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AN SDLP MLA has written to RTÉ’s management outlining the party’s “frustration and dismay” and not being represented at yesterday’s Claire Byrne Live debate on a United Ireland.
Matthew O’Toole has said that “speaker after speaker” during the discussion cited or directly quoted John Hume and Seamus Mallon, the late former leader and deputy leader of the party.
The RTÉ programme featured a host of politicians from north and south including the leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party.
As well as party leader Mary Lou McDonald, Tyrone singer Niamh McElduff was also introduced as a Sinn Féin member.
DUP MP Gregory Campbell was also featured on the programme, as was former Fine Gael leader John Bruton and various others from non-political perspectives.
In his letter to director general of RTÉ Dee Forbes, O’Toole praised the “breadth of the guests on the programme” which included “a diversity of unionist and non-constitutionally aligned experiences and perspectives”.
Last night's #cblive debate was interesting, but you may have noticed something missing.
— Matthew O'Toole (@MatthewOToole2) March 23, 2021
Speaker after speaker quoted our founders, but @SDLPlive was excluded.
Our distinctive voice in Irish politics will be heard. Our values aren't going away. Our letter to @deeforbes_dee 👇 pic.twitter.com/toMQthoMVF
Within that context, he said he was dismayed by what he said was the decision to “exclude the voice of the SDLP”.
“We are deeply proud of the immense moral, political and intellectual leadership of Hume, Mallon and other SDLP figures in shaping the Ireland of today. But we are impatient to be part of a debate on where this island goes next, indeed we are a critical part of it,” he says.
To imply that one party represents all of northern nationalism, and another party represents all of the progressive middle ground, is fundamentally wrong and we won’t let it stand.
O’Toole added that his party had made contact with the programme “on multiple occasions” over the weekend to seek to be represented and had spoke to the deputy editor of the programme yesterday.
He said “it was acknowledged that our participation could have been sought but we were not contacted again”.
As well as Forbes, O’Toole’s letter was sent to RTÉ’s head of news Jon Williams and managing editor of current affairs David Nally.
Responding to The Journal, an RTÉ spokesperson said that it had received the letter and “will be replying directly to the SDLP”.
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Plenty of hard working fans that attend everything from O’Byrne cup games to league games that can’t get a ticket either.She can stick that sense of entitlement.
She should ring Joe Duffy and get it sorted.
She should have asked Pat Hickey!
I would rather see her name been linked to her work than her begging for a free GAA ticket
Terry, She was on the radio this morning complaining.
If Michelle gets her way let her donate it to some worthy cause and for her to go out and do what thousand of fans do and purchase the ticket. I have one opinion of Michelle and it’s not a very good one
Doesn’t she have it soooooo hard. The stench of entitlement is strong in this one
Why not ring her boyfriend in Africa!!
Maybe some karma comes her way.
No doubt her whinging will eventually gain her wish.
#failedFGwhiner
I coach football, hurling and camogie at underage level voluntarily which takes a fair bit of my time. i attended two dublin championship games this year and zero league games, i didn’t get a ticket, didn’t look for one and i certainly don’t deserve a ticket.
“I’m going to Dublin with or without a ticket. The really important thing is that the team win,” she said, before defiantly adding that she thinks Mayo can finally bring Sam Maguire home.”
Digging her heals in………….
@james walsh:
She could ask him, “Kenya get me a ticket?”.
Terry she should ring Africa and get the tax payer to pay for it.
Good old Michele, just when you thought she had done everything she could to turn a nation against she comes up with yet another method of making a holy show of herself. No doubt Enda will sort out a ticket, they have so much in common, career path, political party, home county and a knack of staggering from one stupid mistake to another without learning anything.
Some idiot will probably sort her out with a couple of tickets.
Well said. Unbelievable arrogant position by her. Has obviously never gone looking for an all Ireland ticket before. Sense of entitlement is disgusting. In fact its embarrassing that she thinks she should get a ticket at the drop of a hat
Staring in admoration into the eyes of power :) nice pic!
@Nic Antonio: just placed a bet with Paddy Power,for our entitled friend to top the bottom of the poll next election………
She was a TD and is now a Senator……..FG….entitlement syndrome
@Darren Sheils: Is she a paid up member of her local club ??. Arrogant beyond belief. Can she name any of the players
@ nic that’s a bull crap sensationalist comment, any of these fans who go to all the games have a Parnell pass and guaranteed a final ticket
@Terry McSweeney:
Is Nigeria playing Dublin?
@Chris Mcdonnell: What do ya mean the taxpayer is paying for it.Discriminate me arse.!!!
Not really true. Anyone who goes to that many matches would have a Parnell pass or a season ticket which guarantees them a final ticket. All this ‘hardcore fan missing out’ stuff is rubbish.
Stoned.wall,that’s a bull crap assumption.Im one of those people and I certainly don’t have a Parnell pass.
She went to one game and the last match??? Great supporter you are Michelle. Don’t put yourself out now. Delighted she got no ticket. She doesn’t deserve it
This is a first 91 likes and no dislikes!!!! Shows the public assessment of politicians and their self serving interests in their offices!!
Cheeky b*tch is a sunshine supporter, who the hell does she think she is. Ring up your Kenyan pal Michelle, you never know he might have sourced a few tickets from Pat Hickey!
she should have got a fake one made by her Nigerian Prince.
The sense self entitlement is incredible.
Hey Michelle, I’ve got two tickets for the match. I’ve already asked Joan Burton to go with me, she said she’d let me know, if she lets me down I’ll consider bringing you instead but only as a last resort mind. Send me a tweet love.
Lots of worthwhile ways of getting herself noticed than a football match .
The minister for fornication :-D
Whats hilarious , she thought she had them in the bag. Imagine her face when she got the letter. Priceless.
Not surprised at the amount of green thumbs. Government GAA supporters and supporters her own fans go hand in hand on a good day I’m sure she could muster a lot more of support than she got here.
@I Am A Horse: the minister for heavy breathing and panting on a phone
Only reason she wants to go there is to be seen, cop on Michelle.
Raving self serving political gobshyte
She’s actually a dope. Did she think there would be public outcry over this?
Ah god love you.Get a feckin grip woman!
Up there to shake hands with the voters, pass around some toilet paper in the form of FG leaflets and sing the praises of Edna…ohh and to watch some match or something that’s going on.
The irony of a women who complained about a culture of entitlement, complaining about her lack of entitlement, of her appointed job
It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.
Anyone got a ticket for Sunday please? Talk about hens teeth…
@Jamie McCormack:
They are around, it just takes a bit of work, asking people to ask people.
Unless you are an entitled bitch like the senator :-)
Michelle makes me laugh every time she pops up in the news it’s something idiotic.
Firstly she made a scientific breakthrough that sex is the biggest cause of teenage pregnancies,
Next she was ringing her boyfriend in Kenya from the Dail Phone costing the taxpayers hundreds, and claiming its for work purposes.
And now she is ranting on Twitter that she is entitled to a ticket while the GAA is stating its for TDs only.
Michelle, if you had carried out your duties as a TD in the last Dail and actually represented your constituents instead of making an idiot out of yourself, they would have elected you and then you would get a ticket.
Don’t forget her FORNICATION rant.
I can never fathom the loons who thought she was the number 1 in their constituency.Tgeir tickets should be confiscated.
The fact that she was nominated to the Seanad is disgraceful. Such a useless Government body.
@Carl Nolan: absolutely Carl!
Did she call Africa to complain??
No he’s getting a job on the county board next year.
She has some cheek but should we be really surprised judging the company she keeps.
She deserves a ticket….. one way to Outer Siberia, the salt mines 6month detail ! Admit one to Gulag tavaritsch
first world problems
What is the definition of a problem? What are the criteria that makes something a problem?
Her sense of entitlement is just unbelievable
Politics 101: unless you want to be crucified don’t complain about not being allowed to queue jump
I’ve just listened to this unelected member of our fantastic political system and am gobsmacked by her utter shameless behaviour and the stupidity of her argument that she is entitled to 2 tickets never mind 1 like the rest of us hope to get. What gives her the right to get special treatment. Why didn’t she apply through the club of which she must be a member of seeing as she is such an ardent gaa fan. Has she ever qued in the lashing rain in Dorset st? I very much doubt it! DOPE!!!!!!
@Parnells Eighty-Seven:
She is from Mayo. The county that is cursed by witches.
@Christy Nolan: LOL
Hang on , is she complaining that the rules have changed and she is not able to bend the rules.
TheJournal.ie has established that the GAA are open to granting requests from senators in certain circumstnaces – for example, with proven track records of contributing to their local clubs.
So Michelle mulheirn doesn’t even contribute to her local club but somehow thinks she should be automatically entitled to get tickets.
@LITTLEONE: We are seeing the one of the real entitled brigade in action.
