She already is.

She may try and make the move to the right,until the public starts looking at alternatives and asking questions.

If she wanted to become a more appealing political rep, she should have stayed in town and worked as an Independent political rep instead of aligning herself with Fianna Fail. It’s not as though she hasn’t had plenty of time to come up with some plan to avoid the same mistakes previous female reps made in this respect.

Come on then Gerry, what are Kate Feeney’s social and economic viewpoints? How is she the next Lucinda Creighton?

No, FF see themselves as infallible. Self-righteous, nearly god like. ;^))

Agree 100%. I wonder if these young people have mammy and daddy activists in Fianna Fail?

Here’s a guy taking the moral high ground with a fake profile to troll…sad

must have called in the wrong coordinates on the air strike .

Jimmy McCann,a Fianna Fáil man!

1. You obviously have no idea of what a troll is.
2. Ad hominem much?
If you could have refuted anything I said you would have. Sad is right

I am, but at least I put my real name to my comments so I can be identified unlike yourself.

Jimmy speaks like someone with no shame.

80 -90% of our present ministers can trace their families back to people who fought in the war of independence. To say that politics is open to everyone is just not true.

You’re great aren’t you..
See look I can use numbers too..
1.
2.
3.
Much?

What exactly should Jimmy McCann be ashamed of?
He’s only been one of the party’s hardest working public reps.
He set up neighbourhood watches at 17.
What have you done for your community?
Refute that.

So… you refute the fact that FF mismanaged the country (to put it extremely lightly)?

Being part of FFool. Anyone with a brain or a sense of integrity would be ashamed of that.

As opposed to the Chair of Labour Youth who is a trade union official!

Remember the last accountant to lead Fianna Fail?!

I don’t think so ! Not if the past is anything to go by

Is that president of orgy??

Beware, Ted. That’s an old Sinn Fein tactic. That’s how they lull you in.

I know Dillon it’s a clever tactic, Mary began to indulge once she got her feet in the door!

The PD’s used the same tactic with Orca what’s her name to reel people in

@ted- you know nothing would ever be good enough for her? It would forever be “Alot done. More to do.”

Alas, yes Ted

Yep. Very easy on the eyes!

Oh man….wonder would she go for a kebab with me….hottie!

I had a vote to give so I gave her one.

(Not really)

And people wonder why more women don’t get into politics, you need only look at the comments of degradation that people are posting here. Disgusting.

Do you not see the flack Enda Kenny gets on here…..oh wait he is a woman. Point taken.

The crap Enda Kenny gets doesn’t sexualize and objectify him does it? How can anyone consider that acceptable?

You look nice too Sean. :)

@sean- I see from your profile you work for Fianna Fáil. 1. Honestly- fair dues to you being up front about it. 2. In the interest of full disclosure- Are you on duty right now? 3. I also see from your profile that you don’t believe in “The Politics of Anger”. Can I ask: is it “The Politics of Amnesia” that you prefer? 4. I disagree with Ted- I don’t think you’re that cute.

I was just being nice Dillon! I’d say she’s upset now, sorry he!!

Ted. You can’t just flirt with people like that. People have feelings.

@Dillon I don’t know anyone political who can simply ‘turn off’ and what do you mean by ‘on duty’ I don’t get paid if that’s what you mean. Also I don’t mind that you don’t think I’m handsome, eggs aren’t really my thing you see. :)

Fair dues about being upfront about it?? Sneer away..
I know NO ONE in Fianna Fáil who isn’t up front about it. It’s nothing to be ashamed about.
Sean doesn’t earn a cent for the work he does for the party.

Hah! Excellent bit of information there, Siobeli. She may be a girl, but it’s still got a boy’s club mentality.

Yep and if I remember there was controversy a few years ago about G feeney hiring her daughter as secretary as she was the “best qualified” candidate!!!???

Your point being? She doubled the vote of her contender in a secret ballot. The question of to whom she is related is rather irrelevant at this stage.

I believe the raddison sligo ran out of brown envelopes at the weeekend???

Yes!

No one is claiming that she doesn’t have the idiot vote locked up.

If you wife can see what happened over 2007-11 and still believe FF is honest, she’s welcome to them.

The point being that her family is embedded in FF. It’s not like she made up her own mind after evaluating the policy an ideology platforms of all the political parties in Ireland the FF was the one for her. Ok, I acknowledge that she’s been in the party for 10 years now, but I suspect, and I hope that any young person starting from a zero political background would think FF to be the optimum party to lead the country forward.
Also, it shows that the dynastical quality of FF politics is alive and well.

Ignoreland – she ran a highly successful campaign against another extremely capable candidate, whom I had the greatest pleasure of canvassing for. Her success speaks for itself. This begs the question of whether is there anything wrong with someone coming from a political family being far more politically engaged than the average citizen? It’s not as if she had no prior involvement in the party, and was selected as a candidate because her TD father/mother died or retired.

My point being that this ‘keeping it in the family’ politics is what is wrong with politics in this country. My hope is that this crap would have died out, but it hasn’t.
How can people who grew up in wealthy political families, get a well paid government job from their parents understand the day to day difficulties of the citizens of Ireland??

To be fair, the ‘keeping it in the family’ comments don’t wash. She’s her own woman, who was brought up in a political family. It’s not all that strange that she would end up having an interest in politics. In my opinion her party choice is misguided but surely any young person who gets involved in politics and puts themselves forward for election should be given credit.

I take your point shaun.
We do need more young people in politics, but if she is her own woman why not go independent? I’m guessing the vast majority of her college friends have been forced to emigrate due to ff policies?
But also the fact her mother hired her as a secretary, claiming she was most suitable for the job is not fair, just as eamonn Gilmore did for his daughter. She is embedded in the old boys club

If that’s how you define thugs posing as students who throw bricks at our Gardai you are the best spin doctor I know.
There was an article here on the incident and also a voice recording posted proving it.

There were 2000 non-students outside the Dept of Finance? Mad, seems a bit odd. Though, ye FF’ers always did have a strange way of looking at things…

The brand new ff generation…. Same old Sh1t.

Imagine that, an FFer telling porkies :D

↑
Exactly.

I was a little upset you didn’t come with all 5 members of the SWP to protest like you suggested. Would’ve been good to get a laugh.

He’s been at the last 3 FF national youth conferences…
All that’s changed your views since is he was democratically elected for two years in a row as USI president.

Lol, I’m not in the SWP. Also, comforts me to know exactly how you feel about people being outraged over racist comments made by Councillor McEniff, what’s next lads, rename Ogra the Celtic Wolves and argue that the 2004 Referendum didn’t go far enough?

Outrage? Really? From where?

From the Traveller Community, oh sorry, I forgot, you don’t listen to them, much like ye don’t listen to asylum seekers, the unemployed, nurses, students, single parents, home helps….

Ah Mr. Loughnane would you stop that nonsense. The funding that Travellers rights groups get from the government was set up by FF, I’ve never heard of asylum seekers getting turned away from here so again your point is crap, there are more people employed now than there was in 1997, FF support the student nurses, FF invested the most in students from the introduction of free second level education to massive investment in 3rd level creating a situation where Ireland has among the highest number of graduates per capita in any country in the world, single parents, I grew up with my father deceased so I know all about that and I don’t think I’d be a FF’er if they were no help to me. FF introduced Home Helps in the first place and oppose the cuts to them.

Care to throw anything else out there?

Ah so, they got their funding so they should just accept the racism that is thrown at them? As for asylum seekers, that just goes to show how much you know. Under FF, the 2004 referendum was passed which split up families and caused the suicide of many more. Do you read anything about the asylum process? Under FF, many Judges have turned away every asylum application that came their way and deportations happened every 2nd day. The nurses started to go on strike because of FF and the fact the final years would not be paid for their work. More people employed now? What? Did you just ignore half a million people?
Free 2nd level education? Oh you mean commercialising secondary schools, making sure parents constantly have to buy new editions of books as well as new uniforms? As for 3rd level, over the tenure of FF, fees increased from the low 100s to over a thousand euros a year. Now for what they have voted in favour of like lapdogs to the FG/Lab government, the recent debt “deal” that puts the burden on the next generations, every Budget that has cut home helps, savaged single parents, destroyed rural communities.

Stop lying, no one on here believes you.

They destroyed our country.no excuses,no forgiveness.disband ff.how can anyone support such a corrupt party? They are a curse on our country.shame on any one who votes for or supports them.

It seems like being a Fianna Fáiler in USI is a bit like being a stickie in the RTE of the 1980s. Why will nobody admit to being in Fianna Fail when they’re involved in the national student union? Doubt anyone is surprised by Gary Redmond.

“f that’s how you define thugs posing as students who throw bricks at our Gardai you are the best spin doctor I know.”

Nice Comical Ali impression Ciaran. Funny, can’t remember if you were still involved with Sinn Féin and the student movement at the time, or if you’d make the leap to the darkside and Ógra Fianna Fáil by then. Either way, if you think 2,000 young people were bricking Gardaí outside the Department of Finance you’re dead wrong. Hundreds of students gathered outside Pearse Street the week after protesting, which was an incredible sight.

Over 400,000 voters don’t agree with you so looks like you won’t get your wish.I didn’t vote for them btw but thats beside the point.

The polls suggest FF wouldn’t have enough votes to win because Independents and undecided voters are very large.

I refer to the number of 1st perference votes in the last election.If the present idiots persist in the damage they are doing to the populace FF will get back into power in 2016.

Which free state party would you suggest we vote for or would you recommend Independent? Would be interested to know.

Sorry, previous comment for Reg.

FF is a political movement. You cant kill an idea!

Direct democracy

Regonald, if thats the case they should slim down , not expand

Yeah, we all know the “idea” that FF stands for.

And she’s an accountant!! …..that’ll come in handy….ahem.

Unfortunately they’ll probably fool enough

Whinging and balling about Fianna Fail on the journal isn’t going to actually do anything!

For someone who is the member of a party that has their own branded book/coffee shop that sells Provisional IRA shite, pravda style newspaper (An Phoblacht) to be coming here whinging about propaganda is a bit rich I must say!

But if it was ‘Old’ IRA shit it would be a different story?

