We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
IN THE PAST month, Cork man Derek Blighe has spoken at anti-immigration rallies in Kerry, Dublin and Wicklow.
This week, he remained in his native county, taking aim with his megaphone at a number of asylum seekers arriving in Fermoy.
The 42-year-old leads a group called Ireland First, which describes itself as a nationalist party (though it is not a registered political party). It espouses right-wing ethnopluralism theories and campaigns for Ireland to leave the European Union.
Online on Wednesday, Blighe urged people to meet him at the St Joseph’s Convent in Fermoy at 5pm to protest outside the facility where the asylum seekers who had recently arrived were being housed.
Blighe regularly travels to areas where asylum seekers and refugees are being housed to stage protests, claiming that Ireland is “under a sustained assault with unvettable fake refugees”.
Over the past few weeks, he has posted videos online from Killarney, Wicklow town and East Wall in Dublin city centre, where he has decried Irish immigration policy, demanded the deportation of asylum seekers and called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a ‘fake war’.
On 12 November in Killarney, standing on top of a bench in the town with a megaphone, he claimed that crime rates, sexual assaults and rapes increase in Irish localities when people fleeing persecution are taken in.
And speaking from Fitzwilliam Square in Wicklow town last week, Blighe told a poorly attended event that future elections are “in jeopardy” because the government has put in place “a policy to fill this country up with refugees” who he said have voting rights. (Refugees and asylum seekers can vote in local elections, but not in general elections or referendums.)
At the same demonstration, he said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “smokescreen” and a “fake war publicised to encourage economic migrants to come to this country and benefit from our liberal housing policy”.
It was only a few hours later that he appeared at a protest in Dublin against asylum seekers being moved into the former ESB building in the East Wall area.
“East Wall, I have to commend you, you have put this issue in the spotlight,” he said, before going on to claim that in Wicklow, after women and children refugees were integrated into the community before “more single men were moved in”.
As he addressed the group of about 70 people in Fermoy on Wednesday, he told them that the government is moving in “fake asylum seekers”.
Blighe’s tour of the country comes as the government deals with a chronic shortage of accommodation options for people coming from Ukraine, as well as those from other countries seeking safety and refuge, in high numbers.
As predicted earlier this year by the Taoiseach, he and others are using the war and accommodation shortages to whip up local community sentiment against asylum seekers and spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about refugees.
However, following those events in Cork, where videos of the asylum seekers were posted on Facebook, local group ‘Fermoy and Mallow against Racism’ said they are planning an event to welcome newcomers to the town. Members who are organising today’s event say they are “in shock at protests targeting refugee children and their families”.
“We are a town that has welcomed refugees and continues to welcome refugees,” organisers told The Journal.
They are calling on locals to come to a photocall to show the town’s support, and are inviting people to make homemade banners sharing messages of solidarity and positivity.
“We shouldn’t have to do this but we cannot let hate and division take root in our town. We are many; they are few,” the organisers added.
The incidents in communities around the country come months after the government announced it had run out of accommodation options for new Ukrainian refugees and other asylum seekers entering the State.
In the summer, the Department of Children told Irish NGOs who were dealing with Ukrainians entering the country that it had to temporarily stop arrivals into the country due to a lack of places to house them.
Although asylum seekers were subsequently allowed to enter Ireland, further issues arose in October when spaces ran out again and some arrivals had to make do with sleeping in Dublin Airport.
At the time, Taoiseach Micheál Martin raised concerns that far-right groups would seek to exploit the situation by claiming that Ireland is “full”.
The phrase “Ireland is full” has regularly trended on Twitter over recent months, particularly after its use by advocates of the white nationalist Great Replacement conspiracy theory.
“[There] would be a concern that certain groups will exploit this to sort of boost a political agenda around migration and that would be very, very regrettable,” Martin said in October.
Rather than preventing asylum seekers from entering the country, the Government has responded to shortages by seeking out further options to house them.
