“In a letter to the executive office in Stormont the government confirmed there would be border control posts in three ports, Belfast, Warrenpoint and Larne”
Zappone still in situ and building on her incompetence. And here we are still, months after the election, without a government. All in the quest of FF FG to exclude the party that won the popular vote and to keep their own noses in the trough. No other reason. Party before country.
The Grand Old Duke Of Cork has destroyed FF (The Republican Party, how do), and still he prances about with his ‘Let me be taoiseach’ and ‘but Brexit, but Covid’ mantras. Varadkar wants to take first turn as Taoiseach of course, as there will be another election pretty quickly then, meaning that Martin will not get to be even a lurched taoiseach.
John McGuinness has it spot on. The Duke is under pressure.
Rob_G
“the quest of FF FG to exclude the party that won the popular vote”
– this is such crybaby nonsense; ‘winning the popular vote’ is something you hear in a two-party system like America. SF did well, and did win the popular vote – with a quarter of all the votes cast. So, three-quarters of voters didn’t vote for them; hardly an all-encompassing mandate to govern
…the shinners greatly under-estimated their support and ran too few candidates…why did Liadh niRiada not run…their judgement was flawed…
GiggidyGoo
Likewise FF and FG over-estimated their support. Their judgement was also flawed. Which opens the conversation for next election – which flawed judgement in the last election will not be flawed next one?
Cian
FF and FG put sufficient candidates (over 80) so they could have (in theory) get a majority.
Again and again we see SF doing all they can to avoiding leadership. Like they avoid Westminister, like they avoid (as much as they could for 3 years) in NI…
GiggidyGoo
How are SF ‘doing all they can to avoiding leadership’ as you put it? An example of them doing something to avoid leadership would be appreciated. And the old Westminster lemon – as pointed out to you time and time again here, in order to take seats at Westminster they would have to swear allegiance to the Queen.
Maybe you would be so kind as to tell us whether FG would swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen, or if you’re Irish, whether you would do so.
And the NI reference. Again, an old lemon. The NI assembly fell apart because of Arlene Foster’s cash-for-ash scandal (and that was what it was – a scandal). Now it may be acceptable for the likes of FG to condone that type of scandal, and to try use it to say that it was SF who was at fault for the collapse of the assembly. That’s FG’s way of operating, but as you can see, FG are 3rd as regards numbers elected in the Dail, and that’s no mean feat for Varadkar to have achieved with his (like yours) ‘look over there’ utterances.
Cian
As an Irish citizen I would not try to become an MP in the first place so it wouldn’t arise. I can’t see any reason where I had to swear allegiance to any monarch.
Saying that, I don’t see the problem with a citizen of the UK swearing allegiance to the UK monarch. Whether they like it or not, the people in the 6 counties are UK citizens. They are bound by UK laws. They use UK currency. Their post boxes are red.
GiggidyGoo
Well Rob, at least you agree that they did win the popular vote. But you were here a couple of days ago telling us that FF won the most seats in the last election. They didn’t. The CC gets in automatically, so FF got the same No. of seats as SF.
But to put that in context for you.
FF Lost seats compared to 2016 (Six I believe)
FG lost seats compared to 2016 (Fifteen I believe)
Labour lost 1 seat
SF gained seats compared to 2016. (Fourteen I believe)
The Greens gained 10 seats
Social Democrats gained 3
There’s the actualities of the ‘winning or losing’ argument
Rob_G
FF and FG and the Greens (probably?) will form the next government – that’s the actualities of the ‘winning or losing’ argument. Poltics is a zero-sum game, the rest is only so much fodder for political anoraks.
GiggidyGoo
A probability is not an actuality.
There’s enough going on behind the scenes, particularly in FF for instance, to suggest Micheal Martin will split the party. (What an achievement)
Likewise, in FG, Leo’s position isn’t guaranteed given the massive losses that FG had in the election. (I’d mentioned it a few times over the past two years about the grassroots waiting in the long grass after their man for the job, Coveney was robbed of the leadership – That’s an actuality as it happens)
Rob_G
It’s a probability that is approaching 1 :)
FG are on 35%; while it may not have looked so great for him right after the election, Leo’s not going anywhere for the moment.
