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LE Samuel Beckett in Ballycotton Bay, east Cork. Irish Defence Forces

Naval Service staffing crisis deepens as critical engineers leave for better pay on cruise ships

The Naval Service has fallen to 840 personnel as more signal they wish to leave in the coming months.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS warned one year ago in a secret report that the Irish Navy was likely to be reduced to just three operational ships due to a fall in critical engineering staff, The Journal has learned.

It has emerged that the navy has been reduced to just 840 personnel at the Cork Harbour base on Haulbowline island.

This will reduce further in the coming months as upwards of 40 people have indicated that they wish to resign. 

A minimum strength for the Service is recommended to be 1,094 fully-trained personnel. The Navy has eight ships attached to its Cork Harbour base – two extra inshore vessels were recently purchased from New Zealand. 

It currently has five ships available for operational patrols but repeated concerns have been expressed about the level of staffing. 

According to a number of security sources a secret memo carried out by a body dubbed the Joint Operational Planning Group raised the issue. 

It is understood that this report, compiled a year ago, warned that the staffing crisis in the Naval Service would result in a further reduction of ships capable of going to sea. 

The Journal was told that last week Minister For Defence Simon Coveney was in Haulbowline for the commissioning of seven new officers.  

It is understood that during this event officers had advised that there was an impending need to tie up another navy ship due to staffing shortfalls.

Naval officers are now engaged in a desperate effort to find a solution. Speculation in the Navy is that one of the ships is due to undergo two lengthy maintenance periods with a patrol in the middle. 

It is believed that one solution may be to cancel the patrol and join the maintenance periods together. 

“This would be fudged as a way of getting over it,” a source explained.  

Separately the staffing level has become much worse with multiple sources confirming that the numbers of critically important ship crew, known as Engine Room Artificers (ERAs), is at such low numbers that ships may be tied up indefinitely.  

Every ship needs at least three ERAs to run a shift rotation with a Chief Petty Officer making up the fourth member of the team to oversee their operations. 

Major threat

Mark Keane, the President of PDFORRA said that the ERAs are a major threat to the effectiveness of the navy as they leave to better paid jobs working on cruise ships, merchant marine and in industry in the Cork Harbour area. 

“A group was set up to look at recruitment and retention but it is five years too late – everyone in the navy could see this staffing issue coming to fruition.

“The British navy suffered a recruitment crisis during the economic downturn ten years ago but their recruitment is now up 30% but the Irish navy has continued to fall. 

“What are the British doing differently? Basically navy morale is low and people are looking elsewhere to careers with proper benefits, wages and a work life balance,” he said.  

Keane added sailors had taken great pride in the refugee rescue missions in the Mediterranean and the recent dispatch of a naval vessel to Lebanon on a resupply operation.   

“We all joined to want to do that kind of work – we want to be able to use our skills and be involved in good work.

“But we are doing more with less constantly and it is not sustainable – people are burning out. The Engine Room Artificers are becoming a complete rarity – can’t find them. Numbers are at a critical level.

“They are leaving the naval service and going to Princes Cruises and other work like the pharmaceutical industry in the harbour because they will get upwards of €15,000 to €20,000 in their pay packets there.

“We need to pay people for the job they do – and the hours they work.  

“We accept the Navy is never going to be family friendly but there is a way of making it a better work life balance – we have less people and that means people are at sea more,” he said. 

The recent Commission on the Defence Forces recommended a significantly increased Navy, possibly to 12 ships, and the doubling of the Naval Reserve with new part-time units in Galway, the north west and the north east. The reservists would serve much of their time playing a critical role in port security.

The issue of the retention of Naval Service personnel will be raised in the Dáil tonight in questions with Minister Coveney. 

Cathal Berry TD, a former officer in the Defence Forces, strongly criticised the Government’s lack of progress on naval retention. 

“There is a solution here and that is a national minimum wage for Defence Forces members – that is what is required.

“At this stage a court case in the High Court is needed to vindicate the rights of Defence Forces members. The State needs to make sure people are paid for the work they do and then there will be no need for committee meetings or strongly worded letters,” he added.

In a statement the Department of Defence denied that the Naval Service would be reduced to threes ships and.

It also said that the Government has “acknowledged the recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service which are presenting ongoing challenges”.

The spokesman said that Minister Coveney approved a “comprehensive Naval Service regeneration plan in 2021″ which is being progressed and monitored by a high-level civil and military team.

“The aim of the plan is to address the issues facing the Naval Service in the context of human resources, operational capacity, and infrastructure. A number of the staffing measures in the plan have been implemented.

“A seagoing service commitment scheme, aimed at retaining experienced personnel and incentivising sea-going duties, came into effect in 2021. The Scheme offers eligible participants an opportunity to receive €10,000 for a two-year sea-going service commitment, to be delivered within a 48 month reference period.  A sea going naval personnel tax credit of €1,500 has also been extended for the 2022 tax year.

“These payments are in addition to existing pay and allowances, including patrol duty allowance,” the statement read. 

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25 Comments
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    Mute Sheila Healy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:21 AM

    Sean Gallagher is just a sore loser, he’d want to cop on, this country is in enough of a mess without wasting more tax payers money. He lost because he was proven that he had something to hid, not because of a tweet.

    103
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    Mute Peter
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:09 AM

    Well transparency is something that lacks in all parts of irish society, they should set an example here.. RTE in the last few years has made some big gaffs

    92
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    Mute Joe Roddy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:00 PM

    RTÉ receive a large tax from each household in Ireland – €170 (larger than the new property tax, although no one protests against RTÉ tax!) and they should be held accountable.

    Looks like people voted no because of FF.

    44
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    Mute Alex Carter
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:29 PM

    He is a sore loser with Narcissistic pride. Stop waisting our countries resources with this diddly squat and go do something usefull, like create a handfull of those jobs you were waffling on about during the election.

    28
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    Mute You Have Been Assimilated
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    Mar 13th 2012, 9:41 AM

    Joe
    It’s no surprise to me that the Frontline manages the audience. Pat Kenny usually cuts people off if they are in the process of making a point he doesn’t like, and uses ad-breaks to stop the flow of conversation at opportune moments.
    RTE *do* receive a large amount of tax to feed us propaganda and spin, do we really need an investigation of that?
    Many people have been question RTEs fairness since the Iraq War, but it always depends who the judge is. I’m of the opinion that they have a massive neo-lib bias, but FF/FG and the catholic church would claim they have a liberal bias….. Perhaps they’re a bit of both – liberal at heart, neo-liberal in practice.

    1
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    Mute Doctor_Bill
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:21 AM

    We should not be wasting money on a silly enquiry.

    83
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    Mute Liz Bissett
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:28 AM

    Or our time, Sean should move on, he was caught out, so get over it.

    67
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    Mute Brendan Liam Walsh
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:11 AM

    I voted no because I dislike Seán Gallagher and Fianna Fáil. (sorry Fianna FAIL…. No fhada)…

    But if this had been Higgin’s or Norris I would have voted yes.

    So in fairness they probably should.

    76
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    Mute Ciaran FitzGerald
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:20 AM

    Your post sums it up… the no votes are for Gallagher and FF NOT for an independant enquiry!
    We need RTE to get more then a slap on the wrist… this is not the first time this year they have used unreliable sources.
    This issue should not be about gallagher but about the kind of national broadcaster we want to have!!

    123
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    Mute Declan Carroll
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:47 AM

    Yes. We do need a full investigation. Many journalists have overstepped the mark from time to time with apparent impunity. A free press in a democratic country is vital. Having said that, the press have to be accountable & responsible for what they print, publish & say. Whatever your views on Sean G, a full inquiry is needed. It seems he was singled out & taken down. ( I voted for MDH, btw ).

    48
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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:04 AM

    @ Brendan,

    Agreed. There were many times that the Irish media lacked professionalism during the Presidential campaign when lies were written about David Norris. So far, five days before the elections he received 1 apology from an Irish tabloid! There was a lot of unfairness reporting done on certain candidates and to me, destroyed their chance of being President.

    Yes, RTE need to be brought to account for what happened, and heads should roll, but we cannot afford an inquiry.

    30
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:19 AM

    Sheila, Sean Fleming TD (FF) said “I’m not saying we want a tribunal, but we want the results to be made public in detail.” RTE carry it out but the all the results are there for people to see in a clear and transparent manner. If there is any hint of a cover up or glossing over of the facts then the public can demand further investigation. This is carried out by RTE on their budget which will not cost any extra to the public. They messed up, they pay for it. If they want money for it then they have plenty of over paid presenters there that will have to take a pay cut, starting with Pat Kenny and the Primetime team.

    As you say heads should roll but how are you going to decide who’s head is going to roll? For that you would probably need………an inquiry, perhaps?

    29
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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:11 PM

    @Brian,

    Perhaps, yes, an inquiry, I liked your idea of RTE forking out for the inquiry, but how can we be sure that a proper one would be made.

    I feel sometimes RTE are a law upon themselves, as do the Government of the day. Personally speaking, I feel that most expenses should be taken from Ministers/TD’s. Pay benefit and kind, EUR10 for dinner/lunch etc. etc.

    13
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:03 PM

    Sheila this http://www.rte.ie/about/pdfs/programmeguidelines2008_eng.pdf could be used as a guide line.

    Page 29, Para 3 “Production staff on their first contact with members of the public must be alert to any
    indications that potential contributors might be unreliable or express views which
    should not be broadcast.”

    Page 29 (bottom of) “Accounts of phone call and emails relayed by presenters, comment lines scrolled across screens and feedback devices on websites are all potential sources of breaches and must be carefully vetted. ”

    How about we start there and the report is published in full so that the public can see that it was conducted in a full, transparent and proper manner. If there was even a whiff of a cover up or shirking of responsibility you can be sure the press and public would be all over it.

    5
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    Mute You Have Been Assimilated
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    Mar 13th 2012, 9:43 AM

    So no bias on your part then Brendan.

    1
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    Mute 1 Human Being
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:26 AM

    We need a public inquiry as to why no one has been prosecuted in Anglo Irish bank.

    71
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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:58 AM

    Pretty much every commissioner for the last 30 years has been appointed by FF, most of the judges appointed by FF, with 1 in 4 of circuit court judges having a relative who was an elected member of FF. The DPP is full of FF’ers. They owe their positions to FF gombeenism and skewering of the Irish tax payers. These people are on a massive damage limitation exercise for crooked establishment, which put them where they are.

    17
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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:11 AM

    @1 Human Being

    Hear, Hear!!

    No one was never held accountable in Anglo, also in all the other banks, agencies that were giving their staff bonus’ for every new loan they were getting contracts for! (allegedly) Just like places like, Leas Cross, Priory apartments. Nobody, nobody is every held accountable for deaths, depression, debts, poor souls taking their own lives because of the stress of it all! Discusting!

    18
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    Mute DublinTechGuy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:22 AM

    No.

    If there’s to be an enquiry, it should be an enquiry into Fianna Fail fund-raising – after all, it was an envelope of Fianna Fail money which brought down Sean Gallagher.

    61
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    Mute Edward Smyth
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    Mar 12th 2012, 6:31 PM

    Dublin TechGuy, Legally fund raising for a political party, was it a crime?. SF, FG Lab all political parties were legally fundraising, did they commit a crime?. Don`t throw stones when you live in a glass house.

    6
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    Mute Adam Magari
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:22 AM

    A public inquiry would be very costly, very slow, very inefficient and very convenient for various elements within the political-media elite. By the time it reported all the main players would be either retired or dead. What is needed, and bearing the Kevin Reynolds case in mind, is a series of sackings running from the Board down to the cleaner if necessary. Responsibility should not be dodged. If RTE was a private company, P45s would have already been issued. Unless heads roll, RTE will be just as unaccountable as its political masters.

    60
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    Mute Robert McDonnell
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:24 AM

    They did the country a favour, imagine Gallagher as president?!

    57
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    Mute Barry Kelly
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:24 AM

    It was his answer that was his downfall. He had so many lies that he tripped up and exposed. Should he have been tripped, no , but the man should know what he did and answer honestly. He went from not knowing anything to knowing all including his property portfolio.

    57
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    Mute Kenneth Sheehy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:27 AM

    Why would we want an inquiry? People realised that Sean Gallagher can not handle pressure, was knee deep in FF brown envelope culture and was so unsure of his part in the swindling that went on that he stuttered, stumbled and looked guilty. Will a costly enquiry change this? He should seriously consider building a time machine… Eejit.

    47
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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:24 AM

    No thanks, as if there wasn’t enough money wasted on inquiries without another. If Sean Gallagher wants to foot the bill then that’s fine but other than that there’s no point. You lost Sean. Get over it!

    43
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    Mute Paul Beggan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:24 AM

    Bring it on. Fianna Fail wasting more money that could better be used fixing the titanic mess they’ve left us with… That will help their case at the next election!

    Just die already FF.

    38
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    Mute Kevin Dobey
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:27 AM

    What? Allow our media to ask politicians challenging questions?
    …. In other news … Putin wins election landslide!

    34
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    Mute Paul Beggan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:33 AM

    Such a good point.

    18
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    Mute Gerard Lynch Leonardo Divito
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:24 AM

    No if it is going to cost us money.

    33
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:21 AM

    RTE incompetence has already cost us money, €1.5 million in fact.

    14
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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:37 AM

    The Sindo, Fianna Fail and Sean Gallagher! Righting wrongs for the plain people of Ireland! LOL you couldn’t make it up.

    33
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    Mute Colm Sewell
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:48 AM

    Fianna Fáil are also looking for an inquiry for Gallagher? Surprise, surprise. How dare they ask for anything.

    32
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    Mute Peter 66
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:14 AM

    No thanks.

    28
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    Mute Declan Carroll
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:51 AM

    Why, Peter 66 ? Because he was FF ? That’s not the point. The point is that all areas of the media have to behave with accountability & responsibility. Thay cannot set themselves up as judge, jury & executioner whenever they dislike someone or some issue. They have to be balanced, fair & just in their journalism & have to be truthful at all times.

    32
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    Mute Peter 66
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:48 AM

    Declan,
    When you ask someone a question you should really wait for a reply without going off on one about media responsibility & accountability. The journal posed the question & I answered ‘no thanks’. I do not need some committee to go off for 3mts & come back telling me what I already know yet costing me more money. I personally do not care what party he is in bed with I’m just tired of being f*cked over by all of them. If RTE need their ar*e smacked, grand there is somebody getting paid to do that already.

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    Mute Damhsa Dmf
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:16 PM

    I’m in agreement with Peter on this, RTE do deserve a smack for this as they need to be held accountable but how long will this independent investigation go on for, how much will it cost the tax payer and in the end come to the conclusion we have now that RTE stepped outside the lines and used unchecked inaccurate sources against someone not in favour with them. Do you feel OK with footing the bill for it Declan? I don’t.
    Isn’t there already bodies in place to monitor and regulate these affairs and breaches of practice?

    13
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    Mute Declan Carroll
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:46 PM

    I agree with u re footing the bill, Damhsa Dmf. RTE should foot it. Perhaps this is a case where a little short term expense might bring long term benefits like preventing such a thing happening again (with all the associated expenses). Yes – RTE do need their butts smacked & smacked hard in my opinion. I feel they& other media outlets have to be honest & truthful in their reporting. I too am tired of being f*cked over, Peter 66. Sick & tired of it.

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    Mute Joe Roddy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:06 PM

    RTÉ footing the bill, ie the tax payer as we funding RTÉ.

    A better solution would be to punish RTÉ by reducing the annual tv tax and selling off the entertainment arm of RTÉ (2FM and RTÉ2) and tell RTÉ to focus on getting current affairs, news and history right.

    14
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    Mute Ciaran FitzGerald
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:39 PM

    Economics shouldnt outway moral code. An enquiry is not just about probing and punishing RTE for wrongdoing.. more importantly it’s about ensuring it never happens again!
    An independant enquiry is important here BUT Recomendations for the national broadcaster are crucial… particularly dealong with claims and stories from social media.. I mean RTE didnt widely publicise the “Ger Loughnane is dead” story even though it was all over the internet!
    Id love to know what the rules and procedures are that RTE researchers have to follow when dealing with social media stories!

    9
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    Mute Jim McKay
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:46 AM

    Well done Martin McGuinness lol,T.V. highlight of the year.

    27
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    Mute Edward Smyth
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    Mar 12th 2012, 6:15 PM

    It`s typical of Sinn Fein/Martin Mcguinness to have a provo and an official twitter account, maybe RTE just got confused between the two.

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    Mute Jim McKay
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    Mar 13th 2012, 1:36 PM

    Yea its lucky somebody is keeping an eye on todays brown envelope brigade.Well done Martin McGuinness and all involved who exposed this man for what he is.He was nearly the President of Ireland unbeleivably and that would have been a total disaster for Ireland.The truth is he admitted he took a brown envelope,whats his problem he was exposed as a cheat.

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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:39 AM

    Sean was collecting payments for the FF gang. This is a know fact. Sean just couldn’t remember whose houses that he had been to. The man mentioned in the tweet did talk with the media after the event.

    Why isn’t there an inquiry why FF and their bagman Gallagher thought that it was acceptable to sell private meetings with the then Taoiseach Cowen at a dinner. Were laws changed or were grants or contracts given to these people in the months after these meetings.

    We could call it Pimpgate.

    Though there certainly needs to be higher standards in the media, the furore over this is because one of their own was on the receiving end of it.

    Every other party in the state has oft been on the receiving end of these dirty tricks for years. Look at the way the media react to Kenny, who, while I disagree with much of his political choices is certainly a multiple of times more competent and straightforward than Ahern or Cowen were.

    27
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    Mute Colin Mc Keown
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:40 AM

    Sean Gallagher is a broke muppet and is just looking for a Pay out !!!!!!!!!!!!! its all about the money now !

    26
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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:59 AM

    Should we not also have an inquiry into the “hostile” avoidance of the questions posed by Glenna Lynch both on the night in question and subsequently? That had just as much bearing on the election in my opinion.

    25
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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:08 AM

    Oh yes indeed. Wasn’t Gallagher’s outburst something to behold…

    15
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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:11 AM

    Shh don’t mention that, you’ll get Seán in trouble.

    12
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    Mute Andrew Brennan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:43 AM

    An inquiry into the links between Fianna Fail, bankers & developers by the Criminal Assets Bureau should have begun immediately this government took office.

    24
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    Mute Denis
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:45 AM

    At the end of the day Gallagher was involved with brown envelopes for FF.
    It may have been a bogus tweet that forced him to admit it, so what.

    The sindo story isn’t worth commenting on.

    24
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    Mute Eire
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:55 AM

    The best “Person” won the presidential election in my opinion , but RTE has always been a state sponsored station with a political agenda , example I have listened to the likes of the Radio 1 Live Line Joe Duffy, where so called listeners who phone in have clearly been canvassed by the researchers & in some cases called upon to air their views on the public airways or have been prompted by researchers to add to the debate the view of the Live Line staff or the “Man of the People ” on 400k a year Saint Joe Duffy , this practice has gone on seriously unchallenged until now. Ironically Sinn Fein or republicans have been fair game by the Management in RTE in this practice & here they are taken on one of their own a Fianna Fail Hack Gallagher interesting to see how it will all pan out while we the Tax Payer fork out €160 a year on the sharp & fast practice that is RTE

    23
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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:26 AM

    So does that suggest RTE is, in the main, reasonably balanced?

    You can switch over or off when the nation is talking to the woeful Joe Duffy (does he have a political agenda? Ballyfermot, perhaps).

    It was McGuinness who complained to Miriam O’Callaghan about her charging him being a murderer. Vincent Browne (TV3) just happened to have half a dozen books disputing McGuinness’s claims regarding his activities in the IRA (did McGuinness complain about that. Can’t remember). Dana needed no media help in holing her own boat numerous times. Mary someone was caught from all sides for being an establishment/banking hack. The FG fella was the wrong choice and failed even to get support from his own party; saving the media scrutinising him too closely. Like Mary wosname, David Norris got it from all sides for his shambolic handling of his letter writing campaign to a court in Israel. Michael D came out as a latter day saint (a reasonable sane one at that) in comparison to all of them and had support from within and beyond his own party. That why he won?

    11
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    Mute Fintan Cassidy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:52 AM

    It over and done with. Them’s the breaks. Move on.

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    Mute EM
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:53 AM

    I can’t stand Gallagher and tbh was delighted he was shown up for what he is. Having said that I disagree with the way his campaign was hijacked and think someone needs to be held accountable in RTE for their part in it.

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    Mute Gerard Murphy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:40 AM

    Fianna fail looking for an inquiry re the Independent candidate Gallagher….
    But….the review into the banking crisis commissioned by Fianna fail was narrow in its terms of reference and did not examine the decisions made that fateful night we were sold down the river.
    As always, Fianna fail are only concerned about their own needs.
    And, after all that, the truth is that poor old Sean was a grubby little Fianna fail bag man.

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    Mute skeolawn
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    Mar 12th 2012, 7:08 PM

    We need an inquiry into that.

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    Mute Billygoatmuff
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:27 AM

    Also have an enquiry into the questionable brown envelopes while we are at it!

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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:14 AM

    @Billlgoatmuff

    Brown envelopes have a new name, they’re called ‘fees to help local areas and amenities! Household tax, 2nd home tax, etc. etc. etc.

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    Mute Joe Roddy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:10 PM

    Otr of interest do you pay the tv tax of €170 per year.

    I am shocked at the objection to paying a €100 year property tax, yet we all pay RTÉ €170 a year, money that almost goes exclusively to RTÉ. Where are the lamp post signs against paying RTÉ tax, or the protests!

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    Mute Ronan McConville
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:31 AM

    I can’t believe that so many people have voted No to the notion of an inquiry. The man may have had questions hanging over his business history and relationship with Fianna Fail, but that doesn’t discount the fact that he was basically set upon by RTE and Sinn Fein, and defamed without any evidence to back up the Frontline accusations.

    It hasn’t been a huge amount time since the Fr. Kevin Reynolds case was splattered across the headlines, to damn RTE for that yet ignore their error here wreaks of double standards and ignores major complacency by the nation’s main broadcaster.

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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:42 AM

    How was he defamed. He admitted everything that was said about him was correct. We saw the real Gallagher, the real facts. What was said in the tweet was true.

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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:52 AM

    How was he defamed. He admitted everything that was said about him was correct. We saw the real Gallagher, the real facts. What was said in the tweet was true.

    It is a completely opposite scenario to the Fr. Reynolds case, where what was said on the show was completely false. All said about Gallagher was completely true and he himself confirmed it all.

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    Mute Declan Cotter
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:58 PM

    Honestly..RTE did us a favor. The primetime program just brought to many peoples attention what the paper and radio could not. It made a clear link between Sean and FF in 2008. It also questioned his claims in relation to his business. I actually felt the lady who asked about his accounting practices did more damage.
    I honestly believe that Sean Gallagher is not a wealthy man anymore and he was in the race for the money. I also think that now he is trying to squeeze money out of RTE, thus the state and eventually you and I.
    I say No to taking this any further. The right man won the race. Full stop.

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    Mute James Walsh
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:47 AM

    I’ll be honest in saying that while I’m happy that Sean Gallagher did not get elected, I was very unhappy with the manner in which this programme was handled and the potential of an election being decided in such a manner. I think that RTÉ need to institute widescale reform and best practices with regard to their handling of social media in areas like this.

    That being said I have to ask what would be the point of a public inquiry and what do those calling for one expect to find out that they don’t already know?

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    Mute Roos Demol
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:34 AM

    I said no because of what it would cost. But what happened is totally unacceptable. I don’t like Gallagher, but he didn’t deserve tO be treated this way. Shame on RTE.

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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:34 AM

    @Roos

    Senator David Norris didn’t deserve what was done to him either. Out of all the lies and defamation that was done to him in the media, he only received 1 apology four days before the elections from an Irish tabloid.

    Sadly, many voters and media have very closed minds and are not willing to open them for Ireland’s future and their children’s future. Ireland is not ours to decide on, it’s our children’s! David Norris had huge experience to bring to that table and he wasn’t allowed.

    If Mr. Gallagher wants an inquiry, he can pay for it out of his own pocket, maybe someone will be willing enough to give him a brown envelope to help him on his way! I am paying a morg. for a house that has lost EUR175,000 on its worth in the past two years because of Anglo Irish Banks, F Fail, and many other banks. I still have to pay that dam morg. somehow. So go and suck it up Mr. Gallagher and put your hand in your own pocket, too many have their hands in mine!

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    Mute Roos Demol
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    Mar 12th 2012, 2:31 PM

    @sheila: this is not about who you liked or not, nor is it about what mr Gallagher may or may not have done with brown envelopes. It is about the conduct of a public service that is supposed to be impartial and fair to all parties. Again, I don’t like Sean Gallagher, but it’s not really about him, is it.
    It could be someone else next time.

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    Mute Paul Anthony Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:18 PM

    What strikes me most is that if Michael D had been the victim of that tweet, Pat Rabbite would’ve been happy to call for a public inquiry immediately…

    And I’m saying this as someone who didn’t vote for Gallagher, but what’s clear here is that RTÉ had an agenda & ruthlessly pursued it & that’s just plainly wrong from the national broadcaster.

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    Mute Tommy Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:44 PM

    But Michael D wasn’t denying his links with Labour like Gallagher was.

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    Mute Edward Smyth
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    Mar 12th 2012, 5:35 PM

    Tommy Burke, Gallagher was never a member or linked to Labour, Ml D was a member of Fianna Fail at one stage though :-).

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    Mute Tommy Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 5:39 PM

    Sorry I should have been clearer and mentioned Gallagher having links to Fianna Fáil :-) Fair point about Higgins being an FFer at one stage.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 7:07 PM

    @Edward, and he has never tried to hide the fact or the context of his membership at the time.:)

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    Mute Paul Anthony Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 8:28 PM

    @Tommy: My point is that Gallagher’s association with FF is irrelevant as to whether there should be an inquiry or not.
    Indeed, it’s not even about Gallagher per se, but about RTÉ’s approach to the presidential election in general.

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:07 AM

    The BAI have already ruled that “RTÉ was unfair to Gallagher in reading out a ‘bogus’ tweet during the debate.” What’s needed now is for RTE to deal with the production team involved, including disciplinary action if necessary. And to address the issue of checking the provenance of social media messaging. And to be transparent about their actions in dealing with all of this…

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:12 AM

    Can’t argue with that….

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:14 AM

    No Michael privatize it

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    Mute John Breen
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:53 AM

    Fianna fail have wasted enough money on meaningless public inquiries.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:23 PM

    Yeah TV3 is awful but the people don’t pay for it,if TV3 wants better programming the private sector can up their investment or seek higher revenues from advertisement, John you must be one of the people who is brainwashed by the government and RTE,are you happy with RTE and paying 160euro?if so good luck to you John,now read my other comments,RTE is state media no difference between this crap and the Russian Federation in my opinion,john if the government took over the irish times,and forced everyone in the country to buy a copy of it everyday would you be happy with that too?or would u go to prison for refusal?

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    Mute Tommy Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:38 PM

    so it’s as easy as upping their advertising fees and finding new investment to improve the quality. Now why didn’t they think of that?. They can’t do much better than they are, the audience is only so big.

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    Mute Darren Collins
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:03 PM

    I believe it is essential that we do have an inquiry into the RTE Frontline debate. I note that several here have pointed to Sean Gallagher and his past FF connections or indeed being a sore looser. To me, that is deviating substantially from the fundamental point at issue.

    The BAI in its decision last week categorically stated that the the frontline was indeed unfair in its dealings the night of the Presidential debate and the subsequent morning, in accordance with Section 39(1) B of The Broadcasting Act 2009, ( Fairness, Objectivity & Impartiality).

    The issue I have, however, is the final conclusion by the BAI which stated ” It was the committees view that there was no evidence to question the bona fides of the programme presenter or the production team in its approach in the programme that were the subject of complaints”. Mr Mc Guirks revelations yesterday do raise serious doubts in my mind about this.

    Therefore, in the interest of fairness and openness and in the interest of the RTE organisation it is only fair and just that we should have all details made known to us so the issue can be addressed once and for all. If there has been no wrongdoing then RTE should support a full public inquiry as it will have nothing to fear.

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    Mute Lucille Ball
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:09 AM

    And who’s going to pay for this ‘Inquiry’!!!! I agree RTE need a kick in the arse for this and should pay if there is one… Us taxpayers are fed up with being scrounged on!!

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    Mute Simon Evans
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:53 AM

    Last thing we needed was another business man in government specially as the head of state.. Seriously there are more important issues, the question has been asked now what’s an inquiry going to do…..

