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'It's not a good poll': Howlin reacts to Labour's 25-year low

“There’s no point in saying anything else,” the Public Expenditure and Reform Minister admitted this morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQfzLYSd7O8

YouTube: Thejournalvideo

LABOUR PARTY MINISTER Brendan Howlin has admitted that this morning’s Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showing a 25-year low for the junior coalition party is not good.

The Public Expenditure and Reform Minister told reporters in Dublin city centre this morning that he was surprised at the 6 per cent rating for the party given other polls had shown Labour’s support rising slightly in recent weeks.

But he said that the party would continue to put the country “before any self-interest” and said he believes ultimately people will recognise that at the next general election in 2016.

“We’ve known that we’re on a journey to recover this economy,” he said.  ”It’s a difficult journey and until we see that recovery putting money back into people’s pockets… I don’t think we’ll see a significant rise for us.”

Video: Nicky Ryan

Read more: Labour plunge to 6 per cent in latest poll

Read: We still don’t know who is representing the government on the Prime Time debate

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62 Comments
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:09 AM

    Well maybe if you did not drop your election promises and stop lying to the public the pole figures might, just might be better for you!

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:11 AM

    An enthusiastic supporter of ultra right wing policies wouldn’t have anything to say.
    He has nothing to say, good God.

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    Mute Oisin Conroy
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:22 AM

    Oh, was there a survey of pole dancers? Sorry I missed that.

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    Mute William Ruane
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:15 AM

    Now you arrogant clown, you might realize we the people are not fools, you lied and deceived us and this is what happens to dishonest people. I hope you don’t suggest surprise.

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    Mute William Ruane
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:18 AM

    Now you arrogant clown, you might realize we the people are not fools, you lied and deceived us and this is what happens to dishonest people. I hope you don’t suggest surprise, Oh he just did…oh dear

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    Mute Hedley Lamarr
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:36 AM

    You’re in Labourgael Brendan.

    24
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    Mute Anna Gram
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:09 AM

    You get back what you give ;)

    136
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    Mute conor hickey
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:14 AM

    The greens put the country before any self interest too…

    105
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    Mute Mike Hall
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:35 AM

    Hey ‘Labour’, an idea for you…..

    Why not try and actually represent the interests of the majority ordinary citizens that the history & constituency of your party’s name might suggest ? (Hint – the field is feckin’ wide open on this one…sure, I know, it’s a radical idea.)

    Oh, one other thing, if you decide to do that, +stop+ blinkering yourselves in the neo classical/neo liberal (failed) economics paradigm like those muppet (or sell out) name sakes over the Irish sea.

    You need the correct understanding of a modern fiat monetary system, as given by MMT/Post Keynesian school, to then understand what the correct macro economic policy options are.

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:42 AM

    Mike

    Only one problem with your idea for the Labour party

    You used words with more than one syllable, so the Labour Party leadership will just ignore it.

    49
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    Mute Darragh
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:17 AM

    Here an idea Labour. Stop cutting.Actually increase welfare, cut taxes to 5%, increase unmarried mothers allowance, reduce fuel taxes, get rid of all the social levies and the housing tax.This should make you popular with a large proportion of journal readers and the real ira. If its all about being popular like Bertie was just give everyone what they want. What state you leave the country in does not matter as these polls would suggest.On the other hand you can continue to try balance the books and do what has to be done to fix this damn mess regardless of self preservation and be a patriot to the state in the long run. That is Leadership.

    24
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:27 AM

    Arthur Spring on Sean O’Rourkes programme at the moment… ‘ When I meet the electorate on the street , people use the same two words to me…fixing it!’….oh yeah?? I can think of two words I’d give ya Spring…starts with f**k and ends with off.

    52
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:34 AM

    Why would Howlin be worried about a bad poll? He has his pension nicely lined up as it is. He is laughing all away to retirement.

    53
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    Mute Frankie Mangan
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:57 AM

    hear hear and also make sure the people responsible are not brought to account, the systems that allowed this to happen are more or less the same, the gravy train for the political classes and their cronies remains more or less unchanged. Introduce a whole new swathe of sneaky cynical taxes on ordinary people while allowing tax avoidance to be a priority. cut vital services while maintaining luxury perks. Make our society more unequal where the rich got richer out of the recession and the poor lost more of their hard fought rights now that would be leadership but hey your European masters don’t want a society based on equality and you don’t want to upset them now do you.

    26
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    Mute James Hyland
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:14 AM

    so he,s surprised the poll shows 6% support,
    well so am i,
    i,m surprised it has any support at all as this version of a labour party is not what the like,s of Connelly and Larkin envisaged at all.
    they are so detached from the electorate it,s unbelievable.
    they have lied and conned the very people who gave them a vote.
    they have betrayed the founding principals of the labour party

    33
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:22 AM

    “Balance the book and do what has to be done to fix this mess regardless of self preservation ” ??? what planet are you on? The only books they are interested in balancing are those of the banks and bondholders, all at the expense of the ordinary people. All the while preserving their salaries and pensions, controlling our media so no one knows what is actually going on.

    28
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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:41 AM

    A typical shit spinner…like his old mad…another f ….,.g champagne socialist….

    29
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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:44 AM

    Absolutely brilliant news! People have copped on to these impostors at last.

    28
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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Oct 1st 2013, 6:47 PM

    @daragh…and tell me Daragh , were where all these ‘patriots’ when the Celtic tiger was in full swing eh? Fg and lab drank from the same trough and are just as culpable for the disaster that ensued…all politicians were led by the nose by the bankers and big business and they still are..the politicians ARE the traitors in this sorry saga …they are TOTALLY spineless when it comes to tackle the muscle of Unions , the semi states , the Bankers , Big multi nationals , European leaders etc….but they’ll shit on the easy targets like unemployed , self employed , oap’s etc.
    You talk about real leadership?…lol don’t make me laugh. If they cut their own exorbitant wages and expenses and showed a bit of initiative on creating jobs and try to streamline the amount of wastage In the PS , I would give them some credit.
    But you and I know they won’t…it’s just a four or eight year stint with a pension and f…k everybody after that. And I’m afraid if you believe Noonan , Kenny , Howlin, Martin , Adams etc are any different then your sadly deluded my friend. The Mandarins in the upper eschelons of the PS willscupper any ideas of a bright spark that may raise his/her head..and the article is about Labours bad poll…that’s they are at the top of this rotten stinking pile
    Patriots indeed…lol

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    Mute anthony byrne
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:15 AM

    Arrogant little clown. a crowd of self serving liars. Bye.bye. Labour and bring the Blueshirts with you.

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    Mute Burch Barlow
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:39 PM

    Nah the Blueshirts will stay around. And with they’re new partners Fianna Fáil, together they will keep the left AGAIN out of power.

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    Mute Adam Hurley
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:11 AM

    If someone could ever in a lifetime explain why the Greens and Labour are punished while FF and FG consistently get off free I’ll never understand. What a backwards electorate we have.

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    Mute Stephen Brady
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:14 AM

    FF hardly got off last time but it seems our national amnesia is kicking in again

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    Mute Josh Barton
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:20 AM

    probably because you’d never get tired kicking Gilmore or Ryan

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    Mute Scarr
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:24 AM

    In relation to FG, they’re more or less doing what FG do, and what they were elected to do. They were elected on an austerity agenda ( and *ahem* reform) – LAB have protected welfare at the expense of middle income / working poor. Middle income LAB voters ain’t happy with the taxes and lack of forward thinking. LAB have shown themselves to be as unimaginative as the rest.

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    Mute BERTIE
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:03 AM

    We’ll said, their called rent a mob, a bunch of sheep. I can tell you the majority of those never voted labour in the first place. Only thing history teaches us is that history repeats itself and rent a mob will be back voting FF again as if they did nothing wrong

    Grass routes labour people who have lived with the uncomfortable position that FF has left us in, not to mention the electorate who gave us a majority right wing FG party, will remain true to a labour vision no matter how impossible that is in face of rent a mob

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    Mute Linda O'Sullivan Daly
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:08 AM

    Because Adam, Labour are supposed to be a left wing party. Thats why they were elected in by people who wanted a left wing government. That’s why they are now so unpopular, they act like right wing. In other words they do exact as FG tell them. FG/FF are right wing, people with those ideals will always vote for them no matter what they do. The Greens, well all they wanted was to tax people for pollution. I’ll never again vote Labour which I always did in the past. They sold themselves out just to get into government. If they had waited until the next GE, they probably would have gotten the majority after FG f***k up.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:27 AM

    “Rent a mob ” is that the latest spin to be used for those that dont see things your way?

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    Mute Frankie Mangan
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:00 PM

    @Bertie, I see a future candidate in you my boy, keep the head down, ignore reality and you will go all the way. BTW where is Labours way?

    9
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    Mute Marion White
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:32 PM

    so true Linda ,they should never have gone into government with FG ,they should have waited and they would have had a majority vote next time as ppl would have turned to them ,but Gilmore and Rabbitte wanted their big fat pensions …now Labour will suffer the same faith as the Greens and PD,S …they will never recover from this betrayal of the ppl who voted for them !

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    Mute Sean Collins
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    Oct 1st 2013, 6:22 PM

    Are the most ye working in the banks what about Anglo Only for what Brian Lenihan did,all the other banks would have gone the way of Anglo a man nearly in his death bed then ye would have something to moan about all your savings gone I know FF did wrong by throwing money to children’s allowance etc I didn’t hear too many moaning then. (hipocrits)

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    Mute Declan Murtagh Sr.
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:29 AM

    6% wow,was it Joan Bruton’s family or pat rabbitte’s family that were polled,

    80
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Oct 1st 2013, 1:18 PM

    Howlin is not so arrogant as he was a few months ago with the guy filming him…Labour can go swing in the wind as far as I’m concerned. Pack of self serving as**oles

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    Mute Peter O'Gorman
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:41 AM

    Say hello to the Greens on you way out, oh and remember the PD’s. your right the electorate will not forget in the next election.

