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IF you haven’t glimpsed the Sunday Independent, you can guarantee that the edited extract of a speech given by Junior Minister at the Department of Trade and Enterprise John McGuinness will be dominating discussion of the Social Partnership talks over the coming days. It remains unclear if the governmen is capable of steering a course [...]
The Prime Ministers of France and Spain pull their cabinets out of their August holidays for emergency meetings about the economy. Gordon Brown is back on the job while high profile ministers deal with messy dossiers. Even Belfast’s politicians are managing signals of their presence — if only to get involved in [...]
The Wall Street Journal has an article today about the referendum. To the reporter’s credit, he avoids the usual style of foreign reporting — asking taxi-drivers on the way in from the airport to the 5-star hotel — and goes to Carlow and Laois to get the viewpoint of farmers. Declan Ganley and Ulick McEvaddy [...]
When Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair last summer, he was hit by the floods and then the foot and mouth outbreak — and went up in the polls. Brian Cowen might need a similar trend over the next couple of months. With Lisbon and the economy already looking like the hot potatoes of [...]
There are two small but interesting pieces in the Irish Times today concerning Labour and the PDs. The PDs are meeting in Galway today in a meeting organised by Noel Grealish to discuss future direction. Though the meeting is due to be “councillor-driven” and Mary Harney won’t be present it is interesting and symptomatic of [...]
MARY WHITE GREEN PARTY TO BE ELECTED IN CARLOW-KILKENNY IN AN AMAZING TURNAROUND AT COUNT IN THOMASTOWN, CO. KILKENNY. AS A RESULT FINE GAEL WILL TAKE ONLY ONE SEAT OUT OF FIVE IN CARLOW-KILKENNY - PHIL HOGAN FG ELECTED.
Yes, M.J. Nolan re-elected against all media and political predictions - only Spokesman had it right all [...]
White(green) and Phelan (FG) to contest final seat.
Carlow-Kilkernny: Elected, John McGuinness FF & BObby Aylward FF on the 1at Count.
MJ Nolan FF (Carlow) and Phil Hogan FG.
Dogfight for the fifth seat in progress with the elimination of Senator Fergal Browne FG (Carlow).
Senator John Paul Phelan should beat Mary White (Green) on the inter-FG transfers. Mary White to lose out on 5th and [...]
2 FF elected. Looks like another FF to be elected and a FG. Last Seat between Green and FG.
No one elected in Dublin North
Niall Collins (FF) elected in Limerick West
From the Green Party
Green Party Deputy Leader Cllr Mary White has condemned the shocking thuggery that took place at her home in the early hours of this morning. A car was set alight and burned at a gateway blocking the entrance to her house in Borris, County Carlow, between the hours of 1am and 4am.
This [...]
Starting on RTE 1 now (10:20). Updates following.
Its over now, watch it when it goes live here.
Health:
Interesting response to Caoimhghin O Caolain on health. Two out of fifty in the audience would like to see SF in government but in a head to head on health with Mary Harney the majority of the group were [...]
Amidst the plethora of “2006-in-review” articles populating today’s papers, there is one very interesting piece in the Tribune. The way our electoral system works makes polls slightly unhelpful—ignoring particularity within constituencies and also the nature of transfers—but the Tribune have taken a look across the most contested constituencies to attempt to predict the likely election [...]
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.
Since the dictum that “all politics is local” surely applies in Ireland, it’s worth keeping note of seemingly arcane issues that could present tricky problems for the Government in the election. One is surely the closure of the sugar factories in Carlow and Mallow. While the government has the safety net of being able to [...]
Local news round-up If there is any stories you have read please drop us a comment.
The Kingdom
Kenny moves to put stop to nasty FG spats
FINE Gael leader Enda Kenny is closely monitoring party activity in South Kerry where a new wave of internal feuding is threatening to destroy already slim chances of winning a seat [...]
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.
