@David,

He is not a patriot – he’s a patronising f . . kwit! That’s what he is. I’d like him to live with a family that are NOT exempt from paying this so called tax. A family that are just about able to put food on their table, that their morg. repayments are crusifying them even though their home is now worth half of what it was 3 years ago! One or both of them have lost their jobs and are just trying to live an honest life, the way they were thought by their parents.

As for that little weak Shatter! If I ever meet that dog he’ll get a mouthful from me. What an awful, unprofessional thing to say, to come out with in public – “get a life”. So irresponsible of him, we know he’s thinking it but he should never say something like that when he is holding the office that he is in. Put him beside a basset hound and it would be hard to tell the difference. Fortunately, the dog would come out on top with intelligence.

Seems kind of harsh, sounds like they have more than enough to contend with.

It is morally wrong, unjust and unfair to tax a persons home” – Enda Kenny, 1994

“One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.”
Martin Luther King jr.

You’re comparing the household charge to the civil rights movement?

Seriously, have I misunderstood you comment, you actually think that there are parallels between the two?

You’re comparing the household charge to the civil rights movement?

Seriously- you think that are are parallels between the two?

Take a bow sir. That’s first class lunacy.

For as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under Hogans rule! It is in truth not for glory, nor riches,nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom- for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself!

eh…. I don’t see any comparison made, do you?
He quoted Martin Luther King and that quote applies to this situation.

@Cliff…. try again Cliff, third time lucky maybe?

Marie Antoinette isn’t a patch on Hogan.

Genuine patriotism?
I am baffled and at the same time disturbed at the mind-bending tactics that governments apply to achieve their distrustful goals.
Patriotism as depicted by Google:
A person who truly, though sometimes unquestioningly, loves and serves his or her country.
It is the unquestioningly part that concerns me most.

OK !!!
Let’s go to the next page.
You have not complied with Phils demand.
You have not paid your 100 Euro.
Your deadline has expired.
You will be pondering in the next few days.
Should I pay or should I await the outcome of this latest austerity?
How long do I wait?
At this stage the governments next step is a grey area.
I would like to assume that their next move will be one of caution as the next step of austerity will provoke more disorder. -Property tax-.
Watch this space!

BE AWARE: !
youbetterpayup is a person who causes or promotes change by their presence in a situation or their input into it (figurative).
Refrain from any literal interaction with same apart from judging his comments as in thumbs up/down.

“Patriotism” Hard Neck Hogan you have stooped to a new low if this is what you consider to be patriotism

And for those of you who are not patriots, ah ah ah, get a life! God we really have some prize morons running this country at the moment. Between the get a life comments and the patriot ones, fine Gael have repeated similar comments that ff did back in the hay day, re patriotism and suicide. Shows politicians lack of intelligence to learn from the mistakes of others.

From the 2011 Census:

Housing

Housing numbers (dwellings) have increased more rapidly than total population between 2006 and 2011, with a 13.3 per cent increase in dwellings compared with 8.1 per cent for the population.

The number of dwellings increased by 234,562 from 1,769,613 in 2006 to 2,004,175 in 2011, representing an annual average increase of 46,912.

The largest percentage increase in households was seen in Laois (21.2%) followed by Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Longford which all showed increases of above 19 per cent.

***********************************************

Therefore, if 800,000 have registered (doubtful), that’s ±40%. Not the “psychologically important” more than 50%, as Gov mouth David Davin Power claimed on RTE 9 News this evening. We really can’t believe a single word the Gov and their mouthpieces say, can we?

@Basil. I think we should lump the TV licence in with the HHT and boycott both.

The Hog Hogan is right about one thing. An approximate 50/50 split is a good result.
If it was lower, the government would have to except defeat and change tack.
If it was more they would claim outright victory and push on regardless.
Now the scene is set for a confrontation between the state and the hardpressed people that pay their inflated salaries.
The state has no intention of facing down the banks, ECB/EU, public sector unions. Their sites are set in only one direction. To soak the Irish public dry. No-one will be faced down or forced to blink until first the Irish public faces down it’s own government. They need to be brought to heel and reminded in no uncertain terms who it is that is paying their salaries.
Only then will we have a government that will act in the interest of the Republic of Ireland.

No. In order to be a ‘patriot’ by FG and Labour standards you either have to be bullied and pressurised or behave like docile stupid sheep, following two faced leaders over a cliff!

