Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Can Sinn Féin bounce back from Cork East controversy?

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening in Irish politics right now…

Updated: 12.03pm

DO YOU WANT State of the Nation delivered to your inbox every morning at 9.30am? Sign-up to our email alert at the bottom of this story.

Everyone’s talking about…

Sinn Féin has defended its decision to expel one councillor and suspend another in Cork East following an internal review.

Sinn Fein Dail Scenes Sandra McLellan, Gerry Adams and Pádraig McLoughlin Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

In a statement, the party said it “stands over the review and its recommendations”, which saw Cobh-based county councillor Kieran McCarthy expelled and Mallow-based Melissa Mullane suspended for one year.

There had been tensions in the constituency when both councillors declared interest in running for the Dáil, putting sitting TD Sandra McLellan’s future in doubt as a result.

As the review was taking place, an anonymous blog, ‘An Rebel Óg’, strongly criticised McLellan’s performance as a TD.

In its statement, Sinn Féin noted: “Since the contention has been repeatedly made in the public arena, the party wishes to state that the decisions regarding both councillors were NOT taken in relation to any expressed or implied intention to contest election conventions.”

sf cllrs

McCarthy compared his expulsion to being stabbed in the back, but the party wants to draw a line under the issue as it continues general election preparations.

There was another twist in the tale this morning when it emerged the entire membership of the party’s cumann in Fermoy tendered their resignations.

Support for Sinn Féin has steadily grown in recent times, but the party dropped one point in the latest Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes to 19%, placing it behind Fianna Fáil – which now has a 21% approval rating.

The party will want to move on from this issue as soon as possible, but the latest development means this story hasn’t yet run its course.

The agenda

  • The banking inquiry will have another busy day with John McCarthy, Chief Economist at the Department of Finance, appearing at 9am, Kevin Cardiff, former Secretary General at the Department of Finance, meeting the committee for the second time at 11.30am, and William Beausang, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Finance, answering questions at 3.30pm.
  • Social Protection Minister Joan Burton will answer questions at 9.30am.
  • Taoiseach Enda Kenny and junior health minister Kathleen Lynch will launch ‘Connecting for Life’, the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention in Ireland 2015-2020, at Farmleigh House at 9.40am.

  • Representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will meet the Justice Committee at 10am to discuss global resettlement needs.
  • TDs will debate the following bills from 10.45am onwards:

Communications Regulation (Postal Service) (Amendment) Bill 2015

National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015 (Seanad) -

Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) (Amendment) Bill 2014 (Seanad) 

Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 (Seanad)

  • Leaders’ Questions will take place at noon.
  • Children’s Minister James Reilly and Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan will attend the launch of Comhairle na nÓg’s mental health and well-being programme of events, Let’s Go Mental at the Science Gallery, Trinity College, at 12.30pm.
  • Senators will debate consumer protection at 12.45pm and petroleum exploration at 3pm.
  • The Dáil will vote on Fianna Fáil’s credit union motion after a debate from 7.30pm-9pm.

Inside Leinster House

There were heated scenes during Leaders’ Questions as Paul Murphy accused Michael Noonan of ‘stabbing the Greek people in the chest’ during debt deal talks. The Finance Minister has since said his comments at a meeting of eurozone ministers were misrepresented.

What the others are saying

  • The coalition is concerned about a spike in migrants coming to Ireland, reports the Irish Times.
  • The same paper notes that Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick has said he might run under a different political banner in the general election.
  • A number of publications report that Communications Minister Alex White has said former Tánaiste Michael McDowell was “chancing his arm” when he said new media ownership guidelines should be imposed retrospectively.

In case you missed it

On the Twitter machine

A nice day out in Sligo…

Read: ‘The last thing the government wants to see is Greece get a better deal than they could’

Read: Out with the old: Bertie’s office sold to fund Fianna Fáil’s election campaign

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
71 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Big bad bull
    Favourite Big bad bull
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 1:59 PM

    I need some sun and 15 degrees would do!!

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute FlopFlipU
    Favourite FlopFlipU
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 2:23 PM

    @Big bad bull: yes and a boat

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Etherman
    Favourite Etherman
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:20 PM

    Excellent result. Red warning worked well with a very positive public response. No major incident or anyone hurt in Galway during the storm.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Wiggy Wigsters Fitness
    Favourite Wiggy Wigsters Fitness
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 2:33 PM

    A slight breeze and it’s panic buying in shops lol

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
    Favourite Thomas O' Donnell
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 6:06 PM

    @Wiggy Wigsters Fitness: 130km/h is a slight breeze?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Angela Godfrey Maher
    Favourite Angela Godfrey Maher
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 10:58 PM

    Why cant they build canals or aqueducts to 5ake away the water or even irrigation like the ancients did . I cannot understand why .I feel so sorry for the people in th the West they have been Battered ? Please somebody come up with a proactive solution to solve this on going crisis .❤❤❤

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 8:02 PM

    I dare not ask where they are, bearing in mind that they are about 20 minutes drive from my house here in Dublin

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Brandon
    Favourite Jimmy Brandon
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:01 PM

    The met office idiots should all be sacked.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:09 PM

    @Jimmy Brandon: For what? Predicting correctly that high wind and rain were due across Ireland, and especially on the Atlantic coast, over the last few days?

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe
    Favourite Joe
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:13 PM

    @Jimmy Brandon: why? What did they get wrong?

    39
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Brandon
    Favourite Jimmy Brandon
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:38 PM

    @Joe: predicting snow for the last 2 months on east coast. Have not seen any this year. A monkey in the zoo could predict wind and rain on the west coast as it is almost a daily event.
    Incompetent bunch of idiots.sack them all.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny B
    Favourite Johnny B
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 4:03 PM

    @Jimmy Brandon: you ok hun?

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Jimmy Brandon: True.

    I guess that the white stuff on the hills on 3 Rock Mountain and Kippure was painted on Evelyn Cusack and Michael Cleary, while the cold white bits falling from the sky were drips from their brushes and that Sally Gap was closed to motorists to help cover up the conspiracy.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Brandon
    Favourite Jimmy Brandon
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 6:14 PM

    @David Walsh: none of the areas you mention are on the east coast. So you are also an idiot.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds