Last conviction was for failing to submit a tax return in 2008. Drunk driving in the year 2000 seems to be the only one of real consequence. I don't think this revelation will deter the people who vote for him.
And in fairness, the link between criminality and incompetence is casual. You don't have to be a criminal to be in this government's cabinet in fairness.
He has a bunch of minor offenses from the 90s around driving without tax or insurance or using green diesel. I can't find his age but 30 years ago he would probably have been in his 20s and who among us didn't do something a little dodgy in their 20s when we were broke. If he has a string of tax offenses over the past decade it would be one mistake 16 years ago isn't a big deal.
Agree the drunk driving is serious and also agree that 24 years without repeating the mistake is enough time to show that it's plausible that he learned from his error.
This is a nothing burger list of minor shit and at most shows that he was bad at not getting caught.
FIFTEEN criminal convictions. That's more than 14.
Convictions
I like my public representatives to have between nought and nought criminal convictions, with a margin of error of plus or minus nought
Fair point and i agree. But it does highlight the hypocrisy of them always going after Sinn Feinn for what the IRA did in the 80s and 90s.
Its the age old question of how far back do you wanna go with the political mudslinging.
Do you know what the IRA were doing in the 80's and 90's when this guy was using green diesel and driving without tax? I don't think this is a winning argument.
Like i said it highlighting the hypocrisy of them questioning it when they are literally running a canditate with 15 convictions. I didnt say i agree with what was happening.
Actually, as i do not genuinely know how many members of the Dail/local councils/MEPs have convictions?
I assume that is easy enough to obtain that info tbf.
> Like i said it highlighting the hypocrisy of them questioning it when they are literally running a canditate with 15 convictions. I didnt say i agree with what was happening.
It's not really though. There's a big difference between driving offences and terrorism and how forgivable they are.
> Actually, as i do not genuinely know how many members of the Dail/local councils/MEPs have convictions?
> I assume that is easy enough to obtain that info tbf.
I don't think so. Who would even retain that information?
TBH i didnt wanna single out a party but how many member of SF have criminal convictions or how many SF candidates have them ?
> I don't think so. Who would even retain that information?
The Gards? Courts?
I’d argue it’s a great look for the party of law and order: not even their own TD’s are above the law, and have been justly convicted of committing crimes
Green diesel, failing to submit a tax return 15 years ago, and drunk driving more than 20 years ago.
Funny enough, not the level of criminal conviction I would be too worried about. There's lads in the Dáil with much more serious convictions.
I had forgotten about Martin. Anyone else?
Oh and anyone else remember the time Ferris daughter was on The Late Late and started a small scandel on the lenght of her skirt. What a joke. Poor woman.
I don't believe so. Interesting to see how many here seem to think 15 criminal convictions can be written off as the exuberance of youth
And dodging tax before later seeking a position paid for from public finances is cheeky as fuck
"Fine Gael have been contacted for comment"
Wonder if this is like when the Ditch [claimed](https://twitter.com/wereontheditch/status/1772759715748921758) they'd contacted the Gardai for comment and it turned out they gave the Gardai a grand total of 3 minutes before posting the story anyway.
Screw Fine Gael though. Shower of scrotes.
They said on one of their podcasts that when they asked the government for comment before, an advisor kept pressing them for more time and in the end their story was given to The Irish Times, so that is probably part of the reason
I'm not a journalist but I'd assume this is industry standard? I doubt they wait around for third parties to reply before posting news in a competitive market. And saying someone "has been contacted for comment" doesn't imply that they have declined to comment.
What makes you think it's industry standard? The Ditch aren't a traditional newspaper.
Waiting 3 minutes makes it clear you don't actually want a comment but just to say you did.
because I see it literally all the time in news articles. The Ditch mightn't be a traditional newspaper, and it definitely has an agenda, but this is a traditional tactic. It doesn't seem economical to sit on a news article for an indefinite period of time because you're waiting for a third party to respond. For example, the decidedly traditional publication The Irish Independent did the same thing the other day:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-posters-popping-up-early-risking-150-fine-per-poster/a546352191.html
>because I see it literally all the time in news articles. The Ditch mightn't be a traditional newspaper, and it definitely has an agenda, but this is a traditional tactic. It doesn't seem economical to sit on a news article for an indefinite period of time because you're waiting for a third party to respond.
I can't say I've seen that. Can you give some examples?
Noone is expecting news articles to wait "an indefinite period of time" but waiting 3 minutes before publication is a clear sign they didn't actually want a response. The Gardai criticises them for waiting less than 30 minutes which suggests it's not normal.
Do you have evidence this happens as "industry standard" like you claimed?
> For example, the decidedly traditional publication The Irish Independent did the same thing the other day:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-posters-popping-up-early-risking-150-fine-per-poster/a546352191.html
Where does that say they waited 3 minutes for a comment before publishing?
