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THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) has said that Ireland is no longer exempt from water charges.
In a statement today, the commission confirmed a view that it outlined to TheJounal.ie earlier this month.
What this boils down to is whether or not water charges is the established practice in Ireland, or if paying through general taxation is.
With the EC viewing water charges as the norm, Ireland will now be in breach of European law should it remove the charges.
In a response to a parliamentary question asked by Irish independent MEP Marian Harkin, European Commissioner for the Environment, Karmenu Vella points to the implementation of the river basin management plan in 2010 under a Fianna Fáil-led government as the moment established practice passed the point of no return.
This river basin management plan did not have water charges as its sole objective – but rather focused on hitting the environmental objectives of the EU’s Water Framework Directive.
Back before then, Ireland would have been in a better position to wriggle through the ‘established practice’ loophole in getting out of implementing the charges.
In his response, Commissioner Vella said that the Directive: “Does not provide for a situation whereby it can revert to any previous practice.”
Already parties on the opposition benches disagree with the EC’s assessment – with Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil contending Ireland’s established practice is for water to be paid for through general taxation.
Ireland could still potentially challenge the European Commission’s stance at the European Court of Justice.
The government’s current position is to suspend water charges for nine months and establish a commission to explore alternatives.
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Hi journal could you please print more articles like this so I can show them to my girlfriend and convince her that me buying a Ps4 will not turn me into a sedentary immobile cabbage as she seems to believe it would? Thanka
Forget about your ps4 and build a pc for gaming :)
is that not a good bit more expensive/hassle? Though it has the Trojan horse advantage that I could pretend Im dropping a grand on it for its amazing word processing capabilities only to “discover” it can be used for games too once its in the door!
If you love gaming you’ll know the difference between console and PC gaming and money won’t come into it :)
My gaming pc only cost 200 more than my xbox one/ps4. The extra you spend you will save after buying 10 full price AAA games from steam.
Pc can be built for €600 and upgraded when needed. Lasts longer and games are cheaper.
Gaming PC pffft. How long are you waiting to play Gta 5 now?
I’d love to build a gaming PC someday.
T
Great piece. I’d even argue that games in themselves are a great stress reliever, without even trying to establish the link as directly as you have with the PIP. I find them great for blowing off some steam.
So sick of the ridiculous articles about games and ‘de-sensitising’ that do the rounds every so often, nice to read one without the scare-mongering!
I think it depends a lot on the type of game and the player’s personality. When I play CS:GO I don’t usually find it relaxing. Fun, yes, but stressful! Skyrim I find relaxing and I play a game called Cue Club. I think that open world games can be the best for relaxing and de-stressing (although a lot can be said for unloading a machine gun into a swarm of monsters attacking you!) as you can usually do whatever you like. I remember playing GTA3 years ago and just driving around. That’s it. Having fun driving around the city and trying out different vehicles.
I’d agree that gaming is a nice way to put the feet up and relax… right up to the point where I discovered Dark Souls and my blood pressure has never been the same since!
I hear that game is brutally tough, lol.
I’ve started playing Risk of Rain. It’s fun but you will die a lot. Like most roguelikes.
Games are for children. Any grown man playing computer games deserves to be neutered at the balls.
Newsflash many games aren’t actually made for children, the biggest selling games are always over 18′s and the average age of a typical “gamer” is actually 31 http://venturebeat.com/2014/04/29/gaming-advocacy-group-the-average-gamer-is-31-and-most-play-on-a-console/
Closer inspection of your profile pic and the name ‘anto’ has ruled your opinion null and void.
Games are for children? Really? Have you heard of F.E.A.R., Amnesia the dark descent, GTA, Silent Hill or Dead Space? Don’t think the developers had children as their target market there.
Or you could do some exercise or something useful. Gaming is an absolute waste of time. It’s bad enough children playing but anyone still interested in games as an adult needs to grow up.
I don’t have a TV. I agree most programming these days is even more moronic than wasting your life prancing around virtual reality.
I bet you sit on the sofa like a lemon watching rubbish tv shows on your laptop while your brain melts away. At least with gaming you’re using it.
Touch a nerve did I lads? Keep wasting you’re lives away, no skin off my back.
Your.
I’m certainly not wasting my life away. I find gaming relaxes me, makes me forget the troubles at hand. Get this, I read books too.
Endas too busy wrecking the country to have the time to play a game and chill out. If he’s as good at gaming as he is at running the country yeah you get my drift. )
Tell me how the typical evening goes in your house Enda, and please be honest. What do you do to chill out and take the edge off the day?
Enda stop being a right old one and get with the times grandad
It’s hard enough to get the kids off these games as it is,don’t want them to see this,or it will be impossible
Exactly, like the world needs more man-babies.
It’s better than watching tv.
I know the kids today with their “pop music” and “vidja games” in your day I bet you had a stick and were happy with that ehh?
Luddites
All the wives and girlfriends will be on giving out about their men folk anytime now. I have a ps4 it’s an excellent piece of equipment for helping to just loose yourself for a while in a game. I will admit you don’t notice the time go though. My wife thinks I’m a man child I keep telling her there are millions of men out there that are gamers. Don’t smoke or gamble I do exercise and have a hobby and spend quality time with the family so what harm is it to loose yourself in a game every and then while she’s down watching X factor or I’m a celebrity or strictly come dancing or East Enders or emerdale etc etc,so you see girls lighten up on the lads and their gaming.
Leslie: Teach your children time management skills, and if they are too young to self regulate then its your job to do it with them. Certain types of Games are excellent for children’s’ development – but like all things in life there must be moderation.
Gaming isn’t just for kids or adult men – women are a huge part of the gaming market. I’m an avid gamer and playing online is a wonderful sort of socialising. When my kids are in bed, I get to hang out with my international gaming mates from the comfort of home, and I’ve travelled to spend time with some in countries and cities I might not have visited otherwise, and some have come and visited Ireland. No soaps or “reality” tv shite in our home – gamers for life!
You should try and get her into gaming. I found the Lego games as a great introduction to gaming for the girlfriend.
Tv is terrible totally agree with you
Well don’t play fifa if ur lookin to reduce stress levels u will jus end up most of the time with a bill for a smashed controller and they ain’t cheap nowadays 50/60 a pop for the new gen consoles…
What’s a PIP?
” As part of my final year project, I was given the chance to develop a prototype app for the PIP, a biosensor which helps manage stress. “
What fantastic projects are you working on in your spare time Enda?
It be adult’s buying them as there over 18. Buying them for there children in most cases. It’s not real life.
So the link I previously posted staying the average gamer is 31 you disagree with? You have any facts to back that up?
Enda? I’m nothing like Enda. I’m working class and I work for cash in hand and collect the dole
Anto is clearly a troll account, that comment coupled with profile pic proves it. Don’t feed the troll
Ian the majority buying those games. Even the 18 and over 1s are children. Foghorn, anto is short for Tony thanks. And Hugh, your girlfriend is write
Okay show me statistics proving that the majority buying them are children?
Ian, I don’t understand what you’re getting at here? So because a lot of grown men like playing childish games that makes it somehow ok?
Games specifically designed for adults that are over 18 are childish?
I was a manager in Gamestop few years ago, the average age of game purchaser is late 30s, you’re talking hole anto
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