I'm so angry at this country right now

miss no stars

I've just had a really nice seeming young guy at the door asking me to sign up to the Temple Street Miracle Club. Basically to get donations in to buy incubators and basic equipment. FFS. I turned him away cos I wanted to have a proper look at it first and see what it's about but he didn't have any brochures on him.

What the hell is wrong with this country? We've plenty of money for tribunals and for providing facilities for prisons and fleets of brand new state cars and for bailing out banks and for people to bring nuisance cases to the supreme court, plenty of money to supervise traveller scumbags blockading an entire area, but good people are having to go door to door after work trying to get people to commit to giving 50 measly cents a day to buy basic equipment for a children's hospital.

And what's worse is the government have managed to tax the economy so far into the ground that disposable income is so low that normal people actually have to figure out if they can afford 50c a day.

:mad:



And I know it sounds like another "de gubbermint" rant, but really. Look at where the money actually is being spent and look at what's been cut. Soft targets who can't fight back.

Victor

miss no stars wrote: »

I've just had a really nice seeming young guy at the door asking me to sign up to the Temple Street Miracle Club. Basically to get donations in to buy incubators and basic equipment.

This screams scam.

Tipsy McSwagger

Anyone who goes door to door looking for money is a nuisance IMO.

michael999999

miss no stars wrote: »

I've just had a really nice seeming young guy at the door asking me to sign up to the Temple Street Miracle Club. Basically to get donations in to buy incubators and basic equipment. FFS. I turned him away cos I wanted to have a proper look at it first and see what it's about but he didn't have any brochures on him.

What the hell is wrong with this country? We've plenty of money for tribunals and for providing facilities for prisons and fleets of brand new state cars and for bailing out banks and for people to bring nuisance cases to the supreme court, plenty of money to supervise traveller scumbags blockading an entire area, but good people are having to go door to door after work trying to get people to commit to giving 50 measly cents a day to buy basic equipment for a children's hospital.

And what's worse is the government have managed to tax the economy so far into the ground that disposable income is so low that normal people actually have to figure out if they can afford 50c a day.

:mad:



And I know it sounds like another "de gubbermint" rant, but really. Look at where the money actually is being spent and look at what's been cut. Soft targets who can't fight back.

Remember this the next time Fianna fail come canvassing at your door. And the billions Bertie ahern and he's motley crew gave to developers and bankers!

Tail Docker

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Anyone who goes door to door looking for money is a nuisance IMO.

I agree. Especially them TV licence scammers, the ESB meter man and those bloody rates collectors.

4zn76tysfajdxp

miss no stars wrote: »

We've plenty of money for tribunals and for providing facilities for prisons

You're right, we should close all the prisons.

shruikan2553

The guy at the door probably takes a cut of those 50 cents too.

Tail Docker

Giana Sharp Hangar wrote: »

You're right, we should close all the prisons.

It's not like you to deliberately miss the entire point with one of your replies. Are you feeling unwell?

Fr_Dougal

miss no stars wrote: »

I've just had a really nice seeming young guy at the door asking me to sign up to the Temple Street Miracle Club. Basically to get donations in to buy incubators and basic equipment. FFS. I turned him away

Ah, I see...

What the hell is wrong with this country?

People turn those in need away without helping.

Dowl88

I would have making him dance for a euro.

LeinsterDub

I'm not angry with the country I'm just disappointed

Donkey Oaty

I'm sure their corporate staff are fine, decent people - but I can't find any reference to their accounts or a link to their annual report on their website.

Is it just me?

steddyeddy

Victor wrote: »

This screams scam.

Besides the point. The fact that charity and the public seem to provide so much essential health care in this country screams we haven't got our priorities right.

GoldFour4

Did he have ID to prove who he was? Seems to me like anyone genuinely out collecting for such a cause would have a few leaflets to promote the good work they do.

Help!!!!

Giana Sharp Hangar wrote: »

You're right, we should close all the prisons.

Not close the prisons but take away the games consoles & TV's provided for the cells, dole money should go directly to the prison not wait for the scumbags when they get out.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Tail Docker wrote: »

It's not like you to deliberately miss the entire point with one of your replies. Are you feeling unwell?

I am feeling wonderful, thanks for asking.

Muise...

miss no stars wrote: »

I've just had a really nice seeming young guy at the door asking me to sign up to the Temple Street Miracle Club. Basically to get donations in to buy incubators and basic equipment. FFS. I turned him away cos I wanted to have a proper look at it first and see what it's about but he didn't have any brochures on him.

Scammy scam is scammy.

miss no stars

TheZohan wrote: »

Ah, I see...




People turn those in need away without helping.

I don't earn enough to pay tax. I fcukgin need help. And you can't help every cause. As it happens I did sign up but how dare you.

miss no stars

Muise... wrote: »

Scammy scam is scammy.

Welcome pack though.

sleepytrees

It could be worse you could be living in GAZA! Perspective!

The funniest one was the years and years spent raising money for some machine or other for the Louth County Hospital. Finally the machine was bought but it couldn't be used because there was no-one in the hospital who could operate it.

As useless as the HSE is, they usually keep unneeded management workers, they won't keep skilled workers around without a machine for them to operate.

Muise...

sleepytrees wrote: »

It could be worse you could be living in GAZA! Perspective!

Or, less dramatically, in need of some of the state services OP deems unworthy in light of children's hospital needing to do a fundraiser.

miss no stars

malistheman wrote: »

Did he have ID to prove who he was? Seems to me like anyone genuinely out collecting for such a cause would have a few leaflets to promote the good work they do.

Yeah, he was wearing a temple street jacket, had a temple street ID, had the DD forms and welcome packs as well as a brochure thing, he just didn't have any flier I could take in and fill in myself. Didn't seem like a scam at all to me.

Macavity.

This country has let its people down, it's let its family down, it's let its teachers down, but most of all it's let its self down.

Tail Docker

Giana Sharp Hangar wrote: »

I am feeling wonderful, thanks for asking.

No bother, I was worried there for a minute.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Tail Docker wrote: »

No bother, I was worried there for a minute.

Sure you were, pal. Sure you were.

sleepytrees

Compared to A LOT of war zone countries. We have it good, we have it so good! When world war 3 comes then start a thread!

Guy:Incognito

Theres loads of money going in to the health system, its what happens between then and the output is the problem.

SEPT 23 1989

Maybe the multinationals could donate a few machines to keep the children alive as a way of saying thanks for saving them billions using the state to launder their profits

InReality

Thing is loads of money was spent on the health service during the boom. Chucking more money at it isn't the answer.

Pro Hoc Vice

Help!!!! wrote: »

Not close the prisons but take away the games consoles & TV's provided for the cells, dole money should go directly to the prison not wait for the scumbags when they get out.

Have you ever actually visited a prison. Mountjoy used to do visits, a cell built in Victorian times to house 1 will now house 4 2 sets of bunk beds, the only thing in the cell besides the beds and property of the inmates is a bucket (I will let you guess what that's for hint its not a play station) I have in my visits to Mountjoy limerick and cork never seen a play station in a cell. I will accept that the female prison the Dochas Centre in Dublin is a lot better than the other prisons I have seen.

It is my understanding that dole money is cut off on incarceration.

http://www.irishprisons.ie/images/pdf/annualreport2012web.pdf

The single largest cost in running prisons is staff wages 237 million out of total budget of 334 million.

BTW if you don't believe me ask a prison near you can you visit, most are not a nice place.

miss no stars

InReality wrote: »

Thing is loads of money was spent on the health service during the boom. Chucking more money at it isn't the answer.

So what do you suggest when say, a ward for chronically ill kids might need to be improved but they can't get the funds for it?

I mean I completely get that there are lots of funds going in, I get that a lot is eaten up in middle management and in a way, donations enable that but do you not think it's an awful situation between a rock and a hard place? If you don't put the money in, then what?
Sick kids aren't terribly good at standing up for themselves against budget cuts, middle management are, though.

donegal__road

I dont want to depress you OP.. (I posted this before 6 months ago.. please note that it is from an article that was written about the previous government)


€650,000,000 of tax payers money spent on unrealised projects in Ireland up to 2012... and that doesn't include the Poolbeg incinerator which was recently disclosed to have cost over €90 million, with fcukall to show for it.

€30m
Children’s hospital

Some €30 million has been spent by the hospital board – mainly in fees to architects, engineers and other consultants or experts – in progressing its plans. The Government says a revised plan will be produced in the coming months.

---

€42m
Dart Underground

Plans and land acquisition for the Dart Underground have cost millions, but the project has been delayed indefinitely under the new capital spending plans.

---

€50m
Media Lab Europe

The high-technology “seed bed”, based in Dublin’s Liberties, was run jointly by the government and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was one of Mr Ahern’s most favoured projects. Founded in 2000, it went into liquidation a few years later, with consultants describing its output as “dismal”, “surprisingly weak” and “mediocre”.

---

€130m
PPARS

The HSE’s information technology project started small, at an estimated cost of €9 million in 1997, and ballooned to a cost of €130 million in 2004, before being put on hold by the Health Service Executive in 2007.

---

€55m
E-voting

Martin Cullen ordered more than 700 of the machines at a cost of €51 million, only to have them placed in storage in 2004 when security concerns emerged. Attempts to sell them have so far been unsuccessful.

---

€1.5m
Hospital co-location

Almost €1.5 million was paid in legal and financial costs associated with the now abandoned plans to develop co-located private hospitals. Project agreements for each of these hospitals expired in March 2011.

---

€44m
Decentralisation

Millions have been spent on acquiring sites for the Government’s decentralisation programme in locations where plans to transfer public service offices and State agencies have been either postponed or axed.

---

€18m
Metro West

Millions has been spent on the design of this section of the Metro. It, too, has been shelved indefinitely as a result of cutbacks to capital spending plans.

---

€150m
Metro North

The decision not to proceed with the Metro North rail project as part of the 2012-2016 capital investment programme will cost the State more than €150 millionincluding compensation to the project bidders.

---

€100m
Bertie Bowl

Millions were spent on consultancy fees and the clearances of the Abbotstown development in preparation for a national stadium. Political opposition from Fianna Fáil’s coalition partners, the PDs, ultimately scuppered the project, although the FAI went on to relocate its headquarters at the site.

---

€42m
Thornton Hall

The Government spent €30 million acquiring land for the Thornton Hall “superprison”, which has been delayed indefinitely. A further €12 million has been spent on original plans for the prison and the Central Mental Hospital. Both designs have since been scrapped. Plans for a scaled-down version of the prison have also been long-fingered.

---

michael999999

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

Have you ever actually visited a prison. Mountjoy used to do visits, a cell built in Victorian times to house 1 will now house 4 2 sets of bunk beds, the only thing in the cell besides the beds and property of the inmates is a bucket (I will let you guess what that's for hint its not a play station) I have in my visits to Mountjoy limerick and cork never seen a play station in a cell. I will accept that the female prison the Dochas Centre in Dublin is a lot better than the other prisons I have seen.

It is my understanding that dole money is cut off on incarceration.

http://www.irishprisons.ie/images/pdf/annualreport2012web.pdf

The single largest cost in running prisons is staff wages 237 million out of total budget of 334 million.

BTW if you don't believe me ask a prison near you can you visit, most are not a nice place.

Are you a solicitor/barrister?

Pro Hoc Vice

michael999999 wrote: »

Are you a solicitor/barrister?

I will happily tell you my profession if you tell me yours.

Help!!!!

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

It is my understanding that dole money is cut off on incarceration.


The single largest cost in running prisons is staff wages 237 million out of total budget of 334 million.

BTW if you don't believe me ask a prison near you can you visit, most are not a nice place.

I know of quite a few people going to court & when sentenced, have said to the judge that they couldn't care less about going to prison because they will get 3 square meals & their dole will be waiting for them when they get out.....maybe just bravado
As for staff wages, its not a job too many people will want to do

Specialun

R u ok hun xxx

miss no stars

Help!!!! wrote: »

I know of quite a few people going to court & when sentenced, have said to the judge that they couldn't care less about going to prison because they will get 3 square meals & their dole will be waiting for them when they get out.....maybe just bravado
As for staff wages, its not a job too many people will want to do

That's true to be fair, I have two relatives who are prison officers and both have been bitten by junkie prisoners. Bitten. Have fun with antiretroviral treatment and 6 months of worrying whether they've passed on a HIV infection to you.

Pro Hoc Vice

Help!!!! wrote: »

I know of quite a few people going to court & when sentenced, have said to the judge that they couldn't care less about going to prison because they will get 3 square meals & their dole will be waiting for them when they get out.....maybe just bravado
As for staff wages, its not a job too many people will want to do

Bravado I would suspect, also a silly thing to say as just might get a few extra months. Any prisoner who does claim dole while inside is engaged in fraud, http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/probe-into-prisoners-claiming-dole-in-jail-165470.html

Yes a tough job and only getting tougher as staff levels have fallen in last few years.

pablo128

michael999999 wrote: »

Are you a solicitor/barrister?

He is telling the truth. I spent some time in the joy. (don't bother asking why) and it is fcuking grim. Wheatfield has playstations I believe, but prisoners must supply them themselves.

Help!!!!

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

Bravado I would suspect, also a silly thing to say as just might get a few extra months. Any prisoner who does claim dole while inside is engaged in fraud,
Yes a tough job and only getting tougher as staff levels have fallen in last few years.

Yes but even if they get an extra few months they don't care

Guy:Incognito

miss no stars wrote: »

So what do you suggest when say, a ward for chronically ill kids might need to be improved but they can't get the funds for it?

I mean I completely get that there are lots of funds going in, I get that a lot is eaten up in middle management and in a way, donations enable that but do you not think it's an awful situation between a rock and a hard place? If you don't put the money in, then what?
Sick kids aren't terribly good at standing up for themselves against budget cuts, middle management are, though.

The waste needs to be sorted. Throwing more money at it might get the stuff that's needed in the short term , but it also increases the waste. , so the next time you need a bigger amount. When does it stop? Do we just spend the entire budget on health? What about the needy people outside the health system?

Guy:Incognito

miss no stars wrote: »

That's true to be fair, I have two relatives who are prison officers and both have been bitten by junkie prisoners. Bitten. Have fun with antiretroviral treatment and 6 months of worrying whether they've passed on a HIV infection to you.

They could do it for less money and be security gards in the jervis centre. It happened twice in a couple of weeks when I was working across the road.

Pro Hoc Vice

pablo128 wrote: »

He is telling the truth. I spent some time in the joy. (don't bother asking why) and it is fcuking grim. Wheatfield has playstations I believe, but prisoners must supply them themselves.

As you point out its not nic, but most people don't want facts they want to say bloody scrims and them lawyers making money off the system and them judges etc. Etc. Etc.

Funny thing is if trying to say a section of society are making a fortune then follow the money. Criminal Justice Budget approx 1.6 billion give or take a few hundred million.

AGS about 1.1 billion, prison service 300 million prosecution of crime 100 million. Ok so far. Now running every court in the country both civil and criminal 110 million, less income from stamp duty 50 million so total cost to the sate running every court 60 million. Criminal legal aid 50 million. So the evil judges and staff of court and defence lawyers 110 million (paid fines 14 millio). The rest of the Criminal justice budget 1.5 billion.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

miss no stars wrote: »

I don't earn enough to pay tax.

Aah that explains why you made the error in ranting about us being taxed heavily. Ireland is actually a low tax economy at present. I remember income tax rates much higher that those we now have.

Look no country is perfect. We were dumped in a mess and have to claw our way out of it.
I actually love this country. As a pensioner now I enjoy a very respectable pension, have an electricity allowance, phone allowance, free travel (that I don't use) and many benefits that are the envy of my friends and revelations abroad. Of course there's will always be things we feel the government should do differently or prioritise more but its the same in most countries.

Pro Hoc Vice

Help!!!! wrote: »

Yes but even if they get an extra few months they don't care

For some sadly true. But being honest the vast majority of inmates don't want to be there.

michael999999

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

I will happily tell you my profession if you tell me yours.

Spraypainter!

How much will the HSE spend this year?

Pro Hoc Vice

michael999999 wrote: »

Spraypainter!

I come from a family of mechanics and fitters, but sadly I brought eternal shame to my father and became a barrister.

Guy:Incognito

Amara Agreeable Gypsum wrote: »

I actually love this country. As a pensioner now I enjoy a very respectable pension, have an electricity allowance, phone allowance, free travel (that I don't use) and many benefits that are the envy of my friends and revelations abroad. Of course there's will always be things we feel the government should do differently or prioritise more but its the same in most countries.

Much of that is going to have to stop too. It wasn't such a big problem when the retirement age of 65 was considered quite old and most people would be dead by 70-75 but when people are living to 85 - 90 en masse then it drains the resources very quickly. It's all well and good people saying "ah but sure pensioners have paid tax all their lives they deserve it" but when they get the pension and benefits for 25 years it claws quite a lot of that back and leaves very little. What runs the country if most people get all the tax they pay back?

michael999999

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

For some sadly true. But being honest the vast majority of inmates don't want to be there.

Of course they don't!

Doesn't stop them bloody re commiting crimes though does it!