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

By 50% + to 49% +
Congratulations to Ciaran Cannon on a personal level but asking the obvious question but how did the votes really play out? Because that is what will determine if the party unites behind him or goes its separate ways. I acknowledge that I’m guessing here but if I’m wrong about one [...]

I know most people will think this belongs in the realm of pure fantasy, but at this point in time we are looking at FG 51 + Lab 20 + Grn 6 = 77

A lot of people are wondering how in God’s name can FF, the most electorally successful political machine in modern Irish history, be still making such a mess of their election campaign, especially when they were the sole ones in possession of that most basic piece of information - the date.

As some of you might have been aware, I was somewhat enraged to discover that the state is planning to charge disabled adults for living in residential care settings.
So after a weekend in which I suspect I may have calmed down somewhat, I’ve gotten off my rear and am trying to do something about [...]

I’d like to remind people to get their digital cameras, webcams and mp3 recorders ready as the season has begun for the Doorstep Challenge. Remember you need to go for all those who come to the door not just the big bucks.

I read this piece by Fergus Finlay in Tuesday’s Examiner* and I was positively seething afterwards. I would urge everyone to read Fergus’s piece and to raise this on the doorsteps with any and all government reps who will be calling over the coming weeks.
My sister, who is a year, a month and a day [...]

The launch, a few weeks back, of the Fianna Fail campaign site and slogan “The next steps forward” really caught my ear.
I strongly believe that this particular election is entirely about where we as a nation go from here. Of course, when trying to decide where to go it is a very good idea to [...]

Unanswered because it seems no one in the Dead Tree Press is asking them.
I was drawn a fortnight ago to the Minister of Defence Willie O’Dea’s entry in the register of Oireachtas members interest. The minister as many people will know has a weekly column in the Sunday Independent. Now, politicians writing the occasional column [...]

I was home to the Kingdom over the weekend and noticed that posters had sprung up about the place. Mainly diamond shaped Cosaí for Kerry ones on poles (including in Glenbeigh which I thought was a bit cheeky) and larger 6×3 footers for John O’Donoghue and Tom Fleming.
Then as I passed through Croagh on the [...]

I was watching Mary Coughlan on Q&A this week and since I’m of roughly a similar vintage to Mary it struck me when she was talking about upskilling and the knowledge based economy that she’s never really had to do any of those things herself. And not just her. Just look at the work background [...]

Following on from Wagger’s example

I wonder with the new RED C poll (see here and p.ie) if the chances are increasing of a snap election (or perhaps a Spring election)?
I was watching the news and it struck me that the tone of Harney’s comments about the hospital consultants was the sort of thing that the government might use to [...]

I’m curious as to what the media definition of a hung dail is these days. They are trying to tie Pat Rabbitte in knots asking him what he will do if the Dail is a ‘hung’ one but it would seem the media can’t decide what a hung Dail is. The idea of a hung [...]

It occurred to me that there some major difficulties being overlooked by those who are predicting that FF would be certain to cut a deal with Labour after the election if the numbers add up.FF is telling the world on the not so QT that Labour will do a deal if the numbers add up. [...]

[Originally posted at Dan Sullivan]
Part of the basic problem with risk equalisation as the government have chosen to implement it is that the vast block of older people with health insurance who simply didn’t move. Why was that?
Could it be that many people are actually members of group schemes rather than individual members and it [...]

Back at the Blogging the Election conference, an idea crept up on me of using YouTube and cheap video technology to bring the real Irish politician to light. The idea in essence is see if the people standing for election are as generically amenable as they often seem to portray themselves as being. After all, [...]