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THOUSANDS OF EUROS were spent on polling and public attitude sampling by Independent TDs during last year’s uncertain political climate.
A recent Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) report on the State-funded Parliamentary Activities Allowance scheme for Independent Oireachtas members, shows some independent TDs were keen to gauge the voters mood.
The report also shows that a number of TDs spent significant funds on public relations.
Interested in gauging the mood of public opinion, particular among his own local area in Dublin Bay North, Minister of State for Disabilities Finian McGrath spent €22,755 on constituency research and polling carried out by Red C.
In a recent interview with The Irish Independent, McGrath said that since being re-elected in 2016, some people have told him he has “sold out” by working with Fine Gael.
His Independent Alliance colleague, Minister of State for Training and Skills John Halligan spent €1,000 on polling and attitudes expenditure.
A further €7,910 was spent on “door-to-door attitude sampling” as well as social media polling, PR services and drafting of policy recommendations.
Transport Minister Shane Ross also splashed out on polling, spending €10,639.50 on attitude sampling.
Looking at the opposition benches, Rural Independents TD Michael Harty also spent €2,522 on public attitude sampling in connection with parliamentary debate and initiatives, while the Clare TD paid over €23,500 to PR companies Caimin Jones PR and Jones Communications.
Other independent TDs to pay for public relations in 2018 were Michael Fitzmaurice, who paid €15,469 on PR consultations.
Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae spent €4,059 on PR to Southern Promotion Ltd, while former Communications Minister Denis Naughten spent €6,094.29 on PR and public consultation.
Why would politicians be spending money on polling last year? Oftentimes one of the reasons is to determine whether they will run in the next election, said DIT Politics Lecturer Kevin Cunningham.
Around times of general election speculation, politicians can become very anxious about how popular they are, said Cunningham.
As the conclusion of the confidence-and-supply deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil loomed last autumn, there was talk that an election would be called before the year end.
There was also speculation last summer that Fianna Fáil were on the look out for an issue to pull the government down on, with October’s budget or another winter crisis in health or housing perhaps providing the ammo.
He added that it can cost around €30,000 to contest in an election, so politicians often want a bit of help in making their decision as to whether it would pay off.
Cunningham said TDs do need to spend a significant amount to get a decent gauge on voter opinion.
The lower-level of spending, such as online and social media polling carried out by Halligan, indicates this could be on local issues, such as hospital closures.
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There is nothing more demoralizing than being bullied or intimidated in the workplace.
You want to give 100% to the customer/company and enjoy your job.
But it only takes 1 or 2 sad individuals to destroy any good feelings you have.
It saps your self confidence and ability to give the customer the service they deserve.
It isn’t physical intimidation (these bullies are far too scared to do that) .
It’s the whisper campaigns , doing things they know annoys you, they turn other workers against you and basically make life miserable.
Sad little individuals.
I left a job I truly loved 10 years ago and still regret it.
@Justice Mickey: Same thing happened to me.HR didnt want to know.Ended up having to quit.Found out later he had been asked to leave his previous job for the same thing.Nasty piece of work.
@Trish O’Leary-Dunne: I’ve see it happen. Nasty pieces of work, like you, I reported it in writing, & faced the bully nose to nose, he backed down and moved on to other softer touches, & like you most of these people, packed up & moved on. The Employer lost some fantastic people, & another loser is the Employer.
Moral in my storey is, stand up to the B’ast4rds, they cant handle it when someone puts it up to them. I know that shouldn’t be the way, but in life you gotta do what you gotta do?
@Trish O’Leary-Dunne:
So sorry to read that Trish and hopefully you are in a better place mentally and physically.
Happy New year to you.
@Dom Layzell:
HR are totally useless and toothless, I confronted the ring leader and went Nose to Nose and he was scared shitless but it reverted back once he had his sleveen devious buddies behind him.
Then he made sure there would never be another opportunity.
Bullies are nothing but sad little cowards whit zero personalities or social skills.
They think that by belittling someone they are seen as “The big man/woman”.
I would hate to be in their shoes and be know as a pure looser and be the laughing stock.
In most cases these people turn into miserable old and unwanted people that will die alone and nobody will care.
@Justice Mickey: you’re wrong – it’s bad enough being subjected to bullying but what is even worse is when you bring the matter to the attention of your HR Department as advised & HR then proceeds to ignore their own policies and timelines continuously for months/years on end, while you continue to have to work with the person who bullies you…. that is demoralising & that is what currently goes on in some civil/public service jobs
@Justice Mickey: Thank you.I ended up in a job i love with amazing people so he did me a favour in the end!
@Justice Mickey: HR are there to protect the company, not the employees. Don’t listen to anyone in HR trying to tell you otherwise.
Bullying is in every workplace. People with comments, snide remarks, looks, judging, deliberately leaving people out from a conversation or not inviting them to lunch etc. Then these bullies play the victim when a complaint is made, that’s all bullying if you make a person feel uncomfortable. It says so much about the person /people doing it. Some people can make others feel physically sick about going in to work because of the way they are treated and it makes me so mad. But these bullies have other issues you have to remember this.
Quite a misleading headline, at odds with the statistics presented in the body.
11 complaints in 11 months for a force of 14000. Well done to the Gardai. They seem to be well on top of the problem.
Bullying costs lives. It’s incalculable how much decent man and woman hours have been lost to the public, all around the country, through incompetent middle and senior management. Just look at the incompetence of senior management that was exposed through the Maurice McCabe affair. Just look at what came out.
have your say