Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis 2013 - April 27th, RDS

michael999999

What are the people on the doors saying about the fianna fail senators in front of our country's courts this week for fraud and demanding money with menace?

keeponhurling

Do any FFers know whether within the party there is much opposition to Michael Martin as leader?

Given his history, his very presense will surely undermine any attempts at reform by FF, and preclude many voters from even considering a vote for FF.
Hardly what young aspiring FF TDs would want?

StillWaters

All male panels. Very bad optics. Matches the audience though, old men in suits.

Jeez it's tedious. Is this the best of their members? Calling for Uzi machine guns for detectives? I'd be hitting the booze if I had to listen to these too.

Sierra Oscar

StillWaters wrote: »

All male panels. Very bad optics. Matches the audience though, old men in suits.

Jeez it's tedious. Is this the best of their members? Calling for Uzi machine guns for detectives? I'd be hitting the booze if I had to listen to these too.

The panel discussing crime is not all male.

Silentcorner

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

The panel discussing crime is not all male.

Optics aren't great tho when you consider the family Niall Collins has come from.

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/former-ff-td-michael-collins-convicted-of-fraud-26321542.html

FF has done more damage to Irish society than any gang of drug dealers or terrorist organisation

It should be mandatory for any FF Ardheis that a Senior member of an Garda Siochana is given the main stage, in the interest of crime prevention, to deliver a stern warning that corruption/tax evasion/abuse of taxpayers money will end in severe punishment.

All new members of the party should be interviewed (to ascertain their motives ) by special branch...who knows it might just save the taxpayer money in the long run.

StillWaters

Yes it was. The Chair was a woman, but the panel were all male.

96fm news just reported that Michael McGrath reckons the government should take more risks and he's critical of their softly softly approach with the banks.

About the risks, you'd imagine he'd appreciate more than most that when you take a risk (middle of the night decisions when those involved have little to no clue what their doing ) that the consequences can often be rather severe.

Macha

Any news on the abortion vote, or votes I should say?

Cody Pomeray

It was worrying to hear a prominent politician say that the state should encourage the banks to be more "compassionate" in their recovery of assets.

Eh, sorry lads! this is exactly why a Government should never own its own bank, never mind build up a sizeable collection of them.

FF would be well advised to shut up and keep their nose out of banking.

If you're going to recap a bank, do it if you want. don't expect to run the show after you do it, because that's not good for anyone.

Mr.Micro

Macha wrote: »

Any news on the abortion vote, or votes I should say?

The Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis has overwhelmingly passed three motions committing the party to a "pro-life" position, and opposing any legislation widening the grounds for abortions.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0427/386860-fianna-fail-ard-fheis/

So FF not progressive at all despite all the issues re abortion. Sure it will try and get the votes from the older generation or religious zealots who believe there are no grounds ever for abortion.

StillWaters

Interesting, they have banned former TDs who didnt stand in 2011 from standing again. Who was that directed at I wonder?

StillWaters

Mr.Micro wrote: »

The Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis has overwhelmingly passed three motions committing the party to a "pro-life" position, and opposing any legislation widening the grounds for abortions.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0427/386860-fianna-fail-ard-fheis/

So FF not progressive at all despite all the issues re abortion. Sure it will try and get the votes from the older generation or religious zealots who believe there are no grounds ever for abortion.

Who is surprised by this really?

Mr.Micro

StillWaters wrote: »

Interesting, they have banned former TDs who didnt stand in 2011 from standing again. Who was that directed at I wonder?

I would say that is more to stop the old names coming up that people will be familiar with and associate with sleaze and economic meltdown, most of the former FF TD s probably. Martin is trying to get new names and faces in I guess, but alas the same brand FF. Has he ever thought that he should step down as he is of the bad FF?

raymon

I thought in his speech Michael Martin would have finally let us know how Eoin o Callaghans money ended up in his wife's bank account.

Disappointed again.

Hootanany

Please please never forget what this shower did to this Country.
Never never forget.

Sierra Oscar

Mr.Micro wrote: »

Has he ever thought that he should step down as he is of the bad FF?

Why should he step down as leader? Opinion polls have consistently shown that he is the most popular leader of any political party in Ireland.

Those are the facts. They may sit uncomfortably with you, but they remain the facts nonetheless.

jank

I understand that parties have to have their annual shin dig, but I feel FF are being very disengenious here. They have had 12 years of power which left the country ecomically destroyed and ruined. Yet here they are planning their comeback is if nothing happened. I have no idea what FF stands for apart from populism. I know what FG, labour, SF, ULA and the greens stand for but FF is still a mystery to me. They talk about reforms but what reforms do they propose for the country? All I see is a party talking through both sides of its mouth, it had a opportunity to rise above the local, gombeen populist politics that Ireland gives us, yet it seems to be revorting to type with two legs.

It's very easy to criticise the government at present and FF seems to take a certain delight with that when the whole mess we are in is their fault. If FF would be serious they should lay down their strategy for ireland for the next 25years and lay out what type of country it should be. Then Cost it, then put it forward as a mandate for their GE. Rather ten picking a few holes here and there to see what votes they can win. For FF it seems power and party is above all else. FF should openly state they could go into government with FG as well, it's insane that they don't.

Cody Pomeray

StillWaters wrote: »

I know what FG...stand for

You do?

If you think you know what Fine Gael stand for, you're probably engaging in pure guesswork. The party has about as much of an ideological drive as Fianna Fail. They are very vaguely to the right of Fianna Fail, but just as vacuous in their core philosophy.

I hate the term civil war politics because it hasn't been applicable since the Inter party government. However, FG and FF are its artifacts. There is no justifiable reason in ideology why FF and FG are separate political parties.

Mr.Micro

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Why should he step down as leader? Opinion polls have consistently shown that he is the most popular leader of any political party in Ireland.

Those are the facts. They may sit uncomfortably with you, but they remain the facts nonetheless.

As he sits back and does nothing whilst the real leaders do the unpopular work and take measures to try and stabilize the country. Any rational person would ask why is Martin popular in view of his involvement with the previous FF administration? The answer is that he is not FG or Labour.

StillWaters

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

You do?

If you think you know what Fine Gael stand for, you're probably engaging in pure guesswork. The party has about as much of an ideological drive as Fianna Fail. They are very vaguely to the right of Fianna Fail, but just as vacuous in their core philosophy.

I hate the term civil war politics because it hasn't been applicable since the Inter party government. However, FG and FF are its artifacts. There is no justifiable reason in ideology why FF and FG are separate political parties.

I don't know how you managed to quote me there. I never said that, although I'd class FG as a Christian Democrat party. I've no idea what FF stand for, except now I know they are anti choice.

carpejugulum

The populism of Fianna Fail trumps that of Sinn Fein.
The hypocrisy of Fianna Fail challenges that of the Catholic Church.

johnnydeep

raymon wrote: »

Is there anything in the Clar to address the issues of Corruption, Perjury, Theft, or Economic Treason and general dishonesty that have been plaguing the party?

what an interesting life you must lead. talk about a broken record

johnnydeep

jank wrote: »

I understand that parties have to have their annual shin dig, but I feel FF are being very disengenious here. They have had 12 years of power which left the country ecomically destroyed and ruined. Yet here they are planning their comeback is if nothing happened. I have no idea what FF stands for apart from populism. I know what FG, labour, SF, ULA and the greens stand for but FF is still a mystery to me. They talk about reforms but what reforms do they propose for the country? All I see is a party talking through both sides of its mouth, it had a opportunity to rise above the local, gombeen populist politics that Ireland gives us, yet it seems to be revorting to type with two legs.

It's very easy to criticise the government at present and FF seems to take a certain delight with that when the whole mess we are in is their fault. If FF would be serious they should lay down their strategy for ireland for the next 25years and lay out what type of country it should be. Then Cost it, then put it forward as a mandate for their GE. Rather ten picking a few holes here and there to see what votes they can win. For FF it seems power and party is above all else. FF should openly state they could go into government with FG as well, it's insane that they don't.

it is easy to critise the present government they make it easy
could you enlighten me as to what f.g and lab stand for. you want f.f to make a 25 year plan with costings. you have more faith in f.f than I have. they couldn't see the bust coming and you want them to predict the next 25 years

mannyfusco

They should have been locked up and the key thrown away

mannyfusco

did anyone see what happened outside the italian parliament today

michael999999

mannyfusco wrote: »

did anyone see what happened outside the italian parliament today

One can only live on hope!

spank_inferno

I heard on Today FM this morning Droopy Dog, or whatever the FF leader is called lashing out the populism.

Apparently we can increase government spending, while decreasing government revenue.... at the same time remaining within deficit / debt targets.

Now I haven't paid any attention to FF since their election drubbing.
Is this the bankrupt populism they have resorted to?

I suppose if the tactic aint broke... etc

Mr.Micro

spank_inferno wrote: »

I heard on Today FM this morning Droopy Dog, or whatever the FF leader is called lashing out the populism.

Apparently we can increase government spending, while decreasing government revenue.... at the same time remaining within deficit / debt targets.

Now I haven't paid any attention to FF since their election drubbing.
Is this the bankrupt populism they have resorted to?

I suppose if the tactic aint broke... etc

In truth Martin in Government for 14 years with the previous FF regime, he learned nothing then, so we can hardly expect him to know anything about economics now.

In his presidential address to his party's Ard Fheis in the RDS in Dublin tonight, Mr Martin accused the Government of making it easy for banks to repossess homes.
He said the Coalition had a new policy of attacking public servants, and that Croke Park II had ended in abject failure.
Mr Martin also said the €1bn saved on the Anglo promissory note payment should be diverted to lessen the burden of new taxes, increase capital spending and protect health and education.
He said the Local Property Tax was about as unfair as it could be, describing it as the wrong tax at the wrong time.
Mr Martin said that the sale of State forests should be stopped immediately.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0427/386860-fianna-fail-ard-fheis/

The man does not have a clue, but it all sounds good to the FF crowd.

Fred Cohen

Again I ask, what do FF stand for?

johnnydeep

Fred Cohen wrote: »

Again I ask, what do FF stand for?

the same as f.g and labour