Category: Media coverage

Fergus Finlay: Still living in cave of shadows

 

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By Anthony Sheridan

The following quote, taken from today’s Irish Examiner, tells us that commentator Fergus Finlay has no credibility whatsoever when it comes to analysing current/political affairs.

I’ve met Noirín O’Sullivan a couple of times, and I have to say she strikes me as someone who is down-to-earth and entirely approachable. She simply has never seemed to me to be the sort of person whose instinct would be to circle the wagons when the force is criticised, but instead to seek to get to the bottom of the problem.

I tend to believe her when she says she has never had any interest in attacking the motivation of Garda whistle-blower Maurice McCabe, or in accusing him of malice.

Before retreating to the safety of his cave of shadows Mr. Finlay tells us that he’s not questioning the work of Irish Examiner journalist Michael Clifford who, Finlay admits, has raised questions of the most troubling kind.

But there is no way Finlay is going to actually analyse these troubling questions. To do so would risk having to deal with the appalling vista that our police force is riven by corruption, cover ups, incompetence, low morale and that at the core of all this dysfunctionality lies the corrupt nexus between policing and politics.

Instead, Finlay, safe in his cave, suggests that the most important issue, overriding all the corruption of recent decades, is the abolition of the bottom two points of the Haddington Road pay scale for junior Gardai.

Meanwhile, the corruption goes on and justice for the victims is as far away as ever.

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Fergus Finlay

Broadcaster George Hook accuses politicians of tax evasion

 

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By Anthony Sheridan

On 11 May last Newstalk broadcaster George Hook made some very strong comments about a number of politicians in relation to the non-payment of water charges.

I believe Mr. Hook’s comments are in breach of the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs and, as a consequence, I have submitted a formal complaint to Newstalk (See full complaint below).

It is interesting to note that while Mr. Hook has no scruples whatsoever in accusing fellow citizens of being tax evaders he is very sensitive to those who make alleged nasty comments concerning his character.

Earlier this year Hook threatened to sue rugby player Johnny Sexton and the Irish Times for defamation over comments made about him (Hook) in an interview.

Ridiculously, Hook had alleged that comments made by Sexton in the interview meant that he (Hook) did not believe what he writes and broadcasts, and had generated controversy over player welfare, including Sexton’s, to further his career.

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George Hook

Finian McGrath

John Halligan

Paul Murphy

Social Democrats

 

 

Formal Complaint

19 May 2016

To Whom It May Concern:

I wish to lodge a formal complaint against the presenter of The Right Hook, George Hook, for a breach of sections 21 and 22 of the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs, which came into effect on 1 July 2013 under Section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009.

On 11 May last Mr. Hook, while making comment on the issue of the non-payment of water charges by certain politicians, said:

We seem to be perfectly happy that a Cabinet minister can sit there and not pay his taxes. He is a tax evader; he is evading lawful taxation in the shape of the water charges. 

Meantime, across the aisle in the Opposition benches you have the leader of the Social Democrats, also says I haven’t paid any water charges…It is rumored that John Halligan will become a Junior Minister, another tax evader.  And one can only presume…that Paul Murphy hasn’t paid his water charges either. 

I think it is an absolute outrage to the ordinary people of Ireland more than half of whom have actually paid their water charges that people who think they can be Cabinet ministers, junior ministers, leaders of political parties, leaders of campaigns for the underprivileged can actually turn around and say; I’m not going to pay lawfully taxes that have been levied by the government.  It is an absolute outrage. 

Now Alan Kelly, of course, has demanded that Finian McGrath should consider his position.  I think he should, I think Alan Kelly is absolutely right. 

And then Finian McGrath, this is his defence.  Listen carefully to his defence.  I haven’t paid my water charges but accept the reality that if there are constitutional or legal challenges I will look at that. 

It’s incredible; this minister needs a constitutional or legal imperative to ask him to pay his taxes.  The rest of us just paid up…he doesn’t have a constitutional imperative or a legal imperative.  He has the imperative of integrity, honesty and an understanding of what it means to be a minister of government in a democracy. 

He should, quite simply, resign or pay up.  It’s very simple…and the rest of them should do likewise, those sitting on benches in the Opposition should do likewise.

It is clear that Mr. Hook is expressing the following opinions.

Minister McGrath TD is a tax evader.

The leader of the Social Democrats is a tax evader.

John Halligan TD is a tax evader.

Paul Murphy TD is, presumably, a tax evader.

