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The Assembly - Season 1 (IE) - Episode 01: Micheál Martin
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00:0134 autistic and neurodivergent adults from all over Ireland have gathered in
00:06Dublin's Docklands for a television program like no other.
00:10Welcome to the assembly.
00:11What's it like having your own TV show?
00:13Why did you decide to get varicose veins removed on your leg?
00:17How much did you control your children's life?
00:22This location has been specially chosen to suit our cast.
00:26There are no lights, they're free to come and go as they please, and they share the space with the
00:31crew.
00:35What do you think we should be asking?
00:38What brand of tea do you like?
00:40What is your opinion of immigrants coming to Ireland?
00:45Why do you think Trump targets you so much?
00:47Do you still think Tom Cruise is the perfect man?
00:50Are you enjoying your time as Taoiseach?
00:51If you were to live your life over, what would you do different?
00:56There's no script, no rules, no secrets.
01:00This is an offer you cannot refuse.
01:03The team has been busy researching today's subject.
01:06They are ready for action.
01:08Welcome to the assembly.
01:20I do think that he'll be nervous because I don't think he has been in a room with a lot
01:25of autistic and neurodivergent people.
01:27Especially 30 of us in the room, like, it's going to be nerve-wrecking for him.
01:31Do you like the Taoiseach?
01:33Well, I think he'll be nice talking and I'll ask him more questions and maybe, yeah, ask him some questions,
01:42yeah, one to three, yeah.
01:46Autistic people so often find themselves as being a minority in any group that they're in.
01:50But in this case, it's a weird turn of events because he's in the minority now.
01:55My ten-year-old self would probably say yes to meeting the Taoiseach.
01:59So my ten-year-old self would be pleased to know about this.
02:04Not very favourable.
02:05Like, I'm a progressive, he's a conservative, so there are deep gaps between our opinions.
02:12I actually emailed the Taoiseach a number of months ago and seemingly he was too busy to meet me.
02:19Finally, I get my chance to ask him questions.
02:22Good morning.
02:23Good morning.
02:24Good morning.
02:25Good morning to you.
02:26How are you?
02:27Good to see you indeed.
02:28Good.
02:28Hi, my name is Aidan Saini.
02:29Nice to meet you.
02:30My name is Michal Martin.
02:32Yeah, good to see you.
02:33Paddy, how are you feeling about interviewing the Taoiseach today?
02:36Fine.
02:38Have you ever interviewed the Taoiseach before?
02:40No.
02:40Are you excited?
02:42Mm.
02:44Aunt Taoiseach, it is an honour to have you here today.
02:47Thank you so much for coming to the Assembly.
02:48And to welcome you today, I would like to bring up Rebecca.
02:56Hello and welcome to the Assembly.
02:58We're a team of autistic and neurodivergent interviewers and we're so glad you could join us here today.
03:03As for the rules, there are none.
03:06Nothing is off limits and anything can happen.
03:09Please introduce yourself.
03:12So, my name is Michal Martin.
03:14I'm currently Taoiseach.
03:15I started life as a teacher and then I went into public life and into politics and I was born
03:21in Turnless Cross in Cork and I now live in Banalloch in Cork.
03:26And to kick off with our questions today, Courtney.
03:30Hello, Taoiseach.
03:31Hello, Courtney.
03:32My first question is, why did you want to come on to the Assembly today?
03:36To meet you, to meet all of you, and to hear you and listen to you,
03:40and do my best to answer the questions that you have for me.
03:45My next question is, did you know that 85% of autistic people in Ireland are unemployed?
03:50I would have had an idea of that. That's why I think we have to do far more on the
03:53employment side.
03:56Particularly, there's a number of things we can do. I think we do have a wage subsidy for employers.
04:00We have to help them to employ more.
04:03We also have to work the, you know, social protection system,
04:09so that if you got a job you don't lose some of the benefits that you had
04:12if you were on loans or disability loans, that you can keep that a bit longer.
04:16A lot of people are afraid if they go into a job they might lose their supports and benefits.
04:38I don't speak Irish, I just know them few little bits.
04:42The first time you asked your wife out, she said no, but eventually you two ended up dating and having
04:48children.
04:49How did that come about, like, after she said no, like?
04:55How did you know she said no?
04:58Did I say that right?
05:02Well, yeah, I remember I asked Mary to a film, and Mary didn't want to go to the film.
05:05And I kind of took that as a bit of a setback at the time.
05:09I remember Warren Beat and Diane Keaton were the stars and it was red.
05:12Weeks later, though, we went to a 21st birthday party in a place called Sondeswell Rugby Club.
05:21And things happened there that night, and the rest is history.
05:25No problem.
05:26Thank you so much, Mr. Taoiseach.
05:28Things happened there, we're just leaving it at that.
05:30Yeah, I don't want to know anymore.
05:39First question, what's it like in Cork? Because I heard it's pretty good. What's your thoughts on that?
05:44Jack Cork is wonderful.
05:46I bet it is.
05:47But actually, it's a nice city, the people are warm, and there's a lovely place called the English Market,
05:53which is full of food stalls, which I have a great love for.
05:57That's good to know. And are the prices cheap? Like, you know, like, reasonable?
06:01They're reasonable. Some of them can be expensive. I'm not going to tell you an answer.
06:05Fair enough.
06:06I mean, like, you know, you know.
06:07As you know, the cost of food has gone up.
06:09Yeah, I mean, like, Ireland itself is expensive in general.
06:12You know, that makes sense.
06:13Yeah, yeah.
06:13Anyways, okay. Next question.
06:15I heard you, like, mimicking, you know, like, voice acting. Like, can you do voice acting?
06:19Or would you consider yourself, like, a good voice actor?
06:24Let him speak. Let him speak.
06:26Yes, I was.
06:28Yes.
06:28But all my advisers were saying, do not take off anybody anymore, please.
06:33Take off.
06:34It's not good. Not good for your politics.
06:38And...
06:38Did he do Trump?
06:41Do you want to get me into trouble?
06:43Do you want to bring him up again?
06:45My favorite was Muhammad Ali.
06:48Do you remember?
06:48Who's that?
06:49He's a boxer.
06:50Oh, boxer.
06:51He was a great boxer in the 1960s and 1970s.
06:54No, my dad was actually a boxer.
06:55Was he?
06:56Unprofessional.
06:56Yeah.
06:57But still a boxer.
06:57So was mine.
06:58Oh, really?
06:59We have something in common.
07:00Well, is your father Italian?
07:02No, then.
07:03No, my father was Irish.
07:04Oh.
07:05Still something in common, though.
07:07He boxed an Italian.
07:08Oh.
07:09Was it my dad?
07:10No, I don't think so.
07:13I'll ask him that.
07:14I'll ask him that when I get back.
07:15He was a European champion.
07:17Oh, right.
07:17And he boxed him in Milan and in Rome.
07:19And his name was Giovanni Di Cepi.
07:21That is not my dad.
07:22That's not your dad, yeah.
07:23My dad's name is Antonio.
07:25And they became friends afterwards.
07:26I know you punched me in the face.
07:29Do you want to grab a drink later?
07:30Yeah, exactly.
07:31Yeah, yeah.
07:38Hello, my name is Adam.
07:41I lost my brother to suicide.
07:42Do you think your government has done enough for mental health?
07:46Not enough.
07:48I'm sorry to hear that, first, that you lost your brother to suicide.
07:52And no words can console you or your family in relation to that.
07:57Mental health is something that we all have to be involved in.
08:01Sometimes people mask their difficulties very much.
08:04You don't see this happening or this coming.
08:08And so we have to work very hard in terms of our personal relationships.
08:12But then at governmental level, we do have to have stronger services at an earlier age,
08:18which go from psychology, from primary care with your GP and so on, to psychology to psychiatry.
08:25And we need a full gamut of care.
08:28And we need to do, we're working on it all of the time, but certainly we need to do more.
08:39I work in a cinema and I love movies.
08:42What is your favourite movie?
08:44Lots of them.
08:45The Godfather.
08:46Oh!
08:48That's true and it's very acclaimed.
08:50I'm glad that you've really made it as your favourite movie.
08:55You're quite the mimic.
08:57All you need to know is the cat, you know.
08:59Meow.
09:00Meow.
09:01Meow.
09:01Meow.
09:04Meow.
09:05I love my job.
09:06What are you doing to help more people to get jobs they love?
09:10I think lots of people are getting jobs, but your point is, are they getting jobs that they love?
09:16Yeah.
09:16That's a good point.
09:18Look, I think what I say to people when I speak to students in school, I just say to them,
09:22do what you love.
09:23You know, I studied history and people say you'll never get a job as a history teacher.
09:26There just won't be enough of them around.
09:28I got a job as a history teacher.
09:30If you love art, if you love music, if you love film, just do it.
09:33And you will get a job out of that and you will love it.
09:35I think what we have to do is make sure we create enough variety of activities so we support the
09:41arts and creativity,
09:42we support technology, we support pharmaceuticals, we support food companies, you know.
09:48And try and create as many opportunities as we can.
09:54Good afternoon, Taoiseach.
09:57Why are there so few bus shelters in Wicklow?
10:00I rely on the bus and standing in the rain is not good for my health.
10:05That's not good enough.
10:06One good news is coming is that the minister is going to exempt bus shelters from planning permission.
10:12Apparently every bus shelter has to get planning permission.
10:14That's probably one of the reasons why they have been slow.
