November 25 2010 by Paul Gogarty
What the public really thought about Liveline last Tuesday
Dear reader,
Firstly can I say there is a lot more important stuff going on and I remain focused on that, particularly protecting Education in the budget coming up and putting pressure for further pay cuts for TDs (something I have a strong track record on). We need to show further solidarity at this difficult time.
However for some reason the media made a big issue about my daughter being with me when John Gormley announced we would be pulling out of Government after ensuring the remaining difficult decisions are made and votes taken, and I feel that the reports given suggest that the Irish public are taking a negative view. If anything the response is positive or at least understanding.
A bit unorthodox to comment on this, but this is only because some newspapers made great play about the ‘roasting’ I got on Liveline recently following my decision to keep my 19 month old child on my lap at a recent press conference.
I decided to go on after someone claimed that I had told Ryan Tubridy that I don’t work on Mondays. This is total bull but if it went out unresponded to it would have been impossible to stop that myth from growing. I have made mistakes in the past by not responding immediately in the appropriate fashion and giving things legs, so I went onto the show to clear my name. And took the abuse head on.
Our childcare arrangements are a private family matter but suffice to say that on occasion I am in charge of the children and mind them occasionally if I am able to work around them. My work is very flexible, albeit 7 days a week, so that if there are no Dail votes/speaking, no public meetings etc, I can schedule my logistical, computer, face to face and telephone work around my children. I do not sit in an office at 9am and finish at 5pm.
I made a judgement call that my daughter would be more comfortable on my lap for the 20 minutes of the conference than with a stranger. The rest of the day I was able to continue working without more than an hour’s distraction in total. This was made up by the fact that I was working on my computer from 11pm to 1am that night (I have that I even have to explain, but there you go).
It is fair comment to question whether having a child on your lap is professional or not, and even if I disagree with the comment I recognise its validity. That said one of my female TD colleagues often brings her child to official functions, including those she speaks on and nobody says a thing. More power to her. And if it were a woman doing what I did, no one would dare say a thing! We need to progress to a more child friendly society, as witnessed in the European Parliament where women are allowed to breastfeed in the chamber,
I have never objected to fair comment, however critical. However you would think listening to liveline that I had assaulted someone or taken money from a developer. It cannot be let go that this is the majority view. So, just to show that the Irish people are understanding and have humanity, I have pasted a selection of emails sent to me in recent days. I also got texts, tweets, facebook messages and phone calls, but they are harder to transcribe.
Now clearly these emails are not entirely representative, as there were about 12 ones I received that were critical. But by a ratio of well more than 2 to 1, they were positive, which is nothing like the Liveline show hinted at. And it is also anecdotally the case that more people will take the time to criticise rather than stand up for something, so that makes them more valuable.
For the record, here are some of the lovely people who restored my faith in humanity and took the time to show compassion and human understanding. Only one is to my knowledge a Green Party member and only a handful seem to be constituents. Their full names have not been given so as to protect their privacy. Thanks to everyone who got in touch.
Sorry that I feel I have to do this, but there you go. In 2010 nobody should have to do this.
Now back to the really important stuff….
Best wishes,
Paul Gogarty
——
eilish ###
<######@hotmail.com>.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date25 November 2010 09:06
subjectchild at press conference - well
done!
mailed-byoireachtas.ie
hide details 09:06 (5 hours ago)
Hi Paul,
I don’t know you but I am an occasional
Green Party voter.
I saw the photos of you and your
beautiful daughter at the recent Green
Party press conference and I laughed. It
was great to see her beautiful red hair
and colourful clothes amidst all the
suits!
I thought it had an almost subversive
appearance, especially the photo of you
all walking in, in somber suits and you
pushing this buggy.
It also highlights that men are fathers
too and that family can’t help but break
into public life. It is not just mothers
that struggle to balance important public
jobs with being a parent.
I am a mother of two young children and
work full time in a demanding job that I
love.
Best of luck to you and your family,
I hope the next election treats you
kindly!
