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Enda Kenny and Frank Flannery at a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting in 2008. Photocall Ireland

Who is Frank Flannery and why is everyone talking about him?

He is the man who helped Fine Gael become the largest party in the State but his involvement with the Rehab Group has caused controversy in recent weeks. Who is Frank Flannery? Let TheJournal.ie explain all.

Updated 22.40pm

“I AM BAD enough of a bastard and tough enough to make really unpopular decisions,” Frank Flannery said of himself in late 2009, just a few months after he had been demoted by Fine Gael for suggesting it could go into coalition with Sinn Féin.

His point at the time may have been that despite earning a rebuke from his party for such a suggestion – and those comments still rankle with some in Fine Gael – he was relentlessly focussed on helping it get into government.

By 2011, Fine Gael was such a well-oiled machine that it could not fail at the ballot box, almost achieving what would have been an unlikely overall majority. A significant amount of the credit for this can go to Flannery, a native of Galway, who has been engulfed in a political storm in recent days.

Just before 5pm yesterday, he distributed a statement to media organisations informing them that he had stepped down from roles with the Rehab Group and Fine Gael. His departure followed days of controversy surrounding how tenable it was for him to combine being a Rehab director and sometime consultant with his role as director of elections/organisation and a trustee of Fine Gael – both voluntary roles, according to the party.

But who is Frank Flannery?

He is not widely-known amongst the general public, but is renowned in political circles. A former president of the Union of Students in Ireland in the early ’70s, Flannery began working for Rehab in 1973 after graduating from University College Galway, eventually becoming its CEO in 1981, a position he would serve in until 2006.

During that time he also became deeply involved in politics and Fine Gael, emerging as a close confidante of party leader Garret FitzGerald during those tumultuous years of 1981 and 1982 when there were three general elections.

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While close to FitzGerald, Flannery was largely sidelined during the leaderships of Alan Dukes (above, with Flannery), John Bruton and Michael Noonan from the late ’80s to the early ’00s.

He only re-emerged after the disastrous 2002 general election when Michael Noonan’s Fine Gael lost 23 of its 54 seats and a number of high-profile TDs. The disastrous result would lead to Noonan’s departure from the top spot and the eventual installation of Enda Kenny as party leader on his long and remarkable rise to the office of Taoiseach.

The Flannery Report

Flannery’s role during the nine years preceding the historic 2011 general election cannot be underestimated. He is credited with authoring the ‘Flannery Report’ which bluntly stated that unless Fine Gael brought itself into the 21st century, it faced ruin. This was at the time when the Progressive Democrats was seen as a credible alternative on the centre-right of Irish politics and, perhaps more importantly, was in government with Fianna Fáil – getting things done.

Of course it wasn’t all Flannery, but Fine Gael underwent an overhaul as a political organisation after 2002 with better regional organisation, focus-group research, strong campaign strategies,a building-up grassroots support, particularly in Dublin where the party had been hammered almost out of existence in 2002, and flashier websites with an early entrance into social media.

Remember Enda Kenny’s ‘Contract for a Better Ireland’ in 2007? Some scoffed (and we’d certainly scoff at it now when we look at all those promises) but it typified the party’s strategy of hammering home a message, a tactic repeated in 2011 with the famous ‘Five Point Plan’.

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(via Irish Election Literature)

In 2007, under Flannery’s direction and Kenny’s leadership, Fine Gael regained 19 Dáil seats. Though not strong enough to oust Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern with the economy still booming, Flannery had helped to put in place the organisation which was ready in 2011 when the country’s economic collapse meant Fianna Fáil was a toxic political brand.

Sinn Féin

Not that there weren’t hiccups along the way. Most notably in 2009 when Flannery suggested in the run-up to the local and European elections – where Fine Gael became the largest party of local government for the first time – that his resurgent party would be prepared to “do business” with Sinn Féin if it meant putting Fianna Fáil out of government.

This earned a sharp rebuke from Kenny and temporary demotion from his role as director of elections. He was not nearly as prominent at the 2011 election as he had been in 2007, but Fine Gael entered government nonetheless. In addition Flannery, as Education Minister Ruairí Quinn perhaps mischievously pointed out yesterday, was and has remained close to Fine Gael advisors in government.

He is also the chairman of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising – an organisation which aims to get wealthy individuals to give more to charity. In this role he has also courted controversy, once proposing that the number of days a non-tax resident could stay in Ireland each year be increased in return for a €5 million one-off payment to a good cause and €1 million a year payment to the exchequer for 10 years.

A loyal Fine Gael member, he was at the party’s Ard Fheis in the RDS earlier this month and the European People’s Party congress in the Convention Centre last week, but he had declined to comment on the controversy in recent weeks.

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Rehab

That controversy has centred on Rehab, where he has remained on the board since resigning as CEO in 2006 and has carried out consultancy and lobbying work – the details of which remain unclear and which the Public Accounts Committee is seeking clarity on.

Rehab has been in the headlines in recent weeks after Flannery’s successor as CEO, Angela Kerins, declined to disclose her salary despite being asked three times on RTÉ Radio. She relented last month following a special board meeting, revealing she now earns €240,000 or €6,000 more than she did in 2011.

Questions have also arisen about Rehab’s low profits on its lottery scratch cards. The disability charity and training organisation argues that the National Lottery has an unfair advantage and, as the Irish Times has reported, Flannery has lobbied the Department of Justice on this issue, on Rehab’s behalf, about the winding down of the government’s charitable lotteries scheme.

Only yesterday, Quinn said yesterday that Flannery had discussed the compensation scheme with him, though not, the minister claimed, “in any kind of lobbying way”.

The uncertainty over Flannery’s role with Rehab and how that may have crossed over with his obvious political connections has contributed to the current situation.

PAC seeks answers

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All this uncertainty is despite Kerins and other board members spending some seven hours before the Public Accounts Committee last month.

Flannery’s absence from that hearing (he was belatedly invited, but Rehab decided not to bring him as part of its delegation) and one report stating that he was in Leinster House at the time of the hearing, added to the controversy.

Two specific events in recent days appear to have led to Flannery’s decision to part ways with Rehab and Fine Gael. First, the Irish Times reported on Saturday that Flannery was paid thousands of euro for work on behalf of Rehab to lobby several government departments.

Second, during the course of that aforementioned interview on RTÉ Radio, Ruairí Quinn pointed out that he would occasionally see Flannery with Fine Gael advisors prior to Cabinet meetings. A political veteran, Quinn was no doubt aware of the importance his words carried.

Now, Flannery’s departure leaves outstanding questions that the PAC will seek answers to, something the committee has become particularly good at in recent months. It’s worth noting that PAC, which has been divided along party lines on certain issues in recent months, is united on the need for the now ex-Fine Gael strategist to come before it.

Flannery has not responded to an interview request from this website, but will face calls to respond to the PAC in the coming days.

All pics: Photocall Ireland

MORE: ‘I had no role in advising the government’: Frank Flannery resigns from Rehab and Fine Gael

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49 Comments
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    Mute Hairy Baby
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:18 AM

    I think there is definitely something radically wrong in the Irish psyche that allows us to accept and permit this ongoing crookedness and corruption. It is very evident in all facets of the public and private sectors. There needs to be wholesale reforms of the public sector from top to bottom. It will take generations to get rid of this attitude we have to crookedness and corruption.

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    Mute shane mullally
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:23 AM

    Well said…:-)..

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    Mute VinHeffer89
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:56 AM

    Indeed, it will definitely take generations to rid ourselves of our attitude to and tolerance of corruption because it has been evident in Ireland for generations. Haughey had with a private island on an Irish politician’s salary, Lowry accepted a bribe from Denis O’ Brien, eventually leading to the creation of the bulk of O’ Brien’s fortune and he’s still massively popular in North Tipperary, P Flynn who had houses everywhere and complained at length at the cost of maintaining a lifestyle of extravagance, Ray Burke accepted bribes from O’ Brien as well as numerous property developers, and let’s not forget Bertie, the “Telfon” Taoiseach, who claimed not to have a bank account and was as bent as a staple, sorting out his mates and buddies regardless of qualifications or abilities. We’ve stood there and watched all of the above for the last thirty years. Stood there and done next to nothing. It is obvious that there is an epidemic of corruption, backhand politics and cronyism across the party spectrum. If you don’t want any more of this, vote Independent.

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    Mute Harry Price
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:00 AM

    Faces in the crowd tell a story by their body language ….move along now sheeple

    42
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    Mute John R
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:14 AM

    Why vote Independent Vin ? Because they would never behave in a corrupt fashion? Michael Lowry anyone? Such corruption as you appear to believe exists seems to do so particularly at the margin of the political/private sector interface and is not widely prevalent elsewhere. This is particularly evident in planning matters. It also suggests that it could be curtailed or better controlled with some tinkering of the law and greater transperency. Let’s not tar everyone with the same brush though. And before we become too self-flagellatory let’s acknowledge that this is a problem literally everywhere in the world including the democratic world. Money, power, sex, the unholy Trinity, is universal. Incidentally I do not know what sins if any this gentleman is alleged to have committed. In his shoes I wouldn’t want to appear before the PAC ambulance chasers either.

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    Mute VinHeffer89
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:22 AM

    Are you seriously suggesting that Lowry isn’t anything other than a Fine Gael man? He is an Independent but accepted bribes as a Fine Gael Minister. He is Independent because his name is dirt outside North Tipperary because of corruption he engaged in. I would say vote Independent (obviously not Michael Lowry) because there has been obvious corruption across the established parties. A culture of greed and cronyism obviously exists among Fianne Fail, Labour and Fine Gael. I will therefore show my displeasure with this by giving all of the above not so much as the time of day should they come to my door or a transfer when I vote.

