Will you vote for Fianna Fail?

[rossie mad]

Answering the title of the thread i wont be doing it in this election.

Im a member of the FF party a delegate i think is my so called official title.
Ive never attended ard fheis but ive been at cumann and convention meetings.
Ive voted for them in the past but generally not all the time.
The reason im a delegate is well im carrying on a family tradition so that suits me fine.

I will be voting for a candidate from another party in the next election for the simple reason is this man helped three years ago when i needed help and it got me out of a hole at the time so thats why im voting for him.

You see thats politics in Ireland its local issues first national issues second followed by international issues.
We down here dont care what happens in dublin or cork no more than most people in dublin or cork dont care what happens down here.
Thats fact no matter what people say.

If we did care about the national interest we would be out in hundreds of thousands months ago with whats gone on in the past but you see we are just worried about our loacal issues like our local hospitals,roads,churches and whatever else we have that is on our doorstep thats why the protests only make it as far as the local town square.

I can guarentee you if this was any other european country there would be widescale protests and shutdowns but we are too me fein to do this.

About 7 or 8 years ago 100,000 people marched in dublin against the war in iraq.
Most of the people on that march didnt have some strong burning conviction against the war they just did cause it was the cool thing to do at the time and the anti US/Bush sentitiment was the feeling at the time.
Once the goverment line of the USA means jobs in ireland our protests dwindled fairly rapidly.

Ill give you one more example of local politics.
My maternal uncle died suddenly early this year and my mothers family is strong FG and my fathers is very strong FF.
Anyway all the top brass from the FG party within the county from TDs down to local party activists tirned up at he funeral while only the small fry from the FF party only turned up simply probably more out of friendship with my father more so than electioneering.
The FG delegation knew votes were to be had and were making sure they were safe guarding them.
Thats the way it is down here you see you are either one or the other there is very few in between all though it is changing slowly which is good.

Thats irish politics in a nutshell and until it is changed with local issues being dealt with locally and the national interest actually being dealt with first by an elected goverment well then im afraid ill be voting for the man/woman who helps get my potholes fixed and not because their economic policies make me feel good.
That will be the view of the majority who vote next year.

[Lone Shark]

You beat me too it Zap. SF are certainly one of those parties which tend to receive a disproportionate amount of groundless accusations on most issues, but particularly on the economy. Lone Shark, you are not alone in referring to Gerry Adam's performance in a TV debate three years ago. It is hardly smart politics to use an interview carried out in 2007 to damn an entire party as "unelectable".

There's quite a lot of irony in the fact that you've just presumed that my analysis is flawed because it's based on a lack of research, and yet you can't even be arsed to read my post and realise that I never mentioned Gerry Adams in any of my posts. Why would I, he's not elected in the south and is nothing to do with economics? Cut out the straw man stuff, it's a good debate here without playing cheap tricks like that.

The reason why I dismiss SF's economic policy is because while a lot of it makes sense, there is still populist, electioneering shite in there that just undermines their credibility. For example, and this is taken from SF's website today:

The banks must now be forced to impose a moratorium on home repossessions for a minimum of two years.

Banks must support struggling mortgage holders - by rescheduling repayments and allowing movement from fixed to variable rates without financial penalties. Banks must be obliged to make loans available to small and medium businesses. Viable businesses and jobs will be lost if the credit drought is not resolved quickly.  We cannot allow enterprise and workers to suffer at the hands of self centred and self seeking banking practices.

The banks must pay back the taxpayers money while working in the state's interest.

So the banks, which are broke, should allow people who in some cases can't but in many cases won't pay their mortgage, live rent free for two years while the value of the already inadequate security on the loan deteriorates, they should also allow people who signed up to contracts but don't feel like paying them any more move over to a better deal, and they should be forced to give out money to "small business", no doubt at fair rates, all at a time when they have no money to lend out, when the risk is high and when they themselves can only borrow at 5% through a state supported mechanism, and nearly 10% if they had to do it on the free market?

And they should do all this, while paying back the state's investment? Unless there's a hidden bit in there about confiscating all savings to pay for it, that's just populist gibberish.


Public sector pay is currently running at over 65% of out tax income - a ludicrous and utterly unsustainable position. Sinn Féin's view? http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/17914. That it should be more.

After the social welfare cuts, Sinn Féin protested, saying there was a better way. Their better way? A few harmless tax increases detailed on their website that would raise about a totla of €3bn at most by any rational economic analysis. Worthy certainly, but far from adequate. At the same time their jobs strategy suggests spending more:

€300m on a jobs retention fund for SMEs
Reducing "stealth" taxes on business - which will either be of no value, or cost money
Establish about 12 new quangos on page three alone
Increased building and refurbishment for schools
More work on insulating the housing stock

However here's the real chestnut:

Use the public sector and direct public employment, • to kick start the economy. This makes sense now in the same way as the Works Progress Administration (WPA) did in the 1930's in America. The WPA had the affect of stimulating the private sector during the depression years and focused on tangiable improvements (roads, highways, streets, bridges, public buildings, parks, reviving forest, and rural electrification). Areas that could be focused on would include energy efficiency measures, infrastructure and high-speed boradband rollout.

So the answer to an economy with too many public servants and too high a public wage bill, is still more public servants?

Everyone likes to talk this "stimulus" keynesian stuff, but that's all predicated on economies having multiplier ratios of 2 or higher. We are a small open economy where a huge chunk of the stuff we spend our money on every day, is imported. We have a multiplier ratio of under 1. In that scenario, stimulus policies are simply daft.


I'm not saying the other parties are flawless here, but I do take offence at the patronising view that if I disagree with you, it must be because I'm lazy and that I've drawn a load of conclusions from one TV show. If you disagree that's fine, but play the ball, not the man.

[INDIANA]

Answering the title of the thread i wont be doing it in this election.

Im a member of the FF party a delegate i think is my so called official title.
Ive never attended ard fheis but ive been at cumann and convention meetings.
Ive voted for them in the past but generally not all the time.
The reason im a delegate is well im carrying on a family tradition so that suits me fine.

I will be voting for a candidate from another party in the next election for the simple reason is this man helped three years ago when i needed help and it got me out of a hole at the time so thats why im voting for him.

You see thats politics in Ireland its local issues first national issues second followed by international issues.
We down here dont care what happens in dublin or cork no more than most people in dublin or cork dont care what happens down here.
Thats fact no matter what people say.

If we did care about the national interest we would be out in hundreds of thousands months ago with whats gone on in the past but you see we are just worried about our loacal issues like our local hospitals,roads,churches and whatever else we have that is on our doorstep thats why the protests only make it as far as the local town square.

I can guarentee you if this was any other european country there would be widescale protests and shutdowns but we are too me fein to do this.

About 7 or 8 years ago 100,000 people marched in dublin against the war in iraq.
Most of the people on that march didnt have some strong burning conviction against the war they just did cause it was the cool thing to do at the time and the anti US/Bush sentitiment was the feeling at the time.
Once the goverment line of the USA means jobs in ireland our protests dwindled fairly rapidly.

Ill give you one more example of local politics.
My maternal uncle died suddenly early this year and my mothers family is strong FG and my fathers is very strong FF.
Anyway all the top brass from the FG party within the county from TDs down to local party activists tirned up at he funeral while only the small fry from the FF party only turned up simply probably more out of friendship with my father more so than electioneering.
The FG delegation knew votes were to be had and were making sure they were safe guarding them.
Thats the way it is down here you see you are either one or the other there is very few in between all though it is changing slowly which is good.

Thats irish politics in a nutshell and until it is changed with local issues being dealt with locally and the national interest actually being dealt with first by an elected goverment well then im afraid ill be voting for the man/woman who helps get my potholes fixed and not because their economic policies make me feel good.
That will be the view of the majority who vote next year.

thats it in a nutshell. and its why this country is fucked unfortunately. very well put though.

[Lone Shark]

The principle of consent is one that is established however, as has been noted by LS, many in the south would likely, in the secrecy of a voting booth, vote against a UI in favour of saving a few cents. What I would like is for more people to be remember that if so many died for independence, what is a few cents in terms of a sacrifice in comparison? What I would like especially is for the mindset to change whereby people in the 26 counties would cease to see Irish people in the six counties as different and would cease to refer to people as "nordies" or "them up north" or "brits" (as I have been referred to on several occasions when in the 26 counties).

Cheap debating trick again. If I'm the father in a family and we can barely pay the mortgage, and so decide not to go to Disneyland with the kids next year - am I depriving my kids of happiness for the sake of "a few cents"?

This is not about the loose change at the bottom of our pocket. This is about another huge expense when we're already unable to pay the bills we have. In all this I stress that I'm not saying how I'd vote, merely that I think that the country as a whole would vote to leave the North where it is in the secrecy of the ballot box.

