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LAST UPDATE | 28 Oct 2018
FIANNA FÁIL TD Niall Collins has said that Peter Casey should “realise that you can’t just rock up to political parties and think that you can get your way”.
Casey had earlier told the Sunday Independent that he will be “joining Fianna Fáil” and that he intends to run in the next general election in Donegal.
“I am becoming a Fianna Fáil TD with a view to becoming Taoiseach, as the head of a renewed and revitalised Fianna Fáil,” he said.
He said that he believes that party has “lost it way” in recent years, adding:
“I want to be the one that leads Fianna Fáil back to its natural home as the party of the people, to get it back on track and get the party listening again to the real people, to get outside of the bubble of Dublin and Leinster House and the political and media establishment.”
Michael D Higgins was last night re-elected as President of Ireland, with a landslide vote of over 58%.
Casey secured 23.3% of the vote, landing himself in second place.
Speaking to RTÉ One’s The Week in Politics, Collins said that “there’s bad news” for Casey as Fianna Fáil’s ticket in Donegal “is complete”.
“We have Charlie McConalogue and Pat The Cope Gallagher as our two sitting TDs there,” he said.
Peter would want to realise that you can’t just rock up to political parties and think that you can get your way. That’s not how it works.
Collins went on to add that “personally, I wouldn’t like to see Peter Casey join Fianna Fáil”.
Elsewhere Timmy Dooley, another senior TD and the party’s communications spokesperson, simply tweeted “Ah we’re ok thanks” in response to a news story about Casey’s comments.
Casey sustained criticism for a series of comments about the Traveller community, across a variety of media appearances, during his presidential campaign.
“There’s no place for blanket prejudice within Fianna Fáil,” Collins said today.
Speaking to reporters at Dublin Castle last night, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar laughed at the suggestion that Casey might join Fine Gael, stating that he thought it was “decidedly unlikely”.
While anyone is welcome to join Fine Gael, he said they must sign up to the “values of the party”.
- With reporting by Daragh Brophy
Casey has nothing new to offer in politics, opinions don’t translate to policies. However, he stumbled on a big issue for people who live in rural Ireland. We should be able to discuss the issue of the over representation of Travellers in jail. There for crimes especially against old people in their homes. We MUST be able to discuss this without being labelled a right wing Trump supporting racist.
@Jack O’Meara: there is not over representation of travellers in jail. There is over representation of poverty in jail. Travellers are compare to the whole settled community if you compare them with the settled community living in dosa
@Rosa Lopez: disadvantage areas, you will see they are not over represented.
@Jack O’Meara: he’s divisive and dangerous, Irish politics does not need a pound shop trump !
@Rosa Lopez: but Rosa, Travellers want, and have been granted separate identity, therefore why can’t we discuss their behaviour as a separate cohort?
@Mrs M: I agree, we credit business people with being able to solve all of society’s problems, when in reality that have been good at solving one specific problem which led to their wealth. Nobody will be talking about Casey in 12 months time. However… we have to be able to discuss things which negatively impacts people’s lives in a very real way without being labelled right wing racist.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: nope. Rosa is spot on. People on the margins, people excluded from education, from healthcare, who are trapped by decades of prejudice or neglect, and not just travellers, either, are the bulk of the prison population on this country. Ask yourselves this; given our small population, and relative stature on the global wealth index, why do we even HAVE a apparent underclass? It’s been allowed to exist through the deliberate actions of generations of self serving political dynasties and an elite class of nods and winks merchants in the upper ranks of the civil service, the banks and other national institutions. THEIR status quo is the only one that matters, the only conspiracy that exists is the rich against the poor. Casey would definitely find his spiritual home within Fianna Fail. They’re just less blatant about their prejudice and greed. By a hair.
@Martin Meyler: How did the hundreds of thousands of Eastern Europeans, coming from really underprivileged places with barely a word of English, manage to integrate so successfully and become such a valued part of Irish society?
@Jack O’Meara: spot on
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: but they don’t. I don’t know what kind of bubble you live in, but I can tell you that there is historical broad poverty because access to education, leisure activities, cultural activities and decent housing and health are based on wealth, on what a family can afford. The facts of poverty and their effects are very real and undeniable. Opportunities in just about every sphere of activitiy are much more limited the lower down the economic ladder you are. Is that fair?
