GE20: What important policies/topics are being ignored by all parties?

Snow Garden

GE20: What important policies/topics are being ignored by all parties thus far?

2 for me would be;

1. Child Obesity - A major problem which will lead to increased strain on our creaking health system.

2. Getting the Roman Catholic Church out of our Education system - Long overdue.

KungPao

Immigration - it's a political hot potato.

Geuze

No. 1 is good, yes.

No. 2, please note that many parents want church owned schools.

People don't want their children to go to VEC ETB schools, in some cases.

In other places, ETB schools are good.

My own dream is a Jesuit education for my offspring.

JohnnyFlash

The long term unsustainably of our social welfare and state pension systems.

Fr_Dougal

Public transport.

Luas, DART, and commuter trains are bursting at the seams.

I Am The Law

Dissolution of the Citizens Assembly.

MrAbyss

The badly needed and totally overdue underground rail projects for Dublin: Metro (since 2003) and DARTunderground (since 1973). The city really is approaching being paralyzed in terms of traffic movement without them. The Luas is at capacity and can't be increased. Same for DART and Commuter rail. 'New Carriages' are useless without new lines to get projected capacity increases needed NOW.

If there was a Gombeen Conspiracy to kill Dublin as a city then all the parties ignoring underground rail system is it.

Justin10

Public transport is a massive issue, Dublin is about to burst with capacity.

If something serious isn't going to be done, then we'll have major issues down the tracks.

The Metro is a long term project but something drastic needs to be done in the meantime.

Train Parkways to me are a great idea, but I've always felt they need to be express trains, get people into the city as quick as possible, and then on to the luas or metro.

For example the navan Road park way.. What is the point of that, very little parking, which isn't free, and you're nearly as well off driving or getting a bus in the first place.

If I was living out in the boarder counties, an express Parkway would make sense and also relieve some of pressure on the housing market, for example, you can get a train from Thurles to Heuston in just over an hour, similar time it take to get from lucan to the city centre on the bus.

blanch152

Public transport, FF have promised to go back to the drawing board on Bus Connects and Metrolink, meaning they won’t be built for another 15 years.

MrAbyss

Rochey18 wrote: »

Public transport is a massive issue, Dublin is about to burst with capacity.

If something serious isn't going to be done, then we'll have major issues down the tracks.

The Metro is a long term project but something drastic needs to be done in the meantime.

Train Parkways to me are a great idea, but I've always felt they need to be express trains, get people into the city as quick as possible, and then on to the luas or metro.

For example the navan Road park way.. What is the point of that, very little parking, which isn't free, and you're nearly as well off driving or getting a bus in the first place.

If I was living out in the boarder counties, an express Parkway would make sense and also relieve some of pressure on the housing market, for example, you can get a train from Thurles to Heuston in just over an hour, similar time it take to get from lucan to the city centre on the bus.

There is no more capacity left on the lines into Dublin. In typical Irish style we are now being slapped in the face with decades of governments listening to the likes of Colm McCarthy saying 'buses are enough' and 'rail is a vanity project'.

You can build all the new train park and rides you want, but they are useless if the trains are already packed and there are no extra paths for new trains anyway.

Justin10

MrAbyss wrote: »

There is no more capacity left on the lines into Dublin. In typical Irish style we are now being slapped in the face with decades of governments listening to the likes of Colm McCarthy saying 'buses are enough' and 'rail is a vanity project'.

You can build all the new train park and rides you want, but they are useless if the trains are already packed and there are no extra paths for new trains anyway.

That's exactly my point, trains are just not working, we need to expand our train network, for such a small island its massively under developed.

Anyway, I think we can all agree in the capital, public transport is being ignored.

ricero

Public transport, education and legalisation of cannabis.

Also thank God the Catholic church have control of the majority of our schools op.

The state of some of those educate together and VEC schools.

Snow Garden

ricero wrote: »

Public transport, education and legalisation of cannabis.

Also thank God the Catholic church have control of the majority of our schools op.

The state of some of those educate together and VEC schools.

First FF are being forgiven and now the Catholic Church are the best organisation to look after our schoolchildren and fill them with their negative nonsense.

Snow Garden

Snow Garden wrote: »

First FF are being forgiven and now the Catholic Church are the best organisation to look after our schoolchildren and fill them with their negative nonsense.

