Meanwhile, In Ballina

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B3xKjO-CAAAsaDI

Pat McGrath tweetz:

Around 50 people outside Ballina District Hospital [in Co. Mayo] as Taoiseach attends function here. Opposed to water charges

Protesters call for abolition of Irish Water as Kenny attends Ballina function (RTE)

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22 thoughts on “Meanwhile, In Ballina

      1. Jock

        Of course I was being facetious. These are the usual array of idle vagabonds that we hear from a disproportionate amount of time.

    1. Soundings

      “Topaz” is probably there because it’s now controlled by Denis O’Brien after he bought loans from our state-owned Anglo/Irish Nationwide, and we (the taxpayer) wrote off an estimated €150m on the debt.

      Denis also controls Siteserv, the company he acquired in a deal which involved Anglo (again, and again owned by the taxpayer) writing off an estimate €100m on loans. Siteserv, through its GMC Sierra subsidiary was promptly awarded a contract to install water meters and appears to be making out like bandits from that enterprise.

      So – and I’m trying to make this simple for you – protesters find it offensive that Denis O’Brien’s company is facilitating the installation of meters which, it is feared will eventually result in bills many multiples of the €160/260 (or less after a social welfare rebate) being talked about at present. Siteserv is linked to Topaz by Denis O’Brien and I know some people who are now conscientiously avoiding Topaz stations because of that linkage and that woman above is reinforcing the linkage. Boycotts are the epitome of peaceful protest, and there are some who think you should “move the dial” away from O’Brien’s radio stations, particularly Newstalk and Today, as well as avoiding his newspapers, Indo, Sindo, Herald and Sunday World in particular.

      1. smoothlikemurphys

        “Denis O’Brien’s company is facilitating the installation of meters which, it is feared will eventually result in bills many multiples of the €160/260 (or less after a social welfare rebate) being talked about at present.”

        While all the facts you’re stating may be true, people’s water bills have nothing to do with DoB, other than the fact that he owns the meter company.

        If Siemens had won the contract to install these the bills wouldn’t change, but it does appear that a lot of people would have their strawman taken away.

        1. Soundings

          True that Denis O’Brien carries a lot of baggage with him (Moriarty in particular, but as a wealthy individual supposedly tax resident in Malta, and with some evidence of selfish editorial interference in his newspapers and radio stations) which Siemens, for example, doesn’t but what can the ordinary protester do about Siemens? I suppose you could boycott their consumer goods, and I think there would that appetite if Siemens were doing the installation and people knew about it.

          In my view, far, far better that protesters use their people power for peaceful protest (and boycotts are the epitome of that) rather than use violence.

  1. Rukid

    I count 32…….are the other 20 people behind the camera? Or is this just another over inflated number like the other protests.

  2. smoothlikemurphys

    Another chance at a decent protest ruined by introducing some kind of Illuminati/Lizard People nonsense with the addition of a placard referencing a petrol station, complete with some ‘who knows what’s next’-style question marks.

      1. Soundings

        Spaghetti, I can just see you now with your stall beside Parnell Square on the 10th. Get your placards now, anyone now who hasn’t got a placard, €5 apiece, choose one of five slogans, what’s that student at the back, “down with this sort of thing”?, how drole, yes, we have it, get your premium placard for only €10, it’s taller than the rest.

        In all seriousness though, there’s probably a short-term business there for someone, have you actually tried to make a placard, where do you get the pole, how do you attach the sign, what’s the sign made of so it doesn’t bend or get wet. Surely, someone remove this bother and fill this gap.

  3. Diddley Aye

    I’m tempted to turn up on Dec 10th with a placard saying Flouride Makes You Gay.

    If anyone objects I’ll tell em its ok with Broadsheet.ie

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