John O'Donoghue - VFI Lobbyist

[Elvis Parsley]

Has this man any shame? Obviously not! First his expenses, now a lobbyist for the VFI against the reduction in drink driving limit.

From the Indo:

But the revelation of political activity by Mr O'Donoghue undermines claims by his supporters that he could not comment about the expenses affair due to the "non-political" nature of his position as chairman of the Dail.

According to a Freedom of Information request, Mr O'Donoghue has emerged as the most active politician on the issue of reducing the blood-alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg -- despite his silence over his foreign-travel spending.

O'Donoghue helps pubs battle drink-drive limit - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie

[draiocht23]

Apparently he's perfectly able to speak up when it comes to lobbying for his publican constituents but when it comes to explaining his lavish expenses he isn't as loquacious.

So much for the "non-political" aspect to his job.

[Pauli]

Another gombeen not fit to occupy the office of state he holds. We are really cursed as a society having parasites like this who, by their very presence, undermine the offices of state in our so-called republic.

[Iarmhi Gael]

Typical FF core voter Bu11sh1t. JoD could run off with his wife and he would still vote for him. O'Donoghue has screwed this country and its citizens over.

Its chairman, publican John O'Sullivan, confirmed that the Kerry VFI branch had personally met Mr O'Donoghue to outline their concerns and had found him and other local politicians to be "totally supportive" on the issue.

"John O'Donoghue is a politician of long-standing with great credibility, in our opinion; and if he believes that a certain line should be taken and he gives his advice to the minister, I think the minister should sit up and take note," he said.

[Victor Meldrew]

JOD acts like a gombeen / French monarch and we all rightly get annoyed, but is he just acting as a useful distraction from NAMA and McCarthy?

My own opinion is that he should be hung out to dry, but I wonder if it's a bit convenient that the only TD guarenteed re-election to the dail is taking all the flack for being the archetypal FFer?

One wonders if he is being hoisted on the scaffold by his colleagues in the knowledge that he need not, and cannot be made to, resign?

[Iarmhi Gael]

One wonders if he is being hoisted on the scaffold by his colleagues in the knowledge that he need not, and cannot be made to, resign?

Only recently he had notions of leading his party and leading this country - so you can rest assured that he is not happy with what is happening.

[draiocht23]

JOD acts like a gombeen / French monarch and we all rightly get annoyed, but is he just acting as a useful distraction from NAMA and McCarthy?

My own opinion is that he should be hung out to dry, but I wonder if it's a bit convenient that the only TD guarenteed re-election to the dail is taking all the flack for being the archetypal FFer?

One wonders if he is being hoisted on the scaffold by his colleagues in the knowledge that he need not, and cannot be made to, resign?

Conor Lenihan, when he appeared on Marian Finucane's Sunday morning show, said if journalists went through his expenses, when he was a junior minister at the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, they would find "extraordinary" costs.

His defence was that he just turned up at airports and if there happened to be a limo waiting for him - what was he supposed to do, walk? Refuse to get in?

Essentially, it's all the civil servants' fault. If there had been a donkey and cart waiting for him, he would equally have gotten into that blah blah yadda yadda.

I imagine there are numerous FOI requests being submitted, to all departments, at the moment. There can be a 4 week turn around time, and more, once requests are submitted.

[Victor Meldrew]

Only recently he had notions of leading his party and leading this country - so you can rest assured that he is not happy with what is happening.

I know, but that was pure delusion. You'd almost feel sorry for him for that. Almost.

[Victor Meldrew]

His defence was that he just turned up at airports and if there happened to be a limo waiting for him - what was he supposed to do, walk? Refuse to get in?

But even Conor Lenihan would have copped that this was unacceptable. there would probably have been a comment that this was unnecessary and bad for the image. It's the nature and scale of expense / consumption that we have issue with in JOD's case.

[draiocht23]

But even Conor Lenihan would have copped that this was unacceptable. there would probably have been a comment that this was unnecessary and bad for the image. It's the nature and scale of expense / consumption that we have issue with in JOD's case.

I think the significance of Conor Lenihan's comment is that it's an admission that they were all at it. This kind of travel, and largesse, was par for the course.

This is why there have been no howls of dissent from TDs of any political hue - they know that there before the Grace of FOI....