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LAST UPDATE | 24 Jan 2019
IN BELFAST TODAY, the leaders of Fianna Fáil and the SDLP held a joint press conference to announce their partnership.
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said this morning that there will be a programme of public engagement and common policy proposals put forward on economic development, Irish unity, Brexit, education, health, and housing.
Fianna Fáil members of the Oireachtas and SDLP elected representatives will begin their work within weeks.
“We believe that it is the duty of all who seek to represent the people to try and find a new way forward & not to accept that this destructive cycle will continue. It was against this background that a discussion was begun a year ago with the SDLP about how we could cooperate,” said Micheál Martin.
Talks about a possible merger between the two parties have been ongoing for a number of months, however, it appears that rather than a full-on merger, the parties have merely agreed to a “policy partnership”.
Fianna Fáil will not be contesting elections in Northern Ireland.
“This is the approach Fianna Fáil has taken to positively influence Northern Ireland politics,” said one party source when asked why it has rolled back from launching its own party candidates in the upcoming local elections.
“I am proud of the fact that our parties have agreed to share this work and I look forward to its impact in the months and years ahead,” Martin said this morning.
While the parliamentary party is understood to have “fully endorsed” the move at this week’s meeting, with some members stating they are very “proud” of today’s announcement, there are a number within the party who are resoundingly against Fianna Fáil joining forces with the SDLP.
As previously reported by TheJournal.ie, some members within the party are happy to state that while it is a leader’s prerogative to lead, it is not their prerogative to “drag” the party down a road of merging with another party – a party which some Fianna Fáilers dubbed a “damaged brand”.
It is understood that while running candidates in the North was discussed at an Ard Fheis, a partnership with the SDLP was not. This is an issue of major concern to some within the Fianna Fáil.
Today, Martin indicated that Fianna Fáil would indeed support the SDLP in Westminster elections and would be dedicating its resources to do so.
‘Disappointed’
A number of TDs are now calling for the matter to be discussed at the party’s Ard Fheis at the end of February, with one TD stating that it could “all kick off then” due to the expected cost the party might face for linking up with the SDLP.
Another said the move is “a clear forerunner to full merger, no doubt about it”, adding that he was disappointed that the parliamentary party supported the partnership.
When asked about a future merger at the press conference in Belfast today, Martin said he did not have a “crystal ball”, with both leaders refusing to rule it out.
One TD said he was “disgusted” with the announcement, stating that it is another case of party decisions being made from “the top down”. They said such a move was like the Tory party seeking to run candidates and forming a partnership with a “failed entity like Renua”.
“Ideologically, it is all wrong for us. No one had input,” they said. One said it was a “Micheál Martin exclusive production”.
Another critic said “it looks like it has all the political importance of a town twinning project. It looks like Ó Cuív and Daly were right all along”.
Rogue actions
Utter confusion reigned last November when Sorcha McAnespy, a member of Fianna Fáil’s national executive and former Sinn Féin councillor, was announced as an ‘official’ candidate in the local elections in Northern Ireland.
Veteran Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív, as well as Kerry-based Senator Mark Daly went rogue with the move, with Ó Cuív telling this website that if it forced the issue of the party running candidates in the North, he was happy he did it.
Fianna Fáil headquarters were not happy with it, however. Micheál Martin took decisive action and sacked the two politicians from their party roles.
Today, Martin said he would hold discussions with McAnespy about a way forward.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie about the announcement of the new partnership with the SDLP, Ó Cuív said he was “very disappointed” with the decision and with Fianna Fáil.
While he was not present at the parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday evening, he said he understood no one opposed the move. He added that had he been at the meeting, he would have voiced his concerns.
He said such a partnership will now distance the party from being an all-Ireland party, adding that there is a “massive vacuum” in Northern Irish politics due to the Stormont stalemate.
“There is a big opportunity and a broad consensus for a republican party,” he said, adding that Fianna Fáil could fill that void.
“Obviously I must be in the minority,” he added
This is not the first time Ó Cuív has criticised his party’s position on the matter. In an interview with TheJournal.ie in December, he said:
I believe there are many many people in Northern Ireland that would vote for such a party — I think it should be Fianna Fáil.
Speaking about a possible deal with the SDLP, Ó Cuív said there are no provisions in the rules of Fianna Fáil for that, stating that it would require an Ard Fhéis.
He questioned whether SDLP candidates are a right fit for the party, stating that in his opinion, Fianna Fáil is a “very broad” party which is not confined to any class or area.
“I would see in more recent times the profile of SDLP doesn’t fit that, and while there are magnificent people in the SDLP, I believe our engagement with the North should be on a purely Fianna Fáil basis, welcoming any one who wants to join us,” he said.
Where did Gardai get their Intel from????…
Inside
Haswell then, I’m sure they’ll get to the core of it in pentium time and they can take the culprits to the broadwell for processing.
