With the final version of 8.0 (can't say about betas, never tested them) FLIRC does not work when you hit OK/Select on a blank text field - meaning the OSK never pops up - so you have no way to enter text for passwords or search/etc. I tried the Amazon Fire TV OK, Nvidia SHIELD OK or Keyboard Enter options in the FLIRC software - none of them work. They work for selecting things though. Just not popping up the OSK when hitting OK in a text field.
Edit: it doesn't even work with the native remote if the FLIRC is connected. The OSK will never pop up. You need to disconnect the FLIRC for it to work with the native remote again. This implies seeing as the FLIRC identifies itself as a keyboard to the Nexus Player, it just expects you to use the keyboard keys, so never will pop up the OSK with the FLIRC connected.
So really, it's that any keyboard-style remote (RF dongles that show up as a "keyboard") will be broken. WTF, Google?