“Coveney was robbed of the leadership – That’s an actuality as it happens”
– you are just taking things that you happen to agree with and calling them ‘actualities’ – FG have their own procedures for electing a leader, one that both Varadkar and Coveney signed up to when they entered the leadership contest. All the parties have their own way of running things – FG appoint their leaders by vote, but with the parliamentary party votes having a greater weight; SF appoint their leaders by only running one candidate… they all have their own sets of rules :)
GiggidyGoo
The manner in which FG decide is beside the point. The point I was making is that the grassroots (a lot more ‘people’) wanted Coveney, and told the elected TD’s and the Senators that’s what was needed. Those elected TD’s & the Senators went against the requirements of the grassroots and installed Varadkar. They’re reaping what they’ve sowed now, and it’s reflected in the losses that a Varadkar-led party have had.
The 35% you write about of course is a RedC figure. Red C have very little credibility, especially after their stuffing of People’s Assembly and were caught out. Red C haven’t been at the races as regards polls. Bums on seats count in the end.
Rob_G
Ok – FF and FG have almost twice as many bums on seats as SF; they will the parties leading the government. All other talk of losses and gains are secondary at best.
GiggidyGoo
Well Rob, it does look like it alright but you’re surely not saying then that people who voted for FF did so in the knowledge and anticipation of them going into coalition with FG? And vice versa?
Anyway, I do find it amusing that it’s suddenly, after almost a century of supposed rivalry, accepted by people defending either one of those parties that there is no difference between them and that is the main political force now.
The two together, FFG can’t even reach what one of them had in terms of support in previous elections.
A line has, at last, been drawn which now clarifies what’s (likely to be) government and what’s opposition.
The only thing left to do now is to design an insignia and motto for FFG.
Rob_G
You are right that politics makes strange bedfellows – probably FF or FG didn’t want ot be in coalition with one another, and yet here we are.
This is why they have always been in power, and the smaller left-wing parties, who place ideological purity over pragmatism, have not.
Cian
Depends how you show it: Percentage difference from 2016 to 2020 shows that the Greens and Soc Dems had the biggest win!
– Green Party 500%
– Social Democrats 100%
– Sinn Féin 61%
– Labour Party -14%
– Fianna Fáil -16%
– Solidarity–PBP -17%
– Fine Gael -29%
GiggidyGoo
Bums on seats is what counts. The Greens, by the way, got in on the tails of the SF vote. If Eamon Ryan decides to prop up FFG, and in the process adds more levies and taxes on the population, he’ll be back to 1 or 2 seats after the next election.
Cian
Bums on seats is what counts.
In that case FF won. They have more bums on seats.
GiggidyGoo
The CC may be a member of FF, but he didn’t ‘win’ his seat (as you agreed to a day or two ago). His seat isn’t in the FF section of the Dail.
BTW, I’m interested to know what your examples are of what SF has ‘done’ as you put it to ‘avoid leadership’ (again, as you have put it).
Also on your thoughts on the Oath Of Allegiance as asked above, and also whether you agree that the collapse of the Assembly was due to Arlene Foster and the DUP cash-for-ash scandal.
Interestingly, we have a Garda Commissioner, head of our Irish Police Force who has signed an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen. That might make your own answer easier :-)
Clampers Outside
Doesn’t matter if he won it, his bum is on it.
As you said, bums on seats :)
Cian
1. The current CC is a member of FF. If needed he can resign as CC and take his a seat in the FF section of the Dail (like Seán Barrett,FG, did after the 2016 election). FF have more bums on seats than SF.
2. There were many reasons for the collapse of the NI executive in 2017. But it was lack of willingness (on both side) that prevented them from working for three years. SF didn’t want to be in government or they would have done more to resolve the issues.
I don’t know what the Garda Commissioner has to with things? He is a UK citizen. Or is it his connection with Areleen that you allude to? Both their fathers were shot by (SF)IRA?
GiggidyGoo
The fact is that the CC, right now, does not sit with, or side with one party or other. If he did, then the Dail wouldn’t operate. You mention ‘Barrett’ after the election. As it stands, the CC hasn’t done anything like that, so your point is moot. So in terms of FF FG SF and the operation of the Dail, FF and SF have been elected with the same number of seats. FF lost many seats though and SF gained many seats in the election.
FG – well, Varadkar built on Kenny’s losses to make them the 3rd largest party. No amount of photo shoots, Red C polls etc. will change that, and the party members know it.
As regards the Assembly. It doesn’t surprise me that FG would consider what the DUP and Foster did was just a normal day at the office, and everything should continue as is. That’s the FG way. That’s the DUP way.
If you want to go down the road of DUP/Loyalist murders, I can do that. Though you may get as good an insight from Jeffrey Donaldson or Jonathan Bell the next time either addresses the FG Ard Fheis.
Maybe Simon Coveney could assist, after all he has made a keynote address to a DUP conference. Maybe even Arlene could assist, as it was just last year she was meeting loyalist terrorists. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/10/16/news/dup-defends-arlene-foster-s-astonishing-meetings-with-senior-loyalists-1739844/
FG = DUP = Loyalist Terrorists. A=B=C, therefore A=C.
……………………
I’m still waiting for examples on your claim that SF are ‘doing all they can to avoiding leadership’ though.
Northern Irish people can choose their citizenship by the way. In choosing to be Irish, they obviously don’t swear allegiance to to Queen. But glad to see that you, as an Irish citizen wouldn’t do so either.
Rosette of Sirius
Riddle me this then. Why is SF unable/unwilling (or whatever) to attempt, to try to form a government without FG and FF? They have the numbers. Why might this be?
GiggidyGoo
They have attempted it – but all you need to do is look at the Greens (Eamon Ryan another Me Feiner) and the ‘Independents’ who are ex FF FG to understand why the numbers can’t be made up. But they did try (I can’t understand how you missed that)
Riddle me these…….
Micheal Martin. (Paraphrased, but the videos are on line). ‘We will not enter Government with FG’. ‘We need FG gone from Government – people have had enough’ + a few more.
Leo Varadkar (again paraphrased) ‘We will not go into government. We will now stay in opposition and rebuild the party.
Rosette of Sirius
Missed it? It would have been all too easy to. It was a comically light attempt and then silence.
Look you know and I know what’s going on. SF no more wants to go into government with FG and FF let alone anyone else for that matter.
They’re playing for a stalemate in the hope no government will be formed and it’s back to the races in September. Their game is to win even more seats and play with a much stronger hand. This is clearly high stakes and it might pay off. Alternatively, it might bite their arse hard.
GiggidyGoo
Well if you look at what’s happened since the election, FG and FF aren’t pulling out the stops to form a government. (I’m not fooled by soundbites). How many months now?
The obvious is an all party government.
MaryLou's ArmaLite
SF did not win the largest number of seats.
Remember a vote for SF/IRA is a vote for murder.
Daisy Chainsaw
A vote for FG is a vote for raping disabled women.
GiggidyGoo
And hounding women to their grave (McCole)
Rosette of Sirius
Unlike tearing them from their children, shooting them and dumping the remains in an unmarked grave?!
sidhe
so all of our main are guilty of scumbaggery in some form or other
no one is coming out of the wash clean in this exercise
sidhe
*main political parties
GiggidyGoo
Glad you don’t disagree with me on FG Rosette. I agree with you by the way on the IRA. (Surprised to hear that?)
GiggidyGoo
Who said they won most seats?
Yesterday’s summation still stands obviously.
scottser
a vote for FG is a vote for fascism
we could do this all day you know..
GiggidyGoo
(Lurched)
GiggidyGoo
(Lurcher)
Slightly Bemused
I know they are bad for me, but now I really want a sausage McMuffin with egg and extra cheese!
This lockdown is really driving me crazy
Rosette of Sirius
Buy two, remove bottom – non cheesy – muffin base. And double up….! You know you want to!
paul
I had one the day before they closed up. Made the want all the worse.
Janet, I ate my avatar
A sausage and egg McMuffin contains more calories than you’d imagine. This two-piece breakfast will add 900 calories to your daily intake, according to the site….that’s an hour and a half running to eliminate,
maybe that will kill the craving ;)
Rob_G
Arra lighten up, Kaptain Killjoy.
Janet, I ate my avatar
I think you’ll find that’s Captain Cardio ;)
bertie blenkinsop
General Gammyfeet!
Janet, I ate my avatar
you can paint the skin to look like nails …it’s all good …evil laugh
Slightly Bemused
Sorry had to do something else. I had not expected this response. But like Clampers, I have no guilt, and no regrets!
Janet, I ate my avatar
ah I’m not having ago, whatever rocks your boats :)
Slightly Bemused
Ah go on, have a go! It’s part of what makes here fun :-)
Besides, I grew up in a large family. Having a go is pretty much par for the course :-D
Janet, I ate my avatar
Grand so, takes out earrings and rolls up sleeves !
scottser
butchers are still open – you could make a much better one yourself. it’s not called muckdonalds for nothing..
Janet, I ate my avatar
for some reason I’m now craving a decent Scotch pie
dav
with real scotch?
Janet, I ate my avatar
I wouldn’t like to be difficult so if it comes with !
+1, but hold the guilt as I enjoy mine without any :)
barny
See in times like this the champions of the people the legal profession really rise to the top
Like usual they see the opportunity to make a quick buck in the vexatious litigation suing companies the government
Is all the aid we get to be siphoned off through the courts
As for the leaving tough on the little dears
The world closed down over covid 19 just get over it
Number one task of government is to pass emergency legislation to prohibit legal action over covid actions as to be frankly honest businesses cannot reopen with no insurance available only to find them taken to the cleaners by swing gate types
No business should reopen until this is fully nipped in the bud
SOQ
What exactly does ‘nipped in the bud’ mean?
This is one of a number of viruses which sweep the globe every year. No matter how many lock downs or for how long, they still are going to work their way through the population, the vast majority of whom will never even know they are or were infected.
In the mean time, small and medium sized business are going to the wall in increasing numbers- the cost of which, in lives, particularly of other closed down health services, will be higher than CoVid-19 ever was.
barny
Emergency legislation outlawing suing for getting covid if you enter a business premises
As for suing because you cannot sit an exam
This world has been closed down because of it
Its now a major concern that if you do restart your business you are opening yourself up to being sued and you have no insurance so technically if you are sued and look at the mail regarding leaving cert your business could be bankrupted by legal fees defending your business
And if that happens they will be going to the wall
Remember swing gate
No business can get covid cover and remember the child care entering front lone workers homes and the government turning down Nu chance that if a child care worker contracted covid NO PAYOUT OF GOVERNMENT COFFERS
SOQ
Thank you for your response.
You have given me food for thought although in the case of the agri industry- I doubt if they have employer liability in the first place. Unless promised by being part of a co-op- which that will be legally challenged in due course.
Cavan hospital is a very busy right now.
Spud
Seems to be so much conflicting reporting about antibodies and immunity.
Hard to know what to believe.
Janet, I ate my avatar
isn’t it, conflicting information about so much of it in an era many don’t trust government,
one thing is for sure life as we knew it is over
SOQ
I completely disagree Janet- once the full extent of infection is known, outside of high risk groups, people will realise this thing is nowhere near as serious as it has been portrayed.
Janet, I ate my avatar
maybe, but will life go back to what it was …I don’t think so
barny
The government closed the country down
Are you trying to say they sacrificed every business in this country just to save the HSE from being over worked
If so maybe buisnessneeds compensation for its loss
May I ask are you Boris or Donald or just SOQ
SOQ
Unless there is something very different about this virus than the rest of the Corona group, immunity will last between 1 and 4 years and probably a life time.
Delores Chaill is a professor in immunology so well qualified to speak on the subject. Because she is also the chairperson of the Irish Freedom Party, some people are prejudiced against her- the same sort of people who usually love to lecture northerners about putting their differences aside and working together of course.
Dolores Cahill, you mean. ;) I watched that interview the other day. Definitely an opinion that deserves consideration. Her credentials are very impressive: https://dolorescahill.com/pages/experience
barny
Watched it and I think she is bang on the money
Ps sorry for calling you Boris or donald
SOQ
Yeah try and ignore the mid Atlantic south Dublin clown jock who keeps using his mouth rather than his ears.
barny
Al I know the stats per head of the population are pretty bad
I could not believe it when you compare infection and death
We are worse than the USA if you go by them
The proportion of 65 plus deaths it shows 90% are 65 and over
Listening to Ivan Yates programme last night listen to the WHO and the fact that if we crush the curve it will take 4 months more and that we should lock down for another 2 months
Asitsaysinthepapers
Is there a reason the front covers of some Irish papers are usually not shown (e.g. Star?). The Irish Times has been absent quite a bit too. Would be nice to see the cover photos in particular. https://twitter.com/newsbrandsirl/status/1260840058292187137
Kate
That poor woman hanging out of the Skellig hotel window is in dIre straits . It’s shameful to put deliberate distress on the the residents , and with 25 virus cases already confirmed it must be terrifying .
And Healy- Rae is unaware a fat cheque landed in his a/c recently in respect of this cramped , not fit for purpose hotel. It’s a manslaughter charge if one of the residents dies , deliberately placed in harms way.
Otis Blue
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
Upton Sinclair – I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked (1935)
“In a letter to the executive office in Stormont the government confirmed there would be border control posts in three ports, Belfast, Warrenpoint and Larne”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/13/brexit-will-mean-checks-on-goods-crossing-irish-sea-government-admits
Zappone still in situ and building on her incompetence. And here we are still, months after the election, without a government. All in the quest of FF FG to exclude the party that won the popular vote and to keep their own noses in the trough. No other reason. Party before country.
The Grand Old Duke Of Cork has destroyed FF (The Republican Party, how do), and still he prances about with his ‘Let me be taoiseach’ and ‘but Brexit, but Covid’ mantras. Varadkar wants to take first turn as Taoiseach of course, as there will be another election pretty quickly then, meaning that Martin will not get to be even a lurched taoiseach.
John McGuinness has it spot on. The Duke is under pressure.
“the quest of FF FG to exclude the party that won the popular vote”
– this is such crybaby nonsense; ‘winning the popular vote’ is something you hear in a two-party system like America. SF did well, and did win the popular vote – with a quarter of all the votes cast. So, three-quarters of voters didn’t vote for them; hardly an all-encompassing mandate to govern
…the shinners greatly under-estimated their support and ran too few candidates…why did Liadh niRiada not run…their judgement was flawed…
Likewise FF and FG over-estimated their support. Their judgement was also flawed. Which opens the conversation for next election – which flawed judgement in the last election will not be flawed next one?
FF and FG put sufficient candidates (over 80) so they could have (in theory) get a majority.
Again and again we see SF doing all they can to avoiding leadership. Like they avoid Westminister, like they avoid (as much as they could for 3 years) in NI…
How are SF ‘doing all they can to avoiding leadership’ as you put it? An example of them doing something to avoid leadership would be appreciated. And the old Westminster lemon – as pointed out to you time and time again here, in order to take seats at Westminster they would have to swear allegiance to the Queen.
Maybe you would be so kind as to tell us whether FG would swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen, or if you’re Irish, whether you would do so.
And the NI reference. Again, an old lemon. The NI assembly fell apart because of Arlene Foster’s cash-for-ash scandal (and that was what it was – a scandal). Now it may be acceptable for the likes of FG to condone that type of scandal, and to try use it to say that it was SF who was at fault for the collapse of the assembly. That’s FG’s way of operating, but as you can see, FG are 3rd as regards numbers elected in the Dail, and that’s no mean feat for Varadkar to have achieved with his (like yours) ‘look over there’ utterances.
As an Irish citizen I would not try to become an MP in the first place so it wouldn’t arise. I can’t see any reason where I had to swear allegiance to any monarch.
Saying that, I don’t see the problem with a citizen of the UK swearing allegiance to the UK monarch. Whether they like it or not, the people in the 6 counties are UK citizens. They are bound by UK laws. They use UK currency. Their post boxes are red.
Well Rob, at least you agree that they did win the popular vote. But you were here a couple of days ago telling us that FF won the most seats in the last election. They didn’t. The CC gets in automatically, so FF got the same No. of seats as SF.
But to put that in context for you.
FF Lost seats compared to 2016 (Six I believe)
FG lost seats compared to 2016 (Fifteen I believe)
Labour lost 1 seat
SF gained seats compared to 2016. (Fourteen I believe)
The Greens gained 10 seats
Social Democrats gained 3
There’s the actualities of the ‘winning or losing’ argument
FF and FG and the Greens (probably?) will form the next government – that’s the actualities of the ‘winning or losing’ argument. Poltics is a zero-sum game, the rest is only so much fodder for political anoraks.
A probability is not an actuality.
There’s enough going on behind the scenes, particularly in FF for instance, to suggest Micheal Martin will split the party. (What an achievement)
Likewise, in FG, Leo’s position isn’t guaranteed given the massive losses that FG had in the election. (I’d mentioned it a few times over the past two years about the grassroots waiting in the long grass after their man for the job, Coveney was robbed of the leadership – That’s an actuality as it happens)
It’s a probability that is approaching 1 :)
FG are on 35%; while it may not have looked so great for him right after the election, Leo’s not going anywhere for the moment.
“Coveney was robbed of the leadership – That’s an actuality as it happens”
– you are just taking things that you happen to agree with and calling them ‘actualities’ – FG have their own procedures for electing a leader, one that both Varadkar and Coveney signed up to when they entered the leadership contest. All the parties have their own way of running things – FG appoint their leaders by vote, but with the parliamentary party votes having a greater weight; SF appoint their leaders by only running one candidate… they all have their own sets of rules :)
The manner in which FG decide is beside the point. The point I was making is that the grassroots (a lot more ‘people’) wanted Coveney, and told the elected TD’s and the Senators that’s what was needed. Those elected TD’s & the Senators went against the requirements of the grassroots and installed Varadkar. They’re reaping what they’ve sowed now, and it’s reflected in the losses that a Varadkar-led party have had.
The 35% you write about of course is a RedC figure. Red C have very little credibility, especially after their stuffing of People’s Assembly and were caught out. Red C haven’t been at the races as regards polls. Bums on seats count in the end.
Ok – FF and FG have almost twice as many bums on seats as SF; they will the parties leading the government. All other talk of losses and gains are secondary at best.
Well Rob, it does look like it alright but you’re surely not saying then that people who voted for FF did so in the knowledge and anticipation of them going into coalition with FG? And vice versa?
Anyway, I do find it amusing that it’s suddenly, after almost a century of supposed rivalry, accepted by people defending either one of those parties that there is no difference between them and that is the main political force now.
The two together, FFG can’t even reach what one of them had in terms of support in previous elections.
A line has, at last, been drawn which now clarifies what’s (likely to be) government and what’s opposition.
The only thing left to do now is to design an insignia and motto for FFG.
You are right that politics makes strange bedfellows – probably FF or FG didn’t want ot be in coalition with one another, and yet here we are.
This is why they have always been in power, and the smaller left-wing parties, who place ideological purity over pragmatism, have not.
Depends how you show it: Percentage difference from 2016 to 2020 shows that the Greens and Soc Dems had the biggest win!
– Green Party 500%
– Social Democrats 100%
– Sinn Féin 61%
– Labour Party -14%
– Fianna Fáil -16%
– Solidarity–PBP -17%
– Fine Gael -29%
Bums on seats is what counts. The Greens, by the way, got in on the tails of the SF vote. If Eamon Ryan decides to prop up FFG, and in the process adds more levies and taxes on the population, he’ll be back to 1 or 2 seats after the next election.
Bums on seats is what counts.
In that case FF won. They have more bums on seats.
The CC may be a member of FF, but he didn’t ‘win’ his seat (as you agreed to a day or two ago). His seat isn’t in the FF section of the Dail.
BTW, I’m interested to know what your examples are of what SF has ‘done’ as you put it to ‘avoid leadership’ (again, as you have put it).
Also on your thoughts on the Oath Of Allegiance as asked above, and also whether you agree that the collapse of the Assembly was due to Arlene Foster and the DUP cash-for-ash scandal.
Interestingly, we have a Garda Commissioner, head of our Irish Police Force who has signed an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen. That might make your own answer easier :-)
Doesn’t matter if he won it, his bum is on it.
As you said, bums on seats :)
1. The current CC is a member of FF. If needed he can resign as CC and take his a seat in the FF section of the Dail (like Seán Barrett,FG, did after the 2016 election). FF have more bums on seats than SF.
2. There were many reasons for the collapse of the NI executive in 2017. But it was lack of willingness (on both side) that prevented them from working for three years. SF didn’t want to be in government or they would have done more to resolve the issues.
I don’t know what the Garda Commissioner has to with things? He is a UK citizen. Or is it his connection with Areleen that you allude to? Both their fathers were shot by (SF)IRA?
The fact is that the CC, right now, does not sit with, or side with one party or other. If he did, then the Dail wouldn’t operate. You mention ‘Barrett’ after the election. As it stands, the CC hasn’t done anything like that, so your point is moot. So in terms of FF FG SF and the operation of the Dail, FF and SF have been elected with the same number of seats. FF lost many seats though and SF gained many seats in the election.
