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UNITED LEFT TD Clare Daly and Independent TD Mick Wallace were both arrested yesterday for failing to pay a €2,000 fine for breaching security at Shannon Airport.
The pair entered a restricted area in protest of the airport being used by US military.
Both TDs were given garda escorts from Dublin to Limerick Prison yesterday, only to be released hours later.
Daly said she is now more determined than ever not to pay the fine for breaching security, while Wallace said he would do it all over again.
So today we’re asking, do you support Mick Wallace and Clare Daly for not paying their court fines?
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I don’t support what either of them did to get the fines but thanks to them not paying the fines we can now all see what happens when you don’t pay is just a simple slap on the wrist and 2 hours behind bars!
Why are the comments open on this story but closed on the Alan Kelly one?
Kelly hasn’t been brought before a court as of yet Cosmo.
I can only reflect that unjust laws have never really been challenged, or changed without some sort of protest, or brinkmanship – so fair play on their principled stance. Mick has done good works on the NAMA xpose, but think he’s a bit adrift on this one. I don’t think the US need Shannon as much as we’d like to think, they have three bases each far bigger than Shannon + Airport combined just over the water in the UK, why create a stink for the sake of one diplomatically.
Are you telling me that if DOB was somehow jailed for non payment of a fine the comments section would be left open? Not a chance! Also it’s not even as a court case is even pending on the Alan Kelly story. It’s the usual crap on The Journal.. Any story that could seriously damage FG or Labour and comments are immediately closed.. If it was SF it would be a free for all
The fact remains that Sonny & Cher hadn’t already a criminal record, they certainly do have now.
Joan Burton has said the fines issued to Mick and Clare should have been deducted from their wages… good one Joan! Labour seem’s to be very fond of deducting monies from wages. *Cough cough* IW – Civil Debt Bill.
Sober up Cosmo – you don’t have to read it, and bore everyone!
Cosmo, “Deputy Murphy’s comments were made under parliamentary privilege. Comments for this article are closed.”
In other words the Journal and other outlets with comments sections are shit scared after He Who Must Not Be Named’s actions in the past, If something is said under Dail privilege it is usually because saying it outside of that could lead to a defamation case as the facts may not fully support the allegation or may not be provable in a court of law. The media is now treading very lightly around these cases until they are certain of their facts and are sure that they won’t have another injunctions or contempt case on their hands.
Cosmo, there was an article here earlier on about juggling children and work etc written by a fine Gael councillor who lives near me, I put a comment on it about how she votes and now the article is gone?
Didnt she get off with the drink driving charge last christmas as well?
She wasn’t drunk so there was nithing to be let off about.
It’s not like Alan Kelly will be up in front of a judge ever so why are the comments closed ffs..
And doubtless never will.
Because Paul Murphy abused Dáil privilege and made potentially defamatory comments.
She was innocent on that case. She had a cold and had a single hot whiskey at a family members house. Her arrest was leaked to the media by the Gardai, before the results of her bloods came in which exonerated her and showed that she was well below the legal limit.
@Cupid Stunt, that article is still up and your comment is still there, good point you made too.
Chris Kirk ….WHEN I DEFENDED MY LIFE MY HOME AND MY PROPERTY from intruders ..i went to jail to show that the mob in control are only of the kind of people like Sadam .. the revolution is about to happen here in this country in fact it is being caused by the elected cabal of judges and their support machine..,..
Cosmo this is a Poll not an Article. The comments are always open
Molly, I noticed that, it was taken down though for about an hour.
He’d only cry about it
keep telling yourself that Oisin, yeah there’s definitely no targeting of the left by anyone’s effort
well we let them fuel over there thenand its not a case of what the US wants its what we dont want and thats war planes flying through and stopping in our country on there way to kill people or supply weapons to kill innocent people
Cosmos ,you know well that this tax cheat Wallace would have been locked up in the States under a proper functioning legal system if he dumped his tax bill on to the law abiding citizens as he did here .
