The Fine Gael thread

[trileacman]

But back to the question I was pondering. Of the 18 retiring FG TDs, only 5 are of retirement age, and most (13 I think?) decided to retire well into the time when SFs slide in the polls began. So I'm not convinced that quite possibly the largest ever exodus of sitting members of parliament from a ruling party ahead of an election can be down to old age or fear of losing a seat. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's hard not to suspect there's something more to it.

This is just plainly incorrect. There's far more than 5 of the FG TD's at retirement age.

Joe McHugh Donegal (53) - not standing due the rift with the party leadership over the Mica scheme.
Brendan Griffin (Kerry) (42) - "family reasons"
John Paul Phelan (Carlow) (45) - had heart attack during Covid, understandably not running for health reasons.
Michael Creed (Cork) (60) - will be of retirement age by the end of the next Dail. Nearly 35 years in the Dail.
David Stanton (Cork) (67) - of retirement age.
Richard Bruton (Dublin) (70) - of retirement age. 41 years in the Dail
Charlie Flanagan (Kildare) (67) - of retirement age. 36 years in the Dail.
Fergus O'Dowd (Louth) (75) - of retirement age.
Paul Kehoe (wexford) (51) - 22 years in the Dail.
Ciaran Cannon (Galway) (59) - will be pretty much of retirement age by the end of the next Dail.
Joespha Madigan (Dublin) (54) - Varadker lifer. Stood down 2 days after Varadker.
Simon Coveney (Cork) (50) - 26 years in the Dail. Opportunity to progress as a politician all but over.
Varadker - self explanatory
Michael Ring (Mayo) (70) - of retirement age.
Joe Carey (Clare) (45) - fighting cancer.
Damien English (Meath) (49) - resigned as minister over non-disclosure of a house. Political career likely stuffed.
Heather Humphries (Cavan) (61) - will be of retirement age during the next Dail.

8 of those 17 are pretty much at retirement age.
3 of the 17 Varadker, Coveney and Madigan are all on the political downslope.
2 of the 17 have health concerns.
2 of the 17, McHugh and English have fallen foul of the party leadership.
Only 2 don't seem to have a reason for standing down. Griffin and Paul Kehoe. Bearing in mind Kehoe has been in the Dail for 22 years and has only ever been a Junior minister it's not hard to see why he might want to return home to the farm.

So in truth there is simply nothing more to the FG resignations than a changing of the guard.

[Snapchap]

I said only 5 were at retirement age. That is not "untrue". It's a statement of absolute fact. Some more may be during the next term but as of now, they're not. One such you say will be "of retirement age" during the next term is Heather Humphries. She wouldn't be of retirement age until the very end of the next term. By which time she will be 66 - the age she tells others they should be working to.

Like Humphries, the resignations Varadkar, Coveney and Madigan, whinyou lump together as being on a 'downward career turn', took everyone by surprise (except you apparently).


And every party has those who disagree with party leadership. Generally they bide their time instead of retiring.

And its 18, not 17. You also omitted 42 year old Eoghan Murphy.

[trileacman]

I said only 5 were at retirement age. That is not "untrue". It's a statement of absolute fact. Some more may be during the next term but as of now, they're not. One such you say will be "of retirement age" during the next term is Heather Humphries. She wouldn't be of retirement age until the very end of the next term. By which time she will be 66 - the age she tells others they should be working to.

Like Humphries, the resignations Varadkar, Coveney and Madigan, whinyou lump together as being on a 'downward career turn', took everyone by surprise (except you apparently).


And every party has those who disagree with party leadership. Generally they bide their time instead of retiring.

And its 18, not 17. You also omitted 42 year old Eoghan Murphy.

Murphy is already gone from the Dail and replaced by Ivana Bacik 3 years ago.

Humphries wants the pension age to rise to 66 given that the Irish population are living longer than ever before. The change will also affect her pension as she won't be able to claim it until she is 66. She never said you "should" be working to 66 just that this is the age you will start to receive your pension. It's a legislative change that affect TDs the same as everyone else.

Generally those who fall out with the party do step aside. SF have had 2 TDs do this in the last month.

On this board you're the only one trying to make an issue out of the retirements of FG TDs. It's purely a deflection tactic given SFs recent crisis around covering up paedophilia and grooming of minors.

[Pub Bore]

Biggest shock there is that Joe McHugh is only 53.

[Snapchap]

I said only 5 were at retirement age. That is not "untrue". It's a statement of absolute fact. Some more may be during the next term but as of now, they're not. One such you say will be "of retirement age" during the next term is Heather Humphries. She wouldn't be of retirement age until the very end of the next term. By which time she will be 66 - the age she tells others they should be working to.

Like Humphries, the resignations Varadkar, Coveney and Madigan, whinyou lump together as being on a 'downward career turn', took everyone by surprise (except you apparently).


And every party has those who disagree with party leadership. Generally they bide their time instead of retiring.

And its 18, not 17. You also omitted 42 year old Eoghan Murphy.

Murphy is already gone from the Dail and replaced by Ivana Bacik 3 years ago.

Humphries wants the pension age to rise to 66 given that the Irish population are living longer than ever before. The change will also affect her pension as she won't be able to claim it until she is 66. She never said you "should" be working to 66 just that this is the age you will start to receive your pension. It's a legislative change that affect TDs the same as everyone else.

Generally those who fall out with the party do step aside. SF have had 2 TDs do this in the last month.

