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?

Politicians love to keep it in the family don't they?!

I've had more leaflets stuffed into my postbox but still no knock on the door. Should I expect a mad frenzy next week??

I'm feeling very left out, lots of leaflets but no knocks on the doors.

I haven't spoken to anyone yet who isn't giving him a vote, he will be like Niall Boylan, even if he doesn't get in he will knock someone out.

Neasa H, Gary G are in trouble I feel.

Paschal D is safe, Marylou, Malachy S Gerry H are all taking from each other.

Although if Hutch runs as a Tony Gregory part 2 he will appeal to a lot.

Still nobody at the door here yet either. I'm desperate to bend someone's ear (politely!) about housing, the GRA and, actually, another biggie is why don't they just bloody build the metro and get it over and done with. If they'd built it 20 years ago, yes it would have gone way over budget but we'd have it now and that would be that. Every few years when they tentatively re-approach the subject, the cost is way more. Just build the fecker, you timid, short-termist eejits! 🙄

Here's something interesting:
I wondered how TENI Transgender Equality Network Ireland were reacting now that that all the parties have downplayed their previous cheerleading for trans rights over women's rights with no mention of anything trans on any election material I received, or on the main part of their websites.

So I googled TENI - but got a 'can't reach this page' error message every time. I tried another search engine, Bing, and got the same message.

I wonder what's up? They used to be so powerful that they more or less dictated the gender legislation we currently 'enjoy'. Is their influence waning, perhaps?

Anybody know what's happening to them?

Yes, I think that the push to get rid of single sex schools is just another way of getting rid of single sex spaces in general. The Labour Party would probably deny that but they are believers in gender ideology so it's not an unreasonable suspicion.

I have just tried on chrome and DuckDuckGo and nothing

Not showing up for me either.

RTÉ have eventually got round to admitting (on their website, no idea about anywhere else) that Aontú have a clear view on 'gender' not shared by other parties.

www.rte.ie/news/election-24/2024/1121/1482288-aontu-manifesto-analysis/

I hope they make a good showing (because that will send a signal) and get a few TDs so they can raise the issues in the Dáil chamber.

Aontú are already quite formidable considering they were only founded 5 years ago! Their manifesto is fantastic. My dh is quite left wing, undecided I sent him this photo below this morning re Aontú the only party that believes men can not get pregnant or give birth.. He was like wtf & he shared it on all hi lads WhatsApp groups, I think he may have got Aontú another few votes including himself!
In fairness to DH despite being liberal he believes none of the Gender bolloxology. He was going for People Before Profit before he saw the quote below from RTE now he's giving Aontú no1 & in fairness our candidate who called was fantastic & very very clued in.

Other parties seem to be backtracking on genderwoo, whereas Aontú is doubling down on its anti-abortion stance.

Personally, I'd rather take a chance on influencing the already-wobbling other parties re gender ideology than Aontú who were actually formed to be anti-choice and therefore will probably never change.

Aontú's policy on the environment is very off-putting too, I'd worry about them having any influence in that area, they seem to see everything, however sensible, as a conspiracy against famers. It's like they don't take proposals to improve/protect the environment case by case on their merits, it's just all dismissed as 'threats to the farming community'.

For all their faults, at least the Greens have the guts to face up to the dangers facing the environment, locally and globally, despite all the silly 'Cabbagehead' name-calling they get.

On the plus side, Aontú's policy on support for the Travelling Community is very welcome, and I'm fascinated by their proposal to build a 'new international city on the western seaboard' .

But for me there isn't just enough in their manifesto to counterbalance their environmental and anti-choice positions.

Others will disagree with me on all this, obvs, that's democracy

Exactly it's a democracy, Aontú wants to keep the country that way & is absolutely against the Hate Speech Bill & any curtailment of speech. Peadar Toibín did not sign the hate crime bill either.
I detest the Greens, seriously the amount of cycle lanes they insisted on is ridiculous & Roderic O Gorman is a very poor leader & a very incompetent minister for children & also integration. How many children have gone missing on his watch? 55?

Why are the bike lanes practically empty most of the time but the roads are as packed as ever with cars? The new bus initiative Bus Connects is a good thing, but the buses still haven't or can't achieve a bus only journey on many routes. The Metro as a pp said should have been built 20 years ago, at the height of the Celtic Tiger, but no, too much money was loaned for multiple houses. Many of which were torn down or are now unfit for habitation, when we need houses now more than ever!

Look, I'm on a roll of disgruntlement. Let me rant. I laugh at the promises from the Governing Parties right now that they will do this and that. Should have done all that or at least drafted legislation and got the groundwork done during their five year term. Leaves a bit of a sour taste - to me.

We have two good Indo candidates here and Aontu. Then it's down the list, leaving out PBP and SF. I don't believe in giving them a scratch at all (just my voting prefs) despite being told that I should to make the most of PR!

@Havalona I'm only going to give preferences to Aontú & the Independents.. The other options are pathetic.. Especially FF, FG & the Greens, all their empty promises now they have been in power the past four years what was stopping them.
As for Sinn Féin, the social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit & FF, FG & the Greens I hope they fail miserably. The country will never forget how hard they push us females to vote ourselves out of the constitution. Also their stance on gender ideology is dangerous & delusional as a local Labour candidate demonstrated at my door.

Aontú & the Independents fought tirelessly to ensure that women & mothers remained in the constitution.

Remember Sinn Féin said if the referendum did recieve a yes/yes win Sinn Féin would run the election again if the got into power. What the actual fuck. So much for democracy! Not a chance I am willing to take.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41335918.html

If in power Sinn Féin promises to re run the care & family referendum if they were defeated earlier in the year. This is appalling. What about democracy? Why would Mary Lou & SF want women voted out of the constitution. This is disgusting.
How many million would it cost to rerun the referendum?

I had a chat with DD today about the election, it will be her first time voting. She is undecided on who to vote for but has ruled out Aontu as reproductive rights would be something she would rank high on her priorities.

For me, Aontu are looking like the best of what is out there for women and a lot of what they are proposing are very practical ideas that will directly benefit women. I think that they will be limited in their ability to do anything about abortion so it's not as high a priority for me as pushing back on gender ideology.

I think they have since stated that they will respect the result of the Referendum. I think SF were really shocked by the Referendum result and how out of touch they were with the electorate. As the main opposition party it seemed to reflect more badly on them than the Coalition Parties who actually ran the Referendum.

I wouldn't trust Sinn Féin whatsoever. Also captured by the trans ideology, also wanted the hate speech Bill passed... But even to have the arrogance & ignorance to state they would rerun the care & family referendum if they got into power shows they have no regard for democracy & were also very happy to wipe mothers out of the constitution. Even to suggest rerunning it would cost the state millions which shows they can't be trusted with the counteries finances.

Aontú & the Independents definitely the best by a country mile. I don't agree with Aontú's stance on abortion & can't see it getting passed. We had a referendum & the support within govt won't be there to over rule existing legislation so like you gender ideology is my main concern.

I am always a single issue voter anyways & gender ideology is my single issue this time around, Aontú tick all the boxes for this issue & have pledged to repeal the GRA. They are proper opposition & never ever veer away from their firm stance regardless of how unpopular their stance is. Unlike Sinn Féin or Fianna Fáil who are constantly flip flopping to beg for votes.

https://www.rte.ie/news/post/104564612/

Shocking behavior from Simon Harris in Kanturk, Co. Cork. This video could be the end of him. What snide behaviour & the way he follows the poor woman who was obviously distressed is the height of passive aggressive. Video is in the link below.

Not my Taoiseach.

Trumped I am always a single issue voter anyways

Me too, for me it's the issue of women's hard-won right to autonomy over our own bodies.

I've just read the Independents' manifesto - some really weird stuff in there, like a Luas for all 26 counties???, withdrawing specific funding for school meals or schoolbooks, and - I had to re-re-read this several times to make sure I was understanding it right, but it's true: one of their policies is to blatantly support the inhumane live export of animals:

'Ensure continuation of live export markets and oppose EU policies that threaten them. Support live export of dairy calves and weanlings from all herds.'

The live export of any animals, but especially dairy weanlings, is an abomination, and Independent Ireland making a manifesto commitment to encourage it is shocking.

Jaysus, I'll give that a read thanks for the heads up!
@MarieDeGournay did you see the video of Simon Harris today & the care worker? I'm still fuming.

@MarieDeGournay

Can you upload a link re the animal exportation policy please?

Any animal abuse is a hard no for me.

Very surprised RTE showed that.

Sounds grim. Which Independents are these? They seem to proliferate like Evangelical churches in the USA...I lose track of them all.