The Return of Fianna Fáil

**culloty82** · 18/10/2012, 2:28 PM

So, FF have gained four points to 21%, overtaking SF to come second. FG - Lab would still be returned, but with the bare minimum of a majority:

FG 63
FF 37
SF 25
Lab 17
Oth 16

The Irish Times also tell us most of the FF support is aged 50+.

**BonnieShels** · 18/10/2012, 8:33 PM

Lest we ever forget.

**John83** · 20/10/2012, 2:58 PM

Naturally. Everyone they've screwed over hardest has been forced to emigrate.

**SkStu** · 20/10/2012, 4:57 PM

When you sit back and think about this, it's an absolute mindf*ck. It's akin to interviewing a convicted paedo for a nappy changer position in a kindergarten.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 20/10/2012, 5:41 PM

It's just a reaction to the government really. Unhappy with FG/Lab? Not left enough for ULA/Sinn Fein? Who else is there?

**SkStu** · 20/10/2012, 5:45 PM

The fact that they're still even an option speaks volumes about the mindset of the Irish electorate. Such small time, parochial bullsh!t.

**Angus** · 20/10/2012, 7:41 PM

Agree - stunning that people en masse could vote for those people - but let's calm down - this is a mid term poll and is of no relevance to any election result.

Wasn't that long ago that Herman Cain was the front runner in the polls for the GOP

**BonnieShels** · 18/02/2013, 11:06 AM

I had hoped that the last one was a blip and didn't take into consideration the liquidation of IBRC.

But now this one has.

Originally Posted by RTE

A second opinion poll in a fortnight has found that Fianna Fáil is the most popular party in the country.

The Millward Brown poll for tomorrow's Sunday Independent, shows Fianna Fáil support at 27%, two points ahead of Fine Gael.

The poll was taken among 1,000 voters between 6-13 February.

In the poll 27% of voters say they are “undecided”. When these are excluded, the poll shows Government parties Fine Gael at 25% and Labour 13%.

Fianna Fáil leads with 27% support with Sinn Féin on 20% and Independents and Others, including the Green Party and United Left Alliance on 16%.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0216/368...-as-top-party/

I actually feel ill at the thought that there's people out there who think they are an option. Sickens me.

My emigration to the True North may not come quick enough.

**peadar1987** · 18/02/2013, 11:06 AM

That settles it. I'm never coming back home!

**peadar1987** · 18/02/2013, 11:07 AM

I honestly can't understand how people can be that stupid and still be able to operate a pencil well enough to fill in a ballot!

**BonnieShels** · 18/02/2013, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by peadar1987

I honestly can't understand how people can be that stupid and still be able to operate a pencil well enough to fill in a ballot!

I'm still ever hopeful that by the time the next election does occur we'll have started crawling out of the mire and FF will have nothing to cling to. Though the fear I have is that they'll jump on the 1916 bandwagon. Eugh.

**Macy** · 18/02/2013, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

I'm still ever hopeful that by the time the next election does occur we'll have started crawling out of the mire and FF will have nothing to cling to. THough the fear I have is that they'll jump on the 1916 bandwagon. Eugh.

They're doing what they do best - opposing in opposition what they signed up to in Government. They'll bs on about the property tax that they committed the state too, they'll have a go about the magdalene women when they were in Government (Martin around the bloody cabinet table) when they refused to treat them the same as other abuse victims and had decades in Government to deal with it, they'll criticise the Prom Note/ IRBC deal when it was them that tied that noose around the neck of the state, crib about Croke Park when they signed the state up to it etc etc.

There's a lot of talk about broken Government promises, much of it actual rubbish if you go back and look, but FF get off pretty free of the media pointing out their contradictary position. 10 years isn't enough to keep pointing it out, never mind 2 years, but the media (in general) have brought this line totally instead of pointing out the hypocrisy.

My only hope is that this bounce is from the older population, who they sheltered from the worst cuts, and continue to make a play for. Hopefully these people will begin to die off for the sake of the state.

**BonnieShels** · 18/02/2013, 1:30 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

They're doing what they do best - opposing in opposition what they signed up to in Government. They'll bs on about the property tax that they committed the state too, they'll have a go about the magdalene women when they were in Government (Martin around the bloody cabinet table) when they refused to treat them the same as other abuse victims and had decades in Government to deal with it, they'll criticise the Prom Note/ IRBC deal when it was them that tied that noose around the neck of the state, crib about Croke Park when they signed the state up to it etc etc.

There's a lot of talk about broken Government promises, much of it actual rubbish if you go back and look, but FF get off pretty free of the media pointing out their contradictary position. 10 years isn't enough to keep pointing it out, never mind 2 years, but the media (in general) have brought this line totally instead of pointing out the hypocrisy.

My only hope is that this bounce is from the older population, who they sheltered from the worst cuts, and continue to make a play for. Hopefully these people will begin to die off for the sake of the state.

Well. Yes.

My Dad called Enda Kenny a b***ox the other day and I asked why. He couldn't answer. This seems to be the trend amongst people willing to criticise the current govt. As unpalatable as the decisions that the govt have made and as crap as some of their decisions have been. It hasn't been a bad 2 years of a clean up operation from FG and the sensible (The Non-SF-TTWP/WP/DL) side of Labour.
I have a few reservations and they mostly seem to stick around Labour and their flakiness. These are the sorts of results in opinion polls that resonate with their grassroots and the sort of thing that makes the heads itchy.

It'll be plain-sailing once Budget 2014 this December is navigated.

**geysir** · 18/02/2013, 6:11 PM

I'd suggest that if anyone is under the impression that a FG led government would have acted differently in the so called 'tiger years', they are seriously deluded.
Fianna Fail have a base support that they can always claw back into their fold. That support is not enough to give them momentum. They need to garner another 20% which is not hard core support.
I said at the time of the last GE, the material difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is that FG would implement the cuts ruthlessly. FG could do it better because that's their forte and they could always blame FF for the mess.
Not only have FG aided with the process of transforming private debt into a sovereign debt, they have created the debt collector mechanism to make the people pay for the debt. The citizens are now regarded as criminals if they don't fork up. It's no wonder that their poll results are back to where they were.

**BonnieShels** · 18/02/2013, 6:32 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I'd suggest that if anyone is under the impression that a FG led government would have acted differently in the so called 'tiger years', they are seriously deluded.

It's this statement that is the most frightening.

Whilst it was very possible FG may have abandoned their Cavan-like approach to spending cash, they didn't and FF did. We can't admonish FG for the sins of FF simply because they may have done the same. That's insane.

As the incumbent govt at the beginning of the Tiger years (Election 1997) they and Labour gave no indication that they'd go mental and it was this that ultimately cost them the election and with it the absolute misery in the last 5 years that a lot of people in this State have suffered.

Actually you'r right, the crisis is FG and Labours fault for not winning the election in 1997! :P

**Spudulika** · 19/02/2013, 8:11 AM

I heard (on a podcast I'd downloaded overnight) a great excuse for the "bounce". "Sure, who else would we vote for?" Ashamed of them. I'm ashamed of the FG-Labour scumfest and in the co-operation of the establishment to destroy opposition other than FF. Dreadful crud to have to start the week with.

**peadar1987** · 19/02/2013, 9:08 AM

The most galling thing is, it's not like it's a malevolent dictatorship. That, I could handle. It's the fact that the Irish electorate are morons. Or, have a large enough critical mass of morons (or self-interested sociopaths) that the country always seems to be run by the corrupt and the incompetent.