Ivan Yates on lockdown: Idea we are all in this together ‘absolute nonsense’

The idea that we are all in this together through the coronavirus pandemic is “absolute nonsense,” according to broadcaster Ivan Yates.
The former Newstalk presenter is fronting a Cheltenham special of The Green Room on Virgin Media television every night this week.
On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, he offered Andrea his tips for the week before discussing the Gordon Elliot controversy and a year of COVID-19 restrictions.
“I hate lockdown with a passion,” he said. “I was watching the Players Championship in the golf on Sky Sports from Florida and there were huge crowds there watching.
“I mean, I don’t know how docile the Irish people have become but the reality is that, when this is over there is going to be a massive economic reckoning insofar as people have lost their jobs permanently and they don’t know it yet.”
He said the idea we are all in this together is nonsense - noting that certain sections of society have been hit far harder than others throughout the pandemic.
“What I keep coming back to on this is that there are three types of people affected by lockdown,” he said.
“There is a third of the population that is actually doing better in lockdown. People in grocery, people in pharma, in health and in tech who are absolutely going gangbusters.
“There is one-third not really affected - the public sector - and then there is one third that has lost 90% of its income.
“So, this notion that we are all in this together is absolute nonsense and always has been.”

[@gavingraham5647]

I miss Ivan. An actual voice of dissent would be nice right now. The media have been a disgrace for the past 12 months.

[@alisondaly5560]

Finally! Someone has the nerve to speak the obvious.

[@conorobrien5911]

I want Ivan back on the radio.Common sense is what we need.100% right Ivan is all he is saying.

[@wkdwiz]

I genuinely don't think I've heard someone on this show tell the truth for a very long time. So this was refreshing.

[@nickbrennan3389]

I feel like im living in an endless episode of " reeling in the years "....mixed in with father ted and the truman show 😂😂

[@mikeyk212]

Ivan always calls it. Rare thing in Irish media or politics. He's badly needed back in media

[@eoghanleinster]

Really surprised comments are not being turned off! Ivan you are a legend 🙌 spoke out about these lockdowns from the start! Hopefully common sense will prevail, the Irish people really tried to help at the start of all this but off course the Government took complete advantage of the situation as always 🙄

[@stpatrick614]

They don't care now. You will comply regardless

[@eoghanleinster]

@@stpatrick614 ha ha 😂 your absolutely right!

[@yupengzhao219]

“Grow a pair”! 😂😂 Love the directness.

[@johnflavin1602]

Two weeks to flatten the curve! That was the longest two weeks ever.

[@andrewthestarfam9668]

Ivan Yates bring this man back the voice for the people miss him on radio

[@Greggy0]

I'm ashamed that the Irish people are taking this. People don't seem to realise or care that there is an erosion of our fundamental rights. Government has given themselves pay increases while people are out of work because of them. Why is this allowed. Why are they not ousted. Baffling

[@des1458]

Finally somenone that speaks his mind. Hospitality sector getting destroyed while pharma, tech, engineering is thriving something is seriously wrong.

[@grahamluna6935]

Hells gates has been opened and there's much more to come. I'd be checking the tap water in Ireland, people are way too obident, somethings seriously wrong. Blessings from Spain where things are not much better.

[@72mossy]

We are all sick of it now. Good man Ivan. Fair play to you.

[@corkion]

the public sector was never affected with cutbacks long before covid 19

[@unveedcommunity]

Finally.... Honesty.... What happened to the fighting irish

[@superchunk100macmufie7]

Spot on Ivan long overdue bit of common sense talk on this pro propaganda station! Urge to kill fading--- a bit!

[@lroche3262]

I’d say many of us felt like our voices there!

[@valdachef]

Love ivan yeats miss him on newstalk

[@johnedwardocallaghan4053]

Well said Ivan yates

[@eugeneoreilly9356]

Agree,were all in this together.What a laugh.The private sector has been destroyed while the public servants haven't even noticed.The govt are all at sea.Totally lost.

[@roadwarrior8560]

Miss Ivan off the radio, George Hook too, nothing but snowflakes on the radio now.

[@Jamalaa94]

We live in the most backward country in the world

[@shugaliya]

Ivan,pls,Come back!!!.We need you!!!

[@ClannCholmain]

No thanks. He couldn’t handle it when he had his chance.

