26 County General Election 2020

[magpie seanie]

Ya - I'd put the chances of FF/FG/Green delivering on Housing, Healthcare and the environment at about 10%. I'd give a SF government about a 40% chance of delivering assuming they got the stability needed to take the decisions needed.

10% too generous for the former. 40% for the latter.

The Greens and Green-influenced FF/FG want no new housing, anywhere. SF want new state-built housing but the state hasn't the funds and borrowing tens of billions more is no longer an option since 2010.

I'm an optimist!

I understand there's €6.7 Billion available by running a smaller surplus and investing monies received from NAMA and not paying down the National Debt with it. Obviously all dependent on everything not going tits up which hasn't been helped by Leo's facilitation of Boris Johnson's re-election with a pretend deal when he was dead in a ditch.

[armaghniac]

Ya - I'd put the chances of FF/FG/Green delivering on Housing, Healthcare and the environment at about 10%. I'd give a SF government about a 40% chance of delivering assuming they got the stability needed to take the decisions needed.

10% too generous for the former. 40% for the latter.

The Greens and Green-influenced FF/FG want no new housing, anywhere. SF want new state-built housing but the state hasn't the funds and borrowing tens of billions more is no longer an option since 2010.

I'm an optimist!

I understand there's €6.7 Billion available by running a smaller surplus and investing monies received from NAMA and not paying down the National Debt with it. Obviously all dependent on everything not going tits up which hasn't been helped by Leo's facilitation of Boris Johnson's re-election with a pretend deal when he was dead in a ditch.

Not using Nama money for the debt is the same as borrowing. There would be more for housing if SF weren't determined to give handouts to their supporters, for example they voted to reduce the property tax in Dublin city council intead of using the money for homeless shelters or housing. 

[five points]

I'm an optimist!

I understand there's €6.7 Billion available by running a smaller surplus and investing monies received from NAMA and not paying down the National Debt with it. Obviously all dependent on everything not going tits up which hasn't been helped by Leo's facilitation of Boris Johnson's re-election with a pretend deal when he was dead in a ditch.

Just for perspective, €6.7bn would build 25,800 houses at a standard build cost of €250,000 a pop. (The experience of the Children's Hospital suggests that's probably optimistic.) I reckon that's way too little to solve the housing crisis and we need at least 4 times that number of new homes.

[Rossfan]

Some pages back I threw in a few ideas that would get those who can afford mortgages (about 66% of rental costs in the east and other urban areas) buying without costing the State anything.
Also how NAMA could build lots of affordable houses for people not able for the full Commercial market again at no cost to the State - quite the contrary as VAT and a site cost would leave them with €€€€a.

[armaghniac]

I'm an optimist!

I understand there's €6.7 Billion available by running a smaller surplus and investing monies received from NAMA and not paying down the National Debt with it. Obviously all dependent on everything not going tits up which hasn't been helped by Leo's facilitation of Boris Johnson's re-election with a pretend deal when he was dead in a ditch.

Just for perspective, €6.7bn would build 25,800 houses at a standard build cost of €250,000 a pop. (The experience of the Children's Hospital suggests that's probably optimistic.) I reckon that's way too little to solve the housing crisis and we need at least 4 times that number of new homes.

The problem cannot be solved in 5 years, whatever chancer is in power, unless the Coronavirus is really bad.

[Rossfan]

Michael Fitzmaurice and Marian Harkin joining a "Technical Group" with Pringle, McNamara, Joan Collins and the Connolly lady from Galway.
6 votes for Maryloo?
Leo and Mícheál met today. To meet again some time in the future as FG are letting FF off to try and form a Government.

Update26/2 - there wont be any nominations for Taoiseach on 5th March per RTÉ news tonight.

[Hound]

So with all the Shinners on here, there's still not one that can give some information on Mary Lou's bosses Ted Howell, Martin Lynch and Padraig Wilson?

Your are the kings of whatabouterry though!

