@Mick Andrews: Never because SF believe the end justify’s the means, they think its ok to kill someone if it furthers their aims. Just look at the support they gave the killers of Gardi Gerry McCabe !

@Craic_a_tower: Absolutely we’ll know criminals are linked IRA

@Craic_a_tower: ok taking your ridiculous point seriously for a moment , if that were true would you have expected the previous ff or FG governments to have sorted it out by considering they have been in power every year since ?

@Craic_a_tower: Jaysus the Ra must’ve infiltrated every nation on earth so and instilled their dangerous criminal element. What an absolutely ridiculous desperate statement.

@Craic_a_tower: you do realise that the leftover members of the IRA are the most active anti drugs activists around? There are streets in D1 with no drugs.

@Elaynehb: my god you Shinners are incessant! I can’t believe that you are trying to place the blame for a problem with it’s roots in dissident activity at the governments door.
The stupidity is beyond belief!

@Mick Andrews: Also thanks to him my insurance renewal quote is the same as my previous one for the first time in years, not a 60% i plus increase for the first time in years. FG were quite happy with that extortion racket.

@Craic_a_tower: Would you suggest tearing up The Good Friday Agreement? Should it all go back to the way it was? People voted to take the guns out of the story and move on. Worldwide, Republican and Loyalists are studied for the way they agreed to seek a political solution. There are countries trying to mimic the solution.
Next year we will hear a lot about The Civil War. Remember Ballyseedy in Kerry? A grenade thrown into a group of prisoners. A mass murder. The Public Safety Bill allowing the execution of prisoners of war. Fine Fáil and Fine Gael both come from a background of murder and violence. If you don’t want to move on so be it. Others are doing so. Yes The IRA did wrong but I’ll take them at the ballot box instead of behind an armalite any day.

@Craic_a_tower: thought this post was about the injustice of the FG policy on pension age ? It must have been wrong in your opinion to set up the Good Friday Agreement because seem to be so focussed on IRA violence, have u forgotten it was a 2 way street, violence on both sides, but the country is trying to move on… except for the likes of u , still hyping up the bigotry.

@Niall Bourke: nothing to do with the GFA. Sf/IRA didn’t offer or do anything about the criminal organisation infrastructure they knew they were leaving behind. It was a failure on all those involved but sf/ira remain the people that created and supported organised crime. The suggestion they were against drugs is a joke. They traded services with the drug dealers at the top. Preventing local drug dealing was just PR.

@Craic_a_tower: The real criminals in this country are the ones in suits sitting behind desks in banks

@Craic_a_tower: And who protected the local people and helped them oust the Heroin dealers during the heroin epidemic in Dublin Inner City.

You sir are full of horse manure

@Craic_a_tower: totally agree. SF are a party that have absolutely no regard for the Irish people. They’d sell there own mothers to achieve unification and take anything that belongs to anyone in order to achieve it.
A party that was built using the blood of their people is all they are.

@Jointheclubtoo: you are a very cheap supporter. If that’s all you cost to get your vote then pity about you.

@Gowon Geter: and your suggestion is comical.

@2thFairy: Keep going… let everyone watch your nervous breakdown

@Craic_a_tower: well I stop ffs

Us pensioners were also the working parents with kids and went through all the same challenges as you’re going through now. There is no automatic entitlement to medical cards for pensioners.

@Perlum Sprite: Pensioners have every right to expect to be looked after! They’ve earned every single thing they get. You seem to have the attitude that it’s a privilege for the elderly to have a bus pass. These are the people who wiped your ass when you were a child and they worked a hell of a lot harder than people do nowadays. I wonder will you think the same when you are that age!

@Margaret Kane: This lady wanted to work longer so why not let her if she’s physically able? People working arduous jobs, like in construction or farming, however, should be able to receive the pension well before they’re 65. Others though are going to have to work longer otherwise figures won’t balance and the country will pile on even more crippling debt.

@Perlum Sprite: Someday you will have joined ranks of pensioners. Hopefully again that time comes you will have had your path eased by the current pensioners who not alone are fighting for their rights but also for those of all future pensioners.

@Shazam37: the people who bankrupted the country have retired with really good pensions I think you’ll find.

@Perlum Sprite: Im sure most of the pensioners were also working parents at some stage and had to pay for child care and education. They fully deserve the pension at 65 and it really is degrading to have to sign on after years of working.

@Dave Thomas: yea? And who voted for them? And their crackpot, lazy ignorant policies?

You get the politicians you deserve Dave. If they’re feckless stupid careless and greedy then by and large so are the people who voted for them.

@Patrick Agnew: Well said.

@Perlum Sprite: Pensioners do not receive medical card automatically, it’s means tested.

@Shazam37: how did my family bankrupt the country? We worked all our lives, bought our own modest house, educated our children and ourselves when it became necessary for work . Same as the vast majority of taxpayers.

@Perlum Sprite: What do you think of Ireland giving away nearly a billion in foreign aid this year?

@Teresa O’Donnell-Joyce: You voted for the people and policies that destroyed the country Teresa.

Someone ws voting for Ahern and Haughey all those years. Someone voted to hollow out taxation and exponentially increase public spending. Someone voted for property boom and stamp duty which destroyed the country’s finances.

It wasn’t my generation Teresa. I know that.

What you do in a voting booth matters. And if you vote for people who wreck the country YOU are responsible.

Hard truths.

@Perlum Sprite: and most of these people have worked for fifty years .

@Perlum Sprite: __ A “free” Medical Card isn’t automatic, and if you think that there are a whole host of other incentives, you’re sadly mistaken. There aren’t many people in Ireland who aren’t getting screwed, and healh and housing affects everyone, not just poor hard done by whingers like you.

@Shazam37: what a stupid and disrespectful comment to make, blaming the electorate for the corruption of the politicians… cop onto yourself.

@Sam Greene: foe god sake sam. Grow up. We elected those politicians. How do you think they got into office? Who’s fault is that?

They weren’t corrupt. They were stupid. They were ignorant. Their policies were downright bad. But they told you what their policies were. Cut taxes? HURRAH! Increase spending? Hurrah!!

Could you quit your job and simultaneously buy a house in Shrewsbury road? Of course not.

Grow up Sam. The previous generation voted for the guys that did this to us.

Suggesting it’s nothing to do with them is just juvenile. They were YOUR representatives.

@Shazam37: go back to school and educate your self muppet

@Michael Mulcahy: oh strong answer Michael.

On what particular am I wrong? Were the politicians who bankrupted the country elected by that generation or were they not?

Until we grow up as a Country and accept responsibility for who governs is we will continue to find ourselves in this kind of mess.

@Shazam37: First and foremost you arrogant man it was the Bankers and Finance Industry in general broke this country.
It was the Irish tax payer and the raided pension funds that saved the country. And the infrastructure that you use daily was paid for by your predecessors and not you.
My Father had to pay 75% income tax for periods of his life and he is as entitled to a pension as any Public Servant or Politician.
But I do hope the likes of you get you way and that be no pension then there for you.

@Shazam37: idiotic comments, but sad that u would disrespect people that worked all their lives and are now getting ripped off. But of course u cant possibly be wrong can u, smugness is ugly.

@Gowon Geter:

Let’s clarify a few things first Geter.

Firstly the banks weren’t regulated. That’s part of the governments job. “Regulation light”. The property boom fuelled by easy credit from the banks was legislated for and supported by FF. why? Because they were raking in taxes through stamp duty.

The Irish people by and large thought they could get rich from this – by selling each other houses.

The Irish people also availed of massive loans from the banks. 100% mortgages they couldn’t afford.

So let’s stick to facts. The banks played their part. And how many Irish people worked in them?

But let’s not pretend successive FF governments didn’t facilitate this. They did. And they were voted for by ….. that’s right…. the People.

Secondly – public sector wages were a huge part of how our economy ran aground. Again voted for by the People.

As with any crisis there is usually plenty of blame to go round.

But to suggest it was nothing to do with the Public – all hard working serious minded sensible people – who woke up one morning astonished to find the country bankrupt is just juvenile.

Refusal to accept responsibility for anything is so typical of the Irish. And funnily enough our politicians are exactly the same.

