32nd Dail

“School’s out for Summer Schools”: The Week In Irish Politics

Eoin Neylon on July 19, 2017, 3:11 pm

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So that’s it. The political term over and done with. Politicians off on their holidays and the lights all off in Leinster House. They’re all in Marbella, Magaluf or Corfu. At least that’s the impression you get any time you read the papers upon the rising of the houses of the Oireachtas for any recess. In reality, the political world keeps turning and politicians are still at work, be it in the constituency, developing policy, meetings with various groups, or …

“Rainy Days Back In Fashion”: The Week In Irish Politics

Eoin Neylon on July 12, 2017, 4:42 pm

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Another week, another glimpse of ‘new politics’ at work in Dáil Éireann. The Green party’s Waste Reduction Bill, (co-sponsored by Labour as the Greens are short on number in the chamber), passed to committee stage late last night. It did so with the support of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats and a host of Independents. Its supporters argue that it’s by far the best way to reduce waste by putting the onus on companies to reduce packaging while …

Deal to put Irish Water charges before the Dail opens door to Enda’s minority government…

Mick Fealty on April 27, 2016, 11:21 am

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If Fianna Fail have the deal I think they have, then they are quids in for supporting Enda Kenny at the head of a minority Fine Gael led government. Putting the contentious matter out to a commission of experts brought some levity from pol corrs who remember the FF leader’s reputation for long fingering tough decisions when he was Minister of Health. But this commission serves Mr Martin’s stated political interests (and a majority of current Dail parties) in a …

Getting close to time for the Independents to either fish or cut bait

Mick Fealty on April 20, 2016, 11:36 am

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Great take on the continuing deadlock in the Republic from Harry Magee in the Irish Times Inside Politics newsletter (sign up here)… As we report this morning, Burton is now striking a more realistic (and fatalistic) tone, telling her party’s supporters to prepare for another election. She is probably not far off the mark. The Fine Gael and Fianna Fail negotiations should produce a workable outcome. The difficulty will be with the Independents. It always has been. The first thing …

“Many very candid positions have been stated in private which have yet to be repeated in public.”

Mick Fealty on April 14, 2016, 7:57 pm

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So the Fianna Fail Parliamentary party went into conclave at 7 this evening now that they have failed to attract any support from the independents. But it clear now that Micheal Martin is taking any deal he might have done with them off the table. At this stage that does two things. It quickens the endgame and it is probably clear enough to absolve FF of any responsibility for where that endgame now lands the 32nd Dail. If the independents …

32nd Dail balanced between those with policies, and those without…

Mick Fealty on March 11, 2016, 6:47 am

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It is worth noting that yesterday – apart from the moment when after nearly 100 years the Irish Parliament finally earned the right to elect its own speaker – thereafter everything was very much the damp squib it had been predicted it would be. Or as me learned friend, Brian Greene, DJ, put it… Irish media spent a 3 week election talking horse race politics – now they will debate a photo finish pile up on the line for 6 …