[@MWard-gd7pk]

For, as long as people do not hold td to account it will go on

[@timoconnor7423]

Best interview in 12 mts no interuptions

[@ShanesAutos]

As someone who works....well ment to be working in a hotel I agree with this chap entirely.

[@dublinthaiboxing4317]

Good man Ivan

[@ClannCholmain]

Not really. Check out his own record.

[@mikegolf2322]

I'm glad someone said it

[@noelhughes6589]

As a non-drinker I have to agree with the caller that it is up to each individual to decide whether to drink alcoholic beverages or not. Ignore the nanny state that says you have been naughty now suffer in abstinence. But some of the behavior of drinkers I take exception to. The people who in their drunken state break their drink bottles on cycle tracks.

[@Sean-ik4vk]

Finally someone speaking sense

[@PB111627]

They better get this man back on the air daily ASAP

[@johnnyd101]

I think his point about the department of health hating alcohol was right. It has been three policy of every government and the public service to restrict peoples access to alcohol and cigarettes. These restrictions and price hikes have lead to the illegal sale of more dangerous products by the working class.

[@francismcdonnell753]

It’s a bit like the economic crash of 2010. We weren’t in that together either. Some of us were able to go & live in Wales & declare themselves bankrupt yet no garnish on their political pension.

[@marymcdermott3517]

Well done ivan

[@Dazza-cq3sj]

We drop to level 4 on the 1st of June.Then on 1st sept it will be full lockdown again until June 1st 2022.

[@TICTACMANTIPS]

I've been In Spain sweden crowded London tubes in 2020 no facemask some call me a Super spreader some of my family won't even visit me

[@collettebligh5263]

Well spoken ivan we need more people like you.👍

[@niallireland2940]

Ivan missed terrible on the hard shoulder himself and Niall Boylan on class hits the only to putting out anything of opposition in the media there rest are disgrace

[@merledixonforce]

Will anything open on Ireland this year I wonder

[@MWard-gd7pk]

Fully agree media, as much to blame

[@sunbro9133]

FINALLY!

[@janeizytkiewicz2304]

Lockdown nonsense, absolutely nonsense. When there isn't solution ( or don't want) just close all.

[@heartattack7230]

I fed up the lockdown I despise this government

[@helensomers2070]

Well said!

[@mago4464]

elon make 25 billion just on Tuesday

[@liamK1916]

That watery liberal lunatic that took your show is unbearable. There’s now absolutely no radio shows in Ireland that I can tolerate at this stage. I used to to love listening to the radio.

[@fingaonthatrigga]

his saying what 95 percent of the country is feeling right now.

[@brendanbehan2289]

We will still be talking about lockdowns in 2022

[@martinlintzgy1361]

Ivan talks sense as always.

[@heartattack7230]

I despite the lockdown and despite the 5k restrictions

[@tonystack1622]

Bring Back Ivan

[@MrGreen_]

So true Ivan .. God help the working class when this is over .. the Irish gentry will screw us to the wall big time.

[@SnakePlissken25]

Yep. Very true.

[@shanebyrne7020]

Well said Ivan .

[@lindarobinson8381]

We are not all in this together

[@davidcunningham9458]

Good oul ivan,tells it like it is ,always,fair play to him

[@marielaffan5979]

You never lost it Ivan...!!!

[@joeoshea30]

Talk Talk but did he go to the pheonix park & March against lockdown?

[@raygreen5926]

Fair play to Ivan

[@jamesd4764]

You went silent Ivan just when we needed an alternative view in the media...I thought myself they had bought you off...we need the other side of this narrative to be heard as we are sick of the lies lies dam lies and statistics...

[@gerardmooney4632]

How much respect do I have for Ivan. Anyway who's better Messi or Phil Babb

[@michaelhoward5333]

I know this is a side note, but look to the past to protect the future, Ireland is a wonderful place but the European Union is sucking the resources out of the place and leaving a hollow, freedom was fought a hundred years ago, the same could apply in future.

[@paulwhite6020]

We are all in the same storm but not in the same boat

[@sebastianfitzptraick7395]

And people wonder why he disappeared from television early last year.

[@liammcgaughey1470]

Should be in the mountjoy owes the state 3 million bucks yet get 1500 a week pension . Betting and drinking not a bother.

