Presidential Election

The_Banker said:
Based on the fact that Gallagher would be expected to live longer!!

Liam Cosgrave has been collecting a Taoiseach pension since 1977 which is almost 35 years!! Costing a fortune!!
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I figured, but basing a figure on the assumption of life expectancy is as inaccurate as it is morbid.
 
Whats interesting is that it looks like the recent polls have been quite accurate for the other 5 candidates with MDH and SG's recent poll % being reversed in the actual election. It would suggest that the polls were accurate and that SG had it in the bag before Monday night.

Regards the by-election, this must be the first time in ages that a government party has won one?
 
Shawady said:
Regards the by-election, this must be the first time in ages that a government party has won one?
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1983 I think was the last one

Although going by the projected figure for the Fine Gael candidate it would seem that the general public don't seem to realise that Labour are actually in government!
 

Agreed. Martin loaded the gun but Gallagher took it from him and shot himself in the foot.
 
Great day all around for Labour. I thought they'd made a mistake not selecting Finlay but the Shinners proved me wrong.
The by-election is not that big a deal for a government that has such a big majority but it's a big deal for Labour who, as had been pointed out, are the first government party to win a by-election in 30 years.
 
What is really interesting is that the 'junior' partner in a coalition did not get savaged in an election. Is that down to he individual candidates or do people see Labour as not really involved in the current government?
 
He should have turned on McGuinness and made the point that allegations about past involvement in FF fundraising pales in comparison to allegations about past involvement in murder and bombings.
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Both FF and FG are civil war parties.
 
ontour said:
What is really interesting is that the 'junior' partner in a coalition did not get savaged in an election. Is that down to he individual candidates or do people see Labour as not really involved in the current government?
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FG ran two no hopers. In their arrogance they thought that they could run their weakest candidate and win the Presidency just because Gay had "years served". They should have run Mairead McGuinness and made a decent attempt at getting it.

Eithne Loftus was chosen because shes in her 70's and was no threat to Leo Varadkar. He didnt want a strong competitor in his back yard.

Once again in-party politics starves the electorate of decent candidates.
 
StevieC said:
They should have run Mairead McGuinness and made a decent attempt at getting it.
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I agree, particularly with the age and gender difference to the other serious candidates, she'd have got a lot of support.

I was pushing for Finlay over Michael D within Labour, as I reckoned he'd make a better President. He would have been harder to get elected, mind you - not the same personable touch as Michael D.

Good day for Labour - we're not really used to being on the winning team. What does one do when one wins?
 
DerKaiser said:
I thought I saw somewhere that Brian cowen was the last in 1985?
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Had a look at Wikipedia there and Garrett Fitzgerald was Taoiseach from Dec '82 until Mar '87 so Cowen (actually elected in 1984) wouldn't have been a member of a government party at that date

From what I can see, the last one was actually on 20-Jul-1982 when Noel Treacy was elected for FF in Galway East

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_by-elections

This will be the 12th successive bye-election that FF have not won (Brian Lenihan won their last in 1996 on the death of his father, as indeed did Brian Cowen)
 
Complainer said:
I was pushing for Finlay over Michael D within Labour, as I reckoned he'd make a better President. He would have been harder to get elected, mind you - not the same personable touch as Michael D.
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Finlay's not the worst but I think he might have ended up like Gay Mitchell, a decent politician but a poor candidate for President.
 
Well done Mickey D, happy meal for everyone.......

At least I dont have to spend the next 7 years grimacing when the pres is mentioned.
 
oldnick said:
he'll live for another seven years ?
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He spent the last month all over the country.
And spent the last few decades as a TD heading off to meetings on dark winter nights and having every NIMBY and community calling for him to show up
It's not like a Dublin or Cork constituency, Galway West is a large area and lots of places to cover

He is fitter and more able then people younger then him

Not sure what else he has to do to prove it
 
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