10:17But I will talk to Bus Airden for you.
10:20Brilliant.
10:20And I'll say to them, get more bus shelters in Wicklow.
10:25What is your favourite karaoke song?
10:27Sweet Caroline.
10:30Sweet Caroline, get that bill.
10:34I think it's everybody's favourite karaoke song.
10:36Mine is ABBA.
10:38Money, money, money, must be funny.
10:41It's a rich man's world.
10:44Hey, don't look at me now.
10:47All the things I could do if I had a little money.
10:51It's a rich man's world.
10:54Go on, Marion.
10:55Go on, Marion.
10:56Go on, Marion.
10:57Who did you believe was the worst performing leader of the Free Default party?
11:01That's a lousy question.
11:12Virgin Mobile.
11:13Proud sponsor of this show.
11:17Virgin Mobile.
11:19Proud sponsor of this show.
11:26How is everyone feeling?
11:28How are you doing?
11:29Andrew, you ready to go?
11:30This is Andrew, our impressionist.
11:33Thank you, Hughie.
11:34Now I'm 14.
11:36Tate on to shock.
11:37This isn't over.
11:38You cannot refuse.
11:43So here's the first one.
11:45This is going to be a bit of a willing in the years.
11:48Who did you believe was the worst performing leader of the Free Default party?
11:53Ooh.
11:54Come on.
11:56That's a lousy question.
12:02I'm only messing, I'm only messing.
12:04Come on.
12:05They were all good like that.
12:08I've got a ton of, because I don't look at things so negatively.
12:10So I think lots of people have strengths, lots of people have weaknesses.
12:14Okay?
12:14Yeah.
12:15The person that kind of, I liked a lot growing up was Jack Lynch, because not just because
12:20he was in Cork, but I think he's temperament.
12:22There was a calmness about him, firmness about him.
12:25That's true.
12:25And a modesty about him that I like.
12:27Yeah.
12:27So here comes the second one, and unfortunately this is going to be a bit of a doozer for you.
12:33What would you say would be, out of all the snacks, what would be the national
12:37biscuit about him?
12:38Unfortunately, of course, you have a bit of dislike of that, so we know.
12:45How do you live without biscuits?
12:49Look, I do eat cake, okay?
12:51Oh, well, there you go.
12:52No, don't give me, let them eat cake.
12:53But I do eat a bit of cake.
12:57Homemade cake, apple strudel or kind of, you know, stuff like that.
13:01But yeah, I gave up biscuits, because a former PE teacher met me one day on the street, and
13:07I was kind of walking, and then he says to me, give up biscuits, he said, full of lard.
13:11And I said, okay, and I gave up biscuits, that was it.
13:13Nice.
13:14And gave up sugar in the tea, no sugar in the tea.
13:20Now, I know all the companies and biscuit makers will be giving out to me, but anyway.
13:24But you can do it, like, it's possible.
13:26It is possible.
13:28Oh, there you do, and here's the one, and this is a bit of a, on your personal life.
13:32You married Mary O'Shea since 1990.
13:35Yeah.
13:35Very good record.
13:36Quite good, I have to say.
13:38And you had five, five children all together, but, and of course, when I read up about you,
13:43I realised that you lost a son named Rory in 2000, and your daughter Liana in 2010.
13:52What, the question of that is, what really motivates you despite this, despite this loss
13:59of life, this, them times of grief, what really, what really motivates you to just go on?
14:07It's, um, Rory died from a cot death.
14:11He's five weeks old.
14:13Oh.
14:14And, um, up to that stage of our lives, we had never experienced that kind of trauma.
14:20But that hit me for six at the time.
14:23And Mary.
14:24Yeah.
14:24Uh, the two children, Michale and Eva, were four and two respectively.
14:31And you know what, you have to get up the following morning to get them breakfast and to play.
14:37Um, and you, something in the human instincts, you, you, you, you, you, you continue on.
14:44Yeah.
14:45You keep going.
14:46Um, and when, when, when Lena died, um, and we, we, we, we didn't expect that at the time.
14:53But, um, you know, that was absolutely devastating.
14:59And that was hard.
15:00And I, there was a lot of soul searching at the time.
15:02You could retreat and, and not do things.
15:06And I was young enough at the time.
15:08But if I had retired at that time or didn't go on, what, you know, I think that would probably
15:13be more, it had a worse effect on my life.
15:17And you don't make these decisions as kind of totally rationally.
15:21You, you, you just keep going in some respects.
15:24Yeah.
15:24Work and routine in nature are very, very important to kind of overcome or deal with trauma.
15:31Uh, it doesn't, it never bring your loved ones back, but enables you to try and live life,
15:37um, to the best of your ability and to the fullest extent that you possibly can.
15:50Hi.
15:51Hi.
15:53Richard Boyd Barrett brought you my family situation in the Dáil a while ago about us
15:58being extremely overcrowded.
16:00We're a family of five in a two bedroom house, one being severely autistic and has a lot
16:05of needs.
16:06I'm sure a lot of people are in the same situation.
16:08So I want to ask you, what do you plan to do to help families across Ireland like mine
16:12and all of ours?
16:13Yeah.
16:14Richard has brought a lot of cases to be fair to him.
16:17He has a great heart and, uh, sometimes we might disagree on policy matters, but I
16:21have great respect for him.
16:22In my view, a situation like you've just explained, the councils, like we're building far more social
16:28houses now than we would have been four years ago.
16:30We built eight and a half thousand last year, but delivered about 12,000 through leasing
16:34and so on.
16:35So in my view, families who are overcrowded, they should be facilitated with a house more
16:40quickly.
16:40The minister has got an extra 50 million to focus in on families who are in emergency
16:45accommodation, to give them priority and to get them out of emergency accommodation.
16:50Jamie, thank you so much for that question.
16:52Really, really, really appreciate it.
16:53You're going to pass over to Kristen.
16:55Hi, Kristen.
16:57What games do you play when you were a child?
17:01Do you play outside of your home or play on the computer?
17:05I didn't have computers when I was a child.
17:08We played out in the street.
17:09We played soccer.
17:11I played Gaelic football and hurling with my club, Neymarangers, and my school,
17:16quiz three.
17:18Played rugby on concrete.
17:20Not a good idea.
17:20I lost my fun toot over that and got a crown in it instead.
17:25But there you are.
17:26But we played a lot out in the street.
17:31Hi, Mial. How are you?
17:32How are you?
17:33You probably know about my accent.
17:34I'm from Cork.
17:35It's a great Cork accent.
17:36I appreciate that.
17:37Northside.
17:38Do you believe the moon landing in 1969 was a hoax?
17:42No.
17:42No.
17:43I can't believe that.
17:46My young lads came up with that.
17:47I said, come on, come on.
17:48I remember as a child watching it like it was magic.
17:51Don't tell me it didn't happen, you know what I mean?
17:53I believe that was true though.
17:55It was true, yeah.
17:56I believe it.
17:57Conor, you're up next.
17:59Hi, my name is Conor.
18:00I'm from Bettys Town, County Mead.
18:03What instrument do you play?
18:05I don't play an instrument.
18:06I apologize, yeah.
18:07Okay.
18:08You know what happened to me?
18:09When I was young in school, the teacher did a kind of,
18:11you know these fork things and they just go bang,
18:14say do-re-me, and he said, get to the back of the class,
18:16he said you can't sing or play music.
18:18Yeah, that was it.
18:19That's how things were done then.
18:20Very harsh, but to the back of the class I went from a music perspective.
18:24I love music, but don't play an instrument.
18:26Okay.
18:30Saif, please come up and ask your question.
18:33Hello.
18:34It's very nice to meet you.
18:36Hello, Saif.
18:36My first question.
18:37I was homeschooled for 15 years and it really helped me find out who I am
18:42and who I want to be.
18:43I've heard that you don't think very highly of people being homeschooled.
18:47First of all, I think it's your entitlement to be homeschooled.
18:49I accept that and I made remarks so many years ago in America
18:52and I know that they hurt people and that wasn't my intention.
18:55That said, as a teacher, I'm still very passionately of the belief
19:00of children coming to school to create a socialization context.
19:06But that's my own view and it's a personal view that education
19:11and learning in a social context is something I would prefer.
19:15And then I have a gift for you.
19:26That's brilliant!
19:28Thank you very much, Saif.
19:30You gave me a bit more hair than I deserve.
19:33That'd be generous.
19:38Hello.
19:38My name is Sean.
19:39Hello, Sean.
19:40How do you travel now and what do you prefer?
19:42The dart or the bus?
19:44The bus.
19:44The bus?
19:45Even though I have a car, I'll be honest with you.
19:47Yeah.
19:48I have security lads.
19:50You have security men.
19:50Who monitor me.
19:51But my father was a bus driver.
19:52Oh, was he?
19:53So...
19:53What bus did he drive?
19:54Number three bus.
19:55The number three.
19:56In Belfihan, Tornos Cross and Cork.
19:58The E1, the one bus has gone 24 hours now.
20:0024 hours now, yeah.
20:01And the E2 to Harristown as well.
20:03Yes, yes.
20:04Yeah.
20:06Hi.
20:07It's nice to meet you.
20:09Good to see you.
20:10So, elephants are known for being very intelligent creatures with strong social bonds.
20:17They are also known for possessing excellent memories.
20:20I understand that you have said that if you were an animal you would probably be an elephant.
20:25Which of an elephant's characteristics do you think resonates most strongly with your personality?
20:30Did I say I'd like to be an elephant?
20:32Well, that was one of the facts.
20:33I agree.
20:33It says when you were a kid that if you could be an animal that you would be an elephant.
20:39So, I was just curious.
20:41I think, yeah.
20:42The social bond and the memory.
20:43Ah.
20:44Okay.
20:45What's my name?
20:46Oh.
20:50Sorry.
20:50Sorry.
20:50I shouldn't have done that.
20:54Oh dear.
20:55The last one.
20:56I understand that you are a big fan of Forty Towers.
20:59Your research is incredible.
21:01Yeah.
21:03I did a bit of digging, but I absolutely love it too.
21:08So, if I find out the money on that horse was yours, you know what I'll do, Basil.
21:17You think I'm joking, don't you?
21:19No, I don't.
21:19Oh, sorry.
21:22You think I'm joking, don't you?
21:24That's what Basil would do, wouldn't he?
21:27Basil!
21:29So, it's fairly obvious that I love Sybil, because I just did an impression of Sybil.
21:34So, I was just wondering, who is your favourite character and why?
21:38Oh, Basil.
21:39Has to be.
21:39Yeah.
21:39Yeah.
21:40Because he just so annoyingly gets everything wrong.
21:45Oh, it's ridiculous.
21:47Consistently.
21:48Oh.
21:48All of the time.
21:50It is funny though.
21:52And I love the one.
21:53I know apparently it's not politically correct anymore.
21:55Funny for its time.
21:56Funny, obviously.
21:57And by the way, sorry, I just think that's very important.
22:00Yeah.
22:00We all get judgmental.
22:01We change our minds about things 20 years on or whatever.
22:06But if you try and change programs now that are of their time, you're being false.
22:12Yeah.
22:13Like, you have to try and understand a program like that in the context of its time.
22:18Yeah.
22:18You know?
22:19Sorry for going on a bit, but I just think that's why I hate people sort of saying, you
22:22know, look, it is what it is.
22:24Oh, no, it is.
22:25It is.
22:26No, it's brilliant.
22:27It still makes me laugh.
22:28No matter how many times I watch it.
22:28You're very good at impersonating.
22:29Oh, I know.
22:33How are you going to help people like me not only get the job opportunities we want
22:37to have, but have the lives we want?
22:44Virgin Mobile, proud sponsor of this show.
22:49Virgin Mobile, proud sponsor of this show.
23:01This is Liam.
23:03Hi.
23:04I got a speech before my questions.
23:09I have been diagnosed with autism at the age of four.
23:12It has been a defining aspect of my life, for better or worse.
23:15I wouldn't lie when I said that there are genuine benefits to my autism and it has made
23:21me the person I am today.
23:22It has made me knowledgeable about topics that I'm passionate about, like films and technology,
23:27and it has made me hypersensitive.
23:29There are aspects that I'm proud of.
23:31On the other hand, there has been a lifelong subtle discrimination towards people like
23:35us.
23:36Some of us have not only struggled with social cues and sensory issues, but we have struggled
23:41to adapt the systems that do not work for us.
23:43Some of us struggle to find a job, some of us have struggled to find independent housing,
23:48and I know for a fact that I am not alone in this.
23:52How are you going to help people like me not only get the job opportunities we want to
23:56have, but have the lives we want?
23:58Wow.
23:59Well, first of all, thank you for that presentation.
24:05What we have to do is create those opportunities for you.
24:08As I said earlier, I think a lot of the focus has been in education and in health services,
24:12but actually what I'm hearing today a lot is how we encourage society to change with how
24:17we provide resources for independent living, for example, which we can do.
24:20Yeah.
24:20And we need to work better at that and give you a more secure future prospect.
24:25Also, your point about you have lots of talents and strengths.
24:28I mean, I do know from my engagement with people with autism, your knowledge breadth is much
24:33wider.
24:34As you said, I'd say your knowledge of freedom and so on is probably far superior than most.
24:38And the issue is how does society generally then harvest that or use that for you in a
24:45positive way in terms of employment and in terms of getting a good work experience?
24:54How are you feeling whenever there is an election?
24:58Sometimes you're pumped up a bit.
24:59You know what I mean?
25:00You're kind of, you're anxious.
25:02Excited?
25:03Anxious?
25:03I don't know.
25:04Anxious.
25:05You're thinking, can I get everything done right?
25:06It's like a football match.
25:08The game is on like, you know, and you'll just go for it.
25:11You're a bit of a bandit.
25:12There's a lot of excitement in those kind of things.
25:17And are you enjoying your time as Taoiseach?
25:20Yes.
25:21Yeah, yeah.
25:22Notwithstanding all the problems.
25:24Yeah, cause like, cause like for many people it's a once in a lifetime experience.
25:30You just, you just gotta enjoy it.
25:32I think that's a very, that's how I look at it.
25:35I will not be Taoiseach forever, but I have a job to do and just give it your best.
25:40Devote yourself to it.
25:41Yeah.
25:42And enjoy the experience, but also make sure you leave an impact and do, do, do the right
25:46things.
25:46It's not just about being in office for the sake of it.
25:49Yeah.
25:50Thanks.
25:50Dean?
25:53Hello, Michal.
25:54Hello, Dean.
25:56I have two questions.
25:58Yeah.
25:59The first one is, what brand of tea do you like?
26:04I love green tea.
26:06Oh, very nice.
26:07And when you say brand, then I like Barry's tea as well.
26:10Nice.
26:11So, but my favorite tea is Jasmine green tea.
26:15Oh, very posh.
26:16Also, I have a little bit of a joke about tea.
26:19Okay.
26:20Uh oh.
26:21What do you call it when you get electrified by chamomile?
26:25I don't know.
26:27Teaseach.
26:32It's Niamh's turn.
26:34It's Niamh's turn.
26:35It's Niamh's turn.
26:36It's Niamh's turn.
26:54I'm a Republican, you know.
26:58So, moving on then.
27:00My second question to you is, have you any plans for what you'd like to do when you retire
27:05from government office?
27:07Yeah.
27:07I mean, not necessarily plans, but I've lots of interests, so I'm not worried about that
27:12aspect of things afterwards.
27:14And part of me is even thinking of going back to college.
27:17Oh, really?
27:17What course would you be studying?
27:19I'd finish my English degree.
27:20Ah.
27:21So, before I finish up, I was an autistic adult.
27:26I have two brothers who are also autistic and they're also adults.
27:32We actually love our parents very much.
27:36We currently live with my mom.
27:39And my main concern is about what the future will be for me if my parents were no longer
27:47to be around, because I would be very worried that would we be able to stay living in the
27:52same house that we are in, or would we have to find somewhere else to live?
27:57I'm only eligible for social housing.
28:00I don't know if my social welfare payment would actually be enough to find my own place,
28:06because I would like to be able to find my own place to live and have a family of my
28:11own
28:11one day, but I don't know if that's something that we would be able to achieve given the
28:15current housing crisis.
28:18First of all, I don't know personally, hopefully you would be able to stay in your existing
28:21home, and that can be possible by different means.
28:24I do think we have to create alternative housing, independent type situations, maybe with
28:32some supports that would enable you to have longer term security.
28:34Now we have mechanisms to do that too, okay, and okay, you might call it social housing,
28:40but it could be through approved housing bodies, and it is important to be on the social housing
28:45list, by the way, because that allows you then to have options.
28:48If you're not on it, you narrow the options you have, you know.
28:52Thanks very much, Taoiseach.
28:55And up next, we have got Max, and Max is with his communication regulation partner, Anna.
29:06H-I-M-I-C-H-A-E-L.
29:19Hello, Michal.
29:21Hello, Max.
29:26A-L-L-M-Y-L-I-F-E-U-N-T-I-L.
29:51All my life until I-W-A-S-N-I-N-E-T-E-E-N.
30:09I was 19.
30:10I had no way to communicate.
30:15People thought I-W-A-S.
30:24People thought I was intellectually disabled.
30:29H-O-W-A-R-E.
30:37How are we, G and O.
30:41How are we going to ensure that doesn't happen to others?
30:45Thank you very much, Max.
30:48We have to make people far more open, less judgmental.
30:55And also we have to, professionals, teachers, doctors, pediatricians, they have to learn not to jump to conclusions too early.
31:05They have to listen more to you, to parents, to young people, and throughout lives what tends to happen is
31:16many professionals do jump to conclusions and make diagnosis that are not accurate or are not correct.
31:26I say to professionals, listen to the mother, listen to the father more than anybody else because they're living with
31:34people for 24 hours a day.
31:37They know more than you can decide from a consultation that might last just an hour.
31:42People who thought that you were intellectually disabled made a mistake.
31:46They were wrong.
31:48And that should not happen to other people.
31:50We should be far more open before jumping to conclusions or before making conclusions.
31:55That's what I think.
32:00A-S-S-E-S-S-M-E-N.
