Issues for GE2020

KWAG2019

Let's get a snapshot of the issues Boards.ie think will dominate the GE2020. I'm, going for rent, homelessness and the HSE. It will be interesting to see how close we are to the national picture later.

Salary Negotiator

Those and Brexit will be what fills the pages but mostly it’ll be who filled the potholes or got someone a medical card.

Insurance costs, housing and healthcare

KWAG2019

Let's get a snapshot of the issues Boards.ie think will dominate the GE2020. I'm, going for rent, homelessness and the HSE. It will be interesting to see how close we are to the national picture later.

I know my list isn't exhaustive but this is snapshot, not scientific.

PS It seems you can only pick one; if a mod can let me know if this can be amended...?

tom1ie

HSE trolley crisis, and what each party plans to do about it.
The transport strategy for the Dublin area and if each party thinks they can speed up the delivery by the nta.
The environmental plan for the country and if each party plan to raise taxes.
The gap in the state pension eligibility age and the actual retirement age of 65 in most workplaces.
That's just off the top of my head.

banie01

The National Issues are almost always on the back burner when it comes to our G.E's.

It will be the candidates that have the "best" local profile, along with their party being perceived as "least bad" that are returned, with the only likely shocks being FG losses.

FG have over the course of their tenure, but in particular with their performance over the last 8/9 months made a rod for the own back that will lead to a time in opposition.

Unfortunately despite the Irish penchant for coalition, we don't have viable opposition parties.
The 2 mains are quite centrist and the others are still quite fragmented apart from SF.
Which will lead to growth for FF and coalition.

Regarding homelessness, Ireland's drastic climb in homelessness both the real people affected and those peddled by the industry that developed.
Have their origins in the banning of the bedsit with shared facilities originally introduced by FF/Greens at a time of low rental demand and falling rates across the country.

How no-one in Government either at the time of drafting the legislation or its introduction didn't foresee how a glut of mainly middle and single people on low incomes, suddenly being unable to rent bedsits and now chasing the same studio and 1/2 bed starters as the young couples starting out wasn't going to lead to a huge supply crunch is frankly ludicrous.

That FG's "blue-sky" thinking to address those failings is allowing shared living is a symptom of this governments apathy.

Health is an abomination. There is much that can be said but suffice it to say that in my in my opinion when adding money to a system leads to a rise in managers, rather than resources dedicated to patients.
There is a fundamental leadership and strategic failing in the HSE and not just the Minister.

The swing-gate/Farrell insurance controversy and the current RIC debacle, where our Taoseaich will waffle on about Megxit rather than address and acknowledge the huge error FG made in trying to approach our Colonial/Occupied heritage is going to hugely impact FG.

That said, they survived Big Phil and IW.

Politics in Ireland at a National level has been deprived of vigour by our need to remain stable whilst Brexit was negotiated.

In any other time in our history, I honestly could not imagine an opposition not forcing at least the ouster of the Taoseaich, let alone a G.E for the myriad of competency failings over the last couple of years of FGs governance.

ChikiChiki

HsE and in particular scale backs of mental health funding. Suicide rates are far too high.

Lack of housing supply
Insurance premiums

There are a lot more and I'm going to document them in detail over the next week. Want to be prepared to read the riot act to the first FG TD that comes knocking.

banie01

ChikiChiki wrote: »

HsE and in particular scale backs of mental health funding.
Suicide rates are far too high.

Not only is the suicide rate too high, it is drastically under reported.

There is an onerous burden of evidence required for a death to be registered as a suicide, rather than as misadventure.

We need to get past the Catholic stigma surrounding suicide and address the numbers honestly and accurately.

tom1ie

banie01 wrote: »

Not only is the suicide rate too high, it is drastically under reported.

There is an onerous burden of evidence required for a death to be registered as a suicide, rather than as misadventure.

We need to get past the Catholic stigma surrounding suicide and address the numbers honestly and accurately.

Agreed, but one thing I think leads to high suicide rates is all the other issues, high rates, state of health etc etc.
All of these things need to be tackled.

Calhoun

Its going to be interesting, while i think some of the larger issues will be ever present i think there is a level of apathy towards them as in its another chapter of the same.

The larger issues that will come up will be, health, housing, and possibly the state of the insurance market. Depending on the geography of the country you could see questions being asked about the DP centers and the handling of them.

FG in particular will start being allot more vulnerable to how well off are people that are voting them in. We are far enough away from the last FF government where its evident that this is probably as good as it gets under them.

Personal item for me that ill be interested in is the special education support from a health and education perspective.

Eric Cartman

Ill be asking if any candidate plans to lower taxes or commercial rates , are they against hate speech laws and up for relaxing planning on one off houses again. Whoever can tick most of my boxes will get my vote.

Thelonious Monk

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Ill be asking if any candidate plans to lower taxes or commercial rates , are they against hate speech laws and up for relaxing planning on one off houses again. Whoever can tick most of my boxes will get my vote.

Why would you want more one off housing with all the issues they cause?

Salary Negotiator

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Why would you want more one off housing with all the issues they cause?

And coupled with lower taxes.

It’s like he wants a dilution of services.

MadYaker

One off housing is a huge problem and makes it really difficult and expensive to provide public services effectively. It should be discouraged not encouraged.

It'll be the usuals. HSE, housing and insurance costs being the main ones.

Calhoun

They need to make it so you shouldn't need or desire one off houses. Of all the problems we have one off housing while an issue would not be a major one.

Clarence Boddiker

Immigration, health, housing.

Clarence Boddiker

No room for immigration on the list?

Eoinbmw

World war 3?

franglan

Climate change and the environment could well make top 3 of some people's hot topics.

Sheeps

Housing/Homelessness and Rent are the biggest issues for me. Fine Gael have had an appalling record on a lot of stuff on that list, but I don't care anymore. I'll vote for the single party with the best solution for housing.

Snow Garden

HSE
- Cervical Check Scandal
- Trolley Crisis
- Children's Hospital delays and costs
- Waiting lists
- Public v Private
- Consultants

Insurance fraud and Expense fraud

Calhoun

Snow Garden wrote: »

HSE
- Cervical Check Scandal
- Trolley Crisis
- Children's Hospital delays and costs
- Waiting lists
- Public v Private
- Consultants

Insurance fraud and Expense fraud

There is so much crap that goes on you forget it all, could be quite bloody.

Beasty

2x threads with the same title (and started by the same user!) merged

markodaly

Snow Garden wrote: »

HSE
- Cervical Check Scandal
- Trolley Crisis
- Children's Hospital delays and costs
- Waiting lists
- Public v Private
- Consultants

Insurance fraud and Expense fraud

An interesting list.

Do you favor a Universal Health Service that is public only?
If so, are you prepared to pay an extra €3,000 worth of taxes per year?

FG advocated such a plan by the way, but when costs were revealed, the backed away. I see no party at the moment advocating these new taxes.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/universal-health-insurance-could-cost-up-to-3-000-for-adult-1.2265824

markodaly

banie01 wrote: »

The National Issues are almost always on the back burner when it comes to our G.E's.

It will be the candidates that have the "best" local profile, along with their party being perceived as "least bad" that are returned, with the only likely shocks being FG losses.

FG have over the course of their tenure, but in particular with their performance over the last 8/9 months made a rod for the own back that will lead to a time in opposition.

Unfortunately despite the Irish penchant for coalition, we don't have viable opposition parties.
The 2 mains are quite centrist and the others are still quite fragmented apart from SF.
Which will lead to growth for FF and coalition.

Regarding homelessness, Ireland's drastic climb in homelessness both the real people affected and those peddled by the industry that developed.
Have their origins in the banning of the bedsit with shared facilities originally introduced by FF/Greens at a time of low rental demand and falling rates across the country.

How no-one in Government either at the time of drafting the legislation or its introduction didn't foresee how a glut of mainly middle and single people on low incomes, suddenly being unable to rent bedsits and now chasing the same studio and 1/2 bed starters as the young couples starting out wasn't going to lead to a huge supply crunch is frankly ludicrous.

That FG's "blue-sky" thinking to address those failings is allowing shared living is a symptom of this governments apathy.

Health is an abomination. There is much that can be said but suffice it to say that in my in my opinion when adding money to a system leads to a rise in managers, rather than resources dedicated to patients.
There is a fundamental leadership and strategic failing in the HSE and not just the Minister.

The swing-gate/Farrell insurance controversy and the current RIC debacle, where our Taoseaich will waffle on about Megxit rather than address and acknowledge the huge error FG made in trying to approach our Colonial/Occupied heritage is going to hugely impact FG.

That said, they survived Big Phil and IW.

Politics in Ireland at a National level has been deprived of vigour by our need to remain stable whilst Brexit was negotiated.

