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IRELAND’S PARTICIPATION IN Eurovision 2019 was a politically tense decision for national broadcaster RTÉ to make.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show diplomacy was required as RTÉ management responded to calls from both sides of the political divide between June and December last year – before and after Ireland confirmed its participation in this year’s competition.
Israeli singer Netta was crowned winner at last year’s contest. Her win immediately sparked controversy over 2019′s competition, the first time in 20 years that Israel will play host.
In June, one month after Netta won in Lisbon and three months before Ireland declared its intention to travel to the Middle East to compete in Eurovision 2019, Channel 10 News in Israel wrote to RTÉ asking why the national broadcaster had yet to confirm its participation in the event.
Members of the public also contacted the national broadcaster. On 5 August, Irish Delegation Head producer Michael Kealy received an email quoting recent media comments he’d made saying that a boycott of Eurovision 2019 in Israel would be “the antithesis of what Eurovision is all about”.
“Let me share two infographics with you,” a member of the public wrote to Kealy. “After you have viewed them, can you reply to my email and state that, while you make merry in Israel your moral compass is not offended knowing that there is mass slaughter being conducted just a few kilometres down the road.”
“If your moral compass is not offended then please do explain “what Eurovision is all about”. This is not a political issue, it is a human rights issue.”
Kealy, who said he was “tempted to reply”, first asked Eurovision head of press Rayna Connery should he respond.
“I would resist,” Connery replied. “It will only give further oxygen to the story.”
‘Group at the gate’
This year’s competition kicks off on 14 May in Tel Aviv. Israel previously hosted the Eurovision in 1979 and 1999. The country won the competition in 1978 with Ireland’s Colm Wilkinson placing fifth with ‘Born to Sing’.
In 1998, Israel came first again in the Eurovision when Dana International won with ‘Diva’ while Ireland’s entry ‘Is Always Over Now?’ performed by Dawn Martin came ninth.
Two years after Eurovision 1999, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) was established to raise awareness about the Occupied Territories and Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
On 30 August last year, the IPSC wrote to RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes and Kealy requesting a meeting to discuss this year’s Eurovision in Israel.
In reply, RTÉ strategic advisor Rory Coveney urged Forbes to forward IPSC’s email to managing director of news Jon Williams, director of audience Adrian Lynch and director of content Jim Jennings.
“This will be tricky,” Coveney warned.
As part of its ‘Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019′, the IPSC gathered signatures in anticipation of a meeting with director general Forbes.
Shortly before RTÉ announced last September that it will not sanction any member of staff who doesn’t want to travel to Eurovision 2019, Forbes met with representatives of IPSC.
During the meeting, members of the campaign presented a petition with more than 11,000 signatures backing a boycott. The group said that it wanted Ireland to shun the event “due to Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people”. RTÉ’s Kealy had already travelled earlier that month to confirm Ireland’s participation in the contest with the European Broadcasting Union [EBU].
On the day IPSC members delivered their petition, RTÉ’s communications staff decided that in the event of any press queries to “stick” to a statement laying out the rules of the competition and to confirm that no boycott discussions had taken place between EBU members.
“Agreed… There’s a group at the gate with a photographer and a flag,” a staff member remarked that afternoon.
‘Pit of my stomach’
Unsurprisingly, September’s meeting between Forbes and the IPSC received mixed reaction.
RTÉ received a letter from a member of the public supporting Ireland’s participation in Eurovision 2019 shortly after the meeting, saying that “I have no doubt that Israel has questions to answer I nevertheless support them”.
On 1 October, the Ireland Israel Alliance wrote to Director General Forbes criticising the IPSC meeting and “an immoral, divisive and, quite frankly, anti-Semitic boycott” and argued that it was hypocritical to call for an Israeli boycott.
“We heard no lobbying calls when the Eurovision was held in Serbia in 2008, despite its involvement in the Yugoslav wars of the early 1990s. Neither did we hear any outrage when Russia hosted the competition in 2009, despite its invasion of part of Georgia in 2008.”
“Or Azerbaijan in 2012, despite its continuing dispute with Armenia over the territory of Nagarno-Karabakh, or Ukraine in 2017, despite the violent Ukranian revolution of 2014.”
Four days later, however, RTÉ received an email from a member of the public further criticising its decision to participate this year.
“When I read in the Irish Times this morning that RTÉ is going to push on with the Eurovision despite 11,000 signatures pleading for a boycott, my heart sank to the pit of my stomach.
“I think it’s disgraceful and highly degrading that we as the national broadcaster would give any sort of ammunition and integrity to a state that doesn’t respect the basic understanding of value for human life.”
RTÉ received further enquiries from two Israeli media outlets and one German media outlet in October requesting additional comments on RTÉ’s position. These were turned down by RTÉ’s press office.
In late December, members of IPSC once again called on RTÉ to not broadcast Eurovision events in “Israel’s illegal settlements, including those in occupied East Jerusalem. This is the least RTÉ should do to be in line with international law and European policy.”
RTÉ responded once again by pointing out that the Eurovision is a non-political event organised and run by the European Broadcasting Union which has sought assurances from the Israeli state regarding security and access for all to attend.
With just three months until Eurovision 2019 kicks off the controversy will likely roll on until May.
Betty Purcell, a former RTÉ producer and spokesperson for the IPSC, has said that the campaign will continue its call for a boycott of Eurovision 2019.
“We continue to push for it,” Purcell has said. “We’ll be re-presenting our petition – which was at 11,000 signatures and now has 15,000 signatures – to RTÉ.”
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How many nails does one coffin need?
A chain, a lot of weights and brought out and dumped in the Mariana Trench.
As long as government will cover up the mess there will not be an end to the nails in that coffin.
It isn’t over yet. The Troika are coming to whip their puppets into shape.
I’d say in that coffin is the vampire known as Irish Water.
Stake through the heart should do it.
IW bashing is great craic and all, but there were 1507 valid data breach notifications in Ireland last year. Pobody’s Nerfect.
I was sent three emails today in error. They were genuine medical notes from the NHS in the UK. No big deal, this happens with frightening regularity.
It’s called Human Error !
At this stage we don’t need nails…..We need a great big fire! Feckless, useless, clueless, a complete and utter disaster. Enda…you can f% cm right off with your reduced charges. This company is not fit for purpose. In fact…I want any monies paid to Tierney paid back. Gormless tw#t !
DAVE
watching that documentary on youtube now, nice heads up.
As many as we can get in it before we get the cement mixer :).
I highly doubt that David, farfetched to say the least
Meter through the heart more like!
Performance bonus how are you
It’s time IW was shut down. They’re so bad they can’t even do corruption well.
Call a general election, this is getting ridiculous , we will not accept this Quango, it has to be abolished or we will abolish FG and Labour. The back benchers in FG are going to lose all their seats if they don’t get rid of Kenny, Labour are beyond saving, they are facing meltdown just like the Green Party!
Your FG spin isn’t working David, your party is finished, put an end to this farce!
IRISH WA(S)TER(S), NEPOTISM KNOWS NO C0RDON…..BLEU SHIRTS!!
.
Kenny and iphone Joan must have some envelope waiting with a lot of goodies to continue with this debacle. Shame on Laubour you don’t represent what Mr. Larkin set out to do. As for FG. I would not lower myself to comment
Irish water accidentally sent me one of their “fvck it, sure its November” bonuses there last week……
I see that the million euro per month consultation fees are paying off. Fantastic value for money.
Deaglan and for a recap of Consultation fees see here:
http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-water-consultants-spending-1263769-Jan2014/
Clowns
Enough said eh.
Nothing more than we have come to expect really.
If Nancy Noonan, Howler Howlin and the rest of the cronies are issuing statements about charge rates, first bill issue dates, compliance notifications for non payment, allowance guidelines, non payment of staff bonuses…..what are we paying Tierney for ?
Who is to blame for this unmitigated disaster ? Is it Kenny ? Is it the EMC ? is it the Cabinet ? Or is it the Government backbenchers for supporting such madness ?. Remember the famous electronic voting machines well they pale into insignificants in comparison to this. I would go as far as to say this is financial treason. Someone should be before the courts answering charges.
You would think after 50million worth o tuition you couldn’t make mistakes
Just shut the whole system down now.
I am so sick of this company. Make it go away
Water mess
Hang on a minute! Does that landlord want irish water to tell him if the tenants have registered?? Thats none of his business. No wonder he doesnt want to be named
Sam,
My understanding is that Irish water contact the landlord, the landlord requests that the tennants sort it out, they are entitled to know I suppose, whether or not they should be expecting a follow up or they can breathe easy.
