We need to decentralise health, education and planning powers

The votes have been counted and verified, the people have spoken, but we are not sure what they have said.

The mainstream parties are at a loss to know why they can only get 50% of the vote. The reason is the people’s abiding impression is that the elites don’t care and won’t listen to ordinary people.

It has become a cliché to say Ireland is the most Stalinist country in the world when it comes to local government and administration. So much power has been taken from local governments they are hardly worth keeping.