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THE MINORITY GOVERNMENT is squaring off with Fianna Fáil over the appointment of former Attorney General Máire Whelan to the Court of Appeal.
Fianna Fáil feels the appointment, which will be made this morning, was “rammed through”.
It is the first sign of a crack in the confidence and supply agreement since Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach and some are speculating it may lead to a general election.
Is that something you want? Are you ready to go back to the polls?
We’re asking: Do you want a general election?
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What difference would it make ! Let’s be honest
@Nucky: it make a difference if people dont vote fianna fail and fine gael otherwise you get the same corrupt politics and tds and government
@Richard Doherty: what’s the genuine alternative government to those party’s?
@Richard Doherty: I agree we should not vote for FF or FG but there is no credible alternative. This country needs new blood, new ideas and a break from the old stock
@Richard Doherty: Exactly, so in other words you are agreeing with the guy – it’ll make no difference.
@Richard Doherty: Who would they vote for?
Greens that think taxing it will fix it?
Labour who turned their backs on the people they were supposed to represent?
AAA and PBP who think money grows on trees?
Seriously we don’t have a good alternative to FF or FG.
Shame we can’t pick the best from all parties and form a new government.
Jim
@Nucky: Anyone who says what’s the difference has effectively given up and no longer has the right to criticize or complain. If you don’t like something get up off your arse and change it. Go out and canvas, stand yourself, set up your own party for all I care. But don’t just whinge and do nothing to improve or change things.
no need for an election until the full term is up
@Richard Doherty: so we would end up with Sinn Fein (soft on criminals & drive out investment) and the hard left (nationalise Dell & welfare for all until the money runs out). Are you have a laugh?
The problem with the smaller parties is that they were previously shafted when they were the junior partner in coalition with either of the twin bum cheeks (FF & FG) resulting in a perception that they are useless. Of course we now realise that the problem is FF & FG but haven’t a notion how to put manners on them.
@Roy Dowling: only one answer here -a new movement like Macrons in France-clean up corrupt politicians the gaurds the HSE homelessness etc.
@A2 Poster: get off your soap box and smell the coffee. Nothing has changed. I have never abused or wasted my vote because it’s my right to vote. And I will continue to do so. But what I won’t do is entertain trolling numptys
@A2 Poster: what party do you suggest we vote for to bring about this great change?
@Shoot First: “we the electorate are the alternative” – does not make any sense
we have loonies and disruption on the left
we have greed on the right
we have a Green party who can’t clear it’s throat and speak up for itself
we have a Labour Party that has lost it’s way – and is all at sea
we have several independents who are just in it for themselves and their constituents and seizing the moment while the bickering and usual divisive politics and procastination goes on (which I suppose you cannot fault them for, but we need our government to think about the national interest now more than ever)
@Shoot First: pretty crap sweet shop
@Richard Doherty: The majority of people in this country won’t give Sinn Fein a chance. They would rather vote FF or FG no matter what they do then moan that nothing changes.
@Cindy Crawford: that is the nation of sheep which we have become, owned and branded by corrupt self interest groups such as FF and FG. Fed on BS by a media owned and highly invested in the status quo. Sinn Fein are the only party prepared and willing to confront and tackle this deeply established culture within Those elitist groups.
@Richard Doherty: Who do you vote for then? SF no point as they will have nothing to do with taking part in Government like they did in the last GE We get what we deserve. L party are not the working persons party no more The others are only to willing to go into Lions Den for rich trappings and over inflated pensions. This leaves us with SF who stand around with their hands in their pockets.
@Buzz Cauldron: fine gael or fianna fail make no difference both corrupt same corrupt policys vote sinn fein i voted fine gael labour for years now im active sinn fein member read their policys i did
@Roy Dowling: sinn fein read their policys
@Roy Dowling: sinn fein read their policys i voted fine gael labour now i vote sinn fein
@B9xiRspG: yes we do sinn fein read their policys
@Richard Doherty: Nobody in Tipperary voted for FF or FG in the last election. Do you want a government made up of Michael Lowrys and Mattie McGraths? Healy Raes by the dozen with a few Ming Flanagans thrown in?
Damn right there should be an election. Even fine gael didn’t vote for leo, remember. And who voted for FF to prop up FG in power? Never mind the will of the people being ignored by FF/FG refusing to abolish Irish Water.
We should be given an opportunity to vote on the new state of affairs.
@The Risen: Fine Gael did. You should really learn about electoral colleges. You’re mixing up the non vote for the appointed leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland. No one voted for her. Leo was elected under the rules of FG. You’re poisoning the waters with your infantile comments, as usual.
@The Risen: Like who?
@The Risen: who voted for michelle o neill again? oh thats right she was appointed by the provos no need for a vote
@The Risen: stupid comment. FG had a very transparent election for the leader. More than can be said for the very unaccountable Gerry Adams, who cannot be criticised by anyone in the SF cult.
@P C: but gerry was elected!
@Hurt Stoogie: who wasn’t elected to the leadership of their party?
LOL! Always know my comment pushed the right buttons when the usual interchangable FG fraperoom accounts pounce on it.
@The Risen: we are just pointing out your stupidity. Lol
@The Risen: So you haven’t any suggestions as to who would replace ff/fg? I take it you don’t want to deal with the laughter when you tell us its SF/AAA/PBP… :)
@The Risen: do you think the DUP will have the decency to use lube on the shinners PMSL
@The Risen: do you believe in karma shinnerbot? LOL
@Honeybadger197: they couldn’t possibly be any worse than the present of fiddling gangsters….
@Hurt Stoogie: Fine Gael and their electoral college Ha! Giving the rank and file members only 10% of the vote ! They might as well not have bothered. Pure tokenism that is
@Dave Harris: wrong they had a 25% share. The councillors had 10%. Most parties don’t even allow grassroot members vote.
@Honeybadger197: You imagine for one minute that people are in anyway happy with a neoliberal rightwing minority government, propped up by an Oscar winning performance by FF in pretend opposition. Both of whom are now hell bent on depriving people of proper representation in Dail Eireann by conspiring to carve up the speaking time between them. For no other reason than to stop the plethora of corruption scandals reaching people’s ears.
Let them go to the country and see who the people choose as the alternative, not what the little Tories, the boys from the FG fraperoom tell us, or the contrived polls try and indicate.
People are sick and tired of the same old, same old, right wing establishment parasites who between them have destroyed both the economy and society in the country.
@Dave Doyle: Who do you suggest Dave? Big on criticism and vague rhetoric, small on suggestions.
@Honeybadger197: Like i said, let them go to the country and let the people decide. Sinn Fein are building a very creditable alternative all over the country, well worth a vote. They may not achieve government this time, but will do well enough to put a stop to the cosy little cartel of the right wing parasites bleeding the people of the country dry, while looking after their cronies etc.
There’s nothing vague about my previous comment. It is right on the money where the coalition of FG/FF stand with the people of the country. If it weren’t we would have an election already. The longer the farce in the Dail continues, the more damage it does to both FG and FF, they cannot afford to let it continue either.
@Dave Doyle: lol. Sinn Fein are a protest vote. Will never be taken seriously by middle Ireland while it has members who have close links to criminals (slab Murphy), TDs who drive murders home from jail, councillors who refuse to condemn the murder of Garda McCabe etc etc.
@Dave Harris: it was 35%.
@Hurt Stoogie: Michelle O Neill has successfully lead Sinn Fein in 2 elections, in both occasions increasing the party vote and mandate. The public has endorsed and elected her!!!!
@P C: You may well lol and point to those skeletons in SF’s cupboard. Yet expect us to forget all about the multitude of skeletons in the collective cupboards of FF and FG. Close links to criminals, let’s see, O’Brien, Lowry, Firzpatrick, none ever convicted because of political connections in FF and FG. then we have NAMA whose dealings are under investigation by two police forces. The suicides of hundreds, if not more, of people due to government legislation allowing banks to harass, bully and intimidate people out of their homes. We have seen scandal after scandal, week in week out, lies, spin, slanderous press articles against anyone who protests. We have the health service scandals, homeless scandals, Garda scandals. On the balance of things, all of the above touches in a very negative way on the lives of people, both middle Ireland, and ordinary Ireland. If you think all that will be ignored or forgotten about when it comes to the ballot box you’re very mistaken. There are no more token protest votes going to be cast. And the establishment know it.
@Dave Doyle: Dave you are of course correct about both FF and FG and I like many don’t want to vote for either but I don’t want to and won’t vote for SF. For people like me there’s no credible alternative. It’s grand if you have a decent independent in your constituency but most of those have one of those either.
@Dave Doyle: you’re blaming FG for Suicide now??? Get real.
FG and FF are far from perfect ( no party is). But I would vote for SF in a million years for the reasons I stated earlier and more. Also they keep u turning depending on the tide e.g. We’re against USC, oh no we are for USC. We are for water charges, we are against water charges.
@Jane: have you examined your reasons for not voting SF. Are they your own opinions or have they been drip fed to you by FF/FG choirboys in RTE and all main stream media.????
FF will roll over like they did on the Garda Commissioner. FF can’t financially afford an election.
@TheSecretAnorak:
This morning Jim O’Callaghan admitted on Radio 1 that there is nothing illegal or unconstitutional in the appointment. He couldn’t point to any procedures that were breached.
They’ll have to back down because “We just don’t like this” is not a strong enough argument to force a General Election on.
This is the usual FF pantomime.
