Leo Varadkar resigns as Taoiseach

The problem with this is that Micheal Martin joined FG in 2016 and brought the rest of FF in with him. The time has come for Martin to be dumped and I would not be surprised to see it happen before the next election. Arguably Martin can pre-empt this by pulling out of government soon and hoping to be a part of the next government.

This Government and the ones involving FG since 2011 (because the current one contains many of the same characters) have absolutely squandered and mismanaged the economy and country as a whole in that time. In the process they also managed to rehabilitate FF and make Michael Martin Taoiseach.

An entire generation have little to no hope of owning their own home - even with 2 full time Incomes. The rental market is in even worse shape. A GP visit is something you'll wait days or longer for. Parents are cutting back on their own meals so their kids won't do without, childcare costs as much as a mortgage. That's just to name a few.

Despite the billions washing through the country via the MNC sector, the divide between the haves and have nots has increased massively on top of all the issues above. When (not if) that cash cow dries up or the global economy that drives it has another meltdown, the crash this time will be an order of magnitude worse than the last one.

You're making the classic mistake of presuming that just because the alternatives aren't any better or worse that this is an endorsement of the current arrangement. It's well known for years by most people that we have a serious problem in regards political choice - especially in the centre right sphere.

We now have a selection of left (to varying degrees) leaning groups and parties and nonsensical screeching about the "far right" whenever anything even vaguely more economically or socially sensible is mentioned.

But that doesn't by any stretch validate the current Government. A Government that has undermined the electoral system through back room Confidence and Supply and Coalition deals, formally eliminating any pretence of difference between the Big 2 in the process. As for the Greens... Do I really need to spell out the problems with having a rabble of one-issue ideological fantasists at the controls? Catherine Martin, Roderic O'Gorman, Eamon Ryan? Even a cursory look at their performance will answer that one!

He can just dig out whatever one he had in the early days!

Exactly, imagine if everyone had 7 or 8 advisors like Varadkar and Ryan.

You'd have very little to do.

These jackeens have no idea what a hard days work is, half of them have other businesses and jobs outside politics.

They cant be working that hard if they are able to do that.

One thing I do note about the current discourse: people have some very unrealistic expectations about what an Irish government can actually achieve, especially when it comes to housing.

You complain about scheming and in the same breath talk about Harris stepping up.

The choreography of today was no accident. Harris has been building a leadership project for years. His ambition was no secret but I still don't understand why they are choosing him.

I see no way, unless he has some sort of Damascene conversion and does a complete and rapid 180 on current policy which he has previously backed for it to have any impact on FGs position with the electorate. I also don't see the actual sell here either.

Maybe the FG parliamentary party know something or see some spark that we don't know about him. He will need to show it pretty quickly tbh.

Haughey and Ahern who despite their many personal failings brought this country out of the 50s era mindset and laid the groundwork for the FDI investment that underpins the entire economy while (in the case of the latter) helping to bring peace to the North.

Cowen who in fairness was left to carry the can when Bertie saw the writing on the wall but still better than Enda who pissed away a once in a generation mandate and support to actually change the way things were done for his and his party's turn at the trough while selling off as much as they could to private interests through NAMA until they actually managed to get one of the most apathetic electorates in Europe out on the streets with the Irish Water debacle.

I'll keep saying it. As bad as FF are, FG actually cause far more damage.

Absolutely, pretty much all he’s done is throw money around like confetti. Don’t think he managed to get any reform through in Health. Have to say, Donnelly seems to be getting some sort of grip on it. Has finally got them working weekends which is great. You can see Donnelly’s management consultancy experience coming through, apparently he’s all about metrics. Harris was all about sound bites and photo ops (as was Leo who achieved absolutely nothing in Health).

What jobs would no Irish parent accept for their children? Chimney boys?

That would actually be a great TV program.

Stop 100 random people on the street and ask 'what do you think a government minister does?'

Then show the footage of what they actually do.

Are we really saying we don't care if our elected officials are crooks, as long as they're charismatic?

I will go with the majority opinion on this one. At least I might get a chance at a bunga bunga party invite.

Not at all just saying I understand why he got elected. He undeniably had charisma and political aptitude. Harris appears to possess neither.

What is it with middle-aged dudes thinking they live in the European equivalent of Angola?

Luanda is a notoriously expensive town so maybe we do have something in common. If you close your eyes and don't think about it too much.