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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Now how can anyone respond to one anecdotal example without knowing anything about the offence charged with, offender, probation report, mitigating circumstances etc.
As I've said before, serious criminals dont tend to accumulate 147 previous convictions. Habitual petty criminals do. Thats just a fact. Serious crimes carry lengthy sentences. Less serious crimes carry shorter or non custodial sentences. Then there is the entitlement to bail and the presumption of innocence.
Nobody wants dangerous convicted criminals in society but there is due process. There is also a limited number of prison spaces. Thats a reality."
You only seem concerned for the welfare of the career criminal, I haven't seen any concern for the innocent victims who are left behind after crimes by these 'petty' criminals, victims who suffer stress or struggle to sleep at night following a burglary or following an assault outside the local Aldi shop. These 'Petty' criminals prey on the weak or vulnerable, and the law protects them from being dealt with more brutally.

I understand due process, which I welcome in vast majority of legal cases. However I think by the time some career criminal reaches 100 previous convictions, as punishment, they should lose such civil privileges and be presumed guilty until proven innocent.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1849 - 12/05/2026 23:54:22    2672702

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Now how can anyone respond to one anecdotal example without knowing anything about the offence charged with, offender, probation report, mitigating circumstances etc.
As I've said before, serious criminals dont tend to accumulate 147 previous convictions. Habitual petty criminals do. Thats just a fact. Serious crimes carry lengthy sentences. Less serious crimes carry shorter or non custodial sentences. Then there is the entitlement to bail and the presumption of innocence.
Nobody wants dangerous convicted criminals in society but there is due process. There is also a limited number of prison spaces. Thats a reality."
I don't know whether you mean to or not, but you sound like you are giving serial offenders a free pass because they maybe petty crimes. Are there no victims to consider ? It is our justice system their to protect all of us. If some of these serial offenders went to jail that would have reduced the amount of crimes they could commit and in turn reduce the amount of victims.

Yesterday a man was sentenced to 5 years for a hit and run where a 34 year old mother was killed
''The court was told that he had 16 previous convictions, including five under the Road Traffic Act, two under the Larceny Act and others connected to Covid regulations while operating a licensed premises''

5 of these previous convictions show a clear disregard for driving on our road, maybe if we were a little less lenient on these that man would have learned is lesson, but we where lenient and he clearly did not and unfortunately a young mother paid the price. In my opinion we need to be a little less lenient as the current position is not working with reoffenders.

ulsterrules (Donegal) - Posts: 293 - 13/05/2026 09:31:29    2672722

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@Commodore - https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0514/1573265-it-spending/

More good money thrown after bad....

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10347 - 14/05/2026 08:48:11    2672896

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "@Commodore - https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0514/1573265-it-spending/

More good money thrown after bad...."
Widespread lack of accountability across the board.

I suspect Senior Public Sector/Civil servants are likely to blame for poor project management, Government ministers have a tendency to rely heavily on their department heads, most of whom have little or no real world project management experience outside of their respective unionized public departments.

A major overhaul of Public Sector non-front line workers, including inefficient management structures is badly needed, but it will never happen under a FF/FG led government, as most of their unwavering support is from these departments, and they don't have the stomach.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1849 - 14/05/2026 13:49:03    2672959

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Replying To Commodore:  "Widespread lack of accountability across the board.

I suspect Senior Public Sector/Civil servants are likely to blame for poor project management, Government ministers have a tendency to rely heavily on their department heads, most of whom have little or no real world project management experience outside of their respective unionized public departments.

A major overhaul of Public Sector non-front line workers, including inefficient management structures is badly needed, but it will never happen under a FF/FG led government, as most of their unwavering support is from these departments, and they don't have the stomach."
Wondering what makes you think such a major overall of the Public Sector will happen under a non-FF/FG government?

As someone who is currently a public servant, (and a frontline worker at that) I can state with absolute certainty that the current putative alternative to the current government will not make any meaningful changes to the way things are done.

I've been a member of a union all my life (and as a colleague of mine once described them, they are a "necessary evil") but I will say that ONE aspect to the problem is the power of public sector unions (short-termism by the political class i.e. just doing populist stuff to help them get re-elected , and incompetent management are 2 further legs to the stool).

