Covid and the need for a National Government

CruelSummer

I’m not sure if this issue has been address elsewhere but I really think it’s beyond time that an all party, national Government was formed. It’s completely unfair to have parties ‘playing politics’ at a time like this. National debt is mounting rapidly. We now have cases rising quickly again & the current crop bringing back restrictions sooner.

The icing on the cake for cabinet today was a member testing positive, effectively cancelling Christmas for the rest of them.
There are huge challenges ahead, with the roll out of the vaccine, the elephant in the room being our shambles of a HSE, and more twists and turns with Covid. There should be a more proactive response from this, not political point scoring.
And don’t even get me started on Brexit...

Inquitus

CruelSummer wrote: »

I’m not sure if this issue has been address elsewhere but I really think it’s beyond time that an all party, national Government was formed. It’s completely unfair to have parties ‘playing politics’ at a time like this. National debt is mounting rapidly. We now have cases rising quickly again & the current crop bringing back restrictions sooner.

The icing on the cake for cabinet today was a member testing positive, effectively cancelling Christmas for the rest of them.
There are huge challenges ahead, with the roll out of the vaccine, the elephant in the room being our shambles of a HSE, and more twists and turns with Covid. There should be a more proactive response from this, not political point scoring.
And don’t even get me started on Brexit...

Aye but you're having a laugh if you think SF could add anything to the process, they are sharing power in the North and its a clusterfúck beyond imagination!

odyssey06

As if theyd stop playing party politics inside a coalition.

And not sure what a cabinet minister testing positive has to do with the need for a national government...

Polar101

CruelSummer wrote: »

I’m not sure if this issue has been address elsewhere but I really think it’s beyond time that an all party, national Government was formed.

Is it just so that SF could be in the government, or why?

hotmail.com

All parties have a policy of accepting the medical advice so there is no need for a national government.

The North has a national government and it's a disaster there.

CruelSummer

It’s because we currently have an opposition who are sitting idly by during one of the biggest crisis in our lifetimes. Usually the opposition bring forward their own policies to counter Government. They grand stand about the Government’s failings and so on and so forth. However this has been nullified such is the challenge Covid & our precarious financial situation presents.

If say a cabinet minister tests positive, we have them all working remote for a fortnight. I immediately thought after hearing it, what gains could the opposition make from it as opposed to how this might affect policy & decision making. Which it will.

CruelSummer

Polar101 wrote: »

Is it just so that SF could be in the government, or why?

I’m actually a FG voter usually but more of a floater in recent times. I do think it would be difficult for both FG and Sinn Fein to work together but it could be done in the national interest. This is what we elect our politicians for. Currently we’ve a group in opposition doing nothing in my opinion except an odd grandstand here and there against an exhausted Taoiseach who forgot we bailed out the banks.

tdf7187

CruelSummer wrote: »

However this has been nullified such is the challenge Covid & our precarious financial situation presents.

COVID is undoubtedly a serious challenge but the public finances are in robust health, for the time being. Stop scaremongering.

Incidentally, the right wing free marketeer brigade screeching about the COVID benefits, are as usual, talking nonsense. In fact, COVID income supports as a % of pre-COVID income in this country are the third lowest in the OECD. They should if anything be increased (and I have no problem with those who claim the benefit on false or spurious grounds being publicly flayed).

tdf7187

Polar101 wrote: »

Is it just so that SF could be in the government, or why?

It would be terrible to have the most popular party in government. That's not democracy!

odyssey06

CruelSummer wrote: »

It’s because we currently have an opposition who are sitting idly by during one of the biggest crisis in our lifetimes. Usually the opposition bring forward their own policies to counter Government. They grand stand about the Government’s failings and so on and so forth. However this has been nullified such is the challenge Covid & our precarious financial situation presents.

If say a cabinet minister tests positive, we have them all working remote for a fortnight. I immediately thought after hearing it, what gains could the opposition make from it as opposed to how this might affect policy & decision making. Which it will.

What?
You have just contradicted yourself.
The opposition has nothing to bring to the table... so bring them to the table. Cos... no reason.
Sounds like sitting idly by is exactly where they should be.

Opposition so shameless they would exploit positive test... yet inside government would magically not exploit their coalition partners difficulties. Cos... no reason.
And I thought they were sitting idly by.

Nothing you have said is remotely convincing as a justification for a nationsl government.

hmmm

If SF or the hard left want to get into power they should do it the normal way. There's been enough talk from the left-wing parties in the past few days about how the government "prioritised economic interests" to know that they can't take the blinkers off and see that there is a balance to be found between the economy and suppressing Covid - the government won't always get it right, but they at least are trying to save businesses and jobs.

CruelSummer

hmmm wrote: »

If SF or the hard left want to get into power they should do it the normal way. There's been enough talk from the left-wing parties in the past few days about how the government "prioritised economic interests" to know that they can't take the blinkers off and see that there is a balance to be found between the economy and suppressing Covid - the government won't always get it right, but they at least are trying to save businesses and jobs.

That was my previous view. However I can see as people get worn down by Covid & Restrictions, their ultimate attitude is to blame the Government. The opposition need to put their money where their mouth is and offer some viable suggestions. I’ve noted recently that Sinn Féin broadly agree with new measures introduced, eg the reopening in Dec. However as they’re opposition, they can easily turn around and politically point score against this as numbers more rapidly than expected.

CruelSummer

tdf7187 wrote: »

COVID is undoubtedly a serious challenge but the public finances are in robust health, for the time being. Stop scaremongering.

Incidentally, the right wing free marketeer brigade screeching about the COVID benefits, are as usual, talking nonsense. In fact, COVID income supports as a % of pre-COVID income in this country are the third lowest in the OECD. They should if anything be increased (and I have no problem with those who claim the benefit on false or spurious grounds being publicly flayed).

I don’t think economics is your strong point making such a statement as ‘Our public finances are in robust health’....
1. Record numbers out of work
2. State income severely diminished, while expenditure is at record levels and rising.
3. Budget forecasts nearly impossible estimate thanks to Covid twists and turns
4. Many SME’s rumoured to be going bust in the new year.

MadYaker

I fail to see what SF and a bunch of independents and random left wingers will add that will makes things any better. Our government are muddling their way through it much like any other government. Id rate their performance so far as middling, not the best but not the worst and I think the stats reflect that. Would be too many cooks in the kitchen I think.

CruelSummer wrote: »

I don’t think economics is your strong point making such a statement as ‘Our public finances are in robust health’....
1. Record numbers out of work
2. State income severely diminished, while expenditure is at record levels and rising.
3. Budget forecasts nearly impossible estimate thanks to Covid twists and turns
4. Many SME’s rumoured to be going bust in the new year.

Read the reports that the ESRI put out, it's not that bad and they predict a quick enough rebound towards the end of 2021. https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2020/1217/1184895-esri-economic-forecast/

Unemployment is high but it could be slashed by over 10% overnight if the gov opened up the economy.

Sleeper12

I agree that the government has gotten it wrong at times but even with a national government we will still have the idiot public who can't follow a few simple rules to help stop the spread of the virus.

Everytime there is yet another lockdown you need to blame the small minority of the public who refuse to follow simple health guidelines and not the government.

MadYaker

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I agree that the government has gotten it wrong at times but even with a national government we will still have the idiot public who can't follow a few simple rules to help stop the spread of the virus.

Everytime there is yet another lockdown you need to blame the small minority of the public who refuse to follow simple health guidelines and not the government.

Id agree. The plan our government have come up with is largely the same as every other country. It hasn't worked here as well as in other places and the variable in the equation is public cooperation. Too many people are ignoring what they are being asked to do.

daheff

This is a thinly veiled SF into government thread.any old excuse

If SF want to be in government they need to do it by getting enough seats to be the biggest party, and of a size that it's impossible for any other coalition to be formed without them. Only then can they guarantee being in government.

This 'idea' has nothing to do with covid.

Sleeper12

daheff wrote:

This is a thinly veiled SF into government thread.any old excuse

I'm assuming op believes that SF will organise punishment beatings for the small minority that refuse to comply with the health requirements. Obviously regular political parties can do these things

Beasty

We don't need party politics spilling over into this forum.

Thread closed.