Sinn Fein Do a Daíl Walk Out - Are they Genuine About default, or is it a Stunt ?

[C. Flower]

Sinn Fein walked out today after there were two votes against debating today's bond payment.

Sinn Fein in the North are not economically radical. Are they following in FG and Labour's footsteps in making shapes about burning bondholders, or is this for real ?

[unspecific]

The bond was due to be paid by midday, so the opposition refused to stand by and watch. By-the-book political posteuring. Though, the ULA and the left of the technical group left also.

It was pretty remarkable. Pat Nutly's first task as TD is to vote against debate and for the the payment of the bond. Enda Kenny then just started rambling about the euro-deal -which is down the toilet now- to eat up the time.

[fluffybiscuits]

Sinn Fein walked out today after there were two votes against debating today's bond payment.

Sinn Fein in the North are not economically radical. Are they following in FG and Labour's footsteps in making shapes about burning bondholders, or is this for real ?

Trying to play the populist card and appear to be appealing to the public. After watching wee Marty be knee capped in the polls and finishing third behind a FF candidate in the presidential election they are trying to garner some attention by playing drama queen. Up in NI I read somewhere they were in support of austerity measures up there but were against them here. Its all mouth and no action from Sinner I reckon. Sooner Pearse Doherty becomes leader and purges the leadership of Maguinness/Adams and Mary Loo the better.

[unspecific]

Hey Gerry Adams is back in there?

http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp...Flash512KB.htm

[antiestablishmentarian]

That didn't take long. Did the ULA actually think they were going to have any effect on politics by going into the Dáil? They shouldn't bother going back in, and stay and organise outside, they are being met by a wall of silence from the press and haven't to the best of my knowledge been able to make any use of the Dáil as a platform since the 31st Dáil was elected.

[Baron von Biffo]

That didn't take long. Did the ULA actually think they were going to have any effect on politics by going into the Dáil? They shouldn't bother going back in, and stay and organise outside, they are being met by a wall of silence from the press and haven't to the best of my knowledge been able to make any use of the Dáil as a platform since the 31st Dáil was elected.

What impact will they have if they stay outside?

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

It was billed as a temporary abstention from the Dail- never planned to go beyond the hour or so and symbolic in order to draw media attention to the denial of debate in the Dail on the bond payment.

Job done. Should be on the six news this evening when it otherwise might not have been. Now RTE have to explain why Sinn Fein left the chamber.

Newsgrab mission accomplished.

[DCon]

It was billed as a temporary abstention from the Dail- never planned to go beyond the hour or so and symbolic in order to draw media attention to the denial of debate in the Dail on the bond payment.

Job done. Should be on the six news this evening when it otherwise might not have been. Now RTE have to explain why Sinn Fein left the chamber.

Newsgrab mission accomplished.

So they just went for a few scoops?

[disability student]

So they just went for a few scoops?

Yes that would my take on this as SF seeks an opportunity there. Payment is due today at noon as i expect it to be paid.

[Baron von Biffo]

Stunt.

SF are trying to replace FF as the main opposition party to which end the ran McGuinness in the presidential election. It was quite a coup for them to have a candidate while FF, at least officially, hadn't. The morale of SF hacks on the ground was certainly buoyed up by the exercise but cooler heads in their HQ will be disappointed by the result. Despite running their star candidate they only marginally increased their vote and they came in behind the Provisional FF runner.

Dublin West was even worse for them. If they're to make gains at the GE they'll be competing with SP/ULA and FF for Lab seats. Not alone were they trounced by Coppinger, they were behind both government parties and had less than half the FF vote.

Twice now SF has made a play for 'respectability' in the mainstream media - They backed Lenihans blank cheque for the bankers and they supported the sinister Oireachtas inquiries amendment. In both cases reading the situation embarrassingly wrong.

The walkout this morning hints at a bit of desperation. A panicked move to look different, or even relevant.

[antiestablishmentarian]

What impact are they having inside? Outside they might be able to put activist's energies to better use than leafletting for GE candidates by organising campaigns.

[fluffybiscuits]

What impact are they having inside? Outside they might be able to put activist's energies to better use than leafletting for GE candidates by organising campaigns.

+1 no impact inside what so ever. Still they have Mary Loo...

[Baron von Biffo]

What impact are they having inside? Outside they might be able to put activist's energies to better use than leafletting for GE candidates by organising campaigns.

But what impact will 'campaigns' have?

Higgins first won a Dail seat for opposing bin charges. His seat was the only success of that campaign. Marching form O'Connell St to Leinster House might make people feel very virtuous but it's meaningless if they're just background noise.

[antiestablishmentarian]

But what impact will 'campaigns' have?

Higgins first won a Dail seat for opposing bin charges. His seat was the only success of that campaign. Marching form O'Connell St to Leinster House might make people feel very virtuous but it's meaningless if they're just background noise.

The pensioners' protest movement three years ago successfully defeated the attempt by that government to take their medical cards off them. That was one example of how a campaign can be successful.

[Baron von Biffo]

The pensioners' protest movement three years ago successfully defeated the attempt by that government to take their medical cards off them. That was one example of how a campaign can be successful.

Indeed it was a success but let's analyse it for a second and see what happened.

The measure was proposed by a deeply unpopular government that was facing an electoral mauling but still entertained hopes of avoiding a meltdown.

It affected people in every constituency. There was no urban/rural low/high income divide.

The people affected by it were very likely to vote and to influence their families in casting their votes.

They were a sympathetic group.

Reversing it involved some loss of face but in money terms the cost was small and easily absorbed.

The campaign wasn't party driven.

By contrast the SP is essentially a Dublin party campaigning for Dublin parish pump issues. There's no hope of them galvanising support in Rural Ireland for the notion that Dubs should have free water while country people have to pay for theirs.