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File photo: Lucinda Creighton pictured alongside Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2012 PA Archive/Press Association Images

Poll: Do we need another political party?

Discussions on a new grouping could already be under way, according to this morning’s papers.

DO WE NEED a new political force in the Dáil?

More than half of respondents to a separate poll this week thought so — and the Sunday Independent is speculating this morning that mortgage debt campaigner David Hall could be part of a new grouping led by Lucinda Creighton, should he be elected in Friday’s Dublin West byelection.

It comes as a separate poll, in The Sunday Times, forecasts a record breakthrough for independents in the upcoming local and European elections.

What’s your take? Do we need a new political party in the Dáil?


Poll Results:

Yes. (3945)
No. (1723)
I have no interest. (568)

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169 Comments
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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    May 18th 2014, 8:56 AM

    An alternative. Not another of what we already have.

    620
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    Mute Lm group
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    May 18th 2014, 9:11 AM

    Rule number 1 members of a new party must never have run for election before, rule number 2 see rule number 1, it’s the only way to go

    288
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    Mute Jimbo
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    May 18th 2014, 10:02 AM

    I agree, but that party should not be made up of conservative christian whack jobs.

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    Mute Harry Price
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    May 18th 2014, 10:04 AM

    DDI is policy political with the service of the people . Political but not a political party its a service to people and the service dose not have the whip as do political parties … Vote DDI

    81
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 10:24 AM

    Harry Raymond whitehead told the life institute he will vote pro life when he hasn’t even polled his constituency yet, a lying politician if I ever saw one.

    58
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    Mute robby rottenest
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    May 18th 2014, 11:15 AM

    What we need Alan is a party to represent the working classes, and by that I mean ALL those who work, want to work, or incapacitated but would like to work.
    Less hand outs and more hand ups.

    91
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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    May 18th 2014, 11:33 AM

    Switzerland’s canton Glarus 727th annual assembly to vote on new laws, new expenditures and appoint new judges.

    Democracy as it should be!

    http://democracy-international.org/cool-and-calm-direct-democracy-switzerland

    39
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    Mute R Neuville
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    May 18th 2014, 11:37 AM

    Vote for Independents because …..

    Political Parties are Private Clubs that use the Whip System to pass Pro-Lobby Laws NOT Pro Citizen.
    Vote for Independents or maybe Direct Democracy who will implement citizen initiated Referenda or maybe a loose Alliance of Independents. First Referendum must be “Ban Whip System in the Dail” and ensure elected reps represent the electorate not Lobby Interests.

    Ireland a failed society … 300,000 exported …. radical change needed.

    83
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    Mute Ray Hall
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    May 18th 2014, 11:38 AM

    I agree Alan, we don’t need another Fine Gale Crossed with Fianna Fail Party, and throw in the God Squad Lucinda….We’re Doomed

    72
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    Mute Darren Doheny
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    May 18th 2014, 11:55 AM

    Independents have no power to make change and no clear agenda. So therefore if you want a paralysed government you should vote for them.

    22
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    Mute Laurence Vize
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    May 18th 2014, 6:23 PM

    can you explain how DDI are not a party? What is the difference between how DDI is doing and any other political party?

    DDI are supporting the idea that referendums should be inititated by a certain number of people, thats a policy, parties have policies but you are making out DDI is not a party. How is this?

    Explain to the public how you are going to implement your “refendum” policy. That will need either a landslide victory / control of the Dail or the consent of the other parties. Tell me the names of the other parties that will support it now or in the future.

    I am saying you are opportunists spreading phony impressions with no basis to them.

    6
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    Mute De Teeshuck
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    May 18th 2014, 6:28 PM

    R Neuville you are so right
    Ban the whip system..never a truer word spoken

    Also We should be honouring the Separation of Powers
    The Judiciary take no nonsense in this regard but the Executive ie the Taoiseach and cabinet regard the legislature, ie the dail and the Seanad and the president as theirs to use as they see fit.

    11
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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    May 18th 2014, 11:34 PM

    What’s the good of electing only people who have no political experience? They’ll have a fresh insight, sure, but the actual political work of sitting on committees and devising new legislation will overwhelm them, especially if all 166 TDs (165 as the Ceann Comhairle is always a former TD) are new.

    1
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    Mute Thomas Quinn
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    May 18th 2014, 8:56 AM

    I would have to say definitely because currently I have to vote for who I dislike least and not who inspires me the most.

    289
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 10:24 AM

    Inspire yourself to run, be the change you want to be

    54
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    Mute Bear Nard
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    May 18th 2014, 11:34 AM

    if you dont like the system as it is then Vote for “everyone” on the ballot paper “except the big political party’s”

    27
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    May 18th 2014, 11:49 AM

    My fear is that without a strong middle-ground party which supports the people, not the corporations (as do FF/FG/Labour), the current alternatives will become the next government – Sinn Fein, People b4 Profit and Socialist Party.
    While these parties do represent people before corporations, they have too many far-left whack-job principles. Principles where they will give lots of money and services to the disadvantaged, on the assumption that there is an elite whom they can tax to the hilt. The elite mostly do not exist, and what there is of them will simply move their tax domicile elsewhere.
    The middle classes will be hit the most, trying to fund their unfundable initiatives.
    We will end up with the country going broke again.
    We need a truly social democratic party, who recognise that the middle classes are the real powerhouse of an economy – generating the taxes to fund social services, education and health.
    The truly wealthy will always manage to wriggle out of paying the fair share of taxes.

    44
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    Mute Darren Doheny
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    May 18th 2014, 11:57 AM

    Alan like I have said before we need to support organisations to keep investment where it is. We are not a price competitive labour country we are competing on skill level.

    I do however think we need a party with a clear agenda that does not seem to balancing the books week by week with crippling policies!

    14
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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    May 18th 2014, 5:58 PM

    @Alan have no fear… when or if any of the parties you mention get into power they will have to face reality… and they will split and fragment as always and then we’re back to square one… with even more lefty loons on this site on others decrying the lack of representation of the left. I say we just sit here and ride it out…. opposition is easier than being in power.

    The clear party missing from Irish politics was Clann na Pobhlacta – a good republican party rooted in republican principles.

    4
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    Mute Conor Conneally
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    May 18th 2014, 8:59 AM

    If it’s a new group of neoliberal right wing anti choice God botherers like Lucinda and the Reform Alliance. Then we don’t need a political party.

    We need a proper social democratic alternative as the Irish Labour Party has totally failed and has forgotten the ideals of its founders.

    210
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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    May 18th 2014, 9:06 AM

    How does liberal & anti-choice work?

    75
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:30 AM

    He said neoliberal. Neoliberalisims an economic school of thought not a social one. It belongs with soviet central planning in the history of failed ideologies. You might remember it from tiger days..cut taxes to get more revenue..deregulate to get more prosperity…you’ll recall how it turned out in 2008?
    Well people still believe in neoliberal school despite the crash. Because its in the interest of a group of special interests who hold a lock on our political parties (same in other countries) thru donations and on regulatory agency’s thru the implicit career bribe revolving door. The only way to break that hold is publically financed elections and lobbying reform.
    Wanna know how a new party will work out without that? The same. Identical…lie and uturn. Sma old song.

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    Mute luke daly
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    May 18th 2014, 10:11 AM

    News flash, you don’t have to be a right wing religious nut job to be “anti abortion”

    42
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 10:47 AM

    Whats with the red thumbs im just explaining what he meant..jesus some of u are just irrational

    23
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    Mute William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:30 PM

    News flash, you DO have to be a right wing religious nut job to be “anti abortion” or else you must be a different type of fool. No one has or can argue for the right to imprison a woman and her doctor because they terminated an unwanted pregnancy.

    15
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 2:52 PM

    I have to play devils advocate Will…you can make a rational non religious argument against abortion easily

    7
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    Mute William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 3:16 PM

    OK Ryan off you go. Tell us why Ryan and a group of other like minded people can claim the right to jail a woman they don’t know, are not related to and who was raped and becomes pregnant and wants an abortion because she didn’t want a baby, doesn’t want the rapist’s baby and believes that her mental health is such that she is suicidal and to whom they won’t pay for the raising of the unwanted child?

    10
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    Mute Etienne de Montfort
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    May 18th 2014, 10:15 PM

    Don’t bother, I explained this to William already and he just had one of his little spasms

    3
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    Mute William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 10:36 PM

    Still waiting Ryan.

    I’m not aware of any Humanist or non religious group in the entire world that opposes a women’s right to choose. 99%+ of all opposition to women’s rights are religion led. Once someone is brain dead as a result of religious indoctrination they lose their ability to think logically.

    2
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    Mute James St John Smith
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    May 18th 2014, 8:56 AM

    Another corrupt one? No.

    194
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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    May 18th 2014, 9:27 AM

    We do, preferably a decent centre right party.

    84
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:36 AM

    We already have three. We had four and people wiped out the PDs clearly its not something people want

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:48 AM

    If you mean intellectually honest conservatives u get them same way u get intellectually honest social democrats…public financing.

    30
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    Mute family guy
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    May 18th 2014, 9:55 AM

    See the main problem is most people don’t know what’s good for them and the country. If the new party gave loads of tax breaks everyone would be delighted!. But is that good for the country? They all want to get re-elected so they give away stuff which is not necessarily good for the country.

    The whole system needs reformed and our TDs need to be concentrating on the bigger issues not parish pump politics.

    114
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    Mute family guy
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    May 18th 2014, 10:10 AM

    See I think people in this country want to have loads of money in their pocket. If the last FF had concentrated less on making the country and it’s people wealth and more on creating a sustainable economy and tax base our situation wouldn’t have been as bad now. I would gladly have sacrificed more money on tax in the good years if it meant we wouldn’t be in this mess.

    What we need is a party that can balance the books and create a stable economy but the problem is with getting re-elected. People loved FF at the time due to all the giveaways. That’s how they got re-elected so often. Some of the problem then lies with ourselves for putting them into power.

    77
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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    May 18th 2014, 10:25 AM

    I think a decent centre right party that rewards and encorages private enterprise and reduces the tax burden on working people is what’s needed. People who contribute are penalised while those who do not are supported from the cradle to the grave…the criminal justice system needs to be overhauled…sentences are too lenient for serious offenders…also our immigration policy while dictated from Europe is a joke, this also needs addressing.

    56
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    Mute Seamus Larkin
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    May 18th 2014, 10:28 AM

    Jezz KKK you go to the centre eh? UKIP would suit you I think

    59
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    Mute P O' Neill
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    May 18th 2014, 10:41 AM

    Coming from someone who uses KKK as their username that means very little. Right-Wing Conservatism is declining rapidly in Ireland. FF were battered and the Blueshirts are awaiting a similar bashing, though not as dramatic. All polls point to a rise in SF and independents. Time’s up for your lot, KKK.

