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NEWLY ELECTED LABOUR TD Marie Sherlock has said her party would not enter into a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on its own.
Sherlock said there would only be a basis for negotiation if “we’re with other small parties also”.
Speaking tonight on RTÉ’s Upfront with Katie Hannon, Sherlock said that Labour “has been very clear since before this election” that “in order to affect the change that is so desperately needed, that we can only do so on the basis of strength in numbers”.
“We can’t do with just 11 TDs, we need to have the other smaller parties working as a common block.”
@Labour TD @marie_sherlock rules out going into government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.@rtenews | #RTÉUpfront pic.twitter.com/yHCOJBl8mO
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) December 2, 2024
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will have 86 TDs in the next Dáil, just two short of the 88 needed for a majority.
Yesterday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party’s priority is to build a platform “on the left” before speaking to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael about going into government.
Bacik said she would speak to the Social Democrats and the Green Party first, but did not rule out going into government with the two bigger parties.
The Social Democrats, like Labour, have 11 TDs while Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is the sole Green TD in the next Dáil.
And speaking today on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Bacik said she was “serious about delivering change” but that she wanted to “ensure there is a critical mass of centre-left and Green TDs” before entering into government formation talks.
When asked if Labour was prepared to negotiate on its own, Bacik said: “No, not at this stage, we are absolutely not willing to do that.”
“We want to ensure there is the largest number of TDs who share our vision and values,” said Bacik.
“I really want us to be very serious about entering talks on a common platform on the left, and then seeing whether we can shape the policies of the next government in a centre-left direction.”
Bacik meanwhile said she was “mindful of how the Greens have suffered through going into government” but added that it was “not healthy for democracy for parties to be content to sit in perpetual opposition”.
Elsewhere, Labour’s Alan Kelly today said “there’s no point in standing on the sidelines, you’ve got to consider going on the pitch and playing”.
‘There’s no point in standing on the sidelines. You’ve got to consider going on the pitch and playing,’ says Labour’s Alan Kelly on government formation talks | Read more: https://t.co/R3aR6uLqy9 pic.twitter.com/IfkjJBCRyo
— RTÉ Tipperary North (@RTETippNorth) December 2, 2024
Kelly has been a member of Labour’s Parliamentary Party since 2007 and said he will offer his “guidance and advice in relation to how we should negotiate”.
“Ivana has been very clear, we will talk to like-minded people and parties first, and then we will go from there, but we will have red line issues and conditions as regards any coalition talks.”
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Tragic Malikika Al Katib
Sad day for irish
She is a hero
@sakk sa: her young life extinguished protecting her mother while my tax euros keep an armed support unit protecting this guy in the hospital. R.I.P. Malikika
“Frankfurt’s way or Labour’s way”, we all should know how that went. In case you’re too young to remember, Labour rolled over and had their bellies tickled and it was Frankfurt’s way.
One shouldn’t forget as your payslip should be a constant reminder of what FG and Labour imposed on the taxpayer.
@Jack:
No, labour just found out that he who pays the piper, calls the tune.
We were in the middle of a bail out at the time so neither labour, or FG at the time, had much day in the matter.
@P. J.: No what’s really gas is some labour heads now saying what’s important is Principles. Hilarious when we all know what’s important is a spot at the trough, same as they’ve always been, fill pockets
Coalition with FFG = Kiss of death!
@Brian Hunt: At least SF will still not in government and that is the greatest thing to happen to OUR, country.
@Paul O’Mahoney: honestly how thick are you? You are taking the piss yea? No SF no Ireland for muppets like you to waste a vote,remember that clown.
@Paul O’Mahoney: they’ve never been in government but your crystal ball is amazing, you’re happy with record homelessness and crisis after crisis tells us all we need to know about who you are
@Brian Hunt: only if you behave like the Greens do, thinking that because you’ve landed yourself in a position of power by dint of party politics rather than by the electorate putting you there that it gives you licence to drive a wedge into society with no thought to the consequences. It’s not the party that got them in trouble – it’s the policies.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Actually a FF, SF and SDs coalition would be a more palatable mix than the last trio.
@John Moylan:
Sorry John but I can’t agree, every single time a small party goes into government they get hammered in the following elections, labour (multiple times) greens twice, a few years ago it was a group of independents who all lost out and does anyone remember the PDs?
There is a hell of a difference between green party policies and those of the PDs.
Most of the stuff the green party has been blamed for came from the EU and will be still there next year and more in the years to come.
Small parties are mudflaps for the big boys.
They have a choice, 5 years in government and getting some of your policies through and lose you seat at the end
Or sit on the fence and shout.
@damien leen: SF will never ever be in power in this country as long as FG and FF exist. Too much bloodstained baggage. I am remembering 3 to begin with
Paul Quinn
Jos.Rafferty
Robert McCartney
All slaughtered like dogs in the street and with 100% impunity
@Bertie: I do care about the issues you mention and I think SF won’t solve them either. Their economics is not what the country needs and as a Labour supporter it’s my right to advocate for a Labour team in Government. What it tells you about me is irrelevant.
@damien leen: Only insults can’t debate, it’s people like you who are the issue we have a democracy and it has spoken the results are in , but as you’re choice isn’t isn’t valid to the electorate all you can do is throw wild insults. This is my country and you and those of my ilk can’t change that.
Liebour, who believes them?
Is there any real noticeable difference between Lab and SD? Also, if Lab/SD gets into power, the housing and immigration crises will only get worse.
@Mayo seem to be the football equivalent of Waterfo:
The housing crisis will get worse whether lab, SD, SF, FF, FG and anyone else gets into power because none of them are able to magic up more builders, the only actual way the housing crisis could be solved.
Regardless of who gets in, it’s guaranteed to get worse.
Liebour will be on 0 seats after the next election, useless shower
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: No we won’t as we have learnt and what you see today is not only a start of something better …allow that to sink in
@Paul O’Mahoney: Better than what?
@Paul O’Mahoney: Labour will do what they’re told, just like they did the last time. Pigs rarely turn away from the trough.
@Paul O’Mahoney: . We are the most expensive country in Europe for Electricity and Fuel, if you reduce the toll’s it will help bring prices down. Will Labour address these issues.?
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: its amazing anyone would give them a vote after what they done to the people last time they were in power. or maybe it just shows the state of Irish politics that we have no choice but to vote for the same wasters over and over again. Im sure Labour will come out with the usual guff from politicians ..lessons have been learned blah blah blah
@Paul O’Mahoney: , 3 euro real money, Joan Burton. Let that sink in.
@Peter Kelly: I might if it was in English and understandable.
Keep the centre right in power. If you’re left then stay out and build momentum. Change will come.
@Peter McGlynn:Nonsense
@Peter McGlynn:
The left in Ireland have been “building” in Ireland for more than a century.
In that first election after independence they got 22%of the vote, 100 years later they have about 40%.
How long are you prepared to wait for another 10%? At that rate we are almost assured of a left lead government by 2075.
I think of Joe Higgins, one of the most decent, principled people ever to be a TD, who was there for 25 years.
For every single day he was there he stuck to those principles…..
But what did he actually achieve?
They won’t go in without the Social Democrats because if they do they know that at the next election the Soc Dems would totally eclipse them. Going in together both parties take the hit for participating in a right of centre coalition.
@Whichsideruon Saoirse: I view it differently by both going in they will push the centre left agenda more and with 22 seats can pull the plug if it becomes necessary and then the government will strap on a few independents and weaken it.
@Paul O’Mahoney: who wants 22 seats ?
They’ve learned their lesson it seems. Any small party usually gets annihilated next election
@Temp Stuff: hopefully, they got elected from left voters so they need to remain on the left
Now is the time for Labour to keep building the party again around the values of the founding leader of the original Labour Party/movement. As the election results shows, it’s clear if the young people would come out and vote it would be able to affect change. No political party got a clear mandate to govern alone.
@Jimmy Kiely: and never will Labour will never get into Government only on the fringes if need no one would Trust them U must have a short memory
Speak to the greens that’s hilarious
FF should go into government with SF, Labour and SD’s. That would give a mandate that covers the majority of the votes! I don’t care about the colour of the rosette, I want the best person in each of the ministerial roles that gives the best chance of us making significant improvements in the areas thst we are all concerned about!!
@Neil Harvey: Go Back to bed that will never happen, Have u even put the No’s together Why would FF & SF need Labout & SD ?
It’s all the same what parties form the next government ,we will still be controlled by von der Leyen and the EU
Labour who are they?