Yes! Brilliant!
Alan, you couldn’t follow the first one. It was never going to happen for you :(
Skynet has become selfaware at 06:30 am.
Someone with a chip on their shoulder
They should just build an Ivy Bridge and get over it!
Maybe it was a logic bomb ?
As per normal people joke about it here but given that several thousand were due on site and the array of chemicals it is a serious matter. Better to be on the cautious side that risk so many.
Exactly! I got red thumbed for similar comments
And you are privy to this how? I’m all for a joke normally like. I work there… Ye haven’t a clue of the internal workings of intel. It is a massive chemical plant. There are approx 2500 people working there at present. If something went off it would not be pretty. If 2500 got killed then who Wud be a muppet? I apologise for being square and coming across as a “Muppet” and I understand freedom of speech etc and I enjoy d puns and double meanings normally within The Journal (they are normally better than the articles) but there is genuine concern in Leixlip this morning.
Totally agree. Massive project/risk management example. Despite the hilarious jokes (I mean it!) – good job Intel Security and Emergency Response Team! As an employee I prefer to know I am relatively safe and if there is anything to be done in order to increase my chances – it is done in the best way. Respect.
Any Heptane on sight..usually goes with a bang…
Je suis Intel
Knob
Freedom of speech and all that. Get over it, everyone had been evacuated when I made the comment so no need to be a drama queen.
David Kelleher, 10/10, ***** and a big A+
Do you work in Intel David to know everyone had been evacuated??
No, but the lovely lady in the Journal had stated it here. You’re a sensitive soul chief. Some craic on a night out in say!
you seem to know more than me and im a manager here in Intel, don’t believe everything you read in the papers soft lad
I bow to your superior knowledge. Over and Out ‘hard lad’
Lance get back to work and don’t be dossing in the jacks on your phone!!!!
Someone didn’t get a HOT WORKS PERMIT
I just don’t want to see any extremist/terror attack in this country.as a Muslim (not a good one), don’t care about any religion or anything.
All psycho, stay far from this country.
We’ve been told it’s a bomb scare.
Weird, I was only reading yesterday that Intel is on the Garda watchlist as a potential target here in Ireland.
No access into the plant, I’m away home. See you tomorrow leixlip mate. Sweet.
Ah day off school, deadly buzz.
No commitment from you
Balls, thought I’d have the full day off.
Are you construction? I thought most lads where sent home earlier on?
Tenner says I know who made the phone call….
Not a joking matter. We are outside and it must be serious if everyone is evacuated and people are stopped going in. If there was a bomb here it would be a big radius of a wipeout.
It couldn’t be a bomb, sure didn’t Charlie Flanagan say we’re grand!
Love to see them get inside the Dail’s security cordon with a live…
Freedom of expression means being able to joke about a serious matter. Get used to it.
Depends on the size of the device, now if you are aware of the size of the blast radius perhaps you planted it
Some lunatic who obviously read yesterday’s Star newspaper who ran Intel as a site that could be attacked by terrorists.
Frank is busy preparing his False Flag theory for this one!!!!
Take the number 3, a powerful, magical, mystical and significant number, then add 3. What do you get? 6! How many letters in leixlip? 6! The numbers don’t lie!
Ah… Is there not 7?
Errrrr!!………..1,2,3,4,5,6,7,……………….
Eh yes, I was having a go at Frank and his imaginative mathematics.
Frank
11 hours ago # 78 26
Munster2014_ I posted a link from the BBC
Did you even read look at the f***ing article
You constantly accuse me of posting conspiracy and propaganda material and when I produce something “legit” you dismiss it.
John Rowan_ Edited: this thread is a discussion for those that don’t think outside the box.,
BTW its past your bed time”
Frank posted the above last night on another thread,
“You constantly accuse me of posting conspiracy and propaganda material and when I produce something “legit” you dismiss it.”
So is Frank admitting that most of what he posts is not legit just delusions?, it seems Frank doesn’t know if he’s coming or going, as for the supposed legit BBC link? laughable!.
Franks anal stalkers are insatiable…..vous êtes Frank!
Numbers are lying now ya dumbass
Any update?
reports from staff of bomb threat. whole place on lock down
Hope ya have ur laptop steve you can set up office with us on maxol
Haha…. Cheers! :-)
Mystery is on a building site at Intel and is saying its a bomb scare.
Mystery = my mate
Jimi Mystery?
Cool name, tell Mystery to stay safe and keep us updated
Mr E?
Someone claiming to be from Islamic group ISIL said 12 bombs were planted there.
Are you sure that he wasn’t from the Tallaght Band?
Wasn’t that factory one of a list of “soft targets” mentioned in some of yesterdays papers?
Some fella didn’t feel like going to work today. Sick days look bad but he can’t be blamed for a bomb scare!
A cow or a sheep probably broke through a fence onto the property
Wheres Frank, to make sense of it all.
Just got word. It’s actually Frank inside
Maybe frank actually got a hobby!
Frank is typing furiously into a calculator at the moment. Once he links this to some innocuous event 8888 days ago, he’ll be in touch.
Frank is a legend in his own subconscious
I blame ISIS
Good man mike u will get a job at sky!!!
While the likes of you will stay unemployed. Good luck
fox news
That’s it Emer, some people like paul and country folk are a little slow……bless……
Well, someone skipped breakfast…
ISIS? The Industrial Skivers Irish Society?
Probably a virus
This is a cheap response to Enda’s swanning around Paris to get cheap press coverage from RTE.
We have so many foreigners in Ireland now that some of them are bound to be ISIS supporters.
Dublin Airport etc. next port of false call.?
Tit
Didn’t a certain newspaper highlight a few potential targets for Jihadi’s in Ireland the Intel plant been one of them.
So probably some prank call.
Hope yous had time to grab your jackets
We do this to get off school all the time
Ladies and gentlemen…….our future.
Lighten up Jason and all the other red thumb brigade.
She’s just a kid.
I would have posted similar at her age.
Take no notice Niamh.
Brian, if you took a sec, you’d see I was joking.
Thanks for clarifying Jason.
Someone get fired recently?
Thankfully it wasn’t a real threat. Fair play to everyone involved with securing and evacuating the site. By far, it’s not the easiest task to do.
As a former Intel employee I can confirm that we were all made well aware of our status as potential targets. I worked at the site in Shannon which is in the flight line for Shannon Airport. Less than a week after 9/11 there was an Arabic man outside our building taking photos, it turned out he was legit, but our facilities manager chased him down & brought him to the Gardai before his legitimacy was confirmed.
Obviously someone with a chip on their shoulder
You would wonder if the systems are being tested for a full scale attack in the future as they did in NI before a first proper attack
Was it the Mexicans?
So sleeeepy, essay!!
How convenient!? Ok so what made the threat ‘credible’ ? Please show us the evidence of that? How come nothing was found then and do they really expect us to believe this!?!?
People of Ireland..dont fall for this absolute scaremingering and agenda engineering
Tinfoil hat
Well, when you receive a call from an anonymous entity saying there are explosives planted on the Intel site and you will have potentially 3-4 thousand people on this site, with enough chems and gases on this site to provide us with a mini Hiroshima, would you take this threat seriously, regardless of how credible you could deem it at the time??
I’m not trying to debunk your theory, I don’t want a stupid internet conspiracy argument I’m just putting that simple question to you!
for yourself is it pete ? The caller had an Irish accent and sounded like a teenager according to reports and they call it a credible threat……
I would agree with you Peter Fitz , but from reports a teenager with an Irish Accent…..how could that be credible ?
Correct JB,
I’ve heard that it was also from a payphone in Balbriggan (hilarious I know) but this is a hindsight view now. Intel’s officials weren’t made aware of this at the time however. Even if it was made aware, they’ll take the negative side every time. Christ they won’t let you climb a ladder without a medical from NASA ha! But when it comes to a 7 billion dollar fab, thousands of lives and the surrounding area they’ll seriously go as far as pushing the question “What if it were a young Irish teen who converted, and wanted to uphold ISIL’s honour ??” As was stated on the phone. I’d say there’ll be more of this crap at Intel!! I suppose how do they draw the line as to what’s credible when they’ve no real experiences to reference them to! There was another scare once but I wasn’t working there then.
I bet it was a disgruntled, drunk, ex employee with a mental disorder. Or kids messing.
Mike the Anchorman = Ape
Says someone from doonbeg. lol. I feel sorry for you. You look like an ape in that picture…..
Will someone please think of the children!
Rumour is it was a lad who was all set for a snow day, re watch House of Cards before Season 3… snow didn’t arrive this morning but didn’t want to change his plans…..
Thankfully getting up mad early was not part of today’s plans. That traffic would have made a sh!te of everything. Oh and that it was a hoax too… or was it?
You can be sure if it was an actual Islamic group there would be no phone warning.
Once went for an interview out there. Got there in plenty of time but managed to get myself lost on the campus. Didn’t have the balls to go in late and tell them why so just went home.
Where or who made the threat!
Velly ‘INTELesting’.
U push a button the alarm sounds everybody leaves simple . They also said the place was sweeped and declared safe bullshit to take nothing away from the ert they didn’t even know what they were looking for . The plant is so vast it would be impossible to declare it safe and also we were all evacuated across the road if there was an explosion we were all dead
The guy was supposed to have an Irish accent and sounded like a teenager and they call it a credible threat…….WTF?
Is it Mercury rising
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