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Varadkar, Martin & Ryan walking off a stage together to avoid a journalist. Is this acceptable?

Peter Flynt

At a press conference today (20th February) and just weeks before their referendum Varadkar, Martin & Ryan just walked off the stage together, without explanation, in response to the start of a question from Gript journalist Ben Scallan.

I must admit I found this seriously very weird and sinister behaviour and judging from Varadkar's nod to the side of the stage it was clearly organised if Scallan were to ask them a question. This appears to be very sinister indeed and I don't recall this ever happening anywhere. Perhaps there is a precedent for it that I'm unaware of.

What is the message here?

That only FF/FG clientele journalists are allowed ask questions?

https://twitter.com/griptmedia/status/1759945399656202670

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One eyed Jack

Acceptable?

Long overdue more like, about time that outfit stopped being entertained.

Seamus4life

Gript a a queer shower, but I find a perverse joy watching them doorstep FFG with awkward questions that leave our overlords fumbling and mumbling .

unknown

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Peter Flynt

Clearly plenty of posters on here who don't understand one of the basic tenets of a democracy . . . . Something Ireland arguably never has been.

Jinglejangle69

So they don’t like the question so they bail out???

Our so called leaders, where are we heading?

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795082#Comment_121795082

Pretty much says it all. Varadkar in particular, has been badly exposed in the last 12-18 months.

Real Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795053#Comment_121795053

How dare they ask questions you don't agree with it.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795082#Comment_121795082

They didn't even hear the question.

As soon as the journalist they didn't want to hear from spoke......off they went.

Outrageous stuff.

Be right back

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795053#Comment_121795053

They could have had at least acknowledged the question instead of just walking off. 1.4 million views of the clip. Most people viewing won't have heard of the journalist but 3 senior politicians appear rude and dismissive.

lbunnae

Fair play to them. Not everyone deserves a voice.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795076#Comment_121795076

Do the basic tenets of democracy not also extent to politicians?

LessOutragePlz

Walking away from anyone never mind a journalist mid sentence is very rude it doesn't matter what organisation the person is with or represents. Everyone deserves to treated with dignity and respect, if they had stayed and answered the question this wouldn't have blown up into the story that it is becoming. I wonder how their next encounter will go because all this one has done has added more fuel onto the Gript fire and given them more attention which I'm sure many on here won't be happy about.

Headshot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795053#Comment_121795053

That's rubbish.

This is not how a democracy should work and in-fact they''re now giving more headlines to Gript.

Our 3 leaders in Government just walking away, it's an embarrassment.

gossamerfabric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795112#Comment_121795112

He was asking a question and giving the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Transport the opportunity to respond...so what you mean is not everyone is allowed to question.

Bigmac1euro

The facilitator refused to acknowledge Ben in the room. He was ignored to ask a question. At the end he then asked his question anyway and our overlords refused to answer and walked away as it was time up. In a sense they were allowed walk away from the question but should they have? No

does it make them look bad? Yes

unknown

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Be right back

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795112#Comment_121795112

Everyone deserves a voice and a right to be heard. Doesn't mean that you have to agree with them. The joys of a democracy.

Former Former Former

Ben Scallan is not a journalist, he is a political candidate

A deeply unpleasant and extremely unsuccessful one, but a political candidate nonetheless

Jinglejangle69

Putin behaviour 20 years ago.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795132#Comment_121795132

So more disinformation from Gript. There's a surprise. Funny to see Ben desperately shilling for membership undr the tweet as well.

Bigmac1euro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795133#Comment_121795133

Bit racist. Is it because he has a beard and has a Jamaican mother?

Jonnyc135

When Donald Trump refused to answer questions from journalist working for MSNBC and CNN in 2020 he was labelled a threat to Democracy.

Regardless what anyone thinks of a media outlet, in this case gript they should be answered and not ignored.

By all accounts he was trying to ask them why Catherine Martin in a previous interview was directly contradicting the stance the electorial commission had taken - quite a valid question that I think any sound minded person would like to hear a valid answer.

As the public it's our job to be informed prior to voting on an ammendment to the constitution. If our elected 'leaders' are too ignorant to answer valid questions regardless of what angle they are comming from then we really are in a sad state of affairs and to quote CNN and MSNBC its a "threat to democracy"

RurtBeynolds

I'd never heard of the gript until now.

Real Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795153#Comment_121795153

My sentiments exactly

DellyBelly

Not a fan of Leo but have to say I don't blame for not answering that mob....

Bigmac1euro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795150#Comment_121795150

John McGuirk responded to the question of any other context to the situation. What disinformation?

cheese sandwich

In one regard, the question was reasonable. It’s actually pretty extraordinary that the head of the Electoral Commission has directly come out and said that a government minister was wrong about what’s in the Constitution. That’s something the government can’t run away from, and it says a lot about the groupthink in ‘official’ media circles that it doesn’t appear to have been highlighted by them.

But…Gript is not a genuine media organisation. It’s not looking to objectively report the news - it’s looking for gotcha moments that it can then put on social media to try to make the government look like out-of-touch liberal elitists or whatever. It’s a Fox News approach and I don’t really blame the ministers if they don’t want to play Gript’s game anymore

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795125#Comment_121795125

Yeah that absolute bile.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795082#Comment_121795082

Ben asks the tough questions and our government in power bail as afraid to answer, pure cowards

Strazdas

Gript lying to their disciples as usual. I've watched back the end of the press conference : Scallan didn't have the press conference microphone and his question was completely inaudible on the live TV feed (press conference ended at 12.51pm btw). He has uploaded a clip of himself speaking into his own Gript microphone, which would have been barely audible to anyone else in the room.