Is a Fianna Fail - Sinn Fein coalition inevitable?

Godot.

A crucial moment in Fianna Fail's history is approaching. Opinion polls have remained largely rigid since the last general election, don't look like changing much any time soon and they can't spend another 5 years abstaining.

In my view, a coalition with Fine Gael is a non-runner. A coalition with FG as a junior partner would eventually lead to the demise of Fianna Fail. They would be broken at the following election. FG would sweep up their right wing and Sinn Fein would take the centrist Republicans.

Fine Gael and Sinn Fein are just too ideologically different to make a coalition, but Fianna Fail have a lot of Republicans in their party who sympathise with Sinn Fein (Eamon O'Cuiv and the like). Likewise, they have a lot of people in the party who despise Sinn Fein, but something has to give here. Their support may never recover to previous levels, so they need to take the opportunity for a coalition with Sinn Fein to show they can govern competantly.

In my view, if Martin ever wants to become Taoiseach he needs to swallow his pride and enter into a coalition with Sinn Fein.... or he'll be replaced by someone who will.

Thoughts?

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I'd be grand with a Fianna Fail - Sinn Fein coalition. Might be the closest thing to a left wing government we ever get! Sinn Fein in a position of power would shift the governance of Ireland to the left, while Fianna Fail would temper the lunatic jingoistic Republican branch of the Sinn Fein party and stop them from doing too much damage.

Fine Gael's time is up. Varadkar's government's legacy will be the housing crisis.

Wheeliebin30

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I'd be grand with a Fianna Fail - Sinn Fein coalition. Might be the closest thing to a left wing government we ever get! Sinn Fein in a position of power would shift the governance of Ireland to the left, while Fianna Fail would temper the lunatic jingoistic Republican branch of the Sinn Fein party and stop them from doing too much damage.

Fine Gael's time is up. Varadkar's government's legacy will be the housing crisis.

Would you give over.

Anything to suggest FGs time is up not forgetting their still polling the highest?

The housing crisis is a myth created by the left but people are starting to see through the lies.

18,000 homes built last year.

30,000 built in all of the UK last year.

We’re not doing too bad and once you do a bit of research and not listen to eoin Ó Broin and Paul
Murphy this becomes evident.

myshirt

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

Would you give over.

Anything to suggest FGs time is up not forgetting their still polling the highest?

The housing crisis is a myth created by the left but people are starting to see through the lies.

18,000 homes built last year.

30,000 built in all of the UK last year.

We’re not doing too bad and once you do a bit of research and not listen to eoin Ó Broin and Paul
Murphy this becomes evident.

Are you having a giraffe?

Fine Gael have done quite bad on housing. They have ignored good advice because it's politically unpalatable and they don't have the competence to deliver. For example, property taxes need to almost double, CAT thresholds need to drop hugely, more apartments need to be built, the transport unions need to be taken on, social housing support capped at 5 years, planning permission linked to target costs / proposed selling prices, those with parental support to buy or living at home to save need to be taxed, the list goes on.

Wanderer78

Wheeliebin30 wrote:

The housing crisis is a myth created by the left but people are starting to see through the lies.

Right, even global commentators are even talking about!

Wheeliebin30

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Right, even global commentators are even talking about!

And???

It’s in the news here of course they will talk about it.

Doesn’t make it true, global commentators talked about trump and the Russians, didn’t make it true.

malinheader

Fiannna fail/ sinn Fein coalition. What difference from the government we have know will there be.
I can't think of any Major changes to the way things are being done at the minute.

rockatansky

No Chance.

Sinn Fein represent too much of a threat to Fianna Fail. No one ever imagined Sinn Fein over taking Labour as the 3rd party in Ireland. Every opinion poll that gives them points increase while Fianna Fail drops reminds them of this fact every time.

The older/senior figures in Fianna Fail are very clearly aware of this and it scares the life out of them. Doing so would bring Sinn Fein more into the center and add more younger voters to them.

Once you break the seal voting Sinn Fein, it becomes less and less of an issue going forward.

rockatansky

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Fine Gael's time is up. Varadkar's government's legacy will be the housing crisis.

Maybe in another 10 years.

McMurphy

If there's one thing boards have taught me over the year's, is that some people view their political party of choice as a football team in some imaginary tournament.

They'll excuse poor performance regardless of facts, and they'll shout and roar their support from the sidelines, while roaring at the opposition at the same time.

There's definitely a gap in the market for hats/scarves and replica shirts and rattles.

myshirt wrote: »

Are you having a giraffe?

Fine Gael have done quite bad on housing. They have ignored good advice because it's politically unpalatable and they don't have the competence to deliver. For example, property taxes need to almost double, CAT thresholds need to drop hugely, more apartments need to be built, the transport unions need to be taken on, social housing support capped at 5 years, planning permission linked to target costs / proposed selling prices, those with parental support to buy or living at home to save need to be taxed, the list goes on.

Homeless crisis is a joke. Some genuine cases, yes. Most are willing to accept short term pain for long term gain.
Property taxes need to be raised, but need paying by HOUSEHOLDER, not owner. Refuse collection needs be covered by this and taken back from private operators.
Water charges need be brought in for all householders.
Unemployment benefits need an overhaul. Reduced payments over time or vouchers only.
Children’s allowance to be abolished and replaced by tax allowances for parents.

As for anyone joining with Sinn Fein, I doubt anyone would take the risk.

maynooth_rules

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Right, even global commentators are even talking about!

Are they? Sweden,which is so often held as an example of how countries should do so much, has a higher 'homeless' per head of population figure than us.
The I am at the point where I want to see Sinn Fein in a position of power. I am tired of seeing their members being utterly populist in every regard, while at the same time not taking their seats in Stormont,refusing to take their seats in Westminster and racing to the opposition benches the second the last election finished in the Dail. They offer nothing but I feel for their supporters that they need to see this in action before believing it.

malinheader

Deleted User wrote: »

Homeless crisis is a joke. Some genuine cases, yes. Most are willing to accept short term pain for long term gain.
Property taxes need to be raised, but need paying by HOUSEHOLDER, not owner. Refuse collection needs be covered by this and taken back from private operators.
Water charges need be brought in for all householders.
Unemployment benefits need an overhaul. Reduced payments over time or vouchers only.
Children’s allowance to be abolished and replaced by tax allowances for parents.

As for anyone joining with Sinn Fein, I doubt anyone would take the risk.

What about a decent living wage for people in lower scale jobs, and TDs and all these other CEO,s of alot of government jobs and quangos take a paycut to a decent living wage instead of the hundreds of thousands they are on a year.

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

If there's one thing boards have taught me over the year's, is that some people view their political party of choice as a football team in some imaginary tournament.

.............
There's definitely a gap in the market for hats/scarves and replica shirts and rattles.

^^^^THIS


There a good few self-appointed "experts" here on boards, across the political spectrum, who will broadcast their views endlessly, but such statements are no more at all than bar stool waffle & punditry

McMurphy

maynooth_rules wrote: »

Are they? Sweden,which is so often held as an example of how countries should do so much, has a higher 'homeless' per head of population figure than us.
The I am at the point where I want to see Sinn Fein in a position of power. I am tired of seeing their members being utterly populist in every regard, while at the same time not taking their seats in Stormont,refusing to take their seats in Westminster and racing to the opposition benches the second the last election finished in the Dail. They offer nothing but I feel for their supporters that they need to see this in action before believing it.

To be fair, they get the number of votes up North precisely because they don't take their seats in Westminster (you may have heard of abstenionism?).

As mentioned on this thread lots of times, and especially more frequently now with the Brexit threads, nationalists vote for them in the full knowledge they will abstain, and in fact many vote for them because they abstain.

Would you like any of our elected TDs/Ministers etc to take an oath to the queen, and sit in a foreign Parliament? (Ok, I know to some fg supporters in particular, that may be no big deal)

Nationalist/Republicans in the north who view the British government as a foreign one, definitely don't, and that should be respected imo.

Equally if they do want representation in that foreign Parliament, and don't mind their representatives pledging an oath to the queen, well then they have the SDLP, who are going nowhere fast it seems.

FrancieBrady

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

To be fair, they get the number of votes up North precisely because they don't take their seats in Westminster (you may have heard of abstenionism?).

As mentioned on this thread lots of times, and especially more frequently now with the Brexit threads, nationalists vote for them in the full knowledge they will abstain, and in fact many vote for them because they abstain.

Would you like any of our elected TDs/Ministers etc to take an oath to the queen, and sit in a foreign Parliament? (Ok, I know to some fg supporters in particular, that may be no big deal)

Nationalist/Republicans in the north who view the British government as a foreign one, definitely don't, and that should be respected imo.

Equally if they do want representation in that foreign Parliament, and don't mind their representatives pledging an oath to the queen, well then they have the SDLP, who are going nowhere fast it seems.

It should be said it isn't just a stance based around the oath. It also has to do with the inherent hypocrisy of interfering in the running of other countries while demanding that a foreign country stop interfering in theirs.

On the OP, I think it could happen, and would be a good thing for our democracy even if it wasn't a good pairing.

McMurphy

FrancieBrady wrote: »

It should be said it isn't just a stance based around the oath. It also has to do with the inherent hypocrisy of interfering in the running of other countries while demanding that a foreign country stop interfering in theirs.

On the OP, I think it could happen, and would be a good thing for our democracy even if it wasn't a good pairing.

Yeah I know that, in fact I don't know if the oath is an issue per say to SF, but the whole foreign government thing, would be a bit ludicrous to campaign for the removal of a foreign countries govt from their affairs, whilst they partook in theirs.

I'm often left wondering if some posters (especially in a politics forum) don't understand this, or refuse to understand it. Because there's a difference.

Duane Dibbley

I really hope not.

malinheader wrote: »

What about a decent living wage for people in lower scale jobs, and TDs and all these other CEO,s of alot of government jobs and quangos take a paycut to a decent living wage instead of the hundreds of thousands they are on a year.

If you want better pay, then get a better job. The reason there are low paying jobs is that there are plenty of people willing to accept the conditions.

Wheeliebin30

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If you want better pay, then get a better job. The reason there are low paying jobs is that there are plenty of people willing to accept the conditions.

Exactly and to be honest probably didn’t do much in school and didn’t bother with college.

That’s life, sounds harsh but it’s true.

Hard work pays.

IAMAMORON

Only a matter of time …..

is_that_so

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I'd be grand with a Fianna Fail - Sinn Fein coalition. Might be the closest thing to a left wing government we ever get! Sinn Fein in a position of power would shift the governance of Ireland to the left, while Fianna Fail would temper the lunatic jingoistic Republican branch of the Sinn Fein party and stop them from doing too much damage.

Fine Gael's time is up. Varadkar's government's legacy will be the housing crisis.

Probably not. They've been very slow about it and have made some poor calls on housing but it will eventually right itself. The question for middle class voters is about alternatives. A SF party inclined to tax large hordes of the middle classes is going to have a hard time flipping them from FG/FF and to a far smaller extent now, Labour. The problem then is losing the fringes to the other lefties never mind the risk of being a minor coalition partner post-government.

Idbatterim

There’s a ton of agendas on here. Ff. Fg are absolute proven morons. No doubt sf will be the same , but give them a shot. If This election does nothing other than remove fg, so I don’t have to see and hear that spoofing spineless moron varadkar relentlessly, I’ll be happy with that.

Wheeliebin30

Idbatterim wrote: »

There’s a ton of agendas on here. Ff. Fg are absolute proven morons. No doubt sf will be the same , but give them a shot. If This election does nothing other than remove fg, so I don’t have to see and hear that spoofing spineless moron varadkar relentlessly, I’ll be happy with that.

If SFs record up north is anything to go by I’ll pass.

What do they actually do anymore??????

Plumbthedepths

Over 10,000 officially listed as homeless that's some achievement. Even a special mention by the UN. Whilst FF/SF coalition is unlikely it's also reasonable to assume they couldn't make things any worse than the present incumbents.
Leo forgot his promise to the person that gets up early.

Yurt2

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

18,000 homes built last year.

30,000 built in all of the UK last year.

We’re not doing too bad and once you do a bit of research and not listen to eoin Ó Broin and Paul
Murphy this becomes evident.

Fake news. Housing completions in England (figures exclude NI, Scotland and Wales) stood at 165'000 in 2018.

If you think an economy the size of the UK is churning out only 30'000 homes a year I think you could stand to do a bit of research yourself.


https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/28/housebuilding-england-flat-theresa-may-mission-2018

Wheeliebin30

Yurt! wrote: »

Fake news. Housing completions in England (figures exclude NI, Scotland and Wales) stood at 165'000 in 2018.

If you think an economy the size of the UK is churning out only 30'000 homes a year I think you could stand to do a bit of research yourself.


https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/28/housebuilding-england-flat-theresa-may-mission-2018

Yep I read that wrong somewhere it seems.

enricoh

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Over 10,000 officially listed as homeless that's some achievement. Even a special mention by the UN. Whilst FF/SF coalition is unlikely it's also reasonable to assume they couldn't make things any worse than the present incumbents.
Leo forgot his promise to the person that gets up early.

Its an attractive career choice now for people to get on homeless list. You get yer gaff in dublin while those that pay for it commute in from the surrounding counties n sit on the m50.
Apparently we have to house anyone in the world who rocks up to Ireland for social housing also. Over 60% on fingals housing list were foreign born a few years ago.

devlinio

Would be a disaster. We need FG to continue the good work they are doing.

We will not see the results overnight, but look at where we were 5 years ago compared to now. We're basically a different country. People will look back in 2025 and finally appreciate the work FG is doing.

Plumbthedepths

enricoh wrote:

Its an attractive career choice now for people to get on homeless list. You get yer gaff in dublin while those that pay for it commute in from the surrounding counties n sit on the m50. Apparently we have to house anyone in the world who rocks up to Ireland for social housing also. Over 60% on fingals housing list were foreign born a few years ago.

So homeless now is a career? Please tell you actually know what the word 'career' means.

Wanderer78

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

Exactly and to be honest probably didn’t do much in school and didn’t bother with college.

That’s life, sounds harsh but it’s true.

Hard work pays.

do you actually know what causes unemployment, in particular long term unemployment?

hard work does not always pay, period!