Gobshite Of The Month - September 2017

[Don Johnson]

New one just in. FG Cllr Brian Murphy is saying on Twitter that Sharia Law is operating in Ireland. All the legal and political classes know about it seemingly.
He hasn't given any evidence or won't give examples as he says to talk about it public would be frowned upon.

Also can I book in Joe McQuillan in advance.

Utter nonsense. "Sharia Law" is a tautology like "ATM machine." It's just called "Sharia."

You're so wise.

[Lar Naparka]

For what?

Pro-smoking anti-vaccination junior Minister of Health and gobshite, first class.

This is the problem. Everything is polarised. He's not "anti-vaccination", he at worst is against one vaccination.

There are a lot of people with concerns about the HPV vaccine and McGrath was listening to them and put 2 and 2 together and came up with 47. After looking for information and reading it I am confident these concerns are unfounded but I actually know medical professionals (i.e. not anti-vaccer crazies) who have not agreed to give this vaccine to their daughters. I think the HSE have been poor on this but to be fair they're reacted well with an information campaign since the poor uptake figures came out.

I'd also guess he's not advocating smoking. I don't particularly like Finian but at least he listens to his constituents concerns.

That's not my experience, Seanie and I've known him a long, long time. We were both members of the INTO and we met up quite regularly at branch meetings, AGMs and the likes.
Since he became a TD, I've contacted him on a number of local issues.(There's a large number of elderly folk in my neighbourhood who had at best a basic education so I often get asked to sign forms, write letters etc.)
I have contacted Finian a number of times and was promised but got little. In most cases a brief letter acknowledging my request. Standard generic stuff and no more. Even meeting him face to face and putting concerns directly to him got no results. Finian listened and Finian forgot in a manner of speaking.
By comparison, both Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey followed up on every request I brought to them. Both furnished me with copies of letters they had sent to relevant officials and also with the replies they received.
Sometimes they were successful and other times they were unable to resolve the problems I put to them but in every case both Richard and Sean came back to me with the results of their work on behalf of my neighbours.
I could never say that about my old colleague, not even once.

[magpie seanie]

For what?

Pro-smoking anti-vaccination junior Minister of Health and gobshite, first class.

This is the problem. Everything is polarised. He's not "anti-vaccination", he at worst is against one vaccination.

There are a lot of people with concerns about the HPV vaccine and McGrath was listening to them and put 2 and 2 together and came up with 47. After looking for information and reading it I am confident these concerns are unfounded but I actually know medical professionals (i.e. not anti-vaccer crazies) who have not agreed to give this vaccine to their daughters. I think the HSE have been poor on this but to be fair they're reacted well with an information campaign since the poor uptake figures came out.

I'd also guess he's not advocating smoking. I don't particularly like Finian but at least he listens to his constituents concerns.

That's not my experience, Seanie and I've known him a long, long time. We were both members of the INTO and we met up quite regularly at branch meetings, AGMs and the likes.
Since he became a TD, I've contacted him on a number of local issues.(There's a large number of elderly folk in my neighbourhood who had at best a basic education so I often get asked to sign forms, write letters etc.)
I have contacted Finian a number of times and was promised but got little. In most cases a brief letter acknowledging my request. Standard generic stuff and no more. Even meeting him face to face and putting concerns directly to him got no results. Finian listened and Finian forgot in a manner of speaking.
By comparison, both Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey followed up on every request I brought to them. Both furnished me with copies of letters they had sent to relevant officials and also with the replies they received.
Sometimes they were successful and other times they were unable to resolve the problems I put to them but in every case both Richard and Sean came back to me with the results of their work on behalf of my neighbours.
I could never say that about my old colleague, not even once.

I'd say Richard and Sean have better funded and organised support networks behind them. Finian would be well intentioned I'd imagine but I'm not surprised the follow through might be lacking as you suggest. I do think he's a decent skin though.

[Owenmoresider]

For what?

Pro-smoking anti-vaccination junior Minister of Health and gobshite, first class.

This is the problem. Everything is polarised. He's not "anti-vaccination", he at worst is against one vaccination.

There are a lot of people with concerns about the HPV vaccine and McGrath was listening to them and put 2 and 2 together and came up with 47. After looking for information and reading it I am confident these concerns are unfounded but I actually know medical professionals (i.e. not anti-vaccer crazies) who have not agreed to give this vaccine to their daughters. I think the HSE have been poor on this but to be fair they're reacted well with an information campaign since the poor uptake figures came out.

I'd also guess he's not advocating smoking. I don't particularly like Finian but at least he listens to his constituents concerns.

