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(screengrab via TV3)
HERE WE ARE, 31 days away from deciding on whether this country should ratify the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.
That’s the official title – the ‘Yes’ camp prefers to call it the ‘Stability Treaty’; the ‘No’ camp is plumping for the ‘Austerity Treaty’. We here at TheJournal.ie are going to refer to it as the Fiscal Compact referendum.
Tonight, we’re bringing you full live coverage of the first major televised debate on the referendum – The Europe Debate with Vincent Browne - out in Ballymount at TV3′s studios. Let’s start the countdown…
Good evening, folks. All four of the politicians debating the issues of the fiscal compact have arrived at TV3′s studios in Ballymount. TheJournal.ie’s reporters have been on hand to tease out some of what you can expect to hear tonight…
Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney was first up on the… ahem… red carpet. Susan Ryan asked him about the tweet the Labour Party sent out earlier today in reply to @kencurtin’s enquiry about Labour sending no representative to the debate tonight:
Is it true, Simon Coveney – ARE you speaking for Labour tonight?
Coveney: “No, Fine Gael and Labour are two separate parties. We’re together in government and together in this campaign. We had a joint statement last Saturday so we’re very much working together and I hope we’ll work with Fianna Fáil also on this campaign. This isn’t about party politics and I hope that people focus on the issues because that’s the important thing.
What I say this evening I’m saying on behalf of Fine Gael and I hope that it will be supported by Labour as well.”
So now, Labour Party official Twitter account.
Mary Lou McDonald is limbering up even on her way in. The Government’s plan isn’t working, she said, and she’ll be setting out Sinn Féin’s alternatives for the country instead of signing the treaty.
“We need jobs, we need growth, this treaty will deliver nothing.” And off she goes.
Joe Higgins, as one would expect from the veteran Socialist Party man, has plenty to say. He told TheJournal.ie‘s Christina Finn:
“Austerity has brought us to the disastrous situation we are in today. Piling on more austerity is insanity. We need public investment and fundamental change in our taxation policy, our financial institution should invest in community and should not be in the hands of the sharks in the financial market.”
Asked if Ireland would be pushed out on its own, away from Europe, if it failed to ratify the treaty he said:
“The Government said there is no need for a second bailout so I don’t know why they are warning us? The question we will be posing tonight is what on earth the Minister for Finance was saying when he said that a no vote will affect the budget – a budget that is probably already decided between him and the troika already.” Ouchy.
Meanwhile, our reporter Sineád O’Carroll has been keeping track of Micheál Martin on his way to the make-up room. He wouldn’t answer any questions on whether Eamon O Cuiv was in trouble for plumping for a No vote.
Higgins feels that a No vote would be a “massive rejection” of austerity policies and a demand for radical change and job creation, and for a financial system that won’t serve bondholders and billionaires.
Simon Coveney’s answer is to recognise that the treaty won’t completely change the world but it will encourage ”responsible budgeting” among all European states and ensure “that we won’t get into this mess again”.
He brings up access to the ESM (European Stability Mechanism).
Mary Lou McDonald says we just can’t afford it – and we can’t afford to tie the hands of this Government or of any future government.
She says that this Government is behaving in an “inept” manner and is trying to “bully” people into signing up to something that will “deepen our problems”.
Micheál Martin is concentrating on the treaty in terms of guaranteeing us access to future funds. “We either get it from the markets or from the European Stability Mechanism”. A Yes vote would make sure we had access to “cheaper money that would cost less than if we vote No”.
Mary Lou is already rolling her eyes.
New question – if we don’t vote Yes, we won’t have access to a second bailout?
Joe Higgins believes that the idea that we won’t have access to ESM funds if we vote No (the “blackmail clause” he calls it) has not yet been enshrined in EU law and that Ireland has a veto vote to stop that becoming the case…
And, he says, we’re already in a bailout situation which has proven disastrous for our people. A second bailout would destroy the economy.
Vincent: So we shouldn’t bother taking a second bailout if we need one?
Higgins: It would be a bailout for bankers and it would destroy what is left of the country.
Simon Coveney: As long as 90 per cent of the funds to be put in the ESM are contributed by member states, it WILL be set up he said. Ireland won’t have a veto, he says, sure, we’re only putting in 1.57 per cent of those funds.
Coveney says that actually investors are more likely to give us money if they think we are part of the ESM because it’s almost like an insurance.
Vincent wants to know why the Government signed up to the clause that said we only get access to ESM funds if we vote Yes.
Simon Coveney is saying it’s in our interest to – that it’s a source of stability and there isn’t a source of funding anywhere else.
Vincent not letting it go…
Coveney repeating that ESM is a stability mechanism.
Mary Lou McDonald is getting in on this – she says the Government is being very “cynical”. The ESM “is not yet established – that’s a fact”. The Government has to give it its approval for it to be set up, she says.
