So, anyone following the Irish General Election?

[An Gadaí]

We go to the polls today. Ruling party of the last 14 years are out the door*. I'm still undecided who I'm gonna vote for.













*thank fuck!

[Seamack]

Following it very closely here in Dublin NW. Looks like we will definitely be ridding our selves of FF altogether. Roisin Shortall (Lab) to top the poll, it remains to be seen does she carry John Lyons through with her, and who will take the third seat. I reckon it could be a Lab, Lab & Sinn Fein constituency tomorrow. Dessie Ellis actually works very hard in this constituency and is well liked. Interesting times. Where are you based?

[Cunctator]

We go to the polls today. Ruling party of the last 14 years are out the doorDo the parties that are likely to form the new government have any sensible policies to straighten out the economic mess? Or will they be elected simply because they're not the FF?

[Lochdale]

Very interested. Was fairly involved with FF back in the day (National Executive) etc.

[An Gadaí]

Do the parties that are likely to form the new government have any sensible policies to straighten out the economic mess? Or will they be elected simply because they're not the FF?

Alas I think it's cos they're not FF they'll be elected. This campaign has been amazingly uninspiring. The opposition parties should have had free reign to create a new "vision" for Ireland but have universally failed to do so. The likely configuration of the next government, ideologically speaking, will be business as usual. :(

[An Gadaí]

Following it very closely here in Dublin NW. Looks like we will definitely be ridding our selves of FF altogether. Roisin Shortall (Lab) to top the poll, it remains to be seen does she carry John Lyons through with her, and who will take the third seat. I reckon it could be a Lab, Lab & Sinn Fein constituency tomorrow. Dessie Ellis actually works very hard in this constituency and is well liked. Interesting times. Where are you based?

I'm in verdant Dublin North.

[An Gadaí]

It's looking like Clare Daly will get in. :)

[Agnostic Pagan]

It's looking like Clare Daly will get in. :)I just Googled her. I wish we had more like her over here. Bernie Sanders is as close as we get. She ain't bad on the eyes either. (Not that it matters, but it is always a nice bonus.)

Any thoughts on Enda Kenny? Al Jazeera (http://english.aljazeera.net//news/europe/2011/02/201122693814547476.html) is reporting that he is the likely candidate for prime minister. Would he be able to from an effective coalition with Labour?

[An Gadaí]

I just Googled her. I wish we had more like her over here. Bernie Sanders is as close as we get. She ain't bad on the eyes either. (Not that it matters, but it is always a nice bonus.)

Any thoughts on Enda Kenny? Al Jazeera (http://english.aljazeera.net//news/europe/2011/02/201122693814547476.html) is reporting that he is the likely candidate for prime minister. Would he be able to from an effective coalition with Labour?

I'm not a fan of his but I do hope their likely coalition works out. I dunno how well the centre right party will get on with the centre left, time will tell I suppose.

[An Gadaí]

Gerry Adams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Adams) got in well over the quota.

[gonzomax]

Can you describe the difference in platforms for the 3 parties? We in America are pretty blind to outside politics. Most of our attention is in the middle east now anyway.
I want some politicians in the world to tee off on the bankers and financial pros who crippled the world economy. I have been reading that in Scotland they are trying to clawback some of the money bankers grabbed. What is planned for Ireland going forward ? In America we just let them slide and stay in power.

[An Gadaí]

Can you describe the difference in platforms for the 3 parties?

Which 3 parties?

[Peremensoe]

Presumably gonzo means Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour.

There's also Greens and Sinn Féin, right? Oh, and the Socialists.

[gonzomax]

I saw an interview with Daly and 2 others who apparently were front runners. They had Irish names so I could not relate to them very well. If they were Liberal or Conservative named parties I could have a start then.'
In America we have more than 2 parties, but the Libertarians, Socialists and the Green party are not going to impact elections so they get no play.

[An Gadaí]

Presumably gonzo means Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour.

There's also Greens and Sinn Féin, right?

Yep, Socialist Party might get a couple of seats too and a smattering of independents.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had common origins but are the descendent parties of the different factions in Ireland's Civil War in the '20s. For the most part their actual policies don't differ too much. I'd guess that Fine Gael are slightly more right-wing and slightly more honest than Fianna Fáil. Both essentially Centre-Right.

Fianna Fáil were for years the dominant party in the country, usually polling first or second. This is AFAIK the first election they've ever fought that has had them on such a low vote.

The Labour Party which will likely share in government with Fine Gael are roughly the same as the British Labour Party in policy. Centre-Left.

Sinn Féin are a Republican party, that are active in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, so are the only All-Ireland political party. Their President, Gerry Adams gave up his seat in Westminister and his membership of the Northern Ireland Assembly to stand for election in the Republic. He has now been elected a T.D. The political wing of the IRA, they have left wing policies and are probably the most left wing of the "big four".

[An Gadaí]

To add, the Socialist Party are a marginal party. They'll get a couple of seats likely, and the United Left Alliance, which is a group of likeminded parties including them may get as many as five.
There's also the Green Party, that was in the last government as the junior partner and who are now all but irrelevant.

[An Gadaí]

Ruadh is probably busy tonight which is a pity as she's much better informed on Irish politics than I am.

[Peremensoe]

How did that work for Gerry Adams, by the way? He's from Belfast--did he have to do anything special to stand for election in the Republic?

[An Gadaí]

How did that work for Gerry Adams, by the way? He's from Belfast--did he have to do anything special to stand for election in the Republic?

I don't actually know, I think maybe he has a second home in the constituency. I know there's one MP who represents Fermanagh-South Tyrone I think who lives in the Republic.

[BrainGlutton]

Alas I think it's cos they're not FF they'll be elected. This campaign has been amazingly uninspiring. The opposition parties should have had free reign to create a new "vision" for Ireland but have universally failed to do so. The likely configuration of the next government, ideologically speaking, will be business as usual. :(

What new vision for Ireland would you like to see?

[Tom Tildrum]

Fianna Fáil were for years the dominant party in the country, usually polling first or second. This is AFAIK the first election they've ever fought that has had them on such a low vote.

Epic Fianna Fáil Fail!

[Cicero]

I've been following the outcome since visiting last year. I couldn't believe the straight faces your Taoiseach and his sidekick were sprouting. It is no surprise they got booted out.

[An Gadaí]

What new vision for Ireland would you like to see?

That's a difficult question to answer. I think I'd like to see a number of things happening. One of them would be a self reevaluation on the part of the state apparatus and the populace. We're a small country. We are not and can never be a big fish. Politicians' pay should reflect this and the number of political positions which are paid out of state coffers should be slashed. This is not just a cost cutting measure, it's more that for our 4.4 million people we don't need that many TDs or local councillors, that much representation. Although issues on the ground do vary, especially along rural/urban lines I think it would be more fruitful to think of our country in terms of a city metro area than a country. I could probably write an essay on other facets of things I'd like to see so I'm gonna go and think about it for a while and will either PM you or post my rant. :)

[ruadh]

Ruadh is probably busy tonight which is a pity as she's much better informed on Irish politics than I am.

Ah cheers :) but you summed it up fine.

I was at the Dublin City count from 8.30 yesterday morning, until the candidate whose campaign I was involved in (Mary Lou McDonald, SF, Dublin Central) was finally declared elected at sometime around 2am. Hell of a day. A great day for us, obviously; also great from the point of view of Fianna Fáil getting obliterated, but not so great from the point of view that a party that is if anything slightly further right than FF replacing them as the largest party. They'll probably be going into coalition with Labour, which will put some sort of brake on them implementing the worst aspects of their policy, but given that Labour themselves were running essentially on a platform of not being terribly different from either of the main two, I don't have high hopes that they'll make much of a difference.

Delighted to see Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party back in the Dáil (he lost his seat at the last election), along with a few other United Lefties. Sorry that the one Labour candidate I would have enthusiastically supported (Ivana Bacik) doesn't look like getting in.

There are still a number of seats left unfilled btw. Will be glued to Twitter for the rest of the day!