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The Last Questions and Answers, 29th June

Simon McGarr — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:31:23 +0000

John Bowman

Questions and Answers, 15th June

Simon McGarr — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:43:33 +0000

4:46 PM: Simon McGarr Hastily rushing in late to the super early for unknown reasons Q&A.
4:47 PM: Mark_Coughlan Dukes is getting some amount of time here…
4:47 PM: Simon McGarr Panel: Paul Anthony McDermott BL, Alan Kelly LAB, Minister for Scowling and looking Pissed Mary Coughlan FF, Alan Dukes Anglo-Irish Bank Director and PR professional, Alison O’Connor Indo journalist.
4:48 PM: Christine Bohan Alan Dukes always reminds me of the 1980s for some reason. Always a bit surprised to see he’s still going.
4:48 PM: Mark_Coughlan The best Taoiseach we never had…
4:49 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Dukes’ peroration finally winds to an end. Now understand why FG had him so quickly killed. Listening that lecturing you would get old fast.
4:50 PM: Simon McGarr Govt knew exactly, EXACTLY, what they were doing when they gave Anglo the benefit of our guarantee.
4:50 PM: Mark_Coughlan Lenihan knew fecking loads more than he pretended!
4:51 PM: Simon McGarr For latecomers, the Minister has decided to play a character from a Jackie Collins novel tonight. Told Bowman to not interrupt her.
4:51 PM: Squid Limerick early start this week for q and a
4:52 PM: Mark_Coughlan Great audience contribution there
4:52 PM: Simon McGarr Brian Lucey’s article may be read here www.irishtimes.com
4:52 PM: Simon McGarr Audience man brown noses Dukes in the stupidest way. *facepalm*
4:53 PM: Simon McGarr Resisting… urge to … make … tanning joke….
4:53 PM: midnightcourt Comptroller and Auditor General’s Office is only body in country that could tell us what’s going on in Anglo #qa14
4:53 PM: midnightcourt Tallaght strategy really paid off for Dukes. FF has been giving him juicy sinecure after juicy sinecure for years #qa14
4:53 PM: midnightcourt Paul Anthony finally reaches the giddy heights of Q&A. Welcome to the Establishment. #qa14
4:54 PM: Simon McGarr Minister now invited to explain banking. Sigh.
4:54 PM: Simon McGarr She thinks regulation is an issue.
4:54 PM: Simon McGarr She has to make serious choices.
4:55 PM: Simon McGarr She doesn’t want to let a bank go, divil may care.
4:56 PM: Simon McGarr Now she’s given up on making statements of the banal and is just making noises with poorly chosen words.
4:56 PM: Suzy Irish Association of Bankers and Chemists in audience tonight?
4:57 PM: Simon McGarr Dukes now wagging his finger at Alan Kelly. That’ll teach them to win elections.
4:58 PM: Mark_Coughlan Jesus, The Dukes Show.
4:58 PM: Simon McGarr Anglo is not systemically important. I know this because Dukes just told me he believes it is. I think this is a rule of thumb which will serve me well in the next 32 minutes.
4:59 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Dukes demands we stop talking about what he’s doing.
4:59 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Kelly posters taken before Pie eating contests up and down Ireland South, clearly.
5:00 PM: Suzy ooh 5 councillors get elected and we have a party announcement from the questioner before the question gets asked!
5:01 PM: Mark_Coughlan Lisbon II will be gas
5:01 PM: Simon McGarr Paul A. McDermott can barely bring himself to describe the Lisbon guarantees as ‘legal’. Due to the fact they’re no more legal than my shopping list.
5:01 PM: click here (gaelick.com) There is no issue of abortion/neutrality/etc. *in* the Lisbon Treaty, you crazy peddler..
5:02 PM: Squid Limerick ve have vays of making youVOTE YES
5:03 PM: stephenkinsella Quite perceptive comment on Lisbon 2 from SnideLawyerGuy: legal guarantees are meaningless. Ouch.
5:03 PM: Mark_Coughlan Simon – re shopping list – do expand please…
5:03 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Dukes complained about P. A. McD’s way with words. Now the Minister complains he is being facetious, due to the fact he is totally accurate.
5:03 PM: gaelick F*** you, Mary Coughlan – none of those issues were reasons why people voted “no”: surveys showed most people voted no due to lack of knowledge. Gah!
5:04 PM: gaelick (P.S. disclosure-wise – I wasn’t necessarily entirely happy with the Treaty..!)
5:05 PM: Simon McGarr The guarantees aren’t legally binding, obviously. No more than if I promise to vote for you next week. There’s no way of enforcing them. That’s how you test if you have a binding agreement. You find out what you can do if the other side breach the deal.
5:05 PM: stephenkinsella We have listened to the people, and given them the form of words they need to hear so we can ignore their wishes from the first time.
5:05 PM: Christine Bohan There are Irish troops in Afghanistan?
5:05 PM: Simon McGarr People before Articulacy.
5:05 PM: stephenkinsella Woops—waaay over the top from the questioner, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
5:06 PM: stephenkinsella …And John B begins the smackdown.
5:06 PM: Suzy US troops and Lisbon?
5:06 PM: gaelick There are Irish troops in Afghanistan – a relation of mine was there (high ranking Irish army)
5:06 PM: Suzy Ooops me and Alan Dukes agree on something.
5:07 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Dukes annoyed that his no to lisbon representative is a respectable looking pinstriped barrister and not the questioner from the audience.
5:07 PM: stephenkinsella Dukes making sense. Oh Dear.
5:07 PM: Simon McGarr I’m sticking to my rule of thumb.
5:07 PM: gaelick lol – I feel dirty, too, Suzy..
5:08 PM: Simon McGarr Alan Kelly complains of P.A. McD ‘flippancy’. Panel really annoyed at ability to speak being demonstrated by one amongst them.
5:09 PM: Simon McGarr Falling asleep to lulling words of Alan Kelly.
5:09 PM: Christine Bohan Paul Anthony McDermot is giving his best ‘bitch, please’ look to Alan Dukes.
5:09 PM: gaelick Commissioners aren’t Ambassadors, Kelly – tell your constituents, you numpty!
5:09 PM: leotraynor You can see why FG keep Kenny & Dukes apart – Mr.D makes Inda look like a parish pump politician
5:10 PM: stephenkinsella Scardey Cats of Europe! Child Abuse! Abortion! All in the one comment.
5:10 PM: Simon McGarr Being shot in the head by journalism scattershot from Indo lady.
5:10 PM: leotraynor It would appear Alan Kelly’s receiving life coaching from Inda. Charisma free zone
5:10 PM: stephenkinsella This lady is bar stool indignation plutonium.
5:10 PM: gaelick pmsl @stephen
5:11 PM: Christine Bohan Pretty low blow from Coughlan there on FG’s ‘news friends’ in SF.
5:11 PM: leotraynor INM’s lackey is serving her masters well
5:11 PM: Simon McGarr Awsome st00pid from Minister.
5:11 PM: stephenkinsella ?PMSL?
5:11 PM: Simon McGarr Bowman tells audience member they know nothing.
5:11 PM: leotraynor Low blow from Sweary – She’s married to a guard – hates the shinners
5:11 PM: Christine Bohan Pissing myself laughing, daddy-o
5:12 PM: Suzy Does the panel believe that Cowen will lead FF into the next election?
5:12 PM: gaelick Heh, I’m giggling at your quip, chappy.
5:12 PM: Mark_Coughlan No… none of them do. I’m sure.
5:12 PM: Christine Bohan Alan Dukes playing coy is like the neighbourhood slut pretending to be a virgin. Not buying it, Dukesy.
5:12 PM: Suzy Bowman reminds Dukes he’s on programme to give opinion
5:12 PM: gaelick Arragh, Dukes, tell us – go on, go on, etc.
5:13 PM: Mark_Coughlan Martin isn’t dumb enough to take it.
5:13 PM: Mark_Coughlan Tanaiste wont go either
5:13 PM: Simon McGarr Audience laughs at the idea that Minister will remain Tanaiste.
5:13 PM: Suzy Paul Anthony predicts that there are no Turkeys in favour of voting for xmas
5:13 PM: Christine Bohan PA McDermot sounded like a baddie from a film as he predicted Cowen’s demise there. Surprised he didn’t bookend it by stroking a cat and doing an evil laugh.
5:14 PM: Simon McGarr Ads for EBS mortgages to follow.
5:15 PM: Simon McGarr McElhinney’s of Athboy break into the world of lovely girls.
5:16 PM: Simon McGarr Here’s this woman warning me about holes in my gut with lumpy plums in them.
5:16 PM: Mark_Coughlan Researching SIPO – what a load of balls.
5:16 PM: stephenkinsella The audience can’t believe FF can make it in a second time. Loving the show tonight. John B’s on form.
5:16 PM: Simon McGarr I need to fill the holes with spheres of yoghurt.
5:17 PM: hughgreen #qa14 The fact that there was a poll, research etc does not mean that the govt addressed reasons for voting No.
5:17 PM: hughgreen #qa14 I calculate from her demeanour that Mary Coughlan has had precisely one gin and tonic before going on air.
5:17 PM: Simon McGarr @Mark_Coughlan Told you so.
5:18 PM: Simon McGarr Back, with weighty question. What to do with the Ryan Report now?
5:18 PM: Mark_Coughlan @Simon – Oh, I know.
5:18 PM: Simon McGarr PA McDermott says that child abuse is not a thing of history, but continues at the same level as historically.
5:19 PM: stephenkinsella @ Simon, not the point he’s making.
5:19 PM: stephenkinsella He’s saying this isn’t going to change anything.
5:20 PM: stephenkinsella Again, again, we bring the debate back to Money. Because apparently money=justice, it seems.
5:20 PM: Simon McGarr Makes a link between Irish society’s lack of focus on children as people to be given respect and to be loved in public and their mistreatment in private.
5:20 PM: Christine Bohan Surely PAMcD is missing the point somewhat. A small minority of the cases took place as far back as 1940. They continued until the late 1990s. Plus in the case of repeat offenders, surely it’s about the multiple offences that were committed, rather than just a once off occurence on a particular date.
5:20 PM: stephenkinsella Why can’t we focus on anything else in the debate? Institutional reform? Anyone?
5:20 PM: Squid Limerick Sweary mary calling for the religeous orders to be transparant. that’s rich considering how transparent the redress board is
5:21 PM: Christine Bohan @Stephen Agreed. Don’t understand why the debate isn’t focused now on removing the religious orders from health and education roles.
5:21 PM: Simon McGarr Contrasts it with the way society in Spain revolves around children.
5:22 PM: gaelick What’s “social society,\” Mary?
5:22 PM: Mark_Coughlan We’re not listening to any victims though, love…
5:22 PM: stephenkinsella Amazingly Mary C hasn’t been well briefed on Ryan report’s implications.
5:22 PM: Simon McGarr Bowman keeps trying to kill off discussion of current care for children.
5:23 PM: leotraynor No one’s mentioning the elephant in the room – the necessity for complete separation of church and state
5:23 PM: Simon McGarr Cut off PA McDermott, only to have it pop out from Indo Journalist.
5:23 PM: gaelick Listening to victims isn’t important, clearly – what’s important is throwing money around and hoping child abuse survivors just go away..
5:23 PM: gaelick Absolutely agree, @leotraynor
5:23 PM: leotraynor Coughlan really is one of the worst presented, ill informed politico’s i’ve ever seen. a political pygmy
5:24 PM: Christine Bohan Coughlan has been a TD since she was 21 or 22. Can’t really claim to have worked ‘as a former social worker’, can she?
5:24 PM: stephenkinsella There should be legal redress, true, but also definitely an acceptance that the church doesn’t have a role in state education and childcare anymore.
5:24 PM: gaelick Oh Christ, can we cull Mary Coughlan?
5:24 PM: leotraynor mary reminds us of her social work credentials – nothing to be proud of in the current climate
5:25 PM: Simon McGarr Chuch/State separation not going to solve the problem of mistreatment of children on its own. State, in the form of the HSE, are APPALLING at looking after children.
5:25 PM: stephenkinsella The level of debate is staggering—social workers should work after 5pm. Who knew?
5:25 PM: Suzy Inexcusable that we don’t have an out of hours service according to Minister. But she makes excuses anyway.
5:25 PM: Mark_Coughlan People aren’t being listened to at all. They were ignored by the fucking Oireachtas this week, their political games took precedence…
5:25 PM: leotraynor @Simon McGarr I agree totally
5:25 PM: Simon McGarr Its inexcusable. If only someone was in government who could do something about it.
5:26 PM: dermotcasey Dear Mary the Glamour/Glamor/Hex has worn off. Only the words left and they are vaccous. Spent last 30 mins listening to QA with back turned to telly. Gives you a different perspective
5:26 PM: gaelick And Ireland needs to incorporate the Convention on the Rights of the Child needs into domestic law
5:26 PM: twentymajor I find the way Mary Coughlan’s mouth moves and the way it obscures her wart quite disturbing.
5:26 PM: stephenkinsella Opportunity Cost: 4bn for anglo vs. out of hours care for vulnerable children.
5:27 PM: gaelick Agree re. current State “services” or lack thereof
5:27 PM: Simon McGarr What!!
5:28 PM: Simon McGarr Well, I look forward to PA McDermott running for the Socialist Party in Dun Laoghaire.
5:28 PM: stephenkinsella Oh, not the last one then?
5:28 PM: leotraynor @Mark_Coughlan Dead right. Enda Kenny treated the victims with utter contempt for a pointless ego trip
5:28 PM: Mark_Coughlan Tomorrow’s news www.youtube.com
5:29 PM: leotraynor i look forward to P A McDermott running for the hills!
5:29 PM: stephenkinsella Find the Ryan report easier to read than the commentary about it, amazing.
5:32 PM: stephenkinsella @Mark_Coughlan, the revolution will be televised, apparently.
5:32 PM: Simon McGarr Glancing up to be reassured on gut fluid loss in closing ad break. Clearly, people watching Q&A get bad stomach problems. Ulcers and the like caused by listening too hard.
5:34 PM: stephenkinsella @Simon, stress ulcers from ranting at TV. Now we have this thing instead. They should get the newslady to advertise scribblelive. I’m telling you, it’s saving my marriage. The missus is chuffed I’m ranting at like-minded nutters, not her
5:35 PM: Mark_Coughlan www.irishtimes.com Good post
5:37 PM: Simon McGarr Closing the shop?
5:38 PM: stephenkinsella Night All!
5:38 PM: Christine Bohan Night everyone. It’s been fun. Are we liveblogging any of Vincent Browne this week?
5:41 PM: Simon McGarr Vinb liveblog will be up, for those who wish to inhabit it, in a matter of moments. Check out @Tupp_ed on twitter to get the the address.

