IMO Phil Hogan has absolutely nothing to answer for here. What he did was to represent his constituents. He didn't attempt to influence the council in their decision, he simply passed on the concerns of his constituents as he is obliged to. The likes of Mary Lou and others having a go at him are either hypocrites or are failing their own constituents if they don't do the same thing in the same position.
The likes of Mary Lou and others having a go at him are either hypocrites or are failing their own constituents if they don't do the same thing in the same position.
Were the representations to Phil Hogan by his constituents because the person in question was a Traveller or someone with a criminal record? If it was the latter, then surely the same constituents would have lobbied Phil Hogan for every other person with a criminal record looking for a house? If it was the former then it's a classic case of NIMBY
I don't know if the area of Bonnettstown is a local authority housing area. If it is, then I'm sorry you live where the authority can put you up and your neighbours are whoever the authority says they are. If you are so concerned about who you live next to and their history, feel free to privately rent or buy somewhere.
Interesting point. If a known drug dealer was being housed in the area I'd expect a similar reaction.
The NIMBY concept always interests me as well. A lot of people seem to think it's OK to judge NIMBYs without ever fully thinking through how they would feel or even react if they were even in that position.
I'd like Fintan O' Toole or Vincent Browne (or anyone else portraying themselves as the conscience of the nation) to provide examples of their interactions with addicts, criminals, etc. Often you get someone who has dealt with anti social behaviours on a regular basis being lectured on political correctness by someone with no first hand experience.
Plenty of people are housed by local authorities who have criminal records and/or a record of anti-social behaviour and as a blinkered liberal I'd even go as far as to say that some of them might not even be from the travelling community. It's a shocking generalisation I know, and I can't provide any links to back up my claim, but I actually have the temerity to suggest that ordinary decent "domestic" Irish citzens can be criminals and gits to live next to too. The question is whether their prospect neighbours also lobby their TD to stop their housing too.
On a technicality, I'd also say that convictions for theft and operating a horse and cart while intoxicated don't mean you're a bad neighbour to live next too. You can still be a quiet neighbour while being a criminal, you only have to look to reports when some drug dealer or paramilitary individual is gunned down and the neighbours wax lyrical about what a nice and quiet chappie they really where and really nothing more than a loveable rogue.
And just to balance out the over-the-top liberalism with some over-the-top conservatism, I don't know if the area of Bonnettstown is a local authority housing area. If it is, then I'm sorry you live where the authority can put you up and your neighbours are whoever the authority says they are. If you are so concerned about who you live next to and their history, feel free to privately rent or buy somewhere.
However, if they authority where moving a criminal into a nice middle class area, then I can only wholeheartedly agree with his decision to intervene. Not only must we preserve respectability for these areas, but I doubt the new resident would take his bins in on time or help water the nice flower boxes we've put up on the road signs.
I've had plenty of dealings with traveller shaving grown up in rural Ireland...
Now, I know the space probably ended up in the wrong spot there...but 'traveller shaving' is prompting all manner of mental images here.
The thing is Latrade, the question here is was Phil Hogan wrong to pass on the concerns that were made to him. Your argument is more about the constituents themselves. As a TD Phil Hogan is obliged to pass on the concerns of his constituents, simple as that as far as I'm concerned. Had he gone further and tried to railroad the councils decision I would have a problem with that but to the best of my knowledge all he did was pass on those concerns, nothing more. So if people have a problem with this story imho it is more a problem with those raising the concerns, not the middle man who is simply doing his job.
(Just for info, it is a rural area with a number of farms adjacent)
Or perhaps the council had to facilitate their horses!
Many of us would like a bungalow in close proximity to KK city ,with lovely views and grounds for the horses.
Many commentators automatically took this man's word (saying he'd never been involved in anti-social behaviour) over that of Phil Hogan. Why was that?
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