Dublin Opinion

Posted in Politics | 19 Comments

19 Responses to “THE UNITED LEFT ALLIANCE: TIME FOR A NEW NAME?”

1. on 27 Feb 2011 at 4:08 pm1disgracedminister

   No more fringe group nonsense. Time to start driving the knife into fianna fail and challenging the upcoming right wing administration.

2. on 27 Feb 2011 at 6:35 pm2Budapestkick

   I’m not exactly sure what you mean by fringe group nonsense DM. Without overstating it, 5 TDs from 0 is by any respects a significant achievement. These ‘fringe groups’ have proven more than capable of challenging the biggest party machines in the country and coming out on top in 5 areas, not to mention taking an MEP seat in the biggest city in Ireland. Not to mention that even unsuccesful ULA candidates polled remarkably well in places (Mick Murphy, Mick Barry and Ann Foley come to mind). ‘Fringe groups’ and other name-calling doesn’t distract from the fact the ULA has arrived as a political force.

3. on 27 Feb 2011 at 6:36 pm3Budapestkick

   By the way, that’s me, back row, second from the left. A very ill-advised costume party.

4. on 27 Feb 2011 at 9:30 pm4Conor McCabe

   

5. on 27 Feb 2011 at 9:32 pm5Conor McCabe

   ‘‘Fringe groups’ and other name-calling doesn’t distract from the fact the ULA has arrived as a political force.”

   and that’s true. It’s a great achievement. The ULA should be deservedly proud of itself.

6. on 28 Feb 2011 at 5:50 am6Gerryboy

   BP-stick, are you a crossdresser or an androgynous sexo-political entity?
   Congrats to the ULA people who got elected. Each of them began their public life with grassroots local social campaigning. Irish voters, most of them, are conservative middle-of-the-roaders and let’s not avoid that glaring fact of political life; but many of them can decide to reward the steadfast commitment of motivated individuals. It’s up to the ULA deputies and their supporting associates to discuss where they can go from here.

7. on 28 Feb 2011 at 10:32 am7seamus

   Go on the Ugandan Liberation Army!!

8. on 28 Feb 2011 at 1:30 pm8Hugh Green

   What was wrong with United Left on its own? I think that’s a great name. Alliance is crap for all sorts of reasons.

9. on 28 Feb 2011 at 1:57 pm9ec

   They won’t be seeking funding from the Libyan revolutionists hopefully:

   http://www.news.com.au/business/ireland-sought-libyan-bailout/story-fn7mjon9-1226013196144

10. on 28 Feb 2011 at 2:33 pm10disgracedminister

    Whoops, inverted commas were needed. I’m delighted that the ULA have arrived as a political force.

11. on 28 Feb 2011 at 2:36 pm11Conor McCabe

    It is great, isn’t it?

12. on 28 Feb 2011 at 9:02 pm12Budapestkick

    Sorry, I got a bit defensive but yes, excellent election for the left. It’s interesting to see Labour have decided to destroy themselves through right-wing coalition…again. First as tragedy, then as farce, then just fucking stupidity.

13. on 28 Feb 2011 at 11:29 pm13disgracedminister

    Getting defensive about it just goes to show how careful you need to be when you have even as much as a centre-left political leaning.

    I’m even surprised how little the people expect the state to be able to do besides give benefits.

    I have no idea why we have to constantly listen to people rattle on about how the state is too wasteful when it’s precisely that state which secure, and stands behind, the liberty of the republic. The idea that a cabal recommended plan of cutting the finances of state is the best strategy for the people is ludicrous.

    We’ve elected a legislature as well as an executive and it must proceed from there that the views of the left will be imparted at many levels of the state’s parliamentary operation.

    Why do the “right” always get what they want? In immediate empirical terms our people have elected many TDs who would agree with a complete decoupling of financial debt from the peoples’ debt.

14. on 01 Mar 2011 at 10:28 am14Garibaldy

    Has no-one here read Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games? The ULA acronym is used there. Except for an ultra-lefft splinter group from the Provos.

15. on 01 Mar 2011 at 10:43 am15Conor McCabe

    hehe.

16. on 01 Mar 2011 at 2:40 pm16Hugh Green

    Oh yeah, the Ulster Liberation Army. That reminds me, I remember one time playing paramilitaries when I were a young lad about five or six. This was going to be a joint operation between different paramilitary groups. So one of my friends decided he was going to be in the IRA, another said he was going to be in the INLA, and when it came to me I plumped for the UFF, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, because they were fighting for Ulster’s freedom from British rule.

17. on 01 Mar 2011 at 4:37 pm17Garibaldy

    I remember reading somewhere (possibly in a Martin Dillon book) that the UFF title was originally a kind of mockery of the opponents of loyalism, but the name stuck.

18. on 01 Mar 2011 at 7:40 pm18Laim smullen

    Laim smullen

    Conor McCabe

    Conor McCabe Urgent check this out http://www.4thlevelventures.ie/ it’s a hedge fund to commercialise university research but is doesn’t mention any where on this website whether Dolmen Securities paid the universities for patents and or research development costs. If anything it looks the university research is given for free.
    Its certainly mentions 20m Start up for companies it still doesn’t mention about paying For patents and or research development costs.
    Or perhaps didn’t I check out its website properly.

    Here is more details on its website

    http://www.4thlevelventures.ie/aboutus.html

    4th Level Ventures is a €20 million Venture Capital Fund managed by Dolmen Securities. Founded in 2002, we are focused exclusively on investing in companies whose Intellectual Property arises from third level education institutional research. We are sector neutral, our expertise lies in the commercialisation of technology.

    Our primary objective is to commercialise the business opportunities that arise from university research. In Ireland, this output is being boosted by Government investment of €2.5bln for science research from 2002-2006.

    We combine the best of breed partnerships between business leaders, investors, universities and financial institutions and apply the resulting unique expertise to help build, commercialise and grow the business opportunities that arise from university research.
    A unique aspect of our fund is that we work on campus with the university commercialisation teams. We also work with academics at an early stage to help them evaluate propositions and make commercial decision

    Why this is important is that Ruairi Quinn is a chairman company 4th Level Ventures
    Wht of couse a strong conflict of interest here and it insist even listed on his website.
    al do is on the Dáil register of interests.
    We may have our first scandel of The new incoming governmnt.

    My real concern that in time of serve austerity it looks like state funded university research worth possibly Billions in commercial values is given for free since its claims university research is state funded by the €2.5bln for science research from 2002-2006.

    http://www.deti.ie/press/2004/20040512a.htm
    http://circumlimina.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/labouring-the-point/
    http://www.ruairiquinn.ie/?p=95

19. on 02 Mar 2011 at 3:50 pm19Seamus Clancy

    Time to get back to work!
    I note our local Blueshirts have a spring in their steps looking forward to new contracts for auctioneeres, valuers and solicitors….not to mention jobs for the girls in the HSE and VEC’s and as Social Workers, Community Nurses and supervisors.
    Meanwhile the undeserving poor …the old, sick, disabled and unemployed will sing for their suppers and be forced to hand over their homes for a song to these FG parasites. Hand all over before admission to the work house or is it work camp.
    Enda and Leo’s motto:
    Arbeit Macht Frei!

Leave a Reply