FG and Labour exposed for vote-getting gimmicks

IN every election, candidates feed the electorate with tasty promises and even, in some cases, quickly thought up gimmicks that will get that all important extra vote.

Fine Gael were off to a good start last week with a pledge to give struggling homeowners a boost with increased amounts in mortgage interest relief. And the promise caught the attention of a lot of people.

But party promises must be checked. So what was the track record of Fine Gael and Labour after the last time the parties went looking for votes, following the local elections of 2009? A spot check on the promises made by the two parties shows a dismal record when it comes to implementing pledges made at the doorsteps.

In Dublin city, Labour won 19 of the 52 local seats, effectively taking control of the city council.

Fine Gael took control of Cork City Council, after taking 8 of the 31 seats.

But key points and promises from the manifestos launched by both parties with fanfare in the two cities coming up to voting day, have never seen the light of day.

Deputy Labour leader Joan Burton personally launched the party’s manifesto for Dublin called a Fair Deal for a Fair City on May 27, with just days to go before voting.

The party promised

* A Dublin ‘loyalty card’ to stimulate growth, which would give consumers special discounts

* The development of a ‘cultural quarter’ at the top of O’Connell Street

* The opening of colleges during summer months to help train the unemployed.

* The use of libraries as ‘information hubs’ for people seeking information on jobs

* A city-wide local skills survey to assess the needs of the unemployed.

None of these pledges were met by Labour after taking control.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore even promised discounted rates for businesses starting up. That promise was also never met.

Dublin party group leader and councillor Kevin Humphreys said the use of energy-saving LED traffic lights, extra jobs in companies like Google, IBM and Facebook and the employment of apprentices through the council were proof that Labour had kept some of its promises.

The general election candidate blamed the failure to roll out many of the party’s key local election promises on the burden of having to put together a development plan with other council members.

But Fine Gael’s record in Cork city since wooing voters with promises in mid-2009 is even worse.

Most of its 12-point development plan never got off the ground or have failed. Enda Kenny’s candidates promised

* To set up a Cork Transport Authority

* To get funds for Cork as a Gateway City Designation

* Tax breaks and funds for the proposed Eastern Gateway Bridge, to kick start Cork’s docklands regeneration

* Money to develop the northern ring road

* The completion of the flyovers on the South Road at Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road roundabouts

* Funds for urban regeneration or protection of green spaces

* Secure a debt-free and independent Cork Airport

In the main, all the above promises failed or met with limited success, with the exception of €1.2m spent on the regeneration of Cornmarket Street as well as the protection of some lands in the city, such as the old Farranferris school.

Fine Gael councillor Jim Corr, the party’s group leader in the city, admitted many of the pledges had not been met and blamed the failures on the lack of funds coming down the line to local government.

Both parties said they were only a year and a half into a five-year term.