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HIGH NOON ON a Thursday.
In Leinster House, that can only mean one thing – another must-watch clash between Joan and Mary Lou across the Dáil chamber.
Last night’s much-trumpeted measures to take outstanding water charges from wages and social welfare payments were, as expected, the main topic for debate in Leaders’ Questions.
And as the two women faced off in typically combative fashion – first Fianna Fáil, and then a poor unfortunate (entirely metaphorical, luckily for her) cash-strapped mother got caught up in the crossfire.
What daily necessities did the Tánaiste propose this sleepless woman give up, to pay her unjust and unfair water tax, the Sinn Féin TD asked.
Burton responded with a quick swipe at Micheál Martin’s party, blaming them for the “disastrous crash in the economy” before going on to talk up the coalition’s record in getting people back to work.
She also hit out at SF’s “hostility to work,” saying that to listen to their ‘mantra’:
You would think that people on a social welfare income had no ambition for themselves or their children.
Clearly unhappy with that answer, McDonald launched into an even more detailed description of the woman who featured her initial question, describing how she was “raising a household of small children” and “doesn’t sleep at night with worry”.
What items should this poor woman strike off her shopping list to pay her water charges, McDonald again demanded.
Hitting out at last night’s announcement, she said it appeared Burton wanted to give this woman even more sleepless nights “as she worries about how and when your hand will be stuck into her pocket or her purse [to] take bread off the table, and from her children”.
The measures to target wages and dole payments, she said, were sending a message to people on low incomes “that if they don’t cough up, you’re going to stick your hand in their pocket anyway”.
Kangaroos
Alluding, perhaps, to that slight mixing of metaphors (bread – in a purse?) Burton rounded off the Dáil’s big ticket event of the day with quick review of her opponent’s performance, saying the ‘tirade’ had been a little hard to follow.
Do you think, deputy, that you’re running some kind of kangaroo court?
The measures will make a clear distinction between those who can’t, and those who won’t pay, Burton re-iterated several times – saying there were a “whole set of structures” in place to help people who have trouble paying their bills.
In any case, if she’s on social welfare, the woman is already ”getting very strong support from the state,” the Tánaiste added.
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Do you render when ‘Fingers’ walked away with a million euro golden handshake and we were told there was absolutely nothing that could be done to get it back.. But when the ordinary man owes money for something that he has already paid for overnight legislation is introduced to take it out of our wages.. FG and Labour only represent capitalism. They have abandoned the Irish people..
With FG its not a surprise but with the so called Labour Party its a complete capitulation of their stated values and policies.
They’ll pay a heavy price for it.
They’ll be out dropping literature into letterboxes in the middle of the night at the next election as even their core members won’t be seen canvassing for them.
And what was it all for, oh yeah, Big salaries and Big pensions because it wasn’t for Principles.
FG and Lab are now the official enemy of the people/
National Strike
These low lifes do not represent capitalism. Capitalism endorses the free movement of goods and labour. This is fascist neo-liberalism at its finest. I didn’t order any water.
Fg represents the fatpigs of society the begruders and the greedy and the corrupt i could go on but i won’t.
Why can’t fathers handle the shopping list? #sexist
this woman may be metaphorical as regards the debate, but there are thousands of them out here…..in the real world
It’s very interesting to see this proposal to take IW payments direct from pay and social welfare payments – it has always been resisted to allow this practice in relation to court imposed fines – which would seem to make far more sense as it could prevent people being taken to prison for failure to pay small fines. How can this government contemplate this procedure for water charges of all things? What next? ESB bills, Gas bills, TV Licences? This is put madness. Are we moving towards living in a police state?
Fascism: A governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc.,
Sounds familiar!
It’s just making explicit that this has always been another version of the property tax, dressed up as a household charge
Has Moan Bruton ever answered a question? #sidestep
Being made to pay your bills hardly constitutes a police state.
neal Ireland, as you well know no one has a problem paying their bills, but when you get charged 3 times for the one item do you pay cause a team of 4 senior citizens decided you should?
get off the stage!
No, but being forced to pay for the setting up an unnecessary, unwanted, hugely expensive and morally bankrupt quango is hardly democracy’s finest hour.
Why shouldn’t everyone pay their bills?
The rest of us do. So why let a minority away with choosing not to pay?
The Government owe it to the majority who pay to make the minority who won’t pay do the same. This is how it
If I have to pay my water bill then I want everyone else to pay as well.
well you have a choice I do not it seems…
we will see.
This is all about TTIP. IW is the excuse. Legislation must be in place so those corporations that are party to TTIP can be guaranteed payment for services and products.
Ciaron your wrong in your assertion that we all pay our bills. The love of your life Phil Hogan owes four and a half thousand on a Portuguese villa and won’t pay it cos he doesn’t agree with it. Also he refused to take a pay cut cos he said he was broke. Glad to see you’ve stepped up to the plate and offered your own taxes freely to him. Well done you.
Neal Ireland Hello.
They are not my bills. They are the bills of the banks. Our national debt has increased in the last 12 months. Do you not understand that?
Are we moving towards living in a police state?
If the cap fits…
http://i61.tinypic.com/34s5o2s.jpg
Ciaran We already paid for our water 5% motor taxation,,, 2% in general taxation ,some of the property tax gone to Irish Water ,now we should pay for it 3 or 4 times ,,what other “so called utility company ” would ask you to pay so many times for the 1 service Bord Gais E.S.B ,would you pay 3 times for same service ,??? Or would you tell them to f%%k off ??? Like most people would ,Irish Water can stick their bills ,i will not pay for bonuses for a super quango ,Its another tax ,to pay for bailed out banks
Labour are a bigger right wing party than FG now and after the next elcetion will be lucky to return 6 seats .I cant wait
Clearly it’s time for iPhone Joan to resign and ask her FG Bosses to call the long awaited General Election .
The poor ould woman, is living on her nerves , she is clearly not fit for purpose and she knows that her Lab. Party are finished too !
I feel so sad for her – Not !!!!!
Every cup of tae, every lunch in the Dail, every mile driven, clothing, phones, laptops, pension contributions, etc, etc, etc, you, the taxpayer are paying for Ms. Burton. That’s before her royal paycheck and other little lump sums she receives, again, at your expense.
She’s every bit the devil as Gilmore turned out to be. As right-wing as her blue-shirt partners. The cheek of these real state spongers talking down to anybody. They should be frog-marched from the Dail and set digging rocks with their bare hands in the fields of Connemara with a reality TV crew in tow. Then we would have a country worth having.
Same goes for her highness the paedophile protecting empress Maria Louisa of the house of northern bank
How original and well thought out Thomas. Well done.
Thomas Aquinas – Your hate and sarcasm levels are at an all time high ?
It must be soul destroying nowadays to be a Government Parties or FF Supporter or Member ?
The end of your corrupt Government time in office , is expiring in disgrace by the minute presently !
Lots more corruption will be exposed then Thomas , I’m sure ???
Ciarraioch, what “corruption” do you refer to? There has been no judicial finding of corruption in the lifetime of this government.
I thought shinners only accept allegations of criminality when proven in a court of law?!
Diarmuid , that’s based on the assumption that the judiciary aren’t biased which I think they are, they are politically appointed not independent and coming from a long line of privileged family’s. Tell me of one judge that comes from a working class background, they’re all toffee nosed and upper class.
Does Burton not realise the contempt with which Kenny and Nona’n would have for her, she is doing all their dirty work for them but she’s not really in their gang and she got there on the votes of the people she is so enthusiastically shafting
Mary Lou has shown herself to be a weak leader, when she failed to question the leaders of SF on the rape and peado allegations that have swamped the party. She is happy to ignore those. A very weak leader.
Good deflection Paul. Can’t you ever stay on topic just once?
Any sign of the sex abuse files Enda locked away for 70 years??
True Coco, but she and Howlin are minding the votes of the public service-all half a million of them.
The water taxes are part of the plan to finance the re-in-statement of all cuts made to public servants.
They are desperate to get this Quango up and running.
Paul when did Mary Lou replace Adams, btw any chance you’d stay on topic ?
hmmm Paul utter tripe. I think she would make a great leader one day.
Paul using deflection again. Here we have a tanaiste a leader of the government who won’t have an independent inquiry into siteserv. Now that’s a sign of a poor leader.
2 Interesting topics together on the Journal.
1 the outrageous monies being paid to some RTE people some who appear only to work a few hours a week.
2. Proposed new legislation to take monies from people’s pay and social welfare for non payment of bills including the T.V. license fee that goes towards paying the large salaries mentioned above. What a kip we live in and a pox on Kenny and Burton and their cronies.
That’s what happens when you live under dictatorship.
…..which we don’t
We stopped being democratic when the government came into power, this is because the whip system ensures everyone does what Kenny says and because FG formed a coalition with Labour, so they have the majority vote in the house so can change or introduce any legislation Kenny decides on no matter how unjust or damaging to the people of the country it is. (As has been proved, (LPT which Kenny himself is on record as stating “is morally unjust and unfair.”), and indeed is in the process of being implemented again (IW, legislation being made to take cash directly from peoples pay) ). And as shown with various implemented policies means the opposition can do nothing about it.
“Dictatorship” is a form of government where political authority is monopolized by a single person or political entity, and exercised through various mechanisms to ensure the entity’s power remains strong”…….See any similarities?
This may shock you but……
The government usually gets to make laws in a democracy. They have more votes than the opposition. If you don’t like what they do you get to vote for someone else next time. That’s not a characteristic usually associated with a dictatorship.
The government can also be blocked from making laws by the opposition in a democracy, that’s why it’s called a democracy.
And there’s not time limit on a dictatorship that I’m aware of, they are usually removed by force yes, but there are other methods and I will be doing my part with my vote when the time comes.
Wait, you think the hallmark of a democracy is when a government can’t pass any legislation? Sigh.
Good on joan while people starve your rich buddy’s get away fraud and insider trading
labour party unrecognisable to the labour party of 2011 who promised so much and delivered pain and suffering, be it to people in social protection or labour created working poor or the squeezes middle , , dam joan brutal amd her cursed labour party
FG / Labour the new Thatcherites. Love the rich and squeeze every drop of lood from the poor.
Time for new protest tactics
Armed rebellion perhaps
We had new tactics in Waterford the other night, is this what you had in mind John.
absolutely no evidence whatsoever as to the cause of the fire james..personally i would put my money on an insurance job…
You might be on to something Ray.
There is absolutely no evidence that the attack on Irish water contractors’ vehicles had anything to do with people wanting to attack Irish Water contractors’ vehicles.
Water charge protestors shot themselves in the foot a bit with the “midget parasite” comments and stuff like that.
It had the potential to morph into a general anti-austerity backlash but imploded a bit
Try harder.
It would be terrible if the M1 were to be blocked.
Diarmuid if the protests were such a failure why do you think the government wishes to allow IW dip into people’s income?
Is she the tanaiste or is she a toddler in a playground. Because she constantly acts like a toddler. Throwing tantrums and refuses to answer the questions asked of her. Whether you like any of the opposition or not. As tanaiste of this country she should answer the questions posed as the electorate at home would also like to hear an answer. Joan forgets its not just the few TDs in the dail listening. Its also the electorate.
Joan Burton, you toe rag.
May your armpits be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels for your part in Fine Gaels/Labours fascist regime-standing on the necks of the working class while pulling the choke chain that bit tighter every day. You are a traitor to your party & your country.
Good thinking, Ken. I’ll drive me camels to Leinster House asap!
Good thinking, Ken. I’ll muster me camels and drive them to Leinster House asap!
Joan Burton’s camel toe
I red thumbed you as you brought my lunch back up!
This new legislation is unbelievable. Its practically stealing from your bank account without your consent.
Would you rather a day in jail?
Yes
On the continent the have pay utility bills at source if they want.
