PDs in secret talks to join Fianna Fáil

[Anticoalition]

PDs in secret talks to join Fianna Fáil
Shane Coleman Political Editor - Sunday Tribune
EXCLUSIVE

TALKS have taken place between the PDs and Fianna Fáil about a deal that would see PD Oireachtas members, councillors and support staff joining the main government party.

While the PDs are publicly stressing this weekend that "a phase of analysis" is taking place to consider the party's future, senior figures – including all four members of the parliamentary party – privately accept that the party has no future.

It is understood they may even have reached agreement on this point a number of weeks ago, prompting the beginning of talks with Fianna Fáil. The Sunday Tribune has learned that the party hierarchy has already sought legal and financial advice on the implications of winding- up the party...

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What implications does this have for the Greens? Isn't there any opportunity now for them to assert themselves, as the coalition creaks? Bring a PD or two onside, and flex some muscle? If not, they might as well get it over with and follow the PDs into oblivion, and sign up with Fianna Fail officially themselves.

See also: The party's over

<Mod> Moved to Progressive Democrats. </Mod>

[Kevin Doyle]

No surprises here.

[Timeisshort]

No surprises here.

Sadly a lot of TD's come across as careerist, so no surprise.

[grassroots]

Will Fiona O'Malley run for FF in the Dublin South by-election. Will JHR party will be next up. Will the Green's merge with FF? Does Michael Lowry emerge as kingmaker?

[drjimryan]

the inevitable has happened really.....and fiona will be a ff candidate in dublin south at the next election.......

[The Earl of Desmond]

So much for the high principles of the PDs - why is it such a problem to admit that the party is over, served its purppose and that whoever is joining whatever party. The end. Thank you and goodnight.

Instead of all this cloak and dagger nonsense and the lies. I can only assume this is all down to finding some way for Harney to keep her position at cabinet - so much for lofty ideals. Then again as most of them came from Fianna Fáil in the first place their grasp of morals and decency wouldn't have been that strong in the first place so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that the lights of Harney, Grealish & O'Malley have reverted to type.

[Catalpa]

They return to the Source....

They only came into existence due to Dessie O'Malley's pique at being outmanouered by Haughey in the leadership stakes back in the 1980s.

The only real difference is that they were prepared to be less populist than FF and target a select group of voters.

Anytime they have been in Government its been under a FF Taoiseach so go figure....

[returning officer]

Haughey is dead. His last cabinet minister is gone. Cowen is as clean as a whistle. Why wouldn't they come home?

[The Earl of Desmond]

Haughey is dead. His last cabinet minister is gone. Cowen is as clean as a whistle. Why wouldn't they come home?

My God and I thought tonys was deluded!

Let's be clear FF is rotten to the core - it has been since TACA and whether people are pocketing the money themselves like CJH, Ahern, Flynn, Lawler etc or standing by pretending they don't know like the Lenihans, Seamus Brennan, O'Malley or anyone else the fact remains they have all chosen to look the other way and do nothing to stop rotten cronyism bleed the country dry and they look away for their own ambitions. Hardly people you could hold up as examples of what a decent honest politican could be. You have to look at FG and L politicans for that given that everyone from FG who was tainted with cronyism is gone from the party.

Cowens brother is a 'we're not allowed to say' so you have to wonder about 'another person we're not allowed to say' .... someone brought up within an honest family raised to respect the law wouldn't have dodged paying their tax even if they resented paying it and as we are constantly told 'that unmentionable person' is 'FF through & through' and has surrounded himself with a 'opps' and a 'opps' who are all from the old school loyalty to the FF leader - no matter what - I don't think we can say with any certainty that 'opps can't menton' is 'clean as a whistle' as he is a trip back in time.

I find the best policy with FFers is 'guilty until they are proven innocent'

[grassroots]

[quote=The Earl of Desmond]

Haughey is dead. His last cabinet minister is gone. Cowen is as clean as a whistle. Why wouldn't they come home?

My God and I thought tonys was deluded!

Let's be clear FF is rotten to the core - it has been since TACA and whether people are pocketing the money themselves like CJH, Ahern, Flynn, Lawler etc or standing by pretending they don't know like the Lenihans, Seamus Brennan, O'Malley or anyone else the fact remains they have all chosen to look the other way and do nothign to stop rotten cronyism bleed the country dry and they look away for their own ambitions. Hardly people you could hold up as examples of what a decent honest politican could be. You have to look at FG and L politicans for that given that everyone from FG who was tainted with cronyism is gone from the party.

Cowens brother is a tax cheat so you have to wonder about Biffo .... someone brought up within an honest family raised to respect the law wouldn't have dodged paying their tax even if they resented paying it and as we are constantly told Biffo is 'FF through & through' and has surrounded himself with a Lenihan and a Coughlan who are all from the old school loyalty to the FF leader - no matter what - I don't think we can say with any certainty that Biffo is 'clean as a whistle' as he is a trip back in time.

I find the best policy with FFers is 'guilty until they are proven innocent'[/quote:3d8h6n7y]

So you are not willing to extend the standards of natural justice to FF.