Those in the camp were preparing to try and build it up again with the improved weather rather than looking for an exit. The timing of the eviction was probably for the same reason.

The real winners are the likes of Seán Fitzpatrick, Ahern, Lenihan, Cowen etc etc, who are always conveniently considered untouchable.

There were a multiple of Guards on this, compared to investigating Anglo. Better to remove this camp that risk multiple convictions in a well resourced and backed investigation of the wholesale corruption of the FF/Anglo years.

Insightful comment colm, totally agree.
The Gardai have handle this one very well. No violence on their part this time.

Actually now that we are hearing from the people who were there it seems there was significant Garda violence in terms of stamping on hands, twisting arms, throwing people to the ground etc. More people were thrown to the ground this lunchtime when they attempted to put a tent back up. Turns out that relying on the Garda press office for an accurate account of police violence is exactly as reliable as you might expect

Ross i could not agree more ,this country is in a death grip with organised white collar crime and those people that gave you thumbs down for speaking the truth should be ashamed of yourselves , do we want a country with no law because that is what we have one law for us and another law for the political elite.

@ Ross

And the occupy group were going to make them more touchable? I’m sure you don’t believe that.

Each offence has to be treated separately. The camp had to be dismantled.

Cowen etc will get their comeuppance in some way. Might not be publicly hung drawn and quartered like you want but they will.

One wonders if the education system would ever work, even if we overhauled it entirely. Hand someone near-anonymity and they’ll reveal parts of their character that even the best schooling in the world wouldn’t alter.

does one wonder that then eh?

How about a comment with some content, Theo, rather than an undirected general criticism (which comments are unpleasant? why? the lousy points poorly made? the crude language used?) followed by some generic fluff about the failures of “our education system”…?

Ann and Barry are at the Bank. Ann likes money. Barry likes money. Ann and Barry like money.

For those that only Know the differences between red and green or a thumbs up and thumbs down.

Theo,
Impressed that you’ve chosen to comment and welcome the input of someone like yourself.

I am curious about your comment on our education system and would love you to expand further.

Hello Theo, Your right. Those comments though usually come from pseudonyms. People who actively try to hide their identity. What I do is not even bother to read the comments made by those in “disguise” anyone who does not have the courage to put their name beside what they feel or think is a bit of a coward and the comments are usually base or of very little worth. So, I don’t read the trolls let alone feed them .

I’m a god, not a troll

@Eoin

How do you distinguish a pseudonym from a “real name”?

Agree completely

Whether they are protesting in vain, at least they’ll be able to say when this country finally goes down the toilet that at least they objected, while everyone condemned protesting, refused to take any action, refused to call for justice or wholesale reform of the state that robbed them blind and forced their children abroad. Frankly most of the people in this country are lazy, apathetic bums, that deserve everything that is coming to them now.

@Ross I agree with the sense of the first part of the argument… people should be commended for standing up to be seen and peacefully challenged what are many dodgalities in the system.

However I disagree with your analysis of the majority Irish people… I think 800 years of Oppression from the British (who would torture and kill in public those who stood up), and from the Church who disempowered people to think individually, have resulted in the placated reactions we see to many of the problems and disgraces we have faced recently.

@Ross So… their method of protest was naive, inflexible, and ultimately ineffectual but at least they’ll have earned the right to tell us all where to go if we mention we’re not happy with the way things are? Viva la Revolution!

@R.P – yes agree about the structures and peoples right to object and protest however if that gets in the way of the public going about their daily business in a safe and peaceful way then I don’t support them. I’ve heard quite a few stories of people being intimidated and accosted by the protesters from the occupy group. Not on.

The Central Bank apparently-it is their property.

Ok shauna,your killing me here!! What film is your profile picture from???

Tis from an epic 1990s TV show from Australia called “The Girl from Tomorrow” – do you remember it?!

That’s the Girl from Tomorrow isnt it??

Alana, The Girl from Tomorrow (1992) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0191490/

THANKYOU!!!!! Ha yes,I have a vague memory of it but I guarantee if I put it on now it’d all come flooding back :) would have never guessed it though. Ahh and my mind can rest :P

Well I can honestly say that they don’t represent me.

the 99% they claim to represent are the people that arent eltist, wealthy, power mongers, they may not personally represent you but their objection was directed towards the people that were and are robbing the country, while i dont agree with their methods, i admire the fact they were willing to try something while the rest of us sit ranting at a screen

There’s only 25 of them at most & that’s according to them ,
99% my arse

deliberately missing the point multi? so you have no objection to the country being fleeced by the bankers then? these people were the only ongoing physical manifestation of the outrage at how badly we are all being ripped off, aside from the 1% that are creaming off it

It’s a lost cause revolting peasant, pack your bags and head for greener shores.

Maybe Kenny was right after all.

I’m dissapointed because I will have nobody to give out about now ;-)))

Its about time the waste of time was removed . And if they try to return they should be arrested .

naillateshow
Sure didn’t you say you’d foot the bill for removing them. Hope you honour that statement with cash

Yes niall how about donating that ammount in the clean up costs to a reputable charity or a cause.

The law is that the generator of waste pays…let’s bill the occupiers for the cleanup,

We had a skip company and 30 voulenteers arriving from radio station earlier this morning but sadly or happily the council did the job for us . Thats the first time Cupid choose to actually speak to me . Ahh I’m touched Cupid !

I have since spoken to Liam on air and have spoken to him numerous times . He has been the is a guiding force for the movement and I think he will make a difference , maybe not today or maybe not tomorrow but he will .

I was there today at 6pm to watch what happened at the meeting and sadly once again it was hijacked as the whole dame street movement has been from sometime ago by people who have no idea what they are talking about . There were kids as young as 12 standing with banners , which I personally believe is wrong . One kid climbing the trees and in a very dangerous situation . One of the protestors taunting the Garda , who were only there to keep the peace and don’t ask me why the Garda didn’t take him in as he certainly deserved it .

There was maybe 100 people there and from what I could see most were there purely for entertainment and maybe 40% were supporters . Occupy is a an awareness and doesn’t need the visabilty that was today . Many of the people that were there had no idea what it was even about . We interviewed two 17 year olds who were taunting shop owners along Townes street and asked them why they were doing it and they just laughed and said because they had nothing better to do . So I told them to f**k off home and get there schoolbags ready for the morning.

Good luck to Liam in the future and one or two others who seem to genuinely have a passion but as for the rest them , stop wasting our time .

Yes Niall, now that occupy is gone you will have nobody to give out about. Everything is just fine.

Perhaps they could use this downtime to get a job and contribute to society

What do you do to contribute to society Richie? Work and pay tax to pay the bondholders?

You seem to believe it’s some sort of conspiracy anrchist group Laura. “They” is just normal people, disenfranchised by the system and the bankers bailouts.

There is an idiocy abroad in Ireland, people complain about bailing out the bankers and speculators, then complain when people stand up peacefully.

‘They’ didn’t want anything as a group, it was made up of individuals who each had their own perspectives. I think they as a group succeeded in modelling a new leaderless movement: peaceful, democratic, and community based.

Yes. All reports are saying that they were removed without any incident or injury.

thats not what they are saying, see for instance the Irish Times video report on youtube

Here is the Irish Times link http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0308/breaking5.html#video and also a link to the Housing Act 2002 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2002/en/act/pub/0009/sec0024.html#sec24 .
Why won’t some of the protestors show their faces if they are representing us apparently? As for that moron on about the photocopy not being a legal document, well, maybe he should either read it or find someone who knows the law to read it for him and explain the part where a Garda may move them on if they are contravening the Act.

A hell just watch the video and see just how badly the whole Occupy dame Street movement come out of it.

Apologies – employees thereof. Correcting now. Thanks Theo.

There is no profession of protesters. No charter. No rules.
If there were perhaps this one would have had a bigger impact than it did….. It was good that happened, imo, but the impact could have been bigger.
Any of the ODS people going to set up a Professional Protesters’ Body?

nail on the head Brian!

That’s rather missing the point, Brian. It’s really that Irish people want to deal with these important issues seriously and are opposed to the use of these important issues for egomaniacal grandstanding that’s purely counterproductive to the resolution of those important issues of reform.

This rhetorical fallacy that one either thinks Occupy Dame Street is a great idea OR one is little more than sheep unable to see the need for banking and economic reform, strikes me as the type of ‘with us or with the terrorists’ argument that I’d expect off the likes of George W Bush.

Agree with Peter.
The ODS protest was good for time.
That time is over.

@ Peter, sorry mate, you’re simply reducing a complex issue to a simple one to make yourself look clever. Firstly, you are merely slandering the majority of protesters by saying they are doing ‘egomaniacal grandstanding’; this says more about you than the protesters i fear :) you’ve also created a false generalisation from a minority example: those saying ‘either you protest or you’re a sheeple’ are in the minority, and anyway may only be said by people in moments of anger, who would say else if in a clear state of mind.

So, you based an argument on defaming people. Well, let’s look at some facts instead. ODS went out in the freezing cold and peacefully protested against the plurocratic empoverishing of our nation. They modelled a new way of protesting… one that let’s individuals speak for themselves, thus learning from previous failed models where leaders appear and end up making careers out of it. No violence, shouting or threats… unity in diversity. They are heroic and should be commended.

Conor, I’m responding to remarks that were made. It’s hardly ‘defaming’ or ‘false generalisation’ to respond directly to an individual’s remarks! Does everyone involved in ODS think people are either with them or the ‘enemy’? I don’t know but I doubt it. All I can do is respond to the remarks put in front of me and point out the fallacies within them.

As someone who has participated in a number of protests for various causes over the years, I can honestly say the problem is not with protesting itself but with the ODS protest in particular which couldn’t have been designed to more ineffectual if it had tried and which only real purpose seemed to let the individuals involved feel better about themselves. I actually know people involved in various Occupy movements around the world and it has to be said that while the global movement overall was a great idea, well executed, the Occupy Dame Street movement in particular was hamfisted and incompetent.

Can’t wait!

Your thoughtful comments are much appreciated.

Well said Danny! That sums it up really

Actually for quite a while they were very successful in radicalising people, educating people, and getting people to be more open to critically thinking about whats being done to them.

In the recent past, not so much, so yeah they shouldve left by now.

As for hopping on a band wagon, I definitely prefer people hopping a band wagon to stand up for themselves rather than the one to denigrate and insult those who do.

Danny Murray,
The ODS protest has (according to RTE) been the longest camp in the occupy movement. The movement has undoubtedly shown the displeasure at the unfairness of society be the people of many countries. Those who occupied should feel proud to have been a part of a global movement that, for a short time, shook things up.
I agree with Eoghan that it stagnated and should have ended sooner. As for inspiring people, I think you’ll find a fair number of column inches dedicated to the Occupy movement across the world.

They inspired me, taking a peaceful stand, sleeping rough through the cold of the winter, trying to encourage people to think for themselves and not just follow what the media tells them.

Sorry Danny, you have failed to read the poll correctly. At this time, 35% of people are glad it’s gone. That’s a strange sort of majority my friend.

@Conor, you got your facts wrong, in total, at present 66% wanted camp gone, that’s a majority

Indeed I did. Sometimes you ‘remember’ what you want to huh. Thanks Michael

The low numbers do not represent ‘fickle’ protesters, they represent a protest not working & in-fighting. The lack of any progress & structure was why I left, but that does not diminish the cause.
It strikes me the number of people here are using words like ‘hippies’ and ‘krusties’ to describe people involved. Pray-tell, what have ‘hippies’ got wrong? The global warming thing? The ‘love is the answer’ thing? The ‘be self-sufficient’ thing? The ‘its not about money’ thing?
The same name-calling is used for the likes of Ming Flanagan and Mick Wallace, despite them both having a mandate from people to represent and being very clear and logical in the arguments they put forward.

