Interesting disucssions by everyone. This programme served one purpose and one purpose only, to try and discredit Declan Ganley in the run of to Lisbon II.

You need only ask yourself one question in relation to this matter!

Why did RTE spend the highest amount of money ever (over half a million) for one episode of a tv series in the history of the station? Would this money not have been better spent on something else, like explaining the ins and outs of the Lisbon Treaty

Think about it.

But I did catch McGuirk being made to look like a dolt, which I loved because – well – he’s a dolt.

Just what do you mean by “trusted sources” ?

Primetime has a long record of shoddy investigative journalism, James. On Thursday night we saw another example of it.

Not that I am a Ganley fan – I tend to share Gavin’s point of view on him.

Maybe. It was a depressing report though. The entire section on the Albanian lawyer smacked of guilt by association, and only the last five minutes or soreally mattered as story. Where the money came from is important. Follow The Money is always the first rule. But Prime Time failed completely to get an answer to that question. It also says something about our regulatory authorities that SIPO’s only sanction is to threaten to send it’s final report to Dáil Éireann. I’m sure Ganley is shaking in his boots.

The funding of Irish politics is effectively unregulated, not just in the case of Libertas, but all parties. I suppose we should be thankful at least that Ganley didn’t tell us he won it on the horses in Manchester.

And it’s all perfectly legal and above board, they are merely working within the rules as they exist. If those rules are a farce and someone like Ganley makes use of the farce then shouldn’t we look to change the rules instead of crying foul when no evidence to date of a foul according to the current rules has emerged. It might yet but it hasn’t to date.

Proper order, Primetime. Well done Katie Hannon.

If there were straightforward answers to these questions, then why did he not give them?

I saw no mudslinging, John. I saw answers coming from Ganley that were at odds with other trusted sources. I saw issues that he had the opportunity to clear up and he refused to do so. This is very worrying.

Primetime has a long record of great investigative journalism, John. Last night we saw another example of it.

May sound synical but it would appear to me that this is a case of “The people have spoken, blame Declan Ganley”.

Maybe if Mr. Ganley or his money are made to appear as dubioous as possible, the people may accept another opportunity to vote.

The reality is that people did not understand the treaty, were not intended to understand the treaty and were expected to vote yes because they were told it was good and we owed it to Europe. Didn’t happen.

Mr. Ganley makes himself an easy target. He is however entitled to keep his private affairs private. Sure, we would all love to know more about his background and money and that is why we tuned in. We learned next to nothing. Mr. Ganley was poor on camera. He did fumble. He did seem taken aback. None of this however offers one shred of evidence of anything ilegal.

I think most people would agree that given the tone, style, willingness to go down investigative cul de sacs and lingering inconclusiveness of the show point to a possibility of someone somewhere wanting to blacken Declan Ganley. Why? Not likely to be over a schoolyart spat. My guess it has to do with Lisbon.