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Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath (left) and Dara Calleary. PA Wire/Press Association Images

"Leo likes to make you think he is all cuddly and caring. That's not him"

Fianna Fáil said it does not support delaying the rise in the state pension.

FIANNA FÁIL SAYS it will not accept a major delay in an increase to the state pension, which is to be promised as part of Budget 2017.

It’s understood the government has been considering delaying the increase by several months so that it doesn’t kick in until mid-2017.

The government thinking behind postponing the rise is to allow other possible increases to be given to those on social welfare, such as disabled people, carers, blind people and widows.

However, Fianna Fáil Finance spokesperson Michael McGrath and Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary said today that a six-month delay was “out of order”.

McGrath said Fine Gael is doing a Budget for 2017, “not half of 2017″.

“Starting in June or July does not seem to be credible or realistic to us,” he said.

“We won’t be rolled over”

When asked to clarify if the six-month lead-in was not a runner, Calleary said “absolutely”. He said he will be flexible so that benefits can spread to everyone.

“But we have priorities and we won’t be rolled over on them,” he added.

A government source said delaying the increase ”is about fairness and social justice”.

Nobody should be left behind. As Leo [Varadkar] highlighted in the Dail, the aim is to give carers, disabled, blind, and widows the same increase as pensioners. These groups had their payments cut by €16 a week by Fianna Fáil and have had no restoration. The only way we can possibly afford this is to defer the payments until after January.

Despite McGrath stating that negotiations with Fine Gael so far have been “business-like”, there appears to be some tensions mounting between the two parties.

“Some in Fine Gael have had a Damascus-like conversion to caring in recent days… I don’t buy this,” said Calleary.

“Leo likes to make you think he is all cuddly”

He didn’t hold back there. It was put to him that the €5 increase in the pension (which was Fianna Fáil’s Budget demand) is stopping Social Protection minister Leo Varadkar from increasing other social welfare payments.

Calleary was asked what he would do if he were in Varadkar’s position.

I certainly would never go down a route Leo is going down. Leo likes to make you think he is all cuddly and caring and that he suddenly walked into a phone  box and walked out with a cape of fairness – that’s not Leo. The Fine Gael way for doing things was deleted on the 26 February.
The Fine Gael way is taking medical cards off families that need them and that is a position he stood by while a minister and minister for health… I am not convinced by the sudden caring, sharing, cuddly Leo Varadkar.

He said Fianna Fáil are of the view that there is considerable old age poverty and that is why they are seeking an increase – one which McGrath said has not happened in over eight years.

McGrath said his party’s stamp is all over Budget 2017, claiming a number of key items would not be included if it weren’t for Fianna Fáil.

“We helped shape the it,” said McGrath, who went on to say his party argued for the pension hike, changes in the inheritance tax so that it benefits children as well as near relatives, the provision of a home care tax credit and no increase on excise for fuel.

Extra money 

However, all is not well in the partnership agreement between the two parties.

McGrath said the party was told for the last number of weeks there was only €1 billion to be spent. However, late last night it heard an extra €200 million had been found.

“The Budget parameters are changing late in the day,” he said.

When asked by TheJournal.ie if the party felt underappreciated by government for not informing them of the extra fiscal space, McGrath said:

I am not making any accusations to the government… but it seems this is the way it works, very late in the day, when all the numbers are joined up, something falls out and others move in. There are moving parts, eventually they arrive at a final figure.
…Reassurances had been given and repeated constantly, publicly, that the space was a billion, that was locked in, that it wouldn’t change – that appears to be not quite the case. From our point of view, it just means, we have to be careful.
He said being left in the dark, in some respects, created a difficulty for the party.
“If you are working to €1 billion and then all of a sudden it’s more than you have to recast your priorities,” he said.
Despite the breakdown in communication, he said:
We are going to honour our side – the alternative is another general election.

However, while McGrath said Fianna Fáil are willing to support this Budget, it won’t do it “at all costs” and the party won’t “sleep walk” into it either.

The party also has concerns about Fine Gael’s much-publicised first-time buyers grant. McGrath said he would prefer to see a full assessment of its impact, but concluded:

“It is not something we will be bringing the government down on.”

Separately, Labour has criticised Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for playing games on the pension increase.

“Any move to bring the increase back to March or April would mean a real increase of only €2.50 a week in 2017,” said Labour senator Kevin Humphreys.

