Election 2024 . Not that one, though the Trump victory is sure to influence some of what we are threatened and promised. presumably we'll have a date soon.

[DeanElderberry]

Any wise thoughts?

People who single out the Greens or SocDems regarding their policies on gender are ignoring the fact that ALL the parties with the exception of Aontú and II were enthusiastic cheerleaders of gender-ideology-based policies, self-ID, GRCs etc etc.
Why the spotlight on the GP and the SDs?

I had a look back at the Dáil debate on the Gender Recognition Bill 2014 - the first three interventions were by:

Willie O'Dea FF :
In my opinion, people of any age should be entitled to transition. ..while I recognise I will not get any concessions today for people under the age of 16 years, I am asking that the obstacle of a medical statement in respect of people aged between 16 and 18 years be removed

Aengus Ó Snodaigh SF
In refusing to accept these amendments proposed by Deputy O'Dea, the Government is forcing 16 and 17 year olds, at a time that can be very traumatic in the life of any teenager, to wait a further two years to transition... We now have an opportunity to be a world trendsetter in this area, such that other countries would look to us as an example of best practice in this area..

Joan Collins Ind4Change:
By failing to make provision in the legislation for that age group, we are saying to a generation of young people that they must wait two years before anything will be done for them. In Norway, a recent proposal seeks to extend gender recognition provisions to apply to children as young as seven years of age...
It comes in the wake of the progressive "Yes" vote in the marriage equality referendum. The Ombudsman for Children has called for the Bill to be amended to make provision for under 16s, as has TENI, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Children's Rights Alliance.

and so on from other TDs.
'Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages – Dáil Éireann (31st Dáil) – Thursday, 9 Jul 2015 – Houses of the Oireachtas

I don't think anything the Greens or SocDems said could possibly have been more clearly pro-trans and pro-transitioning of under 18th than the above.

No she's only been a td since 2020.

Oh right! Phew ....thought I'd had a prolonged senior moment 😂

The suggestion I've seen elsewhere is that FFG will go for a coalition with a handful of independents rather than labour or the SDP.

Yes FF & FG have 86 seats between them I believe. They only need a couple more to form a government. They could have Roderic and a few independents. They probably want to get to 95 or so seats for stability. Probably easier for them to deal with one party than lots of independents with competing voices but nothing is certain yet.

I doubt Roderic will be even asked.
There's plenty of other more like minded independents who will be cheaper to persuade.
The greens need to spend time in opposition.

Why was Holly Cairns so upset about RTE reporting on the Papal enclave @Onehorsetown ?

I think she considered him to be head of a paedophile ring.
She apologised for the remarks when she became a TD in 2020.

I now realise and accept that I know and understand nothing about Irish politics and the Irish electorate.
This last election and its results.
What did I know ?
Nada.

I really shouldn't comment on Irish politics/politicians.

That would be interesting - could they put together a fairly traditional rightish centrist block and let a genuinely politically left wing opposition form?

Michael Lowry, Mattie McGrath, Verona Murphy, the Healy Rays, Aontú, a few others, versus Sinn Fein, Labour, PBP etc

It could be very useful, particularly if they turned up in the Dáil and debated things on the record.

Yes its possible. But FG especially are not right wing socially. And it would not do them any favors in the next election because the majority of the electorate are not right wing.
They are more likely to go with centrist independents or labour. They seem to be favouring labour but do labour want to go into government?

Turning up in the Dáil would be nice but seems rather unlikely. An rud is annamh is iontach.

I agree and feel the same

Couldn't care less from now on. The kids will go away, they'll be fine, I'll be fine for as long as I have left to live, won't be bothered aymore.
Harris and McEntee elected at first count... Foley re-elected...they know they can do whatever they want. Whatever comes short of crashing the national economy, like in 2008, is fine and doesn't require any change.
2 from FG (haven't heard of them) and 1 from FF (the health system is in bits) lost their seats, the rest is un-changed.

I don't think it is possible to be left or right wing socially. That is the economic and military policy axis of the political compass. The authoritarian vs libertarian axis is different. Fine Gael's commitment to libertarianism has always been spotty.

www.politicalcompass.org/test

So I haven't written in a while, I have been thinking about the question what would I do, (can't remember who asked me that question) also listening, watching observing the emotions, the talk within the D1 community since Sunday.

The belief and the talk is very clearly Gerard Hutch was robbed. The feeling is it was rigged.

Rightly or wrongly that is the feeling and the belief on the ground.

The air of hope that could be felt until Sunday is completely gone, D1 knows it is business as usual with D7 sitting pretty getting 4 TDs and the rest of us have no one.

I emailed several months ago to my councillors and TDs asking could anyone arrange to replace the bulbs in the street lamps on NCR, also to please arrange to have the trees pruned as they are blocking what lights are working.

I finally had a TD contact me to tell me he cannot see a problem with the trees, there is no issue with the street lighting and the trees. He would technically not be wrong currently but that is because nature did what nature does and the leaves fell off the branches, it happens every Winter. No mention of the street lights which don't work though.