Bang of self entitlement off this is ridiculous. I’m sure other senators were looking them but they went and sourced them like everyone else as opposed to whinging to the papers.
Kenya believe it?
World smallest violin playing there for you Michelle….die hard Mayo(or Dubs) fans should get it ahead of you.
Join a club or be a season ticket holder like the rest of us. The sense of entitlement from an unelected politician is unbelievable.
Remember the Kenya phone calls scandal? That’s her, she also called for national service for the unemployed because she didn’t want them to develop a sense of entitlement. Pure poison this one. She also bears a resemblence to the witch in the wizard of oz, but I can’t hold that against her.
Ring Pat in Brazil, heaps of tickets going or John in Abbottsown.
Get a season ticket if you want to guarantee final tickets. They are not expensive. Quit moaning expecting privileges the rest of us can’t get.
A thoroughly enjoyable interview. I haven’t seen a Mayo TD put their foot in it so spectacularly since a certain Mr Flynn appeared on the Late Late decades ago. This lady is a gem – she keeps giving…..
She’s not even a TD. That’s the funniest part.
Feel sorry for her she goes to all the games you know …..not
“Do you not know who I am ?” Said Fidelma Healy Rae , Michelle Mulherin , Ivor Callely,and Padraig Flynn to name but a few.
@Jimmy jones: Fidelma Healy Rae :-D
Bet kenny has a few tickets to spare and bet she gets one or two because enda looks after his friends. He put her in the senad afterall. Horrible people.
They’re playing Monaghan in Castlebar on February 4th, should be lots of tickets available Michelle. Don’t think you’ll be there though!
She’s a Fool. Which she has proven time and time again. She’s a disgrace.
The absolute state of our political system. Jesus wept.
A culture of entitlement??
Keep digging Michelle
You couldn’t make this up. The shit going on in this country and this muppet is worried about a bloody match.
Fuxk off
Such a sense of entitlement. Not even a td
Did she pay for those phone calls yet?
Mwaaah, mwaaah, mwaaaaaaaah
Referring to herself in the 3rd person now on rte drivetime!!
What does she expect
More lovely gravy, this time in the form of All Ireland tickets apparently ..
Meath didn’t tell anybody about their success in 2014
Sense of entitlement Michelle? If you’re “so behind the team” why are you not a season ticket holder and you would have had your ticket? Didn’t you tag Welfare recipients as having ‘a sense of entitlement’ Michelle? Well, well we are a bit hypocritical now aren’t we?
Has this woman eyes in her head??
Does she not see more pressing issues worthy of her attention as a public official??
I can see now why she was not the-elected…
Build a bridge and get over yourself. Discrimination I ask you. #ballsofsteel
Dethroned Meath!! What year was that?
A complete dope
What kind of idiot is this woman, imagine how it would feel to be at every game and not get a ticket, I wonder how many games she was at in January and February in the rain and cold etc if she is so proud of her Mayo team?
I’m sure Inda will sort her out….
That post could mean several things ha ha.
There should be no special deals for anyone,even in sport we are divided,the privileged and the working class.shame on the GAA.
So if this isn’t about her, then who’s it about.The all get on board around August n sept
Between this gobsh(tes complaining of no ticket for the All-Ireland and the three toe rags in the above story getting a bunch of well paid fat arsed lawyers to file a suit against their punishment for wrecking Oberstown last week, it’s no wonder the country is fu(ked. Too many well paid suits bleeding the place dry.
Senators lives matter
She’s a great lady, a truly great comedienne! Who can forget her’ fornication causes pregnancy ‘ jokes.
She deserves a ticket.
Preferably a one way ticket.
Discrimination against unelected representatives. Just let that sink in for a moment.
She’s a leach…like all politicians
Some neck on her to talk about discrimination! If she accepts that she’s a ‘normal’ fan, then why should she be treated differently to other fans? She played the ‘do you know who I am card’ and has been basically told to take a hike. Politicians eh? Can’t live with em, can’t shoot em!
Toys thrown out of the pram methinks
Could you not apply to the ticket draw from your local GAA Club of which you are a member…..hmmmmmm
It’s not as if it’s difficult or expensive to join and I’d have thought that most politicians would at least be seen to support their local clubs if for nothing more than the optics of it.
Reading quotes from an interview that hasn’t even ended..
Give Pat Hickey a ring he might be able to sort her out
Not only is it an inappropriate sense of entitlement, it is an inappropriate distraction to the Mayo supporters and football team.
