Dáil votes itself another two weeks off

[dahamsta]

I swear to god, every day I think they couldn't possibly make themselves look worse, and every day they do.


BreakingNews.ie (http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/dail-votes-itself-another-two-weeks-off-452288.html#ixzz0jrTBgoe9): The Dáil has voted itself another two-week holiday today - just a fortnight after returning from their St Patrick's Day time off.

TDs will leave Leinster House this evening and not be back until Tuesday, April 20.

The Labour leader insisted they should be back after a week off and be discussing rising dole queues and the other challenges facing the country.I love the quote from Gilmore. Would the party ever cop on and dump that muppet. He made a complete langer of himself, again, in the Dáil yesterday, when he essentially accused The Pigf*cker of treason -- of course his actions are treasonous, but you don't say that in the Dáil, dummy! At least Kenny had the brains to frame it in a more... political way (http://www.kildarestreet.com/debate/?id=2010-03-31.3.0).

You could see Kenny weeing himself a little with joy when The Pigf*cker responded with (http://www.kildarestreet.com/debate/?id=2010-03-31.20.0): “I do not accept the contentions made by Deputy Kenny and I treat them with contempt". It was all he could do not to giggle before replying (http://www.kildarestreet.com/debate/?id=2010-03-31.23.0): "That is precisely the Taoiseach’s problem. He also treats the citizens of this country with contempt."

Of course that's Kenny's problem right there, he can talk the talk, but you always wonder can he walk the walk. Personally I don't think he can in the long term, but in the short term Bosco could do a better job of running the country, and I can't see Kenny/Gilmore lasting a full term anyway. There's far better qualified people waiting in the wings in both parties.

[osarusan]

I saw that this morning, and just couldn't f**king believe it.

They're fed up getting raped across the floor of the dail, so decide to pack it in for two weeks.

It's mind-boggling really.

[Fr Damo]

Who are we kidding, They make eff all difference when they are up there anyway. It's just a ppoular argument though I agree embaressing from a "PR" perspective. I'm actaully pleadsed they're on hols cos they can't claim subsistance when the dail isn't sitting as far as I know so the more holiday's the better and we might save some money!

[Keen2win]

April fool's?

[dahamsta]

Dammit, it could be an' all.

[osarusan]

Dammit, it could be an' all.

Fair play to them it it was an april fool's joke, it got me. The thing is, I didn't see it on breakingnews.ie (not sure where I did see it) so it would have to be a collaborative effort. (maybe the source I saw it on just took it from breakingnews)

[Keen2win]

Dammit, it could be an' all.

Haha, someone who doesn't even understand what yer on about on here most of the time, but loves a gawk, is after getting one over on dahamsta! Sorta:)

[Mr A]

I don't think it's an April Fools, they really are out for two weeks.

Which is handy when you're being asked a lot of questions you don't want to answer.

[brendy_éire]

Do this not happen every year?

[eamo1]

I think it was an April Fools joke.Anytime they do vote themselves extra holidays its all over the red top newspapers and on radio phone in's etc.There was nothing about it yesterday on anything.It sounds so plausible though that its easy to fall for it.
Aertel had a story yesterday about Leprechauns going to bail out the government by donating one of their pots of gold:).

[Mr A]

It's true, and they do do it every year. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0402/1224267552713.html

[dahamsta]

It's crazy. The amount of time away from the Dail is just ridiculous, and even when they're supposed to be there the Dail is effing empty.

[mypost]

It isn't an April Fools joke. They are off on holiers for two weeks. The only time they took 2 weeks before, is if Paddy's Day and Easter come off the back of each other, as 2 years ago. The first morning back, Bertie quit.

[Dodge]

It isn't an April Fools joke. They are off on holiers for two weeks. The only time they took 2 weeks before, is if Paddy's Day and Easter come off the back of each other, as 2 years ago. The first morning back, Bertie quit.

They take 2 weeks every easter. Without fail.

[SkStu]

in fairness they will all work really hard over the easter break - a "what i did on my easter holidays" essay.


Actually, that comparison is unfair on schoolkids.

[juan]

No wonder the Govt. were forcing the passport office employees to work properly again... They all had holidays booked. On a serious note they shouldn't be allowed to jet off whenever the going gets tough. You can't do that in a normal job. Why should the people who are, and I use this term as loosely as possible, running the country allowed to. It baffles all logic and reasoning.
"Taoiseach the dole queues are growing and the economy isn't recovering fast enough what will we do?"
"Ah feck it we'll go on holiday"

[OneRedArmy]

The first morning back, Bertie quit.Well that day is certainly worthy of a national holiday that should be commemorated every year.

A bit like the 11th November, we could all stop what we're doing at 11am and vow never to forget what that clown has done...

[SkStu]

Well that day is certainly worthy of a national holiday that should be commemorated every year.

A bit like the 11th November, we could all stop what we're doing at 11am and vow never to forget what that clown has done...

good idea though funnily enough i think the majority of FF'ers would still take that time to revere the man and his achievements...

[OneRedArmy]

good idea though funnily enough i think the majority of FF'ers would still take that time to revere the man and his achievements...Never mind the majority of FF'ers, if he actually did go for President you wouldn't believe how many morons would vote for him.

I'm actually not sure whether its worse for someone to have voted for FF in the last election and to have changed their opinion since then (approx. 20%-25% of voters) or the rump of 20-25% of voters who would STILL vote for FF if there was an election tomorrow. I actually think the morons who voted them in last time are most culpable, as the remaining FF supporters are clearly insane and require mental help and support.

Depressing.

[Bluebeard]

What is worse is that if Charlie Haughey - former taoiseach current corpse - ran for President, he would top the poll.

[bennocelt]

Never mind the majority of FF'ers, if he actually did go for President you wouldn't believe how many morons would vote for him.

I'm actually not sure whether its worse for someone to have voted for FF in the last election and to have changed their opinion since then (approx. 20%-25% of voters) or the rump of 20-25% of voters who would STILL vote for FF if there was an election tomorrow. I actually think the morons who voted them in last time are most culpable, as the remaining FF supporters are clearly insane and require mental help and support.

Depressing.

Yeah def agree here, remember on the Joe Duffy show (just happened to be on!) sone old fella crying that his only son had to emigrate to Australia, and then we find out he voted FF all his life - people like that have to share some portion of blame

[Macy]

But whats the alternative? They're all the same...

[OneRedArmy]

But whats the alternative? They're all the same...In some ways I agree Macy, but as I think Adam said a while back, surely then there's no downside to letting the other side if they can do a less worse job?

Interesting, semi-related aside to this thread, amidst all the current noise about Quinn Group, it was good to see some of the media pulling up the local TD's for demanding an immediate audience with the Financial Regulator. Its exactly this kind of "influence" that got us where we are. Thankfully Elderfield apparently told them nothing, and rightly so. The correct approach would have been to call him in front of the relevant Dail Committee, but apparently the TDs used the defence that they couldn't do that as the Dail wasn't sitting.....

[bennocelt]

But whats the alternative? They're all the same...


Anybody other than FF really, and yes that does mean FG:(

[dahamsta]

But whats the alternative? They're all the same...

They're not all the same thought Macy, you're buying into the attitude of the tabloid reader* with that. They all have their faults, they're all mostly working for themselves rather than they people they're supposed to represent, but there are still differences. Even if you just peg those difference at basic talents, there's no way you can put Brian Lenihan and/or Brian Cowen at the same level as Richard Bruton. It's like putting the Anglo economist and David McWilliams in the same room and saying they're the same: yes, they're both windbags, but at least one of them got it right.

Party leaders is more difficult. Enda Kenny is a good public speaker and not much more, and Gilmore doesn't even appear to qualify for "not much more", but they have talent behind them and that's the important thing. And they couldn't possibly do a worse job that The Pigf*cker and his coterie of incompetents.

adam

* I'm not suggesting you read the tabloids, maybe you do maybe you don't. But that's the refrain of the tabloid reader, and it's wrong.

[Macy]

Sorry, it was an attempt at sarcasm using the worst excuse ever for not engaging with politics. Pretty much used entirely by embarrassed FF voters who won't admit it.

Of course there's alternatives - there's always alternatives if people are willing to look and engage. And on a number of important aspects the three main parties do have different policies, before you get into the smaller parties. And if enough people read up on the policies of the smaller parties then maybe they'd see things they'd like to vote for.

[dahamsta]

I'll confess I was a bit surprised, and now embarrassed... :)

[OneRedArmy]

Sorry, it was an attempt at sarcasm using the worst excuse ever for not engaging with politics. Pretty much used entirely by embarrassed FF voters who won't admit it.

Of course there's alternatives - there's always alternatives if people are willing to look and engage. And on a number of important aspects the three main parties do have different policies, before you get into the smaller parties. And if enough people read up on the policies of the smaller parties then maybe they'd see things they'd like to vote for.But if people were expected to read and compare policies and the like, how on earth would they be able to factor the Civil War into their voting decision?

Crazy talk :)

[mypost]

But whats the alternative? They're all the same...

Same or not, we have 5 political parties in our EU province. If the current government isn't up to scratch, you kick em out at the next election. Elections are to choose a TD that helps to form a government, not a rubber-stamping exercise for whoever's in power at that time.

[dahamsta]

Same or not, we have 5 political parties in our EU province. If the current government isn't up to scratch, you kick em out at the next election. Elections are to choose a TD that helps to form a government, not a rubber-stamping exercise for whoever's in power at that time.

An excellent demonstration of your elite posting-without-reading skills there mypost. Look 3 posts up from yours.

[awec]

I wish I could vote myself onto a 2 week holiday! Absolute joke!