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FINE GAEL SENATOR Catherine Noone is holding a €125-a-plate steak dinner fundraiser outside her constituency to raise money for her general election campaign in Dublin West.
Noone is hosting the dinner next Tuesday in the elegant Marco Pierre White steak restaurant in Donnybrook which is in the constituency of Dublin Bay South.
The €125-a-plate dinner will hear from Finance Minister Michael Noonan who has been asked to speak at the event.
The senator has close ties to that constituency having previously lived there and served as a councillor in the area prior to being elected to the Seanad in 2011.
She was selected to run for Fine Gael in Dublin West in April alongside incumbent TD and Health Minister Leo Varadkar.
Noone defended the price, saying: “It’s the going rate. Some charge €500 or €250. I was thinking about charging €100 and I was told I’d be in the tuppenny-ha’penny place.
There’s no point putting it on if you can’t raise money. When running for politics it’s [a fundraiser] generally accepted and I don’t think it’s any indication of being out of touch. All political parties fundraise.
Noone said she had not invited anyone who she didn’t think could afford to attend and said she had nothing but positive feedback about the event. She is selling tickets for the dinner on her website where a table of ten can be purchased for €1,250.
The senator claimed it was not unusual for candidates to hold fundraisers outside their constituencies, saying she chose the location because of its more central location and convenience for attendees.
I’d say I’ll probably have well in excess of a hundred people there, a lot of very good friends and people who don’t feel fleeced coming along.
Noone has previously held public meetings in Dublin Bay South and, until recently, local Fine Gael politicians mentioned that she was a senator for the area on party literature.
Fine Gael's two Dáil candidates in Dublin Bay South have both held €250-a-plate fundraisers in recent months.
Incumbent TD Eoghan Murphy held an event in Pinocchio's in Ranelagh last spring, while councillor Kate O'Connell has already held two fundraisers in Bijou restaurant in Rathgar in recent months.
The party's constituency organisation is also holding its annual €55-a-head business breakfast with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Shelbourne Hotel on 7 October. The event is expected to raise as much as €15,000 which will go towards the election campaigns of Murphy and O'Connell.
In February, protesters turned up outside a €85-a-head fundraising breakfast hosted by junior minister Dara Murphy in Cork where Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald spoke to guests.
TDs, Senators and election candidates are required to open specific bank accounts on receiving donations of more than €100. Any donation above €600 must be disclosed, including the exact amount and the name of the donor.
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If people want to pay €125 to raise money for some senator who’s done nothing of note to date then more fool them
I was thinking of charging €100 and was told I would be in the tuppence ha’penny place, that will give you an idea of the gap between the well off and the less well off, there are family’s living on less per week after the bills are paid,
She has, she’s had a story written about her lol.
there are young adults trying to live on this per week before they buy a slice of bread…
Another ridiculous article by the journal. Firstly, who cares what she charges, she isn’t forcing anyone to pay and secondly senators do not have constituencies, they are not TDs, get your facts right
Worse still is when Senators talk about “their constituency”
Well, the fundraiser is for her general election campaign, so I assume that’s the context in which the article talks about her constituency – the one she’ll be standing in.
That said, the notion that she or her supporters can’t shouldn’t visit a restaurant outside of that small geographical area is farcical.
she is running in the generals so therefore she does have a constituency . I thought that was quite clear in the article
Wow did you post a comment about someone not reading the article! How brave!
Must have missed the news that a general election was called
Since the last GE was in February 2011, and the Dail sits for a maximum 5 year term, legally the next GE has to be before the 4th of April 2016.
So the fact that a GE hasn’t been called is moot. Everyone knows that one is coming up within the next 5 months, so naturally they’re preparing for it.
You’re starting to make The Sun look intellectual.
Best advertisement for a function……ever!
such poor journalism. lots of questions about fundraising for politicians, should it be publicly funded? should we increase the transparency etc? real issues for debate. but to make the story the fact that she is having it in a city centre restaurant outside of her constituency. “Senator holds fundraiser in location convenient to supporters”… shock horror…
Seems normal in all respects. Why are you picking on this candidate?
The journal and its everlasting FG love fest knows no bounds.
Fine Gale out of touch ? Never ! Ha.
Fuc*king gangsters!
Not my cup of tea….but whats wrong with it?
Nice of her not to invite those that can’t afford it
Champagne w@nkers
She said I did not invite anyone who could not afford to come! Elitist bandwagon that is FG just keeps on giving. The gap grows larger than ever…
No problem tucking in with those gnashers.
Fine Gael, the party based on “based on principles of social justice and equality”, where for Fine Gael supporters €250 for a steak dinner in D4 is pocket change, while thousands of families have to feed 4 or more mouths for €250 a week!
The Elites get richer, while the ordinary citizen gets poorer….
“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche”
@Integra-Ted: Qu’ils mangent de la merde, salauds de riches!
I’ll leave this here.
http://www.thejournal.ie/sinn-fein-fundraising-dinner-1766132-Nov2014/
All parties are allowed fundraise she says,not oi your AAA in DSW or Galway.Not a very level playing feild.
Some of the water protesters should book a table to eat.
Paul Murphy will be holding a lunch fundraiser at KFC Newry, bring some sterling… Shuussshhh!
No doubt the rich will be wanting some promises for the price of the dinner
Some piece of journalism. Very important work.
Two words “Political Policing”, Paul Murphy cant fundraise but these people can, wake up you bloody sheep and get rid of these parasites.
Did she need a permit, and if so which Garda Superintendent signed off on it?
Two words “Political Policing”, Paul Murphy, a man who is actually trying to do something for this country is not allowed to fundraise but these people are, wake up you sheep and rid our Nation of these parasites.
Beware a woman with a haughty laugh.
Silly headline: senators doen’t have constituencies..
Catherine No one meets Michael No one(n) for €125 dinner. No one came!!!
I’m about as cynical as it gets when it comes to politics …but I really can’t see any problem with this.
She’s no one to bother about!
I’m sorry to see The Journal moving in this direction. I thought you were better than sensationalist non-stories. How did this even get past editorial?
Surely, you jest Stephen?
Ah, really. Fundraising for a constituency that at best will return just 1 FG seat. Good luck. Calculating an average based on the last 6 opinion polls FG will be struggling and lucky to get 40 seats. 45 maximum. They are currently holding 68 seats in the Dail. They will be losing 23 to 28 seats based on the last 6 month average in polls.
Great God almighty – what a kip of a country. “come and eat over priced meat and give me money – as a bonus, Baldy Noonan the Bondholder will be there to say a few words”. Gimmee strength.
Joan Burton opening soup kitchens and they like like this at the top pigs
Is that a form of lobbying really?
Jaysus, you won’t be able to get on a 38a that night.
Only people who pay for this crap, are people who expect favours later down the road.
If they make the speeches beef oar the meal, people will lose their appetite completely.
If they do the speech therapy afterwards, then there is great danger of losing the load,
As the spew o’ the minister gets a sympathy vote from they who couldn’t stomach both the sinister minister
and the exorbidantly priced food.
Is she looking for a Donatation
Or a Donation to pay for a decent proof reader
I’m free !
have your say