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“IF HE THINKS he’s having a bad day today, wait for the next few weeks.”
That was a constituent’s view of what’s ahead for Enda Kenny after a poor showing for Fine Gael in the election.
The Taoiseach didn’t arrive at the Mayo count centre in Castlebar (his home turf) until after 8.30pm last night.
The first count was delayed by a couple of hours and word on the ground was Kenny wanted to be speaking to the media while the first count was called.
He knew he’d be re-elected and, as one onlooker put it – given how bad a day for Fine Gael it had been – if he was pictured being lifted onto cheering people’s shoulders, “the optics wouldn’t look good”.
Despite the day’s events, Kenny seemed to be in a relatively good mood – helping rearrange journalists in the media scrum that awaited him. He was disappointed but had his game face on.
Kenny told reporters he had sympathy for the Fine Gael TDs who would lose their seats. He was philosophical, musing: “Democracy is always exciting but it is merciless when it kicks in.”
Kenny said it was “far too early” to talk about coalitions, despite the very loud Fianna Fáil-shaped elephant in the room.
When asked if he would reconsider his position as leader of Fine Gael, he didn’t directly answer, instead saying: “My position as Taoiseach and head of government, I have a duty and a responsibility to work with the decision that the people have made to provide the country with a stable government.”
Kenny’s long-time running mate Michael Ring was re-elected today – on the 9th count.
Ring, in quite the understatement, yesterday acknowledged: “It’s not the best day we’ve had.”
It was a difficult campaign. We hurt a lot of people along the way. We took very, very difficult decisions in government, and I have to say that that probably had an effect on it. It was never going to be easy.
The long-standing TD was among those who had wanted the election to take place in November, but said this was a moot point now.
“We are where we are. The people have spoken and we have to listen to the people.”
In terms of what shape a new coalition might take, Ring had this input:
Nobody knows, you’d have to be a magician to know what’s going to happen.
“I don’t know whether we can get a government or not, but I don’t think the people want another election, but so be it if it has to be, but I hope not.”
Many had predicted it would go down to the wire between Fine Gael’s Michelle Mulherin and Fianna Fáil’s Lisa Chambers for the fourth seat, and a recount looked likely at one stage.
But, in the end, Chambers easily won out – with over 2,000 votes between them (11,686 to 9,593). The closest rival after this was Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh, who was eliminated on 7,853 votes in the 9th count.
Chambers (29) was elected to Mayo County Council less than two years ago. Shortly before she got the good news today one of her supporters remarked: “She’s about the same age Enda Kenny was when he started out.” (He was 24 years old when first elected to the Dáil in 1975.)
When Chambers and her running mate Dara Calleary were elected on the 10th and final count, a supporter gleefully shouted: “Up Fianna Fáil, we’re back!” as the pair were lifted onto very willing shoulders.
The writing appeared to be on the wall for Mulherin this morning, when Fine Gael’s local director of elections Brendan O’Dowd had this to say about Mulherin’s chances: “It’s a very, very long shot. All the gods are with Lisa Chambers.”
The was one major recovery yesterday, but it wasn’t the one Fine Gael had constantly mentioned during the election campaign.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie today, Calleary said Micheál Martin “took this party five years ago at its darkest days and put it back on a path to recovery”.
A week is a long time in politics so perhaps five years in the wilderness of the opposition benches was enough punishment for Fianna Fáil.
Indeed, Kenny said people who would have been “ashamed” to vote for Martin’s party in 2011 came out in force on Friday.
Fianna Fáil was in buoyant mood this afternoon, with an impromptu singalong breaking out BEFORE Calleary and Chambers got the nod.
‘This is Fine Gael country’
“This is Fine Gael country,” one party supporter remarked on Saturday evening. He’s not wrong, to be fair.
The party secured four TDs here in 2011 (when it was a five-seater): Kenny, Ring, Mulherin and John O’Mahony – who failed to be elected in Galway West this time around.
Kenny has been a TD here for just over 40 years, following in the footsteps of his late father Henry, and Ring was first elected in a 1994 by-election.
Another election?
More than one person in the count centre has suggested that there’ll be another election this year or next.
A trio of people wearing Enda Kenny stickers said a Fine Gael Fianna Fáil coalition might not be the worst scenario.
“The day Sinn Féin and independents get enough seats to form a government, that’s when you’d have trouble,” one woman stated. Her companions nodded.
The ‘chaos versus stability’ argument the outgoing government put forward might not have held up nationally, but it wasn’t lost on everyone.
Meanwhile, a decades-long supporter of Fianna Fáil expressed her delight at the party’s comeback. In terms of joining forces with Fine Gael, she told us: “Can you imagine? I never thought I’d see the day.”
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Even if I was a trillionaire I’d have no interest in things being gold plated, I love the rest of it though
Everything about the man is fake, including his gold plated plane. You know his daddy left him almost 200 million and casinos, all of which he destroyed and blew in bad investments. He is technically broke apparently, owning billions but at that level of debt you are better off owing billions than thousands like the rest of us. Why do beautiful young girls throw themselves at him I wonder, because of his hair?
Sometimes I think the world would be a much better place without religion in it. The animals who abducted these beautiful girls don’t deserve life. Actually no, they are not animals, animals are more caring and intelligent.
Errrrr ok….
And sneaky topic switch of the week goes to…
Is the dolly bird gold plated i wonder? (i mean the girl in the video not Helena)
Wtf has religion to do with Trump’s appalling lack of taste? But as you have switched topic… Have you seen what some animals do to their young? Treating Boko Haram like animals or calling them that is a mistake. They are human beings and their behaviour should be a reminder to all that we are all just a few steps away from inhumanity, whether through ideological extremism or rage or lust or pride or greed etc etc Personally I reckon northern Nigeria should be sterilized with enough radiation to make it uninhabitable for 200 years. Bring on the tactical nuclear weapons.
Oops…sorry people. I inadvertently copy and pasted a previous comment I left on another piece about the kids kidnapped in Nigeria….sheesh, tough crowd.
@Inigo I’m more of a silver girl, cheap and cheerful…like myself
@Helena do you have a silver tongue?
The fawning, sycophantic, red carpet welcome, at 8.00AM on a cool Monday morning at Shannon Airport, complete with dirges, harp and fiddle was tasteless, ugly and embarrassing. Could they not have conjured something more subtle, discreet and nuanced than a gauche gypsy circus?
And Myles Duffy has just announced that he will create hundreds of jobs in Clare.
I’d say Trump specifically requested them.
“…tasteless, ugly and embarrassing.” Trump in a nutshell.
As for all those jobs, Tom… Check Jobbridge, Trump’s advertising there already.
Hundreds of jobs.. yeah. Well, they’re off to a great start
Luxurious private jet, gold plated seat belts, billions of dollars and he’s trying to hire staff through JobBridge for his new resort in Co Clare…..disgraceful!!
If you are so offended here’s a whacky idea: don’t apply for the job. Problem solved.
I have a job Tom so I’m ok…..
You probably think it’s perfectly fine for this billionaire to hire people who will receive their social welfare along with €50 a week from Mr Trump…..it’s disgraceful, hire people and pay them a decent wage….it’s not like he hasn’t got it!!
Go Tom the capitalist w*#@&$r……
Better than doing absolutely nothing with life.
Yeah Danny because that’s the attitude we should have….lets make all jobs part of the JobBridge scheme to make the rich richer…..sure why would anybody want to get a job with a dexent wage??
*decent
Trump won’t be paying them a red cent! The €50 top up comes from taxpayers which means Trump’s getting free bar staff and cleaners under the insulting guise of an “internship”.
Do you really think he has any involvement in the HR practices I his country.
Just like any legal immigrant, any foreign investor will take advantage of every scheme they can find when setting up in Ireland.
