General Election 2024 - Offaly Constituency

[SearingDrive]

i see pippa only got her family and close neighbours to vote for her?!? lovely to see.

Apart from the family and close neighbours, not too many voters bought into the green agenda.

[Offaly Hero]

As soon as night follows day, the Green Party will have a much better result at the next election. Themselves, the Social Democrats and Labour are all roughly competing for the pretty small same vote. For them, because they are so small, the. difference between a 'good election' and a 'wipeout' is as little as 3-4% of the vote. If one rises, the other must fall. It’s an electoral musical chairs with whichever party that has the courage and realism to actually go into government being subsequently 'punished' at the next election.

Whatever your opinions are on the Green Party, they, unlike other political parties, are at least to be admired for having a principal and believing it no matter what. You can't accuse them of flip flopping or seeking power for powers sake. They went in to government in 2020 and achieved a lot of what they believed was the right thing to do, knowing full well they probably wouldn't be rewarded electorally for it at this election. As so it proved. However, they achieved more in 5 years than anybody in opposition will in 50 years. And, as stated before, they'll have a good election in 2029 so society can dance the dance again.

With the Greens gone out of government for now, society will have to find another bogeyman to blame for climate change, water pollution, waste management, energy transition, wind farms etc etc. Just because the Greens are gone, those problems haven't. Fines from the EU Commission are coming. Some as a coping mechanism will deny they're problems at all, blame it all on a grand conspiracy. Others will blame the EU. Or China. If Labour or Soc Dems go in to government, they'll blame them.

Provided a politician isn't corrupt or criminal, I bear them no ill will and wish them all well. It’s a horrendous job and very tough on them and their families. I disagree with the personal tone of some of the commentary here regarding Pippa Hackett. She worked very hard, did her best by her principles (whether you agree with them or not) and she carried herself with decency throughout her term in office. This is public forum, she has young children. Some here would do well to remember that. I wish her and her family well during what is a tough time.

[first_touch]

"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum — even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate."
Noam Chomsky

[pigeon house biffo]

"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum — even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate."
Noam Chomsky

Go touch grass. Clear to most here that you spend too much time on your own at a computer.

[Anonymous1]

It looks like I’ll be eating some humble pie but plenty of her supporters on here will be deeply disappointed with this news…

Carol Nolan has now joined the Regional Independent Group who are about to begin negotiations with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over forming the next government…

https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-co ... -analysis/

[frankthetank]

That's because you and LS don't actually know a thing about her.

[Anonymous1]

That's because you and LS don't actually know a thing about her.

You clearly know nothing about her either if she’s about to start voting in favour of government policies.

[SearingDrive]

That's because you and LS don't actually know a thing about her.

You clearly know nothing about her either if she’s about to start voting in favour of government policies.

The Regional group may support the outgoing administration, in return for developments in their consituencies. Labour or the Soc Dems are not prepared to support the FF and FG parties it appears

We had a similar arrangement from 2016 to 2020, Independents supporting the FG. led administration.

[Anonymous1]

Peculiarly, if this does transpire - all three TD’s in Offaly will be members of the government.

Despite Offaly making up around 1.5% of the country’s population, it will provide around 3% of the government’s majority.

That augurs well for delivery for the county over the next 5 years.

But bodes ominously for at least one of the three TD’s at the next election as there’s no way an electorate would re-elect three government TD’s.

[Anonymous1]

That's because you and LS don't actually know a thing about her.

You clearly know nothing about her either if she’s about to start voting in favour of government policies.

The Regional group may support the outgoing administration, in return for developments in their consituencies. Labour or the Soc Dems are not prepared to support the FF and FG parties it appears

We had a similar arrangement from 2016 to 2020, Independents supporting the FG. led administration.

If you read the article I shared you’d have seen this bit;

“One thing is already clear, the group wants to be a fully integrated part of any new government.“

That suggests they want to enter into a formal coalition rather than just supporting from the outside.

[Lone Shark]

That's because you and LS don't actually know a thing about her.

Never claimed to. In fact, that was the source of my concern - her campaign, her literature, her comments, all strenuously avoided taking any strong positions or policy views on anything really, which I felt made it impossible to know her (in the political sense, as in the stuff that a voter SHOULD know about their elected representatives, I'm not referring to her private life.).

This was the first thing I said about her, and everything I posted since then was consistent with this.

With Carol Nolan (and also Fergus McDonnell and Eddie Fitzpatrick), if they get returned to the Dáil, they might be willing to support one of those Centre Right vs Left options, they might be willing to support both depending on what they get for doing so, they might be willing to support neither because being in opposition is a hell of a lot easier, politically. And right now, as voters, we don't know that, and to me that's a problem.

Was I skeptical as to the likelihood of her using her leverage to try and benefit Offaly? Hell yeah. Have my doubts been assuaged? Not yet, but I would be tentatively encouraged by the fact that she seems positively disposed towards engaging with the government.

Now, did she deliberately avoid committing to anything before the election so that she could make sure not to alienate the substantial minority of voters out there who wanted anything but a FF/FG led government this time around?

Only Carol and her inner circle know that, but it's not controversial to say that she probably did pick up some votes from people who would not have given her as high a preference - or any at all - had they known that she was amenable to supporting Micheál Martin for the next Taoiseach.

It's not anywhere near as egregious as Robert Troy somehow benefitting from the deferred publication of a very unflattering SIPO report, or Eoin Hayes flat out lying about how he was profiting from the genocide in Gaza, which were both unfair deceptions of the voters of Longford-Westmeath and Dublin Bay South. But it does still irk me that when there is still such a big element of buying a pig in a poke about voting for the vast majority of independents out there, Carol Nolan included.

[Anonymous1]

So… a deal has been struck between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independents and quelle surprise there’s no sign of Carol Nolan.

Another five years howling at the moon incoming, disappointing day for voters in Offaly but no surprise to anybody who’s been paying attention.

[Offaly Hero]

So… a deal has been struck between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independents and quelle surprise there’s no sign of Carol Nolan.

Another five years howling at the moon incoming, disappointing day for voters in Offaly but no surprise to anybody who’s been paying attention.

This is very disappointing. Realistically, as an Independent, this may represent Deputy Nolans only chance to ever be in Government and, for whatever reason, it hasn't happened. Offaly needs help, badly, and sitting on the sidelines claiming that you're 'holding the Government to account' for year after year after year does nothing to help the county in any meaningful sense.
It would seem she has chosen to be in opposition in perpetuity as she probably reasons that this is her best chance to get re-elected in perpetuity.

Best of luck to our other two Offaly TDs in Government.

[G91]

Just going to throw my late 2 pence view into this

Our choice in Offaly was poor

Carol Nolan exactly as described doing a lot talking with little results she hopped on the bord na mona waggon when it suited but got bored of it

One ff candidate pretending to be independent

John Clendennen would sell his sole to get into government


Mikey Boylan was the best yet using the army helicopter that’s repurposed as and air ambulance having to return to baldonnell I presume this is where it went while it’s hanger in Athlone was upgraded

Mikey for some reason thinks these can just be left out In the elements like your car


Aoife masterson just wasn’t popular enough actually seen her take some underserved stick over a council meeting by other councillors on her facebook


In fairness we had Barry Cowan from the landlocked county minister for the fisheries


Just not meant to be midlands needs serious investment I can’t see it coming

[G91]

Carol Nolan is the only one in the Dail who is actually doing the job she was elected and paid by us to do.....representing the people of Offaly and the people of Ireland first and foremost.
The political parties up there exist only to destroy the country socially, culturally and economically.....I see no evidence to suggest otherwise. To think that people will go into a polling booth tomorrow week and re-elect the same government or some minor variation of them is kind of mind boggling to me anyway with everything that's going on in the country right now.

She certainly doesn’t represent the majority of us in this county given we voted 58% in favour of repealing the 8th amendment.

And most certainly doesn’t represent the majority of people in Ireland who voted 66% in favour.

It’s all well and good howling at the moon from the opposition benches.

We’ve enough hurlers on the ditch up there, protecting their own seats by never having to take a difficult decision.

This country has been utterly transformed for the better over the last 30 years.

We were the poorest country in Europe up until the 90s, we’re now one of the wealthiest in the world.

Have we got our challenges? Yes, but point out the countries that don’t?

The reality is Ireland is one of the best countries in the world to live in across a whole host of metrics from quality of life to safety to life expectancy.

I’d love to know who you think could do a better job governing?

By the sounds of it you’d like to see the likes of Healy Rae’s and Mattie McGrath ruling the roost?

God help us all if that ever came to pass.

Thankfully it seems the people of Ireland have looked around the world at the basket cases of the US and the UK and decided you know what? The centre has served us well so why rock the boat?

Well Looks like the boat sank Healy Rae’s in government FF in disguise all along apple never falls too far from the tree