Editing Fianna Fáil (section)

==Organisation and structure==
Fianna Fáil uses a structure called a cumann system. The basic unit was the ''[[cumann]]'' (branch); these were grouped into ''comhairlí ceantair'' (district branches) and a ''comhairle dáil ceantair'' (constituency branch) in every constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fianna-Fail|title=Fianna Fail {{!}} History, Policies, & Facts|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20|archive-date=20 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720194559/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fianna-Fail|url-status=live}}</ref> The party claimed that in 2005 they had 50,000 registered names, but only an estimated 10,000–15,000 members were considered active.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/fianna-fail-faces-crisis-in-party-s-structure-says-report-1.440237|title=Fianna Fail faces crisis in party's structure, says report|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20|archive-date=29 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529205655/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/fianna-fail-faces-crisis-in-party-s-structure-says-report-1.440237|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, from the early 1990s onward, the ''cumann'' structure was weakened. Every ''cumann'' was entitled to three votes to selection conventions irrespective of its size; hence, a large number of ''cumainn'' had become in effect "paper ''cumainn''", the only use of which was to ensure an aspiring or sitting candidate got enough votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fianna-fail-s-decline-1.441081|title=Fianna Fail's decline|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128174418/https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fianna-fail-s-decline-1.441081|url-status=live}}</ref> Although this phenomenon was nothing new (the most famous example being [[Neil Blaney]]'s "Donegal Mafia").<ref name="komito">{{cite thesis |url=http://www.ucd.ie/lis/staff/komito/thesis.htm |type=PhD |title=Politics and Clientelism in Urban Ireland: Information, reputation, and brokerage |first=Lee |last=Komito |date=1985 |publisher=University Microfilms International |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan |id=8603660 |quote=The only exception was Neil Blaney in Donegal. Blaney had a very strong personal following in Donegal and, perhaps most importantly, was able to claim that it was everyone who remained in Fianna Fáil that had actually departed from party ideals. In nationalist Donegal, the claim that he represented the true Fianna Fáil seemed effective. |access-date=24 June 2013 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222033654/http://www.ucd.ie/lis/staff/komito/thesis.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since the 2007 election, the party's structure has significantly weakened. This was in part exacerbated by significant infighting between candidates in the run-up to the 2011 general election.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=White |author-link=Michael White (journalist) |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/25/irish-general-election-parties-divided |title=Irish general election turns into slanging match with parties divided |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 February 2011 |access-date=27 February 2011 |location=London |archive-date=21 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921065508/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/25/irish-general-election-parties-divided |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The Irish Times'' estimated that half of its 3,000 ''cumainn'' were effectively moribund. This fraction rose in [[Dublin]] with the exception of [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]], the former seat of both [[Brian Lenihan Snr]] and [[Brian Lenihan Jnr]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0827/1224303046802.html |title=Fianna Fáil has lost the local knowledge. The grassroots are not being listened to |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=27 August 2011 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=30 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830101724/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0827/1224303046802.html |url-status=live }}</ref>