Is it just Me..

Let me open by stating clearly that I hold no political or personal 'grá' for Gordon Brown. I'm not even following the British election campaign with any particular interest. I'll follow the count and the results next week, because I'm an 'election count junkie', but other than that, I'm not reaching for the remote control all that often to update myself on the campaign. However, like the World and his Mother, I've been very taken up by the "bigoted woman" story, that broke on Sky News yesterday, and seems to have become the 'story of the campaign'.

It's a great story, an editors dream - but I'm very uneasy about it.

Gordon Brown appears to have been caught completely unawares by a news microphone that was not switched off. He had effectively finished his formal event, and was in his car, with his personal advisors, having a private meeting. His lapel mic was still on - he didn't know that - and he spoke candidly to his team. Outside, a technician noticed that his conversation could be heard, and left the 'record' function running. Brown utters the now immortal words .. "a bigoted woman".. and because this was captured on tape .. hey presto ! A big story! A major gaffe by the Prime Minister. A gaffe that could finish Labours already slim hopes of retaining power.

So why am I uneasy?

I'm uneasy, because as a reporter, I place great value and currency in the principle that certain matters are 'Off The Record'. I've always told people .. "unless I am holding a pen and noting down what you say, or pointing a microphone at you, then we are off the record.." It's a principle thats stood to me well over the years, and enabled me to get many an inside track 'off the record', that gave me a great story when we eventually went 'on the record'. Besides that, however, I don't believe that just because I'm a journalist, people should be afraid that I'm always on the lookout for a 'line' or an 'angle'. I know some reporters who work like that, and I don't like it.

And that's my problem with the Gordon Brown story..

I think that the Prime Ministers privacy has been unfairly invaded. He passed a remark (albeit a tasteless one) in a private meeting with his advisors. It was accidentally recorded. That accidental recording was taken and turned into a major news story. Was it a great scoop, or an unfair act of opportunism?

Am I the only one, who is asking myself this today???

If You Can't Beat 'em - do you Tweet 'em???

I'm indulging in a little theory here. I may be totally wrong - but indulge, I must. With all the political shenanigans of the past few days, culminating in the resignation of Willie O'Dea, one more bit of speculation won't hurt anyone !!. I believe, folks, that Dan Boyle knew exactly what he was doing, the other night, when he 'Tweeted' the following..

"As regards to Minister O'Dea I don't have confidence in him. His situation is compromised. Probably be a few chapters in this story yet.." 1830 - Wed 17 Feb

However, that's not my theory, as such. I have known Dan Boyle for a long time - ever since he was a bass player in a long lost Cork band, called 'Blueprint'. Handy enough, he was, too as a bass player - but that's for another day. One thing Dan Boyle is not, is stupid. He is a very regular and careful user of both Twitter and Facebook - and he knows their value as a way to quickly get something "out there". Dan knew exactly what the implications would be, when he went for his Twitter screen. He knew that as Chairman of the Party, he would be delivering a hammer-blow to Willie O'Dea's political nether regions - and that once he hit the 'enter' key, he was starting a process that could only lead to a couple of outcomes - but was most likely to lead to Willie O'Dea being forced to resign. That 'tweet' hit the screen at 6.30pm on Wednesday, and Willie was a goner at 8.30pm on Thursday - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to link the two - especially when re was that explosive interview tape on Thursday afternoon to throw into the mix.

But again - that's not the nub of my theory.

It's this..

I don't for one minute believe that Dan Boyle acted solely off his own bat on Wednesday.

As a Senator, he obviously had no input in the Dail vote of confidence in Willie O'Dea. He must have been clenching his buttocks with embarassment watching Eamonn Ryan's decidedly half hearted speech. You could see that Eamonn, who is an extremely likeable and decent guy, would have preferred to barbeque his own wedding tackle than make that speech. As part of a Coalition, the Greens had two choices - back the motion, or walk - and they have no desire to walk. They know they are dead in the water if there's an election, and they want to stay there for as long as they can! This, however, was seriously embarrassing.

So, here's what I think happened..

