This Column appeared in the Cork Independent on Thursday 26th May 2011 I joined Fine Gael in 2004. If someone told me on that day, that in seven years time Enda Kenny would be welcoming the British Queen and American President to Ireland as the leader of the largest party in Dáil Eireann and the Toaiseach of the largest Government Majority in coalition with Labour. I probably would have laughed in their face and said in your dreams. During...
The news broke this morning of the death of North Side Cllr David McCarthy. He was suffering from cancer and died this morning. He was first elected in 1985. In 1997 he held the office of Lord Mayor of Cork. In 1999 he topped the poll for Fianna Fail with 933 votes and in 2004 he increased his vote to 1,112 votes. In 2007 his stood as an independent candidate in the Dáil election gaining a respectable 2,492 votes....
The Government have published the Legislative Agenda for the summer session. The following bills will be published Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill Patents (Amendment) Bill Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill Electoral Commission Bill Local Government Services Corporate Bodies (Amendment) Bill Betting (Amendment) Bill Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill Finance (No. 2) Bill Fiscal Responsibility Bill Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) Bill Courts (Enforcement of Maintenance and Appointment of...
Another day another poll! Its going to be hard work keeping up with these polls. Here are the topline figures Fine Gael 33 (+3) Labour 24 (-1) Fianna Fail 15 (-2) Green Party 1 (-1) Sinn Fein 12 (-3) Ind 15 (+4) This puts the poll of polls on the following (figures rounded) Fianna Fail 16 Fine Gael 33 Labour 22 Green Party 2 Sinn Fein 12 Other 14 Related articles Red C/Paddy Power Poll 2nd February (stephenspillane.com) The...
The Dáil has been dissolved by President McAleese in the last minutes. The date of the election has also been set. Voting will take place between 7am and 10pm on Friday 25th of February. Any prospective Candidates have until noon February 9th to file nomination papers. People eligible to vote but not yet registered as electors may apply for entry in the supplementary register. Deadline is 8 February. The closing date for eligible categories to apply to the relevant...
Image via Wikipedia So Fianna Fail have done a U-turn on the Seanad according to the Irish Times, they along with Fine Gael, Labour, the Green Party and Sinn Fein no longer want an upper house in the Oireachtas. Is this want the people of Ireland want? Do we want an unfeathered Dáil whos only check on power is the President, who’s powers at that are very limited. While I agree with those in favour of abolition that the...
Image by jaqian via Flickr The polls are coming fast and furious this month. Red C have a poll in tomorrows Irish Business Post. The top line figures are as follows: Fine Gael 34% (+1) Labour 23% (-4) Fianna Fail 17% (nc) Sinn Fein 14% (+3) Greens 2% (-1) Others 10% (+2) As usual Adrian Kavanagh of PoliticalReform.ie has translated this into possible seats and comes up with the following: Fine Gael 66 Labour 46 Fianna Fail 27 Sinn...
Whitebox have an interesting prediction competition for the next Dáil. Fullhouse is an interesting tool to try and guess who will be elected in each constituency. There is talks of prizes, but I would have done it anyway! I have managed to finish off my prediction have come up with the following results: Fine Gael 75 Labour 40 Fianna Fail 31 Sinn Fein 10 Independents 6 United Left Alliance 4 There are some interesting stats also on the website...
Image by Rick Payette via Flickr The latest opinion poll by Red C due to be published in tomorrow’s Irish Sun makes for sombre reading for members of Fianna Fail. According to the poll, they will come fourth in an General Election, as now Sinn Fein as more support then Fianna Fail. The results of the poll are as follows: Fine Gael 32% Labour 24% Sinn Fein 16% Fianna Fail 13% Others 11% Green Party3% When this is translated...
Image via Wikipedia Today’s Editorial in the Irish Independent asks for that the following occurs, On December 7, the Dail must pass the Budget. Then the Finance Bill should go through with unprecedented speed, to clear the way for the General Election. Most people would agree that that is the way that the Government should be planning things, if the budget passes. But are they? According to Leo Varadkar TD, they are not. Under Fianna Fáil’s plan, there are...
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