Leo Varadkar story in The Village??? - Mod Notes and banned Users in OP updated 16/05

Pintman Paddy Losty

I see the Village are publishing more articles (no new information. Don't jizz the pants lads.), Paddy Cosgrave is hopping up and down angry and that dodgy guy Chay Bowes is fuming...

Meanwhile everyone else has moved on. Sad!

Brendan Bendar

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

I see the Village are publishing more articles (no new information. Don't jizz the pants lads.), Paddy Cosgrave is hopping up and down angry and that dodgy guy Chay Bowes is fuming...

Meanwhile everyone else has moved on. Sad!

Village have shot the wad Paddy, those two tossers you mentioned have spaffed a fair few bucks against the wall with no result.

Hope someone goes after them......

CarProblem

Nobotty wrote: »

Spending during covid is like getting a hall pass from the wife
You can't compare it with pre covid

The period 2016-19 was pre Covid and left is in a position where we'd a huge national debt before any Covid spending

I don't think anyone saw Covid coming but plenty of people were pointing to potential weaknesses in the Euro economy and calling FG's budget policy reckless long in advance of Covid

TLDR: fiscally responsible my hole

FrancieBrady

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Village have shot the wad Paddy, those two tossers you mentioned have spaffed a fair few bucks against the wall with no result.

Hope someone goes after them......

Goes after them for what? Letting the country know what a Taoiseach is secretly doing?

jmcc

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Goes after them for what? Letting the country know what a Taoiseach is secretly doing?

Dented the image of FG's god-emperor and got him to admit leaking the document on the Dail record. The Village magazine also made a lot of Bluebots look stupid in trying to defend the indefensible. Millions in PR flackery down the drain just like the billions on various other examples of FG "fiscal responsibility".

Regards...jmcc

Bannasidhe

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Goes after them for what? Letting the country know what a Taoiseach is secretly doing?

It's mind boggling isn't it.

This mentality that 'someone should go after' people who broke the story that the Taoiseach did something he should not have done - and admitted doing.
To me this is why such appalling institutional abuses were allowed to run unchecked for decades in this country = any spoke out and 'someone would go after them'.

I can't work out if those who hold such views are deluded or downright dangerous but either way that way of thinking is undemocratic.

Varadker is an elected representative not a demi-god or a fecking chieftain. He should be accountable for his actions - as the likes of Haughey should have been before him. Enough of this "someone should go after them" ****e when a Taoiseach disrespects the people who elected him, and the country he (and some day she) leads by playing fast and lose with the rules they must be held to account for that.

Floppybits

Bannasidhe wrote: »

It's mind boggling isn't it.

This mentality that 'someone should go after' people who broke the story that the Taoiseach did something he should not have done - and admitted doing.
To me this is why such appalling institutional abuses were allowed to run unchecked for decades in this country = any spoke out and 'someone would go after them'.

I can't work out if those who hold such views are deluded or downright dangerous but either way that way of thinking is undemocratic.

The first reaction of government/public services is to look to go after someone if they expose wrong doing. Just look at the treatment of Whistleblowers, rather than try address the issues the whistleblower is highlighting the institutions including the government either try to ignore the whistleblower or do everything in their power to destroy their credibility.

Bannasidhe

Floppybits wrote: »

The first reaction of government/public services is to look to go after someone if they expose wrong doing. Just look at the treatment of Whistleblowers, rather than try address the issues the whistleblower is highlighting the institutions including the government either try to ignore the whistleblower or do everything in their power to destroy their credibility.

It's always been the way and that is why such abuse was allowed to run unchecked.
What I can't work out is if the "get them" brigade realise this and don't give a flying or are so enthrall to tribalism they are blind to the repercussions.

And that goes for supporters of each and every political party.

James Brown

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

I see the Village are publishing more articles (no new information. Don't jizz the pants lads.), Paddy Cosgrave is hopping up and down angry and that dodgy guy Chay Bowes is fuming...

Meanwhile everyone else has moved on. Sad!

Moved on? FG still going after the people broke the story on the then Taoiseach leaking a confidential document with the IMO to a rival organisation headed by his pal. If it were FF, SF, Lab you'd be singing their praises.
We should be thanking them. But not to worry Pints, likely not the last FG scandal this month, (not including the crony appointments issues ongoing, Siteserv report due ).

James Brown

Bannasidhe wrote: »

It's always been the way and that is why such abuse was allowed to run unchecked.
What I can't work out is if the "get them" brigade realise this and don't give a flying or are so enthrall to tribalism they are blind to the repercussions.

And that goes for supporters of each and every political party.

This is the way it is. It's also why FG under Kenny got in on a promise to 'change the way we do business', 'no more crony appointments' and 'no more quangos'. They saw people were tired of it and took advantage in a very cynical manner. The last election showed the people have not moved on from that view. I guarantee if any non FF/FG government gets in and behaves the same they'll be decimated. The sad thing is we do not hold FF/FG to as high a standard which is why they persist in one form or another.
FG have shown they are as willing and capable to behave exactly like the FF of old. I hope the public always remember that.
I think letting LV off the hook was a bad move but par for the course.

McMurphy

Looking increasingly now that Leo will have to make yet another embarrassing explanation in the Dail in the coming days, his second inside a fortnight, in which he will be forced to explain Woulfes appointment.

Too soon to put the popcorn away just yet.

Pintman Paddy Losty

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Village have shot the wad Paddy, those two tossers you mentioned have spaffed a fair few bucks against the wall with no result.

Hope someone goes after them......

Exactly Brenner. Well said.

I've a bad feeling about that Bowes fella. Something very dodgy about the chap. If there's skeletons in his closet, then they should be brought out in the open.

As for Cosgrave. The lad seems impervious to being made an absolute fool out of. But they should go after him too anyway. What's good for the goose etc.

Floppybits

McMurphy wrote: »

Looking increasingly now that Leo will have to make yet another embarrassing explanation in the Dail in the coming days, his second inside a fortnight, in which he will be forced to explain Woulfes appointment.

Too soon to put the popcorn away just yet.

It all depends on how well McEntee performs tomorrow. I am sure at the moment she is being prepped on how not answer the questions or to attack SF instead. Even though in this case I think attacking SF will not work as this is a mess all of her making.

Pintman Paddy Losty

McMurphy wrote: »

Looking increasingly now that Leo will have to make yet another embarrassing explanation in the Dail in the coming days, his second inside a fortnight, in which he will be forced to explain Woulfes appointment.

Too soon to put the popcorn away just yet.

I'd say it's the hand lotion and Kleenex that you need to put away, dude.

McMurphy

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Oh I'd say you have the jocks down and ready for a serious session now Johnny. That's the weekend sorted. Hasn't been this level of excitement since Maria fell off a swing.

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

I'd say it's the hand lotion and Kleenex that you need to put away, dude.

You seem to have a bit of an infatuation about me possibly masturbating Paddy, falttered and all as I am, but I'm not into fellas - secondly, pleasuring myself over the thought of a politician making a turd of themselves in our nation's parliament isn't exactly the kind of stuff that floats my boat if you get my drift, I'd see a therapist about it if I did.

Bullocks

Bowie wrote: »

Moved on? FG still going after the people broke the story on the then Taoiseach leaking a confidential document with the IMO to a rival organisation headed by his pal. If it were FF, SF, Lab you'd be singing their praises.
We should be thanking them. But not to worry Pints, likely not the last FG scandal this month, (not including the crony appointments issues ongoing, Siteserv report due ).

How are FG "going after" the people that broke the story?

James Brown

Bullocks wrote: »

How are FG "going after" the people that broke the story?

Attacking the journo and the publication from the get go, while excusing the man who was in the wrong, said he was in the wrong. Attacking the journo and the publication to dodge discussing the man leaked confidential information to his pal.
We should be thanking them. The story was admitted to. The rest is just waffle and conjecture.

McMurphy

Did anyone see Una Mullally's piece in today's Irish Times it's pretty much exactly what I've been saying about the disastrous social media campaign FG have been having trying to constantly attack the Shinners, and also my take on Varadkar and MOT relationship, and him trying to downplay it.

The Leo Varadkar confidence vote debate last week has been rightly characterised as a turning point in Irish political discourse. One wonders how we will turn back.

Jungian psychoanalysis would depict Sinn Féin as Fine Gael’s shadow. Pretty much every basis Fine Gael attacks Sinn Féin on, is an unconscious part of their own identity they cannot recognise in themselves. They attack Sinn Féin on the party’s wealth, as if the pursuit of wealth, and a reliance on wealthy voters, is not intrinsic to Fine Gael.

They attack Sinn Féin on vested interests, on people behind the scenes pulling strings, as if we’re meant to ignore the Fine Gael-lobbyist pipeline. They attack Sinn Féin on divisive discourse, while leaning into divisive rhetoric themselves.

They attack Sinn Féin for stoking a culture of “trolling” and online attacks, despite Fine Gael’s online communication frequently scraping the bottom of the barrel. They attack Sinn Féin on populism, while utilising the aesthetic of both influencer culture and almost Trumpian attack ad videos. They attack Sinn Féin for increasing the temperature in public discourse, yet light fires all of their own. They criticise Sinn Féin for a lack of in-party dissent, yet embark upon a sycophantic Dear Leader-style endorsement of Varadkar not seen in the Dáil since Gerry Adams was present.

That is not to say, of course, that the content of such criticisms of Sinn Féin are without merit, but Fine Gael doesn’t have a leg to stand on in leading these critiques, particularly regarding the manner in which they’re trying to communicate them.

Strategic failure
This lack of standpoint credibility is just one of the reasons that Fine Gael’s communication efforts online continue to be a monumental strategic failure. Sinn Féin living rent free in Fine Gael’s head is now an entire meme ecosystem, and yet they continue this failed tactic of obsessively attacking Sinn Féin.

The Spinal Tap-style rhetoric – always turned up to 11 – of Sinn Féin is running out of road, yet Fine Gael’s obsession has allowed Sinn Féin to stay relevant, even when their stance in opposition has actually faltered.

On one hand, we have Fine Gael pumping out vanilla influencer content – Richard Bruton baking scones – and on the other, attack ads
What a joy it must be to be working in comms these days for Sinn Féin, when all you have to do is sit back and watch Fine Gael attempt to lob their latest water balloon only to watch it burst all over themselves before it’s even airborne. When no one is even talking about Sinn Féin, you can bet Fine Gael has another awful video in the works, content that maybe appeals to Young Fine Gael and no one else. Talk about an echo chamber.

If you are rolling out a digital communications strategy, it has to be many things, but one of the elements it needs is tonal cohesion. Yet on one hand, we have Fine Gael pumping out vanilla influencer content – Richard Bruton baking scones – and on the other, attack ads annoying the reasonable part of a public which has no desire to see political discourse debased in this way.

“I never buy things off sales people who spend all their time slagging off the opposition. I’d apply that same logic to politicians,” the coffee entrepreneur Colin Harmon tweeted about the latest Fine Gael video featuring Senator Barry Ward, a cringe-worthy “reaction video” of Ward acting wryly aghast about the €4 million donation Sinn Féin received.



Self-made blunder
What is Fine Gael’s message beyond criticising Sinn Féin? And why do they keep at it when it’s not working? Almost every attack tweet gets ratioed. Every video gets slagged to bits. This strategy failed before the 2020 election, it failed during the campaign, and it’s failing now.

If anything, it’s driving more and more younger people towards Sinn Féin, the same generation who became politicised through bipartisan grassroots activism, imbued with an understanding of the importance of building alliances, civility, reaching the middle ground, and leading with empathy.

What was barely spoken about by Fine Gael politicians during that debate was the underlying oddness of Varadkar’s actions, which led to the confidence vote and surrounding football terrace-esque “who are ya” debate. Fine Gael did not address the central contradiction in Varadkar’s defence.

Varadkar claims that Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail overstated his access to the then taoiseach. The problem for Varadkar is that it’s quite hard to convince people of that when he actually affirmed that access, and indeed Ó Tuathail’s perception of it, when he leaked a confidential document to the GP.

How can you then turn around and claim this person was misguided in bragging about their closeness to you, when that closeness appears to have played out? It doesn’t make sense. If Ó Tuathail was over-inflating his access to the then taoiseach – as Varadkar claims – he would never have got his hands on that document.

He was able to brag about his access to Varadkar because he did have an inside track. Perhaps it’s no wonder Fine Gael looks to distract from events, when the self-made blunder of their leader is so puzzling.

Brendan Bendar

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Exactly Brenner. Well said.