Politics is *meant* to be about policies, but you’d prefer to see optics…… are you happy with the current situation? Do you like having a well dressed puppet government and eroded democracy? At least the puppets were suits and cut their hair – because THAT is most important of all.

not everyone can be there 24/7 some people have kids and lifes to lead around there attempts at expressing there beliefs

I represent a group of society called ‘the middle’
We do not speak out very often but perhaps I should explain to you how it works.

I have a job, i appreciate how lucky i am to have it. Every month I pay lots of tax. The rich do not pay as much tax and stay rich, the poor get benefits which are from my contributions. I am ok with this, its the system. its been the system since before I was born and looks like it will continue for a long time.

Protest to me is a futile act, as is striking. if you want to make a change you have to work your way into the decision making position. Its harder to do but you are more likely to get a result. a strike or protest is the easiest thing to do, its the ‘its my ball so im not playing’ attitude’

the world is a difficult place to live sometimes, thats life.
the country is in a poor economic state, theres no short term fix and we are being made pay back huge loans that are not our fault individually, but are as a nation. thats just the way it is. I dont like it but its what we have to live with at the moment. the imf will not go, we will not default and we will not return to the markets for a while yet. thats just the way it is.
you can camp where you like, protest what you want but it solves nothing, and 15 people in a shack on dame st will not recoup €80bn worth of our debt.

us people in ‘the middle’ believe in solution minded approaches. we understand that we have very little money to work with at the moment so instead of throwing our toys out of the pram, striking, having marches etc, we work, be creative and find ways to increase what we have and what we can get rather than give out about what we have lost.

Viva ‘the middle’

I would suggest to go back to the drawing board and be a little more creative than accepting something just because you were born into it, maybe this is why your Content to contribute to poverty, or add to the 80bn Debt you have no Intention of repaying. Just by some magic force the middle will rise up and Set up camp outside wall street to Highlight the inadequacies of a system, then abscond and leave it for the poor and then just to add insult to injury suggest that Protest doesnt work. This is pure and simple greed in all its fundamental flaws. Do not insult the concept of creativity by seeing justice in your system.

Firstly,I think you’ll find that most people who get labelled ‘hippy’ or ‘krusty’ are from a similar background to yourself. In fact, I have found the more ‘out there’ they are, the more money is in their families. I too am from a ‘middle’ background – but learnt in my youth that some things are more important than money and I have since been marginalised within society.
Second, to say protesting doesn’t work, is just false. I am pretty certain that protesting & strike are the reasons for a stronger social conscience in Europe. The US doesn’t have that history, so has weaker supports for the poor and the worker. The elderly people in Ireland know how to protest properly – they do it right – and they successfully won back rights that were going to be taken away by FF in 2008/9.
However, protesting needs a critical mass – and despite it being enshrined in our constitution, and despite opposition being crucial to democracy – we Irish prefer to moan in a pub or emigrate, than *do* anything to solve the problems in our country.
Thirdly, I don’t think *anyone* is suggesting that there is a quick fix. Personally, I would suggest the opposite. There is no patch-work solution. It’s a complete and utter overhaul of the system that is required. However, I now feel, that I need to prepare for the system to completely break, because it is only when that happens that people will apply themselves to come up with a solution.
I appreciate the fact that you work and I hope you get well remunerated for your trouble. However, it is the Irish ‘middle’ that was determined not to look at the problems that were self-evident during the bubble. It is the neo-liberal policies (i.e. the lack of regulation ) that was voted in consistently by the ‘middle’ that caused this current situation.
I also want solution based approaches. However you can only solve a problem by defining it clearly. Furthermore, most TV-economists have agreed that this government and the last are doing crazy things economically. Should we not listen to them?

That’s why it’s called the squeezed middle. With this level of spinelessness you can expect more squeezing.

@aidoroch The middle. That wouldn’t be the same middle as Mussolini’s “terza via”, would it?

Interesting.
Guess it could be applied if the Central Bank Plaza were a public space. However, it belongs to the bank, which is why the Gardai had to ask the bank to ask them to remove the protesters.

Poor reasoning bothyhead, so anyone that protests without permission is ‘guilty or an offence?’ I think you might find that a protest is a reasonable excuse for blocking the street. It definitely is under a subjective interpretation anyway.

Wanting them to move the movement beyond camping and not wanting resistance at all are different things.

Well no, that’s clearly what you’re doing (occupying mammies couch) whilst these guys are slogging it out.
I did agree that the camp be removed as it is an eyesore and more times often near empty, but I feel this will bring solidarity once more to the occupyers, and they may come ‘hadn’t in their large numbers once more.
I also spoke to some of these guys when it first kicked off in order to educate myself rather than labelling them ‘crusties’ ‘tree huggers’ or ‘hippies’ and found them to be very intelligent, passionate and above all loyal! Now that’s Irelands problem today, is Loyalty!

Their cause is noble, but acting out urban Bear Grylls is pointless.

Because people have a right to protest in a democratic state maybe?

Yeah, Ruairi… because St. Patrick’s Day is the only reason they got rid of it!

Seriously, Paddy’s Day is just an excuse – this waste of space should have been “swept away” months ago.

Good riddance to it.

St. Patrick’s Day brings tourists to Ireland from all over the world. So you want to say good riddance to them too???

I would say if you had a tribunal into this incident of the deployment of gardai, the commentators against the occupy Dame street camp, and political nepotism. We would find that there all related.

Yes, Niall, I believe that St. Patrick’s Day is the direct reason it was removed this week. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.

And as for the rest of your Jeremy Clarkson-lite Daily Mailism, well….nuff said.

Right, Ruairi…

So it was nothing to do with the fact that the Central Bank finally actually asked the gardaí to assist in moving them on?

It was nothing to do with the fact that the presence of the occupiers there was made illegal by the fact that the owners of the property on which the camp was set up were no longer willing to tolerate them?

Let’s say, for example, someone set up a few tents in your front garden and created an eyesore… would you not tell them to get lost? And would you not get the authorities involved if they didn’t get lost?

But no, of course, it’s nothing to do with that, eh?

It’s also nothing to do with the fact that, for the past 5 months, these people have cluttered up a public space with their messy and unattractive eyesore of a camp in order to continue their confused, leaderless and ineffectual so-called “protest”, and in doing so disturbing the peace, causing a public nuisance, damaging the trade of local businesses, and achieving absolutely nothing positive in the process?

Nothing to do with that either, no? No… clearly, as you say, it’s all down to St. Patrick’s Day… Riiiight….

Niall, I never said it was the only reason, clearly they had a reason to do it, they didn’t go and knock down the Porthouse Pub or Trinity College, I accept that they had grievances with the Occupation, and I never implied anything otherwise,I am fully aware people did not want them there from the start, but the upcoming parade was the direct reason for doing it at this very moment.

for me the pity is that they didnt get enough ongoing support, the media hold a lot blame in that, they persisted in this false theory that the occupy movements have no core unity of purpose, which was completely untrue, what they want is simple, separation of corporations and state, govern the people for the people, not the banks

There are plans for a march. Keep your diary free. It’s the last day for registration for the Household Tax, it’s being held in a NAMA property and it’s pay day for bondholders. Bit of a hat-trick waiting to be scored… ;)

If it was Leo then this is the first thing the man has done right.

Maybe, one way or the other it doesn’ bother me, they were just there. Didn’t appear to be doing any harm.
My point was just I reckon Varadkar stopped it.

Right to protest yes, right to occupy private property no.

Maybe if you lived in a tent your cost of living would go down.

hahaha

Usual pointless dribble from Cupids Daughter,

Well said Mairead im looking forward to heading back up on Saturday you can really spot the brain-dead sheeple of this country before it used to make me angry looking at your comments all i say now is shame on the lot of ye for accepting corrupted bankers developers and the con man that run this country BIG SALUTE TO ALL THE DAME STREET PROTESTERS See ye all soon .

Your comment is typically of the self-righteousness that the general public have become accustomed to, and sick of. Just because a large sector of the public do not agree with your ideas or form of protest don’t automatically denigrate their intellect by assuming that their stance hasn’t been rationally formed.

