After a calamitous and dramatic weekend for Ireland - it is now clear that it is "each man for himself". I have heard this afternoon that the Green Party calls for election to be held at end of January - effectively pulling the plug on Fianna Fáil. Perhaps this is a last ditch attempt to claim some credit for bringing down the Government. Those old reliable independents (Healy-Rae, Lowry withdraw support) are also looking to their own electoral back yards. A budget that the country needs badly to be passed is now under threat. But that doesn't seem to bother "I'm all right" Jackie and "honest" Micheal - but their limp thunder has been stolen by the Greens.
We are Irish! Image from Wikipedia. |
So - an election at last! It's every man for himself now as the race to claim no responsibility for the economic mess we're in will reach epidemic proportions between now and polling day. Some people are already setting the pace with anti-Fianna Fáil sentiment. One commentator in an Irish Times Poll Do you agree with the Green Party's decision to pull out of Government? writes that "Only a fool would vote for Fianna Fáil. We will see in January how many fools there are in Ireland", while another writes "Fantastic, I would vote for Vlad The Impaler to see the back of Fianna Fail". Expect to see a lot more of these very intelligent and helpful comments. Brian Cowen came out fighting in the press conference this evening - but it is the last Hurrah of his doomed administration.
I'm looking forward to writing about the election campaign, which might be as late as next March - I have only blogged about the Lisbon Treaty Referendum before. My archive shows no comment on the 2007 election. Right now there is an overwhelming desire by voters to get rid of Fianna Fáil at all costs. But look around you folks - are you prepared for a government run by Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore? Perhaps their greatest electoral asset at the moment is they are not Fianna Fáil!
I heard a reporter on BBC radio 4 tonight commenting that it didn't matter who was in government in Ireland as the EU and the IMF are running the country!
ReplyDeleteIt makes my blood boil-the unfairness and inacurracy of the remark and I am also ashamed that it has come to this. Can you really hold FF solely responsible? This is a bigger issue than I feel capable of commenting on further at this hour of the evening! Goodnight and God bless Eugene.
I agree Rosemary - FF are not solely responsible. We elected them in 2007 (at least I voted for them) 'cos we wanted more of the same pre-2007 wealth, and we were not impressed by the then opposition. Opposition election promises in 2007 would have been just as bad for the country. Does anyone seriously believe that Kenny or Gilmore would have nipped the bank problem in the bud? I better get to work while I still have a job!
ReplyDeleteThe government of the day is responsible for governing just as CEOs of businesses ... banks... are responible for their decisions (good, bad and indifferent).
ReplyDeleteHow the opposition parties might have governed can only be a matter of conjecture.
BTW We don't actually elect a government - just vote for candidates and parties. Then it's down to negotiations, unless there is an absolute majority
While the population in general enjoyed the benefits of the Celtic Tiger (some much more so than others), the population does not have information that the government or bank CEOs have (or should have) and so is not responsible.