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

And the overall economy?  Today’s Wall Street Journal reports on what sounds like advanced deliberations inside Dell about shifting its manufacturing capacity from Limerick to Lodz in Poland.  Office jobs in Ireland would be retained.  But as the article explains, Dell is unusual among computer makers in its retention of substantial manufacturing capacity — most [...]

A sizeable portion of the Moyross housing estate in Limerick is located in Limerick County Council territory. This area could now be a part of the city as early as next week when, as recommended by the Fitzgerald Report on regeneration and tackling social exclusion in Limerick.
However, twenty years after the estate was built, [...]

The Cabinet pay raises are postponed for a year.  One wonders if they intend to backdate whenever they do implement it.  Interesting that of all people it was Willie O’Dea several months ago who was willing to air the unease about the pay raises.  Also interesting is the role of Garret Fitzgerald as wise old [...]

Maybe it’s just for public consumption but it’s another day of chastened-sounding statements from FF. Willie O’Dea managed to go a bit beyond Bertie’s “work harder” and dropped a hint that the Cabinet is taking another look at the pay review recommendations for ministerial and public service posts.

The report of the 2007 Consituency Commission is out, some would say a little bit too late but how and ever. Kerry is to remain split, with Kerry South a 3 seater while Kerry North joins to West Limerick in also remaining a 3 seater. Dublin Euro is a 3 seater, Dun Laoghaire is a [...]

Video from yesterday’s Save Our Slots Rally
I am unable to embed them here, but they can be found at the below link
Link.
Update Simon. Video added below

Mary Harney was quoted in the Independent today on her future as party leader and when she would like to have the job handed over to her successor;
“Obviously I will continue to assist the party in any way I can. But hopefully the party can now put a mechanism to have a leader in place [...]

I believe one motion on Shannon has been defeated by 1 vote. 68 to 67.  Watch or listen live.

Ongoing attempts to quantify the damage done by the Aer Lingus pullout suggest that 10,000 jobs may be at risk. Its primarily an issue of infrastructure and access to the region, which has become heavily populated with FDI and multinational companies thanks to Shannon Development. Fianna Fail is doing the usual trick of providing its [...]

Moving the Heathrow slots from Shannon (a 4 hour drive from Dublin and airport of choice for those in Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, much of Connacht and the North West) to Belfast (now a two hour leisurely drive from Dublin Airport thanks to the M1 looks like it has had its first victim.
The Dromoland Castle development [...]

Source sugests the Limerick East count to break as follows:
From this count Power and Noonan to be elected on +100 and +400 respectively, not enough to get anyone elected so Trish Forde Brennan to go too.
From that Jan O Sullivan to get elected (60% of transfers)
Noreen Ryan eliminated and thanks to geography helps get O’Donnell [...]

If he didn’t point that gun and get everywhere in the papers and media, would he have gotten so many votes? It’s all about identifying with the locals, right? Not at all related. O’Dea elected with almost 11,000 surplus.

no idea, insight welcome. 19,000+ votes on a first round. Amazing.

The scandal from Limerick East is that Kieran O’Donnell is looking strong to take O’Malley’s seat and even potentially pip Peter Power for the fourth (2 boxes missing or lost from the tally). Limerick West is looking set for a repeat performance with both Dan Neville and Michael Finucane only 350 votes apart after the [...]

Reports reach us this evening that activists canvassing in Limerick’s north side of the city had to withdraw from the Moyross estate after a group of youths hurled verbal abuse at them.
The activists were travelling in a car which was fitted with a loud-hailer.

Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan is hoping his floating poster can attract some floating voters.