Television License Couple in their 60s face prison

kraggy

And both of them have medical conditions.

They're expecting the gardaí to come for them this Friday or next Monday.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/struggling-oaps-face-prison-over-tv-licence-fine-29499019.html

Now, I realise that laws are laws. But for not paying a tax on what is in many ways, a big waste of space (RTE), I think going to prison is a punishment not suitable for such an "offence".

To threaten such means that inevitably, vulnerable people such as the couple in the story end up behind bars for however brief a stay, even though they've never put a foot wrong previously. Imagine their fear as they walk through the gates of Mountjoy?

The system is rotten.

wazky

Sure its ridiculous not paying the fee, the big stars need to be paid for the "quality" programming they churn out.

NegativeCreep

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

markc1184

Do OAPs not get a free license? Or a contribution of some sorts?

eviltwin

No one should be in prison for not paying their tv license. There are better ways to deal with them.

kneemos

It's a trip to the prison,tea and sambos and home again,no way they'll be kept.

SpaceTime

It's a ridiculous waste of finite and expensive prison resources.
There are much much less expensive ways of collecting unpaid fines/fees etc etc.

Frosty McSnowballs

Pfft, if he can afford fancy jumpers and posh canes he can afford to pay the fine!

Am Chile

One law for the rich yet another law for the average working person-defraud the state for millions as the anglo bankers have done you get to get away with it and live abroad-be an old age pensioner its jail time for not paying a tv licence- I honestly for the life of me cannot understand the apathy of a lot of irish people why they arent protesting over double standards.

Banjo String

Paging the high horse brigade. Paging high horse brigade.....


edit. Ssssshhhhhh..... They're here already ^^^. :cool:

Frank Black

Sure, it's harsh.
But, it also sends out a strong message to others.
Pay your dues, or end up in the clinker.

Tombi!

So let me get this right: we let the 18 year old scumbag go free but we want to imprison the 60 year old couple.

seamus

Wow Indo, a new low here. Nobody ever heard of due process? He got the final notice two weeks ago and yet he reckons the Gardai are going to come along any day now and bang him up in the joy without ever facing a judge?

Bargain basement journalism right there.

kraggy

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

Did I say otherwise? No, I didnt.

I said laws are laws but that imprisonment is not a suitable punishment for failure to contribute to the wasteful organization that is RTE.

A payment plan should be facilitated for such circumstances.

kraggy

Frank Black wrote: »

Sure, it's harsh.
But, it also sends out a strong message to others.
Pay your dues, or end up in the clinker.

Thereby taking up space meaning prisons have to release actual criminals earlier than planned.

biko

Hey, if the govt just took her roller and his cane away they couldn't leave the house anyway. Just like prison.

UCDVet

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

TV license is designed to raise revenue....
Putting these people in jail will cost many years worth of TV license fees.

Would make a lot more sense to seize the TVs of offenders. At least, until the new law goes into effect where anyone with any electronic device is a devout fan of RTE.

Of course, in Ireland, your age and ability to pay makes a huge difference in just about everything else. At the same time the government is telling us that TV is vital that, even those of us without TVs are benefiting from the many ways RTE improves our lives - they're sticking with the story that it's not important for the poor or needy?

Our whole tax system is based around what people can reasonably pay. We have safety nets to protect the poor and elderly. We'd provide them with money to pay for food, rent, give them free medical care, tax them at different rates, and even give them breaks on public transportation. Awesome!

Treating people like this over a TV license fee is awfully ridiculous and hypocritical in a country like Ireland. Especially when you consider how expensive it is. You can pick up a low-end TV that will work for 10 years - and the license fee will cost 10x more than the TV itself.

Ironically, if they end up in prison, they'll still get to watch TV. They'll probably have wi-fi soon enough:
http://www.thejournal.ie/wi-fi-irish-prisons-989103-Jul2013/

Tin Foil Hat

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

Bollox to that. If you have a car you need petrol. You don't need a licence to watch TV. The TV licence is nothing less than a protection racket.

NegativeCreep

kraggy wrote: »

Did I say otherwise? No, I didnt.

I said laws are laws but that imprisonment is not a suitable punishment for failure to contribute to the wasteful organization that is RTE.

A payment plan should be facilitated for such circumstances.

They aren't going to go to jail I doubt. He only got a letter two weeks ago. I highly doubt a judge would sentence them.

kraggy

seamus wrote: »

Wow Indo, a new low here. Nobody ever heard of due process? He got the final notice two weeks ago and yet he reckons the Gardai are going to come along any day now and bang him up in the joy without ever facing a judge?

Bargain basement journalism right there.

