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Farewell then Joe Higgins
Read more about: Bertiegate, Dublin West 
Probably the TD who took the Dail stage most seriously and the best one at needling Bertie. A reminder of one of his classics below, I’m sure others have their own.
When Bertie took questions last October at the height of Nixergate –
Mr. J. Higgins: If the revelations came out not 13 years after his so-called loans, but perhaps 20 or 25 years later, would they still be unpaid and would they still be in the same category as they were when the Taoiseach was outed? That is quite clearly the case. The Taoiseach insists that these are not business people but just friends. He told us that he only knew two of the Manchester crew. Is he seriously telling the Dáil that after appearing at several of these gigs over a period of years, presumably organised by the same people, with the same people in attendance, he only knew two of them and can now only account for two names? We got no more names.
An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy’s time has concluded.
Mr. J. Higgins: For example a big influential businessman in Irish circles in Manchester was Thomas “Slab” Murphy. Did he attend any of the gigs that the Taoiseach addressed?
(Interruptions).
….
The Taoiseach: I am sure Deputy Higgins, like everybody else, would have heard a number of my friends, particularly Mr. Charlie Chawke, who gave a number of interviews, make it very clear that I had offered to pay back these loans a number of times, which I had done. That was made very clear. I said in my opening statement that I would probably know all the people at that function in Manchester but I cannot pin down, without being able to talk to them all, who exactly was at what function and I do not want to do that. A number of people from Manchester rang me, because this was on the news in Manchester on Friday evening, to say they had met me.
Mr. Rabbitte: It is like the GPO in 1916.
…. The Taoiseach: If Deputy Joe Higgins is insinuating that I took money from Slab Murphy, I never took money from Slab Murphy.
A Deputy: He gave it all to the quare lad.
17 November 2004
Mr. J. Higgins: You can imagine, a Cheann Comhairle, how perplexed I was when I returned to find my wardrobe almost empty. TheTaoiseach had been busy robbing my clothes. Up to recently the Progressive Democrats did not have a stitch left due to the same Taoiseach but we never expected him to take a walk on the left side of the street.
The Taoiseach: Extreme left.
Mr. J. Higgins: He said: “I am one of the few socialists left in Irish politics”. Immediately, Toma´s O´ Criomhthaı´n came to mind, as he lamented the last of the Blasket Islanders: “Nı´ bheidh a´ r leithe´ idı´ arı´s ann”. I then thought: “Good, Taoiseach. There are two of us in it and we will go down together.”
Boo bye Joe. You’ll never get elected again with your wacky socialist party principles which even the dog on the street has rejected. Socialism has no place in Ireland.
Thank god thats the end of a far-left muppet.
A sad loss. He’ll be back.
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir!
he’ll be back at the next election – which will be in a few month’s time as FF won’t find a stable majority. and the issues he brought up will not be going away.
Gordon
Ya shame he is gone. Story of the election really a few votes here a few voters there.
I dont think he’ll be back. He is an old frail man who has failed in every aspect. He’s for the nursing home. Goodbye Joe.
One of the best TDs to sit in the Dail in recent years. Not “a man who has failed in every aspect”. Though he may have failed in implementing a socialist Ireland, he was instumental in resolving a number of important issues, such as the estate management companies controversy.
And hardly an old frail man… is far more likely to stand up and speak out than most Dail representatives.
Even if you disagree with his socialist policies, you must concede he had a largely positive impact both in his local constituency and nationally. He’s a man of great integrity, and I hope he’ll be back.
He’s now running in the local elections & euro elections, as a step to getting back into the dail. At times like these, working people need political representatives of the caliber of Joe who will fight for our rights and future. Check out his euro election site Joe Higgins.eu
Hear hear Cian. Never more relevant. Never before has there been such an urgency for people and politics like that of Joe Higgins. We’ve had nothing but a mish mash of gombeen crony capitalist tweedle dum tweedle dee politics since the foundation of the state. A servile and capitulating Labour Party and trade union leadership. Fianna Fail’s cosy corrupt relationship with the business elite has destroyed the economy and is now force-feeding the ordinary working (if they’re lucky) person with poisonous cutbacks and taxes to pay for their mess. Even if not elected as an MEP in 2009, Joe will get a resounding wave of support which will show that he and his party have very definitely not gone away.
Cian, as we have you. Just who are “working people” and who aren’t?
great to see joe back. Bet those who wrote his obituary feel a bit stupid now.