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IT’S A WARM Wednesday morning and Pat Rabbitte has to negotiate four flights of stairs to get into TheJournal.ie‘s offices in Dublin.
When he eventually arrives at what used to be the former election headquarters of the Labour party, the Dublin South-West TD wonders if we were trying to punish him.
We assure him that the lifts really are out of order and we all had to negotiate the steps that morning.
He appears unconvinced but after pleasantries are exchanged and coffee is provided he sits down for a High Table Interview.
He can’t do much about being misrepresented
You may remember Rabbitte’s infamous “isn’t that what you do during an election?” comments on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics over two years ago. The opposition have frequently used the remarks as a way of hammering Labour for breaking pre-election pledges.
When he was communications minister, Rabbitte explained to us how his comments were taken out of context. This week, we asked him if he was annoyed at how the remarks are consistently used against him and the government. He was typically robust in his response:
The people who are alleging it against me know bloody well what the situation is.
That ‘Every Little Hurts’ leaflet has… hurt
Those misinterpreted comments had originally been made in the course of an answer to questions about Labour’s now infamous ‘Every Little Hurts’ leaflet prior to the last general election.
Several TDs have admitted the leaflet – and the broken pledges – have damaged the party in subsequent years and Rabbitte does not disagree.
However, he explained the reasons why the leaflet was issued and claimed it was part of ensuring there was not a Fine Gael overall majority after the last election.
He thinks Sinn Féin would have taken Ireland over a cliff
Sinn Féin’s close alignment with Syriza is coming under scrutiny in the wake of the Greek debt crisis in recent weeks.
Unsurprisingly, government ministers have been quick to point to Greece as an example of where Ireland could have been under Sinn Féin. Rabbitte is no different.
The unfortunate lesson from the Greece situation for Ireland is that Sinn Féin, like Syriza, could have taken us over the cliff.
Why Labour isn’t benefiting from the referendum
Despite being front and centre of the recent marriage referendum campaign, Labour has had no sustained boost in the polls as a result of the overwhelming Yes vote. In fact, the party slipped back three points in the latest Red C/Sunday Business Post survey.
Why? Rabbitte said this has been a long-standing problem for Labour where it tackles the great social issues of the day but doesn’t get the credit at the ballot box – and that annoys him.
He still hasn’t decided if he’s running again
Rabbitte has been very honest about his indecisiveness when it comes to running for re-election.
We pressed the Dublin South-West TD as much as we could but, despite his convention being less than a month away, he still hasn’t made his mind up.
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What really annoys me is how labour are now are far right party implementing FG policy. The people of Ireland would have more respect if Labour pulled out years ago.
What is truly amazing is that the Labour Party of old would have been out protesting in Jobstown while waving Greek flags and denouncing the water tax.
I wouldn’t vote for Labor cause I felt they were too left wing, they get into power and are now too right wing.
If I voted for them i’d be disgusted, they totally betrayed their support.
The excuse given for the leaflet is really poor, that’s the best he can think of?
Pat Rabitte was labour? It’s so hard to tell them apart anymore!
As a former member of labour this man disgusts me, the fact he is still in labour after his admission was mind boggling at the least. Labour have dug a hole so deep they will disappear after the next election and deservedly so. As for FF and FG? How anyone votes for them is even more of a mystery. I’ve never voted SF but the likes of Rabbitt might just push me there
the labour party is dead and buried. rightly so
What a Muppet
Trying to conceal he’s hatred for the working class people who facilitated his career his lifestyle his 3 0r 4 chins and his massive pension that he will receive when he departs politics and probably dies at a ripe old age from gout .
Rabbitte is a bore.
Get back down your hole rabbitte
does the journal intend on whoring itself to whomever in Dinnyland, I’ll delete it if that’s the case
Pat will be finding out very soon that back peddling and failing to keep their word will bite all of them in the a_se very soon in the GE
David it’s Hugh’s objective
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Home%202015/Desktop/Write%20what%20you%27re%20told-250×273.jpg
Everyone and everything except pat rabbitt annoy pat rabbitt
what really annoys him is having to tell he truth, instead if just talking blah blah blah and ignoring any direct answers. it annoys me too.
He won’t because like all of the Labour party they will all be shafted.
looking at his smug lying face has put me of the Sunday fry
Now that’s really annoying!
I’ll have that fry if you don’t want it.
How about a veggie fry- sweet potato, aubergine, mushrooms, caramelised onions & a grilled Tomato- a healthy option!
I’ll have the veggie option as a side dish to my fry up.