At home the catholic secondaries in the local county town have always been the "respectable" ones.

The local VEC tech that I attended is today in serious trouble as people take the bus past it to go to school elsewhere.

piplip87

Social welfare. Too many people jobseeking for decades,

Geuze

Topgear on Dave wrote: »

At home the catholic secondaries in the local county town have always been the "respectable" ones.

The local VEC tech that I attended is today in serious trouble as people take the bus past it to go to school elsewhere.

The market is speaking.

Some left-wing parties want the State to own all schools.

Parents vote with their feet, and avoid the VEC / ETB schools.

is_that_so

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The long term sustainability of our social welfare and state pension systems.

That's not for election time. It equals no votes.

LeinsterDub

MrAbyss wrote: »

There is no more capacity left on the lines into Dublin. In typical Irish style we are now being slapped in the face with decades of governments listening to the likes of Colm McCarthy saying 'buses are enough' and 'rail is a vanity project'.

You can build all the new train park and rides you want, but they are useless if the trains are already packed and there are no extra paths for new trains anyway.

Frequency can be greatly increased , along with DART-ification. There is loads of potential capacity

LeinsterDub

piplip87 wrote: »

Social welfare. Too many people jobseeking for decades,

How many? And for how long? And evidence of this ? Jobseekers is cut off after a while. Do you mean other social protections?

LeinsterDub

Rochey18 wrote: »

The Metro is a long term project but something drastic needs to be done in the meantime.

That something is walking and cycling. https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1218104865852985344

KungPao

KungPao wrote: »

Immigration - it's a political hot potato.

https://www.theburkean.ie/articles/2019/12/05/the-policy-of-mass-immigration-is-incompatible-with-sustainable-housing

Immigration/housing crisis are linked. It's not individual migrants fault. Policy is screwed up though

blackwhite

Public transport infrastructure (or lack thereof) is one of the biggest reasons driving the problems with housing. Land to build houses within reasonable commuting times of where people work is scarce. Proper public transport infrastructure would make living a bit further out a lot more viable for people and increase demand, which would mean we'd see increased development of housing in these areas. It'd also ease the demand for housing clorer into town and city centres.

The problem is that this is long-term planning, that wouldn't improve the immediate 5 years ahead. Anyone trying to deliver on this will be attacked by NIMBYism (as seen with Bus Connects, Dublin Metro, etc), and when the next election rolls around the project won't have finished so there won't be results for the politicians to point to during the campaign.

Lack of forward thinking over the past 20 years is a large part of the current housing issues - we'll keep finding ourselves back in the same problems if we don't plan for 10-15 years ahead.

ghost of ireland past

The housing crisis is huge and is obviously aggravated by huge immigration. The fact that it's difficult to speak about these things is a very poor reflection on the Irish.

Cannabis legalisation, and also consider GHB and MDMA and a few others.

Removal of corrupt police officers from the Garda and an end to political interference with the operation of the DPP.

Universal Basic Income paid to citizens only.

We should join China's Belt and Road and get early mover advantage. China is the future.

marieholmfan

LeinsterDub wrote: »

That something is walking and cycling. https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1218104865852985344

In that case what needs to be done is to create walkable villages.

rob316

More support and services for disabled and special needs children. I'm hearing not a word from anyone on that.
As a parent to a special needs child, the services are an absolute disgrace.

Thelonious Monk

Public transport. It's shockingly bad in Ireland. I don't understand how they were opening new motorways and bypasses all the time during the previous boom and still are but were unable to lay any new tracks for rail, apart from a few km for the Luas.
Public transport projects are long term projects, and I don't think this is what wins votes in Ireland. A fiver on the scratch or pension or promise of a bypass seems to be a winner here. I suppose we get what we vote for, but the options are terrible.

LeinsterDub

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I suppose we get what we vote for, but the options are terrible.

PBP, Greens and SocDems are strong on PT. Surely one of these would be less terrible for you than FF/FG

Idbatterim

LeinsterDub wrote: »

PBP, Greens and SocDems are strong on PT. Surely one of these would be less terrible for you than FF/FG

They all won’t upset the Apple cart. “We support better public transport “ bs! Do you plan on doing what it takes , steooimg on some of your electorates toes to achieve it ? Nah , didn’t think so

marieholmfan

marieholmfan wrote: »

In that case what needs to be done is to create walkable villages.

And how hard and costly would it be to retrospectively do it to existing cities and towns? Would it even be wise with electric cars here already?

Would it not be better to put limits on migration since our population is stable without it. Otherwise all infrastructure projects will be a never ending game of catch up. In the case of walkable cities we just end up in smaller and smaller homes as the population increases. Might be bearable for some but think ahead for your kids or grandkids generation.

Is it worth turning Ireland into some lesser version of Hong Kong in a couple of generations?

LeinsterDub

Idbatterim wrote: »

They all won’t upset the Apple cart. “We support better public transport “ bs! Do you plan on doing what it takes , steooimg on some of your electorates toes to achieve it ? Nah , didn’t think so

We know for sure FF/FG won't do what it takes. Why not give someone new a chance to disappoint us.

quokula

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Public transport. It's shockingly bad in Ireland. I don't understand how they were opening new motorways and bypasses all the time during the previous boom and still are but were unable to lay any new tracks for rail, apart from a few km for the Luas.
Public transport projects are long term projects, and I don't think this is what wins votes in Ireland. A fiver on the scratch or pension or promise of a bypass seems to be a winner here. I suppose we get what we vote for, but the options are terrible.

Not to mention all the nimbyism from anyone who gets slightly inconvenienced while the works happen.

road_high

The massive welfare state and migration which is pouring petrol on that fire. We can afford neither at current levels.
It’s very sad how an honest days work is not longer respected in Irish society

LeinsterDub

Deleted User wrote: »

And how hard and costly would it be to retrospectively do it to existing cities and towns? Would it even be wise with electric cars here already?

Less costly than the cost of cars. Electric cars do nothing for congestion, micro plastics , health or creating liveable towns

Idbatterim

LeinsterDub wrote: »

We know for sure FF/FG won't so what it takes. Why not give someone new a chance to disappoint us.

If they start redesigning the wheel it could delay things even further. Then say they lose power , what stops them ripping up the current plans ? It’s why I think sticking with what we have , makes sense for that reason. Good luck to fg trying to scrap Dublin metro unless there is a bust. Ff are already talking about it. Scrapping a scheme with years of planning gone into it ! To redesign the wheel !

LeinsterDub

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Less costly than the cost of cars. Electric cars do nothing for congestion, micro plastics , health or creating liveable towns

Do you reckon public transport should be the only way to get around?

LeinsterDub

Idbatterim wrote: »

If they start redesigning the wheel it could delay things even further. Then say they lose power , what stops them ripping up the current plans ? It’s why I think sticking with what we have , makes sense for that reason. Good luck to fg trying to scrap Dublin metro unless there is a bust. Ff are already talking about it. Scrapping a scheme with years of planning gone into it ! To redesign the wheel !

There is a certain logic to that in fairness .

quokula

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Less costly than the cost of cars. Electric cars do nothing for congestion, micro plastics , health or creating liveable towns

Electric cars and cleaner air do lots for health. Not that we shouldn't be investing in public transport because we absolutely should, but replacing polluting cars with non polluting ones is also a worthwhile goal.

LeinsterDub

Deleted User wrote: »

Do you reckon public transport should be the only way to get around?

Yeah and anyone with a car should be rounded up and shot , them and their children and their children's children :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Has anyone anywhere with even a modicum authority suggested that public transport should be the only way to get around?

LeinsterDub

quokula wrote: »

Electric cars and cleaner air do lots for health. Not that we shouldn't be investing in public transport because we absolutely should, but replacing polluting cars with non polluting ones is also a worthwhile goal.

We should be replacing polluting cars with not cars as our first port of call. Where that isn't feasible then yes replacing polluting cars with non polluting ones

marieholmfan

Deleted User wrote: »

And how hard and costly would it be to retrospectively do it to existing cities and towns? Would it even be wise with electric cars here already?

Would it not be better to put limits on migration since our population is stable without it. Otherwise all infrastructure projects will be a never ending game of catch up. In the case of walkable cities we just end up in smaller and smaller homes as the population increases. Might be bearable for some but think ahead for your kids or grandkids generation.

Is it worth turning Ireland into some lesser version of Hong Kong in a couple of generations?

