This story was one of several that caught my eye this morning. Conor at Dublin Opinion took it further and discovered that someone at Independent Newspapers had jumped the gun over the report on the Eurobarometer survey (the nearest equivalent of an exit poll to find out why people voted the way they did in the referendum). Of course, this could be scoop for Conor, or, indeed for the Indo. We await the final outcome! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor …
Gerry Adams quite rightly praised his party’s southern Referendum team. Although, he might have been better advised to let a rather more impartial observer identify it as a ‘Mary Lou’ factor. The team, notable for the absence of the Dail team, was youthful, thoughtful and reasonable. So reasonable that it has occurred to Fintan O’Toole that they, rather than Brian Cowen should be asked to ‘re-negotiate’ the arrangements for the future (subs needed). I want to make a suggestion that …
It’s intriguing that there no recriminations within the YES camp have yet surfaced. That may be to do with the fact that when it comes down to it, that although the Government can reasonably be accused of hanging on to the pathos of the Farewell Bertie Tour for far too long, the truth is that no one looks good coming out of this. Slugger understands for instance that in Meath East for instance, the Fine Gael base was turning fairly …
I picked up this informative exchange on Twitter on the day of the Referendum count between Damien Mulley and Richard Delevan: Damien: “The No victory is refreshing in that it shows the main parties do not have a complete stranglehold over mass manipulation.” Richard: “No, Mass manipulation has been privatised!” That brief exchange for me encapsulates the key problem both with the referendum and Irish politics within which it took place more widely. In Irish politics, ‘mass manipulation’ is the …
Peter Preston expands on a themee that was raised on referendum day in Le Monde. That is the influence of British owned Eurosceptic media in the Republic. Throw in the related weight of truly substantial factors in the Irish equation – the (Irish edition) Daily Mail, the (Irish) Sunday Times – and what have you got? An outside element hectoring and influencing. A verdict on Ireland’s future delivered from an office in Manhattan through innumerable intermediaries. If we are honest, …
WorldbyStorm had some early thoughts on what happens next, after the Republic of Ireland’s Lisbon Treaty referendum result, but there are a couple of articles at OpenDemocracy worth reading. John Palmer argues that “As matters stand the Dublin government hasn’t a clue what to propose.” and has some thoughts on what the EU might do about the ‘democratic deficit’. In an earlier post I noted Garret FitzGerald’s identification of the disconnect in Irish politics and, with Taoiseach Brian Cowen talking …
The assortment of groupings within the ‘No’ camp should beware thinking that yesterday’s result in the Lisbon Treaty referendum is evidence of actual support for any of their differing agendas. As well as a leader column, “Not so much a rainbow alliance as a horde of Goths at the gates of Rome”, The Guardian has two comment pieces from supporters of the defeated ‘Yes’ position. First up, Colm Tóibín – “The treaty was a godsend to every crank in Ireland, …
Ian Dale called it early and, although RTÉ are still cautious, the early tallies indicate a ‘No’ vote. Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said “The trends are not what we would have preferred.” The BBC is reporting that Europe Minister Dick Roche is “keeping [his] fingers crossed” and that Dermot Ahern has apparently conceded that the Republic of Ireland has voted ‘No’ to the Lisbon Treaty. More coverage of results here Adds Reuters report these comments from France’s …
There’s a working assumption on RTE that the heavy No tallies in the Referendum will indicate a final answer. Of course, it should be treated with some caution, since the early tallies are coming from the smaller constituencies. Though, the telling figures are coming from Dublin where the Noes are currently outweighing the Yeses. Several quick thoughts come to mind. Such a comprehensive defeat for all the Dail parties (with the notable exception of Sinn Fein) is an indictment of …
