FF/FG/Green Government - Part 3

nigeldaniel

Well the government under MM did all they could considering all the trouble in the world right now. How things well go from here under Leo? I don't know but I think things will be alright. Theirs only so much that can be done about certain problems and all Leo can do is his best. An election in the new year is a going joke that anti government types just put out as they can't think off anything else to say.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008308#Comment_120008308

He was asleep when candidates were asked to show hands.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008240#Comment_120008240

I agree.

But there was no drama expected and none delivered and even the political nerds have more to be doing on the final full shopping weekend before Christmas.

Bishop of hope

Wrong on so many levels.

You see, like him or not or his party, he is in there organising and making and helping make policy decisions.

While on the other hand all the opposition party's are doing is sitting there having a good whinge and moan about the decisions and policies he is influencing.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120007328#Comment_120007328

So you are saying that Sinn Fein would prefer the country to get into a deeper mess than step up now to solve the problems?

What sort of cowardly patriots are you painting them to be? Standing idly by seems to be what you want them to do.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013309#Comment_120013309

No blanch. I am reading the room. FFG will reap what they have sown over the next 2 years.

None of the opposition want to be tasked with cleaning up the utter disasters that FFG have created and continue to worsen. But we need an end to the FFG power swap and some blinkered citizens including yourself cannot see that.

The government have 5 years to fix the housing disaster, the health crisis, waiting lists, homelessness, rental crisis, cost-of-living crisis, A&E waiting times, children's hospital, climate targets, forced emigration etc etc. Let them go full term and prove us all wrong. Let's see how all those 'plans' go...

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013328#Comment_120013328

You are saying on the one hand that we need an end to the FFG Government, but on the other hand that none of the opposition parties are able or willing to go into government. That makes them cowardly. If Mary-Lou are her companions were serious, they would have been standing up and putting her forward.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013342#Comment_120013342

Waffle waffle waffle. I have never called for an early end to this government. Not once.

And I won't be drawn in to your SF obsession to prevent being reported 😉

And I will vote Catherine Connolly (IND) again at the next general election. She is great at keeping the 3 unwise men in check.

I must say I thoroughly enjoyed seeing our own FF charlatan O'Cuiv saying Ta to a FG leader as Taoiseach. Priceless stuff. It just shows how many decades this country wasted on the civil war politics charade. That's all it was. A pretence to allow for corruption and cronyism on a wide scale.

mattser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013342#Comment_120013342

Meanwhile every second word is ' change ' 😄.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013385#Comment_120013385

MLMD is the only opposition politician claiming to want to be Taoiseach, yet according to you, she is too afraid of actually doing the job.

However, I am happy to put all of the opposition into that box. Where was Catherine Connolly's nomination, or her co-leader's? They also appear to be afraid of taking on the role.

I find it astonishing that anyone, politician or otherwise, would simultaneously be claiming that the government is destroying the country while also claiming that they are prepared to wait another two and a half years for an election because it will be even worse by then. That can only be described as some form of self-punishment.

The most illuminating part of this weekend was the craven nature of the opposition.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013639#Comment_120013639

Catherine Connolly is an Independent in my constituency of Galway West. Keep up. She has more integrity than the entire cabinet. Oh and the SDs have 6 seats so you are flapping.

Mary Lou's nomination would have been defeated like the last time. You could ask SF why she wasn't nominated but they don't post here anymore - I wonder why.

rob316

SF are fake opposition, they will do business with FG/FF and so would FG/FF. They are stepping more and more into the mainstream and I'd be shocked if they don't get a go in the next election. They'll go the same way as Labour, PD's and be thrown under a bus by FF/FG.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013774#Comment_120013774

Oh an independent. Mixed her up with Catherine Murphy. My apologies, she is even more obscure than that. Quite bizarre to think that electing independents is seen as the way to change a government.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013907#Comment_120013907

Yes yes....she is the leas-cheann comhairle of Dail Eireann and is one of the most respected TDs in Leinster House. Your own Fergus O'Dowd of Irish Water fame went for the role but was defeated. Her Dail speeches have absolutely held the 3 unwise men to account. I think I posted a few of them but you may have missed them. Some superb contributions around the Mother and Baby home report (how's that leak investigation going by the way?). What have the FFG cabinet ministers achieved in basics such as housing, health, homelessness, waiting lists, trolley crisis, climate etc? All worse yeah?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013931#Comment_120013931

Can you list any achievements of hers other than hot air?

Seriously, had a look at her website and her last contribution to the website was February. Her fourth last contribution in August 2021 was about drinking in Galway. Stellar achievements of hers.

She has so held the 3 unwise men to account that they are still there.

Cluedo Monopoly

2 former health ministers in charge and the health system continues to deteriorate.

INMO warns of dangerous overcrowding as 760 on trolleys (rte.ie)

There were 760 admitted patients waiting for a hospital bed this morning, the highest number since January 2020, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

There were also 39 patients waiting for a bed at the three children's hospitals - 19 at Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, 15 at the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght and five at CHI Temple Street.

"We know that more often than not our members are working in conditions that are unsafely staffed, meaning that providing safe care in an overcrowded environment is impossible."

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008444#Comment_120008444

I always love how ffers resort to blaming the world for their fookups and failings.

Lehmans at fault again hah?

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014682#Comment_120014682

Yes indeed, FF is to blame for the state of the Republic of Ireland in 2022:

3rd in the world Global safety index

5th in the world Human Freedom Index

6th GDP per capita

8th on the good country index

11th on the global charitable country index

13th Global happiness index

14th quality of life index

As the saying goes, a lot done, more to do

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014997#Comment_120014997

1st in the world for whingers and moaners about the government.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013342#Comment_120013342

The maths of the current Dáil mean it's impossible for any of the opposition parties to go into government. Hardly makes them cowardly.

Earlier in the week government supporters were suggesting Boyd Barretts motion of no confidence was a waste of Dáil time. Now they are suggesting that the opposition should be nominating a Taoiseach which would be another waste of Dáil time.

Cluedo Monopoly

Varadkar 'to take ownership' of housing and climate change (irishexaminer.com)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to adopt a hands-on approach to plans aimed at tackling the housing crisis and climate change, signalling his intention “to take ownership of the big issues”.

“I’m very close to Darragh O’Brien, our housing minister, but certainly I’m very keen over the next few weeks to sit down as a Government, talk to the people involved in the sector, and see what we can do to accelerate the implementation of that plan and also give consideration to any additional measures that we could take.

-------------------

Oh dear, Leo is hinting a lot that FF weren't taking the housing disaster seriously. FF TDs are talking about inheriting a disaster from FG. Interesting couple of years ahead. None of their 'targets' will be met, none.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015084#Comment_120015084

Hello everybody, I have a house and a good job and my health is fine so I don't give a fiddlers about the crumbling health system or the housing disaster or the homeless. It doesn't affect me. I'm fine. Let them eat cake.

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016450#Comment_120016450

Translation: "Look at me everyone, I am so selfless and caring that I deserve to be heard. In fact, my fellow citizens, I and my kind deserve the power to make you all care about the poor much as we do. We will start by eliminating the rich".

mattser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015084#Comment_120015084

Ther perma whingers are rudderless in recent times

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016441#Comment_120016441

It's all on him and his party, they sat on their hands for 10 years doing nothing. We're going to get another housing plan/bill with a catchy title - Rebuilding Ireland, Housing for all, which will just funnel more taxpayers money to developers. The long term changes need to be made now so we might have a functioning housing market 5 years from now and into the future.

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014997#Comment_120014997

Yeah tell the people of Rathkeale about the Global Safety Index.

Tell the two families in Sligo that lost a member to an interloper simply because he hates gay people about the global safety index.

Or perhaps tell the family of girl in Offaly about how great we are on safety.

Tell the people in towns and cities how safe we are when they watch kids ramp police cars and laugh in videos about it.

GDP per capita, all based on FDI which at the moment is retrenching itself and always dependent on what US does.

Wohooo 11th for charity, you mean that there are 10 bigger idiots countries out there gifting money to NGO slush funds and countries to buy fighter jets. (wasn't Michael involved personally in that one btw)

Why not tell those sitting a day in A&E, the ones waiting years on operations, the ones living in the box room at home because even renting is now beyond people with a semi decent job about how great the quality of life is?

Or perhaps you will do like your fellow government mouthpiece and tell us how wonderful a childrens hospital we will have .... someday.

A lot done my ar**, all your government have done is throw open our borders.

Quislings.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015084#Comment_120015084

Nice to see the FFers and FGerrs agreeing yet again.

Why not get it over with and just coalesce once and for all.

Fooking spanners not fit to run a corner shop.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017276#Comment_120017276

You're right...asking my government for a functioning housing system and health service is a bridge too far and must of course be a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate the rich. 😂

Jesus wept. It's the bloody basics. How do you accept such mediocrity in your life? I cannot comprehend that.

CarProblem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017558#Comment_120017558

You're supposedly selfless, I'm selfish. Anyone who wants to meet me for a cup of tea to hear first hand horror stories of me seeing two family members exposed to the vagaries of the public health system are more than welcome. This is despite the huge amount we spend per capita (with a relatively young population). And dear old Finty needed worry about randomers "eliminating the rich" - look at our personal tax rates, cost of living, rates of social welfare etc. The government is doing a fine job of this as we speak - no help needed

Also re. ranking - we rank very highly on the "government debt per capita index" also, that one is missing from his list.

CarProblem

Probably worth posting seeing as the great "Prudent Paschal" is surrendering the reigns as Finance minister (note I know he wasn't finance minister for the entire period since FG came to power)

We will spend almost 33bn (or almost 50%) more in 2023 than in 2012, yet public services are still a shambles

we will spend almost 3bn more on social protection in 2023 than in 2012 despite unemployment being less than one third of the rate. Continuously making work less attractive, the shocking refusal to increase pension age meaningfully and continuously throwing money at those who least need it (the over 65s) are all factors here

We will spend 9.2bn more (or sixty five f**king per cent) more on health. Not much else to say there (I'd like to insert a shooting myself in the face emoji at this point)

Our national debt is greater than a quarter of a trillion euros yet we continue to spend like a drunken sailor in a brothel on pay day

The top rate of tax is still 52%

Yet the media and some commentators are hailing the man FFS

To repeat - where's that shooting myself in the face emoji

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017414#Comment_120017414

If all the whingers and moaners moved to Ukraine and Syria for a higher quality of life than in Ireland, we wouldn't have as much problems housing the refugees.

Why do you think so many people want to come and live here? It's not for the shenanigans in Rathkeale, one small town with particular issues. It is because of the higher quality of life in Ireland.

Health outcomes in Ireland are ahead of most of the rest of the world, as shown by our life expectancy.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016450#Comment_120016450

What is the point you are trying to make? Is it some kind of personal dig because it doesn't seem to have any relevance to the topic or my post?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017744#Comment_120017744

I think you got the point.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017766#Comment_120017766

I wouldn't have asked you to spell it out if I did. I think you may have been responding to the wrong post or the wrong poster as the post had nothing to do with the point I made.

CarProblem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013309#Comment_120013309

The first FG meeting I went to (around 2008/09 in one of the O'Callaghan Group hotels near Merrion Square) Enda Kenny was speaking. Essentially said the longer the then FF/Green government went on the better the chance of a FG single party government

I assume you'll now be dropping your membership in disgust at such cowardice? Whoops, sorry, I forgot. You're a green party supporter (L O f**king L)

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017628#Comment_120017628

Are you saying personal tax rates too high? And social welfare rates are too low? How are you going to bridge that gap?

I will meet you for a cup of tea and tell you about the three family members of mine who received excellent care in a modern health service. Staff and facilities and services in the region are unrecognizably superior to what they were 20 years ago. You don't hear that on the radio because there's no story in it.

But anyway, you can tell stories about your poor uncle all you like, or take a look at the actual outcomes instead. Life expectancy in Ireland has increased at a faster rate in Ireland than any EU country in the last 3 decades, now one of the highest in EU and, interestingly, a country with an even regional distribution of outcomes i.e. there is no 'disadvantaged' area. FF have brought excellent healthcare outcomes to the whole country.

CarProblem

@Finty Lemon no I'm saying income tax rates are too high & social welfare rates (including pensions) too high (as I've said repeatedly on here). With zero basis you said another poster wanted to "eliminate the rich" - I said the government is already doing a great job of that through excessive taxation to fund over generous welfare and excessive spending

I can also tell you of excellent people working in the health system that I have interacted with but of an overall shambolic system (like I posted earlier - we will spend 9.2bn or 65% more on this shambolic system in 2023 vs 2012). I can also introduce you to families of suicide victims who's loved ones may still be alive today i we had actual mental health services. I can introduce to exasperated healthcare professionals who work heard but are beaten down by the system

About 5 years ago my GP told me I was "lucky" I'd private health insurance as otherwise I'd be waiting at least 18 months for a minor operation. I can't imagine he'd console someone on the public waiting list (who could do little to no physical exercise over that time) with "yeah but outcomes - once you actually get into the bloody system"

But hey keep on truckin' and fighting the good fight. FF will never do us wrong (bar the odd national bankruptcy or 3, the auld tribunals revealing endemic corruption etc etc)

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003393#Comment_120003393

Yes yes....FF and health outcomes. Read some of the headlines from last week please. And then wake up.

CarProblem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017683#Comment_120017683

Cormac Lucey: Farewell to Paschal Donohoe, the feeblest finance minister in 100 years of the Irish state

http://cormaclucey.blogspot.com/2022/12/farewell-to-paschal-donohoe-feeblest.html

Cluedo Monopoly

I wonder why Colm Brophy was dropped to the backbenches. I mean he is a dose but I assumed he was tolerated due to his willingness to spoof and not answer questions in the media.

Cluedo Monopoly

This is exactly what we need. The more time in coalition together the better for our dysfunctional political system.

Smooth transition offers little hint of choppier waters ahead – Connacht Tribune – Galway City Tribune:

Bertie Ahern’s former adviser Gerry Howlin was also on radio at the weekend saying that the parties are indistinguishable and have been since 2015, when both agreed to do a ‘Confidence and Supply’ agreement. While Fianna Fáil were nominally in opposition – and believed it was keeping its own authentic identity intact – the public perception was that they were getting to be one and the same.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee etc – or FFG, to use the favourite acronym of the green biro brigade on Twitter. That’s been cemented by the Coalition we have at the moment.

Dempo1

Just popped in to say Happy Christmas, its been a while 😏 Best Christmas present was Colm Brophy getting Drop Kicked. What a shameful week in Irish Politics, Some extraordinary lack of self awareness on Twitter also albeit resulting in some Hillarious Video's

But nonetheless, Have a great Christmas all 😏

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120018985#Comment_120018985

Ireland has the highest life expectancy in the EU in 2022. That's the standout headline.

Thanks to Micheal Martin and FF.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120026649#Comment_120026649

Fair play to them. However longer life expectancy and changing demographics have created other very predictable problems such as overcrowding in hospitals. What are FF doing to fix this?

astrofool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120027902#Comment_120027902

The health budget has been constantly increased for years. A lot of the extra budget gets used on increased wages for health staff.

Which opposition party will fix that?

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120027902#Comment_120027902

Three new elective hospitals, in Dublin, Galway and Cork, will be built under Slaintecare. Numerous upgrades to other sites, and a significant new cancer research programme at UCC.

The changes made and being made are a mature move away from the archaic County hospital model, where the name and title of the hospital was more valued than the services within.

Still, opportunist opposition politicians will bleat about

'save (insert town name) hospital'

blah blah blah, with no plan whatsoever.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120026649#Comment_120026649

I know that it is the season of good will but here's the only response necessary to Martin and Varadkar and Ryan: you are surplus to the requirements of a decent society.

People have died because these politicians have consistently screwed up the economy, housing, and the health service. Parents have seen their children emigrate because the incompetence of these politicians has made the price of housing too high while at the same time selling out Irish houses to vulture funds.

Grandparents only see their grandchildren on Zoom or Skype while these politicians gorge themselves on their ill-gotten gains over Christmas. Even that joke of a station, RTE, is trying to rehabilitate FF's incompetent minister for finance Brian Cowen. In 2023, FFG and its presstitute friends will be trying rehabilitate Bertie Ahern for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

FF's fate was sealed when it drove a road through royal Tara. Though it was once an Irish political party, its generation of spivs has consistently betrayed Ireland.

FF, FG and the Greens, who can tell the difference anymore? FFG are the modern-day equivalent of Leonard MacNally rather than of Wolfe Tone or Pearse. Though FFG lies about having noble aspirations, its politicians have only one real aspiration and it is not to make Ireland better. Their only aspiration is the pursuit of self-enrichment. It is telling that FFG wanted to commemorate the Black and Tans terrorists rather than fallen Irish patriots.Their flag is not the green, white and orange of Ireland but a brown envelope.

As for Martin, he's the kind of political poodle who would have welcomed Oliver Cromwell for a pat on his grovelling, subservient FFG head. Remember his comment about backward looking sovreignty while he grovelled in the Dail? He's FF's John Redmond.

Regards...jmcc

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120028010#Comment_120028010

Spoof alert - Slaintecare is no more than a strategy document at the moment. What hospitals will be built now???

--------------------------------

On September 8th 2021, the programme's executive director Laura Magahy and the SIAC's chair, Prof Tom Keane separately announced their decisions to step down from their respective roles. Just three weeks later, another SIAC member, Prof Anthony O'Connor also confirmed his resignation.

According to The Irish Times, Prof Keane attributed his decision to his unhappiness over how the programme was being delivered, stating: "Sadly, I have come to conclude that the requirements for implementing this unprecedented programme for change are seriously lacking."

Meanwhile, Prof O'Connor predicted the initiative is "doomed to fail" in his resignation letter and said the regionalisation of healthcare "will not happen".

Some SIAC members expressed their "shock, regret and concern" in a statement issued following Prof Keane and Ms Magahy's resignations, while Dr Eddie Molloy, one of the group members who signed the statement, told RTÉ that the Minister for Health's "resistance and delay" in implementing the Regional Health Areas was likely a factor.

The departures are significant as they raise questions regarding the feasibility of Sláintecare as a whole when some of the programme's key drivers opt to walk away.

jmcc

If you want to make Slaintecare or any other health initiative work, strip every politician and their families of private health care insurance and only allow them to be dealt with through the public health system.

Regards...jmcc

Idbatterim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017683#Comment_120017683

Number one thing that needs to be done is reducing the marginal rate of tax, that hits in from a low income. Of course like you say, its the last thing they will do. Increasing welfare and making work more unappealing is their priority...

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120028106#Comment_120028106

Nonsense, how can it possibly be that we have the highest life expectancy in the EU and the government are to blame for people dying?

You can't change the facts, the government are responsible for more people living longer than anywhere else in the EU.

Whinging and moaning is so 2020.