The government told local councillors, in a briefing document seen by The Journal that was sent the day before 63 asylum seekers arrived, that they were being housed in the converted convent in Fermoy because it has “no option but to consider all offers of accommodation as access to suitable facilities is currently “severely constrained”.
The asylum seekers who arrived this week include 19 families – comprised 25 children and eight adult females.
St. Joseph’s Convent can house 77 people in 19 bedrooms but the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth believes “additional capacity will be brought on in phases over a number of weeks to the year end, bringing the full capacity to 150 people”.
Current plans suggest the residents will continue to be made up of families, couples and single females. The department could not say how long the asylum seekers would live at the accommodation, which was arranged through a “12-month emergency contract”, due to the numbers of IP applicants and the “scarcity of alternative accommodation”.
The convent, once owned by the church, had been lying derelict in Fermoy for almost 50 years. It was bought a number of years ago by a company called Digi Quarter Ltd which carried out extensive refurbishment.
The protests began after several people put videos of the asylum seekers arriving online - similar to the tactics used ahead of protests in East Wall last month.
One video posted by the owner of a local football team purported to show asylum seekers getting off buses near the Presentation School in Fermoy on Tuesday 29 November.
Children, women and families were visible in the video posted by Anthony Cody, the owner of a local soccer team.
He said he had seen “black families, apparently from Ukraine”, arriving and urged people to “get up here asap” in the live video that has been viewed over 10,000 times. He added that he was not saying black families could not be from Ukraine, but that he would leave it up to viewers “to judge”.
Cody has since written a Facebook post claiming that he does not have any issues with families arriving in Ireland from “war-torn countries” but maintained that the people of Fermoy are being “fed lies” about where asylum seekers have come from.
Commenting on the video, one follower wrote, “people should have blocked the entrance” while another claimed that the asylum seekers had their passports “torn up” and were told to say they are Ukrainian.
However, others in the area distanced themselves from Cody, as one person said, “My kids are going to school there next week and I would be so happy for them to befriend these beautiful children”, and another said “shame on you”.
Piet du Toit, the co-owner of Brew Boys Coffee told The Journal that while his company sponsors the local football team owned by Cody, they have nothing to do with his video or the statements he has made.
“I am an immigrant to Ireland from South Africa, I would not be against other people coming into the country, and these people have gone through enough,” he said.
Asked to comment on the protests, Cody told The Journal: “I am not left or right, I am just a concerned citizen and parent of Fermoy.” He also said that he left the protest early on Wednesday night and has not attended one since.
“Once I heard what was being said, I pulled away,” he said of the speakers.
He said he was “relieved” when he realised that he was incorrect about who was occupying the complex but went on to say that he remains concerned that the people who have arrived are a “decoy for more single men coming”.
Though no protests occurred on Thursday night, in a statement made on Friday to The Journal, Blighe’s group claimed that they are in talks with “many locals” and that that they intend to “escalate our protests in due course unless these people are removed”.
Several local councillors in the area have said that they are reluctant to speak on the issue until they get more information, noting the short notice period they received from the department and the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).
Councillor Noel McCarthy called for calm from the local community until more information is provided, and noted that Fermoy has always been a welcoming place to people coming from difficult circumstances, and that many people have taken Ukrainian refugees into their homes in the area.
East Cork councillor Liam Quade said that the protest scenes that took place in Fermoy last night were “very disturbing” and must have been “very frightening for the people who were arriving”.
Quade also said that there was a “dismaying ugliness” to the protest that took place outside of the convent in Fermoy, and urged people to not give a platform to the “need for public attention” of those ‘leading’ it.
Fermoy is where my late mother came from. She hailed from Clancy St. I’m proud of my connection to Fermoy. Fermoy people are compassionate. Fermoy people serve and have served as UN Peacekeepers. That’s the real Fermoy. @Dr__Jude @PaulKavanagh8
— Seán Sherlock TD (@seansherlocktd) December 1, 2022
However, one councillor was more supportive of the protest. Independent Frank Roche said that he shares some of the concerns of the people protesting.
