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About LinkBacksspeaking to ursula halligan on today's political party, he said that being in govt was a "distraction" for the party. He also had a right go at Mary Harney for spiking a press release from Cannon which was critical of Bertie.
speaking to ursula halligan on today's political party, he said that being in govt was a "distraction" for the party. He also had a right go at Mary Harney for spiking a press release from Cannon which was critical of Bertie.
Would they ?Originally Posted by Deep Throat
Most especially mary heaney TD will never ever do it and pull out unless brian cowan pull them out by himself.
It wont be too long when you're right or wrong!
in fairness it would barely be noticed......and would of course allow cowen add another from his favoured 'promotion list' ..........indeed, i understand that the following names will form the 'panel' from which the 3 new cabinet ministers and new juniors will be chosen;
Sean Haughey
John Curran
Pat Carey
Brendan Smith
Charlie O'Connor
Barry Andrews
Billy Kelleher
Timmy Dooley
Frank Fahey
Sean Power
Who or what is Cannon ?
Sean Haughey and pat carey, frank fahey brendan smith will make a good minister though.
It wont be too long when you're right or wrong!
Again! How many times is that so far? It must be the fourth time already.
I doubt Harney will take up that advice. McKay says she is semi-detached from the party and is mainly concerned with the health-service and doesn't seem to want to run in the next election. I predict her seat will fall to someone else - most likely FG. I think in hindsight the decision to enter govt in 2002 will be viewed by historians as a mistake, because unlike 1997 the numbers ensured the party had almost no influence on economic policy in the second term e.g. cafe-bars, top rate income tax, no privatisation of bus-routes, privatisation of Aer Lingus delayed etc. There's only a point in voting for someone when they can actually implement their policies in some form. Even co-location, officially govt policy, seems suspiciously slow to get off the ground, with some in FF claiming to oppose it while being in the Cabinet. I have a funny feeling FF won't let it happen, though I hope I am wrong.
Having said that, I do believe that the political-spectrum in Ireland should have room for economic and social liberalism. The PDs no longer stand for that and arguably haven't since 2002. Hopefully one will arrive one day or else some of the existing parties will evolve in that direction, like Labour becoming more like New Labour in the UK for example - though there's little sign of them doing that. Fine Gael have started using the language of economic reform, but unless and until Labour start doing the same and moving away from the unions, I can't see it going anywhere in practice, knowing that FG can't form a govt without Labour. By being both liberal on social and economic policy, a political party could avoid being smeared with the "rightwing" tag that the PDs were pilloried with by the largely left-leaning press.
You haven't been reading the papers (or watching the news) obviously.Who or what is Cannon ?
Personally, I have to respectfully disagree with Paul in that I don't think we should pull out of government. We'd end up in a situation of losing speaking rights in the Dáil, asking permission from other parties (like Sinn Féin) for speaking time and, as well as that, we only have those two senatorships by virtue of the fact that we're in government.
MJ Coughlan,
Waterford City.
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I have lost all faith in Mr McKay. He is talking rubbish. By entering Government the Progressive Democrats have been given a second chance of sorts. We have a chance to legislate and implement through Mary Harney, while Noel Grealish is possibly the most well know name of all the backbenchers in Dail Eireann. Through entering Government we have managed to double our parlimenatary party via the senate, and it gave us a chance to have a reputable leader, who represents the PDs in the Oireachtas.
Furthermore, if we were in opposition, the PD leadership contest would have got little of no coverage. However, as a result of being a government party, both Ciaran Cannon and Fiona O Malley have increased their profiles, and the leadership campaign gave us more positive publicity, after Senator O Malley called on Bertie for clarification. What would happen in Joe Higgins stepped down, and Claire Daly and Mick Murphy went head to head for the leadership of the Socialist Party. I doubt it would get any tv media coverage and it would get negligable print media coverage.
Today we had major articles in all the major newspapers, indeed some were questioning our potential, however, there were several who righty called for Senator Cannon to be given a chance. A chance, I firmly believe he will grasp.
To be sitting on the opposition benches the PDs would be stuck in between Labour Sinn Fein and Fine Gael, and would be swallowed up, as all three had been calling for Bertie's head for a long time.
The PDs are bettere out than in
Sorry, only just realised who Cannon is ! On the thread itself, isn't this the guy who made a similar call some time back ? Could be that he needs to be in the limelight every now and then.
