The Next General Election

[Beatty]

SF closer to power than ever before but have some black marks against them in my opinion. This being the latest

[Beatty]

Who will you vote for and why?

[schmittel]

Who will you vote for and why?

Very few attractive options. Hence why SF are looking a shoe in.
I'd love to see a new party formed.
But the odds are stacked against anybody successfully doing that.
I'll probably vote for the farmers if they get their act together, despite the fact there's precious little they could or would do for me.

[678904673]

Who will you vote for and why?

For the party that promises me the most but ultimately delivers very little. I'll then spend the next 4 years bitching about them before voting for them all over again in the hope they've changed

[Setanta]

Who will you vote for and why?

SF, since everyone else I know is



Can't be any worse anyway

[quodec]

Looks like the next election will be SF's to lose. And I'm sure the lead up to the day will be full of handouts and promises from all sides, just like all the previous elections. But in the cold light of day - sometime in 2024/2025 - what exactly will an SF led government bring to the table that will solve the longstanding HSE problems, the housing crisis, soaring inflation and all our other problems. There is NO political party out there who will be able to conjure up a magic potion to cure our ills.
So what are people voting for exactly? A new set of faces to deal with the old set of problems. I fear it'll be like the old saying, out of the frying pan and into the fire.
But hey, what do I know. I'm just an old centre right conservative. Maybe the new lefties will magically sort all our crap out. Wake me up when it happens though.

[isha]

I always vote Independent. Pick the best one of a bad lot and give them a go. It's good in my opinion to have any sort of disruptive contrarians in the midst of the monolith, even if they are mostly wrong. Keeps dissidence alive.

[DeletedUser]

I always vote Independent. Pick the best one of a bad lot and give them a go. It's good in my opinion to have any sort of disruptive contrarians in the midst of the monolith, even if they are mostly wrong. Keeps dissidence alive.

Snap. In my area we’ve a minister and a very ineffective SF shill.

[Johnny Von Pintland]

Will be voting FG 1 and 2 and leaving it at that. Used to give a preference to Labour, but that ship is due for the scrap yard now.

[nlgbbbblth]

I always give my #1 vote to the best-looking female candidate

[The Housing Party]

The Housing Party is looking for members now. And then we'll be looking for votes come the next general election.

https://housingparty.ie/

[nlgbbbblth]

The Housing Party is looking for members now. And then we'll be looking for votes come the next general election.

https://housingparty.ie/

One thing strikes me about housing.

The Left complain that FF and FG have f*cked it up.

Yet, it wasn't FF or FG that came out with the statement "All property is theft". That's a Leftie slogan.

They can't have it both ways.

[jmcc]

Just remember that the opinion polls this far out from a GE rarely resemble the opinion polls in the last few weeks of a GE campaign when people make up their minds. That said, the useless McEnteem Dublin crime, the Gardai voting on a confidence motion on the Garda commissioner, and the Tubridy/RTE scandal may be damaging FFG. MLMcD has been out of the limelight for a while due to her recovering from an operation. Even with that, FFG is still making a mess of things and FF has been trying to distance itself from the useless McEntee and her "hate speech" efforts.

FG may also lose up to 9 TDs who are not running again and there may be more seats at the next GE than in 2020.

Regards...jmcc

[The Housing Party]

One thing strikes me about housing.

The Left complain that FF and FG have f*cked it up.

Yet, it wasn't FF or FG that came out with the statement "All property is theft". That's a Leftie slogan.

They can't have it both ways.

It's clear for all to see that FF and FG have made a mess of it. That's undeniable irrespective of whether you lean left or right.

However the reason we see a need for a dedicated housing party is that the left opposition look likely to repeat many of the same mistakes.

We'd look to take the left/right debate out of the issue and examine every policy on it's merits with regard to the current problems - "Will it improve the current situation?"

Some of the measures we would advocate would be deemed to be right wing, some would be deemed left wing.

The ideology is unimportant. What matters is fixing the problem.

[678904673]

It's clear for all to see that FF and FG have made a mess of it. That's undeniable irrespective of whether you lean left or right.

However the reason we see a need for a dedicated housing party is that the left opposition look likely to repeat many of the same mistakes.

We'd look to take the left/right debate out of the issue and examine every policy on it's merits with regard to the current problems - "Will it improve the current situation?"

Some of the measures we would advocate would be deemed to be right wing, some would be deemed left wing.

The ideology is unimportant. What matters is fixing the problem.

Perhaps you might enlighten us as to what you're ideas are before looking for votes

[kadman]

It's clear for all to see that FF and FG have made a mess of it. That's undeniable irrespective of whether you lean left or right.

However the reason we see a need for a dedicated housing party is that the left opposition look likely to repeat many of the same mistakes.

We'd look to take the left/right debate out of the issue and examine every policy on it's merits with regard to the current problems - "Will it improve the current situation?"

Some of the measures we would advocate would be deemed to be right wing, some would be deemed left wing.

The ideology is unimportant. What matters is fixing the problem.

The current government have absolutely no interest in fixing any issue thats related to housing or construction. They never have done, they have a long history of fuckups, as well as cover ups. They have no meaningful enforceable approach to building standards at all.
But they are experts on retrofitting schemes that are money making underhanded , and sometimes criminal enterprises.

It all stems back to accountability in both the construction industry and the government......or should i say the lack of.

Construction here must be one of the most corrupt in europe. If it wasn't, then we wouldn't have the school buildings fiasco, the childrens hospital gravy train, and all the while, no one is at fault.

Gives me a pain just thinking of it. If you are in a position to complain, you get sacked, thats it.

[The Housing Party]

Perhaps you might enlighten us as to what you're ideas are before looking for votes

As mentioned above, we're not looking for votes yet. Early days. But rest assured, obviously we'd lay out our ideas in detail before asking for your vote.

[kadman]

As mentioned above, we're not looking for votes yet. Early days. But rest assured, obviously we'd lay out our ideas in detail before asking for your vote.

Your party wont be able to do a single thing about housing and construction, or have any significant im pact on building quality unless you revamp the current building regs and methods of enforcement, and the ludicrous practice of self certification by builders no less. And you wont be able to do that, because the construction industry plays the tune, and we joe public get to pay the piper for their fuckups. Its like trying to root out organised crime, its not going to happen.

As for accountability, thats not gonna happen either.

[678904673]

As mentioned above, we're not looking for votes yet. Early days. But rest assured, obviously we'd lay out our ideas in detail before asking for your vote.

So you've no polices. When you do I'll take you seriously

[The Housing Party]

Your party wont be able to do a single thing about housing and construction, or have any significant im pact on building quality unless you revamp the current building regs and methods of enforcement, and the ludicrous practice of self certification by builders no less. And you wont be able to do that, because the construction industry plays the tune, and we joe public get to pay the piper for their fuckups. Its like trying to root out organised crime, its not going to happen.

As for accountability, thats not gonna happen either.

You mention that "the construction industry plays the tune" - we'd agree that is part of the problem, and an issue we would intend to solve. There are many other issues.

It is easy to take the view that even if somebody tries to solve these problems, they will fail. That may be true, or it may not be true.

But one thing that is certainly true, if nobody even tries to solve these problems, they will never be fixed.

The current problem is nobody is trying.

[kadman]

You mention that "the construction industry plays the tune" - we'd agree that is part of the problem, and an issue we would intend to solve. There are many other issues.

It is easy to take the view that even if somebody tries to solve these problems, they will fail. That may be true, or it may not be true.

But one thing that is certainly true, if nobody even tries to solve these problems, they will never be fixed.

The current problem is nobody is trying.

I dont know your knowledge of the construction industry, but I know mine, all 52 years of it, here and the uk. From the footings of apartment blocks to steelwork and timberframe design in them, and all stages in between

Unless you have some system whereby there is accountability and enforcement, you would be banging your head on a wall.
I have been at site meetings whereby test results for failed concrete were ignored, steel was missing from in situ concrete floor shutter pans, and steel rebar not tied to anything, I have seen below thickness concrete not dealt with.
I complained venomously, and was escorted from the site, and eventually shuffled out of the company, along with others that complained.
This company manager went on to bigger multi million pound government contracts in the UK.

You wont be able to address that, or change it without a root and branch revamp. Anything else is pussyfooting about.
Crookery is endemic in irish politics and Irish construction. FFS, we still love Bertie who should be in jail

[kadman]

When your party proposes jailing some of the construction crooks, and making them pay for the defects, and doing away with a 6 year statute of limitations on culpability on fuckups, then I will give you a vote. Sure I might even run for you as I know where some skeletons are buried.
But unfortunately at 67 I am not going to live long enough for that.

So whats your primary first proposal. Wotcha got.

Its a simple thing to sort out if you have the balls for it. There are currently 85000 apartments in Dublin that are substandard and below current building regs.
Ask your self why, and what do you propose to do about it.

[The Housing Party]

Crookery is endemic in irish politics and Irish construction. FFS, we still love Bertie who should be in jail

The links go back a long way. Hence the importance of a fresh approach. Currently the construction industry hold far too much influence over government policy. That's one of the things that needs to change.

It's not necessarily just about removing the crookery and corruption, but also just stopping the tail wagging the dog. That requires a root and branch revamp as you say.

When your party proposes jailing some of the construction crooks, and making them pay for the defects, and doing away with a 6 year statute of limitations on culpability on fuckups, then I will give you a vote. Sure I might even run for you as I know where some skeletons are buried.
But unfortunately at 67 I am not going to live long enough for that.

Would certainly ensure that the taxpayer is not on the hook for the defects. Wouldn't endorse that for a second. And wouldn't have any problem seeing construction crooks jailed, though would prefer to try and hit them in the pocket first. Clearly Homebond isn't worth a damn, but it's not impossible to design something that works and is enforced. As you say, the biggest barrier thus far is having the political balls for it.

But where we are at the minute is looking for people exactly like you - with knowledge, experience and frustration at any aspects of current housing policy and practice - if you feel strongly about the issue, get involved. That doesn't mean standing for election, just help us formulate policy that will work.

[kadman]

My policy would be to jail the corrupt bastards from the top down.
Would you propose that.

[Setanta]

The links go back a long way. Hence the importance of a fresh approach. Currently the construction industry hold far too much influence over government policy. That's one of the things that needs to change.

It's not necessarily just about removing the crookery and corruption, but also just stopping the tail wagging the dog. That requires a root and branch revamp as you say.



Would certainly ensure that the taxpayer is not on the hook for the defects. Wouldn't endorse that for a second. And wouldn't have any problem seeing construction crooks jailed, though would prefer to try and hit them in the pocket first. Clearly Homebond isn't worth a damn, but it's not impossible to design something that works and is enforced. As you say, the biggest barrier thus far is having the political balls for it.

But where we are at the minute is looking for people exactly like you - with knowledge, experience and frustration at any aspects of current housing policy and practice - if you feel strongly about the issue, get involved. That doesn't mean standing for election, just help us formulate policy that will work.

The taxpayer is on the hook for defects,as these are supposed to be picked up in compliance,which VAT,in theory pays for.....that concrete levy is a scam which shouldn't exist



Unless your willing to oversee proper minimum 25 plus year sentences for corruption or willful poor performance/waste with taxpayers money,with the ability to reach back these last 20 or so years into Celtic tiger era,your wasting your time imo