So what will they label Olivia Mitchell then...

...I have already put up a thread about my objectoins to the 'Nazi' jibe used against Michael McDowell and a few said it was because of his authoritarian stance.

I hear Olivia Mitchell on the radio this morning stating that the taxi drivers protest yesterday should have been forcibly broken up by the Gardai. Looks like, if there is a change of Government, we may look back on this regime with affection for its softly softly approach to public protests!

gandalf

She's right though. As somebody said on radio this morning on Newstalk if that was a pack of brickies protesting on a building site the Gardai would have been sent in pronto.

Public Protests are permitted but common sense should prevail. Something like yesterdays fiasco should have been nipped in the bud. To allow the Taxi drivers to disrupt one of the nations main streets during rush hour, to cost businesses on that street money and delay citizens of the country from going about their way should be stopped.

I cannot understand your position unless you have converted to becoming a member of the Socialist Workers Party.

seamus

People have a right to peaceful protest. But "peaceful protest" doesn't necessarily cover civil disobedience/disruption, which is what the taxi drivers set out for yesterday.

As gandalf points out, McDowell gets a lot of stick because of his authoritarian and black-and-white stances, particularly on issues of asylum and personal liberties.

Villain

What I can't understand is why Ger Deering gave them such a quick answer, I mean surely he could have told them that he will take time to examine their objections and bought some time until after the Ryder Cup. I don't know all the ins and outs of their objections but it looks like they mean business and we have two very big events been held in this State this month, i.e. the Ryder Cup and the World Ploughing Championship in my home town. A compromise has to be agreed we can't allow this situation to disrupt either of these 2 events.

LostinBlanch

As Gandalf said,

the wildcat protest yesterday cost business money, never mind cause normal commuters and other citizens much distress and bother.If it happens again, the Business Associations should get together and take down the numbers of the taxi drivers and make official complaint to the carriage office. They should be identified and they could leave themselves open to civil action on behalf of the business association to make good losses as a result of unnoficial action. If that means that some of the bullies are bankrupted then so be it.

I can see the sense in people saying that you have to stamp on this now and apply the full force of the law (both civil and criminal) in order to stop this happening again. As has also been mentioned if it was the bricklayers protest then the guards would have moved in to stop this. So letting the taxi drivers off because it would be too much bother isn't inconsistent with this. The law has to be seen to be applied equally, otherwise it is brought into disrepute.

partholon

ah come on lads we've gone way off thread here. if we're gonna call her something its got to have something to do with the blueshirts:D i'd come up with something meself but im too tired

gandalf

I'd call her what she is as she one of my local TD's, bloody useless never hear from her until it comes close to the elections (see above). Then again we're not really blessed with any decent ones here at all.

daveirl

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