The auction for public opinion that will be election 2007 has started in earnest this weekend with Fine Gael and the Green Party coming out with big headline grabbing promises.
For the Greens it was more emphasis on public transport including 56 Km of new Luas lines with new lines going into Cork and Galway. I don't agree with all their policies but I have to say I do fully agree with building more Luas lines. Personally I'd scrap plans for Metros and underground city center train stations and just build as many new Luas lines as possible. One simple, easy, efficient, integrated public transport network, preferably with lines that connect to each other as well, but sure we cant have everything.
Now for Fine Gael. Someone thought it would be a good idea to get Enda Kenny to announce that Fine Gael would also abolish stamp duty up to €450,000 on second-hand homes for first-time buyers. Sounds great but messing with stamp duty is dangerous. In fact its basically the same policy that we get from the Progressive Democrats.
The housing bubble needs novel ideas and intelligent solutions, not off the cuff vote grabbing promises. I don't know what the best solution is, but then again I'm not asking the public to put me in charge of the country. Come on Fine Gael, think outside the box every now and then, if your not going to do things differently from the current government why will anyone vote for a new government?
For the Greens it was more emphasis on public transport including 56 Km of new Luas lines with new lines going into Cork and Galway. I don't agree with all their policies but I have to say I do fully agree with building more Luas lines. Personally I'd scrap plans for Metros and underground city center train stations and just build as many new Luas lines as possible. One simple, easy, efficient, integrated public transport network, preferably with lines that connect to each other as well, but sure we cant have everything.
Now for Fine Gael. Someone thought it would be a good idea to get Enda Kenny to announce that Fine Gael would also abolish stamp duty up to €450,000 on second-hand homes for first-time buyers. Sounds great but messing with stamp duty is dangerous. In fact its basically the same policy that we get from the Progressive Democrats.
The housing bubble needs novel ideas and intelligent solutions, not off the cuff vote grabbing promises. I don't know what the best solution is, but then again I'm not asking the public to put me in charge of the country. Come on Fine Gael, think outside the box every now and then, if your not going to do things differently from the current government why will anyone vote for a new government?
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