Ceann Comhairle

brettmirl

John O'Donoghue for CC.

Seth Brundle

mick_irl wrote:

John O'Donoghue for CC.

He should be good at it - he will have zero tolerance policy in the house!

Heinrich

Heinrich wrote:

Look at he depleted PDs and the state of Labour after their affairs with FF!

FG never had a coalition with FF and look what happened to them in 02.
They got hit so bad that the so called mood for change this time round brought them back with 3 less seats than prior to 02.

Remember voters are autonomous individuals.

redspider

> Well every President we've ever had has had to do it and theres never been a problem with it and thats a much more important role.

Except that the President role doesnt have any real powers at all and is a ceremonial position. Its hard not to be neutral in such a role! Sure there is signing of legislation, etc, but that can even be forced through. The President doesnt have a veto. The CC role is much much different.

I've had a look at the CC's of the past and a high number have been from the Labour party and very few from Fine Gael. I've also noticed that the Labour party CC's weren't replaced when they eventually retired (eg: Pattison, and O'Brien's failure recently in Carlow-Kilkenny) so Labour's acceptance of such roles has in fact hemmoraged (ie: lost) seats over the years. That makes sense because the CC doesnt have the time to do any constituency work or to ask any questions on his constituents behalf. Its a 'lame duck' appointment from a party perspective (not from the individuals perspective). I still think that the system would be better served with an appointed 'professional'. John Bowman anyone?

Heinrich wrote:

MacGrath never said anything about joining in with FF before the election. My point is that had he done so I and I am sure others would have simply given the vote to a real FFer. I do believe that anyone going along the FF path will get squuezed one way or another. Look at he depleted PDs and the state of Labour after their affairs with FF! I would say the same for the Greens. So Mr Sargent is honouring his commitment by stepping down as leader but will act as such until he is replaced. He gets a junior ministry on top. That's just bandying words around.
Of course the electorate have short memories and even less interest...

Finnian McGrath wont be offered the CC role and wont accept it either. I'd say the CC role will go to someone who we have heard little about. I do think it would be a role that would have suited Mary Harney at this juncture, but with her on a 'health mission', she wouldnt accept it at this point and doesnt see herself as a spent force. I'd say it will go to someone with a low profile, the question is, who?

As for the FF-coalition partners getting squeezed next time out, it all depends on what they do when in government. If they are pliable and maleable, then they could get punished badly. The Green Party have many TD's that just came in on the 'final counts', ie: 3rd, 4th or 5th seats. Like low hanging fruit, they could be the first to fall.

The electorate will remember though in 5 years, and the media will remind us anyway. And for the Green's it will remain to be seen whether 441-67 is the actual reflection of negativity across the voter base. I would hazard a guess that the negativity to the FF-GP deal is more, and also much higher among the many that gave transfers to the Green's from Labour and Fine Gael. That could result in a PD-like decimation (the colloquial usage of the phrase!) next time out or not.

Redspider

redspider

mick_irl wrote:

John O'Donoghue for CC.

That's what I've heard as well.

I've always found John to be a good talker when backed into a corner and to battle under stress. How he performs as a CC is unknown, but clearly will be pro-FF, very pro-FF. The house will have a strong kirry flavour to it.

Lets see how the Independents vote today to see who is in and who is out. Has Flynn made a statement yet? Lowry has made a half-one.

redspider

_blank_

Yep, Bertie just nominated him.

Pat Rabbitte nominated Ruairi Quinn :eek:

Heinrich

seansouth wrote:

Yep, Bertie just nominated him.

Pat Rabbitte nominated Ruairi Quinn :eek:

Seconded buy Enda Kenny
Going to voail now.

timmywex

doing a ta/nil vote where they walk through a room,
thats whats taking so long

timmywex

John O'Donoghue wins,

90 to 75

Voipjunkie

Heinrich wrote:

MacGrath never said anything about joining in with FF before the election. My point is that had he done so I and I am sure others would have simply given the vote to a real FFer. I do believe that anyone going along the FF path will get squuezed one way or another. Look at he depleted PDs and the state of Labour after their affairs with FF!

I would say the same for the Greens. So Mr Sargent is honouring his commitment by stepping down as leader but will act as such until he is replaced. He gets a junior ministry on top. That's just bandying words around.

We will see how the constituents will benefit from MaGrath's alliance in time to come. Rendez-vous in 5 years to discuss?:p Of course the electorate have short memories and even less interest...

Did you or anyone ask McGrath if he would support FF if the right deal was put to him if you expected him to solely support a FG/Lab government then you should have voted for Bruton or McDowell

Heinrich

Donohue 90-75