Dan Boyle sees his colleagues after the Dail vote. They discuss the corner that they have been backed into, and the humiliating way in which they have been forced to back a Minister when they clearly didn't want to. Dan then turns to his colleagues and says .. " OK lads - there's more than one way to skin a cat - I have an idea .. "

The rest, as they say, is history.

Am I mad ?? Or is this scenario feasible ?? You better believe it is !!

Do we REALLY have a "Right" to see her face??

Like the World and it's brother, I'm following the Eamonn Lillis case. As I write, the court is hearing closing speeches on behalf first, of the Prosecution, and then, of the Defence. The verdict when it comes, and whatever it is, will be front page news, and lead item on Radio and TV. That's only to be expected. It's a high profile case, attracting lots of interest.

However, the controversy that erupted over Jean Treacy - the young woman with whom Eamonn Lillis had an affair, is an unexpected spin-off from the case .. and a very unpleasant one at that. To me, it poses a question - not about whether or not she was assisted by the Gardai in avoiding the cameras in the Courts complex - but about why on Earth the papers were so hell-bent on getting her photograph in the first place!

Ger Colleran, the editor of "The Star" .. a guy, incidentally, for whom I usually have tremendous respect, was highly indignant about the shielding of Miss Treacy from his photographers lens - and has been very vocal about "the publics right to know"..

Their right to know WHAT, Ger.. ??

Neither Ger, nor any other editor has been able to explain to me, why it's so necessary to plaster Miss Treacys face across the papers or the TV screen. She is, of course, a witness in a very high profile case.. but that's ALL she is. She is accused of NOTHING , faces NO charges, and merely gave evidence because the Prosecution wanted to hear about her affair with the accused - an affair to which they both freely admit - and which is not against any law that I know of..

There is NO automatic public entitlement to see her face, as far as I can see.

If she's OK with being photographed, then that's her call. If not - same thing - her call. Not Ger Collerans call - not the call of any editor to make, regardless of how many papers it will sell the next morning - which, let's face it, folks, is the agenda here, at the end of the day.

Over the weekend, her picture was eventually obtained and published, in most of the papers,yet nobody has yet been able to explain the necessity for doing so.

Again, I stress, this young woman has done nothing wrong - yet her picture is presented across the papers, as if it adds something to the facts of the case - which, of course, a blind man could see that it does not.

We who work in the media really need to examine our consciences on this one.

Was it ABSOLUTELY necessary?? Did it make a DIFFERENCE to the story?? .. REALLY??

If it did - well I must be missing it ....

A wildcat Strike - or a bad call by IAA ??

First, let's get one thing clear - I do not think that Air Traffic Controllers at Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airports need, or deserve a 6% pay rise. They are already extremely well paid, with a lot of time off and a 34 hour working week. Asking for, and expecting more at a time like this, is crackers.

However, that having been said, I can see why the controllers walked out today. I think that under the circumstances, I would have, too.

Let's look behind the arguments, and see what's actually happened here.

There are a number of issues, including, but not exclusively pay related issues, current being disputed between the ATC staff and their employers, the Irish Aviation Authority.

These issues are scheduled to go before the Labour Court as early, I believe, as next week.

The Labour Court is the accepted forum, is it not, for these matters to be thrashed out?

Why therefore, did the IAA start suspending people, with just days to go to that hearing ???

What was the point of antagonising, or worse still, risking that you inflame an already delicate situation, when the issue is scheduled for a discussion at the proper forum?

Certainly, the decision by the controllers to take such a damaging and sudden strike action, has to be questioned - it had all the hallmarks, as they say, of wildcat militancy - but is it not a fair argument, that maybe, just maybe, the employers brought it on themselves?

As I write, two more workers have been suspended, and there may be another strike in the next few days. It will cause more chaos, and discommode thousands more passengers.

As with todays action, I won't agree with it - but I can see the reasons for it.

Wildcat Strike or a Bad Call by an employer ??

A bit of both, methinks..

(..pic thanks to Irish Times)

Sunday World , had you nothing better to do ??

I remember the case of Wayne O'Donoghue only too well. Not only did I report on the search for Robert Holohan, but his body was found on my 40th Birthday. In fact, just as I was on the phone to a friend, planning to meet for a drink to mark the day, the other line buzzed, and, well, you know the rest.

I covered Wayne O'Donoghues trial from start to finish at the Central Criminal Court, which sat in Cork for the case, and at which he was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. I was in Ennis for his sentence hearing, and heard Majella Holohans controversial, impassioned Victim Impact Statement.

When Wayne O'Donghue was released from the Midlands Prison early one bitterly cold January morning in 2008, I was there - part of the expected and inevitable media scrum. As he was driven away, the questions on so many minds were "Where is he going..? What will he do..?.."

I said it then, and I've said it many times since - I don't care. It's none of my business. It's not a story any more. He did the crime, and did his time. He's free to go wherever he wants to go. If some scurvy little pup from the red-tops wants to chase him down and get a picture of him buying the paper or walking the dog, that's up to them, but it's not for me.

What he did was wrong. He made it worse by his awful behaviour in the days that followed. He did a terrible wrong to the Holohan family. He was given a remarkably short sentence - albeit one that stood up under the scrutiny of an appeals process - and while he was able to walk free that morning two years ago, the Holohan family are left forever without their beautiful little boy. I have a son. I could not even comprehend losing him. I cannot imagine how much it's got to hurt.

Yet, under the law, Wayne O'Donoghue is entitled to live out the rest of his life. He's a free man whether anyone likes it or not. If I'm giving an honest opinion, he got off very, very lightly indeed. That, however, is how the cookie crumbles .. it is what it is, as they say.

Move on.

Next story, please.

On Sunday, I picked up my "Sunday World", and there it was.

"Wayne's Girl.. Child Killer O'Donoghue finds love with sexy British student.."

I'm appalled.

I'm a journalist, yet I'm disgusted to see this article.

Wayne O'Donoghue is now studying for a degree at an English University. He calls himself "Paddy" ... his middle name. He has met and is now living with a gorgeous girl, who the paper tells us "is devoted to him despite knowing about his conviction.. "..etc etc..

Both his picture, and hers, are plastered across the paper for effect.

Why is it necessary to do this? Why?

Yes, he did something truly awful.

Yes, there are questions still unanswered about what happened at that awful time in 2005, and about many other aspects of the death of Robert Holohan.

Yes, he deprived a family of their son, and outraged a Nation by cynically pretending to look for him - even appearing on the RTE News as a member of a search party.

But - answer me this?

Will the Sunday World article of January 17th, 2010 bring back Robert Holohan?

Will it answer even ONE of the outstanding questions?

Will it acheive anything other than to possibly sell a few more copies of a paper that already sells by the truckload?

Is it fair to a young woman who, like many more like her, has committed no crime, but formed a relationship with a man who has a bad past?

Was there any need, or public interest served, by this article?

The answer to all those questions, as far as I'm concerned anyway, is an emphatic NO.

It was, as far as I'm concerned, nothing less than a disgrace.

Now, Eamonn.. the Next Steps..

Anyone with even a passing interest in politics will recall a particular slogan that Fianna Fail used in advance of the 2007 General Election. It went "Now.. the Next Steps". Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen told anyone who would listen that they had brought the Country to it's finest economic hour, and that now they were the people who would lead it forward even further.

And my, my, my .. what an interesting journey those "next steps" have proven to be!!

Today, as I pick up the Irish Times, I see that the Labour Party has surged in the opinion polls from 14% up to 24%. Eamonn Gilmore is the most popular leader in the Country. Fianna Fail are in meltdown, and while nobody is foolish enough to think that an election now would be a good thing, it's clear that if one were to be held, Labour would be kingmakers.

Even on a very simple calculation, not allowing, admittedly for the vagaries of Proportional Representation, 24% of the vote could potentially see Labour returning a TD in every one of the 41 Dail constituencies. While accepting that 41 seats is probably unrealistic, there is every possibility that the 'Spring tide' of 1992 could be repeated... i.e. thirty seats plus.

However, if Eamonn Gilmore wants to turn his opinion poll success into real seats, there is something that he needs to do, and do cleary and unambiguously.