It is all the little issues like this combined which are leaving the community without hope, creating anger and resentment. No bins, rubbish everywhere, they got taken away in 2011 for royal visit and never were returned.

One comment made was FFG needed another shot as the D1 kids are sturdy and didn't die first time.

The community is disillusioned, they do not trust the process, genuinely believe it was a fix and now they have yet again being f**ked over.

I realise that is far removed from most posters lives but this everyday living for this community.

We have been abandoned with no one speaking up for us since Tony Gregory died in 2009.

@DublinFemale I hear you but will never concede that Hutch is the solution.

There is a huge space for a true community focused representative. I spent some of my childhood in the shadow of Darndale & surrounding areas. So I do understand some of the frustration.

What really worries me is the and I am sorry but absolute scum right wing bigots going for office. Thankfully they didn't get in but it is a warning that in vacuums this happens.

We know investment in youth and community infrastructure is the solution. I do see amazing projects across the country. But they are very rare and not duplicated which is frustrating.

Education attainment has improved but isn't at a parity yet. That is I believe another key factor.

Your example of the lighting is a great one. The solution is cheap, it's reasonable and beneficial to everyone. And very cynically, a very easy good news story for a councillor who delivers!

@DublinFemale your frustration and disappointment is palpable in your post.
Are you involved with any party ?
I think your concern for your community shines through and you would be an asset to any political party that aligned with your views.
Isn't SF meant to be very good on the ground, did you contact MLMcD's office re the street lighting.
A relative of mine had a problem with street lighting and two councillors were on the case and the lighting was fixed. One was a Green councillor and the other a FG councillor.

The election was not rigged.
The bin issue is a problem throughout the country. They were removed all over because people were dumping all their rubbish in them to save paying for their domestic bins. It is annoying.
If there is an issue with lights take a photo and send it to councillors or TDs. Sometimes people have to be asked more than once to fix things and this is the same throughout the country.

I have never asked anyone to concede, I am explaining the emotion on the ground.

I would like the political parties to ask. Why, why did he get so many no. 1 votes, what is he tapping into that the is sorely lacking?

And then ask how do we start to solve it?

I don't believe the election was rigged or that Hutch would have been good as a TD but I do very much believe that D1 is sidelined and neglected.

There is a chance at the moment, while the parties reflect on the public mood and how nearly Hutch was to getting in, to get their attention.

In rural Ireland villages have learned how much more attention they can get either from councils or TDs if they have group representation.

Does D1 compete in the Pride of Place competition? it is much more community focussed that Tidy Towns (good though that can be) and could be a very helpful way to package your needs, from lights and tree-pruning to supports for young people. If you (collectively) are already doing that this - right now, while the horse trading is going on, is the time to start asking for what is needed. Starting with 'as you saw during the election, D1 feels under-represented, and we need . . . . .'

https://prideofplace.ie/about-ipb-pride-of-place/

Once you're in it that can be a source of funding and advice, (the council will have a community development section), a way to meet people in other communities that faced challenges, and an umbrella that all the groups already doing good work can be included under.

Always put requests in writing, keep a record of emails and texts, send registered letters on major issues, take notes at meetings, if actions are agreed get the person who did the agreeing to physically put their name to it on paper then and there and get someone to witness it, follow up with an email thanking them. Make sure there's a trail of evidence so that if you need to use FoI you can.

@Brownwitch

I never said it was rigged I am simply recounting the talk in the community.

Denying people their feelings is not going to improve the situation.

O'Connell Street is part of D1, it should be tourist Mecca, it should be vibrant, bustling busy. It's not at certain times it is a no go area. We all know just how important Daniel O'Connell was to Ireland.

Another issue the GPO there is a constant drug shop at the side of GPO facing Pennys all day everyday. It is public knowledge even for the guards they walk past never walk down or patrol down to the lane.

A huge bugbear of mine is any state funded youth supports are exclusively for teens who are branded as at risk children,

By that they mean, addicted parents, Tusla/child services involved.

Parents like myself our kids are left out.

Many kids went down the path to be able to join the clubs.

I don't understand the thinking, it is constantly closing the stable door after the horse has bolted

They are there but they require locals to instigate. Foroige wil support club set up and that in turn generally gives access to a lot of projects.

But it does take locals taking on responsibility.

Yes you'd think the government would do something to improve Dublin's main thoroughfare. My sons use terms like ' my least favourite walk anywhere' and 'continuous low level pressure' to describe it. Shame the bastids into doing something. The only thing that prompts action is being shown up on the world stage - where the FFFG stooges love to prance about.
Some of the comments from locals do remind me of when I lived in Whitechapel , East London.
'Things were better when the Krays were here , they only hurt other villains' etc. A sign of despair alright.

@Marblesbackagain

There are self funded clubs the most famous being Corinthians boxing club.

The club where Kelly Harrington trained. That was sourced, started and funded by Gerard Hurch.

This is the type of thing that makes him known, the older people would have grown up with him and his family.

Gary Gannon was the big hope in 2020 and I saw more of him of tv last Saturday and Sunday than the previous 4 and a half yrs.