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THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS have hit out at Fine Gael at the party’s final press conference ahead of Friday’s general election.
Speaking outside the gates of Leinster House today, Róisín Shortall said: “It’s important to point out the fact that Fine Gael have never been re-elected to government in this country, and there is a reason for that.”
The former junior health minister accused the senior coalition partner of creating a “divided society” while in power.
Meanwhile, during last night’s leaders’ debate on RTÉ the Taoiseach appeared to admit, for the first time, appointing John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Speaking to reporters today, Enda Kenny said: “The appointment was a line appointment, which I took responsibility for in the Dáil and the appointment was the line appointment by a minister.”
Referring to this and other issues – such as garda whistleblowers and the resignation of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinnan – Shortall said: “There has been umpteen examples of where the Taoiseach has been tested and he has been found wanting.
He has only done the right thing when he has had no choice because public opinion has got to such a pitch that he has had to back down on what he’s been proposing to do.
Labour pains
At this point, the party’s joint-leader Catherine Murphy said: “The lack of accountability when something like [the McNulty appointment] happens really drives people nuts.”
Shortall also criticised her former party, saying she is “not especially surprised” to see Labour performing poorly in opinion polls, adding it will likely be a “difficult” election for them.
“When people elect a party they expect them to follow through on their promises, and that unfortunately hasn’t happened with the Labour party.”
Shortall and Murphy both denied the SocDems’ policies lack substance, saying their manifesto is costed and sets out a clear plan for the next 10 years.
When asked about the possibility of a Fianna Fáil, Renua, Labour and SocDem coalition, Shortall said such a combination would be “strange”.
“We’re not interested in more of the same. We will only consider participating in a government if that government is going to bring the country in a new direction” she added.
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Smart woman.
There’s a reason that only three leaders of Soc Dems are expected to get elected – it’s because of the massive drop off in quality of candidate after that.
I respect all three leaders but he candidate they chose in my constituency is a former Labour hack. Maybe it’s not their fault – they may not have had much to choose from but despite the polish and intellect of Donnelly and the bravery and integrity of Murphy, they seem half baked this time around.
I really hope they can improve and introduce new blood next time – fresh people not failed cast offs from other parties.
They left it too late to form up, Brinster. The fact they couldn’t find a candidate in all of Cork city and County (almost 500k people) doesn’t say much for them.
I would have voted for them if they did.
Which constituency is that brinster? They have an excellent candidate running in Dublin Mid West where I live.
They have no candidate in Louth. I wanted to vote for them.
Same as that the bull
None in Clare or Kerry either
A good reason why we also need a list system of some kind. Not all TDs elected from the local area but some from a national list. In effect you would have two votes. How you determine who gets on the national list I have yet to work out!
Ken Curtin in East Cork.
@ For Connolly
Not Dublin Mid West – have nothing against their candidate there who I’d wish the best of luck too.
I’m hoping my current opinion of the candidate in my own constituency will be proved wrong and if they stay active they’ll run in the locals. Didn’t name it because I’m aware it could be my own prejudice so might be being unfair.
@ Reg
I agree that we need two types of TD.
Half who act and represent the current constituencies (maybe 2 per constituency) and then half who are either provincially or nationally elected, who then concentrate on national matters. Too much of a TD’s time is consumed with hyper-local matters which they need to attend to in order to get re-elected.
Relieving them of this would also mean we could elect national TDs who work well cross party – meaning we might actually get proper reform through.
The complete lack of bi- or multi- partisan committees keeps politics in this country petty and counterproductive,
Connolly – I think he’s referring to Dublin South Central.
No candidate in Tipperary.
@ForConnolly Limerick county I assume. The candidate there is James Heffernan a former Labour senator, he seems decent enough in my opinion though. At least he has experience in the Seanad.
No candidate in Tipp either
Luke….Ken Curtin is running for the Social Democrats in Cork East.
You could say that about most parties. Who do Renua have running of note apart from Lucinda? Some of SF’s candidates (after Pearse, Gerry and Mary-lou) sound like they need to go back to school and as for AAA, apart from Boyd-Barrett and possible Higgins, they’re all fecking useless
People have short memories. It keeps happening. 70s, 80s and 90s. FF ruin the country then FG get elected to clean up the mess. Just as things start to improve ( and starts to turn around but not fast enough) they vote back in FF and the same cycle happens again.
