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SOUTH DUBLIN MAYOR Dermot Looney’s decision to quit the Labour party last night has not come as a surprise to many who have listened to his criticisms of its policies in coalition over the last three years.
The party has now lost 27 councillors, all of whom have directly identified the junior coalition partner’s role in government as the reason for their defection.
The 31-year-old teacher, who represents the Tallaght Central area of south Dublin, had been selected to run for Labour in May’s local elections last year, but said last night he had “no distance left to run” believing the party has “kowtowed” to Fine Gael’s agenda.
Prior to his resignation yesterday, Looney missed the party’s conference last November and according to his now former party colleague in Tallaght Central, Pamela Kearns, he had missed the last eight constituency council meetings as well.
“This is the ideal place to raise concerns because it’s all Labour people but Dermot hasn’t been able to make any of the meetings unfortunately. We even changed our nights to try and accommodate him. So whilst I am not surprised, I don’t remember having any talks about it… which is a bit of a sad thing,” she said.
The timing of Looney’s departure will puzzle some within the party given its rise in the polls, the economic improvement and the belief that almost certain losses at the local elections in the summer will not be as bad as had been feared.
But there was also a sense of inevitability about it given he had always been opposed to the party going into government with Fine Gael and had frequently criticised policies and measures on his Twitter account.
Kearns said: “It has been predicted to be a hard election for any Labour councillor in May and it is because people are hurting and we are all acutely aware of that, but my perspective on it is we are doing our best for the country, not for ourselves.”
She also suggested that Looney’s “big personal vote” may have swayed his decision to now run as an independent in May’s elections given the unpopularity of Labour and noting his high-profile decision to use part of his salary to benefit 50 community groups.
“I imagine he has a strong personal vote,” she said. “It’s not popular to be in the Labour party at the moment.”
A Labour spokesperson said it is now clear “that we are making real progress” and that it’s not about personalities.
“It’s not about those public representatives who have quit the party. It’s about those who have had the courage to stick with it, despite the fact that some very tough decisions have had to be made,” they said.
But some within the party were less diplomatic in their response with Cork South West TD Michael McCarthy tweeting last night:
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Online and linked to a PPS number. Also, a revamp would significantly increase turnout rates
@David Healion: and rolling so you can change address or be added to register at any time of year. Once the PPS number is used that shouldn’t be a problem.
@Jane: pps is not enough. Any person working or long enough in the State can have a PPS number.
But only citizens can vote in Referendums.
@Good Early: Not true, legal residents of all nationalities can vote in the local elections, legal residents of EU nationalities can vote in the European parliament elections, Irish and British citizens can vote in the general election, only Irish citizens can vote in the presidential election and referendums.
@Conor Black: agree, that’s why said only citizens can vote if Referendums.
PPS is fine for the others, but not enough referendums
@Good Early: passport number could be used
@Seamus Mac: Not everyone has a passport.
The system thats there works once it’s all done in time & not at the last minute. I’ve moved house over the years & part of the process is changing to the local Register when I move. Not a blind panic 2 weeks before I need to vote.
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: I know several people in both camps in the recent referendum who got two voting cards for different polling stations. They all used them to vote twice
We also had foreign nationals registered who had no right to vote.
As we have no specific figures this is worrying. It’s seriously undermines our democracy.
The government should automatically enroll all citizens once they are 18 and post a voting card. No duplicating registrations. Whether people vote is another thing.
I received two polling cards. First one was correct, second one had my name on it, but my next door neighbours address. So I could have voted twice couldn’t I? I’m never asked for ID at the polling station probably because it’s local and manned by local people. All they do is put a line through the address when you show the polling card. If I’d gone again hours after I’d voted, I could have voted a second time probably.
@Rachel Giles: I know several people who got two cards and did vote twice. It’s poses a serious threat to out democracy
@Rachel Giles: Getting two voting cards doesn’t entitle a person to vote twice. If your name is only on the Register once, and they send out two voting cards in error, and you try to vote twice, you will be caught and this is a criminal offence.
@Rachel Giles: or you could have been arrested !
My Son who is 19 had a vote in the equality marriage referendum but had none in the 8th amendment referendum . He did not move house at all . No polling card came . Why was he taken off !
@Elaine O’ Brien: the same happened to my mother and when she got onto them she was told she had to prove she was Irish! She worked in the hse and was born and lived in Ireland all her life. It’s a joke
@Elaine O’ Brien: you don’t need the polling card to vote. Did you check the register to see he wasn’t on it?
@Sandra: checking the register isn’t 100% fool proof. My son didn’t show on it because we were searching for him using HIS name and address, he got a polling card with HIS name on it but next doors address so we never would have found him on the register
@Elaine O’ Brien: Just because you don’t get a polling card, doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a vote. Your name might be on the register of electors and that gives you the right to vote. Check the register online on your local County Council website. There is a facility to register on it also. Not sure how they monitor registration for who can and can’t vote in different elections when registering online!
@Elaine O’ Brien: No polling card does not mean he was taken off the register
You can pay your car tax & dog license online but not change your address on electoral register online.
The whole political system needs total reform. Just because the local teacher or publican can appear on TV and in interviews before a general election spewing out well rehearsed party rhetoric doesn’t make him/her any more competent for the higher level jobs in gov. We need capable and proper qualified people in gov to get a competently run country and unfortunately that excludes most of the current shower of chancers we’ve got in the dail.
@Adrian: totally agree with you. Especially in the case of allocating ministers’ positions, people should have, not just a qualification, but experience in given ministry.
@Adrian: I totally agree. Anyone elected should have mandatory training in economics and public policy. They only seem talented at talking shite and paying themselves. Most jobs require qualifications. We wouldn’t let a teacher become a doctor without qualifications. It’s a joke
Still a half measure as we need an electoral commission as well with the power to put some order on the current chaotic process
The register as it stands gives many opportunities for fraud
The UK system isn’t quite as efficient as presented (though it’s undeniably better than the Irish one). You have a central entry point online, but it still gets sent to the local councils for semi-manual processing, which is fine but seems an unnecessary step, and can lead to issues where some councils are better organised and more efficient than others. If you have a specialised division centrally that does nothing else obviously they’re going to be better resourced and better trained.
Do what they do up North,you have to submit your National Insurance Number to register,going door to door to update the register is too much for one man these days given the population explosion etc.
When my father died they took my name off the register also despite the fact that I registered tre Gaelinn, had to go to the local courthouse and deal with some snooty officials to have it restored and no apology from them either.
There is significant problems with voters register. I have two polling cards for people who have died. Note highest vote yes in DBS in country yet second lowest turn out ie 54%. This has more to do with the voters register than apathy.
How long after you leave the country can you retain the right to vote??
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