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Updated 1.45pm
https://vine.co/v/MdXqI7p1bXb
THREE TDS HAVE now confirmed they want to be the deputy leader of Labour.
Junior Minister Alan Kelly confirmed his bid to be the party’s second-in-command earlier, with fellow junior minister Seán Sherlock and Cork South-West TD Michael McCarthy also declaring that they intend to run.
The Tipperary North TD Kelly announced his intentions to enter the race for the position of second-in-command at the portico in Leinster House this morning.
Kelly appeared to throw his support behind the leadership bid of Joan Burton saying she would make an “excellent” and “fantastic” leader although he did not outright endorse her.
The other leadership contender, who hasn’t yet declared, Alex White was described by Kelly as someone with “huge capabilities”
Supporting Kelly are Carlow-Kilkenny deputy Ann Phelan, former junior minister Willie Penrose, Louth TD Ged Nash and Dublin Mid-West TD Robert Dowds. Senators Marie Maloney and John Gilroy are also supporting Kelly’s deputy leadership bid.
Housing minister Jan O’Sullivan has also thrown her support behind Kelly in a tweet this afternoon.
Jan O'Sullivan / TwitterI will be supporting Alan Kelly for Deputy Leader
— Jan O'Sullivan (@JanOSullivanTD) May 29, 2014
Phelan, who proposed Joan Burton for leader, said a Burton-Kelly partnership would be “the dream ticket”.
During his short speech, Kelly thanked Eamon Gilmore for his services to the party, stating that “history is going to remember him in a very positive way”.
Hugh O'Connell / TwitterAlan Kelly: Working families are those we really need to support.. We need to refocus on these people
— Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) May 29, 2014
In a statement confirming his intentions this afternoon McCarthy, who chairs the Oireachtas Environment Committee, said: “I see my role as Deputy Party Leader as helping to restore confidence in ourselves, restore confidence in who we are as a party, and provide confidence in ensuring that our vision for Ireland is one of a better, stronger, fairer Ireland. ”
https://vine.co/v/MdHXDgPZ3LZ
Speaking at Leinster House this lunchtime, McCarthy declined to say how many members of the Parliamentary Labour Party are supporting his bid saying it was about the overall members.
“This is not about who brings out the most amount of people,” he insisted.
https://vine.co/v/MdHHA9LYLd2
Meanwhile Sherlock, a TD for Cork East, has re-entered the race having earlier this week ruled himself out of both the leader and deputy leadership contests.
“I want to part of the process of renewal of this party,” he said in a statement.“To do that I feel that the position of deputy leader will allow me to assist to rebuild the organisation.
“I believe I have the energy and the capability to try this agenda with a new party leader and I look forward to the election taking place.”
Also this morning, Arthur Spring indicated that he may throw his hat in the ring for the top position, a job Brendan Howlin has already declined to fight for.
Spring was one of the ‘gang of eight’ who supported a motion of no confidence in Gilmore, forcing his early resignation last week.
The Kerry North-West Limerick TD said he would consider whether he had enough support before making a final decision.
Current frontrunners for the leadership are Social Protection Minister Burton, who announced her candidacy yesterday flanked by a number of members of the Oireachtas, as well as local councillors and other party members, and junior health minister White who is expected to confirm his intentions in the next few days.
Meath East TD Dominic Hannigan has also indicated that he might run either for the leadership or deputy leadership.
Nominations for leader and deputy leader close at noon next Tuesday before a month-long postal ballot process begins with some 5,000 party members eligible to vote. The results of both contests will be announced on 4 July.
- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
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I can honestly say this man is an absolute fraud. Unfortunately I voted for this fool back in 09. (Should of known why he was so eager to leave the EU).
He does be in the local hotel clicking his fingers at waitresses thinking hes a lord demanding to be served. He also has a habit of hiding behind his secretary in his constituency office and not having the decency to meet people who go in with issues after being seen walking into the place. He also loves sending around his propaganda a to the whole of North Tipp praising what little work he has done. Self praise is no praise and plus its a waste of time and money.
Your man above hit the nail on the head…..
“Cares more about theatrics than the people”
thanks Willie; it’s information like this that tells us who someone really is, and not something all of us have access to. good to know.
I have to agee with willie. If there was a general election in the morning, this guy would be sunk. Not simply because of the current labour landslide, but mainly because of his blatant ignorance to the issues surrounding his electorate that established him to where currently he is. He installed a cycle track from nenagh to limerick at the cost of almost a million euro while the local hospital has services cut and transfered to limerick regional. The road with the cycle track (the old N7) has no been reduced to 80 km an hour speed limit, is plagued by speed vans, despite the fact the road could be used to land a 747 jet.
