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Election called for Saturday 8 February

Thelonious Monk

Can't see a thread on this. That's pretty soon huh? I hope people vote anything but FF/FG. Why not do something different for a change?

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Dwarf.Shortage

Any idea when manifestos outlining specifics of policy plans might be released?

Would like to see FF and FG plans on housing and some level of tax reductions, a giveaway budget is not what we need but the marginal rate is still at or around 50% so some easing of this, or the amount at which one starts paying it, would be a fair dividend to working people now that things have improved.

I voted FG in the last election and they have probably done enough to keep my vote.

Plumbthedepths

markodaly wrote: »

The majority of people living in rural Ireland have no connection to the land or agriculture. Most people work in the services industry. So tell me, why are they mostly living in one-off houses?

All my neighbours have a connection to the land around me. They farm as do their family members. I can only speak for the people I know of. Haven't a clue about others . Maybe you should ask that majority you are claiming have no connection what are they doing in the countryside. I can guess the answers you'll receive. Probably just two words.

Snow Garden

markodaly wrote: »

The majority of people living in rural Ireland have no connection to the land or agriculture. Most people work in the services industry. So tell me, why are they mostly living in one-off houses?

I work in services and live in a one-off house in the country. I love it.
I go for long walks in the countryside and across the bogs.
I grow potatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, apples, raspberries and pears for my own consumption.
I like to fish and I kayak/swim in the local river and lake a few miles away.
Do I pass?

road_high

blanch152 wrote: »

The real issue is that the distributed model of rural living as planned in Ireland for the last 50 years is no longer sustainable. No new building should take place outside of towns and villages.

So true. My local small town has really struggled to maintain a population and services whereas there’s a plethora of one off housing nearby- they should have all been forced to build in the town in a managed way- then services could be provided To a critical mass of people. Instead there’s a bunch of people completely detached from their locality, all commuting into the local big town. This is replicated country wide and you can see how hard it is to provide services

BarryD2

Snow Garden wrote: »

I work in services and live in a one-off house in the country. I love it.
I go for long walks in the countryside and across the bogs.
I grow potatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, apples, raspberries and pears for my own consumption.
I like to fish and I kayak/swim in the local river and lake a few miles away.
Do I pass?

Nah, you're not playing the game and being a good consumer. Don't you know you should be exercising in a sweaty gym and contributing VAT and taxes to the state? Never mind not supporting the poor food retailers - you have to think of the greater good and change your ways. Rural Ireland is now for giant industrial wind machines, forests and solar farms. Leaving aside of course, land suitable for the suburbanites to go on their weekend breaks and reconnect to nature.

McMurphy

road_high wrote: »

So true. My local small town has really struggled to maintain a population and services whereas there’s a plethora of one off housing nearby- they should have all been forced to build in the town in a managed way- then services could be provided To a critical mass of people. Instead there’s a bunch of people completely detached from their locality, all commuting into the local big town. This is replicated country wide and you can see how hard it is to provide services

Sounds to me like FG got their lpt pricing structure arse about face.

James Brown

is_that_so wrote: »

These are the things you know about and political anoraks obsess about. Of that list housing is about the only one that jumps out for an average voter, possibly insurance too. The expenses thing is all TDs not just FG and the commemoration a flurry of media-driven outrage for a week in January.

That's pretty deluded if you believe that.
These are the very items you were saying the media push. You don't need to be anything other than living in Ireland to know about much of this and if it's not effecting you directly, likely a neighbour can tell you all about it from experience.
People are pissed off. The only question is will it make a difference on election day, but they are pissed.
FG dismissing such genuine concerns is what endears them to the public....

James Brown

road_high wrote: »

Yet if the economy was in the toilet FG would be first in the firing line. Funny how some take their economic status for granted to such a degree

When it doesn't translate for many why would they care?

road_high

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

When you start using terms like Grown ups I can dismiss you for condescension.

Grown up politics is about governing, sorry. If you can’t face up to that well I can’t avoid you being offended which is your issue not mine. Until SF et al behave like responsible adults I will always point out what they are- populist children

road_high

rob316 wrote: »

I hear people say "oh the economy is doing fine again why fix what's not broken, leave FG at it"

The economic growth has nothing to do with the sitting government that's a worldwide trend.

The same lazy ideas do though.

You reckon? Try looking at Greece and syriza then for inspiration. SFs best pals in Europe

Geuze

markodaly wrote: »

The majority of people living in rural Ireland have no connection to the land or agriculture. Most people work in the services industry. So tell me, why are they mostly living in one-off houses?

A good point.

A drive around county Galway will let you see endless one-off houses.

Loads and loads of them

And then people say planning is tight????!!!!!

I respond by asking them to open their eyes as they travel around the county.

There are thousands of one-off houses.

Planning is obviously far too loose.

Most of these houses are not inhabited by farmers.

Bishop of hope

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Every TD begins preparing for the next general election as soon as the count ends. Posters have been ready for months. I’m pretty sure that most people have their minds made up by now as to how they will vote, so posters really don’t make much difference.

Ah sure we could have the election tomorrow so.
I doubt that many are absolutely mind made up on who they'll vote for, I don't even know who all are running in my constituency yet.

road_high

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Amazed to see people considering voting for the Greens, only in the last week or so did they try to get us to lose our Veto on Corporation Tax.

Pure madness.

I guess that’s one way of reducing emissions- stick everyone on the dole so they won’t have commutes or consumption to worry about. Worked well after the last green escapade in government

James Brown

Geuze wrote: »

A good point.

A drive around county Galway will let you see endless one-off houses.

Loads and loads of them

And then people say planning is tight????!!!!!

I respond by asking them to open their eyes as they travel around the county.

There are thousands of one-off houses.

Planning is obviously far too loose.

Most of these houses are not inhabited by farmers.

Did you knock in, how do you know?

Plumbthedepths

road_high wrote: »

Grown up politics is about governing, sorry. If you can’t face up to that well I can’t avoid you being offended which is your issue not mine. Until SF et al behave like responsible adults I will always point out what they are- populist children

If your go to position is condescension, you're not an individual i'd waste time responding to. If you want people to engage have some manners, it's not hard.

[Deleted User]

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Did you knock in, how do you know?

There simply are not that many people directly employed on farms anymore because of mechanisation.

Around our family farm in Cavan houses have sprung up on every road and lane way in the last 20-30 years.

The population has increased but most round us are not farming.

The local town is full with closed shops and pubs and theres talk of closing the local secondary school.

smurgen

road_high wrote: »

Grown up politics is about governing, sorry. If you can’t face up to that well I can’t avoid you being offended which is your issue not mine. Until SF et al behave like responsible adults I will always point out what they are- populist children

Ah the classic condescending tone.mature,grown up etc. Fg are ineffective and have not faced any adversity to date in government. The only real test varadkar has was issues in his own party such as Maria Bailey and he completely screwed that up. If the economy turns can we trust them to make hard decisions and stand up for Irish citizens? I would say no. Varadkar is asleep at the wheel. He's only been fortunate to be in power while the car that is Ireland plc was driving in a straight line.they will crumble when we come to a few bends in the road.

[Deleted User]

Geuze wrote: »

A good point.

A drive around county Galway will let you see endless one-off houses.

Loads and loads of them

How do we encourage people to live in towns and villages where we can provide services/schools/local facilities though?

Waving a big stick and saying "no more one-offs" doesnt work.

Snow Garden

smurgen wrote: »

Ah the classic condescending tone.mature,grown up etc. Fg are ineffective and have not faced any adversity to date in government. The only real test varadkar has was issues in his own party such as Maria Bailey and he completely screwed that up. If the economy turns can we trust them to make hard decisions and stand up for Irish citizens? I would say no. Varadkar is asleep at the wheel. He's only been fortunate to be in power while the car that is Ireland plc was driving in a straight line.they will crumble when we come to a few bends in the road.

True, FG never really had a credible opposition and still managed to mess things up. They got so arrogant and detached that their own TDs started devouring dodgy expenses and looking for compo claims from businesses.

And we only found out about the TDs caught in a random audit!!

[Deleted User]

reading through different policies from the parties. While none exactly fit all my ideals, I feel the Social Democrats fot most.
so, regardless of candidates, I think I will vote for the party.

road_high

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

If your go to position is condescension, you're not an individual i'd waste time responding to. If you want people to engage have some manners, it's not hard.

