Author Archives: Aaron McAllorum

Alan Shatter celebrates his 2007 win with supporters.


2000s Former TD Alan Shatter acts as a family law mediator for the FriaryLaw group.

2007 Receives €1,000 political donation by Oliver J Connolly, ‘principal’ of the FriaryLaw group. Returns to Dail as a TD.

2007-2011 Rails against FF-led government cronyism right up to March 2011.

March 2011: Becomes Justice minister

[100 days later]

June 2011, Appoints Oliver J Connolly to €12,500-a-year-but-about-as-part-time-as-you’re-likely-to-get state role*.

June 15, 2011 On RTE R1’s ‘Morning Ireland’ Shatter describes the Irish Independent’s report about the appointment of his friend and one-time colleague/boss as “despicable”. Minutes earlier, the minister had deliberately evaded a question about something actually despicable: why the victims of the Magdalene Laundries cannot even get a pension before a verdict on the exact level of the state’s role in the horror is established.

 

*Oliver is to act as  as a “confidential recipient”, which is a person whom Gardai whistleblowers may talk to in confidence (they may or may not be alarmed that their confidential whatsit is so tight with the justice minister).

Shatter Gives State Post To Supporter Who Donated €1,000 (Fiach Kelly, Irish Independent)

Oliver J Connolly (Law Library)
Alan Shatter/Friary Law Mediator

David Norris appealed to Wexford County Council yesterday for its support in his campaign to become president. Some highlights:

As an Irish senator in this country, I have seen many imaginative and progressive leaps being made. Leaps that have let people in who were previously excluded from the national debate. As somebody who campaigned for these great changes, I am proud to stand before you on my record. I think that record will show that I am passionate about what I believe in and that I have the energy and determination to strive for it

Let me reiterate, I am not asking you for your support as president, I am only asking for permission to be able to subject myself to the will of the Irish people. In this great, diverse society of ours, we can differ on many things. But there is one thing upon which all of us here would agree on and that is the love of our country.

As a politician and campaigner for all my life, it would be my greatest honour to express my love for this country by serving as president. The power of the presidential office is like no other. It is a symbolic and representative office and I feel it is where I can serve the country best.

There are some that have questioned my suitability for the office and they are entitled to their opinion. But what I will say is both Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese had detractors during their campaigns, but those detractors have been silenced by the superb job that both presidents have done and the pride that they have instilled into all of us as citizens.

In the election of the two previous presidents, Ireland took a leap of faith. With these leaps we have grown as a country and matured as a nation and I am certain that my election would further our country in a similar positive way. This is because, just as the last two presidents represented their time, I believe I can effectively represent us at this time.

All my life, I have been on the outside, knocking to be let in; not just for myself, but for those I represent. Now again I am knocking. I wish to be allowed to run for the office of president so that I can be a president for all the people. You have the keys, you can let me in, I ask you now to do so.

Via Random Irish News
(Photocall Ireland)

Mr Lenihan was born to a political heavyweight – his father, Brian Lenihan Senior, was a cabinet minister for more than 25 years. His aunt, Mary O’Rourke has also held high office including a stint as a cabinet minister and his brother is a politician as well.

Mr Lenihan got involved in his first election campaign in 1974 aged 15 – and says that during the four-week election campaign for his father he “learned more in that time about politics than before or since”. He shone academically, studying law at Trinity College, Dublin, and then Cambridge University, before being called to the Irish Bar and going on to spend years in the legal profession.

But he was unable to ignore his political calling. In 1996 he was elected for the Dail, the Irish parliament, in his father’s Dublin West constituency in a by-election triggered by his father’s death, promising to abolish water rates and fight crime, drugs and high taxes.

He went on on to hold three ministerial portfolios – becoming children’s minister in 2002 and justice minister in 2007.

His announcement, in January 2010 (after the story first broke on TV3), that he was to undergo treatment for pancreatic cancer while continuing to perform his essential ministerial duties, saw him saluted in the media for his “dignity and determination”.

Although he occasionally referred to his condition – “one day I had a pain in my stomach, the next day a life-threatening condition” – Mr Lenihan was loath to comment about his illness.

But in September 2010 he revealed he had finished his treatment in June, and said the cancer had “stabilised” but remained “a danger”.

Eilish O’Regan, health correspondent for the Irish Independent , said Mr Lenihan showed  great courage.

“It does appear that he has been very brave. The treatment was very debilitating but he was able to schedule it so that he wasn’t missing work – although of course he had to make some allowances. But he was still very busy – and obviously it took up a lot of energy. That’s why he was delighted when the treatment was over.”

Mr Lenihan’s positive frame of mind that summer following the end of his treatment is illustrated, Ms O’Regan says, by an anecdote. Mr Lenihan climbed the 796m (2,605ft) Irish peak Mount Leinster, and rang his aunt to tell her that he had reached the summit.

“It was symbolic,” Ms O’Regan says.

(BBC)
(Photocall Ireland)

Brian Lenihan Dies From Pancreatic Cancer At 52 (Irish Independent)