    66
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    Mute family guy
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    May 18th 2014, 10:45 AM

    I think we should fund people from the private sector to run for elected. Accountants, business people, engineers etc. We need to find a way to get more of these people into politics.

    It’s easy for teachers and private sector workers as they can take a career break that’s why so many run. If it all goes wrong they can get their old job back. Private sector workers don’t have that safety net.

    From my experience these people have no clue about the private sector so really don’t understand what’s going on in the business world.

    58
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    Mute Kris O Kay Kay
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    May 18th 2014, 11:38 AM

    ……Bit rich from someone who uses P’ O Neill..the sign off for the IRA when they were claiming a murder or responsibility for planting a bomb murdering innocents….I’m not a “Blueshirt” or affiliated with any party unlike you…in fact I’ll probably vote independent, I’m one of the many undecided who are now swelling the ranks of the electorate….I’m as disillusioned as the next person with the way things are going in this country or have gone but I’ll still never ever vote SF. I think the ordinary PAYE worker needs a break. Industry and enterprise needs to be encouraged and supported in order to get people employed in the local economy. Immigration which seems to be open door and completely unchecked is a huge problem. It is skilled workers that need to be enticed to cone here…not largely unskilled migrants with little to offer which end up costing taxpayers money in “support”. The Public Sector is bloated, top heavy with civil servants. This needs to be addressed baldly. A cap should be put on Social Welfare going into a house, getting rid of the distinctive to work.

    46
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    Mute Conrad Shields
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    May 18th 2014, 12:55 PM

    A new party would develop new ideals and create change (mostly good) for society… in the short to medium term. Over time it would go the qay of the PD’s as they become more conservative (and desperate to keep their jobs and hold of power).

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    Mute Conrad Shields
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    May 18th 2014, 1:00 PM

    *way

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    Mute Gerry McCormack
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    May 18th 2014, 3:06 PM

    P o Neill your a bit of a right wing supporter. Pretending to be SF. Go now and crawl under your PD rock

    6
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    Mute John Sherlock
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    May 18th 2014, 9:00 AM

    We need a “None of The Above” box on the ballot paper That might send a message

    114
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:39 AM

    None of the above cant form a govt. If we break the lock special interests have on parties thru their donations the elections will become a real choice again and we wont need none of the above.

    IMO we have to aim for something better than sending a nasty message that were angry we need to fix the core problem

    37
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    Mute luke daly
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    May 18th 2014, 10:12 AM

    Just spoil your vote.

    9
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 10:47 AM

    Loads do that every time has it changed anything?

    37
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    Mute Niall Donnelly
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    May 18th 2014, 9:10 AM

    Maybe but not with Lucinda!!! We need a party that looks after the modern era not one that still works on the rules of the church

    88
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    May 18th 2014, 8:59 AM

    We need one but not cut from the same cloth the current crop are cut from. A party that will bring a true and genuine change in the way politics is done in this country. For example, having top civil servants voted into office by the public, capping salaries for politicians at 100k, removing this sense of entitlement that most Irish politicians operate to. In short a party is Stephen Donnellys.

    86
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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    May 18th 2014, 9:05 AM

    No, we need a new political system. Not one that works entirely for the top 0.01%.

    78
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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    May 18th 2014, 9:13 AM

    What we need is proper representation, not the cronyism, nepotism and gombeenism we currently endure.

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    Mute Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 9:38 AM

    Our PR system is about as representitive as you’re going to get.

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:47 AM

    PRSTV is the most representative when the elections a real choice and functioning properly.
    Its not at the moment though because of power of money thru donations..same people bck all the horses to cover all bets no matter who wins..so post election instead of the chrisian democrats and social democrats negotiating the best mix to serve the election result we get the exact same policies as before.
    Without public financing its not us in charge…pr or not…you work for your paymaster and thats not the public ATM

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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    May 18th 2014, 11:43 PM

    I would argue that PR-STV is a fair system and the problem is the voters and the choices they make. People are generous with their preferences and give them out based on personal sympathies, not on policy-based choices. And who could blame them? It’s their choice, after all. But until people realise the only way to make a clean break is to not give any preferences at all to “the big two and a half”, despite their personal liking for or geographical or familial connections to some of their candidates, then the same names will continue to be re-elected. I mean, 25% support for FG according to one of the latest polls despite all of the complaining people do about the current government is shockingly high.

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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    May 18th 2014, 9:05 AM
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    Mute Danny Lucas
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    May 18th 2014, 10:23 AM

    Can’t see a single one that stands for individual freedom, low taxes and limited government.

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 10:48 AM

    We had the PDs. They got voted off the playing field.

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 10:49 AM

    …and maybe u didnt notice but limited govt in the financial sector got us here to begin with.

    23
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    Mute Danny Lucas
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    May 18th 2014, 11:01 AM

    Ryan, what got us into trouble was broken financial system, shaddy contacts between bankers and politicians and most of all a bail out which not only put us all into a debt for decades to come but also allowed those broken institutions to continue operations.

    28
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    Mute Aidan O' Connell
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    May 18th 2014, 11:15 AM

    What is it about low taxes that you find so attractive. The reason we are in the mess we are in is because we overly relied on revenue from the construction industry instead of a solid fiscal base to fund a nordic style welfare system. We are a small country, taxation should be kept high and our services expanded thereon. Look at Sweden, Finland and Austria. All have the highest tax burdens in Europe with the soundest economies. Stability is what we need rather than cyclical growth and decline. A good foundation is an essential part of that. Why people want to go back to a system that lacked a discernable sense of direction, haphazard planning and a lack of real equality is beyond me. There is a reason we pay so much for college fees, our health system and a lack of functioning public transport…..