FG – well, Varadkar built on Kenny’s losses to make them the 3rd largest party. No amount of photo shoots, Red C polls etc. will change that, and the party members know it.
As regards the Assembly. It doesn’t surprise me that FG would consider what the DUP and Foster did was just a normal day at the office, and everything should continue as is. That’s the FG way. That’s the DUP way.
If you want to go down the road of DUP/Loyalist murders, I can do that. Though you may get as good an insight from Jeffrey Donaldson or Jonathan Bell the next time either addresses the FG Ard Fheis.
Maybe Simon Coveney could assist, after all he has made a keynote address to a DUP conference. Maybe even Arlene could assist, as it was just last year she was meeting loyalist terrorists. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/10/16/news/dup-defends-arlene-foster-s-astonishing-meetings-with-senior-loyalists-1739844/
FG = DUP = Loyalist Terrorists. A=B=C, therefore A=C.
……………………
I’m still waiting for examples on your claim that SF are ‘doing all they can to avoiding leadership’ though.
Northern Irish people can choose their citizenship by the way. In choosing to be Irish, they obviously don’t swear allegiance to to Queen. But glad to see that you, as an Irish citizen wouldn’t do so either.
Riddle me this then. Why is SF unable/unwilling (or whatever) to attempt, to try to form a government without FG and FF? They have the numbers. Why might this be?
They have attempted it – but all you need to do is look at the Greens (Eamon Ryan another Me Feiner) and the ‘Independents’ who are ex FF FG to understand why the numbers can’t be made up. But they did try (I can’t understand how you missed that)
Riddle me these…….
Micheal Martin. (Paraphrased, but the videos are on line). ‘We will not enter Government with FG’. ‘We need FG gone from Government – people have had enough’ + a few more.
Leo Varadkar (again paraphrased) ‘We will not go into government. We will now stay in opposition and rebuild the party.
Missed it? It would have been all too easy to. It was a comically light attempt and then silence.
Look you know and I know what’s going on. SF no more wants to go into government with FG and FF let alone anyone else for that matter.
They’re playing for a stalemate in the hope no government will be formed and it’s back to the races in September. Their game is to win even more seats and play with a much stronger hand. This is clearly high stakes and it might pay off. Alternatively, it might bite their arse hard.
Well if you look at what’s happened since the election, FG and FF aren’t pulling out the stops to form a government. (I’m not fooled by soundbites). How many months now?
The obvious is an all party government.
SF did not win the largest number of seats.
Remember a vote for SF/IRA is a vote for murder.
A vote for FG is a vote for raping disabled women.
And hounding women to their grave (McCole)
Unlike tearing them from their children, shooting them and dumping the remains in an unmarked grave?!
so all of our main are guilty of scumbaggery in some form or other
no one is coming out of the wash clean in this exercise
*main political parties
Glad you don’t disagree with me on FG Rosette. I agree with you by the way on the IRA. (Surprised to hear that?)
Who said they won most seats?
Yesterday’s summation still stands obviously.
a vote for FG is a vote for fascism
we could do this all day you know..
(Lurched)
(Lurcher)
I know they are bad for me, but now I really want a sausage McMuffin with egg and extra cheese!
This lockdown is really driving me crazy
Buy two, remove bottom – non cheesy – muffin base. And double up….! You know you want to!
I had one the day before they closed up. Made the want all the worse.
A sausage and egg McMuffin contains more calories than you’d imagine. This two-piece breakfast will add 900 calories to your daily intake, according to the site….that’s an hour and a half running to eliminate,
maybe that will kill the craving ;)
Arra lighten up, Kaptain Killjoy.
I think you’ll find that’s Captain Cardio ;)
General Gammyfeet!
you can paint the skin to look like nails …it’s all good …evil laugh
Sorry had to do something else. I had not expected this response. But like Clampers, I have no guilt, and no regrets!
ah I’m not having ago, whatever rocks your boats :)
Ah go on, have a go! It’s part of what makes here fun :-)
Besides, I grew up in a large family. Having a go is pretty much par for the course :-D
Grand so, takes out earrings and rolls up sleeves !
butchers are still open – you could make a much better one yourself. it’s not called muckdonalds for nothing..
for some reason I’m now craving a decent Scotch pie
with real scotch?
I wouldn’t like to be difficult so if it comes with !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scotch_pies_92297
here’s a killer recipe
this is a big guilty pleasure for me too
yis are all doomed, doomed I tell ya ;)
+1, but hold the guilt as I enjoy mine without any :)
See in times like this the champions of the people the legal profession really rise to the top
Like usual they see the opportunity to make a quick buck in the vexatious litigation suing companies the government
Is all the aid we get to be siphoned off through the courts
As for the leaving tough on the little dears
The world closed down over covid 19 just get over it
Number one task of government is to pass emergency legislation to prohibit legal action over covid actions as to be frankly honest businesses cannot reopen with no insurance available only to find them taken to the cleaners by swing gate types
No business should reopen until this is fully nipped in the bud
What exactly does ‘nipped in the bud’ mean?
This is one of a number of viruses which sweep the globe every year. No matter how many lock downs or for how long, they still are going to work their way through the population, the vast majority of whom will never even know they are or were infected.
In the mean time, small and medium sized business are going to the wall in increasing numbers- the cost of which, in lives, particularly of other closed down health services, will be higher than CoVid-19 ever was.
Emergency legislation outlawing suing for getting covid if you enter a business premises
As for suing because you cannot sit an exam
This world has been closed down because of it
Its now a major concern that if you do restart your business you are opening yourself up to being sued and you have no insurance so technically if you are sued and look at the mail regarding leaving cert your business could be bankrupted by legal fees defending your business
And if that happens they will be going to the wall
Remember swing gate
No business can get covid cover and remember the child care entering front lone workers homes and the government turning down Nu chance that if a child care worker contracted covid NO PAYOUT OF GOVERNMENT COFFERS
Thank you for your response.
You have given me food for thought although in the case of the agri industry- I doubt if they have employer liability in the first place. Unless promised by being part of a co-op- which that will be legally challenged in due course.
Cavan hospital is a very busy right now.
Seems to be so much conflicting reporting about antibodies and immunity.
Hard to know what to believe.
isn’t it, conflicting information about so much of it in an era many don’t trust government,
one thing is for sure life as we knew it is over
I completely disagree Janet- once the full extent of infection is known, outside of high risk groups, people will realise this thing is nowhere near as serious as it has been portrayed.
maybe, but will life go back to what it was …I don’t think so
The government closed the country down
Are you trying to say they sacrificed every business in this country just to save the HSE from being over worked
If so maybe buisnessneeds compensation for its loss
May I ask are you Boris or Donald or just SOQ
Unless there is something very different about this virus than the rest of the Corona group, immunity will last between 1 and 4 years and probably a life time.
Delores Chaill is a professor in immunology so well qualified to speak on the subject. Because she is also the chairperson of the Irish Freedom Party, some people are prejudiced against her- the same sort of people who usually love to lecture northerners about putting their differences aside and working together of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua6meLlYJdY
Dolores Cahill, you mean. ;) I watched that interview the other day. Definitely an opinion that deserves consideration. Her credentials are very impressive:
https://dolorescahill.com/pages/experience
Watched it and I think she is bang on the money
Ps sorry for calling you Boris or donald
Yeah try and ignore the mid Atlantic south Dublin clown jock who keeps using his mouth rather than his ears.
Al I know the stats per head of the population are pretty bad
I could not believe it when you compare infection and death
We are worse than the USA if you go by them
The proportion of 65 plus deaths it shows 90% are 65 and over
Listening to Ivan Yates programme last night listen to the WHO and the fact that if we crush the curve it will take 4 months more and that we should lock down for another 2 months
Is there a reason the front covers of some Irish papers are usually not shown (e.g. Star?). The Irish Times has been absent quite a bit too. Would be nice to see the cover photos in particular.
https://twitter.com/newsbrandsirl/status/1260840058292187137
That poor woman hanging out of the Skellig hotel window is in dIre straits . It’s shameful to put deliberate distress on the the residents , and with 25 virus cases already confirmed it must be terrifying .
And Healy- Rae is unaware a fat cheque landed in his a/c recently in respect of this cramped , not fit for purpose hotel. It’s a manslaughter charge if one of the residents dies , deliberately placed in harms way.
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
Upton Sinclair – I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked (1935)