TD Michael Collins Calls For Dáil Bars To Close

Dail Bar

“When money’s tight and hard to get,
and your horse is also ran,
When all you have is a heap of debt,
a pint of plain is your only man”
 (Myles na Gopaleen)

Cork Independent TD Mr Michael Collins has called for all Dáil bars to be shut down, in order to set a good example. Back on September 19th, 2010 we at thurles.info called for all Dáil bars to be shut down in order to set a good example.

There are two bars in Dáil Éireann where politicians constantly generate tabs /slates, or, if press reports are correct, in the case of some of our elected representatives ‘the never-never’ system is in operation in relation to non payment, despite same TD’s bounteous salaries and inflated expenses.

Nobody back in 2010 listened to the views of Thurles.Info and sorry Mr Collins, alas, respectfully it is not likely that anyone will hearken to you either.

Mr Collins quite rightly feels that with the important work going on in the Dáil, a bar serving alcohol should not be allowed on the premises. He especially feels that the proposed current amendments to the Road Traffic Bill by our Transport Minister Shane Ross, will force rural pubs out of business, and the Dáil bar should therefore now close, in order to set a strong example and a precedence in relation to alcohol consumption while in the workplace. Imagine if a TD slipped on the tiles and fractured his ankle in the Dáil, after consuming 5 pints of beer; no, the pain doesn’t bear thinking about.

Mr Collins stated: “Shane Ross wants to shut bars in rural Ireland with his new Bill, but he wants to keep the two Dáil bars open.  We hear about thousands and thousands of Euro’s being spent there, with bills left unpaid by politicians. This sends out a very, very bad message to the public, and I feel too much business is being carried on there and it sends the wrong message out to our electorate.”

Sláinte mhaith, Mr Collins, and may you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint.