Something BIG this way comes - allegedly

[StephanieSuperpowers]

Seemingly there's going to be an announcement at noon of the "political earthquake" type.

Kevin Doyle on X: "Told this closely guarded secret will be significant. People being contacted since 6am to coordinate - but for now it’s all being kept within government buildings. Political ‘earthquake': major announcement expected from Government at noon t.co/73Cyp7c9ms" / X (twitter.com)

Hold on to your hats, lads and ladesses!

Coveney - rural? Absolutely not, he is a city boy, lives in suburbs. The opposite of rural. I would however see him being from Cork an issue, with Martin there. It's not even the fact that they are from County Cork but both from the same constituency. As is Michael McGrath. It would also cause them to be directly against each other for an election. They already are of course but not in the capacity of two party leaders.

I wonder what prompted this?

The tide has turned so quickly it's hard to keep up😁
Less than a fortnight ago we had our epic NONO landslide referendum win.. Now Varadkar's resignation.. Maybe the country can be redeemed after all! What a lunch break😊

Saw on twitter Éamon Ryan is set to make a statement at 1.30.. I wonder is that just a general adios Leo or if he's throwing in the towel also?

don't raise my hopes

Unfortunately anyone outside of Dublin is seen as rural by many people living in dublin.

I remember my aunt, when I asked where some bloke on the TV was from, saying 'oh, Roscommon or Rathfarnham or somewhere like that'

Once you crossed the canal bridges you were in 'here be dragons' territory as far as she was concerned.

Hmmmm..... interesting!

He was already on RTE after the announcement. He won't want an election. He must know the Greens will be wiped out.

Still nothing from Rodders though. No shame.

Rodders will have to be dragged kicking & screaming from Dáil Éireann.

Surely Roderic had more reason to resign or be pushed after failing to release the Attorney Generals notes during the referendum. Can't understand why he is still there.. Leo stood by him & defended him too rather than giving him the boot up the hole

Yeah Roderic won't go, he'll still get elected in the constituency, especially if Leo doesn't stand again. SF and FF will keep their seats I imagine. It's hard to see who would take Leo's seat in the area if he does quit altogether, maybe Emer Currie. Ruth Coppinger hasn't been particularly vocal since losing her seat

I wonder if Paschal has his eye on Europe though?

Rodders won’t get elected again. He got elected on the basis of voters throwing g a 4 or 5 choice as greens were good right?

This is the ultimate poisoned chalice. The next leader will come out of local, European and general elections having lost seats left right and centre and they as leader will be blamed even though they're only in place a few months.

Usually a woman is chosen for these can only fail leader roles. Look across at UK for examples

Not a hope he'll get in again.

Please God Helen McEntee isn't the chosen one.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0320/1438980-fine-gael-leadership/

I'm a Dub and I think he'd be as fine as anyone else (and probably finer than some of the options). Sure he's Cork, not rural ;-)

Simon Coveney or Paschal Donohue would be my choice.
Definitely not Helen Mc Entee, Heather H or Simon Harris. 🙄

Simon Coveney would be 'too rural'?😅😅
Is that because he doesn't live in the shadow of the Spire?

Yes, they’ll get a woman in.
And blame her for everything!

Just look at Theresa May…

I'd be interested who would take his seat though, I'm not sure of any other obvious names, and he would get transfers from FF and FG. I'd prefer to see him gone but I don't know who the alternative is?

I'm not sure he would get many transfers. It could well be that part of the issue here is the conservative wing of the party letting the lads know that the O'Gorman Agenda is electoral poison.

Helen McEntee will throw her hat in the ring, although she struggled to get elected last time.

Plus a lot issues in MOD on her watch with street violence.

She could be a liability.

I do think after such a disastrous referendum, FG got worried about June, elections and referendum.

Plus LV is not popular, him leading into council elections could cause some councillors to lose simply because they are FG and he is leader.