In any other time in our history, I honestly could not imagine an opposition not forcing at least the ouster of the Taoseaich, let alone a G.E for the myriad of competency failings over the last couple of years of FGs governance.

Some great points.

The next government will either be a minority government or a coalition.

Since PR systems pretty much always throw up coalitions, we in Ireland need to get used to the idea of blocks and deals and IMO such deals should be made before elections.

I heard an interesting item on Pat Kenny on Friday when he was talking to Michael Taft, who was advocating a left alternative block, that is all the left-wing parties come together to form a block and go forward in GE 2020 on a common platform, which if then voted in, will form a government without FF or FG.

A very interesting idea, but given the Irish lefts inability to work together very unlikely, yet you will see the same people moan about FF and FG always being in power...

I may make another thread of it actually, as it warrants attention and scrutiny.

Sheeps

A left wing alliance in Ireland will never happen, because the far left are all insane anger merchants with no real program for government. Sinn Féin are the only viable option of anyone more left than Labour/Soc Dems, but nobody will vote for them because of their history and weak leadership.

I say this as someone who wont vote Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

Calhoun

Sheeps wrote: »

A left wing alliance in Ireland will never happen, because the far left are all insane anger merchants with no real program for government. Sinn Féin are the only viable option of anyone more left than Labour/Soc Dems, but nobody will vote for them because of their history and weak leadership.

I say this as someone who wont vote Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

You only have to look at the Soc Democrats and the local election debacle, outside of the two leaders it doesn't look like very stable ground.

Larbre34

For the vast majority of people it will be none of the above. It'll be property tax, planning for the kids houses on the land, inheritance tax, USC reform and créche fees. The problems of a fully employed electorate.

KWAG2019

Beasty wrote: »

2x threads with the same title (and started by the same user!) merged

Thank you! The poll bamboozled me!

suicide_circus

A party with a focus on the following will get my vote

1. Public transport - the lack of good quality reliable PT has a big knock-on effect and if you get it right i reckon a lot of other things will fall into place.

2. Child care costs - i dont have kids but the fact that having a child or two in daycare is the equivalent to a second mortgage is a slap in the face to young working couples.

3. Insurance - a hammer needs to be taken to the unholy trinity of the legal profession, insurance cartel and the claim happy public.



I dont even bother mentioning the health system because i dont believe there is a politician who can fix it.

banie01

Sheeps wrote: »

A left wing alliance in Ireland will never happen, because the far left are all insane anger merchants with no real program for government. Sinn Féin are the only viable option of anyone more left than Labour/Soc Dems, but nobody will vote for them because of their history and weak leadership.

I say this as someone who wont vote Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

Labour; I have the misfortune of knowing Alan Kelly and he is a perfect illustration of promotion beyond one's ability or competence. If he is amongst Labours "best" they really are in terminal decline.
They will however receive a vote from me for their candidate in my Constituency as she is quite a competent TD with a good team. Not a No.1 tho

FF; Again a vote for them in my Constituency is very much a vote for the local party apparatus.
Willie O'Dea has a team in Limerick that would put the Healy Rae's to shame.
James Collins if IIRC is second on the ticket here, no doubt Willie will likely be my no.1.

FG; Noonan is retiring, his replacement is FG creation and she has already been involved in claims of corrupt practice for issues that arise whilst she was in local government.

Apart from Sinn Fein who will see Quinlavan comfortably returned.
The rest of the parties in the Limerick Constituency are an incoherent mess.
Brian Leddin will likely run a strong campaign but won't make the cut.

The Soc Dems and various protest and independence candidates are really wasted votes.
There is no hope of a stable leftist coalition, the politics of many on this side of the spectrum quickly devolve to identity and idealogy rather than practical policy.

Unfortunately, the above choices highlight what I feel is a failing in the Irish voting system.
National policy and issues devolve upon locally selected and elected candidates.

We generally don't vote for National policy, we vote for the most efficient local apparatus.
Perhaps it's time for a party list system?

Remove the "local" aspect from GE's and vote for party and policy.

Eric Cartman

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Why would you want more one off housing with all the issues they cause?

because with social housing requirements and bodies like cluid housing running around halving the value of property in private estates soon there will be nowhere for me to buy a house safely away from people who don't contribute.

