Discredited Wexford poll linked to political party

A bogus political poll for the County Wexford constituency which appeared in todays Wexford People newspaper has been accredited to one of the main political parties running in the election, according to political insiders.

The poll, which placed Labours Brendan Howlin on an unrealistic 19% (Howlin polled 13% in 2007), has been criticised by other political parties contesting the election.

Despite continued requests from local groups, the producers of the faked poll have refused to offer any evidence behind their incredible results.

Kelly to take seat in Wexford?

A new poll from politicalreform has placed County Wexfords Sinn Féin candidate, Cllr Anthony Kelly, on 14% of first preference votes. This is nearly double what previous SF candidate John Dwyer polled in 2007, and at that time John narrowly missed out on a place in the Dail.

Though politicalreform go on to predict that SF might be pipped to the fifth seat by a second labour candidate, transfers have not come into the equation. Cllr Anthony Kelly is tipped to pull transfers from many areas in this election due to his personal popularity in Wexford town and Sinn Féins promise to reverse cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage.

Cllr Kelly is also known through out the county for his tireless work to prevent downgrading of Wexford General Hospital. Cllr Kelly refused to be drawn on the new poll results last night, saying that he 'paid little heed to opinion polls'. However a quite confidence is settling on the hundreds of election activists who are working day and night to get the first County Wexford Sinn Féin TD in ninety years.

Wexford Fianna Fail TD pushes Sinn Féin policies

The Sinn Féin organisation in County Wexford has responded with surprise to a press release issued from Wexford Fianna Fail Minister for State Sean Connick, supporting several long standing SF policies for the county.

New SF member?

Deputy Connick has called for the Irish Sugar Beet industry to be re-established in County Wexford. He has also stated that this will allow for the completion of the New Ross By Pass and the reopening of the Rosslare to Waterford Rail Line.

Sinn Féin has been campaigning for these issues for some time.

Speculation is growing that Deputy Connick has filled out a Sinn Féin member application form from the back of last months An Phoblacht!

Ahern puts all the blame on Cowen

Retiring TD Bertie Ahern has launched an incredible attack on Taoiseach Brian Cowen, putting the blame for the state of the nation on his head.

Ahern has also stated that no one told him about the problems in the banking system, and that he had no idea such things were going.

This statement by the disgraced former Taoiseach will only add to Fianna Fails problems. Already polls are giving them to lose half of their seats in the next election.

Greens call for economic treason law is a "joke"

The call by the Green party for an economic treason law to tackle white collar crime, while they have propped up the most corrupt government in Irish history for the past two years, is a joke; that's according to views expressed to this blog by supporters.

The Green party insist that their proposed bill will amend our constitution to include economic treason. They have not specified whether or not this will lead to the prosecution of current government ministers who have been guilty of neglect and corruption, including Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan. In fact, Green leader John Gormley could also be added to that list for collaborating with these people for so long, against the obvious wishes of the Irish people.

Ahern retires before people can boot him out

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has announced that he will not seek re-election in the next General Election.

Ahern is the latest high profile FF TD to announce his retirement, leading many to believe that the Fianna Fail party is facing near extinction in the 2011 election.

Asked by reporters if he intended to run for the Presidency, Bertie replied: “I don’t know. I honestly haven’t decided that.” Asked if he was ruling out running, he said: “No, not tonight, everyone would love to be in the Áras. Only one person will end up there.”

Asked if he had any regrets, he said: “If I had seen the banking crisis coming. Nobody advised me, no economist, all those people now writing books saying ‘I told you so’ – none of them.”
On Anglo Irish Bank, he said: “I can honestly say that not once did anyone or any delegation that came in to see me ever say, ‘Watch out for Anglo’ . . . I wish they had have.”

Times poll shows Sinn Féin surge holding nationwide

The surge in support for Sinn Féin is holding nationwide according to a new Irish Times survey.

The survey puts Sinn Féin on 15%, down 1% from the Suns Red C poll two weeks ago, but up 7% on the last Times poll taken last September.

The poll has Fine Gael on 30%, Labour on 25%, Fianna Fail on 17% and the Greens on 2%. It puts others, which includes independents and smaller protest parties on 11%.

This poll shows the dramatic rise in Sinn Féin support nationwide holding strong, despite a recent onslaught from the national media.

The poll has also revealed that Gerry Adams in the second most popular party leader in the nation on 28% behind Labours Eamon Gilmore,  but well ahead of Fine Gaels Enda Kenny and the Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

FG and Labour refuse to reverse cuts to students grants

Last night, the "government in waiting", Fine Gael and Labour could not make a promise to strickened students to reverse the cuts to their grants.

The Union of Students in Ireland is furious over the change which it claims will force many to drop out of college.

Anger is mounting over drastic cuts in grants for 25,000 students who will lose €1,700 each on average from next September.
The students will be forced onto lower grants because they live less than 45km from college.
Until now they got the higher 'non-adjacent' grant which kicked in at 24km from college.

60% of Irish people believe politicians are corrupt

A new poll by Transparency International Ireland has found that six in ten people believe corruption to be rife in Ireland, with the majority blaming politicians.

Bankers and clergy are also named in the corruption list.

John Devitt, Chief Executive of T.I.I said that, "The findings are similar in other countries."

