New Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly (left) and Michaél Martin this afternoon
NO!
He’ll want a toupée next.
Stephen Donnelly Applies To Join Fianna Fail (Newstalk)
Rollingnews
Meanwhile…
@iamDarragh Really? Take a look at Fianna Fail policies for the past 15 years and tell me you don’t see serious incompetence.
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) November 14, 2011
Good times.
Rollingnews
He’ll be so happy stuck in the back benches voting with the party and having his voice ignored.
Irish Times are reporting he will have a front bench position as spokesperson regarding Brexit.
Will just leave this here:
http://www.thejournal.ie/stephen-donnelly-fianna-fail-independent-td-eamon-gilmore-1219708-Dec2013/
…this represents a total betrayal of his supporters and the people who voted for his party…oh wait…that was Gilmore and the labour party…
Diagree, bisted.
I think Donnelly’s is a much bigger betrayal. He ran as moderate, thoughtful independent (and laterally as a Social Democrat, remember) and in clear distinction from the sort of politician FFs are.
…I’m ashamed to say that I’m an ex-labour supporter…worse…I come from the stickie wing that brought Gilmore and Rabbitte to a long-suffering electorate…I know quite a bit about betrayal. Stephen Donnelly has changed shirt once already and still topped the poll. He will probably top the poll again – even in his new shirt…
+1
I would have voted for him both times had he been in my constitch.
I’d now feel humiliated that I’d voted for an FF TD after the fact.
In the UK anyone swapping parties has the fupping decency to resign and run in the by-election.
“In the UK anyone swapping parties has the fupping decency to resign and run in the by-election.”
Didn’t think of that actually.
How true.
over 3 years ago so…….
he will sell himself as a trojan horse now .. bring it down from the inside..LOL…good man don
Totally predictable. His fanbase on BS will be sorely disappointed though.
I think anybody would be disappointed. He had potential. Now he’s just someone else not to vote for.
+1
Didn’t get to be Soc Dem leader, so he’s joined the slime trail to the trough with Sleeveens in Fianna Failure. The party of Haughey, Flynn, Ahern, Lawlor, Lenihan etc. I wish I lived in Wicklow so I’d have the pleasure of not voting for him.
He is a much better fit with FF; I always thought that he was a strange bedfellow for Shortall and Murphy.
Whatever about better fit, he wants a promotion, more publicity and a chance of becoming minister. He obv reckons FF are his best chance. Sad really
I live in Wicklow. Just called his office to confirm because I can’t quite believe it. I will not vote for him and think of you as will at least three more people on my road I can think of off the top of my head. As someone else mentioned above, he probably thinks he’ll be a trojan horse, smash the system from within etc.
Fianna Fail get someone clever AND shut him up.
Stephen Donnelly – loses his seat?
I’m in Wicklow Town and they love a bit of FF/FG here. Greystones will not be happy.
Having grown up in greystones, I kind of wonder how that is.
Greystones traditionally has done really well when FG or FF are in power and those parties usually do well. Which is all the bloody time.
He will be seen as a strong candidate and will do well in Greystones at the next election.
I’m sure that, while there are many people in Wicklow that feel the same way as you, there will also be many who would be eager to see a junior minister/minister from Wicklow as part of a FF government.
I live in the area… no way I could vote for him again after giving him first preference last time… an absolute let down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxXEPk3dzFg
…so sorry I didn’t put money on Frilly’s prediction for FF/SF forming the next government…
What an absolute prat.
Look at another viewpoint, FF are going to be in government next time round that is more or less a given, maybe Stephen can do some good while there, better to be in government and have some influence and make some good changes than in opposition and getting nothing done.
SD have shown a fair bit can be done regardless of size if the will is there.
that ‘viewpoint’ is one steve is hoping most of his supporters will adopt..
by the looks of it I doubt he is hoping, I’d say he doesn’t gives a fly’n f
Have they?
Private members bil on media ownership, proposing and setting up of a special commitee on health services. They are clearly working without making a blip in polling.
Fianna Failure only do “good” when it’s good for them. Stop trying to rationalise political motivations, this has nothing to do with the greater good.
He was never the messiah but he is a very naughty boy
Best to remember that, with very few exceptions, individuals will act based on their own self interest. Always have, always will.
the “better on the inside” mentality that infects all small parties in a coalition.
It always turns out well for them.
ha ha, where’s your messiah now Broadsheeters
…for this headline alone…I’d like to nominate Bodger…
Inevitable….
He should have started a new party called ‘Me Fein’.
…that name is already taken…as is Shane Féin…
Hilarious
Fair play Stephen give it to them good and hard
He doesn’t really have the sheer bog accent of a true FFer. I predict tears. Like George “wunderkind turned RTE lifer” Lee and FG.
Now I have that song “Somebody I Used to Know” stuck in my head….
Lol.
Hate FF , but the weeping and gnashing on here.
I’d say Pat Casey down the Wicklow is delighted. Scraped in last time.
Bye bye Jennifer cuffe
Good luck Stephen and well done Fianna Fáil. The future is bright.
We are still dealing with the legacy of the last time they were in govt.
Twice in my lifetime they have brought economic ruin to this country, never again.
+1 DubLoony
There is almost no politican or party I wouldn’t vote for ahead of FF, ‘cept the likes of Lowry & Healey-Rays
And they’ll win next time.
The Irish electorate is hopeless
civilwarshirt pondscum
‘civilwarshirt’ – that’s a new one, now.
Well, you’d be tempted to throw your hat at it altogether. How in the name of Jesus does he think that joining the most corrupt party in this state will improve matters? The SD party were right to wave goodbye to him. Sickening.
Kenny, Fianna fail under Martin, and featuring such bright young guns as Lisa Chambers and Dara Calleary, are an entirely different vehicle from the party of old. The addition of Stephen Donnelly to the ranks will only go to enforce their new public image as a party you can trust, a party you can believe in.
You almost sound like you are serious
If you are honestly positing those two (grand but uninspiring, from traditional FF families) as the ‘bright young guns’ of our main opposition party, then things look bleak indeed.
The Irish parties need to go out and recruit from beyond their usual circles. The talent they have to offer is frighteningly weak.
Ah I was trying to wind posters up to be honest. Though I do know that at least one of those young guns isn’t from a traditional fianna fail family, the opposite actually.
I am a long time admirer of Donnelly, and I still like and rate him. I do wish he hadn’t moved to fianna fail though.
But I would also say he would be a positive influence on any party he was a part of and would hopefully limit fianna fails ridiculously populist policies that they have enacted time and time again.
Ha I knew it. Good trolling effort.
:-)
Nothing should be surprising in turgid puddle that is Irish politics.
He was a good opposition TD: great head for details, forensic analysis of corruption and incompetence, not the usual easy populist slogans (Shane Ross, I’m looking at you). But how will he be as a government TD? Pro-business, trickle-down economics (Shane Ross, again).
What makes you think he would be a trickle-down economics type?
Do you think the high-tax high-service policies of the SD’s came from Cathrine Murphy?
Obviously. He left the party
I actually agree, Gorevm except that he gives the impression sometimes that he went into the Dail for a quiet life
fupp. can’t believe this!
no wait yes I can
Whether you like this move or not, it was entirely foreseeable.
He always stated his wish to be in government as this was the most efficient way to effect change, and we know that it was the soc dems unwillingness to enter government that was the catalyst for him to leave.
yup
only hope he brings the level up as opposed to sinking into their quicksand
Suckers!
Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them…. well, I have others.
I am so smug that my first preference SD candidate got nowhere.