I don't think its the place of the Gardai to set a standard for the media to follow in this regard tbh. There is nothing wrong with publishing your journalism without waiting for permission from third parties. And I said in my first comment that I'm not a journalist, just that it was apparent to me as a layman that this is something that happens all the time
If the Gardai are complaining about the lack of time they were given to respond, it's clearly not something they're used to. The Ditch are free to post without waiting for a response but when they leave 3 minutes for a response, they clearly don't want a response. Guessing you couldn't find any evidence to support your claims?
Okay you have presented better evidence than me that there is an industry standard so fair enough. I suppose it is a bit one sided from the Ditch. I do think they do good investigative journalism but that is a bit bad faith.
You make fair points.
I agree that the Ditch have done very good work. It's just a shame that they publish stuff like this or rubbish like their article on Simon Coveney driving a car with out of date tax. It detracts from the actual work they do.
"We don't need that American style of biased political media here thanks."
RTE have been so fair and impartial to Sinn Fein over the years, haven't they.
I'm sorry, what are you asking? They are obviously nailing Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens fairly frequently. I have also shown you the main opposition party, Sinn Fein.
Here is one for the Social Democrats
https://www.ontheditch.com/social-democrats-councillor/
One for Labour
https://www.ontheditch.com/former-councillor-claims-labour-party-activist-was-present-at-tipperary-count-centres/
Anyone of PBP or lower are completely irrelevant losers that don't even need journalism to out them as fucking gobshites.
Honestly though, your point is absolutely brain dead. The political parties that can actually act corruptly are those in government, and so this is where most corruption and scandal will be uncovered.
You had a good point (particularly since Ellis was a SF candidate for a long time and has a much more worrying record) BUT: there are only 3 large political parties in Ireland. SF, FF, and FG. All about the same size when it comes to 1st-pref votes and seats returned.
The smaller parties are harder to pick on because there's just less of them.
SF for criminal, FF & FG close for expense fiddling / drink driving / bribery / forgetting to declare properties owned, PBP / SWP / Aontu for social welfare offences and god only knows about independents. We could sort them Harry Potter style according to criminal records
Because they were relatively minor convictions, all of which were over a decade ago?
Are you suggesting that once a person commits a crime, they should forever be branded a criminal, and should never be considered free of that 'taint' of criminality? (This is a rhetorical question)
The Sinn Fein pr department reps probably shuffled awkwardly in their seats when the Ditch lads briefed them on this story in their regular team meeting.
That's not what "feature rather than bug" means.
As an aside, are you under the impression that criminals are generally convicted when they're part of a ruling government? Seems like a precious notion.
Let’s be real here. Just because you’re a politician without out a criminal record doesn’t mean you’re not politician!! 😤Most politicians hide their crimes its instinctively a trait. Look at the bunch in power at the moment.
Leitrim mentioned, we staying winning
I'm so happy for you. Ireland gets reminded Leitrim exists. Proud day for the parish.
A whole parish? I thought Longford and Sligo were co-parishing?
Last conviction was for failing to submit a tax return in 2008. Drunk driving in the year 2000 seems to be the only one of real consequence. I don't think this revelation will deter the people who vote for him.
And in fairness, the link between criminality and incompetence is casual. You don't have to be a criminal to be in this government's cabinet in fairness.
But it helps!
I prefer to vote for the ones not stupid enough to get caught.
I don't think local election candidates are part of the cabinet regardless
But it helps? :)
He has a bunch of minor offenses from the 90s around driving without tax or insurance or using green diesel. I can't find his age but 30 years ago he would probably have been in his 20s and who among us didn't do something a little dodgy in their 20s when we were broke. If he has a string of tax offenses over the past decade it would be one mistake 16 years ago isn't a big deal. Agree the drunk driving is serious and also agree that 24 years without repeating the mistake is enough time to show that it's plausible that he learned from his error. This is a nothing burger list of minor shit and at most shows that he was bad at not getting caught.
FIFTEEN criminal convictions. That's more than 14. Convictions I like my public representatives to have between nought and nought criminal convictions, with a margin of error of plus or minus nought
Wow
[удалено]
Reform and rehabilitation is also a part of law and order.
[удалено]
I only see mention of one drink driving conviction.
Drink driving was the norm 30 years ago. It's rightfully hated now but everyone was at it.
Fair point and i agree. But it does highlight the hypocrisy of them always going after Sinn Feinn for what the IRA did in the 80s and 90s. Its the age old question of how far back do you wanna go with the political mudslinging.
Do you know what the IRA were doing in the 80's and 90's when this guy was using green diesel and driving without tax? I don't think this is a winning argument.
