Politics is corrupt, public

administration is corrupt, and

democracy is dead'
Tuesday, February 09, 2016

There are many other areas of abuse in Ireland that go

unchecked including people who desperately need
access to mental health services having no rights
whatsoever,

There are many other areas of abuse in Ireland that go

unchecked.
WE HAVE a really deep problem of accountability in our
country. I shouldnt have got to the venerable age I am
without realising this. I am absolutely convinced that the
issue of accountability, and how its absence runs the risk
of corrupting our state, should be a central issue in the
general election campaign. Sadly, there doesnt appear to
be room in the fiscal space to allow the issue even to be
discussed.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Grace here. I was by
no means the first person to write about her, nor the first
to start a campaign to try to get to the truth of what
happened to her. There is now a consensus that we need

to know that truth, that we can do no justice without

getting to the bottom of it.
And yet those who claim to know the truth cant share it.
Theres a Garda investigation and ironically (because
arent Garda investigations supposed to be about getting
to the truth?) that very fact is preventing Graces story
from being told. If I can believe what I read, it hasnt even
been possible so far for the HSE to share the reports they
have with the State agency (Tusla) that was set up
specifically to protect children.
There is now to be an independent enquiry. Its essential,
and its terms of reference must be broad enough to
enable them to get to the root causes of why abuse can
happen, and why its so easy to turn a blind eye to it. I
hope they get the paperwork they need without obstacle,
and I hope theyre free to publish everything they find. But
in the country we live in, I worry that it may not be so
simple.
Foster care scandal: Justice for Grace comes late in day,
writes @McConnellDaniel https://t.co/jLtCDKW67y ^DH
pic.twitter.com/8lhH06NAsv

Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February

2, 2016
Since I first wrote about Grace, Ive heard so many stories
that I now know we are only at the tip of the accountability
iceberg. Ive spoken to families who have sought for years
to have allegations of physical abuse, deep neglect, and
sometimes sexual abuse investigated, and have been met
with locked doors and intransigent officialdom. Ive heard
from social workers whose health has been broken by the
way the system has dealt with their attempts to raise
concerns.
Ive met family members who have been threatened with
prosecution for making false allegations that the
authorities have refused to investigate or take seriously.
Ive met whistleblowers who can only talk surreptitiously
for fear of their careers or because theres an implicit
threat to the funding of their organisations.
Ive also had calls and comments from people who have
pointed out that there are many other areas of abuse in

Ireland that go unchecked not just those involving

people with disabilities. Disadvantaged communities have
seen many broken promises, there is a growing
phenomenon of elder abuse, people dependent on the
direct provision system live lives akin to the poorhouse
system of old, people who desperately need access to
mental health services have no rights whatsoever.
Alongside all that Ive had correspondents who have
accused me of being stupid and nave because I should
have realised years ago that politics is corrupt, public
administration is corrupt, and democracy is dead. Maybe I
am stupid and nave, but I dont believe politics is
essentially corrupt. I have always believed that most
politicians start off with honourable intentions, and most
maintain those intentions through all the compromises
that political life brings.
But authority works differently and always has. Ten years
ago the Ryan Report talked about the peculiar and
sickening relationship between Church and State, a
relationship that was used to abuse generations of Irish
children with impunity. That relationship may be gone, but
it has not been replaced by accountability.
Foster care scandal: Justice for Grace comes late in day,
writes @McConnellDaniel https://t.co/jLtCDKW67y ^DH
pic.twitter.com/8lhH06NAsv

Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February

2, 2016
Instead weve had nearly another generation of impunity,
and it has dragged every institution into mistrust and
cynicism. Banks, builders, politicians, the legal and
accounting professions, doctors, sports people, people
who run charities. The list goes on and on. You can argue
on the one hand that the behaviour of a few people in
each category on the list was what did the damage. But
the truth is that we lived, and still do, in a country where
impunity is considered more valuable than accountability.
In 2011, by a majority of 53% to 47%, we rejected a
proposal to change the Constitution to give Oireachtas
Committees greater powers of investigation into matters
of general public importance. That was a mistake

although the mistake wasnt ours. The provision was badly

drafted and sweeping, and the campaign was rushed, with
an air of arrogance about it.
Ive always believed that (like in other jurisdictions)
parliamentary enquiries can be a cornerstone of
accountability. But the core job of such enquiries should be
to hold public administration to account. I still believe that
it would be possible to generate public support in a
referendum for enquiries into matters of general public
importance provided that those matters arose from the
administration or maladministration of public policy.
But even that doesnt go far enough. The oddity is that we
have a written constitution. That constitution has
language in it, in one of its articles, that would go a long
way towards addressing the fundamental issue of
accountability throughout our system.
Its old-fashioned language, but its robust enough to be
useful. It talks about the welfare of the whole people. It
refers to a social order informed by justice and charity. It
sets out real priorities for our state, including that people
should have the right to make reasonable provision for
their domestic needs; that there may be established on
the land in economic security as many families as in the
circumstances shall be practicable; that efficient private
enterprise should protect the public against unjust
exploitation.
Barnardos CEO @irishexaminer columnist @fergusfinlay
giving some badly needed sense on the foster care abuse
scandal https://t.co/UME0lPHt3m

Fiachra Cionnaith (@Ocionnaith) January

26, 2016
And it goes on to say that the State pledges itself to
safeguard with especial care the economic interests of the
weaker sections of the community, and, where necessary,
to contribute to the support of the infirm, the widow, the
orphan, and the aged. The State shall endeavour to ensure
that the strength and health of workers, men and women,
and the tender age of children shall not be abused Its
powerful stuff, the stuff on which an accountable society
could be built. But theres a fatal flaw. All of this is in

Article 45, and the introduction of the article says that

these principles are only for the general guidance of the
parliament, and can never be challenged in any Court.
It will be argued, of course, that we simply cant afford
these things theyd wreck the economy, and thats why
we cant make them or similar principles mandatory.
Well, heres two laymans lessons from history. Lesson one
real improvements in the human condition never
wrecked an economy. The abolition of slavery didnt do it,
equality for women didnt do it, freedom of speech didnt
do it. And lesson number two: A country that turns it back
on accountability to its most vulnerable people wakes up
some morning wondering how democracy died. It couldnt
happen to us, could it?

The coalition treaty of the

European elite
http://www.rosalux.eu/fileadmin/user_uplo
ad/Publications/Coalition_treaty_eu_elite.p
df

The coalition treaty of

the European elite
The course of Europes future is due to be set in
spring 2017
Roland Kulke , 25.07.2016

It is crunch time in the European Union. The cold putsch

against the Syriza government was designed to put a stop
to potential progressive reforms at the EU level; the
referendum on Brexit threatens to lead to further EU exits;
and under pressure from many states, the European
Union is treating war refugees from the Middle East

inhumanely and working with NATO to keep them out. The

political elites in the member states and in Brussels need
to decide between abandoning their subservience to
financial capitalism and pursuing an increasingly
authoritarian style of governance. The choice is between
social democracy and authoritarian executivism. Currently,
it seems as though governments would rather govern to
the detriment of their citizens than reduce the profit rates
of financial capital. The Five Presidents Report describes
a strategy aimed at doing just this, and the European left
would be well advised to have developed a coherent
response to it by 2017.

Fossil fuel lock-in: why

gas is a false solution
Conference in Brussels
26.09.2016 - 28.09.2016

http://www.rosalux.eu/fileadmin/user_uplo
ad/Events/Fossil-Fuel-ConferenceProgram.pdf

Foster care scandal: Justice for Grace

comes late in day
There is an old saying: It is never too late to do the right
thing, writes Daniel McConnell

'Grace', now a woman in her 40s, has had to endure so

much, as have her family.
However, for the woman we have come to know as
Grace, the move by the Government to establish a
Commission of Inquiry into her case, comes very late in
the day. Victim of the most horrific abuse over a long
period, Grace has been failed utterly by the State which
promised to cherish her.
Grace, now a woman in her 40s, has had to endure so
much, as have her family, and those brave enough to risk
their careers by speaking out about what went on.
However, just what is this all about?
In 1983, the State started to use the foster home in the
south-east as a respite refuge for intellectually-disabled
children.
For some of the most vulnerable children in our State, who
lacked a voice, it turned out to be a place of absolute
horror.

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Barnardos' Fergus Finlay calls for inquiry into abuse of

children with disabilities in sou
http://www.
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reland/barnardos-fergus-finlay-calls-for-inquiry-into-abuseof-children-with-disabilities-in-south-east-718077.html

2:48 PM - 29 Jan 2016

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The vast majority of those who stayed there did so for
short respite periods during the summer months, usually
one week or two weeks at a time. As many as 47 children
and young adults went through the home, which was the
scene of the most savage rape, physical abuse, and

neglect ever to emerge.

In 1995, concerns were raised about the situation at the
home, and, as a result, no more children were sent.
However, it has emerged that some of the children, mostly
with intellectual disabilities, were emotionally, physically,
sexually, and financially abused at the hands of their
carers and others who lived on the site.
Grace, or, Service User 42, as she was referred to by
the HSE, was a girl with an intellectual disability. She was
placed in the foster home on a full-time basis in 1989. She
remained there until 2009, at which point she was
removed to an appropriate full-time resident placement.
A child, she was unable to speak out about the horror she
had endured at the hands of her foster parents.
When she was removed from the home, her carers were
concerned when she acted out some of the sexual abuse
to which she had been subjected.
She would adopt a sexual pose simply on the uttering of a
specific phrase. Her family has said she has suffered
horrendous internal injuries, having been raped with
implements.
In 2009, allegations were flagged by two whistle-blowers
to the HSE into what happened to Service User 42 or
Grace (a name attributed to her by Fergus Finlay in this
newspaper).
The case became the subject of the Conal Devine report,
which cost over 100,000 and was completed in 2012.
However, the report has not been published.

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We have betrayed one of our defenceless fellow citizens,

writes
http://
shr.gs/KlKn8UF
(GM)

12:30 PM - 26 Jan 2016

2 2 Retweets1 1 like

Worse was to come. She and her carers were told her
allegations couldnt be prosecuted, because she would not
make a good witness, due to her inability to speak.
A second report into 46 other cases in the foster home
was completed in 2015 and that too has not been
published. This was on foot of Garda requests, as
investigations into the allegations of abuse continue.
At least two other cases of sexual and physical abuse have
emerged and are under investigation.

In December, the HSE was forced by the Information

Commissioner to release some details of the Devine report
to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). In that document,
it was stated an apology was given to the victim and her
carers.
However, as first revealed by the Irish Examiner, the
victims carers and birth mother denied any apology was
given and have told the PAC that. After our story was
published, the HSE insisted the apology was given and
issued a rebuttal.
Then, in a letter to PAC, the two whistleblowers again
stated that no apology had been given, and that HSE
management knew no apology had been given when it
issued the rebuttal to the PAC.
The two local HSE representatives who were meant to
have given the apology have confirmed that they were
never asked to apologise, that they did not apologise, and
that they told the HSE chief officer that no apologies were
given.
Over the weekend, the HSE embarrassingly admitted the
claimed apology was not given. They issued a grovelling
apology to the PAC for misleading it,
However, shockingly, HSE director general Tony OBrien
then revealed that another woman, now in her 30s was
placed in the foster home in 1993 and was only removed
in October 2013.
Given the debacle within the HSE, Health Minister Leo
Varadkar cleared his diary over the weekend and, along
with Minister for Primary Care Kathleen Lynch, he met
OBrien and other senior brass in the HSE for more than
two hours. Both ministers contacted their party leaders,
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tnaiste Joan Burton, who
agreed with their calls to establish an inquiry.
Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan has also confirmed
the latest allegations will be investigated by officers
already examining what occurred in the foster home.
However, it will be for the new Government to see it
through. They will not be bound by the decision of this
Government, but political and moral pressure will be on to
ensure Grace and her fellow victims get justice.
It is the least they deserve following their experiences.

17th September 2016:

Abolition not suspension of

water charges

Right2Water is hosting a National Demonstration against

water charges on Saturday, 17th September 2016.
Water charges are an affront to democracy
Two out of every three members of Dil ireann were
elected with a mandate to abolish unfair water charges in
the 2016 General Election. Despite this overwhelming
majority, the Irish government is refusing to listen to the
electorate and scrap the charges. Instead, an expert
panel has been established hand-picked by a Minister
who supports water charges to deliver a report with the
hope of giving Irish Water a lifeline.
TELL OUR GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE
DEMOCRATIC WILL OF THE IRISH PEOPLE
If its not about privatisation, where is our
referendum?
An even larger majority were returned to the Dil stating
they would like a referendum to enshrine public ownership
of our water in the Constitution. Despite this, the
government is refusing to allow that referendum. If its not
about selling our water over to private investors, prove us
wrong, give us the referendum.
DEMAND A REFERENDUM NOW
The EU
The EU Commission is on record as saying, The
Commission believes that the privatisation of public
utilities, including water supply firms, can deliver
benefits to the society when carefully made. To this
end, privatisation should take place one the
appropriate regulatory framework has been

prepared to avoid abuses by private monopolies.

Essentially, they are saying Irish Water should be
privatised and the sector should be opened up to other
private companies. Under the Water Framework Directive,
Ireland is exempt from domestic water charges but the EU
Commission has decided to intervene in Irish democracy
stating that water should be paid for through domestic
water charges irrespective of the will of the Irish people.
We know their real agenda is privatisation.
TELL THE EU COMMISSION IT'S NOT THEIR
DECISION, IT'S OURS
TTIP & CETA
Saturday, 17th September 2016 is European day against
TTIP and CETA, two international trade agreements that
are currently being negotiated between the EU and the US
and Canada respectively. These agreements are a danger
to our water services along with our workplace rights,
health and safety standards, environmental protections,
public services and much more. The agreements have a
private court where corporations can sue sovereign
governments for introducing measures that protect their
citizens.
REJECT TTIP AND CETA
Water poverty
Ireland is currently the only country in Europe with zero
water poverty. Our government want to change that and
introduce this new form of poverty to the Irish people.
Remember, according to the governments own figures,
when the cap ends in 2018, the costs of water will
probably have to double in order to meet the EU market
corporation test. And thats just the beginning

EU Commission Forces Crisis-hit Countries

to Privatise Water
Brussels The European Commission is deliberately promoting
privatization of water services as one of the conditions being
imposed as part of bailouts, it acknowledged in a letter to civil
society groups on 26 September 2012.[1] EU Commissioner Olli
Rehns directorate was responding to questions posed in an open
letter concerning the European Commissions role in imposing
privatisation through the Troika in Greece, Portugal and other
countries.[2] The civil society groups have today written to

Commissioner Rehn to demand that he stop any further pressure

to impose water privatisation conditionalities.[3]
The Commissions push for privatisation disregards the fact that
water privatisation has failed to deliver results in Europe and
around the world. Paris and many other cities have recently
remunicipalised their water services due to negative experiences
with privatisation. The Dutch government in 2004 passed a law
banning private sector provision of water supply and the Italian
Constitutional Court ruled that any future legislation attempting
to privatise public services would be unconstitutional.
The Commission has not put forward any evidence to back its
stance in its reply, even though research shows that public
provision is often more effective than private. It also violates key
articles of the EU Treaty that state the EU should be neutral on
the question of water ownership.[4]
Members of the European Parliament have already tabled a
question to the Commission asking for clarification on the
contradiction between the Troikas recommendations and the
required neutrality of the Commission.
This really demonstrates how the Commission has lost touch
with reality. Their ideological arguments are not based on
substantiated facts and goes to the extreme of ignoring the
democratic will of the people, said Gabriella Zanzanaini,
Director of European Affairs for Food & Water Europe.
The Commission has a lot to explain. Not only is there is no
evidence at all to support the view that the private sector is
more efficient, but there is very strong public resistance to
privatization. European citizens will not back down quietly on
this, said Jan Willem Goudriaan of the European Federation of
Public Service Unions (EPSU).
As movements around Europe are gathering momentum to fight
the sale of public water, the first European Citizens Initiative has
been launched to promote the implementation of the right to
water for all in Europe and the idea that water supply and
management of water resources should not be subject to
internal market rules, and that water should be excluded from
liberalisation.[5]
Contact:
Pablo Sanchez EPSU
tel: 0032 474 626 633 email: psanchez@epsu.org
Olivier Hoedeman, Corporate Europe Observatory

tel: 0032 4 7448 6545 email: olivier@corporateeurope.org

Gabriella Zanzanaini, Food & Water Europe
tel: 0032 488 409 662 email: gzanzanaini@fweurope.org
Notes:
[1]http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/ECLettertoGZ26Sept2012
pdf.pdf
[2] http://corporateeurope.org/open-letter-eu-commission-waterprivatisation
[3]http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/FoodWaterEuropeCommis
sionerLetter17Oct2012.pdf
[4] The EUs supposed neutrality on the question of public or private
ownership and management of collective water services is outlined in article
345 TFEU and Art. 171 of the Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the
internal market.
[5] www.right2water.eu

Ahead of Saturday
demonstration, European
Water Movement hails Irish
battle for our Right2Water
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AddThis Button END AddThis Button END

Thursday September 15th 2016
The European Water Movement says Irish campaign
to forefront of European movement to democratise
water and funding through progressive taxation
best way to secure human right to water.
Ahead of the national Right2Water demonstration set to
take place this coming Saturday (September 17th), the
European Water Movement today said that the Irish
Right2Water movement forms part of a real movement of
people to democratise water management and achieve
the human right to water that no country in the EU has yet

implemented.
The European Water Movement, a network of
organisations whose goal is to reinforce the recognition of
water as a commons and access to water as a
fundamental universal right, made a submission to the
Expert Commission on Water which is available here.
In a statement issued today, the European Water
Movement said: It is clear that the best method of
securing access to water, and securing funds for
infrastructural investment, is through general taxation.
The European Water Movement views the struggle of the
Irish people to abolish water charges, and to secure a
referendum enshrining public ownership of Irelands water
system, as yet more evidence of a real European peoples
movement to democratise water management. Irelands
Right2Water campaign, like other campaigns throughout
Europe, is seeking to achieve the human right to water
that no country in the EU has yet implemented.
Right2Water is to the forefront of this growing movement,
the statement concluded.
For further information contact :
David Gibney - Right2Water, Tel. 087-1324140
David Sanchez - European Water Movement, Tel. +32 (0)
2893 1045

Time to Act on Right2Water

The European Commission Must Finally Take Action

Together, we have been campaigning for many years to
implement the Human Right to Water and Sanitation in
Europe. We collected signatures nearly 2 million. In

December 2013 we delivered them to the European

Commission, which disappointed all of us with their
answer. With your support, we campaigned to get a strong
resolution from the European Parliament in 2015. Our
demands were also backed by the European Economic and
Social Committee.
2 Million Citizens Are Still Waiting for an Answer
The nearly 2 million signatures delivered to the European
Commission were collected through a new participatory
mechanism, the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), a tool
designed to increase participatory democracy in the EU.
The European Commission is supposed to take action after
a successful ECI. But after more than two years, the reality
is that they are just ignoring the demands of European
citizens.
The Commission Keeps Us Waiting, While Big
Business Do Their Job
The Human Right to Water and Sanitation was recognised
by the United Nations in 2010. It was demanded by a
great mobilisation of European citizens. The European
Parliament and the European Economic and Social
Committee supported those demands. What else is the
European Commission waiting for? By not applying a basic
Human Right into EU law they are giving up to the industry
lobby. By not listening to the demands of so many citizens
that used the only participatory mechanisms they have,
they are widening the gap between public opinion and the
European Institutions.
We Urgently Need to Implement the Human Right to
Water
After so many years of austerity, the implementation of
the Human Right to Water in Europe is even more urgent
than before. Access to water is still not a reality for many
vulnerable families, thousands of households are being
deprived from water for not being able to pay the bills,
and water management is still being privatised in many
countries. In the meantime, the European Commission
keeps on negotiating free trade agreements that would
put under question the model of public water
management that we need to achieve this human right.
Ask the European Commission to Act on the Right to
Water!

World Water Day, a date to mark the importance of water,

is the perfect moment for the European Commission to
finally react. Thanks to you and thousands of European
citizens, we got the support from the European Parliament.
Let the Commission know how important the Human Right
to Water is for you: write them now!
During the secret negotiations of the free trade agreement
between the European Union and Canada (know as CETA),
the European Commission always maintained that water
would be excluded from the treaty, and that the choice on
how to manage Services of General Economic Interest
(SGEI) related to water (production and distribution of
drinking water and sanitation, among others) by the public
authorities would not be questioned. But a careful reading
of the consolidated text of CETA, released the 26th of
September of 2014 shows that the reality is different.
Rights and Obligations Relating to Water
The article "Rights and Obligations Relating to Water" is
written in fuzzy legal terms, sometimes even in
contradiction with EU and national legislation. No doubt
the vagueness and loopholes in this article will facilitate a
corporate capture of water by multinational companies in
Europe and Canada. The article states that "water in its
natural state [...] is not a good or a product and therefore
[...] is not subject to the terms of this Agreement." But
almost all water uses (drinking water, sanitation or
agricultural irrigation) involves water extracted from its
natural environment. It could, therefore, be considered as
a good and a product, and could be treated as a
commodity and therefore subject to CETA. The article
adds: " Where a Party permits the commercial use of a
specific water source, it shall do so in a manner consistent
with the Agreement" without clearly defining what is a
"commercial use for water or a "specific water source."
Currently it is up to Member States in Europe to allocate
water abstraction rights and they do so by different
criteria, but not with criteria based on trade and
investment that can be found in free trade agreements.
Under these conditions there is no other way to read this
article as anything but one additional tool to move
towards an increased water commodification.
Reservations for Future Measures

Annex II on "Reservations for Future Measures" indicates

the reservations that the EU or certain Member States
may apply for different services. The EU can apply a
reserve on "Market Access" and "National Treatment" for
"Collection, purification and distribution of water" services.
Germany can apply a "Market Access" reservation for the
services of "Sewage, refuse disposal, and sanitation."
However, only four reservations together: "Market
Access", "National Treatment", "Most Favoured Nation" and
"Performance Requirements" can guarantee that a service
will be excluded from CETAs mechanisms in all cases. In
addition, no other Member State apart from Germany
applied for reservations on services "Sewage, refuse
disposal, and sanitation" which would imply their inclusion
in the CETA framework in contradiction with Article 12 of
the Concessions Directive.
Regulatory Cooperation and ISDS
The EU is neutral - in theory but not in practice - on the
choice between public or private management of their
SGEI. England has chosen a purely private model of water
management for SGEIs, while most Member States have
chosen to allow both public and private management.
Regulatory cooperation, introduced into CETA and also in
the free trade negotiations between the European Union
and the United States (TTIP), challenges that freedom of
choice. Regulatory cooperation allows private companies
to be consulted on legislative procedure of the EU or
States which affects trade or investment, and to interfere
with this procedure if it seems detrimental to their
interests. Suppose a state decides to allow only the public
management of water-related SGEI. Under a system of
regulatory cooperation, private companies can block the
legislative procedure. In addition, an arbitration chapter
between States and private investors (ISDS) allows a
foreign company to challenge in a private arbitration court
a public measure when it affects its expected profits. This
provision, as introduced in CETA, will apply to water and
water-related services as it is already the case in other
free trade agreements: Veolia took the Egyptian
government to an arbitration court after Egypt increased
the minimum wage; in April 2015, Suez got Argentina to
pay more than $ 400 million in damages for having

reduced the price of water during the severe economic

and social crisis of 2001 through the arbitration court of
the World Bank.
Ratchet effect and private management of water
The rights and obligations in the water sector, the
reserves applied to water-related services and regulatory
cooperation as defined in CETA will make it difficult or
impossible to return to a public water management once
management has been assigned to a private company. We
have examples of this ratchet effect in other free trade
agreements such as NAFTA: when the bottled-water
company Parmalat, which had a permit to abstract water
from the source of the Esker (Quebec), went bankrupt the
local authorities were not able to recover this water, and
the government of Quebec had to grant a new license to
an American-Chinese private company.
Canadian and European companies in the water sector are
subsidiaries of the same multinational companies (such as
Veolia, Nestl, Suez or Coca-Cola). CETA and TTIP offer
these multinationals a great opportunity to get their hands
on water and water-related services, to the detriment of
people living on both sides of the Atlantic.

Contribution from the

European Water Movement
to the Irish Independent
Water Commission
Dear Mr. Kevin Duffy,
The European Water movement is an open, inclusive and
pluralistic network of movements, social organizations,
committees and trade unions at the European level that
aims to reinforce the recognition of water as a commons
and access to water and sanitation as a fundamental
universal right, an essential element for all living beings.
In that sense, the members of the European Water
Movement have followed quite closely the debate about
water charges in Ireland. We are deeply worried about how
the Troika has imposed rules that threaten the Human
Right to Water and Sanitation and that lead to privatise
water management across Europe. Therefore, we would

like to share with you some reflexions.

We welcome the creation of the independent Commission
in Ireland and we wish more similar efforts will be made at
the European level.
We reject any attempt by international institutions like the
IMF to push countries to privatise basic public services.
Any time citizens are consulted they have shown that they
support a system of democratic, public and participatory
water management, as shown in Uruguay, Italy, Berlin,
Thessaloniki and many other referendums and public
consultations such as the first ever European Citizens
Initiative.
We do not believe that there is an universal system for
water management that can fulfil all the local needs, as
solutions should be local and community-based. However
the criteria that all systems need to apply are
internationally set according to the UN Convention on the
Human Right to water.
In that regard we believe that the full cost recovery
marked as a guiding principle of financing integrated
water services, that has been prevalent in Europe, needs
to be changed, instead, securing access to water and
securing funds for investment in extraordinary
infrastructures should be achieved through general
taxation.
We believe that the recognition and implementation of the
human right to drinking water and sanitation is necessary
for life. Access to water as a universal human right should
be included in all constitutions of member states, and in
the basic principles and acts of the European Union. This
objective was supported by nearly two million European
citizens through the first ever successful European
Citizens Initiative for the implementation of the right to
water. Any new public utility created such have the same
guidelines, as has happened across Europe in Paris,
Medina Sidonia or Naples.
We believe that water should not be considered as a
commodity but as a commons. Like other natural
elements, water is fundamental for the balance of
ecosystems and for the survival of the planet. Its
management must preserve water bodies and therefore it
has to be excluded from the market rules [to be precise at

the European level to the internal market rules]. Keeping

the entire water cycle outside of the market rules will
ensure human rights based approach taking into account
the needs of citizens and the environment.
We have experienced all around Europe how pricing water
leads to water commodification, opening the door to
privatisation of water services. Imposing domestic water
charges is a risk even if the government and civil society
oppose privatization, as we have seen in Portugal or
Greece, where the Troika is trying to force the privatization
of perfectly viable public water utilities.
Water commodification and privatisation have failed to
give fair access to water all around the world. More than
200 cities took back public control over water
management over the last two decades, including Paris,
Budapest, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur or Maputo. In many
of those cities privatisation followed conditions imposed
by international financial institutions and foreign investors.
The trend in Europe is to recover public control of water.
Any serious attempt of doing so will immediately exclude
making profit for shareholders of this essential part of life.
The European Water Movement believes that the most
progressive system of taxation has to be considered as the
one that helps avoiding water poverty. It is essential that
individual households do not subsidize indirectly the
wholesale of water, a very common phenomenon
nowadays.
We believe that the focus for water saving should be put
on the main water users, that is, industry and big
agricultural businesses, not in households.
Any utility dealing with water and/or the water cycle
[waste water and depuration] should strive to an
ownership and management system in public hands, but
with a participative mechanism and under social control.
The participation of citizens and workers in the
management of services is a necessary condition for
having a new governance model of the commons.
We hope that these contributions can be taken into
account in the consultation process. Ireland has the right
to define its own model of water management and to
defend it at European level in the coming review of the
Water Framework Directive.

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/pdf/hrw_glossary_eng.pdf

Tax Evasion by the Irish Super-Rich

Minister Noonan: Tax and USC reductions
have been targeted at those on low and
middle incomes
NOT TRUE !!!

Full Text of Budget Speech of Seamus Healy TD Below

Those over an annual income of 70,000 Euro are getting 146
million in Tax/USC Relief
The 300,000 over 70,000EU per year are getting at least 40
million more in tax relief than the 324,000 in the 30,000 to
40,000 category (average industrial wage 36,500).
A TD is getting an extra 7 euro per week from Jan 1
A person on average industrial wage(36,500 per year) is
getting an extra 3.42 Euro per week
A person on minimum wage (18,720 per year) is getting
Tax/USC relief of 2 Euro per week
A rich business person on 200,000 per year is getting 14.5
euro per week from Jan 1
An adult social welfare recipient including pensioners is
getting a social welfare increase 5 Euro from March 1 which
is equivalent to 4 Euro per week from Jan 1

Budget Speech-Seamus Healy TD

Deputy Seamus Healy:
In his Budget Statement, the Minister,
Deputy Donohoe, told us the budget will create a fairer society. This
is dishonest claptrap. The budget maintains and widens the richpoor gap in our society. Under the tax and the universal social
charge changes alone, the wealthiest 5% of people in our society,
those on average incomes of 186,000 a year, will get a 15 per
week increase and, of course, they will get it from 1 January. They
are not subject to any wealth tax and neither are they subject to
any assets tax, even though net financial assets have increased and
are now higher than peak boom levels. They have increased
threefold from 69 billion in 2008 to 192 billion in 2015.
The budget also provides for outrageous increases to politicians, to
which I am opposed. It provides for an increase of 15,000 for the
Taoiseach of the day, an increase of 11,000 per annum for a
Minister and 5,500 for a Deputy in the House. Compare this to how
our old age pensioners were treated in the budget. Pensioners on a
little over 12,000 per annum will receive an increase of 5 a week,
but not until March. This is less than what they received last year.
Despite the promises of the so-called Independence Alliance, there
is no return of the telephone allowance, no increase in fuel
allowance, no increase in the household benefits package and no
increase in the living alone allowance.

This budget is socially divisive and deeply unfair.

It means that a total of 750,000 people continue to live in poverty
in this country; one in five children will live in households with
incomes below the poverty line; one in four of those living in
poverty is a child; almost 20% of those whose income is below the
poverty line are working and they are the working poor; since 2007
the deprivation rate has almost doubled; and, therefore, that 1.3
million or 29% of the population live in a state of deprivation. This
budget, once again, protects and supports the rich and powerful in
our society while low, middle income and poor families are doomed
to live from hand to mouth.
This budget is a pretence. In it, the Government is pretending to
determine public expenditure and taxation in the State. The reality
is that revenue from all sources will be approximately 50 billion.
The House is determining the disposal of only less than 2 billion or
4% of the total. The EU powers, through the fiscal treaty, have
determined the disposal of the other 96%. The charade being
enacted here tonight flies in the face of the 1916 Proclamation,
which declared the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership
of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be
sovereign and indefeasible. The Government, similar to the
outgoing Government, has sold our sovereignty to the EU.
The Minister for Finance recently told the Committee of Public
Accounts that the EU powers insisted on the rapid sell-off of NAMA
properties, even though retaining them would have led to higher
prices being achieved for the taxpayer. Together with the sell-off of
assets by banks, it is probable that there is now greater foreign
ownership of Irish assets than when British landlords owned all the
land. Effectively there is no sovereignty residing in the State.
The various proposals in the budget in respect of health, housing
and education are grossly inadequate. Housing is a fundamental
right of human beings, but, shamefully, the Taoiseach has written to
the EU seeking permission to borrow the money required to build
social housing. Ireland does not have even the sovereignty to house
its own people. The Government has also refused to formally
declare a housing emergency, something that is necessary to deal
with the housing crisis. It is essential under the Constitution but the
Government through banks it owns, other banks, and landlords,
including vulture funds, is continuing to evict people. As a result,
unfortunate families have been devastated by suicides.
Unnecessary deaths will continue in our hospitals despite heroic
efforts by staff. According to the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO,
hospitals are now operating in the death zone where occupancy
levels are in many cases more than 92.5%, which is leading to
significant increases in mortality rates. Despite the intense efforts of
front-line staff, in particular, once occupancy rates reach this level,
deaths occur that would not otherwise happen. Ireland needs an

additional 3,500 inpatient hospital beds immediately to bring us in

line with the western European average. By abiding by the fiscal
treaty, the Government is causing unnecessary deaths and
unnecessary pain.
With regard to education, class sizes in the primary sector are the
highest in the eurozone. The programme for Government makes a
specific commitment to smaller classes, but the budget proposals
are inadequate. The pre-cut capitation rate should be restored
immediately. In primary and second level schools, the full pre-cut
quota of assistant principal and special duties posts must be
restored in the interest of pupils. Our third level system is grossly
underfunded and being continuously damaged. Todays measures
are grossly inadequate to solve these problems.
At a time the Government cannot deliver safe hospitalisation or
housing, or halt evictions and related suicides, it is farcical that an
additional 255 million must be contributed to the EU budget this
year. In his presentation to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight,
the Minister for Finance confirmed that the financial emergency is
over. This was also recently re-certified by the Minister for the Public
Expenditure and Reform. The confiscation of public service pensions
under the FEMPI legislation is, therefore, unconstitutional. The right
to private property of pensioners in their pensions must be fully
restored immediately. This is not provided for in the budget. In
addition, the pension reductions imposed on occupational
pensioners in State bodies and in the private sector must be
restored.
The budget is a joint effort by Fine Gael, the so-called Independent
Alliance and Fianna Fil. Fianna Fil has taken responsibility for this
shameful and socially divisive budget. The problems relating to
health, education, housing, roads and various other public services
will not be resolved until Irish sovereignty as set out in the
Democratic Programme of the First Dil of 1919 is re-established.
This requires the political defeat of the austerity parties, Fianna Fil,
Fine Gael and the Labour Party, and those prepared to support or to
coalesce with them in the framework of the fiscal treaty. It is
important to recall what the Democratic Programme of the First Dil
said. It stated, We declare in the words of the Irish Republican
Proclamation the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of
Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be
indefeasible, and in the language of our first President, Pdraig Mac
Phiarais, we declare that the Nations sovereignty extends not only
to all men and women of the Nation, but to all its material
possessions, the Nations soil and all its resources, all the wealth
and all the wealth-producing processes within the Nation, and with
him we reaffirm [remember this] that all right to private property
must be subordinated to the public right and welfare. That
sentence is particularly relevant to the housing crisis and the need

immediately to formally declare a housing emergency.

Chris Johns Irish Times 12/10/2016
Taking fiscal powers away from politicians and giving it to
technocrats, similar to the way interest rates are now set by
independent central bankers would appear to be an undemocratic
step too far. But the reality is that we have done this already: the
annual budget doesnt matter much in the overall scheme of things
1.3 billion is not that big a deal because of rules set by
Brussels. All of the furore is really the narcissism of small
differences.

Government Covering-Up Names of Irish True

Owners of Tax-Dodging Off-Shore Companies
as Charities Call for Disclosure

Noonan is lobbied over Revelations in Panama Papers-Jack

Horgan Jones, Sunday Business Post, May 1, 2016
Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan is coming under pressure to
force the publication of the true owners of companies which are
used to shelter in revenue from taxation authorities.
A letter sent to Noonan by heads of some of Irelands biggest
charities and tax reform campaigners, which has been seen by
Sunday Business Post, calls on him to establish a register containing
the names of true or beneficial owners of these companies.
The charities including Christian Aid, Oxfam Ireland, Trocaire and
Social Justice Ireland, are calling on Noonan to establish a list as
part of the transposition of EU anti-money laundering rules, which is
currently ongoing.
It comes after this newspaper revealed last month that powerful
lobby groups including the Law Society and the Irish Funds Industry
Association, were seeking to restrict new rules around the
disclosure of beneficial ownership.
The signatories (of the letter to Noonan rom the charities) are
Father Sean Healy of Social Justice Ireland, Patricia King, the
general Secretary of ICTU, Siobhan McGee, the chief executive of
Action Aid and Jim Clarken, the chief executive of Oxfam, as well as
the leaders of Christian Aid, ATTAC and Transparency Ireland.
In the letter, they argue that the transposition of the EU Directive
comes at a time of unprecedented public demand for increased
transparency from corporations and individuals, and offers the
government a timely opportunity to respond to public anger at
what was exposed by the Panama Papers.

Panama Papers and the Irish Super-

Rich
The leaked data includes more than 300
offshore companies linked with Irish
addresses, hundreds of Irish shareholders
and beneficial owners, and numerous cases
of Irish passports used in Mosacks due
diligence process.

The ICIJ said early next month it will release names of the more
than 214,000 offshore entities, as well as beneficiaries,
shareholders and directors connected to them. An exact date has
not been disclosed. The actual documents in the files will not be
published.Colm Keena, Irish Times, 13/04/2016

State Intensely Lobbied by Funds Industry

and Law Society not To Name Off-Shore Trust
Holders

Sunday Business Post April 10, 2016 Jack Horgan-Jones and Ian
Guider
The state has come under intense pressure to water down new rules
that would reveal the true owners of shell companies.
Such companies were shown by last weeks Panama Papers leak to
have facilitated widespread tax shelters.
Lobby groups have been pressing the Department of Finance not to
allow public access to a register of the owners of the so-called
beneficial trusts.

Campaigners say a central register of those who

own these trusts, which is required under a new
EU law, would allow the Revenue
Commissioners to discover if they are being
used to evade tax.
-

John McManus: TDs have much to

gain from publishing their tax return
http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/john-mcmanus-tds-have-muchto-gain-from-publishing-their-tax-returns-1.2608140?
mode=print&ot=example.AjaxPageLayout.ot
Irish Times Last Updated: Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 01:10 John
Mc Manus
British prime minister David Cameron has been bounced into

disclosing his tax returns by the Panama Papers revelations. His

finance minister George Osborne has followed suit, as did mayor of
London Boris Johnson. The leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn,
has done likewise.
The expectation is that other well-heeled members of the British
cabinet and campaigners in the Brexit referendum will come under
pressure to do the same. Publishing your tax returns could well
become a titillating fixture of British politics. The alarming trend
towards tax transparency among UK politicians will if nothing else
give the opposition on this side of the Irish Sea a stick with which
to beat the government.
It is inevitable if it has not already happened that someone will
call for Enda Kenny to make his tax affairs public should he succeed
in putting together a government, if not before. And if his, then why
not Michel Martins?
But given our long and not so glorious tradition of accepting very
low standards in public life, you have to wonder what difference it
would make if our public representatives had to show us their tax
returns?

Allegations
Michael Lowry, whose complex tax affairs have become public
knowledge by default, is a case in point. The Tipperary deputy is
currently facing trial over allegations, which he denies, that he filed
incorrect tax returns in 2003 and 2007.
During his long career he has featured in two tribunals of inquiry, an
authorised officers inquiry into his refrigeration company, Garuda, a
substantial Revenue inquiry that ended in 2007 only to be reprised
two years ago, an ongoing inquiry by the Criminal Assets Bureau
and numerous court hearings. All have involved public funds being
spent on trying to find out what Lowry has been up to while holding
public office.
From a tax perspective, the highlights include his availing of the
1993 tax amnesty without disclosing his offshore accounts. He also
made a 1.4 million settlement with the Revenue.
Despite this and to no great surprise Lowry was elected on the
first count in the recent election. He stood as an Independent as
he has done in the past five elections but was quick to pledge his
support for Fine Gael and Kenny.
His support for Kenny now seems to be taken as a given by Fine
Gael in all of the possible scenarios that might see Kenny elected
taoiseach this week or next. His name is first on commentators lists
of Independents that would vote for Kenny and see him elected if
Fianna Fil abstain from the vote.
This is despite Kenny emphatically ruling out seeking the support of
Lowry when it came to forming a government in the run-up to the
election. He told Morning Ireland on Friday, February 5th, that I will
not have any dealings with Michael Lowry or any other

Independent.
Kennys ruling out of Lowrys support came after he had been
wrongfooted by Martin, who in a clever move ruled out relying on
Lowry a few weeks earlier in the campaign.
Martin, of course, now finds himself relying on Lowry by proxy
because his preferred outcome a minority Fine Gael government
requires Lowrys support.
So we have arrived at a situation where a politician whose tax
record is something less than pristine to put it mildly will be an
instrument in the formation of the next government.
Not only that, he is likely to be able to deliver for his people, as he
likes to call them, over the duration of the government.
The read-across from this is that any Irish politician looking over his
shoulder at developments in the UK should not worry.

Local dynamic
However, it is not that simple. Lowry is probably a one-off. A
phenomenon built around a charisma that most of the urban elite
cannot fathom, combined with a local dynamic that is equally
baffling to outsiders.
Pragmatic self-interest must be one of the reasons perhaps the
main reason why the people of Tipperary voted for him despite his
chequered financial past. That is the essence of democracy. As
things stand they have been vindicated in their choice.
The intriguing question is whether we would elect more politicians
like Lowry if we were privy to the same sort of information about
their financial affairs. Maybe we dont want to go there.
We might not like what find.
2016 irishtimes.com

FINE GAEL PROMISE MORE TAX CUTS FOR SUPER-RICH

Fine Gael to promise further USC

reductions if re-elected
Fiach Kelly
Irish Times Monday, November 23, 2015, 01:00
Fine Gael is to promise voters it will further reduce the main rate of
the universal social charge in its first budget if returned to office
after the general election.
The promise is expected to be a key element of the partys general
election manifesto and will be outlined by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in
a pre-election message to Fine Gael members this week.
The move follows Mr Kennys commitment to abolish the USC in its
entirety during the lifetime of the next government, and shows that
Fine Gael will immediately position itself in favour of tax cuts over
increases in public spending.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has estimated that the socalled fiscal space, the amount of money available for tax cuts and
spending increases, available for the 2017 budget will be
significantly less than the 1.5 billion package for next year
announced in October.
Initial estimates are that as little as 500 million could be available
for 2017, although Ministers and Coalition sources have said this is
a conservative figure.

Rate of USC
The main rate of USC drops from 7 per cent to 5.5 per cent from
January, following changes announced in Budget 2016, and Fine
Gaels commitment will be to reduce it further in the next budget,
although the exact level of reduction has not been finalised.
The rate applies on earnings between 18,600 and 70,000.
The Revenue Commissioners estimate a 1 per cent decrease in the
5.5 per cent USC rate will cost the State 253 million in the first
year and 348 million in a full year.
Fine Gael sources have indicated its manifesto will also contain
measures to broaden the tax base, raising the prospect of
increasing other taxes to pay for the USC reductions.
Echoing the Conservative Party campaign in this years British
general election, Fine Gael will emphasise its long- term economic
plan, with a cut to the main rate of USC as an immediate offering
to voters.

The recovery
While the USC cut in next years budget is being cast by one source
as a short-term step to keep the recovery going, there will also be
longer-term plans to rebuild services and end the boom-and-bust
cycles that wrecked the Irish economy twice in the last generation.
The manifesto will outline steps to be taken over the next decade to
sustain steady growth and sensible management of the public
finances on jobs, public services and incomes, not just over the life
of the next government.
Mr Kenny will also this week announce the establishment of a team
to finalise the plan, as Fine Gael sets out a distinct election position.
Mr Noonan will lead these efforts, along with Minister for Jobs,
Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, and Simon Harris,
Minister of State at the Department of Finance, who will focus on
issues affecting younger people, such as housing, personal tax and
emigration.
Initial Department of Finance estimates outlined by Mr Noonan to
the Dil had suggested that as little as 500 million will be available
for tax cuts and spending increases in the next budget.
The figures show how pressures on spending from an ageing
population and pay rises agreed under the Lansdowne Road deal will
reduce the room for manoeuvre of the next government.
2015 irishtimes.com

High earners benefit most from tax changes in the Budget

TASC
More than half the income gains of the last five years have
gone to the top tenth of earners, a think tank has stated.
Irish Examiner Monday, November 09, 2015 01:12 am
More than half the income gains of the last five years have gone to
the top tenth of earners, a think tank has stated.
Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC) added that falling
public spending will undermine the ability of public services to deal
with social crises.
TASC policy analyst Cormac Staunton said: While income tax and
Universal Social Charge mitigate this, the regressive nature of the
tax changes announced in Budget 2016 give the greatest benefit to
higher earners, and undermine the ability of the tax system to deal
with rising market inequality.
The report said three-quarters of the pre-tax income gains in the
last five years have gone to those earning 70,000 and above.
Key findings of the analysis include:
* A single earner on 70,000 will gain 902 per year which is 2% of
their take home pay.
* A single person on a middle income of 25,000 will gain 227 for
the year, about 1% of their take-home pay.
* A person on 35,000 will gain 377 just over 30 per month or
1.3% of their take home pay.
In the run up to the Budget, TASC recommended focusing on
increased public spending rather than on tax cuts.
Report co-author and TASC policy analyst Dr Rory Hearne said:
While there are some welcome announcements, particularly in the
area of childcare, the increase in spending is insufficient to address
the various social crises and austerity-related underinvestment.
The spending allocations for future years show that there are no
plans for significant increases and that spending will in fact fall as a
proportion of GDP.
According to the Governments own figures, by 2019 we are likely
to end up with the lowest government expenditure in the EU at just
over 30% of GDP, against a Euro area average that will be closer to
50%.

As Top 5% on 180,000 each get 920 Euro Each

Economic and Social Research Institute Says Budget Will Do
Nothing To Help The Poorest
The ESRI a says the budget will do nothing to help the poorest
section of society, which made no real income gain as a result of its
measures.
This group is generally not earning enough to benefit from tax or
USC cuts, and there was no general increase in welfare rates,

although there was a hike in the Christmas bonus.-Irish Times

BUDGET:As Water Charges and Home Tax continue, FG/Lab
Give 100 million To the Top 5%
The USC package gives the top 5% of earners, 110,000 individuals
earning over 180,000, an additional 922, costing the Exchequer
almost 100 million or nearly twice what they were given last year.
In contrast a low-paid worker on 18,000 gets a paltry 124 per
year and someone on 25,000 gets a paltry 247 a year. An old age
pensioner will get 3 a week or 156 a year, about one sixth of
what a person on 180,000 is getting.
The ICTU, in its pre-budget submission had provided the
government with a mechanism to confine tax relief to those on low
and middle incomes-A USC tax credit for those individuals under
70,400 or 140,800 for a couple
And households, even the most needy, will be required to pay water
charges and LPT on their homes.
And Noonan promised if re-elected to deliver the Kenny bonanza
out lined below to the super-rich,a reduction of over 2% in the
marginal rate
Kennys Promise-Nobody Will Pay More Than Marginal Tax
Rate of 50%- would give 140 million to top 10,000 Incomes
Kennys Promise
< 50% eg 49.5% = Income tax
38.5% + USC 7%+PRSI 4%
Full Calculation Below
Current Top Marginal Rate
40% Income tax +8%USC +4% PRSI
on employee Income only=Total 52%
Assume lower tax band to be increased by 1000E as last year
USC For person on 595,000
Balance above 52,468=542,532
@1% reduction =5,425
Typical Private Sector Employee Pension Contribution 6%
Top 10,000 Average Income 595,000 (PQ Reply Ml Noonan)
Tax Band increased by 1000E
Net Gain 40-20= 20% of
1000=500E
Example :Gross income 595,000 Salary 495,000 Investment
Income 100,000
Annual Gain of Single Person
Eur

13,982

Total Gain of Top 10,000

139,820,000 Eur

Tax Calculation Single Person

2015

2016

Annual salary (after pension

contributions)

465,30
0

465,300

Social welfare pension

Investment income

100,00
0

100,000

Income from trade/profession

BIK company car

BIK preferential loans

BIK other

Gross income

565,30
0

565,300

Tax payable

33,800 @
20%

6,760

34,800 @
20%

6,960

531,500 @
40%

212,60
0

530,500 @
38.5%

204,243

Total tax liability

219,36
0

211,203

Less: Personal tax credits

(3,300)

(3,300)

Less: Medical insurance relief

(0)

(0)

Net tax due

216,06
0

207,503

PRSI

23,800

23,800

Universal social charge

46,044

40,619

Local property tax

Water charges

Total deductions

285,90
4

271,922

Annual disposable income

279,39
6

293,378

Monthly disposable income

23,283

2,448

Weekly disposable income

5,373

5,803

2015/2014 Budget comparison

Annual Gain

EUR 13,982

Monthly Gain

EUR 1165

Tighter measures net 60m more tax from high earners

More than 900 people with six-figure incomes

were obliged to contribute more
Irish Times Aug 31 Carl OBrien
Hundreds of high earners who tried to use tax breaks and shelters
to maximise their income ended up paying over 60 million tax
under measures introduced in recent years.
The high-income individuals restriction was introduced following
controversy that wealthy individuals were paying little or no tax.
IRISH NAMES IN SWISS LEAKS
RTE NEWS Monday Feb 9, 2015
Leaked documents from the Swiss branch of the HSBC bank
show that 350 clients associated with Ireland held more
than 3bn in accounts with the subsidiary.
Details from HSBCs private bank in Switzerland show bankers
advised clients on how to keep money hidden from national
authorities.
It also offered deals to help tax dodgers to stay ahead of the law.
The bank says it has now changed.
350 people associated with Ireland held 892 accounts with HSBC in
Geneva worth a total of 3.1bn.
20 Irish account holders have since made settlements with the
Revenue Commissioners worth over 4.5m.
Irish names in HSBC banks secret files
International clients include those involved in arms trade and blood
diamonds
The banks management admitted that standards were not as they
should have been in HSBC Geneva, but claiming that new
management is working to improve the culture in the Swiss bank.
Colm Keena
Irish Times
Mon, Feb 9, 2015, 08:14
First published:Sun, Feb 8, 2015, 21:00
A huge cache of secret files from the Swiss branch of one of the

worlds largest banks includes Irish people who made tax

settlements with the Revenue Commissioners for more than 4.5
million. Other clients include arms dealers who sold munitions to
African child soldiers, traffickers in blood diamonds, and associates
of third world dictators.
The files, which cover accounts with HSBC Private Bank
in Geneva holding more than $100 billion, have led to investigations
around the globe resulting in massive tax settlements. They were
given to the Revenue Commissioners by the French authorities in
June 2010 and have now been seen by The Irish Times.
Since 2010, the information has led to 20 tax settlements here for a
total of more than 4.5 million, and to three successful prosecutions
for tax offences, with a fourth case pending.
I paid Revenue what was due, and that was it, says Dr Michael
Cuddy
Swiss leaks: Donegal jeweller John Crossan held HSBC account
HSBCs Swiss deposits drop by almost half
Swiss leaks: Geneva bank assured client that Revenue would not be
given details
Swiss leaks: Mail not sent to HSBC account holder Aidan OBrien
Withholding tax: What is it?
Revenue Commissioners advised not to pursue HSBC tax case
former senior executives at HSBC later went on to take up positions
in Ireland
HSBC statement in full
HSBC devised secretive ways to avoid tax reforms
However in contrast to the authorities
in France, Belgium andArgentina, the Revenue Commissioners
decided that there was not enough evidence in the files to justify a
case being taken against HSBC Private Bank, Geneva, on charges of
aiding and abetting tax evasion.

One in eight of our super-rich are

tax exiles, reveals Revenue
The official number of tax exiles is 10,781
While we await publication of the allegations of failure to investigate
cases of tax evasion by high profile individuals by a senior civil
servant, it is well to recall the information on tax evasion by the
Irish rich which is already in the public domain.
Immediately below I carry an article from the Irish Independent in
2012 and further down there is a link to the Category A list of
Ansbacher off-shore account holders from the Blog INDYMEDIA in
2009
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/one-in-eight-of-oursuperrich-are-tax-exiles-reveals-revenue-28824422.html
Of the 450 high wealth individuals, 54 are resident abroad for tax
purposes.

This is the first time the tax authorities have released figures
relating to how many Irish tax exiles are in the super-rich league.
Revenue said that last year its high wealth section dealt with 450
individuals who have net assets worth more than 50m and nonresidents with substantial economic interests in Ireland.
It said the number of non-resident individuals that are considered
by Revenue to be high-wealth individuals is currently 54.
Membership of the 54 club is confidential. But some of Irelands
biggest business figures are known to have moved their bases to
generous foreign tax shelters. This means they only have to pay tax
on Irish earnings and not on their worldwide income.
Denis OBrien, the telecoms entrepreneur and significant
stakeholder in Independent News & Media (INM), is tax resident in
Malta. Dermot Desmond, the founder of NCB stockbrokers and
another shareholder in INM, is tax resident in Gibraltar.
Michael Smurfit, the paper packaging tycoon, has moved to Monaco
while the racehorse magnates JP McManus and John Magnier are
both tax resident in Switzerland. The supergroup U2 moved part of
their business from Ireland to Holland after the Government capped
the tax exemption scheme for artists.
In contrast, Michael OLeary, the Ryanair chief executive whose
wealth is estimated at 438m by rich lists, famously said he is
happy to pay his taxes here.
While the official number of tax exiles is 10,781, some are people
who moved abroad, rent their homes and pay tax here on the rental
income. Others are foreigners working for multinationals here, or
who have investments here.
Collectively they generated 49m in tax last year although its not
clear how much the super-rich club of 54 contributed.
The issue of tax exiles has riled the taxpaying public, according to
recent research by the Labour Party which showed that tax exiles
were one of the main issues exercising voters. The Government
plans to examine the issue of tax exiles in the Budget, with Labour
pressing to tighten up the residency rules.
To qualify as non-resident, they must spend less than 183 days a
year in Ireland, or 280 days over two years.
Remember the Ansbacher Account Holders!!
The growing number of poor people in crisis-hit countries and
among young people threatens the existence of the EU, warned the
prestigious German think-tank which carried out the study.
Despite Ireland being one of the richest countries in the EU,
the study reveals we are nearly last when it comes to distribution of
wealth, ranking 18th in the bottom-third of the EU(28) countries
along with Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Latvia.
Irish Times Sept 16
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ireland-urged-to-domore-for-its-vulnerable-population-1.1929914

Germanys Bertelsmann Foundation ranked Ireland 18th among the

EU 28 members, below Poland and Slovakia, in a survey of social
justice in Europe.
The foundation cited Ireland as an example of how high GDP per
capita did not translate automatically into social justice for the
population. Ireland has a similarly high GDP per capita,similar to
Sweden, but ranks considerably below average when it comes to
social justice and counts as one of the biggest losers in the country
comparison, the report noted. (Irish Times)
It is true that public finances are in an appalling state.
But this is because:
1)successive governments have refused to impose sufficiently high
taxes on the incomes and assets of the super-rich Irish to pay for
necessary public services
2) The current and previous government have agreed that the
citizens of the state should pay the 67 Billion Euro which LARGE
international investors had lent to privately owned Irish Banks when
the banks crashed.(small shareholders were not rescued)
The official statistics on incomes and assets set out below show the
obscene wealth of the super-rich Irish at this time. In
summary, the top 10,000 income recipients have average declared
incomes of 595,000 euro per year each. The financial assets
(shares, bank deposits) of Irish households had already climbed
back above 2006 boom levels in 2012
From 2010 to 2012 the wealth of the top 300 Irish rich has
increased by 12 Billion Euro from 50 Billion to 62 Billion or a
gain of 200 million euro each ( Nick Webb,Business Editor,
Sunday Independent, March 11 2012)
The overwhelming majority of the super-rich are active in the
private sector of the economy.
BUT ALL RECENT GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR INCOME
TAX RELIEF WOULD GIVE GREATEST BENEFIT TO THE SUPERRICH AND NOTHING TO THE POOREST!!

NET FINANCIAL ASSETS OF HOUSEHOLDS

NOW 60 BILLION ABOVE BOOM LEVELCENTRAL BANK REPORT 2015

BUT NOT A PENNY IN ASSETS TAX IS PAYABLE

ON THESE FINANCIAL ASSETS!!! These are
part of the personal wealth of individuals not of
Companies
Central Bank Report 2015 says net financial assets of households
have increased by + 8 (-4.7)=12.7 Billion in 2015

Net Financial Assets

2015
192,076 m
Peak Boom
2006
132,032 m
Gain
60,044m
0r by factor of 1.45
Up by almost 50% since Peak Boom level
Net financial assets of households
2015
192,076 m
Net Financial Assets Bust
2008
69,218
Gain
122 ,8 58 m or by factor of 2.77

CSO 2014
The most recent INSTITUTIONAL SECTOR
ACCOUNTS issued by the Central Statistics
Office(CSO) show that the Net Financial assets
of Households in 2014 were considerably( c 41
billion Euro) above PEAK BOOM LEVELS in
2006. There is no levy, charge or tax on the vast
bulk of these large assets nor has there been as
the assets grew over the last 5 years. These
assets include shares, bank deposits, Insurance
policies etc but do not include homes, letting
properties, farms or other fixed assets.Mortgage
debt, Credit card debt, and loans held by
individuals are negative financial assets. They
are subtracted from gross finacial assets to get
the net figure. Consequently the gains of the
very rich, those who have net positive assets,
have been enormous.
There is no wealth tax on these financial assets.
However there is a wealth tax on homes and
dwelling houses (Local Property Tax)
irrespective of the income of the owner however
low.
Interest and dividends are income and are liable
to income tax.

The obscenely unequal and unfair distribution of wealth in

Ireland (See Further Down)
is replicated in the Entire Capitalist World
62 richest have more wealth than 50% of worlds

population!

Richest 1% now wealthier than the

rest of the world, Oxfam says
blomberg Jan 18
The charity called on governments to intensify efforts to
reduce inequality
Oxfam says the richest 1% of the worlds population own more than
the rest of the world
The charity called on governments to intensify efforts to reduce
inequality
The richest one per cent is now wealthier than the rest of humanity
combined, according to Oxfam, which called on governments to
intensify efforts to reduce such inequality.
In a report published on the eve of the World Economic Forums
annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the anti-poverty charity cited
data from Credit Suisse in declaring the most affluent controlled
most of the worlds wealth in 2015. Thats a year earlier than it had
anticipated.
Oxfam also calculated that 62 individuals had the same wealth as
3.5 billion people, the bottom half of the global population,
compared with 388 individuals five years earlier. The wealth of the
most affluent rose 44 per cent since 2010 to $1.76 trillion, while the
wealth of the bottom half fell 41 percent or just over $1 trillion.
The charity used the statistics to argue that growing inequality
poses a threat to economic expansion and social cohesion. Those
risks have already been noted in countries from the US to Spain,
where voters are increasingly backing populist political candidates,
while its sown tensions on the streets of Latin America and the
Middle East.
It is simply unacceptable that the poorest half of the worlds
population owns no more than a few dozen super-rich people who
could fit onto one bus, said Winnie Byanima, executive director of
Oxfam International. World leaders concern about the escalating
inequality crisis has so far not translated into concrete action.
Oxfam said governments should take steps to reduce the
polarisation, estimating tax havens help the rich to hide $7.6
trillion. Politicians should agree on a global approach to ending the
practice of using offshore accounts, it said.
Dont just look at the very bottom, who have nothing, but
look at the bottom 50pc they own almost nothing of the
country.These are the facts. This is not opinion. This is
Ireland.-David McWilliams
DIVISION OF NET WEALTH IN IRELAND-David McWilliams
As the election looms its worth looking at the real division of
wealth By David McWilliams
To View Charts paste this link into browser:

http://olearylp.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/17th-December2015.pdf
A little while ago, I presented a programme on RT called Irelands
Great Wealth Divide. The aim of the documentary was to highlight
the significant and persistent divide in wealth that exists in Ireland.
The reason it is an important issue to highlight is that even when
the economy recovers, the benefits will not be evenly or even
remotely evenly spread and this wealth divide has significant,
long-term ramifications for the health of the society.
At the time of screening, there were some people who, like climate
change deniers, continued to express the opinion that the wealth
divide in Ireland was not a big deal and that it might be overstated.
This is not the case, and in the past few weeks, two other major
studies one by TASC and one by the OECD have added to the
canon of work proving that the divide in wealth in this country is a
serious issue and that in the past few years, the divide between the
income of those at the very top and those at the bottom has also
increased.
This divide is important, because if people get left behind they may
give up hope. Having wealth or having even a meagre stake in
society changes the way people view themselves and the way they
view the future.
For example, consider this one experiment involving a group of poor
American families. Some of the parents were given a small savings
fund, which was to be set aside for their childrens university fees
when the kids grew up.
The kids were then assessed for cognitive reasoning every two
years and, by the fourth year, the children whose parents had the
small education fund were performing better in all tests

than those who hadnt received the fund. The

implication of this is that the parents with this small
stake in the future were changing their own behaviour
towards their childrens education, such as reading to
them, paying more attention to their homework and
so on. This is extraordinary, because it reveals what
having a stake in society, having something to aim for,
does to people. It focuses people and gives them
something to believe in.
If people have something small a savings fund, a bit
of wealth, a sense that they matter and that their
future is in their hands they change their behaviour
for the better. Now armed with this type of thinking,
look at the two almost identical charts. These show

how wealth is divided in Ireland. One chart represents

the estimates of the international bank Credit Suisse
and the other represents the findings of the Household
Finance and Consumption Survey. These charts are
taken from the recent TASC paper published last week
entitled The Distribution of Wealth in Ireland. I urge
you to read it if you have any interest in the future of
this society.
If we look at the share of the wealth owned by the top
10pc, top 5pc and top 1pc in Ireland, we see similar
evidence produced by both reports. According to the
survey carried out by the CSO the top 10pc own
53.8pc of the wealth of this country; the top 5pc own
37pc of the wealth; and the top 1pc own 15pc.
FIGURE 1 HFCS CHART
According to Credit Suisse, the concentration at the
top is even stronger. Its estimates suggest that the
top 10pc own 58.6pc of the wealth; the top 5pc own
46.4pc; and the top 1pc own 27pc. Even taking into
account the slight disparity, the concentration of
wealth at the very top in both studies is extraordinary
on any democratic basis.
FIGURE 2 CREDIT SUISSE CHART
Indeed, because the CSO data is from a survey in
which it asked people to declare their wealth, there is
a very strong possibility that at the very top the very
rich decided to understate their wealth, so the very
rich might have played down their assets. The
difference between the two is the split within the
10pc; not the split between the top 10pc and the rest.
In both studies, the top 10pc own over half the wealth
of the country.
The interesting aspect of these studies is the sense
that Irish people know things arent right. We feel that
something is not right and every time we are asked
we say that we would prefer the society to be fairer. In
the programme Irelands Great Wealth Divide we
conducted our own survey, where we asked people

what they thought was the gap between the top 20pc
and next 20pc and so on, down to the people at the
bottom. We asked what you thought the gap was,
then what you thought it ought to be and then we
revealed what it actually was.
The gap between what you thought it was, what you
thought it ought to be and what it is in reality is a
huge one.
The consensus from a Red C poll of 1,000 people
commissioned for the documentary was that Irelands
richest 20pc had 60pc of the countrys wealth and that
the poorest 20pc have 11pc.
The reality? The most affluent 20pc in Ireland actually
own 73pc of the countrys wealth and the poorest
20pc own just 0.2pc. As for the top 5pc, their
combined wealth is nearly double that of the entire
squeezed middle.
Now look at the people at the bottom in Ireland in the
two charts. While there are slight variations, the
overall message is very clear. The charts are broken
down into the top 10pc and down to the bottom 10pc.
Dont just look at the very bottom, who have nothing, but look at
the bottom 50pc they own almost nothing of the country.
These are the facts. This is not opinion. This is Ireland.
As we head into an election year, its worth considering just how
many people are being left behind, how many are being shut out.
Consider how many people wake up with no hope, no stake, no way
of seeing how they play a role in our society, no way of seeing a
road map to a better future.
Thats what the wealth gap is all about. It is undeniable and it is
persistent. Shouldnt this be the main electoral issue next year in
the year that we celebrate the centenary of a Republic that was
supposed to cherish all the children equally?
But will it be?
Top 10,000 had greater income than IFA General Secretary
over 7 years.

Over the 7 years,he got 3.5 million, they got 4.16

million each. The top 10,000 club, almost
exclusively private sector, are to get just below

11 million EXTRA between them next year and

every subsequent year from Lab/FG government
in tax and USC concessions in Budget 2016
Average Gross Income of top 10,000=595,000 Each(PQ reply from
Minister Noonan to S Healy TD)
Total Gross Income of TOP 10,000=5.95 Billion=5950,000,00 Euro
USC and Tax Concessions- Budget 2016
Employees
6,667 X 902=6,013,634
Self Employed: 3,333X 1452=4,839,516
Total
10,000
=10,853,150
(assuming one third self-employed and two thirds of 10,000 are
employees. calculation:Deloitte Budget calculator)

AVERAGE INCOME OF TOP 10,000 is Above that of IFA

General Secretary
IFA General Secretary on 535,000 Euro per year in 2013
Top 10,000 income recipients have average salary above this (Dil
Reply to Seamus Healy TD by Finance Minister, Noonan)
Top 10,000 Average Income 595,900 % AFTER TAX INCOME
364,000
TOP 10% or 165,820
Households own 53.8% of all net household wealth or
almost 2 million Euro each
Total Irish Household Net Worth 595.7 billion in Quarter 1,
2015 up 2.2% over 3 months 19/08/2015
(These are the personal property of Irish PEOPLE, not of banks or of
companies etc)
TOP 10% or 165,820 Households own 53.8% of all net household
wealth or almost 2 million Euro each
http://www.centralbank.ie/publications/Documents/Quarterly
%20Bulletin%20No.%203%202015.pdf
TOTAL NET FINANCIAL ASSETS of Households were 165 Billion
in 2013. Increase in Financial Assets from the 2008 (Bust)
to 2013 was 93 billion or an increase 51% of Gross Domestic
Product(GDP) . There has been further annual increases
since then. There is no wealth tax on these massive gains.
Finacial assets are shares,bonds, bank deposits etc less mortgages,
credit card debt, etc. As the value of homes is excluded, financial
assets are more heavily weighted towards the super-rich than all
wealth. Most households with a mortgage are likely to have
negative financial assets though not in negative equity.
Incomes of Super-Rich (Individuals and Jointly Taxed
Couples-Reply to Parliamentary Question)
Top 0.46% 10,000
Total Income 5,959m
Income per
Year Each 595,900
Top 1%
21,650
Total Income 8,742 m
Income per

year EACH 403,760

Though 80% to 88% of this income is technically subject to
income tax at 40%, these are paying a maximum of 27% of
there overall income in income tax. They are major
beneficiaries of tax breaks. They all received 747 Euro per
annum in tax relief in Budget 2015!
See Further Down for Full Details
DISTRIBUTION OF NET WEALTH AMONG HOUSEHOLDS
Derived From Central bank Report Q1 2015
Irish State No. Of
Households

1,658,243
2011

CSO

Top 1% 16,582 Net Worth= 15% of 595.7 billion = 89.36

Billion Per Household 5.389 Million
Top 5% 82,910 Net Worth=38% of 595.7 billion =226.37
billion
Per Household 2.730 Million
Top 10% 165,820 Net Worth= 53.8% of 595.7 billion =320.49
billion Per Household 1.933 Million
UPDATE MAY 12
TOP 10% OWN OVER HALF OF IRISH WEALTH
Irish Examiner Tuesday, May 12, 2015
By Peter ODwyerReporter
More than half of the countrys net household wealth rests in the
hands of just 10% of the population, while people in less well-off
sectors of society owe more than they own.
CSO research shows the top 10% of the countrys richest
households own 53.8% of net wealth defined as real and financial
assets minus debt.
The top 5% of households can lay claim to almost 38% of net
wealth while 15% of the wealth lies in the pockets of the richest
1%.
At the opposite end of the scale, the data paints a darker picture as
the poorest 20% of households owe more than they own.
The figures illustrate the two-tier society that has developed across
the country, partly as a result of government policy, according to Fr
Sean Healy of Social Justice Ireland.
These figures emphasise that it was profoundly wrong of the
Government to prioritise the better-off in society in the last four
budgets, said Fr Healy. As resources become available in Budget
2016 and beyond, priority should be given to those hit hardest
during the recession Irelands poorest.
With some of the countrys richest individuals experiencing largescale losses in the past seven or so years, the level of inequality has
not risen to a major degree. However, low- and middle-income
families have been badly affected.
Some people on exorbitantly high incomes have lost out despite
recent budgets favouring them and, consequently, inequality has

not risen dramatically, said Fr Healy.

However, those already struggling to survive have been stretched
even further. This was not an accident, this was the result of
Government decisions.
With the Government flagging an equal split of additional funding
between spending increases and tax cuts when it announced the
budget in October, a much fairer manner of distributing the benefits
of recovery would be to put twice the amount into restoration of
services, Fr Healy said.
Recent research by the Central Bank points to a higher level of
wealth inequality in Ireland than the eurozone average. However, it
is less than that in the US.
Research indicates that countries with higher economic inequality
suffer from greater unemployment, social instability, and reduced
investment, although other academics dispute these effects.
Although open to a degree of statistical error due to the challenges
in accessing relevant data, the Irish wealth gap appears to have
widened over time, according to Tom Healy, a director of the Nevin
Economic Research Institute.
Since the 1980s, a range of factors, including taxation policy,
changing demographics, and house price fluctuations may have
driven the changes.
Research carried out by Brian Nolan of the ESRI in 1987 showed
that the top 10% of the population then owned 42% of net
household wealth as opposed to 53% in current times. The top 1%
then owned 10% of net wealth. This has now risen to 15%
Mr Healy said wealth distribution has not tended to feature in public
discourse here to the same degree as in some other European
countries.
While comprehensive data are hard to come by, Thomas Piketty in
his book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, managed to track the
main trends and composition of wealth in a number of large
countries such as Britain, France, and Germany, Mr Healy said.
Here in Ireland, discussion of wealth has been an under-researched
and under-reported area until comparatively recent times.
Mr Pikettys best-selling book put the distribution of income and
wealth back in the public consciousness last year.
Update April 29
Political Promises In Spring Statement As Government
Allows Super-Rich To Make Huge Gains While It Crucifies
The Poor With Austerity And Water Charges
Deputy Seamus Healy TD (Tipperary) Speaking in Dil yesterday
This Spring Statement is effectively an election manifesto of sorts
with the bulk of the promises made to be implemented after the
next general election. It is a series of political promises but we
know well what happens to political promises. They are made to be
broken, according to the former Minister for Communications,

Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, who said that is

what politicians do at election time they make promises they fully
intend to break after the election. That is what happened in 2011
and this Government cannot be trusted or believed. What we have
heard today in this Spring Statement is effectively pie in the sky.
It is important to note what this Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition
promised in 2011 and what it did with its promises and
commitments. We heard a lot about a democratic revolution but we
hear very little about it nowadays. Fine Gael told us that it would
burn the bondholders and that not another cent would be given to
the banks. The Labour Party went even further and said that it
would be Labours way and not Frankfurts way. Its infamous Tescostyle advertisements promised no cuts to child benefit, opposition to
domestic water charges and so forth. It contained very specific
promises and lines such as Look what Fine Gael have in store for
you and Fine Gael Every Little Hurts. The Labour Party in
government went on to cut child benefit, with a loss of up to 1,500
for many families. A Labour Party Minister is now implementing the
introduction of domestic water charges, having gone around north
Tipperary in the last election campaign asking people to vote for
him to ensure that Fine Gael could not introduce such charges. We
were also told that the Labour Party would protect the vulnerable, a
point to which I will return later.
This Fine Gael-Labour Party Government continued the austerity of
the Fianna Fil-Green Party Government and did exactly the
opposite to what it had promised. Government policy in the past
four years has deliberately increased the income and assets of the
super rich in society. It ensured that austerity affected only low and
middle income families while there was a recovery for the wealthy
and the super rich. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform,
Deputy Howlin, spoke about sharing the fruits of economic growth.
He said that a functioning society is a fair one, where the fruits of
economic growth are shared among all of the people, which
demonstrates both dishonesty and hypocrisy. We know for a fact, as
referred to by other speakers, that very wealthy people have
increased their income and assets hugely during the course of this
recession. An article in the Sunday Times last weekend pointed out
that Irelands super wealthy now have a combined wealth that
surpasses the heights reached at the peak of the Celtic tiger era.
Irelands 250 richest people have increased their wealth by more
than 15% in the past year to 75 billion, equivalent to 30% of Irish
GDP. The number of Irish billionaires has increased from nine last
year to 13 this year. There have been huge increases in the financial
assets of the super rich as confirmed by the Central Statistics
Office. The increase in assets from the time of the bust in 2008 to
2013 was 93 billion or an increase of 51% of GDP and there have
been further increases since then. The situation is exactly the same

with regard to income.

A very small proportion of very wealthy people have huge incomes.
The 10,000 wealthiest have average incomes of 595,000 per year,
a figure supplied to me by the Minister, Deputy Noonan. That wealth
situation was confirmed about a month ago by the Sunday
Independent rich list of the 300 wealthiest people in Ireland. Those
300 people have 84 billion between them. So the super-rich have
done very well out of this recession while ordinary people have paid
for it which they had no hand, act or part in creating.
On the other hand, it is instructive to look at what has happened to
ordinary low and middle-income families. A recent Central Statistics
Office report, the SILC report, shows that 400,000 children are
living in households experiencing multiple forms of deprivation, of
whom 135,000 are suffering daily material deprivation. The number
of children living in consistent poverty has doubled from 6% to
almost 12%.
The Labour Party claimed it would protect the vulnerable and
particularly social welfare recipients. What is the record of the
Labour Party and the Tnaiste in social welfare? She protected the
social welfare recipients and low and middle-income families but I
am afraid the cuts she introduced in recent budgets have
devastated ordinary people and undermined the social welfare
system.
It is important to mention some of those cuts, which I call the dirty
bakers dozen cuts: child benefit was cut by up to 1,500 per
annum per family; cuts to the back-to-school allowance; cuts to
maternity benefit; cuts to the fuel allowance; abolition of the
telephone allowance; cuts to the household benefits package; cuts
to jobseekers allowance; new qualifications for State pensions
particularly affecting women who are out of the workforce to rear
their families; the carers respite grant was cut by 325; farm assist
payments cut; back-to-education allowance cut; exceptional needs
payment cut; increase in eligibility for State pensions; taxation of
maternity benefit; abolition of illness benefit for widows and lone
parents who work; huge cuts, of course, to one-parent families with
another huge cut coming on 2 July; cuts to rent allowance; and
abolition, unbelievably, of the very small bereavement grant.
The so-called recovery is a recovery for those who are already
wealthy and it certainly means continued austerity for low and
middle-income families. The public does not trust or believe the
Government. They know that what the Government says does not
transfer into action. They know that middle and low-income families
have been crucified by the Government. They want to see the
Government going to the country and calling a general election. The
Government has absolutely no mandate for what it has done. The
public believe that it simply cannot be trusted. This Spring
Statement is simply an election manifesto of sorts, one that the

public will not believe and one that should be put to the country
sooner rather than later.
Update April 17
HUGE RISE IN ASSETS OF SUPER-RICH
CONFIRMED BY CSO
As usual this aspect of the CSO release was ignored by media
Increase in Financial Assets from the 2008 (Bust) to 2013
was 93 billion or an increase 51% of Gross Domestic
Product(GDP) . There has been further annual increases
since then.
These Assets have more than doubled. There is no wealth tax on
these massive gains.
In 2013 Net Financial Assets of Households were 26 Billion Euro
above 2006 boom level. The super-rich are now richer than they
were at the height of the boom
Between 2011 and 2013 NET FINANCIAL ASSETS OF HOUSEHOLDS
INCREASED BY OVER 40 Billion EURO
Only 17 billion of this was due to paying down debt giving a rise of
23 billion due to appreciation of financial assets in the two
years concerned.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2014 at constant (2012)
prices is 181.33 Billion Euro-Central Statistics Office(CSO)
As financial assets of many households are negative due to
mortgage, credit card and loan debt, it is a reasonable assumption
that the net financial assets of the wealthiest 5% are comparable to
the net financial assets of all households at 165 Billion Euro
Central Statistics Office(CSO) April 15,2015
Institutional
Sector Accounts Table 5B
http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/pisanff/institutionalsectoraccountsnonfinancialandfinancial2013/financialaccounts/table5bfinancialbalances
heetend-years2009-2013consolidatedliabilities/#.VTDYutzF-QE
Financial assets include shares, bank deposits and insurance policies
on the positive side. Liabilities, which are deducted to get net
financial assets include mortgage debt, credit card debt and bank
loans to households (eg car loans)
Financial assets do not include any fixed assets such as homes,
buy-to-lets, farms, land, business premises or factories and
workshops.
As there has been major appreciation of property values as well as
financial assets , the increase in the overall net wealth of the superrich since 2008 is far greater than indicated by the financial figures
below
Financial Assets Households(millions) TA=total assets
TL=total liabilities
NA=Net Assets
TA
TL
NA
2006
310,899
172,052
138,848
2007
310,711
199,036
111,675

2008
281,650
209,774
71,876
2009
306,338
207,272
99,066
2010
316,375
194,250
122,125
2011
315,028
190,056
124,972
2012
333,654
179,554
154,100
2013
342,735
177,805
164,930
2014
348,092
168,716
179,376

Irish Rich Get New 25 Billion Bonanza as 135,000 Children

Suffer Multiple Deprivation!
The Contrast Could Not Be More Stark!!!!!
In 2013 Net Financial Assets of Households were 26 Billion
Euro above 2006 boom level and more than double 2008
bust level. Gross Financial Assets were 18 billion above the
2006 peak level.
In 2013, net financial assets of households rose again by 25
billion, only 7 billion of which was due to paying down debt.
The Gains For the Rich got virtually no media coverage as usual
These are the most recent statistics issued by The Central Statistics
Office (CSO).In another recent release by the CSO, the SILC Report,
it is shown that we now have 400,000 children living in households
experiencing multiple forms of deprivation and 135,000 children are
suffering daily material deprivation. The number of children living in
consistent poverty meaning they are living both at risk of poverty
and experiencing deprivation doubled from 6 per cent to just
under 12 per cent between 2008 and 2013
Financial assets include shares, bank deposits and insurance policies
on the positive side. Liabilities, which are deducted to get net
financial assets include mortgage debt, credit card debt and bank
loans to households (eg car loans)
Financial assets do not include any fixed assets such as homes,
buy-to-lets, farms, land, business premises or factories and
workshops.
Total F. assets
Total Liabilities
NET F. Assets
2006
310,899
172,052
138,848
2007
310,711
199,036
111,675
2008
281,650
209,774
71,876
2009
304,885
206,620
98,264
2010
311,372
194,219
117,153
2011
310,093
189,982
120,111
2012
324,381
184,467
139,914
2013
342,735
177,805
164,930
Nov 30
Anglo Bondholder List Leaked
International Financial Institutions Which invested in Anglo and to
whom an Irish Government Paid Out 30 Billion Euro. We are now

paying off the money borrowed for this purpose to other

international financial institutions!
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/list-of-bondholders-in-angloirish-bank-leaked-110903209-237728261.html#=
UPDATE Department of Finance Confirms Budget 2015
Give-Away to Rich
Department of Finance Press Officer Confirms that those on incomes
over 100,000 Euro will gain a net 747 Eur per year from the
combination of the tax and USC measures in Budget 2015
Sir, The editorial Taxing the self-employed (October 24th) stated
that the divide between PAYE workers and self-assessed workers
has widened further with the Governments decision to make the
self-employed pay an 11 per cent rate of universal social charge on
earnings over 100,000. To suggest the divide has widened as a
result of changes introduced in Budget 2015 is simply not true.
The marginal tax rate for the self-employed earning over 100,000
has not altered with the changes introduced in Budget 2015. In
2014 self-assessed workers earning over 100,000 face a 55 per
cent marginal tax rate comprised of 41 per cent income tax, 10 per
cent USC and 4 per cent PRSI. Following the introduction of the
measures introduced in Budget 2015, a self-assessed worker
earning over 100,000 will continue to pay 55 per cent tax;
however it will now be comprised of 40 per cent income tax, 11 per
cent USC and 4 per cent PRSI.
These changes to rates will result in an increase in net income for
the self-employed taxpayers at all income levels.
The factual position is that a single PAYE worker and a single
self-assessed worker earning 100,000 will see an increase
of 747 in their net income in 2015, as a result of the Budget
2015 changes. Yours, etc,
BRENDAN LOUGHNANE,
Press Officer,
Department of Finance,
Dublin 2.
UPDATE
Ireland More Prosperous than France and Germany!!
Irish Examiner Nov 3
It might sound like a contradiction, but austerity hasnt ruined our
prosperity, according to a global study.
A report by the influential Legatum Institute places Ireland 12th out
of 142 countries in its annual prosperity index, published today.
That maintains the position we held last year and may signal an end
to the slide that has seen us drop from a high of ninth in 2009. It
also puts us one place ahead of Britain, and, somewhat surprisingly,
two places ahead of Germany, while France could only manage 21st,
Spain 26th and Italy 37th.
Norway makes the number one slot for the sixth year in a row. The
index does not measure economic performance alone, but assesses

countries on 90 indicators which are then collated under eight

headings.
August 30,2014
Because of the publicity given to bankruptcies of very rich Irish
people, it maybe inferred that the Irish rich generally are doing
very badly. But it must be remembered that for every developer
who bought over-priced sites and assets, there was another person
or persons who has the large sum of money paid by the developer.
Many people also wrongly believe that Ireland has become a very
poor country due to the banking crash. This may lead them to
excuse cuts by government in spending on health, education and
other public services.
BUT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!
Ireland is still one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
Gross Domestic Product (total of all goods and services produced)
per head of population in Republic of Ireland is greater than that
in Germany, France and the UK (Nevin Economic Research
Institute Report 2012)
Irish Examiner Sept 16
The growing number of poor people in crisis-hit countries and
among young people threatens the existence of the EU, warned the
prestigious German think-tank which carried out the study.
Despite Ireland being one of the richest countries in the EU,
the study reveals we are nearly last when it comes to distribution of
wealth, ranking 18th in the bottom-third of the EU(28) countries
along with Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Latvia.
Irish Times Sept 16
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ireland-urged-to-domore-for-its-vulnerable-population-1.1929914
Germanys Bertelsmann Foundation ranked Ireland 18th among the
EU 28 members, below Poland and Slovakia, in a survey of social
justice in Europe.
The foundation cited Ireland as an example of how high GDP per
capita did not translate automatically into social justice for the
population. Ireland has a similarly high GDP per capita,similar to
Sweden, but ranks considerably below average when it comes to
social justice and counts as one of the biggest losers in the country
comparison, the report noted. (Irish Times)
It is true that public finances are in an appalling state.
But this is because:
1)successive governments have refused to impose sufficiently high
taxes on the incomes and assets of the super-rich Irish to pay for
necessary public services
2) The current and previous government have agreed that the
citizens of the state should pay the 67 Billion Euro which LARGE
international investors had lent to privately owned Irish Banks when
the banks crashed.(small shareholders were not rescued)

The official statistics on incomes and assets set out below show the
obscene wealth of the super-rich Irish at this time. In
summary, the top 10,000 income recipients have average declared
incomes of 595,000 euro per year each. The financial assets
(shares, bank deposits) of Irish households had already climbed
back above 2006 boom levels in 2012
From 2010 to 2012 the wealth of the top 300 Irish rich has
increased by 12 Billion Euro from 50 Billion to 62 Billion or a
gain of 200 million euro each ( Nick Webb,Business Editor,
Sunday Independent, March 11 2012)
The overwhelming majority of the super-rich are active in the
private sector of the economy.
BUT ALL RECENT GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR INCOME
TAX RELIEF WOULD GIVE GREATEST BENEFIT TO THE SUPERRICH AND NOTHING TO THE POOREST!!
Read also UPDATE:Poorest Pay Most Tax on this
Blog http://wp.me/pKzXa-mX
Average Per Capita Wealth
Gross Domestic Product (total of all goods and services produced)
per head of population in Republic of Ireland is the 7th highest in
EU-Higher than Germany, France and the UK (Nevin
Economic Research Institute Report 2012)
WEALTH OF IRISH SUPER-RICH
Financial Assets of Households
(Table 3 Institutional Sector
Accounts Central Statistics Office 2012)
Total financial assets
Total Liabilities
NET Financial
Assets
2006
310,899
172,052
138,848
2007
310,711
199,036
111,675
2008
281,650
209,774
71,876
2009
304,885
206,620
98,264
2010
311,372
194,219
117,153
2011
310,093
189,982
120,111
2012
324,381
184,467
139,914
These figures show that net personal financial assets of all
households have increased by 68 billion or by almost 100%
(almost doubled since the low point of 2008 and both total
financial assets and net financial assets are now above the peak
2006 level. (Table 3 Institutional Sector Accounts, CSO 2012)
Financial assets are mainly shares and bank deposits, the bulk of

which are held by the rich. Houses, farms and business premises
are not financial assets and are not,therefore, included. The
liabilities are bank loans,overdrafts, credit card debt, and household
Mortgage Debt, the bulk of which are held by those on low and
middle incomes
Thus the total financial asset figure is the better measure of the
assets of the rich as many households have negative net
financial assets.
Average Per Capita Wealth
GDP per capita is the 7th highest in EU-Higher than Germany
France and the UK (Nevin Economic Research Institute
Report 2012)
(This wealth is distributed most unfairly. According to
Central Statistics Office (CSO) this unfairness has been
worsened by the state budget for 2014- PH)
Incomes of Irish Super-Rich
The table below is compiled from a table issued by Minister for
Finance, Michael Noonan in reply to a parliamentary question on Oct
3, 2012 . It is based on projections by the Revenue Commissioners
of expected earnings and expected revenue in the current
year(2012) given the distribution of incomes in 2009 and
subsequent developments. NB Below Revenue=tax+PRSI+USC.
Effective tax rate includes income tax, PRSI and Universal Social
Charge
Income Tax 2012
Below NO.=number of earners; G.I.=Gross Income of all earners ;
Av. I.=Average Income per Earner, REV.=Total Revenue from all
earners; E.T.R.=effective tax rate
Earners
NO.
G.I.
Av. I.
REV.
E.T.R
Top 10,000 10,000 5,959m
TAX INCOME 364,000
Top 1% 21,650 8,742 m
TAX INCOME
349,000

595,900 2,321 m 39%

403,760

Top 5% 108,250 20,122 m 185,885

INCOME
120,000

3,349 m
7,145 m

Top 10% 216,500 29,600 m 136,710 9,849 m

Average after tax Income 91,500

38%
36%

Average AFTER
Average AFTER
Average After Tax

33%

Earners may be individuals or couples who have agreed to be taxed jointly.

Revenue commissioners do not provide data for individuals only.
revenue=income tax+ PRSI +Univ. Soc. Charge (effective
tax rate includes
USC and PRSI)
Less than 6% of income recipients earning over 100,000 are in the

public service and a large proportion of these are medical

consultants
All of the top 10,000 tax payers who have an average income of
595,900 each (Reply by Michael Noonan to parliamentary
question) are in the private sector.
From 2010 to 2012 the wealth of the top 300 Irish rich has
increased by 12 Billion Euro to 62 Billion or 200 million each
( Nick Webb,Business Editor, Sunday Independent, March 11
2012)
POOREST IRISH PEOPLE PAY MOST TAX!
Poor People Pay most Tax-NERI Aug 28, 2014
NEW research from the Nevin Economic Research Institute (funded
by Irish Trade Unions) shows that the bottom 10% of the Irish
Population pays the highest percentage of their income in tax
whereas the richest 10% pay only 29.6% of their income when all
direct and indirect taxes are taken into account.
BUT ALL RECENT GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR INCOME
TAX RELIEF WOULD GIVE GREATEST BENEFIT TO THE SUPERRICH AND NOTHING TO THE POOREST!!
More detailed discussion on this matter can be found in my post
UPDATED: POOREST PEOPLE PAY MOST TAX
The fact that the number of homeless children in the capital
exceeds 2,000 for the first time since current records began is
further evidence Ireland is a deeply unequal country. Economic
inequality is worsening despite the recovery and, for those
experiencing inequality, particularly children, Ireland is a very harsh
place.
Economic inequality has become a defining global issue since the
2008 crash. The rise in wealth of the super-rich while the majority
suffer austerity, debt and stagnant wages has led to intense political
and economic attention. Here in Ireland we have experienced
similar trends.
The share of gross income going to the top 1 per cent of earners
increased from 34 per cent in 2011 to 39 per cent this year. And
over half of the increase in total income (21 billion) over the last
five years has gone to the top 10 per cent of earners. The bottom
50 per cent of earners received just 6 per cent of that increased
income. This highlights an inequality in employment and wage
growth in the recovery, with a more polarised work force, an rise in
low-paid jobs, low-hours employment and precarious work.
The minimum wage, for example, remains 20 per cent lower than
the living wage of 11.50 per hour. Irelands progressive income tax
and social protection spending does reduce this gross income
inequality (the highest in the EU) and results in a net income
inequality at the EU average. However, Irelands net income
inequality has also risen in recent years, and an accurate
assessment of economic inequality requires inclusion of other

measures (such as wealth, poverty, public services, taxation, cost of

living) which Tasc provides in our recent report Cherishing All
Equally 2016.
In relation to the distribution of wealth, Ireland has also become
much more unequal. Over the last three decades, the top 10 per
cent have increased their proportion of net wealth from 42 per cent
to 54 per cent, while the share of net wealth held by the bottom 50
per cent has halved (from 12 per cent to 5 per cent).

Austerity period
The recession and austerity period resulted in a dramatic increase in
poverty and, despite the recovery, these levels remain very high. At
36 per cent, child deprivation is double the 2007 rate, while 58 per
cent of lone parents suffer deprivation, up from 35 per cent in 2007.
This means more than one-third of Irish children live in households
experiencing two or more types of material deprivation such as
being unable to afford to heat their homes, buy new clothes, have
sufficient food or socialise with friends and family.
Economic inequality has a profoundly damaging impact on childrens
educational development and wellbeing. At age nine months, the
level of household income a child is born into has no correlation
with their inherent cognitive potential.
However, by just three years of age, children in higher-income
families perform better with a 1 per cent increase in household
income predicted to lead to a 5.1 per cent increase in educational
test scores. By nine, there is a strong negative correlation between
childrens self-image and their social class background, as children
from more disadvantaged backgrounds are more anxious, less
happy and report poorer behaviour.
By 13, children have internalised their inequality by reducing their
expectations. Only 36 per cent of children aged 13 from the bottomincome decile expect to achieve a third-level education in contrast
to 65 per cent from the top-income decile. Children growing up in
disadvantaged areas face multiple inequalities while inequalities in
relation to health and housing are also significant.
Women in Ireland are also disproportionately affected by inequality,
with a concentration of women in low-paid, part-time work and
unpaid care work. Gender inequalities result in women being
underrepresented in more senior positions. Another important factor
is the inadequate provision of quality and affordable public services
and infrastructure in housing, childcare, transport, healthcare and
education. Irelands government expenditure as a percentage of
gross domestic product is now the joint-lowest (with Lithuania) in
the EU.
Irelands high level of economic inequality results from structural
issues shaped by the type of economic policies pursued in recent
decades. We have followed a variety of capitalism that is
deregulated, neoliberal and free-market in orientation. In contrast,

the Nordic countries have pursued a more regulated social economy

model resulting in greater equality and lower poverty.

Policy shift
To reduce inequality in Ireland, particularly child poverty, requires a
significant shift in policy and political decisions that prioritise
equality. Proofing budgetary measures for their impact on economic
inequality is essential. Would reducing inheritance tax, abolishing a
progressive tax such as the universal social charge, failing to raise
the minimum wage or the lack of a wealth tax pass such a proofing?
Policymakers should remember the message from the public in the
general election: investment in quality public services (health,
housing) should be prioritised before tax cuts. This centenary year
should give the economic equality dimension of the 1916
Proclamation, which declared equal rights and equal opportunities
to all citizens, the required political and policy attention it merits.
Dr Rory Hearne is a senior policy analyst with Tasc and lead author
of Cherishing All Equally 2016. tasc.ie/publications/ cherishing-allequally-2016/
2016 irishtimes.com

LABOUR DECEPTION ON TAX TO PROTECT THE RICH

Fintan OToole: The myth of Irelands progressive tax system
The top 10% pay 29% of their incomes in tax. The bottom 10% pay
28%
Irish Times Tue, Sep 29, 2015, 05:45
Fintan OToole
The sleight-of-hand is more Tommy Cooper than Penn and
Teller.
The point of all the repetition is to suggest that those at
the top need a break from all this world-beating fairness,
while those at the bottom have nothing at all to complain
about.
The funny thing about this truth is that its not true at all. It
is, literally, not even a half-truth.
If you got a euro every time you turned on the radio or opened a
newspaper to be told that Ireland has one of the most progressive
tax systems in the world, youd be rich.
Except you wouldnt be because Ireland has one of the most
progressive tax systems in the world so the Government would take
nearly all the money away from you and give it to the poor.
Repeat after me: Ireland has one of the most progressive tax
systems in the western world. (Sunday Times editorial last Sunday)
The deputy mentioned a progressive tax system but we have one
of the most progressive tax systems in the world in Ireland (Enda
Kenny, November 2014).
We have the most progressive tax system in the OECD (Michael
Noonan, November 2014).

We have one of the most progressive taxation systems in the

world (Chris Johns, The Irish Times, June 2014).
Internationally, we have one of the most progressive tax systems
in the world. (Brian Hayes MEP, May 2015)
[Ireland] has one of the most progressive tax systems in the
world (Alan Kelly, October 2014).
The tax reforms of recent years mean that Ireland now has the
most progressive tax system in the European Union (Martin Phelan,
president of the Irish Tax Institute, The Irish Times, November
2012).
It should be acknowledged that Ireland has one of the most
progressive tax systems in the world (Michael Noonan, July 2014).
Ireland now has one of the most progressive tax systems in the
developed world (Eamon Gilmore, October, 2013).
Deceptions
This is one of those memes that reproduces itself in a perfectly
closed loop. It is that most dangerous of deceptions: a truth
universally acknowledged. And therefore the logic that flows from it
that anyone who even talks about making the taxation system
fairer by shifting the burden from the poor to the rich is an idiot
seeps into the groundwater of conventional wisdom, especially, as
now, when a budget is in the offing.
The point of all the repetition is to suggest that those at the top
need a break from all this world-beating fairness, while those at the
bottom have nothing at all to complain about.
The funny thing about this truth is that its not true at all. It is,
literally, not even a half-truth. In the way its expressed in each of
the above quotes, it is a simple trick of language. If you ask the
people who keep saying it what their evidence is theyll always refer
you to figures produced by the Organisation for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD). But the OECD figures they cite
dont actually refer to tax systems at all. They use a very narrow
measure income tax paid by someone earning 55,000 compared
to someone earning 22,000. Be that as it may, they undeniably
refer solely and specifically to income tax. A tax system means
corporate, capital, income, property, wealth, value added and every
other form of taxation. Income tax in Ireland is, in terms of the
revenue raised, just 41 per cent of the tax system. A claim about
that 41 per cent is being systematically converted into a truth
about the whole system.
The sleight-of-hand is more Tommy Cooper than Penn and Teller,
but it works because it tells the right people what they want to hear.
Hence the substitution of tax system for income tax has become
almost automatic.
Last weeks report from the Irish Tax Institute, for example, actually
reads: Ireland has one of the most progressive income tax systems
in the OECD. This becomes, as reported in the Irish

Independent on September 23rd, The institute claims Irelands tax

system is one of the most progressive in the developed world. See
what happened there?
Why does this matter? Because it distorts a key reality of Irish life:
people at the bottom pay as much of their incomes in tax as those
at the top. To hide something as outrageous as this you actually
need two linguistic tricks. One is the ideological autocorrect that
turns income tax to tax system.
The other intertwined claim, also repeated ad nauseam, is that huge
numbers of people are completely outside the tax net, pay no
tax or contribute nothing to the national coffers.
But everyone pays tax. Theres an apparently little-known tax called
VAT. There are other indirect taxes. Almost all the tax paid by the
bottom 30 per cent of households is indirect. Taxes on consumption
are disproportionately paid by people on low incomes who have to
spend all their money.
Regressive
The bottom 10 per cent of people pay nearly 30 per cent of their
incomes in indirect taxes; the top 10 per cent pay 6 per cent,
according to the Nevin Institute. The whole claim to having the
most progressive tax system depends on ignoring the highly
regressive nature of indirect taxes . What do you get if you count
them back in? The top 10 per cent pay 29 per cent of their incomes
in tax. The bottom 10 per cent pay 28 per cent. Thats progressive
in the same sense that most of the discussion about this is honest.
Seamus Healy TD Slates Labour Ministers on Misleading Tax
Statements to Protect the Super-Rich
Contribution to Dil Debate
Dil ireann 01/Oct/2015 Finance (Tax Appeals) Bill 2015: Second
Stage (Resumed) (Continued)

Deputy Seamus Healy: I thank the Acting Chairman and welcome the opportunity
contribute to the Second Stage debate on the Finance (Tax Appeals) Bill 2015. The
tax system is grossly unfair. The poorest people are the most highly taxed in Irelan
is not surprising, therefore, to find we are discussing a Bill today which confines leg
recourse in tax disputes to the High Court and excludes the right of appeal to the C
Court. This means that only the wealthiest can challenge decisions of the appeal
commissioners. Taxpayers on low and middle-incomes and small, self-employed, so
traders are effectively excluded from taking an appeal given the huge cost associate
with a High Court case and the exclusion of the possibility of an appeal to the Circu
Court.

The Government, Ministers, journalists and some academics are involved in system
deception in relation to the taxation system. Fairness or equity in taxation is based
the answer to the following question: what proportion of their own income, wealth o

assets does each stratum of the population pay in tax? Research from the Nevin
Economic Research Institute shows that poorer people are paying out more of their
income in tax as a result of indirect taxation such as VAT and excise duties. The
institute states that the poorest 10% of people pay a larger share of their income in
than the richest 10%. In other words, poorer people pay a larger share of their inco
than the super-rich in our society. The poorest 10% are paying 29.93% in indirect
taxation as against the figure of 5.7% paid by the richest 10% of people. Over the
12 months, we have had Ministers and journalists attempting to deceive the public
believing the opposite is the case. The trick is to pretend that income tax is the only
and to omit the huge portion of VAT and other indirect taxes paid by the poorest in
society. There is a line of people available to spin this one, the idea and hope being
more they spin it, the more people will believe it.
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan
tells us we have one of the most progressive tax systems in the world while the Min
of State at the Deputy of Justice and Equality, Deputy Rordin, tells us that the t
6% are paying 44% of the entire tax take. The Taoiseach tells us we have one of th
most progressive tax systems in the world while the Minister for Finance, Deputy
Noonan, tells us we have the most progressive tax system in the OECD. It goes on
on. The fact of the matter is this is spin. Significantly wealthy, super-rich people are
paying their fair share of tax. The taxpayers on low and middle-incomes and the po
pay in tax a greater share of their income than the super-rich.
Income tax constitutes only approximately 41% of all taxation.

I believe the exclusion, particularly by Labour Party Ministers, of the VAT on the po
which was increased by this Government makes that partys statements absolutely
misleading and shows it is part of a Government that is governing for, and on beha
the wealthy.

The reason people on large incomes pay a high proportion of all income tax, but no
their incomes, is that they have a grossly unfair proportion of all income. In fact, in
reply to a parliamentary question the Minister told me that the top 10,000 income
earners had an average annual income of 595,000. That was in 2012, and it has
increased since then. The Minister gave further figures which showed that the top 1
of income recipients, 216,500, had a gross income of approximately 30 billion, or
average of 136,700. Their effective rate of tax was 24%. To add insult to injury, in
last budget the Minister gave a total of 7 million in tax relief to the people on an
average annual income of 595,000. He gave 150 million in tax relief to the top 1
of earners in the country. This was confirmed by the press officer of the Departmen
Finance in a letter to The Irish Times at the time.
This is all against a background where a recent report by the Central Statistics Offi
the Survey on Incomes and Living Conditions, SILC,showing that there are 400,000
children living in households experiencing multiple forms of deprivation, with 135,0
children suffering daily deprivation. The number of children living in consistent pov
meaning that they both are living at risk of poverty and experience deprivation, do
from 6% to just under 12% between 2008 and 2013. What is this Government
proposing to do? It is now proposing to give even more tax relief to very wealthy p

in the forthcoming budget, while fuel and heating allowances are continuing at leve
that were reduced by the Labour Party leader as we face into another winter.
Another issue is wealth tax. We have no wealth tax on wealthy people. Indeed, dur
recent appearance on RTE, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and
Equality, Deputy Rordin, made much of the introduction of the local property ta
domestic dwellings as a move towards tax fairness. This is another spin. Even thos
with negative wealth mortgage debt, credit card debt and car loan debt must p
the so-called property tax. The Central Statistics Office has shown that financial as
which exclude homes, farms and buildings, have increased by 93 billion from 200
2013 and are now at 165 billion. That is 25 billion above the boom level. Not a p
in wealth tax is due on these gains, while families in negative equity must pay the
called property tax. Of course, the distribution of wealth is grossly unfair in this cou
This has been shown again in a recent Central Bank report. The top 10% of househ
or 165,820 households, own 53.8% of all net household wealth or a total of
approximately 300 billion, which is almost 2 million each. The vast bulk of that w
is free of wealth tax.
At this stage, there is no point in further appeals to the Labour Party to deal with th
scandal. I appeal to the trade union movement, academics and journalists to expos
scandalous deception being visited on Irish people by the Government, and particu
by Labour Party Ministers, about taxation in the service of the super-rich. I comme
Mr. Fintan OToole on a very good beginning in this regard in yesterdays The Irish
Times. The fact is that the poorest 10% of people in this country pay a bigger
proportion of their income in tax than the wealthiest, super-rich 10%. That must st
It must change, and that should start now
Update Sept 30,2015
OCT 10
Fr Peter McVerry Budget Briefing Breakfast
Im absolutely dismayed at idea that the tax cuts are going to be at
the top rate of tax. That horrifies me. I really cant express how
outraged I would be at that, he said.
OCT 8 Taoiseach Confirms Government Plan to Reduce the top Rate
of Tax.
Mr Noonan has confirmed in a Dil reply that the top 10,000 income
recipients have an average declared income of 595,000 Euro per
year each. A reduction of 1% in the top rate of tax would give
them back 5600 Euro each per year. A couple on
unemployment benefit will pay an extra 280 Euro per year in
water charges and receive no benefit from a reduction in the
top rate of tax!!!!
Sept 15 Social Justice Ireland has shown that the Government plan
to increase lower rate tax band would disproportionally benefit the
rich http://www.socialjustice.ie/content/some-budget-income-taxproposals-would-favour-rich-expense-lower-income-workers
Fr Sean Healy, Director Social Justice Ireland, said:If money is
available for tax reductions then making tax credits refundable

would be the fairest and best option to take. By making tax credits
refundable the full value of the tax credit goes to everybody who
has an earned income (Irish Examiner Sept 15)
Report in Irish Times Sept 15
Yesterday, the director of Social Justice Ireland Fr Sen Healy
published the result of a study of six possible changes in the
budget. It showed that three would produce what it called a fair
outcome increasing the personal tax credit, reducing the lowest
USC rate by 1 percentage point or reducing the middle USC rate by
2 percentage points.
The study found that three of the changes would produce what it
said was an unfair outcome by disproportionately benefiting the
better off reducing the top tax rate to 40 per cent, increasing the
standard rate band and reducing the 7 per cent USC rate.
Sept 13 Irish Times
Tnaiste Joan Burton has identified reform of the USC as one of
her priorities, but Mr Kenny said he and Ms Burton have already set
out the fact that as we prepare for budget 2015 and budgets
subsequent to that, we would start the process of a reduction of the
extent of tax of 52 per cent being paid by people.
This confirms that tax relief in the coming budget will give
nothing to the poorest 70% of the population and most to
the rich-see detailed discussion below -PH
Sept 03,2014
Joan Burton, Labour Party Leader, on RTE this morning, said We
are not yet in a position to reverse social welfare cuts. This was in
the context of government revenue being 1 billion ahead of target
at the present time. She had been asked what the poorest, who are
not in the income tax net (but pay the highest proportion of their
income in taxation generally) would get in the budget: would
heating allowances, child benefit, disability allowances etc be
increased in the budget? The answer was NO. But any leeway
there is should be focused on those on low and middle incomes she
said. All the indications are that she is working to the Fine Gael
agenda of income tax relief which was set out by Minister Coveney
last week. BUT.
All 3 tax proposals by Minister Coveney in Irish Examiner today(August28) Would GiVE Maximun BENEFIT TO THE RICH
and NOTHING AT ALL TO THOSE ON LOWER INCOMES
Simon Coveney Irish Examiner to-day
Three choices are open to the Government, he said. These include
cutting the universal social charge, changing the tax bands, and
lowering tax rates.
1 Reducing the USC: This would Give the top 10,000 INCOME
EARNERS on 595,000E each(PQ REPLY NOONAN) maximum benefit
All those on incomes below 12,000 E per annum would get no
benefit

2 Changing tax bands by raising the threshold at which tax payers

come into the higher tax band: This would give no benefit to those
on incomes under 32,500 per year which amounts to 705 of the
citizens (ML TAFT UNITE NOTES ON THE FRONT) Those on highest
incomes would get maximum relief at 41% of the increase in the
Threshold
3 Lowering tax rates. This is the most unfair of all. High Income
recipients would get full benefit. All those below 16,000 would get
no benefit at all including the lowest 10% of population
Will Government Give Most Tax Relief to Rich in Budget? Will
Labour Agree to this?
Poor People Pay most Tax-NERI Aug 28, 2014
NEW research from the Nevin Institute (funded by Trade Unions
claims poorer people are forking out more in tax because of indirect
taxes like VAT. It says that because of indirect taxes and/or excise,
the poorest 10pc pay a larger share of their income than the richest
10pc. However, Irelands income tax system works on a more you
earn, the more you pay basis -the rate is 23pc for the top 10pc and
0.3pc for the bottom, according to Nevin. The figures also show
that, on average, 24pc of gross income is taken up by tax. But
when you combine direct and indirect taxes a different result is
produced, Nevins Dr Micheal Collins found.According to his
research, the bottom 10pc of the population paid just over 30.5pc
of their income in direct, indirect and total household taxation (as a
percentage of gross income).In the top decile, the figure was
29.6pc
THE RESEARCH MEANS THAT THE POOREST PEOPLE PAY MOST TAX!
Read also Super-Rich Irish AWASH WITH MONEY on this
Blog http://wp.me/pKzXa-n4
Nevertheless, Government spokespeople including Labour Ministers
are flagging tax changes in the forthcoming budget which confine
changes to increasing the threshold at which income recipients
come into the higher tax bracket.
Those crossing the threshold of 32,500 Euro are indeed entitled to
some tax relief as are all low and middle income earners. But the
Government proposal is grossly unfair and regressive and reliefs
should be provided in other ways and confined to those on low and
middle incomes.
Let us take a concrete proposal to increase the income tax threshold
by 5,000 Euro
This is grossly unfair on a number of grounds:
1. The poorest 10% who pay the highest proportion of their income
in tax would receive no benefit as their income is approximately
10,000 Euro per year
2. THe proposal would have no effect on indirect taxes which
impact most heavily on those on low and middle incomes
3 Economist Michael Taft in his blog UNITE NOTES ON THE FRONT

has shown that 70% of citizens would receive no benefit.

4 Very high income earners, such as the top 10,000 earning units
who have average annual incomes of 595,000 Euro(Reply to PQ)
would get the full benefit (21% of 5000=1050Euro)
5. A person exceeding the threshold by less than 5000 Euro would
get less benefit than those on 595,000. For example a person on
595,000 per year would receive 1050 euro whereas a person on
35,000 would get haf that figure or 525 Euro
6. The proposal gives the biggest benefit to the very rich and no
benefit to the very poor and is therefore grossly unfair
There are many ways to provide tax relief in a way that would only
benefit those on low and middle incomes as is weel understood by
government advisers. But does the Government want to know?

The bondholder list for Anglo Irish Bank, the Irish

bank that has become notorious for unpaid loans
and shady practices, has been leaked.
The release comes at a time when there is
increasing pressure on the Irish government to
force the bondholders to take some of the $80
billion hit of bank debts that the Irish taxpayer has
been forced to assume since the Irish government
agreed to underwrite Anglo Irish Bank losses.
The list as leaked is a whos who of the
international banking institutions.
Included are companies such as Goldman Sachs
who have been advising the Irish government on
their strategy which may raise a conflict of interest
question. The leaked list is

Central Bank Quarterly Bulletin No. 3 2015

http://www.centralbank.ie/publications/Documents/Quarterly
%20Bulletin%20No.%203%202015.pdf
DIVISION OF NET WEALTH IN IRELAND-David McWilliams
As the election looms its worth looking at the real division of
wealth By David McWilliams

To View Charts paste this link into browser

http://olearylp.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/17th-December2015.pdf

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS

Stop Evictions! Stop SUICIDES!

HEART-FELT APPEAL FROM KEN
SMOLLEN-TIRELESS ANTIEVICTION CAMPAIGNER
I was talking to Paddy Healy on the phone earlier today.
Paddy works tirelessly for his brother, Independent TD for
Tipperary Seamus Healy. Both of these men are the only
people who work within the confines of Leinster House and
who are actively calling on the Government to declare an
Official Housing Emergency However, they are alone and
receive little or NO support (you cant be upsetting the
markets).Its unfortunate that in order to make the other
removed from reality elites sit up and take notice, that its
now becoming necessary that members of some family in
Ireland do the unbelievable brave thing of being willing to
speak about a family member who has taken their own life
as a result of being in mortgage distress and facing the
horrifying thought of facing one of the EVICTION Courts. The
death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie close to The Dail
made the elites take notice of the homelessness crisis.The
elites are not interested in attending any of the EVICTION
Courts, and are so removed from reality to think they know
what its like for people in this situation as all of them spout
on about distressed mortgage holders approaching them in
the comfort of their constituency offices.NONE OF THEM have
the faintest idea what so many people are enduring on a
daily basisIm not expecting anyone to come forward to
tell their own story about a family member taking their own
lives as a result of this very hidden crisis, but its a terrible
indictment on our uncaring TDs that I should even have to
ask and all I can do is hope that someone is brave enough
to do so!

Ministers John Halligan and Finian McGrath

,Shane Ross, Boxer Moran, Sean Canney of
the Independent Alliance must Force
Government to HALT ALL EVICTIONS NOW

EVICTION RELATED SUICIDES

CONTINUE
Ken Smollens post on Facebook

It has just been confirmed to me in the last few minutes that the
father of a number of young children who was due to appear before
one of the EVICTION Courts this week has sadly taken his own life.
Out of respect for his family I will not be naming the location.
Suffice to say that our uncaring TDs have more blood on their
hands as they DO HAVE the power to put a stop to the never ending
nightmare thats being experienced by thousands of innocent
victims of the bailed out banks and vulture funds!
May he Rest in Peace-Ken Smollen

GOVERNMENT, FF, LAB, INDEPENDENT

ALLIANCE ARE RESPONSIBLE
But Sinn Fin and Independents for Change
Must Share Some of the Blame

ONLY Ruth Coppinger Dissented from Flawed

Recommendation

The Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessnes

recommended that there be a pause in eviction proceedings until
new debt resolution procedures were in place

Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the Government

should introduce legislation for a moratorium on home
repossessions until such time as the Governments proposals
are in place. AND

The Government should urgently seek flexibility from the European

Commission on the application of the EU fiscal rules to the financing
of social housing
Surprise! Surprise! There is no halt to evictions (even on a
temporary basis) in Minister Coveneys housing plan. Unfortunately
Sinn Fin and Independents 4 Change(Mick Wallace, Maureen
OSullivan) went along with this easily rejected recommendation.
(The same attorney general had advised Alan Kelly against it)
Shamefully, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has written a letter to EU seeking
flexibility under the Fiscal Treaty which would give permission to
Ireland to borrow money to build social housing for the Irish People!
This permission has not been given.
Government has also consulted its own the Attorney General,
Labours M. Whelan but evictions have continued.
Hence, the government can claim to have complied with two
key recommendations of the Committee. But the evictions
and the suicides continue.

The anger at the continued evictions is more than justified.

However, my bother Seamus Healy TD(Tipperary) has repeatedly
called in the Dil for the formal declaration of a housing emergency
and a total halt to evictions. The formal declaration of a housing
emergency is required to overcome the qualified protection of the
private property of banks and landlords in the constitution.
But Government,itself, continues to evict people through banks
owned by state (AIB, PTSB, EBS)

FG, FF, Lab, Ind. Alliance and,

Unbelievably, Independents for
Change and Sinn Fin put those
facing Repossession in the Hands
of The Attorney General who
previously advised that any
significant interference with the
private property of Banks and/or
landlords was a violation of
Constitution!!! In addition the
recommended moratorium on
evictions is only for a few
months!!!!!
(see Evidence of Alan Kelly to the Commission on Constitutional
Obstacles to Solving The Housing Crisis further down)

Recommendation on Evictions
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the Government
should introduce legislation for a moratorium on home
repossessions until such time as the Governments proposals are in
place.
Commission Fails to recommend a formal declaration of a housing
emergency by Government!!!!! This will enable banks an landlords
to continue evictions despite the spin in the Commission Report
Even the Minority Report by Ruth Coppinger TD, Socialist Party, fails
to call for the formal declaration of a housing emergency by the Dil
Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessnes-Majority Report
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/32housinga

ndhomelessness/Final-Report-.pdf
MINORITY REPORT
http://antiausterityalliance.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/Housing-doc-2.pdf
The Minority Report makes some very good points, particularly
pointing out that the FISCAL TREATY must be broken to enable the
state to invest in housing. But the advocacy of a referendum to
change the constitution on property rights and the right to a home,
however laudable, is not an emergency measure. It is no substitute
for the immediate formal declaration of a national housing
emergency by government to enable legal interference with
property rights in order to implement emergency measures
including a halt to eviction proceedings.
The Majority Report fails to call for breaking of the FISCAL TREATY
in order for the state to build adequate numbers of social houses.
Not alone does it put those facing repossession in the hands of the
Attorney General(a member of the government), Chair Curran(FF)
has explained that the moratorium on evictions would only be a
short term measure for a few months. It would last until
government put in place the governments (inadequate) measures
on debt resolution.
To make things worse, The Fianna Fail Finance Spokesperson,
Deputy Michael McGrath says in the Irish Examiner(18/06/2016)
says that the recommendation to pause repossessions is
unworkable and SOMETIMES KEEPING THE HOUSE IS NOT THE
BEST ANSWER. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr
McGrath said losing the home and starting again may be best for
some people who can no longer afford to remain where they are.
Michael McGrath TD
Independents4Change was represented on the Commission by
Deputies Mick Wallace and Maureen OSullivan. Following the failure
of I4C to support an amendment strengthening the Workers Rights
Bill put down by AAA-PBP, its complete acceptance of the grossly
deficient report is leading to queriess as to where it is headed
politically.
Sinn Fin took the same position as I4C. A piece by Eoin Broin SF
(member of the Commission) in the Irish Independent 18/06/2016
points to no deficiencies in the report and is quite complimentary of
its FF and FG members.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/cowen-detacheddurkan-rambled-but-report-shows-tds-agree-cure-34812099.html
The acceptance of the Fiscal Treaty by Sinn Fin has a particular
significance. The Treaty , in effect,removes the fundamental right of
the government to provide housing for all citizens. How far has Sinn
Fin travelled since Coimhn Caolain TD opposed the Treaty in the
Dil on the grounds that it flies in the face of the 1916
Proclamation in its undermining of Irish sovereignty?

Even after FF through Finance Spokesperson Michael McGrath pulled

the rug on the moratorium on evictions recommendation , Eoin
OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion piece in Sunday Business Post
19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently request
flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal rules for
investment
in tackling the crisisthe strength of the Report lies in the fact that all but one of our 14
members
signed up to the final recommendations.
There is now strong support across the political spectrum for
greater state
involvement in the provision of social housing, the regulation of the
private
rental sector and targeted measures to meet the housing needs of
those most
neglected by past policies
Coming from a professed republican, the request for permission
from the EU to put roofs over the heads of the Irish people is very
strange. The notion of FF, FG who have always favoured the rich,
genuinely working to solve the crisis is at best naive.
Alan Kelly TD (Labour) gave evidence to the Commission on
constitutional obstacles to solving the housing crisis. (The protection
of private property in the constitution is not absolute-it is subject to
right of government to provide for the common good). Kelly was
effectively quoting the Attorney General who continues in the new
government. It is important to note that Brendan Howlin(Labour)
who was also a minister in the outgoing government claimed to
have overcome the constitutional obstacle to confiscating private
property in pensions in the FEMPI ACT by a formal declaration of a
Financial Emergency by Government and the laying of a document
certifying continuation of the Financial Emergency every year.
My conclusion from the evidence of Alan Kelly (below) is that the
outgoing FG-Lab government was not prepared to formally declare
a national housing emergency and to lay the documents before the
Oireachtas. FG-Lab put the rights of property before the common
good. It continued evictions, including evictions by banks it owns.

Evidence to Commission by Alan Kelly (Lab)

TD- former Minister for Housing
Mr Alan Kelly, former Minister, stated that legal
advice on Article 43 had stopped him from introducing
a more powerful vacant site levy, which would have
imposed a fee on developers who refused to build on

unused land. He said that it had also stopped

legislation preventing keeping houses vacant and
laws that would protect tenants from so-called vulture
funds, which invest in undervalued properties and
then profit from selling them: I was not hampered by
political or financial obstacles. I was blocked by the
Constitution. (Advice to Sitting Ministers either comes
directly from the Attorney General or is commissioned
by the Attorney General-PH). Kelly continued: From
the time it is taking to introduce the Vacant Site Levy
in order to tackle land hoarding, to protecting tenants
from eviction in circumstances where their landlord
wishes to sell the property, and many other issues, I
was repeatedly blocked from making provision for
what I believed was the common good by the strength
by which property rights are protected under Article
43 of the Constitution. I believe that we need to
honestly re-examine the balance between the
protected and legitimate property rights of individuals,
as property owners, and the wider needs and common
good of society, including housing needs. As a
society we need to reflect on the desired impact of the
constitution here. I believe that addressing these
issues raises politically and socially important issues
which will have to be debated over the coming years.
Letter To All Members of Oireachtas
Committee on Housing and HomelessnessPaddy Healy Wed 15/06/2016
A Chirde,
I am an activist in a campaign against eviction of homeowners and
tenants in the context of a the national housing emergency as
recently affirmed by Minister Coveney.
Some of those who are having their homes being repossessed are
being evicted by the government which is the owner of a number of
banks including AIB and PTSB
I believe it would be outrageous for any member of the Oireachtas
Committee to agree to the issue of recommendations on housing
and homeless ness which did not call for an immediate halt to all
evictions.
In the case of Banks in majority state ownership no legislation or

constitutional change is required. The government can simply issue

an instruction to the banks it owns. If the bank refuses to comply
the Minister can call a special general meeting of shareholders in
order to put in place directors who will carry out the instructions of
the owners. The Framework Agreement between Government and
Banks is a purely informal, non-legally binding arrangement.
But, of course, all evictions should be banned in this emergency.
This would require emergency legislation which could be completed
in one day.
It would also be important for government to formally
declare a housing emergency and to lay a document before
both houses of the Oireachtas certifying that the emergency
exist. This would prevent landlords and banks blocking the
implementation of the legislation by attempting to invoke
the constitutional protection of private property which is
limited by the necessity to provide for the common good.
I and my allies will hold each member of the Oireachtas Committee
responsible for future evictions who assents to recommendations of
the Committee which do not include the emergency prohibition of all
evictions until the housing and homelessness crisis has been
resolved.
Government is about to lay a document before both houses by June
30 which will certify that a Financial Emergency continues to exist.
This, it believes is necessary in order to protect confiscation of
private property in public service pensions from constitutional
challenge.
Yours sincerely
Paddy Healy
88 Griffith Court, Fairview, Dublin 3
086-4183732
PS I was very disappointed by the decision of the Committee not to
invite The Hub Ireland and Mr Ken Smollen to address you
Your Recommendations will be discussed at a public conference of
anti-eviction activist to be held in Killeshin Hotel Portlaoise before
the end of this month-PH

PRESIDENT HIGGINS TELLS

GOVERNMENT:
IGNORE FISCAL TREATY! BORROW
NOW TO BUILD HOUSES AND TO
INVEST IN HEALTH AND

EDUCATION
Well Done President Higgins!!
He (President Higgins) insists that seeking
access for all to housing, health and education
what he calls values for decent living are
not wild, Bolshevik ideas.
And at a time of low interest rates, there is
opportunity to invest in these services. Better to
spend now when money is cheap, he appears to
suggest, than be overly concerned with sticking
to EU fiscal rules.Paul Melia Irish Independent
17/09/2016
Instead of borrowing the money to build the
houses, Taoiseach ENDA KENNY HAS WRITTEN
TO THE EU SEEKING PERMISSION! IRISH
SOVEREIGNTY-HOW ARE YOU!!!
Seamus Healy TD has repeatedly told the government in the Dil:
STOP THE EVICTIONS: Borrow the money immediately to build the
houses and rescue the homeless! Dont ask the EU. TELL the EU
that the government is doing it, he said.
Italy, Spain, Portugal and other countries are ignoring the Fiscal
Treaty when it suits them. We should do the same!

AS THE BUDGET APPROACHES,

GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE ADVICE OF
PRESIDENT HIGGINS
From Martina Doyle and the HUB-IRELAND
5349118

PHONE NO

01-

A Sheriff has NO AUTHORITY to

take a property
Even a receiver cannot trespass on
your property
If they do, and you are fearful, call the Gardai, and tell them that
you fear for your safety.

Quote Section of the Section 13(1) of 1 of the Criminal Public

Justice Act, and ask the Receiver/trespasser to leave.
If they refuse, they are committing a criminal offence which can
incur hefty fine or a prison sentence.
Stay in your homes. Fight the banks. We will help you. We are FREE

ANOTHER HUGE TAX GIVEAWAY

BY GOVERNMENT AND Michael
Tommy Cooper Noonan
How did the Government shaft
mortgage holders and taxpayers in
one fell swoop?
The State may well have missed out on huge
tax profits through its sale of distressed
home loans

Stephen Donnelly

Sunday Independent Published 10/07/2016 | 02:30

Questions to answer: Finance Minister Michael Noonan the
Government refused to let people bid on their own distressed
mortgages Photo: Tony Gavin
The Irish Government could be complicit in wholesale tax avoidance
by foreign investment firms, which are generating huge profits in
Ireland off the backs of Irish mortgage holders.
Sarah and Dominic (not their real names) live in Kilkenny
with their two children. They bought their home in 2007.
The shop Sarah worked in closed during the recession she
lost her job and they started to fall behind on their mortgage
payments.
Theyre getting back on their feet now, but with lower
wages, theyre struggling to make full payments. Their
mortgage was with Irish Nationwide, which was
nationalised, so it ended up in state ownership, along with
about 13,000 other mortgages.
Two years ago, the Government sold these mortgages at big
discounts, mainly to US investment funds. The Government
refused to let individual mortgage holders bid on their
mortgages. Sarah and Dominics mortgage was bundled with
about 1,400 others and sold to Mars Capital. According to
finance minister Michael Noonan, this was done with funds
managed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Oaktree is a very large US-based distressed-debt firm that

has bought up many of the mortgages sold by the

Government.
Until recently, we didnt know how big the discounts were
that the State was selling peoples mortgages at. Mars
Capitals newly filed 2015 accounts show they paid 42 cent
in the euro.
Sarah and Dominics mortgage was about 350,000, so Mars
Capital got it for about 140,000 an amount the couple
could have afforded. Instead, they still owe the full 350,000
to Mars Capital and face the prospect of eviction.
It gets better (or worse if you are Sarah and Dominic, or an
Irish taxpayer). Mars bought these 1,400 mortgages for
155m. About half of this was financed by a loan from
Citibank, with the remaining 80m being, presumably, the
funds managed by Oaktree Capital. The 2015 accounts of
Mars Capital forecast that this 80m investment will harvest
almost 400m (net of the Citibank loan) in mortgage interest
and principal repayments (so thats the 80m back, plus
almost 320m extra, less administration costs). And this is
just Mars Capitals first estimate. It assumes a level of nonpayment on the mortgages they bought. But as the Irish
economy recovers and payment rates improve, profits could
become much higher.
In May 2014, Ireland was borrowing 10-year money at 2pc.
Mars Capitals accounts show them earning 14pc on their
80m, just taking into account mortgage interest payments,
from the likes of Sarah and Dominic. Why sell an asset
yielding 14pc when your cost of funds is 2pc? The Irish State
could have given every one of those Irish mortgage holders a
60pc discount on their loan and still have made 14pc per
annum in repayments. Wasnt Nama set up to do this?
However, it gets even better (and definitely worse, if you are
an Irish taxpayer). The funds managed by Oaktree Capital
Management seem to be accounted for in Mars Capital as
notes.
Essentially, the 80m was loaned to Mars Capital, and Mars
must pay it back, plus interest. The interest on these notes is
set at 10pc + variable residual.
In other words, the interest payable on the 80m can be
hiked to soak up any, and all, profit Mars Capital makes.
The accounts of Mars Capital clarify that these notes will
suck nearly all of the profits (interest and capital) from the
company in excess of the Citibank loan. The 2015 accounts
claim exactly 1,000 as taxable profit, while paying millions
in interest on the notes.
This tax-management structure is similar to what is used by
some multinationals based in Ireland. Often, such notes are

registered in an offshore zero-tax location such as the

Cayman Islands, where their note interest payments are
made and accumulate tax-free, and get lent back to the
parent as needed. As such, the profits are taxed neither in
Ireland, nor in the US.
Irish accounting and legal firms provide the expertise to the
multinationals to help them minimise their tax obligations.
So what? Sure arent they providing jobs here? Well yes,
they are.
But if that same expertise is now being used to help foreign
investment firms suck huge profits out of Ireland without
paying tax on them, then were all worse off.
We dont know where are the loan notes of Mars Capital
located. We do know, from Oaktrees US SEC annual filings,
that many of their funds linked with European distressed
debt (ie Sarah and Dominics mortgage), are listed in the
Cayman Islands.
So, if the Mars Capital notes happen to have been issued by
an Oaktree Capital fund located in the Caymans (and we
have no evidence that they are), and if the interest on the
notes is adjusted in a way that leaves Mars Capital with very
little taxable profit (say the 1,000 filed for 2015), then not
only will the State have missed the opportunity to retain
hundreds of millions of euro of value (and maybe spare
Sarah and Dominics family the threat of eviction), it would
also be the case that none of the profits will be taxed in
Ireland.
To be clear tax avoidance is, by definition, legal (as
opposed to tax evasion, which is illegal). There is no
suggestion that Mars Capital, or Oaktree Capital, have done,
or are doing, anything illegal. They are clever investors who
saw an opportunity and took it if they are structuring their
investments to minimise tax obligations, then they are acting
rationally. The Irish Government, however, is not.
If very little tax ends up being paid in Ireland on the Mars
Capital deal, the tax leakage could reach well over 50m.
And this is a very small deal in the scheme of things if
other investment firms have structured their affairs to avoid
paying taxes here, the total missed tax take will be in the
hundreds of millions, conservatively.
Why did the Government not seek assurances from all
foreign bidders that their structures would ensure they pay
fair Irish tax on their Irish-generated profits? If some
bidders organised themselves to move their profits offshore,
did the Irish Government know? Did the investment firms
seeks assurances from the Government that any proposed
off-shoring of profits would be acceptable? Just how

complicit is the Government in what could be large-scale tax

avoidance on profits earned off the backs of ordinary
families trying to recover from the collapse?
Best little country to do business in? I doubt Sarah and
Dominic would agree. Neither would those using our
underfunded public services and infrastructure.

RENT OF HOUSES ROCKETTING

FISCAL TREATY RESTRICTIONS ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND
BORROWING IS THE CAUSE
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has written a letter to EU seeking permission
to borrow money to house our people!!!

THe IRISH PEOPLE must establish ITS OWN

SOVEREIGNTY
A 32-county assembly wielding Peoples Power
is The Answer
At the end of 2015, there were 139,359 or almost 140,000 people
on local authority waiting lists for housing. This is because virtually
no local authority houses have been built for years. Now due to the
restrictions of the FISCAL TREATY, Ireland is not allowed to borrow
money to build social houses. This is despite the fact that
governments can now borrow money ay rock bottom rates. Enda
has written a letter to EU seeking permission to borrow money to
house our people. Irish People have been reduced by FF,Fg,Lab,
Greens to the staus of beggars.
Now over 140,000 people have to seek private rented accomodation
to get a dwelling place!
Thousands of distressed mortgage holders are being driven from
their homes each year. They too must seek rented accomodation.
Massive and growing demand-No additional supply!!!This is driving
the cost of rented accomodation through the roof. The crisis is
rendered even more acute when third level colleges re-open.
The only answer is for The Irish People to establish its own
sovereignty

Stay in your homes-HELP IS FREE!

FROM Martina DOYLE THE HUB-IRELAND ON
Facebook
PHONE NO

01-5349118

#thehubirelandrepealtheevictionbill

Dont suffer in silence.

There is help in hand.
It is FREE.
Stay in your homes.
If anybody tries to charge in our name, they
are scamming you.
Get a receipt
Please share as you never know who might
need our help.
Thank you.
Seamus Healy TD Supports the Call by THE
HUB-IRELAND to Repeal the Land and
Conveyancing Act, 2013
Seamus voted against The Land And
Conveyancing Act (2013)
Seamus Healy repeatedly Called for a Halt to
Evictions and the Declaration of a Housing
Emergencyin the Dil
Irish Times:Minister Noonan Replies to
Seamus Healy on Evictions
Minister says no political interference in bank
decision, but progress being made

Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016

Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its very
hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I
appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home repossessions
reasonably well, according to Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being repossessed
is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people. I
appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate the concerns
and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled reasonably well
by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who
asked Mr Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and its
subsidiary EBS as well as the majority shareholder

in Permanent TSB, to call a meeting of the boards of the

banks and to instruct them not to repossess family homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that
then sack those members. You have the power to do that as
majority shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country, irrespective
of what you say Minister, facing homelessness by these
banks, of which the Government is a majority shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed by the
Governments predecessors in office that the political side will not
interfere in commercial decisions and they did not want to politicise
the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were looking for a
loan and your first port of call had to be your local TD rather than
the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court order and
that is not the 10s of thousands of houses thats sometimes recited
on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed that in the
third quarter of 2015 (July, August and September) legal
proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases of private mortgages.
There were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding and the court granted a repossession
order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by lenders
during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and since the
changes were made by the Minister for Justice and that the money
and Budgeting Advice Service are assisting people before the courts
that will diminish even further, Mr Noonan added.
Government Evicts Families-Statement by Seamus Healy
TD
Jan 18 2016
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael Noonan to
order the banks he owns to withdraw repossession proceedings in
light of the extreme housing emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government has given
the green light to the banks they own, to continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences were
granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the first 3 quarters
of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also house families were also
repossessed. Banks are now seeking a further 97 repossession

orders for dwellings in Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB,

EBS and Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being reasonably
handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting the situation, Mr
Noonan quoted the 208 orders for repossessions for the whole
country for Quarter 3,2015 as representative of the scale of the
problem. COURTS ONLY SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN
QUARTER 3!! The Court Service Figures for the whole country for
Quarters 1 and 2 are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!

Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State

Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a Housing
Emergency Declared and all repossession applications
withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw the
repossession applications by the banks he owns.
Land and Conveyancing Act 2013
Second Stage
T
Richard Bruton
Joan Burton
Ray Butler
Jerry Buttimer
Catherine Byrne
Eric Byrne
Ciarn Cannon
Joe Carey
Paudie Coffey
Michael Conaghan
Sen Conlan
Paul Connaughton
Ciara Conway
Ciara Conway
Michael Creed
Jim Daly
John Deasy
Jimmy Deenihan
Pat Deering
Robert Dowds
Bernard Durkan
Damien English
Alan Farrell
Frank Feighan
Peter Fitzpatrick

Charles Flanagan
Terence Flanagan
Eamon Gilmore
Brendan Griffin
Dominic Hannigan
Noel Harrington
Martin Heydon
Phil Hogan
Brendan Howlin
Heather Humphreys
Kevin Humphreys
Derek Keating
Paul Kehoe
Alan Kelly
Sen Kenny
Sen Kyne
Anthony Lawlor
Ciarn Lynch
Michael McCarthy
Helen McEntee
Nicky McFadden
Dinny McGinley
Tony McLoughlin
Michael McNamara
Eamonn Maloney
Peter Mathews
Olivia Mitchell
Mary Mitchell OConnor
Michelle Mulherin
Dara Murphy
Eoghan Murphy
Gerald Nash
Dan Neville
Derek Nolan
Aodhn Rordin
John OMahony
Joe OReilly
Jan OSullivan
Ann Phelan
John Paul Phelan
Pat Rabbitte
Michael Ring
Brendan Ryan
Alan Shatter
Emmet Stagg
David Stanton
Joanna Tuffy

Liam Twomey
Jack Wall
Brian Walsh
Nl
Richard Boyd Barrett
Tommy Broughan
John Browne
Joan Collins
Niall Collins
Barry Cowen
Sen Crowe
Clare Daly
Pearse Doherty
Stephen Donnelly
Timmy Dooley
Dessie Ellis
Martin Ferris
Luke Flanagan
Tom Fleming
John Halligan
Samus Healy
Michael Healy-Rae
Joe Higgins
Billy Kelleher
Michael Lowry
Pdraig MacLochlainn
Charlie McConalogue
Mary Lou McDonald
Finian McGrath
Mattie McGrath
Sandra McLellan
Michel Martin
Catherine Murphy
Denis Naughten
Patrick Nulty
Caoimhghn Caolin
amon Cuv
Sen Fearghal
Aengus Snodaigh
Jonathan OBrien
Willie ODea
Thomas Pringle
Shane Ross
Risn Shortall
Brendan Smith
Peadar Tibn
Robert Troy

Mick Wallace
Question declared carried.
Voting was also as above on the Report and Final Stage of the Land
and Conveyancing Bill (2013)

3,041 families up for eviction in court in

this month of July
A grand total of 3,041 families up for eviction in
court this month of July. Ignoring the mortgage
arrears crisis is fueling homelessness at a horrifying
scale. I am tired contacting all the people who are
paid to care. What else can we do?Martina Doyle,
The Hub-Ireland
Limerick 146 and 5.

Dundalk 55 and 52.

Tullamore 19 and 71.
Waterford 34 and 18 and 20 and 70 .
Dublin 57 and 4 and 4 and 55 and 1 and 50 and 59 and 5 and 10 and 2 and 5 and 5
and 8 and 57 and 62 and 2.
Cork 72 and 98 and 32 and 87 and 20 and 5 and 59.
Monaghan 102.
Trim 75 and 80 and 76.
Carrick on Shannon 35.
Bray 125.
Castlebar 78.
Portlaoise 40 and 32.
Naas 9 and 71 and 101 and 16.
Letterkenny 89.
Cavan 39 and 100.
Wexford 43 and 60.
Kilkenny 33 and 40.
Sligo 30.
Roscommon 75.
Ennis 84.
Clonmel 46.
Nenagh 58.
Carlow 41.
Tralee 64.
A grand total of 3,041 families up for eviction, one month = July.

John McManus Business Editor

Irish Times: 23/07/2016
Housing plan looks very like a
bailout for big builders
Its not that the Government cant bring
down house prices, more that they dont
want to
Irish Times Sunday, July 24, 2016, 11:18
When it comes to sorting out the housing crisis, the Government
really has two choices. They can try to bring down the price of
houses to a level people can afford or they can help people buy
houses at their current unaffordable prices.
Affordability is hard to define but for Irish purposes it equates to the
limit put by the Central Bank on how much a bank can lend you,
which is 3 times your gross income. For two people on the
average wage, this is about 245,000. This is not a million miles
away from the average house price in most places other than south
Dublin, but if you are a single-income or low-income family, you are
not buying a house any time soon.
The Government would argue they have done a bit of both with the
action plan for housing and homelessness published this week, but
the true picture will not be clearer until the details of the measures
to help first-time buyers and house builders are unveiled at budget
time. Of the two options, bringing down house prices is by far the
hardest one. Assuming you could actually come up with a way of
doing it that did not borrow from the Khmer Rouge handbook, it
would still be deeply, deeply unpopular.
The losers would include pretty much everybody who has a house.
People would see their positive equity eroded or their negative
equity increased. The precarious buy-to-let sector would be
decimated. Builders and developers would be ruined and the banks
would be bust once again.
Strange though it may seem, a policy that underpins high house
prices is the rational political choice in a representative democracy.
Consequently, you should not expect the measures announced this
week to bring down the price of houses to any significant degree. If
you are in any doubt, you should know that one of the bigger
developers, Cairn Homes, has welcomed the plan. Turkeys dont
vote for certain Christian winter festivals.

Downward pressure

Its not that the Government couldnt bring down the price of
houses. The main levers at their disposal are social housing and
rent controls. These are viable long- term solutions to home
ownership and if they are provided in sufficient quantities at the
right price, they exert downward pressure on prices.
But the targets for social housing set out in the plan will not put a
tooth in the problem. The plan calls for the construction of 125,000
houses by 2021, of which only one in five or fewer will be social
housing built by the Government.
The rest will presumably be provided by the private sector, and we
can take it as read that they dont plan selling these houses for any
less than they are selling them at the moment . They argue they
are not even making money at current prices.
If prices are not coming down and wages are not going up and the
Central Bank wont let banks lend people more than they can afford,
you get the sort of stalemate that prevails in the Irish market. The
Government, to its credit, is trying to solve the problem by
providing a limited amount of cheap housing but the bulk of its
effort seems to be going into subsidising the building industry either
directly or indirectly.
The measures to be announced in the budget in October are
expected to include a 10,000 package for first-time buyers and
other measures to increase the profitability of house-building. At
best, this will allow more people to buy houses at current prices and
also allow more builders to build profitably at current prices. At
worst, it will trigger a jump in prices.
No costing has been put on this part of the plan but if, for
arguments sake, you assumed that half of the buyers of the
100,000 houses that will be built by the private sector got the
money, it would be 500 million over five years.
It represents a massive subsidy for an industry that is
fundamentally uncompetitive because it has overpaid for land and is
now sitting on sites, refusing to develop and playing chicken with
the Government. Those who worship market forces would argue
these builders should all be made go bust and the price of land
should drop, allowing profitable house-building by new entrants. In
a socialist version of this fantasy, the State would then spend 500
million building 200,000 council houses.
It doesnt really matter because neither of these things are going to
happen. It may not be the Governments intention but the housing
plan looks like a massive State bailout for an industry that is being
protected from the consequences of its mistakes. Sound familiar?
2016 irishtimes.com

Eviction Proceedings-No Pause in

Government Action Plan On

Housing and Homelessness
FALSE PROMISE TO FIRST TIME BUYERS!
Bonanza for Developers!

Now we Know why the Oireachtas Committee

refused to invite Ken Smollen and THE HUBIRELAND to address it!
Plan is just a pre-election gimmick

The Oireachtas Committee recommended that there be a pause in

eviction proceedings until new debt resolution procedures were in
place

Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the Government

should introduce legislation for a moratorium on home
repossessions until such time as the Governments proposals
are in place.

Surprise! Surprise! There is no halt to evictions (even on a

temporary basis) in Coveneys plan. Unfortunately Sinn Fin and
Independents 4 Change(Mick Wallace, Maureen OSullivan) went
along with this easily rejected recommendation. (The same attorney
general had advised Alan Kelly against it)
But now government promises to introduce more favourable
resolution procedures for distressed mortgages have been seriously
watered down
The number of people presenting as homeless has doubled in the
last 12 moths
Opposition members of the Oireachtas Committee say the Coveney
Plan for building social houses contains half the investment
recommended by the committee.
The EU have been resisting informal government requests to allow
money to be borrowed by Ireland to build social houses despite the
restrictions of the Fiscal Treaty for months..
NOW Taoiseach Kenny is going to WRITE A LETTER to the EU asking
that Ireland be allowed to borrow money to house Irish people?
(Decisive action that!!!)-Irish sovereignty how are you?
Eoin OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion piece in Sunday Business Post
19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently request
flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal rules for
investment
in tackling the crisisThe Committee should, of course. have recommended that the

government TELL THE EU THAT IRELAND WOULD BE BORROWING

THE MONEY TO HOUSE IRISH PEOPLE IN THIS EMERGENCY, as
advocated by Seamus HealY TD.
Instead Sinn Fin and Independents 4 Change joined FF and FG in
a shamefully compliant recommendation in the frame work of the
Fiscal Treaty
BONANZA FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS-FALSE PROMISE TO FIRST
TIME BUYERS
Before any extra houses are built, financial supports will be given to
first time buyers in the budget next October (and backdated to today) to help them to purchase houses! But there will be no freeze
on house prices! In the context of miniscule supply this cannot fail
to raise the price of houses. This will be of no benefit to first time
buyers but will provide a bonanza for developers. Others moving
jobs will also have to pay the higher prices!
Developers will also be given publicly owned land at cheap leasing
rates on which to build private houses.
IRISH HOUSING NETWORK-In effect, it looks like this will mean
leasing public land to private developers who will decide whats
affordable. Without secure rent controls and more public housing
this will leave people as vulnerable as they are now, with evictions
and rent hikes commonplace as the markets decide peoples future
for them. This hasnt worked before and it wont work now.
According to Minister Coveney these measures willfix the housing
market!

NO Housing Emergency Formally Declared

Despite verbal recognition of a national housing emergency by
Minister Coveney earlier this year, no formal declaration of a
housing emergency will be laid before the Oireachtas.
Such a declaration would enable the public good to out-weigh the
right to private property in accordance with the Irish Constitution.
Former Minister Howlin explained to the Dil that annual
certification of a financial emergency was necessary to enable
continued confiscation of private property in pensions. Minister
Donoghue has done this recently
The absence of such a formal declaration could enable banks an
landlords to continue evictions even if the government ordered a
pause.
Also, it is at least possible that private owners (including vulture
funds) will be able to block even some of the inadequate
improvements contained in the Action Plan.
My DIT colleage, Dr Lorcan Sirr ( Faculty of the Built Environment)
has pointed out that thousands of dwelling houses are becoming
obsolescent each year, thus reducing the number of houses
available for habitation. Government or local authorities are unable
to intervene unless the building becomes a physical danger to the
public. No account is taken of these obsolescences in the

government targets for housing provision.

The absence of the formal declaration of a housing emergency
enables the owners to resist any interference with their private
property no matter how outrageous their disregard for the common
good!

Misleading Government Spin

People Laughed at Richard Bruton when he said he would create
100,000 jobs but he did it. Simon Coveney will drive the housing
plan in the same way-Brian Hayes MEP(FG) on Today with Sean
ORourke(RTE) 22/07/2016
In fact the government were cutting public service jobs while jobs
increased in private sector. These private sector jobs were created
despite the government austerity policy due to favourable external
circumstances-weak euro, cheap oil, strong demand for multinational exports produced in Ireland. These circumstances are
already changing rapidly and a new world recession will completely
reverse them.
But government politicians never !miss an opportunity to reinforce a
misleading story!
CONCLUSION
Like many previous Plans and Reports this ACTION PLAN is bound to
fail
I believe that the government ACTION PLAN is a combination of a
pre-election gimmick and a bonanza for private developers.

FINAL WARNING TO
GOVERNMENT-HALT EVICTION
PROCEEDINGS NOW!
-KEN SMOLLEN

Next Saturday 25th June, the Standing Together meeting at 1.30

pm in The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise can see real progress being
made in our fight against the bailed out banks and the vulture funds
who have engaged in a hidden onslaught on thousands of decent,
hardworking citizens in our country and their families. There can be
no doubt that in years to come there will be an inquiry into how and
why 3 successive Governments not only allowed the terrorising of
so many of their own people but actually gave this great injustice
their full support. Such an inquiry will undoubtedly lead to proper
justice being meted out to those directly responsible and also to
anyone who helped facilitate this wrong doing!
For real progress to be made it is imperative that all genuine
people, groups, political parties and other determined organisations
must work together. Any division in this very justified campaign will

not only please the very many uncaring TDs in Leinster House; it
will also lead to failure to achieve our ultimate aim. That aim should
be to achieve fairness for our people and a fair and sustainable
solution to the mortgage distress crisis where families should no
longer have to go without some of the basic necessities of life in
order to keep a roof over their heads!
There can be no doubt that many of the people who will attend on
Saturday will be living through this ongoing nightmare every day.
Others attending will simply be aware of the crisis and see the
urgent necessity for a resolution to be found. We can also be
reasonably certain that a number of politicians will also attend, with
most if not all of them being fully supportive of our unified
campaign.
It is for that reason that I urge anyone who intends to be there on
Saturday NOT to bring banners of any kind, and NOT to bring coffins
or coffin lids with slogans written on them. This is NOT a protest
meeting. IT IS a meeting where we must give the Government a
final warning or an ultimatum that they must force the banks who
operate within this jurisdiction to find a fair and sustainable solution
for all mortgage holders, and while that solution is being sought,
that ALL Eviction proceedings in the courts throughout Ireland be
halted. We cannot afford to give them or any of the media who will
be present reason to see us as just a group of disorganised
protesters. We MUST be seen as reasonable people demanding a
reasonable resolution to a hidden and growing humanitarian crisis
that affects probably well over ONE MILLION people in our country!
I have requested that the reporter and camera crew from RTE not
to film or show the faces of anyone in attendance unless they do so
with the full permission of anyone concerned. They have agreed to
this and before any filming or photo is taken of the attendance that
it is done from the back of the room with a warning beforehand.
This is to ensure that we protect the identities of everyone in
attendance. I would therefore ask that anyone who intends to take
photographs or film the proceedings to please adhere to the same
principle as we must not cause distress of any kind to anyone in
attendance.
It is highly likely that the uncaring TDs in Government will call our
bluff as many of them will be of the opinion that there is very little
we can do if they fail to take the necessary and appropriate action
in forcing the banks to engage fairly with their customers and if
they also fail to ensure that there is a moratorium on the Eviction
proceedings in the courts.
This is where I am of the opinion that their thinking is very flawed. I
have no doubt that a properly organised group of people can have a
huge effect on the workings of the courts, solicitors, MABS, the
Personal Insolvency Service and other such Government backed
organisations and all without the need for protest of any kind.

I have discussed such a plan with a handful of people and it will be

openly discussed at Saturdays meeting. I feel that its better that it
not be revealed until then for the simple reason that we dont want
to show our hand before we need to. It will be simple to implement,
does not involve protests, but will require a minimum of about 10
dedicated people in each county that takes part. I believe that
together we can achieve great success by working closely with
people who genuinely want a resolution to this desperate crisis.
On Saturday if we decide to implement this plan, it should be
enough to cause a huge ripple effect that will cause major problems
for the cosy cartel who obviously feel that they will always have the
upper hand. The more people there are per county will result in our
aim in those counties being achieved in a shorter period of time.
Even though Saturdays meeting begins at 1.30pm, I and a number
of other people will be in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise from
11.30am. Its not for me to decide who the seriously committed
people are who will lead the way. That decision must be made by
each individual themselves.
We must have a proper plan in place in order to succeed. As the
saying goes, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!
Finally, thanks everyone for your continued support. I hope to meet
as many of you as possible before the meeting and Im looking
forward to meeting everyone else at the meeting which must
commence at 1.30pm sharp.
Ken

INVITATION TO TDs AND SENATORS-KEN

SMOLLEN

Dear Member of the Oireachtas,

I would like to personally invite you to our third meeting in The
Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on Saturday 25th June at 1.30pm
concerning the desperately hidden mortgage distress crisis and the
associated Courts repossession hearings crisis that currently exists
in Ireland.
Unfortunately the number of people taking their own lives as a
result of this hidden crisis continues to grow every day. The vast
majority of these deaths go unreported, meaning that the problem
remains a very hidden and personal one for thousands of people in
Ireland.
This is our 3rd such meeting and again all TDs, Senators and MEPs
are being invited to attend. We appreciate the fact that a number
of TDs and County Councillors attended the two previous
meetings. At the last meeting it was unanimously agreed that all
TDs should again be invited to attend on Saturday 25 th June.
Your personal attendance at the meeting in Portlaoise would be very
much appreciated, when this extremely hidden crisis must be
openly discussed and REAL solutions found.

Since retiring from An Garda Siochana in 2012, I have been

highlighting the mortgage distress/eviction crisis and working
closely with many families in distress for the last few years. It has
been suggested by the many groups who volunteer their help and
support to families in mortgage distress, that its possible there
could be as many as 10 people or even more taking their own lives
every single week.
I have attended many repossession courts throughout the country
to offer my support to the families who are being summoned to the
courts by the banks and many people have told me their own
harrowing stories of hardship and desperation. One case involved a
family who were advised to go into bankruptcy. They raised the
4,000 required for the process by selling the cooker and all of their
furniture. They then removed the radiators from the walls and sold
them. The family, including their 14 year old daughter are now
living in a car in a secluded place close to Tullamore.
It is very clear that the Personal Insolvency arrangement and
services such as MABS are not the solution and are very far from
resolving this crisis. This has led to a number of voluntary groups
coming together in an attempt to offer genuine help to thousands of
people who simply have nowhere else to go.
The meeting in Portlaoise is not a protest meeting. It will be
attended by many families who find themselves in this desperate
situation and by others who are naturally concerned by the
continuing assault on thousands of families by financial institutions.
We are attempting to find possible solutions to the crisis and your
attendance at The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on Saturday 25th June
at 1.30pm would be very much appreciated.
Kind Regards, Ken Smollen, 085 143 2898

FG, FF, Lab, Ind. Alliance and,

Unbelievably, Independents for
Change and Sinn Fin put those
facing Repossession in the Hands
of The Attorney General who
previously advised that any
significant interference with the
private property of Banks and/or

landlords was a violation of

Constitution!!! In addition the
recommended moratorium on
evictions is only for a few
months!!!!!
(see Evidence of Alan Kelly to the Commission on Constitutional
Obstacles to Solving The Housing Crisis Below)

Recommendation on Evictions
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the Government
should introduce legislation for a moratorium on home
repossessions until such time as the Governments proposals
are in place.

Commission Fails to recommend a formal declaration of a housing

emergency by Government!!!!! This will enable banks an landlords
to continue evictions despite the spin in the Commission Report
Even the Minority Report by Ruth Coppinger TD, Socialist Party, fails
to call for the formal declaration of a housing emergency by the Dil
MINORITY REPORT
http://antiausterityalliance.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/Housing-doc-2.pdf
The Minority Report makes some very good points, particularly
pointing out that the FISCAL TREATY must be broken to enable the
state to invest in housing. But the advocacy of a referendum to
change the constitution on property rights and the right to a home,
however laudable, is not an emergency measure. It is no substitute
for the immediate formal declaration of a national housing
emergency by government to enable legal interference with
property rights in order to implement emergency measures
including a halt to eviction proceedings.
The Majority Report fails to call for breaking of the FISCAL TREATY
in order for the state to build adequate numbers of social houses.
Not alone does it put those facing repossession in the hands of the
Attorney General(a member of the government), Chair Curran(FF)
has explained that the moratorium on evictions would only be a
short term measure for a few months. It would last until
government put in place the governments (inadequate) measures
on debt resolution.
To make things worse, The Fianna Fail Finance Spokesperson,
Deputy Michael McGrath says in the Irish Examiner(18/06/2016)
says that the recommendation to pause repossessions is
unworkable and SOMETIMES KEEPING THE HOUSE IS NOT THE

BEST ANSWER. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr

McGrath said losing the home and starting again may be best for
some people who can no longer afford to remain where they are.
Michael McGrath TD

Independents4Change was represented on the Commission by

Deputies Mick Wallace and Maureen OSullivan. Following the failure
of I4C to support an amendment strengthening the Workers Rights
Bill put down by AAA-PBP, its complete acceptance of the grossly
deficient report is leading to queriess as to where it is headed
politically.
Sinn Fin took the same position as I4C. A piece by Eoin Broin SF
(member of the Commission) in the Irish Independent 18/06/2016
points to no deficiencies in the report and is quite complimentary of
its FF and FG members.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/cowen-detacheddurkan-rambled-but-report-shows-tds-agree-cure-34812099.html
The acceptance of the Fiscal Treaty by Sinn Fin has a particular
significance. The Treaty , in effect,removes the fundamental right of
the government to provide housing for all citizens. How far has Sinn
Fin travelled since Coimhn Caolain TD opposed the Treaty in the
Dil on the grounds that it flies in the face of the 1916
Proclamation in its undermining of Irish sovereignty?
Even after FF through Finance Spokesperson Michael McGrath pulled
the rug on the moratorium on evictions recommendation , Eoin
OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion piece in Sunday Business Post
19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently request
flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal rules for
investment
in tackling the crisisthe strength of the Report lies in the fact that all but one of our 14
members
signed up to the final recommendations.
There is now strong support across the political spectrum for
greater state
involvement in the provision of social housing, the regulation of the
private
rental sector and targeted measures to meet the housing needs of
those most
neglected by past policies
Coming from a professed republican, the request for permission
from the EU to put roofs over the heads of the Irish people is very
strange. The notion of FF, FG who have always favoured the rich,
genuinely working to solve the crisis is at best naive.
Alan Kelly TD (Labour) gave evidence to the Commission on
constitutional obstacles to solving the housing crisis. (The protection

of private property in the constitution is not absolute-it is subject to

right of government to provide for the common good). Kelly was
effectively quoting the Attorney General who continues in the new
government. It is important to note that Brendan Howlin(Labour)
who was also a minister in the outgoing government claimed to
have overcome the constitutional obstacle to confiscating private
property in pensions in the FEMPI ACT by a formal declaration of a
Financial Emergency by Government and the laying of a document
certifying continuation of the Financial Emergency every year.
My conclusion from the evidence of Alan Kelly (below) is that the
outgoing FG-Lab government was not prepared to formally declare
a national housing emergency and to lay the documents before the
Oireachtas. FG-Lab put the rights of property before the common
good. It continued evictions, including evictions by banks it owns.

Evidence to Commission by Alan Kelly (Lab)

TD- former Minister for Housing
Mr Alan Kelly, former Minister, stated that legal
advice on Article 43 had stopped him from introducing
a more powerful vacant site levy, which would have
imposed a fee on developers who refused to build on
unused land. He said that it had also stopped
legislation preventing keeping houses vacant and
laws that would protect tenants from so-called vulture
funds, which invest in undervalued properties and
then profit from selling them: I was not hampered by
political or financial obstacles. I was blocked by the
Constitution. (Advice to Sitting Ministers either comes
directly from the Attorney General or is commissioned
by the Attorney General-PH). Kelly continued: From
the time it is taking to introduce the Vacant Site Levy
in order to tackle land hoarding, to protecting tenants
from eviction in circumstances where their landlord
wishes to sell the property, and many other issues, I
was repeatedly blocked from making provision for
what I believed was the common good by the strength
by which property rights are protected under Article
43 of the Constitution. I believe that we need to
honestly re-examine the balance between the
protected and legitimate property rights of individuals,
as property owners, and the wider needs and common

good of society, including housing needs. As a

society we need to reflect on the desired impact of the
constitution here. I believe that addressing these
issues raises politically and socially important issues
which will have to be debated over the coming years.
Letter To All Members of Oireachtas
Committee on Housing and HomelessnessPaddy Healy Wed 15/06/2016

A Chirde,
I am an activist in a campaign against eviction of homeowners and
tenants in the context of a the national housing emergency as
recently affirmed by Minister Coveney.
Some of those who are having their homes being repossessed are
being evicted by the government which is the owner of a number of
banks including AIB and PTSB
I believe it would be outrageous for any member of the Oireachtas
Committee to agree to the issue of recommendations on housing
and homeless ness which did not call for an immediate halt to all
evictions.
In the case of Banks in majority state ownership no legislation or
constitutional change is required. The government can simply issue
an instruction to the banks it owns. If the bank refuses to comply
the Minister can call a special general meeting of shareholders in
order to put in place directors who will carry out the instructions of
the owners. The Framework Agreement between Government and
Banks is a purely informal, non-legally binding arrangement.
But, of course, all evictions should be banned in this emergency.
This would require emergency legislation which could be completed
in one day.
It would also be important for government to formally
declare a housing emergency and to lay a document before
both houses of the Oireachtas certifying that the emergency
exist. This would prevent landlords and banks blocking the
implementation of the legislation by attempting to invoke
the constitutional protection of private property which is
limited by the necessity to provide for the common good.
I and my allies will hold each member of the Oireachtas Committee
responsible for future evictions who assents to recommendations of
the Committee which do not include the emergency prohibition of all
evictions until the housing and homelessness crisis has been
resolved.
Government is about to lay a document before both houses by June
30 which will certify that a Financial Emergency continues to exist.
This, it believes is necessary in order to protect confiscation of
private property in public service pensions from constitutional

challenge.
Yours sincerely
Paddy Healy
88 Griffith Court, Fairview, Dublin 3
086-4183732
PS I was very disappointed by the decision of the Committee not to
invite The Hub Ireland and Mr Ken Smollen to address you
Your Recommendations will be discussed at a public conference of
anti-eviction activist to be held in Killeshin Hotel Portlaoise before
the end of this month-PH

PQ REPLY YESTERDAY TO SEAMUS HEALY TDNOONAN REFUSES TO HALT EVICTION

PROCEEDINGS BY BANKS HE OWNS DESPITE
NATIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY
ANNOUNCED BY MINISTER COVENEY

ONLY 301 Home Loans Repossessed Last Year By AIB,

PTSB-MICHAEL NOONAN
Repossessions of Home Loans are not frequent amounting to 183
and 118 for AIB and Permanent TSB respectively in 2015-Minister
Noonan
Just as he did in a previous reply on in Jan 2016(Dail Record further
Down), Minister Noonan seeks to minimise the horror facing families
by misrepresentation and omission of key information.
The 301 repossessions of family homes are 301 too many. These
are the 301 cases in which the state owned Banks Only were
granted repossession orders. (See I.T., KITTY HOLLAND further
down)
Noonan omits the no of repossession cases taken by the state
owned banks. Most of these never reach the stage of the issuance
of a repossession order. People are too terrified to appear in court,
of the publicity in small communities, the stress on young children
at school etc. it is common to surrender the house and to go to live
with relations in often overcrowded conditions. Some have
committed suicide due to the extreme stress of the threat of
repossession.
Mr Noonan says he has no role in the matter of repossessions by
AIB, PTSB, EBS. He cites the Framework Agreement with Banks.
This Agreement has no statutory force. Mr Noonan adheres to the
Agreement in order to wash his hands. Mr Noonan does have a role
in evictions. As owner of these Banks on behalf of the State, he
knowingly permits repossession cases to be taken though he can
forbid this.
Please recommend that all repossession proceedings affecting
dwelling houses, owned or rented, be halted immediately
Paddy Healy

PQ as originally Submitted
To ask the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD,
if, in view of the statement by Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney
TD that there is a NATIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY,
he will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB, which are in majority State
ownership, desist from seeking repossession of family homes
through the Courts and withdraw all such existing applications
before the Courts and
if these bodies refuse to comply, will he call a special general
meeting of shareholders and use his majority share-holding to
dismiss and replace directors refusing to comply with his instruction
and
if he will make a statement on the matter ?
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
QUESTION NO: 175
DIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Finance (Deputy
Michael Noonan)
by Deputy Seamus Healy
for WRITTEN ANSWER on 14/06/2016
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will insist that a bank and its
subsidiary (details supplied) which are in majority State ownership
desist from seeking repossession of family homes through the
Courts and withdraw all such existing applications before the
Courts; in the event of the bank and its subsidiary refusing to
comply, if he will call a special general meeting of shareholders and
use his majority share holding to dismiss and replace the directors
who refuse to comply with his instruction
REPLY.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have no role in the day-to-day
running of the banks in which the State is a shareholder. These
institutions are run on an independent and commercial basis and
the details of the formal relationship between my Department and
these institutions are set out in the respective Relationship
Framework Agreements, which can be found via the following links.
AIB: http://finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Allied-Irish-Banks1.pdf
PTSB: http://finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Relationship
%20Frameworks%20for%20the%20Irish%20Banks%20Irish
%20Life%20and%20Permanent.pdf
In relation to the individual institutions referred to in details
supplied Permanent TSB, Allied Irish Banks and its subsidiary EBS:
AIB and Permanent TSB have informed me that they prioritise
keeping customers in their homes. Repossession is a last resort.
Repossessions of Home Loans are not frequent amounting to 183
and 118 for AIB and Permanent TSB respectively in 2015. In
comparison AIB and Permanent tsb have entered formal
forebearance measures in respect of 29,514 and 28,532 Home

Loans respectively at December 2015.

While there are some differences between the banks referred to,
their processes are similar. In cases where customers do not
meaningfully engage or do not engage at all with the bank, reject
the offer of a sustainable mortgage restructuring solution or do not
prioritise their mortgage payment, both banks are likely to pursue
enforcement through the court process. Its important to note that
the initiation of legal proceedings does not necessarily result in
repossession and both banks seek to engage constructively with
borrowers at all times. Both banks offer a wide range of solutions
and operates multiple engagement channels that facilitate the
maximum possible levels of engagement with customers in
difficulty.
Within the Programme for Government there are several policy
proposals detailed which are being worked on at present. The
objective of these proposals is to accelerate the restructuring of
mortgage arrears cases and keep families in their homes in so far
as possible.

Irish Times Report and Full Dail Record of

Noonan Reply to Seamus Healy TDs Call to
STOP REPOSSESSIONS Further Down

REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy

SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!
State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are seeking
repossession of homes by court order throughout the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance Michael
Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures from a
Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter 3(July, August,
September) 207 properties were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are being
repossessed is just not correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is nothing
technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he attempts to minimise
the awful trauma for 207 families which are losing their homes. A
key tactic of the spinner to deceive is the omission of key
information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1 month
only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and September.
Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the month of July only!
The full information provided by the Courts Service and reported by
Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November is: Of

the 1,088 court orders for repossession made in the three quarters
of 2015 up to September 30, 758 were for primary homes, 131
were for buy-to-lets and 199 were for other dwellings. -Irish
Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1
314, Q2 586, Q3 188
There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to June
period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks the figure for
Q3 which he then implies is typical though it contains one
month( July) figures only! The reason the Central Bank figure for
Q3 (207) is slightly above the Courts Service figure (188) may be
that the Central Bank figure contains High Court orders in addition
to the Circuit Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his tracks
claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the situation! The
idea that tens of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just
not correct he said. Additionally, this allows him to suggest that the
repossession problem is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is
being represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3 quarters of
2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since the
start of the year up to September 30, the latest figures from the
Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov
12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce the debt
security on private dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases
(Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to minimize a
problem which is in fact already disastrous-the oldest trick in the
book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a most
important right. The vast majority of people in mortgage difficulty
are entirely blameless for their own predicament. They were setting
up homes at a particular time. They may have had to move jobs or
have been transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central bank and
the financial regulator and by the government of the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and superior
interests and that the vindication of the rights of householders to
stay in their own home is a secondary consideration even if families
must be placed in hotel rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a

shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks

are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his intention to sell
the state owned banks to private investors. Clearly, he is concerned
to maximise the sale value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full international
investors who risked their funds in Irish Banks. Money was
borrowed from international financiers to pay this compensation.
Now Minister Noonan and the FG/Labour Government are using the
banks to collect money originally paid to international investors in
the same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks are
allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers which are well
above average rates in other European countries within the
Eurozone. The value of houses in Ireland has now risen. Hence the
huge rise in repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of
2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened up for
privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no power to
give instructions to state owned banks.
He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my
predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential component
is that the political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr Noonan had no
power to instruct the government owned banks. The old omission
trick! Mr Noonan omitted the words voluntary from voluntary
relationship framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the relationship
framework at any time. He has taken a political decision to
continue to honour it-and to allow the banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned banks from
evicting people would lead to people applying to their local TD for a
loan and that the notion of state owned and directed banks was
preposterous! Of course there have been state owned banks in
Ireland for decades and there have been such in other European
countries for even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for
dealing with the problem of people applying to politicians for loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of the
government for evicting people on the one hand and extorting
money to pay off international lenders from mortgage holders and
small businesses on the other.. Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears problem is
being progressively solved through helpful measures put in place by

his government. The truth is that the problem of the banks is being
solved by repossessing homes and extending mortgages at
exorbitant interest rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not doing
so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.

Dail Record Jan 14/2016 Home

Repossession

Parliamentary Question from Seamus Healy TD

to Minister for Finance Ml. Noonan
3

Deputy Seamus Healyasked the Minister for Finance if he will

insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB, which are in majority State
ownership, desist from seeking repossession of family homes
through the Courts and withdraw all such existing applications
before the Courts; and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the housing crisis
by repossessing family homes. I am asking the Minister, as the
majority shareholder, to instruct the banks to desist from this
practice.
Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy Healy for
raising this question. As he is aware, I have no direct function in the
relationship between the customer and PTSB, or AIB and its
subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State.
Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board and
management of the relevant institution. The relationship framework
agreements define the arms-length nature of the relationship
between the State and the banks in which the State has an
investment. The banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options
open to them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,

within the significant constraints imposed by their regulator, the

Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to address the
problem of mortgage arrears and family home repossessions. The
primary focus of this strategy is to support those home owners in
difficulty with their mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible,
to avoid repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of and access
to the insolvency framework. We expanded the mortgage-to-rent
scheme, making it more accessible. In addition, my colleague, the
Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also
introduced the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will,
among other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy from
three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage arrears
also provides protection as it sets out requirements for lenders
dealing with borrowers who are facing, or in, mortgage arrears on
their primary residence. It ensures that borrowers struggling to
keep up mortgage repayments are treated in a fair and transparent
manner by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by
lenders with each of their borrowers.
The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall. There are
almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in place and the vast
majority of these are working. The figures demonstrate that most
families can, working with their financial institutions, find an
arrangement to make their mortgage commitments affordable.
Active engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is key
to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge borrowers in
arrears who have not already done so to take that step by
contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for an independent
assessment of their situation and advice on available resolution
options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of homelessness in
this country. Last November, the Dublin Homeless Executive
provided figures according to which some 1,425 children in 677
families were in emergency accommodation. The Dublin Simon
Community said that was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland
said that the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks and
accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to be
introduced in the courts. These banks are majority owned by the
State and it is open to the Minister to instruct these banks to desist
from repossessing family homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families
are facing repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very

important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the

Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly,
brought forward proposals last year that have blunted the edge of
this particular social crisis. Certainly, over the Christmas period
there was less sense of a crisis with homelessness than there had
been earlier in the year. The measures introduced by the Minister,
Deputy Kelly, have been working and, please God, they will continue
to work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of the
Deputys notified question, there is some interesting data published
by the Central Bank. During the third quarter of 2015, legal
proceedings were issued to enforce the debt security on private
dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases. During quarter three,
there were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an
order for repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the quarter, of
which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court order. The remaining
215 were voluntarily surrendered or abandoned. The idea that tens
of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not correct. A
small amount goes through the system. With the changes made by
the Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money Advice &
Budgeting Service assisting directly people before the courts, I hope
the number will diminish even further. It is the policy of the
Government to put arrangements in place so that people can live in
the family home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority shareholder
in these banks and he has obviously given permission to the banks
to repossess family homes. He could equally instruct these banks
not to go down this road and repossess family homes. He could call
an emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct them not
to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so immediately and if
bank directors do not agree, they should be sacked, as the Minister
has the power to do so as a majority shareholder. This is urgent
and, irrespective of the Ministers comments, thousands of families
in the country are facing homelessness because of banks in which
the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister could give
instructions to stop these repossessions and I ask him to do so
immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship framework,
signed by my predecessors in office, with the banks and the
essential component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions. That is for a very good reason as we do not
want to politicise the banks. It would be a very sad day for the
country if the first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be
the local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do that at

all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political interference
with the banks. On the question of repossessions, 207 houses were
repossessed on foot of a court order, which does not equate to the
tens of thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in commentary.
There are 121,000 restructured mortgages on private dwellings,
with a success rate of 86.6%. That means the arrangements stick in
just under 87% of cases. The problem is being solved progressively.
I appreciate it is very hard on people and I can appreciate that
people who lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks

Woman facing return to prison over

refusal
Noonan: home repossessions being
handled reasonably well
Minister says no political interference in bank
decision, but progress being made

Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2016,
12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its very
hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I
appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home repossessions
reasonably well, according to Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being repossessed
is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people. I
appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate the concerns
and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled reasonably well
by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who asked Mr
Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and its subsidiary EBS
as well as the majority shareholder in Permanent TSB, to call a
meeting of the boards of the banks and to instruct them not to
repossess family homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that then sack
those members. You have the power to do that as majority
shareholder.

There are thousands of families in this country, irrespective of what

you say Minister, facing homelessness by these banks, of which the
Government is a majority shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed by the
Governments predecessors in office that the political side will not
interfere in commercial decisions and they did not want to politicise
the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were looking for a
loan and your first port of call had to be your local TD rather than
the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court order and
that is not the 10s of thousands of houses thats sometimes recited
on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed that in the
third quarter of 2015 (July, August and September) legal
proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases of private mortgages.
There were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding and the court granted a repossession
order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by lenders
during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and since the
changes were made by the Minister for Justice and that the money
and Budgeting Advice Service are assisting people before the courts
that will diminish even further, Mr Noonan added.
Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael Noonan to
order the banks he owns to withdraw repossession proceedings in
light of the extreme housing emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government has given
the green light to the banks they own, to continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences were
granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the first 3 quarters
of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also house families were also
repossessed. Banks are now seeking a further 97 repossession
orders for dwellings in Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB,
EBS and Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being reasonably
handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting the situation, Mr
Noonan quoted the 208 orders for repossessions for the whole

country for Quarter 3,2015 as representative of the scale of the

problem. COURTS ONLY SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN
QUARTER 3!! The Court Service Figures for the whole country for
Quarters 1 and 2 are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!
Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State Hayes(FG)
must now intervene at Cabinet to have a Housing Emergency
Declared and all repossession applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw the
repossession applications by the banks he owns.

Castlebar Court Anti-Eviction

Protest
https://www.facebook.com/cashin3/videos/
vb.100001246297556/1173381982713334/?
type=2&theater

13/06/2016
We have being contacted by RTE Over the passed few days over the
selling of family home mortgages to vulture funds across the county
When Gerry O Boyle campaigned in the last general election on this
issue the matter was not allowed to be high-lighted. Now it has
come the light with the assistance of Gerry O Boyle. RTE has
decided to do a documentary on corruption of Irish banks and the
cover up. RTE is now expected to do full coverage from Castlebar
Eviction Court on June the 13th
Men in balaclavas evict families for vulture capitalists invited
in by government to feed on the public
Irish Mirror Pat
Flanagan 15:33, 3 Jun 2016 Mass evictions loom after it was
revealed that 46,000 mortgages the equivalent to all the
homes in Drogheda and Dundalk are now in the hands of
vulture funds. The sight of men in balaclavas attempting to
evict families from their homes as gardai stand idly by
confirms that we are living in a very sick state. Tens of
thousands of families face being evicted by the vultures. When a
Government invites vultures into our country to feed on the misery
of families in danger of losing their homes, you know Irish society
has lost its moral compass. The sight of men in balaclavas
attempting to evict families from their homes as gardai stand idly
by confirms that we are living in a very sick state.Ireland is indeed a

warped country which poisons golden eagles and venerates vultures

selling off thousands of distressed mortgages at knockdown prices
while refusing to give homeowners a writedown.
It is perhaps a metaphor for a country in terminal social decline
where the vulnerable are fed to unscrupulous wealth funds who
have not the slightest inkling of concern for their welfare.
There are few more reviled birds then the vulture yet our Finance
Minister is a fan and believes they play a pivotal role in nature.
This is what he actually said: Vultures provide a very good service
in the ecology through cleaning up dead animals that are littered
across the landscape.
The dead animals he is talking about are the tens of thousands of
people whose mortgages have been sold to foreign wealth funds
without them having the opportunity of doing a deal with their
former lender.
Ulster Banks decision to sell 900 home mortgages to vulture funds
at a huge discount could lead to most of the families involved being
evicted from their homes.
This rotten bank is not only heartless, they are gross hypocrites as
they claim they do not do debt forgiveness yet sell off huge
property portfolios to vulture funds at a fraction of their worth.
Ulster Bank is a private company which is in business for profit,
what possible excuse can the State have for selling off thousands of
homes in the middle of the worst housing in our history.
Vulture lover Noonan recently had the gall to claim he put
safeguards in place to prevent the vultures kicking people from their
homes when the mass evictions have already started.
Such protection as vultures give to lambs, said the 18th century
Irish dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan. he could have been
talking about our Finance Minister.
The spiralling number of evictions has not come about by accident
but as a result of actual Government policies which specifically set
out to sell off huge property portfolios which could only be bought
by vulture funds.
Around 90% of the States bad bank Namas assets have been sold
to international speculators who have got them at a fraction of their
true worth.
What is even more disturbing is that it appears the gardai are
allowing hooded agents of the vultures terrorise families in the
course of evictions as the Royal Irish Constabulary did for absentee
landlords in the 19th century.
It is something of a sick joke that the country has been losing the
run of itself celebrating 1916 and the beginning of the end of British
rule when our government has handed over the homes, and the
lives, of tends of thousands of families to anonymous foreigners.
Both Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan have taken time out to
actually meet and greet the vultures and invited these scavengers

to our country to feast on Irish families.

To help them digest the financial flesh the law here allows wealth
funds to avail of favourable tax deals which are outside the reach of
the Central Bank.
On the subject of the Central Bank, two years ago the then
Governor Patrick Honohan said he was very unhappy about the sale
of mortgage books to vulture funds and highlighted the
consequences for tenants.
But Fine Gael and Labour were determined that the vultures be fed
and allowed the sell-off which saw property portfolios worth tens of
billions of euro go ahead with massive writedowns.
It is estimated that around 46,000 mortgages the equivalent to all
the homes in Drogheda and Dundalk are now in the hands of
vulture funds.
The newly-created Dublin Tenants Association has called for new
laws to stop vulture capitalists from forcing families out of their
homes.
DTA spokesman Patrick Bresnihan said: This is not a natural
disaster. The reality is government policy has been to facilitate
vulture funds at every turn, without any research into the impact of
international funds on the Irish housing system.
The dreadful situation which families find themselves in is a direct
reflection of the ethos and ideology of the previous government.
Vultures by their nature rarely attack healthy animals, but will prey
on the weak and sick and thats exactly what the Coalition did.
So we shouldnt be too surprised about Michael Noonans love of
vultures its a case of birds of a feather flock together

1,700 homes promised a year ago

not one has been built
Irish Independent June 7,201
Some 1,706 homes were approved in May 2015. Another 134 were
sanctioned the following July, and 890 last January a total of
2,730 across 145 individual schemes.
The Irish Independent asked each local authority to provide an
update on how the projects were progressing. Three Kerry, Offaly
and Wexford failed to respond. The data shows:
No social houses have been built by the local authorities from the
2,730 sanctioned as long as a year ago.
Just 26 are under construction in Donegal, Tipperary and Louth.
Louth County Council said it expects 12 to be completed this month.
Architects and design teams are only now being appointed for
many of the schemes. A significant number have yet to proceed to
planning.
Some units have been purchased Fingal has secured 44, Cork
City another 28 and Louth another eight. But some councils are only

beginning to purchase homes now.

In some cases, including Cork and Galway, the number of units
has been increased, which has resulted in delays as projects must
be redesigned.
Some other projects have also been cancelled or delayed.
In Longford, no work has started on 13 houses approved in
Lanesborough last July. Trial holes are being organised for the site,
the council said.
A land swap is also being organised with the HSE in Meath to
facilitate construction of 19 units in Summerhill, approved in May
2015.
In one case a 3.1m scheme of 20 units at Strandhill in Co Sligo
construction work is not expected to begin until November next
year, 30 months after it was approved.
The minister said special teams would be sent into local authorities
to drive delivery.
Last year, 72 social houses were built, and around 1,160 acquired.

David Walsh Released unconditionally by

High Court 03/06/2016

David had spent 4 days in Cork Jail. David was

convicted of criminal contempt in Waterford
Circuit Court when he insisted on representing
his sister who was up for repossession of her
home.
David has done all those threatened with eviction a great service
Well Done to Waterford the HUB-IRELAND and Noel Brophy!

WOMAN LOSES HOME TO BANK AND

HER BROTHER TO PRISON
Press Release By THEHUB-IRELAND June 2, 2016

The Hub-Ireland DATE: 1-6-2016 PRESS QUERIES: info@thehubireland.com (enter Press Query Subject line) Tel: 01 534 9118
(office hours)
WOMAN LOSES HOME TO BANK AND HER BROTHER TO PRISON
At Waterford Circuit Court on Monday, a woman lost her home and
her brother was taken away to prison after Judge Alice Doyle made
a possession order in favour of the bank and held the home-owners
brother to be in contempt of court.
He was sentenced to two weeks in prison and escorted out of the
courthouse by Garda after voicing his objections to the proceedings
in which the Judge had refused his sister the right for him to
represent her, as is allowable. The home-owner had intended to

defend her home because she believed she had an arguable case
and wished to exercise her right to due process. She wished to
bring certain matters before the Judge for consideration before any
possession order would be given. However, she was unable to afford
legal representation and did not feel able to carry out the role of
representing herself in such an already stressful situation, where
she would be up against the banks professional legal team,
including a barrister. In previous proceedings in the same case, but
in front of a Registrar, her brother had been allowed to represent his
sister.
On Monday, she had signed a Power of Attorney for her brother to
represent her again, but Judge Doyle disallowed the request.
The Hub-Ireland, a voluntary group working to help distressed
mortgage-holders, is extremely concerned at how mortgage cases
are being dealt with by the judicial system generally and for the
personal plight of the woman in this particular case, who has not
only lost her home without being able to present her defence, but
has also had to watch her brother being carried away to prison.
The Hub-Ireland is repeating its call for an end to the Evictions
Courts. Its members have been observing the workings of such
courts throughout the country and have reported many similar
cases where home-owners, who could not afford to employ a legal
team to match the banks one, have their rights to justice severely
compromised as a result. This is wrong and it has to stop, said
Byron Jenkins of The Hub-Ireland. Tonight there is a man in prison
and a woman faces eviction, having lost her home. This is a
personal tragedy for this family, but it also highlights all that is
wrong about how the mortgage-crisis has been dealt with. We again
call on the government and all in the political system to act
immediately to put an end to the barbaric suffering being caused to
good Irish people, whose only mistake was to borrow to put a roof
over their heads.
The Dil will break for summer holidays in a few weeks time, but it
will be a long hot summer for those facing eviction as a result of
political inaction, said Jenkins.
The Hub-Ireland is a voluntary, self-help community organisation
that offers free help, support and information to homeowners who
are in danger of eviction from their homes by mortgage companies.
It has launched a campaign to have the Evictions Courts abolished
and asks for the public to support the initiative. It invites anyone in
mortgage distress to contact them at info@thehub-ireland.com or
phone 01 534 9118.
/ends press release
Please Note: The Hub-Ireland has a number of expert
spokespersons who are available to appear as panelists on radio
and television programs dealing with the issues of mortgage
distress. They are also available to give interviews to print media.

Please contact The Hub-Ireland at info@thehub-ireland.com (enter

Press Query in Subject line) or phone 01 534 9118 during office
hours.
-

Brother of Woman Facing

Repossession JAILED FOR TWO
WEEKS FOR CONTEMPT in
Waterford Circuit Court
SHOCKING INHUMANITY OF EVICTION
SYSTEM

He Had Been Prevented From Speaking on

Behalf of his sister in Court though she had
given him her Power of Attorney
Waterford The Hub-Ireland
In Waterford court today a man who had been given power of
attorney by his sister was denied by justice Doyle the right to
speak on behalf of his sister in opposing the repossession of her
home. When the man Questioned the Judge he was put in contempt
of court. Another man questioned her decision also. He was also
put in contempt. Later both were questioned by garda and brought
back into court. The brother was jailed for two weeks
Earlier,he had handed to the judge the document stating that he
had been given power of attorney by his sister. The judge left the
bench for 10min and came back with a decision that he could not
speak for her in court. She wouldnt allow him question her
jurisdiction in the matter. She put him in contempt and later jailed
him for two weeks
He had repressented his sister 2 months earlier on the same matter
in front of a different judge who had agreed to this procedure

Further Post on Facebook By HUB-Ireland

(A male young man appeared in court to swear the affidavit on
behalf of the bank. The signature on the affidavit was that of a
woman!!!-PH)
WANTED:
We need the ID of this child: this is the young man that came to
court yesterday as a competent witness for the Banks: he was
never sworn in / or gave his name; the only words he uttered from
the back of the courtroom was Yes, after Judge Alice Doyle had
asked did you sign the affidavit for the Banks.
Funny that:: the deponent of the Affidavit was in fact a woman, so
how come??
The Judge then replied; thats good enough for me and granted a

possession Order on a Family Home and Jailed the Brother for two
weeks for contempt for wishing to represent his sister.

The two hooded balaclava wearing individuals entering the Garda

Squad Car are not prisoners!
They are employees of a security company leaving the scene having
failed to evict a householder in Co Clare recently

Stop Evictions Picket on Ennis Banks

DISAPPOINTMENT OVER CLARES TDS
FAIURE TO ATTEND DEMONSTRATION AT
ENNIS BANKS

Clare FM 30 May, 2016

Clares Oireachtas representatives are being condemned for their
failure to attend a demonstration outside Ennis banks this morning.
Groups led by Midwest Right2Change launched the picket in protest
at the repossession of houses by financial institiutions, as well as
the ongoing housing crisis.
As the sun shone down on Ennis town centre this morning, groups
picketing the towns three main banks say the situation isnt so
bright for many people facing homlessneess across the county.

Todays protest, organised by Right2Change, began outside Ulster

Bank in the Height and from there moved on to AIB and then onto
Bank of Ireland.
A small group of public representatives and locals highlighted their
concerns following a recent high-profile attempted eviction in
Corofin.
One of them, Anti-Austerity Campaigner Niamh OBrien says
something needs to be done to stop banks from reposessing homes.
Protestors hit out at Clares Oireachtas representatives for failing to
attend today.
Shannon Sinn Fin Counillor Mike Mc Kee says they need to put
pressure on the Government to deal with the housing crisis.
Limerick City TD Maurice Quinlivan, who represents part of Clare
also attended todays protest.
The Sinn Fin representative is a member of the Dil Homeless and
Housing Committee and he says an adequate Mortgage to rent
scheme would help ease the crisis for some families.

Noonan feeds the vulnerable to the

vultures
Rather than Minister Noonan giving the unfortunate
mortgage defaulter a break, hes been fraternising with their
enemy
Carol Hunt, Sunday Independent, 29/05/2016
1Support: Michael Noonan will be happy with evictions Photo: Tom
Burke
The video footage is shocking. It shows a number of men, hooded,
black scarves covering their faces, attempting to gain access to a
private home. To even the most trusting of observers, they dont
look as if they can be up to any good.
Beside them, the car they allegedly drove up in and which we will
see them later drive off in has no insurance or tax disc displayed
and the registration number is covered over with tape. This is
undoubtedly illegal.
Local men confront them, clearly agitated. Thankfully, there are
gardai present and the traffic violations are quickly pointed out to
them.
Except that, as the video footage unfolds, it becomes disturbingly
clear that the gardai have no intention of noting these offences, that

they are there purely to assist the hooded men in gaining access to
the house. They are on the side of what looks like the bad guys.
Welcome to a modern-day Irish eviction. (There was a doubling in
the number of properties repossessed by mortgage lenders in
Ireland between 2010 and 2013, new research has found.)
This time it fails. The heavy gang leave in their car which still lacks
a visible registration number. This time there was no paperwork
which allowed them to legally enter the property but if members
of the Anti-Eviction Taskforce had not been present to vociferously,
but peacefully, protest, yet another family would have found
themselves homeless by nightfall.
Well, thats what happens isnt it? When you cant pay your debts,
when you fall behind on your mortgage, when the bank lent you
money with no questions or queries beyond how much? and sure,
would you not like a few thousand more? But now, kiddo, its
payback time.
Well, for some people it is anyway. But we know a few things now
that we didnt know back in 2007. We know, courtesy of Ajai
Chopra, that the EU issued an ultimatum to Ireland at the time of
the bailout. We know that the ECB would not allow us to burn senior
bondholders. We know that we are still paying billions in interest
because of this unfortunate mistake.
We know this week, thanks to NTMA chief executive Conor OKelly,
that every worker in the country pays an extra 3,400 in tax every
year compared with just 900 in 2007. We know we were taken for
a ride by banks, the bondholders, and the head honchos in Europe
as well as our own crowd. And we know, as OKelly said, that our
State debt pile of 207bn, 102,000 per employee, is easily the
highest in Europe, by a mile. To be clear he added: Its one of the
highest ratios in the world.
Which may explain why so many people are finding it so difficult to
service 2007 mortgages with 2016 wages (thats if theyre still lucky
enough to be working).
Half the bloody economy is going into a black hole of debt
repayments. The average Irish worker took the hit for all those
bondholders and bankers who were allowed play financial roulette
with no consequences to themselves if they lost everything.
Youd think the Government would feel a little bit sheepish about
that now, wouldnt you? Youd presume that they would go a bit
easy on Joe and Josephine Soap who were unfortunate enough to
need a mortgage when prices were beyond the moon and the banks
were happy to feed the insanity? And youd certainly think that, in
light of our enormous State debt (remember, the highest in
Europe, by a mile!) Michael Noonan would still be in the market for
a bit of debt forgiveness from the EU or IMF.
Youd think, maybe theyd listen to people like those in the AntiEviction Taskforce, The Phoenix Project, Irish Mortgage Holders

Organisation, The Hub and all those other groups working at the
coalface of people who are in despair at the prospect of losing their
homes, and maybe ask the banks to share a bit of the risk, the cost,
the fallout?
But no, seemingly everything is going swimmingly in Noonan Land,
because earlier this month he said we didnt need any deals on
debt, because were in a pretty good place now.
Which will come as news to the hundreds of thousands of people in
the country in mortgage distress particularly if their mortgages
have been sold on to vulture funds at cheap prices not offered to
them terrified to answer their doors in case its the bailiff with a
crowd of hooded men and a few gardai backing them up.
It will also come as news to people like Fr Peter McVerry, whose
Trust last Friday appealed to the Government to do more for people
at risk of becoming homeless and particularly the dangers that the
vulture funds bring with them.
Michael Noonan is a fan, seemingly. Of vulture funds. I know, thats
hard to believe, but then some people have hard necks. They can
afford to.
Fine Gael TD Catherine Byrne got terribly upset when David Hall, of
Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO), called Mr Noonan a
vulture [fund] lover at an Oireachtas Housing and Homelessness
committee meeting recently.
After a face-to-face meeting with the minister, Hall said: He was
very clear about his love for vultures. We had a very robust
exchange in relation to it the self-confessed predators. They
circulate for five years, they suck an asset dry and they move on.
Last week Ulster Bank announced that it would be selling over
2,900 of its customers mortgages to vulture funds.
Of those, 900 are family homes, the others, one presumes, are
rental properties. (Most evictions in Ireland actually arise when
people cant pay escalating rents, as opposed to mortgages.)
According to the recent report by the Debt and Development
Coalition Ireland (DDCI) our Government wholeheartedly embraced
vulture funds, which pretty much tells you everything you need to
know about their attitude to Joe or Josephine mortgage problems.
Or families like my friend Danielles, who have just been given a few
months to leave the home they have rented for 10 years.
Their landlord is sorry, but the mortgage has been sold on to vulture
funds and all he can do is commiserate and say that they were
exemplary tenants.
Like many other families in similar situations, they havent a hope of
finding affordable accommodation near their jobs and childrens
schools.
An EU-wide report headed up by NUIG academic Padraig McKenna
also found that there were relatively high numbers of evictions
(including illegal evictions) in the [Irish] private rented sector.

According to the DDCI report, the arrival of vulture funds means an

increased likelihood of people being evicted from their homes.
Well, duh as my kids would say; it shouldnt take an academic
report to deduce that.
The people evicted will probably end up in hotels at the States
expense but hey, the vulture funds and Minister Noonan is happy
so thats all right so.
Groups like the Anti-Eviction Taskforce look set to have their work
cut out for them in the immediate future.
Welcome to the new politics, and old-style land repossessions.

KEN SMOLLEN, THE HUB IRELAND BRIEF

DEPUTIES AND SENATORS AT LEINSTER
HOUSE AT INVITATION OF SEAMUS HEALY TD

CALL FOR STOP TO EVICTION PROCEEDINGS

IN COURT, FORMAL DECLARATION OF
NATIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY BY DAIL
REPORT ON BRIEFING BY KEN SMOLLEN

18/05/2016

This evening is probably not a good time to write a report on todays meeting with T
Senators and their representatives in Leinster House as I usually need a day to fully
analyse any event or meeting.

However, it was an absolute pleasure to meet what I would describe as three very lik
minded people, namely Byron, Adrienne and Martina in The Hub office in Dublin befo
heading off to Leinster House. Adrienne had the job of looking after callers to The Hu
while Byron, Martina and I went to the meeting where we first met Seamus Healy TD
and his brother Paddy. We had a cup of coffee in the caf there while discussing the
approach we would be making when presenting our case on behalf of thousands of
people who find that they are the totally innocent victims of the bailed out banks wh
want to legally steal their family homes!
There were approx. 20 TDs present at different stages during our presentation inclu
the following Sean Crowe, Eugene Murphy, Pat Buckley, Thomas Pringle, Dara
Calleary, Martin Ferris, Sean Fleming, Carol Nolan, Ann Rabbitte, Eoin OBroin and
others. Represented were Richard Boyd Barrett and Joan Collins. Needless to say no
representative from either Fine Gael or the Labour Party was there. It surprised me
not one representative of the Independent Alliance made the effort either as all TDs
were invited there by Seamus Healy TD and by myself.
I began the presentation by describing to those present what actually happens in the
Eviction Courts and how people are being treated in a shameful way in particular by
County Registrars. I described the intimidating atmosphere in these places and the
absolute horror, despair and desperation that I see on a regular basis in these awful
places. I also informed them that during the month of May alone there are well over
2,000 Eviction cases listed in the courts throughout the country and with an average

3 or 4 members of each household it would be the equivalent of the population of a

large town being hauled before the Eviction courts and thats just this month alone
also impressed on them that not only are there approx. 100,000 families in mortgag
distress but that there could be a further 200,000 families going without some of the
basic necessities just to pay their mortgages and that many of these people were als
slipping into mortgage distress. Again I said that with an average of 3 to 4 people pe
household we are looking at over ONE MILLION people in Ireland being in this awful
situation with no resolution in sight.
I then explained how the banks were refusing to engage with many mortgage holder
any way even though the banks claim that its the other way around. I also said to th
that the Government must FORCE the banks to engage fairly with mortgage holders
that a fair and sustainable solution must be found for ALL mortgage holders before t
would be any recovery for the people of Ireland.
Martina then spoke about and gave an excellent presentation on the Land &
Conveyancing (Law Reform) Act of 2013 [The EVICTION Act] and explained how it m
be repealed as it gives the bailed out banks easier access to repossessing family hom
Byron then gave an exception explanation of how The Hub-Ireland is helping families
every day for FREE and also urged those present the need for an urgent solution to t
desperate crisis.
The politicians who were present then made their own contributions with all of them
agreeing that a real recovery for the people of Ireland could only take place once the
people of Ireland were treated fairly by the banks. They were all in agreement that t
must act in the best interests of the people that they represent.
Our next step with the help of Seamus Healy is to gain an invitation to make a
submission to the housing committee where we can again impress on them the
necessity for two things 1) The urgent need for a STOP to be put on EVICTION Cou
proceedings in the courts while the banks are forced to find a fair and sustainable
solution for all mortgage holders and 2) To have an official EMERGENCY declared in
relation to this crisis. Such a declaration would put a stop to Michael Noonans nonse
about the Government being unable to interfere in private property transactions.
All in all it was a very good day and Im sure that by keeping the pressure on these
people we can achieve real change for the better, not only keeping families in their
homes but in the process, saving many lives.
I was not expecting to see Fine Gaels representative from Offaly there as she was o
of those who unashamedly voted YES for the Eviction Bill and because there werent
photo opportunities for her to take advantage of. I am however extremely disappoin
with the non-appearance of the Fianna Fail TD for Offaly. When the meeting was ove
walked as we were talking outside the meeting room, he looked and grinned, as muc
as to say Who let those peasants into this important place.
Finally, I would like to thank Paddy Healy and his brother Seamus for arranging this
meeting and I have absolutely no doubt that we will now gain the support of other T
in our justified fight for fairness for thousands of our people. With the help of these
good men we certainly hope to receive an invitation to make a submission to the
housing committee.
KEEP SUNDAY 19th JUNE FREE 1.30pm in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise EVERYO
WELCOME!

Thanks everyone,
Ken

Claire Byrne Live on Housing and

Homelessness
http://www.rte.ie//sh/claire-byrne-live30003252/10576915/
Listen to First 30 minutes on Housing and
Homelessness

Housing is national emergency says

Simon Coveney, Minister for
Housing
Why does he not formally lay a certificate to this
effect before the Dil?
Because then there would be no constitutional prohibition to
stopping evictions and compusorily purchasing the property of
vulture capitalists in order to ease the housing crisis
-

Why Cant State Just Borrow 10 billion at

very low interest rates to begin Building
50,000 publicly owned houses immediately
as advocated by David McWilliams Below? He
claims the loan would be self-financing at
much lower than current rents!
ANSWER? HINT -Read the provisions of the Fiscal Treaty!
David McWilliams IRISH INDEPENDENT 11/05/2016

Easy for the State to Build 50,000 houses ??

Lets examine how the State could involve itself in financing a

housing trust using the international financial markets to massively
reduce housing costs in Ireland.
Currently, the markets will finance any good opportunity. When
interest rates are zero, the obvious thing to do is borrow for
infrastructural projects and housing is the most significant
infrastructural development that one can think of right now.
Lets look at the numbers.
Builders will tell you that building costs are around 120/130 a
square foot. For a large scheme, this could be lower and could move

towards 100.
Now lets say that the average unit in Dublin or any urban centre in
Ireland is 1,400 square feet. This means that the average building
cost of a house/apartment of this size is 140,000. Add to this VAT
of 13.5pc and we get 158,200.
Now on top of this there are professional fees for architects and
surveyors and the like. These could be 12pc of the contract price
plus 23pc VAT. So this is close to 19,000 on top of this price,
bringing the 140,000 initial cost, up with all the fees and taxes to
around 166,000.
Then on top of this are development levies which are the costs per
unit that are added by the council to pay for new roads, water pipes
and sewage. These are typically 9,000 per unit. So we are now up
to 175,000 per unit.
Now we have the cost of the build with all the charges and taxes
before we talk about site cost.
In 2011, Dublin probably had enough houses to deal with the
population. However, there should have been 60,000 built since to
keep up with population growth but only 8,000 have been built, so
we have a shortfall of around 50,000 for the sake of argument.
Imagine the State was to build or fund the build of 50,000 houses.
At 175,000 each, this would cost 8.7bn. This is a big number but
the Irish State can borrow for 10 years at 1pc, according to
Bloomberg yesterday. Therefore, the State could issue a Housing
Executive Bond, which it could sell to Irish residents who are sitting
on 94bn of deposits in the Irish banking system. Servicing this
debt would cost 87m per year.
Traditionally, countries dont pay back the principal of their national
debts, they simply roll it over.
So it would be prudent to suggest that we would do the same for
this Housing Executive Bond.
Now we have a situation where the total annual cost of 50,000 units
is 87m. This means that the annual cost per unit is 1,740. The
implication is the rent that would be needed to be charged per unit
per year to pay the cost of this build, funded by a Housing Executive
Bond, is 1,740 per year. Lets round this up to 2,000 per unit per
year, to include maintenance.
So total rental cost of a new house or apartment is not 12,000 per
annum, as is the case right now, but 2,000 per annum or 38 a
week.
This is feasible. You have seen the numbers. The major cost omitted
is the site cost and this is where we come into the land issue.
At a density of 60 units per hectare, this would mean about 833
hectares of development land, or about 2,000 acres, is needed.
There are 28,000 acres in Dublin in total but just one bank, Ulster
Bank, put a portfolio of 1,850 acres of development land up for sale
this year. So the development land portfolio of just one bank could

almost cover this total city requirement! Now we are talking.

The State could simply CPO this land at cost and be done with it.
You could add the repayment cost of this land to the annual rent.
This would bring up the annual cost of the rent needed to cover
everything to 3,000 per year or a quarter of present average rent
paid.
Thus, the great Irish housing crisis is solved for less than 60 per
week for a family of four in return for a new house, fixity of tenure
and peace of mind!
Thats how its done in proper countries. The choice is ours.
Lets join the 21st century and stop gouging each other for the basic
right of a roof over our heads.
Unlike the lads on the Magic Bus, these are the numbers, no one is
smoking funny stuff, just seeing things clearly through the haze of
vested interests and inertia.
Problem solved.

Organised by former garda Ken

Smollen, this is yet another meeting
attended by many groups who are
at the coalface of the mortgage
crisis. And a crisis it is
PUBLISHED08/05/2016 | 02:30 Sunday Independent
Vulture funds circle as mortgage crisis exacts its toll of suffering

Thousands of homeowners left at the mercy

of the banks bear a burden of daily fear and
uncertainty, with many contemplating
suicide, and some acting on those feelings,
writes Carol Hunt

My name is Sandy and I am in mortgage distress, says a woman

at the back of the room. She clears her throat and continues: It
was my little secret, because I told nobody, I was too ashamed. My
friends didnt know, my family didnt know. I felt I had failed and I
had made a huge mistake. She pauses, I catch her eye and then
look away, embarrassed.
Were in the Hotel Killeshin Portlaoise. There are over 300 angry,
frustrated and emotional people here all united by a common goal
of stopping the evictions.
Organised by former garda Ken Smollen, this is yet another meeting
attended by many groups who are at the coalface of the mortgage
crisis. And a crisis it is.

According to Smollen, as well as the 100,000 mortgages currently in

distress, there are another 200,000 in danger of slipping into
difficulty.
Plus, there are many small businesses and farms on the brink of
insolvency. Extrapolate that to include families and that is over a
million people affected, he says.
These are not accidental landlords or developers rescued by Nama.
These are people who cannot pay back Celtic Tiger-size mortgages
in a post-crash economy. Consequently, they are faced with eviction
by their banks and, increasingly, by vulture funds.
They are ordinary people, most of whom have never asked for
anything or fallen into debt before and they are shocked and
sickened at the sudden realisation that they may find themselves
homeless.
These are the people for whom debt is seen as a sacred obligation,
a moral duty.
If they dont pay what they owe, the economy as we know it will
collapse and moral hazard will ensue.
Or so we are told.
So why isnt mortgage debt front-page news? Why isnt it an issue
garnering the same attention as those damned water charges?
Shame, is the simple answer. People are sometimes quite literally
dying of shame at the thought that their friends and neighbours
will find out their dirty little secret.
Sandy wasnt given the option of choosing to get her problem off
her chest by sharing it with others in the same situation. She didnt
decide that she was going to be brave and f**k the begrudgers.
She had been outed by her local newspaper, who put details of her
indebtedness on the front page.
Its obvious that the indignity and disgrace she feels still rankle.
People will be too ashamed to come out and protest, she insists.
But there were some who disagreed with her.
One elderly man stands up and admits: The only wish myself and
my wife have is that we can die in our own home Am I suicidal?
he asks us as he clings to the microphone. Yes, I am, he answers
bluntly. Its a companion of mine. Every morning I wake up and
think of it.
He looks around at the sea of emotionally distressed faces. We
need to tell our stories, he insists. There are so many, many
people in similar situations. We need empathy we need a hug. We
need to work with everyone, but, he warns with the tired voice of a
man who has seen much betrayal and hurt, put your faith in no
one.
Ciaran Doyle explained that his mortgage was sold to vulture funds
without his knowledge. Smollen recalls how one woman said she
would rather set fire to my house and set myself alight in it than
hand it over to the moneylenders.

Martina Doyle from The Hub Ireland (a voluntary organisation which

helps people in mortgage distress) explains how the Land and
Conveyancing Reform Act 2013, which gave clarity and comfort to
the banks, has led to the so-called eviction courts and needs to
be immediately repealed.
Her organisation gets phone calls of desperation from a mother or
father panic-stricken as to where they are going to go, the single
person who feels they have no rights, as they are on their own, the
elderly couple who are frightened to death of the knock at the door
that will drag them out in front of their neighbours.
Examples are given of how the eviction courts can intimidate such
vulnerable people most of whom are totally unused to courts of
any kind.
There is a huge misconception in the public arena that these
people just dont want to pay their mortgages and are freeloaders.
Anyone who thinks that, she says, just needs to come to The Hub
for just one day and listen to the calls we take.
But still these people, in despair and anguish, are told, a debt is a
debt is a debt. They borrowed money from a bank and they are
therefore legally and morally bound to pay it back. Unlike say, the
well-heeled speculators who found themselves in Nama.
Earlier this month, it was revealed by Michael Noonan that Nama
has written off debts totalling 1.5bn owed by just 80 debtors to the
agency.
Noonan explained that the debt is only written off where all of the
underlying assets have been realised, there are no further assets to
be realised nor any additional recourse available to Nama to recover
borrowings from the debtor.
Which is the same situation that would apply to most of the
ordinary people in unsustainable mortgage debt that I have met up
and down the country. And yet it doesnt.
Why one rule for one group and a much harsher one for the other?
Because, bluntly, when debt is racked up by governments,
corporations, banks, or by privileged insiders, it can always be
renegotiated or written off. Thats how the system works. Its only
when debts are owed from the poor to the rich that issues such as
moral hazard are introduced.
Only then does debt become a sacred obligation. Its a way of
keeping the cash/power flowing upwards. Its also a way of keeping
people in their assigned places.
In the past, precautions were taken to protect debtors from
unscrupulous lenders. Yet today it is creditors who are protected at
the expense of debtors, corporations at the expense of citizens,
banks at the expense of nations.
Theres no political will to solve this issue, said one man at the
Killeshin Hotel last week. Because there are no votes in it. Unlike
the water charges, people are too ashamed to protest.

He may be right. An invitation was issued to every TD and senator

in Leinster House. Five attended none from the last government
parties. We know that people are going to die [due to debt] he
added.
Another man spoke passionately and bitterly of debt-related
suicides occurring daily as he urged people to act now before there
are further deaths.
You may think this is emotionally charged exaggeration, but a
recent survey by the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO)
found that of 488 people aged between 29-70 who are in debt
(questioned by clinical psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy), 44pc said
they felt depressed all or most of the time; 31pc have had suicidal
thoughts in the past four weeks; 22pc had active plans to kill
themselves and 45pc indicated harmful levels of alcohol abuse.
Now, just think of the thousands of people in mortgage distress in
this country and you can begin to imagine the depth of human
suffering in our midst.
So what can we do? This week, we heard promises about putting
pressure on banks to offer sustainable solutions to those in
mortgage distress and there are suggestions for a new court to deal
with arrears; but, judging by the numbers at risk and the distress
involved, this will not suffice.
Certainly we need people to be offered split mortgages, term
extensions and long-term interest rate reductions.
But for many families, what is needed is debt-forgiveness. And
quickly. But the banks who brought the country to its knees
through their reckless lending and were rewarded for doing so with
billions of our euro wont play ball.
They are so confident of their power that they are currently
swindling variable-rate mortgage-holders with high interest rates.
They are selling off homes to vulture funds at a cost not offered to
the now homeless occupiers. They are doing pretty much as they
please.
The new Government is making noises about putting manners on
them. But for many families in mortgage distress, it may already be
too late.
@carolmhunt
The Hub Ireland: http://www.thehub-ireland.com/ Phone: 01 534
9118
IMHO https://www.mortgageholders.ie/contact/
Phoenix Project Ireland 1850203040
Samaritans 116 123.
Aware 1800 80 48 48.
Pieta House 01 601 0000
Sunday Independent
-

NO COMITTMENT TO STOP EVICTIONS IN FF-

FG DEAL FOR GOVERNMENT

Protect the family home and introduce additional long term

solutions for mortgage arrears cases.
This is so vague that it could mean nothing.
There is no comittment to declaring a housing emergency

FF-FG DEAL on Minority Government

Securing Affordable Homes and Tackling Homelessness

Significantly increase and expedite the delivery of social housing
units, remove barriers to private housing supply and initiate an
affordable housing scheme
Retain mortgage interest relief beyond the current end date of
December 2017 on a tapered basis.
Increase rent supplement and Housing Assistance payment (HAP)
limits by up to 15% taking account of geographic variations in
market rents, and extend the roll out by local authorities of the HAP,
including the capacity to make discretionary enhanced payments.
Protect the family home and introduce additional long term
solutions for mortgage arrears cases.
Improve supports and services for older people to live
independently in their own home, including a provision for pension
increases.
Provide greater protection for mortgage holders, tenants and
SMEs whose loans have been transferred to non-regulated entities
(vulture funds).
GREAT ANTI_EVICTION MEETING Took Place Saturday, April
30 IN PORT LAOISE
MEETING HAS GIVEN FG-FF 6 weeks to END
EVICTIONS Listen at Links Below
Port Laoise Anti-Eviction Meeting-Proceedings Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYkC_QrkZZoPort
Laoise Anti-Eviction Meeting-Proceedings Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UX_2e8dPQLw&feature=youtu.be

Arrival of Vulture funds set to fuel

evictions, report reveals

Irish Times Colm Keena

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 01:00
The arrival of vulture funds in the Irish property market means an
increased likelihood of people being evicted from their homes,
according to a report published today.
The funds that have bought into the Irish commercial and
residential property market, mostly by way of buying loans from
State-owned institutions, will want to see big yields on their
investments, which in practice means squeezing debtors hard.

The report entitled, From Puerto Rico to the Dublin Docklands,

Vulture Funds and Debt in Ireland and the Global South, by the
Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (DDCI), said that while
there is little research yet available on the effect of vulture fund
involvement in the European property market, research from the US
indicates an increased likelihood of people being thrown out of their
homes.
DDCI is a coalition of Irish development, faith-based and solidarity
groups concerned about the effects of debt on developing countries.
It is chaired by Sorley McCaughey, advocacy and policy officer with
Christian Aid. The report was written by Dr Michael Byrne of the
UCD School of Social Justice.

Distressed debt
Hedge funds or private equity funds that invest in distressed debt
vulture funds originally invested in sovereign debt but since the
financial crisis in 2008 have moved into buying loans linked to the
property market in the US and Europe.
The Irish Government, according to the report, has wholeheartedly
embraced vulture funds and their entry into the Irish market could
not have occurred were it not for two major public banking
institutions, the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), and
the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC).
Nama is the public entity that acted as Irelands bad bank for
property loans issued by Irish banks, while the IBRC, which is now
in liquidation, took over the collapsed Anglo Irish Bank and Irish
Nationwide.

Locals priced out

The report says that these two institutions sold assets under time
pressure and did so at high discounts. Because the loans were sold
in large bundles or portfolios, local investors were priced out. The
two institutions sell big, they sell quick, and they sell cheap,
according to the report.
This created a context which not only favoured vulture funds, in a
sense it meant that only vulture funds had the financial fire power
required to play this extremely high stakes game. The fact that the
Irish financial system is in crisis means it was very hard or
impossible for domestic actors to obtain credit to invest in Irish real
estate.
The creation of a direct link between Irish property and the
international financial system, via the vulture funds, exposes the
Irish economy and society to the possibility of sharp shocks
caused by events very much outside the control of the Irish political
or regulatory system, according to the report.
Global vulture funds, most of them US-based, are snapping up
distressed debt linked to European property, most especially in the
UK, Ireland and Spain. Global groups such as Cerberus, Lone Star
Capital, and Blackstone, are among the top investors here.

 2016 irishtimes.com

Irish Times Report and Full Dail Record of

Noonan Reply to Seamus Healy TDs Call to
STOP REPOSSESSIONS Further Down

REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy

SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!
State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are seeking
repossession of homes by court order throughout the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance Michael
Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures from a
Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter 3(July, August,
September) 207 properties were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are being
repossessed is just not correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is nothing
technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he attempts to minimise
the awful trauma for 207 families which are losing their homes. A
key tactic of the spinner to deceive is the omission of key
information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1 month
only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and September.
Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the month of July only!
The full information provided by the Courts Service and reported by
Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November is: Of the 1,088
court orders for repossession made in the three quarters of 2015 up
to September 30, 758 were for primary homes, 131 were for buyto-lets and 199 were for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1
314, Q2 586, Q3 188
There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to June
period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks the figure for
Q3 which he then implies is typical though it contains one
month( July) figures only! The reason the Central Bank figure for
Q3 (207) is slightly above the Courts Service figure (188) may be
that the Central Bank figure contains High Court orders in addition
to the Circuit Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his tracks
claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the situation! The
idea that tens of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just
not correct he said. Additionally, this allows him to suggest that the

repossession problem is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is

being represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3 quarters of
2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since the
start of the year up to September 30, the latest figures from the
Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov
12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce the debt
security on private dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases
(Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to minimize a
problem which is in fact already disastrous-the oldest trick in the
book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a most
important right. The vast majority of people in mortgage difficulty
are entirely blameless for their own predicament. They were setting
up homes at a particular time. They may have had to move jobs or
have been transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central bank and
the financial regulator and by the government of the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and superior
interests and that the vindication of the rights of householders to
stay in their own home is a secondary consideration even if families
must be placed in hotel rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his intention to sell
the state owned banks to private investors. Clearly, he is concerned
to maximise the sale value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full international
investors who risked their funds in Irish Banks. Money was
borrowed from international financiers to pay this compensation.
Now Minister Noonan and the FG/Labour Government are using the
banks to collect money originally paid to international investors in
the same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks are
allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers which are well
above average rates in other European countries within the
Eurozone. The value of houses in Ireland has now risen. Hence the
huge rise in repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of
2015.

The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened up for

privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no power to
give instructions to state owned banks.
He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my
predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential component
is that the political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr Noonan had no
power to instruct the government owned banks. The old omission
trick! Mr Noonan omitted the words voluntary from voluntary
relationship framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the relationship
framework at any time. He has taken a political decision to
continue to honour it-and to allow the banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned banks from
evicting people would lead to people applying to their local TD for a
loan and that the notion of state owned and directed banks was
preposterous! Of course there have been state owned banks in
Ireland for decades and there have been such in other European
countries for even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for
dealing with the problem of people applying to politicians for loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of the
government for evicting people on the one hand and extorting
money to pay off international lenders from mortgage holders and
small businesses on the other.. Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears problem is
being progressively solved through helpful measures put in place by
his government. The truth is that the problem of the banks is being
solved by repossessing homes and extending mortgages at
exorbitant interest rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not doing
so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.

Dail Record

Jan 14/2016 Home

Repossession

Parliamentary Question from Seamus Healy TD

to Minister for Finance Ml. Noonan

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Finance if he

will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB, which are in majority State
ownership, desist from seeking repossession of family homes
through the Courts and withdraw all such existing applications
before the Courts; and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the housing crisis
by repossessing family homes. I am asking the Minister, as the
majority shareholder, to instruct the banks to desist from this
practice.
Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy Healy for
raising this question. As he is aware, I have no direct function in the
relationship between the customer and PTSB, or AIB and its
subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State.
Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board and
management of the relevant institution. The relationship framework
agreements define the arms-length nature of the relationship
between the State and the banks in which the State has an
investment. The banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options
open to them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,
within the significant constraints imposed by their regulator, the
Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to address the
problem of mortgage arrears and family home repossessions. The
primary focus of this strategy is to support those home owners in
difficulty with their mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible,
to avoid repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of and access
to the insolvency framework. We expanded the mortgage-to-rent
scheme, making it more accessible. In addition, my colleague, the
Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also
introduced the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will,
among other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy from
three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage arrears
also provides protection as it sets out requirements for lenders
dealing with borrowers who are facing, or in, mortgage arrears on

their primary residence. It ensures that borrowers struggling to

keep up mortgage repayments are treated in a fair and transparent
manner by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by
lenders with each of their borrowers.
The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall. There are
almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in place and the vast
majority of these are working. The figures demonstrate that most
families can, working with their financial institutions, find an
arrangement to make their mortgage commitments affordable.
Active engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is key
to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge borrowers in
arrears who have not already done so to take that step by
contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for an independent
assessment of their situation and advice on available resolution
options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of homelessness in
this country. Last November, the Dublin Homeless Executive
provided figures according to which some 1,425 children in 677
families were in emergency accommodation. The Dublin Simon
Community said that was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland
said that the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks and
accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to be
introduced in the courts. These banks are majority owned by the
State and it is open to the Minister to instruct these banks to desist
from repossessing family homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families
are facing repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very
important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the
Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly,
brought forward proposals last year that have blunted the edge of
this particular social crisis. Certainly, over the Christmas period
there was less sense of a crisis with homelessness than there had
been earlier in the year. The measures introduced by the Minister,
Deputy Kelly, have been working and, please God, they will continue
to work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of the
Deputys notified question, there is some interesting data published
by the Central Bank. During the third quarter of 2015, legal
proceedings were issued to enforce the debt security on private
dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases. During quarter three,
there were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an
order for repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the quarter, of

which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court order. The remaining

215 were voluntarily surrendered or abandoned. The idea that tens
of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not correct. A
small amount goes through the system. With the changes made by
the Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money Advice &
Budgeting Service assisting directly people before the courts, I hope
the number will diminish even further. It is the policy of the
Government to put arrangements in place so that people can live in
the family home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority shareholder
in these banks and he has obviously given permission to the banks
to repossess family homes. He could equally instruct these banks
not to go down this road and repossess family homes. He could call
an emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct them not
to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so immediately and if
bank directors do not agree, they should be sacked, as the Minister
has the power to do so as a majority shareholder. This is urgent
and, irrespective of the Ministers comments, thousands of families
in the country are facing homelessness because of banks in which
the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister could give
instructions to stop these repossessions and I ask him to do so
immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship framework,
signed by my predecessors in office, with the banks and the
essential component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions. That is for a very good reason as we do not
want to politicise the banks. It would be a very sad day for the
country if the first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be
the local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do that at
all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political interference
with the banks. On the question of repossessions, 207 houses were
repossessed on foot of a court order, which does not equate to the
tens of thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in commentary.
There are 121,000 restructured mortgages on private dwellings,
with a success rate of 86.6%. That means the arrangements stick in
just under 87% of cases. The problem is being solved progressively.
I appreciate it is very hard on people and I can appreciate that
people who lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks

Woman facing return to prison over

refusal

Noonan: home repossessions being

handled reasonably well
Minister says no political interference in bank
decision, but progress being made

Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2016,
12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its very
hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I
appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home repossessions
reasonably well, according to Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being repossessed
is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people. I
appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate the concerns
and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled reasonably well
by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who asked Mr
Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and its subsidiary EBS
as well as the majority shareholder in Permanent TSB, to call a
meeting of the boards of the banks and to instruct them not to
repossess family homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that then sack
those members. You have the power to do that as majority
shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country, irrespective of what
you say Minister, facing homelessness by these banks, of which the
Government is a majority shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed by the
Governments predecessors in office that the political side will not
interfere in commercial decisions and they did not want to politicise
the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were looking for a
loan and your first port of call had to be your local TD rather than
the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court order and
that is not the 10s of thousands of houses thats sometimes recited
on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed that in the
third quarter of 2015 (July, August and September) legal

proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases of private mortgages.

There were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding and the court granted a repossession
order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by lenders
during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and since the
changes were made by the Minister for Justice and that the money
and Budgeting Advice Service are assisting people before the courts
that will diminish even further, Mr Noonan added.
Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael Noonan to
order the banks he owns to withdraw repossession proceedings in
light of the extreme housing emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government has given
the green light to the banks they own, to continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences were
granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the first 3 quarters
of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also house families were also
repossessed. Banks are now seeking a further 97 repossession
orders for dwellings in Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB,
EBS and Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being reasonably
handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting the situation, Mr
Noonan quoted the 208 orders for repossessions for the whole
country for Quarter 3,2015 as representative of the scale of the
problem. COURTS ONLY SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN
QUARTER 3!! The Court Service Figures for the whole country for
Quarters 1 and 2 are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!
Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State Hayes(FG)
must now intervene at Cabinet to have a Housing Emergency
Declared and all repossession applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw the
repossession applications by the banks he owns.
This can be done by government decision and does not require
legislation.
Seamus Healy T.D.
18/01/2016
Tel 087 2802199

Dail Record of Reply by Michael Noonan to Seamus Healy TD on

Repossessions (Jan 14) is carried below together with article by
Kitty Holland and other material from the Courts Service
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES THROUGH
BANKS IT OWNS

293 families and aprox 600 children have

become homeless in the first 3 months of this
year in Dublin Alone
From FOCUS IRELAND

85 families became newly homeless in Dublin in March and were

referred to our family services.
These latest figures mean that 293 families and aprox 600
children have become homeless in the first 3 months of this year
alone in the capital.
These latest figures come following a record total of 125 families
became homeless in Jan and 83 in Feb this year in Dublin.
The number of families and children in homeless emergency
accommodation at a national level at a point in time as of the end of
February has shot up by a staggering 112% in the last year from
429 families with 938 children in Feb 2015 to a current total of 912
families & 1881 children.
These shocking new figures come just ahead of the Dail sitting
today and there is also a joint Meeting of the Cross Departmental
Team on Homelessness and the National Homelessness Consultative
Committee.
We are very worried that despite all the talk about homelessness
the caretaker Government has taken no new actions to tackle this
worsening crisis since the Dail first sat over a month ago on March
10th.
Tackling the housing and homeless crisis must be at the heart of
any new Programme For Government, and we previously issued a
five point plan setting out the key elements which should inform
such a programme. These demands include calling for a cast iron
commitment to end family homelessness with a firm target date to
achieve this and also a commitment to build 40,000 social homes
over the next 5 years.
We must remember that while the horse-trading to form the new
government is taking place more than 3 families have become
homeless every single day so far this year. Todays joint meeting is
a positive development to discuss some pressing issues. However, it
is important to stress that there are a range of measures which can
be put in place while we wait for the new government to be formed
to ensure that they are not starting from scratch on putting
together a plan to tackle the housing and homeless crisis.

Some of these urgent actions Focus Ireland is calling for include:

Firm action to provide greater security for tenants in buy-to-let
properties as 27,492 of these properties are more than 90 days in
arrears. The Dail can easily fast-track amendments to current
legislation to provide this vital protection for tenants as we wait for
a new government to be formed.
Taking action to raise rent supplement so it reflects market rents
as this will help to keep families and individuals in their current
homes and prevent them from becoming homeless.
To confirm what action is required to ensure NAMA delivers more
social housing.
You can read more about this here:
http://bit.ly/300familieshomeless
-

HOMELESSNESS UP 50% AS
SOUTH DUBLIN CO COUNCIL
DECLARES HOUSING EMERGENCY
The number of people accessing emergency shelters
across the State was up by almost 50 per cent in
February, compared to the same month last year,
according to the latest figures on homelessness.
The figures, from the Department of the Environment,
show there were 5,881 people in emergency
accommodation in February, which represents a yearon-year increase of 49 per cent. Among them were
1,881 children, which represents an increase of 101 per
cent.
Simon Communities of Ireland spokeswoman Niamh
Randall said the figures were shocking and
demonstrate that existing measures to tackle
homelessness are failing.-Irish Times 14/04/2016

Open letter to Alan Kelly Dont

blame the housing crisis on the
Constitution
Edmund Honohan

Master of the High Court

PUBLISHED03/04/2016 | 02:30
Sunday Indepenent

In an open letter to Alan Kelly, the environment minister, the Master

of the High Court Edmund Honohan says the Constitution cannot be
used as cover for political inaction on the housing crisis
Dear Minister Kelly,
It is appropriate that you have, in this centenary year, called for a
debate about property rights in the Constitution. Faced with
repeated assertions about how the right to property is legally
watertight, politicians need to recover control which they have
ceded to the lawyers. To do so they need to understand that the
position is a lot clearer than they have been led to believe.
Echoes of 1916: The Constitution in effect provides that the State
may expropriate private property if the Oireachtas decides that to
do so is for the common good. Road widening is a good example.
Option A. At the moment there are long waiting lists for housing and
the private rental market is unable to provide dwellings at
affordable rents.
Consequently, if the Oireachtas is of the view that the State should
itself (or its local authorities) provide public housing in the
Common Good, the State can (and probably, legally, should) decide
not to wait the two/three years needed to build social housing but
instead to immediately acquire houses now in private hands.
If the owners of these refuse to sell, acquisition can be by
compulsory purchase with full compensation assessed by the
arbitrator.
It so happens that there is a stock of such housing which has
recently been bought by vulture property investment funds from
Anglo, Irish Nationwide, Nama etc. at knockdown prices.
Compensation for these funds would be that they would be repaid
the price they paid for the housing portfolios. That is the extent of
their Constitutional entitlement.
Option B. On the other hand, the Oireachtas might be concerned to
enhance tenants rights at the expense of the landlords. Rent
controls and the like are also a form of expropriation if their effect is
to rewrite contracts already operational. And the common good
rationale for such interference with contracts is not as clearly
unarguable as with Option A.
Option A wins hands down and the timing is right.
Cue now the lawyers alternative analysis: that the Constitution
enshrines marketplace rules; that the Supreme Court will determine
what is the Common Good. Publish the Attorney Generals advice to
the Government and have a fully informed debate.
But given that the Supreme Court has already decided, in 2000,
that the provision of affordable housing is an objective which is
socially just and required by the common good, what we do about
it now is a political decision, not a legal one.
The Constitution cannot be used as cover for political inaction.
Sunday Independent

Dail Debate: Government Knowingly and Deliberately

Causing Homelessness-Seamus Healy TD
Deputy Seamus Healy:
The outgoing Government, knowingly and
deliberately, created and caused homelessness. I say this because
the State owns Allied Irish Banks, Permanent TSB and the
Educational Building Society. The Minister and current caretaker
Administration are allowing these financial institutions to evict
people from their homes. They can stop such evictions by telling the
banks to stop causing homelessness. No legislation is required to do
so because the Government, through the Ministers for the
Environment, Community and Local Government and Finance, could
issue a simple directive to stop financial institutions from making
people homeless.
The National Asset Management Agency which is owned by the
State is creating homelessness by evicting people and selling
residences and apartments to vulture funds that are engaging in
evictions. The State could also stop this practice by issuing a simple
instruction to NAMA. I reiterate that the State is deliberately
creating homelessness and should stop doing so immediately.
I will refer briefly to the Tnaistes reference to the housing
assistance payment. The HAP scheme is an outrageous rip-off of
tenants, most, if not all, of whom must pay differential rent to their
local authority and a top-up to their landlord, which is often as
much as 50 per week. The scheme should be stopped immediately.
If we are to address the homelessness and housing crisis, the
Government and the new Dil must declare a housing emergency
immediately. Otherwise, we will not be able to deal with the
problem. The Government should also take up the offer made by
the credit unions to provide between 5 billion and 8 billion to help
address the housing problem.
Deputy Mick Barry:
I agree with the points made by Deputy
Seamus Healy. I will make several points about the scandal that
recently unfolded on the Eden estate in Blackrock in Cork city where
tenants in 35 apartments received letters earlier this year
terminating their leases and giving notice to quit. Many of them had
lived in the properties in question for years. The letters were issued
by Grant Thornton, the receiver in charge of 127 apartments on the
estate, which was appointed by the State-owned IBRC in November
2010. This is the latest chapter in the saga of Anglo Irish Bank and
the Irish Nationwide Building Society.
KPMG has been the Government appointed liquidator of IBRC since
January 2013. As instructed by the Fine Gael-Labour Party
Government, the liquidators only interest is in maximising the
financial return to the State from the carcases of Anglo Irish Bank
and the Irish Nationwide Building Society and it has no regard for
the social impact of doing so. In this sense, it is an even more

heartless and anti-social arm of the State than NAMA.

As of January 2016, IBRC had netted 2.1 billion from sales such as
those envisaged on the Eden estate. This sum has not been used to
address the housing crisis because most of it has been ring-fenced
for distribution among IBRCs creditors which include Anglo Irish
Bank subordinated bondholders. Some of the money is intended to
be used for payment in full of certain employee and pension claims
prior to the date of liquidation. Does this include pension payments
to former members of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide
Building Society management such as Mr. David Drumm and Mr.
Michael Fingleton?

NAMA (Really the Minister for Finance) Worsening Crisis

Through Sale of Homes to Vulture Funds.
Government also evicting Families through Banks it Owns
McPeake Auctioneers (Tyrellstown in Irish Times March 16)
The supply into the market from the builders is much lower than
the market needs, and that is because of a number of reasons.
The first is that the control of sites into the market is being
controlled by a much smaller pool of players. The big developers
who were there all ended up in Nama or a financial institution.
The financial institutions have all now basically all sold off their
loans and Nama is selling off the balance. All of those loans have
gone basically to these venture capital funds.
Its a problem thats been created, in particular, Namas
desire to do away with Nama, to be able to say Namas now
gone, isnt that great, but what youve really done is
transferred the whole stock of development land and a
considerable number of private residential properties, that
may be rented or may not be rented, into the hands of
people outside the country.
High Court Master, Edmund Honahan, urges State to
nationalise repossessed homes
The Master of the High Court has called on the Government to
nationalise repossessed homes and buy-to-lets that banks have
sold to speculators and investment trusts and use them as social
housing.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/propertymortgages/high-court-master-urges-state-to-nationaliserepossessed-homes-34282536.html
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES THROUGH
BANKS IT OWNS

Its no Joke But More Tommy Cooper than Penn and Teller!
Irish Times Report on Dil Discussion Further Down
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!
State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are seeking
repossession of homes by court order throughout the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance Michael
Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures from a
Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter 3(July, August,
September) 207 properties were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are being
repossessed is just not correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is nothing
technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he attempts to minimise
the awful trauma for 207 families which are losing their homes. A
key tactic of the spinner to deceive is the omission of key
information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1 month
only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and September.
Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the month of July only!
The full information provided by the Courts Service and reported by
Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November is: Of the 1,088
court orders for repossession made in the three quarters of 2015 up
to September 30, 758 were for primary homes, 131 were for buyto-lets and 199 were for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1
314, Q2 586, Q3 188
There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to June
period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks the figure for
Q3 which he then implies is typical though it contains one
month( July) figures only! The reason the Central Bank figure for
Q3 (207) is slightly above the Courts Service figure (188) may be
that the Central Bank figure contains High Court orders in addition
to the Circuit Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his tracks
claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the situation! The
idea that tens of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just
not correct he said. Additionally, this allows him to suggest that the
repossession problem is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is
being represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3 quarters of

2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!

For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since the
start of the year up to September 30, the latest figures from the
Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov
12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce the debt
security on private dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases
(Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to minimize a
problem which is in fact already disastrous-the oldest trick in the
book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a most
important right. The vast majority of people in mortgage difficulty
are entirely blameless for their own predicament. They were setting
up homes at a particular time. They may have had to move jobs or
have been transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central bank and
the financial regulator and by the government of the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and superior
interests and that the vindication of the rights of householders to
stay in their own home is a secondary consideration even if families
must be placed in hotel rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his intention to sell
the state owned banks to private investors. Clearly, he is concerned
to maximise the sale value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full international
investors who risked their funds in Irish Banks. Money was
borrowed from international financiers to pay this compensation.
Now Minister Noonan and the FG/Labour Government are using the
banks to collect money originally paid to international investors in
the same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks are
allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers which are well
above average rates in other European countries within the
Eurozone. The value of houses in Ireland has now risen. Hence the
huge rise in repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of
2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened up for
privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no power to
give instructions to state owned banks.

He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my

predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential component
is that the political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr Noonan had no
power to instruct the government owned banks. The old omission
trick! Mr Noonan omitted the words voluntary from voluntary
relationship framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the relationship
framework at any time. He has taken a political decision to
continue to honour it-and to allow the banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned banks from
evicting people would lead to people applying to their local TD for a
loan and that the notion of state owned and directed banks was
preposterous! Of course there have been state owned banks in
Ireland for decades and there have been such in other European
countries for even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for
dealing with the problem of people applying to politicians for loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of the
government for evicting people on the one hand and extorting
money to pay off international lenders from mortgage holders and
small businesses on the other.. Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears problem is
being progressively solved through helpful measures put in place by
his government. The truth is that the problem of the banks is being
solved by repossessing homes and extending mortgages at
exorbitant interest rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not doing
so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.

Noonan: home repossessions being

handled reasonably well
Minister says no political interference in bank

decision, but progress being made

Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2016,
12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its very
hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I
appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home repossessions
reasonably well, according to Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being repossessed
is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people. I
appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate the concerns
and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled reasonably well
by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who asked Mr
Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and its subsidiary EBS
as well as the majority shareholder in Permanent TSB, to call a
meeting of the boards of the banks and to instruct them not to
repossess family homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that then sack
those members. You have the power to do that as majority
shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country, irrespective of what
you say Minister, facing homelessness by these banks, of which the
Government is a majority shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed by the
Governments predecessors in office that the political side will not
interfere in commercial decisions and they did not want to politicise
the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were looking for a
loan and your first port of call had to be your local TD rather than
the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court order and
that is not the 10s of thousands of houses thats sometimes recited
on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed that in the
third quarter of 2015 (July, August and September) legal
proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases of private mortgages.
There were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding and the court granted a repossession
order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by lenders

during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.

Its a very small amount to go through the system and since the
changes were made by the Minister for Justice and that the money
and Budgeting Advice Service are assisting people before the courts
that will diminish even further, Mr Noonan added.
Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael Noonan to
order the banks he owns to withdraw repossession proceedings in
light of the extreme housing emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government has given
the green light to the banks they own, to continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences were
granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the first 3 quarters
of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also house families were also
repossessed. Banks are now seeking a further 97 repossession
orders for dwellings in Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB,
EBS and Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being reasonably
handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting the situation, Mr
Noonan quoted the 208 orders for repossessions for the whole
country for Quarter 3,2015 as representative of the scale of the
problem. COURTS ONLY SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN
QUARTER 3!! The Court Service Figures for the whole country for
Quarters 1 and 2 are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!
Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State Hayes(FG)
must now intervene at Cabinet to have a Housing Emergency
Declared and all repossession applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw the
repossession applications by the banks he owns.
This can be done by government decision and does not require
legislation.
Seamus Healy T.D.
18/01/2016
Tel 087 2802199
Dail Record of Reply by Michael Noonan to Seamus Healy TD on
Repossessions (Jan 14) is carried below together with article by
Kitty Holland and other material from the Courts Service
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES THROUGH

BANKS IT OWNS
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!
State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are seeking
repossession of homes by court order throughout the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance Michael
Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures from a
Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter 3(July, August,
September) 207 properties were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are being
repossessed is just not correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is nothing
technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he attempts to minimise
the awful trauma for 207 families which are losing their homes. A
key tactic of the spinner to deceive is the omission of key
information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1 month
only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and September.
Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the month of July only!
The full information provided by the Courts Service and reported by
Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November is: Of the 1,088
court orders for repossession made in the three quarters of 2015 up
to September 30, 758 were for primary homes, 131 were for buyto-lets and 199 were for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1
314, Q2 586, Q3 188
There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to June
period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks the figure for
Q3 which he then implies is typical though it contains one
month( July) figures only! The reason the Central Bank figure for
Q3 (207) is slightly above the Courts Service figure (188) may be
that the Central Bank figure contains High Court orders in addition
to the Circuit Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his tracks
claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the situation! The
idea that tens of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just
not correct he said. Additionally, this allows him to suggest that the
repossession problem is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is
being represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3 quarters of
2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!

For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since the
start of the year up to September 30, the latest figures from the
Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov
12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce the debt
security on private dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases
(Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to minimize a
problem which is in fact already disastrous-the oldest trick in the
book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a most
important right. The vast majority of people in mortgage difficulty
are entirely blameless for their own predicament. They were setting
up homes at a particular time. They may have had to move jobs or
have been transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central bank and
the financial regulator and by the government of the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and superior
interests and that the vindication of the rights of householders to
stay in their own home is a secondary consideration even if families
must be placed in hotel rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his intention to sell
the state owned banks to private investors. Clearly, he is concerned
to maximise the sale value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full international
investors who risked their funds in Irish Banks. Money was
borrowed from international financiers to pay this compensation.
Now Minister Noonan and the FG/Labour Government are using the
banks to collect money originally paid to international investors in
the same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks are
allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers which are well
above average rates in other European countries within the
Eurozone. The value of houses in Ireland has now risen. Hence the
huge rise in repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of
2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened up for
privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no power to
give instructions to state owned banks.

He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my

predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential component
is that the political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr Noonan had no
power to instruct the government owned banks. The old omission
trick! Mr Noonan omitted the words voluntary from voluntary
relationship framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the relationship
framework at any time. He has taken a political decision to
continue to honour it-and to allow the banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned banks from
evicting people would lead to people applying to their local TD for a
loan and that the notion of state owned and directed banks was
preposterous! Of course there have been state owned banks in
Ireland for decades and there have been such in other European
countries for even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for
dealing with the problem of people applying to politicians for loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of the
government for evicting people on the one hand and extorting
money to pay off international lenders from mortgage holders and
small businesses on the other.. Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears problem is
being progressively solved through helpful measures put in place by
his government. The truth is that the problem of the banks is being
solved by repossessing homes and extending mortgages at
exorbitant interest rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not doing
so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.
Repossessions of Dwellings by Court Order-From Courts Service
(Q2)April to June 2015
Residence
buy-to-let
other
Total
383

97

106

586

(Q1)Jan march
233

29

2015
52

314

Q3 (July to September)
142
5
41
188
Q3 Central Bank
207 (properties)were
repossessed on foot of a court order.
Q1,Q2,Q3
758
131
199
1088
The data, released to The Irish Times, also shows 1,088
repossession orders were granted by the courts in the first
nine months of the year, almost 70 per cent more than the
644 granted in the same period last year and 350 per cent
more than the 240 granted in the period in 2013.
Of the 1,088 orders made, 758 were for primary homes, 131 were
for buy-to-lets and 199 were for other dwellings. Kitty Holland
Irish Times Nov 12
These cases (court orders) in the statistics are not the only
cases in which a financial institution is foreclosing. The vast
majority of mortgages contain a foreclosure clause which becomes
operative, without the need for a court order, if there is any failure
in payment of instalments.
Accordingly, only figures supplied by the credit institutions would
disclose the overall number of properties being recovered or sold
by credit institutions.-Statement From Courts Service August
6,2015
Noonan in Dil Jan 14
Central Bank. During the third quarter of 2015, legal proceedings
were issued to enforce the debt security on private dwelling house
mortgages in 1,687 cases. During quarter three, there were 798
cases where court proceedings concluded but arrears remained
outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an order for
repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422 properties
were taken into possession by lenders in the quarter, of which 207
were repossessed on foot of a court order. The remaining 215 were
voluntarily surrendered or abandoned.
Ml Noonan On the question of repossessions, 207 houses were
repossessed on foot of a court order(in 2015-ph), which does not
equate to the tens of thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in
commentary. Jan 14

More than 7,000 dwellings targeted by

lenders up to 2015, says Courts Service

Thu, Nov 12, 2015, 01:00

Kitty Holland
Some 889 applications for repossession were refused by the courts

so far this year. Photograph: Getty Images

Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since the start
of the year, the latest figures from the Courts Service of Ireland
indicate.
These are in addition to the 7,100 dwellings lenders had already
moved to repossess by January 1st, 2015.
The figures, covering the first nine months of the year, show lenders
lodged 4,440 civil bills for repossession across the States 26 circuit
courts.
Some 3,638 (82 per cent) of these are for primary homes, 89 (2
per cent) are for buy-to-lets with 713 (16 per cent) for other
dwellings.
However, the number of bills lodged is down compared with the
same period last year when 6,420 bills were lodged, indicating a
possible levelling off in repossession activity by the banks.
The data, released to The Irish Times, also shows 1,088
repossession orders were granted by the courts in the first
nine months of the year, almost 70 per cent more than the
644 granted in the same period last year and 350 per cent
more than the 240 granted in the period in 2013.
Of the 1,088 orders made, 758 were for primary homes, 131 were
for buy-to-lets and 199 were for other dwellings.
Dail Record Jan 14
Home Repossession
Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Finance if he
will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB, which are in majority State
ownership, desist from seeking repossession of family homes
through the Courts and withdraw all such existing applications
before the Courts; and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the housing crisis
by repossessing family homes. I am asking the Minister, as the
majority shareholder, to instruct the banks to desist from this
practice.
Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy Healy for
raising this question. As he is aware, I have no direct function in the
relationship between the customer and PTSB, or AIB and its
subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these banks
are run on a commercial and independent basis to ensure the value
of the banks as an asset to the State.
Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board and
management of the relevant institution. The relationship framework
agreements define the arms-length nature of the relationship

between the State and the banks in which the State has an
investment. The banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options
open to them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,
within the significant constraints imposed by their regulator, the
Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to address the
problem of mortgage arrears and family home repossessions. The
primary focus of this strategy is to support those home owners in
difficulty with their mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible,
to avoid repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of and access
to the insolvency framework. We expanded the mortgage-to-rent
scheme, making it more accessible. In addition, my colleague, the
Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also
introduced the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will,
among other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy from
three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage arrears
also provides protection as it sets out requirements for lenders
dealing with borrowers who are facing, or in, mortgage arrears on
their primary residence. It ensures that borrowers struggling to
keep up mortgage repayments are treated in a fair and transparent
manner by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by
lenders with each of their borrowers.
The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall. There are
almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in place and the vast
majority of these are working. The figures demonstrate that most
families can, working with their financial institutions, find an
arrangement to make their mortgage commitments affordable.
Active engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is key
to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge borrowers in
arrears who have not already done so to take that step by
contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for an independent
assessment of their situation and advice on available resolution
options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of homelessness in
this country. Last November, the Dublin Homeless Executive
provided figures according to which some 1,425 children in 677
families were in emergency accommodation. The Dublin Simon
Community said that was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland
said that the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks and
accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to be
introduced in the courts. These banks are majority owned by the
State and it is open to the Minister to instruct these banks to desist

from repossessing family homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families

are facing repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very
important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the
Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly,
brought forward proposals last year that have blunted the edge of
this particular social crisis. Certainly, over the Christmas period
there was less sense of a crisis with homelessness than there had
been earlier in the year. The measures introduced by the Minister,
Deputy Kelly, have been working and, please God, they will continue
to work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of the
Deputys notified question, there is some interesting data published
by the Central Bank. During the third quarter of 2015, legal
proceedings were issued to enforce the debt security on private
dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases. During quarter three,
there were 798 cases where court proceedings concluded but
arrears remained outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an
order for repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the quarter, of
which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court order. The remaining
215 were voluntarily surrendered or abandoned. The idea that tens
of thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not correct. A
small amount goes through the system. With the changes made by
the Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money Advice &
Budgeting Service assisting directly people before the courts, I hope
the number will diminish even further. It is the policy of the
Government to put arrangements in place so that people can live in
the family home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority shareholder
in these banks and he has obviously given permission to the banks
to repossess family homes. He could equally instruct these banks
not to go down this road and repossess family homes. He could call
an emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct them not
to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so immediately and if
bank directors do not agree, they should be sacked, as the Minister
has the power to do so as a majority shareholder. This is urgent
and, irrespective of the Ministers comments, thousands of families
in the country are facing homelessness because of banks in which
the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister could give
instructions to stop these repossessions and I ask him to do so
immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship framework,
signed by my predecessors in office, with the banks and the
essential component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions. That is for a very good reason as we do not
want to politicise the banks. It would be a very sad day for the

country if the first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be
the local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do that at
all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political interference
with the banks. On the question of repossessions, 207 houses were
repossessed on foot of a court order, which does not equate to the
tens of thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in commentary.
There are 121,000 restructured mortgages on private dwellings,
with a success rate of 86.6%. That means the arrangements stick in
just under 87% of cases. The problem is being solved progressively.
I appreciate it is very hard on people and I can appreciate that
people who lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme situation,
the issue is being handled reasonably well by the banks

Woman facing return to prison over

refusal to hand over her home to
bank
Claire Knowles was lawfully jailed for
contempt of court order, High Court judge
rules

Mary Carolan
Irish Times Dec 15
Claire Knowles (56) of Castlejane, Glanmire, Co Cork, who will
remain on bail until Wednesday evening after which time she will
return to Limerick Prison unless she has purged her contempt of the
possession order. Photograph: Collins Court
A High Court judge has ruled a woman was lawfully jailed for
contempt of a court order requiring her hand over possession of her
home to a bank.
Mr Justice Richard Humphreys told Claire Knowles she may remain
on bail until 7pm on Wednesday after which time she will return to
Limerick Prison unless she has purged her contempt of the
possession order in the interim.
Ms Knowles was jailed by a judge at Cork Circuit Court on
December 8th for contempt of a court order of January 2014
requiring she hand over possession of her home near Glanmire, Co
Cork, to Bank of Ireland.
She was freed on conditional bail on December 10th pending the
outcome of the inquiry, under Article 40 of the Constitution, into the
legality of her detention.
Giving his decision on Tuesday having heard arguments by Ms
Knowles and the State, Mr Justice Humphreys said he was bound by

other court decisions concerning Article 40 inquiries and, in all the

circumstances, must rule the detention is lawful.
He will give a written judgment outlining his reasons for that
decision at a later stage.
The contempt application was brought by solicitors representing
Bank of Ireland arising from a mortgage taken out with ICS Building
Society on Ms Knowles home at The Pines, Castlejayne Woods,
Glanmire, Co Cork.
An order for possession of that property was made by the Circuit
Court in January 2014 and the High Court dismissed an appeal
against that order in July 2014. Ms Knowles later got an order from
the Master of the High Court extending the time effectively for a
second appeal.
Attachment and committal proceedings were brought last October
against Ms Knowles for contempt over her failure to hand over
possession and were adjourned to December 8th when Cork Circuit
Court directed her detention in Limerick Prison.
Ms Knowles was freed on conditional bail on December 10th
pending the outcome of the High Court inquiry, initiated the
previous day under Article 40 of the Constitution, into the
lawfulness of her detention.
In his decision today, Mr Justice Humphreys commended Ms
Knowles for the manner in which she presented her case but said
his hands were tied by various rulings which meant he could not
direct her release.
Among arguments advanced by her to support her claim that her
detention was invalid, she argued there was an error in the title of
the committal warrant in that it was in the name of ICS when it was
lawyers representing BOI who sought her committal. She also
argued she was wrongly refused an adjournment of the contempt
application so as to allow her try and get legal representation.
Remy Farrell SC, for the governor of Limerick Prison, argued the net
issue in the Article 40 inquiry was if Ms Knowles was denied an
opportunity of getting legal representation, and it was his case she
was not.
The transcript of proceedings in the Circuit Court showed Ms
Knowles chose to proceed without legal representation after clearly
considering matters over the lunch break on December 8th, he said.
The Circuit Court judge had made the jailing order after Ms Knowles
refused to give an undertaking to leave her home and she was
manifestly in contempt, counsel said.
On that date, the transcript of the hearing referred to counsel for
the bank saying Ms Knowles was still in the house and she was in
flagrant breach of the order.
The Circuit Court judge warned Ms Knowles she was at strong risk
of going to jail, should get legal advice and the case would not be
adjourned unless she undertook to abide by the court order to leave

the house.
It was very clear what she had to do and legal advice would not
have altered that. It seemed clear Ms Knowles later decided to
represent herself as she was entitled to do but she must take the
consequences of that.
The Circuit Court judge had said he did not believe she was serious
about getting out of the house, he would jail her and refuse a stay,
given the brazen contempt.
In her arguments, Ms Knowles said she is being turned into a
criminal out of civil litigation and these are not ordinary times.
She said the banks had had months to get their paperwork in order
in her case but had failed to do so until much later and then used
the name of a non-entity in these proceedings. Lawyers for the
bank were unable to answer her when she had raised points about
the delay in amending the title of the case, she added.
She also said she had been refused legal aid for the Circuit Court
proceedings as she did not know how to get it and was given an
hour to do so.
I was given no choice, she said.

NEED HELP? PHOENIX PROJECT

FREE OF CHARGE SERVICE www phoenixproject ie
Helpline: 1850 20 30 40
Phone: 057 8636830
Email: support@phoenixproject.ie
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/thedebt-doctors-there-s-a-black-cloud-over-a-lot-of-people1.2463335#.Vmw231bKiG0.mailto
Claire Knowles, Resisting Eviction, Released On Bail by High
Court as large number of supporters attend court
PLEASE,Could a Legal Team Offer to Represent Her Pro Bono
Publico?
It is grossly Unfair That She Should Be Forced to Represent Herself.
Be there again NEXT MONDAY!

From Irish Times Breaking News

A woman jailed for contempt of a court order directing she hand
over possession of her Co Cork home to a bank has been freed on
bail by the High Court.
Claire Knowles (56) was jailed on Tuesday over her failure to
comply with orders obtained by Bank of Ireland over the property at
The Pines, Castlejayne Woods, Glamire.
She was brought to Limerick Prison where she was held until she
was brought before the High Court on Thursday for an inquiry into
the legality of her detention.
The inquiry, under Article 40 of the Constitution, was sought on her
behalf by anti-eviction campaigner Ben Gilroy, who said he had
assisted Ms Knowles in previous court cases relating to the
repossession.
Following a hearing, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys ordered her
release on her own bail of 100, with a condition she stay away
from her home, pending full determination of her legal challenge.
She is to come back to court next Monday.
The judge ruled the governor of Limerick Prison was obliged to go
behind the reasons for her detention. To do that, the governor
would have to apply to make Bank of Ireland a notice party in this
case, the judge said.
In those circumstances, the judge adjourned the inquiry to allow
that occur. In the meantime, he granted bail to Ms Knowles who
was supported in court by a large number of people.
Earlier, Remy Farrell SC, for the prison governor, said his client had
no relationship, legal or otherwise, with Bank of Ireland.
He could not compel witnesses to attend court or provide
documentation in order to justify the reasons for committing her to
prison, counsel said.

Ms Knowles told the court she was too traumatised to make the
case because she had been in Limerick Prison and wanted Mr Gilroy
to do it for her.
The judge ruled it was established case law only the person
detained could make the arguments before the court or could
employ a qualified lawyer to do so.
Following an adjournment to allow the judge consider the law on
representation in such cases, Ms Knowles said she was a little more
composed and would present it herself.

Support Release of brave Claire Knowles From Jail Tomorrow

High Court 10.30 tomorrow Thursday Nov 10
Jailed for Refusing to Hand Over Her Home to Bank Of
Ireland
Inquiry on legality of womans detention for contempt ordered
Claire Knowles jailed over contempt of direction to
hand over possession of home to bank
aIrish Timesbout 4 hours ago Updated: about 3 hours ago
Mary Carolan
A High Court judge has directed an inquiry into the legality of the
detention inLimerick Prison of a woman for contempt of a Circuit
Court order directing she hand over possession of her home to a
bank.
Ben Gilroy, of Direct Democracy Ireland, applied on Wednesday to
Mr JusticeMax Barrett for the inquiry following the imprisonment the
previous day ofClaire Knowles (56), who lives with her son at
Castlejayne, Glanmire, Cork.
During the application, Mr Gilroy said there was huge confusion
over possession orders made by the Circuit Court, an apparent
reference to conflicting High Court decisions of November and May
last concerning the Circuit Courts jurisdiction to hear certain
repossession cases.
Suffered difficulties
He said Ms Knowles suffered difficulties including depression after
the possession order was made in January 2014, and the Master of
the High Court later agreed to extend time for her to appeal that
possession order.
Ms Knowles has no recollection of getting a letter of demand of
November 2009 and there were issues about a signature on that, he
added.
In an affidavit, Mr Gilroy said he is a friend of Ms Knowles. He said
the warrant detaining her was invalid as it was in the name of ICS
Building Society and, as far as he was aware, the governor and
company of the Bank of Ireland had applied to the Circuit Court to
reconstitute the proceedings by substituting the governor and
company of BOI earlier this year.

Ms Knowles is in dispute with ICS, he said. On November 10th, the

Master of the High Court extended time for her and her son to
appeal the Circuit Court possession order of January 20th, 2014.
When a further extension was sought on December 2nd, the Master
granted an additional 72 hours, he said.
Notice of appeal
Ms Knowles did serve her notice of appeal on December 2nd, he
said.
He said the plaintiff bank in the Circuit Court proceedings appealed
the Masters order, and the High Court on Monday last dismissed the
appeal and affirmed the Masters order of November 10th.
Mr Gilroy said Ms Knowles previously appeared before Judge
Donagh McDonagh at the Circuit Court on October 27th. The judge
said he had no jurisdiction in the Circuit Court possession
proceedings, refused to make an order for attachment and
committal, and adjourned the matter to December 8th when Ms
Knowles appeared before Judge ODonnabhain.
A friend of Ms Knowles who was present had given a written
account stating the judge warned Ms Knowles she was at risk of jail
and should get legal representation. She was unable to do so and
was refused an adjournment to get a lawyer, the account stated.
Described as brazen
It was also stated, when her case was called, Ms Knowles began
reading from a prepared statement but was interrupted by the
judge who made the committal order. It was stated she continued to
read the statement and the judge said she was in breach of the
order and described her as brazen.
Mr Justice Barrett said he would direct an inquiry under Article 40 of
the Constitution into the legality of Ms Knowles detention and order
she be produced in court on Thursday morning for that inquiry.

Dublin child homelessness figure

doubles to 1,400
Kitty Holland:Shameful:Dublin
Simon has described the figures as
unacceptable and shameful, while
FOCUS IRELAND said they showed
Government action has so far
failed to halt the constant flow of

families becoming homeless.-Irish

Times
Olivia Kelly: But the deal is a far cry from the proposal by
ALAN KELLY, Minister for the Environment, to link privatesector rent increases to the consumer price index for four
years. The measures wont make a dent in existing rents,
and its far from certain that they will make renting a viable
long-term option.-Irish Times(further down)

Kitty Holland:IRISH TIMES

Saturday, November 14, 2015,
01:00

There are now more than 1,400 homeless children in Dublin more
than twice as many as a year ago, the latest figures show.
Data published last night by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive
show that during the week of 18th to 25th October there were
1,425 children in 677 families in emergency accommodation.
This represents a 109 per cent increase in the number of homeless
children since October 2014, when there were 680 children in
emergency accommodation in the capital.
Of the total, 975 children in 461 families are in hotels, while 450
children in 216 are in supported homeless accommodation.

Shameful

Dublin Simon has described the figures as unacceptable and

shameful, while Focus Ireland said they showed Government
action has so far failed to halt the constant flow of families
becoming homeless.
Sam McGuinness, Dublin Simon chief executive, said he was
alarmed at the numbers. With no measures to stop the ever
rising flow of people into homelessness over the past year, we are
now faced with the very shameful situation where 1,425 children
are forced to lay their head in inadequate accommodation, scared
and vulnerable, without a safe home to look to this Christmas.
He said rent certainty measures announced by the Government this
week were inadequate, as rents remained unaffordable for the
poorest families dependent on rent supplement.
Mike Allen, director of advocacy with Focus Ireland, said the plan to
freeze rents for two years was welcome but added a rise in rent
supplement levels was necessary to keep poorer families in their
homes.

Cumulative impact

The families which became homeless in October did so primarily as

a result of the cumulative effects of rising rents over the last two

years, linked to a freeze in rent supplement, said Mr Allen.

Even if the Governments package does has the effect of slowing
down rents it will make no difference to the families who will
continue to lose their homes because of the cumulative impact of
rent rises over the last two years while the Government took no
action.
A spokeswoman for the DRHE, which manages homelessness
services in the capital, said month-on-month the provision of
emergency accommodation for families was being increased.
In addition the executive was working to ensure 500 modular
homes would be delivered next year to provide temporary
accommodation for homeless families. National homelessness data
for October are to be published by the Department of the
Environment over the weekend.
2015 irishtimes.com

Irelands rental crisis: Will new

measures help?
Olivia Kelly

Irish Times Saturday, November 14, 2015, 01:00

After months of inter-Coalition wrangling, and years of escalating
rents, the Government has come up with a solution to Irelands
rental-accommodation crisis: landlords can raise rents only every
two years instead of every year. As showpieces go its hardly
dazzling. But is it enough to make a difference?
There is a bit more to the package that the Government is calling its
new deal for tenants. There will be increased notice periods both for
ending a lease and for increasing rent. The long-promised depositprotection scheme, whereby tenants deposits would be held by the
Private Residential Tenancies Board rather than by a landlord, will
be set up.
But the deal is a far cry from the proposal by Alan Kelly, Minister for
the Environment, to link private-sector rent increases to the
consumer price index for four years. The measures wont make a
dent in existing rents, and its far from certain that they will make
renting a viable long-term option.
At other times this may not have mattered quite so much. Ten years
ago one in 10 households lived in privately rented accommodation.
Now its one in five, and another 10 per cent live in rented social
housing. Numbers renting are even higher in urban areas: a quarter
of Dublin city homes are privately rented. Historically, most Irish
people have viewed renting as a temporary measure, a stopgap
between leaving the nest and having the wherewithal to buy your
own place.
Even with so many more people renting, this perception hasnt
changed. A report late last year by the economic consultancy DKM

on the future of the private rented sector, commissioned by the

Housing Agency, showed a low appetite for long-term renting.
Almost three-quarters of renters planned to leave the rental market
this year or next. Just 17 per cent saw themselves as lifelong
tenants, and for most of those it was not because they wanted to
but because they had to. The majority in this category cited an
inability to afford a house as the main reason they had continued to
rent.
Separately, a large group of the population rent from landlords with
State assistance, and they dont seem to want to stay as privatesector tenants either.
We dont know for certain how many people want a council house.
The last national assessment of need, completed in 2013, showed
that just under 90,000 applicants were on local-authority waiting
lists. Dublin City Council had 16,000 on the list at the time; last July
the figure had increased to almost 21,600. More than 100,000
applicants are now likely to be waiting.
And these are just the people who have had their need for a council
house approved; many more are skittering around the eligibility
threshold and would like the stability of a council house in effect a
home for life, something the private rental sector certainly does not
guarantee.
What all these figures show is that almost nobody living in private
rental accommodation, supplemented or not, wants to be there.
And its easy to understand why.
The high cost of renting and the inability to control and predict that
cost in the medium or long term is a major drawback. Rents have
been rising steadily since 2013, particularly in Dublin. The rises
havent been minor: rents in the capital went up by 9.2 per cent in
the year to the end of June, and rents across the State went up by
5.8 per cent, according to the Private Residential Tenancies Board.
This means that the average Dublin renter, who had been paying
1,275 a month for a house or 1,152 for an apartment in the
summer of 2014, is now paying 1,387 for a house and 1,260 for
an apartment. Rents for houses outside Dublin increased from 656
to 695 in the year, and for apartments from 623 to 660.
Why has this happened? Its a simple equation of supply and
demand. To give the short version of the housing boom and bust:
we spent a few years building too many houses (more than 93,000
in 2006), many of them in the wrong places, then spent a few years
building far too few (8,301 homes in 2013) anywhere.
Things improved a little last year: 11,016 homes were completed,
but thats fewer than the number the year records began, 1970,
when 13,887 houses were built. The 11,016 built last year are just
over half what the Housing Agency says is the minimum needed to
meet demand.
Theres an inevitable trickledown effect. Without enough homes for

sale, would-be buyers keep renting. More people renting in a

market with fewer homes pushes up rents. More people renting who
in a normal market would have the money to buy pushes it up even
further.

Real solution
At the end of the chain are people who cant afford to rent
anywhere, and for whom social housing isnt available.
The only real solution is to build more. Construction 2020, published
in May 2014, was the Governments first response to this need. To a
large degree it was a strategy for strategies, recommending the
setting up of taskforces and working groups.
The recently announced Budget 2016 has more solid housingconstruction measures. Four thousand houses are to be provided
next year under the first phase of an initiative to build 20,000
homes on sites controlled by the National Asset Management
Agency by 2020. About 90 per cent will be in the Greater Dublin
Area, and three-quarters will be starter homes.
This weeks housing package also included an initiative aimed at
kick-starting the construction of 7,000 more affordable homes in
Dublin and Cork. Developers will receive rebates on construction
levies where a scheme has more than 50 homes and where houses
are priced at less than 300,000 in Dublin and 250,000 in Cork.
These initiatives should help to speed up supply, but building houses
takes a couple of years on average, so this doesnt alleviate the
immediate pressures on the rental market.
Thats where the new deal should help. The two-year rent freeze
gives private tenants breathing space to muster a deposit towards
their own home if they so wish or to find a better deal if measures
to increase supply and reduce prices work.
One announcement this week could bring a glimmer of hope to
tenants reliant on State support. Tax relief will be introduced to
encourage landlords to rent their properties to tenants in receipt of
social-housing supports such as rent supplement. These landlords
will be able to claim 100 per cent tax relief, up from the current 75
per cent. This carrot is more likely to yield results than any of the
Governments rent-regulation sticks.
The Government also hopes to boost the market by making
apartment construction more appealing to builders. Its guidelines
on apartment standards enforceable by ministerial direction are
to be issued early next year.

Apartments for hipsters

Here the Government is following the example of Dublin City
Council, which has put forward the notion of smaller apartments for
renters only described by one councillor as apartments for
hipsters. With 63 per cent of renters aged under 34, and
multinational firms that the Government is so eager to attract
saying that they cant find accommodation for their workers, there

may be a case for allowing these smaller units.

Another form of rental provision, which is likely to prove more
popular, is the idea of public housing. This would involve having
private developers and investors build housing on council land,
combining social rental with private rental.
Two schemes put forward in the Budget seem similar in intent. One
is the concept of an affordable-rental scheme, for which 10 million
from the sale of Bord Gis has been set aside to fund a pilot project.
This will be aimed at people whose incomes are above the threshold
for State rental assistance but who cannot afford private rents.
The other, for social-housing tenants, involves a new form of publicprivate partnership in Dublin. In the new scheme, sites stay in the
ownership of the State, and the developer receives payments for 25
years, after which the houses or apartments return to State
ownership.
These are positive moves that could stave off a similar rental crisis
in future. But they are unlikely to help people who right now cant
afford, or cant find, a place to rent.
2015 irishtimes.com

Alan Kelly (Labour) Backs Down on Rent Control.

