The prancing of political geldings

Over the last week or so since the decision of Aer Lingus management to pull out of the Shannon Heathrow, we've witnessed the energetic prancing of political geldings, figures of local and national prominence, minister junior and senior and TDs new and old all giving it loads in front of the cameras and at public meetings but no sign that they will do anything in the Dail when it resumes. I think a vote of no confidence in Dempsey is certainly in order, and I would question the resolve of some of the mid-West TDs to exercise some basic follow through on this issue.

Good examples of the prancing ponies are Tony Killeen telling us that Aer Lingus will be feeling the pressure on the PR side of things - FYI they're pulling out Tony what does it matter to them what people down here think if they are no longer doing business here, Niall Collins telling us on PrimeTime that we should be stepping back. I haven't been too wildly impressed with the contributions of Pat Breen of FG either, taking almost all his time on PrimeTime before getting to the nub of the issue which is the connection to a hub which is what Heathrow is, this is not about getting to London, it is about getting to Heathrow.

This is what Minister Cullen (sure don't we miss him now!) had to say in 2005 about ensuring Irish consumers would have access to Heathrow post the government reducing its stake. So what were the options explored and why were they not proceeded with? Was someone misled here was it the minister or the public?

I'm surprised no one has made this comparison of journeys, say your intention is to get a flight in Heathrow on to some other location say for example Tokyo (I hear it is a bit of a backwater place that is transforming itself into an up and coming place of international business), you leave Castletroy to be in Shannon at least 1 hour before the flight which only takes under an one hour but you can allow about one hour to get from from Terminal 1 to your gate in another Terminal in Heathrow. Because in the current situiation with Aer Lingus doing a code share your luggage makes its own way across the airport, and you (the person travelling) are already checked through.So you arrive at the gate in good time and calm and collected all only 3 hours or so after you left the house.

In the new situation if you fly with RyanAir you will have to wait around and collect you luggage before moving off to the next Terminal but in this case you will be crossing London instead of justr crossing an airport with 3 train journeys from Stansted into Liverpool St, then the tube then the train from Paddington out to Heathrow. None of those changes is for the faint-hearted. I guess Dempsey is so used to have someone else carry his luggage for him that he doesn't remember what travel is like for the little people. And how long would you need to allow for you to cross from Gatwick/Stansted to Heathrow 3 hours allowance wouldn't be crazy (2 hours would be cutting it very fine indeed) and remember you have to be at the check-in desk 2 hours before departure as unlike the existing model you aren't already checked through. So you would be presenting yourself at the gate 7 hours after you left the door of house. Some time difference there I'm sure you will agree.

I would suggest that local business should sponsor a trip by two people accompanied by the press, with video capability to demonstrate the different paths they will have to take to get to a flight going from Heathrow to Tokyo. They would be two very different journeys I reckon and a good example of why telling people that they can still get to London is patronising.

I do know from talking to some folks at the college in UL that one big problem would be that staff use Heathrow as a location for meetings with people from other European universities. As it is a hub it is much easier to a few people to fly there and have the meeting and fly home without ever leaving the airport than to be flying to another location and staying overnight some place.

For students in UL, Euramus in particular I can foresee quite a lot of problem with access and this must move UL down the pecking order for choice locations. And speaking more internationally it will be a problem for those coming from Asia particularly China which is viewed a as a huge stragegic opportunity for Ireland.

I would also think that the decentralisation of the Overseas development staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs must now be seriously at risk. You can hardly move the staff to a place that doesn't have direct access to one of the major airline hubs.

More on Puck ar buizer

I wrote this to Madam in response to a letter from Dr. Mick Loftus in last Saturday's Irish Times

Madam, -

As a proud son of Puck, I challenge Dr. Loftus to produce evidence
that supports his outrageous implication in his letter of July 28th
that Killorglin has a disproportion rate of homicides, road traffic
deaths, rapes and suicides as a consequence of hosting Puck Fair.

As a former coroner I would have expected Dr. Loftus to base his
argument on the particular facts of the case rather than producing a
generalised rant impugning the reputation of the town I grew up in.
Dr. Loftus’ failure to wait until he had read the facts before
forming his opinion is exemplified by his misquoting of Judge
O’Connor as saying he had “walked the streets of
Caherciveen at 2.30am and observed no thuggery” when the judge
had explicitly referred to Killorglin in the report of July 20th.

The Gardai are not Killorglin Gardai as Dr. Loftus states but rather
the district authorities for the region as Killorglin, in contrast to
Caherciveen, is serviced by a mere “Green Man” for the
much of the time. The concerns of the Gardai appear more directed at
operational and budgetary concerns regarding overtime than any real
concerns about a higher rate of crime during the festival. Had it
been otherwise they would have produced the statistics in court to
back up their argument. As they did not, it is not.

Puck Fair in contrast to many other summer festivals is a working
fair. Considerable entertainment is laid on in the open air; yet the
nature of the Irish summer means much of the craic and ceol is
naturally to be found indoors. I would contend that if the
arrangement agreed 31 years ago which saw the introduction of 3am
closing at Puck is to be revisited at all then a return to the
original situation whereby pubs could open continuously for the full
3 days should be given consideration. What is needed in addressing
alcohol abuse is not the simplistic abstention versus overindulgence
argument that Dr. Loftus is espousing but a renewal of the practice
of social drinking; where drinking is not the purpose of the
socialisation but something that merely accompanies it.

I would ask the good Dr. to apologise to the people of Killorglin and
I would urge people to come to Puck and enjoy the craic; with or
without a drink but always with a smile.

Would you ever Puck off?

I read this piece (more below) in the Irish Times last week and wondered if the Supt might not be right and perhaps the 3am closing time for the 3 nights of Puck should be revisited. Yeah revisited and returned to the original format by which there was not closing of the pubs in Killorglin at all for 3 whole days!

Anne Lucey in Cahersiveen

An attempt by gardaí to have the traditional 3am pub hours extension for Puck Fair in Killorglin reduced by one hour was refused by Cahersiveen District Court yesterday.

The court was told it took "a considerable" Garda presence in Killorglin to prevent drink-related, late-night public order incidents during the fair.

Supt Michael O'Donovan said he was objecting to the traditional application by vintners for exemption orders to 3am. He said the 3am opening was unique to Puck Fair, was in place for 31 years and it was time to look at it. His application was to reduce it by an hour in line with other fairs and festivals in the county and in the country. The judge refused the application.

Street entertainment finished at 11pm during Puck Fair, the superintendent said. "Nothing beyond that time other than to consume alcohol takes place. There should be something other than the consumption of alcohol, particularly in the current climate. Consuming alcohol between 11pm and 3am without entertainment surely has to be looked at," he argued.

12 gardaí and two sergeants were drafted into Killorglin from outside the district to work at night, alongside the Cahersiveen district gardaí, he told Judge James O'Connor.

Domestic violence incidents also arose during the fair. The application for a series of exemptions, including early morning openings, was made by Killorglin publican Paul Kingston on behalf of some 22 publicans in Cromane and Killorglin.

Solicitor for the vintners, Tim O'Shea, said music sessions took place in most pubs. Extra policing was required not because of any alcohol problem but because of the sheer numbers of people in the town.

Declan Mangan, chairman of Puck Fair, told the court the fair was an excellent well run festival, worth up to €10 million to Killorglin, Killarney and mid-Kerry.

"Drink is only part of the festival," Mr Mangan said.

Publican Declan Falvey said a substantial number of pubs depended on the festival for vital income. Up to 400 extra people were employed by publicans because of the fair.

Judge O'Connor said no statistics had been produced to the court by gardaí. He himself had been to the fair "once or twice" for the whole of the three days. Last year walking the street at about 2.30am "I saw no thuggery", the judge said.

The State was benefiting from the revenue from drinks sales and taxes from the extra employment. It would not be fair to deprive pubs of a "vital hour".

It was totally wrong to say there was no entertainment.People made their own and this including "belting out" songs such as Barr na Sráide, the judge remarked.

