Pat Kenny: I am NOT competing with Claire
LAST night’s head-to-head between Pat Kenny and Claire Byrne was never going to live up to the hype – but in the end i t was the UTV host who helped kill off any discord.
‘It’s not World War 3,’ he told the Irish Daily Mail, insisting that he and mother-of-two Claire are still good friends.
In fact, any tensions that did arise last night grew out of the friction between Yes and No sides during the debate on same sex marriage chaired by Claire, while Pat settled in for a chat with Mickey Harte.
It would have all gone swimmingly but for the fact that on the night that UTV Ireland launched Pat Kenny In The Round at 9pm, RTÉ decided to move Claire’s show to an earlier slot of 9.35pm, clashing with him.
It may rankle with the national station that Kenny is apparently picking
‘Claire is a buddy of mine’
up listeners to Newstalk thanks to his morning radio show – but last night the veteran broadcaster insisted the decision to reschedule would have been all down to summer programme decisions.
He said: ‘People ask did they do that deliberately, but having done a programme in that slot I know that at this time of year in RTÉ the money runs out. So the 9.30pm lifestyle programmes they would normally have from September to Easter are gone.
‘When I was doing The Frontline they moved me to half-nine when they ran out of cash. It’s the same for Claire.’
The 67-year-old told the Irish Daily Mail he is not worried about competing with his former RTÉ colleague.
‘The two products will be diverse. If I was to come back with something like The Frontline and was up against Claire, who is a buddy of mine, it would’ve been odd. But they’re two different kinds of programmes. People can watch either or both.’
In last night’s in- depth interview with Harte, from Dublin’s Mansion House, Pat spoke to the GAA coach about his deep faith, sporting career, and the tragic death of his daughter Michaela, who was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius with her husband John McAreavey in 2011.
‘I still miss her so, so much and, in human terms, your heart is broken,’ Mr Harte said. ‘But, on a higher level, I just feel there is a connection – a special connection – and I can only just believe that that’s the work of God and the work of Michaela.’
Veteran anchor Pat, who left RTÉ after 30 years in 2013, also addressed reports that the station would not welcome him if he came knocking.
He said: ‘I just thought, “Well what else are they going to say?” Here’s a guy that walks away for all sorts of reasons. I left with all the friendships intact by the way – the Director General gave me a hug. It’s not as if this is World War 3. I don’t know who said it, but I understand the black art of propaganda and it’s fine.’
AS public sector unions go into pay talks with the Government, Enda Kenny insists that increases must be linked to fresh reforms and improved productivity.
This is a welcome message from the Taoiseach, especially given union bosses’ failure to acknowledge that we are still having to borrow more than we earn to keep the country afloat.
But it is imperative that the parameters for productivity are clearly defined. We have seen too many instances in the past where practically every public sector employee was deemed to be operating at 100 per cent capacity or close to it.
This time, it needs to be measurable. Only the very best of staff should be rewarded for their efforts.
Meanwhile, those whose performance is found lacking should be given every opportunity to improve. But they should also be told that they won’t receive any extra remuneration until they do so.