Latest news with #PeadarTóibín
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Aontú Ireland rejects comparison to Farage's Reform UK
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín focused his keynote speech at the party's ardfheis predominantly on Government waste. He went on the offensive against the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leaders, telling delegates ' Government incompetence is incinerating your money and slowing key projects to a halt'. Listing scandal after spending scandal, including the Leinster House €336,000 'Gucci' bike shelter and the €2.4 billion delayed national children's hospital, he took repeated swipes at the Coalition. On immigration, he said Government policy 'has been chaotic and has damaged the cohesion of this country'. Six years ago 'Aontú was alone is stating that we as a country must have an open, respectful conversation about immigration'. READ MORE 'If you don't allow people to discuss immigration you push the discussion underground where it will be harvested and manipulated by bad actors for their own purposes. This is exactly what happened.' It was music to cheering party delegates' ears. This focus on waste of public funds, 'incompetent political leadership' and immigration has clear echoes of Reform UK , Nigel Farage 's party which campaigns on a platform of 'common sense'. Aontú's stance, like Reform's, is about 'not being afraid to stand against the prevailing winds', although Mr Tóibín and party delegates reject the comparison. Maria Byrne, from Kilcullen, Co Kildare joined the party because of 'disillusionment with Fianna Fáil' who were not listening 'to the concerns of ordinary people'. Dismissing any likeness between Aontú and Nigel Farage's populist party in the UK, she says she is 'left-leaning on political issues', adding: 'Some people think that Aontú is a right-wing party because it is pro-life. I'm pro-life in that it is a human rights issue.' Theresa Lynch from Cork North-West traditionally voted Fianna Fáil and joined Aontú 'because I'm pro-life'. She believes Fianna Fáil 'are not listening to any of our concerns', whether about immigration, education or the HSE's vaccination programme. Adam O'Neill (18) from Carnew, Co Wicklow, says Reform is economically a right-wing organisation while 'Aontú is left-wing', and 'we aren't as populist or as driven by the trends of the time'. Delegates at the ardfheis on Saturday backed a motion calling for an 'outright ban' on anyone who 'purposely destroyed their travel documents' entering the State. However, party members at the event in Gormanston, Co Meath, rejected a motion stating that no non-Irish citizen should be allowed to 'enter the State if they have a criminal conviction'. During the first debate at the ardfheis, on the topic of international protection, Meath councillor Emer Tóibín, the leader's sister, said there was 'no long-term plan' for the 'unsustainable' immigration system. Delegates also supported a motion stating that only the national flag should be displayed on public buildings as public spaces should not be aligned 'with any particular ideology or political stance'. Aontú more than doubled its vote share (to 3.9 per cent) in the general election, returning two TDs – Mr Tóibín and Mayo-based Paul Lawless. Critics claim that, like Reform, the party engages in the 'culture wars' on issues like gender recognition but Mr Tóibín says 'we're just standing with the people'. 'Aontú is on the rise' because 'we have a backbone, we are confident to stand against the prevailing winds of the political establishment' and 'puncture the political bubble that exists in Leinster House', says the former Sinn Féin TD. On immigration, 'compassion and common sense is where the vast majority of Irish people exist' but the Government is 'in a bubble' and 'not listening to the people', Mr Tóibín adds.
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Release the hounds' – Peadar Tóibín likens Micheál Martin to Montgomery Burns in ‘insulting' TV jibe at ard fheis speech
Peadar Tóibín yesterday compared Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the cartoon character Montgomery Burns, the nuclear plant owner in the TV series The Simpsons.
