Well Now [Updated]

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From top: Thomas Byrne on The Tonight Show; Tweet from Meath Fianna Fáil member Ken McFadden following the show

Last night.

On The Tonight Show on VMT.

Asked if there’s a witchunt in Fianna Fáil to find the person who revealed Barry Cowen’s drink driving conviction, Thomas Byrne told host Matt Cooper:

I doubt very much that anyone in Fianna Fáil had the information that is described in the newspapers in relation to that.”

Asked if it would have happened at a local level, he said:

“I’m not familiar with what’s going on in Offaly but certainly that is not a concern of mine.”

Watch back here.

Meanwhile…

Earlier:

Taoiseach Micheál Martin (right) with Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne in government buildings last week

This morning.

Last night: Who Spilled?

Meanwhile….

The Taoiseach’s office has been forced to apologise to Northern Ireland’s First Minister after just 10 days in office.

The apology came after a government source had “over zealously” briefed a media outlet that the first meeting between Micheál Martin as Taoiseach, First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill was to take place today, despite no meeting being organised

Micheál Martin’s office has to apologise to Arlene Foster for ‘cock-up’ (Irish Examiner)

Meanwhile…

All in all, a sure-footed start from Fianna Fáil.

FIGHT!

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57 thoughts on “Well Now [Updated]

    1. ReproBertie

      dav, just because I don’t think a minister should resign over a relatively minor offence committed 4 years before taking their ministerial job doesn’t make me a FF shill. His party is irrelevant to my opinion on this matter. It may surprise you to know this but it’s possible to have an opinion that differs to yours without being a shill for anyone. It wasn’t even that long ago that Frilly was dismissing me as a FG shill.

        1. Denny

          Just look at the puss on Byrne next to mihole

          A face you just could not trust devious and slimy most probably looking to shaft martin
          A true marc anthoney

      1. dav

        Sorry Repobertie, I know this is Ireland and low standards in high office is the norm but I don’t believe that we should give up expecting better from our politicians. If it was such a trifling matter why didn’t crwen come forward about it when it happened? He didn’t and the only reason he’s apologising about it, is because it was leaked. Your belief that drink driving is a minor offence is (IMHO) very 1980’s, thankfully times have changed with regards driving while under the influence, I think you should move with the times as well.

        1. ReproBertie

          Selective quoting there dav. I don’t believe drink driving is a minor offence. By “relatively minor offence” I am referring to the fact that his offence was the lower end of the scale as evidenced by the punishment meted out. I would never condone drink driving.

          1. dav

            minor offence / relatively minor offence and he igores the fact that cowen kept quiet about it for 4 years..

          2. ReproBertie

            You want me to speculate on the motivations of an opposition TD for not prostrating himself before the altar of public opinion? Shame maybe. Embarrassment perhaps.

    2. Denny

      Was there not a shinner politition who has come out of the drink drive closet

      Maybe he is a provisional Sinn Fein member (boom boom)

    1. ReproBertie

      All this FF mess is like slipping on an old jacket. You immediately remember exactly how it felt and also why you stopped wearing it.

        1. theo kretschmar schuldorff

          Drinks receipts from Lillie’s and an old Anglo bank card found in the pockets

  1. Toby

    Moments like this will define us. Are we more interested in rebuilding our economy and improving our country, or do we want to engage in gotcha stuff and contort ourselves in knots of moral crap.

    Its pretty obvious where the media are going with this. Like the last recession they are more interested in blaming someone somewhere for something, anything. No wonder no one trusts them anymore.

    1. Johnnythree

      ‘Are we more interested in rebuilding our economy and improving our country, or do we want to engage in gotcha stuff and contort ourselves in knots of moral crap’

      Hmmm. To rebuild our economy we have to have transparency and fairness. Our politics in no way is transparent – hence the need for gotcha stuff. Its an unfortunate by product of politicians lying or misleading or covering up the truth in general that has us in the gotcha place. If they behaved and didn’t hide stuff there would be no need to investigate that.
      Moral crap in this case is a perfectly legitmate need to expect high standards from those we voted into office and who we pay handsomely.

    2. Toby

      Well we can expect all we like, but those we elect represent and reflect us, our morals and our choices. So if we want to keep looking for perfection, you can forget it until we change human nature, or the people we elect, or our expectations. Until then you will live in a Joe Duffy state of disappointment, anger and envy.

      And this focus on tiny trangsgressions is just point scoring really and everyone knows it.Its fake. How in the name of God did we become so entitled and judgmental. And what is more depressing, is that we have so much to be genuinely grateful for compare to 95% of the world.

      1. Rob_G

        “tiny trangsgressions”

        – drink driving
        – driving around unaccompanied on a learners licence for 30 years
        – speeding (maybe this one is not quite as bad)

        All of the above things kill people on the roads on a monthly basis.

        1. goldenbrown

          Rob, good to hear someone gets it

          it’s some measure that many of us have stooped to a level whereby we consider the likes of Cowens behaviour as being forgivable, an acceptable tiny transgression

          it appears we continue to have a serious attitude problem with drink and road safety in this country if that’s the case :(

      2. Johnnythree

        ‘So if we want to keep looking for perfection’ – But we are not looking for perfection. Just transparency and the currently unmet need that our elected representatives are honest.
        If I went for an ‘on the road’ sales job I’d be asked about my driving record, points, court appearances etc. If I lied I’d be at risk of being discovered. If I was honest I’d be not getting the job. Why should a politician not get the same treatment? It’s nearly a pre qualifier that you have to have some sort of moral deficit to be in politics today and every time you have one of these scenarios you move closer to that as a default thinking.

      3. Toby

        Honestly lads, this faux outrage is fooling no-one. Its like I said, its not the act that annoys ye, its the person that committed it. Anyways, you are welcome to live in whatever dystopian Ireland you have created in your minds. Theres another gorgeous Ireland out there if you took your blinkers off. Enjoy x

        1. Rob_G

          Daft comment – its not unreasonable to question the suitability of someone for the job of lawmaker if they have been flouting the law for the past 30 years.

          In most other western democracies, he would have resigned already.

        2. Toby

          You can question it. Ok. Then move on. You got your answer, He paid his fine. it was 4 years ago. Most people don’t even know what they are angry about.

          But the exhaustive, exhausting continuous obsession with peoples faults is literally useless except to drive up blood pressure and depress the young (even though live in a privileged wealthy society).

          1. Rob_G

            His answer was inadequate.

            ” was 4 years ago”
            There are loads of file photos of him driving into Leinster House unaccompanied. He was flouting the law, and putting lives at risk for the past 30 years – and probably would have continued to do so had he not been caught out now.

            I’m not angry about anything, don’t be so patronising – I just don’t share your apathy when it comes to expecting lawmakers to abide by the same laws as the rest of us.

          2. Toby

            “Flouting the law and putting lives at risk for 30 years”. Check you and the big drama! You are angry, Rob. Angry that some kind of Ireland you feel you’re entitled to isn’t here right now, and that people aren’t perfect and that that that Dammit! Talk to Joe. He makes half a bar out of this nonsense every year and people like him!! We have an anger economy and you’re a consumer., Now that’s an outrage.

          3. goldenbrown

            I don’t think Rob is the angry one Toby, in all fairness you appear to be the one with your hair on fire over this.

            also if you’re looking for a root cause of any youth depression here it won’t be the questioning wot did it….moreso the unsavoury behaviour and bad example set by of one of their elected representatives

    3. scottser

      it doesn’t define us toby, it defines them, and the sooner they realise their goose is cooked, the better.

  2. Rob_G

    in relation to the last tweet – perfectly plausible that Cowen confided to his friend (well, so he thought) Thomas Byrne, though not to his Boss.

