I had the following letter published in the Irish Times and Irish Examiner yesterday. As a result I was contacted by the radio station, 103FM and was only too delighted to voice my opinion on Bertiegate and other dodgy dealings.
Madam, – When asked during his RTÉ interview about making appointments to State boards for alleged favours, the Taoiseach defended himself by saying: “I might have appointed somebody but I appointed them because they were friends, not because of anything they had given me”.
The fact that such a blatant admission of cronyism went completely unchallenged by Brian Dobson is a measure of how much we have come to accept low standards in public life. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY SHERIDAN, Carraig Eoin, Cobh, Co Cork.
And still people are not questioning him about it. But bear in mind that Bertie Ahern is top of the management hierarchy what is above Brian Dobson. Therefore Brian Dobson, was a coward. There seems something wrong with RTE since the last licence increase (awarded by Dermot Ahern). Compare the approach of RTE interviewers with the approach of Jeremy Paxman on the BBC, or John Snow on Channel Four or Trevor McDonald on ITV.
RTE interviewers (even Miriam O’Callaghan or Charlie Bird) can be talked down. RTE are gone soft. Only the Irish Times si taking our political body to task. And it seems that Fianna Fail is decidedly in favour of implementing the law to restrict the options available to the Irish Times to tell the truth to the people.
It’s a pity the entire Fianna Fail front bench, and their remaining core membership made up their minds to tackle drug dealers with a similar level of tenacity. Maybe they are waiting for the drup dealers to threaten their authority.
CAN WE HAVE AN IRISH JEREMY PAXMAN PLEASE ? (our best chance seems to be George Hook on Newstalk ..)
Bertie knew that the Irish people would have no time for Geradine Kennedy and her cronies so he spoke directly to them. Once again he was proved right.
The support for Bertie has been rock solid. People want peace and prosperity and thats what Bertie will give them.
There has been enoug begrudgery in this country from a tiny minority to last a lifetime. Its time to move on to better things like a good budget and next Summers election.
I feel an overall majority is right on track again after Geraldine Kennedys appalling and indefensible publication of private Tribunal documentation.
The good times are comin