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SINN FÉIN HAS never been more popular in the Republic.
The party regularly achieves above 20% in opinion polls – placing it neck-and-neck, or sometimes more popular, than Fine Gael – the largest party in the state and, of course, the senior government partner.
Gerry Adams and co have repeatedly said they’re not necessarily vying for a place in cabinet, but one eye is certainly fixed on becoming an even more dominant player in Leinster House.
So, is the party ready for its role in the next Dáil – be it in power or opposition?
The ‘broken calculator’
Sinn Féin has repeatedly been criticised for its approach to economics – with Fine Gael, in particular, taking every opportunity they can to poke holes in, and fun at, the party’s mathematical ability.
Pearse Doherty, the party’s finance spokesperson, and others have repeatedly rejected claims that Sinn Féin pre-budget submission doesn’t add up – noting it has been fully costed.
Currently, the Department of Finance costs individual budget measures for opposition parties, but there is no facility for analysing the cumulative effect of budget measures and how they would impact on the economy.
When Doherty spoke to us about how the party would recoup the money lost by abolishing water charges, the Department of the Environment were critical, saying: “Yet again Sinn Féin’s calculator isn’t working.”
In an interview with TheJournal.ie last month, party leader Adams said he didn’t need to be good at maths as he’s “good as politics”.
Abuse
Moving on from the economy, the party received a lot of negative publicity in recent times over how it handled the Mairia Cahill case.
Cahill said she was raped by a prominent member of the IRA when she was 16, and later forced to face him in a kangaroo court.
There was lengthy cross-party debate on the issue in November, with plenty of TDs lining up to take aim at Sinn Féin.
Junior Minister Gerald Nash said that by continuing to support Adams, members of Sinn Féin make a “visible mockery of their crocodile concerns”.
In February, Adams told us the accusation that there was a cover-up of abuse within the party was a “scurrilous smear”.
We asked him if he considered resigning over the issue:
Adams said “a huge injustice was done to Mairia Cahill”, adding he had given gardaí the names of alleged IRA sex offenders thought to have been moved to the Republic – but declined to disclose how many.
Opinion polls showed a slight dip in Adams’ popularity following the controversy. However, the party’s support level has remained relatively unscathed.
Sit-in
The day after the abuse debate, the Dáil was adjourned after Mary Lou McDonald staged a four-hour sit-in. Sinn Féin’s deputy leader made the stand (for want of a better phrase) after Joan Burton failed to answer certain questions about Irish Water.
Many labelled the protest a stunt, given its timing – something McDonald was quick to deny.
Jean McConville
Adams’ four-day detention in Antrim by police investigating the IRA abduction and murder of Jean McConville in 1972 was deemed by many in the party as politically-motivated.
Regardless, Sinn Féin had great results in the local and European elections later that month. Speaking following his release, Adams said he was innocent of any involvement in the murder of McConville.
Despite all of the controversy, the party continues to go from strength to strength.
Last summer Eoin Ó Broin, an economic advisor to Sinn Féin and councillor in Clondalkin, said the party was “nowhere near ready” to go into government but added there was time to “get ready” before the next election.
And that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.
This weekend is the party’s opportunity to cement the gains it has made, in what could be its last national conference before the general election. They’ll also have the opportunity to confirm their policy on a number of contentious issues such as abortion.
Speaking on Morning Ireland today, Doherty and several other members of Sinn Féin said the party would not make the same “mistake” as Labour: going in as a junior coalition partner. If in power, they want to be the senior partner – pure and simple.
Otherwise, the plan is to remain a major opposition player.
In January, Adams said the current government is “on its last legs” and Sinn Féin is ready for power – as soon as the public gives it to them.
Is that time now imminent?
Originally published: 6.04am
Follow @orlaryan and @TJ_Politics for updates from the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Derry this weekend.
I honestly dont think Sinn Fein want to be in power. Their increase in popularity is partly down to saying no to everything and basically opposing anything the government does or suggests. Easy to do when you’re sitting on opposition benches. Not so easy to do when you’re running a country and have to balance the books
Beyond the two or three key personalities, Sinn Fein have a serious lack of in depth talent. If they were to take a position in government who would fill the fifteen or so ministerial/junior ministerial roles. O’Snodaigh can barely string a couple of coherent words together and there quite a few like him who aren’t much better there at the moment.
At least SF won’t be hiring professional advisers.
No one with qualifications or experience could convert their hair-brained populist policies into practical actions without causing serious damage to whatever area of responsibility they were hired to advise on.
They don’t want to be in government.
They have already stated that they would only be in government if they were the largest party. That’s not going to happen after the next general election.
What’s funny is you see right now people saying it as it is. 8.24am the normal Sf supporter has not lifted head out of bed yet
That’s a real fear I have, johngahan. If SF made it to government, it would have to fill those advisors roles with it’s supporters, many of whom would be long term members of SF (I.e. before their recent austerity bounce) & individuals on the fringes of communities. While I could get around to trusting the team around Doherty and even Mary-Lou, the core supporters of Ferris, o’Snodaigh and Adams are a different kettle of fish.
He has got the tools to print
When SF do get into power imagine if they got access to the justice department… would be great fun to see the files they have on themselves i’m sure… ‘oh look i was in the IRA after all’.
Charles, that is such a really ridiculous statement!! And I take serious offence! Rethink your attitude please, what makes you think that we wouldn’t be up at this time, going to a normal job or uni or volunteering or doing whatever any other party’s supporters do!
Hangovers..they’re still in bed… students who vote SF now – will get sense when they are in full-time employment, everyone has been there – radical student to pragmatist usually takes about five years post third level.
We need the H.S.B.C 350 list before the people decide ……
Then we will have a different landscape ….
Beano… Your comment is at 64 red thumbs and 250 green thumbs (8.50am). Lets see if the stereotype about SF supporters rising later than others is based on truth. Will the red thumbs increase as the day goes on! Check back in about 4 or 5 hours!
I am a republican but I am not in Sinn Fein – now go figure that one girls and boys – and not FF , FG , or Lab either – no political Party in fact…….
Johnny Five – is that all ye have 250 – after the party conference in Castlebar and 250 is all you have for you social media campaign – I smile at such weak armies of untruth and think “chickenfeed “…
Are Labour going to use Tony Blair’s P.R. company and design team from New Labour again ? such similarities and they think we do not see !
Classy avatar
SF could be the largest party in a coalition – the only problem is that it would be a coalition of about 7 different parties.
I don’t think you are a republican, hermes, by any other definition. Maybe a supporter of a Marxist monarchy state, or maybe some strange pro-nationalist semi-religious cult to overthrow the elected representatives, but, no, I don’t think you understand what a republic is. Answer this question: Ireland is currently a republic, do you want to dismantle this system to one you would prefer? If you answered yes, you are not a republican.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8yY7taxio4
above is why I am never voting Fine Gael again – how can one support such violent thugs ?
Mark – what are you afraid of – the more ideas the closer to the correct solution ….
“At least SF won’t be hiring professional advisers.”
That is exactly what I hope they WOULD do, if we’re going to have them running the country. There’s something to be said for knowing your limitations and taking advice tto fill the gaps.
Alien8 – Ireland is no longer a Republic …..
The first rule of the Republic is that its leaders must not be sell out merchants to maintain the greed of the few !
A Marxist monarchy – there can be no such thing !
A republic is very simple and is defined in Article 1 of the Irish Constitution – this I believe in firmly and will see before I leave this rock !
Hermes = An Ciarrioch. The giveaway is all the exclamation marks and daft arguments… and an unhealthy obsession with ‘Enda’.
Says Yates,who sits by his keyboard day in day out waiting for a Sinn Fein article! Pot / kettle.
Wrong again Yates ….and I know you hate being wrong ….but at least now I know you are honest and not accessing I.P. addresses like others on here who fully support the Royalist and very Protestant Fine Gael .
Well met sergeant – I am your General !
I am up for ages now ,lads ,boys ,girls,teenagers,daddy’s boy,daddy’s girl ,shills :) #iamwithyougerry #no1sinnfein
Saying no to everything is exactly what FG did and it worked for them
People who are good at populism, not maths, is what this country needs right now.
#Gerry4Taoiseach
The squeeze on SF has started.
And I take it you are happy to be continually shafted by the corrupt and inept politics of the past 50 years. Whipped into obedience and trot off to the polls and vote for more of the same. You make me despair for this country and it’s future.
Orange juice Baz lol.
Who would their junior coalition partner be? FG, FF and Labour all seem pretty dead set against a coalition with SF. It would be pretty humiliating for the outgoing senior partner (FG) to be relegated to junior partner in the space of one election. It would be even more humiliating for the “natural party of government” (FF) to be junior to anyone else.
They could form a government with independent support, but that would be very unstable. At a push, I’d see FG+FF+Lab joining forces.
QQ there for you Johngahan, what is Gerry qualified in???? And the school of life doesn’t count ? And as for your above comment, did you steal a thesaurus of something? What a load of tripe – that means B.S. by they way save you leafing through those pages.
Too many trolls on this one so I’ll have to do one for all.
My dinner rating for these comments is roast chicken served with carrot, gravy, mash and processed peas, washed down with freshly squeezed orange juice.
Well it would seem on the other article. Interview with enda Kenny . he is not good with maths. Claiming he took a 40% pay cut. When that’s impossible since his salary was €217.184 and it is now €185.350. By anyone’s math that’s not 40%. So it would seem our current taoiseach can’t do maths either.
Charles I have been up since 7.45 but having a full time job I like most people have to get there and actually work. I am not a member of any party nor do I do voluntary work or canvass for any party.
