Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

sligoman2014

EuskalHerria wrote: »

So he would have left FF due to the removal of cancer services. However FG making false promises about the reintroduction of services falls under a different moral category does it?

You can decide what is worse, removing vital services or making promises on those important services to win votes. I think both are rephrehensible.
If Matt Lyons left FG in the morning it would still do nothing to justify taking the man seriously as a politician. He was almost venemous in his condemnation of FF, and rightly so. Then after the 100 day pledge had passed he was nowhere to be seen or heard. His convictions obviously hidden behind the title "cllr" after the elections had taken place.

There's nothing to calm the fiery passions of a politician like being elected.

I judge local politicians on what they do locally, I don't care what party they are from or what their party do nationally, I judge them at general elections...you say he can't be taken seriously as a politician, well you are wrong, a couple of reasons I have time for him are he has twice in the past used a casting vote as mayor for the benefit of sligo, once to ensure the inner relief road went ahead and once only couple years ago to ensure the eastern bridge was put back in the development plan.Now he won't get my no.1, as a cllr that done something for me will but he will get no.2 because he stands by what he believes is best for sligo and I admire that, this town is bad enough but if the inner relief road hadn't gone ahead it would be dead and buried.......as for promising cancer services returned I just checked, FG never promised that p re-elected, labour did......ass for the 100 day thing well that was all Perry the clown

genie

I think we should compile our own list of candidates. I don't think we're going to find one anywhere else.

sligoman2014

genie wrote: »

I think we should compile our own list of candidates. I don't think we're going to find one anywhere else.

Registration for candidates doesn't close for another 10 days so no one is going to print a list till then.....I don't know about south sligo but so far 19 have declared for the sligo area....4 FF,2 SF,2 LAB,6 FG and 5 IND

Son Of A Vidic

magnumlady wrote: »

With local elections in May, what questions will you be asking canvassers when they come calling to your door?

My primary concern will be, how did they make it alive to my front door past my German Shepherds? :pac:

EuskalHerria

sligoman2014 wrote: »

...you say he can't be taken seriously as a politician, well you are wrong

I didn't realise subjective opinions could be wrong.

a couple of reasons I have time for him are he has twice in the past used a casting vote as mayor for the benefit of sligo, once to ensure the inner relief road went ahead and once only couple years ago to ensure the eastern bridge was put back in the development plan.

Incredible that a new poster makes their first post in defence of a comment I made over a month ago. Perhaps I'm always the skeptic, however its incredible that your comment includes almost the first lines of Matt Lyons campaign message: http://sligodeals.com/?page_id=238

as for promising cancer services returned I just checked, FG never promised that p re-elected, labour did......ass for the 100 day thing well that was all Perry the clown

Feel free to make Perry, a man not currently looking for re-election, a scapegoat. However his attendance, promises and messages to drum up support for FG at the Save Our Services meetings on a weekly basis are not forgotten. Also his numerous appearances at protests with Tony McLoughlin etc. are also not forgotten by some. Although he can choose his moments to stand up to his party when he wants, especially if it appears to be a good tactic to get his name in the papers knowing there won't really be any consequences to a local council motion.
In the 2009 Ocean FM debate he was quite clear in saying that he would have resigned and that he felt that the decision would have been reversed had FF members across the region stood up to the government of the times decision. His strong feelings left wanting, again, once he was elected. He also spoke about the downgrading of Sligo General and how terrible it was, it seems as though this is now acceptable under the current government.

The man himself said he would leave one party for removing the services, yet didn't feel as strongly when the party he represents refused to follow through on their numerous promises. Its a reflection of the mans weak character that he was not willing to make a similar stand after he had been elected.
I'm not here to change your mind or tell you that you're wrong. Mr Lyons himself said at the time, "A strong message needs to be sent to the government". I think that strong message still needs to be sent, and he certainly is not the man vote for to send that message.

mountainy man

Earlier this evening I had a leaflet from Cllr Martin Baker FF. stuck in my door frame, I was in the house and only heard them as they were driving away(in a merc!), he didn't knock to try and canvass or engage with me. This seems so cowardly and am pissed off that I could not talk with him, is this now common with these people that they throw the leaflet and run? He obviously doesn't care about my vote.

I add that I could not read the scrawl of a note written at the bottom of the leaflet such was his pre-school handwriting.

Same here in Ballisodare this evening with Jim Higgins. Leaflets through the letterbox, which went straight into recycling unread! Seems they are getting a negative reaction from the plebs hence the non engagement!