A fine example of a man who has his finger firmly on the pulse of his electorate.
Never forget
Sean Sherlock = Internet censorship.
Sherlock. In the pocket of media multinationals. Shameless. Complete lack of imagination and understanding when it came to addressing issues surrounding the internet. Since this is his contribution to date, I can’t see how anybody could vote him into any position of influence.
What I would like to know is who on earth is advising these people to put their names forward. It is surely damaging to the Labour Party in that all these candidacies do is highlight a glaring lack of talent
@patgleeson Or maybe as Junior Transport Minister he has some influence in delivering cycle lanes, but nothing in health? That said, as a minister, his job shouldn’t be to get as much pork as possible for his constituency.
Willie you’ve just described every TD.
I take your point about it the “health” issue being outside his portfolio. but seriosly, nearly a million euro of tax payers money put to use in such a ridiculous, wasteful manner. I mean, its ireland, where it rains maybe 65% of the year. I don’t think a cycle lane of this extent, put to use by very few, is an example of dynamic and strategic thinking of how to improve our transport infrastructure or services.
Why is this such a big story, after all – The Labour party as it stands is now consigned to the wastepaper basket of Irish politics, and rightly so.
Ireland is one of Europes biggest Cycling Tourism destinations actually, in fact, tourism, one of our largest industries, is hit by a lack of funding in projects such as the cycle lane.
The issue over the hospital mentioned is taken completely out of context and I will explain why.
I am also a constituent of Alan Kelly’s and I did vote for him.
In reality, as a local TD, Alan Kelly has had several million euro’s pumped into Nenagh hospital over the past 2 1/2 years, a hospital that will take an enormous amount of finance to get to where it should be due to the lack of investment and planning throughout the nineties, in fact under Berties government, the plan was to close the hospital, it was saved by the constituents before Alan Kelly was elected. People have to accept that, it is not a quick fix and it is up to the minister for health to sort.
As Junior Transport Minister he has had finance invested into projects which support tourism and in reality he has done well at his brief, however unpopular that is to admit. The only downfall is that it is not a high profile brief and therefore not totally relevant to people, especially in the climate of the current government where there are much larger issues at the fore of peoples minds.
% contribution to gdp
Services: 72
(Of which tourism is 3 %)
Industry: 26
Agriculture: 2
Tourism is not one of our largest industries.
I completely agree that this lad thinks he’s Gods gift to politics. He abuses his position all the time such as when he ordered Irish Rail to run a special train service from Nenagh to Dublin when Tipperary were in the final. Then he and his father takes their 80 year old neighbour to court over some ridicules right of way issue. This guy cares nothing for the people.
What planet to you live on Stephen. Alan Kelly did nothing for Nenagh Hospital. However he does like to order extra trains for the All Ireland.
Labour isn’t a Socialist Party anymore…
Hasn’t been for a long long time. Maybe not since Frank Cluskey.
I had to have a giggle at there last Ard Fheis / Convention…
They traditionally end it with the whole hall singing “The Red Flag”.
They all stood there singing it in there Armani suits reading it from a print out as none of them knew the words.
You are right Dinglelad, the socialists are now with Sinn Fein. They give half their wages to Gerry and the party HQ so that he can afford to keep his mansion in Donegal.
Marxism is alive and well in Ireland.
Is this the mansion you talk of Chris.
http://donegalnews.com/2013/02/gerry-adams-remortgages-gortahork-property/
That’s just his holiday mansion, according to the article you’ve linked to.
Oh oh Chris Kirk – You are still peddling the same old porky pies , week after week after week !
You had better fix the spring in the old gramophone and replace the record too as it’s sticking with the same ould jealous fable !
Did he really need to hold a press conference for that? Cares more about theatrics than the people.
Phew…that was so close to national disaster that christ the country is safe now, quick somebody point all these idiots towards the nearest cliff, I just can’t take anymore!!
How can you know you want to be deputy leader when you don’t know who the leader’s going to be?
Emily the party members will decide that, but at least we know who is interested in the job. Not like other parties where it is a matter of dead mans shoes and the inner circle decides.
Seriously ! Did some fool utter the phrase “dream ticket” ? Where have these fools been burying their heads for the past week ?
Did the existing Deputy Leader resign too? Who even were they!? (Says it all, really)
The people have copped on to Austerity Joan and Labour – the water charges Party. Burton and Alan “Ego” Kelly will end up on the scrapheap with Gilmore and it’s time for the Labour Party to rid themselves of these fake socialists.
Surely Phil Hogan and FG are the water charges brigade.
@ Chris…with the compliance of the spineless labour bunch…
Junior Minister Alan Kelly wants to be the deputy leader of Labour.
wow
many ambition
such intent
much delude
” I think I’ll make myself… vice president. No, wait! Junior vice president! “
Another deluded idiot in the little Labour Party bubble….
Spineless , No backbone….WHO’s Afraid of Joan Burton ????……Alan (I want a top job) Kelly , THAT’S Who !!!!!
This guy is so stupid to believe that Burton is going to save Labour.She is going to bury Labour forever and that is the price you pay for lying to the real people of this country.
Can’t understand this sudden rush of nobodies wanting to replace a line up of has beens in order to lead an all but defunct party known nationwide for its empty promises, total lack of credibility, and downright lies.
If you’ve truly any honour and integrity about you, disassociate yourselves from this shameful shower and either align with another party or stand independent.
The labour party and their side kicks SIPTU are a disgrace to the working people,because of them the workers have no rights left and in a lot of cases no jobs.
SIPTU??
Don’t forget: “Partnership for Poverty” and Benchmarking were part of the sell your country for votes deal that Bertie used to run his empire.
Labour are finished because supporting SIPTU and looking after the poor are no longer the same – they are the opposite!!
Interesting Times.
how right u are there. wasters the lot of them.
Kelly backs Joan the Moan .. Cute boy … Fix what you broke Kelly .. Your not fit for office ..
If he’s throwing his support behind her it’s obvious he hasn’t learned his lesson, roll on the next election and get rid of the whole lot of the self serving f**ckers
Another gobsh!te.
Brown nosing at its best
I love the way Kelly wont back anybody for the leadership. Get off the fence before you get splinters in your arse.
I didn’t know Brian O’Driscoll was a member of the Labour Party.
Heard a lot about this guy. He’s the man to turn this around.
I can’t tell if you’re being serious?
Hon Tipp!
Like he did with the railway line which cost taxpayers a fortune ?
Alan Kelly & Arthur Spring – Two Sides of the Same Arse !
Thank God. We’re saved.
What was that name father Jack had for the Labour Party? Oh yes….shower of ba$tards!
Fantastic leader my eye, no such thing in this Country ….
McCarthy would be an odd one as he has very little chance of holding his seat.
At least Sherlock has one of Labour’s safer ones and Kelly is in a five-seater, which gives him a chance, but McCarthy scraped in by 600 votes in a 3-seat constituency where Labour hadn’t held a seat for nearly 40 years and didn’t even bother running a candidate for a number of elections.
Unless he thinks being deputy leader could save his seat…
No Labour seat is safe, and particularly Burton’s , as proved by the by-election results. If they have 10 seats after next election it will be amazing. 7% might get them that many, and that’s too good for them.
That’s true, but if they come back with 10, odds are Sherlock’s will be one of them.
If they come back with 30, odds are McCarthy will still lose his seat.
This whole fiasco gets more laughable with every update. At this rate the entire Labour party will be stuffed so far up Joan Burton’s hole that they’ll be able to see Pat Rabitte’s boots. Best place for them all I say. Wanna take a few FG eejits up there with yez too lads?
Seven year itch
There is a phrase ” gone for a burton” which means something,or someone has been ruined,or destroyed, and this fits The Labourious Party perfectly! They might have some hope with Burton and Taylor but they’re dead!
Ur right wille. Kelly is a pure fraud.been from tipp and seen what he has done is a joke he wud be considered.
Oh please spare us
He must be looking for a serene foster mother to put his tie on and fix his facial studs!
Alan Kelly. Will ruin the. Labour. Party. The way. He has. Ruined the taxi. Business
If history was gonna remember Gilmore in a positive way then he would not have had to resign.
The last that I heard of that Mc Carthy fella ,was ,that he was going to lose his seat in the next GE
Surely Mary it is Greenways these days not railways.
I can see gift grub doing a three TDs and a little lady spoof take of of three men and a baby !
Sherlock? Jaysis – either didn’t have a clue about the internet; or did, and was so beholden to Sony and IMRO he just didn’t care…
“My SI isn’t an Irish SOPA! It won’t result in any website being blocked!”
A year later…
Well, at least he’s proactive. He actively insulted loads of people on social media. Then blocked them.
Anyone ever heard of Alan Kelly’s capitalist brother who is well in with the Clintons and other Washington Big Wigs. Kelly is a Capitalist and NOT a Socialist. He has the biggest political ego I have ever witnessed.
Joan burton will do an excellent job as labour leader……… Like lead lemming leading them off a cliff into oblivion.
The Working Class can kiss my ass…I have the leader’s job at last. A refrain sung by every Labour Party leader since the party’s inception.
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