General Election 2024

[Armagh18]

Healy-Rae for Taoiseach.

That clip of him and Paul Murphy is gold.

[Pub Bore]

Healy-Rae for Taoiseach.

That clip of him and Paul Murphy is gold.

Never vote for someone on the basis that you think they're a good laugh.

[Armagh18]

Healy-Rae for Taoiseach.

That clip of him and Paul Murphy is gold.

Never vote for someone on the basis that you think they're a good laugh.

Best politician in Ireland!

[Rossfan]

Whats the point of elections in South?

To enforce democracy, keep a check on extremes from emerging and give every citizen eligible to vote an equal say in the direction of the nation.

Well put.
20 years ago FF and FG used to get over 70% of 1st prefs.
Now they're c45%.

Meanwhile Fitzmaurice staying in Ros/Galway.
There was a possibility he'd switch to East Galway as 16,000 voters moved to there from to old R/G.

[Pub Bore]

Stardust campaigner Antoinette Keegan standing for the National Party in Fingal East.

Antoinette Keegan won't be standing in Fingal East now.  She has called her decision to accept the nomination of the National Party "an error of judgment"

[Snapchap]

Whats the point of elections in South?

To enforce democracy, keep a check on extremes from emerging and give every citizen eligible to vote an equal say in the direction of the nation 26 of the nation's counties.

Corrected for you.

[weareros]

Healy-Rae for Taoiseach.

That clip of him and Paul Murphy is gold.

Never vote for someone on the basis that you think they're a good laugh.

Best politician in Ireland!

Only a Healy-Rae could participate in a debate about climate/carbon tax and come out with the retort: "What do ooh know? Ooh don't even know whether oore own baby is a boy or a girl."

[Armagh18]

Healy-Rae for Taoiseach.

That clip of him and Paul Murphy is gold.

Never vote for someone on the basis that you think they're a good laugh.

Best politician in Ireland!

Only a Healy-Rae could participate in a debate about climate/carbon tax and come out with the retort: "What do ooh know? Ooh don't even know whether oore own baby is a boy or a girl."

He's right. How would you trust a balloon like Murphy with anything? 

[WT4E]

Whats the point of elections in South?

To enforce democracy, keep a check on extremes from emerging and give every citizen eligible to vote an equal say in the direction of the nation.

But sure if it's just always FGFF sharing it sure just say f**k it lads tear away and save us all this campaigning shite. Things stay the same west brits rule and no one cares.

[armaghniac]

Whats the point of elections in South?

To enforce democracy, keep a check on extremes from emerging and give every citizen eligible to vote an equal say in the direction of the nation.

But sure if it's just always FGFF sharing it sure just say f**k it lads tear away and save us all this campaigning shite. Things stay the same west brits rule and no one cares.

People have the government that they wish, they call that democracy.

[Rossfan]

The WT4Es of the World haven't much time for that oul democracy stuff.

[dec]

The problem for the 26 is that there doesn't seem to be a practical alternative to FF/FG. The various left wing parties seem too keen on splitting into ever smaller factions and the "independents" just want stuff for their constituency, I can't imagine them co-operating long enough to form a stable government.

If SF / Greens / Labour / Social Democrats and PBP–S agreed a left wing alliance before the election and agreed not to go in to power with FF/FG after the election then it might force a right / left realignment.

If FF/FG can't get a majority between them it would force them to reach out to the FF/FG gene pool independents to get to a 50% + 1 number in the Dail.

[weareros]

Unlikely, but a populist FF/SF minority coalition is not out of the question. Micheál seems vexed with Harris and FG these days. Sf supporters will say FF won't work with us, but there's such a thing as side deals and the art of negotiation. If John Bruton's FG could go into a coalition with former IRA man DeRossa's Democratic Left, there's no reason FF/SF can't form a coalition. Mary Lou herself is FF gene pool.

[Substandard]

Unlikely, but a populist FF/SF minority coalition is not out of the question. Micheál seems vexed with Harris and FG these days. Sf supporters will say FF won't work with us, but there's such a thing as side deals and the art of negotiation. If John Bruton's FG could go into a coalition with former IRA man DeRossa's Democratic Left, there's no reason FF/SF can't form a coalition. Mary Lou herself is FF gene pool.

Couldn't see that happening as long as Martin heads FF.  Over the years I've voted from FF to FG to SF or certain independents depending on how sick I was of the encumbents.  Christ, it's a shocking poor selection this time round.  Harris is sickeningly insincere, Martin is so prissy and sanctimonious.
The wave of scandals and question marks over SF of late is making me question where I had intended voting from a long time back.  Then I end up fully cynical and question what's the point- the civil service,  powerful lobbies and outside forces will call the shots anyway regardless of who is in government,  so effectively any minister is just a puppet on strings.
That said, I always vote, and anyone I talk to about elections,  I always make the point of the importance of voting,  even to the kids in school that aren't voting age yet.  Yes, politics might look like a shitshow, and yes it might seem futile or pointless voting anyway,  but the only hope of seeing any kind of choice or consequence is by a high turnout.  A low turnout means a low bar for mediocrity,  and makes it easier for poor/ useless candidates to get elected again and again. With a real risk of jeopardy and potentially losing a seat, it raises accountability.
I have a deeply engrained culchie antipathy towards the Greens, but I always view their results as an indicator of how the economy is doing.  When a sector of people have money to spare and aren't in a financial squeeze, the Greens do well in urban/ more populated areas.  When things are tanking,  they get kicked to touch.
It always feels a pyrrhic victory when they get their arses handed to them.

[armaghniac]

Unlikely, but a populist FF/SF minority coalition is not out of the question. Micheál seems vexed with Harris and FG these days. Sf supporters will say FF won't work with us, but there's such a thing as side deals and the art of negotiation. If John Bruton's FG could go into a coalition with former IRA man DeRossa's Democratic Left, there's no reason FF/SF can't form a coalition. Mary Lou herself is FF gene pool.

If FF get more seats than SF then they'll deal on the basis of only on Taoiseach, SF won't go for this.