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?

Polls are notoriously unreliable.

It has been shown over and over again across the world, that people say whatever is the path of least resistance.

2016 we watched Brexit and Trump

2024 we hade the referendums, I don't believe it was last minute that brought that result. People had made up their minds but knew to keep quiet.

Trump again this year, it was not even close. He was a landslide.

I do think it will be FF & FG again, with FF stronger, I think they will waver in the gender woohoo and dramatically water down the hate speech bill.

I would be happy with no Greens or McEntee. I just do not like her and her track record is horrendous. If she gets back in as deputy leader she will have to get a department of substance.

I do wonder who will go first as Taoiseach this time.

Exactly.. It is fun & enjoyable to see your party topping the polls but they mean nothing.

I followed the US election closely & pulled an all nighter to follow the drama. Trump won all swing states by a country mile despite all the media saying they would go Kamala Harris's way.. The disbelief from some of the commentators was hilarious.

I have family in America & they said long before the election Trump would win, the media was biased. They said no one they knew was voting Harris & the mood in America was actually very much pro Republican..and that was correct as the Republicans also took the house & Senate!

Yes. I do not like or trust McEntee.. Will she get her seat back though?
Roderic is surely gone especially after "clipboard - gate"

I had high hopes for SD's but they not showing any potential and now with losing both Roisin Shorthall and Catherine Martin the former leaders it is not positive.

The SDs candidate in place of Holly Cairns was very poor in the leaders debate last week also.

@Trumped

I don't know 'clipboard gate'.

McEntee seems to be good at the parish politics. Gets stuff done.

I will not be voting for the local SD candidate, she's out of touch with the public and was very active trying to get people to vote for the two recent referendums and also very pro trans invading womens spaces.

I think I'll give my no. 1 vote to the local Aontu candidate then two Independents one of which is a current TD and a very hard worker then I'll go down the list to keep the useless Green candidate and the wacky ones out.

https://gript.ie/saint-roderic-and-the-terrifying-case-of-criminal-damage-to-a-clipboard/

There you go. A man was arrested as Roderic called to his door canvessing & Roderics clipboard was damaged... But a man was arrested. Imagine all the crimes taking place nationwide.. Break ins, rapes, assaults but this man was arrested as he damaged Roderics clip board!!

Yes the social democrats are very pro gender ideology & allowing males invade female spaces & sports. Labour the same, captured by gender ideology. The SDs had a transgender candidate run in the local elections in Cork (didn't get in)

I'm voting the same Aontú no 1, followed by four independents in no particular order yet, only giving 5 preferences.
Certainly won't be voting all the way down in case one of the others gets in on my tranfers

If you are anti trans and pro hate speech I'm surprised you had high hopes for them at all. They don't sound like your cub of tea.

But yes definite vacuum left by leaders standing down.

@mollyfolk I always think its like trying to solve a Rubiks cube - especially if you are left of centre in a rural seat. Like ' if I vote for the Tweedledum Tories they will surely work with a left party because they are too small to govern alone '
3 days later ' Oh no. The Tweedledum Tories have got into bed with the Tweedledee Tories!' 😭 😂

There is a difference between being anti trans and wanting to protect the rights of women and ensure children are allowed space to grow. I think describing people who believe in the latter as anti trans does a disservice both to the latter and the trans community who just want to be treated with respect.
PBP were against the Hate Speech laws as proposed by the current government.

I see you're here too @Trumped using a different name again!
I have reported you.

@Onehorsetown - I was also against the hate speech legislation in the bill. So were many respected organisations. However I wouldn't be against updating the current hate speech legislation. However I don't think the author of that post was being genuine. The SD and Aontú are very different from each other.

Anyway neither the hate speech nor the trans are main issues in this election so we should probably return to topic.

Every voter has different issues.. Some are healthcare, disability, housing, education, gender identity, farmers hsve their issues, transport, school places, some are prolife others pro choice... Every voter has their own issues & will vote accordingly.

Also for the record @mollyfolk I do hope Aontú get as many seats as they can as well as the Independent candidates.
Howe ver I think Peadar & Aontú would actually be much more powerful & better for the nation if they remained in opposition as we have no true Conservative opposition.

So it's great for the party if they choose to go into a coalition or if they decide to remain in opposition they will also be a very strong force to be reckoned with. So it's win /win really however it pans out at the weekend

Many, many people I know are giving Aontú their no 1 preference so their support & growing momentum is certainly not just me. The Sunday Independent poll yesterday showed the same but as we all agree on here polls mean nowt especially as the recent referendum & US elections showed.

The same poll also showed Peadar Toibín as the decisive winner of the leaders debate. They have plenty of support Molly.

Oh yes many many peole I know are giving Aontu their first prefernce @trumped
There was @taeandcraic and @imperiallanger

Oh hang on, they are all YOU, just changing your name for different threads 😳 😳

It's not hard to increase your support from a base of zero!!

Base of zero?! Peadar Toibín won the leaders debate also on Monday night which was based on the key areas most people are concerned about.

Aontú's "Operation Shamrock" to tackle the housing crisis is the best proposal from of all the parties & is very viable too.

Yes, @Brownwitch was wrong, it was not from a basis of zero - it was from a 1.9% share of the vote in 2020 😁

Aontu have 3% support and that has remained unchanged in the most recent poll.

As we have all agreed the count for absoluty nothing & certain posters seem very threatened by Aontú.
Ireland has no other centered conservative party & it wonderful to now hsve a very formidable & credible choice.

Let's see what happens on Friday but from a conservative voters viewpoints there is Aontú & many good, solid common sense thinking independents running accross the 26 counties.

@Brownwitch another poll has Aontú at 5 percent up two. You do realise how polls work? It's not the same people polled each time, it's a subsection of the electorate which is why they fluctuate!
They mean nothing!

https://www.wlrfm.com/news/latest-polls-ge24-394056

This poll has Aontú at 5%... As I said above I would love to see Aontú get as many seats as possible but on the other hand it would be a shame to lose them from opposition as Peadar is so formidable & he is the best speaker in the Dáil.

@trumped you are kidding yourself if you think anybody is threatened by Aontu, they are a one man show who want to bring Ireland back to the dark ages.

However I have been very amused by you over the past few days as you have lost all credibility across this platform and done that party no favors.

Keep the insults going @Brownwitch you will be very unpleasantly surprised on Friday.
"A one man show", look at all the positive changes Peadar Toibín has made, the party is only going 5 years .

Leading & winning the No/No referendum very decisively

Exposing how Roderic O Gorman moved funds put aside for vulnerable groups to fund lgbtq projects. Aontú obtained the information through the freedom of information act.

Aontú has pledged to repeal the Gender Recognition Act & protect female only spaces & female only sports.

Twice in the past 6 months Aontú have put forward a proposal to stop the means testing of carers before the budget but both motions were refused by the government.

Those are just a few examples...

Pretty formidable politics from "a one man show". Just to remind you that Aontú have 43 candidates running one in each constituency!