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PROTESTERS DRAPED A tricolour and attached anti-water charges banners to the gates of Áras an Uacharáin this afternoon, as around 50 people gathered at the locked gates in near freezing temperatures.
The demonstration had been planned in advance by the Tallaght-based ‘Kingswood Says No’ group, but it just happened to coincide with President Higgins’ confirmation that he had signed the contentious Water Services Bill into law.
Opposition TDs and senators had made an 11th hour appeal asking Michael D Higgins to refer the bill to the Council of State.
However a press release from the Áras earlier said the legislation had been signed into law after being given due consideration by the President “taking into account Bunreacht na hÉireann including Article 26 and the submissions received”.
A protester who gave her name only as ‘Amy’ said she had hung the ‘traitor’ sign (written, on a whim, in lipstick) on the gate “because he’s a Labour traitor”.
“He’s signing everything and he’s going against the people,” she said.
Charlene Ní Kinnegad of ‘Kingswood Says No’ said the demonstration had been organised for the last weekend of the year to send a signal to Government that the protests would not end.
We’re taking this year out the way we’re bringing the next year in — and it’s a simple ‘no, we won’t be paying’ and ‘enough is enough’.
She said water charges were “the straw that broke the camel’s back” after years of austerity and warned of a “tsunami” of protest to come in 2015.
Demonstrators — some carrying candles, as well as their signs, flags and banners — were beginning to leave the area as TheJournal.ie arrived, shortly after 4.30pm.
The atmosphere was calm, and around ten uniformed Gardaí stood around monitoring the action, and chatting with participants. Ní Kinnegad thanked the officers on duty as she left.
One demonstrator said he had rung the intercom, but that there had been no answer from inside.
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These people must not have seen AIB’s latest advertising campaign – theme “brave”, as it getting up early, sticking to the task and running your business. It appears AIB have become a river of lending to hard pressed sme’s and the farming community. A most disgraceful and dishonest ad campaign in my opinion.
All of the adds for banks are dishonest. They are all giving mortgages and loans to SMEs but in reality this is a charade. You only have to talk to solicitors who will tell you that clients are being turned down for mortgages for the flimsiest of excuses. The current advertising campaigns are to give the impression that everything is back to normal.
Makes you feel good that we bailed the banks out,doesn’t it!
” Brave ” how are you! You would need to be brave…and foolhardy….If you thought approaching the back might make a difference to your struggling. The economy continues to limp along for all those brave hearts at the bottom of the pile while those with large cash deposits get bigger and richer. Only a fool would believe the spin the government espouse. There is no recovery, there is no trickle down, there are still empty shop units all over the country. And it’s too late for lending, what’s needed are grants, vat and tax breaks, lower rates and a commitment to changing the upwards only rent reviews.
I am so glad someone else made reference to that ad! It’s awful condescending Shi*e. the absolute cheek of AIB to put out an ad like that. The voice over is an appalling choice. Completely out of touch with reality.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
If Morgan Kelly’s recent prediction is correct, the outstanding loans to small business, if called in by the banks, is the biggest threat to the economy.
The gov have been choosing public sector and bondholders over private sector. Every tax hike means a loss of business to a restaurant and most small service businesses out there. Then you have Nama forcing zombie businesses to compete with ligit ones. And if you have survived all that the local council will be gouging the business in return for very little. The Irish Economy seems to be using Atlas Shrugged as a strategic plan.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
What happened to businesses maintaining proper current ratios and acid test ratios to ensure their short term expenses are covered? The SME sector insisted on maxing out every line of credit they could possibly set their eyes on..and more.
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