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Everyone’s talking about…
Labour pains.
Can Joan Burton get her party back on track?
The Tánaiste will be rallying the troops at the Labour party conference in Killarney this weekend. The theme of the event is ‘Opportunity 2016’, highlighting how focused the party is on the next election – come what may.
Labour has continuously bobbed along at less than 10% in opinion polls, coming in at just 7% in the Red C/Sunday Business Post poll last weekend.
Burton is remaining optimistic, however, telling reporters yesterday: “When the election comes people will make choices about what’s best for them, what’s best for their community, what’s best for their family, what’s best overall for the country.”
I don’t think that people have focused on those key questions yet, they will as the election draws closer.
The Social Protection Minister said the Labour party has played a vital role in ensuring the economic recovery, although she acknowledged it “hasn’t spread to everybody”.
Essentially, she mused, voters will be faced with two choices in the general election: stability or “taking a risk on people … who don’t really seem to have much capability to address the problems in the Irish economy”.
The agenda
Inside Leinster House
There is discontent among the Fianna Fáil ranks, with John McGuinness saying the government should not rule out selling its Aer Lingus stake to IAG – in contrast to the party’s official stance.Transport spokesperson Timmy Dooley later took to Twitter to say his colleague was merely “expressing a personal view“.
What the others are saying
In case you missed it
On the tweet machine
One Senator aimed a less than complimentary pun at Enda Kenny.
Originally published: 9am
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Nothing, you’re done.
a public flogging would be nice………still wouldnt vote for them though
Or we could make a commitment to them that we would vote them back in after the public flogging, and once the public flogging was over we would p*ss all over the commitment and do whatever the fliuch we want to for the good of ourselves
A good way to raise money , I would gladly pay to see that
If they free the H.S.B.C. 350 then that’s 350 votes for them, and then there’s close friends (3) and family (1200) ….
That’s enough for one candidate to get their election fee back ..
Excellent investment of 3 million quids worth of tax payer’s money ….
Take a running jump, I would support that.
Start by cutting the cost of living.
Tackle the vested interests of solicitors, accountants, doctors, drug companies etc all of which were supposed to be reformed in the troika agreement and which add a considerable amount to products and services we use
I recon fg and labour are going to try and buy the people of Ireland with the next budget.Now the question is are the irish going to take the bait as they have done in the past or are we truly after waking up time will tell._._….._….._….._….._Remember remember property tax usc iw vat increases bankers and bonders bailed out lies corruption broken promises.Protestors arrested democracy erosion suicide Evictions repossessions the list goes on._.All in the name of banks and thats just the beginning._. As max keiser would say rip it up._.
There’s no such thing as real Labour support. I’m reminded of a quote I heard a few years ago. “What’s the difference between an Irish socialist and a European socialist? European socialists believe that everyone should pay for everything, Irish socialists believe someone else should pay for everything. The few dyed in the wool labour supporters depend on swaying a mass of people who I think believe that someone else should pay and there’s a fairy godmother out there that will grant their wishes to get into power. When the harsh reality of the real world finally dawns, these ‘supporters’ are off following the next fairy godmother selling that same old story that there’s someone out there who will pay for everything.
iPhone Joan,She only opens her mouth to change feet.
Your history Joan
A move to Frankfurt would be popular – Mario Draco would vote for them !
What’s with all the scary photos lately.
Absolutely nothing, they can be sure that the only support they will get is a massive kick out the gate of government buildings and never return
With all the money the Labour party spent on advisors surely some one should have told Joan Halloween masks should be removed by now.
I was about to say the same thing.
Collective Hari kiri? Go on!
X 1000
I think that Joan has lost her way with the common people, she looks tired and old. She should take herself around some of the country’s poorer regions during the St.Patrick’s holiday and engage more with people young and old. She needs to meet people on low income desperately trying to make ends meet and single mothers struggling to look after their children. Going abroad for St.Patrick’s is a total cop out in my view….
Labour 2011 oppose water charges. 2015 Labour Minister implements water charges.
Absolutely. Nothing you’ve lied & betrayed the nation .
Completely agree, Labour burnt bridges with voters, I will never vote for FF or LAB or Greens so we will have a choice of voting Fianna Gael who pretty much have done what they set out to do(regressive taxation policies, targeting the lower paid & vulnerable just to get this country back on track) or we vote Fianna Fail(who messed up the country) Sinn Fein(Great opposition party but are they ok to be in government), Anti Austerity, people before profit or a rake load of independents. Unfortunately an awful lot of voters will play it safe and vote Fianna Gael as the economy is improving etc.
Well Ger I just want to point out something at least Fianna Fáil looked ashamed when they sold us mackerels vs Labour and Fine Gael that would tell you that this square peg will fit into this round hole because they say so.
Nothing the damage is done and being felt . from health to services to roads. Pity they forget that there is more to Ireland than just the cities but don’t worry the people have not forgotten.
Funny you mention roads. The council block grant was either cut or abolished the other day and it is my interpretation and I could be wrong but parking charges and other forms of charges in the local areas, towns and cities are going to rise now to make up for this loss of funding.
Stay classy Labour!!!
Topple this Government.
Well Spidey was just pointing out what the electorate will be facing when it comes to voting I am not affiliated with any party but realistically would you vote FF/Green Party after what happened? Labour lied lied lied and FG lied but not as much as labour and FG pretty much stuck to there manifesto of introducing taxation measures and sticking to the IMF/Troika deal, they loosly prmoised to go to Europe and try get a debt deal, Labour went with Frankfurts way or Labours way which will cost them seats. Not sure why I got red thumbed when I was simply pointing out what the electorate will face come next General election to stay with FG and some other party/Indos or go and vote for the opposition parties, guarantee you the Government in the next budget will buy the electorate with a generous budget package just so they can stay in power, remember Enda Kenny would be the first FG Leader to retain power
crocodile tears from a bunch of conniving thieves is no act of contrition, FF is still the same bunch of crooks that bankrupt this country, whilst putting themselves and their party before everyone else. We never ever want them back.
Ger same here. Not affiliated with anyone at all but I will tell you who I will vote for and why.
I want to see SF/FF in government next time and if the numbers don’t add up then I want to see an alliance of Shane Ross’s independents in there that can hold a government to account based on moral issues.
I know SF have a past I wouldn’t be happy about and I am not exactly happy about their continued support of the PLO and Hamas. But I can look beyond this because they are the last untested option.
I know FF also have a past I wouldn’t be happy with either but they have a proven record of creating jobs, a fair society, free education, decent services for decades now. The bailout/ crash was a major blip but what can you do in the face of one devil the other one doesn’t seem too bad tbh.
FG went against a number of things. The first was the bonds, next was not another penny to be invested in the banks, the next was the signing over of bonds into sovereign debt etc etc etc. Irish Water was never supposed to be a private company in waiting. At the front doorsteps the party promised a Public entity that was transparent, cost effective and designed to be efficient. Has anything Fine Gael done to date been efficient other than taking your money via taxes and charges and cuts??
My Father went over to London in the 1980s when I was baby to send home food because the Fine Gael government messed the workers of the construction industry around. My father was able to come home because of Fianna Fáil and Charles Haughey’s government and get a well paid job and sustainable employment for over 2 decades. Sure the man was the biggest backhander of the lot of them but my family would be living in the UK right now only for this guy and his policies.
My point is it is not as clear cut as saying FF wrecked everything. There were a number of factors. -
-Labour and Fine Gael wanted an even bigger property bubble.
-The IMF couldn’t secure a writeoff of our debt because of the EU.
-It was clear B. Lenehan was bullied into taking the bailout.
-The ECB and the Irish Central Bank turned a blind eye to what was going on.
-Maastrict and Lisbon signed us into a position where we have to adhere to certain rules which hung us out to dry.
Bear in mind that France is seen as in trouble too. There is no talk of a bailout or austerity there yet they are not being bullied into anything. Italy the same.
I’m sorry Spiderman but we must stop this rotten claptrap rubbish that the divil you know is somehow better that the unknown. One and for always we must no longer accept or forgive, liars, thieves or self serving opportunists in Irish politics. Once identified as such they must forever after be pariahs and driven from political life. We must demand better.
Doc who do you want in?
The reality is that 3 parties are hovering around 20% in the polls and the independents are in and around that with them.
There is a couple of scenarios that could work and a lot of them involve Fine Gael. If you take FG out of the picture and Labour only a few options are left. Now it’s great to be idealistic and hope for something but you have to look at the current stats and the current stats don’t support other emerging parties like DDI for example to do well. It’s a shame really because I like the idea of a Direct Democracy but at the same time I am not sure about the way the party is run either.
Hence my point about the divil you know. Demanding is one thing but solutions is another.
How annoy demonstrating spontaneous human combustion, then when we say ‘list last pants on fire’ is true!
On current figures from polls it is clear that you want Fine Gael in the mix. If you take FF out that is the only logical solution to forming a government if an election was called right now.
Unless there is some surge in support for SF or Independents between now and then it’s either the divil you know or the divil you don’t. We need solutions not Square pegs round holes.
About not annoy although that could work too :)
There is no reason to suggest that from 166 elected representatives a Government could not be formed. The untruth that party politics is the only way is finished. Sound policy based on proven methodology driven by goal orientated targets rather than party ideology is the way forward. It is time to forever rid our selves of the political cancer of the cute hoor. Those TD’s that simply make up the numbers under the party system must be rejected as the useless and unnecessary luxury they are, a luxury we can no longer afford
Spiderman, it is a pity you wern’t around to see the cronyism of FF in the eighties then you might understand some of the deep rooted problems with this countrY that began with Lynch buying an election by scrapping rates. I well remember Haughy telling the people to tighten their belts while raising his own salary and of those around him. Then there was Bertie Ahern and Cowan telling us that this was one of the wealthiest countries in the world then saying that there wasn’t a ‘red penny’ to build a much needed hospital in the north east. Sure I am not happy with this lot either but at least they are making a reasonable attempt to keep us afloat and get the economy going again. I believe that it is now up to the Irish people to get behind them and future governments to help build a fairer society for everyone as was the ideal of the countries patriots of a centry ago.
Joan and Eamon sheep head don’t give a bollix. The two of them destroyed the labour party and will retire together in the sun making sweet love to each other.
We allowed our politicians to do as they have always done, look after themselves and their cronys. We dont get out and vote, we dont use our vote wisely when we do vote. That is how we getting the same sh!t sitting on the gravy train that Leinster house has become. Thanks to Phil Hogan, his pure hatred and arrogance, and IW, people have woken up to what goes on, they can see through spin and know a lie when they hear it. As long as people get out and vote and use the vote well, whatever coalition forms the next government will be on a warning from day one that lies, spin and sh!t being shovelled down people’s throats wont be acceptable. People will take to the streets again. As for Labour, they are finished. As for FG getting another chance, it’s not going to happen.
Chris are they making a reasonable attempt to get the economy going?
Look at the long term picture that FG/ Lab are actually painting.
-They have no strategy to implement Bim/ lean management into the construction industry which other countries like Australia, Finland and the UK are doing right now and are feeling the benefits. This is stimulating the construction industry with the same amount of funding with the upshot of employing more people.
-They have no strategy to get mothers and fathers on the dole out to work long term which is evident in the fact that we have the highest childcare costs in the world.
-We have a health service that is not fit for service, and is only one crisis away from collapse.
-We have a new super quango emerging which is set to cost the taxpayer an absolute fortune and line the pockets of key minsister’s family members and friends.
Staying with cronyism Chris. Look at Alan Dukes in Anglo Irish Bank look at Rehab, look at Alan Kelly’s brother in Irish Water, look at Simon Coveney’s brother that is in the provate sector all benefiting from having a family member/ friend in government right now.
Even Eamo Gilmore got his wife into a nice cushy 100k job when he was more prominent. The laugh of the thing is Fine Gael and their cronyism is alive, it is well and what sickens me most is Kenny asked us several times to “tighten our belts” too.
I was talking to you yesterday and a number of times about your son Chris and he had to go on Jobridge as had I because of their policies. And your own son had to emigrate out of here because of the hash they are continuing to make of our economy. In ten years time we might not even have enough skilled graduates and workers for the smart economy that is needed to link into sustainable growth and that is their fault. It cannot just all be FFs. Afterall FG and Labour never shouted stop either to the increases in their salaries each year in the tune of 5-10% under Bertie. And I really think we should remember that.
Spiderman, there is also cronyism in other countries governments including Australia and the UK. The Conservatives in Britain will pull every string in the book to stay in government, but neither party Conservatives or Labour are trusted by the electorate to govern alone. The same will happen here that no one trusts the main parties anymore to govern alone so whatever five point plan, labours way or big society nonesense they talk about before an election is scrapped when it comes to forming a coilition government. Fianna fail on the VB show last night said that they will promise nothing and give us nothing. If thats the kind of government you want then god help us….why even bother to vote.
Spiderman_Irish we need a complete overhaul of our political system and rid of party politics.
Well let’s see they increased Third Level Education costs, introduced Irish Water, Property Taxes etc etc etc
Despite their promises not to bring in these things. Yet they have the cheek to blame the people when we get annoyed over their failures?!
Listen Joan et al you would be better exiting stage left now before people really do get angry.
Don’t forget we are all being bullied into taking private medical insurance when we were promised universal health care. Once again those trapped in the middle will be punished and it will be a huge disincentive for people to come off benefits. The tiny decrease in income tax in no way compensates for the extra burdens being placed on households
Anne Marie same goes for the privatization of college and university here in Ireland. The real crime is that we will still be paying the same money for these things in tax but paying now for a private service on top of it all.
You are bang on the euro!
We are fastly heading to a situation where we will be paying for ALL services separately so that our general tax money can be diverted to the EU and politicians.
DOB the big problem was that the IMF couldn’t install a program here like they do in other countries where they effectively chop large swades of the debt off a country and then lend at a cheaper rate than the markets. This was because of the EU’s insistence that we pay 100 cent in the euro of our debt.
Now whether Kenny, Hayes, Noonan etc asked for that writedown or kept schum, is irrelevant because they got a minor writedown 2 years ago which basically signed over the bond debt that no one really had to pay here vs the current reality that it is now sovereign debt! It’s all fantasy economics and spin by these people. We cannot sustain this level of debt and maintain the level of services needed for a European society to function and allow people decent rights.
the debt will kill us in the end especially when it’s currently costing 20c in every Euro just to service it. I believe that he didn’t ask for a write down, words tossed around are that they asked for certain situations to happen which would could or should have resulted in a situation where a debt write down was possible. obviously this did not pan out and no direct write down was asked for. Kenny kinda proved this on primetime where he refused to be drawn down on the subject and just kept coming out with the old faithful line “on the contrary” when the the question only required a yes or no answer.
Well said Spiderman your right on the button.
Don’t forget bilderberg Dnis
Don’t forget bilderberg Denis.
Labour party is a dead duck. You can’t lie and cheat like that for years and then expect forgiveness
Sack Joan
Beg Roisin shortal to come back and be the new leader.
Get rid of rabbite and start telling the truth
First rational thing you’ve posted
Shortfall is as bad as the rest, had a row with her on the door about the housing crisis coming she was very dismissive and downright rude once they don’t think you’ll vote for them their gone
I’ve been saying that for awhile now Sinister but she has a lot of people fooled.
They can Resign from the Coalition ASAP , call for A General Election and restore a tiny bit of credibility?
Other then that – they are history , as they will be ultra lucky , to save a half dozen seats in Dáil Éireann !
Too little too late. Will never give them a vote again.
They may struggle to even get 6 seats.
7% so-called-support in the polls will not translate into seats because the core Labour vote will be too scattered and and they are quite obviously transfer toxic.
Also, all the good ex-Labour people who have backbone and integrity are gone (Róisin Shortall, etc).
Burton herself will struggle to get re-elected.
I don’t think they can lie will do anything…. The only way of saving some of their vote base was if when Joan burton took leadership they had of withdrawn their support for the government and forced a snap election… But alas Joan followed on with the farce and hence no burton bounce
Just go away Moanie Burton and take your little gang with you
Joan asked a direct question about water charges and protesting about complete abolition in the Dail by Mary Lou yesterday. She answered the question with dribble and spoke about how great an achievement the motorway to Waterford around Kilkenny is.
Em…answer the question Joan
Of course they can get it back and track but it would involve listening to the people that put them in government and a climb down on water charges. Either that or pull the plug and give us an election now (which will of course be all about water charges)
If they don’t they are finished as a party in this country. Most of what I see of labour is a geriatric party made up of those waiting on the pension to kick in and have completely lost touch with the essence of their party and the people that supported them.
Same story every day dressed up in a different headline. The Journal ‘The King of Trolls’.
Throw on the towel and call a GE now. I would respect you then.
In*
They need tp get rid of Burton for a start, then own up that they have conned their supporters and after that take time out from government and concentrate on forming a proper proposal plan for the workers of this country.
Don’t worry George, they’ll be taking the “time out” from government soon enough
disband
Perhaps make a moral judgement…..hold on they lack morals, credibility is gone. Can’t wait till they get hammered come the election.
Nothing at all no way back damage is done.
I love the way Ged Nash is proud to open the Low Pay Commission today!
