What do you think are the two most important issues facing the nation at the moment?

RobYourBuilder

That was the question asked in all 28 EU member states by an Eurobarometer poll recently.

The issues that Irish people are most concerned about are:

●Unemployment(48%)
●The economic situation(24%)
●Immigration(8%)
●Health and social security(19%)
●Government debt(17%)
●Inflation(14%)
●Taxation(19%)
●Pensions(4%)
●Crime(13%)
●The education system(7%)
●Environmental issues(3%)
●Housing(13%)
●Terrorism(1%)

For the concerns of all EU citizens, country by country; https://i.imgur.com/JSNMOg4.png

For the poll in full(PDF page 13 onwards); http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb82/eb82_first_en.pdf

So what do you think are the two most pressing issues we currently face as a country?

Kevin McCloud

Were fucked if it snows.

AndonHandon

I'm concerned about having to get out of my warm bed to go for a piss.

eyescreamcone

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Were fucked if it snows.

The cold never bothered me anyway

bodice ripper

Those percentages seem to indicate reasonable priorities. Color me surprised

nullzero

eyescreamcone wrote: »

The cold never bothered me anyway

Shortage of snow glow elsa dolls leading to mass rioting on Christmas eve.

moonshadow

Cheapest beer for Christmas ----see bargain alerts !

Montroseee

Unemployment and bringing the social welfare system into line with other EU countries. Taxation a close 3rd.

The_Valeyard

eyescreamcone wrote: »

The cold never bothered me anyway

Let it go.

El Weirdo

Have I got any booze?

Have I got any smoke?

Fuck you, Enda.

Pherekydes

Clearly it's :

●Unemployment(48%)
●The economic situation(24%)

Is it a trick question?

Kevin McCloud

Do we get a bonus if we solve it tonight?

IsaacWunder

1. The economy.
2. See 1.

donegaLroad

>

Annasopra

IsaacWunder wrote: »

1. The economy

Stupid

Chucken

donegaLroad wrote: »

>

Retire at 50?
In the name of Jayzes :rolleyes:

errlloyd

Political instability is my biggest worry (after unemployment).

Next general election will have no clear winner. We'll end up with a monstrous coalition who will do nothing. Every party will race to the bottom in the run up to make the most outlandish of policies and tie themselves into ridiculous deals.

CJ Haughey

We are living beyond our means.

Earthhorse

• Unemployment
• Crime
• Innumeracy

Zamboni

The biggest threat to the nation is the population itself.

• Entitlement culture and lack of personal responsibility
  
• Dumbed down population addicted to low quality entertainment and games instead of valuing education and critical thinking.

SaveOurLyric

errlloyd wrote: »

Political instability is my biggest worry (after unemployment).

Next general election will have no clear winner. We'll end up with a monstrous coalition who will do nothing. Every party will race to the bottom in the run up to make the most outlandish of policies and tie themselves into ridiculous deals.

Only if the voters are dumb enough to start electing rafts of independents. Two parties should otherwise still be enough to form a government and still leave room for a handful of independents to be 'outraged' and provide pantomime fodder for Primetime and Vincent Browne.

1) Avoiding the people being suckered in to voting for independents.
2) Avoiding the people being suckered in to voting for terrorists-without-a-cause.

mfergus

This thread has too many bullet points.
I think we should focus less on bullet points

Bongalongherb

● Taxation
● Lack of weed

c_man

Climate change.
The economy.

Zamboni

mfergus wrote: »

• This thread has too many bullet points.
• I think we should focus less on bullet points

fyp

Bongalongherb

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Hows that.

lanos

The prospect of Mary lou being kicked out of the Dail weekly........ from the front benches

Karl Stein

Whether to make Jamie's 'get ahead gravy' or Ramsey's turkey gravy for Xmas dinner.

Galwayguy35

The economy, taxation and immigration.

GalwayGuitar

Unemployment and crime.

Chucken

Karl Stein wrote: »

Whether to make Jamie's 'get ahead gravy' or Ramsey's turkey gravy for Xmas dinner.

Or will the feckin turkey be thawed out on time! :eek:


*Take it out of the freezer now...just in case*

Bongalongherb

Umm... Turkey/ham/stuffing/fried onions/Brussel sprouts/get smashed potato/gravy/a chilled premium pils beer/and a J.

Nothing wrong with a king feast for 1 day in the year.

The most important issues can wait until the feast is over imo.

Its fairly obvious what the main priorities are at this stage. However, 10-15 years down the tracks I reckon pensions will be much higher in that list. Its the ticking time-bomb which most people are trying to pretend doesn't exist.

entropi

CJ Haughey wrote: »

We are living beyond our means.

Good one, CJ, you aul chancer you

Unemployment is a large priority, I would put healthcare on the list as a second. However, not knowing when a fully competent government will be on the cards is always going to be on a list somewhere, and will be a priority for some.

Streetwalker

Special interest media and government spin.

efb

The Economy

efb

CJ Haughey wrote: »

We are living beyond our means.

(A way)

Bongalongherb

CJ Haughey wrote: »

We are living beyond our means.

You mean the government employees are living beyond their means. Can you establish a sensible post in regards to this lavish reality ?.

Smidge

Montroseee wrote: »

Unemployment and bringing the social welfare system into line with other EU countries. Taxation a close 3rd.

Totally agree.
And while we are at it, lets bring everything else into line with other EU countries.
Cheap fags, booze, car tax, food etc etc all sounds Xmassy to me.

Bongalongherb

The cost of living in Ireland is very very high, so how the fluck can you compare our finance changes to other EU countries.

Keeping up with the joanse's of the EU while we are 500 feet under the ground in taxes compared to the rest of the EU.

Lyaiera

Who's round is it?
Where are we going next?

Bongalongherb

To the offy and my dealer yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa mothafuka.

El_Dangeroso

Zamboni wrote: »

The biggest threat to the nation is the population itself.

• Entitlement culture and lack of personal responsibility
  
• Dumbed down population addicted to low quality entertainment and games instead of valuing education and critical thinking.

This xkcd comic is just for you:

http://xkcd.com/603/

The_Valeyard

Bongalongherb wrote: »

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Hows that.

You sunk my battleship.

BrokenArrows

Why does the poll add up to 190%!!

Bongalongherb

The_Valeyard wrote: »

You sunk my battleship.

I sure did indeed. Welcome to the war camouflage

Galwayguy35

The results of the next election will be interesting, the far left say they have no interest in going into Government, well that would involve actually making decisions instead of telling everyone what they want to hear so maybe either FF/FG or FG/SF

banquo

Burger King give you ketchup for free, but charge 25c for Mayo, and yet somehow it's water charges that has people protesting?