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EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you begin your day.
1. #CHILD BENEFIT There will be cuts to child benefit – but they will be gradual, latest reports suggest this morning. The Irish Times says that the government will “press ahead” with the cuts, despite protests. Cabinet is to consider the cuts sooner than anticipated, the paper says. The Daily Mail says that the cuts will be phased in gradually.
2. #COURT A 17-year-old is due in court today charged with the murder of Melanie McCarthy-MacNamara (16), who died after being shot in February. The male will appear at Tallaght District Court this morning and is the second person charged with the teenager’s murder.
3. #SUICIDE The lack of a permanent director at the National Office for Suicide Prevention has been criticised by Noel Smyth of the 3Ts (Turn the Tide of Suicide), who said that the Government needs to take the issue of suicide “a lot more seriously”, the Irish Examiner reports.
4. #JILL MEAGHER Police are continuing to look for clues into the death of Drogheda woman Jill Meagher. Emergency service vehicles have been seen tracking roadsides on the outskirts of Melbourne. Ms Meagher’s body was found in a shallow grave 50km north-west of Melbourne on 28 September and Adrian Edward Bayley (41) has been charged with her murder.
5. #BULLYING The father of teenager Ciara Pugsley, who died by suicide last month, has warned other parents of the dangers of social media. Jonathan Pugsley spoke to the Irish Independent about his daughter’s death, and said that he was “taken aback” by some of the comments he had read about Ciara online. He said that he will try to help to educate people about being safe online.
6. #PHIL HOGAN Environment Minister Phil Hogan was jeered by a crowd of thousands in his home city last night at a homecoming event for Kilkenny’s All-Ireland champion hurlers. The Fine Gael minister did not give any visible response after he received the only boos of the night as he was introduced to the stage at Nowlan Park ahead of the team’s arrival.
7. #EL PRESIDENTE President Higgins will begin his official visit to South America today. During the two-week trip, he will meet with the presidents of Brazil, Chile and Argentina. In preparation for the visit, the President and his wife Sabina completed a course in Spanish language and culture in Santander in Spain.
8. #HONG KONG At least 36 people are believed to have died after a pleasure boat collided with a ferry in Hong Kong. More than 120 passengers were on the pleasure boat to watch holiday fireworks. Poor visibility and obstacles on board made the rescue difficult, the local fire service department said.
9. #CATHOLIC CHURCH Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler is on trial in one of the most damaging scandals of his pontificate. Paolo Gabriele is to be questioned on the stand today, accused of stealing documents and giving them to a journalist.
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Child benefit should be means tested… Making cuts across the board is only going to make hard times harder for a lot of people
I think any more cuts to child benefit will be the straw to break the camels back and a very unwise move for any Labour TD. I have voted Labour but never again! We rely on our child benefit now that we are a single income family and this could well tip us over the edge. And from what I read, most middle class families are in the very same boat…
Yet again, the government are threatening to slash child benefit, tax maternity pay and in the same breath the are asking us to vote yes in the “Children’s rights referendum. All this after removing SNA from schools. The state doesn’t care about your kids, and to give them more power by passing this referendum will be crazy…. VOTE NO to actually protect children’s rights
267 kids died since yr 2000 and another 500 gone missing and yet they want a referendum to legally take the rights off the parent,, then they go and cut child benefit and put thousands of parents into a poverty trap, if it is a yes vote, the GOV can legally take your children regaurdless of marital status if your kids are neglected in any way,,, am i the only one that see’s a picture here???
Abolish children’s allowance but give us part funded after school activities instead. I ve returned from the US were my children had cheap and free after school activities. I use the money I get here to pay for these things it would put a stop to lots of parents who spend it on themselves keep kids of the streets give them interests and create jobs. Also my property tax there went directly into my area which give better schools parks waste collection for your money instead here it will go into that huge black hole that funds banks and government
Great points Mags Regan!
and in other news…we have paid another billion to the bondholders bringing the total now to 18 billion……bonds which were unsecured!!! Its like going to a bookies putting a tenner on a 100-1 outsider, losing your bet but still gettin your money back!!! I dont think that bookies would stay open very long!! Either will this country with the people running it!! Shame shame shame and more shame on this fianna fail part 2 government…taking money of our kids on one hand and givin it to the bondholders with the other…..i really hope there is a god and they face him some day!
bad bad bad bad bad bad move ………………………….
Anyone find it strange that none of the other news organisations covered the billion euro handover or the protests in Dublin yesterday? It kind of scares one to think it was suppressed….
Personally I think child benefit should be scrapped completely.
Personally i think you are a troll
So I’m a troll simply for expressing an opinion? Hardly. Muppet.
If you are not a troll why did you make a statement like that without explaining why child benefit should be scrapped completely?
Time constraints played a part in it. But sure, easier to just label me a troll and be done, eh?
Time Constraints? why bother posting then?
Ever considered a career in politics?
Ha, no.
Sorry, work and all that.
I favour scrapping the children’s benefit in favour of increasing/ introducing a children’s tax credit for working parents on the lower tax rate and increasing the dependants payments for those on the dole or social welfare. Those that are well off and employed would get a lower credit, if any, and those at the lowest levels of income would still get their payment. Sounds much more equitable to me than simply giving the payment regardless of income.
Not that I expect anyone to agree with that concept. And I’m sure someone will still insist I’m just a troll. But hey, ya cant please everyone.
Aw buggerit
That idea looks alright. Might even work if someone has the balls to implement it
I take it back –
(but you can see how your original idea looked a bit inflammatory)
Aw buggerit
That idea looks alright. Might even work if someone has the balls to implement it
I take it back –
(but you can see how your original post looked a bit inflammatory)
Yes, I can see why. Have a habit of giving half sentences/ responses. Which might make me perfect for a ff member. Ugh.
Note for self: must try harder. Essay type answers only.
Why
100k/75k cut off point.
For a minister to be boo’d by thousands in his home town on a night of such celebration says it all to me!
How come nobody has mentioned anything about the billion handed over by the gov to non secured bondholders yesterday,same with rte?? Shame on mainstream media!!
Again the rich are ignored over the less well of. Instead of a 100k per yer income. Even 75k. And leaving this family allowance untouched where it is needed most.
what you expect with FG blueshirts looking after their masters
cutting child benefit is disgraceful..children didn get us into this mess in the first place so why punish them..this just doesn make any sense at all
Oops @ Aoife Barry!!
have your say