There was a woman interviewed on RTE news. I’d say she was in her 60′s. Decent woman. She said she paid as she feared what might happen to her. Is this what Eire Go Broke has come to ? Shameful.

I think the government thinks they are more equal than the rest of us.

you know what kevin that is a very good point but what really worries me is this. on posting this there are 4 thumbs down. Now my question is this. What kind of people are they who disagree on your very valid point. They must be either extremely priveleged or psychotic.

Fg Trolls more like ! ( the thumbs down)

Just wait until next month. A lot of people have paid e100 and now won’t be spending it in shops. Very bad for retailers. But it was a very poorly thought out tax. I know the line that people shoudn’t fear the government, a government should fear it’s people has been trotted out quite a bit, but what the hell is going on? There’s some smug, arrogant, patronising comments coming out from the great ones. Obviously they think we’re not very bright. And it seems a lot of elderly people have paid out of fear. This is a democracy, and we’re letting pensioners be bullied into paying a very unfair tax. I’m starting to get as angry with FG as I was with FF. And can someone tell me if Bertie is still getting a pension?? We’re paying into that too you know. What’s the point of spending a fortune on tribunals and NOTHING happens. Oh and for everyone saying it’s just e100, what about next year, when it’s e500????

I’m honestly confused. Could the 5 thumbs down please explain why? Did I say something to offend? Did I say something you disagree with? Please let me know, maybe there’s something I’m missing and could make me feel better.

Ignore them Sue, some people thumb down the most positive and true of comments, even on a fatality, “What a tragedy, RIP” gets the red thumb. Count the positive thumbs and the people who agree with your comment not the simple minded warped individuals who go against the grain as they have damaged logic and support the other side as they can only hears word spoken but can not listen to the contradictions or all out lies/distortions within them. Sheep of people who only follow and defend the hollow words of their masters.

And we shall not be bullied by you or anyone
E N O U G H. IS. E N O U G H
NOTHING MORE GIVE UNLESS YOU TAKE MY LIFE

well said Sean. A parasite describes him and his like.

Sean,

Hear, hear! When is that Kenny yoke going to announce that? It’s sickening to look at all their fat bloody paunches, overfed, overpaid patronising assholes.

Living and breathing tax prehaps?

Good idea Norman! Do you want a job as a special advisor?

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8370/signals.jpg

There is not much better out there to vote for easy for opposition to say not pay bond holders simple as this Germany cut money supply then where would we be fu..ed who will give us money to pay wages

@ Jerry, It would be very interesting to sit back with a bucket of popcorn after Germany cut off Ireland’s money supply. I would predict the collapse of the French and German economies within 4 or 5 months after the fact as they are so heavily exposed to Ireland’s sovereign debt. The reason – their banks invested recklessly, ignoring the advice of top economists, in Ireland’s banks. When the Irish property sector collapsed it was inevitable that our banking sector would collapse too. Germany and France, through the ECB, bullied the Irish government into assuming ownership of the banks’ debts in order to protect their own banks. If Ireland fails to pay the unguaranteed bondholders then only the unguaranteed bondholders will lose out. If Germany and France, via the ECB, refuse to co-operate with Ireland in what is, essentially, a European banking failure (although the Irish are expected to pay now for the Irish, French, and German economies), then it won’t just be unguaranteed bondholders who lose out. It will be the entire European Union.

And as for those who say that there is a huge hole in our public finances. This is indeed true. However, if private debt had not been foisted on the Irish state, would the gap in public finances be as bad. Personally, I believe it wouldn’t. Yes we would have suffered an economic crash like elsewhere and we would have still needed austerity in some measure. But I believe that we would not have had as many on the dole queues as we do now which means we would have had more money coming into the state coffers and less going out on social welfare. At the moment, the only solution coming from those in charge is that the rich must be left alone, and the rest of society must be given less and less until they can no longer exist. If you think that’s an exaggeration all you need to do is check out the 2010 CSO report indicating that the wealthiest 5% in this country have gained during the recession.

And as for Minister “get a life” Shatter. Perhaps he’s right. Perhaps those protesting should “get a life”. The only problem with getting a life is that you need money, even if it’s just a little, to get a life. But Mr. Shitter and his buddies in office are only too happy to take that money and toss it in an incinerator, because, yes boys and girls, that’s where it’s going. We’re actually physically burning real money to pay for imaginary debts. They also don’t seem to realise that many in this country who will have paid the household charge will have done so by going to loansharks. €100 to the likes of him means he might have to skip a trip to the pub for a week. €100 to someone on low wages means a family will struggle to have electricity for 2 months. A republic and a society of equals? I don’t think so.

