Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - Wordle Gummidge

[Theresa]

Funny you mention the PM grind, I had someone make a similar comment recently. Actually I ended up skulling one into a small tree at the weekend. Thankfully that stopped it short of a water hazard or going 100 yards OB! I do love them though. The 54 gets used more than any other wedge. The 58 is a cheat club for the bunker tbh - the big head, wide sole and bounce can clear the sand so well. I've actually holed out 3x times from the bunker this year. I never really hit a near a full 58, just chips, bunkers and open face for flops or fluffy rough. I really wanna try a new Scotty or Odyssey mallet but I do love my old 2ball so can't see the point in changing it just yet.

Distance isn't the problem for me tbh. Only one hole I regularly don't have a chance for GIR (more so bad tee shot but I'd have 200-220 in even with an ideal drive). I carry around 240-260 range for a stock drive. The 3 wood is about 220-230 and hybrid 205. My main problem is that I will top/slice/duck hook 2 tee shots per round. I have no idea if it's mental, concentration or fatigue. Genuinely I just feel it's normal amateur golf, especially at my level. Unfortunately, this often results in a reload. However, I consistently lose more shots fluting around inside 30 yards tbh. Putting in particular needs most work. I'm not too bad for chipping/pitching if I have a little practice before a round.

Mid seventies is serious scoring. You're not doing too much wrong lad. Out of curiosity have you ever bothered with lessons in last few years?

I just ordered 3x dozen SEED balls this evening as I ran out. The best bang for the buck out there. It's longer than ProV1/x and matches it spin wise. The good news is that it's half the price and an Irish company.

I've had the PM grind a while back and honestly its only really usable on soft lies. Any sort of hard lies and the grind just bounces the club into the ball. Mentally, for me, skullfucking a ball is as disastrous as a flub or a 3 putt so I took it out of the bag ha.

We have the same problem, and its always driver. And it's always right. And its purely the result of a concentration/focus thing for me. I know how to not hit it right, and sometimes due to play speed, chatting, mental check out, it just happens.

I played with a +5 cap and a +3 cap last weekend, they shot a combined 8 under. The one thing that stood out to me that was very very different was their level of focus before every shot. It was worlds apart of mine. There was no chit chat, there was 40 seconds of focus.

I got lessons this year, and it was game changing. It's hilarious how counter intuitive the golf swing is until someone puts you in the mechanical position and says "get back to here", I had a massive early extension/flipping issue (like everyone does I suppose) but when I started to focus specifically on hands through impact it quite literally got me from a 5 to a .05 cap. I've regressed a bit now to a 3 again, but thats due to lack of practice lately.

Will pick up some SEED balls when I get home. A similar thing here is Costco offer their own brand (kirkland) wedges, they match vokeys for spin rate and distance... but only for 15 rounds, then its like hitting the ball with a paddle.

I'm planning on getting back in Nov for a wedding, if there is any decent courses open on non temp greens we should get out, I'd be willing to travel!

[RichieM]

I was struggling to figure out who he was referring to.
Im still struggling to see how SF are British?

Assuming it’s a bit more sophisticated NI = British, as you took the time to day technically correct.


agree that Hitch should take it to Twitter regardless.

No that’s it, they don’t turn up to Westminster but that’s where the have held seats for a long time. The technically correct is because they are very anti British despite it all.

[ArmaniJeans]

We voted in a referendum for the right of all NI people to regard themselves and be regarded as Irish or British or both as of their choosing. (may not be exact wording but close).
So it's not really technically correct to refer to SF as a British party.
Anyway 'Britain' as in the UKofGB&NI refers to an island that NI is definitely not part of.

[RichieM]

We voted in a referendum for the right of all NI people to regard themselves and be regarded as Irish or British or both as of their choosing. (may not be exact wording but close).
So it's not really technically correct to refer to SF as a British party.
Anyway 'Britain' as in the UKofGB&NI refers to an island that NI is definitely not part of.

