RTE's Questions and Answers

Het-Field

RTE is supposed to be a public service broadcaster. Although the station is in reciept of plenty of advertising revenue, it is equally granted a healthy tv licence sum each year.

However, tonight's edition of Questions and Answers failed in its role to benefit the Irish people.

I was absolutly appalled that not one Fianna Fail/Green Party Minister, junior minister, Committee Chair Backbench TD, or elected Senator was present. The Government were represented by Taoiseach's Nominee Dierdre De Burca, and to a lesser extent by Gombeen Fianna Fail journalist Noel Whelan. De Burca has not been elected to any National Body, she has littleno mandate to represent the Government on anything. Are the Government running scared ? At a time where the economic crisis is deepening, and another child abuse scandel has hit the headlines, where are our elected representatives.

Questions and Answers has been a joke for some time, but it hit a very new low tonight

dresden8

Should you not have blamed public servants in there somehow?

How lax of you!

Time Magazine

It's not Q&A's fault if FF field lambs for the slaughter.

eoin5

Ive never heard anyone talk so much without saying anything as that Deirdre De Burca one. She doesnt even attempt to answer questions or actually discuss anything.

sceptre

Het-Field wrote: »

Questions and Answers has been a joke for some time, but it hit a very new low tonight

Personally I thought it hit a low before Christmas when Ed Walsh blamed the rise in crime in recent decades on single mothers.

Het-Field wrote: »

Are the Government running scared ?

Last week, I was far more interested in watching Micheal Martin's body and eye language when he wasn't answering questions than when he was. That man clearly didn't want to be there.

As for why no-one from FF was there this week, they had a 5 hour parliamentary meeting yesterday. I don't know what time it started but it's at least possible that it ran into Q&A time (is Q&A permanently in Dublin now or is there any chance it was out of town?). On the other hand, if the meeting was in the morning and over by the afternoon, every FF member of the Oireachtas was in Dublin yesterday so one would think one of them would have been sent, apparently there's a recession on.

OhNoYouDidn't

I'm a bit confused.

het-field is accusing RTE of 'failing' because FF chose not to supply a senior figure / gave an up and comer some profile (circle as appropriate to your opinion of the government)?

What would you propose RTE do to stop this travesty happening again? Kidnap ministers at gunpoint?

Nodin

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I'm a bit confused.

het-field is accusing RTE of 'failing' because FF chose not to supply a senior figure / gave an up and comer some profile (circle as appropriate to your opinion of the government)?

What would you propose RTE do to stop this travesty happening again? Kidnap ministers at gunpoint?

Not just an Irish phenomena. If ye had a Euro for every time a story broke that did the Government no favours and "no one was available for comment" on Newsnight or CH4 news ye'd be doing well.

(I like the kidnap at gunpoint idea all the same though.)

Het-Field

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I'm a bit confused.

het-field is accusing RTE of 'failing' because FF chose not to supply a senior figure / gave an up and comer some profile (circle as appropriate to your opinion of the government)?

What would you propose RTE do to stop this travesty happening again? Kidnap ministers at gunpoint?

Not at all !

However, i feel it incumbent on the FF party to offer leadership at a time like this. PP meeting or no, they could have found some elected rep, from either the Greens or FF to deal with the one hour of the week that the public get any public dealing with Ministers. Last night that was not there. Ciaran Cannon was rebuked when he took the reigns at the PDs, for having no relevant electoral history. De Burca has no greater mandate, and offered the trite answers which we have come to expect.

In times of difficulty, Ministers and Taoiseach used make public announcements about the state of any crisis. At the worst crisis in decades, we cant even see a backbencher.

eoinbn

sceptre wrote: »

Personally I thought it hit a low before Christmas when Ed Walsh blamed the rise in crime in recent decades on single mothers.

It's a well know fact that male children without a father figure are more likely to be involved in crime.

OP: We see too much of FF anyway! Most people involved in RTE are linked to FF.

El Stuntman

eoinbn wrote: »

OP: We see too much of FF anyway! Most people involved in RTE are linked to FF.

Miriam O'Callaghan being No 1; I detest the way she shouts down anyone who tries to make an anti-govt point

OhNoYouDidn't

Het-Field wrote: »

Not at all !

However, i feel it incumbent on the FF party to offer leadership at a time like this. PP meeting or no, they could have found some elected rep, from either the Greens or FF to deal with the one hour of the week that the public get any public dealing with Ministers. Last night that was not there. Ciaran Cannon was rebuked when he took the reigns at the PDs, for having no relevant electoral history. De Burca has no greater mandate, and offered the trite answers which we have come to expect.

In times of difficulty, Ministers and Taoiseach used make public announcements about the state of any crisis. At the worst crisis in decades, we cant even see a backbencher.

So why did you call Q&A a joke and question RTE's use of the licence fee?

Its not their fault if FF (or the Greens) put forward cannon fodder. Thats a FF and Green decision.

Zuiderzee

Het-Field is right, at a time of crisis a minister, certainly an elected member of the Government - should be present to answer and address concerns.

The fact that a barrister was able to give more info than a politico, its a bit much.

Greens have rolled over at will be an FF scapegoat in the next election - which is a long way off.

It disturbs me that there has been no protests or serious complaints about the handling of the state in recent times.

Het-Field

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

So why did you call Q&A a joke and question RTE's use of the licence fee?

Its not their fault if FF (or the Greens) put forward cannon fodder. Thats a FF and Green decision.

Because they should cancel the show if it is not of any public benefit. Last nights show was a waste of taxpayers money. I would question if anybody was inspired with confidence by the Senator's performance. De Burca simply waffled on about the Green agenda and how it can be implemented in Government. She more or paid no deference to Collective Cabinet Responsibility.

Could you imagine an episode of Question Time on BBC1 with an unelected representative trotting out New Labour's line ????

Furthermore, the format of last nigts debate was appalling. Twenty mins was handed over to the economic crisis, where Whelan claimed that Cowan was doing better (to hoots of laughter), De Burca claimed the Greens are there for the Green agenda, and Shatter told us there was no plan (no suprise or reassurance there). Then the debate moved on to the irrelevant exhibiton in the Ambassador. Sandwiched between that and Obama and Guantanmo, was a small piece about the regrettable case in Roscommon. Each question was paid lip service and nothing more. RTE need to shake it up, and allow for better moderation on the part of John Bowman

I still maintain that the licence fee should be scrapped...however, until such time, RTE should be utilised for the benefit of the public. Otherwise, it should just keep showing reruns of Shortland Street.

OhNoYouDidn't

Het-Field wrote: »

Because they should cancel the show if it is not of any public benefit. Last nights show was a waste of taxpayers money. I would question if anybody was inspired with confidence by the Senator's performance. De Burca simply waffled on about the Green agenda and how it can be implemented in Government. She more or paid no deference to Collective Cabinet Responsibility.

Could you imagine an episode of Question Time on BBC1 with an unelected representative trotting out New Labour's line ????

Furthermore, the format of last nigts debate was appalling. Twenty mins was handed over to the economic crisis, where Whelan claimed that Cowan was doing better (to hoots of laughter), De Burca claimed the Greens are there for the Green agenda, and Shatter told us there was no plan (no suprise or reassurance there). Then the debate moved on to the irrelevant exhibiton in the Ambassador. Sandwiched between that and Obama and Guantanmo, was a small piece about the regrettable case in Roscommon. Each question was paid lip service and nothing more. RTE need to shake it up, and allow for better moderation on the part of John Bowman

I still maintain that the licence fee should be scrapped...however, until such time, RTE should be utilised for the benefit of the public. Otherwise, it should just keep showing reruns of Shortland Street.

Well thats me sold. I agree with you that we should abolish the entire current affairs department of RTE because one episode of a topical discussion show did not solve the economic crisis to your satisfaction and had the audacity to discuss other issues.

Het-Field

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Well thats me sold. I agree with you that we should abolish the entire current affairs department of RTE because one episode of a topical discussion show did not solve the economic crisis to your satisfaction and had the audacity to discuss other issues.

Where do you get the idea that I want the current affairs department be scrapped ??

I recall the BBC cancelling an episode of Grandstand, as there was nothing worth showing on day in August 2005. Well last night there was nothing worth showing

I am not asking the panalists to offer a solution to the National Crisis. i simply feel RTE and the Government (which are heavily linked) should show more respect to the people who are paying their wages, and ensure that proper representatives face the public at times like these. It was a cop out on the part of both parties last night.

OhNoYouDidn't

Het-Field wrote: »

Where do you get the idea that I want the current affairs department be scrapped ??

I recall the BBC cancelling an episode of Grandstand, as there was nothing worth showing on day in August 2005. Well last night there was nothing worth showing

I am not asking the panalists to offer a solution to the National Crisis. i simply feel RTE and the Government (which are heavily linked) should show more respect to the people who are paying their wages, and ensure that proper representatives face the public at times like these. It was a cop out on the part of both parties last night.

you said that they should just give up and show shortland street.....

I don't see what your beef with RTE is here, honestly. One poor show the govt hid from is not a reason to describe the programme or RTE as a failure.

Het-Field

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

you said that they should just give up and show shortland street.....

I don't see what your beef with RTE is here, honestly. One poor show the govt hid from is not a reason to describe the programme or RTE as a failure.

I was not being serious about Shortland Street. However, I no longer see Questions and Answers, The Week in Politics, Prime Time or The Late Late Show as useful at any level. In years gone by...even up to 2005 there was often somthing which made the show worth watching....however, the moderation of these shows has gone to the dogs. Furthermore, the quality of the quest has diminished. It is rare that anybody from the political fringes gets any airtime at all. I recall a panel in 2002 made up of John Bruton, Gerry Adams, Michael McDowell, Justin Barrett (No To Nice Treaty Leader/Naziboy), and Patricia McKenna.

This would never happen these days. As a result, you end up with the same Ministers (Dermot Ahern,Willie O Dea,Mary Hanafin), (between 2002-2007 it was Seamus Brennan,Noel Dempsey, and John O Donoghue who were the staple), an opposition member (sometimes as poor as any Fianna Fail backbencher), two journalists, and one economist/lawyer/Doctor, or Minor Celebrity.

Sean O Rourke omits to probe any representative on a Sunday night, and allows for constant interruptions and point scoring. Hence his show is of no use.

Prime Time is probably the best of a very bad lot, and if it becomes a little more probing (it has reacted relatively well during this crisis) it could be a very useful tool, but o Callaghan's interview style stunts it, and can make it unbearable.

The Late Late is not even worth considering

LoveDucati2

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

What would you propose RTE do to stop this travesty happening again? Kidnap ministers at gunpoint?

great idea, i would vote for this

Het-Field wrote: »

I still maintain that the licence fee should be scrapped...

Who will pay for the inspectors then, RTE use about 40% of the licence fee for them.