Now they want to take away our minimum wage

ManFromAtlantis

i fixed your post for you .

spank_inferno wrote: »

Ireland can become competitive by increasing the maximum pay.
The head of Bank of Ireland was paid nearly €4 million euro in 2006 and fair play to him - he employs loads of people .

Competitiveness! does this country now knows the meaning of the word?!

.

traffic_cone

hmmm

Boskowski

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

Could you sustain a family, provide shelter, food and pay the bills, pay for the costs of education (free my arse), clothes and entertainment for 312 a week?

Well, like judge Judy would say 'cop on, you're not meant to'.
Minimum wage jobs aren't exactly the foundation for a happy family life. If you want a house and kids and all that get a better job. I wouldn't dream of starting a family on a minimum wage.

Hazys

spank_inferno wrote: »

I fixed your post for you.
Ireland can become competitive by decreasing the maximum pay.
The head of Bank of Ireland was paid nearly €4 million euro in 2006.
Taking as an approximation that amounts to the yearly employment of 220, thats right 220 minimum wage workers.

Competitiveness! does this country know the meaning of the word?!

So communism instead it is then :rolleyes:

We are in difficult times, drastic measures have to be taken. It is unfair to cut minimum wage as the people on it didnt cause the recession, but do you want to do the fair thing and watch the country go down the toilet?

Cutting minimum wage seems like a good idea right now especially when we have the highest minimum wage in Europe (Luxembourg doesnt really count as a sample set), do we have the highest standard of living in Europe? Probably not, near the top tho.

Obviously this tough decision shouldn't be the only tough decision that has to be made over the next year or two.

rocally

I know Irish manufacturing companies that moved their factory's to Poland but still charge the same amount here for the end product. It's greed plain and simple. You can't punish the average employee for the mistakes of management.

No it's business plain and simple ,

Red Sleeping Beauty

kraggy wrote: »

Regarding the dole, I think those who are on it the longest should have it decreased by 10-15%.

They're obviously the ones who have been taking the piss for years as there was ample opportunity to find employment during the good times.
.

No they're not obviously the ones taking the piss. They're the people for whom stable employment has always been a rare thing .

kraggy wrote: »

Too many scumbags have been enjoying free money for too long now. Time for them to start to feel a pinch at last.

You're right, too many scumbags enjoying free money for too long. At least we agree on this

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance, but could you explain this a little clearer please?

Sorry, it was sarcasm
Someone on the dole or going between min wage jobs isn't going to say "Oh, the country needs me to take a hit. Grand so, I'll give up what little money I get per week to help those cowboys who cause the mess get back to their bonuses"

Boskowski

deleriumtremens wrote: »

I agree with this. Understandably a bitter pill to swallow, (I myself am on the dole), would anyone here disagree that cutting the minimum wage by a bit and also decreasing the dole to maybe 190 a week in line with this, would help the economy more than not doing it? Seriously wage costs in this country are still at the unnaturally high levels reached as a result of the unnatural growth in the boom years, surely its time for wage cost to fall a bit.

Cut the minimum wage by 1 Euro to 1.50 and the dole by 25 a week.

Edited: Had 'dole by 50 a week ' there first, bit over the top maybe:D

Dont be at yourself

Nah lads, we don't need to cut the minimum wage, lower the dole, cut public spending or anything.

The solution is clear. We just need to get those few hundred greedy politicians to take a pay cut. That'll easily cover our 55 million euro-a-day overdraft!

Anyway, back to reality...

themadchef

Dropping the Min wage without bringing the dole into line will cause more people to go on the dole.

I know of two families, both with kids who were laid off recently and both are only €30 a week worse off on the dole. Why would they go back to working a 40 week in the wind and rain for €30... that's how people see it.

While they were working they were not entitled to the medical card..but now they are.

I'd hate to be on the dole, i feel sorry for the genuine hard working people of this country who find them selves in this position. Jobs will become available at much lower rates than previously paid. People have to realise a job is a job is a job... until things improve, take what you can. But if you get practically the same amount of money on the dole who can blame people for not wanting to work? The dole simply must be de incentivised when the jobs are there.

Reducing the minimum wage is not going to solve the problem. Employers who survived with little staff are not going to hire more just because their wage bill has fallen 10% ...they are going to use it to maybe stay in business, and maybe pay the electricity bill which seems to be growing by the month.