@Brian
Excellent Comment.

Briain O’D
Brilliantly well written and very well explained .

@ Brian O Dalaigh

Hear, hear, what you say makes perfect sense! Both Hogan and Shatter are dogs for accusing hard working Irish people non patriotic and then told to get a life. How dare they judge me, you, anybody.

They don’t know my life, your life. They don’t know how we go through life each day. How dare they, I am so angry with those irresponsible, so called representatives of the electorate.

Well said Brian and entirely true, and you’re in agreement with some of the top economists in the world also recognise this to be insane, you can’t cut and tax your way out of a recession like this, an economy is based on people having money to spend any moron can see it makes no sense.

Very well put Brian. All our thoughts together,concise and to the point, thanks for that!

Very well put, Brian.

You beat me to it John, Dr. Samuel Johnson, a greater intellect than Mr. Horgan or his cabinet colleagues, who appear to believe we’re as brainless as they are – we being the majority of the Irish population who have had just about enough of their nonsense.

Bob Dylan used the line aswell:

“They say patriotism is the last refuge, to which a scoundrel clings, steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king”

Fools

Jimbo
Alot of these people have been bullied into paying this tax. The scare mongering was very intense and Phil hogan is a horrible little man. The campaign against the HHC , will be stepping up a gear, today was a victory , but the war is not yet won.

@Debi, you know what, I think thats where this mess will fall apart as the people who have registered will not pay again until they know EVERYONE has paid.
Its dead if we all hold our ground.

The loyal voters of Carlow/Kilkenny will never let Big Phil down!

haha, funniest thing iv seen all day!

Do not worry this Government will never be in power again
And here and now we should be call for all to resign
Out out out out out Kenny And Company and Gilmore NO CONFIDENCE IN THIS CABINET OUT OUT OUT

Oh feck that’s funny!!!! Good one! I couldn’t agree with ya more!

His 38%is OUR success Congrats all to All who protested and went to the meeting and did leaflet drops and gave the country the information, unlike Minister phill looser hogan where no information came from. V I C T O R Y to ONE AND ALL

These figure are actually a lot like the trick that was pulled with the prom. notes for Anglo Irish…all rubbish to fool people. On Thursday evening we were given a figure of 500,000 that has registered and the following morning we we given the ‘actual’ (probably inflated also) figure which was 427,000. These people tell lies for a living and have no morals…don’t believe anything you hear in relation to this government and just kindly fail to pay – encourage and support other to do the same…It’s about what is right!! Fair play to all who turned out today and last week and at the many events up and down the country. And to ‘youbetterpayup’, of all the people in this country that need to get a life – you top the list!! I wouldn’t bother replying to anything said by the sad, sad person. Ignorance – definitely a FG supporter they all have the same stupid shite to say, along with other big business party supporters.. they don’t have minds of their own – (I’d equate them with parrots) cliche after cliche. MORONS!!

And by the by the figure for the protest today was definitely downplayed by at least a half. The figures for non-registration are mighty healthy though. Keep up the good work!!

Oh the census figures are interesting too…2 million homes in Ireland – would that make 2 million liable to register>?? Someone owns them!!

Don’t be so disrespectful, we all have feelings.

……and the number of households that had to register and pay is 1,800,000 , when did it reduce to 1,600,000 and why ? as you say these are professional liars . Shame on them.

@Susie – The government has always worked from a number of 1.6million; the ULA and other opposition parties have always used 1.8m. The figure suggested by the Census this week is 1.625 million. Use whichever you believe in most.

Thanks Gavin ,

@Gavan Reilly I beg to differ with you there on the original number it was 1.8 million and million it went to 1.6 million and then over the past week 10 day the 1.8 figure has been mentioned again
I will say it was the airwaves that mentioned 1.8million and Phill Hogan stated that figure first So I do agree 1.6 million has been mentioned but so has 1.8 million as the first figure who is right I hope This and future Governments will NEVER know thanks Gavan

“I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people. The men and women of this country who toil are the ones who bear the cost of the Government. Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Every dollar that we prudently save means that their life will be so much the more abundant. Economy is idealism in its most practical form.”
Calvin Coolidge

I think you are insulting gobshites by comparing Hogan to them.

