Brendan Ryan (Labour)

The fundamental problem in Ireland is the deeply held perception of ordinary people that the way the country is run is unfair. Ordinary people on ordinary incomes — the 83% of taxpayers who earn less than €50,000 a year — believe that while the country got rich, matters worsened for them. The price of houses and child care has risen, the pressures people face in terms of commuting time have increased and they face problems caused by the appalling road and public transport infrastructure. All these factors add up to an unequivocal belief by ordinary people that the current situation is unfair, which is crystallised in the phrase "a rip-off republic".