Luke (Ming) Flanagan performance on Newstalk

tracking · 03-03-2011 04:26PM #1

Is this interview an omen of what to expect from our 31st Dail? With the opportiunity to justify the choice of his electors, the Deputy from Roscommon/S Leitrim was a disgrce. Showed himself to be totally unprofessional and out of his depth. Any challenge to his grasp on what his role as an independant TD would be was met with heavily defensive attack. His position appears indefensible. May employ his time better at full time fund-raising for local playgrounds. Dail Eirann, facing the present condition which needs to be addressed has no room for well-meaning thickheads. Header.

wellsir · 03-03-2011 04:28PM

yes and people say these indepenedents will be a breath of fresh air.....my arse they will...most of em haven't got a clue

SafeSurfer · 03-03-2011 04:37PM

Looks like there will be a lot of one term independent deputies.

snubbleste · 03-03-2011 04:43PM

I thought he was fantastic. Way to rubbish the democratic will of the people OP.

Permabear · 03-03-2011 04:52PM

This post has been deleted.

RGDATA! · 03-03-2011 04:56PM

tracking wrote: »

Is this interview an omen of what to expect from our 31st Dail? With the opportiunity to justify the choice of his electors, the Deputy from Roscommon/S Leitrim was a disgrce. Showed himself to be totally unprofessional and out of his depth. Any challenge to his grasp on what his role as an independant TD would be was met with heavily defensive attack. His position appears indefensible. May employ his time better at full time fund-raising for local playgrounds. Dail Eirann, facing the present condition which needs to be addressed has no room for well-meaning thickheads. Header.

you must have heard a different interview to me. as one of his electors I was delighted with him. explain your points a bit better - which of his points did you disagree with?

RGDATA! · 03-03-2011 04:58PM

tracking wrote: »

Dail Eirann, facing the present condition which needs to be addressed has no room for well-meaning thickheads. Header.

I think you'll find the Dail has been full of well (and not so well) meaning thickheads for years. Luke isn't one of them thankfully.

professore · 03-03-2011 04:59PM

I thought he was excellent - and that other guy was good too. Far better than what we have had up until recently. You prefer "The State is fully funded", "The Cheapest Banking crisis in History" , "The boom is getting boomier", "Einstein developed the theory of evolution" or "The Good Friday Agreement" style of politician ? All of the above were far more nonsensical than any of Ming's statements. Tracking must be a disgruntled FF voter.

Inquitus · 03-03-2011 05:03PM

He's a Buffoon who's way out of his depth, but then there's well over 100 more of his ilk going to be in the 31st dail, as our political class is largely made up largely of low achievers, rather than the brightest and the best, he'll fit in well.

tracking · 03-03-2011 05:37PM

RGDATA! wrote: »

you must have heard a different interview to me. as one of his electors I was delighted with him. explain your points a bit better - which of his points did you disagree with?

Asked about his choice to elect Taoiseach, cited Mike Wallace. Qualified?

Dail sessions cost approx €2,000 p/min. Where €47,000 p/a goes means nothing.

He got ratty when asked of the briefing session for new Deputies. Shows he is lost as to procedure.

Nothing to shed light on the problems we have, (spend cuts, rising unemployment meaning less revenue etc.) let alone how he as an independant could be part of a solution.

Can only feel disallusioned, better men than him have tried and given up. He aught do the same.

tracking · 03-03-2011 06:00PM

professore wrote: »

I thought he was excellent - and that other guy was good too. Far better than what we have had up until recently. You prefer "The State is fully funded", "The Cheapest Banking crisis in History" , "The boom is getting boomier", "Einstein developed the theory of evolution" or "The Good Friday Agreement" style of politician ? All of the above were far more nonsensical than any of Ming's statements. Tracking must be a disgruntled FF voter.

