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NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS were to thank for a major lift in consumer spending during July, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show.
Overall, sales volumes were 8.2% higher than last month, with a mammoth 36.1% rise on July’s volume of car sales, the biggest improvement across all categories covered.
On an annual basis, sales volumes are 8.6% higher than this time last year, with car sales 31.1% higher.
Investec Ireland chief economist Philip O’Sullivan said that more expensive items are starting to make a comeback as consumer spending catches up with positive sentiment around the economy.
“It is encouraging to see that so-called ‘big ticket items’ continue to lead the way as the retail sector recovers. The consumer sentiment index currently stands at its highest level since January 2007.”
Sustained growth
All in all, O’Sullivan said that this morning’s numbers are impressive if not surprising given the heavily-flagged upturn in car sales after the turn of the half-year.
“Looking ahead, we expect to see a continued recovery in consumer spending in Ireland as employment recovers, the government’s austerity drive comes to an end and the savings rate reduces from its current elevated levels.”
Davy economist David McNamara said that he expects consumers to spend 1.5% more this year than last, which will rise to 1.9% in 2015.
Despite the “exceptionally strong” figures, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Fiona Hayes said that the volume of sales actually fell last month by 0.7% on the month when car sales are excluded, and were up by a “less robust” 3.1% in the year.
She also warned that in previous quarters higher retail sales had not necessarily translated into bumper consumer spending in GDP releases.
“However, these latest numbers do augur well for the Q3 consumer spending component and it remains our view that the sequentially improving labour market and the fact that we are nearing an end to austerity will deliver a positive consumer spending outturn overall for 2014 and beyond.”
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“Sinn Fein are just one point behind FF”
Seanie will love this!!
If need be FF will implement a Tallaght strategy like plan and give a FG/Lab. minority Govt. support for a few years in order to stabilize the country.
Half of SF’s vote is angry people and the other half are from council estates etc. The 2nd half won’t be bothered to go and vote and the first will relax and turn away from them as things go back to normal.
Let the shinners have their day of success, it will not last long.
Seanie, you are the one who sounds Angry … Angry at the surge.
Dear seanie,
On behalf of people old enough to remember the last time FF wrecked our economy, only to see them do it again a generation later, I’d like to thank you for constantly reminding us that FF are incapable of change and that their youth wing are merely standing outside the Galway tent waiting for their turn to get their greasy little paws in the pockets of the powerful.
so why doea Willie O’Dea canvass in Moyross you ignoramus
Sinn Fein and Fina Fail, or Sinn Fein and Fina Gael. Either way the socialists will need a right wing party to be in govt. It will be interesting to see how the much of their nutter economic policies the right wing party will allow the socialists to experiment with.
46% still support the FFFG party. Do not be fooled into thinking that FF and FG are different, 2 cheeks of the 1 arse. Exact same policies. Like coke and pepsi, both are cola.
I wouldn’t worry, Seanie. SF have no hope of getting into Government. Most of the country can only name 3 or 4 SF politicians.
Bull. The moat famous TD in the Dail is Gerry Adams, known the world over. SF are patriots. Not Gombeen politicians this state has seen since its foundation.
Famous for all the wrong reasons in a lot of peoples eyes Ian. Infamous.
Go and ask Jerry McCabe’s wife if SFers are patriots. Patriots me hole.
Compare the video shown the world over of enda being patted on the head by european leaders to the one of Adams standing in his friend Nelson Mandelas guard of honour.
Brownie for Taoiseach……Dublin’s way, not Frankfurt’s prey! ;~}
Jurgen Remak
Socialism looks very sane compared to the greedier is better philosophy of the neo-cons. But don’t think the Labour party are socialist – there is not a true socialist among the party.
So FF/FG/Labour have a majority to form the next austerity driven government. Alas for poor Ireland but the bankers, developers, speculators, exploitative employers and bondholders will be happy.
Jesus Seanie will ya f**king stop…I’ll burst me piles here at this rate!! Only an hour ago you said Fainna Failure would never enter a position of power with SF in this country. And now they’d do it if need be…in order to ‘stabilise the country’…I’m on the floor here laughing…you’re absolutely f**king deluded man…sure wasn’t it your lot in Fianna failure that made it unstable in the first place!! They couldn’t even give us the pleasure of celebrating 100 years as an independent nation!! No they screwed it up and we had to be stabilised by outside powers.
You Seanie really need to go and lie on a couch and talk to some professional who will hopefully be able to help you with your delusion!
Sean Mac Eoin FG minister for justice in the 50s. Presidential candidate twice. Shot an RIC inspector in the head. Dont see you call FG murderers???
If Sinn Fein ever got within an ass’s roar of power FF and FG would suddenly find that the last hundred years of slagging each other off was just a big misunderstanding. Then they’d hatch some grubby little deal together, and it’d be business as usual again.
And y’know what, it’s all we fukkn deserve for not having dragged them all out of the Dail long ago, clapped them in irons and sent them to their doom outside the GPO.
Both are as useless as each other, and there’s decades of evidence of staring us in the face. Yet still, nearly half of the country persist in voting for this Punch and Judy show.
I despair.
If you’re young, get out now while you can.
You’re head is up your h*l* if you think your right on this one . sinn fein has gotten ahead of labour beacuse of hard work on the ground with every community not just lazy people from council estate.it wouldn’t be to hard to guess you’re political alignment
The Indo and RTE must be going nuts, they have been trying to get Adams to stand down for years now.
Cue a load of new anti SF/anti Adams stories this week.
Wtf seanie why dont people from council estates vote
Cmac, it’s all very well saying socialism looks sane compared to what FG & FF have implemented. But the kind of socialism and economic policy that SF appear to wish to implement will not solve all of Ireland’s problems either.
Regardless, even if any of the socialist policies were the clear answer to Irish problems, socialists cannot surmount what I consider to be the instinctive distrust by the ordinary Irish person of any left wing party. SF when they enter govt it will be with FG or FF. Therefore their socialist policies will inevitably get diluted – particularly as they are likely to be the smaller party. None on this forum have told me how SF will manage a coalition where they can’t just implement whatever they want.
I think the word is ‘infamous’ – or do I Tell a lie?
Ask fr malloy’s family about our politicians and ministers
No one truly believes that FF will get only 22% in the locals. Look at past by elections etc, lot higher.
From what I hear on the ground 25% of seats is what should be expected. FF have a great machine on the ground and party support that will get up in the morning and vote.
Motivated electoral base.
And both with same ass holes
Seanie, FF destroyed this Country, wrecked the economy and caused untold suffering.
They should be in Mountjoy prison serving life for their criminal actions not canvassing for Local and European Elections.
Seanie, I’m a lifelong member of FF and as it’s a swipe you always take, can you tell me what the hell is your issue with people who live on council estates?? I find it a very condescending attitude that has no place in the FF I’m a member of or the members of FF I know. Please try and join the real world.
Newbie, you’re a harsh man, but you speak the truth. It is impossible to disagree with your post.
Not newbie, Jeebus, curse this predictive text.
SeanieRyan look behind you,it’s Sinn Fein coming over the hill,and putting Ireland first.
You are the Comical Ali of Fianna Fail.
Gerry – Seanie told us before that he is a good friend of Bertie’s !!!!!
you’re having a laugh, FF doing a Tallaght like strategy, how long would that last,? i’d rather go back to the people than have my country having its chains dangled by those sleeveens again and sure i’d thought ye would be more in kindered spirits with the shinners, sure aren’t ye both republican parties.
It is a misnomer really though isn’t it after all the shinners are in a power sharing government in NI. which I support by the way and the good old feel and fall party surrendered our financial sovereignty to Europe and in the process gladly accepted 6or 7 billion from our neighbours across the water, soldiers of destiny, what a laugh. The alternatives are frightening, not to mention the rotten fish head that is mad mick and his motely crew.
@ ian
Patriots my ar-e, thugs and criminals that’s what they are and a pack of cowardly bas_ards.
It will be interesting to see how the much of their nutter economic policies the right wing party will allow the socialists to experiment with.”
– I think the nutter ” policies belong to the right wing – as has been proven here in Ireland and across EU with nutty Neoliberalism .- a policy designed by the Rich for the Rich .
SF will never see power.
Not in our lifetime anyway.
There will always be a way…
Three reasons why;
1. Gerry Adams
2. Martin McGuinness
3. Mary Lou McDonald
QED.
Seanie…you are a disgrace regardless of what party you pretend to support or if you just are a wind up merchant.
Your comment referring to people ‘from council estates’ is below contempt and I can guarantee you I know a lot of people who were rared in council estates who are far more articulate, successful and better human beings than you will ever be!!!
People will turn to SF as a protest against FG/labour –
That’s how FG got into power
Seanie, what class of gobsh*te are you? Your hero Charlie Haughey was elected mostly by people living in council estates and other working class neighborhoods. Fianna Fáil, in the past at least, was able to generate votes from all parts of society. That was one of their strengths. If Fianna Fáil have people like you in charge of election strategy, then I think all other parties will breathe a sigh of relief.
Or maybe they were seen as a viable alternative government
sam .its the ppl vote what counts if its SF its what the ppl want
Dave.
There’s a phrase that goes “cutting off your nose to spite your face”.
Voting NO to Nice, and Lisbon, and abolishing the Seanad is a ‘protest’ vote.
Voting in SF is just plain stupid.
your a pompous little idiot, look at your red thumbs,
Voting for FF/FG and their enablers in Labour Nua is like cutting off a face to graft it on to the two badly burned cheeks of the same prolapsed arse!!
Well there ya go Sinassist! If there’s a reason to vote SF, you are it! Congratulations! Up the RA!
Jeez…
Seanie your a knob.
My name is also Sean Ryan and I wish to disavow all similarities with seanie , who is a complete and utter doughnut. :-)
I love seanie x z x
He’s an attention seeking troll .
Gerry, could you please explain to all the people evicted from their homes, the special needs children without an education, or the sick citizens on trollies in a corridor why your still with FF. It’s all their fault! !!
Ding!!!!!
Only just started to read the comments now. Usual trolls dragging up Jean McConville’s name. If it weren’t for Jean or Jerry McCabe, would the same trolls be able to name one other victim of the thirty year political conflict without googling it? Also, the same trolls are telling us SF are held back by Gerry Adams. Neglecting the fact that Gerry is a poll topper in Louth and that SF have seen the biggest increase in the polls again. Honestly, it’s almost as if the trolls can’t think for themselves and just repeat what they keep hearing on RTÉ.
Keep up the good work Gerry…beir bua!!
seanieRyan, i understand what you are trying to say about angry people and i understand what you are trying to say about people from council estates but what about angry people from council estates seanieRyan. Maybe we could say what about them! but does that contribute or take away from their anger seanieRyan.
On the whole even if it does come to pass i would not worry to much about it any way, councils are a load of shite and a majority in any given council only have the power to advice and if the shinners or any left wing party or independents got a majority government the next or any other time well we have seen that the banks and the developers have no problem ripping up the rule book to protect their own interests, so don’t worry about it there will be a coup as quick as that if there is a sign of any big changes and business as usual. be grand.
Thanks b to f..k I am out of the hole I used to call home ….hello from abroad
Sean Mac Eoin died more than 40 years ago. You aren’t asked to vote for him. I’m not sure what relevance he has to this debate. I’ll tell you what is relevant. It’s a widely held belief that the current president of Sinn Féin ordered the killing of an innocent mother in 1972. Fianna Fáil is rightly blamed for the loss of sovereignty our country has suffered but Sinn Féin must never be allowed to profit on the back of this.
@Thomas, I’m still in FF because I came from a poor rural farming background, a background where the only help we ever got to lift us from poverty was from policies of FF governments ( whether you like it or not ). And if you look at special needs more SNAs were put on place by FF than before and even with cuts there are more SNAs than before FF went into government. I have always accepted that light regulation on banks was the fault of FF but there is also the concept of personal responsibility where many people took out mortgages that were completely unsustainable for even the wages people were earning. Remember that even in the good times people were paying household bills on credit cards. It’s a handy narrative to blame FF for 100% of what happened but it’s the Irish way of not admitting maybe we ourselves had a part to play in it. Were FF in power in the US, UK, Greece, Spain, Iceland, Cyprus, Portugal when their economies tanked?
Gerry
What was fairly galling to a lot of us that was hit hard by this “recession”, was the way that the rats started jumping from the s(t)inking ship , with all their golden handshakes and enormous pensions …
Also ,have you any proof ,that many banks many gave out unsustainable mortgages on family homes ?
I always thought that it had a lot to do with job losses and huge wage cuts ,,silly me :) Enjoy canvassing to family homes (whom are in trouble ) with that mantra !
“…nutter economic policies…”?
It is FG that is flying in the face of conventional economic policy by forcing austerity on the country to get the economy moving, a strategy that the ECB says is “disastrous”.
Ireland is in a depression. Real unemployment is over 15%. A thousand people a week are leaving and not returning.
So what “nutter economic policies” in the Sinn Fein alternative budget do you object to? Or have you even read the alternative budget?
Seanie, your organisation on the ground cannot turn back mismanagement & corruption by the 26 County ‘Republicans’ FF!
Micheal- unfortunately our partitioned island has a violent history, we in SInn Fein worked tirelessly since the 1980s to build a lasting peace process with others. We can spend the future living in the past – Ballyseedy, Frank Aiken’s FFs one man murder machine, IRA actions, loyalist killings, British Army & 26 County government collusion in cover up of Dublin/Monaghan bombings are just an example.
So wake up & put Ireland First !
Real unemployment is well over 20% at this stage, not 15%. Deregulation of banking happened under FFs watch, but in truth was implemented on a supranational level, so it would have happened whoever was in power. FFs errors were the stoking of a property bubble through tax breaks etc. on investment properties during an unwelcome low interest period, treating stamp duty earned in what was obviously a bubble as current income (insanity), benchmarking & staff increases in the PS without any built in methods of recourse should circumstances change, focussing too heavily on attracting FDI at the expense of incentivising & supporting domestic industry, hand outs in place of a progressive & functioning welfare system, and failure in relation to social housing provision. I believe there may have also been some issues with planning permission on their watch.
FF get blamed for quite a few things that weren’t really their fault. But the truth is they were never very good at running a country, but were always excellent at doing enough to get reelected. Much of this has now become quite obvious to the electorate, but never enough to encourage FF to change their ways unfortunately.
Thomas, it was equally galling to people in FF to see the rats jumping ship. Talk to people and you will hear plenty stories of loans offered to them by banks way above the value of the mortgage they needed. That’s irresponsible banking because if the bank has to repossess they cannot get back the value of the loan if it’s more than the value of the house. At the height of the boom everyone knew this went on. Job losses have an effect, the same as they have an effect in an economy not in trouble. We all took wage cuts. Thankfully I have survived mine because I didn’t by into the mantra being sold by the banks ably abetted by light touch regulation from a FF government. We made mistakes but I will always stand by the belief that FF in government were not 100% responsible for the ills of the economy. We will take our share of the blame and have and will continue to do so. I will enjoy knocking on doors Thomas, I will take the flak where I get it and I will listen to people’s issues and problems and take them on board and any solutions they suggest, I find engaging with people that way a much more useful pursuit than tapping away on a keyboard online.
