Election to be called Fri - predict outcome

Ah now, come on, you and i know the crash wasn't restricted to Ireland. FG did SFA for the best part of 8 years and are only slightly getting their finger out of their holes now.

EUR500mn in 2023

With the reckless spending from ffg and they are now joined at the hip in culpability, if **** hits the fan again, like it did in the not too distant memory, people would really lose the rag... then again, what do you now do or who do you blame, when there is no fiscally prudent? party

I have no problem with ambitious targets, but don't just pull some arbitrary number out like they have 300k (nice round big number) with no proper substance how they will do it, anyway Data, the bar was low so it's good the numbers are increasing YoY, but they need to hit them targets they have set themselves just to stay above water

A very impressive looking manifesto, no doubt however will they actually achieve anything? Let's remind us of the key points of their 2020 edition, I'll try and be as fair as possible but there's also stuff I'm unsure of that I have omitted

• End the issuing of oil and gas exploration licences and stand firmly against the importation of fracked gas from other territories - Fail
• Ban single use plastic - Fail
• Set up a bottle deposit and return scheme - Success for limited materials
• Ban smoky coal and tighten restrictions on the harmful use of pesticides and insecticides - Fail
• 7% per year fall in emissions - Fail
• 20% of the transport budget on cycling and walking projects and split the remainder 2:1 in favour of public transport over road building and maintenance - I think they succeeded in this one?
• Free public transport for students - Fail
• A pilot €365 public transport annual pass modelled - Fail.
• It will introduce a 'one tag' scheme for multi-leg journeys- Partial success introduced in Dublin but nowhere else
• Allow users to take any number of trips in any direction on any form of local public transport for two hours after use of the Leap card - Mostly fail as there was a 90 minute fare introduced in Dublin
• Increase the priority of buses on roads which will include implementing priority traffic signalling for buses - Fail
• Wider footpaths in villages and cities - Fail
• More zebra crossings, cycling parking and storage at rail and coach hubs - Fail
• New wardens patrolling the streets fining for parking and dog fouling - Fail
• All new urban buses to be 100% electric or low emission hybrid - Fail
• Increased train speeds on all inter-city rail routes - Fail
• Development of a light rail system in Cork and Galway - Fail and Fail
• Review all derelict train lines around the country with a view to reopening them - Possible success in reviewing but failure in reopening
• All new public buildings to have EV charge points - Fail
• Charging stations at every service station - Partial Fail as a lot do have them but not all
• Apprenticeship program for 20,000 workers for deep retrofitting of 75,000 houses per annum - Fail.
• Remove "sale" as a reason for ending a lease and will introduce a form of rent review popular in Germany which is to base rents on the official rent guide for the areas - Fail
• Reform of the Housing Assistance Payment to drive investment into the provision of new social housing units rather than relying on sourcing from the private sector. - Fail
• It will tax vacant lands and buildings that could be used for housing - Fail
• A referendum on the right to housing - Fail
• The Green Party will amend the constitution to insert a provision prohibiting the privatisation of public water supplies and reform Irish Water with much of the day to day operation of the water supply being run on a regional basis - Fail
• The Green Party says it will reduce pupil - to - teacher ratios at first and second level with a particular focus on DEIS schools - Fail
• Sláintecare - Fail
• It will allow prescription of cannabis- based medicines through pharmacies and it will decriminalise the possession of small quantities of cannabis products and plants - Fail, Fail and Fail
• A wealth tax for people with assets over €10 million - Fail
• A Site Value Tax which is measured on the basis of the market value of the land under the property - Fail
• Gradually increase the carbon tax in each of the next ten years until it reaches €100 per tonne - I'm going to call this one a Success because after 5 years we are up to €56 per tonne so I can see this being possible
• Introduce a mechanism to return all the revenues raised from further increases in carbon taxes to citizens by increasing social welfare payments and tax credits - Social welfare payments and tax credits have increased so I'd say success
• It will reintroduce a flight tax - Fail
• Equalise excise duty rates on diesel and petrol - Fail
• It will end all fossil fuel subsidies - Fail
• Phasing out of homework in primary schools - Fail
• designate 50% of Irish territorial waters as marine protected areas - Partial fail, we're currently at 30%
• Restore the age limit for the One Parent Family Payment from 7 years to 18 years - Fail

Source:

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0125/1110908-greens-manifesto/

Agreed. It just doesnt make sense to take a punt on a flip flop party, when they have no experience managing the economy; an economy that barely has an equal across the globe, thanks to the current govt.

FFG are not perfect, but they have played a blinder on the economy for years now and everything else rests on the economy remaining strong.

SFs housing policy is impractical in my opinion and will actually reduce new home output, not increase it; I just dont see any better option under the circumstances than a return of FFG.

It's not perfect, but it is the safe and considered bet, when all is said and done.

The housing targets have been hit the last two years and will probably be hit again this year. If they do miss, it will be marginal.

Output is ramping up and commencement notices are at nearly 60k in the last 12 months.

The momentum is there and destablising it now will only reduce in fewer homes being bullt over the next number of years.

Thats the Green Party manifesto!

The Greens wont be in govt after the election. Nothing to do with FF or FG.

A lot of the transport and public realm stuff has started.

• Wider footpaths in villages and cities - Fail
• More zebra crossings, cycling parking and storage at rail and coach hubs - Fail

These for instance are only fails if you are judging it on the idea that "every" path and facility in the country hasn't been updated.

You are so biased and wrong, it is not worth challenging it.

Sure this Govt have lied and lied for nearly 5 years now. May as well take another bunch of liars in with them

I think you're being very harsh here.

For one I think the Green party should be primarily judged on the policies where they had the portfolio. Realistically as the smaller party in government they were never going to control everything.

In terms of particular points I think there are plenty you're being very harsh on.

For instance, emissions did actually fall by 6.8% this year.

There have been a lot of footpaths widened and new zebra crossings. They've recently changed it so that the big lights (whatever they're called) are no longer necessary at zebra crossings, which makes it a lot cheaper and easier for councils to install them.

There is a tax on vacant homes which went up to 7 times local property tax in the recent budget. Not enough for sure but it's definitely progress.

A lot of the other ones such as the ones around public transport pricing have seen major positive moves in the right direction, and will likely see more in the future.

While I agree with You. Harry, the difference is that Rabbitte said it publicly on state tv.

I’m busy watching last nights debate. I was particularly interested in the interaction between DOB & EOB. Only one winner imho & he’s not in the government. Can DOB not accept that others can be right once? He’s damn arrogant in the extreme.

The main thing I noticed is how many are now green in colour. Already had the Greens, Shinners, FF and FG and now we have the 50 different blaa blaa Ireland or Ireland blaa blaa parties.