[@ireland2657]

Open up !!!rediculas what's going on.. government haven't got a clue.

[@theboiballincollig]

Ivan the LEGEND

[@thiscrazyworld1525]

This man is bang on

[@handeyecoordinationskills]

If I had his money I wouldn't be sad with the lockdown at all, I'm sure he'll be fine

[@aaronc5098]

Lockdown until 2037 at least it’s for our own good

[@tetyanahnatyk7756]

Well said Ivan

[@MrT-po6if]

Stopped listening to Fakenewtalk since Ivan left! Pre-covid was also a big fan of Pat kenny. Sadly, post-covid, kenny is now just a sad fear-mongering propagandist rather than a decent objective broadcaster, pretty much like all his colleagues in Fakenewtalk, and his former colleagues in rte.

[@JJEarls147]

Please get Ivan Yates back to replace those two fools on the breakfast show.

[@LarryFogarty]

he gets a hug state pension...so he is doing fine

[@simwritten540]

At last some common sense....

[@gerardoconnor8462]

I hate paying taxes also

[@RedKnight-fn6jr]

Also, what about all this Green ideology - this will be something we simply cannot afford... We'll need to reopen the peat industry and put back roads to their original state once the Greens are gone.

[@siofraodonovan8573]

I'm surprised they let him on. They don't like truth speakers.

[@novo611]

Total joke goverment and its politics

[@paddyboy678]

A news talk ask Ivan give a few tips on how to run your own business

[@petermurphy4170]

Grow a pair🤣🤣🤣 there spineless spot on Ivan 👍

[@Ireland103]

well said Ivan,,well said... Government here could not roll out a carpet

[@r.c.3614]

Lockdown has not been kind to her hair

[@stephengrant7627]

I think we're turning a corner, finally...

[@brianreilly9103]

Another fool

[@paulrillo1229]

you ll be alright ivan all your pensions will sustain you

[@ch750536]

It's easy for those without the responsibility of their decisions to call for irresponsible actions.

[@MrSpookyLover]

fellow is on two pensions and still talking more sense than most.. newstalk pls do us all a favour and sack yer wan, let her top up the make up and tan. stop trying to be talk radio, ye are embarrassing us and yourselves. PROPAGANDA DAILY

[@terrybrady392]

Ahm,ahm,ahm,ahm.is that all she she ever mutters..And listening to that creepy ,slimey snake would make one puke.!!!@

[@themsmloveswar3985]

I love the lockdown. It is a gift.

[@danielgavigan7606]

Lockdown was necessary, refusing to lockdown would be analogous to playing football in a minefield. Discipline enables freedom; the freedom to choose well and to protect others. The virus is here,we handled it and have survived, so please stop bleating about it.

[@Patmofar]

Yates, a self centred narcissist like Hook both of whom made sure I would never listen to Newstalk.

[@johnhickey4503]

Yates was in lockdown in WALES cry little boy cry

[@vercoda9997]

I used to quite like Ivan Yates, but the past few years of seeing more and more of his Rightwing views have fully cured me of that.

[@theeggtimertictic1136]

Stop whinging Ivan ... Maybe you should go on the Frontline and see how you cope.

[@SuperMatters]

The front line 😂 hospitals wer empty in March, April and May last year in the Peak of the pandemic and actually quieter than usual this winter. All the data u need is online, go do some research u lazy mong, want all ur lies handed to ya dnt ya. Only sign of a pandemic is coming from the mainstream media, the mouths of politicians and bought and paid for scientists. Wake the f up would ya

[@MrDOB1000]

What frontline? It's a scam. And no the Gardai are not suddenly frontline workers. They're being told to do this by the powers that be

[@purebloodirishman9389]

Fool

[@gleannmhuire]

It’s a pandemic Ivan. You have no experience in dealing with a situation like this. None.

[@johnnowlan2480]

Good man Ivan

[@MrT-po6if]

Stopped listening to Fakenewtalk since Ivan left! Pre-covid was also a big fan of Pat kenny. Sadly, post-covid, kenny is now just a sad fear-mongering propagandist rather than a decent objective broadcaster, pretty much like all his colleagues in Fakenewtalk, and his former colleagues in rte.

[@barryaustin8339]

Careful now talk radio your overlords will be very angry with you.