Well done to IrelandOffline for their immediate response to the current edition of ComReg’s utterly fictitious quarterly reports; and for dealing with an unusually sympathetic media response superbly.

IrelandOffline has been using this rapid-fire tactic for a while now, but this time around ComReg seems to have stretched the trampoline of misdirection a tad beyond it’s limit, and the media have finally noticed IrelandOffline standing off, telling the fat kid sitting on the ground that if he’s paid attention to their warnings about his diet, he might not have a sore arse right now.

And boy did he get reamed. IrelandOffline’s release was picked up almost immediately by the breaking agencies, and the radio luvvies liked what they saw and dived into the fray the next day. Newstalk lined up an interview, but ComReg pulled out and gave the airwaves to the opposition; Today FM’s Last Word lined up another, and ComReg’s “Head of Retail” refused to “engage” with IrelandOffline (until it suited him); and RTE’s Five Seven Live talked to ComReg chair Isolde Goggin, and she completely fluffed it.

Whoever prepared the IrelandOffline deserves a slap on the back, and so too does IrelandOffline chairman Damien Mulley, who’s sounding very comfortable on the air these days. I was particularly impressed with the very slight air of contempt he used when responding to Dermot Nolan, which made Dermot sound like he was shooting virtual daggers at Damien on the other end of the line. Always good to rile the opposition!

You can follow the media coverage on this thread on Boards.ie.