Disgusting

Apart from the sickening spectacle of USPCA officers finding 70 animals dead in a car in Coleraine having suffered from heat exhaustion and dehydration, what the hell was the driver of the vehicle doing with 477 birds, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits and rats in their car in the first place?!

The law is far too lenient on those who abuse animals- the effects of leaving our furred and feathered friends couped up in cars on warm days is well-documented, yet there are those who continue to do it. Are these people brain-dead?

Perhaps we should trap them in a car on a scorching day and see how they like it- either that, or give them the prison sentences they deserve. Idiots.

Sunday Sounds On El Blogador: The Jam

This week: The Jam.

The TNS/ MRBI Poll: Change On The Horizon?

Fine Gael will be rubbing their hands in delight at the revelation tonight that they are a mere three percentage points behind Fianna Fáil in the latest opinion poll. The latest survey, for tomorrow's Irish Times, puts support for Enda Kenny's party at 31% and for Bertie Ahern's at 34%. This is the highest score attributed to FG in a TNS/ MBRI opinion poll since 1989.

Strangely however, the two parties' possible respective partners in government have had the opposite experience- Fine Gael's partner Labour has seen its level of support drop one point to 10% whereas Fianna Fáil's current coalition partner the Progressive Democrats have seen a rise from 1% to 3%.

Combined, the FF/PD partnership currently has 37% of support, whereas the FG/Labour link-up commands 41%.

Of course, this won't necessarily be reflected in what percentage of seats the parties get in the next Dáil. For instance, according to the figures, Labour and Sinn Féin now have the same level of support, but in all likelihood Pat Rabbitte's party will return over twice the number of seats as SF. It also must be borne in mind that these figures have been adjusted to ignore the 'undecideds' as well as having been adjusted upwards for FG and downwards for FF to take account of traditional under-estimation of support for the former and exaggeration of support for the latter.

Nonetheless, it certainly makes for an interesting election, and as Bertie Ahern continues to delay having the Dáil dissolved, one wonders whether he has one last trick up his sleeve to create a boost for his party prior to going to the polls.

Full results: FF 34 (-3) FG 31 (+5) Lab 10 (-1) Greens 6 (-2) PD 3 (+2) SF 10 (+1) Ind 6 (-2).

SDLP Announces New Spokespersons

The reshuffled roster of SDLP spokespersons is as follows:

Attwood, Alex: Employment and Learning, North-South Development
Bradley, Dominic: Education
Bradley, Mary: Elderly, Children (OFMDFM)
Bradley, PJ: Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Burns, Thomas: Social Development
Dallat, John: Regional Development
Gallagher, Tommy: Environment, Western Services Development
Hanna, Carmel: Health and Public Safety
Kelly, Dolores: Equality (OFMDFM), Policing Board member
Maginness, Alban: Justice
McDonnell, Alasdair: Enterprise, Trade and Development
McGlone, Patsy: Irish language, Community Affairs
O'Loan, Declan: Finance and Personnel
Ramsey, Pat: Culture, Arts and Leisure

Sunday Shopping Laws: Living In The Dark Ages

The owner of a Supervalu franchise in Lurgan has been fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of about £800 for daring to open his shop on a Sunday.

Shops with a floorspace greater than 280 sq metres can only open between 1pm and 6pm on Sundays.

In court, the shopowner's solictor said: "The owner has always accepted that he opened before 1pm, but believed it only referred to the bits of the shop that were open, and when certain tills, which were closed, were taken out of the equation, that took him below the 280 sq m rule."

Apparently the case was taken by Craigavon Council after members of the public complained.

Have these people nothing better to do with their time?

If they want to spend their time saying prayers and lying about doing nothing all day apart from stuffing their faces with food on Sundays, then fair enough, but that doesn't mean everyone else wants to do the same.

Apparently the law provides for fines up to £50,000 for opening big shops outside the legal hours! And even this is seen as a compromise- sure a few years back shops weren't allowed to open at all on a Sunday (but thankfully quite a few ignored this bizarre law).

Let's face it, Northern Ireland isn't exactly the number one tourist destination- with pubs closing at 1am at weekends and shops only opening between 1pm and 5pm on a Sundays, it's not exactly cosmopolitan compared with other European rivals. Stupid cases like this don't do anyone any favours.