Buford T Justice

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Anyone here said their piece to any of the calling candidates? I missed Matt Lyons this evening which is a shame, I had that tirade lined up and ready to go.

You sure he actually called himself? Out of all the recycling I've had through my door the only two that were courageous enough to come to my door was Jim McGarry and Rosaleen O'Grady, all the rest just pushed leaflets through the door. If you can't be bothered to canvas, I can't be bothered to vote for you.

sligoman2014 wrote: »

I judge local politicians on what they do locally, I don't care what party they are from or what their party do nationally, I judge them at general elections...you say he can't be taken seriously as a politician, well you are wrong, a couple of reasons I have time for him are he has twice in the past used a casting vote as mayor for the benefit of sligo, once to ensure the inner relief road went ahead and once only couple years ago to ensure the eastern bridge was put back in the development plan.Now he won't get my no.1, as a cllr that done something for me will but he will get no.2 because he stands by what he believes is best for sligo and I admire that, this town is bad enough but if the inner relief road hadn't gone ahead it would be dead and buried.......as for promising cancer services returned I just checked, FG never promised that p re-elected, labour did......ass for the 100 day thing well that was all Perry the clown

You talking about Declan Bree here? He no more has the interests of the people of Sligo at heart than I do of the homeless situation in Detroit or somewhere like that. That crook came to our door looking for votes some years ago and was all for the eastern bridge to go ahead. So he got our votes and the people of our area on that basis. Once he was elected and the meetings about the eastern bridge came to, he had the bare face cheek to spout off that he had the backing of all of the people of my area to vote against the eastern bridge. He voted against it because he was more concerned about the people of Doorly park than he was about us. He's a selective public representative, and a dirty rotten liar. (article here)I will never vote for him ever again. Needless to say he has never come back over here to canvass and I'd be very surprised if he does this year. That'd be fun.

Oh, I also remember some years ago when he was canvassing he called to the door. At the time I was working in Finisklin and I complained about the pedestrianisation of O'Connell St. As with everything else in Sligo it was done hap hazardly and made the commute to work much harder having to go around because of piss poor traffic management. He was all for having it car free and the best thing since sliced bread because it was his idea, and tried to tell me that no way would I use it to go to work if it was re-opened to traffic, despite me telling him I would. (PS, I'm all for having it pedestrian traffic only, but for god's sake do it properly)

Lo and behold when the street was re-opened to traffic at 8am on a monday morning who was there at the top of the street to get his photo in the paper to say 'Look at me'?

You guessed it. Our one and only Cllr Declan Bree. (Crook)

sligoface

I just put a sign on my door saying no canvassers, tired of these muppets disturbing me in the evening when I want a bit of peace. Between the leaflets which say nothing and the posters which say nothing, why do they bother. None of these materials have any info on them which would persuade me to give them my vote, probably because they haven't got a clue about, or more likely don't care about, what they should or could accomplish if elected.

My voting strategy is basically get rid of Fine Gael and Labour, nothing but austerity merchants this lot. Though to be honest I can barely bother to go to the polls at all I'm so disenchanted with the crowd of eejits we let into government at every level. Sligo has already been run into the ground by ineptitude, and unfortunately opportunities to enhance the town were missed and it's too late now because there is no money. The hospital is in a tragic state. Half the shops are gone. There's no work for anybody. Doubt if any of this crowd could do anything to solve those issues. They'd have better luck stopping the rain coming down!

genie

These are the lists of candidates so far Click.

The list for the Ballymote/Tubbercurry District makes for depressing reading. Only two independents and only one woman. :rolleyes:

I hope some more candidates throw their hats into the ring because as the list stands, there is no one there I would vote for, and I do want to vote.

EuskalHerria

This could be of interest. Salaries and expenses claimed over 2012 and 2013 released today.

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=31068

Cawley, Veronica (Ind) €88,771
McGrath, Pat (FG) €79,775
Mullaney, Gerard (FG) €75,975
Fleming, Michael (FG) €72,693
Mulvey, Dara (FG) €70,981
Barrett, Mary (FG) €68,408
Lyons, Matt (FG) €66,654
McGarry, Jim (Lab) €65,442
Lundy, Jerry (FF) €60,048
Keany, Hubert (FG) €57,763
Collery, Thomas, (FG) €55,253
O'Grady, Rosaleen (FF) €55,247
Baker, Martin (FF) €55,021
Collery, Thomas, (FG) €55,253
Queenan, Joe (FF) €54,211
Barry, Patsy (FF) €53,736
MacManus, Sean (SF) €53,476
Clarke, Michael (Ind) €53,057
Devins, Jude (FF) €51,975
Murray, Gerry FG (RIP) €51,108
Healy-McGowan (FF) €50,796
Gormley, Margaret (Ind) €50,792
Cawley, David, (FG) €50,665
Bree, Declan, (Ind) €50,367
McLoughlin, Aoife (FG) C/O €47,119
Leonard, Joe (FG) €44,581

EuskalHerria

Ocean FM have started their electoral debates in the mornings.

They can be listened to again here: http://soundcloud.com/oceanfm

sligoface

EuskalHerria wrote: »

This could be of interest. Salaries and expenses claimed over 2012 and 2013 released today.

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=31068

Cawley, Veronica (Ind) €88,771
McGrath, Pat (FG) €79,775
Mullaney, Gerard (FG) €75,975
Fleming, Michael (FG) €72,693
Mulvey, Dara (FG) €70,981
Barrett, Mary (FG) €68,408
Lyons, Matt (FG) €66,654
McGarry, Jim (Lab) €65,442
Lundy, Jerry (FF) €60,048
Keany, Hubert (FG) €57,763
Collery, Thomas, (FG) €55,253
O'Grady, Rosaleen (FF) €55,247
Baker, Martin (FF) €55,021
Collery, Thomas, (FG) €55,253
Queenan, Joe (FF) €54,211
Barry, Patsy (FF) €53,736
MacManus, Sean (SF) €53,476
Clarke, Michael (Ind) €53,057
Devins, Jude (FF) €51,975
Murray, Gerry FG (RIP) €51,108
Healy-McGowan (FF) €50,796
Gormley, Margaret (Ind) €50,792
Cawley, David, (FG) €50,665
Bree, Declan, (Ind) €50,367
McLoughlin, Aoife (FG) C/O €47,119
Leonard, Joe (FG) €44,581

Thanks for posting this. These numbers are disgraceful when you consider the financial state of Sligo. No wonder they're so keen to get elected when you can write off such huge amounts. What the freak is Veronica Cawley spending all that money on?!! As someone who tends to favor independent candidates I can tell you not a hope I'm giving her my vote when she's claiming that amount of taxpayer money outside of her salary. How can she be claiming nearly double the fella at the bottom of the list?

I'm trying to make a euro out of 99p, barely able to afford my rent and bills and food now that I've lost my job. I have a health issue that I've been waiting two years to see a specialist for and was told yesterday I have no hope of being seen in Sligo and have to go to Dublin or they'll take me off the list altogether, even though I've told them I cannot afford to travel for the treatment. When I was working I paid thousands in USC and I guess this where it went, for these inept moneygrabbers, cause it has done absolutely nothing to help me in my time of need. Water charges won't be a strain on the households of politicians that's for sure.

rizzodun

I had Jim McGarry call to my door the other week, firstly two of his canvassers, they looked confused when I asked was he about I wanted to talk instead of just taking the leaflet, he finally appeared after much awkward small talk with the canvassers, shook my hand and backed away from the door to the front gate as I tried to ask him some questions. Struck me as a man who knows how many votes he has and how many extra he needs to get in, obviously I must have been too much hard work.

genie

I can't seem to edit my previous post, so I just want to correct what I wrote. In the Ballymote/Tubbercurry District there are three independents (although one previously stood as a Fianna Fáil candidate) and two female candidates.

Gomer Pyle

Had 2 candidates call to my door this week. Know both of them personally, both previously unelected, so had a chat with them. One focused on the hospital the other austerity, water charges etc.

Pointed out these issues were not in the remit of the CC (new name??) and therefore if they got elected would have no influence on these issues. Both seemed anxious when i highlighted this to them.
Asked them about a few local issues they would have a say in, traffic, rates, housing etc and neither could give a direct answer.
Felt quite disappointed with/for them, although i will be giving a first preference to one of them.

Kettleson

Gomer Pyle wrote: »

Had 2 candidates call to my door this week. Know both of them personally, both previously unelected, so had a chat with them. One focused on the hospital the other austerity, water charges etc.

Pointed out these issues were not in the remit of the CC (new name??) and therefore if they got elected would have no influence on these issues. Both seemed anxious when i highlighted this to them.
Asked them about a few local issues they would have a say in, traffic, rates, housing etc and neither could give a direct answer.
Felt quite disappointed with/for them, although i will be giving a first preference to one of them.

Very interesting post and very telling. For most of them, it's all hot air, talking
about things that they think will get them in, but either by ignorance or connivance, they can in reality change very little or keep the promises they make. No real surprise there but a great door-step reveal.

May I ask, with respect. Why do you still intend to give one of them your first preference? Is that party allegiance or because you think that they are the best person for the job?

Seems to me with that experience, I would be looking to elect someone who knew fully about their real opportunity to effect changes locally, and not someone who will eagerly talk nonsense on the doorstep in an attempt to further their own political career.

EuskalHerria

For those who may want to familiarirse themselves with the ballot paper.

EuskalHerria

Save Our Services had an Ad in The Weekender today.

thebuzz

EuskalHerria wrote: »

For those who may want to familiarirse themselves with the ballot paper.

Why does it say Veronica Cawley is a public representative when she works in IT Sligo? Is she trying to hide that she has another wage? It's already bad enough that she's taking the piss with her expenses.

Buford T Justice

thebuzz wrote: »

Why does it say Veronica Cawley is a public representative when she works in IT Sligo? Is she trying to hide that she has another wage? It's already bad enough that she's taking the piss with her expenses.

You think she's the only one at it?

thebuzz

Buford T Justice wrote: »

You think she's the only one at it?

At what? Not being fully truthful about her job or taking the piss with expenses? No she's not the only one taking the piss with expenses but she did claim the highest. And others have listed their actual jobs but she hasn't.

Mint Sauce

Is there any debates being heldthis week. All the candidates were calling around before I had questions. Now that I have questions, all I get is sorry I missed you notes.

rizzodun

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Is there any debates being heldthis week. All the candidates were calling around before I had questions. Now that I have questions, all I get is sorry I missed you notes.

From what I've experienced they don't tend to wait long enough to answer the questions you ask. I'd love to see a free to attend public debate, see how their spiel holds up in front of an audience.

EuskalHerria

rizzodun wrote: »

From what I've experienced they don't tend to wait long enough to answer the questions you ask. I'd love to see a free to attend public debate, see how their spiel holds up in front of an audience.

Ocean FM are holding the Sligo debates this week. It's split into two mornings with all the candidates, over Tuesday and Wednesday. I believe there will be time for questions from the floor and you can attend the debate in person or txt/email questions in on the morning. However the format is going to be messy so I wouldn't be too sure of too many questions from listeners or from the floor.

Text: 083 3500530
Call: 0818 365 500
Email: comments@oceanfm.ie

rizzodun

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Ocean FM are holding the Sligo debates this week. It's split into two mornings with all the candidates, over Tuesday and Wednesday. I believe there will be time for questions from the floor and you can attend the debate in person or txt/email questions in on the morning. However the format is going to be messy so I wouldn't be too sure of too many questions from listeners or from the floor.

Text: 083 3500530
Call: 0818 365 500
Email: comments@oceanfm.ie

What a load of sh*te, I work during the week, why can't they hold it on an evening or weekend, possibly a Sunday, I know people work on Sunday's but it's less than work on a weekday morning.

I guess I'll have to hope they post a podcast of it or something, and maybe email in some questions on the hope they answer one, but I doubt many will get the right to ask a follow up question when they undoubtedly dodge the very question they get asked.

EuskalHerria

rizzodun wrote: »

What a load of sh*te, I work during the week, why can't they hold it on an evening or weekend, possibly a Sunday, I know people work on Sunday's but it's less than work on a weekday morning.

I guess I'll have to hope they post a podcast of it or something, and maybe email in some questions on the hope they answer one, but I doubt many will get the right to ask a follow up question when they undoubtedly dodge the very question they get asked.

The debates are organised by the north west today programme on Ocean FM. That programme is only on during the week, not weekends. Without the show I wouldn't imagine there would be any debate at all.

If you miss the show the debates will be uploaded here: http://m.soundcloud.com/oceanfm

thebuzz

Great to see such interest in Sligo Rovers all of a sudden. Hope they remember there's games after the elections too.

rizzodun

EuskalHerria wrote: »

The debates are organised by the north west today programme on Ocean FM. That programme is only on during the week, not weekends. Without the show I wouldn't imagine there would be any debate at all.

If you miss the show the debates will be uploaded here: http://m.soundcloud.com/oceanfm

I suppose oceam fm have never heard of doing a special or changing the schedule to suit, thanks for the link though.

rizzodun

rizzodun wrote: »

I suppose oceam fm have never heard of doing a special or changing the schedule to suit, thanks for the link though.

Couldn't listen to it as it will just get interesting when they have to break for news or adverts, the usual " we've run out of time". There should be more flexibility with the schedule especially for elections!