She’s telling Vincent Browne he had a “fair point” in his question about the “blackmail clause” because she claims the Government have ability to get rid of it if they want to.
That got Micheál Martin going. “I don’t want to veto the ESM fund!” Why would we, he says, it’s a secure, stable fund that could fund Irish public services if the markets won’t lend to us.
Joe Higgins seems to have scented the blood of the argument getting going so he’s coming in with “underhand manoeuvre” accusation at Taoiseach Enda Kenny who he said gave EU “gun to point at the head of the Irish people” over threat to leave us out of ESM if we don’t ratify.
Much talk of big sticks, guns to head and blackmail in store tonight, it seems…
Micheál Martin is that reducing general debt to below 60 per cent of GDP is achievable…
Mary Lou McDonald saying that the provisions of this treaty wouldn’t have protected us from the economic crash that happened. Austerity strategy “is not working” and that this is not a stimulus. In fact, the treaty would tie the hands of the State to make prudent investments to get the economy going.
Simon Coveney: “Mary Lou can’t back up where she would get the money (for those measures).
Mary Lou McDonald: “Mary Lou can back that up… let me do the figures…”
While Mary Lou McDonald is scribbling, Simon Coveney has a pop at Sinn Féin “misquoting” economist Karl Whelan in their referendum leaflets while simultaneously asking why businesses are looking for us to vote Yes if this is a treaty that will squash jobs and growth.
Mary Lou McDonald is back with figures: There is €5.5bn in the National Pension discretionary fund, she says. You can’t cut your way out of this.
Joe Higgins is saying that the onus is on the Minister (Coveney) and Micheál Martin on what economic impacts the treaty would have if it went through. Micheál Martin complaining that Joe Higgins won’t answer his question. Yeah, says Simon Coveney (sort of). The question – in case you’ve lost the thread - is to ask Higgins what he would suggest as an alternative to signing up to the fiscal compact.
Vincent Browne: One way or another, there will be austerity but if we say No and are deprived of a second bailout should we need it, where will we get the money?
Joe Higgins wants everyone to agree first that a second bailout “as proposed by them” (of bondholders and bankers, he says) would kill us. What we need are taxes on high earners, he says, and put those funds towards bailing out the people.
Vincent making Higgins answer the question: What if we need a bailout in 2014, where will be get it?
Higgins says a progressive taxation on wealth.
“€15bn overnight from taxation?” asks Vincent incredulously. We wish the camera would pan to his face at this point.
Mary Lou McDonald says she thinks the Yes camp is wrong to keep saying we won’t get money from ESM if we vote No. She says the reason it is there is to keep Europe stable.
Ad break. Put on the kettle. I’m going for a lie-down. Coveney and Martin are going into a huddle*. (*I may have made that one up).
So now. If you want to read the Fiscal Compact for yourself, our own Gavan Reilly did a rather handy version of it in layman’s language. Plain English if you will. Read it HERE.
Note: This document should be not should not be treated as a full, legally valid document. It is offered only to try and help people understand the requirements and terms of the treaty by ‘translating’ each point into more everyday English.
A full ‘official’ copy of the original treaty is available in English here and in Irish here.
And if you’d prefer to take a break and talk about the weather, this is how miserable it looked out in TV3 this evening. Lashing it was. (Thanks to Susan Ryan for standing out in the cold).
We couldn’t help but notice that the various pols were doing their ‘doorstep’ on one of the disability parking spaces. But, we’re told, there were lots of parking spaces available at TV3 this evening.
Aaaannnd we’re back.
Vincent is starting from the right this time. Simon Coveney is asked if there wouldn’t be absolute chaos if we turned down the treaty.
Coveney doesn’t think it is “believable” that we could not sign up and then go looking for money from the EU.
Micheál Martin says a No vote creates an “uncertain scenario”. We might not be barred from borrowing from European mechanisms or from the IMF – but it’s by no means clear, he says.
Why wouldn’t we choose for a vote that would get us cheaper money, he says.
Vincent putting forward the interesting theory that people might vote no, partly because they have had no say in what has happened to us fiscally in the last few years.
Martin: If they do vote no, they’ll have consequences to deal with. He says that a bailout programme was a “sensible” option because otherwise we would have been off looking for money at “punitive” rates to get us out of the economic hole we found ourselves in.
Simon Coveney is being posed the question that the Government didn’t ask for a writedown of the debt once they got into power.
Coveney slightly chides Vincent (careful, now!) saying people are tuning in to listen to a debate about the fiscal treaty. “The idea that we would take a leap into the dark and throw Ireland into the eye of the storm” of uncertainty by advocating a No vote is madness he says. He might not have said madness, but that’s the jist.
Mary Lou McDonald says there are certainties from the treaty alright – but a certainty that the State will concede more powers to the EU courts, to more austerity.
McDonald is saying that the treaty will essentially rip the hearts out of the public. Martin is saying treaty gives a structure on the way back to growth. Higgins is holding up his notebook and wants to speak.
Higgins says Coveney has “the nerve” to say a No vote will throw us into the dark. This will create “further devastating crisis” he says.
“We need to break with the current financial system”.
Martin says the EU has to up its game, and get budgets balanced and we do need a European Central Bank and we need European bonds. But, he says, all of that can happen and the treaty won’t stop that.
Higgins: A No vote will be a protest against the “financial system”.
Simon Coveney says Mary Lou McDonald is “misleading” people saying we can get money from elsewhere. We (the Government, we presume) have sat down and laid out a potential way of getting it.
ESM, EFSF, IMF – the “alphabet soup” McDonald mentioned earlier – are places we can get money, she says.
Micheál Martin ends the debate with thought that his party wants the best for the country. No-one else gets a little summary line – will they be happy with that?
So that’s it until Tonight with Vincent Browne at 11pm where he will discuss the debate that he has just chaired.
There will be a final doorstep with candidates – sorry, debate participants – on their way out of Ballymount. We’ll bring you any interesting lines from that shortly.
In the meantime, who do you think will be in the biggest hurry to get out the door?
Which of the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps pulled together best?
While Vincent Browne was pointing his biro at the four speakers in TV3 studio, Lucinda Creighton and Clare Daly were having it out on the same issue on RTÉ’s Prime Time.
We’ll leave you to decide who was in which camp.
Eamon Ryan and Declan Ganley will be two of the guests on Tonight with Vincent Browne later, we are just hearing.
We wonder how this lady will be voting?
This is Rita Fagan who was with the Spectacle of Defiance and Hope group, protesting today at the May Day protest march in Dublin. Today is International Labour Day and the march was organised by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions – around 500 people marched at it biggest point, and it included community groups, Occupy activists as well as trade unions. And Rita. Photo from Mark Stedman in Photocall Ireland.
So, you’ll remember the story we ran last Thursday about Sinn Féin denying that they had “selectively” used the quotes of economists on their ‘No’ campaign leaflets? All three economists – Karl Whelan and Colm McCarthy of UCD – and Seamus Coffey of UCC are actually advocating a ‘Yes’ vote.
Karl Whelan was tuned in tonight. I don’t think Sinn Féin will be quoting him on this one:
On the way out of the TV3 studios, Simon Coveney said that there will definitely be no second referendum if we fail to ratify the treaty this time. It only needs 12 countries to ratify it.
Joe Higgins was asked what he thought of his performance and he said that the purpose of tonight’s debate was to focus on getting the ‘Yes’ camp to vote on X,Y and Z. Mary Lou McDonald was asked what she thought of Higgins’s performance and she thought it not a fair question and that it wasn’t up to her to comment.
As for Micheál Martin, he’s willing to work with Fine Gael on getting the ‘Yes’ vote through…
It’s not every day you get to see someone commit political suicide on TV, but it’s hugely entertaining when it happens.
Can just imagine the FGers burying their heads in their hands as Vincent gave him more time. Lovely.
Jeebus. Yeah, usually not VB’s style to just let out more rope but he couldn’t resist in this case.
‘Let him speak, let him speak’. Lol.
If he is like that on the door step he will bomb in the polls. Lot of the Constituency would be rougher round the edges than most areas and Coughlan’s patrician attitude will bomb.
Saw this ‘ listen to me’ ‘listen to me’ , was shocked ..
an appalling performance altogether. fair dues to Vinnie for giving the independents time to speak; too bad that more don’t
He is a very arrogant little man. His head is so far up his own hole, his brain seems deprived of oxygen. He has an enormous sense of self importance, why I don’t know.
He might be an eejit, but he did win a world title in one of the most competitive sports on the planet, whereas Helena Marie Ryan has won…. Well nothing actually.
That was the biggest political car crash I’ve ever seen on TV.
“Vincent – I’ve been knockin’ on HUNDREDS of thousands of doors!” – so obviously he must’ve been in a Woodie’s DIY warehouse.
And to think that I idolised this guy as a kid. (Sigh)
Ah leave the poor guy alone. Even for a former professional sportsman, he must be knackered after knocking on “hundreds of thousands of doors in West Dublin”. Didn’t realise the place was so big !!!
Given that he ran and always came second in races like the 103 metres indoor, the 1509 metres indoor I’m not surprised that he gives the figures he does.
So he’s not a runner then ?
He was always involved in a things that were like running but not really running. Strange distances in strange venues for trophies nobody had ever heard of. I always think of him as being involved in extensions of the three legged race or the sack race.
In some respects, he is perfectly suited to a certain type of canvassing. He probably thinks he is in some world championship race that involves walking from door to door of an evening. The winner is the person who can knock on the most doors while maintaining the greatest silence on political matters.
