Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

For all the noise here,SF are not wrote off

They will be back with gusto at GE time and will definitely increase their T.D total

There is a lot of merit in the 10 to 20% or so of voters not turning out being in their pool

Anyone that thinks otherwise is deluded

I doubt the online army will be calling Lyn Boylan,Lyn Boylan the 12th though if its the 12th cpunt she's elected on

One thing this election has shown is the various online armies are the most deluded of them all

I think when the dust settles it will be realised that FF FG didn't gain a single vote in this election, they are down on their vote share again.
They also took few from the Shinners,.
Sinn Fein lost out to Independents as the result of a crisis, or a talked up crisis.

Yes they need to recover and adjust but the outlook for them is the same as it is for the incumbents in government.

As a commentator on RTE last night said, it is either fold and regress time for SF or a timely kick in the proverbials to pay attention to why they are losing out to independents.

The deluded online army is that the SF one that is virtually full time online.

SF will not dissappear but it will not be part of the next government IMO. The idea that it was only there vote that stayed st home is delusion. Ya a higher percentage but not all. The SF vote has trickled away. The independents hovered up some and so.e returned to Labour while it's anti immigration wing fractured off as well.

FF and FG have a pep in there step as has Labour. SF will reset but now it will have the Labour and SD taking it soft left vote and PBP pulling it harder to the left while the ultra right snaps at it heels over immigration.

The Dail will recess soon until September a give away budget and an election in late October.

Regularise the one off payment in social welfare giving 15-20 euro rise. Bring the marginal rate of tax up to 48k, increase the credits, reduce the USC and its game on.

Just focus on core issues,

I have already said this and I think that is what will happen.

May take another GE election cycle or it might not. FF and FG's ability to mess up is a factor in the mix too.

I do think the immigration issues will recede and I think a lot of the motley crew of independents will show their feet of clay tbh.

I wouldn't disagree with all of that,I do think a lot of the under 30's stayed away but will be back in the GE and we know who has the majority of that vote,it's Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin took a seat off FF in my local LEA btw but at 11% it was poor

It was their first seat here

Double their previous outing.

Sinn Féin will have a 'think in' now and will fix this because the want for a UI referendum is strong,so Belfast are going to listen to the message on the ground and alter their message accordingly

Gaffe's like the €300k house,sack the Garda commissioner and Hijab Mary will be no more.

Aontu got a good few votes in many constituencies which impacted Sinn Fein in particular making the difference between winning a seat and not winning a seat , Sinn Fein have lost some good old school republicans to Aontu over abortion/ transgender stuff etc . Two brothers in their sixties who used sell an phoblacht in our town back in the day were putting up posters and canvassing for local Aontu candidate for past month which definitely took a few hundred votes from Sinn Fein

They need to Pivot one way or the other.

They won't be able to to keep their "original" core voter base happy whilst also trying to win seats in the centre.

Make your mind up and choose what way you want to go.

Oh, and change leader.

I have a lot of time for Louise O'Reilly and she is more than capable, but you know what way they would shift if she was to become leader.

Only other two that spring to mind would be Matt Carthy or Mairead Farrell

No more or less than us when FF incompetence cheered on by FG led to the Troika coming in, Syriza hadn't a chance up against the juggernaut they were up against.
We had to swallow the pills as Greece had to.

Look what happened here - FF ruined Ireland and are now aligned with FG because FG rehabilitated FF. They both need each other to stay in power. That is undeniable.
No sour grapes there from me by the way, I said at the time FF would be back.

Why? Because political forces like the FF or SF or FG ones don't just disappear overnight. They take their disappointments, rejections and dust themselves down, readjust and go again.

Party breakdown of Limerick City and County council, 40 seats in total

• Fine Gael – 13
• Fianna Fáil – 10
• Independents – 5
• Sinn Féin – 3
• Labour – 3
• Social Democrats – 2
• Independent Ireland – 2
• Green Party – 1
• Aontú – 1

Government parties with 60% of the seats while the local hospital is being described as a warzone… The mind truly boggles