I stand corrected. Still would be funny to see the Twitter responses.

[ArmaniJeans]

Taxi driver was playing the news and it's maybe the first time in a decade I've listened to the Irish news, since ditching the telly. They were just going on and on about this Zappone story like it meant something vital. I think it'll be at least another decade before I'm going near that crap again. It genuinely seems harmful to be making such a big deal of such a small story when there's so much to be done in the country. Like the lack of housing and the announcement today - that should have been dissected - of 300k houses. That's what the national attention should be on - on building the future.

Previously competent government politician seems to be in a corner and making up stories on the fly.
"I cleaned my phone because I was hacked" is up there with the dog ate my homework.
I'm guessing the journalists and the dail committee politicians are getting the next set of questions ready.
He says his phone was hacked and used to contact other european politicians. What does this mean? Was it 'hacked' in the Nigerian phishing sense, or perhaps did they find MI5/FSB had a trace on it? Or did his 6 year old nephew enter 1,2,3,4 as a pin code and text 'smelly bum' to Angela M?
Was the hack reported to the guards? Did he delete and re-install his apps when he discovered this hack, a much more important thing than deleting text messages. Don't lie here, because it will be easily found out.

And still the question is 'why Zappone?' The party lost 12 seats in the last election, so why was this UN role created for some random independent who made up the numbers in the last government, but is now so unpopular she's unlikely to get near a Dail seat again. Why not do it instead for one of the 12 FGers who lost their seat, or the Senators who couldn't be reappointed, or some long-serving party councillor? What's she got that she needs to be looked after.

You can call it a nothing story compared to the housing announcement, but I know which story Lester Freamon would have on his board.

[ComradeCollie]

Was looking for something else, and came upon another oldie from Andrey. Nostalgia and what not

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2mkZYRb]

[DeadParrot]

€200 pyjamas dude. I fail to see how this isn't more widely known.

Pretty sure I touted these before but instead of€200 jammers, get a jammer mystery box subscription.
https://www.bluspjsbox.com/
Happy wife guaranteed at least one day a month.
Cheap at twice the price

[Raoul Duke III]

And still the question is 'why Zappone?' The party lost 12 seats in the last election, so why was this UN role created for some random independent who made up the numbers in the last government, but is now so unpopular she's unlikely to get near a Dail seat again. Why not do it instead for one of the 12 FGers who lost their seat, or the Senators who couldn't be reappointed, or some long-serving party councillor? What's she got that she needs to be looked after.

Unlike, say, nominating an EU Commissioner which carries a whopping and tax-free salary, this role surely has no financial benefit.
So it's purely ceremonial (someone more cynical than I might call it tokenism).

It is understood Zappone is set to earn €13,000-€15,000 before tax, as the salary is on a pro rata basis

[dinekes]

Girl on the news gushing about her great LC results.

"I couldn't be more happier"

I take it English wasnt one of them.

[ArmaniJeans]

Unlike, say, nominating an EU Commissioner which carries a whopping and tax-free salary, this role surely has no financial benefit.
So it's purely ceremonial (someone more cynical than I might call it tokenism).

It is understood Zappone is set to earn €13,000-€15,000 before tax, as the salary is on a pro rata basis

Interesting way of doing the maths.
€300 per day before expenses based on an estimate of 50 days work. Look, it's not a fortune by any means, but calling it a €15K 'salary' strikes me as attempt to hide that it's just over two months of work.

‘We look like fools’ – TDs upset at how Katherine Zappone was given job as free speech envoy - Independent.ie
Ms Zappone will be paid around €300 a day before expenses based on 50 days per year, according to Mr Coveney’s spokesman, which he suggested was linked to the salary of a Principal Officer salary.

[ComradeCollie]

Girl on the news gushing about her great LC results.

"I couldn't be more happier"

I take it English wasnt one of them.

It's an evolving language. I've been recently annoyed about how people are pronouncing µ.

[Strewelpeter]

DeadParrot If the cap fits...

[Raoul Duke III]

Interesting way of doing the maths.
€300 per day before expenses based on an estimate of 50 days work. Look, it's not a fortune by any means, but calling it a €15K 'salary' strikes me as attempt to hide that it's just over two months of work.

‘We look like fools’ – TDs upset at how Katherine Zappone was given job as free speech envoy - Independent.ie
Ms Zappone will be paid around €300 a day before expenses based on 50 days per year, according to Mr Coveney’s spokesman, which he suggested was linked to the salary of a Principal Officer salary.

I think we can both agree 15k is fuck all when set in the context of living in NYC?

[ArmaniJeans]

I think we can both agree 15k is fuck all when set in the context of living in NYC?

Well, you obviously wouldn't move to NY for it, but when you happen to be living in NY anyway then it's not so bad. Presumably she saw it being a door that led to bigger things.
Are you not intrigued why Coveney went to bat for her re this role?

[Raoul Duke III]

Well, you obviously wouldn't move to NY for it, but when you happen to be living in NY anyway then it's not so bad. Presumably she saw it being a door that led to bigger things.
Are you not intrigued why Coveney went to bat for her re this role?

Same shit that happens with every similar role/quango I would have thought? I don't think there's any spiders web conspiracy theory there.

[Raoul Duke III]

If you put the handing out of patronage in the hands of politicians, they're going to patronise.

Look at the Lotto funding for the constituencies of Shane Ross and John O'Donoghue for example. Or the lootz McCreevy shipped into racing. etc etc

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Well, you obviously wouldn't move to NY for it, but when you happen to be living in NY anyway then it's not so bad. Presumably she saw it being a door that led to bigger things.
Are you not intrigued why Coveney went to bat for her re this role?

Why do you find it intriguing?

It's one of literally hundreds of positions at the gift of politicians. Certain media have focused in on this one small position because it highlights an 'otherliness'. The lesbian swanning around New York having her soirees. They're not like us, they're different. Her and Leo in it together. Messaging each other jokes. That's precisely why it's newsworthy - or why people find it newsworthy, and, sadly, why you find it intriguing whether you realise it or not.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

If SF take office there will be hundreds of positions that change from FF FG pals to SF pals. Each of those a bigger version of Zappone, as any political party structure needs something to hand out. I don't think any of it is corruption. I do think the lobbying, becoming a lobbyist, is innately corrupt though.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

We voted in a referendum for the right of all NI people to regard themselves and be regarded as Irish or British or both as of their choosing. (may not be exact wording but close).
So it's not really technically correct to refer to SF as a British party.
Anyway 'Britain' as in the UKofGB&NI refers to an island that NI is definitely not part of.

They are British trained. All of their political initiation was about interacting with UK politicians, institutional structures, and media. Clearly this has influenced their approaches. That's why we've seen this big rise of gotcha politics in recent years as SF become more powerful as they import the lessons they learned in that system. UK politics is absolutely putrid. Its people taking for months about the way someone ate a bacon sandwich, or insignificant ad hoc appointments take up more media space than national infrastructure debates. Everything is a distraction.

[ComradeCollie]

They are British trained. All of their political initiation was about interacting with UK politicians, institutional structures, and media. Clearly this has influenced their approaches. That's why we've seen this big rise of gotcha politics in recent years as SF become more powerful as they import the lessons they learned in that system. UK politics is absolutely putrid. Its people taking for months about the way someone ate a bacon sandwich, or insignificant ad hoc appointments take up more media space than national infrastructure debates. Everything is a distraction.

Take it to twitter. The place where people who miss talking shite on a barstool can pretend they don't remember the shite they were talking because they'd had a few too many.

[Raoul Duke III]

Why do you find it intriguing?