Eilish #####
——
Deirdre #### to me
show details 22:16 (16 hours ago)
I was absolutely delighted to see you
with your daughter on your knee at the
press conference. I am appalled at
the amount of people who criticized it.
I think it was wonderful you care about
your job and your daughter as to the rest
of us parents who work for
a living.
Lived in Sweden for many years – it was
the norm there if childcare let you down
and you had to attend a
critical meeting – no-one batted an
eyelid you brought your bundle of joy
with you.
Regards
Deirdre ####
——
Orla ###
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date24 November 2010 20:18
subjectDaisy at press confer.
mailed-bygmail.com
Signed bygmail.com
hide details 20:18 (18 hours ago)
Hi Paul,
I am amazed at all the negative press you
have been receiving about the above. As a
mother of 2 girls (4 and 2), I think it
is great that children can be introduced
to different situations like a parents
working life. Myself and my husband have
always included the children when we were
having friends over for dinner and I
think they have really benefited from
adult company, not to mention how they
behave and engage with one another.
I think Daisy is a lucky girl that she
can be with you when the unexpected
arises. I am sure you appreciate the
convenience of that. For me it is out of
the question to bring the girls into
work.
It’s amazing with all that’s going on
people focus in on something so innocent.
——
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Reply |stu###.####@talk21.com to
paul.gogarty
show details 19:23 (19 hours ago)
Dear Paul,
I do not live in the Republic, nor do I
support the Green Party in Ireland North
or South but I support whole heartedly
your decision to share your working life
with your child.
Some of the happiest memories in my life
are of being with my parents when they
had to work and I had to go too. They
are memories made all the more precious
when I consider that I cannot make any
new memories with them.
To your detractors I harbour nothing but
contempt for their pious condescension.
Police and Fire Service personnel may not
be able to take their children into
burning buildings or into a hail of
bricks from rioters but then who would
want to?
Their children can of course visit the
fire and police stations and though
police and fire personnel put their
safety on the line for a living, if they
were to put their anonymity and privacy
on the line for a living, perhaps they
could take their child to a meeting too.
Even I can grasp the importance of this
time for the Republican Irish people,
knife edge government and a member state
on the very brink of survival.
Fathers have a part to play in the lives
of their children. Despite the former
allegiances of Irish Republicans, the
days of Kinder, Küche, Kirche are long
over and the modern day espousers of such
rhetoric should take stock of their
values.
Good luck Sir and hopefully the nutters
who just don’t get it, will wake up
tomorrow with some perspective as to what
their future holds in a new age of
austerity where children eat in shelters.
My perspective is that by bringing
responsible fatherhood into the public
eye, and snatching it from the clutches
of social decay you have taken your place
as a modern role model.
Kind regards,
Stu ####
——
tara#####@gmail.com to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Hi Paul,
As a mother of four children aged from 2
to 11, I can sympathise with babysitting
difficulties etc. I currently have two
kids at home sick from school for
example.
I would like to say that I was astounded
at the over reaction to you having a
child on your lap at the press
conference. While it was perhaps
unprofessional, in some ways you should
have been applauded. Children should not
be something that have to be dropped at a
moment’s notice. They should be seen and
heard.
However on behalf of women - if you had
been a woman TD you could not have
afforded to take the risk of being seen
‘at work’ with a baby. Women have to be
so much more aware of the anti-child
/child unfriendly work policies of this
country.
Regards,
Tara ####
——
Declan #### to gogarty
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Hello paul, I heard you on liveline
yesterday I was quite shocked to hear the
reaction of people to a father looking
after his child. you have my full
support. It is important to hold certain
things sacred like how we treat each
other, the support we give each other and
the community we want to foster. that
woman that was shouting at you let
herself down and seems to think that
ireland should replicate a multinational.
the man seems to think that ireland is a
company if so then one of the afor
mentioned multinationals should buy it
and run it. it is not a company it is a
society and a community. dont let the
bastards get you down. If the greens do
bad in the election they will recover.
keep the faith in this difficult time. we
will keep you in our prayers.
Declan and m#### #####, ###, Donegal
——
noel ##### to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Dear Deputy Gogarty,
I was absolutely appalled at the Liveline
response to you bringing your daughter to
the Green Party press conference. I just
despair that when the country has
basically become insolvent, in danger of
defaulting on its debt and at risk of
bringing down the whole Euro people
actually spend their time berating you on
national radio over this issue. Whether
people agree or not with your actions my
mind just boggles that this would so
annoy them while in the meantime they
just meekly and cowardly accept
everything else that has happened in this
country over the last few years. I recall
one idiot talking about health and safety
risks. Thank god someone else made the
point that your daughter was in the
absolute safest possible hands, with one
of her parents. Another said it damaged
our reputation internationally. I mean
are these people utterly delusional!! Our
international reputation is ruined
because we are insolvent and are a threat
to the whole economy of Europe not
because you took your daughter to a press
conference. What is wrong with people who
come out with such utter garbage. I was
really annoyed with Joe Duffy for
allowing this nonsensical discussion and
mob rule bullshit go on for so long.
I have just heard a rumour that you have
resigned. I certainly hope this is NOT
true. Dont be hounded out of your job by
a bunch of crazies who are too afraid to
deal with the real problems of this
country and between the lot of them
havent a back bone. The Dail needs
colourful characters such as yourself and
I hope you do not mind me using the word
‘colourful’ to describe you, its meant in
the best possible way.
Best wishes,
Noel ####
——
Melanie ### to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
I would like to commend Paul on bringing
his daughter with him to press
conference. He did no harm. It sends
out a good message, men have equal
responsibility when bringing up children.
I don’t think it should be viewed that he
put the party before his litttle girl.
Dont mind the whingers on live line.
As a mother of a three year old, I
sometimes have to bring her in late with
me to work to collect papers/laptop. It
is no big deal. You are if anything
spending time with her and I am sure she
loved it.
——
tv appearance with your daughter.
InboxX
Support for PaulX
Reply |Kay xxxx to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
You’re a good man - you had a dilemma
there ... appear at the media briefing
at short notice or take care of your
lovely daughter - and you did both.
Fine, Joe Duffy is a stirrer and loves
creating contraversy, but the care of a
little one should not be up to ridicule.
You did the proper thing and well done.
——
Phillip ### to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Just a quick email to say that I’m
supporting you 100% over the whole
thing of bringing your daughter to the
press conference. Fair play to
you.
Regards
Phil
——
colleen #### to me
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Hi Paul, just wanted to say I think it’s
great that you brought your daughter to
that meeting. A child friendly society is
a wonderful thing and it’s great to see a
man taking charge of his children. People
are so uptight and looking for something
to complain about. I think it really
shows that you re a caring father and
flexible in your thinking. Fair play to
you! Regards, Colleen
——
Liz #####to paul.gogarty
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
… I just wanted to say to you that I
thought you were treated disgracefully by
Joe Duffy and the assorted strange people
that ring in to Liveline. I am usually at
work (in Lucan) and so don’t have to hear
that programme but today I’ve no voice
and was like a rabbit caught in
headlights, couldn’t stop listening even
though I was getting more and more
furious by the minute. Of all the things
people could be complaining about,
bringing a child to a meeting in one’s
working hours is hardly one of them. I
think it was a perfectly sensible thing
to be doing, couldn’t believe that people
were complaining about it (and about the
photocopier – good grief!) and I agree
with you that those callers wouldn’t have
said a word had it been a woman who’d
brought the child in. I think you kept
your patience and temper admirably,
though I think you should write to RTÉ
about the way Joe Duffy conducted himself
——he’d obviously heard you on Ryan
Tubridy, as had I because of being sick,
yet he never intervened to correct that
very first caller about his inaccuracies.
I thought it was appalling———but
quite possibly that programme is like
that all the time, I don’t know and don’t
want to know.
I don’t vote for you, and I don’t vote
for the Greens – I have no time for John
Gormley or Patricia McKenna, though I
quite like Eamonn Ryan and Trevor. And I
quite admire you. And I think you should
be an Independent, a proper one, not a
one like those clowns down the country
who always support Fianna Fáil. I just
wanted to congratulate you on your calm
and composure and politeness today
———- and well done on bringing your
child in and not worrying about what
people say. I suppose it is a huge point
in favour of the Greens that your party
think it’s an OK thing for kids to be
running about and not locked in the attic
somewhere – inadvertently, you’ve made me
think better of the Greens!
