irishelection2007

Everyday Like Sunday

Submitted by Ciarán on Sun, 24/06/2007 - 22:53

Oh: Tom Morrissey. For a second there I thought it was a Eurovision thing.

Wrong Me

Submitted by Ciarán on Thu, 14/06/2007 - 20:46

Well, I was so wrong wasn't I? I hadn't thought the Greens would be the kingmakers. What a big risk they're taking in electoral terms, but what's the point in being a politician in opposition, especially in Ireland's disfunctional parliamentary system?

And as for what they didn't get, well no-one in Europe has banned American flights so that's not a runner for any government. And I'm sure everyone is delighted to let Mary Harney continue her fight with the consultants. Bi-location is probably worth it purely in return for no-one else having to take the health service on themselves.

So, well done to the Greens on making the deal and let's hope they rise to their opportunity.

Electile Disfunction

Submitted by Ciarán on Thu, 31/05/2007 - 20:50

Well, so much has been written on Irish blogs about last week's election, with (amongst some dross) more excellent analyses than I could name here, marvellous titles and downright bitterness. And then there was the spectacular logistical and technical achievements of the Irish Election blog and Politics.ie (noticed across the Atlantic too).

Anyway, I really didn't have a huge emotional investment on the election: I wasn't particularly supporting any team, though the team I supported second-least won (more on the team I supported least below). I'm not convinced that a FG-Labour victory would have made an enormous difference to the country, even if I'm with Simon McGarr in thinking that 17 years out of 20 is more than enough for any political party, even if they are Ireland's version of Congress. And, despite what I said before, I do sometimes wonder what would happen if someone leaked photos of Bertie eating a puppy with one hand and personally poisoning our water with the other: Taoiseach for life, I'd say.

So, I'm neither pleased nor displeased in party disposition terms. That said, I do think that the history of the 29^th Dáil can tell us some highly discouraging things about the one we're about to have. read the rest of this post »

Why I Feel Sorry for Bertie

Submitted by Ciarán on Sun, 06/05/2007 - 22:45

Poor old Bertie. It's been quite a week for him: a fouled up announcement of the election (whatever happened to the Council of State?) to the rising controversy over his finances to Vincent Browne's spectacular grilling (and put-down of P.J. Mara) at the Fíanna Fáil manifesto launch to the PD's self-serving ('vote for me: I'm not with stupid!') wobble and subsequent statement.

What's happening to him? There's a reason Bertie has been Taoiseach for ten years and that's that he is a smart and sophisticated politician. This week has been precisely the opposite of that.

My suspicion is that we ought to take pause before condemning him outright, however. read the rest of this post »

Draw Breath