Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

magnumlady · 07-03-2014 9:28pm #1

With local elections in May, what questions will you be asking canvassers when they come calling to your door?

If a candidate came knocking at your door tomorrow what would you ask them? What issues affect you and yours on a daily basis? What would you like to see changed or introduced? How satisfied are you with the current crowd and what would you like to see changed tomorrow? Do local politics even matter and how should a candidate justify themselves to the electorate?

This thread is intended to raise issues that are important to you, so hopefully local candidates can take notice. Also this thread is to have no canvassing by candidates or party representatives, and any such actions will not be allowed.

We at Boards.ie will be getting in touch with as many candidates as we can, and the aim will be for them to come onto Boards to explain their policies, and to answer the questions that you the posters have posed in this threads. When that time comes we aim to use seperate threads for the candidates so that those threads can be answer and policy specific.

Finally & importantly, we would like this thread to focus on the issues that matter to you & be able to provide the candidates with a clear list of local issues as seen by local posters. If you wish to debate the issues raised - we will create a separate thread.

Mint Sauce · 07-03-2014 9:42pm

Issues that spring to mind would be, Sligo Hospital, The Eastern Bridge, O'Connell Street, and the Airport.

mountainy man · 07-03-2014 10:31pm

Is there a list of candidates yet?

drdidlittle · 08-03-2014 9:25am

Bin charges. Sligo hospital downgrades. The state of the council finances. Excessive use of cycle lanes. Not in any order

08-03-2014 3:56pm

I will be slamming the door in their faces, treating them they way they will treat us when they are elected!

drdidlittle · 08-03-2014 4:03pm

zorro2566 wrote: »

I will be slamming the door in their faces, treating them they way they will treat us when they are elected!

Worst thing you could do IMO. Tell them what you want changed and that you'll be voting for the other fella / woman unless they change their stance.
Had a 'big discussion' the last time about sligo hospital being downgraded. She argued with me that no such thing would happen........look at what is happening now. Didn't change anything but at least I voiced my concerns

rizzodun · 09-03-2014 2:01am

I think I'll have to mention the fact there wasn't a proper council meeting for the most of last year due to infighting among other things. Or that stupid Mayor party pact, or the huge debt the council has, and will have for many years to come, or O'Connell street, or the bicycle lanes that are a mess, or the regional hospital, or the new bridge, the list will possibly go on if I give it more time, I might mention the improved parks and walks over the last few years though, something I am proud to point out to people new to Sligo, but I'm sure every single councillor calling will take credit for that one.

TequilaMockingBird · 09-03-2014 4:35pm

Every time someone's aunt dies, the meeting is canceled. :rolleyes:

I put a sign on my door saying "No Canvassers". I can't be listening to their waffle.

Pretzill · 11-03-2014 2:11am

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

Every time someone's aunt dies, the meeting is canceled. :rolleyes:

I put a sign on my door saying "No Canvassers". I can't be listening to their waffle.

Yes the only thing I'll be raising is a 'no canvassers' sign too. The issues become promises and rarely are acted upon.

sligoface · 11-03-2014 5:04am

The hospital being in such a sad state sickens me and like manybhave said, we know there's no point asking because we will never get the truth. They know it too.

The debt the council is another issue which we know they haven't a hope of sorting out.

The other issue I have which I'm still unhappy about is the bin charges. It's not just about the amount of the rise, I'm concerned that our government seem to have no problem forcing us into private contracts for vital services so said companies can rip us off.

In this case it seems to me that they used their own interpretation of an EU regulation to make it mandatory for people to enter into a contract with bin collection companies, which may not be what the regulations require at all. But they told us all that, which led to said companies exploiting customers by adding a standing charge on top of a charge per lift. Neither the EU nor our government should be allowed to team up with private companies to hold people to ransom for vital services this way, but this is what is occuring across the board with the water charge and now the bin collection charges, and I'm sick of it.

Henlars67 · 11-03-2014 10:09am

People should look at the voting records for previous budget meetings of the council.

They shouldn't even consider voting for councillors who consistently voted through Hubert Kerins' fairytale budgets which have bankrupted the county council.

That is a simple but sensible criteria to use when deciding who to vote for.

EuskalHerria · 11-03-2014 1:54pm

I'm looking forward to a number of candidates calling to the door. Matt Lyons for example. He said if he was in FF when they were removing the cancer services he would have resigned. His convictions not strong enough though to leave FG when the 100 day nonsense guarantee fell through.

Politicians love an electorate with a short memory. Luckily it's very easy nowadays to call some of these bludgers out on their rhetoric.

Bichon Lover · 11-03-2014 4:10pm

Rezoning of land for housebuilding (a definite no for me)
Planning enforcement
Sewage plant for North Sligo, promised for over 20 years and still waiting for work to start.
Will not vote for Lyons after his anti-abortion stunt.

Agree with Tequila - constant adjournment of meetings as a Mark of sympathy is a farce: new council, new way of doing things?

sligono1 · 14-03-2014 9:56am

Address the constant was of money within the council and how both councilers and council employees have to stand up and account for their actions,they should be fired or stand down county counciler or employee should not be exempt like us tax payers if we do somthing wrong in our job our P45 is hanging over us,no longer should the tax payer have to stand by and watch this waste within our councils

Henlars67 · 14-03-2014 11:30am

sligono1 wrote: »

Address the constant was of money within the council and how both councilers and council employees have to stand up and account for their actions,they should be fired or stand down county counciler or employee should not be exempt like us tax payers if we do somthing wrong in our job our P45 is hanging over us,no longer should the tax payer have to stand by and watch this waste within our councils

The former county manager is to blame for the financial position of the council.

Some councillors spent years arguing that his budgets were unrealistic, but other councillors consistently voted them through.

Every 5 year the electorate have had the power to give these councillors their P45's but every time the electorate has opted to keep them.

sligono1 · 15-03-2014 7:01pm

Yes the county manager has cost the county millions but right through the various council departments there has been needless squandering of money there is many more

EuskalHerria · 24-03-2014 10:53pm

Anyone here said their piece to any of the calling candidates? I missed Matt Lyons this evening which is a shame, I had that tirade lined up and ready to go.

rizzodun · 25-03-2014 12:24am

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Anyone here said their piece to any of the calling candidates? I missed Matt Lyons this evening which is a shame, I had that tirade lined up and ready to go.

I got one, won't say the name (for reasons regarding council dispute they commented on below) but they agreed on my point on cycle lanes, explained that cemetery road in particular is going to be re-done, couldn't answer why the person in particular was not held accountable for the waste of money.

In regards to 70million in debt they were of the opinion that most of this was due to land purchases that were made in the boom times for planned developments that were never done or needed, and now the land isn't worth as much, they also agreed it was a mess, but no solids on how to resolve it. (pointed out that some is also for the treatment plant that was badly needed)

On the point of the council meetings, they were of the strong opinion that the reason there has been no meetings is down to one councillor in particular.

As they said, some things that were acceptable to say 20 years ago are not now and some people can't see that, and that one councillor was single handedly disrupting the whole process regarding the meetings. They pointed out that while meetings have restarted (they actually had never stopped, just council staff refused to participate), there is still issues with staff not attending, with the council manager doing his best to chair meetings but unable to answer certain questions as the people with the answers were not there. They also mentioned that a some of the non-attendance is union driven as a result of the dispute. They mentioned that mediation was started with all councillors, with some asking why they had to attend when they had nothing to do with the dispute and had conducted their affairs with respect to the council staff.

I pointed out that surely if one member (as it sounds) is causing this much disruption could the other councillors not pull together and leave this person out in the cold, for the good of the whole council/councillors.

I'm not sure it's that black or white, but 9 months or more to resolve a dispute is ridiculous.

Also pointed out about house vandalism last year in our street (vacant council houses), which he said:
1. should not be happening and should be followed up by the council
2. Would not be happening if people were moved in straight away instead of boarding up the house for a few weeks to 'get it ready', something they do not agree with, too many people waiting on a council house for it to lie empty.

There was other small bits, not many answers there I'm afraid, don't want to give the persons name who called, or who they talked about, I'm sure many will fill in the blanks and will also dispute some points here.

Henlars67 · 25-03-2014 8:10am

rizzodun wrote: »

There was other small bits, not many answers there I'm afraid, don't want to give the persons name who called, or who they talked about, I'm sure many will fill in the blanks and will also dispute some points here.

I know from reading that who you're on about, but some people won't.

If you aren't going to name the public representative who called to you and the other one whom he was talking about, then in my opinion, you shouldn't bother posting about it at all.

Bichon Lover · 25-03-2014 3:33pm

"they were of the strong opinion that the reason there has been no meetings is down to one councillor in particular."
Pathetic. One man tries to get information which should be supplied routinely to meetings and the staff throw a hissy fit. If the other councillors had backed him up, chances are the financial deficit would not be half as bad.

rizzodun · 25-03-2014 6:40pm

Henlars67 wrote: »

I know from reading that who you're on about, but some people won't.

