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Replying To cluichethar:  "From what I'm hearing and seeing the Irish government has money to burn. The rumor is Ireland is one of the richest countries in the World so money shouldn't be a problem.
They're giving millions to this country & millions to this cause & 250 million for climate change in the far east so no need for new taxes."
There's definitely money to burn for certain things alright

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2536 - 17/10/2025 18:19:16    2640450

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Services declined?"
I honestly find your response hilarious.

Record overcrowding in hospitals, record homelessness and rough sleepers, railways closed, Garda stations closed, hospital services reduced, record number of kids without school or childcare spaces, I could go on and on

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3982 - 17/10/2025 18:26:05    2640452

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Replying To Commodore:  "I doubt she make any difference, in fact I would be willing to come in 1 year from now to review her results. We have Unions representing the Public Sector workers who fight to keep those inefficiencies, which FF/FG are afraid to fight, I have heard first hand about the red tape public sector admin workers face, warned not to colour outside the lines.

I would love to see what percentage of mortgage assisted house buyers in Ireland are public sector employees, or what percentage of couples include a Public Sector employee, because they tend to get mortages approved with greater ease. In fact anyone living in rural areas with lower end income levels would struggle to get approved for a mortage unless one of them are employed by a public sector department."
The reason publicsector employees get mortgages is that there is way better job security than the private sector offers.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 17/10/2025 19:31:31    2640459

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I honestly find your response hilarious.

Record overcrowding in hospitals, record homelessness and rough sleepers, railways closed, Garda stations closed, hospital services reduced, record number of kids without school or childcare spaces, I could go on and on"
So it appears that our country is run on hidden agendas glossed over with false promises like our new children's hospital that Bam has deferred it's hand over for the 16th time at a cost of millions of euros and gross inconvenience.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3271 - 18/10/2025 12:32:16    2640492

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Replying To minor77:  "As someone who has worked in the public sector for 4o years the H.S.E is top heavy with managers many of whom haven't a clue of what there's doing another big problem is that it's practically impossible to sack a person despite how poorly they are preforming so it's easy see why banks are happy to lend to them"
Are many of them promoted healthcare professionals, like carers and nurses, who were promoted to the role of manager despite having no managerial qualifications or experience. To fill the vacancy that those promotions create the HSE then overpay for agency staff or roster, already stretched, carers and nurses, for overtime to cover the vacancies.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8298 - 18/10/2025 15:59:27    2640515

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I honestly find your response hilarious.

Record overcrowding in hospitals, record homelessness and rough sleepers, railways closed, Garda stations closed, hospital services reduced, record number of kids without school or childcare spaces, I could go on and on"
He was asking you what services had declined.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8298 - 18/10/2025 16:05:38    2640518

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Are many of them promoted healthcare professionals, like carers and nurses, who were promoted to the role of manager despite having no managerial qualifications or experience. To fill the vacancy that those promotions create the HSE then overpay for agency staff or roster, already stretched, carers and nurses, for overtime to cover the vacancies."
Over the last 10/15 yrs I worked on the construction side of projects in which the HSE would have some degree of occupancy of the finished products. This gave them a "say" in design, standards etc - they were a nightmare to deal with. Obfuscation, prevarication you name it. No qualm about changes of design or specification regardless of cost. Large numbers of people involved with no intention of owning any decision. People blame the govt, the builder and others about the delay to the children's hospital. Based on my experience, the "design team" of the HSE should shoulder a major portion of the blame for delays and overruns on this project. A friend of mine used say that no real progress would be made in our country until a civil servant could lose his job, not just be moved sideways. Harsh on the many fine civil servants but, that bike shed ?

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1894 - 18/10/2025 16:15:38    2640519

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "He was asking you what services had declined."
Pretty much all of them. Was there a real need to ask that question?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 18/10/2025 16:23:34    2640520

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Over the last 10/15 yrs I worked on the construction side of projects in which the HSE would have some degree of occupancy of the finished products. This gave them a "say" in design, standards etc - they were a nightmare to deal with. Obfuscation, prevarication you name it. No qualm about changes of design or specification regardless of cost. Large numbers of people involved with no intention of owning any decision. People blame the govt, the builder and others about the delay to the children's hospital. Based on my experience, the "design team" of the HSE should shoulder a major portion of the blame for delays and overruns on this project. A friend of mine used say that no real progress would be made in our country until a civil servant could lose his job, not just be moved sideways. Harsh on the many fine civil servants but, that bike shed ?"
In public sector they'd be fired if there weren't very good reasons for hitting targets and deadlines on budget. Rather than build any shelter I'd have gone to Lidl and bought a bicycle cover and lock for anyone cycling to Leinster House. Then give them one each, remind them they're working for the national parliament and need to set an example. Such hardship not to have a bicycle shelter.They'll get wet enough going to and from work. If they don't like it go and talk to their union or other reps. It'd make the government look like they were serious about reducing waste and conscious that plenty of their electorate make sacrifices. I know that's naive thinking but it looks like they don't often think about the consequences of their actions.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8298 - 18/10/2025 16:50:13    2640522

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Replying To Viking66:  "Pretty much all of them. Was there a real need to ask that question?"
I didn't ask the question. The response was fairly abrupt.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8298 - 18/10/2025 17:26:27    2640524

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I honestly find your response hilarious.

Record overcrowding in hospitals, record homelessness and rough sleepers, railways closed, Garda stations closed, hospital services reduced, record number of kids without school or childcare spaces, I could go on and on"
25% population increase!
What "railways closed" last 25 years?
Have you figures for rough sleepers?

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 166 - 18/10/2025 17:29:10    2640525

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Replying To Seanfan:  "25% population increase!
What "railways closed" last 25 years?
Have you figures for rough sleepers?"
Rosslare to Waterford closed.

There are now plans to reopen it a tremendous unnecessary cost.

Who arranged the 25% population increase? What is a census for if not to plan services?

I don't have figures for rough sleepers. Nobody does which is pretty convenient. I do have eyes though.

I get the feeling I am wasting my time responding to you. No reasonable person could deem any aspect of Ireland's governance of the last 15 years to be a success.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3982 - 18/10/2025 17:44:06    2640528

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "I didn't ask the question. The response was fairly abrupt."
It was a pretty bizarre question.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 18/10/2025 18:18:31    2640532

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Replying To Seanfan:  "25% population increase!
What "railways closed" last 25 years?
Have you figures for rough sleepers?"
So the population increases by around a million in 15 years and the correct answer to this is to spend significantly less on education than the OECD average, 2.9% of GDP against the average of 4.9% in 2021, note that's only the average, not the top ranked countries. Health spending has increased in line with the average, but no vetter than average, but are we getting good value for money for this? We also have fewer houses per head of population. There are fewer post offices, fewer banks, fewer Gardai per head of population, rural roads are definitely worse, alot of urban roads arent any better.
Even forgetting about GDP, which increased by nearly 300%, as we have alot of multinationals here, and using Modified GNI as a measure, Modified GNI increased from 126.8 billion euro in 2012 to 273.1 billion euro in 2023. Approximately an increase of 135%, never mind the population increases of 25%.
Maybe a better way to answer your question is with another question- in what ways is the country in a better state than it was 15 years ago?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 18/10/2025 18:42:54    2640535

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Replying To Viking66:  "So the population increases by around a million in 15 years and the correct answer to this is to spend significantly less on education than the OECD average, 2.9% of GDP against the average of 4.9% in 2021, note that's only the average, not the top ranked countries. Health spending has increased in line with the average, but no vetter than average, but are we getting good value for money for this? We also have fewer houses per head of population. There are fewer post offices, fewer banks, fewer Gardai per head of population, rural roads are definitely worse, alot of urban roads arent any better.
Even forgetting about GDP, which increased by nearly 300%, as we have alot of multinationals here, and using Modified GNI as a measure, Modified GNI increased from 126.8 billion euro in 2012 to 273.1 billion euro in 2023. Approximately an increase of 135%, never mind the population increases of 25%.
Maybe a better way to answer your question is with another question- in what ways is the country in a better state than it was 15 years ago?"
15 years ago was 2010.
Enuf said.

I presume the 2 Wexford bucks will be standing for election next time round as they seem to have all the answers.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 166 - 18/10/2025 19:01:09    2640539

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Replying To Seanfan:  "15 years ago was 2010.
Enuf said.

I presume the 2 Wexford bucks will be standing for election next time round as they seem to have all the answers."
Yes, I can add up too. Modified GNI would have increased even more between 2010 and 2025 seeing as the figures I quoted were from 2012 to 2023.
Anyway, where's your list of ways the country is in a better state than it was in 2010?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 18/10/2025 19:57:37    2640550

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Replying To Viking66:  "Yes, I can add up too. Modified GNI would have increased even more between 2010 and 2025 seeing as the figures I quoted were from 2012 to 2023.
Anyway, where's your list of ways the country is in a better state than it was in 2010?"
IMF.
No work.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 166 - 18/10/2025 21:49:20    2640568

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Replying To Seanfan:  "IMF.
No work."
Are you suggesting FF/FG have managed or recovery well or aren't to blame in the first place?

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3982 - 18/10/2025 22:11:52    2640575

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Replying To Seanfan:  "IMF.
No work."
And why did we end up one of the PIGS in the first place? More great governing.....

Pretty short list BTW....

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17264 - 18/10/2025 22:15:06    2640577

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