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    Mute Danny Lucas
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    May 18th 2014, 11:28 AM

    Aidan, what about freedom of choice?

    I don’t see a government as an angel sent from haven. Government to me is a bunch of thugs with close connections to shady businesses.

    Why not let those that want to live under socialist nordic high tax system to do it and let those that want to be out of that system also do it?

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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    May 18th 2014, 12:05 PM

    Aidan, Finland’s and Sweden’s affluence were not built on socialism.
    Sweden rose from being one of the poorest nations in Europe to the fourth wealthiest in world by adopting free market principles and with tax rates lower than almost every other western nation.

    ” Among the 160 countries studied in the Index of Economic Freedom, Sweden ranks 21st, and is one of the few countries that increased its economic freedoms during the financial crisis. Sweden gets higher scores for liberal markets than Germany and Belgium, or reformers such as Cyprus and Georgia.

    It’s true that Sweden wasn’t always so free. But Sweden’s socialism lasted only for a couple of decades, roughly during the 1970s and 1980s. And as it happens, these decades mark the only break in the modern Swedish success story.”

    http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704698004576104023432243468

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    Mute Danny Lucas
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    May 18th 2014, 12:10 PM

    Good post Sean. Unfortunately Swedes tend to forget what brought them where they are.

    An interesting report based on latest United Nations report on Sweden:
    http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/April/Soviet-Sweden-Model-Nation-Sliding-to-Third-World/

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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    May 18th 2014, 2:22 PM

    An interesting article Danny. Thanks.
    Supports 2010 US research which forecast political instability in such nations as the now Arab Spring nations, Ukraine, Venezuela and Sweden due to food price inflation.

    http://www.policymic.com/articles/82855/a-mathematical-formula-predicted-today-s-worldwide-protests-over-a-year-ago

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 2:55 PM

    Danny if you’re coming from an intellectually honest conservative or libertarian perspective I can respect that, I’m a capitalist…I’m just not a corporatist.

    We had too light touch regulation in the financial sector thats what directly led to the crash, the bailouts just compounded the moral hazard later.
    We took away state regulations (here and abroad) that said you could not gamble with depositors and savers money, could not gable with commoddities etc etc etc and they went mad with risk built a house of cards with our money and it got away from them.

    If one is to make an honest argument for a market based economy that’s doable..but there has to be some rules of the road to keep the game fair and ensure the people doing the gambling are the ones who take the risks as well as the rewards, right now it’s all rigged so we take a collective risk and the rewards are shared by a tiny clique

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    Mute Danny Lucas
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    May 18th 2014, 5:42 PM

    IMO the best thing to do would be to let those institutions go bankrupt and prosecute those responsible, just like they did in Iceland.

    It’s astonishing how we as a society feel too sorry to prosecute criminals. It should be a cold blood calculation and harsh punishment each time. They don’t feel sorry for us when we’re being scammed or hurt by them.
    It’s really astonishing how FF/FG/L are afraid to do that.

    There’s an interesting article comparing Irish and Icelandic solutions to banking crisis. Hard to disagree:
    http://www.irisheconomy.ie/index.php/2012/09/17/what-can-ireland-learn-from-iceland/

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    Mute Niall H
    Favourite Niall H
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    May 18th 2014, 9:04 AM

    Be weary of any new party making promises on popular issues…

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    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 10:00 AM

    Just remember Fianna Fail in 1977 and how that ended. For those too you young to remember look it up.

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    Mute Padraig McHale
    Favourite Padraig McHale
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    May 18th 2014, 9:23 AM

    Poll: Do we need another poll?

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    Mute onlybuzzinwitcha
    Favourite onlybuzzinwitcha
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    May 18th 2014, 10:35 AM

    Why? Can’t we all just get along?

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    Mute Colm Moylette
    Favourite Colm Moylette
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    May 18th 2014, 9:23 AM

    David Hall, Peter Matthews, Stephen Donnelly and Shane Ross need to come together. If there are others who will provide the catalyst for that (eg. Lucinda) then so be it. The party would have my vote either way.

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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
    Favourite Thors Big Hammer
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    May 18th 2014, 9:35 AM

    Stephen the Don and Pater Matt are probably two of the best politicians we have right now.

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    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 9:40 AM

    They are only slighly above useless serving as independents. Not sure about Mathews though.

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    Mute Hairy lemon
    Favourite Hairy lemon
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    May 18th 2014, 9:45 AM

    Matthews was full of promise but ended up a laughing stock. All mouth no trousers. Couldn’t deliver anything

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
    Favourite Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:55 AM

    Its policy change we need…didnt the obama disaster not prove waiting for a white knight personality to come along is folly? IF WE COULD JUST GET THE RIGHT GUY…its not about that.
    The guy/gal with best intentions will get crushed by the system did George Lee not show that? Its systemic change we need not diff people or parties..people n parties are just saying “well if we had lighter deckchairs maybe shed sink slower…” vain hope.
    The SYSTEM needs to change ill bang this drum however long i have to..public financing and lobbying reform will = far better results than any new Des Omalley or any new microparty

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    Mute Joe Hill
    Favourite Joe Hill
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    May 18th 2014, 9:22 AM

    We just need the left to unite and work together to provide an alternative to the failed centre right policies.

    Pity it seems to be much more fun to call each other class traitors, hardly behaviour that will inspire voters to believe we can provide a viable alternative.