[johnnycool]

So with all the Shinners on here, there's still not one that can give some information on Mary Lou's bosses Ted Howell, Martin Lynch and Padraig Wilson?

Your are the kings of whatabouterry though!

They're senior party advisers like Alasdair Campbell to Tony Blair, Cummins to Boris and Denis O'Brien to Charley Haughey..

[Rossfan]

Sinn Féin had one of their information meetings/rallies in Newry last night.
Not too many Dáil votes there though.
Meanwhile the FF and FG playing hard to get  courtship has advanced to exchanging policy documents next week.
Presumably the end result will be FG reluctantly "in the National interest" voting for Martin as Taoiseach (or preferably abstaining if MM get 63 votes on board) and then voting on an issue by issue basis.

[five points]

They're senior party advisers like Alasdair Campbell to Tony Blair, Cummins to Boris and Denis O'Brien to Charley Haughey..

What's the link between Denis O'Brien and Charlie Haughey? Genuine question.

[north_antrim_hound]

Sinn Féin had one of their information meetings/rallies in Newry last night.
Not too many Dáil votes there though.
Meanwhile the FF and FG playing hard to get  courtship has advanced to exchanging policy documents next week.
Presumably the end result will be FG reluctantly "in the National interest" voting for Martin as Taoiseach (or preferably abstaining if MM get 63 votes on board) and then voting on an issue by issue basis.

That seems to be the plan, get back in and throw up some house quick and sort out a few hospital beds before the next elections  to keep the disgruntled masses from migrating to SF again.

[johnnycool]

They're senior party advisers like Alasdair Campbell to Tony Blair, Cummins to Boris and Denis O'Brien to Charley Haughey..

What's the link between Denis O'Brien and Charlie Haughey? Genuine question.

Denis assisted Charlie and Michael Lowry in advising on Mobile phone licenses being awarded in Ireland which just so happened to be his company....

Have a wee look at the Moriarty Tribunal

Beware of another Rainbow (or Grand as they might call it) Coalition

[five points]

What's the link between Denis O'Brien and Charlie Haughey? Genuine question.

Denis assisted Charlie and Michael Lowry in advising on Mobile phone licenses being awarded in Ireland which just so happened to be his company....

Have a wee look at the Moriarty Tribunal

Beware of another Rainbow (or Grand as they might call it) Coalition

Haughey was gone from office in February 1992. Lowry only became a minister in December 1994.

The competition for the the second mobile phone licence took place in 1995 and was won by O'Brien's Esat Digifone. Haughey had nothing whatsoever to do with this.

[johnnycool]

What's the link between Denis O'Brien and Charlie Haughey? Genuine question.

Denis assisted Charlie and Michael Lowry in advising on Mobile phone licenses being awarded in Ireland which just so happened to be his company....

Have a wee look at the Moriarty Tribunal

Beware of another Rainbow (or Grand as they might call it) Coalition

Haughey was gone from office in February 1992. Lowry only became a minister in December 1994.

The competition for the the second mobile phone licence took place in 1995 and was won by O'Brien's Esat Digifone. Haughey had nothing whatsoever to do with this.

Your right, apologies, it was the Dunnes he liked instead

[Angelo]

What's the link between Denis O'Brien and Charlie Haughey? Genuine question.

Denis assisted Charlie and Michael Lowry in advising on Mobile phone licenses being awarded in Ireland which just so happened to be his company....

Have a wee look at the Moriarty Tribunal

Beware of another Rainbow (or Grand as they might call it) Coalition

Haughey was gone from office in February 1992. Lowry only became a minister in December 1994.

The competition for the the second mobile phone licence took place in 1995 and was won by O'Brien's Esat Digifone. Haughey had nothing whatsoever to do with this.

Your right, apologies, it was the Dunnes he liked instead

No need to apologise.

FF and FG are so intertwined in corruption it can be very hard to keep track of it.