“We have been kept in the dark as a council on this, there has been no public consultation,” he said, echoing the message that emanated out of East Wall last month.
“We have concerns about our safety,” he added.
“And lots of decent local people looking for housing, we should look after those people,” the councillor, who was convicted of a 2020 assault on his brother and nephew earlier this year, continued.
A number of councillors also told The Journal that they have been reassured by the government that the standard of accommodation at the convent is “high”.
Residents will get three meals a day, and have access to a tea and coffee facility. They will share six washing machines and dryers, while their bed linen will be changed and rooms will be cleaned once a week.
The site will be manned by six to ten people every day, including a security presence by day and night.
The 19 bedrooms people will live in consists of “mainly triple bedrooms”, as well as family rooms with four to six beds. Each room with have an individual key.
Asylum seekers living there will be able to work after six months. The government says it will “work closely” with the HSE to provide them with health services through GPs and emergency services.
While IPAS is to have a team working to provide vulnerability assessments for the people who have arrived in Fermoy, the department notes that this team is working under “considerable pressure already” due to the high number of new emergency locations opened.
The department told councillors that while the government is aware that types of accommodation including office buildings and tented solutions are “less than ideal”, it is “working hard” to find solutions through the use of facilities management companies to offer “emergency food, shelter and sanitation to both Ukrainians and other international asylum seekers.
The number of people arriving from both cohorts is expected to remain at “elevated levels”.
The department stated that a republished tender process for IPAS to provide more “own-door accommodation” closed on 8 November, and that officials will begin site visits to potential locations shortly, with successful tenderers will to be added to accommodation provider panels at the start of 2023.
In the meantime, an exempted development regulation for the change of use of a wide range of buildings has been drafted by the department alongside the department of housing, and will be put before the houses of government shortly, while IPAS continue to source vacant office buildings and vacant state-owned buildings to house refugees.
The briefing to local councillors, sent on 28 November, said that as of 27 November the most recent 7-day average number of Ukrainians arriving in Ireland who are fleeing war was 109 people per day, while the 7-day average for International Protection applicants arriving was 48 people per day, as of 13 November.
As of 27 November, 59,787 Ukrainians fleeing war had arrived in Ireland, 47,910 of those people are being housed by the state through the Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team, according to figures sent to councillors.
The department said 66,000 Ukrainians escaping the invasion will have arrived in Ireland by the end of this year.
As of 13 November, 17,192 International Protection applicants are being accommodated by IPAS, with 13,111 of those asylum seekers arriving in 2022. That number is estimated to rise to 14,500 by the year end.
The make-up of groups attending and organising recent anti-immigration protests has been the subject of intense speculation online and in the media.
Local councillor Nial Ring previously told The Journal this week that a group in East Wall that first blocked the Dublin Port Tunnel on 28 November was made up of “99% residents”, and that smaller groups who attended previous protests didn’t “seem to be around” at that stage.
But although protests have been attended by concerned locals whose political affiliations are unknown, demonstrations have also been supported and encouraged by parties and non-local individuals associated with the far-right from an early stage.
Ahead of one of the first protests on 19 November, the Irish Freedom Party posted a video on social media of refugees moving into the former ESB headquarters and describing it as a “plantation”, another term used by Irish advocates of the white nationalist Great Replacement conspiracy theory.
The Irish Freedom Party has regularly encouraged people to attend protests that have taken place, and its president Hermann Kelly repeated the claim that Ireland was “full” in an interview about East Wall on the UK-based channel GB News.
One of the most outspoken locals during the recent protests, Malachy Steenson, an activist and former councillor for the Workers’ Party, previously spoke as a guest at the Irish Freedom Party’s Árd Fheis.
On 29 November, Steenson signed a letter headed by a protest group calling itself the East Wall Committee, in which it said it intends to block the Dublin Port Tunnel three times a week until the asylum seeker accommodation centre is closed.
Blighe has also been seen at East Wall, in one instance filming men delivering furniture to the former offices. In one of his initial videos in Fermoy, Anthony Cody can be heard calling on Blighe to come to the protest.
