General Election 2020 Part 2

No surrender

Poor Cathal had his local election posters defaced a few years ago.

Turns out it was done by his own team to try and get some sympathy votes off the local electorate and cast aspersions on his rivals

2 Likes

Two thought-provoking articles from Gerard Howlin about where FF finds itself now and some of the economic headwinds that will face any incoming government

Lazy enough analysis in the change article. I’d say he was a regular “contributor” to the likes of the Marian Finucane show.

Coveney – we’ll talk to all parties if a government can’t be put together
 Except Sinn Fein.

Slowly, slowly
 We’re coming around to it.

Reminds me of a Tory election candidate who drew swastikas on his own posters.

At the poster design stage?

10 Likes

He defaced one of his own posters with hand drawn swastikas and then lied that Labour supporters had done so.

Jaysus you rattled him there @balbec

Great insight
you bland non entity.

It was more of an observation. I observed you were rattled by a simple jibe, I didn’t seek to provide any insight as to why it rattled you so much.

There they are now, all the lads.

There he is now the unelected Jarry sitting in the middle of them all pulling the strings

Tis a lovely geansai all the same. The man has some schtyle.

Thread:

To begin I am not now nor have I ever been a member of any political party. I vote according to my own decisions on the day. I also read all the policy documents; yes, I am that person.

In 2002 my brother Justin Foley was killed in a workplace fatality in Ballymun Industrial Estate. He was crushed to death by a reversing 40ft articulated lorry while standing on a faulty loading bay.

He died of crush injuries to his head. Severe traumatic brain stem injury was the cause of death according to the Coroner’s Report. He was 21 years old.

Multiple of breaches of legislation occurred; it’d be more expedient if you read them all here: https://anphoblacht.com/contents/15418

No prosecutions were taken.

The HSA took no prosecutions. The DPP took no prosecutions.

The onus fell on us a grieving family to take a civil case.

It took 8 years.

Justin was killed on the 2nd of December, 2002.

Our civil case did not reach The High Court until the 12th of January, 2010.

We settled out of court. We could not afford to go into the court and potentially pay the legal fees of all 3 companies for <8 years.

Our solicitor, Dermot McNamara; waived all our legal fees after two years into the civil case, so we could continue. That was very kind.

I ran a Justice for Justin Foley Campaign which became a campaign to enact Corporate Manslaughter legislation in Ireland for those 8 years. A couple of close friends helped me; and the kindest stranger I ever met: @stephie08

In June 2006, we went to Brussels to discuss Health & Safety at work. Again, you can read it faster here: https://anphoblacht.com/contents/15421

Mary Lou McDonald was there. She was extremely busy. She told my mother, Patricia, and I that she wanted to have lunch with us, she only had half an hour; but we would have her undivided attention for that time.

We went to the cafĂ©, Mary Lou had what I can only describe as a leafy salad; and I remember thinking that it wouldn’t fill anyone.

I briefly went through the details of the case and campaign, I was used to it, I could do it with brevity.

Mary Lou stopped eating.

She asked my mother to tell her everything that happened.

My mother told her of how her 21 year old son went out to work in the morning and came home x3 days later in a hearse.

My mother told her of Justin the type of man he was and how upsetting it was that no prosecutions had been taken when his life was taken.

My mother told her that if even one prosecution had been taken we would’ve left it. But, we couldn’t lived with Justin’s life being reduced to nothing. It wasn’t nothing to us.

Mary Lou held my mam’s hand and listened to her story.

People came and told her she was late. She ignored them completely and did not lose eye contact with my mother.

When my mother was finished Mary Lou said she had to go but would keep in touch.

The woman had no lunch.

Mary Lou McDonald is the only politician, state official, civil servant, employed person who sat and listened to my mother’s story of how her son was killed with undivided attention and held her hand.

My brother, Justin Foley, has been dead 17 years.

Mary Lou McDonald is kind.

I think for some people politics is a vocation. I think Mary Lou has that vocation. She is extremely well-qualified, and if elected would be our first woman Taoiseach.

I didn’t want to let today pass without mentioning how important kindness is in your elected representatives.

Thank you for listening.

NO VOTES FOR FASCISTS.

8 Likes

Mike Hunt accusing someone else of lazy analysis. You couldn’t make it up

2 Likes

I have heard Mary Lou is very personable and capable.

A leafy salad indeed.

3 Likes

That’ll pull in a few green voters next time out.