Enda Kenny live at 8.00pm.

leincar

While the debate starts at 8.00pm on TV3 Enda Kenny will be appearing live on the Fine Gael election website.

http://www.finegael2011.com/?gclid=CLf6wr-N-aYCFcWGDgodvCFmAg

Enda is taking 'His plans to the people' from the Bush Hotel. (I have no idea where that is). The broadcast starts at, oh 8.00pm.

As someone who is veering towards Fine Gael I think it is ridiculous that he is not debating with the others. I just might give Labour a second look.

dsmythy

leincar wrote: »

While the debate starts at 8.00pm on TV3 Enda Kenny will be appearing live on the Fine Gael election website.

http://www.finegael2011.com/?gclid=CLf6wr-N-aYCFcWGDgodvCFmAg

Enda is taking 'His plans to the people' from the Bush Hotel. (I have no idea where that is). The broadcast starts at, oh 8.00pm.

As someone who is veering towards Fine Gael I think it is ridiculous that he is not debating with the others. I just might give Labour a second look.

You'll get to see him debating against Labour in the other planned TV debates. This live broadcast will be available to view on Youtube afterwards since i presume we will all be watching Gilmore given the easy task of telling Fianna Fáil they're rubbish.

PeterIanStaker

TV debates are a symptom of the "I want it now" culture, like the X Factor or American Idol.

Do people think soundbites instead of policies will help then decide who to vote for?

I'm not a FG supporter nor do I identify with any party/ideology, but I think these things are largely driven by a media that's thirsty for ratings.

I'll decide who to vote for based on reading their policies and asking the candidates should they feel the need to call to my door instead of being on TV.

steelcityblues

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

TV debates are a symptom of the "I want it now" culture, like the X Factor or American Idol.

Do people think soundbites instead of policies will help then decide who to vote for?

I'm not a FG supporter nor do I identify with any party/ideology, but I think these things are largely driven by a media that's thirsty for ratings.

I'll decide who to vote for based on reading their policies and asking the candidates should they feel the need to call to my door instead of being on TV.

I agree that nobody should base their vote on the media debates alone and they have a tendency to focus on soundbites.

Still, I think Enda has made himself look evasive in the last week or so with his stance, when he had absolutely no reason to put himself in this position.

Just go into the debate and stick to the basic script would've been the easiest and smartest option.

whydoibother?

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

TV debates are a symptom of the "I want it now" culture, like the X Factor or American Idol.

Do people think soundbites instead of policies will help then decide who to vote for?

I'm not a FG supporter nor do I identify with any party/ideology, but I think these things are largely driven by a media that's thirsty for ratings.

I'll decide who to vote for based on reading their policies and asking the candidates should they feel the need to call to my door instead of being on TV.

I think debates have an important role because they allow people to see the candidates tested on their views.

In other media, such as party websites, manifesto flyers, party-controlled broadcasts, it is all to easy for candidates to show themselves in a good light by focusing only on the positives and ignore their weaknesses. In a debate they are forced to confront awkward questions and even accusations.

Also, it is easier in a debate for the public to compare their policies on certain issues at the same time. Party output can be formatted any way they want. This may vary hugely from party to party, and it can be complicated making fair comparisons. In a debate, the chair can say "now we're talking about the bailout, what do you think of that?", neatly collecting all the views on this issue at the same time for the most efficient comparison.

MrThrifty

Go Enda, go!! Just saw this news! Who could have predicted this?!! Anyway, my 2 cents are that debates are a disaster, on Irish television at least. Could be to do with the way our politicians often make false or misleading statements or insinuations which can't be investigated on the night... We'd be better off with a show whereby an 'independent' person presented an ABC guide to each of the parties plans, and the associated advantages and disadvantages.

liammur

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

TV debates are a symptom of the "I want it now" culture, like the X Factor or American Idol.

Do people think soundbites instead of policies will help then decide who to vote for?

I'm not a FG supporter nor do I identify with any party/ideology, but I think these things are largely driven by a media that's thirsty for ratings.

