'Sinn Fein is like a cornered rat at the moment riddled by embarrassing controversies'

'Fine Gael and our young Taoiseach Simon Harris smell blood'

Politics is a dirty and rotten old business. Its dog eat dog in the quest for power and the dark arts are regularly used to damage and destroy opponents.

Our main opposition party Sinn Fein is like a cornered rat at the moment riddled by embarrassing controversies which could and should have been avoided.

The rows with sitting deputies Patricia Ryan and Brian Stanley are happening at the wrong time with only weeks to go to a General Election. Both TDs have now left the party, bitter and angry.

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Ryan wasn't happy with the way she was being treated in Kildare while Stanley who represents Laois/Offaly was at the centre of an internal party inquiry into an allegation that he acted in breach of its rules.

I don't know the precise allegations against the chairman of the highly prestigious Dail Public Accounts Committee but the the issue has now been referred to the Gardai.

Mr Stanley says he is totally innocent and is being stitched up by people out to get him and destroy his reputation within the Sinn Fein organisation.

Sinn Fein will now force Brian Stanley to step down from the PAC which is a great shame because in fairness he was a bloody good chairman and did an excellent job handling the recent crisis at RTE.

Both Stanley and Ryan will now run as independent republicans against the shinners come polling day. Fine Gael and our young Taoiseach Simon Harris smell blood. They know Sinn Fein are in turmoil and there for the taking.

Our Justice Minister Helen McEntee was dispatched to the Week In Politics TV show to put the boot into Mary Lou McDonald and her gang with talk of kangaroo courts, the silencing of party members, texting children inappropriately, and Sinn Fein not fit for Government.

McEntee couldn't help herself. She had that many daggers to throw. There is nothing a blueshirt hates more than a Shinner.

Mary Lou McDonald went public on Newstalk and said no one was above her party rules. The leaders of the party had to observe the rules and regulations as much as ordinary party members. The same rules applied to everyone and if they were broken, firm action had to be taken.

The Sinn Fein leader denied the party is like a secret society that silences internal criticism or debate. She claimed despite these public squabbles and setbacks they are ready for a General Election whenever it happens.

There is little doubt the Sinn Fein juggernaut is slowing down and in trouble. But the mainstream political parties would be foolish to write them off just yet.

There is nothing the public hates more than a smug party in Government and smug ministers.

No one wants to hear Fine Gael lecturing us all when they have been in office for a tiresome 14 years and have made plenty of mistakes themselves over the years starting with the savage cost overruns at the National Children's Hospital never mind their failure to solve the housing crisis.

In fact houses only started being built when Fianna Fail took the housing mantle off Fine Gael when they joined the current coalition government in 2020.

Houses are still not being built fast enough and the issue along with soaring rents and the cost of living will be the three main issues in this election.

Fine Gael in particular are really vulnerable on housing. They may try to blame Fianna Fail but it won't wash with the public.

Mary Lou who only two years ago was tipped to be the next Taoiseach and is now only an outside bet, needs to get her mojo back.

She needs to hit the highways of Ireland at 100 miles an hour and convince the voters that her party is fit for office and is not living in the dark ages when it was run by shadowy figures from the Provisional IRA.

She needs to tell the people what she and her colleagues can deliver for the country and outline her vision for Ireland for the next decade.

Mary Lou must rebuild the trust she once had with the people of Ireland and to reassure the middle classes she is not out to crucify them.

We need a strong, honest Sinn Fein for our democracy since the ego ridden Labour and the Social Democrats refuse to amalgamate together.

The smart money says the election will now be held on November 22 next. The current Government needs to pass both the Finance Bill and social welfare bill for Budget 2025 before they announce the date.

Sinn Feinhad a bad day at the office during the local election but I would expect them to bounce back and a poll far better in a general election. Where they may struggle is picking up transfers from other parties and this could cost them some seats.

Anything can happen during a 3 or 4 week election campaign. The spotlight is on Sinn Fein at the moment but it can shift very quickly to either Fine Gael or Fianna Fail .

They all have skeletons in the cupboards, and they all want to keep them there. As far as the political strategists are concerned, the less the voter knows the better.

It won't be all plain sailing for the Government parties, they must convince the public they are worth re-electing something that is traditionally very difficult to do.

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