And FF that leaves them with DDI

Yes. And shortening the hours achieves that how?

As it affects commuters, obviously. Having it on a Wednesday will keep away students too.
If the polls don’t look good, FG will probably bring in a law permitting nobody except elderly farmers to vote.

There is a real possibility of change with Direct Democracy Ireland.

Things aren’t beyond hope………

Coming 4th in a 3 seater election constitutes with 9 candidates a “huge failure”?!?!? Thomas has been a solid politician in the Seanad since. For example he highlighted an area in the Social Welfare Bill from the budget which saw it just falling short of being defeated in the subsequent vote (unprecedented in modern Seanad). He’s been vocal and great on community support. He has experience and is well liked by people on the ground. He suffered as a result of a (rightly) very unpopular Government and if elected promises to be in the front line of opposition in a constituency that has 100% Government TD’s after the 2011 election.

People of Meath East, tell the Government they’re going the wrong way and elect a competent, constructive opposition TD. Vote Thomas Byrne Number 1!

Why would anyone in their right mind vote for Fianna Fail ever again?

How much is Bertie getting as a pension again????
Disgusting.

It’s more than disgusting- it’s criminal.

Thomas Byrne of FF took the last election, where he lost his Dáil seat very bad. The will of the plebs and Paddies not rhyming with his own ego and sense of entitlement.

The journal actually ran a piece on it over a year ago.

http://www.thejournal.ie/fianna-fail-senator-says-signs-saying-he-is-still-td-%E2%80%9Cnot-misleading%E2%80%9D-210568-Aug2011/

As he boldly points out to the fellow he is writing to ” I am Privileged” and how many people still wishes he was a T.D., ignoring the fact that he is not because that was the will of the people.

The ego has landed indeed.

Eoin- the people of Meath don’t need to be told about Governments going the wrong way. They, unlike you in Britain, live with the consequences of the last catastrophic Fianna Fáil Government every day of their lives.

@Eoin – great guy that Thomas. He “highlighted”, he was “vocal”

Just WTF has he achieved?

Some commitment to the Seanad, he legs it at the first opportunity. I really hope he knocks on my door. The guy is a clown

So Kevin, you believe that families broken by emigration don’t matter in modern Ireland? Good to know your view!

Anne, don’t know what Bertie’s on. Do believe that the government should tackle high pensions across senior civil service and ex-politicians.

Iain, misquoting the man (said he was privileged to get the chance to serve the people) is very unbecoming. You’ve been misquoting and WUM-ing with that article all week. Here’s the real Thomas speaking today in his own words looking out for the people of Meath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=899RhwqWUvU

Anne De Croix – where does DDI stand on Property Tax?

Hi. I’m not an expert on this- I have an aversion to politics or more precisely politicians, but this looks interesting. The FFers are clearly going to try to diss it- someone mentioned hippies earlier, but I don’t think that really holds up. It’s about accountability and transparency as far as I can see.
Here’s the link to the website-
http://directdemocracyireland.ie/
It doesn’t mention Property Tax specifically but I figure it would be part of the bailout package that they rightly wish to question or, as they say, with enough signatures, it can go to a referendum. FG and FF are obviously going to oppose anything that will hold them accountable to the public! But, how do we hold our politicians accountable now? Is there a direct process whereby we can ask why the election promises have not been adhered to? It seems to be a case now where, once a Party gets into power they can do whatever the flock they like………..that doesn’t seem right to me. I’ve really lost faith in the democratic process, I suppose since Tony Blair and then with the way things have gone here. I think we really need a change. That the Swiss use this system gives it a lot of credibility. You couldn’t call the Swiss hippies- seriously, I’ve been there. It is uber-organised.

Anyway, I’d love to see the old parties swept away.
Enough is enough.

I don’t want to put anyone down- I’m sure this Thomas Byrne means well and he’s probably a nice enough man but his party destroyed this country and milked it dry. This current bunch might be trying their best, but they seem completely out of touch with the reality of life for the majority of people here. The size of their pay packets under the circumstances make them appear arrogant and imperialist, and that’s being polite.

We’ve got to start considering different options and this one gives the people more power.
I think that’s a good thing.

Here Here!
What hope and joy it would bring to the country to see DDI voted in.
Come on Meath!
: )

DDI all the way! :D

So 12 hour shift will have less than one hour to get to their poling station

Nobody knows who DDI are. Some bunch of feckin hippies or something probably! The people of Meath wont have anyting to do with that kind of shower. They want to send the goverment a message. FF will walk it! Hon Fiaana Fail!! :)

I should mention that as a family man Thomas knows how familys are sufering under this goverment.

