Category: Labour Party

Labour TD Joe Costello: “It is up to the media to stand by the Constitution in the first instance”

The political cowardice of Labour TD Joe Costello represents the effective abandonment by the political system of our democracy to the mercy of people like Denin O’Brien.

Here’s what the coward Costello had to say on RTE regarding the current constitutional crisis.

The constitution is absolutely clear on the rights of the members of both Houses in terms of privilege. And it states that ‘utterances made in either house wherever published shall be privileged’. I have thought that the media for too long have been subservient to big business with deep pocktes in this respect. I think in this particulaer case the media has to stand up, have to ensure that, and that includes RTE indeed, that the case that is put now in the courts is dealt with in a very comprehensive fashion.

In the first instance it is up to the media to stand by the Constitution.

Let the Irish people savour the bitter taste of the ultimate betrayal by our corrupt political system, as represented by this coward, to the interests of powerful oligarchs like O’Brien.

Copy to:
The coward Costello

Rabbitte and cronies begin to stampede?

Oh dear, is the panic in government turning into a stampede?

I mean, c’mon deputy Rabbitte – The RTE board has decided to strangle Irish Water at birth?

paranoia:
noun
A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system.

Oh wait; that’s a perfection description of Rabbitte and his fellow cronies.

Ruairi Quinn: Waffling and lying as he exits politics

Lying is the currency of Irish politics. Our public representatives lie to get into office, they lie when in office and they lie after leaving office, usually to justify their lying while in power.

Labour TD and former Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn is just the latest so-called public representative to engage in lying to justify his and his government’s disgraceful and traitorous behaviour.

Speaking to Newstalk’s Shane Coleman (Part 1, 7 mins) Quinn was asked:

Did you genuinely intend to burn the bondholders once in office?

The minute the election was over Eamon Gilmore appointed three people to negotiate a programme of government with Fine Gael.

I’m told they were immediately informed of the real position by the Dept. of Finance. It was horrific, it was horrific.

The liar here is asking us to believe that he and his Labour cronies were unaware of how serious the situation was, three years after the financial catastrophe, until they met Dept. of Finance officials.

I’m not going to waste precious minutes of my life nor insult the intelligence of readers by actually analysing/refuting this loathsome and cowardly lie.

Coleman went on:

I knew before that election date that the ECB were not going to let the next government burn bondholders, is it not something you should have realised?

Quinn reply:

I’m pausing because I’m trying to formulate a considered reply. We were in freefall.

You’re like somebody in the upper stand of a football match, looking at the game. You see the whole picture. Think of somebody down in the middle of Croke Park going for a high ball.

All you can concentrate on is what’s coming at you and what you see. You don’t have the advantage of being a spectator looking at the whole play and being a disengaged participant.

We were fully engaged and this was life and death in many, many respects.

Pausing to formulate a considered reply my arse.

He was struck dumb because of the difficulty of coming up with a believable lie to such a basic question.

His moronic explanation that it was easy for those who could see the forest but impossible for those who could only see the trees tells us all we need to know about this man’s political intelligence and his lack of honesty in answering questions.

Asked about his saddest moment in politics Quinn said:

Seeing sincere and good people losing out because they no longer fit the contours of the landscape…they don’t understand that their time is over.

Clearly Quinn is referring here to his colleague Pat Rabbitte who, like many Labour politicians, travelled the road from radical socialist to unapologetic capitalist and is now operating in a delusional bubble of denial.

Asked about Labour’s prospects in the next election Quinn said that people would change their minds when voting for a government rather than mid-term protest.

Quinn, in common with all old regime politicians, seems to be completely unaware that Irish citizens have finally woken up to the traitorous behaviour of his generation and are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to consign them to the dustbin of history.

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Ruairi Quinn
Labour Party

Irish Times censors RTE censored programme

I see the Irish Times took up my story surrounding the dramatic revelation by Labour Senator John Wilson that Bord Gais had made their pitch to establish Irish Water under false pretences.

Bizarrely, however, the Irish Times took the same line as RTE and, effectively, censored the principal allegation made by Senator Whelan.

Here’ s the exact charge made by the Senator against Bord Gais.

No, what I’m saying is this. Bord Gais through the process of New Era and the line minister at the time made a pitch to establish Irish Water and I believe they did so under false pretences and they haven’t delivered.

Here’s how the Irish Times reported his allegations.

“No, what I’m saying is this: Bord Gáis through the process of New Era and the line minister at the time made a pitch to establish Irish Water . . . and they haven’t delivered.”

Leaving out the words; ‘under false pretences’ strips the report of any relevance, it effectively kills the story.

So much for the ‘paper of record’.

Note:
The Irish Times, in common with many mainstream media outlets, still finds it difficult to credit bloggers and other social media sources with stories.

Labour Senator John Whelan: Serving the rotten system rather than the people

During the discussion in which announced to the country that Bord Gais had established Irish Water under false pretences Labour Senator John Whelan said that, as a politician, he would rather be honest than popular.

On his website he is quoted as saying:

I don’t want to be another career politician. I desperately want to do something about the mess we are in.

Another quote on his website goes:

He has regularly been referred to as a courageous and outspoken journalist.

Well, Senator Whelan is no longer courageous and outspoken. He is just another career politician who has opted to be popular with the rotten political system rather than be honest with the Irish people.

I have been trying to contact the senator since he made his very serious allegations without success; he’s in hiding. Neither has he made any public statements, either in the Senate or in public to explain his allegations.

As a public representative Senator Whelan has a duty to either retract his allegations or take action on them. He has done neither.

So, in effect, the Senator has decided to join the ranks of political gombeens who, over the decades, have served their own and their party’s interests at the expense of Ireland and its people.

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Senator Whelan

Labour Senator John Whelan: "Bord Gais made their pitch to establish Irish Water under false pretences."

On Wednesday 5 November last, during a discussion on the RTE current affairs programme Late Debate, Labour Senator John Whelan stated that Bord Gais had made their pitch to establish Irish Water under false pretences.

RTE decided to censor the comments of Senator Whelan by removing the relevant comments. I believe this was a mistake.

The presenter of the programme, Cormac O’hEadhra, made it crystal clear that RTE was disassociating itself from the comments of Senator Whelan and that, I believe, was more than sufficient to protect the station from legal action.

I believe that by deciding to censor the relevant section RTE was killing a major story that was of crucial importance to the people of Ireland.

Senator Whelan had divulged new, extremely important information and any news agency worth its salt would ensure that that information was broadcast so that people would be properly informed. The importance of the story should have overridden any fear of legal action.

I have managed to obtain a transcript of the relevant section censored by RTE. I have made some small changes for ease of reading and omitted non-relevant dialogue.

Labour Senator John Whelan: It would be the act of supreme political cowardice of me to come here tonight and try and wash my hands of Irish Water and say it’s nothing to do with me as the minister who set it up has done, I think that’s appalling.

Cormac O’hEadhra (Presenter): Did you vote against the Irish Water?

Senator Whelan: No, no, I’m going to say….interrupted.

O’hEadhra: So you voted for it?

strong>Senator Whelan: I’m in favour of water charges and I’m in favour of a water company that provides clean, safe water.

O’hEadhra: Let me clarify this, did you vote for the bill or not?

Senator Whelan: I did but…interrupted.

O’hEadhra: So all of the things you outlined, you voted for?

Senator Whelan: No, no, that’s not true. The thing is, we were misled.

O’hEadhra: By whom?

Senator Whelan: I believe that Bord Gais sold the Government a pup when it said that it had the capacity, the resources, the personnel and the skill set. I argued for it to be awarded to Bord na Mona and that’s on the record.

O’hEadhra: Wait now, you say, you as a parliamentarian, when you voted on the Bill, you were misled?

Senator Whelan: Absolutely, by Bord Gais who tendered for the franchise.

O’hEadhra: And all of your colleagues were misled?

Senator Whelan: I believe we were sold a pup and that’s why…interrupted.

O’hEadhra: Are you saying then that the Government was voting on the Irish Water bill on a false premise?

Senator Whelan: I believe the contract should have been awarded, the record will show, to Bord na Mona. I believe that Bord Gais, and this is why the Government has gone in, Alan Kelly has gone in and stripped it back, the board has to be reconfigured, reconstituted and…interrupted.

O’hEadhra: Wait now, this is very serious John. What you’re saying this evening, surely, does that not render the validity of the Bill, the Act all null and void?

Senator Whelan: No, what I’m saying is this. Bord Gais through the process of New Era and the line minister at the time made a pitch to establish Irish Water and I believe they did so under false pretences and they haven’t delivered.

Non-relevant dialogue.

O’hEadhra: Can I just return to the somewhat dramatic vista that John Whelan has presented us with about the Irish Water Bill saying that Irish parliamentarians were voting on a false premise.

Dearbhaill McDonald (Legal Editor at Irish Independent): Yes, that they were misled. I think sometimes politicians forget that when they’re not in the Seanad or Dail that they don’t have privilege.

If I were a member of that tendering team or a senior member of Bord Gais I might be calling my libel lawyer tonight with a view to responding to the allegation that Bord Gais misled them. I think that is a very, very serious charge from a senior member of government to suggest that Bord Gais misled them.

O’hEadhra: Unless you have evidence to back it up.

Senator Whelan: The evidence is that the thing is a shambles, it doesn’t work.

O’hEadhra: But that’s not good enough, you’re saying they misled.

Senator Whelan: Don’t put words in my mouth, what I’m saying is, they made a tendering pitch saying that they could deliver and they didn’t.

Non-relevant dialogue.

O’hEadhra: Hold on a second. You made a very, very serious allegation.

Senator Whelan: And I stand over it.

O’hEadhra: I am asking, if you do, this programme requires evidence to substantiate that allegation, otherwise you have to withdraw it.

Senator Whelan: No I won’t. Is the evidence not clear to you all around you? Irish Water is not functioning, it’s a shambles, it’s not fit for purpose and that’s why we have to go back in and put things right.

O’hEadhra: John, I’m saying to you that as a programme, we disassociate ourselves from your comments unless you have evidence. You need to present the evidence to substantiate your allegation.

Senator Whelan: I’m going to say to you again that I argued at the time that Bord Na Mona would have been a better fit to establish a water utility.

Non-relevant dialogue.

O’hEadhra: You’re the one making allegations.

Senator Whelan: And I stand over them.

Non-relevant dialogue.

O’hEadhra: Ok, well they’re your allegations, they’re not ours. Obviously we can’t stand over whatever you say, without evidence we can’t even judge it.

Copy to:

RTE Late Debate
Senator Whelan
All political parties

Major Irish Water story surpressed by RTE?

A major news story broke live on RTE’s Late Debate last Wednesday concerning Irish Water.

Unfortunately, the story suffered a quick death, principally I believe, because of the manner in which it was handled by RTE.

Labour Senator John Whelan claimed that Irish Water had misled the Government over the establishment of the organisation.

The presenter of the show, Cormac O’hEadhra, was astonished by the revelation and questioned the senator closely on his claim.

The senator repeated his claim and said he stood by every word. The presenter, clearly aware of the gravity of the claim, uttered the standard RTE response to protect the station against any possible legal action – RTE distances itself from the claims you are making…etc,etc.

In my opinion the presenter/RTE had no need to take such a precaution.

As a member of the Oireachtas and as a member of a government party Senator Whelan was revealing, for the first time, a very important fact (as he believed) about one of the most contentious issues in recent history. It was a major and completely legitimate news story.

Unfortunately, RTE did not see it that way.

The following morning I accessed the Late Debate website to quote Senator Whelan on this blog. To my surprise, the relevant section of the discussion had been removed by RTE. After a week of trying to obtain an explanation I finally made contact today and was told that.

An editorial decision was taken to take the piece down for all concerned. It was decided that there were potential issues that could exasperate something negative.

In my opinion this is total rubbish. I don’t think RTE censored this particular item to protect Irish Water or the Government although, in effect, that was the outcome.

I think the decision was made out of panic either because of a possible but highly unlikely legal action by Irish Water or, more likely, a fear of political revenge on the broadcaster.

I have a habit of occasionally taping programmes so that I can quote back on this blog. Now, because I’ve lost trust in RTEs judgement particularly when it comes to politicians, I will be taping all RTE current affairs programmes to avoid the censor’s scissors.

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Late Debate
Senator Whelan

Labour Senator Aideen Hayden is a traitor

Labour Senator Aideen Hayden is a traitor to Ireland and its people.

Hayden is a traitor because her loyalty is, first and foremost, to herself, to her party and to her government.

By definition, any politician who supports the type of stroke politics surrounding the McNulty scandal is acting against the interests of Ireland and its people.

Three times Hayden was asked to demonstrate her loyalty to her country and three times she chose to give her loyalty to the diseased political system that has brought catastrophe on the Irish people.

Do you think it was a stroke?

Hayden: I’m not in a position to say it was a stroke.

Was she incorrect in appointing him?

Hayden: I’m not going to say whether she was correct or incorrect.

Do we have openness and transparency here?

Hayden: Labour Party ministers when they are appointing members to state boards use the public recruitment process. I would suggest that Fine Gael does the same.

It could be argued that Heyden is not a conscious traitor in the traditional sense but that point is not relevant in Ireland any more.

Catastrophe was visited upon the Irish people in 2008 resulting in massive pain and damage to countless citizens.

Every political party has accepted that the political system played a major role in the disaster, it has been accepted that the system is not fit for purpose, that radical and immediate reform is urgently required.

This government, under the banner of a so-called democratic revolution, promised to implement such reform, to rid the country of stroke politics, once and for all.

This latest scandal give the lie to that promise. Hayden’s support of the lie places her in the camp of the traitors who have betrayed the country once again.

Hayden is not, of course, the only traitor. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is also a traitor and a liar, he lied when he said he would rid the country of gombeen politics.

Every politician who supports or defends this latest political stroke is a traitor. Every politician who fails to challenge this latest attack on democracy place themselves in the traitor’s camp.

The time for political reform in Ireland passed many years ago. The diseased system, peopled by gombeens, cowards and self-serving traitors, is irretrievably corrupt.

No reform will happen, no justice will be forthcoming, no democracy will operate until the rotten system is completely eradicated from our culture and replaced with a functional democratic system peopled by citizens who understand what it means to loyally serve their country.

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Senator Hayden
Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Fine Gael
Labour