Questions and Answers April 20 2009

Maman Poulet — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:35:59 +0000

4:10 PM: Suzy Byrne Twitter tag is #qa7 btw…
6:07 PM: Alexia Golez Bets that tonight’s show will be popular in the Blogopolis?
7:00 PM: Simon McGarr If @damienmulley ‘s on from the Internet and Dermot Ahern from FF, then Privacy Bill and #picturegate can’t be far behind. #qa7
10:07 PM: christinebohan @daverooney #qa7. Also liveblog here: tinyurl.com
10:19 PM: damienmulley This is my first Twitter message, from RTE, former Comms Minister delighted to see explosion in Twitter
10:20 PM: Squid Limerick Rich people building one off houses. at least I know I have the right channel anyway
10:20 PM: Simon McGarr @damienmulley he does know there isn’t a Twitter DG you can ring to complain about stuff you don’t like?
10:23 PM: robreid Damien Mulley is on Questions & Answers tonight. Facebook privacy included in the audience agenda. RTE One @ 22:30
10:24 PM: Simon McGarr Facebook Privacy! Say it ain’t so!
10:25 PM: chrismehigan If Tweetie lives up to the Questions and answers challenge I’ll buy the licence! #qa7 #tweetie
10:26 PM: TrustTommy Hey folks. My homework is done, so I’m live blogging Q&A!
10:26 PM: daverooney hoping the #qa7 comments will be as good as the dragons den #ddire ones
10:27 PM: Squid Limerick can one of the mods enable images ?
10:28 PM: elfinamsterdam Attempting to stay awake to watch and live blog a bit…. boy im getting old!
10:28 PM: Alexia Golez Anyone have suggestions for songs tonight? Suggestions welcome during the show!
10:28 PM: icedcoffee Hey folks
10:29 PM: Suzy Byrne @squid images are ok as far as I can see – there is an upload image button on page – you can embed html etc also.
10:30 PM: Alexia Golez For those of you in Internetland, you can watch live on www.rte.ie Might work in the Blogopolis too!
10:31 PM: elfinamsterdam I miss Irish Tv, rubbish and all as it is….
10:31 PM: Suzy Byrne It’s a tie!
10:31 PM: redmum woo hoo, looking good Damien M
10:32 PM: Alexia Golez @suzybie It’s not pink!
10:32 PM: TrustTommy woo! Damien looks so ridiculously serious. He’s in big boy clothes!
10:32 PM: Suzy Byrne Karen is offering tie tying services as a good butch should…
10:33 PM: Squid Limerick I only have a green comment button
10:33 PM: redmum @trusttommy will you tell herself to get her homework done and get ready for bed – she might listen to you
10:33 PM: icedcoffee Has it started? not showing online yet…
10:34 PM: colmbracken Gash. There’s a serious lag between t’Internet streaming and the telly I’m guessing #qa7
10:34 PM: Alexia Golez @icedcoffee just a teaser
10:34 PM: krayZpaving @damienmulley pull your tie up properly! #qa7
10:34 PM: TrustTommy RT: @mneylon: @damienmulley you’re going on national tv not a funeral
10:34 PM: Squid Limerick test
10:34 PM: alancostello Go on de Mulley! #qa7
10:34 PM: endac Is that Calibri in that Galway ad? #qa7
10:34 PM: jonathangrimes Can we get #qa7 trending?
10:35 PM: elfinamsterdam is it still on the ads?… im getting black screen too
10:35 PM: TrustTommy @redmum she’s on now! watch yourself!!
10:35 PM: Squid Limerick
10:35 PM: icedcoffee Damn im getting network errors on the website… hopefully it wont happen when it actually starts
10:36 PM: Alexia Golez @suzy New avatar!
10:36 PM: Mark_Coughlan The Irish blogoshpere/twittersphere is like a bunch of mammies watching their eldest son debut for the local under 8s right now. #qa7
10:36 PM: johnpeavoy Wot no twitter feed for questions? #qa7
10:36 PM: TrustTommy No less serious second time round..!
10:37 PM: Simon McGarr If I was in Fine Gael, I’d never, never wear a blue shirt on the telly.
10:37 PM: Alexia Golez The question is if politicians are overpaid?
10:37 PM: wendylimerick The man who asked the question scarey
10:37 PM: twentymajor Evening …
10:38 PM: swhelband Watching @damienmulley on Questions and Answers #qa7
10:38 PM: endac So who’s calling in? Complain about twitter jumping the shark.. #qa7
10:38 PM: Suzy Byrne Fergus is giving up money – to charidee…
10:38 PM: Squid Limerick Give a little … helps a lot. why not give the bonus to the taxpayer instead
10:39 PM: Simon McGarr Draining the public purse in favour of his own choice of spending priorities. Classic FG circling a square.
10:39 PM: TrustTommy wonder if we’ll get onto the topic of ‘do we need the seanad?’
10:39 PM: christinebohan My god, that’s an aggressive choice of tie by Dermot Ahern.
10:39 PM: Suzy Byrne Like the ministers weren’t forced to take cut.. ah yes Dermot!
10:39 PM: Suzy Byrne Tonight`s panel Dermot Ahern Minister for Justice, Fergus O’Dowd – FG TD, Diarmuid McDermott Ireland International News Agency, Marie Sherlock SIPTU Economist, Damien Mulley – Blogger and Mulley Communications.
10:39 PM: Mark_Coughlan Dermot Ahern COULD be party-political… wait… Dermot Ahern just WAS party-political
10:39 PM: anthonymcg This FG guy is all over the place #qa7
10:39 PM: TheChrisD @icedcoffee The Windows Media stream is working fine for me right now. #qa7
10:39 PM: ccrossan Watching @damienmulley on Questions and Answers #qa7
10:39 PM: icedcoffee This is being recorded, right? cos it aint working online… (mac/realplayer)
10:40 PM: Squid Limerick
10:40 PM: JimDHunt DA is known for his eclectic choice of ties!
10:40 PM: twentymajor It’s custardly brilliant…
10:40 PM: Suzy Byrne Iced Coffee – entire show will be available online in a few hours.
10:40 PM: christinebohan Surely the answer to Dermot Ahern is that Principal Officers *should* be taking the same pay cuts that politicians are.
10:40 PM: icedcoffee got it working now
10:41 PM: elfinamsterdam @icedcoffee might be your connection/setup mate its working grand here
10:41 PM: Simon McGarr I once won an equality case showing that time based opportunities in the Civil Service is based on questionable logic.
10:41 PM: TrustTommy Damien’s being awful quiet… preparing his monologue….?
10:41 PM: Simon McGarr I bet those two FF TDs who didn’t have a job were livid.
10:42 PM: ann_donnelly @antgalvin Hubby said, “My god, he’s blogged himself onto Questions and Answers!” #qa7
10:42 PM: achgohairithe twitpic.com
10:43 PM: twentymajor 5 of her 7 children, serves her right for having so many children…
10:43 PM: Squid Limerick
10:43 PM: TrustTommy would’ve liked to get tix to this, actually
10:43 PM: wendylimerick Wonder if Fergus and Dermot shared a spin down to Dublin?
10:43 PM: christinebohan I don’t know how it’s possible but Dermot Ahern is winning this argument about politicians not taking pay cuts.
10:43 PM: wendylimerick Messing
10:43 PM: Alexia Golez where is Dilli?
10:43 PM: Alexia Golez Answers on the back of a postcard to Dermot
10:44 PM: EmilyAM Just flicked over, who is the lady in red?
10:44 PM: jonathangrimes Ahern in command, O’Dowd needs to come across more minesterial
10:44 PM: Simon McGarr All is lost. Stuffed (Blue)Shirt from Fine Gael letting Dermot Ahern ramble on about his personal courage.
10:44 PM: christinebohan @EmilyAM She’s Marie Sherlock, she’s an economist with SIPTU
10:44 PM: twentymajor How did he survive without a hot shower? Truly a hero for our times.
10:44 PM: elfinamsterdam O’Dowd looks and acts like a clown, dunno how its possible but he’s making me respect Ahern
10:44 PM: Squid Limerick Dilli, somewhere in deepest darkest africa
10:45 PM: Mark_Coughlan God bless Ahern… I’m sure he ASKED to stay in those shitholes… there was surely a Hilton down the road, but Ahern was saying “nope”…
10:45 PM: lilinator How has this strayed so far from original question
10:45 PM: wendylimerick Economist looks about 12
10:45 PM: Simon McGarr Part of the Labour Sherlock family.
10:45 PM: Alexia Golez Dermot Ahern does boobie hands way better than Bertie even could
10:45 PM: Simon McGarr Topic boring. Nobody wants to stick to it.
10:45 PM: TrustTommy like yer woman. Is gonna say her piece no matter what colour shirt interupts her
10:45 PM: mneylon @ann_donnelly aww poor ickle td #qa7
10:45 PM: daverooney lol aaaaaw no hot water for the FF jacuzi #qa7
10:46 PM: twentymajor Brothers ‘noshit’ and ‘Jason’
10:47 PM: Simon McGarr Is the desk a little higher than usual? Dermot Ahern giving off a strange Primary School vibe.
10:47 PM: TheChrisD Wake me when we get to the good bits. #qa7
10:47 PM: keithbelfast she’s a bit fiesty #qa7
10:47 PM: Mark_Coughlan How the fuck is Ahern coming across as the good guy. This is mindwarping.
10:47 PM: Squid Limerick Wasn’t it his former leader that suggested that those pesimistic about the economy should top themselves?
10:47 PM: BrianGreene revolution soon #qa7
10:47 PM: Squid Limerick and now he says RTE caught up with the government
10:48 PM: elfinamsterdam Ahern is losing ground, and the world rights itself…..
10:48 PM: Simon McGarr Boggling. No, I’m sorry, I’m going to have to flail my limbs for a few moments.
10:48 PM: TrustTommy you get the feeling that the political suits are trying to make themselves look good, while the woman wants to get a point across
