The Irish Political Thread

[belfastuniguy]

Originally Posted by odlum833

I don't think it's unreasonable at all.

I don't think with the Unionist's representatives we are dealing with reasonable people. We know this from the last 60 years. Today alot of them are still, let's be honest about it, religious zealots that would not seem at all out of place in the deep south of the US.

I don't believe these are reasonable people and I don't see why we should bend over backwards to accomodate a strain that so mistreated Nationalists over the years in the North. They can't even have a proper democracy because they can't be trusted to aquit themselves properly and treat everyone fairly. Can you honestly imagine a Unionist majority governing the place again? No way. You look through the DUP set for example - "Reverend this" and "Reverend that". This sort of thing. These are the people being elected. This is the face of Northern Unionism presented. They can bitch and moan about the 26 counties all they like. The regime here, overly Catholic though it was, was nothing compared to the regime up there.

People know this. We are all trying to be nice now in the interest of peace but people don't forget. Thankfully alot of these elected individuals are getting old and will soon move on.

BTW once a referendum is held under the terms of the GFA I believe a referendum must be held once every 7 years thereafter.

This is why there will be no united Ireland for a generation. There are views on both sides of the border which need to die before before things progress toward unification.

The 7 year thing is also false.........no idea where you got that from. If a vote takes place then another can not happen for a minimum of 7 years, not every 7 years. So if one was held in 2016 then there is nothing in law to dictate as to when another would be held. Also.....once the first is defeated I'm pretty certain that another would not happen for at least a generation, otherwise we get into the charade that is Quebec.

[Catmalojin]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

This is why there will be no united Ireland for a generation. There are views on both sides of the border which need to die before before things progress toward unification.

Agreed; though to be fair, I think you'll agree that these views seem to be dying rapidly among younger generations on both sides of the border. Of course there'll always be the vocal minority, but the youth nowadays are undoubtedly more educated, tolerant and progressive than their parents' generation.

Of course, I'm saying this as a completely unbiased university student.

[JD47]

Originally Posted by Catmalojin

Agreed; though to be fair, I think you'll agree that these views seem to be dying rapidly among younger generations on both sides of the border. Of course there'll always be the vocal minority, but the youth nowadays are undoubtedly more educated, tolerant and progressive than their parents' generation.

Of course, I'm saying this as a completely unbiased university student.

All I here from kids in the world today is how they love the IRA and hate the British. I do think that part of that is that they are just saying it because all their mates in school say.

[Catmalojin]

Originally Posted by JD47

All I here from kids in the world today is how they love the IRA and hate the British. I do think that part of that is that they are just saying it because all their mates in school say.

Those kids won't be the ones running the country in the future, then.

[JD47]

Originally Posted by Catmalojin

Those kids won't be the ones running the country in the future, then.

No but they might be the ones causing trouble.

[odlum833]

New poll shows Sinn Féin support at 25%
Updated: 21:08, Saturday, 25 February 2012

A new opinion poll suggests that support for Sinn Féin has risen to 25%, indicating that they are gaining support at the expense of Fianna Fáil.



A new opinion poll suggests that Sinn Féin are gaining support at the expense of Fianna Fáil.

The Behaviour and Attitudes poll for tomorrow's Sunday Times newspaper indicates that Sinn Féin have the backing of one quarter of the electorate, putting it firmly in second place.

This day last year, the country went to the polls for what turned out to be one of the most dramatic general elections in decades.

Fianna Fáil's 70-year dominance of Irish politics came to an end, while Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin all won their highest-ever number of seats.

The Behaviour and Attitudes opinion poll in tomorrow's Sunday Times indicates changes in the public's views in the intervening 12 months.

The poll was carried out among just over 900 voters nationwide between Wednesday 15 February and Monday 20 February. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3%.

Since the last Sunday Times poll in December, just after the Budget, support for Fine Gael has gone up by two points to 32%. Support for their coalition partners Labour has dipped by 1% to 10%.

Fianna Fáil's support has dropped four points since December, leaving it at 16%. It is a result that will not please the party just a week before their Ard Fheis.

The big winner is Sinn Féin, who have gained at the expense of Fianna Fáil, up four points to 25%.

Independents and others are down one point to 17%.
Satisfaction with all the party leaders has dropped since December, though some have suffered more than others.

Satisfaction with Taoiseach Enda Kenny is down three points to 41%, while Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore drops one to 34%.

Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin is down a substantial seven points to 33%, while Gerry Adams is down two to 46%, giving him the highest rating of any leader.
Satisfaction with the Government is unchanged, at 26%, while 70% are dissatisfied, and 3% have no opinion.

RTE

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[JD47]

I dont like Sinn Féin. They are gaining support.

[belfastuniguy]

About time you had to experience Sinn Fein, maybe you'll start to sympathise with us lol

[Catmalojin]

Speaking of Sinn Féin:

Aengus Ó Snodaigh defends ink cartridge use
Updated: 18:00, Tuesday, 28 February 2012


Aengus Ó Snodaigh said he was informing constituents of various changes and upcoming protests

Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has defended his use of hundreds of ink cartridges, worth over €50,000, over a two-year period.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Ó Snodaigh said he was printing material to inform his constituents of various changes and upcoming protests.

A report in today's Irish Daily Mail, based on information released under the Freedom of Information Act, said Mr Ó Snodaigh had taken 434 printer cartridges over a two-year period.

The cartridges were valued at €130 each and 215 were taken in 2007 and another 219 in 2008.

That left the total value of the cartridges at over €50,600 over the two years.

Speaking to reporters at Leinster House, Mr Ó Snodaigh said that he would pay the outstanding money owed to the Oireachtas for print cartridges "tomorrow".

Mr Ó Snodaigh is being pursued for a €3,000 bill incurred when a limit was imposed on the number of print cartridges supplied free of charge by the Houses of the Oireachtas three years ago.

He said he would cooperate with any enquiry, but denied he had any "moral responsibility" to pay back money to defray the cost of the €50,000 worth of cartridges he received before the limit was set.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has called for an investigation into the cartridge bill.

Mr Martin said the €50,000 bill run up by Mr Ó Snodaigh was "an extraordinary amount", and said it should be investigated, possibly by the Oireachtas Commission.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald conceded that the ink bill was "excessive", but said her party colleague had not broken any rules and said the system was at fault.

Ms McDonald said Mr Ó Snodaigh did not realise the cost and would not have run up such a bill had he been advised by the Oireachtas authorities.

Ms McDonald said the system had been changed.

Speaking in the Dáil, Taoiseach Enda Kenny suggested that Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams carry out an investigatiion into the matter.

Mr Kenny said three million letters could be produced using 434 ink cartridges.

Fine Gael's Ray Butler was threatened with suspension from the Dáil after he attempted to use the phrase "an abuse of the system" during the discussion on ink cartridges.

Story from RTÉ News:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0228/osnodaigha.html

You just know that if it was a TD from any other party that Sinn Féin would be the ones screaming bloody murder over it. Typical hypocrisy to be expected from Irish politics.

[JD47]

I know Aengus Ó Snodaigh pretty well. It is annoying when this sort of thing happens. All the TD's are like that to be honest.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by JD47

I know Aengus Ó Snodaigh pretty well. It is annoying when this sort of thing happens. All the TD's are like that to be honest.

I don't think thats quite true. There are TDs who quietly work away, don't make excessive claims and do their jobs. But, every time one TD misbehaves they all get tared with the same brush.

FF used to do that for years, any time they were embroiled in corruption their supporters would clog the airwaves with chants of "sure, they're all the same"!!

[belfastuniguy]

50,000 EUR on ink cartridges! I didn't see Sinn Fein blaming the system when British MP's were claiming excessive expenses. One rule for them and another for everyone else......welcome to our world lol

[JD47]

Originally Posted by thebig C

I don't think thats quite true. There are TDs who quietly work away, don't make excessive claims and do their jobs. But, every time one TD misbehaves they all get tared with the same brush.

FF used to do that for years, any time they were embroiled in corruption their supporters would clog the airwaves with chants of "sure, they're all the same"!!

Fair enough C. Thats a good point. There is 166 TDs in the Dáil and I have not heard about every TD in fairness. One thing about Sinn Féin though is that apparently they take pay cuts and stuff like that.

[Catmalojin]

Originally Posted by JD47

One thing about Sinn Féin though is that apparently they take pay cuts and stuff like that.

If by 'take pay cuts' you mean they take the average industrial wage, they do. But they give the rest of the money they would have gotten to the party rather than back to the state so the cost to the taxpayer is the exact same.