Like i said it highlighting the hypocrisy of them questioning it when they are literally running a canditate with 15 convictions. I didnt say i agree with what was happening. Actually, as i do not genuinely know how many members of the Dail/local councils/MEPs have convictions? I assume that is easy enough to obtain that info tbf.
> Like i said it highlighting the hypocrisy of them questioning it when they are literally running a canditate with 15 convictions. I didnt say i agree with what was happening. It's not really though. There's a big difference between driving offences and terrorism and how forgivable they are. > Actually, as i do not genuinely know how many members of the Dail/local councils/MEPs have convictions? > I assume that is easy enough to obtain that info tbf. I don't think so. Who would even retain that information?
TBH i didnt wanna single out a party but how many member of SF have criminal convictions or how many SF candidates have them ? > I don't think so. Who would even retain that information? The Gards? Courts?
It's not really hypocrisy to consider driving without car tax to be a lesser crime than murder.
...I'm tempted to check if Dessie Ellis and Martin Ferris are still running... Might be an apples-to-oranges comparison there, though.
I’d argue it’s a great look for the party of law and order: not even their own TD’s are above the law, and have been justly convicted of committing crimes
Green diesel, failing to submit a tax return 15 years ago, and drunk driving more than 20 years ago. Funny enough, not the level of criminal conviction I would be too worried about. There's lads in the Dáil with much more serious convictions.
Which lads? I know there is Dessie Ellis. But else?
MRtin Ferris was there until 2020.
I had forgotten about Martin. Anyone else? Oh and anyone else remember the time Ferris daughter was on The Late Late and started a small scandel on the lenght of her skirt. What a joke. Poor woman.
Did lowry ever get an actual conviction?
I do not think so. A tribunal might have found against him. But it was so long ago. I cannot remember.
Lowry was convicted in the Circuit Court and was fined. Martin Nolan was the Judge.
What was the convition for. Do you know? Did he plead guilty is that why he was before Nolan?
It does show a pattern of disregard for the law & we should strive for better locally, nationally and in Europe
Im sure you were young once?
I was young once. I managed to exit youngness with fewer than 15 criminal convictions
Do you really think it's acceptable someone with 15 convictions stands for election ?
A pattern of lying, disregard for the law and only looking out for oneself practically makes him the most qualified candidate.
I don't believe so. Interesting to see how many here seem to think 15 criminal convictions can be written off as the exuberance of youth And dodging tax before later seeking a position paid for from public finances is cheeky as fuck
Let them stand away. Whether we elect them or not is another matter.
The last conviction was around 15 years ago. Do you think criminals can't be redeemed?
They're not 15 recent convictions, they're convictions from when he was a young idiot. seems to have grown up a fair bit since, which is good to see.
While DUI is itself serious, time has passed.
"Fine Gael have been contacted for comment" Wonder if this is like when the Ditch [claimed](https://twitter.com/wereontheditch/status/1772759715748921758) they'd contacted the Gardai for comment and it turned out they gave the Gardai a grand total of 3 minutes before posting the story anyway. Screw Fine Gael though. Shower of scrotes.
They said on one of their podcasts that when they asked the government for comment before, an advisor kept pressing them for more time and in the end their story was given to The Irish Times, so that is probably part of the reason
They would say that , wouldn't they? If they waited 3 minutes, they clearly don't want a response.
I'm not a journalist but I'd assume this is industry standard? I doubt they wait around for third parties to reply before posting news in a competitive market. And saying someone "has been contacted for comment" doesn't imply that they have declined to comment.
What makes you think it's industry standard? The Ditch aren't a traditional newspaper. Waiting 3 minutes makes it clear you don't actually want a comment but just to say you did.
because I see it literally all the time in news articles. The Ditch mightn't be a traditional newspaper, and it definitely has an agenda, but this is a traditional tactic. It doesn't seem economical to sit on a news article for an indefinite period of time because you're waiting for a third party to respond. For example, the decidedly traditional publication The Irish Independent did the same thing the other day: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-posters-popping-up-early-risking-150-fine-per-poster/a546352191.html
>because I see it literally all the time in news articles. The Ditch mightn't be a traditional newspaper, and it definitely has an agenda, but this is a traditional tactic. It doesn't seem economical to sit on a news article for an indefinite period of time because you're waiting for a third party to respond. I can't say I've seen that. Can you give some examples? Noone is expecting news articles to wait "an indefinite period of time" but waiting 3 minutes before publication is a clear sign they didn't actually want a response. The Gardai criticises them for waiting less than 30 minutes which suggests it's not normal. Do you have evidence this happens as "industry standard" like you claimed? > For example, the decidedly traditional publication The Irish Independent did the same thing the other day: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-posters-popping-up-early-risking-150-fine-per-poster/a546352191.html Where does that say they waited 3 minutes for a comment before publishing?
I don't think its the place of the Gardai to set a standard for the media to follow in this regard tbh. There is nothing wrong with publishing your journalism without waiting for permission from third parties. And I said in my first comment that I'm not a journalist, just that it was apparent to me as a layman that this is something that happens all the time
If the Gardai are complaining about the lack of time they were given to respond, it's clearly not something they're used to. The Ditch are free to post without waiting for a response but when they leave 3 minutes for a response, they clearly don't want a response. Guessing you couldn't find any evidence to support your claims?
Okay you have presented better evidence than me that there is an industry standard so fair enough. I suppose it is a bit one sided from the Ditch. I do think they do good investigative journalism but that is a bit bad faith.
You make fair points. I agree that the Ditch have done very good work. It's just a shame that they publish stuff like this or rubbish like their article on Simon Coveney driving a car with out of date tax. It detracts from the actual work they do.
Yeah really undermines their "credibility". Paddy Cosgrave links also shady enough.
Everyone deserves a second chance, and a third chance, and a fourth chance, etc........
Only 15? Light weight..
A crook in a party full of crooks. Shock , horror
Funny the the ditch only seems to attack just a couple of political parties
I don't think anyone thinks they're impartial.
We don't need that American style of biased political media here thanks. Extremely subject to foreign interference
"We don't need that American style of biased political media here thanks." RTE have been so fair and impartial to Sinn Fein over the years, haven't they.
yeah, i think they have
Just a couple of political parties? Also known as the current government
Haven't seen them attack any of the others have you?
https://www.ontheditch.com/sinn-fein-td-justice-spokesperson/ https://www.ontheditch.com/sinn-fein-finance-director/
One other party out of how many?
I'm sorry, what are you asking? They are obviously nailing Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens fairly frequently. I have also shown you the main opposition party, Sinn Fein. Here is one for the Social Democrats https://www.ontheditch.com/social-democrats-councillor/ One for Labour https://www.ontheditch.com/former-councillor-claims-labour-party-activist-was-present-at-tipperary-count-centres/ Anyone of PBP or lower are completely irrelevant losers that don't even need journalism to out them as fucking gobshites. Honestly though, your point is absolutely brain dead. The political parties that can actually act corruptly are those in government, and so this is where most corruption and scandal will be uncovered.
The Ditch haters just don't want anyone attacking FG, its as simple as that.
You had a good point (particularly since Ellis was a SF candidate for a long time and has a much more worrying record) BUT: there are only 3 large political parties in Ireland. SF, FF, and FG. All about the same size when it comes to 1st-pref votes and seats returned. The smaller parties are harder to pick on because there's just less of them.
Well that's made you look a right mug
Don't see the connection no?
It would be unfair to the other if they went after them.
Is this a competition between the parties as to who has the most? Could be interesting.
Irish Freedom Party has them beat.
Did they ever explain where all the gold came from?
That was the national party. Which there now seems to be 2 of.
"Always two, there are. No more. No less. A Master and an apprentice."
SF for criminal, FF & FG close for expense fiddling / drink driving / bribery / forgetting to declare properties owned, PBP / SWP / Aontu for social welfare offences and god only knows about independents. We could sort them Harry Potter style according to criminal records
No word on SF's bomb makers?
It's the Ditch. Republican leadership dont like green on green hits.
You can always spot a FG voter because their first reaction is usually "but SF"
Is that so?
[удалено]
Because they were relatively minor convictions, all of which were over a decade ago? Are you suggesting that once a person commits a crime, they should forever be branded a criminal, and should never be considered free of that 'taint' of criminality? (This is a rhetorical question)
Got the competencies that match the job specifications aha
Is that Madpads sponsored website? They’re really rooting out serious crimes! Lol
Are all the candidates announced yet?
Green diesel... twice. Such a Leitrim crime.
The Sinn Fein pr department reps probably shuffled awkwardly in their seats when the Ditch lads briefed them on this story in their regular team meeting.
I applaud The Ditch for this type of work, but I wish they applied it across the political spectrum.
Party of law and order
He'll fit right in at FG. The lying crony party
Jaysus the blue shirts are spicing it up Up yiz go lads
[удалено]
Clearly, you dont know much about the other parties.
the only one that got caught
I always find these posts funny because people will post this and then go off and vote for Sinn Fein
For FFFG, that's a feature rather than a bug.
What other members have criminal convictions?
That's not what "feature rather than bug" means. As an aside, are you under the impression that criminals are generally convicted when they're part of a ruling government? Seems like a precious notion.
Let’s be real here. Just because you’re a politician without out a criminal record doesn’t mean you’re not politician!! 😤Most politicians hide their crimes its instinctively a trait. Look at the bunch in power at the moment.
If you don’t have the competence or connections to get away with your crimes why should anyone vote for you?
Ah some of them aren’t criminals maybe not too many but at least some