Margaret Ward is doing good work in China for RTÉ. Following her earlier reports on events within China she is now trying to get a fix on what is going on in Tibet (80 killed according to Dharmsala) and Sichuan.

She has also dug out this pearl from our man in Beijing:

Dick Roche, Minister for European Affairs, who is in Beijing for St Patrick's Day activities, told RTÉ's Foreign Editor, Margaret Ward, that while he might have personal concerns about events in Tibet, he was in China for other matters and he had not raised the issue at meetings with officials there.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0316/tibet.html

Helium Three wrote:

Margaret Ward is doing good work in China for RTÉ. Following her earlier reports on events within China she is now trying to get a fix on what is going on in Tibet (80 killed according to Dharmsala) and Sichuan.

She has also dug out this pearl from our man in Beijing:

Dick Roche, Minister for European Affairs, who is in Beijing for St Patrick's Day activities, told RTÉ's Foreign Editor, Margaret Ward, that while he might have personal concerns about events in Tibet, he was in China for other matters and he had not raised the issue at meetings with officials there.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0316/tibet.html

And if they fancy building a motorway through the Jokhang, of course, he might also pop in his CV. Didn't Ireland used to speak up about this kind of thing, or is that just my memory playing tricks?

That man is only ever concerned with grooming his ego.

Can you imagine Michael D ever coming out with that kind of rhetoric?

ibis wrote:

Didn't Ireland used to speak up about this kind of thing, or is that just my memory playing tricks?

I refer you to Kate's 'Saying No' thread. Discussion just keeps bringing us back to the same place. Maybe we should stop discussing.

I know nothing about this Dick Roche person but here the word for Dick is Cock so from now on I am going to study up on this fine public servant who henceforth will be known to me as Cockroach. He can scurry off to China and visit the slaves there.

What ?? Never heard of our Dick ?

I intend to check into Cockroach. On going to his site I have come accross the most stupid argument I have ever seen. He says that we must vote yes on Lisbon because there is no way that it will be adjusted to get a yes vote a second time round. That is some logic. He is taking the voters to be complete morons altogether. Anyone who admits to voting for a clown like this should be given a free vasectimony. He says he wants to debate Jerry Adams on the argument that the Irish Culture has not changed since 1972. Is this guy for real. Who believes this guy. That opposition party must be some crowd of bumkins if they are dimmer than Cockroach. Are there many more tds spouting such codswaddle as this guy that I should check out for a laugh

He's very popular in Wicklow, apparently...which may say something about Wicklow?

youngdan are you for real ? are you in the states or somewhere? You really never heard of our Dick?

He is for real.

Unfortunately so are the 10,246 people in Wickklow that gave him a Number 1.

http://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2007&cons=235

I can't despair anymore....I'm all out.

If you scroll down this page to the visit of Margot Wallstrom and click on the 'questions and comments' link you'll hear Martin Mansergh discuss democracy in a rather startling way.

http://forumoneuropepodcast.org/

It's about halfway down the page and he's the first speaker.

ibis wrote:

He's very popular in Wicklow, apparently...which may say something about Wicklow?

I met him once and despite my best efforts couldn't avoid shaking his hand. And he's one of those touchy feely guys that just make my skin crawl.

It's like he learned his people skills from Dale Carnegie.

Maybe Wicklow people like that...?

It looks like Kate was not to be befriended or influenced by Cockroach as Dale would have hoped. I am in Massachusetts which is the epicentre of the universe for Slimy politicians. Anything goes here but this guy seems to be saying on his website that to deal with mass migration we should give up the last bit of sovereignty left. His 2 main arguments are so ridiculous on their face that I will have to google video him to see this eloquence with my own eyes. The 10000 gobshythehawks that voted for him deserve the economic whiplash that the ECB is going to give them. I am sorry for the 8% who had enough brains to vote for the independents in Wicklow. The independents most likely were actually concerned about the Wicklow people and area whereas this slug is out stuffing his gob with chairman mao fried rice in the company of those who are killing Tibetans with tanks. Happy Saint Patricks day to the 10000 who agree with these actions. The taxpayer will pay for the fortune cookies as well.

As far as I can gather, the point is that he is a good local TD. Meanwhile, I'm afraid your faith in Wicklow's independent candidates is equally misplaced...Mildred Fox was one.

ibis, you do not gather well.

Maybe he is Ibis. I don't know. However anyone with half a brain would not be visiting China when the world is watching Tibet. This is the same stuff that caused a lot ot angst with posters of every hue when it was the burmese monks getting killed. Will this levite be going to Rangoon on the way home. I take it Mildred Fox was another shining beacon in a sea of darkness.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

ibis, you do not gather well.

Well, I am more guessing than gathering, admittedly - but people don't get elected for nothing at all, and Roche certainly isn't getting elected for his national competence!

Do the Greens have a policy on Tibet or is Dick Roche speaking for the FF/GP/PD government?

DeGaulle wrote:

Do the Greens have a policy on Tibet or is Dick Roche speaking for the FF/GP/PD government?

Interesting...we could do with Eddiepops or certain_people. Anyone any idea where they might be found?