Will he go wont he go. Or just politely say goodnight. When is the right time to hold the next election, the following piece in the turbine says lots about our crass political system.
FRIDAY 11 May 2007 has emerged as the favoured date for the general election, meaning that by this day next year, the identity of the new Taoiseach should be known. Fianna Fail has already booked its 2007 ardfheis with RTE for 24 March, offering further evidence that the second Friday in May is foremost in Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s mind.
block booking TV airtime to spin a positive feel good story of ireland in the month the final SSIA wind fall blows the skirt of Irish capitalism up in the air is about a good time for a trip to the hustings, perhaps we might see Charlie there, no not Haughey but McCreevy.
The state broadcaster has set a moratorium on the holding of party conferences after 31 March next to allow for a six-week coolingoff period to the general election. Opting for 11 May would bring Fianna Fail beyond the six-week deadline and allow Ahern to call a general election immediately after returning from the Easter break . . . a key point because the government has performed better in opinion polls when the Dail is not sitting.
Just because RTE says 6 weeks does not mean the Govt must obey. Now there is a telling fact, when the TDs are on holidays there ratings improve, when the sit stand or talk from prepared scripts, their ratings fall.
With Easter Sunday falling on 8 April next year, the Oireachtas is likely to resume on 17 April. The Taoiseach could then opt on that day to announce his intention to seek a dissolution of the Dail, with a 23-day campaign . . . identical in length to 2002 . . . culminating in election day on 11 May.
So the 3-4 week break becomes a 7-9 week break before the boyz are back, to sit and vote for summer holidays. But do not forget while they are stuffing 40 shades of green leaflets in every door in Ireland, they are working, for the state and the constituency.
btw if FF think the SP TD is on the market – they can forget it, and if the LAB leader thinks that 1 SP TD is worth 6xSF TDs ask why did LAB expel him.