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Everyone’s talking about…
Labour pains.
Can Joan Burton get her party back on track?
The Tánaiste will be rallying the troops at the Labour party conference in Killarney this weekend. The theme of the event is ‘Opportunity 2016’, highlighting how focused the party is on the next election – come what may.
Labour has continuously bobbed along at less than 10% in opinion polls, coming in at just 7% in the Red C/Sunday Business Post poll last weekend.
Burton is remaining optimistic, however, telling reporters yesterday: “When the election comes people will make choices about what’s best for them, what’s best for their community, what’s best for their family, what’s best overall for the country.”
I don’t think that people have focused on those key questions yet, they will as the election draws closer.
The Social Protection Minister said the Labour party has played a vital role in ensuring the economic recovery, although she acknowledged it “hasn’t spread to everybody”.
Essentially, she mused, voters will be faced with two choices in the general election: stability or “taking a risk on people … who don’t really seem to have much capability to address the problems in the Irish economy”.
The agenda
Inside Leinster House
There is discontent among the Fianna Fáil ranks, with John McGuinness saying the government should not rule out selling its Aer Lingus stake to IAG – in contrast to the party’s official stance.Transport spokesperson Timmy Dooley later took to Twitter to say his colleague was merely “expressing a personal view“.
What the others are saying
In case you missed it
On the tweet machine
One Senator aimed a less than complimentary pun at Enda Kenny.
Originally published: 9am
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Party based voting is a perversion of the democratic process. It should be illegal to force a TD to vote a certain way. They are supposed to represent their constituents views.
They are elected on a party platform as opposed to their own views. Therefore its reasonable to assume that most people voting for them are also voting on the party platform. It would then be wrong for them to suddenly decide that they don’t want to represent that platform. If that’s what they want they should go as an independent before the electorate.
There’s nothing wrong with party based voting, per se. It’s party based speaking time in the Dáil that’s the problem. The smaller your party, the less time you have to speak. If you’re an independent, you’re screwed unless you put together a technical group.
Is the catholic church or the government running this country ?
Or in other words ‘Is the catholic church or the government RUINING this country?
We have no idea how much the catholic church runs the government. Any politician that is catholic could face excommunication on these matters. Thats the gun being held to their head.Do we really want to live in a state run by an organisation without credibilty. This is a fight to the death for the catholic church. They see their power slipping away.
Since all the Sunday collections have nearly stopped the Fs (FG/FF) have directed larger amounts of tax payers money into church controlled charities (Ruhama, Immigrants Council of Ireland…).
Those charities in turn use their citizen paid PR departments to push church policy from an ‘independent’ advocacy position. The local TD gets to cut the ribbon at the next charity event, they get elected for ‘doing good for the community’ (non-church groups don’t have a chance) with the aid of the few votes the church can muster.
The whip ensures that there is no free vote and the church/government policy/finance/vote loop is closed.
There should be no obfuscation or waffling on this matter. We need to legislate with safeguards for all. Its a disgrace that we have, after all this time, exported our problems abroad as if it never happens. Typically Irish solution to an Irish problem, stick our heads in the sand and hope it goes away. We need “Savita” legislation now.
We need to legislate with safeguards for all…………………what in all that’s holy could this mean?
Meanwhile over 4,000 women still travel to the UK, it’s really time we face the reality instead of continuing to stick our heads in a sandbox
Another insult to our intelligence by the masters, Fine Gael. They haven’t the nerve to vote as a party on the matter after Savitas death,so are hoping to weasel around it with a free vote.
Don’t believe me? Where was Shatter calling for a free vote back in April on the same matter?
“an insult to our intelligence”…….mmmmmmm?
Has the Dáil ever had a free vote recently, it must be one of the world’s most whipped parliaments.
Any TD who votes no is blocking the democratic will of the people. No TD should even countenance voting no.
In terms of abortion in general, I don’t think parties should have policies other than a commitment to hold referenda or not. That said, every candidate should state the way they would vote on such matters before the election.
Dame Edna has said NO.
A free vote for all TDs is essential. Otherwise we will have a dictatorship headed by Dictator Enda!
Some say that the Supreme Court decision on the X case is probably incorrect and unconstitutional. If true why has the Expert Committee of Advisers not recommended a review of the X case before recommending legislation.FG gave a or election commitment that it would NOT legislate for abortion.It is now doing so. FG has adopted the policies of the Labour Party on abortion. If the government do not reassess its position FG will be wiped out at the next election. Remember the VAT on children’s shoes! Sad!
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