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
    Favourite Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:42 AM

    The moderate left could provide a mainstream social democratic alternative, what in Europes the mainstream..but the RBB heads IMO are not our salvation.
    The only economic model thats so far caused more harm than neoliberalisms planned economies…

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
    Favourite Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:57 AM

    Show me a successful one lads..just one…anywhere?

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    Mute johnny
    Favourite johnny
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    May 18th 2014, 9:30 AM

    What we need to do is stop the passive response to the current system. No country needs more politicans or parties. Collective action and response to corruption. No more letting the snakes slip away by allowing them simply resign. An engaged society that holds local government to account. A society that removes itself from the irish patriarchal culture. The politics of a country is merely a reflection of the people who vote them in. Irish people work hard, working class people pick up the slack for an incompetent civil service layer of management and parish policiticians.

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    Mute Peter King
    Favourite Peter King
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    May 18th 2014, 8:56 AM

    Didn’t you already ask this question a while ago?

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    Mute Mel Fitzpatrick
    Favourite Mel Fitzpatrick
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    May 18th 2014, 8:58 AM

    We need a dictator, not democracy. ….. absolutely sick to the back teeth of every single lying one of them.

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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
    Favourite Jeremy Usborne
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    May 18th 2014, 9:14 AM
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    Mute Sian O Sullivan
    Favourite Sian O Sullivan
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    May 18th 2014, 9:14 AM

    If history has thought us anything it’s that dictators are the way to go …. Oh wait

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    Mute Diarmuid Lenihan
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    May 18th 2014, 9:22 AM

    Great idea Mel, but only if I can be the dictator.

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    Mute corkboi
    Favourite corkboi
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    May 18th 2014, 9:24 AM

    What’s wrong with the current one

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
    Favourite Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:35 AM

    We already have a dictator but its an ideology and set of special interests rather than a person. The only diff between us and a one party states the illusion of choice..we get same policies no matter what govt we elect. In 2011 we said we wanted no stealth taxes, stimulus instead of austerity, abolition of up front college fees, wind up of bad banks…did we get any of that? No we got ff-continued.
    We can choose the opposition to an extent but we cant choose the govt.
    Were already in a dictatorship.

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    Mute Frank Doyle
    Favourite Frank Doyle
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    May 18th 2014, 12:31 PM

    Fine Gael are more right wing than Fianna Fail, but they were really always just two sides of the same coin. They implement Merkel’s austerity because they are totally pro-Europe and they identify more with Merkel’s Christian democratic agenda than the interests of the Irish people (both Merkel’s party and Fine Gael are Christian Democratic). They want to be part of a wider European political paradigm which means more integration into Europe, and less individual rights for the Irish citizen. They have their foundations in quasi-fascist ideals and it is arguable that they still have some of those ideals in their ideological outlook. Just look at Lucinda Creighton- she’s like a young Maggie Thatcher. Look at the way they govern the country- as soon as they got in they became dictatorial, completely sycophantic to Merkel and Europe and implemented harsh austerity policies without as much as a whimper of protest, they almost revel in it. GET THEM OUT!

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    Mute Declan J Murtagh Sr.
    Favourite Declan J Murtagh Sr.
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    May 18th 2014, 9:05 AM

    Maybe but not another FG, FF or LAB, so RA go away and stop trying to tell us your not just another FG

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    Mute margaret donohoe
    Favourite margaret donohoe
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    May 18th 2014, 9:36 AM

    We need a whole new party to replace the old ones. A party to listen to the people of Ireland instead of the people of Ireland been told what to do.

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    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 10:06 AM

    Yes listen but government is about making tough decisions in the interest of the country and not just the populist things. Be very vary of promises made. Labour are suffering at the moment due to their stupid promises before the last election.

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    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 10:07 AM

    *wary*

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    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
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    May 18th 2014, 10:14 AM

    Fo feck sake…..*weary*!!

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    Mute Mr L.Jay
    Favourite Mr L.Jay
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    May 18th 2014, 9:27 AM

    Another ultra middle class conservative our way or no way Party?
    No thanks

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    Mute Charlie Mountney
    Favourite Charlie Mountney
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    May 18th 2014, 9:13 AM

    I think we just need fresher people and new ideas. The shower we have at the moment go back twenty to thirty years and we are really sick of the sight of them. And we could do with a few that actually did some work before entering the arena. We need a lot more women in the Dail to take that stupid old men club gloss off it.
    But another PD’s who were neither. I really don’t think so and this is not just because I cannot stand the sight of Me Creighton. It is because young people need politicians to look to the future rather than some imaginary golden past.

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
    Favourite Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 9:49 AM

    FF run 16% women, pbp run 40% women. Simples

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    Mute John Cooke
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    May 18th 2014, 9:32 AM

    Until we have the right to vote who should get ministerial positions.
    ..it makes no difference…we dont live in a democracy…in a successful buisness, usually a board hire in somebody who can do the job on merit and has experience…we have Enda Kenny picking his mates to run the country and when they mess up he picks another incompetent mate…the worst part is nobody challenges how the political system works…or should I say…how it dosent work…f**k political parties…the people should be able to vote individuals into ministerial positions…ESPECIALLY Taoiseach…Kennys only Taoiseach because of Fianna Fails corruption

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
    Favourite Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 9:52 AM

    Well who voted in enda and his buddies?

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
    Favourite Niall Sheridan
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    May 18th 2014, 9:30 AM

    Voted no. Basically because of those ex politicians who want to be the ‘new’ party – same old faces lusting for power.