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:50 AM

    Michael is TV3 subscription?why did New Zealand abolish their public service broadcaster Michael?same population down their in New Zealand as in Ireland 4.5million,you must work in RTE do you ?

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    Mute John Breen
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:54 AM

    TV3 is awful because it is commercial.

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    Mute limofax
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:00 PM

    ITV is utter shite aswell. The only quality American channel is PBS and guess what its state funded.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:44 AM

    There should be a public inquiry but not of the sort that spawned the Mahon Tribunal and millionaire lawyers. RTE has it’s own guidelines and chain of command so it should be a simple task of asking were does guidelines adhered to, who was in command, who messed up and is it a sacking offence? This is no different from something like this happening in a private company where employees break company rules. If gross negligence happened in lets say a large Irish retailer then it only affects the company. When it happens in a national broadcaster then it can affect the whole country. We pay for RTE so they should be accountable to us and if they are not doing their job right then they should be sanctioned. People complain about TD’s all the time not doing their job so what is different about RTE who we HAVE to pay for and over who’s appointment we have no say in?

    Brendan Liam Walsh above sums it up nicely and in fairness admits that his decision is a political one but looking at it sensibly feels that there should probably be an inquiry. At least he has taken a sensible approach to it unlike others who can’t see beyond their political bias and choose to ignore gross incompetence at their expense.

    As for the people who believe that we can’t afford an inquiry, well I put it to you that we can not afford not to have one. The Primetime disaster is reputed to have cost RTE (and you the taxpayer) €1.5 million. How many more disasters like this can we leave go unchecked until people take there head out of the sand and demand accountability and proper standards?

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    Mute Declan Carroll
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:57 AM

    Totally agree.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:58 AM

    One way to solve the problem privatize RTE won’t happen though isn’t that Right Pat rabbitte!!!

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:07 AM

    Agree Brian, no doubt but there are problems in RTE. I’m not sure how best to go about reforming it but a costly full public inquiry starting from a point of “Sean Gallagher was robbed!” is not what I would like to see.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:33 AM

    Rommel I have another reply at the start of the thread but I might just clarify it further. Let RTE carry out the inquiry like any other company would into allegations of incompetence and gross negligence. They do it on their own time and within their own budget with no extra funds allocated to them. They do it within a reasonable time frame and not between now and 2025. The results are put before the public for scrutiny so that they can not cover up or protect their buddies. It happens every day in private companies throughout the country. Every company had a disciplinary procedure and RTE has and editorial standards statement. This is not a major undertaking by any means it is something that happens all the time in private business where, if you make a complete balls of things, you get suspended or fired. It’s time the real world was introduced to the semi-State and Public sector.

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    Mute Gear-óid O Macha
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:08 PM

    he never would have got my vote no matter what!!

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 2:21 PM

    RTE attends a joint oireachtas committee I think once a year but its the government investigating a monopoly media broadcaster that’s a mouthpiece for the very same people asking the specially prepared questions for the RTE board at the committee,can you see where I’m going with this!!! Why not an independent audit done on rte completely separate from Pat rabbitte and state interference,even if it costs the taxpayer money for this pricewaterhouse coopers report so be it,then we will get the obvious truth,followed by total oblivion of RTE and a one way trip out to the private sector

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    Mute Ed
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    Mar 12th 2012, 2:38 PM

    Gallagher is a sore bloody loser, grow up Seany boy …it’s a jungle out there!

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 2:49 PM

    I don’t like Sean Gallaghar Ed, but do you not think it has shown RTE for what they are money grabbing fuckin bastard scumbags and I mean that sincerely,the only jungles in oirland are dole eireann Montrose donnybrook dublin 4 and oirish people are being bitten in their arses in the jungles by rattle snakes read my other comments ed,or feck off down to an post to pay your rte tax or you might be joining me in mountjoy very soon OVER AND OUT

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    Mute LoyalIrish Citizen
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:27 AM

    I think there are far more worthy issues facing the country than this.

    How about an enquiry on how successive so called governments introduced opinions into Irish Law to commit treason and crimes against humanity.

    If people want a public enquiry into this issue, it just demonstrates how out of touch they are.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:29 AM

    I rang in Joe duffy to talk about the new broadcasting charge they won’t allow me on air,the excuse given we are talking about a different topic,also before I mentioned what topic I wanted to talk about they asked me for my name and contact number to contact me back which is fine,but wait for this they also asked me for my address, why I asked, they couldn’t give me an answer but we all know why,to make sure they are receiving 160euro every year from me,and from all the other callers.WHAT CAN I SAY,I won’t complain to BAI the broadcasting association of ireland,you know why,they get 7% of the licence fee,now you know where I’m going with this don’t you tut tut

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:39 AM

    Ok. So your contention is that media should be funded only by subscription and advertising of private companies. Do you pay your licence fee? If not, what would you be doing listening to, phoning in to Lavlan? That’d be very cheeky of yiz…

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:34 PM

    @limofax PBS state funded yes USA 300million people RTE 4.5million people,did you see the other topic on journal.ie today,11 year old student has to be driven home to go to the toilet due to lack of SNAS in the school no special needs assistants,while RTE loses 34million euro this year,how would you feel if that was your child limofax,read my other comments limofax

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    Mute maura
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:26 PM

    If Sean has a problem. He should take it to the courts, fund it himself, why should we have to pay for a public inquiry

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    Mute Ciaran FitzGerald
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:45 PM

    If money and revenue are your only objection to justice then it is a warped view! Economics shouldnt come into this! Justice has to be served. No one is asking for an 11 year tribunal like Mahon.. just an independent enquiry… There is much more at stake here than Sean Gallaghes pride.. the independence and practicies of our supposed “Neutral” National broadcaster has been seriously questioned.. which we spend far more on in revenue than the cost of any enquiry!!!
    The enquiry will save us wasting money on biased programmes with hatchet jobs, political agendas and grudges to be facilitated!!

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    Mute John Rowley
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:26 AM

    To what end? Were any laws broken or are there are any laws alleged to have been broken. If not move on. Sean Gallagher is forgetting what lead to that tweet.

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    Mute tuba hg
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:53 PM

    Our public Broadcaster needs to be made accountable at whatever cost
    RTE have been a law on to themselves for too long

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    Mute Sheila Byrne
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    Mar 12th 2012, 6:49 PM

    @Tuba hg

    They’re not the only ones Tuba! Look at some of our politicians! ….. Ministers, TDs, with all their pensions. I don’t care if that’s written in the law. It should be changed. If you have one, you shouldn’t be entitled to 2/3/4 pensions etc.!

    It should be an internal inquiry but for somebody ‘outside’ to make sure that it is done properly. Balls and heads should roll. I am not talking just about Gallagher, he walked into it himself, I’m talking about how they reported and TV3, media, papers reported on all the candidates.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:12 PM

    Michael do you pay the TV licence?or as I call it RTE TAX,are you happy paying it?if you are then good for you!just one question its losing 34million euro this year you don’t happen to know where its gone Michael do you?Pat Rabbitte doesn’t know either and doesn’t want to know,even though the RTE board are accountable to Pat Rabbitte and in turn Pat Rabbite is accountable to the electorate,now Michael considering so many folk are dropping their health insurance because they can’t afford it,wouldn’t it be nice to leave them with 160euro extra in their pockets every year,another thing I never listen to rte radio or Tv for that matter I have a sat box,the only reason I rang in that particular day is because of this broadcasting charge.Its wonderful that Journal.ie gives people the opportunity to express their opinions openly freely and fairly,and I commend Gavin Reilly and christine bohan for this

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    Mute Randy savage
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:22 PM

    well i was going to vote for Sean but when i saw the program i got a bit worried so i voted for the dwarf instead. There should be an enquiry in fairness to Gallagher and if Kenny and co are found to be in the wrong they should be prosecuted and sued by Gallagher.

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    Mute David Watson
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    Mar 12th 2012, 10:30 AM

    definitely, they may be trying to sway the public vote for their own reasons.

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    Mute David Ryan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:18 PM

    I think all of the Irish media needs to examine how it behaved during the Presidential election. There seems to have been a competition to see who could uncover the most dirt about each of the candidates, with little thought for the accuracy of any of the sources.

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    Mute Tommy Burke
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:41 PM

    I don’t really care what Sean Gallagher wants. In the end he wasn’t truthful, he was found out and now FF is backing Gallagher’s call for an investigation, it’s all very coincidental.

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    Mute Diorai D
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    Mar 12th 2012, 6:27 PM

    RTE is for whatever reason funded by the State to the tune of €200,000,000 every year. It has responsibilities that it has failed to carry out.

    I say end the funding and use the money to build and maintain a decent childrens’ hospital.

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    Mute Joey Dempsey
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:10 PM

    The Chap confirmed he was a supporter of Gallagher prior to being given the question but appears to have protested more at the use of the phrase “sick of hearing” rather than the actual question regarding to alledged droves of Job’s Gallagher had created albeit every single one of them lost within a short period of time. We need an equiry like a hole in the head, to my mind the frontline did us all a favor. What is really telling about this entire affair is that Gallagher himself acted as if he did indeed have something to hide, if he felt the tweet was bogus or there was nothing to hide why did he not put up a robust defence or denial, instead he fumbled, side stepped and offered lame a lame defence which infact continued the next day on the PK radio program where he vented his frustration on a normal Irish citizen with no political affiliations or loyalties. My impression is he felt he was caught out so by inference there was perhaps something to hide.

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    Mute Croiteir
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:43 PM

    It is absolutely essential that an enquiry is held into this. There appears to be some very serious failures RTÉ. No matter what it seems to me that instead of facilitating discussion RTÉ were trying to control it.

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    Mute Damien Queally
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:20 PM

    No public inquiry needed – just sack the manager in charge and hold people to account.

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    Mute Ferg Breen
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:11 AM

    I get that the majority of us radically dislike FF and the brown envelope Galway races brigade. However do not all parties raise money? SF rock over to the states to get money all the time and they’re the first ones to throw stones. I get that Gallagher was trying to sneak out of it and I have issue with that but I don’t have issue with any party raising money.

    I agree with previous comments that said if this involved Higgins, Norris or heaven help us mcGuinness there would be uproar. Whatever about Gallagher not being fit to be president, our national broadcaster needs to be held responsible for radically changing the course of the election through false journalism. People who are saying Gallagher himself lost the election have big blinkers on in not thinking rte had a big part to play.

    One of the biggest ironies is SF taking the moral high ground, that always entertains me!

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    Mute Eggers
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:22 AM

    Ferg he was selling half hour meetings with the Taoiseach. One on One’s. Political prostitution is very different to normal fundraising.

    If he had been straight all along he would have walked through this difficulty. It was the evasive replies, how he tripped himself up that finished him. The major coup de grace was when he attacked the Gleanna Lynch woman on Radio One the following day. Not only did he show himself to have a problem with women but also that he had a problem answering very serious questions concerning his business practices. There was just this all pervasive stink surrounding his business and FF. He didn’t clear up any of it and thus was rejected by the electorate. He would have been another Bertie.

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    Mute Ferg Breen
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:35 AM

    Didn’t fully realise that Eggers. Especially didn’t know that he was selling time with the Taoiseach.
    Thanks for the gracious reply. (Usually replies here can be straw men attacks!)

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    Mute mcbab
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:08 PM

    Ferg. At last some one talking sense. Let’s shine a light on SF fundraising and see what turns up. Let’s also shine a light on what those funds are SPENT on. Sean Gallagher, wether he did or didn’t collect a political donation in a brown, white or purple envelope did nothing wrong. His lead didn’t suit some people and he was taken down by underhand means with the assistance of the incompetence of the Frontline programme. We cannot allow this to be the way elections are decided. May as well be in Putins Russia.

