Think some protesting is in order if they don’t. Wonder if democracy matters will take such a position.

They now do not have a mandate to stay there they lost it the minute they voted to abolish.

By that rationale, only FF senators should be allowed to take the place of those who have to resign.

can’t see the Seinn Fein 3 agreeing to that

Think meant to be sorry lol

The NO wasn’t because of a backlash for Kenny and Gilmore it was because the people who voted NO believe it’s the right thing to do !! Just because you don’t agree with it doesn’t make it wrong !!!

And just because you didn’t vote no because FF told you to doesn’t mean it’s not a great day for FF

Very true the people kicked FF out but they have the right to put them back if they want when the time comes.

Ah now calm down a bit.Say what you want he went against fg,lab,sf and even the polls and he stuck to his guns that takes guts when everyone else is going in the opposite direction.

Hard not to laugh at all your moral indignation at Fianna Fails victory lap. They framed the whole narrative: 1). Vote no to stop Enda grabbing power 2). It’s not €20m in savings and 3). Vote no because Enda wouldn’t debate it. And ye followed like mindless drones. No wonder he’s smug. FF lemmings still dancing to their tune.

Yeah, those are all the reasons I voted no. Your psychic abilities are very impressive.

I’d no more do what Micheál Martin told me to do than I would do what Enda told me to so.

Fianna failed cannot take credit for this.it was a referendum not an election and most people i know voted with their own minds not because a failed party persauded them

Whatever motivation people ascribe to their no vote, it is undeniable that one of the consequences of the result was always going to be political gain by FF.

That may not be how people want it to be, but that is the reality. FF look like winners today.

And yet you just did, Stephanie.

Most people commenting here seem to think they look like delusional fools for trying to claim credit.

I voted no because I was not prepared to allow FG butcher the Consititution, it was nothing got to do with FF.

Fianna Fáil don’t want the Seanad retained, they just wanted FG to lose a referendum. The fact that I voted the way Martin wanted is incidental. Te fact is that I voted the way I wanted, not according to anyone else’s desires. And it’s very insulting of you to suggest that no voters are stupid enough to be fooled into dancing to a party’s tune.

The comments section on here is unrepresentative of the electorate at large, Stephanie. Martin & Co. will be looking on this as a big step on the road to rehabilitating the FF brand in advance of the Euro and local elections next year and the general election the year after.

It’s naive to think that today wasn’t a great day for FF

Touchy get over yourself ,people told FG to FO sign of things to come.

So you’re no longer just implying I’m stupid. Lovely. Of course it couldn’t possibly occur to you that I was against Seanad abolition when both FF and FG proposed it in the 2011 election.

And of course it’s impossible that FG were trying to manipulate people too. God touchy, you totally danced to Enda’s tune you mindless easily manipulated silly person!

Ah but Stephanie, I didn’t cost vulnerable elements of society €20m today to keep open the FF retirement home. You did.

Touchy its great to see the electorate turn on ye pr**ks.;-)

Touchy you are one condescending douche bag. Read up your constitutional law and the theory of separation of powers. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Seanad needs to be reformed not abolished. Don’t come on here and abuse people for using their intelligence to come to an informed decision, be it to vote yes or vote no. Give the people if Ireland credit. Your abuse is ironic because its clear you’d follow Enda over the edge of a cliff you absolute lemming you.

The referendum itself was expensive and it didn’t change anything @touchy!!

Touchy, I and about a half a million other people made this decision. And an FG TD said mots ago that the 20m would be put back into the Dáil, but yeah, I’m the gullible one. And the government could easily spend 20m more in vulnerable people if they took a pay cut and cut pensions and expenses and actually stuck to the rule of a 100,000 salary cap, but that would make way too much sense and involve far too much personal sacrifice.

I take offense at that – I have never voted FF and can’t see myself doing so in the future. I voted no for my own personal beliefs and for the protection of my daughters future. Don’t you dare call me a lemming, I will make up my own mind about what I believe.

Truth Patrol- thank you for regurgitating a few scenes from the West Wing there…. Separation of powers in enshrined in the US constitution. How’s that working out for them?

I think I will Debbie

You’re actually brainless Touchy. Separation of powers was a doctrine developed in Ancient Greece and subsequently used by modern day democracies to underly their democratic structures. Again with the condescension and lashing out inferring people are stupid. The only Lemming here is you. Truth out.

Truth- I asked you a question: How’s it working out in the States?

Yes but does he think he will be the next leader, time people woke up and realised who is really leading this country, and for the worse in my view.

Very easy to pretend your brave and promise everything when your in opposition

Basking I think is the proper word ;)

How is this an ff victory. I was asked if I supported the removal of one of the few mechanisms of checks and balances on government in this country. I said no. If Martin chooses to ride on the coat tails of a farcical loss by a headless coalition , to my mind it only weakens his position.
Martin only got involved in a no campaign for air time. He still remains a member of a party that sold this country out form under us.
So in essence a fraud is claiming victory over an empty suit.
I’ll still gladly accept your congratulations.

Theyre waiting for the advisors to come,

Eh eh victory for democracy… Eh oh not a government campaign…and … Eh handed a economic disaster…um eh up mayo.

It’s the only thing Mayo will win this year!

In fairness, he doesn’t really have much left to loose by doing so!!

Well said @DavidWilson . My ‘No’ vote was a’No’ vote, it wasn’t a vote for Fianna Fáil. In fact if I was asked to vote on abolishing Fianna Fáil I would have voted ‘YES’!

