Why do Irish people accept status quo?

riclad · 24-12-2016 06:33PM

There was plenty of protests about the water charges .
One example ,theres 10 thousand plus drug addicts in dublin ,they go to clinics and collect methadone every day .
It would make more sense to have provide 400 beds for drug rehab ,
get them off drug,s permanently .
Theres a whole industry built around drug addicts ,treating them ,
providing services .
maybe the people who are homeless do not have the energy or are not organised enough to protest .
The divorce and gay marriage law were changed ,from the old repressive laws in the 60,s
when the middle class want something and ask politicians for it ,
they get it.
See the new grant for first time buyers ,
do people buying a house for 400k really need a handout from the
government .
Its a bribe for the middle class and it makes no sense
as it,ll just increase house prices .
People campaigned for the right to legal contraception and divorce ,
new laws were passed ,
maybe young people don,t remember at one time people had to
go to a doctor to get a prescription for contraception.
i believe section 8 will be repealed as this law makes no sense
in a modern european country .
Many politicians are cowards they won,t do anything to offend
anyone or they are afraid of losing the votes of religious extremists .
So change happens slowly .

Cartouche · 24-12-2016 06:42PM

Its interesting what we choose to vent our anger about. People went to the streets over water charges. We didnt see the same public protests to bailing out banks, constant caving in to public sector unions, successive governments that gave away our natural resources. I dont see this government lasting too long, the only thing i know for sure is that the next one will pursue the status quo
Maybe we really do need a revolution

Wheeliebin30 · 01-01-2017 01:31PM

Cartouche wrote: »

Its interesting what we choose to vent our anger about. People went to the streets over water charges. We didnt see the same public protests to bailing out banks, constant caving in to public sector unions, successive governments that gave away our natural resources. I dont see this government lasting too long, the only thing i know for sure is that the next one will pursue the status quo
Maybe we really do need a revolution

I'll just leave this one here.

"The Republic today ranks amongst the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita[89] and in 2015 was ranked the sixth most developed nation in the world by the United Nations' Human Development Index"

I think we are quite spoiled as a nation and are like little kids stamping their feet and throwing a tantrum when we don't get everything we want.

Graces7 · 01-01-2017 01:41PM

munchkin_utd wrote: »

people have a massive say

they want water for zero cost, and they elect politicans to deliver it.
they want a medical system for zero cost, and they elect politicans to deliver it.
they want free transport, electricity, tv licence, phone, heating for pensioners, and they elect politicans to deliver it
they want low income taxes, and they elect politicans to deliver it

The people of Ireland want scandanavian/ germanic level services BUT are not prepared to pay for it.
The politicans and civil service are actually working miracles to somehow provide the amount of services that are being provided with one of the lowest income tax regimes in the western world.

And, it'll not be long again till 50% of workers are out of the tax net like it was during the boom and dont pay a single cent of income tax for what is a fairly generous raft of services to the general public.

Well said.

Graces7 · 01-01-2017 01:50PM

GreenFolder2 wrote: »

A&E is failing in the cities big time. The problem is we're not funding adequate primary care and local clinics etc which is resulting in many non serious emergencies in A&E. Also the waiting lists are so long that you've very sick people turning up in A&E who should have been admitted to hospital for treatment via other channels.

On top of that Ireland has a major issue with alcohol fueled injuries at weekends that doesn't happen in most other places (the UK is similar in places). These lead to a futher stretch of resources.

A&E is also underfunded in urban areas when you look at how rapidly their hinterlands grew vs how health infrastructure didn't really expand at the same rate.

Health is funded slightly more heavily than the UK here but it's not nearly as well funded as some of the northern European countries which likely have similar salary costs to Ireland. Comparing with Spain and Italy etc forgets that people are paid less and living costs are genuinely lower.

Still in shock here after a day in A and E in Kerry. The place was disorganised with no one in charge.

People waiting who were clearly needing to be helped urgently

It was just after Christmas and Southdoc had announced they were taking between 3-5 hours to even answer the phone.

when I explained that to the paramedics they said with with the issue the dr would just have sent me to hospital anyway . ( They were great by the way. Really great)

And Cork has said that many with flu like symptoms are going to A and E; can that not be stopped? That is a GP issue.

Oasis1974 · 01-01-2017 01:54PM

Thought there music was appalling myself never excepted them as musicians.

Carlos Orange · 01-01-2017 01:54PM

Cartouche wrote: »

Its interesting what we choose to vent our anger about. People went to the streets over water charges.

People protesting against paying their way in life.

Graces7 · 01-01-2017 03:18PM

psinno wrote: »

People protesting against paying their way in life.

Truth! Keep an eye on comments on breakingnews.ie!

Allinall · 01-01-2017 03:30PM

Calahonda52 wrote: »

National debt at 200Bn and borrowing 1 mill a day still, before the USC cuts next year add another 1 mill a day to the ND.

I sense you are trolling so enough said.

Can you put those figures in perspective ?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a country borrowing, especially when interest rates are st a historic low.

What would you think is an acceptable level of debt, and why ?

Graces7 · 02-01-2017 10:14AM

Billy86 wrote: »

Just curious where these comparisons to other European countries on issues like homelessness are? Apparently we have a lower per-capita homelessness figure than Finland, Germany, France, Greece, the UK, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Now that's not to say all is peachy and fine here, but it does suggest that it is not the easily solved problem nobody else in Europe seems to be struggling with that gets touted out quite often.

I would like to see better services in this regard, as well as infrastructural, healthcare etc but I do hope that people realise this would mean higher tax rates. I suspect any effort to do so by any government would not be well received whatsoever.

Greece has an appalling homeless problem. MY family work in Canada with the homeless; the last govt audit there counted nearly 3 MILLION actually sleeping rough on the streets. There the word "homeless" means that so here those on emergency accommodation would not be included

LordSutch · 02-01-2017 01:58PM

Oasis1974 wrote: »

Thought their music was appalling myself never excepted them as musicians.

Apart from "Its Christmas Time" of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0Hchdf7u8http://

Rick Parfitt RIP.

Berserker · 02-01-2017 02:53PM

psinno wrote: »

People protesting against paying their way in life.

I agree. People want all these top class services but they are not willing to pay for them.

Myself and my OH are moving abroad later this year. She is a qualified doctor with a few years experience under her belt and she wants to move back home. A number of friends of ours, highly qualified in their respective fields, are moving abroad too. I think 2017 is going to be a year of public sector strikes and pay rises. A train driver who lives next door to us told me that they are going to be looking for a pay rise in line with the Luas drivers. They are "entitled" to it. Social welfare recipients will get taken care of too, as usual. PAYE workers are going to have it very tough over the next few years here. I feel for them.

riclad · 02-01-2017 04:09PM

Ireland changes slowly, the status quo changes,
When i was a teen there was no divorce, contraception was for married people, you could not buy a pack of condoms in a supermarket.
politicans will bring in new laws when they see there is majority support for it and
They wont lose too many votes over the issue.
Compared with the usa we have a good welfare system and a good health care system.
The only big issue,s i see that needs changing is housing or section 8.

JupiterKid · 02-01-2017 04:35PM

Ireland may be "developed" but it was extremely backward and poor for many decades after Independence, so in that sense Ireland is far from being a mature society. It is actually quite immature in many regards.

Housing and public transportation are pressing issues, followed by health. In the Netherlands for example, urban planners have not allowed large out of town shopping centres as they destroy high streets in established towns and villages. They have the right idea. Meanwhile we in Ireland have slavishly followed UK and American models which have failed.

We badly need more joined-up, rational thinking in terms of planning. And end the disgraceful scourge of one-off rural houses.

Ireland has come a long way but it still has far to go.

ToddyDoody · 02-01-2017 05:29PM

A cold Catholic country, bit like Poland. Just a tad to miserable to really fcuk with things?

Why do Irish people accept status quo?

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