RTE are reporting the turnout levels in the Referendum is about 40%. That’s just under midway between the turnout for Nice1 (34.79%) and Nice2 (49.47%). It also notes that “voting was heavier in urban than in rural areas” and “turnout was higher in middle class than in working class districts, which would be in line with normal election and referendum patterns”. The prices haven’t shifted any at Paddy Power or Betfair, no one is making any predictions. Count starts at …
Hugh Green’s flip flop [perhaps.. – Ed] seems indicative of the way the Lisbon debate is going. Some people simply not voting yes because of the high handed manner in which they’ve been lectured to. Now, after a coherent week of campaigning (whilst we were fretting over a manufactured crisis), he’s changed his mind. And that’s the way the money is going too. Paddy Power is giving 2/1 on a No vote and Betfair 9/4. But according to Ruth Dudley …
As the Irish Times breaking news report points out, after a lengthy failed battle to prevent the case going to court, the trial of prominent Provisional IRA member Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane – in relation to the kidnapping of businessman Don Tidey in 1983 – is expected to finally begin today in the Republic of Ireland’s Special Criminal Court. Adds Opening remarks from the trial. And a BBC report. Pete Baker
I have a lot of sympathy with the Republic’s Finance Minister Brian Lenihan when he asks the electorate to be wary of the various unelected pressure groups (Libertas perhaps being the most notable). We don’t know for certain who is behind Libertas. And the Minister is also right when he argues: …all the major political parties whom the citizens of this country have supported election after election are united in strongly urging a ‘Yes’ vote in the best interests of …
Naoise Nunn of Libertas (and Slugger alumnus) was on the Today Programme this morning, and seemed to have entirely wiped the floor with Ruairi Quinn on the subject of the Lisbon Treaty referendum. The SuperCoalition (ie, the world, his wife and all their in-laws) lined up against Sinn Fein and a raft of tiny groups parties including Libertas (termed not entirely inaccurately as ‘four blokes and a website’ by Newton Emerson last week) is suffering a bit of a shock …
With the absence of a paper-trail broadly established, former Taoiseach [and former Finance Minister – Ed] Bertie Ahern is back in front of the Mahon Tribunal this week and, while we’ve yet to hear today’s version, he has already been re-imagining his accounting.. again. At Irish Election, John Carroll has found an interesting reference in relation to that story. I simply can’t do the latest testimony justice.. but I know someone who can. Miriam Lord’s tribunal sketch in the Irish …
So passing from the magnificent work of collaborative fiction that too often passes for Northern Irish politics, here’s some real news. The tax take in the Republic has dropped by €430m, caused mostly by a short fall in VAT returns. Income tax on the other hand is up by €32m. And, according to the OECD, unemployment is likely to rise from 4.5% last year, to 5.7% this year to 6.5% next. The party’s over, it’s 7 in the morning, and …
As the Belfast Telegraph reports the 58th FIFA Congress meeting in Sydney has adopted a new Article 16 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes [pdf file] – see previous dispute over Article 15 noted here. From the Congress Agenda [pdf file] 16 Nationality entitling players to represent more than one Association 1 A player who, under the terms of art. 15, is eligible to represent more than one Association on account of his nationality, may play in …
The BBC’s Politics Show yesterday had a report, from Cork, on the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty referendum and used an unfortunate analogy for a potential low turn-out.. Pete Baker
Enda’s been working the south of the island on the Lisbon treaty. Miriam Lord’s been trying to keep up with him: He cornered a mortified woman on her way out of a lingerie boutique. Speechless with embarrassment, she stood in front of the display of frilly knickers and bras while Enda told her earnestly why she should vote Yes. She nearly cried with relief when he left. But we couldn’t take our eyes off the notice behind Enda’s shoulder: “Body …
Thanks to PJM in the comments zone at this previous, related, post. Poet Michael Longley’s filmed contribution to the Digging Deeper project discussing his sense of Irishness and Britishness and neither in a region of the archipelago where identity has been reduced to a “pathological political form”. Also related thoughts on identity from Hugo MacNeill.. and John Hewitt.. and John Banville on his own personal culture. Pete Baker
