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THE 162-PAGE programme for government published yesterday is a roadmap for the next five years, but there are already criticisms that it is too vague.
The word ‘continue’ is in the document 249 times, ‘explore’ is in there 34 times, ‘review’ is mentioned 126 times, ‘examine’ is contained in the document 86 times while ‘consider’ is mentioned 56 and ‘assess’ 27 times.
The firm statement of “the government will” is only in there 23 times, while the word “commit” is mentioned 118 times.
While a word search is obviously not a fully accurate assessment of the coalition document, the vagueness of some of the promises has raised eyebrows among the opposition already.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty dubbed it a “copy and paste job from five years ago”, stating that it contained “vague aspirations”.
Meanwhile his colleague David Cullinane said it lacked depth and vision.
While it is hardly surprising that Sinn Féin would pick holes in the programme, it is fair to say that the public rolls its eyes when it sees statements like:
The government will “open the National Children’s Hospital”.
No timeline, no date, no firm commitment.
The project has been one of the biggest disasters for the last government.
It is one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects where no one knows what the end cost will be. If ever a politician should utter the phrase “lessons must be learned” its with this project.
But the mention of it speaks to the point that the public are fed up with vague promises and missed deadlines.
In the setting of new year’s resolutions, people might say: “I will be able to run 5K by June” or “I will save €5,000 by Christmas”. Both measurable goals.
They don’t write down “I will explore the idea of running 5K some time in the future” or “I will continue to save some money and assess at some point later on how to reach my goal of €5,000″.
Why? Because no one would ever achieve those goals.
So, it is no surprise that such ambiguity might make the public nervous for the next five years.
In fairness, there are concrete, measurable commitments contained in the document, such as:
While the public might scan the document in search of the new government’s can-do attitude and ambitious targets, unfortunately, those things aren’t always jumping off the pages of programmes for government.
It serves an incoming government to shy away from precise details in such a document, instead stating that minute details will be hammered out later in policy plans.
One TD on the negotiating teams told The Journal that the new programme for government was never going to be as detailed as the 2020 document.
Why so? Because the Green Party are not in government.
The political landscape was a lot different then. An election had been held in February 2020, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil needed to make up the numbers, and in quick time, as the country was barrelling towards a pandemic.
This source said that the Greens insisted on an increased level of detail around commitments in the programme for government as they knew they would need to hold Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to their promises.
They had been burned once before when entering into government and they knew they needed clear commitments in black and white so they could hold their coalition partners feet to the fire.
Wooly promises wouldn’t have cut it in the 2020 programme for government as the other two larger parties would have rode roughshod over the Greens once they had signed on the dotted line and entered into government.
Those on the negotiating teams this time around said that this programme for government, in terms of the level of detail and format, more resembles the 2016 document, and that was the ambition.
Similarly, in 2016, the Fine Gael-led government signed a deal with a group of Independents. But comparing and contrasting the two programmes, it is clear the 2016 programme contained a lot more detail.
Firstly, the 2016 document set out clearly what the Independents were getting in return for going into government with Fine Gael, outlining the Independent’s Alliance’s wants such as more beds for cystic fibrosis patients (which was a demand of then TD Finian McGrath) and second Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford (a demand of then TD John Halligan), among other things.
This time around, those in the larger parties state there are no constituency concessions for the Independents (although we don’t think anyone is believing that one).
Secondly, in terms of housing, under the heading of ‘More Homes’ (an excellent ambition), in the 2025 document there is no breakdown of the type of houses the government plans to deliver or yearly targets.
In comparison, the 2016 programme for government set out promises to:
There are no such pledges to achieve anything specific in the first 100 days of this new government unfortunately.
In 2016, there were 13 mentions of actions to be completed in the first 100 days of office (there are a few “within 12 months” commitments in the new programme).
It’s taken weeks for the negotiating teams and leaders burning the midnight oil to deliver this plan for the next five years, but if the new government thinks that the vagueness on precise detail is going to get them a pass from the public, they have another thing coming.
If the promises that were made repeatedly on the campaign trail and that everyone heard so much about aren’t delivered quickly, well, they’ll know all about it.
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Shatter apologise?? Some chance alright
Shines a bright light on the FG/Labour mafia, FF are looking like amateurs now and we won’t do anything about it!
No chance of Shatter apologising.
But if he dies, can he also sack Cullinan and Resign himself.
ENDA ARE YOU LISTENING ?
There is more chance of me shitting a Faberge egg than Shatter saying sorry
Apologise?? FFS he should have been removed and prosecuted under the data protection act when he used confidential Garda information on national television to attack a political opponent.
Well then, sign and share: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dismiss-minister-alan-shatter
But he should say sorry to a guy who did the same thing?
Shatter apologise? Never going to happen and Kenny going on about transparency you just know they are going to do a little as possible….
They say that the only honour there is , is amongst Thieves -& my golly amongst FF/FG/Lab. there are many !
They have robbed our Country and it’s Citizens of our dignity and our money too – when it was promised and given to the Bondholders and most Countries are laughing at us since then , as they would the soft touches that we are !
We have a Government Minister in Shatter , who has been complicit in a coverup with our most Senior Garda commissioner !
A Taoiseach , whose best buddy had his hand in the cookie jar of a “Charity” in the inner sanctum of FG !
Holy Jerusalem ! what more could come from Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and the totally spineless Labour Party ?
It makes me vomit to think about them !
Indeed…while SF/IRA robbed our banks and citizens….
Shalom Shatter
@KKK: “while SF/IRA robbed our banks and citizens….”
Better to support a party which robs its citizens for its banks, right kris?
By the way, which members of sinn fein are you accusing of bank robbery?
Kris – of KKK – the original ‘one trick pony’ man !
Like an old 78 scratched record repeating the same part of a sentence and making absolutely zero sense – while locked in a maze prior to 1997 !
I pity you – a Chara !
The IRA robbed £27 million in the Northern Bank robbery which kind of pales into insignificance when compared with the €240 billion debt Fianna Fáil landed us with and with FG/Lab contining to service that debt by paying unsecured bond holders via our taxes that are supposed to be for public services. That’s the biggest robbery of them all.
SF just use balaclavas when theyre robbing – a chara
You must know Kris – KKK Were you a Recruit ?
Still haven’t told us which members of SF kris. Usual BS.
No Carraioch…but I reckon you were considering your love for all “Republican”.
We shall not forget at election time.
SF/IRA also murdered innocent civilians let’s not forget that but if you think that’s ok your sick and twisted.
Do the honourable thing………Shatter and Callinan RESIGN
Expecting a politician to do the honourable thing, & to hear it coming from the likes of Michael Martin.
Release the flying pigs!
He should be made apologise by Kenny or be sacked! This country is rotten to the core!
Alan Shatter has done nothing wrong, and should rewarded with a pay increase. Tax free of course.
Apologise? He should be walking
Yup, if you agree, sign and share please:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dismiss-minister-alan-shatter
The least Sgt McCabe deserves is an apology.
His reputation, his professionalism and his integrity have all been questioned.
Not an easy thing for anyone to go through. He is a courageous man.
Where the lying ends the stupid, verbose jibes begin…
And pigs may fly!
Alan Shatter would probably get a panic or an Asthma attack if had to apologise .
He would start hyper-ventilating and a brown paper bag is all he would be able to blow in to….
Do the honourable thing Shatter and resign, and do Ireland a big big favour
Shatter should go and michael should follow him.
Apologise!!! More chance of Spud Jones speaking sense!!!
Enda always comes back at Martin with when your government was in power you failed to do this must be hard for Martin to argue back with that
I cant wait to hear that donkey of a man appologise !!
Indeed the real reason Shatter should be dismissed is the manner in which he has conducted a free for all with Irish passports, over 70,000 in three years all the while genuine Irish people born and educated here have had to leave the country, Irish passports paid for with Irish blood, not the blood of Africans, Chinese or whatever. It is treason, pure and simple, what would Michael Collins think of this man who now holds the office he once held?
Shatters family name was Sharonski, originally from Latvia, Shatter not just a name but a statement of intent for the Irish nation.
@david A
Well said fully agree , shatter has no business inflicting the indigenous Irish with mass immigration , he does not have the Irish people’s permission to do what he is doing , it’s a travesty and disaster for out little island that he holds the position he does
Could we stick please stick to the topic at hand. You can save the xenophobia for the dole queue.
Donnelly seems like a well clewed in man and has been great in the Dail.
There’ll have to be a steward’s enquiry if Michael Martin flogs this dead political high horse any harder.
John – are you and KKK brothers ?
Same old nonsense from you too – a Chara !
This demand for an apology coming from someone other than Michael Martin might get some serious attention but from this mediocrity of a man it means nothing.
“Do the Honourable thing”
From an Irish politician of all people.
It just shows how the biggest circus in town think of its citizens. We may be stupid to elect the people in the Dail but we are that that stupid to believe them. What evidence is there to demonstrate that one of these politicians has HONOUR. Please name one.
Looks like shatter and commissioner will have to go.
Discipline the high officers that inappropriately cancelled the points and put in new lad at the top.
I do find it highly disturbing that commissioner called them discusting while they highlight what’s now proven to be holes in system.
“Do the honourable thing”? Don’t think honourable is a word in the dictionary used by the main political parties in this country.
Starting to get sick of this blame Fianna fail white they keep spurting
Apologise??? Honourable??? Not words that are in the Ministers vocabulary.
That’s the problem with all these cumts
No liability for their actions but don’t forget the Gardai who came good once operated with that protection.
And the one who hide behind it well their kids or grand kids may not work those jobs and will be open to persecution from the protected classes.
Or Else What?
Maybe shatter just needs to go to the bathroom with the shats
have your say