Official Fine Gael thread

[muppet]

If the aspiration of confirmed FG supporters is not to be any worse than things aren't going to improve.

They might as well say, we'll still be corrupt just not as corrupt.

FF support is currently down to 13%. Those not voting for them are not necessarily dyed in the wool blueshirts. In fact probably well over half of those not voting for FF would never vote FG. Witness the rise of SF.

The usual FF/FG rhetoric espoused by such luminaries as Mary Coughlan today in the Dáil will hopeful mean the end of one half of that Nation destroying shite. Whatever Ireland emerges in the next year or two will hopefully spell the end of the other half. However when FF votes are jumping ship to SF, FF/FG and Labour people need to put their thinking caps on.

[INDIANA]

I don't get where Richard Bruton gets this good reputation from. If he wasn't able to take on Enda Kenny he's hardly cut out for tackling Merkel or Sarkozy.

That Fine Gael could not organise a heave against Inda says it all - amadans of the highest order.

Well they couldn't be worse than the shower that has ruined a nation, several generations and our future.

That's a shite argument because there's nothing to suggest they could be any better

Its a phenomenally outstanding argument. You obviously want to keep cheats, criminals and liars in power. Is it any wonder this country is fecked with lateral thinking like that.

Yes Indiana, obviously that must be it. f**king idiot

*Bangs head on desk*

Well thats the alternative and anyone who doesnt vote for it deserves everything they get in my view. I dont rate FG or any of the alternatives but they deserve a shot at it. Because the above is right they couldnt do any worse. All they would have to be is honest and they've already done a better job. That in itself is a satrt for a country as corrupt as this one.

But when they say they couldn't be any worse, they're not saying they'd be any better. Don't you see that as a problem?

all they have to do to be better is to be honest. thats a start. until we get educated people from the private sector involved things wont improve hugely. but we can at least stop the skullduggery.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

RedandGreenSniper and Stephenite are trying to be disingenuous here, they know very well that the opening remark was that silly old argument that Richard Bruton and co could not take out Enda Kenny. Kenny may not be the best on front of the cameras and my not my an economic whiz kid, but he is good at leading. Yes you will say why the heave, we all know this was down to the typical RTE, Irish Independent led relentless attacks (remember that actual poll was an aberration). In fact it's a man like Kenny who can hold the line, take the tough decisions and still come out winning is what we need. But it's an honest man coming out winning not like the F.F. brigade. I see Stephanie is trying to throw in the corrupt (i.e. they all the same tactic) accusation, will they ever leave up, at last people are seeing through those tactics.

Noonan has pointed to the use the sale of semi-states to generate income for stimulus projects and yes we will be able to use that money for stimulus, it is not guaranteed that we must use finances raised for loan repayments. Noonan also recognises the need to keep the national grid under national ownership.
Bruton wishes to restructure the civil service and I think he will do it. Don't let anyone on here tell me that our civil service is not a lumbering joke.
I also have allot of confidence in James Reilly with the health service, yes he couldn't do a worse job than Harney, in fact he has the intelligence to at least undo some of her mess. Reilly long recognised the need to dismantle and reform the HSE. Fine Gael wants to remove the two tier health service and replace with Universal Health Insurance system.
Leo Varadker may not be popular and he can get on my nerves from time to time, but don't tell me he is not a very intelligent man. Fine Gael wants to cut employer PRSI on lower paid workers, this is a more equitable approach than lowering the minimum wage. True the minimum wage should never have been so high, but that is a problem created by Fianna Fail. This problem should be addressed fairly, not having the rug pulled out from under vulnerable workers.

Everyone laughed when Enda Kenny called for the Seanad to be abolished, it's a common call nowadays. Fine Gael has been calling for a smaller Dáil for quite a while. Fine Gael has been calling for the abolition of nearly 150 state bodies. Fine Gael has been calling for all lobbyists to be registered so as to cut back on actual or perceived corruption or indiscretions in the way politics is done in this country.

[stephenite]

RedandGreenSniper and Stephenite are trying to be disingenuous here, they know very well that the opening remark was that silly old argument that Richard Bruton and co could not take out Enda Kenny. Kenny may not be the best on front of the cameras and my not my an economic whiz kid, but he is good at leading. Yes you will say why the heave, we all know this was down to the typical RTE, Irish Independent led relentless attacks (remember that actual poll was an aberration). In fact it's a man like Kenny who can hold the line, take the tough decisions and still come out winning is what we need. But it's an honest man coming out winning not like the F.F. brigade. I see Stephanie is trying to throw in the corrupt (i.e. they all the same tactic) accusation, will they ever leave up, at last people are seeing through those tactics.

No I am not trying to be disingenuous, you're lying.

Inda Kinny is not a good leader, people don't find him inspiring or look up to him, they laugh at him.

Save us the old RTE/Indo/All them meeja types above in Dublin type of shite, it's cringworthy and emabarrassing to hear this and I say that as a Mayoman.

Where did I try to say they are all corrupt? I said that with your attitude you might as well say that, but that's not the same thing

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

RedandGreenSniper and Stephenite are trying to be disingenuous here, they know very well that the opening remark was that silly old argument that Richard Bruton and co could not take out Enda Kenny. Kenny may not be the best on front of the cameras and my not my an economic whiz kid, but he is good at leading. Yes you will say why the heave, we all know this was down to the typical RTE, Irish Independent led relentless attacks (remember that actual poll was an aberration). In fact it's a man like Kenny who can hold the line, take the tough decisions and still come out winning is what we need. But it's an honest man coming out winning not like the F.F. brigade. I see Stephanie is trying to throw in the corrupt (i.e. they all the same tactic) accusation, will they ever leave up, at last people are seeing through those tactics.

No I am not trying to be disingenuous, you're lying.

Enda Kenny won the leadership battle because he has leadership qualites; he has shown that again and again with his leadership of F.G. Even after he won he brought valuable members back into the fold.

[/quote]
"Inda Kinny is not a good leader, people don't find him inspiring or look up to him, and they laugh at him."
[/quote]

It's bad when a Connachtman mimics Miriam Lord


[/quote]
Save us the old RTE/Indo/All them meeja types above in Dublin type of shite, it's cringworthy and embarrassing to hear this and I say that as a Mayoman.
[/quote]

There are plenty in Dublin saying the very same thing these days. RTE is swamped with FF Gombeens and the Irish Independent is pretty much the Irish Press mark 2

[/quote]

Where did I try to say they are all corrupt? I said that with your attitude you might as well say that, but that's not the same thing[/quote]

You insinuated it, you might as well say that. Thats the Fianna Fail line all the way.


By the way you choose to ignore some of the areas I mentioned that Fine Gael wish introduce to improve our debt, financial and democratic issues.

[stephenite]

Fishead sam - I've never voted FF in my life, I did vote for Ernie Caffery once though.

The rest of your post is as laughable as Inda's leadership - you support FG primarily because it gives a Mayo man a shot at the top job, not because he represents a party who's policies are in line with young people of today.

I have no problem with that, but cut the rest of the crap

[Main Street]

If you fundamentally agree with the Government actions over the past 2 years to facilitate the bailing out of the EU Banks, by putting the cost of the lost value of reckless speculation activity onto the National Debt, then vote Fine Gael.  They would have done exactly the same as Fianna Fail. 
If you want the Irish State to be guided by the same type of ideologues who think that it was a rational decision to bail out the EU banks,  vote FG.
The only differences between FG and FF are in the way they will extract the money from the economy to pay off the interest on the massive sovereign debt.
If you believe that FG might have a better chance to renegotiate the new sovereign debt, bear in mind that Fine Gael could not even raise a legitimate protest these past 2 years in the face of the actions of the most blatantly inept corrupt and treacherous government.

[Lecale2]

In a time of national crisis the country needs a great leader to step forward. A Napolean, Lincoln, Churchill or Ho Chi Minh.
Fine Gael offer us Mr Bean.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Lads. People are being naive when they say things couldn't get worse. Things could get many times worse.

The banks could crash entirely, meaning what you have for money is what's stuck under the mattress or you can barter.

The Euro itself could do wallop. We go back to the punt and massive, massive inflation. Or we could just link back with sterling, which would be the sensible option (and I bet you won't hear half the bleating about "sovereignty" if it comes to that, when the wolf is howling at the door. We are a nation of hypocrites).

The foreign companies can stop investing here and go to Eastern Europe instead, where there are huge - and grateful - markets.

The Unions can get into a Deathmatch when the Memorandum of Understanding puts a bullet in the Croke Park agreement and the army has to administer the public service. It's not a big army.

These are the issues ahead. And I think the nation would appreciate it if the political classes showed competence on the issue rather than acting the buck eejit on Prime Time or in the Dáil or were sitting quiet, waiting for power to drop into their laps because they think it's their turn and you have a sense of entitlement.

For my dollar, Fine Gael's best performer has been Michael Noonan. Which then makes me wonder why in damnation they got rid of him as leader. The party didn't lose as many votes as they lost seats - it was an aberration of the STV system, which should be abolished anyway as it has suited us badly.

Fine Gael shouldn't have run Bruton against Kenny either. They should have taken their chance with a young gun like Hayes, Varadkar or Creighton. Creighton would be my choice because the other two are - well, they're hard to warm to, to put it mildly. But George Lee can tell you what they think of people who don't know their place in Fine Gael.

I'd love it if Fine Gael would turn things around because things can absolutely, absolutely get worse and Indiana is right. FF need to have their jets cooled. But Jesus Christ Fine Gael don't fill me with confidence.

As for Labour. Dear sweet Jesus save me.

[lynchbhoy]

Well thats the alternative and anyone who doesnt vote for it deserves everything they get in my view. I dont rate FG or any of the alternatives but they deserve a shot at it. Because the above is right they couldnt do any worse. All they would have to be is honest and they've already done a better job. That in itself is a satrt for a country as corrupt as this one.

I dont rate ANY political party, but i'd rate numerous people from each.
to me fg have as many brown envelope merchants and white collar criminals as ff.

enda kenny isnt good in front of camera or in the dail where he resorts to almost personal insults to try and look smart or clever. he isnt. he may be a nice man, but thats not much use when we need a leader and a smart tactical genius.
Noonan is good, I think bruton is not bad. Varadkar is actually decent as well, comes across as a dick on tv though. He has been one of the only politicians that actually listens when going door to door. Certainly won me around with some good debate and discussion when he came around prior to the last election.
It may be that kenny is the figurehead and noonan and others (like varadkar and bruton) will pull the strings from behind and i'd be reasonably happy with that.

Honesty and policy and procedure are required in this country alright. I have always said that there needs to be a revolution and maybe even a new political party with commercial minded poeple running the show. However top notch commercial sector guys wont leave their chosen field to rub shoulders and take a step down to being a politician !

[Peter Solan the Great]

I find it amazing that 50% of people think Fine Gael will lose over 16 seats in this election.

[ballinaman]

I find it amazing that 50% of people think Fine Gael will lose over 16 seats in this election.

1st Bite

[Hardy]

probably well over half of those not voting for FF would never vote FG. Witness the rise of SF.

Indeed. It's some illustration of how deeply ingrained the civil war mentality is that FF supporters would vote SF before they'd vote FG, a party only slightly differentiated from FF by policy in comparison to SF.

I shudder at the thought of Kenny as Taoiseach as well. However, Garret Fitzgerald was on Matt Cooper's show yesterday evening and he was asked about this and his reply was essentially that a Taoiseach doesn't need to be an economist or an intellectual, just an effective chairman and organiser and Kenny has proven himself good at these things. I still think meself a bit of leadership wouldn't go amiss, especially in the predicament we're in and I get a cold sweat when I picture Enda taking on Merkel, Sarcozy, Trichet, etc. But I have to hope Fitzgerald is right, because, like it or not, it's Kenny we're getting.

Anyway, when you compare him to the real Taoiseach (Ollie Rehn), Enda seems positively presidential.

[RedandGreenSniper]

RedandGreenSniper and Stephenite are trying to be disingenuous here, they know very well that the opening remark was that silly old argument that Richard Bruton and co could not take out Enda Kenny. Kenny may not be the best on front of the cameras and my not my an economic whiz kid, but he is good at leading. Yes you will say why the heave, we all know this was down to the typical RTE, Irish Independent led relentless attacks (remember that actual poll was an aberration). In fact it's a man like Kenny who can hold the line, take the tough decisions and still come out winning is what we need. But it's an honest man coming out winning not like the F.F. brigade. I see Stephanie is trying to throw in the corrupt (i.e. they all the same tactic) accusation, will they ever leave up, at last people are seeing through those tactics.

Noonan has pointed to the use the sale of semi-states to generate income for stimulus projects and yes we will be able to use that money for stimulus, it is not guaranteed that we must use finances raised for loan repayments. Noonan also recognises the need to keep the national grid under national ownership.
Bruton wishes to restructure the civil service and I think he will do it. Don't let anyone on here tell me that our civil service is not a lumbering joke.
I also have allot of confidence in James Reilly with the health service, yes he couldn't do a worse job than Harney, in fact he has the intelligence to at least undo some of her mess. Reilly long recognised the need to dismantle and reform the HSE. Fine Gael wants to remove the two tier health service and replace with Universal Health Insurance system.
Leo Varadker may not be popular and he can get on my nerves from time to time, but don't tell me he is not a very intelligent man. Fine Gael wants to cut employer PRSI on lower paid workers, this is a more equitable approach than lowering the minimum wage. True the minimum wage should never have been so high, but that is a problem created by Fianna Fail. This problem should be addressed fairly, not having the rug pulled out from under vulnerable workers.

Everyone laughed when Enda Kenny called for the Seanad to be abolished, it's a common call nowadays. Fine Gael has been calling for a smaller Dáil for quite a while. Fine Gael has been calling for the abolition of nearly 150 state bodies. Fine Gael has been calling for all lobbyists to be registered so as to cut back on actual or perceived corruption or indiscretions in the way politics is done in this country.

No, my point was in response to your line that Fine Gael 'couldn't be any worse'. Seeing as you are a card-carrying, chest beating Fine Gael man then that's hardly a ringly endorsement of your confidence in the party, now is it?

I agree - Noonan is a good performer, a very good one in fact and a guy I would have a lot of time for.

Don't give us the nonsense that people laughed at Enda when he suggested aboloshing the Senate. Plenty of arguments were put forward for that before and after Enda. Its long known what a waste it was. But fair play for Enda for pinning his colours to the mast on it as a party leader.

The problem I have at the minute is we have a very bad government at the moment and we look to the alternative and it's far from reassuring. For instance why is Enda out of the limelight in this weeks of crisis? Ought the leader of the biggest opposition party not be everywhere imagineable at the moment? Fine Gael are hardly trying to keep him out of the spotlight, are they? I've great time for Enda as a man and as a politician up to a point. Can't quite say that about him as Taoiseach though. I hope Hardy is right on what he says just above. Because that is the most we can expect.

[Canalman]

Personally will never vote FG. Too much of the "big house" about them.

However, maybe it is just me but I think Kenny will be a very good Taoiseach. He could be a LBJ /Trumanesque type of leader and prove alot of people wrong.

Also the next FG govt won't have its traditional hang up about the (real or otherwise) threat to the state by the IRA.

Watch this space.................. this guy is going to be good imo. Don't forget also that alot of the younger FFers will be wiped out at the GE.................. not to mention those wiped out at the last local elections. An unprecedented opportunity awaits for FG.