Is that what I said Diarmuid? Didn’t think so at all. I have no time for paramilitaries nationalist or unionist who act as apologists for child murder.

Well you made specific reference to ‘Provisional IRA’ does that mean The selling of ‘Old’ IRA memorabilia would be acceptable in your eyes?

Daniel have you looked at your own parties history well I wouldn’t say history.I am a member of no party I support SF the political party. The Good Friday agreement was signed when I was 6. I’m living in the present. NOT giving my vote to the rot that is FF. if you are a member that your own decision my opinion of the party is not directed at you it is what they have done to me and my family and everyone else in this country.

Have you been drinking Julie? Don’t get so wound up about politics, it will always disappoint you.

No John wasn’t drinking, funny you say that was working, in a pub so that I can save to leave, because I can’t find employment here thanks to FF and their corruption. Lets hope I can get a job their with my degree. I’m pretty sure majority of these FF youths are not in any financial difficulty and would have no problem getting mom or dad to pull them a job.

Daniel I do come on the journal, but how do you know that is all I do, same of the same throwing out acquisitions because you have no way of defending your rotten party. Trust me that is not all I am doing. FF are rotten, rotten rotten. Anyone who could be associated with them, have felt none of the consequences of FF corruption, incompetence and stupidity.

Biffo was an accountant……

And Bertie only pretended to be one

Independents

correct Karl
seems there are a lot of spoiled celtic tiger brats on here
negative types – who are against everything
except – perhaps – abortion & gay ……. ahem …… marriage.

For me and Patrick Lyons,defo the Shinners

i’ll be voting SF too,
but as ever, i’ll give FF a higher transfer than FG/Labour
in fact – i’ll give every party a higher transfer than FG/Labour.

FF, also the party that BUILT the Celtic tiger yet people always seem to forget that…

Yes Gemma, I’m glad you admitted to being proud of building the real estate bubble. Like most bubbles, it failed.

I’m proud of nothing. I have never sat as a TD or at the cabinet table.. However I do support the fact that FF created thousands of jobs during the Celtic tiger as well as creating one of the most talented and educated workforces in the world… Like I said, people on this site always seem for forget the positives. I can’t imagine you were complaining when your taxes were cut… Then again, you were prob like FG and Lab and wanted them lowered further…

Gemma,

I think you are too immersed in your own partisan rhetoric. Unemployment was steeply rising before FF were voted out of office.

You might want to check the unemployment rate in 1997 and compare it to 2011…. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/ireland/unemployment-rate

Politics? Your party has no politics and no ideology, it relies on pure populism and has done for years, The majority of people who hate your party are engaged in struggle everyday, be it on the streets or in local communities, organising to ensure people like you never have a say in the future of this country. You speak of people wanting to get things done yet you don’t even mention the myriad of different groups in this country who are suffering everyday due to your party.
Don’t worry, we are all aware of how ye are able to paint things and unfortunately for ye, there are 1000s of us who will never forget.

Yes Ciaran it seem these FF wannabes are turning nasty on these articles, somewhat becoming bitter and twisted in the process.

One wonders what the contents will be once FF receives their comeuppance in three years time.

Real ff,pure talkers,yapidy yap yap,let me repeat a good point made above,we will never forget!

Also important to note that not one individual on the Central Officer Board or the Ard Comhairle is simply appointed unlike those of SF. People call FF a boys club when in reality that’s SF. In FF people get elected to such positions by the members based on their credentials not on how closely related they are to those involved in SF.

@Gemma

The choice is pretty clear. Does this country want a huge nanny state government it previously experienced? It’s a case of winning the battle and losing the war because if they do it’s going to collapse like every other center right society in history.

Small minded useless social outcasts – Is this the official FF position on anyone who does not agree with them? Oh if memory serves the founding members of most political parties in Ireland where quite fond of throwing a missile every now and then.

Nanny stateism? Really is that the best you have? It’s laughable.

i cried laughing at the slogan on her facebook page “effective leadership proven results”

get up the road you shower of fools if ye think ireland will swallow your bull ever again!!

Seeing as were talking about ‘facts’ here.

Fianna Fáil created modern Ireland
Fianna Fáil brought peace to Northern Ireland
Fianna Fáil is responsible for industrialization
Fianna Fáil brought forward nearly every piece of equality and rights legislation in the books.
Fianna Fáil Government has lifted 250,000 people out of poverty since 1997
Fianna Fáil has brought about the single greatest period of Irish language revival since the 19th century
More people are employed now than there was in 1997
FF created one of Europe’s most advanced transport networks
Standard and quality of life has consistently risen under FF
FF built the infrastructure to take us into the future
Bringing the minimum wage into line an then going better than the EU average.
Brought in the carers allowance

The list goes on!

Boom!!!

You forgot to add that ff royally f***** Ireland.

Seán, you didn’t mention:

- A deficit of 32% of GDP

- A capitulation to the ECB in late 2010

- A bank guarantee that apparently went against the advice of experts who in the early months of 2008 apparently warned FF against making any blanket guarantee.

