Irish Election has a community of commenters that most media outlets don’t – that’s what makes this site worth reading, really – we’re looking to leverage that community over the next day or so to dissemble the contents of the report quickly and interestingly. The aim would be to spread the workload through the readership and writers once the report is published and collectively summarise and add context to what it contains quickly and as accurately as possible.

Basically, instead of keeping everyone waiting while I read the report, the other media outlets’ reports on the report and then write it, I’m looking for others to help me build what’d be an Irish Election Community Post, a group-post, I suppose.

I’m therefore looking for a list of people I can contact via email when the report is released.

If I get a decent list I’ll email that group once it is released and immediately give them a certain number of pages (say, max 20 pages) to summarise, I’ll also put up a new post. Each person on the list is then asked to read those pages and summarise them in a comment on the new post. We’d be asking for about 400 words (about half an A4 page, typed) for each comment, in any form you wish – terrible English is accepted and appreciated. I’ll then take the comments/summaries and subsume them into the post and attempt to add whatever additional context I can (everyone will be credited and by-lined)

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So the workflow would be:

Report released >

I email the list of people and assign pages to each person >

I open a new post specifically for the report’s contents >

People read their pages and summarise them in a comment on the new post, adding whatever context they can (i.e. these cuts will impact people who are working in this area or getting this type of benefit, in this demographic) >

I subsume the comments into the post as they come in and add whatever additional context I can, I’ll also edit them avoid duplication, fix spellings, keep the content concise etc >

After a certain period (hopefully, say, two/three hours) we’ll then have a summarised report with added context and therefore a better idea of what exactly the report contains, minus the business-speak that it’ll undoubtedly contain.

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The general thinking is that the content will fall into a number of categories – civil service performance, quangos, spending programs, health spending, public service numbers and public service pay. Of course, that may be wrong and there may be other areas covered, we may see some surprises. If we get a decent list we could split each area between two or three people and do each one quickly.

If you’re interested in participating leave a comment below and I’ll add your email address to the short list I’ve developed already from Twitter. If there’s an area you’d consider yourself to have a particular expertise or interest in then say so in the comment and I’ll try and ensure you’re given pages that relate to that area.

As I said, this is something of an experiment but if we get enough people involved it’ll be a great resource.

If you add your name to the list I’ll email you later tonight to confirm.

Over the weekend we will be testing the new redesign of the irishelection.com site. We are hoping to launch it early next week with some great new features included. Thanks to everyone who has been writing since the election and with two referenda next year and a Local/Euro election in 2009, there is no doubt that we will be busy covering elections and politics for the forseeable future. We are delighted with the new layout, hopefully you will be too.

The site will be going live early next week, we will post during the weekend to let you know and twitter it closer to the event (sign up to twitter and add us for free text updates from the site). We are planning a get together for bloggers as well to celebrate the relaunch as well as Damien’s Politics In Ireland relaunch.

There are a few housekeeping details to attend to as well;

Firstly to any bloggers who are interested in posting to irishelection.com all you have to do is leave a comment in the post or email irishelection (at) gmail.com. We are always happy to have more contributors on board.

Second the links and blogroll are in bad need of an update. I will be spending most of the weekend adding and culling to the blogroll/political links page so if you are a blogger and want to be included or if you think we are missing some sources feel free to drop a comment or email to let us know.

Finally, the redesign does cost a bit, which we have no problem paying. However if you like what we do here and you would like to ease the burden there is a paypal account set up for donations to the redesign. All and any donations are gratefully received.

“Inside Out” will be getting its own part of the site at irishelection.com/insideout so bookmark the blog and add it to your reader. The podcast will also be available either in its RSS feed or via iTunes. The show will be added weekly once it broadcasts with additional archive material during the weeks so subscribe to the feed.

The first edition is a look at politics and the internet as Philippe Carr talks to Suzy (of Maman Poulet) and myself about the phenomenon. Check out the first episode and don’t forget to head to the inside out forum to discuss it.

Edit by Simon: Currently sitting in the Green room. Even though off pale blue would be more fitting.

Update by Simon: You can watch it here

Is there anything Bertie Ahern can say that will make you OK with him?

Second Question

Who has the cooler hair.

Green Parties Peter Enright

or

John Braken

http://www.election07.ie/ seems to be a non-partisan information site.  Material still being added.

http://www.election2007.ie/ goes to The Village [as does www.generalelection.ie]

A bit of clicking around on FF’s website leads to The Next Steps.

http://www.bertieahern.com/ points to the Department of the Taoiseach.

The PDs don’t own http://www.progressivedemocrats.com/

http://www.election.ie/ is a links page.

And as far as we can tell, neither Enda Kenny, Pat Rabbitte, or Michael McDowell own the .com version of their names.  In particular, someone seems to be sitting on McDowell’s name. 

To be updated ….

UPDATE: Should the Department of Finance website be featuring this speech by Brian Cowen, which is clearly a FF speech linked to their campaign, even referring to the Next Steps?

http://www.vote.ie/ is a full-content site from  The Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice.