Should you have a right to water or is the Sunday Times’ economist spilling the beans on the government’s plan following the next election? Cormac Lucey of The Sunday Times seems to think people who don’t pay their water charges should get their water cut off. Take a look at this video posted by Facebook user Brian Ó Huiginn. Give it a click to view it. Remember the, ahem, leaks to … Read More
Winning The Water War.
From the rivers to the sea communities all over Ireland are mobilising, organising and getting off their barstools and onto the streets thanks to the quango that is Irish Water. Seamus L. Moore chatted to those at the heart of the uprising. 5.45AM Stoneybatter, it’s pitch black out and below freezing, 30 local activists haul their asses out of bed and make their way up to their meeting point on … Read More
There’s Something About Water.
Photo: A Woman takes on military with a slingshot Credit: Thomas Kruse. Thomas McDonagh, a researcher and project coordinator at the Democracy Center based in Cochabamba, Bolivia looks back on the water war that took place there fifteen years ago this month. With one eye cocked to Ireland, he talks about how water struggles lead to huge political changes. Ireland and Bolivia have a lot in common. Both are relatively … Read More
Kelly.
“Kelly”, a new poem sent into us by the ever prolific Kevin Higgins. Any resemblance to a Minister for the Environment is entirely coincidental apparently. “He has balls”, a Labour Party source The clasp of his handshake once reassured prospective mothers-in-law he’d not disappoint their daughters. And though his infrastructure’s in desperate need of an upgrade, he’s confident he can get his waterworks fit for purpose, ladies and gentlemen, here tonight, … Read More
Is Hanging Too Good For ‘Em?
As news spread on Facebook and Twitter last night of a woman and a 15 year old girl injured outside a Fine Gael TD’s office it was interesting to see the media response. Despite no journalists on the scene of either the protests in Trim town or at TD Ray Butler’s home, RTÉ’s political staffer Mícheál Lehane was able to provide the following: FG TD Ray Butler says his family … Read More
To Serve And Protect.
Dozens of Gardaí in Dublin 8 this morning to facilitate installation of water meters. In scenes recognisable throughout Dublin, in working class areas in particular, there was an early morning wave of up to forty Gardaí into Rialto St. in Dublin 8. There are reports of two arrests so far. This comes in the wake of two weeks of early morning arrests, imprisonment of 5 protestors and mass protest at Mountjoy. A … Read More
Beaten By Derp.
We were writing a blogpost: "Derp or Wum? Pat Kenny and The Establishment call protestors criminals." Derp beat us. Tom 'Thatcherite' Parlon, Lise "Slate the Left" Hand, Mairead "Expenses" McGuinnes MEP and Pat the Plank continue the Irish media's Week of Wum. A right-wing circle jerk so obtuse we admit defeat and can only leave it here for you to gick over. From 20 mins, fiver to the first person who makes it to … Read More
With All Due Respect.
Labour Minister Alan Kelly has apologised to Independent TD Mattie McGrath for telling him to “Fuck off!” during the debate on the Water Bill last night. Kelly had been in the chamber for 7 hours at that stage so most sane people would probably want to roar that at Mattie by then. It came during a day of more chaos as Kelly refused to stand over figures about Irish Water … Read More
Intimidation Nation.
Claims are emerging that a private security firm has been doing the hard man act on residents who are opposed to Irish Water in Dublin 7. One resident has come forward while Paul Murphy has raised concerns in the Dail. In a statement issued by the Stoneybatter Against The Water Tax campaign Mick Mooney describes what happened.: “Today in Dublin 7, Guardex, the private security firm hired by Irish Water, … Read More
Stoneybatter Gets A Sinister Fringe.
Private investigators believed to be employees of Eamon Gibney’s GUARDEX company have been videoing residents in the Stoneybatter area of Dublin 7. In the attached video one of the men points at the resident and says “I didn’t film you, right?” before a local mother tells the men they shouldn’t be videoing outside a school. Guardex have been employed by GMC/Sierra (a Denis O’Brien part owned subsidiary) to monitor residents. … Read More