We Are The Kingmakers

at

Sinn Fein TD Eoin Ó Broin

This morning.

At  launch of Sinn Féin’s policy on housing Eoin Ó Broin said despite FF and FG ruling out his party as coalition partners in favour of an amalgam of smaller parties….

…the only opinion poll of the campaign so far – the Behaviour and Attitudes Poll in the Sunday Times which suggests Sinn Fein is at 19% is just one point behind Fine Gael on 20% – “does not show that we are being squeezed in that way.”

Rather, he says, it shows that Sinn Féin is in a “key position” in terms of the potential composition of the next government.

“We know what happens when you put the Labour and Green Party in Government. They break their promises and they allow Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to do exactly what they would do when they are left to their own devices. Sinn Féin is different.

Sinn Féin pitches itself as the only real alternative (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Sponsored Link

30 thoughts on “We Are The Kingmakers

  1. Philip Quinlan

    Bit of a slip of the tongue for a Republican party to suggest their in the business of making kings;)

    Would like to see a broad left coalition like Portugal’s emerge, but sadly we look like re-electing the current coalition

  2. Brother Barnabas

    whether you like SF or not, they’re right when they say they’re the only credible alternative option

    a SF/FF government with SF as the senior component will happen one day

    1. Cian

      SF won’t end up in the Dáil with their current attitude.

      If SF go into negotiations refusing to compromise (or as they say “break their promises”) then they can’t be taken seriously as a coalition partner. The whole point of a coalition is that you get a bit of one party’s promises and a bit from the other party (based on how many seats each has).

      When SF don’t get their way they throw theor toys out of the pram and refuse to work (see 3-years of not doing their jobs in NI).

      1. Qwerty123

        BB is right though, will happen sooner or later, not this election or even next election, but soon, and for the rest of your life.

      2. ReproBertie

        SF’s throwing their toys out of the pram was them calling on the DUP to hold Arleen Foster accountable for the dodgy dealings under the RHI.

        Take a second out from misrepresenting the situation to imagine if a party in the Dáil were willing to hold politicians to task for financial misdeeds.

        1. Cian

          So what changed in the 3 years they weren’t working?
          Has the DUP held Arleen Foster accountable for the dodgy dealings under the RHI? Or did they thrash out a compromise (and why not do that 3 years earlier)?

          1. ReproBertie

            They reached a compromise after the DUP were forced to accept legal status for the Irish language. It was the DUP’s refusal to allow movement on the Irish language that kept the Northern Assembly vacant for three years. No doubt this was SF’s fault despite the SDLP and Alliance party both insisting on it as well.

    2. Scundered

      They’re the party that gave me my first childhood memory of a bomb going off nearby and almost killing my parents, no thanks, certainly not credible.

    3. V

      Ah look’it

      Like them or loathe them
      Blame them or support them

      There is no denying that Sinn Fein’s front bench was made for Government, they have the best Front Bench in Leinster House

      Unfortunately, Mary Lou just hasn’t managed to attract or get out and source more candidates that can add to their numbers, get a decent whip count or be trusted not to make a show of them

      As mentioned last week, SF HQ have a lot to answer for, and I don’t just mean the vetting of local councillors which is what I used as context last week.
      The fact is Sinn Fein have a loaded war chest, they actually have the means go out and head hunt qualified solid candidates and invest in them, get them election prepped and ready in time for this election.
      They just didn’t bother – if their Presidential disaster didn’t put them on notice, then the EU/ Locals results should have given them an unmerciful kick up the ass.

      Their dossing has caught up with them.
      They relied too much on a few performers to represent them and present them as a viable option
      Yet none of them are running in most of the constituencies now going to the polling booths.

    4. Charger Salmons

      SF want to reduce the retirement age to 65.
      I’d say that’s your vote taken care of Brother …

      1. Brother Barnabas

        I retired at 31, charger – and now devote myself to licentious frivolity. so need to worry about me, chum.

  3. RuilleBuille

    You’d have to say SF look to have a bit more backbone than Labour, the Greens or the PDs.

    PS. SF never let off any bombs.

  4. Joe

    If the Shinners are the first party to enter government and keep most of their promises it will be very refreshing and for once a new kind of politics, just imagine a party that can keep its word!
    It will really highlight how hypocritical Liebour and the Vegetable party are and how they debased politics on their previous terms in government

    1. pedeyw

      During the recession SF were simultaneously criticising austerity here and pushing it in the north, though, so not exactly a party that can keeps it’s word.

  5. bisted

    …as the shinners never fail to say…it is not they or any of the parties or non-party people who are kingmaker…it is the voter…those who had not bothered to vote tried to deny the democratic process in the UK…

  6. A Person

    They are so interested in the democratic vote that they didn’t bother with a govt in the north for the last three years, nor took up their seats in London. And yes they were responsible for bombs, shootings, kidnappings etc. For any fool to suggest that Adams was not involved, then they are indeed a fool.

    1. italia'90

      Very insightful thesis there A Person, thank you.
      Perhaps you might consider changing your name to “A Very Well Read Person”?

        1. ReproBertie

          Well your “didn’t bother with a govt in the north for the last three years” is simplistic in the extreme and ignores the reasoning behind the collapse of Stormont.

          1. A Person

            It is not simplistic. What measures did they take to get their democratically elected members to get back into govt? What measures have take taken to represent their voters as MPs? None. They could not be arsed. Looks better to done nothing?

          2. ReproBertie

            Of course it’s simplistic to say they didn’t bother. They were, along with the SDLP and Alliance parties, looking for the Irish language to be given legal status, as was outlined in the St Andrew’s agreement, but were stone walled by the DUP.

            Everyone who votes SF in Northern Ireland knows they will be abstaining from the British Dáil.

  7. diddy

    they have my vote for the first time ever..simply because they’ve a radical housing policy. I suggest you all hold your nose and put a cat among the pigeons

      1. diddy

        anything that is anything remotely socialist is radical…that is to say anything that isn’t FG FG policy. SF and FF policy could well coalesce into something that might suit all tastes

  8. Jake38

    No thanks. Populists should will say anything to get a vote from the disgruntled. As long as West Belfast approves, that is.

  9. DOC

    A Quarter of the TD’s in the DAIL are Landlords
    I remember Mary Lou saying that if they got in they would freeze the rents on properties for three years….
    Do not think that will happen…

  10. Broadbag

    Mary Lou has been a fairly poor leader, what went wrong? Doherty and O’Broin are decent but not sure who else is clued in. Weak leader, the baggage and the ‘we found the money tree’ policies all count against them, but they are going to get into coalition eventually.

Comments are closed.

Sponsored Link
Broadsheet.ie