FaFail4sean are you for real your party screwed this country when you were in power ,just like FG are doing know

If Thomas knows how family’s are suffering ,he would not be running for the Bankers party

Probably not going to make any friends around here saying this, but while I appreciate what DDI are trying to achieve and that change is definitely in Irish politics, Ben Gilroy is as much if not more of a bullsh*t artist than any establishment politician.

I really wish it were otherwise, but there you have it.

Crawl back under that rock you moron, you and FF! You support a joke of a party along with FG.

@Voodoo, you have my attention, please elaborate.

Well, Ben makes a lot of noise about subscribing to some variant of the Freeman on the Land stuff, which he likes to pretend gives him a magic formula to prevent banks, debt collectors, bailiffs and sheriffs from making repossessions.

Obviously, none of it is true, and there’s no such hocus pocus – it just doesn’t work – but when Ben’s caught out on this, he likes to let on that it’s everyone else who’s breaking the law, rather than it having been a thing that he was talking sh*t all along. He also gets them pumped up to traipse around the courts making these kinds of arguments, and again, when it doesn’t work out, as it usually doesn’t, Ben blames everyone but Ben.

NOW, I can see the logic that giving people the courage to fight back against repossessions and the obvious injustices of the past decade in this country. But, I’m not comfortable with doing that by straight-up lying to people. Ben latches on to vulnerable, desperate people and gives them false hope – I’d be inclined to say that false hope is better than no hope at all, but I just don’t like the idea of people being lied to and put up to tactics that have no prospect of success.

We all know that the banks are taking advantage of this country, with the government’s acquiescence, people should by all means protest and fight it all the way. But the law is the law – I’d have respect for Ben if he was honest about this and set out to change the law, rather than pretending it works in a completely different way to how it actually does. For example, Ben’s main claim to fame is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpUjl4LvQM8

While the jumble of legal sounding words he’s coming out with sound impressive, they’re actually gibberish. And while the sheriff here got sick of listening to him and headed away, in actual fact he came back a couple of days later and took possession of the house. Ben lets on this was all “unlawful” and that this whole business represents a great victory for ordinary people. In reality, it’s nothing of the sort.

In my opinion, it all has very little to do with helping people keep their homes, and everything to do with Ben promoting Ben.

“Fine Gael think it is alright to do this”? This is a Democracy. The people of Meath will get to decide whether or not it is, not you. Btw- Leeds suck.

Kevin. You missed the point you muppet, I was making the point about nepotism and by the way way the people of Meath East have already shown themselves to be prized gombeens already by voting the likes of McEntee in the first place. Btw up yours from LUFC.

Actually it’s Switzerland, not Sweden that uses Direct Democracy. Referenda are more common in Ireland than they are in Switzerland also, so your point in a tad moot there. And Gilroy has been doing a court circuit, trying to get people out of legal contracts that they signed of their own free will. Also what are the policies of DDI?

I’ve been on the website but all I could find were 10 points that range from the irresponsible/inaccurate (fyi: we aren’t repaying bailout loans yet so you can’t “immediately stop” them), to the mundane (promising to review eveything……hardly inspiring or even the slightest insightful), down to the illegal (scrapping contracts already signed by the state). There is zero substance and no ideas. Just buzz words. Will DDI be giving more detail in the next 3 weeks of how they envisage the day to day running of the state?

Please dear God and baby Jesus and all the Saints may there be change in this country.

Our current political system is archaic.

Any party that allows people to vote someone out for not preforming would get my vote in a flash. That would certainly get the FF/FG reptiles twitching in their seats……………….I know a couple in West Cork would be gone for sure.

Sooooooo, no answers to the questions then. Is the entire DDI platform, “we’re not FF, FG, Labour, SF – vote for us” ???

Eoin you’re shooting yourself in the foot with that one-
I think not being FF/FG/L is a good enough reason for most of the population to want to vote for them.
That and accountability.
I think accountability is a big one- this Govt have trampled on the people of this country whilst protecting their own paypackets and vested interests. Shame on them. Their lies have made a mockery of justice and democracy.

Or else they could go down the traditional Irish political line and lie their way into government?
Would that be better?

: )

@Eoin, we had 1 referendum last year, Switzerland had 12 at the national level. Check your definition of “common”.

