almostover wrote: » Do tell, how to you envision a united Ireland? One where we tell the prods and orangemen up north to go and bugger off? Two wrongs won't make things right. Any united Ireland will have to be respectful of the culture of Unionists up North. Many concessions will have to be made and the olive branch extended, it's not just a case of singing Amhran na Bhfiann and telling unionists to go back to mainland Britian. What worries me is that the DUP and Sinn Fein have polarised the North. Pity the more moderate parties have faded away. Hopefully that will change and we can build a united Ireland for all. Not Sinn Fein's version of a united Ireland just for nationalists
Edgware wrote: » " Work in finance" All right all right, he does the door on the local bingo hall.
almostover wrote: » SF are constantly clamouring for a UI but what is their proposal for making that work? I remain unconvinced that they have a coherent plan beyond the border poll for actually making a peaceful UI work. Having said that FF and FG don't either.
SafeSurfer wrote: » Some of us have to work. Unlike some people who are on defending a political party 24/7.
mariaalice wrote: » Even more, convinced that SF supporters put people off voting for them. SF is the only party we haven't had a leaflet in the door from despite the fact there is a SF TD in the constituency, now they are unlikely to have many supporters where I live but there are bound to be some. He most likely will get in again but has a very narrow base of support.
McMurphy wrote: » It's kind of hard to make sense of this post. You're saying that they are unlikely to have support where you live, yet there's a TD in the constituency, which indicates that they obviously have support in the area, and they've given him a mandate to represent them. You also said you're convinced Sinn Fein supporters put people off voting for them, yet didn't elaborate why. As for the leaflet, fair play, I've dozens of the bloody things here, and if I could have it my way both them and the eyesores of posters would be prohibited, it's a waste of paper and a blot on the landscape! Is it perhaps possible that you just don't like Sinn Fein hence this rather vague post?
maccored wrote: » theres this thing called google - you should try ithttps://www.sinnfein.ie/a-republic-for-all-policy
Idbatterim wrote: » Ff and Fg are quite different though. Fg way more fiscally conservative and prudent
mariaalice wrote: » The SF base of support is a nearby very large town and they seem to stick to that unlike all the rest who are canvassing all over the constituency. SF have some very good candidates but as I said the type of supporters they have localy would put me off voting for them.
Matt Barrett wrote: » Are you being sarcastic? NCH, IW, Reilly's clinics, Sitserv deal. And no doubt, broadband after that. Not to mention NAMA selling properties to vulture funds then buying them back and Leo's spin department. Leasing luxury apartments for 25 years and hotels as social housing. But yeah the fiscally conservative myth.. .
efanton wrote: » The problem is is simply. FG are often way too prudent, which forces the next government into spending and it being a FF government they dont spend wisely or certainly dont keep check on the promises they make, which then forces the next government to try cut back on spending but rather than cut back on wasted spending they cut back on tax, education, housing, social services, and then we are back at the beginning of the cycle again. Who is to blame for this? BOTH parties, as rather than see the mistakes that each have made previously and learn they go back into the same cycle repeatedly and nothing is achieved This is why I find it incredulous that both parties will shoot down any other party's alternative budget or program for government. Can SF achieve what they are promising and still return a surplus, the simple answer to that is YES, BUT ONLY IF THEY GET VALUE FOR MONEY FROM THE SPENDING THEY MAKE. The problem in this country is not what is promised at an election, all programs for government and budgets are independently verified after all, the problem is how the policies are implemented. Can anyone explain to me why reasonably intelligent men and women would sign up to a contract that had no fixed price, no penalty clauses, no proper project management and no accountability to those involved in a project. Yet FF and FG have done exactly this repeatedly. Children's hospital, broadband plan, M50, M20, LUAS, Port Tunnel, the list is endless. Yet the same supposedly intelligent men and women from FG and FF will pour scorn on any other party proposed solution even when it has been independently verified. Yet they insist that the electorate must believe them despite previously failing themselves to deliver or keep their promises. The problem will be exactly the same for SF if they ever get into government. Its one thing to have a plan, its another thing altogether to deliver it anyway close to budget. But personally speaking, FG and FF have proven themselves time and time again to be incapable of learning from their own mistakes, I am willing to give SF the chance to proof themselves. Why not there's nothing left to loose, and only a fool would believe that FF or FG will actually keep or deliver on their promises.
windy shepard henderson wrote: » I dont think FF or FG proved they couldn't learn from mistakes i just think it was arrogance that people would vote for them regardless, thats why i was disappointed with SF strategy they could have caught up with both parties if they ran enough candidates in terms of seats in the Dáil
Matt Barrett wrote: » See that's the thing. They don't make mistakes. If things weren't going as they liked they'd change policy. Things happen out of their control but both parties follow their policies that cause damage to the country but as long as there own are looked after they'll worry about issues as they arise. Record breaking crises are mere collateral damage for FG, otherwise they'd change tact and try address them they only do in so much as it doesn't effect the profit margins of pals.
FrancieBrady wrote: » There were people here a decade ago predicting that FF would never see the light of day again. I disagreed at the time because anything is possible in politics. And overall majority for anyone is hard to see, but not impossible.
jimmycrackcorm wrote: » Nobody was predicting that FF world see the light of day again. They got severely punished that's all. The electorate is very fickle because we never vote on anything long term. Even FG/Lab got hot because people were inpatient for recovery in a few short years. We were building 90k houses before the crash. But which parties are promoting sustainable building now?
efanton wrote: » I think it had more to do with being able to afford to run that many candidates and being able to put forward people that they could totally trust in government. Also the silly gender quota, which in principal is good but in practice a terrible solution, but in many constituencies because of the gender quota parties have decided not to field a candidate because of it. Personally I would sooner see quality rather than quantity. Also SF are a growing party. coming form 1 seat to potentially well over 20 seats in as many years cant be easy to manage. If they an get 20 to 25 seats in this election they will be in very good shape for the next, and I'm certain that is what is terrifying to FF and FG.
windy shepard henderson wrote: » No it hadn't, Noreen moran a candidate that got over 5000 first preference votes was overlooked by a candidate that could barely muster 500 votes in a local election last year It happened in several constitutionsices anf now it is showing its head
SafeSurfer wrote: » Sure they already have over 20 seats.
jimmycrackcorm wrote: » Nobody was predicting that FF would see the light of day again. They got severely punished that's all. The electorate is very fickle because we never vote on anything long term. Even FG/Lab got hit in the previous election because people were inpatient for recovery in a few short years. I thought it was unfair on labour particularly as people expected that as a minor coalition partner that they could deliver their whole agenda instead of valuing then on what they could do. They're was an expectation that they should bring the government down on the first thing that their voters didn't get. We were building 90k houses before the crash. But which parties are promoting sustainable building now?
McMurphy wrote: » Irish Water, Irish Water, Irish water. That is all.
christy c wrote: » Irish water looks like a rounding error in comparison to the manifestos that are out at the moment.