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Poll: Does the presidential election matter?

The presidential election has been dominating our media for weeks – but how much does it really matter? Have your say in our poll…

COUNTING IS NOW well under way for the 2011 presidential election, which has dominated the media for the last few weeks and even months.

Many have argued that the president has the power to inspire the nation, to represent Ireland’s interests abroad, and to make key decisions on Oireachtas legislation.

However the office has little direct political power and many of the president’s capacities – such as addressing the Dáil – can only be carried out with approval from the government.

So today we’re asking: Does the presidential election matter?


Poll Results:

No - the president is largely a figurehead (892)
Yes - but not as much as the election hype would have you believe (784)
Yes - the choice of who holds the presidency is very important (729)
I don't know (22)

Follow the 2011 presidential election count liveblog >

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44 Comments
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    Mute Oliver Cleary
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    Mar 12th 2024, 10:54 AM

    All the “Hamas” bots seem to be missing when it comes to denouncing Islamists when it comes to kidnapping of Women and Children. Double standards from the left and Islamic ideologies.

    Hope international attention leads to the children and women being found. Thanks Journal for highlighting it.

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Mar 12th 2024, 11:01 AM

    @Oliver Cleary: I don’t think you’ll find anyone that supports such actions.

    Nice try at deflection, though.

    No, care to condemn Israel’s crimes against humanity?
    Crimes it has been committing since it first stole the homeland of the Palestinian.

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    Mute Oliver Cleary
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    Mar 12th 2024, 11:03 AM

    @ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: I’ll engage when you use your real name. Stop hiding behind a pseudonym. You do not merit honest discussion because you are in essence dishonest

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Mar 12th 2024, 11:46 AM

    @Oliver Cleary: What you mean you find yourself unable to condemn Israel’s crimes against humanity.

    Why does any pseudonym prevent you from doing that?

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    Mute Etcher
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    Mar 12th 2024, 12:59 PM

    @ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: “since it first stole the homeland of the Palestinian” showed your cards there, you obviously have zero understanding of the conflict

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Mar 12th 2024, 3:06 PM

    @Etcher: @Etcher: What do I not understand?

    If people claiming to be descendants of Irish who left these shores long ago illegally moved back here, established terrorist groups, attacked us, drove us out of our homes, off our lands and out of our towns and villages, attacked and overthew our government and established their own state here, then what would be different about what the colonial Israeli settler has done to the Palestinian?

    And what do you think we would do about it?

    And wouldn’t we be right?

    Now would you like to tell us your understanding?

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    Mute Sun Rise
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    Mar 12th 2024, 10:35 AM

    It is not cool enough to be seen to be concerned about what happens in Nigeria.

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    Mute F Fitzgerald
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    Mar 12th 2024, 12:43 PM

    @Sun Rise: Since when? It’s a scandal that they can’t protect their schoolchildren. Similar happened in Italy years ago, it was rife. All for money mostly.

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    Mute Etcher
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    Mar 12th 2024, 12:58 PM

    @Sun Rise: What a dump of a country

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Mar 12th 2024, 7:27 PM

    @Etcher: There aren’t that many books available here that give an insight into life in Nigeria, or West Africa even.

    But an author that does have a few books on the shelves is Oyinkan Braithwaite, and her novel My Sister, the Serial Killer is worth the read.

    But this is based in a city (Lagos perhaps, I can’t remember), and does not touch on rural Nigerian life, much less the life of those in the northern parts that are subject to much of this terrorism.

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Mar 12th 2024, 11:47 AM

    You have to admire these brave Jihadists on their dangerous military operations. One of the school children might throw their schoolbag at them, causing scratches!

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Mar 12th 2024, 5:14 PM

    @Brian Hunt: As brave as the Israelis, would you say?

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    Mute Tilal Moore
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    Mar 12th 2024, 1:19 PM

    Horrendous for these children & their families. Hope they are reunited soon & not abused or trafficked, like the 14 year who went missing from Tulsa

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