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ALMOST HALF OF Irish people think Enda Kenny should rule out relying on Michael Lowry’s support in the formation of a new government.
The findings of the latest Amárach poll for Claire Byrne Live show that 47% of all respondents think that the Taoiseach should rule out the possibility of Fine Gael doing business with its former deputy.
19% of respondents said that there is no need to rule out such a move, while 34% said that they don’t know.
The men polled seem to be more averse to the idea of a Fine Gael deal with Lowry – with 51% of men saying that Kenny should rule out the notion and 43% of women saying the same.
Opposition to a deal is at its highest in Leinster (outside Dublin) with 54% of that area saying that a deal should be ruled out.
On Lowry’s home turf of Munster the figure is 43%.
At Fine Gael’s Ard Fheis last weekend the Taoiseach declined to rule out a deal with Lowry, should such a move be necessary, when asked repeatedly by journalists.
In total, Kenny was asked 11 times throughout the course of the weekend to rule out a deal with his former cabinet colleague. He declined to do so.
Earlier today Lowry told RTÉ he would make any decision regarding a new government in the best interests of the Irish people.
A former Fine Gael minister
Lowry is a former Fine Gael minister, but he left the party in 1996 in controversial circumstances after the McCracken Tribunal concluded that he had evaded tax.
He has also faced consistent allegations of irregularities in the awarding of the state’s second mobile phone licence to Denis O’Brien’s Esat Telecom.
In 2011, the Moriarty Tribunal found that Lowry had an “insidious and pervasive” influence on the bidding process. Lowry has rejected the findings.
He is currently facing charges of filing incorrect turns but is seeking to have the case thrown out, with his lawyers recently telling the High Court that the prosecution is unfair, unjust, fundamentally oppressive, and should be halted.
He has been ever-present in Dáil Éireann since 1987, and topped the poll as an independent in his Tipperary constituency in the last general election.
- Additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
The poll was conducted by Amárach Research on Monday, 11 January. The survey panel comprises more than 1,000 adults who all own a smartphone. More details here.
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Oh gawd ! I thought she was full of something else !
No we don’t. That’s what your doctor’s office is for.
I think we should talk about ……. Jam!, when I was eating jam sangages last week for lunch the jam dripped onto my hand, It was sticky and very annoying . Why not start a debate about that!??
Gimme a jasus break!!!!
@Stephen, It’s really depends on the brand of jam that you use and of course the flavour of jam, chivers strawberry jam is notorious for its dripping qualities, some people will think that I’m a jam racist after that!
There’s a song about it..http://youtu.be/oFRbZJXjWIA
She suddenly feels a need to talk about it AFTER somebody else brought up the topic publically.
why do we need talk about it? it’s a personal medical issue get it sorted and save us having to know about it.
When a woman like Bláthnaid says, “we need to talk about it.” it usually means ‘shut up and listen…or else.’
I don’t see the need to talk about it, – maybe she means ‘women need to be educated about it…??
Kate Winslet said it was” part and parcel” of child birth so if that’s the case, why feel the need to talk about it?
As a taxi driver I can fully vouch for what she’s saying.. It’s actually unbelievable the amount of Women that will leave a stain in the seat when they get out..
Ah, that’s different though… And sure any woman would be the same around such a smooth talker….
Is this a piss take?
Definitely talking the piss.
Indeed. No justice in the world when a poor innocent dog gets his mouth duct taped shut and this bag of piss gets to open hers all too freely.
The New world intercontence champion
Literally pissin myself here!
Billy Connolly had been talking about incontinence for years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCysEz4nFDc
Really enjoyed the interview Blathnáid gave to Moncrieff yesterday. This wasn’t the only topic she talked about, she also talked about going to college for the first time at forty five, the pressures placed on a woman’s appearance in the media and life in general.
She had keyhole surgery recently to sort out her incontinence problem and is enjoying a better quality of life. Seems like she had a difficult fifteen years with it, and if she chooses to talk about something that affected her personally good for her.
@Chauncey Gardiner,
Yeah but she’s doing a nonsense degree, Women’s Studies.
Gender Studies actually. Why worry about it, what Blanáid does or discusses has no consequence on your life.
We need to talk about crop dusting
Is that the less successful follow up to ”We need to talk about Kevin” ?
Never tell a pregnant woman a secret so
Or how about not talking about it. Just put up with it, or treat it, or whatever the doctor recommends. But definitely, definitely, don’t talk about it. That would work better for all concerned.
Echo island surround by water, makes ya think
No we dont
My mates in England were more interested in how on earth to pronounce her name
Flatulence needs a discussion as well and smelly feet could do with a bit of understanding
Ah she’s just talking shit
Sorry, it’s gone outa me head.
Does she file her taxes in her English name, married name, maiden name , Irish maiden name, Irish married name —- what is her name in English ?? If Irish people want English translated into Irish it should work both ways and her name should appear in English also.
Thank god for c sections!
PMSL
Worse if it was peed others while laughing lol.
Flaps
Her name in english is flower coffey
Awful thing but Billy Connolly had a great parody about it…
have your say