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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Marita Moloney

RTE viewers fume at one phrase during Sinn Fein debate after controversial Claire Byrne Live special

RTE Claire Byrne Live viewers were all saying the same thing after hearing a phrase uttered by one guest on Monday's programme.

The show examined 'The Rise of Sinn Fein' and featured supporters and critics of the party.

Hundreds of people reacted to the controversial programme online, with one comment garnering numerous comments from some viewers.

One guest was asked if he would "give Sinn Fein a shot", to which he replied, "No, I wouldn't."

"I'm a full-time beef farmer, there's very few of us left.

"Sinn Fein are in favour of 100% convergence of the Common Agricultural Policy and that is detrimental to full-time commercial farmers."

One man on the programme said he had become an "accidental landlord". (RTE)

Claire followed up with comments from another guest, a Sinn Fein supporter, who says people in their 20s and 30s will vote for the party as they believe it can change things.

Asked what he thought about that, the farmer said: "I was an accidental landlord 15 years ago, I got sucked into buying a house in the bubble and I can't wait to cash in the chips now and get out of my rental property."

He was then asked whether he blames Fianna Fail or Fine Gael for that situation, he responded: "Well, I don't see many answers coming from Sinn Fein to alleviate the problem of the accidental landlord."

It was the "accidental landlord" comment that led to disbelief and outrage from some people watching the programme at home.

One person said: "An 'accidental landlord' is still a landlord, and based off his explanation, it wasn't an accident #cblive."

A second said: "Let’s get one thing straight - there’s no such thing as an accidental landlord."

A third wrote: "That farmer wasn't an accidental landlord. He bought a house to let it. #cblive."

A fourth said: "'Accidental Landlord'…there must be money in the auld beef after all #cblive."

Another viewer said: "The 'mom & pop' rhetoric was bad but 'accidental landlord' - seriously?

"This is a class of people that saw other people's housing as a good investment bet and are now whinging because it wasn't as profitable as they'd hoped despite still sitting on the capital wealth. #cblive."

One person joked: "Won’t someone think of the 'accidental landlords'??? #cblive."

A second questioned: "Wtf is an accidental landlord? #cblive."

Another viewer said: "#cblive there is no such thing as an accidental landlord they seen an opportunity to capitalise and make financial profit."

Someone else said: "Accidental landlord, my a**e.. #cblive."

Monday's Claire Byrne Live discussed 'The Rise of Sinn Fein'. (RTE)

One added: "#cblive 'I became an accidental landlord 15 years ago. I got sucked into buying a house'. Sounds awfully premeditated to me."

Another said: "This lad was not an "accidental landlord" as he originally claimed. He said it himself. He got 'sucked into buying a property in the bubble'. He thought he could make a buck. No accident about it. #cblive."

Another wrote: "#cblive accidental landlord, I hate when I go to Lidl for milk and I come out with a buy to let home."

Whole someone else exclaimed: "Will somebody please think of the 'accidental landlords' and the terrible burden that they have to carry every day!! He made it sound like he woke up one morning and somebody had left the deeds to a second house on his kitchen table!!! #cblive."

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