Is Liberal Ireland going to stand for this.
Read more about: Coalition, Crime, Fine Gael, Labour Party 
I am just after watching the Fine Gael Ard Feis and I have to say I am amazed that they are going to go into government with Labour.
While much of Enda Kenny’s speech was about government waste there was 1 or 2 things that must be making every Labour TD grind their teeth and wish they were going in with Fianna Fail. Back in January 2005 Michael McDowell wanted to electronically tag low risk offenders instead of jailing them. People who have committed crimes but not serious one.( I am presuming Joy riding shop lifting etc) and the Joe Costello TD of the Labour party came out and said “I agree with the Irish Penal Reform Trust that tagging should not be used for offenders who would not normally receive a custodial sentence.” Now Fine Gael want to tag people out on bail. People who have not even been convicted. I cannot imagine many in Labour being practically happy about that at all. Indeed many of the liberal supporting members of the Labour party may well be appalled at this idea. And you know what they would not be wrong.
If this was Michael McDowell the Amnesty International Labour brigade would be on the streets with plenty of Herr McDowell posters. Yet it is not McDowell who is doing this it is Fine Gael the very party they are going to be putting in power. Fine Gael are truly aligning themselves as the conservative party of Ireland. Is Liberal Ireland willing to put them in power?
I would like to think I am just as willing to call Fine Gael and Labour to account for illiberal justice ministers (we just havent had the chance for a while) as I am McDowell, to be honest Ive always been uncomfortable with FG’s attempt to out law and order McDowell.
FG and Labour share divisions between liberals and illiberals (some might say authoritarians). I think we should all be prepared for the FG hardlininig if they succeed next year.
I read somewhere else that the election could desend into a race to the toughest on crime. Yet Ireland’s crime rate is quiet small. Yet listening to the media and TD you think We were living in Boyz in the Hood.
The crime rate in Ireland might be small, however the ones most likely to be fearful of it, are the ones who are more likely to vote, the older generations.
“If this was Michael McDowell the Amnesty International Labour brigade would be on the streets with plenty of Herr McDowell posters”
I’m working on it, but these placards take time!
I refer you to Pinko-Exhibit A
Thanks to squid posting the links to the appropriately-titled YouTube footage of Inda, I’ll surely have a rant at some point this month (or year..?).
Will that do, mister Simon?!
Yours etc.,
Pinko McPink.
Good to see you are working on the placards.
Will you vote Fianna Fail now as they will be the only party that will keep Fine Gael out. ?
“While much of Enda Kenny’s speech was about government waste there was 1 or 2 things that must be making every Labour TD grind their teeth and wish they were going in with Fianna Fail. Back in January 2005 Michael McDowell wanted to electronically tag low risk offenders instead of jailing them. People who have committed crimes but not serious one.( I am presuming Joy riding shop lifting etc) and the Joe Costello TD of the Labour party came out and said “I agree with the Irish Penal Reform Trust that tagging should not be used for offenders who would not normally receive a custodial sentence.” Now Fine Gael want to tag people out on bail. People who have not even been convicted. I cannot imagine many in Labour being practically happy about that at all. Indeed many of the liberal supporting members of the Labour party may well be appalled at this idea. And you know what they would not be wrong.”
The tagging as I understood it is intended to be used in combination the legislation for denying bails for those with previous convictions and who are consider a risk for re-offending while on bail. And in fairness the people passed a referendum on this and it hasn’t been followed up. Joe Costello comments were with regard to those who would not if convicted receive a custodial sentence and that is not likely to be people with previous convictions. If we have people not getting sentences despite a history of convictions for serious offenses then we might as well abandon any hope in the judicary we have.
From what he said he did not deferenciate between people likely to re-offend and anyone on bail.
“Will you vote Fianna Fail now as they will be the only party that will keep Fine Gael out. ?”
Young man! The ballot is secret for a good reason – it is simply not the done thing to ask anyone how they vote. Dear, oh dear…
Anyhoo, I try to avoid voting “against” anyone, so if I were to vote for party X, it probably wouldn’t be to keep party Y out. (Also, I don’t find there’s much of a real difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. ..Except for shirts of blue and DeVophiles..)
nyhoo, I try to avoid voting “against” anyone, so if I were to vote for party X, it probably wouldn’t be to keep party Y out
Great I have to ask the last idealist left