Inda sacking Richard Bruton

[Staples]

Enda needs to either have an affair. Maybe with Carla Bruni or Angelina Jolie ( or both?), then repent, be seen dishevelled with some stubble for a bit, beg forgiveness of Mrs.K and tell us all how sorry he is.

Or have a very ill child ( yes, I know this is in poor taste, but this is the reality of public perception), cancer or some other devastating illness. Then appear teary eyed in several interviews.

Or appear to be a bit of a rogue in a harmless, but potentially illegal ( in the grey area as the irish percieve things- which would be black for our english neighbours) way.

Or have a gay affair- no scratch that one, don't think we're ready for that yet.

Or something, anything except his bland general goody two shoes sort of way.


Where the hell are the pr people?

The irony is that he has a great personality. Much more personable when you meet him than say Bertie - the so-called man of the people.

I was seated next to him (EK) on a flight from Brussels some months ago. He was exceptionally good company and good fun, having the craic with the air hostesses - not a bit like the stiff shirt he comes across as being when he turns up in the Dail. He was comfortably talking to anyone he came into contact with.

I think his image may be a confidence thing - he's not sure enough about the subjects he's required to get stirred about. Not sure what he can about except get a bit more stuck into the subject matter and spend a bit less time shaking hands from one end of the country to the other.

 

[Bill Struth]

Anyone see the bumpkin on six one last night bouncing out of Dail Eireann shouting "Up Mayo!" "Mayo won it!"

Em, what?

 

[TarfHead]

Anyone see the bumpkin on six one last night bouncing out of Dail Eireann shouting "Up Mayo!" "Mayo won it!"

Again, from Miriam Lord's colour piece in the Irish Times

"Enda’s jubilant supporters, up for the day from Castlebar, wanted to carry their man shoulder-high down the Leinster House plinth. They were gently dissuaded from this course of action by party handlers anxious not to further spook the Dublin vote.

As it was, they prayed the leader’s live television interview wouldn’t be punctuated by the same visceral roars of “Up Mayo!” that greeted the news of “Inda’s” stunning victory in yesterday’s leadership contest."

 

[cork]

A report on RTE news last night said that celerrations were not triumphilant.

It showed people drinking champagne/sparkling wine.


There was even a guy mentioning bonfires.

 

[Bill Struth]

Mayo won it??? Won what? I was embarrassed watching the oaf. The parochialism in this country is bloody pathetic.

 

[Caveat]

The irony is that he has a great personality. Much more personable when you meet him than say Bertie - the so-called man of the people.

I was seated next to him (EK) on a flight from Brussels some months ago. He was exceptionally good company and good fun, having the craic with the air hostesses - not a bit like the stiff shirt he comes across as being when he turns up in the Dail. He was comfortably talking to anyone he came into contact with.

I think his image may be a confidence thing - he's not sure enough about the subjects he's required to get stirred about. Not sure what he can about except get a bit more stuck into the subject matter and spend a bit less time shaking hands from one end of the country to the other.

+1 I have heard of similar experiences.

Mayo won it??? Won what? I was embarrassed watching the oaf. The parochialism in this country is bloody pathetic.

But +1 to this too.

 

[Betsy Og]

Has no-one told the bog savages they have no right to a voice?

 

[Betsy Og]

The parochialism in this country is bloody pathetic.

True, but it also comes in D4 flavours too. Just because Lucinda doesnt hear them praising Inda in the Merrion Centre, or the papers (dem Dublin meeeejah!!) keep insisting he doesnt connect with the people, she assumes all is lost.......

 

[mathepac]

... Where the hell are the pr people?

Isn't Mrs. Inda a PR type?. She's ex-RTE and an ex-FF press-officer; fairly heavy-duty by all accounts, but I wouldn't know one from a retired Swiss Admiral.

 

[Caveat]

...but I wouldn't know one from a retired Swiss Admiral.

You're grand. They're kinda the same thing.

 

[Complainer]

Why should I have to use Google instead of the the Labour website to see what their ideas are?

Is this for real? You claim that Labour have no policies, because the particular policy that you want isn't on the main policy page? The fact that there is a link on the right side of that page to 'Full Policy Listing' and 'Policy Centre Search' is some sort of criticism on Labour? Will ya get off the stage! The policies are there. If you want to read them, read them. If you don't want to read them, don't. But don't lie about there being no policies just because two or three clicks is too much effort for you.

And you can stop using policy documents from 2004 and 2005 to defend your assertion that Labour have been releasing major policy initiatives on a pretty regular basis. So again, what are their policies considering the new economic climate we live in?

There are 9 policy documents from the six months to date of 2010, 30 from 2009, 12 from 2008 and the full General Election policy amongst others from 2007. The policies are there. If you want to read them, read them. If you don't want to read them, don't. But don't lie about there being no policies just because two or three clicks is too much effort for you.

You have no idea what my political views are. I have criticised every political party over various issues on this forum.

Did you criticise the others over their real failings, or just stuff that you made up?

Think about it from the "average voter" view. Aside from a relatively small minority of interested/committed supporters, how many actively go onto the various party websites and read all the policies? It's a sad fact that most voters will get their information from the media and soundbites.

That's true - but I wasn't making this point to get kudos for Labour. I just wanted to point out the factual error in Sunny's claim.

And so outside of the website, how much specific content have we seen from Gilmore? Well purely from my own view, not much. I've actually heard more specific information given by Rabbitte, and being honest some of it isn't bad (there's a caveat to that). The point is take the clips of Gilmore and what do we actually have in terms of content? We have stabs at the government, well they deserve it, we have a statement saying he'll let the unions decide on Croke Park (yes but Eamon, what do you think of the content, not the process?) and we know what he doesn't like about the government policies.

But without seeking out the information from the website, you wouldn't know half the policies or specifics. The Labour party has them, but Gilmore isn't exactly drawing attention to them when he's in public (I'll concede others in the party are to some extent).

So it is valid to say he's style over substance. And it is an issue given that the majority of voters won't be downloading policy documents off a party's website. That's not Gilmore's problem I'd accept.

I hadn't thought too much about this, but you could be onto something. Maybe the media is more interested in showing Gilmore on attack rather than Gilmore on policy? Maybe Gilmore has made a conscious decision to leave the policy issues in the capable hands of Joan and others, and focus on exposing the Govt's track record.

The caveat to the Labour policies is that when you do strip them down, yes they are valid and yes they have a point, but that point seems to be accepting many of the cuts highlighted in McCarthy and others. They seem to actually agree with the government on many things, but not on social welfare and a few others. And so that's where I can't support them just yet, we have to consider all expenditure in my opinion.

But for all the sniping, by and large they're still going to follow the programme of cuts and savings, including the pay for the PS/CS.

Labour are very clear about the mess that our current Govt have created, and know that there are no easy solutions. However, you can be absolutely certain that the solutions implemented by Labour in Govt will be based on fundamental principles of fairness, unlike the steps taking by FF and Greena Fail.

 

[Sunny]

We get it. You are a labour supporter. I did look at their policy listing. Maybe I am stupid as you imply so maybe you can give me a link to a major policy document on health, justice or education published in the past three years.

 

[Complainer]

maybe you can give me a link to a major policy document on health, justice or education published in the past three years.

Wow, those goalposts are moving so fast, it is all just a blur to me. First it was 'They say nothing', then it was complaining that the new stuff is too short and the older stuff is too old, now it is picking out the three specific areas/dates where you know the answer is 'No', and setting this up as just a typical question.

It's all a bit spinny. It's OK for you to just say that you don't like Labour. It's OK for you to pick out some of the many policy points that you disagree with. You don't have to keep making up odd criteria that they will fail to meet.

Let's keep it simple, eh? We're off down a bit of a rat-hole, so I'm not going to continue to tease out with you why 50 policy documents in three years does not = 'They say nothing'. If you want to actually talk about policy, let's go for it.

 

[Purple]

maybe you can give me a link to a major policy document on health, justice or education published in the past three years.

That's not fair, it's not as if Health, Justice and Education are major areas of spending or important to the countries future.

I read Joan Burtons economic policies before and it is like reading a paper on evolution published by the Catholic Church; their starting point is based on a dogma that colours all that follows.

 

[sunrock]

Posters on here are saying that the public wouldn`t like Enda as taoiseach. Presumably they want a slick, polished articulate operator as taoiseach. A few foreign languages would be a bonus.
Does this mean that when people who go into the ballot box in the next general election will say to themselves that ....well I was going to vote for the FG candidate or an anti government or labour candidate,buy hey that might mean Enda could be taoiseach...O.K. I`ll vote back the FF candidate despite all the corruption and my own desperate job/income situation.
The taoiseach selection only comes into play when the numbers are added up after the general election.

 

[Latrade]

Does this mean that when people who go into the ballot box in the next general election will say to themselves that ....well I was going to vote for the FG candidate or an anti government or labour candidate,buy hey that might mean Enda could be taoiseach...O.K. I`ll vote back the FF candidate despite all the corruption and my own desperate job/income situation.
The taoiseach selection only comes into play when the numbers are added up after the general election.

Whether you say it in jest or as an matter of disbelief, it could well happen.

I'm not privy to the minds of the nation, just people I know at home and work and all say a similar thing that FF are there for the taking, but they just don't "get" Enda. He hasn't sold FG when it should be as easy as selling water in a drought.

One thing that did strike me is how much of the Labour swing is accounted for by the PS votes moving from FF?

 

[sunrock]

Well if FG get an extra 10 seats ,which should be possible no matter who their leader is.And labour get an extra 10 which is likely or even 15 extra TDs between them,then they have the numbers and FG as the largest party will nominate Enda as taoiseach.
That is not even taking into account smaller parties and independants who might vote for a FG/labour coalition or even abstain.
The good thing about Enda is that he delegates power to his ministers. He is not a control freak like Haughey, so if his front bench are good , the public can look at the ministers ability.
Given how successful he was in bringing out the FG vote I suspect that Enda will get a much increased vote this time.People want integrity, and remember Enda was going for taoiseach at the last election also. And at election time people will be hurting like never before. The ever increasing unemployed have nowhere to emigrate to.
To be honest ,if as I suspect we get a FG/lab coalition there won`t be any real policy change, just the same FF medicine of austerity.

 

[Complainer]

I really don't think Enda will ever be Taoiseach. If he is still in charge of FG when the election comes round, he will be their limiting factor again. I did hear some speculation over the weekend that Bruton's coup was engineered by some of the young FG turks (the Hayes/Verodokar axis) who are very happy to see Bruton off the agenda for the next round of leadership battles.

 

[csirl]

I really don't think Enda will ever be Taoiseach. If he is still in charge of FG when the election comes round, he will be their limiting factor again. I did hear some speculation over the weekend that Bruton's coup was engineered by some of the young FG turks (the Hayes/Verodokar axis) who are very happy to see Bruton off the agenda for the next round of leadership battles.

Agree.

I think that Labour will nominate Gilmore and Labour combined with SF and left wing leaning independents will have similar numbers to FG. Labour has always had an mercenary streak and will use the threat of going into Government with FF to ensure that Gilmore is Taoiseach. They may even go into Government with FF if FF let Gilmore be Taoiseach.

 

[Ceist Beag]

Agree.

I think that Labour will nominate Gilmore and Labour combined with SF and left wing leaning independents will have similar numbers to FG. Labour has always had an mercenary streak and will use the threat of going into Government with FF to ensure that Gilmore is Taoiseach. They may even go into Government with FF if FF let Gilmore be Taoiseach.

csirl I'm surprised you think this. Do you honestly think FF would go into government with Gilmore as Taoiseach? That would be political suicide! And there is no chance that Labour plus others would have as many seats as FG. Kenny will be the next Taoiseach, make no mistake about it, it's only a matter of whether it will be in 2 years time or sooner.