I'll decide who to vote for based on reading their policies and asking the candidates should they feel the need to call to my door instead of being on TV.

Correct. Where was all 'the debate' when the state was dealing with the banks, the most important decision in the state's history?
Kenny is right on this issue.

leincar

leincar wrote: »

While the debate starts at 8.00pm on TV3 Enda Kenny will be appearing live on the Fine Gael election website.

http://www.finegael2011.com/?gclid=CLf6wr-N-aYCFcWGDgodvCFmAg

Enda is taking 'His plans to the people' from the Bush Hotel. (I have no idea where that is). The broadcast starts at, oh 8.00pm.

As someone who is veering towards Fine Gael I think it is ridiculous that he is not debating with the others. I just might give Labour a second look.

I take it all back. While Martin won the TV3 debate, Enda is talking very well on his town hall Q & A. Its still on.

gandalf

Yep Enda is actually doing very well at this town hall type meeting. He is also being very clear and coherent answering on a variety of subjects like the IMF deal.

He is definitely getting out a lot more information about FG policies than would have been heard on the so called debate.

gandalf

LOL Bobby the Ex-Roadsweeper is giving Enda socks now and causing chaos

Never trust a man with a beard like that !!!

jmayo

Like to know who bobby really is and if he had visited the bar earlier ?
He was peppering all night to get hold of the mike.
His initial question was sound and valid, but obviously when Enda didn't tell him he would give a job sweeping Kildare Street he decided to try and hijack meeting.

Maybe he will get a job from a local ffer after his little display ?

The meeting was staffed with fair chunk of FGers and they gave him the usual recommendation, but there were still enough real sticky questions such as restoration of cancer services to Sligo, childcare, mental health issues, guarantee he would publish hearing services reports, taxing of resource exploration, tax increases, climate change bill going ahead, FOI and Dáil committees, EU/IMF deal, removing Irish language as mandatory, commitment to renegogiate consultants contracts.

gandalf

Ladies and Gentleman I give you Bobby the Ex-Roadsweeper.

PomBear

http://yfrog.com/3xaguz

video of bobby here

Superbus

gandalf wrote: »

Ladies and Gentleman I give you Bobby the Ex-Roadsweeper.

It's true, he wasn't being reasonable.

Tech3

Why did the reporter think he was unreasonable? I didnt see any issue with what the man was saying.

20Cent

Whats the bets that incident becomes the talking point of the thing instead of the rest of it?

Jim Stark

Does anyone know where you can view Enda Kennys conference, I was watching the debate?

jmayo

Tech3 wrote: »

Why did the reporter think he was unreasonable? I didnt see any issue with what the man was saying.

Because he made his point after Kenny had tried to answer his question.
Then he just kept shouting and would not let anyone else ask a question.
Kenny said he would talk to him after the meeting but he just kept shouting at him.
That's why the other guy said he was not being reasonable.

d'Oracle

liammur wrote: »

Correct. Where was all 'the debate' when the state was dealing with the banks, the most important decision in the state's history?
Kenny is right on this issue.

In the Dail.
I believe he voted for the Guarantee.

flash1080

What a bunch of apes they were shouting him down.

http://yfrog.com/n468vz

Nehaxak

Some posters here seem to know an awful lot about what exactly was happening at that meeting, I presume then you're involved directly with FG ?

leincar

Nehaxak wrote: »

Some posters here seem to know an awful lot about what exactly was happening at that meeting, I presume then you're involved directly with FG ?

Nope just watching it on RTE live player.

jmayo

Nehaxak wrote: »

Some posters here seem to know an awful lot about what exactly was happening at that meeting, I presume then you're involved directly with FG ?

Just watched on web, as opposed to it appears a lot of those you are commenting on it.
First part was speech, then questions.
Some of them were not really questions but FGers lauding him, some were FGers with real proper questions, some questions were non FGers who were representing things like health groups/interests.

There would be 3 or 5 questions from the floor and then Kenny would answer them.
From what I saw (the live feed went down for few minutes) he answered everyone, some in more detail such as debunking the myth that there was trillions of euro worth of oil and gas off our coast.

