Hi I'm a student. This is my online journalism assignment for summer 2007. I looked at candidates for two elections in France and Ireland. And then got caught up in the Mahon Tribunal story
Much (though not all) of the content is personally produced
Opposition party leaders Enda Kenny (Fine Gael) and Eamon Gilmore (Labour) attacked the Irish leader and his party Fianna Fail last weekend.
Both called for the Taoiseach’s resignation following his evidence to the Mahon tribunal since September ‘07.
The tribunal is investigating corrupt payment allegations against Mr. Ahern during the mid-90s when he was Minister for Finance.
The allegations, made by embittered land developer Tom Gilmartin, are that Mr. Owen O’Callaghan, a cork property owner boasted he had Bertie in his pocket for two sums totallying 80,000 pounds.
The subsequent Inquiry by the Mahon tribunal, has found significant sums of money moving in and out of the Irish prime minister’s accounts around the time in question. Each time Mr. Ahern, who promised a comprehensive accounting of all his finances prior to last year’s election, has given testimony, his explanations seem more indistinct and more funds are revealed.
In a statement Mr. Kenny stated that Mr. Ahern had misled the Irish people in relation to his finances and his tax affairs.
It seems the political parties are finally catching up with the runaway sprint that is d’Internet. Puffing, gasping-red faced with gut hanging out, and lagging 15 laps behind, the fellas up in City Hall have finally got the message; yes, the internet can help you in the race for the Oireachtas.
One invaluable innovation is You Tube: a web site where one can post movies, albeit in a somewhat lower quality format. You Tube is fast becoming one of my daily ports of call (while I have my morning coffee and read the Guardian Unlimited) The Fianna Fail political parade definitely seems to be up for it. They posted the following film of their Ard Fheis only hours after it was broadcast, prime time, on RTE 1-Ireland’s national tv station.
Now, everybody always pats Bertie on the back after these tirades but to tell you the truth, I don’t believe Bertie has much going for him in the Oratory department. His speeches to the party faithful always seem a bit forced to me.
But hey why don’t you judge for yourself.
Bertie Addresses Fianna Fail Ard Fheis
A You Tube video released on d’Internet recently
I found this recently on ABC about presidential nominee Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton.
A striking, new and unauthorized negative campaign ad for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., that attacks his presidential nomination rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is the latest sensation on the popular video sharing site You Tube.The 74-second ad is a creative take on director Ridley Scott’s controversial 1984 Super Bowl commercial that launched Apple as a brash alternative to market leader IBM.
If you only click one you tube on this blog, click this one
A facinating insight into how politics, negative advertising and mud-slinging can damage electoral candidates in the U.S.
Fine Gael certainly hopes it will double its chances over the next weeks as the Irish general election is due to kick off any day now but why the zipped mouths over Ireland’s embarrassing record on the environment
The main oppostion party in Ireland at the moment Fine Gael has set its sights high indeed. Without the strength to capture the ultimate prize in Irish politics, government, they are barking about a coalition with Labour and the Greens. The Irish Times covered his comments recently Voters are tired of smug Government, FG leader insists
I have been disappointed with the Greens performance so far this year. With so much ammunition (furnished by the current Fianna Fail government) concerning waste, water, power, the marine and overall poor investment in Ireland’s infrastructure one would have thought they would have been one of the most vocal parties in the Dail. The Irish Times, Ireland’s paper of record has predicted big things for 2007.
Five years ago, the Greens won six Dáil seats with slightly less than four per cent of the vote and if opinion poll figures carry though to the current election, they could end up with 10 or more TDs this time around. At this stage of the proceedings, the Greens look like an essential component of any secure Rainbow coalition and will very likely find themselves being wooed by Fianna Fáil at the same time.
Sargent has said he will step down if the Greens go in with Fianna Fáil, it seems like this habit is catching, but that he is willing to serve as a minister in such a coalition. It’s an intriguing, some would say jesuitical, proposition from Sargent who is generally seen as a choir-boy innocent in the cynical hurly-burly of Irish politics.
The Green leader showed up at Dunlaoghire to the farmers’ market to comment on ‘organic sellers’
Notice the first four pictures are all Ahern’s. So, granted, they’re not all related, but it does suggest to me that Fianna Fail is a big family.
They have also governed Ireland through the country’s economic boom (although many attribute this to EU subsidies kickstarting this growth). The money factor will be a big BIG factor in the upcoming election in Ireland and I am confident that they will make much of this in their election manifesto.
However, FF have been dogged by controvercies (Haugheygate, Laylorgate etc.) and much is made of the entrenched attitude of government to transparency of its institutions. Tribunals have been numerous and damaging for the ruling party. But when it comes to track record, as Clinton said, “It’s all about the economy stupid.”
The Fine Gael candidates with the exception of the decidedly luscioius Anne-Marie Martin are seasoned veterans. They’ve got a lot of talent on their team. Simon Coveney MEP TD is a great orator and I’m looking forward to seeing how he holds up in the media circus that is sure to get going once Bertie announces the date of the election.
Their campaign will be bringing up issues to do with the following…
Stamp duty for first time buyers
The health service (the hot potato of our times)
Education
Crime (The Gael will tackle gangland murders head on)
Marine and the environment (their stance on Ireland’s spiraling waste issue is indistinct and implausable)
