Why are the Irish so uninterested in protesting, and would it do any good?

[Ruff says Flaherty]

We have elections. A parliamentary Republic. If we want to protest we do so with a vote.
Look at the last election if you want to see protest in action, and extremely effective action too.

To be honest, my guess is that we are too intelligent to protest against something we voted overwhelmingly for less than a year ago.

Labour and FG were elected on a landslide majority.

Where is the reason for a protest?

The fact that both parties have gone back on their election promises, blaming "compromise" with the other for this.

[Lassie]

[moralhazard77]

In such a close society, there are things you can do (though I know it won't happen).

The powers that be and the media are very tight so campaign to stop buying papers (they're mostly shyte anyway).

Even if you can easily afford it, cancel Sky etc. subscriptions.

Cancel mobile contracts and go PAYG if you don't need a contract.

Other things are a campaign to use much less electric/gas to hit the profits (saves money at the same time).

I'm sure people can think of other things. The idea is to hit the government's buddies in their pockets. They've no conscience about doing it to us.

That is what people should be doing. Protesting achieves nothing. Boycott, protectionism and the power of the many acting together are the real weapons of the people. If only they realised the awesome power that they have they could easily target the powers that be and force real change. Just takes strategic thinking, focusing on the real problems and orgainising people to collectively target an offending entity until they are forced to change or die. Simples.

[an innocent abroad]

The Irish are cowards!...................This government and the previous government know this! that is why they bought the peace of the public sector unions, they are the most organised., plus the politicans, local and national, union leaders, quangos salaries are in line with the higher civil servant pay rates and pensions. Have you not noticed the very people who belong to this elite are the only one's on the Frontline explaining why the poor, lower,and middle incomes should take the burden. labour ( F.F. light) having changed their coats 4 times find it difficult to even empanthise with the people they are suppose to represent?
Spring started the high paid consultants and then went into government with a party that people hated, well Spring and his cohorts are all living on a pension plus expenses that most working people don't earn, yes labour ( F.F light,) have kept up a long tradition of taking care of them and theirs and TO HELL WITH THE COUNTRY!

[eskrimador]

That is what people should be doing. Protesting achieves nothing. Boycotting and protectionism are the real weapons of the people. If only they realised the awesome power that they have they could easily target the powers that be and force real change. Just takes strategic thinking, focusing on the real problems and orgainising people to collectively target the orgainisation until they are forced to change or die. Simples.

Indeed We have this thing that we are currently using, the internet, to communicate like never before, to organise. At time of greed, we need the producers of goods and services At times of need, they need us.

Nothing makes me laugh more than someone complaining about people being screwed on one thread then talking about the match they watched on Sky, on another thread.

[irish_bob]

Its probably because the Goverment have most on board, Public workers/Pensioners/Farmers/The Well paid Private Sector

see above

[irish_bob]

I disagree entirely!

I was one of those the anti-apartheid marches when the Springboks played in Lansdowne Road. A young Bernadette Devlin was with us.

I took part in the boycott of Dunnes stores re: South African imports.

I also took part in the protests regards anti-nuclear, anti-Vietnam war, exhorbitant PAYE, health cuts, invasion of East Timor, over 70s medical card withdrawal etc .....and we won on all of them because we were a committed bunch of people.

I stopped going on protests when the Socialist Party decided to invade every protest with their rent-a-protestor and freebie placards with their logo.
Also, I do not march under any union banner.

Presently, my idea of a protest that will acheive results is for small affected groups to peacefully protest, everyday, outside TDs' clinics...no matter what party.....with a collection bucket where the TDs can donate some of the huge amount of money they take from us as salary, expenses, pension and daily allowance.

so its because of people like you that a retired guard on a weekly pension of 699 euro per week , can visit his GP whenever he likes for free

[lying eyes]

We have elections. A parliamentary Republic. If we want to protest we do so with a vote.
Look at the last election if you want to see protest in action, and extremely effective action too.

To be honest, my guess is that we are too intelligent to protest against something we voted overwhelmingly for less than a year ago.

Labour and FG were elected on a landslide majority.

Where is the reason for a protest?

Because they LIED.

[an innocent abroad]

How the hell did this country ever become a republic?..................................... Answers on a postcard to the British government C/O Cameron.

[Raketemensch]

Personally, i'd like to protest but there are too many groups representing people/the march that I dont want to stand shoulder to shoulder with...mainly the unions.
I'd like to see a march of the people not of the unions or Sinn Fein or the association of slovakian flutists of ireland, no tiddlywinks players of Blarney... or whatever.

Just the people , no organisations, no logos, no union banners....just the people.

I'd go on that protest

I think this is the reason most people don't protest. It is rarely admitted, either by the establishment or the so called rebels of the ULA, SF etc. but let's face it, many of the interests of people are in conflict. Public sector vs. private, wealthy vs. poor, rural vs. urban etc. Protestors are generally led by the Unions and associated which alienates the private sector, rural and those who want to pay less tax.

Something that could bring people together could be opposition to the general mismanagement of the country under nearly a century of FF/FG. Such a protest would have to stay unbranded and free of ideological fragments. In fact, such a strategy has been used to devastating effect by the Occupy Wall Street movement. An Irish version would have to steer clear of single issues like Palestine and turf cutting to focus on the real problem; our useless system of governance.

Someone with genuine leadership qualities and PR firepower and who was willing to put their pet causes on a back burner could potentially mobilise support across Irish society to send the message that the civil war clubs have failed the people again and again and that radical change is needed to bring Ireland into the 21st century.