@ ‘greg’: Why are you copy and pasting your posts?
http://www.thejournal.ie/profile/280411/people-short-memories-4814059/
“Greg Kelly 32 minutes ago
People have short memories. It keeps happening. 70s, 80s and 90s. FF ruin the country then FG get elected to clean up the mess. Just as things start to improve ( and starts to turn around but not fast enough) they vote back in FF and the same cycle happens again.”
Well Greg, that says more for fg policy than anything else could. Generally, people are not complaining about how fast we recover, they’re complaining about who pays for this “recovery” and who reaps the reward with fg in power. Enda promised to clean up Irish politics. This has been shown to be thus far the biggest political lie in 21st century Ireland.
FC, part of that other post was in relation to the Soc Dems pal!
BTW love how you copy and paste a post beginning “People have short memories.”
Perhaps any TD who acts in a national position. Ie: previous ministers should have to be elected nationally.
Ken Curtain is running for them in East Cork Luke. He’ll get my No1. I don’t give 2nd or 3rd preferences
Good
Roisin Shorthall is a conviction politician, who stood up for her principles. Her new Party represents some of the most significant alternatives in the sameness that is the land of Fianna Gael. I believe something in their message has struck a chord and they will outperform expectations.
Their very name, Social Democrats, means a Democracy that works for the good of society. Give me a slice of that please. I’m fed up of eating Chumocracy Cake…
http://trickstersworld.com/2016/02/23/the-reformation-will-not-be-televised/
I think the media and political commentators are completely under-estimating how well they will do
They’re only running 14 candidates, I think they are significantly underestimating how well they will do!
When people talk about them you generally hear, “I’d vote for them, if they had a candidate in my constituency”. Hopefully they can do well in this election and grow into a viable alternative in the future.
They are building for the future and who knows, if a rainbow coalition forms it may not be too long before another election and they can run more candidates. Please, if you would like to vote SocDems but do not have a candidate then ask that friends of yours who do have a candidate in their constituency to ensure they get elected. Madness is to keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome… Its time for a change so let’s start now.
Would happily vote SD but no candidate running iin my constituency. They will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years as long as they don’t go into an ill advised coalition and blow their load prematurely if you pardon the metaphor.
Concentrate on progressive growth as a party and select quality candidates of merit and they will fly!
They will sell out to Fine Gael as usual.
People need to vote for a left party that is bound to not go into government as junior partner.
When does the media blackout kick in?? And any chance we could extend it by a few weeks next time around?
If you jump around parties enough chances are you’ll get into government twice Róisín.
If you like media blackouts that much, feel free to go live in North Korea for a while and report back.
People have short memories. It keeps happening. 70s, 80s and 90s. FF ruin the country then FG get elected to clean up the mess. Just as things start to improve ( and starts to turn around but not fast enough) they vote back in FF and the same cycle happens again.
Its refreshing to see Soc Dems though and they have good people and I would like to see them featured in a government to have a nice balance. But would they end up like greens, pds and Labour?
“Oh noes!!! Someone made a joke on teh interweb ..I better get all offended!!!” Ya spanner!!!
And Fine Gael try to drag the country backwards to when the aristocracy ruled and they get booted out…
Rosin is a bit of a sleveen, jumped ship to save her own neck, if she wanted to make changes she could have stayed and fought but no, she was aware of the perilous state of this country, it’s a wonder she did not have an issue prior to the election and regarding FG never getting re-elected that’s because of peoples short memories and the pervasiveness in the psyche of this country with FF, she should remember no labour party or any of the smaller parties would get elected not to mind re-elected only for them to prostrate themselves in front of the leading large party at the time preceding the formation of a government, so I say to the social Democrats be careful what you wish for……… a party of skirt and no knickers.
Its called having principles doc. We wouldn’t expect you, or any of the rest of the ‘whats in it for me’ party, to understand.
It’s funny, I always get about 5 words into one of Docs posts and find myself reading it in Enda Kennys voice.
Stop whinging Andrew :)
Ah Doc, had to read that three times to get the Enda Kenny effect :p
People of a political persuasion knew what to expect, and we got it.
Child poverty doubling, as did the number of millionaires i.e. the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer
Cronyism
A complete contempt and lack of compassion for the most vulnerable.
Tax cuts benefitting the haves and have mores the most, with a raft of new taxes and charges which regressively hit the pooest the hardest.
Incidentally, its not just FG. Labour have been junior partner in government 8 times, and have turned their back on their core vote every single time. Its just much more noticible this time around due to the extremely unjust way FG are hitting people.