Himself and his partner Claire Daly are the greatest opportunists to ever enter Dail Eireann.,this is just another costly stunt taking Gardai away from the protection of of Dublin citizens at a time of high risk .Get stuffed Mick and Claire .
And a tour of Ireland – Dublin to Limerick.
@Chris Kirk – That may change in the future. All Ministers in our so called Government could end up with a criminal Record. 1 ? – Why are US Planes NOT being searched ?
THis poll has been gamed. Staff member in Journo texte me. Hits on article smaller than votes. By far.
Mick and Clare get a pass
the pass none of us would get had we done the exact same thing
the electorate won’t forget this
Unfortunately you are wrong, real criminals avail of this pass as you call it day in and day out. They cannot believe their luck but their again if they are locked up for a long time they are not making money for the legal industry.
Not the first time he hasn’t paid he dues !
List 5/10 Irish politicians who have earned their salaries and expenses in the last 20 year??
Remember that’s over 6-7 hundred to choose from
List 5/10 Irish politicians who have earned their salaries and expenses in the last 20 year??
Remember that’s over 6-7 hundred to choose from
Salaries and expenses? What about avoiding tax?
It wasn’t just avoiding tax, he stole tax (VAT) and trousered it. Should have gone to jail for that alone.
Michael Martin for the smoking ban, surely saved a fortune for the state in health costs?
yea but he set up the HSE that costs much more
If the state was serious they’d dock the fines from their salaries,,,but they’re not serious. what we’re seeing is play acting on all sides, and they’re all laughing at us peasants who’re paying all de bills, laughing at us they are.
no he didn’t.
That’s one thing all politicians have in common. They don’t think that the law applies to them.
In this instance, it looks like it doesn’t. 2 hours in jail and you’re away again? Any normal citizen would be spending Christmas behind bars.
not true colin.This is happening every day people who refuse to pay fines are taken to prison by gardai.they spend a few hours there dont pay the fines and are given bus tickets to get home.Its a total laugh.If the fines were taken from their wages/dole it would sort alot of problems.
2 public representatives now with criminal records and have done time. There should be a minimum requirement for representing the public and being a jailbird isn’t one of them. Fire them both.
Don’t forget Martin Ferris. Wouldn’t want the shinners feeling left out.
Tony gregory spent 2 weeks in prison, should he have been fired? Same for Joe Costello and Christy Burke.
Yes. Nobody with criminal records should be allowed stand for Election to the Dail
The Dail would be closed down if all the “What’s in it for me” public reps were given true justice.
The party of “law” and disorder preside over selective justice.
Peter, and why should having spent time in jail disqualify you from office, wasn’t old dev himself in jail, do you think his time as president should be expunged. Depends on your viewpoint but isn’t jail meant to be about rehabilitation. What’s the point in putting people in jail if only to keep them off the streets, that’s a shortsighted approach.
Dev should’ve been executed – but he wormed his way out of that one. If only collins had lived longer.
they are exposing corruption to deflect their OWN corruption
If the so called leader of our country answered the questions raised by Wallace about Shannon airport in the Dail , Mick Wallace and Clare Daly would not have had to go the the lengths they did in order to highlight the problem. Of course there are military and guns onboard. Otherwise Enda would have answered the questions.
I believe personal weapons are allowed to accompany soldiers of foreign military as long as it is cleared in advance. Clearance for personal weapons is generally given.
Don’t Forget about the Rendition flights as well.
@ Trish Casey
mick is playing a role for you
the salt of the earth politician who doesn’t owe favors to the boys in suits bankers etc
he is a tax dodger btw
worth understanding the law and context behind the rendition flights these were justifiably (if illegally) protesting.