    Then Byrne did him dirty…

    1. George

      Word would of got around within Fianna Fail if Barry Cowen observed his driving ban. How was Barry Cowen arriving and leaving each day?

  3. Liam Deliverance

    I’m thinking he did tell MM first and then leaked it to the media when MM did nothing?

    Thomas Byrne is a waste of space anyway, got his backside handed to him by Pearse Doherty on the Tonight Show a couple of weeks ago on a simple enough issue, why they put amateurs on the TV is beyond me.

  4. GiggidyGoo

    And not a Gig from RTE / INM / Times /Examiner about the implosion of FF.
    Nope – trump’s niece’s book is more important news for the plebs in Ireland.

  5. Vanessanelle

    Told ye a few days ago the bigger story is who leaked it

    But I’m not buying Thomas Byrne being the main source

    He’s a nobody – middle management tier at best

    He got a Junior Ministry anyway, and wasn’t even a TD when Cowan was done
    So nowhere near the tight ranks of Fianna Fail post GE2011 and before their semi revival

    I doubt very much he ever thought he was getting Ed, Ag or Housing anyway
    (They were the only biggies left after Public Expenditure)

    Ringing a Constituency FFer at half one in the morning sounds like a p155head to me
    Having a rant about his Constituency high flyer Helen McEntee more like

    Would the Irish media have run with it with him as a main source?
    Would they :::k

    I have no doubts someone more obviously disgruntled
    More obvious a choice for Minister for Ag
    More Senior in the Party, and in Leinster House, and tighter with His MM is your Deep Throat
    A person you wouldn’t have to Google

    (◠‿◕)

    1. Rob_G

      Literally anybody present in the court that day, or anyone who knows anyone in the court that day, could have leaked it. Court records are public documents, I presume it was reported in local papers at the time.

      C’mon V, surely you should have the skinny on intra-Cumann skulduggery within FF – spill the beans!

      1. ReproBertie

        It wasn’t in court. If you pay the fine the suspension is added automatically. No court appearance is required.

        1. Rob_G

          ah i see.

          I’m surprised something that results in a driving ban does not warrant a court appearance.

        2. Denny

          Drink driving cases not going to court?
          Interesting very interesting how a serious jail able crime that can lead to death for the victim is part of a points system

          Maybe the Garda needs to answer questions

          1. ReproBertie

            It depends on the amount of alcohol in the system. The gardaí enforce the laws, they don’t make them.

      2. GiggidyGoo

        It wasn’t in court. He paid a fixed penalty notice. That payment went to, I think, An Garda Siochana in Roscrea, fixed penalty notice section. So unless he told someone himself, then the other place his name was known for this was in An Garda Siochana (as far as I’d think anyway)

    2. scottser

      who could you be talking about v? should i mull it over with a WHIPpy ice cream, maybe?

  6. Politico

    Fairly sure I read during the week that a Government source told the Mail the leak came from elsewhere. Perhaps the Mail might address this and apologise.

    1. GiggidyGoo

      That tweet is what passes for investigative journalism these days. Says a lot about her and her focus. A dose is right.

  7. Politico

    Remember a few years ago the Irish Times had an ad on tv with a fellow walking through a wall or something? It was to show how investigative they were. Well, they missed the Barry Cowen story and the Independent got it instead. How many political journalists have they? When (oh when) will the most recent figures of its readership be released?

    1. GiggidyGoo

      There was another slogan – the Indo I think – which went ‘Before you make up your mind, open it’ Laugh a minute.

  8. steve white

    “I doubt very much that anyone in Fianna Fáil had the information that is described in the newspapers in relation to that.” because the Indo spoke to Cowen once they were tipped off

  9. Kolmo

    Bets on a general election in November 2020 due to the 3-ring plop-parade we are witnessing….FF are truly finished, MM erroneously taking advice from very, very bitter political adviser langballs….

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