I spent most of the week in London. From what I saw in newspapers and on television while there, Gordon Brown seemed preoccupied by the ongoing row over MPs expenses. He lost another minister on Wednesday, though Kitty Ussher was keen to say in her resignation letter that she had done nothing wrong, and was …
Tag Archive: Fine Gael
Jun 16
Where Next for Fine Gael?
Enda Kenny did quite well last weekend. George Lee romped home to take a Dáil bye election seat, the European elections saw four MEPs returned, and Fine Gael won 340 local council seats. Then Fine Gael blew it, wasting two days on a ‘no confidence’ non-debate taking up time which should have been devoted to …
Jun 02
Just One Ireland
Fianna Fáil has the support of one in five voters, if the latest Irish Times poll is to be believed. Labour are three points ahead of them, and Fine Gael lead the pack with 36%. Independents are supported by one in ten, Sinn Féin by one in twelve, and the Greens by only 3%, a …
May 29
A Picture Is Worth…?
Local election candidate Emma Kiernan broke out of the local media to gain (perhaps fleeting) national fame this week, thanks to the interweb. Kiernan, a Fine Gael candidate running for a spot on Newbridge town council, is young, attractive, and like many of her friends, she has a facebook profile. Like everyone else on Facebook, …
May 15
Leading the Charge
If I was Enda Kenny, I’d be worried. He rescued his party from political oblivion in 2002, bringing them back from 31 to 51 seats in 2007. Thanks in part to Biffo’s cluelessness, he now finds himself at the head of a party with 38% support in the latest poll, about to deliver a historic …
May 12
De Mare
Dublin is to get a new directly-elected mayor within a year. The first directly elected city leader will be chosen by the capital’s citizens next summer. ’2010 will see the direct election, by the people of the Dublin region, of a highly-visible and accountable Mayor who will have the authority and powers to deliver real …
May 05
Celebrity Games
Fianna Fail are set to trump the Fine Gael coup in landing George Lee as an election candidate, announcing the Seoige Sisters as MEP candidates in the Ireland Northwest constituency. Stung by the news that one of their harshest economic critics is set to take the hustings for the opposition, party mandarins immediately met in …
Apr 02
Promises, Promises
Employers want to cut dole payments by 3%. They mentioned a few other ways for the government to save or raise money too, including an increase in the income levy, but the dole cut is the one making headlines. But some taxes should not be hiked, namely corporation tax, VAT and excise duties. Meanwhile Labour …
Nov 14
Poll Dancing
Brian Cowen must be wondering where it all went wrong. Support for his government and party have slumped to a record low, according a TNS MRBI opinion poll to be published in the Irish Times tomorrow. The polls confirms findings in a Red C poll commissioned by the Sunday Business Post a couple of weeks …
Oct 27
On The One Road
How long can you stay angry? Old age pensioners marched on the Dáil last week to protest against budget cuts, as did students. Teachers are planning demonstrations this week. Army families are upset at plans to close several regional bases, and the farmers aren’t far behind. The popular backlash against the budget had an effect …