Hopefully the new politcial awareness and activism in our state marches to the ballot box on Friday, with the same gusto we have marched against this sham of a government.
Roll on the GE!!
and the shinners never got in and never even got close :D
Now why do shinnerbots love CSO figures…
Except for the CSO figures showing a booming economy and the lowest unemployment rate in 7 years…
Care to answer James Connolly?
You ever get tired of these come-all-ye statements you make non-stop?
If Lab turned their back on their core vote 8 times, why did you support them for so long? (according to you)
Large pinch of salt required with everything chief shinnerbot FC says
FC never supported Lab in the first place. All part of his cock and bull story to try and entice Lab supporters to SF over the years on here.
Hi Diarmuid
I read today and I quote from your great leader, the one and only Enda Kenny:
Kenny warned that the recovery is “fragile”
So, our booming economy is fragile is it? Are you saying great leader is wrong or are you wrong ’cause one of you is.
There’s a lie at the heart of Fine Gael policy.
i.e. That economic recovery will benefit all citizens.
In theory it should but as in Thatcher’s Britain the reality is completely different. It only benefits the wealthy.
And the privatization of state services forces the working class to subsidize the rich in their capitalist endeavours secure in the knowledge that when their ventures ultimately fail as they inevitably will the working class will be there to carry the can.
Fine Gael will never create a Republic based on true egalitarian principles.
The very notion is anathema to these Tories in disguise.
Vote them out NOW while you have the chance.
She’s 100% right though. Fine Gael have NEVER,EVER been re-elected by us. Not even once in their ninety year history have they been given a second term by the Irish People.
THEY ARE TORIES – - WE ARE NOT… and they fail to grasp this very basic premise.
An example of this should be shown on “Apres Match” tonight on RTE, It’s doing a satirical sketch on the ’82 election and should show why Fine Gael lost out by attempting to put VAT on Children’s shoes !!,
How petty and TORY is that ??
It doesn’t take people long to realise how little respect they have for the citizens. They think we are all peasants.
Fg,lab,do not deserve to be in government.
I bet Roisin gets her old job back as junior minister for health by supporting FG in government Would make good junior minister This time try to stay in job for more than one year
I would say they hope to double there seats. I think they are only running 14 people with an eye to 5 years down the line or when the next government falls apart.
Check out Irishelectionstats.com, they are predicting that Labour will win only 5 seats, although if you go through the constituencies, only 3 candidates are named:
Wexford: Brendan (Enda’s Little Rotweiler) Howlin
Kildare North: Emmet Stagg
Louth: Ged Nash
Now I don’t believe things will be quite that bad for Labour, but wouldn’t it be wonderful!
interesting article, she is right there is a reason why no FG govt has ever been returned. John Bruton remarks about the “witch hunt” against bankers in a way sums them up perfectly.
In this dail they have whitewashed the banking inquiry, the fennelly report, added the promissory note to our national debt, further screwed up the health system.
Most of the grassroots are decent honorable people however their leaders at the top are morally flexible and their stance tends to change before and after election. Like the far left they cannot be trusted.
SF i have some time for but i hope they do not succeed in this election, government in this dail is going to be a poisoned chalice I fully expect there to be 2 elections this year.
Roisin Shortall is generally a principled woman. Which makes it difficult to understand why, after her exposure of Reilly’s chicanery, she voted confidence in him !
for the same reason I never lost a confidence vote in the dail
““We’re not interested in more of the same. We will only consider participating in a government if that government is going to bring the country in a new direction” she added.”
fine Roison. But what are the red-line issues for the SD’s in any potential coalition? What is non-negotiable for you?
This needs to be out there with a hung dail on the way.
She also neglects to inform us of the reasons why FF governments have got re-elected in the past.
Donnelly won’t be seeing Finance, that’s for sure. And she won;t be seeing Health either. So what possible use could they be to any government except for making up the numbers and propping them up?
They have a very strong policy on political corruption involving a monitoring / policing agency much as in the Australian system. They also, I feel sure never get into the business of cancelling medical cards for the most seriously ill children in the state as the crypto fascist FG Labour clowns seem proud of having done to “save the economy…”
Roisin shortall is running in my area and I will be giving her my first preference, only party that has grabbed my attention
Does Gerry Adams have any grasp of economics? Gerry thinks he can spend the same fiver 15 times.
SF economics is give everybody loads of free money and when they spend the money they will create employment, workers pay tax and the country gets richer.
