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FINE GAEL’S ALAN Shatter has lost his seat in the Dublin Rathdown constituency.
The former justice minister lost out to the deputy leader of the Green Party Catherine Martin. She is the first Green Party member to be elected.
Fine Gael’s Josepha Madigan also won a seat in the constituency.
This is yet another blow to the Fine Gael party as Fianna Fáil surges ahead.
Shatter was first elected to the Dáil in 1981 and served until 2002 when he lost his seat.
He was re-elected in 2007 and was appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister forDefence in 2011. However, he resigned in 2014 following the publication of the Guerin report.
Speaking to RTÉ, Shatter said he didn’t agree with Fine Gael’s vote management policy in Dublin Rathdown.
“It is a disappointment we didn’t succeed in getting the two seats,” he said.
Earlier this month, in an interview with TheJournal.ie, the former minister was asked if it rankles with him that he’ll be remembered as a controversial and divisive justice minister.
His reply:
Stuff happens in politics.
While his political career looked over after he lost his seat in 2002, he regained it five years later. He was also thought to be in danger of not winning the party’s nomination for the election this time around – but he did.
He had aspirations of returning to the main table, stating:
I don’t think there’s a politician on any side of the Dáil who doesn’t aspire to be in cabinet.
He even tried some unusual election tactics to seek re-election. As an avid tennis fan, he sought to capture his constituents attention with his campaign tennis balls.
Shatter has produced the colourful bouncy balls, with the slogan ‘Shatter is on the ball’, for every election he has fought going right back to the 1980s.
However, his balls weren’t enough this time and his elimination tonight most likely marks the end of his political career.
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Great to see. Good luck to all.
Just back from the local after a nice quart. It’s the simple things in life….
Best of luck to them, after all the county was placed under level 3, nearly 78 days ago.. Here’s hoping they arent shut down in again in 30 days
Covid back with a vengeance in a few weeks then.
@David Connell: OMG!!!
@David Connell: Looking forward to the new year?
@David Connell: Give over with your baseless accusations. Have you been to any pubs and seen the controls they have in place?
If people stick to the guidelines within pubs and restaurants it shouldn’t be a problem.
I’d be more worried about house parties then I would pubs or restaurants.
I will stick to my takeaway pints ,I’m a miserable git and refuse to buy chicken wings or a burger and chips.
Great to see. Delighted dome Great pubs in the village around Grafton Street open for punters. Pity the best little pub.. Peters.. couldn’t open.. hopefully in the new year.
@Mark O’Brien: Peters is open Mark
@Dave Murphy: is it? I thought soup and sandwich bars couldn’t open.. I’ll b in there tomorrow then!
@Mark O’Brien: We’ve added some extra things to menu, we were open for 6 weeks during the outside dining only so Garda were happy that what we were offering was enough so we’re going ahead
@Mark O’Brien: nasty
Anyone who drinks in them pubs and especially temple bar as that reporter did deserves to be ripped off u wouldn’t catch me in any of thoses pubs named even on a cold wintry day in Dublin
@liam ward60: Not all pubs are aimed at the same people, if you don’t like them that’s grand but there are plenty of people that do and happily spend the money in them. Personally I enjoy the bankers and the Swan of the ones mentioned but I have been in all the others. Its the joy of choice, if you don’t want to go there don’t, but why give out about them if it doesn’t affect you?
Can you order a non alcoholic drink without buying food?
@Ann Basquille Smith: Yes but with limited seating in pubs you’ll probably find that most places will not give you too long seating with that little spend to turn over the tables.
@Ann Basquille Smith: yes you can
A pint of zero alcohol lager was the same price as an alcoholic one before Covid19.
@Ann Basquille Smith: Non alcoholic beer is more expensive to make than alcoholic beer, well if they want it to taste anything like beer.
@Ciaran: Tom Selleck would be so proud Ciaran
@Ciaran: Don’t have a sister so have to take your word on it
@Dave Murphy: no duty on it though !
Let me dafuq in there!!
only gastropubs open .best pubs ant.misleading article
I’m drunk right now
Once again the journal grabs us in by false headlines.
Does anyone know if odonaghues is open? It said on publin they are serving takeouts? Handy to know?
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