Thanks to everyone

I'm immensely gratified that nearly 400 people gave me a vote, the vast majority of whom I have never had the chance to meet. I really appreciate it. The fight goes on, but I think I will take a bit of break from the politicking for a while.

All over bar the shouting

and God knows there will be plenty enough of that.

I would like to thank everyone that voted for me, and those who couldn't vote but who were hugely helpful throughout the process. It has been a long old road since last September but it hasn't been that lonely a journey.

I got some opportunities to raise the issue of the residential charges in the public consciousness and while it may not yet have borne fruit it is something I will persist with. The money been collected is neither needed nor does the logic of applying it to the disabled as if they were the same as the elderly hold up.

I do feel I've been successful to a degree because the issue of extending the franchise has been something that most candidates haven't felt they could ignore. Now that is by no means solely down to my presence in the race (guess I'm showing my main failing as a politician by not claiming complete credit for something I had a mostly tangential involvement with) but even if my being around was responsible for just one or two extra nudges in the right direction then I say it was worthwhile having someone impacted by the ongoing failure to act on this issue in the race.

As to the possible results well, at this stage it ranges from very hard to nigh on impossible to say what the likely outcome might be. We could yet be surprised that the presence of so many entrants will mean a great deal of the valid poll will have just voted their top 2/3 and left it at that. Or maybe that the vote will be incredibly evenly scattered amongst the various candidates or perhaps that the incumbents are abandoned by their electorate and 3 completely new people are installed. I reckon at the absolute limit we might get two new members of the Seanad from the NUI panel but much more likely is that the status quo will remain the same. A pity after all the huffing and puffing from all the little piggies but I guess in this case the 3 little pigs have houses built of the same material - ongoing national press coverage.

I'll have to give Naoise a shout at some point during the day to find out about when it is considered prudent and polite to ask for a recount. After all, his experience in the 2004 battle for Clontarf has to be worth something.

Again, a big thank you to everyone that voted for me, those who just considered it and those for whom the idea of voting for me gave them nightmares. Remember, I could be back.

Seanad Vote for sale on ebay

I was sent on a link by someone to the Sale of a Seanad Vote on ebay.ie

Even more peculiar is that I can't report this to ebay without registering with ebay.ie which frankly I'm not interested in doing. They look for my phone number if I were to register yet they have no listing themselves in Ireland. I've taken screenshots so Mr dermotthegreat, you can't just remove it and skulk away. And I've mailed a few people in the 4th estate but the newspapers would be put to bed by now.

I recognise that for a great portion of people the Seanad and all who sail in it are something of a joke, but the right to vote is a pretty basic idea that I would expect every citizen to have some respect for. I'm genuinely disgusted.

If you're voting for me, you might think about voting for these folks too.

I'm in no position to ordering people about the place with regard to who they should be voting for. Below and above are the people that through the course of the campaign have impressed and for whom I'd be voting in no particular order if I had a vote.
Valerie Bresnihan - I believe her reform intents are more genuine. And she has a rounded agenda.

Paddy Healy - as someone from DIT whose colleagues and student is more directly impacted by the issues around the franchise I believe he would more of a effort. I don't agree with him re: benchmarking though.

Martina Lowe - someone with a disability who is also working in the area someone with a different perspective who would be able to articulate it. No shrinking violet and no token either.

Brendan Price - in the words of aul Sammy Beckett someone who is willing to get in there "kicking against the pricks".

Liam Crowley - I know he's FF but what harm someone from Puck in the Seanad?

John Kennedy - ah sure true enough he's a member of Young Fine Gael but of the rest he's the least worst.

Those would be

Just missing the cut

Linda O'Shea Farren - capable but I'm not sure what she is all about

The trio of incumbents, able gents but why no action on voting rights over the last 15 years? Where's the Bill you could have introduced?

In the absence of conflict people talk about process

I find it curious that in a large field that so many of the candidates talk about the state of the register as if that was the be all and end all of why they decided to run. As if they had no policies or other issues that they had wanted to talk about.

Those of us in the race, and the sadder (note you're just more sad than we are) anoraks not involved in any campaigns yet who are actually paying attention, know that it is just not true. Quite a few of the candidates have sincerely held and interesting topics that they wanted to raise. Yet why are most of the articles in the press about the process?

Part of the problem is that this paucity of opportunity for real debate amongst the candidates actually leads to the lack of interest on the part of the public. After all a candidate can talk and talk all they want but it is the contest of a debate that really engages the public. Or put more simply people will stop to watch a fight. If only the was some media outlet that was willing to take a punt on this.

Yet it looks likely that the last week will see yet more focus on the process and in particular the register. The presence of dead people on the NUI register is a comparatively straightforward problem to resolve. People have to be registered as dead (not by themselves naturally) and surely this can be electronically conveyed to those compiling the various registers on a regular enough basis. Of course if Bob Romson has moved house and then dead without telling anyone then it is not necessary going to be that easy to remove him from the register.

A single register compiled by the electoral commission via data returned from the local authorities would seem to be the simplest way to go. All and any changes to this register should be done using the norms of source control common in the software industry whereby comments are entered for all changes and a track kept of who made the changes. Now you there - stop laughing at the back - this is what should be the norm in the software industry yet as we all know often the comments are "bug fixed", it isn't that hard to tell those entering the changes that if the reasons included in their comments to justify the change can't be substantiated that they will be fired for not doing their job. That might increase compliance.

For those living in Ireland it shouldn't be that hard to have a box on the regular general election registration form to allow someone to indicate that they are NUI graduates and thereafter for the NUI to seek proof of this. In essence we simply merge the registers.

It is deeply ironic that someone who is a member of the main party in government for the last ten years and is their candidate for one of the panels is complaining about dead people being on the register when the normal general election register can't ensure that dead people are removed in a timely fashion.

Why is Sean O'Connor a hue and cry about this? Because he knows the press want to write about the process in order to regurgitate their articles from the last election talking about what a waste the Seanad is. In order to distract from the more substantive issues that might otherwise have gotten an airing during the course of the campaign. There is less than a week left and you bet the only stories you will see will be about the register and who has appeared on what website.

Since that it all the press willing to report then I'm going to join them briefly. Isn't registered post is an odd way to distribute ballots papers for these in employment? Though the suggrstion again from Sean O'Connor that we use SMS for voting and couriers for delivering the paper ballots makes me wonder if he knows that couriers cost more than An Post and they too require you to be home to sign for your package.

The old system was probably fine as a system of sending out the ballots back when most graduates were menfolk who worked 9-5 while the woman of the house worked at home and the postman (and it was a man) was happy enough to let her sign for the ballot. These days most graduates male and female are working long enough hours that the postal system could have replaced the postman with a post cougar and it would decades before any of them noticed, Many post offices do not open at weekends to allow people to collect their registered post. In fact it might be considered a minor miracle that the turnout is as high as it is. Given that anyone can sign the validation slip won't it make it easier if the ballots were just sent in regular post and then you had to drop in somewhere with ID over the course of the 4/5 weeks like a post office or Garda station to cast the ballot and then drop it into the post?

Campaign clip

Rather basic Youtube effort from moi.

You can link by copying the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAdsFRTurWI

Honestly, it is a bit slapped together.

Other media pieces

That article that was in the Irish Examiner on June 30th last.

National Executive Council

I believe that like any party or large organisation Fine Gael needs to be in a constant state of renewal and reinvigoration in order to ensure that we're not faced with a sudden gap in experience.

The party has come a considerable distance since 2002 but it must retain as its immediate aim revisiting the levels of support enjoyed in the early 80s. In order to do that we must understand that the world and Ireland is markedly different to the late 1970s and early 1980s. People believe less in hierarchy, top down management and more in personal involvement in decision making. That is not nor should it be seen as a problem of us, it is in fact an opening for a party and people that believe in self reliance and personal initiative. Only when those who can provide for themselves do so can we ensure that the necessary resources exist to assist those that need help whether that help is great or small.

I believe that the greatest strength of the party lies, as it always has, in the membership. I would wish to see greater use made of the expertise of the members. We have many members whose professional experience covers many areas such as the spheres of education, medicine, engineering, accounting, and law amongst others. These are people who could assist for example in the assessment of policy to see if the assumptions made are correct and could also lend more formally towards the direction of the party. There is also the expertise that one develops from one's life experience and understanding of one's locality that can inform and shape policies so that they are appropriate, targeted and focused on getting results and not on simply being seen to do 'something'.

That is in large party why I'm standing for the national executive. I genuinely believe, though I recognise it is not very fashionable to say so, that some members really are interested in politics! We should never shy away from an open discussion of ideas. We must become our own strongest proving ground. We must foster a climate of openness and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to join the party.

I would not wish to be elected simply for the sake of it.

The 2009 Ard Fheis is taking place over the course of April 3rd and 4th in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. The elections for the Executive Council will be held on the afternoon of the Saturday between 1 and 4 pm. There are three places for the Dublin region to be filled.

In seeking election I am not running against anyone but rather am seeking to stand for Fine Gael, to serve the party to the best of my ability. I have not contested the elections for Executive Council before. I have consistently sought to contribute to the work of the party at all levels, whether as an ordinary member, prospective public representative, branch or constituency officer or as a founding member of the Executive Council IT committee.

My involvement in Fine Gael goes back to my membership of Young Fine Gael growing up in Kerry in the very early 1980s. They were trying times; much as we are faced with today. I am passionate about politics and Fine Gael, I always have been. As a Fine Gael member I have held a number of positions at branch and constituency level, secretary, branch organizer/PRO, constituency policy officer. I always had the privilege of being a candidate in Artane, an election where FG outpolled FF. I’m a straight talker, and will not shirk from debating in any forum for the party.

I may be known to some of you but I’m sure not to all. I hope that I will have the chance to change that. I have appreciated the opportunity to meet with people at local election conventions and to talk to the members and listen to their concerns. I believe that we can make greater use of the expertise of the membership in the scrutinising of policy and in developing our message. I believe that the changes in communications and information technology make possible a new political environment wherein Fine Gael can excel. But we can only excel if we make it a priority to be be open and confident in our message. We must never shy away from engaging with people though their opinions may differ from ours. This is after all at it's most basic a contest of ideas.

Beyond politics, I’ve worked as technical project manager and academic researcher in the IT sector and because of my background I am able to bring a methodical, results orientated approach to the work of the Fine Gael organisation. I believe that internal elections such as this offer an opportunity for our party to renew itself from within. I would appreciate your support in the form of your No.1 vote, or next available preference at the Ard Fheis.

Again my thanks for your time in reading this, and my thanks for your vote.

I'm not me, I'm someone else and he's gone with me too.

First he was a socialist and look how well that worked out for Joe Higgins now he is an independent. Guess BA wants to get rid of all of them too. Pictured in the various broadsheets today are two of the top 3rd level candidates, well top of the class in standing next the people while maintain they aren't supportive of them at all, at all. At least Sean O'Connor can bring himself to admit being a member of FF while Dr. Hillery deems anything more than admitting to just being that way inclined when it comes to FF as been much too revealing.

With independents like these who needs parties! I'm reminded of that line from Blackadder goes Forth, now how does it go? Ah yes.

Look, I'm as British as Queen Victoria.

Edmund: So your father's German, you're half German, and you married a German?

Recent media

Most of the line up all had a go on the Tonight with Vincent Browne show on Wednesday night. Truth be told it was a bit of a mess of a show (or a frakking zoo to be more accurate about it) which to be fair wasn't entirely Vincent's fault. I can't help think that most members of the public listening to it wouldn't be inclined to vote for any of us for villege ratcatcher.

Prior to that I was out at RTe for Q & A on Monday and got to ask a question, The Blair Years, a missed opportunity or a master class in modern politics?. I would like to say I was fabulous but I'm too honest for that.

Clear breach of data protection act as Tanaiste seeks to interfere in Seanad election.

Dan Sullivan, an NUI Seanad panel candidate, has lodged a formal complaint with the Data protection office after it was revealed in the Irish Times that the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, had circulated a letter within FF giving electronic access to the NUI panel register containing the personal educational details of over 100,000 graduates of the NUI.

Dan a UL graduate originally from Killorglin, Co. Kerry, seeking to highlight the failure to extend the franchise to those outside TCD and NUI and is also campaigning to oppose the HSE’s introduction of residential charges for disabled adults attempting to live independently. His campaign information is available at www.missteps.ie

Only now that the main government party fears they might lose their majority in the Seanad are they falling over their own legislation in order to reach out to NUI graduates.

“It is remarkable that Fianna is now so concerned about making contact with graduates when it could have put in place measures such as allowing the revenue to send registration forms to graduates based on the PPS/RSI numbers that the colleges have on record.” said Dan. “The government has had plenty of opportunities to fix the register but it is only now that they are fighting for their own political lives that they can be bothered to do anything. “

It is also suggested by minister Cowen that the register be retained by local Fianna Fail members of use in constituency business perhaps including targeted mails shots to graduates when the next local elections come. The government really appear to think that the personal records of Irish citizens are theirs to do with as they wish in order for them to win office. Allowing people to have copies of a confidential document to peruse at their leisure and for their own enjoyment is act of gross misconduct

The NUI itself has not made the register available in this manner online because of concerns about secure access. The NUI should seek to recover the files in the possession of Fianna Fail and if possible access their histories to see if they can ascertain whose copy of the register it is and action must be taken to sanction that those involved. If I had circulated the register in this fashion I would be subject to sanction.

It is a clear breach of the documented understanding under which NUI Seanad panel candidates were allowed to purchase copies of the register for a fee of €149. It would seem that in addition to a breach of data protection legislation that Fianna Fail may also have infringed on the copyright of the documents involved. “Fianna Fail passing around for free what others candidates had to pay for in order to cover the cost of maintaining the registers is pretty rich in my view “, said Dan.

It is even more peculiar that someone would have passed these documents on to a marketing company who it was reported in the Sunday Times sought €5,000 as a “modest” sum for updating and maintaining the register. A feat that could be done for no cost if the data held by the colleges was reconciled with that held by the revenue. It is also unclear what future use the marketing company will put the register to. The findings of the analysis of the register carried out by a direct marketing company would imply that the government should have thought about addressing the real issues with the register rather than mere titillation over people from the early 1900s being on the register.

This matter is made all the more serious as the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is part of the department of finance, and the letter has been sent by the Minister for Finance. It would seem when the rules are hard or inconvenient the first reaction of the government is to ignore them.

While one of the FF candidates, Sean O’Connor has spent his time and connections with the press making great play of the presence of people who are most likely dead on the register, there has been comparatively little attention given to the decreasing numbers of graduates being added to the register year on year despite the considerable increase in those graduating. In recent years the increase in numbers on the register is around one thousand per year for the entire NUI, yet UCD alone is graduating four times that number each year.

Many candidates are operating with limited finances and have to account for all donations and services rendered to us. Distributing work such as tracking down graduates would be something we would have to pay for, yet Fianna Fail are farming it out to their membership to the benefit of their selected candidates while make no record of the donation of such work.

It would seem appropriate that the lead FF candidates Dr. John Hillery and Sean O’Connor who were intended to be the prime beneficiaries of this intrusion into people’s person record should now consider withdrawing from the Seanad races for TCD and NUI.

ENDS

Yes, it reads weird but I've sent this out as press release to one or two people and will send it more widely tomorrow morning. However you, dear readers, get it first.

My nominators and supporters

I noticed that Shane Ross who running for the TCD panel has made big play of who his nominators are. Amongst them are Willie Walsh, David McWilliams and Sarah Carey.

My nominators and assenters are not quite as well known I suppose, but I think they are quite broadly representative of NUI graduates and regular Irish people generally. They might not be quite the council of ten perhaps rule by the great and the good is something that democracy was designed to avoid.

I would like to acknowledge Professor Don Barry, President of UL who offered to sign up as a nominator. However, I had at that point taken a number of birds in the hand as it were and my list was completed.

I'm not going to name them as I'm the one putting my head in the public eye not them:

My start half were from Killorglin in one way,shape or form

1) I had three cousins in the one family who are NUI graduates but it turned out none of them were on the register thankfully one of their wives was. She is a teacher. From Killorglin

2) Then there was a friend of hers from Killorglin who is also a teacher.

3) The daughter of a former work colleague of my father's, also a teacher. From Killorglin.

4) The brother of a mate from Killorglin who working for a company involved in construction.

5) A mate from school in Killorglin who is a partner in a law firm in Dublin.

6) A work colleague at UL and someone I did some teaching for.

7) A political acquaintance who is probably much better known than I'm ever likely to be. Originally from Meath now living in Dublin.

8) A colleague at UL from Tipperary.

9) A colleague at UL from Carlow.

10) A former housemate and a fellow engineer who is from Westmeath.

I must be doing something right

Interesting to see yet more pieces in the national papers on Saturday on the issue of Seanad Reform this time in the Independent from my fellow Kerryman and then from a TCD candidate in the Irish Times. And also on the cover of the Irish edition of the Sunday Times. Yet the mainstream press appears solid in its steely resolve not to allow some upstart who went to UL be the spokesperson for an issue that affects them directly.

After all who do we think we are? Instead why not give an NUI graduate or TCD graduate a platform to say how they feel our pain and hope that we will go away. Well, I won't, the issue won't and we won't. It is an issue that is straightforward to fix and long past time to fix it. And I suspect everyone knows it.

Not that this issue alone would be sufficient to get anyone elected. However, it would seem that at least some of the candidates are twigging that there is a constituency out there who recognise the urgent need to reform the Seanad and are eager to elect someone who is hungry to get cracking on the work involved. Combine this with the growing possibility of the government lacking a working majority in the Seanad and you get a concerted effort from them not to allow someone from outside the government parties get a seat.

Indeed, I had another NUI candidate call me today to emphasis their personal commitment to extending rights to those of us outside the NUI or TCD. I reckon that as more folks are seeing that there is merit in the points I've been making, the more it will start to everyone's agenda.

Misquoting Gandhi, I think we're possibly in the third phase.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then some fight you while others join you, then you win.”

Recycling old promises for Seanad

Interesting how any number of people are claiming how interested they are in Seanad Reform now that we have an election but they were remarkably silent

Take Joe O'Toole who said in 1997 while campaigning for election that "On the canvass, however, he has discovered the depth of resentment among graduates of universities other than the NUI or Trinity who are not entitled to a Seanad vote. "I agree. Why on earth should votes be restricted to these two universities, one established by a queen and the other by a cardinal. If elected I intend proposing changes.""

Doing something would have made sense even his own perspective of looking to protect his seat as primary teaching graduates of Mary Immaculate and St. Patrtick's Drumcondra can no longer vote. Sadly no action has been taken.

Seanad finances

The Independent News and Media folks have updated their site in recent weeks, and as a consequence appear to have upgraded their search engine too which is quite a good thing. For reasons of naked self interest I had a looksee at what turned up from the archives when I typed in “Seanad” and came across a very interesting article about campaign funding for the NUI Seanad race in 2002. I have to say that the €8,867 that Bernadine received in 2002 would have paid for a hell lot of advertising and printing in today’s prices not to mind how much it bought back then. Interesting that she was in effect getting every ASTI member to cough up for her campaign while suggesting she was putting herself on their behalf.

Another more recent article throws up the issue of money and financial backing again but in different context. Ms. Susan Philips says "...But the university Senators - and there are six in total, three from the NUI and three from Trinity - should ideally be absolutely free from pressure groups, party politics or financial obligations.'"

It might be just that I’m coming from a PAYE background with my dad as a council worker in Kerry but I would have thought the salary of a Seanad member (running at €62,000 for a newbie though many more are apparently on much higher sums) should be more than enough to keep them free from "financial obligations" yet it would appear from her comments that Ms. Philips believes that being terribly, terribly rich is not alone a good thing in politics but that when it comes to the Seanad it is darn nearly a requirement. I suppose it is easy for someone who has the financial clout of Ballyfree Farm behind them to say this.

I’ve paid for my campaign out of my own funds. I’ll post the amounts I've outlaid at the end of the campaign (don’t want people stealing in on my bargains now, do I) and in large part the SSIA has met the bills.

Jim McDaid for Ceann Comhairle

I have a suspicion that the alternative and the independents might pull a fast one to keep FF/Pd government on their toes.

How? By nominating Jim McDaid as Ceann Comhairle. He is none too pleased with the support he got from the FF organisation and it would secure his seat and he could claim that it allows FF to hold 2 there next time out. It would actually suit FF locally in Donegal as they would hold two seats time out. and it would suit McDaid as he would enjoy at least 2 more terms of office and as a dapper dressing gent he may well like the perks of office.

Doing so would strengthen the position of the independents by increasing the FF dependency on them. And I think SF would be inclined to support him in the short/medium term as they must reckon a seat in DNE is off the cards for the moment. They will concentrate on DSW for the time being.

FG+Lab+Grn (77) + SF (4) + Gregory and McGrath (2) = 83 and Jim would either vote for himself or simply abstain.

A Wii has temporarily made its home in my house

Heaven help us all.

Justice

So what do I mean when I say "Reforms to ensure consistency in sentencing and the delivery of real justice."?

I suppose I believe that the balance of the criminal justice system prioritises crimes against property over those against the person. How often do you hear about armed robber getting a suspended sentence? And I think we need to look are refocusing sentencing so that custodial sentences are for those who are violent and a danger to society.

We should explore non-custodial options for non-violent offenders who aren’t a danger to society.

I'm not suggesting that politicians hand down sentences, far from it. I would not like to see the minister for justice or anyone else interfering in court proceedings.

I would suggest the DPP is staffed by professionals and that they should be able to ask for a sentence appropriate to the seriousness of the particular offence compared to the sentencing norms that would be established by reviewing previous sentences. And that is reflective of the nature of the crime committed. However, if you wanted to know what the average sentence for assault was in 1995 there is no point in asking the department of justice as no one had been tracking some ploddingly trivialities like who got how long for doing what. So the department does not know what the norms are because they’re not tracking sentence.

Victims of crime should be consulted and advised of the progress of the case though they should be able to opt out of this if they so choose but we should not have cases where someone is released back into the community without the victims being aware of it. This happens all too often and for victims of sexual crimes seeing their assailant back in their home town without warning is just unacceptable.

if you wanted to know what the average sentence for assault was in 1995 there is no point in asking the department of justice as no one had been tracking some ploddingly trivialities like who got what for doing what.

The aim of the criminal justice system is meant to be summed up in the terms Punishment, Protection of society, and Rehabilitation. Prison on its own makes us as a society feel good but the question remains does it do any good.

It seems odd that whenever alternatives to prison are suggested people lose the plot; whether it is ankle bracelets, curfews, or random testing for drugs. We seem to have both on the left and the right of the political debate a belief that it is prison or nothing. As free citizens we have many rights including the right to liberty which could be curbed in the case of those convicted of non violent offences. Why for example should we not prevent someone from consuming of alcohol if they are convicted of an alcohol related crime?

In combination with this, we need to realise that if we are prepared to spend X millions on prison then we need to commit to similar expenditure on prevention and that means educational opportunities and family supports. Justice is more than just building prisons and introducing new laws. It is about the application of the law.

For an Able Life

I am campaigning for the reversal of the imposition of charges on disabled adults who are living independently. Click for some history.

I guess when my main activism has been concentrated around ensuring that my sister and every other person with a disability is treated in a decent manner just as every other citizen of this republic should be.

I read this piece by Fergus Finlay (updated link now in Irish Examiner archive) in the Examiner* back in April and I was positively seething afterwards. I urge everyone to read Fergus's piece. And please Click the Clamp to the right to sign the petition - >

My sister, who is a year, a month and a day younger than me, is intellectually disabled (as if she didn't have enough to put up with being my sister) and lives quite happily in Killarney, in sheltered housing managed by the Kerry Parents and Friends Association who do a fine job trying to ensure that people in Kerry can live as independently and fulfilling a life as possible. Finding a place close to home was a process of years of fighting mainly on the part of my mother dealing with the various bureaucracies of the state, during which she was placed in Devlin, Co. Westmeath, Mayfield Co. Cork, Tralee and now Killarney.

It now appears that the department of health (which has historically dropped the ball on supports for those with disabilities) is planning to implement the same regime of charges for those with disabilities as for the pensioners in residential care. Which means they will charge disabled people for living in residential settings. And charge them out of their disabled person's maintenance allowance. The DPMA is currently €184 per week which is less than an old age non-contributory pension and about the same as the dole. So if you are on the dole, and live away from home the state will pay you a rent supplement but if you make the same attempt to live independently as a disabled person the state will charge you for the pleasure? And, get this, the state is also planning to apply this new regime retrospectively! They are right now sending bills to the parents of people with disabilities looking for back payments. Can you fucking believe it?

You know one of the most stressful things for parents of someone with a disability is the ever present thought of what will happen when you're gone. This is someone that you love with all your heart but you know that unlike your other children who you will also worry about (worrying seeming to be in the very nature of parenting, and is something that you don't realise until you become a parent yourself or see friends become parents) that your disabled child won't ever be able to fend for themselves completely and they will always need someone to be looking out for them. And when you're gone you hope that your community will care for them and the state which is the community writ large and the mechanism for expressing that care will do what it can.

I actually genuinely thought that Cowen's efforts, particularly in his budgets , were the sign that the issue of treating people with disabilities fairly, and supporting those organisations that work in the area, was now completely part of the mainstream of Irish political life. I thought despite all the other differences I might have with the guy that here is someone that gets it.

I can tell you now that anyone whether from the revenue or the department of health who tries to take or takes by sleight of hand money from my sister will find me on their door beating their fucking head in with whatever comes to hand. When it comes to my sister I will happily get all Timothy McVeigh on you and your place of work.

As Fergus points out unlike the elderly those with disability will almost certainly never have the chance to be members of the work force and accrue money and assets that might be put into paying for their care. Again, I would urge people to read Fergus's piece he manages to be put it much more than I do.

* The examiner has in the last few years become my alternate to the Irish Times, in large part because you can't depend on the Independent to get the days of the week right.

The NUI Stakes are off and running

The horses in the paddocks and as they approach the track itself we will have a quick look over the following runners and riders.

Bresnihan, Valerie: - Social and Human Rights Researcher

A previous runner and also did quite well as I recall.

Brodbin, Shane: - Product Manager

Ex-DCU SU President

Connolly, Mark: - Financial Services Official

Apparently he is very supportive of the government, in fact wanted that on his entry on the ballot paper but did not have any documentation to back it up. Honesty when I saw him in person I thought he was one of Bock the Robber's men from the Blog Awards. Seriously.

Crowley, Liam: - Solicitor

Another man from Puck, Christ people will think we're trying to take over. A director of elections for John "the bull" O'Donoghue on occasion. And a local election candidate for FF in 2004.

Garavan, Mark: - Lecturer and Sociologist

The Shell to Sea representative. I'll bet J/Gerry Cowley never thought when deciding to support him that he would be out of the Oireachtas himself when the election was being held. Sociologist? I thought he had suggested he was some sort of chemical engineer when taking about the pipeline.

Healy, Paddy: - Immediate Past President, Teachers’ Union of Ireland, and Lecturer

Apparently, a brother of Seamus Healy who was TD for Tipperary South until a short while ago.

Hillery, John Anthony: - Medical Doctor

Hogan, Martin: - Green Reform Candidate and Business Mentor

Nice bloke. Can't imagine he is too impressed at Mark Garavan's late declaration.

Kennedy, John Paul Alexander: - Software Engineer; Young Fine Gael
Endorsed Candidate

Lowe, Martina: - Director, GET AHEAD

MacCárthaigh, Dáithí: - Abhcóide/Barrister

Monahan, Oonagh: - Business Manager

NUIG person, is the west awake?

Mullen, Rónán: - Barrister, Teacher, Columnist

Was or is a columnist for examiner or Daily Mail. some suggestion on p.ie that he is supported by the cleric wing of Irish politics. Was with the press office of the Dublin Diocesan Communications Office at one time too.

O’Callaghan, Bernie: - Hotelier

Ó Gógáin, Liam: - Engineer and Lecturer

Father's rights is primarily his focus or so it appears from googling.

O’Riordan, Mary: - Medical Doctor

O’Shea Farren, Linda Mary Patricia: - Solicitor and Human Rights Advocate

Was Nora Owen's programme manager according to the good people at thepost.ie and has a nice address apparently.

O'Sullivan, Bernadine: - Secondary Teacher

Former ASTI President who has run before and came close to unseating Brendan Ryan. Was last time her only real chance? Her campaign may well consist of saying
Benchmarking- bad ICTU - boo hiss and so on.

O'Toole, Joe: - Senator and Educationalist

Educationalist no less! there's posh for ya. Used to be when being a teacher was good enough for our Joe. Still and all he's from Dingle so I won't say anything too bad about him.

Philips, Susan: Political Analyst

Seems to be UCD academic

Price, Brendan: - Biologist, Founder: Irish Seal Sanctuary

Plenty of experience over this course and well aware of intricacies of the process.

Quinn, Feargal: - Senator

A pleasant man to speak with and surely a shoe-in again this time out.

Ryan, Brendan: - Senator and Lecturer in Chemical Engineering

Interesting to see Brendan making a targeted love bomb of engineers. His vote dropped last time out after he had joined the Labour party and run in the general election. Not sure what impact it may have this time.

Sullivan, Daniel K: - Disability Activist and Software Development Researcher.

The above was intended to have read Software Development Researcher and Disability Activist but the box was rather small and once I got Software Development Researcher written I realised I would have write Disability Activist above it for it to fit in the same area. I have some qualms with the word "Activist" too as it speaks to me of folks gathered around a Formica topped table, smoking butts talking about assisting the workers in their struggle to overthrow the bosses. Still it seems to be the vernacular of the times so.

Oh and the flag has been dropped and they're off...

Where could Labour have won?

Reflecting on Tommy Broughan comments and those of others whether in the meeja or the Labour party about the Rabbitte - Labour Strategy got me thinking about where the party could actually have won if they had pursued a more independent path and if as a consequence their % had been up.

In essence that would mean taking votes from FF candidates that would have come from those that would have wanted Bertie as Taoiseach. After all those that wanted Enda would be less inclined to vote for a more neutral Labour.

Kerry South - the key factor here I would reckon was Moynihan-Cronin's decision to retire and then come back. While she was out of the picture others were knocking on doors and saying "vote for me", it is hard to make up that gap once others have gotten the political mind share in a locality.

Meath East - This is a kind of split in that the FG vote seems to have been up too. Was Byrne's vote down to geography? Strange thing is that Fitzgerald's votes did not particularly go anywhere. They just sort of drifted off in various directions.

Dublin South Central - the problem for the Labour party here is the variety of left options who to be honest do not think much of Bertie or Enda. Here people have a choice between the left, the hard left, the far left and the "we're so left we must be right" people.

Wicklow - well, the FG vote was up too so it could be argued that had the Labour party been even more anti FF that they might have secured that vote instead of it going to FG. It has to be said that Nicky Kelly's more recent brushes with the law in relation to driving issues can't have helped.

Tipperary North - more of a problem with the same old face I'm not so sure the locals are all that crazy about the self help crowd O'Meara is involved with.

Dublin North - again another old face though this time the brother. If they had gone for some new in Dublin North instead of the Ryan's regarding it as a fiefdom.

In essence Labour could have been 2/3% higher nationally and not won anymore seats (bar Hannigan I reckon) unless the candidate selection issues about were addressed. In all bar one of these seats it was old familiar faces, perhaps too familiar faces that were running.

So, I think the problem for Labour wasn't the accord it was the failure to prevent FF getting votes instead of Labour's failure to get them.

I'll be FF are glad we don't have E-Voting machines now!

Imagine what the reaction that would have come from many quarters if this result had happened with E-Voting machines in use. I would think that a good many people might have suspected some tampering.