“If any of you follow Derek Blighe, he’s given great coverage of what is going on here in the last few weeks, so, Derek, if you are around, get down here asap bud, because I’m just holding a camera here lost for words,” he is heard saying.
The demonstrations have also been encouraged by far-right figures on Facebook, YouTube and the messaging app Telegram, where it has featured prominently in channels devoted to anti-Covid lockdown protests, ethno-nationalist discussions and conspiracy theories.
A local activist group, Mallow and Fermoy Against Racism, held an emergency meeting of community leaders to address misinformation being spread online about asylum seekers arriving in the town.
One of those who set up the group, Kate O’Connell, told The Journal how it formed over the summer in a response to outside agitators spreading disinformation when Ukrainian refugees were housed in a local hotel.
“We knew that disinformation was being spread and we wanted a working group to monitor the situation and be ready if something like this started up again,” she said.
O’Connell claims it was well known in the town that the convent was going to be offered to IPAS to house refugees, but that the claims being made about locals having been promised that it would be people from Ukraine who moved into the building are untrue.
“At no point did I ever read or hear any information stating that the refugees coming to the building would be from Ukraine; this is another attempt to twist the narrative and make it seem like there is a conspiracy at play, when there isn’t,” she said.
She added that many people in the town are “shocked” at the scenes that unfolded yesterday.
“This protest does not paint an accurate picture of Fermoy. We are a welcoming, multi-cultural community. I live in a housing estate here where there are families and children from all kind of backgrounds. The majority of people here are welcoming and open to newcomers,” she said.
However, since it has been organised, Anthony Cody wrote on Facebook urging people not to attend the event Mallow and Fermoy Against Racism have organised in support of refugees, falsely claiming that the organisers are not “people from Fermoy”.
Ronan Condon, a local secondary school teacher, also said that while everyone has a right to protest, it is imperative that people are aware when false narratives are being circulated about vulnerable people.
“The truth is that Fermoy is a decent place, with a lot of very decent people, many of whom have in some way helped refugees, and some who have taken them into their homes,” he said.
“I very much doubt that these protests will gain a footing and continue in the town, as it seems that individuals are merely using them as a means for self promotion.”
Additional reporting by Stephen McDermott
Mickey Noonan wants us to spend spend spend so he can tax tax tax. I say no no no as he is already inflicting lots of pain and hardship on innocent citizens who are not responsible for the fiscal disaster we have in Ireland. Anyway, I need my money in case I need to go to the Doctor.
Spend, spend, spend is right. Without that there is no tax take, which without we cannot dig dig dig our way out of the mess we are in. I don’t like it as much as the next person, and I am far from responsible for it, the same as 99% of the population. However, without taxation we cannot pay back our debt. It is an unfortunate necessity.
The sooner that we have a positive outlook the better off Ireland will be.
Spend locally, buy locally. Support your local restaurant, your local supermarket and keep money flowing in Ireland
noonan has proven that he is as intelligent as biffo, I recall that particular idiot making the same comment.
Wel Michael, I’m keeping my mulla.
Dear Mr. Noonan, you want us to spend so that the status quo can remain. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. By repeating the Spend Spend mentality we ensure that we keep things the way they were which we know were unsustainable.
spend ,spend within reason , it’s what will get our economy moving again , buy indiginous products
Agreed Bryan. There are a lot of people in the country that are comfortable off, good salary, great savings, low mortgage but who are hording cash. Even just going to a restaurant once a month more, ensuring that you buy Irish produce as much as possible, even very little things can add up, the domestic economy is dying due to lack of demand and lack of spending, while people who have, spending a little more can improve the situation, the main onus falls on the Govt. here.
…. yes buy Irish products … and leave any French and German stuff on the shelves … that’ll teach them..
Spend what? So many of us have nothing spare left at the end of a month that we cannot even buy what we need, never mind items off the wish list! Savings are a thing of the past!
