Locals evicted from Civic Centre as President looks on

by Róisín Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:52

Pretty standard behaviour from an unelected fogurehead who has continuously shown her contempt for the law of the country, commenting on the political process while away from the country, e.g. encouraging people to vote for Nice. Those comments she made post-911 were a disgrace. The worst "president" we've ever had.

by hmmmm Sun Apr 22, 2007 14:29

I first started describing the PD ministers of the current government as "the worst ministers of justice and health the state ever had" at very specific points in the last 4 years. Not just because it sounded nice but because I honestly felt and still feel their mistakes and misjudgements on specific occasions which were never balanced by any true success proved they merited the tags. They were the worst. Unfortuanately I don't think we can say the same of Mc Aleese in a society where the average citizen would be very hard pushed to name more than five presidents with whom to judge her or suggest any criteria by which she be judged. If it is her behaviour proximate to democrats such as the S2S protesters above or the Iraqi schoolgirl who almost got expelled for wanting to stand next to her (c/f http://www.indymedia.ie/article/67656 ) - then no quite honestly she hasn't been so inspiring. I doubt any of us were encouraged by her thoughts on northern protestants being brought up to hate catholics in early 2006. It appeared to lack the grace of her Kuala Lumpur Sept. 002 statement “It seems to me that it is part of the mission of countries like ours to help resist the supposed realpolitik of “might is right” and seek with all the vigour, wisdom and intelligence at our command to advance the indispensable tenets of international cooperation and the rule of law.” In the last year she seemed content to gurgle away on some level which I for one find sublimely dizzy, her last gurgle which caught my eye was in Italy "Saint Columbanus would make a perfect choice for patron saint of the EU". Or maybe I'm being unfair - maybe she just gurgled "Saint Colombanus would make a perfect choice for patron saint of Europe". They're very different (the EU and Europe) you know. The former has a space base in South America and the latter has more muslims housed in third world conditions.

But which one of the Irish Presidents was inspiring? Do the quiz - who said or didn't say "thundering bollox"?

by Miriam Cotton Sun Apr 22, 2007 17:03

If you look at her itinerary over the years, she is basically little more than a cheerleader for the same FF people who brought you the whole Shell/Statoil/Marathon circus in the first place. She bows and scrapes to big business all over the world on their behalf.

She also ignored appeals from the disability lobby not to sign off the disgraceful disability legislation that FF introduced a couple of years ago. A deafening silence was all we had. That's a big 'get lost' to every man woman and child with disability in Ireland - and all their families and carers. The Acts are unconstitutional and have made things worse.

What else could you expect from someone like this?

by Seamus Sun Apr 22, 2007 21:29

Is it just me or does anyone else think that woman has a perpetual smile welded to her face? What exactly has she done besides go on free holidays, cut ribbons and tell us to build bridges . She is a drain on public funds if you ask me.

Say cheese.

by Sick of her Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:18

On almost every issue put to her, the Aras an Uachtarain replies "this is not a matter for the president". And whilst ignoring every representation to the head of state, she gladly makes appalling, inhumane and unrepresentative pronouncements of her own. She is an utter disgrace to the office.

by egalitarian Mon Apr 23, 2007 14:50

doesn't she? try putting anyone of our previous presidents in Chanel. (just imagine it) I'd be really off the wall and give o Dailaigh complements from the Dior range - something subtle - dropped pearls perhaps.

by International Mon Apr 23, 2007 17:07

We should've voted in Dana. She's a nutcase, but life woould have been a lot more interesting, and I can't see how she'd have been worse than this one.

When is the next presidential election- 2011? Doesn't that coincide nicely with Bertie's stated intention to retire at 60?

We should be organising a STOP BERTIE campaign now.

Could there be an anarchist candidate? I know most anarchists don't believe in elections, but since the post has no executive power that might cancel that argument out...

by purist Mon Apr 23, 2007 22:42

Any anarchist of good conscience would refuse to sign any legislation unless it had been put to referenda.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. It's an interesting one. I wonder where we'd find an anarchist willing to punt a 2011 election as president. With or without Chanel. hmmmmmmm. ná lig sinn i gcothú.

by Daf Tue Apr 24, 2007 07:52

In the French Presidential election (that one is for a real job) they had Trotskyists, Communist, altermondialists, environmentalists etc. contesting. Not of course that the media care to cover such things. Perhaps They could loan us one of their more appealing unsuccessful candidates. But now that I think of it I'm surprised Eamon McCann hasn't gone for it.

by Anon Wed Apr 25, 2007 09:54

I got one of those letters on behalf of the President. It says "Sorry to learn about your troubles, but I am afraid that it is not possible for the President, in view of the consitutional requirements of her office, to be of assistance in matters such as this." The relevant department, minister, TD, the Taoiseach and state bodies all passed the buck, but an enquiry was set up into the matter the moment it was described in the British newspapers.

The same President is happy to push her own agenda all the time in often hurtful and destructive ways, whatever the "constitutional requirements of her office".

by katiem - NONE! Sat Apr 28, 2007 01:36

I have to disagree with the post re Marys visit to the civic centre. I had an extremely good vantage point, and a pair of binoculars, and there were no protestors at the back of the centre, and they certainly did not delay her entrance. Her helicopter did land at the back, but she wasnt in it, and a few people tried to make their way back to it, but they were stopped by the guards. I dont know if they were protestors or not, just a couple of blokes I didnt recognise. There were protestors at the entrance holding banners who shouted something about giving away our resources as she entered the building, but the rain was coming down a bit by then and the last thing I saw was the protesters leaving, maybe escorted by Guards, but I cant be sure. Embellishing the truth really does not do your cause any good. Surely you are only doing what you accuse Shell of doing, spinning the facts for their own good.