32:13T-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:16-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:16-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:20-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:21-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:22-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S
32:43Always been in here
32:46Always been waiting for my time to shine
32:50Illuminated by the light of S2C
32:56Finally revealing the truth of me
33:00Don't worry, my song, it would be smart
33:03For it is written from my heart
33:07You can illuminate me too
33:11When you listen to my tune
33:17All my emotions are muddled all over the place
33:22And I can't wait to get them out of this space
33:25Always been in here, always alive
33:29Always been ready to accomplish and strive
33:33Always been in here, always been in here
33:40I'm so new to this all
33:43I can't believe that I am free
33:47All of my dreams are making sense to me
33:55Always learning something new
33:58And maybe so are you
34:02All we have to do is work together
34:06And change this world for the better
34:09All we have to do is be loving to us and you
34:13Always making the world a kind place to be
34:17Always been in here, always alive
34:21Always been ready to accomplish and strive
34:25Always been in here
34:27Always been in here
34:31Always been in here
34:34Well done
34:36Well done lads, thank you so much
34:46What's the feeling of falling out between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy
34:48Over the World Cup in 2002
34:56Virgin Mobile
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35:01Virgin Mobile, proud sponsor of this show
35:07Are you all feeling more relaxed around the Taoiseach now?
35:12Yeah
35:13So, it is Kevin
35:15The man Kevin, there you go
35:19Hello
35:19Hello
35:20What was your experience like working in the chemist as a teenager?
35:23Because I work in the chemist myself
35:24So I was just wondering
35:25Yeah, I worked every afternoon
35:26And I was the messenger boy
35:29And I would bring medicines to other chemists
35:32And then I would have to put the rubbish out every evening
35:36And sometimes they allowed me to come to tablets
35:38To put into boxes
35:39And then every Saturday
35:41I had to go and get the bosses lunch
35:45And it was up in a delicatessen in Washington Street
35:48I'll always remember it
35:49He had a lovely kind of chicken salad sandwich
35:52And then I'd have to get him a custard slice
35:54And then I'd get my wages
35:56And I'd go home
35:57And I'd buy a Chester cake on the way home
36:00I loved it
36:01I enjoyed it
36:03And the last one
36:04What's the feeling of falling out between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy
36:07Over the World Cup in 2002?
36:09Do you think Ireland would have won if Roy stayed on the team?
36:12I think we would
36:12I was on Roy's side if I'm honest
36:15Although it was very sad
36:16And I always remember the Tommy Gorman interview
36:19I thought that Tommy Gorman was interviewing Roy
36:22And that Roy would announce in that interview
36:27That he'd come back and join the Irish team
36:29But Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy are two very good people
36:32And I suppose it tells us that
36:34The best of people can fall out at times
36:36Oh yeah
36:37You know
36:38But we must always work to try and make things better
36:43Hello Mírol
36:44Hello Emily
36:45It's a pleasure to meet you
36:46What is one thing that you have never said about yourself publicly?
36:49In politics you say a lot
36:51You know
36:54And you do a lot of interviews
36:55And you're saying to yourself
36:56God is there anything left to say
36:58You know
37:00And people are surprised
37:02Like people say
37:04Oh he wanted to be a politician all his life
37:06And all of that
37:06I didn't
37:07Okay
37:07Like when I was a child
37:09I never thought I'd be a politician
37:10When I was a teenager
37:11I never thought I'd be a politician
37:13Yeah
37:13I actually wanted to be a writer
37:15Okay
37:16Oh yeah
37:16Right
37:17And
37:20You mean
37:20Are you saying it's a fiction
37:21That I thought I'd be a writer
37:25I'm only joking
37:29Yeah you're correct
37:29To be a fiction writer
37:31Yeah
37:31Because when I was a child
37:32I used to write short stories
37:34And things like that
37:35And that's where I thought I'd
37:38That was kind of a notion I had
37:43Hi Mírol
37:44Hi Amy
37:45How are you?
37:46I'm very good
37:46Good
37:47And what was your favourite Christmas present
37:50And the worst Christmas present you ever got?
37:53Oh
37:53I don't think I ever got
37:55The worst Christmas present ever
37:57Thank God
37:57I was always very happy every Christmas morning
37:59Best one I got a soccer gear
38:02When I was about 11 or 12 years of age
38:04And I just loved that
38:05And at the time I used to support Chelsea
38:07Now I support Manchester United
38:08But I got a Chelsea outfit
38:11And my brother got a Leeds United outfit
38:13And he's my twin brother
38:14And so then we asked Santa for
38:16I wanted a Chelsea and he wanted a Leeds United outfit
38:19Oh that's so nice
38:22The last one
38:23Which conversation was the most influential in your life?
38:27What did you learn and who was it with?
38:31I think a series of conversations with my father
38:37Like I've had conversations with world leaders and they've been impressive
38:40But if you're saying who influenced me the most through conversation
38:46It was my late father
38:49Philip is up next
38:51Hello Philip
38:53So what action would you take tomorrow if you could to deal with the problem that Irish society faces?
38:59I think one of the biggest challenges we have in our society is the new debate about othering people
39:04Giving the sense that people because of their ethnicity or colour or creed are not wanted
39:11And that's one of the biggest societal challenges coming our way
39:15So what I'm doing is developing more discussion around it
39:20Yeah definitely
39:21I think it's a very very big issue
39:22I'm very worried about it
39:23I met young people last week who said their younger sisters being chased home with tact
39:28Name-calling people afraid to go into town
39:31And they're Irish citizens born in Ireland
39:34It doesn't have to be born in Ireland by the way
39:36Many people come all over Europe into Ireland to work
39:38It's a growing ugly trend I think in society
39:41This idea that because you're being othered and so on like that
39:44So I think that's one of my big concerns right now
39:48And I think the way to deal with it is to have a discussion and open debate about it
39:51Absolutely I agree with you
39:52Thanks for your time
39:53Una you ready to go?
39:55There you go
39:56Taoiseach this is Una
39:57When did you start sea swimming?
40:00Oh as a young child
40:01Yeah down in West Cork
40:04I've been swimming in the sea all my life
40:06Don't get as much opportunity now
40:08But I find it very relaxing and therapeutic
40:11And when I go under the water I just love it
40:14Una loves sea swimming
40:15Una loves sea swimming
40:17Where do you swim?
40:18Bray
40:18I'm Bray Lovely
40:21Audi
40:27What's your food?
40:28Egg and tomato
40:29Oh
40:30Why?
40:32Because when I was a child
40:34My mother
40:35My father worked Sundays
40:38My mother would take us on the train down to a place called Yall
40:42And my mother would spend Saturday evening and Sunday morning
40:46Doing all of the getting sandwiches ready
40:49And I used to watch her boil the tomato
40:52And take the skin off the tomato
40:54And mash it into the eggs
40:55The hard boiled eggs
40:57And the favourite sandwich we had on the beach was egg and tomato sandwich
41:01And the taste has never left me
41:05And so I love egg and tomatoes
41:07And happy guy
41:08If I'm starving
41:10Just give me an egg and a tomato
41:13Bob's your uncle
41:13Yeah it's great
41:14Thank you for your time
41:15Thank you very much
41:16And it is our final question of the day
41:20So it's very nice to meet you
41:21Good to see you Daniel
41:22Looking back over your career
41:24From teacher to TD
41:26To minister
41:27To Fianna Fáil party leader
41:29To Taoiseach
41:29What really motivates and drives you
41:32In life deep down
41:34And what legacy do you want to be remembered by
41:36I think what motivates me
41:37And always has in a way
41:39Like I have a concern about the world
41:41I have a concern about things around me
41:42Just as all of you have
41:44So I've always
41:47Sometimes been angry with the world
41:49Question marks about the world
41:50And always wanting to solve things
41:53Or get issues resolved
41:54The biggest thing that people talk to me about
41:57Is the smoking ban in the workplace
41:58And the impact has been huge
42:00And countries all over the world follow that
42:02We were the first country in the world to do it
42:03And now it's done in most countries around the world
42:06But overall
42:07I have a constant urge to try and improve things
42:10And make things a bit better
42:12I think it's a very basic thing
42:13You know
42:14You can criticize
42:15You can complain
42:17But there comes a time
42:18When you have to get up
42:18And do something about it
42:19Yeah
42:20Dean
42:20If you could come up
42:23Dean is going to see us out today
42:25Then we've got a little surprise at the end
42:28Now
42:29We're finally at the end
42:33Antisak Michal Martin
42:35Thank you very much
42:37For your time today
42:38How did that go for you?
42:41Hope we didn't
42:42Well
42:43Be too tough on you
42:47I've enjoyed it
42:48I've also learned a bit
42:49And I will reflect a bit
42:51On some of the things that you have said
42:53And so that I can move differently
42:55And change things a bit
42:56And change my approach
42:57It's been a fantastic experience for me
42:59And thank you
43:00Thank you very much
43:08David is back
43:09And he is going to play something
43:11I wonder where it could be from
43:13David, how are you doing?
43:15I'm good
43:23After all, I really love you
43:31After all that we've been through
43:37I know that we fight
43:39And our love gets pushed out to the side
43:44Still it ain't alright
43:48I did expect him to be more kind of like
43:50Formal and very
43:51On the tea show
43:52This is what I'm going to say
43:53And it's going to be that
43:54But he was way more conversational
43:55Than I thought he'd be
44:02He pretty much runs the country
44:04So it's very important for us
44:08To get answers from him
44:11It was nice to know him
44:13On a more personal level
44:14And the fact that he would want to do writing
44:17Just amazes me
44:24I
44:26I
44:27C
44:28A
44:30N
44:32T
44:42M
44:44I
44:44Can't tell you how thrilled I am
44:52R
44:53S
44:53I look forward to a brighter future for non-speakers
44:57Amazing
45:01If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme
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45:11TV
45:11T
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