IW/Anything Water Related-Warning in OP

Highflyer13

Id say the Dail Bar is some craic. Tipsy, slobbery auld fellas from FG lined up on one side and the same from FF and the indos on the other launching abuse over and back at each other. Then cap it off with a good sing song together at the end of the night. That is the notion I got from watching today's precedings.

Banjo String

Pretty much spot on tbh.

8 Reasons it’s Kicking Off in Ireland | Novara Wire

Water has been the main issue in Irish politics for the past few months. The development of Irish Water – a semi-state company tasked with implementing metered water charges as agreed with the EU and IMF as part of the bailout in 2010 – has prompted large-scale protests and shaken the government. Though it has yet to issue its first bills, Irish Water has been described by one member of government as an ‘unmitigated disaster’, and it has illuminated many issues that go to the heart of Irish politics today.

1. Civil disobedience is on the rise and making a difference.

Resistance to Irish Water has united people across class boundaries in a way that is rare in Ireland. Almost 100,000 people protested against water charges in Dublin this October, while upwards of 150,000 people came out for 90 different protests around the country on 1 November.

These demonstrations have built on and combined smaller protests which are continually happening in local communities across the state. While the water charges themselves are integral to the protests, it’s also important to understand this visible anger in context of six years of austerity, and the slow build of organised movements over that time. Though the establishment parties would prefer to put the protests down to “a sinister fringe” made up ofterrorists, communists and anarchists, the fact that fewer than half of Irish households have returned their registration packs suggests a much wider base of dissent.

These protests have caused the government to recant on the plans laid out in the budget last month and they now hope to simplify the charges greatly, capping them at a fixed annual rate of around €200 per household, for at least a number of years. Whether this will placate the protesters remains to be seen.

2. The government isn’t communicating…

The government has attempted to put the failure of Irish Water so far down to a ‘communication problem‘, and that’s certainly been a contributing factor. People have gone months without confirmation of even basic questions like how much they are to be charged. Stories abounded that a call-out to fix a leak could cost hundreds of euro, even if the leak was outside a person’s property. People who have to boil their water before using it didn’t know if they’d have to pay or not. No one knew how landlords would deal with tenants’ bills. People feared for the safety of delicate personal information, as registration forms asked for their children’s PPS numbers (equivalent to Britain’s National Insurance numbers).

3. …and fears of privatisation as proliferating.

One major concern has been that Irish Water will be sold off to a private company as soon as possible. Leaked documents from Irish Water’s PR strategy showing the desired transition from ‘citizen’ to ‘customer’ only served to highlight the scheme’s neoliberal endgame, putting no one’s mind at ease.

A Seanad (Senate) motion calling for a referendum to enshrine the public ownership of Irish Water in the constitution caused the government parties to split. Labour senators supported the idea, but there’s no sign from the government that any such referendum will actually be held.

4. The police are making matters worse.

Videos of considerable police presence in housing estates across the country have been filling up Facebook feeds for months now, as An Garda Siochána (National Police Service) are mobilised to make sure water meters get installed where they aren’t wanted. The heavy-handed way the police have been dealing with protesters (as well as the demonisation of protesters in the media) will be familiar to anyone who remembers the Shell To Sea protests at Rossport in County Mayo, but the proliferation of footage online has made it significantly more visible this time around.

The sight of ordinary people, often outside their own homes, being thrown around, pepper-sprayed and hit with shieldshas shocked many who might previously have trusted the police to act in the public’s best interest, and caused them to question how dozens of officers can be available for managing small protests while over 100 rural police stations have been closed down in recent years. A concerted media strategy suggesting three officers were being assaulted every day failed to convince most people, and a report published last week detailing widespread corruption, negligence and ineptitude throughout the police force has only worsened their image.

5. Cronyism is being exposed again…

Denis O’Brien, Ireland’s second most famous tax exile,bought Siteserv, a company that specialises in installing water meters, from the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (a state-owned zombie bank) shortly before winning three separate contracts – each worth €62m – to install water meters on behalf of the state. Before the deal, Siteserv owed the IBRC (i.e. the Irish citizenry) €144m. O’Brien purchased the company for a mere €45m, while the state writing off the €100m difference – even though his offer wasn’t the highest bid received.

