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Search words: shannon

New Green Party Candidate Sligo/Leitrim

category national | politics / elections | press release author Friday April 27, 2007 10:36author by Kat Report this post to the editors

Former Labour councillor, Brian Scanlon, became the ninth candidate in the Sligo/North Leitrim constituency for next month’s general election when he was officially ratified to stand for the Green Party this week.

Mr Scanlon, who works for the borough council at Sligo Cemetery, joined the Green Party in March, having resigned from the Labour Party at the beginning of February in protest at the selection of Jim McGarry as the Labour candidate and beacuse he became disillusioned with the political direction Labour were heading in. He was a Labour member of Sligo County Council between 1999 and 2004.

In his resignation letter from the Labour Party he said that 'Clr. McGarry will be well aware that I and the vast majority of Labour Party members in the constituency opposed his application to join the party. ‘He will also know that I was opposed to him becoming a member because in my opinion, he never shared the values of the party and consistently voted against the Labour Party at County Council and Borough Council meetings.

‘Clr. McGarry voted consistently to impose service charges while Labour members and supporters campaigned against the charges. He voted for privatisation of the refuse service while the Labour Party was campaigning to retain it as a public service. ‘He voted in favour of the US using shannon Airport while Labour members were campaigning against the use of the airport by the US war machine.’

Mr. Scanlon went on: ‘Since Clr. McGarry’s admission to the Labour Party, the organisation in this constituency had become a shadow of its former self. It is in total disarray, is no longer a campaigning party and no longer organises public events or meetings.

‘Last year, when it was unable to hold meetings of the constituency Council because a quorum could never be reached, it was left with no alternative but to change its Standing Orders to reduce the quorum to a handful.

‘In advance of this month’s Constituency Council annual general meeting when nominations were sought to fill the twelve officer positions on the Council, only three members in the entire constituency were prepared to allow their names to go forward. And Clr. McGarry claims he is playing his part in making the party more vibrant and positive’, the letter concluded. http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81159

Speaking at the Connolly Forums annual Easter 1916 Commemoration Ceremony in Sligo on Easter Sunday last year Brian Scanlon who presided at the ceremony told those attending "this 90TH anniversary of the rising provides us with the opportunity to highlight the political views of Connolly and Pearse and the other leaders of the Rising and it provides us with an opportunity to revisit the founding principles of the Republic with a view to attaining the aspirations contained in the 1916 Proclamation and the Democratic Programme of the first Dail.'
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75600

In 2002 he was one of a number of Labour Councillors (Declan Bree (Sligo), Cllr Nicky Kelly (Wicklow) & Cllr Catherine Connolly (Galway)) that came out publically to support the No Campaign in the Nice Treaty referendum.
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/14744

Earlier this week he accused the Labour Party of not being representative of the working class and the underprivileged anymore.

He said he had joined the Greens because it was the party that was nearest to his political beliefs.
“When I started in politics in my 20s I was very involved in trade union activities and labour issues. I believe now because of the way that the country has developed that we need to be very conscious about protecting our environment. There is damage being done by over-development.”
He said that initially when he joined the Greens he was looking towards the local elections in two years time when he would have been seeking to regain his council seat. But he had been asked to stand in the general election and was happy to do so.

Saying he believed he would attract a strong Green vote, Mr. Scanlon identified issues around the preservation of green areas in the town and county as major concerns.

He said that with a lot of hard work during the forthcoming campaign he was confident of causing a major upset by taking one of the three seats on offer.

author by Jimpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 15:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Looks like they will probably do better than Labour in Sligo, They have Jim McDaids son as director of elections. I hear his a good friend of Declan Bree, so they have a bit of experience on board, he's ran in over 10 General Elections i'd say.

author by John H.publication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 15:31author address author phone Report this post to the editors

There a feckin countless threads here that have already dealt with this issue.

Simply posting the same story over and over again isn't going to make any difference to the fact that Cake Scanlon is no more electable now than he was 3 yrs ago.

And I also find a bit funny to suggest that having Bree in your corner is in some way a good thing. Hes ran in 10 General Elections and won 1. Wow, now there someone who knows how to get elected.

author by P.K Lynchpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 15:49author address author phone Report this post to the editors

How does Mr.Scanlon intend to get around the refuse charges that he supposedly opposes yet joined a party that actively suports them?

Brians campaign is being orchastrated by Declan Bree that is true. But to what end? To seek Brians election or simply damage McGarrys vote? Maybe both?

But the consensus reached on the many threads about this is that Scanlon and Bree are telling lies, trying to suggest that the Labour Party is in dissarray in Sligo. Every announcement form Mr. Scanlon is accompanied by a vitriol against Cllr McGarry. Mr Scanlon seems incapable of divorcing his out-right hatred of McGarry from his stated intention of getting elected on a green ticket. This is of course will mean he will have to pursue and actively espouse Green Policy which will make him a hypocrite.

The electorate of Sligo are not stupid. There may be a green vote out there, but they want a real green candidate. Not a stooge in an ongoing fued between Labourites.

Its clear to all what is going on here and nobody likes being made or attempted to be made a fool of.

author by dave bellemypublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 16:09author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Three gormless blow in DODO,S spotted in the main street in Manorhamilton during the week,appearently canvassing for Wee Jimmy who wasnt even with them,I suppose he was at home in the nest still recovering after getting his feathers ruffled at the Rally Ireland event.

author by Raypublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 16:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

He's spot on about labour having moved to the right, I know it was never a socialist party but it used to be a number of socialists active in the party but not anymore. The sooner Rabbitt joins FG and the LP is kicked to touch the better, I voted labour for 16 years but the Greens & SF are getting my 1 & 2 this time. I heard Eamon Gilmore on the radio last week criticisng the Green Party for it's policy on carbon tax because it would damage our competitivness! These are the same arguments the right have used for decades to stop stronger protection for workers and positive enviornmental legislation.

Personally i don't know much about Scanlon, probably not the best candidate for the Greens, grand for the local elections. Surprised they couldn't get a stronger candidate. Even Bree would have got a bigger vote and he has always been strong on local heritage, protection of green areas in Sligo and against excesive land rezoning. He has worked closely with an Taisce and The Keep Ireland Open group.

John Perry, Jim Devins and John Ellis are sitting TD running in that area, at least in Dubln you'd get selection of right wing politicians, no wonder the west in doing so bad. Bree and McManus would have better chance of being elected in a large urban constituency

although the pools today show the Greens down 2, They'll pick up 2/3 extra seats. Labours 10 (-1) clearly proves that Rabbitte leadership has been a distructive force for the party, they've given FG a lifeline. The future for that party is bleek, they have no ideology left, no critical anayis of our society and noting different, no altertive ideology to offer the electorate than FF or FG.

When you see the likes of McGarry on the ticket in Sligo it shows they are going knowhere, fast! and sadly they're are many more like him throughout the party.

author by P.K Lynchpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 16:18author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Is this the best to be expected from the Scanlon/Bree camp?

Seriously do you think any of this will affect McGarrys vote?

Scanlon has a very serious contradiction on his hansd with these service charges and no amounting of name-calling and dodging the issues will make it any-more comfortable for him when he finally has to explain why he now supports those charges.

Nodody will vote for him as long as these questions remains unanswered. I think Mr Bree has also rather foolishly placed too much confidence in his own support, hoping they will flock to Brian. The problem is that Bree didnt have the balls to run himself, incase he got out-polled by McGarry which would have effectively ended his career. But Bree being the single-minded gutterite he is could not let this go. So he got Scanlon to act as his stooge.

It is well known on the ground in Sligo and come the election Mr Scanlon/Bree will find that out for themselves.

author by Raypublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 16:33author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The Greens will pick up votes from everywhere, not just Labour. It's a pity they didn't get a better candidate than Scanlon, would be good for the locals.

But that said look at the other muppets in Sligo, Perry & Ellis, McGarr isn't far off. He only found refuge in Labour after the PDs and FF turned him down. How can anybody be taken serioulsy who moves from FG to Lab, he either had no politics to begin with or he had the same conversion to Socialism that Bertie had last year! I've seen some comments made about his track record on Sligo City Council, as conservative as you could get. It's clearly a matter of record.

It seems to me and anybody in the LP i have talked to in Dublin that he was parachuted in by Rabbitte to get Bree out of the way, he seems to have worked but the LP in Sligo have been derailed at the same time.

author by P.K Lynchpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 16:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

If thats the case, why doesnt Bree run as an independant? Whats he afraid of?

The suggestion that people will vote green off the cuff without checking out the candidate is also inaccurate. Greens are conservationists, they support water charges and refuse charges, those particular issues will backfire on Scanlon because real greens won't vote for a candidate who has publicily opposed those charges and left-wingers will not vote for a party that publicly supports them.

Scanlon has made a blunder here and allowed his anger to get in the way of his better judgement. Bree has not been a loyal friend either but rather has allowed/encouraged Brian to be the fall guy in this local fued.

The electorate want no part of it. Bree should take his ego and shove it. Either that or put his money where his mouth is and run.

One last point though. Isnt it incredible that Bree claims to have his finger on the pulse of whats happening locally. Claims to be a principled activist and working-class grafter. A man of the people for the people, yet never have I seen him post here., on a left-wing news site that apparently he should be very at home with. Odd dont you think?

author by pat cullenpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 18:34author address author phone Report this post to the editors

As good a politician Declan Bree is doubt he could manipulate the Green Party Executive to get Brian Scanlon on the ticket.

