We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
STEPHEN DONNELLY IS standing in a huddle of party supporters on Dublin’s Grafton Street.
“You’re kicking ass,” he tells one candidate as purple badges and posters are handed out around them.
Moments earlier, the three leaders of the Social Democrats had swaggered up the rain-drenched road to the snapping of photographers.
Despite the weather, Donnelly, Róisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy appeared to be in high spirits for this afternoon’s canvass.
The latest Red C poll has the party at 4% support – not bad considering it has only three elected TDs.
When the photos are finished, the three mingle in the crowd, chatting to the predominantly young supporters that have turned out for the event.
There are no suited aides ushering them around.
One party organiser tells me they have fewer than 10 staff at their headquarters.
The Social Democrats are running 14 candidates around the country and hope to win at least seven Dáil seats to gain regular speaking rights.
But they refuse to be drawn into speculation about post-election negotiations.
Are voters not entitled to know their “red-line” issues?
“I think people know what we’re about,” Shortall says.
We’re talking about creating high-quality public services that everyone can benefit from and developing a strong economy.
She insists the party has no intention of simply making up the numbers for government or creating a “shopping list” of demands.
“We have set out a very clear plan, a value-based manifesto based on bringing honesty and fairness into politics,” she says.
If parties are interested in talking to us about that, we’re happy to do that.
Donnelly strikes a similar tune: “There’ll be no conversation about maintaining the status quo.
If people agree with us that we need to go on a better path based on social democratic values … we will have that conversation with them.
But there are key differences between the Social Democrats and other parties, he says.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are all about incrementalism, saying: ‘Maybe we’ll build a primary centre here and one there. Sure let’s hire a few more A&E staff.’
The Soc Dems instead see the need to “stop, think and start talking about creating systems that work”.
The healthcare system is clearly broken, for example. We’ve some of the best trained clinicians in the world in one of the most expensive systems in the world but we all know it doesn’t work.
Tax is another big concern for the party.
They have repeatedly hit out Fine Gael and Labour proposals to cut the USC, arguing that the €4 billion it generates annually is vital for public investment.
“We’ve set the agenda in this campaign in saying we want to build better public services over eroding the tax base,” Murphy says.
Donnelly cites the worsening global economy as an important reason for why current tax rates should be maintained.
“One of the ways you respond to that is by not eroding the tax base,” he says.
Something we are doing – which others aren’t – is looking outwards.
The message is not one Seán Whelan, a council worker who stops to talk to the group, agrees with.
Whelan unzips his backpack to show Shortall his most recent payslip.
Whelan is an undecided voter but he thinks the USC should be completely abolished.
He tells me later he earns just over €500 a week after tax deductions.
“I don’t know much about [the Social Democrats],” he admits.
Every party has a handful of good ideas so I’m open to everyone at the moment.
In the space of 40 minutes, I see just one other passer-by stop to talk to candidates.
The sea of purple was met with little reaction from members of the public hurrying along in the rain.
But with poll results raising the prospect of a hung Dáil, the SocDems are likely to be in the mix as coalition talks kick off next week.
What they are willing to compromise on remains to be seen.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Pity they don’t have more candidates.
Yes wish they had a candidate in my constituency.
Having met my Soc Dem candidate in person, I have to say that I’m even more impressed than with their 3 exceptional founders alone. Ann Marie Mc Nally comes across as a geniunely good person, and as readers of her articles on Broadsheet would surely testify, has a serious head on her shoulders. She would be a force for good in the Dail, and I wish her all the best in the election.
I have also slept with all the political candidates in my area and found none that went the extra mile either lol.
Probably the 1st time I’m in full agreement with you fc. A lot of people have a lot of hope for the future of the sd. They seem like the genuine alternative I’ve long wanted, left of centre but not extreme and with their heads screwed on
Ann Maria investigating journalism along with Catherine Murphy brought DOB & Sitesevre to public attention, Roisin Shorthall walked from Labour because king pin O’Reilly built Primary Health care in his constituency were 70% population had private health insurance, were as areas in Dublin with less 2% population had private health insurance, O’Reilly over looked them. Primary Health Care meant to take pressure off Public A&E. Stephen Donelly walked FG as they refused to accept evidence based economical direction. Gary Gannon North Inner City Soc Dem, he honesty man, with integrity, who community is behind him, check out his FB page, locals out canvassing with him every night, women, men all ages & young people. He been on the ground working with his community, issues housing, education, homelessness, Marraige Ref, Repeal the 8th, cuts lone parents payments, disability cuts & much more. I really think he in with chance getting a seat. Put €10 on 7/1.
The Soc Dems are the Dark Horses this election, fingers crossed they do well !!!
Ann Marie Mc Nally does detailed interview on the podcast here:
http://blog.hereshow.ie/2016/02/heres-how-29-anne-marie-mcnally-of-the-social-democrats/
FC green thumb for you. We might actually agree on something. I am liking what I see from Soc Dems so far and with some luck on the day they could end up not far off what labour get. I like their principles and integrity. They are centre left and have views closer to the Danish model rather than the hard left. I am considering giving them a vote myself also.
Would love to see this party do well in the election and also stick to their principles if they do align themselves into government.
Catherine Murphy got my first ever vote and she will now be getting my second! The only person in the fail with some balls!!
LMAO…Can you believe my luck!!!!!!!!!! I got Catherine Murphy in my constituency..Anyone got their ballot papers yet?
I presume you mean voting card? yes we got ours. Ballot papers you get when you go to vote on polling day. Sorry if I’m being pedantic.
They’ve certainly got my vote.
I will not give anyone my vote that wants a property tax as your home belongs to you, to tax it means it never is fully yours and that is wrong?
You do realise the house doesn’t belong to you until you (a) pay off your mortgage or (b) inherit a house?
No Grey Vote for the Soc Dems …. who, like FG & Labour will take LPT tax from Medical Expenses refunds of pensioners when they cant keep up the tax payments. Will Soc Dems also use Attachment Orders to take Water Tax from pensioners?.
Regressive Tax Laws (forced without consent, no account for inability to pay) unacceptable in any modern fair society. Progressive fair moderate taxes only to fund public services.
Dangerous when the State becomes more powerful than the citizen – forcibly confiscating regressive taxes. This most offensive and dangerous law MUST be repealed if Soc Dems are to get Grey Vote.
Political (Whip) Parties are a danger to Democracy.
Is it just me or does Donnellys head look like a mango
Yes it does belong to you. You can do whatever you like with it. The bank only have a lien on it.
I don’t think you know what a lien means, Al.
Nobody will ever buy a house with a lien on it.
@Beano:
My house DOES fully belong to me. The mortgage is long finished. The ground rent was bought-out. I paid all the VAT, solicitor’s fees and land registry charges over my working lifetime. I am now retired, on a very modest pension. As I have never been a burden on the local authority to house me and my family, why should I now be penalised with LPT which is NOT means tested? Some of my much younger neighbours, on significant salaries pay the same LPT as I do. Is that just or fair?
Then after that Beano it still doesn’t belong to you because of this tax…
Easily the most like-able leader(s) and very competent politicians.
I’ve no doubt that the Social Democrats will continue to make inroads – would love to see them picking up more than their three current seats. I’d say all four leaders are glad they won’t have to face Donnelly in tomorrow’s debate.
It’s surprising that they don’t seem to have capitalised yet on the SF drop in support. The three polls out today should have made for great reading for them –
SBP/Red C – SF down 4% (16%), Sunday Indo – SF down 2% (19%), Sunday Times B&A – SF down 1% (15%)
But only one showed Soc Dems going up. Maybe their lack of depth is catching them out.
@Brinster, I think they were caught on the hop. I noticed a massive interest in them by the younger electorate which is excellent. If they can nurture that, they may become the next major party, particularly if those corrupt muppets jump into bed with each other.
I’d vote for them if they had someone running in my constituency
I’m unsure about the SocDems and what exactly they actually do stand for. True, Stephen Donnelly is a good performer but I don’t think the party has any real discernible principles which drive them and make them unique. While it isnt that prominent at the minute, I do think that the leadership issue is going to become more and more important. Its the Stephen Donnelly show at the minute and the potential for resentment, ego and other ambitions will lead to growing internal tensions as the party develops- I’m not convinced. They just seem to be another middle of the road, marginal grouping.
When he speaks about “social democratic” values you can look at Sweden as the prime example of a social-democratic state. They are pursuing a Nordic model of welfare which sees heavy investment in public healthcare, education, housing, pensions, unemployment benefits, etc. They plan on reducing childcare costs, introducing shared parental leave and repealing the 8th as some measures aimed at gender balance in the work force. Social democracy sees a high standard of living as a right associated with citizenship.
Everyone pays higher levels of tax in Scandinavia, right across the board. One third of Irish people pay effectively no tax and people think we can afford a similar level of service by top loading the tax burden. That’s kind of a major issue going forward but I suppose telling lower income people that they need to pay more tax isn’t a vote winner compared to taxing the middle and higher earners. That’s where the buck will fall when the economy hits choppier waters and we all know this.
If we learned anything from Bertie, it’s that narrowing the tax base and increasing spending is a recipe for disaster. What’s worse is that we squandered the good will of the crash to conduct no real reforms of the public sector, health and of welfare. We waste huge amounts of money on an inferior product. The question has to be why are our public services so bad and will throwing more money at the problem really fix anything when the system is broken at a fundamental level.
TLDR: We need to widen the tax base. Loading extra money on higher earners isn’t going to solve the problem that a third of all workers pay effectively no tax. It’s actually reducing the ability of the Irish Exchequer to weather another shock.
People in Scandinavia seem okay with paying higher taxes as it is evident they get good return for their money. I’m not overly confident the same attitude could be expected in Ireland as there appears to be a serious lack of trust in the political establishment amongst Irish citizens (and who could blame them). This is the struggle facing anyone describing themselves as a “social democrat” in Ireland I believe; inspiring trust in citizens that their taxes paid will increase their quality of life (and not be used to serve the interests of few/pay bank debt).
This is a strange statement. The great disease of Irish politics is that the two big parties which have led the country over the years have no discernible principles. The social democrats have an ideology – social democracy. They really couldn’t make it clearer.
Soc Dems have my vote
Mine too.
This economy needs a stimulus. The biggest stimulus any economy can get is a sustained cash injection. The only way to achieve that injection is to remove the USC. Especially for those earning low to middle incomes.
Austerity and new taxes damages jobs as well as high taxes but no one must have told this government in the last 5 years?
“The boom, not the slump, is the right time for austerity”
repair our state,and public services above beyond what they were while the going is good. We also need to relieve the burden on those on the bottom who have bore the brunt of the Austerity (allowing them invest in education/upskill and spend to stimulate the local economy as opposed to struggling to just pay the bill) . While investing the majority of any inconsistent surplus tax-gains from volatile sources (such as the surge in corporation taxes from the multi-nationals) into a contingency fund that can be used as a stimulus package to encourage spending to support SMEs in a downturn -Running the economy counter-cyclical.
Whilst you’re correct on the stimulus, it’s not as simple to wipe out a charge over night that is used to balance the current books of the country. We will be doing extremely well to a achieve neutral budget.
I think a much better idea that is easier to impliment and will have no effect on national debt and budgeting would be to regulate the margin at which banks can charge for variable lending. They are currently charging c. 4.25% on mortgages that have a cost of funds of 0.25%. That is mainly to post profits and for the variable lenders to cover the cost of the loss making tracker mortgages, but the banks profits should suffer for that mistake, not the consumer.
Capping a 2% margin above cost of funds would make the maximum mortgage interest rate in the country 2.25%, which would take huge pressure off people paying mortgages on properties at 2008 prices and would almost half the biggest expense commitment from every householder in the country – the mortgage. The entire cost of this is taken by the banks – who are currently charging an extortionate 1,400% markup on their cost of funds – which by the way is by far the most expensive variable mortgage in Europe. For example the average variable rate mortgage in Germany is 2.49%.
So on a EUR300,000 mortgage, an Irish person with the exact same mortgage is paying EUR642 more per month than their German counterpart – scandalous. We’re still being ripped off and the banks need to be under the thumb of a regulator who will protect Irish society, not the banks.
Got my vote.
Róisín Shortall helped implement government policy for a year and a half. How soon we forget such things. That’s probably why FF are doing so well in the polls. I despair of this country sometimes I really do.
Don’t forget Stephan Donnelly voted in favour of the eviction bill
Shortall resigned from her position as Minister of State for Primary Care and left the Labour Party. She upheld her principles which is far more than the majority of politicians have done.
Exactly Colonel that’s the problem, everyone remembers she resigned but likes to forgot she was part of the campaign of lies that was Labour’s election campaign in 2011. She implemented and defensed Labour policy for that year and half. One gesture and everything else is forgotten about. Well not by me.
I’m not so sure it was the result of a pure and utter affront to her conscience. She was happy enough to be part of the Labour party well into it’s period in office, well after the beginning of the broken promises. If i remember correctly, the reason for her resignation was more to do with her personal relationship with James Reilly and the location of primary care centres in his constituency as well as the Labour party’s lack of support on the matter. In fact Shorthall voted against an opposition motion of no confidence in Reilly at the height of the scandal. Principle my backside – political convenience more like
I live in Roisins constituency, haven’t seen her once. I’ve emailed her three times now and the soc dems twice asking about policy with no response. Walking down Grafton street for a photo op is grand but unless you’re going to or engage with constituents it’s pointless.
This is the party I will be voting for.
I spent a lot of time researching candidates in my area and their party policy and I think by far soc dems meet the criteria of an honest, transparent party with candidates of expertise, capable of effecting change in a competent manner, I think their policies on many major issues are sensible and realistic and although I don’t think my local candidate will be elected, I’m voting for them anyway.
I’d advise anyone who doesn’t know much about them to do your own research and see what you think after learning their economic and social policies.
I don’t hear them say anything about the banking debts of the country, and Steven also signed the eviction bill.
On banking debt: “There’s still €25bn outstanding on the Anglo Promissory Notes. With a ruling from the European Court of Justice that the ECB acted illegally, we could seek a full write down of the Anglo Promissory Notes.”
On the “eviction bill”, here is Stephen’s explanation: http://stephendonnelly.ie/why-i-voted-for-the-land-and-conveyancing-bill/
Socialism …what could possibly go wrong ? , it amazes me as to why no one thought of this concept before.
Capitalism …what could possibly go wrong? Well, aside from crash after crash after crash and the ever-broadening gap between the poor and the rich?
You have no concept of the free market , do you?
I’m not sure anyone does, least of all politicians. Economists have written volumes on it of course, both on the theory and on the real-world outcomes. To say the data does not support the hypothesis would be an understatement. Some of the issues often cited with free market economies operating in the real world include ever-increasing corporation sizes due to mergers, collusion and price-fixing and other anti-competitive behaviours and best of all… rampant speculation.
Any of these ring any bells with regard to recent history?
I am not a proponent of planned economies, or of the brand of totalitarianism/communism you’re probably alluding to, but then who actually is? I don’t see anyone in this election holding up that kind of socialism as a good model.
Not getting rid of the USC has lost them my vote and any preferences I might have given them.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if this lot turn out to like Labour and the Greens before them. Propping up more of the same.
John I can guarantee the USC will not be abolished. They promised all this before the recent month with economic factors. You’ll get a “with the unstable world economy at the moment, the USC will need to be kept as a buffer for any such event” also Fine Gael wanna raise prsi for everyone under 25k so the they won’t seen much extra cash in there pockets, but sure enda and his gang will get 8-16k extra in there’s.
Yep because extracting 4 billion out of the already beleagured tax take is sound idea. You do realise the global economy is in the sink. Throwing money at the electorate is what got us into these problems it appears some want to go straight back for a second helping. No doubt you’ll be whinging next 2 years when they have to take it all back off you in some other punitive tax. Applause..
John, FG/Lab tried to buy our votes with giveaways in this year’s budget, and to hell with what that meant for the economy or public services. They set up the Fiscal Advisory Council and promptly ignored their advice countless times, including on that very budget. Meanwhile, the health service is a mess, homelessness is rife and we have an economic recovery underway which seems to only benefit the lucky few.
Not getting rid of the USC secures them my vote. I would vote for them if they rolled back FG/Lab cuts from the last budget, because it’s the responsible approach.
Or Perhaps they are honest enough to say what they will actually do. The fact that some of them have walked away from powerful positions on principle tells me that they intend to operate with some integrity. Who doesn’t want to pay less tax. People demand honesty and then balk when they get it. Its prudent to have some buffer in the coffers because the global economy which we are so dependant on is slowing down. Britain might exit the EU , this is the single largest trading partner we have. We have a boom and bust cycle because parties keep trying to buy elections. We really do get the leaders we deserve.
If they want to turn the HSE into a NHS then will there be something to prevent all the outsourcing that the NHS has to deal with in the U.K. as that costs the NHS more than if it had its own staff…
Have Sarah Jane Dennelly running in my constituency. She came to my door tonight. Had two main issues to ask her about. Very impressed with her answers and her.
Like the sound of them and even though their leaders have form for sticking to their pricipals !! Will the redt of them???
Would like to see them win a least 3 seats.
…in return for a nice ministerial pension after selling out.
Vote Blackberries lol.
Shortie Baldy and Scaldy.
have your say