Replying To GreenandRed:  "Doyler, for me, it's arguable that there's better education than our parents time. I'm 56 so we'll say parents education time was 60 years ago. It's never been easier to get a qualification. Private colleges are advertising for courses, Springboard have cheap courses, the quality and practical learning on those courses is questionable. There's plenty of young people walking around with degrees, Masters, Doctorates that they got in online college using simulators for projects. They can pass exams but would struggle to cook a dinner, change a plug or sew a button their shirt. Even 30 years ago you had a good practical grasp of college subjects and lecturers had a genuine interest in improving your knowledge. Yet many of the current graduates think a qualification, with little experience, means they should be earning enough to buy a house. Maybe an old fashioned view but do a bit of grafting first.

Your PCP story is a great one, for 2024. I know plenty like that. Complain about not affording a deposit but ignoring their new electric car they paid through their noses for to impress the neighbours. I reluctantly got a Revolut card recently. Reluctant because I'm not convinced there won't be charges at some stage. Plus lads I know only have one to send money to each other for betting. Signed up and lo and behold, I can get a loan easily, or bet on stocks! Seems it's never been easier to get finance for what you want, no penalties if you pay on time. But too many, especially this time of year, can get into a debt spiral buying stuff they don't need and wonder why a bank, who check all their spending and loans, refuse their mortgage application."

Replying To GreenandRed:  "Doyler, for me, it's arguable that there's better education than our parents time. I'm 56 so we'll say parents education time was 60 years ago. It's never been easier to get a qualification. Private colleges are advertising for courses, Springboard have cheap courses, the quality and practical learning on those courses is questionable. There's plenty of young people walking around with degrees, Masters, Doctorates that they got in online college using simulators for projects. They can pass exams but would struggle to cook a dinner, change a plug or sew a button their shirt. Even 30 years ago you had a good practical grasp of college subjects and lecturers had a genuine interest in improving your knowledge. Yet many of the current graduates think a qualification, with little experience, means they should be earning enough to buy a house. Maybe an old fashioned view but do a bit of grafting first.

Your PCP story is a great one, for 2024. I know plenty like that. Complain about not affording a deposit but ignoring their new electric car they paid through their noses for to impress the neighbours. I reluctantly got a Revolut card recently. Reluctant because I'm not convinced there won't be charges at some stage. Plus lads I know only have one to send money to each other for betting. Signed up and lo and behold, I can get a loan easily, or bet on stocks! Seems it's never been easier to get finance for what you want, no penalties if you pay on time. But too many, especially this time of year, can get into a debt spiral buying stuff they don't need and wonder why a bank, who check all their spending and loans, refuse their mortgage application."

Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Well it's obvious to me from the numbers, they won't go in with SF so it has to be FF/FG plus a smaller party, the only question is will FF or FG get the most seats and who will be Taoiseach, that's my read of it anyway, we'll know by Saturday week."

Replying To cavanman47:  "What i meant was, why do you think people will vote for them in sufficient numbers for them to get those seats?"

Replying To cavanman47:  "What i meant was, why do you think people will vote for them in sufficient numbers for them to get those seats?"

Replying To Breffni40:  "Illusion of choice - everything is apple juice"

Replying To cavanman47:  "People have a choice tho. Vote for the same government parties or don't vote for them.

I'm asking why sufficient numbers of people would vote them back in. . .if the multiple 'crises' are indeed as bad as some say."

Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Why do I think that? based on what I see and hear I suppose, how else, what's your own opinion? how do you think the election will pan out?
I can see MM being Taoiseach again, FF to get 40 plus seats. FG have lost too many sitting TD's who have opted not to run again, SF will prob get mid 30's at best, FG round the same."

Replying To Doylerwex:  "All the talk about biden Harris campaign and now they seem determined to start WW3 before they leave office."