Closet Fianna Fáiler's 'Morning Ireland' free-run to attack Sinn Féin

THE SON of Fianna Fáil matriarch and former Minister Mary O'Rourke, himself a former Fianna Fáil adviser and FF National Executive member, was given a free run on national radio on Tuesday morning as an economics expert to attack Sinn Féin without his own Fianna Fáil pedigree being mentioned by him or RTÉ.

What compounded the offence was him being invited to present hearsay as evidence without being challenged as to its veracity.

RTÉ Morning Ireland Business News introduced Feargal O'Rourke as "Managing Partner of PwC (Price-waterhouse Coopers)" financial services firm. 

Ostensibly, O'Rourke was on air to speak about his company's 2015 CFO Pulse Survey which looks at concerns for business CEOs in Ireland.

O'Rourke discussed issues raised in the survey ranging from labour costs, import and export markets and currency issues. 

He was then asked whether he was "also hearing alarm bells" from CEOs who answered the survey.

"One of the surprising things that's coming up – and I get this talking to Chief Executives a lot in recent months – is political change."

Going unchallenged as to what actual evidence he had to back up his claim, O'Rourke continued:

"I think they're seeing the possibility of a Government combination that just hasn't featured before in Ireland – be it including Sinn Féin or be it including some of the newer Independent groupings – and they just don't know what that will bring for business. And what business values most of all is certainty." [Our emphasises.]

The interview then concluded.

RTÉ did not tell listeners of O'Rourke's strong Fianna Fáil links. He is the son of former Fianna Fáil Minister Mary O'Rourke and self-acknowledged adviser to his cousin, the late former Finance Minister Brian Lenihan. 

Nor was the fact that the PwC boss was once Chairperson of Fianna Fáil's UCD cumann and later went on to serve on the party's National Executive. 

Morning Ireland's critical faculties were noticeably absent in this soft interview with a commentator with a partisan background that they would surely have bothered highlighting if he'd been connected in any way with Sinn Féin.