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AMID CONTINUING GOVERNMENT disarray over the issue of water charges this week, Tánaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton has said in a speech this evening that she intends to see out the full term of the coalition.
Addressing delegates at a conference of the party’s youth wing in Galway, she said it would be “too easy” to walk away from Government.
The party needs to be “bright and bold” in the run up to the next Dáil vote, she said, before stressing several times that there was only “69 weeks” to go until the country goes to the polls.
“There is so much more to do, and less and less time in which to do it.
We have sixty-nine weeks, at most, until the next general election.
“Sixty-nine weeks until we go back to the people, look them squarely in the eye, and ask them to pass judgement on our record as a party of government.
Elsewhere in her speech, the Social Protection Minister talked up some of Labour’s recent achievements in Government, listing the €5 increase in Child Benefit announced in the Budget, and the partial restoration of the Chistmas Bonus for those on social welfare.
“So we have begun the construction of the social recovery, and I am confident that we can go much further over the remainder of this Government’s term,” Burton said.
However, there was no direct mention in her speech of the issue at the centre of the current divisions in Government.
Yesterday, both Burton and Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted their working relationship was “very strong,” and the Tánaiste insisted “solid progress” was being made on the subject of water charges.
Public anger
The display of solidarity came amid increasing speculation that the continuing drip-drip of controversy and ramping-up of public anger over water charges could lead to an early disintegration of the Fine Gael-Labour government.
In his most recent comments on the issue, the Taoiseach reitereated that he believed the next General Election would happen in ”the spring of 2016″.
Meanwhile, former Labour Chief of Staff Fergus Finlay said this week that he wouldn’t be surprised if there was an election before Christmas 2014 (although, in fairness, he later admitted he may have been exaggerating for effect).
Some opposition TDs are also readying themselves for a national poll far sooner than 2016 — even before the latest round of Irish Water controversies, many were speculating that it was likely to happen towards the end of 2015.
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They will only get a slap on the wrist even if they are cought its just a waste of time trying the catch them. The justice system doesn’t care about victims they only care about rehabilitation of offenders even though its obvious that when offenders get to their teen years its way to late. Just punish them properly with lengthy sentances at least they are off the streets.
But Vincent if you lock them up how are those employed in the legal system going to make easy money?
I read last week that one judge topped the list with nearly 60K claimed in expenses. That’s a lot of sandwiches and coffee m’lud.
K so the cops shouldn’t do anything at all then ? Is this what you’re saying ?
exactly, they won’t get locked up for any length of time. More time and money wasted arresting, processing and sentencing them over and over and over again.
Why don’t the judges just give them a puppy or kitten and a 100 euro?
This is an ongoing thing with teenagers hanging around at night trying to be hard men what do you expect when you never see any guards patrolling the city at night…
Wouldn’t it be great if the cops spent as much time fighting real crime like this and patrolling the streets, as they do standing in bus lanes or with speed guns! Cops are only a revenue for the government, sure my mam doesn’t even go into town anymore because she doesn’t feel safe! Then cops wonder why you have an attitude towards them when you get pulled for been 5kph over the limit!
Go tell Tony Golden’s widow that, or Adrian O’Donohue’s widow, or say it to the garda that got stabbed in the leg last week; I’m sure they’d all love to hear how they were killed or seriously injured handing out speeding tickets.
Joe, Gardai would be far more productive if they weren’t catching the same fella’s over and over.
They would have tme to catch other criminals or investigate stuff they wouldn’t usually do.
A safe country…. ah sure what’s the point ;-)
Surely taxi drivers witnessed this. It’s a very busy part of Harold’s cross with lots of passing traffic and also lots of teens on bikes looking for trouble #dashcams
At night that is, not everyday
Fcuk that call batman
I love a bit of click bait in the morning.
wait til you get to the next article!
sorry , it was meant for the next article . :P
Bloody 3gs
Dublin has to be the most lawless city in Europe, I’d feel safer in West Belfast
Dublin
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