Power To The People

Ireland spoke yesterday and in a strong way. Today that speak is being counted and Ireland, in the days ahead, enters a new era in its politic.
With two thirds of the seats still to be filled, the one thing that is absolutely clear is Fianna Fáil have been decimated, and rightly so. The Greens have been wiped off the national political map.

Things will not become clear until tomorrow, but at the time of writing Enda Kenny will be lead a Fine Gael led government, the most likely partner being Labour who are making significant gains. The 'Daddy of the Dáil,' who's leadership qualities have been questioned time and time again, will now head the charge toward saving our country. Let's give the man his moment.

The day will forever go down as the day Fianna Fáil finally came a cropper. Decades of corruption and cronyism came tumbling down in spectacular fashion, and the party will be lucky to hold on to twenty seats. The Irish should be proud to have seen through them and relegated them to the political wilderness.
It's a form of accountability that sadly has been been lacking since the banking debacle broke. Let's hope it makes a statement to the new government from an ordinary persons point of view and the accountability doesn't stop there.

All serving government ministers who had the bottle to run, with the exception of Minister for Austerity, Brian Lenihan, lost their seats in the bloodbath. At least they stood, and took their medicine like good men and women. Our former taoiseach, among others, didn't.

It's difficult to see where they go from here, and for today I do not care.
Maybe their younger contingent have some alternative direction they can make a new brand from, but to be honest it's a long way back when they will forever be stained with having bankrupting a nation on the CV.
Maybe surviving members would be better to leave the party now and reform offering something different. Family dynasties also took a hammering today, and that was good for Ireland also.

Sinn Fein look like they will have seats in the new Dáil in the double figures. Independents like Shane Ross sailed through in count 1 with record first preference votes. Developer Mick Wallace who owes the banks some €40million, also topped the poll as an Independent. The Dáil could do worse than Mick. Every country needs it's mavericks and I guess Mick won't mind me saying that.

The counting continues, it will be a long night, but not for me. It's Saturday night and it's been a historic day.
Power to the people.