Texts and emails, Thursday 18 February 2010
Topic: Willie O’Dea’s resignation
Panellists: Alan English (editor of the Limerick Leader), Vincent P Martin (Barrister and former Green Councillor), Noel Whelan (Barrister and Commentator) and Sarah McInerney (Sunday Times).
Close, but no cigar Groucho O Dee! Another gangster from limerick but by far the worst! Jim, Galway.
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How sad that Vincent Browne finds perjuring politicians an amusing and commonplace spectacle.
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Have you all forgot about Mary C and the mess she’s making? she must be loving all this about Willie O Dea.
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Consider the obvious possibility he assumed the tape no longer existed!
Kieran Magennis, Dublin.
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It’s good to know that a politician telling lies is news as if they never do that.
Joe, Kildare.
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If all politicians were to be taken at their word then they are all guilty of lies and deception why pick on one individual for possibly making an honest mistake it seems to be very convenient.
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This was a choice piece of information which he got from a Garda source a grenade to be used at the right time no way did he forget he threw the grenade.
Mick, Castlebar.
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You are contradicting yourself when u say he 4got about interview because the dictaphone was evident. Greens r pathetic and do not deserve to b in power.
Cathy, Castlebar.
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Wake up and accept the evidence. Willie lied under oath knowingly or not doesn’t matter. He had to go. He should have gone earlier. However he is a politician and different rules apply.
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I'm surprised at you!! He may have forgotten there was a dicatphone under his mouth, there's no way he could have forgotten what he said. Have you heard the interview....He emphasised the point about Mr. Quinlivan. You're showing your limerick Bias!!!
Gearoid, Dublin.
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Willie is well known for his poisonous tongue. It finally came back and hit him in the eye. He knew he said what he did he just forgot about the tape.
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He should have resigned sooner, I'm amazed that the Taoiseach’s adviser's allowed him to give a vote of confidence in such a flawed politician, its another example of gombean & banana republic politics, shame on them all & shame on the electorate 4 voting them in. Frank Hynes.
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Would it not have been prudent for Mr O Dea to consult with limerick leader before swearing affidavit? Lack of judgement there and badly advised.
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Willie just forgot Fianna Fail’s code of practice..."on mature recollection"
Brian Dunne, Drogheda.
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You should have been his council your taking up for him so much he said himself he was tired at that interview it was a long day and he forgot about the tape he would also have to forgotten about the chat he had with the police man in the first place did he not wonder then that he might have said it we are not all fools Vincent.
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Thank God Willie is gone. If he has such memory black outs we'd be running the risk that during one of those memory black outs he could, as Minister for Defense declare war on a neighbour and not remember it. I assume to be a Government Minister a memory is one of the more basic requirements, maybe not though.
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Regarding Willie O’Dea and Brian Cowen’s defence of him. 'Low Standards in High Places'. How right was Garret Fitzgerald nearly 30 years ago to describe Fianna Fail Administrations thus.
Errol, Clare.
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Once more, once less a complete storm in a teacup - it's a set up and a frame that has nothing to do with an off the cuff comment or statement by Willy, it really is just a pathetic political power struggle again. These clowns will fly kites under carpets to achieve their goals. A public apology would suffice - then get on with the real business on hand. Lastly, what is a Government Minister doing playing on twitter and facebook whilst in office. Thought that was reserved for school kids. The whole bunch really needs to grow up.
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Let he who is innocent throw the first stone. Politicians make it as politicians because they throw stones. They are all very sad and wasting the taxpayers money every day.
Paul, Kerry.
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The greens should change their name 2 yellow from
Bernie Cotter, Cork.
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Eamonn Ryan is a good policy maker, an ideas man who works hard to change this country for the better. Who cares that he is not 'politically ' astute. He shouldn’t have to deal with this childish crap.
Tom, Wicklow.
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Should we not take a look at the members of the house who voted with O’Dea, basically saying what he did was ok. It really shows how much of a boys club it all is. Thankfully O’Dea had his arrogance cut down, hopefully the arrogance of his party colleagues will also be addressed.
Gerri.
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I am a green party supporter all my life and this is the straw that has broken the camel’s back unless the green party pull out of government now and allow the people to vote for a new government i and thousands of other green party supporters will be walking away from the party now!
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The Former Minister O’Dea should have Been Sacked before he Resigned.
Joe, Galway.
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Looks like your article in the Irish Times has given the greens the moral courage to take on the corruption in Fianna Fail and Fianna Gael.
Archie.
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I was beginning to believe there’s no accountability for wrongdoing in the dail, that there’s one law for us and another law for politicians! For too long the government have got away with no accountability!
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The greens signed their own death warrant ages ago - we only wait for the appropriate moment to carry out the sentence. Hopefully we can do so soon.
Mike, Wexford.
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Let's hope the Greens will now support Mary Coughlan and stand up to Michael O Leary, whom we all suspect of scheming to oust Aer Lingus and humiliate the government.
Breda Hetherington, Waterford.
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There are two issues that need to be addressed here 1: why was this ignored for so long by the media? & 2: why did the government back a minister who clearly acted in a manner that is unacceptable to the office he held and the ethical standard that is required of such a position?
Rory, Limerick.
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Now that it is known that Willie O'Dea is scurrilous enough to perjur himself for political advantage, I hope that The Sunday Independent will no longer afford him the weekly opportunity to apply similar tactics to all and sundry, if they do not hold similar political views to him.
M.Burke.
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A minister who forgets what he said, especially when he prefaced his remarks with 'I suppose I shouldnt say this', then lies under oath about it isn't fit 2 b a TD still less a minister. Margaret.
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If he's not fit to be minister then he is not fit to be a TD.
Arthur, Ballyboughal.
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Am I mistaken for thinking that the last time a minister was accused of lying to the courts was in the arms trial So Willie O’Dea is not the first time FF has been involved in such type of action! It was manifestly wrong then as it is now! FF cannot be trusted! I called for a public inquiry into the arms trial and there should be a public inquiry into Willie O Dea’s actions also Annraoi Blaney, Howth.
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As an ex member of the Irish permanent defence forces, minister o dea did not act on problems that existed in the army. He didn’t listen to the people who had the inside track. I welcome this resignation.
ex nco (ret)
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It’s interesting 2 see the difference in reports from rte and tv3 re W O'Dea. I'd be more inclined 2 believe tv3.
Christine, Cork.
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Would the reason why the established media never picked up on the O'Dea story was because it was a SF candidate been damaged?
Dave, Westport.
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Given their sky is falling attitude to the weather, the fact that they are now a statistical anomaly, and their out-dated belief that you can change human behaviour through punishment, allied to the fact that they are now FF in everything but name, perhaps The Green Party should admit the game is up, and resign.
Martin, Carrick-on-suir.
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The late George Colley, a former FF cabinet minister & Tánaiste, once said that there were 'low standards in high places.' It is now sadly the case that there are NO standards in high places! The lack of moral fibre in our country's leaders is witness to how low we've fallen.
Séamus Greene, Dublin 16.
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