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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SEÁN Gallagher has said that it was “bizarre” that RTÉ read out a statement from Michael D Higgins during the Claire Byrne Live presidential debate.
RTÉ’s Claire Byrne debate, which aired on Monday night, featured four of the six presidential candidates. Michael D Higgins declined to appear on the show citing presidential duties, and Gallagher also refused, saying that he wouldn’t take part in any debate where all candidates weren’t in attendance.
During the debate between Peter Casey, Liadh Ní Riada, Gavin Duffy, and Joan Freeman, Casey made a statement about Higgins was unable to defend claims about how much he spends on dog-grooming.
Later in the programme, presenter Claire Byrne read a message from a spokesperson for Higgins saying that it was inaccurate.
Duffy responded by telling Byrne, “It’s not your job to be a spokesperson for the President”, and Casey added that Higgins should have shown up.
Speaking on TheJournal.ie’s The Candidate podcast, Gallagher said that he thought the decision to read that statement out was bizarre.
“I thought that it was bizarre that that would happen I don’t understand why they would have done that and a lot of people have said to me since, surely they would have learned from 2011 not to let those sorts of things happen.
“They read out a statement – were there any facts behind it to back it up, was there any evidence, was there a set of accounts that showed that. That was pretty bizarre, I think everybody would accept that.”
Listen to the Seán Gallagher episode of The Candidate here:
The Candidate / SoundCloud
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Gallagher said that he watched the Claire Byrne debate despite refusing to take part, saying that he had a debate on Morning Ireland the next day.
He said that he thought most debates were “gladiator-styled” and about “taking pot shots at people”.
“In truth it should be about getting to know the candidates,” he said.
I think elections should be about celebrating the people who step forward.
Gallagher said that the number of front pages about the Tweetgate incident in the 2011 election was “unfortunate”, and that it has taken a long time to get over the incident, not least of all because of the court case he took against RTÉ over the incident.
“It wasn’t my fault that it would take 6 years… many people told me not to take on the state broadcaster and it was tough.”
What was Tweetgate again?
Gallagher and the other candidates were taking part in the last live TV debate of the election, and was responding to allegations from the Sinn Féin candidate, Martin McGuinness that he’d collected a cheque for €5,000 for Fianna Fáil.
Presenter Pat Kenny then read out a tweet from an account which purported to be linked to McGuinness.
But the Tweet turned out to be from a false account – RTÉ apologised to Gallagher in 2017 and paid him substantial damages in an out-of-court settlement.
Gallagher’s response to that tweet is considered to have lost him his substantial lead – which was at 40% at one point – and he said that he let himself down that night.
The presidential election is on this Friday, 26 October.
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Yes certainly bizarre and totally inappropriate that one of the candidates refuses to turn up then thinks he can take part from home by issuing statements.
@Adrian: Gallagher also had the option to do likewise surely, just sore that he didn’t think of it no doubt
It didn’t bother me that someone promptly set the record straight from a verified source. Instead of going on about what if a rumour is true, how he reckons someone else’s job should be done, how it wasn’t his fault if it had been true, (which it wasn’t, end of non-story). Who cares? I’m sure they all have negative views about something and desperately need publicity. Next it’ll be squabbling over what tea the others drink.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: a certain candidate could have done with that sort of fact checking in a previous election. What was his name again?
@Vocal Outrage: C H I L D R E N
@rory conway: Playground politics, nobody gives a flying.
RTE aew all behind the little one. But casey is getting my vote ‘Shut your trap,’ Casey tells ‘Indian’ Leo Varadkar for ‘trying to impact poll’
@James O’Brien: I’m voting Casey also. RTÉ took Higgins side 7 years ago and are still doing it. Shame on Ms Byrne
@James O’Brien: Casey was walking a fine line trying to appeal to the disgruntled “anti-pc” snowflakes without wanting to go full Trump. But he’s crossed a line bringing up the Taoiseach’s ethnicity.
Hopefully it will backfire on him, if it does he can always join the DUP. He’d fit in well with them by the looks of things.
@Ricky Spanish: it’s high time someone stood up the that self righteous spin doctor Leo.
@Irish Spider-Man: RTE bias. Sure we all knew that.
@James O’Brien: “shut up you ethnic minority” is hardly the way to do it.
Thats not the job he is trying to get. It was click bait for idiots to support
@Gary Kearney: Vote Casey No 1
@Dave O Keeffe: maybe a direct approach is the only one some will listen too. Leo is full of himself full stop and needs to be taken down a peg or two.
@Irish Spider-Man: Regardless of his controversial comments I don’t want him representing our country as he can’t string a sentence together. He’s by far the least eloquent of all the candidates and his knowledge of global issues is lacking. Do you seriously want him addressing world leaders and answering questions from journalists off the cuff?
@James O’Brien: Yeh glad he told “Emperor” Leo to shut his trap, the arrogance telling people what to do.
@James O’Brien: Very very becoming of a potential President you would agree? I doubt you will!
@James O’Brien: Yes Casey… http://www.wsmh19.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/jaws-mayor-615×339.jpg
The only thing bizzare about this campaign is infact Sean Gallagher
@Joseph Dempsey: the explanation of Tweetgate in the article above is also bizarre. Leaves out the juicy quotes tgat ruined him.
Tired of the whole charade. Fast forward to Friday please. Michael D abú.
@Declan Joseph Deasy: So you’ll be exhausted when Peter Casey wins.
@Declan Joseph Deasy: Michael Higgins politician bú bye.
@lisa duignan: why do they all want a copy and paste of the last 7 years again? Come on ireland it’s time for a change, get out of yer comfort zone, what did MDH do for the last 7 years? Well it’ll be the same again.
Casey #1
What’s bizarre is you writing an “official letter” to the president lambasting him for not being present at a debate, when you yourself refused to attend. Gobsh@te.
@Susan Adair Farrelly: Gallagher refused to attend to make a point. He made the same point directly in the letter. That is what people write letters for: for a specific purpose.
He’s going nowhere, thankfully.
Its also bizarre that gallagher ran before and was not wanted but now thinks that this time he will be wanted? Odd. Hope this time he just goes away
Michael D 1/33
CASEY 66/1
ENOUGH SAID ✊✊
@Punker: was 500/1 a few days ago! I think Michael will win but just s bit of perspective on the odds.
@Wes Tuite: the odds are reflective dolls and their money more than reality. There’s your perspective
@Punker: Casey is 12/1 without Miggledy,
That’s a good bet.
@Punker: he was 100/1 Thursday evening so that 66/1 will soon be 33/1 then 10/1 then 1/2…..
@Mr Mystery: doubt it . Give your bet to charity. Instead of waistiig it
To be fair Claire Byrne has a duty that misinformation is not let through…it cost RTE dearly the last time!
@Catherine Murphy: taxpayer***
We like to hear someone say things that the rest of us are told we can’t say.
Casey juts said what is obvious.
The Traveller ethnicity thing is a classic of sanctifying their status as un-touchable victims. They’ve been riding the system for the last 50 years – and this hokum ethnicity cements it.
An invalid claim was made the Higgins camp sent in a reply and the broadcast it, its fair comment.
@John Mulligan: ah there’s your name down by the bottom. Fair play
So what’s you preference? A FG Indian. Or a FF cowboy?
The guy with a forehead like clogged head has smugglers blues
Why does 4 of the 6 candidates seem to be there to help the 6th? Didn’t 4 work for RTE?
GallaHARHAR “I am a nice person and I will take my Hammering with a Smile”
If it comes out that Micheal D used taxpayer’s money for dog grooming…..then I am definitely voting for him
have your say