Sincerely
Liz ######
——
Mark #### to paul.gogarty
show details 24 Nov (1 day ago)
Hello Mr Gogarty.
My name is mark ####, I’m a ####year old
lad from Roscommon….I just wanted to
drop you a quick message after i heard
the barrage of abuse you had to take from
Joe duffys circus today… I thought it
was very one sided and as though he just
let the show go on and on just to keep
the entertainment factor high and unlucky
for you you were at the centre of it!
I am a continental truck driver since i
finished college in May ##### and at the
moment I am sitting in Holyhead port
writing this like a pleb, something that
will probably not even be read but am
bored so I may aswell!! ......
Anyway I am rambling on here, sorry if
I’m boring you….. Getting back to the
matter at hand, I thought you had every
right to have your little girl with you,
the whole country is just gone pure daft,
as I said I drive a truck for a living
the last 5yrs, I’m with a #### based
company the last year and one day last
year I took my girlfriend with me from
##### and the boss near lost his life
when he saw her with me in his truck, my
previous Employers never had any issues
with her coming to ##### with me! I know
it’s nothing like your situation but it
just reminded me of how arrogant people
can be at times when they thing that you
are out to screw them!....
Mark ####
#####
Roscommon.
086 ######
——
Art ### 085 ##### Joe, I don’t think
Gogarty was correct to bring his child
into that press conference. I would
agree with most of the criticism.
But I believe it to be a relatively minor
issue.
There are much more serious questions to
be raised about the Greens and their
involvement in government.
He didn’t deserve the haranging you
subjected him.
And your rant about him taking pictures
before they went into the conference was
completely over the top.
This is not the first time I’ve heard you
loose your head and go into righteous
over-drive – (The SF councillor,Mary
Harney and the paint*).
Is Liveline a platform for ordinary
people, or a forum for you and RTE to
vent your anger at the government
You’re becoming like those “shock jocks”
on US talk radio.
——
Hilary #### to paul.gogarty
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Hilary ###
Date: 23 November 2010 14:22:42 GMT
To: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Subject: U r over reacting Joe
Joe it wasn’t ideal that a child was
there but if it was a woman with a child
there wldnt have been the same comment.
But a woman wldnt b in poltics becos it
is so un family friendly. We shld b glad
that a father was acting responsibly. I
thought it was in fact a good reminder of
the seriousness of the crisis as she was
a symbol as a child. It is more her
future than ours. I am not a member of
any party. I think ur male callers are
typical of what is wrong with this
country, Hilary ######, #### mother of
3
Sent from my iPhone
——
Marcus ###
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 16:37
subjectSympathies
mailed-byhotmail.com
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Dear Paul
I was furious at the treatment you
received on Liveline this afternoon,
Tuesday. That a public service
broadcaster would initiate what was
tantamount to a witch hunt was a new low,
even by Liveline standards. If it helps,
I do not think that the average voter
thinks along the lines that the callers
who were attacking you do. I’m trying to
be as objective as possible in imagining
that many of their comments were a sort
of deflected anger at the broader
situation in the country but if I’m being
honest, I’d conclude that it’s
illustrative instead of a general
lowering of tolerance in Irish society,
helped in no small part by broadcasters
like Joe Duffy. I’ve sent a complaint to
Liveline and plan also on making a formal
complaint to RTE under the Broadcasting
Act.
Yours sincerely,
Marcus ###
#### Road
Sligo
P.S. I’m not a Green Party supporter but
I’ve a certain admiration for you and
your colleagues. I think your party has
brought a sense of professionalism and
integrity to politics that will be
acknowledged only in hindsight. Best of
luck for the election, whenever it may
be.
——
Enda #### to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Paul,
We briefly spoke today about the Witch
Hunt on Joe Duffy Show.
See below how I was banned from an open
forum because I differ from RTE on a
technical matter.
I am normally an admirer of Joe’s
comments but this was over the top.
The personal attack on you was amazing to
me.
It seemed to represent the worst small
minded mean characteristics of the Irish.
Politicians work from home supported by
their family in many instances.
Crazy talk of stapling machines and
photocopying.
I still think Greens wrong in pulling the
plug on the corrupt Fianna Faillers.
Better to get the EU aid in place first
and then follow Fintan O’Tools vision of
a new system.
Fintan to my surprise was putting the
cart before the horse on Pat Kenny’s
show.
People know that the Greens are caught
between a rock and a hard place.
Enda####
Terenure
086 #####
——
Dominic C####to paul
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Dear Paul,
Hope you recovered from the
verbal bashing you got today.As you know
I rang R.T.E. to try and put my point of
view across.The researcher said she noted
my points and would pass them on.Paul my
point was that the country is in economic
and political chaos and they spend nearly
45 mins debating the appearance of your
child at a press conference.The Irish are
great for fighting everyone else’s
battles bar their own.Today I imagine was
orchestrated by certain people,he {Duffy}
as I said to the researcher should not be
allowed give his point of view.His role
is purely to act as referee or
mediator,he should not be in any way
confrontational.I have noticed this in
the past while and I really believe he is
losing the run of himself.I have
complained to R.T.E.on numerous occasions
about what I perceive to be their biased
attitudes to certain groups of people in
our society.Frontline is an
example,Morning Ireland,Mary Wilson, all
seem to give their own slant on events.As
I recently said to the editor of current
affairs in R.T.E. his staff(journalists}
carry a great responsibility as their
views and opinions carry great weight
—
Dominic C####
——
Reply |Deirdre B###### to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Dear Mr. Gogary,
I am from Blanchardstown, Dublin. I live
in Canada. I listened to your discussion
on Joe Duffy online today. I couldn’t
believe the anger and hostility towards
you personally. I am a young, part-time
working, mother of two small children,
and have many times, been in the
situation where I had no one to mind my
children at short notice. No one that I
trusted. I feel Ireland has lost the plot
when it comes to all the working mothers
and the explosion of daycare. My mother
stayed home with me, and mothers do not
want to have this role any more. I think
if one parent can have a flexible job
which works around their children, then
more power to them.
I applaude you on your stance that The
Green Party is a child friendly party. I
admire your courage to continue talking
despite the aggressive backlash you
received.
In Alberta where I live, if one parent
stays home, the government gives the
working parent tax relief. As well as
children’s allowance I also receive $100
per child each month towards daycare. If
your children are in sports, that
activity is also tax deductable. There is
huge support for stay home parents and
for working parents.
I understand that it was inheard of for
the listeners to see a young child
sitting on a professionals lap, at a
government meeting, but if the callers
had only taken the time to listen to you.
You did not speak at the conference, you
were only there to support your fellow
Green Party member, and you repeatedly
said your career is flexible and that
this works around your child.
I applaude your honesty.
Keep up your good work.
Mrs. Deirdre B####
——
###### to paul.gogarty
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Paul,
I heard you on “Rant Line “this
afternoon…..Joe Duffy as always playing
to the gallery and the lowest common
denominator……a bloody disgrace….. how
people treat a working father is very
different to a working mom…there wouldn’t
be the same agro if it were…..…..I have
been in the same situation trying to get
child care on days when I was called back
into work on so called emergencies. More
power to you for coming on and giving
your side…but with Joe …..it will always
be slanted!!
Nil carborundum illegitemi
Keep the faith
Paul,
Tralee
——
Kev M####
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 20:15
mailed-byoireachtas.ie
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Dear Deputy Gogarty
I listened to Liveline today and was very
surprised with the treatment you
received. I’m disappointed that you did
not touch on the situation facing many
parents with young children - the lack of
sympathy which employers show when a
child is sick. I have two young children
and can well understand your plight
yesterday. In my situation having kids
under five has obviously led to both my
wife and myself missing work as a child
was sick and the local creache would
obviously not accept them. The experience
my wife and I received was a complete
oposite. My wife’s workplace was very
child friendly and they were amenable to
her working from home in this situation.
