Search for 'vulnerable' 78-year-old continues in Belfast

Rochelle, while I admire your optimism, history suggests otherwise.

No.

How many independents have brought about significant change in the past? He has to join a large party if he ever wants to get a tap done. Wish he was my representative.

A very positive move by both Deputy Donnelly and the FF party. Constructive politics is not just gaining public support but also bringing in deputies who can see the benefits of M.M.s work.

The FF-FG seesaw is a construct the Irish people have insisted upon, I don’t like it either but if the Irish people weren’t going to abandon it in the past two elections it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen any time soon. Any aspiring politician for change will note that they have to adapt within that environment or forever accept zero influence. It’s unfortunate but the change we want will have to take place from within FF or FG, blame the electorate for that.

The capitalist system is fundamentally based on the exploitation of the majority working class. Therefore any party or Independent which operates under the rules of this system will ultimately be forced to betray the majority of people who voted for them. Hence Donnelly’s acceptance of FF’s 30 pieces of silver.

And Communism works so well Patches. Do tell us where your kind of Socialist Paradise is currently a beaming light?

Another Stephen Coveny.

He won’t last long in FF.

they won’t be able to tolerate his pontificating.

@Sham Pig: There is nothing too much to admire Independents, not least Catherine Catastrophe or your man who puts Waterford ahead of the rest of the city country while The HSE is in tatters

mick. North Korea. It works so well that they don’t need elections. son takes over after dad. communism works.

@Mick Jordan:
We can see the logical result of the capitalist system where the 8 richest individuals on the planet now collectively hold more wealth as 3600 million people, the poorest half of the globe’s population many of whom starve to death or survive in abject poverty.

And socialism is working all around us in every developed nation in the world. It’s manifested in universal health and education, public housing, social welfare system, 40 hour working week, public pensions, minimum wage etc etc. All the most civilized aspects of modern society are socialist in nature. But none of these concessions were gifted by the capitalist class. They were fought for and won over centuries of struggle by the working class.

P.S. I believe that you’re a public sector worker so you should understand that your wages have been decimated over the past 8 years under the austerity program to pay for the systemic failure of financial capitalism in 2008. And yet here you are cheerleading for the same system which is gutting your living standards. Maybe it’s time to stop polishing your own cage and wake up?

@Rochelle:
It’s not as bleak as all that. FF, FG and Labour once controlled 95% of the vote. But there has been a slow but inexorable trend away from these establishment parties since the 80’s and they and FF and FG have now been forced into a de facto coalition for the first time in the history of the state. More and more people are coming to undertand that their conditions will not improve under the parties which advocate for the system which exploits the majority to enrich the few. And ordinary person who votes for FF, FG, Labour Greens and most of the bogus Independents is complicit in their own exploitation.

I will ask again Patches. Where is this Socialist Paradise that you believe we should emulate located? Or an even better question is, has their ever been a successful Socialist country in the entire history of this Ideology and if so can you tell us where and when?

@Rochelle: the election results contradict your argument, FF/FG only got just over 50% between them in last election, an historical low, it’s not that long ago when their combined support was well over 80%. Donnelly is seriously naive if he thinks he can change FF, rather they will change him and he’ll be making excuses for their corruption and right wing policies.

@Mick Jordan: North Korea. But only if you’re Kim Jong Il.

@Rochelle: Sadly there’s truth in your words, Irish sheeple will vote for FF again and Steve sees this. All FF has to do is, promise greener grass for all and the sheeple of Ireland will fall into the arms of the wolf.

@Mick Jordan:
I’ll ask again. You’re a public sector worker are you not? Now do you understand that your wages have been decimated over the past 8 years under the austerity program to pay for the systemic failure of financial capitalism in 2008. And yet here you are cheerleading for the same system which is gutting your living standards.
Do you know what Stockholm syndrome is?

@Mick Jordan:
And as explained to you already, all the most civilized aspects of society are socialist tin nature and are the only which make the lives of the majority bearable under capitalism in the developed nations at least. Universal healthcare, education, state pensions etc etc .We see the catastrophic consequences here for example when housing is left to the mercy of the free market.
And of course your question implies that socioeconomic systems do not change which is clearly nonsense. So until capitalism established itself globally as the dominant socioeconomic model, there was no nation which could be help up as successful examples of that system (and of course there are many more unsuccessful examples as most of the abjectly poor nations on the planet operate under the capitalist model.) If humanity was to wait for examples of perfectly formed solutions to our problems then we would still be living in caves banging rocks together.

Socioeconomic systems must inevitably change and the inherent contradictions in capitalism means that it will ultimately destroy itself. There is no guarantee of course that what replaces it will be any better as fascism and totalitarianism are always waiting in the wings.

And I have a feeling that a uniform and authority worshiping lad like yourself would eagerly embrace a “strong leader” were one to emerge here as we see happening across Europe currently.

@Mick Jordan: Socialism worked quite well for the banks, didn’t it Mick.

Did it Dave?

Has he left the technical group now without speaking rights in the dail.. as long as his speaking it seems…

Guessing he will be now be getting the sweeping brush treatment.

Stephen Donnelly‏ @DonnellyStephen

Arklow – One resident pointed out large sweeping brush beside door. Said she’s saving it for the first FF’er to knock on her door. #ge11

Oh how the worm has turned

@Lurfic:@Lurfic:your havin a laugh…..surely?

@Conor Kennelly: Just over 50% after the worst recession in a generation, that was them bottoming out and they were still in the majority. That percentage is rising again now.

Well then he should have done that before he was elected as a Demarcate .

@Sham Pig: Tony Gregory

I find it difficult to express how dissappointed I am in this man

I’m sorry he thinks he is my representative. He does not have my trust after all the cons he has pulled to get where he is now. Please can,we get rid of him.

Heard him on drivetime trying his best to deny all the previous things he had said about FF despite there being a trail of evidence on twitter. He’ll fit right in to FF.

@Mick Jordan: Yeah it did Mick, all their debts were socilaised on the backs of those that never owed them.

@Patches O Houlihan- we’re all communists when we’re broke but when we make a few bob we like holding onto it- its the way of the world.

Sham ,this man will neatly fit in with FF as Eamonn Gilmore predicted three years ago .
They have no principals and can change just like the weather as Donnelly has done since elected as a TD .
Let’s see what the good people of Wicklow think of this turn coat when the next election comes .

@Mick Jordan:
Where is the success of capitalism in South America, Africa, etc.?
Which capitalist country did not or does not depend on slave/children/wage slavery as an important component?
Why do we have to indebt our great-grandchildren because of capitalism and its bailouts?
Why does the economy collapse every few years?
Why do countries wage war at the behest of huge corporations e.g. the Banana Republics and the Middle East?

Gilmore would know all about shams.The biggest blustering sham of recent times.Please God he’lll get clobbered in next election

Those with great wealth will never allow a socialist paradise. Anything that threatens the status quo will be destroyed in any way possible.

soupy. its life it’s politics. live with it

@Patrick Gough: I would’nt want the likes of you in the trenches with me, thats for sure.

@Soupy Norman: F*** you deputy!

@Soupy Norman: I wonder how much was in the brown envelope or what ministerial position he has been promised in the future. He was one of the few people in the dail most people had respect for but that is now gone and surely he must have known this.

soupy. I wouldn’t be in the trenches. A pacifist.

@Blue MARIGOLD: Sure it was only an IMF bailout…….

@Mr Snuffleupagus: Probably will mean MArtin will have to fight for the role of Tanaiste to stay with FF too and give it to McGrath if Donnelly gets Finance alone. No coalition partner would be happy with that, but they may accept an extra 2 ministers to off-set.

@Mr Snuffleupagus: So he does,nt give a fcuk about his own principles as long as he gets the finance portfolio. Yes Mr. Snuffleupagus you have just summed up what Irish politics is all about.

@Patrick McGarry: Thanks for letting me know he is still alive Patrick, he only joined Fianna Fail an hour ago but your regular updates really help!

Here is why the people of Wicklow are at a big loss: The people voted Stephen in to pursue progressive politics such a repeal the 8th (Fianna Fail support the 8th) & abolish regressive water charges (which Fianna Fail support). The people also voted for him knowing he set up this new party that aims to bring a long-term plan for social democracy, they voted for long term change. So rather than moving closer to universal healthcare, an anti-corruption agency & Quality public services (All of which Stephen campaigned on to get elected), they get the party that crashed the property market, crashed the economy and sorted out their pals while the average joe suffered. Fianna Fail is everything that’s wrong with Irish politics & the people who voted for Stephen are smart enough not to pander to a short term parish pump.