Why get your knickers in a twist over nothing? You’ve been asked several times to paint the alternatives but each time you have a little cry about being condescended to. Well if you just want an echo chamber of government bashing with no real alternatives I suggest the SF facebook page is probably more what you’re looking for in online discussion. You seem to have this rather annoying complex of confusing people asking for alternatives with bad manners. It’s quite bizarre

Riskymove

bubblypop wrote: »

reading through different policies from the parties. While none exactly fit all my ideals, I feel the Social Democrats fot most.
so, regardless of candidates, I think I will vote for the party.

Have you a candidate?

They are only running 20 so many constituencies won't have the option

boggerman1

LeinsterDub wrote: »

I'm not a member. How is it unworkable? You'll still have your car if you want? How many times do you need to be told this. It's an alternative. It allows the 18 year old pop to train. It allows someone to drive to the next big town while you're at work.

It seems you don't agree with the ideas of a fictional Ryan you've invented in your mind

Eamon Ryan is the most delusional man in Irish politics.his suggestion of pooling cars for combined people to use in rural Ireland is mad stuff.who would run such a bonkers scheme and how far in advance would u need to book ur time.i’ll keep my dirty diesel going which Ryan’s cronies diverted everyone towards when he was in power.not everyone wants to live in a town either

Plumbthedepths

road_high wrote: »

Why get your knickers in a twist over nothing? You’ve been asked several times to paint the alternatives but each time you have a little cry about being condescended to. Well if you just want an echo chamber of government bashing with no real alternatives I suggest the SF facebook page is probably more what you’re looking for in online discussion. You seem to have this rather annoying complex of confusing people asking for alternatives with bad manners. It’s quite bizarre

Actually I just equate condescending attitudes such as yours as bad manners.

Calhoun

boggerman1 wrote: »

Eamon Ryan is the most delusional man in Irish politics.his suggestion of pooling cars for combined people to use in rural Ireland is mad stuff.who would run such a bonkers scheme and how far in advance would u need to book ur time.i’ll keep my dirty diesel going which Ryan’s cronies diverted everyone towards when he was in power.not everyone wants to live in a town either

This has always been the green party problem, the solutions have to be realistic and easy to implement. Allot of the time their policies are highjacked and its just a tax frenzy.

Add on top of this some of their newer members live in areas that would not benefit from some of the stuff they are saying.

road_high

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Actually I just equate condescending attitudes such as yours as bad manners.

No you just don’t agree with me so you choose to conflate
that with Bad manners- you’re really looking for an echo chamber of people agreeing with you. It’s obvious you have nothing to add bar the usual pointing of problems rather than any tangible solutions to anything - the moderators here can decide what constitutes bad manners and i can guarantee you it ain’t any of my posts

Bishop of hope

smurgen wrote: »

Ah the classic condescending tone.mature,grown up etc. Fg are ineffective and have not faced any adversity to date in government. The only real test varadkar has was issues in his own party such as Maria Bailey and he completely screwed that up. If the economy turns can we trust them to make hard decisions and stand up for Irish citizens? I would say no. Varadkar is asleep at the wheel. He's only been fortunate to be in power while the car that is Ireland plc was driving in a straight line.they will crumble when we come to a few bends in the road.

Where is your evidence of them crumbling.
I'm presuming you mean the economy and there is no evidence of them crumbling on that anyway.
Maybe you meant Fianna Fail, you must have, because otherwise your post made no sense.

KrustyUCC

Some candidates are very quick off the mark

We got our first leaflets through the door today

jimmycrackcorm

smurgen wrote: »

Ah the classic condescending tone.mature,grown up etc. Fg are ineffective and have not faced any adversity to date in government. The only real test varadkar has was issues in his own party such as Maria Bailey and he completely screwed that up. If the economy turns can we trust them to make hard decisions and stand up for Irish citizens? I would say no. Varadkar is asleep at the wheel. He's only been fortunate to be in power while the car that is Ireland plc was driving in a straight line.they will crumble when we come to a few bends in the road.

FG pushed for water charges, as such I'd say makes them the only party with a stance to make unpopular choices. FF proposed then initially but then flaked out for in favour of populism.

Whatever your feelings about Irish water et Al, the fact that we are the only country in Europe that doesn't charge for water services just makes other parties look populist.

I for one want to vote for a government that will make hard choices, even if those choices affect me negatively personally.

Yurt2

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Did you knock in, how do you know?

Because use your head. Or else stand out on the Barna and Moycullen roads a few miles outside Galway city on a weekday morning and try to deduce where all the cars are coming from and going to...

They're not going to the mart with their milk churns.