05.22.07
The Indo and FF
“Senior Fianna Fáil figures met the head of Independent Newspapers, Sir Anthony O’Reilly, before the election campaign began, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has confirmed.
Questioned about the matter yesterday, Mr Cowen said “an opportunity” had arisen to hold a meeting with Sir Anthony.
“Any meetings that are private are private. It wasn’t about anything other than Fianna Fáil putting its position formally to a proprietor of newspapers to see what way we can get our message across.”
Funny that, meeting with the man who swears he has no editorial involvement in his papers.
Wonder what it’ll be this year?
“Payback Time (for AOR)”
Or maybe’s today’s headline is enough “Rabbitte hints he’ll back FF to thwart SF” – that’s the kind of thing Bertie would like alright..
Do these journalists even pretend they aren’t serving Sir Anthony’s agenda?
volperosso said,
May 22, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Independent Newspaper group play the same game for every five-year term of a Fianna Fail government. I guarantee you that if an FF led government get in this time, the Indo will be damning of them and all the Bertie allegations etc immediately (when it doesn’t matter a jot), and then they’ll start to ease up around mid-term, and by 2012 it will (once again) be like a party political broadcast on behalf of Fianna Fail. A Minister for Propaganda couldn’t plan it better…. (Maybe we have one and I just don’t know about it?)
JC Skinner said,
May 22, 2007 at 9:18 pm
He’s called Tony O’Reilly and his pay was our national gas and oil reserves, or at least what was left after we’d given the bulk of them away to Shell.
The Crewser said,
May 23, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Sir Anthony O’Reilly has presided over some of the worst excuses for newspapers the World has ever seen and employed the most anti Irish West Brit types imaginable. There was Conor Cruise, John A Murphy, Jim Cusack, John Drennan, Eilis O’ Hanlon, Emer O’Kelly, Jody Corcoran, Alan Ruddock to name just a few.
If Sir Anthony has seen the light of day even at this late stage in his career and decided to back the best Government this Country has ever had, then maybe we should give him a little credit.
But I suspect that when the election is over old Anto and co will resume their normal and despicable campaign against decent republican folk who are the backbone of this land.
Sarah said,
May 23, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I’ll leave that dense comment in but I am deleting your others Crewser. WIth the Indo, FF have a sufficient platform for propaganda. You’re not getting my blog. Now piss off.
Niall said,
May 23, 2007 at 7:02 pm
There’s nothing like an election to damage the national IQ.
Except, maybe, reading the Sindo every week. That’ll work wonders.
Sarah said,
May 23, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Hey Niall, I like your post http://plainofpillars.blogspot.com/2007/05/judgement-day-approaches.html
andrew said,
May 23, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Vincent Brown in today’s IT says it all.
Gordon Davies said,
May 23, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Vincent Brown still believes in a FF/Lab Govt.
I will vote at the Labour delegate conference. I will not vote for a coalition with FF. If FF goes in to meltdown then the social democrat/trade union tendancy within the rhetorical Republicans can do business with Labour and the left of FG.
The price for FF of staying in power – and end to civil war politics.
It won’t happen – yet.
Gordon
Niall said,
May 23, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Cheers Sarah! I imagine that has something to do with the digs at Fianna Fail. They are really starting to piss me off.
The Crewser said,
May 24, 2007 at 7:46 am
It would be utterly unthinkable that some mish mash of small parties could somehow be cobbled together to give us some sort of unstable Government. It is quite obvious from the polls alone that Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte have made absolutely no impression on the Irish electorate over the last five years whereas the FF/PD coalition have given us economic prosperity, hope for the future (peace in North being key)
They are tackling the tough issues head on as evidenced by their refusal to give in to the Nurses and Consultants in the interest of having a completely reformed and efficient Health service.
Kenny has indicated that he would give in to these interest groups. What a fiasco that would be. So lets get out there today and support the parties who have the experience, know how and basically the balls to make things happen for the better.
irishflirtysomething said,
May 24, 2007 at 9:07 am
Amazed this story didn’t get more coverage. You start to wonder what would FF have to do before it finally becomes unacceptable !