The decline of FG?

Exactly. It's comical that someone would get the blame for forming a govt from people they broadly agree with at the expense of those they strongly disagree with. That's politics. Imagine the converse: Sinn Fein forming a govt using parties from the left "to keep FFG" out of govt? How dare they! No, that's just the way it works.

What I don't really agree with is what happened in France this week where people stepped aside in constituencies to allow more votes for the left/centrist candidate to keep out the far-right. To me that's not really in the spirit of democracy though in this case we might agree with the ends.

Voting pacts are around a long time, but usually between parties/ candidates that are broadly in agreement with each other. This pact in France was between parties highly critical of each other and simply joined temporarily to keep another out. But what do they do next??

As regards FG I wouldn't say they are in decline but like the Tories have been in government too many terms now and will be removed next election.

The only option for removing FG from government would be a FF/SF/others government. FF won't do rotating Taoiseach with MLMD, so FF have to be the bigger party. Difficult to see FF getting to 25% with SF on 18%, that would require another 7% from somewhere????

Isn't the opposition doing whatever it can to get into power

Same difference

Yeah and isn't that doing everything they can to get into government?

FF and FG are working on the principle that they can reject SF and going on current polling,isn't that possible?

SF don't have that luxury do they ?

As far as I am aware the finance role switching was agreed in 2020 as part of the programme for government and those programmes are part and parcel of negotiated coalitions,whats wrong with that?

Thats a ridiculous statement

Since when did statements prior to an election have to be adhered to after the results of an election serve up a plate of un preferred options?

Since when was a manifesto for one party all in a programme for government ?

Lie how are ya

Fact of the matter is,Fine Gael wanted to go into opposition but in the interest of the country when no other option was going to work dealt with FF in order to give the country a stable government and like it or lump it,it has lasted its full term which is the definition of stable

Since when did statements prior to an election have to be adhered to after the results of an election serve up a plate of un preferred options?

So tell the electorate anything and then do the opposite?

Spare me the 'interests of the country' stuff will you?
FG did what they did in their own interests first.

SF called for, and still do, a Government without either FF or FG, and then complained when neither party engaged with them in discussions for a coalition.

You still waffle on about MM shutting the door on SF after the last election yet SF reneging on their own election promise isn't an issue?

In the TV debate where he said it, Varadkar was talking about coalescing with FF if there was no Government. Not if they were given a majority.
No party talked about getting majorities as it was clear there wouldn't be one.

Can't stand high moral grounders getting up on high horses.

Particularly the butter wouldn't melt FG variety tbh. They are as slippery as they come when it comes to it.

It's the most likely outcome, a FF/SF government and FF will be there to keep the Shinners in check with their wild ideas that might wreck the country both economically and politically. Marylou if she's still in the seat, will be a rotated Taoiseach.

SF want to end the tax break on health insurance. Insanity. No wonder FG on doing well. Health insurance is reallt cheap because of the tax break.

How Ireland works;

Remember what was said on Twitter but let's forget what political leaders said to the electorate.

P.S. SF thread(s) that way »»»

I am holding him accountable for what he told the electorate, nothing more.

Sure you make compromises but did he really? He sat back vowing to go into opposition probably knowing what would happen.
Both FF and FG knew what would probably happen in another election and were not prepared to risk it, dressed it up as 'for the good of the country' and coalesced.

A cynical view, yeh it is, because I am cynical about them. They are two of a kind, peas in a pod etc.

It's going to be fascinating how they approach the next election, will we hear claims like these, how will they distinguish themselves or will they try and sell themselves as a package?