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Sam Boal

Taoiseach indicates childcare and sick pay reforms may not be rolled back on entirely after the crisis

The Dail is debating emergency legislation today.

TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has suggested that the emergency measures in the childcare sector as well as sick pay reforms may not be rolled back entirely once the crisis is over.

However, speaking in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach indicated that the rent freeze is not here to stay. 

Varadkar said:

“When it comes to childcare, our plan had always been to expand ECCE [Early Childhood Care and Education], and to expand the National Childcare Scheme incrementally, thereby reducing the amount parents have to pay.

“In some ways we’ve done that in one fell swoop, an incremental measure done very quickly. We might decide, perhaps as a House, not to rollback that entirely.”

Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone announced this week that parents won’t have to pay crèche fees for three months. Childcare workers are also to be paid in full with the help of the State. 

Changes to sick pay earlier this month means that those forced to self-isolate due to the virus immediately receive sick benefit, rather than have after a waiting period of six days, which was previously the case.

Varadkar said this is also another measure that might not revert back, stating that it is important in terms of “social justice”.

On the rent freeze, Varadkar tried to explain why the government previously said it was unconstitutional to impose a rent freeze.

“The truth is these are extraordinary times,” he said. The Constitution speaks of the common good, he said, adding that in these circumstances the common good overrides property rights.

Varadkar says rent freeze in normal circumstances “would make things worse” during a housing crisis.

Speaking about the predictions of a downturn in the Irish economy, he said Brexit planning has proved beneficial. 

When there was a threat of a hard Brexit, the government fast-tracked contingency plans and supports. 

“When it comes to so many of our plans on the shelf we’re simply rubbing out Brexit and writing in Coronavirus,” he said.

Varadkar said: “We’re taking unprecedented actions for an unprecedented emergency.”

Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin acknowledged the importance this “highly diverse Dáil” working together, stating that the bulk of the suggestions made by parties have been made privately and there has been an approach of seeking to limit public disagreements.

However, while it is a time to work together, questioning the authorities is also necessary, he said.

“There is a fine balance to be struck between supporting a common message to the public and maintaining space for asking tough questions and pointing to areas where more action may be required. This is a balance which is particularly important for us and for the media to consider… Everyone being on the same side does not remove the need to ask questions,” said Martin.

He said persistent questioning which “goes to the heart of whether we are doing all we can – or whether enough information has been shared on specific issues” is also needed.

Martin said Fianna Fáil will be supporting the passage of the emergency legislation today but will be suggesting ways of improving it. 

A number of amendments have been put forward today, including one by the Social Democrats and People Before Profit which calling for government to dispense with the current requirement of a 3-day waiting period to access medication to terminate pregnancies. 

 

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49 Comments
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    Mute Mary Mc Carthy
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:38 AM

    Poor man and his family waiting at home for him.

    223
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    Mute Karl Aisbitt
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:23 AM

    What’s the difference between them holding him and the Americans holding Afghanistan soldiers in Guantanamo bay ? Both get badly treated but because the USA is seen to be more of a civilised country they get away with it..

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    Mute Cillian Fleming
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:34 AM

    I think one difference, unlike in Guantanamo Bay, is that he faces the daily possibility of having his head cut off.

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    Mute Aaron
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:15 AM

    I’d rather my head cut off and it be done with instead of torture everyday at Gitmo

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    Mute Conor Stagg
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:16 AM

    Id rather have my head cut off! than spend half my life, or even a short part of it, in guantanamo!

    29
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    Mute Conor Stagg
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:17 AM

    Sorry Aaron either we posted that at the same time or else I didn’t c ur post ha ha

    11
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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:35 AM

    So, you would rather have your head sawn halal style over being in an American POW camp with your Koran. Don’t talk stupid! You no more believe that than ido.

    47
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    Mute The Polar Bear
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:42 AM

    Gitmo isn’t for POW’s. US doesn’t class them as POWs. They are enemy combatants/unlawful combatants according to US and Geneva Conventions do not apply.

    32
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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:56 AM

    And proper order. The rules of engagement don’t apply to jihadists so neither should the Geneva convention. You can bet your life the Geneva convention doesn’t apply to that poor American soldier. Can’t imagine the conditions those Taliban animals have imposed on him.

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    Mute Benson Hallahan
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:20 AM

    How do you know that they are jihadists? They haven’t been given a trial.

    24
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    Mute Aaron
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:28 AM

    and what about the conditions in Gitmo Margaret, is it fair they get tortured everyday in Gitmo but not fair on the American soldier?

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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:46 AM

    The don’t get “tortured” in Gitmo everyday. And it’s strange how many innocent “tourists” the Americans picked up in Afghanistan. All doing their gap year no doubt.

    26
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    Mute Mick
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:49 AM

    Gitmo?

    What about Abu Ghraib? It was run by people with the same attitude as margaret.

    Makes me sick to hear people defending the treatment of prisoners who would be living normal lives if it wasn’t for an unjust invasion by the United Snakes.

