“WHEN are you resigning?”, “who and when will the potholes on that back road be fixed?” and “why wont the Gardai move the thugs hanging around at the end of the street and in the park?”.
Just some of the burning questions being asked at the doors to the political canvassing armies that wear their shoe leather on the collective march to the Dail.
The man and woman on the street want to know what is going to happen to this country, its financial and economic future. But are they getting answers.
James, who describes himself as a father of one in his late 20’s, from one of the “so called regeneration areas”, wants to know what will a new government do to secure his future.
“I don’t even feel like voting because they make me so mad with their cars, highly paid jobs and golf dinners. I watch the news and read the papers like everyone else. Do they think they can get away with it all the time. If I carried on and did some of the things they were up to, I’d be in Mulgrave Street behind bars”.
Focusing on more personal issues, James says: “Social welfare payments have been cut, the chance of jobs seems unlikely and the hole just looks to be getting bigger”.
He seems to be the voice of many that indicate the levels of economic despair are on the increase. It is relevant and pertinent to Joe and Mary Bloggs who are struggling through life.
Other questions and topics that remain top of the list include, government ministerial pensions and their worth, and who can fix the HSE, along with policy queries on funding for children with special needs?
The IMF hits a chord with a few that are clued into the dynamics of economics and the fiscal reports and policies.
The campaigns of the major players are hinging on who can renegotiate a better deal, but many wonder if the EU and the pen pushers behind the IMF funding will even consider sitting at the table to talk after the papers have been signed.
Darragh, from the northside of the city, asks: “I want to know will you be travelling abroad on St. Patrick’s Day at my expense and what do you hope to achieve by it,” adding, “Why does the Dail get such long holidays and is it fair on the rest of us?”
Quipping as to the chaos caused during the last two major weather freezes that the country has endured, Margaret, from the NCRd, wants to know if we “have enough salt and grit for the next cold snap?”
In jest to an online question posted to the Limerick Post Facebook account, Limerick native Dawn Hogan, says she will say to canvassers: “How long will it take you to get away from my door?”
And finally, an international flavour to one question fielded by this reporter linking our ex-pats from distant shores to home.
Mark, an LIT graduate of the 90s and now based in Missouri in the United States, questions if consideration will ever be given to online voting or something to allow voters based abroad have some say at election time? Others disagree.
The results of February 25 next might shed some light on few if not all of those questions.
