Election Promises: A Comedy of Errors
Ah, elections! The time when our esteemed politicians make promises with the same conviction as a kid convincing his mum he “definitely didn’t eat the last cookie.” And the article we’ve unearthed dives headfirst into this world of wonderful political theatrics, particularly in the land of shamrocks and shenanigans—Ireland!
The Lead-Up Madness
So, what’s the deal? Well, let’s rewind to 2020 when Micheál Martin and co. were spitting venom like a snake on a hot pavement towards Fine Gael. In their manifesto, they had 37 mentions of their rivals, and not one of them included a “get well soon” card. Oh no, it was more like, “please leave, you’ve been in charge long enough!”
Then, like a comedy sketch gone wrong, a few weeks later, we found ourselves in a grand coalition with Fine Gael and the Greens. You see, “never say never” isn’t just a catchy Justin Bieber song; it’s now also a motto for Irish politicians.
Housing: A Nationwide Crisis
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that housing in Ireland has turned into one colossal game of “musical chairs”—but with far fewer chairs and an alarming number of angry folks who never get to sit down. Back in 2020, Fine Gael waved their magic wand and promised 40,000 houses a year—and what did we get instead? A mere 32,695 in 2023, which is a bit like promising someone a slice of pizza and giving them a few crumbs instead.
Homelessness levels are soaring higher than my hopes of finding a parking spot in Dublin, while rents have climbed faster than the cost of a pint during a Rugby World Cup final. (And let’s be real, that’s very fast!)
Climate Change: Green Electricity or Just Hot Air?
The Greens made some admirable commitments—like hoping to reduce emissions by 7% annually. Spoiler alert: that didn’t quite happen. But hey, they did roll out carbon budgets—if only they could budget some good weather while they were at it!
Education: Bigger Classes, Smaller Promises
Now onto education, where all three parties promised to reduce class sizes. Fianna Fáil said they would drop the pupil-teacher ratio from 26:1 to 20:1, which sounds lovely in theory—like saying we’ll serve cake at every meeting, but only if you can find it in a sauna full of sweaty gym-goers.
Childcare: A Burst of Positive News?
To give credit where it’s due, the government has improved spending and subsidies for childcare. It’s the kind of win they need to put on a big shiny billboard: “Hey, we’re doing something right!’ (Let’s just hope they don’t realize this might lead to fewer voters needing those services!)
Pensions: A Nod to the Elderly
Older voters have always turned out in droves, and the parties wisely agreed to increase the State pension by about €25. Nothing like buttering up the folks who can still remember when butter was actually affordable!
Taxes and Health: The Never-Ending Circus
Fine Gael promised to raise the threshold for higher tax to €50,000. Currently, it’s €42,000, which feels a bit like saying “we’ll take you to Disneyland” and then dropping you off at a kiddie park instead. Similarly, with health, they’ve promised more staff but convincing the system to function efficiently remains an ongoing battle. Kind of like trying to get a toddler to eat their broccoli—good luck!
Homework: The Classic Evasion
And lastly, the Greens had the audacity to suggest eliminating homework in primary schools. Five years later, they’re still “exploring” it. Exploration usually involves a lot of walking and not much policy delight—much like a hike with a politician who’s forgotten the snacks!
Final Thoughts
As we approach another round of election fun, maybe we’ll find politicians with the courage to make solid commitments without a loophole the size of a double-decker bus. Until then, if you’re in the voter’s chair, hold onto your vote tighter than your last chicken nugget because it looks like it’ll be a bumpy ride ahead!
Significant shifts can occur during the course of an election, especially as votes are tallied and considerations turn to the feasibility of campaign pledges and their potential realization. Just look at Micheál Martin.
In the 2020 general election manifesto of Fianna Fáil, the party mentioned Fine Gael 37 times, and the tone was notably critical throughout.
When Leo Varadkar, who appeared alongside Simon Coveney on the cover of his party’s manifesto, proposed a “grand coalition” during a televised debate in late January, Mr. Martin firmly remarked, “Fine Gael need to come out of government, they’ve been there too long, they haven’t delivered on key issues such as housing, health and the impact of cost of living on many people.” As we now know, just an election count and six weeks later, circumstances took an unexpected turn.
As the coalition talks unfolded for the establishment of a new government involving the Greens, the promises made by the three parties were inevitably reshaped by these negotiations.
The challenges posed by Covid-19, along with the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, also played a significant role. With all parties making bold claims ahead of the upcoming election, it serves as a crucial time to reflect on how effectively the trio has adhered to their commitments made during the last campaign.
Housing
This remains a profound challenge for the Government. The Coalition has offered enhanced supports to first-time buyers, as promised by the two larger parties; however, the provision of new homes continues to be a pressing concern.