10:48 PM: elfinamsterdam Dont have the increments? but you DO have the perks and a lot of them!
10:49 PM: Mark_Coughlan Background on baldy? Anyone?
10:49 PM: Suzy Byrne Diarmuid McDermott – Ireland International Agency – news agency…
10:49 PM: Alexia Golez @simon Now, now… There’s no O’Dea!
10:49 PM: ann_donnelly Is that what @damienmulley will look like in 30 years? #qa7 (guy on right)
10:49 PM: daverooney mulley looking very bored – get off the increment topic #qa7
10:49 PM: alancostello Ask Mulley a question already! #qa7
10:49 PM: twentymajor Shut up Ahern, let the Mullinator speak…
10:49 PM: endac Anyone ever heard ‘Johnson’ call into ‘Radio Roy’? (Gift Grub) – I wanna do that to Mulley! #qa7
10:50 PM: smemon loads of talk but it’s going round in circles – politicians are the only people who can talk their way out of pay cuts
10:50 PM: TrustTommy Damien comes in. Grinning like a cheshire cat
10:50 PM: Mark_Coughlan Thanks Suzy… here comes Damo.
10:50 PM: TrustTommy byebye Cork accent!
10:50 PM: Suzy Byrne Mulley Bingo – FOI
10:50 PM: christinebohan Damn good point by Damien. Politicians should just cop the fuck on, take the cut and get on with the business of governing.
10:51 PM: redmum @mcgivney and best tie, sounding very calm and reasonable,
10:51 PM: jkeyes Did I just hear hullaballo? I think I did. LOL #qa7
10:51 PM: Alexia Golez @suzy Ding! Also the use of ‘noise’
10:51 PM: Suzy Byrne Don’t put money on pint says audience man…
10:51 PM: trjh @Mark_Coughlan and now we know you are first & foremost a sportswriter #qa7
10:51 PM: TheChrisD About fucking time to hear something a little more relevant to the average man! #qa7
10:51 PM: redmum Bowman needs to stop ahern cutting across everyone, he is bullyish
10:51 PM: TrustTommy guy in the audience has a bee in his bonnet. @jkeyes, I WIN!
10:52 PM: Mark_Coughlan Cringe moment number one.
10:52 PM: wendylimerick Oh 10p on a pint
10:52 PM: Simon McGarr 10p says audience man is a publican.
10:52 PM: jonathangrimes When’s the question on twitter/facebook coming up??
10:52 PM: Simon McGarr Wait a minute, I’ve seen this audience before.
10:52 PM: Squid Limerick The thing is, they didn’t put 10p on the pint.
10:52 PM: ann_donnelly Good to have someone like @damienmulley on to break through the battling between politicians #qa7
10:52 PM: johnpeavoy RT @topgold: @EvertB The first topic on Q&A tonight is old hat, rewarmed, predictable sparring. #qa7
10:52 PM: Suzy Byrne Lollipop for first person to spot @cianflah…
10:53 PM: twentymajor “Everybody has to take the hit” – shut up, I don’t have to do anything you say, studentgirl.
10:53 PM: reverbstudios So thats what Mulley looks and sounds like!
10:53 PM: wendylimerick I hate FF Plants
10:53 PM: wendylimerick Oh FF hack in the crowd young d4 woman
10:53 PM: Simon McGarr Strange atmosphere from my telly. Like I’m watching an uncomfortable family dinner between cousins that haven’t met before.
10:54 PM: Alexia Golez Squeaky pixie gurl alert!
10:54 PM: Simon McGarr Someone’s been reading their TJ McIntyre!
10:54 PM: Suzy Byrne WIll the new criminal law surveillance bill effect everyone and not just gang member? Question 2
10:54 PM: twentymajor “The Wire”, Irish style
10:54 PM: Mark_Coughlan LOL! Best questioner ever!
10:54 PM: wendylimerick This is a weird q&a
10:54 PM: Mark_Coughlan LOL! Best questioner ever!
10:54 PM: elfinamsterdam @wendylimerick she was a FF Cheese Plant…. a real whiff of fed lines off her
10:54 PM: TrustTommy A good politician should be more interested in helping the flipping country, not expanding their pockets
10:55 PM: Simon McGarr Bill was produced last November in Heads form. Limerick business provided great cover.
10:55 PM: Suzy Byrne Mulley as the person who has made most of us watch the wire will be very specially versed in this topic – add that to FOI’s privacy law and general shitstirring and he’ll be better versed that many on panel.
10:55 PM: Suzy Byrne Criminals are not America’s Dumbest Criminals…
10:55 PM: elfinamsterdam Sorry for dumb question but my connection timed out at the begining… Lady in Red is ?? (and no not the Chris De Burgh song)
10:55 PM: wendylimerick elfinamsterdam The Cumann will award her well she will be the chief HANG Sambo Maker
10:55 PM: jonathangrimes A real representative audience tonight…
10:55 PM: Squid Limerick you can buy a bug detector in maplin for 25 quid ffs
10:56 PM: johnpeavoy Only for twitter, I’d be totally wasting my evening…. Apart from listening to our man @damienmulley #qa7
10:56 PM: endac Does he have to apply technology to all of his answers? #qa7
10:56 PM: christinebohan @elf It’s Marie Sherlock from SIPTU. She’s in Labour as well.
10:57 PM: christinebohan Fergus O’Dowd: “I’m not concerned about civil liberties”. Um, lol?
10:57 PM: elfinamsterdam @christinebohan cheers dear
10:57 PM: TrustTommy Smart and technologically advanced criminals should be combatted by smart and technologically advanced police forces. Right..? :S
10:57 PM: Simon McGarr A PO from Revenue! I’m going to have to use one of my limited little store of them
AGOG!
10:57 PM: redmum MMm I find it appalling that someone says they dont care about civil liberties
10:57 PM: redmum @mcgivney and best tie, sounding very calm and reasonable,
10:57 PM: Simon McGarr Nobody from FG has ever been concerned about civil liberties. They’re not convinced there is such a thing.
10:58 PM: topgold @reverbstudios No, that’s what Mulley looks like in a tie and make-up.
10:58 PM: Suzy Byrne There are 17 other bills that the Minister and his colleagues were to publish by April 9th….
10:58 PM: TrustTommy 98something
10:58 PM: TrustTommy only caught start of number: 1850 584
10:59 PM: Suzy Byrne Fergus O’Dowd’s constituency
predecessor was Brendan McGahon – who was in favour of hanging and flogging etc. (Didn’t like buggery at all either)
10:59 PM: elfinamsterdam Bring it in very quickly… yep.. before anyone gets a chance to look at it properly, screw anyones privacy….
10:59 PM: Alexia Golez Dermot Ahern is a lip-licker.. Just watch him
11:00 PM: Simon McGarr www.tjmcintyre.com TJ McIntyre’s of DRI gives his thoughts on this Bill.
11:00 PM: Alexia Golez OOoo.. Mulley drinks. Bet his rider specified Cork water. Tepid. Beige towels too!
11:01 PM: Simon McGarr This murder was much worse than those other murders.
11:01 PM: icedcoffee the hashtag: QA7 why 7?
11:01 PM: icedcoffee @keithbelfast i wouldn’t say that, though he is there as a technologist and blogger (from what i’ve gathered) #qa7
11:01 PM: elfinamsterdam I bet the balance will be about as right as the balance on both budgets…..
11:01 PM: Suzy Byrne Iced Coffee – we live blog q&a each week – this 7th time we’ve got organised to incorporate live tweets
11:01 PM: redmum In case people wish to email in at any stage its qanda@rte.ie cant find the text number, will be along the screen shortly
11:02 PM: wendylimerick This has turned into the Dermot Ahern Show
11:02 PM: Squid Limerick No fair! the ni crowd get a free phone number while we, the licence payers have to pay. bloody RTE
11:02 PM: Mark_Coughlan Ahern is getting a ridiculous amount of airtime…
11:02 PM: smemon somebody stop dermot ahern – he’s going on a home run here – unchalleneged
11:03 PM: twentymajor Diarmaid knows stuff …
11:03 PM: elfinamsterdam @wendylimerick I’m glad you said that… yes it is…
11:03 PM: TrustTommy less Ahern, more Mulley
11:03 PM: EmilyAM Diarmaid knows guff
11:03 PM: nmcgivney I have just died a little bit more over the last 20 mins than normal. Any doctors on here?
11:03 PM: Simon McGarr It would take a stronger panel to talk over the Minister. He will just plough on unless stomped on.
11:04 PM: icedcoffee @suzy ah ok, i would think dropping the 7 (maybe in place of soemthing else) could help others to use hashtag without knowing the official one. but anyway.
11:04 PM: redmum Come on Bowman, do your job and shut him up.
11:05 PM: icedcoffee there is too much from these politicians only ‘cos being politicians they know how to spout shit constantly.
11:05 PM: redmum Sorry Im still watching two mins behind, I paused the auld NTL box to get phone numbers
11:05 PM: Alexia Golez I feel like the baldies are killing us with their IP
11:05 PM: Simon McGarr I once visited the Garda Forensics Lab. It looked just like my old school science lab, yellow taps and Belfasts sinks and all.
11:06 PM: lilinator Damien looks so calm and relaxed when the camera catches him
11:06 PM: Alexia Golez It’s hair envy
11:06 PM: wendylimerick Bring Pat Kenny in
11:06 PM: TrustTommy @lilinator Never off duty, eh?
11:07 PM: nmcgivney I’ve had a vision of the future. There were pitchforks on Kildare Street.
11:07 PM: wendylimerick I never thought i would say this but this format is shot
11:07 PM: Mark_Coughlan Far to much blocks of opinion, not enough debate.
11:07 PM: twentymajor The FG reminds me of a timid talking panda
11:07 PM: Simon McGarr Genius! We should pass laws that only apply to criminals.