@Brinster: i thought you had to apply for the job which she didn’t??
@TheSecretAnorak: it’s FG that’s up to its eyeballs in debt, couple of million I think, from court cases with ex tds.
@Frederic Slimane:
Nope – apparently not.
There is guidance on how the AG would do so in the legislation but the process is not mandatory.
What I don’t like is the question on whether there were others – specifically 3 HC Judges – with “expressions of interest”.
If so, but they never followed up officially, then the appointment is fair enough.
But this aspect should be clarified.
It wouldn’t invalidate anything legally, but makes a difference to the optics.
@Brinster: so why are they doing this? They seem to be making too many big bold statements and threatening to pull the plug on the government for it to be nothing..
Maybe they’d best get the election in before Leo has a chance to make a mark and get too popular?
I don’t like either of them at all, especially Leo’s neoThatcherite ideals, and fine fail haven’t done anything to inspire hope.
@Dave Harris: “Maybe they’d best get the election in before Leo has a chance to make a mark and get too popular?”
Strongly suspect that this Martin is under pressure internally by FFers citing this exact reason.
Until we get a credible centre left party there is no reason for an election
do not be fooled by Labour attempting to ride the Corbyn wave
only in Ireland could a Labour Party be right wing
No point. It’ll be fine fail or fine geal and nothing will change. We all like to complain, but when it comes to a vote the same sh17 heads get in.
We Need honest politicians first before anymore elections take place, unfortunately they are in very short supply.
If Fianna Fail back down on this then they are arriving at the point of Zero Credibility.
@Tommy Browne:
This morning Jim O’Callaghan admitted on Radio 1 that there is nothing illegal or unconstitutional in the appointment.
He admitted no procedures were breached.
They’ll have to back down because “we don’t like this” is not a strong enough argument to force a General Election on.
@Tommy Browne: Arriving??
Zero point and a waste of time and money, nothing would change and we would be stuck with a hung dail again. Give it another year at least before we have to go through that mess again.
Leo is tarnished. Same old Enda rule. We deserve better. FF step up to the plate now!
Everyone else is having them so why not?
And have fianna fail and Sinn Fein in power?No way.Fianna Gael are a lot better than that lot.
Give Leo a chance. If after 6 months then call a general election.
I’m furious over this crony appointment to the judiciary , FF should no longer support this corrupt cabinet.?
@RG Law:
All judges are appointed by the Gov.
This is how it has to be, in accordance with the Constitution. The Gov and only the Gov has the power to appoint Judges.
You can rail against the system, but until such time as it is amended, then it is the system.
@RG Law: the appointment is constitutional. But some of the old guard in FF still think they are the constitution.
Thankfully there are more at work and this will keep increasing over the next year. By the time an election is called we will be nearly at full employment and wages will start to rise. When that happens we will see less dalliances with the crackpot left and return a centrist government again. That will be some form of the present arrangement.
No….I couldn’t be dealing with listening to all the lefties on about social housing for the summer
That pie chart totals 98% at the moment. What happened the missing % ???
@Catherine Sims: tempted to make a Sinn Fein joke.
@Catherine Sims:
The Journal is keeping them in reserve so they can use it to tip the balance to whichever side pays them the most.
It’s a conspiracy, I tells ya.
Don’t listen to the sheeple who’ll claim it’s all to do with rounding differences.
Fools.
This goes all the way to the top.
@Brinster:
Nice one
Definitely No, What would a GE give us now? very little difference from last Election.. Waste of money
@Paul P O’Sullivan: Absolutely nothing but the media seemed to think it was very important. I do understand that they needed something as he lacked any kind of substance as a politician.
Still waiting for the democratic revolution ,another election ,nothing but more political rhetoric ,nothing has changed ,nothing will change .politics in ireland is one big deep hole and we are all still digging .
The whole method of government needs to be changed or at least reviewed.
It itself is not fit for purpose when you have too many backroom deals being done.
Twould make sfa difference to be honest, let Varadkar burn himself out first.
A corrupt FG or a corrupt FF?
Sinn fein and the lonny left would run us into the ground
Is this a FF poll, they have a hand on the plug,
Yes but the sheep will still buy all the old nuggets from FF &FG …
Bring it on. Only way to keep politicians honest.
This is just a power play by FF to remind Leo that they can pull the plug on him if they wish and to put him in his place. FF know that an election will not result in much of a change in the current situation, and so is not really in their interest. You can see this issue disappearing very fast. FF will just wait for a bigger scandal before pouncing.
The Shirts are defying logic here, they are trying to see will FF blink. I think that it is time to now tighten the screw here, and if necessary pull the plug.
How long can Irish people tolerate this crap? This same rich people fighting over shit that concerns them while the rest are forgotten.
So what will F /F do about it. Nothing.
Why not, it worked for May lol.
have your say