Martin Cullen says: 'should go off to the bog and take the immigrants with him'

dublin | racism & migration related issues | other press

Monday July 04, 2005 15:49

by Sinn Féin

'The original transcripts of Dáil records show Minister Cullen, telling a Deputy, who had criticised the length of time the Government was allowing the Dáil to close for summer holidays, that he 'should go off to the bog and take the immigrants with him'.'

Published: 1 July, 2005

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Transport, Seán Crowe TD, has called on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern to reign in the Minister for Transport Martin Cullen over comments he made in the Dáil today.

Deputy Crowe said, "During the course of Order of Business this morning the Transport Minister, Martin Cullen made a comment which he must withdraw. The original transcripts of Dáil records show Minister Cullen, telling a Deputy, who had criticised the length of time the Government was allowing the Dáil to close for summer holidays, that he 'should go off to the bog and take the immigrants with him'.

"Throwaway remarks like this are completely unacceptable from Government Ministers. The Taoiseach must reign in the Minister and instruct him to withdraw the remarks and to issue a public apology.

"There is a growing tide of racism being directed against immigrants and other non nationals in this country. Remarks like those Minister Cullen made today can do nothing but contribute to that problem." ENDS

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Comments (4 of 4)

Get thee gone

by Shocked Michelle

Mon Jul 04, 2005 16:27

"reign in the Minister" ?
I would think that it is a resigning matter at this stage.

cullen is an ignorant egomaniac

by ff watch

Mon Jul 04, 2005 16:30

as shown by his recent veiled threats directed at vincent salafia

dail debates censored

by b

Mon Jul 04, 2005 16:33

even if some withdraws a statement it should be kept in

UK Times on Carrickmines & Dissent

by redjade

Mon Jul 04, 2005 16:38

Brenda Power:
Price of protest is always worth paying
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1678566,00.html

And you can bet that where big business leads, politics will follow. Within a few years, we could well be putty in the hands of powerful political masters — a few carefully chosen words and images tickling the right synapses and we might obediently swallow anything. Which will be music to the ears of ministers Martin Cullen and Noel Dempsey and to Mary Harney, the tanaiste, who are among those who had to deal with protests against potentially dangerous and unsightly gas pipelines, carcinogenic emissions from phone masts, and motorways cutting through historical countryside. The current tactic — of shouting them down, jailing them or mobilising public antipathy towards them — will be redundant in such a political utopia of designer docility.

Last week the M50 motorway finally reached its destination, some 34 years after the project was first approved. Opening the last and most controversial section of the route, the portion passing over the ruins of Carrickmines castle, Cullen delivered himself of the view that protesters who make legal challenges to state infrastructural projects are “robbing money out of the taxpayers’ pockets”.

[....]

Just don’t expect everyone to like it. Motorists tailed back on the approach roads to Dublin each morning, with signs warning of 40-minute delays merely to negotiate an exit from the motorway, would have cheerfully lynched the Carrickmines protesters or the champions of those rare snails whose protected habitats held up proceedings. The mobile phone mast protesters are equally dismissed as flat-earthers blocking progress.

[....]

Dissent is essential to a healthy society, and if at times it is proven to be vexatious and groundless, that is a price worth paying. The Carrickmines protesters didn’t stop the M50 in the end, but they did succeed in generating debate on the quality and relevance of national monuments that are worth preserving for posterity.

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Martin Cullen says: 'should go off to the bog and take the immigrants with him'

Comments (4 of 4)