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THOSE PESKY DUBLIN constituencies – they sure don’t like making up their minds.
But when they do, it happens in a flurry. Just when it looked like Dublin South Central might drag on for days, if not weeks, suddenly it was over. And the AAA-PBP’s Bríd Smith had triumphed.
The two candidates, after hours of sitting and waiting, at 5pm were suddenly called behind closed doors to view the result of the adjudicator.
When Smith, a trade union official, emerged moments later with fists raised the result was obvious. Cue jubilant pandemonium and a chorus of “the workers, united, we’ll never be defeated”.
“We’re in now, I’ve been elected, and we’re as big as Labour now and they’d better not forget it,” Smith said, all smiles after a situation that must have been tortuous. Her relief is understandable – before this Smith had contested four other elections since 1997 without success.
Fianna Fáil have said that water charges are a red-line issue – well they’d better bloody-well follow through on that.
We’ll be there, me and Richard (Boyd Barrett), we’ll be there to make sure they stick to that.
I promise to do my damnedest to represent you and if I don’t sure you can shoot me.
The situation was this: Smith had finished 35 votes ahead of Fianna Fáil councillor Catherine Ardagh two days ago in the race for the final spot in the four-seater after the 11th count.
Ardagh’s team came up with a block of 170 votes that they saw as being disputable.
The last few days have seen the adjudicator investigate those votes and come to a decision, which was arrived at this morning.
All day today however the South Central returning officer ran through every permutation of those votes to see if any could affect the result of the election. And there were a LOT of permutations.
And so we waited. And waited. And waited.
https://vine.co/v/igv5IZ3EYqY
“I’m just absolutely frazzled with this,” Smith earlier told TheJournal.ie.
I’m tired, emotional, angry, hopeful, optimistic… it changes all the time, this has just gone on so long.
Ardagh was here but was nowhere to be seen until the candidates’ were called behind closed doors. Smith meanwhile sat with her supporters waiting for the interminable process to end. Her stablemate Boyd Barrett was there in support, as was John Lyons, the AAA-PBP’s defeated candidate in Dublin Bay North.
For the longest time we suspected that this could go the legal route.
One source from the Ardagh camp, who were packing a barrister in the RDS, had suggested that they might be able to argue with the contentious votes that the initial quota was incorrectly calculated.
That would have necessitated a recalculation of all the elected candidates’ surpluses. And how long that would have taken to decide would have been impossible to know.
It wasn’t to be. Bríd Smith has finally been elected. She might say it was worth the wait.
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It’s not my constituency but I’m delighted she beat that FF wan! She was an awful sore loser
Best news I’ve heard all day! Well done Brid, and everyone in AAA-PBP.
Well done Brìd, works hard for Ballyfermot. A commited community worker, with a passion for the betterment of this country and it’s people.
While all these dedicated constituency workers are looking after their own,who looks after the country.
well if each constituency was looked after well, then the country as a whole is looked after well
As I said, she has the interest of her community as well as the nation at heart, unlike the majority in there at the moment who only have the self at heart. “What’s in it for me”
By focusing on water charges?? Does anyone on the left realise the difference in how much the Irish taxpayer is paying for USC and for those that actually buy their house are propping up the state owned banks with ridiculously high interest rates?
Really Kenneth? Nobody knew that.
Delighted for Brid. Shes a great public representative and activist. Long may she serve!
@ for connelly .. you had my green thumb until you added “activist” don’t need any more “activists”
You prefer party-whipped sheep, do you, Bill?
@Bill God forbid somebody actively stands up for what they believe in. I bet that sounded smart in your head
Great result. She seems like one of the more genuine politicians.
Well done Brid, you really deserve the seat.
Brid Smith, Richard Boyd Barratt and Gino Kenny are all People Before Profit, Ruth Coppinger, Mick Barry and Paul Murphy are Anti-austerity alliance.
The split has started already?
And they’re only 6, no speaking rights
Mary, how dare you!! This election has been a resounding victory for the left, complete unknowns in social democrats,PBP and AAA have all been elected with substantial margins and all hit the quota easily. And don’t talk to me about how well the leaders of these parties and group of like-minded individuals did, it was such a great win!!! Can you not see the vast majority of people in this country have sent a message, with their substantial vote voted for change???
Dara, I don’t think Mary was being disrespectful to the achievements of the elected left, I think she was just pointing out that they were one short to obtain speaking rights, which is a pity.
Soc dems and AAA/PBP went from 6 to 9 seats. Hardly the vast majority sending a message.
The only message sent by the vast majority was that the idiots FF are forgiven.
No, but they still represent a portion of the electorate and it is a pity that they do not have speaking rights.
That’s why no one would ask you
DId I say they would? You do understand how a discussion forum works Timmay – we don’t need x amount of votes for speaking rights!
