Government to hold SW bye-election this month

Firblog

Carrickman wrote: »

If Doherty ran as an Independent I think he would coast in as people as very weary of Sinn Fein.

Have voted for ppl who have stood as ind then joined a party when elected, there really should be law against it... if you do it there has to be new bye election to let the voters ratify the decision..

On the current campaign, I've a fair idea of the policies of the candidates, being in line with their parties - even if the candidates don't know it or admit to it - with Thomas Pringle being well left of Labour, and I think fair to say anti EU (but wouldn't hold that last one against him)

However I missed the debate last night, an am none the wiser from reading on here, what are Anne Sweeney's policies on anything? Anyone care to enlighten me?

cosanostra

A

cosanostra

Firblog wrote: »

However I missed the debate last night, an am none the wiser from reading on here, what are Anne Sweeney's policies on anything? Anyone care to enlighten me?

Check out rte player and you should get last nights frontline there its about half way into the show!

puffdragon

A

GoldenGreen

puffdragon wrote: »

Events further afield have distracted from this thread a wee bit tonight but those events will have a bigger effect on the Fianna Fail vote than any other, I would say more protest votes will result from the blundering and in particular Dermot Ahern's statements wont help O'Donnell a bit! It just gives people more ammunition to throw at the local politicians!

Just wondering would the events of last night have the opposite effect. From what I heard on the TV the EU etc support the goverment 4 year plan etc and part of that is passing the budget, if the budgetis not passed will the EU IMF etc get nervous and really push the bailout on us. So would people think then to have some sort of stability and pass the budget then vote in a FFer.

As they say fear is one of the best ways to control the masses, and watching Primetime last night and the imf coming into the country would sure put the fear in you.

Muffler: I vote for A

North_West_Art

GoldenGreen wrote: »

Just wondering would the events of last night have the opposite effect. From what I heard on the TV the EU etc support the goverment 4 year plan etc and part of that is passing the budget, if the budgetis not passed will the EU IMF etc get nervous and really push the bailout on us. So would people think then to have some sort of stability and pass the budget then vote in a FFer.

As they say fear is one of the best ways to control the masses, and watching Primetime last night and the imf coming into the country would sure put the fear in you.

Muffler: I vote for A

I didn't see the Primetime program last night, but the fact that IMF and EU officials are arriving to discuss a bailout that will ultimately affect Ireland's sovereignty, one week before the DSW by-elections, is a bit suspicious....

cosanostra

FF have made a complete mess of this country and we need a new goverment people with new ideas that will bring a bit of confidence back into the country.

In donegal sw we need someone that will protect us in this budget to make sure we get our fair share of any wealth thats being spred and to protect our services and i dont think a ff'er will do that when he said he will vote for the budget regardless of its contents!

What we have found out in recent times is a td in power cant speak up for their constituency or they will loose their party wipp FF tds especially in donegal sw have been voted in too easily in the past and they have forgotten they are representing the people

Carrickman

A.

blue shimmering

muffler wrote: »

Do people want a poll included with this thread?

Yes, yes, yes - I would suggest a poll on all individuals and only people who are eligible to vote to complete the poll! Maybe put an option there for others to say yes/no to FF?

For example:

Please only people eligible to vote in Bye-election:

Sweeney
Pringle
Mc Brearty
O'Neill
Doherty
O'D

Other opinions - seat to go to FF

Yes
No

blue shimmering

Firblog wrote: »

Have voted for ppl who have stood as ind then joined a party when elected, there really should be law against it... if you do it there has to be new bye election to let the voters ratify the decision..

On the current campaign, I've a fair idea of the policies of the candidates, being in line with their parties - even if the candidates don't know it or admit to it - with Thomas Pringle being well left of Labour, and I think fair to say anti EU (but wouldn't hold that last one against him)

However I missed the debate last night, an am none the wiser from reading on here, what are Anne Sweeney's policies on anything? Anyone care to enlighten me?

I agree, but it will not happen, from listening to Frontline the other night I think that Pringle will vote with the government on the budget and probably on other issues!

