Sligo Mayor and Deputy at odds over recent visit of Israeli ambassador

by Declan Bree supporter Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:26

Fair play to Declan Bree, who can always be relied upon to stand up and be counted.

by Hear Hear Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:03

Declan Bree is consistent on these issues, and he should be applauded for that.

They managed to keep that visit very quiet so noone had the chance to go down to the town and protest his presence and get the chance to cajole his Mossad bodyguards into some characteristic aggressive antics.

Well done Bree.

by Hilary Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:18

Bree must be absolutely bricking it if hes begun electioneering this far in advance of the locals. He has reason to be fearful though, as an independant he will not have the guaranteed core Labour vote he could count on since 92. He's going to have to finance this himself as well as he can't use Labour coffers anymore which is going to hurt, he'll have to live frugally between now and next year. Something he's not used to.

by Liam Mc Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:22

Not at all. Brees seat was always that. Brees seat, not a labour one. He'll safely win that seat again no problem

by Hilary Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:59

"Not at all. Brees seat was always that. Brees seat, not a labour one. He'll safely win that seat again no problem"

Maybe in his head, but not in the real world mate. Why do you think hes promoting himself again on Indymedia and jumping up and down about issues that really do nothing for those in the Borough who are living below the poverty line. Ya know the kind of people a real socialist would be fighting for instead of this opportunistic safe populism.

Everything he does is with one eye on the headlines he might be able to generate for himself.

The mans a joke, always has been.

by Liam Mc Thu Apr 03, 2008 15:08

Hilary, without Bree Labour are nothing in sligo. They never were. They wouldnt have had a hope in hell of winning a Dail seat in 92 if Bree wasnt the candidate. They probably would not even have been able to run a candidate if Bree was not there. Bree has built up a personal vote in Sligo from the early seventies when he was an independent and his vote remains that, a personal vote. I am no admirer of Bree but to suggest that Bree might be concerned about his vote in the locals is way off the mark. I wonder who Labour will run in the East Ward? Anyone know?

by Sligo Palestine Supporter Thu Apr 03, 2008 15:36

This motion was proposed and unanimously agreed by the Corpo in 2007

“That Sligo Borough Council expresses to the Israeli Embassy our utter
indignation and disgust at the recent war atrocities carried out by the Israeli state against
the people of Lebanon.

Furthermore, this Council calls on the Irish government to adopt a more rigorous stance
in opposing Israeli military aggression in the Middle East."

by johnny Thu Apr 03, 2008 15:46

Maybe Labour will run Cake in the East ward l don't think he stands a chance in any other ward . !
Do you think that Chris Mc Manus has a chance of retaining his seat he nearly lost it the last time . ?

by Skip Thu Apr 03, 2008 15:58

Cake is in the Greens, not Labour

by Pete Thu Apr 03, 2008 16:10

I thought this was about Israel's foreign policy?

Anyway, for the record I've just checked electionsireland.org. Chris Mc won the seat with a hundred votes to spare with 80% of a quota (which was less than 600 votes) on the 1st count. If I remember that campaign there was some very dirty stunts pulled by an independent candidate (which it was whispered was orchestrated by a FFer).

by Michael Donlon Thu Apr 03, 2008 16:30

What were the stunts pete?

by DM - Labour Party Thu Apr 03, 2008 17:10

Bree has a personal vote, it might not be big but it's there and he's safe, he couldn't make a dail seat with it but he will always have his council seat.

This isn't at all populist, people vote for people most of the time (and more often with left wing candidates) not parties. (ie.Joe Higgins has a big personal vote in his constituency, it is not a SP vote.)

And by the way Bree was one of three councillors we had in Sligo so it's not really valid to day that there is no Sligo Labour without him.

Either way fair play to him for standing up for the people of Palestine!

by Jack Thu Apr 03, 2008 17:23

That FFer was an Ex member of Sinn Fein who was expelled out of the party , the posters were put up over Chris Mc's and said that he was a non runner in the election and didn't have a hope of being elected.

by Harry Thu Apr 03, 2008 17:27

It's true that Declan Bree was only one of 3 Labour Cllr's in Sligo but what have Labour got left Veronica who voted against local authority houses in her ward and Jimmy Mc Garry that is only there for self gain also his poor show in the general election Labour has totally lost its direction in Sligo they seem to be more for the business people than the ordinary working class of the town. !

by Tom - GP Thu Apr 03, 2008 19:30

Some things never change - I saw this report on Indymedia from 2003, here is a small part of it:

SLIGO REJECTS ISRAELI INVITATION
At its meeting on Monday 17th February, the members of Sligo Borough Council, by a narrow majority, voted to reject an intvitation from the 'Mayor' of Jerusalem to participate in the 'Conference of Mayors' to take place in Jerusalem from 30th March to 5th April.

A motion put forward by Labour representatives Alderman Declan Bree and Councillor Veronica Cawley, proposing that the Council respond to the invitation from the Mayor of Jerusalem to participate in the Conference of Mayors, by advising that it would participate in the Conference when Israel withdraws its occupation troops from the city and agrees to accept the resolutions of the UN, was carried by 4 votes to 3 with 3 members abstaining.

Sligo’s Fianna Fail Mayor, Tommy Cummins and two Fine Gael councillors voted against the motion

http://ie.indymedia.org/article/29473
-------

Fair play to Declan Bree, he has constantly supported the palestinine people and is will respected within the IPSC. But what are FF thinking, licking up to Isreali officials, do they have no morals at all. It is obvious that human rights dosn't matter to them at all. Anti-imperialism and the right of sefl determination was what this state was built on and an ideal which many in FF once supported.

by matt the thrasher Thu Apr 03, 2008 19:50

While all this nonsense about Isreal is all very well,with the elimanation of Bertie a most welcome development at national level.The people of Sligo now demand a statement locally from the Labour Party as regards the arrest of their ex Mayor and General Election candidate,to explain the situation and clear the names of Fine Gael/Fianna Fail and others who were former Mayors.Im shocked at the silence of Labour Councillor Veronica Cawley on this issue,I beleive that under an electoral pact between Labour and Fianna Fail, shes to be the next Mayor,her continued silence I beleive brings the dignity and integrity of this office into disrepute and subsequently her fitness to hold such office.

by Wesley Thu Apr 03, 2008 20:09

Bree is also part of that pact

by ned the red Thu Apr 03, 2008 20:18

While not going into the rights and wrongs of a electoral pact,at least Veronica can rely on Declans word,more than can be said for others.

by Rayo Thu Apr 03, 2008 20:18

This non-sense about the pact is only something that is an issue in Sligo, it in soley an agreement to share the chairmanship of the council, mayors in Ireland don't have an powers its just ceremonial.

Bree has only been Mayor once in 35 years....

by Paula Thu Apr 03, 2008 20:26

I think you are right Veronica could rely on Declan more so than the other member of Labour , she is very quiet though in relation to this ex Mayor being arrested . ! Maybe she is afraid the pact would break and she won't get the Mayor's chain. !

by Wesley Thu Apr 03, 2008 20:27

Rayo, it is not nonsense, it is a pact to carve up between them (FF, Labour and Bree) all the positions on the council. This was something bree criticised over the years until he got the chance to do so himself and then his opposition to mayoral pacts somehow miraculously ended. Wonder why?

For all his criticism of McGarry and FF, hes more than happy to share the spoils with them