It's one of literally hundreds of positions at the gift of politicians. Certain media have focused in on this one small position because it highlights an 'otherliness'. The lesbian swanning around New York having her soirees. They're not like us, they're different. Her and Leo in it together. Messaging each other jokes. That's precisely why it's newsworthy - or why people find it newsworthy, and, sadly, why you find it intriguing whether you realise it or not.

I really don't get any sense of that.

Treat the topic on its merits rather than trying to ascribe sinister motives.

[The Istanbul]

Spreadsheet tells me i was playing average of 25 online games a month during lockdown which has slowly whittled down to playing 4 in July & 0 in August just gone. Will still play the odd Festival live but not until masks are gone. Like I see the IPO is advertised for October BH weekend but cant see it being maskless surely??

Played first live game in Portlaw a few weeks ago. Maskless in the room and worked great. Nice pot 2 with 43 entries a €100 a skull. It is now on every Sunday at 3

[pokerhand]

First hour tomorrow will decide the game

Still not decided

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I really don't get any sense of that.

Treat the topic on its merits rather than trying to ascribe sinister motives.

That is one million percent why it is newsworthy and why Katherine Zappone was always unusually newsworthy despite her relatively minor government role.

It's not a topic that has merit because there are hundreds, maybe thousands of such small positions handed out by each government. Boards etc, leaving aside the joke that is stateboards.ie. Its all connections.

So why has one single appointment got so much coverage? It is absolutely because of the people involved being perceived as 'different' and therefore a useful wedge to drive between party and nation. That's why it's there.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

How do you portray a government as out of touch - make a big song and dance about how they hang around with notably different people.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Fast moving events have caught up with my ability to argue about SF propaganda. Email from the school just now saying someone in the kids class tested positive for corona. She has a whopping 25 people in her year turning up to her party next Saturday. Are we going to have to cancel that, would you say?

[Strewelpeter]

There does feel to me to be a sinister undercurrent to this story that is less about the sexuality of some of the players but something else in the air I'm finding it hard to nail down.

It is all about the media themselves though and close to nothing to do with any of the issues involved.

[ComradeCollie]

Fast moving events have caught up with my ability to argue about SF propaganda. Email from the school just now saying someone in the kids class tested positive for corona. She has a whopping 25 people in her year turning up to her party next Saturday. Are we going to have to cancel that, would you say?

Seems I'm getting to meet up with my special lady friend this weekend. Think I'm bringing a box of tissues, as opposed to the condoms that might have been necessary back in the day.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

There does feel to me to be a sinister undercurrent to this story that is less about the sexuality of some of the players but something else in the air I'm finding it hard to nail down.

It is all about the media themselves though and close to nothing to do with any of the issues involved.

Yeah. I went too hard on the sexuality thing in my early posts. That's part of it, but it's more about the people being 'others', of which the sexuality of Zappone is a part, but it's more general and vague than I was describing it.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Seems I'm getting to meet up with my special lady friend this weekend. Think I'm bringing a box of tissues, as opposed to the condoms that might have been necessary back in the day.

In like Flynn. And you got the lube in Pantibar, so all eventualities are covered.

[DeeBrown]

100% a cancellation.
Tough for you to disappoint the child but let them set a new date for the party
& choose a family treat for the birthday.

[ComradeCollie]

In like Flynn. And you got the lube in Pantibar, so all eventualities are covered.

Ah, its nice to have something to look forward to, even if it might be a disaster (20%). If it's some long play me-too I'm goosed

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

100% a cancellation.
Tough for you to disappoint the child but let them set a new date for the party
& choose a family treat for the birthday.

You're right. I needed to hear it. I think she'll be fine with it, to be honest. I'll reserve the sympathy for the poor kid who was apparently sick enough to be tested, suggesting he hasn't got the fabled non-symptomatic corona and might be in for a dodgy week or so.

[hotspur]

Was drinking in a pub tonight for first time in three years (I classify myself as a non drinker these days). Was surprised that selling Kilkenny is still a thing. Less surprised that Jameson and Ginger is.

