Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
MICHAEL SITS ON O’Connell Bridge with a paper cup in his hand.
It’s midnight. Taxis and cars drive by; people pass him dressed up for the night. Some throw coins into his cup.
When our outreach team reaches him, Michael smiles. He takes a cup of tea and talks about his night. I ask him if he minds telling me a bit about his life.
“I’m sitting here the past 14 years,” Michael tells me.
“I’m homeless since I’m 11. I’m 34 now… I ran away from a foster home when I was 11 and they never found me.”
Michael has spent most of his life living on the streets of Dublin. He avoids hostels as he has had trouble in them before and doesn’t think he’s safe there.
He says that he used to have serious addiction issues, but that he doesn’t drink or take drugs anymore.
“I got away from drugs because I nearly lost both my legs over it. I had seven operations in each leg,” he says.
“I was in the hospital for a year and four months.
“I says when I get out, I wonder will things be any better? I got out and things were worse. Things were just as bad now as they were back then.
It’s just the way the place is going. There’s too many on the streets.
Homelessness
Michael is right in his assessment – homelessness in Ireland is getting worse.
Latest figures show that in April there were 3,337 homeless adults living in emergency accommodation in Dublin alone.
On the night I join the volunteer-led Inner City Helping Homeless on their outreach run, the organisation says it encounters 193 homeless people on the streets of Dublin – a new record high for the group’s count.
The official rough sleeper count conducted by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) takes place twice-yearly (in spring and winter). The latest official spring count found 138 people sleeping rough in Dublin – a new spring record.
Rough sleepers are those homeless that spend the night out on the streets.
It was in winter 2014 that the highest ever number of rough sleepers was officially counted in Dublin – with 168. Not long after, a homeless man – Jonathan Corrie – died near Dáil Éireann, and there was public uproar.
Candlelight vigils were held, political promises were made. Then-Environment Minister Alan Kelly convened a homeless summit with all stakeholders invited to the table.
There were commitments of beds for all homeless people; vows that the problem would be addressed. There was an impression among people that this was a turning point, that the situation would be improved from here on out.
Then Christmas passed, people moved on; homelessness continued to get worse.
It was the same last Christmas, when a group of activists took over Apollo House to use as accommodation for homeless people. There was a palpable public outrage and a feeling that this was a tipping point. Then the season again passed and the public attention moved on.
But those working in homelessness services continue to fight the problem throughout the year. The dedicated volunteers continue to give their time. And although the rate of people entering homelessness has slowed down over the past year, the numbers continue to get worse.
Out for the night
When public attention shifts away, the problem of homelessness doesn’t disappear.
Last week, 12 homeless families were told to present to Garda stations as there was no place else to house them. ICHH director Anthony Flynn said at the time that it was the worst week he had ever experienced in his time working with the homeless.
I join a team of four ICHH volunteers on Wednesday night. We cover the north side of the city: from Amiens Street, down Talbot and Henry Streets, onto Wolfe Tone Street. Then we head up the Quays and onto O’Connell Street before circling back to Talbot and finishing back at Amiens Street.
It’s 11pm when we first leave ICHH offices, laden down with canisters of hot water, sandwiches, tea, coffee, soup, pot noodles, porridge, some clothes, sanitary packs and other supplies.
The night is mild, almost warm.
Homeless people sleep huddled in the doorways of shops; they sit beneath storefronts and against walls. They are down alleyways, along the boardwalk and on bridges. They are alone, they are with friends. There are single people and couples; they are Irish and foreign. The vast majority tell us they have no place else to go.
Edward lies in the doorway of the ILAC Centre on Henry Street. He is 66 years old and says he has been homeless for about 18 months.
“I was staying in a flat up in Fairview, and the water charge I just wouldn’t pay it,” Edward tells me.
“I told the landlord I wasn’t doing it. Rather than being arguing every week over it I just gave my notice into the flat to leave.
It was a nice flat too, as well. And that’s the reason why I am the way I am today and that’s it.
Like Michael, Edward says he refuses to go into hostels as he doesn’t feel safe there.
“I’m not going into those places,” he says.
That’s the one things I’m asked every night of the week. I’m not going into those places I don’t like them.
On the streets
Nearby, Paul* cycles up to us and asks for a glass of milk (for heartburn) and two cups of soup. He asks us for a cigarette, which no one has. He walks over to a couple lying behind a makeshift partition of cardboard in the doorway of Dunnes Stores and talks to them.
Paul then looks in a bin and mutters distractedly.
He mentions something about “foreigners” stealing his shoes. Paul is agitated, but friendly. We leave him staring into the bin.
We meet him again later beneath a shopfront on Mary Street. He is in a sleeping bag here and appears calmer. Paul says he doesn’t feel like talking about his life right now.
He tells me he’d like to talk at some other point – about drugs and homelessness; to give a warning to kids and people in the future, but right now he just wants to get some rest.
We leave him to sleep and continue on our way.
The “foreigners” Paul was referring to are a group of about seven Romanian men sitting together on cardboard outside Arnotts. Some combination of this group (at one point reportedly with as many as 40 people) have been sleeping here for over two months.
It’s unclear why they came to Ireland. They speak very little English, but are cordial and easy going. They take cups of tea and ask for clothes – jeans and runners.
As our team leader – Maria – attempts to get orders off the men, another Irish man walks up to us. He is tired, and sits on the sandwich cooler to rest. He takes a cup of tea and a sanitary kit, rests on the cooler without saying much, and then continues down Henry Street and into the night.
Someone to talk to
ICHH was founded by locals of Dublin’s north inner city in 2013 as a response to Dublin’s growing homelessness crisis. It is still awaiting confirmation from the Charities Regulatory Authority to become an official charity, but is allowed to operate as a charity while its application is pending.
About 24 volunteers go out every weekday night in four separate teams to provide assistance to homeless people. Teams cover the north and south inner cities on foot, while an outreach van covers the wider Dublin area (the outreach van also operates on weekends).
ICHH are not the only organisation to perform this service. As homelessness has gotten worse, a large number of grassroots community groups have sprung up as a response.
On any night in Dublin, there could be several organisations providing food and support to people in need. Many of the homeless people we come across already have sandwiches and supplies from previous outreach teams.
Outreach teams function as a stop-gap, emergency measure – working to alleviate the symptoms of a chronic housing shortage and growing homeless crisis. Established charities like Focus Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust work towards addressing and ending the actual problem.
Our team leader Maria says that ICHH is the last team on the streets, and so the final chance for people to get a cup of tea or food before the end of the night.
We walk through the streets with supplies, encountering a fair few people who already have food. Some people have questioned in the past whether all these outreach groups are really necessary, if they are actually helping.
However, the vast majority of people we meet seem happy to see us. They gratefully accept a cup of tea, or soup and a sandwich, and are happy to have a chat.
For many people on the streets, outreach teams function as a point of contact with the world; a person to talk to and listen to them.
Tony Gill – a homeless poet who lived in Dublin until his death in 2004 – wrote about the loneliness a life on the streets can bring in his short poem, Today:
Today I spoke to no one,
And nobody spoke to me.
Am I dead?
This sense of isolation becomes more acute as people spend longer without a home and become disconnected from wider society. The longer someone spends on the streets, the more entrenched they become and the more difficult it is to bring them back to society.
The opportunity to speak and vent to a listening ear can mean a lot to people.
It is like that with Michael, who I speak to on O’Connell Bridge. Or with Patrick*, who we meet on Abbey Street. He talks about 10 minutes about being barred from a hostel for some unknown reason.
“I’ve been calling the free phone every day and I’ve only gotten a bed one night in weeks,” he says.
Patrick is happy to vent to us. He talks about the struggle he is enduring on the streets and the weight he has lost. As we prepare to leave, he asks everyone in the group their names.
“What’s all your names?” he asks.
“Maria”, “Ailbhe”, “Paul”, “Gary”, “Cormac”.
“Patrick”, he says pointing to himself and smiles, before walking off down Abbey Street.
Night’s end
We meet others along the way. A man in a doorway looking for a fresh pair of socks. A couple sleeping at the Dance Lab on Foley Street. Another man in a sleeping bag down a lane.
In total, our team leader counts 46 people along our route. Although the profile of homeless people has changed drastically over the past number of years – with more and more families and young children presenting – the people we meet on Wednesday mostly fit the profile of the traditional homeless rough sleepers.
