The thought of SF (and their advisers with such oh such colorful pasts) leading the Republic's government would make me queasy in normal circumstances, let alone when facing into Brexit negotiations with the UK and heightened UI debates.
Irish Politics
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The thought of SF (and their advisers with such oh such colorful pasts) leading the Republic's government would make me queasy in normal circumstances, let alone when facing into Brexit negotiations with the UK and heightened UI debates.
Disgusting.
I'm just not willing to vote FF or FG to keep them out. And anyone voting for Sinn Fein for vaguely genuine reasons would be kind of silly to as well really. Water them down with enough coalition partners and maybe they wouldn't be a total disaster?
Its just stupidly unlikely regardless. Thankfully.
Lots suggesting this could have Sinn Fein in the lead....
Makes no difference as they are not standing in enough seats . All they can do is take vites away from the main parties
Top of the pops. You absolutely love to see it.
Typical West Brit Blueshirt response...
Yeah, I'm a Fine Gael diehard alright, as evidenced by never having voted for them and having zero intention of ever voting for them in the future. No doubt a result of my metropolitan west-brit upbringing in rural Connemara.
Not like there's any other reason people might have qualms about trusting
I note Paul Quinn's mother urging people not to vote for Sinn Fein either. Another blueshirt no doubt.
How old are you?
Because I don't see how anyone over the age of 30 who is aware of our past could possibly vote those cnuts into office, no matter how lovely their bullshit manifesto looks.
The general consensus for people voting SF/FF seems to be "sure look, they can't be any worse than FG." Um.. yes.. they really, really can.
The Unionist community will be praying SF are in charge during UI discussions
Indeed, it's pure laziness if you ask me and why Irish politics is in such a sorry state.
I can kind of understand how people under 35 have a different view of them. They weren't brought up on daily news reports of lovely things like nail bombs or peoples doors being kicked in and getting shot in the face with family watching. I barely remember them (i do remember them though, they left an impression).
They got news reports about ceasefires and political prisoners being pardoned and the Good Friday Agreement
Can people explain why the current Sinn Fein shouldn't be allowed anywhere near government? It does feel strange even considering to vote for them(I would have an inherent distrust for them, probably borne out of their past actions before my time), but I definitely am, given what they propose and the state of the other 2 main parties. What do people really think is going to happen?
Mary Lou would get it. God forgive me.
Fact check for those of you watching, there isnt 20,000 homeless in the North. There is sub 4000, but there is a lengthy social housing list.
People are stupid. Mary Lou McDonald was 25 when the ceasefire happened. She is no more IRA than fecking Boris Johnston.
Absolute bollocks but you continue with your blue shirt nonsense.
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Old enough to know who Gerry Adams was then
1) The IRA didn't go away when the ceasefire happened. Members of the provisional IRA behind the murder of people like Kevin McGuigan as late as 2015, prompting the PSNI chief constable to state that the provisional IRA still existed at that point.
2) As per the latest PSNI/MI5 assessment, Sinn Fein's political strategy was being overseen by the IRA army council in 2015. An assessment backed by the Gardai at that time. The PSNI provided an update of that assessment in 2019, stating that this remained unchanged.
Yeah and?
So Sully are they going to go hand out balaclavas and armalites if MLM gets elected Taoiseach? What exactly is it you are saying will happen? Its not like when Arlene and Nigel have to get the UDA/OO's blessing before agreeing to anything is it?
No but they could dismantle the special criminal courts set up to investigate the IRA among other things
He's saying nothing, liberals do this all the time when there's a vaguely left wing party who wants to mildly change things. It just fake hysteria with the hopes of blocking up the ''political conversation'', the result being everyone ends up talking about a balaclava dystopia rather than issues like public housing or climate change.
Well they have since said it needs reform not dismantling. Also is that the only issue that concerns you?
Homelessness, poor health system, mental health crisis, forced emigration. All lead to as many deaths and misery as the balaclava and the armalite but no lets keep the bankers in charge because thats working.
Ireland has been told to scrap the SCC many times though.
Members of the PIRA are still involved in criminal activity, members of the PIRA still oversee the political strategy of Sinn Fein. With that in mind, I don't think having a Sinn Fein minister for justice or giving them sway over the SCC is a good idea. For unbelievably obvious reasons.
Arlene and Nigel aren't involved in this election, though if they were I sure as shit wouldn't be voting for them either.
Curious as to when you became more of an expert on the inner working of Sinn Fein and the IRA than the PSNI, MI5, and Gardai. Or indeed when you gained the power to mind-read why I'm making an argument.
I don't even know what "he's saying nothing" means given I'm directly arguing my point with the poster. Thanks for the snide comment though, I'll add it to the blue-shirt and west-brit jibes.
