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http://youtu.be/CJCNTZnM4DQ
(YouTube: Hugh O’Connell)
ENDA KENNY HAS defended his decision not to participate in any televised debates on the Seanad referendum.
Following the defeat of the proposed amendment to abolish the second house, the Taoiseach spoke to reporters outside Dublin Castle and said he had appeared at “umpteen occasions like this” and debated the matter in the Dáil.
“People would love to have a shouting match between party political leaders…It is not a party political leader issue. It is a people’s issue.”
The Fine Gael leader has been criticised for not appearing during the campaign.
Democracy Matters campaigner Michael McDowell noted Kenny’s earlier declaration that Seanad abolition was his “personal initiative”, concluding then that he should have debated it.
“The real question is that when he brought it to the people why did it cease to be a personal leadership initiative? Why didn’t he lead when the Yes side required him to lead? That’s a matter for him to consider.”
Agreeing with that evaluation, Micheál Martin said the decision to decline two TV debates on RTÉ and TV3 did not go down well with people “on the doorstep”. It sent a “bad message”, according to the Fianna Fáil leader.
“Anecdotally, on the doorstep, meeting people around, people were not happy with the idea that the leader of the country who puts forward a very significant amendment to the Constitution… is not prepared to debate it.”
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In fairness the Muppet if it had performed would have increased the no vote substantially.
Totally agree Keith. Had Kenny debated I think they would have won the vote. Even if he lost the debate on the night, people would have given him a level of (undeserved) credit.
You don’t totally agree if you believe enda attending debate would have brought about a yes result. The top comment claims it would have increased the no vote, I totally agree with top comment but not yours.
Sack him failed teacher
You can’t sack a failed teacher!
Send him to Europe they Love him.
Charlie
Apart from the appalling English…..why do you say he’s a ailed teacher? I can understand a viewpoint that criticises his political career but what do you know about his teaching life?
“ailed”? lol.
A fair few aled teachers in the Dáil.
29. First thing they should do is end the rule that allows teachers keep their job open for years (in Enda’s case 34 years) if they get elected to the Dáil.
This would not preclude school teachers from running but would at least level the playing field with more relevant professions.
The current rules around teachers are like a warped version of gender equality on speed
Maybe he can go on strike with the rest of them!!!!
Ailed ?????
just curious..who is the biggest burden? the so called welfare generation..or the people who inherit ?..daddys seat.
34 years on public money..hard to believe…maybe we need a limit on terms a td can serve
2 terms or 8 yrs max
reduce pensions to match
keep new blood /ideas circulating
cut down parish pump politics
intending TDs would know its not a career..might end up with people that want to serve the public…win win
Calls himself a leader Fool more like, the people have given your govt a resounding NO.
Bottom line he is a coward.
Maybe Merkel will give him a home somewhere.
She might need a pet.
Ok now he has lost, he will not step down so what do we realy want from reform.l would like to see all tds and future tds wages cut buy 50% for a start.Then we will know any new tds will be there because they want to make this a better country for us all.Next on the list ????
Commandant Eric Lassard from police academy
Enda is spineless. What’s more worrying is the fact that we expect him to play hard-ball with the Germans over our debt.
Hardly the Germans fault we were idiotic enough to build up suck debts over indulging on cheap credit they only want us to pay what we owe
Banks assess risk, they charge interest on the money they lend,mthey make a profit when things go well, they lose when they back a losing bet. They poured their money into where people were taking on debt. They screwed up just as much as the developers and the people who bought overpriced homes. They lost their bet and should have lost their money, this short video helps explain how it works http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_3T-Af57Pg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Well said FU .. and didn’t even have the governance to manage their own staff. Enda and Noonan bought into it as well.
@Karol. I don’t owe Germany anything but I’ll still have to pay, as will my children. If you think that’s fair then you are an idiot.
Well John I’d rather be an idiot than an up doc
Tis ok there will be a rerun next year, they will change a few words and do it all again, Oh! no thats only when our European Partners want a certain answer, I forgot!
Press conferences are not debates. Everybody knows he was not allowed debate because he would have been a mess. I know I can’t debate so if the situation ever popped up I wouldn’t do it either.
Thats fine Seamus, But you didn’t put yourself forward as a leader to run a country.
So I’m not allowed comment?
I dont think thats what TheIrishBrain was implying Seamus.
Hedley I’ve read it again and I’m still not sure what their point is.
It appears you might be leadership material after all Seamus.
Arrg….. I wish I could mind my own business but here goes; Seamus your comment was extremely reasonable and logical. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Debating is a talent. Enda knows he is not a good debater, though he is perfectly fine at giving speeches i.e public speaker. All agreed?
TheIrishBrain just commented that if someone was aware that they were weak in debating skills, they might not put themselves forward as a leader; I presume because a strength in debating would be considered advantageous in a leader, especially when in negotiations with other countries leaders e.g. in E.U. talks.
I thought theirishbrain was making a reference to the constitutional amendment granted previously prior to the Geneva convention? I’m really confused now. Why would Seamus be in cahoots with enda re EU talks when neither are effective debators?
Paul I totally agree with what you said. If he won’t show the people of this country in a live debate his passion and leadership qualities then how does he act behind closed doors?
The last person I would ever be in cahoots with is that yellow bellied coward. I still can’t get my head around the fact that he would not speak directly in a debate to the country that he leads. Lack of respect and a lot of arrogance from him is how I see it.
Could you imagine if he had to face someone like Maggie Thatcher,allthough l did not agree with a lot of what she did she had more balls then our government put together.He would piss himself.
Lads,HE CANT DEBATE!!!!
Why is no media asking if the FG senators will be resigning ? They debated and voted to resign why change their mind now?
Irish Media don’t do journalism,They just regurgitate party handouts.
Or read thejournal.
You mean write the Journal.
No I don’t
Yes you do.
Go back under your rock enda
He has lost touch with reality.
He has lost the people, He is a puppet without personality or drive, His only opinions are dictated to him by the handlers.Time to Go Enda.
I wonder after Kenny’s refusal to debate if this has changed politics in Ireland gong forward? I think from now on the people will expect the Taoiseach to get involved more in debates. Perhaps we’re moving toward a US style, or UK style of leadership whereby we actively want to see our own PM engage more. I think Kenny’s refusal may inadvertently be a game changer from now on in that regard.
That’s debatable
I think people have a right to expect that debates on significant issue not be moderated by a ceann comhairle by rather by an independent party. I would like to think that they would also expect to see all reasonable options explored and put on the table. Enda didn’t do his cause any favours by unilaterally ruling out the option of reform.
lol
That’s succinct.
The problem is Kenny cant speak without a script and martin would have made him look like a Muppet, Just listen to him he uses words that you can tell don’t come naturally to him. The same reason martin was so keen to debate, it wasn’t that he had any great reason to save the Senate, he know that The Dear Leader can speak.
Enda announced in an after dinner speech that he was going to abolish the Seanad, that must be the most expensive after dinner speech ever abour 15 million.
think RTE bet you to that dinner speech line. True all the same he should consider resigning or at least the fg senators to resign.
It was reported earlier that this referendum cost 20 million.
“I answered questions”. Not any questions relating to the issue. “How’r'ya” doesn’t count!
He was asked his opinion about marriage equality by Ursula and was so threatened he retreated and fell over a flower pot. Can’t wait to see him wriggle out of debating on that issue – he’ll end up in the gutter.
FG is the wrong party to lead with this level of cowardly underperformance.
Et tu Bruton?
Bruton took one for Team Kenny Paul. People will admire him for that, in and outside his own party. He was the fall guy for Kenny. he was the man that actually took leadership of FG this past few weeks. Though he lost the debate badly on VB, it’ll do him no harm at all long term.
I would agree Niall, I just hope the rest of the FG ehhh… “senate” know where to put their daggers when the time comes…
Seeing as Bruton’s argument was based primarily on patronisation and bare faced lies, I’d hope that the night of the long knives isn’t limited exclusively to Enda.
Mr Kenny, you and your Party were puting the emphasis on the cost of the Seanad, but could you now tell us, the electorate, as to how much this unnessesary referendum cost, now that you have lost it ! Could that money not bhave been put to better use, rather than be wasted on personal issues, because to scrap the Seanad was your idea!
At a time that your Coalition Government is imposing austerity on us at every turn, how can you justify the cost assosiated with running your campaigne?
Also, If you had the courage of your convictions you would have defended your stance on the Seanad in the TV debates, but you couldn’t or wouldn’t do that and it annoyed people that you didn’t.
Standing behind a Podium, with a prepared script trying to explain the defeat away is a useless excercise and maybe for the future you will have learned a valubable lesson. The people will not be fooled by any Government ever again, because they are too clever for that!
Did you not know he has a load of advisors telling him not to debate or go on any today fm programme, why? because they know he is a muppet and the people know he is a muppet and if he did, he would show himself up to be a muppet
Our great Nation and its people is reduced to being lead by this man, Good grief it’s a sad day for Ireland.
Haughey, Ahern, Cowen?
Don’t worry, by the looks of things you’ll have Micheal as Taoiseach in a couple of years- that should make you happy
We may as well have Michael in charge . Fine Gael kept up their policies . There isn’t one change in direction of Fianna Fáil policies since they took office . Not one . I
enda got a bloody nose today… bring on the the next vote – another massive defeat for the tool hopefully!!!
But Enda doesn’t lose in the long run. He has his pension and his teachers pension and god knows what pension he will get from the job that Herr Merkel will give him for being a good Enda.
Still with the pointless microphone stand.
Has no one in Fine Gael ever studied public speaking? Unless you specifically need a lectern, don’t use one. It serves as a barrier between you and your audience where your body language can’t be judged accurately. The credibility of what you are talking about will unconsciously be questioned by your audience.
The reason it is there is to hold his prompt cards.
Watch him when he arrives at the podium
And to stop him falling over.
I think it’s time for Enda to hang up his boots…..
The Government seems to be run by specials advisors (spin doctors) so who exactly are running this country.
Following his line of logic above does that mean he won’t do the leaders debate before the next general election? Or is that some more movable Enda logic?
Is he really that stupid?
“It is a people’s issue”
Does he not realise he was voted in by the “people” to represent the “people”
Embarrassment of a leader
And we answered your question Enda… Pack your bags and feck off to Germany like a good little fella would you?
Who is embarrassed now enda?
It wasn’t a peoples issue. It was an ecumenical matter.
At the end of the day the muppet is surrounded by yes men and the kiss ass gang.. He has not got the balls to stand up and speak in a live debate ..
He wanted all the power but that’s not on… It’s time to go to the park and bring it to the people to tell you just what a mess of the country you have made.. Game over Enda .. Boom boom
The ringmaster defends his position.
Every circus has a ringmaster
Ha ha up your boll@@ks kenny
Surely after todays defeat Kenny should consider his position. Why continue when he knows well that he’ll be going out anyway at the GE.
So if Enda brought it up, made sure all his lackeys toed the line and backed him. Kept pushing it regardless of figures proven to be plucked out of the air. And lost. And it’s cost 15 million euros to run. 15 million euros. Should he foot the bill?
Why was the senate kept ? Because we get what we deserve . A bunch of overpaid absolutely useless talkers . On the plus side Fine Gael got beaten . In the downside we still have to listen to David norris
If you can’t see that david norris is obe of the most intelligent honest talkers on there, then thats your problem
Nobody is forcing you to go on oireachtas.ie and watch the Seanad all day. Norris can say what he likes its one of the benefits of living in a democracy. Its time for reform cheer up.
Honest ??!!?? The guy has been proven to be dishonest . He likes the idea of being a senator so he can use it in a reference letter for his pedophile boyfriend . And I personally prefer doers instead of talkers but there’s not a lot of them in politics, particularly the senate
That guy has exposed his personal and professional life to the whole country and stood up to talk about controversial subject thus making the political landscape more progressive. You cant even sort a profile picture.
What had democracy got to do with the senate ? And unfortunately he’s given air time on all aspects of the media so he’s nigh on impossible to avoid . The place will never be reformed. So excuse me as I’m a little bit upset at my fellow countrymen for missing an oppertunity
Your fellow countrymen and mine realised its a power grab to vote yes. If you wish to see Enda with more power as opposed to still seen Norris in a reformed seanad well than your a minority and I hope you stay that way.
Power grab? What power?
Your so wrong I’m finding it difficult to take you seriously . A reformed Seanad is a myth . It will never happen .never happen . Never . Did I say never? I meant never ever . And it’s easily lead people like yourself that got us this result
It’s simpletons like you that believed Seanad abolition was about cost savings and reducing the number of politicians. Today’s result has went same way to restoring my faith in the Irish electorate.
I don’t resort to name calling its immature . I never said the reason to abolish the Seanad to save money . And fewer politicians . What politicians ? None of them were democratically elected the whole house is a farce
Since when did the definition of a politician include anything about direct election? Moot point anyway since PR-STV has given us such luminaries as Biffo, Aherne, Haughey, O’Donoghue, Lowry, etc.
At any rate, the Seanad and Dail are both crying out for reform, with the mess FG have made of losing today’s referendum Enda has backed himself into a corner, that reform has become inevitable.
The only opportunity missed was the one to concentrate power in the executive and remove the oversight that exists in the Seanad and presidents office.
What a disaster we’ve suffered. The trauma of Haughy, Ahern, Cowen, pretending to lead our country for our own good and now this. It’s like a hurricane, or tornado has ripped through the heart and the heartland of our constitution. They have conspired to destroy our belief in democracy, while simultaneously feathering their own pockets. There are scattered remains that we can still use, but I still think we can beat these parasites. We need to stick together. Eventually, they can be defeated.
Enda Senead -
yes or no makes no difference. It will still be irrelevant.
Exactly
feckin eejit of a man, general election now, wake up people
Enda Senead – more like Enda Story.
Enda Senead – more like Enda Story
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