FF falling to pieces

Villain

Well, I just herad the lunchtime news and I really reckon FF are in trouble.

Minsister for Justice Mr McDowell is talking about closing rural police stations!!!
A spokesperson for the police union slated him for waht he called bad industrial relations, he said talking to the Irish times on a sturday evening was not the way to discuss these issues. He also said that any Minister that thinks he can close rural stations must have his head in the sand.. Which we all know McDowell does, maybe its because he reckons that we'r winning the war on crime and don't need the 2000 more police officers promised or need the rural stations to protect those old isolated citizens that live in rural parts of ireland, after all this country is perfect isn't McDowell, u fuc king dopey twat.

Then theres the doctor associations speaking out against the Hanley report saying is unworkable.

Minister for Defence Mr Smith refused to comment on whether or not he would be marching in Nenagh this weeked over the proposed downgrading of the hospital.

Another minister and Senator in the wexford region said they wouldn't support the Hanley report if meant the downgrading of the new unit to be set-up there.

Well I reckon the TD's are starting to realise unless they stand up for the people that voted them in they will be out the door come the next election.

This howevers means Bertie's party is splitting.

OH IF ONLY we had some opposition!!!

miju

FF have long been shot to pieces their ministers are up in the sky with the fairies and everyone including FF themselves knows they are.

I also reckon that Labour, FG are simply just giving FF just enough rope to hang themselves I mean when yoiu think about it FF are doing an excellent job of discrediting themselves and alienating voters left,, right and centre so why bother wasting funds , maopwer etc on FF when its painfully obvious to most (except the hardnosed FF) that FF are gone come the next elections.

The main reason though I think FF are losing it is simply because the last 2 elections have been landslides for them and they are quite simply lazy and have gottn far too cocky IMO and they think that they are so popular that no matter what they do the dumb old public will support them.

The question I'd like answered is what is the new government going to be?

Me is personally hoping to have a lovely rainbow coalition or something with every party BAR FF involved.

star gazer

Rumours of the demise of Fianna Fáil is somewhat premature, there is a long time before the next general election and whether it is a rigourous cabinet reshuffle or a change in leader Fianna Fail will change their message and use their slick party machine to endear themselves to 35-40% of the voters. A week is a llong time in politics and it is easy to see a situation where the economy picks up again and people will forget their worries for another blistering six month campaign. Again we'll wonder how they got back in again...

Cork

Either you allow debate within a party or you rule with an iron fist.

Issues are not always black or white.

Everybody has openions. These openions deserve to be aired. It is the essence of debate & democracy.

But - when it comes say to the Hanley Report - The report needs to be implemented 100% and not cherry picked.

Here TDs (of all partys) need to support it - or failing that put forward worthwhile alternatives.

But TDs being TDs seem to be shooting it down without offering any alternatives.

Gearoid

Well either they are collapsing or its all part of a huge secret conspiracy to make sure that the only ppl interested in voting next time are fat arsed rich FF-PD supporters because everyone under 45 will be totally apathetic to politics when they see the state of the country:ninja:

dogs

I don't think FF are going to even lose the next election, nevermind fall to pieces.

The PDs seem happy to tow the line to remain in power. It's not like the government will collapse. By the time the next election rolls around lots of those Special Savings Scheme accounts will have matured and paid off nicely -- that's an awful lot of automatic PR. The finance minister just gave you 25% interest, surely it's best if he's back in control.

Then there's the people who're just born FF. Randomnly scanning through radio stations in the car the other day I hit RTE Radio 1. I couldnt find a programme listing for what it was exactly, but there weren't any "Party Politicals" for that day.

It was a journalists account of spending time within FF. It started off sounding like it was going to be objective but within 2-3 minutes it had already used phrases such as "a good Catholic party", "FF TD's blessing themselves before Dail prayers", "founded by the rebel soldiers" and plenty of references to Saint DeValera.

It's a mentality people have. I remember when I was younger and my mother was going in to vote, I asked her how did she know who to vote for. Her response was "I vote for Fianna Fail". I asked her why, she said "Because that's who grandad voted for".

