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8 things we learned at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis

Everything from why Richie Kavanagh was there to how the party will arrange for an independent watchdog to keep them in line.

16/01/2016.77u Fianna Fail Ard Fheis. Pictured FF Teddy bears on sale at the Ard Fheis today. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

FIANNA FÁIL DESCENDED on Citywest Hotel in Co Dublin for the party’s 77th Ard Fheis today just weeks out from the general election.

Hundreds of delegates attended the one-day event as the party begins ramping up its pre-election rhetoric.

Here’s what we learnt from today’s meeting.

It wasn’t your usual Ard Fheis

16/01/2016.77u Fianna Fail Ard Fheis. Pictured Cao Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

“Sure this is all about drinking,” was one councillor’s blunt assessment of today’s event.

With no motions to be debated and voted on and no elections for the party’s various internal committees, this was very much a pre-election rally of the party faithful ahead of the election.

It’s only just beginning

Éamon Ó Cuív set the tone in one of the first speeches of the day by saying Fianna Fáil isn’t in damage control mode. It could take the approach of conceding that it will not be a majority party after the general election, and instead attempt to grab what seats it can. The party’s policy positions instead state that it is out to lead the next government.

“People in the media are talking as though the election is already over,” Ó Cuív said.

It’s only beginning.

Micheál Martin thinks he’s worth an extra €30,000 a year

Fianna Fail Ard Fheis PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

Responding to a report in today’s Irish Independent, Martin said an extra taxpayer-funded payment he receives as leader of the opposition is just and “above board”, having been approved by the party’s board of trustees:

I think it is in respect of the extra duties that the leader of the opposition has.

Fianna Fáil will have someone making sure it keeps its promises

While Renua has said it could act as a “watchdog” in government, Fianna Fáil is going to bring in its own. In his keynote speech, Martin explained that everything the government commits to will be subject to “independent analysis”. This will include assessing how much budget proposals will cost and the effect it will have on economic growth.

Guards love Richie Kavanagh and Richie Kavanagh loves Fianna Fáil

The singer – whose latest single is My Girlfriend Has a New iPhone – was pressing the flesh today. He told TheJournal.ie that he’s out supporting his local candidate, councillor Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, even driving up the side of Mount Leinster during a canvass for her.

While Fianna Fáil faces an uphill battle in Dublin, this man could take a seat

10/4/2015 Fianna Fail 1916 Moore Street Redevelopments Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

Ballymun Councillor Paul McAuliffe has seen his share of votes in recent elections grow since he first took a seat on his local council with the Progressive Democrats back in in 2004.

McAuliffe gave one of the most rousing speeches of the day during a talk on Making Communities Safer. The cheers were loudest when he proclaimed a Sinn Féin TD could never be justice minister, saying the guards haven’t forgotten the damage inflicted by the IRA. The reaction he received could indicate he’s in line to perform strongly in Dublin North-West, where he is the only Fianna Fáil candidate running.

We need to talk about government

Micheál Martin lashed Fine Gael and Labour in his keynote speech but mentioned Sinn Féin only once, and that was in relation to the North. Martin maintains that his party is offering an alternative to the current coalition but will not, he insists, do business with the other main opposition party.

Some members we spoke to today didn’t like the idea of governing with Gerry Adams’s party, but pointed out that by having so stridently ruled out Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil is, on current poll numbers, effectively ruling itself out of government and resigning itself to opposition in the 32nd Dáil.

But if they are in government, we’re not getting “unicorns and ponies”

giphy Giphy Giphy

Echoing the Fianna Fáil’s view that its getting a little fed up with ‘coalitionology’, Professor Tim Bale told delegates that the party is taking the right approach by focusing on policies.

The University of London politics professor said the public care more about bread-and-butter topics rather than the latest poll results (which Fianna Fáil won’t ignore – it makes for positive reading). Bale said the proposals put forward by the party are concrete rather than focusing on “unicorns and ponies”.

With contributions from Hugh O’Connell.

Read: There’s bad news for Fine Gael and Labour in the latest polls >

More: Catch all of our election coverage over at TheJournal.ie Election Centre >

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64 Comments
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    Mute Joe Caulfield
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    May 27th 2018, 7:03 AM

    How does that 60k compare to the 2 million euros Shannon receives from the US military every year?

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    Mute owenmor
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    May 27th 2018, 7:08 AM

    Small change compared to the 2 million Shane Ross wasted on making the public services card mandatory when applying for a driving licence

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    Mute Tom Molloy
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    May 27th 2018, 6:48 AM

    Vandals/ISIS sympathisers that have damaged planes in the past are to blame.

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    Mute Carlin Ite
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    May 27th 2018, 8:12 AM

    @Tom Molloy: ISIS sympathisers would you ever fcuk off.

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    Mute James Maloney
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    May 27th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Tom Molloy: Good point Tom.

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    Mute Tom Molloy
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    May 27th 2018, 12:34 PM

    @James Maloney: Fear of decapitation is already creating converts/lackeys in Ireland.

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    Mute Ros Aodha
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    May 27th 2018, 9:20 PM

    @Tom Molloy: already happened, Irish people on-board flight on 911, Irish people murdered on a beach in Tunisia, Irish people injured in bataclan. Irish clown who converted having failed to become a priest and blew himself up, Islam isn’t the problem, radicalisation is … Khalid Kelly.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 7:09 AM

    Surely this man , is the son of god .
    I’d rather American soldiers going through Shannon airport , than Isis or German soldiers .

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    Mute Hugh Corcoran
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    May 27th 2018, 9:14 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: you’re right, let’s allow the biggest war morgering nation on the planet use Shannon. You never know, if we ever find any meaningful resources in the country, might just save us from receiving a good old dose of American freedom. In saying that I could be tempted with a bit of regime change.

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    Mute Sean Conway
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    May 27th 2018, 9:22 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Look at all the lives saved by US forces in the middle east. the nation of peace.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: I’m not happy about military planes going through Shannon.
    It’s the government who allow this , most Irish people don’t want it .
    But if I had to choose between Isis , Germany , or the democratic people’s republic of Korea , I’d choose America .

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 9:41 AM

    @Sean Conway: They’re wrong in what they do , I agree .
    Iraq was a land grab , 100% .
    Now I can’t control the world , but if I could vote , my preference wouldn’t be for the ideology that led 19 men to fly planes into buildings .

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    May 27th 2018, 10:02 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: “biggest war mongering nation” I’d say the Russians have that accolade at the moment: Crimea, Ukraine, Syria etc.

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    Mute Hatchjaw
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    May 27th 2018, 1:06 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: How do you know what most Irish people want?

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    Mute Derek Teeling
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    May 27th 2018, 1:42 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Gobsiht

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 5:53 PM

    @Hatchjaw: I put on a high -viz and poll them .
    On my days off I just listen to them at work .

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    Mute Denis McClean
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    May 28th 2018, 1:44 AM

    @Seamus Mac: So what percentage of the Crimean population is Russian and isn’t Obama on record as saying he wanted regime change in Syria? I’m thinking you might not be as Irish as your name suggests David.

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    May 27th 2018, 7:48 AM

    Times have changed as they’ve moved most of their stuff out to Belfast and other places so the tree huggers and the odd couple will have achieved most of their goals. While cutting deeper into Shannon’s downward spiral

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    Mute White Rabbit
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    May 27th 2018, 8:17 AM

    @Scott Crossfield: good stuff

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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    May 27th 2018, 7:42 AM

    We need to allow the Americans use this as a permanent Air Force base . That give Mick something to give out about .

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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    May 27th 2018, 7:44 AM

    Look,
    Imagine if you said that the cost of each stop off was €722-00. Just doesn’t feel so good when you’re trying to create a headline I guess. Let it go for God sake.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 8:07 AM

    @Martin Stapleton: They could tell us how much was spent in the duty free shop .
    If Mick Wallace is reading this , Mick , only duty free shops are exempt from paying certain taxes , everyone else needs to pay theirs .

    99
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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    May 27th 2018, 8:27 AM

    How does 60k compare to the millions when the Queen visited? Or when the Pope makes his visit?

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    Mute Steve1234
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    May 27th 2018, 7:23 AM

    Rather spend money here than the huge amount of tax payers money (of which a third are opposed) that will be used to fund the slaughter of unborn Irish babies.

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    Mute Rob Lyn
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    May 27th 2018, 11:00 AM

    So the salary of one or two officers. That is shocking! :) still less than a certain TDs avoided taxes and less than his current salary. This is really a non story journal!

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    Mute Cheryl Mellett
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    May 27th 2018, 10:05 AM

    The reason the figure is so low is The Defence Forces don’t get paid overtime. They get very small rates of substitution allowance to cover meals and very basic expenses. For 12 hours it’s aprox 40 euro.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 10:53 AM

    @Cheryl Mellett: can you imagine joining an army , and your job is cleaning up after real soldiers .

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    Mute Moss Cotter
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    May 27th 2018, 8:30 AM

    Always be thankful the Nazis never invaded Ireland during ww2 for the simple reason that it would have been very embarrassing to see how eager a little helper paddy would have been in shipping out Jewish population for extermation..ah but I hear you cry there might have been a few bob in it

    42
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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 10:50 AM

    @Moss Cotter: At least nowadays we don’t do what the Germans want .
    Oh wait !

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    Mute Ros Aodha
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    May 27th 2018, 7:30 PM

    Not bad for a non neutral state providing support to a strategic ally and trading partner. Have you compared that with the garda bill for the same operation? I’ve enjoyed watching this non news item getting slated. The real story here is the low pay that our enlisted soldiers are on.

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    Mute Stewart O Neill
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    May 27th 2018, 12:24 PM

    Hope the US are getting the bill

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 6:12 PM

    @Stewart O Neill: Israel pays for it , after they take it out of the ANC budget .
    Sticking babies in microwaves is cheaper than buying bullets .

    1
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    Mute Paul Whitehead
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    May 28th 2018, 12:15 AM

    Why are we not using this money on the truly needy? You could dress Clare Daly and Mick Wallace in lovely clothes for a fraction of that 60k.

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    May 27th 2018, 11:39 PM

    Who cares Mick Wallace

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    Mute William Kelly
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    May 28th 2018, 6:49 AM

    Shure, what else would the army be doing, only protecting the States from protesters.
    Can’t have any of that carry on that might upset inward investment like Doonbeg & the vulture funds.
    Never mind that several wars are being supplied through neutral Ireland.

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    Mute Roner555
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    May 27th 2018, 8:21 PM

    Probably psed of that they are not using Dublin airport

    1
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