Ending up eating outside Zaytoon - very nostalgic.

[Denny Crane]

It's madness, I tried to book Aimsir when they launched there overnight stay and tasting menu a while back - Can't remember if it was for July/Aug/Sept or Aug/Sept/Oct and every Friday and Sat was booked out in under 30 seconds with every other date gone within a few minutes.

It was going to be for Mrs Lao Lao's birthday later this month so have had to rethink it. Just need to figure out what the fuck to buy her now - Only 3 weeks to go

People are hardly using bots for this are they?

[Denny Crane]

Currently waiting to fly to Italy. What's the baggage allowance for salami on the way home.

[dinekes]

Currently waiting to fly to Italy. What's the baggage allowance for salami on the way home.

Ask the stewardess with a wink but refer to it as my salami

[Raoul Duke III]

Yeah. I went too hard on the sexuality thing in my early posts. That's part of it, but it's more about the people being 'others', of which the sexuality of Zappone is a part, but it's more general and vague than I was describing it.

So give some examples.

[Raoul Duke III]

Currently waiting to fly to Italy. What's the baggage allowance for salami on the way home.

I got caught before with cans/jars being confiscated from hand luggage.

10kg of pure pork should be waved through.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

So give some examples.

What do you mean?

I gave a list of SF things yesterday that I would consider far more serious - such as a recruitment process for councillors that doesn't seem to check if you are an armed criminal. That seems like a bigger story. Or that all SF offices around the country have seemingly been bought with cash - seems an infinitely bigger story.

My point is that these stories are objectively bigger, but don't have the same legs, because people think the Zappone thing is noteworthy because she belongs to a social circle that most of us don't belong to. She is an other.

So we don't have a fair treatment of news stories.

[Lao Lao]

People are hardly using bots for this are they?

My theory is that a certain amount of the places have already been handed out to people before they go on general sale but I've nothing to back that up with other than a nice shiny tinfoil hat.

[Mellor]

NI=British…

Seems like I gave you too much credit in my assumption you weren’t making such an obvious geographical clanger.

They’ve been playing UK politics since forever, and obviously NI is in the the UK. But it is not part of the island of Britain anymore that Dublin or Cork is.
As AJ efficiently put it, it’s the UKofGB&NI.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

My theory is that a certain amount of the places have already been handed out to people before they go on general sale but I've nothing to back that up with other than a nice shiny tinfoil hat.

I'd say almost certainly. A bot would be surprisingly easy to hire.

[Degag]

The venn diagram of ordinary people who like to visit high end restaurants and those who know much about bots, let alone would actually create one/procure one - seems rather low.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

The venn diagram of ordinary people who like to visit high end restaurants and those who know much about bots, let alone would actually create one/procure one - seems rather low.

Surely it's standard booking websites and so there's a simple enough task to find one. But yeah on reflection I'd say you are right!

[oleras]

Previously competent government politician seems to be in a corner and making up stories on the fly.
"I cleaned my phone because I was hacked" is up there with the dog ate my homework.
I'm guessing the journalists and the dail committee politicians are getting the next set of questions ready.
He says his phone was hacked and used to contact other european politicians. What does this mean? Was it 'hacked' in the Nigerian phishing sense, or perhaps did they find MI5/FSB had a trace on it? Or did his 6 year old nephew enter 1,2,3,4 as a pin code and text 'smelly bum' to Angela M?
Was the hack reported to the guards? Did he delete and re-install his apps when he discovered this hack, a much more important thing than deleting text messages. Don't lie here, because it will be easily found out.

And still the question is 'why Zappone?' The party lost 12 seats in the last election, so why was this UN role created for some random independent who made up the numbers in the last government, but is now so unpopular she's unlikely to get near a Dail seat again. Why not do it instead for one of the 12 FGers who lost their seat, or the Senators who couldn't be reappointed, or some long-serving party councillor? What's she got that she needs to be looked after.

