Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

I will say it again, you have a very peculiar exceptionalism at play here.

You routinely present things SF do or don't do as unique to them. That is where you display a lack of knowledge.

We have seen No Confidence votes used since the birth of the state, we have seen all parties make mistakes, fail to achieve their aims, put the state in extreme peril, etc etc.

As I said you need to balance things.

I laid out what I think of SF, they have been an effective opposition, constantly calling the coalition to account - that is the job of an opposition by the way.

I am sure if FF and FG had grown their support in the polls to the extent SF have, you and others would be claiming they must be doing something right. But no, the consensus seems to be there is something wrong with the electorate, they are being fooled by old men with white beards in the Hills of Antrim etc etc Never gets old tbh.

The arrogance of being in power too long IMO

I think they have been a very effective opposition - holding the government to account. The JOB and duty of an opposition. The vitriol that emanates from FF and FG about this is evidence enough that they are doing their jobs.

I have stated this in 3 posts now but you claim I am deflecting.

This is just more of the arrogance.

A political ideology that cannot abide being called to account.

IMO This is a part of the change that has been brought to Irish politics. Proper accountability.

Anyone with their eyes open, knows that TD's had to be whipped to support the government and that 63 deputies voted against the government. If that's a win for the government, they must be really desperate for one.

The hollow (at this stage) bleating about this just being about SF is tiresome at this stage.

Re: SLAPPS, what i have said is that everyone has a right to defend their name. EVERYONE.

Jesus

Go do some reading on why Confidence votes are called. They are not just about winning.

The Minister is now in last chance territory, a dead minister walking as it is called.

There is also no set amount of them laid down for a reason...this is a democracy.

““They have not gone along with the cosy power swop sham ———-“ ‘. I thought that we had ‘killed’ that SWOP strategy in that it was the voters that desired after every election who gets into power. So, as you pointed out SF/Ml spotted this sham a mile away and would not touch the idea or shall we say that if it did get into power it would hold onto it forever so as to avoid this swapping sham.

and , God forbid, if the voters decided that at some election in the future they wanted a ‘CHANGE’ from a tired old Single party/SF government and put in another government, what would you suggest SF do if it got back in again In order to avoid this SWOP strategy. Looking forward to your reply

I think you may have finally got it.

Will SF coalesce with party's they said they never would, to stay in power?

Will they put somebody in charge of finance they think has the calibre of a sacked and disgraced CEO to stay in power?

If they do, then they deserve to lose power and I'll be the first to remove my vote.

Well, this is a no brainer I would have thought.

For holding the government to account repeatedly.

I fully believe there had to be a debate and vote about the MoJ's competency and that of all the others.

As others have pointed out, you may think it has not worked but for many it has and exposed those who will make career choices when it comes down to it or help to circle the wagons when they were previously critical.

I also think they have done great work in the various Dáil committees questioning and scrutinising government and semi state bodies and the likes of RTE. Other members of the opposition have also excelled in their duty as an opposition too.

The repeated ranting about anyone daring to hold the power swap parties to account is heartening, it is clearly working and politics is changing.

Proper accountability is what we want, whosoever is in power.

What evidence do you want?

Aren't you giving out about them seeking accountability?

Your opinion is they are wrong to take no confidence motions, or to challenge government. My opinion is that it is the duty and job of the opposition to do just that.

I never said they were the 'best' opposition either.

And the fact again is, rather than drive people away they have of the main parties, attracted support since the GE while the government parties haven't.

Tough to accept but there you have it.

I asked you a question, yet to get an answer. Just more nonsense. I asked posts ago if you had anything coherent to add, you just admitted you don't.

Why would it be "Tough to accept" ?

What exactly is tough to accept? People are just sick of the abuse online from Sinn Fein supporters.

It's time the political party you spend so long defending shut down the "ignorant pigs" they have online for them.

It would be tough to accept if I was a Sinn fein supporter and I was been associated with these assh**es online.

Not sure you understood. One thing is a guess/opinion- the outcome of the next election. The other is a fact - of the 4, SF FF FG and the Grs, only one has grown its support since the GE.

This is normal in a democracy where the government parties agree to see out the parliamentary terms, the purpose of such votes is usually to force people to abstain or make it close enough that the government goes to election, if called too often (as is the case here) it stymies the work of the government and makes the opposition look weak if they aren't getting close votes and can be blamed for delaying legislation.

SF are attempting to stay as quiet as possible until the GE comes up lest their policies are shown up (as has been happening a lot recently). We've already seen them abandon their leftist base (that they picked up from Labour), the question is how they can keep moving towards FF policies in a way that doesn't overly frighten their base and then form a coalition with them (with the sole purpose of having a unity vote on Ireland).

SF need to stay quiet because once anyone puts them into an interview it all falls apart.

But even at that, they can't even release an alternative budget without errors. So hard not to fall flat on their face when they can't even proof read a document.

I suppose we will revert to Pearse shouting and roaring about every topic and Mary Lou doing Dear Deirdre in the Dail from imaginary letters she is getting. Sorry that's what we have had since 2020.

"Best opposition ever" :-) deluded they are.

That’s a very, very neat response, Francis. Must think of that as a reply which I can use when I feel like not discussing an issue that someone is challenging me on

Sorry, but even in the cold light of a New Year this makes zero sense to me. 'Shopping'?

And I haven't made any claims about the outcome of the next GE, I refer to what happened here since Independence as a swapping of power between FF and FG.

The huge change forced on them is that the swap can't happen anymore because neither of them got the electoral support, they had to coalesce.

Typical response from you.