Your father paid huge income tax because his election choices were stupid. He only has himself to blame.

He should have prepared his own pension rather than hoping future generations would pay for him.

@Sam Greene: Ah sam. You’re a big overgrown child like most of the commenters on here.

Unable to face reality. “The bogeyman” broke the country. Nothing to Do with the whole country thinking credit would always be cheap and easy and we could all get rich selling houses to each other and the state could cut taxes and increase spending in perpetuity.

Head in the sand stuff.

@Perlum Sprite: If you cant afford kids then don’t have them

And the political party’s know that most would be pensioners WILL VOTE so they are going to pay attention! Let us rise! Scare it out of them.

@Perlum Sprite:
Distract Deceive Divide….

@Shazam37: We had very little choice of political parties Shazam. Much the same as now. How do we choose the best one to save the country? It’ll probably be a coalition of some sort anyway. They’ll promise the earth until they get into power as they always have done. Some things don’t change.

@Margaret Kane: it is the DAILAN I no all that woman talk about and policy all down to deal b lenihan made . Never laid before, Dail is is TD who made law putting age up TD who made law allow, Donohoe take money from pension fund to restore budget defect in public fund that contains 44*billuon loan not our money.

Raiding prsi contribution to put into fund with loan money never apprived by Dail cos td walked awy.

Until people realise who they are electing not a party not a taoiseach a TD who can go to high ct to have that deal laid before Dail it will go on.

Young people paying prsi contributions into pension fund after tax paid into public fund and all those prsi contributions the fund pension fund now being used agai to top up public fund containing that loan monies.

@Shazam37: Of course I or anyone else never knowingly voted for the mess that the recession caused. When you vote in a few weeks can you guarantee that who you vote for won’t make a mess? You just have to trust them. My children suffer the consequence of the recession same as you and everyone else.

@Teresa O’Donnell-Joyce: Youve had plenty of choice Teresa. Plenty. And you get the politicians you deserve.

You didn’t demand accountability. You didn’t demand heads roll for corruption. You voted for tax cuts and stupidity.

@Perlum Sprite: pensioners do not automatically get a medical card . it is means tested with a low threshold

@XvSv: I suspect the vast majority want a fair/living wage when they retire . If so, ALL our political parties need to be upfront and honest of we pay for this . Many parties in election constantly reference the Nordic countries as example …. aim very familiar with these countries. The biggest thing is that everyone pays into the system. In a Ireland we have the lowest PRSI rates in the OECD countries . In Nordics etc everyone is paying 10% or more into social insurance regardless of their salary level . SF and other left wing parties basically want everyone earning under 30K to pay nothing while getting everyone earning €100K to pay more . 98 % of the Irish workforce (2.2M) earn less €100K .. so if we want Nordic level services then everyone has to pay progressively into the system

@SC: people are dying older on average each year. Stop being thick, no ones dying younger!

@Brian Fitzmaurice: Well said .

@Shazam37: Only a few at the top made the mistakes. Why are you spreading that out over a whole generation? The sick thing about it all is that those who did mismanage the kip are the ones skiving off with massive lump sum payments and pension funds!

@David Corrigan: sick to my back teeth saying this. We voted for those people. The people WANTED to get rid of rates, and lower taxes, and not pay water charges, and inflate public sector wages. They wanted to believe that selling houses to each other we could all get rich.

This attitude that “it’s nothing to do with us” is so so childish.

It is EVERYTHING to do with us and the people we elect. You get the politicians you deserve and we elected ignorant self serving fools.

That’s our fault. And it is very much the fault of the now retiring generation that the country is in such massive debt.

And now they want more.

@Shazam37: disrespectful comment. This means generation did not feck up this country ! The polititions of the day did. U really are nasty.

@Shazam37: What a twerp. You know nothing about this man.

@Sam Greene: Good god. WHO VOTED FOR THOSE POLITICIANS?

@David Glynn: Hard Truths David. Hard Truths. Something Irish people generally are terrible at dealing with.