Read: 64 people arrested by gardaí in massive Thor crackdown in Carlow and Kilkenny

Read: ‘Monster’ storm heads for US after killing over 300 in Haiti

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73 Comments
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    Mute Adrian
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:03 PM

    Leo trying to make us think he’s cuddly and caring.
    FF trying to make us think they’re powerless in gov.
    Kenny trying to make us think he’s the big man in europe.
    Noonan trying to make us think he’s the financial whizz.
    FF and FG trying to make us think this budget is make or break and could bring down the gov, but none of them want an election now so that won’t happen.
    FF and FG trying to make us believe we’ve got new politics but its the same bunch of useless morons we’ve got.
    FF and FG trying to make us think there’d be massive instability if they weren’t around.

    None of this is working.

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    Mute Irin Flynn
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:24 PM

    I agree with all them points Adrian but in fairness to Noonan…..he isnt doing a bad job at all.He’s turned the screw for the economy after the can of worms he was dealt…….and this is when everyone can see he isn’t a well man at all in terms of health.In my eyes he’s the only guy up there that has done his job properly

    26
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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:28 PM

    @Irin Flynn: Have you been in a coma for the last while or maybe in outer Mongolia with no internet access? You obviously haven’t heard of Noonan, Nama and Project Eagle

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:59 PM

    Mr Dow Jones himself Noonan.

    64
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:13 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: I tried to add a little more to that, but it’s not allowed. Why you can’t tell the truth about politicians and their record is beyond me.

    22
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    Mute Brendan Bernes
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:46 PM

    @Anne Marie Devlin: Otherwise known as “The Noonan Experience”

    18
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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Oct 7th 2016, 11:28 PM

    @Irin Flynn: I agree with you, but it remains to be seen over overdue pension increases whether it will be Fianna Fail’s way, or Noonans way….

    3
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    Mute Tony Ornery G
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:24 PM

    How many of these political spats and soundbites fix any of the challenges facing this Country?
    Ask as a citizen, taxpayer and father…
    https://trickstersworld.com/2016/10/07/philosophical-gossip/

    110
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    Mute Em Ni Mhurchu
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:54 PM

    @Tony….that ‘soundbite’ sounds very like pre-electioneering to me! Nothing more, nothing less. Let them give back their €6000 rise and put that into restoring some sense of fairness to those on disability and carers pensions. But we will never see that because not one of them could give a continental.

    93
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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:12 PM

    You would think these two parties give a fiddlers about the old ,sick , elderly, disabled. Where were they last year when disabled people had to protest outside the dail after suffering cuts for years to services etc. Funny enough it was almost the same amount that they gave out in the water bribe. As the bribe was hitting people’s banks accounts, the disabled were outsude dail eireann having a protest. Talking about the elderly over a measly €5 increase after they gave themselves over €6000 payrise. They are shameful. Everything is just throw a few crumbs to shut people up.

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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:18 PM

    TDs payrise is €6,414 per year which equals about €124 per week and they are fighting over the elderly at €260 per year. Unbelievable €5 per week

    66
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    Mute Michael Gerard Hayes
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:10 PM

    FF populist gobshi**’s … it’s all about the party not what’s right for the Irish people

    97
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    Mute Les Behan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 10:28 PM

    @Michael Gerard Hayes: Absolutely Michael but Calleary was right on the money with the quote below. It’s about time somebody came straight out and said it. Varadkar is not to be trusted but sadly he has plenty of people fooled.

    “The Fine Gael way is taking medical cards off families that need them and that is a position he stood by while a minister and minister for health… I am not convinced by the sudden caring, sharing, cuddly Leo Varadkar.”

    31
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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 11:41 PM

    Yeah yeah politicians left or right are all in it for themselves there are no st Vincent de Paul’s in Leinster house and all this left and right wing is really a choice between who will mess up our lives more or less.

    12
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    Mute For Connolly
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:56 PM

    Opposite cheeks of the same sleveen backside arguing about who smells worse.

    Is it just me or does the new politics look tremendously like the old politics?

    67
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:14 PM

    Leo is as big a snake as the rest of them.

    66
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    Mute jane
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:50 PM

    Well if that’s what Leo is doing it ain’t working.

    59
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    Mute Brinster
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:04 PM

    FF down 7 in the last poll and all of a sudden the tough talk and spiteful personal attacks start. Pathetic.