- A big government with overt regulations on small and medium businesses and ordinary people

- A tortuous bureaucracy for getting a driver license (young people now have to fork out approx €480 in “compulsory driving lessons” introduced by Fianna Fail )

- Tax breaks, tax reliefs, tax anomalies, and tax rebates on the top 10 per cent at their lowest in 25 years

- Income inequality during the so called “boom years” apparently trending with social regress and rising poverty.

Sean, in response.
Fianna Fail created modern Ireland – This is nothing to be proud of what with our creaking health service, over 400 thousand unemployed and a parliamentary system in dire need of modernisation.
Peace in Northern Ireland – FF did that all by themselves did they?
Industrialisation – Really, we were a predominantly agricultural society before joining the EEC and where are our indigenous industries now.
FF did bring in nearly every piece of equality and rights legislation. You were in power for 61 years. You were bound to get around to it eventually.
How many people has FF put back in poverty since 2007?
Emm Irish language revival? Cad? That’s what right?
More people live here now than in 1997.
Far enough you build good roads. Maybe you should stick to it.
See my point above. Lot’s of roads. Ya even built towns way out in the country with no other infrastructure but sure it’s fine you could get there quickly.
And sure yis were great at throwing money at things without having a long term plan.
I’ve been converted. Thanks for correcting me.

Fianna Fáil created modern Ireland (is that a board game?)
Fianna Fáil brought peace to Northern Ireland (there is no peace in NI, more peace walls than ever, more dissident republicans than ever.)
Fianna Fáil is responsible for industrialization (right….)
Fianna Fáil brought forward nearly every piece of equality and rights legislation in the books. (mainly because you were forced to by the EU)
Fianna Fáil Government has lifted 250,000 people out of poverty since 1997 (and put many multiples back into it)
Fianna Fáil has brought about the single greatest period of Irish language revival since the 19th century (even if this was through I’d rather have a job than be able to speak Irish.
More people are employed now than there was in 1997 (because the population has increased)
FF created one of Europe’s most advanced transport networks (LOL)
Standard and quality of life has consistently risen under FF (and has in the western world as a whole, while 1/3 of the planet lives in poverty )
FF built the infrastructure to take us into the future (the delorean?)
Bringing the minimum wage into line an then going better than the EU average. (cost of living is way higher here)
Brought in the carers allowance (and then proceeded to make all our bank debt private and force a scenario where another right wing government cut it :) )

Any other empty pieces of rubbish rhetoric you’d like to spew from your mouth?

NAMA is a secret society.. Really?

You need help, urgently. Did daddy tell you to post that nonsense?

….or youth come to think of it…

Every piece of Irish equality legislation was introduced & passed by FF.

Eh Seán, every piece of Irish equality legislation was enacted on the back of EU directives instructing us to do so. Do your research.

” Every piece of Irish equality legislation was introduced & passed by FF ”

During FF’s term of office, a minister famously stated that inequality was “inevitable”.

This minister also defended the gap between rich and poor in Ireland.

The first ever woman to be elected to parliament was a founder of FF. the previous government had a higher representation of women at cabinet level than the current government. FFs committee of 20 is made up of 10 men and 10 women. Three of the VPs of FF are women…

Outside of politics, FF introduced free maternity care for all women in the state. It also introduced maternity benefit and child benefit, might i add that they also never moved to tax either. They also introduced the free childcare scheme for all children for the year before they are due to enter primary school. FF introduced the free cervical check and breast check screening services and also rolled out the cervical cancer vaccine for young girls at school… Need I go on? In answer to your question, FF have always strived to protect the most vulnerable in society including women.

Except Fianna Fail want to introduce a homes tax and water charges (which in effect is equivalent to cutting maternity entitlements, isn’t it?)

Property tax and water charges are common taxes throughout the world. If I remember correctly the current government is introducing these taxes.

We don’t need a property tax, Matthew. There are alternative avenues like spending cuts, wealth taxes, and rolling back tax breaks on the top 10 per cent such as:

- tax rebates on company cars
- group company tax breaks
- discretionary tax reliefs
- tax anomalies
etc, etc.

Congratulating makes you sound as if you never graduated from middle-school (and if that’s true, I apologize) – otherwise, grow up or do we need to put a “P” at the front of your last name rather than a “H” and a “U” before the “R”?

I know. Its like if you joined the nazi party in 1946. Why should you be asked to defend the policies of hitler. You weren’t even a member when all that genocide was going on.

People bemoaned the fact Mary Hanafin lost her seat to Richard Boyd Barrett two years ago too. One had been in government for years, helped preside over the economic destruction of this country while doing little to advance the cause of gender equality. The other is a feminist and proponent of women’s rights. Guess which is which :)

It has been the anti-FF posters on this thread who have been objectifying Kate Feeney and dismissing her ability based on her looks. It was implied that her appearance was the reason she was elected and that her appearance was somehow a deliberate ploy to attract people. Whereas the FF voters have emphasised how Kate won her her election to Ogra President based on her talents. She is an extremely articulate and intelligent young woman and impressed the delegates present with hard-work and sensible managerial proposals for the organisation.

Mary Hanafin did contribute towards advancing women in politics. She was a good education minister and an example of a woman who was seen to be more competent than most of her peers in cabinet over the years. True gender equality would involve woman representing all aspects of the political spectrum, whether they come from parties that you like or dislike. It’s up to every woman just like every man to decide her own political beliefs and to be free to do that without being pigeon-holed in certain brands of politics solely on their gender.

Mary Hanafin also consistently promoted other women within Fianna Fáil, Senator Averil Power for example was a special adviser of hers. She spoke many times over the years. And she was a consistent advocate of more women in politics across the board.

But that wasn’t all she did in relation to gender equality. She also examined the lack of men in teaching profession particularly at primary level. The fact that care-providing professions nurses and teachers are overwhelmingly female. Gender equality involves promoting women in areas where thet’ve traditionally had little opportunity but it also requires a change in men. The fact that care-providing professions; nurses, teachers etc. are overwhelmingly female dominated is also bad for gender equality. And so long as domestic work and care-giving is seen as a “women’s area,” and men shun that work, we will never have true gender equality. More male’s working in traditionally female dominated roles is another important step for true gender equality.

Admit, you losers are just trying emulate Sarah Palin and the tea party nutcases.

“doing something positive for the country”

The FFers in Sligo decided to rezone land for a private hospital against the planners’ advice. When challenged, a female FFer said “we are dealing with people we know”. Tells you all you need to know about their mindset
The hospital was never built!

And James Reilly put 2 primary care centres in his own back yard on land owned by one of his own financial backers rather than put them where they were needed…

FG gave Denis O’Brien a telecom license under questionable circumstances, those named in the Smithwick Tribunal have never been punished or received as much as a slap on the wrist. Many of them still sit at cabinet table.

Labour completely lied to the electorate and sold out their grassroots all to jump into bed with FG.

SF were involved in the brutal murders of hundreds of people north and south of the border. Not only do they refuse to acknowledge it but within their own ranks it is celebrated.

Michael Lowry is possibly bankrupt, Mick Wallace has a VAT bill worth ten times the value of most of our homes…

HOW are any of these people “morally” just and chaste… At least FF have learned from their indiscretions..

Is that why FF still defend their blanker bank guarantee?

Verru well said Gemma. Could not have said it better myself.

The only FF defence “what about………”
Maybe you will explain why the FF group on Sligo County Council generally follow a man who is not a party member AND who spent 2 years in jail for fraud.

What I find depressing is that herself or yourself would join the most depraved, shameless crowd of gombeens in Ireland, who destroyed the economy, created mass emigration, unemployment, and misery for so many. That is what any thinking, decent person will find really depressing.

@ pAUL: I have even greater concerns when faced with “just sign on the dotted line, trust me” proposals. To me they smack of snake oil.

In all situations one must be careful not throw out the baby with the bath water. Sympathetic saying things cannot get worse is neither true nor convincing. In life experience, things almost always can get worse.

@paulanthony- that the prospects of this girls entire generation have been materially damaged by Fianna Fáil incompetence and profligacy- that’s depressing.

I would NEVER vote Fianna Fail.

What a fabulous army of keyboard warriors we have here. Perhaps if you got up of your collective backsides people would actually listen to what you have to say. This moan and groan about FF 2 years after the last GE is getting really old. People are sick of listening to them. If you are so disgusted by their brand of politics provide a credible alternative to it, one that doesn’t include the phrase “they ruined the country” “their all corrupt” “ah Bertie Ahern was a crook” “Charlie haughey was a gangster” ect ect ect. Same sh!te different day… Move on!

Gemma,

Indulging in name calling and verbosity of your own is not conducive to discourse. Many have forgotten that it was the conservatives who were first to attack ideas by attaching labels to them. We can all disagree but do so with comity. Let us not behave like politicians today who act like enemies rather than foes. If FF listened to people, FF would table a bill to repeal the house tax and water charges.

Trust me Gemma a lot of us are much more than keyboard warriors. We just don’t need to have what we do splashed all over articles to make ourselves feel important.

Gemma we will vote for a credible alternative. Never forget what FF did to this country. They should be in jail, instead of living off the fat of the land. You young FFers disgust me with your blind loyalty. If the citizens of this country allow you to get rich off our backs by the same methods as your predecessors then more shame on us!

You are being negative, which is bad for business. Clearly you don’t have Ireland Inc.’s best interests at heart. We need to get Ireland moving again, going forward.

Stephen,

You meant the Tents at Galway races?

Anyone who challenges FF corruption is “negative”. Remember Bertie’s advice to the negative “fools” who pointed out the emperor had no clothes?

He’s a student??! What has he “advanced” exactly?

Himself, “self” would be the clue there Ciarán.

Ciarán

I have faith that the entire country has not gone off the deep end just yet, electing for a continuation of five more years of pure hell under FF’s abysmal policies.

We are in a financial mess, and Martin’s happy, hopeful, fairy tales aren’t going to help. Let’s hope Adams is better. He CAN’T be worse.

What has your SF spin got to do with Gary? Stop typing from the script..
-Does not compute-
Shinnerbot alert!

Says the person who is clearly a FF shill? One question Ciarán, tell me one thing FF have done internally to convince me you lot have changed in any way, shape or form in the last two years? One thing…

We have supported the current government when the country needed it and strongly opposed them when necessary.
A new unprecedented kind if opposition. Unlike Labour who opposed EVERYTHING for attention and Fine Gael who tried to be in all sides of every argument at once!!