We need to think about our second and third vote because more than likely none of the candidates will reach the quota on first count - I just hope that all second and subsequent votes from the other five candidates go to each other rather than to FF! If we are protesting please do it right this time - we were the only two constituencies in Ireland that voted againt Lisbon, so do it again and vote against the government this time!

It is all lies, lies, lies that we are being told and we have not been given the full story as yet........bring down the government so we can see exactly what is going on!

muffler

Thanks for the replies everyone re poll options.

I have now put a simple poll up and it will be interesting to see the final tally in a weeks time.

Just for the record the candidates are listed in alphabetical order based on their surnames.

Strange thing is that the actual final results of the by-election could well end up looking like the order in which they appear in the poll with Doherty on top of the pile - just my opinion

GoldenGreen

muffler wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone re poll options.

I have now put a simple poll up and it will be interesting to see the final tally in a weeks time.

Just for the record the candidates are listed in alphabetical order based on their surnames.

Strange thing is that the actual final results of the by-election could well end up looking like the order in which they appear in the poll with Doherty on top of the pile - just my opinion

Just wondering if it is a case of only people who are eligible to vote in this by-election case a vote in the poll here.

muffler

GoldenGreen wrote: »

Just wondering if it is a case of only people who are eligible to vote in this by-election case a vote in the poll here.

Aye, that would be the general idea. Its just to gauge how the regulars on this forum intend to vote - that would be the regulars who have an entitlement to vote at the by-election.

Of course its open to abuse by others as its an open/public poll but I would be hopeful that it would be respected though.

Carrickman

Doherty well ahead according to Red C poll:

An opinion poll commissioned by Red C on behalf of Paddy Power bookmakers shows the Sinn Féin candidate, who essentially forced the government into holding the by-election after the High Court ruled that it had caused an “unreasonable delay” in blocking it, commanding 40% of the potential first preference votes.

By comparison, his closest challenger – Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill, of Fianna Fáil – carries 19% of the potential first preference vote, while Fine Gael councillor Barry O’Neill is a further three points back, on 16%.

Labour’s candidate, Cllr Frank McBrearty Jr, commands 15% of the first preference vote, while independents Cllr Thomas Pringle (himself a onetime member of Sinn Féin) and Ann Sweeney command 8% and 2% support respectively.

Doherty’s enormous support is almost certain to guarantee him election to the seat; the poll also finds that the Sinn Féin candidate commands 19% of the second-preference support of the electorate, easily pushing him over the 50% +1 threshold needed to secure by-election victory.

Labour’s McBrearty commands the largest section of second-preference support, with 20% of voters saying they would give him their Number 2 preference, ahead of O’Neill with 14% and Ó Domhnaill with 10%.

http://www.thejournal.ie/doherty-blases-ahead-in-by-election-opinion-polling-2010-11/

ednwireland

Labour’s candidate, Cllr Frank McBrearty Jr, commands 15%

:eek:

Firblog

cosanostra wrote: »

In donegal sw we need someone that will protect us in this budget to make sure we get our fair share of any wealth thats being spred

Surely this is the kind of thinking that has gotten the country into the mess we're in... people voting for their own selfish interests, and not what is good for the country as a whole, or for candidates who have done them a 'turn' has given us the quality of politicians that we are afflicted with in Donegal/nationally; perhaps with this bye election we should take a chance, vote for someone who may not do you a turn... but who by doing what's best for the country will eventually lead to a better life for all. ( Who this may be I'll leave up to yourself to decide )

cosanostra

Firblog wrote: »

Surely this is the kind of thinking that has gotten the country into the mess we're in... people voting for their own selfish interests, and not what is good for the country as a whole, or for candidates who have done them a 'turn' has given us the quality of politicians that we are afflicted with in Donegal/nationally; perhaps with this bye election we should take a chance, vote for someone who may not do you a turn... but who by doing what's best for the country will eventually lead to a better life for all. ( Who this may be I'll leave up to yourself to decide )

I wasnt talking about getting my road tared i was simply saying that we need someone who will fight our corner cause when the cuts come donegal will be left out as it has been by this goverment in the past our main industries of farming and fishing are gone because no td would speak up for the people who voted for them and is that not the role of a td to speak for their constituents.

I think we have a td in Pearse Doherty who will speak up for us and has proved so by fighting for this by election and i think he will shout loud enough to make sure were not forgotten!

Early Bird

ednwireland wrote: »

:eek:

Im not suprised McBrearty is getting strong support and i hope he wins it for everyones sake.
We need Fianna Fail out NOW. Electing Doherty or ODonnell will not help us. Doherty/Sinn Fein will never get into Government and I cant understand their stance against the upcoming budget - where are we gonna get the money? Doherty is in cloud cukcoo land unless i am missing something. We cannot elect ODonnell otherwise we might aswell let FF back in and give them another shot at it. Please Donegal get FF out of Government now.

irish1967

Can we vote twice ?

muffler

irish1967 wrote: »

Can we vote twice ?

In this poll ...no. There's no multiple choice I'm afraid.

I have posted a similar poll here but its for people to give their thoughts on who they think will be elected as opposed to stating who they are actually going to vote for.

North_West_Art

how do you mean 'we' Irish?

K-9

irish1967 wrote: »

Can we vote twice ?

Yep.

We'll have a GE in a few months.

K-9

muffler wrote: »

In this poll ...no. There's no multiple choice I'm afraid.

I have posted a similar poll here but its for people to give their thoughts on who they think will be elected as opposed to stating who they are actually going to vote for.

Nice one, will be interesting to see who people think will win, rather than who'll they'll vote for.

muffler

North_West_Art wrote: »

how do you mean 'we' Irish?

Awaits reply with ban hammer hidden behind back

Firblog

Cosanostra, I wasn't implying that you vote for ppl that do favours for you personally, apologies if it came across that way.

What I'm suggesting is that even voting for someone who will 'deliver' for a specific region - McDaid for NE Donegal when minister for sport - or section of the community - Public Service Union members for FF/benchmarking etc - tends to lead to others not getting their fair share of the national cake. This is prob not the place to expound on the faults of PR and how our system will always lead to the squandering of any wealth by (any) Govt in order to get re-elected, so I won't

On the bye election, I too hope that FF will not regain the seat (as they are the greatest exponents of stroke n favour politics) that are advocated, and that Doherty is probably the only viable candidate to vote for to make this more likely... however some seem to think that pringle has a bit of wit and intelligence to offer

http://bluestackblogger.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-i-choose-thomas-pringle.html?spref=fb

ToniTuddle

I'm just tired of it all!

Pearse is getting my vote no doubt about it.

mistermouse

Not sure if any of the candidates will have any real power, having seen them on both Vincent Browne and The Frontline, there are a few that I would dread to be in power.

One thing for certain came out of the programmes, on the whole, Donegal looked very bad and certain parties are more interested in getting canditates they think might win rather than good politicians.

If this attitude is replicated nationwide in a general election we will have another crowd of muppets running the country, unless the IMF render them powerless before then

cosanostra

There should be a poll: If pearse isnt running who would you vote for? Maybe the Dont know/dont care/wont be voting option would become popular

ednwireland

Early Bird wrote: »

Im not suprised McBrearty is getting strong support and i hope he wins it for everyones sake.

minister for justice maybe
you really want to see him in the dail ?
he'll be a backbencher nothing else he's too much of a loose cannon, he'll have as much power as doherty.

classic there from doherty

Brian O’Domhnaill the first candidate to break a promise before the election (Re: the imf not coming in )

irish1967

We are lucky in a way that this is a stand alonr by-election as media coverage will be huge. Whoever wins knows they will have the national spotlight on him (sorry Ms. Sweeney but lets be realistic). Things will have to seen to be achieved from the man elected.

I will be voting for Doherty. Nothing to do with parties or the politics of a party I just simply think the guy has his head screwed on and not up his *** like some of the others. Have a listen to his speech on the housing problem. He says it as it is and doesnt hide behind fancy words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHmz0BlOyUc

I mean, give the guy a shot at it. Could he actually be any worse than what we have had in the past? Unfortunately if things continue the way they are going he'll have to be elected a second time in the near future in a general election.

And finally I challange anyone reading this to tell me truthfully that they do not know at least a dozen people who vote for the party their family always voted for. They vote without even knowing what that parties policies are and regardless of past performance. Jeez:rolleyes: