Arthur Morgan elected TD for Louth

Date: 19th May '02

Name: article from RM Irish news round up

Flash: Arthur Morgan elected TD for Louth
* Michael Noonan resigns as Fine Gael leader

As counting continues in the 26-County general election, Sinn
Fein's Arthur Morgan has won a seat in Louth from Labour's
Michael Bell on the seventh count following the elimination of
Bell, one of Labour's old guard.

It was a relatively comfortable victory in the end, and had not
been in much doubt since the boxes were fully tallied this
afternoon.

Mr Morgan now joins Caoimhghin O Caolain as a Sinn Fein TD in a
border area, following Mr O Caolain's emphatic return to the Dail
on the first count earlier toady. The failure of the British
government to act on demilitarisation in the border area
undoubtedly contributed to their election success.

In Dublin South-Central, Aengus O Snodaigh is considered certain
of a Sinn Fen seat as a long process of elimination continues.
But Dessie Ellis narrowly missed out another seat in Dublin
North-West on the last count.

A recount is underway in Dublin Central, where Sinn Fein's Nicky
Kehoe is a mere 74 votes behind Fianna Fail's Dermot Fitzpatrick
after the seventh and final count.

With all of the constituencies having made a first declaration in
Friday's 26 County election, the returns for all the parties are
as follows:

Fianna Fail 41.5% (+2.2%)
Fine Gael 22.5% (-5.4%)
Labour 10.8% (-2.1%)
Sinn Fein 6.5% (+4.0%)
Progressive Democrats 4.0% (-0.7%)
Green Party 3.8% (+1.0%)
Others 10.9% (+1.1%)

Despite only a minor increase in their support to 41%, Fianna
Fail has benefited from lower-order preferences from all the
oppostion parties and has won about 50% of the seats. Party
leader Bertie Ahern is set to form the next government and
remain in power for another five years.

Fine Gael, the main opposition party, saw its seat total decline
precipitously as it lost over a fifth of itts vote share. Michael
Noonan resigned as party leader as 9pm tonight.

The latest score for the party seat totals are:

Fianna Fail - 63 seats
Fine Gael - 21 seats
Labour - 18 seats
Sinn Fein - 4 seats
Progressive Democrats - 4 seats
Green Party - 5 seats
Others - 11 seats

The main story of the election, despite a fawning in the media
over the returning Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, is the trebling of the
support for Sinn Fein. Another significant factor is the rise in
support for progressive and community candidates across the
country.

NOONAN RESIGNS AS FINE GAEL LEADER

As expected, Michael Noonan has resigned as the leader of Fine
Gael, the main opposition party in the 26 Counties.

Noonan paid tribute to his election campaign colleagues but took
full responsibility for the party's electoral melt-down and felt
obliged to resign. Unusual for an opposition leader, he had
fared very poorly in public opinion polls, touching an approval
rate of just 30%.

His resignation was as quick as it was inevitable. Party
colleagues broadly hinted that he should "consider his position"
as early as last night.

Fine Gael was always a party in trouble, on the wrong end of a
political transormation which is gripping Ireland, North and
South. Major Fine Gael figures have now been evicted from the
political scene -- Austin Currie, Alan Dukes, Nora Owen, Alan
Shatter and others were ousted, some forever.

Former party leader John Bruton spoke highly of the enthusiasm
and passion of Sinn Fein activists, and the manner in which they
were willing to work for seats which might be several elections
way. He said his party needed that passion also.

He said his party needed to reinvent itself and its defining
political philosophy. Its image as a conservative and unionist
party, aging and boring, devoid of new ideas and out of touch
with its electorate, is being increasingly shunned by voters.

For Labour, times are also not good. Their failure to make
progress was symbolised by the removal of Dick Spring, former
Tanaiste [Deputy Prime Minister] from his inherited family seat
in Kerry North.

Commentators are beginning to speak of a phase transition in
Irish public life, as long-standing figures in Fine Gael and
Labour make way for a more representative set of progressive and
community-based candidates.

Labour leader Ruairi Quinn blamed his party's problems on a
failure by the electorate to appreciate the merit of Labour
policies. But others have suggested the rise of Sinn Fein,
coupled to gains for the Green Party and independents, simply
provided the "opposition" with too much opposition.

Despite the Fianna Fail success, Minister Mary O'Rourke was a
significant casualty as she failed to win a seat in Westmeath.
Speaking on RTE television, O'Rourke castigated her party for
making it difficult for her to win a seat.

Returned Taoiseach, Fianna Fail leader Bertie Ahern, is still a
few seats short of an overall majority with a number of
constituencies not yet decided. Ahern welcomed the election
result but said he wanted to avoid another election for another
five years.

He hinted he would favour a return of the Progressive Democrats
party to a coalition government rather than rely on the support
of a few "Fianna Fail Independents" - Fianna Fail members who ran
indepedently after failing to win the support of their
constituency organisations.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams paid tribute to the "integrity
and dignity" of Michael Noonan's resignation decision.

Mr Adams suggested that the difference between the two parties
was that Sinn Fein "knows its core values". "We want to see
equality now," he said.

He said the election could mark a redefinition of Irish politics.
"Fianna Fail's biggest asset was that Fine Gael's opposition was
a bit anaemic given that were in government at the time of the
Celtic Tiger."

He also pointed out that it was the first time he had been
allowed to take part in a discussion of 26 County politics on
RTE, Ireland's national television station.

"I'm only here when the election's over," he complained, adding
that the local election to come in the south could mark another
significant breakthrough.

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