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First 'leaders' coalition meeting held this week to calm tensions after rocky start

A question mark is now over how rock solid the new coalition’s numbers are.

THE FIRST FEW days of this new government have “been fairly robust”, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin. 

While the new government has spent the best part of a week being hammered for its response to Storm Éowyn and faced accusations of being absent, the pressure eased in terms of the relationship between the three coalition partners.

However, it was put to the Taoiseach in Cork on Friday that this government, only in its infancy, hasn’t faced an event that would threaten the government’s majority in votes. 

Making the remark above about the robust nature of this new coalition, Martin smiled, indicating that it hasn’t perhaps been the smoothest of starts for his new government, with the first few days being dominated by the row about whether the Independents who pledged their support “in good times and bad” are in government or not. 

The new Dáil term got off to a rough beginning with an attempt by four Independent TDs, headed by Tipperary TD Michael Lowry, to sit in both government and opposition.

White other members of the group were given ministerial positions in government, Lowry, Danny Healy-Rae, Barry Heneghan, and Gillian Toole, who all participated in government formation talks and agreed to support the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael led government for the next five years, wanted to continue to access Dáil speaking time and other privileges as members of the opposition rather than government backbench TDs.

While it was touch patch to navigate, and not an issue that has been fully put to bed, the Taoiseach said he sees the first real test in terms of ensuring the Independents stay on side will be the budget.

That’s a while off yet and there are plenty of banana skins that can pop up between now and then. 

That is why seeing around corners and smoothing things over before it reaches crisis-mode is needed. 

One way of doing this is with the revival of the party leaders’ weekly meeting, the first of which took place this week. 

When the Greens were in government, Eamon Ryan and subsequently Roderic O’Gorman would attend alongside the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leaders, to ensure that all parties would get notice of any surprises due to surface at Cabinet the next day.

It worked well, most of the time, in terms of avoiding embarrassing clashes in public. 

Tuesday night meeting 

Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and the ‘chosen one’ from the Regional Independent side, Galway East TD Sean Canney, met in Government Buildings on Tuesday evening this week, following the Bank Holiday weekend. 

Martin had just flown in from Brussels where he was discussing defence with his EU counterparts and it was straight down to business – with the trio meeting for well over an hour. 

The programme for government states that the three will meet regularly, so while it might not be weekly, the meetings will take place as needed.

54212640779_fd097d2f0c_c Houses of the Oireachtas / Flickr Houses of the Oireachtas / Flickr / Flickr

The first meeting is believed to have gone perfectly swimmingly, in spite of being preceded by Monday’s intervention from the Ceann Comhairle attempting to put an end to the speaking rights row.

In a surprise statement issued at the tail end of the Bank Holiday Verona Murphy ruled that, based on their public comments, she could not deem members of the Regional Independent group to be outside of the government.

None of the Independents affected by the decision had been warned in advance, and the majority were taken aback by the decision. 

But it wasn’t just the Independents that were taken off guard by the move. 

Martin and Harris weren’t too pleased to be appraised of what a number of the Independents had been saying about voting as they see fit. 

Martin was asked on Friday if it was his understanding that the arrangement reached with the Independents meant they could vote on a case-by-case basis.

The Taoiseach said it was not his understanding that they could vote as they please. 

Such claims bring in to question what the majority is for this new government. Is it now effectively relying on the votes of 91 TDs, rather than the 95 as set out when the government was first formed? 

The speaking rights row is set to become an issue once more when proposals to reform the Dáil rules are put forward again – but the various rounds of the row to date have shown up some cracks in the foundations of this government. 

Done things differently in hindsight

One Independent TD from the group said that in hindsight, they should have done things a lot differently in recent weeks. First of all, the group should not have marched out as one unit onto the Leinster House plinth after the programme for government was announced, they said. 

It was words spoken on the plinth which were referenced by the Ceann Comhairle as to why she could not consider them as Independents not in government, with a number of them pointing to the wins they had secured in the programme for government they helped negotiate.  

Aside from the speaking rights row, there is now this question over whether some Independents can be counted on when the going gets tough. 

The Ceann Comhairle said this week that she had received emails from Lowry, Toole, Heneghan and Healy-Rae asserting that they would be retaining their independence and voting on a case-by-case basis, which puts a question mark over the government’s majority and, as a result, the stability of this new government. 

While Martin sees the budget as the next big test, it might only take a motion of confidence in one of his ministers or a crisis in one of the Independent TDs’ back yard, for the wheels to come off. 

Just over two weeks ago, Martin said he didn’t think the public were too excited about the issue of speaking rights in the Dáil, dismissing the controversy that was barrelling his way.

Fast forward seventeen days and we’ve had an explosive day in the Dáil, a delay in electing a Taoiseach, multiple meetings held of the fast-tracked Dáil Reform Committee and uncertainty still remains. 

All in all, a right old mess for this new government, which has chugged along like a broken down car from the outset, rather than rallying on and getting down to work. 

Martin, Harris and Canney are hoping for smoother days ahead. 

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    Mute KTH
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:19 AM

    Fly on the wall preview…
    “Let’s pretend we’re going to build more houses, just make up any number”
    “Let’s pretend the children’s hospital is going well, that the costs are clear and it will open soon”
    “Let’s pretend the OPW is doing a fine job”
    -”But won’t the public be enraged with all these lies”
    (Laughter all round)
    “They knew all this already and still voted us back in”
    (Rolling on the floor laughing ensues)

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    Mute Thomas Sheridan
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:25 AM

    @KTH: we had a choice between two Democrat parties and a bunch of Loony Left parties. Think UK Labour Party, only much worse.
    A huge number expressed no confidence in any of the parties.

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:24 AM

    @KTH: Rocky start all the way the way to the inevitable Rocky finish. Rince and repeat and go again.

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    Mute SV3tN8M4
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:27 PM

    @KTH: Maybe they could actually start to work now, off for two weeks, asleep at the Wheel for a Hurricane Storm that has destroyed the Western Seaboard area, people still without power & then arguing & making a laughing stock of the Daily on the World stage, arguing over speaking rights, while dishing out extra Ministries & bigger salaries. Maybe Micheal & Simon could tackle the Housing Crisis & the Cost of Living crisis like they falsely promised they would during the Election. Sadly we all know they won’t, faux concern, lies & empty promises is all they can deliver. The two who captain & run a failed State & duped the people.

    6
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    Mute John Moore
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:49 AM

    I wonder if they will address constantly putting out the expected figure of 40k housing completions for last year just ahead of the election, against an already acknowledged target being way too low of 33k and falling way short of that at 30k. Thats despite supposedly throwing everything at the problem, pulling out all of the stops and throwing billions at it. In reality they aren’t. They’re happy with the status quo and want to keep asset prices high. Of course something will come along to pop that bubble anyway. They don’t want to upset their core voters.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:46 AM

    @John Moore: let’s see if the opposition start to hold them to account for this and the rest of the s@1tshow that is government.

    356
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:55 AM

    @sean weir: Oh, the opposition deffo will sean. Unfortunately, the electorate won’t. 100 years of this and bertie going for president says it all.

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    Mute chris gaffney
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    Feb 8th 2025, 6:23 AM

    @sean weir: “If the opposition start to hold them to account”"!! Give me a break. All the opposition want to do is to obstruct, whinge & whine!!!

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Feb 8th 2025, 7:54 AM

    @chris gaffney: What opposition, all the parties sing from the same hymn-sheet on the major issues!

    15
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    Mute Thomas Howley
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    Feb 8th 2025, 10:28 AM

    @John Moore: Why was Dara 0 Brien Minister for Housing moved .he was doing a fantastic job.. Acccording to Micheal and Simon

    Now we know

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    Mute Meh Meh
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    Feb 8th 2025, 1:56 AM

    So many of them, and not one could sing the lyrics to rocky road to Dublin. New election please.

    366
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    Mute Lei tatt
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    Feb 8th 2025, 6:57 PM

    @Meh Meh: FFG are continuing their legacy of utter incompetence

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    Mute kaidon sharkey
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:12 AM

    if anyone who hates donald trump disagrees on the way he was elected…then you have no say on this…seeing as sf where thrown out like the not so cool school kid and the rest if the parties would do anything to keep them out

    398
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    Mute kaidon sharkey
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:26 AM

    @John Murphy: u have an intellectut of a baby

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    Mute sean weir
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:47 AM

    @John Murphy: west Brit bootlicker

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    Mute sean weir
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:49 AM

    @Joe Willis: but the second most popular party in the country, could you be anymore of a snob if you tried

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    Mute sean weir
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:51 AM

    @Tim Brennan: same old rubbish from you ,Tim not so nice but dim

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    Mute Enzo Maximuis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 3:10 AM

    @John Murphy: I’d say your brain is same size as an ants eye

    258
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    Mute Enzo Maximuis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 3:11 AM

    @John Murphy: new account

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Feb 8th 2025, 3:30 AM

    @kaidon sharkey: Babies are a lot more intellectual than Murphy ( doe, Paisley, and the usual ” lol”crowd), so i disagree with that, lol..

    249
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Feb 8th 2025, 4:03 AM

    Typical rubbish from dim tim as usual. Cop on to yourself tim not so nice but very very dim..

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    Mute Seanie
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    Feb 8th 2025, 5:46 AM

    @Enzo Maximuis: John Murphy, Joe Willis, Harry Paisley, Jon doe, ,Jon Jon doe, etc, etc, all the same plonker, the gas thing is that he goes to the trouble of setting up new accounts and then spouts the same shyte as he did with the previous ones and he is so dim that he actually thinks no one will notice, that’s what you’re dealing with….a plank that simply has no life and no brain.

    25
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    Mute Fidgenti
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    Feb 8th 2025, 10:07 AM

    @kaidon sharkey: John Murphy’s baby is an intellectut? What is an intellectut?

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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 10:39 AM

    @sean weir: Shows why Ireland is in the state it’s in. The West Marxist who don’t believe in borders, have one goal, do strip everyone from their individualism and humanity.

    1
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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Feb 8th 2025, 11:45 AM

    @Tim Brennan: you are some canary,same repetitive bs again and again and again. Get a life

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    Mute Ned
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    Feb 8th 2025, 3:07 AM

    What a bunch , wheeling and dealing for them selves.

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    Mute Fran Ken
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    Feb 8th 2025, 4:33 AM

    @Ned: Not true, they just donated €20 million to Hamas, sorry UNWRA. So they’re still thinking of others

    43
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    Mute Ned
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    Feb 8th 2025, 5:03 AM

    @Fran Ken: sure they are great lads all together, ha ha.

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    Mute Scott Milne
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    Feb 9th 2025, 4:10 AM

    @Fran Ken: a waste of our money

    1
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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:48 AM

    I seen the First Minister of Scotland last year Hamza Yousef saying that Scotland was ‘too white’. Well now the Gaza Strip won’t be too Arab anymore they are getting their diversity with Jews going to live there. The next thing Gaza needs is transgender clinics and and prominent LGBT community.

    298
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    Mute Meh Meh
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:27 AM

    @Joe Willis: Everyone is welcome in Ireland, it’s the people who have already left I have a problem with. Splitters.

    256
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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Feb 8th 2025, 8:33 AM

    @Joe Willis: stop worrying about other people’s genders pal

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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 10:40 AM

    @Daniel Wilson: How many genders is there?

    3
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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 8th 2025, 10:41 AM

    @Meh Meh: so it’s ok for people to leave their countries to come here, but not ok for people here to leave our country, and go somewhere else?

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    Mute pauley870
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    Feb 8th 2025, 9:54 AM

    The three stooges

    17
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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Feb 8th 2025, 11:43 AM

    Why are there tensions I wonder?
    Could it be because the FFFG cabal actually started to believe all the lovely things that they had paid the Churnal, RTE, the Irish Times et al to print about themselves.
    Only to find that when they said to the citizens, “you have had your election, now f### off and leave us alone”, they got a proverbial smack in the mouth
    That when people said, please stop the NGO’s trafficking illegal immigrants into the country, they meant it.
    That when people said, please stop your sportsbender promotion, they meant it.
    That when people said, you are elected to represent Irish people, but you then put the interests of a disease ridden horde of criminals from thousands of miles away ahead of them, they didn’t particularly like it.
    Maybe that’s why there are tensions.

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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:31 PM

    @Garry Coll: Nothing to do with those fantasies. It’s about policy and procedures – real politics – not fear mongering- the electorate gave that less than 1% at the ballot box

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:44 PM

    @Garry Coll: What NGO are trafficking?
    Does that come from the same source that said parties were ferrying immigrants from polling station to polling station to vote for them!

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:48 PM

    @Garry Coll: So you belie in what you see in Telegram instead or podcasters who are full of anger but few actual facts!

    3
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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Feb 8th 2025, 2:47 PM

    @Gary Kearney:
    Very defensive couple of comments posted there Gary.
    Do you perhaps work for one of those state funded media outlets, or maybe the government itself, or even one of those Soros or USAID funded NGO’s flooding the country with economic migrants.
    Declare your interest.

    1
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Feb 8th 2025, 7:51 AM

    “meeting to calm tensions”…….this should be fun!

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    Mute Tom L
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    Feb 8th 2025, 11:08 AM

    They will get what they deserve, is your one still in the Dail listing all of the genders? Lol. Be great if they don’t get an invite on paddy’s day and even better when US money is pulled out of DFE quicker than when I’m with a lady of the night. Bring it on.

    You get what you vote for and deserve what you tolerate

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:50 PM

    @Tom L: They will get what they deserve!!! What a shortsighted thing to say>
    The people will suffer all; of us. The entire country.
    And you think that is a good idea!

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    Mute paulie
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    Feb 8th 2025, 4:02 PM

    The Lowry fella must have been in turkey he looks different.

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    Mute SV3tN8M4
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    Feb 8th 2025, 12:22 PM

    I see the SF lads on here have magiced the likes button again, fella replies yes & getting hundreds of likes.

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    Mute Scott Milne
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    Feb 9th 2025, 4:08 AM

    I am retired and now find it so hard to have any faith in politicians, it appears now a place for teachers etc to take a long earned career break, and waste the tax payers money . A bunch of non deliverers.

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    Mute Liam Foy
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    Feb 9th 2025, 1:15 AM

    Who cogger a bunch of flowery electorate who voted thinking fffg were smell of roses. We’re taxed to the hilt, food too expensive, no hospital available without waiting hours, however there back in power already less four independent tds support.

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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Feb 9th 2025, 12:03 AM

    This whole thing is ridiculous the government will move on and go its 5 years and Sinn Fein will still be guided by the Belfast Mafia who have no appreciation of how detestable they are to voters

    1
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