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Michael Healy-Rae Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Could you do Michael Healy-Rae's job? Now's your chance...

The Government is looking for applications to replace the Kerry South TD after his dismissal from a State board. Have you got what it takes?

EVER THOUGHT YOU could fill the shoes (or the hat) of Michael Healy-Rae? Well, now’s your chance: the Government is looking for applications to the post the Kerry South TD was dismissed from earlier this month.

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, has put out a call for “suitably qualified and experienced persons” for the job on the Citizens Information Board. The position was held by Healy-Rae until he was ejected by Minister Burton for failing to follow standard practice by resigning when he was elected as a TD.

The good news is, the job doesn’t sound too onerous. According to the Department’s website, non-executive board members are paid €5,985 a year for “approximately” eight meetings – or almost €750 a time. And that’s before you claim any expenses due to you for “travel and subsistence”.

But not just anybody will be considered. The job description states that applicants must have “an ability to work effectively with others”, the capacity “to communicate clearly orally and in writing”, and an “understanding of good governance practices”. There’s also a request for somebody with “a strong sense of ethics and integrity”.

Michael Healy-Rae’s dismissal from the Board came just a week after he agreed to pay €2,639 to cover the cost of premium-rate phone calls made from the Dáil, to vote for him as a contestant on 2007 reality show Celebrities Go Wild. At the time, he said the payment was a “gesture” and he had no idea who made the calls.

Read more: Michael Healy-Rae dismissed from Citizens Information Board >

Read more: Michael Healy-Rae says he ‘knows nothing about’ Dáil phone calls >

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    Mute Dublin City
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    Jul 24th 2011, 1:46 PM

    The job description states that applicants must have “an ability to work effectively with others”, the capacity “to communicate clearly orally and in writing”, and an “understanding of good governance practices”. There’s also a request for somebody with “a strong sense of ethics and integrity”……….
    So how the f**k did HealyRae get it in the first place with absolutely NONE of the above?????

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    Mute Dublin City
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    Jul 24th 2011, 1:48 PM

    I’m not Dublin city by the way, I’m not even in Dublin county…stupid iPhone app!

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    Mute Buckwheat
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    Jul 24th 2011, 5:53 PM

    Gombeenism and the ability to pull ‘a stroke’ should be listed as requirements

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    Mute Luke Mac an Bháird
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    Jul 24th 2011, 1:48 PM

    €5,985 for 8 meetings…. prime example of what is wrong with this country.

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    Mute Alan McBride
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    Jul 24th 2011, 5:30 PM

    Draw a smug expression on a large turnip and give it a flat cap-seamless handover of power.

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    Mute Damian Keane
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    Jul 24th 2011, 3:04 PM

    He clearly shows “an ability to work effectively with others” as all the phone calls to vote for him illustrates and his knowledge that the calls could not be traced to an individual Dail office certainly displays an “understanding of good governance practices”

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    Mute Feargal Garvin
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    Jul 24th 2011, 7:15 PM

    When they get the shortlist, they should select the winner by a phone poll.

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    Mute The Baxter
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    Jul 24th 2011, 5:47 PM

    As far as I can see, with all the expenses that TDs and councillers get

    Politics is the best form of robbery

    and its honest whatever way you can claim those expenses

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    Mute ian mc dermott
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    Jul 24th 2011, 7:57 PM

    It has to be said Noting good comes from electing a family member for a seat once healed by a parent. When it happened the Flynn’s in Mayo just look what happened and now their trying it with the Mc Sharry’s in Sligo…. These family members have done noting to earn or trust or respect just holding onto daddies coat tails and basking in there previous success’s should not give them an easy ride

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