@Winston

The intellect or otherwise of the “large sector of the public” is irrelevant. Their collective action is what counts. Their collective action, in the eyes of the world, has been, as usual, to drop their kacks and bend over for the man with money in his hand… Some “intellect”!

agreed, those professional protesters that seem to protest every single issue they can find, really piss me off, if i was protesting they would be the last people i would want involved, the protest loses all credibility with them in it

and that’s one of the biggest reasons for getting rid of this camp. What was the aim of the protest? What end-state would make the protest go away on it’s own? It was poised to become a permenant fixture (literally) in Dublin. That’s not what the right to protest is for. You can’t use it as a shield to justify building a shanty town

Well, if you swapped ‘em over and had one forensic accountant cleaning out the camp and a large force of beat gardai and road sweepers going over Anglo’s books, you wouldn’t really get much done on either, would you?

THats great binaary thinking there Peter, you should stand for election

Actually, Mark, I was just pointing out the ‘binary thinking’ on Workers Solidarity’s part. The number of gardai and cleaners needed to clear out the Dame Street site and the number of forensic accountants needed to audit the books of a bank are completely different things. Workers Solidarity can’t just imply that resources spent on clearing out Dame Street would be better spent at Anglo without having someone point out how silly a thing that is to say!

Thanks Eoin

Someone needed to challenge the ignorance :)

It is not capitalism, Eoin. What we have fits the description of a fascist economic system perfectly. If we had true capitalism the banks would have been allowed to fail.

Actually Tom Sullivan, your right…….Good point well made. Thanks.

If I wanted to read a Left pamphlet, I’d look for one.

Too long, didn’t read, will not read.

@Colm: how do you know it’s a “Left pamphlet” if you didn’t read it?

@skeolawn I’d say it is because he is one of those conditioned to see anything that challenges the established order as representative of the opposite of his political views. So for someone on the right, it would be a “left pamphlet” and for someone on the left, it would be a “right pamphlet”, neither side realising that the left-right divide really is a false dichotomy. Unfortunately, too many are concerned with this manufactured left-right divide and pay little attention to the real divide, between those who choose liberty and those who wish to impose or subject themselves to feudalism.

If their protest was a waste of time, then so be it. At least they can say they did something unlike most who are so afraid of change that they are willing to pay to prop up a failed system rather then do something about fixing it…

well, i heard the cops say the bank asked them to move the protesters, then the bank say they took advice from the cops, the usual irishness

And where did you hear that R.P?!

on the radio this morning, rte radio one

Happy to see someone had the good sense to finally flush the toilet

Quite telling that despite the obvious truth in what your saying 2/3 of people unlike it. It’s quite remarkable how sucked into neo-liberali ideology people were under the Celtic Tiger to the extent that even five years after the crash they still fall for going for the handful of harmless protesters rather than the powerful wealthy elite that screwed them over and is laughing at them now.

What’s your alternative to austerity? As you are aware, even if we didn’t pay another cent to a bondholder (inc Anglo), a budget deficit would exist. Pray tell how would you balance that without outside assistance??

I’ll say it again…..there never was a ‘real’ Celtic Tiger’. The Irish were all conned just like the Brits under Thatcher. Those people that already had wealth fared better than those without. The ‘ ordinary’ people of this country having in effect been told that they’ve never had it so good, another bit of political-speak, were suckered into buying new cars, bigger houses, or home improvements etc; to take on bigger mortgages and credit loans to pay for these things. Not real money but credit. A combination of naievity, greed and a misguided but understandable belief in what politicians were saying. The banks and building societies elevated house prices to ridiculous levels and were all too more than willing to give loans at frankly unpayable return levels. It’s NOT that the people of Ireland were thick, just that politicians etc, were such good CONMEN!

Yes, Lets allow everyone with a permanent marker and a piece of plywood to ruin the aesthetics of the city. While we’re at it lets just default on everything, ignore the trade consequences, plant a few money trees in the phoenix park ride away on our unicorn.

