Ireland Election News

Link to Original ArticleEOIN BURKE-KENNEDY and ELAINE EDWARDS The last televised leaders’ debate on RTÉ, involving Labour’s Eamon Gilmore, Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny and Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin has begun. The EU/IMF deal was first on the agenda. Eamon Gilmore said the plan had put a straight jacket on any future government which will drive [...]

Link to Original ArticleFINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan caused a spat between Fianna Fail and the Greens yesterday by taking a pop at his former coalition partners for pulling out of government too soon. Mr Lenihan said the Green Party’s move caused the Finance Bill to be rushed through the Dail and Seanad, raising doubts about [...]

Link to Original ArticleGeneral Election Blog by Newstalks Political Analyst Shane Coleman Blog Entry 5 JUST four days to polling and still there is no sign of any lift in Fianna Fail’s support. At 16%, the party will be doing well to win twenty seats and even if it can get up to 20% on [...]

Link to Original Article“Murky and underhanded” is how a Fine Gael frontbencher described attempts by public sector unions to interfere in the General Election. The move also brought stinging criticism from financial advisor and commentator Eddie Hobbs last night. “The union interference in the election is quite extraordinary” he said. “Clearly they have designed Labour [...]

Link to Original ArticlePAMELA DUNCAN It is “utterly unjust” that homeowners who were forced to buy houses at inflated prices during the boom should be victimised by interest rate hikes, according to the United Left Alliance. The alliance, which represents a spectrum of political parties including the Socialist Party and People Before Profit Alliance, has [...]

Link to Original ArticleTHE THREE MAIN political parties have spent the morning attacking each others’ economic plans, as Fianna Fáil’s Brian Lenihan held an economy-themed press conference while Labour launched its own plan for economic recovery. Lenihan spent his morning criticising Fine Gael for its new five-point plan, published yesterday, which had seen his Fine [...]

Link to Original ArticleFINE Gael’s talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel were “very unhelpful” in the battle to protect Ireland’s hallowed corporate tax rate, finance minister Brian Lenihan said yesterday. The comments came the day after Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed he had told the German premier that the 12.5pc corporate tax rate — [...]

Link to Original ArticleON THE CANVASS Ideology takes second place behind anger but all agree it’s curtains for Lenihan and Co, writes MIRIAM LORD  NOT EVERYONE wants a workers’ revolution. But a lot would like a little revenge. And that’s where Joe Higgins steps in. He was canvassing outside The Sacred Heart of Jesus Primary School [...]

Link to Original ArticleA round-up of today’s other stories in brief Ex-Labour TD attacks party and announces United Left allegiance  A former Labour TD has attacked the party, while announcing he will campaign as a United Left Alliance affiliate in the forthcoming general election. Declan Bree, who is contesting the Sligo-North Leitrim constituency as an [...]

Link to Original ArticleHARRY McGEE, Political Correspondent CONSTITUENCY PROFILEDUBLIN WEST played host to one of the most absorbing battles of the 2007 general elections with three of the 29th Dils most prominent national figures trying to stave off the challenge from Fine Gaels young candidate Leo Varadkar. In 2007, of the three sitting TDs, only [...]