If there were am Irish General Election today who would you give your first preference vote to?

Brussels Sprout

• Poll is anonymous.
• The parties are listed in order of how many first preferences votes they received in the last election.
• I grouped I4C in with PBP/Solidarity just because they are in a similar part of the spectrum even though they campaign separately
• I would have added an "Other Party" option but It appears to be limited to 10 options

Brussels Sprout

Even though there have only been 10 votes I'm surprised to see that Sinn Fein haven't received any of them.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628018#Comment_119628018

Give it time. The Shinner bots need to be primed first.

The vote should be as accurate as previous Boards election polls - completely unrepresentative of the country.

Mike Murdock

There should be an option there for “None”.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628061#Comment_119628061

In other words you don't vote, so don't vote.

Mike Murdock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628068#Comment_119628068

I’d be interested to see how many people are so disillusioned by the choices we have, that they wouldn’t vote in a GE.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628100#Comment_119628100

If you don't think there's anyone you want to vote for; run yourself. Its free these days - once you get 30 nominees.

It often turns out there's very few people that are actually disillusioned by all the choices and yet find that their opinions have much support.

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628051#Comment_119628051

FG ones see awake though.

Real Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628018#Comment_119628018

They've arrived now

Potential-Monke

Where's the option for "Not a single one of them because they're all liars with only their own interests in mind".

I'll start voting once a rule is passed that politicians are to have NO conflicting interests, ie: they can't be landlords, business owners, etc. How can you trust someone who has a hand in the pie?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628375#Comment_119628375

Genuine question. What background would a candidate have to have?

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628375#Comment_119628375

All this succeeds in doing though is disenfranchising yourself at the expense of the people who do vote. If you don't want your choice to count though then that's fair enough - nobody's going to force you.

Potential-Monke

I think I've voted twice in my life. No party represents me or my needs: single male. I also don't think it matters who's in power, because the people will suffer anyway, until another Bertie comes along and gives everyone everything at the expense of the future. I'll start voting once politicians prove they deserve my vote, and so far none of them have made me think I'd want them in there. None. Especially the Mouth McDonald who seems to think she'll be able to wish up money out her hole.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628375#Comment_119628375

That's just plain stupid and typical of the stupid brain dead posts you see around here.

So what can a politician own that doesn't represent a conflict of interest?

How big is their house, car, etc allowed to be before it represents a conflict of interest?

What's the cut off and why is the cutoff where it is and not somewhere else?

MakersMark

King Charles III gets my vote.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628375#Comment_119628375

So you want to exclude huge swathes of the populace from running for office?

Remember that one reason its reasonably well paid is to try ensure that its not just for the rich, or the bribed. Your concept would ensure it was solely for the bribed.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628482#Comment_119628482

Especially the Mouth McDonald who seems to think she'll be able to wish up money out her hole.

That does seem to be where she keeps it… 😳

/runs away

Jinglejangle69

Who’s I4C?????

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628529#Comment_119628529

Mick Wallace/Clare Dalys allegedly far left, but actually fascist-licking party.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628529#Comment_119628529

Independents for change.

I voted for the shinners. 100 years of FFG and we've had boom bust boom bust. I don't think the shinners will break the cycle, but at least there's not a 100% chance they'll f*CK things up, unlike the other two.

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628490#Comment_119628490

Alright, settle down petal. I didn't sh!t in your cornflakes, no need for the name calling.

I was a Garda for 10 years and couldn't do anything except be a painter or potentially own a second house for private rental (no sure how other Gardai managed this, I couldn't keep paying the 1, and contrary to popular belief, most Gardai don't own multiple houses). Makes sense, can't have a conflict of interest while being a Garda for obvious reasons. I hold the same to politicians, who are paid far more for far less actual work. Not everyone in this country can be a landlord or have a financial investment in same. Only the rich. Like politicians. So how can I trust someone to make decisions that benefit the people and not their pockets, which if I'm not mistaken is exactly what is currently happening?