In early 2020, Fine Gael committed to delivering between 35,000 to 40,000 homes annually, alongside a pledge to add an additional 60,000 social houses over the subsequent five years. Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil committed to constructing 50,000 affordable homes and enacting measures to facilitate the delivery of a total of 200,000 new homes by the year 2025.
Overall delivery numbers have significantly fallen short of these ambitious projections; in 2023 alone, 32,695 homes were constructed, just 3,500 over the targets set in the Housing for All plan, but both social and affordable housing figures lagged behind expectations. The current sentiment acknowledges that their targets were inadequately low, evidenced by unprecedented levels of homelessness and escalating issues related to housing affordability.
In the rental sector, a variety of supports have been implemented. However, a persistent shortage of housing supply has led to a consistent rise in rental prices, akin to the trends in purchase costs.
Climate
The influence of the Greens in this area has been quite evident. Their manifesto dedicated itself to pursuing an annual 7% reduction in emissions with an overarching goal of achieving a 50% decrease by 2030. Although the 7% target has not yet materialized, there has been notable progress, particularly as 2023 came the closest to that benchmark. The party successfully advocated for the establishment of carbon budgets, a vital mechanism to curtail emissions.
Progress in retrofitting has been substantial, with 40,000 homes undergoing improvements last year; however, the party initially aimed for a target of retrofitting 75,000 homes. The Greens have also made strides in public transportation improvements, although they fell short in making transport free for students or in creating a yearly pass priced at €365.
Education
All three parties made commitments to decrease class sizes and enhance capitation levels in schools, with Fianna Fáil offering the clearest plans, intending to reduce pupil-teacher ratios from 26:1 in 2020 to 20:1 by 2025. Presently, the ratio stands at 23:1.
Fine Gael assured that third-level fees would not see an increase—these fees have since been reduced—and substantial pledges regarding capital and other funding avenues have been successfully fulfilled.
Childcare
Coming from a historically low starting point, the current Government has managed to go above and beyond the general promises made by the parties concerning the childcare sector five years ago, particularly in terms of financial support and subsidies available to parents.
Pensions
Older individuals, who habitually turnout in high numbers during elections and often favour the traditional dominant parties, represent a pivotal voting demographic. The broadly similar pledges from both parties to increase the State pension by approximately €25 have been fulfilled.
Tax
Fine Gael pledged to raise the threshold at which workers begin paying the higher tax rate to €50,000. Currently, this threshold is set at €42,000. They, alongside Fianna Fáil, also committed to initiatives that would reduce USC payments. While the mechanisms for achieving this may have evolved, both parties did enact cuts. Fine Gael successfully passed legislation regarding tipping, yet Fianna Fáil’s promise to reduce Capital Gains Tax to 25% has not materialized. Meanwhile, Green initiatives concerning a proposed wealth tax, a flight tax, and cuts to tax relief measures for substantial pension pots did not come to fruition; indeed, the Government has recently agreed to increase those relief measures.
Health
Much like housing, health presents a scenario where governments can expend significantly more funds without achieving the anticipated results. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil committed to dramatically boosting budgets, and while the Greens also made promises, their manifesto lacked specific numerical commitments regarding health staffing. As a result, both the increase in budgets and the growth in health workforce numbers have taken place.
Health, however, tends to push governments to surpass even their own forecasts. For example, Fine Gael had promised to hire 5,000 additional nurses, yet the actual increase reached approximately 9,000, although as a proportion of overall Government expenditure, health expenditure has largely remained unchanged.
Other matters
Not every commitment carries a significant financial burden. In 2020, the Greens indicated their intention to investigate the possibility of eliminating homework in primary schools. Fast forward almost five years, and this inquiry appears to have progressed without any commitment toward actually phasing it out.
Several other promises have been quietly abandoned without any acknowledgment in the present campaign—such as Fianna Fáil’s initiative for a pothole reporting application.
There’s still time to engage your local candidates on these unresolved issues.
What steps can voters take to ensure that political parties move beyond promises to deliver tangible results in key issues like housing and healthcare?
Es have not yet come into fruition.
“The Road Ahead: What’s Next?”
As we look toward the future, voters should consider how effectively these parties can not only present bold visions but also implement meaningful changes. With upcoming elections on the horizon, it’s essential for them to showcase tangible accomplishments rather than merely painting a rosy picture of promises made.
With issues like housing, climate action, and healthcare pressing more than ever, the question remains: can our political leaders navigate this intricate landscape while still addressing the immediate needs of the electorate? As the balance of power shifts and the landscape of public opinion evolves, it could very well lead to unpredictable outcomes in the next election.
Ultimately, it’s up to the voters to hold their elected officials accountable. The power of democracy lies in the hands of the electorate, which can demand not just words, but actions that lead to real change and not mere political theatre.