Idbatterim

KWAG2019 wrote: »

Let's get a snapshot of the issues Boards.ie think will dominate the GE2020. I'm, going for rent, homelessness and the HSE. It will be interesting to see how close we are to the national picture later.

my biggest issue would be with rents and property prices for hard working people. Absolutely out of the equation that homelessness can every be solved and as for the HSE? these two moron parties have been running the place that last few decades. We have had two economic booms in that time! Yet its worse than ever... And as far other parties "fixing" it? Even less likely than vardakar actually rewarding workers!

another post mentions USC reform! you serious? it will go up if anything, with FF at the helm! And a stable strong FFG coalition At best we can hope for FG removing varadkar as leader as FG. he is massively toxic, I dont think he is far off Bertie levels of toxic after the crash. And they agree on all key aspects. Not independent gob****e clingers on etc. That realistically is the best hope in my opionion. A crap outcome, but the options are simply appalling here...

Idbatterim

tom1ie wrote: »

HSE trolley crisis, and what each party plans to do about it.
(throw more money into the black hole) probably wont improve anything, it hasnt so far.
The transport strategy for the Dublin area and if each party thinks they can speed up the delivery by the nta. (ditch the current plan, endless public consulations, until the next recessions comes along and gives an open goal to ditch what has been years in planning...)
The environmental plan for the country and if each party plan to raise taxes.
dont expect much, everything will be deemed "an attack on rural ireland"
The gap in the state pension eligibility age and the actual retirement age of 65 in most workplaces.
That's just off the top of my head.

I have answered three of your questions.

Idbatterim

Eric Cartman wrote: »

because with social housing requirements and bodies like cluid housing running around halving the value of property in private estates soon there will be nowhere for me to buy a house safely away from people who don't contribute.

gated communities arent even allowed anymore! Buy somewhere on a few acres, with nice high walls and gates. Although it wouldnt surprise me at the rate of regression in this country, if any form of barrier into your property is deemed "illegal" in a few years!

Calhoun

I know you guys are probably taking the piss, your posts hint at the bigger issue. Its not exactly a problem with people on social housing but when you get bad apples not allot is done from a the local authority nor the guards.

Its kinda why FG is a bit snookered, as its record on actually being the party of law and order that it trys so hard to embrace that they tried to have a celebration of the RIC is actually quite poor.

Idbatterim

Calhoun wrote: »

I know you guys are probably taking the piss, your posts hint at the bigger issue. Its not exactly a problem with people on social housing but when you get bad apples not allot is done from a the local authority nor the guards.

Its kinda why FG is a bit snookered, as its record on actually being the party of law and order it trys so hard to embrace so much so that they tried to have a celebration of the RIC is actually quite poor.

take a read of the below thread if you have the time. I said it here endlessly, if you are throwing vast sums at some people, somebody is paying the price and are getting screwed. And the most vulnerable getting screwed, are the working poor renting! Its morally corrupt. They are so resistant to change here, that FG wouldnt even rewards workers, and will possibly lose power over it, despite the fact they would never get a single vote from the welfare class. You have to try and comprehend that! Anyone expecting any change, in health, law and order etc, delusional isnt the word. Like I said, these two clown parties, have been in power decades, two economic booms later and look at the place! JUST LOOK!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058043965&page=8

Calhoun

Idbatterim wrote: »

take a read of the below thread if you have the time. I said it here endlessly, if you are throwing vast sums at some people, somebody is paying the price and are getting screwed. And the most vulnerable getting screwed, are the working poor renting! Its morally corrupt. They are so resistant to change here, that FG wouldnt even rewards workers, and will possibly lose power over it, despite the fact they would never get a single vote from the welfare class. You have to try and comprehend that! Anyone expecting any change, in health, law and order etc, delusional isnt the word. Like I said, these two clown parties, have been in power decades, two economic booms later and look at the place! JUST LOOK!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058043965&page=8

Its why the housing issue is a smoke screen and the government wont really be held to account on it.

We have let the system get so bad that we now have a trial by media to get a social house, combine that with the lack of will to regulate and manage the housing stock so people are moved to appropriate housing for their needs. If you want a home for life in one place you pay for it, if you want someone else to pay for it then you have to move to whats available. Topping it all off we have people not even paying.

What i am not so sure of though is who is at fault, sure individually the tenants are at fault for not paying but why is the corporations not enforcing collections on them especially when so many others need to be housed.

Idbatterim

The system that is a farce and encourages piss taking is primarily at fault. The councils are a farce. Rte should be getting them up on stage about the housing crisis , they are the biggest culprits. Not the sacrificial pawn eoghan Murphy

LuasSimon

Crime in Rural Ireland ie Traveller crime will feature on many doorsteps of towns and villages taken over by drugs/crime.

