Arise Kenny, Our next Taoiseach.

[THR]

A week, never mind five years, is a long time in politics. Who knows how the incoming government will perform?

No guarantees for Enda in 2011 or 2012.

I know that a week is a long time in politics but there is one conventional political wisdom: People get fed up with seeing the same faces all the time. Therefore, after 10 years in office, a government has to be exceptionally strong or, rather, the opposition has to be exceptionally weak so that the government would still win elections.

If things are going absolutely splendid, the opposition has no other option but to say that they will change nothing in politics as long as you elect them just to get rid of those old faces. That happened in Britain in 1997. May happen again in 2010.

However, there are reasons to believe that things are not going to be splendid under the next five years in Ireland. There will certainly be an economic downturn. So, FG would be wise to bide their time.

[FutureTaoiseach]

Interesting that Ruairi Quinn is being speculated about as the new CC - didn't seem hostile to the notion on Six One news.....

[MacEHaVelly]

No guarantees for Enda in 2011 or 2011.

Someone check that Contract thingy. If he has promised not seek election again for not having delivered all of his promises, he may not be running again. Right now he hasn't even delivered on being made Taoiseach.

Regards...jmcc

lol

[hiding behind a poster]

Interesting that Ruairi Quinn is being speculated about as the new CC - didn't seem hostile to the notion on Six One news.....

He also said it was the first he'd heard of it, you idiot.

[Jonathan_Rainey_FG]

FG should still try to form a govt.

Hold on for 18 months, fix issues like stamp duty, carers, disability, reduce vat to counter inflation, stick a few hundred buses on the roads and get the national railway programme started then call a snap election and get over the line with an FG/Lab majority.

Action, Experience, Vision. For a Better Ireland.

[FutureTaoiseach]

Interesting that Ruairi Quinn is being speculated about as the new CC - didn't seem hostile to the notion on Six One news.....

He also said it was the first he'd heard of it, you idiot.

When asked if he would decline the post if Labour wanted that, he said words to the effect of 'we'll see what happens'. Maybe the prospect of 10 more guaranteed years in Dail Eireann is concentrating the mind....

Rainbow in tatters!

[rockofcashel]

Quinn is an opportunistic political whore.. always was. Read his book (got it free off P.ie, thanks David), and it's hard to imagine a more self regarding gob************************e than him.. except maybe Barry Desmond

Why or where do Labour get these people ?

[jmcc]

Possibly JMCC.. but would Labour not be better off having the balls to wait it out for a little while, and let Lowry, Mc Grath or Gregory take down FF at the best possible time ?

The way I see it RoC, the best time would be if there is no majority Taoiseach after the vote. It would give Labour the excuse to go in with FF in the interests of stability. But the back channel with Labour will be very busy over the next few days.

Though on the opposite side, SF might get squeezed further

I don't think that would happen RoC. The electorate might be so infuriated that the main parties could not agree a government that the votes might polarise - Labour would be in trouble. SF may have a second bite. FF and FG could bear the brunt of the polarisation. However that's a worst case scenario if there is a second GE.

Regards...jmcc

[rkeane]

It aint gonna happen guys...keep taking those tablets.

[corkscribe]

While the scenario of FF/Lab is again a looming possibility, nobody can argue that their last convention vote on dealing with FF was 4-1 against.. its a very big ask to overturn that.. given that it would have to be reversed to a two thirds majority in favour.. 96FM in Cork canvassed every available Labour head live on air during the count.. and not one was in favour of it.. they all said " we are still hurting from the last time "..

It might happen - but it will leave Labour permanently damaged..