He didn't refuse to answer anything or anyone including the gent who then start insulting him and would not allow anyone else talk.
That gent wanted Kenny to tell him how he was going to give him a job.

He even got a date of sorts out of the night.

axer

Does anyone know who this Bobby guy is? Surely it is not that hard in Ireland. Would love to know if he was a plant, a loon or just someone who is very frustrated at being unemployed. Either way he was not very fair to Enda Kenny when Enda was trying to answer his question - it looked like he wasn't looking for an answer.

Liam Byrne

20Cent wrote: »

Whats the bets that incident becomes the talking point of the thing instead of the rest of it?

My thoughts exactly......Kenny could have told us that he'd bet our entire NPRF on Newcastle getting back on level terms @ 500/1 and won, solving our problems, and the media would have covered the altercation instead.

gandalf

Nehaxak wrote: »

Some posters here seem to know an awful lot about what exactly was happening at that meeting, I presume then you're involved directly with FG ?

No as leincar said I watched it on RTE Live Player. I started to watch the "Leaders" Debate but the missus said she wanted to watch Gok Wan instead and I didn't have any issues with that seeing the initial waffle out of tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber. I saw the link to the FG town meeting on the #ge11 channel on Twitter so I slapped my headphones on and watched it online.

On the whole it was more informative and despite the obvious genuflections from some FG diehards there were some meaty questions asked and then we had a bit of car crash tele with Bobby from Finglas ranting at the top of his voice for over 8 minutes panicking FG handlers trying to placate him.

Ash.J.Williams

re: bobby:
I guess there is something in this, politicians are too rehearsed, we should try and rattle them when get a chance to talk to them, to get them off the script.

axer

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

re: bobby:
I guess there is something in this, politicians are too rehearsed, we should try and rattle them when get a chance to talk to them, to get them off the script.

Couldnt agree more BUT give them a chance to respond. Bobby didn't.

jmayo

axer wrote: »

Does anyone know who this Bobby guy is? Surely it is not that hard in Ireland. Would love to know if he was a plant, a loon or just someone who is very frustrated at being unemployed. Either way he was not very fair to Enda Kenny when Enda was trying to answer his question - it looked like he wasn't looking for an answer.

Well the weird thing is this guy's story doesn't add up.
He claims his name is bobby channels from Finglas, except there is no evidence of any such person.
He claims he is unemployed road sweeper which would make one think he was employed by council.
He claimed his sister emigrated to Hungary which is very weird choice indeed.

It looks like he is linked to this guy....
http://terryghusto.blogspot.com/

K-9

These town hall meetings seem very stage managed to me, well barring Bobby!

There isn't much pressure on Kenny in them tbh.

takun

Well worth folliwng the link above to Terry Ghusto's website ... really.

He seems interested in (micro)local issues:

The constant and irritating flicker of the 34b streetlight located in front of 2 Griffith Close, Finglas East, D11, between the hours of 12 am and 5 am

And has some, um, imaginative policies:

If elected I will pressure the leading political parties to bring in crime experts from England and the US to educate the people. I will also demand that a copy of the expert US TV series The Wire and The Sopranos is delivered to every house in the constituency..

If we're talking boxed sets there, you've got my vote.

20Cent

I see the Indo ran with the story no questions asked, quoting Mr Channels and Mr Ghusto without even googleing the names!
1 incident in a two hour meeting and the headline is that Kenny gets a flood of abuse.

Rag

jmayo

20Cent wrote: »

I see the Indo ran with the story no questions asked, quoting Mr Channels and Mr Ghusto without even googleing the names!
1 incident in a two hour meeting and the headline is that Kenny gets a flood of abuse.

Rag

Well this would be the paper whose political editor is married to a ff front bench spokesperson who will be unemployed when she loses her roughly €100,000 job as policy advisory to a ff minister. :rolleyes:
The same front bench spokesperson who can't get elected as a councillor.

I find it very hard to understand how some one like fionnan sheehan can be objective, since his household will be considerably financially worse off come Feb 25th.