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“I’ve been staying fairly quiet on Greece, not wanting to shout Grexit in a crowded theater. But given reports from the negotiations in Brussels, something must be said — namely, what do the creditors, and in particular the IMF, think they’re doing?”

“… the creditors keep rejecting Greek proposals on the grounds that they rely too much on taxes and not enough on spending cuts. So we’re still in the business of dictating domestic policy.”

“…Talk to IMF people and they will go on about the impossibility of dealing with Syriza, their annoyance at the grandstanding, and so on. But we’re not in high school here. And right now it’s the creditors, much more than the Greeks, who keep moving the goalposts. So what is happening? Is the goal to break Syriza? Is it to force Greece into a presumably disastrous default, to encourage the others?”

“At this point it’s time to stop talking about “Graccident”; if Grexit happens it will be because the creditors, or at least the IMF, wanted it to happen.”

Breaking Greece, Paul Krugman (International New York Times blog)

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Muhammad Younis

Muhammad Younis grew up in a rural area of Pakistan. He has a wife and nine children. In 2002, Muhammad was recruited for a good job as a chef in a tandoori restaurant in Ireland. He was promised a work permit and decent pay. He took up the offer and moved thousands of miles away to support his wife and children back home, so they could have a better life at last.

Instead of the promised good job, Muhammad endured 7 years of slavery. He worked 80 hours a week in the cramped, unventilated and overheated kitchen of a takeaway in Clondalkin. He was paid just 51 cents an hour for the first 3 years and given just one day off each year – Christmas Day.

His passport was taken by his employer; he was constantly threatened and verbally abused. His every move was controlled; he was a virtual prisoner, shuttled between the kitchen and the small 2-bedroom house he shared with nine other workers. When his work permit ran out, the employer refused to renew it – to further control Muhammad, who was terrified of being deported. Muhammad was unable to reach out for help as he spoke only Urdu. He was completely isolated.

After 2 years, Muhammad was vindicated: the Rights Commissioner awarded him €92,634.42 in unpaid wages and compensation. This award was upheld by the Labour Court.

However, Muhammad’s employer brought the case to the High Court. He claimed he should not have to pay as Muhammad was undocumented and therefore the contract was illegal – so he should not have to honour it. Remember, it was the employer himself who had refused to renew Muhammad’s permit and had used Muhammad’s undocumented status to further isolate and threaten him. The judge ruled that as Muhammad did not have a valid work permit, he was not covered by employment legislation, and so he was not to receive a single cent in unpaid wages or compensation.

Muhammad Younis was brought to Ireland for the express purpose of exploitation; he was a victim of trafficking for forced labour. For 7 years he endured slavery, abuse and isolation. After all that, he was left with nothing and his employer got off scot-free.

In March 2012, having failed Muhammad Younis in every possible way, the Irish state informed Muhammed that it intended to deport him. Again with the help of MRCI, Muhammad appealed to the Minister for Justice and was granted Humanitarian Leave to Remain in Ireland.

Further to this…

The Migrant Rights Centre writes this morning:

“The Supreme Court has OVERTURNED the High Court judgment and upheld the Labour Court award of €92,000 to Muhammad Younis! We are stunned, emotional and absolutely overjoyed for Muhammad. His strength and patience and perseverance have been vindicated in a unanimous judgment by the highest court in the land.”

Seven years of slavery in Ireland: Muhammad’s story (Migrant Rights Centre Ireland)

Related: Irregular Migrant Workers and Employment Rights in Ireland (Liam Thornton, Human Rights In Ireland)

Pic: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

dalaiai

“We’re very excited to confirm that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit Glastonbury on Sunday, June 28. The Tibetan spiritual leader is coming as a guest of the festival as part of a four-day UK visit. The key themes throughout the visit will be the promotion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message of compassion, non-violence and the oneness of humanity.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit Glastonbury on Sunday (Glastonbury Festival)

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Independent TD for Kildare North Catherine Murphy

On May 26, the Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government met to discuss the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014.

During the meeting, junior environment minister Ann Phelan told the committee:

“I want to point out to the committee that while the Government is not presenting any amendments to the Bill at this stage in the process, it intends to propose a number of amendments on Report Stage in the Dáil. This will require a motion to be tabled to amend the Long Title and scope of the Bill. These amendments will cover a range of issues, including further amendments to waste legislation and provisions relating to water services legislation. While I am not in a position to go into more detail about the amendments at this stage, they will be published in good time ahead of Report Stage so that Deputies will have time to consider them in advance of the debate on the floor of the House.”

In response, Independent TD Catherine Murphy told the meeting:

“I have to tell the Minister of State that I do not like stuff coming to us on Report Stage. I know it can happen when things are worked on late in the day. It is nice to see the totality of what we are doing on Second Stage. The Minister of State has said that a motion will come before us. What is the nature of that motion? Will it be debated in the Dáil? If so, will that debate precede the Report Stage debate?”

“I am aware that a certain system applies if a quite substantial change is being made to legislation. I remember that a legal services Bill introduced by a former Minister, Michael McDowell, had increased in size by two thirds by the time it got to Report Stage. The Minister of State might tell us about the nature of the changes she is proposing in this regard, with specific reference to the nature of the motion that will come before the Dáil.”

Ms Phelan went on to insist that the deputies would “have plenty of time” to look at the amendments…twice.

Further to this, Ms Murphy said this morning:

“The deadline for amendments to be submitted is 11am this morning and a debate on these issues will happen in the Dáil next week – with late sittings likely. We have now had it confirmed that opposition will not get sight of the amendments that Government are submitting before the deadline passes. In effect, this ensures that opposition are denied the chance to table their own amendments to the Government proposals because we don’t know what they are. The deadline for submitting our amendments will have passed yet we don’t know what we are supposed to be amending. In what way is that proper democratic functioning of Parliament?”

Anyone?

Thanks Catherine Murphy

Photocall Ireland

More as we get it.

Previously: ‘I Hope This Arrangement Will Be Satisfactory’

‘Allowing Him To Retire Is Part Of The Cover-Up’

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Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan at the Banking Inquiry this morning

More as we get it.

Watch live here

derby

Piggott!

Interviewed by Piggott!

Eric writes:

Ahead of the 150th Irish Derby Tracy Piggott chairs a panel of winning jockeys including her father Lester Piggott, Michael Kinane, & Christy Roche at the Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare at 8pm. All proceeds in aid of Irish Injured Jockeys Fund…

Riverbank.ie

Broadsheet.ie