Meh,
The man believes in being in government to effect change so hes entitled to see how that plays out for him. I reckon he’ll be a good executive if allowed to be so. If he gets sidelined or done over he can always leave. Im inclined to give him a chance – hes shown himslef to be an intelligent principled individual as well as his own man.
Why though? Is it because you think he looks like a good executive? When has he ever been in a position to have to make a principled decision? I’m not particularly anymore inclined to give him a chance more than I would Trump because his actual words and actions demonstrate him to be an unprincipled populist…
I actually think most of ff want him to be their leader. Talk in 4 years
No.
Another opportunist found out, so what’s new?
Is there anything wrong with being opportunist? is it a trait of being ambitious?
just asking the question
Joining Fianna Fail, the party that almost destroyed Ireland and are responsible for thousands of evictions, family break ups, waves of emmigration and suicides since 2008. Stephen you silly cant!
Irish politics are poison
this means loads of new votes for FF .. Donnelly will be wheeled out from time to time to make rousing speeches about how they will fix the countries problems. and he will have some ideas that would work. but they will never implement any of them. once they have power he’ll be shoved to the side, given no power to do anything, maybe just enough to keep him there for votes. kinda like when george lee joined FG, he was purely for votes, then they wouldnt let him do anything. main party politicians in this country don’t actually want to do any real work, and theyve been at the trough for years, they aren’t about to change their stripes.
This is true. It’s lipstick on a pig. Oink oink
Mehole Martin getting his house in order before the next election. From Donnelly’s point of view it is a good political move to join a strong party where his views can be hear. The problem is the majority of his views so far have been in direct conflict with the party he is now joining. Time will tell if he turns into a skull faced alien and end up being destroyed by a pro wrestler who came to kick a$$ and crew bubblegum…and is all out of Bubblegum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJC4R1uXDaE
Mehole Martin getting his house in order before the next election. From Donnelly’s point of view it is a good political move to join a strong party where his views can be hear. The problem is the majority of his views so far have been in direct conflict with the party he is now joining. Time will tell if he turns into a skull faced alien and end up being destroyed by a pro wrestler who came to kick a$$ and chew bubblegum…and is all out of Bubblegum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJC4R1uXDaE
Whoops, posted twice, my bad
the wh0Я€$ and dinosaurs
…good interview with Mary Wilson on Drivetime…Donnelly was floundering…trying to defend the indefensible…hope the FFers do a George Lee on him…
Great news. Best of luck. The virtue signallers like Billy Gannon will be so annoyed.
How on earth is anyone surprised at this. I’m in his constituency and can’t for the life of me understand how easily people were hoodwinked by him. He was always a populist FF type who had a wafer thin understanding of how the world worked. It’s bemusing how people I know in this county look at the image (young, well spoken, spent a whole year in McKinsey, based in Greystones) and think because he looks like one of us (middle class, right of centre) therefore he best represents us. But close your eyes and his actual actions and words were not far off the worst of FF and some of the hard left. Constantly un-costed and utterly impractical policies. Dumb ideas. I’m going to enjoy some of the discomfort in Dann’s over the next few weeks by those that considered him the great hope that talked sense etc etc
So you’re an equally sad douche bag crying into your pint in Danns as some of those you vilify?
*misses snakes, returns to jungle*
I don’t blame you, Don.
Hairless and Spineless
Hahaha…. Surprise Muthafunka’s!!!
Fine To Fail Party’s minister for brexit…. don’t make me laugh…. lolz….
A brief for a political position where nothing much will happen for the next three years and when it does, conehead will be the last to be invited to give his opinion on policy…
If you were surprised by this after he turned his very flexible back on any effort at real democracy you need your head examined for naivety.
Best of luck to him, I hope he reaps what he has sown…
OR
I hope that this is a sinister plan to destroy FF from within and then move on to the other half in the Fine Gombeen Party…
:-J
Lemme remind ye
I told ye he was for turning
https://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/07/15/soc-it-to-dem/
Your column was unreadable then and it’s still unintelligible today