Ciaran, any chance you can reword that into legible English?
but this is Ireland not the continent buddy
Fair point Norman.its a pretty poor attempt at English.
Have you been drinking cos your sentence structure makes no sense.
Real classy lads…Thatcher say no, nein…I am afraid
Something needs to be done to stop this from happening right away..this calls for a massive march to the gates of leinster house and barracade them in..no other option left now at this stage
Burn the kip obviously peaceful protests not working eh Diarmuid?
Let us not forget Eamonn Gimmemore`s role in all of this, the snake is getting a very easy ride of it,
I can`t wait to see him try to get through my neighbourhood here in Dunlaoghaire – He honestly better have a few coppers with him – the feelings are palpable.
Gilmore is one of the chief architects and social engineer behind the last GE campaign, he is a prime example of the corrupting nature the Dail can have on once principled men.
…or women :)
@Mr Phil
When was Gilmore an honourable man?
Or even principled for that man it was always look after number 1.
I would suggest the reason Ms Burton seems indifferent is that she won’t be standing for reelection , I would even go as far as to suggest that very few of the elderly front bench will stand before the people again and the likes of Alan Kelly are already well connected enough to get a career outside of politics, hence the bullish indifference and contempt shown for the people who provide the largesse they enjoy, they will becoming to the doors soon hands extended leaflet in hand ,have a bucket of water handy and let them have it .
Well at least the water in the bucket will be free
Paid for by my taxes .
One’s wages are ones private property after taxes …
The government cannot legislate for the private property of citizens to be taken by a third off-balance company ….
Article 15.4 deems this legislation illegal – It will fall at the first hurdle – I would bring the case but Irish Water will be disbanded long before then !
Ronnie Biggs couldn’t rob a train from Brazil now could he ?
and possibly boiling
Needless to say this legislation could have had standing when the E.S.B were wholly State-owned and every customer was within the Republic …
Maggie Burton at it again
Jaysus that broke my heart to green thumb you there. Man U crest I’m on about lol
Sorry!!!
Come election time health and safety will be a big issue army escorts for FG and LAB
FG/LAB will pay an extremely high price for their utter betrayal of the Irish people. In their continuing pursuit to appease European masters they have lost all sense of compassion for the weakest in society. I pray the electorate extract a high price and again after 1 term you are condemned to the scrap help, this time for a very long time. Roll on early election. The people have spoken and will not pay another tax to pay for an elite few to remain at the top. The hatred for FG/LAB is starting to peak and real trouble is ahead I fear…
I find it so very hard to believe that a Labour Leader is complicit in doing Fine Gael’s dirty work. I’ve been a Labour
supporter all my life and it’s heartbreaking to see what is happening to a once proud “working class” party. All for a transient power fix.
It won’t be forgotten or forgiven ever!
Sinn Fein are the only party with any integrity left…
Peter , Joan obviously has no manifesto, gutless , ruthless & plain stupid . She really is thick if she thinks she’ll be re elected . Likewise with spineless Kenny
Sinn Féin all the way for me. Never voted FG, never will. FF will be waiting a long time before I’d vote for them again. Labour have betrayed their core values and the values of their supporters and grassroots members. Until Labour is taken back from the blueshirt-lites, they can go swing from the five lamps. Which leaves Sinn Féin and Independents. They’ll get my X next year.
Ms Burton will not stand for re-election – her pensions have been garnered, her investments (no doubt with the appropriate inside information) are probably very healthy – and she has no hope whatever of being elected – why on earth would she stand?
Has anybody a link to the exchange between M Lou and I-moan Joan in the Dail.?
Thanks, Jammin, I am just putting Mary Lou’s speech on Youtube.!
Great address.!
Lol, have I just stumbled onto a shinner support group? Or just “Were Jammin” talking to him/herself.
Sad really.
No Diarmuid – What you have stumbled upon is a lot of Angry Irish people, who, for the most part will NOT let what is left of our society be used to beat and break the most weak, vulnerable and scared , People in our society down.
