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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Once in a full moon!

Tonight’s full moon is set against the background of the most extraordinary day in Irish politics since 1982. They say a week in politics is a long time. So what does that make 24 hours? It seems a long time ago since Micheal Martin was unceremoniously sent packing by Brian Cowen. The general public are underwhelmed by the move although judging by the Taoiseach’s behaviour on the order of business you’d have thought he’d just won the lotto, he was so high out! They say that to win you must be lucky, if that’s the case, Brian Cowen must be the most fortunate victor FF ever had. Martin is seen as being indecisive, citing the smoking ban of 7 years ago as his big achievement, while Lenihan is seen as having mis-led FF back benchers while Mary Hanafin thinks that Brian Cowen may not be good enough to be leader of Fianna Fail but is still Taoiseach material. Says all it ever needs to be said of the slum that has become Fianna Fail.
But today there’s even more! A reshuffle was to be held to fill the cabinet seats of departing cabinet and junior ministers. The best of FF strokes to pack the cabinet with as many members as possible was rumbled by the greens who have in the last few years packed as many party members into ministries, the senate and state bodies. The offshot of the whole thing is that the government is collapsing into a disorganised shambles that puts Fianna Fail first.
The Greens have still indicated that they want to stay in office to facilitate the finance act even though there is no trust between them and Fianna Fail. What they need to tell us is do they mean if the finance bill passes the Dail or the Seanád. Next week will see the Labour motion of no confidence and bizarrely the greens may vote in support of a discredited and shambolic government.
There's just 9 cabinet ministers left and if the greens 2 ministers go there will be less than half the cabinet left! There may not be a quorum for a cabinet meeting! If Cowen is shown the door by the FF backbenchers then the country may not have a government the ministres may have to tripple up in responsibility!.
Prolonging polling day to March 11 will draw out the pain and indecisiveness. The time has come to draw a line under the shambles of Ahern & Cowen. Let’s have an election now and a debate between Labour and Fine Gael about issues as to who’s best able to lead a new government.

2 comments:

Paul Rowley said...

It is an absolute farce, isn't it? As a journo and politics addict I'm absorbing all I can, but I'm staggered at the ineptitude and chaos over the last few days.

Biffo seriously miscalculated the MoC in himself, Lennie inserted foot into mouth and went down in flames, Martin's lurking in the (post-election) wings, Mammy O'Rourke's stirring the pot... it's great, isn't it?

If it wasn't so serious.

Unknown said...

I agree. A complete farce that shows that FF are more interested in themselves than the rest of us. I think that the best resolution is for Cowen to call an election however given that the new FF leader will be elected within days theres precious little time for those who care about the country