A politician should have no conflicting interests. They should represent the people and have their interests in mind. It's the stupid people giving these dopes z-list status instead of condemning them. We'll all be happy with the 80c increase to min wage while they give themselves a 6-24k increase.

You post is the typical example of someone who can't believe other people have a different point of view or opinion, and you seem to have the need to let everyone else know how stupid they are. You seem like a lovely person, like most on here...

elperello

Seeing as I can only vote in one constituency I can only decide who to vote for when I see who is on the ballot paper.

It's impossible to predict exactly what choice I will make at some non determined point in the future.

francois

SF will be in government next election, property is the simple reason.

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628664#Comment_119628664

A party who doesn't believe in private property rights is going to deliver property for all. Gets my vote

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628482#Comment_119628482

You know in a dictatorship like North Korea you are told exactly what to think and who to vote for and everybody agrees or else they are shot.

You seem to want some sort of a reverse dictatorship where you want a party that exactly matches all of your needs and does what you want without actually getting involved in the electoral process.

I'm not sure it will catch on tbh...

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628593#Comment_119628593

All economies behave cyclically. Irelands has cycled upward for over 60 years, becoming the one of the top countries on the planet to live and work. But sure a change would be grand

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628617#Comment_119628617

I hold the same to politicians, who are paid far more for far less actual work.

Do you really believe that politicians do less work than Gardai ?

I'm guessing a typical Garda works 40 hours a week with various shift patterns and the intensity or otherwise of that work depends on where they are stationed, their speciality, their rank etc.

TDs are expected to be at the beck and call of the public 24*7*365.

Have a look at your local TDs "clinic" schedule and you'll soon see that they are out almost every night of the week in various locations doing what is a expected of them.

And if they are not then they are not getting reelected.

Nobody stuck in traffic on the M50 decides to become a TD because the pay is good and the work is easy.

If it was easy loads more would be trying it.

The pay might be good but my God they earn it.

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628061#Comment_119628061

Just thinking as I was presented with my choices I couldnt in good conscience vote for any of them really

I wonder if we will ever be able to vote for a system rather than a party or individuals ...... some sort of dystopian future where everyone has computers implanted in their head and sliders for fiscal responsibility-irresponsibility, left leaning right leaning etc etc

Cut out the middlemen 🤔

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628664#Comment_119628664

They'll make an even bigger cock of it thsn the previous shower or continue along similar lines imo.

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628482#Comment_119628482

I think you do yourself a disservice by not voting. If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about who is present in government. Even a protest vote against the incumbent is a vote. We live in a democracy that empowers you with a vote. Even if you feel it’s pointless, as they are all the same, get out and vote.

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628554#Comment_119628554

My original question stands!!

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628617#Comment_119628617

Politicians cannot give themselves any raises - their salaries are fixed to specific civil public service roles, so they only get the same increases as other public servants. This has been the case for a very long time.

If you require someone to have absolutely nothing that could be seen as a conflict of interest on becoming a politician, you're limiting your potential pool of candidates to, well, nobody.

The Register of Interests exists for a reason. The punishment for doing a Troy on it should be expulsion, not a mealy mouthed apology and keep going; but its there.

PsychoPete

Anyone but Sinn Fein

Jim_Hodge

I'll decide when I see the candidates in my constituency.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628794#Comment_119628794

Exactly, unless you are a die hard supporter of a particular party why would you vote for someone that you thought was no good if another party had an excellent candidate ?

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628820#Comment_119628820

Interesting. That's almost the polar opposite of my stance. There are plenty of excellent politicians in my constituency but I disagree with the policies of their parties so I won't vote for them.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628898#Comment_119628898

My point was that if you don't know who will be on the ballot you can't make a value judgement.

You are talking about politicians you know so you can say you won't vote for them.

Would you vote for a dud representing a particular party rather than an excellent independent candidate?

