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THE 162-PAGE programme for government published yesterday is a roadmap for the next five years, but there are already criticisms that it is too vague.
The word ‘continue’ is in the document 249 times, ‘explore’ is in there 34 times, ‘review’ is mentioned 126 times, ‘examine’ is contained in the document 86 times while ‘consider’ is mentioned 56 and ‘assess’ 27 times.
The firm statement of “the government will” is only in there 23 times, while the word “commit” is mentioned 118 times.
While a word search is obviously not a fully accurate assessment of the coalition document, the vagueness of some of the promises has raised eyebrows among the opposition already.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty dubbed it a “copy and paste job from five years ago”, stating that it contained “vague aspirations”.
Meanwhile his colleague David Cullinane said it lacked depth and vision.
While it is hardly surprising that Sinn Féin would pick holes in the programme, it is fair to say that the public rolls its eyes when it sees statements like:
The government will “open the National Children’s Hospital”.
No timeline, no date, no firm commitment.
The project has been one of the biggest disasters for the last government.
It is one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects where no one knows what the end cost will be. If ever a politician should utter the phrase “lessons must be learned” its with this project.
But the mention of it speaks to the point that the public are fed up with vague promises and missed deadlines.
In the setting of new year’s resolutions, people might say: “I will be able to run 5K by June” or “I will save €5,000 by Christmas”. Both measurable goals.
They don’t write down “I will explore the idea of running 5K some time in the future” or “I will continue to save some money and assess at some point later on how to reach my goal of €5,000″.
Why? Because no one would ever achieve those goals.
So, it is no surprise that such ambiguity might make the public nervous for the next five years.
In fairness, there are concrete, measurable commitments contained in the document, such as:
While the public might scan the document in search of the new government’s can-do attitude and ambitious targets, unfortunately, those things aren’t always jumping off the pages of programmes for government.
It serves an incoming government to shy away from precise details in such a document, instead stating that minute details will be hammered out later in policy plans.
One TD on the negotiating teams told The Journal that the new programme for government was never going to be as detailed as the 2020 document.
Why so? Because the Green Party are not in government.
The political landscape was a lot different then. An election had been held in February 2020, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil needed to make up the numbers, and in quick time, as the country was barrelling towards a pandemic.
This source said that the Greens insisted on an increased level of detail around commitments in the programme for government as they knew they would need to hold Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to their promises.
They had been burned once before when entering into government and they knew they needed clear commitments in black and white so they could hold their coalition partners feet to the fire.
Wooly promises wouldn’t have cut it in the 2020 programme for government as the other two larger parties would have rode roughshod over the Greens once they had signed on the dotted line and entered into government.
Those on the negotiating teams this time around said that this programme for government, in terms of the level of detail and format, more resembles the 2016 document, and that was the ambition.
Similarly, in 2016, the Fine Gael-led government signed a deal with a group of Independents. But comparing and contrasting the two programmes, it is clear the 2016 programme contained a lot more detail.
Firstly, the 2016 document set out clearly what the Independents were getting in return for going into government with Fine Gael, outlining the Independent’s Alliance’s wants such as more beds for cystic fibrosis patients (which was a demand of then TD Finian McGrath) and second Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford (a demand of then TD John Halligan), among other things.
This time around, those in the larger parties state there are no constituency concessions for the Independents (although we don’t think anyone is believing that one).
Secondly, in terms of housing, under the heading of ‘More Homes’ (an excellent ambition), in the 2025 document there is no breakdown of the type of houses the government plans to deliver or yearly targets.
In comparison, the 2016 programme for government set out promises to:
There are no such pledges to achieve anything specific in the first 100 days of this new government unfortunately.
In 2016, there were 13 mentions of actions to be completed in the first 100 days of office (there are a few “within 12 months” commitments in the new programme).
It’s taken weeks for the negotiating teams and leaders burning the midnight oil to deliver this plan for the next five years, but if the new government thinks that the vagueness on precise detail is going to get them a pass from the public, they have another thing coming.
If the promises that were made repeatedly on the campaign trail and that everyone heard so much about aren’t delivered quickly, well, they’ll know all about it.
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Perhaps it’s an admission of reality –
That no major programme is ever delivered on time & on budget, and this nobody’s fault.
It’s seems to be the way that Ireland & much of the western world operates these days.
Just look at the National Children’s Hospital – in the REAL world the guy who signed off on that would be out of a job….. wouldn’t he Simon ????
Anyway it’s all only taxpayers money, and nobody cares about them
@Gerry Kelly: It’s nobody’s fault and everybody’s fault at the same time.
Mé Féiners that voted these slime bags back in deserve another five years with a miserable, liary government that hates everyone outside of the golden circle.
@Gerry Kelly: Exactly, in other countries accountability means you don’t get promoted to the highest possible position if you makes serious balls of something. The hospital is in the wrong place anyway, god love the parents negotiating there way through that traffic everyday to get there.
@Gerry Kelly: the only thing we can be sure of is that the pockets of these gombeens and their cronies will be well expanded by the end of 5 years
@Gerry Kelly: The word ( clear ) seems to be mentioned in almost everything these days by our Politicans.
Can’t Listen Enough And Respond.
@Gerry Kelly: Much of the western world!?… nope its just Ireland.
@Gerry Kelly: the first thing they will do is to look after themselves.
the second thing is to look after the friends
the third is after the business, trades and taxes
the rest they won’t care S they Re safe for the next 5 years
A lot not done, more to not do.
@Anthony Curran: lol
Another 5 years gifted to them, no point in hiding their nonchalance. Took them 2 months to form a government, no concrete plans in sight, while more people than ever are homeless and/or suffering under the light of an ever rising cost of living crisis. Those of us who possess minimal critical thinking skills are not surprised
@Tom shae: I think we are at a point where no-one has any solutions. It might be time to realise that western liberal capitalism has reached the end of the road. Something has to give …
50% of the French social welfare budget goes on pensions.
The people who make cheap stuff for us have no choice or they’ll starve.
It’s not the end of the world but it is the end of the party. It could get messy though, like when some parties are over, and there’s hangers on, who won’t leave …
@offside again: and I should have added that as usual ; money is the root of all evil.
No promises cause they lie through their teeth! We deserve everything we get voting them back in.
More of the same old nonsense policies unfortunately. Doubling down on failed interventionist policies in the housing market, price controls on childcare, no tax cuts, bankrupting the state pension system by not even raising the age to 68, more costly climate programs, more subsidies for universities who don’t need it, scrapping means testing for the Carers’ Allowance which prevents fraud and throwing even more money at the HSE despite funding nearly doubling since 2015 with significantly worse outcomes. This government outline is a really gut punch to taxpayers across Ireland who want to see their money being spent wisely. Another five years under FG/FF where we will see the national debt increase with every budget they pass.
@William Jennings: The cost of not dealing with the climate crisis far outweighs the cost of dealing with it. Many studies have been done on this.
@Michael Whyte: I can’t agree with you there Michael. NASA admitted under oath that there is no evidence of an increase in the frequency or strength of storms and hurricanes. The EPA has stated that there is no evidence of an increase in the frequency of droughts worldwide. We were told that Tuvalu would be underwater by 2020. It has actually increased its landmass by 3% since 1995. There is no need to fear a 4mm increase in sea levels. 60% of Holland is below sea level and is up to 6.7 metres (6,700mm) in some areas. There is no “crisis” and all this wasted climate spending could be spent more wisely elsewhere. The only real measure that needs to be invested in is building dykes and polders if required.
Sure when u negotiate with the likes of Lowery ah well, little aul ireland.
Vague is a politician’s best friend these days
Looks like a Bad day for the Indepences. How could they have signed up to a program with no target dates, is unbelievable
The headline sums up FFG in a nutshell, yet people continue to vote for them boggles the mind.
@Gavin Gray: The Alternatives aren’t great and I say that as a Labour voter.
Since when was ‘ first 100 days’ a thing here?
@honey badger: since we started worshipping black Friday and everything American
@honey badger: it’s another Americanism that has swept into here and the UK .US government’s are new and they are only in a 4 year cycle too.
@honey badger: The first or last 100 days mean nothing, as your FG buddies do sweet FA for the entire number of days they are in office. The only people who could make things happen in 100 days are those with the full professional knowledge and experience in their field. Just because someone is a head teacher doesn’t give them the experience to run the full department of education, neither does a GP have the required naunce to solve the problems of the department of health. Ministers are over paid and have to bring in a circle of advisors, which adds to the payroll and confusion because they are out of their depth. The Teflon status of the civil servants has to be eliminated. But they appear to be entrenched because of the no balls TDs who have had it too easy over the last 16 years or so.
Snake move by independents to support government program and then try to sit on opposition benches to use their speaking time and resources.
Wouldn’t expect anything less from house extension lowry et al.
Why is the carbon tax funding social welfare increases?
Of course not, no need to BS anymore, there in now for 5 years, suck it up.
Wafflers.
What is the point? On The Journal why do people comment? Most people here are like opposition TDs, ready to criticise and point out faults but with NO suggestions as to how things SHOULD be done. It is easy to criticise hunger when it isn’t your responsibility to feed.
@Me Me: If you’ve a budget surplus in the tens of billions, then, to use your analogy, nobody should be hungry.
@Me Me:
I know, it’s like criticising Journal commentators for commenting negatively on obvious faults by the government but not offering any suggestions as to how they should comment more positively.
@Me Me: would it be fair to say most people commenting here have our own trades and professions that we have to excel at, or at least be proficient at, or we suffer consequences, we are held accountable, not promoted.
We are allowed to expect our leaders produce results, especially when it is our tax money, that is their job, and ultimately they should be answerable to us.
@jason dawson: It’s very difficult to compare the private sector and governments. TDs are elected by the citizens, and they have a constitutional right to serve until another election is called. Private sector jobs don’t do that.
I agree that the performance of the last few governments hasn’t been good, but sacking them isn’t possible, so why suggest it?
I don’t really care who’s in government, SF I’ll personally never accept, but if it happens, I’ll accept it, the job of getting our tiny little island working for its citizens is paramount. And who really cares if the issues are dealt with.
They don’t care because FF/FG know they will get in time after time either together or be the dominant party. Two cheeks of the same arse.
@brendan C5: Surely the opposition needs to up it’s game then and force the government to fix the issues. Let’s be honest we have the worst opposition ever.
@Paul O’Mahoney: it’s not up to those we didn’t vote for to do anything. It’s up to those who did vote for this government to hold them to account. Unfortunately, a small majority are doing much, much better than the small minority. Until that balance changes…..
@Tony Harris: If the majority are doing well, isn’t that success by the government. No country has everyone doing well
@Tony Harris: Huh?
@Paul O’Mahoney: too many people (voters) in the comfort zone to upset the apple cart keep them happy and they will keep returning them. I think the people of California are waking up, the same party has dominated the state for over 20 years at all levels and look what happened. But then again look at us, FF/labour financially destroyed the country in 2009 but look who’s the most popular party today. The mayor of LA is a democrat the guy who was a close 2nd was a republican I think, he saved his shopping centre in the fires, because he fireproofed it and had a buffer zones around it and lot of water, just think what he would have done if he was the one who won the vote to be mayor of LA.
@brendan C5: What has LA got to do with ineffective opposition? People vote for what they see is the best option, and this has been FF and FG in the main . Why can’t SF, Labour, SDs, etc, land a political punch on the last government or a least show alternatives to Governmental policies? It’s the job of the opposition to do this.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Prior to the last government it was hard to tell the difference between those in government and those in opposition….. oh sorry, I forgot that FF gave their twin brothers FG a free pass.
@Paul Linehan: Relevance to now? The obsession with the past around here is frankly infantile. The past can not be changed. Now we have a new government, and we need the opposition to stand up and be heard, not by shouting but by creating and communicating alternatives. Otherwise, nothing will change.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Pablo every reference you make is in the past. If the opposition make waves you constantly bring up their past. You and your ilk are the ones who needs to mature and stop typing manure.
Anti government article totally biased: a lot of the promises are over the next five years and not achievable in the first 100 days
@Gerry Ryan: and some of these promises are rehashed promises still not delivered or kept in the previous govt(s) !!
Shills and cowards completely out of touch with society
Let’s be “Clear” on this.. FG will “endeavour” and FF will “strive” to be as vague as possible…
Same as last few years do shag all tax tax
My hero, Micheal Martin, becomes Taoiseach next week, and my other hero, Donald Trump, becomes US President next week, what a great time to be alive
@Fintan Pox: When do U get out
@Fintan Pox: Keep going Poxy and you’ll have yourself a full tub of Heroes.
Listening to Morning Ireland this morning,RTE have resumed talking to the same ole TDs up first was Helen McEntee allowed to waffle on using a lot of words,but saying nothing,using words like”we are working on it” “the department of Justice has done a lot of work behind the scenes”I had to get the sick bucket out,this is what is ahead of us for the next 5 years
@Billy Power: ‘In terms of’, ‘going forward’, ‘lessons have been learned’… these and so many other phrases are literally as puke rendering as those who say ‘you know’ after each sentence.
Why would FFFG commit to anything? The good people of Ireland keep re-electing them anyway.
Of course its vague
The Dopes who voted them back
Will reward mediocrity given any chance
Hope its rembered when theyre kids are looking for a house or a hospital Bed
Enact the occupied territorys bill, sanction Israel, stop being complicit in genocide
Makes sense as you just become a hostage to fortune..?
“Birds Eye Club” they talk a load of waffle
Business as usual for the sellouts
Surly it’s woolly promises? Or wholly?
The people spoke. Hopefully the government is listening because if it doesn’t deliver on housing and if it doesn’t sort out the asylum mess there will be a very cynical electorate and the public mood will be ugly when the next election comes around in five years time.
And if this government fails to deliver on these two issues don’t presume its successor will be a left-wing coalition. It might well be something even more unpleasant.
have your say