My workplace was the exact opposite, if I
called my boss saying my crèche had
refused the child due to illness the
attitude I received was the equivalent of
calling in sick the day after St.
Patrick’s day. Not surprisingly I was
made redundant earlier this year (the
only one in the role who had kids).
I feel you missed a chance to highlight
this issue today, while to be honest I’ve
never voted for the Green Party and won’t
at the next election, I wish you all the
best for the future and believe you are
doing the right thing regarding the
upcoming budget.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin M####
——
—————Forwarded message—————
From: Alan ###
Date: 23 November 2010 14:59
Subject: Support for Fathers rights
To: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Shower of nasty people. If that was a
mother doing the same thing nobody would
have given a shit. Good on the Dad
——
mark ####
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 15:02
subjectsupport
mailed-bygmail.com
Signed bygmail.com
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Hi Paul
I wish to say that I fully support the
fact that you brought your daughter to
the press conference yesterday. It showed
that you are compassionate and genuine. I
feel that it sent out a message that we
are a society and not an economy. It must
be very upsetting for you to hear what
was said on liveline. What you did is
what everyone should do.
Shame on companies and on a society which
does not make provisions for children to
be minded by their parents.
Liveline have obviously used this as an
oportunity to bash the greens.
Your children will grow up balanced and
happy because they have good parents.
Best of luck with everything.
Kind Regards
Mark M####
mark #### to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Hi Paul
Thank you very much for your reply. I
know how busy you must be so I appreciate
it.
I cannot forget the unforgivable things
that were said to you today on liveline.
This is not something that you need to
apologise for and those people on
liveline are I think, trying to cover up
their own guilt at abandoning their
children on a daily basis to be minded by
strangers.
By bringing your child along you
showed that in the midst of all this
economic craziness that basic humanity
still exists. I hope in time that people
will realise what is really important,
family, community, society. If people
want to judge you for being kind to your
children then God help us all.
Please do not let these people get you
down. You absolutly did the right thing
and everyone I know says the same thing.
You are the only person in public
life that I can think of, who has clearly
shown how to balance work and family. I
think that now more than ever polititions
need to show leadership and the way
forward to a just and caring society and
you alone have done that. I for one am
inspired.
Kind Regards
Mark M#####
——-
Gerald ###
<####@msn.com>
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address),
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 15:00
subjectJob Well Done?
mailed-byoireachtas.ie
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Joe,
Your “moderation” of sellect callers
tirades against Paul Gogarty is nonething
less than disgraceful.
And as an Irish-American let me opine
that the disgrace here is not Paul
Gogarty’s child on view on television;
it’s the utterly irrationale, hysterical
calls you’ve fielded on the matter—and
your management of them.
Regards,
Gerry#####
fromGerald ####
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 16:43
subjectRE: Job Well Done?
mailed-byoireachtas.ie
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Several points are pertinent here. One
your child’s presence with you, and your
care for her, at work is very much in
line with the Greens general
philosophical orientation. Given the
cultural context of the Greens , the
apology so many callers demanded would
have been misplaced in the extreme. The
callers to today’s show would have been
better served had the moderator proffered
these points—and many other points
besides. For example, much of what was
said (or screamed) today had nothing to
do with you personally, much less your
wee one. Instead, what was heard and
communicated was generalized fear of, and
anger over, a rather dire (though not
hopeless) situation. A better moderator
would have highlighted this as well.
Finally allow me to (briefly) chime in
with my two cents. Ireland is in a
better bargaining position than might be
expected. The EU’s and IMF’s only
concern is the stability of the Eurozone
and (for the IMF) the wider global
market. And both are imagined to be
contingent upon Ireland accepting a
bailout. Ireland’s negotiators should
not forget this point. Nor should they
fail to capitalize on it.
Of course I realize that you are well
aware of this point; and your party is
only a junior (and presently estranged)
partner in the coalition. But as the
progeny of previous generations of Irish
exiles (for how else should one reference
forced migrants?) I am distressed by the
Republic’s present condition; and the
plight of those who, like my ancestors,
might be forced to flee it for foreign
shores.