Don’t be surprised if, after it is all over, FG have a trophy presentation in a dimly lit shed in some suburban wasteland outside Dublin (it wouldn’t be fair to Eamon not to maintain the pretence that he is in a race of some kind or other). And maybe a special big chocolate medal that he can bring in and show off to the Seanad on the following Monday. Well done, Eamon!
It’s not actually an election for Sportsman of the Year Joe.
He’s a non runner now !
A world title -for what- running, he’ll be doing plenty of that now – whats your point joe
When he won his medal he still had to sneer at the russian runner so its nothing new for him to be arrogant
Here we go the same oul S**t. He won a race. Big F*****G deal. Get over it. He is an automaton.
Jog on Eamonn
He never ran a race that was not for money. Same as this race
I reckon Coghlan will finish 4th – just like happened in the Olympics in ’76 and ’80.
“Eamon Coughlan gets SLAMMED on Twitter”
A more fitting title to this Journal article…
I’m from Dublin West and to my shame I haven’t voted in a while. I am definitely getting out next week to vote after seeing this and other performances from Coghlan………….voting to make sure every other candidate gets my preference before this clown. He is a disgrace and holds no mandate from anyone in the country and hopefully it stays that way after next Friday.
Well said Nosmo!!!
He’ll be lucky to save his deposit
Get all you know out to vote against this anti people machine
I have just looked at this as I did not see the programme. I am glad I looked at it because I never want to be the subject of such disdainful, arrogant looks as he threw round the place. Who does he think he is – not my vote for sure. Toddle off sir,
“Anti Peeple” is our Leaders pronounciation and selection.
did he finish 4th – I think so but not too bothered – main thing he lost!!
You can see why FG rushed this by-election, not wanting to expose Coghlan to any scrutiny. However in the few minutes he had to talk last night he destroyed any hope he had. Saying he was sick of hearing about the struggles of people was a particularly bad moment for him.
Yep his head seems to have swelled. What the F..k has he done as a Senator?????
I would be more concerned about the direction this country is going, if the government party thinks its a good idea to get a non z lister to run for a seat- we’re in trouble, its time to wake up people
Absolutely. I never have seen such a cringe worthy expose.
200 comments on this non event scutter and barely 20 on the Moody’s upgrade, The majority of those being cynical in nature. Yiz are like aul ones chatting over clothes lines.
He called to my door canvassing a few years ago. He seemed to think I should vote the way he said because he was well known. I pretended not to have a clue who he was and he wasn’t very impressed. After his ‘Vote my way because I’m famous and you can trust me’ speech he didn’t have a lot to say, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!
You’d really think political parties would have learned about ‘celebrity’ candidates by now. Especially Fine Gael (George Lee, Peter Matthews, and now this guy).
Well said Padraig.
Ken Kenny Kenneth Egan would be devastated to see that you forgot to mention him
@Saul. True, mea culpa!! Hard to remember them all though.
@Padraig McHale:
You forgot Frank McNamara!
@JohnWard. To be fair, he’s not even a celebrity in his own house!
Dont forget Graham Geraghty
Or John O Leary – ran for FF in Balbriggan – got his arse kicked !
What a bloody country, we actually give press to these z listing celebrity fools, I weep for the future
If I went round knocking on doors to introduce myself I’d be arrested!
Or sectioned.
Should read: Eamonn Coghlan impersonates a politician. Accurately.
Eamonn Coglan obviously just being friendly to the gentleman as it was a hot sunny day in Dublin and was not canvassing, yeah that’s right, was Not canvassing for votes. Eamonn do us all a favour…….,
He was poor in the extreme…absolutely zero to say of any consequence outside the spin doctored ‘sound bites’…
Sad thing is though people…even if he is not elected to the Dail next week…he’ll still be sitting in the Seanad after the election….food for thought hey!?
well we did have a choice to get rid of that waste of a place the senate what did we do vote to keep it so well done us.
The Irish have and always will have a FEAR of change. Hence we are in the doldrums politically for decades.
They need to invite him back to finish off that story.
It was carcrash tv at its best/worst.
Bloody hell, but he didn’t half give Eddie Lenihan a run for his money with that carry on.
What a plonker.
What an arrogant w***er!
True, but he won a piece of metal over 10 years ago so he must know how to RUN the place – NOT !!!
More like 35 years ago….and should have absolutely NO bearing on his competency, opening his mouth has a huge bearing however…..results just in Coughlan in a prize w****r!!!
Eamon Coughlan’s performance last night was dismal. But that Labour one, Lorraine Mulligan was god awful. She shrieked so much over every candidate talking, Vinnie had to tell her to shut up countless times.
The decond Labour candidate named Lorraine who behaved rudely and aggressively on VB, I think he should tell people to leave if they persist in that type of behaviour
she was awful , like a yappy dog in the backround , as for the lad from fis nua or what ever , he was at the wrong show , vincent felt sorry for him .
Imagine having to listen to her every day of the week ! Agggggggggh !!
Coghlan was embarrassing and Mulligan was annoying.
I thought it was Joan Burtons twin on the panel with her moany voice.
“take your hands off me please”
oh drama drama drama, does this count as a physical assault on the queen?
Coghlans input was about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike last night on v.b.Typical Fine Gael all show and no go!
Tbh I think the people of Dublin West have a hard choice, which of a bad lot to vote for.
I thought Paul Donnelly was outstanding in last night’s debate.
John Kidd was also good.
As for Lorraine Mulligan, who showed total disregard for everyone with her shouting and crosstalk; 6% in the straw poll was generous.
She was so ignorant. Absolutely appalling!!!
I think lorraine mulligan will spend next week reminiscing about the good old days when she was polling at 6%. Agree about Donnelly and Kidd, best performers of the night.
I loved the quip from Kidd about labour voters turning to SF. He shoots from the hip.
Agreed Thomas. Smacks of desperation.
One thing this does highlight is how amazingly crap a lot of Senators really are (I know, I know, why am I surprised!!). Between this and Labs Lorraine Mulligan in the Euros who’s only tactic seems to be personal attacks on Ming, it really does highlight that something needs to be done with the Seanad (and quelle surprise, but Coughlan and Mulligan both happen to be Taoiseachs nominees for this Seanad – says it all really).
Sorry, meant Lorraine Higgins for Lab in the Euros, not Loraine Mulligan in Dub West.
Padraig, agree with you, but you are mixing up Lorraine Mulligan and Lorraine Higgins.
Higgins is the Labour senator running in MNW Euros and attacking Ming.
Mulligan is the party chairperson of Labour who’s running in DublinWest by-election.
It’s an easy enough mistake though as they are both ignorant as hell and use similar tactics when debating. i.e., try to shout everyone down by talking across them.
Didn’t see your second post before posting , Padraig, apologies.
That’s ok, I’ll forgive you :)
total lack of self-control from Lorraine Mulligan, cutting across everyone who spoke, yes everyone, and being completely disrespectful
Just one small point Saul. Her comment may have been wrong, but numerous media sources seem to have forgotten that it was in response to Ming’s abhorrantly sexist statement about Labour only putting her on the ticket because she was pretty.
That’s not what he said, and what he said was not sexist. Unless of course only females are capable of looking good?
So saying she was only on the ticket because she looked good isn’t the same as saying because she is pretty so therefore is not sexist? Do me a favour! If any other male candidate said it they would be lynched, but it was Luke Ming stoner penalty points dodger Flanagan, and she’s only a Labour candidate so it’s ok. Do me a favour!
Barry. I’m not exactly a fan of Ming either but she chose to retaliate with cheap photoshopped pictures of Ming/Dustin the Turkey and showed herself to be no better than the rest of them. She could have showed some class in the way she reacted, instead she chose to show everybody she doesn’t have any.
Couldn’t agree more about both of them, but I was just pointing out that she was reacting, not just acting. She should have tackled him for a sexist comment, not stooped to his level.
She was pretty alright …….. pretty awful !!!
Pretty vacant
Can see the parallels with your comments and arrogant politicians name calling and imitating people in a derogatory way. Good to be consistent.
@Barry
they’re all bullies, should be ashamed of themselves
Eamonn was brutal alright but what about the FIS Nua candidate, he couldnt even speak.
Yeah, was bad. Glad I don’t live in Dublin West
Deer in the headlights.
What is it with FG !! They wanted George Lee, and made a fool of the man. Kenny Eagan admitted he knows nothing about politics and now they roll out Eamon Coghlan who as we now see doesn’t know why voters are angry. Who’s next
In fairness, George Lee (agriculture) made a fool of himself. He needed no help. And returned, unaided, to his fully pensionable permanent job
Michael Noonan!!!!! The Joker!!
A sitting senator you say…can we have that referendum again please?
Wait till The Mario Rossentock sketch of this is brodcast!!!!
Coughlan hung himself last night
That wasn’t Mario???? :-)
Eamon came across as elitist, condescending and aloof not really the attributes of an electable candidate for Dublin West, the only two that made any impression was David Hall and the SF candidate.
These videos of Fine Gael are a great laugh
The hair,the tan,the attitude!!
Is this some kind of joakim phoenix style performance art piece?
He gave a speech a few years ago at a company day as guest speaker – was brutal – he was making it up as he went along – reminded me of a character called Denver Mills in the comedy show Little Britain
Between Coughlans cringeworthy performance last night and enda kenny egans ‘I don’t know anything about politics’, FGs cynical ploy of running celebrity candidats could well bite them in the ass next Friday.
Inexperience did for Labour’s Mulligan and Coughlan.
