Puska Family

But the votes for him will be passed on the the next preference on the ballot.

It appears that people are so quick to jump on the anti-immigrant bandwagon these days. It's extremely common for people to protect their loved ones when it comes to crime.

https://studyfinds.org/the-more-heinous-the-crime-the-more-likely-people-will-protect-their-loved-ones/

Are people under the impression that Ireland was some sort of crime-free utopia before the first immigrant arrived on our shores?

Well according to another post if all five adults are on jobseekers / disability plus fourteen kids child allowance it's coming close to €2500 a week that this family is costing us.

Everywhere they go they cause trouble. There are massive issues with lot in German cities where they run down whole areas (even the Turks had enough).

The deference of media and society to judges is actually disturbing, they are literally treated like royalty

Surely there should be some kind of system where you have to pay x amount of stamps before you can draw down long term illness benefit? I mean, fine if you came to the country before you were 18, have a long term illness and can't work. I don't mind those people getting benefits. But if you moved here after the age of 18, worked for three months and then you claim long term illness? I'm sorry, but that's your home state's problem, not ours. The fact that you might have worked for five years in Poland or Slovakia or wherever shouldn't count towards drawing down social welfare here. I know it's supposed to be the whole free movement of workers thing - that paying stamps in Poland should be the same as paying stamps here, and vice versa for our workers working in other EU countries, but it's not working if people are playing the system.

You can get money grifting for the right just as easily.

I think Varadkar did come more into the centre but also allowed Twitter to drive the narrative of his Government as well.

Jim Gavin would have no legal authority to concede the presidency to the person who finished second.

If he was to win tomorrow's election we would have either President Jim Gavin or a new election.

These are the fringe.

You dont have to go that far, just walk from the city centre to Croke Park

Likely very unpopular opinion here (and not defending the scumbags, just haven't followed the story too closely)

Aside from the ones who burned the clothes (should have thrown themselves in with it) How were the ones who stayed quiet convicted? I know it's a highly emotive case and everything but don't people have the right not to say anything?

You could literally jail a quarter of the country off the back of not saying something.

Aisling Murphy's partner has issued an excellent statement condemning the lenient sentences handed out and has asked the Minister for Justice to comment on same. The Indo article below is behind a paywall for anyone who has a subscription.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nothing-short-of-a-disgrace-ashling-murphys-boyfriend-lashes-out-at-spineless-weak-justice-system-after-puska-family-sentence/a631076884.html

Some selected comments for those of you with no Indo sub:

“I was utterly disgusted, extremely angry and yet again was taken back at how spineless, weak and tolerable the Irish justice system is when it comes to sentencing criminals who engage in such crimes,” he said.

“I cannot help but ask myself why… maybe it’s down to the fact that our prisons are at 115pc capacity….but that is absolutely no excuse in my book to be weak on crime.”

Mr Casey said the sentencing “was an opportunity to lay down a marker and to set a precedent to anyone else who dares to engage in such crimes.

But again, as always, the weak and spineless Irish justice system has failed yet another victim and another victim’s family which is becoming a notable trend in Ireland across various types of criminal cases might I add,” he said.

“The Irish justice system needs a complete revisit and overhaul and needs to grow a backbone and begin to start rolling out tougher and harsher sentences to criminals in this country, the type of punishments and sentences that make criminals think twice before engaging in such crimes.”

That's exactly what I came on to say.

Surely you can't get disability allowance unless you are examined by a state doctor? Or have a long standing diagnosis of like, schizophrenia or cerebral palsy or something? They can't just be relying on a GP diagnosis? Sure think of all the doctors that sign off on whiplash for insurance fraud?

Now that said, if you work in construction it is more likely that you'll end up with a serious physical injury. And nearly every job involves standing or sitting for long periods, which I'd imagine if you have a disc injury means you just can't do that job. Like, he couldn't do a call centre job if he didn't have good english (which, from looking at the statements made to Gardai, he didn't). But you shouldn't get DA unless someone independent assesses you. My son is autistic, and we get Domiciliary Care Allowance, which converts to DA once he turns 16. Even with all the advice in the world on what to put on the forms, and a diagnosis froma psychologist and a sign off from my GP, there were an incredible amount of hoops to jump through (which is only right). I would have thought it was the same with DA.