George Lee to run for Fine Gael In Dublin South.

Agent Smith

Source = http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/0505/1224245943455.html

RTÉ’S ECONOMICS editor, George Lee, was last night at the centre of speculation that he will be unveiled by Fine Gael as its high-profile candidate for the Dublin South byelection.
Sources close to Lee have confirmed that he has been approached by Fine Gael to stand for the vacancy caused by the death of former Fianna Fáil minister Séamus Brennan.
Lee recently presented a widely watched documentary on RTÉ television about the demise of the Celtic Tiger economy, How We Blew the Boom . In advance of the 2002 general election there was speculation that Lee would run as a Fine Gael candidate but, in the event, he decided not to seek a nomination. In recent weeks there has been renewed speculation he was in discussions with Fine Gael about running in the Dublin South byelection and that has now been confirmed.
The Government’s decision last week to hold the byelection on June 5th, on the same date as the European and local elections, brought the issue to a head. Fine Gael will hold a selection convention tomorrow night.
The identity of the candidate has been kept a secret even from the local party organisation in Dublin South. The printing of posters and election literature for some council candidates has been held back until the name of the byelection candidate can be added.
Speculation about the identity of the candidate has included broadcasters George Hook and David McWilliams, former taoiseach John Bruton, former Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell and economist Jim Power. Lee has been unavailable for comment on the issue in recent weeks, while the RTÉ press office has denied that he is the candidate.
A native of Dublin, Lee is a graduate of University College Dublin and holds an MSc in economics from the London School of Economics. He worked for the Central Bank in Dublin and was later senior economist at Riada Stockbrokers. Lee lives in Templeogue in the Dublin South constituency.
Fianna Fáil will also hold a selection convention in the constituency tomorrow night with Shay Brennan, son of the late Séamus Brennan, the favourite to get the nomination ahead of Senator Maria Corrigan.
Mr Brennan, who works with Anglo Irish Bank, had been reluctant to run because of the controversy over the bank but has had a change of heart in recent times.

you heard it here folks.

Senna

Talk about shooting fish in a barrel, well played:D

The Raven.

I like George Lee, but I would prefer him to stay where he is. I think he is an intelligent and honest person, and very knowledgeable in his field. If he gets into politics, his hands could become tied. We need someone like him to tell us the facts. However, I would vote for him if he decided to run.

jank

Very clever move by FG. This by-election will take on more national issues and will be well covered by the media thus when it comes time to vote, voters all around the country will take on board whats been going on in the Dublin south by election and the extra coverage it has been getting.

Will he win the seat well who knows but it give FG a really good chance.

FF are putting up Shay Brennan to run for his fathers seat. Now isn't that a surprise:rolleyes: 1980's politics in 2009!

The Dail needs more talent in the ranks from all parties not some gob$hit son or daughter who inherits the fathers seat.
Don't much about Shay tbh he might be very capable...or not!

But in fairness George I think knows his stuff comes across as likable. Can't be any worse than Mary.

Agent Smith

jank wrote: »

But in fairness George I think knows his stuff comes across as likable. Can't be any worse than Mary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPKF8j0y9zA

bmaxi

I'm not saying George won't be a good candidate or indeed T.D. but this type of carpetbagging pi**es me off almost as much as the "inherited" seat. Is George even a member of F.G., does he agree with their policies or is he just a vote grabber who will be no more than a makeweight in the Dáil?

jank

Apparantly when he was in University he was a member of young FG or whatever they are called. Supposed to have good ties with them. More will come out in due course if this turns out to be true.

Anyway I am all for more professional people in the dail. Too many teachers and the like.

gandalf

The more proper professionals join the ranks of our TD's the better. Also if it breaks the "hand me down" to family members whose only credentials going for them is the fact Daddy was a TD aspect of Dail seats then I am all in favour of it.

