Government's secret plan to block repayment of illegal nursing home charges

The problem with that though (and I agree that they should face consequences - but they won't. This is Ireland after all!) is that we'll then see SF sweep to power and everything this country is struggling with now will be made even worse!

Their only concern is a united Ireland - something most people here couldn't give a toss about when compared to those other problems, and which neither North or South is ready for anyway as we've seen time and again anytime an issue that involves letting something go, or accepting the other side's view or expectations comes up.

We really are bereft of real political alternatives. It's all varying shades of left and populism. Very little in it for the average working citizens who are expected to pay for everything for everyone else (sometimes multiple times), but get feck all back themselves when they need it!

99.78 have a home. Yeah probably paying 2500k a month for a hovel. No disposable income left for a sausage. That's not including the "kids" in their 30s living in their parents homes with nowhere to go. Nah. Your figures are disingenuous. But anyway if you think FFG are a good government, no problem, hardly expect otherwise from you.

Why is it the worst time for an election?

I get the jist of what you're saying.

On paper everything looks great and statistics are just that "statistics", and they can be made to read what ever you want them to read depending on who your target audience is.

IE 75% of the Population on home, But opposite to that we've a higher number than ever of U35's living at home with their parents, some news article appeared on my phone stating the number was near 60%... which is a very concerning "statistic".

Ireland was never industrialized the way the rest of Europe was, we've only recently started manufacturing items here, and even then it's high end stuff like medicine and computer chips The rest of the economy is finance, services, tourism, retail, agriculture/food.

Unemployment is at 4.3% because no one can get staff in Urban areas specifically because no one can afford to live there on their own on a wage less than €50k without supports. Every window in Camden St has a staff wanted sign, and most of the people working shops in DCC were not born here.

Ireland is so dependent on FDI that changes and layoffs in Big tech will have a huge affect in Ireland. I think its some staggering figure like 10 Multinationals account for over 50% of the Corp tax. That being said, overall we do extremely well off them given the size of the country.

It seems like the governments handling of everything is the same as the way most Irish people think/handle everything "Sure it'll be grand", "that'll do", "don't be killing yourself" etc. It's the most Paddy thing ever, just enough to be "Ok"

Even the reporting of the growth is questionable, in 2015 Ireland reported 25% growth which is ridiculous for a first world country and a blatant lie, but the statistics said it, so it must be true right? wrong, Apple transferred 300B of intangible assets to Ireland and part of tax evasion scheme. The figure was so stupid it was laughable but they still published it instead of thinking "Something is wrong here"... "But sure look, It'll be grand"

Don't be reading to much into aggregated statistics as more often than not they're manufactured by someone who's try to tell you things are "Grand" or things are "Not Grand". The best indicator is the people around you, co-workers, friends, family about how grand things are.

The Ditch has published an article about a Cork solicitor, who is an FG TD. He was found guilty of misconduct in leading a couple to believe he was acting on their behalf in relation to one of these nursing home cases. Owing to the statute of limitations, the couple lost over €100,000 if the article is to be believed.

A misled presumptive client

Now, Colm Burke is a solicitor and a TD, previously a councillor and then a senator. I wonder if there are any other TDs/senators/councillors who are solicitors and have done work of this sort. If so, it would be very interesting to find out if they were more successful for their clients than Colm Burke was.

Thats interesting because Colm Burke (FG) was waffling about stuff earlier this year.

Healthcare crisis needs national forum - Colm Burke TD | Newstalk

The current healthcare crisis needs a national forum to tackle it, Fine Gael’s Colm Burke has said. 

The Cork North Central TD said such a forum would give staff the opportunity to highlight “glitches” in the provision of healthcare. 

“The whole idea of a healthcare forum is for a consultation to bring everyone on board and to have both consultants, nurses, GPs, the nursing home care sector - I’m talking about a whole range of people,” he told Newstalk. 

Leo's out now throwing Fine Fail and the Greens under the bus.

Says the state didn't have a leg to stand on with the disability side of this scandal.

Seems what he did was grand but what their government did was shameful.

Over to you Meehole and Eamon!

An experienced and progressive government?

Unfortunately we know what FFG are experienced in.

And it's not a 'unfortunate legacy issue', it's a sickening, national disgrace... ripping off the disabled and elderly.

Many of this lot were at the heart of it too.

You clearly do not understand the distinction between the State and the Government.

And you aren't the only one. Its a pity as it makes every post here basically redundant and its the reason this Government will carry on and legacy issues will be addressed under the law by the public service as they always are.

He also threw James Reilly under the bus earlier saying it was under his watch as health minister. You also have Charlie Tannigan claiming

Does the idiot not know this was not under her remit and that she resigned on principle after having a well publicised dispute with the Health Minister James Reilly over a number of issues including the  allocation of new primary care centres to Reilly’s constituency.

We understand the distinction and has already been pointed out its not a legacy issue. People who actively participated in this are still in power and must be held to account. How can you want people like this to remain in power? You also claim its the worst time for an election because "it's the worst possible time for an election. The answer is that the World, specifically Europe, is in the teeth of a multi-faceted crisis. It needs an experienced and progressive Government to balance the throttles on the economy very carefully to maintain growth, investment and employment."

If we are going to be going through the crisis you claim we will, then you will know it will be a longterm crisis and as Leo has already stated he wants an election Autumn next year. So it won't matter if the election is now or next year. You also claim that we need an experienced and progressive Government. A Government that has screwed over it's citizens in the past and could well do so again. The sooner FFG is gone the better as whoever comes in can't be as bad.

You make very valid points, particularly about all the messing that will go on if an election were to be called.

I do not take the point of legacy issues that we just need to accept however. That implies the p!$$taking done at the time was fine and hence it's fine now, (even with all the important work going on). It's highly likely there are crappy/secret plans being put in place now regarding cost of living/housing crisis.

Like these people actively and secretly schemed against the people that elected them.

There is no greater betrayal, I don't really want these people making any more decisions if I'm honest as they've proven they cannot be trusted.

I'm not saying that I want SF in, but as a previous poster said, the line must be drawn somewhere.

As a taxpayer, I am grateful that my tax money was protected by the government from the cabal of ambulance-chasing lawyers that go after every single government mistake with compo claims to beat the band.

While I appreciate a bit of lawyer bashing as much as the next guy, I think you'll find that lawyers would not have been required, had FFG introduced a fair and correct redress scheme to make right the historical wrongs inflicted on the elderly and disabled.

Instead they put their own interests to the fore.