Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

No, not at all.

As I say, they know that nobody will have a majority. FFG already work together in case you hadnt noticed, easy enough to bolt the door on SF if they decide to.

Just as they did last time.

I think the only kicker is if MM leaves before the next election and the new leader is a little more open to a coalition with SF.

But barring that, FFG will be returned again and they already know it.

Doesnt matter what they campaign on, the deal will already be done.

If no party has a majority, how would we not have a merger?

Just as we do today.

I wasnt describing a political party merger.

That wont happen. There wont be a merger between FG and FF.

But there will be a coalition.

You seem to think its a problem for FFG to form a coalition, even though they have been in one for years and are currently in one!

Indeed, the PSNI and MI5 concluded IRA members believed the army council “oversees” both the IRA and Sinn Féin with an “overarching strategy”, "based on current intelligence, historical materials and analysis." Not many years ago the Gardai's view of the IRA’s role is in line with the conclusions of other police forces and security services. Drew Harris said “I am aware of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and British [MI5] security service’s assessment and we do not differ from that view”.

Some regular poster(s) may be of a different view, but he is / they are probably in Athlone at the Ard F. for the weekend.

But only one political party associated with a group that murdered our Gardai within living memory, and did not recognise the state...

"What has living memory to do with it?" - well, some people remember those who could not be trusted then and who killed our Gardai and did not recognise the state ( Republic of Ireland).

Of course you deflect and go off murmuring about the foundation of the state and how " all the main political parties (in Ireland) were born out of violence" and how things were over a century ago blah blah blah. Different times altogether.

There was a time, many decades, when most people were trying to build the economy through hard work and honest means, and others just robbed out banks etc etc. Who do we trust more?

You can choose who you want to vote for ( and in this state, most people can put themselves forward for election as long as they are not unionist - or they get intimidated / attacked / a bullet in the post ). It is worth noting that there is a wide belief even in the "Republican" party of Fianna Fáil belief that Sinn Féin are not a ‘normal’ democratic party.

Micheál Martin: “The Paul Quinn murder stands out. But the omerta that follows it – that people are so afraid and so intimidated by that organisation that they won’t engage with the police”

Yet again you twist things. The statement was not that it was not a normal party. The statement was that it was not a normal democratic party.

Big difference.

And the other point was you can choose who you want to vote for in this state as long as they are not unionist, as unionists who put themselves forward for election in this state- or speak out - get intimidated / attacked / a bullet in the post ).

Micheál Martin: “The Paul Quinn murder stands out. But the omerta that follows it – that people are so afraid and so intimidated by that organisation that they won’t engage with the police”

Political parties are the people they represent. This changes over time.

Sinn Fein has a brand and it appeals to some but not all.

Agree. Over time the vote share of FF and FG has fallen from 86% of the Irish electorate to 42% at the last GE. Looks odds on to fall even further.

SF's share has gone the other way to be the single most popular party in the state at the last GE and still rising.

"still rising" sez you? In the last opinion poll less than a week ago, I thought support for SF was decreasing? Not surprising after many voters reading recent books on SF like Ronan McGreevy & Tom Conlon’s The Kidnapping, David Blake Knox’s Face Down, Mairia Cahill’s Rough Beast and Jennifer O’Leary’s The Padre.

You prove the point. How difficult is it to get proof / witnesses to stand up in court? Remember, in the case of Robert McCartneys murder in Belfast, seventy-one potential witnesses claimed to have been in the pub's toilets at the time of the attacks. The toilets could not hold that many.

Micheál Martin: “The Paul Quinn murder stands out. But the omerta that follows it – that people are so afraid and so intimidated by that organisation that they won’t engage with the police”

I gave you the link showing there is a wide belief even in the "Republican" party of Fianna Fáil that Sinn Féin are not a ‘normal’ democratic party.

If there was no omerta, how come in the case of Robert McCartneys murder in Belfast, seventy-one potential witnesses claimed to have been in the pub's toilets at the time of the attacks? The toilets could not hold that many.

And look what Micheál Martin said for example : “The Paul Quinn murder stands out. But the omerta that follows it – that people are so afraid and so intimidated by that organisation that they won’t engage with the police”

How could a party be a normal political party when there have been no leadership contests in the past 50 years? And when , as the police on both sides of the order say, the army council “oversees” both the IRA and Sinn Féin with an “overarching strategy”, "based on current intelligence, historical materials and analysis?

And you have not addressed the other point which was you can choose who you want to vote for in this state as long as they are not unionist, as unionists who put themselves forward for election in this state- or speak out - get intimidated / attacked / a bullet in the post ).

Overall, it is hard to disagree with our joint / ex Taoiseach when he said that S.F. was not a normal democratic party.

How could such a party form a government? It is interesting that many accountants have advised their clients who are landlords to dispose of their properties in case SF get in to power. They are also fearful of the effect SF may have on our multinationals who are here, a half dozen of whom pay so much C.T. / washing their worldwide profits through Ireland ( Apple yesterday alone was mentioned to have underpaid something like 13 billion in Irish taxes if I am not mistaken - how embarassing for Ireland inc. worldwide).

Umm..Fianna Fail came from SF did they not?

Already answered on the 'omerta' nonsense.

Unionists standing for election here has zero to do with the thread, that is why I ignored that curious question. Open a separate thread and detail the incidents were Unionist candidates were intimidated and ask your question, if I have anything to offer I will.

And again, SF will form the government or part of it, if they are elected to do that job just like any other party would. What is your issue with this? The thread is discussing how they will do that.

Well, the 'joint / ex Taoiseach' had no problems going into government with a party he said he 'would never go into coalition with' so we can take whatever the 'joint / ex Taoiseach' says with a pinch of salt.

Indeed we also know that when he thought he was going to be the biggest party in a coalition with SF he did this:

The guy is a relic of sleeveen politics.

I don't think he will be leader after the next GE so let's look at the favourite to be the new leader of FF.

Jim O'Callaghan: