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WILLIE O’DEA NEARLY gave it all up prior to the last general election.
The Fianna Fáil TD resigned as Defence Minister in February 2010 after he made a sworn statement denying he had made comments about a Sinn Féin councillor when in fact he had made the remarks.
Consigned to the backbenches, the veteran Limerick TD mulled retirement and admits it was something both his wife and his family thought was a good idea.
But ultimately he decided to “have another bash at it” after nearly three decades in the Dáil. Here’s why:
O’Dea admits that politics is “difficult to shake it off” but he has identified a rather unusual way of relaxing from the political grind.
It involves more work. More specfically it’s a role as non-executive chairman of the UK-based construction and property firm Formation Group.
I have to go across every month, once-a-month to chair and people ask me how I manage all that. It involves a certain amount of work in between it’s not just a matter of going in and taking the chair for a meeting.
The company invested heavily in the Irish property market during the boom and now offers specialist advise and project management for wealthy clients on their own construction schemes.
O’Dea has shares in the Formation Group according to the register of TDs’ interests and told us that he gets a “reasonable” amount of money for his services. He even finds the “different type of work” to be relaxing:
Basically, I sort of do that work to relax from politics as it were – it’s a form of relaxation.
With a smile he boasted: “Since I took the chair about… less than 12 months ago the share price has gone up quite considerably.”
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That’s not relaxation, that’s called vested interests
When he was Minister for Defence, he liked to point handguns at photographers.
If such practise is repeated by Willie, in the direction of board members at those UK meetings, it may explain rise in share price!
Sometimes discussion isn’t enough!
i wouldn’t take property advice off willie o Dea . Even if he swore an oath that the advice was true
TheJournal seem to be pushing for this guy to be reelected……..
Terrible public servant, the most prominent TD in Limerick, presiding over Limerick’s decline into the abyss and gang culture for many years. His contribution……. I think some potholes got fixed somewhere in the County
Like useless Lowry, voted in by the idiotic locals
Share price gas gone up due to improved economy and house prices not due to anything he’s done
And your knowledge of the company is what?
When the market conditions improve so does the share price.
If it had gone down would you have suggested he gets a raise?
Tosser
‘politics hard to shake off…’ I’m sure it’s the trough that’s the hardest thing to shake off. After all they did, FF should have been consigned to the rubbish bin of history, yet here they are contesting an election.
He means it was hard to give up the gravy train of Irish politics, same as most irish politicians, none of them ever resign, despite however bad they are. And the company is happy to have him as a connection for potentially lucrative work, forget about this relaxing bull, by the way he’s talking you’d swear he was some sort of “special one”, like gilmore, far from it, and property in the UK has been generally rising for a few years now, since the Olympics.
Hmmmmmm I predict a shady formation group NAMA deal if ff get into power
FF TD involved with a construction and developer firm. That must be a first. After all he has his FF gangster friends has done to this country has he no shame
Indeed Willie O’Dea has a lot of interests outside politics. Maybe he should be the Irish representative at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
2. Shares Etc. ………………..Shares: (1) Ormond Mining: St. Canice’s Road, Kilkenny: mining; (2) Kibo Ltd., Tuam Rd., Galway: mining; (3) Dragon Oil: London: oil exploration; (4) Kaizan Ltd: Canada: mining; (5) Union Jack Oil, Bath, UK: oil/gas exploration (see part 3); (6) Realty Income Ltd: New York: real estate; (7) Bond: Merrion Capital, Dublin 2; (8) Gov/Commercial Bonds: c/o Dolmen Ltd., Theatre Court, Mallow St., Limerick; (9) Shares: Formation Group Ltd., Hackney Road, London, UK: property investment (see part 3).
3. Directorships ………………Non-executive Director: (1) Union Jack Oil, Bath, UK: oil/gas exploration; (2) Formation Group Ltd., Hackney Road, London: property investment; Executive Director: Dow Projects Ltd., Old Citadel, Clare St., Limerick: investments.
Willie Wanka
Our Wullie Willie
Awful gombeen
Everything about this man is odd
He is certainly not free willie
3 decades..probably pulled in the guts of 4 million in that time..public service or self service…would love to see term limits imposed to remove the cancer of career politicians…of all parties..but pigs will probably fly first.
Trust is the biggest issue with the Irish electorate right now. What’s the number of the electorate that place trust in Willie over Fg/lab? I’m guessing it’s pretty tight… Roll on election and see results..
Not all that tight in Limerick where O Dea is concerned.
This man has dedicated his life to the service of his country and to the people of Limerick.
We will forever be in his debt.
A selfless patriot who has always put the interests of Ireland first.
Thank you Willie..
Tommy You must have been out of the Country for a long time or asleep
Or your head needs to be surgically removed from Willie’s rear end!!!
Is it no wonder we are in the state we are. When this is the sort of rubbish politicians get up too when there “relaxing”.
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