Idbatterim

LuasSimon wrote: »

Crime in Rural Ireland ie Traveller crime will feature on many doorsteps of towns and villages taken over by drugs/crime.

Nothing sorts this except more prison spaces!

Mad_maxx

LuasSimon wrote: »

Crime in Rural Ireland ie Traveller crime will feature on many doorsteps of towns and villages taken over by drugs/crime.

That's the only place it will be highlighted

Sacred cows of the left have a ring of steel around them when it comes to media reporting

Calhoun

Looks like the government are trying to pin their hopes on Brexit, https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/varadkar-to-pin-election-hopes-on-brexit-boost-38855983.html

I am not quite sure it is such a wise strategy to but all their eggs in that basket. Brexit has kinda drifted away from the consciousness of late.

Idbatterim

Calhoun wrote: »

Looks like the government are trying to pin their hopes on Brexit, https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/varadkar-to-pin-election-hopes-on-brexit-boost-38855983.html

I am not quite sure it is such a wise strategy to but all their eggs in that basket. Brexit has kinda drifted away from the consciousness of late.

Brexit negotiations. What a great smoke screen it’s been for those morons the last few years. Much like the recession or boom , whether it was ff or fg at the helm , there wouldn’t have been virtually any difference in the outcome. I’m meant to believe that the morons that have failed on every front at home, became some amazing statesmen when it came to Brexit only ? Lol! Lol!

The_Kew_Tour

Health and housing are 2 main ones by a distance.

Crime is also starting to get little out of hand past few years(some will say much worse I would say)

tom1ie

Idbatterim wrote: »

I have answered three of your questions.

Huh?
Sorry seen your reply’s there.
Well if whoever gets in, ditches the transport plans for Dublin, for nothing at all I will move to Leitrim.
The hse deserve not another penny and any party candidate that knocks on my door saying they’ll put more money in will be ran. Efficiency is what we need, not extravagance.
The last question I had about pensions is massive though.

Assetbacked

Idbatterim wrote: »

Brexit negotiations. What a great smoke screen it’s been for those morons the last few years. Much like the recession or boom , whether it was ff or fg at the helm , there wouldn’t have been virtually any difference in the outcome. I’m meant to believe that the morons that have failed on every front at home, became some amazing statesmen when it came to Brexit only ? Lol! Lol!

Brexit still has not happened and the Irish economy has roared. Now a Hard Brexit is definitely ruled out and all projections indicate further growth in the economy. However, FG keep trotting out statements about the threats to the economy of Brexit as a justification for maintaining punitive budgets and a lack of investment in areas such as affordable housing, income tax breaks for the tax paying workers who are getting poorer each year the last 6 years and public transport. FG will suffer a big hit in the GE or at the very least will barely scrape a lot of seats.

Beta Ray Bill

Went for HSE but over marginally over Crime.

Multi selection of up to 3 would have been nice!

leahyl

Housing and the healthcare crisis

KWAG2019

Beta Ray Bill wrote: »

Went for HSE but over marginally over Crime.

Multi selection of up to 3 would have been nice!

I had trouble setting up poll. 3 is the way to go. When I had it done I noticed that I hadn’t transferred one topic and I haven’t seen it raised i.e climate action. The election will probably be announced on Weds or Thursday and this poll closes on Wed. If Boards allows a new one I might set it up In line with your post after the first weekend of campaigning.

Idbatterim

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/where-is-the-slowdown-experts-warned-us-about/

This is what you would expect from an economy motoring along. Corporation tax receipts hit a record of €6.9 billion for the year to October. Corporation tax receipts have more than doubled since 2014 and nearly 50 per cent of the total comes from just 10 firms – again, what you would expect for an economy that has chosen to be a multinational trading entrepot.

Housing remains the big failure but as this column has argued over and over, that is a priority or choice the government and electorate choose to make between the interests of landowners and the interests of workers. It has very little to do with economics and everything to do with political choices.

In 2020, if people want to see lower rents and more homes built, they should vote for the parties they believe will make those choices for them and leave the economy itself to continue on its great evolutionary arc.

totally agree with this from mcwilliams and its obvious about the housing issue. But the party he proposes to vote for, arent pro workers parties. this is the problem, given the financial straight jacket I can see the government being in, in a few years. The only potentially political new tax I can see and would support, would be a site value tax.