11:07 PM: wendylimerick that woman who asked the question has a voice of a ten year old
11:07 PM: christinebohan The men with just 20% of the combined hair total are doing 80% of the talking
11:07 PM: jonathangrimes Ahern has obviously slipped something into the rest of the panel’s water – no serious challenge being put up
11:08 PM: Squid Limerick yer man looks like a local politician
11:08 PM: Simon McGarr Law student doom.
11:08 PM: twentymajor Johnny Generally on now …
11:08 PM: Squid Limerick big square head on him
11:08 PM: nmcgivney @wendylimerick Format shot to shit long time ago. No spontaneity. No debate. No blood.
11:08 PM: TrustTommy @lilinator He never lets his professional side down. Don’t think he has another side, TBH
11:08 PM: Mark_Coughlan “Hi guys”… brilliant.
11:08 PM: christinebohan I fucking hate the way so much of Q&A’s audience is made up of students who haven’t thought through what they want to say and can hardly string a sentence together.
11:09 PM: Alexia Golez Token tech Q!
11:09 PM: Simon McGarr Facebook privacy is the ‘just before the ad’ subject.
11:09 PM: Mark_Coughlan NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
11:09 PM: Suzy Byrne Do you think facebook users who’ve made personal details readily available waived their rights to privacy?
11:09 PM: wendylimerick A feckin question about FACEBOOK?
11:09 PM: TrustTommy Ahh, onto Facebook. I think she’s right
11:09 PM: twentymajor When I was in college we went to a filming of Q&A and one of the lads puked red wine on the steps.
11:09 PM: Mark_Coughlan Shit question.
11:09 PM: elfinamsterdam @mark coughlan… its was more Hi Goys
11:09 PM: wendylimerick Token question for Damien
11:09 PM: EmilyAM Does JB know what Facebook is/does?
11:09 PM: jonathangrimes familiar terriorty now
11:10 PM: Alexia Golez what’s on Bowman’s page?
11:10 PM: Simon McGarr He’s a hardcore Bebo.
11:10 PM: wendylimerick Grown up and you quit facebook by JB
11:10 PM: TrustTommy You waive that right too. They even say that, right?
11:10 PM: daverooney hehehe Gardai + technology = fail #qa7
11:10 PM: TheChrisD Commercial break soon, thank fuck! #qa7
11:10 PM: PeterTanham Now’s your time to shine Mulley! #qa7
11:10 PM: twentymajor JB has a gangsta rap MySpace page, he’s a stone-cold Nigga….
11:11 PM: EmilyAM Dermot Ahern is down with the kids.
11:11 PM: Simon McGarr Wait, Dermot, are you suggesting Facebook ought to comply with Data Protection law? Startling.
11:11 PM: Alexia Golez Dermot is thinking of the children so we don’t have to
11:11 PM: Simon McGarr Here comes the Twitter ref.
11:11 PM: TrustTommy No no no Ahern, you tool. “I want to put personal stuff, but no one’s allowed see it”. Wha…?
11:11 PM: Suzy Byrne And Dermot gets a chance to roll out privacy stuff….
11:11 PM: ann_donnelly The panel aren’t going to take the Facebook issue seriously #qa7
11:11 PM: TheChrisD Well, well, well a question that’s actually relevant to both Damien and most of us! #qa7
11:11 PM: Mark_Coughlan … yeah, I think they have that already Dermot. Its called a public or private profile.
11:11 PM: elfinamsterdam oh god, its like having a conversation in japanese in a dutch pub…. they havent a clue
11:11 PM: daverooney facebook case in point – that dude who was shot in Bolivia *all* the papers got his pics and bio from it and bebo #qa7
11:11 PM: ann_donnelly What is this the Dermot Ahern show? #qa7
11:11 PM: Squid Limerick He labour lady, there is an age bar is there not
11:11 PM: alancostello His daughter’s bebo’s are gonna be searched soo much and will be in The Daily Mail tomorrow morning #qa7
11:11 PM: endac heh. If you don’t want something shared on facebook – don’t upload it! #qa7
11:12 PM: icedcoffee Soon enough people will learn that when they put anything on the internet it is no longer personal.
11:12 PM: christinebohan John Bowman tries to cut off Dermot Ahern saying “We have a question on banks coming up so….”. Dude has his priorities.
11:12 PM: Alexia Golez Sherlock girl is intense. How many Red Bulls did she have in the green room?
11:12 PM: Suzy Byrne Swedish not swiss Diarmuid…
11:12 PM: jonathangrimes waffle, waffle, waffle
11:12 PM: TrustTommy @icedcoffee Exactly, it’s a hazard
11:12 PM: twentymajor The internet is like sex. Haha.
11:12 PM: daverooney lol “the internet” #qa7
11:13 PM: TrustTommy Aha, Ahern is cool, because he said a naughty word…. :/ @Byrne, epicfail
11:13 PM: icedcoffee the internet is like sex
11:13 PM: Simon McGarr The internet is exactly unlike sex.
11:13 PM: twentymajor “you just have to stick it in there and hope for the best”
11:13 PM: Alexia Golez @twentymajor durty!
11:13 PM: EmilyAM “People don’t seem to realise” smacks of “I never realised till today”…
11:13 PM: trjh wait, i lost all my privacy when i went on the internet? you people can see my underwear? damn.
11:13 PM: Mark_Coughlan Yeah. Hold on there Fergus, thats an ethical issue for the newspaper nothing to do with the availability of the actual photo on Facebook.
11:13 PM: achgohairithe The internet is a series of tubes…..
11:13 PM: TrustTommy @lilinator Never off duty, eh?
11:13 PM: Simon McGarr There are illegal adults! Wait, I get to revoke some people’s adult status? This is info I’ve needed for years.
11:13 PM: Alexia Golez Trinity paranoia boy?
11:14 PM: icedcoffee but all that info is only there when they put it there!
11:14 PM: johnpeavoy Good discussion…. finally …. #qa7
11:14 PM: Squid Limerick whats the bets theres a view question from Dan Sullivan
11:14 PM: TrustTommy Audience girl is a tool. If you pretend to be adult, you’re gonna have problems. Duh
11:14 PM: BrianGreene fazebuck.com am i safe, should I have an opt out ? this is fecking soundbyte TV #qa7
11:14 PM: daverooney grrr fine gael reading my tweets #qa7
11:14 PM: Alexia Golez Part one was like gorging on organic ricecakes.. Unsatisfied but farting
11:14 PM: Simon McGarr @lexia and A pain in the gut.
11:15 PM: Suzy Byrne There were so many other interesting (to the general public and not just tech/internet heads) that could have been asked tonight!
11:15 PM: elfinamsterdam ok lovelies…. i am beat… thanks for allowing me to join in but its an hour on here which means my alarm clock is an hour closer to ringing that yours is! Later.
11:15 PM: EmilyAM @lexia Ha! And stomach making noisy groans too.
11:15 PM: Mark_Coughlan @Squid. Dan Sullivan is there?
11:16 PM: savagepaul what’s the deal with the chairs on #qa7 ? @damienmulley ‘s one doesn’t seem to be as good as Bowman’s
11:16 PM: BrianGreene @johnpeavoy good topic, no depth, no time. #qa7
11:16 PM: Squid Limerick one of the guests on vincent browne looks like him exactly but with different colour hair
11:16 PM: TheChrisD Part one is 45 minutes long? And part two is… 15-20 minutes? #qa7
11:17 PM: keithdkennedy @michadaly Thanking you Micha. Looks like Twitter is semi quiet tonight as all the Mulley’ites watch their savior.
11:17 PM: patphelan That MAC foundation doesnt suit Mr Mulley
11:17 PM: christinebohan Just switched on Vinnie Browne to see what he’s talking about during the Q&A break. Banking crisis. There’s a guy from the Financial Times with Gladwellian hair. Awesome.
11:17 PM: Simon McGarr Gladwellian Hair on TV3? I can’t resist.
11:18 PM: Simon McGarr Gah! Misread. Got Gladwell mixed up with Gladstone. I abandon them again.
11:18 PM: trjh facebook debate surprisingly not v. stupid. mark’s right — papers need ethics; also, teens need privacy discussion in SHPE #qa7
11:18 PM: Squid Limerick maNAMA nah … do dooo de doo do
11:18 PM: wendylimerick we are back
11:18 PM: TrustTommy Thinking of ringing the numbe
11:19 PM: Squid Limerick whoever values the banks will shaft us.
11:19 PM: christinebohan Lol! I don’t even know what Gladstone hair would look like.
11:19 PM: smemon we need more fire and bite – this is where you miss an eamon dunphy type figure in the engine room of a debate
11:19 PM: EmilyAM Like, ohmigod, the market is in a state of flux.
11:20 PM: Simon McGarr Krugman to Ireland: You’re fucked. www.nytimes.com
11:20 PM: Alexia Golez My God, she could fit 3 watermelons in her mouth and juggle them
11:20 PM: trjh EVERYONE asked about valuation just says it’s scary because of being overly generous or overly strict. Nobody has an answer, they nceed to start just admitting that.
11:20 PM: icedcoffee “transperiancy”?
11:20 PM: TrustTommy Getting an engaged tone. Fail. What’s their text number, if they have one?
11:21 PM: michadaly Holy shit…I needed #qa7 to explain the t-internet for me! Ahern seems uneasy discussing modern items such as Facebook.
11:21 PM: finkeegan Mulley, as #rte #qa7 booking producers shld have guessed, is out of his depth. Amusing online, he’s an intellectual void on TV.
11:21 PM: Squid Limerick Rating agencies can’t be trusted either. tonights dispatches is recommended viewing
11:22 PM: Simon McGarr He didn’t interrupt her! He’s never given anyone a chance to talk.
11:22 PM: Suzy Byrne Smackdown to the woman on his left…