@Shazam37: The biggest balls up my generation made was raising a generation who think they are entitled to everything without having to make the effort. But since you want to blame my generation for the problems you might also consider how my generation brought employment to highest level in the States History, How my generation have overseen the highest economic growth rate in the EU at 5.6% this year. How my generation oversaw the increase from 4% of the population in 1960 who had received 3rd level education to its current figure 20%. How we have one of the highest home ownership % is EU. No generation gets everything right but as you go through life you will (hopefully) realise that the generation gone before you have left the jersey in a better place than when they put it on & its now your turn to play the game & leave the jersey in a better place than when you got it So before you mouth off about this generation why not wait until you reach an older and wiser age, reflect on what your generation will have achieved (if anything) and then measure up.

@Shazam37: We live in a democracy People vote for who they want. You have two choices. 1. Go for election yourself….. 2 Go somewhere else to live.

@Brian Fitzmaurice: All of that was wiped away when you bankrupted the state Brian.

You’re leaving 200 Billion in debt to your children. That’s your legacy.

Is your argument seriously “well we were going great guns for a while there so you should overlook the massive debt we left you and just pay us!”

Like a gambling addict who leaves his wife huge debt but wants thanks for the time he won a few quid on the grand national and brought her to dinner.

@Brian Fitzmaurice: yes we do live in a democracy and yes you did.

And all I ask is that you take responsibility for those choices. You voted selfishly stupidly and badly, got it badly wrong and before sticking your hand out and saying “pay us our pensions” I suggest you acknowledge the insane debts you’ve left the younger generation.

@Shazam37: I know your generation knows everything so perhaps you might tell me who I voted for. ,,, you seem to suggest that you know…Your arrogance is only surpassed by your ignorance

@Shazam37: FFS man get a life or an education or a lobotomy as you would be no loss to the gene pool..

@Brian Fitzmaurice: FF were in government for three successive terms Brian. You might not have voted for them but your generation certainly did.

And now my generation have to pay for that ignorance. And the next. And the next after that.

Because you were selfish and greedy and ignorant.

Well never get our of the 200 billion debt Brian. Ever.

That’s your generations legacy. Forgive me I don’t weep over your pension entitlements when
My kids have to pay for your mistakes.

@Brian Fitzmaurice: so say all of us and I am sixty five next month and job seeker and homeowner carrying cost of a builder of an estate who went bust and banks they brought down and paid tax since fifteen.

U talk of the state.

U mean tds,.

@Shazam37: I don’t get people that condemn a whole generation for the mistakes of the few if this is your whole argument it’s like the monty python sketch what have they ever done for us
The previous generations gained us independence from our oppressors
The previous generations built the schools,hospitals,roads,colleges,water systems etc,etc,etc
Why are we all arguing amongst ourselves the greedy and the corrupt destroyed the next generation look around you there’s plenty of fine decent people that never did or said f all to anyone that are paying for the mistakes of the greedy and corrupt they are lying in hospital trolleys sleeping in the doorways these are the people that we need to be looking after not fighting and arguing amongst ourselves

@Finbarr Whelan: the last generation didn’t free us from our oppressors you clueless Man.

The previous generation bankrupted the country. You remember that do you? Wasn’t so long ago.

You don’t get how I can condemn a whole generation. Why not? It’s easy. My generation came of age just as the recession hit. And suddenly our country is 200 billion in debt.

It wasn’t my generation that did it. I’ve to pay for it though.

@Shazam37: Hate to inform you of some facts. Since as you state “your” generation came of age as the recession hit then please tell me why YOUR generation has put FG back into power twice. Lets take a look at the left vote. that you seem to suggest would save us
..2011 Election. Socialist Party up by a whopping +0.6% PPB Party increase their vote share by an overwhelming 0.6% . SF the bright hope of our economic future increase their vote by 3% & remember this election happened in the middle of the worst austerity policies we ever had. Onward to the next opportunity for your generation to change it. 2016 election…. Socialist Party has gone into receivership. PPB another outstanding performance of increasing their vote 1.7% and the bright lights of SF increase their vote by 3.9%. Pathetic performance from the left. So pray tell me what the hell is your generation doing voting for FF & FG & Lab…… That warm felling in your cheeks is called embarrassment.

