Election 2020
Despite ruling out a coalition with Fine Gael in January 2020, Micheál Martin, not wanting the moniker of the only Fianna Fáil leader not to take the top job, formed a coalition with Fine Gael and the Greens, despite Eamon Ryan also ruling out any deal with both parties. The results of the election were very telling.
Micheál Martin – 6th count
Martin and his party want nothing to do with Irish sovereignty remember.
Also, Martin was one of the many TDs that didn’t bother showing up to vote over 3 years but collected €89,000 in expenses.
Leo Varadkar – 5th count
The leader that quotes Mean Girls in national addresses and falls to pieces when he goes off-script.
By his own admission, leaked confidential documents to a friend and had the health regulations changed to protect those at Zappone’s Merrion hotel canvassing campaign.
Paschal Donohoe – 9th count
Who smugly told the nation there’d be no pay cut for ministers – while the people faced utter uncertainty.
Michael McGrath – 8th Count
Who knew nothing of Tony Holohan’s Trinity posting despite his supposed oversight of the civil service.
Simon Coveney – 8th Count
Coveney you recall told the nation that he’d resolve the emergency accommodation situation in 6 months.
Norma Foley – 8th Count
Her father Denis Foley resigned from Fianna Fáil in back in 2000 after it was discovered he had one of the infamous Ansbacher accounts – while on the Public Accounts committee questioning the bank itself.
Roderic O’Gorman – 6th Count
Who signed off on the Mother and Baby Homes report being sealed for another 30 years.
Helen McEntee – 7th Count
Who says Dublin is save while surrounded by Guards and has an armed driver.
Darragh O’Brien – 8th Count
The minister for Housing who opposed the Right to Housing bill in 2017
Catherine Martin – 5th Count
Who knew about the RTE pay scandal three months before it went public, and kept quiet.
Stephen Donnelly – 15th Count
The man who built a career attacking Fianna Fáil, got elected on those principles, then joins them.
Simon ‘18 previous versions’ Harris – 15th Count
Once Enda Kenny’s tea boy, now minister for higher education, that doesn’t have a higher education himself.
While Health Minister he signed off on lockdowns and restrictions, thinking there was 18 previous versions of covid.
Let that sink in.
The message was clear, people wanted change and were sick and tired of the cover-ups, scandals, and the waste of public expenditure.
The past four decades has seen a consistent drop in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s voting base – combined they are now at just 37% (as of Sept. 2023).
Election 2020 showed us that both parties can be defeated. That is why it is essential that come next election, not one vote is given to either party.
Not a first preference or 10th.