General Election 2011

[Darce]

The greens are gonzo lads

[tate]

The greens are gonzo lads

like the PD's before them, paying the price for jumping into bed with a lady of questionable reputation.

[Hickiefan]

The more I think about it the more it annoys me? Why now? They should have done it months ago or waited until a budget is passed. Now that the Healy Rea, Lowery et al clowns have pulled a typically cynical, self serving, ass saving attempt move of saying they're going to vote against the budget (which they haven't even seen) it looks likely we could be in limbo as there isn't time to hold an election and pass a budget by the end of the year.

Well f%~king done!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Just from a practical point of view I don't see how an election could be called before March. Firstly there's obviously the time needed to prepare for one but if the weather predictions are correct and we're in for a rougher Winter than even last year then I don't see how it could be feasible in January.

[Leinsterman]

What are the odds that FF will dissolve the cabinet this week?
They've called in the IMF/EU and they're going to get destroyed one way or the other in the election.
If they pull out now, they can then let the incoming government try and push through the austerity measures in the Budget and can then sit in opposition and abuse them for introducing said measures.

[Leinsterman]

Clowen has called for a press conference for 7pm.
Snap general election anyone?

[sheepshagger]

Clowen has called for a press conference for 7pm.
Snap general election anyone?

Quite possibly although logistically not sure how quickly they could do one...caretaker role for someone till it's held?

[Leinsterman]

OK so no election until the Budget is approved.
Funny - not one Green present for the announcement.

[CRAZYDAVE]

OK so no election until the Budget is approved.
Funny - not one Green present for the announcement.

Strange how (un)co-ordinated this all was !!

The "Greens", apparently turning yellow, before going brown and being blown off the tree

But beware the Cahiciveen Cábog, and the Thurles Trickster, (not to forget Doherty the Donegal Deomcrat) who could yet chop down the tree before the tempest arrives !

At least they managed to get one useful thing done. Getting Terminal 2 up & running in time for the mass emigration

[Leinsterman]

The "Greens", apparently turning yellow, before going brown and being blown off the tree

That's why they should be called the "Banana Party"

[suisse]

Anyone know why this press conference was called? Did Cowen have a bet on the number of times he would say "imperative", "budget", "December 7th" and "national interest" in the same sentence?

There was no need for this press meeting, imho. This could have sorted with a quick statement, or did he want to show off a party unified behind him?

Missing out on what could be the most defining (and potentially explosive) twelve months in the history of the Irish state.

[dingbat]

The more I think about it the more it annoys me? Why now? They should have done it months ago or waited until a budget is passed. Now that the Healy Rea, Lowery et al clowns have pulled a typically cynical, self serving, ass saving attempt move of saying they're going to vote against the budget (which they haven't even seen) it looks likely we could be in limbo as there isn't time to hold an election and pass a budget by the end of the year.

Well f%~king done!

Couldn't agree more. Posted as such earlier

So, Mr. Gormley, why now?

It can't be a sense of political nous; if that had been the case they would have ducked for cover months ago and at least given themselves some sort of a chance of wiping themselves clean of their recent association with Fianna Fáil.

A sense of patriotism? The timing of the decision, mere hours after the bailout announcement, threw the Irish political world into no small level of chaos for the rest of the day. The timing could hardly have been worse, with eyes from all over the world concentrated on this small western European island and its severe economic difficulties. The very last thing that was needed was our being seen to have severe internal political difficulties (not to put too fine a point on it) to compound the problem.

The Greens are going to be wiped out in the election, whenever it comes. Maybe that would have happened already; some would say that it was already a certainty. But this decision to throw the Irish political world into chaos at this moment smacked of a wounded animal deciding that it wanted to be put out of its misery.

[sarah_lennon]

I'm so excited about the next 12 months! Hopefully we're about to embark on a maturing process for this State. Otherwise I'm leaving

[Dexter]

The more I think about it the more it annoys me? Why now? They should have done it months ago or waited until a budget is passed. Now that the Healy Rea, Lowery et al clowns have pulled a typically cynical, self serving, ass saving attempt move of saying they're going to vote against the budget (which they haven't even seen) it looks likely we could be in limbo as there isn't time to hold an election and pass a budget by the end of the year.

Well f%~king done!

Agree, was thinking the same thing. As someone pointed out earlier, they are either very clever or very stupid and naive. I'm tending towards the latter. They have had 2+ years to do this, or else wait until the new year. The ship has sailed regarding what needs to be done in the budget. This has now started to spread concern around Europe as the passing of the budget is now under threat, which was a cornerstone of the negotiating conditions for the EU emergency aid.
At the end of it all the Greens are history anyway, no matter what.

[Broken Wing]

Heard Noel Dempsey on RTÉ1 radio one this morning. Never have I heard a man more resigned to defeat.

He was asked what the point was in bringing in a budget that someone else would have to implement. Two years ago the response would have been all about how FF would be in power to implement it and that wasn't even in doubt. This morning there was no hint of anything other than resignation that the game was up.

[sarah_lennon]

Dan Boyle's on twitter talking about if he gets elected a TD! What planet? Seriously

[combatlogo]

Oh I can't wait for Gogarty to call at my door looking for my vote!

f%~k you Leinsterman, f%~k you!!

[Armchair]

Oh I can't wait for Gogarty to call at my door looking for my vote!

f%~k you Leinsterman, f%~k you!!

Hopefully the tw@t doesn't bring his poor child along as he did at the press conference last night

[Leinsterman]

Hopefully the tw@t doesn't bring his poor child along as he did at the press conference last night

Gogarty has bred a mini-Gogarty? The poor child.

[ronk]

Election slogans could be funny. "A lot done, more to do", there'd be lynchings.