11:22 PM: EmilyAM Miaow Dermot to Ms. Siptu.
11:22 PM: trjh @smemon what? dunphy will just be weepy, grumpy, or ass-kissy. none of which would further this debate.
11:22 PM: Simon McGarr He has to say it. He can’t help himself.
11:22 PM: chrismehigan Ahern is in full control now, ruling the roost
11:22 PM: Alexia Golez Dermot talking Obama. WTF?
11:22 PM: redmum HA at Dermot Ahern, he actually did interrupt her, earlier mind you, but he did, hes been doing it all night
11:22 PM: Suzy Byrne gwan Mulley point out all the SOldiers of destiny in audience!
11:22 PM: Alexia Golez Ding!
11:23 PM: christinebohan Dermot Ahern is masterfully avoiding the question
11:23 PM: BrianGreene @johnpeavoy but isn’t it all a bit newmedia looking at old media for a mention, they have the pinhead we have the long tail. goodbye TV #qa7
11:23 PM: Alexia Golez “Dermot, stop being a cunt and answer the question”
11:23 PM: vickiocall Well done @damienmulley. #qa7
11:23 PM: finkeegan @laurencetimms www.mulley.net Maybe I’m being hard on the guy, but he’s more interesting with a keyboard in his hand #qa7
11:23 PM: Suzy Byrne We all know this is part of Dermot Ahern’s FF leadership bid right?
11:23 PM: achgohairithe do do do do do NAMA NAMA do do do do do NAMA NAMA …
11:23 PM: twentymajor Haha, the banks won’t lend money? Whose fault is that?!
11:24 PM: EmilyAM Has the cat got Diarmaid, Damian and Fergus’s tongues?
11:24 PM: aarondonohoe “Hold on a second, Hold on a second now” – quick somebody suffocate that arse #qa7
11:24 PM: vickiocall She’s gonna belt dermo #qa7
11:24 PM: smemon @trjh dunphy will through a grenade on to the table and provoke a reaction from people no matter what he says
11:24 PM: TrustTommy emailed them
11:24 PM: christinebohan Marie Sherlock mentions all the economist/business-types who’ve said nationalising the banks would work.
11:24 PM: icedcoffee he just interrupted her.
11:24 PM: icedcoffee @finkeegan also difficult when faced with politicians who ensure their view is heard to the full extent, with many examples. #qa7
11:24 PM: Alexia Golez John Bowman is failing miserably at moderation tonight
11:25 PM: Mark_Coughlan Someone should bring up Sherlocks affiliations…
11:25 PM: christinebohan Dermot Ahern “Nationalising the banks would let them off the hook”. You’ve got to be fucking joking me. That would send out a bad message? Try raising taxes and cutting spending. That worked pretty well. Idiot.
11:25 PM: Squid Limerick is aherns microphone louder than the rest
11:25 PM: wendylimerick What a Crock of Crap
11:25 PM: Simon McGarr The Minister is speaking actual, clinical level, gibberish.
11:25 PM: TrustTommy keep getting ‘call failed’ from ringing Redmum’s number – should I be doing anything special?
11:26 PM: Suzy Byrne Tommy – there is only one phone line and one person answering it…
11:26 PM: Simon McGarr What do you mean assure me that the banks will take the hit. This is something you can either show with actual maths, or you can’t. I’m not taking this on trust.
11:26 PM: EmilyAM @Squid Limerick yeah, like when the volume goes up as soon as the adverts come on
11:26 PM: redmum How are the developers going to take the hit, of the shit they have put us in?
11:26 PM: lilinator Instead of it being Q&A, its The DA show
11:26 PM: redmum How are the developers going to take the hit, of the shit they have put us in?
11:26 PM: TheChrisD Someone break out the Airsoft rifle and shoot those tossers already… #qa7
11:26 PM: Simon McGarr Hugely dumb man. Demanding more houses being built.
11:26 PM: chrismehigan Ahern “Could I explain..” .. I genuinely wish you could minister #qa7
11:27 PM: BrianGreene dermot ahern cleansing the banks john the baptist style #qa7
11:27 PM: endac What a loudmouthed prick. Coasting on little more than some talking points and a horrible tie. #qa7
11:27 PM: Suzy Byrne So this is the SIPTU attack launched earlier today?
11:27 PM: trjh @smemon that’s good tv, but not good debate. i agree that Bowman isn’t sufficiently throttling FF bandwidth. he should be doing so, not that beholden to them!
11:27 PM: Alexia Golez WTF
11:27 PM: christinebohan Wait, that’s it?
11:27 PM: Squid Limerick well that was a load of crap.
11:27 PM: Simon McGarr Blast from the leftfield. Man demands that that we urgently build more houses.
11:28 PM: redmum I need a house, and theres a lot of houses, but I cannot afford any of them.
11:28 PM: Squid Limerick the Dermott Ahern show
11:28 PM: chrismehigan LOL housing shortage, there are empty estates all over the country #qa7
11:28 PM: icedcoffee Do they have a theme for the night? Topics that Damien can give opinions on.
11:28 PM: daverooney we need to build more houses? hur? #qa7
11:28 PM: jkeyes “Nationalising the banks would be sending the signal that the Irish banking sector failed”. Right as it looks like a raging success now.#qa7
11:28 PM: twentymajor That was shite.
11:28 PM: Simon McGarr Almost worth it for that last burst of comedy gold.
11:28 PM: Suzy Byrne Iced coffee – there was only 4 questions -topics of week sort of…
usually only 4 or 5 – but Dermot Ahern really hogged the programme…
11:28 PM: Simon McGarr Even the audience aren’t sure they ought to applaud what they’ve just been implicated in.
11:28 PM: TrustTommy failQuestionsandfailAnswers
11:28 PM: redmum Ah Bowman, that was terrible, we just watched D(&)A – (as tweeted eloquently already by someone).
11:29 PM: Alexia Golez How frustrating! I need to slam the bathroom door againt my head..
11:29 PM: EmilyAM Fin.
11:29 PM: twentymajor Oh well, night all …
11:29 PM: redmum Ah Bowman, that was terrible, we just watched D(&)A – (as tweeted eloquently already by someone).
11:29 PM: icedcoffee Feel a little sorry for Damien – too irrelevant
11:29 PM: Simon McGarr Programme followed by an ad for Holy God.
11:29 PM: christinebohan Whatever about the internet being like sex, Q&A is like really bad sex. It ends too quickly, there’s no satisfying climax and you’re left wondering what the point of it all was.
11:30 PM: Simon McGarr @christinebohan is best liveblogger of the night.
11:30 PM: icedcoffee @suzy I see – Dermot was/is a bit of a c**|
11:30 PM: TrustTommy Damien was horrendously underused. You don’t hire the best and leave him shut up all night
11:31 PM: redmum Would have liked to see the whole panel brought in (Bowman’s job) and less of D(ucks) A(rse) again Bowman’s job.
11:31 PM: smemon a bit like a lecture – loads of talk, lots seem to have happened, but nobody’s any the wiser afterwards
11:31 PM: TrustTommy Toodles all – thanks for a good live blog. Will embed this tomorrow morning early
11:31 PM: wendylimerick NN all
11:31 PM: PeterTanham After that I’m worried Damien might think that RTE are somehow “in the pocket” of the government #qa7
11:31 PM: johnpeavoy Well done @damienmulley – i just wish RTE had the vision to run a full program relevant to the new media #qa7
11:31 PM: BrianGreene @endac I smell bacon.. (francis) #qa7
11:31 PM: Squid Limerick haha v brown left his iphone on
11:31 PM: decob #qa7 jaysus what a snorefest… at least it upheld my opinion that all politicians are wankers
11:31 PM: michadaly I think the seating gives certain speakers an advantage #qa7
11:32 PM: TheChrisD Thank fuck that’s over with :/ #qa7
11:32 PM: alancostello And it’s over #qa7
11:32 PM: endac I heard bacon.. #qa7 oh no wait! We’ll have to agree to disagree. That’s how issues are sorted..
11:32 PM: TrustTommy Where’s the embed link gone? Adminny people want to email/DM it to me?
11:34 PM: redmum Well done Damien, a tough panel to debut with (can you debut when the show will soon be defunct).
11:34 PM: Alexia Golez @TrustTommy We’re all just fodder for a new post?
11:35 PM: christinebohan @Simon McGarr *blushes* It wasn’t exactly a classic episode, was it? Are people sticking around to watch Vincent Browne?
11:36 PM: Simon McGarr I’m still smarting at the lack of Gladstonian hair.
11:36 PM: ann_donnelly @PixieVonDust Think they’re saying we need surveillance to track our sex habits and put it on Facebook? #qa7
11:36 PM: christinebohan OMG, there’s Disraelian hair on Vincent Browne!!! *may not actually be accurate*
11:39 PM: finkeegan @icedcoffee That’s the game though, right? Could be Mulley needs practise on MSM, could be he doesn’t suit the medium. #qa7
11:39 PM: Simon McGarr I turn over to TV3 to have Dan Sullivan comments read to me by V. Brown.
11:44 PM: christinebohan There was a guy from the BCI on Newstalk last night saying that ratings for news programmes on TV in Ireland are shooting up. Guess Q&A is trying to buck that trend.
11:44 PM: Alexia Golez Loving this hair!
12:16 AM: christinebohan Simon Carswell looks like he could be Vincent Browne’s son.
12:17 AM: Suzy Byrne Ok everyone – we’ll close this one for posterity… see you next week if you are so inclined or into self flagellation!
12:33 AM: redmum Okay the comment line is 1850 584 984, from NI 0800 039 0085, and email is qanda@rte.ie