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín's speech at ardfheis to be televised on RTÉ for first time
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín's keynote speech at his party's ardfheis will be televised on RTÉ for the first time, a reflection of an increased election vote. Voter share rose from 1.9 per cent in the 2020 general election to 3.9 per cent in 2024, an increase sufficient to secure the party live TV coverage. Aontú, which translates as 'Unity', says it has 1,800 members, about 400 of whom are expected to attend the fifth annual ardfheis at the City North Hotel in Gormanston, Co Meath. Membership surged in the wake of the failed family and care referendums last year, when Aontú was the only political party to successfully advocate for a No vote in both. READ MORE Mr Tóibín said 'we have built a grass roots, membership-based, cumann infrastructure around the country at a time when the establishment parties are losing theirs'. Speaking before the one-day event, he said 'the referendums were a watershed in the ability of the Irish people to tolerate meaningless virtue signalling. We are the only party listening to the people. [ Aontú 'actively considering' running candidate in presidential election Opens in new window ] 'We were the only party to stand up for the people on the referendums, the hate speech laws, carbon taxes, the right to life, the Government's chaotic immigration policy and gender ideology. We did so on the basis of commonsense and compassion.' The leader's speech will be broadcast live after the Six One News on RTÉ 1 and the party's debate on 'Aontú Accountability versus Glacial Government Delivery' from 12 to 1pm will be covered on the RTÉ news channel. This debate will focus on the 'glacial' pace of delivery on infrastructure projects including the national children's hospital. International protection, health, housing, crime and 'commonsense political reform' are also among the debate topics at the daylong event. The theme of the ardfheis is to tackle 'Government Incompetence, Waste and Lack of Accountability'. Mr Tóibín said, 'key public services and key infrastructure across the country is grinding to a halt and bloating in cost every day. 'The national children's hospital is a monument to government incompetence. But there are dozens of other wasteful projects ballooning out of all proportion. This has a serious cost to citizens.' Five years after the former Sinn Féin member and Meath West TD founded Aontú it now has two TDs – Mr Tóibín and Mayo TD Paul Lawless; Cavan Senator Sarah O'Reilly; and eight local councillors who include Mr Tóibín's sister, Navan-based Cllr Emer Tóibín; and Mr Lawless' sister Cllr Deirdre Lawless who was co-opted to replace him on Mayo County Council. Councillors also include Trim, Co Meath-based Cllr Dave Boyhan; Castleknock, Dublin Cllr Ellen Troy; Cllr Adrian Rogers from Cootehill, Co Cavan; Ongar, Co Dublin-based Cllr Gerard Sheehan; Wexford Cllr Jim Codd; and Limerick Cllr Sarah Beasley.
RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Aontú set for Árd Fheis in Co Meath
Members of Aontú will gather for the party's Árd Fheis in Co Meath today. Public service accountability, immigration, housing, and what the party has termed "common sense political reform" are among the issues expected to be discussed. Aontu, which now holds two Dáil seats, one in the Seanad and eight in local authorities, is expecting as many as 400 people to attend the event. Among the most high-profile issues likely to be raised will be what Aontú says is the "glacial" pace of delivery on projects such as the national children's hospital. An early morning session on the international protection system for people seeking asylum in Ireland, which party leader Peadar Tóibín this week described as "chaotic", is likely to gain attention... Aontu's ard fheis will end after Mr Tóibín's key note speech this evening, which will be broadcast live on RTÉ One after the Six One News, with a simultaneous ISL version on the RTÉ News Channel.
Irish Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Peadar Tóibín claims he was sent a reply to a Parliamentary Question in Ancient Greek
'It's all Greek to me' — Leinster House officials and Government Departments are pleading mystification in the strange case of a TD who received a reply to a Parliamentary Question in Ancient Greek. 'There are no experts in Ancient Greek in our Department,' said a senior civil servant, suggesting that Deputy Peadar Tóibín's strange reply could have been processed unusually by his own receiving computer. Such cases can occur. That's even though the incomprehensible reply, sent from the Department of Energy during the last Government, was preceded by the question — in English — asking about the retrofitting of homes. Minister Eamon Ryan, who was the person officially replying, denied any involvement. 'I am astonished,' he said, 'it definitely wasn't me' — although he took ancient Greek for two years when a schoolboy in Gonzaga. The former Green Party leader retains a few fragmentary phrases from the days when pupils in Jesuit schools were deluged daily with 'Laughing and Grief.' He would be able to command the setting free of some horses if ever transported by time machine back to Ancient Greece, but would stumble trying to bargain for hostages in the marketplace, he said. Mr Tóibín said it was his view that the strange reply somehow came about through experiments in artificial intelligence (AI). The Greek version of the retrofitting reply has turned into English in the Departmental files, and is also in the vernacular on the Dáil record — leaving no trace of any tinkering. 'I believe this has something to do with AI,' Mr Tóibín said, admitting that he did not kick up a fuss at the time over apparently being treated with disdain. He added: 'I also believe that AI is already being used in Dáil speeches. I will go no further than that. 'But I believe artificial intelligence has the capacity to reduce the intelligence of people who use it over a long period of time. AI is typically in the hands of rich and powerful institutions and organisations, and it concentrates that power in the hands of a very limited number of individuals. 'It obviously has its own bias in relation to the delivery of information, and I think in the Dáil, if we get into a situation where politicians are regularly, depending on AI, I that could have a negative influence on debate and discussion here in the future.'