“Irish bureaucrats even asked US officials for their legal advice about why American planes at Shannon should not be inspected by police here, and said that such advice would be a guide for Irish policy.”
play the ball lads, not the man. we’re complicit in torture/rendition and human rights abuses. if I had to break a law to try change that (whilst harming nobody), I would.
and bombing the victims along with the perpetrators of terror in the middle east
The dishonesty, and refusal from the Irish government to do anything about the clear breach of our policy of neutrality necessitated this act of civil disobedience. This matter was raised in the Dail by the pair of them on several occasions and each time the government simply disregarded it. We know the Irish people strongly desire a policy of neutrality, yet our government defied them and pandered to the US government. Unless our government seriously address this issue more acts of civil disobedience are morally justified.
In 2005 Amnesty international revealed that six planes used by the CIA for rendition flights had made 50 landings at Shannon airport, this was in response to Dermot Ahern’s ‘plea’ that if anyone had any evidence of the flights to provide it to him and he’d have it immediately investigated. Amnesty supplied the evidence yet no investigation ever came to fruition. This is what Colm O’Gorman of Amnesty Ireland said regarding the rendition flights: “It is undeniable that the Irish government knew rendition flights transited Ireland and that they knew this breached the legally binding international convention on torture. Yet they did nothing. Ireland was prepared to ignore our role in kidnap and torture for the sake of maintaining good relations with the United States government”
Clare Daly is a principled woman and I admire her conviction. She has been a vociferous critic of our inhumane abortion laws, she’s stood up to the war criminal, Obama, she commended Snowden and Chelsea Manning for their heroic acts, she’s an unwavering critic of the murderous US military and she’s committed to fighting for the rights of Palestinians. We need more people like her in politics opposed to people like Kenny who brazenly grovel to murderous regimes like the Saudi monarchy.
“Speaking after the meeting at the Royal Palace, Mr Kenny said he congratulated the prince of Saudi, the deputy prime minister, on the Kingdom’s recent election to the United Nations’ human rights council.”
“I congratulated Saudi on their leadership in terms of moderation here in the Gulf region and their desire for a peaceful situation on a lot of very complex and technical issues.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/kenny-meets-saudi-arabia-s-crown-prince-in-riyadh-1.1646121
Our policy of neutrality? Where is this policy you speak of, which articles of the constitution, which laws enforce this policy?
Reg: It’s more a matter of government policy, than a constitutional requirement. The bulk of Irish people also want us to reestablish our policy of neutrality.
“The 1994 coalition government’s programme undertook not to change the policy of military neutrality without a referendum. That government’s 1996 white paper on neutrality:
“The majority of the Irish people have always cherished Ireland’s military neutrality, and recognise the positive values that inspire it, in peace-time as well as time of war. Neutrality has been the policy of the State in the event of armed conflict and has provided the basis for Ireland’s wider efforts to promote international peace and security.”
http://www.shannonwatch.org/story/new-red-c-poll-shows-irish-people-want-neutrality
constitutional neutrality aside, the issue here is rendition/torture…..and we’re complicit, whether you think we’re militarily aligned or not.
Monty. We are not Neutral now nor have we ever been. Irish Neutrality is a myth. Our Special Forces Troops regularly train with their NATO counter parts and our Defence Forces are part of the “EU Battle Group”. We readily accept protective Air cover from NATO Air Forces. Even during WWII were were not Neutral. Returning Allied Sailors and Airmen back across the border while interning their German counterparts.
Mick: The EU Battle Group is designed to deal with Petersburg tasks, namely humanitarian in nature including peacekeeping and crisis management. The 2nd World War is more complex, De Valera refused to join either the Axis or the Allies and our official position throughout the war was one of neutrality. A full collaboration with the British military would not have been seen as acceptable by the Irish people who only several years earlier secured independence from the British. But, from a strict semantical sense the government was not neutral because it did lend a hand on numerous occasions to the allies, but it also wasn’t overly supportive of the Allies either.
I’d be inclined to agree that whatever about the past, we’re certainly not neutral anymore considering the facilitation of the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which have been well documented. Therefore the government should stop trying to maintain this facade of neutrality and at least admit our actions are incompatible with a policy of neutrality.
