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

The Irish Times breaking news suggests that we are probably looking at an EU referendum in May or June of next year. The happy bunnies in Luxembourg reckon that they can get an agreement on the new EU reform Treaty in meetings and a summit this week. The report quotes also from an interesting speech [...]

Reading about the current events down the Tribunal in the Sunday Business Post is illuminating. Sure, Bertie Ahern had a rough day on Friday. Those jeers outside can’t be good - to put it mildly. Whether they’re quite up there with Haughey is a different matter. And… protestations notwithstanding, this constant batting too and fro [...]

Inside Out Episode 5 is up over on the blog, head over there to download it (or just add it to ).
This Week: Quintin Oliver the man who brought Sinn Fein and the DUP to Finland to talk with Iraqi delegates about peace processes and John Longergan, Governor of Mountjoy Prison on the criminal [...]

The examiner has an interview this morning wit former TD and now senator Fiona o Malley. She suggests that Harney will have stepped down as leader by early next year. She is quoted as relishing the role of leadin the PDs should the committe investigating the rules rule in her favour.
As a senator she is [...]

Hey it is great to see the hypocritical crap still spewing from Sinn Fein. Today we had a press release from Sinn Fein’s Arthur Morgan saying
“Sinn Fein remains committed to the Trade Union movements’ demand that government exercise its strength as a key share-holder in Aer Lingus by [...]

Over on Orga Sinn Fein’s blog they have released details of
The Shoot to Kill 25th Anniversary Committee has launched a new website. This site has been launched as part of a series of events and activity to commemorate the events of 1982; when 6 unarmed men were murdered by the RUC.
Now I know this is [...]

Morgan pledges support for Unions in battle against privatisation of ESB. Isn’t he great?
Speaking today as ESB Unions met to discuss possible strike action over plans to hand over the National Transmission Grid to private company Eirgrid,
Oh dear a private company how terrible. Thing is look up Eirgrid and you find out.
EirGrid is owned by [...]

Sinn Fein are one of the most anti-EU parties in Irish Politics summed up pretty much by their numerous releases along the lines of Sinn Féin wants a Europe of equals not a federal superstate. But in the Irish context they had the Eire Nua document of a while back which with the rise of [...]

Rumours trickling out of the very long Seanad Count (due to end Friday) suggest that Alex White is currently topping his respective poll in the Cultural and Education panel. Apparently he is under 10 votes off the quota (around 175) which should see him elected relatively early on. With Labour having 130 odd votes one [...]

The overturning of the Monaghan Development plan by John Gormley has gotten increasingly tetchy as first Sinn Fein press released (three times in one day) to air their displeasure at the “anti-democratic” nature of Gormley’s decision to overturn the plan. The decision taken by Gormley lacked a mandate since his party only received 3% of [...]

A Big Day in the North…or so Black Grape had it… back in 1995. So, what’s up next week? Why, the British-Irish Council meet, and as Gerry Moriarty writes in yesterdays Irish Times:
First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are scheduled to greet Gordon Brown at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on [...]

The Irish Times are reporting that Labour and Sinn Fein are in talks on a voting pact which will allow them to return an extra candidate each in the Seanad election. The pact would see support for Alex White (Lab) from Sinn Fein Councillors and for Pearse Doherty (SF) from Labour Councillors. The really interesting [...]

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 their Ard Chomhairle meeting today, below the fold. Bottom line: assuming they can find someone will to take their support in government, health would be the only dealbreaker. In particular, no Mary Harney. Also interesting is that the statement was issued by Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD, indicating perhaps an awareness of [...]

So much of what occured after the Belfast Agreement is so hidden from open scrutiny that it is often a case of paying your money and take your choice of who was responsible for who ultimately collapsed the immediate outworking of that deal. Republicans blame unionists, and vice versa.