Molly30

kraggy wrote: »

Regarding the dole, I think those who are on it the longest should have it decreased by 10-15%.

They're obviously the ones who have been taking the piss for years as there was ample opportunity to find employment during the good times.

They've been sitting on their arses for who knows how long at the expense of me and you.

You can't really cut the dole for those who have been signing on for just the last year as they are a) more likely to be genuine and b) more likely to have mortgages than those on the dole for more than 2 years.

Too many scumbags have been enjoying free money for too long now. Time for them to start to feel a pinch at last.

+1
there are people I know that are on the dole for yrs and have no intention of getting a job cos they are getting 200 a week for doing nothing, plus most of the rent paid plus a medical card and god knows what else! Apparently it wouldn't be worth their while working....but they do a day here and a day there on the QT to supplement their dole! Questions need to be asked of people that spend the entire celtic tiger on the dole....as there was plenty of work around! If they don;t address this and reduce the min wage, it won;t be worth people giving up all the things they get on the dole to go out and work!

Red Sleeping Beauty

Mickah wrote: »

WE HAVE NO MONEY!
.

Ireland has plenty of money . As it happens, it's those few capitalists who control the majority of the wealth.


Cut the dole by Euro 50 a week ?
Mother of jaysis, I'm about to pass out here reading this nonsense

Hazys

ScumLord wrote: »

I know Irish manufacturing companies that moved their factory's to Poland but still charge the same amount here for the end product. It's greed plain and simple. You can't punish the average employee for the mistakes of management.

So if you were in charge of setting the prices, you would charge a fair price?

Obviously if they could of charged a cheaper price, that would have increased sales and increased profit, they would have.

You can blame the Fat Cats all you like, it was still the average Irish person buying the product at the price they set. In the boom times we didnt care about finding the best value. We went to bars and restaurants not looking at the prices spending at will, the owners set the prices to maximise their profits as anybody would do. Now we want to blame them because we were so carefree with our money?

deleriumtremens

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

Ireland has plenty of money . As it happens, it's those few capitalists who control the majority of the wealth.


Cut the dole by Euro 50 a week ?
Mother of jaysis, I'm about to pass out here reading this nonsense

Perhaps 50 is a bit much but do you genuinely think it that the suggestion of cutting the dole by any amount is "nonsense"? If a persons weekly income from working is barely above (or in some cases less than) the dole, of course they are going to go on the dole. This puts more pressure on the government to cut it..keeping 20% of the adults available for work in this country on 204 quid a week isnt going to be easy with feck all tax coming in.

ScumLord

Hazys wrote: »

So if you were in charge of setting the prices, you would charge a fair price?

Obviously if they could of charged a cheaper price, that would have increased sales and increased profit, they would have.

You can blame the Fat Cats all you like, it was still the average Irish person buying the product at the price they set. In the boom times we didnt care about finding the best value. We went to bars and restaurants not looking at the prices spending at will, the owners set the prices to maximise their profits as anybody would do. Now we want to blame them because we were so carefree with our money?

Lol, true. I suppose it is wrong to blame a business for being business like. They do need to be put on a leash though.

astrofool

spank_inferno wrote: »

I fixed your post for you.
Ireland can become competitive by decreasing the maximum pay.
The head of Bank of Ireland was paid nearly €4 million euro in 2006.
Taking as an approximation that amounts to the yearly wage costs of 220, thats right 220 minimum wage workers.

Competitiveness! does this country know the meaning of the word?!

That is stupid, if that money doesn't go on wages, it gets taxed on profit at the corporation tax rate, which is lower than the top rate of tax.

The guy at the top is not what determines how competitive we are, but what the guy at the bottom earns. Social welfare should be cut by 10%, and min wage should be dropped by 50c or so, and then frozen for X number of years (giving businesses a guarantee that their costs won't spiral). We can then begin trying to attract companies into the country. If we do this right, we can increase competition and lower the cost of living at the same time.

deadhead13

realcam wrote: »

Well, like judge Judy would say 'cop on, you're not meant to'.
Minimum wage jobs aren't exactly the foundation for a happy family life. If you want a house and kids and all that get a better job. I wouldn't dream of starting a family on a minimum wage.

