I wished for it a while back and it has happened.
Ireland NMAed
February 3rd, 2011 · Elections, General Election 2011, Irish Politics
» 1 CommentTags:#ge11
Dublin North West – Pet Constituency of the Campaign
February 2nd, 2011 · Elections, General Election 2011, Irish Politics
I know many are salivating over the carnage that could will be the constituency of Dun Laoghaire in the forthcoming election. The two FF ministers who won’t budge, the party leader and ambitious senator (Labour) the Socialist Worker/People Before Profit Alliance/United Left Alliance posterboy, the Green former junior minister. And I haven’t even mentioned the FG candidates!
But for me this campaign my thoughts return to my alma mater in Dublin North West. I have referred to the potential fun and games here before. Fine Gael candidates Bill Tormey and Gerry Breen are no doubt busy getting their campaigns underway but things are not looking great at the moment for either of them to get a seat.
News reached me recently of a private Fine Gael poll of over 300 voters carried out last month which spells disaster for the warring duo.
FG – 6.9%
FF -11.7%
Lab – 46%
SF – 14.9%
OTH -20.5%
6.9% between the two candidates won’t get either of them elected. Interested to hear what the word locally a few weeks on into the campaign might be? I note (thanks to Gerry Breen himself!) that Paddy Power opened a book on the constituency.
Roisin Shorthall (Lab) 1/50
Dessie Ellis (SF) 1/9
John Lyons (Lab) 4/6
Pat Carey (FF) 5/6
Bill Tormey (FG) 4/1
Gerry Breen (FG) 4/1
Andrew Keegan (PBP) 18/1
John Dunne (WP) 40/1
Rachel Pearson (Green) 50/1
I’ve not made any predictions yet, but anyone feel that Lab 2, SF1 is looking a distinct possibility? Lab 1 SF1 FF1 if Labour don’t manage their vote well. Has Noel Ahern’s retirement made Carey truely safe?
» 15 CommentsTags:#ge11·Bill Tormey·Dublin North West·Gerry Breen·Noel Ahern·Pat Carey·Roisin Shorthall
23 days to go – help required
February 2nd, 2011 · Elections, General Election 2011, Irish Politics
Finally the Dáil live video output says Dáil adjourned and the streets are littered with pointless posters.
I’ll be doing for the next four weeks what I’ve been doing for the last few weeks. And for the past several elections. Please send your tips, gossip, private polls (yup I have a few of them) photos of wonky posters, video links, notice of public meetings in Dublin that might be interesting to attend, stuff on equality and disability matters, offers of interviewees – candidates especially welcome. Email me tips[@]mamanpoulet.com
You can find links to other fine election content online by clicking the link up there under the main banner.
Congratulations to those who decided to run, safe canvassing to those heading out, the weather is going to disimprove I hear.
Comments Off on 23 days to go – help requiredTags:#ge11·mamanpoulet.com
Candidate Interview #1 – Dylan Haskins
February 2nd, 2011 · Elections, General Election 2011, Irish Politics
Much noise in the past 48 hours with the official announcement of the candidacy of 23 year old Dylan Haskins in Dublin South East. Dylan is standing as an independent candidate and has been involved in promotion and organisation of cultural events in Dublin city. I get the impression that lots of people know Dylan, whether they live in Dublin South East is another matter but over 5,000 people have watched this video since it’s launch on Monday morning and they know people who know people.
I met him yesterday to ask about his candidacy and platform.
So far the following candidates have declared in Dublin South East (4 Seats), Chris Andrews (FF), Lucinda Creighton (FG) Mannix Flynn (Ind) Dylan Haskins (Ind) Kevin Humphreys (Lab) Annette Mooney (ULA- Ind) Ruadhan Mac Aodhain (SF) Eoghan Murphy (FG) Ruairi Quinn (Lab) Paul Sommerville (Ind).
16.4%
February 1st, 2011 · Elections, General Election 2011, Irish Politics
The percentage of women selected/declared to contest the next general election. 16.4%
This follows several years and a number of reports on the issue. No screaming about quotas or the unfairness of them is going to fix this now. It is deeply depressing.
This is not representative of my country, of me, of my circle of friends and other reality.
We can have all the postmortems or premortems and I bet we will do. (NO panels of women talking about why they want to run please – let them win their seats on their campaigns and abilities but no political infighting amongst women, it’s horrendous.) The next Dáil looks like it will be even more male, pale and stale. Ablebodied, settled and Irish, and this is before a vote is cast.