Pensioners, Chronically ill , Single parents, young couples, middle aged couples – And most of all – Former fully employed proud men and women who are are at there wits end , through absolutely no fault of their own.
The Labour party used to have the working vote, They have lost that honour – in a sleveen fashion.
With those votes going floating in the next GE – you can be damn sure that FG won`t be getting them.
Which really throws the cat among the pigeons.
what you are seeing is the coming together of the very fabric of our society, where being Irish carries with it an inherent duty to do what is right.
Being Irish, – Is FAR more important to the Psyche than being Europeans, lapdogs and whipping Boys
And it is starting to spread WAY past Old political alliances.
There will be not enough FG/Labour?/FF votes left after this sizeable sway.
If a party was to garner the disenfranchised youth of today, the ones that were cut to 100 Euro a week……could be onto a good thing, especially with social media.
Put all that together into the one mixing bowl – Is gonna be some recipe.
This Possibly could not have been timed any Better.
Maybe, Just maybe , Pearse / Connolly /Collins /Larkin et al ,
will finally stop spinning in their Graves, What a gift that would be.
FG are bullies, nothing more, and Lab. are simply political prostitutes who will jump into bed with anyone. They cannot get the people to comply, because nobody has any respect for them, as they are blatant liars and traitors.
Throughout the ages, great leaders inspired their people through thick and thin, but this snivelling lot, – Kenny, Burton & co. draw only scorn from a population which has grown to despise them more and more, every day.
This time, they have pushed us too far…
Our Joan is like a parrot she sits upon her pole
she sticks her head between her legs
and whistles up her oooooooooole
This government should be dragged from Leinster house and hung from a street light.
Yes, friends, governments in capitalist society are but committee’s of the rich to manage the affair’s of the capitalist class, do you remember who said that joan burton you should hang your head in shame
This government should be dragged from Leinster house and hung from a street light.
Or attended to by Dr Guillotine..
A lot of women, are” That Woman”, Joan!! Men Too !! Joan, take the blinkers off!
Bedrudger Burton. Taking fags from the mouths of single Mummies since 2011
We are living in an open prison
Does this metaphorical woman smoke? One less packet of Johnny Blue a week would cover her water charges.
One less pack a month would cover it
How do you know she doesn’t already pay the water charge/tax/quango??
Because ray . people who defend this government and sham of a company do so by ridicule of others . its all they do. Amazing they never have any opinion on siteserv. Not a peep then. The calibre of these people is shining through just like the government. Ridicule and shameful comments without knowing anyone’s circumstances. They think they are being funny and smart but they just show themselves up for the type of characters they are.
Little one, “though cowards scoff and traitors sneer…….” believe it or not that is a line from a song the true Labour Party used to sing. Now they ARE the cowards and traitors who are scoffing and sneering. A shameful and a wounding thing for all of us old Labour voters.
Well said Littleone. Nail on the head.
Thanks sheik and Rory. Its people like this that annoy me. Always the smart and ridicule comments that they come out.
And Haley Joan Osment needs a haircut.
Joan burton could’nt answer the phone
Quite simply it should be changed to Leaders Statements cause they never answer a fking question their asked .
Give up the packet of Johnny Blue and do your bit for Dennis
Time for Joan to be put out to graze, giddieup there Mary,
Thankfully after the election we won’t have to listen to the banshee wailing of Joan Burton any longer.
mary lou needs some instantly ageless pronto
That’s not all she needs.
Length of wavon…
It’s hard for women to go into politics because of the extra scrutiny they get on how they dress, their figure and any fluctuations in it or if they are ‘moody’ for being strong or soft and effeminate for looking for compromise. It’s often said the most inappropriate criticism comes from other women. You should be ashamed if your comment Emer. I’m sure you would be upset if people started to criticise your skin, figure, dress etc rather than listen to what you have to say or maybe you are so shallow you have nothing else to say. Truly depressing.
You are some stunner yourself Emer
Stunner as in being zapped with a taser
I don’t think it’s true that they face extra scrutiny. Men face plenty too. For example, remember when a grotesque cartoon of Brian Cowen in his underwear was hung in the National Gallery? He was criticised for not taking it with good humour. Imagine how Mary-Lou would react to the exact same thing!