No fan of the Indo but maybe that's how the couple actually FEEL. Them warning letters use threatening language which to an older person can seem intimidating.

kraggy

NegativeCreep wrote: »

They aren't going to go to jail I doubt. He only got a letter two weeks ago. I highly doubt a judge would sentence them.

How about the 292 people who went to prison last year for tv license issues? You think that's a good utilization of prison space?

Frank Black

kraggy wrote: »

Thereby taking up space meaning prisons have to release actual criminals earlier than planned.

Thereby making others think twice about shirking their responsibilities, generating more revenue for the exchequer and allowing us to build more prisons.

kraggy

markc1184 wrote: »

Do OAPs not get a free license? Or a contribution of some sorts?

Presumably the non payment occurred before he turned 65.

Cody Pomeray

kraggy wrote: »

A payment plan should be facilitated for such circumstances.

The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2012 is to allow for this.

A Primal Nut

Am Chile wrote: »

One law for the rich yet another law for the average working person-defraud the state for millions as the anglo bankers have done you get to get away with it and live abroad-be an old age pensioner its jail time for not paying a tv licence- I honestly for the life of me cannot understand the apathy of a lot of irish people why they arent protesting over double standards.

What's your solution? Ireland have to build s strong case to extradite someone from the US. it's not as easy as you make out.

bumper234

Frank Black wrote: »

Thereby making others think twice about shirking their responsibilities, generating more revenue for the exchequer and allowing us to build more prisons.

Like Thornton hall? You know the super prison that was supposed to be built on the land that the gov bought off some ministers brother/cousin/friend for 5x what it was worth?

9959

I hope at the very least that they are given access to a television.

Are they a danger to society?
Will they both agree to enrol in a rehabilitation program whilst 'inside'?

These are the questions.

By the way, I'm surprised that they haven't yet been called 'scumbags' by some of the more agitated posters here on AH.

bumper234

A Primal Nut wrote: »

What's your solution? Ireland have to build s strong case to extradite someone from the US. it's not as easy as you make out.

Not all of those scumbags are abroad.

minidazzler

It's morally wrong and reprehensible to threaten violence on people for not paying a tax.

silverharp

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

no you don't, my tv works perfectly well without a tv licence

Crea

If they are receiving the state pension any fine should be deducted from this over a number of months.

HurtLocker

Frank Black wrote: »

Thereby making others think twice about shirking their responsibilities, generating more revenue for the exchequer and allowing us to build more prisons.

Lol.

My friends car was stolen. The bastard that took it had over 100 other theft convictions. He got a suspended sentence for stealing a 1 year old car. Its obvious hell go right back to theft.

Putting people in jail for not having a tv licence is just trying to protect what is a racket and it does take up valuable space. The money you claim to be used for jail building is used to pay "stars" too much.

"Its your tv licence that pays for quality Irish programming" should be changed to "Its your licence fee that makes our organisations overspending problem seem that much smaller"

Well, if things go to plan, the license will be abolished in a year or two and added to the house tax.
So Jailing any one now will be severely harsh and unnecessary!

Pretty Polly

kraggy wrote: »

How about the 292 people who went to prison last year for tv license issues? You think that's a good utilization of prison space?

That's insane!! Meanwhile the guys who owe millions get to walk away scot free.

PickledLime

NegativeCreep wrote: »

If you have a tv you need to have a license. It doesn't matter if you're 60 and have medical conditions.

The Irish population, subservient to the end :rolleyes:

They should be given an award for not paying it, why are the public forced to pay into a system that again, only serves to benefit the elite?

Frank Black

HurtLocker wrote: »

Lol.

My friends car was stolen. The bastard that took it had over 100 other theft convictions. He got a suspended sentence for stealing a 1 year old car. Its obvious hell go right back to theft.

Putting people in jail for not having a tv licence is just trying to protect what is a racket and it does take up valuable space. The money you claim to be used for jail building is used to pay "stars" too much.

"Its your tv licence that pays for quality Irish programming" should be changed to "Its your licence fee that makes our organisations overspending problem seem that much smaller"

So you want stiffer prison sentences and less severe ones?

Okaaay.

Have a think about what you actually want and try posting again.

NegativeCreep

PickledLime wrote: »

The Irish population, subservient to the end :rolleyes:

They should be given an award for not paying it, why are the public forced to pay into a system that again, only serves to benefit the elite?

Let's calm down for a minute.

I didn't say that I agree with the tv license and such stuff. If you want to campaign for something then campaign against the law that says you have to have one. That is something I could get on board with.

However, the way it is now, you have to have one and that's it. You can't expect sympathy when you're caught without one. It's not like as if the consequences for not having a license aren't well documented.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

kraggy wrote: »

And both of them have medical conditions.

They're expecting the gardaí to come for them this Friday or next Monday.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/struggling-oaps-face-prison-over-tv-licence-fine-29499019.html

Now, I realise that laws are laws. But for not paying a tax on what is in many ways, a big waste of space (RTE), I think going to prison is a punishment not suitable for such an "offence".

To threaten such means that inevitably, vulnerable people such as the couple in the story end up behind bars for however brief a stay, even though they've never put a foot wrong previously. Imagine their fear as they walk through the gates of Mountjoy?

The system is rotten.[/QUOTE]
Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.
Nobody, especially myself, likes paying charges/taxes etc, but until the law changes we do.

donegal_road

the chief suspect in the detective murder case in Dundalk is in the USA, 2 others that were in the car have fled to Australia.





.

humanji

Anyone else of the opinion that John and Angela don't actually exist? It is the Independent, after all.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

donegal_road wrote: »

the guy that shot and killed the detective in Dundalk is in the USA, 2 others that were in the car have gone to Australia.

Did they pay their TV licence, because thats what this thread is about.
By the way "that detective" has a name, it Adrian!:mad:

donegal_road

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Did they pay their TV licence, because thats what this thread is about.
By the way "that detective" has a name, it Adrian!:mad:

didnt mean to upset you, I was only pointing out that while someone appears to have gotten away with murder, others face the full process of the law by not having something as trivial as a tv license.



*a good friend of mine knew Adrian very well

sdanseo

It's tax. He didn't pay it. The rest of us have to pay it. They willingly broke the rules, willingly refused to pay the fine to the point that it increased and got to final notice, and then complained about it.

Yes, it 's unfair that others get off theft charges and worse with suspended sentences but that's a problem with those offences and stupid judges who give out those sentences. It doesn't mean this one is inappropriate.

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Mike 1972

Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.o.

Never really thought of Duffy , Tubridy Kenny etc as being particularly elderly ?

Frank Black

bumper234 wrote: »

Like Thornton hall? You know the super prison that was supposed to be built on the land that the gov bought off some ministers brother/cousin/friend for 5x what it was worth?

Not sure why you would think this was the only way to build a prison.

Banjo String

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Scroungers are rotten, being an elderly scrounger doesn't make them any better.
Nobody, especially myself, likes paying charges/taxes etc, but until the law changes we do.

No one from govt was involved in this were they

endacl

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................



Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...


An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

cletus van damme

clearly i think tubs is over paid but I think RTE gives decent value for what is put in.

It's mightnt be popular but to me people who bang on about RTE being crap are just jumping on a bandwagon.

9959

endacl wrote: »

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................



Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...


An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

A Kafkaesque nightmare, and that's only reading your post.

bumper234

Frank Black wrote: »

Not sure why you would think this was the only way to build a prison.

I am pointing out that with the money they spent on the land alone which was paid for by the taxpayer we could have already had another prison. The government at the time decided to waste that money by paying 5x the retail value of the land to a relative of one of their ministers. It now costs over a million a year to pay for security for that empty site. But yeah lets jail a couple of old people for not having a tv licence. We get what we deserve in this country.

donegal_road

endacl wrote: »

The licensing authority/system redefines obtuse.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing with them since moving to a new place in March.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................



Thought it was all done and dusted, until about three weeks later when...


An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address.

Me - That is correct. I have no TV license. Neither do I have a TV, or anything capable of receiving a television broadcast.

An Post - But you need a license. There was a license at that address before.

Me - I didn't live here 'before'. Update your records.

An Post - Computer says 'no'. It is inconceivable to us that you could survive without a telly. You are alive, therefore you owe us for a TV license.

Me - Actually getting along grand here without one. I read extensively and take walks. No telly. Please adjust your records accordingly. Send an inspector if you like. Let me know when. I'll have the kettle on.

An Post - ....................

Again, it all went quiet on the postal front. Until yesterday, when I opened a letter addressed to 'The Occupant'.

An Post - Dear occupant. Our records show there is no current television license at this address. ...

:rolleyes:

In my postbox a few weeks ago, was a card which read 'Dear occupant, our inspector called with you today as there appears to be no tv license registered with your address. Please contact this number or purchase a tv license at your local post office.'

To which I wrote 'no tv or receiving apparatus at this address' (which is the truth) and I stuck my phone number at the top, I didnt sign it, and I put it in the post.

I got a call back to say that they had updated their records and that there is now no tv associated with my address.. but the fun and games will all be over when the broadcast charge comes in....




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