After the FF Presidential election debacle, how long before Micheal Martin resigns or is pushed?

I suppose I am one of the many who has inadvertently lead to the status quo. Used to vote Labour. Then gradually didn’t see the point as they became so weak and lost their identity as well.

Now I would vote independent if the choice was there. Last election I voted no1 for an independent first time TD to give him encouragement. To my surprise he got in and is now propping up the government.

There really is a vacuum for a sensible left alternative - around where Labour / Soc Dems are.

I know SF are the largest opposition party but they have still one foot in the Republican past and they always have half an eye on the NI electorate more than the ROI. I don’t really view SF as sensible.

FF and FG must be laughing to themselves at this stage. As the current arrangement is very convenient. Yet it doesn’t look like either of the two will ever return big numbers to form a government without the other . So this could remain the same for another decade ?

“ Ah sure it will do” is basically keeping Martin there. Notably it is mostly the very young backbenchers that have been calling for change.

They still exist, with their handful of members and handful of voters. The Centre Party - doing the usual thing of extreme right wingers claiming to be centrist that we can see with Restore in the UK and so on.

I'd wager they will be bigger than…lightweight fluffy parties like labour and possibly Soc Dems.

Do you wantto put actual money on that?

For the craic ill stick 50e on that with you.

I know you're a decent skin from the Mayo forum.

When the time comes we can DM eachother.

Paul Lawless will be 100% re elected in Mayo.I can confidently say that however many years out that is.

Can we agree that FF and FG are going to hemorrhage votes the next election? Can we agree that SF are not a credible alternative and the majority of the country will never vote for them? What are we left with...one of the above parties and a coalition of many.

So that could be a coalition of the left,SF plus a few Ivana Baciks and head in the clouds Holly Cairns.

Or it could be a more centre right coalition with FF or FG (whichever one cops the fcuk on first) I think this will probably be FF but I don't care either way and then a coalition of independents and the likes of Aontu.

Now,do you think Ireland/Europe is going to be leaning more centre Left or centre right over the next few years...

Support has reduced for FFG for sure but they still dont have a challenger that can gain an equal amount of seats to FFGs 86.

They have hurt their share of the grey vote, not doing something on heating oil, that effects largely the older population.

Lawless will 100% be voted back in.

I didn't vote for him but his popularity has absolutely skyrocketed.

MM strikes me as a lad who doesn't really care anymore, or at least gave up the illusion of even trying for the optics.

He has been in there since '89 and pulled a Keyser Soze during the crash. A remarkable achievement to be fair.

He is 65 now and will closer to 70 if this Dáil runs it's term. He is circling the drain as is.

He is starting to become a de facto liability for the brand and once that happens it's only a matter of time.

For those vying to replace him, it has actually been a pretty good week.

GI Jim has made himself toxic to any potential tilt.

If anyone benefitted in the party this week, it was probably Jack Chambers.

I'd find that very funny too (the end of FF).

A Sinn Fein cllr criticizing the Taoiseach wow big news

TheJournal running an online poll Is now the time for Fianna Fáil to replace its leader?

I hear Willie O'Dea has already voted three times.

What a lot of voters want is communication. The government was radio silent last Tuesday on the first day of the protest. Micheal Martin is a bit of a fool though and doesn't realise that radio silence only works in dictatorships