Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis

star gazer

The ard Fheis seemed to go all according to plan from what came out in the media, but did they lose some excitment by not having more spontaneous debate and questioning?

The papers today didn't seem to be overly impressed; the Tribune more or less saying that it the big issues like decentralisation and one off housing were to 'buy' the election. Will they go up in the opinion polls because of this weekend?

Sparks

With the Gilmartin testimony just getting started and every independent group mentioned in the Ard Fheis contradicting what was said there?
Doubtful.

Me, I got just the one lasting impression from watching it - that of flicking between the Ard Fheis and the WWF programme on Sky and not knowing which was less believable...

gurramok

The song at the very end of the ard fheis was the best part, some 70s rock song, the most exciting part

sovtek

Is that where Bertie's answer to a reporters question about accusations made in the tribunal was a smooth "give it a rest will ye"...what a smoothie.

ishmael whale

Originally posted by gurramok
The song at the very end of the ard fheis was the best part, some 70s rock song, the most exciting part

Fleetwood Mac, "Don't stop (thinking about tomorrow)". The song might be Anglo-American, but it expresses a Fianna Fail core value. Never think more than twenty-four hours into the future.

Sparks

Originally posted by sovtek
Is that where Bertie's answer to a reporters question about accusations made in the tribunal was a smooth "give it a rest will ye"...what a smoothie.

I still can't believe he got away with that. What kind of political journalists do we have in this country? FFS....

star gazer

originally posted by sparks
I still can't believe he got away with that. What kind of political journalists do we have in this country? FFS....

yeah that is a serious problem, i was just reading about an Taisce who said minister cullen had used an inaccurate statistic about one off housing to better his argument, he said 76% of rural one off housing is over-turned by an bord pleannala, while an taisce say it is more like 2% (appealed by them).* To be fair to journalists they are not perfect and cannot be 'experts' on the subjects they ask questions on, but they shouldn't be lap dogs either, if they know something to be true and know they aren't getting an answer they should persue. The one advantage journalists have over opposition politicians is that governemnt ministers always want to be on their good side. It should give them more leverage to get answers.


*http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0308/planning.html
An Taisce disputes houses figures

March 8, 2004

(16:26) An Taisce has claimed that statistics employed last week by both the Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, and the Taoiseach on one-off housing were inaccurate.

The environmental group was referring to the statement that 76% of planning decisions for rural houses are overturned by An Bord Pleanála - something Mr Cullen said should be reduced to 10%.

In a statement, An Taisce said the accurate figures were as follows: 43% of all houses built in Ireland are one-off houses, 85% of applications are granted by local authorities but only a tiny minority are appealed.

The group said it appeals less than 2% of one-off houses nationally, invariably on the grounds of public health, safety and water quality.

The statement said the Minister's draft guidelines on one-off housing contradict commitments given by the Government to the EU in relation to public transport in order to meet Treaty requirements.

emertoff

We have a serious issue with accountability in this country and unfortunately most of our political journalists just are not up to it. FF have been in power for seven years and when has Ahern appeared on TV for a serious grilling? Never.
Say what you like about Tony Blair and I'm not a particular fan of his but at least he puts himself forward for debates and Q+A sessions on TV on a fairly regular basis. He could talk himself out of any corner but Jeremy Paxman, Jon Snow, and Jonathan Dimbleby amongst others are all excellent imo. The only decent journo we had here was Olivia O'Leary and where did she end up? Interviewing Thatcher for ITV. The relationship between FF and the Irish media in general is far too cosy.

gandalf

Do you honestly believe that Bertie Ahern is up to a Jeremy Paxman style grilling. There is a very good reason that he has not been put in front of the camera's on a proper interview he is incapable of speaking without his prepared soundbites and even with those he comes across as a half wit !!!!

There are no brave journalists in this country at all and no media outlets that are willing to upset the FF machine too much.

As for the Ard Fheis the most disturbing thing for me was the colour Berties Eyebrows were dyed. He looked like that chap who was doing the Colissium announcing in Gladiator !!!

Gandalf.

cyclopath2001

Nobody's twigged it yet, but the one-off houses concession was made to try an encourage some civil servants to take up FF's offer of voluntary relocation.

alleepally

Good point cyclopath - hadn't thought of that but now that I do it does make sense.,

THe more I see and hear of Bertie and pals the more I wish I could do a Denis O'Brien and clear the f**k out of this country because I can't stick the morons ramming their election grabbing policies down our throats.

Villain

Did anyone else see his interview on the Week In Politics last night??

The Presenter quite rightly pointed out that in his lengthy speech on the Health system he never mentioned waiting lists that the government had promised would be gone by this year.

After been asked several times he admitted they would never achieve that dispite what they had promised in their pre-election manafesto!!:rolleyes:

Sparks

Originally posted by irish1
After been asked several times he admitted they would never achieve that dispite what they had promised in their pre-election manafesto!!:rolleyes:

Yup. And then the interviewer let it go at that. I nearly had a stroke watching it. Any interviewer worth his salt would have at least asked how many other manifesto promises have now been relegated to the "aspirational" category. But apparently we don't have any interviewers or journalists like that

Villain

Originally posted by Sparks
Yup. And then the interviewer let it go at that. I nearly had a stroke watching it. Any interviewer worth his salt would have at least asked how many other manifesto promises have now been relegated to the "aspirational" category. But apparently we don't have any interviewers or journalists like that

I agree with you there, he was getting a little cheesed off and instead of going in for the kill teh interviewer just backed off

Cork

Originally posted by ishmael whale
Fleetwood Mac, "Don't stop (thinking about tomorrow)". The song might be Anglo-American,

It is by Fleetwood Mac & it was used during the Clinton Democratic Campaign - If memory serves me.

Great Choice.

gurramok

I hope royalties were paid for use of the song else the new EU copyright law will see the RIAA euro equivalents raiding a certain residence in drumcondra

ishmael whale

Great song, but the choice expresses little confidence in their track record. Or maybe, like their policy on once off houses, you're only supposed to look at the title.

“All I want is to see you smile
If it takes just a little while
I know you don't believe that it's true
I never meant any harm to you

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow
Don't stop, it'll soon be here
It'll be better than before
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone

Don't you look back
Don't you look back”

Of course Bertie’s pretty good and forgetting the past and not looking back.

sceptre

Might have been better off with D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better then
(if the rose-wearing party on the island east of us hadn't played it 200 times in a night in 1997)