That's not my experience, Seanie and I've known him a long, long time. We were both members of the INTO and we met up quite regularly at branch meetings, AGMs and the likes.
Since he became a TD, I've contacted him on a number of local issues.(There's a large number of elderly folk in my neighbourhood who had at best a basic education so I often get asked to sign forms, write letters etc.)
I have contacted Finian a number of times and was promised but got little. In most cases a brief letter acknowledging my request. Standard generic stuff and no more. Even meeting him face to face and putting concerns directly to him got no results. Finian listened and Finian forgot in a manner of speaking.
By comparison, both Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey followed up on every request I brought to them. Both furnished me with copies of letters they had sent to relevant officials and also with the replies they received.
Sometimes they were successful and other times they were unable to resolve the problems I put to them but in every case both Richard and Sean came back to me with the results of their work on behalf of my neighbours.
I could never say that about my old colleague, not even once.

I'd say Richard and Sean have better funded and organised support networks behind them. Finian would be well intentioned I'd imagine but I'm not surprised the follow through might be lacking as you suggest. I do think he's a decent skin though.

As a TD he'll get his staff, secretary and PA's etc. in Leinster House just the same as the others. That he mightn't have a party network is one thing but in those situations the party rarely comes into it anyway, I assume he has a canvassing team at election time so that's his network but the maintaining correspondence stuff is a matter for his staff be it in Kildare St or locally.

[magpie seanie]

For what?

Pro-smoking anti-vaccination junior Minister of Health and gobshite, first class.

This is the problem. Everything is polarised. He's not "anti-vaccination", he at worst is against one vaccination.

There are a lot of people with concerns about the HPV vaccine and McGrath was listening to them and put 2 and 2 together and came up with 47. After looking for information and reading it I am confident these concerns are unfounded but I actually know medical professionals (i.e. not anti-vaccer crazies) who have not agreed to give this vaccine to their daughters. I think the HSE have been poor on this but to be fair they're reacted well with an information campaign since the poor uptake figures came out.

I'd also guess he's not advocating smoking. I don't particularly like Finian but at least he listens to his constituents concerns.

That's not my experience, Seanie and I've known him a long, long time. We were both members of the INTO and we met up quite regularly at branch meetings, AGMs and the likes.
Since he became a TD, I've contacted him on a number of local issues.(There's a large number of elderly folk in my neighbourhood who had at best a basic education so I often get asked to sign forms, write letters etc.)
I have contacted Finian a number of times and was promised but got little. In most cases a brief letter acknowledging my request. Standard generic stuff and no more. Even meeting him face to face and putting concerns directly to him got no results. Finian listened and Finian forgot in a manner of speaking.
By comparison, both Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey followed up on every request I brought to them. Both furnished me with copies of letters they had sent to relevant officials and also with the replies they received.
Sometimes they were successful and other times they were unable to resolve the problems I put to them but in every case both Richard and Sean came back to me with the results of their work on behalf of my neighbours.
I could never say that about my old colleague, not even once.

I'd say Richard and Sean have better funded and organised support networks behind them. Finian would be well intentioned I'd imagine but I'm not surprised the follow through might be lacking as you suggest. I do think he's a decent skin though.

As a TD he'll get his staff, secretary and PA's etc. in Leinster House just the same as the others. That he mightn't have a party network is one thing but in those situations the party rarely comes into it anyway, I assume he has a canvassing team at election time so that's his network but the maintaining correspondence stuff is a matter for his staff be it in Kildare St or locally.

I'm aware of that but from things I've heard about him he's well meaning but a touch naïve/green. Not the worst crime in comparison to most politicians.

[Hardy]

Seanie, I think you're giving Finian a very easy ride here. I take the point that there are more egregious (word of the month, it seems) examples of reprehensible behaviour to be found without looking too hard. But that doesn't mitigate the harm that this gobshite has done that will potentially result in awful outcomes for some girls and women - as in awful disease and death in some cases.

Vaccination rates for cervical cancer have plummetted dramatically on nothing more than the usual anti-science, anti-expert, alternative, wacky-woo, phone-in misinformed bunk, trash and bullshit that's always at the back of anti-vaccination campaigns. As a result women will die. And here we have an alternative-leaning government minister, in the HEALTH department, giving credence to this madness, on the spurious basis that he's reflecting his constituents' "concerns". Their concerns are unfounded and that's what he should be telling them in his political clinics, rather than promoting this misinformation from within the Department of Health.

[Frank_The_Tank]

Jolene Bunting

[AZOffaly]

New one just in. FG Cllr Brian Murphy is saying on Twitter that Sharia Law is operating in Ireland. All the legal and political classes know about it seemingly.
He hasn't given any evidence or won't give examples as he says to talk about it public would be frowned upon.

Also can I book in Joe McQuillan in advance.

Did you ever see a smugger looking hoor?

[magpie seanie]

Seanie, I think you're giving Finian a very easy ride here. I take the point that there are more egregious (word of the month, it seems) examples of reprehensible behaviour to be found without looking too hard. But that doesn't mitigate the harm that this gobshite has done that will potentially result in awful outcomes for some girls and women - as in awful disease and death in some cases.

Vaccination rates for cervical cancer have plummetted dramatically on nothing more than the usual anti-science, anti-expert, alternative, wacky-woo, phone-in misinformed bunk, trash and bullshit that's always at the back of anti-vaccination campaigns. As a result women will die. And here we have an alternative-leaning government minister, in the HEALTH department, giving credence to this madness, on the spurious basis that he's reflecting his constituents' "concerns". Their concerns are unfounded and that's what he should be telling them in his political clinics, rather than promoting this misinformation from within the Department of Health.

Hardy - I have to go against you slightly here. At the outset let me state that I'm 100% in support of the vaccine having read in great detail about it recently. However, I do know people who are not fitting into the usual anti-vaccer profile who are reluctant to give their children this vaccine. Some of these people are highly qualified healthcare personnel working for the HSE. This is the reason I took it upon myself to read up on it and I'm satisfied that any of the concerns raised have been proven to be of no consequence. I'm pretty sure Finian will do the same and if not he should be removed from the Department of Health. Perfectly entitled to even an incorrect opinion but cannot voice that opinion as a junior minister in dept of health.

[Itchy]

New one just in. FG Cllr Brian Murphy is saying on Twitter that Sharia Law is operating in Ireland. All the legal and political classes know about it seemingly.
He hasn't given any evidence or won't give examples as he says to talk about it public would be frowned upon.

Also can I book in Joe McQuillan in advance.

Did you ever see a smugger looking hoor?

He should be wearing a Hijab and a muzzle

[Lar Naparka]

For what?

Pro-smoking anti-vaccination junior Minister of Health and gobshite, first class.

This is the problem. Everything is polarised. He's not "anti-vaccination", he at worst is against one vaccination.

There are a lot of people with concerns about the HPV vaccine and McGrath was listening to them and put 2 and 2 together and came up with 47. After looking for information and reading it I am confident these concerns are unfounded but I actually know medical professionals (i.e. not anti-vaccer crazies) who have not agreed to give this vaccine to their daughters. I think the HSE have been poor on this but to be fair they're reacted well with an information campaign since the poor uptake figures came out.

I'd also guess he's not advocating smoking. I don't particularly like Finian but at least he listens to his constituents concerns.

That's not my experience, Seanie and I've known him a long, long time. We were both members of the INTO and we met up quite regularly at branch meetings, AGMs and the likes.
Since he became a TD, I've contacted him on a number of local issues.(There's a large number of elderly folk in my neighbourhood who had at best a basic education so I often get asked to sign forms, write letters etc.)
I have contacted Finian a number of times and was promised but got little. In most cases a brief letter acknowledging my request. Standard generic stuff and no more. Even meeting him face to face and putting concerns directly to him got no results. Finian listened and Finian forgot in a manner of speaking.
By comparison, both Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey followed up on every request I brought to them. Both furnished me with copies of letters they had sent to relevant officials and also with the replies they received.
Sometimes they were successful and other times they were unable to resolve the problems I put to them but in every case both Richard and Sean came back to me with the results of their work on behalf of my neighbours.
I could never say that about my old colleague, not even once.

I'd say Richard and Sean have better funded and organised support networks behind them. Finian would be well intentioned I'd imagine but I'm not surprised the follow through might be lacking as you suggest. I do think he's a decent skin though.

As a TD he'll get his staff, secretary and PA's etc. in Leinster House just the same as the others. That he mightn't have a party network is one thing but in those situations the party rarely comes into it anyway, I assume he has a canvassing team at election time so that's his network but the maintaining correspondence stuff is a matter for his staff be it in Kildare St or locally.

I'm aware of that but from things I've heard about him he's well meaning but a touch naïve/green. Not the worst crime in comparison to most politicians.

You got it in one! "Cerebral" is not a term I'd think of when referring to poor Finian.

[Orior]

New one just in. FG Cllr Brian Murphy is saying on Twitter that Sharia Law is operating in Ireland. All the legal and political classes know about it seemingly.
He hasn't given any evidence or won't give examples as he says to talk about it public would be frowned upon.

Also can I book in Joe McQuillan in advance.

Did you ever see a smugger looking hoor?

Is that what smug looks like? Think I'll start a new thread called post a smug looking boyo here.