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628772#Comment_119628772

The linking of politicians salaries to public servants salaries should have been decoupled a long time ago. Can you honestly tell me that the vast majority of the Dail could truly manage to get good employment at the salary and expense level they currently receive ?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628998#Comment_119628998

Yes. The salary really isn't that high. For the Senate it's actually crap.

And if you can pick specific members of the current Dail that are clearly incapable of earning such otherwise (and yes, there are a fair few - I could name a few that I don't think would be coherently capable of signing on even) - do you want to limit the potential future Dail candidates to just those? Because paying a lower salary will do just that.

Why would you become a TD when you can get paid much more for a much easier job - except to take bribes; which is the main reason that they're paid a reasonable amount.

It was specifically coupled to stop the Dail giving themselves pay increases. It never stopped people accusing them of doing so, though. If it was decoupled do you think it wouldn't suddenly become 250k?

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628987#Comment_119628987

It's a hypothetical, but yes, I would choose a party over an individual. Most politicians serve the party. They typically vote with the party at all times so it makes sense to me to choose based on their party. If there are two of them from a party that I am interested in, in that particular election cycle, then I will base my preference between them on their individual attributes.

I don't really see the point of voting for independents at all. The sun, moon & starts need to line up for most of them to have any sway in anything and I'm not too interested in the parish-pump politics.

maccored

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628680#Comment_119628680

the guff people pedal. show us the info there to say they dont believe in people owning private property. you'll be saying they're marxists next

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119629131#Comment_119629131

The flip side of that is that you would be willing to vote for a useless candidate once they wear the badge of your preferred party. That is what we see in the US

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119629046#Comment_119629046

There are some that would earn as much, if not a lot more, if they had never entered politics.

Then there are some who would earn more if they left politics - on the basis of experience gained and connections made while being a politician. i.e. if they had never been elected, they likely wouldn't be in the running for those positions

Then there are some that are qualified in nothing else, or else qualified in a steady but not wealthy profession who would never make the money they make as a politician.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119629131#Comment_119629131

As we have seen the era of single party government is in the past.

The best you can hope for is that the policy initiatives that drew you to vote for a particular party make it into a programme for government after the election.

I think that a really good independent candidate trumps a useless individual who has just happened to get a party nomination.

But that's just me.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119631873#Comment_119631873

It would make even more sense to vote on a party basis in the USA given that there only really two parties and they are extremely different to each other. Also their House of Representatives has 438 members so the power of any one of them is miniscule.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119631914#Comment_119631914

Well, we'll just have agree to disagree then.

Finty Lemon

Peddle

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119629143#Comment_119629143

Ultimately the land of Ireland belongs to the people of Ireland and that is the underlining theme on which our policy is based. Sinn Fein believes that the constitutional balance must be in favour of the common good over and above the rights of private property."

Guess who will be deciding "the common good" ....

Thinkingaboutit

Independents, people I know a bit, even if they're no hopers as to getting seats. Entering the political process with the resources the machine parties have and failing is something heroic. Challenging our pretend arguing hereditary political and ruling class is not easy.

fits

I’m very fed up with the erosion of childrens disability services and therapy. It was a vastly superior service even five years ago. But sure they can’t vote so….

my five year old kid has had zero therapy since the pandemic started.

so I’ll be looking at any party that has a realistic plan to address it quickly.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632825#Comment_119632825

You mean the party that will sell you the best fairy tale. As you have already pointed out there are no votes in it and with the prevailing economic conditions no money around either, so you are likely to disappointment in your choice.

The only way conditions will improve for your kid is if the over all conditions in the country improve and more cash flows into the exchange. And the parties that are most likely to impact that are FF/FG and SF. An if you are serious about change the you are going to need to join one of these parties, get involved in driving party policy and campaigning.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632526#Comment_119632526

Well we know it won’t be SF that is for sure! Private property rights are enshrined in the constitution, so it will the very people who’s property rights they want to take away that will get to decide, after the Supreme Court has declared their dreams unconstitutional.