Fathers rights-responsibilities party

brianthebard

What do people make of this new party? I think that they have some good ideas, men are very badly treated by Irish law with regards to divorce, family rights and other issues, so I definitely sympathise. However some policies, like the minister for men idea, seem a bit looney to me. Has anyone met any of their candidates? What do people think of them overall? there website is here

Bottle_of_Smoke

Agree with a lot of policies but that website screams "Male Feminists"

Stark

There's a candidate running in my constituency. But the competition for seats is fierce and I don't see a one-issue candidate standing a chance.

dajaffa

I'm DS, having read the website not a hope they'll be getting a preference off me. Only one dimension to the party, and even with that a lot of their aims are impractical. Won't be bottom of the preferences thou, I have that saved for someone...

Kalashnikov_Kid

Party founder and Dundalk man Liam O'Gogain is challenging Seamus Brennans seat as Minister for Family Affairs in Dublin South. Quite an aloof person who gave my father (social worker) constant hassle, once giving him a Will Smith CD demanding that he listens to the lyrics of Just the Two of Us.

Ive seen Louth candidate Luke Martin spinning around airing his views in some party mobile. Oddly enough I didnt see much of a crowd following him.

Their incapability to portray a genuine objective outlook on family issues will never do them any favours. There is always two sides to the coin and they fail to acknowledge this.

brianthebard

Yes there are two sides to the coin, but currently women have some rights and men have no rights, certainly not in the constitution. They are actually legislated against. Its a campaign for equality, not control over someone else.

The_Minister

I would be broadly sympathetic to your points Brian, but that website is scary. A quota of male social workers to female social workers? No way.
No votes from me.

LostinBlanch

Well after a quick look at the site I see that the idea is to

raise public awareness of the issues facing fathers and their children, grandparents families in general and all of the community which suffers as a consequence of discriminatory treatment and of a debasement and hijacking of the Equality agenda.

Not having any axe to grind, though I do find myself agreeing with Brians previous post, I think it's a legitimate way of raising issues and bringing them to public attention.

Do you think you would have heard of this issue anywhere else if the candidate hadn't stood for election?

brianthebard

LostinBlanch wrote:

Do you think you would have heard of this issue anywhere else if the candidate hadn't stood for election?

I've been aware of these issues for a while for different reasons, (no I'm not divorced:p ) and from reading the constitution. But a lot of people aren't aware of the problems faced by single fathers or fathers in general perhaps. I mean parental leave has only recently started to get real support. But I also see what you are saying minister, they have quite a few unworkable policies. The party will probably regroup after the elections, and if they are serious about their message, have a look at what's good and what's not in their manifesto.

Kalashnikov_Kid

I agree with the constitution, but the reality is that factors such as alcoholism and domestic violence come to the fray all too often, stemming from both mothers and fathers of course. But there would be more progress if the reasons behind family breakups were given more treatment, and that similar circumstances would be given preference rather than an idealised equality that wouldnt stand up in the courts.

Dave!

I remember hearing someone from the party on Newstalk a few months ago, and being impressed with his arguments and eloquence. But I don't think I'd be willing to give them a preference at the moment, even though there's one running in my constituency.