Irish Election - Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs

The Irish Independent reports on the Government’s plans to introduce work permits for the 2 new accession states Romania and Bulgaria.

Heres an idea to throw around, over at the Guardian CiF yesterday, Peter Franklin was commenting on a proposal from Stephen Byers to abolish inheritance tax. I know some of you would be happy to end it there, but for the sake of social justice Franklin suggested that a more effective tax would be on [...]

Fianna Fail TD for Roscommon Michael Finneran has threatened not to stand for FF next year if the HSE continues with its plans to downgrade The County Hospital in Roscommon.

The Nenagh Guardian feels the continued profile of our politicians despite the summer recess signals the kick-off of the campaign proper and also gives a fairly handy look at the state of affairs in North Tipp.

Bound to be more on Slugger on this soon;

The latest in a succession of headaches for Mary Harney is now brewing with the iSoft affair: the question is going to be why the Health Service Executive signed a €56 million information systems contract with a company whose accounts were already attracting doubt at the time. 

Reading the green parties announcement today saying Gormley predicts election will be fought on Green issues my first thought was well he would say that wouldn’t he.

It’s not clear if Phil Hogan is deliberately trying to add to the anxiety level in the FF backbenches with a particular choice of words but the students of electoral history reading his statement today on inflation will recognise one particular reference.

John, who heads the Green Party’s Electoral Task Force, said that in previous elections the economy was the dominant issue, but this is no longer the case. “The feedback our candidates are getting from voters indicates that Election 2007 will be a test of each party’s green credentials,”
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Discuss.
It is qualified somewhat;
“Sinn Féin is calling for a rights based approach to housing where the good of the people will be put before the profits of property speculators and developers. The right to private property, when such property is being held to jack up house [...]

From the BBC;
“Are we prepared to actually think out of the box and say, well how - if this is to come about - it will be accommodated…Or alternatively, are we saying that we are abdicating solely to Provisional Sinn Fein, the role of being advocates for a united Ireland in the Republic?”

The target is 10,000 under the last social partnership agreement, current status is around 2,500. The NESC suggests that 73,000 over 8 years is a fairer target to keep people off the streets.

Killian Forde of Sinn Fein has written the following in response to Gay Mitchells original proposal regarding the role of the monarch in a 32 county Ireland.

Its late and Im cleaning out the party press. Labour released another one about affordable housing. Its a mess. We know this and were here before, will be there again. The debates arent much better. If and when Labour realises there is traction in this, media picks it up (unlikely though-lots of ads in the [...]

Damian Mulley has a list of TD Expenses for 2005 and Irish Senators
And top of the list is John Dennehy (FF) Cork South Central with €79,429 and the top Senator is Michael McCarthy(lab) Cork South West with €80,827 Interesting reading. You can download all the data here.