    67
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    Mute Brent Weaver
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:07 PM

    Nothing to do polls. Everything to do with FF mobilising the grey vote in their favour in the next election. The elderly are more inclined to vote than carers or the disabled I bet.

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    Mute For Connolly
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:14 PM

    @Brent Weaver: Correct Brent. FFs main focus is to look after the demographic most likely to vote, followed by months of shaking hands at funerals, followed promptly by an election.

    Call my cynical.

    71
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    Mute D H
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:19 PM

    Leo is about as cuddly as a cactus

    58
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:22 PM

    Two cheeks of the same treacherous arse Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.They have consistently stuffed their pockets at the expense of the Irish Citizens.

    63
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    Mute Brendan Bernes
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:53 PM

    @For Connolly: What’s his/her number?

    3
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    Mute Daniel Fontaine
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:00 PM

    Leo might be all sweetness and light and can do no wrong in the eyes of the LBTG community but strip away the cuddly TV persona and underneath there’s a nasty neo liberal Thatcherite who believes that privatization is the answer to all society’s ills.
    If Leo ever becomes the leader of Fine Tory, and there’s a strong likelihood given he’s the darling of the Irish liberal press, then we’ll edge ever closer to an American style capitalist society where it’s every man for himself, dogs eat dogs and no sucker will ever be given an even break.
    Public Beware.

    59
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    Mute Aoife
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:34 PM

    They have us fighting over the left over crumbs that the eu allow us to divide amongst ourselves. It’s actually our money all the fighting is over. We’d see that if we all went on strike as a nation for a week and expose them as the emperors with no cloths on. It’s up to us to change the place as you can be certain they won’t.

    56
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    Mute Tommy Doran
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:40 PM

    And if there was an election in the morning Aoife what is the electorate to do,there is no viable alternative…

    5
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    Mute Aoife
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:35 PM

    I guess that they have done themselves well Tommy. Created a place where there’s no alternative. I remember fianna fail in power saying the same thing. That there was no alternative to their policy’s. Better to stay with the crap we know I suppose. I take my hat off to the ladies in Poland last week. If we all went on strike for a week the house of cards would fall down.

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    Mute Tommy Doran
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:16 PM

    We are left in a terrible situation Aoife, can’t trust any political party, current elected politicians are all self serving to better their party and themselves. Would wonder why people would bother voting at all…

    12
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    Mute Aoife
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    Oct 7th 2016, 9:23 PM

    Isn’t that what they tend to do. To paraphrase pat the oily whale rabbitte. It’s the politics of fear in action, keep the electorate scared of change, catastrophe is only around the corner after all. Just keep working till you drop.

    17
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    Mute Willy
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:24 PM

    Election close , very close ☺

    42
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    Mute Derek hutchings
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:46 PM

    Sure what TD is cuddly

    36
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    Mute David Dickenson
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:48 PM

    @Derek hutchings:Ted Danson

    26
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    Mute George Hogan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:49 PM

    Didn’t expect US style politico-bitching to arrive here quite so soon!

    24
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:23 PM

    Michael D was fairly cuddly, it can happen.

    13
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    Mute Charlie Wrex
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:33 PM

    Cuddly in a ‘here’s €1.75 million for 7 years in the Aras’ sort of way.

    29
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    Mute Mr KnowitAll
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:20 PM

    I think ,subconsciously, the 2 lads just want a cuddley hug off Leo !

    29
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:01 PM

    At the end of the day old people carers really the people who built and continue to care for our elderly are getting a fiver while our ministers and elected officials get an increase of between 6 and 12k a year. Blood disgraceful Leo and Michael McGrath!!

    26
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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:09 PM

    FF have backed down on Irish Water they have backed down on removing Kenny if they back down on this their credibility is gone. Is it any wonder they are loosing support.

    24
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    Mute Michael Gerard Hayes
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:27 PM

    Never forget FF self serving wasters bankrupted this country … they are up to their same old tricks e5 for pensioners … ohh … yeah that’s really important …. no real leadership … not prepared to make them real decisions the tough calls .. . Same oul FF …. never forget

    15
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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Oct 7th 2016, 11:42 PM

    Get over yourself man

    1
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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:36 PM

    FF are losing support daily with this farce for a government in place.

    19
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    Mute doorhandler
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:50 PM

    Hopefully more money invested in public services rather than a budget aimed at tax cuts.

    17
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    Mute Peter King
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    Oct 7th 2016, 4:51 PM

    You’re not in the squeezed middle I’m guessing.