And in the case of travellers, the prejudice towards them is a result of attitudes hardened over decades of deliberate neglect and ill treatment. If you kick and abuse someone for long enough, what sort of response should you expect when you try reaching out? Any attempts at integration were late, poorly informed and badly handled. Isn’t it strange that I know of several who’ve done very well for themselves abroad in careers they’d have never gotten a chance at here? Might merely being here, be a factor in that?
I can’t speak for other nationalities who came here. I don’t think the immigration process was handled particularly well or with any foresight. And the daily casual racism I see doesn’t fill me with optimism.
@Jack O’Meara: jack I don’t say there can not be discussion, as just stated that the “higher proportion of travellers in prison” is misleading. I feel that when something is open to discussion people tend to educate themself better and look for solutions, instead of just throw insults and become racists.
@Mrs M: actually they have already that with Higgins
@Rosa Lopez: “……instead of just throw insults…..” and she follows that immediately by calling people who disagree with her ‘racists’. Brilliant.
@Frank McGlynn: when did I say that?! I said than in open discussion you have to argue with people that have different views, and that’s why you tend to educate yourself better, to have well informed arguments. Stopping people from expressing their concerns and having open discussion on delicate topics is what lead to throw insults and racism. English is not my first language, I might not explained myself properly, I don’t think you are a racist if you don’t think as I do.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: bubble.
@Jack O’Meara: FF been the main party of opposition badly need for the sake of proper and healthy government need a leader of strong character and beliefs, this cosy staus quo is just a shambles, how any gutless FF td can look themselves in the mirror and say they are proud of the work they do is beyond me, its a one party state
@Jack O’Meara: the word racist is used to gag intelligent discourse
@Martin Meyler: try open your eyes and stop with the excuses ..
@Jack O’Meara: But anti-traveller commentators are constantly going on about prison stats, so its not as if they are not able to discuss it. But they never seem to elaborate on what they think this proves. I suspect they think it proves that travellers are bad, when all it really proves is that inflicted poverty leads to bad outcomes whether you are a traveller or not. Society cannot expect citizens who have been given the dirty end of the stick to be civic minded. If society marginalises people to the extent to which travellers have been marginalised, there will be negative consequences. The squeezed middle are angry because they are being pushed towards the dirty end of the stick, but they are looking in the wrong direction if they are blaming travellers.
@Jack O’Meara: nothing to offer except straight talking give me an example of that from any politician that has lead this country in the last 25 year. Like him or not if he ran the people will decide if they want him or not. Pity he wants to hitch his wagon to the FF fools who bankrupted this country
@Martin Meyler: travellers (most though obviously not all) exclude themselves from education
@Mick Dunne: there are bad people out there , criminals, murderers ,rap*sts etc and they commit these crimes because they choose to and not because of poverty or what society has done to them.. the amount of excuses being made for the majority of prisoners is unreal , whether they are travelers or not ..poor up bringing shouldn’t come into it .everybody has a choice ,go down the route of a criminal lifestyle or try make the best for yourself and your family like the rest of the law abiding citizens .
@Jack O’Meara: Casey would get my vote, and did too.
@Rosa Lopez: I’m afraid statistics tell a different story Rosa:
Disproportionate number of Travellers in prison population:
‘Travellers make up 0.6 per cent of the population yet account for 10 per cent of the male prisoner population and 22 per cent of the female prison population.’
@Martin Meyler: Everyone has equal opportunity in Ireland if you want.
Travelers live as they will and want.
They got their status as an ethnic group to be different from the rest of us and that is how they wish to be
@Ruaridgeback: it’s not down to poverty as most have new Transit vans but a choice not to work legally and pay taxes.
@Grotmaster: Your point is irrelevant to the issue. The Irish have done the same all over the world for centuries, yet those same people would have had no chance at home.
The young, healthy and resourceful who have the get go to uproot themselves from their own country and culture have a better chance than most. Still many emigrants fail too, you just don’t hear as much about them.
@Martin Meyler: Who is excluded from education?
@neilo: seems a lot more people support my view than yours
@Grotmaster: well said
In the noughties I vowed never again to vote for Fianna Fail and nothing has changed to alter my stance, in fact if anything my resolve never to vote for them again has intensified and also now includes the hapless clowns in Fine Gael who have continued where FF left off. Another fine mess.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: journal deleting comments again .what is wrong with asking who is blame when it comes to travellers and education? That’s some protection they have .
@neilo: the point being is that you can’t question and disagree with points being made regarding because they will get deleted. No wonder people get angry over it .it becomes very one sided .I guess it’s lovely though for the journal to look good by leaving only “awe the poor travellers ” comments up about how society has let them down.