I note you chose to ignore my counterargument - if ye were allowed come south, but all public servants would have to go on the dole or find private sector employment, and the NHS would cease to exist so ye'd be forking out thousands in health insurance while also not getting treated for existing conditions - do you think the northern population would just look on their living wage as "a few cents?"

Incidentally I never realised that people from the six counties were offended at the term Nordie - I picked it up from this board so I presumed it was inoffensive - my apologies for that, genuinely.

[rossie mad]

Answering the title of the thread i wont be doing it in this election.

Im a member of the FF party a delegate i think is my so called official title.
Ive never attended ard fheis but ive been at cumann and convention meetings.
Ive voted for them in the past but generally not all the time.
The reason im a delegate is well im carrying on a family tradition so that suits me fine.

I will be voting for a candidate from another party in the next election for the simple reason is this man helped three years ago when i needed help and it got me out of a hole at the time so thats why im voting for him.

You see thats politics in Ireland its local issues first national issues second followed by international issues.
We down here dont care what happens in dublin or cork no more than most people in dublin or cork dont care what happens down here.
Thats fact no matter what people say.

If we did care about the national interest we would be out in hundreds of thousands months ago with whats gone on in the past but you see we are just worried about our loacal issues like our local hospitals,roads,churches and whatever else we have that is on our doorstep thats why the protests only make it as far as the local town square.

I can guarentee you if this was any other european country there would be widescale protests and shutdowns but we are too me fein to do this.

About 7 or 8 years ago 100,000 people marched in dublin against the war in iraq.
Most of the people on that march didnt have some strong burning conviction against the war they just did cause it was the cool thing to do at the time and the anti US/Bush sentitiment was the feeling at the time.
Once the goverment line of the USA means jobs in ireland our protests dwindled fairly rapidly.

Ill give you one more example of local politics.
My maternal uncle died suddenly early this year and my mothers family is strong FG and my fathers is very strong FF.
Anyway all the top brass from the FG party within the county from TDs down to local party activists tirned up at he funeral while only the small fry from the FF party only turned up simply probably more out of friendship with my father more so than electioneering.
The FG delegation knew votes were to be had and were making sure they were safe guarding them.
Thats the way it is down here you see you are either one or the other there is very few in between all though it is changing slowly which is good.

Thats irish politics in a nutshell and until it is changed with local issues being dealt with locally and the national interest actually being dealt with first by an elected goverment well then im afraid ill be voting for the man/woman who helps get my potholes fixed and not because their economic policies make me feel good.
That will be the view of the majority who vote next year.

thats it in a nutshell. and its why this country is fucked unfortunately. very well put though.

Just telling it has it is.i will vote for someone in the national interest once our sysytem provides for that but at the moment its the person who will get the most done for my local community and region as a whole who will get it.
Am i unpatriotic?Maybe but so is the majority.

[Declan]

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2010/11/23/trim-county-meath-no-longer-a-fianna-fail-town/

Shows the value of our education system I suppose - Illiterate protesters

[IolarCoisCuain]

Answering the title of the thread i wont be doing it in this election.

Im a member of the FF party a delegate i think is my so called official title.
Ive never attended ard fheis but ive been at cumann and convention meetings.
Ive voted for them in the past but generally not all the time.
The reason im a delegate is well im carrying on a family tradition so that suits me fine.

I will be voting for a candidate from another party in the next election for the simple reason is this man helped three years ago when i needed help and it got me out of a hole at the time so thats why im voting for him.

You see thats politics in Ireland its local issues first national issues second followed by international issues.
We down here dont care what happens in dublin or cork no more than most people in dublin or cork dont care what happens down here.
Thats fact no matter what people say.

If we did care about the national interest we would be out in hundreds of thousands months ago with whats gone on in the past but you see we are just worried about our loacal issues like our local hospitals,roads,churches and whatever else we have that is on our doorstep thats why the protests only make it as far as the local town square.

I can guarentee you if this was any other european country there would be widescale protests and shutdowns but we are too me fein to do this.

About 7 or 8 years ago 100,000 people marched in dublin against the war in iraq.
Most of the people on that march didnt have some strong burning conviction against the war they just did cause it was the cool thing to do at the time and the anti US/Bush sentitiment was the feeling at the time.
Once the goverment line of the USA means jobs in ireland our protests dwindled fairly rapidly.

