Irish Examiner view: Get out and vote for what you want today
Process The The Plaining Than By Results Influence Voting, About Democratic Rather After
It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that some bizarre incident may have occurred overnight to the electorate, but that’s unlikely.
Still, elections down the decades have shown that unlikely events can turn campaigns one way or the other. In 1960, John F Kennedy’s cool performance in a TV debate was compared with the sweaty, furtive appearance of his opponent Richard Nixon and credited with swinging the election his way.
Similarly, a legend swiftly grew up around Labour’s 1966 victory over the Tories in Britain — that the feelgood factor from England’s World Cup win had boosted Harold Wilson’s chances of victory.
Interestingly, the supposed World Cup boost never happened: The British general election was held in March and the World Cup final was played in July. Kennedy’s debate victory was also exaggerated: Those who listened to the two candidates on radio felt Nixon had had the upper hand.
Scroll for results in your area
Is there a subtle element of abdication of responsibility in such stories, and specifically in their persistence? That could lead to a worrying thought: That voters might be predisposed towards blaming outside factors after an election to downplay their own responsibility.
The counter-argument to that line of thinking is a simple one. Get out and vote and influence the democratic process directly rather than complaining about the results after.
Participation in that process is a privilege, something illustrated by the fact that it was denied to half the population of Ireland until a century ago.
There are many countries around the world where the results are known before votes are cast. We are fortunate here to cast our votes according to our personal preferences.
As noted above, readers must now cast their votes. The has run an issues-led campaign over the last few weeks, attempting to help readers make their own minds up on who should govern, armed with information on what they want the next government to prioritise and ‘fix’.
The candidates have made their pitches and the promises of all parties, both reasonable and unrealistic, have been well ventilated. The only suggestion from this quarter is to base your choice in the election booth on what you want from your representatives rather than simply casting a vote for chaos.
America has given a disquieting example of the latter, one we do not need to follow.
Both the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Fórsa have voted in favour of industrial action, with over 90% of those voting in each body favouring the move.
Fórsa has pointed to staffing gaps in services for older people, community and mental health services, and hospitals as a serious issue, while the INMO has raised concerns about autonomy in recruitment. The two organisations will engage over the next two weeks to plan industrial action.
These are not the only issues in the health sector which emerged recently. The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association is calling for changes in how medicines are approved in Ireland, with patients facing delays of up to two years compared to other EU countries; it has called on political parties to commit to funding the HSE to meet six-month target times, as set out under existing legislation.
With the cold snap putting even more pressure on health services, the possibility of industrial action — particularly over the holiday period — will be disheartening for many people, particularly those relying on these services on a regular basis for treatment. There is no contradiction involved in believing that workers have the right to use all legitimate means to further their case, while also dreading the difficulties associated with accessing health services during such industrial action.
There is an added complication here, however, in the fact that a new government will be in place by Christmas, and no matter what party or parties are involved in this administration, there will probably be a new health minister as well. This issue is likely to be one of the top items in that minister’s in-tray when he or she sits behind the desk for the first time.
In any other department, the prospect of a mass strike and huge disruption for users of the service could be seen as a baptism of fire. Such are the pressures in health, and the state of our health services, that it is more likely to be seen as business as usual.
The court heard that, on February 11, a 4x4 driven by Thomas crashed and turned over, causing injuries to her friend, front-seat passenger Sheila Dunne, as a result of which she died. Thomas had had 12 alcoholic beverages in the course of that day.
Many readers in Cork and beyond will be aware of this case, not just because of the bare facts as indicated above, but because of a blizzard of rumour, innuendo, lies, and fabrications which circulated widely in relation to the case.
The Dunne family’s heartbreak cannot be overstated, and they deserve every sympathy on the passing of a beloved member of their family in such unexpected circumstances.
There are many in this country who continue to take a cavalier attitude towards consuming alcohol and getting behind the wheel. Let this tragedy be a lesson to them all.