Moral of the story is, train your candidates in how to debate and hold the nerve and no random magic mushroom tales in the middle of it all.
According to an inside source, Mulligan (the party Chairperson) was selected because they couldn’t find anybody else to stand in Dublin west. Their local election candidate was asked but she declined as she thought her chances of getting elected to Council was greater.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this were the case. Desperate times indeed.
I thought Eamon Coughlan was smarter than this, he has lost all my respect I had for him as a runner I’d say when he looks back on all this he will be sorry he ever accepted a senatorship from kenny, as kenny was only using him. Trying to imitate an old man that really low.
Another out of touch idiot living in an ivory tower.
Anyone else fed up of these blueshirt ‘sport’ recruits. Seriously they have Eamonn Coughlan, half the GAA and I bloody Ken Egan as well.
I think FG and Labour should stop doing Vincent’s Debates
They do not cover themselves in glory
Just as well Eamonn did not need votes for the Seanad
Stick to running please
It was painful watching
As for Labour
Is Joan Burton giving them lesson in high pitched squealing?
Aside from Coughlans performance last night what about the Labour candidate she sounded like Joan Burton with her high pitched voice.
Talking over the rest of the other candidates, And as for the FF lad who brought up the cost of the setting up Irish Water.
And how tax payers money was wasted with consultants etc, Maybe he should look closer to his own party regarding waste of money, Ala PPARS e voting machines to just name a few.
Ass*ole!
To be fair Coghlan came across as open and honest – and passionate. His unpolished approach is very refreshing.
Seems the Journal is trying to spin this negatively. Surprise Surprise.
Ok..apart from him looking well..what did he actually say of substance in terms of beliefs and policy!??????
He seemed like an old annoying muppet that sits on the highstool talking shite to anyone that will listen
Didn’t see the whole thing but Vincent called it spot on, he wasn’t in there for any other reason than to get his vote so this just to introduce himself was pretty much nonsense.
You can extract a minute of dialogue from every single politician where they aren’t saying things of substance on beliefs and policy.
John. He did come across as open, honest, passionate and unpolished. The problem is he also came across as clueless and useless. That’s not spin, just the opinion of an unaffiliated voter.
John
Were you watching the same Vincent Brown show as the rest of us???
I’ll try watch the whole program and see if he has anything of substance to say. Y’all could be right and his unpolished directness is all there is too him.
I just wouldn’t slam him based on the clip. I’d slam him if that’s all he got.
Did you watch the show? He was sneering and smirking when the candidate Paul Donnelly was talking about homelessness. Eamonn Coghlan came out in reply with the comment ‘all rhetoric I hear morning, noon, and night’. If that is what you mean by open, honest and passionate then I would rather my taxes weren’t paying him a decent salary with a lot of perks. As Paul Donnelly said in reply ‘It is not rhetoric it is real people’s lives’
Nope, haven’t had my vinb fix for a while. Will tune in later.
Johngahan – An unpolished Blueshirt ?
He came across as an arrogant pup – saying to an elderly man that he was only calling to his house “to introduce himself and was not looking for his vote”
Well holy god , as Miley used to say !
Is Coughlan & his FG Cronies really trying to take us for total eegits altogether ?
And then you Johngahan referring to him as refreshing ?
Let’s see who are refreshing next week Sir ?
It’s just more of the same old rubbish we’ve come to expect. Nothing new here from them. What a depressing lot.
Who is he kidding? “I only came here to introduce myself”? It’s as though Alan Partridge was running for office, “needless to say, I had the last laugh”.
Coghlan came across as a very arrogant man a bit clueless and completely out of his depth when quizzed by Brown. As for the Labour canidate all she did was shout and shout and shout again she must be listening to Joan Burton too much.
Listen John, listen, listen, listen, listen to be John, listen to me, listen, listen! Go away n sh!ite! The guy is as arrogant as they come, topped by the fact the he hadn’t anything of interest to say, his only input was to slam other peoples view with pure ignorance!
Chairman of The Bore then ?
You didn’t even watch it . Another inherited FG from you.
Come on mate, get a bloody grip, he was a farce
Don’t bother Johnaghan. Your full of s++t and watching VB won’t be good for you.
Thought he was going to stick a loaf on the panelists . Listen , listen , listen , will ye listen to me !
Spectacular own goal from FG brilliant car crash tv
So Fine Gael in Dublin West don’t want votes! Coughlan was only introducing himself, one week before the election? Ok I will stop criticising . Seriously , well done to Eamon Coughlan on the funniest off the cuff comedy sketch ever, bar none. Keep up the good work. It must also be said that the only “good” thing Eamon’s exhibition did was take the glow from Lorraine Higgins’ (lab) own disgraceful exhibition.
These are the idiots labour and Fine Gael want us to vote for. OMG!
