Fine Gael Demographic

"Consistent basis since 2000"? Fine Gael didn't spend a single day in government between June 27th, 1997 and March 8th, 2011. Fianna Fail had the massive benefits of the Celtic Tiger and single-handedly created a hugely dysfunctional housing market. Does no-one remember the Galway tents? 110% mortgages? FF were literally the party of the building developers. FG came in to government on the back of the GFC at a time of huge austerity, and were left with FF's mess.

Should FG be doing better? Absolutely. Are they the architects of the situation? Absolutely not.

I vote in my own self interest largely, so FG gets my vote at this point in my life.

FG are fiscally conservative by Irish standards, but our welfare state is leaps and bounds better than even Labour would introduce in the UK. We need some sensible budgets for a few more years to continue the recovery from the FF induced disaster. I feel I pay plenty in tax, PRSI etc. , 50% or more at the marginal rate which kicks in fairly low in this country. I am happy paying that, but any more burden on those paying tax at that rate is not sustainable or fair imho.

The deposit requirements are due to the dire state of the banks, my mortgage is at well over 4% due to the same when the ECB base rate is less than zero. We are all at the mercy of shite state of our banks Balance Sheets for the foreseeable future. What can SF do? Corp tax is a sacred cow and needs to remain so, the middle class already bear too much tax, there is no room for a massive social housing drive, nor is that the solution.

Even with all the above, anything more than a 90-95% mortgage is risky, so you will still need to find your deposit even if the government were to provide the land, and Gov owned land is not within easy distance of Dublin, so aye you get a 2% mortgage, a house in a less desirable location, but your will still need to save a hefty deposit.

The circle that FG (and FF) are unable to square is that they want to solve the housing crisis just so long as the price of houses doesn't actually fall. That's why they keep pushing demand-side solutions to a supply side problem. The dirty little secret, that most politicians know, is that there are a whole cohort of homeowner voters out there who don't care about the housing crisis - but they absolutely do care about the equity in their homes (and opposing any housing developments anywhere near them). FG know this and see this group as the foundation of their voter base. They just can't say the quiet part out loud.

In my opinion if you do not own your own home then you're a fool to vote for FG. The only reason to vote for them is if you primarily vote with your own interest at heart and you own your own home.

"Our life is better than a lot of people but not great. Some familys who have 3 kids and are on the dole and have a social house are not much worse off and their alarm doesn't go off at 6:30am. HAP payments can be about €1,300 a month I believe so €15,600 a year towards housing and no childcare costs required."

That's not complaining about too many benefits?

I was a Labour voter in my youth, mainly cos my family were always champagne socialists, trade union high-ups, upper mid public servants and so on and I adored Ruairí Quinn too.

But now I'm in my 40s I'm firmly a Coveney camp Fine Gaeler. I'm a self employed professional, have some property and other assets, kids midway thru education and so on.

I vote for Fine Gael because they are pro-enterprise, pro economic expansion to lift all boats, pro the rewarding of effort, pro the addition of wealth to raise living standards and so on.

They will protect my created gains more than any other party by current policy and I concur with their general social policy also, liberal personal freedom that does not detract from others.

I would normally still throw Labour a preference,but not while Kelly is leader, he is moron.

And I will work with anyone to use my efforts and influence to keep the malignant Sinn Féin ever from entering Govt in the 26 counties.

No you're right, they haven't done enough. And waiting for the run up to a 2025 election is a mistake, because we've had a few close calls already and an election could be triggered really any month between now and then.

Its time for FG to be FG, to tackle SF on those major SF sticking points:

• Funding the exchequer and running a responsible budgetary position
• Maintaining social cohesion (money grabs, adverse business environment, FDI etc)
• Tackling the Unions and Professions to deliver on policies, have they got the stomach? How far will they push?
• Murky and malign party influences, democratic deficit at local level
• Addressing the ambiguity around socialism/marxism, the constitutional question, Euroscepticism etc

I'm no FF voter, but I think putting the blame for recklessly destroying the economy is giving them too much credit. Much like FG they don't actually impose any power or strategy on the economy, the policy of both is just leave it up to the market and take the credit if things go well and hide if they don't.

I'm not saying a very interfering government would work in Ireland, as a small island we may just always ultimately be blown by winds outside of our control. But if you ever got that familiar feeling watching the news - 'how did this idiot ever get elected?!' - you are more than likely correct in your initial assessment. A bunch of chancing gombeens getting away with it for as long as possible.