Election 2024 . Not that one, though the Trump victory is sure to influence some of what we are threatened and promised. presumably we'll have a date soon.

[DeanElderberry]

Any wise thoughts?

I think Independents will bring each other along, I would expect to see more Independents as counts progress.

SF was second in 2020 with 37 seats.

FF was first with 38 seats, FG 35 and GP 12.

I can't see GP doing that well this time.

Independents got 21 seats, I would expect that to be higher this time around.

Looking at the counts from previously Simon Harris took 15 counts to finally get a seat and now he is the dam leader of the country.

I think Holly Cairns got the last seat in her constituency by a miniscule amount of votes and now is looking likely to lead a junior government party, just 5 years later.
But the PR system is one of the better systems I think.
It will make for interesting viewing today anyway.

Agree about PR @Onehorsetown . I remember talking to TD after I came home in the 90s - comparing it favourably with the UK . ' But its a bit of a nightmare for candidates ' he said , never knowing for days if they will be elected. Unlike England no seat is really safe. Long may it last I thought!

Ps on Independents - what mixed bag they are. Catherine Connolly is the best TD in Dáil Éireann ; if only they could clone her.
Then you have an assortment of gombeen men , con artists , men's rights activists and loopers who think bad roads are caused by mischievous fairies. The Sídhe are of course very Good People just in case any of them are reading this.

Whatever the outcome (looking like FFG ++), my fervent hope is that (if seat retained) Helen McEntee is fully removed from the Justice portfolio.

An absolute disaster if ever there was one. Same applies to Norma Foley. Sorry to have to point to two women, who are probably very successful otherwise in their lives, but not in these two portfolios. IMO of course!

I know I feel I don't have a home with any of the 3 main parties. I don't trust SF either.

Not least because, even though it's not a talking point in this election, or even an issue for most of their voters, their top issue is Irish unity and I think getting to a unified Ireland could be tricky.

Totally agree. It pains me to say it, but Helen McEntee is not strong in Dept. of Justice and Norma in education is making the sector resemble a race to the bottom in terms of quality, support and access.

I believe they found a wedding ring in a box in Athlone. There was a suggestion that it may have been left there deliberately.

And someone was spotted at a count centre wearing a t-shirt with the phrase, "Maybe I love the misery".

Raised my eyebrows a little at the Gaurdian's coverage of the elections - introducing Sinn Fein as the former political arm of IRA.

It seems like a bit of a misrepresentation of the situation. Yes they are but that's not why people are voting for them.

amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/29/ireland-election-parties-neck-and-neck

It's looking bad for Stephen Donnelly, and the Monk is looking like he has a chance at the last seat in his constituency.

Catherine Connolly always seems like she has a lot of integrity. We really could do with a lot more like her.

That's the Brits for you @mollyfolk. Prisoners of their past you see. Agree that Irish unity is very complex. I met a lovely man from a Unionist background in 2019. Father an RUC inspector , grandad a master of the local Lodge etc. He thought a federal solution was inevitable as Brexit had seriously pissed off a lot of farmers and businesses. But it's all on the long finger now anyway.

Helen McEntee seems to be the front runner on the count at the moment.
Norma Foley is behind the Healy Raes and SF but looks like she is comfortable for the 4th seat in a 5 seat constituency.
They might not be popular but rural constituencies tend to hold on to their Ministers which really reflects badly on Donnelly.

And someone was spotted at a count centre wearing a t-shirt with the phrase, "Maybe I love the misery".

Love this! And clearly people do love the misery with FF and FG on the path to power already.

It's a pity the left vote is so scattered.

I don't care if they are re appointed to Ministerial role, as long as its not in the portfolios they currently have.

Good time for a bloody good reshuffle!

@Abhannmor

It's annoyed me so much I've just fired off a complaint.

Yes in reality all parties would support a united ireland in theory and when the time is right:

But Sinn Fein, I suspect, would be happy to accept violence and trouble in the north for the sake of a united Ireland. And that's not actually what most of their voters want: especially as realistically a relatively peaceful united ireland will involve compromise and pandering to unionists.

I find it scary that the monk has a chance of getting in. Is it just an anti establishment vote? I guess so.

I would just say from over here in Sasana, pay no attention to The Guardian, re SF. They are not what they were.
They're doing a great job of offending everyone practically!
Andrew Doyle commented in a recent podcast with Andrew Gold that they seem to have a tenuous relationship to the truth.

Just been watching The Gript live stream as it is all there is here for current commentary. They could do with some charts and throwing in an overview from time to time, but better than nothing.

I despair !
Housing or the lack of it was a big concern for voters.
Yet the man responsible tops the poll in his constituency.
The parties who allowed international firms to come in, with special tax arrangements different to other landlords, and build to rent or buy out whole developments to rent are being voted back in.
Who could have copied their predecessors, who in very hard times economically built fantastic housing developments in places like Marino, Crumlin, Ballyfermot etc
The Irish love to whinge but do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome. You know what that makes us.....

We have such short memories
Huge over spend on the Children's Hospital.
Dáil bike shed and security office.
No accountability.

Agree @mollyfolk , it would need to be a peaceful unity.
Unity at any price would not be a meaningful unity.

@deeahgwitch people remember. They are just scared of change.

Also the older voters are less likely to be impacted by the housing crisis and they are FG and FF core voters. They don't feel badly off. It will be a different story at the polls in 20 years as these voters die off.

I have yet to meet a Sinn Féin supporter , North or South , who wants a return to violence. Or a Unionist who wants it for that matter. The only violence now is coming from pyromaniacs on the far right.

Is is interesting that immigration was the top issue for only 6% of voters in exit polls.Most people are not racists and their complaint is rather the shambolic - and corrupt - way the issue is being handled. I find this quite heartening . 28% cited Housing. But we appear to have re-elected the Landlord Duopoly so nothing will change on that front. Sigh.

Yes that is interesting. For all the talk about it! No people aren't racist at all. I think most people think immigration on the whole has been good for Ireland. People, like people everywhere, are spooked about asylum seekers that has given the far right a foothold.

I found it interesting that all the far right anti immigration stuff here is directed at asylum seekers actually. Very different to the UK or other countries where they are vocal about reducing all forms of immigration.

I think most people understand that immigration is essential, especially in areas such as health. But the placing of asylum shelters in deprived urban areas and rural areas with no services or infrastructure to cope with an overnight influx of people created an atmosphere of resentment. Combined with the scarce availability of affordable accommodation, it results in people objecting to shelters and being branded racist or far right.
I think it wasn't the most important issue for most people because the issue is with housing and anger about immigration stems from the housing issue not from racism or people being far right.