Mick,
Nobody’s suggesting making all jobs a part of jobbridge scheme and obviously everyone would like to get a job for a decent wage. I don’t quite get that argument of yours
Unemployed and those that are not on fas training now have an additional OPTION (Yes it’s an option) of getting some extra experience on the top of the trainings they already completed and their current experience.
Let the unemployed chose for themselves.
@Daisy, You’re right. Theres not a single reason why a taxpayer would have to pay that additional €50. Let the new employer pay that and perhaps paying half of the sw payment wouldn’t harm them either.
Well Danny, I believe that a better option for the unemployed would be to have jobs available that pay a decent wage rather than exploit the unemployed with a JobBridge scheme…..
And by the way Danny, that was sarcasm…not an argument….
Mick, those are beautiful slogans but the problem is that there is no jobs…. an option of plenty of well paid jobs does not exist. We need options for unemployed that can be provided today, any suggestions?
If there are no jobs than how are all these people getting employed through jobsbridge Danny? Do you thing the countless employers offering internships are doing so merely to up skill the unemployed? The fact is business need this work to be done and plenty of jobs have been downgraded from actual jobs to jobsbridge internships to save employers paying a full weeks wage. How anyone can stand over this is shocking to me and I’m sure if you personally were in the position where looking for work you’d be outraged as well.
There obviously are jobs if they are already advertised…..the problem is they are being run under the JobBridge scheme…..now don’t get me wrong, I know it is not feasible to pay a barman, cleaner, waiting staff etc.. 50k a year but I do believe that €9 – €12 per hour for these jobs depending on the job would aid us on our road to recovery a lot more efficiently than through JobBridge…..it would also give those who get the jobs a better standard of living….
I just do not agree with a foreign billionaire who has bought a “resort” for pittence (compared to the evaluation last year) getting staff for free effectively when he has the finances to pay a decent wage and help the economy….
@Robert – Spot on, I totally agree!!
Actually no. By purchasing the hotel and resort he is keeping a huge amount of people employed in employment plus a large amount of local suppliers to the hotel in business. Why don’t you ask these people what they think instead of assuming you already know. Their delighted someone has invested and it hasn’t gone empty like so many other hotels have in the country. Such pontificating from people who don’t even know the situation on the ground.
Mick I take it you have never been to Doonbeg! The golf links has created 100′s of jobs in the area – from working there, supplying the club & tourism in the area. Lahinch GC has benefitted from Doonbeg as has the whole area!
Meanwhile, down in Mississippi, plantation owner Festus Calhoun is explaining to his new slaves the value of gaining “experience” cleaning his house and picking his cotton.
Unfortunately for Festus, he still has to clothe, feed and house his slaves. Jobsbridge makes no such demands on their slaveholders. Jobsbridge participants have to do all that themselves.
All the billions he has and he still hasn’t sorted his wig out……
“Your fired”
Gold plated Billionaire and still manages to look like a Healy Rae !
“You’re”
Please stop giving this eejit so much airtime!
Bet ya still can’t smoke in the jacks though…nice bit of equipment all the same.
The plane’s not too shabby either
Meanwhile back in the real world, 21,000 people die of hunger every single day.
Well that is capitalism for you the rich get richer and the poor get poorer .
Who cares? People die every day. It’s the way of the world. Get over yourself.
That’s from over population, not capitalism. Take it up with the Vatican who continuously promote no contraception usage in some of the poorest countries in the world. In the Philippines the average family has 4 kids, in a country where you’d be lucky enough to be able to feed 1 and the church tells its millions of followers that they’ll burn in hell if they use a condom.
Well if they don’t buy food what do you expect?
Great example of the 1%,s lifestyle.
She’s nice looking entertainment alright
Please stop giving this eejit so much airtime!
Lannister, I bet he s**ts gold.
Is it true that Michael Noonan offered to dance suggestively for Trump yesterday???
- Such fawning and scurrying from our political rats, too sad to be comical.
And how many jobs have you created?
Tom pull up your pants. You’re embarrassing yourself.
I for one welcome our new overlord.
Welcome Donald, Welcome !