If you aren't going to name the public representative who called to you and the other one whom he was talking about, then in my opinion, you shouldn't bother posting about it at all.

My post was more about the sort of speil I got when asking some questions at the door than the councillors involved, I have no interest in blowing anyone's trumpet about who should be elected, I have a jaded view of each and every one of them, likewise, I would have a mixed opinion about the lack of meetings, I'd say it's more likely both parties refused to back down, as normally is the case where ego's get in the way.

Also, as Bichon Lover pointed out with his post, some people have a very different opinion about what has happened, which would leave me to believe had I posted the names those people whose opinions differ would have said I shouldn't have. (Not directed at Bichon Lover).

If you disapprove with me withholding the persons name feel free to post all the details when they come calling to your door.

I think I'll just use my vote, way too many people give out and then don't bother their arse turning up on polling day.

genie · 11-04-2014 11:14pm

Is there a list of candidates yet?

EuskalHerria · 11-04-2014 11:39pm

genie wrote: »

Is there a list of candidates yet?

Definitely not a final list, probably only the candidates choosing to pay for ad space.

http://www.oceanfm.ie/local_election_2014

sara-lou · 12-04-2014 9:40pm

I had at least the 5th leaflet thrown into my hallway today, they are not even knocking on the doors!!!!

:mad::mad::mad:

How do they expect my vote when they haven't the balls to introduce themselves & their "intentions" ? Their arrogance is unbelievable

genie · 12-04-2014 10:37pm

It is completely ridiculous that the electoral area I now find myself in extends as far as Enniscrone, which is about 40 miles from where I live, although I might be better off voting for someone way over there as I'm certainly not voting for the local joker and I don't know who the local alternatives are. :rolleyes:

The list of candidates is pretty pathetic. Ocean FM, if you're reading this, can you please track them all down? I think we all deserve to see a full list, not just those who could afford to pay for advertising on your website.

Mint Sauce · 15-04-2014 5:29pm

EuskalHerria wrote: »

Definitely not a final list, probably only the candidates choosing to pay for ad space.

http://www.oceanfm.ie/local_election_2014

Just been googling there for a little while, and that link did not even come up on the first two pages.

Could not even find a list on the Coco website. Shame there does not seem to be an independent body that lists all the candidates, without giving bias.

red sean · 16-04-2014 10:57am

Have nominations actually closed yet? May be waiting for the final list.

sligoman2014 · 22-04-2014 1:54pm

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

Every time someone's aunt dies, the meeting is canceled. :rolleyes:

I put a sign on my door saying "No Canvassers". I can't be listening to their waffle.

The meetings are not cancelled for an aunt dying....The only way meetings are cancelled is if a member dies, or an immediate family member of a cllr, or a former cllr.....If a cllr aunt died they might adjourn for 10 minutes but that would be it

sligoman2014 · 22-04-2014 1:56pm

EuskalHerria wrote: »

I'm looking forward to a number of candidates calling to the door. Matt Lyons for example. He said if he was in FF when they were removing the cancer services he would have resigned. His convictions not strong enough though to leave FG when the 100 day nonsense guarantee fell through.

Politicians love an electorate with a short memory. Luckily it's very easy nowadays to call some of these bludgers out on their rhetoric.

Why would he resign?? He said he would have if it was FG that removed them, well it wasn't it was FF....

sligoman2014 · 22-04-2014 2:00pm

Bichon Lover wrote: »

"they were of the strong opinion that the reason there has been no meetings is down to one councillor in particular."
Pathetic. One man tries to get information which should be supplied routinely to meetings and the staff throw a hissy fit. If the other councillors had backed him up, chances are the financial deficit would not be half as bad.

Get your facts right, the one man your on about kicks up a fuss at the borough council meetings which in fact has no major financial worries, it's the county council finances which are a shambles but he doesn't for some reason fall out with the staff there

EuskalHerria · 22-04-2014 2:31pm

sligoman2014 wrote: »

Why would he resign?? He said he would have if it was FG that removed them, well it wasn't it was FF....

So he would have left FF due to the removal of cancer services. However FG making false promises about the reintroduction of services falls under a different moral category does it?

You can decide what is worse, removing vital services or making promises on those important services to win votes. I think both are rephrehensible.
If Matt Lyons left FG in the morning it would still do nothing to justify taking the man seriously as a politician. He was almost venemous in his condemnation of FF, and rightly so. Then after the 100 day pledge had passed he was nowhere to be seen or heard. His convictions obviously hidden behind the title "cllr" after the elections had taken place.

There's nothing to calm the fiery passions of a politician like being elected.

Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

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