Tag Archives: Newstalk

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[From left: Former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, Brian Purcell, Secretary General at the Department of Justice Brian Purcell and former Justice Minister Alan Shatter]

Department of Justice Secretary General Brian Purcell is now to attend the Justice Committee next week to answer questions in relation to the Guerin Report.

But he has told the committee he will not answer questions about the resignation of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny sent Mr Purcell to Mr Callinan’s house on the eve of his resignation to express his disquiet over revelations that telephone calls at garda stations had been recorded [specifically telephone calls involving Marie Farrell, a key witness in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case.]

Fine Gael TD and junior finance spokesman Brian Hayes spoke to Ivan Yates on Newstalk Breakfast this morning about Mr Purcell’s refusal to speak about Mr Callinan’s resignation.

Brian Hayes: “I want to see the review completed, I want to see exactly what transpired within the Department of Justice, that’s what [newly appointed Justice Minister] Frances Fitzgerald said. In fairness to her she’s only in the job a wet week at this stage and I think it’s important that we review exactly what occurred. And I’m not going to say whether I’ve got confidence in person or another, until such a time as we know what happened, when and where. But I will say this: I don’t believe anybody, any senior official has the right to set the terms, upon which, he or she will go before a committee. I think it’s only appropriate and right that a senior civil servant would come before an Oireachtas committee and answer all questions surrounding their handling of an issue and their management of a department. And I don’t think anyone has the right to do that and I expect it to be the exact same in Mr Purcell’s case.”

Ivan Yates: “Fair enough. Did you read the Sean Querin report and what it said about the Department of Justice?”

Hayes: “I read the conclusions, I haven’t read the whole…”

Yates: “He didn’t put a tooth in it. He said that the minister was given no paper trail of advice, saying that he had a statutory responsibility to effectively second guess the gardai investigating the gardai, in the case of the McCabe allegations. I mean is that not enough to say that Mr Purcell’s position is untenable?”

Hayes: “Well I would have thought that not only would Mr Purcell have to come before the committee but, secondly, that this would have to be a section in the upcoming Commission of Investigation. I was on your programme six weeks ago, you might remember at the time, and I said, this was the day after Enda Kenny had obtained from Micheal Martin the information which ultimately led to the investigation by Mr Guerin. I said that if the recommendation of the initial investigation by Sean Guerin was that we needed a full-blooded Commission of Investigation that the Government would do that. I think at the time you poo-pooed it and said ‘oh no, that’s not gonna happen and that’s just political speak’. Well it has happened and I think this is going to have to be a module within the Commission of Investigation, surrounding all of the information. Because clearly information was not given to the minister. There is some dysfunctional nature within the department, there’s no doubt about that. If one looks at the whole legacy issues surrounding this and other problems, it goes back to a communications link. And maybe, we need to be much clearer, maybe? We need to be much clearer as to where the operations of the gardai stand, where the operations of the Department of Justice stand but I would have thought that this would have to be a module within the Commission of Investigation and, as such, we’ll have to get to the bottom of it.”

Yates: “Do you agree with Leo Varadkar that the Department of Justice is not fit for purpose?”

Hayes: “That’s evident.”

Minister slams top civil servant (Newstalk)

Previously: “In The Event Of Any Further Unexpected Disclosures”

Getting Their Story Straight

Pews_and_Confessionals

Yesterday, Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald published the Children First Bill which will make it mandatory for professionals, including priests, to report situations where they believe children are at risk.

Further to this, retired parish priest Fr Gearoid O Donnchu spoke to Chris O’Donoghue on Newstalk and explained why he won’t break the seal of confession under any circumstance.

Mr O’Donoghue started by asking Fr O Donnchu how long he had been a priest.

Gearoid O Donnchu: “Since 1957, so 57 years.”

Chris O’Donoghue: “So I’m guessing in that time you’ve heard thousands of confessions.”

O Donnchu: “I’d say so yes, at least. Many thousands.”

O’Donoghue: “Father, in those confessions have people ever confessed a crime to you?”

O Donnchu: “That’s not a question I can answer.”

O’Donoghue: “Ok. The reason I was asking about that is because of what is envisaged in the Child First, the Child First legislation which we got a look at but we’ve known a little bit about beforehand. And it is envisaged it would be a law (sic) not to report a crime. And say if a crime is about abuse of a child or neglect of a child was told in confession. What’s your reaction?”

O Donnchu: “As far as I’m concerned what I hear in confession, I have not heard.”

O’Donoghue: “Even if that is about a crime?”

O Donnchu: “Even, no matter how bad it is.”

O’Donoghue: “But what if it’s about something that’s ongoing?”

O Donnchu: “I would advise the person that they should make it known publicly or come to me outside of confession. But anything I hear in confession, it’s as if I have not heard it.”

O’Donoghue: “Ok, but Father, do you realise why some people would be angry with that stance? Given that, potentially, people could be at risk. You could be hearing about people that are at risk?”

O’Donnchu: “Yes, but if somebody comes to confession, they come with the understanding that what they say is entirely privileged, there’s no mention of it, ever.”

O’Donoghue: “But I deduce from that though the seal of confession takes precedence over the law?”

O’Donnchu: “The seal of confession takes precedence over everything.”

O’Donoghue: “Even another person’s safety?”

O’Donnchu: “Even my own safety. If someone came and told me that they poisoned the wine I was going to use for Mass, I would still use it.”

O’Donoghue: “But Father, in the incidences of, and I don’t know, I mean, obviously, I’m not a priest so I don’t know how commonplace it is but presumably people who are doing bad things have guilty conscience and, if they are Catholic, they might try to ease that conscience by going to confession and those things could be ongoing like neglect or abuse of a child.”

O Donnchu: “That’s correct. And I think it’s the duty of the priest there to insist with the penitent to do something about the activities that we’re talking about.”

O’Donoghue: “Yes, you can insist in your advice or your counsel that, ‘you should go to the Gardaí’ or whatever that is.”

O Donnchu: “But if they don’t want to go then there’s nothing I can do about it.”

O’Donoghue: “Well there is, but you’re choosing not to?”

O Donnchu: “Oh definitely, I’m choosing not to.”

O’Donoghue: “Are you at peace with that Father, that you could be leaving people in danger?”

O Donnchu: “Completely.”

O’Donoghue: “You’re completely at peace with that?”

O Donnchu: “Completely at peace with it.”

O’Donoghue: “Some people might be livid to hear that.”

O Donnchu: “[laughs] That’s possible. When I say that I’d be completely at peace, I suppose that’s not quite a full statement. I would of course be worried, personally. But I haven’t the liberty to divulge that to a single person.”

O’Donoghue: “You would be breaking the law from now on?”

O Donnchu: “I wonder would I?”

O’Donoghue: “Well I suppose it’s more of a question, would you be breaking the law in what is envisaged here?”

O Donnchu: “I don’t know, I haven’t seen the law. But if the law says that what I hear in confession I should go to the guards with, then I’m prepared to break that.”

O’Donoghue: “Even if, at the core of the issue here, Father, is something that I genuinely believe you would believe is strongly in: protection of the child in all instance.”

O Donnchu: “Definitely, I would do everything I could to protect a child.”

O’Donoghue: “But not to break the seal…”

O Donnchu: “But not to break the seal of confession.”

O’Donoghue: “So you are keeping one thing above the protection of the child then?

O Donnchu: “I’m keeping one thing above the protection of myself, the child, the protection of anything.”

O’Donoghue: “But you see Father, in say, the analogy you gave about the wine, that’s personal choice, you’re choosing not to protect yourself in that instance. A child can’t choose, a child could be in a harmful environment and, as an adult, you now have essential information.”

O Donnchu: “In a way I don’t. The priest with whom he’s in confession has that information but that priest is not allowed to divulge that information to anybody. That’s the way, that’s the way I was educated, that’s the way I’ve lived, that’s the way I intend to continue to live, please God.”

O’Donoghue: “Father Gearoid, is there any, and I understand you won’t tell me instances of confession, but is there any working around this? I mean can you act, based on something that you have heard in confession, I don’t mean tip someone off, I don’t mean something that blunt but can you act to remove people from situations in your other duties.”

O Donnchu: “No.”

O’Donoghue: “You don’t do anything based on what you hear in confession?”

O Donnchu: “Not a thing.”

O’Donoghue: “Even if that is breaking the law from now on, that’s what you’re willing to keep doing?”

O Donnchu: “I’m not sure if it is breaking the law but if it is breaking the law, then I’m prepared to do that.”

Hardcore.

Listen back in full here

Related: Bill on mandatory reporting of child abuse published (RTÉ)

duncan[Duncan Stewart]

A mere portion of Environmentalist and (former) RTE presenter Duncan Stewart’s discussion with Newstalk’s Shane Coleman this morning.

Grab a tay.

Duncan Stewart: “I’m only stepping down from RTE because I have issues about climate change. I mean climate change…”

Shane Coleman: “You did criticise their coverage of it though?”

Stewart: “Yes I did, and I’m criticising all of the media, by the way on this – because all of the media, in my view is being irresponsible about climate change.”

Coleman: “How so?”

Stewart: “Because the climate change is a science that has been proven many years ago by the… by all the science community. There…there…it is unequivocal that climate change is real, is happening now and basically it is being caused by all of us humans in our greenhouse gas emissions in terms of fossil fuel. Now, that is science that is proven – it’s the same as, for example talking about tobacco smoke. We knew tobacco smoke, the science knew years ago that tobacco smoke was damaging health. Yet the deniers were allowed to keep…keeping the denial and confusion for years. Thereby, millions of people have died in that time because of tobacco smoke, you know – and basically….”

Coleman: “Okay, so when RTE are covering this issue, what in your view, what traps do they fall into, what’s the problem in how they are covering it?”

Stewart: “Well, it’s the same what every talk-show is doing, you know, every radio talk-show on every channel. First of all, everybody seems to avoid climate change – it’s not popular, it doesn’t bring in the ratings – it’s not good for advertising, and that’s a fundamental issue for all media, including the press. So, when I’m criticising RTE, I’m criticising it because they are the are the public state, public broadcaster – and I’m very conscious that we need to inform our public about the facts, and about the truth. And the truth is that we are facing a massive, the biggest issue ever faced by human beings – is climate change. And it’s happening now and it’s going to effect our children…”

Coleman: “The greatest challenge ever? I mean greater than World War Two and The Atomic Bomb?”

Stewart: “Absolutely, absolutely and it is going to have devastating effects – and this is what really concerns me Shane. The media don’t seem to get it. The media seem to not read the signs. The IPCC report is out there, it’s in…”

Coleman: “The IPCC being? Just explain who they are.”

Stewart: “The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change report, the fifth assessment – it’s out there for everybody in the media to become informed about. Look, we need to protect our children’s future. And we’re not acting…safe, properly on this. So, if I make, if I kind of get upset about RTE, it’s in the context of the wider picture here. Because there’s elections on at the moment Shane…”

Coleman: “Okay, we’ll get to the elections in a minute. {interrupted} No, no, hang on, we’ll get to the elections in a minute…”

Stewart: “How much time have I got?”

Coleman: “We’ve got plenty of time!”

Stewart: “Well, I want plenty of time, how much time have I got? No, tell me how much time have I got?”

Coleman: “NO, let me just ask a question…we’ve plenty of time.”

Stewart: “You tell me how much time I’ve got! Listen, do you want me to talk here?”

Coleman: “I do!”

Stewart: “Then tell me how much time I’ve got – because I want to know, I’ve a lot to say here Shane.”

Coleman: “We’ve plenty of time.”

Stewart: “I don’t want to get bogged down here, by the way.”

Coleman: “We are getting bogged down here.”

Stewart: “Listen, listen, I could walk out of the studio here, this minute, if you wish? Would you want me to do that?”

Coleman: “Why would you do walk out of the studio, we’re having a discussion?”

Stewart: “Because, unless you tell me how much time I’ve got, I’ve got a lot to say here. Or do I have to go to another radio station and say it. You’ve asked me here today, you’ve asked me to come into this studio. Last night, a very good researcher asked me. She said I would be able to talk about the issues in the wider context because I’m very concerned – that I’d get the facts about issues across to the public. So please tell me how much time I’ve got.”

Coleman: “You’ve got another 7 or 8 minutes…”

Stewart: “Okay, well listen then, I don’t think I want to stay here, okay? I don’t think I want to stay here. If you tell me I’ve got 10 minutes, I’ll agree with you – but if I’ve only 7 minutes, I’m not staying!”

Coleman: “ Let’s just talk about the issue here.”

Stewart: “Listen, it’s not worth my time, I’m going to go to another station with this. There’s plenty of people who want to hear. I have an awful lot to say Shane.”

Coleman: “And we want to hear you…”

Stewart: “Well, give me 10 minute!”

Coleman: “Well, let’s just talk instead of wasting time and…”

Stewart: “No, no – give me 10 minutes, or I’m not staying in this studio! Listen there are many…”

Coleman: “If we give you 10 minutes…”

Stewart: “Anyone listening to this, anyone listening to this, would you please email me, please email me, and show your support, don’t….”

Coleman: “Okay, you’ve got your 10 minutes. Let’s start talking?”

Stewart: “Thank you.”

(approx 10 minutes later…)

Stewart: “Nothing’s going to hold me back when I get to Europe – if I do go there, by the way.”

Coleman: “You have to be elected first?”

Stewart: “That’s a simple matter…

Coleman: “Is the Irish electorate…”

Stewart: “…That’s a simple matter.”

Coleman: “Getting elected is a simple matter?”

Stewart: “For me it is, because I know – I’m not going to put poster up for example, if I do run, I’m not going to do the conventional.”

Coleman: “Do you think you’ll walk into the Parliament?”
Duncan Stewart: “No – but I know the people of Ireland are waiting for someone to give them …”

Coleman: “And that person is you?”

Stewart: “Well, I don’t know, but I do know I’m going to reach out there.”

Listen here

 Earlier: Meanwhile, On Newstalk

Duncan2

[From left: Minister of State for Training and Skills, Ciaran Cannon pictured with environmentalist and former RTE presenter Duncan Stewart in the Aviva Stadium in 2011]

Duncan Stewart went on Newstalk Breakfast this morning to talk to host Shane Coleman about the media’s coverage of climate change.

However, Mr Stewart became annoyed with Mr Coleman just minutes after the interview began.

Independent.ie are reporting Mr Stewart said:

“How much time have I got? Tell me how much time I’ve got. Do you want me to talk here? Then tell me how much time I’ve got.

“I want to know, I’ve a lot to say here. I can walk out of this studio this minute if you wish, unless you tell me how much time I’ve got. Do I have to go to another radio station to say it?”

‘Give me ten minutes or I’m leaving’ – Duncan Stewart has meltdown on live radio (Independent.ie)

Listen back to full interview here

Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

00118671Newstalk

Newstalk listener Brendan McCafferty complained to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland about comments made by  the station’s Breakfast Show’s presenters in relation to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s decision not to participate in a public debate on the referendum to abolish the Seanad.

Mr McCafferty complained the presenters compared Mr Kenny to Chairman of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong and did not give an alternative view based on facts.

Mr McCafferty claimed the presenters ‘should have known that no Taoiseach ever takes part in such debates outside of general election time and, in fact, there is much precedent for this stand by An Taoiseach’.

Mr McCafferty claimed the presenters lacked impartiality and balance.

Newstalk responded saying previous Taoisigh did debate matters outside of general elections, including former Fine Gael Taoiseach, John Bruton, who debated the 1996 divorce referendum on RTÉ’s ‘This Week’ and in several radio interviews, and fellow former Fine Gael Taoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald, who debated a previous divorce referendum in 1986 on RTE’s Today Tonight.

However, the BAI decided to uphold part of Mr McCafferty’s complaint.

It decided:

“The Committee was of the opinion that other perspectives on the decision of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny not to participate in media debates were not provided. Further, the Committee found that the presenters made a number of comments that should have rightly been balanced by other perspectives. These included comments on the decision of An Taoiseach not to participate in a television debate, as well as the broader media communications decisions of An Taoiseach, as being akin to those of Mao Zedong.”

“In view of the above, the Committee found that the programme discussion failed to meet the requirements of the BAI Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs and the complaint has been upheld in part further to Section 4.1 of this Code.”

DEBATE! Fight!

Read the complaint and decision in full here

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

32227_54_news_hub_27300_588x448[Bobby Kerr (right) with Julian Davis, Newstalk Business Person of the Month for December]

“For December we looked at the PR Industry and out of all the nominations Julian Davis, Director at FleishmanHillard was chosen.  As a founding partner of Fleishman-Hillard, Julian has been with the company over 20 years, working with companies such as Audi, Budweiser and MCD to name but a few.”

And Newstalk.

To name another.

PR FIGHT!

December Sage BPOM Julian Davis (Newstalk)

Thanks Cathal