Election called for Saturday 8 February

James Brown

mariaalice wrote: »

One of the big issue with politics:

Before the election, Steven Donnelly blames Simon Harris personally for the problems of the HSE.

The election is looming and Simon Donnelly is afraid he might actually become minister for health he gives an interview where he says one person can't sort out the health services it will involve big changes involving several stakeholders.

In other words in opposition its the minister's individual responsibility, potentially in power it's not the minister's individual responsibility.

I disagree. The buck has to stop somewhere. And who is better placed than the minister to push for change?
It's not about blame. The blame comes in based on their tenure and any action or in-action on their part, how they handle situations etc.

James Brown

BarryD2 wrote: »

Did you ever see Tallaght back in the 1970s/ 80s? It was like a third world country - housing estates & blocks interspersed with patches of grass and mud. The occasional concrete complex with a few small shops with iron bars over the windows. That was the reality of 'cheap housing'.

That's poor planning. Same with Ballymun. The local shop was a volkswagon van up on blocks or a 30min bus trip to the city.

James Brown

weldoninhio wrote: »

What are the other options? SF want to take people out of DP and put them in council houses. I'd love to know where they have their magic money tree planted.

They'll take a branch off of FGs, (see NCH, IW, Reillys clinics, sweet deal at a loss to the tax payer etc. as proof they can find it when they want).
Maybe charge vulture funds a higher tax rate? Stop spending on 25 year leases? Stop paying for hotels? Stop buying social housing?

Building en masse is cheaper and leaves us with housing stock over and above leasing for 25 years and paying private landlords and vulture funds.

If all any party does is sit on their hands but build social and affordable, they'll solve the housing crisis to the benefit of hard pressed tax payers.

is_that_so

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Try voting FG in 2011. Talk about your buyers remorse.
It's AB with good reason. It's more valid than 'vote FF or FG because otherwise you're wasting your vote' as we hear some shills promote.

It's as valid as people want it to be but always better to be voting for something and not against something else.

James Brown

is_that_so wrote: »

It's as valid as people want it to be but always better to be voting for something and not against something else.

You you'd vote Sinn Fein over an unknown indie?

is_that_so

Matt Barrett wrote: »

You you'd vote Sinn Fein over an unknown indie?

I'd vote for neither!

walshb

I will vote for FG in my area. I like the person running, and she has done good for the community

I was never aligned to any particular party. Years ago I would have given SF a vote, but recently they have been all about pandering to the populist vitriol that I see day in and day out. Plus, they don’t want to be in power.

Right now, the country is just full of combat and aggro and vitriol; every Tom, Dick and Harry now, unfortunately, has a voice because of social media, and that voice seems to be used to be plain nasty and aggressive...

Fed up to the back teeth of this nonsense about voting out the FG and FFs....

Why exactly will replace them, and do a better job?

Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Boyd Barrett, Gino? People who cannot even be arsed to dress remotely appropriately, don't one bit instill any confidence in me. They simply exhibit contempt for democracy.

gmisk

I see Maureen o Sullivan isn't seeking re election in Dublin central could be very interesting battle would love to see Gary Gannon get a seat

saabsaab

I predict the Greens will do very well in this election and perhaps hold the balance of power.

McMurphy

saabsaab wrote: »

I predict the Greens will do very well in this election and perhaps hold the balance of power.

Please God no.

Idbatterim

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Fianna Fáil has never heard of the IMF or boom bust or mass emigration or national bankruptcy.

You'd think butter wouldn't melt the way they are going on.

yeah, look I dont think it massively mattered who was at the helm for the tiger boom, the tiger crash, the recovery etc. You would have gotten virtually the same outcome, whether it was FF or FG. HOWEVER I do believe FG are less likely to ruin us again, the place is already booking economy wise, even though many dont feel it, we absolutely do not need FF pouring petrol on the flames!


they jack up welfare etc, **** hits fan and then it all has to be cut again, the endless debate, waffle , finger pointing! We have tried, FF , we have tried FG, we have had FFG. FG are the marginally less **** IMO and as for the others that make up the dail, they are the worst of them all!

Geuze

Topgear on Dave wrote: »

How do we encourage people to live in towns and villages where we can provide services/schools/local facilities though?

Waving a big stick and saying "no more one-offs" doesnt work.

We must make sites in villages much cheaper than sites on farms.

We must make it cheaper to buy/build a house in a village than on a one-off site.

rob316

I'd always vote SF but I just can't take them serious anymore. They don't even try to act like the a big serious party. They don't have an election agenda its just the lazy "we will fix everything with our magic money tree". They will dominate the working class vote as they say all the right things but I can see why they just don't appeal to the rest of the electorate.
They are going backwards if anything and I expect FG to walk this election unless the country are willing to forgive the past sins of FF.

blanch152

saabsaab wrote: »

I predict the Greens will do very well in this election and perhaps hold the balance of power.

They could be the difference all right.

There are a lot of prominent independents retiring in this election - Finian McGrath, Michael Harty, John Halligan, Maureen O'Sullivan - or who won't be running - Mick Wallace, Clare Daly - and most of them will not be replaced by other independents. Others like Zappone, Shane Ross, Boxer Moran etc. are in trouble in their constituencies.

Peter Casey, Verona Murphy and Marian Harkin are the most prominent of those who might replace them, but the likelihood is that there will be more losing than winning, and that the number of independents in the next Dail will be less.

It is quite possible to imagine a Green Party of 11/12 seats holding the balance and being the difference between a FF-led coalition or a FG-led coalition.

blanch152

Geuze wrote: »

We must make sites in villages much cheaper than sites on farms.

We must make it cheaper to buy/build a house in a village than on a one-off site.

There are a lot of derelict buildings in towns and small village. A grant scheme for retrofitting/rebuilding within the confines of such towns would be a very good idea.

average_runner

saabsaab wrote: »

I predict the Greens will do very well in this election and perhaps hold the balance of power.

Big tax increases so and then a bailout

LeinsterDub

average_runner wrote: »

Big tax increases so and then a bailout

As I recall the greens introduced the carbon tax the last time. What other taxes did they introduce and what increases are being proposed this time?

Geuze

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Can you name one politician, never mind party, that advocates letting people decide not to work?

Welfare staff in Longford tell me that TDs ring to urge the staff to get people onto DA.

What we need are TDs who will try to reduce the number on DA.

LeinsterDub

Geuze wrote: »

Welfare staff in Longford tell me that TDs ring to urge the staff to get people onto DA.

What we need are TDs who will try to reduce the number on DA.

Your energy and vote would be better used to push for improved health, transport and housing. The 'scabs' on the dole are costing you pennies the issues I listed are costing you thousands

rob316

If SF were serious there target should be the squeezed middle. The family scraping by every month paying their mortgage, marginally in the high tax rate, struggling with childcare costs. Protect the family who are been gouged by market rent. That's the majority, the working poor as they call it. I'm one and I don't want to hear about social housing for everyone and increasing social welfare.
The pay for nothing brigade are not the vote SF should be looking for. The anti water charges section of the electorate will not win you an election.

Marginal tax cuts, rent freezes, further help towards childcare, affordable housing, free schoolbooks. That's the party I want to go with, that once was labour but they sold their soul to get into power.

I thought Mary Lou would provide modern leadership and take them away from the association of a solely republican working class party. That can't be your only trait, FF and FG don't trade on their histories.

It's just sad that there is no credible alternative to the FG and FF roundabout.

Billcarson

walshb wrote: »

Right now, the country is just full of combat and aggro and vitriol; every Tom, Dick and Harry now, unfortunately, has a voice because of social media, and that voice seems to be used to be plain nasty and aggressive...



Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Boyd Barrett, Gino? People who cannot even be arsed to dress remotely appropriately, don't one bit instill any confidence in me. They simply exhibit contempt for democracy.

Contradictory. Why shouldn't everyone have a voice? Isn't that democracy? If people are annoyed at the gov they have every right to voice it,be it aggressive or not. Unless we just all roll over and take it no matter what the Gov throws at us.

MadYaker

Id vote for anyone who says they'll means test all social welfare. This idea of everyone getting child benefit and free GP cards for all kids is a joke. My parents used to put the child benefit in a credit union account and spend it on a family holiday abroad every year. Don't get me wrong it was great, but we needed it like a hole in the head while other families were struggling.

LeinsterDub

MadYaker wrote: »

Id vote for anyone who says they'll means test all social welfare. This idea of everyone getting child benefit and free GP cards for all kids is a joke. My parents used to put the child benefit in a credit union account and spend it on a family holiday abroad every year. Don't get me wrong it was great, but we needed it like a hole in the head while other families were struggling.

Are their any other universal social benefits you want to pay for? Schools? Parks?

So we should spend even more on health? 25 billion per annum and counting. One of the highest in terms of GDP in the world

Idbatterim

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Your energy and vote would be better used to push for improved health, transport and housing. The 'scabs' on the dole are costing you pennies the issues I listed are costing you thousands

totally disagree, the cost is billions and its insane! The free housing, free gp, free two hundred every week, yeah a real "pennies" alright!

L1011

MadYaker wrote: »

Id vote for anyone who says they'll means test all social welfare. This idea of everyone getting child benefit and free GP cards for all kids is a joke. My parents used to put the child benefit in a credit union account and spend it on a family holiday abroad every year. Don't get me wrong it was great, but we needed it like a hole in the head while other families were struggling.

De-universalising basic entitlements is a great way to create a welfare trap / incentive to stay on the dole depending on your viewpoint.

NovemberWren

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Way to much sense in that post. Amazing that some think that working person got a social house.

not sure what you mean by this: but I can assure you that there are (politically connected) 'workers' given houses; and then want the unemployed put out of the estates. And, these secure 'workers' don't want the bother of... a mortgage.

Jim Gazebo

Since when did canvassing at traffic lights become a thing?!

James Brown

rob316 wrote: »

If SF were serious there target should be the squeezed middle. The family scraping by every month paying their mortgage, marginally in the high tax rate, struggling with childcare costs. Protect the family who are been gouged by market rent. That's the majority, the working poor as they call it. I'm one and I don't want to hear about social housing for everyone and increasing social welfare.
The pay for nothing brigade are not the vote SF should be looking for. The anti water charges section of the electorate will not win you an election.

Marginal tax cuts, rent freezes, further help towards childcare, affordable housing, free schoolbooks. That's the party I want to go with, that once was labour but they sold their soul to get into power.

I thought Mary Lou would provide modern leadership and take them away from the association of a solely republican working class party. That can't be your only trait, FF and FG don't trade on their histories.

It's just sad that there is no credible alternative to the FG and FF roundabout.

Well they've refused to engage with SF and FG would rather bring FF back to power. And folk blame PBP and the like because of FF/FG being the only 'viable' options. That's the FF/FG plan.

James Brown

MadYaker wrote: »

Id vote for anyone who says they'll means test all social welfare. This idea of everyone getting child benefit and free GP cards for all kids is a joke. My parents used to put the child benefit in a credit union account and spend it on a family holiday abroad every year. Don't get me wrong it was great, but we needed it like a hole in the head while other families were struggling.

So you want people to be stopped from doing what your family did?
I agree.

James Brown

NovemberWren wrote: »

not sure what you mean by this: but I can assure you that there are (politically connected) 'workers' given houses; and then want the unemployed put out of the estates. And, these secure 'workers' don't want the bother of... a mortgage.

My local FG TD's daughter got an affordable house aged 21 or 22 she was. No kids. Got 'lucky'. Her sister was a councilor at the time too.