OK, since then my mother and most of her friends wouldn't vote for FF if they were the only party but I'm sure that attitude is still prevalent -- and until it changes, FF can do practically anything they like.

sceptre

Originally posted by dogs
"Because that's who grandad voted for".

Baaaaaaa

(no offence to your granny)

star gazer

originally posted by dogs
OK, since then my mother and most of her friends wouldn't vote for FF if they were the only party but I'm sure that attitude is still prevalent -- and until it changes, FF can do practically anything they like.

this will certainly be tested as never before (except maybe after 1977 election). Fianna Fail promised a little bit too much (under-statement) before the last election and the gap between delivery and promise is too great for a floating voter to accept that what they did was ok. There has always been a core Fianna Fáil vote of 30% plus. Even Fine Gael in meltdown kept a core of 20%. But the political landscape is changing, people are very unhappy with how things are being handled in their name, whether it be health reform, 'stealth taxes', or even dáil sitting days there is a national anger out there. People have had enough. The mainstream opposition seems to be struggling to represent that anger and that is why more extremist parties are capturing serious numbers of votes. Fianna Fail backbenchers are probably haunted by the backlash that came after fianna fáil's finest hour in 1977, it's an uncertain future thaqt they face.

Victor

Originally posted by irish1
Minsister for Justice Mr McDowell is talking about closing rural police stations!!!
A spokesperson for the police union slated him for waht he called bad industrial relations, he said talking to the Irish times on a sturday evening was not the way to discuss these issues. He also said that any Minister that thinks he can close rural stations must have his head in the sand.. Which we all know McDowell does, maybe its because he reckons that we'r winning the war on crime and don't need the 2000 more police officers promised or need the rural stations to protect those old isolated citizens that live in rural parts of ireland, after all this country is perfect isn't McDowell, u fuc king dopey twat.

(a) McDowell isn't in FF.

(b) Do you want cops form filling and drinking tea around the station or fighting crime?

Villain

Originally posted by Victor
(a) McDowell isn't in FF.

(b) Do you want cops form filling and drinking tea around the station or fighting crime?

(a)McDowell is a Minister in a Goverment that is controlled by FF, I should have said the coalition to be politicaly correct, sorry.

(b) Where did I say I wanted cops form filling and drinking tea??????


What I do want is to see is the 2000 cops that were promised by our current Government.

What I don't want to see is rural stations being closed down, leaving old citizens in isolated areas vulnerable.

Victor

Originally posted by irish1
What I do want is to see is the 2000 cops that were promised by our current Government.

Indeed.

Originally posted by irish1
What I don't want to see is rural stations being closed down, leaving old citizens in isolated areas vulnerable.

Now you can either have 6 small garda stations in tiny villages where virtually no one lives (I know one place that had a 10 x 10 ft portacabin as a station :rolleyes:) or you can have one station in a small town. In the first example you have 31 gardaí manning the front desk (shift rotations, training, holidays, etc. - it takes 5.2 Gardaí to man each position) and none on the beat. In the second you have 5 on the front desk (one at a time) and 26 on the beat. Which would you prefer? Note that all "old citizens" are entitled to free phone rental and 999 calls are free.

Villain

Originally posted by Victor
Note that all "old citizens" are entitled to free phone rental and 999 calls are free.

Yea but not much good if it takes them an hour to get to them.

I agree with your points about guards monitoring desks etc but this doesn't mean stations have to be closed.

Victor

Originally posted by irish1
I agree with your points about guards monitoring desks etc but this doesn't mean stations have to be closed.

So in your alternative reality how is the garda on the beat and keeping the station open* at the same time?

*Note: the opposite to open is closed

Villain

Originally posted by Victor
So in your alternative reality how is the garda on the beat and keeping the station open* at the same time?

*Note: the opposite to open is closed

Well my local station is only open to the public for 2 hours a day unless they happen to be there. So you know the times there open so if you need passport form etc signed you go at this time. If you need them in an emergency theres a telecom on the outside which is linked to the local district station which will repond to you.

So it's open and closed!