Political parties are in meltdown

"The fact that all opposition parties have agreed to rush through the Finance Bill shows the contempt that Fine Gael and Labour have for the Irish public, and this is exactly why party politics has failed Ireland. The cuts imposed in this bill were initially opposed by Labour and Fine Gael, but to facilitate a quicker route to power in the Dail, they have agreed to put one of the harshest budgets in our history into law, and have admitted that they will not reverse them when they get into power.

"They are approvinging a Bill, which includes increasing Student Service charges from €1500 to €2000, promoting gap in the affordability of education, with the lower paid losing out, removes tax relief for childcare, meaning it will be more difficult for those on lower wages to afford it, and means that they will be unable to take up employment, or face having to leave their jobs, and includes the Universal Social Charge, which targets the lower paid. It includes a 10% reduction in tax bands, with a further 16.5% reduction over the next 4 years. All other credits are being reduced by 10%. These include: widowed persons credit, one parent family tax credit, incapacitated, child tax credit, dependent relative tax credit, home carer tax credit and blind person's tax credit. There are many more points to this bill which are being overlooked in the pursuit of power in the Dail."

"Like Fianna Fail, the opposition are party-driven and self interest is, again, coming before the good of the country and the people. So why should we vote for power hungry, money motivated parties of either persuasion? The election date was set earlier this week, and opposition parties should have rejected the Finance Bill out of hand. The government is on its knees, and a little patience would have paid off for the good of the country. They should not be adding to the farce that the world has watched unfold over the last few weeks."

"Meanwhile, we are seeing Donegal's mainstream parties falling apart with in-fighting, as Inishowen Fianna Fail has ditched Cecilia Keaveney who will most likely run as an Independent now, and running their own candidate alongside Niall Blaney, splitting the vote three ways. Inishowen Fine Gael are at odds with the determination of the party about only running a single candidate, and in Donegal South West, Labour are in turmoil due to an alleged approach to Thomas Pringle, an Independent, who rejected this approach."

"If they cannot 'get along' and agree on internal party strategy, how can people believe that they can engage with each other in government? If we want political reform for this country, we have to have a different voice. As an Independent, I would be one voice, however opinion polls sugest that up to 20 independents could be elected, and while all will have various ideas, together we will potentially hold the balance of power. It's about working together with political rivals to dig ourselves out of the hole we are in as a country, and neither Fianna Fail, Labour or Fine Gael will deliver a solution that best fits the interests of the people of Ireland. I have posted my proposals for weeks now, while parties call for jobs and reform, but offer no real solutions, and nationwide calls to vote 'Independent' are justified."