General Irish politics discussion thread

His linkedin says he's a retired TD, he seems to be on some boards too.

He's 62 and lost his seat in his late 40s, though he did get the pension immediately unlike anyone who lost their seat at elections since (they have to wait to 65). I'd love to be able to retire from whatever job I'm doing in my late 40s!

Royston went to the US at some point, I think he's a hotelier or hotel manager in Florida now. Hopefully nothing like the other notable Florida hotelier politician.

/Without Donohoe's transfers, Sherlock/Lab would not have been elected. With Donohoe not running in the next GE, there may not be many FG>Lab transfers and FG transfers will probably stay within FFG. The fluff piece about the "qualifications" of the new office holders in the IT managed to completely ignore their qualifications. Donohoe helped with the perception that FG still had some fiscal competence and expertise. Harris is a liability and the sooner Jennifer Carroll MacNeill replaces him as leader, the better it will be for FG. The bye-election could be the first chance, if it is held before the one in Galway, to see if the "Vote Left, transfer Left" strategy is used. It if is and is successful, things could get a bit iffy for FFG.

How many retirements/resignations since Harris took over does that make it?

Surely FG need to act soon or they might become irrelevant after the next election

As I've said before here, I know JCMN personally. I'd be interested to know what you characterise as arrogance from her.

In my experience, she is like a dog with a bone when it comes to reforming broken systems and eliminating waste and inefficiency. She is extremely intelligent, experienced in politics, business and the law, she is always entirely across her brief, and she doesn't suffer fools gladly. Yet she is very good fun, amiable company and takes her greatest joy and love as a mother and parent alongside her husband Hugo.

Perhaps those things that you may perceive as arrogance, are the very characteristics which make her a natural leader and a rare talent.

Right now, in my view, she would have the shortest odds to be Ireland's first woman Taoiseach. Way ahead of Mary Lou McDonald, who I think is on the downward slope of her long political career.

Underestimate JCMN at your peril.

I plead ignorance as all I know of her is her appearances on debate programmes. And for her appearances strike me as bombastic, keeps interrupting other guests talking ( granted that’s nearly all politicians). For me she doesn’t come across at all appealing.

You obviously know her well ( going by your post above) so I’ve said my piece. I’ll leave it at that.

At the moment, she is FG's least worst option for leader. Her panel appearances indicate that she might need a bit of media training because she can appear arrogant. Strategically, she is FG's best chance at remaing a distinct party other than FF's supply of seats and votes.

Harris and McEntee were appointed by Varadkar because he thought that they would not be potential leadership challengers. There is a whiff of Dunning Kruger off the three of them in that they were all promoted well beyond their abilities. FG has lost seats and support. All three of them have been disasters in whatever portfolio they were given. FG is being turned into a kind of half-party (like Labour was pre-2016) of Irish politics and it needs to reassert itself before FF takes more of its seats in the next GE. Replacing Harris as leader would be the first step.

Those transfers came entirely from the last bundle transferred to Donohue, which were from Mary Fitzpatrick.

You do understand how our voting system works surely, rather than just using this - once again - as an attempt to try wedge moaning about Labour in to every single post you make?

Donohoe's transfers only came into effect when he was elected. This point at which transfers come into effect has been missed by you and L1011. The timing of the transfers is important as is the order of preference. With FF and FG candidates transferring strongly to each other, the other candidates like Sherlock were merely waiting for crumbs to drop from the FFG table. The third preferences for Sherlock from Fitzpatrick from second preference Donohoe votes did not come into effect until Donohoe was elected. This whole STV thing can be quite complex like that.

I missed nothing. STV is clearly too complex for you, but that won't stop you crowbarring anti Labour stuff in absolutely anywhere you can.

Clare Daly might have another crack? If she can stay ahead of the Shinner and pick up their transfers…