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    Mute Phil Costello
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:57 AM

    No! It’s over and who cares ! Also springs to mind how terrible any discussion panel on RTE is. Every presenter, audience member and crew alike are looking like they live in the 1940s. This has pissed me off for many years. Get some good looking people in the show and brighten the place up. Gag! Tell Gallagher to shut up moaning also.. He lost. Get over it!

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:24 PM

    @joe roddy its not 170euro its 160euro but ill let you away with it,but after the RTE tribunal in dublin castle behind closed doors Pat Rabbitte will increase this RTE TAX to 170euro to pay for all RTE Barristers Zzzzzzzzzzzz

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    Mute Mark Power
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:06 PM

    RTE have lost their impartiality which is bad fir all political parties …

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    Mute William O'Shea
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:23 PM

    5k for a half hour with Cowen? Oh Lord a’ mercy……… No wonder 18 months or so with the gobshite cost us billions!

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    Mute Diorai D
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    Mar 12th 2012, 6:22 PM

    Good luck to S Gallagher if he thinks Pat Rabbitte will launch an investigation into RTE. I would say that created a few laughs in Donnybrook today. The cheek of him.

    There will never be accountability in RTE until it stops receiving the €200,000,00 each year from the TV tax. Because for as long as they receive this massive amount of money it does not matter one iota that people continue to switch to other more honest media because at the end of the day they will still get their fat pay checks.

    Really is it not time that as a nation we moved on this idea that we need a national broadcaster? It is a product of a bygone era that has no relevance to modern Ireland.

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    Mute Conor Gately
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    Mar 12th 2012, 3:47 PM

    A lot of people are calling Gallagher a sore loser or words to that effect.

    I wonder if another candidates campaign, who is the suspected former leader of a terrorist organisation, was scuttled because of an unverified tweet which was broadcast suggesting that he was involved in raising funds for a party or, say, a terrorost group in the past, how would people react?

    Not that i’m suggesting that Michael D ever raised funds for the Jedi.

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    Mute Barry McSweeney
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:01 PM

    Any inquiry should ask why the information on Gallagher was made public through a Tweet, and not through the conventional media. Don’t we have any investigative journalists left in Ireland? all too busy grinding their anti_RTE axes?

    Personally, I feel getting to the bottom of the HSE/SIPTU slush fund is more important. How long has this investigation been dragging on?

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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:18 PM

    No, Because if no-one is held accountable and they get a golden handshake pension for punishment. What’s the point, sick of rewards for no accountibility or bad performances in the public or semi-state sector!

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    Mute jimbo
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    Mar 12th 2012, 2:16 PM

    I think there more important things that could be inquired than this bloody sick of it now at this stage

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    Mute Shane Gleeson
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:28 PM

    McQuirk is a convicted fraudster according to the irish scum

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    Mute Edward Smyth
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    Mar 12th 2012, 5:23 PM

    The BAI found against RTE, Gallagher accepted this and moved on. The RTE agenda arose over this last weekend and this is what the vote is about if some of you guys could only take off those green tinted glasses. This is not about Gallagher, Fianna Fail, Legal fundraising or whatever spin you put on it.

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    Mute Derek Readman
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    Mar 12th 2012, 5:17 PM

    RTE have never been impartial and they never will be. We don’t need an inquiry and we certainly should not be forced to pay for RTE. This country remains corrupt to the core.

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    Mute Janet Thompson
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:16 PM

    He certainly has the right to query it but at his own costs. He should not have the right to use tax payers money just because he is a sore loser. I don’t currently live in Ireland so i was not there to vote but I am certain that when you put yourself up for public scrutiny you are also going to get lies told about you as well. On the other hand RTE should verify their sources. My guess is as they are semi state they are not always impartial

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    Mute Karl Doyle
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:03 PM

    No way we have better things to be spending money on than this no matter what. We voted, its over.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:51 PM

    @Joe roddy I rang Joan Collins Richard Boyd Barrett for a laugh not that I like the ULA because I don’t they both pay the 160euro I asked why they laughed,and yes your dead right they won’t March about it and no signs on lamp posts,I indeed pay this disgusting tax not becoz I want to but becoz the government told me I have to,or ill be imprisoned and have a criminal record and I don’t want a stamp in my fuckin passport for that simple ahhhhhhhhhhh

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    Mute Frank2521
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    Mar 12th 2012, 4:06 PM

    RTE were wrong and the person responsible is the CEO who signs off all the assurance documents etc. so resign! End of story.

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:13 PM
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Mar 12th 2012, 12:15 PM

    BTW that’s for Phil Costtello to help him put beautiful people in the audience as opposed to people that matter.

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    Mute Phil Costello
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    Mar 12th 2012, 1:21 PM

    It’s a start !

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    Mute James Quinn
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    Mar 12th 2012, 11:25 PM

    I don’t see why there should be a public enquiry. It would be a waste of money for a non-event in my opinion.
    Gallagher appears to me to be a typical bullying type businessman who thinks he can ride roughshod over everyone & everything to attain his goals.
    His big problem is that he denied his Fianna Fail credentials & was not honest with the people. When confronted with questions about his association with FF he didn’t know where to turn & was afraid to answer. As far as I’m concerned the so called tweet did was show he couldn’t operate under pressure.If he answered truthfully, without appearing that he was hiding something, he would probably be president today.
    Anything can happen on live television & he should have been prepared for it. As far as I understand it, all these programmes with panels, such as The Frontline, Questions & Answers etc have pre-arranged questions from audience members. How else can Pat Kenny move from one person to the next, knowing what they want to ask? Do we want live tv debate or not? Do we want our future presidents & TD’s to answer truthfully & honestly or not?
    That’s all he was asked to do.

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