Just goes to show the benefit of some transparency in the democratic process.

How to go about forming an FG lead government.

I know most people will think this belongs in the realm of pure fantasy, but at this point in time we are looking at FG 51 + Lab 20 + Grn 6 = 77

If the PDs decide they have no future as a party then moves should be made to do the following

• Elect Mary Harney as Ceann Comhairle, on the proviso that she would step down in advance of the next election allowing Tony Gregory to be elected as Ceann Comhairle securing his support. It would appear that Mary Harney does not wish to be leader of a party that requires considerable rebuilding and also that she was always planning on leaving the Oireachtas at the end of this the 30th Dail.
• Get Noel Grealish to join FG with the certainty of being an FG candidate for Galway West next time.
• Do a deal with Jackie Healy Rae which includes making one of his sons a Taoiseach's nominee for the Seanad giving him the profile to succeed Jackie next time out.
• Sort out some packages that would satisfy McGrath and Lowry over the lifetime of the government.

That would give FG 52 + Lab 20 + Grn 6 = 78 + TG1 + ML1 + BF1 + JHR1 +FMcG = 83

I would agree that this at this point in time might not seem the most likely of outcomes but those measures should be explored because while they might not result in a government lead by FG this year we may yet see one in the next 2/3 years.

Bev may have to step down inside the next 12 months if the RTe suit for bankruptcy is successful. This would result in a bye election that FG might well win if it were to happen when such a result would lead to a Mayo Taoiseach.

It is noteworthy that while the last few Dails have had no bye elections due to members passing away that some such as Jackie Healy Rae, Mary O'Rourke and Michael Woods are, as the sayings goes, getting on in years indeed all three are over 70 at this point. That is not something I'm exactly wishing for but we need to be realistic about the possibilities that might arise during the lifetime of the Dail.

So I am basically saying that I think that a new FF lead government might well not last 5 years. Of course my predictions on the election results were pretty off the mark so I will hold my hands up and admit my credibility on this might be viewed by some as being weak.

Was this 'the' local general election?

I will post more on this, but it occurs to me that in many ways this was a very local general election.

Minor moments of the election - part 1

1) Seeing SF outpoll the PDs in Dublin North.

2) Seeing RockofCashel being excluded from the 3rd count.

By moments, I don't necessarily mean moments of delight (though the first one certainly was) more that they are moments that will stick in my memory.

Are we all focused on the wrong debate as the turning point of the election?

Given the substantial increase in the FG vote and seat return from that vote and the disappointing performance of the smaller parties, might it be that it wasn't the Leader's Debate part 2 with Bertie and Enda that was the turning point of the election but rather the part 1 version with Pat, Gerry, Michael and Trevor.

Just my initial thoughts.

Dude, was I ever wrong!

That's all I'm saying for now, I'm going to head over to some mates and rehash the whole thing and watch how it unfolds.

Election predictions - the whole shebang

I did the old election prediction thing a while back and I think I'm going to revise it here.

Constituency	Seats	Result of 2002 election	kingkane's Prediction
Carlow Kilkenny	5	FF 3, FG 1, Lab 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 Green: 1 I think that the two Labour candidates are too weak and transfers won't be tight enough to get them the seat especially when geography comes into play.
Cavan Monaghan	4	FF 2, FG 1, SF 1, Ind 1. Rory O`Hanlon FF will be returned as Ceann Comhairle, making this a 4-seater.	FF: 1 FG: 2 SF: 1 Connolly has been a failure on the hospital and Conlon was selected much too late.
Clare	4	FF2, FG 1, Others 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 FG will deny the various FF's the chance to move outside their areas and gain votes. Indo Breen to be squeezed as people want a government.
Cork East	4	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 It seems to be forgotten that Sherlock Snr. used to struggle at one for a his seat. Also SF will eat into that vote a bit. So FG to gain in the end.
Cork North Central	4	FF 3, FG 1, Lab 1 Was 5 seats.	FF: 2 FG: 1 Lab: 1 The entry of McCarthy has opened this open .FG should actually sneak it now but more likely it will stay the same
Cork North West	3	FF 2, FG 1	FF: 1 FG: 2 I think the vote management for FF is going to be truly terrible and that will cost them the seat.
Cork South Central	5	FF 3, FG 1, Green 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 Green: 1 Martin won't have the surplus to save Dennehy this time.
Cork South West	3	FF 2, FG 1	FF: 1 FG: 2 FF are content to lose this one as they know O'Donovan could be the sole TD going for reelection in 2012
Donegal North East	3	FF 2, Ind 1. Niall Blaney (Ind) later joined FF.	FF: 2 FG: 1 Blaney to lose out and I'm coming round to the idea that SF might gain here too.
Donegal South West	3	FF 2, FG 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 SF: 1 The Cope to lose out.
Dublin Central	4	FF 2, Lab 1, Ind 1	FF: 1 Lab: 1 Green: 1 Others: 1 FF have made a right mess of this. If they had run just Mary Fitz , they would have held it.
Dublin Mid West	4	FF 1, PD 1, Green 1 Was 3 seats.	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1 Green: 1 I've changed my mind and now think that Harney's absent landlord bit is going to tell for her in the end.
Dublin North	4	FF 2, Lab 1, Green 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 SP: 1 Green: 1 I now think that Daly will take it. Labour should have found someone younger and earlier to replace Ryan.
Dublin North Central	3	FF 2, FG 1, Ind 1 Was 4 seats.	FF: 1 FG: 1 Green: 1
Dublin North East	3	FF 2, Lab 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Dublin North West	3	FF 2, Lab 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 SF: 1 I think that SF will eat into Labour enough that Tormey could get ahead of Shortall.
Dublin South	5	FF 2, FG 1, PD 1, Green 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 Green: 1 Sorry, Liz too inactive and lassiez faire about the whole thing
Dublin South Central	5	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1, SF 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 2 SF: 1
Dublin South East	4	FF 1, Lab 1, PD 1, Green 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1 Green: 1
Dublin South West	4	FF 2, Lab 1, SF 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1 SF: 1 Lenihan to lose out.
Dublin West	3	FF 1, Lab 1, SP 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Others: 1
Dun Laoghaire	5	FF 2, Lab 1, PD 1, Green 1	FF: 2 FG: 1 Lab: 1 Green: 1 On a really bad day for FF, Andrews could be at risk. But should just hold on.
Galway East	4	FF 2, FG 1, Ind 1	FF: 2 FG: 2
Galway West	5	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1, PD 1	FF: 2 FG: 1 Lab: 1 Green: 1
Kerry North	3	FF 1, FG 1, SF 1	FG: 1 Lab: 1 SF: 1
Kerry South	3	FF 1, Lab 1, Ind 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Kildare North	4	FF 1, FG 1, Lab 1 Was 3 seats. By-election 2005 replaced FF with Ind.	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1 Others: 1
Kildare South	3	FF 2, Lab 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Laois Offaly	5	FF 3, FG 1, PD 1	FF: 3 FG: 2 No more Parlon country
Limerick East	5	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1, PD 1	FF: 2 FG: 2 Lab: 1
Limerick West	3	FF 2, FG 1	FF: 1 FG: 2 Brennan and Nix to swing it for FG.
Longford Westmeath	4	New constituency. 2002 results for Westmeath: FF 1, FG 1, Lab 1.	FF: 2 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Louth	4	FF 2, FG 1, SF 1	FF: 1 FG: 2 SF: 1
Mayo	5	FF 2, FG 2, Ind 1 Beverly Flynn (FF) later became Ind	FF: 1 FG: 3 Others: 1 Cowley will hang on due to transfers from SF, Lab and Greens. That gets him ahead of Bev.
Meath East	3	New constituency 2002 results for Meath: FF 3, FG 2. By-election 2005 replaced FG with FG.	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Meath West	3	New constituency 2002 results for Meath: FF 3, FG 2. By-election 2005 replaced FG with FG.	FF: 2 FG: 1
Roscommon Leitrim South	3	New constituency 2002 result for Longford Roscommon: FF 2, FG 1, PD 1.	FF: 2 FG: 1
Sligo Leitrim North	3	New constituency 2002 result for Sligo Leitrim: FF 2, FG 1, Ind 1.	FF: 2 FG: 1
Tipperay North	3	FF 2, Ind 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Others: 1
Tipperay South	3	FF 1, FG 1, Ind 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Others: 1
Waterford	4	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1	FF: 2 FG: 1 Lab: 1
Wexford	5	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1, Ind 1 Liam Twomey (Ind) later joined FG.	FF: 2 FG: 2 Lab: 1
Wicklow	5	FF 2, FG 1, Lab 1, Ind 1	FF: 1 FG: 1 Lab: 2 Green: 1

Election snippets.

