Taoiseach attacks Sinn Féin saying there is something ‘deeply wrong’ with a party that ‘intimidates and shuts down debate’

40 comments

  1. “There is something deeply wrong with a party which has built its entire existence on honouring a campaign of violence”

    He says unironically at a Wolfe Tone commemoration…

  3. >The Taoiseach has launched a new attack on Sinn Féin at the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co. Kildare today.

    >He said there was something “deeply wrong” with a party the polls show is likely to sweep to victory at the next general election.

    >“Anyone who sincerely believes in a republican vision for our country should be appalled by the growing attempt to intimidate and shut down debate by one party which refuses to accept the basic accountability accepted by everyone else,” Mr Martin said.

    >“There is something deeply wrong with a party which has built its entire existence on honouring a campaign of violence — but which now attacks and sues anyone who claims that they supported particular actions within that campaign.”

    >Mr Martin returned to the issue of Mary Lou McDonald suing RTÉ for alleged defamation, which he warned in the Dáil could have a “chilling effect” on democratic coverage and accountability.

    >His midweek criticism of the leader of the Opposition came after RTÉ decided not to broadcast a radio interview with former minister Shane Ross about his new biography of Mary Lou McDonald.

    >“It’s not just the national broadcaster which is being intimidated, political opponents are now regularly receiving legal threats for statements which no one previously thought could even be controversial,” the Taoiseach complained.

    >“On top of this there is a now a regular pattern of aggressive management of the media which means, for example, that party spokespeople are just withdrawn from any place they might be asked questions and basic inquiries are not answered.”

    >He added: “This is many things – but democratic republicanism is not one of them.

    >“We need a strong, independent media in our democracy – one which is capable of standing up to bullying and is committed to the sort of high standards of accuracy and balance which only professional journalism has any chance to deliver.”

    >Mr Martin has accepted that he was wrong to claim in the Dáil that Sinn Féin had been given oversight of the interview between Claire Byrne and Shane Ross and asked for its views on the transcript.

    >The party said it never requested, and was not given, any sight or sound of the interview. RTÉ said it took its own independent broadcast decisions and regularly made editorial decisions which could involve the dropping of material.

  5. SF +1

    It’s beyond kindness that FF and FG have decided to bolster SF’s popularity by remaining utterly indifferent to the plight of people in need of housing and by making everything always everywhere at once all about SF. Bless you and your many houses Micheál.

    On a more serious note, it’s hard to see the FF grassroots enduring this forever, in turn it’s leaving a party of a conservative rump that has more in common with the PD’s than it has with the historical constituents of FF.

  6. Ask him about the housing crises and see if he accepts responsibility and has an open debate about it.

  8. Its mad how he goes on about SF since he’s basically brigaded the rest of the party into preparing for a coalition with SF next time round

  9. Let’s not forget, they praise and honor the founders of FF FG for the same reason they despise and attack SF. The violence and the troubles in Northern Ireland is just as complex an issue as the violence perpetrated in the civil war and war of independence. FFG throwing stones and pointing fingers has a hollow and hypocritical ring in the eyes of the electorate who just see petulant children deflecting from the failures of the current coalition. The way things are going at the moment, if FFG says something Is bad that’s just driving the electorate further and further towards it because that’s how little we trust this shower of neoliberal capitalist conmen

  12. This whole attempt to shame potential SF voters is really going to backfire on FFG. Right or wrong many people don’t really care about their troubles history they care about their housing policies

  13. There’s something deeply wrong with a government that prioritises the profits of foreign vulture funds over the needs of its own people

  16. Didn’t FF and FG back banning SF from debates until the last election when SF basically had to sue to get on RTE?

    If this was something that happened decades ago I might not point it out but it was literally their stance last election, 2 years ago.

  17. I didn’t say locals were entitled to them but she represents the local community who don’t want them either unless there’s social housing built in to them.

  18. You know what would be great, shutting the hell up about SF and pulling their finger out. Just do something to improve the nation. Health, housing, education fucking something, rather than whinging about SF all the time.

  21. >On top of this there is a now a regular pattern of aggressive management of the media which means, for example, that party spokespeople are just withdrawn from any place they might be asked questions and basic inquiries are not answered.”

    Doesn’t the minster of housing do this, daragh O’Brian who is part of FF, where he Refuses to answer questions about housing ?

    Yes he does refuse

    https://www.breakingnews.ie/amp/ireland/housing-minister-refuses-to-disclose-cost-of-dublin-social-and-affordable-homes-1332342.html

  22. It’s interesting that FFG don’t seem to know or care, that there’s only a certain point you can go to with endless criticism before people either tune you out or start rooting for the target of the criticism as they start to look like an underdog.

  23. FF and FG are more than able to come down on the media like a tonne of bricks when they don’t like it. See Brian Cowen’s nude picture and Paschal demanding an apology off RTE for a perfectly fine question about a previous FG budget.

    The difference is deference: FF and FG expect it and get it from all the major media outlets while SF get concerted campaigns and blackguarding from all those same media outlets. The unfairness of it is stunning to see and only completely biased people can’t see it.

  24. Talk about stones in glass houses.

    Barry Cowen tried sue the media to stop them reporting on his checkpoint shenanigans that lost him his minister role.

    Robert Troy tried sue the media to stop them reporting on his property irregularities.

    Then his co-leader tried to sue the media to stop them reporting on his scandal of leaking confidential documents.

    That’s only 3 I can remember off the top of my head. I’m sure there’s many more examples.

  25. Does this cunt have no understanding of irony and hypocrisy?

    Both him and Leo are so disconnected from the average Irish person it’s shocking

  31. There’s a simple solution to his problem, and he has the power to do it: Reform the libel laws. He could do it by Christmas if he prioritised it.

  32. Every sentence you talk about another party is a sentence where you avoid discussing your own parties’ objectives and responsibilities.

  35. There is something deeply wrong with a party that continually crashes the economy [since 2008]. Martin needs to keep quiet until December slink off into obscurity.

  37. Ah so it’s not the state persecuting and threatening to prosecute whistleblowers that is censorship – censorship is when one part of the state refuses to interview a person running another part of the state?

    It is in fact _the people who are in power running the country_ who are the victims, not the individuals trying to expose corruption!

    The poor helpless victimized government politicians, who clearly have no power whatsoever and are in such a desperate position, being treated so unfairly.

  38. FFG’s attempts to gaslight the electorate continues unabated.

    They really are quite incredible in their audacity.

  39. SF did so well last election it took the two parties for form a coalition (which should not be possible) just to keep them out.

    Now because they know despite having had four more years they’re still up the creek and it’s only getting worse. So this is the next tactic. Fear mongering against them ala how the media treated Corbyn in the UK

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