> Dear Ciaran,
>
> Thank you for the comments you have made below.
>
> For now, I would just like to state that I am totally amazed by some of
> them.
>
> I hope I will be given the chance to reply to them a little more fully later
> on when I have more time - hopefully within the coming 2 days or so.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Billy.
>
> +++++++++++
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ciaran Mac Lochlainn" <ciaran17@eircom.net>
> To: "Una Ni Bhroin" <unanibhroin@eircom.net>
> Cc: "Siobhan Nevin" <siobhannevin@ireland.com>; "john porter"
> <aneitleoirglas@eircom.net>; "William Finnerty" <wfinnerty@eircom.net>;
> "Brendan Kelly" <kellybrendan@eircom.net>; "Donal O'Bearra"
> <dobearra@eircom.net>
> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 4:41 PM
> Subject: Re: local elections
>
>
> > A Chairde,
> >
> > I think it's time to call a spade a spade.  We've been patient, polite
> > and understanding with Billy and Brendan for far too long.  I've tried
> > as hard as anyone to accomodate them, and all I've had in response has
> > been baseless accusations, bullying, paranoid rants and incessant
> > timewasting emails.  There are no "shadowy puppet masters" trying to
> > prevent Billy being selected, only all the ordinary party members who
> > have simply had enough.  The only reason nobody raised the issue before
> > was because we try so hard to avoid confrontation.  In my opinion, we've
> > appeased Billy and Brendan too much already.
> >
> > Seven Reasons Not To Select Billy Finnerty
> >
> >    1. Billy insulted Trevor Sargent and Colm O'Caomhanaigh - implied
> >       that he might take part in a "cover up" of the alleged 50k bribe
> >       in Kilconnell (9 Nov 2003)
> >    2. Billy insulted me personally and lied about his intentions - he
> >       said that I broke an "agreement" reached in a meeting at the bar
> >       at the convention. (13 Mar 2004) This was not a formal meeting, it
> >       was an informal discussion, i.e. a pub conversation. No notices
> >       were sent out about this meeting and no minutes were taken.
> >       Nobody there was entitled to represent anyone who was not there.
> >       In this discussion, Billy said he would go forward as a paper
> >       candidate if nobody else was available.  I said I would start the
> >       Rule 12 selection process (which Dónal took on).  Siobhán was not
> >       involved in this discussion as she was talking to Ann Marie
> >       Flanagan the whole time.  It would therefore be inaccurate to say
> >       that Siobhán supported Billy's candidacy.  I also had reservations
> >       but I was happy at the time for Billy to be a paper candidate so
> >       long as he remained on paper.  Billy then decided to run a
> >       substantial campaign, and when Una said she'd go forward, Billy
> >       didn't step aside as he'd said he would.
> >    3. Brendan and Billy said that Úna would not be suitable to represent
> >       them because she's from Ballinasloe town and would have an
> >       interest in having a superdump opened elsewhere so that the town
> >       dump near her would close.  This shows a complete lack of
> >       understanding of party policy on waste and is unfair and extremely
> >       insulting to her.  Una decided not to contest the selection - she
> >       said she didn't want to "fight Billy" which suggests to me that
> >       she may have felt intimidated by them.  Brendan subsequently said
> >       that someone would have to lie down in front of the diggers and
> >       Una would not be the right person for this.  I should point out
> >       (a) that candidates and elected reps don't have a monopoly on
> >       direct action and (b) Una was in the Glen of the Downs.  Enough
> >       said.
> >    4. In Tuam last Monday, Billy implied that Mary White was either
> >        lying or incompetent because she said she hadn't heard about the
> >       alleged bribe in Kilconnell (29 Mar 2004).  Why on earth should
> >       she know about it?
> >    5. Brendan emailed Siobhan suggesting that she was blocking Billy's
> >       candidacy because she saw him as a threat to her supposed career
> >       ambitions.  The only real threat is that he might make the party
> >       (and Siobhán by extension) look stupid for selecting him to
> >       represent us.
> >    6. His membership was lapsed until last January.  In fact, he was
> >       trying to set up another party (called The Celtic Party) in the
> >       meantime.  I understand he's also approached the Labour Party.
> >       This is not the behaviour of someone who's committed to the Green
> >       Party.  He doesn't have a track record of engagement in the
> >       party's campaigns or of contribution to the policy development
> >       process. He doesn't appear to understand party policy on waste,
> >       which he should know inside out if he's serious about being a
> >       candidate.
> >    7. He and Brendan continue to promote the Samshire proposal, even
> >       after Samshire has been caught exporting waste illegally (Irish
> >       Times 11 Feb 2004).  The Green Party cannot be seen to endorse
> >       this company.
> >
> > Basically, he's only back in the party a wet week and he's managed to
> > offend almost everyone he's met.  I wouldn't be happy for him to
> > represent us on the doorsteps or in the media.  As Secretary, I feel I
> > would be letting the group down if I stood by and let things get any
> > worse.
> >
> > This matter will be decided democratically at a selection convention
> > unless Billy withdraws in advance.
> >
> > All members in the East Galway constituency will be entitled to vote by
> > secret ballot at the selection convention.  I want to make it clear that
> > I will be voting against Billy.  I would rather have no Green candidate
> > on the ballot than someone who is so clearly unsuitable.
> >
> > Ciarán Mac Lochlainn
> > Secretary East Galway Greens
 

Background information on local environmental problems in the New Inn
and Kilconnell areas can be found at any of the 4 sites listed below:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheCelticParty/

http://groups.msn.com/KilconnellAntiDump/messages.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/NewInnAntiDump/messages.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/WoodlawnHousePreservationSociety/messages.msnw

http://www.finnachta.com/TheAarhusConvention.htm