People have spoken again FF +1, FG -1

[croppyboy]

Once again the people have confirmed a point I have been making in various discussions here in recent times.

The general public are bored by the mind-numbing minutae of the mahon tribunals. They simply don't care what day 53 of witness X has to say about which paper trail.

They absorb headline level information and move on. Bertie's halo has faded but the public separate the personal approval from confidence in Fianna Fáil's continued ability to govern.

More than one person said to me in recent times "I don't care - I don't care if he did get a few bob, he's still a hundred times better than that other shower"

There is probably an element of that around the country.

There are others who know the party is greater than the sum of its parts and that the fortunes of one man are not a weather vane for the entire government and political party.

The majority public view could be summed up as "yeah maybe bertie got a few quid, apart from a few foaming blueshirts at this stage the majority don't really care any more they're sick of hearing about it, the tribunals are costing a fortune, sure he'll be gone soon anyway, lets get the bloody thing over with and move on"

[FutureTaoiseach]

Agreed.

[meriwether]

Which party established the tribunals, croppyboy?

[DaveM]

I think it's pretty sad that FF don't aspire to something a little better than this to be honest. A few less 'yes men' would serve them a whole lot better than the likes of Mansergh and the other cheerleaders.

[alonso]

croppyboy, the majority can be wrong.

Also the people have spoken and have said repeatedly and consistently that Fine Gael now represent over 30% of people in this country which is pretty good by their standards. Perhaps the 00's will represent the final nail in the coffin of FF dominance over this country. In the 70's FF declined from a party that achieved overall majorities to one that required coalition partners. Perhaps this era will be the one where they struggle to hold power as a matter of course, rather than during exceptional periods and require the support of a rag tag of yahoo independents to govern.

[Pauli]

Once again the people have confirmed a point I have been making in various discussions here in recent times.

The general public are bored by the mind-numbing minutae of the mahon tribunals. They simply don't care what day 53 of witness X has to say about which paper trail.

They absorb headline level information and move on. Bertie's halo has faded but the public separate the personal approval from confidence in Fianna Fáil's continued ability to govern.

More than one person said to me in recent times "I don't care - I don't care if he did get a few bob, he's still a hundred times better than that other shower"

There is probably an element of that around the country.

There are others who know the party is greater than the sum of its parts and that the fortunes of one man are not a weather vane for the entire government and political party.

The majority public view could be summed up as "yeah maybe bertie got a few quid, apart from a few foaming blueshirts at this stage the majority don't really care any more they're sick of hearing about it, the tribunals are costing a fortune, sure he'll be gone soon anyway, lets get the bloody thing over with and move on"

A few people have spoken. You are right about people being sick of hearing about it. They just want the devious little scroat to f*** off once and for all.

[Dublinguy]

Well its nearly a 2 to 1 split on people not supporting FF so obviously enough people don't mind hearing about it...

[croppyboy]

I think it's pretty sad that FF don't aspire to something a little better than this to be honest. A few less 'yes men' would serve them a whole lot better than the likes of Mansergh and the other cheerleaders.

I'm not cheerleading btw - but I'm reflecting a public view that is seldom heard in these parts.

FF do aspire to a lot more than that - let's see:

Peace in the North
Ever increasing cross-border and 32 county cooperatoin
Improved relations with our closest neighbour
Buyoant economy with record growth rates year on year
Record commitment to infrastructure spending
Historically low unemployment
End to forced emigration
Close connections to rest of Europe
Solid welfare supports such as pensions, CB etc increased year on year

Oh wait that was what we aspired to 10 years ago - we've done all that!

[Dublinguy]

Croppyboy -
Yes Peace in the North but it was not just FF involved in that - and you did vote against the Hillsborough agreement
Relations with UK were good under FG
The record growth rates were under the Rainbow coaltition
Record commitment yes - an appalling delivery also

How much of all this was due to the world economic growth - as FF are blaming the slowing down on the world economy

[Limerick Lad]

Yes the people have spoken:- 53% don't believe Ahern's evidence to the Tribunal and 50% don't trust him to be Taoiseach even 33% of FF supporters don't trust him in that position