People crying out for early election to end this Government farce

Issued : Monday 24 January, 2011

The public are now crying out for an early election and are completely disgusted with the carry on in the Dail over the past week. An angry electorate are further infuriated by what they see as the childish and selfish behaviour of the Government which has disgraced politics, damaged our international reputation and so farcical has been the conduct of the Government parties that it has turned Leinster House into a pitiful circus.

People on the doorsteps Labour are canvassing do want jobs, reform and fairness but they are also saying they are sick of the squabbling from all politicians. Families we are talking to are under shocking stress trying to make ends meet and pay their mortgages, many in fear of losing their homes to banks now in State ownership; it makes no sense at all.

The cuts in people’s pay packets and pensions this month have hit hard and for some are the last stray. We are encountering people down between €35 and €55 a week and they simply can’t afford it and are furious with the 7% universal social charge which is just a new sneaky tax. In many households voters are saying they want an end to this farce of a Government right away, they want no more Christmas cards and pens in the post from TDs. Instead they are demanding straight forward accountability, leadership and Ministers that take responsibility for their actions and decisions. Instead what they see is Minister’s, like rats abandoning a sinking ship, as they ride off into the sunset with their big wads from golden handshakes and fat pensions. It’s just not on and the public want it stopped now.

As a new candidate in Laois-Offaly, engaging in politics directly for the first time it is understandable to see why some people on the canvass are so annoyed that they are cynical of all politicians. But my point is that, all politicians are not the same and what we need is change, a fresh start and new ideas. If people do not vote nothing will change. There is no point in wishing for change, people will have to get out and vote for change. Over the weekend, however, it is infuriating to listen to Mary O’Rourke, Conor Lenihan and Brian Lenihan going on and on about their concern for the country, about the burden of new taxes and wage cuts, about the shocking new universal social charge and the pressure it puts on families as if it has nothing to do with them. Do they think we are fools altogether with the attention span of goldfish?! First it was all about Fianna Fail and now it’s all about the Lenihans and which of them will lead the country speaking out of both sides of their mouth. Conor Lenihan has as much chance of playing for Leinster in the Heineken Cup and it’s about time they copped on that people are sick to the teeth of them all. Green leader John Gormley did say one thing that made sense on Sunday –‘Our patience has reached an end.’ Let’s have an election right away and give people a chance to vote for change.