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LUKE ‘MING’ FLANAGAN wore a Louis Copeland suit made out of hemp in the Dáil chamber this morning to highlight the 10 year anniversary of his campaign to have cannabis legalised.
A spokesperson for Louis Copeland confirmed that it was the first time the high-end tailor had created a suit made out of hemp.
Speaking to theJournal.ie, the TD for Roscommon-Leitrim South said that he had bought the material outside of Ireland but that the suit had been made in Dublin. “If I could have purchased it here, I would have,” he said.
The hemp suit is “very comfortable, excellent material, and it’ll be my attire for many an occasion from now on,” said the TD.
Flanagan said that it is ten years since he posted joints to journalists and members of the Oireachtas as part of a National Legalise Cannabis Day – but that little has changed.
“In the 10 years that have passed, it is estimated that €7.5 billion has ended up in the pockets of the kind of people who had Veronica Guerin killed. 60,000 people have ended up with a criminal record and for what? What was the goal?”
“The idea was to reduce usage – that hasn’t happened. It was supposed to make life safer for people – that hasn’t happened”.
Flanagan emphasised the specific issue of cannabis being sold with adulterated substances which are seriously harmful to the health of the user, noting that silicon, crushed up car tyres and “God knows what” is being added to cannabis. “Someone found dealing the substance with these adulterants in it should receive a stricter sentence”, he said.
Flanagan, who gave up smoking cannabis several years ago, said that the best way to guarantee that people know what kind of cannabis they have is to legalise it.
Flanagan will be modelling the suit at a fashion in show in Dún Laoghaire on Thursday evening in aid of the National Maritime Museum of Ireland. Fellow independent TDs Mick Wallace and Richard Boyd-Barrett will also be taking part in the show.
Poor reflection of the people of this country when clowns like ‘Ming’ can be backed or voted for in anything other than a dope smoking contest
He’s a disgrace. Genuinely, in a country f notoriously bad politicians, he’s the worst.
Ming would win any dope contest.
Flanagan only revealed his quashed points because he was going to be exposed any way
He’s a disgrace. Genuinely, in a country f notoriously bad politicians, he’s one of the worst.
Are you for real mike? The worst we have? Flynn?? No?? By all accounts he’s a bit of a moron IMO but he’s by no means the worse politician we have…..Reily is far worse IMO.
Flanagan , Wallace etc etc etc – the question is what type of people voted for these looneys? Like what planet are they from?
As opposed to what other td’s in the dail?
C’mon FF…isn’t that right Martin??!
When has a druggie ever told the truth?
Red thumbs are from either FF supporters or journal readers that don’t get the sarcasm…
it must be terrible for an upper class twit like shatter to have to deal with working class people.
Lol Mings working class?
I hate that muppet, has a position in stare governance and goes to work dressed like he’s chilling in his sitting room. Shows zero respect for the people he was elected to serve.
Ming is working class now is he?
I genuinely think that that comment is a gross insult to all working class people.
Doesn’t Ming give a large chunk of his salary to charity each month …anyone else here do that. Does Shatter ? yet the ego with the Dessie O’Malley hair calls Ming self serving. Hilarious !!
Mick Wallace was also very vocal about the same subject to-day but Fine Gael won’t pick on Wallace because his tax evasion would have to be brought into the discussion, and Fine Gael don’t want a light shone on that after $hatters party was caught for 9 years of evasion themselves (Now thats what I call self serving)
Martin- you’re like white noise…..just droning on…..
I was wondering what little FG puppy would turn up. And look who it is, must be short of staff up in Merrion sq today. Maybe you’d like to comment on your parties tax evasion this time, you always seem to try your best to avoid the topic once its brought up.
Tax evasion you say Martin. It was actually theft on a massive scale Mick Wallace confessed to. And the very fact that, not only is he still at liberty, He’s still a sitting TD, FFS! If this particular situation doesn’t convince the rest of the civilised world, Ireland is a corrupt, little, third world backwater, then nothing will!
…..on and on……..
Shatters diversion plan is working like a treat!
I agree both him and Fine Gael got off practically scott free without another word said. Now its all forgotten about.
Vincent, you were noticeably absent when it was admitted that the troika would be here for another 20 years. Amazed you even decided to show yourself.
Jason- I can but aspire to have nothing else to do but read your musings day in, day out….Nice that you missed me, though. Touching.
Ming Flanagan is an ass hole
Don’t flatter yourself too much Vincent, I missed the opportunity to watch you swallow your own words in front of those who told you the troika will be here for a long time much more than I missed you. But I’m sure you will be willing to admit that the FG line which you happily repeated was completely wrong, yes?
Jason, I’m not sure what is more disturbing- you’re incredible desire to talk down the country, your strange interest in guns on Facebook or your stunning naïveté when it comes to international finance. Probably the gun thing, in fairness. I will say its pretty pathetic that you feel the need to extract some type of vindication from something that’s been common knowledge for an age. The Troika will be out of Ireland in real terms by the end of this year. Ongoing monitoring and advice is a quantum leap away from the status quo now, whereby the Troika basically sets our budget. As long as you owe someone money they’ll be watching your finances. I’ll also remind you that it was FF who brought the Troika in in the first place. So I’m interested as to where your sad triumphalism comes from? You need to grow up, a bit. And best move on from the guns, thing. A bit juvenile, y’know?
I will give you one thing Vincent, you would fit in quite well in the Dáil among the FF/FG benches. You lack an argument of any real substance so instead you try to smear those who oppose you by bringing irrelevant personal information into the discussion. I have to admit that I am quite disappointed in you.
You called it wrong when you obsessively championed the idea that we would be saying goodbye to the troika at the end of the bailout. Now you’re singing a different tune and won’t admit that you called it wrong and resort to personally attacking your opposition for deflection. You’re slipping Vincent.
Ming must apologise publicly for his unfounded allegations and his double standards…
Get Flash to sort him out. Flash HA Aaaaa. Bet ye kids dont remember Flash.
He saved everyone of us
Go flash go. Go flash go.
He cited the Constitution, which says that members of the Oireachtas have immunity from arrest, but not for less serious offences.
am I reading this correctly… they have immunity from arrest for serious offences?
Hi Weirdo, this comes from the civil war era when it was feared people may be arrested on spurious charges in an effort to prevent them taking part in a crucial Dail vote. Why it is still required in this day and age is completely beyond me.
my understanding is that at the time that the constitution was written this was a safeguard that was written into it to prevent the Minister for Justice/Gardaí interfering with the democratic process by preventing any TD(s) going to vote in the Dail by arresting them while on their way to vote. It actually makes sense when you think about it particularly given the era in which the constitution was written.
The real issue as ever is that the good intention has been completely twisted by its abuse by Oireachtas members who see it as a route to get off drink driving, speeding charges etc. Now we need to review the laws on abuse of position and power but I guess any review of that would be unpopular in certain circles.
Because they still trade in civil war politics I presume!
The current constitution dates from 1937, a full fourteen years after our Civil War, so that excuse isn’t valid.
The constitution is designed to maintain the rule of law in good times and bad.
Nevertheless, it’s not immunity for everything – just when a member of the Oireachtas is travelling to and from the house. It doesn’t keep you from getting penalty points, and there have also been several Oireachtas members sent to prison in recent memory. Joe Higgins during the bin charge protests, for example.
thanks guys
all very informative answers
A justice minister with a personal grudge against the Gardai VS a stupid dope smoking hippie. Our public representatives. No wonder the Dáil is a shambles
Leaving aside my opinion of Shatter in respect of his handling of certain other matters, I completely agree with him on this one. Flanagan should be pursued on this one.