    70
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    Mute Harry Price
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    Mar 12th 2014, 12:03 PM

    john get real to steal, to con, to cover up,to extort by inside trading is but wrong and is at odd to being honest and honourable

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    Mute Murray Ben
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:18 AM

    At the end of the day are they ripping of people with disabilities ?

    145
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    Mute Ciarraioch
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:27 AM

    Murray – you do raise a very valid and mute point – yes indeed these parasites have indeed physically stolen from the very people with disabilities that they were claiming to help .
    More reason that Criminal Charges should be brought against them , as well as the insistence that all sums returned to The Charity and “Pensions” forfeit ?

    136
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    Mute shane mullally
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:05 AM

    Resigns and keeps all his eggs in one basket(pension,shares,etc) what a clever guy!..class act..in orther words,up yours PAC!!..

    133
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    Mute Darren Doheny
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:18 AM

    Your comment represents the witch-hunt bitter culture we have here in Ireland. It’s the rich that create the big business in Ireland. You may not like that fact but the sooner we dump this socialist Fine Gael party the better Ireland will be.

    17
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    Mute Hairy Baby
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:23 AM

    @ Darren

    How do you make out that we have a “witch-hunt, bitter culture” here in Ireland? Agree that Fine Gael need to go but aren’t they the best friends of the “rich that create the big business in Ireland” ?

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    Mute Andrew Brennan
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:49 AM

    @ Darren ~ Thanks Darren; I needed a Laugh-Out-Loud this morning and you supplied it.

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    Mute Mary King
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:54 AM

    Fine Gael, Socialist ??????

    52
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    Mute TheIrishBrain
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:00 AM

    The 5 point plan, Where is it now as we take Property tax, Water tax,and the up and coming Health tax Its like they never happened,Its SF in the local elections for me good riddance to Flannery Gael.

    61
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    Mute jackass ireland
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:13 AM

    What if there are witches? What if we are bitter? We as citizens and taxpayers have earned every right to go after these backhanded liars that have bankrupted the country. We still haven’t flushed all of them out into the open. We do have to look forward and move on but we certainly don’t have to look at these clowns with a smile.

    48
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    Mute John Byrne
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:21 AM

    Darren will ya go away with your Fox News talk . It’s Irish cute hoorism .

    39
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    Mute Dave Sherman
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    Mar 11th 2014, 12:52 PM

    @Darren. It’s called accountability. If you receive public funding you have to to be accountable for it.

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    Mute Finzo Mc
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    Mar 11th 2014, 4:01 PM

    You mean National Socialist, wayooooooo

    [still waiting for high five]

    11
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    Mute cutsie
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    Mar 11th 2014, 7:51 PM

    Darren, are you a bit confused?

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    Mute Ciarraioch
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:15 AM

    Presumably – Criminal Charges under Company Law and Corruption charges will now be brought against Frank Flannery , Angela Kearns & the various Directors of Rehab ?

    Surely , if Shatter and Enda Kenny were to ignore this , the days are numbered for this equally corrupt Government ?

    80
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    Mute Ian McG
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:27 AM

    @Ciarraioch: Your faith in our “justice” system is admirable, if misguided in my opinion.

    You expect Kenny and Shatter to do something after the GSOC/Shatter debacle where of course Shatter and Callinan kept their jobs

    This is Ireland after all! Consequences are only for the little people.

    62
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    Mute Hairy Baby
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:31 AM

    @Ciarraioch

    When Fine Gael ignore the fact that a businessman was found by a judge, overseeing a tribunal, to have made corrupt payments to one of their own ministers and they did nothing about that except court him again for more “political party donations”, then they are hardly going to do anything about this imho

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    Mute cutsie
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    Mar 11th 2014, 7:54 PM

    Yes and we all loved happily ever after @ciarraloct

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    Mute cutsie
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    Mar 11th 2014, 7:54 PM

    Lived not loved ugh

    2
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    Mute Ian McG
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:23 AM

    I can sum this entire thing up in one sentence:

    “Another political insider who despite serious questions over his behaviour will never face a court or the inside of a jail cell – such things are only reserved for the peasants who fail to pay their TV licenses etc”

    As with Shatter and the GSOC, expect this to be forgotten about by next week. This country is a joke!

    73
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    Mute Hairy Baby
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:13 AM

    Crook.

    54
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    Mute Des Doran
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:08 AM

    Edna’s puppet master

    32
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    Mute Pat Williams
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:35 AM

    And they have the cheek to keeping harping back to the previous administration? They are the most professional hoodwinkers the people of Ireland have ever had to deal with! They certainly can climb down now from their ‘Moral High Ground’

    45
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    Mute Patrick Ryan
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    Mar 12th 2014, 10:34 PM

    ‘Vote FG – We’re Not Quite As Bad As That Other Crowd’. Has quite a ring to it.
    The country was promised a about turn, and end to the cronyism of the past.
    Yeah, right.
    May I ask a couple of questions? Does the average person in Ireland have any faith whatsoever in any organ of the State, from the local council up, or any political party now?
    Will the promises being committed to election literature now, fantasies that will be pushed in our letter boxes be believed by anyone?

    2
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:35 AM

    Sadly he has resigned from his positions because of the embarrassment he was causing Enda and FG not because of the investigation onto Rehab. Double standards once again….

    41
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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Mar 11th 2014, 11:58 PM

    And we all thought FF were the corrupt party.

    10
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    Mute Paul Moran
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:54 AM

    Flannery is a rodent, he’ll never face PAC now. He’s part of a crooked system which is buried deep in our psyche and it won’t ever be eradicated.

    38
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    Mute VinHeffer89
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    Mar 11th 2014, 11:39 AM

    Why would he? I don’t believe that he can be realistically compelled to appear before the PAC and, even if by some shocking miracle that he was compelled what difference would it make? The PAC, while I applaud their work, is effectively a toothless entity; they can’t dispense any form of justice or penalty on the like of Paul Kiely, Angela Kearns or Frank Flannery.. All the PAC can do really is generate public outrage; it’s like a modern-day show trial but minus the consequences.

    20
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    Mute Maurice Frazer
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:01 AM

    Corrupt to the core

    35
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    Mute Conor Boyce
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:15 AM

    Looks like Frank taking “one for the team”.Eoin O Duffy would be proud of such sacrifices for greater good.Im sure he can still skype Castlebar or talk to Inda on snapchat.

    25
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    Mute Declan J Murtagh Sr.
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    Mar 11th 2014, 10:57 AM

    4 words come to mind, rat, sinking,jump, ship,

    20
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Mar 11th 2014, 9:45 AM

    It’s hard to keep track of all the gents in our government ,mr Kenny thanks the people of Ireland for their effort in over coming the financial difficulties were in in although we still have a way to go
    Well he’s right ,I wonder would he tell us just how much further we have to go give it a few months and all will be forgiven

    18
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    Mute Tinker Taylor
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    Mar 11th 2014, 12:00 PM

    I always have trouble with the MSM attributing FGs success to one person. The real saviours of FG were the disasterous FF governments that preceeded the last election. He just happened to be there at the right time.

    15
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    Mute Niall O'Connor
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    Mar 11th 2014, 11:24 PM

    He’s the guy who dreamed up all the lies FG fed the people at the last general election. Well Enda got what he wanted at least and for the rest of us if you voted FG you can only blame yourself.

    13
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    Mute Mary Griffin
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    Mar 11th 2014, 7:00 PM

    Heading: Who is Frank Flannery – a friend of Enda Kenny. Why is everyone talking about him – because of all the money he made from a charity set up to help those with special needs etc. A man with no morals????

    12
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    Mute Nigel O Keeffe
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    Mar 11th 2014, 11:40 PM

    Fine Gael got in on an anti government vote…they won nothing..just as they will be kicked out soon..first in the locals..then in the general election..
    Please please can we have a viable alternative to what we have at the moment!..no..I dont mean FF

    11
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    Mute Mary Griffin
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    Mar 12th 2014, 12:02 AM

    Unfortunately Nigel I cannot see an alternative – it is bleak looking on the political front.

    7
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    Mute Joseph O'Regan
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    Mar 11th 2014, 12:54 PM

    The parasites will not be made accountable because their crimes were committed within the parameters of loopholes created and made to measure for them. This is all planned, the get out of jail card with bonuses and pensions is sewn up a long time ago……..wait for the chorus of we can’t do anything our hands are tied from all political parties……………….. vomit inducing hypocrisy.

    11
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    Mute Diarmuid O'Connor
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    Mar 12th 2014, 7:35 AM

    He’s a man, a man with a golden….. Retirement package. Gold pension.

    5
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 4:14 AM

    Frank Flannery is… Kaiser Souza of F.G.???

    2
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    Mute Dermot O'Reilly
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    Mar 13th 2014, 11:04 PM

    Directors of a registered charity ( as I understand the Law ) are not entitled to receive emoluments!

    Am I correct or naive?

    2
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    Mute Brian Ruane
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    Jan 8th 2015, 12:37 PM

    A former president of USI in the 1970s? Surely he is still a former president in 2015?

    1
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 4:21 AM

    GUESS WHO IS COMING TO DINNER was a film but a better one might be… Guess who is coming to the party, the corporate orgy? TTIP…

    1
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