Problem solved. Give everybody free money.
I don’t think that’s strictly true Tom, just the usual overly simplistic attempt to ridicule the opposition…
Some people can see that it’s bullshit but some will just believe it. Some might go on to reiterate it, like talking heads, without any real understanding to back up their claims, in the pub or on the comments section of a popular online news outlet.
I think you might be one of the latter, Tom..
“When people elect a party they expect them to follow through on their promises, and that unfortunately hasn’t happened with the Labour party.”
Yes Roisin a tissue of lies you campaigned on and supported for 18 months. She has some neck, she may not be a Traitor party member anymore but she definitely still sounds like one.
She’d still be there if FG had shafted Reilly (as they should have done) instead of Lab shafting her.
That said, I still like her a lot.
Hence the rise in Fianna Fail’s standing in the polls “Yeah they wrecked the country but I still like them a lot.”
Is that how you think about SF Les? I know Adams was head bottle washer in the IRA but I still l like him?
This is how I feel about all dishonest politicians.
So if I criticize Shortall then that must mean I’m a Shinner? You really need to cop onto yourself Jane, get out into the world it might help you broaden that arrow viewpoint you hold.
Les I thought I read a comment of your the other day where you said you were voting SF. If I’m wrong I apologise.
The party of social climbers wannabes and yuppies. The proof is in the pudding every time.
Got anything else to contribute other than badly-worded cliche?
badly——worded?
I only wish Roisin Shorthall was in my constituency. She’s just a lady of conviction and no fudging issues…….too good for the current labour party
Yet Roisín, when interviewed on RTE Radio One’s The Late Debate stated
“Nothing is a red line issue for us”
Basically implying there would be no policy impediment to someone, in this instance FG, giving her a Ministerial seat in exchange for SocDem support.
I wish the SocDems well, but ‘new politics’ they certainly are not.
Oran Joyce—– Well Said !
Shorthall still upset that she did not become minister for health. A massive ego in need of massaging.
Amazing how often they jump ship wasn’t Mary loser Mcdonald once in ff
McDonald thought that it would be easier to make leader when the competition’s intelligence is on par with a tree or a flower.
And you were a member of FG for how long roisin?
hmm my mistake shes ex-labour still think its highly hypocritical of her and doubt she’d be saying it she had gotten her way over reilly
Ian, RoisIn was never a member of Fine Gael.?? Where did you get that?
Although I have time for SD, the fact that Stephen Donnelly voted for the eviction bill puts me off voting for them…
You will never have a perfect party or candidate but that crossed the line in my eyes..
Rosin .. Grey Vote Alliance will boycott ANY party that takes the LPT on Family Homes from pensioners Medical Expenses Refunds when they cant keep up the tax payments (like FG, Labour and FF) .. true … ask Revenue.
Progressive fair moderate and with consent taxes acceptable to fund public services .. NOT regressive taxes imposed, without consent, no allowance for inability to pay, no right of appeal or exemptions. Think again SocDems.
Does Coyne have a chance in DSC?
Most likely no, but 2% 1st preferences nationally is the magic number for the SocDems so they can get election funding next time out. So while giving Liam a no1 might not see him elected, it could see the SocDems much stronger next time and able to mount a more nationwide campaign. Likewise Renua.
scary looking ugly Roisin will be happy to to see this one re elected then !. She ran away when tough decisions had to be be made for the country,took easy option way out.
Brendan, would one of those “tough decisions” that Roisin refused to go along with have been the abomination of taking medical cards from a small group of very sick and dying children so that the money “saved” could be used to give a larger number of medical cards to under 6 year old children who did not need them but whose parents would see the government in a more positive light and so (in the sick minds of the cabinet ministers) be more willing to vote for them! Roisin Shorthal left the morally bankrupt, cynical, inhuman wreckage that was the FG / LAB cabinet simply to retain her integruity as a rational being.
Stephen Donnelly should have featured more in the debates from what I saw of him in the claire byrne one I was impressed. The rest of the children were bickering and talking spin where donnelly was talking logic. His clear political strategy outshined all the waffle.
The Irish people aren’t fussy people, we know very well that the govt can’t honour every single promise.
All we want is a half decent government that’s the antithesis of the previous govt.
It would have nothing to do with the fact that they usually come into government just after Fianna Fail and their buddies have wrecked the place and a period of fiscal rectitude had to take place? The last time, in 2011, they really outdid themselves and now they’re rising in the polls? Utterly utterly strange.
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