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FIANNA FÁIL IS set to add a former TD’s daughter, who is currently working abroad, to its general election ticket in Cork East.
Barbara Ahern, an accountant and tax advisor who has been based in Gibraltar for the last two years, is coming back to Ireland and hopes to be added to the party ticket, according to her father.
Micheal Ahern, a TD for the constituency between 1982 to 2011, told TheJournal.ie that he was expecting a decision from the party’s national constituencies committee within the next two weeks.
“We just have to wait and see whether they will add her or not. I think they will because leaving the southern end of the constituency, with a population of 47,000, without a candidate wouldn’t be wise,” he said.
Another party source indicated it was almost certain that Barbara Ahern would be added.
Fianna Fáil members in the constituency have already selected councillor Kevin O’Keeffe, the son of former junior minister Ned O’Keeffe, to run in the four-seat constituency.
Councillor O’Keeffe said that he was aware of the speculation about the daughter of Michael Ahern being added. He admitted he was at the mercy of party headquarters but expressed doubts about Fianna Fáil pursuing a two-candidate strategy.
I felt one candidate would be enough. I think I have the profile to cover the constituency.
Youghal-based councillor Aaron O’Sullivan had been touted as a possible addition to the ticket, but he is understood to no longer be interested. O’Sullivan did not return a request for comment.
O’Keeffe said that the “gender issue is playing havoc” with Fianna Fáil needing to ensure a third of all its Dáil election candidates are female in order to avoid a cut in state funding.
“That’s about money. Politics is being hindered by this because parties will be penalised if they don’t have a proper gender balance,” he said.
Michael Ahern said his daughter was coming home to Ireland irrespective of whether or not she is added to the ticket, having spent two years working with KPMG in Gibraltar. He continued:
That time is up anyhow so she is going back whether there is an election or no election. She has other jobs that’s she has been offered and she’s going to pick one of those in due course, if she’s not elected.
Ahern said that his daughter’s experience in politics dated all the way back to childhood, saying she was “born into it” and had worked in the constituency from an early age.
“She was listening to people on the phone and making representations as well. So, she knows exactly what it’s like. She spent nine months working in the Dáil… she’s very well immersed in it,” he added.
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nepotism alive and well in fianna fail.
Some things don’t change in this country
he fixshed the roads!
well she was ‘born into it’ jmj they really do believe the cr@p they spew
The same political dynastic politics that existed back in the dark ages…and FF want us to believe they’ve changed. Good luck k nob heads. Meholes thinking is if it’s good enough for Edna..it’s good enough for me.
This lot will never learn, and they seriously think they’ll get elected again. Problem is some people will vote for them.
Stand up and take a bow womenforelection.ie and all of the other feminist lobby groups who succeeded in reintroducing discrimination into the electoral system after it had been abolished in the early part of the 20th century.
A tax advisor, Fianna Fail and Nepotism.
What a brilliant combo.
It is not nepotism. Nepotism is defined as “the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.” Michael Ahern’s daughter can only get the job if the electorate vote for her. There is in fact a lot to be said for the sons or daughters of former TDs being put forward as candidates – they will have been brought up knowing exactly what is involved in the job and will therefore have a head start over other new candidates in that regard. Also, in this instance, she is clearly a well-educated woman and for a party badly in need of good female candidates she may well be a wise choice.
These TD’s (tax dodgers!!!) just don’t get it…we don’t want anyone who can be in any way influenced by former TD’s – particularly not any kind of family influence. For God sake it sounds as though she’s going to be a puppet TD for her father! Sick of all this nonsense….
Tertullian, Maybe not nepotism by the strict definition – but you can’t say that the whole shower don’t favour each other…they’re like the mafia! And favouritism can exist in the selection process – If they have the choice between putting forward either the son/daughter of a former minister or Joe/Jane Soap – who do you really thing they’ll pick!?
Tertullian…who put her on the ticket?
“I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.” William Marcy Tweed(1823-1878)
Wow they are so out of touch from our citizens they might as well be on Mars.
Keep it in the Family. That’s it Fianna Fail. Well done. Change nothing.
It would take a lot more that the destruction of the Irish economy and selling of our futures to Germany to make FF change.
She’s a tax advisor in Gibraltar.. I wonder how many offshore accounts she manages for her Fathers mates back home..
I thought we were finished with this type of nepotism politics
Cough…cough….Helen McEntee….cough….
What ever gave you that idea?
nrpotism croynism look at the current crowd and all the guff they spewed. hardly in a week when they were at it.
WTF is wrong with these people!! Why do they think its acceptable to bring back a former ministers daughter, who by all accounts, has no experience of politics whatsoever to run in an election, to potentially hold a seat in government and to get a fantastic salary and pension?