They are almost all men (we count just seven women on our route), aged in their 20s to 50s. Some appear to have alcohol or substance abuse issues, while others seem to just have no place else to go.
As we walk back down Talbot Street near to the end of the night, we encounter three men in a doorway. They ask for tea, and one of them – John – starts to tell me about his life.
He’s been homeless for four months now.
“I was working and my work dried up. A painter-decorator,” says John.
“My mother died in January of this year, my father died in February of this year. My father died of a sudden heart attack and my mother suffered from cancer for two years.
She was my rock.
John talks about how his father used to beat him and his mother from when he was a very young age.
My mother was getting beat up because my father was an alcoholic. But that’s no excuse, he used to beat us up for fun.
As we talk, a man who had been standing unsteadily nearby falls to the ground suddenly. John goes to help him, and the man clutches at his hands, thinking he is being robbed.
Our final stop is an internet café near the top of Talbot Street. The café charges people €10 to allow them to stay inside overnight and use the computers. It’s relatively warm and provides people with some shelter. The volunteers say that it is usually full of people.
We give out the remaining cups and food, and make our way back to the offices on Amiens street. We meet one more couple along the way.
The team hands over some of the last food supplies – some cake and porridge for the morning.
“Have you a place to stay?,” I ask the woman.
“Yeah. We’ve a B&B just up the road,” she says.
We’re one of the lucky ones.
*Some people’s names have been changed in order to protect their identities
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Christ. Sixth count mehole
@Trevor: lesson. Vote for who you actually want. Not how the trickle down system advises
@Eugene Walsh: trickle down system? PR is one of the fairest possible ways of voting. This undermining of our democratic processes needs to stop.
@Eugene Walsh: I would laugh if someone else was nominated and won ? that would upset the cosy cartel that would be worth staying up late for….
@Jane: have you ever thought of telling your beloved ffg about democracy they made sure sf were not going into govt at any cost, Mick renaged on his promise not to go into govt with fg in other words ignore what I say during an election that’s just what you say to get elected and leo
socks was happy to go into opposition until Mick had a word with him and explained what would happen if sf got into power all their lovely plans would be out the window….
@Peter donnelly: I don’t trust any of them, SF included. But how would any of this been different if SF formed a coalition with either of them?
@Trevor: Every TD elected are equal regardless of count.
@Peter donnelly: I don’t love any of them. I think they’re all the same but I have a particular disdain for SF.
The greatest example of promoting complete and total failure the country has ever seen.
Michael. Take a bow.
@David Corrigan: Well said David, that’s right up there with the most popular party only fielding barely enough candidates to form a half majority. Now THAT was promoting a complete & total failure.
Mary Lou. Take a bow.
@David Corrigan: Well said
@James Brown: Charles Haughey. Bertie Aherne. I rest my case your honour.
@James Brown: A weak effort James.
@David Corrigan: You’re right. It was a weak effort.
But then she only has herself to blame for that!!
@James Brown: Could she see the results of the election before it happened James?
@James Brown: Talking plenty of Brown ,James?
@David Corrigan: According to SF, each election they increase their popularity which results in significant gains in the house.
This would appear to be true.
GE 2011 – 14 TD’s elected
GE 2016 – 23 TD’s elected
GE 2020 – 37 TD’s elected
However, look a bit closer. In 2016 SF fielded 50 candidates, whereas in 2020 they only fielded 42. If SF are the most popular party, why the large reduction in candidates. Surely it should be more. What happened to the other 8?
Maybe SF realised if they reduced the number of candidates to 1 in each constituency where they previously ran more, they wouldn’t split their vote, resulting in more TD’s getting past the post.
Factor in the obvious protest vote among the younger electorate & there you have it.
SF appear to be more popular, than they actually are.
@James Brown: I honestly don’t know how they came up with their election strategy James but they could have done better for sure.
I think things will be different next time round though as FF and FG have really put themselves into a corner now i.e. they have to perform in government or they will give SF a clear run to forming a majority government.
Maybe FF and FG will perform as they really have no choice. The next few years will be interesting.
@David Corrigan: Well I doubt either FF or FG would take advice from someone who didn’t vote for either, but if I was in Govt I’d make sure that at least the 1st & maybe the last 2 Budgets were Giveaway Budgets, to try & claw back some of the electorate that have lost confidence in their abilities to govern effectively..
Alas, with the inclusion of The Greens, that’s a lot less likely to happen now. It will probably go the way of……
TAX, TAX, TAX, Carbon TAX, TAX, TAX, Green TAX, TAX !!
@James Brown: I don’t think the money will be there for give away budgets. Also, as you rightly stated, the green taxes will only add to the pain. It’s going to be interesting watching it all unfold.
Such a sad state of affairs. A power grab of epic proportions. I’ve a feeling history won’t look kindly on this but Mehole got what he wanted, and to him that’s all that matters.
@Bingobango: he just sold his party down the river and effectively merged with FG. All this to get the top job which he felt he was entitled to. He kept saying he heard on the doorsteps that people wanted change and wanted FG out of power. He then gets into coalition with them.
@Brian Madden: Not only going into coalition, but gifting them the top spot after 2.5 years. It’s unbelievable that people think this is a great result. I mean after 5 years (if they last that long together) how do they expect to go back to the polls and ask the people to pick one of them when they’re essentially the same party now. After 100 years of spoofing the Irish people into thinking they’re opposites, they now merge into one. Shame on anyone who voted FF after everything they did to sell this country 10 years ago and now they’re back at the helm as we potentially enter another recession.
@Bingobango: If history had anything to do it he wouldnt be near there
@Simon Barr: i think FF may be squeezed out of irish politics. The republican wing going to SF. The farmers going to FG and the conservatives going to aontu or renua.
@Brian Madden: in all fairness they should have merged decades ago
@Brian Madden: This is nonsense. He doesn’t have unmitigated power. His party were entitled at numerous points to reject the proposal. The overwhelming majority of party members agreed to this. So whether it works out or not, its down to the entire party, not just him.
Mícheál Martin’s price for being Taoiseach for the next 2 years is to allow Leo Varadkar, the leader of a party that picked up just 20% of the vote and came third, to be Taoiseach for the following 2 years. This is an affront to the Irish people and an affront to democracy.
@Johnny 5:
You need to educate yourself on how democracy works in Ireland. Read the constitution, its not that complicated but amazing how so many commenters don’t understand.
@Doug:
Democracy my arse, this is nothing but a combined grab to keep their snouts in a trough.
They will not last a year before the squabbling begins and they turn on each other.
I look forward to seeing these so called parties being totally destroyed for once and for all
They will pay a dear price for their actions.
As for the hacks & shills that relish in spewing their party tripe…
You might have a few fellow believers that will give you a thumbs up but nobody really gives a toss about you or your party line.
@Michael Clinton: Most people don’t give a toss about the clowns on the journal comments section having a meltdown because SF/IRA are not in government.
@Doug: Yes and who put forward this constitution way back then, FF/fg did thats who. The problem is democracy doesn’t work in Ireland with all the shady deals and corruption . People vote for a party with certain policies and when the party gets into govt they do the exact opposite. I am not happy with that Doug but obviously you are.. The constitution is completely out of date in regards to todays situations. Its nearly a century old and we should put it out of its misery. We need a new one
Hmmmm not sure this was the change the people wanted.
It’s unbelievable, two proven corrupt parties in government.
@Paul Power: coz the other option had no links to criminality at all at all ……… small far away …..
@Finian Gardner: glad you agree that the two parties are corrupt.
@Finian Gardner:
Oh wow, what an inspirational post.
What page of the FFG party book is that on?
Cue dozens of people claiming that a system which requires significant compromise, avoids extremism, places infinite numbers of checks and balances as intrinsic to its functioning, uses proportional representation, and as a matter 9f course in recent decades cannot function with just one party in power, is undemocratic. That this is a power grab. That no one elected this man as Taoiseach. That SF won and should be in power. That someone not elected on the 1st count is illegitimate
All that these people demonstrate is that there is an on going and urgent necessity for politics and civics to be a core element of secondary level education.
@David Clements:
The ignorance of how democracy works in Ireland is sadly being demonstrated by so many commenters.
@David Clements: well said
@Doug: People have the democratic right to ignorance. Under the proud bannerhead can be seen the solemn declaration, ‘My ignorance is equal to your knowledge’.
@Doug:
Oh shut up you insufferable @#€&.
People (taxpayers/ voters) are entitled to speak about how they feel without some armchair warriors pontificating.
@Doug: We know how it works and it doesn’t benefit the ordinary citizens just the ones at the top.
The only thing that matters is the Shinners are not in government. Nothing else matters.
Five Sinn Fein councilors nominated Paddy Houlihan as Mayor of South Dublin Council yesterday. They didn’t do that without approval from SF HQ.
@Chin Feeyin: Obsession. A fragrance by FGHQ.
@Chin Feeyin: Those councillors didn’t get SF HQ approval for that,but I think it was disgraceful, I agree!
What matters to me is the people in the country facing this Covid19 pandemic emergency and uncertainty re their jobs,children’s lives ,health and education,communities,services and tackling the other emergencies in health, homelessness/housing, etc.I worry too re the 2and wave of Coronavirus infections and not just how it would affect the most vulnerable and jobs,rents,mortgages etc but affects on other health conditions too unrelated to Coronavirus infections plus people on hospital waiting lists/other waiting lists too.
Micheal Martin has always been an excellent TD…… With vast experience as former positions as Minister for Health, Education, Trade and Enterprise, and Foreign Affiars in sure he will lead the country with integrity..
@Paul O’Sullivan: I read that as sarcasm but blow me down, I do believe you’re actually serious!
@Paul O’Sullivan: integrity and FF do not go hand in hand
@Paul O’Sullivan: it still took him umpteen counts to get reelected.
@Paul O’Sullivan: Amadán
@Paul O’Sullivan: You can’t lead a country with integrity when you lid through your teeth to get there. And was it not Michael Mattin that founded the HSE. Excellent TD my backside.
@Paul O’Sullivan: Did you get a knock to the head
@Johnny 5: That’s the problem with some Irish people they would actually agree with Paul.
The green party take a bow facilitating this will be the death of your party, no harm either Éamon Ryan the man who sank the green party.
Just let them get on with it now, moaning on the journal won’t make a blind bit of difference. We still have a pandemic to worry about.
@Olivia Smith: True a pandemic for sure now also have to deal with parasites.
@Tommy Mc Quaid: They have always been there. No difference just a different leader.
Congratulations Micheàl! Make Ireland great again!
@Mattress Dick: MAKE IRELAND BROKE AGAIN!
@Mattress Dick: He’s a failed politician leading a failed party imto one of the worst economic crises the world has ever seen. No wonder Leo is smiling, he’s just rode in on his Trojan horse.
@Johnny 5: By that measure, all parties are failed parties no…?
@Mark Brown: Well no. Some party’s haven’t been given the opportunity to prove their worth yet.
Not what we need especially now these 3 individuals will do nothing for the better of the people hard times ahead another generation in poverty
As the headline says. Heres what to expect.
Corruption,Cronyism,Scandle, Crippling Tax increases, Homelessness and growing salads in tour south facing window boxes.
Mehole and the greens. Christ Can this year get any worse ?
What a great day for Ireland. The grand collective of naysayers, lefties, pinkos, shinners , anti water brigade, welfare spongers etc. are surely choking on their Aldi cornflakes this morning.
W’ere back baby.
@Colonel Grant: Clearly you don’t think much of Ireland or how it should be managed. Well done you.
@Colonel Grant: You can only hold back the tide for so long. SF have forced to two cheeks together. Now we will have a real opposition and a party that will build on it’s success at the last election by winning the next one. Hope you’ve brought your swimmung togs Colonel!
@David Corrigan: Did you wake up The Risen, Angela McNamara etc. They are supposed to be complaining about not getting into government with their 24%
@For Goodness Sake: I am sure you and your mates in the propaganda room will do a great job waking up the whole nation with your nonsense talk FGS.
@Johnny 5: Note that the tide goes out as soon as it has finished coming in.
@David Corrigan:
Free, fair elections have delivered 3-Party Coalition. It was always likely outcome after 4 1/2 mths of intensive negs. given largest parties in State only secured approx 25% each of votes in Feb GE.
So getting to 51% collectively was the challenge, and kudos to the trio who set aside their diffs in forming a Govt for good of country when political stability, credibility should be uppermost in minds of all true Irish patriots.
Covid-19, €250b of Nat Debt, Brexit, isn’t going away anytime soon, you know! So skilled, exp., political operators need to be at the wheel for foreseeable future to maintain ongoing confidence of int. bodies, funders backing
@Colonel Grant: That dismissive insulting comment shows the lack of empathy and tolerance for sections of society,voters who dont vote for FG or FF and genuinely voted for change so that the National emergencies in health,homelessness/housing that developed from crisis after crisis unabated under FG,could be adequately and effectively tackled,etc.
As I said before I like certain people in all political parties even if I disagree with their policies and I respect their voters.People voted for SF knowing that they said they would talk to all parties after GE so SF voters respected those voters too.SF policies re rent freeze,extra supports for SMEs which comprise 98%of all businesses in Ireland,tackling insurance companies,reforming childcare including costs,etc were used as Covid19 pandemic emergency measures.
SF also proposed a Brexit Stabilization Fund but PFG doesnt take into account a hard Brexit which is forecast!Why?
SF’s proposal re taxes re multinationals on-shored here between 2015-2017 was described as an excellent idea by Stephen Kinsella and was actual advise given to FG by IFAC(but they just included multinationals on-shored here from January 2018)and Stephen Kinsella said SF’s proposal would help offset the inevitable losses of Corporation tax when new OECD rules regarding digital taxes come in later this year.Seamus Coffey said Ireland could lose between €2Bn-€6Bn in Corporation taxes!What proposals did FG/FF/Green PFG have to tackle this?
So instead of insulting people who vote for other parties why dont you actually debate intelligently and tell me why FG/FF/Green PFG have no Plans re hard Brexit&potential losses of €2Bn-€6Bn in Corporation taxes?!Michael Martin &others said theres NO Plan B!
@Rory J Leonard: Skilled? Skilled at what?
@Colonel Grant: All they have done is split the country further where the haves Will have more and the rest of us will pay the price. They will reap what they sow.
Not my government
@Ruth Butler: Are you living outside Ireland or up North? If you are living in the Republic then they are your government.
@Sal Paradise: I would regard not accepting this govt as legitimate perfectly fine as it is full of proven liars and corrupt individuals who judging by their past record are not going to change. So yes Sal not my govt.
All the back slapping between the two centre parties now.do us a favour and just merge together.ireland does not need two parties that are the same and has this country held my the balls.the next general election they will put on their sparring gloves again.pathetic it is
@tuco: I agree. But then you look at the left and can only roll your eyes. Labour and SD are the same and the latter only exist due to personalities. As for SP PBP AAA RISE I4C, the only logical response when told about this acronymic omnishambles of a set up is WTF! And then you have SF, the party of paddy Holohan and David Cullinane. The former spewing homophobia and UKIP styled racism, the latter a barstool republican whose sober explanation of his drunken ramblings showed an intellect of infinite smallness…
No time for Sinn Fein , but it’s a bad time When this is the alternative option ,
@Sk19:
Please explain what option was a viable alternative government? The shinners hate fianna fail as can be seen by their comments every day so whats left for them to try to form a govt??
@Doug: there is no viable option for the country , Sinn Fein and who ever , vs this
One as bad at the other for different reasons
Great. Watch out on budget day for all the new “green” taxes.
Martin is not elected, he is appointed. The three parties have made a mockery of democracy.
@Dave Barrett: Your lack of understanding of the political and constitutional processes of this country are blatantly obvious. The electorate never elect a Taoiseach.
@Alan Dillon: you obviously don’t understand the electorate voted for change, not some cocked up deal between parties no one wants and certainly not Martin who if you remember screwed the Irish people duri g the crash.
@Dave Barrett:
It’s obvious you don’t understand what you’re talking about!!
Good luck to them, hope they all can work together for Ireland. Oh the shinners have woken up ? Mary lue for the big job , haha, back where they like to be, the back bench. Getting paid lots of money just to complain about everything.
How long will it be every reference of PFG causes Micheal Martin to start sucking through his teeth, shaking his head and blaming everything on covid. And poor Eamon. He’s the only one who can’t hear the bus coming.. again.
Many people seem to think Mehole has abandoned his political principles, which is obviously incorrect, for that to be true he would have needed to have some to abandon.
We need to reduce the number of TD’s. If you fail to get elected after 3 counts, then good luck.
Absolute disgrace these clowns are still in .please stop voting fffg
Here’s what to expect: a living nightmare
have your say