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MINISTER OF STATE Tom Hayes has reminded forest owners and managers, farmers and the general public that there is a high risk of wildfires during this current spell of good weather which is expected to continue into the Easter weekend.
His department has already issued a Condition Orange High Fire risk alert to the forest industry. Forest owners and managers are advised to check fire plans and lines and prepare suppression resources and to be vigilant over the coming days.
Hayes stressed that vegetation in upland areas is currently highly flammable and that high fire risk conditions already exist in many parts of the country. He asked members of the public to be careful if out and about over the next few days and ensure they properly extinguish barbeques and bring all of their rubbish home.
“Many people will be outdoors enjoying the Irish countryside, from forest walks or family days out to hiking or camping trips,” he said. “I would ask everyone to be alert to the danger of fire outdoors and in particular in or near our forest.”
Just last night there was a fire in Djouce in Wicklow which a local said “started really small and spread quickly”.
There were a number of serious fires in 2013 with firefighters battling almost a hundred this month last year. The gorse fire in Howth last summer was so big it was even visible from space.
The junior minister said these fires were a “frightening reminder of the dangers of uncontrolled fires and the risks of damage to property, the environment and the threat to peoples’ lives that they can pose”. He pointed out that they also tie up the resources of the fire and emergency services.
Illegal and irresponsible burning robs communities of vital fire and rescue service response time, and puts lives at risk by causing delays in responses to other serious incidents, such as road traffic accidents, or a house fire.
Anyone who sees an unattended fire is being urged to contact emergency services and to report any suspicious behaviour or illegal burning to gardaí.
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A Greek tragedy.
Watch dictatorship win over democracy and weep.
So much for all this “cradle of democracy” and “why don’t we do the same in Ireland” nonsense, reality kicks in hopefully
I for one hope the Greeks get their referendum and the result that will hopefully lead to the collapse of the euro and all the shit that goes with it.
The harsh reality for millions of Greeks is that romantic notions about democracy won’t put food on the table next month. They have a stark choice. Accept the bail out.. Death by a thousand cuts… Or reject the bailout… Instant death. Their pompous politicians ought to be ashamed for bring their Nation to it’s knees.
The € will croak and the quicker and less painful the better,Insane concept from the off.
Why was it insane?
We are witnessing the explicit emergence of authoritarian capitalism. No longer can we have any illusion that democracy has any part to play in the plans of those who wish to continue with unending wealth accumulation.
Meanwhile on the streets of Oakland we see this http://twitpic.com/7aazyi
The game has yet to be played out. If this kinda of authoritarianism is not resisted as China becomes the greatest superpower idea of genuine democracy will be snuffed out for sure. thats the choice now authoritarian capitalism where societys rule are organised from above by and few for a few. Or democracy from below where we govern ourselves as equals. The idea that there is no left and no right is the greatest stunt the right has pulled, but make no doubt of the iron fist that lies at the heart of the “free markets”
Emergence of authoritarian capitalism !!!! it’s been that way since man came out of the caves
We are not an automatic democracy. We elect representatives and they think for us for five years. Vote good quality people in every five years then largely STFU. However if we vote in venal twits like about 50% of our politicians are we’ll have to keep demanding a vote every 6 months no matter what. It is not part of (or even good practice in any circumstances) to give everyone a broad vote on every economics bill.
Now some you can make an argument for but one that writes down vast chunks of their debt is the only way to go.
“Instant death” is bit dramatic don’t you think. Headline should read ‘Greek finance minister’s grab for power’.
Come on Papandreou!
A figure of speech only. I don’t envisage bodies all over Athens streets.. This is getting dangerous now. Financial warfare is being unleashed on Europes citizens. Dramatic enough??:)
A bit of back peddling finally! About time
Napoleon in high heels and Hitler in drag. Don’t worry. All is not lost. This is the final act in the farce that is “the markets”.
This is the future – Ordinary Greeks are taking matters into their own hands:
“In early October, a peculiar news item barely made its way into the back pages of Greek national press: in the northern city of Veria, a small group of people had started reconnecting the electricity supply of households disconnected from the national grid due to bill non-payment. This kind of solidarity action seemed rather abnormal.
Then again, it is difficult to define what constitutes normality in the country nowadays – the upper echelon of political power is in an unprecedented turmoil, and Tuesday’s referendum announcement by prime minister George Papandreou, followed by him reportedly preparing to step down, has thrown his political allies and foes into a tailspin. Parliamentary opposition parties are calling for a “national unity” government, snap elections, or a succession of the two; the entire mainstream political spectrum in the country seems to have entered a delirious state of panic. In a stunningly surreal scene, eurozone leaders and global markets are nervously waiting for people in Greece to cast a vote.
And yet, at this precise moment, Greek people are realising they are left with what they had at the outset – that is, absolutely nothing to hope for from the mainstream political scene.”
See more here http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/03/greeks-austerity-grassroots?CMP=twt_gu
What’s brendan Gleason doing there
Lol neo.
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