General Irish politics discussion thread

The problem is the body responsible for determining if this unethical behaviour aren't allowed properly investigate that. I don't see how that's an acceptable situation. It gives cabinet members carte blanche carry out unethical behaviour and get away unpunished.

They are the body responsible for investigating unethical behaviour. Who else else aretthey expecting to investigate it? The DPP aren't responsible for prosecuting unethical behaviour either, they are responsible for prosecuting criminal behaviour.

I don't feel comfortable that cabinet members are allowed carry out unethical behaviour whenever they desire and there's no repercussions for that.

Listening to McGrath's filibustering style of interview, on Morning Ireland this morning reminded me of the typical FF boys of old….

Yeah that was a poor comment from him.

Harris is turning out to be a remarkable politician, a touch of the Berties about him. He seems to have convinced people that he is an outsider trying to fix the problems of government. It carried Fine Gael through the locals with their vote increasing since the last general election. It will be interesting to see if he can carry the momentum into the next general election. Fresh faces like Jennifer Carroll-O'Neill and the new slate of candidates replacing old tired politicians will add to the impression of Fine Gael bringing something new, even "change".

He benefits from being appointed so close to the election.

Something to watch for if he is challenged is to see him try to claim that he didn't have responsibility because Leo something and he will be different. Interesting to see if he can pull it off.

I'm no fan of Harris and will happily criticise FG, but that is repulsive. Young kids in the house and all.

O'Gorman lives near Blanchardstown village and I have seen the idiots hanging out there.

He increased their vote from those two elections by 1.1%. I think the comparisons to Bertie, who secured above 39% at three elections, might not he the most accurate. Time will tell though. As you say, it will be interesting where that 1.1% momentum will take then in a general election. The big question is where will the votes of an 10% of the voting electorate go, in a general election.

That's some spin you're putting on it tbh.

A Garda in a similar situation would be suspended until the end of the legal process, no matter how long it takes. Allowing a member of the DF to continue serving as if nothing had happened while serious charges are waiting to be heard is not on.

Because it hasn't caused a media storm before?

This is understandable, a government has a heck of a lot of other things to be getting on with. The body with the greatest understanding of the DF regulations is the DF itself. So why didn't the DF ever call for change? Are they happy to have members accused of very serious offences in the civilian courts continue to serve as if nothing has happened, and if so why?

So basically unless it causes a media storm FG and the current government don't care? That doesnt say much for them at all. Too busy getting on with what? Managing and over seeing RTE?

You should ask those questions to the DF or the current government.

I'm surprised SF haven't shipped a few more points and dropped below FF, given the negativity since the LE EU's. Harris's bounce isn't amounting to a lot really. Will be fascinating to see how it plays out in an election campaign

The present government, the past government, and any future government the same. It's the nature of politics.

Too busy getting on with the 'trivial' task of running the country and all that entails.

Nobody is going to put in a manifesto pledge about the minutiae of Defence Forces regulations, now are they? People want to know what will happen to their taxes or the health service or that motorway bypass that was planned 30 years ago.

They are down 3 points since the last poll.

That is quite a jump.

What are SF to do?

More denial tbh.

Also, to make him money.

"It's payback time" Indo, 1997 (calling for an FF govt and tax cuts) was widely regarded as a factor in the defeat of the FG/Lab/DL rainbow coalition

Roisin ruled it out emphatically on 1pm News

They are both 70 and have been involved in politics for a long time. It's no surprise either of them would be standing down at next election and it makes perfect sense then to do it in tandem rather than 1 at a time.

The big deciding factor for whether a merger will ever become more than something that is discussed by commentators is if there is a chance for Labour and Soc Dems to go into government. As much as I like the Soc Dems, everything about them strikes me that they will avoid government after next election, they'd prefer to remain pure rather than get some of their policies in. Labour on the other hand will take the opportunity to get some policies included in a program for government. They're like the greens, they want to govern as best they can. Some on the left (pbp/solidarity) are permanent opposition.

If Soc Dems go into a government I could see merger talks happening, I could also see a split similar to the greens when they went in but maybe at a higher level (ie tds could walk)