Michael McNamara on Vincent Browne show

 This week saw Labour's Michael McNamara make his debut on the Vincent Browne Show here's how it went.

Debut on  #vinb

Michael McNamara on Vincent Browne

I believe this is the first Clare government TD on mainsteam tv since the election. The performance provoked much debate on Twitter.

The Strange Practise of Clare TD's Welcoming New Shannon Airport Routes

The opening up of  new routes from Shannon  Airport is always good news and is unanimously  supported by everybody in the region. We have state agencies such as Tourism Ireland and Discover Ireland that can promote these new access routes.

However, there  is a fascinating phenomonan here in Clare of our TDs issuing press releases 'welcoming' a new route from Shannon Airport. This involves the TDs endevouring to outdo each other to 'announce' a new route. The objective of the TDs is, of course, to  suggest to the public that they have in some way negotiated the new routes on behalf of Shannon Aiport.

 Airport Timetable -  PR opportunities for Clare TDs

I noted in my election blog Clare Election  that the candidates for The Banner demonstrated an ability to recite airport timetables and connections that would be the envy of a traditional travel agent..

Rookie TD playing the welcoming game

This  week we had a classic example of the 'welcoming' a new route game. Michael McNamara the rookie Labour TD in one of his first press releases advises he has 'learned' of a new Shannon to Vienna Route.


An Austrian airline is to commence charter flights between Shannon and Vienna from late May to September, Clare Labour T.D. Michael McNamara has learned. .The Clare Deputy said Niki . Luftfa.....

The release goes on to note the merits of Vienna as a hub for other flights. McNamara then throws in 'this is an airport I have used many times.' So first mover advantage to the Labour man  and MacNamara hopes that the electorate will associate this good news with him. The latest press release was issued by PR company Dunphy PR .

One wonders does McNamara believe that the punters think that he sat down with the Nikki Lauda owned airline  and hammered out a deal when we have a state owned commercial airport authority called Shannon Airport that does this?

Pat Breen FG and his election assertion

The other three  TDs are no doubt seething at the junior man trumping them in the' welcoming game.' This is no doubt particularly upsetting for Pat Breen of Fine Gael, the self appointed 'Shannon Airport's Voice.' Pat played the 'welcome a new route game' earlier in the year when he 'welcomed' the new Shannon to Gatwick schedule.

January 5th, 2011 - Pat Breen

Welcoming the announcement of a new Aer Lingus Gatwick Service from Shannon Airport; Fine Gael’s Spokesperson on Overseas Aid & Human Rights & Clare T.D. Pat Breen said today that this decision was a vote of confidence by Aer Lingus in their short-haul operation out of Shannon. Deput.......


This is just an example of what passes for politics in Clare. Instead of engaging in and articulating on matters that affect the country, and in turn the county, our men play games with each other. We deserve better.

Of course the real political agenda for Shannon Airport is its governance. Shannon is   subservient to the 'Dublin' (!) Airport Authority (DAA). The board of the DAA is politically appointed. Finding a resolution to this anacronism   (albeit with the huge legacy of  debt  to fix) is where our TDs should be spending their political time. We've heard nothing on that front.

Why Clare's government politicians don't get on the telly

As a culchie I am regularly incensed by the access that Dublin and Pale based politicians get to the national airwaves. One reason is the ease with which a programme producer can get a  Dublin politician at short notice (and this may explain the season ticket that Richard Boyd Barrett  has to most political programmes).

During the election he must have appeared on 20 programmes. Contrast this with the dearth of  Clare general election candidates onnational  tv or radio panels during the campaign. The only appearance I can recall is a radio debate, that deteriorated into an internal  shouting match, and a profile of John Hillery's campaign in a post election review.

Prime Time and other national shows are 'Clare Free Zones'

There is no doubt that the new  Banner government candidates are still not getting on TV or any  radio airtime on the national airwaves. To date, their appearances on mainstream programmes are effectively non -exsistent and I  suspect this trend will continue.  Our government emissaries to the   Dáil  are not seeking the national stage and don't have views on the national economic crisis / agenda that will get them heard.

Here are my thoughts on the reasons;

1. The Clare political agenda is locally based and no TD speaks on national matters. Proof of this is the  Clare FM Election debate during the election when  the candidates, despite receiving time to identify their own priorities,  ignored the national economic crisis and didn't address the IMF, Bailout and  balance of payments etc and  spoke about Clare based matters; the local Ennis Hospital and Shannon Airport. This was very revealing.
    
2. The Clare constituency delivered  three government TD's;  poll topper Pat Breen and Joe Carey of    Fine Gael and rookie Labour TD Michael McNamara. However none of them secured a position in the cabinet or as a minister of state. It is noteworthy that there was zero complaints at local or national about the failure of Clare government TD's to get a ministerial role. Proof that the two Fine Gael men had not built up any real national reputation or expectation of promotion. Hopes seems to rest on the 'geographic reason' It is always likely that the choice of government representations for national TV and radio programmes will  be drawn from the ministerial ranks.
3. As far as I again see no government TD has spoken in the 31st Dáil on a national matter. Given we           are  going through interesting and critical times surely we should expect our representatives to speak in    the Dáil on these issues?  But its not happening in any meaningful way, if at all. Compare this with the independent Mick Wallace who has spoken every day on  national matters and appeared on numerous programmes, because he has something to say.
4.  No Clare  government TD is communicating on national matters in a manner to attract attention from outside the constituency.  Looking at their websites  and Twitter updates here's what you get;

• Labour's Michael McNamara has not updated his website since the election, he 'welcomed' a school building repair programme in Co Clare schools via a press release. MacNamara has not tweeted since the election

• Pat Breen of Fine Gael's  website has a report on his trip as an EU delegate to Egypt (he spoke in the Dáil on this topic) and 'welcoming'  €99,000 spend on flood relief. His two  Tweets in three months (both directed to me!) were  to advise of his Egyptian sojourn and concerning  custom clearance at Shannon.

• Joe Carey of Fine Gael  is very active on social media.On his website he highlights the case study of the investment  by the Zagg company in Shannon. He notes the importance of Ireland's 12.5% corporation tax rate in attracting the investment and the benefits of the Mid-West. Clearly this is good work in linking the need for Ireland to retain our 12.5% tax despite opposition from the EU. Mr Carey also was proactive in inviting President Obama to 'stop off' at Shannon during his visit. Other releases, however, fell into the dreaded 'welcoming PR statement category'. However these matters did not get national attention. These included releases regarding    government expenditure on flood relief and school buildings. For me, these fall into the category of seeking to secure credit by association with expenditure that the TD has had nothing do with. But, it seems Carey is trying hardest.

No talk of IMF, Banks or Moriarty  from Clare government men

 So, none of the three Clare govenment TD's are setting out to speak on national matters. It is obvious that anybody putting together a panel for a national TV or radio show will ignore our men as they are silent on the big issues that interest the country. As John Giles says ' you can only judge  what you see'. We are seeing no national work. Have we sent only voting fodder for the huge government majority? Over to you Messrs Carey, Breen and McNamara!