    47
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    Mute doorhandler
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:02 PM

    Of course I am Peter. But their is a choice tax cuts or investment. I’m on the investment side.

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    Mute Brent Weaver
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:13 PM

    Broadband infrastructure all over the country. Business will pick up throughout the land with decent interent.

    13
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    Mute John Scully
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    Oct 7th 2016, 10:20 PM

    Why not take to the streets everybody and bring down the government ourselves instead of waiting on FF to do it.

    10
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    Mute Mark Andrew Salmon
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:51 PM

    Its interesting to wonder why the situation from 2008 onwards led to the formation of mass movements in other countries but nothing similar in Ireland. Why? Genuine question.

    10
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:54 PM

    @Mark Andrew Salmon: Fluoride.

    7
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    Mute Jimmy jones
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    Oct 7th 2016, 9:40 PM

    We know one thing . If FIanna Fail are talking they are probably telling lies

    9
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    Mute theangrypotato
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    Oct 7th 2016, 8:37 PM

    Michael likes to make you think he is intelligent and articulate. That’s not him.

    8
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    Mute Upowthat Burke
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:36 PM

    Imagine if Leo was one of us Irish I mean he would be a bigger c– — this

    8
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    Mute martin kilbane
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    Oct 7th 2016, 11:02 PM

    When Kenny was elected as Taoiseach the first thing he did was had power over to Noonan under the guise that he was getting assistance from Gilmore Burton. Clearly not fit for the job.
    FF Taoiseach, Cowan was reported to have an addiction problem which he displayed on Radio and tried to bat away on Late Late. Did he have ” a couple of pints” the day and night of bank guarantee? And other days?
    Ahern was flat to the boards in front of a tribunal telling unbelievable stories about horses, houses, bank accounts etc.
    Burton said it was the happiest day of his life when Prince Charles came to Ireland.
    Is there any wonder why the country is in the mess it’s in.

    Reynolds/Major started the peace process in the North. Othess like Blair and Ahern hijacked it.

    8
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    Mute alphanautica
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:03 PM

    If half of the chronic moaners in this forum actually joined the parties they complain about they could participate and make a difference.

    Instead they support turncoat independents who’ll change their colours quicker than Sinn Fein change their policies.

    6
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    Mute PaulJ
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:10 PM

    Why would any self respecting forward thinking person join those corrupt conservative me feiner parties FG/FF???

    35
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Oct 7th 2016, 7:20 PM

    @alphanautica: Chronic defenders of establishment political parties, whose only interest is corporations and banks, mired in corruption and greed, whinge like fk about the spin and lies not being believed.

    The independents have had their chance, they won’t get another.

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    Mute Emma Watson-Peel
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    Oct 8th 2016, 11:24 AM

    @alphanautica: I joined the party I admired, has a few problems with its “Only ppl like us” attitude and I got thrown out. Parties DON’T WANT to change and make really sure the only ppl who succeed are the one’s who will fight tooth and nail to make sure as little as possible change(especially for ppl not like them, unless its a negative change). My conclusion is ….. tackle candidates on the door step/email or fb them your needs/wants, vote for those who do their jobs, vote strategically and most of all VOTE every time.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:10 PM

    Leave Leo alone Michael McGrath, Leo Varadkar is cuddly and caring. Greatest minister out there.

    6
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    Mute Em Ni Mhurchu
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:57 PM

    @Jack…your great craic!

    22
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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:03 PM

    @Jack Bowden:

    Why? How?

    18
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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:11 PM

    I actually met him today and shuck his hand. He looks ‘cuddly’ and he looks so young in person. He is caring because he cares about the struggling workers in this country, the squeezed middle. Others seem to just care about the voting pensioners.

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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Oct 7th 2016, 6:25 PM

    @Jack Bowden:

    Sounds like you typed that in crayon. Fair enough JB, fair enough.

    19
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    Mute Eamon
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    Oct 7th 2016, 10:46 PM

    I met him before. I thought he was a stuck up man who was all for himself. Had no time to talk to me anyway

    9
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Oct 7th 2016, 9:47 PM

    Not probably definately

    1
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    Mute City
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    Oct 7th 2016, 5:04 PM

    If FF are so worried about being included in all budget negotiations and calculations, why didn’t they form a coalition from day one. This joke of an arrangement is doing FG no favours, FF take the credit for any favourable moves and FG get blamed for anything the masses don’t like.

    1
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