Our friends in Syria have declared Victory too!

@ Martin

Hear, hear! We are the patriots, we act on our beliefs and for what we feel is right. We showed huge dignity today and a great well behaved crowd. I was very proud to be Irish today. Remember we were there for the children of this country, Ireland will be theirs not ours.

And HISTORY was made congrats to all a great bunch of 1million people well done

That’d be because they are more right than middle

Sheila…….Please repete this comment at every opportunity….Make people aware of what is happening to the elders of this nation….while thos in goverment fill there pockets………..SHAME ON THIS GOVERMENT

Wasn’t it Samuel Johnson who said ” Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels”?

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/heartbeat/images/5/5c/Claude_Jeremiah_Greengrass.jpg&imgrefurl=http://heartbeat.wikia.com/wiki/Claude_Jeremiah_Greengrass&h=219&w=200&sz=9&tbnid=4aUJOvUACsgWVM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=85&zoom=1&docid=dR41uJdTQtyUKM&sa=X&ei=cWx3T9jTHoK3hQf9rOGcDQ&ved=0CFEQ9QEwBA&dur=1959
Claude Greengrass or Phil Hogan ?

Cheers Susie!

Bring back the Queen. All Hail.

I am actually on anti depressants havin to tolerate living among cowards who run and do the governments bidding blindly like sheep. Also having to suffer a priveleged over class lord it over the majority of decent people is driving me to the edge. I am one of those Hates having to live here and I am too old now to leave and have too many bills to be free of the halter of these evil domineering taskmasters.

Take it easy Chris, it’s only a hundred euros and Shafter will give you a life.

Well said Gavin! You’re my hero! But make sure we get the 100 euros first

@Gavin & youbetterpayup: So somebody admits at the start of their comment that they are currently on anti-depressants due, I gather in part at least, to the economic reality in this country and yer response is to call him a ‘moaner’ and laugh it off!!?? Am I reading that correctly?

@ Kevin no you are not correct.

Only post present when I replied was Martin Mac’s. Depends on how web browsers update the journal web page.

@ Gavin ” I like kicking people when they’re down ” Tobin. Does attacking people who are financially struggling and suffering from depression, make you feel good?. It seems so. Try having a bit of empathy with your fellow citizens instead. It might actually make you feel better, instead of bitter.

Kicking fictitious people or people who haven’t the balls to use their real name on the web?

@gavin, did you post that in response to Chris or wot happened?

Chris and Martin
After the turn out and the atmosphere at the protest today , my faith in my fellow country men and women has been fully restored. I have no doubt that we will get this tax abolished , in time . Please stand together, we have come thus far , A Nation Once Again !

@ Gavin. Whether people use their real names or not, is entirely up to them. The pain and suffering that people experience, regardless of them using their real name, is still absolutely real. Your attack against somebody who is clearly suffering, is both despicable and cowardly. Do you not realise, that when somebody is on the edge, that all it takes is a careless, thoughtless, crass throwaway and heartless comment such as yours, to literally push somebody over the edge?.

Do you want the Queen back? Look around you. Everyone else in Europe is paying property tax. Why are we so special. I love my country. I want to make it a great country to raise my kids, educate them and hopefully they can secure a future here. That costs money my friend. Contribute or feck off.

Actually, yes the queen is welcome back. She took the trouble to learn a few words of Irish and she spoke those words during an official engagement. That had never happened before. She also wore green during her first visit here, in what I saw as a latent gesture of humility, deference and humility towards ourselves. She also paid her respects to the dead Irish soldiers at the garden of remembrance, who fought for her country as well as ours. I never thought, that I would see such respect displayed towards our country during my lifetime, from an English monarch. However, I was wrong, and am happy to admit so!. But back to the other question of property tax. Having paid twenty thousand in stamp duty, which will be thirthy thousand including interest by the time I’m finished paying it. How can anybody accuse me of not paying a property tax?. I have been paying it, I will continue to pay it, but don’t in the meantime, come to me and look for a tax that I am already paying and insult my intelligence as well.

FF ARE responsible. They f****d up the country. They hung on for the couple of years beyond the slump instead of dissolving the dail, to leave the successive government in an unwinnable position. The next government in would have had to tighten the belts, thereby p*ssing so many voters off that they’d probably vote FF back in… People have very short memories,

Moving the goal post again?!?