Got handed a "Central News" this morning, for a moment I thought the Flash might wheeze by too. In actuality it turned out to be a Fianna Fail newsheet.

Curious thing is there no moment of Mary Fitzpatrick while there are two pictures of Cyprian Brady. The rest is pure Bertie. I have to wonder what Mary Fitzpatrick did to ould Bertie. I've seen her and Cyprian on the box, and she is head and shoulders above him, to be quite honest with you.

And I thought there was some GAA rule about staying out of politics, there are two clubs featured in this particular freesheet. I recall some GAA diktat a month or two back involving a SF candidate somewhere.

Shane McEntee posters are along the North Circular road/New Cabra road. Not as far afield as those of Michael D. Higgins I guess.

Ivor Callely is making a last minute conversion to being a yellow belly supporter, with loads of posters. None which contain the relevant contact details as per the electoral act.

Medical advances & waiting times

Cyprian Brady or someone from FF in the last week was talking about how the medical advances were one of the things the government could count amongst their achievements. I've got to say that in my view unless the state was funding or doing the research themselves then I can't see how they can look for credit for them.

And in there lie some interesting tales I'm sure as to where we should be allocating the real credit for reductions in some of the waiting times for some treatments. Taking just one example, we have grown used to seeing the Taoiseach talking up the reduction in waiting times for cardiac patients but would it not be more accurate to suggest that advances in stents for example are the real reason why people have to wait less time for treatment.

Separated at birth? - Cyprian and Lilly Savage

Senator Cyprian Brady

and

Mr Lilly Savage

Cyprian - to be quite honest with you

Cyprian Brady gave us the "Move forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom" moment of the election so far on campaign daily today. Also, his astounding use of the phrase of "to be quite honest with you" 6 times so far, makes me wonder what it is he could be so worried about being caught lying on.

And I thought he was meant to be so much better than Royston?

Update, his final total for "to be quite honest with you" was 8 times.

Eurovision debacle

Christ it was bad, a really bad song. And RTe are telling us that the ethnic route didn't work on the night for us. Isn't it kind of strange to be portraying ourselves as this land of peasant folk with flowers in our hair to the various countries of Eastern Europe who we are repeatedly view us as some sort of economic totem.

I still think the one from Georgia was just great.

Candidates can't have time for everyone

It might sound awful but I wonder if voters or more particularly those bloggers commenting on the election have unrealistic expectations about what a candidate can and can't do when on a doorstep with them.

Many will doubtless complain about how candidate X doesn't come all the way to their door and debate in detail the key point of aspect of modern life that is doubtless very important to them as a voter. It is not the case that the candidate whoever they may be feels that your issue is unimportant rather the fact that there are literally ten of thousands doors to call on and only so much time in which to do it.

To hammer home my point let's do some exciting maths! Say a candidate spends 5 minutes at each door. That would be 12 doors maximum per hour. Of course you need to allow the candidate some time to walk between the door of one house and the door of another, it might only be 20 secs but for 30 houses that would be ten minutes and for 300 houses it would be an hour and a half. So that's the micro level what about all the houses?

Taking one example I have reasonable knowledge of there are somewhere in the region of 28,000 houses in Dublin North Central. At 5 minutes expended per door, that works out at 140,000 minutes in total (ignore the 20 sec walk time per house) which is just a bit over 2300 hours. That means it would take just under 100 days going at it 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to spend just 5 minutes at each door.

Now we need to consider the needs of those the candidate is calling on. People do not like someone coming to their door before 10am or after 9pm, and you have to allow an hour during the course of the day to get some grub, a bit of rest and to empty the tanks. Also factor in that people are generally none too keen on anyone coming to call after 7pm on a Saturday or at any time on a Sunday and the available hours are reduced even further. So given a more realistic time of 1o hours per day, you would be looking at closer to 300 days to cover all those doors. And yet they have 25 or so days in which to do it.

Truth is the serious candidates will have called to your door before the election was ever called and that would have afforded people the time and the freedom to raise an issue and have a reasonable expectation of it being looked at. Asking candidate X just 2 weeks before polling day to get something in particular done when they have ten of thousands of doors to call on is just plain nuts. And that goes for advocate organisations emailing requests to candidates too especially if said organisation has no means to publicise if the candidate has gotten back to them or not.

The wrong house

I was quite surprised to see a house other than that of the Taoiseach in the Sunday Times reporting of the story about the Taoiseach's recent difficulties. You can tell it isn't the Taoiseach's house because there isn't a Garda hut in front of it.

As you can see the house at the centre of this image. The hut is to the front, or to the right in this image, of the house. and the image used by the Sunday Times had no such hut. And you can also make out the fact there doesn't appear to be a swimming pool or massive gazebo present that might have cost a large sum of money in 90s terms.

I don't think I'm likely to be facilitating terrorists by linking to it. After all the address is being widely reported in the press.

Withdrawl now for the PDs is like ...

a young gentleman considering it as a contraceptive option shortly before the child's baptism.

Actually hasn't it been about 9 months since Bertiegate 1?

"I have no evidence but I think...."

the Taoiseach is guilty of leaking information to draw attention away from FF's disastrous period in government and also he has locked a number of small illegally imported antelopes in his attic. A pretty outrageous thing to suggest in the middle of an election I suspect you would agree. After all I have no evidence to support my allegation, but I like to think I can say it anyway, now where can I find a national news program to say it on?

Truth is I've not saying that at all.

Actually, it was Noel Ahern, brother of the Taoiseach, who made such an allegation against "someone senior in FG" on the main evening news while admitting he has no evidence. Isn't a large part of the basis for FF's protestations and general indignation at the rumours swirling around the Taoiseach that people are judging the Taoiseach in the absence of real evidence? Yet, it is AOK for members of FF to be making allegations while having no evidence at all !

What do you reckon, is it me? You can click the above and answer a Q&A about me and through that alter the daemon.

Updated buttons from Green Ink

<br /><a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/ablelife/petition.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwo9mSxi3UkVUwoXFpOHtFjSCbcdahKMCOBNXNIOT8BdA4CyNDbl4ZxRyM9WY6LTwmSQSTfc5i6EWqmQrLbhzLCWwgW4MKs9SAyJerx5KBT_zf7PND3pA0tBrPGT4ojweGIvfE/s400/indep-living-logo-100.gif" width="100" height="100" alt="Independent Living Petition" /></a><br />

<br /><a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/ablelife/petition.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEqflLzo74BUwvqctTxPWjNK5w17PDMQLDYfRt1vBzpyxz4SDDjxCwqNSSz0BAqD_deVkjbSm5Owh40LKZ2QDtfEBNXOtKuwlX1b6ZDivF8ZI3R3S5K4VZOMK8r8q3T-WdJLU/s400/indep-living-logo-200.gif" alt="Independent Living Petition" width="200" height="200" /></a><br />

<br /><a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/ablelife/petition.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7sxEm_l3VEAmRBSwib_kmlIj625eX8pv7rjAWjd7DI8om1qKBw7PjLiXA5k-r0PEEdLBm2UokWYPwo87iBb2uHP3fPc2TeT5gEo_NVOO_i819jQLgWN0XSWw06fg-lRCKMcA/s400/indep-living-logo-300.gif" alt="Independent Living Petition" width="300" height="300" /></a><br />

We have a button

From GreenInkPen, the discerning blogger's pen.

Click below to access the petition

To add the button to your Bebo/Blog/Myspace

Copy and paste the following code:

<a href=”http://www.petitiononline.com/ablelife/petition.html”><img src=”https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0QqGb8c0P8Kzd30vbVSMUvosI3hTVeamqdmuu08idX7vDDvUTRlHHBxlSNiDieGkeHuMAPuTzWJSIc28QF92wngwdOYxVCN4rWNtEOpZ7U3RANJOve3YrooPOK2sUDQJ7xen0g/s400/carclamp+copy.gif” alt=”Support independent living for disabled adults”></a>

Support independent living for disabled adults

As some of you might have been aware, I was somewhat enraged to discover that the state is planning to charge disabled adults for living in residential care settings.

So after a weekend in which I suspect I may have calmed down somewhat, I've gotten off my rear and am trying to do something about it.

You can show your support by signing the petition to "Support independent living for disabled adults" and also by raising the issue on the doorstep with all canvassers and candidates.

I am looking at put together a leaflet or a pledge that voters can print off and keep beside their doors and instead of members of the public just receiving literature from candidates perhaps we can give some back and inform them a little bit. Really make politics a real two way street. And I want and would ask that people to do this for candidates of all parties and none. I think everyone contesting the election should be aware of the wrongness of these charges.

Click below to access the petition



And there is a button for your site courtesy of GreenInkPen if you want to demonstrate your support on your site.

To add the button to your Bebo/Blog/Myspace

Copy and paste the following code:

<a href=”http://www.petitiononline.com/ablelife/petition.html”><img src=”https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0QqGb8c0P8Kzd30vbVSMUvosI3hTVeamqdmuu08idX7vDDvUTRlHHBxlSNiDieGkeHuMAPuTzWJSIc28QF92wngwdOYxVCN4rWNtEOpZ7U3RANJOve3YrooPOK2sUDQJ7xen0g/s400/carclamp+copy.gif” alt=”Support independent living for disabled adults”></a>

From being the meat in the sandwich to being a secret ingredient

What is this obsession with the PDs and food? Eight months ago McDowell was telling us all that the PDs were the meat in the government sandwich, and now they've been relegated by the same man to being some secret ingredient.

It's not like you could hardly call the meat in your sandwich much of a secret. Unless it was a very small piece of meat, and a flavourless piece lacking in texture at that. Perhaps that is what he was getting at.

More on the clowns

I didn't twig that Una Mullaly is in fact Una of Una Rocks. So I withdraw my comments about giving me a ring if she's single as she decidedly taken to the best of my knowledge.

And the Pelican has been in touch with me by mail since I posted (Christ how much like a line from Batman the TV series does that sound?). Seems the Pelican has only just logged into their account today, and discovered a mail dated last Wednesday from Una querying they have copyright clearance for the video. They were out of the country during the week and not checking mail.

I've done some quick searching and it seems this version of "Send in the clowns" is the Judy Collins recording which was a Warner Brothers release and it seems Warner have a deal with YouTube regard the posting of their music. So it's not clear if separate clearance for a posting of the song on YouTube is required. To the best of my knowledge the clip was constructed for use at an FG conference in 2005, and updated slightly for the 2006 Ard Fheis to include McDowell's remark's about Richard Bruton.

I'm not sure if monies would actually need to changes hands for its use on YouTbue but if it were then it would have to be at a rate comparable to what a radio station might have to pay for playing a single tune to a few thousand people. After all YouTube tracks the number who have played the clip, even if they don't track how many have listened to it in its entirety. So how much would that be? I've tried looking at the IRMA site for some information but there isn't any. Perhaps someone from IRMA can tell us what prices they charge?

Willie's back!

This weeks Sunday Independent has a column from Willie O'Dea. So he hasn't gone to ground after all . As this edition of the paper is out after the dissolution of the Dail will it come under the Benefit in Kind form of expenditure during the course of the campaign?

As the entire column is an election broadcast for FF so how can anyone claim is this not a form of free advertising which as to be accounted for in his return?

Send in the clowns - Tribune "attempts" contact.

Strange use of the term 'contact' in the Sunday Tribune today page 11, Una Mullaly writes about the use of copyrighted music in various Youtube clips that political parties and the politically inclined have posted in recent times. She refers in the latter part of her piece to the Send in the Clowns montage piece (we need a montage!.. sorry Team America moment there. I'm all better now). Now there are two main accounts with that clip one of them is mine and the other belongs to someone called BluePelican.

In her piece she says that "The Sunday Tribune contacted the person who posted the video but received no response." I've checked my account this morning and there ain't no mail from the lovely Ms. Mullaly. Of course, if she's single and willing to talk I'm available to talk. The other account which has 2/3 times the hits, and is probably the one she is referring to is BluePelican. I've had a look at Blue Pelican's account on Youtube and the owner hasn't logged into it in 5 months! It's very plain to see if you even glance at their profile.

So I'm not at all sure where the Tribune gets the idea that they have contacted anyone, she would entitled to say that she had attempted to contact the person but failed, however she is not correct to say that she had contacted them.

Its a bit like the local canvassers dropping in the those "Sorry I missed you" cards from politicians when they haven't even ring the doorbell.

I think Richard Delevan who is one of the few people in the DTP on top of the online/webby side of campaigning should have a word with Una about writing stuff that completely undermines the rest of the story. To which there may be some validity.

Eeffing thieving bastards - you'd actually take money from the disabled?

I read this piece by Fergus Finlay (updated link now in Irish Examiner archive) in in Tuesday's Examiner* and I was positively seething afterwards. I would urge everyone to read Fergus's piece and to raise this on the doorsteps with any and all government reps who will be calling over the coming weeks.

My sister, who is a year, a month and a day younger than me, is intellectually disabled (as if she didn't have enough to put up with being my sister) and lives quite happily in Killarney, in sheltered housing managed by the Kerry Parents and Friends of the Mentally Handicapped who do a fine job trying to ensure that people in Kerry can live as independently and fulfilling a life as possible. Finding a place close to home was a process of years of fighting mainly on the part of my mother dealing with the various bureaucracies of the state, during which she was placed in Devlin, Co. Westmeath, Mayfield Co. Cork, Tralee and now Killarney.

It now appears that the department of health (which has historically dropped the ball on supports for those with disabilities) is planning to implement the same regime of charges for those with disabilities as for the pensioners in residential care. Which means they will charge disabled people for living in residential settings. And charge them out of their disabled person's maintenance allowance. The DPMA is currently €184 per week which is less than an old age non-contributory pension and about the same as the dole. So if you are on the dole, and live away from home the state will pay you a rent supplement but if you make the same attempt to live independently as a disabled person the state will charge you for the pleasure? And, get this, the state is also planning to apply this new regime retrospectively! They are right now sending bills to the parents of people with disabilities looking for back payments. Can you fucking believe it?

You know one of the most stressful things for parents of someone with a disability is the ever present thought of what will happen when you're gone. This is someone that you love with all your heart but you know that unlike your other children who you will also worry about (worrying seeming to be in the very nature of parenting, and is something that you don't realise until you become a parent yourself or see friends become parents) that your disabled won't ever be able to fend for themselves completely and they will always need someone to be looking out for them. And when you're gone you hope that your community will care for them and the state which is the community writ large and the mechanism for expressing that care will do what it can.

I actually genuinely thought that Cowen's efforts, particularly in his budgets , were the sign that the issue of treating people with disabilities fairly, and supporting those organisations that work in the area, was now completely part of the mainstream of Irish political life. I thought despite all the other differences I might have with the guy that here is someone that gets it.

I can tell you now that anyone whether from the revenue or the department of health who tries to take or takes by sleight of hand money from my sister will find me on their door beating their fucking head in with whatever comes to hand. When it comes to my sister I will happily get all Timothy McVeigh on you and your place of work.

As Fergus points out unlike the elderly those with disability will almost certainly never have the chance to be members of the work force and accrue money and assets that might be put into paying for their care. Again, I would urge people to read Fergus's piece he manages to be put it much more than I do.

* The examiner has in the last few years become my alternate to the Irish Times, in large part because you can't depend on the Independent to get the days of the week right.