Will Aontu have canidates to vote for in next election

Augme

It's given me a good laugh seeing the same people so vocal against the idea of having another referendum on the family amendment throw their support towards a party who want to completely ignore the result of the abortion referendum.

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121879230#Comment_121879230

Certain things can become less relevant.

For instance just look how politically poles apart people like Toibin and McDowell can end up on the same side on some matters.

There is probably not one single party that would represent everything exactly that a person might want, unless you are a zealot and the party are zealots.

There is more chance that parties represent everything a person doesn't want, which is actually now more prevalent that ever for lots of people in this country.

If Aontu got into power, what are they going to do?

Forcibly try and send people to mass?

Try and get people to believe in God and church again?

Rerun referendums on abortion, divorce, same sex marriages, etc ?

As I said those boats have sailed.

It is not like US where ruling president and majority party in senate can stack the supreme court so that in future social issues can be managed to their advantage.

Aontu in power could demand that every day in the Dail starts with the rosary for all I care, it will matter feck all to us the people.

I care more that they stop the codology around lots of issues that affect our society and economy.

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121874986#Comment_121874986

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121878889#Comment_121878889

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121871822#Comment_121871822

The fact is Aontu are the only political party with their finger on the pulse and able to read the room at the moment on the most important issues facing this country since the economy crash in 2008

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121870095#Comment_121870095

A quick look at their website reminds me of the PDs when they were starting out - they walk a bit of the road with everyone and as they say even stopped clocks are right twice a day. On top of which referenda results are not indication whatsoever of party politics for an election - just look at the history.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880399#Comment_121880399

Cool, so what credible politicians do they have that will win an election outside of Toibin? And let's also remember that they only came into existence because of Toibin's stance on abortion which doesn't remotely align with the Irish public. I don't see Aontu getting any notable bump in polling on the back of this... So they'll remain as relevant as Renua which also supposedly had its finger on the pulse.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880119#Comment_121880119

Do you seriously think most people are even aware of Aontu's position on the two referendums? The vast majority of the electorate do not care about Aontu and this sentiment is incredibly unlikely to change. Aontu had pretty much nothing to do with how anyone voted last Friday and it is deliberately misleadingto suggest otherwise!

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880399#Comment_121880399

not sure a party with 2% polling can claim to have the finger on the pulse on anything, or how the worst worded referendum in living memory is runway to real issues. But sure let's ignore the avalanche of polls in favour of a stopped clock.

I mean, unless you're saying Aontú have solid gold Care policies that trump the care referendum's terrible, wishy washy wording, then by all means share them cos I've seen nothing substantive that marks them as offering anything except what all tiny parties do - moondust and fantastical promises, with a side of whatever ideological bias they may possess.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880479#Comment_121880479

I never said aontu had but what he did have was agreement with public opinion on the referendum, something no one else on the political spectrum had

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880965#Comment_121880965

I'll give a quick example. Recently in the UK the Shamima Begum case was in the courts, and they confirmed that the UK government's decision to withdraw her citizenship was legal. I read am opinion that this was racist by the UK government and was wrong. I agreed with that statement, but it was written by Jacob Rees Mogg. Who i wouldn't be even remotely close to on pretty much any political issue.

Just shows that it's possible to agree with someone on a specific issue without it meaning that you'd agree with them politically.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880287#Comment_121880287

Are Aontu against divorce? I doubt that.

I know they are against abortion.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880460#Comment_121880460

"doesn't remotely align with the Irish public"

34% of voters were against abortion.

Gregor Samsa

Aontú should replace the Ú with a D.

Mar níl ach AON TD acu.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880287#Comment_121880287

I understand what you mean but the abortion part in particular is a step too far for many.

They wont get any real support. 1 or 2 maybe 3 seats tops.

I think what you are looking for really is perhaps a party that is stricter as far as immigration is concerned, but I dont see a potential governing party with that outlook emerging at present.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880399#Comment_121880399

How do you assimilate that statement with a Referendum that the majority of folks didnt care enough about to even bother voting?

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881181#Comment_121881181

On Friday here was a massive turnout for a referenedum which does not effect a large % of the population for what are the opening shots of the assult to topple the circus which dictates our country!!

Hands up here, I joined Aontú today. They are the lone voice which broadly expresses what I am thinking, and Peadar Toibín is showing outstanding leadership as. Imparted to other current party leaders. They are the only party which has emerged in this noise of government parties & majority opposition being totally out of touch with the majority and it presently is listening to the citizens in political isolation.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881383#Comment_121881383

Good for you. I disagree with pretty much everything aontu stand for, but I also believe that political parties are important and if one aligns to your beliefs, more power to you.