Ill give you one more example of local politics.
My maternal uncle died suddenly early this year and my mothers family is strong FG and my fathers is very strong FF.
Anyway all the top brass from the FG party within the county from TDs down to local party activists tirned up at he funeral while only the small fry from the FF party only turned up simply probably more out of friendship with my father more so than electioneering.
The FG delegation knew votes were to be had and were making sure they were safe guarding them.
Thats the way it is down here you see you are either one or the other there is very few in between all though it is changing slowly which is good.

Thats irish politics in a nutshell and until it is changed with local issues being dealt with locally and the national interest actually being dealt with first by an elected goverment well then im afraid ill be voting for the man/woman who helps get my potholes fixed and not because their economic policies make me feel good.
That will be the view of the majority who vote next year.

thats it in a nutshell. and its why this country is fucked unfortunately. very well put though.

Just telling it has it is.i will vote for someone in the national interest once our sysytem provides for that but at the moment its the person who will get the most done for my local community and region as a whole who will get it.
Am i unpatriotic?Maybe but so is the majority.

I don't think you're unpatriotic Rossie. You're using the system to your own best advantage.

The problem is that the system suits the individual and not the greater good. And that's why it needs reform.

That's the point I was trying to make last night. An anti-FF vote doesn't change anything, other than punish the current Government. The problem is bigger than deeper than just one Government or just one political party.

[seafoid]

The problem with the system as it works in Roscommon is that it is broken.

Brian Lenihan might be a great man for the funerals but the IMF don't go to funerals.

[Nally Stand]

LoneShark, Apologies if it seems I was accusing you specifically of using the Adams interview as an excuse to term SF as "unelectable". I genuinely am not attempting to play the man, as you say. I also would point out to you that most of my posts of late mention that I agree with you on most areas, so I have no intention of attacking you personally. You are not a WUM and thats all that matters. I meant it in terms that there has been a consessus developed over the past three years that SF are hopeless on economics based simply on the Adams interview of three years ago. You need only go back through recent threads here and through the papers of the past week and you will see it STILL being regourgetated as an excuse to write off SF as being "unelectable". No party is ever going to put forward proposals which you, I, or anyone else will wholeheartedly support. As TASC puts it, "put 100 progressives in a room, all working to the same strategy (an expansionary fiscal strategy) and they will come up with 100 different pre-budget submissions and a heated debate about some of the details. But as Franklin Roosevelt put it: 'There are many ways to go forward, there's only way to stand still.' If one has a disagreement with the particulars of Sinn Fein's submission, it is a disagreement within go-forward parameters. If only the national debate was so framed." What seems stupid in the extreme to one person can seem inspired, inovative thinking to another. My point is that if one group of economists described SF's recent economic recovery document as one which is "worthy of study, debate and support", is it not a bit harsh to describe that party as "unelectable". Surely if that makes SF unelectable, what is FF (who will proceed to romp over SF in the election)?

As for the UI debate, I, if in a public sector job, would happily give it up for a UI in the knowledge that I would go to any lengths to get a new job in a UI, (possibly public sector again). I realise many would not and wouldn't hold it against them, but my question on Irish Unity/Independence came about from my point that, to those in the south, a UI is always going to be on the back foot. Money is the excuse now, but when times were "good" and the money flowed, what was the excuse for the lack of interest in All-Ireland development/Irish Unity? It seems, from where I'm standing anyway, that the north was not important when times were good as it was forgotten about, and not important when times are bad, because money is again the influence. I just want to know what it is that makes Irish people in the south, no matter what the economic climate, so uncaring about the continued division of their country? Does patriotism or loyalty not come into it? It is in this framework that I regard the term "nordie" as horrible. I would refer to a meath man (for example) as being from Meath, but nine times out of ten, he will refer to me as being a "nordie" or "from up north" rather than as a Tyrone man. It is this inherent, subconscious, casual differentiating of Irish people in the six counties in such a partitionist manner which insults me most. The term "nordie" is that attitude represented in a single word to me.

[Puckoon]

As for the UI debate, I, if in a public sector job, would happily give it up for a UI in the knowledge that I would go to any lengths to get a new job in a UI, (possibly public sector again). I realise many would not and wouldn't hold it against them, but my question on Irish Unity/Independence came about from my point that, to those in the south, a UI is always going to be on the back foot. Money is the excuse now, but when times were "good" and the money flowed, what was the excuse for the lack of interest in All-Ireland development/Irish Unity? It seems, from where I'm standing anyway, that the north was not important when times were good as it was forgotten about, and not important when times are bad, because money is again the influence. I just want to know what it is that makes Irish people in the south, no matter what the economic climate, so uncaring about the continued division of their country? Does patriotism or loyalty not come into it? It is in this framework that I regard the term "nordie" as horrible. I would refer to a meath man (for example) as being from Meath, but nine times out of ten, he will refer to me as being a "nordie" or "from up north" rather than as a Tyrone man. It is this inherent, subconscious, casual differentiating of Irish people in the six counties in such a partitionist manner which insults me most. The term "nordie" is that attitude represented in a single word to me.

Fascinating stuff lads, in the midst of all the doom and gloom there has been some thrououghly enjoyable reading (for want of a better word), so excuse me for joining in.

Nally - I can't speak for the people in the south (some might even say I can't speak for the people in the north) - but would it not occur to you that the desire for Irish freedom has become diluted to many people in many areas of Ireland? People are changing, becoming more self involved and less parochial. Traditional Irish values are falling by the way - Family, church, community being replaced with SUV's, second homes and vested self interests. The drive for the biggest, brightest and new 'everything' is getting in the way of what used to matter to people. This more than likely applies to the desire of the people to work towards a united Ireland. Everyone wants a beach body - not too many are willing to sacrafice the fish and chips, the pints at the weekend, nor do the 300 sit ups a day it requires to get it.  Its human nature - the longer a status quo (that isn't killing anyone) continues, the more generations that go through it - the less drive people are going to have to put in the work to change it. You have an entire voting generation now who grew up glued to mario kart and play stations and MTV and other such mind rotting nonsense. Can you honestly think they give a monkeys about unification? I know you are a dyed in the wool republican, so it wouldn't be an acceptable way of thinking to someone with your convictions - but I am sure you can at least understand why "the north is not important" to many in the south currently. The longer the status quo goes, and the less the tangible benefits of unification become obvious (or the more it appears it is going to cost the south), then the attitude will only grow stronger I believe. For better or for worse.

Regarding the "nordies" - it's been my experience that only the wind up merchants on here use it. I don't think in all my time meeting anyone from the south that I have ever been called a nordie. A tyronie - maybe. Never a nordie - but there is a first time for everything.

[rossie mad]

The problem with the system as it works in Roscommon is that it is broken.

Brian Lenihan might be a great man for the funerals but the IMF don't go to funerals.

Thats the thing though seafoid until it starts effecting our regions outside our frontdoor we wont care and in reality like alot of regions the IMF conditions wont dramatically effect our everyday lifes so we wont care in three months time.
There is no difference between galway and roscommon in that respect or any other rural region for that matter.

We voted 166 TDs and will again in 10 weeks or whenever.
There will be very little difference to what takes over from FF only that the change might be refreshing for the country and bring some positivity and that in itself will be worth it.

We have to take the blame as much as we are blaming the politicians.
We put them there and will again so unless our political system is changed this system will fail us again at some stage but i dont think to the same extent in so far as we should learn our lesson plus our european cousins will be keeping a keen eye on us for many years to come and will give us the odd rap around the knuckles when we step out of line.

FF are cute they want this budget around the next goverments neck and in 5 years when the next election is up for grabs they will be up on the high moral ground again.
Mark my words and whats more they will be in the goverment after this one whether it hurts people to hear that or not its a very real possibility because people in this country are fickle and once the carrot is put in front of theim they will follow.

One other point the next goverment will probably disolve in 2015/early 2016 and the 100th anniversary of the Rising will be on.
Fiannan Fail will do their damnest to be in goverment for that celebration as it will be the biggest PR stunt this country will have seen.

[seafoid]

The problem with the system as it works in Roscommon is that it is broken.

Brian Lenihan might be a great man for the funerals but the IMF don't go to funerals.

Thats the thing though seafoid until it starts effecting our regions outside our frontdoor we wont care and in reality like alot of regions the IMF conditions wont dramatically effect our everyday lifes so we wont care in three months time. There is no difference between galway and roscommon in that respect or any other rural region for that matter. We voted 166 TDs and will again in 10 weeks or whenever.
There will be very little difference to what takes over from FF only that the change might be refreshing for the country and bring some positivity and that in itself will be worth it. We have to take the blame as much as we are blaming the politicians.
We put them there and will again so unless our political system is changed this system will fail us again at some stage but i dont think to the same extent in so far as we should learn our lesson plus our european cousins will be keeping a keen eye on us for many years to come and will give us the odd rap around the knuckles when we step out of line.