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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:46 AM

    As if Howlin gave a shit ….bet he won’t even stand at next election

    69
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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:46 AM

    As if Howlin gave a shit ….bet he won’t even stand at next election

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    Mute Shakka1244
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:56 AM

    You can say that again

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    Mute Anna Gram
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:03 AM

    Lmao!!! ;)

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:18 AM

    Thats right. Its not a good poll. Its a great poll. Bye bye you C…

    66
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    Mute Hedley Lamarr
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:44 AM

    What will Moan Burton have to say.

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    Mute Dublinjonny
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:21 AM

    When you ride b*tch exactly like the PD’s and the Greens have done in the past and watch the parties destroyed what exactly did you think was going to happen ? I voted Labour in the general Election as I knew FG would win this time around and I was hoping against hope that a Labour coalition would at least keep the majority party in check at least just to a small extent … boy was I wrong

    53
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    Mute Little Jim
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:33 AM

    We were all wrong.
    Bitches!

    30
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    Mute Jazz O'Gorman
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:28 AM

    ‘Happy Gilmore’, I’m delighted for him and his party, the only way is down.

    46
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    Mute Bill
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:31 AM

    Bye bye Labour.

    43
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    Mute jrbmc
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:13 AM

    The poles don’t lie unlike you Howlin and the Labour Party

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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:17 AM

    The Poles are a great people but I am sure you will find at least a little mendacity among them.
    As for the polls, the are a snapshot at a particuar time. Mind you, it has always been clear that Sinn Fein will do for Labour what they they did for the SDLP.

    29
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    Mute conor hickey
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:11 AM

    Serves you right.
    Richard cranium.

    30
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    Mute Finbar Markey
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:33 AM

    “The next general election in 2016″? Do we have to put up with this crap for another 3 years?

    20
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    Mute Dermot O'Reilly
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:46 AM

    The Labour Party should be consigned to the Past!

    It does NOT represent the electorate!

    Good bye Labour!

    Good riddance!

    19
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    Mute Conor Black
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:21 AM

    Ye said that about Fianna Fail 2 and a bit years ago and now look 3rd most popular party, also if the governement consisted of two right wing parties the cuts and tax increases would be way more substantial

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    Mute Tom Tucker
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:02 AM

    The money has never stopped flowing into your pockets has it you little Howlin’ Hobbit!

    18
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    Mute Bill
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:51 AM

    Wake up young labour now is the time for real change. Self serving Gillmore and co. must accept t he blame. Two years 10 years we wont forget the lies of Labour. Young Labour stand up and be heard.

    16
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    Mute Seamie Burke
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:50 AM

    Better call Saul!!

    10
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:45 AM

    It’s payback time…..

    10
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    Mute Johnny Downes
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:22 PM

    Agree , and it should be payback time for the FG/Blueshirts too! Does Angela Merkel , and other European leaders know about their Fascist origins?

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:33 AM

    What he really means is that politicians will put self-interest before the country. Classic doublespeak! What you send around comes back around.

    9
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    Mute Connaughtabu
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:56 AM

    Have to give Minister Howlin his due – he handled the questions in this interview pretty well, under the circumstances.

    We, the electorate, will not have the opportunity of letting the Labour Party know our displeasure with their participation in a government that is driving the People into a generation of poverty, until the next general election in 2016. They, of course, are hoping that things will have turned around by then and we will have forgiven and forgotten.

    We will have the opportunity of sending a few warning shots in the interim – Seanad referendum, European and local elections, but the big day will be May 2016 when FG hopes the country will be awash with post-1916, Michael Collins-fulled euphoria. I am not sure the People will be so easily fooled?

    Either way, “Enda’s little Rotweiler” is likely to survive any anti-Labour backlash in the ’16 election, as he holds a “safe” Labour seat in Wexford. Should he not be elected, Labour would be smack in the middle of meltdown territory and where in the world would be would we be then?

    8
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    Mute Kevin O'connor
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:16 AM

    That is the first true thing he has said, since coming into power. Despite what the polls say, despite what the people say, despite what members of his own party say. He and Gilmore intend to carry on doing what they have being doing !

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    Mute Colin C
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:27 AM

    The problem with relying on the portion of the electorate who vote for pie in the sky is that once you’re in power and have to make real decisions, that portion of the electorate will desert you for the next pie salesman.

    4
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    Mute John Wooldridge
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    Oct 1st 2013, 1:18 PM

    Yes! We will put the country before any self interests….. We have already taken care of them, we have our big pensions in the bag.

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    Mute phunkyboy
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    Oct 1st 2013, 10:23 AM

    He’s on a journey to recover this economy people. LMSo

    3
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    Mute Peter Redmond
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    Oct 1st 2013, 7:30 PM

    I voted for labour and they shafted us, lies lies lies and more lies but there all full of shite aren’t they, another hammering in the budget coming up for the normal joes. The next election will be a wash out for them. Talk a good game

    1
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