Why? He can request the tenants to register but whether they do or not is not his business nor should he be asking IW if they have. That is between iw and the tenant.
Quite right Sam…tell Irish Water and the landlord to stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Unfortunately then the landlord can you tell you to up and leave. it’s part of many rental contracts that you must pay all bills and charges related to the place you are renting (well it says that in mine anyway). They can legally tell you to leave if you dont pay. Not nice, especially for us who can’t afford what bills we have, but the landlord can do it, and from this article can obviously find out if you have registered or not as they are the owner of the property.
Surely tenants will not be expecting the Landlord to pay for the water that they are using?
Amy, this unfortunately is the same issue I’m having, if I don’t sign up there’s a good chance I don’t get my deposit back, or worse, future letting agents/landlords will be told I don’t pay my utility bills.
I’m holding out as long as I can, praying IW is abolished, but I think after tomorrows limp announcements it’ll start to put a lot of pressure on tenants.
utility bills have nothing to with a landlord, even if you don’t pay your bills and leave the house in arrears, the bills remain with the account holder and not the house, even if they cut the house off , the land lord or next tenant will get reconnected for free.
think about it, if you are going to move house, do you not inform the utility companies of your new address prior to moving. any issues would be sorted out before you move in with no requirement from the landlord, do utility companies ask you for your landlord derails, NO, and once the utility company have a valid account holder they want your buissiness. if you are a tenant then they would generally require a deposit from you
Even if your tenancy agreement states you have to pay utility bills etc. the landlord cannot request details of your account and neither can any utility provide it. Data protection act covers this, similar to the fact that a landlord couldn’t ring a tenants bank to find out if the tenant has enough money for the rent. So not only did IW mess up emailing details to a different customer, they breached the tenants rights
Wow, lads lads lads
More proof of how much this shower truly care about their job and their customers. nothing
The most criminal thing about ur all is that the government won’t stop it now. The country is in turmoil because of it and even there own supporters, many of them, have spoken against it, councils have voted against it. 550 million in meters and its supposed to be a flat rate now ? What exactly are staff being paid for right now ? It is sickening meanwhile funds to rape crisis centre are cut, homelessness spirals out if control, not enough beds in hospitals. If I was Leo Varadker I would run and take that job in Canada because they will be the most hated bunch if politicians in the history if this state.
It’s a circus set up by a bunch of clowns
Bad judgement to employ a CEO that looks like Ivor Callely
Inda did not think that one through !
This is what you get in this country for being compliant to a sham company.
I’ll bet they won’t send their bonuses to the incorrect recipients!
It’s get better every day that before the soft sell tomorrow when we told everything will be just fine just sign up for a modest amount and watch it explode in the years to come
And they wonder why most of the country still hasn’t signed up to this half arsed quango.
I believe that the root of this problem is the political pension system we have in this country. Once a TD loses their seat, their pension(s) will ensure they can continue to live the lavish lifestyle that they’ve become used to while in office, even though they’ve been fired by their employer for their inability to carry out the job they were paid to do.
So, politicians have become unaccountable for their actions and apathetic towards the very people who voted them in, and so forcing crony organisations like Irish Water (and all its costs) on the citizens is nothing to them. More worryingly, being voted out of office is nothing to them. As a result, the “establishment” in Ireland now consists of power-crazed sociopaths and self-entitled parasites.
This pension culture needs to stop and the political system needs a drastic overhaul. Otherwise problems like Irish Water will continue to materialise and to fester, and the Irish people will have to continue to slap them down.
Parasite TDs who are only interested in feathering their own nests are not of the standard on which this country was founded and are a huge surplus to requirement. We need to democratically get rid of each and every TD who was nurtured on this system.
Well said. Couldn’t agree with you more. And take it back from all the former dodgy politicians who are still living like kings. Re examine every dodgy deal that the countless amounts of them did down through the years which have allowed this country to be plundered. Make paupers of the lot of them. Easier said than done though unfortunately.
I think this comment sums up perfectly all that is wrong with this political system. We need these fools to be held to account for their mistakes, past and present.
I love the image of Tierney handing us a glass of water with one hand and a water meter in the other. And gold rings on both I might add.
“It’s like here is your water son. Wa wa wait you have to give us the money first.”
What a vulture capitalist.
So clearly photoshopped too. Who has ever seen tap water that colour in Ireland!?
They couldn’t direct a stream of their own piss!
Haha this circus just keeps on giving more entertainment! Its all good though the clowns wont get a bonus untill January, bless them! Slightly off topic but I saw a list of every tax we pay posted here somewhere recently, I could recite the majority of them but does anyone have a copy saved they could post me? Thanks!
Anyone know what these new ‘Compliancy’ measures for us people who refuse to pay this tax set to be introduced by the gubberment tomorrow will entail?
Hi hulk, I dunno for sure but like I said before the gov plan is to reach a tipping point. They will buy a few more people who are afraid, they came out with concessions for unemployed and elderly after 1st protest. More concessions after the 2nd one, now they will bribe the rest into signing up. Can you imagine if we didn’t get out and march?! Then 18 months to a year from now, price increases. Couple that to rising energy bills, it’s gonna get ugly. Then on foreseen economic disasters Yada Yada, they sell it to private company.
I would like a government statement on the Sun and air situation. They have already taxed the earth surrounding our homes and our water. Should we get some sun and air while we can before it gets taxed to reduce consumption, improve the quality, or to provide a quality resource for future generations?
All true Capitaine, except for one fact, this government will be gone in 18 months, destroyed by their own incompetence, and good riddance to them!
I put a Jihad on Irish water
This is the funniest drama I’ve seen play out since “Deception”. Makes it almost worth the charge, almost……
Give them back their bonus’ and watch their work improve!!! What a ‘shower’ of muppets! They should drink the ‘water’ they want me to pay for!
F**kin knobs
“I don’t expect that to be an issue that will continue to happen”. How about a more definite “This will never happen again”?
Is the bucket in that photograph Irish, Dan?
You’d better be careful it is otherwise Hugh McConnell will be doing a hard-hitting piece of investigative journalism on you.
It is an offence against the state to waste water or use consume water and not pay..haven’t you heard?
I have just been in contact with the photography ( Constantinos Z ) and he has confirmed for me that the bucket in the picture above is definitely not Irish. He would not divulge the nationality of the bucket out of respect for the buckets anonymity.
No form sent back and no pps given. This is why
Gemma Hussey .. on prime time.. what a snob
Have a listen to Pat Rabbite spouting lies on Prime Time. ..
DPC should be investigating it, useless wonkers
Fuppin baxtards.
And with councils telling pubs with apartments etc to not sign up and pay the rates to them this is a joke of a system.
Clowns couldn’t run a TAP
I’m getting tired of this now….maybe we should be nicer to the government, you see they won’t back down because it would be an admission of their absolute buffoonery, cods wallop and ignorance of what everybody wants them to do. Like a kid really.
So let’s treat them like kids. We’ll swap roles and we become the adults and we’ll make a deal. You give us back the taxes you are currently taking for our water charges ( VAT, motor tax et al) and we will make a contribution to your water fund. But as responsible adults, we cannot give you everything you want or you will just grow up to be a spoilt brat. But if you don’t use the new money responsibly, we will cut it completely in about 16 months time.
Landloads!
Businesses make mistakes like that all the time, they’re just better at doing the necessary PR to cover them up.
It’s no use. Nobody is thinking rationally in this thread as per usual. They were lost to their rage once ‘irish water’ was mentioned…
What’s an inhuman error? A donkey error maybe?
IW even sent a letter to a man, who had been dead 11yrs!
Kenny told more untrouts in the Dáil today about privatising our water minister for finance and minister for envoi recent can sell it full stop
Ok business as usual in irish water but isn’t there another issue here? Is Irish water allowed to give that landlord the info he requested about his tenants registering or not? And secondly does he have the power to demand they register with irish water in the first place?
Your “exclusive” will most likely result in a low paid worker at an outsourced centre losing their job tomorrow, did you think about that?
Are you a Ganger supplying low paid workers to call centres, Alan? Shame on you, you dirty birdie
The board of Irish water must be sacked along with all levels of management. The new team must then start from scratch. The level of ineptitude is mind blowing.
Hopefully irish water management and staff are getting plenty lime on the bottom of their mugs during their morning coffee, and plenty fluoride , Mercury and other chemical nasties – who knows it might be a topic of conversation for them in the canteen as to what a crock of shit of a utility people are being bullied into paying. Then again maybe the bitter taste in their mouths is keeping their poison mentality going .
have your say