Thursday, November 26, 2009

Gerry Adams, your 100% MP?

From the Northern Ireland Assembly's latest Members' Interest list, the entry for Gerry Adams, West Belfast's most famous (and unsuccessful) travelling salesman, raconteur, blog and apparently also "Open All Hours" Member of Parliament:
Elected/Public Office:

Member of Parliament. Unremunerated (expenses only). Average hours worked: 24/7
I daresay the more mean-spirited/literal minded amongst you may state that it is physically impossible for anyone, even with Gerry's existential multi-tasking abilities, to work anywhere "24/7"...my query would be more centred on the fact that if 100% of his waking and non-waking hours are taken up with his role as Member of (the real) Parliament, how does he then also justify claiming a salary and expenses for doing apparently nothing in his other elected role?



Thanks to the eagle-eyed MS for pointing this one out.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

In fairness, O'Neill, SF Representatives all draw the same pay, the average industrial wage.

Rory

O'Neill said...

That's certainly the PR line spun Rory, but without being witnesses to a 100% transparent process we can't know for sure. This little titbit in the register eg is quite revealing:

"The register also reveals that Gerry Adams is paid £9,600 working as an author for 18 hours a month for Belfast Media Group Newspapers"

that works out at 40 GBP per hour, hardly minimun industrial wage.

My rather clumsy post was however aimed more at the undemocratic double mandates held by 16 of NI's MPs.

Anonymous said...

O'Neill,

Dual mandates were (rightly) abolished in the Republic several years ago.

I really don't know what parties gain from it. It reduces the number of representatives they have in the media spotlight, which can't be a good thing.

Before they were abolished, they were more or less the norm with TD's hogging County Council seats and even MEPs sitting in the Dail.

Just senior politicians being self important I guess, thinking no-one can fill their boots.

Rory

tony said...

>>My rather clumsy post was however aimed more at the undemocratic double mandates held by 16 of NI's MPs.<<

Just doesn't do it for you the same as aul Gerry though..............obviously. I hear the phrase 24/7 often and will now act the arse and call out all who use it and point out they should make time to sleep, eat, shite............

I suspect Rory's pertinent point about the average industrial wage rather took the wind oot yir sails as well. And as a member of the Tories Oneil, should you really be condemning a man for his capitalist enterprise? Surprising stuff.

Anonymous said...

Aye that's right, just cause they say they take the "average industrial wage" that means it's true! FFS! lol Anyway, 2 homes on an "average industrial wage"......not bad going considering that the area that "aul Gerry" is the MP for is one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in Northern Ireland. Even an apologist like you Tone, might have troubling squaring that circle, mind you shite can spin shite, the Shinners are good at it, so too are the non dissenting sheep that follow.

tony said...

Anonymous you make a number of allegations there, and only one has merit. ya annonymous double jobby eating bampot;¬)

O'Neill said...

"And as a member of the Tories Oneil, should you really be condemning a man for his capitalist enterprise?"

I'm not technically a member of the Conservative party although my thinking on a whole range of issues is close to theirs. Hand on heart, do you really think Gerry & Co's making do on an average industrial wage? I've pointed out one discrepancy so far re the money he gets from their front paper.

But if I'm wrong and he is maintaining that Donegal holiday "cottage" (amongst other *extras*) on purely an industrial wage, then as someone who admires people making the very most of what they've got,I take my hat off to him.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a Sinn Fein supporter, but I think those of you who are slagging Gerry on this thread are doing yourselves no favors with your lack of fairness or objectivity.

For a leader of a major political party and an internationally renowned statesmen, his lifestyle is extremely modest.

Rory

tony said...

>>Hand on heart, do you really think Gerry & Co's making do on an average industrial wage? I've pointed out one discrepancy so far re the money he gets from their front paper.<<

Not like you to indulge in sophistry, your hypocrisy is usually out-front ;¬) C'mon the average industrial wage remark was regards his wages for being an MP. His private and entreprenurial skills should really be no business of ours, hence why I pointed out the Tory/UUp conection, of which I have had a lot of fun doing lately. And to biting effect methinks lol!

Oh dear self praise and aw that..............bugger it ah'm enjoyin masel!

O'Neill said...

What it really comes down to, I think, is whether you take Adam's statements at face value. You might have gathered by now, that...I don't!