Well look at them now.

The current government is just the idiot wing of FF. We know which side of the argument your lot are on – the one with the brown envelopes.

I appreciate your comment, Fiona, but neither the Fianna Fail nor the Fine Gael party can be fixed from the inside. They’re beyond repair. The clear evidence can be found in the fact that the choices they’ve provided are water charges and the homes tax. Voting for FF is”indicative” of the fact that I will no longer choose between the lesser of two evils. I’m getting old and I’m done with that. You should be, too.

Well said Fiona

Fiona why do you feel you have to be in a political party to make a difference?they have collectively lost the country for us ,if we had less alliances and party politicics and backstabbing which is inherently created and perpetuated by the party system I know it would work for us,how do I know?because its the only thing we haven’t tried.the comments on here haven’t been pleasant all night and this just shows that we really don’t keep our heads when debating.we get personal and completely diverted from the task at hand because we’re just arguing,we need unity!we all know we have to sort everything out and people are getting annoyed with ffs assertion that it is still important and that it should be,or that politics is important .why is it important that ff survives?or any party?id rather Ireland survived

“I chose to join Fianna Fáil at the beginning of this academic year because I want to make a difference”

LOL. Where did I hear that line before…

Mr. Darcy – Yes certain members made huge mistakes, hence my comment: “I think the party needs young, passionate members”. I think your preference to have less party politics etc. is a bit of a fantasy as there will always be groups of people with different opinions on everything. Not everyone agrees on everything, it would be a whole lot easier if people did, but naturally that is not the case.

Mr. Dalt- Are you accusing me of plagiarism???

Fantasist I can live with,but the question was why is it important that ff survive?or the party system?these party’s bear no resemblance to the parties of old,so why not change the system?

intellectual stupidity repeats itself.

Fiona, this whole, “we need more women in poltics” thing is rubbish. What we need is women in politics who are altruistic and care about their communities, people who actually do something more than pay lip service to gender equality. Not Mary Hanafin, not Mary O’Rourke, not Mary Harney and not you.

You don’t even get it, what we need is people who are passionate yes, but Bertie was passionate too, passionate about looking out for himself. Less empty rhetoric, what exactly is it you even want to achieve from politics?

A career would be the wrong answer.

Ógra Fianna Fáil are also not the largest youth political party in Ireland, Young Fine Gael is and that’s absolute fact.

Does it bloody matter???

FF party supports the unfair house tax and water charges. No thanks…

Many of us will never forget what FF did to this society.

You will never destroy us..oops!

In other words, all we want is power, power please, that is all we stand for. It’s like some strange cult. How you guys can hold your heads up high after the organisation you belong to caused so much damage is beyond belief. As has been posted many times above, either you’re utterly deluded or just self centred careerists. I’d go for the latter.

Why would anyone want to give FF a mandate? I mean, it’s not like the chickens haven’t already come home to roost.

Freudian slip there eh? Oops indeed.

And you’re right, we *will* destroy you but you will never destroy the Irish people in spite of your repeated attempts.

Yes they do.

Wrong tax, wrong time

So are Fianna Fáil going to repeal this tax if they get into power Ciarán? Yes or no?

FF want a property tax.
——————————————————————————————————-
Fianna Fail Proposition for €200 Septic Fee defeated in late 2011
——————————————————————————————————-
FF advocate water charges (apparently with lower daily water consumption allowance)

Stop right there!
I gotta know right now!
Before we go any further
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further

Let me sleep on it
let me sleep on it
and I’ll give you an answer in the morning

???

No.

Did ye not get the leaflets yet?
Obviously we haven’t got to your estate!
Go find the answer yourself if your so interested! It’s on our website!!
I’m not your secretary, I already know you’re wrong on it!

If FF were in government right now they’d be implementing this tax. And you’d be on here Ciarán, doing a Dave Higgins telling us there’s no alternative. You have no shame.

Wrong tax wrong time, really that is FF opinion, FF youths opinion on this tax, it is a wrong unjust tax. Ye are comical, FG just implemented all the policies that FF had planned, so not alone did they stick the knife in the backs of Irish people they were planning on twisting an twisting it until they bled us dry.
How do you not understand that there are people out there that are suffering right now because of your parties actions, some mother had to send her child to bed hungry, so instead of acknowledging that people have every right to be annoyed to see the same party rising in power, you get all defensive. Shame on you. Nothing has changed.

Predicting what I WOULD do… Go on my twitter and find out.. I’ve PUBLICLY disagreed with my party on issues…
We aren’t a football team we don’t want blind support either!
A true Republican party nurtures debate.

Waited in all night for Ciaran D’s answer, but he must have gone to the Fianna Fáil do… But anyway, the question is, are Fianna Fáil in favour of the Property/ Bondholder tax? Could be a game changer!

I hope they knock on my door.

Don’t patronise me Ciaran,”true republicans nurture debate” “we are not a football team”.

You and your party represent the suffering my family are going through every day, my family broken up, watching my parents in financial despair and that’s not even scratching the surface of the suffering my family face, thanks to the financial terrorists you represent, I can’t help them because I can’t get a job and I have to save to leave here to start some sort of life, maybe these are just words to you, but they are not to me, they are feeling of hurt,anger,despair, stress etc. every day.

And because I decided to support SF, the only party that sees my family getting any much needed relief, I get attacked, called the unwashed masses, told I am handout orientated ass, I support terrorists, the terrorists you claim I support are having no impact on my life, the terrorist you support have impacted my life in such a devastating unexpected way, so who do I vote for.
Do I look like a terrorist supporter to you do I sound like a handout orientated ass

Your party should be hiding under a rock in shame.

Please please tell me how you expect me to be happy that this party are rising to power, and trust your word that this party have changed( Michael Martin is leader I need say no more) I WILL NOT TAKE THAT RISK I have a lot to lose if you turn out to be wrong.

The Property tax is in the Troika agreement that was signed by none other than FF. Quite convenient that said party are now against same tax. Treacherous bast***s.

Don’t patronise me either… I’m an ex- member of Sinn Féin and I know exactly what those cowboys are like first hand.
Rhetoric, dogma and waffle.
What have you achieved for your community with SF? I did Nothing positive with them.
Fianna Fáil is the party that improves quality of life.
What’s Sinn Féins alternative ? What’s Gerry’s plan?
They don’t have one… Anti-austerity, anti- cutbacks, anti-taxes .. Against this and that but “tax the rich” they have all the money.
I can give you a calculator but we both know it just doesn’t add up!!!

I’m not your personal secretary!..
Go on our website its all there… There’s a leaflet going out on it.. You must’nt have got it.

So Ciarán, are you going to repeal the property/bondholder tax if you get into government? Yes or no answer please.

What are those cowboys like, any member that I have met are nice hardworking down to earth people.

FF are the party that offers a better quality of like, can you read my comment above and outline to me how they gave me a better quality of life.
Better quality of life and FF cannot be put in the same sentence.

I did a lot of research before I decided who I was going to support and that comment it doesn’t add up, I have a good friend a old lecturer of mine, highly qualified account, said everything in SF budget adds up, and he would not support SF.

Populist : claim to be on the side of the poor over the elite.

It’s not a CLAIM their budget reflects that

There was nothing for you, didn’t have anything to do with your wage never being above the average industrial wage.

Okay forget I plan on voting SF, how do you expect me to ever vote for FF, actions speak louder than words and from your parties actions, They cannot be trusted. So I am meant to say oh Ciaran said they have changed and so did Michael Martin believe it and vote for them.

NOT A CHANCE.

Also what made you decide to become a member of SF day one?

Here here!

Tell her to stay away from my house door…

So well done to this enterprising young chap?
http://www.bnp.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/kieren.jpg

Yes, all we need are young people “making a difference”. As the poster above said, is it ok if they’re racist? Homophobes? Gombeens? Son/Daughter of a gombeen? You just don’t get it, it’s not the people we’re criticising, it’s the whole organisation, no one in FF is going to help anyone but themselves, whether they know it or not.

We’ve had enough of the “difference” that FF makes. Our grandchildren will still be paying for it, while Bertie/Cowen and their ilk are living a life of luxury.

Yeah. That really is a poorly thought through idea. Like the eejit on Frontline a while back who said FF had destroyed the country, but he was doing something about it by. . . joining FF!!!

It says a lot about you that you’d have anything to with a bunch of gangsters.

Does she surround herself with Gardai: simply more of the smoke and lights show that is really becoming worse than the best soap operas and like the soaps, happens weekly.

Fianna Fail had the opportunity to skip the bank guarantee but chose not to do so. This left Ireland with massive liabilities.

And FG/Lab saddled my great great grandchildren ( I’m 23) not a few weeks ago with their deal on the promissory notes and in doing so nationalised the debts of Anglo… Fianna Fáil never did that.. Then they had the cheek to try and convince us that this was a good thing…. B*llocks!

FF nationalized Anglo Irish Bank in 2009

FF blanket guaranteed banks in 2008.

Gemma –

http://www.thejournal.ie/anglo-promissory-notes-ecb-775366-Feb2013/

You might care to refresh your memory for a minute….

@gemma- seriously. You’re so ill-informed you shouldn’t vote.

@gemma- just looked at your profile. You’re an Ogra Fianna Fáil member. You’re level of engagement and the extent of your amnesia is about what I would expect from an Ogra member. Thanks for the confirmation.

Your level..

@Dillon… So ill informed I shouldn’t vote? Are you for real? I am merely stating facts, FF nationalised Anglo Irish, not its debt, in fact NAMA was created to collect such debts.. By signing the deal on promissory notes the government wrote into law that the Irish people would repay the debts owed to Anglo, effectively letting its debtors off the hook and making that money the debt of you me and every Irish citizen for the next 3 generations. This was not a solution to the problem it merely pushed it down the road.

And yes I am a member of Ogra. I have no issue nailing my colours to the mast. I’m not a political coward or a populist. I am a proud member of Ogra and of Fianna Fáil. I’m entitled to be if its of my choosing. I chose to be involved in FF off my own back in 2007. I by no means agree with everything they’ve ever done but I believe in the ideal and in the movement. I am not, nor will I ever be, embarrassed to have made a political decision and to have stood for something. I doubt you can say the same yourself. It’s rather easy to hide ones face behind an anonymous profile . Anyone could do that. It quite something else to be prepared to stand by the courage of your convictions and get up and do something. If you wish to spend your life sitting in front of your computer then that’s fine. I’m not content with being a keyboard warrior. I want to be involved in the political process and ensure that my views are represented on the floor of Leinster house.. You’re obviously quite contented with your own views going no further than a comment thread on the journal. To each his own I suppose….

Bunreacht na Stupidity.

@gemma- your party is a cancer on the body politic of Ireland. It was founded by money stolen from national funds by Eamon DeVelera. That dubious DNA remains in it to this day. It is the party of DeVelera, Haughey, Ray Burke, Padraig Flynn, Beverly Cooper Flynn, Liam Lawlor, Ivor Callelly and any number of other proven gangsters. It is “The Republican Party”, that surrendered our Sovereignty to Berlin, it is the party that brought economic ruination down upon us by not regulating banks and feeding an unsustainable property bubble. It condemned generations to debt with its ill conceived Bank bailout and it destroyed Ireland’s reputation around the world. You should be thoroughly ashamed to be associated with the most destructive force in the history of the Irish State.

Ff are the root cause of all this mess. No defense……

Gemma – you must be clearly suffering a bad dose of amnesia. The FF Gov Blanket guaranteed the liabilities and assets of the banking system. The EU would have called for the Anglo Prom debt under said g’tee, regardless of what ever way you try to spin.

@Dillon you seem to have forgotten the outcome of the last GE… Last I heard it wasn’t Micheal Martin flitting over to Berlin to sit down and have tea with Angela Merkil, that’s Enda Kenny. It also might interest you to know that the reason the current govt are backing Germany whole heartedly is because they belong to the same European grouping as Angela Merkils party… On top of that, the last 2 successive. Budgets by FG/Lab have been proven to be more regressive than any FF budget. As well as this, FF have been the only party in opposition to provide a fully costed budget alternative to that created by govt. They have shown how to achieve the same cuts (which we need to achieve) with the least financial hardship for everyone. Perhaps if you’d actually read them then you’d know that.

If you could at least spell Merkel’s name correctly you might have some hope .. but on second thoughts, nah.

And John, did you happen to notice that Merkel is actually a woman? As was Margaret Thatcher?

I’d prefer to vote for the best qualified, regardless of gender. There’s a lot more to the Iceland story. They came out of this mess very well because they are people of integrity and courage.

We are volunteers as is Kate Feeney. We don’t get a red cent in pay or in expenses.

Yep, you couldn’t pay somebody to be this stupid.

It says a lot about Fianna Fáil that they came back from it!

It says one thing,shameless!

@ciaran- could you be more typically Fianna Fáil? So enraptured by your party that you’re celebrating an electoral semi-revival while the country burns. Always party over country with you guys, isn’t it?

Here here Sean. In fairness where the hell would voting for independents get us?? Getting pulled in all directions springs to mind!!!

Sean, people are fed up of politicians whether young or old. i do hope the new generation of politician do what they are supposed to ie looking after the best interests of the Irish people. Irish politician have a proven track record of having their own agenda and inflated egos.

Fg and labour lied through their teeth in the last election but hey they really are doin a good job off rebuilding!!!! Give me a break!!!!

Michael- the country is in a better state than it was two years ago. That’s all I ask. Steady progress.

@Sean…you’re joking right?

I hope your being sarcastic, did the live register numbers drop? I know the most of my mates have emigrated, does that leave us in a better state?

Oh, thanks Sean, that gave me a great laugh. Can’t disagree FF listen to their member and take really good care of them too. FF tents etc. promoting Parish pump Politics and forgetting that the job in government isn’t about the members but the country.

Why can’t people understand that the youth of today are completely different from current members of Fianna Fail.

Well said Sean.

Well said Sean

Sean Cassidy, if that’s the case , then you are the cause of this country being on it’s knees

‘We,the youth wing of the party are different,we’re going to change everything’ said every youth wing for the last 50 years,nothing changes lads and lassies,once ye get your snouts in the trough

Ironic since The Grachii were murdered for exactly doing that!

Give them time. That party is a cancer that will destroy everything it touches.

the ennui of listening to the FF supporters is becoming unbearable. Forget about elections, it’s time to stand firm and as one against this profligacy.

Well if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything. I’m standing for something I believe in.
Looking forward to the local elections on 2014.

Don’t come to my door, bro. I don’t want Fianna Fail anywhere near my property.

Tell us what it is you believe in Roy? Is it the shifting of bank debt onto normal people? Or maybe mass pay cuts? Or perhaps you agree with our ambulance service in North Kildare no longer existing on a Thursday? Empty words, no actions, nothing

You’re right Roy, there is a great hunger out there, in fact one in ten children live in poverty in this country, thanks a million Fine Fail for starving many generations to come.

a lot of their parents could work in politics, banks or NAMA

Propaganda alert

She was elected on the basis of merit not on her gender. Ironic how sexist your comment is actually!