To all the Chancers in the Dail; a Happy Christmas

by Elaine Fri Dec 24, 2004 03:04

Check out what he said at the Freedom of Information Conference at University College Cork (16 October 1998) when he was the Minister for State at the Department of Finance

"However it is important to understand Freedom of Information as part of a wide ranging programme of reform within central Government. It is paralleled by exciting new initiatives under the Delivering Better Government Programme. These include greater devolution of responsibility and accountability among line managers within departments, new approaches to Human Resource and Performance Management and improved financial management systems. At the heart of all this is the provision of quality customer services and ensuring taxpayers' monies are spent most effectively."

And there's more... look how he deftly places his foot in his mouth...

"Can I ask you in the midst of this very worthwhile event to remember that ultimately FOI is not just about requests for information, or indeed the finer points of law. It is about deepening our democracy and improving the accountability and performance of our public service."

http://www.ucc.ie/law/foi/conference/cullen.html

O.K. Cullen, clear out your desk you're fired. Oh, and take your hernia with you!

On the subject of electronic voting, in an article entitled 'Irish Politicians - Poor Grasp of the Internet', (Nov 05 1999).

"A survey of Irish politicians shows that the vast majority, 84 percent, remain sceptical about the prospect of online voting taking off in the next ten years."

"Nearly all respondents agreed that there had not been enough public debate on the "information society" per se and expressed concern about the emergence of a digital divide."

http://www.nua.com/surveys/?f=VS&art_id=905355388&rel=true

Freedom of Information my arse, Democracy my arse. I don't believe this government do 'public debate'. Consider the proposed M3 tolled motorway through Tara, Cu Cullen's baby til he got moved to Transport in a painfully ironic twist. (While Environment minister he also vandalised Carrickmines by sticking a motorway through it.)
Instead of having a public debate, the National Roads Authority have wasted tens of thousands of Euros of public money taking out full page advertisements telling us all how wonderful it will be to drive over our heritage which they deny is there in the first place. The NRA apparently are not accountable to anyone. The Gestapo wing of Fianna Fail, annihilating all in their path.

Regime change can't come soon enough

Ooops, sorry. Wrong Finger!

by Pete Fri Dec 24, 2004 19:27

I think hes an excellent minister - makes tough decisions in a difficult portfolio and realises we need to progress. I think the real scandal is the money being paid to archeoligists to investigate these site - tree huggers with degrees and I think that is what motivates alot of this bullshit

by John McDermott - Removefiannafail Fri Dec 24, 2004 19:52 jmcd444 at yahoo dot com Cosmopolitan-thank God!

A kind contributor has wished a happy Christmas to The Soldiers of destiny crew .
I only wish them,what my grandmother ,God rest her,used to reserved for their ilk:

'BAD CESS TO THEM ALL.'

by liam0 Sat Dec 25, 2004 06:27

where did cullen lose 55million? if you are refering to the electronic voting then how was this money lost? the only reason these machines are sitting in storage and couldn't be put to use at the last election was because of idiots like u complaing about them. cullen is a fine minister, i know being the socialist u are you have to be against him but thats stupidity. think off all the money cullen raised with his bag tax. and the effect this had on the environment. also nothing has been proved about this leech affair so if you are refering to him awarding her the pr contract then maybe u should wait till the truth is known.

by Michael Hennigan Sun Dec 26, 2004 23:54

liam0, you may think the minister is 'fine,' but surely not on the basis of a tax that he had no responsibility for introducing? Noel Dempsey introduced the plastic bag tax.

