Who will form the next government? - The results

Brendan Howlin, who is stepping down from the leadership confirmed in an interview on 6.1 that the Labour Party would not form part of a left alliance. He said the membership were unanimous on this.

So a left alliance would require the support of all left parties, the Greens and 18 of the independents.
 
Yeah it wasnt a call for change. It was a pissed off vote. Cant really blame people either. Just wish it went to useless but well meaning like labour than scumbags like SF.
labour had their day in the sun and blew it by supporting water charges. people wont forgive them for that any time soon.
 
labour had their day in the sun and blew it by supporting water charges. people wont forgive them for that any time soon.

Forgive them for what? We should have water charges. But hey not in the country. We dont take to the streets over the USC because people are too busy working but God forbid we try to charge people for a utility.
 
The water charge protests were not just about the charges, They were seen as another austerity tax. People were weary and this was seen as another bloody tax. It just happened to be called a water charge. I think whatever the charge was called it would have had people protesting.
 
First they came for the X5 and Land Rover drivers and I said nothing because I don't have an X5 or Land Rover
Then they came for the Leinster Rugby season ticket holders and I said nothing because I'm not a Leinster Rugby season ticket holder
Then they came for the Landlords and I said nothing because I'm not a Landlord
Then they came for the Bankers and I said nothing because I'm not a Banker
Then they came for the people who sound like West Brit's and I said nothing because I don't sound like a West Brit
Then they came for the smart arses and there's nobody left to speak for me....

To speak for you you don't need X5 or Land Rover drivers, neither do you need Leinster Rugby season ticket holders, you can do without the words of Landlords too, and you might as well throw in the Bankers and West Brits, you talk enough to speak for yourself, but if you're stuck give me a shout as I'm the best amateur character witness around to support anybody who is a good recruiter for the unions as you.
 
Could be wrong on this, but I suspect the extra seats would come at the expense of their left wing potential coalition partners rather than FF \ FG \ Labour or even Greens.

Salient observation. Has given me cause to rethink the conundrum.
It was the PBP that I considered would be most volatile in coalition, but if SF were to field additional candidates in a 2nd election, it could be at their expense.
That is something to focus the mind.

I looked through the 1st prefs again and I struggle to come up with 30% wanting radical change.

I agree. There is a lot of posturing at the moment. The Shinners have been propelled onto the big table. Its only right they play the part of people's revolution, for the moment. And only right that FF/FG succumb to that perception, for the moment.

But when the media furore starts to dissipate, as it will when the public start to tune out, the cold hard reality is no party is in any position, anywhere close, anytime soon, to form a government.

Brendan Howlin, who is stepping down from the leadership confirmed in an interview on 6.1 that the Labour Party would not form part of a left alliance. He said the membership were unanimous on this.

Respect to Brendan, committed to providing a fair and just society. The Labour Party have good people, but they made the mistake of believing that the neo-liberal 'trickle down' ideology would provide the answers to social injustice.
They weren't the only ones, I believed it myself for a while.

I wouldn't pay too much store in what a resigning leader says, in fact I would tend to think the opposite is more likely.
Howlin is resigning on the basis of election results, not on the basis that he now accepts his principles were wrong.
What point the new Labour leader following the same path?
 
Last edited:
I don’t see any danger of the ‘Ra getting any share of power down here. The center left have had the luxury of fighting it out between them in a Tweedle Dee contest for ever. The luxury is now gone. They will unite to stop the looney left 32 county socialist republicans getting traction. The center left are in a huge majority, only disguised by the faux rivalry.
 
Posting this from an Independent article...
In an early sign of the difficulties in forming a left-wing government, the party called Solidarity issued a statement yesterday clarifying that it did not attend a meeting with Sinn Féin. "The meeting today is just a meeting of the People Before Profit component of Solidarity - People Before Profit, with Sinn Féin, arranged between the two parties themselves," it said. Solidarity currently only has one TD, Mick Barry.
 
I agree. There is a lot of posturing at the moment. The Shinners have been propelled onto the big table. Its only right they play the part of people's revolution, for the moment. And only right that FF/FG succumb to that perception, for the moment.

But when the media furore starts to dissipate, as it will when the public start to tune out, the cold hard reality is no party is in any position, anywhere close, anytime soon, to form a government.
Agreed.

Respect to Brendan, committed to providing a fair and just society.
Yep, but not much of a leader.

The Labour Party have good people, but they made the mistake of believing that the neo-liberal 'trickle down' ideology would provide the answers to social injustice.
What on earth are you talking about? We live in one of the most socialist countries in Europe. The problem is that the apparatus State doesn't function well in certain areas for many various reasons. The mistake we make (and Howlin and most on the far left make) is thinking that money provides solutions to social injustice.
 
Labour made ridiculous irresponsible promises in the run up to the 2011 election, promising this and that and they other.
Eamon Gilmore and Pat Rabbite didn't care what lies they told as long as they got elected and got their cabinet seats and pensions.
The backfire on them was inevitable.
The Democratic Left \ Workers Party destroyed Labour from within.
 
Last edited:
WolfeTone,

What are you talking about? Doesn't Firefly live in a different country? Come to think of it, how does the seamless border between the People's Republic and the Free State actually work? Has the solution to Brexit been staring us in the face all along?! How could Coveney, one of our own like fella, have missed it?
 
"The meeting today is just a meeting of the People Before Profit component of Solidarity - People Before Profit, with Sinn Féin, arranged between the two parties themselves," it said. Solidarity currently only has one TD, Mick Barry.

People's Front of Judea, Judean Popular People's front, etc. :rolleyes:
 
What are you talking about? Doesn't Firefly live in a different country? Come to think of it, how does the seamless border between the People's Republic and the Free State actually work? Has the solution to Brexit been staring us in the face all along?! How could Coveney, one of our own like fella, have missed it?

:D My 'Like' function has been turned off, I will have to contend with smileys.
 
labour had their day in the sun and blew it by supporting water charges. people wont forgive them for that any time soon.

So people are protesting that by voting 'Ra, who's history in power in the north show they only increase such charges???
 
The water charge protests were not just about the charges, They were seen as another austerity tax. People were weary and this was seen as another bloody tax. It just happened to be called a water charge. I think whatever the charge was called it would have had people protesting.
Probably but aren't utility charges better than taxes on work?
 
Probably but aren't utility charges better than taxes on work?

I think the government might have gotten it over the line if it had been a public utility... the future of the mongrel semi-state they stitched together looked to be sell off and huge increase in charges into the future. They wanted it to be a semi-state so they could get its borrowings off the government's books. Aside from the "cant pay wont pay brigade", there wasn't public confidence in Irish Water.

At this stage water charges have been abolished three times in some shape or form, whatever sense a proper utility with fair charges might make - it just ain't going to stick here.
 
I think the government might have gotten it over the line if it had been a public utility... the future of the mongrel semi-state they stitched together looked to be sell off and huge increase in charges into the future. They wanted it to be a semi-state so they could get its borrowings off the government's books. Aside from the "cant pay wont pay brigade", there wasn't public confidence in Irish Water.

At this stage water charges have been abolished three times in some shape or form, whatever sense a proper utility with fair charges might make - it just ain't going to stick here.
Yep, so working people will continue to pay for their water costs through payroll taxes but they'll also continue to pay their neighbours water charges as well. The cost to the State of delivering water hasn't changed and the cost of upgrading our Victorian water infrastructure also hasn't changed.
 
Back
Top