@Brian Fitzmaurice: there is no shame for the individual – only for the government that mismanaged.

@Shazam37: What decision could have been made retrospectively to avoid that? Which party at what point in time had they been voted in, would have scrutinised the central banks regulatory ability? Please be specific in your answer

Lets pretend Brian can go back in time. In your seemingly infinite knowledge how should he have cast his vote knowing what we know now?

You seem to think democracy = direct democracy

From reading your comments I’d guess you’re a 16-18 year old male. Everyone thinks they know everything at that age. But you don’t, and you just sound very naive and juvenile attacking someone personally for something “people his age did”

@Shazam37: clueless man are you in here to only insult people ? Read my reply you clown the previous generations not generation as you are saying, are you seriously laying the blame for this fiasco on your family your mam your dad your aunts your uncles are they the generation you are blaming for this mess? You have seen your parents go out work hard to raise their family to pay their bills to educate their children and you come on here blaming their generation, you know nothing about our generation as you call us grow up you clown

@Fifty Shades of Sé: what has that to do with anything? Totally irrelevant point.

Loads of jobs are “essential” – is every single person who does them except from taking responsibility for their own well being? Does the tax payer have to guarantee them all money on their pocket? No matter what it costs?

What a daft point.

@Shazam37: Jeez man a bit of a God complex you seem to have and you are incorrect in almost everything you have spouted ..
You must have a Crystal ball and know everything about everything, sure run for election and you will see how far you would get with your absolute nonsense

@Gowon Geter: No actual points to make?

What exactly am I wrong about.

Funny thing – none of you seem to know.

@Gowon Geter: considering you use a fecking MLP avatar, you’re in no place to be lecturing anyone on here you creep

@Shazam37: You’re wrong thinking that someone that did vital work for 40 years with the reasonable expectation that he’d be taken care of in his old age should have done something different with his life. Also, you used the word “except” when you clearly meant “exempt”.

@Fifty Shades of Sé: i didn’t say do something different with his life. I said he should have prepared for his retirement.

His expectation that he’d be taken care of might be “reasonable”. But so is mine that I wouldn’t inherit a 200 billion debt I didn’t create.

So personally I feel our “reasonable” expectations cancel each other out.

I have to pay his gambling debts. And no pension for him.

Sounds like a fair deal to me. What you want is for me to pay his debts AND his pension.

@523StarBar: They accepted debt in our name yes.

But there is an enormous reluctance on the part of the Irish people to accept responsibility.

A) we voted for those politicians. It’s our fault.
B) Bertie was Mr Popular all the while running the country off a cliff.
C) our Public Sector spending was totally out of control and now the People want it to be again. They’ve learned nothing.

The bitter pill to swallow is that in large measure we did this to ourselves. And now the people that made those decisions Should have to face up to that.

@Shazam37: we didn’t do this ourselves, I didn’t choose it. I

@Shazam37: we didn’t do this ourselves, I didn’t choose it. That is why I’m voting completely against FF/FG ..

@523StarBar: but we did do this to ourselves. We elected these people. “It has nothing to do with us “ is a juvenile argument.

You have to start by taking responsibility. If our politicians are lazy stupid corrupt and self serving that is OUR fault. Until we learn that as a people well be nowhere.

@523StarBar: the money is not there. In total the state pension and public sector pension liabilities are over €350bn and it is being funded from the general tax take. As the population ages this is going to only get worse and nobody wants to face up to the fact that it can’t be sustained.

@The Guru: Don’t assume the “older voter” won’t be screwed over ! The fact is they have been screwed over ! just like you have ,,,, BUT only just for a longer time.

@523StarBar: The money doesn’t exist. What makes you think it exists?

Today’s workers pay today’s pensioners.

In a few years pensioners will outnumber workers. What happens then?

@523StarBar: the money isn’t there and I don’t know why you think it is. It is not a one off charge but an on going liability. You need to assess the aging population and those contributing to sustain them. There is no money there it is based on projected incomes and projected outgoings. Like have a €1000 and agreeing to pay a person a €10 a week for the rest of their life but only adding €5 a week into the pot. It will run out and if you increase the numbers claiming while reducing the money going in you run out quicker