That Minister McGrath does not have a constitutional or legal imperative to ask the Attorney General for advice on the issue.

That Alan Kelly TD is right in his demand that Minister McGrath should consider his position.

That it is an absolute outrage that a number of politicians should refuse to pay lawfully levied taxes.

That Minister McGrath should pay up or resign.

That those politicians in the Opposition who are refusing to pay the water charge should also resign.

Clearly, Mr. Hook is expressing opinions on a matter that is publicly controversial and of current public debate and is therefore in breach of the code.

I include the relevant sections of the Act below for your convenience.

Yours sincerely

Anthony Sheridan

 

  1. A news presenter and/or a reporter in a news programme may not express his or her own view on matters that are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate.
  1. It is an important part of the role of a presenter of a current affairs programme to ensure that the audience has access to a wide variety of views on the subject of the programme or item; to facilitate the expression of contributors‘ opinions – sometimes by forceful questioning; and to reflect the views of those who cannot, or choose not to, participate in content. This being so, a presenter and/or a reporter on a current affairs programme shall not express his or her own views on matters that are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate such that a partisan position is advocated.

 

 

 

Vincent Browne: Blind to what’s coming down the road

 

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By Anthony Sheridan

Vincent Browne caused a bit of a stir the other day with his claim that the country is suffering from the worst possible outcome of a general election.

From an establishment point of view this is an accurate assessment. The last thing the old regime parties of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour want is political instability and Browne, as an establishment journalist, is simply reflecting that fear.

From the point of view of those of us who are working to bring down the old corrupt regime, the regime that destroyed our country, the current political instability is great news.

Browne tells us that the first casualty of the election is ‘new politics’; this is hilarious.

There is no new politics emerging from within the old regime. The political system that has misruled our country since independence is hopelessly corrupt and beyond any possibility of redemption or reform.

The fractured outcome of the election is simply the latest and most dramatic indication that the old corrupt regime is crumbling.

The panicked scramble between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to glue together a patchwork government is nothing more than a stop-gap strategy to hold onto as much power for as long as possible within a political system that’s melting away into history.

And the relentless seeping away of political power from the old regime parties is not a new phenomenon. It has been going on since 1992 when Labour under Dick Spring betrayed its promise to tackle political corruption by going into coalition with the corrupt Haughey.

And Labour’s betrayal is nothing new either. For decades the party has been nothing more than a political prostitute selling its principles to the highest bidder in return for a ticket to plunder the states resources.

Inevitably Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will merge into single right wing party that will find itself under increasing pressure from what is the most dramatic political development since independence – the rise of genuine left wing politics led by ordinary people for the benefit of ordinary people.

This new political movement is visible in the water protests, in the increasing number of independents, in the formation of new parties like the Social Democrats and in the continuing rise of Sinn Fein

The inevitable outcome of this political turbulence will see the replacement of what is, effectively, a one party system comprised of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour, with a genuine Left/Right political divide which is the norm in functional democracies.

The major flaw in Browne’s analysis is his own position in the scheme of things. While he regularly castigates the corruption and injustices of the ruling regime he is, ultimately, a loyal member of that regime.

His analysis therefore will always be that of an insider; will always be that of someone who believes the current political system is sound and not in any serious danger of collapse.

He is, in common with most establishment journalists, blind to what’s coming down the road.

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Vincent Browne

Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour

 

 

Terry Prone: Water protesters are dumb

 

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By Anthony Sheridan

Terry Prone is a political advisor and PR guru so you would imagine she should be knowledgeable about current affairs.

Well, you would be mistaken.  Ms. Prone is just as ignorant about the real reasons behind the failed attempt to introduce a water tax as most other mainstream journalists.

Speaking on Denis O’Brien’s radio station to former Fine Gael politician and Denis O’Brien broadcaster, Ivan Yates, Ms. Prone first regurgitated the establishment line on the water tax.

Water is not free…system needs to be modernised, Irish Water didn’t communicate the message properly, blah, blah, blah (see full quote below).

Then she entered la la land saying that when water charges come back she was confident she would receive a tax credit for the money she has already paid.

Leaving la la land she found herself in the realm of the insanely befuddled by claiming that if water charges are not paid directly then they will be paid indirectly through income tax and suggested that people who don’t realise this are dumb.

So this  so-called expert political advisor believes that if people pay the water tax the state will give them a break on their (already exorbitant) tax levels.

If this is the level of uninformed, naive advice our politicians are getting it’s no wonder they have become criminally incompetent.

