Some Galway West voters have told Gript they feel politicians are “not listening” ahead of Friday’s by-election, with housing, immigration and the Government’s response to recent fuel protests among the issues raised by voters in Salthill.
Speaking to Gript during a vox pop in the constituency this week, several voters expressed frustration with government parties and dissatisfaction with the wider political system ahead of polling day on Friday, April 22nd.
One woman said she had become increasingly critical of the Government following coverage of recent fuel protests.
“I’m afraid I would be anti-government at the moment,” the woman said.
“Primarily, I was just watching the program last night on the fuel protests. It didn’t help. It would have swung me, I’ll be honest.
“I thought they were very out of touch with reality, with the ordinary people. And I thought they were very quick to put them into a category of far-right and infiltration, which they just went out to protest for their right to earn a livelihood.”
Another younger voter said she remained undecided, citing concerns over housing and what she described as a lack of engagement from candidates.
“I’m sort of still very undecided as to who I’m voting for,” she said.
“It’s very much an open race, and I kind of haven’t seen a lot of engagement, particularly from representatives. Even on my own family home, there’s six of us, we’ve had maybe two people call round, so I don’t see anyone looking for the vote.
“And I suppose my priorities – you know, I’m working full time, saving for years, I’m working two jobs, still nowhere near affording a house, and I don’t see anyone offering any real solutions to that, so I’m torn.”
The voter said she had previously supported left-wing parties and expected to lean in a similar direction again.
“Previously I would have been vote left, transfer left,” she said.
“I would have traditionally gone, I suppose in the last few elections, Sinn Féin, SocDems. And that’s probably where I’ll lean to this time again, just because I would like to see more of that left representation in government and something different to the classic Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil that we’ve had the last…well, forever.”
Another woman said recent political controversies had affected her confidence in the political system, including last year’s referendums and the presidential nomination process.
“[The election has been] disappointing for many reasons,” she said.
“It just does appear that the government and most of the politicians aren’t actually listening, especially since they had the opportunity to listen over the family referendum that time that they wanted to take mother out of the constitution.
“Then also last November when we were given no choice in the election basically of our president. People were blocked from even getting on the ballot paper, and after all, it is our choice to choose the president, not the councillor’s choice. So I think that system should be changed.”
The woman said those issues would influence how she votes in the by-election.
“I’m just sad and disappointed with the way it’s going,” she continued.
“And it would impinge on the way I would vote, yeah. Because I think, you know, if somebody consistently doesn’t listen, then what do you do? You have to have some sort of a repercussion, don’t you?”
She also said comments previously made by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín had resonated with her.
“I remember a few years ago when Peadar Tóibín was starting off,” she said.
“And something resonated with me when he said at the end of his speech, ‘If you agree with even just 70% of what I’m saying here, then we’re the party for you.’
“Not necessarily even 70% of what he says I agree with, but I certainly wouldn’t even agree with 50% or 40% of what some of the others are doing. So, I will probably be going in that kind of direction.”
Not all responses to the Government were negative, however – one older man said he was considering giving his first preference to Fine Gael Senator Seán Kyne.
“My man is Seán Kyne,” he said.
“I think I might give him a vote. Not sure about anybody else, but I’ll look around, maybe think about it. I have 17 to choose from, so we’ll see how it goes.”
The voter said Kyne’s record in Galway had influenced his thinking.
“Well, I like Seán,” he said.
“He seems to be an honest broker, you know. He is what he is. I think he’s a good man, you know. He served Galway well, and the Gaeltacht well, so…”
He also said one of the top issues for him had to do with a local ring road proposal.
A younger man said he intended to support Aontú, citing both social issues and dissatisfaction with the Government’s handling of immigration and agriculture.
“I’m voting for Peadar Tóibín, for Aontú,” he said.
“I don’t really see anyone else who represents my own beliefs…and I think there’s a need for a change in Ireland as well. We’re kind of getting the same thing over and over again, so hopefully there’ll be a change.”
He said abortion and immigration were among the issues most important to him as a voter.
“Well, first of all, [I’m] pro-life,” he said.
“I hope that the country will turn around and turn away from abortion. It seems to be progressing to something that is a lot more, we’ll say, serious than it started off with.
“Also, I just think in general, like, the people aren’t being listened to, you know? I find a lot of the people on the ground, whether it be farmers, whether it be on immigration, these things, we’re just not being listened to.”
The Galway West by-election takes place this Friday, with 17 candidates contesting the seat vacated by President Catherine Connolly last October.
Current polling has suggested that Fine Gael Senator Seán Kyne is among the frontrunners, alongside Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas and Labour Councillor Helen Ogbu.