Irish Social groups condemn Budget of Misery

Social groups are today digesting the details of Budget 2011.
Barnardos says there is despair in many Irish households as a result of the cuts in child benefit.

The Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed says Ireland is a much colder place for those out of work.

Respond, the housing association, says cuts to social welfare and child benefit will inflict further hardship on families.

The Civil Public and Services Union, which represents lower-paid civil servants, said that the Budget fails the test of fairness, while the ICTU said that it is "utterly lacking in any sense of the common good”.

Frances Byrne from OPEN, the national network of one parent families, says the Budget is devastating.

"It makes a huge lie of protecting the vulnerable," said Byrne.

International medias reaction to Irish Budget coloured by Irish Medias censorship

International Media Articles about yesterdays budget have been widely regarded as pro government, and blamed upon a conservative national media in Ireland which is actively censoring the news.

One Irish ex pat in New York blog, "Ireland is like Burma now....you only hear what the government there wants you to hear..."

Some 1,800 articles relating to the package appeared in more than 800 publications in 41 countries in the past 24 hours. The vast majority quoted the Fianna Fail line that the budget was necessary and that stability would now be restored to the markets.

Several Left wing parties, including Sinn Féin and the United Left Alliance have criticised RTEs post budget coverage, claiming it to be pro government and anti left.

First stage of Budget of Misery passes in Leinster House

The first vote on Budget 2011, dubbed the budget of misery has been passed in Leinster House this evening.

The vote on financial motions dealing with increases in petrol and diesel along with cuts to the air travel tax have been passed.

The government won the vote by 82 votes to 78. Independent TDs Jackie Healy Rae and Michael Lowry supported the budget despite indicating in the days leading up to it that they might not.

The Budget has been opposed by Sinn Féin, Labour, Fine Gael and a number of independents.

Several Fine Gael members had indicated that they would abstain or even vote in favour of parts of the budget had it been voted on in individual sections.

Even in opposition Fianna Fail will push for painful four year plan

Last night, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said that Fianna Fail in opposition would support any  government that implemented the four-year national recovery plan announced by Mr Lenihan two weeks ago.

Some commentators have said that this indicates that Fianna Fail in opposition will support Fine Gael austerity measures, which they outlined in their pre budget plan at the weekend.

This has gave more credibility to those people who say that Fianna Fail, if badly damaged in the next election, will consider merging with Fine Gael.

Crane protestor arrested outside Leinster House

An anti Budget protester was arrested outside Leinster House earlier today, after parking a cherry picker covered in anti government slogans outside the gates.

Slogans condemning Anglo Irish bank and ministerial pensions were hastily removed by Gardai as they attempted to get the man to come down.

The man was in the cage at the top of the crane, the arm of which was fully extended, played music through loud speakers and threw a number of tennis balls at the ground below.

"Opposition" party Fine Gael members refuse to vote against budget

Members of Ireland's main opposition party Fine Gael have ruled out voting against the extreme austerity measures in tomorrows budget.

While the Irish people cry out for someone to oppose Fianna Fails reckless budget of cuts, Fine Gael have not been able to insure the support of all their TDs to go against the measures that will be presented tomorrow.

Several Fine Gael TDs, including Lucinda Creighton, have refused to vote against the budget, saying that they agree with the principal of cuts outlined. Ms Creighton, and the other dissenters will not vote against their party in support of the budget however, instead choosing to abstain. This will give Fianna Fail a comfortable majority to pass tomorrow's budget.

Budget in Independents hands

The passing of Budget 2011 is now in the hands of two independents, according to government sources.

The Fianna Fail/Green coalition are facing the prospect of losing the budget vote and being forced out of office tomorrow.

Jackie Healy Rae and Michael Lowry are both waiting on clarifications on a "number of areas" before deciding whether or not they will support the budget. Both Independent TDs have claimed that they will vote either for or against, and that they will not abstain.

Sinn Féin to hold over night vigil at Leinster House

Dublin SF is to hold an over night vigil at Leinster House on the eve of the budget.

Sinn Féin are the only party represented in Leinster House standing against the consensus for cuts.

Sinn Féin are calling for a suspension of the budget and an immediate general election.

Champagne Socialist Gilmore wants €190,000 salary

Champagne Socialist Eamon Gilmore has said that he will "cut" his salary to €190,000 a year should he become the next Taoiseach.

The Labour leader has shocked much of his grassroots support by not making more radical cuts to the over paid position of Taoiseach while the rest of the country faces extreme economic hardship.

58% of people support SFs plan to default on Bank debt

A new poll in todays Independent shows that 58% of Irish people support SFs plan to default on Irelands banking debt.

61% of the public believe the EU/IMF deal is a bad one for Ireland, while 71% believe the Dail should be given a chance to vote on it. 54% believe the next government should not be bound by it.

Irish Independent predicts Labour/Sinn Féin government

Todays Independent has sensationally predicted that the next Irish government will be comprised of Labour, Sinn Féin and left wing independents.

The Indo, a traditional bastion of the Blueshirt movement has claimed that this coalition could win 87 seats in the next election.

Independent commentators have said that the weakness of Fine Gael in opposition and the desire of the majority of Irish people for real political change has led to a massive rise in support for Sinn Féin and other left wing candidates.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has ruled out coalition with Sinn Féin, but Finance spokesperson Joan Burton has refused to rule it out.