On this board you're the only one trying to make an issue out of the retirements of FG TDs. It's purely a deflection tactic given SFs recent crisis around covering up paedophilia and grooming of minors.

Deflection? Most of my time on this board over the last fortnight has been discussing the SF story ye eejit. I've probably done more posting about it than anyone else ffs. I brought this topic up as Heather Humphries' retirement was announced this week and it brought the total FG TD total not seeking re-election to over 50% which, given it's the highest rate of retirements from a ruling party in the space of a term that I can find any record off, anywhere, (by quite some distance) then I found worthy of discussion. I apologise for not seeking your permission first before you felt it necessary to jump in and wrongly accuse me of having posted false statistics.

[Rossfan]

State Pension

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/older-and-retired-people/deferring-your-state-pension-contributory/#84f617

[trileacman]

I said only 5 were at retirement age. That is not "untrue". It's a statement of absolute fact. Some more may be during the next term but as of now, they're not. One such you say will be "of retirement age" during the next term is Heather Humphries. She wouldn't be of retirement age until the very end of the next term. By which time she will be 66 - the age she tells others they should be working to.

Like Humphries, the resignations Varadkar, Coveney and Madigan, whinyou lump together as being on a 'downward career turn', took everyone by surprise (except you apparently).


And every party has those who disagree with party leadership. Generally they bide their time instead of retiring.

And its 18, not 17. You also omitted 42 year old Eoghan Murphy.

Murphy is already gone from the Dail and replaced by Ivana Bacik 3 years ago.

Humphries wants the pension age to rise to 66 given that the Irish population are living longer than ever before. The change will also affect her pension as she won't be able to claim it until she is 66. She never said you "should" be working to 66 just that this is the age you will start to receive your pension. It's a legislative change that affect TDs the same as everyone else.

Generally those who fall out with the party do step aside. SF have had 2 TDs do this in the last month.

On this board you're the only one trying to make an issue out of the retirements of FG TDs. It's purely a deflection tactic given SFs recent crisis around covering up paedophilia and grooming of minors.

Deflection? Most of my time on this board over the last fortnight has been discussing the SF story ye eejit. I've probably done more posting about it than anyone else ffs. I brought this topic up as Heather Humphries' retirement was announced this week and it brought the total FG TD total not seeking re-election to over 50% which, given it's the highest rate of retirements from a ruling party in the space of a term that I can find any record off, anywhere, (by quite some distance) then I found worthy of discussion. I apologise for not seeking your permission first before you felt it necessary to jump in and wrongly accuse me of having posted false statistics.

No need to get abusive.

Yeah you been very active on the SF thread, pretty much exclusively to excuse their handling of this scandal.

You're also  incorrect about "everyone" being surprised about Varadker and Coveney retiring. I can't think of one serious political commentator who said it as a surprise.

[trueblue1234]

I get the impression some people think the SF thread should only be for having a go at them. Anything else seems to frowned upon.
SC you'll be getting your voice txt dubbed over next.

[Snapchap]

I get the impression some people think the SF thread should only be for having a go at them. Anything else seems to frowned upon.
SC you'll be getting your voice txt dubbed over next.

 

[Rossfan]

I get the impression some people think the SF thread should only be for having a go at them. Anything else seems to frowned upon.
 

Maybe if they ever did something praiseworthy........

[trueblue1234]

I get the impression some people think the SF thread should only be for having a go at them. Anything else seems to frowned upon.
 

Maybe if they ever did something praiseworthy........

Look who it is, hello Forrest...

[Rossfan]

Play the man when yer losing

[Snapchap]

From The Ditch:

"Paschal Donohoe had a secret phone call with his Israeli counterpart to assure him the Irish government would "block" the Occupied Territories Bill.

Donohoe didn't record the call, which the Israeli side called "confidential", in his ministerial diary."

https://x.com/wereontheditch/status/1838915361044938752?t=Fy7QbES0XayMAhlehNRBHQ&s=19

Welcome back Rossfan. You've been quiet on here since the above was posted.

In other news, The Ditch contacted the government today to inform them that yet another flight is "due to enter Irish sovereign airspace this afternoon carrying at least three munitions of war packages for delivery to the Israel Defense Forces Nevatim air base in Israel". I wonder how much Paschal knows about all these flights and the government's complicity in Israel's genocide?

What do you think Rossfan?

[Rossfan]

Why are you asking me?
I'm not a reporter with that Ditch, nor a member of the Government or have any influence over them.
If I think that's wrong will they stop?

By the way I don't have to answer to you😉

[dec]

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/1024/1477205-legacy-act/

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he has decided on a pre-Christmas general election because he believes "now is the time for a mandate" for his term as Taoiseach.
Speaking at a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event at Dublin's Royal Convention Centre tonight, the Taoiseach responded to questions over whether the Government has gone "full term" by saying: "I got a sense from people to just get on with it."
Asked in on-stage interview with The Currency co-founder and business journalist Tom Lyons if the general election will be on 29 November, the Taoiseach said that "there isn't a great mystery" to when the election will be and that "you don't need huge powers" to figure out the date.
He said the Finance Bill still needs to be passed so that budget plans are introduced, and that he has already said "it [the general election] will be a Friday".
Mr Harris said a general election in the coming weeks will also allow for government-formation talks to take place during the Dáil's already-planned winter break, which he described as "a natural breather".
Mr Lyons jokingly asked again if this means the 29 November, the Taoiseach said "I have to keep some element of surprise." ...