Leo Varadkar resigns as Taoiseach

A bit odd that Simon Harris will be the next Taoiseach.

He's very amateur.

The count anyone gets elected on is totally meaningless. Simon Harris got elected on the 15th count, but that doesn't tell you that he got the second highest amount of first preference votes, and that FG ran two other candidates. John Brady, the SF candidate topped the poll, and got elected with 6k votes over the quota, he was also the only SF candidate. So, by looking at those figures you would think SF were the most popular party in that constituency, but there actually were not, as FG between their three candidates ended up with around 1200 more first preference votes.

When a party runs multiple candidates in a constituency, its all about vote management and transfers. The goal is to get as many of the candidates elected, regardless of what count they get elected.

Zzzz

Not seeing why itv should. Our taoiseach-in-waiting is a strong supporter

Ah right , a broad range of successful people from a broad range of professions and they're all arseholes?

The point is they're all very successful in their chosen fields due to certain attributes they have that drives them on and you have to say Harris the same as he's gone on to have a very successful political career so you can just forget about the college dropout part. It's irrelevant.

Leo, imo he was an OK Taoiseach I don't understand the pile on by some people. I think he handled Covid well in Feb 2020, the PUP was a great idea and people seemed to agree as FG were the most popular party in Ireland in the summer of 2020 according the polls. My pay slip looks a bit healthier now, im paying less income tax. Primary school kids getting free books. He (and Simon Coveney) did a good job around Brexit. Of course housing and hospital waiting lists will be the main negative points. Also the cost overrun with the children's hospital. Leaking the documents.

I got the feeling that once covid started the duties under his remit just moved to Leo.

It looked like Harris just did what he was told. He got demoted in the next cabinet with a made up ministry. I seem to remember he was on the verge of being dumped from the cabinet.

It seems more and more bizarre that Fine Gael want him as their leader.

And bizarre for the country.

It looks like it will be a coronation and Leo could be gone even sooner.

I hope you aren't basing your maths on the same polling companies that did the opinion polls for the recent referendums.

The government has already brainwashed the population into accepting that renting at exorbitant rates for life as 'a new normal'.

That project began in the late 90's with the Celtic Tiger, when a house ceased to be viewed as a home and was redefined, quite successfully, in the public’s mind as an 'asset' instead. One to be flipped, used as collateral and a source of income rather than the place you grew up or raise you kids. We fully embraced this ethos and decided we could all be property moguls and buy apartments in Bulgaria and Dubai to build that portfolio.

Well, we know how that worked out, but the con that your home is an asset to be exploited and realised still exists.

Also, the government is still refusing to acknowledge that there is a link between mass immigration and the crisis in available property.

A sane nation experiencing the current crunch in that market we are experiencing, would ban foreign investment in property by anybody that is not an EU citizen. They would refuse foreign nationals social housing and start deporting malingerers to free up housing stock. But since they can't seem to remove a couple of tents on Mount St. without buckling to NGO screeching, and instead seem to be opting for the kind of permissive policy on 'urban camping' that will make the city centre look like San Francisco's Tenderloin district... there's feck all chance of a sensible solution coming from the clown show currently in charge. Certainly not if Harris is at the wheel. I can't stress how important it is that man loose his seat at the next election if he’s elected leader of FG. That would be feckin’ hilarious to see.

Those refusing to be part of any solution need to be shown the door, especially Harris and McEntee. It really shows how dangerously out of touch FG are that they would even consider either of these hacks as suitable candidates for the top job.

And of late a huge amount to councils using peoples taxes to buy houses they can't afford. Leo didn't get this creates huge anger among middle Ireland. Not sure Harris gets it either. FG needs to get back to basics and move along the underperforming minister's.

And I think you can repeat that for whoever will get the next leadership position - FG are very urban focused right now and also don’t come across as particularly caring about the homeless or housing crisis - then again I couldn’t see SF doing any better either so it’s not something limited to this party