Healy-Rae won TV show after 3,600 calls from Dáil phone

[Pangurban]

Gombeenism is alive and well in Ireland, i blame the education system

[Bud Wiser]

Twas at the last election, me brother he went in
He was always fond of politics, we knew he'd surely win
He went around, he canvassed hard, he wandered round about
He said he'd raise the price of milk and bring down the price of stout

We are the one horse farmers and you know that means damn all
But now the raise their hats for him, he's a member of the Dail
We have a brand new house, you know, we let the old one fall
For a tigian wasn't good enough for a member of the Dail

Well me brother doesn't know A from Zed, he never went to school
But as you know in Irish politics it doesn't matter as a rule
He goes into pubs, he drinks all night, he never comes home at all
And the police will never throw him, he's a member of the Dail

On one of his trips to Dublin he brought home a brand new wife
She was the finest bit of stuff I ever saw in all me life
And the three of us sleep together and they put me next to the wall
Still when it's dark she doesn't know who's a member of Dail

Me brother is T.D., me boys, me brother is a T.D.
He got me Da a pension, he was only forty-three
Me brother is T.D., me boys, me brother is a T.D.
And he's up in Dublin there's plenty of the other for me


It is a criminal offence what he did, plain and simple.

[AZOffaly]

A further twist, and if this is true, even more serious. I wonder who's cornflakes MHR pissed in, for these stories to be breaking now?

******

The Irish Daily Mail reports this morning that a file is being sent to the DPP into suspected voter fraud in South Kerry during the March election – and that the claims relate to people connected with the Healy Rae campaign.

It concerns at least three incidents of canvassers calling to elderly residents asking to "collect" their postal votes. One reported in The Kerryman in March, involved an 87-year-old man.

"This is the postal ballot that a person would fill out themselves," said FG councillor Bobby O'Connell. "Then they asked the person would they be able to fill it out themselves, and should they not fill it out for them.. The woman went to another house in the locality that we know of . When the person was asked to identify themselves they gave a false name at first. This has all been given in a statement to the guards. I am satisfied myself that the charges relate to a member of the Healy Rae campaign."

A further claim that canvassers gave free cigarettes to Travellers to secure their votes is also being investigated.

[RMDrive]

The papers are calling it "The Ring of Kerry" affair. 

[RMDrive]

Colm Tobin on Twitter (an essential follow by the way):
"Healy Rae statement on phone controversy due in the next half hour. No need to listen out for it, he's going to ring us all individually."

[AZOffaly]

He's going to pay for the calls apparently. But 'How could I have anything to do with it? People knew where I was at the time'.

Who does he think he's talking to?

[An Gaeilgoir]

A further twist, and if this is true, even more serious. I wonder who's cornflakes MHR pissed in, for these stories to be breaking now?

******

The Irish Daily Mail reports this morning that a file is being sent to the DPP into suspected voter fraud in South Kerry during the March election – and that the claims relate to people connected with the Healy Rae campaign.

It concerns at least three incidents of canvassers calling to elderly residents asking to "collect" their postal votes. One reported in The Kerryman in March, involved an 87-year-old man.

"This is the postal ballot that a person would fill out themselves," said FG councillor Bobby O'Connell. "Then they asked the person would they be able to fill it out themselves, and should they not fill it out for them.. The woman went to another house in the locality that we know of . When the person was asked to identify themselves they gave a false name at first. This has all been given in a statement to the guards. I am satisfied myself that the charges relate to a member of the Healy Rae campaign."

A further claim that canvassers gave free cigarettes to Travellers to secure their votes is also being investigated.

I have also heard claims of handing out free pint vouchers to young lads in the area, only valid if JHR got elected.

[deiseach]

He's going to pay for the calls apparently. But 'How could I have anything to do with it? People knew where I was at the time'.

Who does he think he's talking to?

Oh, he knows who he's talking to

[ross matt]

Man he is such a dose to listen to giving interviews. Just as bad as the Father. He can barely talk properly. Such gombeen shite from start to finish. He and his kind should be ran out of politics. Keeps bleating that it was for charity and ignores the fact it was a platform to launch his own national political profile. Him, his father... O'Donoghue and Ferris... Thanks alot Kerry!

[Shamrock Shore]

We cannot unvote for this gobshite so Deiseach is correct.

"De peeple of South Kerrah" will vote this goon in time and time agin cos he's the man for the lump of tar in the pothole and the medical card for the auld wan or the college grant for the rich farmer's son etc.

Jesus - him and his auld fella sicken the dark edges of my ring. Maybe, just maybe this 'Ring of Kerry' farce will open a few eyes in 'South Kerrah' but, to be honest, I doubt it as the hoor will play the victim as he will portray himself as a victim of "da meeja" "Dublin 4" yada yada yada.

You elect what you deserve. No more so than in SoutH Kerrah. And to think ye kicked out John O'Donohoe........

[leaveherinsir]

A further twist, and if this is true, even more serious. I wonder who's cornflakes MHR pissed in, for these stories to be breaking now?******

The Irish Daily Mail reports this morning that a file is being sent to the DPP into suspected voter fraud in South Kerry during the March election – and that the claims relate to people connected with the Healy Rae campaign.

It concerns at least three incidents of canvassers calling to elderly residents asking to "collect" their postal votes. One reported in The Kerryman in March, involved an 87-year-old man.

"This is the postal ballot that a person would fill out themselves," said FG councillor Bobby O'Connell. "Then they asked the person would they be able to fill it out themselves, and should they not fill it out for them.. The woman went to another house in the locality that we know of . When the person was asked to identify themselves they gave a false name at first. This has all been given in a statement to the guards. I am satisfied myself that the charges relate to a member of the Healy Rae campaign."

A further claim that canvassers gave free cigarettes to Travellers to secure their votes is also being investigated.

Was listening to Matt Cooper on my way home, after Healy Rae was on, a lady from i think it was The National Consumer Council, was on. Apparently she has asked Healy Rae to stand down from their board as elected politicans cant take a board position. It gets better, "oul healy rae got the young boy a seat on this via the last government as part of the deal to support them(no doubt well paid) Michael Healy Rae has refused to voluntarily give up this position. Was funny as Cooper asked the lady (her name escaped me) if she wondered how these new allegations had come to light after 4 years. 

[deiseach]

"De peeple of South Kerrah" will vote this goon in time and time agin cos he's the man for the lump of tar in the pothole and the medical card for the auld wan or the college grant for the rich farmer's son etc.

Not only that, he'll gain votes on the back of being bullied by the evil D4 meeja

[ross matt]

"De peeple of South Kerrah" will vote this goon in time and time agin cos he's the man for the lump of tar in the pothole and the medical card for the auld wan or the college grant for the rich farmer's son etc.

Not only that, he'll gain votes on the back of being bullied by the evil D4 meeja

Exactly. And on the Last Word tonight he availed of every opportunity to potray himself and being a victim.

[gerry]

Oireachtas letter to Jackie Healy-Rae on March 12th 2008 about premium calls


Deputy Jackie Healy Rae
Leinster House

Dear Deputy Healy Rae

I have been requested by the Secretary General of the office of Houses of the Oireachtas to write to you to bring your attention to the following matter:

The telephone costs records of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas show that a total sum of €2639.24 (including VAT) was incurred in costs in respect of over 3600 telephone calls from Leinster House to a premium rate number over a three day period on 22-25 October last year, (the number was 1513 717107 which is understood to have been the number on which votes were registered for Mr. Michael Healy Rae during the 'Celebrities Go Wild' television show last October (2007)). While there are no detailed records of any calls made from particular extensions assigned to either Members or their staff in Leinster House, I can confirm that none of the calls were made from handsets assigned to staff of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas (since there are such records for the phones of staff of the Office). I should also point out that that analysis of the calls received from Leinster House (from information provided by Eircom) shows that they were all of less than 5 seconds duration – over a thousand lasted only 1 second - and that they were generally made in groups at roughly 5 second intervals in regular periods during the above days last October.

The purpose of this letter is to make you aware of these circumstances and to invite your comments. The costs concerned have been discharged from Houses of the Oireachtas Commission funds since we are contractually obliged to pay Eircom for any calls made from the Leinster House number.

Yours sincerely

[bcarrier]

I am amazed how the masses ( and some of the more savvy posters here) get so vexed about this kind of thing. It might be considered petty theft and anyone with a sense of right or wrong knows which side of the fence it falls on but in the grand scheme of things this is absolutely nought. 

The timing is bizarre and I cant help but think that someone somewhere ( probably in a french or german bank) is staging some major fecking heist on the Irish people while they are distracted by this nonsense . How many bondholders got their money back while Ireland ranted about O'Donoghue . It is smoke and mirrors ( again).