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4 days to go
The TrailFix: When will Enda stop putting his foot in it?
The best and worst bits from today’s #ge16 campaign trail.
EVERY NIGHT DURING the general election, TheJournal.ie brings you the latest from the Election 2016 campaign trail.
Everybody’s talking about
The Taoiseach took 48 hours to issue a full apology for remarks he made on Saturday in Castlebar about ‘All Ireland whingers’. He was, he claims, referring to a small group of Fianna Fáil councillors but many find that hard to believe.
Whatever he meant there’s no doubt this latest faux pas from the Taoiseach – after his ‘economic jargon’ comment on day one – has caused more damage to the already troubled Fine Gael campaign. It comes at a time when the party can ill-afford it as it seeks to reverse its slide in the polls. Kenny needs a solid performance in tomorrow’s last TV debate and to avoid any more foul-ups in the last four days of the campaign.
Fine Gael was quietly encouraged by its ratings creeping upwards over the weekend and one senior source took heart from today’s Ipsos MRBI poll in the Irish Times showing so many undecideds – 18%. They predicted the party will come in at over 30% at the very least.
But that won’t change the narrative that this has been a bad campaign for Fine Gael, making it all the more unlikely that it will return to government with Labour and the help of a small band of independents.
The grand coalition with Fianna Fáil continues to loom large and, given his evasiveness on the Six One News this evening, Kenny knows it.
Slap Down of the Day
We enjoyed Fianna Fáil’s response to Taoiseach’s roaring at a Fine Gael rally in Dublin yesterday.
FactCheck of the Day
As part of our general election coverage, we’re testing the truth of claims made by candidates and parties on the campaign trail. In his latest offering, Dan MacGuill has tested some of the claims made about Sinn Féin’s record in the North.
WTF Moments of the Day
Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath has released an election song that is all sorts of amazing.
Enda Kenny did an interview with RTÉ’S News2Day where he answered young schoolchildren’s questions.
Choice quotes include the former teacher’s views on homework:
I’m sorry, I’m very sorry about this, but it’s not possible to get rid of homework. I don’t give you the homework. I think it’s very necessary for everybody to do some homework. Maybe your teacher might be able to lessen the amount of homework that you get, occasionally.
They also asked Kenny for his favourite emoji.
Row of the Day
Fine Gael candidate Stephanie Regan is not happy with her own party in Dublin Bay North.
It was a good day for
- Labour got the endorsement of Hot Press magazine.
- Fianna Fáil’s candidate in Waterford, Mary Butler, was serenaded on the doorstep this weekend.
It was a bad day for
- The Taoiseach was STILL explaining that ‘whinger’ remark he made on Saturday.
- Fine Gael’s James Bannon as there was an unfortunate leaflet dispute in Longford.
- The Forestry Minister’s posters were nailed to trees in Tipperary.
- Micheál Martin and Enda Kenny both got heckled on the campaign trail.
Tomorrow’s news today: What’s happening on the campaign trail
- Fine Gael: Enda Kenny will launch the party’s plans to double the number of apprenticeships by 2020 in north Dublin.
- Labour: Soccer legend John Giles will launch the party’s sports policy with Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin in north Dublin in the morning. Joan Burton will highlight the party’s jobs plan at a distillery in Dublin.
- Fianna Fáil: The party’s two finance spokesmen, Michael McGrath and Sean Fleming, will outline its pension plans tomorrow in Dublin.
- Sinn Féin: Pearse Doherty will outline the party’s plans for public service spending.
- Renua: The party will outline its policy for a ‘decent society’ in Dublin.
- Social Democrats: The party will launch its youth manifesto in Dublin.
- Green Party: Eamon Ryan will launch the party’s climate change policy at the very specific time of 12.04pm in Dublin.
- AAA-PBP: The alliance will launch its plans to repeal the Eighth Amendment in Dublin.
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