You mention "inefficient management structures". Let me be blunt about this -- the unions are a major contributor to that. Over the years they have negotiated promotional pathways for their members into "makey -up" management roles which clog up the system. In many cases, this denudes frontline services of badly needed personnel. In my own case, I made a conscious decision to remain in the frontline because that's where my energy and enthusiasm for my work comes from and being in an administrative management role would be, for me, soul-destroying , but quite a sizeable percentage of my colleagues (possibly the majority) would have a different attitude which is perfectly fine. When the opportunity is there they will go into the administrative labyrinth , more pay with less stress and less work to do and more luck to them. And even on the frontline a nice little number can occasionally be negotiated between unions and management for the provision of a service that looks good on paper but might not be cost-effective in overall terms. Currently I'm a part beneficiary of that.

I could say a lot more but I will leave it at that. You are very niave if you think the alternative to the current government will change all or any of this.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2133 - 20/05/2026 11:45:43    2674307

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Wondering what makes you think such a major overall of the Public Sector will happen under a non-FF/FG government?
As someone who is currently a public servant, (and a frontline worker at that) I can state with absolute certainty that the current putative alternative to the current government will not make any meaningful changes to the way things are done.

It 100% will never happen under a FF/FG government, collectively they have lead every Government since the foundation of the State, and their grass roots is too intertwined with the Civil Service and public sector in general. Turkeys won't vote for Christmas, so the only real hope would be if a viable opposition emerge with a roadmap to tidy things up.

I've been a member of a union all my life (and as a colleague of mine once described them, they are a "necessary evil") but I will say that ONE aspect to the problem is the power of public sector unions (short-termism by the political class i.e. just doing populist stuff to help them get re-elected , and incompetent management are 2 further legs to the stool).

I disagree with Unions being a necessary evil, because their 'collective bargaining' isn't based on performance, its about maintaining inefficiencies. Ireland has some of the best workers rights in the world, no need for Unions.

You mention "inefficient management structures". Let me be blunt about this -- the unions are a major contributor to that.
I agree the Unions help maintain it, then we see the vast amounts of public money wasted every year, through incompetent project management. Like how on this earth does any idiot approve a €330k bicycle shed? That highlights the level of decision making we have managing public sector projects, someone who has never worked in the private sector, where strong justifications must be provided and progression is performance based.


I could say a lot more but I will leave it at that. You are very niave if you think the alternative to the current government will change all or any of this.
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2131 - 20/05/2026 11:45:43

FF/FG won't change anything, and I believe front line public sector workers are under-resourced and underpaid across the board, meanwhile we have Public sector admin staff who are in many cases overpaid and under worked. We need professionals managing large projects, people who can make things happen on time.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1849 - 20/05/2026 22:13:43    2674433

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After the trial by social media and the hijacking of the narrative of public opinion witnessed over the past couple of months, it's refreshing to see an actual democratic election in Galway West return a government candidate.


I wouldn't vote for the party myself (too partitionist) but if we're ever to convince a fifth of this island to join the rest of us, we need to shout about the good stuff too. . .it far far far outweighs the bad.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5329 - 25/05/2026 14:06:59    2675383

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Replying To cavanman47:  "After the trial by social media and the hijacking of the narrative of public opinion witnessed over the past couple of months, it's refreshing to see an actual democratic election in Galway West return a government candidate.


I wouldn't vote for the party myself (too partitionist) but if we're ever to convince a fifth of this island to join the rest of us, we need to shout about the good stuff too. . .it far far far outweighs the bad."
Wins for Centre and Centre Left.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 584 - 25/05/2026 14:58:18    2675417

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Wins for Centre and Centre Left."
Wins for Centre Right and Centre Left would be more accurate.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3056 - 25/05/2026 15:38:06    2675443

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Replying To GaryMc82:  "Wins for Centre Right and Centre Left would be more accurate."
Whatever.
2 candidates from adult politics.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 584 - 25/05/2026 16:04:01    2675474

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Replying To cavanman47:  "After the trial by social media and the hijacking of the narrative of public opinion witnessed over the past couple of months, it's refreshing to see an actual democratic election in Galway West return a government candidate.