So no shame then……
FF already has a “Tallaght strategy” – it’s policies are being implemented to the letter by FG/Lab.
The sooner those three merge the better for the country.
Then a REAL opposition can emerge.
Could anyone tell me where Sinn Fein is getting their funding some say it’s the northern bank robbery more say it was Adare money when Gerry McCabe was murdered.
Angry people put current government in?
Seanie – Comhghairdeachais – you have achieved the greatest number of Red thumbs down – in the history of TheJournal.ie , due to your horrible snobby Council Estates remark – one suspects !
My golly , you FF’s are so out of touch with the Irish Electorate , with your awful opinions .
I’m sure your Boss, Micheal Martin, will be shocked that you have lost him even more votes on 23rd of May ?
Sean … A Chara – can you tell me at all where your Party are getting their huge funding from ?
They don’t seem to give the Party as much as a brass farthing of their earnings , do they ?
Does your Party get the funding from big corporate and bank donations – wink wink etc etc etc – the way you always did it I suspect ?
None of it is stolen
1- blood stained paedo enabling gerry adams
2-pearse doherty lied about abuse victims the week mandela passed away
3-mary lou ditto
4-ferris shook hands with garda murderers
Malachy if there was real justice in this country the most of the-current Sinn Fein leaders would be in jail for life. By the-way Ballyseedy was done by people who are now FG,so it’s only Sinn Fein ACTIONS and all the rest by others are killings,any killings that time was civil war/black n tans in war time so don’t give out that drivel that the sixties and seventies MURDERS was war.
Edna’s good news story of the week !!!
Bet he’s not smiling.
Who?
Gerry the hipster for Taoiseach!
Jesus u think we’v seen emigration?could u imagine if gerry and co. Took over.they’d be nobody left.
Another wallop, it still wouldn’t sink in. He is so stupid, he makes George Bush jnr. look clever!
SF/FF coalition next time.
Perish the thought. Unless SF are the major party. it’s all down to the numbers. My personal preference would be SF and the rest bar FF/FG, cos as we all know they are two cheeks of the same shite arse.
As opposed to the corrupt, inept half wits in the two main parties.
This is just a pole and let us see what reality plays out. Importantly, this pole reveals what may be the largest national shift in mindset since the establishment of the state!!
Independents/SF just under 50%! This portrays a monumental shift in the political spectrum to the left… and overall a highly significant lack of support for the current government!
I think SF will be the lead opposition from the next election and FF/FG will be the next government… And there will be a new party formed from the independents on the left…
200 billion public debt a health system that will soon rival Albania suicide and homelessness through the roof , child abuse and mis treatment the second highest in Europe , forced mass emigration of highly educated young people , a mortgage crisis that will lead to wide scale evictions , a garda force unchallenged and un regulated that are fast becoming political enforcers , gangster bankers paying themselves huge bonuses for coming up with more ways of squeezing people to despair , massive wage decreases for low to middle earners , people who paid tax their whole lives and lost their jobs been degraded by a so called Labour party , double taxes on natural resources and the family home , the complete cowardice of the current government, a media who are a disgrace and were complicit in the corruption that sank the country. Tell me what kind of a country will we have when we have a government that will fight the peoples corner it surely cannot be worse than the shower of greedy ignorant tip the cap mongrels that have ran this country since independence i doubt their Irish at all i think they are British torys that have Irish accents and their sole purpose is to suck the fat of the land .2014 and this is Ireland what a joke we are look at what we have become under this ignorant mucksavage establishment we have. 2016 Irish people should take their country back from them so we can prosper and have pride in ourselves . We need a new Republic a one that we can call home at last.
And SF are the answer? Ah shut up with your shite…
So O’Reilly , what’s the FG/Lab plan ?
Maith thú a Jack. The best thing I’ve read on here in ages. Someone not afraid to tell the truth. The Republic that was proclaimed in 1916 has still not been achieved and will never be under the corrupt shower we’ve had for the last 15 years at least. It’s time the Irish people completed the revolution and reclaimed the republic. Isn’t it time we voted for ourselves instead of the greed merchants? Isn’t it time we voted Sinn Féin?
Double Jack, coke and cola all round!!
Excellent post JD
Complete the revolution… Seriously. Keep it up Andi. That’s the kind of nutter talk keeps us safe from a SF government!
This poll does not reflect the poor running of a government it reflects a steady growth in belief in Sinn Fein – they are emboldened and their narrative is getting stronger to the deafening of it’s opposition rival. Can you imagine what the poll would look like if the liberal youth both skilled and unskilled were here to vote for Sinn Fein or other parties/individuals of change.
I appeal for those families who’s sons, daughters, brothers and sisters have emigrated – listen to them when they tell you who they would vote for and heed that in the election. We need the voting system changed to allow recent emigrants – up to 4 years away to vote. After that it’s likely you’ve cut off you’re not coming home.
Well said jack
Great post JD.
the local dogs could do a better job than the last and current shower of self servicing maggots
Yes. Just yes.
Great post Jack. You’ve clearly ruffled a few FG feathers ;)
And what do you think SF are going to do about it Jack Daniels?
Go through your extensive list again and go through the following list also (from SF themselves)
Economy[
Increase in Capital Gains tax and DIRT,
A cap of public sector pay at three times the Average worker's wage,
A cap of the salaries of TDs and government ministers,
Standardisation of discretionary tax reliefs,
Greater state investment in the economy,
Abolishing mortgage interest tax relief for landlords and property based tax reliefs,
Establishment of a government fund to aid small and medium enterprises,
An 'all-Ireland' economy with a common currency and one tax policy,
Greater investment for those who are disabled
Health
An 'All-Ireland-Health-Service' akin to the National Health Service of the United Kingdom,
Cap on consultants pay,
Abolishment of prescription charges for Medical card patients,
Expansion of primary care centres,
Gradual removal of subsidies of private practice in public hospitals and the introduction of a charge for practitioners for the use of public equipment and staff in their private practice,
Free breast screening (to check for breast cancer) of all women over forty—presumably in both Northern Ireland and the Republic
Social and cultural
The 18 Northern Ireland MPs that sit in the Parliament of the United Kingdom to be allowed to sit in the Dáil Éireann as full Deputies as well
Ending academic selection within the education system,[89]
Support for a ‘Minister for Children’,
Diplomatic pressure to close Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant (in Britain),
Sinn Féin proposes a draft Irish Language Bill for the North (Northern Ireland),[90][dead link] a Bill that would give the Irish Language the same status that the Welsh language has in Wales,
‘Plastic bag levy’ to be extended to Northern Ireland,
To further Irish language teaching in Northern Ireland,
It supports same-sex marriage and thus wants to see an end of the ban preventing this
If you think free breast examinations for women over 40, and an emphasis on the Irish language is going to make a blind bit of difference, you’re wrong.
Everything else on the list (most of it watery junk) would not get passed as tiny minority partners in a coalition Government. If you think it will, please tell me how. I’m all ears.
There’s a reality to be faced here. That reality is SF are clueless.
The reality Sam is that FF, FG and Labour are crapping themselves right now with the surge in Sinn Féin’s popularity. This will only increase in 2016. Your scaremongering proves that you are afraid the FF/FG gravy train will soon be no more, and that day my friend will truly be a day of nationalist pride.
Endas 5 point plan will still save us but I think we should all be learning the German National Anthem in time for the 1916 celebrations
Sam go away you ejiit
By god the shinners are out in strength today, all up out of the bed early with hangovers from tax payers money.
Only one poll that counts, vote Sinn Fein May 23rd.
Ye did a super job up north – Think i,ll stick with my independant vote thanks all the same !
Wonder what the poll would be if taken across entire country? SF topping ! The Only progressive articulate all island party as evidenced by standing room only at today’s candidate conference in Drogheda. Standing up for us all.
“The Only progressive articulate all island party”
Gerry’s not too articulate when asked hard questions on his personal and family affairs. Not too articulate at all.
Interesting article by Eamonn McCann earlier in the week about how spending cuts in the North are affecting poor people.Surely SF wouldn’t have anything to do with implementing those cuts north of the border?
Eamonn McCann is always sitting on the fence slinging sh*ite. It sickens me that he’s always trotted out as some kind of authority on the North. Sure isn’t it grand for him to constantly whinge and launch political attacks from the safety of the Guardian/ Hot Press etc. when he is completely unaccountable as a politician- bearing in mind that he has constantly been rejected by the electorate. . I recall the time secondary students in Derry were protesting against EMA cuts. I was actually present . McCann gave a fire and brimstone speech when the council chamber was stormed- pity he vanished like a flash when someone whispered to him that the PSNI were on the way. Absolute joke.
Mark, apparently those cuts are forced on them by their Tory masters. SF’s hands are tied. But they encourage mass protests and discourage compliance. Well, actually they don’t. They implement the cuts they rail against in the south…
“apparently those cuts are forced on them by their Tory masters”
Says the cheerleader for Irelands tory masters who are forcing cuts on us all.
Oh, and its not ‘apparently’, the 6 counties budget is determined by westminister and stormont has not powers to raise its own revenues.
@Brendan and Maire.
I can tell you a thing or two about SF economic policy. I could literally – and I’m not joking – smell the cash a Shinner was burning, after the Northern Bank robbery, from outside my old house in Passage West.
The Shinners had that town as their playpen. This is only a few years ago remember. The SF contingent in Passage West STILL go around that town bullying, intimidating, and threatening honest people. They are also still involved in local criminality.
Do me a favour and report that back to party HQ.
Do me a favour
And apparently no intention of fighting those cuts either Jammin. Spineless. Talking out of both sides of their mouths as usual…
AN enda kenny cheerleader accusing somebody of being ‘spineless’ . Good one.
Maybe the lads that did the Northern Bank could do a jump-over at ECB and distribute repairations to all those carrying the burden in the aftermath of the great Credit Tiger Bailout Swindle at the behest of the current and previous Vichy administrations!! ;~}
Hopefully if they jump over to the ECB lets hope they don’t shoot an unarmed Garda, a family man with a wife and kids, like they did last time.
Ding Sam. Oh and you get an extra ding for the clocks going forward, so ding ding. You aynus.
Surely they are too busy destroying evidence of their latest phone-based, evidence tampering scandle and checking the pulse of a nation of submissive, grief intruders!
Unfortunately Whitehall hold the purse strings in the 6 counties. You see the charges that the Brits force on the 6 Counties, this covers all services.
Unlike the 26 Counties, where it is used to top up pensions, bail out the wealthy elite, generally line the pockets of the establishment parties FG,FF & LAB, not to mention the pensions of the Greens!
That’s terrible, if I were you, I would report this to the Gardai. It’s your civic duty Sam. Is there a local SF Cllr in Passage West? Maybe the trial will lead back to this Cllr, actually ring The Irish Independent, I am sure they would be very interested.
Liam Adams
Jerry McCabe
Jean Mcconville
This poll makes me want to reread all the Indo articles over the past few years that said Sinn Féin were finished in the 26 Counties and that Gerry Adams is a liability. Gonna be a fun night.
Feck the black propaganda from the Indo. The more they do it the higger we get in the polls!!
Gerry is a liability. No one doubts that. Do you think all the shite surrounding him for the last year or so has done SF favours?
Of course it didn’t. SF would be doing better were he not leading. He’s also been piss poor in the Dail.
Couldn’t agree more Sinn Fein would be miles ahead without Gerry Addams
Compare Adams’ leadership to Gilmore’s.
SF have grown at a steady pace since 2007 in the 26 Counties and are now sitting on 21% in today’s poll. The same happened in the north. SF went from being unelectable to eclipsing the SDLP and becoming the second largest party. All this happened under Adams.
Labour went from boom in the lead up to the 2011 general election to bust in today’s poll. The Gilmore for Taoiseach posters will haunt Labour for years.
Give me Adams any day!
Adam’s is the biggest singular reason I won’t vote for SF, and I’m far from alone. At least McGuinness had the foresight to put party before personal. But Gerry will hold on for self serving reasons.
He should have stepped down long ago, and with it SF could have drawn a line in the sand and moved on proper. He didn’t do that, and his infectious disease is still covering SF like a rash.
So selfish is the man. he even tarnished Pearse Doherty and some of the other more credible SFers trying to drag SF into the mainstream, by forcing them to deny the truth for his sake. He made fools out of them. Adam’s must go.
LOL! SFs support is on the up and up, and guess who’s leader?
You think people switching their vote to Sinn Fein haven’t bothered to check who the leader is?
They haven’t switched their vote yet. Polls and votes are not the same.
Stink of desperation off that post kenny…
Sam – the man that a few minutes ago accused Martin McGuinness of murder!
Will you go away and stop wasting everyone’s time and admit your Labour/FG connections please …. A Chara ?
“accused Martin McGuinness of murder!”
McGuinness has freely admitted he was a high ranking IRA man. Do you think they were doing their nails OR killing people?
Oh, and of course, Gerry was never in the IRA…..ahahahahaha. He’s a fcuking liar. A bare faced liar with no credibility. If he can’t be honest about that, he’s a liar and nothing more.
McGuinness at least has the some positive attributes. But don’t be wasting me fcuking time with your dopey comments Ciarraioch. They’re not worth typing to respond to.
Sam – you have completely lost it now a chara .
Your buddy O’Reilly could give you lessons on keeping your credibility intact – he is a much cleverer Blueshirt!
Yeah, because I’m well known for my pro fg sentiment…
What is it with shinners? They think if you don’t support their criminals, you by default, support government criminals instead.
For the record, I think SF are a total disaster not fit to Govern themselves. I have just as much disdain for FG/FG/Lab. I hate them all equally, ALL of them are part of the problem rather than solution and a vote for ANY of them is akin to changing seats on the Titanic. They all equally bad and if you think SF are some kind of a political Messiah and are going to change this country in any worthwhile way you’re delusional.
Calm down, Sam.
The only thing ciarraioch my friend is, you’re coming across as too clever which is becoming predictable and actually is not clever at all only condescending but then again ye crowd are a lot like that.
Ok Doc – I will try my damnedest not be as clever ( as you ) – now would that be possible ?
Aye Sam. Would you feel better if he was in the IRA now. And then what would your next question be. By the way, you can’t spell ye idiot ye.
Hi Sam. Prepare for Sinn Féin in government for 2016. Very appropriate. I hope you can accept the democratic will of the people now.
What democratic will? SF have been riding high in the polls on may occasions yet on polling day they get a swift kicking. Time after time this happens.
You have to get the votes first. You won’t. Even if you did, no one would go into power with you and form a coalition. SF will be an opposition party for many more years. As long as Adam’s leads SF, it’s a pariah to the other 79% of votes that don’t support SF.