A worried voter who does not support FF. Disgruntled about the lack of inspiration that deluges such as we are in often does produce.

eg Ghandi, Mandela, Collins, King

Monty Burnz · 03-03-2011 06:03PM

He strikes me as a bright, open-minded man, untainted by the party political system. If he reflected our electorate, this would be one of the best-run countries in the world. Unfortunately the Irish electorate prefer easy answers and populism from Fianna Failure.

RGDATA! · 03-03-2011 06:04PM

tracking wrote: »

Dail sessions cost approx €2,000 p/min. Where €47,000 p/a goes means nothing.

if you're referring to his self-imposed pay cut - it's pretty obviously a principle thing rather than a contention that €47k or whatever is a drop in the ocean.
Actually a lot of voters really respect that principle. We've had people in office riding the tax payer for years. Individually the amounts involved are just a drop in the ocean against our debt, but they still disgust disgust people

tracking wrote: »

He got ratty when asked of the briefing session for new Deputies. Shows he is lost as to procedure.

honestly didn't hear this piece because what was posted on the newstalk site stopped short of here. however, he wouldn't be the first new TD not to be completely au fait with dail procedures.
What he does know a lot about is how county council works having served on one for some years. I guarantee you he could tell you a lot about procedures there and he will be up to speed pretty quickly in Dail Eireann.
In fact he has some excellent ideas about local govt reform which he expressed on Newstalk yesterday, I don't know if you caught those

tracking wrote: »

Nothing to shed light on the problems we have, (spend cuts, rising unemployment meaning less revenue etc.) let alone how he as an independant could be part of a solution.

simply not true, unless maybe you missed the start of the interview

tracking wrote: »

Can only feel disallusioned, better men than him have tried and given up. He aught do the same.

this annoys me more than anything else you said.
you're like Ivan Yeates in that interview - there's no point in even trying lads. give up. I think its a disgusting, cynical attitude, but you're entitled to it of course.

jmayo · 03-03-2011 06:28PM

Inquitus wrote: »

He's a Buffoon who's way out of his depth, but then there's well over 100 more of his ilk going to be in the 31st dail, as our political class is largely made up largely of low achievers, rather than the brightest and the best, he'll fit in well.

Ah FFS the brightest and the best rarely enter politics anywhere.

The other day I heard someone debate this with I think Stephen Donnelly or even Ming about how come so few engineers and scientists are in the Dáil or indeed in politics worldwide.

Get this they are usually not the type of people that like ar** licking, pretending to be nice to everyone and actually interested in people.
Added to that in Ireland these people do not have the time that teachers, public servants and self employed solicitors have to build a political career.

Look at the Dail.
People always claim it is made up of teachers and farmers when in fact it also usually has high number of solicitors/baristers, public servants, union reps and a few doctors.
The nearest thing to an engineer in the place is an engineering technican (who falsely claimed he was a fully qualified engineer) and an architect.

How many entrepreneurs have we in the Dáil, how many have we ever had leading the country ?
Only one I can think of is albert reynolds.

Does anyone seriously think someone like Michael O'Leary would ever have got anywhere in politics ?
Would Denis O'Brien, Edward Haughey, Tony Ryan, Morgan Kelly, or Gerry Robinson have got anywhere in politics ?

tracking wrote: »

A worried voter who does not support FF. Disgruntled about the lack of inspiration that deluges such as we are in often does produce.

eg Ghandi, Mandela, Collins, King

Eh how many of these type of people actually come to the fore in any country ?
How many Ghandis or Mandelas have there been in the last 100 years ?
Who has there been in the US since King in the 60s ?

BTW you can't compare what these men faced with what we now face.

You appear to be looking for some Moses type character on what you are saying above.
You want these people to have the answers.
Well sorry to disappoint you they don't and get this neither do all the experts.
You have experts now coming out with bright ideas, but some of them actually said nothing 3 or 4 years ago.
AFAIK the much vbaunted Brian Lucey would be one of these.

Some of them of course did and they got to become objects of ridicule to a majority of the people.
And please don't tell me that David Mc Williams was not seen as a whinger by a big chunk of our population and not just one b ahern.

On Newstalk interview I didn't think he was as good as he normally can be.

gcgirl · 03-03-2011 06:55PM

Concerning the independents I know they have little or no talk time in Dail sessions what committees can they sit on or is it a case of what party membership card you have? thanks in advance need to update my knowledge in reference to that and plus I want to have hard facts why not to vote independents in:)

Revolution9 · 03-03-2011 07:03PM

gcgirl wrote: »

Concerning the independents I know they have little or no talk time in Dail sessions what committees can they sit on or is it a case of what party membership card you have? thanks in advance need to update my knowledge in reference to that and plus I want to have hard facts why not to vote independents in:)

A few of them (7 or more) will likely form a techcincal group to ensure they get more speaking time in the Dail.

keno-daytrader · 03-03-2011 07:08PM

Im wondering if people have any problem with him smoking pot?

He is going to the Dail to make new laws and yet has no problems breaking laws that he doesnt agree with. Something seems a bit off here????

gcgirl · 03-03-2011 07:10PM

Revolution9 wrote: »

A few of them (7 or more) will likely form a techcincal group to ensure they get more speaking time in the Dail.

But other than that they are limited

to an party td ?

mikom · 03-03-2011 07:15PM

keno-daytrader wrote: »

Im wondering if people have any problem with him smoking pot?

He is going to the Dail to make new laws and yet has no problems breaking laws that he doesnt agree with. Something seems a bit off here????

When there is a law that is unjust, it is our moral duty to disobey it.

johngalway · 03-03-2011 07:21PM

He was good and bad in patches. Jebus, did he ever get defensive at one point though :eek: and thick along with it.

effemall · 03-03-2011 07:41PM

tracking wrote: »

A worried voter who does not support FF. Disgruntled about the lack of inspiration that deluges such as we are in often does produce.

eg Ghandi, Mandela, Collins, King

you are referring to these people as having a "lack of inspiration"

Hendrixfan · 03-03-2011 07:46PM

tracking wrote: »

Is this interview an omen of what to expect from our 31st Dail? With the opportiunity to justify the choice of his electors, the Deputy from Roscommon/S Leitrim was a disgrce. Showed himself to be totally unprofessional and out of his depth. Any challenge to his grasp on what his role as an independant TD would be was met with heavily defensive attack. His position appears indefensible. May employ his time better at full time fund-raising for local playgrounds. Dail Eirann, facing the present condition which needs to be addressed has no room for well-meaning thickheads. Header.

Your a disgrace to be honest, you've branded Ming to be an out of depth unprofessional thickhead disgrace holding an indefensible position. Based on what? A few mins of Ming talking over the radio.

Ming was elected by the people of Roscommon-Sth Leitrim, I'll be taking their word over yours, they know him better.

03-03-2011 08:07PM

Revolution9 wrote: »

A few of them (7 or more) will likely form a techcincal group to ensure they get more speaking time in the Dail.

There actually needs to be 10 for a technical group this time as it must compose more than half of the independents.

As for Ming,I heard him on newstalk yesterday and thought he was quite good.
Plain speaking.

T runner · 03-03-2011 08:22PM

professore wrote: »

I thought he was excellent - and that other guy was good too. Far better than what we have had up until recently. You prefer "The State is fully funded", "The Cheapest Banking crisis in History" , "The boom is getting boomier", "Einstein developed the theory of evolution" or "The Good Friday Agreement" style of politician ? All of the above were far more nonsensical than any of Ming's statements. Tracking must be a disgruntled FF voter.

I dont agree with Trackings point re Ming but accusing someone of being a FF supporter just because you disagree with them is lame and unfair. Attack the post etc..

T runner · 03-03-2011 08:26PM

Deleted User wrote: »

There actually needs to be 10 for a technical group this time as it must compose more than half of the independents.

As for Ming,I heard him on newstalk yesterday and thought he was quite good.
Plain speaking.

He was good on the John Murray show also. Made some excellent points about the prison service, social policy, his views on Cannabis (Murray insisted).

Showed a greta deal of with and intelligence for the lighter side of the interview. He is not your average middle aged, farmer/teacher/solicitor TD with the wife minding the children at home that is the standard.

Change is good.

gizmo555 · 03-03-2011 08:34PM

T runner wrote: »

He is not your average middle aged, farmer/teacher/solicitor TD with the wife minding the children at home that is the standard.

He's married with two children . . .

Satts · 03-03-2011 08:48PM

T runner wrote: »

He was good on the John Murray show also. Made some excellent points about the prison service, social policy, his views on Cannabis (Murray insisted).

I thought he was very good on this show. I couldn't stop laughing when he said there is several million euro of cannabis being smoked in Ireland and he wasn't smoking it all himself and suggested there are more TD's than himself smoking it and suggested to Murray that there was plenty of radio presenters smoking it as well !

steelcityblues · 03-03-2011 09:25PM

Heard it - he did OK, if a little too raw!

Anyway, Yates is threatened by people who are now being elected outside of the FF/FG/LAB consensus. Apparent too in his questioning to Donnelly, who seems to be a slick operator more than Ming.

Himself and others are going to get under the skin of more establishment presenters in the next few years. About time!

wow sierra · 03-03-2011 11:15PM

I didn't hear the Newstalk interview but was very impressed with him on John Murray show on RTE. I accept that I am biased, as I am from Roscommon - although I vote in Dublin.

However a few people commented on how impressed they were by his performance in that interview - John Murray. It was quite a long interview and covered a fair bit of ground.

As someone else said - the people of Roscommon can best judge him and his suitability - and they have voted confidence in him. Give the guy a chance - he isn't claiming to be the saviour of the world, just one of the 3 TDs for Roscommon/South Leitrim doing his best.

ixtlan · 04-03-2011 12:24AM

RGDATA! wrote: »

if you're referring to his self-imposed pay cut - it's pretty obviously a principle thing

Actually this rather irks me, as it has for other politicians who have done the same.

He is NOT taking any pay-cut. He is taking his full salary, and then donating half of it to projects in his constituency. In particular he mentioned putting a roof on some local swimming pool. Now these may be worthwhile projects, but no matter how well-intentioned he sees this, I see it as blatant electioneering. In 5 years he can ask nicely for votes from those people who benefit from the approx €250k he will have contributed.

I accept there are 2 ways of looking at that, but you will have to forgive me for taking the rather more cynical view.

ix.

maccored · 04-03-2011 01:07AM

im listening to the podcast - he's coming across quite well and everyone else on the show seems to think he's talking sense

maccored · 04-03-2011 01:08AM

granted - it may well be the wrong interview

mikom · 04-03-2011 01:46AM

maccored wrote: »

im listening to the podcast - he's coming across quite well and everyone else on the show seems to think he's talking sense

I listened myself and i agree he came across well.
Some shite being spouted on this thread.

Here is the link out of courtesy ......... http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/programmes/all-programmes/breakfast/luke-ming-flanagan-on-breakfasts-political-panel/

ballsymchugh · 04-03-2011 01:55AM

i thought chris donoghue came out of it pretty bad. came across as a city slicker trying to get the better of a country bumpkin and tried to rise him when it didn't work.

bradlente · 04-03-2011 02:21AM

If anyone came out bad in it it's Ivan Yeates imho.

He's all for the "idealism,the commitment and freshness"

Basically all for talking **** and doing nothing.

opinion guy · 04-03-2011 02:30AM

Yeates is for the establishment. He's challenged by these young men coming along with fresh ideas.

Dail reform please.

Hell, failing that, Ming and Stephen should start a party

Cavehill Red · 04-03-2011 02:34AM

tracking wrote: »

Is this interview an omen of what to expect from our 31st Dail? With the opportiunity to justify the choice of his electors, the Deputy from Roscommon/S Leitrim was a disgrce. Showed himself to be totally unprofessional and out of his depth. Any challenge to his grasp on what his role as an independant TD would be was met with heavily defensive attack. His position appears indefensible. May employ his time better at full time fund-raising for local playgrounds. Dail Eirann, facing the present condition which needs to be addressed has no room for well-meaning thickheads. Header.

Because Michael Finneran was SO much better, obviously. :rolleyes:

jank · 04-03-2011 03:46AM

Listened to it there and I found nothing wanting from Ming. He is full of energy and his drive is for all to see but sure keep on sneering cause that it what we need to get out of this mess. More sneering!:rolleyes:

loldog · 04-03-2011 04:00AM

jank wrote: »

....but sure keep on sneering cause that it what we need to get out of this mess. More sneering!:rolleyes:

These spiteful comments are mostly from butthurt Fianna Fáil supporters, you see it every time FF loses power.

.

jmayo · 04-03-2011 10:38AM

wow sierra wrote: »

I didn't hear the Newstalk interview but was very impressed with him on John Murray show on RTE. I accept that I am biased, as I am from Roscommon - although I vote in Dublin.

However a few people commented on how impressed they were by his performance in that interview - John Murray. It was quite a long interview and covered a fair bit of ground.

As someone else said - the people of Roscommon can best judge him and his suitability - and they have voted confidence in him. Give the guy a chance - he isn't claiming to be the saviour of the world, just one of the 3 TDs for Roscommon/South Leitrim doing his best.

I thought he was much much better on RTE than Newstalk.
He got caught out on Newstalk when they asked him what about the leaders allowance and would he forego that as well as half his salary.
Then he started on about Mick Wallace.
He appeared to be losing the rag a little.

He was much better on RTE and more back to what I would normally expect from him.

ixtlan wrote: »

Actually this rather irks me, as it has for other politicians who have done the same.

He is NOT taking any pay-cut. He is taking his full salary, and then donating half of it to projects in his constituency. In particular he mentioned putting a roof on some local swimming pool. Now these may be worthwhile projects, but no matter how well-intentioned he sees this, I see it as blatant electioneering. In 5 years he can ask nicely for votes from those people who benefit from the approx €250k he will have contributed.

No AFAIK he said he would seriously think about giving the half back to the state if they were just going to waste it on banks, etc.
He would donate it to local causes.

It might be called electioneering, but I think it might actually do a lot more for people if he donated it do local causes than give it back to civil servants to blow as usual.

AFAIK one Michael D Higgins did that with his severance package.

Byron85 · 04-03-2011 11:10AM

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/td-ming-to-give-half-his-salary-for-local-projects-2565547.html

How nice of him. :rolleyes:

Permabear · 04-03-2011 11:15AM

This post has been deleted.

KERSPLAT! · 04-03-2011 11:20AM

Byron85 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/td-ming-to-give-half-his-salary-for-local-projects-2565547.html

How nice of him. :rolleyes:

I say fair play, I know my area could do with that money to provide more/fix existing facilities and I doubt our elected TD will be doing the same

Cookie_Monster · 04-03-2011 11:33AM

Byron85 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/td-ming-to-give-half-his-salary-for-local-projects-2565547.html

How nice of him. :rolleyes:

As long as that's an after tax donation personally made by him after receiving such salary and not directly given off without attracting PAYE and PRSI etc that's fine.

Somehow I doubt it will be though...

opinion guy · 04-03-2011 11:37AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

As long as that's an after tax donation personally made by him after receiving such salary and not directly given off without attracting PAYE and PRSI etc that's fine.

Somehow I doubt it will be though...

Why's that ?
If the guy is giving up half his salary voluntarily as he has done as a councillor I don't see why he shouldn't be able to decide himself how to do it. I actually agree with him in not giving it back to the exchequer - it would only be squandered on the banks.

Fair play to him.

Seriously if Ming and Stephen started a party I would join it.

kmick · 04-03-2011 11:38AM

I think even the fact that he got elected shows the people of Roscommons gloves are coming off. He always comes across well whenever I hear him speak.

Cookie_Monster · 04-03-2011 11:53AM

opinion guy wrote: »

Why's that ?
If the guy is giving up half his salary voluntarily as he has done as a councillor I don't see why he shouldn't be able to decide himself how to do it. I actually agree with him in not giving it back to the exchequer - it would only be squandered on the banks.

Fair play to him.

its about 47k say he's giving up. If he takes this as salary and pays PAYE PRSI etc on it the gov will get 51% of it back and he can do whatever the hell he likes with the rest, where as if he's "giving it up" and donating it locally pre tax it's costing us all even more money to fund him...

Small beans at the end of the day but it smacks of a sneaky way to get more money locally while appearing to sacrifice you salary.

MaceFace · 04-03-2011 12:12PM

I think there may be some confusion around this interview.
There were two parts separated by an ad break.
You have to click onto Wednesday, part 4, most the way through the stream to hear it. Its the part when they talk about what their pay and entitlements are.

For the first half I thought he handled himself very well. Going in green with high hopes, and I think fair play - why settle for the established way when it is so obviously broken.
Yates came across very badly in that - he knows the formalities and tried to make Luke look foolish because he doesn't know the small details that are not that relevant.
Yates was so obsvious in his lack of repect for Flanagan and total respect for Donnelly.

However, in the second half of the interview, Flanagan sounded like a fool. He let the simplest of things get to him and that make him completely ineffective in sounding reasonable. Politics is all about convincing others of your argument, and if this is how he behaves when he doesn't get his way, he has no chance in politics.
The question over if they received a briefing was met with such hostility and he used the total crap argument of "I was democratically elected by blah blah blah".
How crazy was it to suggest Mick Wallace as someone who would be good enough to run the country. What? Just because he wears pink, looks scruffy and looks like someone you could have a bit of craic with?

If this is how he normally behaves, he will not last long in the Dail and I think the people he represents will be better off with someone different.

Of and of course, openly admitting to breaking the law - what kind of example does that set - he obviously thinks its okay to break certain laws. Fool!

opinion guy · 04-03-2011 12:51PM

lol just realised I know one of the people who commented on the newstalk website

Maceface wrote:

I think there may be some confusion around this interview.
There were two parts separated by an ad break.
You have to click onto Wednesday, part 4, most the way through the stream to hear it. Its the part when they talk about what their pay and entitlements are.

Err where is that now ? Can't find it anywhere. Can you post the link ? Yes I think I've only heard the part before the break

mikom · 04-03-2011 12:54PM

MaceFace wrote: »

Of and of course, openly admitting to breaking the law - what kind of example does that set - he obviously thinks its okay to break certain laws. Fool!

To quote the man himself....

“Was David Norris not breaking the law by having homosexual sex back when it was illegal?
Or the TDs who used condoms when they were illegal?"

opinion guy · 04-03-2011 01:02PM

mikom wrote: »

To quote the man himself....

“Was David Norris not breaking the law by having homosexual sex back when it was illegal?
Or the TDs who used condoms when they were illegal?"

Good point.

Quite apart from anything else, Ming is 100% correct when he says that the illegality of drugs drives money into the hands of criminals (hmmm which prompts me to wonder where Ming gets his). But the point is - decriminlaisation and indeed regulation of some drugs is a necessary debate in this country for a multitude of reasons. If it takes a potsmoking TD to do it then fair enough. I would much rather have this TD breaking hash laws, then the last crowd and their brown envelopes and corruption.

Luke (Ming) Flanagan performance on Newstalk

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