‘Complete unknowns’ in the social democrats were not elected. They held onto the 3 TDs they already had. Some of their other candidates did well, but not well enough, and the country’s reward is a centre-right government of Fianna Fail/Fine Gael. It’s not exactly a revolution!
Hi Jane. Bríd is a long standing member of People Before Profit. We have aligned with AAA because we believe in many of the same issues and the solutions to them. We differ in certain areas, such as our party structure. We have always worked well with each other and put any differences to the side for the greater good. Bríd is an incredible woman, and yes I’m biast, but she will put her heart and soul into fighting for the poor, sick, elderly and vulnerable. She’s a real champion. This will be seen in the coming weeks.
Well done to Bríd, well deserved. About time we got change and this what the people want, not the same money grabbing accountants and solicitors, the people have had enough of ye lot and know exactly where you’re coming from. We want real people who or in it for the people nothing more nothing less. Don’t forget this woman also opposed the Lisbon treaty, we know more like that, not EU lick a**es.
Thanks Aine. I knew ye were two groups but I was unsure who belonged to who.
Her Wiki page gives the impression that she fights for the sake of fighting. Common sense doesn’t appear to be a priority…
Very happy for her. It’s been a long time coming.
Let’s hope she’s sensible and rational in the Dáil and can look after and represent all the people of Dublin South Central and Ireland and not just the few of her cronies.
She will be in opposition so she won’t be doing anything..
Well done to Bríd, by all accounts a very hard working representative in her constituency.
YAAAY!
We’ll never be defeated
No way
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Up the Workers.
Catherine Ardagh is way better looking. Just saying.
You’re an idiot if the primary way you judge people is based on who’s the best looking. Just saying.
Ya, I always judge a book by the cover.
“oldstock” – says it all really. We have him in a bass player sandwich Evan! Surrounded by two good looking men and he can’t even show his face on his avatar – lol!
A great victory!,that’s made even greater, coming on a day when Labour loose speaking rights in Dáil Éireann!, congrats to you Brid and all your team, you earned it!
Comes from a sound family our Bríd
Yes the majority of us have jobs…teachers, general operatives, nurses, supermarket workers, university lecturers, cleaners, van drivers, carers, home help, waitresses, small business owners etc etc. And just like our country, some of us are also unemployed, in university, ill or stay at home parents. We represent society at large not just the few!
It’s a long road that has no turning
Well Labour you’ve just reached that turning
Highway 10 in Saudi Arabia from Haradh to the border is 162 miles long without a bend.
Daddy’s girl doesn’t look very happy in that pic above :D
Well done brid.
I don’t know her at all but judging by some of the comments here she seems to be a hard worker and trying to do the best for her constituents. In a way that’s all you can ask for of these independent candidates. They are going to be hard pressed to influence national decisions unless they bond in a large number. Hopefully she has more to offer than some of the left candidates whose only policy seems to consist of abolishing water charges. Wish her the best with her term.
I know her Sean and I can assure you of her integrity as a person and a politician. A tireless worker and a very genuine person :-)
She’s not an independent
Delighted to see Brid Smith elected to Dail, great result for the country as well as Dublin South Central.
“Ardagh camp, who were packing a barrister in the RDS,” erm, packing 4 barristers as I remember it
A whole team of them :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrC1aMdfa14
Brid went for a different celebration then to Paul Murphy’s invisible horse celebration https://youtu.be/bOPXIqJNFaA
If United were not defeated then the others were. Now all that remains for them to do is form a government.
No fg government, remove them.enda wants reform now,he promised it 5 yrs ago but did nothing.
Absolutely, bloody delighted for Brid.
Shes on Huge money now, I wonder will she keep it all?
What are you talking about?
Mark, surely they get to take the average industrial wage out while the rest goes to the party?
Sonits was FF or the AAA when it came down to the final seat? I think I’d rather kill myself to be fair.
Wow….just…wow.
I’ve a dark sense if humour, I may have went to far lol
Bríd seems like a lovely woman, and the wording of that “joke” could have been better (is there another option: opt out…of life was my original way if phrasing it idk what happened)
I just can’t stand either party, one corrupt and the other means good but well they’d sink the economy faster than the titanic to be fair
PBP and the AAA both come from the Socialist and Socialist Workers party, basically a rebranding. Why can’t people acknowledge this?
Am I right in saying that all elected AAA TDs are Socialist Party, and all elected PBP TDs are Socialist Worker’s Party?
Do we get to choose what collectivised farm we’re sent to, or is it a lottery? :-P
3.9% of the vote and rumblings of trouble between them and Sinn Fein over Sinn Fein not being left-wing enough. The establishment are shaking with fear.
Her language is telling.
Whatever way you vote, left, right etc.. regardless she won fair and square. It would of been an attack on democracy if FF could simply undermine her election and steal it through the use of their legal team
I suppose it’s only right that the angry bitter people in society have a representative in the house too.
Sure look I suppose even the few bitter and angry people in society need a representative or 2 in the Dail as well.
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