What emerged at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday would cause a major political crisis in a functional democracy. In Ireland, not a single Government Minister or representative, to my knowledge, featured on the national airwaves to tell the people what was going on. All we got was wall to wall talk between journalists.
Morning Ireland – Journalist Brian Dowling. No public representative
Today with Pat Kenny – Journalist Fergal Keane and Michael Clifford. Defence Minister, Willie O’Dea was on talking about Irish troops going to Chad and was only briefly asked about the tribunal.
News at One – Journalist John Kilraine – No public representative.
Drivetime – Journalists Fergal Keane, Brian Dowling, Harry McGee, Justine McCarthy, Terry Prone and Noel Whelan – No public representative.
Six One News – Journalist John Kilraine and Brian Dowling – No public representative.
Nine News – Journalist Brian Dowling – No public representative.
Primetime – Journalists Michael Clifford and Sam Smyth – No public representative.
The Late Debate – Journalists Fionn Sheehan and Fergal Keane. At last, in the middle of the night, two lightweight politicians, Fianna Fail TD Frank Fahy and Fine Gael Senator Eugene O’Regan.
Perhaps they’ll come out of hiding over the weekend.