That is of course before the hundreds of votes at the canton level. And thousands at the local level.

Congrats Eoin, You’re the first FF attack dog against DDI here. I’d say there’ll be toms more. Keep it coming the more publicity the better. BTW will you make sure the rest of young FF come in blasting on all cylinders. Thanks.

Eoin, happily ensconced as you are in the UK- are you really comfortable telling Meath people how to vote?

4 respondees and not one of ye could outline one single policy among ye. Ye (DDI) wish to do away with the EU bailout funding, how then are ye proposing to overcome the €12bn structural deficit (as in day to day spending – nothing to do with banks)? What areas are ye going to cut over night to make that figure up or how much extra tax does every citizen have to pay, 10%, 20%? These are fairly straight forward questions folks and if/when ye go canvassing ye will be asked ‘em regularly.

Anne, if ye think not being FF/FG/Lab/SF will win this, have a look at the polls again.
Ferdia, you’re correct. I made the mistake of looking at Sweden after Martin’s post even though I’d pointed out the difference. Apologies for the error.
Kevin, I have never told someone how to vote. I have given clear reasons as to why I believe someone is the best candidate for the job and ask people to consider her/him.
Sean, I’m in no way an attack dog. I’ve asked DDI for their policies. The voters ye meet will do the same. Do you think they should be considered attack dogs also?

By all means I commend people for getting politically active and starting a new party (or what ever it is ye want to call it), however in doing so you have to stand for something. As they say: those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.

@Eoin – what’s with all the “ye” – what century are we in?

No problem, honest mistake.

I am actually fine with the taxation as it is currently happening. As you correctly say we have a deficit wither we like it or not. I am backing DDI all the way as I want DD for local level issues, as well as non-financial (although I would like it to cover financial as well for emergency situations) national issues (example I would like to campaign to set in place a minimum of one secular school per major town). I also want the Party Whip system abolished. DDI wants both, so they get my vote. Simple really.

Ferdia, cheers for the response. They are reasonable policies and indeed I’d like to see more citizen engaged with the political process myself but it’s also too narrow a basis for me to base myself on. I don’t think any party member agrees 100% with all their party’s policies however the only reason I am a member is that FF broadly stand where I do on a range of issues and by being involved, my voice gets heard in refining and sharpening those positions and policies.

Paul, “ye” is a very common substitute in Ireland for the second person plural, especially in western parts of the country.

They also say “whest” for west but you don’t write it that way…

“Wesht” is not a word………”ye” is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_(pronoun)
Quote: It is also common today in Ireland’s Hiberno-English to distinguish from the singular “you”.

Eoin, the primary objective is to give the power to the “actual people” as opposed to having a democracy which pertains to be representative (which is not what we actually get or have).
DDI is something different and relatively new…but if you want ff good luck with that…

@eoin- 1). Do not associate me please with DDI. I support Fine Gael. The party charged with cleaning up the mess your lot left behind. Again. 2). What sort of arrogance makes you think anyone on here needs your commendation on anything? 3). You very much do “tell people how to vote”. Do I need to cut & paste 4). You don’t address my core point: that as someone who has exited this country while times are tough, your moral authority to lecture the people of Meath is wholly undermined 5). The very fact that you would countenance supporting, never mind actively canvass on behalf of the party that drove this country over an economic cliff and surrendered our sovereignty does really make a mockery of any criticism of DDI. They may be untried, untested dreamers but unlike FF their conscience can be clear and they’ve done no harm. That trumps the proven incompetence and corruption of Fianna Fáil every time.

Eoin I think you have too much time on your hands because you seem to do little else than comment on here. And to continue to promote FF after the mess they walked this county in is delusional on your part. Wake up and smell the coffee. Vote for change. The very model of Direct Democracy is you get your policy and direction from the people not lie to them in advance of an election and do the opposite after you get in. (familiar with FF). As for getting people out of their contracts in court sure if the contracts were correct to start with you wouldn’t get out of them??? Study contract law for a bit, full disclosure, meeting of minds, offer and acceptance, consideration, legal capacity etc. Do you think the banks met their end of the contract in any of the above points? No is the answer. Did they not break their own liquidity rules which carries a prison sentence of up to 5 years in Jail. How many of them have been jailed under FF rein? As for DDI I am a member and not a spokesperson and in the interest of openness I was a former member of FF until they made a hash of our country and I see DDI as the way forward, give the people their say, by and large they wont shaft themselves. I could go on but I think enough said for now.

@Eoin: At the end of the day, I don’t think it matters who you vote for in terms of the counties finances. They will all cut costs, and increase taxes. They have to. There is a deficit. As to that I think there is a real argument to be made for voting based on what unique ideas these parties are bringing to the Dail, and I just don’t see anything of the sort from the big four. You can’t say the same about DDI though. They have some real ideas for change in this country, even if it does have to happen in line with deficit closing measures.

I like a good healthy pun. Well done sir!

Everytime you use a pun, you lose a piece of your soul.

Hogan obviously running scared. Wants to reduce the voting window for the working people who are most effected by FG/LAB’s unfair taxes. He’s manipulating the vote by exclusion. Vote anyone but these guys and FF. Rotten to the core!

Any particular reason why the Seani Fitz article is open for comment?

Comments are disabled as legal proceedings are active

Andy, back under your bridge!

Thanks

Yes, Rob. Because the 15% who are unemployed & available to vote throughout the day….they’ll be lining up to vote for the Government parties, won’t they?

Those that are permanently unemployed and have everything handed to them and are unaffected by all the austerity will vote for them. Plus all the naive idiots that red thumb all anti gov comments. There’s a huge portion that won’t be able to due to time change

A failed business man. Ehhhh, no?

If people want change, then they must change! Stop voting for the old parties, corrupted by a system they created!

What failed business man sur the FG girl never worked and the Byrne las has already been fixed up. Is it true Enda holding seat in senate for her when she loses?

Better a businessman that is trying and trying to create money and employment than a failed teacher who is just taking and taking from from the state in pensions and perks while inventing more and more taxes and charges to cut the legs off citizens and business people!

To fail in a business is part of the game. Steve Jobs did it, Bill Gates did it. Gates went bankrupt multiple times ffs.

Are toy serious? Now you’re giving out about democracy? We chose to put FG/L into government and when the time comes we’ll put FG/FF together next time.

Apparently it has to be a “nice” picture/ piece of propaganda to be used…

Anne- Charlie Haughey, Ray Burke, P Flynn, BC Flynn, Liam Lawlor, Ivor Callely, Bertie Ahern, need I go on? There are rotten apples in every barrel. So none of the parties were free of it. But it’s institutionalised in Fianna Fáil. They leave the other parties at the Halpenny place when it comes to corruption. But I suppose what can you expect from a party established using stolen money? It’s in their DNA.

He’s from navan

http://directdemocracyireland.ie/

Wow Kevin, are conspiracy theories a hobby for you? The headline is factually accurate and does not under any circumstances suggest impropriety, the Minister is perfectly entitled to reduce the polling period and indeed provides a justifiable reason for doing so.

The picture is a nice picture which came into our newsdesk this morning and relates to the campaign in Meath East. You can rest assured we’ll be giving fair and impartial coverage of the forthcoming by-election and I am perfectly happy in my current job.

Sorry Hugh, I don’t buy that. Just yesterday there was an article about a murder. There have also been mentions of Enda Kenny and FG on this website.

Stop trying to suggest Enda is a murderer!!

Lol I don’t see how a photo of a smug looking Brian Hayes creepy lookalike helps FF. just saying uhh

Feeling nervous Kevin ? You have more than this site to blame for that….

@hugh- Thanks for responding. As for conspiracy theories, you’re only paranoid if they’re NOT actually out to get you. And the Journal consistently projects an anti-Government bias. Dress it up as you like and nice picture or not, that’s an advertisement for Thomas Byrne you have leading this story- the day after the Election Day has been called.

@brian- bring it on. The people will have their say. If they decide the Government is failing them, so be it. But it should be a fair fight.

Yes , we will have our say in Meath ;-)

It looks like an advert for Thomas Byrne to me. The lovely child pointing at his poster being held by Thomas and smiling. There is no irony. There is no joke. There is no cynicism. It looks like you’re advocating a vote for Thomas Byrne to me. He looks great in that picture. If you were paid to promote Thomas you couldn’t have found a better picture for his campaign.

Thomas is an honest man no one doubts that.

The problem is that a very large percentage of his party are far from it.

Just this week alone we have one of their top bagmen done for tax evasion, one of the leading members in Cork city, an ex-cllr in court charged with conspiracy to murder and another one charged with dangerous driving etc.

Just a regular week for the FF party. Which leading lights of the party will be in court next week. It never ends with them. They truly are a unique party, uniquely corrupt.

Your unbiased comments are transparent. Enought said……