i agree Leslie. i joined Labour about two years ago but now realise I’ve been supporting Fine Gael’s bitch.

It was kind of a rhetorical question, Brian. That said, I think” Independent ” is far too broad.Flanagan, Wallace, Ross, etc. And no option for social conservative/economic liberal (GOP?).

Same here, I was a member for 3 years but resigned the day of the Budget, when Irealised it was no different to Fianna Fail or Fine Gael

What and Ciaran, you as a Fianna Failer believe Fianna Fail didnt betray the people of Ireland!

Honestly ciaran…..you and all of ff have a brass neck, and now ur trying to tip the scales against labour.you work in brussels for ff. Says it all really.

How can you spoil your vote?

Just guessing Charles but maybe that’s what the “other” is for. All the other parties or types are covered I think.

Hope your not trying to scientifically verify your Data Hugh, adding an ‘other’ after the survey has already gotten responses renders the data collection a bit dubious. My research lecturer would be appalled.

Well done Hugh – despite all the negative sceptics and SF haters – isn’t it interesting how close the results of your Poll are to the Sunday Times one published this morning in regards to the ever rising popularity of SF resulting from their extremely strong performance in Dail Eireann , The Seanad and their splendid on the ground hard work at Constituency level throughout the Island of Ireland !

The fate of the other Parties , while they are seen as narrow Conservative 26 County ones , are all in trouble.

The future of this Country is clearly seen as being an All Island one by many , at home and abroad too!

@BRIAN THE IDP IS NOT THERE, BUT THEY WILL BE SOON

@Revolting Peasant, I have saw the IDP website and they have an EU worker in the top ranks, they are opportunists on a bigger scale then FF and anyone who votes for them or joins them is a complete and utter idiot if they think they’ll do anything good for Ireland within the EU, it’ll be more of the same. Also they want to rip up the constitution that saved us on many occasion, I’m all for adding certain provisions(probably less than 5 tho) but not for ripping up a much valuable constitution.

Silver lining

Fianna Fáíl supporters. lol

Nest feathering amnesiacs.

Or people who feel party loyalties are more important than loyalty to a country the party was meant to represent.

My thoughts exactly Simon.

People with fat fingers!

I’m going to follow Barry Kelly’s lead and come up with my own conspiracy theory. If you go into your local Internet Cafe you will see a whole load of tech savvy FF’ers running around logging on to different computers and voting FF. Then they clean off the cookies or what have you and start the process again. Simples!

Brian……tut tut tut….come on, you should know there is no such thing as a tech savvy ffer (or fger for that matter…). Heehee.

There was one Niamh. Surprising. Gone a while though… http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0225/1224312371836.html

Jesus michael I could have done without that, I’m going to bed. Now I have dev imprinted on my eyeballs….dev… ;) he was a real show stopper with the technodoohickeys obviously.

Anybody please I really want to know what this Fianna Fail party is all about.Do they have a good track record of running a country.??

Things are going according to FG 5 point plan so. Send the cannon fodder out to do their dirty work. How are ye feeling now Joan, Ruairi Roisín Eamonn and Brendan??? Howlin’!!!

Réada, Labour messed it up for themselves, no one made Joan try to cut disability.

That annoyed me seeing all those people that would of being affected on the news, Labour literally has no heart.

Tis hard to credit how veterans like Burton, Howlin, Quinn could be so naive to take on those ministries. Lambs to the slaughter…

do people not remember what they did the last time.

its bazaar, I would have expected more support for the Independents or the United Left to be honest

All them political parties are no good…birds of the same feathers….

Well, if you think you could do a better job, why don’t you set up your own party?

If that’s all we’ve got, why bother? Are there other forms of democracy that would work better, and actually be democratic…

Maybe we’d comment more often if people didn’t take every opportunity to ridicule and abuse us no matter what the context or topic.

Well, its hard not to when Fianna Fáil have proven themselves rediculous in every context.

Its just that back in ’07 the only commentator making pro Fianna fail noises was Eoghan Harris, everyone else in the media seemed to be looking for a change. Its also rare I seem to meet a vocal Fianna Fail voter, they’re very hush hush. If someone wont say who they voted for, chances are they voted Fianna Fail. Everybody let Sean O reply here and say why he believes in Fianna Fail and don’t reply here to it. Go on Sean give us an insight.

Well said. Although we’d often be voting for the lesser of evils, there’s always an Indo, Shinner or Commie to choose from. I’m happy with that over any of those failures in FG,FF, Labour and Greens.

You just did. Greens generally run at 2 to 3% in national polls. Like other small parties (Socialists, ULA) they focus resources on constituencies where they have a chance of election…

Michael, I was re-acting to the poll at the time i typed that and the general election results as that’s what this poll is comparing too, so no I didn’t make it up.

Yes how could anyone vote FF that shows as a country we have leaned nothing. All those who voted with the government for the mess we are in totally need to be kicked out. We need a new party and by new I mean totally new none of the old riffraff

Said “we welcome this but don’t agree with parts of it and would have done *quotes government legislation*, basically support the government all the way.

Repeatedly griped about the closure of the vatican embassy. That’s all I remember, and it certainly hasn’t won me over.

I’m shocked FF Labour and FG get anything. Ruined the country. Just shows the electorate have fish brains.

Yes and this motley crew have continued it on having promised a new era

Fianna Fail didn’t start the economic crisis. The banks did, by expanding the supply of money to create a boom and then contracting it to bring about the bust. Fianna Fail just failed to take notice of the warning signs and do something to reduce the impact of the inevitable.

Those voting Fine Gael are the ones enjoying the laugh being on us. Right?

Those voting FF and SF are some FF returning and former Labour voters voting SF

We’re all having a laugh. No laughing matters…

But we Will have the last laugh eh folks

And it’d put the EU of coming here ha. but in all reality we still have debt to pay and only dogs to elect.

Of course, but that really does annoy me! haha and im as disillusioned as you!

Wish I had a Stephen Donnelly in Dublin South Central.

My initial reaction of this poll is … “Are we really this forgetful as an electorate?” FF lied to this country on a number of occasions and literally brought us to our knees. They were, by definition, everything that was wrong with Irish politics. I’m surprised 326 people have the nerve to vote for FF in this poll let alone anyone for that matter.
As for my own vote. I have been forced to vote “I don’t know” … because I simply don’t think any of the current politicians are capable of running this country. I would have liked a “none of the above” box to tick but obviously that would be misinterpreted as I don’t care… I don’t vote.
I love this country with all my heart but I detest the way that it is being run. The only person who has impressed me so far in this Dail is Stephen Donnelly TD and possibly Shane Ross TD. However I am not in a position to vote for them if there was an election tomorrow.

Apologies. Not meant as a reply to your comment Fiachra.

Yes Christy, Kathryn Reilly is her name and she narrowly missed out last time by 90 votes, she has a degree in Economics, Politics and Law and has also graduated with a Masters Degree in European Economic and Public Affairs from University College Dublin which is contrary to many of the foolish, childish and utterly banal statements left by many here.

Sinn Féin and many indos has strong new ideas. Sometimes though, I wonder whether people are prepared for real change, or are they content with the status quo of pro and anti treaty party government with the exact same policies.

When Sinn fein can put a CREDIBLE financial plan on the table they will get more support.
At the moment they’re great at knocking anything anyone else does try and do, knocking is the easy part

Tom, I can tell you their financial plan is very credible. And sure, I suppose they should simply grin and clap like government backbenchers as Enda and co decimate our country?

To be fair, Fianna Fail done that, Enda is trying to pick up the pieces, I genuinely am non party political, but I think the government are doing about as much as is possible. No matter who is in power you can not make
1+1 = 10. Actually Sinn fein have many good ideas, but when they talk about being able to handle this whole affair in such a less painfull way I think they are simply being populist.
PS the only party I ever put up posters for was Sinn fein, back in the 80′s, but my views moderated with age and I found myself trying to defend undefensible actions

Does anyone believe that FG/Labor/FF or any of them are really representing the people of THIS country?

Sir, for your own interest, I am studying economics in TCD. I don’t agree with every single minute detail that comes out of the mouths of Sinn Féiners, but I agree with their monetary policy 100%. We cannot make the economy grow with continued austerity, but we have to have austerity to pay back our debts. Solution? Don’t pay back the banking debts. Before the crisis, Ireland had one of the lowest debt/GDP ratios IN THE WORLD! The fundamentals of the economy are sound, but it cannot grow if the millstone of debt and austerity is dragging it down. Only Sinn Féin and some independents are saying this needs to be done.

People might see them as being populist, but all these policies are costed. It not airy fairy, it is simply reevaluating our economic priorities: debt or people?

Sir, your reply lacks the bsaic answer of where or how you will access the financial markets to borrow the money needed to run the country after you default. Even if you defaulted on ALL our debt and not just the bank debt the country is still running a large deficit, SO WHERE is the money going to come from. Direct answer please, not waffle……..

Through taxation on higher income earners, etc, for the first few months. Our economy is already decently strong, it just need to be given a chance to grow. I am not for leaving the troika deal, I am afraid it is a little too late for that. Just dictate the terms to them, e.g. cut our debt and reduce austerity. We have the poison chalice as it were, so we can threaten to push the nuclear button on the euro. This would be far more catastrophic for Germany, France, etc., than simply cancelling some of our debts. They know we could realise these threats, because our economy is competitive and eventually, if we were to default, our situation would be more like Iceland’s than Greece’s.
Even if we defaulted completely, the simple fact that we have no debt would eventually reassure the markets that if we take on debt we could handle it. Of course, this method would be much messier, so I would be in favour of the method I outlined above.

Sorry, did I still waffle too much?

You don’t get to dictate to the troika, Enda & Eammon thought they were going to do that, but they couldn’t. Greece were given a deal to bring their debt to where it is possibly sustainable, not because they played hard but because they had no possibility of repaying their debt. they were then given the choice of opt in or out. That is the choice we have in or out. I will judge this government on how they do with the Anglo promissory notes, but again if you think Ireland can strong arm the troika we can’t for two reasons, 1, our debt is not big enough to have real significance if we choose default, it would be soaked up realitvely easy compared to bigger nations,
2, No other state is going to support us in default.
When will people face up to this reality ???

Your grasp of fiscal realities is not a great advert for TCD Ryan, Their standards must be slipping

Kenny, do you actually think our government tried to play hardball?
As to the rest of your questions, they are addresed below with Karl’s posts. I am too tired to write it out again. Good night, and I’ll check tomorrow if you have raised any more economic questions

@Inda’s brother. The debts of Anglo Irish and the other gamblers are NOT sovereign debt, no matter what way you try to spin it. Our true levels of sovereign debt were manageable and lower per capita than many other European countries before the FF gombeens decided to engage in fascist economics and socialise what was previously private debt. Unlike you, I am very heartened that an economics student is willing to think outside of the prescribed viewpoint. If more economists could do that, and maybe even address the lunacy that is the interest-bearing debt-based money system we toil under, then we’d be the better for it.

Thing is jimbo, if we do that we’d add to our deficit and we’ve €60 billion on our troika debt alone. When I’m voting(thankfully I’ll be eligible to vote in 2014), I’ll want someone who will just say it as it is without caring what anyone will think of them, the truth might annoy/hurt/upset people but it’s something we need. Cuts need to be made and not just to politicians, that’s the harsh reality of the situation.

jimbo I heard reada was.an anti semite….dont quote me on that. ;)

I should just qualify that with…..reada is absilutely not an anti semite…it was a joke between jimbo, reada and I and I think she would make a great non anti semitic politician..go for it reada.

@karl, true, which is why we have to refuse to pay it. I don’t think default is good for us OR Europe, so we just have to say to Europe, ‘if you don’t cancel our debt, we are going to default’. They showed with Greece that when the pressure is on, they are willing to cut down on debt. We have to point the debt gun at them, rather than ourselves. After all, it was Deutsche bank and co. who lent to the irish banks in the first place, and it is private debt, not public. We should never have counted it as public debt in the first place.

True Ryan we can’t pay it all but even if we went your way about things outside the bank guarantee and troika debt we’ve still debt and they could take state assets(they can take all if they want remember people are moaning about selling €5 billion worth) now here’s the problem also with defaulting, the troika was possibly partially responsible so it will worry investors but not as bad as it would if we fully default(even on non-troika or bank debt) which if we did then no one lends to us and we can’t fund our country. I don’t like what the EU done, I don’t agree with everything but I wouldn’t be a little kid and refuse to pay all debt what so ever just because was foolish enough to be tricked by one creditor.

I would have to disagree with you there. The fact is, yes, we are stuck in the IMF/EU deal, but they don’t own our assets. They have told us to sell them, but we have to carry it out. The fact is, we can warn them we will not cooperate (e.g. default and change currency) if they dont cut our liabilities. Sure, it wouldn’t be great for Ireland, but not much worse for us than at the moment, and it would be bad for the EU as they don’t want the markets to fear a decimation of the Euro. They would have to cut our debt, which would RAISE market confidence in Ireland as our debt/GDP ratio will be greatly reduced.
Even if we defaulted completely without a deal being made with the Troika (which I would rather not see happen), the fact that we would immediately get rid of all our debt while mantaining a relatively strong economy and a competetive workforce, there might be an initial fear in the markets, but eventually, they will see the risk of Irish default being greatly reduced, and so our sovereign debt being much safer. And when markets see they can make a profit in a safe manner, they will not keep back from Irish bonds for long.

Fact is tho Ryan we haven’t got a strong economy, wherever you got that notion from is beyond me. We have a weak one and less money means a weaker one. Secondly, the punt would be bad so while it would help export sectors slightly it would hurt import sectors so we have more pain on the poor. Thirdly, the markets are barely lending to us with little chance of default, they won’t lend to us at all if we default, would you buy a product if you knew you’ll never get it? No and neither will the markets. Our debt wouldn’t be safe at all because we’d have a €20 billion gap in funding even without the debt. Where are we going to get that €20 billion? We can’t without cutting things so if you think oh default and we’ve no cuts, think again. No sane person would lend to us if we defaulted on all our debt, that’s a fact.

Also Ryan they can take our things to the value of what we didn’t pay, ever hear of repossessions? Because that’s what they’d all be doing all the bondholders troika or not.

Well, I am studying economics in TCD. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but many of your statements are false. Firstly, if you read my comment above, I am AGAINST default, only as a last option. What I want is a managed debt cancelation. Our economy is strong in terms of A (I am not sure if you are aware of the production function Y = AK to the power of alpha, by K to the power of 1 minus alpha (sorry I can only write it out in words, I can’t get alpha on the laptop)). K is Capital, which we are certainly low in, but A is things such as innovation, competitiveness, etc, which we are strong in. This is what makes an economy grow, and so technically our economy IS strong. And every government wants to cut down on imports, as it benefits the balance of trade, which in turn increases real GDP which then expands the economy (i.e., it adds K).
And Karl, the IMF EU cannot take away state assets, that is nonesense. Can you tell me where you got youur information from, because unless we had given it away as security for the debt (which we didn’t), then they couldn’t. It would be illegal.
Any questions?

That was a little joke by Niamh. I’m not anti Semite. I’m only anti Fine Gael and that includes Alan Shatter LOL

Yes…..apologies. Jimbo I blame you. this is all ur fault. :)

Anyone can study anything doesn’t mean they are good at it, Brian Cowen got a degree so that says it all. Secondly you pretty much endorsed default. You also don’t seem to understand what no imports means:
No medical equipment, no laptops, no phones,etc, you want to scrap all that?
A lot of stuff are illegal but people still do them, you should really look up some documentaries on the IMF and no one knows the full contract so you don’t know if they are in as securities or not, none of us do. We can all parade about scrapping this and that because the people might like it but we don’t know the full effects so we can’t even have things as any option if we don’t know the effects.

And that’s what they’re counting on Karl. They think they have us petrified and we have to do what we are told. Was on another thread when Padraig Pearse came knocking on the door. Only this time he was warning us about Wall Street bankers and bondholders. 

“They think that they have pacified Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything, think that they have provided against everything; but the fools, the fools, the fools! – they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.

We are not free. We are enslaved by debt. It’s time we stood up and looked forward to our future. The fear is strangling us. 

And Niamh. Don’t blame jimbo. Let’s blame Tom.

To be honest Réada I look forward to the future with none of the electorate that voted FF on it. We’re not enslaved Réada, google Slavery and see the definition. The electorate voted in not one but two parties who had a memorandum of understanding with the Troika to continue the plan that was there so that renegotiation stuff and Labours way or Frankfurts way from FG/LAB was purely populist and it was there for everyone to see election time(Just not from those parties) so when you voted Labour you consented to the same FF policies continuing under a new name. Is it slavery if one consents to work for free? No it’s volunteering and you volunteered to go the path we are going now. If you make a commitment you fulfill it like it or not.

We are enslaved Karl. Enslaved by fake money, fiat currency, generated on a Wall St computer screen and they expect us to pay it back with earned cash!!!

Not going to happen. It’s an impossible balance to uphold. I have seen the future and it’s all good. My version of Lincoln Steffens quote! ;)

Karl, I am not professing to be good, but simply some of the points you mentioned here are irrelevant.
A) Having a managed debt write off is NOT default. For that reason, Greece defaulted just last week, but instead of the markets going into turmoil, the euro strenghtened against the dollar.

B) I have mentioned time and again I am against a full default. I think it would be better to remain in the euro…for the present at least. I simply spoke about expensive imports, etc. because you yourself had broguht it up. It would be irrelevant if we simply got a write off as I am arguing for, as we would still be in the euro.
But simply to clarify a few points, yes, of course expensive imports are not always great, but the simple fact that our balance of trade would improve and we would automatically become far more competitive with a weak currency, means our economy would grow very quickly and lead to a growth in the domestic market. Again, I reiterate I am AGAINST a full default, but even that is not so grim as it sounds (to see some positives, there is an article “Why Greece and Portugal ought to go bankrupt”, by Wolfgang Munchau which outlines some benefits of pulling the plug on a country’s debt, in ft.com).

I know the IMF is no friend, but still A) I am not saying we should leave the deal, just rewrite to suit us and B) this is not personal debt with guarentees, this is a debt with the only guarentee being that maybe default would hurt us. They cannot simply come in and take our gas and our state agencies. Both the EU and Ireland have a constitution, and international laws ban that practice. Do you actually think the IMF will bulldoze into our country and take our state companies? Even if they did, we are supposed to sell them off under the current agreement, so we would lose them anyway. But it would be the lesser of two evils!

Please Karl, I am not against your opinions, but can you please address why you would be against a debt write off? Both of us are against a full default, but you haven’t said why you are against my personal viewpoint?

Oh, and please do not in anyway link me to Cowen in the same sentence! :D

Ryan, I’m not against a debt write-off per say but I am against just doing something for the sake of it or without knowing contracts, again while we know we’ve to sell the ones we pick we don’t know if they are all in as securities and the write-off might not happen as good as we want. Basically, I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions that we should just write down or default on our debt without seeing the contract also I am very much if you commitments you should stick with them I hope you can understand where I am coming from with those points.
Réada, It doesn’t matter how money is generated its cash and it’s paid back with earned cash yes but the electorate voted in parties who you knew would borrow the money so when the electorate voted those parties they consented to gain the debt and in the long run pay it back. It’s not enslaved its a commitment that was made by the electorate by voting for certain parties over the years.

Enough suspense! Who is it?

He’s FF lads and he’s a nice guy. Leave now Niall before they taint you. Quick!

Eoin, plenty of them put forward policies I like. The problem is that once they get in government, they fail to enact them. Disillusioned!

Agh. They all lie to get elected. That’s the main expertise of politicians. Getting elected. After that they stand around looking at each other, scratching their heads and saying “jeez lads, did we just do that? Right, WTF will we do now?”

Then they negotiate a programme for government with their coalition partner, taking into account their marginal seats and their main financial backers. They appoint their ministers, taking account of geographic distribution and totally ignoring the potential (if limited) expertise they might actually have to deliver their brief. Then they tear up the programme and appoint over-paid communications experts as special advisers to sell the new reality to the media.

Then we forget. Then they call an election and… ad nauseam ad infinitum…

Surely you should say “austerity has been working for me”. I didn’t you permission to speak on my behalf.

Arrghh…. that should have read ‘give you permission’. Its too early and I haven’t had my coffee yet

What are Sinn Fein’s economic policies ?

What is their alternative to the policies being implemented by the Coalition ?

Good on you!

@John, In the Northern Ireland assembly the Sinn Féin Minister for Education has cut spending in his department by millions. Several teachers will lose their jobs. If they got into Government their so called economic polices would not be viable for the Republic.

Does the Executive in Northern Ireland have fiscal control? I’m not aware of that.

Exactly, the fiscal control of taxation, etc. are all controlled by the tories in London. They can only deal with the money theyve got. In the south, we still have control on taxes, but we are unwilling to hit those with big pockets.

@John, Knee cap you for personal reasons if you upset their cronies or dare question their activities, but let you down no no no no never, unless it was into a hole in the ground :-o

FG is digging us into a hole so deep, many of us younger folk are ending up down under.

i think i`ll be voting for the shinners as well jus in case u didnt guess

I feel the same. The expense debacle shows that once elected you are corrupted by the system and separated from the electorate. I have always voted in the past. No longer. It’s meaningless and the systems will never change within.

I know it’s Saturday night – but 5 thumbs down for making that point? So many plants on this site, it’s unreal.
Hard decision to come to, but why vote for any mandate when it counts for nothing at all. Plus our society is a cesspit of corruption. Not one court appearance yet in relation to this whole sham.

It’s true. The electorate wanted a change and voted FG/Lab. With no change and major U-turns on party promises the Gov are handing the next election to SF on a plate. To me they seam like the only next viable option.

Is that a copy and paste from the RTE website Seamus?

“The electorate wanted a change and voted FG/Lab”.

That a joke? Don’t get it. If there really was an appetite for change, why did we witness a swing from the right, full circle to the right? And we were told it was a democratic revolution. There was certainly some revolving going on. Round and around we go…

Absolutely michael.

Ahhhh, poor booby!

The support for FF and FG should scare you even more.

The support for FF scares me even more

A lot of FF and FG deputy’s have been ordered by their whips to get onto the Journal and vote themselves up.

How do you know that Jambbie
I don’t doubt you …but how do you know this , please.

I would never have imagined I’d vote Sinn Fein in a million years But Pearse Doherty really impresses me & I can’t abide FG! Then Labour are too weak on their own. If SF got in, Labour would turn over & join them. With the way the EU/IMF have us, there’s no longer the fear of the SF government because they can’t do anything without European permission.

Scares me too -but I think it is party policy for them not to miss an opportunity to vote for their party in any poll whereas other party subscribers do not seem to bother so much

Why would you fear republicans

”there’s no longer the fear of the SF government because they can’t do anything without European permission”
Eimear Lavery @
What are you talking about ?
What permission ?

This poll is unscientific

Have you forgotten the past of sinn fein?

Yes – some seem to have forgotten the past of some of the folks in sinn fein and are voting for them…

Ger, its seems you have forgot the past of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour… this country has a serious case of collective amnesia

Next election will be the final death-knell of democracy.
If you hold, as I do, that the austerity & neo-lib agenda are not in the best interests of the country, what options are left?
There are only a few parties left to prove, without doubt, that political parties don’t represent the interests of people. That’s why it’s (probably) SF for me next time. Yep. They were murdering scumbags in the past, but it could be argued that FF represented average people at one time…. things change.
The only party options left are ULA and SF….. as for independents not sure if a government can be formed by them and have to wait to see who steps forward.

And the shinners have spread the word and streak ahead. Note the time difference between my comments

God I love a good conspiracy theory!

Ogra FF / YFG must be gone to bed, its not even a school night ffs!

Predicting a conspiracy is different than a conspiracy theory

looks like they influenced the sunday times poll as well

Sinn Fein I hate to say I would vote for

Alan you hate to say it so much that you post it on a public website without being asked. No one is forcing you to vote for anyone.

A bit harsh there Richard

Wonder does the surname have anything to do with the harshness?

Was wondering the same myself.

What’s my surname got o do with it…….if your thinking Kerry I am not related at all . Just making a point no one forces anyone to vote for them. If you hate to say something, its quite strange to make it public.

I thought you might have been related to the limerick prison taxi driver. My apologies for the assumption.

Sinn fein!!,!!! Ha ha ha …..love to see these polls where SF come out ontop.. Like the journal.ie presidential polls…also mcguiness polled well…. Reality polls Here are a utter was of space as they don’t reflect reality..

I’d vote for Ireland becoming part of the UK! Payback time an all that. This place is too small! As long as this country’s ruled by the select few, nothing will ever ever change!!

Smack this time Neil Kettles. Ireland never fared well economically as part of the UK. Even if you were a planted English landlord back in the day. What are you like?

I’m sure Neil meant free state!

Arghhhh…anyone but the greens….heehee.

@Dianna, OMG……..with your logic you’ll fit right in :)

Illogical idiot.

Being anti-SF doesn’t necessarily a unionist make. Also the term West Brit is highly insulting and very outdated, it is used against Protestants to somehow demonstrate that they are less Irish than deV’s vision of a Catholic comely maiden dancing at the crossroads.

I am of a Protestant faith, but never have i been called a west-brit. Seriously, look through the comments above; they aren’t just anti-Sinn Féin, they are anti everything this country should stand for. The people above are simply trying to tar SF with whatever they can drag up, whether it be true or false.

Many people like to tar Adams with shite, but regardless your opinions of him, no other leader in the Dáil would have the courage to continue pursuing what he deemed was right despite constant threats to his own life and many assasination attempts. He is the closest leader we have to Padraig Mac Piarais and the heroes of that age.

This has to be a troll…

Sorry Fianna Fáil are doing so bad Ward. Still, maybe you would like to start your own troll about them? Or do you not have the courage to answer questions? My beliefs are not yours, but I am prepared to answer any questions you might have regarding my posts

@Paul,
Anyone wondering why FF are doing so well need only look at your comment to understand why. It’s this moronic Irish attitude to Irish politics that’s the problem. The “I’ve always voted for ‘insert party here’ and always will”.
I bet if SF had been in government and presided over the ruin of our country you’d still vote for them anyway. Just like the FF party faithful. It’s so frustrating! SF got my third preference last time round but they’d want to impress me a bit more in the next few years for me to vote for them next time round. The only thing I can say is that I never have and never will vote FF, FG or Christian solidarity party cos they are simply polar opposites of my beliefs.

@ Ryan Ó Giobúin, Don’t be so arrogant. Many of us understand quite well our history, while I could understand how people picked up the gun and fought the brits, It does not forgive the heinous murders of innocent people, who got in the way, inc gardai and the likes of Jean McConville, not to mention the thuggery and brutality meated out to 1000’s of people by cowardly gangs of thugs in their own communities to keep people in line. All this is so casually dismissed, “we were fighting a war” Well a simple fact is that after many wars people are tried for war crimes when innocent people are treated in this way. So when you want to tell a STORY don’t be so selective.
PS. I do believe many brave men joined the ranks of the ira, but that does not forgive the actions of many other MURDERS

Mr Tom, maybe if you actually studied your history well you will see all this ‘murdering’ started as a result of self defence. People who support it now are definitely in the wrong, but at the time, it was fighting for a cause when other avenues of expression were closed.

@ Ryan, murdering didn’t start as a result of self defence, fighting the brits started for that reason. The murders and intimadation that took place in the ira’s own communities were to control and ensure no one dared question their authority

Also Ryan many others, SDLP etc managed without expressing themselves in the same way (your term)

So do you think Sinn Féin is the largest nationalist party in the North because their own community is terrorised by the IRA to vote SF? People in the North joined the IRA of their own free will, because they felt it was the only way to protect themselves and their community. The IRA was not some special club, it was made of ordinary people who felt it was the only way to defend themselves. I wish it would never have happened. I know of people who’s friends/relatives were killed by the IRA (For your own info, I am a Presbyterian, many of whom were killed during the conflict), and I wish it need never have happened. But if they hadn’t started to fight back, I wonder would many of the nationalist community be left alive today?
Its all very well to claim people were murderers, but I think you and any of us in the south who did not raise a finger for the protection of our brothers and sisters in the North are as much murderers thorugh our inaction, as they were through their forced actions.

During the troubles the SDLP were the biggest political party and if you really knew anything you would know the ira were indeed a very special club. In the bars in belfast you could tell who was in this “special club” because they were usually the ones with money, but if you are a Presbyterian of course you never would haved mixed in any of these circles and so of course would not know.

Jeez I seem to have flipped into a parallel universe. The article is about the year since general election 2011. Here we go again, trying to justify the unjustifiable. News flash: It’s over guys. What’s gonna happen in the future?

Tom, SDLP didn’t get a proper voice until gerrymandering was ended, arguably as a result of all the international attention drawn upon the North as a result of the Troubles. And was SF actually allowed to be a proper political party when practically all its leadership was interned?
The IRA allowed in all members of the republican community in. It was NOT a special club. Many people got in and many people fought with them.
And sorry Michael, yes, it is going a bit off course, but when somebody throws shite, I usually like to clean up the mess than stay with the stink.

not throwing shite, placing it where it belongs

Even if this poll was remotely representative, there’s 3% between FF, FG & SF… Although poor Labour’s not faring so well…

Neither are FF according to tomorrows Sunday Times poll. And a week before the Ard Fheis!
Shame that!

TÁ AN CEART AGAT.PAUL

Séan O’Dulaing said “Bring on more Fianna Fáil voters”. Fianna Fáil replied “There are no more”

It’s there under the guise of ‘other’ but I think most people didn’t cop on to that one. Maybe it should have read something to the effect of “I’m not voting for any of those feckin eejits “.

@Robin Banks: Other does not mean none.

I consider that at times we need a system that can keep some undesirables out of positions of responsibilities before they do harm.

A recent example is Noonan. A bond holder and was put in charge of the Department of Finance on the promise of burning the bond holders. It must be the biggest conflict of interest that i have ever seen. Talk about lying to the people.

Wuhoo!! Sinn Fein!!

Judging by Micheal Martin on your profile pic, I think you would in a great position to answer the above comment, rather than accusing other people of amking sensible choices.

Who Fianna Fail?

You are you talking about Shit? I rather have people who risked their own lives for their beliefs, than some who destroys their country to have their hair rumpled by Sarkosy

Agreed…can’t believe there is so much support for the murdering bunch (sinn fein)…..it’s scary to see their support rising :-(

Im not a SFer but i find it extremely hypocritical for anyone who supports FF/FG/Lab/UUP/DUP to call them murdering bastards or was it ok when you did it? Was it OK when the Old IRA burned down a Protestant Orphanage in Co. Galway? Was it ok when the British Army shot innocent civillians dead on the streets of Derry? Was it ok that James Connolly had his own army? the PIRA did some awful things during the troubles but so too did the IRA in the War of Independence and the Civil war…

I would advise people to watch a documentary on TG4, Mna an IRA. It gives a good insight into how people in the North felt they had no option but to fight if they wanted to survive. Of course, they would not have needed to fight had the FF anf FG/Labour governments in Dublin have put pressure on Westminster to ensure that thir rights would be given to them.
And SF entered the political spectrum as soon as it was open to them. The party has strong economic and social policies, and trying to build for the future.
Those who want to live in a delusional past can join Fianna Fáil.

Risked their lives!?! Yeah, theres awful risk to your life leaving a car-bomb in a busy Irish town on a summer’s Saturday afternoon then murdering dozens of people as they go about their business!! Where’s the next SF rally!?! Sign me up!!!

Well said to your second comment Fiachra. Both Fianna Fâil and fine Gael have blood on their hands and they didn’t stop after the Civil War either.

Don’t know where you’re going with the didnt stop after the civil war you fool..Irish civil war was in 1922, fianna fail werent founded until 1926 and fine gael werent founded until 1933!!????!!???

Haha what a pathetic excuse- you igonore my point but attack Reada! It seems even you cannot argue with your Hypocrisy! So if SF changed their name your points would become null and void, because thats what your saying about FF/FG?

The Omagh bombing was done by the RIRA? They are affilliated with 32CSM- who despise SF and constantly send death threats to SF representatives and supporters in Derry? Theyre like the irregulars (FF) during the civil war. And I see you only mention the British but not FF or FG so i take it you support one of them, you know the ones that burned down a protestant orphanage? Also if your a FGer as well as that might i mention the links with Facism?

They were the same people, different name. I shit you not, Shit You Not!!!

Might I point out that your argument is null and void as the culpable FF and FG are all dead and buried whereas Gerry Adams is still centre stage!!

And for the record I’m a socialist and despise both FG and FF I just can’t reconcile my conscience with voting for Sinn Fein

Don’t give me that shite, it’s the same
Organisation, same people involved..exactly the same, just the powers at the top discovered they couldn’t get their animals/members to obey orders when they discovered the democratic, peace process was the only way to get what they desired and terror was never going to work. The very people they commanded would no longer do as they were ordered as it meant going with the law of the land so their very members decided to form a “new” ira with the same people…

Mr Shit, the IRA were not elected for the simple fact that there was no such thing as one man one vote. The South did nothing to rectify it, despite their influence as a government. So, I guess, seeing that the only option left to the IRA was to fight, they should rather have put their guns in their mouths and make a quick job of it, rather than jangle any conscience in the South?

And Nuffsaid, I think you are refering to Omagh, which was not the PIRA but the RIRA. And your wrong. because many people in the IRA lost their lives for their beliefs.Nobody has the right to blame peopel for the conflict, it only started after years of discrimination in the North during which nobody in the South did a thing. We can only blame those who had the influence in the South and in England, and who refused to disturb the crimes taking place in the North.
Like I said, take a look at the documentary. It is made by TG4, not SF, and I find it very illuminating as to what the people who actually went throught the conflict feel, not the opinions of people who were never politically oppresed

Ignore Shit you not now lads. After disregarding my earlier argument he then goes and uses it himself. One of those FFers I’d say. They see SF as their biggest threat seeing as they, along with the ULA, are proving to be the only opposition in the Dáil ATM. And a lot better than FG or Labour were while FF were swigging back the champagne in the Galway Tent!!!

The article is about the year since the general election 2011. Civil war politics alive and well…

Reada, do you think the modern FF or
FG are based around the same idiotic ideologies as the ira? You are an idiot! I am not a FF nor a FG supporter and do not agree with most of their policies but at least they were democratically voted in and terrorism wasn’t in anyway affiliated with their policies. You SF like to use history as a justification for the moronic, stupid, bigoted shite you spout. Let’s go blow up a bus station in retaliation for the battle of the boyne shall we!! ALL SF supporters are brain dead, uneducated, unemployed ( by choice) lazy a**eholes!

I am not a Sinn Féiner, nor have i ever voted SF you fool (your word) and I Shit You Not. If someone gave me a gun or a bomb I would sooner kill myself than another human being! But then I’m not the one spouting hateful remarks. You are!!! The Sinn Féin representatives in the Dáil were elected by people in the 26 counties democratically. You’re the type of person that would incite a return to the very violence you pretend to abhor! Your turn of phrase is extremely hostile! Yuck!!!

TYPICAL WEST BRIT….YOU BETTER GET USED TO IT..HA.HA

What worries you? Sound economic policy?

What sound economic policy have SF got??????

Why does it worry you that Sinn Féin and ULA are ahead of Labour? Labour are the ultimate political prostitutes and are destined to become just as irrelevant as the Greens are.

Okay………now catch up with reality……..WE DID

David McWilliams offers some insights into the thinking of the left and right regarding the crisis. He points out how the current approach only benefits the banks and bureacrats.
http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2012/02/20/why-make-a-drame-out-of-a-crisis

Hi Paul. Next time round I may vote for SF for the first time. I am not a shinner bot. I wouldn’t be the ‘average’ SF voter but guess what there are many more like me.

I agree paul, it is very interesting. Was wondering the same. I was a lifetime labour supporter but they are just another right wing party now, they have abandoned their roots so thats it for me. It will be left (except sf) and independent s for me now.

@Niamh. being in power has forced them to live in reality, Before all they had to do is talk, like Sinn Fein now

Too true endas brother ;) its easy to be in opposition.

I’m not a shinnerbot. We’ve tried all the other options. At least Sinn Fein has done something for Ireland in the last few years.

I would vote Sinn Féin and I’m certainly no Shinnerbot.

I am. Do you have a problem with that?

25 PER CENT

“Yeah do you have a problem with that? Because if you do I’ll burn your house down”

What does that solve?

Sends out a message to political parties that we won’t stand for the same old shit anymore

No it doesn’t, it just shows apathy

So would forming a new party of like minded individuals with the added benefit of being able to affect actual change as opposed to a symbolic stand that just hands the decision making process to other voters.

You can always spoil your vote, not voting is just lazy

Ryan and Ultan, I always vote and for the first time I feel no one deserves my vote, I would however spoil my vote rather than not going down to the polls. David, I’m not legally entitled to join a party or stand for election by my job but if someone will cover my mortgage i’d happily do that!