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AFTER SUCCESSFULLY MAKING it through three Budgets, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are set to sit down in the coming days and weeks to discuss the renewal of the confidence and supply agreement.
Fianna Fáil has propped up the Fine Gael government for some time, after agreeing a deal following the 2016 election to back them on key issues.
Micheál Martin wrote to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last week urging him not to call an election, given the risk of “creating a dangerous instability” during a crucial time in the Brexit negotiations.
Both sides have announced their negotiating teams in the past 24 hours, with Tánaiste Simon Coveney leading the Fine Gael team, with deputy Fianna Fáil leader Dara Calleary in that party’s team.
So, today we’re asking you: Do you want to see the confidence and supply renewed or would you rather an election?
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Election please.
@James O’Brien: Why? No difference between @FiannaFail and @FineGael, except which Muppets you want to listen to
@James O’Brien:
Change is coming,FFGers can smell it.
@Genius 80s+: how sad is it that FF are back up the ladder again. Stupid Irish people voting for them as like nothing happened years ago. Would people ever cop the f on and wake up. That party should be nowhere in the polls these days.
@Finbarr Lucey: Agree Finbarr, a vote for Fine Fail is a vote for Fianna Gael and this Supply and Confidence is just an illusion to fool people into thinking we still live in a democratic country.
@Finbarr Lucey: Well, you have to ask, if it were FG who’d be in government at the time of the crash, would we be better or worse off…? Many people who voted FF do so to keep FG out, that changed after the crash and it seems they’re going back to voting for FF.
@Corkonian In Dublin: The difference between FF and FG is that FF actually can think on their feet and might actually go in to government with SF. FG are unlikely to go in to government with either. FF can see the writing on the wall. Someday, possibly soon, there’ll be a united Ireland and as such, they’re trying to get representation up North by amalgamating with the SDLP while FG are asleep on the issue.
At this point, it seems to me it’ll either be a second Brexit referendum or a had Brexit so while I’m not one for swapping drivers in the middle of a car crash but if all that’s needed from our Brexit negotiating team is to say no over and over to the English, does it really matter which party they’re from…?
At this point I think the Peace Process should extend below the border, it’s time we grew up and were adult about this, especially now everyone has gotten to see what SF have had to put with for years. The division sown by the usual parroting about terrorism and SF from FF/FG only served to strengthen the DUP and that has surely helped to put the DUP in a position of power over Brexit. It’s time to reverse that, if we had an FF/SF coalition, that’d be a huge two fingers to the DUP.
Also, it’s pretty obvious at this point FG are just going to let the housing emergency get worse and worse, they’re never going to do anything about without creating other problems.
@Frank Cauldhame: Was the bank guarantee thinking on their feet Frank.
Put up a poll on Peter Casey…
Vote Casey #1
@Fiasco99: oh, ffs.
@Fiasco99: Casey is going to finish last, have none of you people seen the polls? And don’t use the neanderthal “Trump and Brexit, polls are rigged, blah blah blah”.
@PaulineSmith: on here he seems popular. Amongst people I know in work he is popular.
I believe most people, me included know little about him but are sick of politicians not telling the truth.
A vote for Casey is a message that people should speak the truth
@PaulineSmith: Do you know anyone who has been involved in a poll, do you believe them, I for one don’t.
@Charles Coughlan: I’ve been involved in 2 myself in the last 5 years, they only poll about 1,000 people each time, there are over 4,500,000 people living in Ireland. It makes perfect sense that you don’t know anyone involved in a poll. Take off the tinfoil hat ffs.
@Fiasco99: “On here he seems popular”. Cute. *ruffles Fiasco’s hair*
@PaulineSmith: don’t touch me without my consent.
#metoo
@Fiasco99: A message you are voting on the Presidency not a councillor. Can he do the job, will he be good at it, is he inclusive rater than divisive, they are the questions to ask. Hint the answer is NO to all of them
@Gary Kearney: How do you know he can’t do the job? Vote Peter Casey no 1, as Leo said let’s send him a message.
@Fiasco99: Digital assault.
@PaulineSmith: You are living in a radical leftist media blown up bubble.
@Michael Maher: she also appears to have reported me for Wrongthink. Either that or journal.ie are randomly removing my posts.
Enough of the Itchy and Scratchy show already.
@Tweed Cap: problem with this analogy is that Itchy was smart and could outsmart. This pair are simpletons.
Why isn’t there an option for a sinkhole to open up and swallow the lot of them?
@Martin Meyler: because strangely enough geological phenomonen are only very very distantly cognizant of Journal polls
@Vocal Outrage: damn. Foiled once more by geology.
@Martin Meyler: That would be too good to happen
Renew the deal please. As much as I despise FF, they’ve helped get budgets over the line. No one likes winter elections especially when the election result will be the exact same.
This is not fair. The Shinners will not be up yet.
@Darren Bates: How is helping to get budgets over the line helping the Irish people? The budgets are no benefit to us.
@Alanjturing: very mature.
@Darren Bates: no one likes winter elections???? what kinda nonsense is that? we should be governed by incompetence until the weather gets better??
@David Corrigan: as gullible as I must be, I have to believe that they’re trying their best.
@Frank Dubogovik: do you like having canvassers knocking on your door at 8.30pm on a November night?
@Darren Bates: Trying their best to do what? I don’t understand.
@Darren Bates: if it results in positive change they’re welcome at any hour- my door is always on/ kettle boiled – I’ll be the 1st in queue to put shoulder to the wheel if there’s a fairer society as a result
Well our choice other than renua is parties from the left fg and ff to the far left. Fg “rewarded” a worker on e30,000 a year, with less than a euro a week, blanked increase of e5 a week for all the welfare warriors! I don’t even think I’ll waste my time going out to vote in the general election. I’ll vote for Casey though and id no intention of even voting in that election, until low and behold, someone piped up with a home truth!
@Shane Zerbe: FG FF are right of centre parties.
@john doe: he’ll only be happy with a Nazi.
@Shane Zerbe: thanks for that…I thought I was the only one miffed by the €4 for those working hard/ €5 for dole ‘ budget’…. that didn’t sit well with me at all
@john doe: a marginal rate of fifty percent income tax over a pittance of an income. An outrageous welfare spend? Welfare recipients rewarded far more than workers in our “booming economy “ The agreement with ff, was 2/1 i.e for every two euro spending increase, there was to be a euro spent on tax cuts. Do you know what the ratio was this budget? 19/1!!! Nineteen euro of spending increase for a euro tax cut! Oh we live in a left wing apologist state, no doubt about it … the only right wing thing about it is fg rewarding the less than one percent of their cronies up the top …
@john doe: while they may call themselves right of centre it is quite clear by both parties policies they are smack bang in the centre waiting to see what way the wind blows. No party right of centre would increase welfare above the rate of tax reductions for workers, nor would a party of the right support the marriage ref, 8th amendment etc. It seems anything other than communism here is classed as right wing. Renua are the only right wing party in Ireland but are pretty irrelevant. As a nation we never evolved beyond civil war sides to have a traditional left/right split. As such are biggest parties don’t have a traditional left or right identity so just go with populist decisions to attract the electorate.
@Frank Dubogovik: it works at out at €3.80 for the pensioners over the year. So the dole is not just people who wont work but for people who cant as well
@Shane Zerbe: We have never had a centralist government in our history its been tight and further right every time. Go learn about politics
@Shane Zerbe: I accept that the scale has shifted to the right somewhat as a result of the economic crash and subsequent recession. However the politics of FG in particular are traditionally conservative. More recently they are economically conservative with an economy designed to help big business and the rich over the ordinary worker. Cleverly (and welcome) FG have moved left of their traditional position on social matters eg marriage equality, abortion etc.