Geuze

Although it's refreshing that Aontú at least ask questions about immigration, a quick scan of their website reveals somewhat vague and unambitious policies.

Processing asylum claims in six months is hardly a massive improvement? I'd like to see 7 days.

Destroy travel documents = sent home: good.

Module housing also available to Irish = good.

I would give them a vote in LE and GE, but not my first preference.

https://aontu.ie/immigration

"The asylum application process is shockingly slow. People genuinely seeking asylum should have their applications processed within 6 month and those who are not genuine and who don’t fulfil the criteria should be sent home within 6 months. False applications take resources off those who really need them.

 Those who destroy their travel documents to confuse the application process or make it slower and longer should be sent home. It must be remembered that this is a small cohort of people. None the less we can’t afford to entertain for years those who are not asylum seekers but pretend to be.

 Services or housing that are designed to help asylum seekers should be also available to Irish people in real need. For example, providing modular accommodation for asylum seekers and not for homeless Irish people is bound to sow division within society.

The Debate

Ireland should have a debate around the issue of immigration. It must be an honest, respectful and responsible discussion. Suppression of the debate will not make its necessity less but will push the natural anxiety of some underground to be harvested by less responsible people. Honest concern with regards migration can quickly be transformed into anti migrant sentiment by unscrupulous politicians and activists. Grave wrongs have been committed and lives have been lost when some politicians seek to manipulate anxiety to make political capital from this issue.

Suppressing an honest debate cedes the issue to these people. Our current government have held no useful dialogue on this issue and drawn on little of the expertise that is available in assessing and planning for immigration. It is a dereliction of duty to all our people that we muddle through blindly.

When people come to Ireland they must be treated with equality, respect and dignity. Discrimination of any sort is not acceptable and must be rooted out.

A sustainable migration plan should have broad democratic support after being discussed honestly and informed by the opinion of genuine experts. It must also fulfil our international and ethical responsibilities. Aontú seeks a migration plan that meets our obligations as a people, is economically and culturally enriching, humanitarian, and is sustainable in terms of capacity. The answer does not lie in extremes, its a nuanced debate that lies neither in walls nor in open borders.

riddles

They don’t appear to respond to questions directed to them on their website. I asked if they had any plans to run candidates in my in the next election. Nothing back.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121870989#Comment_121870989

I don't think it was contrarianism more cynical opportunism using a referendum to publicise his party

Ash.J.Williams

I'm a Liberal sort of chap but I can't help feeling the best place to be is a rebel Liberal in a Conservative ireland

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881288#Comment_121881288

Thats not what the GE polls are saying.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881776#Comment_121881776

Good summary, but how do they propose to send people "home" in 6 months?

If they have no docs, where is home?

In short, Is there any meat on the bones of the policy or is it all just populist soundbyte?

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882422#Comment_121882422

We can't have an immigration system whereby the deliberate destruction of travel documents by an illegal immigrant results in that immigrant acquiring the ability to stay in the destination country forever.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883072#Comment_121883072

And we don't, you have been reading far to much social media nonsense. First of all the destruction of documents does not happen at the border or at the detention centre so you have no chance of proving it happened and second destruction of the documents does not increase your chances of being granted residence, it means that your country of origin will not accept you back so you end up in some kind of suspended state.

What we need is a solution to deal with such people. At the moment all European states do the same thing - eventually give up on trying to send them back and just accept them. It is far to expensive to keep them locked up for ever, so perhaps some kind of very restricted residency - confined go using public transport, cap on wages, required to do regular community service... basically try to ensure they never get to live the dream while ensuring basic human rights.

Geuze

I was replying to @BlueSkyDreams, who asked:

"Good summary, but how do they propose to send people "home" in 6 months?

If they have no docs, where is home?"

What are the answers to @BlueSkyDreams questions?

Those two questions imply that it is difficult to remove people who deliberately discard their travel documents.

I disagree with "give up trying to send them back and just accept them".

By doing that, we have rewarded the criminal

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883072#Comment_121883072

Yes, but what is Aontu's proposal to address this?

Where is the meat on the bones.

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883507#Comment_121883507

Well they are only party that admits we have a flawed immagration policy so that the starting point unlike all our other elected political parties with their heads in the sand,Our government made a big song and dance about cutting payments to new coming Ukrainins before last christmas but never bothered implementing these measures but they will pot up the carbon tax on heating oil without blinking an eye in the guise of saving the planet !!

kowloonkev

It is weird that any time there is a new party that seems to be more in tune with the working man, suddenly people are very interested in policy, as if they've ever read the policy of established parties.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121886672#Comment_121886672

Established parties tend to have established policies, people know what they stand for. Because they are established.