No analysis here of the events gone by.  Well not yet. In fact you will have enough of that everywhere else on and off line.  Thanks to all for helping me out before and during the campaign and also on making the count more accessible.  Special thanks to everyone for all their emails, tips and hints – especially the TD desperation letters – most of them upon reflection were  unheeded as everyone I saw lost their seats except for Brian Lenihan I think.

Unsurprisingly enough I’m reading about the launch of the campaign to keep Labour in opposition – within the Labour Party that is.  It’s a small campaign mind you.

Dammed if they do and Double Dammed if they don’t maybe? And there will be  no looking for troubleshooters like programme managers of the 92-97 governments.   The Programme Managers kept those governments on message and focussed.  But there will be no money or want to see money spent in this way or no want for such posts to keep things ticking over.  Plenty of SpAd’s though (special advisers).  CV’s dusted off and people being nice over the next few weeks no doubt.

Expect lots of media coverage of the issues (including those which might be sent in by all the lobby groups.  Have thought before that the period after an election when everyone is shattered/upset or running round scared at the fact they have actually got elected is the worst time to form a government.

The ULA (best marketing decision ever by that group to group and rebrand by the way – no huge policy though so other than being against everything I still am not sure what they are for) and Sinn Fein will make Labour’s life extremely difficult from the opposition benches.  There are several lefty independents also depending on the way the wind is blowing.

Cue all the ‘waiting for the phone to ring’ phraseology and FG/Lab people being nice to each other on various TV and Radio programmes. (Are we not fed up of it already?)  And of course there are the Seanad nominations closing this week.   Savetheseanad.com is not registered yet but I have a mind to.

Ok sleep.