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The Passport Office on Molesworth Street in Dublin City Centre [File photo] Photocall Ireland

Senator Mary White denies passport office outburst

The Fianna Fáil senator reportedly told a member of the security staff that he was “lucky to have a job” after an incident at the Dublin office.

FIANNA FÁIL SENATOR Mary White has denied reports that she told a security officer in the Passport Office in Dublin that he was “lucky to have a job”.

Sarah McInerney’s report in The Sunday Times (subscription required) carries a first hand account of the alleged incident. White reportedly went to the office to inquire about a friend’s passport application, and was unhappy when she was told she was not privy to the information.

She then entered the security office near the entrance to the building to retrieve a telephone number, but was asked to step away. It’s believed she then told a member of the security staff that he was “lucky to have a job”.

White has told The Sunday Times that she doesn’t remember what she said, but that she doesn’t “go around insulting people”. She says she was invited into the security office by another member of staff.

It’s understood that TDs have been told by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore that the system whereby deputies and senators could fast-track passport applications is no longer available. The service was withdrawn by public sector workers last year during industrial action.

Read Sarah McInerney’s full story in the Sunday Times (subscription required): Passport Office ejects senator

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39 Comments
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    Mute John Manahan
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    Jun 26th 2011, 11:58 AM

    Any member of Fianna Fail that currently sits in the Dail or Seanad is also EXTREMELY lucky to have a job.

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    Mute Stuart Kavanagh
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:11 PM

    Nail well and truly hit on the head with the above comment!

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    Mute Conor Foley
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    Jun 26th 2011, 1:11 PM

    John, i think that is Extremely lucky to be employed, as a job would imply work, effort and productive output for your employer (us in this case), of which there is no evidence

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 26th 2011, 7:56 PM

    She still thinks that F.F are still in power… If I had my way I would get rid of the useless Seanad .than she would have the problem.. It is only a retirement home for failed politicians and tired academics…..I am still waiting for Enda to fulfil his pre election promise in getting rid or reducing the numbers in the retirement home….They have no power what so ever in government decisions….check it out?????

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    Mute Local Democracy
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    Jun 26th 2011, 11:52 AM

    Ha!! Delighted for her!

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    Mute Keith O' Hara
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    Jun 26th 2011, 11:56 AM

    She sounds like a serious weapon

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:18 PM

    Fair play Journies, I was hoping you’d cover this latest example of FF arrogance.

    This wrinkled old stooge couldn’t even make a mediocre senator, not to mind anything else, but her arrogant and haughty dismissal of what she sees as the “little people” coupled with her rampant denial, marks her out as a typical Fianna Failer, now bereft of power, but oblivious of that, and attempting to compensate by sticking their nose into parish pump politics that has nothing to do with them.

    Senators don’t have a constituency per se, and even if she was a TD, (in which role she probably would have sent a minion to the Passport Office instead), what business would a TD have making inquiries into the status of a private citizens passport?

    A gombeen, harridan failure, who yet has done the state some service by highlighting, yet again, why these degenerates should never see the inside of the cabinet office again.

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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Jun 26th 2011, 4:45 PM

    Spot on

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    Mute John Mack
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:06 PM

    well it is true that the security guard is lucky he has a job, its luck that got him through the interview, luck that gets him out of bed, luck that he does long shifts, luck that he is paying high taxes.. no wait… that’s not luck that’s hard work, how many days holidays is this td getting, was is it tax payers funds that provided transport to and from the passport office, will she only claim a half day wage, it clearly shows that she is the lucky one getting paid to interfere with someone’s else passport depth., even if the td never said anything to the security guard about being luckily we should be questioning how much work are these tds doing for their wage.

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    Mute Feargal Garvin
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    Jun 26th 2011, 9:59 PM

    She isn’t even a TD.

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    Mute Ando Winters
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:33 PM

    just think of what must have been going on when FF in power? i’m glad this is being highlighted, how dare she talk that way to the security guard, smells of desperation of someone trying to hang onto power

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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:38 PM

    They must have laughed her out of the building. Gas stuff altogether.

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    Mute Thomas Stadler
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:44 PM

    I don’t think they would have, many a person was punished over the last 13 years for not bowing the knee to a FF or PD rep. who wanted the rules bent for them. It has been part of the Political culture here and FG have form here as well.

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jun 26th 2011, 1:28 PM

    Just a little addendum, from the site of this upright citizen herself, evidence in itself that she is little more than your typical Fianna Fail state sponsored seat filler on numerous quangos*. On the very same page, she references her husband (another double eFFer, chairman of the IDA during the Eighties, whom used his position to canvas extensively on behalf of her, and FF, as the architect behind the Celtic Tiger, which is funny, because I for one have never heard of him!)

    “Member of the Fianna Fáil National Executive 1993 – 1998, 2004 – Present;
    Member of the Irish Exporters Association*;
    Council Member of Institute of International Trade of Ireland*;
    Member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland*;
    Member of the Higher Education Authority 1990 – 1995*;
    Member of the Board of the National College of Art and Design 1993 – 1996*;
    Member of the Dublin City Enterprise Board Evaluation Committee 1993 – 1997*;
    Elected member to the Council of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce 1996 – 2001*;
    Chairwoman of Presidents Award – Gaisce 1999 – 2001;
    Board Member of An Bord Bia, 1997 – 2002*;
    Elected member of Seanad Éireann in July 2002;
    Re-elected to Seanad Éireann in July 2007.”

    As Bertie himself said to Dobbo, during that famous interview where he pretended to cry, “I might have appointed somebody but I appointed them because they were friends, not because of anything they had given me.”

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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Jun 26th 2011, 5:44 PM

    A lifetime collecting cheques for fuck all.

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 26th 2011, 8:03 PM

    And she got paid for being on all those boards ??? is that legal ??/As far as F.F been the architect of the Celtic Tiger resulting in the collapse of the economy. she should hold her head in shame

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    Mute Thomas Stadler
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    Jun 26th 2011, 9:27 PM

    I bet that she even looks down on people that claim several dole payments a week, that claim compo if they break a toenail. Looking at the list above, she makes them look like people who are productive and giving members of society. The leeches on the top are more damaging than thousands of leeches on the bottom.

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 4:32 PM

    Oil I wouldnt use the word collecting I WOULD USE SOMETHING A LOT STRONGER LIKE, ?// CANT USE THE WORD I WOULD LIKE TO PRINT .. You know what I mean.

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    Mute Thomas Stadler
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:39 PM

    What a piece of trash.

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 4:36 PM

    Dont Insult the word trash .Trash is useful it can be re cycled he eh

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    Mute Derek Richardson
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    Jun 26th 2011, 6:24 PM

    give them all passports tell them not to comeback

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    Mute Paul Murphy
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    Jun 26th 2011, 6:48 PM

    oh mary, why don’t you have some sense, please do something to restore my confidence…

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Jun 26th 2011, 8:03 PM

    The water boys!!!

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    Mute John Manahan
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    Jun 26th 2011, 8:16 PM

    The Four of Us !!!

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    Mute Anthony O'Donnell
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    Jun 27th 2011, 6:20 PM

    the four of us.

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    Mute Mary Bibby
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    Jun 26th 2011, 6:54 PM

    a case of george orwell here yet again”all animals are equal,but some are more equal than others” or thats what she likes to think

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    Mute Anthony O'Donnell
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    Jun 26th 2011, 5:59 PM

    Sharpen the f…in guillotine.

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 4:34 PM

    Anthony , it would only bounce of her neck .It been rubber.( her neck )

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    Mute Anthony O'Donnell
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    Jun 27th 2011, 6:21 PM

    If it bounces off i will use a saw that should do the trick.

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    Mute Alan Aston
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    Jun 26th 2011, 5:47 PM

    Just typical of the eFFers arrogance!!

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    Mute Melanie Drake
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    Jun 26th 2011, 9:18 PM

    She has great balls to say that these days… but, oh, how they deflated by the time she exited that office!!!! LMAO!!

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    Mute Guinness Follower
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:05 PM

    Innocent until proven guilty?

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    Mute Ando Winters
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    Jun 26th 2011, 12:24 PM

    too much Guinness , have a nice lie down and maybe your brain will stop getting confused!

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    Mute John Manahan
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    Jun 26th 2011, 1:06 PM

    In Fianna Fail’s case it should be guilty until proven innocent.

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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Jun 26th 2011, 4:44 PM

    At least she’s upholding the fianna fail tradition …… I don’t remember what I said.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Jun 26th 2011, 8:05 PM

    Quite, but what was a FF senator doing hounding the passport office anyway?

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Jun 27th 2011, 1:15 AM

    Now that I think of it, given that this probably took place during office hours, wasn’t there something more important she could have been doing, or indeed that she was being paid to do?

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 4:41 PM

    Really was their something more important ?David that she could be doing like what ?????.She just popped her head out for a break .She was feeling a bit bored and sleepy in the chamber.

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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 4:27 PM

    Now enough is enough .now is the time to get rid of the useless Seanad.and save a lot on expenses..the \Seanad is a throw back from the English system of government with their two tier cosy system..Also why are bonuses and pensions tied in LEGALLY in agreements and the government say that they cannot be touched,Surely all p.ay.e workers wages are also tied in legally as per agreements ..But yet they can be touched and butchered…where is the difference in agreements? Also whoever is in Government will have the majority of senators in the house agreeing with the party in power in decision making ,who needs them..GET RID OF THEM.Remember its the people have the power to change,.

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