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John Gormley
Minister Eamon Ryan
November 28, 2010
VOL 27 NO 48
Ministerial ranks set to be decimated in New Year poll
Junior Dara Calleary
AS many as 15 senior and junior ministers face the prospect of losing their seats in the forthcoming general election.
Of the cabinet, the two Green ministers, Eamon Ryan and John Gormley, look very vulnerable in Dublin South and Dublin South-East respectively, while culture minister Mary Hanafin faces a battle with junior minister Barry Andrews to hold what is virtually certain to be the one FF seat in Dun Laoghaire.
Health minister Mary Harney is believed to be unlikely to contest the general election, while community, equality and Gaeltacht affairs minister Pat Carey faces a serious struggle in Dublin North West, where Fianna Fáil could lose both its seats.
The cull of junior ministers could be even greater. Dick Roche will be under huge pressure in Wicklow, as will Peter Power in Limerick, where Willie O'Dea may be the only FF TD returned. In Kildare North, Áine Brady, who was elected only in 2007, faces an uphill battle, while in Tipperary North Martin Mansergh will be in a contest with his colleague Mattie McGrath to take what is certain to be just one Fianna Fáil seat.
The same holds true for Conor Lenihan in Dublin South West, where his constituency colleague, Charlie O'Connor, may hold the edge, assuming there is a FF seat there at all. Also in Dublin, Seán Haughey may lose out to independent Finian McGrath in North Central as Labour is tipped to gain a seat.
With Dun Laoghaire reverting to four seats, Green minister Ciaran Cuffe will need a minor miracle to take a seat in a constituency where the Gilmore factor will play a huge role and where People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett is likely to poll well.
Cuffe's Green colleague, Mary White, is facing an enormous challenge to hold her seat in Carlow-Kilkenny. Two of the top-rated junior ministers, Dara Calleary and Billy Kelleher, are also up against it in Mayo and Cork North Central, two constituencies where Fianna Fáil is likely to only take one seat, but both may hang on.
Perhaps more worrying for Fianna Fáil than the number of ministers at risk is the fact that many of the young deputies touted as the future of the party are in trouble. They include Calleary, Kelleher, Andrews, Thomas Byrne in Meath East, Timmy Dooley in Clare, Margaret Conlon in Cavan-Monaghan, Darragh O'Brien in Dublin North and Michael McGrath in Cork South Central.
November 28, 2010
Comments
#2 knowtoomuch commented, on November 28, 2010 at 6:54 p.m.:
On my blog (theirishobserver) last Thursday I stated that Sinn Fein would top the poll in Donegal, this information I gleemed from some family and friends on the ground up there in Donegal, this week I have spoken to many a seasoned electioneers and I am going to predict that Fianna Fail will have less than 20 TDs after the General Election....the Greens will have none.....Sinn Fein will pick up Mary Who and will have six...while Fine Gael and Labour will form a new Government and not an independent in sight.....
#3 Power to the People commented, on November 28, 2010 at 8:04 p.m.:
I am looking for up to 100 people, myself included,( not your militant type, but the real people of Ireland) with loads of cop on, real professionals, to run in next election with view to:
Abolish the Seanad
Reduce TDs to 60
Retrospectively cull all TDs and senators pensions and perks by 95%
Have a President that matters, not just a rubber stamp with perks
Retospectively amend legislation that is detrimental to Ireland, its people, and business
Thanks
#4 Giveusabreak commented, on November 28, 2010 at 8:16 p.m.:
If we can pay back 85 billion over the next 7 years at 5.8% how come we couldn't save 85 billion over the 10 years of the celtic tiger eh? They must be mad if they think we are gonna take this. We should start talking to Iceland, Greece, Portugal and Spain and fight this together and we should burn all our euros and start printing our own money again. Our government are traitors and should be jailed for this
#5 joe commented, on November 28, 2010 at 8:25 p.m.:
I doubt any TD cares about being elected next year. Most will not only have a solid pension, a possiblity of getting a euro job, but significant overseas investments - hell they (ok their wives) own half of Florida.
#6 Bal commented, on November 28, 2010 at 8:28 p.m.:
" in Tipperary North Martin Mansergh will be in a contest with his colleague Mattie McGrath to take what is certain to be just one Fianna Fáil seat."
Don't you mean Tipperary SOUTH?
#7 Pat commented, on November 29, 2010 at 9:08 a.m.:
As a Limerick person it saddens me that the people of my constituency seem still prepared to vote for Willie O'Dea.
In any other European country he would have long departed the political scene.
I despair for the future of this country while people are still prepared to vote for politicians whose main preoccupation is canvassing as opposed to being legislators and strategic thinkers.
#8 Patrick commented, on November 29, 2010 at 3:09 p.m.:
I'm still in shock after reading this. Do you mean to say that there are people out there who would actually vote for Fianna Fail after the destruction they've caused to our country?. The people who are even considering voting for them should be ashamed of themselves and if they're not they should seek physciatric help.
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The fact that any FF or Green TD could be elected to the next Dail is shocking, not that some could lose their seats.