Simon Harris, the TikTok Taoiseach

Of course a FG acolyte is going to say it was conspiracy theory. We and countless others know it is a fact and as I stated above why did they not have a referendum to let us decide who owns it.

Used in an Irish politics context, I'd have assumed it meant one who 'pulls strokes'.

but I wouldn't have thought even Harris's critics would see him as that sort….

Well it's on the Dail record from one of your own current TDs (Fergus O'Dowd, Fine Gael TD)

And?

Where was the "plan" and what did it entail?

You think after 10 years something would have been leaked by now…. no?

The truth is, there was no plan.

Yes yes. There was a documented plan with a detailed Gannt chart. You will find the plan in the files next to the plans for cronyism, corruption and waste. Don't be so naïve. There might be some details on the very dodgy Siteserv sale deal in the same filing cabinet.

Lets not forget

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/no-minutes-for-irish-water-meetings-attended-by-former-minister-hogan/31086769.html

No minutes for Irish Water meetings attended by former minister Hogan.

There are no minutes from a series of high-level Irish Water meetings held in 2012, including some attended by then environment minister Phil Hogan.

Mr Hogan met with Bord Gáis chairperson Rose Hynes in October and November that year but no notes were kept during the discussions.

In total, there are no minutes from more than half of all meetings between the Department of Environment and Bord Gáis in the six months after they set up Irish Water.

Overall, 23 meetings occurred between April and September 2012 but according to documents obtained by RTÉ's 'This Week' programme, there are only notes from 10.

Fergus O'Dowd TD (Fine Gael minister who set up Irish Water). Speech in the Dail.

Surely it’s someone who pulls strokes to get themselves where they want to be.

If there was some secret plan to privatise Irish Water then why have we never see the same happen for an existing directly comparable national utility? You know one that equally supplies a consumable resource to every household and business in the state?

Why were there no protests about the possibility of the ESB being privatised?

'We are sorry': Simon Harris makes State apology to families of Stardust tragedy
Forty-eight people were killed when the blaze ripped through the Dublin nightclub in 1981

• "Today, I answer that question - you did nothing wrong. The institutions of the state failed you. The institutions of the state let you down. These brave families should never had to walk alone."

Anyone see the irony in the fact that Simon wasn't even born then?

You seem to forget the storm it created the first time around and rightly so.

It doesn't surprise me at all that the usual pro-FG supporters are still claiming nothing to see here all these years later.

But the reality is that in a rare demonstration of civic duties, the Irish electorate actually held them accountable on their arrogance and cronyism and the plan was abandoned before any more political damage was done.

It's more of that sort of engagement and follow through we need in this country - not the usual lazy/apathetic "be grand" attitudes that encourages this sort of political shenanigans (to deliberately understate it) in the first place.

Anyway... Back to the present day..

Heard Harris’ Stardust speech in the car earlier and I'll say one thing. Whoever wrote it at least understood the material and the need to convey regret, accountability and apology to the families. The person by person recall was a welcome reminder of the cost of that tragic night. It was important that people remembered the individuals behind the news reports and the inquiries.

Of course, my opinion is irrelevant. If it gives the families some sort of peace and closure then that's what matters, but may all those young victims RIP.

And I'm no more fooled by this most recent rebrand then I was when they renamed the Traffic Corps to Roads Policing in the aftermath of the penalty points scandal.

But if you want to setup an Irish Water thread work away. I'm not fooled by the distraction here either.

He's the head of a government that existed long before he was born. His comments are reflective of the state apologising for their mistreatment all those years ago.

I wonder if this is why Leo and Simon resigned so suddenly or are we only looking at the tip of an iceberg

Simon should be apologising also to all patients plus their families ever at UHL for the disaster down there and the cervical cancer scandal patients, now Taoiseach and a former health minister

No but I heard MLMCD shouting from the sidelines with the aid of hindsight on everything.

The paper tigress will get her opportunity empty the box rooms soon.

That will be on the list in the future when the government, HSE and Civil Service run out of road blocks they can put in front of people. It is all well and good that the likes of Simon Harris on behalf of the government giving these apologies but what are they doing to change this happening time and time again. We see it even now, people raise an issue and at first they are ignored, then if they get a bit of traction we get the denials then if that doesn't work we get the attempted character assassination's to make it look like the person or persons highlighting the issues are just cranks or they are labeled as "permanently angry", "Far right" or other such labels to try and kill the issue they are highlighting or deflect from it. A perfect example is what happened to Maurice McCabe.

It is sickening what the state does to people or groups who look to highlight issues or seek justice.