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THE GOVERNMENT’s BEING rounded upon by the opposition over this morning’s water charges announcement.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed to the Dáil this morning that the annual bill for houses will be around €240, with a standing charge of around €50.
But he admitted nothing had been “signed off on” following the a Cabinet meeting on the issue this morning.
One Minister described this morning’s discussions at the Cabinet table as “robust” after details of how much consumers can be expected to pay for water were widely reported in the media this morning.
Here’s what Fianna Fáil‘s environment spokesman, Barry Cowen, has been saying:
This has descended into a complete farce. Fine Gael and Labour have spent months dodging questions about just how much people will be forced to pay for their water.They have gone as far as to claim that they’ve never even discussed the issue at Cabinet.
Now we have to find out from media reports how many showers we can have, how many times we can use our washing machine and how many times we can brush our teeth before we start clocking up charges.
[...] The Government needs to come clean about water charges once and for all. Instead of leaking selectively to the media, they need to communicate directly with households about the charges they will face in just six months’ time.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams says the levy is unfair and unjust. Here’s what he had to say during Leader’s Questions…
Taoiseach, yesterday I raised with you the issue of Water Charges, which is causing deep concern to householders across the state.In your reply to me you said the Government had not taken a decision; that various matters had to be taken into consideration; and that there was a need to assess a whole range of issues before any decisions could be made.
You then pulled together an unscheduled Cabinet meeting and sent your spin doctors off to the media to give details of the decision that you told the Dáil you had not taken.
Taoiseach, this is but the latest in a whole series of major decisions in which your Government has bypassed this Dáil in favour of governing by press release and media spin.
On each occasion the Government has shown contempt for the Oireachtas, for the Opposition and for the citizens who your decisions will affect.
The fact that you called a special cabinet meeting to deal with this issues is down to the manner in which the Opposition here has pursued you.
It is clear that your desire was to kick to touch on this issue. You govern by making it up as you go along.
What is very clear now is that there will indeed be a standing charge as part of the Water Charge.
Paul Murphy of the Socialist Party‘s laying his criticism at the door of the Labour Party…
The lack of agreement between the government parties on the water tax is a sign of the pressure that the Labour Party in particular are under.This is obviously because they are now aware from canvassing of the anger against this water tax, and the anger at the betrayals of the Labour Party in government.
It would suit the Labour Party to put the water tax out of sight until after the elections.
This disagreement cannot be used as a smokescreen to cynically hold back on the size of the tax people will face until after the elections.
Campaign groups have also been critical of the estimated charge. Here’s the take from older people’s organisation Active Retirement Ireland…
This government already has a bad track record when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in society and the lack of clarity around the upcoming water charges is causing anxiety among older people, families with low incomes and people with special needs.We are calling on the Government to acknowledge ability to pay as a measure when calculating water charges.
There is no way a widow living alone, or a family with no breadwinner, should be paying the kind of figures we’ve seen mooted in the press in recent weeks.
If the annual standing charge is assessed per household, then it will disproportionately affect older people who live alone, with only the Living Alone Allowance of €7.70 to help them meet this extra cost.
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R.I.P.
When Bowies creative output started to suffer in the 80′s, Prince came in and filled that void magnificently. I always viewed Prince in similar terms to Bowie in the way they challenged the mainstream constantly with their music and image. One crumb of comfort can be taken from his premature demise and that is the thousands of unreleased material he wrote over the years and which fans can look foward to hearing in the future.
On probably his worst album ‘Never Let Me Down’, Bowie sang the line : “The Little Red Corvette has passed me by” …
‘Least greatest’ album I think is more appropriate :)
What is the obsession with celebrities when they pass away?We should be mourning scientists,Doctors,professors and not musicians.A note in a newspaper is worthy,but countless stories one after the other is not on.We are taught to worship these people now and obsess.Sad day man passess away,hey over it.it Sums up society today,willfully ignorant and brainwashed by tv and radio.
You didnt have to pay attention to the article’s on him you know, you have a choice here Lee.
Says Lee Oswald
Yes but you know I have to give my 2 cents here…if I don’t highlight the pure ignorance and lack of common sense who else will?
What’s up Elma?
Musicians of this magnitutde are mourned simply because music means so very much to people; we grow with it, it grows with us, it relieves our stress, it gives us emotional release and it has very positive influences on our energy, body and brain. Prince was a musical genius, many people are upset, obviously not you Lee but thats okay. Maybe you’ve never heard music before
The reason for this is that more people would find Purple Rain to be more emotional and uplifting than Panck’s Constant.
Says the lad called after a dead Assassin????
I think if you did a wee bit of research you would realise I was not an assassin.I had a poor shot ,I could not off pulled of the assassination due to this fact.But you believe the Warren commission,which in itself was flawed from the day it was set up.
Back and to the left, back and to the left.
I sense a slight bit of sarcasm there Elma…The fact is shots could not be done in the time scale suggested.
I’m actually with you on this one tbh.
Thank you Elma,I’m not saying I was not involved.But I certainly did not act alone.I never got the call…
Is this worthy of a separate news story?
Maybe not, but the people who own the website think so, and it’s a free world.
Using your thumbs as a guide, it would appear about 80% thinkn yes it is.
“One day of seven we’ll die”
Gotta get those clicks
Goodnight sweet Prince
RTE government and cronie buddies would not represent the independent freedom loving Prince. They might like his music but they certainly wouldn’t be down with his stances on position on certain things. Might I suggest that PrimeTime do a piece on Chemtrails a subject which Prince was vocal about ???
Maybe they could have played ” something in the water does not compute”…
I agree Mr mango…but as you can see from all the red thumbs you are gettingn most people like to be spoon Fed from the likes of rte news.They hold comfort in their Irish independent,rte news and mor ing Ireland lol.Over educated but lack independent thought and the will to question authority.
Mass media educated sheeple, fleeced of free thought, and totally oblivious to the wool being pulled down over their eyes.
Good work RTE. good work
Thats cool,Prime Time taking a leaf outta Newsnight’s book with a lighter credits and a nice music tribute. Too many rte shows are too stiff and serious
Prince, like most of us like minded, would spit on Rte and it’s lie through omission policies. Prime time is a gate keeper like the war on drugs. They proclaim to be tackling the problem when they really are helping guide the outrage which is the brainwashed masses goto first emotion in reaction to the corruption of their overlords. But even Prince’s soul can’t replace the ones Rte & it’s minions already sold to the devil.!
Surprised anyone in RTE has enough soul to appreciate Prince. Disturbing to realise I have something in common with the government droids in Donnybrook
I wonder did David McCullogh manage to stay awake to hear the tune?
They should have faded the music in rather than just blasting it straight out. It’s a nice sentiment all the same.
Pity RTE is shite for the vast majority of the time.
Last weekthe bodies of two more young males were fished out of Galway Bay and Leo the Loo Head has decided he can afford to tske €14m from mental health.There are plenty more tragedies closer to home Prime Time could theme song, maybe “Suicide is Painless”.but of course it’s not, neither is is victimless.
Prince was a fan of Dick Gregory. He had strong opinions about society and politics and would not have been a fan of state owned and government controlled propaganda tv.
And I’m sure he would appreciate you hijacking the fact they played his music to commemorate his death as an excuse to have a rant. Not.
have your say