We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
ALL SORTS OF things can be raised on the Seanad’s Order of Business.
Unlike the Dáil, senators have the opportunity to raise a variety of issues and matters of the day that might concern them.
Yesterday, Fine Gael senator Cáit Keane was particularly concerned about the “reckless” carry on of the outgoing Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.
While eurozone finance ministers had grown increasingly weary of the flamboyant left-wing economist’s stance in bailout negotiations, Keane was unhappy about his wife, Danae Stratou, riding on the back of his motorbike without a helmet:
Graeme Wearden / TwitterGreece's @yanisvaroufakis can certainly make an exit (if not a Grexit....) Liveblog -> http://t.co/H9yaKxYBor pic.twitter.com/gWHdCpf8oD
— Graeme Wearden (@graemewearden) July 6, 2015
“Obviously, responsibilities come with everything – I imagine everyone will agree,” she said.
One thing I would say to Yanis Varoufakis, looking at his motorbike and his wife on the back of it today, without a helmet, is that it is reckless in the extreme, not alone on economic policy but in respect of his wife’s health as well.
Independent senator David Norris took umbrage at Keane’s remarks, describing them as “twaddle” before expanding on his point to add:
That is utter rubbishy politically-correct twaddle.
Keane insisted that far from “twaddle” this was an important point about a person leading by example in everything he does. She added:
I should be blaming the wife. He should carry a helmet for his wife in his boot.
“What about feminism?” Norris asked.
Watch the full (bizarre) exchange:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
We actually pay for these idiots to be employed.. Let alone represent us
To be fair, Cait has put herself up for election for the PDs and FG, and has been rejected each time for the last 30 years, so we get what we vote for.. er, wait, what?
It’s amazing that someone such as herself, who clearly has her finger on the pulse, has never been elected.
Well enda kenny asked the people to rid themselves of the Seanad and the people voted to keep it so suck it up.
I voted to keep the Seanad. I’m sorry.
She was obviously never in Greece on holidays.Nobody wears helmets there.Especially on the islands.I hired scooters there and nobody bothers with helmets.
Someone with no responsibilities complaining about someone in Greece not being responsible???
Ah here it’s only Wednesday and we have had the most idiotic and stupid comments to come from government TDs or senators this week already. We have had trolleygate from fg td. We have had bring your child to work from labour td and now this from fg senator. I await tomorrow’s stupidity. Forgot about whiffygate.
As motorcyclists say; “If you have a €100 head get a €100 helmet” Greeks are not known to be safety conscious.
They will really clutch at any straw to to try and spin anyone and anything in a negative light. Desperation.
Ah come on, a spare helmet in the boot!!
It’s under the jack and spare wheel.
She’s only getting started. Tomorrow she will be asking for on the spot fines for cyclists who don’t wear a helmet and for those who do not pay the fine, have it taken out of their wages or social welfare.
Shït-for-brains.
I have no words for the ineptitude of this whole scenario.
Embarrassing, the only thing that’s missing is Dustin the Turkey.
another fine gale nosey parker.seems more concerned about the outgoing finance minister on the back of a motor bike with no helmet..what the hell has it got to do her who or what this person is doing..if she has that much time doing nothing her self in the seanad ..and to make it worse it was on the order of business in the seanad.she should be more concerned about what is going on in IRELAND.
Poor aul Yanis, he’s getting well clipped by the blue shirt brigade all across Europe, they’ll be wanting him biking on the right next.!!
No need to worry Yaroufakis wife often rides without protection…..
Does anyone have the wiffy code?
Yeah can we get a re-vote on this so we can get rid of these in-electable wasters!
Oh no .Don’t bring Dustin into it sure isn’t he Inda’s father and aren’t we bad enough .
so are we
Cop on you old goat and start addressing issues closer to home……..this is why people resent the Seanad,because of clueless idiots like her.
This kind of stuff is just embarrassing
Why the hell is the fact that a foreign politicians wife rode a motorbike without a helmet being discussed in the Seanad?
it’s not like it happened in Ireland.
Me thinks Mrs. Keane was dropped on her head at some point.
If only she was wearing a helmet at the time.
Gender quotas anyone?
Sweet unbelievable Jesus…Cait Keane…empty vessel…any connection between herself and the Senator for Internet Bullying?
It’s almost as if they are trying to embarrass themselves these days.
I mean, what in gods name is that woman doing in politics?
She’s competing with Fidelma Really Screams for most stupid contribution of the week.
It’s reassuringly to know that our tax money is so wisely spent on the saleries and expenses of utterly useless Senators like Keane who seems to have little to say of concern about the state of this nation and are instead driven to take up Senate time with rubbish like this. She spends too much time reading Hello Mag by the sounds of things.
Childish.
The Senate is pathetic.
I hope you voted no in the referendum so. Had our chance to make these wasters redundant
Take note everyone, that’s where protest voting gets you.
If still in doubt, you can get additional confirmation from Mick Wallace 1st preference voters.
I did regret my Wallace vote Andrew, however since then his actions have changed my mind. He has done what he said he would do if elected, tackle corruption, no one can deny that.
utterly ridiculous reason for voting. you don’t deserve a vote.
I didn’t even have to read the story to know it was a FG senator pulling that comment out of her posterior.
Love David Norris’ response, the mans a national treasure…..
Yes the people are irresponsible they are filling their supermarket trolleys with drink and smokes and not paying their water tax. Who elects these people?
Yea Norris is quality.
david norris is correct total twaddle.
Obviously nothing of importance for her to worry about in Ireland. Irish taxpayers money well spent on Senead Eireann .
David Norris is brilliant, on the other hand this women is the embodiment of the failings of our parliamentarians. The country has serious issues that need addressing, health and education to name a few, and she wants to waste her time talkin about some guy in another country riding around with a passenger who is not wearing a helmet. If she and her ilk spent more time concerned about the people in this country, we may be better of
This sort of nonsense is hard to stomach. Has she nothing else to contribute? What a lame duck… She needs to open her eyes and see what is going on in this country!!
Complete and utter twaddle, yet not one mention of Enda’s adviser caught out lying once again, trying to cover up the very cronyism Enda and FG were supposed to be cleaning up. Nope, just some gormless bint trying to justify her existence by raising pointless issues.
“gormless bint” – thank you for that – what an awesome description, I’ll be stealing that if you don’t mind.
Starting to think we should have gotten rid of this place…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBAB26DjVXY
he is dead right.
idiots like this senator are taking attention off big issues concerning the breakup of the euro.
to think we pay these idiots.
Farage spot on.
what an idiot
Sean why on earth do you complement that woman.
she’s a blue shirt like you Sean.
Well someone has to! Did she make it home in time for dinner? Far from motorbiking she was reared.
He probably had said to her a 100 times not to forget her helmet in all Fairness!!!!!!
Sure if FG had their way.. it would be 3penality points for not wearing a helmet & a 60euro fixed fine.
I used wiffy to post this comment.
le wiffy
How would she like it if in Greece they started to talk about the mess she looks, opening her mouth like that just means she could end up with 2 feet in it.
Greece is in the mess because Merkel thinks the E.U. is hers to do with as she likes, and we have Irish politicians who run after merkel handing onto her apron strings like the good wee brainless gits they are…
Was she actually elected to the Seanad? She is a perfect case for it’s abolition!
I voted to keep the Senate on the grounds that there would be reform. Guess who feels foolish now!
Mary, you(like us all) were lied to. Nothing has changed. No reform, no end to cronyism, no accountability or fight against corruption. Just deflection, PC bull and fukwits on crazy money. Future fine gael voters, how can you justify voting for a party that has broken nearly every promise in its election manifesto, has the stink of corruption off all it touches, and regularly lies to the citizens of this nation(which it also gets caught out on doing). It gets worse, this is the party that claims Collins as its spiritual inspiration!! Makes me sick. All the members of that party put together wouldnt have an oz of that great man’s integrity. Traitors one and all in a house dominated by traitors. Labour and fianna fail representatives also deserve this moniker. Collins had a way of dealing with traitors and enemies of the irish people. They were called the 12 apostles or ‘the squad’. The only decent leader of this country, in our whole history of self rule, was apparently a member. I’d settle for imprisonment and hard labour. But while the people of this country continue to indulge these traitors at their party trough, the rest of us, and our children after us, will continue to live under the heel of their like and the elite who control them. Yeats was right in 1913, romantic Ireland IS dead and gone, its with our fenian dead, in their graves.
