Thurles Information

For almost a century, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have run this country. Between them, they’ve provided stability, managed the economy, and kept Ireland close to Europe. They’ve done plenty right, and deserve credit for steering clear of the angry, far-right politics we see elsewhere.

But the world has changed, and the old politics of careful management simply isn’t cutting it anymore. People are tired of polite promises and slow progress. They want answers, and a bit of honesty.

What They Got Right.
To be fair, both parties handled the economy well after our economic downturn (2008–2013), caused in part by the collapse of an unsustainable property and construction bubble that had formed during the preceding “Celtic Tiger” boom years.
Fine Gael’s focus on jobs and recovery restored international trust, while Fianna Fáil’s old instinct for pragmatism helped Ireland grow out of poverty and into prosperity.
Also their shared commitment to the EU has been a huge advantage. Foreign investment has powered our economy and created real opportunity and on paper, that’s success.
But a country isn’t just measured by GDP, it’s measured by how people live, and that’s where the Irish right keeps falling short.

The Big Disconnect.
The housing crisis has exposed the limits of their thinking. For years, both parties have insisted that the market will sort it out. It hasn’t. Rents are out of control, first-time buyers are priced out, and homelessness is rising. When people try to raise these issues, they run into another problem, the government’s communication gap. You send an email to a TD or department and you get a polite automated acknowledgement, but it ends there. You get no reply and questions are not answered.
That kind of political politeness has become a symbol of the wider problem: leaders who appear to listen but don’t actually hear.

Two Parties, One Message.
Once upon a time, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael fought over ideas. Today, they’re practically interchangeable. Both are pro-business, pro-Europe, cautious and allergic to risk. Their coalition might keep things calm, but it also keeps them stuck.
Yes, voters notice. Many aren’t looking for revolution, just for someone who speaks clearly, admits mistakes, and offers real solutions and public discussion.

Time to Reconnect.
Ireland still badly needs a strong, sensible centre-right. Financial discipline and good management are important. But so are empathy, imagination, and communication.

If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael want to survive the next decade, they’ll need to do more than manage, they’ll need to lead. That means tackling housing head-on, cutting through bureaucracy, and giving straight answers when people ask fair questions.
In 2025, “steady as she goes“ isn’t enough. People want to be heard. They want a government that talks straight, acts fast, and most importantly actually deliver the goods.

Until that happens, the old parties will remain what they’ve become: solid, safe, while slowly losing touch.

While a verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on – a spoiled ballot sends no message worth hearing.

• Spoiling your vote isn’t a protest, it’s surrendering your voice to halfwits.
• Frustration with politics is understandable, especially under current leadership, but a spoiled ballot achieves nothing.
• Real change comes through engagement, not withdrawal from the democratic process.
• Disillusionment is no excuse for silence.
• Casting a valid vote, however reluctantly, is the only way to make democracy listen.

Today, TippFM Radio lead with a headline that suggests Tipperary Deputy Mr Mattie McGrath will be spoiling his vote in the upcoming Irish Presidential Election, since the two remaining candidate’s on the ballot paper, don’t represent his views.

Then yesterday, TippFM Radio lead with the news that Fianna Fáil TD Mr Ryan O’Meara (who hasn’t been in Dáil Éireann a wet week and has achieved nothing since elected), stated that because his party’s chosen candidate Mr Jim Gavin will still be on the ballot paper “he’ll most likely give him No 1, but is undecided on his transfers”.
Mr Gavin, as voters will be aware, pulled out of the campaign after it emerged, he knowingly failed, since 2009, to return overpaid rent (some €3,300) to a former tenant.

So here we have two elected TD sitting in our Irish parliament, both threatening to spoil their vote. Have these two powerful gods, who both greatly contribute to political disillusionment, consulted with those who mistakenly voted for them?

Disillusionment with Irish politics is hardly new!

As a presidential election approaches, the temptation to express frustration by spoiling your vote can be strong. Disillusionment with Irish politics is hardly new, and for many voters the choices on offer may indeed feel limited or uninspiring.
Yet, while spoiling a vote might seem like an act of protest, it ultimately carries no political weight, and serves only to silence the voter’s own voice.

A spoiled vote is recorded, but not counted. It doesn’t shape the outcome, nor does it send a clear signal of discontent. Political parties and candidates rarely draw meaning from spoiled ballots; they focus instead on the valid votes that determine who wins and who loses. If the aim is to make politicians listen, then a spoiled vote does not achieve it.

Those who advocate spoiling a ballot, serve only their wish to silence you the voter.

Democracy depends on participation. When citizens disengage, the balance of power shifts towards those who do turn out, often the more organised or entrenched interests. Casting a valid vote, even reluctantly, strengthens the democratic process and keeps it fully accountable. With Ireland’s system of proportional representation, every first preference vote can make a difference, particularly in tight local or constituency contests where margins are often slim.

Is to spoil a vote a symbolic statement against a broken political system????

Some “chowderhead’s” argue that spoiling a vote is a symbolic statement against a broken political system. But a spoiled ballot says only what a voter rejects, not what they want. A better form of protest is to vote for candidates that reflect our values more closely. Even a low tally of first-preference votes can shape political debate in future elections.

Let it never be forgotten that the right to vote in Ireland was hard-won. Generations before us fought to secure it, often at great personal risk and death. Choosing not to vote, or to use use your vote in a way that has no effect, diminishes the legacy they granted to the present generation and to future generations.

Ultimately, voting is both a right but also a responsibility. It is an expression of hope that things can change, however slowly. Spoiling a vote may provide psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions in the moment, but it leaves the field to others to now decide your future.

Remember in a democracy, silence is never the strongest statement.