First electoral test for the Greens since the general election wipeout (Dublin West)

[Tea Party Patriot]

Good result for the Greens yes in a constituency that wouldn't ever have been a target even prior to the nightmare of the last government.However as someone pointed out earlier it was a field of leftovers/journeymen/women party members and the lack of a heavyweight helped undoubtedly.Realistically few if any people hold the outright hatred for the Greens that they do for FF,you have to remember that outside affluent Dublin and small pockets in the rest of the country they were pretty much non-existent even before the last government(whether a party with that kind of support should ever be in government is another debate)If the Greens boot out or at least gently shove the likes of Gormley and Ryan into the shadows then there's definetly hope but their ultimate failing was re-painting the bathroom wall while the kitchen as on fire,no fair minded person is anti-environmentalism but the Greens didn't seem to have any empathy with the working person trying to gather up the money to pay for their petrol to run their car and go to work when no alternative was provide.Even their harshest critic would admit that everthing luck wise went against them,doesn't excuse their failings but even if they'd played a blinder they were always up against it.

You should edit that post into paragraphs or otherwise very few will read it, excellent points.

[Barnsleyfc]

You should edit that post into paragraphs or otherwise very few will read it, excellent points.

Just doing it now actually cheers!

[galwaytt]

This is the best ever vote for the Greens in Dublin West. The bookies had him in last place at 200/1. They were wrong. He got 1,787 votes. Contast that with the Fis Nua candidate Peadar Ó Ceallaigh who was quoted at 40/1 who ended up with just 40 votes.

Turning over a few rocks to find scurrying FF-ers is hardly a measure of success. Neither is it something to shout from the rooftops - when the Next Big Thing comes along, they'll dump ye. Again.

I think that is some extreme wishful thinking right there. By virtue of their last outing, the Green party have alienated most of their former voters and will never win them back. I say this as one of those people. They are as toxic as FF in my opinion.

Amen. I was never one of their voters, but I feel your pain. Not only will they never get back in, the are the first people I've ever came across that would actually encourage people to run against them.

...how do you explain a return to the Green vote levels of 2007 and possibly above them in this constituency if "the Green party have alienated most of their former voters and will never win them back"? Where did the 1,000+ extra votes for the Greens in this constituency since February materialise from?

What, 2007 is something to be proud of ? A date of shame, more like.........and, unless you've been asleep for most of this year, those FF-er's have to vote for someone.......and why not vote for their ex-buddies-in-crime ?

[goosebump]

Its true that the absence of marquee candidates probably helped the GP candidate, but its also true that he was helped by a growing realisation that the decisions the GP supported in the last Government were really beyond their control, given that the current Government is now defending exactly the same decisions.

[spidermom]

I think one thing is for sure..it will take the greens an AWFUL lot longer...if ever...to get back to where they were....even compared to FF...C'est La Vie....

Them's the strokes Folks!......

[mangaire1]

must say that i was surprised, pleasently surprised, i might add, with the performance of the Green candidate in Dublin W.
now, i never gave a Green a #1, but i always gave them a respectable preference.
we need a Green Party & Green representation in the Dáil.
The Greens were unlucky, but judging how they have performed since assuming office, i'm convinced that we'd be in the same situation as we are today if FG/Labour rather than FF/Greeen/Ind had been in power from 2007,
in an even worse situation, concievably.

[miclin]

A modest but good start to rebuilding. Good reception at the doors compared to the anger of a few months ago. Expect that anger to be directed at Labour early next year when disposable income falls following their first budget.