Did the mayo minors not win the all Ireland??

Not that I disagree with you Louis, but that might be unfair to sharks.

Looks like 3 cats that got the cream.

So true Richard. Cowardice is the road taken by those whose first priority is themselves, while those who are truly brave, take the road less travelled, when that path only benefits their companions first and themselves second.

its not really about enda kenny the clever irish fool, but the fact that fine gael never looked into the future to see how their cheap political grab for power might look. It would be beneficial for sinn fein which is why it was the only referendum they have ever supported. Fine gael were thick and stupid for not looking into the long term to see how this might play. The senate was put there as a protection against extremism by wiser heads than enda kenny by people that grew up in extremist regimes.

*you’re

I can tell you that day you will never see!

Just like Kenny did? I’d say he still can t believe his luck, he was leader of FG for 9 years spouting all sorts of sh**e, the only consolation I had was this guy would never be Taoiseach, unfortunately when the collapse happened in 2008, he saw his chance was around the corner, all he had to do was wait and he would be Taoiseach by default. Let’s face it, in most cases, people didn’t vote FG in, they voted FF out. Kenny has nothing but a good PR team behind him, Gilmore, we’ll, just look at him…
People didn’t really give Bertie and the boys a second thought when the so called Celtic tiger was in full swing, it was only when their little part of the party might be taken away when the economy went down to plug hole did people go against them. ….
Ah blast, I just had to change a nappy, and lost my train of thought, I’ll post anyway:)

Well said david

I want to personally thank you all those who stood with courage and vote NO to defeat this government on this referendum. For those who also voted YES as their connection or affiliation to any political party or base on their own opinion, well done as you have your voices are respected. In regard to those who don’t think it is victory that it is on my personal view which I hope you will respect it. It is not a victory for any political party even tough I praise the courage of FF and all those who stood against this referendum and for their particular position in this Referendum. Otherwise it is the Irish people victory for rejecting the power grab and specially the lost of their rights of being consulted in EU and major decisions in the future if they had voted YES. I am referring to the article 27 of the current constitution which the Irish government has an obligation to consult its people in major decisions before making decisions. All that never been explained well in the campaign and that particular Article 27 and the Irish rights of being consulted would have been a big lost and it will be left only to the government to decide on their behalf. So well done to everyone who had their expression in referendum.

Lol yeah like they didnt flip flop on it.Their party leader wanted a no vote.yet they followed Enda and eamonns lead well done shinners you got it wrong again.

Again you seem to think this vote had something to do with the parties stance on it.I voted with my own mind.If Sinn fein jumped off a bridge i wouldn’t jump to. I think for myself and dont follow blindly SF as you do FF. Gullible you are. I voted NO knowing it was the right thing to do to protect my kids and my fellow country people. I am not a sheep.

p.s since you keep calling SF supporters Shinners,should i call you a fail?

Sinn fein wouldn’t jump off a bridge but the might try to convience you to, all in the name of Irish Freedom.

Dont be daft!

In 2011 they were for Seanad abolition if they changed a few rules in the oireachtas, all of which gave more power to the Dáil. To my knowledge they didn’t make any of these proposals during the debate over the last few weeks. You can see the manifesto here. http://fail.3cdn.net/9bab6b928c527f3728_60am6gzlc.pdf

?????…The Socialist party and the Greens also backed a no vote!

The socialist party backed a yes vote. They had posters all over Dublin banging on about elitism and misrepresenting the electorate figures.

And I have no idea what the Green Party said, certainly didn’t see any signs anywhere.

Eh no socialist party backed a Yes vote.

The greens who are they ? Was that tumble weed blowing by? Green bahahahaha Arent they the bunch of FF lap dogs who got shafted by FF and they went on with out them?
Greens are no one and should go away and hide in shame.

Fianna Fail member then James

APOLOGIES…I meant the SP and Greens backed the YES vote…(mortified!!)

Triona greens backed no. SP backed yes.

Think I better get me coat!! :-(

What do you mean by sticking to their guns, it wasn’t so long ago they wanted to close it as we’ll ya bleedin muppet

Wrong on both counts to you both> The victory here was for Irish people.

Another bleedin muppet, where did ye all come from?

As far as I can see reform of this only became a reality for the no side when their jobs were threatened. For eighty odd years they have sat there without accountability, delayed the odd thing and collected the pay cheque , allowances , mileage , expenses and pensions. We saw with Callory the respect he gave the people of Ireland.
In the last forty years I have heard the constant complaints , of too many politicians , overpaid, lazy, gravy train etc. yesterday we had a chance to make redundancies in Leinster House and we did not take that chance. I firmly believe the politicians are so dislocated from the decisions they make that effect other people’s lives that only the reality of sixty redundancies would bring home the anger and pain there decisions create

Gerbreen, it wasn’t just Fine Gael and labour advocating a Yes vote so the idea that its a valid point to vote Bo because no principled Yes argument was put forth doesn’t hold water. The only parties that advocated a No vote were Fianna Fáil as a complete populist move ( a party that two years ago pushed for abolition as well) and direct democracy. And then there’s the Seanad backed Democracy Matters and all their arguments boiled down to was “sure ye can’t trust the government!”

There were plenty of good argument in favour of abolition and even more against how reform isn’t a realistic goal outside of Kennys rhetoric. People obviously weren’t looking.