6. …and again…

John Tierney, managing director of Irish Water, caused outrage when he let slip the bonus scheme for the semi-state company’s employees, which could see them earning up to 14% extra on top of their salaries even if their performance is under par. Tierney himself was once the Dublin City Manager, and he was responsible for wasting €96m on the Poolbeg incinerator project, before being promoted into his current position.

7. …and again.

Both Jerry Grant, Irish Water’s head of asset management, and Elizabeth Arnett, head of communications and corporate services, previously worked for RPS Group, a consultancy firm that had advised the state in the setting up of Irish Water – part of a consultancy package that has so far cost the state €85m. RPS also made some €30m out of its consultancy contract on the Poolbeg project, a contract the European Commission described as “an illegal situation.”

8. The social media storm is uncontainable.

While people like O’Brien and Tierney have previously been able to hide in plain sight – the former due in part to his firm grip on large portions of the national media – information about their dealings has spread mostly through social media, enlightening anyone who wants to find out more. It doesn’t take much work to join these dots, and more people than ever before are doing so.

http://wire.novaramedia.com/2014/11/an-unmitigated-disaster-8-reasons-its-kicking-off-in-ireland/

humanji

Mod: Threads merged.

_Kaiser_

It's a sad thing when Micheal Martin is one of those who is both right and making sense

Pocoyo

Live Line poll stood at 71 percent of 15000 people that voted unhappy with water charges.

After FG falls i hope we dont forget Denis o'brien he has shown himself to be the 'sinister' element and real leader of our country and he needs to go.

Fuhrer

Allyall wrote: »

http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?15469-Who-is-Colman-Sheehy/page6&#.VGzkeHY4ut8


FROM HERE

Coleman Sheehy is like some bizarro version of John Galt.

Tinkersbell

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It's a sad thing when Micheal Martin is one of those who is both right and making sense

How has it come to this?
FF will be back in power after the next GE, all those 'loaned' votes will be taken back.

Highflyer13

Tinkersbell wrote: »

kenny reads speeches penned by one of his many speech writers.
Have you ever heard him when he has to think on his feet and answer a question? It's embarrassing.....:o

Like this you mean:pac:

gladrags

Fuhrer wrote: »

Kennys greatest skill is his Machiavellian political tricks.
He knows Joan Burton is poisonous for Labour as leader so he's destroying the reputation of the labour member most likely to challenge her for leadership and disband the coalition.

As a previous poster mentioned,Kelly came across as not believing what he was saying.

They could well be burdoning him with Hulk Hogans legacy to boot.

I have some sympathy for the guy.

Fuhrer

gladrags wrote: »

I have some sympathy for the guy.

I dont.


Someone is making you do something that violates your principles and is against your better judgement, you quit.

VinLieger

Pocoyo wrote: »

Live Line poll stood at 71 percent of 15000 people that voted unhappy with water charges.

After FG falls i hope we dont forget Denis o'brien he has shown himself to be the 'sinister' element and real leader of our country and he needs to go.

Liveline is hardly a fair representation of the entire population, Joe has what is called a very "specific" demographic im suprised the poll wasn't 99% against tbh

_Kaiser_

Ah the usual arrogant smirking and playground antics from our "leaders" on show here now. Gerry really should lose the Irish bit though!

Allyall

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Like this you mean:pac:

Youtube Video

Cringe...

The guy shouting kinda helped Enda look better. He should've stayed quiet.

Tinkersbell

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Like this you mean:pac:

LOL.
Alan Partridge eat your heart out........

AboutaWeekAgo

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Strike action is still on the table from IW workers over the bonus issue.

What would that even look like? What can they realistically do?

It's almost like they are trying to do everything in their power to get people to turn against them :pac:

Going Forward

My name is URL wrote: »

lol.. should have known.

I still can't find any info about who he is other than mentions of him being appointed to the board. He's like some sort of ghost figure.

Surely even FG aren't bare-faced and stupid enough to appoint him just because his brother donated €1,000 to them =/

What qualifies him to be on the board, and why are more people not asking questions about it?

They can go and shite if they think concessions and price reductions are enough to make me change my mind regarding paying when they don't even try to address the blatant cronyism and corruption involved in it all.

Do a search in the other water threads about the board, IW apologists don't like anyone bringing it up.

twinytwo

Tony EH wrote: »

Not waffle at all. Makes perfect sense and I agree with much of it.