@Shane Zerbe: “far left” ?? – How many seats do the Communists hold ?
Good to see the middle ground holding. Stability is the key to Irelands successful future. Lot of individuals and fringe groups are trying to exploit our shortcomings but unless we have healthy tax returns from employment and spending power the problems can not be fixed. Investment in infrastructure jobs and education will raise the tide for all boats.
@doorhandler: this is no place for sensible realistic comments such as this. Please confine your remarks to barely coherent, policy free nonsense.
@doorhandler: Spoken like a true blueshirt, or reinvented F.F.er. The deputy leader of the blueshirts Michael Martin will be thrilled with you.
An election now!
Time to let the people endorse the policies of this Govt!
Roll on #GE2018
Get Slime ball Varadker out . A Poser of the First Order .
The only thing holding this Government together is the Brexit negotiations once that out of the way then there will be a election and I hope these lazy young people who came out for the repeal of the Eight will do so again it will be on their heads if this Government get back into power.
@Scottyal: well said
@Scottyal: Yes but there does not seem to be too much being done in terms of contingency planning. As with the recession, the government will just say “how were we supposed to see it coming”.
Call an election! We need a government that are for the people that vote them in and equally for those that didn’t! A government should represent the interests and well-being of all its citizen’s, this government does none of the above! The cronyism, corruption and elitist attitudes of those in this government and outside, needs to be tackled! Time for the Irish people to wake up!
@Niall Binéad: care to tell us who the government of the people will be?. Because I can’t think of any combination of the current government or opposition that are for the people.
@Niall Binéad: Unfortunately we don’t have an alternative, they all the same bunch of self serving tools and don’t tell me SF are no different.
@Roy Dowling: that’s easy, the next government voted in, that actually do what they promise during an election campaign, for all the citizen’s of this country and not what they want themselves as a party/parties etc…..!
@Ger Murphy: Sinn Féin are different and when our party do get into government, citizen’s of this country, all citizen’s, will see real change, for the better! Our country needs a serious overhaul and Sinn Féin are the party to do just that!
Let it flow. I’m anxious to see can they make things even worse for us.
An election, not much of a choice though, between dumb and dumber.
@dar: yes. Status quo on one side – dumb. And Sinn Fein on the other side – dumber. Much dumber.
At 18 I was so excited to vote and to use my vote to have a say in the direction of the country. By mid 40 I have learned there is not one that is any different to all the others once they gain a bit of power and all forget what it’s like to be one of the people. Democracy of the people is an illusion. Those in power will do anything, say anything, to get there and stay there and will then primarily suit themselves. Wasting money on an election for the same ole manure doesn’t seem worth it.
I think with all the carry on with the broadband debacle an election needs to be called.
The drip drip information and revelations of even more secret meeting stinks.
You would think lessons from the mobile phone license award would have been learned.
This farce of a deal is eroding what little democracy we have.
This government is a sham, the country is crippled from housing to healthcare and they are either unable or unwilling to sort them out. Photo opportunities, sound bites and parish pumping that’s all they are about. For over 100
Years both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have with some self entitled belief they are the only parties to be able to run the county. We
Vote one to punish the other. There is no change in this country and while I am only one voice and one vote neither of these toxic leaches will receive or. Do something different Ireland move away from these clowns and if doesn’t work out at least we can say we tried.
Let’s have another election.
That’s always fun.
It’s disgraceful that we have a government FG of so called law and order, in collusion with FF being supported by a convicted criminal to exist. So it’s time to go to the people.
Confidence my AR&£, there is no confidence, just a cosy little arrangement that may bite FF in the ass if they don’t do something soon. FF have had ample opportunity to object, argue, stop some of the disastrous decisions the current motley crew of misfits have overseen and yet they seem incapable of putting two letters together, N O …..
I’d say they will have talks and they will collapse citing too many differences despite having none. Letting the public know that FG and FF are different to each other so they can look separate during an election. They are one and the same but the public always take the bait.
Brexit is a far bigger issue for this country than anyone wants to believe. Whether you think the current government are good or bad, they must remain until Brexit is finalised. Otherwise we would have to restart all those relationships with EU and UK leaders again and loose whatever bargaining power we have now.
@D walsh: At last a sensible comment.
Absolutely not to the confidence and supply agreement as a party without a mandate (FG) is ruling with a party that refuses to participate.
Either go into proper coalition or call an election.
If they do neither then the army needs to step in, take Socky and Mehole into custody for undermining democracy.
This’ll be funny
Anyone but Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or Labour!
@ObsidianShine: Green party? :)
@Shane Buckley: Yeah you can probably add them into that mix too
Renewed please as a hung Dail is best for the Irish People. The thinking been they can’t create daft laws or introduce more stealth taxes as easy.
Wait for shiners to get out of bed. There’s no marches today they can exploit
@Donal: Do you get double or triple time for working at FG HQ on a Sunday? Genuine question.
@Donal: I’m up a few hours now like every day and it’s gobs.ites like you is why I’ll never give fg/ff a vote every again. Because for my sins I would always give one my second and third. So thanks again
@David Corrigan: why would you put “genuine question” when your clearly being disengenuous?
So silly.
Byw I’m no fan of Fine Gael. And I don’t like Sinn Fein.
@Fiasco99: It is a genuine question. Do paid lackeys get paid double or triple time for working on a Sunday?
@David Corrigan: It isn’t genuine.
Call him a “paid lackey” if you like. But why do you preface it with “genuine question”?
Also, journal.ie are removing most of my posts, so I probably won’t be saying much of anything from now on
@Fiasco99: he probably wants an answer
@Fiasco99: So you don’t know the answer to my genuine question then? If you don’t know, then that is no problem.
Anyone who thinks there’s a difference between the parties needs to wake up . We’re run from brussels , all your doing is changing the caretakers . They days of individual states governing themselves are gone in Europe . A vote today is worthless.
MARTIN IS AFRAID OF AN ELECTION
Party Politics does not work – taking turns running the country has got us in the mess we are in now. We need something different. People unfortunately fear change.
No point in either as people will just vote in another FFG government, like the past 100 years
‘We need a resolution ,there is so much confusion.’ … end the pointless agreement that sees FG FF voting confidence in TDs who must go. Proppingup of this gov ran by a Taoiseach who wasnt even leading his party going into the election/ we should have seen the end of these shenanigans with the Frances Fitz nonsense.
Nothing until all the Brexit shenanigans have settled down. It is bad enough there is no active administration in the North.
What we have is basically a dictatorship of two right wing parties. They could carry on this farce for years. No difference between them. F.F. got voted out of office after making an economic disaster. The blueshirts were then elected only to make the suitution worse, and the circus continues.
Sinn Fein press office lets be having you..
Elect what another bunch of biggots
Why bother? FF FG, same thing, and how can we ever see FF as an alternative while they have Michael Martin leading them, he sat at the cabinet table beside Brian Cowan and put us all into deb for billions.
The amount of clowns voting to renew the deals shows why we will never have real or meaninful change in this corrupt kip.
With brexit going on, an election would be best
What a choice we have! One slippery snake oil salesman or the other. Banana republic!
Having an election before April would be madness with Brexit on the horizon.
No point having an election we’ll end up with the status quo. No party can form a majority government.
Enter vote Casey numbr 1 boyz dem travelerz etc. comment here please.
We need more SF to vote please. They love a troll
Election and get them idiots out not fit to clean toilets never mind run a government
considering the result of the last poll why an election ?
U forgot a 4th option … the “don’t give a toss”.
May have got a few votes…
We DON’T have a real opposition in the Dail?
I really don’t like the arrangement, but I voted yes.
I haven’t voted for Enda or Leo either, but we’re stuck him.
I’d like a change of government- but now isn’t the best time.
The idiots in Leinster House need to go
have your say