Also, I think they claim the most expenses per head of any party in the Dáil. It's not a secret that in the North that they're also well able to milk the system.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by JD47

Fair enough C. Thats a good point. There is 166 TDs in the Dáil and I have not heard about every TD in fairness. One thing about Sinn Féin though is that apparently they take pay cuts and stuff like that.

No prob Buddy. Sorry, I didn't mean to have a cut at you

As for the SF pay cuts....see what catmalojin has said above! I think SF either donate it to the Party or use the balance of the salary to employ people in their constituency office....either way the tax payer doesn't save a cent. Quelle surprize the ULA/Socialists do the exact same thing!

[odlum833]

Govt has made 'solid start' says Taoiseach
Updated: 15:59, Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Taoiseach said the Govt has made "a solid start" to its term of office, but there is still a long way to go.






The Taoiseach says the Government has made "a solid start" to its term of office, but there is still a long way to go.

Publishing the first annual report of the implementation of the Programme for Government, Mr Kenny said they had spent the year "navigating a turbulent international environment to turn the country in the right direction".

The Tánaiste said that 12 months ago, the country was on the edge of a cliff, but now, while there are still problems, there is "a platform on which we can build".

Both men identified helping people with mortgage arrears as an area that needed more and faster action, with Mr Gilmore saying progress with distressed mortgages had been "frustratingly slow".


The report devotes 36 pages to outlining commitments which it says have been delivered, with just one page listing "commitments under review", which have been dropped or are unlikely to be implemented soon.

These include compulsory burden sharing for unguaranteed and unsecured senior bond holders; VAT exemption for companies that export more than 90% of their output; the abolition of upward only rent reviews; the introduction of a single business tax for micro enterprises; and the development of DIT's Grangegorman campus.

The Taoiseach said this was not a report on individual Ministers and their actions; it is a report on what the Government collectively has achieved.
He stressed that he had met each Minister and Minister of State individually, and had discussed with them the implementation of their parts of the Programme for Government.

Mr Kenny said the people would be the judges of who the "A Class" of Ministers were, when there was an election at the end of the Government's five year term.

Asked if he intended to sack any Ministers, the Taoiseach replied, "Well, you would be surprised".

RTE

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdharrison/319527477/

[JD47]

I think the goverment are doing ok. Seeing at the mess the country was in when they first came in I would say they are doing a good job.

[thebig C]

Originally Posted by JD47

I think the goverment are doing ok. Seeing at the mess the country was in when they first came in I would say they are doing a good job.

Yes, overall not bad. Even if you might disagree on individual issues you'd have to conceed that they inherited the worst Economic and Fiscal situation of any Government in national history. In that context I think they are doing fairly well.

[JD47]

Originally Posted by thebig C

Yes, overall not bad. Even if you might disagree on individual issues you'd have to conceed that they inherited the worst Economic and Fiscal situation of any Government in national history. In that context I think they are doing fairly well.

Thats how I look at it. I think they have balls for going into that job at that time. I personally would of taking the job to at least try and make a difference and to make sure that ABP and An Taisce get crushed into the ground and to start a new group of fair people. I would employ a few of you lads on here because you guys seem to know what you are talking about and see both sides of the whole highrise story.

[Catmalojin]

Sunday Times poll shows party support remains relatively unchanged ahead of new Dáil session
Updated: 18:35, Saturday, 15 September 2012

With the new Dáil session beginning next week, the latest opinion poll indicates party support is relatively unchanged since the last comparable poll, taken in May.

Tomorrow's Behaviour and Attitudes Poll for The Sunday Times shows Fine Gael at 31%, down two percentage points.

Labour is unchanged on 14%, while Fianna Fáil support has also remained steady, on 16%.

Sinn Féin saw an increase of one percentage point to 18%, and remains the second most popular party.

Independents are also up by one percentage point, now standing at 19%, while the Green Party remains on 2%.

The poll also shows that satisfaction with the Government is 24%, which represents a drop of seven percentage points.

Support for party leaders shows Taoiseach Enda Kenny at 38%, down four points from May, while Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is up two points to 33%.

Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin drops seven points to 34%, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is down three to 39% and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan is down two, at 27%.

Fieldwork for the poll was conducted between 4 September and 9 September with an eligible sample base of 923.

Asked whether they would or would not support a change in law to allow abortion where the life of a mother was at risk, 80% said they would, 14% said they would not, and 6% were undecided.

Story from RTÉ News:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0915/sun...-politics.html

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