Should Finian McGrath resign his seat?

[Meursault]

A lot of attention this site has been focused on The Green Party coalesing with Fianna Fail. Whilst I am less than enamoured with the idea myself (expressed elsewhere), I can see the logic behind it and I think much of the vitriol poured upon is bitterness on Fine Gaels behalf at their steadfast refusal to sacrifice their self interest to support Plank Kenny.

For Finian McGrath I can see no such benifits. After five years of pretending to be a left wing radical he has been exposed as the ultimate urban gombeen. I think he should resign his seat and apologise to Tony Gregory, Joe Higgins and Seamus Healy for giving him the time of day, any thoghts?

[White Rose]

The only reason Finian McGrath got in was because he was up against Ivor Callely. If it had been anyone else he would have lost

He's a typical independent, an egotist who sees himself as so morally pure he couldn't dream of joining a party, until of course there is a sniff of a junior ministry or something when all priciples go out the window.

At the next election he'll join all the other losers like Crowley and Healy

[Meursault]

I presume you dont mean Brian Crowley, the FF MEP? Do you think he'll lose his seat? Healy lost by a whisker and if he sticks at it will be back in the Dail after the next election.

This is what I meant by bitter Fine Gaelers by the way.

[White Rose]

I presume you dont mean Brian Crowley, the FF MEP? Do you think he'll lose his seat? Healy lost by a whisker and if he sticks at it will be back in the Dail after the next election.

This is what I meant by bitter Fine Gaelers by the way.

Healy is gone never to be seen again. Jerry Crowley is a good GP but not a good politician

What has this got to do with FG? I didn't even vote for them

[Meursault]

Sorry, I just assumed given the shrill tone of your argument that you had.

[Meursault]

It's Jerry Cowley BTW.

[White Rose]

It's Jerry Cowley BTW.

Ah, I was wondering why you were going on about Brian Crowley

[rambleir]

A lot of attention this site has been focused on The Green Party coalesing with Fianna Fail. Whilst I am less than enamoured with the idea myself (expressed elsewhere), I can see the logic behind it and I think much of the vitriol poured upon is bitterness on Fine Gaels behalf at their steadfast refusal to sacrifice their self interest to support Plank Kenny.

For Finian McGrath I can see no such benifits. After five years of pretending to be a left wing radical he has been exposed as the ultimate urban gombeen. I think he should resign his seat and apologise to Tony Gregory, Joe Higgins and Seamus Healy for giving him the time of day, any thoghts?

What is this gobbledey gook above supposed to mean exactly.?
Joe Higgins wouldn't have had speaking rights in the previous Dail without McGrath's support.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Not true - Finian McGrath wouldn't have any speaking rights without Joe Higgins - Who do you think thought up the idea of forming the technical group?

[Meursault]

A lot of attention this site has been focused on The Green Party coalesing with Fianna Fail. Whilst I am less than enamoured with the idea myself (expressed elsewhere), I can see the logic behind it and I think much of the vitriol poured upon is bitterness on Fine Gaels behalf at their steadfast refusal to sacrifice their self interest to support Plank Kenny.

For Finian McGrath I can see no such benifits. After five years of pretending to be a left wing radical he has been exposed as the ultimate urban gombeen. I think he should resign his seat and apologise to Tony Gregory, Joe Higgins and Seamus Healy for giving him the time of day, any thoghts?

What is this gobbledey gook above supposed to mean exactly.?
Joe Higgins wouldn't have had speaking rights in the previous Dail without McGrath's support.

I will admit, I was being somewhat disengenous with my post. I did know that McGrath was open to this type of deal before the election and I dont actually think he should resign his seat, that he seems like a nice man and that he is preferabal to Callaly. I fact I cheered him to victory (in the metaphorical sense. I used the question to provoke debate on the subject.

However, I do think that I am not the only one who has felt that at least the Greens deal, (which I remain neutral on) you could see the details of what they aggreed with the government. It was not Green Party policy to refuse to go into government if for example, the Shannon stopover was not stopped. McGrath did. Clearly we know that it is not going to be stopped by this government. I have no problem with a politician getting a mandate from the people to look after the potholes etc if they dont make such grandstanding commitments. If it was not going to be a dealbreaker, why sign a pledge that it would? This is an example of what I mean by pretending to be a left wing radical, as opposed to an easier to listen to version of Jackie.

Also as someone who voted for him as I believe you did, are you not bothered by the fact that his deal with Fianna Fail was kept secret? Would not like to know what benifits his support of the government will bring to Dublin North Central and nationally and what principles he has comprimised on? In essance would you not like to know what you voted for?