baycuharcia

Ireland is voting today in a general election some have billed as the most important in the republic’s history. Economic woes have dominated the campaign, notably the massive multi-billion euro bailout agreed with the EU and IMF. The opposition Fine Gael has promised to re-negotiate the terms of the rescue deal if elected. It looks certain to take power, with voters ready to dump the ruling Fianna Fail party. “No one has any money, you know, you work and work and work, and at the end of the day it’s getting taken back to pay what the politicians and banks have spent,” one woman said. Such sentiments appear widespread, with many voters accusing the government of mishandling the banking crisis which brought the once lauded ‘Celtic Tiger’ to its knees. The big question is whether Fine Gael will win an outright majority or need a coalition partner, most likely to be the Labour party.