FF are cute they want this budget around the next goverments neck and in 5 years when the next election is up for grabs they will be up on the high moral ground again. Mark my words and whats more they will be in the goverment after this one whether it hurts people to hear that or not its a very real possibility because people in this country are fickle and once the carrot is put in front of theim they will follow. One other point the next goverment will probably disolve in 2015/early 2016 and the 100th anniversary of the Rising will be on.
Fiannan Fail will do their damnest to be in goverment for that celebration as it will be the biggest PR stunt this country will have seen.

Everywhere in Ireland is the same . How many supposedly "modern" Dublin people voted FF last time FFS ?
I don't share the optimism about Ireland going through a short term crisis.  FG+?  are going to have to clear up one hell of a FF mess.

[Lone Shark]

Nally Stand, I accept I may have over-reacted a tad there, and certainly I agree completely that if the other parties were to be so honest as to put forth proper economic proposals, I'm sure I'd find fault there too.

I suppose my point is that like it or not, Sinn Féin are starting from a base whereby they had no credibility economically, and the Gerry Adams interview was just a small part of that. And like the old phrase that if you get a reputation as an early riser you can stay in bed all day, so it is with economic policy - SF have a reputation for neo-socialism that doesn't add up, and thus they have to work doubly hard to shed that reputation.

Also, when I say unelectable, I say this for two reasons. One, because their policies aren't remotely close to being plausible enough to win my vote (and I'm in a constituency that will be a huge target for SF), and secondly, the majority of voters won't even dig that deep and will just remember Adams floundering on TV. You have to remember this is not an electorate who as a rule spends a couple of hours on google researching the positions of candidates and parties on certain issues. As we've seen in spades on this thread, we vote for the local concierge, the guy who shook hands at the funeral, the guy who made the planning permission objection go away. 

As regards the point as to why the South doesn't care about unity, I do generally believe it's because we don't care about anything bar our own corner of the country. While we might all profess to love Ireland, but we don't really and the fact that we just accept the desecration of our society by these schysters without any real reaction says everything that needs to be said.

I would be tempted to say to those in the occupied counties that if ye got to know what Ireland has really become, ye wouldn't love it either. To use a phrase from some old film or book, I can't place which one; "it is but a shadow that you love".

[rossie mad]

Exactly but your missing my point.
The same people will vote for them again in 5 years time because they will be sick of dreary budget after dreary budget and then their spin doctors will work the media and low and behold they are promising the sun,moon and stars again and the irish people start seeing their pockets being lined and their suddenly back voting for them.

This crisis is major but alot of people are putting up with it because they are sacrificing and getting on.
So the IMF decisions in the next three months is not going to effect the normal lives of most people because at this stage they dont care anymore the attitude is right lets get this shower out do what we have to and move on.
IMF,Bondholders,central banks and eurozones are the least on peoples minds at the moment because its jobs,families,mortgages,bills which are to the forefront in everyones mind and the are doing what has to be done to get by and thats enough in their mind.
The luxeries of boom years are gone and in some respect it is no harm because we lived way beyond our means without saying stop hold on will this last?
But we didint care because we were all having a great standard of living.

Im on a three day week since may.We have no home only a small rented house.She is temporary and we have one chisler with anothe one on the way.
Our future doesnt look great but we are getting by.
We got word of a staff meeting called for 21st December so thats ominous.
Im not playing any sympathy card as im probably in a better situation than alot of others but just outlining the plight of many others like me

However thats the situation of tens of thousands of people and that will not change for maybe two to three years at least.
You see people worry about their own problems first and the IMF and europe are just something to watch on the news and give out about.
If we were so worried about it why arent we marching in our thousands?
Our attitude is fickle we get by and we will be happy.
We are a nation of Me Feiners its in our blood.We reap what we sow and so we must take a share of the blame whether we like to hear it or not.

[EddieMerx]

The Irish people have got what they deserve! I never voted FF and I have always been a strong anti FF person. Will I vote in the next election? No, I have my Visa and will be taking my professional ass to Toronto - Sorry folks but quiet frankly this evil little empire is where it deserves to be. The IMF demanding higher taxes on individuals and reduced public spending & the EU Partners taking swipes to make us less competitive on the Corporation Tax front. Fianna Fail have sunk this country economically in the same manner that the 3rd Reich suck Germany, so to those people claiming they (Parties) are all the same, seriously if you believe that then you deserve to go down with the ship

To that person saying all Politics is local, well it's people like you who make it that way and spawn the Jackie Healy Rae's of this World.