You can call it a nothing story compared to the housing announcement, but I know which story Lester Freamon would have on his board.

Seemingly....he opened a link from an sms, which in turn spammed his contacts to buy crypto. That was the "hack" that has him deleting messages from his ministerial state phone.

This obvious power struggle between Leo and SC should get a bit more dirty soon. Papers tomorrow should be fun !

[Tar.Aldarion]

Hearty laugh reading the bot talk. I'd say most can barely turn on a computer.

[Lazare]

A bot would only make sense if it was someone block booking slots to resell. That's obv not the case.

Why would anyone go to the trouble of creating a bot to book themselves a once or twice off table in a restaurant?

A combo of wink wink slots given to friends and high demand for the rest would see them vanish in 30 seconds.

Still gutted that I cancelled my tasting menu slot in Aimsir.

[ArmaniJeans]

If you put the handing out of patronage in the hands of politicians, they're going to patronise.

Look at the Lotto funding for the constituencies of Shane Ross and John O'Donoghue for example. Or the lootz McCreevy shipped into racing. etc etc

If SF take office there will be hundreds of positions that change from FF FG pals to SF pals. Each of those a bigger version of Zappone, as any political party structure needs something to hand out. I don't think any of it is corruption. I do think the lobbying, becoming a lobbyist, is innately corrupt though.

Giving €100K to the local sports club makes sense at a patronage level though - it's to get you votes in the next GE election.
And the next SF government rewarding their party loyalists with quango positions etc, also makes perfect sense.
But Zappone was an independent who already got her reward (a junior ministry position and the lifetime benefits that go with that).
Once she became an ex-TD with little chance of becoming politically relevant in Ireland again, there's no reason to give her any patronage. Drop her, don't answer her calls, she's a nobody - if there's roles to be created and jobs to be handed out then give it to the people who will matter in the future. Basic politics I'd have thought.
If there's no corruption/compromise involved (and you two seem adamant there isn't, so I'll accept that) then at the very least it seems rank stupid from Coveney.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Making a return after maybe seven years to Ireland's preeminent (by dint of singledom) Russian restaurant. I see they have up their game considerably in the intervening years with the introduction of pictures to their menu. It's not the most creative of cuisines, but the soups are (and look) ridic good.

http://www.admiralrestaurant.com/contact.php

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Surely there's no particular lifetime benefits that come with holding a ministry for a few years? Apart from being able to subsequently pick up handy €15k gigs. Now sadly vanquished.

[oleras]

People go on about Haughy eating brian leninhans liver..Savil row shirts etc, but it was different times the 80's, wasnt that long ago minister for comms was having lunch with bidder for a broadband contract, feck all changes when people are willing to accept sure, its what happens...all in the game.

I know i can be an idealist and expect everyone to be 100% above board, thats not life, i know that...but at least do it in the shadows, dont be rubbing it in my face.

[Strewelpeter]

And is there absolutely no one who thinks that it was simply a really great idea to get someone of Cathrine Zappone's stature into an influential position within the UN to promote an agenda of inclusiveness that we are world leaders in (q.v. the paralympics) in a world where the Taliban are taking control of countries and Texas is reneging on Women's bodily autonomy.

Cynicism and moronic clickbait gotcha news reporting reigns. The only thing of any interest politically now is who exactly leaked it in running from the cabinet meeting.

[Raoul Duke III]

What do you mean?

I gave a list of SF things yesterday that I would consider far more serious - such as a recruitment process for councillors that doesn't seem to check if you are an armed criminal. That seems like a bigger story. Or that all SF offices around the country have seemingly been bought with cash - seems an infinitely bigger story.

My point is that these stories are objectively bigger, but don't have the same legs, because people think the Zappone thing is noteworthy because she belongs to a social circle that most of us don't belong to. She is an other.