Anyway, give it another few weeks and Gerry will be back in the press again in more trouble for his dodgy past. Does it not strike you as odd, that for an opposition leader he spends more time in the dock than the actual leaders with the exception of Shatter?
Irish people won’t tolerate Adams. That’s the democratic will. But sure hang on tightly to your 21% support.
“Would you feel better if he was in the IRA now”. So you accept h was in the IRA. Why not give Gerry some truth lessons.
Also, don’t start a sentence with a preposition if you’re so concerned with spelling and grammar, ironic you’d concern yourself with Queen’s english, no?
Coming from a shinner the answer is NO,
That last comment was for ciarraioch
The loyalists in the North of Ireland in the past would never have believed that Sinn Fein would ever sit in government, now they share power with the loyalists.
Like it or not folks Sinn Fein will govern this country in the near future and that is easy to see.
Sinn Fein have a lot of new young well educated ladies and gentlemen very capable to sit in government and it won’t be long before they join the already capable SinnFein representatives.
The young people of this country are sick to the back teeth of the current government.
Watch this space.
Words right out of my mouth. Exciting times.
Well said Mert. My parents and theirs before them may have voted FF or FG, but the times are changing. Sinn Fein will be in power soon enough. Lets just hope they don’t go down the same road.
Go on the shinners.. No government should be left In power for more than one term. To many benefits a good shake up every election is the only way to keep it fresh and progressive.. Labour will be worse off than FF after the next election bloody vermin..
Take another 10% each off FG & FF , then I’ll believe it.
Enda stated earlier this year that the level of charges for water would be known and published before the local elections. You can comfortably take a few more percentage points off FG and Lab right there. With the current trend of lost votes going to SF they could well have the biggest vote in the locals. How that will equate to seats is another matter.
25%, I’d say? Depends on where polls are done, area should be identified and last election results also!
REDC usually poll nationally based on a level field of geographic areas, mobile/landline customers, and take statistics like age into account. Margin of error is generally considered +-3% in a worst case scenario but usually closer than that.
” With the current trend of lost votes going to SF they could well have the biggest vote in the locals. How that will equate to seats is another matter”
SF have never been able to translate polls into votes in an effective way. They usually do poorly.
IMO. that’s down to having low profile local candidates. I’ve no idea who my local SF candidate is, and I’d be more politically aware than most of my friends and family. I’m also in one of the most populous constituency’s in the country outside of . Yet, I could name many others from the other parties, and some Independents too.
People have decided to gloss over the murder of Jean McConville. Shame on us.
Some party’s are better off in opposition. Lab actually thought they could win the last election – ‘outright’….that was their mistake. The one reason everybody dislikes them is because they made so many promises. They didn’t have to do that to get what would have been their’s by default, for lack of viable choice for FG.
Left wing party’s like Lab, PBP and SF, become popular in times like this…….but do little more than soothe the guilt of our otherwise healthy appetite for Capitalism in FF & FG.
I’m confident SF won’t get carried away like Lab did!
@Sam in GE11 SF got 9.9% of the National vote but won 14 seats which equates to 11.86% of seats. Sf got a lot of 2nd/34d/4th votes from other candidates. They are viewed as transfer abhorrent but that is changing.
McGuinness also did poorly in the presidential election in 2011 with about 13.7%.
He hemorrhaged votes all over the place.
He still got double the votes of the main government partys candate Sam.
He also got half of what the FF candidate got, and closer to a 3rd of what the Lab candidate got. Hardly an awe inspiring performance. If memory serves me right he got hammered in the polls due to….eh….killing people.
What has that got to do with this conversation? . Sure FG killing people left and right and nobody says jack.
Try opening a newspaper or reading a leaflet that has been dropped trough you’re door and I might give you some idea who you’re local sinn fein candidate is.for
They don’t send any literature through my door, but thanks for the advice though. That’s ingenious.
Jean mc conville and father Malloy were both killed around the same time ….. A sitting minister was very involved in his death and cover up
Morelike McGuiness was killed in the polls due to a relentless negative campaigning, orchestrated in the main through O’Briens various media tentacles….payback no doubt, for that mobile license to print yo-yos by the bale!!
The recent water metering scam that was laid on for O’Brien, ought to pay for the next campaign of smear and innuendo in both their vested interests, yet such subversions of state have become the accepted norm under successive FF/FG/LAB regimes!
@pat fr molloy died in mid 80′s. Jean McConville shed early 70′s.
And your point is ………. Did minister Noonan ever answer the questions why he involved himself by talking to his friend the judge ……. Who later dropped the murder charges …….. All a little fine geal group of killers
So when you talk about murders in government address the cabinet members first and work your way down
Great to see the end of the dominant FF FG LAB parties that have ruined this state. Sinn Fein on the rise to 21% and i can feel their hurt and pain.
With all the scandals ongoing with Shatter, the HSE/St Vincents, REHAB etc.. you would think FF would capitalise somewhat off the Govts loss. 5% swing to SF is startling and well above margin of error.
All that is FF’s mess, most of the people involved were picked by FF and what a mess it is. FG/Labour, are showing they are no different to FF and those parties are strangling Ireland!
Great news. Some hope we will have a socialist alternative to the right wing domination on these islands
How? You can’t count Labour as ‘left’ surely?? That leaves SF and maybe a bit more than half the Independents which would come to about 34%….long way to go form a government!!
40% of the National vote in a general election scenario with decent vote management can win an overall majority of seats. It’s not that far off that now and with water charges to be announced and the Broadcast charge i can see some of the grey vote changing from the old guard. It’s far from impossible if it’s managed properly.
Neither Sinn Fein nor Independents get an uplift in seats because historically they don’t get transfers so they would need about 45% to be in with a hope.
Good point Padraig. That’s where vote management comes in – the established parties have the machine to manage that whereas several separate groupings have not. A new party would have to fight for both the left & the right votes to have any chance to get ground also.
Right wing to me means lower taxes, lower waste in the PS but higher overall tax take and better services. What’s wrong with that?
If FG were right wing we’d have lost 80,000 PS workers across various departments and County Councils.
Socialism is a great idea but eventually you run out of someone else’s money
Cue left wing hysteria and an avalanche of red thumbs….
Lefties are angry all the time. Righties shut up and work – but they vote. Religiously.
Interesting times ahead
Scrap Croke Park
But FG and Labour are right wing and we have had bank bailouts, private bondholder debts made public debt, developers and speculators cushioned by Nama – the largest property owner in the world.
The citizens have got misery, emigration, cutbacks, unemployment, levies, charges, reduced services, and higher taxes.
Classic socialism. Govt steps in to sort out a private sector problem. A right wing government would have let the banks go. Anglo + AIB would be ancient history and the tax payer would not have been burdened with €64 billion through debt socialization
Classic Neo-liberalism…..bail out your crony elites, socialise the debt and put the burden of the adjustment upon a divided and spun-drunk society of swallowers!
” This seemingly unstoppable drift toward statism is illustrated by the fate of the so-called Chicago School: Milton Friedman, his predecessors, and his followers. In the 1930s and 1940s, the Chicago School was still considered left-fringe, and justly so, considering that Friedman, for instance, advocated a central bank and paper money instead of a gold standard. He wholeheartedly endorsed the principle of the welfare state with his proposal of a guaranteed minimum income (negative income tax,) on which he could not set a limit. He advocated a progressive income tax to achieve his explicitly egalitarian goals (and he personally helped implement the withholding tax.) Friedman endorsed the idea that the State could impose taxes to fund the production of all goods that had a positive neighborhood effect or which he thought would have such an effect. This implies, of course, that there is almost nothing that the State can not tax-fund!
Today, half a century later, the Chicago-Friedman school, without having essentially changed any of its positions, is regarded as right-wing and free market.”
Hans Hermann-Hoppe
Views endorsed by John F Kennedy in the 1960′s can today only be found at the right-wing margins of the republican party.
Tony Blairs former spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, commenting on the Irish political landscape during the last elections described Fine Gael as closest, in doctrine, to Britains Labour party (a social democratic party) with all other Irish parties to the left of Fine Gael and no Irish equivalent of the Tory party.
The meaning of right or left changes over time and with context. Once parties that argued for maximum individual freedom and free markets were considered right-wing. None of Ireland’s parties subscribe to those principles today. Yet there is still a right and left.
Comments should be fun for this….gets popcorn ready.
Yet you wouldn’t vote for them either Norman…
I never follow the herd O Reilly, independent always.
Well given 22% of people would vote independent, you’re simply following one of the herds…
Mainstream herd O Reilly, the mainstream parties have destroyed our country.I exercise my right to vote but will not contribute to electing a useless idiot of a “nodding dog”TD.
The great Irish public desperately trying to find one party less worse than another. Failing.
Tell Silvio we said hello
O’Reilly, only one problem with your theory…People are voting Sinn Féin. Twenty years ago they couldn’t get a seat in an empty arena…now they have 14 in the Dail. People are sick of choosing between tweedle dee and tweedle dum. Sinn Féin are seen as a viable option. Bury your head in the sand if you wish but they will be in government here in our lifetime.
But they’re not. This poll is a protest poll. Nothing more. The next will have you back around 20%. And because of the current leadership no party will risk going into government with them for many years to come for fear of collateral damage when the true extent of their role in terrorism is revealed…
14 seats out of how many?
166.
Most people could name Mary Lou and Gerry. That’s about it.
OMG Reily do you actually read what you write…..a protest poll?! It’s responses like yours and a few others on here having heart attacks at the thought of a change from the status quo, that make moi –
(a floating voter, who indecently voted for Enda and co on the promise of burning senior bondholders….and I won’t go into the fact that they converted prom notes into sovereign debt) –
That make moi, a floating voter to actually consider voting for Sinn Fein. They contempt and brazen dismissal that is apparent in yours and others comments mirror that of the Dail. Time for change. I’m sick of the FF/FG roundabout and I want off! Please continue with your heart attack. I’ll continue reading, laughing and waiting for the GE.
Yours truly x
Why would the people be protesting O’Reilly ?
Would it be anything to do with lies and incompetence, i wonder ?
Sam – the Geography & History Classes – you shouldn’t have been mitching with your Blueshirt friends ?
If you’re going to make an attempt at a joke, try to be witty.
Jill, what’s the process you go through in your mind when making that decision. What makes you as a floater say people with blood on their hands, criminality, double standards, are fit to govern. How do you reconcile your own morals with that?
Sam – you are the joke …..a Chara
A Cork Unionist !
O’Reilly, that’s enough about your beloved Blue Blouses, the put upon masses are slowly coming round to recognrh these FG attributes!!
*recognise….even!
Sam, they only need to name one. The one they vote for. Watch and learn.
People don’t know who their local SF candidate is. That’s the point.
You keep knocking Sam and we’ll keep growing pal. Fair play to ya :)
Well father malloy’s killer is on the FG cabinet ……. Surely a priest killer and his friends must pay for the blood on their hands
I wonder if either SF or FF would actually consider forming a coalition. I know both parties have ruled it out in the past, but with the prospect of edging the other two parties out of power I do wonder if we’re likely to see it happen.
Well seeing as Lab won’t be around it changes the dynamic. The technical group rather than SF I’d say. No one wants to go into power with SF.
Fianna Fail will never support SF entering a position of power in this country.
FG, would go in with FF, after an election!
@SeanieRyan…..are you get red thumbs because people don’t believe you? Or because they do? ;)
lol.. if you say so Seanie. They’re all a bunch of self-serving sleveens so I wouldn’t put it past either party. Who ever would have thought that Labour would abandon their core vote and join forces with the most right-wing party in the country?
Fianna Failure would jump into bed with the Devil himself if there was a whiff of power and you know it Seanie!
I wouldn’t be to cock sure boy
Mart_n – It could well be , with Gerry as Taoiseach and Micheal Martin as Tanaiste !
They could be quite a good Team – what so you think Seanie Ryan ?
Look man ff are history if they don’t row in with Mary Lou – can progress until they act decisively m m weak and indecisive and the dubs won ‘t touch ff with a barge pole
So you don’t consider the North to be part of this country?
No Breandan, I don’t. Neither does anyone else.
Sam – I think a geography and history lesson might be in order for you ………. A Chara ?
“No Breandan, I don’t. Neither does anyone else.”
Good man ‘sam’, self appointed official spokesperson for everybody.
Ah werejammin. Don’t take it personally. It’s not my fault the North is not a part of the Republic.
How can the north be part of the republic? Its a different state.
Sam – What % of the vote are your “Anyone Else” Party getting in the Red C Poll ?
They are called Independents Ciarraioch. They don’t have dirty hands.
And tell me Sam , why did you Mitch the History and Geography classes in the National School in Passage West ? Were you out on a bit of Blueshirt training during school hours ?
Ciarraioch,
Northern Ireland is not part of the Republic. We don’t eant it nor them us. and we cannot afford it.
Unless and until SF realize that opinion polls will never materialize into electoral success. The demise of FF in the last election gave SF extra seats but look what it gave FG and Labour.
Why the surprise ? Labour have been in Coalition with Fine Gael many times in the past, they will join with any party to get into power as the record shows. Last time out was their big chance to lead the Opposition but guess what ? they prefer the trappings of power, you would think they would have learned their lesson by now but obviously they are slow learners.
CMac59 – Were you mitching from history and geography classes too ?
You may learn a bit about both – after May 23rd this year – when SF win Seats all over the 32 Counties of Ireland !
When you say country, do you mean the 26 Counties?
Two donkeys, both In denial, one denying he was ever part of a certain organisation and the other glossing over his parties past of which he was an integral part of and re: a FG/ff coalition well hell will freeze over first.
well said.
i note that the fg spokesperson has put the fall in support down to voter confusion….well i am not confused and will give the lab and fg candidates my response in local and euro elections for lying to me the moment they got into govt..
Take it down from the mast Irish traitors, its a flag we Republicans claim,
It will never belong to Free Staters,
You have brought on it nothing but shame.
Up the Shinners
Calling people who disagree with you “traitors” and barking trite slogans isn’t a great way of winning over undecided voters.
Its the words of a song by the Dubliners
Ian – the song is actually 95 years old and goes back to the Civil War years .
Look up all the lyrics and it will date it entirely , based on the names of those that it mentions !
That’s not quite catchy enough as an election slogan. My issue with the tricolour was seeing it draped over paramilitaries coffins during the Troubles.
but paramilitaries in the From 1916-20s was ok then??
yea i know
Take it down from the mast Irish traitors,
It’s the flag we Republicans claim.
It can never belong to Free Staters,
For you brought on it nothing but shame.
You’ve murdered brave Liam and Rory,
You’ve taken young Richard and Joe.
Your hands with their blood are all gory,
Fulfilling the work of the foe.
But we stand with Enright and Larkin,
With Daly and Sullivan bold.
Well break down the English connection,
And bring back the nation you sold.
So leave it to those who are willing,
To uphold it in war or in peace.
The ones who intend to defend it,
Until England’s tyrannies cease.
Written by James Ryan in 1923.
*We’ll break down..
Yeah Mark, and Mick Collins an co used
only water pistols?
Ian – we are in both parliaments on this partitioned island….
yea i know. where did i allude to the contrary?
You sold out six counties for your freedom,
Although we gave you McCracken & Tone.
Northern men have fought for you in Dublin,
Then you abandoned us to fight them on our own.
So take it down from the mast FF FG LAB traitors. Its a flag we Republicans claim!!
It’s the ECONOMY stupid!
- €500 million Tax on Family Homes (Anglo Tax). People very angry.
- €1.1 Billion Taxpayers money lodged in AIB Pension Fund. People very angry.
- €951 Annual Car Tax for pre 2008 cars when new Car Owners left off. People very angry forced off the road.
- Mortgage Crisis (Tax funded) still unresolved. People very angry.
- No FTT (Financial Transaction Tax) on Banks. People very angry.
We will tax your Family Homes to pay for Anglo: Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fail
We will NOT tax your Family Home. Sinn Fein. (nuf said)
5 points is huge…….more than I could drink in one night!
What a few years and a few lies can do to your party …32% in 2010 and now a sad 9%
I came here just to read the anti shiners comments. I’m surprised there’s not more yet. The anti shiners on here are priceless entertainment, and then the shiners replys… Hahaha. My Saturday nights entertainment is sorted. Let it begin :D
^ this guy must be having some Saturday night !
:( t’is truly sad yes but due to being taxed a stand slit by the current government it’s all I can afford to do :(.
Earth hour tonight tho ppl 8:30. Turn off everything electric for an hour an go for a walk :)
Slit? Still*
feck off
Aaron… Love u too buddy
Whenever one of these polls shows an increase in support for either of the Coalition parties, the good people of the Journal instantly write it off as being ‘rigged’ and ‘propaganda’.
What’s this count as then?
Who votes for these murders???
It’s only a poll, the vote is what counts and people change their mind on the day!
Plenty biggest party in Ireland
What about the “murders”of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael????
And we expect the people of NI to move om whilst many here plainly haven’t.
Lots f gael are in goverment
You and your colonial mindset will be long gone and me and future generations will see the country become what it was always meant to be a free thinking equal society that encourages people to achieve for the good of the country not for greed and class distinction. Away with you now your mindset is obsolete.Thank God for that.
GILMORE’S GARDAGATE FARSE http://twitpic.com/dzqt99
If fairness who would elect either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. Both of them have secured franco-german bondholders and pander to the interests of Brussels and Frankfurt while abandoning the interests of the people who elected them – us.
Who will we elect next?
IF we re-elect either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil it’ll only send the message that we’re going to tolerate their betrayals. If we elect them we’d be betraying our own interests.
I’ve never voted Sinn Féin before, because the thought never occurred to me (we still had the option of Fine Gael), and now I will. Now I’ll give them my vote and put my faith in them. Stigma won’t deter me.
They’ve been talking the talk for years now, who’s to say they wont walk the walk, rather than slither like the last showers have done.
Whoopee.
Just what will it take for FG voters to call a spade a spade.
I won’t be denying SF my vote because of their past. I’ll not be voting for them because of their lunatic economic policies.
Alan can you please enlighten us as to what these lunatic economic policies are?? We always hear this soundbite but very little substance to back up the argument then.
Lunatic economic policies like giving banks tens of Billions of taxpayers € by FF FG and Lab?? Nothing can be worse than that.
an indication that public confidence in the coalition government of Fine Gael & Labour is one of total dissatisfaction when considering the controversy over the last few weeks & unacceptable behaviour of the government to allow the office of the minister for justice to be undermined in order to protect one man and at the same time make a sacrificial lamb of another local elections and european elections will be a wake up call insane that will people be quick to forget that
Fianna Fail presided over the economic collapse of this country & loss of our national sovereignty.
When election comes people will be reminded what Sinn Fein/Provos foisted on the Irish public and country in the past and what they implement in Government up North and will run a mile just like they did with Mcguinness in presential election. Don’t get to excited!
Good ole blue shirt there. Yer finished. Go
Like everyone who airbrushed out of history the Powderpuff and waterpistol attacks by the “Good old IRA” who never were good. Typical freestate gombeen.
“will run a mile just like they did with Mcguinness in presidential election” . Yep. Keen observation there. Bearing in mind though that Martin McGuinness actually got more 1st preferences than SF did in the general election. Keep trying though !! Somethings gotta stick !
if we go by the preaidential election i seem to remember McGuinness got at least double the votes of the blueshirt!!
Shinners, calm down. How many times have you seen this in the last 5 years? Public anger, protest vote. This is the usual spike. The problem you have though is that at the ballot box, people can’t bring themselves to support you. Summers coming, economic recovery is in progress and unemployment rate is falling. But enjoy the next few days…
Hopefully some public observations on UHI will help.
O’Really , O’Reilly – it’s been a very bad debating day on TheJournal.ie for right wing Blueshirts and the worse thing of all in the Polls news is that it is going to drive all you guys demented altogether ! How will you even sleep tonight ….a Chara ?
Imagine , I mixed you up with a Dissident earlier – you extremists are like identical twins – The Hound of Cooley and yourself ….. A Chara !
Their the only party who work for the good of the people and not their own interests.
It’s “they’re” not “their” .
Didn’t Provo propaganda school teach you the Queen’s English?
Provo propaganda school!! Lol Rachel ye spanner.
Whoopee x 2. It’s just a shame the clocks go forward tonight!
I would be very worried about sinn fein policies. well I would be if I was one of th countries high earners in government and public servants or the private sector who have the government politicans in their pockets. unfortunately I am struggling on the minimum wage and finding the ever increasing number of not so well hidden taxes. that serve only one purpose, to make the poor poorer and the rich richer. if s.f don’t make it into government soon the people will revolt as they will have nothing left to lose.
both f.g and f.f would eat their own pooh to go into power with s.f if they held the balance of power.
Gerry will lead the country soon my friends. TAL.
At least 79% would not vote for SF/IRA even as a joke in a meaningless poll. A lot of deluded dimwits posting here.
Only loyalists from the likes of the DUP use language like “SF/IRA”.. are you one of those?
“Only loyalists from the likes of the DUP use language like “SF/IRA”
Really? I’m in Cork and plenty of people use the term down here. Either way, it’s not as if they are separate entities.
Maybe it’s catching on so.. Although you could say FF/IRA or FG/IRA if you really wanted to be pedantic. You see, these parties will cherish the leaders of times past, like Collins, Dev, Mulcahy, Brugha, O’Duffy etc.. blood and murder everywhere. They’ll all claim Pearse and Wolfe Tone. And Brian Boru is a legend. They ignore the misery of conflict and instead glorify the gallantry of a hero who fought for his people. You cannot separate the established parties of this island from the bloodshed of history.
also from cork and only ever heard it as s f
And yeah Pickart, 78% and 74% wouldn’t vote for FF and FG respectively. So your comment is meaningless.
Mark i doubt Sam is a Corkman, he certainly ain’t no Rebel. The only people I have ever heard use the term SF/IRA were DUP types on the tele. Dunno what kind of folk Sam hangs around with.
Hea probably from around Bandon. Lots of west Brits around there….
True Ian, all this talk about “Jackeens” when in fact Lily Brit got a great reception below in the “Rebel County” and in Dublin town was prettty much closed.
