Labour General Election candidate supports increase in bin charges

by matt Sat Nov 19, 2005 18:54

I wouldn't expect anything less from the Labour Party these days.

by Rouge Sat Nov 19, 2005 19:24

This is the same Cllr McGarry that voted year after year to impose bin charges in Sligo while Labour members were campaigning against the charges. the same Cllr McGarry that supported and voted for the privatisation of the Refuse Service. Who consistently opposed the liberal agenda relating to divorce, homosexuality, abortion, even opposing the abortion information amendment. He also was opposed to the Government holding a referendum to insert an article on non-alignment and neutrality in the Constitution. Cllr McGarry supports the U.S. using Shannon - even while Labour members were marching against the war - McGarry voted against a motion calling on the Government to halt US warplanes using Shannon brought before Sligo Borough Council! Three years ago Cllr. McGarry crossed a union picket in Sligo Town....

by John McDermott - www.soldiersofdestiny.org Sat Nov 19, 2005 21:34 Spain

The Labour party is not what it used to be.Come to that,neither is Fine Gael.(Years ago,they used to have a better egalitarian agenda than Labour ever did)
There are far too many ratbags in Labour prepared to sell their soul for a councillors new pension (pending) and the expenses and associated junkets,that go with the job.
Maybe Sinn Fein will nail their colours to the anti bin taxes mast and -along with mary Lou (in Drumcondra) -mop up the rest of the country as well?
I fear our choices are somewhat bleak..

by RabbitteWatcher Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:37

Declan Bree was right from the beginning about this ex FG Councillor. It was Pat Rabbitte and his cronies that imposed him on the constituency in Sligo with huge protest from local members, in particular Cllr. Declan Bree. They highlighted his track record of opposing Labour policies while a FG cllr., even crossing a picket! I think he even attempted to jon the P.Ds at one stage but Harney couldn’t promise him a senate nomination. And as far as I know the only reason he left FG was because they wouldn’t support him as Mayor 2 years ago even though he has been Mayor of Sligo a number of times in the 1990’s.

What really surprises me in this matter is that such a high ranking and long standing and in particularly a well respected member of the labour party such as Declan Bree was totally ignored by the party leadership in this matter. Surely now all can see that his advise was correct from the beginning.

I don’t know what Rabbittes motive was in this matter, because it seems totally bizarre. By co-opting a FG Councillor on to the local council they simply gained an extra seat, but at the same time the ruined and destroyed one of the most active and radical labour party constituency in the country! Doesn’t seem to make sense…..

Bree looks like he’s about to jump ship and this exFG Cllr. Is on the ticket for Labour in Sligo, Can anybody see what the hidden agenda is here????

Some insiders must know

by Insider! Sun Nov 20, 2005 17:16

what seems to be forgotten or overlooked in this whole saga is the role played by Labour's constituency secretary,Pegín Doyle(an ex stickie!) and Labour councillor Veronica Cawley.
Since the apointment of John Feehily as Labours organiser(50,000euros plus expences!!)in Connacht/Ulster three years ago,there has been a concerted effort to wrest control of Sligo/Leitrims organisation from Bree and his supporters,mainly because they(Bree and Co.) continually refused to toe the new Rabbitte/Party line.By getting McGarry in to the Party,they felt that it would loosen Brees hold,and each in turn would get something in return.Feelys preformance in his new job was less then dismal,bringing a councillor in(with two seats) would bring him major kudos and relieve some of the critisism being leveled against him.Pegín had some very old scores to settle with Declan and obviously Rabbittes enrty on to the scene gave her a direct line to the Rabbittes burrow.But Veronica was the big looser.Having supported Bree all her polital life and had most of her speech writting done by Declan,she went for the 30 pieces of silver,a promise of a Dail nomination for the next election.So together with Ms.Doyle,Feehily Mcgarry and Head office,the plan was hatched..............She has been totally out manouvered by McGarry and has made so many enamies in the Bree camp for her treachery that she now faces total isolation within the local organisation..............And with Declans stock is now rising and a possibility of him running as an independent,she really has shot her bolt!

by Kat Sun Nov 20, 2005 20:30

At its National Conference in Galway the Labour Youth adopted a motion supporting Cllr. Declan Bree with regard his stance on the issue of Traveller accommodation. The motion read “Conference notes that the Labour Party complaints committee recently upheld a complaint made against Declan Bree - that he refused to apologise for labelling a decision by other Labour councillors in Sligo to vote against traveller accommodation as disgraceful. Conference further notes that Declan Bree intends to appeal this decision to the national executive of the party; Conference commends the continued efforts of Declan Bree in the area of Travellers rights.”

The motion, which was placed on the agenda by the Meath branch of Labour Youth and seconded by UCD branch, received the overwhelming support of the conference delegates.

by X member! Sun Nov 20, 2005 21:03

Maybe McGarry got his sociast values from Dermot Lacey................Maybe Head office is cloning Dermots and planting them around the country............Maybe Jim McGarry is the rural version of Dermot ..............God help the Labour Party in Sligo.Hey Declan,Its time to get out!! .............we're being invaded by aliens from Ely Place................aghhhhhhhhhh!

by binman Sun Nov 20, 2005 22:02

Will McGarry be disciplined or is the party in favour of this policy? Bree was disciplined for Less.

By the way Bree should leave, and any socialists left in the party should follow suite. The Labour party had a golden opportunity of uniting the left in Ireland in recent years the but ascendancy of Pat Rabbitte and his 'New Labour ' policies have dashed any hope of an alternative left wing grouping.

He is dragging the party through the muck just to become Tánaiste, it’s a pity most labour members can’t see this.

by old mate of Pegin Mon Nov 21, 2005 21:59

Has all this new love for F/G that Pegin has anythins to do with her father,must Pegin make up, for the fact that it was her father that assassinated poor old Kevin OHiggins,and good on him too.

by Zoro Mon Nov 21, 2005 22:49

I see Dermot Lacey & Co. are silent on McGarrys vote.

by better red than dead Tue Nov 22, 2005 17:05

Fair play to u Jimmy and fuck the begrudgers. U always looked after mé féin. Why should u change now just because you joined a supposedly socialist party. It was true blueshirts like u that turned this country into the pile of shit that it has become.

by better red than dead Tue Nov 22, 2005 17:12

By the way Bree only got u that nomination to set u up for the big fall. But u can handle that no problem. Look at all the other obstacles u have overcome!!

by eeekkkk Tue Nov 22, 2005 22:09

And is paid handsomely for it.