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04th Aug 2016

What do Donald Trump and the Junior Minister of Education have in common? A lot it seems

Rosanna Cooney

We never saw this coming…

More and more we are seeing that politicians who refuse to court the middle ground of political correctness are gathering support and followers.

Donald Trump’s outlandish tactics winning voters, Nigel Farage’s schoolboy taunts leading to a successful in the Brexit campaign and now very unexpectedly, Junior Minister for education, John Halligan’s, controversial interview with Hot Press Magazine.

In the interview with Hot press magazine John Halligan goes through every issue that is likely to fire debate in Irish society;

  • Abortion- should be legalised
  • Prostitution- should be legalised
  • Drugs-should be legalised
  • Euthanasia-should be legalised
  • Religion-  God doesn’t exist
  • Aliens- exist
  • An impending apocalypse- is coming

His apparent honesty is making Irish politics zing but whether John Halligan is saying these things because he thinks he can advance issues he cares about or whether he is speaking out, in the hope that the ensuing debate will enhance his low-profile, is the question worth considering.

Reactions to Halligan’s interview have been varied, some supporting his frank nature, others berating him for taking value and energy away from important issues.

One thing is certain if this is Trump inspired political swaggering making its first Irish appearance, no one ever saw it coming from this left of left field.

The reactions on Twitter continue;

https://twitter.com/HopelessSurfer/status/761210509714714624

https://twitter.com/Revolution_IRL/status/761126120175665152

https://twitter.com/MallowNews/status/761106113836089345

 

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