To copper fasten her ignorance about what’s happening on the political landscape Ms. Prone, giggling like an excited schoolgirl, responded as follows when told that Kenny would be Taoiseach next week.

Isn’t it great, isn’t it mighty, he’s historic.

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Terry Prone

Terry Prone quote:

The fact is that water is not free, the process is a hundred years out of date and we really needed the water charges. The fact that the set-up and communication of Irish Water was not handled correctly doesn’t mean that the issue is not valid.

With luck, those of us honest brokers Ivan like you and me who paid our water charges will have a rolling credit into the next few years when they come back.

The other thing that puzzles me, and you as a former politician would explain this to me, is, how dumb do you have to be to believe that if you don’t have water charges you’re not going to get done indirectly through taxes, you’re going to pay either way.

I would much prefer to have a discreet, oh god, here’s 160 quid right now that I have to find rather than be robbed on a daily basis through income tax.

 

Conor Pope: Genuinely clueless

By Anthony Sheridan

Wow, I gave Conor Pope the benefit of the doubt regarding his article on Irish Water in today’s Irish Times. I suspected he was put under pressure to publish what is clearly a propaganda piece for the discredited company.

But no, this tweet from Pope makes clear he’s one of the disturbingly large number of mainstream journalists who genuinely seem to be clueless regarding the real story behind the debacle.

I answered some questions on Irish Water. Some people will be enraged but I believe the answers are all true.

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Conor Pope

Conor Pope: Supporting Irish Water

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By Anthony Sheridan

Irish Times columnist Conor Pope has a Q & A piece in today’s paper entitled: Will Fianna Fail rue its stance on water charges?

Readers are kept in the dark as to who is asking or answering the questions. This, I suspect, is intentional, as the piece must surely have originated from the propaganda office at Irish Water headquarters.

I suspect that Pope was ‘instructed’ to publish the piece, which is fully in line with the Irish Times’ strong pro Irish Water/Government stance.

I further suspect that the anonymous Q&A format was a trick to fool readers into thinking that a professional/neutral expert was being asked the questions.

This device was probably a concession to Pope to mitigate journalistic embarrassment.

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Conor Pope

Irish media: Looking after their own

 

By Anthony Sheridan

It really is interesting to observe the stark difference displayed by Irish media when reporting on allegations of corruption in Ireland and abroad.

When analysing allegations of corruption outside of Ireland reporters always get straight to the point and do not mince their words in describing the hard facts of the case.

When reporting on allegations of corruption within Ireland it’s a different story altogether. The word ‘corruption’ is seldom used and there is always a long and painful introduction of excuses and cautions regarding the allegations.

A report by RTEs Business Editor David Murphy on the Panama Papers scandal provides us with a rare example of both approaches in one report.

His report on the Prime Minister of Iceland is damning and to the point.

Iceland’s banks went bust and a lot of people lost money. The Prime Minister had a conflict of interest with one of the banks and I think that’s why he’ll be in pretty deep trouble over this. Politicians were criminally charged and so were banks, it was very difficult for the Icelandic people.

I think he’s going to have to be very clear about exactly what happened. If he thinks that walking out of an interview is going to help his case…I imagine he’ll get a roasting in the parliament in Iceland today.

And then Murphy was asked about the Irish links in the scandal:

Well, it’s important to stress all this stuff…we’ve got fragments of information and as regards whether any of the individuals named have done anything wrong, we don’t know that yet so I guess we need to give the people who are named a chance to give their full responses.

media-meterBut in Ireland the former Fine Gael advisor Frank Flannery has been linked to a British Virgin island company and he has…so he’s considering giving a full response to this later on and he’s consulting with his lawyers about documents so we’ll see what he has to say in relation to that.

Why is this?

Is it because of the strict libel laws in Ireland or is it because the establishment media looks after its own, I suspect the latter.

Here’s an indisputable fact – If it was Gerry Adams’ name that appeared on the list the establishment media would have cancelled all news reporting for a week to focus exclusively on demanding explanations from Sinn Fein and its leader.

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David Murphy

News at One

 

Ship of state sails into stormy waters

 

 

 

By Anthony Sheridan

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The party on the bridge of the ship of state was in full swing. The captain, his officers, first class passengers and the bulk of the media were celebrating the epic achievements of their great and glorious ship.

Servants scurried about frantically filling glasses, restocking food trays and cleaning up the mess made by some of the more over-indulgent partygoers.

Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the ship the steerage passengers, who could only barely hear the sound of good times high on the bridge, chatted among themselves about their hopes that the ship would also take them to a better place.

Then, at 2008, a mild but distinct shudder knocked over some of the more precariously balanced drinks and food trays on the bridge as it rippled its way down the entire length of the ship.

What the hell was that, one annoyed journalist demanded to know as she ordered a refill of her gin and tonic from a cowering waiter.

Don’t you worry your pretty little head said Captain Cowen. I’m in charge of this ship; a ship bestowed upon me by my good friend Captain Bertie and navigated by generations of great Fianna Fail leaders with the occasional input from our ruling elite colleagues in Fine Gael and Labour.

Oh Captain Cowen, I’m so impressed, cooed the journalist. I’m going to write a glowing article about your legendary intelligence and political wisdom.

Deep in the bowels there was no such assurance as the steerage passengers struggled in vain to save themselves from the catastrophic flood that had finally breached the hull as a result of decades of corrosion from the disease of corruption.

They looked on in horror as the lives and dreams of their families and friends were swept away in the putrid waters of cronyism, nepotism and gombeenism.

As they waded past the bodies and lost possession of their kind, they began to move upwards to look for assistance, guidance and sympathy from those steering the ship of state.

All through 2009 and 2010 the party continued unabated on the bridge.

Bankers surrounded by their good friends in the Financial Regulator’s Office. Property developers feeding in the trough of endless profit constantly topped up by the captain and his officers. Journalists eagerly assisting their political masters in exchange for a bottle of hooch and a cheap headline.

But some were beginning to suspect that all was not well.

Tell me, said Noel Whelan from the Irish Times to senior officer Brian. The ship seems to have slowed down considerably and, while I’m no expert, the bow appears to be an awful lot lower in the water than it was before the party began.

There’s absolutely nothing to worry about Noel, whispered Brian soothingly. There’s been a bit of a storm in international waters which resulted in some moderate turbulence for the ship.

But the captain is worried that the ordinary, uneducated people down on the lower decks might not understand what’s happening.

Of course, of course, replied Noel in sympathetic agreement. Is there anything we in the media can do to help?

Well, now that you mention it, there is something you could do. The captain would be forever grateful if you and your colleagues could man the broadcast system to the lower decks. You’ll be working with your good friends at RTE who have already agreed to do everything they are ordered,…er, I mean, asked to do to calm the masses.

Of course Brian, what are your instructions?

Just keep on broadcasting the term ‘Lehman Brothers’, over and over again. It’s crucial that you never stop and never question the wisdom of Captain Cowen’s brilliant navigation of our great and glorious ship.

Now, now Brian, you know we in the mainstream media never question the amazing intelligence and courage of our great leaders but this Lehman Brothers thing, what does it mean?

Well, just between you and me Noel, it doesn’t mean anything. We have legal advice, which of course must remain secret, that the term has a mysterious calming effect on the lower classes, but; to be fully effective it must be repeated endlessly.

You can rely on us in the mainstream media to remain loyal to the captain said Noel as he grabbed a Bloody Mary from the tray of a passing waiter.

By 2010 the people’s struggle upwards to freedom was blocked by a series of iron gates that had been firmly shut by agents of the state.

The police ordered the protesters:

Get back down to your own level, nothing to see here; no way through.

Behind the police, social welfare agents shouted:

We’re cutting your allowances to make sure those on the bridge have enough resources to live in the comfort they’re accustomed to as they plan the mass burial of your dreams and ambitions.

At another gate, a politicians announced:

Don’t worry, although many of you are doomed we promise, going forward, to reform the way our great and glorious ship is navigated.

As you suffer and die we are planning to replace the officers on the bridge with another group of officers who have really, really, really promised to work in the interests of those of you who are lucky enough to survive.

Through all the shouting and bedlam an endless media drone could be heard – Lehman Brothers…Lehman Brothers…Lehman Brothers…Lehman Brothers…

ooo

Initially, the people were downcast when their path to freedom was blocked. But as more and more of their kind drowned in the dark waters of despair they became angry and began to organise.

Rejecting the authority of those on the bridge the people elected new leaders and began to rattle the iron gates demanding to be let through, to know who was responsible for the catastrophe that was playing out on the lower decks.

But the gates were strong and the agents of the state were steadfast in their determination to keep the unruly masses in their proper place.

Meanwhile, back on the bridge an approaching ship interrupted the party.

Hello SS Ireland, this is the SS EU, what the hell is going on over there; your ship is way down at the bow, you appear to be sinking.