Hard problems are why we need governments.
I don't quite get the rest of the post about immigration.

Certainly I wouldn't like the issue of walkable towns (which encourage kids to be outside and people to shop local) linked with immigration.
Even if there is something to what you say.

blackwhite

LeinsterDub wrote: »

PBP, Greens and SocDems are strong on PT. Surely one of these would be less terrible for you than FF/FG

The Greens record on PT is dubious - given Ryan's actions around Dublin Metro. Their policies make all of the right noises - but then some of their actions run contrary to the policies.

PBP's policies are to nationalise everything, jack up the costs of providing the services, and to spunk money on white elephants like the Western Rail Corridor instead of looking at proper sustainable planning. They prioritise pushing a Trotskyite ideology above having a functioning or efficient public transport system. Nothing in their policies suggest they'd improve anything - just massively increase the cost to the State.

SocDems policies look to be the strongest on PT infrastructure - but quite similar to the Govt's published Ireland 2040 plans.


Neither FG or FF have published anything substantial on PT in the current campaign. If FG commit to following through on the PT elements of Ireland 2040 then it would be a decent platform - but the caving in on Dublin Metro south of Stephen's Green would leave me with major doubts.

FF's noises about Bus Connects and Metro seem to signal that they'll put short-term populism and pandering to the NIMBYs ahead of the long-term good.

LeinsterDub

blackwhite wrote: »

but the caving in on Dublin Metro south of Stephen's Green would leave me with major doubts.

In fairness to FG/the NTA the discovery of the sewer under the canal was the primary reason for the delay on MS

LeinsterDub

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Yeah and anyone with a car should be rounded up and shot , them and their children and their children's children :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Has anyone anywhere with even a modicum authority suggested that public transport should be the only way to get around?

In which case any public transport solutions will also become congested without addressing the endless growth fallacy. Migration should be number 1 otherwise the best laid plans are doomed to failure

LeinsterDub

Deleted User wrote: »

In which case any public transport solutions will also become congested without addressing the endless growth fallacy. Migration should be number 1 otherwise the best laid plans are doomed to failure

There is a middle ground between all journeys by PT and no journeys by PT

LeinsterDub

LeinsterDub wrote: »

There is a middle ground between all journeys by PT and no journeys by PT

Absolutely but we're chasing our tail without addressing mass migration. Capacity will otherwise always max out. Where does it end?

4068ac1elhodqr

Skilled 'normal' EU migration is fine, great actually.

However the future (post-brexit) Europe will strongly feature 'unskilled illegal economic non-eu' (but via the eu) mass migration.

The double whammy here is growing black market (untaxable) for such things, also this unskilled labour will be replaced by automation & robotics.
The digital traceable cashless RFID future will collapse the current black market, leading the nail bar staff and carwashers directly to crime.

WrenBoy

People are having smaller families or no children due to financial constraints or career decisions has a negative effect on our future state pension scheme. Why not work to make lives easier for Irish people to have a/bigger families if they want and a career to alleviate the pension issue rather than bringing in unskilled migrants to make up the numbers ? Not a topic I ever here discussed by politicians.

marieholmfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely but we're chasing our tail without addressing mass migration. Capacity will otherwise always max out. Where does it end?

Give it a rest. Someone talks about cycling and you bring up immigration - for ****s sake.

Fr_Dougal

WrenBoy wrote: »

People are having smaller families or no children due to financial constraints or career decisions has a negative effect on our future state pension scheme. Why not work to make lives easier for Irish people to have a/bigger families if they want and a career to alleviate the pension issue rather than bringing in unskilled migrants to make up the numbers ? Not a topic I ever here discussed by politicians.

With job automation, how will having larger families solve the pension issue? If anything it will put further pressure on the system.

marieholmfan

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

With job automation, how will having larger families solve the pension issue? If anything it will put further pressure on the system.

It's worth it in its own right. More Irish people after the English nearly wiped us out!

marieholmfan

LeinsterDub wrote: »

The only thing what could be remotely be described as mass migration is that of fellow European citizens. The only way to address that is Irexit. If irexit happens it's emigrating you'll be thinking about not immigration

I'm not sure:
There seems to be an enormous number of Indians around:


https://www.irishjobs.ie/Jobs/Data-Analyst-8428846.aspx