I've a bad feeling about that Bowes fella. Something very dodgy about the chap. If there's skeletons in his closet, then they should be brought out in the open.

As for Cosgrave. The lad seems impervious to being made an absolute fool out of. But they should go after him too anyway. What's good for the goose etc.

Exactly P/man...let’s scope it out and shine a light on those brace of gimps.

Can’t have it all one way, now can we.

Brendan Bendar

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Exactly P/man...let’s scope it out and shine a light on those brace of gimps.

Can’t have it all one way, now can we.

Indeed nothing quite like attacking whistleblower.....shades of maurice mccabe treatment in the way FG want to approach bowes revelations

Nothing ever changes here

Brendan Bendar

Deleted User wrote: »

Indeed nothing quite like attacking whistleblower.....shades of maurice mccabe treatment in the way FG want to approach bowes revelations

Nothing ever changes here

Nobody attacking anyone, just subjecting these folk to the same scrutiny as others.

You are not afraid of that surely, Padre ??

McMurphy

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Nobody attacking anyone, just subjecting these folk to the same scrutiny as others.

You are not afraid of that surely, Padre ??

Bren you wanted to "bury" one of the lads last week. That's as strong a line of attack as one could give pretty much.


Hang on and I'll make sure every trace of you posting that is wiped from everyone's mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6B70kvVCSI

Brendan Bendar

McMurphy wrote: »

Bren you wanted to "bury" one of the lads last week. That's as strong a line of attack as one could give pretty much.

Figurative, Randall, figurative..... you come across as very jumpy on the bandwidth here.

Relaaaax.....gonna be ok

James Brown

McMurphy wrote: »

Bren you wanted to "bury" one of the lads last week. That's as strong a line of attack as one could give pretty much.


Hang on and I'll make sure every trace of you posting that is wiped from everyone's mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6B70kvVCSI

There was a lot of anger.

gadarnol

McMurphy wrote: »

Did anyone see Una Mullally's piece in today's Irish Times it's pretty much exactly what I've been saying about the disastrous social media campaign FG have been having trying to constantly attack the Shinners, and also my take on Varadkar and MOT relationship, and him trying to downplay it.

And SIPO and Garda complaint yet to play out. Varadkar’s threatened defamation action might even materialize. FG eviscerated by Una Mulally there. Yet “nothing to see here”.

Nobotty

McMurphy wrote: »

Did anyone see Una Mullally's piece in today's Irish Times it's pretty much exactly what I've been saying about the disastrous social media campaign FG have been having trying to constantly attack the Shinners, and also my take on Varadkar and MOT relationship, and him trying to downplay it.

Una,to be fair Mc is an arch Shinner supporter and all her writing reflects this
So its not surprising that you'd agree with it
The fg'ers wouldn't understand her viewpoint
On the soc media thing,I don't know what they are playing at

James Brown

Nobotty wrote: »

Una,to be fair Mc is an arch Shinner supporter and all her writing reflects this
So its not surprising that you'd agree with it
The fg'ers wouldn't understand her viewpoint
On the soc media thing,I don't know what they are playing at

So you agree with her view to an extent?
I find it best practise to take it on an issue by issue basis and if the story is accurate. Pointing out the farce that is the FG online campaign is just that regardless of the messengers alleged politics. Or do you require a FG'er to point out FG flaws?

expectationlost

the village showing the lack of detailed reply from the Taoiseach's office for their questions about the various proposed meetups, https://villagemagazine.ie/tanaistes-reply-to-questions-from-village/ aren't journalists supposed to put these questions to people before you run the story not after? did they put these questions to the Taosieach before the published? I asked no reply.

expectationlost

expectationlost wrote: »

the village showing the lack of detailed reply from the Taoiseach's office for their questions about the various proposed meetups, https://villagemagazine.ie/tanaistes-reply-to-questions-from-village/ aren't journalists supposed to put these questions to people before you run the story not after? did they put these questions to the Taosieach ? I asked no reply.

The Tanaiste answered in the Dail. The village idiots lost.

FrancieBrady

Deleted User wrote: »

The Tanaiste answered in the Dail. The village idiots lost.

The Tanaiste confessed what he did as Taoiseach in the Dáil. The consequences of that are yet to be decided by SIPO and the Gardai.