Ivana Bacik says one thing, Aodhan O Riordain another, same with Sherlock & Kelly, they can’t agree on anything. Half of them just want to continue shouting from the sidelines doing nothing. Labour think they want a Left alliance, they won’t go in with SF, SD’s won’t go in with Labour, the Left don’t know what they want, so wouldbe incapable of running a country. All ideologists who shout down everybody else & want to impose their ideologies on everyone. The Left are a waste of a vote as Labour will prove, how long before they end up in the SD’s.
Sherlock wants to abolish the citizenship referendum . Watch the maternity hospitals fill up with illegals very soon.
@Dan Murphy:
All you little incels that rabbit on about immigration just got told exactly what the country thinks about it, so go back into your basement and let the adults have a conversation.
@Dan Murphy: She only got elected it could have been Hutch & she out straight away to tell us all what Labour will or won’t do, No Thanks Sherlock
Greens have bend down to bigger parties and enjoyed a good gov salaries. Probably most of their MP are well off when introducing the high cost of green agenda so they haven’t really felt the impact on the average Joe or Joseline. Yes green agenda but have at least someone on the ground who is actually living ordinary life and have to pay high cost of living. Example of green agenda increase public transport for less money – instead supporting high end electric cars which are bought by well off of people anyway who would buy the car without 1000′s of € paid by tax from ordinary working class folks.
they are ready to betray again but not alone….
stay in opposition if you don’t have the numbers.
but you just can’t help yourself
Is there anything to be said for a Republican SF FF government?
@Paul Whitehead: Yes no Belfast rule
Why do they call themselves Labour when really they are communists.
Wouldn’t they be better forming a centre left alliance with other interested parties? SF aren’t up to it and could easily be pushed off into the background if a genuine, capable opposition was to be formed.
@Alan: FF/FG won 86 seats. Add the current ceann comhairle that’s 87 seats for them. Half the seats in the Dail. Literally every other elected party and TD would have to band together just to match FF/FG amount of seats. Can you see them all joining together?
@Alan: Are you advocating a 2 party democracy that hasn’t really gone well elsewhere, why not advocate first past the post too?
We are Irish and our democracy , has flaws but it’s balanced in that your vote can and does give a voice to lesser voices.
Be proud of what we have….and SFan nonsensical party….great few day’s.
@Ger Whelan: No but I’m old enough to Remember ” concessions ” for votes in the early and during the 80s …..I don’t think it’s going to be that this time…….and if a union was created on the lerlft what harm?
@Ger Whelan: ya need 88, so if they add lone wolf o’gorman then we are getting much of the same!!
Fantastic the party the party of water charges and a relentless attack on carers in 2011 are so spineless they choose to carp and shout from the sidelines like bold parents at an under 12 match but maybe better than the shinners roaring at an u8 Rugby match
If the Labour party were go go into Government, as with members of the German Third Reich they will have to have cyanide capsuals with them as in 4 years time the end won’t be easy or pretty. Political suicide is no different from physical suicide, it leaves tragic consequences.
The 2 cap lads from Kerry and the Tipperary felon should do nicely. Well, at least it’s not the Monk.
@PhiBo: There are no Felons under Irish law the word doesn’t exist legally here.
@Paul O’Mahoney: this is not a court of law Douglal
Lol so pretty much everyone in but SF. Which will ensure that next election, even if by some miracle SF get the most seats, they will have next to one to unite with and won’t get the numbers.
FFG forever it is then.
@GoodBrother: There is light but eyes need opening to see it.
Fantastic achievement falling over the line after about 15 counts against a fella who isn’t a politician.
@paulie: yes it was and good for the country too. In a 4 seater with 15 candidates it takes a while to count votes Even Marylou had to wait a couple of counts to get elected.
Why do people refer to SF and the Greens as the left? Greens are woke FG and SF are just populists who will say ANYTHING to get a grip on power so they can push their All Ireland disaster agenda.
I can’t see any good reason for FFG to want Labour or SD in government with them – at least they could use the Greens for measures they needed to take anyway.
As for La our and the SDs, I can’t see that they will have much leverage in government – if they start trying to throw their weight around, FFG will always be able to find a couple of independents to bail them out
Entitlement is a real problem TDs are elected to government but Labour the great pretenders and the Great debaters in Social Democrats choose to continue to choose carping from the sidelines
have your say