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SINN FÉIN HAS played down a photo of its new member, former Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews, with the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad which was taken and distributed on constituency leaflets four years ago.
The former Dublin South-East deputy joined Sinn Féin on Saturday after the party’s Ard Comhairle accepted his application.
It is now likely that the grandson of one of the Fianna Fáil founders, Todd Andrews, will run as a Sinn Féin candidate in next year’s local and European elections or at the next general election.
Andrews is a vocal pro-Palestinian activist who forged a working relationship with the Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh on the controversial ‘freedom flotillas’ that sailed to the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade in 2008 and 2011.
The photo with al-Assad, who the US and Europe believe was behind a deadly chemical weapons attack on his own people last month, appeared on constituency leaflets distributed in Dublin South-East in 2009 and has reappeared online in recent days. The photo was taken when Andrews visited Syria that year.
Picture used with permission of John Connolly/Cranky Notions
A Sinn Féin spokesperson said in response to the picture: “It’s not a new photo and has been doing the rounds again over the last couple of days.
“The photo was taken when Chris was in Syria lobbying on behalf of the many Palestinian refugees based there.”
Al-Assad and his army have been engaged in a brutal civil war with opposition to his regime for over two years with over 100,000 people thought to have died in the conflict and two million Syrian refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries, including one million in the last six months.
Andrews has previously said that the Labour “are pro-Israeli” and that Fine Gael’s foreign affairs policy on Israel is determined by “Israel’s puppet in Ireland Alan Shatter”:
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin said it would not be commenting on remarks Andrews made on a now deleted Twitter account – @brianformerff - last year in which he was heavily critical of Sinn Féin and party president Gerry Adams over his alleged IRA past.
The 49-year-old set up the account anonymously to criticise Fianna Fáil and its leader Micheál Martin.
Andrews's identity was revealed after the husband of a senior Fianna Fáil party figure - whom Andrews was accused of bullying - used surveillance to catch him sending the tweets from a Rathmines internet cafe.
"We will not be going into the detail of any discussions we had with Chris Andrews," the Sinn Féin spokesperson added.
Fianna Fáil declined to comment. A party source said Andrews and Sinn Féin are "well matched".
Andrews did not return calls.
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I returned home 2 months a go after 2 years in Brazil having never been on the dole before. Now 8 weeks later I’m at my wits end, I have started two jobs since I got home only to end up loosing the as I stood up to my employers for the lack of breaks. I recently worked for a push bike courier and worked 9 hours straight,when asked about lunch I was told it was too busy. There are lazy people out there but employers seem to be able to do as they wish at times.
Unfortunately the idea of “you have a job, you should be grateful ” over the last few years has given alot of employers the attitude that employees should and will take any conditions and crap that’s thrun at them and because so many people are sinking into poverty and are barely keeping their heads above water even though they are working they feel they have no other option but to put up and shut up. It’s a vicious circle.
Have you at any point considered turning to crime or drug abuse as a result of these problems?
I was unemployed for a number of months before I emigrated and not once was this a consideration of mine.
I’m not really sure why we’re constantly being told that “lack of support” of various different types is the cause of drug use and crime. I had little support, aside from Social Welfare, while I was unemployed and managed to get my ass out of the country and a new job without starting on heroin and mugging old ladies.
Where is the support for the retired Irish mother with a husband who hasn’t worked since 2009 and is getting by on state pensions and missing the support (emotional and financial) of her adult children who have all had to emigrate, or are unemployed themselves? Nope, not a word about that – it’s *always* inner city Dublin.
Also, I’m not entirely sure how quantifiable answers to questions such as “how is the recession, and Government policy, affecting your life?” actually are and how from this they can conclude the “greatest impact of the crisis and austerity measures has been felt by people who are on the lowest incomes and most dependent on state supports and services,” Surely these are subjective?
Similarly, communities like Fatima Mansions are much easier to provide services to than, say, dispersed rural communities. The fact that the have “community workers” to speak up (be they paid or voluntary) is something. Who speaks on behalf of the many thousands of people outside inner city Dublin who aren’t mentioned in the article?
There is much food for thought in your well considered comment. Kudos.
Time for the Irish people to stand up for themselves.
Pete
Dont be silly the Irish are lap dogs. Never protest, never stand up, just take it time and time again
Sad but very true :(
It’s all the fluoride In the water,makes them dolicile.Its banned everywhere in Europe.
Bullshit
The politicians are not going to stand up for anyone. They are too busy slurping at the trough with their newly appointed consultants. Why don’t these community groups demand free electricity and water for low income families and individuals? Are they so mired in corruption that they are unable to propose some simple solutions? And before the shareholders of Ireland Inc. start gnashing their teeth, and asking who will pay for it. The answer is, the Utility corporations can easily afford to take a small dip in profits.
You shut your mouth, put on some clothes, get down them stairs and get out & get a bleedin job for yourself (Dessie Curly)
Can’t find the full report online, does anyone have a link?
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