As to calling people 'idiots,' for seeking a credible backup system for evoting systems, Bertie and Cullen's other colleagues must also be idiots for forcing a retreat on the issue.

by John mcDermott - removefiannafail Mon Dec 27, 2004 20:30 jmcd444 at yahoo dot com

Irish government policy is dictated by farming interests.
Why did Julian Filochowski, former Director of CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) say, the poorest countries were being forced to trade their goods in conditions which are "unjust and impossible".
He stated: "More than three billion people are on less than $2 a day and yet the subsidies which every cow inside the EU receives or the farmer receives for them is more than that - $2.20 a day. It is even higher in the US and higher still in Japan."
The subsidies allowed farmers in the West to dump produce at low cost on the world market squeezing out those from poorer countries who could not compete, he said.
Mr Filochowski attacked Ireland for using one third of EU subsidies and criticised it for blocking a scaling back of EU cotton subsidies during its EU Presidency.

Why should Fianna Fail set up a multi-million pound slush fund called ‘The National Reserve Fund’ to compensate Irish Farmers with IRISH TAXPAYERS MONEY,simply because the E.E.C.are retrenching from these ruinous subsidies,or worse still because some Irish Farmers will fail to meet the lawful E.E.C.requirements,- such as pollution control-which will qualify them for existing handouts.?

Why should Irish Farmers who have cheated the E.E.C,and received lucrative grants for the past 15 years,to plant forests on marginal farmland,not be obliged to repay this money.?

The E.E.A.(European Environmental Agency)has stated that much of the land used for this purpose-especially in the west of Ireland-was peat bogland.These same ‘illegal forests’ will,in time, cause irrevocable soil change and groundwater pollution.

Why should farmers have to receive 14 days notice of E.E.C.inspection for cross compliance with agriculture and environmental compliance/regulations which will qualify them for a generous PENSION-FOR-LIFE under a new taxpayers scam called;THE SINGLE FARM PAYMENT SYSTEM.?

If the fishing industry-and the agriculture sector have been engaged in widespread fraud for years, why should they now be otherwise accredited with good behaviour,and given ample notice to camouflage their abuses from inspectors.?

The National Criminal Bureau of Investigation must complete it’s investigation into
The Fishing Industry Scandal revealed in December 2005,by a ‘whistleblower’,despite mounting opposition,particularly,in Donegal.

Ireland is now the only country in Europe,where GOMBEEN GREED has virtually wiped out the salmon fishing industry.
Soon we will see these fishermen asking the government to buy out their now-worthless drift net fishing permits.

And only Fianna Fail would buy them.(wait and see.!)

The ‘Irish Nation Herd’ consists of some 4 million two legged taxpayers.
Hermaphrodites all, they have the largest tits in Europe(both sexes).

The Irish Farmers Association,-some 120,000 families in all- monitor the milking machines,which are located in Leinster House,and boy, do they suck….!

They are dutifully managed by the Soldiers of Destiny, their current chief milkmaid,one Mary Coughlan.Some things never change.

by liam0 Wed Dec 29, 2004 18:10

surely dempsey only came up with the measure back in 1999? cullen introduced it didn't he? and as for that thing bout bertie and his colleagues retreating on the issue. That was obviously in response to other peoples objection. the governement couldn't really go ahead when it appeared so many disagreed with it. and personally i don't see how the voting system was not credible. there was no evidence to sugest it would lead to irregularites or whatever.

by Gambler Fri Dec 31, 2004 00:20

"The National Criminal Bureau of Investigation must complete it’s investigation into The Fishing Industry Scandal revealed in December 2005,by a ‘whistleblower’,despite mounting opposition,particularly,in Donegal."

Ah, John, you never told us before that you were so skilled with the crystal ball. If you are able to tell what is going to happen in December 2005 then perhaps you could give us a couple of tips so we can put a few Euro on the horses.

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics - Please Sat Jan 01, 2005 21:41

Very interesting data.

What about random Ethics audits of Govt. Ministers departments.

Let's ask about consultants fees etc.....


Michelle


The Roman Empire fell and the saying goes 'Nero fiddled while Rome burnt'.

A quote to those exercising Governmental power in Ireland and at EC level

Qvintus Ennivs: 'DO NOT EXPECT STRANGERS TO DO FOR YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF'

It is easy to get up in the old distraction techniques.

We could start on an Ethics Audit for Farmleigh, Evoting, etc. etc.