That’s right. All law abiding citizens will have to pay in the end. You know you will.

Back in Enda’s pocket little boy. Leave the grown ups to fight for what’s right. I’m sure daddyo will cut your allowance if he finds you mixing with the other side.

Yes I am a law abiding citizen and wrong I won’t be paying.

@Ryan: breaking the law is a serious offence

The deadline was set, over a million households have defied the demand to pay by the deadline that is a rejection and a defiance at the imposition of an immoral tax. The puppets can bleat on about cut off points and final tallies. We have made our position clear by defying their deadline in full awareness of the threatened penalties. It is not unpatriotic to stand up and be counted for something you believe in. The puppets are selling us out.

damn polite predictive text that should say sligo

Calling him a tinker kind of spoils your point no? No need to resort to that to criticise a prick who claimed 3 times the national average for mileage last year.

Nice one Joe :)

Until they themselves are the last shower I’d assume….

I take exception to that comment.

haha, normally I’d chastise someone for using the west brit stuff but in this case, cause Hogan’s a cunt, I’ll allow it. Made me laugh anyway :D

Martin, that’s the truth & best comment on this issue! Thanks

Those that didn’t pay now have to bend over and pay more. Eventually.

It’s only a victory for the government. I think they wanted it to go this way.

I would love to box the loaf of somebody after reading that not mentioning any names we all know who it is.
Fcuk it its you hogan

What’s he lost? The non payers will be got eventually and will have to pay more than 100.

My cynicism has me thinking the gov wanted it to go this way.

Why register if 51% pay?? The majority of those who paid don’t actually agree with the tax but were to afraid to not pay. I know from talking to people on the streets of the home town. Old ladies that would not have registered if they had known at the time of their neighbours, friends and families willingness not to pay. Also the threats of jail and massive fines which are simply not true helped worry people into paying the morally wrong tax. Just remember Enda’s words: ‘It is morally wrong, unjust and unfair to tax a person’s home.’
Stick with morality Gerry and do the right thing. DON’T PAY!!

@Ceiteach

Fines and jail is true.

Anyone who doesn’t pay this will eventually get fined.

If you don’t pay the fine you’ll be dragged in front of the court.

Still refuse? Jail.

That’s the current law.

Maybe they’ll change the non-payment of fines act to allow for recoupment from earnings etc but right now jail is a possibly outcome.

Good man Alan.

I paid it, and I’m no coward. In short, I couldn’t afford to, and didn’t appreciate being informed I had to, but I personally just felt it was the right thing to do.

I feel sad for you, in fact I pity you!

You’ve the right to express your objections + I’ve the right to choose to pay it

@trokidoll
I don’t object to you paying it. I find it sad that you fell into the trap even though you admired that 1. You can’t afford it and 2. You were told to pay. It’s a shame and a pity. I was protesting today, not just against the charge but for people like you who got sucked in with the scare tactics and fear mongering. How will you manage to pay next year when it’s upwards of €100 if you can’t even afford that now.

The only scaremongering I’ve come across is people like you saying it will be over €100 next year, with some even suggesting sums of €500! If anything this makes people afraid to pay it despite there being no word or proof of any such intended increases! I’m unaware of any scare tactics to make me pay it, but there are plenty circulating to try prevent people paying it. And for the record, nobody protests for anything on my behalf

@trokidoll,

Well then that put me firmly in my place and coincidently is parallel with the ‘screw you bob I’m all right’ syndrome that the temporary blue shirts in the convention centre have, and with that I’ll say that I kndly hope you get eveything you deserve. Your truly worth it!
Good evening!

Ive paid it cause its the law and thats the way I live my life, no I dont think its fair, I think if its a household charge every household should say it including council houses, I wasnt bullied into paying it I paid it cause its the right thing to do.

@ Tokidoll I don’t think stating the blindingly obvious can be construed as scaremongering. In NI, where they brought in a similar property tax, rates now average at 1000 – 1,200 euro and if you don’t pay your home can be repossessed. All these charges start off low, for the very reason so many people paid, it was a nominal 100 euro. I wish people would actually think these thing through logically. Why anyone would trust their government before anyone else, given all that has emerged from the sewer of our political system over the last few years, baffles me.