This poll is like your daughter coming home with the boyfriend with the mohican, leather studded jacket, motorbike, dog collar, stud through his tongue. Poorly educated, no hope of a job, dodgy criminal record but he likes to philosophize and speak his mind. Seems harmless on the surface, but you can’t help thinking danger lurks beneath the facade.
She gets a kick frightening her parents, pretending this guy is her type.
When it comes to actual marriage, someone she’ll have children with, someone she can rely on, she’ll settle down instead with the earnest accountant; someone who knows how to finance a household, worked hard and got his exams and is a responsible safe pair of hands.
Before that she’ll experiment, and try to scare her parents with a bit of rough. But she knows it is just a phase.
well the current accountant is after misplacing his calculator or got his degree collecting token . she should have stuck with the mohawk
Jaysus Gahon, you talk some sh!te.
Just goes to show ya that the people of Ireland are sick of the sight of fg/ff. Are people forgetting sin fein were the first political party here in Ireland and both micheal Collins and develera were both members of the party. We have to look after our own country ff/fg have proved that they are not to be trusted and have sold out the people of Ireland to Europe. Making the people pay for their mistakes
Real vote is on May 23rd. Shinners represent nothing more than protest and fantasy economics
The cult of Adams won’t achieve anything near 1 in 5 votes
Fantasy economics? You know more than the department of finance then, do you kenneth?
Patricia Lyons probably. One leaves another arrives.
Rachel all you seem to do on here is badger the shinners. Is your purpose here so vitriolic and one-dimensional?
I will seriously consider emigration if Sinn Fein come into power.
Most normal people couldn’t stomach having Sf/IRA in power. Even the risk of it will see a flight of capital from here
Good luck.
Slán GP foil Eamoan.
Won’t happen Eannan. They’ll need a large coalition partner to carry them, and no one would touch them with a barge poll.
Even if by some twist of fate they did form a minority (tiny minority) coalition, they’ll face the same fate as the pds, greens, and lab.
Make sure you buy a one way ticket.
Genuine question here to all the Sinn Fein supporters. Economically speaking what kind off alternative do you think they are offering that is better than what we have now? do ye really believe that this economic alternative is possible or sustainable if they get into power?
Anything is possible Sean, you just have to believe. Now who was it said that?
Who said it Jamie, enlighten me
A copy of Sinn Feins budget submission costed by the Department of Finanace is available on their website, as are their policies.
You’re supposed to answer “It was you” and I say “no, it was Peter Pan” and I slam the book playfully. Quote from the “Michael Collins” movie. After that you get me access to the Castle and I read all the files.
“At the same time I think we shall safely avoid State Socialism, which has nothing to commend it in a country like Ireland, and, in any case, is monopoly of another kind. ”
Quote from Michael Collins (not the movie)
Costed just means the figures on the page add up, not that the policy will work
Rachel the man was Minister for General Mayhem, give the bloke a break.
The arrogance of alan shatter is reflected in the polls
Judging by the like votes for pro SF comments, and dislike for those against here on this article, SF are doing a bit of vote management already.
I always see a lot of thumbs up for comments that support their arguements for burning bondholders, a united Ireland, our right to pursue monetary and fiscal policies which suit our economy.
I often thumb it up too, not because it’s Sinn Féin, but first and foremost because I agree with it . I don’t think people thumb it up just because they support Sinn Féin, more that the people support the particular principle or argument. If Sinn Féin concur on the issue, sure, then I agree with them, but I don’t agree with them for the mere sake of it.
I’ve never voted Sinn Féin before because I’m right wing conservative, but I think it’s about time I did. They represent my views an a lot more issues than Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil have.
No Joe. SF have strong support from younger people. Younger people dominate the Journal. On voting day many of them will be on here instead of down at the polling booth.
Remember. 79% of people do not support SF. That’s not reflected in the thumbs up or down. But it is reflected out there in the big bad electoral world.
Surely it’s the preserve of middle aged, brow beaten, tax martyrs still suffering from generational, post colonial stress disorder to rp off the hamster wheel of
*step off…..of voting for the same tired and untrustworthy, centre-right gombeen, mainstays!
Sam, I’m 19 and a right wing conservative like I said, yet I’ll be voting Sinn Féin in May. It’s not because of who they are or the history associated with the party, but because Sinn Féin upholds my principles. Also, both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have taken us for shit and facilitated our country being struck to it’s knees for the pleasure of Franco-German banks, the EU and ECB, and all at the expense of the people. This condict cannot be tolerated, or it will go on. Patries that fail to perforn need to be held accountable and be seen to be held accountable by the electorate. To re-elect either of them would be a massive lowering of standards by us as a nation. Let them have no choice but to shape up or ship out. Sinn Féin have talked big talk for some time now, they may very well walk the walk.
You better get your bags packed!
Let the Swing begin baby!!!!
They’d be great if their priority wasn’t a united island. I fear if they get into power all energy will go on uniting 32 counties before pursuing anything else. False fear?
The National Question has always been the most pressing and indeed emotive issue the State has said since it’s inception. It isn’t going away you know. Read the 1916 Proclamation. The Republic is all of Ireland and all of her people having equal rights, freedom of thought and expression, and free from a foreign power who would try to divide and control us. We don’t have the Republic we so desire, but we won’t stop pushing for a free and just society for all our citizens. We could be the best country in the world. I already think we are, warts and all.
What about the rights of the 2,000+ murdered by SF members, many brutally killed purely because of religion
“killed purely because of religion” you say… That was the Loyalists you’re thinking of. Aided and abetted by the sneaky British who hoped to foment anarchy, therefore perpetuating the mayhem they claim to have to come to quell. Old days but we’re getting there.
Over 2,000 people were killed by Republican paramilitary forces between 1969 and 2001.
Of those, 35% were civilians.
363 were killed by British security forces.
Of those 51% were civilians.
1,019 were killed by Loyalist paramilitaries.
Of those, 85% were civilians.
Lot of SF supporters on here it seems, Sf seem to me to be a protest party, that said, and I never thought I’d hear myself say this but, if they did get into power it might just be the shake up we need, there are no other real alternatives out there, only same old two same same parties, oh and of course labour, sf might annoy a lot of people wit their constant soap box politics but it’s easy to be on your snap box when you know you haven’t a sniff of getting real power, if they did get into power you would see them move toward the center more and find they have to play the game somewhat, it would be inevitable, too much lobbying from vested interest, only thing I would worry about is a lot of American multi nationals might balk a bit at the prospect, but big business always finds a way to work wit unpalatable politics as history shows. At end of the day it’s mainly money that makes the world turn , and politics is never far from the money. I think sf need a few more center realistic mainstream candidates who don’t have such dark histories, maybe a few defections from other parties and few new to politics types would help. Sure at the end of the day we always have Angela M holding whoever’s in charges hand
Just think of the damage Phil Hogan will do to those counties who vote SF in the local elections. We will then see the extent of FG style democracy.
Caption for Gerry’s photo should be ‘We got ‘em”
On the ledge of glory !
Say a few on here would vote against a united ireland just to spite Sinn Fein , shows you how divided this country is not just north and south!
Fianna ‘Fail’s legacy – voters are now clutching straws – who next us set to ‘govern’ Ireland…
So, no two parties together even manage 50% of the poll, never mind a majority. Not exactly overwhelming support for anyone, is it ? And………it’s just a poll and subject to the usual,vagaries.
Crazy to see the Irish finally doing something different! Good news
Isn’t it time for FG and FF to finally merge since there’s hardly a whit of difference between the two? Or must our party system remain forever the same as it was in 1923?
have your say