@Brian, that’s the most lucid comment I’ve heard from anyone about the occupy movement, the goals are more realistic

@gavin and brian Before you leave on your honeymoon, hear this: Iceland told them where to go, and they are doing better then us now. Ireland needs lions, not worms. You obviously fail to understand the fiscal mess were in, because things don’t seem that bad. That’s because we still are possessed of many state assets and talented and trained people. Soon the assets will be sold and the most skilled and motivated people emigrated.

And the rest of you, when you come back to earth, will still be paying germany and co interest on loans, from your taxes paid on your new german style minimum wages of 4 euros an hour.

@ William.

For me and quite a few others there was a celtic tiger and I’m not living on credit either. I have one loan, my mortgage. I’m not saying I’m rich or anything I’m just saying that I was and still am able to pay my bills and thankfully am still working. If more people lived within their means a lot of the hardship stories we hear of wouldn’t exist.

People didn’t need 120% mortgages….didn’t need half the stuff they bought. Yes they bought what they wanted and thought they needed without pressure from the banks etc. It was a materialistic greed and a one upmanship mentality. We became a nation of snobs and pretentious pricks very quickly.

However when money was cheap and people could afford to pay it back then why not? You can’t always live in the future or have the benefit of hindsight.

We weren’t the only ones to suffer this fate.

@Conor, Are you calling me gay as a put down, that doesnt seem very liberal or tolerant of you!! Anyway, Iceland was a different case altogether, its like comparing apples and elephants. Also this lowering of earnings might not be a bad idea if it lead to the country being more competitive, on the state assets front I dont believe they should be sold as they earn money for the state, but they should be earning more, they are run inefficiently and just pay the people at the top huge wages like everyone at the top in the PS and Semi-states

Well said.

Nothing? I’m sitting here on my arse feeling smug because I know the difference between “gall” and “gaul”. That’s not nothing.

How about you get off the computer and join these “brave” people!!

oh shit, its the spelling and grammar gestapo

Ironic, you condemn people for sitting in their arse and doing nothing yet commend as “brave” a bunch of people who basically sat on their collective arse’s and did nothing for a few months.

Whereas you, Brian, are a hero, doing “work” vital to the nation?

I am out of work Johnathon, currently sending out CV’s everyday of the week, paying my own way through University and currently preparing for my end of year finals. Nothing heroic about that, it’s just the reality of life.

@Brian

So you’ve no problem, apparently, with the set-up and system that got the country into the parlous state it’s in but are happy to condemn a minority who got off their “collective arses” (no apostrophe — what are you learning at University?) to make a public protest. Something, I guess, you’ll never do?

I don’t know what “work” means can you please define it.
Try as I might I can’t come up with a suitable definition……. or is that too much work for you?

Typical diffensive response Howzat, to throw it out there every occupier did nothing but sit around and smoke all day. Alot of ppl involved in the movements worked full time and gave up all of their spare time to the movement in an attempt to raise awareness and wake up this largely dormant nation. I myself worked long hours full-time for two companies in Limerick. Slept in the camp most nights during the week and either went straight to work from the camp or got up early to go home, shower and change before going back into work. I then spent all of the weekends there, dealing with the public, organising and running marches, dealing with the local media, setting up our website, blogging, as well as doing all night security and dealing with the abuse which that naturally entails. The other members of our camp were either also either working full time, students, mature students with families who were concerned about their children’s futures, retired, or a large part of those just out of school or college who CAN NOT get a job in Limerick (26,000 unemployed in a city of around 96,000!) And believe me when i say there are NO JOBS. I myself have done 8 years in college, have 3 major Design awards under my belt as well as alot of experience over the years. I was over 2 years looking for a job, including interviews up north and the nearest i could get was of course one of the fantastic new job-bridge schemes where you work full time for an extra €50 a week. This is not the position I would have envisaged myself to be in at this stage of my life, but this is the way things are. I cannot get a decent job in Ireland but due to having put myself through college in Dublin the college loans which ensued do not leave me with an option to leave. And so we have it the vicious cirlce alot of ppl find themselves in now. What have you done for your country?? Put yourself out much?? Or let me guess you’d rather criticise others ans their efforts from the comfort of your armchair. Admirable!

To be honest, I hate online snide remarks bashing stuff like this as much as the next person.

But with this case in particular, I really don’t know if they were even there to protest anymore.

Your know what would have been real funny, if the government/fas moved in and offered them jobs.

@ Adrian: How do you know they dont have jobs? I occupied in cork for 3 months and balanced that with my 2 jobs perfectly. As did many many others.

I honestly don’t think they were there to protest anymore, I think they just liked causing a nuisance. I went down to have a chat with a few of them and see what they were like because everyone was just saying they’re just “hippies”. When I got there, there was just a couple of long haired scruffs, doing a bit of wood craft and wearing them slippers that have the five toes on them. That’s when I made my mind up that these people don’t represent me because I’ve never even seen these type of people even in a bank or working a nine to five. When I think about it the only place I see them is in Goa or atop the mushy mountain at the full moon party.

Haven’t all the major international occupy camps (St Pauls, Wall St etc) been removed without much of a big deal? Besides, judging from the reaction on this site, the protesters (who numbered what, 15?) did not have much public support any more. 99%? more like .00009%!

Lets not lose perspective on this – a bunch of crusties were allowed to occupy a major civic space for 6 months, and they did feck all with that opportunity. This was bound to happen.

I hate to burst your bubble but a quick scan of the international media seems to indicate that no-one really gives a shit. What were you expecting, Sky News, CNN, BBC to come down and see 15 crusties being told to piss off home? They have much better things to be doing.

I didn’t think it’d be major news!

Just pointing out the hypocrisy of strongarming hippies out of the way to “improve our image”.

Without bringing wheelbarrows to the camp i believe it is their Intention.

So……they were elected?

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Burrrrn :p

I would think a Nama comment fits in this topic nicely. Especially one that reflects an unbiased media that has councellors out of there bed at 3:30 in the morning and gardai generated decisions on the Law.

I have been around the Central Bank area a few times lately and I didn’t see any problem with the Occupy Group. Are these people that are staying away from the area (as they must be as the businesses in the area are struggling because of this and not the fact that the economy is f**led because of the banks ) that up there own arses that they can’t stand to see normal people simply searching for equality in our society…. Sounds like this situation says more about society then the occupy group

the peasants have nowhere to go you snobby git (on view from your rubbish bin, we wait for the opportunity to strike)

When was your last attempt at making a difference Mr. Walsh? The people at Occupy Dame Street are LITERALLY the only people in the country who are even attempting to right the wrongs of a stupid, deceitful and ultimately useless government. Your comment is actually embarrassing

i shouldnt think mr.walsh needed to make a difference as his comment clearly denotes membership of the ‘im alright’ brigade

Attempting to right the wrongs? How exactly did they try and do that? What did they achieve bar disrupt business in the area to law abiding, tax paying, rate paying struggling shop owners? Pathetic.

You obviously haven’t learnt from history.
The peasants always win…. until they themselves become the elite.

@Denis IT’S CLEAR TO SEE from this comment, and from your other one on the Paedophilia article ‘It’s good to see it’s not just the priests doing it’ that your comments merely seek to attract attention. It’s a sign of woundedness and acting out of distress that someone seeks attention in ways aimed at distressing other people. Hope you find more constructive ways to get the attention you need.

We have a fairly minor protest against the impoverishment that is being visited on the people of this country and especially on the most vulnerable and we see it and is participants described in the most unpleasant terms. What some of those commenting need is moral and economic education. I seem to recall that when this encampment was established that there was some public discussion about the legality of its location. It emerged that the plaza is owned by the bank who decided to let it be. However it also was mentioned that the laneway beside the plaza is common ground.

@Vincent

A brilliant contribution. The country needs more of your intellect, hard work, and inspiring outlook.

@Jonathan Biggins. Agreed. Vincent’s contribution shows that he has thought the issue through thoroughly and isn’t one of these knee-jerk reactionaries who bellow “dirty layabouts” at anyone who doesn’t like the status quo ;)