Election Diary 28.03.09
Some events which occurred over the previous 24 hours in the run up to the local and European elections. Unedited press releases are below the fold. If you wish to see your preferred political party or candidate featured here, get them to email us at editors@limerickblogger.org.
- The Labour Party are currently holding their party conference in Mullingar, County Westmeath. This will conclude later today.
- At the Labour Party Conference, a proposal by James Heffernan of the party’s Kilfinane brance to put in place a mechanism to make the party a mainstream contender in rural areas was passed.
- Green European candidate, Dan Boyle has stated that the gesture of returning his €1m bonus is not enough done by Irish Nationwide’s Michael Fingleton. The bank boss was awarded a €1m bonus and was the sole beneficiary of a €27m pension pot. “Mr Fingleton needs to go now, in advance of the report to be submitted to the Minister for Finance by the State appointed directors of Irish Nationwide. This report is not about, and cannot be about, justifying Mr Fingleton continuing in his job, it is about explaining why certain practices occurred in Irish Nationwide under his stewardship, and how such practices can be accounted for and then consigned to the past, so confidence in banking in Ireland can be restored amongst the citizens of the country and with international investors,
As stated earler, Press releases are below the fold
Green Party (Euro Election) Received 1233 hrs
Green Party Chair and finance spokesperson Senator Dan Boyle said that the gesture by Irish Nationwide Chief Executive Michael Fingleton of returning a one million euro bonus payment is not sufficient.
Senator Boyle said: “Mr Fingleton has agreed to return a payment that should never have been made. He has too many issues to address, including his pension arrangement and his role in sanctioning unsecured loans given in dubious circumstances, that his departure from his position is still necessary.
“Mr Fingleton needs to go now, in advance of the report to be submitted to the Minister for Finance by the State appointed directors of Irish Nationwide. This report is not about, and cannot be about, justifying Mr Fingleton continuing in his job, it is about explaining why certain practices occurred in Irish Nationwide under his stewardship, and how such practices can be accounted for and then consigned to the past, so confidence in banking in Ireland can be restored amongst the citizens of the country and with international investors,” Senator Boyle concluded.