Ring hits out at RTÉ and Spillane

IN HAPPIER TIMES Pat Spillane (left) and Minister Michael Ring pictured with the then Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys at the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2017.

Spillane given ‘free rein’ to air ‘personal gripes’ – Ring

Anton McNulty

MINISTER for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring has criticised RTÉ for allowing former Kerry GAA great Pat Spillane ‘free rein’ to air ‘personal gripes’ about him and his department on The Late Late Show.
Mr Spillane’s contract as Ambassador for Rural Ireland was not renewed by Minister Ring and The Sunday Game analyst appeared on last Friday’s Late Late Show where he launched a scathing attack on the Department of Rural and Community Development and the minister’s policies on regenerating rural Ireland.
In response to Mr Spillane’s comments, Minister Ring told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) that the eight-time All-Ireland winner was no longer ‘value for money’ and his role as Ambassador for Rural Ireland had ‘come to an end’.
He said RTÉ contacted his department during the week regarding certain schemes but did not invite him to participate in the programme.
“I had fully expected to be asked on and had remained in Dublin to prepare to go on The Late Late Show. I was surprised and disappointed that RTÉ never asked me on and instead gave free rein to one of their own to attack me and my department. It was a personal gripe aired on RTÉ. Nobody else would be allowed a free-run like that if they did not work for RTÉ. I was prepared to go on and debate anything and should have been allowed the opportunity,” Minister Ring said.
He added that he was not surprised by RTÉ’s stance.
“But this is the same RTÉ who were critical of me when the Wild Atlantic Way was announced. All we got then from RTÉ was a snide remark that it was just to keep Michael Ring happy but now they think it is great and can’t do enough programmes from the Wild Atlantic Way. The only time we see RTÉ in rural Ireland is when something bad happens not when there is positive news.”  

Late Late spat
DURING his interview with Ryan Tubridy, Spillane criticised Ring for ‘handing out grants’ saying that ‘grants are great, but grants are short term, sticking-plaster solutions and they are political … throwing meat to the lions’.
“These projects are not about people … Rural development has to be people-centred and people-driven. The minister is getting very bad advice. They have to bring jobs to rural Ireland,” Spillane said.
Minister Ring said he did not watch the show on Friday night but rejected Spillane’s arguments saying that rural areas like Westport, Achill and Belmullet were ‘choc-a-bloc’ over the Easter weekend and industries were investing in rural Ireland.
“He is wrong in what he says about rural Ireland. Unemployment is down from 15 percent to 5 percent and social schemes are finding it difficult to get people on schemes because they are employed. They are the facts. There has never been as many people living in rural Ireland. In Mayo we have Allergan, Baxter, Coca Cola and the recent jobs announcement from Meissner in Castlebar. International companies want to invest in rural Ireland.
“We all know the problems with rural Ireland and that is why I set up the Rural Regeneration Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Scheme, I brought back LIS roads funding, and introduced the most successful scheme of all, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
“There has never been as much money pumped into rural Ireland and the only problem is the local authorities are finding it difficult to deliver all the projects. You can name any town or village in Mayo and I will guarantee you I have put money into it,” he said.
Mr Spillane was also critical of the lack of communication from Minister Ring, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and department officials when he queried if his position as Rural Ambassador was to be renewed.
However, Minister Ring said that up until recently the retired secondary school teacher was positive about rural Ireland and asked why he had suddenly changed his mind.
“He gave interviews where he said there was too much negativity about life outside Dublin and he was sending me text messages saying we were doing a good job.
“Pat Spillane was telling me I was great when he was on the team but the minute he is cut from the team he turns on the manager.”