General Election 2024

[Truthsayer]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

[seafoid]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF e

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

Based on what?

[Truthsayer]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF e

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

Based on what?

Ireland has higher gross income inequality than any other EU country. Unaffordable housing, kids having to leave the country to get ahead and politicians lining their own and the banks' pockets .. no better than the Tories

[seafoid]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF e

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

Based on what?

Ireland has higher gross income inequality than any other EU country. Unaffordable housing, kids having to leave the country to get ahead and politicians lining their own and the banks' pockets .. no better than the Tories

Where does the inequality stat  come from?
A lot of people are happy with FG and FF. Most countries have a housing  problem. There is a big difference to the Tories. I think FG will get their arses delivered to them on a plate.

[seafoid]

I think FG are vulnerable

Even if Harris hadn't messed up, FG were never going to have a great election imo. Too many new candidates. I actually don't think Harris will impact in any material way the seat numbers they end up with, but now he will be blamed for it!  Which is probably a good thing for FG in the long run. Get Paschal in for the next election. The person who is qualified but doesn't want it, is often the best person for it.

I agree. There is a reason why Harris' predecessor jumped ship.

[Tubberman]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

Anyone who goes on about "the establishment" is best ignored.

[Truthsayer]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

Anyone who goes on about "the establishment" is best ignored.

Government/Gardai... OK

[armaghniac]

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

That is a fact, but it is 50 years and it does not say a great deal about today.
The ROI is one of the most successful states in Europe, which is why the government parties will get a similar vote.

Ireland has higher gross income inequality than any other EU country.

Yes, gross income equality is on the high side, but one of the most progressive tax systems in Europe means that inequality after tax is very respectable and has improved slightly over the years. Stop picking selective statistics to promote a false narrative.

[Truthsayer]

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

That is a fact, but it is 50 years and it does not say a great deal about today.
The ROI is one of the most successful states in Europe, which is why the government parties will get a similar vote.

Ireland has higher gross income inequality than any other EU country.

Yes, gross income equality is on the high side, but one of the most progressive tax systems in Europe means that inequality after tax is very respectable and has improved slightly over the years. Stop picking selective statistics to promote a false narrative.

So why is housing and accommodation for people trying to get going so unaffordable? Homelessness at a record high and is huge inequality.
You really think FG/FF politicians gives a sh*t bout the people?
Point I was making was back in the '70s the Government and Gardai didn't care bout people in the south so they were hardly going to care bout Nationalists in the north

[Snapchap]

The establishment down south didn't care bout their people ffs! 1974 Gardai dropped investigation into Dublin bombing after 3 months with their politicians claiming was because of the IRA the loyalists carried out the attack. That's a fact. FG/FF politicians still don't care bout their own people

That is a fact, but it is 50 years and it does not say a great deal about today.
The ROI is one of the most successful states in Europe, which is why the government parties will get a similar vote.

Ireland has higher gross income inequality than any other EU country.

Yes, gross income equality is on the high side, but one of the most progressive tax systems in Europe means that inequality after tax is very respectable and has improved slightly over the years. Stop picking selective statistics to promote a false narrative.

Exactly. People sould stop referencing stats that might make FFG look bad. They for example should stop pointing out that child homelessness has gone up by 96% under the current FFG/Green Government.

Joe Brolly should also be called into order because today he noted that the south ranks lowest in the EU for disability employment. A full 20% below the EU average. He needs to stop telling people these statistics. He also, disgracefully, pointed out that the current coalition government gave more to the greyhound racing industry than to the disabled community and carers in every single budget of the last 5 years.

[marty34]

For all the wealth Ireland has, the place is a complete mess - housing, health and education etc. Never mind immigration. I watched Katie Hannon's Up Front programme last night and you'd swear that FFG were new to the whole experience in government. It was just a mess.

'The place is a complete mess' is a very confusing statement for me.

I think it's a great place to live and land of great opportunity. Now, it's not perfect, by a long way. A&E is horrendous and there are long waiting lists for various things that should be better. Personally I have had a number of procedures since COVID and been treated very well

The homeless situation is worse than it should be. Prices of houses are expensive. But those issues are no different to the vast amount of economically successful cities around the world. Personally I think there should be more focus on decentralisation and I think there has been a bit of a lost opportunity post Covid in that regard and not too much in manifestos about it.

I think the education system is really good. We are producing lots of bright students. My kids worked hard for the Leaving (in a non-fee DEIS school), are working hard in university and hopefully should have great opportunities when they graduate. I have a nephew who dropped out of college recently (first year) as it wasn't for him. But he immediately was out looking for work and already picked up a job in a FinTech outfit in Dublin paying about 35k. As an 18 year old with zero experience, I can't imagine what he'll be doing but it's a foot on the ladder into the real world

If people want to vote for change, then so be it. But the very most important thing is the economy. Once you have full employment like we have now, then you have the opportunity to spend tax revenues and try to make a positive difference. And while Cowen and Lenihan had a monumental fook up with the banking crisis, we otherwise have about 40 years of really good decision making from FF and FG to put us in the super economic situation we are in now

Are you for real?

My point is with the surplus of money about in the 26 counties, FFG have made a mess of it.

