Which Political party control's the North-West ??..

Paddy20

As someone who is not a member of any political party. I would like to know which party you are going to vote for, come the next election, and why ?...

P. :cool:

il gatto

Fianna Fail control the north west. It's not even debateable. Without getting into obvious things such as no. of T.D.s or seats held on County Councils and Borough Councils, it's plain to see. I don't want to upset anyone here who may support them for valid and justifiable reasons. However, most people have the feeling that Fianna Fail have the most pull. If you're a business person of any note in the north west, chances are you're a party member or friendly with one. It's not illegal (most of the time;) ), but more of an old boys club. It exists to a lesser extent in Finn Gael too, but is not as prevalent. This is just my opinion in the matter. Others here will disagree.
I'll be voting for the opposition (not giving too much away:) ). In the last 19 years, Fianna Fail have been in power for 16, either by majority or coalition. They still managed to blame the last Finn Gael/Labour coalition for a plether of problems since it disolved in 1997. I'm not buying it. I'm sick of the scandal and the lies. And why do the media persist in telling us Bertie Ahern has charisma? He's an inelegant, stammering twat (sorry to lower the tone). He has no more charisma than any other party leader (with the notable exception of Mary Harney). By the way, I'm not a member of any party, and have no particular family ties to one either. I just have an inbuilt bulls##t detector.:D

Carrickman

FF:mad: Feck all jobs in the SW area and the same clowns will be elected next summer.

muffler

Until such time as someone can come up with a viable alternative I will be voting for FF at the next general election

il gatto

Explain how the alternative isn't viable. It's as viable as a government which has given two of the most important cabinate posts (tainiste and minister for justice) to a party with a total of 8 seats. One of the most unpopular parties in the country given so much power due to a pre election pact. A deal struck by Fianna Fail as they were desperate to hang on to power at any cost.
With the state of the health system, crime and the housing market, I don't see that the current government has shown much aptitude for power. The state of the economy, which has it's roots in the coalition government of '94-'97, as much as anything the current government has done. It's been brought about by the hard work and long hours of the people, who are then told that they should thank the government for the good policies. On the other hand, many people have benefitted very little from this boom. The government has spent billions on health care, without providing a single extra bed. It's all gone into more administration and pay roll systems which don't work. On top of the electronic voting (52 million and counting) and the Bertie Bowl. Do you know, we spent more money on it acquiring property and relocating the National Laboratories than Wales spent building the Millenium Stadium. They get one of the nicest stadiums in the world and we don't get one single seat. They're not fit to rule in my opinion, and I think it's time to give someone else a chance. Everyone says they're no alternative, but until they prove they're also unable to run the country when it's at it's richest ever, I think they should be given the opportunity. Sorry to go on, but I don't agree with the "no viable alternative" thing .

retalivity

I too will be voting for the opposition. Im fed up of FF. But im scared that Sinn Fein will take a big scalp up here next summer too...

il gatto

Especially with Fianna Fail overstreching themselves with the whole Blaney thing.

byte

Good thread.

In my opinion, there is really nobody worth voting for. Though, that said, I'm not much into politics. From my understanding:

Bertie and his FF brigade is as useless as [you decide], and I just have to look at finegael.ie and see that eejit Enda with his big statements like "I'll make the criminals pay for their crime" etc to know that he's really just talking bull.

As for other parties, some aren't even worth mentioning. Though I shall be researching further into the depths of politician folklore to see what other fairy tales about how good they can be are being told.

il gatto

Like I said, 3 years in the last 19? I think they deserve a chance to prove themselves. Can really be any worse than what we're stuck with at the moment.

Paddy20

byte wrote:

Good thread.

In my opinion, there is really nobody worth voting for. Though, that said, I'm not much into politics. From my understanding:

Bertie and his FF brigade is as useless as [you decide], and I just have to look at finegael.ie and see that eejit Enda with his big statements like "I'll make the criminals pay for their crime" etc to know that he's really just talking bull.

As for other parties, some aren't even worth mentioning. Though I shall be researching further into the depths of politician folklore to see what other fairy tales about how good they can be are being told.

Byte,

Good post, but where do we go from here. Nothing in life is for sure, I am proud that Ireland has achieved ' The Celtic Tiger' reputation, but I am concerned that it was built on E.U. hand outs, with nothing to sustain us in the long term.

