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Nessa Childers Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

'Fair-weather friend' Childers criticised by Labour TDs over resignation

The MEP’s decision to resign from the parliamentary party was met with disappointment and criticism from her Labour colleagues today.

LABOUR TDS HAVE reacted to MEP Nessa Childers’ decision to resign from the parliamentary party with disappointment and criticism today.

Childers announced her resignation this morning in a strongly-worded statement which criticised the government which she said “is implementing harmful conservative policies”.

But one former parliamentary party colleague, Dublin Mid-West TD Robert Dowds, described the Ireland East MEP as a “fair-weather friend” of the party.

“I regret this is what she has done resigning from the Labour Party,” he told TheJournal.ie today.

“I mean like I know she is tired of austerity, so am I [tired of austerity]. I wish to heck we could get out of it but the government is working to try and get out of it.”

Speaking to Kfm earlier today Childers said that recent meetings with a garda sergeant and the Ballyhea protest movement contributed to the “last straw” for her.

She said: “I felt at that point my position was completely lacking in integrity and indeed a sort of corruption if I were to stay in that situation where I was feeling shame basically about what they were telling me.”


If you are having trouble listening to this clip, click here

Dublin Mid-West TD Joanna Tuffy said that Childers should have “stuck with” the party.

“I am not happy with her decision but she has to do what she has to do,” she said, adding that like Childers she had voted against the programme for government in 2011 but had still remained in the party.

“I am in the Labour Party and I want it do the best I can in government. We need constructive criticism but not playing up to agenda that is about undermining the Labour Party.”

Clare TD Michael McNamara said that Childers’ resignation was a disappointment while Kerry North-West Limerick TD Arthur said the decision was “not surprising”.

“I wish she had stayed because we had three MEPs that were advocating for us at a European level and we will only have two now,” Spring said.

Childers’ fellow MEP Phil Prendergast said earlier she supported her colleague saying there is “something fundamentally wrong with the actions of Labour in government”.

“While I am sad to see Nessa resign the party whip, I admire her conviction and she remains a close friend and colleague,” Prendergast said.

“I do not doubt that her commitment to those same principles of equality and social justice will continue into the future.”

TheJournal.ie will have an interview with Nessa Childers tomorrow morning

Column: Nessa Childers said what many ordinary Labour members really think about the government

Read: Labour denies Gilmore seeking to shore up support among TDs and senators

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79 Comments
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:13 PM

    The longer it takes the more interest AIB will have to pay won’t they?

    229
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    Mute Plantation Watch
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:29 PM

    The bailout is bigger than 21 Billion, the low interest rates and DIRT @ 41% are not taken into account.

    66
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:38 PM

    True Martin but the more interest they have to pay , the longer it will take for them to get back to profitability.

    16
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    Mute gerbreen
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:05 PM

    Future tax on profits written off against taxpayer covered debts.

    18
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    Mute Mark Lillis
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:30 PM

    Profits earned for a large part by charging crazy customers fees to those that bailed them out.

    34
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    Mute Looky here
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    Nov 14th 2014, 12:03 AM

    Investment ?!! More like theft !!

    6
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    Mute KimJong-unDotCom
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:14 PM

    Woohoo we’ll all be rich again. I’ve an option on some apartments in Bulgaria if anyone’s interested?

    108
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:40 PM

    Bulgaria is old news Kim, Cape Verde is where its at, the new Canaries!… Ryan Air will be flying there soon. Yer man from Cork that knows about the money is selling them!

    66
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:52 PM

    Brendan oil own fake is it ?

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    Mute KimJong-unDotCom
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:01 PM

    I like your style Ronan, just for that I’ll throw in a hot tub.

    19
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 14th 2014, 1:59 AM

    Brendan Investments …come on now people keep up ….

    2
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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:19 PM

    The Irish taxpayer paid out €21 Billion to bail out the Bank, then the senior bailed the pension fund with over €1.5 Billion, they retired on huge Pensions. Then they closed the pension to new members. The tax payer is paying 1000 staff salaries of over €100,000. Tax payers are taken to the cleaners by the AIB. You would want to be a gxxxxxxe to Bank with them.

    88
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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:11 PM

    In 1984, AIB was bailed out, at a cost of £400 million to the Irish taxpayer, when its subsidiary (ICI) collapsed. The following year AIB paid out a dividend to its shareholders, while still in-hoc to the taxpayer.

    Less than 25 years later AIB was back, cap in hand, for another draw down.

    As from the last budget, it would appear, the government will, now, be incentivising even greater incompetence and negligence through its revised taxation policy.

    http://m.independent.ie/business/irish/why-one-irish-bank-wont-have-to-pay-tax-until-2034-30391556.html

    41
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    Mute John McCormack
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:44 PM

    I despise that bloody bank, really actively despise it, I have more respect for a junkie thief than I have for anyone working for it.

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    Mute James Darby
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    Nov 13th 2014, 9:20 PM

    Saw that in the paper today, Martin. I nearly choked on me sandwich. 1000 AIB staff on over €100,000. Nothing has changed, these people live in a different world, on our money and nobody seems to care.

    16
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    Mute John McCormack
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    Nov 13th 2014, 11:08 PM

    All the sheeple red arrowing me- the type that doff their cap to their “betters”
    A bankrupt state in tatters because of AIB- generations enslaved to paying for this God awful mess and these sad sacks red arrow someone pointing out how despicable this bank is- third time being bailed out by the tax payers and it’s these clowns attitude will see them bankrupt us again.

    6
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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:36 PM

    Anybody that owes the AIB money shouldn’t pay it until they give all that money back to the taxpayers

    42
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:21 PM

    jaysus!

    14
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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:28 PM

    yep – this is a brilliant idea and will definitely help the borrower, the lender and the State finances all in one go.
    I look forward to the next economic marvel from you Denise.

    54
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:28 PM

    Well we’ll keep it so until you do – all of it ! not 75% ……” there’s a big bonus for ye lads and a few share options Isn’t the Irish public really stupid”,
    ALL OF IT !

    38
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    Mute Stephen Kearon
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:29 PM

    A fraction of this €21b would fix our water system and therefore no need for any Irish Water charges

    23
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:56 PM

    That’s like €4.5k for each citizen. That would give the local economy some boost. Can I expect a cheque in the post?

    20
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    Mute x
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    Nov 13th 2014, 6:31 PM

    Too f***ing late AIB the people have already had to suffer from your mess

    15
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    Mute Anthony Halpin
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    Nov 13th 2014, 10:34 PM

    Well they could start by returning the €18 they stole from my account, which f***ed up a direct debit payment.

    8
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    Mute David Burke
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:39 PM

    If we get double digits billions back from the bank we will be doing well. AIB isn’t worth 21 billion.

    The big swing is the taking back the provisions for bad loans which were the worse worse case. That’s why they made big losses as they had to put huge money aside and now they don’t need it so they can take some and call it a profit.

    But that’s a short term thing as the economy improves and losses reduce. They still haven’t shown they can make money long term.

    6
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 3:45 PM

    IF I was a sausage I’d dance at the crossroads with a pink tutu on, while reciting the government ignored out of copyright amhran na bfhiann backwards on a bicycle !

    10
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Nov 13th 2014, 7:02 PM

    What about some decking Kim, a hot tub and some decking and im in!! I already have one in Kusadasi.

    4
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    Mute Kenneth Clifford
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    Feb 6th 2015, 3:15 PM

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    1
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    Mute Alan Clinton
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    Nov 14th 2014, 10:13 AM

    It’s about time we took our fingers out of our holes and marched on the banks think about what they done to this country and how easy they got away with it . FFs Ireland’s paying 42% of the over all debt of the eu, so how dose the smallest end up paying the most

    1
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Bing!

    1
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    Mute Michael Flannery
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    Nov 13th 2014, 4:32 PM

    So how much will my bank shares be worth by then…??

    6
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Nov 13th 2014, 5:13 PM

    As Paul said they will be worth “Bing”

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:36 PM

    I have got to be the worlds lousiest fairy.

    1
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