Election to be called Fri - predict outcome

Let's be honest, it's gonna take a recession or a massive scandal to see any real alternative government for the next few years. Only question is the formation of the next government. We know what parties will be involved, or likely to be governing.

Well I hope it's not that soon!

On the quays not the airport

What time on 'Fri' will the election be called?

I've been thinking about this as well. I wonder what the magic proportion is where FF can make a legitimate claim for a rotating Taoiseach. Clearly MM has his heart set on being Taoiseach again so he's going to push for it but at a certain point it's not credible.

I think the highest number of seats that a junior coalition party had in the past was Labour's 37 in 2011. They were still 29 seats behind FG so it was a non-issue then. It'll be a lot closer this time.

I saw a pundit saying SF may spin their recent woes as the old boys club bullying them while not exactly being angels themselves.

So I would not rule out a stronger shinner performance than presently expected.

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Roderick O'Gorman is now calling for the election to be held on the 29th so we can take it as being on, then.

But the actual writ won't happen today, or next week even.

Rodders committing political harakiri, maybe???

Looks like Roderic O'Gorman has announced the date of the election.

you live in your own echo chamber. My experience with my friends and family is that everyone really likes him and thinks he is a great Taoiseach. I would however never use my own experience and bubble to make assumptions for the whole country. The facts however, that in the polls he is very popular.

O'Gorman has lit the fuse. He wants 29-Nov. Interesting to see if Harris/Martin agree

Till they look at their kids who will end up living with them till they are 40+.

Stronger than expected maybe, but still not near where they were last time round. It'll be FG / FF till the end of time. Can't see a left alliance happening this time around anyway

I think it's going to be a FFG government, propped up by "anyone but the Greens".

I've been a floating FF/FG voter my entire life but I genuinely feel they have totally failed to represent my views and those of many of my friends and families, especially in relation to some of the following issues;

There is an apparent absence of a coherent migration policy, with NGOs seemingly 'outwitting' the Government at every turn.

The Hate Bill legislation and the Gender issue is laughable, however I am horrified if half of what is alleged was intended to be taught to school-children is true. I mean, seriously, classroom discussions on rimming and fisting??? WTF!!!

Don't get me started on the HSE!!! Stephen Donnelly gave money to provide for children's scoliosis surgery and the hospital decided to spend it differently??? Who's really in charge of the HSE… if anyone???? The cost over-runs on the Children's hospital where it seems the HSE/Government are being shafted by BAM.

TUSLA don't seem to be very good at providing a safe service to vulnerable children in their care, do they? A 14 year old girl who went missing from TUSLA services was eventually found in a brothel!!!

Law and Order? The heart of our capital city is gone forever…People openly taking drugs in the streets, tent cities appearing overnight (allegedly at the behest on some individuals in NGOS), etc. Many of the suburbs of Dublin are rife with criminality, gang activity, .e.g. Balbriggan, Baldoyle, Jobstown, Clondalkin….

Serious violence in country towns between rival gangs (often of some of our 'marginalised citizens' with their own distinctive culture), e.g. attempted murder in broad daylight in Mullingar, open fights on the Main Street in Longford, etc.

I have no confidence in FFG being able to change anything. My votes will go towards AONTU/Independents. They won't have enough to form a government, but with enough votes they will be in a position to 'water-down' the larger parties and hopefully better represent a large number of people like me who are reluctant to speak out for fear of being branded 'Far-Right', racist, confused, etc.

I'll be honest, if I was younger, I'd pack my bags and leave…