partyguinness wrote: » ...and you believed it? Shame on you. What will the slow learners realise that the politicians do not run the country and (I hate to use this expression) they are all the same. Interested in two things- 1. getting elected and 2. staying elected.It's not going to change until people with real proven abilities are elected. Instead we just have a rabble of former teachers, lawyers with huge egos, a local wheeler dealers. Let's put this in context, nearly 50% of German politicians have Phds. In other words experienced highly educated people are running the country...and very well by all accounts. In lot of places on Ireland, that sort of experience or education would actually be your death knell. You have 'notions' or some sort of elitist lefty hairy liberal. So we stick to local two bit auctioneer/farmer/ 'business man'/ tool hire guy- non threatening People that can barely write their own name but sure they're sound out and didn't they get a massive grant for the local GAA pitch? That's the problem. We elect 'politicians' for the national parliament based on local concerns. Never going to work.
VinLieger wrote: » Just saw this article in the journal about all the fires that the fire brigade had to put out last nighthttp://www.thejournal.ie/halloween-dublin-fire-brigade-calls-1756967-Nov2014/?utm_source=facebook_short It got me thinking I wonder how many of the people involved with setting those fires will also be out protesting paying for water today after being involved in wasting god knows how many litres last night
Little CuChulainn wrote: » With so many sporadic marches who will give the figures other than the organisers?
Grayson wrote: » never going to happen. Remember the cafe bar licencing that got shot down. It happened because 1/3 of FF backbenchers are publicans. And that's because we have so many TD's. When you ask some country constituency to elect someone it's probably going to be the local publican or teacher. they are the most prominent people in a small constituency.
tayto lover wrote: » I'm predicting that there will be a huge difference in the official figure and the actual figures. The Govt like these things played down.
Fred Swanson wrote: » This post has been deleted.
The original deadline set for registering with Irish Water passed last night but just 800,000 people had signed up - half the customer base. The Coalition now feels it will have to adopt a 'get tough' attitude with people who don't pay their bills. More than 100,000 people are expected to take to the streets today in one of the biggest displays of public discontent seen in recent years. Ahead of the 93 protests taking place across the country, Tanaiste Joan Burton claimed the water charges will be "modest". Coming under mounting pressure over the water charges, Coalition sources told the Irish Independent they are looking at "enforcing compliance on those who won't pay". Irish Water's arsenal for making householders pay is quite limited, with reducing water pressure being the main penalty. Within Government circles, there is a sense that 75pc of householders will certainly pay and they will want to see that others are doing the same. "There is a concern about compliance. A family on the street paying their bill will expect the family next door to also do so," a Government source said. Irish Water has already been told by the regulator to produce a detailed plan setting out how customers who refuse to register and pay bills will be dealt with. Anybody who is not registered and paying their bills will not benefit from the Government's relief package. Ms Burton confirmed last night that a social welfare payment of €100 will only be made to recipients who are paying their bills. But the Government is also examining other methods to ensure compliance. The experience with the household charge and property tax was a means of enforcing payment was required. In those cases, the Revenue Commissioners ultimately deducted unpaid bills from wages or social welfare payments. Irish Water does not have the same powers. The utility company can send warning letters, reduce water pressure and go to court. But there are concerns about widespread refusals to pay. The original deadline to register your household with Irish Water ran out yesterday but it has been extended to the end of November. The company has to be submit a Revenue Assurance Plan to the Regulator before Christmas, outling how it will ensure that all payments are collected. It comes because the Commission for Energy Regulation is concerned that paying customers will end up footing the bill for objectors. The CER told Irish Water it must collect all "appropriate revenues" so that the "general customer does not fund non-payment". Collection rates will be monitored and kept under review. Irish Water has powers to restrict the supply to people's homes and reduce pressure to only allow for basic sanitation and drinking water. Difficulty The company will have to make repeated efforts to help families in financial difficulty pay their bills. But in cases of non-cooperation, they can take people to court where the outstanding bill will be registered as a charge against the property. This means the home cannot be sold until the debt is discharged. Sheriffs can also be asked to seize goods in lieu of non-payment. Currently, the company is owed between €100m to €130m from commercial customers who refuse to pay. However, local authorities are currently responsible for collecting the outstanding monies. Irish Water is expected to take control of revenue collection from commercial customers from next year. As revealed in yesterday's Irish Independent, the social welfare relief will only be made to those who are paying their bills. "There is a some feeling within the system that water support should be linked to payment," a Government source said. Ms Burton said the €100 social welfare payment will be made to eligible householders "assuming that they pay their charges". The Government is working out how to link the benefit to the bills. "It would have to be in cash. We just haven't finalised that yet," she said. Ms Burton admitted the timeline for setting up Irish Water was "very ambitious". "What people want is certainty about the level of charges and those charges are affordable and appropriate," she said. Irish Independent
Fred Swanson wrote: » I fully expect RTE to brush the protests under the carpet by saying a group of anarchists caused unnecessary traffic disruption to citizens wishing to go about their lawful business.
LionelNashe wrote: » I want free potatoes. They're natural. They grow in the ground. Food is a basic human right. Why should I have to pay for potatoes? I'm refusing to pay for potatoes. The government should deliver potatoes to everyone's kitchens, instead of the way it has been privatised for the benefit of farmers and shopkeepers. What do I pay my taxes for?
Hellrazer wrote: » http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/water/coalitions-get-tough-threat-on-nonpayment-of-water-bills-30709459.html More threats by the coalition.Wrong day for this in my opinion.Just saw on one of the papers this morning that they are considering using Revenue to collect payments..So now this "not a new tax" has suddenly become a "new tax" exactly like the property tax. Did someone in government not say that PPS numbers were only required to receive your free allowance..So now if you give them your PPS number its possible its going to Revenue to collect your payment. Never mind water charges--this government needs to go now and not in 2016. To think I voted Labour and Fg in the last election. Next time they knock on my door it`ll be "fun"
tigger123 wrote: » Total nonsense. Why would RTE take any other approach other than reporting what happened. There's tonnes of independent media in the country to ensure objective reporting, which would expose any kind of bias. Just because the marches are important to you doesn't mean they should get wall to wall media coverage.
hju6 wrote: » You pay your taxes to have services such as water etc
VinLieger wrote: » Correction we paid taxes some of which used to go to pay for water, it doesn't anymore. Also what about public transport? Our taxes already go towards funding it yet we still have to pay every time we use it why aren't we complaining we pay for that twice as well?
papu wrote: » This.
twinytwo wrote: » because they are going to be recieving all of the broadcasting charge or whatever they are calling it these days..from the government
hju6 wrote: » So what paid for the setting up of IW ?
twinytwo wrote: » we already pay for water though... would you pay for spuds 2/3 times? i dont think so
