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LORRAINE HIGGINS SAYS she will report the defacement of two of her election posters with abortion graffiti to the gardaí.
The Labour senator, who is running for the European Parliament in Midlands North-West, said that one of her posters was stolen while two others were defaced with the slogan ‘Pro Abort’ in Leixlip and Maynooth.
“This is wilful criminal damage and dirty tricks and I am going to report it to the gardaí,” she told TheJournal.ie this lunchtime.
“I hope they take action in order to deter others. If people want to argue they should do it in a democratic way. This goes against everything that political discourse should be.”
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The two defaced posters refer to the Labour party’s support of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill last year and long-standing support for the legalisation of abortion in certain circumstances including fatal foetal abnormalities.
Higgins said that the graffiti had been carried out by people who are “against this government who introduced legislation based on outcome of the X case”.
She said that she was happy to debate the issue, but not in such a “distasteful” way.
Higgins said that in reporting the matter to gardaí she hopes that those responsible will “realise fully the repercussions for defacing and defaming”.
The candidate added that a number of her posters have been removed around from areas around the vast, 15-county constituency and later replaced with other candidates’ posters, describing this is as the “usual dirty tricks in a campaign”.
Meanwhile, another Labour poster was defaced with this message in Cork earlier today:
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It smells like political posturing to me. The info in the paper during was in direct contradiction of what the minister said before Christmas – ruling out tax credits because as he said in a parliamentary question a system of tax allowances would not benefit parents working in the home and could be seen as discriminatory. In addition, tax reliefs would favour the high paid while those on the minimum wage or in part-time work would not benefit to the same extent. Secondly he ruled out the second ECCE year now it back on the table. He’s doing a political cha cha because of the growing momentum for the Association of Childhood Professionals petition and 17th February rally which is even more reason to keep the pressure going. These hollow promises are just to attempt to quieten voices but I for one was raging when I read the article. This committee too is just a stalling tactic too, it will take several months for the committee to be formed, compile the data, launch it, then it will gather dust for a bit and hay presto it’s election time and they’re gone. Surly there is enough reports done of the years that can be dusted off and acted on. I for one will be at the Dail on 17th Feb with the ACP using my voice and looking for positive change. #oneunitedvoice (rant over)
Course it is, it’s the same government that threatened to cut child benefit if we didn’t sign up to IW, “but childcare services are important to them” pffffft
The first thing they need to do is look at the childcare subvention scheme and community childcare.
Why oh why are the government subsidising childcare for those who choose not to work.
Yes I know there will be do-gooders who will say the child needs it, that maybe these parents are looking for work etc. there is millions wasted, I work in the community sector and as a working parent there is nothing that drives me mad than meeting parents (who choose NOT to work) leaving their kids off at crèche a few mornings a week, so that they get ‘a break’ and pay between €20-€30(and complain having to pay this) for the privilege as the government subsidises this. Yet I have to pay full crèche fees of a grand and pay tax. While there are numerous families struggling to pay bills and childcare, there are huge numbers of subsidised crèche places being taking up by parents who do not work or train and do not want to!!
Selita, maybe the fact that some people ‘choose’ to stay at home and take responsibility for the majority of their childs care should be praised and not criticised. Of course people who do this have less money and that is why they need subsidised fees, or are they simply not entitled to a ‘break’ because they don’t put their child in crèche for 8+ hours a day and subscribe to a societal norm that is about as anti-family as it gets!
No I see her point Henry, and have no problem with the cost of childcare coming down for working families, but I didn’t like her comments in relation to parents who don’t work!
I am not undervaluing the stay at home parent, it is something I would aspire to be!!! Rakel I am talking about parents (both) who CHOOSE NOT to work and have no intention of working, having numerous kids….claim social welfare benefits, social housing etc. Parents not wanting to work and putting there child into a crèche 20-25 hours per week is hardly looking after their children? if I didn’t have to work I wouldn’t have my kids in crèche, why would I? as a working mother when do I get a break, im up at 6am, kids feed and clothed, dropped off, in work run of my feet, work through lunch so I can get out early, pick up kids, spend time with them, make dinner, bed time routine, clean up and finally sit down at 10pm and off to bed at 10.30, woken at least once a night by my baby.
I HAVE to work in order to keep a roof over my kids head, if I gave up work we would lose our home, I cant sell as we are in negative equity, I would love a large family, but that is not possible.
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