A@ Ryan I totally agree after all it is The Government who stated that this year this HHC is €100 and in 2013 it will be maybe in the region of €500 for the house charges and approx€500 for water so if we have a problem now paying €100 what about when it could be 10 times that ??????? This year €100 is not the problem ir even next year when it could be €1,000 but what about when we are on pensions and really cannot pay it any more. SECONDLY my problem is we have and continue to pay tax on our homes while we pay mortgage through the interest rates It really saddens me to think that so so many just paid this tax over without as much as a by you leave What about our Children and what about our old age We bought our home to give us a small bit if security in our old age.our own home = no rent out of a pension which is a reduced income to when we work and work we did in our day Yes I am on a pension and I have no problem with that but I do have a huge problem with having to pay RENT ON MY OWN HOME THAT WE BOUGHT TO LOOK AFTER OURSELVES AND AS I SAID A LITTLE SECURITY IN OUR OLD AGE … Thanks a bunch the almost 800,000 that have been recorded and registered I hope and pray that you will never feel the fear I feel tonight.I really thought we Irish had more gumption and self respect than to allow ourselves to be bullied. God Bless you all

The “household charge” is reminiscent of the taxes which were instrumental for the Great Famine. At present, paying 100 Euro may not seem as much to some, but it can be the straw that breaks the back of the poor. It has been historically the case that politicians tend to introduce controversial taxes at lower rater, and to increase them when the population gets accustomed — e.g. personal income tax in the United States.

Or a portion of the rich.

The rich don’t have to pay, we’re widening the tax base.

1Million says it all HOGAN OUT and Do not bang the door on your way out and hand your keys back to the security man/woman at the door

Is it really a victory? I don’t see the gov caving in.

Is it really a victory that 50% of the country will now be levied with late payment penalties and eventually fines.

Fines I might add that will land a person in jail if they don’t pay them.

Non payment of fines is a jail-able offence. Just ask the people that get jailed for not paying their fines for non payment of tv licences etc.

Anyway. The money will be taken from the people somehow. Why give the gov the satisfaction of taking way more than the 100?

Yes. They can’t jail 1m people but they can start somewhere and make examples of people.

Yeah. A real victory……..For the government.

Sheila
I agree with you . I was there too and the only thing RTE picked up on was this nothing incident ….An overall fantastic day , The battle has only just begun !

Typical effen media

I mean selling his country out………. Auto correct

I love it

You don’t know anyone paying?

Therefore, based on that, the approx 800k number is a load of bollocks?

You must know a hell of a lot of people to be able to stand over that comment.

You know what is a load of bollocks?

The deluded view that we achieved a victory yesterday. The gov win either way.

We all pay then perfect.

Loads don’t pay: eventually even more money for the gov.

Jesue – pay unto caesar that which is caesars.

I think certain people here are just out to stir up trouble. Just ignore them. Or him. There is a lot of anger about, why on earth wouldn’t there be. It’s all well and good to say the money has to be paid from somewhere, but just look at what has been paid on tribunals, and they may aswell be fairytales. Except fairytales usually have a moral as to why you shouldn’t do something bad. Tribunals, as far as I can see, are just a waste of money (a lot of money) and there’s no happy ending – nobody EVER goes to jail.

I agree that the tribunals cost us all too much money, but why use the language above against current ministers who are trying to clean up an unholy mess when others (Bertie, Padraig etc.) were dishonest to the point of needing investigation?
BTW, I try not to feed the trolls, but they seem to be taking up the majority of this.

And Shatter saying “get a life” is alright.

But that’s my point. There’s very expensive tribunals, but nothing ever done. Surely the current government haven’t just inherited the mess, they’ve inherited the tribunal, and the right to do something about it. I know I’m going off topic, but I’m just looking at saving money. Maybe in future we shouldn’t have tribunals, we should just let politicians do what they want and let them away with it, and save ourselves millions in not having a tribunal because they don’t make any difference anyway.

The things that make me really angry about this current government are how they try to bully us into doing things and how they told us blatant lies to get into power. Here are a few:

1. FG/Lab voted against Budget 2011. Now it seems they are only too happy to take ownership of it.
2. They were going to burn the bondholders. They now refuse to impose losses on the billions of unsecured, unguaranteed senior bondholders at Anglo & Irish nationwide.
3. Varadkar said not another red cent would be put into the banks. I think they put in €19bn last year (not sure bout that one)
4. They signed a USI election pledge to reverse the €500 increase in the student services charge in Budget 2011. They refused to do so once in government.
5. FG promised “Fair Care” and Labour promised Universal Health Insurance. Fair Care has disappeared and in government the 2 parties have admitted that the insurance proposals will not happen for at least 10 years.
6. “There will be no more ‘golden handshakes’ for public servants that have failed to deliver”- According to their manifestos. Big playoffs for senior civil servants continue.
7. FG pledged they would cut the number of junior ministers to 12. Once elected that appointed 15.
8. Fine Gael pledged to abolish 145 quangos. By end of Feb 2012 they had created 3 times the number they abolished.
9. Ministerial advisors will be subject to salary caps. Most ministers advisors have breached the cap.

