The accelerating fall in Sinn Féin support

That last seat could be a real battle. If O'Fearghail retires, which is still possible, the last two seats will become interesting, especially if one of the big parties puts up a second candidate.

It's what happens though when party leadership is autocratic, intolerant and elitist. Haughty Haughey wouldn't tolerate questioning of his leadership, thus O'Malley's P.D.s were born, and his respect for democracy within the party was Trump like, remember his 'open roll call vote' used to intimidate and ensure his tenure. A Lidl Napoleon he was.

SF really blew the massive opposition numbers they had by always playing the populist card, refuting every bit of progress and good idea, instead of embracing them, and promising better. Their big focus of the magnetic phone pouches, €20 a student and a brilliant idea to curb the malignancy of social media, was a massive own goal, trying to convince the people it would be better spent on, er, what exactly? Roof repairs for a few schools, a fill of oil for others? To think the budget is the place for micromanagement decisions shows their complete lack of experience at running Ireland.ltd, or any large organisation, other than a paramilitary one.

And I would say the story on the front of The Indo. will push a few more SF's out the door as well.

Not doubting You but afaik, she has done nothing for the biggest town in her constituency.
I'm from Newbridge & the only time I hear her name is when she went on holiday & stepped down from her party.

No loss imo.

’The Right seeks converts while the Left seeks out traitors.’

PBP, the flash in the pan Rise, and how many other Left wing parties have we had in the last 15 years alone? They can’t stop arguing amongst themselves and splitting.
Getting or even approaching power seems to be far down the agenda for them.
‘This party stands against x’

‘This party supports y’

‘Can we get on with the plan for the next election?’

‘Are you saying that you don’t support y? I move that the deputy is censured. All in favour?’

Yep, in my local area for county council SF, despite not having a seat, put in two candidates, perhaps because that’s what FF and FG. The incumbents all won again with the single Labour candidate topping the poll. SF split the vote on themselves and probably would’ve squeaked in on the 5th seat otherwise.
It’s hard not to think that somebody said that two candidates was a bad idea (most likely, one of the candidates) and was shouted down about it. I’m sure that played out all over the country.

The government is never going to have this chance again. They could talk in vague terms about SF and their values, their mysterious funding (a recluse in a caravan left a will just vague enough to leave you money and it was a 7 figure sum? If you believe that, I’ve a bridge to sell you.), the Bobby Storey funeral, ‘no alternative to violence’ rewriting of history they’ve attempted. But now Harris can say ‘you not only employed a paedophile but your other employees lied and vouched for him to get another job at an unsuspecting charity.’ It’s not like the effer was digging ditches.
Any proposals or points SF have will pale in comparison because their opponents can keep bringing that up and SF can’t say ‘let’s move on from that’

What is the whole Stanley thing all about anyways ?

Its just good political thinking and seeing the writing on the wall and the sinking ship, not much different to FG folks dropping out.

Most of her branch of the party appear to have left with her; so not sure there's a lot of local party people left against her.

Party has one councillor in the entire county and both TDs were very inactive so there probably isn't much vibrancy there to begin with.

I mentioned in another thread that I've family in Leixlip. By all accounts Reada Cronin, SF TD, has been largely

anonymous since been elected. They're not giving her much chance of being re-elected.

Have SF proposed and increase in spending on Gardai and Defence forces

And if yes how does it compare to others