Our man Frank on the pros and cons to being a politician, Rory McIllroy’s performance in the Irish Open, the rising prices in the hospitality sector, and more!
It’s Sunday afternoon as I write, and not for the first time I am wondering why anyone would willingly enter the world of politics.
Now I know that our TDs and ministers are very well paid, with TDs now on a salary of almost €117,000 along with lots of different expenses, junior ministers getting almost €46,000 each year on top of all that, and ministers getting almost €100,000 on top of the salary for a TD, along with a multitude of additional expenses. So by any standards, our public representatives get extremely well looked after.
And yet, is it actually worth it? Apart from the constant requests for help with medical card applications, fuel allowances, pension applications, and all the many other social welfare benefits, our elected public representatives seem to be fair game for all types of abuse, especially online abuse, and every member of the person’s family can be targeted.
During last year’s local elections, there were 36 reported incidents of abuse – between both physical and online threats – made against candidates, and one-third of all those who stood for election said they were fearful for their own safety.
On today’s Sunday World, we are told about a Longford man who received a five-month suspended sentence for sending a string of messages threatening Fine Gael TD Micheal Carrigy, his wife, children, and even the family home. A few months later, the same man got another three-month suspended sentence for threats he made against Government Chief Whip, Mary Butler.
As we now hear of different threats being made against Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family, surely the time has come for much more stringent measures to be taken against all of these people and to put the message out there that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Suspended sentences do not send out the right signals, particularly in cases where disgusting and disturbing threats are made against women and children.
In Simon Harris’s case, a woman in her 30s was arrested after threatening to kidnap his children, but she is back on the streets while a file is sent to the DPP. The chances are that even if she is prosecuted, she will get a suspended sentence, which is no punishment at all.
And so, even though I know the office of the President is supposed to be non-political, as the race heats up it’s fair to say that every skeleton in everyone’s closet will come out. I cannot understand why anyone would put themselves out there, while knowing full well that they are fair game for whatever dirt that can be dug up.
On second thoughts, maybe the salary of €330,000, free accommodation in the Áras, plus free admission to all big matches in GAA, rugby, soccer, and other sports, among many other perks, would make it worthwhile! I wonder am I too late to put my name into the hat?
Talking of names in the hat, though some high profile wannabee presidents have seen sense and pulled out of the race, I have just watched Conor McGregor’s video requesting our support in helping to get him on the ballot paper. The truth is that if I didn’t know the type of individual that he is, I might have been impressed by all he said, but that is not the case. According to a poll today, only 2% of voters (which seems a bit high to me) would want his name to come before us.
Let’s hope our councils, who have the power to decide who can go forward, have enough cop-on to keep him where he is; the thought of him swanning around Áras an Uachtaráin is enough to make me sick!
Glory for Rory
I suppose we will never agree on who is Ireland’s greatest ever sportsperson, but when it comes to the question of who has given us more heartbreak, more joy, more drama, and more excitement, there really can be only one winner – Rory McIlroy.
I am writing this on Sunday evening, after watching him yet again pull off a truly remarkable win, this time in the Irish Open. The amazing putt that he had to make to force a play-off was one of Irish sport’s great moments.
To see the reaction of the crowd as the ball went into the hole was simply incredible, and despite a very brave effort by the Swede Joakim Lagergren, there was only ever going to be one winner in the play-off.
Over the years, for those who follow sport at all (not even necessarily golf), McIlroy has given us everything from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, but his resilience despite so many heartbreaking near-misses has been great to see. I have to say that, certainly in my lifetime, he has to be the sportsman that gave us the most remarkable rollercoaster of emotions. Well done Rory – you are my number one!
Rip-off Ireland?
One of the great subjects for debate among lads at the bar (outside of sport) is the high cost of everything to do with the hospitality sector in this country. We hear of what appears to be outrageous overcharging for everything from the humble pint to tea and scones, from evening meals to the cost of a bed for the night.
And so today (Monday, September 8th), just out of curiosity, I decided to find out how much it would cost me to book a single room for myself in a hotel in Galway city tonight – and the result was very interesting. In the city, the cheapest hotel that I found was the Ardilaun at €229 without breakfast,
while the dearest was The G Hotel at €495 with breakfast included. If you went out a bit to the Glenlo Abbey Hotel, it was €569, also including breakfast, and all the rest that I came across were between three and four hundred euro a night.
As for the pint, the average price is about €5.75 in rural Ireland, but it can be much higher in the cities, with one customer complaining that he paid €11.35 for a pint in Temple Bar. Of course Dublin pubs, restaurants, and hotels can almost charge what they like, as the city gets every major event that takes place during the year – all the big concerts, the rugby and soccer internationals, the big games in the GAA, the Dublin Horse Show, and the St Patrick’s Day Parade, among other major events, all bring huge crowds to the city, and as demand far outstrips availability there is no limit to what they can charge.
That brings me to JD Wetherspoons in Camden Street, a pub a friend of mine was in a few weeks ago, where two pints of their own-brand beer and a pint of non-alcoholic drink cost the staggering total of just over €8. In case you need to do a retake, you read that right – slightly over €8 for three drinks. And I suppose that begs the question – how can they do it? Although it was not Smithwick’s or any of the other branded beers, the pints were perfectly good. And apparently they also do reasonably priced food, so maybe if you really wanted to keep prices down, you actually could!
I know hotels and restaurants have big costs, but even €229 for a night seems high enough for a single person for a bed for a night – and almost €500 is definitely excessive. The tourist people tell us that the number of foreign visitors is falling, and is it any wonder! Are we really killing the golden goose?
I am (hopefully) going to Spain for a week in October, and before I set foot on Spanish soil I know that everything there will, comparatively, be much cheaper than we have to pay here! They keep telling us to do staycations, but the prices are too high – it is definitely RIP-OFF Ireland!
And finally…
Sheila Beirne has given me some more information regarding the upcoming event in the school hall on Friday, October 17th.
Canella Lane, an Irish online boutique, will showcase a variety of their autumn/winter collection, including some Christmas dresses for young and old. She tells me you might recognise some of the models ,and that more details of the night’s events will follow!
Tickets cost €20, and can be bought in O’Roarke’s Spar or by ringing Sheila at 087 8382944. This promises to be a great night for all you fashion-conscious ladies, so don’t delay! Get your tickets and keep October 17th free in your busy social calendar for a special night’s entertainment!
‘Til next week,
bye for now!