Take It Like Men!

The rather irritating but nonetheless ubiquitous Retired Police Officers' Assocation has launched yet another attack on Nuala O'Loan's office, claiming that details about the investigation into Special Branch/ RUC collusion in north Belfast were leaked to the media.

This same organisation also happened to reject the Police Ombudsman 's findings in that investigation.

Now they've written to Hugh Orde alleging that staff working for Mrs. O'Loan leaked details to journalists, including the names of police officers under investigation, long before the findings were published. Apparently police are now at a preliminary stage of investigating the claims made by the RPA.

Nuala O'Loan has rejected the allegations.

Isn't it time that these has-beens took it on the chin and accepted the truth of what went on in Special Branch? The rest of the civilised world knows that collusion took place, but still some flat-earthers refuse to accept the evidence placed before them.

The repeated over-reaction of the likes of the RPA merely proves that O'Loan has touched a raw nerve- sometimes the truth is too hard to handle.

Keep up the good work, Nuala!

House Prices: Time To Start Doing The Lotto

Every town in the UK now has an average house price of over £100,000. Of course, the average in Northern Ireland is double that. Only London and the South-East and South-West of England have a higher average price than here, but they also happen to offer much better paid jobs.

How exactly are people supposed to get themselves somewhere decent to live in this part of the world?

Take for instance a single young professional with a not insubstantial income of £20,000 gross per year- that probably works out at around £1,200 per month net after tax and national insurance. Now if this person decides to buy a very basic house in Belfast for £200,000 (if they are lucky enough to find one at that price) the mortgage will work out around £1,000 per month.

That leaves £200 per month to buy food, pay rates (which are also skyrocketing), use public transport (forget about any chance of being able to run a car!), pay for electricity, etc., etc.! Add to this the likelihood of many first-time buyers having a massive student debt, and things look altogether bleak.

Then of course we have those people who don't have the luxury of a good income- are they to be forced into rented accommodation for the rest of their lives?

I'm no property expert, but the simple rules of economics show that demand is far outweighing supply- add to this my personal belief that the level of property speculation is artificially high, and it is clear that a significant amount of low-price but decent quality housing stock needs to be built. Until then, people will quite simply not be able to put a roof of their own over their heads.

Boris Yeltsin Is Dead

Former Russian Premier Boris Yeltsin, the first post-communist Russian leader, has died. He was 76. President Yeltsin succeeded Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991.

Update 3.15pm: It is believed that the former Russian leader died of heart failure.

Sunday Sounds On El Blogador

This week: Pulp. Enjoy.

Sinn Féin's Martin Ferris TD Arrested For Suspected Drink Driving

Sinn Féin's Kerry North TD Martin Ferris was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving at around 2am this morning at Ardfert. He was subsequently taken to Tralee Garda Station where he gave a sample which will be sent for analysis. The result of the tests will determine whether or not he will be prosecuted.

A subsequent statement from Sinn Féin claimed: "He does not believe that he was over the limit. He is awaiting the results of the sample taken by Gardaí."

It added that the politician "is very mindful of the issue of drink driving particularly given the high level of fatalities on our roads [and] would be the first to be critical of anyone who would drive while over the limit."

Given that 93 people have died on southern roads this year, and 368 last year, I'm sure that this revelation in the mouth of the elections will not do the Ferris campaign any favours.

Then again, whatever the outcome of this incident, Ferris has shown he's not exactly a stranger to convictions or the inside of prisons.

The Gap Narrows In The Race For Control Of Leinster House

Two new polls have both shown a rise in support for Fine Gael and a drop for Fianna Fáil.

The Sunday Business Post's Red C poll shows Fianna Fáil down one point to 35%, with Fine Gael up four to 27%. Labour are down one to 11%, the PDs unchanged at 3%, the Greens up one to 9%, Sinn Féin is down two to 8%.

Meanwhile, a Millward Brown IMS poll in the Sindo shows Bertie Ahern's party at 38%, down one percentage point since January, while Enda Kenny's party has risen one percentage point to 23%. Fine Gael's possible coalition partner Labour's support is unchanged at 12%, while current government partners the Progressive Democrats have slipped one to 4%. The Greens have risen one point to 6%, while Sinn Féin are also up one to 8%.