It’s not just Ireland, I’ve yet to hear anyone discuss Chris Christie without referring to his weight
Loren, Joan Burton would definitely have something to say if was a picture of her hung up there, although it would probably come out as something else totally irrelevant and never get to the point.
Go on Mary Lou lash her out of it.
God, joan what a nasty ugly witch. Bet Joan would not sacrifice her socialist prawns for her IW bill. Pay it from expenses you moo.
Scrap heap..
The debates in the Dail are so farcical at times. I must say I get great amusement from watching the antics of our politicians who are more like kids in a a school playground at the best of times. But I do admit I like Mary Lou. She is a strong woman in among all those men and she is well able to stand her ground against any of them. She is such an articulate speaker and Joan Burton is no match for her. I say good on you Mary McDonald!
Mary Lou is the kind of leader this country needs, a no nonsense politician, articulate and can hold her own in a debate, all in the face of a bitter FF who constantly try to belittle her every move.
Joan Machiavelli.
Well Joan not all of us are lucky enough to be on a very generous social welfare payment. Why don’t you try living off 192 euro a week from working three days and raise a child, all the while slapping on more bills that I cannot afford.
Never mind taking something off the shopping list, its come to stage that it’s either I eat or my child.
Don’t eat your child – it’s a potential taxpayer
Herself Noonan and Kenny the lot of them dont care no more just going through the motions doing what their told surviving week to week implementing more laws . Robots
Should it not be a hypothetical woman…
Dear Joan,
JUST ANSWER AN EFFING QUESTION FFS !!!
Regards,
Shakka.
I dont understand how the Government keep getting away with this stuff, they are on a roll, taking money off the hard working people of this Country for what seems any reason, they made us repeat our vote when they didnt like it, they said they listened to the people yet just done what they wanted anyway, and none of the so called brilliant minds are doing anything , i will never vote these people again ever ever sick of this …
Mary Lou is a much better speaker other than screeching Mary opposite her….
https://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/socialcharter/Presentation/ESCRBooklet/English.pdf
“Part 1, “30. Everyone has the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion.”
“Article 14 The right to benefit from social welfare services.”
“Article 30
The right to protection against poverty and social exclusion With a view to ensuring the efective exercise of the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion, the Parties undertake:
a. to take measures within the framework of an overall and co-ordinated approach to
promote the efective access of persons who live or risk living in a situation of social
exclusion or poverty, as well as their families, to, in particular, employment, housing,
training, education, culture and social and medical assistance;
b. to review these measures with a view to their adaptation if necessary.”
So can the government dip into social welfare or wages if it has a drastic effect on their protection against poverty and social exclusion under E.U. SOCIAL CHARTER?
“Article 23
The right of elderly persons to social protection
With a view to ensuring the efective exercise of the right of elderly persons to social
protection, the Parties undertake to adopt or encourage, either directly or in co-operation
with public or private organisations, appropriate measures designed in particular:
– to enable elderly persons to remain full members of society for as long as possible,
by means of:
a. adequate resources enabling them to lead a decent life and play an active part
in public, social and cultural life;
b. provision of information about services and facilities available for elderly persons
and their opportunities to make use of them;
– to enable elderly persons to choose their lifestyle freely and to lead independent lives
in their familiar surroundings for as long as they wish and are able, by means of:
a. provision of housing suited to their needs and their state of health or of adequate
support for adapting their housing;
b. the health care and the services necessitated by their state;
– to guarantee elderly persons living in institutions appropriate support, while respecting
their privacy, and participation in decisions concerning living conditions in the
institution.”
DOES TAKING MONEY FROM THEM AGAINST THEIR WILL NOT EFFECT THE E.U. SOCIAL CHARTER?
Mary lou didn’t get that tan in dollymount beach
Nah, it’s just the BS spraying from Joan’s mouth that hit her
The E.U. Charter of Fundamental Rights.
http://web.archive.org/web/20110726042758/http://www.eucharter.org/home.php?page_id=32
“Art 25. The rights of the elderly
Definition
The Union recognises and respects the rights of the elderly to lead a life of dignity and independence and to participate in social and cultural life.
Legal Explanations
This Article draws on Article 23 of the revised European Social Charter and Articles 24 and 25 of the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers. Of course, participation in social and cultural life also covers participation in political life.”
How can they if they are robbed by the government?
http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/163.htm
“Article 30 – The right to protection against poverty and social exclusion
With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion, the Parties undertake:
a.to take measures within the framework of an overall and co-ordinated approach to promote the effective access of persons who live or risk living in a situation of social exclusion or poverty, as well as their families, to, in particular, employment, housing, training, education, culture and social and medical assistance;
b.to review these measures with a view to their adaptation if necessary.”
“Article 23 – The right of elderly persons to social protection
With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right of elderly persons to social protection, the Parties undertake to adopt or encourage, either directly or in co-operation with public or private organisations, appropriate measures designed in particular:
◦to enable elderly persons to remain full members of society for as long as possible, by means of:
a.adequate resources enabling them to lead a decent life and play an active part in public, social and cultural life;
b.provision of information about services and facilities available for elderly persons and their opportunities to make use of them;
◦to enable elderly persons to choose their life-style freely and to lead independent lives in their familiar surroundings for as long as they wish and are able, by means of:
a.provision of housing suited to their needs and their state of health or of adequate support for adapting their housing;
b.the health care and the services necessitated by their state;
◦to guarantee elderly persons living in institutions appropriate support, while respecting their privacy, and participation in decisions concerning living conditions in the institution.”
SO IS THE GOVERNMENT TAKING MONEY OUT OF PEOPLE HANDS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE E.U. SOCIAL CHARTER?
Article 14 – The right to benefit from social welfare services
With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right to benefit from social welfare services, the Parties undertake:
1.to promote or provide services which, by using methods of social work, would contribute to the welfare and development of both individuals and groups in the community, and to their adjustment to the social environment;
2.to encourage the participation of individuals and voluntary or other organisations in the establishment and maintenance of such services.
I donno bout this taking from people’s pay packet this isn’t a tax to be fair or they just haven’t called it one, but there is a need for charges the water system and quality in this country is lacking in its basics.
Maybe they could use the billions they’ve already and are still taking since 1997
The government must love poor people their creating loads of them.
Joan feeling all warm inside being compare to her youth idol
Joan Burton dodging the questions as usual. #Labourout
Mary Lou gets in a row with Burton.
I’m shocked.
SAID. NO. ONE. EVER
Wouldn’t you love to lock them in a room together, just for divilment .
Moany should get a hair cut think it’s going into her ears and eyes because she can’t seem to hear and see what’s going on around her the most Obnoxious Woman ever will answer everything but the questions put to her like her or not Mary Lou keeps at her and is well able for her
Is Mary Lou using ronseal to get that colour? It’s fairly stand out alright
Mary Lou needs to lay off the eclairs
Yeah, because her purpose in this world is to look good for you.
Judging by Mary Lou there’s quite a lot of fake tan on the hypothetical woman’s shopping list #doesthesunbeds
Why do stupid people always do duckface on Facebook ?
What is the point of a gif of two people talking
…and a really crappy gif at that.
Meanwhile while all this drama and posturing is being played out Catherine Murphy is doing an amazing job exposing Siteserve and Denis O’Brien’s murky past
Everyone wants revenge at election time but it looks like the people bringing in the hated policies will all be retiring to deny us our revenge. Look at the age of noonan burton & kenny? They don’t care for a reason
Watching debates from the Dail are so farcical at times, I get great amusement from the antics of our so-called politicians who are more like kids in a school playground. But I have to say I love the way Mary Lou McDonald expresses herself. She is a strong woman in among all those men and she knows how to stand her ground against any of them. She is very articulate and Joan Burton is no match for her. I say good on you Mary McDonald!
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