Michael D gets down to cronyism in the Presidential Office early: Sunday Times

[PAD1OH]

If he wanted tickets for himself and his spouse, then by all means he should get them.
Using his Office to get tickets for his daughter & guest is an abuse of his privileged position as Head of State.
I voted for him and i support his former political party but i'm disgusted at this carry-on.

[supermac2]

There are FFers who as President would have given Newgrange to his daughter, let alone a free ticket to it. Be thankful for what you get.

sorry boss excuse me while i doff my cap only pity is they didn't seal it up with Leo Varadkar and Ruiari Quinn still inside

[Shannon73]

I think we are losing the run of ourselves. The President should be treated with respect like his predecessors - unless he oversteps his powers. The Newgrange incident is a non-event unless a person has a real decent chip on his/her shoulder.

[OCicero]

sorry boss excuse me while i doff my cap only pity is they didn't seal it up with Leo Varadkar and Ruiari Quinn still inside

That would have removed its attraction as an ancient burial chamber.

[partnership]

Typical Irish begrudgery if this is the only thing he asks for it is very little indeed.

[nespot.a]

No begrugery, to MDH himself... but just his nepotistic actions.

1. What right do Alice Mary Higgins and Ken Dempsey ahead of Joe Public?
2. How is the OPW serving "the public" by allowing this?

Granted it's minor but the symbolism is huge; especially in light of his recent election campaign rhetoric?

Are they public servants or celtic chieftians? Are we subjects or citizens?

[jmcc]

It is almost as if the overcast morning was a sign.

Regards...jmcc

[nespot.a]

Michael D has been rather quick in using his Office for family cronyism rather early - even for a 'socialist'. His daughter Alice Mary and her guest Ken Dempsey were among the 24 people in Newrange for dawn on the Winter Soltisce. Also among the 24 were Leo Varadkar and Ruiari Quinn plus 6 people drawn at random from 35000 who applied. The chamber in Newgrange can only hold 24. President Higgins requested 2 tickets from the OPW.

Family cronyism is defined as nepotism
.... the single largest problem in Irish politics, why we have these family dynasties; and effectively choose our leaders from a pool of about 2000 families as opposed to the full population, each sucessive generation worse than the last.

The original's from the war of independance era at least probably believed in something; but their offspring brought up in privalege just know how to retain power and have very little useful to offer.

The Newgrange thing in itself is minor but the symbolism is hugh.

The article says that MDH requested the tickets "if they were available"...but that's very weak by me.
The OPW is clearly serving the elite and not the public it is paid to serve.

[nespot.a]

I think we are losing the run of ourselves. The President should be treated with respect like his predecessors - unless he oversteps his powers. The Newgrange incident is a non-event unless a person has a real decent chip on his/her shoulder.

Yes its a very minor incident. But where do you draw the line? 100% honest, 100% public serving... or something less?

[KingKane]

Michael D has been rather quick in using his Office for family cronyism rather early - even for a 'socialist'. His daughter Alice Mary and her guest Ken Dempsey were among the 24 people in Newrange for dawn on the Winter Soltisce. Also among the 24 were Leo Varadkar and Ruiari Quinn plus 6 people drawn at random from 35000 who applied. The chamber in Newgrange can only hold 24. President Higgins requested 2 tickets from the OPW.

One would presume that a newly elected President would receive an invite to this event by default, and since the man himself was indisposed he simply passed them on to his daughter and someone who had an interest in the event. It's not like there is some suggestion he was ringing people up demanding tickets.