New Dail / New Taoiseach

patsman07 · 19-02-2020 09:36PM

PatrickSmithUS wrote: »

O'Riordain, though he loves himself, always come across as extremely ethical in most things he does (Paddy Jackson tweeting aside). If Labour have any hope of appealing to young voters and the vital Dublin based electorate then they have no option but to pick him.

Hasn't only been the Paddy Jackson tweet, O'Riordain seems to want to hitch a ride with every identity politics train that's leaving the station. It appears to me that he is the most eager person in Irish politics to appear 'woke.' I joined Labour, and canvassed for the Labour Party in the past but I can't see myself voting for them if he's the leader of the party. I've always felt his speech in the Senate when Trump was elected was more about self-promotion than anything else. Such a pity Ged Nash didn't go for the leadership.

With Labour in general I feel they are a little disconnected. During my time as a member, I was very disappointed that there were so few local meetings and I was only ever contacted directly when there was canvassing to be done. I noticed a few Senior members of the party commented on twitter during the recent Blackn' Tan controversy, mostly to state the accidental nature of their nationality and to advertise their lack of patriotism. Disconnected.

Scoondal · 19-02-2020 09:42PM

Martin Lanigan wrote: »

OP, can we take it you are not a SF voter or supporter?

I support the democratic vote of our country. And, eh yes, I am not a SF voter. I am SO ashamed that I have been found out.

mikemac2 · 19-02-2020 09:55PM

Have they no fresh young members?

Joe Costello was 70 in the recent election and Joan Burton was 71. Another was Jan O’Sullivan at 69

Why are they even running?

Another poster had Emmett Stagg running at 75, ah heyor

Poor_old_gill · 19-02-2020 10:50PM

patsman07 wrote: »

Hasn't only been the Paddy Jackson tweet, O'Riordain seems to want to hitch a ride with every identity politics train that's leaving the station. It appears to me that he is the most eager person in Irish politics to appear 'woke.' I joined Labour, and canvassed for the Labour in the past but I can't see myself voting for them if he's the leader of the party. I've always felt his speech in the Senate when Trump was elected was more about self-promotion than anything else. Such a pity Ged Nash didn't go for the leadership.

With Labour in general I feel they are a little disconnected. During my time as a member, I was very disappointed that there were so few local meetings and I was only ever contacted directly when there was canvassing to be done. I noticed a few Senior members of the party commented on twitter during the recent Blackn' Tan controversy, mostly to state the accidental nature of their nationality and to advertise their lack of patriotism. Disconnected.

I have to say I agree with this 100% - he attaches himself to every cause that there is. For this reason he comes across as very disingenuous and without any real principles.

fly_agaric · 19-02-2020 11:04PM

I defended Labour's record earlier in thread, but Alan Kelly and Aodhan Ó'Ríordáin don't appeal to me at all as leaders for the reasons already mentioned by others. Not confident either can resurrect the party (...but who else is there?).
I think I'd rather the "old guard" hung on for a while longer!

L1011 · 20-02-2020 12:52AM

mikemac2 wrote: »

Have they no fresh young members?

Joe Costello was 70 in the recent election and Joan Burton was 71. Another was Jan O’Sullivan at 69

Why are they even running?

Another poster had Emmett Stagg running at 75, ah heyor

Selection conventions were run in 2016/17 by most parties in case there was a snap election which seemed likely; as it is we had a relatively normal length Dáil term in the end.

The 2014 local elections was an absolute low point in number of councillors elected (51) and by 2016/7 there were only in the mid 30s left in the party due to defections to Independent and SocDems. So there was basically nobody with any profile to select except the old guard. Stagg is local to me - when he was re-selected there were three councillors also in their 70s in the constituency. The age profile was slashed in 2019 with retirements and replacements getting in.

It would have been sensible to scrap all 2016/7 selections after the 2019 LEs that returned an increased number of councillors, often younger. But that didn't happen.

Hodors Appletart · 20-02-2020 09:37AM

The 33rd Dáil sits for the first time later today, and has the potential to be the shortest Dáil term in the history of the state if the three deadlocked parties cannot get a Program for Government agreed.

They will need to elect a new Ceann Comhairle and it seems Seán Ó Fearghaíl is probably going to be re-elected to the position. FG don't look like they'll be putting up a candidate. Catherine Murphy flew a kite but quickly defloated it. Independent Denis Naughton has also been mentioned in dispatches.

They will then need to try to elect a new Taoiseach but without agreement between any of the parties there won't be one elected today

It took the guts of 3 months after the 2016 election before we had a functioning government so we are still in the early days of government formation.

Will we have a new Taoiseach for the 33rd Dáil or will caretaker Varadkar have to go back to The Park in short order?

Martin Lanigan · 20-02-2020 09:40AM

Well Ruth Coppinger and Catherine Zappone are gone anyway.

Hodors Appletart · 20-02-2020 09:42AM

Oh yes should have mentioned

There are some 50 new TDs taking seats today which seems like a lot it's almost a third of the Dáil.

Brussels Sprout · 20-02-2020 12:17PM

There are only 2 candidates for CC: Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Denis Naughton

Hodors Appletart · 20-02-2020 12:23PM

it's a secret ballot, so no whipping, although FF losing SoF to the Cathaoir could be problematic for them in Govt formation.

wonder who will row in behind Naughton

hotmail.com · 20-02-2020 01:20PM

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

Oh yes should have mentioned

There are some 50 new TDs taking seats today which seems like a lot it's almost a third of the Dáil.

It's certainly a lot.

The last 3 general elections have produced massive turnovers in new TDs.

At the moment, very few seats are really safe and guaranteed. Previously, sitting TDs were re elected until they retired. That's ended thankfully.

Hodors Appletart · 20-02-2020 03:27PM

CC elected, SoF by a landslide

mr_fegelien · 20-02-2020 07:55PM

I admit I voted in the last election and hadn't a clue to vote for. I voted Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail. I told someone who laughed at me and said they are incompatible with each other regarding their policies and would never form a coalition.

Now I wonder what are the actual policies/promises that each party delivers to people?

JP Liz V1 · 20-02-2020 10:12PM

She got the most votes but not enough

The Tetrarch · 21-02-2020 12:29AM

A difficulty Sinn Fein have getting into a coalition is their shopping list.

Martin Lanigan · 21-02-2020 12:32AM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

She got the most votes but not enough

Nowhere near enough.

L1011 · 21-02-2020 08:40AM

Technical Group formation has begun. Rural group has stayed and there's now a Regional group of all the other right independents.

Leaves Joan Collins, Thomas Pringle, Catherine Connolly, Michael McNamara, Marian Harkin and Michael Fitzmaurice out on their own and those six together would not make a cohesive grouping.

McNamara could just rejoin Labour when there's a new leader as his huff was recent and over Howlin; he may not want to though!

road_high · 21-02-2020 08:58AM

The Tetrarch wrote: »

A difficulty Sinn Fein have getting into a coalition is their shopping list.

That being the excuse not to more like it

Brussels Sprout · 21-02-2020 09:59AM

L1011 wrote: »

Technical Group formation has begun. Rural group has stayed and there's now a Regional group of all the other right independents.

Leaves Joan Collins, Thomas Pringle, Catherine Connolly, Michael McNamara, Marian Harkin and Michael Fitzmaurice out on their own and those six together would not make a cohesive grouping.

McNamara could just rejoin Labour when there's a new leader as his huff was recent and over Howlin; he may not want to though!

They don't really have to be a cohesive grouping. The very first technical group included Michael-Healy Rae and some of the current SOL-PBP people back in 2011 as far as I recall. It's just a technical group. The only thing binding them together is that they share speaking time and are eligible to chair committees. They don't even have to discuss policy with each other, never mind agree on it.

L1011 · 21-02-2020 10:12AM

That was when there was only one TG allowed - the expectation now is that they are vaguely similar. If there's no other options I'm sure they'll have to work together

road_high · 21-02-2020 10:51AM

Nevin Parsnipp wrote: »

Shinners deserve a chance to be in government....let's see what they can do.....some of their recently elected gorillas are fcucking up already.

Let's have them....

They'll do fcuk all except harm and terrify investors. We already have a template in Greece where their friends Syriza were in.
Even their so called heavy hitters are breath-takingly lacking in real ability with zero track record in anything bar Dail points scoring and stating the obvious.
The only way frauds are exposed us by calling their bluff and forcing them into the job.

realdanbreen · 21-02-2020 11:17AM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

She got the most votes but not enough

Pity, because she came across so classy in the Dail yesterday!

Lockstep · 21-02-2020 11:25AM

mikemac2 wrote: »

Have they no fresh young members?

Joe Costello was 70 in the recent election and Joan Burton was 71. Another was Jan O’Sullivan at 69

Why are they even running?

Another poster had Emmett Stagg running at 75, ah heyor

They had young candidates like Anniey Hoey in Meath East, Rebecca Moynihan in Dublin South Central and Liam Van Der Spek in Cavan/Monaghan.

None were elected though.

Sam Russell · 21-02-2020 11:33AM

There was a report on RTE radio today that Gerry Adams, along with other 'unelected' people were on SF's negotiating team.

I thought GA 'had gone away', but not so.

Panda Killa · 21-02-2020 12:00PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

There was a report on RTE radio today that Gerry Adams, along with other 'unelected' people were on SF's negotiating team.

I thought GA 'had gone away', but not so.

Did you not see him going clippity clop beside Mary Lou and Michelle O'Neil last week when discussions were starting...

gormdubhgorm · 21-02-2020 12:05PM

realdanbreen wrote: »

Pity, because she came across so classy in the Dail yesterday!

I did not see it but it would make a refreshing change if Mary Lou has suddenly adopted a 'classy' persona.

ednwireland · 21-02-2020 12:40PM

realdanbreen wrote: »

Pity, because she came across so classy in the Dail yesterday!

i must have missed that (or is my sarcasm filter off ?)

machaseh · 21-02-2020 12:47PM

Panda Killa wrote: »

Did you not see him going clippity clop beside Mary Lou and Michelle O'Neil last week when discussions were starting...

And FF/FG don't consult ex-politicians in their internal party meetings?

Panda Killa · 21-02-2020 12:48PM

machaseh wrote: »

And FF/FG don't consult ex-politicians in their internal party meetings?

Internal perhaps... with other parties when trying to form a government in Ireland...nope

New Dail / New Taoiseach

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