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Fianna Fail out of the Traps on Government Formations, Fine Gael Talking to Sinn Fein?
Read more about: Fianna Fail, Government, Irish Election, Labour Party, Progressive Democrats, Sinn Féin
RTE report that Fianna Fail have begun contacting independent TDs about the possibility of forming a government. The Progressive Democrats, Sinn Fein and Labour are meeting to outline their positions today. Liz McManus on the News at One has said the “doesn’t see it” happening that Labour would enter government without Fine Gael leading the administration.
Interstingly Finian McGrath is great for the government formation story, this morning he said that Fine Gael were in discussions with Sinn Fein following the election. Fine Gael have denied this.
Blueshirts and shinner. now there was a bet
I don’t know if FG and SF is any worse than Bertie and like minded independents. By this I mean Cooper-Flynn and Lowry, whose past finances are equally as questionable as Bertie’s.
Plus there is a difference between a vote for taoiseach and inviting a party into government. One or two policy concessions on social housing, for example…
Add SF to FG, Labour, Greens and you only need Finian McGrath and Trevor Sergeant. And Lowry will happily back Enda.
I know it’s unlikely, but it at least keeps the story warm.
A GOVERNMENT RELIANT ON SEIN FEIN OR FINIAN MC GRATH. WE LIVE IN A BANANA REPUBLIC
Can’t be worse than the commies in coalition in France. I didn’t see the French rioting on the streets over that one.
Did Bertie really win the election? As the dust settles we realize that it wasn’t a clearcut victory for his government. He was thwarted by the PD collapse, just as FG was thwarted by Labour stagnation. The tribunal of course makes government formation much more difficult.
Dear Larkin,
The PCF represented a third of the electorat in France - the urban working class. The Communists were an essential element in the Resistance movement against German occupation. de Gaulle was indignant that when he called for a general mobilisation against the occupier his initial support came from “a handful of Jews and Communists”. Communist run municipalities have been a hot bed of social innovation for nearly a century. As a member of Labour in Ireland and an ex member of the (left-wing) Greens in France I recognise the important contribution of the PCF to the history of the left in France. Pity it went wrong.
The problem with the left inb Ireland is that a moderate like Joe Higgins finds himself on the extreme left of Irish politics.
Gordon
Your points are well made Gordon. “Commies” is a bit derogatory, a bit like the word “shinners”, so I take that back.
Thankfully we won’t have the likes of McDowell using the word “Left” like it’s a dirty word. George W Bush used that tactic successfully against Kerry - a definite centrist - and it worked. But this isn’t the US of A.
I for one was shocked to see Joe Higgins ousted.
No worse than the left denouncing McDowell and those aweful PDS as “Right Wingers” and then turning around and implementing their policies. Who will ever forget Pat Rabittes recent conversion to tax cuts. Michael Mc Dowells greatest achievement was converting Pat Rabitte into a PD.