He needs to make it known that Labour will not do Coalition business with Fianna Fail.

So far, this is a question that Mr. Gilmore has failed to answer with any clarity. This is unusual for him, as for as long as I have followed politics, there are few who speak with his clarity or directness of language.

In 1992, Dick Spring, with 33 seats, made a massive, unforgiveable mistake, by cutting a deal with Albert Reynolds. In 1997, despite the good performance of the FG/Lab/DL Rainbow in the interim, the party suffered an angry backlash, and saw its number of seats more than halved.

If Eamonn Gilmore wants to ensure todays poll figures are translated into votes, he must start now, and continue at every opportunity until the election comes, whenever it comes, to make it crystal clear, there will be NO deals with FF..

That, for him, is "The Next Step"..

Dear Batt ...

Todays entry takes the form of an open letter to the Minister for Education.

Dear Minister O'Keeffe,
I write to you today, not just in my professional capacity, but as a parent. I'm a parent of a child with special needs. You'll remember James, if you think for a moment. When you were a TD in Cork South Central, I went to see you at your clinic. I was worried about the future of his little school, Sonas. I was also worried about his prospects of moving to a Primary School when, at the age of 6, he would be too old for Sonas. At the time, Minister, you reassured me. You said that the Government had a strong policy on Special Needs Education, and that I need not worry. As it turned out you were right. James, who has mild Autism, moved from Sonas, to a newly established unit at St. Columbas in Douglas. There, I am thrilled to say, he has thrived. In a small class, with a highly experienced teacher, and with Special Needs Assistants, he has learned to read, write, spell, add and subtract, and even recite his tables. He loves school (OK.. hates homework but you can't have everything..) and his mother and I marvel every day at the progress he has made. We could not be happier.

Now, Minister, we fear that you are on a mission to spoil everything.

Three weeks into the new term, we got a letter from the school. Because of your departments decision to limit funding to cover substitute teachers, we now face the possibility of James being sent home if his class teacher gets sick. You claimed publicly, when I put this question to you, that your department had provided €2m in extra funding to avoid such a situation, but guess what, Minster.. even if that money exists.. the Principal has no record of its provision, much less an idea how to claim it... and neither does any other principal that I've spoken to! You were asked to give the Special Needs sector an exemption from the substitution cutbacks, yet all you could produce was a stock answer written by the civil servants in your office, justifying the slashing of the sick-cover budget!


We now must live with the certainty that James will be sent home if his teacher is ill,
because the School simply cannot manage the situation under its present resources. It's not just a matter of letting the boys into another class for the day. It just wont work!

Now, just as this sinks in, after you failed to address it, Minister, you unleash another lash at my son and his classmates. The mandarins in your Department have come up with the idea that money will be saved by closing down special classes and forcing the pupils in them to have to integrate into mainstream. A number .. nine.. has been plucked out of the air and any school that doesn't have nine kids with special needs, is to face losing its special class..


Minister, this is a disgrace, an injustice and a public outrage.

It amounts to a calculated move by your Department to attack the softest of all targets, to impose hardship on the most vulnerable, and to ruthlessly pennypinch in the most cynical and targetted way. It's a move that will save a mere pittance, but a move that will slow, and in many cases, even stop .. or worse still, reverse the wonderful progress being made by children like my little boy.

We are lucky. James's school has the numbers, and he is likely to be unaffected. Others, however, including families that I know well, cannot be assured of the same. On the day that the Government injects €7 Billion of taxpayers money into the banks, to bail them out of a hole they dug for themselves, you are, without a qualm of conscience, preparing to disrupt the education of vulnerable youngsters, for the sake of what in those terms, are mere pennies.

Batt, you and I have met many many times.

I've been a constituent of yours, and covered your political career for twenty years.

We've met socially and had a pint and a laugh together on many an occasion.

When the Taoiseach elevated you to high office last Summer, I thought of my son, and smiled to myself. I figured.. "Batt is one of the good guys. James will be fine while he's in charge.."


How wrong I was. How disappointed I was to be. How my confidence in you was to be shattered.

How you have let me down.


Best personal regards, as always,
PJ