And this is the future? Give me patience……Time for the dinosaurs (Kenny, Noonan, Adams etc) to call it a day. There are plenty of proactive forward thinking young politicians in each party. The country needs real change so step aside and leave it to the next generation! If they were real public servants they would have to retire at 65
He thinks better with his feet than his brain,……..dummy!
I am still waiting to hear the lad from Fis Nua other two policies.
Eamonn is a lovely man. Lived across street from him when i was a kid and he always took me running till i couldn’t keep up with him and he was going onto the main roads (helping me train to be a sprinter) Unfortunately i had injury so couldn’t further it :( . He also got me a kitten for birthday when i was 7.
However i wouldn’t be voting for him in politics.I would like to see him in charge of school sports in Ireland though and control the kitty for it.
Horses for courses.
He is not a politician or TD material.
Like the idea of getting him in charge of School sports, too many fat kids these days.
Its not even the weight issues( i think majority of Irish kids are slim) Their health on other hand Sean and mental stimulation that comes with it not to mention feeling good.
I was very lucky in school in primary. All the teachers did sports with the kids for at least 40 mins in day(weather permitting) and we were much happier and performed better in our subjects.
When they took that away i noticed the difference in kids in schools.
He should concentrate on what he would be brilliant at head of sports and recreational for education in Ireland.
Seaaaannnnniiiieee – He is a bit like you sonny boy – not fit to be a politician either – not even in FF !
Have you seen the schoolkids of today? what they eat and how little they exercise. Just cos you are slim doesn’t mean you are fit!
End of the day FG are just FF with thinner ties.
FG are more like the PD’s…The FF who wanted it all for themselves, and who want to privatise everything. I wish they would just merge and be done with it
Oh lads it was embarrassing to watch. He came across so smug and disconnected. If this is what he’s saying on live television about his constituents imagine what he’s saying in private. It was pretty obvious that he holds the rest of us – the unwashed masses in complete contempt. Some serious damage control to be done in the Fine Gael camp this morning.
In the immortal words of Donald Trump. Your Fired.
And to think people actually voted in favour of gits like him keeping their over paid jobs in the seanad
I couldn’t help but wonder what Lorraine Mulligan sounds like when she has an orgasm – based on her shrieking last night, I reckon it’s a cross between Lassie Howling and an Airliner!
completely out of his depth last night ….. looked like an amatuer
He won’t be running away with the vote after this performance…see what I done there
Car crash TV for both Labour and FG. I have an element of sympathy for Coghlan, in ten minutes he destroyed much of the respect afforded to him which he gained from his past achievements. Now when I hear the name Eamonn Coghlan, this program will come to mind in the forefront. When will these parties learn that celebrity candidates just do not work, many are so caught up in their own self importance that there is not much room for empathy.
Plonker. Jog on Eamonn. Your out of touch just like your party. Too busy pandering to the EU and the banks whilst you shaft us with austerity taxes.
No wonder they named a roundabout after him in Drimnagh. On last nights performance the rest of the field ‘ll run rings around him.
First Enda insults voters, now this clown. FG are working very hard to ensure that they don’t stay in government.
Eamonn Coughlan was a great runner….end of story. He is not very bright though if he thinks voters will elect him if he can’t understand that people,including the man he mocked, are concerned with survival from a party of parasites like Fine Gael who represent nobody but the well heeled in this banana republic. Eamon is a bit of a thick if you ask me.
Spectacular own goal by FG brilliant car crash tv
Kenny and Coughlan are well met- mouth moves before brain engages.
FG using celebs as candidates just goes to show how little they rate the public, the arrogance would be laughable but we get what we deserve
Paul Donnelly will make a fine TD …if not this time then the next election.He had come on leaps and bounds since his last appearance on Vinny…Only one with a constituency office .. That says a lot.
Has he had a nose job? Look closely.
Running should carry a Health warning
—”Running causes Brain Damage”
He needs help.
He fit in well in FG
He’s always struck me as a bit socially thick.
A johnaghan just give up please im even starting to feel sorry for you he was a gobshi.e and if he is the type of person u want running for fg all I can say to u in a big thank you roll on next week
Embarrassing clip
“Eamon Bellend” go back to the track and be a great man to the community..
So now we know; The returning officer will read out the votes tomorrow week including the line “Lorraine Mulligan Two” and for the first time ever we will know the demographics of one of the candidates as Lorraine votes for herself and johngahan votes for her too. I don’t know which of the two is worse but as for Eamon Coughlan, well now, where do you start?
The Internet needs an “Eamon Coglan/Linda Hunny Listen” mashup.
Make it happen…
John…I’d say you give everyone a great laugh down at the pub…and I don’t mean with you, I mean at you!,
Lets count FG seat numbers after elections and and see who’s laughing then.
Why are you answering for John,Sebastian ?
Seb/John screwed up again ha ha.
Sebastian – you won’t be laughing or Lab/FG won’t either !!!