People are allowed change their policies are disagree with some. It hardly a huge ideological shift, as the thread says Scanlon opposed Nice referendum and is one of a few labour councillors i've seen at anti-war demos.

The Green Party are now more left wing than the Labour Party and stronger on th eenvironment, climate change is not just a green issue, it's one of social justice and solidarity, the poor and those living in the 3rd world will suffer most as the rich and powerful will be able to adjust to it affects becasue of their wealth.

Anybody i talk to in labour youth are very supportive of decaln bree and their opinion of the labour candidate isn't great, I'd prefer to take the opinion of LY as they're the most left wing section of teh party rather than that of Pat Rabbitte and his cronies.

author by lee siderpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 18:58author address author phone Report this post to the editors

You've lost the head in Sligo, I don't know why ye let that ine Gael lad in, Declan Bree is well respected in the party. He brought a good crew with him to the party conference about 5 years ago, a lad I know who was involved with the youth in UCC and a Councillor in Waterfrod, Mick Khan, thought he did a great job on the party executive for years, he's always get a good vote for it.

author by Union memberpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 19:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Lee sider tells us that "Declan Bree is well respected in the party". I don't know what part of the party you refer to, but if Cork Labour want him , they are welcome to him. Bree is a divisive, conniving me feiner who talks the talk but never walks the walk, unless that is, it is to his benefit. This is the fifth or sixth thread that he has started to give vent to his McGarry phobia.

author by P. K Lynchpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 19:33author address author phone Report this post to the editors

First off, apologies to Pat C, I did think it strange that he would butt in on a thread about Sligo which is why I rebutted with the Iran quip. Blatant sock-puppetry.

Secondly, no-one suggested that Bree could manipulate the Green Party selection commitee. What Bree did was encourage Scanlon to nominate himself to go forward for the candidacy. The Greens never had a candidate in this constituency so I'm sure they thought they'd give him a go.

Thirdly, all those from afar supporters of Declan havent had to put up with the muppet at close proximity for any length of time. He has done so many U-Turns over his 30 yrs its hard to know where he stands. Hardly the resume of a committed socialist.
Also I will decide who I think is principled, I will not accept it at face value from Declan Bree. He is a one-man self-promotion machine.

And Last but not least. Will Brian Scanlon please stand up and be counted on the services charges issue. Does he support them or not and are Suffolk Street aware of this?

author by JOLLY GREEN GIANTpublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 20:18author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This thread is not about Declan Bree he is not a candidate.Cake Scanlon has severed all ties with Breezer and his ex-Comrades he is now the Green candidate totally commited to Green policys and loyal to no one but the Greens.Cake is undoubtly the best candidate in the field, and will receive a hugh cross section of support from all serious thinking voters.His ex-comrades from whom he parted on good terms will naturally now vote for him in vast numbers,it would be ludicrous to even contemplate that they would vote for the Blueshirts and I include McGarry among their number,the corrupt Fianna Failers and yes people have long memories and can go back to 1970 and remember all the death destruction and mayhem caused by the Provos for well over two decades.

author by P. K Lynch - Free thinking voterspublication date Fri Apr 27, 2007 20:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

You see JGG, its not that simple. You say hes fully comitted to the Greens and all their policies yet he has stated publicly he is against Bin and Water charges. Now either Scanlons a Liar or you're a Liar. Which is it?

author by greenpeacepublication date Mon Apr 30, 2007 21:34author address author phone Report this post to the editors

A vote for Cake is a vote for a man who has consistenty opposed throughout his political career,bad planning decisions,unscruples developers,rent racketeering landlords and yes service and water charges.Anyone interested in offical Green policys I suggest should contact the Greens directly.

author by P. K Lynchpublication date Mon Apr 30, 2007 21:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Official Green Policy is support for Bin charges and water charges. Everyone knows that so there is no need to look it up.

The questions of Brian Scanlon can be dodged from her till election but it wont take away from the fact that Brian Scanlon is running for a party that wants to introduce water charges and retain bin charges.

But it is curious that the Bree/Scanlon camp has a new found confidence in Brians ability to pull votes. Where will they come from? His personal vote has collapsed and is non existant. No amount of rubbish from Declan Bree will change that. The so called 'disgruntled Bree vote' is not evident from any poll conducted in the region which shows McGarry holding the core Labour vote. Brees personal vote wont go to Cake, it will go to Labour. The last poll proves that also. So where is the vote for Cake going to come from?

Somebody has a vivid imagination if they think Brain Scanlon is going to make the slightest bit of difference in this race. He's already been shown to be a hypocrite on the bin tax and water charges. And when the Greens wake up to all this they'll boot him out of the party.

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