FF @timmydooley says the Tanaiste and Taoiseach continues the same policy against Maurice McCabe pic.twitter.com/3iIsrukuAb
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) November 24, 2017
FF @DonnellyStephen says the political crisis is ‘easily resolved’ with the resignation of the Tanaiste pic.twitter.com/qx4Ya6MDjK
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) November 24, 2017
Fianna Fail TDs Timmy Dooley and Stephen Donnelly speak to press on their way into the Fianna Fail front bench meeting at 9.30am.
More as they get it.
Meanwhile…
On Today with Sean O’Rourke…
“All I’ve heard since yesterday, and I’ll say it again, is nobody wants an election. So can we come back from the brink please of whatever this particular row is over and I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out what the charge is against Frances Fitzgerald…”
Fine Gael’s Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty speaking to Mr O’Rourke now…
Watch live here
Listen live here
UPDATE:
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin tells frontbench meeting motion will go ahead. But says if Tanaiste resigns, this will be pulled back.
— Sarah Bardon (@SarahBardon) November 24, 2017
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he is open to talks with Leo Varadkar over weekend to resolve this issue.
— Sarah Bardon (@SarahBardon) November 24, 2017
UPDATE:
New – govt sources say @campaignforleo has issued an open offer to @MichealMartinTD to meet to discuss the controversy @rtenews
— Martina Fitzgerald (@MartinaFitzg) November 24, 2017
Correction: None of the political filth bags in Leinster House want an election. I think the electorate might have a different opinion on what they want. They are out of control. Election now and let’s be the change we want to see for our country.
Ah yes, the change from a G to an F..
#civilwarshirts
@paps. i genuinely did Lol at your comment. :)
An election now means the Finance Bill doesn’t get passed and, more importantly, the Committee on the 8th Amendment is gone.
I’m happy to let Tweedledum sit in Tweedledee’s seat for a few more months instead of delaying the Referendum on the 8th any longer.
Member Party / Group
James Browne T.D. Fianna Fáil
Lisa Chambers T.D. Fianna Fáil
Clare Daly T.D. Independents 4 Change
Bernard Durkan T.D. Fine Gael
Peter Fitzpatrick T.D. Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher T.D. Fianna Fáil
Mattie McGrath T.D. Rural Independents Group
Catherine Murphy T.D.
Social Democrats/Green Party Group
Hildegarde Naughton T.D. Fine Gael
Jonathan O’Brien T.D. Sinn Fein
Kate O’Connell T.D. Fine Gael
Louise O’Reilly T.D. Sinn Fein
Jan O’Sullivan T.D. Labour
Anne Rabbite T.D. Fianna Fáil
Bríd Smith T.D. Solidarity-People Before Profit
Senators
Party / Group
Sen. Jerry Buttimer Fine Gael
Sen. Paul Gavan Sinn Fein
Sen. Rónán Mullen Independent Group
Sen. Catherine Noone Fine Gael
Sen. Ned O’Sullivan Fianna Fáil
Sen. Lynn Ruane Civil Engagement Group
in fairness, there’s a few you’d be happy to lose there – durkan, mcgrath, mullen etc.
You’re missing the point. The next government will have to decide whether to have a new committee to look into a referendum on the 8th or not. An election means all the work of the existing committee is wasted and we are no closer to a referendum.
No doubt that’s a great result in the eyes of some.
The legislation on the 8th referendum will be written badly so as to preserve the status quo. Don;t kid yourself repro, Fine GAel will NEVER repeal.
Who will? There are elements on both side of the FF/FG coalition that want to repeal and elements that want to retain (as we saw writ large at the FF Ard Fheis) but the committee, ignoring the tantrums from the pair of manchilds, seem to be sensible enough to suggest a substantial change. That’s a lot closer than we’ve come in a long time and throwing it away because FF want to be the bigger side of the FF/FG coalition strikes me as a big loss for the sake of FF’s vanity.
Ron, what ‘change’ do you see the electorate going for? Based on past elections and current opinion polls.
I’m genuinely curious as to what exactly you expect to happen?
Ron is clearly angling for a Fine Gael single-party goverment.
Is he? I didn’t get that from his comment.
Wake up Regina, looks like you are just out of bed, read the disclosures thread on BS and you might understand what is going on.
Is that a morning show? Just because she might actually just be out of bed…..
Maybe read any of the newspapers Regina?
Election the week before Christmas.
Imagine the turn-out…
Leo was right that Maurice shone a light into darkness in Irish society.
How utterly depressing. Politics is such a dirty game. People are awful.
I got a cheap coffee this morning because of Black Friday, though, so I’m perky enough despite the morass that is Irish politics.
+1
I’m sick of rolling my eyes at this stage. I’m off politics for the rest of the year.
Am more interested in Peaky Blinders
Agreed.
It’s some watch, is Peaky Blinders. And much more satisfying than listening to the tepid lies and point scoring from the govt, which is about as visually and mentally satisfying as licking a toilet bowl.
Did either of you watch Mr Mercedes? Crikey. That was some show for one show. Very bold for RTÉ.
It was, wasn’t it? I watched some of it then missed an episode, and I lost the thread of it. There are great plans to revisit it over the xmas holliers.
Do. Great acting, very suspenseful. Brendan Gleeson really chewed the scenery in this one (in a good way).
I’m up to date with ‘Peaky Blinders’, Cillian Murphy does a decent job of a Brummie/Gyspy/Irish accent. Sam Neill, who was in the first season is from Tyrone, Killyclogher, just outside Omagh. – Sorry, I’m not supposed to mention Tyrone.
I did make a prediction earlier in the year, that there’d be another election, although it was pointed at The North.
I’d go for Sinn Féin, what the hey? Everyone else has been given the whole, ‘Being in Government’ thing. Why not see how a Sinn Féin government may pan out? If it doesn’t pan out, call another election – see how it fits for a bit, then move on, is clearly the current politics.
Ádh mhór a bhíann.
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds do the Intro Music – kinda love it – anyhoos…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGD2N5hJ2e0
Regina Doherty is “still scratching [her] head trying to figure out what the charge is against Frances Fitzgerald.” THIS IS THE CALIBRE OF PERSON WE HAVE GIVEN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TO. Let that sink in …
Meanwhile: “In July 2017, Doherty confirmed [8] that she had lodged a complaint with gardaí against political blogger and academic Catherine Kelly. Kelly said that she was cautioned by gardaí about her social media posts and online articles[9] which referenced Regina Doherty.[10] In the Dáil it was stated that a US based academic experienced a “sinister and chilling experience” in an Irish airport.[11]
In September 2017, it was revealed that she is going to repay an “unlawful” allowance of €15,800 that she received as Chief Whip in direct contravention of the law which states that “no allowance can be paid to a party whip if the person is a Minister or Minister of State”.”
She’s not just thick, she is a corrupt, conniving blackguard, just like the rest of them.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”
Frances Fitzgerald did nothing. She ignored a sign of cancer and let it continue unchecked.
Resign and spare us this election.
she should have interfered with the work of the commission against legal advice . ffs
The AG’s advice is just that, advice. It’s not even legal advice. Fine Gael had perfected that art of hiding behind the AG’s “opinion” on everything.
The Justice Minister gets written confirmation that her Garda Commissioner is going to deliberately lie to attack an innocent man who is threatening her career. She ignores it. The Oskar Gröning defence.
The ex AG was about as good as Frances Fitzgerald at her job.
she set up the commission to investigate
so enjoying peaky blinders then ….
@dav – yeah pretty much, although, I wouldn’t have thought the glasses suit Cillian, also the music is great, kinda dig it.
Could Broadsheet perhaps post a summary of what the alleged wrongdoing is here? I have been following the posts on the Inquiry, McCabe, etc., but I am still somewhat baffled as to precisely what the Tanaiste is alleged to have done wrong. The newspapers this morning are not terribly informative either.
I don’t think she did anything. Not anything wrong or right, just nothing. She inherited a pooshow of a department and instead of fixing it, she did nowt. I don’t think she was able to. I don’t think she’s that bright. She’s polished, certainly, just not smart.
That’s a damn fine assessment of her. No more and no less than she deserves. We’re destined to be governed by incompetence.
I’ve been told since that she actually is bright. Which is worse, in a way. At least if she was an aul dope, you could blame it on that.
She did nothing, that was wrong.
Exactly.
And the pendulum of corruption/incompetence will swing back to FF. It’s their turn at the golden pig trough. I’d vote for a shaved ape just to break this cycle.
It feels like more people are beginning to see that. I’d like to say it’s true, but I think when it comes down to the vote, we (as a nation) tend to be rather conservative.
We are conservative – but what are the alternatives?
What parties will run sufficient candidates in the next election to get a majority (if all their candidates were voted in)
What parties will run sufficient candidates in the next election to be in with a chance of being the lead party in a coalition?
Well, we don’t know what SF or SocDems (if they had more than a handful of members) AAA would actually do in power, as they’ve never been given the opportunity. I mean, it could be disastrous. But we don’t know, because we’ve never taken the chance.
I would say that’s their fault rather than ours as they’ve never offered a united alternative
A fair point. It’s pity that there is no united party for the left/centre left (Labour don’t count). They’d want to get their arses in gear if they want any kind of chance in any election.
I know people think me a rabid right winger here but I could sincerely just as well vote a party well on via left if they could give the impression of running the place end to end
December the 8th maybe ?? Keep our country cousins home & give Students the long weekend ?? Or symbolically maybe the Solstice & we could start a new tradition of a kind of Homecoming oireachtas ??