As a (former) Labour voter myself (although I didn't vote for them in the last election) I find it depressing that they have done a complete about face on the people they are supposed to represent. Rabbite, Howlin and Burton really ought to be ashamed of themselves. They've shown themselves to be liars.

.

That my friend is politics... smile, shake hands... promise everyone the heaven and earth and lie through your teeth to get into office after that it dosent matter.... your on the gravy train.

The fact that you havent the faintest clue how to actually run a country is irrelevant so long as you can spoof out your arse and are morally corrupt.

Most "democratic" countries arnt even democratic.... they are an Oligarchy with a precieved democratic process... at the end of the day it boils down to different puppets same masters. America is, Russia is (but at least they dont pretend they arnt),The Eu is quickly turning into one.

Stargate

I thought she said it brilliantly tbf .

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=969787613050241&set=vb.257558294273180&type=2&theater

Pocoyo

VinLieger wrote: »

Liveline is hardly a fair representation of the entire population, Joe has what is called a very "specific" demographic im suprised the poll wasn't 99% against tbh

Live Line has been very much pro charges/FG in its coverage of these events.

_Kaiser_

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Id say the Dail Bar is some craic. Tipsy, slobbery auld fellas from FG lined up on one side and the same from FF and the indos on the other launching abuse over and back at each other. Then cap it off with a good sing song together at the end of the night. That is the notion I got from watching today's precedings.

Yep, the sad thing is that despite the grandstanding and bickering for the cameras, in the end they're all good mates and (for the most part) just as bad as each other.

As I keep saying, this is the real crisis.. where do we go now?

aidoh

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Like this you mean:pac:

UGH that video is infuriating!
What a fvcking smarmy cvnt.

Fuhrer

Stargate wrote: »

I thought she said it brilliantly tbf .

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=969787613050241&set=vb.257558294273180&type=2&theater

I hate that insincere soundbite bull****.

SaveOurLyric

Pocoyo wrote: »

Live Line poll stood at 71 percent of 15000 people that voted unhappy with water charges.

Fortunately we live in a country not run by Liveline listeners.

Pocoyo

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Yep, the sad thing is that despite the grandstanding and bickering for the cameras, in the end they're all good mates and (for the most part) just as bad as each other.

As I keep saying, this is the real crisis.. where do we go now?

Peacefully ask them to leave the dail on the 10th of december,Im willing to risk a short term fall in the economy for true equality.

Tinkersbell

VinLieger wrote: »

Liveline is hardly a fair representation of the entire population, Joe has what is called a very "specific" demographic im suprised the poll wasn't 99% against tbh

Liveline's not a fair representation of the population, 150,000 on the streets isn't a fair representation of the population, 1.2 million refusing to return their forms isn't a fair representation of the population.....
What's a fair representation of the population? The 6 or 8 pre water tax posters on this site?

darkpagandeath

200 years to fix the pipes apparently according to the news.

Stargate

Tinkersbell wrote: »

kenny reads speeches penned by one of his many speech writers.
Have you ever heard him when he has to think on his feet and answer a question? It's embarrassing.....:o

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Like this you mean:pac:

LoL HaHa.

Reminds of a video i watched the other day of Enda supporters in Mayo, i can't find it right now , but man it was funny sh1te

Banjo String

VinLieger wrote: »

Liveline is hardly a fair representation of the entire population, Joe has what is called a very "specific" demographic im suprised the poll wasn't 99% against tbh

Didn't someone in support of the water charges post something the other day about a poll being conducted on liveline that had, 56% of voters saying they believed the protests were 'violent' and the FG heads were falling over each other in agreement.

darkpagandeath

Banjo String wrote: »

Didn't someone in support of the water charges post something the other day about a poll being conducted on liveline that had, 56% of voters saying they believed the protests were 'violent' and the FG heads were falling over each other in agreement.

You are only allowed to use unverified poles if it fits with the pro sides argument.

Highflyer13

Allyall wrote: »

Cringe...

The guy shouting kinda helped Enda look better. He should've stayed quiet.

I had great hopes in 2011. I thought Enda seemed decent and was the man to change our political landscape. I beleived everything he said and now i feel utterly betrayed. Im doing ok myself but I have seen the toll the economy has taken on family and friends and I include suicide in there.

Lets not forget this gem from 2007

Shameful:mad: