Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[moonster]

What time will the vote be?

It done. Government are safe. Independent don't care about their people views. All about the money.

[gallsman]

Imagine holding out for the Healy Raes to have principles, even self-serving misguided ones.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Interesting to see how it goes tomorrow. Surely no independent will be able to back the government now? Be some backlash from rural Ireland if they do.

Another top tier call.

[Armagh18]

Interesting to see how it goes tomorrow. Surely no independent will be able to back the government now? Be some backlash from rural Ireland if they do.

Another top tier call.

We'll see how many of the bootlickers get voted back in. Spineless c***ts.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Interesting to see how it goes tomorrow. Surely no independent will be able to back the government now? Be some backlash from rural Ireland if they do.

Another top tier call.

We'll see how many of the bootlickers get voted back in. Spineless c***ts.

These guys know one thing. How to get reelected. Healy Rae has figured out opposition is easier. They know that this protest was unpopular and will be long forgotten by election time.

[Rossfan]

The 6 County protests turned out to be a bit of a damp squib.
Disappointing for SF .....

Unless of course they didn't agree with what went on here but just jumped on board a passing bit of conflict?

I can't see them having much enthusiasm for joining Aontú and "Independent Ireland" in an alternative Government.

[Armagh18]

The 6 County protests turned out to be a bit of a damp squib.
Disappointing for SF .....

Unless of course they didn't agree with what went on here but just jumped on board a passing bit of conflict?

I can't see them having much enthusiasm for joining Aontú and "Independent Ireland" in an alternative Government.

Early days yet. But would obviously need something to spark in England to matter. SF have said previously they'd talk to anyone to form a government, maybe if a few FF back benchers balls drop and they get rid of Mr Burns as leader there would be potential down the line for a decent government there. 

[LC]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgjp4nqwzj0o

If there is no admission of liability on the part of the MoD (which seems to be common in these cases) you wonder why families put themselves through this torture which no doubt takes years to go through the legal system.

[marty34]

DUP's Lyons dropping the Placenames project. Another Liofa/crocodile moment.


SF getting the run around at the big house.

Time to take it down....once and for all.

[Milltown Row2]

I think loyalism is looking rid of power sharing..

SF should give them that, the place has been a complete farce couldn't run a bath.. Take the money away

[playwiththewind1st]

I think loyalism is looking rid of power sharing..

SF should give them that, the place has been a complete farce couldn't run a bath.. Take the money away

I am not saying that they will, but you can bet your house on it that, if somehow or another, the DUP managed to become top dogs again, at next year's election, then they wouldn't be running about throwing tantrums like they have been, for this entire mandate.

SF have spent the last 4 years pretending not to notice the DUP's antics, because they can't afford to have the DUP walking out & depriving them of the top position.

Nothing ever gets done, it's total zero sum paralysis & the sooner the whole ineffective shitshow is wrapped up, for good, the better.

Any positivity generated by the GFA has totally dissipated, by now....far too many compromises & trade-offs were incorporated into the final version, making effective government totally impossible.

[Rossfan]

2 bad performances in the By elections!!

[Tony Baloney]

2 bad performances in the By elections!!

It's almost as if they are nowhere near as popular as they think. Mary Lou will have someone else to blame though.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I think the two key takeaways for SF are:

1. The loss of the by-election in MLM's own backyard
2. The Government victory in Galway (one of only a small handful of occasions in the past 50 years where a Government Party has successfully taken a by-election victory.

The SDs were unashamedly (and rightly so) critical of the rhetoric from Gerry Hutch, and have positioned the left in Ireland as focussed on social rights (at least using this as a bell-weather). While Dublin Central was not interested in FF or FG, it was interesting to see a relatively rural constituency in Galway West voting in a Government TD, especially in light of the fuel protests a few weeks back (which MLM positioned SF on the side of).

From a policy perspective SF are now at a crossroads, especially as they don't look popular enough to get anywhere close to an overall majority, and given their 'something for everyone in the audience' approach neither FF or FG or the parties of the left will clamour to coalesce with them.

[Milltown Row2]

When was the last time a southern party had overall majority?