The political and the human-reflections on demotion of John

Tonight is a difficult one for John McGuinness TD, a political adversary in our constituency who has not been reappointed to a Junior Ministry by Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD. On a human level this is a difficult time for John, his wife Margaret and all the McGuinness family, including my council colleague and opponent in the forthcoming local elections, Andrew. It is never easy to lose a position which you feel you have secured on merit, and one in which you have worked hard and in which you feel you have done well.

It is also a frustrating time for the McGuinness half of the Fianna Fáil team in Kilkenny who thought that by succeeding in topping the poll in 2007, and in the process, helping to deliver three seats out of five that enough had been done to secure the first step on the ministerial ladder for a politician who is, without a shadow of a doubt, bright and articulate. Indeed the McGuinness lieutenant on the Borough Council, Cllr. Joe Reidy tonight said on local radio that the step to a senior ministry was one they thought would happen sooner rather than later. Those of us of all political persuasions hoped that a senior ministry would come to Kilkenny sooner rather than later, as it is now twenty seven years since we had that honour and all it brings with it.

On a political level however, I have had my differences with John McGuinness. I believe his attacks on public servants in last year's Sunday Independent interview were wrong and unfair, but as the 'pension levy' or public service tax as it should be called has proven, many in his own party agree, including the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach.

John believes in his right to speak out, but it is the ability to attack Government decisions which your party made and which you walked through the Dáil lobbies to vote for, which I and a huge number of the voters I am meeting on the doorstep find hardest to take.

When John announced on KCLR local radio on the morning of the latest budget that the Government 'had made a bags of the last budget', he failed to mention that he had voted for it and also robustly defended it in the local and national media.

John was defiant tonight on national television stating that he had 'not been elected to the Dáil to leave his brain outside the door'. With this we all agree, but we will continue to demand that he and every Fianna Fáil TD in Carlow/Kilkenny and in the country accept their responsibility for and are held accountable for things like axing the Christmas bonus for pensioners and social welfare recipients, increasing class sizes, hatcheting services in hospitals and health clinics, abandoning the Fair Deal for those in nursing homes etc. etc. etc. and of course standing over policies which have ended up with hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs.

If we didn't I'm sure John would be disappointed that we, like him, didn't use our brains and speak out to defend the weakest in our society who are being made pay for the sins of the free-market nonsense which his party has made such a boast of championing.

On this miserable day it's nice to see our former party leader back to his best in putting the Greens in their place at last. The interview with Mary White, our local toothless TD had to be seen to be believed, but is gone form the RTÉ website unfortunately. Meanwhile the vision of John and his bicycle clips will live almost as long in the memory as that of Mary O' Rourke in the bath-but not quite as frightening!

Reflections on Mullingar-Another conference of action

Free video chat by Ustream

Last weekend saw another successful chapter in our campaign to become the third party in a three party sytem and to break the mould of silly civil war politics. Another excellently received leader's speech by Eamon Gilmore meant that we weren't too disappointed by the poll setback on Sunday morning. Anyway, if we end up with between 17 and 20% in the elections on June 5th. I for one will be very happy.

The heart of the weekend's action for me was my campaign for re-election to the party's National Executive Committee. I was at a major disadvantage because of a difficulty getting local members to travel, but my friends elsewhere ensured I had enough number ones to see me home eventually. Thanks a million to Gary, Sadie and other party members for their support and to everybody who supported me with their preference votes. I look forward to representing my own local members and the views of other members at National level in what is sure to be an exciting time in politics.

As you'll see above I also got a chance to speak on Friday night on a motion on the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. Súil agam go n-aontaionn tú leis an méid a bhi le rá agam.

Secret of Kells-Téigh agus féach air

Tonight was one of those great mixtures of supporting a great local business success, the arts, a great cause and finally having a family night out in great company. It was the Kilkenny launch of The Secret of Kells, a truly ambitious project by an equally ambitious bunch of young men and women who make up Cartoon Saloon, an animation company quickly garnering a huge international reputation for itself.
The night was also a fundraiser for the company that in many ways spawned Cartoon Saloon, the wonderful Young Irish Film Makers, founded by local man, Mike Kelly in the early nineties. It is a film school, teaching young people a phenomenal range of skills which they would find impossible to access in most other towns or indeed in major cities. The lads in the Saloon started their careers with YIFM, and are now on the verge of major stardom. They were effusive in their praise of Mike tonight though and well deserved too.

To all those involved, Paul Young, Ross Stewart, Ross Murray and Tomm Moore, best of luck at the box office this weekend. This magical movie of a story based on the wrting of the Book of Kells shouldn't be missed by anybody, young or old. Each scene looks like a Ross Stewart painting, full of magical Celtic imagery, and the action is rollercoaster as well as beautiful.

Ag an deireadh mile maith agat do Tomm, a bhean iontach Liselott agus a mhac briomhar, Ben, as ucht a dtacaiocht i nGaelscoil Osrai thar na blianta. Táimid an-bhródúil as ucht an méid atá bainte amach agaibh go dti seo, agus go n-eiri libh as seo amach.

100,000 voices speak-let's make them 100,000 votes for change

Today the workers of Ireland spoke in a way they haven't for almost thirty years. Workers from North and South, public sector and private united in telling our Government to take a hike. I joined Trade Union colleagues and fellow Labour members from Kilkenny and all over the country in what was an unprecedented show of unity. To a person every worker I met had no problem playing their part in the recovery of our economy but fairness was the word on everybody's lips. In David Begg's words it's time for those who made the mess to pay. Now it's time to make this Governent pay. Public sector workers can't continue to vote for Fianna Fail and the Greens and expect anything to change. We have the alternative and workers need to realise that without changing your vote, you change nothing.

Quote of the day-on the fiddle

Having a day out in the big smoke today and quote of the day goes to an employee of an establishment near the National Concert Hall. Having enquired about the music on offer tonight, he smiled. It's the National Symphony Orchestra sponsored by Anglo Irish Bank says he." Probably a FIDDLE concert". Having listened to Ulick MacAvaddey's bullshit on
Pat Kenny, a bit of common sense was a welcome relief.

Support the National Demonstration-Show the Fat Cats

This video says it all. Let's join the ICTU national demonstration on Saturday and show the fat cats and their buddies in Government, particularly our own Junior Minister John McGuinness, that we will not sit idly by while the Anglo Ten, Seán Fitzpatrick, Quinn, Dunne or whoever get off scot-free while we as workers pick up the tab for the mess they've landed us in.

Cill Chainnigh Beo-Welcome to Kilkenny Alive

A very warm welcome to a new online newspaper, Kilkenny Alive which hit cyberspace today. Already thousands of people have clicked into this new service. Two very experienced journalists, former Kilkenny People editor, Seán Hurley, and former Kilkenny Voice editor, Jimmy Rhatigan are behind this vneture and I wish them well.

I missed their launch last week as I had slightly more romantic things to do on the 14th of February, but I have decided to support the venture by taking the main ad space on the home page. If you're coming to this site from the ad, you're very welcome. If you log on to the new e-zine facility on my main website, I'll keep you up to date on my campaign. Meanwhile happy reading of Kilkenny Alive. The more diverse our local media is, the better for all of us.