Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

Totally agree that he did the absolute wrong thing in relation to his brother and I am glad he has admitted to wrong doing and addressed that.

Not seeing the 'elder statesman' vibe, I'd associate that more with Ahern's rehabilitation (albeit ably assisted by some in the media) but I think I stopped following him on twitter. Will have a look.
I doubt his musing will affect government talks though, so doubtless this is off topic.

O Broin interviewed on Morning Ireland re housing Thurs.

Interesting contrast between his attitudes to house prices and rentals. Contradictions actually. SF are against 'Right to Buy' and a few other such Govt policies on the grounds that they raise house prices and restrict supply for others in the market.

Restricting house rents, limiting evictions and other constraints on landlords have the same effects on the rental market i.e. limit supply of houses etc for rent and push up the level of rents for those in the market for tenancies.

He's slippery!

It shows how much you know if you think either SF or any other party in the north would be singlehandedly making the arrangements for something like this.
It would be an entirely civil service function and politicians would be told where to be.
Anyway, it seems the 'incompetence' was on the Harris delegations side according to the BBC.

A Stormont source said it is normal for official delegations to phone ahead to say they were imminent.

They didn't phone ahead Clo.

That's embarrassing for you tbh. The idea that SF are at fault for everything is one of you competencies even if you are wrong. 😁

'Jumping around'?

What about you 'jumping up and down' incompetently finding fault with the wrong people?

Simon Harris's delegation didn't follow protocol and ring ahead was the cause of the glitch.

The only thing he/she needs to do is realise that every government since the dawn of governments has done some things competently and others things incompetently.
The current government being a case in point.

If it was Mary Lou that was driving up the Avenue to Stormont, 

I'm sure the civil service officials would not make the same mistake again and forget to ring ahead. Or maybe they would, the fact seems to be, they did forget to do it this time.

According to the BBC the protocol is for the visitors to phone ahead, they didn't, hence the glitch.
If you have a source that refutes this, post it. Otherwise you are making stuff up.

Of course it was an 'excuse', something had to excuse it and it was limp to forget to phone ahead.

Do the Shinners man the gate?
The funny thing here is the ‘it’s the Shinners fault’ brigade salivating over what was a minor glitch.

Must have started work already. I see they are back up to 29% in the polls.

in fairness I don’t know the answer to the question you asked and I would not think that it will arise with their current FM

Aoife Moores book is now out in paperback and riding high in the Easons top sellers list again

Its a good and interesting read if you are into your politics and recent history going into a lot of detail as to who Sinn Féin are and how they operate in 2024

It's also quite sobering

Essentially edicts from outside the State (Belfast) govern what the party say or do

Currently thats directing them down as much of the populist route as possible in an effort to get into government,their route (Belfasts) to getting a UI referendum they think

Whilst the book gives lots of detail on that,its always been common knowledge and a major drag on FF's attitude towards doing business with them

Their new man from head office is supposed to be very good so We ain't seen nothing yet in terms of the charming of the voters they need

Quite an exciting time from a politics officianado's point of view and I am one of those

It would be interesting to revisit that thread and see which posters claimed she had nothing to apologise for, who fully defended her attendance and claimed she didn't break Covid rules.

Which of them will be the first to apologise for being wrong again?

It would seem that there is no prescribed bar on MP/MLA being a TD too. (Although arguably the last section on the electoral act of 1992 would disbar a lot of folks!)

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government-in-ireland/houses-of-the-oireachtas/dail-eireann/

To be eligible for membership of the Dáil, you must be:

• An Irish citizen
• At least 21

You also cannot be both a member of the Dáil and:

• A member of a local authority (until 2003, it was possible to be an elected Councillor and a TD)
• A member of the European Parliament (an MEP), or another senior official in an institution of the European Union
• A member of the Garda Síochána or a full-time member of the Defence Forces
• A civil servant, unless your contract specifically allows it
• Serving a prison sentence of greater than 6 months
• The President, a Senator, the Comptroller and Auditor General or a judge

The Electoral Act 1992 also says that you cannot be a TD if you are ‘of unsound mind’.

In a thread on 5th of July 2020, FrancieBrady does not seem to see anything wrong with the large Bobby Storey funeral and instead he deflects to Leo having a few cans in a park with someone.

Interesting I cam across a comment someone else said at the time, that the Bobby Storey funeral was a perfect example of how SF and the IRA are still one and the same.

I'd agree with the less likely that there will be a SF government but that doesn't necessarily mean a FF/FG/Gr one.

Its a rolling set of opinion polls

Sinn Féin could be up over 30% again with the next set

I can see them doing a deal with Fianna Fáil

Simon Harris then being leader of the opposition

Politicians are very fickle like that,he'll be shouting at Micheál martin yet and Pearse Doherty will be voting for Micheál as Taoiseach in that scenario as you can be damn sure that the UI referendum will be negotiated into the 2nd half of the new governments term

Now that vote for Taoiseach will be max fickledom

back in the Covid lockdown times in 2020 you or Michelle did not seem to see anything wrong with the very large SF/IRA Bobby Storey funeral

Once again, the facts don't back you up.

I was listening to Morning Ireland and a contributor who was pointing out the huge variance in different polls and the volatile nature of the electorate currently. He reckoned that when polls are like this that it will all come down to the election campaigns. At this stage I think he may be on the money.

The refugee issue again highlights the difference between the North and South. The North has no refugee issue, so it's grand for Sinn Fein there to take the high and mighty position and attack the Tories. That's their identity there.

Down here, where we have a massive refugee issue, Sinn Fein can't take that position. They have to adopt similar policies and similar language to the Tory Party which they attack in the North. They are in a daily conflict with themselves, self inflicted conflict.

So if Mary Lou made anti refugee comments, she could undermine the Northern Sinn Fein politicians attacks on the Tories.

The knives would be out in any other party.

Leo had FG at 35% and took them back to GE performance levels. He lasted 4 years and apparently went of his own accord.

Party of government for almost 14 years. Battered and bruised. Still polling at the same level as the main opposition party.

You said the 'knives would be out in any other party', clearly you were BS.
You've been talking up the demise of MLMD for yonks now, eventually you will probably be right about that too.

Also blithely ignoring the massive stirring of the FG - FF porridge on immigration and refugees to gain votes from the ultra right wing.