Don't be so smug. Its not an option for some. Are you seriously suggesting that the low paid shouldn't have children.

Gummy Panda

I can understand the need to lower wage costs but i just find this funny after most of our TDs have refused to take a pay cut and haven't been forced to.

engrish?

Jesus, this forum has turned into a monty python sketch. Live with it lads, we all need to take a cut. Stop looking for people to blame and start thinking how you can help to fix it. Most of us are going through tough times, our parents did it, their parents did it, even ug and ugella the cave couple had bad times when the wooley mamoth died out and left them little to eat.

Focus on the solution, not the problem or how it happened.

deadhead13

engrish? wrote: »

Focus on the solution, not the problem or how it happened.

I have complete lack of trust in the people dreaming up with these "solutions"

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

realcam wrote: »

Well, like judge Judy would say 'cop on, you're not meant to'.
Minimum wage jobs aren't exactly the foundation for a happy family life. If you want a house and kids and all that get a better job. I wouldn't dream of starting a family on a minimum wage.

So you believe that all people on minimum wage were on minimum wage all their lives, they shouldn't be allowed have families or have the same rights as those on higher salaries? Are you saying that all families in a minimum wage household are planned? They put themselves in this situation on purpose?

People were made redundant, some are out of college and cannot move on from their college jobs.

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

Sorry, it was sarcasm
Someone on the dole or going between min wage jobs isn't going to say "Oh, the country needs me to take a hit. Grand so, I'll give up what little money I get per week to help those cowboys who cause the mess get back to their bonuses"

Oh I know that, but I meant that people on minimum wage or social welfare know what the deal is, they know how hard it is, while people on higher wages don't have a clue, so it is easy for them to say. Get me?

deleriumtremens wrote: »

Perhaps 50 is a bit much but do you genuinely think it that the suggestion of cutting the dole by any amount is "nonsense"? If a persons weekly income from working is barely above (or in some cases less than) the dole, of course they are going to go on the dole. This puts more pressure on the government to cut it..keeping 20% of the adults available for work in this country on 204 quid a week isnt going to be easy with feck all tax coming in.

Yes it is complete nonsence, try living on 200 euro a week, it's not easy. Take my word for it. Every cent you spend you worry about. Unemployment will not reach 20%, it will peak at about 12% - 13%. I agree that if the wage is cut, then more people are likely to opt for the dole, but signing on is not as easy as it was 6 months or a year ago. You know?

It's not a matter of "minimum wage V social welfare" it's about people surviving on pittence. If we recieved a cut in either, we would like to see some cuts in prices in the retail sector. Somebody living on their own, in shared house for 80 euro a week could just about afford it. Just about. This takes into account that the person in question only uses neccesities. Lives on the very basics. I dunno, people are targeting the wrong sector...

engrish?

deadhead13 wrote: »

I have complete lack of trust in the people dreaming up with these "solutions"

If you have a better solution, present it, otherwise, put your faith and confidence in those that do. The minute you start thinking your going to fail, you have already failed.


I realise I sound like a fortune cookie but I sincerely believe in what I am saying.

thebman

You can't reduce the cost of living without reducing the minimum wage.

It determines everything. You need a low minimum wage and other salaries to come down proportionately to decrease the cost of living. Otherwise companies will continue charging what they charge and the people that can pay it will (ie. the people not affected).

This applies to everyone, public, private and misc.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

Oh I know that, but I meant that people on minimum wage or social welfare know what the deal is, they know how hard it is, while people on higher wages don't have a clue, so it is easy for them to say. Get me?

Indeed

We could , if we wanted to , stretch the generailisations to say that ...
These "scum" on the dole and jumping between min wage jobs don't understand how politics,economy, Ireland, the World works and therefore no decision that's made concerns them as they're just sheep.

Red Sleeping Beauty

engrish? wrote: »

If you have a better solution, present it, otherwise, put your faith and confidence in those that do. The minute you start thinking your going to fail, you have already failed.


I realise I sound like a fortune cookie but I sincerely believe in what I am saying.

If you stand up like a nail, then you will be knocked down.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

thebman wrote: »

You can't reduce the cost of living without reducing the minimum wage.

It determines everything. You need a low minimum wage and other salaries to come down proportionately to decrease the cost of living. Otherwise companies will continue charging what they charge and the people that can pay it will (ie. the people not affected).

This applies to everyone, public, private and misc.

Yes I know this, thing is, if we take from the already poor, they couldn't afford the products in the first place, why would this change anything? Ideally it would, but unfortunately we avoid the rich, they can still afford it, they will still buy it.

Like I keep saying, we are not targetting the right people.

thebman

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

Yes I know this, thing is, if we take from the already poor, they couldn't afford the products in the first place, why would this change anything? Ideally it would, but unfortunately we avoid the rich, they can still afford it, they will still buy it.

Like I keep saying, we are not targetting the right people.

It depends on who the biggest group is. That is who we should target and also the rich as it'll make it easier for everyone else to take the hit.

Most people spend what they earn or close to it so when you reduce anyones wage they will feel it.

I agree that minimum wage should be left reduced later on. Ideally you should reduce everyone at once I suppose but not by doing something like tax cuts. You want to reduce the amount paid to them not take some of it off them as employers will still have to pay for the increased taxes which they can't afford right now.

deadhead13

engrish? wrote: »

If you have a better solution, present it, otherwise, put your faith and confidence in those that do. The minute you start thinking your going to fail, you have already failed.


I realise I sound like a fortune cookie but I sincerely believe in what I am saying.

By "the people dreaming up the solutions" I meant FF. Putting faith and confidence in them would be stretching it a bit.

IvySlayer

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

All four of those chains that you mentioned need to be taken to task with regards their Anti-Union policy. They're scum, utter scum in my absolutely final and humble opinion.

Less Trade Unions the better imo.

I work minimum wage, seriously CANNOT afford it to be reduced. I've already had my pay cut last year.

Nehaxak

engrish? wrote: »

If you have a better solution, present it, otherwise, put your faith and confidence in those that do. The minute you start thinking your going to fail, you have already failed.


I realise I sound like a fortune cookie but I sincerely believe in what I am saying.

I have one..

1) Disband IBEC, they're nothing more than a lobbyist/PR spin group based loosley on legalised slavery and the worst aspects of capitalist society.
2) Raise the minimum wage by €1
3) Raise the sentence to minimum 10 years prison for employers who break the minimum wages law.
4) General election
5) Stop supporting and giving loans to shít businesses who abuse staff and use them as nothing more than slave labour.
6) Wage cut of 30% for all government ministers.
7) Stop the use of consultants in government departments, the HSE and generally any public service. You're fulltime or you can fck off, stop being greedy raping money from the system.
8) Give retailers and distributors until March 2009 to drop their prices or force them too.
9) Legislate against nepotism (sic?) in government (the use of family or friends as staff members).
10) Instigate compulsory military service on a staggered basis (depending on family circumstances) for anyone between the ages of 18 and 25 who is either long-term unemployed or not in school/college. For example, those with kids be based near enough to their local communities while serving their military service while those living at home with their mammies can piss off overseas on peacekeeping duties once properly trained.

Red Sleeping Beauty

IvySlayer wrote: »

Less Trade Unions the better imo.

I work minimum wage, seriously CANNOT afford it to be reduced. I've already had my pay cut last year.

You're on minimum wage and you've had a pay cut and you don't want another one ... oh, you are, and I'm going out on a limb here, you are anti-union?

Man, this country really really fuck with my head. Some people have missed the (last) proletariat boat.
No workers of the world unite and take over from anyone no ?

Red Sleeping Beauty

Nehaxak wrote: »

I have one..

1) Disband IBEC, they're nothing more than a lobbyist/PR spin group based loosley on legalised slavery and the worst aspects of capitalist society.
2) Raise the minimum wage by €1
3) Raise the sentence to minimum 10 years prison for employers who break the minimum wages law.
4) General election
5) Stop supporting and giving loans to shít businesses who abuse staff and use them as nothing more than slave labour.
6) Wage cut of 30% for all government ministers.
7) Stop the use of consultants in government departments, the HSE and generally any public service. You're fulltime or you can fck off, stop being greedy raping money from the system.
8) Give retailers and distributors until March 2009 to drop their prices or force them too.
9) Legislate against nepotism (sic?) in government (the use of family or friends as staff members).
10) Instigate compulsory military service on a staggered basis (depending on family circumstances) for anyone between the ages of 18 and 25 who is either long-term unemployed or not in school/college. For example, those with kids be based near enough to their local communities while serving their military service while those living at home with their mammies can piss off overseas on peacekeeping duties once properly trained.

I was in total agreement you until your last point.
Avatar says it all I suppose...

Nehaxak

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

I was in total agreement you until your last point.
Avatar says it all I suppose...

Ah Ché, such a rebel. He's so random...
Can't have an uprising without the population being properly trained in advance.

IvySlayer

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

You're on minimum wage and you've had a pay cut and you don't want another one ... oh, you are, and I'm going out on a limb here, you are anti-union?

Man, this country really really fuck with my head. Some people have missed the (last) proletariat boat.
No workers of the world unite and take over from anyone no ?

I am anti-most-unions. Yes. Most of them are greedy bastards. Look at Dublin Bus. And the unions are partly at fault for the public service we cannot afford. Well done them. But this is going slightly off topic tbh.

The minimum wage will not be cut. This is a Hawarden Kite, leaking something to see the publics reaction.

Red Sleeping Beauty

I don't know man, there's other faces you could have there. Che's just a picture on a tshirt now. I don't think his face/image/name has that much power really.

Nehaxak

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

I don't know man, there's other faces you could have there. Che's just a picture on a tshirt now. I don't think his face/image/name has that much power really.

Well, my true hero is Chavez really, must search out a decent pic of him...

Red Sleeping Beauty

IvySlayer wrote: »

The minimum wage will not be cut. This is a Hawarden Kite,.

I thought that was official FF policy ? :pac:

IvySlayer wrote: »

leaking something to see the publics reaction.

All the world over I will back the Masses against the Classes

Boskowski

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

So you believe that all people on minimum wage were on minimum wage all their lives, they shouldn't be allowed have families or have the same rights as those on higher salaries? Are you saying that all families in a minimum wage household are planned? They put themselves in this situation on purpose?

No I'm not. Fair enough. I dont have an answer to that.
But since in most businesses the wage bill is the biggest cost factor Ireland has become uncompetitive with regards to manufacturing and other jobs. And since that has increased the cost of living now there seems no return. But something's got to be done. And if it is reducing the minimum wage then one would have to reduce the dole too.

Hazys

Nehaxak wrote: »

8) Give retailers and distributors until March 2009 to drop their prices or force them too.

lol

nobodythere

Not a bad idea if they take other measures to bring prices down around the country. But knowing our government, they won't.

banshee_bones

Smart Bug wrote: »

Exactly.

Our high minimum wage has undeniably led to an increase in our cost of living. However, lowering the minimum wage alone will not rejuvinate our economy or even halt it's decline. Action needs to be taken on businesses who charge exorbitant prices for their goods and services. I think the Competition Authority recently stated that it would look into capping prices in a number of sectors (groceries, clothes)?

+1

price of basic food and services in this country is shocking.

and we dont even question these exorbent prices , we just roll over and take it like the chumps that we are. its a JOKE.

Biggins

Smart Bug wrote: »

...Action needs to be taken on businesses who charge exorbitant prices for their goods and services. I think the Competition Authority recently stated that it would look into capping prices in a number of sectors (groceries, clothes)?

Unfortunately, the Competition Authority is powerless and as useless as National Consumer Agency and Consumers' Association. Nearly useless bodies with feck all bite and powers.

sdanseo

The minimum wage is €17,000 odd €16,125.33 a year based on a 39 hour week with 21 days off. Considering public servants earning twice that are planning to strike over 4 and 5 percent, I can see mass riots if there's a reduction tbph.

It's not a runner. By all means freeze it, but lowering the minimum wage when so many people seem to be on it is a politically idiotic, socially irresposible and just plain stupid move.

Biggins wrote: »

Unfortunately, the Competition Authority is powerless and as useless as National Consumer Agency and Consumers' Association. Nearly useless bodies with feck all bite and powers.

Yes we're exceptionally good at making up jobs for people in this country. Two seperate entities whose sole mandate seems to be to listen to people complain and the only thing they do enforce is price checking etc, which albeit illegal and very annoying, is hardly an economic crisis issue.

jester77

Marxism is the solution :P

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Cut either the dole or the minimum wage and expect to see an increase in crime. Think people will just take it? People will survive, they will do this any way they can...

Heroditas

Alec High Soprano wrote: »

Cut either the dole or the minimum wage and expect to see an increase in crime. Think people will just take it? People will survive, they will do this any way they can...

They should cut the dole to certain households who seem to be able to afford satellite TV. FFS, I would think having satellite TV is a luxury not an entitlement.

thebman

sdonn_1 wrote: »

The minimum wage is €17,000 odd €16,125.33 a year based on a 39 hour week with 21 days off. Considering public servants earning twice that are planning to strike over 4 and 5 percent, I can see mass riots if there's a reduction tbph.

It's not a runner. By all means freeze it, but lowering the minimum wage when so many people seem to be on it is a politically idiotic, socially irresposible and just plain stupid move.

I lived on less than that on my student work experience and survived no bother in 2004. Actually saved a load for final year of college.

That was in 2004 and now with the same lifestyle and everything, I still just save the same amount earning a lot more than that. I'm not buying anything now I wasn't then.

This can only be attributed to an increase in the cost of living. The cost of living has to come down. I'll be lucky if I still have my job next week so don't think this is some b***** that wants his money to go further.

Its just the facts. We have to reduce our cost of living and wages to restore competitiveness to our economy. We have to do this now and the reason for it is simple. Companies won't stay here because it costs too much to do business and we don't have very man indigenous industry so are over dependent on foreign investment. this needs to change too but that two can happen together and that will make for a stronger economy.

Biggins

Heroditas wrote: »

They should cut the dole to certain households who seem to be able to afford satellite TV. FFS, I would think having satellite TV is a luxury not an entitlement.

Well seeing as analogue tv signals are going off the air in the coming years, doing just that would be plain daft!
Every nation is switching over to digital broadcasting.
That means EVERYONE will have to have a satellite dish and receiver box (Freeview or Sky). Be it a basic sat' dish or not!
So you want to cut the money of those that are wise enough to not wait till the final day the of analogue cut off???
Having a sat' dish now is as basic as having a radio - no matter what gripes we have over the costly additional services for it.

Sorry, naa. Unworkable idea.

Info:
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeview.html

In September 2005 the Government committed to switch
over from analogue to only digital television in the UK.
Digital switchover will occur, region-by-region, between
2008 and 2012.

Example signal turn off info: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/postpn264.pdf

http://www.digital-tv.org.uk/guides/why-are-we-switching-to-digital.htm

RTE is doing the same - like it or not

Heroditas

When I say "satellite TV" I mean the full package.
I'm aware that analogue is being phased out. However, do you reckon all those people on the dole who have satellite TV are on the very basic packages? They are in my foot.
Sky Sports and the movie channels on the dole .... sure why not. It's not as if they have anything else to do all day. :rolleyes:

Boskowski

Nehaxak wrote: »

7) Stop the use of consultants in government departments, the HSE and generally any public service. You're fulltime or you can fck off, stop being greedy raping money from the system.

+++

Now how in the name of **** did that ever start. it's the most ridiculous thing, it bleeds the country to death and our public bodies are full of this ****.

And I'd like to add the tribunals. Hundreds of millions to find out (what's never going to happen anyway) who took what brown envelope with 10k 20 years ago. Nothing but state subsidy towards the legal profession. Must be stopped immediately. Whoever gets caught doing that goes before normal court, goes to jail end of. Utter bollix. Of course that would mean we'd have to sort out the legal system which is a disgrace in my opinion. Criminal justice system is a joke, prisons are a joke, claims culture is a joke. Oh no where to start...

Biggins

Heroditas wrote: »

When I say "satellite TV" I mean the full package.
I'm aware that analogue is being phased out. However, do you reckon all those people on the dole who have satellite TV are on the very basic packages? They are in my foot.
Sky Sports and the movie channels on the dole .... sure why not. It's not as if they have anything else to do all day. :rolleyes:

Its a nice idea in theory. Yet another way to make people pay, etc. but its unworkable.
For example, can you see Sky hanging over ALL its subscription info to the state. There would be the privacy issues alone that would arise. They they would have to go after the Porn channels, Satanta, etc. Add to that the legal issues to get those companies to cough up the info, etc....

What's a tv inspector going to do? Go into every home in Ireland and flick every channel to see which ones are working and which are not?

Its an idea but an unworkable one.