Meanwhile, Outside Leinster House

at

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:

Election looms as Fianna Fáil decides to table no confidence motion (Fiach Kelly, Sarah Bardon, The Irish Times)

UPDATE:

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48 thoughts on “Meanwhile, Outside Leinster House

  1. Ron

    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.

    1. ReproBertie

      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.

      1. scottser

        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.

        1. ReproBertie

          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.

      2. ollie

        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.

        1. ReproBertie

          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.

    2. Andrew

      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?

  2. Liam Deliverance

    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.

  3. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

    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. Harry Molloy

      +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

      1. mildred st. meadowlark

        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.

        1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

          Did either of you watch Mr Mercedes? Crikey. That was some show for one show. Very bold for RTÉ.

          1. mildred st. meadowlark

            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.

          2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Do. Great acting, very suspenseful. Brendan Gleeson really chewed the scenery in this one (in a good way).

      2. Shayna

        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.

  4. Mrs_TheGoo

    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.

  5. Increasing_Displacement

    “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.

      1. ollie

        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.

          1. Shayna

            @dav – yeah pretty much, although, I wouldn’t have thought the glasses suit Cillian, also the music is great, kinda dig it.

  6. Barry the Hatchet

    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.

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      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.

      1. mildred st. meadowlark

        That’s a damn fine assessment of her. No more and no less than she deserves. We’re destined to be governed by incompetence.

        1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

          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.

  7. Eoin

    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.

    1. mildred st. meadowlark

      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.

      1. Cian

        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?

        1. mildred st. meadowlark

          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.

          1. Harry Molloy

            I would say that’s their fault rather than ours as they’ve never offered a united alternative

          2. mildred st. meadowlark

            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.

          3. Harry Molloy

            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

  8. Andy Moore

    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 ??

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