Of course, the only real poll is the one which is just around the corner- the general election. Add to that the intricacies of proportional representation, plus the undoubted inter-party wheeling and dealing which will take place once the results have been announced, and it becomes clear that the make-up of the incoming government is far from obvious.

SDLP Announces Chairs and Vice-Chair For Stormont

The SDLP has announced its nominees for the top committee jobs to which it is entitled in the forthcoming assembly. They are:

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Chair: Mark Durkan
Environment Chair: Patsy McGlone
Education Vice-Chair: Dominic Bradley

This is in addition to the position of Social Development Minister, for which South Down MLA Margaret Ritchie has been selected.

Democracy, Republican Sinn Féin Style

It's the general idea of democracy that if organisations are going to act on behalf of the people then they should at least have the support of the people (or at least a sizeable chunk of the population.)

It's called a mandate.

However, for Republican Sinn Féin and its alter ego, the Continuity IRA, the will of the people doesn't seem to be of much consequence.

In the recent assembly elections, the 'party's' candidate in Fermanagh/ South Tyrone Michael McManus received a princely total of 431 votes (less than Alliance and less than right-wing fundamentalist Gerry McGeough). In West Belfast they received a grand total of some 437 votes (less than the Stickies and less than the Socialist Workers Party).

Now most parties would either pack up and go home, or organise better on the ground to try and secure more support in time for the next set of elections. But not Sinn Féin Poblachtach and the CIRA.

In an Easter message read out at conto paramilitary events across Ireland, the organisation's current crop of jailbirds in Maghaberry stated: "Supporters should remember that the struggle for Irish national liberation has never been measured by the number of votes which our movement have been afforded, but by the commitment of the small numbers who have remained steadfast and loyal to the Irish Republic."

So, regardless of the fact that the voters of Ireland have resoundingly rejected the RSF 'analysis', it dosen't seem to matter to them. Essentially, they've gone to the polls, lost, and have decided that it didn't matter anyway- they are right and the people of Ireland are wrong.

Charming.

Welcome to the Ireland of Republican Sinn Féin- uniting Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter (in opposition to their hare-brained schemes!)

Shooting Massacre At Virginia Tech University

Another shocking episode in the history of American mass-shootings has taken place with the news that over 20 30 people have been shot dead at Virginia Tech university. I'd like to take this opportunity to express my condolences.

And they say that the Second Amendment right to bear arms is a good idea...

Time For Ulster Unionists To Condemn Collusion

The recent Police Ombudsman's report into collusion between RUC Special Branch and UDA in north Belfast produced a predictable chorus of faux outrage from the two main unionist parties. However, a report in today's Sunday Life would seem to indicate that their knee-jerk reaction was, shall we say, slightly unwarranted, with the news that Ulster Unionist MP Robert Bradford may have been shot thanks to Special Branch/ IRA collusion.

At 11.30am on Saturday 14th November 1981, three provos carrying ladders and dressed in painters' boilersuits arrived at a community centre at Benmore Drive in Finaghy where Rev. Bradford was present. They first shot dead 29-year-old caretaker Kenneth Campbell and then pinned-down an RUC bodyguard and assassinated Rev. Bradford, who was MP for South Belfast at the time.

He was shot in the eye, chest, neck and ear.

According to sources in today's Sunday Life: "The Rev Bradford was a sitting duck. The IRA had checked out the (community) centre before as a possible venue for a hit. He had certainly been warned that he had to be extra careful when he was there, but the information before the shooting was 100pc certain that an attack would take place that Saturday, November 14th.

"This was not a general warning. We had someone in the IRA giving us information on the planned attack.

"I know for a fact that Special Branch also had someone inside giving them the same information.

"I couldn't believe it when the MP was taken out along with another civilian. "I made a point of finding out what went wrong. Our lot had put a great deal into this intelligence operation and I know Special Branch did, too.

"All the information was passed up (the chain of command), but nothing happened. I know that teams were prepared by the RUC to intercept the IRA team, but they were still on their way (to Finaghy) when the murders took place. They were too late. It was mind-boggling.

"But they shouldn't have been too late. They (the RUC) knew for three fucking days what was going to happen, but there was no operation put in place around the IRA team as they set off from Andersonstown, there was no operation put in place around Mr Bradford or his home on the Malone Road, and the operation for the community centre was still leaving the station when the murders took place.