Monty. You left out some parts of the Battle Groups mandate. Including Peace Keeping and Humanitarian Assistance they are mandated to Enforce a Peace and Assist a member Nations Military Forces until it can be relieved by a Larger Force (NATO Units) both of which require an active Combat role.
This is what our minister for defence said regarding our participation in the battle group.
“Mr Coveney said their role was to provide an initial entry force in a crisis management or humanitarian situation or to reinforce an existing mission. “They would be better described as a rapid response group or a peace management force,” he said.
Participation in EU battle groups “represents another means for Ireland to express our commitment to the UN and the maintenance of international peace and security”.
He insisted that “Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality is unaffected by our participation”.
Mr Coveney said: “The guarantees under the Lisbon treaty and Ireland’s declaration make this clear. We are not and will not become part of any military alliance or permanent military formation. We will not enter into any mutual defence arrangement.”
What Covney says is irrelevant, what is, and is binding is the signed agreement for the EU Battle Groups mandate.
Would hardly say it’s irrelevant. If an elected official is misleading the electorate it needs to be addressed.
@ Lizzy Anne
makes me laugh when Frances Fitzgerald tries to justify shannon facilitating war planes
as if she’ll be anywhere near shannon if an attack comes
I take it then that those supporting their arrest are also in support of the US Military’s use of Shannon Airport?
Why? What about people who believe that you obey all laws not just the ones you agree with?
As Rex Banner once eloquently put it:
“It’s not up to us to choose which laws we want to obey! If it were, I’d kill everyone who looked at me cock-eyed!”
what if the laws are clearly stupid, or designed solely to protect the Govt (or whoever) from criticism or accountability?
“Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders…and millions have been killed because of this obedience…Our problem is that people are obedient allover the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves… (and) the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem.”
― Howard Zinn
Yes
Loved Howard Zinn. His books are some of the best I’ve ever read.
The you and everyone else that agrees with it are responsible for the murders of 1.3 million Iraqis that were killed as a result of the illegal U.S. invasion,,,remember the one? the weapons of mass destruction nonsense?
well said Glenn
@ Trevor Eivers
why are you in Iraq? we’re looking for WMDs (we want the oil)
why are you in Afghanistan? we’re looking for Bin Laden (we want the poppy)
why are you going into Syria? we’re looking for ISIS (we want the Gas)
Wish the government would get a move on with the legislation that allows the dedection of unpaid fines from pay or social welfare. Stop the farce and cost of putting people in prison for unpaid fines. Also starve these two of the additional publicity they constantly crave.
Agree fully with your sentiments Reg. Wallace is a clown, nothing more and nothing less. He has issues about whether tax, trespass laws etc should actually apply to him which makes him particularly unsuited to being a member of any parliament which is charged with making laws.
The shambolic events of Wallace visit to the reception area of Limerick prison yesterday shows the shambles that is Ireland’s so-called Justice system. Who knows, Wallace may have had an opportunity to high-five with some of the other clowns who have reduced this country to its present state of lawlessness – those with multiple convictions who roam the countryside terrorizing people safe in the knowledge that they will never be held personally accountable for their actions.
The person who should be resigning is not Wallace (doesn’t have enough principal for that) but the Minister for Justice. FG have had five years to reform Justice and yesterday’s events show the kind of lawless jungle that uber social worker Frances Fitzgerald has given us. Again yesterday, instead of enforcing the laws that exist on underage drinking, drinking in public etc, FG/Lab instead come up with even more laws to punish the majority of law abiding citizens. Clowns like Wallace will always be there but without a system of Justice, people like him prosper at the expense of all law abiding citizens.
It is official policy that we are a neutral country and that neutrality is being infringed on by having military flights passing through our airport. Whether you agree with US troops using Ireland or not, that is the simple fact of the matter. You cannot say that Wallace and Daly are breaking the law if they are pointing out illegal activity. They wouldn’t have done this if there were no armed military flights passing through.
Where does it say we are neutral. Where in the constitution? Which laws?
Your right Reg, I’m beginning to think this neutrality lark is something makey – uppy too, with no real foundation, save a few choice words from Dev.
So are we or aren’t we neutral Reg?
I certainly grew up believing that Ireland is a neutral country whose military involvement stops at peace keeping missions. And that was something I was quite proud of.
We were certainly non-alligned and traditionally considered neutral but we have never been truly neutral. We were more on the side of the allies during WW2. We are a member of NATO’ Partnership for Peace organisation. Our defence forces participate in EU battlegroup ecercises and our military personnel attend courses with other countries armed forces such as the UK. So no, we are not truly neutral.
Well if our position on neutrality (without getting bogged down in semantics around what neutrality means, because to most people we don’t get involved in wars is our understanding of it and that is what was thought in primary school) has changed by supporting war efforts, surely our politicians should state this. And let the public and voters know what type of a country they are voting for.
The govenment can decide which missions our armed forces get involved with and that is as it should be. Generally there are three criteria that must be met, known as the triple lock – a Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorisation. Some people think this is too restrictive but this is where things stand at the moment. Small numbers of troops (seven or lessI think) can be deployed without all three criteria being met.
we are not and never have been constitutionally neutral.
its a misnomer
the word itself isnt in the constitution
regarding semantics, its not that simple
we have neither signed nor ratified any of the hauge or geneva conventions or articles ib neutrality.
Neither do we have the military forces capable of defending, enforcing and protecting an enshrined neutrality.
We are a member of the EU battlegroups but will only participate if a mission qualifies under our (rather stupid) self imposed triple lock agreement.
we are not in NATO, we are a member of the PFP programme. This means practical bilateral cooperation between individual Euro-Atlantic partner countries and NATO. It allows Ireland and other PFP countries to build up an individual relationship with NATO, choosing their own priorities for cooperation – again under the triple lock agreement.
so no, not neutral, but not nato either. sitting limp handed and weak on the fence as usual
And Joe, if a topic concerns you, you should really look beyond what was taught to you in primary school about it!
Ros, is there something wrong with “sitting limp handed and weak on the fence” ? Off you go and sign up to some NATO Army, do your bit as cannon fodder for who ever you choose. I’ll happily take limp handed and weak instead.
yeah stand in the corner Joe
and wait till ISIS attack shannon for no reason because Ta Daaaa we’re neutral
No, we should not support them.
They’re far too honest.Far too transparent. Far too civic minded.
Get rid of them.
We want our old politicians back.
The ones who put themselves first, who don’t give a damn about the public, who lie, cover up and conceal the truth from the gullible public.
The ones who are only in politics to further their own careers and line their own pockets at the public’s expense.
None of these new ‘honest’ political types.
Give us back the Old Ireland.
The one we know and love so well.
Yes.
We want our politicians to have neat haircuts and no moral compass.
We want out politicians to wear sharp suits and focus on potholes and planning permission.
We want slick talkers with no interest in international affairs or Ireland’s role in them.
If the USA says bend over our public representatives should say “what’s in it for me” instead of “what will the effect on innocent children be”.
Is it amazing that some politicians will not pay taxes and fines imposed by the State court System and at the same time have no problem in accepting massive salaries and expenses from the same State?
Think about it!
They should just deduct the fine from their salaries.
Why such a hefty fine on a first offence. Probation act would of sufficed instead of all this drama.
Trespassing on to an active airfield is a pretty serious offence.
Reg, so are illegal rendition flights through Ireland, but it seems that’s not important to most on here.
If you have evidence of illegal rendition flights passing through Ireland pass it to the authorities Ian.
they’re already aware, Reg, and chose to ignore it. or facilitate it – depending on whether you read the below link or not.
@ Ian Walsh
the irish people wont care about shannon until ISIS make an example of us
The farce of bringing them to jail for an hour is madness but they should pay their fine but sure Mick has history of not paying. If I scaled the fence of any airfield I would be rightly fines and/or possibly jailed. Their fine should be doubled for every week they are late. They can well afford it.
@ John Reese
Perfect !!!!!!!!!!!!!
another deflection for SF after one of them used the word hilarious while discussing the murder of a Garda
They were both, like other pro-human rights TDs, told again and again in the Dail, that there was no proof that the US airforce was breaking Irish law in Shannon and that the Irish government would not inspect the planes as the US ambassador had reassured them that there wasn’t law breaking. They went looking for evidence. They didn’t get as far as a plane, but at least they tried, unlike any of the politicians in FG,Lab, FF, ReNua and the few pro-austerity independents. Good on Clare Daly and Mick Wallace and also on Joan Collins of the Crumlin 13 Not Guilty and Paul Murphy of the Jobstown 27 Not Guilty. They are part of a small minority prepared to stand up for human rights in Ireland and abroad, in stark contrast to the corruption shown on TV on Monday,
No. And if you do then you support the right of any citizen to ignore any law he/she does not agree with. That’s anarchy. No thanks.
Regardless of their motives and weather you agree with them or not they breached security at shannon airport,thats the law they broke and they were fined for it. They should pay the fine or be locked up for the 30 days.
It’s your civic duty to break bad law and bad policy. Anyone who thinks otherwise is soft in the head and should immediately emigrate to North Korea where they’ll get more ridiculous rules to blindly follow than their wildest greyscale imaginations can handle. With a rule that says you’ll die if you don’t support the rules it’s like heaven for the nay saying soft minded asshats on here. To top it off the rest of us won’t be subjected to your nonsense as there is an Internet blackout.
I don’t support either of them, but every citizen should have the right not to pay a fine and serve their time, a right we won’t have come Jan
Don’t agree, jail costs a lot in terms of money and resources and should be reserved from serious criminality. Maybe the choice should be community service if you genuinely can’t pay. Otherwise deduct from pay or social welfare.
Reg do you ever get a pain in your hole pontificating to everyone here? You think its ok for the government to legislate to remove fines from pay and SW? I dont.
When we can tell those we elect to govern on OUR behalf that they are fiddling to much on expenses, that they pay themselves far to much from the public purse, that their pensions are far to generous and should only kick in when everyone elses pensions do, then they might have the right to enact such legislation.
We are governed by shysters, corrupt, mired in cronyism and nepotism, who have renaged on everything they ever said pre election. They refuse to enact legislation or deal in any meaningful way with the homeless problem, the hundreds of thousands of kids in the country who go to bed hungry every night, the health service we pay for that has collapsed and not worth the name. That’s just to mention a few worthwhile items that should, by right, be exercising the government, instead of using the bludgeon of legislation to force compliance with bad law. You and the rest of the bah bah sheep preaching here on two principled peopled who acted on what they believe aren’t fit to lick their shoes. Neither is anyone sitting on the government benches fit to lick them either.
Put them in jail. The old lady who didn’t pay her tv licence must be sick when she sees how TDs get preferential treatment.
Honestly, I’m just glad we have some politicians in this country who stand for something other than themselves. Even if I don’t agree with their actions I respect their convictions, I wish we had more like them.
I respect their convictions too. What were they convicted of again?
At least they are sticking to their principles. The fact is that we as a country abuse our neutral stance. Either we are neutral or we are not. Allowing other countries who are at war or are involved in campaigns that kill innocents to avail of our airports, airspace or waters is in my view complicit and negates our neutrality. With that said given the current atrocities that are taking place I do not think that neutrality matters.
on principal i do, the US and other international military use of shannon is an affront to the people of this state. coveney seems hell bent on dragging us into NATO or the EU army that will replace it. something straight off the agenda script he was handed at bilderberg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHYP7VjUqrA
i do not however support the bigger government and the learned helplessness that is proposed by the far left and the open borders crowd.
Big corruption uncovered on Rte the other night involving tds from the mainstream party’s yet nothing has happened, yet any anti austerity politicians put a foot out of line, they are way too easily arrested and prosecuted!
The charade continues, keep calm and carry on corruptly!
It is a disgrace that these two convicts got away with their law breaking, both should have served jail time for non payment of the fines. Personally I would have kept both in until after Christmas as it would send out a message that their behaviour is totally unacceptable.
Are u not the number guy? This reminds of 47 … what the relevance? I’m sure.u got something enlightening for us
How can people vote for those pair of clowns, seriously something wrong.
Absolute pack of time wasting, good for nothing, tax payer fund wasters. They should be fired in jail cause that where they belong. How these clowns got into government is beyond me.
I’m not a fan of either of them, and I don’t support the trespass. Democratically elected officials should use their mandate to go through the proper channels, however they feel about the Shannon issue
That said, I admire them for sticking to their principles, and for not expecting any special treatment. No whinging about ‘political policing’ they simply said “We accept our punishment and we’ll do it again”.
However principled their stance they were found guilty in a court of law of an offence. The fact that they have now chosen not to accept the punishment and are refusing to pay the fine is showing a complete disregard for laws of the country. As lawmakers they should be setting an example to the people. Nobody is above the law, not even politicians, however justified their cause or strongly held their beliefs.
they swore they wouldn’t pay the household charge
If you’re a highly paid, professional full time politician, I as a taxpayer expect you to have enough talent and wit to be able to protest effectively against something without needing to break the law or waste the resources of the guards and courts.
It’s ridiculous, fair enough if it was water charges or property tax or something like that, but the fact is they committed a very serious security breach by scaling the fence of a international airport, the way things are these days it’s very serious and should not be takin lightly.
if those two are the answer, then what the **** is the question?
Airport security is there so we don’t see a repeat of the Egyptian bomb crisis here in Ireland. These people think they’re above the law yet want to get voted into the legislator. They’re actions are irresponsible and although I Mick Wallace is reluctant to pay the state money in any form he is willing to take it all the same.
Yes, for clare daly. It’s refreshing to see a principled TD, it makes a change from the usual pocket stuffing, corrupt, ‘give me loads of money’, disgusting shower we are use to.
ENDA, are we going to see arrests or are we all to forget what we saw on Rte?
Keep calm and carry on corruptly! fgs new slogan!
I am all for protesting the use of the airport by the U.S. Military, but not what they did about it. That was stupid and, even worse, they’re tefusing to pay the punishment for it. Accept what you did wrong and pay for it, then continue protesting – legally – and don’t make a farce of your protest.
Free publicity coming up to an election. Simple as
I support both of them in terms of wanting the US army to stop landing in Shannon but they had their day in court where a judgement was passed. They need to pay
Other countries must be having a great laugh. These two representing our country, there a joke!
No Tom other countries are actually laughing because we took on over 40% of international private banking debts so that they didnt feel to much of a pinch.
Other countries are laughing because we are represented by inbred, backward, corrupt, money gouging neanderthals.
It is a national scandal that anyone who has to serve a prison sentence is back out on the streets in a few hours. A waste of Garda resources and complete mockery of our prison system. These two politicians will have to serve out their sentence at some future date.
Just make sure that a reservation is made in advance next time.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. Well done to them
They were only there to investigate the cargo something that is not checked they shouldnt have had to go to such lenghts. I support them 100% because the fact of the matter is we are a Neutral country so should not be letting the planes land there in the first place do we let war planes from iraq or any other country unchecked ????? …………
The people of Syria must be delighted with those two…
59% approve military aircraft containing arms heading to the middle east stopping over at Shannon, have no doubt the only reason this was approved was a financial one…I don’t expect this to be a popular post, its the truth however.
Mick Wallace is a clown and should not be in the Dail. He is capable of making the most ourrageous allegations under privlilege without a shred of truth e.g €15,000 bribe which has been proven to be totally false. Every disgruntled Garda with a chip on his shoulder went to him with the most ridiculous allegations and he just uses them to feed his need for notoriety. He is a joke who has no interest in representing his constituents – He doesn’t live there anymore.
I support their cause, but if legislators can’t obey the law then we’re in trouble as a society. Get into government and change it if you don’t like it.
Ahh,,, The American dollar
Voted no in poll ! Because this taxpayer end up footing the whole lot anyway !
Do I support the Dumber and Dumber of Irish politics. …that would be a resounding NO…
Didn’t you know they were elected to break the law.
I would not support anything than involves those two.
the 2 of them love keeping them self in the News , on there 170,000 a year each from us Fools who believe in paying our way
Mick now owes a lot of money to the state. Sure they can put it of the never never like his tax bill.
Two absolute tools. Waste of space time and money
I support Alan kelly being brought in front of the courts……No???? didn’t think so.
The title, the question and the narration are insult to readers’s intelligence. Thank you Cliodhna. Not.
Freak show the pair of them
I tell ye it’s some shower of fools voting here!!! Loads of NO???
RTE broadcast a program where an elected official just like these two asks for ‘bags of sterling’ to get planning pushed through and I bet not a single thing will be done. These two represent as best they can the public interest and for that they are arrested, fined, criminalised and on here no one backs them up. You’ll all get the government you deserve you fools!!!
When are they going to arrest the corrupt Councillors ?????? after all they were caught red handed and plenty of evidence to back up them arrests …. hmmmmmm WHEN ????
People need to wake up ….
The corruption in this country stinks …
its sick its like an epidemic….
Proof that the rich (like Wallace) get away with things in Ireland.
A sentence of one month per euro owed would send Wallace to the ATM in a hurry.
At least he is a self made man unlike the ruling elite who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and have spent 90 years misruling us.
I certainly don’t support either one of those (anti capitalist anti American)so call TDs in our country….. US has been great for Ireland down the years. .. they have all ways stood up for us…
You bet I support them! We need more politicians like them – keep up the good fight!
If they are both that principled that should have demanded that they serve their sentences. A pair of idiots.
they are both pointing out the hypocrisy of the Irish government who say that there are no weapons in the planes that pass through Shannon when everybody know that this is a blatant lie. It is very bad for democracy when a government lies to its people and they are the only ones publicizing this
Yes I do. I’ve absolutely no interest in both of them. But the point they were trying to make was a right one. Why are we allowing American military on Irish soil. Nobody knows if they are transporting prisoners or weapons for their illegal wars. Good on them for that. Apart from that they are hopeless individuals
They should protest within the law, & in the Dail, to which they have been elected to represent their constituents.The unpaid fine can be stopped from their pay very shortly.
Both should be suspended from the Dail.
Ar tax cheat that got away with it!
Yes I support them highlighting the US using Ireland as a launch pad to promote war and there refusal to pay fine and get arrested highlights the revolving prison door system
Is that angelica huston?
Guys! The system is corrupt, obviously 57% of the people voting on this do not get it. The system serves itself, think; why are Judges paid so much? They are not ‘of the people’. Wake up folks, this system does not serve us, it is part of an oppressive cabal that does not do justice to the people of Ireland, it is after all the ‘British system of law’ it is not a repairative system of justice, because it is all about money!
Garnish saleries for fines and avoid the expense of prison terms.
Clare Daly has more BALLS than any opposition to Government in Dail Eireann she does what real people want and she says it as it is
It’s unbelievable that they were not given more support at the time or that it’s even a topic of debate. By allowing those planes to land in Shannon we were complicit in a war in Iraq in which thousands of innocent people were killed because we thought it might cost us a few jobs/ investment by standing up to the yanks!
Fair play to Mick he put forward a very strong point on the hypocrisy of the criminal justice system in Ireland. Fitzgerald cannot say she “cares” about the refugee crisis when she facilitates its creation. Proves she is a hypocrite and not capable for the position she is in. The government in power currently is collapsing and a generational shift is taking place.
No but Wallace has done a lot of good on exposing corruption in high places and promoting sporting facilities in Wexford and deserves re-election.
What about cheating in his tax returns!
have your say