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    Mute Rick
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:50 AM

    Before you start referencing the Geneva Convention please check out this link.

    http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-atrocities-and-war-crimes-cover-ups-in-afghanistan/5358140

    It seems the Geneva Convention doesn’t apply to the U.S.

    No Gun Ri Massacre in Korea.
    Mai La in Vietnam.

    The U.S. do not recognise the ICC when it comes to the Geneva Convention, they prosecute their own forces as they see fit. You get more jail time in America for breaching their security than killing innocent civilians in a war zone.

    When the conflict is eventually over I pray that that soldier is returned safely to his family.

    16
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    Mute Aaron
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:54 AM

    You still didn’t answer the question Margaret, cause you cant, you know what the Americans do is wrong but wont admit it, the worlds biggest bully going up against the small countries with oil, using any excuse possible to go in and invade and then killing innocent men, women and children.

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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 12:17 PM

    @Aaron. There is no oil in Afghanistan. But plenty jihadists who would gladlysaw your head off if it furthered their aims. Your misplaced sympathy would do you no good. All humanity has been bred out if these butchers.
    Which question did I not answer?

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    Mute Mick
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    Jan 16th 2014, 12:21 PM

    Google Afganistan before the war.

    Nothing was “bred” out of them you ignorant fool – it was bombed out of them

    17
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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 12:29 PM

    Before the war as you put it the Taliban harboured bombers and cutthroats. Bombers and cutthroats bring it on themselves, calling people ignorant fool is straw grasping at it’s most desperate. Your points shouldn’t need that kind of embellishment.

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    Mute Aaron
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    Jan 16th 2014, 1:03 PM

    Jesus Margaret you haven’t a clue, you never answered if it was fair that the Americans tortured prisoners everyday in Gitmo? All you said was it doesn’t happen everyday! Sleep deprivation happens everyday to the prisoners, then tortured by water boarding and so on but its ok to you cause its the Americans doing it. They also extract 1.5 million barrels of oil per year in Afghanistan

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    Mute Stabber mac nugget
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:55 AM

    How many people are the yanks holding at the moment

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    Mute Roland 303
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:19 AM

    2 wrongs……….

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    Mute Some Feen
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:29 AM

    Try 500 wrongs, which is around how many were held in Guantanamo the release without charge… Buncha goat farmers

    42
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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:29 AM

    What do they hope to achieve by holding onto him. There’s no benefit to their cause by keeping him captive, except maybe to satisfy their own sadistic desires.

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    Mute Recalcitrant Banker
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:11 AM

    You’ve obviously haven’t heard of Guantanamo bay then. The USA are doing the same thing on a far more industrial scale.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:17 AM

    I’m not excusing the US, I can assure you. This soldier has been held captive for nearly 5 years. What info could they possibly hope to garner from him.

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    Mute Edward Malone
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:52 AM

    I suspect they no doubt want to exchange him and the reason the deal wasn’t ‘clinched’ is largely because of the US

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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:59 AM

    Hopefully this video is part of some movement that’s going in behind the scenes and he will be released soon.

    66
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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:24 AM

    He has spent more time in captivity than he has spent in active service. Keeping him is serving no purpose.

    51
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    Mute Daniel Lydon
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:59 AM

    I can only hope AMERICA get this poor fella home safe and get revenge for this terrible act

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    Mute Seamus O'Conner
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:21 AM

    Afghanistan’s guatanamo Bay. Justice has been served.

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    Mute Eric Edert
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:48 AM

    You’re blaming one guy for all of that?

    51
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    Mute Kieran Casey
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    Jan 16th 2014, 1:00 PM

    Stay the fcuk at home mind your own business,look after your own family and this shit wont happen to you..

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    Mute Andrew Fitzsimons
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    Jan 16th 2014, 1:59 PM

    Absolutely right!

    5
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    Mute Thrillhouse
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    Jan 16th 2014, 7:08 PM

    Ironically, that is exactly what most people in Afghanistan were doing. Staying home minding their own business until one day the worlds only superpower decided to bomb the f#ck out of them because a bunch of saudi arabians somehow knocked down 3 skyscrapers with 2 planes in New York.

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    Mute Eric Edert
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    Jan 16th 2014, 8:40 AM

    Homeland comes to mind here……Hmmmmmm, could be interesting

    18
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    Mute Lad
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:13 AM

    I think you’ve been watching to much tv lad…

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    Mute The Polar Bear
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:43 AM

    He dies in the end.

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    Mute margaret
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    Jan 16th 2014, 10:57 AM

    Yes he does. In typical barbaric Islamist fashion

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    Mute Jurgen Remak
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    Jan 16th 2014, 11:53 AM

    I hope this soldier gets released soon. 5 years with those guys must be absolute hell.

    16
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    Mute Elaine Cassin
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    Jan 16th 2014, 9:53 AM

    Sounds like they just left him there!!!

    6
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