So we don't have a fair treatment of news stories.

I mean give us examples of news stories about Zapponegate where the bias you describe is present.

You've claimed it exists. Now demonstrate it.

[Strewelpeter]

People go on about Haughy eating brian leninhans liver..Savil row shirts etc, but it was different times the 80's, wasnt that long ago minister for comms was having lunch with bidder for a broadband contract, feck all changes when people are willing to accept sure, its what happens...all in the game.

I know i can be an idealist and expect everyone to be 100% above board, thats not life, i know that...but at least do it in the shadows, dont be rubbing it in my face.

Are you genuinely comparing this to Lowry's awarding the mobile phone licence and Ray Burke and Liam Lawlor's planning permission racket?
This wasn't even in the shadow's it was brought to cabinet without having been discussed with Martin and Ryan

[oleras]

Are you genuinely comparing this to Lowry's awarding the mobile phone licence and Ray Burke and Liam Lawlor's planning permission racket?
This wasn't even in the shadow's it was brought to cabinet without having been discussed with Martin and Ryan

Not this current pickle, the rest of them, Leo under a criminal investigation atm, and you can bet there are plenty of planning and contract backhanders happening in the shadows,

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I mean give us examples of news stories about Zapponegate where the bias you describe is present.

You've claimed it exists. Now demonstrate it.

No. I think it's the volume of interest. Fairly certain I was clear about that also. The exaggeration of minor stories by incessantly covering it. Not individual stories. Noticed it before when she kept seeming to be considered newsworthy back when she was a junior minister. There seems an abnormally high volume of negative news. Also the same with the minister for children - Roderick someone? And news story tends to get too much coverage.

[ArmaniJeans]

Surely there's no particular lifetime benefits that come with holding a ministry for a few years? Apart from being able to subsequently pick up handy €15k gigs. Now sadly vanquished.

From my basic maths, her TD pension entitlement is €96K TD's salary / 40 (standard divider) * 4 (years as a TD) = €9,600.
However 4 years as junior minister add a chunk to that. Her ministerial salary was €60K. 4 years service entitles her to 30% of that, €19,500.
So being a minister has brought her pension from €9,600 to €29,000.
That's a serious bump, and what I meant by lifetime benefits. They needed her vote in 2016, she negotiated a junior ministry, that's all fine with me and its the way it works.
But once she lost her seat I'm not sure why the favours continued. Should have been the end of it really.

I'm getting the pension entitlements/multipliers/percentages from here, a 2012 IT article, and applying the salary figure as at February 2020.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Not this current pickle, the rest of them, Leo under a criminal investigation atm, and you can bet there are plenty of planning and contract backhanders happening in the shadows,

Right. And the 'criminal investigation' is about what? Trying to intervene in a GP contract dispute to stop the main union acting in concert and extracting too much from the state. But it became about what exactly? Bonus points if you manage to explain it without sexuality. Strange that.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

From my basic maths, her TD pension entitlement is €96K TD's salary / 40 (standard divider) * 4 (years as a TD) = €9,600.
However 4 years as junior minister add a chunk to that. Her ministerial salary was €60K. 4 years service entitles her to 30% of that, €19,500.
So being a minister has brought her pension from €9,600 to €29,000.
That's a serious bump, and what I meant by lifetime benefits. They needed her vote in 2016, she negotiated a junior ministry, that's all fine with me and its the way it works.
But once she lost her seat I'm not sure why the favours continued. Should have been the end of it really.

I'm getting the pension entitlements/multipliers/percentages from here, a 2012 IT article, and applying the salary figure as at February 2020.

You genuinely saw a calculation somewhere saying that the current pension scheme applying to junior ministers gives her a €20,000 annual pension for earning €60k extra for four years?

Edit. Wow that is indeed the case based on this more up to date calculation. I realise its a very small group of people, but that seems far too much compensation for being a minister. https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifest...-30883511.html