Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

I don't think the govt are very likely to lose by-elections as it goes. They're riding very high at the moment so unless something disastrous happens they should comfortably win any by-election thrown their way.

Mind you, your points about efforts going in just for another election less than 12 months later could be true for the govt, but also true for the opposition. A cross chamber deal for once-off legislation to not have a by-election could be another solution

As I said earlier, for a cohort there will be no acceptable leader of SF.

The appeals to change the leader therefore are about as valid as PBP supporters picking the new leader of FF or FG.

Why bother, it is not as if they are going to convince that cohort to vote for them ever.

FF ruined Ireland and are now aligned with FG because FG rehabilitated FF

This is an untruth and lie.

The people voted for FF in 2016 and again in 2019. Are you calling the people stupid, much like MLMD did yesterday?

Why didnt SF capture these voters who were so unhappy with FF and FG? Blame the people because they are stupid?

I'd also have to agree with this. I thought they were really poor.

If anything i thought candidates from Green and Labour spoke particluarly well, even if neither candidate will be elected.

I actually voted for Barry Cowen based on the fact he came across as the most professional in the debates i saw believe it or not

Your analysis is missing a whole piece.

The people have realised that the problems with the health service are going to be very difficult to resolve. However, they have also begin to realise that Sinn Fein are not capable of solving those very difficult problems. Ireland is one of the best places to live in this world, and the reasons include the governments we have had so better those who are solving the problems slowly than those who can't solve the problems and will likely make all other things worse.

That is the problem facing Sinn Fein, and no amount of you or MLMD or Eoin bleating that this government isn't up to it will change that. The only thing that will change things is Sinn Fein actually developing some policies that will work better or quicker than the government's one. So whenever I ask about SF and climate change and am shown some ridiculous policy from 2019 or ask about health and get shown the 2017 policy, that only reinforces the conclusion that Sinn Fein have zero ideas.

When they have produced any ideas - reduce all house prices to €300k, putting loads of people in negative equity while bringing back ground rents - they are disastorous.

In Wicklow Co Council,a commuter belt county,SF got 2 councillors elected out of 32,Fine Gael got 9,what does this tell us ?

One of the new Fine Gael councillors is Graham Richmond,a 1st cousin of Neil Richmond

In 3 of the 5 LEA's,no SF councilor at all including Greystones

This is another of the clear problems that Sinn Fein have - a complete failure to understand election strategy.

They ran too few candidates in 2020 and too many in 2024. Furthermore that was compounded by internal transfer rates that appear to have been as low as 60-70% when traditionally you often had internal transfer rates within parties approaching 90%.

One of the analyses that I will be looking for when the dust settles is the transfer from Sinn Fein when there were other Sinn Fein candidates still in the race.

Francie, the issue with you and SF is that you keep wanting to go back in history and talk, and debate nonsense.

FF, the crash, FAI, Enda Kenny et all. That is history. It is done. Time to move on.

But here you are, talking about an electoral quote from the 2016 election, that was 8 years ago at this stage, still trying to 'win' a talking point, that no one was made or is contesting..

Marry that with the drubbing SF got, and we get to see why SF aint resonating with people anymore.

And if FF is back in government, why hasnt SF taken advantage? You wont, nor ever will answer that question honestly. Tbh, you are the best advertisement on boards for not voting for SF.

Heard the first fifteen minutes of Joe Duffy when he tore that guy from Ballinamore to pieces. The caller, who was defending the actions of a SF councillor who doubled as a PIRA hitman, actually compared a monument to murdered Gardai in Ireland as being equivalent to a monument to Nazis in England.

Francie, the issue with you and SF is that you keep wanting to go back in history and talk, and debate nonsense.

FF, the crash, FAI, Enda Kenny et all. That is history. It is done. Time to move on.

Syriza and SF is in 'history' too Mark.

But here you are, talking about an electoral quote from the 2016 election, that was 8 years ago at this stage, still trying to 'win' a talking point, that no one was made or is contesting..

Quite wrong.
Note the date on this article, Varadkar said it in the lead up to the 2020 election and then went into government with…..FF

Philip Ryan, Hugh O'Connell and Cormac McQuinnWed 5 Feb 2020 at 02:30

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said allowing Fianna Fáil back into power would be like letting John Delaney run the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in nine years' time.

Mr Varadkar compared Fianna Fáil to the controversial football chief during a televised debate on RTÉ's 'Prime Time'.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ff-return-is-like-having-delaney-back-at-fai-varadkar/38928336.html

SF cannot take advantage until the pretense between FF and FG ends. They operate as one party effectively to hold power.
Sham fights, where lip service is paid to difference (see above) but when it has come down to it they will C&S and coalesce to hold on.

With respect, that's not what Mary Lou said was the reason of the poor performance.

Indeed she has, and what damage that has potentially done, who knows.

I'll caveat the negative commentary on here about SF. On checking the odds, SF are still Even money to win the most seats in the next GE, so it's not all doom and gloom

It was a ‘factor’ IMO

Do you know what a factor is?
Part of something not the whole.
The volatility of the electorate was part of the reason candidate selection backfired. Not picking enough last time out was a factor in SF not getting enough seats.