@neilo: I’m not claiming to be a victim, just pointing out how ridiculous it is but that’s interesting, maybe someone on the journal dislikes Merkel and won’t hear a nice word said about her.
@Graham: by choice despite massive funding for the “break the cycle ” scheme running now almost 20 years
Change has to come from within their community
@Mick Dunne: I don’t believe that the squeezed middle are blaming travellers, they’re blaming bad governance. But I believe people get annoyed about the attitude the travelling community portrays, that they are entitled to free every thing and are consumed by a “victim mentality “. They are ill served by Pavee Point who runs for cover or go dumb when one of their group commits an atrocity.
Traditionally, the travellers were traders and craftspeople who contributed handsomely to the social & economic life of the country whilst living a nomadic lifestyle. They respected the communities they visitef &were reciprocared.
It is beyond time that our government, elected & permanent began to treat the situation in a serious manner.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: there are indeed bad people out there, in every walk of life. Bad travellers, bad social welfare recipients, bad bankers, bad politicians, bad millionaires…… but the jails are disproportionately full of bad people who came from poverty, and maybe a few not so bad. What does that suggest to you?
@Mick Dunne: very well put!
@Mick Dunne: who is inflicting the poverty,?: surely it’s the result of self selected life style and culture, which is oft quoted as a reason for the lifestyle, whilst refusing to adapt. Who remembers the song of almost 50 years ago; “The Travelling People “?
@Martin Meyler: Who is excluded from education ? Parents not valuing education, allowing children to skip school. Allowing 16 year old girls to marry,these are the problems that cause what you have outlined.
@Ruaridgeback: and the other 90% and 78% is a well balanced mix…. 10%from Dalkey, 10% from Ballyfermont, 10% from Foxrock, 10% from Clondakin and so on..
@Ruaridgeback: sure they are a scrounger race. They have access to free education to better themselves but choose to rob auld folks in the country as well as have the poor hand out for every cent they can get off the ppl footing the bill. what good are they? The innocence left that race 30 years ago
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: Easily said when you are not doing too badly. Not so easy when you have been elbowed out of the way at every turn. Life is a rat race in which poverty is inflicted on the losers. Society cannot expect people who have been treated badly to be good citizens. Disproportionate bad outcomes for Travellers is not something they have chosen. Travellers are no more inclined to choose bad outcomes than you or I.
@Liam Mernagh: Everybody is. Life is a rat race in which poverty is inflicted on the losers. Nobody ‘self selects’ bad outcomes.
Casey aside, the comments actually suggest that political parties are ‘closed shops’ (to everybody); and that’s worrying.
@Ernie Gallagher: no surprise there FF especially
@Ernie Gallagher: they’re not really closed shops, but seniority is earned, they don’t typically just fawn over newbies. You need delegates to support you if you want to run for the council or the Dáil, and existing office holders have worked with those debates for years – wining and dining them at fundraisers and getting favourable outcomes for their pals issues.
Without a history of fixing potholes, no one has a chance in FF. Any transfers in are typically established TDs with a following.
@Rónán O’Suilleabháin: Reminds me of a job I worked on many years ago, where everyone worked incredibly hard and when it was done they threw a party. And when that ended I accidentally stumbled upon another, smaller party where I immediately sensed I wasn’t welcome.
I guess it was a party within a party.
@Rónán O’Suilleabháin: seems to take an awful lot of hard work to become an incompetent gombeen FF politician. And then a competent one like stephen donnelly joins them and they shut him up to bring him down to their level.
@Ernie Gallagher: Read Casey’s comments and listen to Collin’s response. Damn sure you can’t just rock up to a political party and demand to be placed on the election ticket. The party makes the decision on who should stand in elections, not some jumped up numpty who thinks he’s the next Messiah because he managed to trigger barely disguised prejudice in some people.
@Tommy Roche: Did I not open the comment with ‘Casey aside,’?
My point actually referred to the ‘you can’t just rock up to …’ language that was used.
They, like their good buddies in Fine Gael, like to keep it in the family. Nepotism has been a scourge on Irish politics since our state was founded. Enda Kenny, Simon Coveney, the Lenihans and the Flynns just to name a few. All as bent as a three Euro note.
Rock up to political Parties says Mr Collins ? Maybe you could educate us on that or tell us how you entered into the political Circle and try leaving all your Family Connections to one side !
@Johnny Mason: exactly the only way to progress in FF is to be apart of a dynasty- Collins only ever elected based on his family because he’s one of the most uninspiring TD’s in the Dail – he failed to back McCabe and constantly backed Gardaí
@Johnny Mason: if you happen to be a high profile GAA player in a constituency that FF is struggling in then you’ll be invited to ‘rock up’ with not a sideways glance to any ambitious Councillors or members.
They’re hypocrites.
@Johnny Mason: i feel what he will achieve here is show ordinary people none of the parties will or can represent their views and concerns……then he’s free to create an alternative where as it stands 1 in 4 will support….interesting to see if sinn fein will pour cold water over him joining them
Haha well that was a kick in the teeth to most people who voted for him. Attempting to align himself with Fianna fail.
@Anthony: he’s just the usual entitled rich Veruca Salt political wannabe
@Anthony: i don’t think he’s serious, just having a go at martin who said he wouldn’t be welcome in FF yesterday, just stirring things up in FF.
@Adrian: I think u are grossly overestimating this guy lol
@Arch Angel: it’s the traveller issue that’s not simple ( borne out by your lengthy piece ) the Casey issue is extremely simple and conflating the 2 is only adding to the problem with the former. Casey is no knight in shining armour as a lot on here seemed to believe because he spoke openly about an issue hitherto brushed under the carpet. He has no pedigree in politics but there were calls to make him taoiseach over a remark! Beggars belief!
@Anthony: yep it didn’t take long for the establishment to drag him into the tent – shame as tI suspect he majority of traction he got was voters crying out for someone not just towing the mainstream politically correct party lines – but those voters are still out there now – a lot of people sick of the rip offs and the failure in all our major departments health transport criminal justice eduction its all creaking at the seams and all the bloated inefficient civil service are too content to sit back and take the cheques and pensions but not deliver fit for purpose systems…Casey can join FF but the disenchanted are not going to follow suit …theres a gap now for some new entity to step in and challenge the established parties in the next election…
@Arch Angel: perhaps we should call it travellerism as to call it racism is to class travellers as a different race. Truth is a lot of people don’t like them because of the actions of some of them. That will always be how people are. Calling it racism is making out they are different from us. They’re not, they choose a different lifestyle
@Dave Hammond: Perhaps you should read the article. The “establishment” don’t want him and to be honest I can’t blame them…he’s vile.
@Anthony: 23%
yea kicked ok
dumass
@Ricky Spanish: perhaps you should read my comment.
@Ricky Spanish: for clarity the original article here when I commented did not contain the rebuffs from Tim dooley etc -they were only pointing out that he had confirmed his intention to join FF……my points still stand …that the majority of voters for Casey were disenfranchised voters unhappy with the mainstream parties and if he does switch to a mainstream party those voters are not likely to follow suit….they will vote for anti establishment parties because they are sick of all the nonsense in Ireland
@Anthony: Yeah gas the morons who voted for him because he was supposed to be on their side with the possible racist undertones they love to hear get a slap in the face when he wants to join into the worst party of them all FF, the party who destroyed the country multiple times and will do so again no doubt…..I love it!
Maybe Collins should look at how poorly he represents his own constituency given the vote Casey got in his patch – FF are clueless
Casey would fit in nicely with Fianna Fáil… Stunts, lies and mouthpieces
@Michael Wynne:
And FGs mud flap.
@Michael Wynne: Higgins has a much deeper history with FF than Gallaher or Casey, despite you previously calling Gallagher a FF bagman. Higgins has been very disingenuous in the campaign and let’s see what his promised disclosures bring up.
The biggest story for me is that 18000 people spoiled their ballot paper, which along with a record low turnout illustrates many people just feel total apathy to the office of president.
@Michael Wynne: your so selective keep you blinkers on if you think anyone in politics are not chancers
@Paul Fahey: Whatever you do Paul don’t focus on the overwhelming majority who turned out and voted to keep MDH as our President. Keep scratching around the edges looking for different angles rather than acknowledging the one that is right in front of your face
@R White: will try again as The Journal has just deleted a comment where I pointed out that it would be remiss not to comment on the fact there was a record low turnout and 18000 people saw fit to spoil their ballot papers.
I also pointed out Higgins started out as Chairman of FF in NUG before moving to Labour. He describes himself as a poet and a scholar, but has spent his entire career on the public pay. The media did nothing to scrutinise him 7 years ago and have been shameful in their promotion of him this time.
@Paul Fahey: is 18000 a significant number relatively speaking? I don’t think it is. The majority however have voted MDH in as President not once but twice now. The media seem to be in the majority, it doesn’t have to be a conspiracy just because you disagree with it
@R White: oh poor boy, where is the conspiracy? Where is there even a suggestion if a conspiracy? Please do tell, whilst I am off to make a foil hat.
It matters not how talented or popular any individual is. The minute they sell their souls to either of the main parasite parties they become morally bankrupt by exposure to their institutionalized and corrupted processes. That’s why nobody ever stands out and nothing gets done about health, housing etc. Our broken political system just gobbles them up. When they realize that they put the head down and just ride it out for the salary and pension. And on it goes…
@Quentin Moriarty: there’s a difference between raising an issue and trying to get attention for yourself by targeting a minority group and stirring hate against travellers, Casey did the latter and the wannabe political nihilists, conspiracy theory peddling, tinfoil hat wearing, trying to be cool by acting like their opinions matter over others by throwing snide remarks at anyone who disagrees with them sheep ate it up like catnip
@Jake Kelly: Tin foil hat – another word that is overused yet impotent as it also automatically dismisses any opinion as nonsense without empirical evidence to refute a statement
@Quentin Moriarty:
Seems one of the Journals staff is on a comments deleting mission.
@Tweed Cap: indeed tweedy
You cant just run in a election for ff either niall collins said without permission,yet there is a person running for election for ff in NI and the party knew nothing about it.ff are in disarray and marttin has lost authority as leader.
I don’t think very many people want to rock up to FF, they’re not very attractive to join, at 20% they should be looking for all the support they can get!
Sure you can. Stephen Donnelly and Maria Cahil dit it without any hassle
It’s all about Peter. All very familiar.
Amazing that we have spent so much time preaching about what’s going on across the pond and now find that ~25% have had their heads turned by the same brainless “shock jock” politics.
MIGA, eh folks.
@MK76: It’s embarrassing how easily a large chunk of our electorate are influenced. They literally were willing to appoint a man they hadn’t heard of a week ago as our president in a 7 year term because he told them what they wanted to hear.
@Rochelle: he told them what they already knew but the politicians wanted to ignore and for that Casey deserves respect not ffg ridicule….
@Peter donnelly: You give your respect up cheaply Peter.
Don’t worry about it Peter, If F.F. don’t want you, you must be doing something right.
“There’s no place for blanket prejudice within Fianna Fáil,” says Collins.
Collins would want to look up the meaning of the word ‘prejudice’. FF have relentlessly prejudiced over 90% of Irish society, continually over the last number of decades. How does he think the health service and society as a whole has come to be decimated? That’s right, by sustained incompetent/corrupt policy by FF over recent decades. And that policy prejudiced Irish people and continues to do so.
The reason Collins doesn’t want Casey is because, Casey might highlight all the wasters in FF and Collins might tick that box. FF is toxic as a brand, it’s surprising that Casey is even considering them. Though, they do have a very good network.
@John O’Hara: no theirs is targeted prejudice, none of that wishy washy blanket stuff
LOL at all those who thought a vote for Casey was an anti establishment vote!
@Tweed Cap: yes and none more corrupt than the party he want to join, the party of Haughy, Ahern and Ray Burke
@Dermot Lane: An Irish version of Declan Ganley
I guess Niall just went to top of the list in Peter’s little black book
Casey is totally deluded. If there’s one thing Fianna Failers really can’t stand, it’s dodgy men with absolutely loads of money…
@Paul Devlin: satire, I hope?
@Ruaridgeback: I think so
@Ruaridgeback: you got me!
All parties say they will represent the people before the get into power, but they seem to suffer from amnesia when in power.
Politicians should ask themselves who would get more votes, Casey or your local TD ?
@Tom Kelly: I know the answer here in Carlow
@Tom Kelly: I know the answer here in Carlow
Any word on Fianna Fáils candidate Mc Anespy being billy best mates with a former convicted IRA member, or is that only reserved for members of Sinn Féin ?
Wonder what Casey supporters think now haha fell for his soundbites.
In fairness it’s laughable. that statement came from a TD in a party that had two prominent TD back a candidate to run in the local elections in Northern Ireland and the leadership then comes out and said it had no idea about it. even if the leadership didn’t sanction it anyone with brains and on a damage control mission would have come up with a better solution than hanging their own out to dry.
He said he is left of centre so maybe if he cannot join FF FG he would be more suited to joining SF who have lost their radical past and are swinging in FFFG territory.