Not at all, slurred back Captain Cowen. We’re jush, hiccup, I mean, just having a party to celebrate the success of our great little nation, now feck off unlesh, hic, you have some more money to give us.

Standby SS Ireland, we’re sending over a three-man boarding party.

As Captain Cowen joined ex Captain Ahern in the luxury stateroom where they argued over who had the biggest pension the new captain, Captain Kenny, was assuring the Troika and the unruly masses that the ship of state was now on a new course, a course to paradise.

Already, he claimed, his crew had repaired the breached hull. There was no need to worry about the dangers posed by leaking water and certainly no need to cancel the party on the bridge. The ship, he declared, would be safe under his captaincy.

But Captain Kenny, like his predecessors, was lying.

He was lying to the desperate citizens trapped below decks when he promised democratic revolution. He was lying to the Troika when he promised to carry out reforms. He was lying when he said the ship of state was secure. The hull wasn’t repaired, the water was still flooding in and the ship was still sinking.

As time moved on into 2013 and 2014 the ship became unstable and began to tilt at an alarming angle.

Captain Kenny, with unquestioned support from his media partygoers, blamed the surging masses and their leaders for the instability as they finally escaped onto the decks where they could see, for the first time, just how and who was steering their ship of state.

At 2015 the bankers, property developers, financial regulators and politicians, including former captains Ahern and Cowen, began to take to the lifeboats.

Many journalists, loyally standing by their political masters, helped them rescue their credibility, political legacies and justifications for decisions made in office.

Other journalists, on witnessing reality for the first time, went into deep shock. One of them, Fergus Finlay of the Irish Examiner, approached Captain Ahern who was loading up several lifeboats with family, friends and loot.

Captain Ahern, what are you doing? If you take all those lifeboats for yourself you will be condemning ordinary citizens to drown in the depths of despair.

Jazus, will you look at that eejit of a journalist, Captain Ahern replied contemptuously. No wonder we were able to fool the people when we had half the media in our pockets and the other half believing everything we said.

Just as civil servants gently lowered Captain Ahern and his loot safely onto calm waters, Finlay turned and, for the first time, noticed the massive iceberg that had struck the ship.

The giant neon sign atop the iceberg that read – POLITICAL CORRUPTION – finally shocked him out of his denial as to who was responsible for the catastrophe.

You Maniacs! You’ve sunk the country, Damn you! God damn you all to hell the befuddled journalist howled as he pounded the heaving deck with his fist.

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At 2016 the steerage passengers finally broke down the doors to the bridge. What they witnessed shocked even the most hardened of water protesters.

Captain Kenny was engaged in a vicious fistfight with wannabe captain Martin for control of the ships wheel.

Ah ha, crowed Martin: You thought the people had thrown us overboard, well….we’re baaaccck. Now step aside, it’s our turn to steer.

Feck off said Captain Kenny punching Martin in the eye: We got more votes than you, so there.

Yes replied Martin but you ignored the dangers posed by water and now you’re sinking.

Nearby, a group of establishment journalists led by John Downing of Independent Newspapers huddled together insanely muttering the same mantra over and over again:

This has nothing to do with water; this has nothing to do with the people’s anger at political corruption. Everything will be all right so long as we keep assuring ourselves that Sinn Fein is to blame for everything.

Amid the bedlam the government broadcaster RTE launched its latest deny reality TV show – ‘Let’s Get Back To The Good Old days’ presented by soccer pundit Eamon Dunphy and featuring such stars as Mary Coughlan, Alan Dukes and Noel Dempsey.

But by now the people had seen enough. Brushing aside the huddled group of journalists they rushed towards the bickering twosome at the wheel of state intent on taking control themselves.

And so, as we celebrate the centenary of the rebellion that launched the ship of state we wonder will the current conflict result in a change of course to the left or to the right or are we about to witness a final plunge into the dark depths of political despair.

Tune in for the next episode but be sure to bring a lifejacket – just in case.

 

Ivan Yates: Fifty years behind reality

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The unpalatable truth is that we’re hurtling towards a banana republic of gombeenism.

This is the view expressed by Ivan Yates in today’s Irish Independent. The truth is we are not hurtling towards banana republic status, we reached that point at least fifty years ago.

Yates worked for years in the political system as a TD and minister. He has worked for years in the media as a broadcaster and as a political analyst and yet his knowledge of what’s going on in our country is at least fifty years behind reality.

That’s how bad things are in our country.

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Ivan Yates