Tag Archives: Sinn Fein

Fianna Fáil justice spokesman and barrister Jim O’Callaghan advised Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams

This morning.

Via Independent.ie:

Mr O’Callaghan yesterday led his party’s attacks on Sinn Féin over its handling of the Paul Quinn murder.

But the Irish Independent has learned the TD, who also works as a barrister, was hired by former Sinn Féin president Mr Adams to act in a defamation action against a national newspaper.

According to court filings, Mr O’Callaghan helped draft a statement of claim for Mr Adams

…Asked how he could square his representation of Mr Adams with his stance on Sinn Féin, Mr O’Callaghan defended his actions. He referenced the code of conduct of the Irish Bar which prohibits discriminating in favour of or against any person availing of their services.

Good times.

Revealed: FF TD’s work on legal case for Gerry Adams (Indpendent.ie)

Rollingnews

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald at the RTÉ Prime Time debate on Tuesday night

This afternoon.

British market research agency Survation has announced the results of an online poll it conducted on behalf of Sinn Féin  between January 27-February 2.

A total of 1,074 people aged 18+ living in the Republic of Ireland were quizzed on their General Election 2020 voting intentions.

It found the distribution of first preference votes as follows:

Sinn Féin 25%
Fianna Fáil 22%
Fine Gael 17%
Green Party 9%
Labour Party 6%
Solidarity–People Before Profit  5%
Social Democrats 3%
Independent Alliance 1%
Independent candidate 10%
Another Party 2%

G’wan ‘Another Party’.

FIGHT!

Survation 2020 Irish General Election Voting Intention Poll (Survation)

Rollingnews

Senator Michael McDowell said Sinn Fein TDs and Senators “don’t decide anything” and are told what to do.

This morning.

On RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke.

Senator Michael McDowell told Mr O’Rourke that Sinn Féin “don’t have parliamentary party meetings in Leinster House”.

He added: “The TDs and Senators don’t decide anything.”

Asked by Mr O’Rourke how he knew this, he said: “Because I was told directly by one of their parliamentarians.”

Senator McDowell said:

“And I’ll tell you exactly how, Seán. Do you remember the Senate Reform Implementation Group. I asked all the participants to give me an undertaking that we could set aside an afternoon to finalise the report. I said ‘can each of you tell me that there will be no parliamentary party meeting to distract you, or to take you away’.

“And we went around the table and when I got to the Sinn Féin participant, he said ‘we don’t have a parliamentary party’. ”

“He told me to my face…”

“They don’t have meetings of their parliamentary party as such in Leinster House.”

When it was put to Mr McDowell that the polls are indicating that the party may do very well, he replied “so what” before saying that Sinn Féin are “entitled to participate in Government if there are other parties which will participate in Government with them”.

He added:

“We live in a free democracy and if people don’t want to participate in Government with Sinn Féin, they’re perfectly entitled and there’s nothing arrogant or undemocratic to say ‘sorry, we are not going to participate in Government with you’.”

The 23-member implementation croup, consisting of 11 Senators and 12 TDs, was chaired by Senator McDowell. It was tasked with assessing the recommendations made by the Working Group on Seanad Reform in 2015.

Senators Fintan Warfield and Niall Ó Donnghaile and TD John Brady were its Sinn Féin members.

Meanwhile…

Earlier: “When You Leave This Studio, Could You Pick Up The Phone And Talk To Her?”

Yesterday: How Was It For You? [Updated]

Previously: Will I Get The Coronavirus If I Vote Sinn Féin?

Rollingnews

Yes.

Please consult your spin doctor.

General Election coverage at Independent Newspapers in the three days since Sinn Féin’s dramatic rise in the polls.

Rog writes:

They’re taking it well….

Sinn Féin stumbles over tax as IRA murder casts shadow (Independent.ie)

Last night.

On RTÉ One’s Claire Byrne Live, Ms Byrne held a climate debate.

During the debate, Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers took issue with Ms Byrne’s questioning of his party’s climate change policies and said she was being “very unfair” and “disingenuous”.

He accused of her trying to “undermine” the party’s climate action plan by raising the fact that their manifesto pertaining to climate change contains promises about child pornography, Traveller rights and female representation. Mr Chambers argued that those matters come under the remit of the “broad” line department.

Mr Chambers said:

“It’s unfortunate RTÉ spends all it’s time looking at polls and process and not looking at the issues and climate action.”

Later, speaking about Sinn Féin, he said:

“They oppose everything to be populist and it’s a new kind of Trumpism in Irish politics.”

Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Bróin, who was sitting on the same panel with Mr Chambers, told him to “be serious”.

Mr Chambers replied:

“You want the public to take you seriously? I think you need to be serious. What about, what about, what about, what about the Special Criminal Court? What about the Special Criminal Court? Do you support the Special Criminal Court in this country?”

He then turned to Ms Byrne:

“You see, these are the hard questions. The media has spent the last two weeks talking about polls and if Mary Lou McDonald is in or out of the debate. I’m glad she’s in the debate tomorrow night [tonight] so she can face the scrutiny because it’s all about the big drama and obsession with Sinn Féin.”

Sounds familiar?

Watch back in full here

Meanwhile…

From front page of today’s Irish Times

This morning.

The Irish Times reports in full on its Ispos/MBRI poll which puts Sinn Féin at 25%, Fianna Fáil at 23% and Fine Gael at 20%.

The results were announced at 10pm last night.

Sinn Féin leads way in Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll with highest support ever (Pat Leahy, The Irish Times)

This afternoon.

Bawnogue, Deansrath Estate, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald with Dublin Mid West candidates Eoin Ó’Broin (right) and Mark Ward (left) urging the freezing of rents to alleviate the housing crisis.

Ms McDonald said recent polls “reflects the energy and momentum for Sinn Féin and for change”.

 Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

The Irish Architectural Archive, Merrion Square Dublin 2.

Above from left: Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin, Housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan and Duncan Smith, candidate for Fingal, launch the party’s General Election 2020 housing strategy, which includes a proposed rent freeze.

Rollingnews

 Sinn Fein’s General Election 2020 Manifesto launch outside Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin last week

Tonight/this morning.

We knew this day would come.

FIGHT!

Earlier…

Beggars can be choosers.

Rollingnews

Yesterday: Interesting Times

From top: Arthur Griffith’s home from 1911 to his death in 1922: Arthur Griffith entering the house with daughter Ita (left) and Nevin (right)

Via Daft:

Arthur Griffith, founder of Sinn Fein and former President of Dail Eireann resided at 122 Saint Lawrence Road between 1911 – 1922.

This property produces annual rental income of €76,776 and includes rental income from a commercial garage to the rear.

The accommodation extends to 1,862 sqft/173 sqm overall and is divided up into 7 self-contained flats…

St Lawrence Road, Clontarf, Dublin (Daft)

Thanks Tom

Griffith pic via General Michael

Last night.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin told RTÉ’s Bryan Dobson that Labour would not go into Government with Sinn Féin.

It followed reports that he said he would be “happy to sit down” with Sinn Féin and discuss working in government as part of an alliance of left-wing parties on Monday night.

Mr Howlin and Mr Dobson had this exchange:

Brendan Howlin: “From the Labour Party’s perspective, I’ve made it clear, we’ve real difficulties with Sinn Féin. Fundamental issues of trust and governments can’t be formed unless you have trust.

“So I was asked would we sit down with ehh…”

Bryan Dobson: “So what’s the answer to the question. Will you go into Government with Sinn Féin or not?”

Howlin: “I, I…I would not see the Labour Party being involved in any arrangement with Sinn Féin but if people want to, if they want to talk to us after the election, I said that we’d sit down, as a sort of a trade union official, and talk to everyone.”

Dobson: “But to no purpose, because you wouldn’t go into Government with them?”

Howlin: “Well it depends, I think…”

Dobson: “I mean, are you trying to have it both ways?”

Howlin: “No, no, no…absolutely not.”

Dobson: “Sounds like you are.”

Howlin: “Well there you are. I think that it’s very clear. I’ve made it crystal clear right now.”

Dobson: “I’m still not clear: would you go into Government with them or not?”

Howlin: “I said, from the Labour Party’s perspective, I would not. I don’t see any situation where that would arise.”

Right so.

Previously: How Was It For You?

Meanwhile…

Um.

This afternoon.

Pearse Street, City Quay, Dublin 2.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald canvassing at St Andrew’s Resource Centre.

Responding to criticism by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail of her party’s manifesto and in particular how spendings plans will be funded, Ms McDonald said:

Our plans are ambitious and they are deliverable while keeping the economy strong and running a surplus of over €3 billion.

“We won’t take lectures from the party that wrecked the economy or the one that made ordinary people pay…

…We make no apologies for asking banks to pay their fair share in tax, because that is the only way to get the revenue needed to end the trolley crisis, build affordable homes, reduce the cost of childcare, put more Gardaí on our streets and tackle climate change.”

Yesterday: Transfer Friendlier

Leah Farrell/RollingNews