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

No doubt many people are sick of Bertie coverage at this point, especially following the Sunday papers. But it’s worth taking a look at Bruce Arnold’s assessment in Monday’s Wall Street Journal Europe, because it’s something that the vaguely curious international business-leaning audience that hasn’t paid attention to the affair will read about it. [...]

Brian Cowen released a statement in the last hour announcing his candidacy for the Fianna Fail leadership and succession of Bertie Ahern. It is interesting to see he was nominated by Brian Lenihan, a man widely tipped to have his eye on becoming the Brian Cowen’ to Brian Cowen and succeeding the next Taoiseach when [...]

The Live Register jumps 12,000 in one month, the biggest ever such increase for the third month in a row while the standardised unemployment reaches 5.5%.
International factors I hear you say? Then why has unemployment being falling over the past year in the EU and the industrialised world more generally?

The most peculiar, Pravada like behaviour of the Anderstown News, which saw the censorship of a columnist and a front page apology to Gerry Adams for suggesting he may not be God incarnate, has (unfortunately) not been much covered in the Free State. Slugger is continuing to run on it, while the Splintered Sunrise has [...]

EU Commissioner Margot Wallström has called for more women to hold positions at the top end of the European Union, and suggested a number of names of prominent women who could hold the Presidency of the European Council, Parliament or Commission, including our own Mary Robinson. Robinson would have strong appeal amongst the Socialist Parties, [...]

British Trade Mark blog, IPKat has an interesting piece about how a Patrick Melly (a most interesting character) tried - and almost succeeded - in a sharp stunt to gain legal ownership of the names of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

1. Who should be the next Taoiseach

Response
Percent

Dermot Ahern

0.0%

Brian Cowen

33.3%

Michael Martin

16.7%

Mary Hanifan

16.7%

Willie O’Dea

8.3%

Brian Lenihan

12.5%

Mary Coughlan

4.2%

Noel Dempsey

0.0%

Seamus Brennan

8.3%

2. Presuming Brian Cowen gets the nod who should be Taniste

Response
Percent

Michael Martin

13.0%

Mary Hanifan

4.3%

Willie O’Dea

8.7%

Brian Lenihan

39.1%

Mary Coughlan

4.3%

Noel Dempsey

4.3%

Seamus Brennan

0.0%

John Gormley

26.1%

Enda gets his place in the sun as the warm, loving, caring place that is the all-powerful blogosphere/interweb gives him some attention at Take Enda With You.

There’s little doubt that Brian Cowen will be the next leader of Fianna Fáil - be it after contest or coronation. The real power struggle seems to be for the Deputy Leadership / Tanaiste Portfolio, which will put the recipient in a prominent position for the next leadership race, whenever that might be.

There is a quickly growing consensus that the Mahon Tribunal will be little more than a footnote - albeit a very unsightly one - in Bertie Ahern’s legacy.
However while there is little doubt that Ahern has done the State enough service to be remembered fondly, his most loyal supporters worryingly seem to believe that this [...]

So Bertie got money. Bertie gets paid more then the US president. Yet this is a guy that does not seem to be rolling in the money. He does not have a Haughey still mansion, he holidays in Kerry and his kids have more money then he probably has. And According to Sam Smyth.
Those closest [...]

The time of the departure of Bertie Ahern has now been announced. What of his legacy, his place in Irish history? Here are some points that might be considered.

Reinstating the popular blog-roundup from the election for one night only to take a look at how today’s news was met in blog-land. Take a gander at Jazz Biscuit too in case I missed anything.
Ciaran Cuffe and his Green Party have come in for immense amounts of stick since going into government (even today, suggestions [...]

;

Interesting bit of news from the Guardian.
Fianna Fáil sources told the Guardian his decision to quit was connected to the Irish referendum on the Lisbon EU treaty. Senior advisers had been worried that the poll would be turned by the opposition into a referendum on his leadership rather than the detail of the treaty.
For most [...]

And now what are we we going to do?
It was the net wat done it
By the way that is an ugly ass interface in the new Wordpress. Ugh.