Editorial: get your questions ready

The rat-a-tat-tat on our door is in full swing now that the canvassers are doing the rounds. “Hold the fort,” I said to himself, “I have a few things to say.” Chatting to friends though, it seems some will be hiding behind the curtains when the canvassers call.

“Sure, what would I be saying to them?” asked one friend.

“It’s not like anything is going to change,” added another.

“But this is your opportunity to have your say,” I replied, aghast.

The thing is though, working in media, I consume news as both a job and a hobby. Predicting when the Taoiseach would call the election became like a competitive sport and when it comes to leader debates, then pass me the popcorn. That’s not the case for everyone but if you’re avoiding the canvassers because you’re unsure what to ask, here are a few items we’ve recently covered in Irish Country Living that you may have an opinion on.

In May, we spoke to Pam Dennehy from Fossa, Co Kerry. Her son Liam has scoliosis and the curve in his back was so severe, he was at risk of choking. Yet, he was still waiting on surgery.

Liam has since had his operation but as of October, 247 children are still waiting on operations, 72 over four months. Yet, a wait time of no more than four months has been recommended by ministers of health since 2017. What will the new government do to improve this situation?

Break the Cycle

Throughout September, our Break the Cycle campaign focused on mental health in rural Ireland. Last week, an FOI by The Irish Times found that waiting lists for Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) stands at 4,358 people.

Waiting lists are lowest in the urban areas of Dublin and Kildare, while people living in Carlow Kilkenny, Tipperary South, Waterford and Wexford are faced with the longest waiting lists, impacting their mental health. How is that going to be tackled?

A reformed childcare model is being promised by Taoiseach Simon Harris if he is re-elected, reducing childcare costs to a maximum of €200 per child, per month. But how will this be achieved, especially given the limitations of the Core Funding model launched in 2022.

Figures released by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers earlier this year showed that 30 créches caring for more than 900 children had given notice to parents with most citing lack of funding and staffing issues.

While childcare is a concern for some, others are in a more long-term caring role. The State of Caring Report 2024, commissioned by Family Carers Ireland saw 72% of carers have never received any respite services for their loved one. In Budget 2025, an extra €336m was allocated for disability services but how will that money be spent to ensure it’s making a difference to the lives of carers?

These are just a handful of issues and there are plenty more to ask about when the doorbell rings.