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LABOUR HAS TAKEN A “shellacking” in the local and European elections, the party’s deputy leader Joan Burton said today as she insisted she has confidence in leader Eamon Gilmore.
However, the Social Protection Minister cautioned that there could be no debate on the future leadership of the party until the final results come in over the next two days – giving the strongest hint yet that Gilmore’s position could be under threat.
She quoted Barack Obama, when he once described the mid-term elections in the United States as “shellacking” for Democrats, and said: “They are mid-term elections and as I said, using Barack Obama’s phrase, the Labour Party has taken a shellacking from citizens, from people who went out to vote.”
Asked if it was time to launch a heave against Gilmore she said that people are focussing on the counts, adding: “I am not going to call anything like that until we get the final results in.”
Burton was speaking after arriving at the count centre in Citywest where the Dublin West by-election count shows that Labour candidate Loraine Mulligan is on course to pick up only around 5 per cent of the vote and finish in seventh place.
https://vine.co/v/Mwv6lEZpIbU
She thanked all the Labour members around the country for their work in recent weeks but admitted the party is “rather lower down in the list than we’d like to be”.
Burton said: “We have to reflect and examine that and think about that. I was on a lot of doorsteps, I talked to a lot of people. There was disappointment there around the Labour Party.
Burton, a TD for Dublin West, said that the “issues are far wider than simply the issue of one person or personalities” when asked about Gilmore.
On the Tánaiste’s future, she said: “Eamon Gilmore is the elected leader of the Labour Party and of course I have confidence in Eamon Gilmore.
“But it is much wider than that, I have to look, and I think everybody who’s a member of this government regardless of their party that everyone has to actually sit down and listen to what people said.
“The people have spoken, we have to think about what the people have said, examine it and see how we address those issues that people have genuinely raised.”
Of Gilmore, she added: “He’s the elected leader of the Labour Party, I am the elected deputy leader of the Labour Party and of course as the elected leader of the Labour Party he has my confidence.”
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And meanwhile Mary Hannafin won hee seat in Blackrock. Short memories.
Truly sickened by that one.
There was never a recession in Blackrock thats why.
And it’s full of rich older people
Blackrock snobs never felt the pain .. That’s why !!
That’s not true. Champagne and caviar each went up by a couple of euro.
Nothing to do with short memories, the middle to upper class- wealthy Blackrock crowd want people like Mary Hannafin in because she represents Greedy, Selfish, “Me Fein’ Ireland… She must be wetting herself with Glee…
All round to Clodagh’s for some foie gras and a goblet of her finest red.
Labour is the new Green
Sauternes with foie gras, never Red. Didn’t they teach you anything at school ? :-)
Sauternes with foie gras, never Red. Didn’t they teach you anything at school ?
we know were to go when there is no food or money left . blackrock the land of the rich
It’s an unequal and unjust country .. Why should my kids suffer poverty while families like those in black rock get so much .
She has confidence in him while her party is torn to pieces at the polls.
Liar, liar, pants on fire!!
Moanin joan might have confidence in gilmore but the rest of the country hasn’t.
Joan has confidence in Gilmore, oh dear…..would that be the same kind of confidence shown to Shatter before his demise?
Bye bye “man of his word” Eamon
Homeless man ushered away from Labour photo-op.
Only a warm shot. The real pain is coming in the general election.
@ Denis..
I hope all the main political parties get wiped out in two years….
God love you. FG’s had a very respectable election.
“I think everybody who’s a member of this government regardless of their party that everyone has to actually sit down and listen to what people said.”
That post election rhetoric doesn’t cut it Joan, you should have been listening to what people were saying for the last 3 years. You didn’t and now you are paying dearly.
Water tax cost labour this election
Water tax issue was the only reason I didn’t tick a labour box
Oveerstaffing cost irish water 2 bln confirmed by govt 4300 doing job of 1700. Irish times 28/01/2014. All supported by labour.
Stop blaming JUST Gilmore.
Burton, Rabbitte and Howlin as well as the total leadership are responsible.
We have become FG in disguise at the same time we have let FF back in and given SF a boost.
One topic sums us up … Medical Cards.
Put simply give all citizens with critical/ long term illness a MC and send all others for medical review.
