She should get a woman of the year award. She will probably single handedly do more for abuse victims than 100 tribunals. The politicians and judiciary might wake up to what has become a kind of “everyday” crime and they might see a real person inside the victim.

I had to physically cover my eyes and ears. So disturbing. I hope the truth sets her free..

@paul Anthony- funny you should say that because this thread is about to be inundated with people accusing him if political opportunism….

Of course he didn’t have to…it was a calculated PR move..like everything else he does!Why do you think he pays out millions to media and PR advisors every year?This shouldn’t be about him..it should be about that lady and how SHE and SHE alone won her case and got justice not Enda Kenny latching on with opportunism…

@Vincent Dolan – I don’t know why you got so many red thumbs cos in fact you were right!! I smiled as I scrolled down at the remarks made about HIM!!!! I can’t even say HIS name.

It was pre recorded as far as i know.. There was no audience there.

@laura- it’s ok. Just call him Taoiseach

Was it not Fiona who requested the meeting with Kenny? So how is it a PR stunt? What would you say if he refused her request?

Jesus how naive are some people!He accepted to see her because he and his team knew how disgusted the public were at what happened.This is what they call “Collateral PR” (look it up!!!)He was then advised that it would be in his interests to show empathy and what they call in the business showing a “father figure” role,someone you can talk to!His ratings and the governments are at an all time low,PR advisor’s take every opportunity to gain brownie points.To anyone who has worked or works in government or multi-corporate PR this is nothing new (that’s how they earn their wages for gods sake, they make people look good!)Guys… you may think he is well intentioned but a dossier is put on his desk every morning advising him how to react to certain events before and while they are happening!!He doesn’t keep up to date on every event that is happening simultaneously(which is impossible!), this is done for him, prioritised and acted upon!!To those that think I’m the cynical one here they really need to get a job in PR and spend a few years around politicians and then you’ll see who the real cynics are!It would be nice to think that even politicians have a heart but its all a game to them…….

Avarus…..thats very impressive! So the PR people got Fiona to request the meeting with Enda so that he could say yes? Sorry Avarus but I think youre over rating the power of your prefession.

I’m not saying that at all Sean,you dont get it,even if she hadn’t asked he would have asked her in and it still would have been made to look like he cared and was doing something pro-active!That’s creating a good public relations image!He has done it before on other very emotive and public issues!He refuses hundreds of requests daily from all across society…why did he choose to make a deal out of her case?Because sexual abuse issues are very sensitive (esp.in Ireland) and it needs to be shown he can deal with anything.Also politicians are always advised to show overt protection of women.Sexual equality may be flourishing in our society but studies still show a strong male figure as provider and protector are what men and women alike want to see in a leader (and a man!).You think I’m making this up….I couldn’t make it up if I tried..PR is a well established industry!!!And as we all know for an industry to survive it must make money and in order to make this money..it must do its job very well!Some of the best PR people in the world work here and are obviously doing a good job because even you believe he really cares about this matter…you see him in a good light..job done!I never said it was my profession just to clarify..so I’ll say Adieu :)

it.s win win for both of them .
enda looks like he cares about the people and that poor woman plugs her book.

Equal opportunities cynicism. I can respect that.

@Alan, ridiculous comment! Did she even mention the book today?

no but the media did.

You felt!!
Usual stuff on here again.. Take something possitive and she was possitive post meeting and twist and manipulate it so that in some way you can insult or abuse…

Doubt he will lose sleep over you… Then again some randomer called me a ‘gutless human’ , I think id not sleep over it either..

Maybe you need more sleep Declan, half of that makes no sense and I couldn’t care less for his sleeping patterns but I’m sure you do Declan as we all know your a Fine Gaeler and love the ground on which he walks….I even noted you defending Shatter in one article..please get more sleep!

I am me… I don’t like labels etc. member of no party… but do i think Goverment are doing well in a very difficult situation … hell yes i do…
I do however hate when people take every piece on site and try and use it in a way to insult or abuse the Goverment!!! This is a story about Fiona Doyle and immediately you try to make it into a mud slinging excercise at Enda Kenny!! Its pathethic…

Fair point Paul..

With due respect, Paul, I don’t follow you – are you saying there’s something equally subjective about the headline for this piece?

Well, it’s not just a question of thejournal.ie’s biased headline write-ups, it’s also a question of the biased stories it selects.

Just a few days previously, thejournal.ie gave us this story:

http://www.thejournal.ie/taoiseach-has-not-yet-arranged-meeting-with-fiona-doyle-daughter-reveals-767007-Jan2013/

I think it would have balanced out this previous article quite nicely if thejournal.ie had titled the above article ““Fiona Doyle complements the Taoiseach for being a good listener”.

In my opinion, the comment pages of thejournal.ie articles are dominated by the outpourings of what I term “the Fianna Fail/Sinn Fein Scrum”. Yes, there are independents who also comment. However, historically, independents and their elected representatives have had marginal influence on the course of events in the Republic of Ireland, such as bringing forward significant pieces of legislation, and they will continue to have marginal influence.

I suggest that, over time, the staff of thejournal.ie resist the temptation of pandering to the Fianna Fail/Sinn Fein scrum in the comment pages and write balanced articles or, if there is a developing story, try to take a balanced view of it over time.

Have a Nice Day.

Paul – Thanks for your response; though I disagree with your stance, I respect it nonetheless.

I can understand why you might perceive the choice of the first story as biased, but the point was that we were illustrating that the Taoiseach had yet to act upon a pledge he had made. We don’t think that’s an anti-government bias, but rather a fair report underlining the difference between the actions and the words of those who govern us.

For what it’s worth – and I can’t say this enough – we never choose stories based on the response we think they might get from commenters. People often claim that we go out of our way to troll readers and get provocative responses but actually, it seriously disrupts our day – if readers take issue with a piece, or its contents, and leave hundreds of comments then all it does is force us to spend hours sifting through responses and moderating the ones that breach our comments policy.

People might think that a bucketload of comments means ‘mission accomplished’ but what it usually means is spending more time moderating – usually after our shifts have ended, and often at very unsociable hours of the night or morning – and less time reporting, which is what we’re here to do in the first place. If I’m working on late shifts, starting at 2pm and finishing at 11pm (for example), I have no desire to get up at 8am the next day to spend an hour deleting the libellous muck that some people leave here, but that’s the nature of the beast.

I’m not complaining about it – it comes with the territory. I’m just explaining that when readers see a high number of comments, they think it’s because we’ve gone out of our way to enrage or provoke them. I think having done this job for nearly three years it’s become pretty obvious that some people will allow themselves to be enraged irrespective of whether they’re provoked or not.

If I’m not mistaken, the Taoiseach was out of the country at the time. He wanted to receive her at Government buildings after he got back. A Fianna Fail Taoiseach probably would have made a quick 5 minute phone call.

Is this related to the book that will be coming out. As I was surprised when it was announced during interview

What does that mean?

@tom Lots of victims of abuse write books about their experience. I feel like writing a book myself but about another area of abuse in Ireland which I won’t go into here.

Meaning ????

Care to ellaborate?

He’ll be devastated not to have met you, Eileen

Sycophant

Eileen
This was a day for Fiona Doyle. So why don’t you just leave it that instead of throwing unnecessary insults in a gratuitous and vulgar way.

Ha! Good one Vincent!

Dont think Enda would be interested in meeting you… Hell i only read your odd comment and id rather pick stones in a field on a wet day than meet you…

Stop making this about Enda Kenny..