I wouldn't vote for the party myself (too partitionist) but if we're ever to convince a fifth of this island to join the rest of us, we need to shout about the good stuff too. . .it far far far outweighs the bad."
Good for who?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8585 - 26/05/2026 01:19:07    2675592

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Good for who?"
The vast majority.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5329 - 26/05/2026 11:49:09    2675677

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Replying To cavanman47:  "The vast majority."
Do you know the vast majority?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8585 - 26/05/2026 13:16:17    2675722

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Replying To cavanman47:  "The vast majority."
Ireland is badly in need of new party, a new option with a clear alternative position and strong economic position. Sadly FF & FG are more of the same and the current opposition parties aren't showing a clear new roadmap to the electorate, so we are stuck with the career politicians.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are identical nowadays, we still hear terms like Center-left or Center-right to describe them, but in reality the two parties that have no clear core differences anymore.

Collectively both have blown billions of tax payers money for decades without any checks and balances to bring them to heel, yet who's loyal supporters act like our economy wouldn't survive without them. I seriously doubt that.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1849 - 26/05/2026 18:18:01    2675857

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Do you know the vast majority?"
Nope. But I can see the results of the by-election.

There were plenty shouting loudly during the fuel protests, claiming to represent the vast majority. They got their answer over the weekend!

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5329 - 26/05/2026 18:49:24    2675864

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I was just watching the news on RTE , and a Fine Gael counciller for Monaghan stated that people from Monaghan and Tyrone are from two different countries, who elects these people?

tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 463 - 26/05/2026 21:29:20    2675900

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Replying To cavanman47:  "Nope. But I can see the results of the by-election.

There were plenty shouting loudly during the fuel protests, claiming to represent the vast majority. They got their answer over the weekend!"
So the by election vote from one constituency reflects the vast majority you say. The government lost a seat in the other by election. The government that's so popular that it's propped up by independents.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8585 - 26/05/2026 21:30:17    2675901

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Replying To cavanman47:  "Nope. But I can see the results of the by-election.

There were plenty shouting loudly during the fuel protests, claiming to represent the vast majority. They got their answer over the weekend!"
I think the vast majority of vehicle owners agreed that Government action should have been taken earlier for temporary tax relief on fuel, but I'm was never convinced that the vast majority of people in Ireland supported the Fuel protestors clogging up roads, as most drivers I spoke to who were not involved in Haulage, buses or Agriculture, were ****** off at these "Go Slow" protests clogging up roads all over the Country.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1849 - 27/05/2026 08:39:59    2675918

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Replying To Commodore:  "Ireland is badly in need of new party, a new option with a clear alternative position and strong economic position. Sadly FF & FG are more of the same and the current opposition parties aren't showing a clear new roadmap to the electorate, so we are stuck with the career politicians.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are identical nowadays, we still hear terms like Center-left or Center-right to describe them, but in reality the two parties that have no clear core differences anymore.

Collectively both have blown billions of tax payers money for decades without any checks and balances to bring them to heel, yet who's loyal supporters act like our economy wouldn't survive without them. I seriously doubt that."
I suppose unless a credible alternative coalition of left or left of centre emerges, this situation will pertain. Soc Dems are making steady progress, it must be said. To me, Labour are standing still. I think SF are stagnating under current leadership. Their leader, while very articulate, has great diction and really loves delivering a good ould sound bite in Dail debates, but does anyone take her seriously anymore ?? Their front bench is in dire need of a shake up. Same tired old spokes persons for years with different, more militant factions on the extremes whittling away at their base. It's difficult to be all things to all people, and have all the answers. PBP, I'm not sure if I would like to see any of them in charge of anything, particularly their two most prominent members. So, where are the alternatives ??

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2264 - 27/05/2026 09:22:24    2675920

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "I was just watching the news on RTE , and a Fine Gael counciller for Monaghan stated that people from Monaghan and Tyrone are from two different countries, who elects these people?"
The voters elected the successful candidates.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 584 - 27/05/2026 10:35:54    2675934

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