General Irish politics discussion thread

Income is Income unless it comes from the purse of every working man and woman out there to pay your income. Handing hundreds in cash to people is not a good idea. There should be some form of mitigation in place. We already overpay per capita in DSP payments. Now I have no issue at all with pensioners, carers etc but those on lifelong JSA shouldnt be able to get hundreds in cash and go spend it on whatever.

I was on the dole (JSB) about 14 years ago during the height of the last crash. It was 204.30 a week, and most of my payment went to the local pub. That shouldnt be allowed.

I was using my own case as an example. I lived with an ex partner in ballymun (for my sins) for about a year and what I observed there really shaped my opinions of lifetime wasters. Getting up at 6am for work you would be alone at the bus stop and see all the cans etc about the place from the night before, especially on a dole payment day.

I vehemently and wholeheartedly oppose lifetime payments to anyone other than those who genuinely need it - carers, pensioners etc. In the absence of a time limitation (eg 5 years SW payment max in your lifetime 18-65), I believe some qualification in the form of food stamps would benefit.

For every "good" parent who spends child benefit on shoes or food or clothes for the child etc, there's a few others who put in in a savings account - ie dont need the money - or who waste it on items not for the child. Respectfully, watch the behavioral patterns in your locale on welfare payment days especially CB days and you'd see it for yourself.

As I said...not in the slightest bit embarrassed. Making the MSM is the bar now. 😁

You should be.

And many times those actions have been vexatious. Using bottomless purses to stifle journalistic investigation and debate. No less with clan MLMD.

They do not like it up 'em.

Just means everyone would have to use the voucher system to buy some of their food, clothes, fuel.

It wouldn't matter if you're well off or poor

The cost of a meal from a chipper could feed a family for a few days

I think it is only Germany which has higher child benefit rates than Ireland.

Free school meals, free schoolbooks etc. are common in countries that pay lower rates of child benefit.

A new system for newborns which is directed at benefits for the child e.g. free childcare, free school meals, truly free education etc. would change the whole situation.

Threatening to sue or even actually suing isn't an issue, you bringing up other parties is just whataboutery. It is the specifics of the MLMD situation which are the issue.

This is the third time she has taken High Court defamation proceedings since 2014 and the second relating to reports about the historic handling of sexual abuse allegations by Sinn Fein and the IRA. I'm not sure how being asked about this is defaming her, unless she was actually involved in covering up abuse. She is just trying to prevent the media from mentioning dirty parts of SFs history. It is constantly abusing the law in order to avoid being asked questions which she doesn't want to answer. Saying "but Varadkar..." changes nothing.

It is up to her to prove that she has been defamed which is not yet the case. I don't see how a question about historical issues which most likely predate her membership of the party can defame her but that is for the courts to decide.

My point is that MLMD has a history of this which is why it has been flagged under SLAPP. It isn't the same as someone making a threat to sue, or even actually suing in a one off. I'm just pointing out the difference to your "but X" retort which misses the point.

And please ask stupid questions like that trying to undermine the other person, it's a pathetic level of debate.

You are absolutely correct.

The only defence of what MLMD is doing is whataboutery, and it is whataboutery that isn't even relevant to what she is doing.

It is a pathetic response.

The facts are that internationally her actions have been recognised as being SLAPPs issues. No amount of whatabout Varadkar or more hilariously whatabout Ruth Dudley Edwards is going to change that.

Where have they been recognised as SLAPPS actions?

Seems to me that it has been claimed it may be a SLAPPS action by a clearly selective body. Why is what Mary Lou did and Varadkar/Troy and a huge back catalogue of litigious TD's across the board who have sued/threatened different? Can you explain please?