Simon Harris, the TikTok Taoiseach

This is the behaviour you refuse to condone and are happy to stand by.

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/03/01/online-abuse-deterring-young-women-from-political-careers-ibec-event-told/

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41221342.html

University of Galway research found that 96% of women surveyed had received abusive social media messages

Perhaps you should tell those women to cry a river?

Oh please. How can I refuse to condone articles I have never seen before?? Again, I am not on these forums. It wouldn't bother me in the least if they didn't exist. I would advise all politicians to abandon stupid forums like Twitter.

Ok Sherlock, how do you propose online abuse is eliminated? Answer on a postcard please. Undo the internet?

I am telling you and CloClo to cry me a river because twitter upsets you so much that you feel compelled to read it every day!

Oh please, this reply is embarrassing.

The irony "Maybe you can explain why you feel the constant need to discuss posters?"

"Didn't you post before you have multiple twitter accounts? I think we can see why when you are going around posting stuff like that"

Do you keep a log of my posts? We have been waiting for that Greenway for over 25 years. All the parties are to blame. Catherine Connolly has been much more effective on repeating raising parliamentary questions on it. I'd say she has raised more parliamentary questions than most TDs across a range of subjects. She is brilliant at holding the 3 unwise men and their ministers to account.

I have voted Green in the past, just not #1. They have been outstanding in this government...

We have also been waiting 30+ years for a new bridge and bypass or ring road. The Greens are against it and yet Galway is always gridlocked. It's impacting the local economy.

Dublin will get a Metro before we get a bypass. Probably never.

Our Green party candidate (O'Reilly) is now going for the Euro elections. Great expenses going back and over to Brussels you know.

Didn't you put my on Ignore once? How's Twitter today?

So, I see that Harris is postponing the upcoming patent referendum at next week’s Cabinet meeting?

Are FFFG so scared of going to the people again?

Indeed.. there seem to be more focus and commentary on recognising Gaza (as if that'll do anything to resolve those issues or in real terms makes any difference to anyone here) than getting stuck into addressing the far more immediate and concerning problems at home.

I can't really say I'm surprised. He's basically Leo 2.0 - entirely led by trends, what he thinks will make him popular on Twitter, and spin over substance.

I suppose he has no choice really. He has no qualifications for the role beyond time served in FG and being the "default" choice because the others stepped back, he's been utterly unremarkable in his political career to-date, and he's clearly planning to enjoy his months in the sun.

It would be great to be proven wrong, but he's not off to a good start!

Yeah I was struck by the news this morning. Simon's main focus in week 1 is Gaza and he is meeting the Spanish PM for the 2nd time in 2 days to discuss Gaza and yet he couldn't muster up an hour for Leaders Questions. Strange. Some of the folks here were on the wrong side of the Gaza genocide debate so they must be scratching their heads too.

This post was supposed to be a reply/quote with Kaiser's post but I guess I didn't hit the quote button.

Yes but it would be cowardly to avoid the referendum on that fear of the electorate. FFG have sang the praises of the patent referendum and if they promote it correctly, it should be a no brainer. It actually shows contempt for the electorate.

Surely it is his fault if he recognises the huge anger at the government out there but refuses to have a general election.

Why not give the public the tools to voice their anger correctly. What is he afraid of?

You made a statement of 'fact' that the jobs Gilmore has had in the EU are cushy numbers.

I am just asking how you came to that conclusion, as you have no details as to your actual claim.

Is it just based on the fact that it's a role within the EU, that makes it a cushy number? As in all jobs within the EU cushy numbers?

It's just high-level anti-establishment populist nonsense. The same kind of stuff that Trump and his MAGA crew spout in the US or UKIP folks in the UK. That is the basis and foundation of your argument.

And you still cannot answer the question.

More Gaza. FFS.

I had hoped that a change would result in Fine Gael refocusing their priorities but even at this early stage it looks like nothing is going to change.

The way things are going Fine Gael are going to get a fully deserved hammering in the elections.