Martin Mansergh on Hearts & Minds last night...

Darragh29 · 28-02-2009 12:49AM #1

Anyone see this pitiful performance last night??? And we wonder why we are in the absolute economic sh*t's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1lmuqy6G_E

Sand · 28-02-2009 01:15AM

I have always found Martin Mansergh contemptible ponce and basically a waffler. No surprises in this interview. The interviewer was even laughing at him and his disastrous performance. Ill be surprised if hes let in front of a camera again.

MM wasnt too far off going back to the old FF line of "Sure there arent enough jobs for everyone" line on emigration in the 80s with his view that emigration under current circumstances wouldnt mean people were being forced out. It was left to MW to point out that people who emigrated would need to be desperate indeed given the tough circumstances globally and the lack of social support for unemployed immigrants abroad.

He was also laden down there with defending the Fianna Fail reaction to the crisis which has basically been "OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!!!! WHAT DO WE DO?!?!? MAYBE IF I DONT LOOK AT IT, IT WILL GO AWAY!!!!"

Thats always going to be a pretty hard position to defend without looking like a moron. Or Brian Lenihan.

Margaret Ward on the other hand, was very impressive. Could at least talk the talk with the minimum of "uh" and "ah" and "em"s. And basically showed up the government as having done next to nothing. Gave MM a really hard time, which he and the rest of the government well deserve. Eyes rolling at some of the crap MM was spouting etc etc. ****ing loved it when MM tried to interupt her and she shut him down with a "Can I finish please? Thank you!"

The truly depressing thing, the terrifying thing is that MM was sent out to represent the Fianna Fail line. He was completely, totally, and amazingly ignorant and in denial of the public mood. We are doomed.

Darragh29 · 28-02-2009 01:30AM

The fact that Mansergh even gets put in front of a TV camera is an insult to the whole national constituency. It is an absolute outrage that this is the calibre of person who gets sent out to tell us what is happening.

How in the name of all that is holy did this man get elected as a TD???

AlekSmart · 28-02-2009 01:31AM

Crikey,Darragh29 you have most certainly performed a great public service by posting that !!

I have always felt uncomfortable with the presence of this fellow in any Governmental role given his associations with the Former Taoiseach Haughey.

But my God that has to rate as reason enough to send FOR the IMF !

cbreeze · 28-02-2009 01:32AM

Darragh29 wrote: »

Anyone see this pitiful performance last night??? And we wonder why we are in the absolute economic sh*t's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1lmuqy6G_E

yep. stephen fry's granny

guinnessdrinker · 28-02-2009 11:04AM

That was unbelievably cringeworthy to watch to say the least, particularly the last two minutes or so. I actually felt embarrassed for Mansergh!

johnnyskeleton · 28-02-2009 11:14AM

guinnessdrinker wrote: »

That was unbelievably cringeworthy to watch to say the least, particularly the last two minutes or so. I actually felt embarrassed for Mansergh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BKRZTalEys

Two things:

1) They said that 3% of spending had gone up to Northern Ireland. Surely it is more than that, and greater still if you include people shopping online from the UK generally?

2) Did you notice that towards the end he spent about a minute pointing at her breasts?

Drax · 28-02-2009 11:20AM

My God, Manseragh really is a stooge of epic proportions. They way he raises his voice whenbeing talked over is hilarious.

Who is that other girl? She's hot.

eoinbn · 28-02-2009 11:45AM

Darragh29 wrote: »

The fact that Mansergh even gets put in front of a TV camera is an insult to the whole national constituency. It is an absolute outrage that this is the calibre of person who gets sent out to tell us what is happening.

How in the name of all that is holy did this man get elected as a TD???

Martin Mansergh is regarded as one of FF best! So in the words of the man himself-"Have respect for your betters!"

McSandwich · 28-02-2009 12:09PM

Unbelievable! It's bad enough that he got to be a TD, but junior minister for finance!!?? We're fu**ed...

HydeRoad · 28-02-2009 12:21PM

We need more of this. Some concise hatchet jobs on every single FF TD of importance, by clever and composed individuals like this marvellous girl, to show them up for what they are, and waken up those people who still apologise for them. But it has to happen pretty damned quick.

Compare this short, sharp interview with John Bowman's disappointing handling of Questions and Answers, where he masterfully deflects any cutting questions from the sitting Minister by 'moving swiftly on.'

Show these people up for what they are, and let's be rid of them NOW.

old boy · 28-02-2009 12:30PM

public service broadcasting as it is supposed to be, thanks girl.:cool:

peasant · 28-02-2009 12:43PM

comedy at its best ...all it needs is some canned laughter

Darragh29 · 28-02-2009 02:17PM

She put Vincent Browne to absolute shame. I think Mansergh has a problem with being questioned by a woman, he was on Vincent Brownes Tonight Show on TV3 the other night and while he was obnoxious and arrogant, he was nowhere near as bad as he was on the above video...

thebman · 28-02-2009 03:54PM

I have never witnessed such incompetence in any debate anywhere. What the hell was that?

That wasn't a debate, she just destoryed him and he had nothing to say for himself and took his time saying it.

When he talks as slow as he does, he's stuttering makes it look like he has no idea what to say and is just trying to come up with some sort of nonsense answer which seems to be what we got in the end anyway.

CCCP^ · 28-02-2009 04:28PM

She slaughthered him

This guy is with Fianna Fail? He's rubbish! I could have done a better job while off my face on acid ffs.

Takeshi_Kovacs · 28-02-2009 04:42PM

CCCP^ wrote: »

She slaughthered him This guy is with Fianna Fail? He's rubbish! I could have done a better job while off my face on acid ffs.

But would ya have been able to talk as loud as you could without actually shouting, cos you know.. its the Mansergh way

thebigcheese22 · 28-02-2009 05:40PM

Agreed that this guy Mansergh isnt the brightest penny in the fountain (and as youl understand if you read a lotta my posts, I despise Fianna Fail!) but i do get a sense from reading some posts, that a lot of people don't like this guy because he is the only Anglo-Irish person in the Government.

Just a thought....

thebman · 28-02-2009 05:45PM

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Agreed that this guy Mansergh isnt the brightest penny in the fountain (and as youl understand if you read a lotta my posts, I despise Fianna Fail!) but i do get a sense from reading some posts, that a lot of people don't like this guy because he is the only Anglo-Irish person in the Government.

Just a thought....

Didn't know that, didn't know anything about the guy until the youtube vid to be honest.

He is still too moronic to be in government and anyone that did vote for this fool should be ashamed of themselves. If this is how he acts under pressure he is not fit to represent anyone in this country.

PixelTrawler · 28-02-2009 05:47PM

For me it has nothing whatsoever to do with being anglo-irish as you put it and everything to do with him appearing incompetent, arragont, rude and overbearing.

It makes me sick this guy is on a junior ministers salary. A fine use of my tax money.

peasant · 28-02-2009 05:53PM

just wanted to find out a bit more about this man and had a look at his website:

MartinMansergh.ie
Under Construction

under de-construction, more like

Schuhart · 01-03-2009 01:51AM

His performance was very shakey, but I found her less than impressive either. She seemed to be trading on the basis that if she sounded confident enough no-one would notice she was spouting clichés.

Her repeated references to an alleged case of a company closing for lack of €3,000 in liquidity seems to have been not merely overly credulous, but just plain wrong. That said, it does indicate that Martin Mansergh just isn’t a strong PR guy if he couldn’t send his waffly opponent packing.

Darragh29 · 01-03-2009 01:56AM

Schuhart wrote: »

His performance was very shakey, but I found her less than impressive either. She seemed to be trading on the basis that if she sounded confident enough no-one would notice she was spouting clichés.

Her repeated references to an alleged case of a company closing for lack of €3,000 in liquidity seems to have been not merely overly credulous, but just plain wrong. That said, it does indicate that Martin Mansergh just isn’t a strong PR guy if he couldn’t send his waffly opponent packing.

I personally know of a few businesses that are needlessly going to the wall because their banks are cutting overdrafts. If people had any idea what is really happening within many small businesses at the moment, they wouldn't sleep at night.

He made a show of himself, and by extension, a show of the whole country. I've never in my life seen a more arrogant and intrasigent display of behaviour on the television in my lifetime.

Schuhart · 01-03-2009 02:10AM

Darragh29 wrote: »

I personally know of a few businesses that are needlessly going to the wall because their banks are cutting overdrafts.

Perhaps. But that's not what happened in the case she refers to.

I'm not saying there isn't a point to be made about the knock-on effect of banks being overextended. What I'm saying is she didn't make that point, and did not accurately report the facts of the case she was referring to.

And that's not even to get in to whether a story sourced from a politician about someone he's making representations on behalf of should be accepted uncritically. What seems to be involved is someone trying to move an overdraft he has as a sole trader into a limited company. I'd suspect (but clearly don't know) that the case is more complicated than the few facts reported, ignoring the errors that Margaret Ward introduced in the interview.

nesf · 01-03-2009 02:32AM

Schuhart wrote: »

His performance was very shakey, but I found her less than impressive either. She seemed to be trading on the basis that if she sounded confident enough no-one would notice she was spouting clichés.

Her repeated references to an alleged case of a company closing for lack of €3,000 in liquidity seems to have been not merely overly credulous, but just plain wrong. That said, it does indicate that Martin Mansergh just isn’t a strong PR guy if he couldn’t send his waffly opponent packing.

She was utterly dreadful and showed little to no understanding of the topic at hand. Which makes Mansergh's performance all the worse that he couldn't deal with her.

A €3,000 loan in isolation might mean nothing without context. I guarantee you there are plenty of small businesses out there that will need to downsize precisely because their business model doesn't work in the present economic conditions and banks won't be lending to them because the issues will be more structural than cash-flow. We don't want banks handing out money to every business who wants it because bluntly there are good reasons why so many companies fail each year.

shayser · 01-03-2009 02:32AM

Well, eh, eh, I mean, eh, eh, eh, eh, I, I, eh, no comment!

http://newstalk.ie/newstalk/shows/recommendations/Martin%20Mansergh.mp3

FlutterinBantam · 01-03-2009 02:17PM

"He's very well thought of in his field."

Quote from "Deliverance"

Doctorate in French studies I believe.

LordSutch · 01-03-2009 02:50PM

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

but i do get a sense from reading some posts, that a lot of people don't like this guy because he is the only Anglo-Irish person in the Government.

Just a thought....

I dont think peoples dislike of him has anything to do with his Anglo-Irish upbringing, more likely the reason many people dont like him is because of performances like the one above (Post No1)

I'd pay money to see Manseragh go head to head with Proinsias De Rossa.

Sir Oxman · 01-03-2009 06:52PM

shayser wrote: »

Well, eh, eh, I mean, eh, eh, eh, eh, I, I, eh, no comment!

http://newstalk.ie/newstalk/shows/recommendations/Martin%20Mansergh.mp3

Holy fcuk!

This man is MoS at Finance - /shakes head

wow sierra · 01-03-2009 07:10PM

Martin Manserragh did excellent work behind the scenes in the Peace Process. He has had a long career in Politics.

I assume he was selected by Fianna Fail to go on that programme so he could fill in the time, come accross as bundling and basically get them out of answering difficult questions, or making any concrete commitments live on TV. As regards the woman, she is a polished speaker and was very well groomed - that doesn't make her right, or well informed.

PS I find Camelots comment about De Rossa and Manseragh to be very offensive, and frankly childish.

Sir Oxman · 01-03-2009 07:39PM

wow sierra wrote: »

Martin Manserragh did excellent work behind the scenes in the Peace Process. He has had a long career in Politics.

I assume he was selected by Fianna Fail to go on that programme so he could fill in the time, come accross as bundling and basically get them out answering difficult questions, or making any concrete commitments live on TV. As regards the woman, she is a polished speaker and was very well groomed - that doesnt make her right, or well informed.
PS I find Camelots comment about De Rossa and Manseragh to be very offensive, and frankly childish.

This is exactly what is wrong with our political system - this man is obviously NOT qualified in any manner whatsoever to be 'in charge' of anything relating to our countrys finances, yet there he is, as you say, being wheeled out to waffle and obfuscate with the added bonus of making himself look thick and ignorant and by extension, Ireland to be full of thickos.
But that's okay, cos he is regarded as having done excellent work during the peace process - so, is this MoS gig his reward?

TBH, I find an acceptance of his position and acceptance of those who rewarded him with this position to be utterly offensive.

Darragh29 · 01-03-2009 07:44PM

gambiaman wrote: »

This is exactly what is wrong with our political system - this man is obviously NOT qualified in any manner whatsoever to be 'in charge' of anything relating to our countrys finances, yet there he is, as you say, being wheeled out to waffle and obfuscate with the added bonus of making himself look thick and ignorant and by extension, Ireland to be full of thickos.
But that's okay, cos he is regarded as having done excellent work during the peace process - so, is this MoS gig his reward?

TBH, I find an acceptance of his position and acceptance of those who rewarded him with this position to be utterly offensive.

His lack of humility and clear inability to emphasise to any degree whatsoever with people ought to disqualify him from ever putting himself forward for public office. Imagine being unemployed and having to listen to his attitude on the video above, you'd pick up the TV and fire it out the sitting room window, his arrogant and highly condacending attitude, which he doesn't even try to hide, is the very last thing you would want to have to listen to if you have recently lost your job.

And anyone who becomes a serial apologist for this government, for example Martin Mansergh and Eoghan Harris just to name two, should be tormented out of this country.

LordSutch · 02-03-2009 09:29AM

wow sierra wrote: »

Martin Manserragh did excellent work behind the scenes in the Peace Process. He has had a long career in Politics.

Agreed

wow sierra wrote: »

I assume he was selected by Fianna Fail to go on that programme so he could fill in the time, come accross as bundling and basically get them out of answering difficult questions, or making any concrete commitments live on TV. As regards the woman, she is a polished speaker and was very well groomed - that doesn't make her right, or well informed.

This is a very weighty topic, we are talking about the economy going down the tubes at a very fast rate, and Manserragh comes on and endlessly prevaricates & evades answering the questions live on the BBC!
I thought all the points made by the Irish Times columnist were very clear & intilligent, and to be honest, I found Manserragh very embarrassing to watch, it was a painful display by the Fianna Fail Minister > as 99% of posters here have already said.

wow sierra wrote: »

PS I find Camelots comment about De Rossa and Manseragh to be very offensive, and frankly childish.

I have deleted the Stutter comment* from Post28.

Fair point & sorry about that ( I apologise), but Manserragh has a very unfortunate manner in front of the cameras, and one would have thought that a more 'Media friendly' personality would have been preferable considering the weight of the issues > "That interview" will haunt Manserragh & Fianna Fail for a long time.

VO · 02-03-2009 05:24PM

How dare you all slag off your betters. Martin Manseragh is the cream of the crop in Fianna Fail. He knows much more tahn the rabble.

dave-higgz · 02-03-2009 06:41PM

VO wrote: »

How dare you all slag off your betters. Martin Manseragh is the cream of the crop in Fianna Fail. He knows much more tahn the rabble.

He's the Fianna Fail's cream of the crop?? LOL!!!

orourkeda · 02-03-2009 07:08PM

We're bollixed

FlutterinBantam · 02-03-2009 07:14PM

Camelot wrote: »

Agreed

This is a very weighty topic, we are talking about the economy going down the tubes at a very fast rate, and Manserragh comes on and endlessly prevaricates & evades answering the questions live on the BBC!
I thought all the points made by the Irish Times columnist were very clear & intilligent, and to be honest, I found Manserragh very embarrassing to watch, it was a painful display by the Fianna Fail Minister > as 99% of posters here have already said.

I have deleted the Stutter comment* from Post28.

Fair point & sorry about that ( I apologise), but Manserragh has a very unfortunate manner in front of the cameras, and one would have thought that a more 'Media friendly' personality would have been preferable considering the weight of the issues > "That interview" will haunt Manserragh & Fianna Fail for a long time.

Are you for real!! Marty had been conducting those kind of interviews both on radio and TV for yonks,eons even.
Have you never heard of him or heard a prog. where he was on before??

His modus operandi is to squeal like a pig being gathered into a tractor and trailer against his will,whenever someone interrupts him.

He has had more of those kind of interviews than I have had hot dinners,and he is still around.

LordSutch · 02-03-2009 07:58PM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

His modus operandi is to squeal like a pig being gathered into a tractor and trailer against his will,whenever someone interrupts him.

He has had more of those kind of interviews than I have had hot dinners,and he is still around.

Dont let wow sierra hear you saying that!

Martin Mansergh on Hearts & Minds last night...

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