Campaign
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams (formerly an MP and MLA for Belfast West) announced on 15 November 2010 that he would resign both of these posts and contest the next Irish general election in order to contest the Louth constituency vacated by Arthur Morgan.
A number of election candidates were given formal warnings not to place election posters until the date had been announced.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin stated that they would not rule out supporting a minority Fine Gael government if their policies were in line with Fianna Fáil's programme for economic recovery. On 31 January 2011 Martin named Mary Hanafin as the new deputy leader, while the government chief whip John Curran was named as justice spokesman. Barry Andrews was appointed as health spokesman, Billy Kelleher, transport, Peter Power, foreign affairs and trade and Niall Collins defence. He also appointed Willie O'Dea, a former Minister of Defence who resigned in February 2010 over an affidavit controversy as communications spokesperson. Brian Lenihan would continue as the finance spokesman in addition to being Finance Minister.
In early February, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet told political parties to go ahead with the terms of the EU-IMF financial bailout plan. This came despite Fine Gael and Labour saying they would like to see a renegotiation of some of the key elements of the deal.
Micheál Martin was involved in an alleged racist gaffe, mocking a Chinese accent while speaking on his party's innovation proposals at the Dublin Web Summit.
During the campaign, there were numerous reports of infighting between Fianna Fáil candidates Peter Power and Willie O'Dea in Limerick City, Cyprian Brady and Mary Fitzpatrick in Dublin Central, and Mary Hanafin and Barry Andrews in Dún Laoghaire.
Read more about this topic: Irish General Election, 2011
Famous quotes containing the word campaign:
“Now, Mr. President, we don’t intend to trouble you during the campaign but after you are elected, then look out for us!”
—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)
“Dianne’s not one of the boys, but she’s not one of the girls, either.”
—Marcia Smolens, U.S. political campaign aide. As quoted in Dianne Feinstein, ch. 15, by Jerry Roberts (1994)
“The war on privilege will never end. Its next great campaign will be against the privileges of the underprivileged.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)