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

Pope discusses child sex abuse by Catholic Priests at National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, nose grows, cricket appears on shoulder.

Paul Tansey wrote an impressive list of economic achievements during Bertie Ahern’s tenure as Taoiseach:
On Ahern’s watch, the Irish economy almost doubled in size, while the numbers at work increased by one-half . . The unemployment rate declined from 10.4 per cent in 1997 to 4.6. In the 10 years from 1987 to 1997, [...]

Early last week, when things were quieter and the world was still spinning, allegations and remarks were abound as they have been for some time. The evidence of Gráinne Carruth was being lamented as a bad day for Bertie in the newspapers as they executed their never-ending campaign of vicious and snide comment on the [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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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.

The two areas of Irish life and politics, understood widely, that are likely to feel the fallout of Ahern’s announcement today are the Lisbon referendum - for a myriad of reasons, not least the implication an FF leadership race has for setting a date and the distraction from debate said provides - and the worsening [...]

*it wasn’t really. Nor the entire media for that matter. It has been de rigeur for defenders of an Taoiseach in recent times to present the media as the enemy here. If it were not for them this would not be an issue, Ahern and his Ministers would continue to govern in their efficient inimitable [...]