I always have a veggie option in my house… if you don’t like the meat you can p iss off.
Can we have this interview in emoji please..!! Just for the jack rabbit craic!! ;)
Grab your pension and run you traitor.
This guy will soon be rabbit stew
What really annoys Pat the taker, the truth.
Chimera. Don’t believe a word that comes out of his mealy mouth. Deciever. One of many. A scourge to be ignored. He & his ilk are an anathema to decency. An aberation. Beware.
Ask him what legislative successes he has had in his lengthy political career and have they had a positive effect on the people of Ireland , and does he feel any sense of shame about admitting openly that he lies to get elected .
Who gives a damn what annoys Pat Rabbitte? I bet he’ll be annoyed when we throw him and his poisonous lot out next election!!
Well, telling lies at an election that’s what you would do. This us his legacy to history and what he will be remembered most for.
The sight of this man makes me sick. Crimes like lying to get elected are treasonous and should be tried as such. Trial and imprisonment or exile should be the punishment. Why is it that it is okay to rip off the citizen? They are supposed to work for us.
Labour get in their revenge before the inevitable wipe out. Classless, never thought they would sink as low as they have.
he has no shame
Labour had a chance to stay in opposition with their biggest ever haul of TD’s and we could’ve had real opposition, a real left but they chose to go to government to get the pay cheque or in their delusional minds to try and reign in FG but stupidly now, they have decimated themselves and we are left with nothing.. You betrayed out vote labour.. And what should’ve been off the table before they ever went into government was ensuring enda Kenny was never leader.. He’s a disaster.. Couldn’t run amok..
It was a pointless article the first time so your attempt at propaganda has failed Hugh. And “four flights of stairs”? Poor auld mr. Wabbite. No wonder he’s red in the face there.
Four flights, I’d say his legs were in shite this morning.
who cares what annoys fat chops rabbitte,he annoys us!!.
“Why? Rabbitte said this has been a long-standing problem for Labour where it tackles the great social issues of the day but doesn’t get the credit at the ballot box – and that annoys him.”
This is how you know Labour don’t live in the real world. Joan Burton will be wailing this like a banshee “WHEN” she loses her seat.
Hugh did you get Pat to sign your life sized poster of him, you been a fanboy and all?
Cheers Pat, don’t forget to close the door on the way out when you collect your fat cat pension after the next election.
This man is so arrogant I dont know why he gets so much media time and if he had a position he would not be climbing your stairs. He needs the attention so he will do it. So sad, he just sit back in his chair with his slippers and reflect on how he and his party sold the people of Ireland out and destroyed the party that was formed to protect the workers of Ireland. Shame on them and I wish the media would leave him to reflect.
It looks like rabbits has jumped ship from rte radio one and now has an office in the journal
This a meat slicer he need
The video when he is heckled at a hotel then refuses to intervene when the gards arrive and arrest the wrong man(a completely innocent bystander who hadn’t even spoken to him) shows his utter contempt for the public. Luckily the morbid obesity should sort him out soon.
More stale Pat Rabbitte, instead of fresh Rabbit Pate. Why?
What. A. Prlck!
Bit of a waste of time putting Rabbit on here. People know who they want kicked out in the next election, ministers are hated with a ferocity not seen since the civil war.We dont want to hear or see their faces anymore , nobody believes anything any of them say now.And still thry pretend they can lecture us….
He will need a ground floor office,the 4 flights of stair don’t seem to suit him.
Labour are still talking about collective bargaining for all working people.( Talk is all they will do). Alot of the jobs that are being created now are low paid agency work, these jobs are protected by nothing and this is a very worrying trend. This type of work will never be protected by collective bargaining.
horrible little excuse of a human being.
His picture would look good on a dart board……
Peter Griffin
Nobody cares about anything that man has to say.
fixed the headline. “What really annoys me? Pat Rabbite
You should turn the headline around and start a petition,Who does Pat Rabbit really annoy, I will be the first signature.
Private debt made into public debt using austerity???
And the joke is… The truth.
Directions in Europe, as Frankfurt’s way was not great for Liebour or the country but was that why he stepped down and let another carry the can instead of him like when Bertie and Blair knowing when to step down as well. Did he know when to step down leaving Labour with two labour captains for this government?
who cares. labour party turncoat
Pat has no interest in what annoys the electorate so why should we give a toss what annoys him
What really annoys Irish people – Pat Rabbite.
Fixed that headline for you.
What really annoys everyone? …pat rabbite
“Used to be the former….” Does that mean it is on longer the former office? If so, how did you twist the space / time continuum?
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