Members of the Irish Times reader panel assembled for the general election have been giving their reactions to Monday night’s 10-way leaders’ debate on RTÉ. The panel is drawn from diverse age groups and backgrounds from across the country, and have been brought together to give the perspectives of ordinary readers, who are interested in politics but not committed to any party, as the election campaign progresses. Here are some of their responses to the debate:
Public-service worker Catherine Bergin (47) says she believes Micheál Martin was right to challenge the Sinn Féin line on 100 years of FF/FG.
“Ireland is a functioning democracy at this stage in our history thanks to parties participating in the business of running the country and despite the efforts of SF to undermine the State during its existence.
My overall impression of the debate is that Labour and Soc Dems would be open to coalition with Fianna Fáil which is an outcome I would be happy with.”
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Fianna Fáil is an ‘empty, hollow husk’
Ken Harper (67), a former railway executive from the UK living in rural Donegal said that the line of the night was from Peadar Tóibín when he said “Fianna Fáil is an empty, hollow husk in terms of policy”.
“The staging was great for Martin and Harris, standing next to each other and next to the chair, but awful for Mary Lou McDonald stuck on the far right beyond Richard Boyd-Barrett,” Mr Harper added. “I thought Mary Lou lacked a bit of spark. It’s been a tough year personally and politically and it’s showing. Martin spoke across others and gave a waffling reply when asked first about cost of living mitigation measures - some nonsense about supporting hauliers. Harris was more measured and confident though spoke too fast sometimes. Cian O’Callaghan was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Ivana Bacik was polite and firm and did not back off defending policies like no tax cuts. She came across well but Labour isn’t contesting seats in 12 constituencies so even on a good day they aren’t going to feature prominently.
“Tóibín was on a mission of hate for Martin - I don’t know what that’s about but his strident statement that he wouldn’t [enter a] coalition with the Greens was very clear. O’Gorman was competent but didn’t have good enough answers on cost of living.
“Richard Boyd-Barrett was my old Marxist economics lecturer. I would have agreed with him 40 years ago, but this is Ireland 2024.
“Michael Collins looked and sounded like he was compere at the bingo at a small GAA club.
“What was Joan Collins even doing there?”
‘The baby SSIA scheme was rightly ridiculed’
Father-of-three Seán Ryan (54), who lives in Castleconnell, in rural Co Limerick, said that the host Katie Hannon was “very good and well able for the lot of them.”
“The Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil 100 year duopoly argument is just rhetoric. Since I’ve been able to vote every government has featured a party outside of FF and FG, be that Labour, the Progressive Democrats, Democratic Left or the Greens. Those parties have had a disproportionate impact on policy, and a small party is likely to be very influential in drafting the next programme for government.
“The housing debate had more heat than light. 20 years ago we were building twice as many houses as we are now, with a smaller population, and prices were still rising. Supply, while badly needed, is not the answer to price. There are no simple solutions to housing and anyone who says they have the answer, or is certain that everyone else is wrong, is not credible.
“The baby SSIA scheme was rightly ridiculed by Mary Lou McDonald and Ivana Bacik.
“I would have liked to see a better challenge to proposals to cut carbon taxes, universal social charge and residential property tax. The last thing the country needs is to hollow out its tax base and become dependent on windfall taxes. Have we learned anything from the crash?
“I agree with the proposed evaluation of Covid rather than an enquiry. Why should we spend hundreds of millions on legal fees so that political points can be scored and anti-vaxers/lockdown sceptics get their 15 minutes of fame?
“Micheál Martin and Roderic O’Gorman debate on climate change was interesting. I’d like to have seen it teased out some more.
“Peadar Toibin is a very effective debater, however there are more Healy-Raes in the Dáil than Aontú TDs. Ivana Bacik is articulate, measured, has interesting policy proposal and I think would be a good addition to a new government. Roderic O’Gorman was also impressive, though I think the tide is going out for the Greens.
“We need a more targeted support for SME restaurants than a VAT cut. An across-the-board cut for the sector will simply increase the profits of the burger and coffee chains. Perhaps something like a large energy credit or rates rebate?
‘Every manifesto needs to become a legal document’
Ciarán O’Sullivan, who is a 40-year-old Irish IT professional, meanwhile said all leaders were promising the same things, but there was “no substance on how to achieve it”.
“Simon Harris was minister for health when hospital deal was signed – didn’t (he) sign off on it? Wow, he shows his quality every time he speaks.
“How can people with no finance, organisational, or management training or backgrounds possibly have a clue on how to deliver anything they talking about?
“Here’s free money for electricity, electricity goes up, here’s free money for buying houses, house prices go up, how is that not obvious?
“Every manifesto needs to become a legal document, on which progress on delivery is reported every 100 days, if the manifesto is not being delivered then a mechanism to trigger an election/public vote of confidence in the government is required. They can waffle all day long, but there’s no accountability, period.”
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