The Fine Gael thread

[foxcommander]

You said above "You would be correct". Are you trying to retract that statement now?

You would be correct, if that was it in isolation.

Seriously? Notice any difference?

The difference is that you can't admit when you're wrong. The second part of your sentence was fluff to justify yourself

[muppet]

You said above "You would be correct". Are you trying to retract that statement now?

You would be correct, if that was it in isolation.

Seriously? Notice any difference?

The difference is that you can't admit when you're wrong. The second part of your sentence was fluff to justify yourself

Yea.......ok.

So anyway, shall we see you posting balanced commentary on Irish politics from now on, or just defending SF and attacking everyone else?

[foxcommander]

You said above "You would be correct". Are you trying to retract that statement now?

You would be correct, if that was it in isolation.

Seriously? Notice any difference?

The difference is that you can't admit when you're wrong. The second part of your sentence was fluff to justify yourself

Yea.......ok.

So anyway, shall we see you posting balanced commentary on Irish politics from now on, or just defending SF and attacking everyone else?

I'll call bullshit with any party if I see it. Funnily enough here's the next scare story being released by the press.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0120/673936-epa-water-report/

I have to say the timing of this is quite a co-incidence, especially with the protests coming up on the 31st January. A cynical person might wonder about the authenticity..especially when you read lines such as

Around 20,000 people are currently affected by public water restrictions and boil water notices due to contaminants like Cryptosporidium - which causes gastrointestinal illness - and Trihalomethanes - which scientists say may be linked with cancer.

again, that article from RTE states "MAY BE LINKED WITH CANCER". No proof but try scare the living shit out of people into believing it. This should not be allowed.

[Mayo4Sam]

I would have thought Leo's announcement on Sunday would almost definitely put him out of the running for Taoiseach, FGs leadership is voted on by the whole party and not just the parlimentary party, like it or not they are still a right leaning party, as is Leo in fairness. I can see a lot of people worrying about how it would look to the outside world, ridiculous stuff but probably still there IMHO.
However I see his odds have moved from 16-1 to 10-1.
With Lucinda gone I would have thought it a straight shoot out between Coveney and Leo as the next leader, two very capable men who have both done a good job in this government. Leo would be my personal choice, excellent communicator, lots of common sense and seems straight up (pardon the pun) but I'd be happy with either as next Taoiseach

[deiseach]

Simon Coveney has been a real surprise for me. He always struck me as a dilettante in opposition but he seems calm and assured as a Minister. Is he's-from-Dublin a thing when it comes to being a party leader? If not, I think Coveney is well ahead of Varadker in the future leadership stakes. Many a slip though and all that.

[Rossfan]

I imagine Coveney would be a better man at bringing all sides along with him. The Leo lad might be too bull headed dealing with people.
How many seats are FG likely to get in the next General election?

[deiseach]

I don't know. What I know is that FG are going to take some pounding. Even a small swing (and it's not likely to be small) against them will see them lose the final seat that they picked up in so many constituencies. To illustrate the point, look no further than Enda Kenny's back yard where they won four from five in 2011. They got 65% of the first preferences. They'd need 80% in a four seater to hang on to all four.

[muppet]

Simon Coveney has been a real surprise for me. He always struck me as a dilettante in opposition but he seems calm and assured as a Minister. Is he's-from-Dublin a thing when it comes to being a party leader? If not, I think Coveney is well ahead of Varadker in the future leadership stakes. Many a slip though and all that.

It is absolutely massive with the Dublin media.

Reynolds, Bruton, Cowen and Kenny were all lampooned. Some may have even deserved it.

Bertie, Haughey & Garrett Fitzgerald all were held up (by the media) as statesmen and their obvious flaws completely ignored.

[Rossfan]

Deiseach, who will all the 2011 FG voters go for next time? Probably the new Amateur Centrist Soundbite Alliance? No doubt the PDite ones will go to Lucinda's Thatcherite soundbite alliance if it gets started this decade.
In Ros/Galway I expect we'll get Naughten, Fitzmaurice and a FF hack of some sort. We still won't get our Hospital back to full A&E status.

[deiseach]

Again, I don't know for sure. I'm guessing lot of people must have switched to FG from FF on the basis that it was important to vote for a centre-right party because they are the only ones who are Serious, who are into Wealth Creation and the will of the Silent Majority. Some of them will slink back to FF with others fanning out among hang 'em and flog 'em independents or not voting at all.

[muppet]

Again, I don't know for sure. I'm guessing lot of people must have switched to FG from FF on the basis that it was important to vote for a centre-right party because they are the only ones who are Serious, who are into Wealth Creation and the will of the Silent Majority. Some of them will slink back to FF with others fanning out among hang 'em and flog 'em independents or not voting at all.

There is no credibility in the traditional parties and as for SF's - faux anti-austerity while calling for more taxes - contradiction, well that won't fool many.

That leaves an awful lot of protest votes going to independents. There is a real opportunity now for a bunch of independents to make serious headway and possibly help shape the next Government. But for some strange reason it is hard to be optimistic. The next election could be very quickly followed by the one after.

[Canalman]

Simon Coveney has been a real surprise for me. He always struck me as a dilettante in opposition but he seems calm and assured as a Minister. Is he's-from-Dublin a thing when it comes to being a party leader? If not, I think Coveney is well ahead of Varadker in the future leadership stakes. Many a slip though and all that.

It is absolutely massive with the Dublin media.

Reynolds, Bruton, Cowen and Kenny were all lampooned. Some may have even deserved it.

Bertie, Haughey & Garrett Fitzgerald all were held up (by the media) as statesmen and their obvious flaws completely ignored.

Jack Lynch  absolutely adored by Irish media................. Liam Cosgrave and his government lampooned to high heaven. Aherne and Haughey now pariahs and indeed Haughey was hated by vast sections of the media at the time. Media now hanging off every utterance by Bruton.

Cowen and  Kenny I'm afraid have only their actions to blame for their perceptions in the  "Dublin Media" as it is called.

Massive generalizations there Muppet.*

* Massive generalizations myself as well.

[muppet]

Simon Coveney has been a real surprise for me. He always struck me as a dilettante in opposition but he seems calm and assured as a Minister. Is he's-from-Dublin a thing when it comes to being a party leader? If not, I think Coveney is well ahead of Varadker in the future leadership stakes. Many a slip though and all that.

It is absolutely massive with the Dublin media.

Reynolds, Bruton, Cowen and Kenny were all lampooned. Some may have even deserved it.

Bertie, Haughey & Garrett Fitzgerald all were held up (by the media) as statesmen and their obvious flaws completely ignored.

Jack Lynch  absolutely adored by Irish media................. Liam Cosgrave and his government lampooned to high heaven. Aherne and Haughey now pariahs and indeed Haughey was hated by vast sections of the media at the time. Media now hanging off every utterance by Bruton.

Cowen and  Kenny I'm afraid have only their actions to blame for their perceptions in the  "Dublin Media" as it is called.

Massive generalizations there Muppet.*

* Massive generalizations myself as well.

Jack Lynch was loved by the public, not to be confused with the media.

Ahern and Haughey are now indeed pariahs. And rightfully so. No thanks to a media that generally worshipped them when they were in power though. Especially Ahern.

And as for this "Media now hanging off every utterance by Bruton." Really? If he makes controversial comments about 1916, expect him to be quoted. But that is hardly 'hanging off his every utterance.'

[Mayo4Sam]

If the next government is beholding to independents then it will both be a disaster and not last very long, a government needs a clear strategy.

IMO FG will be the largest party again after the next election, I'd agree with Deiseach they'll lose that last seat in constituencies like Mayo but there were fewer of those than you think Deiseach, certainly by the scale FF set in the previous election.
Next will probably be SF, although there's a question about their support in rural areas, especially in the west, Midlands and South. And then FF, probably somewhere level with SF.
Labour will be wiped out pretty much leaving them without the seats to go into government with FG. Which leaves a FG-FF government as the most likely.

[Canalman]

Agree with you M4Sam there that it's all pointing to either a FG/FF coalition or another  GE within a year.

Think SF will not go into Govt under any circumstances  and prefer to position itself as the main opposition party and target the GE after next. Most of their main players are young enough to wait a while.

Next FG leader may well be Simon Coveney.................. for a non Dub  he seems to be getting rave reviews in the papers. Varadkar still far too young .