Barry it might be best if you actually looked up what Ming said.Both times you have misrepresented what he said.
Wow! Coughlan just kind of melts down. He seemed to think he was having bar room chat or something. Wish I’d seen it live now haha
Hope no one votes for this big mouth Eamon coglian was a disgrace on v b
He was an arrogant b@st@rd!
“SOOOOREEEEE”
Terry Prone must be on holidays
Eamonn should stick to running-from the doors!…
Sinn Fein has a team of scientists working secretly to clone dozens of copies of Sen. Coughlan and send them into the working class estates of Dublin.
“I don’t want your vote-I’m just waiting on a mate”
When he was a athletics pundit on RTE all he could do was talk about was Sonia O Sullivan. When she was running he’d go into overdrive. Have never seen him speaking in the Seanad. Never realised he was a senator until recently. Doesn’t say much about his contribution to irish politics.
Coghlan should take some pleasure being the attack target on the forum today. Clearly has SF rattled.
John boy, Tis time for bed boy!!!!
What?
Why would Eamon Coghlan making a complete bellend of himself have SF rattled? If anything I would say he has the FG spin doctors rattled, because there’s another one they can’t let out in public unscripted.
Coghlan is venturing into Sinn Fein’s carefully crafted ‘we care, we really do’ message.
Hence the aggressive motherload of forum posters slamming Coghlan.
Everyone is fighting to appear the most sincere man-of-the-people card. SF are very happy if FG seem for the middle class. But lash out if FG ventures into their favoured demographic. Coghlan must be annihilated by SF or he’ll eat Donnelly’s message.
John after last nights performance, I doubt SF or anybody else is even worrying about Eamon Coghlan.
We’ll see what the polls say on the day. Lorraine has my vote.
Lorraine Mulligan?
Ah sure it’s your vote, you can waste it whatever way you see fit.
John, you really do sound like a paranoid looper. You should get some help.
Johngahan – one place your quoting Coghlan – the other – you haven’t watched Vincent Browne lately …..& you are then giving verdicts on performance ????
My golly these FG Trolls are not even reading up on the “what say & what not to say”, from the Turd Reich FG Propaganda Office !!!
John – Will you get the lies to stick please – Coghlan was never a Member of SF or the IRA either !!!!!!!
Coughlans mouth committed Hara Kiri jonaghan. He needed no help from Sinn Fein.
I can’t believe it!! I thought sports stars where automatically good at politics and all the PR spin that goes with it, from the moment they retired!
What a smug bell end.
Definitely don’t need another one of these in 5 Dail.
Had to laugh when Coughlan indicated that TDs have suffered financially ( in response to Vincent saying that TD’sre earning more now). ” They’ve lost their Mercedes”. What planet is he on?????
far too many people on the panel, Eamonn could hardly be heard above the noise. No wonder Duncan Stewart made demands.
I’m pretty sure FG are sorry he could be heard above the noise.
Considering Eamon ‘ s dismissal of people’s hardship as rhetoric and miserable impression of a voter it would have been best for him had he not been heard.But he was and people saw him for what he is, a great runner but an abysmal politician.
Did you meet the voter? Maybe the impression was spot on.
And this weeks winner of ‘completely missing the point’ goes to……..johngahan.
Whose point is this? Your point?
And he makes it a double with the award for ‘lame comeback of the week’.
Padraig. Your comments made my day. lol especially the “Troll Control.”
He impersonated that mans voice it sounded like a bull frog calling out for a mate !
If he wants to be ‘The Voice’ , I think he’s on the wrong show.
Don’t see way people are sayin anythin other than he’s right fair play to him because most people are like that wen they knock we’ve all been hit by tis governed some more than others just hope wat he’s sayin is true that he really wants to be the voice for the people and not just the money
Most people can see that Stephen, you are just witnessing the mob of Sinn Fein forum patrollers who spend their day blitzing every article with SF propaganda and slamming any other contributor for being a ‘troll’.
Speaks volumes about the party’s gestapo mentality.
As opposed to blitzing non Sinn Fein related articles with comments about Sinn Fein.
Stephen and jonaghan. Get a room.
I was expecting a bit more from the video after reading the article #letdown
A member of Irish Seanad with an IQ even lower than Dubya! – but many of the same vapid characteristics – anti-intellectual narrow minded megalomaniacal self-absorption with total reliance on sound bites to promulgate his self-righteousness. Plaudits to the electorate of West Dublin for eliminating him!
Not a great advert for a Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova in Marketing and Communications!. Lacked the self insight to realise he was disgracing himself with every syllable he uttered. He was a talented runner but his delusions of adequacy meant he never won when it really mattered, apart from 1983 when he beat a substandard field and tried to humiliate the poor Russian he overtook – arrogance and ignorance – is this the future for FG – Dumb and Dumber indeed.
Ah hear leave it out he’s looking for a part in love hate .
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