OK I’ve bent your ear long enough. You
are busy man. I wish you the very best.
Regards,
Gerry
——
Danielle #### to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Hey Paul,
My mum had this nonsense on the radio and
I needed to write to you to say you’re
brave to take that kind of personal
abuse. It makes for a good distraction
for the scared citizens who don’t
understand what’s going on. Anyone can
shout about a kid at a press conference,
not everyone understands diplomacy and
finance. Transference is
understandable… (Though that guy who
sounded like David McWilliams who said
you don’t know how to run a business?
Ugh…)
I’m worried about what’s going to happen
to the progressive legislation the Greens
secured in the programme for government
if and when Fine Gael is in charge. The
Green Party are the only party I’ve been
able to get genuine responses from in
general, and you’ve been the only one of
my representatives who seemed to listen.
I hope whomever runs things next will
work for equality and justice the way you
did.
I know you weren’t responsible for what
happened under the PD/FF government and I
do believe your coalition party was the
only thing keeping us sane these past two
years. So if you stand again, you have my
support, and it seems the support of my
mum.
Yours,
Danielle
——
Reply |Patricia #### to paul.gogarty
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Good for you Paul! Patricia #####
From: Patricia #####
[mailto:patrici####@eircom.net]
Sent: 23 November 2010 14:33
To: ‘joe@rte.ie’
Subject: fathers and children
Hello Joe – good for Paul Gogarty! he is
putting into practice ‘life work balance’
in taking care of his child. He can do
routine work at the same time – any
mother will tell you that she is
multitasking when child minding. Paul
Gogarty is a good example of a ‘flexible
job’ allowing him to carry out his
parental duties. No one complains when
he works on Saturdays or Sundays or
evenings or early mornings.
I am NOT a member of the Greens but I
welcome their arrival on the active
political scene because I think they
provide a new discourse and try to put
into practice some of their views on i.a.
family responsibilities. Rather than
criticising Paul Gogarty - why not work
to introduce such practices into other
work places – where it can be done.
Better for all, all round. Let’s have
some balance here please.
Best wishes,
Patricia #####
####
Barna, co galway
——
James to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Greetings Paul from James in
Millstreet.Heard you on Joe Duffy. You
took a hiding but you stayed on your
feet….well done because theres no right
answer.Thought I’d share this with a few
people….think you need a laugh so read
on…..
——
#####r, Brian to me
show details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Paul,
Well done today on the Joe Duffy show.
I’m glad you stood up for yourself. Your
calmness was great to hear in such a
chaotic time.
Your way of working is the future. You
brought your child to work – so what! Big
deal.
I’m not a member of any party and never
will be but I felt compelled to let you
know you did very well.
Keep going Paul!
Regards,
Brian ######
Youghal,
Cork
——
edel #####
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 14:51
subjectSupport concerning bringing you
child to work
mailed-byoireachtas.ie
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Dear Paul,
I am listening to the Joe Duffy show from
Noway where I live and work. I am Irish
but I now live in Norway working as a
researcher here.
I think many of the comments you have
recieved today concerning bringing you
child to work (in this once off
situation) are grossly unfair. I believe
you have done the right thing in having
your child with you under the
circumstances.
Best Regards for the future,
Edel S#####
——
fromLothar ####
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
date23 November 2010 15:03
subjectjoe duffy show
mailed-bygmail.com
Signed bygmail.com
hide details 23 Nov (2 days ago)
Hi Paul
Listening to those aggressive self
righteous people attacking you on the
radio just shows how necessary the Green
Party is - and a movement that works for
a less macho world than that of the guy
for whom ireland is nothing but a
business… and that seeing a father with
his child is ‘unprofessional’. But
there’s a long way still to go - and a
long time before non-macho behavior will
arouse those primitive reactions. So,
well done for being a dad on the job!
Cheers
Lothar#####
——
Michael ####
to"paul.gogarty@oireachtas.ie”
