Where is Enda Kenny, the heir apparent to the throne? Once he again he is missing in action. When a statement is required from Fine Gael, James Reilly, the deputy leader of the party, is wheeled out.
None of them have, but surely there’s a chain of command or how does it roll in these situations?
No chain of command. There will be a vote within the parliamentary party and the membership may have some limited say these days in FF. Coughlan’s relative seniority is insignificant.
I don’t think the governement is any more or less of a lame duck in terms of negotiating with the IMF or ECB.
As posted on the previous page the purpose is to provide the bit of economic policy stability that can be given but to withdraw political support. There’s people on here complaining about them withdrawing (not necessarily you) who have been calling them idiots for supporting the governent until now. So I don’t think there’s a particular issue with the timing unless you think they should have supported the government in the medium or long term.
Pat Rabitte on television last night and on the radio this morning was of the opinion that an election now would not serve the country well and it should happen after the budget. That’s what the Greens have gone for but Labour don’t sound as convinced by it now. They were probably a bit surprised by the decision, and Gormley crawling out of the woodwork to make the announcement is particularly galling but it doesn’t really damage the country.
The budget is going to be touch and go probably but the likelihood is that it will depend on what support can be gathered from FG. The 4 year plan is probably irrelevant. Year 1 plans reflect the budget and from Lenihan’s comments this morning and the ECB’s statement last night it’s clear that there will be policy conditions laid down by the ECB. All the major parties have signed up to the big picture monetary amounts anyway, it’s the implementation that’s up for debate. And there isn’t enough detail in the 4 year plan for years 2-4 for it to be all that binding probably. All that’s irrelevant with our new overlords anyway.
The Greens could never support this government much longer, their party structure with national assembly rights and all that sort of democratic voice means that they were far too vulnerable to having their hand forced by their membership. This allows the rest of the political parties to assess the budget on its merits as a one-year plan (which we need in the short-term anyway) before electing our new leaders in January.
Finally, and without prejudice to any one political party, can I just remind voters that the Rocko household is financially dependent on the Greens getting back in? If you have a first or second preference vote to spare, it would be much appreciated. I’ll see what I can do about legalising coursing as a payback.
Discussion is about to shift to RTE’s handling of the press conference on The Last Word.
I am not ruling out a trip to Áras an Uachtaráin by An Taoiseach this evening*. I just hope Sky News have their choppers primed and ready to go.
[size=“1”]* 95% speculation.[/size]
RTE refusing to explain on the last word why they cut off the press conference. Matt Cooper about to read a statement from them.
Rte statement is that they had shown it for half an hour and that was enough :mellow:
Listening to it. Fascinating stuff. Remarkable ineptitude from RTE. They are satisfied they covered it correctly. Sky, BBC and CNN all carried it in more detail.
Cooper got a nice little dig in there as well when RTE said they had an extended news at 9 p.m to analyse it in depth as well yet they were giving the Sports report at 12 minutes past 9…
Gormley came across as an absolute gombeen there. What a clown.
Cowen make a statement at 7pm
God knows what he’s going to say.
A call to duty for old Ireland I expect
Another statement from Cowen at 7. The end is nigh?
He’s announcing that he’s playing his wild card this week in the EPL Fantasy Football game.
Dobbo had to look at the clock to see where the big hand and the little hand were, he’s probably pissed off he might miss William and Kate’s engagement programme on 2/
Cowen to resign, general election before Christmas I would reckon.
Cowen writing a farewell speech I’d say.
Not sure what this means for the budget though.
Will he give it the budd dwyer I wonder?
Evane Ni Chuileann looking absolutely splendid as usual there on the news…