"It defies belief that this could have happened, but it did. Army Intelligence would have had people on the ground the night before, for God's sake."

Of course sources need to be treated with caution, but there is no reason to believe that the allegations made in the press today are untrue. The more information that comes out about dirty trickery during the Troubles, the more we find how state and paramilitary forces worked hand-in-hand. And as this case shows, RUC collusion wasn't limited to loyalist paramilitaries- the provos and others were riddled with agents, a fact exemplified by the 'distinguished' careers of Scap and the late Denis Donaldson.

The Ulster Unionist Party needs to make a choice- does it wish to continue to be a cheerleader for obfuscation or a champion of truth?

As for the DUP, we cannot expect them to reject the actions of Special Branch given their very public dalliances with loyalist paramilitaries in the past. But today's report shows that the UUP suffered from collusion, so they must now be prepared to condemn the stinking record of Special Branch.

Democrats and those who can stand behind their respective organisations' record have no reason to block the facts of the Troubles being made public.

Some people may have seen the RUC as the Ulster Unionist Party in uniform, and to a large extent this may have been true, but it is quite clear that there was a force within a force that cared not for the party affiliation or religion of paramilitary targets. Can the Ulster Unionists continue to hand retrospective approval for this?

Sunday Sounds On El Blogador

Despite the proliferation of Sunday newspapers on the market, reading about the minutiae of politics on a Sunday morning under the influence of a hangover is far from pleasurable. So, as of today, each Sunday I'll be posting three music videos by a band on El Blogador to provide a little light relief (provided I remember to do so). This week, the band in question is Depeche Mode. If you've any requests, let DJ Matador know and I'll see what I can do.

'Big Lads' Strike Again

Yet again so-called republicans have attacked democrats who have made the effort to bring better policing to this part of the world. A suspect device was left at the home of former Strabane SDLP councillor Arthur McGarrigle- Arthur still sits on the local District Policing Partnership. This isn't the first time he has been hounded by these idiots- in 2003 the schoolteacher and trade union activist had his car burnt out outside Our Lady of Mercy school.

Also, over the weekend former SDLP councillor and ex-DPP member Mary McCrea had a bomb left outside her house. In the past, other party representatives in Tyrone have been attacked, including Patsy McGlone and Eugene McMenamin. After the latest spate of attacks, Eugene said: "Attacks like these only strengthen our resolve to continue. I admire the independent members, as well as the elected members of the District Policing Partnerships, who have had the guts to stick their necks out over the years for the betterment of everyone within our small island."

These attacks are nothing but the hallmark of mentally disturbed idiots who cannot deal with the repeated rejection of their warped ideals by the people of Ireland. The nation spoke in 1998 when it endorsed the Good Friday Agreement. The electorate of the north also spoke a few weeks back when it gifted dissident republicans only a handful of votes. Yet these reprobates still cannot accept the fact that they have no mandate and no support.

It's ironic that these self-styled Irish Republicans are the single biggest customer for British Army bomb disposal teams. You'd almost think they want the occupying forces to stay.

The people who risk their lives to sit on DPPs deserve to be saluted. Those who attack them deserve to be caged.

The Perfect Remedy

I don't know whether chocolate induces sleep, but with large amounts of it in egg-shaped format due to be consumed over the weekend, I'm sure the recommended sitting down and having some sugary tea will help.

Enjoy.

Sinn Féin: The Water Tax Party?

As mentioned earlier in my post about the assembly ministries, Sinn Féin’s South Antrim MLA Mitchel McLaughlin appears to have flown in the face of his party’s apparent opposition to water charges by claiming that people will pay the "legitimate cost" of running water to their houses.

On UTV news last night, McLaughlin said: "If we separate out the legacy cost and we set in front of people the legitimate cost of running a clean and healthy water supply to people’s houses, people are fair minded, they will pay that."

I think the problem lies in the fact that McLaughlin says that people will pay the cost of running the system- the fact is that we already pay for water, so this future cost McLaughlin speaks of is presumably on top of what we already fork out.

Following McLaughlin's comments, a row has erupted with the ‘We Won’t Pay Campaign’. Gary Mulcahy, secretary of the campaign passed censure on McLaughlin and Ian Paisley Jr. (for separate comments he made), saying: "Mitchell [sic] McLaughlin and Ian Paisley Jnr.’s comments are a slap in the face of everyone who voted for these parties after being told that they opposed water charges during the elections.

"The sheer brazenness of these politicians is staggering. Only a few weeks ago these parties claimed they were opposed to water charges but now they have the nerve to say that people will have to pay for the maintenance of our water and sewerage service through water charges. Why do they fail to mention that we already pay for water through the rates? Have the DUP and Sinn Féin all of a sudden contracted a mysterious case of collective amnesia?"

The We Won’t Pay Campaign added that "mass non-payment will teach these gangsters on the hill a lesson if they go ahead and introduce water charges. There is no support for this double-tax in working class communities across Northern Ireland. If they send bills to households they will be met with a mass boycott and the new Minister for Water Charges Conor Murphy will be left with egg on his face."

McLaughlin retorted by arguing: "Firstly politicians have no control over how television producers edit pre-recorded interviews but I have to say that even in the interview referred to by Mr Mulcahy at no time did I say that the Assembly would introduce water charges.

“Sinn Féin’s position is absolutely clear. We are opposed to people having to pay twice for any service. We have pointed out to the British government that we are already paying for water and sewage through the Regional rate. Sinn Féin will also lead the way in opposing any attempts to privatise our water service.

"Sinn Féin is adamant that the British government is responsible for the dire state of the water and sewage infrastructure because of their failure to invest money collected for this purpose through rates and they should provide the necessary finance to bring the system up to modern European standards.”

Mulcahy then responded to this response by saying: "In Mitchel McLaughlin’s reply he claims that Sinn Féin’s position is clear. In fact what he says is completely unclear. There is no firm commitment in his reply to abolish water charges completely.

"The simple question remains, will the new Sinn Féin minister issue any form of water bills or not? All we ask is a clear commitment that the entire water charges agenda will be fully scrapped.

"Until we get that commitment we can only go by Mitchell [sic] McLaughlin’s comment: 'If we separate out the legacy cost and we set in front of people the legitimate cost of running a clean and healthy water supply to people’s houses, people are fair minded, they will pay that.” In anybody’s language this means there will be bills delivered.'"

And so it goes on.

So is this another case of a Mitchel Mishap, or has Sinn Féin, having selected the Regional Development portfolio at Stormont, decided that consumers must fork out more for water in the future?

The Stormont Ministry Choices- What It Means

There is no doubting that yesterday’s development which saw the four main parties agree which ministries they would seek in the assembly was a positive step forward- who would have thought that by April we would have seen the Paisleyites and the Provos sitting face-to-face divvying up ministerial seats alongside the UUP and SDLP?

The choice of ministries the parties have made generally reflects the tack they will be taking when devolution is restored.

Democratic Unionist Party

The DUP took Finance, Trade and Enterprise, Environment, and Culture, Arts and Leisure.

In recent weeks the DUP has been casting itself as the tough negotiator in terms of squeezing cash from a tight-fisted British Treasury- clearly it intends to continue in this role, opting to control the purse strings of the assembly.

The selection of the Trade and Enterprise portfolio has been designed by Paisley’s party as a way of curbing North-South cooperation. If the DUP cut back on links, it will only be to the detriment of people across this island- although the island of Ireland is one nation, the fact remains that it is administered as two separate entities- as such, our friends in the republic are our nearest neighbours. It makes perfect sense to not only benefit from the economies of scale cross-border cooperation would bring, but also to capitalise on the success of the Celtic Tiger by allowing the benefits it has brought to permeate through the border to the north-eastern counties. Can the DUP continue their move beyond rhetoric, or will they continue to see northsouthery as anathema despite the fact that it would bring benefits?

The selection of the Environment ministry may be a sop to Jim Wells- there have been rumblings of discontent from the South Down MLA over the DUP’s decision to enter government with Sinn Féin, and it is understood that he was the only MLA who voted against the move at the recent party executive meeting. Last year he stood down as the party’s environment spokesperson, but his background in the RSPB and interest in nature may see him elevated to the role of Environment Minister in order to keep the assembly party unified.

The selection of the Culture, Arts and Lesiure portfolio can be viewed as a direct attempt by the DUP to stymie moves to introduce an Irish Language Act. Only this week, Ian Paisley said that he would not countenance any such legislation being passed by Stormont. Even if the act is passed by the Westminster Parliament, the DUP may use this ministry to frustrate its implementation.

Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin chose Education, Regional Development, and Agriculture.

Some commentators were surprised at Sinn Féin choosing to head-up Education again, but with Martin McGuinness having enjoyed a high level of publicity during his ‘reign’, particularly in relation to the eleven-plus, Sinn Féin will see the selection of this ministry as enabling them to finish what they started under the previous assembly. The proposal to abolish the eleven plus is popular among nationalists, with both the SDLP and Sinn Féin calling for it to be scrapped, so Sinn Féin will wish to capitalise on the idea that under the old assembly they started the move to get rid of the dreaded transfer test, and under the new assembly they will replace it with something altogether better.

The Regional Development portfolio is a potential hot potato for Sinn Féin, given that they will have to deal with issues such as water rates. Indeed, only yesterday Mitchel McLaughlin appeared on television stating that people will have to pay for their water, which is bizarre given the barrage of attack Sinn Féin has mounted against the SDLP for apparently saying the same thing a few years ago.

Sinn Féin’s decision to deal with Agriculture comes as no surprise- with the exception of West Belfast, Sinn Féin’s Westminster MPs all come from largely rural constituencies, the same constituencies in which the party did particularly well in the recent assembly elections. With a line of dark green stretching from West Tyrone round to Newry & Armagh, Sinn Féin will see delivery on agricultural issues as a way of maintaining their strength in these areas.

Ulster Unionist Party

The UUP has taken Health and Employment and Learning.

The Ulster Unionists recently said that Health Education was the ministry they would be targeting, and so it has has not come to pass. Although the Health portfolio is fraught with danger, there is no doubting that it is high profile and the UUP could definitely benefit if they box clever and deliver. Bairbre de Brún, despite producing mixed results when she was Health Minister, managed to use the role to boost her personal profile to the extent that she easily took a seat in 2004 when she ran for Sinn Féin in the European parliamentary elections. Indeed, there is a strong chance that UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy could take up the Health ministry, paving the way for his candidacy in the 2009 European elections where, if he decides to run, he will be seeking to hold the seat of his erstwhile constituency-mate Jim Nicholson.

The UUP’s selection of Employment and Learning will see them dealing with issues such university tuition fees, again something from which they could benefit if they do a good job. They may also need to deal with pay issues in Further Education colleges where lecturers have been forced to strike repeatedly on account of the British government holding back on pay rises to which they are entitled.

Social Democratic and Labour Party

The SDLP has taken Social Development.

This is an interesting choice from the SDLP, but one which may enable them to get back to their community roots. One of the SDLP’s biggest problems in recent years has been the party’s perceived detachment from grassroots politics. If they are seen to deliver for communities and people living in disadvantaged areas, it could lay the foundation for a rejuvenation of the SDLP’s strength at local level across the north. There is also the prospect that they may be able to call a halt to the British government’s proposed bankrolling of the UDA, a move which would be a vote winner in nationalist (and likewise many unionist) areas. Indeed, this ministry could enable the SDLP to guide funding for disadvantaged areas away from paramilitary-linked organisations and towards groups who exist to genuinely improve the lot of people living in their respective communities.

Although these choices are not set in stone, yesterday’s gentleman’s agreement will most likely see them remain as they stand. The question now is- how will they perform?

Fine Gael 'To Change National Anthem'

At first glance, today's April Fool's story in the Sunday Tribune may have seemed quite ludicrous (although some people fell for it hook, line and sinker) but bizarrely the claim that Fine Gael is planning to change the wording of the national anthem is not wholly divorced from reality.

Amhrán na bhFiann, which was written by Peadar Kearney in 1907 and translated into Irish by Bulmer Hobson, originally had as its first line "Sinne Laochra Gaedheal" meaning "we the heroes of Ireland". However, a subsequent Fianna Fáil government decided in their wisdom to replace it with "Sinne Fianna Fáil".

If the Tribune's comedic (but not so unbelievable) premonition does come to pass, it will be interesting to see what we end up with if a Fine Gael/ Labour/ Green government is formed after the forthcoming southern elections- I don't think "Sinne Fine Gael Páirtí an Lucht Oibre An Comhaontas Glas" has quite the same ring to it...