Tonight with Vincent Browne on Wednesday, 7 October, 2009
Texts and emails to tonight with Vincent Browne on Wednesday, 7 October, 2009. Participants: Sam Smyth, Vincent P Martin of the Green Party, Pat Fitzgerald, also of the Green Party, Marie Louise O’Donnell and Lynda O’Shea Farren.
Subject: the Greens and participation in government and the newspapers’ coverage of the John O’Donoghue controversy.
I’m sick 2 death of listening 2 d likes of Sam Smyth attaching d public sector while his employer lives a privileged as a tax exile and doesn’t contribute a single euro 2 our economy why isn’t this channelled by anyone. Anon.
We should have a campaign and we all should get out and march that no one in Ireland can earn more then 100000. That should sort out our politicians and Senators. Lucy Waterford.
Lemass and Pearse must be turning in their graves looking at Fianna Fail. Anon.
The Greens have a great chance to get the slime off its image and save the country from a black hole , beware of the anger . TB
I wonder do our td's think of the many families who are struggling to pay utility bills and mortgages and the children who go to bed hungry, hurt n cold when they are claiming lavish expenses. Our td's have few principles n morals. Ita, Galway
I blame all the people who voted this mob of gangsters in. They're either ignorant greedy or corrupt. Some are now waking up, alas too late look what they've done to our country. Its disgraceful. Joe. Kerry.
How can the greens pull out of a right wing government when they are so far to the right that the are blind to what left means - ex green party member, Brian Dundalk.
I have a pain in my head the country is run by cowboys 'animal farm ' what have we to do to get rid of them all. They are all dishonest with no morals Are those green men a comedy act, Bernie
How can a party that was decimated at the local elections - one Co. CLLR - hold the balance of future generations in their hands? Nick. Galway .
The Greens need to get a backbone. Stop sitting on the fence and get ont of that corrupt government. For GOD'S sake do something. Mary. Dundalk .
The green party is a party of hypocrites! they also wanted the U.S. military to no longer be allowed use Shannon airport before the last general election yet the U.S military continue to do so. I hope the green party pull out of government and go the same way the P.Ds went after the last election! Anon.
God help us if the greens have anything to do with education our kids wil be back 2 writing wit quills! Anon.
All party policies were based on economic forecasts at the time. No one foresaw Lehman Brothers collapse, its time to get real. The Social welfare bill is not sustainable and the handouts must to be cut in half for any healthy person claiming it for more than 3 years. Resources must to be focused and those who deserve it, not on the social parasites who leech the system. Stephen Kearon , Ballinaclash , co Wicklow
I cant understand why willie odea would attack Mr. Gilmore for doing what was right. Mr. Gilmore did what he did with respect and said what needed to be said and i wonder what was wrong with that. A bit more straight talk is needed and this is something Fianna Fail would want to get used to. Theresa in co. Meath
There's nothing new in the despicable behaviour of modern Irish politicians. Boss Tweed and his cronies swindled millions from local government during the Tammany Hall era in New York City . Gerard McConnell, Cork
That smug looking Green Party fella there is saying that now their election promises don't count because there's a different economy. If he's right then by that logic the Greens now have no mandate and have no business being in government.
I think these damn political promises should be made "legally binding" for the next election. Sign them all up to one of these magical treaties to keep them in check! Alan, Dublin
They say whether the greens pull the plug or not, that their gone anyway.
I believe that they can save themselves by getting as far away as possible from this current Government. Martin.
In the USA each state appoints 2 senators regardless of the population it contains. This means 100 senators represent 250 million. If Ireland appointed 2 TD's per county this would reduce the number of TD's to 54. Each would represent far more, by far, than in the U.S. Perhaps, were this to happen, they would have to become true legislators, rather than public representatives whose principal interests are in attending funerals, weddings, and getting re-elected. This strategy would also bring them much more in line with other states in Europe . The U.K. has 600+ MP's representing 60+ million. Spain has 300 members of "Las Cortes" who represent 40+ million. Were such a reduction to occur, as well as a new system of vouched and justified expenses then "real" savings could be made. Finally, the Irish state pays much more to their "bunch of bodgers". It appears that here quantity is more important than quality, and forget the cost. The poor bloody taxpayer will have to pick up the bill. Colin Sanders, Wexford.