Simple.
I am ashamed to be. Labour voter.
I think if labour is to survive, and I don’t care either way, they need to get rid of old guard, Gilmore, burton, howl an, rabitte etc. if they did they might stand a chance of survival otherwise they are gone. Same with FF , and I don’t care about them either but Martin and that weasel o’dea need to go otherwise no headway for them. FG – lost for words. Another useless shower of tossers. Mild rant over !
Please Gilmore resign today….Don’t hesitate, just do it
And what do we get with labour if Gilmore goes? Joan the butcher Bruton, ? Never In my life time will I forget what this party has done to the general public, also goes for the partner in crime FG, also won’t forget FF, the cause of the problems, and FG the bigger cause of the problems, and then labour, the back bitein bast***s, totally have forgotten why they where founded,
Totally agree
Politicians listening to voters. Comedy gold.
I think bollocking would be more apt.
Wouldn’t have confidence in him making me a cup of tea
Wonder how long that vonfidence in Gilmore will last. Having wiped out the Workers Party and wound up theDemocratic Left it was only a matter of time before he did for the Labour Party
To start listening oy the people now… Why now, Joan – to try to keep political careers afloat?
All the politicians saying ” on the doorstep”…… Only ONE bothered to knock on my door. The rest sent their flyers through the post, which went straight into the green bin!!
Joan its your fault labour are takeing a hammering. Joan protected the highest welfare payments in the world and let low and middle income workers sink, sadly for joan most welfare people are too lazy to go out to vote
And what are Labour going to do about it? Nothing they will not learn the smallest party in a coillition government is the first to take the kicking ie PD’S Greens etc
What labour should have done about was withdraw from government and bring about a general election
They shouldn’t have gone into government in the first place, but were motivated by greed and a great love of power.
Agree
Gilmore was consumed with his lust for power… a sociopath of the highest order… Ruairi Quinn also.. another absolute traitor…
And rightly so. There is no Labour Party left in Ireland, shame on them
Labour lies bleeding, from Labour’s bleeding lies!
Anyone get the feeling like there trying to say that youve had your tantrum and youve shown us.
The anti social minister for protraction.
She has done more damage to labour than Gilmore.
Some would argue she’s the victim in all this
I certainly agree with you and I wonder why they can’t see that.
she had confidence in anal shatter right up to 60 mins or so before he retired disgracfully. I guess the election count has hit her and her corrupt party like a wrecking ball lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynUT1GDEeQc&app=desktop :)
It couldnt happen to a nicer bunch
Gilmore has wrecked the Labour Party ,get rid of him and listen to the PEOPLE .
A shellacking… the haranguing…..who’s teaching her these words?! Well I hope he’s satisfied
Where is mr “labour” Gilmore ? Sitting in house in Rathmichel. See ya Eamon. Take ur stipend and run far
Actually probably get ” it’s not a bad result and expected kick back against guv ” yawn yawn. He has been found out
Burton to be the new Leader of Labour who deceived the Irish electorate!
This is the party that stated it would not bring in property tax or water rates-
It did!
It’s the Party that wants abortion on demand against the wishes of he Irish people!
Good bye labour
Other way round Joan !
I wish the government will learn from this and think outside the box and start hurting the honest and hard working while those who put the country in trouble are getting away with their stash and living on social welfare is better than working – a race to the bottom.
Not a single effort was made on reducing the cost of living while the unfortunate public servant were being hammered and made to look bad. Setting public sector workers against private sector workers.
When I think about it labour does not deserve any pity and FG should be warned the storm is on its way.
I meant stop hurting honest working people.
Cut the dole to, 150 euro and give the money back to the workers!
Hope she goes next!!
I am supporting Joan on many levels she has the background and history remember her stand in the county council against the section. 4′s? Remember her dignity in taking on the ministry of social protection . Her protection of the basics her strength ion rooting out the abusers of the system. What evidence is there of her putting her foot in it? She has manners is respectful of people gutsy and I met her once at Conal Mcdevitts wedding(now a MLA) great crack. So look into it what is there against her in the pros and cons columns? A bit of self examination might find some sexism and ageism might be lurking there. Sorry to be long-winded.
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