P. :cool:

muffler

retalivity wrote:

But im scared that Sinn Fein will take a big scalp

Thought they were on a ceasefire

il gatto

muffler wrote:

Thought they were on a ceasefire

They're passing it off as a history lesson on their Native American ancestry:D

Carrickman

retalivity wrote:

But im scared that Sinn Fein will take a big scalp up here next summer too...

Looks like they could take McGinleys seat now he's gone, it scares me to to think bad and all the shower we have in charge are imagine SF in charge of the country:eek:

nanook

Paddy20 wrote:

Byte,

Good post, but where do we go from here. Nothing in life is for sure, I am proud that Ireland has achieved ' The Celtic Tiger' reputation, but I am concerned that it was built on E.U. hand outs, with nothing to sustain us in the long term.

P. :cool:

"Celtic tiger" my arse, sorry about this but it is known fact that in order for Ireland to be considered to EMU (Euro) it had to prove that is was economically viable to enter and sustain. The figures were not accurate and this boom arose on the line of credit that people could afford.
Take a look at all new estates being built all over ireland, two shiny cars in the driveway, big tv, good holidays, good social life etc. If you could, take a look at the size of their overdraft and how maxed out their credit cards are. How much loans are against the new house and the shiny cars etc.

I am not political but i would still vote for FF. When i need something done i contact my local politician and he gets it done. I have been lucky with the areas i have lived in.
As you know i am residing in wicklow and our local politician is is Minister for the environment, before that i was renting in dublin and our politician was none other than bertie. so if we had a query it was usually resolved or an answer given.
There is not enough emphasis given to answers, it may not be the answer you want but you should get a reply to a query, that dictates on how much faith you have in local representative.

If you have a politician in your area, use them for all it is worth, if you have a query then ask. Don't blame him for the amount of people using trolleys in a hospital, it is not his fault, if they made the hospital charge dearer then people would go back to the doctor where they should be in the first place.

rant over

HMMM.I will be voting Fine Gael.

My reasons:
Fianna Fail TD screws farmers out of money from my local area.

Different ex TD helped his brother in law escape getting prosecuted for knocking down a young child.(He was brought away before the guards could breathalyse him.)

I think we need a different government.It improves the government if there is fierce competition coming up to the election.I was dissappointed that Fianna Fail easily beat everybody last election.They got too confident and took their foot off the pedal.

Although I would prefer to have a Fianna Fail TD than a Sinn Fein TD.

il gatto

Polititions are elected as legislators. This country is riddled with clinic politics, where if you want something done, you go to a politition and he "sorts" it for you. This is not what they're elected to do, and are well payed for. You can't blame anyone for availing of the opportunity if thats the only way to get something done, but we elect them to vote on issue, to make laws and policies and run the civil service. This idea of T.D.s and councillors having a "clinic" where people go to them and get the politition in question to get them what they're owed anyway is ridiculous. If you're entitled to something, the civil service should be efficient and impartial enough to give it to you. So many polititions get elected because they "sorted out" a pension for somebody, or got someone planning permission. They don't have the power to do these things. They either take credit for things they didn't do, or they make improper representation in situations they have no business in. Of course maybe if the civil service wasn't the flexi time operating, muppet employing, uncaring, red tape producing bureaucacy that it is, we wouldn't need polititions as go betweens for us.:mad:

gipo2

There sure is no gold at the end of the rainbow. If they get into power I cant see it lasting for more than two years.

il gatto

If which ones get into power? If you mean the opposition, well I don't know. It's amazing how bad a job you can do and get away with it

jimmycrackcorm

As I count up my ssia next year I'll be giving my vote to the guys who introduced the scheme.

il gatto

How very civic minded of you:D

jimmycrackcorm

since when had voting for FF had anything to do with being civic minded?

Civilian_Target

Good thread.

Since the merger of Fianna Fail with Independant Fianna Fail is going ahead, FF's dominance of the Northwest has become a stranglehold. They hold 5 of the 6 TD's positions, prominent Fianna Fails hold pretty-well all of the high civic posts in the NW too, the Bernard McGlinchy town park being the reaffirmment of this. Every time I see it reminds me of the communist parties of China and Russia - politics and business intertwined, and its true. Virtually every established business person, in Letterkenny at least, has a Fianna Fail connection - the main exceptions being those tied to Sinn Fein/IRA. Paddy Public (much like Boris Publik) goes to the local FF TD to get the rights he should be entitled to anyway to get sorted.

A combination of personal contacts (ie. a friend or family friend is a Fianna Failer and would be disappointed if I didn't vote FF) and strong republicanism keeps the vast majority of voters on the straight and narrow.

I for one will be voting as usual at the next election: first for the non-republican opposition and secondly for Fianna Fail, because anything is better than voting for Sinn Fein who have made lives of misery for so many people for so many years.

[/rant]

smashey

I don't think it really matters who the opposition is. A lot of people in the North West are one-party people and will stick to that party. Fianna Fail have the majority of Dail Seats and they also control Donegal Co. Council. (I don't know what the make up of Sligo and Leitrim is).

donegalman1

Sinn Fein are in with a real chance of a seat. I don't understand the argument that the opposition should be given a chance and Sinn Fein shouldn't. I doubt if they will be able to dictate economic policy in any event.

One thing is sure, absolutley sure, Had Fine Gael been in power for the past number of years there would be no peace process, and I think this is starting the give some dividents in our region.

I agree with the massive wastage of this government and the sickening abuse of planning etc by politicians.

And be sure The SSIA point will figure with many (I don't have one) and the timing is perfectly planned.... The politicians may be monkeys but their advisors ain't.

il gatto

John Bruton was very active in the peace process. I think he deserves some credit.
With regards to SSIAs, people have short memories. They've got their money now. Unless Fianna Fail make a very definate promise to do something similar (and they won't, it cost a bomb) it won't help them in the next election.

muffler

il gatto wrote:

With regards to SSIAs, people have short memories. They've got their money now. Unless Fianna Fail make a very definate promise to do something similar (and they won't, it cost a bomb) it won't help them in the next election.

I take it that its yourself with the short memory. It was fianna Fail who introduced the SSIA's. They are also carrying that on by inviting people to invest in a pension fund in which they will contribute another 25%

il gatto

I know it was Fianna Fail. I just meant they'd have to do something similar again as people won't elect them on something thats been and gone. The pensions top up might be enough as I think people are beginning to realise that they haven't enough put away for retirement. It's buying votes though. It's not running for election on policies and leadership. Well, I suppose giving people money if they're elected is the policy

Civilian_Target

donegalman1 wrote:

I don't understand the argument that the opposition should be given a chance and Sinn Fein shouldn't. I doubt if they will be able to dictate economic policy in any event.

Their terrorist wing killed thousands of innocent civilians. That's enough reason for me not to vote for them - it worries me that so many others are not put off by that.

donegalman1 wrote:

One thing is sure, absolutley sure, Had Fine Gael been in power for the past number of years there would be no peace process

On that one you are cetainly wrong! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Irish_Agreement

donegalman1 wrote:

And be sure The SSIA point will figure with many (I don't have one) and the timing is perfectly planned.... The politicians may be monkeys but their advisors ain't.

On that one I must agree - I think Martin Manseragh is one of the most talented political advisors of all time, and I'm not surprised by how quickly the opinions of voters have changed since he left.

On the subject of SSIAs - for sure people will remember Bertie for them, and it will pay dividends in terms of votes. One thing for which Fianna Fail are due credit is their economic policy, which since the late 70's has been absolutely superb. Even when unpopular economic decisions have had to be made, FF have more often than not made the correct call (eg. the AIB crisis)

il gatto

But then Fianna Fail have presided over an increasing gap between rich and poor with little or no effort to rectify it. For those who've done well from our "Tiger" economy, Fianna Fail have done a great job. Many people have gained little from Irelands wealth, and not from want of trying. Economic policies are are well and good, but if you don't have the social policies to match, you've failed your electorate.

Civilian_Target

Absolutely - and for the most part the north-west has come out on the failing end of the stick because they're solid, reliable FF voters and a long way from Dublin.

That said, there's some awful poverty in the city too, for every Ballymun regeneration plan there's a Devanny Garden's flat complex that's every bit as rough as it was 10 years ago. And for every booming Letterkenny there's a floundering Buncranna (although I understand things have started picking up around there again)

il gatto

Unfortunately too many of those reliable voters don't seem to make a connection between their party and any economic strife they encounter. It's an attitude of "us and them", and winning an election gives them a feelgood factor which far outweighs electing those who may benefit them more. Putting one over on the Blueshirt up the road is unfortunately still the attitude of many voters.