Unlike you and several other goon who haunt this site & only seem to have an opinion on SF or Muslims, (how odd is that obsession). I didn’t get a break this morning so I can only comment now. If I were a paid party official like you and others here seem to be I would be posting at 5.00 every morning. So stop your smug presumptions and pigeon-holing people, Did it ever strike you that about 40% of the population work outside of the 9-5 world. Soldiers, guards, nurses, barmen, the restaurant trade, air traffic controllers, taxi drivers. security, hospital doctors, in fact most people in health care, actors, even journalists, printers, truckers, and on and on and on.
Also we have PR STV in this country so it is possible to be a supporter of several parties and none in one election and change totally in the next. Party support as your bosses are discovering is not like a blood type, it changes. Just like job security. Maybe it is time to dust down the old CV, though I doubt ‘spouting my petty prejudices all day long on-line’ is going to impress bosses in the real world. Maybe Duffy’s or Courtney’s are looking for a clown.
Major Ten, thank you for taking over the day shift a chara, I’m exhausted.
As I have pointed out above, I am not now nor ever was a member of any political party. I do not now nor ever have worked as a volunteer or a canvasser for any political party. Can Real FineGaelBot ,Cuppaun Tae, Tap Solney Charles Clown, Grovel Pratt, Oggie, Beano, Mr Goulhoolie, Itchiesac, O’Reilly,Corporal Clot or Sergeant Yeats and all their other alter egos say this? Don’t get me wrong everyone is entitled to express an opinion party or not. I have one account and say what I think & not act like a puppet master with multiple accounts. Make one wonder what you get up to on election day.
Ground Control to Major Ten, nice identification of the non-SF commenters there. You and I are impartial members of the public with no SF agenda or affiliation to the party.
(*wink*)
Using an orgasmatron…?
@yo ten major – remember ur hissy fit? Did you very get over the fact I proved myself right by providing evidence that of all peers – An poblacht was in there. #scoundered for you
Ha..maybe, Johnny, the ” SF supporters” are actually too busy to be checking in on the Journal.ie every few hours..
I’ll emigrate. Maybe I’ll get a job with one of the multinationals that will follow me.
You’re not the only one… Resounding sentiment among the professional people who have emigrated is that they won’t be going back if SF get into government.
I doubt the country will miss you that much
@critical thought. Agree entirely. As a professional / high earner SF has a target on my forehead… I don’t think ppl realise how damaging their policies would be. High earners, leaders and industrialists would depart. The people who keep the country working would be taxed out of the country.
Anyone earning over 100k will be paying almost penal rates of tax to subsidise the Sinn Fein base.
You’ll be in the company of tens of thousands who have had to emigrate because of the policies of FF/FG/Lab then. And the tens of Bn’s of international capital that flowed out of Ireland under the same lot, that has only partly flowed back in to buy Irish property at Dealz prices.
Wake up CT, all is not as Enda and ‘hali’ Burton would have you believe.
Padraig Mac Lochlainn stated that “anyone earning less than 70,000 has nothing to fear”.
Which means they’re going to tax the bejaysus out of anyone who earns 70k or more.
So, if someone spent twenty years building up a business, or spent seven years in university and a further ten years getting experience, look out!!! They don’t like that sort of thing.
Or possibly they’ll just have to pay the same level of taxes as the great unwashed?
Reg I earn over €100k and and will more than likely be voting Sinn Fein come the next election. It’s about not being greedy, it’s about a better society, yes I work bloody hard for my salary but I assure you there is someone out there on minimum wage who works just as hard as I do and is struggling badly and if it means we have to keep the car a year longer so be it, if it means once less restaurant visit so be it. Nobody likes paying taxes but it’s quite clear the current system is unfair and not working so if paying a small but more may help I’m willing to try. As much as Fine Gael and its supporters believe this ‘Sinn Fein will take all your money’ still works it doesn’t and won’t.
How much tax is enough though Thomas?
Thomas, they won’t ask you to pay a “small bit more”, it’ll be a “whole lot more” to pay for abolition of USC, Water Charges, and God knows what else.
No, they’re going to take just about anything they can from you.
Thomas, you may not mind, but having more than half of what you earn taxed at source above a certain amount is wrong. It will seriously affect attracting high calibre jobs and industry to the country. This government have been right to spread the tax base with water charges and property tax. They may have made a balls of doing it but it was ceryainly the right thing to do. I earn nowhere near 100k by the way.
Ehhhhh they emigrated while this shower are in power…what does that say
I honestly don’t think if they do win the election Sinn Fein will come in swinging and tax everyone’s savings investments and ‘high’ salaries in order to abolish water and property tax etc, it will be along the lines of the “not one more red cent” quote they will say these things to be elected but in practise I believe they will simply be reduced over the course of a government lifetime, it may not work, I may change my mind within a week of them being elected but I’m personally at the stage of thinking that what we’re doing is not working, let’s give someone else a chance.
There will be plenty of jobs in the multinational: “Friends of Sinn Féin”.
I made a similar comment in vein yesterday and I was told I wouldn’t be missed. Who wants to live in a country where you are penalised because you studied and worked hard to earn your wage???
I rate the comments here as round steak, chunky chips and a can of Carlsberg
@ Critical thoughts
Don’t be so dramatic. With an educated, hard working population and 12.5% corporate tax rate..those multinationals don’t give a shit who is in power
“With an educated, hard working population”
That’s debatable. Ireland is nothing particularly special.
“12.5% corporate tax rate..those multinationals don’t give a shit who is in power”
Perhaps, but when they start finding it impossible to hire the necessary talent what do you think they are going to do? Already, even in a time of huge unemployment, we have massive skills gaps in the high end tech and finance centre. A combination of a mediocre pubic education system producing a stream of under-qualified graduates who waltz out of college and expect a 30k+ a year job as a given, and taxes which shred to ruins the incomes of those who *are* talented, and have the cheek to earn above the average industrial wage. Sinn Féin’s policies as outlined by SF *themselves* will only make this situation worse.
To answer your question Search Eagle – Ham & Mushroom Vol-au-vent Starter followed by Char-Grilled Fillet Steak 10 oz. served with onions rings and a pepper sauce and to wrap it up with a Real Home-made Apple Pie Served warm with a choice of cream or Ice Cream.
Hi Search Eagle,
To be fair it’s not really debatable. We are educated and we are willing to work.
Still with a “medicore public education” all these apparently over demanding graduates, the multi-nationals keep rockin up to our doorstep. Because why?…12.5%. Fantastic. It’s important though to keep them in check as they land on our shores as working conditions are taking a serious hammering of late with zero hour contracts and hourly rates dropping due to unpaid overtime.
Sinn feiin are probably the only party to keep these companies in check while they are here. The multinationals are gonna make buckets of cash here. We just have to keep them to a working standard defined by ourselves.
As for taxing the higher earners this only closes the gap a little further between the rich and the poor. Never ever a bad thing.
“As for taxing the higher earners this only closes the gap a little further between the rich and the poor. Never ever a bad thing.”
Unless they leave, in which case our (still narrow) tax base collapses (again). Again high earners are already paying in excess of half their income over €35k in taxes, what more do you want? When will you be happy? I’m not even someone who is against a progressive tax system! I just don’t believe the government, particularly the Irish government with its history of waste and largesse, should be helping itself directly to 60% of anyone’s income.
I have never voted SF but I would be willing to give them a shot for two reasons.
1. The current government doesn’t work and obviously hasn’t got the backing of the majority of people. People don’t like Gerry but they don’t respect Enda.
2. If SF go back on their word then we will know the table is rigged and we are well and truly fooked.
Sinn Fein cannot be taken seriously until they at least explain how they will fund the scrapping of USC, water charges and property tax i.e. over €5billion per year. Repeating the mantra “we’ll tax the rich more” doesn’t wash any longer.
Northern Bank pound notes and fivers….l
It wont happen. FG will bring in tax cuts, increase social welfare and the pension, give more medical cards etc in October and all will be forgotten. FF got away with give away budgets for years.
Sinn Fein are the only one of the big four who haven’t proven to us that we were wrong to put them in charge
Give them a chance Thierry and we won’t be long in finding out how bad they actually are. I honestly don’t believe that Sinn Fein want to be in power because as soon as all their flawed economic policies are found out they’d be completely ruined for good and all. It suits them much better to be in opposition in my opinion.
“I have never voted SF but I would be willing to give them a shot for two reasons.”
Are you serious? Whenever I see one of your comments, you’re ferociously defending them. Stop with the “oh well, I’m an unbiased observer” crap when you’re clearly not.
We don’t have to elect them to see their incompetence. Some of them have more prison time than they have time in the Dail. And the crimes were not in relation to abit of fraud around phone expenses. Murder and mayhem in another country. If Brussels doesn’t concede to their views. What will they do. Bomb and shoot them into submission. Kneecap a few MEPs?
Thats what got us in the mess in the first place, FF buying election after election and with our money. .fool me once shame on you….fool me twice shame on me..?
And Paul Carey – How would you scrap them ?
You know well that your Government Parties are going to have to ditch IW to survive anyway and give the service back to Local Councils – where most of The Officials in The Company are employed through anyhow .
I’m with bated breath waiting for you ?
Well the others are 100 percent proven failures big style, Fianna Fáil,labour and “fine mess”
Sounds good Paul, we need a party who isn’t afraid of Brussels bureaucrats
@paul Carey, I agree with that, can’t just vote in sf out of anger at FG and ff. they need to put forward they’re plans for going into gov, they can’t just keep saying “you’ve lost your mandate enda” or mudslinging, need to see they’re layout. Opposing iw and usc and property tax isnt a policy, its a stance.
Kerryman, I am not the one proposing the abolition of those taxes, SF are. We can only scrap them when we can afford to do so…a point lost on you and SF.
How can people be sure they will fail if they never get a chance.
And as I have said the other big parties are proven failures who are publicly loathed. Sinn Fein seem a bit of a no brainier or maybe a geansai load of independents
Paul- Why so are we paying twice over for the water services under the present Government ?
2% of the VAT take and 5% VRT & Car Tax , plus the new Bills that IW will be sending out in April ?
Is that fair to you – a good old FG Supporter ?
Kerryman, and what about USC, how will that be funded when SF scraps it i.e. €4billion per year?
Paul Murphy – Please name the majority of SF TD’s , or Senators , who have had more prison time then time served in Dáil Éireann or in An Seanad please ?
Actual names and factual please ?
Paul – I understood that it is FG/Lab. policy to reduce the USC gradually ?
Please answer the question I asked you previously ?
It’s you usual style of course to never admit an error on your part or to fully answer questions ?
Typical deflection style of FG / Lab.
It says a lot about Irish politics when not even one of the political parties is worth voting for…as usual the party before the people.
@Paul Carey
Paul you have commented a number of times about sf abolishing USC, where did you get this as the only thing I have heard them say repeatably they will abolish is property tax and water charges, FG repeatably publishing rubbish will not get them any votes, very much the opposite.
Laughable, are Sinn Fein now saying that they never said they would abolish USC?? The U turns begin. God help us.
Kerryman, l am still wait for you to answer my original question… How will Sinn Fein pay for the abolition of USC, water charges and property tax?
Mark. Here is some evidence that SF wants to abolish USC from the Shinners website (if that source can be believed)…
http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/20359
Mr Carey, Gerry denies any knowledge of any thing; and if you have information to the contrary, then you should inform the relevant authorities – if they exist; and if not, then go to the real leader, Mary Lou, because she will bully and intimidate until she gets her way – otherwise she’ll have a sit-in.
I cannot support a party that protects child abusers therefore SF are not a option
I don’t see how they will be different to the other parties. Its more promises they cant keep.
And the promises they do make don’t seem conducive to job growth.
That and the fact they are led by a cult of personality are concerns.
What a hatchet job of an article! Someone is looking for a job in the indo!
Id say we can expect a lot of hatchet job articles on sf over the next year. Edna was probably strategising the media campaign with journal brass when he called by to give his uninformative evasive interview the other day
The sinn fein supporter persecution complex whinges on. If it’s not about how gerry and friends are going to save the universe, it’s clearly a conspiracy.
Absolutely. How does an article on economic policy incorporate the Mairia Cahill and Jean McConville?
Again J.ie is preaching to the choir of FG zombies
Exactly Gerry. People need to stop bringing up awkward questions. It’s not cool.
Gerry – your comment shows how little respect you have for the electorate!
Awkward questions? I see obfuscation when a newspaper with known ties to the Govt starts of with an economic headline and quickly degenerates into unsubstantiated allegations.
The purpose of propaganda is to keep the sheep in the pen Chas.
To be a little more accurate PA – it’s difficult to have respect for that portion of the electorate who will blindly follow a political party whose track record over decades has been abysmal; and equally blindly denigrate another who have a superb record of achievement in NI over the past 20 years.
BTW – I am a floating voter – not affiliated to any party.
I certainly wouldn’t call SF’s work in NI ‘superb’ – the North has a deficit every year of £10 billion, it’s easy to run a country (with the DUP) when you have London writing a big fat cheque every year
Does that achievement in the North include the implementation of austerity measures that they protest against once the cross the border.?
How many public servants are SF getting rid of in NI again Gerry?
Bringing up awkward questions Charles Rex?
Tell me this….with FG articles why are none of the pieces followed by a list of negative like in SF articles.
You know, Lowry, failure to engage with the ECB in a meaningful way for the Irish public, the McNulty affair, Garda commissioner, Kenyian phone calls, calling protesters terrorists, property tax, consultants fees, DOB…etc,ad nauseam
There are no fiscal powers in the six counties. If you want someone to blame for austeric budget cuts, look to the tories.
But sure dont let the facts get in the way of some good spin eh?
How many public servants are SF getting rid of, Dunito?
In the voluntary redundancy scheme? The one that’s voluntary?
TEG you think its ok for 65% of the workforce to be in employ of the state? – ridiculous and unsustainable.
Such is the reality of a plastic, unsustainable, plastic state. All the more reason to dismantle the border.
My point was that blaming SF for budget cuts in the six counties is disingenuous and an accusation made by those who are being either stupid or deliberately misleading, since the budget is handed to the assembly by the tory party (and distributed by a DUP finance minister).
@Teg, Then surely praising them for positive things that happen in the north is also disingenuous.
and that should be done against the will of the people?
Journalists should stop focusing on SF-PIRA links, kangaroo courts, the murder of Belfast mothers and the relocation of sex abusers to the Free State #Gerry4Taoiseach
Stephen, the assembly has no fiscal powers. SF can only be commended/criticised on how their ministers use their budgets, and to do so is fair game; but to criticise them for budget cuts as some trolls are doing here is disingenuous/stupid, since they have zero control over the budget allocated to them.
Criticising them for being the “former” political wing of a terrorist organisation is fair enough.
Pork pie, mash and gravy, accompanied by miwadi orange
@TEG – and that ‘power’ is what SF signed up to? – for what died the sons of roisin eh?
“To whom do we owe our allegience today? To whom do we owe our allegience today? To those brave men who fought and died that Roisin live again with pride?
Or the faceless men, who for mark and dollar, betray her to the highest bidder?”
A verse which never fails to remind me of the self serving FG/FF/Lab sleveens and gombeens.
Al Ca, we can add a bit more to it like, 156,000 for 6hrs work a week, Ex HSE excs getting lucrative nursing home untendered contracts, Rehab and Frank Flannery, John Tierney buying water meters while Dublin City manager, and then getting THE job in IW, retired county managers getting big salaries and further pensions in IW, consultants in the “know” Callinan, Shatter, the Ombubsman, whistle blowers, … the list is endless. And FG think people want more of the same, deluded idiots.
Diarmuid, is that fianna fail your on about, dev did have a gun in his pocket didn’t he?
Real Shinnerbot – Enda’s favourite FG Troll , pretending to be someone else !
Sounds like Enda imitating Angela in the mirror every night !
Except this f00l is so much of an Eegit at pretence !
SF are just too partitionist for me
I think they should be given a try, if only to give us something different to the three other parties, whom most of us are heartily sick of. If they’re no good they can be kicked out after one term
They would be no different! Syriza = Sinn Fein.
A lot of damage can be done in one term, especially to an economy showing green shoots of recovery!
Who is seeing these green shoots of recovery?
Everyone i speak to is still on struggle street with little to no change being felt.
Speak to shop owners they will tell you different.
My own work has picked up alot. I work as management in medium sized firm and we went from 25 employees in 05 to 16 by 09. Buy back up to 25 again. Things have vastly improved
With their maths would you feel comfortable positioning your global company here?
It concerns me greatly that somebody with PTP’s thought process would be allowed vote. And that there may be more like him out there.
Charles, pls re-read your own statement. You’re grateful that you are back where you were 10 years ago?
BTW, whatever about your own business, the retail industry as a whole is still in the toilet, as evidenced by the huge amount of service workers still on the dole
Actually charles your employee numbers from 05 to 2015 suggest that after ten years things are at best still the same with the intervening years being worse
The fear factor played out again. Good man Mark.
If eNda and Joan can get positions of power then any can.
How many of that work force at your company are on minimum/ zero hour contracts, minimum wage, job bridge or similar schemes..Ireland under fg/lab have raised Ireland to 2nd place in world ranking of low paid employment. .
When these low paid workers are factored in welfare payments, FIS etc the true figure is 20%+, factor in Forced economical emigration and thr true figure is closer to 30%.
Recovery if any is very defined and not reaching the ordinary men and woman on the street..
It’s not my own company. I just run it. But noone on jobs bridge noone on bare minimum wage. But people starting are not going to earn the same as a skilled employee here for years.
Yes I’m happy to be back to where we were 8 years ago. It was booming then and we are probably going to expand this summer.
All going well some of those temp positions will be full time at end of summer. Sorry folks but economy has come back alot. It’s nice to be able to eat out a couple of times a week, weekends away all stuff we all has to knock on the head. But more money I spend more which employs more.
I know it does not fit the shinner mantra but it is what it is
Noone is on jobbridge and Noone is on minimum wage….are they brothers?
Dinner rating for one tweet Charlie.
Beans on toast with some tea.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Mr Mc Loughlin, YOU’RE slagging off someone else’s spelling mistakes! Brilliant! Egyptian Hieroglyphics are easier to decipher than your comments! #IlliteratesAnonymous
Dermot as hard as it is to get your head around Irish people are by and large smart. We don’t all work minimum wage and wear the job repellent clothes you do.
I could give you some career advice :)
I rate both of you illiterate trolls alphabet soup and peanut butter sandwiches, a creme egg and a Mr freeze lolly.
Oh and fyi yes I created a twitter account just for the journal. What’s your point? ?
I’m hardly going to use my own Facebook when it’s shinners one is dealing with who would send threatening messages to friends and family.
Oh this happened before during water meter protests a couple of eirigi and sf thugs tried it. Little did they know it again was not my real details.
I do like the name charles however. Very noble if I do say so. Million miles from who I really am behind my vpn.
Best you can do?? Judging by pictures you might both wanna cut down on the cream pies.
So yeah cut down on the cream pies and curry chips.
Change to more appropriate clothes for your age. Not mental age but actual age.
Try running a bit. Fitness it great for focusing.
I don’t think they should be let near power.
I challenge anyone to name their Sinn Fein dream team cabinet and what portfolio their skills would match. Anyone?
Gerry can’t tell the truth about being chief of the IRA and doesn’t know the difference between one million and one billion.
Pearse as a finance spokesperson on finance would need a magic money tree to make his figures add up.
Snodaigh likes printer cartridges.
Mary Lou’s major skill is to stop other opposition TDs from speaking by acting the clown for the cameras.
And the ridiculed and traitorous alternatives of Enda or Micheal are better – how ?
A leopard doesn’t change its spots and the wolf in sheep’s clothing will be a wolf for as long as Birds of feather – (even american vultures) stick together !
Evict the Irish is it – for Jean Claude Trichet and immigrants to pay rent to NAMA money launderers – No ! – not on my Watch !
I’m confused … Is the wolf or the leopard the good guys or the bad guys .
And the wolf will remain a wolf as long as birds of a feather stick together? What is that all about?
I am sorry . It is early in the morning and I don’t have any idea what your point is .
Jimmy if you are Irish then in one word – “Schnakes ” …
If you are from my side of the river – “Soooup ”
If you are not Irish then by all means give yourself time to wake up or ask some Irish people these are common sayings to Irish children and are self-explanatory !
or top put it another way – Aitnionn ciarog , ciarog eile ” as we irish so eloquently recognised the universal law of attraction !
Brehon Law recognised Divorce – and then the backward Roman- Backed Norman’s came !
Schnakes and soooup ….. This doesn’t clarify your message for me. Can you summarise what your point is ? I am as Irish as you but I’m not good at deciphering riddles? I prefer when people say what they want to say and not try to hide behind “seafoid” as we say in Irish or rubbish as we say in English
You are not Irish if you don’t like riddles -…… Jones !
You are of course however a very welcome Guest of our Nation …. as long as you play by our rules …
We do not believe in keeping up with your family – we see it as folly and deluded grandeur – we are of course correct across many dimensions in this !
cats and info gatherers – MI5 – How does that suit your pyjamas … Jones !
My first name id Mayhem by the way – given the stars position of course ….. as measured in the ancient circles ….
As I write Jones you move further from Eire as I move back to the west !
You should never have disturbed the keepers ……
Jaysus, you talk some bollocks.
A mixed grill and some milk.
Not all my posts are for those who don’t understand them – is that not obvious to you Critical ?
You will understand more in the morning if you are one .
You’re doing it again, hermes.
and why not ?
Do you see the rubbish you pay to listen to from millionaire politicians ……
At least I am not charging !
Indeed – so are you Critical !
And the pigeon causes havoc among the foreign cats !
They would wreck allvthsts been achieved over the last few years. Judging from the disaster that is NI they are not capable to govern. Given their lack of any moral fibre, the lack of individuality, the blind faith in an obviously corrupt leadership they are not fit to govern…
“Allvthsts been achieved”
Exactly what has been achieved?
They would wreck austerity Glen.
@: O’R – pls clarify – are you talking about FF/Green or FG/Lab?
Microwave lasagne and a packet of tayto
fastest growing economy in europe :)
Sinn Fein are against the hard working, educated professionals. Most of whom fear an SF led government
Your comment is egg, ham, tomato and cheese served on a crusty French loaf.
I can afford it
SF/IRA is a blight on the face of humanity that relies on fanatics, simpletons and social predators for support. I do not think that there are enough individuals that can be conned into voting for this gang of misfits. Their only appeal might be to those who are driven a nationalistic fanaticism, not unlike the Nazis , or to those who expect to reap rewards from their neighbours’ efforts. A lot of people want to equal with others that have more than themselves but never less, and the latter is easier to achieve.
If you’re going to keep saying SF/IRA then I’m going to keep saying FG/Blue shirt fascists
Jesus, calm down Tap. Take a breath and get your punctuation working again.
SF are only a political party and there’s lots of them out there. They’re not Pandoras box or the Mongol Hordes.
Admittedly they’re not your usual gang of school teachers and solicitors that you’re used to seeing in DE, but you’ll get used to them in time.
Eh, point me to members of fine Gael who are/were members of the blueshirts? Now do the same for sinn fein. Trying to insult them doesn’t block the reality that electing sf to government would empower individuals who were responsible for deciding to kill other Irish people without a mandate.
@AlienThe British Army, various Loyalist groupings, RUC.
Or do you not believe in state sponsored terrorism, military in the case of NI, but financial and social in the case of FF/Green/FG/Lab’s austerity program that caused untold hardship to working class people of this part of Ireland for the past 8 years.
Do you need to be reminded that SF played the pivotal role in bringing a dysfunctional statelet from near societal collapse to a functioning progressive democracy?
They have achieved far more in the past 20 years than the parties here have Alien
That is classic muddying the waters on a simple response to Niall’s insult against fg; they don’t have that baggage, so stop trying to say they are all coming from the same starting position. I am fully aware that it was the people of my generation in northern Ireland that rejected violence and sectarianism that made NI into the place it is today, not SF, DUP or UUP. It was in spite of these parties that things moved on, and they had to adapt to the people, not the other way around. What we are seeing in this article is whether they have caught up with the people in Ireland to achieve the same result here (power), or are they going to use the anti-govt opinion to get in government without changing.
I’m sorry Alien, but if you’re not aware of SF’s PIVOTAL role in the peace process- and right up to this moment – then you are delusional.
And you probably need reminding that they were instrumental in initiating that process, whereas the DUP/UUP etc had to be dragged into it years later.
Take off your blindfolds.
Thanking Sinn Fein for bringing an end to the ciminality, intimidation and violence they participated in is like thanking a murderer who has stopped murdering.
Yes, Gerry. I am the one with blindfolds/tunnel vision etc… SF in the north have slowly become a smörgåsbord of the SDLP in the 70s, Fianna fail in the 80s with a touch of SF in the 20s for historical importance. They (like the DUP/UUP) had to be dragged kicking and screaming to match the peace that 99% of the people were demanding. Anything other view is just deluded.
Beef stew, the drink is water
What a Woeful article ! … Terrible journalism ! I’m no sinn fein supporter but I can tell a totally one sided hatchet job when I see one ! Looks like it was dictated straight from blueshirt HQ…
The immortal line: “I’m no Sinn Fein supporter… but I constantly defend them on the Internet.”
I see a lot of people using that line on here. Then, on another article, you’ll see them talking about how they’re going to vote for SF, etc.
Great –
Enda sends forth his P.R. machine like Cardigan sent forth the Light Brigade ……..
Oh joy for those who defend the Republic from all invaders – across all Parties !
Keyboard Warriors who may have missed it –
Mayo County Council have folded in the face of a constitutional challenge to the Property Charge – Enda is finished …….. Nama Can no longer protect the thieves from Paddy’s revenge !
If nothing else .. You do amuse me Johnny :) now run along and make endas tea like a good lad !
Johnny five.
For your dinner rating I’m saying…..boiled bacon, cabbage, white sauce and grapefruit juice
Sinn Fein will offer us fairness they would change society for the better people can feel their national pride again,
I’m voting Sinn Fein they deserve a chance at making this country great ,
I do worry that fhe media would try to bring them down every week were they to get into power
Paul Lynch you are deluded.
Deluded or trolling :)
Either way media ate just doing their job which is to search for the truth. Something SF don’t like. Oh if the impossible happened and they won an election which they won’t then yes they would be exposed.
But lookit won’t happen. Lower tax better benifits and few other things in budget as well as the really good growth figures fg will use the tried and trusted ff trick. It’s in the bag already
Deep fried chicken served with spicy wedges.
Clueless policies for the next 5 years, haven’t we already had that?
No thanks.
In fairness, Bertienomics has a good track record of winning elections so it only stands to reason that SF would base their policies on it.
“Are Sinn Féin ready for power?”
Should be called the “let’s remind everyone of Sinn Féin’s mistakes while we bathe in the sun rays from Enda’s arse” article.
Thumbs down journal.
The Journal attacks Enda: “Great stuff, sure he’s an awful man altogether.”
The Journal attacks FF: “Right on, they ruined the country.”
The Journal attacks Lucinda: “Her party has no place. We don’t require her values.”
The Journal attacks Labour: “Turncoat b*astards. Can’t wait to see them get destroyed in the General Election.”
The Journal attacks Sinn Fein: “F*cking bullsh*t article that was probably paid for by Denis O’ Brien.”
Phillip -
The failure by all Irish media to report on the H.S.B.C. 350 and Enda with his condescending and traitorous “Paddy likes to know what’s going on ” and “Let’s get on a train to Europe ” and the “Trichet letter is lost ” means that the only p[lace for truth is in the comments section here -
A friend of mine was involved in a court case which he won and then his solicitor said to him ” 1200 to keep it out of the paper if you want !”
The Fine Gael Twitter Trolls are all over this article like flies around manure !! You’d nearly think they knew about this hatchet job article in advance !! Eh Orla ;)
Just because there are people that genuinely fear a SF govt. doesn’t make them trolls
Never forget folks.
Any dissent from the ‘Cult of Adams’ makes you a troll.
Karl, I have alegence to no party,and I feel sinn fein may one day show some leadership, but gerry Adams track record speaks for itself.
That’s why people are turned off the party.
Karl, this place is awash with trolls from both sides, every day. You know that.
I appreciate that Neal .. But more balanced reasonable fact based debate would be welcomed .. It really annoys me to see the 1 or 2 line hysterical rant.. And it’s always the usual suspects.. no party on this island is perfect but none are raving monsters either.. Yesterday’s terrorists are today’s political leaders.. Look all around the globe to witness this.. And remember the main parties here emerged after our own needless civil war…
Trevor, your right. Adams track record speaks for itself:
He was the chief instigator in one of the 20th centuries most successful peace processes. Described by the late, great Fr Alec Reid (often titled ‘Chaplain to the peace process’) as “a man sent by God, in other words he was part of God’s providence for peace in Ireland.” And who also said of Adams “I’d say he’s the most capable politician we have and the other politicians mightn’t like that, but I’d say he’s one of the most capable politicians in Europe.”
He brought the republican movement from war to politics with minimal dissent.
He has topped the poll in almost every election he has ever stood in, north and south.
In the six counties, he led his party from being illegal to being within touching distance of becoming the largest party in the assembly.
In the 26 counties, he sent from leading his party from having just one TD only three government terms ago, to being the leading party in the opinion polls today.
He has been consistently polled as the most popular leader in the 26 counties.
His party under his leadership is the biggest party in Ireland (as of the European elections where they returned four out of four successful candidates).
Oh please tir,this is getting old and me and you have had this one before.
He was in the IRA a terrorist organisation, he denies it but everyone on both sides of the border knows it,then you’ve got the disappeared, gene mcconvilles, his stupid statements about his regrets about the troubles and the poor unfortunate ” casualties ” as he likes to call them.
This is getting old tir.
Too many skeletons and not to be trusted.
That is my opinion.
What’s getting old is your totally inability to live in the 21st century, where most of the rest of society has already arrived.
“He was in the IRA a terrorist organisation, he denies it but everyone on both sides of the border knows it”
I again state two things. I don’t give two fiddlers if he was in the IRA or not. He brought an end to the sectarian orange one party state and delivered a lasting peace in Ireland for the first time in centuries. Who he represented at any stage in that journey matters nil to me, as someone who lived through it; unlike your sanctimonious, judgmental self. All I know for certain is that after four days of questioning on the topic last year by the psni, no evidence was produced and he was released without charge. Did you forget to bring forward whatever evidence you apparently have?
“then you’ve got the disappeared, gene mcconvilles,”
If you genuinely gave a fiddlers about that particular victim beyond using her name to have a pop at SF, you’d at least know how to spell her name. It’s “Jean”; not “Gene”, which is generally a man’s name, short for “Eugene”. Oh and you forgot to mention Jerry McCabe (after all, the average free stater only knows the names of two victims of the forty year long conflict, but yet still feels totally qualified to lecture about on the topic). Do you expect me to justify the disappeared? It was as wrong in the 70′s as it was 50 years earlier when carried out (in staggeringly larger numbers & in a fraction of the time) by the men who won freedom for the free state you live in. Were the Old IRA terrorists and murderers too who ought to be condemned, Trevor?
Are you going to just gloss over the facts I stated in my previous post too yeah?
As I’ve said tir, and sorry for my spelling mistakes, my opinion, I do not trust him and I do not have anything against SF as a party nor do I have alegence to any party but gerry Adams as leader will turn a lot of people from voting for the party.
Have I cleared everything up now?.
Comrade Eoghain is right, Sinn Féin and the PIRA had the courage to assume the reins of power after killing and injuring thousands in pursuit of it
No, you’ve just avoided discussing any point/argument I’ve put to you. Long story short, the biggest positive development in Ireland in our lifetimes has been the dismantling of one party unionist misrule and the introduction of relative equality and a stable peace for the first time in centuries. That is thanks chiefly to Gerry Adams. What have FF/FG/Lab achieved that comes close to that? When times were grim in the six counties, and the nationalist people were living under state discrimination and abuse, how did the free state parties and their supporters/voters react? They stuck their fingers in their ears and turned their backs.
Rubbish tir, it was a cross border agreement, gerry Adams is not Jesus Christ as you seem to claim, he did not descend from the sky and bring peace and love,both sides of the border and UK politicians sat down and trashed it out.
Gerry Adams did not do it single handedly tir as you seem to claim.
Again I find myself having to ask if you can you perhaps provide a structured argument against what I’ve actually said, instead of putting words in my mouth and “arguing” against those, Trevor?
I said “chiefly” thanks to Adams. Not “solely” thanks to Adams. Don’t forget, unionism had to be dragged kicking and screaming into powersharing (the UUP collapsed the assembly at every available opportunity, and occasionally with the help of the now disbanded RUC; while the DUP were and still remain, a vehemently anti-Good Friday Agreement party).
Just to remind you tir this topic is about SF ‘s readiness to govern in the Republic of Ireland, nothing about the orange order or how great gerry Adams is or is not.
I gave an opinion on my feelings on the subject and you decided to undermine my opinions, so I don’t think we are going to get anywhere on this subject.
I wish you and your family well and hope each and every one of you all the best in the future.
“Just to remind you tir this topic is about SF ‘s readiness to govern in the Republic of Ireland, nothing about the orange order or how great gerry Adams is or is not.”
This discussion between yourself and myself started when you referred to Adams’ “track record”. I responded by outlining his successes electorally at a personal and party level and outlined the party’s rapid growth under his leadership. That was by way of outlining his leadership qualities which is something I’d have thought would be relevant to his readiness to be Taoiseach. It was your good self who immediately responded by waffling about the IRA and one specific event in the conflict which occurred forty three years ago. Which has precisely NIL to do with how the party is prepared to be in government. So pull the other one.
Your for sinn fein, I’m not impressed by them,how about that tir?
Case closed.
We’ve already established that, but if you’re happy to be commenting on the specifics of why you don’t like them, then don’t get tetchy when someone tries to discuss the topic further with you.
Tir, you have critised numerous other people on their views on this topic.
What is your dogged determination to defend gerry Adams and sinn fein?
Is no one else on here entitled to an opinion?
Well guess what?
We all have one.
These comments I rate as shepherds pie, bottle of Heineken and Neapolitan ice cream
So, Trevor, because I disagree with you, you’re claiming I’m denying your right to have an opinion? This is a comments thread. The point of the reply button under someones comment is to engage in discussion. That you have a problem with me disagreeing with you and with me outlining my reasons for doing so, is not a valid reason for you to claim im refusing your right to hold an opinion. To suggest otherwise is fairly lousy.
Sinn Fein support could convert into maybe 15% of Dail seats after next General Election, based on latest opinion polls, and allowing for pre-election reality checks by current disgruntled supporters of this Government.
This serious chunk of Republic’s electorate deserves full representation at the Cabinet Table.
There is no reason why SF can’t do a good job as future coalition partners to the more established political parties in the Republic, given its NI exposure to and success with Parliamentary Democracy. Practise makes perfect!
Parity of esteem and all of that!
The Irish diaspora in USA and elsewhere would definitely loosen the purse strings there towards major additional Investment in Ireland’s direction should SF be part of a 2016 elected Government in the Republic.
We need a ceasefire on time wasting current inter-party sniping in the Dail and more collaboration on how to formulate economic policies suitable for fast tracking narrowing of those annual €5+ bn budget deficits, which are unsustainable.
Factually spoken Rory. The likelihood is they will be PART of the next Govt, they will have full access to the various dept’s resources and will at least level the playing field toward the non high income earners who (as read on this page) are shi^^ing themselves at the thought of having to pay tax pro rata.
Rory, do you agree with their anti-science policy on Water Fluoridation? They want to rot the teeth of the poor because they can’t tell quackery from science. And what does that say about the level of education of the average Shinner? I don’t want Ireland run by an ex-barman who can’t count.
Homemade pizza, salad and spicy wedges.
Coca cola is the beverage.
you know there is plenty of fluoride in you toothpaste.
Cathal, tell that to the expert group set up by the government as to whether or not we should continue to put Fluoride in water. I’m sure your learned opinion will be of much interest to them. They decided it should continue. Just maybe they didn’t think of your profound insight.
http://www.fluoridesandhealth.ie/documents/
and
http://www.fluoridesandhealth.ie/download/documents/Position_Statement_on_Water_Fluoridation.pdf
Ha ha. My learned opinion? how condescending. i never claimed to be an expert but either way my point is valid. i haven’t done much research but my own toothpaste contains 1450 ppm fluoride. which i presulme is enough.
Why add it to drinking water? if it was mouthwash then you would have a point. i am pro fluoride in mouthwash but not drinking water.
Adding it directly to drinking water means there is not way to control or monitor the level we are taking. it depends on the concentration in the water and the amount if water drank.
That is why most of Europe and the UK do not put fluoride in the water.
Cathal, if your point was valid how is it that it was ignored by the expert group? You’ve obviously not bothered reading the expert groups answers to those questions of yours which are in the links I gave you. Educate yourself and then I’ll stop being condescending.
As in to a ex-teacher who cant count ?
I think Gerry would be a great . Just look at enda, ex teacher who couldn’t control kids or crying babies,made lots of promises and broke them and cant even debate or write speaches without an overpaid consultant in his ear..
Gerry. Leader of an army ( not gone away ) great controller. Great with kids and great speaches but probably not about the question one asked..Gerry is more human than robot ends..lots of selfies…I think he cant do worse..
These are strange times we live in, where being an ex-teacher is something to be derided and being “leader of an army not gone away”…but “great with kids” and a “human” are considered strong points.
I take that back, I hadn’t factored in his obsession with selfies. Clearly I’ve misjudged Gerry.
I agree Trevor. All the more reason for voting in a new party. We need change. It has to start next election. Human nature says we don’t like change, but never a better time to implement the wish of the Irish electorate for a fresh start and hopefully take back our sovereignty in some shape or for more. We’ve been fed too many lies by this government led by the troike and stiil feathering there own nests , the cronyism is alive and well, as is the states refusal to accept the grievance of the people that austerity has been carried too far. So yes, in my opinion a vote fora new governance can’t happen too soon.
I will say it again and again. Fg lab cutting fire services ,cut garda ,cut health ,cut wages ,by introducing job bridge cut cut cut cut. They introduced property tax they used our money from motor btax to pay fat wages to create water company( but didn’t fix leaks with it which could have been done with county council easily) and then asked us to pay 3 euro a week for up keep,introduced water charges sit back watch power charges increase,watch homelessness increase, watch cost of living increase,watch people emigrate,die, and give away millions to unqaurenteed bond holders,prop up banks,pay tax avoiding TDs and pay for the queen of England to be in luxury. They live in luxury and don’t close a wink of sleep,cause once their rich buddies and their nest is lined they couldn’t give a toss. They will give back now till after election and then take it away again. Ff helped create this with greens and PDS. They were in that party all of who is now still there remember that. I for one will avoid voting for any of the party’s in power or in previous power. If you trust any of them you’re off your heads. If you haven’t read SF policies then read them. If you don’t understand things ask then to explain. But do not make your vote off this media trash. Look where listening to media got this country! Vote Lisbon vote jobs. Gerry Adams is a great politician and I believe they would lead the country back to stability and growth without sticking a knife in us. If they did they would be out so fast heads would spin. Time for change time for punishment to all politicians who watch our people and country die for the loaded and for their fat wages and leg ups. Time to remind them without us they would have no jobs at all.
Fuse. Well put. Well done.. time for change.. have Sinn fein the balls I wonder . Hope so. !
FUVE.
Braised steak, jacket potatoe and coffee
SF have unfinished business don’t forget that. They won’t be happy until the president of SF is Taoiseach. They believe themselves to be the legitimate government. That’s no agenda with which to run a modern economy
Do you want to explain why a party that would be elected in a democratic election (you know, with people voting and all) would not be entitled to have such an aspiration Kevin?
Well I feel after LB FG FF .. Have screwd the country .. Think it’s time to give SF a go and I dependants direct democracy would get my vote if the ran also .. Suck of this governments corporate rule .. Banksters walk away for robbing the country of billions while people using there democratic right to protest go to prison . Ireland inc
Direct democracy? Really? You know they’re pretty much a sister organisation to that land league sitting in a kiliney house at the moment?
I can assure you that whatever gripes you have with incumbent parties that are seen to side with corporates or banks a protest vote for Sinn Fein would leave you in a far worse position. You would see socialist policies fail as in France where Hollande promised populism and failed. Or Greece where their pre-election promises to the right wing have not been met as they reach the wall of economic reality.
The day SF come to power in Dublin is the day I head permanently for Dublin Airport
All the best so Peter !! You’re talking nonsense of course.. Gonna leave your job and family that easy ? Hysterical childish exaggeration…
Good riddance to another gombeen, I’d say.
FG/Lab have been keeping the airports busy anyway/ Highest emigration since the famine came under this government, Peter.
your heading permanently for dublin airport. you will get no sleep up there
Fish fingers, peas and potatoe waffles.
Drink……Pepsi.
heading permanently? so you will never get there?
thank you dermot as good way to judge the comments
when all the rape victim speak out at elections its bye bye shiners
Everytime the Journal and others one of these the support increases .Sinn Fein people saying their delighted with the out of touch antics by the media in fact they think its a endorsement considering the lack of trust in Irish media. There’s no such thing as bad publicity . Keep up the good work stay in the 00′s the public have moved on and I would say are probably more knowledgeable than our media. Sound
The journal has gone to f**k.
I’m just gonna troll the trolls from now on, today I shall rate their comments here with dinner suggestions.
Comrade Loughs, I would fancy a duck à l’orange, followed by a chocolate bombe.
I am waiting on soup of the day with some ham Sanger’s♥
You’ll take what you’re given sunshine.
Chicken breast , fresh salad and mayonnaise served inside a toasted pitta bread and a gentle sprinkling of roast sesame seed, washed down with some aldi brand red bull.
Can we do shots Comrade? I like shots.
Its not just the trolls that are turning this site into a joke, when I read the headline I was expected an analysis of SF related to their readiness for government, such as expected seat numbers based on opinion polls, the calibre of their politicians, how they are doing in SF controlled councils, how they are doing up North etc. Instead we get rubbish such as tweets and comments from government TD’s attacking SF and not much else. No offence Orla but what exactly is this article supposed, because analysis it certainly is not.
“Shinnerbots!!!!”
“SF/IRA!!!!!!!!”
Now. Ive said it for you. Can the usual FG trolls take a day off and leave the comments section to the adults?
Thanks.
What would you like to chat about Comrade?
Bangers and mash
They certainly do – but maybe not this election. They are building experience at local and European levels and will surely be a force for years to come – given their huge mandate north and South.
Well i wont be voting fir them!!
Did enda pat you on your head after the picture?
No wonder Eire is ruined with people like you only too delighted to support this shower.
Listen up !
McConville, Cahill, Adams’ ” membership ” et al will NOT be an issue never mind a decisive issue come the Election it will be the “economy stupid” period. Argue all you like the only way pre-election promises can be tested is by trying them out on the electorate (or not as the case may be as it’s not unheard of for politicians to renege on such promises). Either way all the electorate has to lose is the chains that seem to bind them to these post-civil war parties moribund in thought, tribal in blind allegiance but strangely not much different in main policies. If ever there wasn’t small nation in need of a radical overall of its political system post austerity it is Ireland. Notwithstanding how SF perform in the Election or what they do thereafter, there will be surge in elected independent TD’s which tells all. SF are the party of real genuine true change and must align themselves with all independents to at least form a cohesive voting bloc to counter the two party hegemony which is very much the norm and will remain so until the Irish citizenry choose real change. Go for it as you have nothing to lose but your chains !
Something new we haven’t had before. .. A true democracy like in Switzerland ? .. but that might be a stretch of the imagination for the average Irish person. . Imagine the people calling referendums and being allowed to think for themselves for a change,trusting the people of Ireland with there own futures. ,unfortunately all we can do is imagine this scenario because it’s going to be more of the same empty promises unemployment and emigration following bank bailouts and lies. ..
Adams doesn’t need to be good at maths because he’s good at politics?
So he thinks people will vote for him if he can’t even add up his party’s back-of-the-envelope budget submission?
Would you buy shares in a company where the CEO doesn’t understand the annual report figures??
Eh did you forget about Kenny and his declaration that the minimum wage was 30k?
Some selective memory.
Would you be happy to vote for a government and party whose leader is so out of touch with reality that he massively over estimates the lowest wage in the state?
Mad Mike…I rate your comment as chorizo, pan seared and served with thinly sliced and lightly fried baby potatoe, the drink is Apple juice.
Parnell square better get texting their guys out of bed to red thumb all of these comments .
I dinner rate your comment as chicken breast served on pasta covered in a thick mushroom sauce.
Mr Jones, as I said on a previous thread, Mary lou posts on her FB page when there are any articles/polls about SF/PIRA on this site; so, there is a lot of truth in Shinnerbot’s parodies about the cult minions getting the memo/text.
Lao Tzu.
Curry noodles with a hot dog chopped into it, crackers and a bottle of mid priced wine.
They killed Gary Sheehan and Gerry McCabe (just 2 name 2). As a former soldier and present Garda I wud never vote 4 them. Imagine they had access 2 pulse and all Garda intelligence. Wud they get rid of new commissioner and put their own in. Sorry. Maybe in 50 yrs when the people involved in terrorism r no longer in d party.
Were the Volunteers of the Old IRA involved in terrorism too, Mick?
Very good point mick, with access to pulse,SF could blackmail the justice department for decades,no one would be safe.
Yeah, they’d probably break in to your house at night and steal your cocopops too.
#boogeymen
My grandfather was a prominent member of d old IRA Tir. And I’m proud of that. He later was one of d 1st in d free state army wit Collins. But I cannot equate wot d old IRA did wit the murder of Gerry McCabe. A cowardly act shooting him in d back. And was not 4 d freedom of d state or any such high moral. It was robbery and murder 4 personal gain. Can u honestly defend such an action? If Sinn Fein leadership had immediately condemned it and had not been there 2 personally welcome d murderers release I cud take them seriously. But I do not see that change. They will not condemn d rape of Marie Cahill. If they didn’t duck and dodge criminality 2 protect their own I cud look at them differently. I feel they r not in that place yet. When d old guard is gone then maybe.
My own family also fought in the Tan War, Mick. But isn’t it very easy for you to “to draw a distinction” between the men who fought for your own independence and those who fought for mine, but only after yours has already been won?
In this thread of comments, we have already repeatedly head the names of Jean McConville & Jerry McCabe. Does the average freestater not know any other victims names of a forty year long conflict? Could you name two innocent victims of the British Army as quickly? Do you want to? Do you care? I’m not interesting in defending every PIRA action because not every action was defensible. That doesn’t mean their entire campaign was indefensible.
You claim there is a difference between the PIRA and the Old IRA and that you are proud of the Old IRA, since the provos carried out some reprehensible acts. That being the case, how does it make you feel then to know that the Old IRA killed higher proportion of innocent civilians to conflict participants, than the PIRA did? How does it make you feel to know that the Old IRA killed and disappeared almost 200 (mostly innocent people) in just a few short years of the Tan War, compared to the 15 disappeared by the provos in 30 years? Do you condemn the Old IRA too now, then? Or since they succeeded for your county, does that mean you can overlook their brutality and overlook the more disgusting of their actions? Or like me towards the Old & Provisional IRAs, do you support the campaign in general without having to believe that every action they carried out was acceptable?
Tir…. U make a good argument. I accept that some of d actions of d old IRA were reprehensible as were d actions of d PIRA and also some of d actions of d British forces and Unionists. I find murder unacceptable. D distinction I’m drawing is that d murder of Garda McCabe was not part of d conflict. It was just a criminal act and therefore shud not have been in d same category.It shud have been condemned by d leadership. All d historic atrocities can be explained and understood partially in d times and circumstances they were living in. In short I will not support Sinn Fein until I believe that they are purely peaceful and political. That doubt remains with me. I also understand that I have little or no idea what it was/is like 2 live in d North and the hatred that is endemic there on both sides. I believe Gerry Adams was a member of d PIRA as much as he denies it and I think most people think d same. When d younger members of Sinn Fein take over I will consider them as a political party I cud vote 4 if I agree wit their policies at that time. Until then I just don’t trust them.
Mick. You base your entire argument for the distain for the PIRA campaign on one single action. Yet when confronted with the multiple similar (and worse) actions of the Old IRA, and with the facts which show just how much worse their actions regularly were, you excuse them for it and dismiss them as just a few bad actions in a justifiable fight. With the greatest of respect, do you not see the inherent hypocrisy in that? Was an organisation which used the same means fighting for my freedom, and killed a lower proportion of civilians than the organisation which won your freedom, not as justified as the other? I and countless others like me grew up under infinitely ….
… discrimination and oppression and state harassment than the people who made up the Old IRA. So why the contrast in attitudes?
There has been a successful, lasting peace process here for many years now. People in the six counties are moving on from it and it’s sad that this is not the case for people in the 26 counties who didn’t even live through it and yet still accuse SF of still being violent and throw the “SF/IRA” name nonsense at them (a phrase even the most neanderthalic of loyalist bigots barely use anymore). The IRA haven’t existed in ten years now. Gerry Adams’ membership has zilch to do with Irish politics today, much as Hugh O’Connell or Dennis O’brien would have you believe. There are justice procedures in place. Adams was questioned on the topic for four days last year. No evidence was produced an and he was released without charge. Life goes on. Adams has spent most of his life working towards taking the gun out of irish politics and history is showing that this has been achieved for the first time in generations, and he was one of, if not the key player in making it so.
Tir I can see how u wud view it as hypocrisy and maybe it is. Perhaps it’s because d fight 4 independence was 100yrs ago. Rose tinted glasses. I don’t use d term sf/ira. I also stated that I didn’t grow up in d North and didn’t experience d oppression etc. I know it was bad. From what I have read not what I have lived so u obviously know about that better than I. I am glad ye r moving on from them times and hope u r wrong that d 26 r slower. That being said because of ur history there is still a distrust of authority in ur community 2 a certain extent. Correct me if I am wrong on that. The murder of Garda Adrian Donohue is recent and his killers were hidden and protected until they cud flee across d water. I don’t believe that wud have been d case in d republic. What is ur feeling on d continuity IRA, d real IRA etc?
Mick there may be a distrust of authority but that does not translate as a lack of cooperation with authorities. A distrust of them is hardly surprising coming of the back of living through the state which was lived through. Most nationalists cooperate with the psni now for instance. However the memory is still fresh of the RUC. My home was raided at gunpoint by the combined forces of the RUC and British Army more times than I could ever count, for living in a nationalist area. They used to come in, sometimes fiercely aggresively, sometimes laughing and sneering, but they would always thrash the house under the pretense of “a search”, before walking out and going to the next house on the road. Often, by means of psychological torture, they would walk around the house drawing a sketch of the layout and marking out bedrooms and walk out. Why was this a form of torture? Because in many cases of collusion at that time, such a raid, where the RUC would sketch a map, would be followed weeks later by a loyalist attack, where the gunmen would walk into a house at night and go straight to the room of the intended victim and kill him. It became a widely known practice. And because it became known, as I say, the RUC used to make drawing such ‘maps’ a form of sick harassment or nationalists. So while a mild distrust of authority is inevitable these years later, the fact is people are moving on. Garda O’Donaghue’s killing was nothing to do with republicanism. It was simply a gang of…
…murderous thieves. Those responsible for that are the same sort of lowlifes that can come from any side of the border. Or anywhere on earth for that matter. As for my opinion of the Real IRA/Continuity IRA etc, I have no hesitation in denouncing both (or any dissident armed group) as deplorable organisations. There was an opportunity for peace which was hard won by the PIRA. Violence can only be justified when no alternative exists. There was no alternative in 1969. There is now. And thanks to men like Adams, we have stability, relative peace and relative equality in Ireland and an opportunity to finally deliver Irish Independence by peaceful means for the first time in centuries. Dissidents would be a threat to all that and their wrecklessness and stupid actions caused the death of a friend of mine in one incident and, almost the same to members of my family in Omagh in 1998. Long story short, my family lived through a level of british state abuse many times worse than lived through by the likes of Michael Collins or Tom Barry and I have nothing but seething distain for the argument that it was morally right for brave men like those to fight for your freedom but unacceptable for brave people to fight back for mine.
I’m not even going to bother with the comments, I can imagine it’s a serious troll fest….I can sense their desperation.
What’s on the menu today Comrade?
All depends on the comments.
Adams says accusations of a cover up of sexual abuse scurrilous. Then goes on to provide Gardai with names of sex offenders he distributed and covered up. A warped kind and logic…
All the usual Fine Gael trolls waffling.
O’Reilly, Adams clearly only came across these names after the Cahill matter received media exposure
Pedos do stuff in secret that is how they protect themselves, they do not be open about it?
O reilly, I rate your comment as two pork chops, some baby potatoes, runner beans and a tall glass of milk.
Shinnerbot, yours is egg, waffles and sausage, maybe some beans with a glass of miwadi summer fruits.
Turd on a stick covered in flies a la dung cart?
A truly magnificent man is Gerry and his truly magnificent party will be getting my number 1 :)
I was a Fine Gael voter until I saw the nastiness of their online shills :(
Soup and ham sandwiches.
Yes please,Dermot♥
imagine what SF/IRA would do to the media if they got into government. If the media did not agree with them they would nationalise it!
Your dinner/comment rating is cod in a bubbly beer batter, mash potatoes, garden peas and parsley sauce, the drink is Tesco brand fizzy orange.
My biggest fear with Sinn Fein getting into power, is that they would literally lose the run of themselves, and instead of concentrating on jobs, the economy etc, issues that affect people’s daily lives, that they would instead start poring all of their energies into the so called ‘national question’. Now while a United Ireland is a noble and genuine aspiration, I would hazard a guess that it would be pretty low down the ladder of most people in this part of the Island. Also would our relationship with the UK be badly affected by having Adams in power, at the end of the day Sinn Fein are anti British and wouldn’t exactly be lovers of our Protestant brethren, so would Sinn Fein in power be a return to the dark old days of a cold war between Ireland and the UK? Economically their policies are also bankrupt, Sinn Fein are anti anything that will garner them votes, so we are all still waiting to see how Sinn Fein would make up the huge deficit caused by getting rid of the Property Tax, Water Charges and the USC.
@Ageing Lithario
Your post contains nothing but evidence a tendency to buy into the lazy propaganda. If Sinn Féin were anti-British, would Martin McGuinness have been to Windsor Castle last year? Would the speaker of the Assembly, Sinn Féin’s Mitchell McLoughlan have this week accepted a British Commonwealth position/title in a show of cross-community respect? If they were anti-Protestant, would they have done those same things? Would they have been on the radio in recent weeks arguing that if Stormont is lit up green for St Patrick’s day, that it should also be lit orange on the 12th July? Would they have invited a Loyalist Band to their Árd Fhéis in Derry this weekend if they were anti-Protestant?
Tir Eoghain did your beloved leader not describe all Unionists as ‘bast**ds’ in a speech in Enniskillen on the 24th of November last year? Did Martin Mc Guinness not describe the Dublin media as ‘West Brits during the 2011 Presidential election. Fact of the matter is that scratch the surface and Sinn Fein’s old hostilities are never too far away, they haven’t gone away and never will. However I will say that Martin Mc Guinness despite his inglorious past, has made major moves to reach out to the ‘other side’, and in my opinion he would be a far better leader than the lying, incompetent, incongruous, narcissistic individual that Adams is.
Lothario, look towards the power sharing of the North, McGuinness has brought many jobs from the U.S. to set up across the boarder…
What about every Orange Marching season the sectarian hatred that is worn like a badge against Catholics living in their own homes, what do you call that but sectarian hatred?
Did you not read my last post where I said Martin Mc Guinness would be a far superior leader of the party to Adams?
@ Aging Lethario
“Tir Eoghain did your beloved leader not describe all Unionists as ‘bast**ds’ in a speech in Enniskillen on the 24th of November last year?”
No. He referred to “bigots, homophobes and racists” as bast**ds. If you are associating that with unionism, then you need to take a look at yourself, not Adams.
“Did Martin Mc Guinness not describe the Dublin media as ‘West Brits during the 2011 Presidential election.”
Yes he did. Quite rightly too. That’s not an anti-British comment. More a comment on the anti-Irish attitude of many Irish journalists.
You can talk about scratching the surface all you want, but you just casually ignored some of the example I provided earlier here. And as for who the better leader would be, I’d have no doubt McGuinness would be a good leader; but I’m also content that Adams is a genuinely great leader. I say that not out of bias, but from looking at his track record and where he has brought both the republican population, and where he has brought the party, under his watch. As I’ve said somewhere above, he was the chief instigator in one of the 20th centuries most successful peace processes. He brought the republican movement from war to politics with minimal dissent. He has topped the poll in almost every election he has ever stood in, north and south. In the six counties, he led his party from being illegal to being within touching distance of becoming the largest party in the assembly. In the 26 counties, he went from leading his party from having just one TD only three government terms ago, to being the leading party in the opinion polls today. He has been consistently polled as the most popular leader in the 26 counties. His party under his leadership is the biggest party in Ireland (as of the European elections where they returned four out of four successful candidates). You may not like him, but it’s simply laughable to suggest he is not a outstanding leader.
Lothario, I rate your comment as Bolognese with a glass of 7up.
Tir eoghain….cheeseburger, curry chips and a bottle of chocolate milk.
Haha Dermot, that was good craic reading down the thread thanks to your ratings. Good man.
we want nothing to do with any nordies, they really don’t get that :D
Would you buy a used car from Gerry Adams?
How would you know you haven’t?
Beautifully written anti Sinn Fein piece with just sufficient veneer of middle ground to shade the very clearly anti SF bias. Orla deserves the DOB award for Investigative Journalism. The truth will set you free but not in Irish Journalism.
Another butthurt shinner lamenting uncomfortable questions. Grow up young scamp, not everyone in this country is a nodding donkey suckling from the teat of revisionist boobies.
Tesco brand fish fingers sandwich, pack of walkers ready salted and a cup of ovaltine.
shiners just hate the truth :D
Jacinta, whatever about other parties, all SF representatives, by party rules, are only allowed to earn the average industrial wage. It’s by way of ensuring that people do not join SF if they are just motivated by their own financial gain.
Nach bhfuil sé cruthaithe acu sna 6 chontae? Beidh siad i gcumhacht ar dhá thaobh na teorann i 2016. Nach iontach an comóradh é sin. Bheadh Trevor Ó Clochartaigh an tAire Gaeltachta is fearr dá raibh riamh ann.Éire Gaelach, Aontaithe agus Rathúil.
Go Bhfoire Dia orainn.
I’m not a Fine Gael supporter but I think they are doing ok. Tough decisions needed to me made and there is no easy way. When I hear people say I’ll vote SF because I’m sick of everybody else, I despair. That’s the worst reason in the world.
SF economic policy is off the wall.
Tax the rich and give to the poor?
Yes, that will work, right.
Tell me Tom how is it right to tax the poor and still the rich are better off. Could you live on 188 Euro with one child?
With free house and all the allowances. Yes I could
Yes by the way tax the rich but you can’t punish entrepreneurship or ingenuity I agree with having tighter controls so we don’t have developers milking us or solicitors pulling another gorse hill. But for the company man or inventor I’m all for them making money from their idea . I’m all for state support by the dole class sf supports think smart and rich are bad. No need to work high paid jobs we can all work as teamsters or nor at all and get everything for nothing.
What choice have we, they deserve a go because when people vote for the 3 main parties they are voting for the same E.U. Hymn sheet, where the E.U. and plutocrates mean more the Irish citizen, plutocracy is the name of their game with bankers and bondholders their masters. We need a chance, we could have more of the same or upset the apple cart by voting for S.F. to show the other parties that they are not in total control. I would give S.F. one chance as they could never be as bad as the 3 main parties I believe.
SF .. Will be the next government and independents .. The rest can disappear they’ve shown & proved where there loyalties lay .. Corporate government owned by banksters & Denis o Brien
Whichever party reduces all politicians wages by more than 25% and abolishes their ridiculous pensions will be the party I vote for. Over the years we have constantly accepted reductions in wages and social welfare payments while these greedy politicians have sat on their greedy arses and milked us for every last penny. So Gerry Adams its time to put your money where your mouth is and let this be a major factor in your fight for leader of our next government.
Jacinta, whatever about other parties, all SF representatives, by party rules, are only allowed to earn the average industrial wage. It’s by way of ensuring that people do not join SF if they are just motivated by their own financial gain.
Tir Eoghain. If that is the case they will have my vote. Im so sick of our so called leaders and lackeys lording it over us mere mortals with their outrageous salaries and pensions.
It’s been their party policy for many years now alright, Jacinta.
http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16407
“I, like all Sinn Fein elected representatives and workers, am paid the average industrial wage from my salary, after which a small amount goes back the party and the remainder to provide improved constituency services. This is a principle I am immensely proud of. Sinn Fein is not in politics for monetary gain, we are in it to bring about progressive political change.” (Mary Lou McDonald)
I reckon Hugh O’Connell wrote this and asked Orla to put her name to it because he knew there would be uproar after such patent bias. That or the Journals Dept of Click Bait said write something controversial to get them all riled up. The more hits the more it helps with the advertising.
Yes, cause all the rest are a shower of useless you know whats.
Mick. You base your entire argument for the distain for the PIRA campaign on one single action. Yet when confronted with the multiple similar (and worse) actions of the Old IRA, and with the facts which show just how much worse their actions regularly were, you excuse them for it and dismiss them as just a few bad actions in a justifiable fight. With the greatest of respect, do you not see the inherent hypocrisy in that? Was an organisation which used the same means fighting for my freedom, and killed a lower proportion of civilians than the organisation which won your freedom, not as justified as the other? I and countless others like me grew up under infinitely worse discrimination and oppression and state harassment than the people who made up the Old IRA. So why the contrast in attitudes?
There has been a successful, lasting peace process here for many years now. People in the six counties are moving on from it and it’s sad that this is not the case for people in the 26 counties who didn’t even live through it and yet still accuse SF of still being violent and throw the “SF/IRA” name nonsense at them (a phrase even the most neanderthalic of loyalist bigots barely use anymore). The IRA haven’t existed in ten years now. Gerry Adams’ membership has zilch to do with Irish politics today, much as Hugh O’Connell or Dennis O’brien would have you believe. There are justice procedures in place. Adams was questioned on the topic for four days last year. No evidence was produced and he was released without charge. Life goes on. Adams has spent most of his life working towards taking the gun out of Irish politics and history is showing that this has been achieved for the first time in generations, and he was one of, if not the key player in making it so.
He had a big part in taking the gun out of Irish politics alright, didn’t he give up the Eskund
Second time you made this claim Hugh, care to expand at all? It’s just that you are a bit thin on any supporting evidence.
IRA are just serial killers and kiddy fiddlers
There is no hard evidence he’s too clever for that, forever the master strategist.
It is a known fact that the usually cautious Adams encouraged the landing of the Eksund when others suggested landing a smaller load first , it is also a known fact that McGuinness informed the Executive about the impending shipment arriving knowing that the Executive may be compromised.
Who had the most to gain ?
The benefits to Gerry in giving up the Eksund were threefold.
Firstly it was a show of good faith to the British with whom he was in talks with that he was serious about peace.
Secondly, when the Eksund was seized and the size and extent of its cargo discovered, it would soon become apparent that previous sizeable shipments had already been successfully landed by PIRA , this would give Him huge leverage in his negotiations with the British.
In order for him to gain this huge leverage it was imperative that the boat and its load be captured intact, so the scuttling device wired onboard was sabotaged after the boat left Libya presumably by an Adams loyalist onboard.
Thirdly, with the element of surprise lost the impending TET offensive planned by PIRA would then have to be scaled down , making it easier for the Adams strategy.
Sinn Fein is my kinda party … its for the unemployed (that’s us!) and the poor. FG are for the poshies in D4.
SF asked me to post leaflets for them in the last election but I was too busy ……..
………… watching the telly!!
Winning the next election: Fair, equitable and moderate taxes.
- Scrap the LPT on Family Homes … double it for second and more homes …..
- Scrap the current annual Road Tax. Load those who can afford to pay: NEW CAR Owners. Progressive tax.
- Introduce Bank Tax: FTT (Financial Transaction Tax) like Germany, France etc recently implemented.
(FTT would raise same amount as the LPT €550 Million)
QED
Party of Choice at the next Election is ………”NO PARTY” … Independents are at 30%!!!!!!!!!!
Political Parties are just Private Clubs that Max your Tax like Landlords Max your Rent and Banks Max your Debt.
Beware of Financial Predators ….
no
Shouldn’t that Easter Lillie on your lapel Gerry be stuck on , get rid of the pin …..
Jerry would be well used to pulling the pin
Sinn Fein and Fine Gael should go into government together they have a lot in common, they are both partitionist parties who murdered their own …..
Sinnféin is against everything, Except Anything that is against the law of God. Go bhfoire Dia orainn.
It’s a matter of the haves vs the have nots, and despite our ‘recovery’ that gap widens every day, the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and middle class is slowing becoming the working poor.
I would never ever have voted sinn fein, but now I’m all for them. They want change, and most importantly they want to disrupt the cosy little circle of privilege the rich currently enjoy. FG wants more of the same. And for the ever growing number of have nots that’s just not good enough.
Will Gerry provide private hospital care in us hospitals for people on trolleys ? He behaves like Haughey.
have your say