Typical of FF using the son of a dead TD to try and get the "Auld ones" to sympathy vote them back in.

parasite

didn't someone post this rumour here months ago, or was it some FG shill testing the water ?
riding a segway is as good reason as any not to vote for somebody

jmayo

FFs only hope of keeping the seat is using the Brennan name.
Brennan appeared not interested mainly because of the little fact of being Anglo employee and felt it would go against him with the non FF voters.
I wonder why :rolleyes:

But it seems someone has sweet talked him round to standing.
Of course another example of tyring to continue an Irish political dynasty or should that be desentry ?

ateam

jmayo wrote: »

FFs only hope of keeping the seat is using the Brennan name.
Brennan appeared not interested mainly because of the little fact of being Anglo employee and felt it would go against him with the non FF voters.
I wonder why :rolleyes:

But it seems someone has sweet talked him round to standing.
Of course another example of tyring to continue an Irish political dynasty or should that be desentry ?

It does seem like classic FF - picking the son of a deceased TD to stand in a by-election. Merits and who's best for the job are not a concern for FF.

nuttz

Listening to the radio now, seems like he might not be very welcome in RTÉ in the future.

Jip

Absolutely, he's getting some grilling but he had better get used to it. They're making good points thought, how impartial could he have been on the state broadcaster if he was considering running for FG.

dingbat

Bad move for both Lee and Fine Gael. Shocking, actually.

snubbleste

nuttz wrote: »

Listening to the radio now, seems like he might not be very welcome in RTÉ in the future.

That was a pretty severe grilling by the presenter, I wonder who ordered the questions be asked? If he decided to run for FF, would those questions been asked?
George was always impartial in his reporting, you could literally see him holding himself back in some radio pieces in the past in order to stay neutral.

kenco

Possible major boo boo by FG

I dont think Lee has the personality for Politics. He wont be welcomed with open arms by the Dublin South FG fold (even less by the sitting TDs). The feeling locally was that O'Leary had a strong chance to win this seat but now I think its there for Labour (White) to lose and FG in the process have shot themselves in the foot....

If this goes wrong (if!) then Kenny will be under pressure

dingbat

Jip wrote: »

Absolutely, he's getting some grilling but he had better get used to it. They're making good points thought, how impartial could he have been on the state broadcaster if he was considering running for FG.

Yep. And it will get worse. Fine Gael royally p!ss off some of their own while parachuting in a "celebrity". This is a one-time-only gamble that has no major upside.

robo

Jip wrote: »

Absolutely, he's getting some grilling but he had better get used to it. They're making good points thought, how impartial could he have been on the state broadcaster if he was considering running for FG.

Heard it also, I thought that Lee was going to storm out of the studio.
I guess now we will have analysts replaying Lee's reports and analaysis to see was there an unjustified bias against the Governemnt.

pipsqueak

heads of rte didnt know this morning ! Nice scoop op!

robo

pipsqueak wrote: »

heads of rte didnt know this morning ! Nice scoop op!

Lee didn't think that they should be told. I would also then assume that others in the FG party were not privy to this other than Enda and his foot men and women. So I would imagine that this is not going to be taken well from O'Leary and any others in FG who would have thought they did enough work for the by-election.

mike65

Its a one way ticket for Lee, so he better win. There is no way he'll be allowed to work for RTE again.

niceirishfella

kenco wrote: »

Possible major boo boo by FG

how wrong you are. If it goes pear shaped, the only loser here will be Lee.

ManFromAtlantis

nuttz wrote: »

Listening to the radio now, seems like he might not be very welcome in RTÉ in the future.

re news at one
ah sean is only winding him up. they'll have a good laugh about it at 2.

kenco

niceirishfella wrote: »

how wrong you are. If it goes pear shaped, the only loser here will be Lee.

Agreed on Lee being a big loser if this does not work out but in fairness they had a viable in house candidate so if they dont win this seat then questions would have to be asked of the leader...

silverharp

My only concern is why should a reporter/economist make a good minister? previous doctors did not necessairly make revolutionary ministers of health.
If he was joining a new party I'd be more excited but at the same time wish him well.
I thought the news one interview was shabby , no reason for the heated questioning

ODS

silverharp wrote: »

previous doctors did not necessairly make revolutionary ministers of health.

Dr. Noel Browne?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Browne

ODS

Regarding the original post, is this what one calls a rat jumping onto the sinking ship? :pac:

themarcus

silverharp wrote: »

My only concern is why should a reporter/economist make a good minister? previous doctors did not necessairly make revolutionary ministers of health.

I'd say having another good economist among their ranks in the Dail would be a big score for FG. Re being a minister - well, minister finance really ought to be an economist/actuary/finance type, otherwise they're unlikely to have a clue what they're at. For other portfolios it should be useful too, it's all about allocating scarce resources after all.

silverharp wrote: »

I thought the news one interview was shabby , no reason for the heated questioning

Haven't heard it, but tbf I'd say RTE are trying to distance themselves from him so that they can't themselves be accused of bias...

mike65

The FG front bench could contain Richard Bruton and George Lee facing Brian Lennihan and Mary Coughlan - wonder would most would belive?

twenty8

This announcement completely confirms everything that I had thought about him. All he was interested in as Economics Editor was to push his own profile. His analysis was designed to promote himself and he couldn't not be an objective commentator if he has this in his mind.

I can understand other economists (Jim Power, Pat McArdle etc) promoting themselves - without a profile you won't get onto the airwaves - however an RTE commentator should not aim to drive his own profile- they already have the airwaves.

Gurr - he is soo fecking annoying... I have no doubt that either he or his supporters in FG are reading this - so come on and respond!!

dvpower

He has just been on Newstalk and gave a good account of himself. Fair play to him, we need people who know their stuff.

turgon

Good point mike65. Would Lee's election effect Brutons future position at finance?

IIMII

What is he at? FG will gobble him up. Jeez, it really kills his career as an independent analyst. And all to try to end up as a back bencher in FG? Because if he's too honest and open, they'll be afraid of him being a squeeky wheel in cabinet and that's where he'll end up. I wish for himself that he hadn't done this

mike65

turgon wrote: »

Good point mike65. Would Lee's election effect Brutons future position at finance?

Yes, Bruton will have to become party leader! Seriously though I don't belive it would. RB is the star of the party, Lee will be Robin to his Batman until Kenny moves on.

bonzos

Fair play to him!We need the likes of Lee,Hobbs and the Michael o Leary to stop this ship from sinking.A lot of the wasters would have nowhere to hide if that crew took over for a while,the "im entitled not to work" ;)element would not last long

adrem

Good coup for FG. RTE will be fuming because they will have been taking severe flak over recent months from FF over George's reports becoming somewhat impartial - RTE staunchly defended George and were adamant that he wasn't running whereas FF had a whisper that he might be.

George was FG connected previously so, to be fair, it's not a complete volte face.

I think FF and Lab will struggle to beat George . . but . . unlike some commentators here I don't view him as a "good economist" or as someone who "knows what he is talking about". He was an economist (and not a great one at that) in Riada some decades ago and he decided to give it up and become a journalist. He called the property boom completely wrong, the credit crunch wrong, the stockmarket completely wrong . . . no worse than most economists out there, he's a great man for telling you whats already happened.

It will be interesting to see how easy a run he gets from the media - RTE obviously gave him a grilling (well they could hardly not !) but Newstalk gave him a caress - will the love in from the media hacks combined with the anti-FF feeling give him an easy ride? More importantly will his career in politics last more than 2/3 years ? Next GE?

Jonathan

Never liked the fellow, dislike him even more now.

is_that_so

If the Young FG story of his youth pans out them there's not a lot surprising about it. Smart move and one that could cause more problems for Labour. FF will get a sympathy vote of sorts, assuming it is young Brennan, but unlikely to be enough to pick up the seat. As for the comments about economist etc. in Govt, Fitzgerald was one, Dukes was one. Bruton is one. Both McDowell and Lenihan to lesser extent suited Justice. Often people in a specific field have more insight but like everything else it depends on ability. I don't understand the carping about someone like Lee running when we rant and rave about how bad all of those in power are. People of this calibre should be actively encouraged. And he's got good names for it . George Lee TD

is_that_so

turgon wrote: »

Good point mike65. Would Lee's election effect Brutons future position at finance?

Doubtful for now, assuming he gets elected. Look at Leo Varadker to see how young political tyros get themselves into trouble. George might get the economics right but I suspect there's a fair bit of learning about politics to be done before they'd let him loose on Finance.

ghostdancer

all well and good his economics background, but what does that do for the people of Dublin South? little to nothing i would imagine.

let's hear what he has to say on the issues in that constituency first.


this reeks of another Graham Geraghty-esque "oh they know him so they'll vote for him" move by FG.....

Darsad

Fair play to him at least he has something to loose if not elected unlike some unknown running to hold on to their daddys seat. There is enough parish pump and family dynasties in the dail just look at the top three inept individuals who hold their daddys former seat .

Highsider

Good move from him. May consider FG now.

twenty8

IIMII wrote: »

And all to try to end up as a back bencher in FG? QUOTE]

Not a chance of him being a backbencher. No way he would give up RTE for that - he is guaranteed a front bench spot if elected.

themarcus

I'm just waiting for FF to unveil BOD as their candidate!

PH01

It's hard to know how this will go but I feel that this might have been the wrong choice. And it's not because I'm a monster-raving-FFer but I don't thnk Lee has the overall appeal to be a vote getter.
Let's face it, most people, regardless of political background, dislike the guy. It's like asking Brian Cowan to be charming ;-)

twenty8

Statement by George Lee released by the Fine Gael press office today:

"Throughout the past 17 years I have been employed by RTE where I have been Economics Editor for most of that time. It has been a huge privilege and an honour to have performed this role. Through news reports and current affairs documentaries and analysis on both television and radio I have spoken directly and impartially to people as clearly as I could. Always I have done my best to keep the public fully informed and up to date about the economy.

“As danger loomed larger I consistently highlighted the risks of inaction and complacency. These warnings were ignored. Instead the Government chose to portray them as an effort to talk down the economy. It is now too late to warn, too late to turn back the clock, too late to undo the damage that has been done to countless victims of this economic crash. The damage to the economic and social fabric of our country is devastating.

“I have absolutely no confidence at all that the people who led us into this economic catastrophe are capable of leading us out. Ireland needs an alternative – an energetic new Government, one that is capable of fresh thinking, is strong enough to drive changes, is brave enough to tackle vested interests and to restructure and reorganise the way the country operates to ensure prosperity and confidence is restored.

“This is a time for change. It is a time people like me to play a bigger part in trying to fix the things that have gone wrong and getting the country back on its feet. It is time for me to take on a different role.

“I believe that Fine Gael is the political party best placed to provide the new leadership and vision that the country desperately needs. Led by Enda Kenny, the party has set out a comprehensive policy agenda that encourages me to see Fine Gael as the party with the right team and new ideas that can get our country back on track. As a result I have decided to seek the Fine Gael nomination to contest the Dublin-South byelection for a seat in the Dáil that is to be held on June 5th this year.”

mike65

George Lee is on liveline taking questions.

IIMII

turgon wrote: »

Good point mike65. Would Lee's election effect Brutons future position at finance?

It won't because he is politically inexperienced

looktowindward

twenty8 wrote: »

“I have absolutely no confidence at all that the people who led us into this economic catastrophe are capable of leading us out. Ireland needs an alternative – an energetic new Government, one that is capable of fresh thinking, is strong enough to drive changes, is brave enough to tackle vested interests and to restructure and reorganise the way the country operates to ensure prosperity and confidence is restored.

Sounds good.

twenty8 wrote: »

“This is a time for change. It is a time people like me to play a bigger part in trying to fix the things that have gone wrong and getting the country back on its feet. It is time for me to take on a different role.

Sounds good.

twenty8 wrote: »

“I believe that Fine Gael is the political party best placed to provide the new leadership and vision that the country desperately needs. Led by Enda Kenny, the party has set out a comprehensive policy agenda that encourages me to see Fine Gael as the party with the right team and new ideas that can get our country back on track. As a result I have decided to seek the Fine Gael nomination to contest the Dublin-South byelection for a seat in the Dáil that is to be held on June 5th this year.”

You've lost me.

Sully

Jesus, getting a bit of a grilling from Joe. Why has it turned into a political show?

IIMII

Becaue he was impartial and influenced thinking of all people on matters economic. Now people (that don't support FG) feel that what he has said in the past may have been influenced by his political sympathies