I think Peter casey and anyone else in ireland hv a right to choose to join a party.. good fr him the finna fail party has certainly lost its way
Casey is a clown
@munsterman: and not even a good one
@Deaglan Macgiollaphadraig: or perhaps all of the above
“I am becoming a Fianna Fáil TD”….ahmmm Peter you need to get on the party ticket then you need to get elected. You just don’t become TD. The worrying thing is that Peter appears to have a limited knowledge on things Irish…. the price of milk, the amount of a social welfare payment the Irish constitution or the actual workings, the mechanics if u like of the Irish political system etc etc. and yes of course there’s loads of people who may not know this info but when ur fighting an election on it or hoping to represent people in politics then u gotta know this stuff. It’s no use cherry picking a few contentious issues… you have to know the basics I think. Maybe I’m wrong. I’m open to correction.
2 steps forward
3 steps back
Strange man. Does he think he decides?
Fianna Fáil are clowns and should be disbanded for bankrupting our country.
Casey is just a different type of clown
FF is FG they are all the same in this political game.
He wants Meoles job.. Thought FFG would jump at the chance…
This idiot trying to turn the anti establishment vote into the anti traveller racist vote! Casey should form his own party representing a modern ireland, target the younger voter. FF is the party representing gombeen Ireland. Who in their right mind would want to join FF and end up at the end of the queue behind uninspiring journeymen gombeen politicians like collins and timmy dooley and their like!
What are they afraid of? That he’ll get elected? If they think they know the people so well, then he shouldn’t be a problem for them. He’ll run, not get elected, end of story.
Did admire his gall.
Now he’s a proven sell out.
It is a great decision by Peter Casey to join Fianna Fail. The once-great Fianna Fail desperately needs a new leader to replace the utter disaster and visionless failure that is Micheal Martin (FF will never return to government under Martin). Martin’s acolytes will obviously be desperate to stop Casey having a positive impact on Fianna Fail and challenging the useless Martin as leader, and that is why we read the pathetic comments from Martin’s servant T.D.’s today. But Peter Casey should in no way be distracted by this, he must go forth and join Fianna Fail and rescue the country.
Mr Casey was the real winner of the 2018 Irish Presidential election. He utterly rocked the establishment and gave voice to so many Irish citizens whose concerns are being utterly ignored by the left-liberal establishment.
FF are not ok
They are inside a deep FG hole and find it hard to clump out
I bet all the people who voted for him as a shot at the establishment feel silly now!
@Keith O’Reilly: I don’t feel silly at all, I supported him but I never thought he had a hope, maybe it’s the people who sneered at him when he was 1% in the polls who should feel silly.
@brian: that’s the spirit
He could always try his luck in the new norn iron branch of FF.
Timmy Dooley thinks FF are all right thanks!
Eh, No, they are not Timmy,
They crippled this country and it not so long ago that we have forgotten, You most certainly are not “ alright”
The Brown envelope party,
Corrupt FF
This is so utterly depressing.
@lisa duignan: no, it’s hilarious!
Once Fianna Fáil has Micheal as it’s leader then it will never be in government or be a proper opposition for this country to have. And the best they can talk about is about Casey??? What a joke?
You have to be inbred
There are reasons and extenuating circumstances for most crimes our legal system is superb and pointing them out. The person who is almost always forgotten about is the victim of the crime. The criminal often ends up becoming the victim and the goal is to make people feel sorry for the criminal. Works like a charm seeing a lot of comments here. Think about your loved ones being a victim of violent crime and how you would feel if the the focus was on how tough the criminal has it.
I have a great idea to liven up the next Presidential election. There should be two or three plausible candidates then a clutch of off-the-wall-novelties to brighten things up. I would recommend Dana, Ronan Mullen, Declan Ganley, Peter Casey and Sinead O’Connor to stand in a parallel election. We could have separate debates – the real candidates with Pat Kenny, Claire Byrne, David McCullagh or Miriam O’Callaghan as adjudicator, then the others with Jedward in charge. In fact instead of only holding the novelty events every seven years, maybe the debates could be a weekly feature on one of the Virgin Media channels in place of the Britain’s Best Teapot or whatever crap they’re showing.
Jaysus, as bad and all as Fianna Fáil are, they are not that bad!
Timmy Dooley’s “Ah, we’re okay thanks!” is the best reply to this self-promoting chancer.
#pikeysout
@Bramley Hawthorne: ye from a corrupt party!
I had thought that 2 of the Dragons were just spoilers to split the vote, but now I conclude that Mr. Casey is just rocking the political boat in this country.
To what end, we will just have to see in due course.
have your say