New Water Pipes and Old Political Opportunism… – Cllr. O’Connell

Political Pie: Danny Healy Rae, TD with Cllr. Bobby O'Connell patroling their political territory at the Indoor Market at Castleisland Community Centre on Friday night. ©Photograph: John Reidy
In happier times: Now Danny Healy Rae, TD and Cllr. Bobby O’Connell are both claiming credit for the replacement of asbestos pipes under the streets of Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy

There’s always something  – thank God. Just as political harmony breaks out in America and president elect, Donald Trump’s comments encourage a warm round of applause for his heretofore bitter rival, Hillary Clinton, things are not so harmonious here at home.

“Not on my patch,” says Cllr. Bobby O’Connell (FG) in a manner of writing in an angry Facebook article:

“In relation to the recent announcement that €250,000 will be spent to replace the old water pipes in Castleisland I was reminded yet again of the typical political opportunism of the Healy Raes,” said a fuming Cllr. O’Connell.

The Healy Rae publicity machine sent out a message recently as soon as the announcement was made and The Maine Valley Post was one of the many recipients.

“Danny Healy Rae TD and Cllr. Maura Healy Rae sent a note to convey their delight that their ‘very strong and continuous representations to Irish Water has yielded a commitment to spend €250,000 to replace the asbestos water mains in Main Street, Castleisland and the Tralee Road,” – so began the slightly paraphrased piece in The Maine Valley Post.

Taking up the Cudgel

Cllr. O’Connell takes up the cudgel: “In the Council, it was I who put forward the Motion and I brought the state of the water mains in Castleisland to the attention of the Council at large and Irish Water.

“The Healy Raes made no contribution to this debate and it’s completely disingenuous to attempt to take credit for the new works which have been announced. But this is nothing new. Typical political opportunism – yet the contradiction here is that most Healy Rae supporters naively believe that their ‘champions’ are far too honest to be telling untruths. Maura Healy Rae may only be in the Council some seven months but that doesn’t dampen her want to receive credit for work she had absolutely nothing to do with.

Shamelessly Attached 

“The truth is that her father Danny shamelessly attached himself and his daughter to these ‘announcements’ in order to boost Maura’s political profile because he believes it’s o.k to take credit for things they haven’t done. The Healy Raes wont be happy until they have people believe that they are the only ones who can fix anything, the only family or people who should be holding seats in the Dail and in the Council.

“It’s total nonsense and it’s gone too far. Nepotism is their battle cry and their supports follow mindlessly – which is hard to believe in this day and age.

Donald Trump Supporters

“They love to project an air of innocence and honesty but it’s a total fabrication – they seek credit for everything and anything as if they alone are the only people who can yield results. This kind of thinking wouldn’t be so dangerous if there weren’t so many people actually believing it, but those who vote for or support them habitually refuse to treat the Healy Raes with the same suspicion they treat everyone else with; it reminds me of the extreme wing of Donald Trumps supporters.

“The water mains project will see the replacement of a total of 700 metres of these old pipes with a 160mm uPVC watermain on Main Street. These works will be carried out by Kerry County Council’s direct labour crews and are due to get underway next February or March next year and I am very happy to see that the works will go ahead shortly,” Cllr. O’Connell concluded.

Oh Danny Boy the Pipes, the Pipes are calling. Where’s Dauber when you’d want him?

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