General Election and Government Formation Megathread (see post #1)

scheister · 22-01-2020 05:25PM

Labours housing policies include a similar SSIA type idea run via An Post

For every €4 you save they will give €1 up to 1,500 per year. Term from 3-5 years

They also want to look at a rent to buy scheme. Cant find much information on this.

Dyr · 22-01-2020 05:34PM

sid waddell wrote: »

Somebody who strongly advocates for evidence-based policies which are proven to work elsewhere and are transferrable is exactly the sort of person people should want in government.

I'll take them over somebody who offers simplistic populist soundbytes any day, thanks.

The evidence on the Portugese experiment is very far from conclusive. It just appeals to people who hold certain values.

keane2097 · 22-01-2020 05:45PM

is_that_so wrote: »

Is this the defer the change, review(interminably), see what way the wind blows and do nothing plan?

Are you following the story, no?

Originally FF's response to this issue was to deal with mandatory retirement clauses in employment contracts for 65 year olds. This is obviously the correct approach.

Their follow-up idea is as **** as everyone else's. Well, actually as someone said above 'we'll review it' just means 'we're not going to say it but we're definitely not going to change it back', so actually probably better if sneakier.

This has all been in all the papers since last Friday.

sid waddell · 22-01-2020 05:47PM

Bambi wrote: »

The evidence on the Portugese experiment is very far from conclusive. It just appeals to people who hold certain values.

If you mean people who think addicts are human beings who shouldn't be automatically criminalised and vilified and ostracised, and instead helped, yes I guess I would be one of those people who have such values - to be honest I find it difficult to understand why anybody wouldn't have those values and I wouldn't particularly want to hear what sort of "values" are held by those who don't have them.

The evidence seems conclusive enough to me, nothing is perfect but what's the alternative?

"Just Say No" or US style "war on drugs" idiocy while pro-big business politicians allowed the medical industry to simultaneously become legalised drug pushers isn't going to help anybody.

Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, Portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it

keane2097 · 22-01-2020 06:01PM

sid waddell wrote: »

If you mean people who think addicts are human beings who shouldn't be automatically criminalised and vilified and ostracised, and instead helped, yes I guess I would be one of those people who have such values - to be honest I find it difficult to understand why anybody wouldn't have those values and I wouldn't particularly want to hear what sort of "values" are held by those who don't have them.

The evidence seems conclusive enough to me, nothing is perfect but what's the alternative?

"Just Say No" or US style "war on drugs" idiocy while pro-big business politicians allowed the medical industry to simultaneously become legalised drug pushers isn't going to help anybody.

Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, Portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it

Yeah but besides crime, disease and deaths what has it improved?

Lux23 · 22-01-2020 06:08PM

FF's resurgence in the polls have scared the bejayus out of me, I am not a FG voter either, so I am seriously considering voting Sinn Fein as a tactical move to block FF. I always gave them a low down preference, but think I am wasting my vote with my usual first preferences.

Zubeneschamali · 22-01-2020 06:11PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I am wasting my vote with my usual first preferences.

Eh, no, your vote is transferable.

You can vote for every no-hoper on the ballot, safe in the knowledge that as long as you put FF last your vote is not wasted.

is_that_so · 22-01-2020 06:27PM

keane2097 wrote: »

Are you following the story, no?

Originally FF's response to this issue was to deal with mandatory retirement clauses in employment contracts for 65 year olds. This is obviously the correct approach.

Their follow-up idea is as **** as everyone else's. Well, actually as someone said above 'we'll review it' just means 'we're not going to say it but we're definitely not going to change it back', so actually probably better if sneakier.

This has all been in all the papers since last Friday.

I picked up on the second one. Hard to follow them all outbidding each other! I agree with you on employment clauses but that needs quite some thought.

BonnieSituation · 22-01-2020 06:58PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Eh, no, your vote is transferable.

You can vote for every no-hoper on the ballot, safe in the knowledge that as long as you put FF last your vote is not wasted.

Or he could avoid giving FF and their gene pool any preference as well.

howareyakid · 22-01-2020 07:09PM

Just wondering if anyone has any information on where election staff are employed from or how one might go about applying to work at a polling station or if it’s possible to apply for work at count centres?

Mervyn Skidmore · 22-01-2020 07:10PM

howareyakid wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has any information on where election staff are employed from or how one might go about applying to work at a polling station or if it’s possible to apply for work at count centres?

Apply to your local returning officer.

KevRossi · 22-01-2020 07:12PM

You need to contact your local returning officer.

If in Dublin City you can apply here: http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com/index.php/8-general-information/2-work-applications

Jolly Red Giant · 22-01-2020 07:39PM

Lux23 wrote: »

FF's resurgence in the polls have scared the bejayus out of me, I am not a FG voter either, so I am seriously considering voting Sinn Fein as a tactical move to block FF. I always gave them a low down preference, but think I am wasting my vote with my usual first preferences.

in the latest poll FF are 0.7% above their 2016 election result - hardly a resurgence.

Larbre34 · 22-01-2020 07:59PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Eh, no, your vote is transferable.

You can vote for every no-hoper on the ballot, safe in the knowledge that as long as you put FF last your vote is not wasted.

Worked elections for years, always amazed me how many people thought it was mandatory to vote all the way down the ballot, or even worse gave all their preferences an 'X'

There should be rolling adverts for the next few weeks explaining the voting process.

An Ciarraioch · 22-01-2020 08:11PM

Who is this Seán O'Leary character? Appears to be running in all five Cork constitutencies, Kerry, and a few in Dublin too!

Larbre34 · 22-01-2020 08:27PM

Jobs have all been assigned. There might be a standby list, but chances are its already long.

Heraldoffreeent · 22-01-2020 08:42PM

I'm voting for Sean O'Leary

Said very few people ever.

BonnieSituation · 22-01-2020 10:49PM

My God Martin's smirk is making me want to smack the TV.

It really is galling that he goes on and on as if he wasn't a cabinet member from 97-2010.

L1011 · 22-01-2020 10:49PM

I wonder will he get a quarter quota if you add aallll his votes in all the constituencies together? :pac:

(that still won't get his deposit/expenses)

An Ciarraioch · 22-01-2020 11:07PM

BonnieSituation wrote: »

My God Martin's smirk is making me want to smack the TV.

It really is galling that he goes on and on as if he wasn't a cabinet member from 97-2010.

Rather apt that TG4 is showing a documentary about homelessness in Galway - probably more real-life politics on display here than in the debate.

maynooth_rules · 22-01-2020 11:14PM

Leo does seem much more polished and statesman like than Martin. Martin is praying people forget his role in the Troika coming here

hotmail.com · 22-01-2020 11:15PM

Very dull debate so far. They all look and sound the same, I include Pat in that.

golfball37 · 22-01-2020 11:16PM

SF the big winners here. Better off out of it. As a neutral who won’t for either of these I have to say Leo is way ahead of Martin here on points.

theguzman · 23-01-2020 12:05AM

Leo held his hands up and said we made mistakes, the other lying slime ball would admit nothing other than mud slinging. Its only FF'ers would say they won this as they are too blind to see anything else. I would love if FG would extend the olive branch to SF and take them in with Labour and the Greens.

hotmail.com · 23-01-2020 12:12AM

Perhaps the opinion polls have gone to Martin's head and he became a bit cocky tonight.

Strazdas · 23-01-2020 12:18AM

hotmail.com wrote: »

Perhaps the opinion polls have gone to Martin's head and he became a bit cocky tonight.

Reports of Varadkar's demise have been a bit exaggerated I reckon. Martin didn't exactly set the world alight at any point this evening.

BonnieSituation · 23-01-2020 12:21AM

theguzman wrote: »

Leo held his hands up and said we made mistakes, the other lying slime ball would admit nothing other than mud slinging. Its only FF'ers would say they won this as they are too blind to see anything else. I would love if FG would extend the olive branch to SF and take them in with Labour and the Greens.

I can't actually remember where I read it recently (or heard it), but that SF are the most likely option for an FG coalition partner.

I know, I know what they all say, but the argument though outlandish, made more sense than say FF and SF getting in bed together.

On a personal level to see that level of backtracking happen to shaft FF would be the most delicious thing ever.

hotmail.com wrote: »

Perhaps the opinion polls have gone to Martin's head and he became a bit cocky tonight.

Exactly how it came across.

BonnieSituation · 23-01-2020 12:24AM

Strazdas wrote: »

Reports of Varadkar's demise have been a bit exaggerated I reckon. Martin didn't exactly set the world alight at any point this evening.

There's always a FF bias to any poll.

You can see it all the time how RTÉ report on them or how the results are presented.

You could even see it how no one really seemed to think the jump was a wee bit outlandish and made no sense from a statistical POV.

FG have weathered last week's storms I feel and will up the ante in the home straight. FF will still win more seats but I can't see it being as large a gap between the two as was predicted.

Sir Oxman · 23-01-2020 12:26AM

BonnieSituation wrote: »

There's always a FF bias to any poll.

You can see it all the time how RTÉ report on them or how the results are presented.

You could even see it how no one really seemed to think the jump was a wee bit outlandish and made no sense from a statistical POV.

FG have weathered last week's storms I feel and will up the ante in the home straight. FF will still win more seats but I can't see it being as large a gap between the two as was predicted.

I think it's accepted it is the opposite in polls re-FF!

feargale · 23-01-2020 01:42AM

is_that_so wrote: »

The basic aim of it is to increase the number of female politicians, which in theory will provide role models to encourage other women to get involved. Nothing wrong with that IMO but it's certainly none of what you imagine here.

Oh we all know the aim of it. In the middle years of the state, when the statistic had more relevance than now, Protestants were proportionately under-represented in the Dàil but it was never suggested that the system should be manipulated to balance that. Ditto today re Travellers, Immigrants etc.. And more importantly, what about the homeless who never had a voice in the Dàil? Should public monies be used to ensure that every interest which is not proportionately favoured by the electorate gets a leg up? No, it won't happen, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
It would be interesting to see what proportion of party membership is female. And before we hear about domestic duties militating against the numbers, it might be even more interesting to see in isolation those numbers in relation to single, childless people. I am not aware of any complaints against any party of gender discrimination when it comes to nominations.
I have often given no.1 to a female candidate. This is not about a gender war. It is about maintaining a level playing field. You don't tilt the playing field just because the almighty Dubs are playing Leitrim. Some decades ago smartass governments misused public money to sway voters in referendums, until the practice was successfully challenged in the courts. In that instance the courts didn't need to rely on an express provision in the constitution. I recall at the time an acquaintance defending that abuse on the grounds that a particular issue was of such importance that a yes vote was an imperative. In other words "we know better than the slobs who will be voting."

is_that_so wrote: »

Test how convinced you are by pointing to the Article it contravenes.

article 16
3° no law shall be enacted placing any citizen
under disability or incapacity for membership of
dáil Éireann on the ground of sex or
disqualifying any citizen or other person from
voting at an election for members of dáil Éireann
on that ground.

General Election and Government Formation Megathread (see post #1)

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