sluggerotoole--2020-01-28--Ed Poots on his priorities in agriculture and environment…

On Radio Ulster , Evening Extra has been doing a series of interviews with new Ministers .
I want to go back over all of them this week , but I thought I would start with this one from Ed Poots .
He says there will be a UK replacement of the single farm payment under CAP once NI leaves the EU .
Indeed , he says he wants to see a focus on payments to working farmers rather than just landowners through area payments .
He was rather obtuse on bovine TB other than taking the view which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find themselves losing whole herds with an outbreak ) that selective culling of badgers is his prefered way to go .
He sounded cautious on that however being mindful he would have to get it past Executive colleagues .
The combination of Environment and Agriculture was viewed as a shotgun marriage when it came in after the 2016 Assembly elections , not least because agriculture is responsible for a large chunk of carbon emissions .
That said , it was a cautiously optimistic performance .
His point about grass-fed animals like cattle that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recyclers of carbon rather the large indoor areas .
The science they use , he said , should be qualitative , and not “ blame the cow for a lot of the ill ” .
As for an independent Environment Protection Agency , he sounded less than keen and clearly sees it as a low priority .
Don ’ t hold your breath .
He has set his face in favour of recycling and against incineration ( which in fact is in line with where the broad zero-waste policy direction of the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging a phasing out of unnecessary waste in the first place ) /

On Radio Ulster, Evening Extra has been doing a series of interviews with new Ministers. I want to go back over all of them this week, but I thought I would start with this one from Ed Poots.
He says there will be a UK replacement of the single farm payment under CAP once NI leaves the EU. Indeed, he says he wants to see a focus on payments to working farmers rather than just landowners through area payments.
He was rather obtuse on bovine TB other than taking the view which is broadly shared amongst farmers (who often find themselves losing whole herds with an outbreak) that selective culling of badgers is his prefered way to go.
He sounded cautious on that however being mindful he would have to get it past Executive colleagues.
The combination of Environment and Agriculture was viewed as a shotgun marriage when it came in after the 2016 Assembly elections, not least because agriculture is responsible for a large chunk of carbon emissions.
That said, it was a cautiously optimistic performance. His point about grass-fed animals like cattle that spend most the year outdoors are effectively recyclers of carbon rather the large indoor areas.
The science they use, he said, should be qualitative, and not “blame the cow for a lot of the ill”. As for an independent Environment Protection Agency, he sounded less than keen and clearly sees it as a low priority. Don’t hold your breath.
He has set his face in favour of recycling and against incineration (which in fact is in line with where the broad zero-waste policy direction of the UK is likely to be headed, by encouraging a phasing out of unnecessary waste in the first place)/


sluggerotoole--2020-01-28--A (Brutally) Honest Visitor Guide to Belfast

A side-effect of Belfast picking up tourism awards across the world ?
Visitors are now shepherded from one pre-packaged tourist ‘ experience ’ to a generic theme bar , finishing in shoebox glass hotel with the paint still drying on the walls .
In days gone by a local would tell you about a great wee pub , a gem of a ‘ chippy ’ or the best place to find a cheap pint any day of the week .
But times have changed , the city has changed and the way people visit it has changed too .
Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a truly independent , brutally honest local ’ s view of the city you won ’ t hear from tour guides or tourist offices .
( Disclaimer : Includes one person ’ s passionate views about our beloved city , other opinions are available ) .
Where Not to Stay in Belfast The rush to build hotels in Belfast to meet tourist demand , matched with dubious planning policy , has meant a big emphasis on quantity over quality of late .
Such was the excitement of seeing cruise ships appear on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some projects such as the George Best Hotel haven ’ t ( at the time of writing ) even made it to opening day .
Meanwhile , the Bullitt Hotel is new ( ish ) but has a bit of local cheek and character while the Grand Central is unapologetically modern and high-end while delivering the attention to detail you ’ d expect at the price .
The Merchant is a stylish , luxury option with a historic twist even though – personally – I don ’ t think it quite pulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latter point also applies to The Titanic Hotel .
Of course , The Europa is feeling its age a little but dripping with history .
Sure who wouldn ’ t want to enjoy the rooms ( and bars ) where Katie Adie and her political peers roamed and socialised in decades gone by .
A good lower price option is The Crescent Hotel ( renamed The 1852 Hotel but this will take a few generations to catch on ) if you bear in mind it ’ s a townhouse-style budget hotel in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining hotels are cloned boxes , with no place in a historic city if truth be told , and are therefore the kind of place you ’ d expect to see sales reps and stag parties to booking into .
If in doubt , pick a hotel with a long history in the city .
Beyond Belfast , the Bishop ’ s Gate Hotel in Derry is quietly spectacular and is often overlooked by those with a Belfast-centric viewpoint despite being NI ’ s best hotel .
Where to Go in Belfast Belfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic and richly cultural old district within the Cathedral Quarter on the North Street side .
Why ‘ used to ’ ?
We ’ re currently knocking the remains down to develop a glazier ’ s paradise .
Like a game of Sim City ( remember that ? )
gone badly out of hand , you ’ ll see cranes towering over Belfast city centre in many areas .
Often , they ’ re sweeping the best bits of Belfast ’ s past away because reusing what we have has been put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
The shops etc area around City Hall have long since fallen to tat and nonsense visibly out of step with the wonderful , timeless building itself ( tip : the superb City Hall tours are free ) .
Also seek out the Linen Hall Library across the road to treat your senses to some spectacular social , political and literary heritage plus have a cuppa too .
A tour here is also fascinating .
Do go for a walk in the Cathedral Quarter – call into the Friend at Hand whiskey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wee whiskey museum too , while you ’ re there – then head to the area around Queen ’ s University .
If you want to see the impressive Titanic Museum over in the Titanic Quarter , take the Glider ( a kind-of confused bus ) or rent a Belfast Bike from one of the many ranks and nip across .
Stop for a tea in The Dock honesty cafe .
Further into East Belfast Stormont Parliament Buildings – the local legislative seat of NI when the spirit occasionally moves political representatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk in and of itself .
Oh , Belfast centre has one of the biggest bookmaker shops in the world at High Street ( called Toals ) where you can rest your feet in a weirdly spacious and luxurious room full of chattering screens .
You ’ ll find a fine old bookshop nearby on North Street ( called Keats & Chapman ) as well as local street art – try the excellent tour – which continues upwards towards the area in and around Union Street .
Where to Drink in Belfast Ah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for Belfast , the theme bar and all things generic cometh .
Belfast , until very recently , could proudly claim that many world-class pubs were owned by the person whose name was found above the door .
The unique , the unusual and the traditional still exist but you ’ ll have a larger number of vapid and frankly dubious new arrival bars to hunt through .
Where do the locals drink ?
Head to The Sunflower to discover a Belfast bar worthy of the name , then to The Garrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hall for , again , a proper pint in a proper pub .
An alternative is The John Hewitt while The Mermaid has a timeless social club feel and is an unpretentious place to park among regulars catching up with the racing .
A new arrival is the hipstery Ulster Sports Club , a former social club and now live music venue , which is an unusual twist on the traditional pub options .
Also , Belfast ’ s smallest pub – The Sagart – is big on welcome and the nearby historic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s best Guinness .
The Crown is , of course , impressive but take time to drop into the Whites Tavern – established in 1630 – too .
Want to go to a historic cinema in the city centre ?
Bad news , we knocked them all down .
There ’ s still the wonderful QFT independent cinema near Queen ’ s and an unremarkable Odeon in Victoria Square shopping centre but that ’ s it .
Google ‘ Alhambra ’ – one of countless , stunning old cinemas Belfast used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand why this is a crying shame .
You ’ ll find the wonderful old art deco Strand Cinema , now a community arts centre but very much an active ‘ picture house ’ , out of town into East Belfast with a few places to eat nearby .
For theatre , meanwhile , you ’ re in luck : you have the ultra-modern MAC in St Anne ’ s Square ( near the Cathedral Quarter and also a modern art gallery ) , the opulent Grand Opera House near the Europa Hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bustling , student district near Queen ’ s .
They ’ re all excellent .
For live music , check what ’ s on in The Empire and The Limelight as well as the various concert venues .
You might have to sidestep some ‘ party bike ’ pub-on-wheels things as you walk .
We all hate them too .
This is an easy one : Long ’ s for chips , Muddler ’ s Club for posh food ( try their Old Fashioned ) and Six by Nico for great food on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Established Coffee in the Cathedral Quarter , Kaffe O in Botanic ( part of the area near Queen ’ s ) or the Ground chain .
Approach the other chain cafes with caution , except Insomnia in the now-weather-beaten Castle Court shopping centre .
If you ’ re hiring a car , here ’ s a curveball : a stop at a spectacular curio warehouse just outside the city called On The Square .
You ’ ll find some weird and wonderful pieces of old Belfast and not a Titanic tea towel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is much , much better than it sounds .
Why ?
We won ’ t spoil it for you…it just is .
So it is .
After that , drive along the coast through Ballycastle ( tip : fish and chips from Morton ’ s by the harbour ) then the unmissable Rathlin Island and the magnificent Glens of Antrim .
Where next ?
As much of Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge near Ballintoy and Giant ’ s Causeway as you feel like as well as your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very small , posh ) , Portstewart ( bigger , a bit posh ) and Portrush ( a ragged but fun nightlife and family spot of choice for many people in this side of NI ) .
Give Bushmills a miss , aside from the distillery tour .
To extend your stay into something a little different , also consider the ferry from Ballycastle – a pretty town with good pubs itself – to the whisky-producing Islay island for an unforgettable island experience .
A side note : countryside ‘ resort ’ hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from overseas would call a resort – especially Americans – and may not be in the best of locations .
The Roe Park is a pretty good exception but , all in all , stay much closer to the places you want to see as the hotel itself won ’ t be worth the extra drive .
Don ’ t forget to spend some time in stunning Derry city – while you ’ re there , have a jar in the Grand Central or Sandinos and a walk along Derry ’ s Walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gateway to County Donegal .
Try some Football Special and go off the beaten track to , like the Glens of Antrim , find the picture postcard Ireland you ’ ve probably been imagining .
Look , ‘ The Troubles ’ in NI ended 20+ years ago .
While there are still some hangovers from this dark era these are largely structural and there ’ s generally no disruption to locals going about their daily life .
Meanwhile history is unkinking itself through time , albeit gradually .
If you insist on spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peace Wall outside the city centre please feel free .
But a quick note : Peace Walls don ’ t represent peace .
They are present-day , functioning physical symbols of division .
Your smiling selfie literally celebrates a monument to divided society .
If you want to celebrate peace in Belfast , support the best of Belfast such as the businesses listed here and find out about the music scenes , including punk and rave , who always rejected and railed against The Troubles .
The movie Good Vibrations is an excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any tour guide who thinks they can explain Northern Ireland society or politics simply and easily – or who solely uses two ‘ boxes ’ to explain identity here – is either lying , lazy , on a political sales pitch or all three .
A clue though : most people in NI don ’ t go to church regularly or live near a Peace Wall .
While every view and identity and experience is valid and equal , bear in mind that a random person may well may not even subscribe to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example of the complexity of this place , some consider themselves ‘ Northern Irish ’ and/ or be changing their opinion about a United Ireland , despite a Unionist upbringing , due to Brexit ) .
There ’ s a rich , historic , friendly and proud city waiting for you in Belfast .
There ’ s one of the biggest tourism booms in Western Europe and a rapidly expanding film and TV industry here for good reason .
There ’ s also plenty of gloss , gibberish , glass boxed could-be-anywhereism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Look for old Belfast in the areas we ’ ve talked and you ’ ll be grand .
A tip you won ’ t hear elsewhere : asking local people in a pub about The Troubles won ’ t be appreciated as it simply isn ’ t a subject people generally discuss , or want to discuss , on a night on .
Even worse than this , opining loudly about the conflict based on a tour of a wall and your own pre-packaged bias and assumptions is likely to be met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those so inclined , beard-stroking about our conflict ( reminder : it was 20 years ago ) won ’ t , essentially , achieve anything .
But – if you really must – listen much more than you speak .
Ps – If you ’ ve come looking to explore your Irish ancestry you ’ ll need a drink anyway .
Why ?
Because there ’ s also a good chance they were Scottish .
Try the local Yardsman ale , Dunville ’ s whiskey or Jawbox gin .
Cheers .

A side-effect of Belfast picking up tourism awards across the world? Visitors are now shepherded from one pre-packaged tourist ‘experience’ to a generic theme bar, finishing in shoebox glass hotel with the paint still drying on the walls.
In days gone by a local would tell you about a great wee pub, a gem of a ‘chippy’ or the best place to find a cheap pint any day of the week. But times have changed, the city has changed and the way people visit it has changed too.
Let’s be old-fashioned again and take a truly independent, brutally honest local’s view of the city you won’t hear from tour guides or tourist offices.
(Disclaimer: Includes one person’s passionate views about our beloved city, other opinions are available).
Where Not to Stay in Belfast
The rush to build hotels in Belfast to meet tourist demand, matched with dubious planning policy, has meant a big emphasis on quantity over quality of late. Such was the excitement of seeing cruise ships appear on the docks and the rush to start building, some projects such as the George Best Hotel haven’t (at the time of writing) even made it to opening day.
Meanwhile, the Bullitt Hotel is new(ish) but has a bit of local cheek and character while the Grand Central is unapologetically modern and high-end while delivering the attention to detail you’d expect at the price. The Merchant is a stylish, luxury option with a historic twist even though – personally – I don’t think it quite pulls it all together as a whole. The latter point also applies to The Titanic Hotel.
Of course, The Europa is feeling its age a little but dripping with history. Sure who wouldn’t want to enjoy the rooms (and bars) where Katie Adie and her political peers roamed and socialised in decades gone by.
A good lower price option is The Crescent Hotel (renamed The 1852 Hotel but this will take a few generations to catch on) if you bear in mind it’s a townhouse-style budget hotel in a busy area.
Many of the remaining hotels are cloned boxes, with no place in a historic city if truth be told, and are therefore the kind of place you’d expect to see sales reps and stag parties to booking into. If in doubt, pick a hotel with a long history in the city.
Beyond Belfast, the Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry is quietly spectacular and is often overlooked by those with a Belfast-centric viewpoint despite being NI’s best hotel.
Where to Go in Belfast
Belfast used to have a stunning cobbled, historic and richly cultural old district within the Cathedral Quarter on the North Street side.
Why ‘used to’? We’re currently knocking the remains down to develop a glazier’s paradise.
Like a game of Sim City (remember that?) gone badly out of hand, you’ll see cranes towering over Belfast city centre in many areas. Often, they’re sweeping the best bits of Belfast’s past away because reusing what we have has been put in the too difficult box. Sorry about that.
The shops etc area around City Hall have long since fallen to tat and nonsense visibly out of step with the wonderful, timeless building itself (tip: the superb City Hall tours are free). Also seek out the Linen Hall Library across the road to treat your senses to some spectacular social, political and literary heritage plus have a cuppa too. A tour here is also fascinating.
Do go for a walk in the Cathedral Quarter – call into the Friend at Hand whiskey shop, it’s a kind-of wee whiskey museum too, while you’re there – then head to the area around Queen’s University. If you want to see the impressive Titanic Museum over in the Titanic Quarter, take the Glider (a kind-of confused bus) or rent a Belfast Bike from one of the many ranks and nip across. Stop for a tea in The Dock honesty cafe. Further into East Belfast Stormont Parliament Buildings – the local legislative seat of NI when the spirit occasionally moves political representatives to form a government – is a stunning walk in and of itself.
Oh, Belfast centre has one of the biggest bookmaker shops in the world at High Street (called Toals) where you can rest your feet in a weirdly spacious and luxurious room full of chattering screens. You’ll find a fine old bookshop nearby on North Street (called Keats & Chapman) as well as local street art – try the excellent tour – which continues upwards towards the area in and around Union Street.
Where to Drink in Belfast
Ah, the coach tours pulling in means, for Belfast, the theme bar and all things generic cometh.
Belfast, until very recently, could proudly claim that many world-class pubs were owned by the person whose name was found above the door.
The unique, the unusual and the traditional still exist but you’ll have a larger number of vapid and frankly dubious new arrival bars to hunt through.
Where do the locals drink? Head to The Sunflower to discover a Belfast bar worthy of the name, then to The Garrick (founded in 1870) near City Hall for, again, a proper pint in a proper pub. An alternative is The John Hewitt while The Mermaid has a timeless social club feel and is an unpretentious place to park among regulars catching up with the racing.
A new arrival is the hipstery Ulster Sports Club, a former social club and now live music venue, which is an unusual twist on the traditional pub options. Also, Belfast’s smallest pub – The Sagart – is big on welcome and the nearby historic Kelly’s Cellars may boast Belfast’s best Guinness. The Crown is, of course, impressive but take time to drop into the Whites Tavern – established in 1630 – too.
Nights Out in Belfast
Want to go to a historic cinema in the city centre? Bad news, we knocked them all down.
There’s still the wonderful QFT independent cinema near Queen’s and an unremarkable Odeon in Victoria Square shopping centre but that’s it. Google ‘Alhambra’ – one of countless, stunning old cinemas Belfast used to boast on every other street – to understand why this is a crying shame.
You’ll find the wonderful old art deco Strand Cinema, now a community arts centre but very much an active ‘picture house’, out of town into East Belfast with a few places to eat nearby.
For theatre, meanwhile, you’re in luck: you have the ultra-modern MAC in St Anne’s Square (near the Cathedral Quarter and also a modern art gallery), the opulent Grand Opera House near the Europa Hotel and the celebrated Lyric Theatre in the bustling, student district near Queen’s. They’re all excellent.
For live music, check what’s on in The Empire and The Limelight as well as the various concert venues.
You might have to sidestep some ‘party bike’ pub-on-wheels things as you walk. We all hate them too.
Eat Like a Local
This is an easy one: Long’s for chips, Muddler’s Club for posh food (try their Old Fashioned) and Six by Nico for great food on a budget.
For coffee, try Established Coffee in the Cathedral Quarter, Kaffe O in Botanic (part of the area near Queen’s) or the Ground chain. Approach the other chain cafes with caution, except Insomnia in the now-weather-beaten Castle Court shopping centre.
Belfast and Beyond
If you’re hiring a car, here’s a curveball: a stop at a spectacular curio warehouse just outside the city called On The Square. You’ll find some weird and wonderful pieces of old Belfast and not a Titanic tea towel to be seen.
While you’re there, The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is much, much better than it sounds. Why? We won’t spoil it for you…it just is. So it is.
After that, drive along the coast through Ballycastle (tip: fish and chips from Morton’s by the harbour) then the unmissable Rathlin Island and the magnificent Glens of Antrim. Where next? As much of Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge near Ballintoy and Giant’s Causeway as you feel like as well as your choice of seaside stop: Portballintrae (very small, posh), Portstewart (bigger, a bit posh) and Portrush (a ragged but fun nightlife and family spot of choice for many people in this side of NI). Give Bushmills a miss, aside from the distillery tour. To extend your stay into something a little different, also consider the ferry from Ballycastle – a pretty town with good pubs itself – to the whisky-producing Islay island for an unforgettable island experience.
A side note: countryside ‘resort’ hotels in NI aren’t what some from overseas would call a resort – especially Americans – and may not be in the best of locations. The Roe Park is a pretty good exception but, all in all, stay much closer to the places you want to see as the hotel itself won’t be worth the extra drive.
Don’t forget to spend some time in stunning Derry city – while you’re there, have a jar in the Grand Central or Sandinos and a walk along Derry’s Walls – then you’ve reached the gateway to County Donegal. Try some Football Special and go off the beaten track to, like the Glens of Antrim, find the picture postcard Ireland you’ve probably been imagining.
A Word About Those Fecking ‘Troubles Tours’
Look, ‘The Troubles’ in NI ended 20+ years ago. While there are still some hangovers from this dark era these are largely structural and there’s generally no disruption to locals going about their daily life. Meanwhile history is unkinking itself through time, albeit gradually.
If you insist on spending your holiday time staring at a concrete Peace Wall outside the city centre please feel free. But a quick note: Peace Walls don’t represent peace. They are present-day, functioning physical symbols of division. Your smiling selfie literally celebrates a monument to divided society.
If you want to celebrate peace in Belfast, support the best of Belfast such as the businesses listed here and find out about the music scenes, including punk and rave, who always rejected and railed against The Troubles. The movie Good Vibrations is an excellent primer.
Also, be aware that any tour guide who thinks they can explain Northern Ireland society or politics simply and easily – or who solely uses two ‘boxes’ to explain identity here – is either lying, lazy, on a political sales pitch or all three.
A clue though: most people in NI don’t go to church regularly or live near a Peace Wall. While every view and identity and experience is valid and equal, bear in mind that a random person may well may not even subscribe to simple concepts of identity (for one example of the complexity of this place, some consider themselves ‘Northern Irish’ and/ or be changing their opinion about a United Ireland, despite a Unionist upbringing, due to Brexit).
Some Final Advice
There’s a rich, historic, friendly and proud city waiting for you in Belfast. There’s one of the biggest tourism booms in Western Europe and a rapidly expanding film and TV industry here for good reason. There’s also plenty of gloss, gibberish, glass boxed could-be-anywhereism and over-priced drinks at every turn too. Look for old Belfast in the areas we’ve talked and you’ll be grand.
A tip you won’t hear elsewhere: asking local people in a pub about The Troubles won’t be appreciated as it simply isn’t a subject people generally discuss, or want to discuss, on a night on. Even worse than this, opining loudly about the conflict based on a tour of a wall and your own pre-packaged bias and assumptions is likely to be met with awkward silence.
After all, for those so inclined, beard-stroking about our conflict (reminder: it was 20 years ago) won’t, essentially, achieve anything. But – if you really must – listen much more than you speak.
Most all, enjoy!
Ps – If you’ve come looking to explore your Irish ancestry you’ll need a drink anyway. Why? Because there’s also a good chance they were Scottish. Try the local Yardsman ale, Dunville’s whiskey or Jawbox gin. Cheers.
Images: Wikipedia and Geograph.ie


sluggerotoole--2020-01-28--Free event: Queen’s Policy Engagement Post-Brexit Clinic on 4 February 2020…

Join us for what will be the first post-Brexit Clinic here at Queen ’ s Policy Engagement .
The UK ’ s request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January 2020 was agreed back in 2019 and Boris Johnson ’ s Brexit deal recently became law after it received royal assent from the Queen , having gone through all the required stages in Parliament .
As things stand , the 1st February 2020 will mark the first day of the transition period for the UK and the beginning of a very tight timeframe for negotiating the UK ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 December 2020 deadline .
Join us on 4 February 2020 at 12.30pm in the Canada Room at Queen ’ s for the latest updates from our resident Brexit experts , led by Professor David Phinnemore .
How will the UK mark its exit from the EU on the 31st January ?
Has Boris simply kicked a cliff-edge Brexit down the line ?
Will the new withdrawal agreement create a border in the Irish Sea ?
So many questions and so little time !
To register , simply click here .
We look @ @ @ @ @ @

Join us for what will be the first post-Brexit Clinic here at Queen’s Policy Engagement.
The UK’s request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January 2020 was agreed back in 2019 and Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal recently became law after it received royal assent from the Queen, having gone through all the required stages in Parliament.
As things stand, the 1st February 2020 will mark the first day of the transition period for the UK and the beginning of a very tight timeframe for negotiating the UK’s future relationship with the EU before the 31 December 2020 deadline.
Join us on 4 February 2020 at 12.30pm in the Canada Room at Queen’s for the latest updates from our resident Brexit experts, led by Professor David Phinnemore. How will the UK mark its exit from the EU on the 31st January? Has Boris simply kicked a cliff-edge Brexit down the line? Will the new withdrawal agreement create a border in the Irish Sea?
So many questions and so little time! To register, simply click here.
We look forward to seeing you then.


sluggerotoole--2020-01-29--The latest Brexit crisis – Should there be an Oxford comma on the new 50p?

Author Sir Philip Pullman has suggested boycotting the new 50p over the lack of an Oxford comma .
Here is @ @ @ @ @ Peace , prosperity and friendship with all nations.
” With an Oxford comma after the @ @ @ @ @ : “ Peace , prosperity , and friendship with all nations.
” What is your @ @ @ @ @ the Vampire Weekend approach ‘ Who gives a f*ck about an Oxford comma ?
’ @ @ @ @ @ for the main images can be found on Amazon .

Author Sir Philip Pullman has suggested boycotting the new 50p over the lack of an Oxford comma.
The 'Brexit' 50p coin is missing an Oxford comma, and should be boycotted by all literate people. — Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) January 26, 2020
Here is the new coin:
The coin says:
“Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.”
With an Oxford comma after the word prosperity it would be:
“Peace, prosperity, and friendship with all nations.”
What is your view? Personally I take the Vampire Weekend approach ‘Who gives a f*ck about an Oxford comma?’:
The alternative 50p used for the main images can be found on Amazon.


sluggerotoole--2020-01-30--Reform and enlargement: Europe’s next struggle…

The first stage of the Brexit process , the ‘ withdrawal ’ is nearing its completion with a vote in the EU parliament on the withdrawal package now done .
Barnier and the Commission throughout the process have presented a unified message with little breakdown in communication between them and the EU capitals .
It may look to EU federalists like a stepping stone on the process of sovereign status for the Brussels institutions but upon closer inspection this notion is easily dispelled .
The Brexit process on the EU side has been driven by Ireland , France and Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drama there is an enlargement battle brewing among the 27 member states left .
Berlin policy makers have turned completely inwards just at the time when that bastion of insularism , France , has started looking outward .
President Macron has planned a programme of ambitious EU reforms and to show Germany just how serious he was about it he used the accession of North Macedonia as a warning shot .
France blocked the small Balkan republic from joining the Union in December on grounds that it was not the correct time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circles as EU ‘ widening.
’ The Parisian establishment want to ‘ deepen ’ the union and they do not buy into the notion that widening means deepening further down the line .
This was the mantra of the accession in 2004 of the former soviet satellite states of most of Eastern Europe , such an event in modern times would be deemed unthinkable due to the deep structural problems already existing within the EU institutions .
In December Politico reported that : The French leader argued the EU must reform itself before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overhaul of the accession process , which he complained lacks transparency and can ’ t be reversed — only frozen — if a candidate country changes political course .
The reference to the poor quality accession process is of course careful political theatre , but the first point is clearly aimed at particularly German ears who have been slow to the mark on France ’ s call for reforms , Macron potentially sees this juncture ( especially while the British diplomatic muscle leaves ) as a chance of grabbing more power : Among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Balkans , Macron is suspected of using enlargement as part of a bigger power struggle to become the predominant leader in the EU as German Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s power wanes .
Some suspect he may eventually give way on new members in return for concessions on his broader EU reform plans .
This month it has been reported that Germany has led a call by nine member states to cast aside France ’ s ambition to reform the accession process ( effectively calling their bluff ) and allowing Macedonian and Albanian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last show of strength has aligned herself with Commission President von der Leyen in promoting the mantra of a ‘ geo-political commission.
’ This in short means a commission focussed nearly entirely on external affairs , pushing forward a common foreign policy and fighting for multilateral free trade in the face of protectionist Trump .
The present malaise in many EU member states is in part due to low bandwidth on domestic reforms .
The stagnant growth , high youth unemployment and resulting inequalities across the Eurozone are the results of such malaise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twisted the arm of the European Central Bank to release its vast reserves to act as a stimulus in the fledgling debt markets after the 2008 crash .
This was a deliberate policy of stabilising the Eurozone and therefore stabilising France , any notion of a federal European policy of reform will only happen when it is in the mutual interest of the driving member states and that will take generations to change .
“ Banksy does Brexit ( detail ) # banksy # brexit ” by dullhunk is licensed under CC BY

The first stage of the Brexit process, the ‘withdrawal’ is nearing its completion with a vote in the EU parliament on the withdrawal package now done. Barnier and the Commission throughout the process have presented a unified message with little breakdown in communication between them and the EU capitals.
It may look to EU federalists like a stepping stone on the process of sovereign status for the Brussels institutions but upon closer inspection this notion is easily dispelled. The Brexit process on the EU side has been driven by Ireland, France and Germany in this order. Beyond the Brexit drama there is an enlargement battle brewing among the 27 member states left.
Berlin policy makers have turned completely inwards just at the time when that bastion of insularism, France, has started looking outward. President Macron has planned a programme of ambitious EU reforms and to show Germany just how serious he was about it he used the accession of North Macedonia as a warning shot. France blocked the small Balkan republic from joining the Union in December on grounds that it was not the correct time for enlargement, this is known in wonk circles as EU ‘widening.’
The Parisian establishment want to ‘deepen’ the union and they do not buy into the notion that widening means deepening further down the line. This was the mantra of the accession in 2004 of the former soviet satellite states of most of Eastern Europe, such an event in modern times would be deemed unthinkable due to the deep structural problems already existing within the EU institutions. In December Politico reported that:
The French leader argued the EU must reform itself before adding new members and called for an overhaul of the accession process, which he complained lacks transparency and can’t be reversed — only frozen — if a candidate country changes political course.
The reference to the poor quality accession process is of course careful political theatre, but the first point is clearly aimed at particularly German ears who have been slow to the mark on France’s call for reforms, Macron potentially sees this juncture (especially while the British diplomatic muscle leaves) as a chance of grabbing more power:
Among diplomats in Brussels and politicians in the Balkans, Macron is suspected of using enlargement as part of a bigger power struggle to become the predominant leader in the EU as German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s power wanes. Some suspect he may eventually give way on new members in return for concessions on his broader EU reform plans.
This month it has been reported that Germany has led a call by nine member states to cast aside France’s ambition to reform the accession process (effectively calling their bluff) and allowing Macedonian and Albanian accession to proceed. Merkel in a last show of strength has aligned herself with Commission President von der Leyen in promoting the mantra of a ‘geo-political commission.’ This in short means a commission focussed nearly entirely on external affairs, pushing forward a common foreign policy and fighting for multilateral free trade in the face of protectionist Trump.
The present malaise in many EU member states is in part due to low bandwidth on domestic reforms. The stagnant growth, high youth unemployment and resulting inequalities across the Eurozone are the results of such malaise. Even before Macron, President Sarkozy twisted the arm of the European Central Bank to release its vast reserves to act as a stimulus in the fledgling debt markets after the 2008 crash. This was a deliberate policy of stabilising the Eurozone and therefore stabilising France, any notion of a federal European policy of reform will only happen when it is in the mutual interest of the driving member states and that will take generations to change.
“Banksy does Brexit (detail) #banksy #brexit” by dullhunk is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-02-05--Slugger Event – Wed 25th March 2020: What is the future of the United Kingdom in these historic time

Slugger Event – Wed 25th March 2020: What is the future of the United Kingdom in these historic times?

These islands are steaming headlong into uncharted territory : politically , economically and socially .
The Assembly and Executive are @ @ @ @ @ the storm of RHI , welfare pressure , and the crisis facing the health service @ @ @ @ @ prospect of extra paperwork post-Brexit for goods entering and leaving Northern Ireland , squeezing margins @ @ @ @ @ from potential growth markets .
A bullish Tory government has the power to push through @ @ @ @ @ the civil service , broadcasting , and even the House of Lords .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ the horizon along with strengthening calls for an Irish border poll that could bring the @ @ @ @ @ us at Pug Ugly ’ s Lounge Bar with a distinguished panel , chaired by @ @ @ @ @ David McCann , to consult the charts and map out the future direction of this @ @ @ @ @ to be confirmed… The event is sponsored by Linen Quarter BID and all ticket sales @ @ @ @ @ lit .

These islands are steaming headlong into uncharted territory: politically, economically and socially.
The Assembly and Executive are restored but can they weather the storm of RHI, welfare pressure, and the crisis facing the health service?
Local businesses fear the prospect of extra paperwork post-Brexit for goods entering and leaving Northern Ireland, squeezing margins in a region already remote from potential growth markets.
A bullish Tory government has the power to push through radical reforms of immigration, the civil service, broadcasting, and even the House of Lords.
Meanwhile, Scottish independence is lurking on the horizon along with strengthening calls for an Irish border poll that could bring the Union crashing down.
Join us at Pug Ugly’s Lounge Bar with a distinguished panel, chaired by Slugger’s deputy editor David McCann, to consult the charts and map out the future direction of this place.
Panel includes:
Allison Morris : security correspondent with the Irish News
Lee Reynolds : DUP Director of Policy
More speakers to be confirmed…
The event is sponsored by Linen Quarter BID and all ticket sales will go towards keeping Slugger lit.


sluggerotoole--2020-02-05--Soapbox: Democracy Day 2020 helps launch 14 initiatives to involve the public more in decision-makin

Soapbox: Democracy Day 2020 helps launch 14 initiatives to involve the public more in decision-making

Paul Braithwaite is Head of Innovation & Voice with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland , leading their work on social and democratic innovation .
This time last week , more than 100 people gathered in Parliament Building ’ s Long Gallery for the fourth annual Democracy Day to share ideas about involving the public more in decision-making .
At the heart of the programme organised by the Community Foundation in association with Imagine !
Belfast Festival , 30 one-minute pitches made by organisations looking for support to hone their proposals and work with partners to deliver change .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from outside Northern Ireland .
Newcastle University ’ s Dr Ian O ’ Flynn spoke about the challenges facing democracy and how to develop deliberative democracy in divided societies .
The Democratic Society ’ s Kelly McBride gave an overview of different ways in which digital democracy has been encouraged in the UK and abroad .
And the founder of Citizens UK , Neil Jameson , discussed the history and power of community organising .
After lunch , the pitchers sat around tables discussing and debating their ideas .
Groups merged and demerged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon , 14 ideas emerged .
Some examples include : • Design of a ‘ Citizens Panel ’ or similar to support delivery of Community Planning – led by Newry , Mourne & Down Community Planning Partnership Each is a partnership of more than one organisation , and after participating in a series of four workshops they will be able to access an initial small grant to test their idea , followed by an opportunity to apply for a share of a £500,000 grants pot to help deliver their fully fledged project through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Civic Innovation Programme are made possible with the support of the Esmée Fairburn Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation .
Visit the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland website for more information .

Paul Braithwaite is Head of Innovation & Voice with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, leading their work on social and democratic innovation.
This time last week, more than 100 people gathered in Parliament Building’s Long Gallery for the fourth annual Democracy Day to share ideas about involving the public more in decision-making. At the heart of the programme organised by the Community Foundation in association with Imagine! Belfast Festival, 30 one-minute pitches made by organisations looking for support to hone their proposals and work with partners to deliver change.
The agenda included three invited speakers bringing perspectives from outside Northern Ireland. Newcastle University’s Dr Ian O’Flynn spoke about the challenges facing democracy and how to develop deliberative democracy in divided societies. The Democratic Society’s Kelly McBride gave an overview of different ways in which digital democracy has been encouraged in the UK and abroad. And the founder of Citizens UK, Neil Jameson, discussed the history and power of community organising.
After lunch, the pitchers sat around tables discussing and debating their ideas. Groups merged and demerged, and by the end of the afternoon, 14 ideas emerged. Some examples include:
Establishment of a NI Youth Assembly – collaboration of NUS-USI, NI Youth Forum & Youth Action
Local action to address climate change – groups including Garvagh Development Trust, Holywood Shared Town and Derry City & Strabane District Council
Design of a ‘Citizens Panel’ or similar to support delivery of Community Planning – led by Newry, Mourne & Down Community Planning Partnership
Each is a partnership of more than one organisation, and after participating in a series of four workshops they will be able to access an initial small grant to test their idea, followed by an opportunity to apply for a share of a £500,000 grants pot to help deliver their fully fledged project through the Civic Innovation Programme.
Democracy Day and the Civic Innovation Programme are made possible with the support of the Esmée Fairburn Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Visit the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland website for more information.


sluggerotoole--2020-02-06--“Unfortunately, it took an election – and not simple human decency from the party – to finally get a

“Unfortunately, it took an election – and not simple human decency from the party – to finally get an apology”

A few years ago I noted just how Northern Ireland , starved since the Belfast Agreement of truth and justice calumny has become a commonplace .
As Machiavelli once noted : Last night the Quinn family finally got to put their terrible experiences into the public domain courtesy of the Nolan Show… Putting this here for the record .
It ’ s Stephen Nolan ’ s interview with Breege and Stephen Quinn .
On the Reid show on LMFM Mary Lou McDonald had been asked about Murphy ’ s calumny last October , but the details had gone from Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Until Miriam O ’ Callaghan confronted her with Murphy ’ s own words in the leader ’ s debate she had campaigned so successfully to get included in and she had to blame her own poor recollection .
Murphy ’ s statement came on Spotlight a month after the murder .
From pretty much no scrutiny at all in this election campaign , the media rescinded their free pass through the first few weeks to cram in a lot of the questions ( and aggression ) it had previously reserved only for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Féin brand of populist genius is to convince lots of the press and the public that they ’ re just a better version of what they had before , without really having to explain their abysmal record in Northern Ireland .
Then came Mairia Cahill ’ s piece in the Sunday Independent .
Then Brian Dobson spent five minutes trying to drag the truth out of Mary Lou McDonald about the posthumous slander of her son .
Then yesterday morning came to the Nolan Show yesterday which identified what Mary Lou had only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour later on RTÉ Radio One , Seán O ’ Rourke opened with another devasting account of what the Sinn Féin leader had failed to disclose about her party ’ s ill-treatment .
A well-balanced Talkback panel included our own David McCann and Ms Cahill again .
Last night on RTÉ ’ s Nine O ’ Clock the big-ticket politics started to kick in .
Eoin O ’ Broin ’ s cowed but almost imperceptible denial with a slight shake of the head , which suggest he knows very well that he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new and old voters .
Kevin Myers , who is getting a career restart at The Critic , pointed to a reality that many in the Irish media ( including his own sparing partner at the Irish Times , Fintan O ’ Toole ) had seem determined to take any serious notice of… It really shouldn ’ t be necessary ( but , alas , it clearly is ) to point out that the IRA army council has never been dissolved .
It remains the military arm of Irish Republicanism , of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all wholesome smiles and empathy , like a brace of Mormon elders on your doorstep .
Sinn Fein nonetheless has of right one member on the IRA ’ s ruling army council , while other council members have ample scope to double-job as secret IRA-men and public Sinn Fein politicians .
Yet this is the untold story of the Irish election , the great lie to which almost the entire political and media establishment – apart from The Sunday Independent ’ s Eoghan Harris – has subscribed .
The IRA ’ s murky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the mother of young Paul Quinn , murdered by the IRA in 2006 , denounced his killing and the excuse offered by a prominent Sinn Fein “ politician ” that the lad had been involved in criminality .
Whereas , killing him apparently wasn ’ t criminal , and in the dystopian moral world inhabited by SF-IRA , it probably wasn ’ t .
RTÉ News ’ Political Correspondent Mícheál Lehane noted that relations between Sinn Féin and the media were breaking down .
[ They don ’ t like it up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like it up ’ em .
– Ed ] It fell to Mairia Cahill to explain why Breege and Stephen Quinn were entitled to have their voice heard at the media top table on both sides of the border yesterday .
And towards the end , there ’ s Banquo ’ s ghost glowering grimly from Twitter at the feast : Gerry Adams , who also cast a slur on Paul Quinn when he linked his murder to “ fuel smuggling ” – and who should also withdraw the remark and apologise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the debate : “ The best woman won.
” As someone on Twitter pointed out , it wasn ’ t Mary Lou .
The woman who did , Breege Quinn , who took on Sinn Féin since 2007 with quiet but determined dignity , finally forced the party president into a corner on the issue .
Unfortunately , it took an election – and not simple human decency from the party – to finally get an apology .

A few years ago I noted just how Northern Ireland, starved since the Belfast Agreement of truth and justice calumny has become a commonplace. As Machiavelli once noted:
…it is before the magistrates, the people, or the courts of justice that men are impeached; but in the streets and market places that they are calumniated. Calumny, therefore, is most rife in that State wherein impeachment is least practised, and the laws least favour it.
Last night the Quinn family finally got to put their terrible experiences into the public domain courtesy of the Nolan Show…
Putting this here for the record. It’s Stephen Nolan’s interview with Breege and Stephen Quinn. On the Reid show on LMFM Mary Lou McDonald had been asked about Murphy’s calumny last October, but the details had gone from Mary Lou’s memory on Tuesday night.
Until Miriam O’Callaghan confronted her with Murphy’s own words in the leader’s debate she had campaigned so successfully to get included in and she had to blame her own poor recollection. Murphy’s statement came on Spotlight a month after the murder.
From pretty much no scrutiny at all in this election campaign, the media rescinded their free pass through the first few weeks to cram in a lot of the questions (and aggression) it had previously reserved only for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
Sinn Féin brand of populist genius is to convince lots of the press and the public that they’re just a better version of what they had before, without really having to explain their abysmal record in Northern Ireland. Then came Mairia Cahill’s piece in the Sunday Independent.
Then Brian Dobson spent five minutes trying to drag the truth out of Mary Lou McDonald about the posthumous slander of her son. Then yesterday morning came to the Nolan Show yesterday which identified what Mary Lou had only the night before denied.
Half an hour later on RTÉ Radio One, Seán O’Rourke opened with another devasting account of what the Sinn Féin leader had failed to disclose about her party’s ill-treatment. A well-balanced Talkback panel included our own David McCann and Ms Cahill again.
Last night on RTÉ’s Nine O’Clock the big-ticket politics started to kick in. Eoin O’Broin’s cowed but almost imperceptible denial with a slight shake of the head, which suggest he knows very well that he’s walking a thin line between his new and old voters.
https://twitter.com/mickfealty/status/1225315583941627910
Kevin Myers, who is getting a career restart at The Critic, pointed to a reality that many in the Irish media (including his own sparing partner at the Irish Times, Fintan O’Toole) had seem determined to take any serious notice of…
It really shouldn’t be necessary (but, alas, it clearly is) to point out that the IRA army council has never been dissolved. It remains the military arm of Irish Republicanism, of which Sinn Fein is merely its Colgate-wing, all wholesome smiles and empathy, like a brace of Mormon elders on your doorstep. Sinn Fein nonetheless has of right one member on the IRA’s ruling army council, while other council members have ample scope to double-job as secret IRA-men and public Sinn Fein politicians. Yet this is the untold story of the Irish election, the great lie to which almost the entire political and media establishment – apart from The Sunday Independent’s Eoghan Harris – has subscribed. The IRA’s murky past rather embarrassingly surfaced during the week when the mother of young Paul Quinn, murdered by the IRA in 2006, denounced his killing and the excuse offered by a prominent Sinn Fein “politician” that the lad had been involved in criminality. Whereas, killing him apparently wasn’t criminal, and in the dystopian moral world inhabited by SF-IRA, it probably wasn’t.
RTÉ News’ Political Correspondent Mícheál Lehane noted that relations between Sinn Féin and the media were breaking down. [They don’t like it up ’em sir, they don’t like it up ’em. – Ed]
It fell to Mairia Cahill to explain why Breege and Stephen Quinn were entitled to have their voice heard at the media top table on both sides of the border yesterday. And towards the end, there’s Banquo’s ghost glowering grimly from Twitter at the feast:
Gerry Adams, who also cast a slur on Paul Quinn when he linked his murder to “fuel smuggling” – and who should also withdraw the remark and apologise – chose instead to tweet in reference to the debate: “The best woman won.” As someone on Twitter pointed out, it wasn’t Mary Lou. The woman who did, Breege Quinn, who took on Sinn Féin since 2007 with quiet but determined dignity, finally forced the party president into a corner on the issue. Unfortunately, it took an election – and not simple human decency from the party – to finally get an apology.
Adams also calumniated young Mr Quinn.


sluggerotoole--2020-02-07--As #GE2020 Campaigns draws to a close, a change of government seems imminent…

Well , I said it was just getting going .
Today is the last full day of campaigning but the media in the Republic will soon start winding down so after 2 pm a broadcast moratorium means will be no further TV and Radio reporting until the polls close at 10 pm on tomorrow night .
What ’ s going to happen ?
Irish general elections are hard to call at the best of times , but this campaign has been a real rollercoaster .
According to Paddy Power , the Greens , Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ betting market run around PR STV is comprised of wishful thinkers and folks trying to spin the odds in favour of their own parties .
Yet , whilst the numbers may be questionable , I think the pattern is broadly correct .
Fianna Fáil had a good first week attacking Fine Gael but then it sort of fell from their grasp as Mary Lou proved adept at what Micheál had excelled at in 2016 ie , scoring off both of her opponents .
But they ’ ve had a much stronger finish towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially used Pearse Doherty and Eoin Ó Broin with the former making waves on the high cost of insurance and the raising the pension age , and the latter on housing .
Mary Lou performed in every debate until this week when the Quinn issue has floored her .
Fine Gael ‘ s campaign , something many of us thought was going to be a strength , has failed to fire .
In trying to press the Brexit story on the media Leo was selling eaten bread to a hungry man .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and by the change narrative .
For a long time out , and largely judging by the pre-campaign polling , I expected an FF/FG dominance like 2007 .
Sinn Féin ’ s success was to anticipate that and clarify its change offering giving it an edge in the public debates on the much more detailed offering of Fianna Fáil .
The Greens like all the other smaller parties have struggled to get air time .
Since they know that the pressing need to dramatically build Ireland ’ s capacity for carbon capture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need to get back into government ASAP .
Left to their own devices no other party will drive that process at the rate and within the timeframe required , without the Greens inside .
Throughout this campaign , Labour and the Social Democrats have looked like a family row gone awry .
On a policy level , there ’ s not much dividing them .
If the Sinn Féin surge predicted by the polling comes both will fall a long way short of their larger ambitions .
The other victims are likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those independents most identified with the last government ( two have already jumped by not standing ) .
Danny Healy Rea looks like he could be in trouble in Kerry .
Counting starts on Sunday when we plan to have our live blog covering all the major developments , with one or two guest bloggers to keep you up to date with developments .
Come and join us , or just dip in and out as time and other commitments allow .
Photo by mounsey is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Well, I said it was just getting going. Today is the last full day of campaigning but the media in the Republic will soon start winding down so after 2 pm a broadcast moratorium means will be no further TV and Radio reporting until the polls close at 10 pm on tomorrow night.
What’s going to happen? Irish general elections are hard to call at the best of times, but this campaign has been a real rollercoaster. According to Paddy Power, the Greens, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil will do well:
Fianna Fail is set to win 59 seats, and Fine Gael 34, the bookmaker said. Sinn Fein may get 30 seats, the Greens 9 and the Labour Party 6. Independents are on track for 17 seats.
That said, any political betting market run around PR STV is comprised of wishful thinkers and folks trying to spin the odds in favour of their own parties. Yet, whilst the numbers may be questionable, I think the pattern is broadly correct.
Fianna Fáil had a good first week attacking Fine Gael but then it sort of fell from their grasp as Mary Lou proved adept at what Micheál had excelled at in 2016 ie, scoring off both of her opponents. But they’ve had a much stronger finish towards the end.
Sinn Féin‘s initially used Pearse Doherty and Eoin Ó Broin with the former making waves on the high cost of insurance and the raising the pension age, and the latter on housing. Mary Lou performed in every debate until this week when the Quinn issue has floored her.
Fine Gael‘s campaign, something many of us thought was going to be a strength, has failed to fire. In trying to press the Brexit story on the media Leo was selling eaten bread to a hungry man. They’ve been hammered on housing and health and by the change narrative.
For a long time out, and largely judging by the pre-campaign polling, I expected an FF/FG dominance like 2007. Sinn Féin’s success was to anticipate that and clarify its change offering giving it an edge in the public debates on the much more detailed offering of Fianna Fáil.
The Greens like all the other smaller parties have struggled to get air time. Since they know that the pressing need to dramatically build Ireland’s capacity for carbon capture, most of their incoming TDs know they need to get back into government ASAP.
Left to their own devices no other party will drive that process at the rate and within the timeframe required, without the Greens inside.
Throughout this campaign, Labour and the Social Democrats have looked like a family row gone awry. On a policy level, there’s not much dividing them. If the Sinn Féin surge predicted by the polling comes both will fall a long way short of their larger ambitions.
The other victims are likely to be small left parties and perhaps some of those independents most identified with the last government (two have already jumped by not standing). Danny Healy Rea looks like he could be in trouble in Kerry.
Counting starts on Sunday when we plan to have our live blog covering all the major developments, with one or two guest bloggers to keep you up to date with developments. Come and join us, or just dip in and out as time and other commitments allow.
Photo by mounsey is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-02-07--Video: Northern Ireland’s Generation Peace…

The Face Magazine has produced a short film about the young people who have grown up in Derry since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement .
From the article : Generation Peace talks to those who have grown up in Derry since the 1998 Good Friday agreement , which brought The Troubles to an end after three decades of violent conflict .
Brexit and the possibility of the reintroduction of a border in Ireland , however , jeopardise that uneasy peace .
In Derry we met brilliant young people determined to stick together and work together , who thrive on community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving on from Northern Ireland ’ s divided past .
That ’ s what Generation Peace is about : the power of hope , resilience and optimism .
The film is very well shot , so good job to the director Scott Carthy .
But it does go a bit overboard on the bleakness .
I am not sure how constructive it is to our society to keep piling on the negativity .
What struck me from watching the video was the concept of learned helplessness , as you may know this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffers from a sense of powerlessness , arising from a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed .
It is thought to be one of the underlying causes of depression .
It saddens me to see young people so pessimistic .
I think it is a damning indication of my generation who have not did more to help people on the margins of society .
How do we snap out of our collective ennui and complacency ?

The Face Magazine has produced a short film about the young people who have grown up in Derry since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. From the article:
Generation Peace talks to those who have grown up in Derry since the 1998 Good Friday agreement, which brought The Troubles to an end after three decades of violent conflict. Brexit and the possibility of the reintroduction of a border in Ireland, however, jeopardise that uneasy peace. In Derry we met brilliant young people determined to stick together and work together, who thrive on community and creativity, who are committed to moving on from Northern Ireland’s divided past. That’s what Generation Peace is about: the power of hope, resilience and optimism.
The film is very well shot, so good job to the director Scott Carthy. But it does go a bit overboard on the bleakness.
I am not sure how constructive it is to our society to keep piling on the negativity.
What struck me from watching the video was the concept of learned helplessness, as you may know this is:
A condition in which a person suffers from a sense of powerlessness, arising from a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed. It is thought to be one of the underlying causes of depression.
It saddens me to see young people so pessimistic. I think it is a damning indication of my generation who have not did more to help people on the margins of society.
How do we snap out of our collective ennui and complacency?


sluggerotoole--2020-02-07--Gerry’s last job. (He hasn’t gone away you know.)

Having announced his retirement as a TD for Louth and now watching Sinn Féin rise to become the most popular party in Ireland ( 26 of 32 ) in recent opinion polls – the last part of Gerry ’ s masterplan is almost complete .
They are now so close to getting their hands on power on both sides of the border .
But not quite .
Perhaps only Gerry , as someone who fought the fight and then delivered the Republican movement to peace – can finally get the old insurgents to go away – and clear the path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 26 of 32 ) .
Gerry , as a Republican tactician may have many questions to answer , but as a Republican strategist , you would have to go all the way back to Michael Collins to find an Irishman as politically able and influential .
And as such he must know very well that to get into power in Dublin , SF will have to get its own house in order .
He will understand that to maintain links to a paramilitary organisation that have been confirmed by the ( SF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political self-harm .
Being in ( proper ) Government in Ireland ( 26 of 32 ) is not the same as running ( what might unkindly be referred to ) as a glorified county council in Ulster ( 6 of 9 ) .
Proper Governments deal with National Security and maintain diplomatic relations with the leaders of other States .
A mature successful Western Democracy , such as Ireland ( 26 of 32 ) simply can not risk its international reputation , developed since the British left in 1922 , with an ambivalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you don ’ t have to be a master strategist to understand that or to conceive of the multiple conflicts of interest that could arise if you did take that risk .
As someone who is a ( critical ) supporter of SF and an admirer of much of what Gerry ( the strategist ) has achieved , I would personally like to see SF in proper Government – but not at the expense of Irish ( 26 of 32 ) State .
No good Irish Republican would want that .
And no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Country .
I ’ m guessing that Gerry would privately admit that by the time of his handover to Mary Lou she should not have to worry about fielding the sort of impossible questions she faced in the RTE Leaders debate .
The blame for Mary Lou ’ s awful predicament ( and she must have known that questions on the Quinn issue were heading her way ) was not down to a perfidious RTE but to a party that failed to ready itself for the job it claims it wants to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outstanding work on Brexit , the good people of Ireland ( 26 of 32 ) clearly have had enough of Fine Gael ’ s domestic policies and will probably put FF back into power with FG with Simon Coveney as their new leader .
And SF will be confined to opposition for another election cycle – with nobody but themselves to blame .
And that ’ s where the boul Gerry comes in – again .
More than twenty years after the Good Friday Agreement there is no better man than Gerry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and gifting FG and FF exclusive right to Government – that their time has passed… Then Gerry can report back to Mary Lou that yes this time – they have actually gone away .
“ Cllr Mairéad Farrell , Gerry Kelly MLA , Mary Lou McDonald TD & Conor Murphy MLA ” by Sinn Féin is licensed under CC BY

Having announced his retirement as a TD for Louth and now watching Sinn Féin rise to become the most popular party in Ireland (26 of 32) in recent opinion polls – the last part of Gerry’s masterplan is almost complete.
They are now so close to getting their hands on power on both sides of the border. But not quite.
Perhaps only Gerry, as someone who fought the fight and then delivered the Republican movement to peace – can finally get the old insurgents to go away – and clear the path for SF to enter Government in Ireland (26 of 32).
Gerry, as a Republican tactician may have many questions to answer, but as a Republican strategist, you would have to go all the way back to Michael Collins to find an Irishman as politically able and influential.
And as such he must know very well that to get into power in Dublin, SF will have to get its own house in order. He will understand that to maintain links to a paramilitary organisation that have been confirmed by the (SF supported PSNI) is an act of political self-harm.
Being in (proper) Government in Ireland (26 of 32) is not the same as running (what might unkindly be referred to) as a glorified county council in Ulster (6 of 9). Proper Governments deal with National Security and maintain diplomatic relations with the leaders of other States.
A mature successful Western Democracy, such as Ireland (26 of 32) simply cannot risk its international reputation, developed since the British left in 1922, with an ambivalent attitude to law and order.
And you don’t have to be a master strategist to understand that or to conceive of the multiple conflicts of interest that could arise if you did take that risk.
As someone who is a (critical) supporter of SF and an admirer of much of what Gerry (the strategist) has achieved, I would personally like to see SF in proper Government – but not at the expense of Irish (26 of 32) State.
No good Irish Republican would want that. And no good Irish republican should put Party before Country.
I’m guessing that Gerry would privately admit that by the time of his handover to Mary Lou she should not have to worry about fielding the sort of impossible questions she faced in the RTE Leaders debate.
The blame for Mary Lou’s awful predicament (and she must have known that questions on the Quinn issue were heading her way) was not down to a perfidious RTE but to a party that failed to ready itself for the job it claims it wants to do.
In spite of Leo’s outstanding work on Brexit, the good people of Ireland (26 of 32) clearly have had enough of Fine Gael’s domestic policies and will probably put FF back into power with FG with Simon Coveney as their new leader.
And SF will be confined to opposition for another election cycle – with nobody but themselves to blame. And that’s where the boul Gerry comes in – again.
More than twenty years after the Good Friday Agreement there is no better man than Gerry, to explain to whoever is holding SF back and gifting FG and FF exclusive right to Government – that their time has passed…
Then Gerry can report back to Mary Lou that yes this time – they have actually gone away.
“Cllr Mairéad Farrell, Gerry Kelly MLA, Mary Lou McDonald TD & Conor Murphy MLA” by Sinn Féin is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-02-07--As the #GE2020 campaign draws to a close, a change of government seems imminent…


sluggerotoole--2020-02-08--The Slugger Big Bumper Irish General Election Results Live Blog!

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sluggerotoole--2020-02-10--Are Sinn Féin Populist?

Are Sinn Féin Populist?

Last week the Irish Independent printed an opinion by Phillip Ryan .
He charged Mary Lou McDonald with the title of ‘ Ireland ’ s Donald Trump ’ which prima facie is a confusing argument but I decided to persevere through such arguments and it made me think more broadly about the idea of Sinn Féin being a left-wing populist party .
Has populism finally arrived in Ireland ?
Populism or elitism are nebulous terms , but in the modern usage they imply a party that presents easy solutions , these are typically majorities in how they interact with identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baggage attached to them .
I heard it described more simply at a recent LSE lecture as parties that believe ‘ law follows Politics , not the other way ’ which is attributed to Matteo Salvini in Italy .
In Europe and America it has been heavily associated with the right , Donald Trump is like a poster boy for this with his tax slashing , pro-life judge appointing and anti-immigration stances .
There it stems mostly from the agricultural populist movement of the 19th century , their brand of politics was essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pro fiat currency and against the monopolisation of power by the ( ‘ elitist ’ ) Democratic and Republican parties .
Two notable left-wing examples on our continent are Germany ’ s ‘ Die Linke ’ and Spain ’ s ‘ Podemos.
’ The latter of these was supported by Guardian columnist Owen Jones when he followed their campaign in the Spanish general election and tried to link their success to the Momentum movement in the British Labour party .
His is undoubtedly a politics of left populism , we see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lurched significantly leftwards with Jeremy Corbyn ’ s leadership and especially in the face of Brexit .
In Ireland , the ‘ law follows politics ’ label is chillingly relevant to Sinn Féin .
In the wake of this week ’ s coverage of Conor Murphy , his past comments and the general attitude of the party to law and order it is hard to argue that they don ’ t occupy some populist ground .
The attacks by southern media on SF economic policies didn ’ t really breakthrough .
Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time bomb , the rent reform promises and the ‘ right place , right time ’ effect as evidence of SF ’ s natural proclivity to populism .
Aided and abetted in this by the two centrist parties SF have been able to cut through the 14 years in cabinet Michael Martin ( who as the main challenger is as establishment as they come ) .
Perhaps Fintan O ’ Toole ’ s thawing of attitude to SF is indicative of what he describes as the ( historically ) general risk aversion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the failure of the Irish right ) .
Would the risk of choosing SF truly pay off for these voters or have they been sold yet another populist pup ?
I am happy to give SF in coalition the benefit of the doubt , let them prove that being in government north and south will really pay off for all people here , but let ’ s not lose critical faculty on what this is .
“ Protest at Boris Johnson visit ” by Sinn Féin is licensed under CC BY

Last week the Irish Independent printed an opinion by Phillip Ryan. He charged Mary Lou McDonald with the title of ‘Ireland’s Donald Trump’ which prima facie is a confusing argument but I decided to persevere through such arguments and it made me think more broadly about the idea of Sinn Féin being a left-wing populist party. Has populism finally arrived in Ireland?
Populism or elitism are nebulous terms, but in the modern usage they imply a party that presents easy solutions, these are typically majorities in how they interact with identity and can be quite polarising because of baggage attached to them. I heard it described more simply at a recent LSE lecture as parties that believe ‘law follows Politics, not the other way’ which is attributed to Matteo Salvini in Italy.
In Europe and America it has been heavily associated with the right, Donald Trump is like a poster boy for this with his tax slashing, pro-life judge appointing and anti-immigration stances. There it stems mostly from the agricultural populist movement of the 19th century, their brand of politics was essentially about fighting falling crop prices, anti-immigration, pro fiat currency and against the monopolisation of power by the (‘elitist’) Democratic and Republican parties.
Two notable left-wing examples on our continent are Germany’s ‘Die Linke’ and Spain’s ‘Podemos.’ The latter of these was supported by Guardian columnist Owen Jones when he followed their campaign in the Spanish general election and tried to link their success to the Momentum movement in the British Labour party. His is undoubtedly a politics of left populism, we see it regularly in the Guardian opinion columns which have lurched significantly leftwards with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and especially in the face of Brexit.
In Ireland, the ‘law follows politics’ label is chillingly relevant to Sinn Féin. In the wake of this week’s coverage of Conor Murphy, his past comments and the general attitude of the party to law and order it is hard to argue that they don’t occupy some populist ground. The attacks by southern media on SF economic policies didn’t really breakthrough. Ryan (above) pointed to the pension time bomb, the rent reform promises and the ‘right place, right time’ effect as evidence of SF’s natural proclivity to populism.
Aided and abetted in this by the two centrist parties SF have been able to cut through the 14 years in cabinet Michael Martin (who as the main challenger is as establishment as they come). Perhaps Fintan O’Toole’s thawing of attitude to SF is indicative of what he describes as the (historically) general risk aversion of Irish voters (see also the explanation for the failure of the Irish right).
Would the risk of choosing SF truly pay off for these voters or have they been sold yet another populist pup? I am happy to give SF in coalition the benefit of the doubt, let them prove that being in government north and south will really pay off for all people here, but let’s not lose critical faculty on what this is.
“Protest at Boris Johnson visit” by Sinn Féin is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-02-10--Fergus on Monday: Fine Gael’s Campaign

Fergus on Monday: Fine Gael’s Campaign

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sluggerotoole--2020-02-10--What drove the Sinn Fein surge (and the Fine Gael/Fianna Fail dirge)?

These were my first thoughts this afternoon in conversation with Sarah Jane Mee on Sky News .
In contrast to @ @ @ @ @ have faced a bloodbath , it is easier to say which SF candidates did not @ @ @ @ @ there were VERY few of them ) .
The extent of this wounding will set @ @ @ @ @ Fail at a considerable disadvantage .
Not to mention a big issue with these traditional @ @


sluggerotoole--2020-02-11--After #GE2020, is it time for Micheal Martin to eat his own mistakes?

Well , who saw that coming ?
Certainly not me .
I have to say I thought Fianna Fail would show up with a decent campaign and so , evidently , did Sinn Fein .
That they didn ’ t is why some of the new SF TD intakes hasn ’ t ever even been public representatives any sort before such was the singular popularity of their campaign .
There is no Irish Election survey so we have to rely on the exit poll regarding getting a quick understanding of what happened and where the votes went .
In taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fair few from Fianna Fail , Sinn Fein stole* the latter ’ s ambition to replace Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach .
But it ’ s not clear where any of this leaves us .
Not that the press aren ’ t trying to second guess the outcome .
Almost every avenue suits SF to one degree or another , and the Greens .
But most of it fails to take into account the fact that FF and FG will have to address the scale of their own failure .
On these numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Taoiseach ’ s office without some form of painful compromise .
Mick Clifford , lays out what that might mean for FF… .
Can he eat his own words , re-evaluate his opinion of Sinn Féin as unclean ?
The only other option open to him is to do a Trevor Sargent on it .
In 2007 , Sargent was leader of the Green Party during an election in which he pledged his party wouldn ’ t go into government with Fianna Fáil .
When the numbers fell in favour of such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing to do was resign the leadership .
That ’ s all very well for a party like the Greens whose raison d ’ etre is saving the planet .
In a party whose raison d ’ etre is power that might be considered the work of a nutter .
There is a third option for Fianna Fáil , as enunciated yesterday on RTÉ Radio by Bertie Ahern .
The party could go into opposition and hand Mary Lou the reins of power to do as she pleases .
Such a course might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it would most likely spell the end of Martin ’ s tenure as leader .
This is a tough time for Martin .
Clifford puts the dilemma he faces roughly , but accurately : is Martin his party ’ s Moses ie , “ delivering his party to the promised land but not making it home himself.
” For the party ( and even for Martin and his legacy ) the price of going into government with Sinn Fein with a leader that has so visibly failed his own ambitions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next ex paramilitary death in NI .
He could do what the SPD and CDU have done in Germany , and make peace with the old enemy , Fine Gael and enter and hope a grand coalition would deliver .
But that would leave Sinn Fein in the same position as the AfD and leaders of the opposition .
That would leave them trying to sell yet another impossible counterfactual ( like stability for Brexit ) , ie that however well or badly it goes it would have been worse had Sinn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fein the reins might be the best way for them to recover their senses and their primary purpose .
Failure to ask that question beforehand may be why his fellow minister in the last FF led government is leading the biggest ever cohort into govt .
And it would give the party a chance crystalise the vision it got so many young Irish people to invest in .
They will have their work cut for them to deliver .
As for Martin , it reminds me of the time I got kicked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go home economics for riding my luck one last time with the Tech Drawing teacher .
His last word , “ away off to cookery , at least up there you can eat your own mistakes ” .
*I mean that in the positive sense of disruptive politics , not as one SF MP implied on Twitter a backreference to SF ’ s own dodgy past .
“ Micheal Martin ” by stephen.spillane is licensed under CC BY-SA

Well, who saw that coming? Certainly not me. I have to say I thought Fianna Fail would show up with a decent campaign and so, evidently, did Sinn Fein.
That they didn’t is why some of the new SF TD intakes hasn’t ever even been public representatives any sort before such was the singular popularity of their campaign.
There is no Irish Election survey so we have to rely on the exit poll regarding getting a quick understanding of what happened and where the votes went.
So where did SF surge come from? Remarkable stat from Irish Times/RTÉ/IPSOS MRBI exit poll. 16% who gave SF a first preference voted FG the last time. More switched from FG to SF than FF to SF. pic.twitter.com/pkOCzBdB2J — Paddy (@PaddyMulroe) February 10, 2020
In taking more votes from Fine Gael, and a fair few from Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein stole* the latter’s ambition to replace Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach. But it’s not clear where any of this leaves us.
Not that the press aren’t trying to second guess the outcome. Almost every avenue suits SF to one degree or another, and the Greens. But most of it fails to take into account the fact that FF and FG will have to address the scale of their own failure.
On these numbers, there is no clear route to the Taoiseach’s office without some form of painful compromise. Mick Clifford, lays out what that might mean for FF….
Can he eat his own words, re-evaluate his opinion of Sinn Féin as unclean? The only other option open to him is to do a Trevor Sargent on it. In 2007, Sargent was leader of the Green Party during an election in which he pledged his party wouldn’t go into government with Fianna Fáil. When the numbers fell in favour of such an arrangement, Sargent felt the honourable thing to do was resign the leadership. That’s all very well for a party like the Greens whose raison d’etre is saving the planet. In a party whose raison d’etre is power that might be considered the work of a nutter. There is a third option for Fianna Fáil, as enunciated yesterday on RTÉ Radio by Bertie Ahern. The party could go into opposition and hand Mary Lou the reins of power to do as she pleases. Such a course might be preferable to many in Fianna Fáil, but it would most likely spell the end of Martin’s tenure as leader.
This is a tough time for Martin. Clifford puts the dilemma he faces roughly, but accurately: is Martin his party’s Moses ie, “delivering his party to the promised land but not making it home himself.”
For the party (and even for Martin and his legacy) the price of going into government with Sinn Fein with a leader that has so visibly failed his own ambitions in the election might only become apparent during the next ex paramilitary death in NI.
He could do what the SPD and CDU have done in Germany, and make peace with the old enemy, Fine Gael and enter and hope a grand coalition would deliver. But that would leave Sinn Fein in the same position as the AfD and leaders of the opposition.
That would leave them trying to sell yet another impossible counterfactual (like stability for Brexit), ie that however well or badly it goes it would have been worse had Sinn Fein been in power.
Handing Sinn Fein the reins might be the best way for them to recover their senses and their primary purpose. Failure to ask that question beforehand may be why his fellow minister in the last FF led government is leading the biggest ever cohort into govt.
And it would give the party a chance crystalise the vision it got so many young Irish people to invest in. They will have their work cut for them to deliver.
As for Martin, it reminds me of the time I got kicked out of TD and told to go and go home economics for riding my luck one last time with the Tech Drawing teacher. His last word, “away off to cookery, at least up there you can eat your own mistakes”.
Adds: But that’s too harsh. Martin has been the best and most honest politician amongst a very poor bunch. He has tried to call Sinn Fein’s hypocrisy and been run off the road by a media intent on getting their last pound of FF flesh.
Eyes wide shut they played with words over the accusation that Sinn Fein politicians take their orders from members (or former members) of the Provisional IRA Army Council. A Labour party source today is quoted as saying they are…
…unlikely to enter any government with Sinn Féin specifically with further doubts around whether it would enter any government at all.
Mary Lou called such speculation cynical the other day, but she knows very well that the gap between her inflated manifesto claims and what she can deliver in government is cavernous. But it may be hers now to leap in the best way she can.
Not only did Mrs Quinn not get her retraction from Conor Murphy, but she also had to endure a Greek chorus telling her that her son’s tragic story and the deliberately blackening of her name was made no difference at all to the outcome of the election.
Worse, that SF’s handling of her case was perfectly proper. Micheal Martin stood like a rock against a populist tide within the media and from his opponents in Fine Gael who invoked the ghost of Collins thinking that they and not SF would reap the rewards.
They have been sorely disabused of that illusion. As I noted yesterday on Sky (and this morning on Radio Wales), putting SF and its shadowy Army Council advisors in charge of the Irish government negotiations with their instincts for wrecking is quite mad.
Maybe they would resist the temptation just to block and wreck in order to procure the worst possible conditions for a post-Brexit trade deal. But I’m sure the Irish people really sbould be taking such a risk with a party that only represents a 1/3 of them.
*I mean that in the positive sense of disruptive politics, not as one SF MP implied on Twitter a backreference to SF’s own dodgy past.
“Micheal Martin” by stephen.spillane is licensed under CC BY-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-02-11--Sinn Fein deserve their chance to satisfy the huge expectations their victory has aroused

Let ’ s stand back .
With just one seat fewer than Fianna Fail but with quotas to spare , Sinn Fein ’ s claim to have gained the moral advantage has credibility in spades .
Another reading is just possible .
The two centrist parties outnumber them by rather less than 2 to 1 .
Twice in France the right and left united to defeat the far right in the second round of a presidential election , once by joining together and last time by forming a new political party to achieve the desired result .
But France unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main parties around leaders .
With the possible exception of de Valera in 1925 this has not been the Irish tradition , although Charles Haughey tried hard to make it so .
The system threw up left challengers which have come and gone from Clann na Poblachta to the Workers ’ Party .
Labour was the regular standard bearer from the beginning but more in opposition than in power .
For most of the century there was no duopoly .
Fianna Fail was the natural party of government interspersed with weak coalitions until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first Fianna Fail led coalition in 1989 .
Thereafter coalitions have been the norm , masking the slow decline of the parties of the civil war .
Fianna Fail have enjoyed something of a recovery from their very low base of 20 seats in 2011 .
It was their collapse after the financial crash that gave Fine Gael the opportunity they were never able to exploit to the full , despite the most dramatic economic recovery you could wish for .
But as Fintan O ’ Toole wrote : the plain fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarters of the electorate voted for someone other than Fine Gael – but we got ( in essence ) a Fine Gael government anyway ” .
And so the voters rebelled .
If they even noticed it , they overlooked the Paul Quinn case and Sinn Fein ’ s dark side in favour of “ looking to the future ” .
As Sinn Fein are back in government in the North , why not in the South ?
It can not be guaranteed but Irish politics may be about to reset on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends as much on the centrist parties as Sinn Fein .
Will they unite or be replaced by a party as yet unborn ?
Sinn Fein ’ s moral advantage doesn ’ t guarantee them seats in government but it denies the centrist parties the automatic right of reversion , especially from a joint base that falls so far short of a majority .
Moral advantage implies a Fianna Fail /Sinn Fein coalition unless Micheal Martin ’ s conscientious objection is allowed to triumph over political calculation .
The only alternative would seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option as before , only this time with Mary Lou McDonald as Taoiseach .

Let’s stand back. With just one seat fewer than Fianna Fail but with quotas to spare, Sinn Fein’s claim to have gained the moral advantage has credibility in spades. Another reading is just possible. The two centrist parties outnumber them by rather less than 2 to 1. Twice in France the right and left united to defeat the far right in the second round of a presidential election, once by joining together and last time by forming a new political party to achieve the desired result. But France unlike Ireland has been accustomed to forming its main parties around leaders. With the possible exception of de Valera in 1925 this has not been the Irish tradition, although Charles Haughey tried hard to make it so. The system threw up left challengers which have come and gone from Clann na Poblachta to the Workers’ Party. Labour was the regular standard bearer from the beginning but more in opposition than in power. For most of the century there was no duopoly. Fianna Fail was the natural party of government interspersed with weak coalitions until Haughey’s mismanagement and intrigue forced the first Fianna Fail led coalition in 1989.
Thereafter coalitions have been the norm, masking the slow decline of the parties of the civil war. Fianna Fail have enjoyed something of a recovery from their very low base of 20 seats in 2011. It was their collapse after the financial crash that gave Fine Gael the opportunity they were never able to exploit to the full, despite the most dramatic economic recovery you could wish for. But as Fintan O’Toole wrote: the plain fact (was) that in 2016 three quarters of the electorate voted for someone other than Fine Gael – but we got (in essence) a Fine Gael government anyway”.
And so the voters rebelled. If they even noticed it, they overlooked the Paul Quinn case and Sinn Fein’s dark side in favour of “looking to the future”. As Sinn Fein are back in government in the North, why not in the South?
It cannot be guaranteed but Irish politics may be about to reset on a left –right axis at last. That depends as much on the centrist parties as Sinn Fein. Will they unite or be replaced by a party as yet unborn ? Sinn Fein’s moral advantage doesn’t guarantee them seats in government but it denies the centrist parties the automatic right of reversion, especially from a joint base that falls so far short of a majority.
Moral advantage implies a Fianna Fail /Sinn Fein coalition unless Micheal Martin’s conscientious objection is allowed to triumph over political calculation. The only alternative would seem to be another election with the same option as before, only this time with Mary Lou McDonald as Taoiseach.
.