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THE BRITISH MINISTER responsible for international security has said reports that the UK’s surveillance agencies can access data collected by their American counterparts as “baseless”.
Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons that British law requires Government Communications HQ (GCHQ), the UK’s national electronic surveillance body, to seek written approval from a cabinet minister before it has the legal authority to intercept any data.
Hague said any proposals submitted by GCHQ are detailed, outline the extent of any planned operations, describe the intended benefits of the plan, comments from senior officials in Britain’s Foreign Office, and “comprehensive” legal advice.
“This is no casual process,” Hague told MPs. “Every decision is based on extensive legal and policy advice.
“These are not often difficult and finely-judged decisions,” he added. “We do not approve every proposal put before us.”
Hague described this mechanism – which was subject to review by an outside officer, who in turn answered to the prime minister – as a “vital” framework of democratic scrutiny.
Hague’s speech came following reports in The Guardian that GCHQ had been given a “back door” to access data which was collected by the PRISM programme of the National Security Agency – which, in turn, had access to user data collected by companies like Facebook, Google, Apple and Microsoft.
“This accusation is baseless,” Hague insisted. “Any data obtained by the us from the United States about UK nationals [is] subject to UK statutory controls and safeguards.
“Our intelligence-sharing work with the United States is subject to ministerial and independent oversights, and to scrutiny by the Security and Intelligence Committee” of the House of Commons, he added.
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Perhaps it is time that JIMMY and the rest cut the cost of membership and there own salaries
Has he disclosed his salary and the value of his add ons ect what does it come to over the year
Jimmy, you are a bit of an eejit if you don’t know the effects of a pay cut!
Mind you, most of your members are reasonably well paid in secure pensionable jobs, not like the rest of us.
The government over employed in the public sector in the boom years to artificially inflate the figures, reality is a hard pill to swallow but a necessary one for the survival and recovery of the country.
30% of teachers are now part time casual workers on very low money.
Jimmy give us a break…sure the amount you and your trade union buddies earn nearly comes to the 1 billion mark!!
You employee. Us employer. You don’t make demands.
Vincent if u live a democracy (we don’t). It’s your right (privilege is a better word, right aren’t rights if they can take them away from u, are they?)
Anyways workers have the privilege to contest changes, yes?
I agree though no union leader/ TD should be on more than 3 times the industrial wage, as they have lost touch with those they are there to represent.
Jack o Connor recent outburst at those who disagree with him, is an example
Contest changes indeed, but if a company is haemorrhaging money, the company must act. Likewise the state must act in this case. Otherwise long term everyone pays more through increased taxation. Then again, selfless acts aren’t too common in Ireland today.
Brian. Agreed, it’s the method they are using which is unjust
But if a company is failing due to leadership issues it will make no difference what the workers scarf ice to keep it afloat, as the steering group of the company will repeat errors, or bow to external pressures again & again
Also to get everybody on board true leadership must be shown for example a 10% cut for staff, should be mirrored with a 20% cut for Mgt, want to drive change u must live that change, only thing FG are driving is this country off a fiscal cliff!
Why do all union chiefs have beards are are from north Dublin?
#Vincent Dolan, just because a person is an employee doesn’t mean they don’t have rights. Look at how Foxconn treat their workers, that’s what all employers want, that’s the way we are going in both private and public sectors. Less of the public/private division and more workers standing together.
It’s not rocket science Jimmy. It means that we shouldn’t have to borrow as much over the next few years. Still need to reduce the budget defecit.
What annoys me is the fact that most TD,S are claiming 60 grand per year in Unvouched Tax Free expenses and everyone seems to think its acceptable while the same gombeen men tell us they must slash peoples incomes !!!!!
I fully accept that I am going to have to take a significant pay cut. However, for every €1,000 I’m cut I will pay €420 less in income tax, about €100 less USC, over €100 less pension contributions to the government – over €600. The €400 less I’ll bring home will reduce discretionary spending – loss of another €80 in VAT. Down to €300 now. If 100 like me are in the same boat then that’s €30,000 less spent in the economy – 1 job gone as a result.
Savings of €1 billion in the pay bill does not mean €1 billion less in the deficit
Yep, we should obviously just give everybody in the PS a payrise of 1000 euros thus resulting in an increase in the tax take, and solving all our economic problems in one fell swoop.
Very good point from unite. Cuts in some ways are justified but there are many questions.
How much of the savings of 1 bn are to come from
People earning less than 50 k pa, 50 to 70 k, 70k to 90k, etc.?
What prices under the governments control will be reduced or held steady?
How much will be spent on stimulating growth?
When will the burden of income tax on the lower paid be reduced to cover the cost of other taxes, such as property, water, waste,
What is the tax strategy for the next 5 years (e.g. Will vat return to 21% max and when?) also when will corporations start to pay a reasonable share of the taxes?
‘How much will be spent on growth’…when the government reduce their wage bill, there is no extra money to be spent, just less money to borrow. Try to have some knowledge of the subject before entering into the debate.
It has already been said that any savings will go to pay the illegal gambling debt. Which part of this do people not understand? Jack and Jimmy would do better to get Begg to withdraw his outrageous support for the property tax.
Brian, you should read the comment again and you will see that there is no contradiction in what I say. Furthermore, the government is committed to spending some of the proceeds of the sale of assets on growth stimulation. I am happy I know enough about the situation to enter a debate with anyone open minded on the subject.
“Participants in the talks have not been told why the cuts are so necessary”
Where have the unions been for the past 5 years?
We’re broke!!!
David, Ireland is not broke, quite a wealthy country in fact
You’re right, we’re minted. All this talk of borrowing from the IMF is mere waffle.
How so? Please enlighten us.
JIMMY you should know better than anyone you’re members have nothing left to give simple word every union official used to know but seem to have forgot No
Your.
Punctuation, grammar and spelling fail
A 10% cut would take a minimum of €50 out of 290,000 workers weekly pay which is subsequently taken out of the economy with less income tax received by the government and less income to be spent on goods and services from Irish companies by the workers and therefore less vat received. Another sensible plan please
I was simply using this as example Anto, not a plan, but lets here your plan?
Brian look up stats surrounding wealth per country, disregard those countries who are major oil producers, then u might be surprised, plus ur mixing up wealth extracted by a Govt, not available wealth in a country, these are the details TDs use to confuse you, just look a little deeper!
Good old Jimmy. He never changes his tune.
So Jimmy believes no need to balance the budget.
We can simply keep borrowing money for ever. We can keep spending more money than we take in as taxes.
What a great idea, sure our lenders will not be rude enough to ask for repayment.
Jimmy has not changed much since his days in the Socailist Workers Party.
have your say