Proudly serving our corporate masters!
We’ll he can’t take it with him, no pockets in a habbit ;-)
Why the red carpet for this man. Here you go again , tipping the forelock to developers and speculators . Nothing changes in this country.
Shroud no? I think nuns have pockets.
Is a habbit something hobbits wear?
I agree with scald bag it is all too embarrassing and pathetic the way politicians have rolled out the red carpet in a meet and greet. Ever since the fantastic Queen Elizabeth visit this government is gone mad on clapping themselves on their hospitality and the chance of a camera shot . Mr trump is way too extravagant and flashy to make his visions for Dun beg make any financial sense or have any high chance of success.We simply don’t have the population size or footfall to make it work at the level he will need to operate at to try and turn A profit. Yet again the government is looking for the developers easy money . The Americans must be laughing at us as he can walk away if the whole thing bellies up with our cap doffing government subsidising his investment . We meanwhile would get left with another gold plated trump business . I hope before money changes hands in subsidies that his business success V failure rates are looked at. Fine if he takes a risk himself but not us again especially not the gold plated type.if I was a dragon I would be out at this stage .
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts……
Poor aul DOB only has a Gulfstream maybe FG could give him more business/money to up grade to a B757.
Have a look at properties over £10m on the web. All of them decked out in gold. Seriously bad taste and lack of class and imagination.
Yer wan is cute though….
Cheap looking..A billionaire shame no one told his accent
Huh?
Look up BBC panoramma about his carry on in Scotland. .well worth a look
Just goes to show that money can’t buy you class…. and no I’m not jealous (much)!
This country should be ashamed of itself, I thought we might have grown up but we’re still just forelock tugging, hand wringing peasants.
Embarrassing.
Tony Stark has more class.
Imagine having your own personal little screen for your seat when flying across the Atlantic. We can but dream …
Typical Irish attitude here. Everyone’s jealous of his success haha
He’s so classy, in the worst sense of the word.
I do hope he gets into a spat with one of our favourite Irish billionaires though, would be very entertaining to see two men with incongruous hairdos going head to head.
Hey look! A pretty nice entertainment system…and a large LCD screen in the back ground… ;)
On a serious note, the welcome festivity was pure cringe. The leprechauns were missing…
Guys you are all jealous, he’s a billionaire, he can do whatever he wants and wear whatever he wants and have a shit ass hair do too! For sure, all of us ejits talking shite on this arnt going to bother a billionaire. I’d probably hold plate everything too, I’d have the air hostess’s gold plated.
When I came of the plane from Boston all I was just greeted with was a Westlife poster.
shane filan would appear in person for a €5 theses days if you’d asked.
shane filan would appear in person for a €5 these days if you’d asked.
You’re…. a plonker
What harm is he doing? Let him on spend his money as he sees fit.
If people get employment from jobs bridge so be it. How many jobs do any of you create?
How many jobs has Trump created?
Who cares if he has no class, worth billions etc… is he not creating a few jobs in this country? Still lots of people out of work so a chance for a few people to get back working. Can only be a good thing.
Not so far. He’s created a Jobbridge “internship” that won’t cost him a penny. It’s scams like this that keep Shredded Wheat Headed Trump in gold plated toilet paper.
some focking laugh if it crashed
Well, he’s got all the money in the world, but there’s one thing he can’t buy… … …a dinosaur!
Charming. I bet you won’t find a Vertigo angustior in that gold plated bathroom.
Same taste in decor as in hair
This is good example if where our country is at right now…. 1845….evening squire!
Get a job ye bums!
Should keep the name Doonbeg …..
keep them out away from your lovely island . you regreat it.
Meh!! Compared to the SaudI kings 747 ,ol Don is really slumming it and picked that plane up on the cheap at Lidils.
Donald Trump has got class and style, I’ll give him that.
CLASS warfare and a bad hair STYLE!
From the previous comments I take them as proof that the Irish are a nation of begrudgers
Does the young one come with it?
Gold*
have your say