21 thoughts on “De Tuesday Papers”

  1. Soundings

    So, Irish Water was originally to raise EUR 300m in 2015 from water charges. That was reduced to around EUR 175m after the Budget 2015 concessions assuming 100% compliance. Now, with the new concessions to be announced this week (EUR 76 for single person household for example) it will reduce to around EUR 100m with 100% compliance. And with a 3-month deferral reported tonight and in tomorrow’s newspapers, it will reduce to EUR 75m with 100% compliance. And who thinks there will be anything like 100% compliance?

    IW will be very lucky to get EUR 50m from the public in 2015. Plainly, it’s not worth it, unless the charges can be ballooned in future years.

    I hear they’re giving free heroin away in some Limerick rural areas. That’s what IW is trying to do.

    1. Jock

      Those shortcomings will get lumped onto the national debt which will eventually find its way into a paye workers tax bill. Well done all.

        1. cluster

          Unfortunately, our interest bill is a relatively small part of the deficit & out borrowing costs are quite low (maybe too low) so that bill isn’t even influencing that.

          Anyway, it’s not as simple as not paying. Anyone remember how the Economic War began? Did we gain or lose from not paying the annuities on the whole?

    2. Chuckenstein

      That’s precisely what will happen – softly, softly at first but eventually prices will creep up.

  2. munkifisht

    Well from the looks of things the Government has really painted itself into a corner that there’s no getting out of. They can’t scrap the Irish Water, they’re too committed to it at this stage. Rolling back would indicate abject failure of the government and I wouldn’t be surprised in a vote of no confidence being proposed in Enda et al, but the protests are getting highly charged.

    A 3 month reprieve is nothing but a token gesture. USC was supposed to be around for how long? We all know that despite the logic (ie money goes into Irish Water, Irish water repairs the infrastructure, reduces waste, costs come down) the costs are only going to go in one direction. Not only that but many are already stretched beyond their limits and cannot afford another tax/charge/whatever you want to dress it up as. I actually feel that the flag of IW is being waved but actually the symbolism is far greater. This is a culmination every cut, every sacrifice every ounce of pain that this government has imposed on the Irish people and all of it done with the quare smirk of that gobshite from Mayo.

    Enda, and Bruton are inept at communicating any concept. They look week, act scared, are totally farcical when it comes to dealing with the media (in fact I’m not really sure they can deal with the media. Doesn’t seem to be any willingness for them to engage in anyway, defend their positions in anyway, explain their plans in any way. Everything that comes out of them is sound bites and press releases). Now it seems the Garrda have turned from being a force for upholding law to a State Police force for imposing the states will.

    I don’t really have any grand point, I’m just venting spleen because it’s actually all quite sickening. Simply, the Government has failed it’s people utterly.

    5. Wayne.F

      Well put, there is a serious lack of communication and a weakness from our elected reps but “the states will”??

      At both the last General election and local election, pro water charge parties still hold the majority when all 3 are taken together.

      The escalation in protest and the change in the nature of protest is actually a response to whatever new Irish water measures are on the way. There is a fear amongst the likes of P.Murphy and the anti water representatives elected and non that they will lose the power, control and ears of the public if the new measures are more palatable, to more people and get through!

    6. cluster

      I’m not sure that there is, or ever has been, a neat, clear dividing line between the law and the ‘state’s will’.

      Even if you ignore the fact that there is not a majority protesting, I suspect that most people who are anti-water charges do not condone attacking politicians.

  4. Disasta

    Great read.

    A people should not be afraid of their government but a government should be afraid of its people.

  5. Disgruntled Goat

    Sickening headline on The Daily Mail. As Joan and others are so fond of reminding us about themselves, Murphy & Coppinger are democratically elected representatives and are representing the views and anger of the people who elected them. Just like Fine Gael represents the views/bank balance of the wealthy who elected them.

    1. Mister Mister

      Their insistence that it was a peaceful protest is just hilarious though, they’ve no credibility (not that they had much before hand mind you).

      Coppinger in particular is selective on what laws and rules she likes to adhere to, it was even evident when she was on Fingal Co Co.

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