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    Mute Suzanne Mc Aleenan
    Favourite Suzanne Mc Aleenan
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    May 18th 2014, 9:15 AM

    At the end of the day all political parties are the same.

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    Mute William Grogan
    Favourite William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:38 PM

    So vote DDI and take control yourself.

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
    Favourite Ryan Carroll
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    May 18th 2014, 9:18 AM

    ,The entire ideological spectrums covered. So no.
    The reason u see no new ideas coming out and that you get same policies no matter who u vote for is simple: special interest money in politics.
    Public financing will solve that not another party

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    Mute Helen O Neill
    Favourite Helen O Neill
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    May 18th 2014, 9:45 AM

    Party politics is destroying democracy. We are promised e sun moon and stars by individuals then when they go into the Dail the whip is applied and they are all sheep baa ing to th tune of the Taoiseach. There are good creative people in the Dail on all sides of th house. We need the minds to work together for the good of the country not spending all their time scoring political points and protecting their futures. The system is bad I think. We need to lose adversarial politics for a while , harness our best minds and get them all together to sort out the mess w are in.

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    May 18th 2014, 11:11 AM

    That’s what I am talking about Helen . We seem conditioned into accepting that party politics and partisanship is the right course . If I hear political wigs bickering on another TV show my head will explode , you did this when you were in power etc . We need to get rid of that , have people say what they believe , and do what they say rather than deliver watered down policies to what they promised . Those in politics need to be held to account not only at election time . I think that if we had no political parties at all , a consensus of centrist policies would emerge . We can’t afford to be FG led ideology wise just as much as we can’t afford to be SF lead . I sick of empty promises spin and political manoeuvres stunts sabotage and just weeks before an election – all parties are guilty of this

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    Mute Frank Doyle
    Favourite Frank Doyle
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    May 18th 2014, 1:03 PM

    @Helen and Garaiste,

    Exactly what I think too. We have been conditioned to accept that adversarial political party systems are somehow inherent in democratic societies. I think this system is long out-dated and it suited democracy 80 years ago when state’s were just forming or post- WWII when countries were trying to find their ideological stances but what we need nowadays is solidarity amongst all candidates and no allegiance to political parties..

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    May 18th 2014, 9:19 AM

    A new party is the last thing we need . Party politics is the reason why we are all fed up with politics , a culture of expediency one up manship shouting each other down endless promises at elections hiding behind party line when asked questions never giving a straight answer big groupings enticed into decision making by lobbyists paying into party funds . Party politics is a parasite on us the people . Lies mistruths half truths and obfuscation . We need strong politically adept national not locally focused non party candidates to form a congress type Dail , a national government where members consult rather than fight , where they challenge Higher Civil servants not grand stand and conspire how to bring down the government . We need ministers who are technocrats not failed teachers doctors or lawyers . We need a HIQA type body to oversee quality Therin . All political parties wait her side are nothing more than parasites

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    Mute John Kelly
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    May 18th 2014, 10:55 AM

    Liberal people in Ireland have no party to choose from. The Labour party is the closest we have. I don’t hold much hope for one forming as the vast majority of people are center-right conservatives.

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    Mute Travel Irish
    Favourite Travel Irish
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    May 18th 2014, 9:32 AM

    Currently party candidates and ministers are not chosen for their expertise but for their history with the party – a daddy who was councillor or how many other people’s election campaign s they worked on. Fine gael particularly, by strengthening the whip system and circling the wagons regarding any party criticism have made this system completely toxic.

    Party is now put before policy or the country. And party loyalty put before competency.

    A new party is essential – the risks are there that they’ll follow the same path but without one this country will most certainly continue down the toxic path it’s on.

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    Mute Solbank Sabadell
    Favourite Solbank Sabadell
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    May 18th 2014, 9:41 AM

    direct democracy ireland is a great choice. I would love to see tom Darcy elected

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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
    Favourite Jeremy Usborne
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    May 18th 2014, 9:43 AM

    Well at 1% in the polls, Ireland has already rejected Freeman Ben Gilroy.

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
    Favourite Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 9:53 AM

    Raymond White head is pro life. Everyone DDI is running is over 40, where have they been in irish society and what have they been doing to only run now?

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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    May 18th 2014, 10:22 AM

    They have mortgages now.

    Which they want the taxpayer to pay for.

    Hence DDI

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
    Favourite Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 10:26 AM

    Pity because the Swiss system has some promise but DDI doesn’t

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    Mute Richard Devlin
    Favourite Richard Devlin
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    May 18th 2014, 12:04 PM

    Kevin, I am confused, you say the Swiss system has some promise, yet you dislike the only people that want to change the system here into one modeled on the Swiss system.

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    Mute William Grogan
    Favourite William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:37 PM

    Solbank. I’d like to know who opposes Direct Democracy? The majority here seem to. Is it the anti-democratic?

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    Mute Frank Nugent
    Favourite Frank Nugent
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    May 18th 2014, 11:59 AM

    What we really need is the shower of wasters that’s in there out !!!
    And the sooner the better :::: kenny & Gilmore HAS to GO !!

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    Mute Brian Casey
    Favourite Brian Casey
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    May 18th 2014, 10:20 AM

    No we dont. Its very clear now that the party system is broken in this country. We have no faith in it

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    Mute Frank Doyle
    Favourite Frank Doyle
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    May 18th 2014, 12:24 PM

    No, we need less political parties. Political parties are the crux of what is wrong with politics. We need people entering politics with no affiliations except for a desire to serve their country and their people with integrity and sincerity. What we have at the moment are elitist members clubs and corporations aligned to ideologies which come before the state and the people. We need to get rid of political parties and we need politicians to be independent- not beholden to the ideology of their party, but beholden to the state and the electorate.