Questions and Answers, 9th March

Simon McGarr — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:26:21 +0000

10:32 PM Suzy Byrne - Mary Harney – Minister for Health, James O’Reilly FG, Suzanne Kelly Tax Lawyer, Ronan Fanning Historian, Paul Sweeney ICTU Economist.

10:32 PM Alexia Golez - Looking forward to tonight’s Q&A. Mary Harney, Jim Reilly.. etc
10:32 PM Suzy Byrne - we’ll stay in your gaff
10:33 PM Simon McGarr - I will be in and out. As small child circumstances allow. Or medical advice.
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - James O’Reilly has had a tidy up I see – not much but a tidy all the same!
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - Michael Kinsella – how much pain are people to take re mini-budget.
10:43 PM Suzy Byrne - Suzanne Kelly is Captain Kelly’s daughter as i remember from last appearance (not so long ago either…) and of a FF disposition..
10:43 PM Alexia Golez - moves to restore economic goodtimes will not be “a popularity” contest.. hmm.. opposite of an election, so.. An election of a small, centre-right party..
10:43 PM Alexia Golez - Harney confirms that specifics of the financial disaster were only revealed last week, but that the fact that they were only revealed then, is something common internationally. It will be “at least” three years.
10:46 PM Suzy Byrne - Notes cushion behind Minister. I’m not saying anything else on that for fear of apologies needing to be offered!
10:46 PM Alexia Golez - James O’Reilly has a magnificent afro. A halo of that could have been independent of noggin, now brought into the fold.
10:47 PM midnightcourt - “It’s not as good a pension as the one in the public sector” Blistering insight from John Bowman #qa2
10:48 PM midnightcourt - Jesus Christ #qa2
10:49 PM midnightcourt - Pain schmain #qa2
10:50 PM hughgreen - How much pain? I’m going to read Orna Mulcahy’s lifestyle pieces every week till the recession ends #qa2
10:51 PM Simon McGarr - @hughgreen I see your Orna Mulcahy and raise you her brother Michael.
10:51 PM midnightcourt - Figures made a bad situation worse. Not actual activities of which they are evidence #qa2
10:52 PM lexia - What a fail. Harney speaks of the increase of spending on health by multiples, but the Health Service limps from year to the next. #qa2
10:52 PM hughgreen - There’s no such thing as ‘private sector unemployed’. #qa2
10:53 PM midnightcourt - Mary reckons we should get real. Fucking hell. 400 quid haircut. First class travel. Total uselessness remunerated at 200k plus #qa2
10:54 PM midnightcourt - Mary actively removed decision making and management from Govt generally and her Department in particular. #qa2
10:57 PM hughgreen - #qa2 Why tax ‘exiles’ (exile normally a tragic predicament) and not tax fugitives?
10:57 PM midnightcourt - HSE replaced executive function of Dept of Health – yet not one civil servant redeployed. V little executive experience at Cabinet. #qa2
11:01 PM midnightcourt - Mary grumpily acknowledged Canada as actual source of consultant skills – let’s not forget we live in backwater #qa2
11:02 PM midnightcourt - Please, Government, do not fall back on your own unbelievably limited resources for answers to our problems #qa2
11:03 PM Suzy Byrne - beards are really in tonight!
11:04 PM Alexia Golez - Paul Sweeney, economic advisor to ICTU kicks Politikopolis in the nads – politicians are paid “too much”..
11:04 PM Alexia Golez - Anything to do with prickly negotiations?
11:04 PM midnightcourt - @hughgreen Why not “Tax Bastards”? #qa2
11:05 PM midnightcourt - where is tax bastards tweet? #qa2
11:05 PM cianflah - Good god fail all round on #qa2 that patronizing icu analogy my fave so far. Harney a lightenin rod for popular ire
11:05 PM fustar - @midnightcourt @hughgreen #qa2 Or “Tax Hidey Bad Men”?
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Harney’s words hitting me like radiation. #qa2
11:05 PM Fergal Crehan - Saw Paul Sweeney speak the other week. He likes to swear a lot, presumably to show that he’s not like the other economists
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Meanwhile up north this evening – PSNI officer shot in Craigavon
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Question 3 is on murders by RIRA in Antrim
11:09 PM Alexia Golez - Suzanne doles out sympathy like it’s an economic resource, sparingly and just because it’s the right thing to do..
11:09 PM midnightcourt - Budget up to two opposition politicians rather than vast ranks of Finance, Revenue et al – FF don’t have hang of this Govt thing #qa2
11:11 PM midnightcourt - Didn’t catch question there – Harney on about national reputation & need to bring atrocity merchants to justice – will she go quietly #qa2
11:12 PM Alexia Golez - Phew.. Part one done. Feels like I’ve taken off my corset..
11:13 PM Fergal Crehan - Why won’t RTE show the ad breaks on the web stream so people in the UK can see them? Why?!?!
11:13 PM midnightcourt - Yes, audience cabbage guy, were it not for Financial Crisis our Govt would Pwn RIRA. n0000b! #qa2
11:14 PM Simon McGarr - Fergal tackles the big questions, so we don’t have to.
11:15 PM midnightcourt - Ad for Hibernian features origin story involving Mustachioed carpet bagger type with bag of money #qa2
11:16 PM Fergal Crehan - That Hibernian ad is loathesome. Uses hideous economic hardship as just another sentimental detail of times changing, like flares or shoulder-pads
11:17 PM Simon McGarr - I saw Quinn Group running their ’14 reasons why we’re not going to sink beneath the waves’ ad in the papers today.
11:17 PM Suzy Byrne - Is taxx on texting a tax on young people? Next question on q&A
11:17 PM Alexia Golez - “a tax on SMS is a tax on free speech” Paul Sweeney
11:18 PM Simon McGarr - Is this question taxing my patience?
11:18 PM Alexia Golez - Oh and the question is – “Would a tax on text messages, be a Youth Tax?”
11:19 PM Alexia Golez - Interesting, but how much of txtspk is free speech?
11:19 PM Simon McGarr - Are Stamps a vast censorship conspiracy on letters?
11:19 PM Fergal Crehan - I noted that Mary White TD has spoken positively of a text tax. She has also expressed concerns that computer games lead to violence. From the puritan, modernity-sceptic, eat-your-greens wing of the Green Party, clearly
11:20 PM Simon McGarr - Are they a tax on Grannies who love sending cards?
11:20 PM midnightcourt - Charlie McCreevy implemented tens of taxes with conivance of Mary Harney. #qa2
11:20 PM redmum - Ha Young Wan disgusted at any suggestion of texting levy, says yeah tax emails! #qa2
11:20 PM midnightcourt - “I favour non-progressive taxes which allow the people who will look after me when I leave Govt to fuck the little guy” Mary Harney #qa2
11:20 PM Suzy Byrne - text tax does not ad to cost of doing business in Ireland according to Kelly – she’s not really into the text advertising business?
11:21 PM justinf - on about taxes now and the proposed taxes on txting #qa2 but txts are already taxed – with VAT!!
11:21 PM hughgreen - @midnightcourt @fustar did I say tax fugitive? I meant tax superhero. #qa2
11:22 PM Suzy Byrne - would ireland beneift if ministers leaving ireland for St. Patricks Day do not return – pithy last question FAIL.
11:22 PM Simon McGarr - @Suzy anything that might kill off text advertising is a must have.
11:23 PM finkeegan - If teacher in #qa2 audience (thinks rev shortfall can come from pun’g banksters) is indicative we are fubared: pubsector needs 2 WAKE UP!
11:23 PM fustar - #qa2 Question I’ve always wanted to ask on Q&A – “Can you pinpoint the exact moment when this government jumped the shark?”
11:23 PM lexia - I like this guy’s thinking #qa2
11:23 PM Simon McGarr - *FacePalm*
11:24 PM Alexia Golez - James Reilly doesn’t want to lose his Paddy’s Day junket should he EVER get into cabinet…
11:24 PM Suzy Byrne - Organisational and Time Management advice for Minister Cullen from Ronan Fanning.
11:25 PM midnightcourt - Sadly, our Ministers are not equipped to redress our national image deficit #qa2
11:25 PM midnightcourt - Cullen’s appointments a symptom of Ministerial divorce from executive functions. Out and about all day, never at desk #qa2
11:26 PM hughgreen - But helicopters aren’t flash ENOUGH. Blue lambos for all. #qa2
11:26 PM midnightcourt - Someone should take opp to kick Harney who uses helicopters to open fucking off-licences #qa2
11:27 PM Alexia Golez - Oh noes.. Harney has milk and crusts to sustain herself while her ministeral colleagues hobnob
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Bowman needs to be shown the door #qa2
11:28 PM Simon McGarr - I refuse to applaud.
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Budget cuts perfect excuse to kick his tired ass to the kerb #qa2
11:29 PM Simon McGarr - @Alexia Cruelty- eating hobnobs before someone on basic rations.
11:30 PM hughgreen - @midnightcourt #qa2 he needs to be shown an iron for those trousers
11:30 PM Suzy Byrne - Jammie Dodgers breakout now…I fasted during that…
11:31 PM Simon McGarr - Everyone back to digging the holes in the middle of fields to flee to.

Questions and Answers RTE 1 23/02/2009

Simon McGarr — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:11:54 +0000

10:51 PM lexia - Oh my, Martin Cullen on last Saturday’s march #qa1
10:52 PM Simon McGarr - Ok, who’s on the Panel? We’ve got Fintin O’Toole, Martin Cullen…
10:55 PM lexia - I’m sorry. Martin Cullen turns me off. I’m sure I’m not the only one. #qa1
10:55 PM Tupp_Ed - Michael Soden, former Bank of Ireland CEO! Charlie Flanagan, FG filled shirt #qa1
10:55 PM Simon McGarr - Anyone turned on by Martin Cullen is to be shunned.
11:04 PM omahonydonnelly - @lexia There is something creepy about Martin Cullen. I don’t believe anything he says. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Faceache audience member complaining about his pension. I can’t have with pension complaints. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Fintin is straight in at 5th Gear. Squashing Martin Cullen into paste. Though he is refuses to acknowledge his pasting. #qa1
11:04 PM Tupp_Ed - Local companionship revoked, on the grounds that she will not be lied to #qa1
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Cullen spouting actual clinical gibberish. It’s concerning.
11:05 PM lexia - Nobody points like Fintan O’Toole. Even his teased tresses point corkscrews. #qa1
11:05 PM AdamMaguire - @Tupp_Ed Landlords are mobile investment. If they get taxed more they’ll take their houses elsewhere #qa1
11:07 PM jdrumgoole - Holy shit Michael Soden rears his head. Maybe he can get his old job back as a bank CEO. #qa1
11:09 PM jdrumgoole - Fintan O’Toole is kicking ass and taking names on Questions & Answers. Martin Cullen is on the ropes #qa1
11:09 PM Mark_Coughlan - Cullen is on the ropes. That FG “plant” comment was stupid. Q&A is daycent this week bhoy… #qa1
11:10 PM dermotcasey - @jdrumgoole Hmmmh wonder who’d he’d think fit as CEO. He’s popping up all over the place at the moment. #qa1
11:10 PM jdrumgoole - @jonathangrimes tough gig for Cullen #qa1
11:10 PM Tupp_Ed - Soden has demented plan. He reveals that the government had just taken a punt by recapitalising the banks and lost. #qa1
11:11 PM Tupp_Ed - Holy Flaming Fuck! Soden, former CEO of Bank of Ireland, tells us he is apolitical. #qa1
11:12 PM Mark_Coughlan - Bowman is giving the FGr a lot of air time #qa1
11:12 PM jonathangrimes - @jdrumgoole Where’s Willie O’Dea when you need him #qa1
11:12 PM uberalex - Wow nationalising the banks. The government has done such a great job with its own finances, it surely can improve the banks. #qa1
11:14 PM dermotcasey - For a second I thought Mary Robinson was on Q&A when I heard the journalist had to look at telly to check. #qa1
11:14 PM Mark_Coughlan - The three C’s… will that be the GUBU of the naughties? ohhh #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Guess how you find out something is illegal… #qa1
11:15 PM midnightcourt - regulator not merely asleep at the wheel, was massively understaffed and underqualified. that’s down to general ‘tude to CS staffing #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Fecking Cullen on again. Now his face makes me angry. #qa
11:15 PM dermotcasey - Why do people point to tough US regulations. The global crisis originated with US liar loans (which we followed) #qa1
11:15 PM Tupp_Ed - Guess how you find out something is illegal… #qa1
11:16 PM uberalex - The ‘no smoke without fire’ argument is profoundly ridiculous. I can’t believe this person is trying to suggest a perp walk… #qa1
11:17 PM midnightcourt - scalps all very well – Ireland de facto deregulated by not having any actual regulators. Plenty law on books #qa1
11:17 PM Tupp_Ed - Ahh! Eyes starting to bleed while I listen.. everything I’m hearing making my brain implode. #qa1
11:19 PM uberalex - @Tupp_Ed I tuned in because of twitter – regret it now #qa1
11:19 PM Tupp_Ed - Cullen doesn’t accept Anglo shenanigans was legal. But at the same time he thinks it wasn’t illegal either #qa1
11:20 PM midnightcourt - hahahahahahahahaha cullen doesn’t know any of the bankers #qa1
11:20 PM donkearns - @dermotcasey Does the constant analysis of the problem(s) not get annoying? Whatever happened to honesty anyway? #qa1
11:21 PM Mark_Coughlan - Fintan O’Toole, you legend. #qa1 … Martin “as far as I know well I kind of think it was sort of kind of a bit, yeah legal”…
11:23 PM dermotcasey - Does Mike Soden think he’d have done it any different if he was still in charge. Lemmings go off the cliff together #qa1
11:24 PM Tupp_Ed - Ads a blessed relief. My stomach is clenched now. I was told this was bad for me. Why do I do it to myself? #qa1
11:24 PM Tupp_Ed - Ad based on Groundhog Day for the Canary Islands. Not sure they realised he’s in hell, not an extended holiday. #qa1
11:25 PM Tupp_Ed - Brilliant! An ad for PostBank. #qa1
11:25 PM midnightcourt - The Potato Republic does the coup d’etat so much more subtly than its Banana equivalent #qa1
11:25 PM Tupp_Ed - Ad based on Groundhog Day for the Canary Islands. Not sure they realised he’s in hell, not an extended holiday. #qa1
11:27 PM Simon McGarr - Audience member produces ‘National Government’ canard. A chance for Charlie Flanagan to explain why FG is totally, totally different to FF.
11:28 PM Tupp_Ed - Audience member produces ‘National Government’ canard. A chance for Charlie Flanagan to explain why FG is totally, totally different to FF.
11:28 PM Tupp_Ed - Brilliant! An ad for PostBank. #qa1
11:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - Martin, another fine example of focused, thought out, directed Fiana Fail leadership #qa1
11:28 PM dermotcasey - Oh wow. Postbank ad which was done before the crisis is very appropiate in the circumstances #qa1
11:28 PM andyaz - Fintan O’Toole should be on every week. #qa1
11:28 PM jdrumgoole - @Tupp_Ed Ah double think, a mandatory skill for government and bankers in Ireland today #qa1
11:28 PM Mark_Coughlan - Poorly phrased question… “since we’re in a recession…” it’s not JUST a recession, it’s way more than that! #qa1
11:28 PM midnightcourt - Let us never forget Martin Cullen was a PD TD. #qa1
11:30 PM Tupp_Ed - Soden talking. Telling us what to do like he knows best, and isn’t a banker angling for a 2nd chance from the gov #qa1
11:31 PM Tupp_Ed - Fintin taking the chance to ride out his lifelong, long advocated dream of a FG/FF merger to leave space for a Labour led opposition #qa1
11:31 PM ghartnett - @jdrumgoole Yeah, Cullen got a hammering. Soden seemed to make sense near the end of his “we have to stop arguing and do something…” #qa1
11:33 PM Tupp_Ed - Martin Cullen keeps telling us he agrees with everyone. Then ignores what they said and trots out something that makes no sense. #qa1
11:34 PM wesg - I’ve had to switch it off, just can’t listen to any more misdirection and obfuscation by Cullen (Mr. eVoting) #qa1
11:34 PM gavreilly - Like FG wouldn’t have tried to introduce e-voting… #qa1
11:40 PM midnightcourt - Fintan’s fantasy appears designed pour etaper le bourgeoisie #qa1
11:40 PM Tupp_Ed - And we’re out. Many thanks to the twitter-witters throughout. If you’d like a copy on your blog try the following #qa1
11:41 PM Simon McGarr - POINTY BRACKETiframe src=’‘ width=’400′ height=’500′ frameborder=’0′ style=’border: 1px solid #000′>

Questions and Answers 19th January 2009

Simon McGarr — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:35:53 +0000

Questions and Answers, 1st December 2008

Simon McGarr — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:27:54 +0000

12:32 PM Simon McGarr - And we’re out.
12:32 PM Simon McGarr - Is it just me or does even the theme music sound tired?
11:38 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - you know the story about the pilots? they borrowed money to buy aer lingus shares at 2.90.
11:37 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - just watching this news about aer lingus.
11:33 PM Suzy Byrne - another boffin in audience talks pensions and money and the programme expires like the usual damp squib..
11:33 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - you should have to get legal advice before you enter a pension scheme. i’ve always said that.
11:32 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - jay advised all his employees to go into the self-administered schemes.
11:31 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - it works for vhi i suppose, so why not stretch the concept? these guys are good.
11:31 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - yes. allow companies to trade insolvent. that’s a brilliant idea.
11:30 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - batt seems quite interested.
11:30 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - let’s hope everyone doesn’t retire today;.
11:30 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - the bruni effect was the real cause of the PD downfall.
11:29 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - it’s easy to see why michael was so anxious to get out of politics.
11:29 PM Suzy Byrne - and cyclicals..
11:29 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - i love a good discussion about annuities.
11:27 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - indeed. the sound stack on my pc seems to have caved in.
11:26 PM Simon McGarr - Half way to the ideal.
11:26 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - i can see them but i can’t hear them.
11:25 PM Simon McGarr - Pension Timebomb? Nobody told me.
11:25 PM Simon McGarr - Tellingly, that ad break prompted more interesting discussion than the programme.
11:25 PM Simon McGarr - And we’re back.
11:24 PM Simon McGarr - Just noticed they’ve got one of those State Swirl logos.
11:24 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - bowman would have to take the show on tour if he wanted to have him on though. What with the injunction and all.
11:24 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - Stri eaming
11:23 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - that guy on the pat kenny show had the right idea.
11:23 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - there must have been too many people watching it. no point spending licence money on something like that.
11:23 PM Suzy Byrne - Sounds like it be another while before you watch again Antoin! But one night if you stick with it you might see a govt minister assaulted or take flight or something!
11:22 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - do rte not have any streaming at all on their site now?
11:22 PM Simon McGarr - Goodnight Valerie. Check in to find out tomorrow how it ends. My money`s on a twist ending where Matt Cooper kills Batt O’Keefe with a jigsaw.
11:22 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - still it’s good to see the government committing itself to competition in the transport sector.
11:21 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - i don’t know how i made that mistake.
11:21 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - sorry, since i watched.
11:21 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - i suppose it’s a while since I lost.
11:21 PM Suzy Byrne - definitely only middling boring this one…
11:21 PM Valerie Woods - I’m up at 6 bells in the am and have a gig tomorrow night and the following night, so I’m going to say goodnight to you all now. Goodnight!
11:20 PM Simon McGarr - That still puts it somewhere beyond reading a black and white pamphlet about someone else’s expreiences watching paint dry.
11:19 PM Valerie Woods - Don’t forget Bertie’s make up allowance….I don’t think Biffo spends that much in the auld tonsorial parlour
11:19 PM Simon McGarr - Antoin, those of us who carry the scars of boredom from previous liveblogs will attest that this is only middling boring.
11:18 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - all these people are very boring if you ask me.
11:17 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - Most of the panel, together with all of the audience believe that the decision of a state to own an airline is sort of a fashion or lifestyle decision, a little like a FAS CEO deciding whether to fly first class or privately, or a government minister deciding whether or not to have the aul’ nails done.
11:16 PM Suzy Byrne - Roy Keane and Sunderland – how long more will it last… Niamh Brennan knows nothing..
11:16 PM Valerie Woods - Management is management
11:16 PM Valerie Woods - I didn’t know that they had a tiff!
11:15 PM Valerie Woods - ?
11:15 PM Valerie Woods - Our Education minister can’t say million…how many millon is he realistically hoping to save
11:14 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - if that is how that word is indeed spelt.
11:14 PM Antoin O Lachtnain - I was not going to come, but i saw a bit of the discussion on aer lingus and i just had to pillory these nincumpoops.
11:14 PM Valerie Woods - If politicians and senior civil servants took meaningful pay cuts for a few years it would be a lot easier for people to listen to them telling them to “take the pain”
11:13 PM Simon McGarr - All the scoops here.
11:13 PM Simon McGarr - Inside info here: Batt O’Keefe once scolded his daughter for doing a jigsaw which encroached on his papers.
11:12 PM Valerie Woods - Solution found
11:12 PM Suzy Byrne - Matt Cooper is very quiet tonight! thankfully.
11:12 PM Simon McGarr - We just get Jay Bourke’s Daddy to pay for 3rd level fees.
11:11 PM Suzy Byrne - and bashes teachers for absenteeism….
11:11 PM Valerie Woods - That’s a comfort to know
11:11 PM Simon McGarr - And tells us that his Daddy used to top up the fees. Problem solved.
11:11 PM Valerie Woods - A large part of the problem is that senior public servants are grossly overpaid and out of touch with reality
11:11 PM Simon McGarr - Jay Bourke assures us that he’s a university graduate.
11:11 PM Suzy Byrne - she’s looking for more work/private contracts in change management…possibly..
11:11 PM Simon McGarr - Again, we’re told the government needs to live within its means. The spirit of Hubert Hoover is alive and well in Ireland.
11:10 PM Valerie Woods - It isn’t in the long term interest of the country for our labour force to have it’s quality eroded
11:10 PM Simon McGarr - Struggling though life.
11:09 PM Suzy Byrne - Prof. Brennan is a public sector worker herself! (And then some…)
11:09 PM Simon McGarr - I reject Niamh Brennan’s initial position. She opens with the conventional wisdom that the government will have to live within its means. Like most conventional wisdom, this is mostly wrong.
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Niamh Brennan – management professor and ex PD leader spouse…
11:08 PM Simon McGarr - Rival man in a suit defends the teachers from Men In Suits.
11:08 PM Suzy Byrne - Grannies are concerned
11:08 PM Simon McGarr - Man in suit says he regrets that these cuts had to be made. I regret he has not been cut from society.
11:07 PM Valerie Woods - I’ll be there in a mo
11:07 PM Suzy Byrne - FFer in audience! complaining about pupils being used to campaign…
11:06 PM Suzy Byrne - and here come the pupils!
11:06 PM Simon McGarr - Valerie, the diehard Liveblogger tunes into the live stream from RTE.
11:05 PM Valerie Woods - I can’t watch O’Keefe anyway this close to bed time
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Oh, god. Do I really have to listen to Batt O’Keefe?
11:04 PM Valerie Woods - My TV has been hijacked
11:04 PM Suzy Byrne - and is poorly prepared…prepare to fail
11:04 PM Simon McGarr - They’re like backing dancers. You won’t know they’re teachers without some kids nearby.
11:03 PM Suzy Byrne - TUI member brings his pupils
11:03 PM Simon McGarr - The first since the Summer.
11:03 PM Simon McGarr - School students have been let into the audience. I fear their questioning.
11:03 PM Suzy Byrne - Is that the first cabinet minister other than O’Cuiv we’ve see on Q&A in a while?
11:02 PM Simon McGarr - Where do teachers buy their jackets?
11:02 PM Suzy Byrne - Labour party member agrees with Roisin Shorthall…
11:02 PM Simon McGarr - Batt O’Keefe seemingly has been talking endlessly.
11:01 PM Suzy Byrne - Batt O’Keefe lies about disadvantaged schools and disadvantaged pupils not being touched…
10:50 PM Simon McGarr - Anyone know who else we have?
10:47 PM Simon McGarr - Roisin Shorthall,
10:46 PM Simon McGarr - Matt Cooper, Batt O’Keefe, Jay Bourke,
10:45 PM Simon McGarr - And the Panel is…
12:27 AM Simon McGarr - Now with one of those Facebook Pages all to itself, it’s Ireland’s most Liveblogged show.

Questions and Answers 10th Nov 2008

Simon McGarr — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:21:01 +0000

A God-Bothering Special!

Questions and Answers 3rd Nov 08

Simon McGarr — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:05:47 +0000

10:53 PM Simon McGarr - Just a little half hearted about this evening’s liveblogging. The panel features Dr. Aldous from UCD’s history dept. I feel badly towards Richard Aldous, as he was on staff in UCD when I was an undergraduate and now looks younger than me.
10:55 PM Simon McGarr - The first question is a follow on from the Bertie documentary. Is he Ireland’s luckiest politician?
10:55 PM Simon McGarr - From an FFer.
10:56 PM Suzy Byrne - that harry mcgee?
10:57 PM Simon McGarr - Richard Curran, Editor of the Sunday Business Post is a new figure to me. He appears to have an unusually high head.
10:57 PM Simon McGarr - Harry Magee has given us his opinion on Bertie’s opacity.
10:58 PM Simon McGarr - This topic is wearing on me.
10:58 PM Alexia Golez - The old graveside anecdote thrown in for good measure
10:59 PM Alexia Golez - Open shirted FGer… Very casual
11:00 PM Simon McGarr - Bertie is an enigma. I don’t see how any documentary could hope to try to crack him open now.
11:00 PM Suzy Byrne - Tomorrow night there is a bit of history in the making over the pond, the country is in a dire state financially and here’s Q&A talking about anorak man.
11:01 PM Simon McGarr - I see the government has continued its policy of sending out anonymous backbench cyphers, for fear that we may actually find a minister to hold responsible for their decisions.
11:02 PM Alexia Golez - Ooo… Big Q
11:02 PM Simon McGarr - Hooray, a new question! Boo! It’s about Enda Kenny.
11:04 PM Alexia Golez - I wonder what kind of conditioner Olwym Enright uses.. All those teased tresses look in fine
| condition
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - Olywn Enright has just advanced the theory that the government has lost 2 TDs in a month and that therefore ‘if this trend continues’ the government will have lost its majority by next year.
11:05 PM Simon McGarr - I am reminded of Disco Stu in the Simpsons.
11:08 PM Simon McGarr - FFer is a marvellous bundle of cliches. We’ve had people on the doorsteps and the need not to govern by opinion polls.
11:09 PM Alexia Golez - My God… zzz
11:10 PM Simon McGarr - Oh dear. FFer knows he’s just stepped in a potentially deep hole. He’s just told us that that there was clear knowledge of a construction crash coming on the part of the government. They just didn’t mention it at the last election.
11:10 PM Alexia Golez - I see so many candidates for Extreme Makeovers in the audience
11:10 PM Simon McGarr - I said I was feeling half-hearted at the start. I’m not sure what fraction is small enough to reflect how I feel now.
11:11 PM Suzy Byrne - Oh look a Green councilor beside a FFer…
11:11 PM Alexia Golez - “Podge and Rodge have a better chance than Enda Kenny”
11:11 PM Simon McGarr - FFer in the audience says she thinks the nation has the best brains in charge.
11:11 PM Simon McGarr - We are doomed.
11:11 PM Suzy Byrne - This is a hackathon of an audience.
11:14 PM Alexia Golez - Harry is praying for a juicy topic
11:14 PM Simon McGarr - Dr. Aldous back again on my screen, taunting me with his youth. How does he do it?
11:14 PM Simon McGarr - OK, that’s it. They’ve just pulled out a question on Brand/Ross in the UK. This programme is offically a dud.
11:15 PM Suzy Byrne - Can I go wash the dishes now without be slagged for abandoning ship?
11:15 PM Simon McGarr - Bear in mind, there is something of an interesting event planned for the US this week.
11:15 PM Alexia Golez - Go Suzy
11:16 PM Alexia Golez - Sorry I bullied ye into this!
11:16 PM Alexia Golez - Feckers!
11:17 PM Simon McGarr - Oh, please Suzy. We all need to call this one a dead end. We’ve just had the Editor of the Sunday Business Post give his opinion on what constitutes good comedy.
11:17 PM Suzy Byrne - lol – I know that tomorrow nights pickings will be oh so much richer – and I bagged some company on the sofa too as herself will be sleeping!
11:17 PM Simon McGarr - Pulling the plug here too. Reader, I had to do it.
11:18 PM Suzy Byrne - Ok Cul de Sac it is!
11:18 PM Alexia Golez - Well, I can’t find the remote. I’ll suffer through.
11:18 PM Simon McGarr - Bowman comments on Aldous’ youth. He’s burning up inside too. I can tell.
11:19 PM Alexia Golez - The young have wide wrists.. just look at his!
11:22 PM Alexia Golez - Oh, FFS.. Dougal press the big red button
11:22 PM Simon McGarr -
11:23 PM Simon McGarr - See!
11:24 PM Alexia Golez - He buys the suits big so he can grow into them, eh?
11:24 PM Simon McGarr - FFer not familiar with Johnathan Ross. He wishes we had more responsible comedians.
11:24 PM Simon McGarr - Much good that will do him, seeing as he doesn’t seem to age.
11:25 PM Alexia Golez - Ads.. yay
11:25 PM Simon McGarr - Holy GOD! There’s still a Part Two to get through!
11:26 PM Simon McGarr - Guinness.
11:27 PM Simon McGarr - An ad for electric toothbrushes. With a strangly threatening voiceover. Suggests that ownership of same may confer superior powers on those that wield them.
11:28 PM Alexia Golez - I may have to turn to beer to get through Pt 2
11:29 PM Suzy Byrne - What about the people at home? What about the good decent folk without liveblog duties to keep them going?
11:30 PM Simon McGarr - Think of the… well, not the children. The 50+ somethings.
11:30 PM Alexia Golez - brb
11:31 PM Simon McGarr - Help! I’ve been left with the SBP’s editor’s views on the US election. And there is nobody here to keep me alive.
11:32 PM Alexia Golez - back
11:32 PM Simon McGarr - Harry McGee has the decency to give us a useful liveblog tip- Virgina declares at 4am tomorrow.
11:33 PM Alexia Golez - Harry reminds me of a priest addressing his lil lambs..
11:33 PM Suzy Byrne - That’s not what the Sunday Tribune said …declares or voting ends?
11:33 PM Suzy Byrne - What’s the black tie in aid of?
11:34 PM Simon McGarr - Recession chic. Note the increasingly skinny ties and narrow lapels amongst the chattering classes.
11:35 PM Alexia Golez - If Bowman’s hair was a cloud, what kind of fluffy massed object| would it be.. ?
11:35 PM Simon McGarr - David McWilliams instantly switched to them as soon as the markets fell. Threw all his wide ties to the back of the cupboard as Lehman Bros collapsed.
11:36 PM Suzy Byrne - Poll closing time list in Tribune
11:36 PM Simon McGarr - American on the Telly in the audience!
11:37 PM Suzy Byrne - …saying rubbish stuff about woman in whitehouse..
11:37 PM Simon McGarr - She’s explaining the meaning of the Executive Branch
11:37 PM Simon McGarr - To the little people.
11:37 PM Suzy Byrne - disabled person alert…
11:38 PM Suzy Byrne - Irish student of American politics gets a chance to revise for exams
11:39 PM Alexia Golez - Olwyn does kaboose hands better than anyone else here tonight
11:39 PM Simon McGarr - Sigh. Student fears lack of checks and balances. Has been haunted by this terrible spectre ever since he read about it on the web this afternoon.
11:39 PM Alexia Golez - Made it !
11:40 PM Simon McGarr - That’s it folks. Let’s drag the carcass of this donkey out the door and throw it on the bonfire.
11:40 PM Suzy Byrne - oh no john bowman tomorrow too.. I bags CNN!!
11:40 PM Alexia Golez - Shitey.. I’d watch Fox but SmellTL don’t offer it !
11:41 PM Simon McGarr - Quick, switch to the US Election Liveblog to carry on this important discussion.

Questions and Answers, 13th October 2008

Simon McGarr — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:21:09 +0000