Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Seán Haughey RollingNews.ie

'Sad and awful': Haughey return sparks anger at Micheál Martin

The decision to add Seán Haughey to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Dublin Bay North has angered his running mate.

MICHEÁL MARTIN HAS been heavily criticised over the decision to add former junior minister Seán Haughey to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Dublin Bay North.

As was widely expected, Haughey was added to the party ticket last night but his fellow running mate Deirdre Heney, who was selected by party members in June, described the decision as “sad and awful”.

The Dublin city councillor declined to express faith in her party leader in a radio interview this morning.

“I am very very disappointed in the leader of my party doing this to me, a woman who was elected fairly and squarely at a convention in Fianna Fáil,” she told Newstalk Breakfast earlier.

Heney said she had put a “huge amount of effort” into winning the support of members at the convention and stated her belief that Haughey, who is also a councillor, was added because of his friendship with Martin.

heney

“I think it is very unfair what has happened to me,” she said, adding that it was the second time it had happened after Haughey was picked to run in the Clontarf ward in last year’s local elections.

She said the “sad and awful” thing about the decision was that it could result in Fianna Fáil getting no Dáil seat in the competitive five-seat Dublin Bay North.

However, a party source disputed this, saying Fianna Fáil’s national constituencies committee had determined that the best way of winning a seat for the party was a two-candidate strategy.

Heney also declined to express faith in her party leader this morning, saying:

I am not going to comment about my faith in Micheál Martin, because I don’t want to.

Fianna Fáil declined to comment.

The Battle of Dún Laoghaire

Separately, nominations have opened in the Dún Laoghaire constituency with a warning to Fianna Fáil members that the party must comply with gender quotas.

In a letter to party members in the constituency, general secretary Sean Dorgan said:

The National Constituencies Committee is cognisant of the legal obligation that at least 30pc of our Party’s candidates are female. With this in mind, there is an expectation that both women and men are nominated.

Fianna Fáil has yet to determine its strategy in a constituency that has been the subject of intense media focus in recent months as former minister and councillor Mary Hanafin seeks the party’s nomination.

Her fellow councillors Kate Feeney, Jennifer Cuffe and Cormac Devlin are also seeking the nomination.

While its thought Devlin may have enough support among members to be selected the party may issue a directive to select a female candidate in order to comply with gender quotas.

There is no date as yet for the selection convention but nominations close next Tuesday.

Read: Will these men lose out in Fianna Fáil’s desperate hunt for women?

Read: Does Bertie still hold sway in his old stomping ground?

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
82 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annette
    Favourite Annette
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 8:35 AM

    Something seriously wrong here, this poor woman and her surviving daughter what she must have gone through!! Unimaginable

    400
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bernard Kilmurray
    Favourite Bernard Kilmurray
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 8:37 AM

    Where were the lifeguards?

    133
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Horan
    Favourite John Horan
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 8:46 AM

    @Bernard Kilmurray: There is a minimum size rule before you need a lifeguard.

    92
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute CC
    Favourite CC
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 9:54 AM

    @John Horan: yeah I think of the pool is bigger than 200/250 sqm ? Read someone’s comment on another article. Just heartbreaking.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Dunne
    Favourite Paddy Dunne
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 10:04 AM

    I think the question has to be asked is what kind of pool is this ,is this a normal pool or is there some wave making mechanism in it to say that they were pulled into the deep part of the pool and not able to get out sounds sinister to me ,
    God bless that poor woman a holiday that cost her husband and children unimaginable

    139
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rory J Leonard
    Favourite Rory J Leonard
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 9:58 AM

    Tragic, whatever the cause.

    More unroped easily accessible Lifebuoys, positioned adjacent to entry points / steps and to the side, should be mandatory for hotel pools.

    Buoys being too far away and all tied up seems the norm, which is no good in a panic scenario – likely with the story here.

    It’s a bit unrealistic to expect lifeguard cover at a hotel 24/7. Costs would be too prohibitive for all but very top end of the market.

    A small floatation device attached to a foot, no matter how good the swimmer, especially if not a regular, should not take from the enjoyment of a dip.

    One can’t be too careful with children near water.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Hammond
    Favourite Dave Hammond
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 11:35 AM

    @Rory J Leonard what a tragedy – poor family –

    I dont know why you speculate about buoys being likely far away – the pic of the pool in the article shows a large orange rung buoy right beside the pool ??

    Something doesn’t add up here ??

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dublin
    Favourite Dublin
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 6:32 PM

    I almost drowned in a hotel pool in Tenerife (Gran Tacande in Costa Adeje resort).
    My sister and mum came to save me but they too immediately began to struggle. They’re both better swimmers than me. There were TWO lifeguards on duty, both sitting atop a high chair supposedly looking out for this sort of thing. None of them saw or helped. It was only when I went to the bottom my mum screamed to the top of her lungs. She was screaming before but people though she was playing. When they realised it was serious, 3men dived in to immediately save me and pull me to the size where I had CPR.
    The lifeguards watched, then came down to inspect what was going on. They were almost EXACTLY useless. Never visiting the hotel again. Don’t underestimate how easy it could be to drown in shallow-is water.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marie Broomfield
    Favourite Marie Broomfield
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 11:33 AM

    Some news media mad to add the non swimmers element . First it was possibly non swimmers, then it came as a direct quote from surviving child. As for the official report, BBC news said the pool was investigated and found not at fault but then added, the pools pumping system was being examined. So the pool is not in the clear yet. The state broadcasters are the only news media that can be trusted because they don’t have any reason to make a story juicier. Imo

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bernard Kilmurray
    Favourite Bernard Kilmurray
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 8:39 AM

    Where were the lifeguards???

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Breda Clarke
    Favourite Breda Clarke
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 5:52 PM

    So very sad but I can’t help but think why the dad used the steps to get into the pool. I know I’d jump in if my child was in difficulty as I can swim. I think a person who is not a confident swimmer would be inclined to use the steps.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barry Evans
    Favourite Barry Evans
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 8:46 PM

    @Breda Clarke: that’s what you took from this? That he didn’t dive in like some movie action hero??

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bopper Bops Holland
    Favourite Bopper Bops Holland
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 1:34 PM

    What time did it happen

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute nelliekel
    Favourite nelliekel
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 4:16 PM

    Doesn’t seem to be a run down flea pit of hotel so why is there no cctv as most hotels have it now if only for the compo culture

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dublin
    Favourite Dublin
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 6:40 PM

    Testing if my comments ever show up !

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dublin
    Favourite Dublin
    Report
    Dec 28th 2019, 6:36 PM

    Don’t underestimate

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      News in 60 seconds