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    Mute Joe Cunningham
    Favourite Joe Cunningham
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    May 18th 2014, 5:44 PM

    Dictators comes in many forms pretending they are Great People Publicly …. Kings, Queens and Emperor’s in Private … Beware of the Self Appointed Kings & Queens of the EU Council on the verge of Electing an European Emperor that will be Ruling Over 800 Million People.

    Ireland’s People 4.5 Million are only ripples out at the Frontier they Call Europe.

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    Mute Joe Cunningham
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    May 18th 2014, 5:48 PM

    Every Aspect of What DDI Direct Democracy Ireland Is All About …

    http://podcaststorage.weebly.com/vin-sunday-pods/pod-jan-van-de-ven-direct-democracy-with-vin

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    Mute Ruairi Colton
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    May 18th 2014, 10:23 AM

    Let ff and fg merge then let labour go the way of the pd’s, some of the smaller left wing parties could merge and then we will be ready for a new party but it woild have to be made up of new people and not the same old dynasties we currently have.

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    Mute Allan O'Shea
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    May 18th 2014, 9:43 AM

    Yes but not including any one from fg ff or labour. New ideas are necessary.

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    Mute Philip Riordan
    Favourite Philip Riordan
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    May 18th 2014, 5:57 PM

    If independents have no power then how come Shatters gone sure independents exposed the gardai

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    Mute Snorre Sturleson
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    May 18th 2014, 2:08 PM

    In SF we have an alternative to the austerity/Builder/Banker/White collar Criminal FF/FG/Lab parties. We do NOT need an uber right wing Lucinda Creighton/Michael McDowell Tosser party!

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    Mute William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:33 PM

    With SF you have an alternative alright, but to democracy. Terrorism.

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    Mute Snorre Sturleson
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    May 18th 2014, 4:49 PM
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    Mute Mark O'Hagan
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    May 18th 2014, 12:01 PM

    Possibly we do – but not one that is governed by religious fundamentalists.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
    Favourite FlopFlipU
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    May 18th 2014, 9:23 AM

    When and if a new party sets up it should set out the policies it will follow ,not individual preferences like religious preferences but a broadly based one , we need none of the whiners with personal views of individual ,s as there may be known politicians want to join it

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    Mute Clint Bronson
    Favourite Clint Bronson
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    May 18th 2014, 12:35 PM

    I’ll tell you one thing Fine Gael/Labour are very lucky there are very strict Gun laws in this country.

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    Mute Ailís McKernan
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    May 18th 2014, 12:28 PM

    Not one governed by Lucinda Creighton anyway

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    Mute Alan Dunne
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    May 18th 2014, 12:08 PM

    But not Lucinda creighton

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    May 18th 2014, 3:45 PM

    Yes, but not a party which includes the likes of Lucinda Creighton, Peter Matthews or, indeed, David Hall. The PD party is gone and good riddance to it. I am not in favour of PD mark 2.

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    Mute Gregory Seymour
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    May 18th 2014, 2:58 PM

    Yes one that will do right by Ireland and ALL who live on her!! And not the bankers investors Euro heads. It would be nice to fish our waters and farm our land in a time when the world is running out of food, I think its time to say goodbye to Europe just England will soon i think!

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    Mute Matthew Donoghue
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    May 18th 2014, 1:15 PM

    Exactly what we need a tea party version of ff and fg to tell us to be more catholic.

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    Mute Michael Murray
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    May 18th 2014, 11:43 AM

    What the country needs is a right wing dictatorship sort of set up for about 5 years.headed up by someone like michael o Leary .we need to instil pride in what we do.and reward for effort.only the strong should rise to the top and only survive there when they remain effective.we need a minister for hardship who would find innovative ways of putting prisoners to wrk on things like re inventing the textile industry and public laundries etc .they should be effective because labour be free.the main task of the minister for health should be drug control.first strategy anyone caught using or pushing locked up in the same place and throw in all the drugs found to them and let them have them.let people become scared of being caught because they realise the chance of walking out of this place alive is slim.provide them with food ok but let them cook it.let the minor offenders be the free slaves of the others .if that doesn’t straighten them let them progress to what effectively would be death row.

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    Mute Kieran OKeeffe
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    May 18th 2014, 12:11 PM

    Fan of judge dredd by any chance Michael?

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    Mute Noel Gallagher
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    May 18th 2014, 7:45 PM

    Yes Michael – put someone like Michael O’Leary in charge – if it were six years ago, Seanie Fitzpatrick would have been the chosen one……. hang on – just finished reading your post – you are a complete moron!

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    Mute Trajan Mac Conghail
    Favourite Trajan Mac Conghail
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    May 18th 2014, 9:58 AM

    They all end up the same

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    Mute Trajan Mac Conghail
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    May 18th 2014, 9:53 AM

    Do they not end up all the same

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    Mute Darren Doheny
    Favourite Darren Doheny
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    May 18th 2014, 11:52 AM

    A political party with CLEAR policies would be great. At least we know what we are voting in.

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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    May 18th 2014, 11:49 PM

    But that’s not a very good electoral strategy, unfortunately. If you want to get voted in, you have to appeal to large numbers of people, which means promising sun and the moon to everyone. It’s called democracy.

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 18th 2014, 6:17 PM

    Can we not just get the smartest people in the country, pay them more than they would get in the private sector and get them to run the country. Economists, doctors, scientists etc.

    What’s the point in having a politician if he/she needs advisers for different area. Just cut out the middle man.

    My Labrador would do a better job than the people in charge at the moment

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    Mute Ian Mac Eochagáin
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    May 18th 2014, 11:49 PM

    Then you should vote for people who you think are the smartest.

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    Mute Jeff g Johnston
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    May 18th 2014, 9:54 AM

    We need a good right wing party, tax the poor etcetera.

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
    Favourite Kevin Higgins
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    May 18th 2014, 10:27 AM

    A spam filter will do

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    Mute William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:36 PM

    Jeff, pro-free market, libertarian parties don’t believe in taxing anyone, including the poor. You’re thinking of socialists, who believe in taxing everyone until they can’t tax any more.

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    Mute Jeff g Johnston
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    May 18th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Im certainly mot thinking of socialism

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    Mute Stephen Duffy
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    May 18th 2014, 12:39 PM

    But it needs to be a right of centre party. The left is over-represented and over populated.

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    Mute Seán O'Sullivan
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    May 18th 2014, 4:40 PM

    we don’t need ‘continuity FG.’

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    Mute David Lloyd
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    May 18th 2014, 7:37 PM

    Vote Direct Democracy Ireland.

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    Mute A2xF7BTC
    Favourite A2xF7BTC
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    May 18th 2014, 8:36 PM

    Is there a trusty list of their candidates anywhere? I’m in Clare BTW

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    Mute Jim Hartnett
    Favourite Jim Hartnett
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    May 18th 2014, 4:28 PM

    We might need another party but not anything to do with the Continuity PD’s.

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    Mute Kevin O'Farrell
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    May 18th 2014, 4:31 PM

    Yes, but not yet another right of centre one. A proper social democratic one in the space vacated by Labour when they crossed over to the Dark Side.

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    Mute Clint Bronson
    Favourite Clint Bronson
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    May 18th 2014, 12:34 PM

    The answer is so obvious. Its like asking do we need water to live and yet 26% of the Irish Zombie Sheeple said we don’t need a new political party smh

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    Mute Clint Bronson
    Favourite Clint Bronson
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    May 18th 2014, 11:26 AM

    Does the Bear shit in the woods ?

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    Mute robert purfield
    Favourite robert purfield
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    May 18th 2014, 3:50 PM

    The two biggest problems with Irish politics are people still voting on what side them or their families came down on the civil war and a majority of people arent even bothered to vote or take a decent interest in who is representing them

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    Mute Susan Doherty
    Favourite Susan Doherty
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    May 18th 2014, 12:00 PM

    We need a party with a background in each department eg business and experience

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    Mute ribbons
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    May 18th 2014, 3:53 PM

    Minister Reilly is a doctor and Minister for Health. Alan Shatter is a solicitor and just had to resign from the Department of Justice. While it may seem to make sense in the abstract, in practice it doesn’t often work as knowledge of how the political system works is often more important for a successful ministerial career.

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    May 18th 2014, 4:52 PM

    James Reilly being a GP doesn’t make him a technocrat though – you need so done with an expertise in integrating health policy into a publicly funded civil service run department . Same goes for Shatter , they would be better served as advisers to a technocrat minister not being the minister

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    Mute Alex Nevin
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    May 18th 2014, 11:33 AM

    Yes, we need some true Conservative representation in Ireland.

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    Mute skoda
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    May 18th 2014, 10:53 PM

    We definitely need a new political party but not made up of anyone from the present political system. My view would be that Sinn Fein and Independents would do just fine.

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    Mute Martin Smith
    Favourite Martin Smith
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    May 18th 2014, 11:43 AM

    a new alternative party but not one that has michael mcdowell involved…People have forgotten his party involvement the the celtic tiger

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    Mute William Grogan
    Favourite William Grogan
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    May 18th 2014, 2:41 PM

    Presumably you don’t want the Celtic Tiger back then? A time when even the working man had an apartment in Bulgaria, a SUV in the drive way and earned a great wage. A time of near full employment and packed bars & restaurants. Sod it who wants that?

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    Mute Eanna™
    Favourite Eanna™
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    May 18th 2014, 8:46 PM

    More of the same combination of talking heads and spanners? No thanks need something different what that is I’m not sure

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    Mute De Teeshuck
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    May 18th 2014, 6:34 PM

    Its a new Left we need not a new Right wing Holy Joe Bigot Party
    We need a Labour that goes back to its constituent components. Three new parties.
    1.A party of the left for the working person – for everyone who toils – a party that represents them and not the power of big business
    2. A party for the public service unions
    3. and one which represents the policies of the roots of the current ex Democatic Left Sinn Fein The Workers Party shower of Sh*tes that are running Labour Now

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    Mute John Murphy
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    May 18th 2014, 8:18 PM

    We need a new party but not with Lucinda in it

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    Mute Dermot Kenny
    Favourite Dermot Kenny
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    May 19th 2014, 6:41 PM

    A new political party, but not with Lucinda or her philosophies, a radical party that is interested in people & their problems & not just interested in getting re-elected

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    Mute A2xF7BTC
    Favourite A2xF7BTC
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    May 18th 2014, 8:35 PM

    We need a right wing party that’s right wing because of right wing ideology, principles and conviction, particularly regarding economics. We don’t need a right wing party that’s only right wing because of religion. There’s a Sarah Palin wetting her knickers somewhere at the thought of it.

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