It is a part time position that only a Union official i.e a Labour crony could realistically take up. And gets paid double/ triple what most college kids get paid for doing for a years work inside 20 or so days.
It is no wonder to me why Ged Nash can’t walk around Drogheda these days. He used to drink with the 18-25 year olds to procure votes and now he literally runs from them. If you approached him in a shop in Drogheda on one of those rare occasions that he surfaces and come at him about his record, he literally runs!!!
I love the sole red thumb!
Ged if you want to comment have the guts to write something or better yet face the people of Drogheda that elected you vs doing a hidden little red thumb. As much as I got to dislike Dominic Hannigan at least he comes forth and faces people and that I think is brave considering some of the things you guys have done. He is about the only Labour politician with a backbone.
Nothing the damage has been done.
I’ll be going for the “stability” option Joan….. unfortunately that doesn’t mean you.
I fell for that last time and YOU let me down. (Yes, I voted Labour, this time I’m reading the small print)
Remember, only RONSEAL does exactly what it says on the tin.
They can start by derailing the proposed legislation that will empower landlords to rob their tenants.
Shame on you Joan and shame on you labour. Yet again you have been given the reins and once again have failed miserably. You left government in 87 having ruined the economy and couldn’t make your mind up in the mid nineties.
Labour are a lobby group at most. You have betrayed the people again and will not be forgotten. There will be a lot of lent votes returning in the ballot box let me tell you!
Disband
Jump off the cliffs of moher, there it is one simple action.
There is nothing labour could do to earn my vote ever again.
I will never trust them or believe them as long as I live.
Well if they all resigned and left the country, it would be a good start to people starting to even tolerate their existence.
You lied and sold out so their is nothing you can if you stay in government pull out and you may win a few more back as for myself Labour will never get a vote again
Labour would win back my support if they made an announcement like:
“The Labour Party is decommissioning itself today as a party as an act of atonement for the abuse of our mandate, the deception and deceit inflicted on our electorate and the people of Ireland in general”.
Labour’s final statement as a party would go on… “Furthermore, our ministerial pensions, which were ill-gotten by aforementioned deceptions, will be forfeited and donated in full to homeless charities, thereby helping to rectify a problem that our policies created. Finally, we would like to apologise to James Larkin and James Connolly and their descendants for destroying our once-proud Labour Party which has been instrumental in creating an Ireland where the rich have become richer and the poor poorer”.
Labour has as much chance of getting into government as I do becoming a Chinese Jet Pilot.
Harro Mavorick….;)
They had one final chance to redeem themselves following gilmore stepping down. They chose to replace him with his second in command who stood behind every betrayal, and in doing so have destroyed their party.
@ WJ, they know well that they are on the brink of the biggest kicking a party will ever get in living memory and it’s well deserved.
This could have been avoided from the grassroots up.
But thanks to the unbelievable arrogance and distain labour will be crushed and even the labour brand will carry as much respect as the pd’s and the greens.
They will be the laughing stock for generations to come and it’s all thanks to the absolute arrogance of a few and the ignorance of the many.
overturn corruption in the postcode tender
It’s obvious
Bigger t*ts need bigger bras…
Wheeling out embittered unelectable Lorraine Higgins as a hit woman every time a press conference is called is sinking them even faster , Pat Rabid is doing a sterling job also .
Too late for labour , but don’t forget whose lapdogs they are .
Joan burton is the face of the Labour Party. The only thing she should be the face of is condoms. Under the heading ” if you don’t use condoms, you could create something like this”
Nothing but let’s remember FG can offer nothing either.
Poll after poll has shown that the electorate has become indifferent to Labour.They are now irrelevant, they stand for nothing.Even their champion cause of marriage equality has been stolen by Enda.
They have nothing to offer only a continued focus of resentment for the policies that have destroyed much of The poorer in our society.
If they return 10 TD’s in the next Dail it will be an achievement. Even Joan is tipped to loose her seat.
The Labour Party reminds me of an airplane abandoned by its crew, on autopilot, going nowhere in particular waiting for the fuel to run out!
“Choice between stability and..” Stability for who?? For Europe’s financial accounts that’s who.
I’ve voted labour #1 in previous elections. Can’t see it happening again anytime soon.
They’re just not that competent and remind me an awful lot of the uk Labour Party – smoked salmon socialists, too many of whose policies negatively impact the working class that party is supposed to represent.
Labour are supposed to be a party for the everyday people but sold their soul as soon as they went into Government with Fine Gael, they became the bitch to the overlord that is Fine Gael and went against everything that they were meant to stand for. I’m ashamed to say I voted in Labour in the last election on the pre-election promises but no way will I be voting for them next year……no need way at all.
The only way to get Labour back on the right track like most parties is for them all to resign and for people with degrees in relevant fields to fill the positions. Not Joan Burtons neices or nephews.. Or farmers, or the local post master. There’s plenty of great minds in this country that could lead us to be prosperous.. Stand up and be counted.
How anybody would vote for those fuk wits in the first place is beyond me. They wouldn’t be capable of running a tap.
Nothing,people can’t stand liars,they are dead in the water,a party not for the people.
Emigrate
Órla Ryan – I am gonna send you a bill for a new computer screen, I just blurted coffee all over this one when i saw that photo at the top, I mean, My God!!!..
The only saving grace for labour is to callapse the current government. Even that is probably to late. The Greens and P.D’s committed political suicide to keep themselves in government with a corrupt partner and labour have done the same. RIP labour party.
Liars
Arrogance
Betrayers
Out of time
Useless
Rotten
I hope that spells it for you Burton.
Burton I did say on here before that when you come into my street spouting lies during electing time I would personally pull down all your posters. By the look of things right now I know that this time I’m going to have a lot of help.
What pissed me off about joan bruton in particular is her relentless assault on single parents of which I’m one. Fathers were first to loose their single parent tax credits and ow the mothers so no, i won’t be voting for these liers again.
Nothing. They’re toast, and deservedly so, after betraying every principle they stood for. Or maybe, for all those years they were just paying lip service to those principles. They certainly ditched them quick enough once they got a sniff of power.
Not much. But they can start by abolishing jobbridge and reintroduce the old system where it’s left up to people (like before), scrap jobplus, reintroduce the sunday premium pay, make it more difficult for employers to fire workers.
Count the directorships they take when leaving Office.
Call an election
Disgraceful Labour . Abandoned principles and the people started by Gilmore finished with Burton.
It’s way 2 late the lying b******s.
I can only talk about my own area ‘Cork South West’ -where Michael Mc Carthy is long odds on to lose his seat .
Labour lairs and traitors have stabbed the Irish people in the back.
Even if they said they were going to get rid of Irish Water and the property tax I still wouldn’t vote for them. You can’t believe a word they say, their former leader even admits this is the case
Disband !!!!
Labour are just “Endapendents” ……. Maxing Voters Tax!
Look after the workers and not themselves
Why don’t they move back to England where their last Election campaign came from ?
Look at the imagery of Tony Blair and the imagery of Gilmore’s campaign – the same except for a rose !
They can repeal the 8th amendment, have a referendum on terminations, change the archaic lone parent payments, give equal paid parental leave, sort out the appalling state of
Just go away please
Commit harakiri.
How about just quit while their behind
Lose Labour, and fine Fine Gael ( heavily)!
Educated debate – something u don’t see on this site anymore.
True Bazalini but we know you try hard.
Bazalini, can you remember a single worthwhile debate on TV between Irish politicians over the last 10 years! I’ve watched the majority of them and I can’t.
They should all go into a closed room, and run up the gas bill
Pull out of the government NOW not next month or in a few months. General election ASAP.
Labour, Labour, Labour ! Out, Out, Out. Larkin and Connolly must be spinning in their graves at the behaviour of these so called working class defenders. A party that once stood for something sold out at the earliest opportunity.
Joan’s mug shot could be used as a cure for premature ejaculation!
Labour have lost so much credibility, I feel sorry for any decent people who have supported them, lied and betrayed.
I think the hierarchy of labour Rabbite-Gilmore-Burton have done so much damage it will be at least 20 years before the party can recover.
If they think that Kelly bloke is the future they’re sadly mistaken another jumped up liar.
Remember Rabbite’s “sure thats what you do at election time” promise the Sun Moon and Stars but deliver horse manure.
What choice do people have? FF/greens destroyed the country.
FG/Labour enforce austerity causing a brain drain and suffering for the poorer sections of society.
Sinn Fein maths never add up and are political jackals they’ll flip flop and pander to the populace.No Substance.
The Left is splintered and contains the good the bad and the ugly.
Reboot Ireland? (what back to 1950s Ireland)Creighton’s Cretin not a chance.
Then you’ve independents some are FG independent etc! Wtf? Party-lite! It
would be great if we had a Dail full of educated independents all acting for the good of the country like Iceland’s parliament but dream on.
What do the rest of you think?
Nothing. I mean getting protestors arrested just takes the biscuit. Joan seems to me to be someone who when she wants to get something done, she don’t have a clue how to do it and then can’t understand why its not magically done! Like a manager of a football team, with no strategy, and can’t understand why their always losing!
The country is coming back to normality. Lower unemployment, economics are better, people have more confidence. The tide will turn.
And all the economists are saying the U.S. is ready for another recession later this year… Are we planning for that, no just putting out election spin?
Sinn Fein have done an excellent job targetting and consuming the Labour heartland right across Ireland. The divisive politics of hate has served them well in NI and it is working well in the Republic.
Does Labour have the spirit left to draw back any of the 100s of 1,000s of voters who have left to join Sinn Fein?
Labour needs an immediate radical re-think and fresh team at the top or they are in danger of annihilation at the polls.
Silly comment. Labour walked away from their base, not the opposite. As the largest party closest to the principals of an actual labour party, that support then shifted to SF.
Oh, can you explain how this SF ‘divisive politics of hate’ works, I could use a chuckle…
Labour’s fault is that they allowed themselves to be bullied by your lot FG John, it seems whenever the majority party Fine Gael said jump Labour said how high?.
Gutless!.
go live on mars
Labour are lucky to have SF/IRA as their key opposition! When the election arrives people will run to normality rather than vote for the revised terrorist organisation.
If the polls were up/down for Labour I could agree with you.But nearly all the polls in the last 18 months have shown Labour at 7% allowing for a 3% +/-.
There is nothing to distinguish them from FG, hence they are irrelevant and would be better merging into FG they offer nothing as a independent party.
Norman – the difference will be when the public have to make up their mind who they want to govern. The public are not stupid – they will look at what is good for themselves and the country. While Labour have made significant errors they have protected Social Welfare When you look at the string of comments on the Journal you would assume that everyone is pro the left. Remember that over 60% of the country support FG / FF and Labour.
Power FG at 24 %, FF at 19% that’s 43% not 60%.
Btw broken red line issues are not ‘errors’ but outright lies.
I defy you to identify the between FG and Labour.
Should have added Labour at 7%, so a combined 50% again not 60%.
Too late, too late, too late.
Nothing…..they’re fooked
She could put a hosepipe on the exhaust of her state car then feed it in through the windows and spend another few hours in her car, taking deep deep breaths
The public execution of Joan and I will vote for labour. Or is this pre election bull shit like they did and will continue doing if we vote them in. .
WILL not exist after election
My god she’s differently 2 bottles of gin a day one ugly b***h.
Get rid of “die Führerin” for starts?
They can learn from this for starts as this government were taking advice from the same spin doctors in Dublin Castle last year…?
http://rt.com/op-edge/235719-us-kerry-rt-media-russia/
The basic truth would be to have a party that follows the rule of being of the people who live here, for the Irish people and by the Irish people and not running after E.U. self serving Plutocrates and self serving lobbyists?
Labour are on the way out – like the Greens!! The sooner the better!!
Line themselves up against the wall of Leinster House in front of a firing squad?
support them up on a stool, make sure the rope is tight around there necks….then kick the stool
I know… leave planet earth!!
Realistically, resign from government. I can’t see any other option for Labour. If they stay, they are headed for retaliation by voters. The party’s extremely evasive spin and PR has not helped. HOWEVER, it all depends on who votes in 2016. I expect a lot of ‘leaks’ to the media about SF, older Irish voters to opt for a conservative choice (FG, FF, Labour) and too many of the disenfranchised to actually vote. The most likely outcome is Labour to recover for the general election after the upcoming one.
I am sorry to say one FG move was to destroy the Penrose factor in Mulingar and Closing our Barracks really one of the main in employers in Mullingar has ruined our town as M & S ,Harvey Norman,Next,Shaws and others have closed leaving a town that depended on the Military and Reserve Camps UN training as a huge monetary loss to the business community. Labour got a lashing in the last Local Elections and if Willie Penrose a good man that was betrayed by the rest of his Party in their support of him will struggle to get the last seat after Eamonn Gilmore’s betrayal and his video stating the barracks was safe in on You Tube so he lied and let Labour supporters down badly.
Thomas Byrne would make a poor comedian.
The rent a mob with a car trick was pretty successful, Try something like that again. Joan Burton kidnapped sort of thing.
have your say