Author Archives: Bodger

Just now.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar “drops” a Fine Gael general election video – although he’s the only Fine Gael party member mentioned in it.

It also confirms that the party’s slogan is “A Future To Look Forward To”.

Hmm.

Earlier: “A Future To Look Forward To”

Minutes ago.

Independent TD for Dublin Bay North and Minister of State for Disability Issues Finian McGrath released a statement (above) to say he will not run for a seat in the general election.

Via Fiach Kelly

UPDATE:

Anne-Marie McNally, of the Social Democrats

This afternoon.

Broadsheet columnist Anne-Marie McNally, of the Social Democrats, has announced that she will not be contesting the upcoming general election.

Instead, she will take on the role of the party’s Political Communications Director.

She has not ruled out running for a Dáil seat in the future.

Anne-Marie writes:

“After careful consideration, and in consultation with my family and campaign team, I have decided not to contest the upcoming General Election.

“2019 saw me contest both a local and a by-election within six months of each other whilst also working full-time in a political role which demands a significant amount of availability over and above normal working hours – all whilst trying to find time to spend with my family and on personal well-being.

“With a general election imminent, I find that contesting my third election in less than nine months whilst trying to maintain a healthy work/life balance would be very difficult knowing the toll and election campaign takes – physically, emotionally and financially.

“I am by no means ruling out the possibility of once again standing for election as I have a lifelong passion for public service, but for this particular election, coming so soon on the heels of the previous two, the timing is just not right for myself and my family.

“As a founding member of the Social Democrats I remain wholly committed to the party. I am delighted to move into the role of political communications director with the party and I am excited to now use my time to support our leaders and candidates through the upcoming general election and beyond.

“I am passionate about the change progressive politics can bring to people’s lives and am delighted that I can continue to help make a difference to Irish political life through my work with the Social Democrats.

“So many people in Ireland are hopefully that things can get better, this election is a chance for anyone who hopes for better to vote for better by voting for our Social Democrats’ candidate.”

Previously: Anne-Marie McNally on Broadsheet

Helen McEntee and Leo Varadkar on RTÉ in May 2019

Minutes ago…

Minister of State for European Affairs and Fine Gael TD Helen McEntee was interviewed on RTÉ Radio One’s Today with Seán O’Rourke.

Mr O’Rourke asked Ms McEntee if it’s correct that Fine Gael’s election slogan is “A Future To Look Forward To”.

The minister largely repeated what Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told RTÉ’s This Week on Sunday.

His main points were that it took seven years for Fine Gael to fix the economy; as a consequence of that, the party could only invest in public infrastructure over the past two years; that the party acknowledges its shortcomings and failings; and that it’s asking the electorate to allow it to continue doing what its doing.

Later, Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath quipped that Fine Gael’s slogan should be “Keep The Arrogance Going” – in a nod to the party’s previous 2016 election slogan “Let’s Keep The Recovery Going”.

In 2011, the party’s election slogan was “Let’s Get Ireland Working” which was very similar to the title of an weekly Irish Sun jobs supplement “Get Ireland Working” at the time.

From Mr O’Rourke and Ms McEntee’s exchange:

Seán O’Rourke: “Helen McEntee, is it correct that the Fine Gael slogan in this campaign is ‘A Future To Look Forward To’?”

Helen McEntee: “Well I think what we’re focused on is a future for everybody to look forward to. As I’ve said we have made huge progress but it’s not enough and we acknowledge, in particular, and the Taoiseach, over the weekend, acknowledged that we still had massive challenges.

“In particular in health and housing.

“But we are actually starting to see progress and listening to [Sinn Féin TD] David [Cullinane] there you would assume that nothing has happened. No houses have been built, and there is nothing being invested in our health service.

“We have the largest health budget than ever before. While we know that we have difficulties, particularly in our emergency departments, we’re investing in our primary care centres, in our community teams across the country and things like that take time to start filtering through into our hospitals.

“In terms of our houses, we’ve built, as I’ve said earlier on, it’s only in the past two and a half years that we’ve had money, that we’ve only in the past two and a half years probably had a construction sector that was able to function, given the fact that it was so decimating because of the Fianna Fáil previous government.

“But we have now built and brought 50,000 houses into the market. We will have 10,000 further social houses this year. And this is because we have a plan for our housing sector.

“We have a plan for the health sector, we have a plan for childcare, for climate change….”

Meanwhile…

Listen back in full here

Yesterday: “You Had Nine Years”

Earlier: Saturday, February 8

Pic: Eamon Melia

FIGHT!

Meanwhile…

Ah here.

Earlier: Premature Erection

UPDATE:

Sneaky.

This morning.

Castleknock, Dublin 15.

Is this even legal, anyone?

Earlier: Saving The Date

Thanks New Irelander and Paul Donnelly

Meanwhile…

Um.

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Merrion Street, Dublin 2

Labour Party’s Kevin Humphreys outside Government Buildings.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

UPDATE:

 

Last night.

On Virgin Media News at 8pm.

The station’s political correspondent Gavan Reilly explained that people who have registered to vote in Ireland in recent months may not be registered in time to vote.

Mr Reilly explained:

“It’s emerged in the last couple of hours that basically anyone who has registered to vote, certainly in the last eight months, will not actually have had their registration processed in time for general election.

“And that is on the presumption that the general election is going to take place on either February the 7th or 14th.

“The reason for that is that, by law, the new Register of Electors takes effect every year, legally, on February the 15th which is just after we expect the election to actually be.

“And that means that anyone who’s registered in the last couple of months, who thought they’d be registered in time for a general election, actually won’t have been because the register that will be in place for the forthcoming general election will be this year’s register and not next year’s one. And they’ll have been added to the wrong one.

“Now, it’s not too late to get added to this year’s one. There is the opportunity to get added to what’s called a Supplementary Register.

“But there’s an extra complication which is you can’t get added to a Supplementary Register until the election has officially been called. And of course, as of now, it hasn’t actually been.

“So only when the election is called will it be possible for people who are already registered on the pretence that they thought they’d be in on time, to get registered for this year’s one. And the time will be of the essence as well because they’ll have to get registered two weeks before polling is actually going to take place.

“And it means you could have tens of thousands of people – 18-year-olds who might be registering for the first time who already thought they were in before they needed to be done who now could have a fairly frantic couple of days, trying to get all the paperwork in on time.”

Meanwhile…

Watch back in full here

This morning.

Leinster House, Dublin 2.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar arrives for a cabinet meeting to discuss the date of a General Election.

More as we get it.

Varadkar set to discuss election date with Cabinet (RTÉ)

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

Cathal Clarke writes:

Theophilus Ndlovu, aka ‘Touché’, came to Ireland seeking asylum in July 2016 and has spent the last 3.5 years living in Direct Provision in Galway.

As a talented spoken-word and hip-hop artist, Theo has made enormous contributions to the Irish community, performing at countless cultural and charitable events across the country.

Theo is facing imminent deportation and we’re appealing to Broadsheet readers to sign the Uplift petition below requesting [Minister for Justice] Charlie Flanagan to revoke this order.

Save Theo (Uplift)