens but they voted for the bailout on condition that fur farming ended in donegal and i've not forgiven em yet.

carry on fg/lab?

is there anyone willing to launch a case for PBP or anyone down there

anyone forgiven FF? or can look beyond the obvious two things with SF?

shatter gone

Too little too late for locals if say.

What are odds of Ming making it to Europe?

Did you read that about Greens voting for water charges because they expected Labour to reverse it FFS.

If it were a general election I'd be clueless. Right now it's Labour as councillor and TD organised walking history tour of area and I'm easily bribed.

say it ain't so deems

(but srsly i'm curious how accurate you think this is - some of the commenters on the piece vehemently disagreed)

Don't see any evidence in the article that support for Palestine or anti-Semitism are "increasing". As the author says, a majority of Irish people who take a side take the Palestinian side - but this has been the case for a long time.

idk what to say to ya man, we been occupied til lately we didn't like it. I'm not sure most ppl have read or thought deeply into it.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BogNOjlIUAA5yEj.jpg

smdh

http://irishelectionliterature.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/ming97.jpg

this guy

ahem, this *fuckin* guy

but gone from dail

088 jaysus

like a fuckin brick iirc

Gilmore out

yeah

idk

idk

I mean he was no replacement for rabbitte tbh and Quinn better than either but it'll prob be Burton and idk

stupid knee jerk reaction. twere best done at Christmas after a decent pause.

Don't really know what the popular sentiment is but I'd have guessed that the Labour frontbench as a whole is unpopular, rather than just Gilmore? Like, what replacement is going to save them in the next election if they stay in government and allow SF/lefties to continue gobbling all the working-class votes?

otm

conversation with enda-

we're being killed out there, take some heat or spend money we don't have

no

then I quit

send the next one in on yr way out thks

Who is going to lead Labour now? Howlin? He's old guard though so probably not.

Thought Howlin was the most hated of the lot of them?

depends who you ask.

see it down to Quinn or Burton.

a right cunt

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0526/619719-fitzpatrick/

Burton has to put money where mouth is. I have time for her though so hopefully will live up to expectations of some backbone in labour.

Some real duds going to Europe. Their loss is our gain...

her going for it now means no budget or she loses all credibility.

I've no time for her tbh. out of all front benchers she's been the one making cheap political capital by fucking around with false promises and positions she knows to be impossible.

Maybe. I was a bit taken aback at stroke pulled by White before announcing candidature.

It's interesting having all the independents in locals. Will that have an effect on the process of budgets locally, etc. They can't be ignored and it'll be interesting to see how those decisions will be made.

Lots of interesting in tham thar politics...