Comments on: FOIs, spin and the media

By: steve white

steve white — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:03:50 +0000

did ken foxe not spot the gallgaher thing?

By: jimky

jimky — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:11:31 +0000

The Departmental response spoke of the need for ministers tofly the flag abroad(my interpretation of their statement) Ihave no problem with this but flying the flag for 5 days at CHELTENHAM,4 days at ASCOT and 4 days at LONGCHAMP is so OTT as to border on the obscene even if the States finances are in the black—a Minister who engages in such activity is clearly unfit for high office and in my view O Donoghue should reslgn fortwith.

By: James Lawless

James Lawless — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:11:00 +0000

Typed a comment but that disqus thing seemed to break it. Won't retype all but just to say good investigative work and good use of new media and perhaps a silver lining from the whole depressing episode.

By: danielsullivan

danielsullivan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:12:38 +0000

Can I add a minor kink to the thesis? This also shows that the game on-line isn't blogs versus discussion sites like p.ie but works best as blogs and p.ie (isn't that a tasty dish to put before the King?). Blog postings allow for more nuance, more detail, a considered and reflective style; a place like p.ie lets the more casual observer breeze by, see what is happening and if they have a contribution to make it, to make it. As a format it does also allow the many who respond “your Ma” to contribute too, that is both it's weakness and its strength. Kudos to you sir and to Ken Foxe.

By: 电炉

电炉 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:25:12 +0000

Easier said than done.

By: anthonysheridan

anthonysheridan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:50:35 +0000

Excellent blog Gavin, great to see it all laid out like that. You really are beginning to stir things.

By: gavinsblog

gavinsblog — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:32:52 +0000

Sorry I should perhaps have been clearer, I am not solely talking about limos. I am talking about government jets, 5 star hotels, or spending €28,000 in four days in New York. I am referring to the whole sorry lot, and that's only 2006 and 2007 I am referring to…

By: ciaran_o_kelly

ciaran_o_kelly — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:23:16 +0000

Thanks for this Gavin and for the original legwork. But I think your final paragraph doesn't quite cover it. I don't know and wouldn't for a moment suggest that the relationship between O'Donoghue and the Limo company was directly untoward, but this doesn't seem to be about the lighting-cigars-with-$100-bills end of 'wasted vast amounts of money.' This lies somewhere between what seems to me to be pretty uncompetitive tendering and outright cronyism between state bodies and politicians' relatives. Using our money.