It makes sense to spend, as it would have a chain reaction that would lead to keeping more people in jobs (put very simply) but after wage cuts and tax hikes ordinary workers just don’t have the money to spend and asking them to spend their savings is unrealistic as, with more cuts and hikes in the pipeline, people are more cautious about how and why they should spend. Propping up a banking system that is failing as we speak has made no difference to our domestic economy except to drain it, they aren’t giving loans anymore so people can’t even rely on credit to make their big purchases anymore. If the government raised welfare again and got rid of the USC, those people on lower incomes who spend their entire wage/welfare in a week and can’t afford savings would have more to spend.
Well said Sorcha, I do understand where he is coming from in relation to money lying in bank accounts and not being spent but to direct the statement at the whole country is a joke. As you say, people on low income and social welfare put their entire monies straight back into the economy. And if they had more to spend they would spend it. Not squirrel it away and leave it sitting. It makes my blood boil that the rich and elite of this country still get childrens benefit. Whether they need it or not. And what does a well off person do with 3 or 4 hundred euro going into their bank account every month that they don’t need? Save it. Why should a person like Bono or indeed the high paid politicians get this benefit? It’s crazy!! Taking it off the well off and giving it to the less well off would ensure that that money would be spent in the economy… Means test it!! And don’t get me started about the amount being paid for children not even living in the Country!!!
Michael Noonan, another politician who doesn’t live in the real world.
If I had his money I would spend spend but I don’t so I won’t
so mr noonan if i dont pay my mortgage,gas,electric and so on and decide to spend,spend,spend(oh how i wish) will you bail me out ? GET A GRIP !
Before everyone gets hysterical about not having money to spend (and I don’t) this is not a call to people without money to spend, it is a call to people with savings to spend some of it.
Spending = Our Domestic Economy
Exactly he is speaking to the 3040% of the country that do have money to spend, that are actually quiet secure in comparison to many in Europe. There are people in their 50′s and up, who have tiny mortgages and massive savings and good wages who are huddling in to a bunker.
Yeah but given that we are expecting more cuts in the next budget, if people spend their savings (of course, depending on their income and how much they have saved) then they would be stuck. I definitely support the idea that those who can afford to spend, should do.
Spend what exactly?
It’s alright for overpaid people like Noonan but some of us don’t have money to spend and any meagre savings we may have are we expected to blow them or save them to cover ourselves when they bring on further cuts in future?
Noonan is dead right. One of the only ways to get out of a recession is by spending. I don’t know how some of the commenters above expect the economy to get going again if no money is spent. The only thing that will happen if those who have money continue to save instead of spending is stagnation and deeper recession. I’m by no means a fan of Noonan, but I don’t know why people are getting so offended by this. He’s obviously not telling those who don’t have money to spend.
I do agree with Mr Noonan on one front – In order for this country to get out of this recession and to get jobs and the economy moving again WE DO NEED TO SPEND !!
However, I think what really needs to be said to Mr Noonan is that maybe the direction of who he is targetting is getting lost in his remarks. We all know that the unemployed and those on social welfare and even the majority of middle class Ireland at this moment is STRUGGLING just to survive on a daily basis. Paying the bills and keeping their heads above water !! There are people in our society who are so wealthy that they could live off the interest alone !! These are the people who keep their money in the banks and investments and who do not want to contribute to our society !! They are greedy and want to keep adding to their bank accounts. They should SPEND SPEND SPEND even a fraction of their wealth in this country to help it during these times. But also I would like to make the point of ” Our own Government” – They spend spend spend at times for various items but are these items always sourced and manufactured in this country ? You can bet a lot of them are not….For instance a few years ago during an election campaign the posters and election stationery was done in France and sent here. They didnt support Irish Printers ! Wonder do they now ? Do they use Irish manufacturers to supply all their food in Leinster House, What about the stationery in Dail Eireann ? What about their cleaning products in all Government Departments ? If Mr Noonan wants US to put money into the economy, then I hope himself and his colleagues are going to follow suit !! They should not be going abroad buying items which they could buy here in Ireland when they are on state visits etc……Stand up Mr Noonan & Co and give us people of Ireland a good example of what you want US to do and hopefully WE will follow YOUR lead !!