Mrs mulherrin I personally invite to Dublin this weekend to stand with the people at the water protest no ticket required just your water bill if you need to burn it and we will give you the best of our courtesy oh and bring enda if he is available
In tomorrows news, Mechelle Mulherin has been a victim of an online bullying from people who don’t share her sense of entitlement.
Calling everything bad is because of discrimination……………..something she probably learned from her trips to Kenya.
Its interesting how these (shiny) stories come out at the same time as other more important issues need public debate. Like the Nama report, apple tax etc. etc.
She actually got a letter from duffy in reply. I know him personally but i bet if i wrote looking for tickets i wouldnt get a reply.
Why would you write to him if you know him personally..
I don’t think TD’s or Senators should have an automatic option of buying two tickets. Why? Who do they think they are?
Give the option to those who have earned it. Those who have travelled to support their team throughout the year to far less attractive matches.
Those who give of their time to coach and give of their time to support the GAA and their community.
Sorry Michelle, you have no automatic right on this one. Just because you were entitled to one last year doesn’t make it right.
Join the que like everybody else please.
How many thousands on phone calls will this cost the tax payer, failed TD over and out.
Is this one actually for real lad. FFS.
And who appointed her to the Senate ?
Edna of course
I hate that thing..putrid..No other word for her.
Breaking news – Unelected Wench angry she’s not getting more preferential treatment than the peasants; Insists that the discrimination against herself is not actually about herself…
@Coli: she is just another embarrassing politician from the countryside, they wonder why there is nothing happening outside of dublin, and here it is plain for all to see, its because anyone with half a brain gets out of there as quick as possible.
Plenty people out there tonight gladly swap two All Ireland tickets for a “ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS ” !!!! Jesus H Crist get on with the real issues……
Nothing is free in this world Mulherrin, pay up or no show!
Membership of the Seanad is free. Enda appointed her. She’s an Enda lacky. She will end up in the Hogan on Sunday. There is nothing surer. This clique look after each other. Some genuine fan will miss out. It’s a certainty.
http://www.mayonews.ie/news/27914-controversy-surrounds-taoiseach-s-seanad-appointments
She can just circle Croke Park on her broom stick, didn’t Dorothy kill her once?
F*** her. She can join the other thousands & thousands of actual fans who can’t get a ticket. Who or what does she think she is?
Mother of god!!! I’ve herd it all now. What sort of planet is she living on? This is a gombeen that hasn’t even been elected. I am even ashamed for the few people who even gave her a vote in the last GE. She is in the same category as those running NAMA and Irish Water. Hand picked by enda and biffo to live it up on the people of Ireland’s expense and offer nothing in return. Who is coaching her? John Perry? Lorraine Higgins? Delusional to the highest degree.
Why would one go to the bother of highlighting such a non issue?
Buy here own, getting enough tax payers money for a subsidiary job .
That one is a Godshi.e. Is she a member of a GAA club?. If she is I’m sure that hey would facilitate her ,no problem, maybe she forgot to pay membership this year.
Very low intelligence and self-awareness and an over inflated sense of entitlement. She’s an embarrassment.
Honest what planet are this lot living on she really feels she is entitled to a ticket because she is a poxey senator and real fans on both sides can’t get one,they really do think highly of them selves and why are tds entitled to one as well sums up this country to a tee
All she is doing is jumping on the bandwagon for one game, she should let real Mayo fans go instead
Has she nobody to tell her to stfu that she is making a complete fool of herself
Where’s Brinster, Fred and the rest of them to give us the lecture about entitlement?
@Dave Doyle: Giving a driving lesson tonight!!
Don’t they know how important ai am? Don’t they know I’ve the ear of Enda Kenny? How dare they refuse me 2 ticket?
Mulherin is not unelected. She was rightly rejected by the electorate.
Mulherin is an embarrassment.
And we had a chance to get rid of the Seanad…
When she is actually an elected representative of the people of Mayo, and not a sham Senator appointed by her party, she might have a point.
Such a load of bollixx….because she’s in politics she thinks she’s intitled to a ticket..if it was Dublin and donegal for example,wud she want to go then??doubtfull….and I’d go as far as to say she hasn’t gone to a game of any sort this year..discrimination card is thrown around to easy for some people
I hope she gets a ticket now just so both sets of fans can give her abuse
Queue like everyone else. The cheek of her.
Get off your bloody high horse Michelle.
I implore all who visit this comment section to take two minutes and check out what this self entitled(so many words I want to put in here) had to say on radio this evening.she is at it again.Thanks Don Enda for imposing this woman upon us..
Who does this slag think she is. I would stick a ticket to this farce down her throat if I was there.
You just out did her there brendan
Senators represent the whole country, not just individual counties or constituencies.
Or does that mean she thinks she’s entitled to tickets to every All-Ireland.
I was close to the gaa ticketing process for most of my life and I’ve seen it all. You get absolute genuine people that are looked after as well as possible and you also get gobsheens, the worst sort of people you can meet. (The ones that send blank cheques) Michelle is definitely the latter
Mulherin is the great anti-fornicator.
Tell her to join a club and apply through them the whiney tramp!
Who is the guy with the long brown hair in the picture above…
Yes how many league games or fbd games did she attend in the cold and wet of winter ???
Feck all I would argue if any at all ,a downright bloody cheek !!!
That yoke needs a toe poke in her front bum.
Cu t
Waste of oxygen, some knob jockey
Pr1ck
What a gowl!
@Paul Heffernan: Is that a misspelling of ghoul, Paul, or do you really mean gowl? Both words are applicable to that irksome person.
Boo hoo. Michelle get yourself down to Dublin City Centre and you will get yourself a ticket on Sunday morning. That’s what I had to do one year in a Kerry Dublin final. Maybe she is scared of ending up in Hill 16 in a Mayo jersey?!! Being there in a Kerry Jersey was “FUN”.
Michelle Mulherin has actually been taking soundings about standing as the FG nominee for the Presidency if the current President does not stand for re-election at the end of his term.
We are all born equal but some are born more equal than others it appears.
How on earth can you claim to be an ‘unelected representative’?
What a chancer….
Buy a season ticket and attend enough matches – this means you qualify to buy a ticket as long as your team are still in the competition . Real fans rewarded.
Isn’t she the wan that ran up a big bill talking to her BBC boyfriend in Kenya on her Dáil phone? And whose only meaningful contribution to Dáil debate in the years she was there was to waffle something about “fornication” leading to pregnancy?
Then the electorate told her to sling her hook, but Enda gave her a lucrative sinecure.
No wonder this country is so fornicated up!
Classic Waterford Whispers…………..wait, really…ffs.
I’m genuinely waiting for the punchline. This must be a joke… And she went on the effing radio and all…
Jaysus, the Indo had a much better photo of her. Can you change it?
Just cause she looks like a witch don’t hold that against her.
Another greedy snout rejected by the voters, made a senator Pay your own phone calls to Africa ,sense of entitlement as usual
Karma baby karma
Should get a ticket from eir.
It’s surprising that she wasn’t voted back in.When Enda retires I’d imagine we will hear no more of her.
Put your name forward for a seasonticket, cheek of her.
What does proud Mayo supporter mean? Can she name most of the panel and their clubs on her own? How many games did she attend in the last 15 years for both club and county? If she was a big supporter and being an ex councillor she would have had the ticket issue covered ages ago. Wonder would she care for the plight of the Senand had she got hers. ? Discrimination? Sometimes that is justified. Worse thing is,her whinging will work. Who did she think would support her by making this public?
An attention seeker of the highest order with a brass neck to go with it.Plenty of ordinary club members men and women who look after teams, kit and do other chores to help their clubs cant get tickets either. Mayo I people I know who have supported the team trough thick and thin are unable to get a ticket and create no fuss. This lady puts out a public statement Tells you all you want to know about some politicians !!
Genuine mayo fans that go to games all the year won’t get them but you won’t hear them whinging
My neighbours down the road are split half dubs half mayo I came home from the Kerry game and saw them out on the street talking about the tickets to the final that they got supporters me ducking arse
…what?
I hope that she gets a ticket – restricted to Hill 16.
Nice to see the seanad look after the important issues
she is not a mayo senator she is an unelected senator from mayo and an arrogant one at that on 60 k a year
A mayo senator then
Some news lads please
“who do ya have to fornicate to get a ticket to this?”
Dublin for sam. Mayo is for sandwiches. Lol
Buy a season ticket like the rest of us
Says a lot that most of us are only hearing about this wrench now.
Replay on 1st October, I wonder will Michelle be “discriminated” against again?!!!
Who the hell does this woman think she is??
Rey important for the country that this woman gets a ticket. Sick children really don’t atter much to this woman on the day the children’s hospital’s future is being decided.
have your say