General Irish politics discussion thread

If they're able to establish that the person has already left, I assume those numbers should be available to report too?

I'm aware the numbers will never line up totally, with even the best enforcement some will disappear into the black economy and there's an inherent delay from creating an order to enforcement but I would've expected that if the number of people who left before enforcement made things look much better, the Department would've pushed to report those numbers too?

Again, as I've previously stated the Greens made a few small gains in government, and they are about to pay an electoral price for it, hopefully, they'll return with as few seats as possible. It's been amusing watching the Hollywood actor, Mark Ruffalo in recent weeks lashing the Greens over fracked gas, he was wheeled out (among others) in 2020 to encourage GP members to jettison principal for a shot at power, now he's decrying their alleged betrayal. As an aside, he doesn't seem to have learned his lesson as he champions Kamala Harris for President in the hope she can be influenced on Palestine - good luck with that!!

I think you can add the Greens in 2007 which was pure opportunism. They weren't necessary to government formation, BA brought them in any way, and they paid a huge price. It was great to see the likes of Dan Boyle lose his seat, and then Labour way back in 1992, too. Spring had lashed Haughey and FF continually and then, when it came to it, jumped into government with him, and they paid the price in 97, too.

They weren't necessary to government formation, BA brought them in any way, and they paid a huge price.

I remember taking on the phone to my dad after that government was formed, I noted the Irish Times were struggling to fill the allotted pages with coverage of another FF-PD government, imagine how hard they'd find it if the Greens weren't involved. He replied "Well that's kind of the point…"

There would have been no marriage equality and repeal referendums if Labour had not pushed these hard.

I don't think that's true, FG were fully behind them and Leo loved a referendum.

Varadkar did not become leader of FG until 2017. FG had no intention of putting the marriage equality referendum, which happened when Varadkar was a Minister, in to the Programme for Government.

Not before time. Was a ridiculous anachronism for quite a while.