Nepatism at its finest. FF haven’t changed one iota
true but then again the ‘experienced’ ones haven’t done us any favours (experienced at what other than nepotism cronyism )
Ww removed a monarchy only to be cursed with other hereditary fiefdoms. Somethings will never change.
Pretty much only the flag…
Is she had an ounce of self respect she wouldn’t do it. She’s being handed a ticket simply because she has a vagina. I fully expect her to do it.
We’re talking about FF here Sgt Pepper, respect doesn’t even begin to factor in with them.
Nonsense. We have a vote, we can vote for someone else. That’s not a feature of hereditary monarchies.
On the contrary, with her tax experience and two years working in Gibraltar with KPMG under her belt, Barbara, if elected, could make a valuable contribution in the Dáil, especially in the formulation and development of “Knowledge Box” policy designed to attract fresh investment into research and development in Ireland, and reward promoters securing any new patents.
Rory – there are lots of people with similar and indeed better experience than her, but they do not have daddy ensuring nepotism rules. Sorry, but this stinks and is just the same old shyte from the same old party.
So why don’t they stand! simple answer if there’s so many of them
“..an accountant and tax advisor who has been based in Gibraltar for the last two years.”? Psshh.
Wonder who she’s been advising on tax issues in a tax haven…… Hmm, now what sort of issues could these people have.?????
Pillars of society Jamesy.
The best person for the job is best and not a choice of gender based on money. Politics here is baloney.
but #vag lives matter too
Ridiculous, How do Finna Fail except to get new voters with this carry on
I can see the spin now….
” We in Fianna Fail believe in including more women in politics and we also care about our diaspora……”
How are people still voting for any of these parties? Never change.
Jesus christ. Hasn’t lived in the country for the last two years and is almost literally parachuted in because of daddy’s name. Same with this O’Keefe fella. These people have no interest in public service, and just want cushty jobs and pensions. NOTHING has changed in this country, and especially in that party full of liars and criminals.
Another shower of Aherns? Have FF resorted to inbreeding for candidates?
Inbreeding? #SameLove
No Daisy, they’ve just handed her a free pass as she has a vagina. I would have thought you of all the posters on this site would have been happy with that as that seems to be your MO.
Emigrant quitter coming back to jump on the gravy train. You’re not wanted here.
Would you feel the same if it was an emigrant who was coming back for a proper job?
idiotic comment. emigrant quitter? like the 100′s 1000′s who left due to redundancies course if any of those stayed here you and your ilk could look down your snooty nose at them drawing social welfare.
It’s called family business.
What a joke!!! A very VERY bad joke :(
Did someone say dynasty? All they’re missing is a candidate with the surname Carrington
ff up to their old tricks again…
How about cutting state funding to all political parties,and let them run whoever they like..why does everything have to cost the taxpayers?
what are ye talking about? he fixshed the roads!
Her Interview: How long have you been in politics. Never. What do you know about the political situation. Nothing. You’ve been abroad what do you know of the homeless and poor of Ireland. Absolutely nothing. So why are you looking to get into Irish politics. Because ive relations in FF. Ah enought said welcome to the Gravy Train.
Coached from early childhood on the method of getting potholes filled…….you don’t find qualifications like that in college.
Her Father couldn’t even get elected to the local council, and they want to add her to the ticket, out of the Country for 2 years, and no direct experience in politics. Seriously who makes these decisions, they couldn’t find a woman in Cork and in Fianna Fail that could run? I’d love to the Daughter canvassing, all on the back of Daddys name.
this gender quota rubbish is more pc nonsense.
Hey, it automatically doubles the number of “tits” in FF….Don’t worry, already grabbing my coat….
I’ve often thought how much more effective an X Factor format would be in electing politicians…
In the current system name recognition is everything hence yer man above talking about ‘profile’..
Any candidate who dosn’t have a political family name and/or money is doomed in our current system..
Imagine the X Factor winner being chosen on the basis of name recognition. That’s our system.
Message to Barbara Ahern,stay in Gibraltar and dont embarrass yourself.You are qualified enough to make your own way in life without needing your Daddy.
I wonder if she would even be eligible to vote for herself? She hasn’t been a resident for more than 18 months, so technically she shouldn’t be on the register, and to get back on it you need to be resident on 1 Sept. I don’t think that would effect her ability, but it would be kinda interesting if she did and wasn’t able to vote for herself.
ability -> eligibility (to run)
This country is full of who you know and not what you know… Political dynasties from the Civil war nearly??? That is my view…
She sounds like a class act.
FF just don’t geddit,do they?
Have they learned ANYTHING in the years that they’ve been in opposition?
Utterly shameless organisation . They’ve had months to at least line up a reasonable array of talent to present to the public and it turns into (a) Have you boobs? (b) Have you got boots? Cause we need you to tog out .I know you never played the game but your father was a dinger for uz,so you’ll soon pick it up……..
Don’t get it or don’t care. As long as people keep voting for these idiots nothing will change. Just 1 more example of the arrogance of our exalted political class
All i can say is aaaaaa, give it up Fianna Fail…
Micheal Martin is an absolute disgrace to democracy. Foisting a heretofore absentee accountant from the tax-haven of Gibraltar onto the people of Cork East, just because she is a woman, shows a disgusting contempt for the Irish people.
Fianna Fail should just take the cut in “state funding” (political parties shouldn’t be funded by the state in any case, such state patronage actually militates against the emergence of new democratic forces) that they might receive if they don’t gender-mander enough constituencies. It is far better to adhere to democratic principles, i.e. that the party’s candidates are selected on merit through the democratic selection conventions and are not imposed because of their sex, than to receive a few more cents from the state. Any deficit in funds will be compensated over time due to support from the public who would realise that a Fianna Fail which selects the best candidates on merit, and not on the childish and sexist basis of gender, are deserving of votes, donations and political power. Fianna Fail under Martin, who due to a misplaced “liberalism” and a cowardly desire to be approved by The Irish Times voted in favour of the legislation in Dail Eireann which seeks to financially punish democratic parties who don’t gender-mander a substantial number of the political candidates that the Irish people would then be allowed to vote for (it’s shocking that that Irish people are now being told by the state who they can and cannot vote for!), are not nearly at that place where they could be rewarded by the Irish people for sticking to democratic and meritocratic principles instead of being controlled by the sexist dictates of the state and unaccountable, clique-ish media in Dublin.
I can’t believe this crap is still going on.
Parachuting a candidate in from another country with no political experience to run just because of who her father was and more importantly the fact she doesn’t have a penis? Sounds like a great person to vote for. Because being from another country, being related to a former politician, and being a woman are the three things you look for when electing the person who will make the laws that govern your country.
given that she’s been living abroad, will she be able to get her tax clearance cert in time in case she is elected? Although that bollox bertie managed to get away for years without one.
She will fly back chance her arm with the old age pensioners Fianna Fails core voters and if rejected hop on the plane again leaving the austerity behind that her father his mates in Fianna Fail and their twin sister Fine Gael implemented on the population her not knowing anything about it and not giving a shite about it either. Their down right cheek and lack of shame is astonishing Mickey Martin on the box the last night smiling his skinny little ass of boasting how he should be leader of the country. Take their pensions off them and send them on their way that would wipe the smirk off their entitled faces. Soldiers of Fortune Fianna Fail NUA
I’d love if we could start a national movement – ‘No to nepotism’. People automatically do not vote for the relative of a previous TD, no matter how good they are.
Thanks, feminism
When it comes to the ge just don’t vote ff fg and liebour problem solved.
What’s the personal tax rate in Gibraltar again?
We can’t complain. We vote these political families into the Dail. We have to take responsibility. It doesn’t matter if a candidate puts themselves forward for all the wrong reasons, it’s still the fault of citizens who actually vote for them.
“The likely outcome of this legislation is to allow a power-grab by the party elite over ordinary members and encourage the political parties to be more conservative, not less, in their candidate selection. ”
The Ahern OKeefe feud goes on into the next generation.
Lots of families have a tradition within the same business and anyway it is the people that bestow the seats in Dáil Éireann. There is nothing new or uniquely Irish about this.
“Born into it”…And we tried to rid this country of rule by monarch for how long?
Another fiefdom being carved up by the ‘establishment dynasties’.
so if you work abroad, through necessity say, you can’t vote in an election here. But you can hop on a plane and get elected worth no problem- and double points if you’re a woman ? democracy my arse
Love it sure she will tell us all about the other off shore accounts FF helped with
same old ff,not one vote people.
at least she is irish. SF flew in a foreigner in Baron Adams
Those who complain about nepotism should make a greater effort to understand the meaning of the word.
From dictionary.com-
noun
1.
patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics:
What’s your point?
maybe he just wanted to know if anyone read his comment!
Seriously, Pat, what are you on about this time?
Why should being a former TDs child bar you from running for politics. They still have to get the votes. And seeing that there are so many of them elected, the general public don’t seem to have a problem with it.
you can see the private jet shipping her home. bless.
can someone please tell me how all this supposed nepotism exists. all posts are elected by the people, nothing handed out, the people vote. the usual clowns dont even know what nepotism is. these people are all fairly elected in a very transparent manner all ballots are rigorously checked. i think you people have a problem with democracy and nothing else.
sure who will be left to look after the off shore tax affairs now in Gibraltar???
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