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TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY was subjected to angry protesters on a visit to Athlone yesterday with one accusing him of forcing his children to emigrate.
In another confrontation, Kenny told a protester: “You could do with a day’s work, I’d say” when told to “take the bridge, head west and stay there” amid acrimonious scenes on a visit to the Golden Island Shopping Centre in the Westmeath town.
A man identified in today’s Irish Times as Peadar Doyle confronted Kenny as he arrived at the shopping centre during canvassing for a Yes vote in the upcoming Fiscal Compact referendum.
Doyle told the Taoiseach: “Back in 1958 I was forced out of this country. You are now forcing my children and my grandchildren out of this country.”
As the Taoiseach rejected the charges and insisted his government was trying to rectify the situation, Doyle responded that “they’re going to have to go, they’re leaving because there is nothing here for them.”
Doyle said that he had not paid the household charge and that he didn’t mind if he was breaking the law as he had paid €60,000 in taxes. Kenny responded that a “€2 a week is not beyond your capacity if you paid €60,000 in taxes.”
Watch:
YouTube: seansbarathlone
In another confrontation with Gordon Hudson, the head of the campaign against Household and Water charges, Kenny was told by Hudson: “Take the bridge, head west and stay there” to which the Taoiseach responded: “You could do with a day’s work, I’d say.”
The Westmeath Independent provides a full transcript of the brief exchange.
Listen:
Ireland should seek redress from the Nato countries for this amount. We are not causing this migration, just as we weren’t party to the bombing and destruction of Libya or Syria. The US has said that this war is going to be a very long one so the refugees are going to keep coming and those here are not going home soon, if ever.
Neutral Ireland should be shouting out loud for peace talks to start and not nodding agreement to the arms shipments pouring into Ukraine.
Is the President’s wife, Sabina Higgins, the only one in Ireland with a titter of wit or a shread of humanity?
@Bramley Hawthorne: so nothing to do with Russia?
Ukraine could never have joined Nato and everyone knows that. Nato’s charter does not allow a country to join that has conflict on its border and Ukraine had multiple even before the invasion.
Ukraine biggest mistake was to hand back all those nukes and to trust that Russia would abide to any agreement.
Should have kept a few and no one would bother them then.
@Bramley Hawthorne: or we should just pay it forward.
Half the world claims Irish heritage because so many found a place to begin a new life back in the 1800’s.
That’s not to saying they had it easy in the 1800’s. However, the good will of many foreign countries and their people should be remembered and used as rationale to treat these Ukrainian people with respect and understanding for their situation even if it costs us a few bob.
@Bramley Hawthorne: Ridiculous comment. Ireland offered to house these refugees.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: You are very good at trying to rewrite history. Russia attached Ukraine.
@Bramley Hawthorne: NATO did not start this war. Russia did. A war you told us was never going to happen because Russia would never invade Ukraineand it was all western lies.
@Bramley Hawthorne:
NATO did not create or start this war. Russia, and Russia alone is responsible.
@Paolo Fandango: Sadly, not all can afford it. Charity and activism can be great but if an old person can’t pay the heating bill that arrives or if a family can’t afford to buy a home because cost of living has eat into their salary/salaries, it’s not fair to force it upon them.
Hope our landlord politicians read this article to avoid any oversights in claiming the €400.
@Tom Keane: pretty sure they aren’t bother with the 400, it’s the multi million euro contract to host them in hotels that would get them out of bed in the morning
@Tom Keane: try it sometime
Yet our next generation of students suffer while trying to secure accommodation for the college term
@Paul Dolan: that bias comparison is only valid if those taking in refugees would ordinarily have taken in students and are not talking students now. Unlikely.
@Paul Clancy: not blaming the kindness of people but instead blaming our government
@Paul Dolan: have they not moved out of student accommodation already?
@Paul Clancy: I rang someone in work the other day because a letter we sent them had been returned undelivered to us. He said he was no longer at the address because the landlord evicted them so he could put in Ukrainian refugees.
@Paul Dolan: Suffering students?
we have 6 in our holiday home , 400 does not cover it.
@ChronicAnxiety: I wouldn’t do it for 400 the payment to Irish households to take people in should be more giving the rise in everything
@ChronicAnxiety: there was no mention of any payments at the start and you did it willingly
I know someone wanting to give out two rooms in their own home to help out. Tried for about 5 months chasing everyone with calls and dropping in. Got the run around from everyone including red Cross and local council. Eventually contacted local td few times and they called back to say unfortunately only looking for a 5 bedroom house
Isn’t everyone in the country?!!?!
Know someone else waiting for few months and no news.
Why can’t they offer something for students too. They also need assistance
Fair dues to those who accommodate Ukrainians in their own homes and I don’t think they did it for the money … 400 euros is great value for the taxpayer too compared to what’s paid out to hoteliers etc. Can’t understand why they can’t get their act together and place more in homes…..lots of people have pledged and for some reason they’re not being followed up. The Red Cross got millions on the Late Late show and seem to have made a complete horliks of the whole pledging and hosting situation.
As a lot of Closed Commercial Premises have now opened up to accommodate the Refugees, how much does these establishments such as Hotels, Guest Houses and B&Bs receive per person staying, and is Food and Laundry charged as an extra per person staying or is it included in the Base Allowance.
@Owen G Mc Ginley: Ahh Owen. What are you asking that sensible question for? You trying to understand how the books are balanced on this? Back in your box pal. Nothing for you to see here. Just a whole class of hotel and accommodation owners creaming it off the back of the “taxpayer”. All borrowed money as well, in Ireland’s name. Keep quiet though, all these well heeled hoteliers and property owners are friends of TDs and hold sway and influence. These are the people benefiting from immigration, crying about how we need to bring in people from abroad who will work for minimum wage in their businesses whilst availing of other working people’s tax funded subsidies such as HAP to just put a roof over their heads. You keep working away now – they’ll just take 52% of your earnings, tax you anytime you drive, park, eat, drink, heat your home, buy anything. There’s a good little worker now – you’redoing God’s work! We’re all doing our bit now. Some people just get money while others have it taken away. Sure what do you need money for – you wouldn’t know what to do with it – you’d never appreciate the finer things in life!
400 Euro per month wouldn’t cover the cost of the electricity bill at the rate its going up plus gas as well
have your say