WHat planet is Noonon on ?? People are in fear of losing their jobs., Water charges, rates and god knows what else stealth taxes are in the pipeline, why on earth should people risk spending their savings (if they are lucky to have any) I really wonder sometimes what sort of people get elected to the Dail, obviously lack of common sense
is not an impediment. !
If (or more like when) the Euro collapses your savings will be worthless anyway. A return to the Punt would see your Euro-denominated savings be severely devalued. Might as well get something for them now.
Tonto, the wealthy will find ways of off loading their savings if there is a currency collapse. Its Joe soap who only has rainy day funds that needs them to pay the months mortgage when they lose their job. What good is in telling them to spend their meager savings because the end is nigh.
Tonto? Is that supposed to be an insult of some sort?
We are already spending..on mortgages,taxes,food,transport,travel,school fees,ect…they want you to spend on useless crap you don’t need.
you don’t need to buy stuff to make you happy.Avoid America’s disease.read or write a book…paint a picture,take up a cause or charity.stop watching X factor or british celebrity shows.follow a Scandinavian model and stop trying to emulate Americans and Brits!
The Man is mad !
And when all those people who have this money to spend have it all spent and have no money left to pay water charges, esb, septic tank charges, car tax, insurance, and what ever other things need to be paid what will happen then ?
VAT, VRT, DIRT,stamp duty, excise duty, telly tax, rental (standing charges) for meters delivering water, gas, electricity, USC, PAYE, Widows and orphans, union subs, bail out Quinn insurance levy, health levy, Carbon tax…
410k people on live register. Where does it all stop?
Spend spend spend….
The simple solution for Mr Noonan is to put all mortgages on the books of the now state owned banks to interest only options for period in excess of 1 year. The debt is still there just added on to the end of the mortgage period and the interest money is still there to pay loan debts that the banks have themselves.
This would instantly put more money in everybody’s pockets as the principal payback on any mortgage in any year is quite small but this action would produce a sustantial injection of cash into the economy every month
Simples ! or would appear to be !
Not everybody has a mortgage. Lots of people, especially young people, still rent. Why do you want to disadvantage the youth further? Trying to drive everybody in their 20s out of the country?
if you dont have a mortgage ,then how would this action drive youth out of the country? this action would put cash back into the economy that is going into the banking system as it is and keep it in peoples pockets and hopefully give the economy the transfusion it needs.
If you dont have a mortgage then it doesnt influence you-im not suggesting you take out a mortgage !
you quite obviously dont understand the concept.
It would benefit those who have a mortgage, while those who are renting get no direct benefit. People who have no mortgage are much more mobile than those who rent, so they can up and leave the country much more easily. This measure would have to be funded by the tax payer, renters pay tax too. Why should they have to pay for this on top of everything else when it will be of no benefit to them?
I fully understand the concept, I think that you don’t understand my argument.
Given the cost of nursing homes, the uncertainty of the fair deal scheme and the lack of provision of care for the elderly, if I was 50+ with a bit of money in the bank I would be saving for the rainy day. There is no let up on what is happening, the government response to spend if you have it is a bit ridiculous altogether.
Well
Spend thats what got us into this mess. How can people spend money they dont own. Noonan would be better off finding ways to reduce our cost of living start with the doctors mine 65 euro a visit it is a disgrace. so dont visit him.supermarkets a joke prices change up and down depends on sell by date .etc they could use there good energy by living the life of one person out of work and they would not be making these crazy statements.!!!
..
Dear Mr. Noonan. Please stop spending our money on Japanese cars for the Gardai. How many 11D Toyotas have you purchased? Japan invests little or nothing in Ireland. You should be supporting those who support us with government spend spend spend….
The government is the biggest purchaser of goods and services. I note there are very few major projects in progress contributing to the starvation of cash flow in our economy. We are still renting portable cabins for class rooms. Have these demountable buildings removed and build classrooms at our schools providing decent accommodation for our Children and employment for our adults.
Stop spending money on welfare tourism, childrens allowances for children who were never in the state.
Get your house in order before you tell me to go spend, spend, spend.
P.S. Will we have enough road salt for this winter?
of course we will we might have no food to put it on!!!!!!!!!
ha ha ha…he can say that. he does not have to survive on his saving as the support gets less and less….. i am a long parent without support and am at a ce scheme in the moment. i save my ARSE to have something after it is finished nxt year. and i should spend that/? that can only be a suggestion of a minister of millions and milions every month! crazy! YOU SPEND!
Lets go spend our all money in Tesco or burger king or Argos or hmv or boots.
The problem started when our banks stopped deposit based lending. Even if the government and banks have not learnt anything by this recession, then the citizens of Ireland have, and if they have any money at all after stealth taxes, medical bills, rising Energy bills, then they are been sensible and saving it !
Yea, while old egg head puts his money given by us to him into german stocks and bonds.If he wants confidence stop hitting people that cant afford it.But no selfish git..
Its simple the people who are the domestic economy Low and middle earners are getting hit worst by the govt, and there buisness buddies. Tax and cut people who can afford it people 100k who save o…r invest abroad. Mr Bruton/ IBEQ/ISME buddys do you not think it makes more sence having 4 people on 25k having money 4 a meal in your resterant than 1 on 150k having one meal This is what short sighted greed will do to your buisness NO DEMAND=NO BUISNESS yet its the JLCs and minimum wage they go after.greed will bite them in the ass.”There is no economic , moral or social why there cant be a 3rd rate of tax on earnings over 100k” apart from the usual look after your own..(greed)
Poor Michael,looks like he is running out of ideas.He must me very desperate to ask the ‘general public’ for a bail out.And me thinking we had become wiser and learned from the Spend-For-The Sake-Of-It times of old.
The bank just hiked my mortgage protection up by almost 50 euro a month, so technically I’m spending more. Permanent TSB robbers!
John, you do not have to take the mortgage protection from your bank ,you should shop around for better price. I thought you had to stay with the protection you have when you first take out your loan but that is not the case. You could save a tidy package by shopping around…good luck
Give us wages like Noonan has (with expenses , of course!!) and then we might spend.
Take money of the ‘pensions’ you say you cannot touch, (his, for example) and that will also help.
I do agree with an earlier comment, they no nothing about the real world (except when it comes to election time, then they visit the ‘mere mortals’)
makes sense to the people that can afford to do so however if the government made it clear what the future tax changes and cuts are going to be the people would have more confidence.
Money Money Money, Must be funny – in a rich mans world, Money Money Money – Always sunny, In a rich mans world.!!!! Abba were so so right……way ahead of their time It seems……
Some people do not have any money to spend or any savings left given all this GOVERMENT has taken off the people and still taking ARE, Why does’nt MR NOONAN spend his big fat wallet and get all the big tycoons with their big fat wallets to spend or even better let them take the next lot of BIG CUTS THATS COMMING DOWN THE ROAD. MOST honest , hardworking People in this country have no money left to spend ,THE GOVERMENT PAST AND PRESENT TOOK IT ALL.
They are Pigs at the trough.just wait till you see how bad things are in a couple of years when people are hungry.
that’s when the action starts…i wouldn’t want to be in theirposition.
Even those who are fortunate enough to have some money to spend will be keeping one eye on the future, wondering what extra taxes & charges will soon be demanded from them.
They will do a few mythical things like “budgeting” and “living within their means”. Successive governments (including this one) would do well to learn these skills.
Suggesting more spending in the face of such an uncertain future is pure lunacy.
Sure, in principle, “we” should spend, spend, spend – but “I” can’t take that risk.
ill try to Drink Drink Drink more….Hic..
Spend,spend,spend, why doesn’t he cut cut cut or fix fix fix, rather than the current Tax,Tax Tax policy. Tax kills the economy. he doesn’t seem to get that! The worst is yet to come so I’l keep my money laden mattress for when the euro goes pop, thanks mickey.
How about writing off the bad debt of mortgage default thus allowing people to stay in their own homes thus freeing up money with which we can then start spending back into the local community. At the moment, the mortgage is taking up the vast majority of the income of most Irish households. We’ve bailed out banks with nothing to show for it. Bail out mortgage holders and have an immediate result!
Charlie mc creavy said the same thing, see where that got us. Cut the dole in half, cut the huge profits the supermarkets make and screw the bond holders, then start again
Problem with McCreevy’s thinking (if he actually did any) is that he encouraged spending into an overheating economy. This was irresponsible, self-serving vote-buying, and fed Bertie’s ego and his own with media tales of Bentleys and Bling, when what we needed was sober, responsible leadership.
Now that we need to encourage spending, the few with money are rightly cautious about what the disaster will bring next, so ten out of ten for intentions, Minister, but don’t hold your breath.
Also, given that the lowest incomes yield the highest percentage in spending and an almost non-existent propensity to save, it would not be smart to slash the dole. Greater vigilance and means-testing would definitely save money though.
Secondly, given that Tesco have only today announced 522 new jobs, intervention in supermarket trade could be counterproductive. This is one area where the free market has to prevail. Customers alone have the power to change prices.
dont agree with cutting the dole in half. That is nonsense, people on dole not to blame for this mess. Have you tried to live on €188 a week or whatever it is? THERE ARE NO JOBS OUT THERE in case you hadnt noticed. Agree with bond holders and supermarkets tho. Tesco calls us “Treasure Island” aint that food for thought.
Know there has to be incentives at times for people in prominent positions on boards of companies etc….but surely the real incentive should be that if they do their job correctly for a decent salary, they will get another year of STAYING in their job ? Not getting bonuses of over 106,000 for DOING THEIR JOB !!! Do any of the normal people of Ireland get bonuses for doing their job correctly ? No, but if they do not do it to the best of their ability they are SACKED !! Mr Noonan, please change the rules before it it too late…
The celtic credit bubble created the illusion of prosperity…too much focus on the reward and payoff(party) and not enough on the work,creation of industry and improvement of the infrastructure.Naturally the availability of the gargantuan pot of easy cash was too much of a temptation for wanker bankers, developers and politicians who…let’s face it,
a high percentage would be career criminals if not in their positions.so they can’t really help it the poor things…LOL!
The shady corrupt GOBSHITES of a government & their pals with the brown envelopes got the genuine people of Ireland into this in the first place , they can’t get us out or we stop THEIR wages . So grow a pair and own up to the mistakes.
Yes,the Irish government is corrupt and always has been since the birth of the republic.This one is no different except that you have a prissy fop at the head of it.
And what they fail to tell the Irish public whom they dismiss as a flock of sheep that will accept anything thrown their way after a couple of people moan and groan to Joe Duffy on daytime radio,is that America itself is changing
and curbing their spending…they have to.
dear mr noonan =,, any chance of a loan interest free please evrything i do to keep my family together seems to be causing me more this year but i have less money , such as petrol, insurance. education ,food any many other essentials to many i fear to mention so can you sort out this conundrum of how the people of the country are not spending oh i forgot mr noonan your family are reared you can well afford to save on your over inflated wages and expenses and put your money in foreign bonds oh excuse i am starting to feel sick i need to find money somewhere for my gp now look what you done you pratt;;; niceway of making it work
p.s mortgages, health, ssc, etc,etc,etc
I hope someone forwards all these comments to DoF for analysis for the Minister. Earlier in the week, a poll said the gov were becoming more popular. Where is reality?
Ya Mickey great idea spent more to boost the country
And then give it to CEO of semi state quangos like the male inthe DDA
Ya sure they do what they want ye no control.
Yer like the muppet show pull strings ,
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say