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“Green Party Swap Principle for Power”,That is what many people how would say they are of the “progressive” ilk have been hammering the Greens for going into power with Fianna Fail. With some saying that the Greens should have stayed out to form a progressive block. To continue the fight against Fianna Fail etc. [...]
Welcome to the new government, same as. . well, the old government. At least when it comes to the economy. Much commentary has focused on what the Greens got, didn’t get and if what they got is really what they got. This has, understandably, been confined to little more than bullet points, as the full [...]
According to Bertie Ahern, anyway. He also says she should expect to hold ministerial office during the lifetime of the new Dáil - is that before or after she’s declared bankrupt?*
He also says that he considers Brian Cowen to be his natural successor, in case that wasn’t already apparent.
*For legal reasons I should point out [...]
So Dick Roche decided to give the go-ahead on the M3 on Tuesday, around the time it became clear that a Fianna Fáil/Green coalition was going to happen. The decision didn’t need cabinet approval and the Department of the Environment decided not to issue a press release on the matter. According to the department that [...]
While todays events were more easily digested by the very public negotiating and deal-making, there is still a great deal of questions to be answered. The most interesting (in terms of future party prominence) is the destination of the junior ministries in the next week. Bertie has been pretty conservative in picking his cabinet, though [...]
That is the response of Enda Kenny, speaking in the Dail he stated they had “saved some rainforest by cutting and pasting so much Fianna Fail manifesto into the programme for government”.
Edit: Dick Roche signed off on the M3 in one of his final acts as Minister, that is likely to test Kenny’s assertions very [...]
New departments announced, Transport and Marine and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Newcomers to cabinet Brian Lenihan, John Gormley and Eamon Ryan get Justice, Environment and Energy, Communication and Natural Resources respectively. Brennan moves to Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dempsey to Transport and the Marine while Cullen moves to Social and Family Affairs.
Details below fold
From TV pictures it seems that Roche is dropped with Brian Lenihan coming in alongside John Gormley and Eamon Ryan of the Green Party
Speaking to Brian Dobson, he suggested those only in situ for 2 and 1/2 years will not be moving, with one new Fianna Fail face in cabinet.
More from RTE.ie;
Newstalk is speculating that the following will be the line-up of the new cabinet:
Brian Lenihan as Justice Minister.
Dick Roche out but may get a junior ministry later.
John O’Donoghue as Ceann Comhairle.
Most of the rest will stay as they were.
If that is the case then Bertie has no imagination. I cant believe the Greens would allow [...]
Its quite funny that at rush hour on Thursday, in one of the worst weeks for rush-hour traffic Dublin has seen, it took Bertie a good 15 minutes to get from Kildare Street to the Aras in Phoenix Park (a trip which inevitably took him up the south quays).
Traffic? What traffic?
Bertie Ahern re-elected as Taoiseach for a third term by 89-76 in the vote in the 30th Dail.
He is speaking now;
“I am conscious of the great duty this election imposes upon me…I wish you well Ceann Comhairle, on the 24th May democracy took its course as people went to the polls and elected the 30th Dail. [...]
Vote began at 4:20
Sinn Fein oppose the time-limiting of the Taoiseach’s appointment. Tom Kitt announced a guillotine of the nominations to 16:30. Caoimhghin O Caoilain calls for an extended debate, “we have been returned from our constituencies and have a right to have our opinion heard”. He makes the request to the Whip and Taoiseach [...]
Following a vote in the Dail, O Donoghue was elected after the nomination of Ruairi Quinn by the opposition forced a contest.
Result: 90 votes to 75 votes#
Incidentally, watch it live on Oireachtas.ie
It is available from the front page of their website here. There is a two page summary available too.
techPresident – The Future of Campaign Technology: The Ground Game
Irish Parties looking at learning online and database lessons from Obama could do worse than bear this post in mind. Almost as soon as the election is over, improvements and evolution are making some parts redundant and others essential. Get your campaign an i-phone for everyone? Might be better than printing flyers, it goes to show how parties, if they take it seriously, need to keep ahead of the wave - not just follow.
Colman at the EuroTrib give his reasoning on why Lisbon is dead. The Government's incapable handling of the budget cuts are the nail in the coffin.
Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar offers his view on how the SBP Opinion Poll would translate in an election.
Think tank: Time for democracy to click into place
Dan Sullivan gets himself into The Sunday Times, calling for the internet to connect citizens to a more meaningful democracy. Its an argument I agree with wholeheartedly myself. Have a read and let him know what you think.
Colm Burke MEP reckons that we need to get honest and tell people we will be holding a second Lisbon Vote in Oct 2009 with protocols desigend to secure a yes vote.
