A Profile of Vincent Salafia in Village
Magazine
national | environment | other press
Saturday March 13, 2010 13:49
by Storyliner
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Story on V Salafia and campaigns he has been
involved in
A critical profile of Vincent Salafia -
Ruadhán Mac Eoin and Michael Smith
Vincent Salafia - coming to a campaign near you
This is worth a read - some quotes from the article
'Salafia
has a history of falling out with campaigns over the years leading to
serious questions about his suitability to front another campaign. In 2004
Phoenix Magazine commented that he, "seems to foment trouble in his own
camp wherever he get involved". It also noted that in 2003, "Salafia was
accused by then An Taisce press spokesman, Ruadhán Mac Eoin (one of the
co-authors of this piece), of censoring An Taisce press releases from the
carrickminescastle.org discussion forum, of which Salafia was the
moderator". Salafia was also accused of subverting the attempted alliance
called the Friends of Carrickmines.'
It continues:
'How then
does this heritage hero get so mired in bitterness and fractiousness,
having apparently split or been ejected from four high-profile
environmental campaigns - 'Carrickminders', Save Tara Skryne Valley',
'Campaign to Save Tara', and most recently, 'Shell 2 Sea'?'
His own
defence?
'the thing is, in every single campaign in Ireland, there are
always disputes: that's just the nature of campaigns. It was the nature of
the revolution in this country".'
The article outlines his
protesting career, questions his qualifications as a lawyer, his involving
high-profile people to campaigns, his virulent on-line attacks on the
Campaign to Save Tara members and his ejection from a Shell to Sea
meeting.
His defence again?
"again this whole thing is being
individualized to take a personal swipe at me rather than to address the
bigger issues".
Buy the magazine and see the rest for yourselves, link
to the Phoenix Magazine article below.
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Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5What a pity that this magazine is not on-line. You will have to buy a physical copy of the article
I am aware of the fact that the authors of the article have some history with the subject of their "journalistic" expose.
It is a pity that they neglected to outline that fact in their article.
Again I am saddened to see people who are actually on the same side (they say) in regard to the outcome of the Newgrange issue, beginning their campaign to save Newgrange by attempt to scupper the only viable campaign that exists at present which wants the road near Newgrange stopped, that is as far as I know it is the only one.
I am glad that the person who posted the article above is well versed in Irish enough to add the fada to the "a" in Ruadhán. :)
Michael Smith is veering towards a Bruce Arnold level of journalistic impartiality in his efforts to smear Salafia.
I would ask both he an Ruadhán to outline how their work with An Taisce has helped save National Monuments in the last decade.
having been on the sidelines of both the Carrickmines campaign and the Tara campaign I can predict that the efforts of The Village in this matter will hasten the arrival of the bulldozers.
If Newgragne is to be saved then all involved will have to put their egos, bruised and otherwise into second place.
The article led me to assume that Smith and McEoin, in light of their history with the subject of the article, are unhappy that they did not think of starting a Newgrange campaign and now are trying to wrong foot the one that exists.
the authors might ponder the words of Iggy Pop..Oh baby what a place3 to be
in the service of the bourgeoisie"
Of course as they are both rather bourgeois should we be surprised?
"Wherever 'big money' is involved, it's to be sure (to be sure!!) you'll find 'big corruption' as well, plus lots of cover-ups, skulduggery, wrongdoing, and deception of all kinds to accompany it."
However, unless you're really close to the action, it's often very difficult to know who exactly is doing what, and why, and so on.
Nevertheless, and even when viewed from a very long distance away, it usually seems to be the case that every once in while a very real symptom of the "corruption problem" does appear in potent and irrefutable form, which poses definite questions that can and should be asked, followed up, and thoroughly investigated for the purpose of bringing the types of corruption in question to an end.
In the case of Mr Salafia (for example), there is the outstanding and glaring matter of why he -- and his legal team which included Dr Gerard Hogan (Law Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, see at http://www.tcd.ie/Law/GerardHogan/ ) -- did not challenge the constitutionality of our "National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004" (using the very well defined legal means available to them) in connection with the 600,000 Euros law case they were involved in relating to the PPP M3 Motorway which now runs through the Tara heritage complex?
"Gerry Hogan, senior counsel for Mr Salafia, claimed the legislation used to push through the project (i.e. the Tara M3 PPP Toll Road project) was unconstitutional." (From http://www.europeancourtofhumanrightswilliamfinnerty.com/ChiefJusticeMurray/3October2007/Email.htm
Historian since it is a slam dunk why did you not take the case? Why not take it yourself now? Why did Michael Smith or Ruadhán Mac Eoin not take that case? Do they prefer to stand behind straw men like they have in the past?
Too much to loose? Too much property in their own names?
Why should it be up to Salafia or Hogan?
You seem keen and sure of victory so...........................
Draw up your brief and head down to the Law Library with your solicitor today, instruct a barrister and according to you it will be "bobs your uncle" .
Let us know how you get on..........................................
Because, 1), I am not a lawyer myself, and, 2), because I have not, despite my very best efforts over a period of several years, been able (to date) to find a lawyer who is willing to even discuss the issue with me, let alone provide me with the legal representation I feel I need in order to have the constitutionally of our "National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004" checked using the process described at http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/government-in-ireland/irish-constitution-1/unconstitutional_legislation_and_decisions for so doing.
However, I am still trying to deal with this particular issue (together with a number of other closely related issues) through the "the right to an effective remedy" which comes under the terms of Article 47 of The Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union: and which I understand "became law" on December 1st 2009.
On December 21st 2009, I raised this "right to an effective remedy" matter with the new EU Foreign Minister (Baroness Ashton) in the registered letter (and associated e-mail) I sent to her then, as can be seen in the electronically scanned copy of the letter in question which has been placed at the following Internet location:
http://www.humanrightsireland.com/BaronessAshton/21December2009/Email.htm
As can also be seen in the scanned copies of the three sets of Post Office receipts at the Internet address immediately above, copies of the December 21st 2009 letter to Lady Ashton were also sent to UK Prime Gordon Brown MP, and to Republic of Ireland Prime Minister Brian Cowan TD -- all three of them on December 21st 2009.
Unfortunately, and for reasons which are a complete mystery to me, and despite a number of e-mail reminders to all three of the people referred to, I have not (to date) received any acknowledgement of receipt from Baroness Ashton, or from Prime Minister Gordon Brown, or from Prime Minister Brian Cowan to my December 21st 2009 registered letters to them: which I trust will give you (and other readers) a good indication of the level of difficulties involved in trying to deal with problems of this kind.