Seems like all they’re all the same. Self serving
Hooks and crooks the lot of them
It’s looking like that alright. It’s getting to the stage where I don’t believe a word out of any of them
Two Clowns who won’t be re-elected
Amazing that Shatter can lash out at a person over penalty points but is unwilling to say bugger all about a top current priest in Ireland that for 13 years enabled sex perverts to run riot on kids while saying nothing to the Gardi!
Convenient blindness and convenient silence when Shatter and his government to boot, feels like it!
…And they are still letting the top priest in Ireland get away with his disgusting past, allowing him to lecture the rest of us – while still wining and dining him, shaking his had occasionally!
Absolute sickening!
it never ends Biggins :(
The double-standards?
Your dead right!
@biggins, he can only lecture you if you choose to listen.
This article is about penalty points, take your agenda elsewhere.
The point about Shatter, is the double-standards.
That clearly has gone over the head of some here.
No wonder these FG fools still get elected with such short-sightedness still around!
Do you think he’s wearing fake tan in that photo?
Alan shatter, is that his porn star name?
doubt it couldnt imagine shatter getting anything up
The report should have been carried out by the Ombudsman not the Commissioner.
Who are these people who like Alan Shatter? The man is hated by Gardai, and is a terrible politician. He has nothing but his pay packet on his mind. Who are these red thumbers? Iona institute people? Or maybe youth defence? Hmmm
Shatter by name, Shattered by nature.
Shaney I would give you a thousand thumbs up for that comment if I could. Sums him up completely!
That muppet Shatter should be more worries about the crime epidemic on our streets, the lack of Gardai, the poor out of date law system and his attitude in general. Maybe legalise the weed while he is at it. Ming is one of the few politicians I like. Speaks sense 90% of the time. I would happily have my points cleared as would most people I imagine. I don’t agree with the points system anyway. Just another money earner with little substance.
I had to read that in a nasely tone.
Gist is, if you make trouble around here then we’ll focus on you.
Got it.
Cat calling dog hairyhole
Shatter has 15 properties and is doing his best to keep the country filled with low skilled immigrants just to fill them. I consider that pretty self serving. Rents arent going up in dublin just becausevthe banks aint lending.
TD,s who commit crimes and breach the Laws of Ireland should be prosecuted!
In fact, anybody – TD,s or otherwise who break the Law who be prosecuted!
Minister Shatter needs to address the serious problems in the legal world in Ireland!
The fees of Barristers are far too high and need to be reduced substantially.
Does anybody support this point of view?
Will An Taoiseach explain what he intends to do with the Lowry tapes?
Legal fees ? Shatter’s fees for his family law practice….
“As a solicitor who also acted as counsel for clients in court hearings, he charged some clients an hourly rate of some €635 including VAT in 2007 at the height of the boom, according to engagement letters seen by the Irish Independent.”
Publish the full report names Ect we need more gossip
Flanagan is nothing more than a schoolyard snitch. Got caught out over the penalty points then “whistle-blew” in an attempt to make himself look honorable. Should have just kept his mouth shut and apologized.
this country just gets worse the people that voted for this clown and his ilk deserve everything they get unfortunately we all pay the price for these gombeens it’s about time people in this country woke up and voted for someone not because mammy or daddy voted for them or they promised to build a road they should not be voted in for local issues but for national issues until this changes we will continue to see these clowns in the Dail think of the bigger people when voting
This “independent” enquiry was conducted by the Gardai in relation to penalty points!
Gardai investigate Gardai!
Does Minister Alan Shatter expect us to believe this “inside” report?
Clearly there are many conflicts of interest in the administration of the Law in Ireland.
What about “chinese walls” in the administration of the legal profession.
One partner acted for a seller, another partner in the same firm acting for the buyer, another Partner acting for the developer and builder.
These “Chinese walls” are legally permissible by the Law Society!
Is this fact correct??
Correct! Blackwash.
Worst JM in history and that’s saying something.
Gearoid
I think its time for you to slip back into the gutter. Your contribution adds nothing but a reflection of your intellectual deficits and should be removed.
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