Could be very strange opinion polls.

Opinion polls in mainstream media = Government propaganda!
It leads people on and they think they may as well do what ‘everyone’ else is doing. My dad is the only person I know who is voting Yes.

Yes voters would be in their four-wheel-drive faux off-road vehicles.

The only opinion poll that counts for anything is the ballot box. The rest are pure “Horse Piss”

Our own situation is that we get promised the moon by those looking for votes, and the moment they are elected, not only are campaign promises gone like last year’s snow, but *the actual principles they said they stood for* are gone too. So we have absolutely no way to influence our own government, even in a general election.

This total disenfranchisement will not be cured by a new political party, any more than a forest fire will be cured by dowsing it in petrol.

So PR stunts like this one are worse than useless; they’re ignoring the actual problem so as to try to suggest the solution is to purely to let someone else have a turn in the Ministerial Mercedes.

Until we have some mechanism by which ordinary citizens, without giving up their entire lives and taking on huge financial risk to run for office, can call for a binding referendum on a matter of national policy, this problem will never be solved.

don’t know why you’re getting thumbs down with all the government haters on here!

Hmmm. I’m sceptical about this. Of course, setting up a political party is not an easy thing to achieve but the policies, as they stand, seem like a recipe for long drawn out arguments between members. Not only is it difficult in itself to set up, but if you were beginning to appear successful, you’d have political leeches latch on to you and sink you.
In my view it needs a central plank on which to build which it doesn’t appear to have. Abstract concepts like “Fairness” and “Better” mean different things to different people. The wider the strata of society the harder it is to get people to agree on the target, and then on how to get to the target.

It does present many challenges, needs to be done though.

It’s hard to understand what to do in the current climate, but perhaps something new set up on principle of reforms like it says on the website might just cut it – that is the central plank, it’s on the sli nios fearr website. Fairness, or justice for that matter is no more abstract than saying you having sound economic policies. It’s just means a bit more reading. An old lecturer of mine once told me if you get the principles right the practice follows. Why we need a new party is because this lot and the previous have no principles.

@Martin
I admire what you’re trying to achieve, which is why I checked out your website. However I still think concepts like “reform” mean different things to different people. To Fine Gael it means cutting from the bottom, having pointless Friday Dail sittings, and moving power closer to Germany. To me it would mean moving more power to Local Authorities and giving citizens direct-democracy powers.
Economically, I think we need something more radical than reform. AFAIK economics is based on supplying and encouraging “unlimited wants and desires” ; on “limitless growth” in a limited world; and on people always acting in “their own self-interest”. (Please correct me if I’m wrong on this). The founding principles seem to make no sense.
Perhaps I’ve become too cynical through my experiences, but I feel national politics is more part of the problem than the solution. There’s too much spin and media control within the national politics, and there is very little genuine debate. Also, unfortunately, many people still take no interest in what’s going on and don’t want to think about things like a Euro collapse. Many vote for issues on spurious reasons like, “I don’t like the people who are saying Vote NO”, or “They’ll only make us vote again if we vote NO, so I’m voting YES” – I’ve actually heard both these statements on the radio!!!

It’s definitely difficult to know what to do in this climate. Personally, I’ve taken to the hills and am getting rid of my Euros in fear of collapse. Better having it spent than devalued! I think it’s more important to concentrate on my neighbours and my immediate locality in this crises, because if the crisis deepens they’ll be the ones I’ll be in the shit pit with.

Why don’t you do something about it then see how you get on.

Do something about what exactly? About your man walking from Limerick to Dublin?

“Do something about what”? Well obviously “austerity” hasn’t affected you too much Bryan and you obviously don’t have the intellectual capacity to empathize with your fellow human beings, but congratulations, you do possess all the qualities and skills required to pursue a career in politics yourself. I’m sure any one of our current backstabbing, two-faced, self serving, greedy, aloof, ignorant, uncaring and obnoxious political parties would welcome the likes of you with open arms.

As for Mr Critten’s attempts do offer an alternative to the above to the Irish people. All I can say is fair play to him for at least trying.

@ Hugh Hicks Fair play lad I wasn’t going to respond to the idiotic response I received but you certainly hit the nail on the head!! Thanks

Petty response, well done Hugh Hicks.
Now before you sh* t yourself again- I am as disillusioned with the current system as any but I am sceptical about this guys ideas until he comes up with something better than a long walk.
Virgil you didnt have anything witty enough to come back with as your first response was very childish.

Bryan you can find the parties policies etc online. Have a read and see what you think.

Isn’t the problem that we don’t have enough? There’s nothing wrong with more to choose from. FG/Lab/FF are all the same. SF have some good ideas and try to speak for the average person, but they wouldn’t be my ideal govrernment. The emergence of the ULA and more independents in the last elections was a nice addition to Irish politics. Without new parties the short-term memory of the electorate will mean the reappearance of FF when people are sick of FG and Lab.