I could go on but I’m getting bored and tired. It’s been a long day ;-)

But I do like your quote, I’m going to try to remember that one.

@Niall – No, of course that wasn’t right of Alan Shatter. However, renaming him to ‘Alan Shitter’ doesn’t (IMO) gain you any points in the argument.

@ThevoiceOfreason – Some good points in there and I’m not suggesting that this government is perfect. I don’t agree with the bullying line though. There is a new, unpopular, tax and the govt have outlined fines etc. for non payment. It’s not much different to any others from that perspective. I haven’t felt bullied or threatened for a second.

@Brian
I can honestly tell you that all of the people I know who paid it did so because they were scared by the way Phil was telling them they would go to jail and other things. They felt threatened when he said people would come around knocking on their doors looking for the tax and didn’t want to live with the fear of being confronted like that.

@ Vincent…that’s incorrect, you’re only exempt if you’re in receipt of ‘mortgage interest supplement’ and other obvious exemptions. Doesn’t matter when you purchased the house. Think you’re mixing it up with mortgage interest relief. People on ‘mortgage interest supplement’ would have recently lost their jobs etc etc. And for the record…I ain’t payin.

@ John Fitzpatrick

Thanks for putting up the video of the march. It was great to be there. The crowd were very mannerly and had respect not only for themselves but for others.

Hogan and his cronies can’t ignore the electorate that was on the street. I don’t believe for one minute that it’s the amount that have paid as he has quoted. Liar, liar, pants on fire!

….so ergo, that makes no sense at all.

Yeah because standing up for the country in this way will eventually mean the non payers could be putting 2500quid into the government’s pocket instead of 100.

ff did sign us up to the hhc as part of troika deal.

I ride in style jimbo.

He’s just a troll, ignore him!

So by not registering and paying this year people have avoided a property tax next time?

When the government want to they will get all the info they need from land registry and invoices will be sent to every property in Ireland.

By then the property tax will be signed I to legislation and people will have to pay.

The people that have paid are glad they don’t have to pay late payment penalties and possibly eventually fines. Non payment of fine will a person in court.

The only victory is for the government.

Only half the country chose to pay. And those that did realised that it’s better to give the gov 100 quid rather than up to 2500quid.

Co Kilkenny – I sent my reminder to his house!

Actually Frank most people outside Dublin and major population centres feel the only way to be heard is to protest in Dublin.

Isolated protests in Donegal or Tipp etc actually achieve nothing and are mostly missed.

Well said FIntan!

Mostly populated with Ill-educated fools. Though it does suit the below grade journalism.

‘Below-grade journalism’? Please, do elaborate.

Don’t expect any elaboration from people who type and run and are incapable of offering any real debate to the subject at hand preferring to deride other comments, sad really.

Yes but that was NYC Gerry! This is little old Ireland – The laughing stock of Europe, with separate laws for rich and poor.

Ask yourself why did they get 70% in the election Pearse .. Then have a look at trait manafestos, then have a look at the many election promises thu have already broken.. But your ethos is to just put up with seing the country go down the tubes, because we can’t do any better!!?? That’s an extremely poor and subservient attitude and far from democratic!!

Also, this government bangs on religiously about job creation!! Do you understand on a simple economic level, that the 100 charge is anti-jobs!!! It further decreases the spending power in the local economy thus pits further jobs at risk in local businesses!!
2 local businessmen I spoke to today both lamented how much could have been spent in their shops with the 100 euro, and that they are struggling and under pressure to hang onto staff!!

I worked out that out of an electorate of 3167417 FG and Labour’s combined vote was 1233424 in other words 38.9% voted for the government parties, even if you are to take that as as a percentage of those who voted on the day that’s only 55.55%, so not sure what orifice you pulled that 70% figure out of Mr Kelly.