Look at the housing situation - a complete mess.
Look at the health system - a mess. They made a mess of the mid-West hospital situation. Never mind the 'still being built' children's hospital.
Carers and people with disabilities - it's a mess.

Look at education. A shortage of almost 2, 000 teachers on the eastern seaboard and all Foley is worried about is spending millions on phone pouches. You couldn't make it up.
They've cut SNA's at school also.

They've closed garda stations all over the country. In rural areas, people take turns at going to mass such is their fear of being broken into.

They said they'd stop the USC charge...but guess what?

Fisheries - a mess.

This is just a sample.

I listened to Harris this evening on with Matt Cooper. He kept talking about what he was going to do. Cooper got exasperated and said, Simon, you've been in power, you were the Health Minister and Taoiseach. Wtf didn't you do something about it then? It was embarassing listening to Harris...'I've made it my priority to..' etc. etc.

[Snapchap]

Actually just watched the clip of Micheal Martin re the IRA. Not only did he suggest that the conflict was started by the IRA, but that people should be "careful" about suggesting there were two sides in the conflict. He prefaced all that grossly cruelly insensitive tripe by criticising SF for "rewriting history". The absolute f**king neck of him.

The man who stood in the leaders debate last week and said we should be considering "both sides" in a genocide in Gaza, now effectively says there was only one side to blame for the conflict in the north.

The man is a disgusting f**king snake.

You'd be better off ranting on X, you'd get more traction.

Ranting? I lived through the conflict and had enough people closely associated to me directly impacted by it. Forgive me if I find the would-be Taoiseach attempts to portray those people as non-existent to be absolutely despicable.

It's funny, the Free Stater attitude. It's always OK to talk about the north, right up until the point where the experience of the nationalist community is mentioned. Only then are you dismissed and accused of ranting.

Tubberman, have a look at the below tweet from Robin Livingstone (aka 'Squinter') - a nationalist, Protestant journalist from Belfast, who tagged Micheal Martin in the tweet, following his despicible comments on Virgin Media.

Wanna go to 'X' as you suggested I should, and tell Robin to just "stop ranting"?

@squinteratn
1/2 Dear @MichealMartinTD @fiannafailparty
We were burnt out of our home in August 1969 and fled the city to Co Down.
As a boy I watched crying as my mother carried my little sister up a ladder over the back wall and down a 30ft drop with the sky on fire.
2/2 The Provisional IRA didn't exist.
That child was later shot dead by the British army, aged 14.
Have a go at whatever side you want – God knows they deserve it.
But when you one-side the Troubles in an attempt to win cheap votes you bring disgrace on yourself.
Shame on you.

[Kidder81]

Did he ever get back into Gerry's good books ?

[trileacman]

Are you for real?

My point is with the surplus of money about in the 26 counties, FFG have made a mess of it.

Look at the housing situation - a complete mess.
Look at the health system - a mess. They made a mess of the mid-West hospital situation. Never mind the 'still being built' children's hospital.
Carers and people with disabilities - it's a mess.

Look at education. A shortage of almost 2, 000 teachers on the eastern seaboard and all Foley is worried about is spending millions on phone pouches. You couldn't make it up.
They've cut SNA's at school also.

They've closed garda stations all over the country. In rural areas, people take turns at going to mass such is their fear of being broken into.

They said they'd stop the USC charge...but guess what?

Fisheries - a mess.

This is just a sample.

I listened to Harris this evening on with Matt Cooper. He kept talking about what he was going to do. Cooper got exasperated and said, Simon, you've been in power, you were the Health Minister and Taoiseach. Wtf didn't you do something about it then? It was embarassing listening to Harris...'I've made it my priority to..' etc. etc.

You must feel pretty exasperated when every election rolls around in the North and SF start saying what they're going to do. I know I certainly do.

Social Housing waiting list is actually nearly as long in NI as ROI despite having 1/4 of the population. Child poverty rates are double in NI. Murder rate 50% greater. Suicide rate is 30-40% higher. If you think the ROI health system is a mess then NI must be a crisis. 11% of the ROI population are on an outpatient waiting list whilst in the north it's 19%. Waiting lists times are almost double in the north.
Consultant pay in ROI is almost double what it is in the north. Teachers pay starts at 44,000€ and rises to 87,000€. In the north it starts at 30,000£ and stops at 38,000£.

The NI Executives only positive contribution since being reformed is to start the A5 in which 600 million of the funding is being provided by the last FFG-Green government from a 800million cross border fund. And there's the 24 million that the Irish government are spending on NI schools. Apart from that, it is all about the cuts at Stormont, except of course to MLA pay and expenses which were increased massively at the start of this year. However in the FFG-Green government they gifted back 10% of their ministerial salary to the state this year despite increasing the public sector pay. Someone spoke about politicians lining their own pockets, no-one is worse for it than SF. Just look at McMonagle or O'Donnaile, bounced from one publicly funded role to another. SF have just the same "jobs for the boys" culture as FF or FG.

[Banks of the Bann]

This is who Sinn Fein are.

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/sinn-fein-dup-backtrack-funding-28412770.amp

Take your green tinted spectacles off folks.