How long will Harney survive in Government

[NapperTandy]

I think she will be gone by the middle of next week. The pressure will build up over the weekend ie: Cowen is meeting his councillors, this weekend, and they don't sound pleased with Harney remaining in Government (Newstalk interview earlier with FF councillor) There is also the continuing drip feed from the press about the Florida trips; a five day trip that Senan Moloney(INDO) mentioned this morning (blatant misuse of the Government jet). If Paddy Power were giving odds, i'd put money on for next Thursday.

[Digout]

This is not about just Harney, 4 Zanu-FF members also went there @ the tax payers expense. Is a culteral thing, this government must go now.

[Defeated Romanticist]

About 1300 days.

[Aindriu]

One thing is for sure. She will never do the honourable thing and resign. Instead she will have to be dragged screaming and roaring from the Daíl whilst clinging on with her FÁS expenses paid for nails etc.

[eurosceptic]

She will be retiring anyway in 2012 so i dont think she will quit. Plus her party has folded so no-one is going to push her.

[BodyofEvidence]

About 1300 days.

Sadly true

[NapperTandy]

One thing is for sure. She will never do the honourable thing and resign. Instead she will have to be dragged screaming and roaring from the Daíl whilst clinging on with her FÁS expenses paid for nails etc.

I think she is blackmailing Cowen (politically speaking). If he moves to get rid of her, she has probably hinted that she may be forced to resign from the Dail. This is another seat gone for the Government, but it would be a by- election straight away, the Government wouldn't be able to oppose it if the by-election was moved in the Dail. The Goverment would be strongly defeated and Cowen's leadership further eroded, so you can see why she could stay until June. However, the FF councillors are beginning to realise that Harney in Health is going to damage their prospects in the local elections, I think for this reason Harney will be gone by the middle of next week.

[Christine Murray]

I think she is blackmailing Cowen (politically speaking). If he moves to get rid of her, she has probably hinted that she may be forced to resign from the Dail. This is another seat gone for the Government, but it would be a by- election straight away, the Government wouldn't be able to oppose it if the by-election was moved in the Dail. The Goverment would be strongly defeated and Cowen's leadership further eroded, so you can see why she could stay until June. However, the FF councillors are beginning to realise that Harney in health is going to damage their prospects in the local elections, I think for this reason Harney will be gone by the middle of next week.

Mary Harney IS in actual fact the government. Must make the back-benchers
feel really good, that. Started with Bertie defending the indefensible and
hasn't stopped.

[PhoenixIreland]

One thing is for sure. She will never do the honourable thing and resign. Instead she will have to be dragged screaming and roaring from the Daíl whilst clinging on with her FÁS expenses paid for nails etc.

Why should she resign? She's only carrying out the policies the govt was elected to implement.

[Kevin Doyle]

Why should she resign? She's only carrying out the policies the govt was elected to implement.

Her policies are not mandated by the electorate. The PD's where destroyed in the last election, that in itself shows her policies and ideology have been soundly rejected. It was FF's juggling of the numbers that got her back into the cabinet.