True, Brian. Just like the disabled were promised a new scheme when the disability allowance was cut, or the telephone allowance for pensioners. Or, the unkindest cut of all, promising decent childcare before cutting the over sevens allowance and then doing precisely nothing. Thanks, Joan! I haven’t voted for a mainstream party candidate for years, except for Ruarai Quinn but if he does stand again he won’t be getting my vote.
Meanwhile in the real world…..
Meanwhile in the real world, Tsipras received a standing ovation when entering the EU parliament earlier today. Not that anyone will have heard this on any RTE news bulletin, and i doubt very much if this will be carried by mainstream media.
Is Dear Leader wearing a seatbelt in the front passenger seat in this pic from the Journal in 2011?
http://www.thejournal.ie/cabinet-to-lose-ministerial-mercs-and-garda-drivers-104255-Mar2011/
he is john but to be fair i think all fg should wear a gag for they talk an awful lot of shite.
I hear he always fastens his seatbelt when on the government jet!
Does she know the laws of Greece or is she doing it out of mass bitterness?
Her Party “leaders” are not too concerned about the Greek’s welfare. They specialise in kicking them while they’re down, and lecturing them on economic behaviour. As for helmets , it would be helpful if Kenny, and Noonan, wore them when in public so we wouldn’t have to look at them at least.!
Well I think it’s common knowledge these days that the Greeks like to live dangerously!
Dear Senator Keane, whilst on holidays recently I saw a man refuse to clean up after his dog. Given your record of bringing unsafe practice’s in foreign countries to bear I look forward to hearing of this in the Seanad next week. Yours etc.
Her time and concerns would be better spent with the people who elected her
What an idiotic comment from a brainless old bag.
I think you’d better sit down again woman because i’m concerned you might suffer a bout of vertigo!
She’s as useful as an ash tray on a honda fifty
A VERY INSULTING WOMAN IN MY VIEW…
I voted to get rid of these clowns and each time i read more about the senate i am happy i voted that way even do i was agreeing with head clown Kenny ,What a dreadful cailbre of politically inept people we did not vote for ,,and people wonder why people like her are treated with such scorn contempt ,and anger ,
She’s got her finger right on the pulse of international affairs, Can we please introduce a new irresponsibility tax to fund the setting up of Irish Helmets,
A semi state body ensuring safe helmet supply and maintenance of the Helmet network.
Cait Keane you are suppose to be a smart blond
So are yellow Labradors
Worry about Ireland
If only more FG members wore condoms we wouldn’t have these morons spouting all kinds of tripe, water doesn’t fall from the sky, the wiffy code, every time Enda opens his mouth you’re wondering is someone behind him with there hand up his hole moving his mouth
Where’s his boot?
Another gobsh!te senator.
LMAO What a FCUKTWIT
Isn’t she the one who came from Greece and had a thirst for knowledge and studied sculpture at St martins college? Isn’t her dad loaded? Wasn’t she their when Jarvis was there?
*there
Thanks for that Barry – made me giggle big time :)
Christ above. It’d almost make you rethink the whole idea of having a second house
Is this lady for REAL
We really messed up not abolishing the seanad. There are a few useful contributors but so many senators are utterly useless and talk I’ll informed drivel.
*ill informed.
I’m actually speechless
There are worse things like…
http://action.sumofus.org/a/stop-child-abuse/2/2/?sub=fb
Where do FG get these mindless morons? The standard of political debate in Ireland is abysmal. Perhaps, it’s because many of our politicians appear to be semi-literate?
I’m confused – it’s a non issue now but when a cyclist in Ireland goes out without helmet and hi-vis there’s uproar and calls for fines.
jesus! !!!
This could be a waterford whispers story. Where the hell do ff/ff/lab get these absolute tools from. These are the people who are supposed to be running the country and this is what is on their minds. If indeed the likes of this senator has a mind.
oh god help our country with fools in charge
anything for attention, stupid woman, sickening she is getting paid for this.
A busy FG Senator then
Senator, her helmet got damaged in the economic crash.
She’s a twit!
have your say