Fianna Fine gaelfail ?

Sunnyisland

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0825/470223-bill-oherlihy-calls-for-ff-fg-coalition/

A former Fine Gael party strategist has called for a coalition between his party and Fine Fail.
Bill O'Herlihy, who has been a Fine Gael advisor for many years, said he believed such a coalition had much to offer at a time of huge challenge for Ireland.

He told the annual Michael Collins commemoration in Co Cork this afternoon that his suggestion would represent a sea change in Irish political life.

Mr O'Herlihy added that it would be an "enormous challenge to implement", but he believed people would like to see it happen.
He said he recognised the fear people would have of an overwhelming political majority, the distrust the electorate had of the last Fianna Fail administration and the determination they had that this would not be allowed to happen again.
It was now a time for a new politics, he said.

He said recent political events had reversed the shape of Irish politics and had left Fianna Fáil competing with Labour and a renewed Sinn Fein for space in the centre-left ground.
The possibility of a coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had previously been raised by former Fianna Fáil minister Mary O'Rourke.

Would you think this makes more sence ? There is not to much difference in there policys anyway.

I be in favour of it and then we might might I say get a real opposition.

My name is URL

Bill can't even manage to get his fellow football pundits to get along with each other... he's asking a bit much here!

kneemos

I was going to say it might make room for an alternative party but it would most likely end up as another middle of the road job.

Pai Mei

In fairness the differences between them are negligible. A merger would prob benefit the country but then most might not even see the difference between them anyway so it would be a case of "why didn't this happen long ago?"

Weevil

Anything that would shepherd their tribal rivalry off the political stage would be welcome. As a previous poster said, maybe then we would have a real opposition.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Did Johnny and Eamon agree with him? What did Liam Brady have to say?

Duckworth_Luas

Fianna Fail should have disbanded after the last election. Their right wingers should have joined Fine Gael, their left wingers Labour and republicans Sinn Fein. The scumbag Bertie Ahern wing should have just disappeared.

humbert

It's probably more sensible than the current ridiculous situation of choosing between them.

Sunnyisland

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Did Johnny and Eamon agree with him? What did Liam Brady have to say?

He just went er er I think trapattoni should be Taoiseach

KingOfFairview

It'll happen, and in the long run actually it might be for the good of the country

Mr Benevolent

A coalition between the two biggest political parties would make for a single party that would win all elections every time. That's illegal under EU law and a very, very bad idea.

goose2005

Should have Eamo next year

"Michael Collins. A good leader, not a great leader."

Sir Humphrey Appleby

realies wrote: »

He just went er er I think trapattoni should be Taoiseach

KingOfFairview wrote: »

It'll happen, and in the long run actually it might be for the good of the country

Jesus I'm not sure about that, he can barley pick a team never mind a cabinet:D

Celly Smunt

The problem with the next election, and especially this "proposal" is that we are thinking way too Economic and leaving social changes/protection behind.If things continue this way, its very easy to see Ireland put an extra 10 years behind the rest of some progressive entities in the west.

KingOfFairview

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

A coalition between the two biggest political parties would make for a single party that would win all elections every time. That's illegal under EU law and a very, very bad idea.

No, a big popular party winning all the elections is not illegal under EU law.

If the two main (and largely identical) parties ended up merging, or de facto merging, then maybe the electorate that votes for either one largely based on whether they prefer the colours blue or green would be one side, and the other side would be left-wing. We could have an actual proper political discourse in the country instead of silly civil war politics.

Finton90

Celly Smunt wrote: »

The problem with the next election, and especially this "proposal" is that we are thinking way too Economic and leaving social changes/protection behind.If things continue this way, its very easy to see Ireland put an extra 10 years behind the rest of some progressive entities in the west.

I think the opposite actually, think we spend too much time on social issues and not enough on building a sustainable economy. The government are continuously coming up with these gimmicks like banning smoking in car, plain packaged cigarettes and i know its a serious issue but the abortion debate was fairly draw out as well.

By in large i think there isn't a whole lot wrong with Irish society, I mean we don't live in the Darfur, its the fact that people have to leave there own country to get work is the problem. Its clear that too many off our politicians got in to politics to make social change rather than economic. Look at Eamon Gilmore for example, he only ever seems to come to life when social issues arise his contribution to the economic state of the country is non existent.

Mr. Nice

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Jesus I'm not sure about that, he can barley pick a team never mind a cabinet:D

Maybe a straw poll is the solution then?

Sh1tbag OToole

I like it.

All the ould pigs that screwed us over time and time again under one name. As they should be

Notorious97

Both are the same as each other, i dont know if alot of voters for both would like to see them both merged.

Still dont know why he was speaking at the event today, no party is living up to the beliefs Collins had, he is turning in his grave at the state this country is in and how greed has consumed the higher levels of our political system especially!

Huge shame he gave up his young life for this lot, im still forever grateful he did but how the political system has failed the country is a disgrace.

91 years later and we could do with him more than ever in my opinion.