A Very Strange Democracy

galway | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Tuesday April 24, 2007 06:40

by Perplexed

A Worrying Trend In People Politics

Public servants were leaned on, to not attend a protest in Galway City yesterday, 23rd April, about the water situation.

A very worrying trend was noticed by the organisers of a public protest about the water situation in Galway. The protest was held yesterday at City Hall and was attended by approximately 300 people. Both before and during the protest a number of calls were received from members of the public who work for the public service. These people were told in no uncertain terms that their jobs would be at risk if they showed up for this protest. The callers included nurses, council workers and civil servants. This has led the organisers to conclude that some very dirty tricks are being played here.

This is a very strange sort of democracy where people are being denied their right to protest. If this is happening on a small local level in this country, it is surely happening on a national level also. Who calls the shots? Who puts this pressure on public servants? This is a very urgent issue and it needs to be discussed.

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Comments (4 of 4)

Bullyboy Tactics at Galway Co Council

by W. Finnerty.

Tue Apr 24, 2007 09:54

I'm not in the least surprised to learn of the intimidation outlined above.

Behind the scenes, it seems to me that Galway County Council must be run by a bunch of serial-bullies, people who are far more interested in pushing people around than they are in doing the work they are supposed to be doing.

Some years ago, when I asked Mr Enda Hoey (Galway County Council Enforcement Officer) to look at some unlawful raw-sewage discharges coming from the primary school in New Inn, which is near my home, and which were within 50 yards or so from where he was standing at the time, I eventually ended up being charged with a criminal offence that involves a possible six-month jail sentence (details at http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/DPP_.htm ).

The raw sewage in question was going straight into the river which runs right through the centre of New Inn village, at a point about 60 yards or so upstream from the pump-house for the local community water supply. As far as I know, this arrangement remains in place, and is still as shown at the following address: http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/environment.htm .

Efforts to remedy the legal situation by reasonable means, only made things much worse: thanks to what I have come to see as a "might is right" and "we'll do as we like" type of attitude at Galway County Council: an attitude which, AMAZINGLY (in my view), appears to be supported throughout the entire legal profession.

Small wonder perhaps things are the way they are? Public servants and the legal profession are above the law, and all others are beneath it - or so it seems at least, judging by the way these people behave.

For anyone interested, more general information relating to my particular set of difficulties with Galway County Council and Mr Hoey, which are ongoing and severe, can be found via the following link: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Finnerty%2C+Hoey%2...earch .

Also, and thanks to Mr Hoey & Galway County Council, "Bullying by Public Officials & Bodies" eventually became the main theme at the web site address provided in the "Related Link" below.

Green Water

by Water

Sat May 05, 2007 17:20

Is that not a bit weird? The Mayor of Galway is a Green. Something fishy about that

By "fishy" I take it you mean "rotten"?

Sat May 05, 2007 22:20

The Mayor of Galway (Green Party Counsellor Niall O'Brolchain) has certainly been informed about my particular situation on MANY occasions during the past five years or so, as has the Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent TD.

However, I might just as well have tried to communicate with the spare-wheel of my car.

It seems to me to be all image, and no substance, with many in the Green Party?

A copy of my most recent e-mail to Niall O'Brolchain can be viewed at http://www.europeancourtofhumanrightswilliamfinnerty.co...l.htm

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Comments (4 of 4)