They have very little expertise in the party, look through their front bench.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Féin_Front_Bench
There's no lawyers, there's no obvious expertise in finance, or trade. They do have Maurice Quinlivan as minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation who has a fun past
"On 12 January 2009, three Brazilian women were arrested in an apartment in Limerick city. They were charged the following day with brothel-keeping.[6] The three received suspended sentences of six months each and were ordered to leave Limerick city within three days. The apartment had been rented out to them by Nessan Quinlivan, a former Provisional IRA volunteer and the brother of Sinn Féin candidate for Limerick City Council Maurice Quinlivan. During the court hearing there was no mention of Quinlivan being the landlord and there was no suggestion that he knew a brothel was being kept at the apartment. The Garda Síochána stated in the court hearing that the women were "pawns" of a larger operation.[7] "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_O'Dea_affidavit_incident
Thats grand though, he's not a pimp. He probably has other business experience of some kind. Dont mind him being the brother of someone in the provisional IRA which Sinn Fein definitely aren't connected to.
They have some historians and some journalists for Republican publications too. I guess they've got negotiations and diplomacy down with the whole ceasefire from bombing civilians thing.
They're over promising in a pretty blatant way. They're basically offering twice as much as everyone else without any taxes on anyone except the rich to pay for it. Even People Before Profits election promises are more realistic and i'm inclined to forgive a party with 2% polling numbers for over promising and being ambitious. Also this election promise:
"Sinn Féin says it will establish a joint Oireachtas Committee, as well as an all-island Citizen's Assembly, on Irish unity.
This is with a view to ultimately holding referendums in Ireland and Northern Ireland on the subject.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Irish unity should be a bottom line for whoever is in government after the general election.
She said she cannot see her party going into power without work on Irish unity being part of the programme for government."
https://www.rte.ie/news/campaign-daily/2020/0128/1111535-sinn-fein-manifesto/
An all island citizens assembly actually sounds like a pretty good plan to me. i just dont want sinn fein involved to feck it up. I think its way too early to be talking about referendums. Its not a dealbreaking policy for me. Its being sold to a different crowd who they campaign to and support and have never made any attempt to distance themselves from. I think thats worth noting.
If every single one of their TD's get elected they'll have 42 seats in a 160 something seat dail. Thats 25%, the only way they get into power is a coaltion with one of FF or FG or every single other party, most of which hate their guts. One is completely unrealistic the other doesn't help much if your looking to get rid of FF and FG. So thats worth remembering.
Look at their policies and manifestos in northern ireland also if you get a chance. They're selling a different brand of bullshit up there.
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It's working for some.
But yeah completely agree you.
Huh? I didn't say there wasn't any involvement between Sinne Fein and the IRA. The fact is Sinn Fein have the best policies to solve issues such as housing, child care, climate change, etc(Also they'll be at best a partner with another party). Mainstream politics is fecking rotten but well tough shit that's life, not promoting policies that would improve lives of millions of Irish people because of some dodgy party links(As someone living in Britain with a tory government that bombs the shit out little brown, links to the IRA is pretty small time, soz)is yes akin to saying nothing.
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And what exactly are SF going to do about all of that? Have you even read their manifesto? A load of buzz words with no substance. If they actually implemented all they've said they'd do then public spending would have to increase massively, which we can't do, because we don't have it. We're already the world's 3rd highest in-debt country per GDP, after Portugal and fecking Greece.
Mary-Lou couldn't even answer the other night when they asked her where she'd get the money from. And their plan is to build 100,000 social houses at a cost of €65k each. Who the hell thinks they can build a house in Ireland for 65 grand?
The fact that SF have such a muddled past doesn't sit well with me, but it's not the reason why I won't vote for them. The reason I won't vote for them is because I believe they'll ruin the country, like FF would too if they got in power. Out of those three, FG are the best of a really bad bunch. If you want actual change vote Socials Dems or Greens, at least voting them can't do any lasting damage but will help somewhat.
I suppose people like these should just be brushed aside then?
https://www.independent.ie/irish-ne...-tax-as-ira-murder-casts-shadow-38924426.html
"sure look, they did all this in the past but who cares now, be grand!"
Yeah unless you're an anarchist then this is a very bizarre line to take.
Build 100,000 social houses for 65k a pop at a total cost of 3bn that we don't actually have.
Easy.
@Ramshock why do you want to vote SF? What about their policies actually appeals to you and do you feel it's realistic that they'll implement them?
Interesting look at the history of fascism and anti fascism in pre WWII Ireland. Blue shirts and the red menace and how the blue shirts took up arms for Franco in the Spanish civil war
https://www.theirishstory.com/2012/05/18/the-blueshirts-fascism-in-ireland/#.XjqwQ2SnxrE
https://www.theirishstory.com/2012/05/18/the-blueshirts-fascism-in-ireland/#.XjqwQ2SnxrE
I agree.
I can't recall Sinn Fein ever expressing opposition to non-jury trials in the District Court either.