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'Ireland shedding its old skin', but will that include Fianna Fáil?

While the celebrations were all about women, when the dust settles, there will be a political aftermath to deal with.

yes campaign 921_90544588 Sam Boal Sam Boal

THE ONLY PARTY whose members favoured a No vote, according to the RTÉ exit poll, was Fianna Fáíl.

Why is that significant? The parliamentary party itself is split on the issue, and it shows there is a gulf between the soldiers of destiny and wider public opinion.

A breakdown of the supporters of political parties and how they voted is as follows:

  • Fine Gael 74.9% Yes
  • Fianna Fáil 50.3% No
  • Sinn Féín 74.5% Yes
  • Labour 80% Yes
  • Solidarity-People Before Profit 82.1%
  • Social Democrats 89.5%
  • Green Party 88% Yes
  • Independents 72% Yes

While Fine Gael led the way in terms of being aligned with the public vote, followed by Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil’s 50% is at total odds with the 66.4% Yes vote nationwide.

Fianna Fáil, which has spent decades in power since the foundation of the State, appears to have lost touch with the public mood.

The party pinned it’s colours to the mast on the issue of abortion last year when party members voted overwhelmingly to protect the Eighth Amendment at their Ard Fhéis.

Then there was a Citizens Assembly, the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment, and it soon emerged that the party had a problem on its hands.

As the referendum campaign geared up, 31 Fianna Fáil TDs and senators gathered in Dublin’s Merrion Square holding ‘Vote No’ posters.

That’s more than half of the parliamentary party.

Those 31 politicians had an opinion different to their party leader, Micheál Martin, who came out early on in the campaign. A u-turn – he now favoured repealing the Eighth Amendment.

It has done Martin no harm though. Before yesterday’s results were revealed, there was a lot of talk about “mutterings” in the party about his leadership, with some speculating that his dissenting view was working against him.

Today, it’s clear he backed the right horse. His leadership can’t be challenged by those who did not. And those on the front and back benches will have to join him in the battle to drag their party into the 21st century.

It will be no easy task for the Cork TD. Despite deputies telling TheJournal.ie that after this week’s vote the party will come together again, that is easier said than done.

There is a bigger issue too. How did so many of them get it so wrong? Usually the party of populism, TDs who said they were against repealing the Eighth said they were doing so as they were representing the views of their constituents. From yesterday’s overwhelming Yes result in all counties, bar one, this is clearly not the case.

Standing out on its own, the party, in comparison to others, has judged the mood of the people utterly wrong.

In an interview with this website, Martin said that as a legislator, he had his own views on abortion, but his job is to represent the people that elected him, and do what is right for society. He urged his party members to do the same, but the message appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

As we approach the final Budget in the three-year deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, speculation will pick up about when there will be a general election.

Leo Varadkar is doing well in the polls – so some believe he would be wise to go to push the button now. Others state that this ‘Theresa May’ move will result in him being punished by the electorate.

And then there is Sinn Féin. Mary Lou’s Sinn Fein. With a leader who has just received a boost in popularity (passing out Martin and trailing slightly behind Varadkar), the party is a real threat to Fianna Fáil’s position as the main Opposition.

But can Fianna Fáil realistically knock on the doors of voters now? Eamon Ó Cúiv believes it won’t be a problem.

It doesn’t seem to affect things on the ground. There’s interesting precedent of that from the past… what happens in a referendum doesn’t seem to have any impact on general elections. If you ask me if I am quaking in my shoes that my seat’s gone then not particularly.

“The other thing is this, if you take a five-seater, I presume 30% in Galway West voted on the no side – that’s two quotas.”

Solidarity-People Before Profit’s Ruth Coppinger isn’t convinced, telling TheJournal.ie that Fianna Fáil is “living in a different timezone”.

“I think the fact that one of the biggest parties in the State has shown itself to be so removed from the population, with over half of its TDs coming out for a no vote and actually getting involved in a quite reactionary campaign – I think they have serious questions to answer. The Dail in my opinion is a bastion of conservatism in my opinion in comparison to the population, but Micheál Martin has a particular problem.”

Martin previously said that TDs that voted No would back the legislation, if it is the will of the people, and that is exactly what Fianna Fáil TDs were out saying yesterday, with the deputy leader, and No voter, Dara Calleary, saying he would vote for the legislation to proceed through the Houses.

Mary Butler, one of the strongest voices on the No side, also said she wouldn’t harm legislation or filibuster during the process.

Cork South–Central TD Michael McGrath, who also campaigned for a No vote, said he will not block the Bill on the termination of pregnancy.

“I don’t intend to oppose or block the legislation,” he said. “The people have spoken emphatically. It’s now going to have to be given effect in the Oireachtas.

“While it may not have been a vote directly on the Government’s Bill, people voted in full knowledge of what the bill contains. I think in effect it is an endorsement of the Government’s bill,” he added.

“We are seeing old Ireland shedding its skin,” Coppinger said yesterday. Whether that skin is Fianna Fáil, we’ll have to wait for the next election.

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    Mute Ariana
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:03 PM

    Nice to see an Irish company going so international.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:30 PM

    Associated British Foods (ABF), a British company, own most of Primark. Their international headquarters are in Dublin though.

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    Mute BevinArmageddon
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    Sep 10th 2015, 11:21 PM

    You could say the same about many Irish brands. Aer Lingus and Guinness for example, hardly Irish anymore but still synonymous with Ireland.

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    Mute Liam Treacy
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    Sep 10th 2015, 11:33 PM

    Founded in Dublin 1965 by Galen Weston. Married Dublin model Hilary Frayne (a recent Governor of Ontario). Irish story through and through.

    84
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    Mute Maire Ui Riain
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    Sep 13th 2015, 9:40 AM

    ABF are owned by a family trust, namely the Weston’s whose matriarch is a Dublin lady and the Ryan’s from West Cork, food, hotels, shops….Dublin is the main holding company location. Shares are for obvious reasons traded on the LSE.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:14 PM

    A ribbon to cut and no sign of Enda… He’s slipping lads…he’s f$%king slipping.

    179
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    Mute Mary Lyons
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:13 PM

    Hi love your top! 4 Euro Penneys!!!!

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    Mute William J Dunphy
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:38 PM

    They’ve got a whole lot of things for Christmas. And, I believe, a lot for the family.

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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:00 PM

    Might just pop in for a few bits.

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    Mute Dave Hogan
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:55 PM

    straight outa Cedarwood!

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:38 PM

    Someone better tell them not to put anything in the dryer ! or bye bye tshirt

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    Mute Philomena Gonnelly
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    Sep 11th 2015, 12:18 AM

    wish they had a decent shopping website…. hate going in the stores…. clothes always scattered everywhere, usually the floor!

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    Mute Íurach
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:17 PM

    Nothing like cheap, throwaway clothes. Don’t people who wear the same clothes more than thrice look so dirty and poor? Just like the sweatshop workers who slave so I can have the #LatestFashions

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    Mute BevinArmageddon
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:22 PM

    Well I’m delighted Primark has made its way to the U.S. I bought plenty of things from penny’s that has lasted years and I’ve also bought expensive stuff that has gone to sh!te after a couple of wears.

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    Mute Margaret Fitzgerald
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    Sep 10th 2015, 11:07 PM

    you must be rich

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    Mute Margaret Fitzgerald
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    Sep 10th 2015, 11:10 PM

    Well said BevinArmageddon ! lurach, what a prat

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Sep 10th 2015, 11:38 PM

    Jasus Bevin thats gas, I had exact the same experience. Bought a pair of those MC Hammer trousers and before I knew it they were in shyte. But funny enough a pair of slip on’s with tassels I bought in 1987 are like new. I only wear them to funerals mind.

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    Mute Amy Wallis
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    Sep 11th 2015, 2:10 PM

    I bought a pair of jeans form Penneys for 6€ that lasted me almost three years of constant wear. They still looked new. I also had a very expensive brand pair that barely lasted 6 months. I still regret not going back and buying three more pairs. Still would’ve been cheaper and I’d still be wearing them now!

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    Mute Sus Bri
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    Sep 11th 2015, 6:55 AM

    Did they steal Clery’s clock?

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Sep 11th 2015, 7:17 AM

    Open a Carroll’s gifts there next

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    Mute Claire Booth
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    Sep 11th 2015, 2:12 AM

    COME TO SYDNEY!!!!!

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    Mute johnkilleen
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    Sep 12th 2015, 9:35 AM

    More power to them but lets hope they don’t start putting shamrocks on their windows

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    Mute Erik Raftery
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    Sep 10th 2015, 9:57 PM

    Penny’s looks really cool inside. Much prefer the Zara store on Newbury street though.

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    Mute Diarmuid Lucey
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    Sep 10th 2015, 10:40 PM

    Why didn’t the ethical clothing company ever catch on?

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    Mute Maire Ui Riain
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    Sep 13th 2015, 9:38 AM

    Come on the Ryan’s of West Cork

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