Government plans to solve Irelands rental crisis could see
landlords hike rents immediately, will not prevent future
rises, and risks marking the return of low-quality bedsits to
the market.
Threshold chief executive Bob Jordan said the charity has
alerted officials to concerns rent would be inflated during
the review period a view shared by housing expert Dr
Lorcan Sirr, who said landlords will frontload rises because
they will not be able to next year. Irish Examiner Nov 7
Kelly had sought that rent increases be pegged to the cost of living.
But Minister Noonan(FG) backed by 25 Landlord TDs, and American
developers Kennedy Wilson forced him to bend the knee and
retreat.
Landlords can only increase the rent every two years now rather
than every year as before. Landlords must get three local examples
of rents to justify an increase.!!! This will make almost no
difference.In a situation where there is no competition between
landlords due to shortage of accomodation,landlords can simply
raise the rent by double the yearly increase every two years! AND
WORSE STILL, THE LANDLORD CAN HIKE THE RENT BEFORE THE
NEW LAW COMES IN.The Dil Sat All Night to Bail Out the Banks
bondholders, but there is no urgency to protect tenants!
And, of course, Alan is preparing to take water charges from your
pay or welfare cheque.
Focus Ireland Spokesperson said:However, we are highly

concerned it will fail to stem the constant rising flow of 70 to 80

families becoming homeless in Dublin alone very month. The
measures are far from a convincing response to the scale of the
problems we are facing, he added.
Housing Crisis is Due to the Restrictions of the EU Fiscal
Treaty and by PROHIBITION by the FG/Labour Government
of Local Authority Borrowing for House Building Purposes to
comply with these restrictions.
This policy leaves Government completely at the mercy of private
developers. US investors Kennedy Wilson advised Mr Noonans
officials(before Budget) by letter that investment in property here
could be eliminated if rent controls were introduced Irish
Examiner Nov2 2015
Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred from
accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to concerns about its
implications for the national debt, need to be given permission to
borrow again for social housing provision Dr Michelle Norris, UCD
Government found it more Important to give away 750 million in
tax relief including 100 million to the Super-rich rather than allow
local authorities to borrow 750 million for housing purposes
THE HOUSING POLICIES of THIS GOVERNMENT and THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT HAVE LEFT THOSE IN NEED OF
SOCIAL HOUSING IN A STATE OF VIRTUAL TOTAL NEGLECT
(I have brought together below articles by DR Rory Hearne, Dr
Michelle Norris and Fintan OToole on the housing crisis)
The housing crisis is due to the implementation of a policy under
which the ability of the rich to make profits out of housing provision
and the opportunity for the rich to pay low taxes on their incomes
and assets to the to the state, are prioritised over the need of all
citizens to have security of tenure in an adequate dwelling. The Free
Market IDEOLOGY to which Fintan OToole refers is being deployed
by governments and economists to justify this prioritisation.
The implementation of these pro-rich policies is enshrined in
legislation and EU treaties. Why cannot Local authorities borrow
money to fund a social house building programme? As Dr Michelle
Norris UCD attests (below)local authorities, are currently debarred
from accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to concerns
about its implications for the national debt.
Under capitalism, borrowing by the state to provide assets that will
endure for 100 years or more makes perfect sense. But FF,FG and
Labour supported an EU Fiscal Treaty which places restrictions on
state debt irrespective of human need. This leaves these parties
with three options in order to provide housing:
a) IMPOSE SERIOUS TAX INCREASES on INCOME AND ASSETS OF
THE SUPER-RICH
b) Leave the Provision of Housing to the Free Market
c) IMPOSE NEW TAXES ON the Majority of the Population

It is not surprising that governments of the rich opt for a

combination of b) and c)
KEY QUOTES FROM ARTICLES BELOW
It is a national emergency and without a significant shift in policy
the crisis will only worsen. At the current rate of families becoming
homeless there will be more than 6,000 children in emergency
accommodation by 2017. This is deeply traumatic for children and
their families. It is arguably a breach of the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child.The current crisis results from decades of
housing policy that followed the private free-market approach
which treated housing primarily as a commodity and speculative
investment asset-Dr Rory Hearne, Tasc .
And still, after all weve been through, 75 per cent of the
Governments promised social housing is to be built (supposedly)
by the private sector.There is an almost obsessive fear of stating
the obvious that a large proportion of people will never be
decently housed by the market. Those citizens need a State thats
not afraid to clear the ground of narrow ideology and build on the
foundations of real human needs. That might involve relearning
another forgotten word republic. Fintan OToole Irish Times
Columnist
Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred from
accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to concerns about its
implications for the national debt, need to be given permission to
borrow again for social housing provision. This is the only realistic
method of raising sufficient finance for and delivering a social
housing programme on the scale required to meet current needs. A
relatively small amount of public borrowing for this purpose could
have enormous social benefits and cut spending on rent
supplements.-Dr Michelle Norris UCD
Rory Hearne: The STATE MUST INTERVENE IN THE HOUSING
MARKET
Last Updated: Thursday, October 22, 2015, 05:15
The Irish housing system is in an unprecedented crisis. This is
visible in escalating rents, economic evictions, mortgage arrears,
repossessions, waiting lists, substandard accommodation and the
growing numbers of those unable to buy a home.
It is a national emergency and without a significant shift in policy
the crisis will only worsen. At the current rate of families becoming
homeless there will be more than 6,000 children in emergency
accommodation by 2017. This is deeply traumatic for children and
their families. It is arguably a breach of the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child.
The current crisis results from decades of housing policy that
followed the private free-market approach which treated housing
primarily as a commodity and speculative investment asset.
This continues today with the crisis being analysed as one of

demand outstripping supply and discussion focused on how to

incentivise the property industry to build more housing stock.
However, during the boom there was plenty of supply and still prices
rose to unaffordable and unsustainable levels contributing to the
crash. This is because price is determined not simply by demand
and supply but also by profit seeking, costs of investment, and
government regulation.
Developers can and do sit for decades on land or leave property
derelict until they consider it profitable to commence building. Right
now there is 2,233 hectares of undeveloped zoned land in the wider
Dublin region which could provide 102,500 new housing units.
The basic problem with a free market approach to housing is that
the private market only caters for a demand that can provide a
profit. If you cant provide a sufficient profit, as is the case with
many low income households, then you dont count. The current
crisis is not just a once-off market failure it is the modus operandi
of the private housing market. Predominantly free market or
neoliberal housing systems like ours are characterised by persistent
boom and busts, affordability problems, and exclusion.
That is why the state must intervene to protect people from the
market. It could do this in two ways which would fundamentally
address the crisis. Firstly, there is an immediate need for rent
certainty (where rents cannot be increased beyond a certain index
such as inflation) and improved tenant protections in the private
rented sector. Rent regulation exists in many European countries
(who incidentally have plenty of supply).
There is no constitutional impediment to such a measure, as Article
43.2.1 of Bhunreacht na hEireann states that the right of private
ownership ought to be regulated by the principles of social justice
and the State may, delimit by law these rights for the common
good. The introduction of rent certainty, as with other measures, is
clearly a political choice and the Constitution should not be hidden
behind as an excuse for inaction.
Secondly, a State Homes and Housing Agency should be formed to
deliver a historic social, rental and affordable house building and
refurbishment programme of well-planned, sustainable, and mixed
communities. This would be a partnership between local authorities,
government departments, housing associations, NAMA and
the Housing Finance Agency. It would have access to land, finance
and institutional expertise. It should have 1.5bn of annual capital
funding from the state. The current allocation of 500 million to new
social housing building in the Capital Investment Plan is inadequate
as it will only provide 1400 new units nationally next year with
fewer than 300 of those in Dublin City.
The Agency could build on the 30 hectares of land that Dublin City
Council is currently being forced to sell off through a Public Private
Partnership because it does not have the finances to build on it

itself. It could redirect into social use the 4.5billion NAMA plans to
invest with various vulture funds on high end office and apartment
developments. A Housing and Homes Agency could draw on finance
from the European Investment Bank. It could also compulsory
purchase vacant and derelict buildings and take over buy-to-lets in
arrears and convert them to low cost rental housing.
As it currently stands the 20,000 units the government has outlined
NAMA will provide in order to address supply will not be social units
but are to be delivered on a commercial basis and are more likely
to be sold to international investment funds rather than as starter
homes. Indeed NAMAs promotion of and involvement with global
wealth funds in the Irish property market must be questioned as to
how it is benefitting the Irish housing system. It is facilitating the
trend where housing is increasingly becoming a global investment
asset for the wealthy 1per cent.
Problems in our housing system are affecting economic
competitiveness, contributing to rising deprivation, inequality and
poverty, and lowering educational and employment prospects of
those affected. The 2008 crash should be a stark warning that a
rising property market is not necessarily a good thing. The housing
system will only be fixed when policy treats housing in the first
instance as a home, a social necessity and a human right, not a
speculative investment asset or commodity.
Dr Rory Hearne, Senior Policy Analyst, TASC Think-tank for Action
on Social Change
2015 irishtimes.com
Fintan OToole: Opposition to social housing is matter of
ideology not economics
Fintan OToole Irish Times : Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 04:00
Fellmongery is the preparation of animal skins for tanning. A pollard
is an animal that has had its horns removed. In 1949, official
statistics still listed Irelands principal products as including
fellmongery, laces, pigs heads, pollard and snuff.
Yet in that same year, 1949, my mothers family moved into the
Dublin Corporation house where I would later grow up. A poor,
primitive, backward economy could build social housing on a large
scale for people who lacked decent homes.
And the rich, developed, globalised Irish economy of 2015 cant.
In the late 1940s, when my family was housed, Ireland was still
recovering from the drastic economic effects of the second World
War. The average industrial wage was 5.59 a week for men and
2.97 for women.
In real terms, thats less than a third of average industrial wages in
1998 before the Celtic Tiger bubble. Fewer than a third of
households in 1949 had more than four rooms to live in. More than
60 per cent of households had no piped water supply. Nearly half

had no sanitary facilities only 255,000 houses had a flush toilet.

And yet the State could build social housing.
Health and education
Infant mortality was about a hundred times higher than it is now.
Kids still died in large numbers from pneumonia, TB, whooping
cough and diphtheria. Male life expectancy at birth was less than 65
years.
People were badly educated in 1950, a grand total of 4,500
students sat the Leaving Certificate exam and the number in all our
universities combined was 7,900. The entire output of Irish
broadcasting was seven hours of radio a day. There were just
43,000 phone lines in the State, only a third of them domestic.
And yet the State could build social housing.
The Irish economy, dominated by agriculture and food production,
was a paltry thing: total exports in 1949 amounted to just 61
million.
Almost all of this went to the UK as raw product the characteristic
Irish export was a live cow in the hold of a cattle boat. In order of
scale, the leading Irish exports in 1949 were cattle, horses, fresh
hen eggs, ale/beer/porter, chocolate crumb, dead turkeys and
tinned beef. This makes tinned beef our leading manufacturing
export.
And yet the State could build social housing.
The estate I grew up in, Crumlin in southwest Dublin, was built by
the local authority, Dublin Corporation, with funding from the
central government. The process actually started in the 1930s,
during the Great Depression: 250 acres of south Crumlin were
acquired by compulsory purchase in 1934 and the building of over
3,000 houses began more or less straight away.
The project was far from perfect. The houses were too small
most, like the one I grew up in, had just two bedrooms for big
(often extended) Irish Catholic families. (Our household, by no
means untypical, had three adults and five children.) Services and
facilities were slow to follow.
But the rent was affordable and the houses were a hell of a lot
better than what most people had before.
My mother had been living (with seven other people) in what was
essentially a one-room cottage in the Liberties; my father grew up
in a little hovel off the Dublin quays.
The market never had and never would give them a decent place
to live the State did so instead. For all the problems, people in
Crumlin had a secure roof over their heads and the chance to build
a good community. We had homes.
Why could the State do this in the hungry 1930s and the postwar
1940s but not now?
Not because we cant but because, as Enda Kenny put it last week,
interference in the market must be avoided. The desperation to

avoid the simple conclusion that government should build houses

for people who need them is about ideology, not resources. Fine
Gael, in particular, seems incapable of understanding housing as
anything other than a market.
Free-market ideology
It is striking that the decline in the building of social housing in
Ireland follows directly from the rise of so called free market
ideology in the Thatcher/Reagan era. In the mid-1970s, social
housing made up a third of all new houses. The shift in which that
proportion dropped to just 5 per cent was as disastrous
economically as it was socially the property bubble could not have
inflated without it.
And still, after all weve been through, 75 per cent of the
Governments promised social housing is to be built (supposedly)
by the private sector.
There is an almost obsessive fear of stating the obvious that a
large proportion of people will never be decently housed by the
market. Those citizens need a State thats not afraid to clear the
ground of narrow ideology and build on the foundations of real
human needs. That might involve relearning another forgotten word
republic.
2015 irishtimes.com
From Dr MICHELLE NORRIS UCD Letter to Irish Times
Sir, Fintan OToole (Opposition to social housing is matter of
ideology not economics, Opinion & Analysis, October 20th) in part
answers his own question when he asks why the State could afford
to fund a major social house-building programme during the
hungry Fifties when there was no free secondary education and
many of the social welfare benefits available today did not exist.
Relatively low spending on most other public services facilitated
levels of public investment in housing which were the highest in
western Europe at this time.
Growing spending on social welfare and health, particularly during
the 1970s, is one of the reasons why spending on social housing
was cut back. Therefore, unlike its counterparts in the inter-party
government of the 1950s, the current Government faces the
challenge of concurrently funding a social house building
programme and a comprehensive system of benefits and public
services.
However, the other part of the answer to the question raised by
Fintan OToole sheds light on how the current Government can meet
this challenge. High levels of social housing delivery were possible in
the 1950s because the funding method spread out the costs of
provision and kept them affordable for government. At this time
social housing was funded by very long-term loans, which were
repaid using a mix of central government subsidies, tenants rents
and the proceeds of domestic rates.

This funding model collapsed when domestic rates were abolished in

1978 and after that the exchequer paid for social house building in
lump-sum grants. The latter arrangement was less affordable
because the costs of provision were paid up front rather than spread
out over a long period, which helps to explain why insufficient
numbers of social houses were built even during the Celtic Tiger
period.
This lesson has been partially taken on board by policymakers and
in recent years loan finance had been provided for social housing
provision by non-profit housing associations by the Housing Finance
Agency, which borrows on capital markets and from EU institutions
for this purpose. The agency currently has some 500 million
available for lending to this sector at a fixed interest rate of 3.25
per cent.
However, despite great work by some housing associations, it is not
realistic to think that this sector, which delivered 25 per cent of
social housing prior to the bust, has the capacity to meet the full
scale of current housing needs, at least in the short term.
Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred from
accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to concerns about its
implications for the national debt, need to be given permission to
borrow again for social housing provision. This is the only realistic
method of raising sufficient finance for and delivering a social
housing programme on the scale required to meet current needs. A
relatively small amount of public borrowing for this purpose could
have enormous social benefits and cut spending on rent
supplements.
Local authorities were traditionally the main providers of social
housing in Ireland, and Fintans OTooles article eloquently
describes the huge contribution which council housing made to
improving the lives of his own family in the 1950s.
I agree that they have to play a central role if we are to solve the
current housing shortage. However, I disagree with his assertion
that achieving this is a matter of ideology; an affordable method of
resourcing this work has to be put in place as well. Yours, etc,

ICTU President, John Douglas, Opposes Welfare Cuts and

Public Sector job losses being Imposed By Tories in

Northern Ireland
Ictu is an all-Ireland organisation and Mr Douglas said that
Northern Ireland was the most deprived region in the UK.
He said if left unchallenged, welfare cuts and the 20,000
public sector job losses being enforced by the Tory
administration in London would plunge Northern Ireland
into the dark ages.
Mr Douglas urged delegates at the conference to stand
and applaud the people of Greece who he said were being
put through the ringer by their creditors.
He called for a European debt conference at which the
issue of debt and debt restructuring is considered from the
social perspective of the peoples ofEurope, rather than
solely from the financial institutions of Europe and the
ideologues of austerity.
I, Paddy Healy, call on ICTU Leaders to Launch an AllIreland 32-County Campaign Against Austerity
IMMEDIATELY
Principled Republican Budget Speech-Seamus Healy
TD(Tipperary) in Dil
Deputy Seamus Healy: Information on Seamus Healy
Zoom on Seamus Healy In his Budget Statement, the
Minister, Deputy Donohoe, told us the budget will create a
fairer society. This is dishonest claptrap. The budget
maintains and widens the rich-poor gap in our society.
Under the tax and the universal social charge changes
alone, the wealthiest 5% of people in our society, those on
average incomes of 186,000 a year, will get a 15 per
week increase and, of course, they will get it from 1
January. They are not subject to any wealth tax and
neither are they subject to any assets tax, even though
net financial assets have increased and are now higher
than peak boom levels. They have increased threefold
from 69 billion in 2008 to 192 billion in 2015.
The budget also provides for outrageous increases to
politicians, to which I am opposed. It provides for an
increase of 15,000 for the Taoiseach of the day, an
increase of 11,000 per annum for a Minister and 5,500

for a Deputy in the House. Compare this to how our old

age pensioners were treated in the budget. Pensioners on
a little over 12,000 per annum will receive an increase of
5 a week, but not until March. This is less than what they
received last year. Despite the promises of the so-called
Independence Alliance, there is no return of the telephone
allowance, no increase in fuel allowance, no increase in
the household benefits package and no increase in the
living alone allowance.
This budget is socially divisive and deeply unfair.
It means that a total of 750,000 people continue to live in
poverty in this country; one in five children will live in
households with incomes below the poverty line; one in
four of those living in poverty is a child; almost 20% of
those whose income is below the poverty line are working
and they are the working poor; since 2007 the deprivation
rate has almost doubled; and, therefore, that 1.3 million or
29% of the population live in a state of deprivation. This
budget, once again, protects and supports the rich and
powerful in our society while low, middle income and poor
families are doomed to live from hand to mouth.
This budget is a pretence. In it, the Government is
pretending to determine public expenditure and taxation
in the State. The reality is that revenue from all sources
will be approximately 50 billion. The House is
determining the disposal of only less than 2 billion or 4%
of the total. The EU powers, through the fiscal treaty, have
determined the disposal of the other 96%. The charade
being enacted here tonight flies in the face of the 1916
Proclamation, which declared the right of the people of
Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered
control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and
indefeasible. The Government, similar to the outgoing
Government, has sold our sovereignty to the EU.
The Minister for Finance recently told the Committee of
Public Accounts that the EU powers insisted on the rapid
sell-off of NAMA properties, even though retaining them
would have led to higher prices being achieved for the

taxpayer. Together with the sell-off of assets by banks, it is

probable that there is now greater foreign ownership of
Irish assets than when British landlords owned all the land.
Effectively there is no sovereignty residing in the State.
The various proposals in the budget in respect of health,
housing and education are grossly inadequate. Housing is
a fundamental right of human beings, but, shamefully, the
Taoiseach has written to the EU seeking permission to
borrow the money required to build social housing. Ireland
does not have even the sovereignty to house its own
people. The Government has also refused to formally
declare a housing emergency, something that is necessary
to deal with the housing crisis. It is essential under the
Constitution but the Government through banks it owns,
other banks, and landlords, including vulture funds, is
continuing to evict people. As a result, unfortunate
families have been devastated by suicides.
Unnecessary deaths will continue in our hospitals despite
heroic efforts by staff. According to the Irish Medical
Organisation, IMO, hospitals are now operating in the
death zone where occupancy levels are in many cases
more than 92.5%, which is leading to significant increases
in mortality rates. Despite the intense efforts of front-line
staff, in particular, once occupancy rates reach this level,
deaths occur that would not otherwise happen. Ireland
needs an additional 3,500 inpatient hospital beds
immediately to bring us in line with the western European
average. By abiding by the fiscal treaty, the Government
is causing unnecessary deaths and unnecessary pain.
With regard to education, class sizes in the primary sector
are the highest in the eurozone. The programme for
Government makes a specific commitment to smaller
classes, but the budget proposals are inadequate. The precut capitation rate should be restored immediately. In
primary and second level schools, the full pre-cut quota of
assistant principal and special duties posts must be
restored in the interest of pupils. Our third level system is
grossly underfunded and being continuously damaged.
Todays measures are grossly inadequate to solve these

problems.
At a time the Government cannot deliver safe
hospitalisation or housing, or halt evictions and related
suicides, it is farcical that an additional 255 million must
be contributed to the EU budget this year. In his
presentation to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight,
the Minister for Finance confirmed that the financial
emergency is over. This was also recently re-certified by
the Minister for the Public Expenditure and Reform. The
confiscation of public service pensions under the FEMPI
legislation is, therefore, unconstitutional. The right to
private property of pensioners in their pensions must be
fully restored immediately. This is not provided for in the
budget. In addition, the pension reductions imposed on
occupational pensioners in State bodies and in the private
sector must be restored.
The budget is a joint effort by Fine Gael, the so-called
Independent Alliance and Fianna Fil. Fianna Fil has taken
responsibility for this shameful and socially divisive
budget. The problems relating to health, education,
housing, roads and various other public services will not
be resolved until Irish sovereignty as set out in the
Democratic Programme of the First Dil of 1919 is reestablished. This requires the political defeat of the
austerity parties, Fianna Fil, Fine Gael and the Labour
Party, and those prepared to support or to coalesce with
them in the framework of the fiscal treaty. It is important
to recall what the Democratic Programme of the First Dil
said. It stated, We declare in the words of the Irish
Republican Proclamation the right of the people of Ireland
to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control
of Irish destinies, to be indefeasible, and in the language
of our first President, Pdraig Mac Phiarais, we declare that
the Nations sovereignty extends not only to all men and
women of the Nation, but to all its material possessions,
the Nations soil and all its resources, all the wealth and all
the wealth-producing processes within the Nation, and
with him we reaffirm [remember this] that all right to
private property must be subordinated to the public right
and welfare. That sentence is particularly relevant to the

housing crisis and the need immediately to formally

declare a housing emergency.

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey on Sinn Fin

Asked if this makes Sinn Fin bad nationalists, she says
it reveals them as bad republicans, if republicanism is
about being true to the ideals of Thomas Paine and Wolfe
Tone. If you take as the keystone of republicanism that
authority exercised over a human being, without that
human beings acquiescence and knowledge, is a
usurpation of that persons rights, then by what definition
are Sinn Fin republicans?-Interview in Irish Times
23/09/2016
Paddy Healy This is correct. But it is important to
understand that the implementation of British Rule in any
part of Ireland is a violation of that keystone ideal
espoused by Tone and Connolly
Full Interview http://www.irishtimes.com/life-andstyle/people/bernadette-mcaliskey-i-am-astounded-isurvived-i-made-mad-decisions-1.2798293
Extract
Her (Bernadette) lecture , A Terrible State of Chassis
after the famous pronouncement first made by Captain
Jack Boyle at the close of Sean OCaseys 1924 play, Juno
and the Paycock will be an opportunity to look at the
aspirations of the early 20th century and how far we have
not come, she says.
It would be wrong to say there has been no progress at
all since 1969, says McAliskey. But 1969 came at the
end of almost 50 years of neglect by the British state,
where unionists were allowed to treat the Catholic
community as unequal citizens. To my mind, since then,
we went round in a very long, destructive circle to end up
in a place close to where we started in 1924.

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey in an Interview with Ronan

Burtenshaw in USA left-wing Journal Jacobin Magazine
In the North Sinn Fin are losing the trust and the support

of the people who once voted for them, the Catholic

working class
Extract
Bernadette D:But many who fought in the democratic
and the armed struggle perceive themselves to be no
better off. The economic and social system we have has
consigned them to is continued welfare, poor education,
and now austerity. Yet their opposition to this is described
as dissidence and dismissed.
Meanwhile, I am seeing things come full circle. I have lived
to see food banks in Dungannon, where I work. When we
were young and angry enough to be marching here
against poverty in the 1960s, there was nobody living on
food banks. The social housing waiting list in this town is
now greater than it was when the Dungannon Housing
Action movement started(in the 1960s).
INTERVIEW (the first part of the interview dealt with the
Civil Rights Movement and the visit of Bernadette to the
USA at that time. The interviewer then turned to current 6county politics))
RB:How much of a role do you think this middle-class
consensus plays in propping up the peace process? Does
the imposition of austerity on working-class communities
have a potential to undermine it?
Bernadette D:We now have two parties in government
who are representing the middle classes and who benefit
from the status quo, Sinn Fin and the Democratic
Unionist Party. They are kept apart by the sectarian nature
of the peace process and its institutions, which divides
things between two communities.
Then we have a layer of people below who have been left
out completely and are becoming disillusioned. But,
because of the underlying sectarian logic, not just of the
institutions but of the story told to put this all together,
this feeling is pushing the Catholic and Protestant working
class further apart, not closer. At the same time, the two

parties in government tell their constituencies weve

won while they cut corporate tax rate and introduce
austerity measures.
Sinn Fin have moved further and further to accommodate
this new reality and, in doing so, created a dynamic they
largely dont see. They are losing the trust and the support
of the people who once voted for them, the Catholic
working class.
Those people have been replaced by the Catholic middle
class which most benefited from the peace process. These
are former Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
voters. They have a vested interest in stability and
participation in the state, so they now support Sinn Fin.
But many who fought in the democratic and the armed
struggle perceive themselves to be no better off. The
economic and social system we have has consigned them
to is continued welfare, poor education, and now austerity.
Yet their opposition to this is described as dissidence
and dismissed.
Meanwhile, I am seeing things come full circle. I have lived
to see food banks in Dungannon, where I work. When we
were young and angry enough to be marching here
against poverty in the 1960s, there was nobody living on
food banks. The social housing waiting list in this town is
now greater than it was when the Dungannon Housing
Action movement started.
And yet, at exactly the same time, the Catholic middle
class has never been better off. They were brought in from
the cold in the first years of the peace process when there
was the security of state jobs. There werent jobs for the
working class, in many cases, but there was welfare.
The situation has reached such a stage now, though, that
even that is under attack. The Tories dont feel that they
need it. Why would they? People want peace and are
willing to comply. The flip side of this is that for many
people poverty will be written in as a condition of the

peace.
The politicians have organized this year so that we will
have our election first and the welfare reforms planned
under the Tory Fresh Start agreement second. This is
because everyone knows the depth of these reforms. We
in the North are headed for a period of poverty that will
scare people. I see it because of where Im working.
Sinn Fin will be unable to mitigate against that when it
hits the ground. They will be able to say the British
government cheated us, but that wont be enough.
RB:What do you think led Sinn Fin to that point? Is there
any chance they could take a leftward turn, bringing their
Northern politics closer to the ones they espouse in the
South?
Bernadette D:I remember my last serious conversation
with Gerry Adams on the peace process in the 1990s. I
asked him then, What is your Plan B if this doesnt work?
He didnt have one. It was clear that this was the only
game in town. We are seeing the effects of that now
because even if they wanted to stand up to austerity they
couldnt do it.
I missed a key point in that conversation. At the time, I
thought, This is a high-risk, short-term strategy. In fact,
it wasnt that. It was a low-risk, long-term strategy. The
two sides had fought to an impasse and that impasse was
being set up as the new normal.
The British policy was to demilitarize but also to
demobilize and demoralize the resistance to its
government. Sinn Fin became the mechanism by which
that could be done. The peace process, which was
supposed to last four or five years, is now almost twenty
years old and is not finished yet.
For Sinn Fin the problem is one faced by a lot of electoral
parties. You organize a mass movement and you oppose
the political system, but to create a space to advance the

struggle at a certain point you go into elections. If you win,

you become part of that political system and that imposes
its own logic.
In order to advance the struggle you have to defend your
position, but to defend this position you think you have to
make sure a majority votes for you. The end result is that
while you got into elections to say what needed to be said,
you ended up saying what needed to be said to keep your
elected position.
Today, many in Sinn Fin believe that if Martin McGuinness
was first minister up here and Gerry Adams was part of a
government in Dublin then they would be nine-tenths of
the way to their goal. This way of thinking is focused on
institutions. It is first and foremost nationalist, with
republicanism and democracy far behind.
It will be difficult for Sinn Fin to continue to manage this
contradiction in their party. At the same time that they are
losing people in the North, workers in the South are
turning to them. But Ireland is too small in the long term
for one party to be able to be a middle-class party of
respectable politics in the North and a working-class party
of resistance in the South. There will come a time when
that isnt possible, and I dont think it is far away.
The task of socialists is not to hammer Sinn Fin because
of their positions in the North or to exclude them from
progressive movements because their hands arent
clean in the North. Instead we should try to hold them to
the progressive positions they adopt against austerity and
push that side of the contradiction.
RB:How should we understand loyalism? What are its
characteristics? What is it out to achieve in the twenty-first
century?
Bernadette D:Loyalism is clearly differentiated in the North
from Unionism. Unionists are middle class; they believe
that their interests are best served by maintaining the
current situation, British control of this part of the island.

Theyre like Falkland Islanders, in that sense.

Loyalisms hallmark is that it represents the poor. Loyalists
are working class or unemployed. As the American system
disgracefully refers to some of its poorest people as white
trash, loyalists are perceived within British nationalism as
an underclass.
Many from loyalist communities have internalized that
themselves. When I work with people from that
background Im often surprised that they will set on the
table first, Okay, so, we know we are no good. I have
talked to young loyalists who say, We know we are
scum.
I dont understand any human being starting a
conversation saying that they are not human. I ask them
why they start that way. There is a clear lack of selfesteem and also a loss of confidence.
If you think about the dissidence in poor nationalist
communities among people who gained nothing from the
struggle despite giving so much, the sense in the loyalist
community is that they actually lost. They lost to
everybody despite unwavering loyalty to the regime, even
to those who challenged it by force. The anger in loyalist
communities is fueled by them still not having the price of
a loaf and seeing Martin McGuinness up running the
country.
Loyalists are acutely aware of the swaggering new rich on
the Catholic side. You saw this during the recent flag
protests here, where the first response was to mock the
way loyalist people said the word fleg. The attitude
among some was, You cant even spell it or say it right,
but I am inside City Hall looking out at you.
This is why I have always believed that this whole process
is further sectarianizing the North. The infrastructure of
the peace was sectarian itself and continues to reproduce
the problem. The result of that is that, while there is some
competition between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in

the United States for poor whites, or between Jeremy

Corbyn and the UK Independence Party in Britain, the
loyalist community is stuck without such an avenue.
Loyalist politics is based on British nationalism and, for the
same reason that Irish nationalism has aligned itself with
progressive struggles, British nationalism is compelled to
be reactionary. But that is only part of the history of Ulster
Protestants. They have been denied other parts of their
history, such as the radical struggles of the Presbyterians
or the labor movement. Regaining that wont happen in
history class. It will only happen by fighting in your corner
and discovering that someone else was here before you.
RB:2015 saw successes for both Podemos in Spain, a new
left party with a more populist discourse, and Jeremy
Corbyn in Britain, who is much more aligned with the
traditional left. What is your opinion of the new
movements were seeing challenging austerity in Europe
and what can we learn from them?
Bernadette D:When youre building left-wing movements
you have to take into account the context. In Britain there
is a long tradition of class politics, much more so than in
Irish politics. People understand the idea of the working
class. It is part of the history of the debate about power.
Thats not to say that because they know the words they
understand the music. I dont think they necessarily have
a clearer understanding of the nature of capitalism. By
comparison, Spain has a recent history of fascist
dictatorship, so the language of democracy still has an
energy and dynamism that it is lacking in other places.
But I think you need to ask, What are people
fundamentally taking about? The demand, it seems to
me, is for people to have control over their lives. That is
what should take us to where we need to go: the
argument for collective ownership of the means of
production. If we dont have this, we dont have the power
to determine how our society develops.

The reality of capitalism today is that a few hundred

people who control the major multinational corporations
effectively control the destiny of the world. They control
our ability to survive.
I think there is a degree of realization that this is the case,
not only in the United States and Europe, but in the
rebellions in the Middle Eastand elsewhere. The political
systems we have are not capable of dealing with the
underlying economic realities.
When people place demands on their government for
improvements in conditions, the response from the
government is we dont have the money. Governments,
of course, dont earn any money, they rely on their ability
to tax to generate it. But governments are no longer able
to do this because the wealth that they need to respond to
popular pressures and real need is in the hands of
increasingly powerful people outside of their control.
The cracks we are seeing in politics are reflective of
people saying, We dont know how to fix this, but we
know it is broken. We need to be doing something else.
Each of us has to fight in the corner where we are but we
have to recognize that we cannot beat them one country
at a time. We cant even beat them in one country without
the solidarity of others. This is an international struggle.
That will be an increasingly important point as they
struggle to maintain control. Capitalism would kill you
without batting an eyelid, so how do we organize against it
together?

Gerry Adams Omits Requirement That Sinn Fin be the

Majority Party in RTE Interview on Government Formation
in Dublin
Extract from interview with Gerry Adams on The Week in
Politics 24/04/2016Would we talk to them(FF and Fine
Gael)? The answer to that question is yes,If in the
course of all of that, although it would be very, very
challenging, we came up with a Programme for

Government which did the business as far as we were

concerned, our leadership would consider that and yes, if
we thought that was an advance and would help to deal
with these issues we have just talked about, including in
the centenary year the issue of Irish unity, of course we
would have to bring that back to an ard fheis.
Full Interview http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0424/783870government-talks/
Listen to What Gerry Adams actually said on RTE:The
Week in Politics (from 2 minutes in to 6 minutes in)
Click on linkRTE NEWS:Sinn Fin open to talking to FG and
FF Adams
http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0424/783870-governmenttalks/
Paddy HealyThe buts and the omissions are the most
important
He did not say that there are no circumstances in which SF
would enter coalition with FF or FG
He said it is MY view that it would not be in the national
interest to return FF or Fg to government BUT there are
these crises in peoples lives
Aine Lalor was mistaken when she said your last Ard
Fheis ruled out coalition with FF or FG
It didnt. It ruled out a coalition in which FF or FG would be
the MAJORITY PARTY. Gerry Adams did not correct the
interviewers statement (That would have raised the
requirement for a Sinn Fin Majority in Government)
I had been saying since the election that we should wait
until after the assembly elections to discover the full SF
position-Paddy Healy

The Phoenix Magazine Finally Accepts That Sinn Fin Is

Heading for Coalition as a Minority Partner With Fianna

Fail
In addition to Implementing British Imperialist CUTS in the
North, SF is now Willing to Implement Austerity in the
South under the Fiscal Treaty
The Phoenix July 29,2016

Full Article

Sinn Fins Transitional Leadershp

Sinn Fins new 10-year plan, currently being put to
members at meetings around the country, has yet to be
fully decoded by the media. When the penny drops it will
be seen that apart from hints of transitional leadership,
the real change is in Sinn Fins attitude to future
coalition.
The party is preparing to drop its condition unrealisable
in the foreseeable future that it be the largest component
in any such arrangement.
The last plan hatched in the year or so after the
disappointing 2007 General Election, worked because the
party made a distinct move to the left just as the
recession kicked in. It had targeted 20 or more seats in the
two ensuing elections and with 14 secured in 2011
believed 30 or so were attainable last February. However,
nobody reckoned on Fianna Fils resurrection.
The transitional leadershipphrase now in play is talked
of in the context of a generational shift but in terms of
personalities it means Mary Lou McDonald (47) becoming
de facto leader in the south. There is talk of Gerry Adams
(67) remaining as an over-arching president with
responsibility for the united Ireland project, but Mary Lou
(or Peaese Doherty (39) if he were able to mount a
successful challenge) will be party leader in the Dil.
In recent years,the left, inside and outside the party have
argued that Sinn Fin would be more than willing to
clamber into a coalition government regardless of its
political programme and the balance of forces within any

coalition. The counter argument was that SF would only

enter coalition government if they were the majority party
and could impose their socialist programme on Fianna Fil
or whoever else was willing. A fall-back position was that
an alliance of the let including SF, would be larger than FF
and that this would also allow for such a coalition.
Now, the argument goes, the balance of forces simply
does not allow or such an alignment. Furthermore things
are not looking so good in the north with an austere Tory
government along with an obdurate DUP producing
stalemate on most issues, economic and political. The only
way to break the logjam, Adams et al argue, is for SF to be
in government south as well as north and the only route is
via a coalition with FF. This would entail negotiating for left
wing taxation measures and a strong nationalist position
on the north.
Generational transition is to occur in the north also with
Martin McGuiness (66) likely to make way for a successor,
probably Conor Murphy (53), a former MP and now
Assembly member without ministerial portfolio. This status
may not be accidental as Deputy First Minister McGuiness
is without portfolio and Murphy could step into his place
with little impact on SFs Assembly Ministerial team
Sinn Fin Seeks Office not Irish Sovereignty
Facebook Exchange
Ed Moloney says:SF has no principled objection to doing
anything or going back on any promise, including
opposition to austerity. the goal is to achieve power and if
that means, on one day, being pro-business and the other,
pro-working class, they will do itsurely if we have
learned anything in the last decade or so, it is thatthis
is a party guided by tactics not principle
Paddy Healy says :If Ed Moloney replaced the word power
with office or position, I would seriously consider his
view. In fact Sinn Fin has no fundamental power or
sovereignty in Belfast. It is implementing Tory cuts. Even if
Sinn Fin were the majority party in a government with FF

(or whoever is willing-Phoenix), it would have no

fundamental power in the context of the Fiscal Treaty.
FF/FG/Lab would insist on compliance with the Treaty and
could veto any proposal to deviate from it. The landlords
agent of old held office but no power!!
Gerry Adams (Sinn Fin) welcomes Fianna Fail support for
Border Poll
Gerry Adams maintains unity vote stance despite
Brokenshire remarks
Belfast Telegraph
PUBLISHED 18/07/2016
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has dismissed the
(British) Governments insistence that Brexit will not
prompt a vote on Irish unity, claiming the EU referendum
has left the island facing an entirely new dispensation.
The veteran republican also welcomed remarks from the
leader of the Republic of Irelands main Opposition party
Fianna Fails Micheal Martin voicing support for a
potential border poll in the context of Northern Ireland
voting to remain in the EU.
Mr Adams reiterated the need to examine new
relationships on the island after newly appointed
Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire
used his first engagement in Belfast to stress that the
referendum result in the region 56% backing Remain
did not provide adequate reason to call a vote on
reunification with the Irish Republic, an EU member state.
Response of Micheal Martin FF is even more inadequate
than that of Sinn Fin
The leader of Irelands main opposition party said he
hopes Brexit will move Ireland closer to reunification.
Michel Martin said a reunification referendum should be
called if it becomes clear a majority want to see an end to
Irish partition over the UK decision to leave the EU.
The Fianna Fil leader added that Northern Irelands 56%
majority vote to remain within the bloc could be a defining
moment for the region. He made his remarks delivering
the annual John Hume lecture at the MacGill Summer

School in Glenties, Co Donegal.

The remain vote may show people the need to rethink
current arrangements. I hope it moves us towards majority
support for unification, and if it does we should trigger a
reunification referendum.-From Cedar Lounge Blog
18/07/2016

RESPONSE OF SINN FIN TO BREXIT VOTE IS GROSSLY

INADEQUATE
The demand of Sinn Fin for a border poll within the 6counties as a
response to the UK vote for BREXIT is pathetically
inadequate. There
is an in-built Unionist Majority in the 6 counties. (Following
the IRA
ceasefire in 1997 and the Good Friday Agreement the
following year,
Sinn Fein promised its supporters there would be a united
Ireland by
2016.)
As pointed out by Seamus Healy TD in his statement
below, there must
be a new drive towards the restoration of the unity and
sovereignty
of all-Ireland in order to deal with the outcome of the UK
vote and
the demise of all vestiges of Irish sovereignty north and
south
When the EU enforced a bailout of billionaire bondholders
in GREECE,
IRELAND, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, CYPRUS by the citizens of
these countries, it
initiated a new colonial system within Europe. The FISCAl
TREATY put
a permanent colonial system in place. This enforced
permanent austerity
in all these countries until the money borrowed for the

bailout is paid
back to the international banks.
Now the 26-counties is an EU colony. The 6-countie is a
British
Colony.
Ireland north and south is facing new austerity measures
in the wake
of the UK vote. An organised 32-county mass campaign
against austerity
is needed urgently. That means NOW!
In his reaction to the BREXIT vote,Gerry Adams failed to
call
for an end to the application of the Fiscal Treaty to
Ireland.
He failed to announce a halt to the implementation cuts
in
welfare and public services through the Norther Executive
which
is now being described as a "government" in An
Pboblacht
In her contribution on The Week in Politics (26/06), Mary
Lou McDonald,
Deputy Leader of Sinn Fin failed to mention the Fiscal
Treaty.
She failed to point out that the application of the Fiscal
Treaty to Ireland mus be ended to prevent a new bout of
austerity in the 26-counties!! Where is Sinn Fin going?
The low turn-outs of 49% in West Belfast and 57% in Derry
show a decline in confidence in the SF leadership among
the nationalist poor.
Gerry Adams There is now a democratic imperative for a
border poll.
The Irish government should support this.
There is no provision in the Good Friday Agreement for a
binding all-Ireland vote on Irish unity. The northern
majority retains a veto in a 6-county vote
READ it at the link hereunder
https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia
/ourrolesandpolicies/northernireland/good-fridayagreement.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------

Statement by Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199

Britain Votes to Leave EU
Mutualise Cost Of Bank Bail-out Now!
Terminate Application of Fiscal Treaty To All Ireland!
The imposition of austerity on workers and the poor
throughout the EU has had a dramatic outcome in the vote
of the majority in the UK to leave the EU.
The capitulation of social democratic political and trade
union leaders to this imposition by the European Elites has
thrown workers into the hands of right wing leaders.
The abstention by large numbers of nationalist people in
the North shows that there is little confidence in a policy of
remain under current political circumstances as public
service cuts are implemented through the Northern
Assembly and Executive.
The economic shock caused by this outcome will have
huge implications for the 26-county economy bringing a
deepening of the economic crisis.
It was a huge betrayal by the 26-co government and its
supporting elites to agree to the Fiscal Treaty and to agree
to have the Irish people pay 42% of all European Bank
Debt. It is this which has made the Irish people so deeply
powerless and vulnerable to this shock
I call on the government to open immediate talks with the
European Union.
There must be no second capitulation to the EU threat that
a bomb would go off in Dublin
We must demand , not ask, for compensation from the EU
for the bank bailout payments and the termination of the
application of the Fiscal Treaty to the whole of Ireland.

The 26 county government must also accept responsibility

for the well- being of the people of the whole of Ireland
North And South in these talks.
The outcome raises the necessity for an early election to
an All-Ireland Parliament to be in place before the 100 th
anniversary of the first All-Ireland Dil(1918) in two years
time ( 2018). This is necessary in order to restore Irish
sovereignty which is now more necessary than ever to
protect the interests of the Irish People North South
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Paddy Healy-To drive the policy advocated by Seamus
above a 32-County Mass Movement against Austerity is
needed-Scroll down
Fintan, Why Not Lay Off Ireland, Spain ,Portugal as well as
Greece?
The Fiscal Treaty has established a new colonialism in
Europe
Ireland should refuse to abide by it
Ireland has to seek EU permission to invest in the housing
of its people !!!! (see Housing and Homelessness Crisis on
this blog)
Second, lay off Greece. Many of us have tried to warn
that in treating a sovereign member state to exemplary
punishment, creating a purgatory in which sinful
improvidence must be expunged by suffering, the EU is
not just harming the Greeks. It is turning itself from a
community of equal nations into a fiscal penal colony with
creditor guards and debtor prisoners.-Fintan OToole ,Irish
Times 28/06/2016
Democratic imperative for border poll Adams 24 June,
2016 by Gerry Adams TD SF Website
Sinn Fin President Gerry Adams TD speaking at Stormont
Castle today along with First Minister Martin McGuinness

and other Executive Ministers said:

There is an onus on the British government to respect the
democratic wishes of the people of the north.
The Taoiseach has to think nationally in a real sense. The
Irish government needs an all-island, all-Ireland view.
The referendum result will have very profound effects for
all of us on this island.
There are real worries it will have an adverse impact on
the two economies on this island. This will have serious
consequences for jobs and investment and for families
and communities.
We could well see the reintroduction of border security
controls between the north and south as well as the
reintroduction of customs controls.
The Brexit decision also presents real concerns in respect
of its likely detrimental impact on the Good Friday
Agreement and the Human Rights Act. The Tory
government is already committed to the repeal of the
Human Rights Act.
The referendum will also adversely impact on equality
issues, including equal pay; workers rights laws and antidiscrimination legislation. It will also reinforce the existing
two-tier Europe.
This referendum had nothing to do with the best interests
of our people, our island and our economy and all do with
factionalism within the Tory party.
The people in the north voted to remain a part of the EU.
The Good Friday Agreement is an international agreement.
As a co-equal guarantor of the agreement the Irish
government must also defend the interests of all the
people of the island of Ireland at the EU Council meeting
next week and in any future negotiations.

A British exit from the EU presents a particular danger on

the equality and human rights elements of the Good
Friday Agreement. These are at the core of that
agreement.
The British government has no democratic mandate to
represent the views of the north in any future negotiations
with the EU.
There is now a democratic imperative for a border poll.
The Irish government should support this.
SINN FIN MINISTER FOR FINANCE AT STORMONT
DUP Didnt Want to Have MINISTER for CUTS !!!!
Belfast Telegraph 26/05/2016
Sinn Fein has taken control of the purse-strings at
Stormont for the first time in a radical shake-up for the
new Executive, which will meet for the first time today. But
the Finance Minister new boy Mairtin O Muilleoir will
have to oversee spending cuts across most Government
departments during the next five years.
IN-TRAY: One reason for the DUP side-stepping Finance this
time may be the likelihood of becoming known as the
Minister of cuts as O Muilleoir handles departmental
spending, along with the first budget of the new Assembly.
Had his first engagement yesterday examining the peace
dividend for working-class communities.
Finance Mairtin O Muilleoir
He may be 57, but former Belfast Lord Mayor O Muilleoir
somehow manages to fit the thrusting, new generation
image of change his party is trying to promote.
Re-entering politics five years ago after a gap of 14 years,
he has earned a reputation as a new breed of republican
and has a sound grounding in business as head of the
Belfast Media Group, which came to include the South
Belfast News, North Belfast News and Andersonstown

News.
The experience should serve him well as his party tackles
the impression that it does not do economics and
mathematics very well.
IN-TRAY: One reason for the DUP side-stepping Finance this
time may be the likelihood of becoming known as the
Minister of cuts as O Muilleoir handles departmental
spending, along with the first budget of the new Assembly.
Had his first engagement yesterday examining the peace
dividend for working-class communities.
Finance minister Mirtn Muilleoir (Sinn Fin) facing
budget baptism of fire
Irish News 26/05/2016
SINN FINs new finance minister is faced with making
more cuts as soon as he enters office.
A departmental memo, seen by The Irish News, reveals
that Stormonts financial woes are growing.
The memo from former finance minister Mervyn Storey
warns that since Chancellor George Osbornes budget in
March circumstances have changed and that the impact
will require difficult decisions.
Mr Storey adds that the extent of the difficulties will only
become clear next month.
Since Budget 2016-17 was agreed a number of significant
public expenditure pressures have been identified that the
incoming executive will need to address in the June
monitoring round, Mr Storey tells his
executive colleagues.
The full extent of the net pressures facing the executive
will not be known until June.
However, it is already clear that the new executive will be
faced with some difficult decisions in relation to the

allocation of resources in the June monitoring round

Sinn Fins Mirtn Muilleoir, far left, is the first non-DUP
minister to take control of Stormonts purse strings since
the return of devolved institutions after the St Andrews
Agreement.
He already has to grapple with finances under severe
pressure due to cuts to the block grant, while both the
DUP and Sinn Fin have promised to allocate around
200m a year extra to health for the next five years.
Irish News 28/05/2016
Newton Emerson
Questions have been asked about how Sinn Fin finance
minister Mairtin O Muilleoir will cope with imminent budget
cuts. If his time as a Belfast city councillor is any guide he
will cope magnificently. O Muilleoir was the driving force
behind the councils 2012 three-year `investment
programme, which turned a 7m rates hike into 150m of
alleged capital spending by including every penny anyone
was thinking of spending in Belfast, whether the council
was responsible or not, then adding more that might be
levered in, then putting it all in a 40-page glossy
brochure with incomprehensible updates in the council
magazine. Occasional protestations from the press that
this was all a load of nonsense were met with wounded
denial.

The Role of the National Question in the Irish Socialist

Revolution
It is widely believed that the national question has no
further role in the fight or socialism in Ireland and in the
wider world.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact the
question of the independence and sovereignty of the Irish
people has become the most pressing issue for workers

and oppressed Irish people generally.

It is appropriate that this matter be seriously discussed in
the trade union and republican movements on the
centenary of the execution of James Connolly.
The only elected political representative who has pressed
this issue either in the Dil or, indeed, in the Stormont
Assembly is Seamus Healy TD.
In the 6 counties it is very clear that in Northern Ireland,
British government cuts are being implemented through
the collaboration of Sinn Fein and the DUP. No significant
political formation has raised the issue of the sovereignty
of the Irish people in the recent assembly elections. It is
clear that further British cuts are on the way and Sinn Fin
is claiming that it cannot resist them through the Stormot
Executive!! This is against the backdrop of the massive
decline of traditional industry in the region in recent
decades. This leaves the 6-county economy hugely
dependent on public service employment which is now
being cut.
In the 26-counties, adherence to the Fiscal Treaty, by the
state with the support of FF, Fine Gael and Labour means
that the state has negligible sovereignty to address the
needs of the citizens in matters such as housing, health,
education, capital investment etc. The first sentence of
the new programme for government stipulates that all
measures in the programme are subject to the
requirements of the Fiscal Treaty. Sinn Fin and the left
opposed the Fiscal Treaty in the referendum. Sinn Fin
spokesperson Caoimhn Caolain said in the Dail that the
treaty flies in the face of the 1916 Proclamation in the
matter of sovereignty. Yet the Sinn Fein manifesto in the
recent General Election was framed within the restrictions
of the Fiscal Treaty.
Over reliance on foreign direct investment has further
diminished sovereignty. As can be studied further down
here, it is widely understood that the game is up for
reliance on foreign direct investment. The big powers,

USA, Germay, France are now moving to change trade and

tax rules in order to hall back the tax and jobs to their own
countries. The 26-county state has no power to halt this
process. It cannot replace foreign direct investment by
state investment because of the restrictions on state
borrowing contained in the Fiscal Treaty.
Meanwhile the flow of money out of Ireland is increasing
dramatically. IRELAND IS LITERALLY FOR SALE OR ALREADY
SOLD OFF. In addition to the 7 billion Euro in interest which
government is paying to service state debt, actual debt
must now be payed down (not rolled-Over) under the
Fisal Treaty. BUT AT LEAST AS MUCH IS PROBABLY GOING
OUT TO INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS,INCLUDING
VULTURES, IN RENTS ON HOMES AND BUSINESSES,
MORTGAGE AND OTHER LOAN REPAYMENTS ON HOMES,
BUSINESSES, LAND. THIS FOLLOWS SELL-OFFS BY NAMA
AND THE BANKS TO TEXAS CAPITAl, GERMAN ALLIANZ etc.
The question arises: Is there a higher proportion of wealth
created in Ireland going out of the country to-day than in
the era of Michael Davitt and The LAND LEAGUE? This is
almost certainly true, if account is taken of repatriation of
profits by multinational companies. The outflow will
increase further when the big powers force multi-nationals
to repatriate profits tax as well!
A huge crisis of rule of the methods of capitalist rule is
developing throughout the island of Ireland. The setting
aside by the people of the FF/FG rotation in government is
but the beginning of the crisis. The strong vote for
candidates to the left of Sinn Fein in the poorer nationalist
areas in the recent Assembly Election is but a flavour of
what is to come in the 6-counties.
Historical Background
Henry Joy, Wolfe Tone, the Boys of Wexford though
heroic did not succeed in establishing a sovereign
independent republic in the process that led to the 1798
rebellion. France had become a single sovereign
independent capitalist state in 1789 as feudalism was
overthrown in the French Revolution.

The rebellions of 1848 and 1867 (fenians) were also

unsuccessful.
When the 1916-1923 process loomed in Ireland, Britain,
Germany, USA, Holland, Belgium etc had already
established strong indigenous capitalist economies, had
extensive colonies and had already begun an interimperialist war for markets.
Ireland was so far behind in economic development that
the establishment of a viable independent Irish capitalist
economy and state was effectively impossible.
Some wrongly conclude that demands for Irish unity,
sovereignty and independence are futile and out-dated.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
What came after 1916 Rebellion? All-Ireland Elected
Assembly 1918 Committed to Irish Unity, Independence
and Sovereignty!!!!!!
No Irish Sovereignty North or South
Evictions and exorbitant interest rates enable banks to
fleece and dispossess the Irish People to repay loans taken
out by the Irish Government for the bank bail-out to
German and French investors
The combination of the provisions of the Fiscal Treaty and
our over-reliance on multinationals means that the State
has virtually no sovereignty or power to ensure the
economic and social well-being of its citizens-Seamus
Healy TD
Underfunding of Health Services, Lack of Housing, caused
by New Colonialism within Europe as 7 billion in annual
Interest paid to European Banks
Total Surrender of Economic Sovereignty by successive
Governments
Over Reliance on Multinationals poses a deadly danger to
our Society and Economy.


GAME IS UP FOR RELIANCE ON FOREIGN DIRECT
INVESTMENT AD IRELAND CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT
WHILE WE ADHERE TO THE FISCAL TREATY.
IRISH PEOPLE ARE BEING SLEEP WALKED INTO ECONOMIC
DISASTER BY FG, FF, LABOUR REPRESENTING THE IRISH
SUPER-RICH
May 08 Professor Colm McCarthy in Sunday Independent
Irelands industrial strategy has been built for decades
around inward direct investment and the core attraction is
a low tax rate on corporate profits. The nominal rate in the
US works out at 39pc (combining federal and state
impositions), but averages around 25pc in many European
countries and just 12.5pc in Ireland.
Most of the multinational companies that have chosen to
locate here are US corporations and the leakage of both
jobs and tax revenues to foreign jurisdictions, including
Ireland, has become a headline issue in American politics.
There are also investigations into Irelands corporate tax
policies under way at the European Commission while the
Paris-based OECD, the club of the worlds more developed
countries, is promoting an international agreement which
could affect Ireland too.
At this stage it looks as if the bigger threat to Irish policy
will come from the US rather than Europe. Irish policy has
not been particularly successful in attracting companies
here from Britain or continental Europe. But US
companies, not all of them manufacturers, employ
140,000 people according to the US-Ireland Chamber of
Commerce. Whatever happens at European level,
unilateral action by the United States would affect
adversely the attractions of Ireland for new investment
from the US and the survival prospects of companies
already here.
The US corporation tax rate is one of the highest in the
world. But many US corporations never have to pay tax at

the 39pc rate. There is an arrangement which permits

them to defer tax liability on foreign earnings until the
proceeds are repatriated to the US. In practice this
postponement can be forever and there are other legal
and accounting devices which the companies can exploit.
Some big and profitable multinationals pay very little tax
in the US and enjoy low worldwide tax bills too.
An estimated two trillion dollars is now parked overseas,
beyond the reach of the US taxman, while over 80 of the
USs 100 biggest companies have subsidiaries in countries
regarded either as tax havens or as low-tax jurisdictions.
Fifteen US corporations were keeping at least 5bn abroad
at the end of 2014.
Two perceptions have become ingrained in the American
political debate in recent years. The first is that US
corporations are exporting jobs; the second that the US
Treasury is being short-changed by corporate tax
avoidance. The first contention is disputed but the second
is beyond argument. Some US corporations report large
profits in low-tax countries where they have little serious
economic activity. Others have managed to route profits
through jurisdictions which have no corporate taxes at all
and even through corporate legal structures which have
no tax residence anywhere. Treaties designed to avoid
double-taxation, where a company could end up paying
tax twice on the same profits in both the home parent and
the foreign subsidiary, have been cleverly deployed to
reduce tax liability to very low levels.
American politicians tend to blame shifty foreigners for
this state of affairs but the ultimate source of the
problems is the US tax code itself, particularly the deferral
arrangement for non-repatriated profits. In the current
political climate there could be changes on the way,
whoever wins the presidency in November. Both Clinton
and Trump, almost certain to be the candidates, have
been making commitments to unilateral action (the US
does not do painstaking consultation with affected parties)
and the die could be cast over the next few months as the
campaign intensifies. There has already been action from

the outgoing Obama administration to stop so-called

inversions, a manoeuvre which removes the corporate tax
residency from the US altogether.
Here are some quotes from the Clinton campaign
document called Make it in America:
n Crack down on companies shipping jobs and earnings
overseas and create incentives for companies to bring
back jobs to the US.
n Claw back the special tax breaks that corporations
received for locating research and production here at
home if they ship jobs overseas, and use the proceeds to
invest in America.
n End abusive inversions and impose an exit tax on
companies that leave America to lower their tax burden.
n Coordinate government efforts within the US and
overseas to recruit and ease the path for companies to
bring back jobs to the US.
In addition to his exciting plans for a trade war with China
and a wall along the Mexican border, Donald Trump also
has his eye on corporate taxes:
No business of any size, from a Fortune 500 to a momand-pop shop to a freelancer living job to job, will pay
more than 15pc of their business income in taxes. This
lower rate makes corporate inversions unnecessary by
making Americas tax rate one of the best in the world.
The next Trump policy is admirably clear and specific:
A one-time deemed repatriation of corporate cash held
overseas at a significantly discounted 10pc tax rate,
followed by an end to the deferral of taxes on corporate
income earned abroad.
Whoever wins in November will quite likely enter office
already committed to unilateral changes to the American

tax code sufficient to eliminate, or at least to reduce

sharply, the attractions of Ireland to US multinationals.
This would constitute the biggest challenge to Irish
industrial policy in a generation. Add in Brexit and there
are bigger issues to engage the new Government than
water charges and the rules about turf-cutting.
It has long been a staple of official rhetoric about inward
investment that the favourable tax regime is but one of
many factors that make Ireland an attractive location for
US companies. The public is regularly reassured that
Ireland is a gateway to the European market, is an Englishspeaking country and has a well-trained workforce. None
of these attributes is unique: every country in the
European Union offers trade access, English has become
the business language everywhere and it is notable how
many US companies in Ireland rely on the recruitment of
employees from across Europe.
If you sincerely believe that the favourable tax regime is
not the critical factor in attracting US multinationals here,
your hypothesis is about to be tested.
Speech by Deputy Seamus Healy (updated) on Election of
Taoiseach (second attempt April 2016)
There is a Crisis at South Tipperary General Hospital.
Trolley figures have increased by 100%. Figures released
today show that the March 2016 Trolley figure stood at
552, up by 319 from the figure of 233 in March of 2015.
Hospital attendances have increased by 10% in the last 2
months and medical occupancy is running at 150%.
On 10th March last, the day we last voted on the
Taoiseach, South Tipperary General Hospital had 44
patients on trolleys, the highest in the county and the
numbers have been consistently high since. Todays
figure is 38. The figure at University Hospital Limerick is
42 Patients have no dignity, no privacy and limited access
to wash and bathroom facilities.
The Hospitals has been starved of resources.

Approximately 25% of the South Tipp General Budget,

about 15m, has been cut over recent years. Additional
beds and additional staff are urgently needed.
The Chaos in Emergency Departments and the lack of
beds are now causing several hundred unnecessary
deaths each year according to eminent Hospital
Consultants.
There is a huge crisis of housing and homelessness with
thousands in emergency acommodation including over
1,600 children staying in hotels
Planned public capital spending in the current year is at a
50 year low and may be less than depreciation. This has
consequences for roads, school and hospital buildings and
other necessary infrastructure
What has this to do with the debate we are having here
today? This has of course everything to do with it.
This is because the previous Government, namely the
Fianna FilGreen Party Government, and the current
Government, the Fine GaelLabour Party Government,
have agreed to pay 7 billion in debt interest repayments
every year to EU institutions and banks. I wonder whether
the Taoiseach raised the issue of debt and its
renegotiation at the recent EU Council meeting. He told us
approximately two and a half years ago that there would
be a game-changer in regard to debt. It never happened.
Now our services, including health, housing, education and
policing services and economy are being absolutely
devastated by the fact that huge sums of money are being
paid out of the country to financial institutions right across
Europe, including very wealthy ones. Some 7 billion per
year is being paid in interest alone.
(Planned exchequer investment this year will fall to a 50year low. It may not even cover depreciation.-Paul
Sweeney -ref1)

The fiscal treaty agreed following the Lisbon treaty has

created a new colonialism within Europe. That treaty flies
in the face of the 1916 Proclamation. It is not a
sovereignty-sharing treaty. It effectively sets aside Irish
sovereignty and hands it over to big EU powers.
It must be renegotiated. This could best be done in the
framework of a debt -mutualisation conference.
Little Ireland has shouldered 47% of the cost of EU Bank
bailouts. Ireland should demand such a conference and
seek support for this demand from Greece, Portugal,
Cyprus, Spain, Italy and others.
The fiscal treaty requirement for Ireland is essentially a
continuation of austerity over the next 20 years. This is
linked to the circumstances we note today in South
Tipperary General Hospital and the 1,600 children living in
emergency hotel accommodation.
The fiscal compact requires that the current budget deficit
be reduced below 3% of GDP, that the structural deficit be
eliminated by 2018 and that the public debtGDP ratio be
reduced to 60% over the next 20 years. Despite the
physical exit of the troika from Dublin, the Government
and this country are still bound by the treaty to keep the
current budget deficit below 3%. On the other hand, the
current budget deficit in Germany, for instance, has been
below 3% for the last number of years. It has no structural
deficit and the German national debtGDP ratio is at 57%,
already below 60%.
In other words, there are no impositions whatsoever on
Germany under the fiscal treaty.
The treaty is merely a device to force the programme
countries and other indebted countries to make huge
repayments to stronger countries, led by Germany,
although all EU countries were responsible for the banking
busts and European recession.

Water Charges and the establishment of Irish Water are a

direct result of the Fiscal Treaty. Governments want to set
up utility companies which can borrow off balance sheet
and heap the repayments on to the citizens generally. This
has also lead to failure of the state to invest directly in
housing. This has produced the housing and homelessness
crisis.
(Fooling around with so-called off-balance sheet financing
and continuing to financialise housing in the middle of the
worst housing crisis is costly, bureaucratic and simply
does not work.-Paul Sweeney)
Evictions and exorbitant interest rates enable banks to
fleece and dispossess the Irish People to repay loans taken
out by the Irish Government for the bank bail-out to
German and French investors
There are even indications that attempts may be made by
FISCAL TREATY supporters to extend this model to other
human services such as health and education!
A new economic colonialism has been established within
Europe through the fiscal treaty. Owing to this and the
payment of 7 billion in interest, the Irish economy and
public services, including health, education, housing,
policing and other services, are being devastated. Ireland
will continue to pay over 7 billion per year in interest on
borrowings. Our public service will remain under-funded.
Any attempt to reduce our reliance on foreign direct
investment through public investment in modern
indigenous industry will fail because of that huge payment
out of the country.
As Dr Jim Stewart, Prof of Finance atTCD has pointed out,
Ireland is totally vulnerable to decisions by the large and
powerful countries in relation to corporate tax
arrangements. The US is committed to prohibiting
inversions from which the Irish exchequer has
benefitted.
The combination of the provisions of the fiscal treaty and

our over-reliance on multinationals and mean the State

has virtually no sovereignty or power to ensure the
economic and social well-being of its citizens.
Side by side with all this goes enormous inequality in our
Society. Central Stastic Office figures show that
Top 1% own 14.8% of wealth
Bottom 50% own 14.8%( same) of wealth
Top 20% own 73%of wealth
Bottom 20% own 0.2% of wealth
The new Dil must demand the renegotiation of the fiscal
treaty and the convention of a European debt
mutualisation conference to ensure moneys are available
to provide for citizens and public services in health,
education, housing and much more besides.
The enormous inequality in our society must be tackled
head on.
As Fianna Fil and Fine Gael are committed to the fiscal
treaty, inequality and to over reliance on multi-nationals, I
will be voting against Enda Kenny and Michel Martin for
Taoiseach
Ruth Coppinger has valiantly campaigned against water
charges and is opposed in principle to coalition with FF
and FG. I will be prou to vote for her for Taoiseach
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
06/04/2016
ref1 Paul Sweeney, Chair TASC Economists Network
(Former ICTU Economist)
Irish Times Article 06/04/2016

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/paul-sweeney-where-tofind-money-to-solve-the-housing-crisis-1.2599331
GOOD Friday AgreementExtract- Sinn Fin has Agreed to
Unionist Veto on Irish Unity through Vote Confined to 6counties
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES 1. The participants endorse the
commitment made by the British and Irish Governments
that, in a new British-Irish Agreement replacing the
AngloIrish Agreement, they will: (i) recognise the
legitimacy of whatever choice is freely exercised by a
majority of the people of Northern Ireland with regard to
its status, whether they prefer to continue to support the
Union with Great Britain or a sovereign united Ireland; (ii)
recognise that it is for the people of the island of Ireland
alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively
and without external impediment, to exercise their right of
self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and
concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a
united Ireland, if that is their wish, accepting that this right
must be achieved and exercised with and subject to the
agreement and consent of a majority of the people of
Northern Ireland; (iii) acknowledge that while a substantial
section of the people in Northern Ireland share the
legitimate wish of a majority of the people of the island of
Ireland for a united Ireland, the present wish of a majority
of the people of Northern Ireland, freely exercised and
legitimate, is to maintain the Union and, accordingly, that
Northern Irelands status as part of the United Kingdom
reflects and relies upon that wish; and that it would be
wrong to make any change in the status of Northern
Ireland save with the consent of a majority of its people;
(iv) affirm that if, in the future, the people of the island of
Ireland exercise their right of self-determination on the
basis set out in sections (i) and (ii) above to bring about a
united Ireland, it will be a binding obligation on both
Governments to introduce and support in their respective
Parliaments legislation to give effect to that wish; (v)
affirm that whatever choice is freely exercised by a
majority of the people of Northern Ireland, the power of
the sovereign government with jurisdiction there shall be

exercised with rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the

people in the diversity of their identities and traditions and
shall be founded on the principles of full respect for, and
equality of, civil, political, social and cultural rights, of
freedom from discrimination for all citizens, and of parity
of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity,
ethos, and aspirations of both communities; (vi) recognise
the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to
identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or
both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that
their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is
accepted by both Governments and would not be affected
by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland. 2.
The participants also note that the two Governments have
accordingly undertaken in the context of this
comprehensive political agreement, to propose and
support changes in, respectively, the Constitution of
Ireland and in British legislation relating to the
constitutional status of Northern Ireland. ANNEX A DRAFT
CLAUSES/SCHEDULES FOR INCORPORATION IN BRITISH
LEGISLATION 1. (1) It is hereby declared that Northern
Ireland in its entirety remains part of the United Kingdom
and shall not cease to be so without the consent of a
majority of the people of Northern Ireland voting in a poll
held for the purposes of this section in accordance with
Schedule 1. (2) But if the wish expressed by a majority in
such a poll is that Northern Ireland should cease to be part
of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland,
the Secretary of State shall lay before Parliament such
proposals to give effect to that wish as may be agreed
between Her Majestys Government in the United Kingdom
and the Government of Ireland. 2. The Government of
Ireland Act 1920 is repealed; and this Act shall have effect
notwithstanding any other previous enactment. SCHEDULE
1 POLLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 1 1. The
Secretary of State may by order direct the holding of a poll
for the purposes of section 1 on a date specified in the
order. 2. Subject to paragraph 3, the Secretary of State
shall exercise the power under paragraph 1 if at any time
it appears likely to him that a majority of those voting
would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease
to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united

Ireland. 3. The Secretary of State shall not make an order

under paragraph 1 earlier than seven years after the
holding of a previous poll under this Schedule.
FOR RESTORATION OF IRISH SOVEREIGNTY NORTH AND
SOUTH
GAME IS UP FOR IRISH RELIANCE ON FOREIGN DIRECT
INVESTMENT
AND IRELAND CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT-NO EFFECTIVE
SOVEREIGNTY
This is arguably the biggest economic challenge facing
Ireland over the next decade Fintan OToole Irish Times
19/04/2016
FINTAN OTOOLE agrees with Jack Horgan-Jones analysis
below but Fintan underestimates the effect of the change.
He fails to take into account that due to the requirements
of the fiscal treaty, the Dublin government cannot replace
FDI
The losses to the US budget from corporate tax
avoidance are now out of control. The US loses as much as
$111 billion each year due to corporate tax dodging and
lets be honest, Ireland is implicated in a significant
amount of this. The amounts of tax forgone by the US
through corporate shenanigans between 2008 and 2014
has been calculated by Oxfam for individual companies
many of which use Ireland as a stopover for elusive profits
on their way to a sunny Caribbean tax haven. The sums
are staggering: Google $12.5 billion; Apple $21 billion; IBM
$16 billion; Pfizer $16 billion and so on. Even a treasury as
vast as that of the US cant afford these losses.
The problem for the OneBigIdea(FDI-PH) is that all of this
is no longer the dirty little secret of penthouses and
boardrooms it is feeding the rage of ordinary Americans
at their entire establishment. And theyre not wrong. The
inequality that is threatening to tear the US apart cannot
be tackled without forcing the big corporations to pay
much more tax in the US. Or, to put that another way, to

route much less of their money through Ireland. The next

US president will have to move against the great
corporate tax dodge.
This is arguably the biggest economic challenge facing
Ireland over the next decade. And of course it has featured
nowhere in the discussions on the formation of a
government. The shifts in the US need not be so terrible
for us. They will unfold gradually over the next decade and
we have time to plan for a more balanced economy. But
only if we recognise that for ordinary Americans our OBI
looks increasingly like FU.
---------------------------------------------------------------GAME IS UP FOR IRISH RELIANCE ON FOREIGN DIRECT
INVESTMENT
AND IRELAND CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT-NO EFFECTIVE
SOVEREIGNTY
From Sunday Business Post-17/04/2016 Jack HorganJones
The problem for Ireland is that while we loom large in the
rhetoric on tax avoidance, our rel power in this world is
naught.For decades, Ireland has built an industrial policy
on facilitating the legal exploitation of the lacunas of the
international tax system. NOW those sands are shifting
and we have very little say in how they reconstitute. there
is a tremendous ,and potentially unrecognised, risk to
Irelands economy building up(The aborted merger between Pfizer and Allergan)-it does
show that big changes and important steps taken by
powerful players which happen far away can have a
massive impact on Ireland. What happens when effective
tax rates of 2 and 3 per cent (in Ireland) are a thing of the
past, and companies are faced with a straight choice
between Irelands 12.5% and 17 per cent in a jurisdiction
which boasts a proper scale financial centre (eg UK,
Germany, France-PH)
Jack Horgan-Jones is a Business Correspondent with The
Sunday Business Post. Horgan-Jones is a lead contributor

on Ireland to the Economist Intelligence Unit

ELECTION OF TAOISEACH (second attempt) Dil Speech by

Seamus Healy TD
(with added supporting material)
The combination of the provisions of the Fiscal Treaty and
our over-reliance on multinationals means that the State
has virtually no sovereignty or power to ensure the
economic and social well-being of its citizens.
Underfunding of Health Services caused by New
Colonialism within Europe
38 Patients on Trolleys at South Tipp General and 42 at UH
Limerick as 7 billion in annual Interest paid to European
Banks
Total Surrender of Economic Sovereignty by successive
Governments
Over Reliance on Multinationals poses a deadly danger to
our Society and Economy.
Speech by Deputy Seamus Healy (updated)
There is a Crisis at South Tipperary General Hospital.
Trolley figures have increased by 100%. Figures released
today show that the March 2016 Trolley figure stood at
552, up by 319 from the figure of 233 in March of 2015.
Hospital attendances have increased by 10% in the last 2
months and medical occupancy is running at 150%.
On 10th March last, the day we last voted on the
Taoiseach, South Tipperary General Hospital had 44
patients on trolleys, the highest in the county and the
numbers have been consistently high since. Todays
figure is 38. The figure at University Hospital Limerick is
42 Patients have no dignity, no privacy and limited access

to wash and bathroom facilities.

The Hospitals has been starved of resources.
Approximately 25% of the South Tipp General Budget,
about 15m, has been cut over recent years. Additional
beds and additional staff are urgently needed.
The Chaos in Emergency Departments and the lack of
beds are now causing several hundred unnecessary
deaths each year according to eminent Hospital
Consultants.
There is a huge crisis of housing and homelessness with
thousands in emergency acommodation including over
1,600 children staying in hotels
Planned public capital spending in the current year is at a
50 year low and may be less than depreciation. This has
consequences for roads, school and hospital buildings and
other necessary infrastructure
What has this to do with the debate we are having here
today? This has of course everything to do with it.
This is because the previous Government, namely the
Fianna FilGreen Party Government, and the current
Government, the Fine GaelLabour Party Government,
have agreed to pay 7 billion in debt interest repayments
every year to EU institutions and banks. I wonder whether
the Taoiseach raised the issue of debt and its
renegotiation at the recent EU Council meeting. He told us
approximately two and a half years ago that there would
be a game-changer in regard to debt. It never happened.
Now our services, including health, housing, education and
policing services and economy are being absolutely
devastated by the fact that huge sums of money are being
paid out of the country to financial institutions right across
Europe, including very wealthy ones. Some 7 billion per
year is being paid in interest alone.

(Planned exchequer investment this year will fall to a 50year low. It may not even cover depreciation.-Paul
Sweeney -ref1)
The fiscal treaty agreed following the Lisbon treaty has
created a new colonialism within Europe. That treaty flies
in the face of the 1916 Proclamation. It is not a
sovereignty-sharing treaty. It effectively sets aside Irish
sovereignty and hands it over to big EU powers.
It must be renegotiated. This could best be done in the
framework of a debt -mutualisation conference.
Little Ireland has shouldered 47% of the cost of EU Bank
bailouts. Ireland should demand such a conference and
seek support for this demand from Greece, Portugal,
Cyprus, Spain, Italy and others.
The fiscal treaty requirement for Ireland is essentially a
continuation of austerity over the next 20 years. This is
linked to the circumstances we note today in South
Tipperary General Hospital and the 1,600 children living in
emergency hotel accommodation.
The fiscal compact requires that the current budget deficit
be reduced below 3% of GDP, that the structural deficit be
eliminated by 2018 and that the public debtGDP ratio be
reduced to 60% over the next 20 years. Despite the
physical exit of the troika from Dublin, the Government
and this country are still bound by the treaty to keep the
current budget deficit below 3%. On the other hand, the
current budget deficit in Germany, for instance, has been
below 3% for the last number of years. It has no structural
deficit and the German national debtGDP ratio is at 57%,
already below 60%.
In other words, there are no impositions whatsoever on
Germany under the fiscal treaty.
The treaty is merely a device to force the programme
countries and other indebted countries to make huge
repayments to stronger countries, led by Germany,

although all EU countries were responsible for the banking

busts and European recession.
Water Charges and the establishment of Irish Water are a
direct result of the Fiscal Treaty. Governments want to set
up utility companies which can borrow off balance sheet
and heap the repayments on to the citizens generally. This
has also lead to failure of the state to invest directly in
housing. This has produced the housing and homelessness
crisis.
(Fooling around with so-called off-balance sheet financing
and continuing to financialise housing in the middle of the
worst housing crisis is costly, bureaucratic and simply
does not work.-Paul Sweeney)
There are even indications that attempts may be made by
FISCAL TREATY supporters to extend this model to other
human services such as health and education!
A new economic colonialism has been established within
Europe through the fiscal treaty. Owing to this and the
payment of 7 billion in interest, the Irish economy and
public services, including health, education, housing,
policing and other services, are being devastated. Ireland
will continue to pay over 7 billion per year in interest on
borrowings. Our public service will remain under-funded.
Any attempt to reduce our reliance on foreign direct
investment through public investment in modern
indigenous industry will fail because of that huge payment
out of the country.
As Dr Jim Stewart, Prof of Finance atTCD has pointed out,
Ireland is totally vulnerable to decisions by the large and
powerful countries in relation to corporate tax
arrangements. The US is committed to prohibiting
inversions from which the Irish exchequer has
benefitted.
The combination of the provisions of the fiscal treaty and
our over-reliance on multinationals and mean the State
has virtually no sovereignty or power to ensure the

economic and social well-being of its citizens.

Side by side with all this goes enormous inequality in our
Society. Central Stastic Office figures show that
Top 1% own 14.8% of wealth
Bottom 50% own 14.8%( same) of wealth
Top 20% own 73%of wealth
Bottom 20% own 0.2% of wealth
The new Dil must demand the renegotiation of the fiscal
treaty and the convention of a European debt
mutualisation conference to ensure moneys are available
to provide for citizens and public services in health,
education, housing and much more besides.
The enormous inequality in our society must be tackled
head on.
As Fianna Fil and Fine Gael are committed to the fiscal
treaty, inequality and to over reliance on multi-nationals, I
will be voting against Enda Kenny and Michel Martin for
Taoiseach
Ruth Coppinger has valiantly campaigned against water
charges and is opposed in principle to coalition with FF
and FG. I will be prou to vote for her for Taoiseach
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
06/04/2016
ref1 Paul Sweeney, Chair TASC Economists Network
(Former ICTU Economist)
Irish Times Article 06/04/2016
http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/paul-sweeney-where-tofind-money-to-solve-the-housing-crisis-1.2599331

Speech By Seamus Healy TD on Report by Taoiseach from

EU Council In Dil
Underfunding of Healty Services caused by New
Colonialism within Europe
40 Patients on Trolleys at South Tipp General as 7 billion in
annual Interest paid to European Banks
Total Surrender of Economic Sovereignty by successive
Governments
Dail Record
Deputy Seamus Healy: Today at South Tipperary General
Hospital, there are 44 patients on chairs, trolleys and
corridor beds awaiting admission. I am told this is the
highest number on trolleys in the hospital in the whole
country. What has this to do with the debate we are
having here today? It has, of course, everything to do with
it. The hospital is starved of resources. Approximately 25%
of its budget, or approximately 15 million, has been cut
over recent years. This is because the previous
Government, namely the Fianna FilGreen Party
Government, and the current Government, the Fine Gael
Labour Party Government, have agreed to pay 7 billion in
debt interest repayments every year to EU institutions and
banks. I wonder whether the Taoiseach raised the issue of
debt and its renegotiation at the recent meetings. He told
us approximately two and a half years ago that there
would be a game-changer in regard to debt. It never
happened. Now our services, including health and housing
services, and economy are being absolutely devastated by
the fact that huge sums of money are being paid out of
the country to financial institutions right across Europe,
including very wealthy ones. Some 7 billion per year is
being paid in interest alone.
The fiscal treaty agreed following the Lisbon treaty has

created a new colonialism within Europe. That treaty flies

in the face of the 1916 Proclamation. It is not a
sovereignty-sharing treaty. It effectively sets aside Irish
sovereignty and hands it over to big EU powers. It must be
renegotiated. This could best be done in the framework of
a debt-neutralisation conference. Ireland should demand
such a conference and seek support for this demand from
Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Italy and others. The
fiscal treaty requirement for Ireland is essentially a
continuation of austerity over the next 20 years. This is
linked to the circumstances we note today in South
Tipperary General Hospital and the 1,600 children living in
emergency hotel accommodation.
The fiscal compact requires that the current budget deficit
be reduced below 3% of GDP, that the structural deficit be
eliminated by 2018 and that the public debtGDP ratio be
reduced to 60% over the next 20 years. Despite the
physical exit of the troika from Dublin, the Government
and this country are still bound by the treaty to keep the
current budget deficit below 3%. On the other hand, the
current budget deficit in Germany, for instance, has been
below 3% for the last number of years. It has no structural
deficit and the German national debtGDP ratio is at 57%,
already below 60%. In other words, there are no
impositions whatsoever on Germany under the fiscal
treaty. The treaty is merely a device to force the
programme countries and other indebted countries to
make huge repayments to stronger countries, led by
Germany, although all EU countries were responsible for
the banking busts and European recession.
A new economic colonialism has been established within
Europe through the fiscal treaty. Owing to this and the
payment of 7 billion in interest, the Irish economy and
public services, including health, education, housing and
other services, are being devastated. Ireland will continue
to pay over 7 billion per year in interest on borrowings.
Our public service will remain under-funded. Any attempt
to reduce our reliance on foreign direct investment
through public investment in modern indigenous industry
will fail because of that huge payment out of the country.

The combination of our over-reliance on multinationals

and the provisions of the fiscal treaty mean the State has
virtually no sovereignty or power to ensure the economic
and social well-being of its citizens.
The new Dil must demand the renegotiation of the fiscal
treaty and the convention of a European debt
mutualisation conference to ensure moneys are available
to provide for citizens and public services in health,
education, housing and much more besides

SOMETHING VERY FUNDAMENTAL HAS CHANGED IN THE

GENERAL ELECTION
The Left , Sinn Fein, all socialists and republicans must
organise Two National National Demonstrations against
Cuts, Unfair Charges and Austerity without delay
The First In Belfast, The Second in Dublin
Let Us Go On The Offensive!
Derry and Cork should be next!
The Media are dominated with political babble on the
outcome of the election.
Nobody is fully recognising that something fundamental
has changed. This error is shared by right wing
commentators and even the so-called hard left
Ireland has been ruled by imperialist capitalism through
the partition institutions since 1921-2
The governance of the 26 county end was modified in
early 30s with the first election of Fianna Fil.. Note that
Labour Party support was necessary to have Dev first
elected as Taoiseach.
From then on the 26-county state was governed through
the rotating two and one third party systemFG and FG
rotating as leaders of government with Labour making up
the numbers if required

The recent election has reduced the popular support for

FG+FF+Lab to the low fifties in percentage terms. This is
unprecedented.
More recently, Unionist majority rule was replaced by
Cross-Community implementation of British rule in
Belfast
THIS ELECTION HAS DISRUPTED THE TWO AND ONE THIRD
PARTY SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IN THE 26-COUNTIES.
Labour was reduced to 12 seats after the Reynolds-Spring
and Bruton- Spring-De Rossa Governments
But in that case Labour was still much much bigger than
all other competitors on the left.
The rise of Sinn Fin and other lefts has fundamentally
changed the situation and seriously limited the ability of
Irish Social democracy to buttress capitalist governance
structures. Social Democracy in the form of the Labour
Party and the trade union leadership has played a crucial
role in the past in protecting the 26 co establishment
Now Sinn Fin like Clann na Poblachta in 1948 may be
needed to fill the gap. SIPTU leader Jack OConnor has said
as much!!
Eoghan Harris and Ed Moloney in opposing the Grand
Coalition are obsessed by fear of Sinn Fin growth in the
next General Election.
Sinn Fin is implementing British Rule in Belfast and has
said it can have FF or FG in a minority role in government
in Dublin. Hence,this is not what gives the real movers and
shakers real cause for concern.
25% of the 26-county population have sufficient allegiance
to FF to have voted for FF in recent elections. FF is a procapitalist, pro partition party.
If such a stable party were wiped out in a new election, it
would be a major reverse for capitalism. A Grand Coalition
in the framework of the fiscal treaty would ensure that
outcome
Industrial unrest typically accompanies recovery (Luas,
Cadburys, Teachers, Nurses, Guards). The uniquely
capitulatory Irish Trade Union leaders would struggle to

control the mass movement in the context of a Fine GaelFianna Fil government.
The concern of the mover and shakers with the rise of Sinn
Fin is not due to the nature of the leadership or IRA
influence in government. British rule is being implemented
in Belfast. The Sinn Fin leadership has said that it would
participate in coalition government provided FF or FG were
minority partners. They must know that a minority FG or
FF partner would veto any measure to tax the super-rich
or to move towards a united Ireland.
The concern of the 26 Co elite is that due to the many
wonderful and self-sacrificing militants in Sinn Fin and
among their supporters, the leaders may be unable to
politically control their members and supporters.
It is vital that Sinn Fin supporters prevent Sinn Fin being
tainted by coalition in any form or external support in
any form for a government containing either Fianna Fil or
Fine Gael
If Sinn Fein and the hard left had over 40% of the vote in
the 26-counties (currently holding 30 seats to FFs 43),
would the unemployed on reduced welfare and the
teacher unable to get a permanent job up the north
continue to support Sinn Fin leadership as the return of
unionist majority rule would be virtually impossible in that
eventuality!
Scroll Down For Discussion Document: Composition of
Next Government-Coalition Options
Dec 1 2015
The Fight for The Sovereignty of the Irish People North and
South-Paddy Healy
Please help me To Lose this Bet-FG/SF Coalition@16/1
After General ElectionDiscussion on Facebook below

The Capitulation at Stormont House has shortened the

odds!
I would lose just 50 Euro
But it could set back the fight for the political and
economic sovereignty of the Irish People North and South
for Decades by Politically DISORGANISING THE
PEOPLE !!!!
Deputy Shane Ross Told the Week in Politics on RTE on
Sunday Nov 29: A Fine Gael-Sinn Fin Coalition after the
election-Dont rule it out. Remember Frank Flannery (Top
FG Strategist) toyed with that before the last General
Election
Date Details
Stake
Result
07/06/2015
Single To Win
FG/SF @ 16/1
Government After Next Election
Government After Next Election
50.00
Pending
Coming Soon Sinn Fin Leadership Speech at Special
Ard-Fheis-Why we must Join FG in Government (with
apologies to Sean McBride S.C. 1948)
My Father Was In Clann Na Poblachta for the Mac Bride UTURN in 1948
I had just been expelled from the Labour Party National
Executive for the Corish(Labour Party) U-TURN Speech in
1970
Dont Let It Happen Again!
Discussion on Irish Left Facebook page-Begin at bottom of
panel just below and scroll upwards to follow discussion
Thomas OMahony commented on your post in Irish Left.
Thomas OMahony 10:26pm Dec 1
I believe the deal in the North to be a massive capitulation
& disgrace. But Thats a discussion for another day. I fully

commend Paddy here in his efforts to make sure SF do not

go in with either FF or FG. There are still a fair few around
from the 2007 GE who would jump at a chance to go in
with FF, just as they did back then.
Comment History
Brian DArcy 8:42pm Dec 1
That is quite acceptable and I cant disagree with you on
that. I want Sinn Fin to be put under pressure to be
upfront and honest. I would disagree with you on the deal
which Sinn Fin signed up to in the North, I myself was
disappointed but saw no other way to keep the peace
process going and Westminster knew this. Apparently one
of Clintons advisors lambasted the stunt that the Tories
pulled and the affect it could have had in the peace
process
Paddy Healy
8:35pm Dec 1
I am working to ensure that the SF deligates will tell SF
leaders to stay out of coalition with FF or FG in any form
and at all costs. That is why I am issuing these warnings!
But I have to accept , that despite the best efforts of
people like myself and others a congress can be
misinformed ad manipulated. THat is why I am writing a
draft of what I think will be the SF leadership speech-need
to enter government in the south to protect and further
the peace process etc, etc. as a stepping stone(remember
that Collins phrase) to Irish Unity.I want the delegates to
be forearmed.
Brian DArcy 7:56pm Dec 1
It is those very same supporters that will decide that if it
comes down to it, we will choose who they will go into
government with and as Ive told you before, the
possibility of going into government with either Fianna Fil
or Fine Gael is non-existent. They would have to do that
against the wishes of the Cumanns which would ensure
that Sinn Fin will be obliterated. Sinn Fin members have
complete faith in the leadership and I sincerely doubt that
they would throw that away just for a term in office, like
the Greens have

Paddy Healy
7:18pm Dec 1
Tens of Thousands of Sinn Fin supporters are totally
genuine. That is why a veteran like myself has a duty to
put them on their guard. The position of Sinn Fin on
coalition was the first red light. If FF or FG are acceptable
minority partners that is a capitulation.FF and/or FG,
backed by the rich and powerful would veto anything
unfavourable to the rich, The subtext to the effect that if
SF/Left were a majority in Government, that SF could call
the shots is nonsense. The most worrying thing is that the
SF leaders know this just as I know it- and still they persist
with it
Brian DArcy 7:05pm Dec 1
Going on about this long before any agreement was
reached in Belfast, live the way you leave out what Sinn
Fin won during those negotiations. We constantly hear
about how the government in the South had no choice but
to accept a bailout so what were Sinn Fin forced to do
when the North has never had fiscal autonomy in the first
place and are given a block grant from Westminster, Sinn
Fin were the one party that fought austerity in the
assembly but yet the worms werent slow in coming out of
the woodwork in the aftermath
Sovereignty: Further Decline Continues-SEN. SHANE ROSS
We are becoming more dependent on the multinationals
every year. They are deciding the size of our deficits. They
are controlling our forecasts. They will soon be writing our
budgets.Sen Shane Ross, Sunday Independent
29/112015
Full Article:
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/shaneross/the-coalition-is-exposed-as-gambling-on-tax-windfalls34243236.html
-

72m reduction in education resource budget in Northern

Ireland
Sinn Fin Minister for Education, John ODowd, warns new
entrants to teaching not to expect full-time job!!!!!!
6 January 2016
The Department of Education is facing a cash reduction of
72m in its resource budget in 2016/17.
A departmental official told the education committee that
amounted to a percentage cut of 3.8%.
The departments director of finance, Trevor Connolly, told
the committee the 2016/17 budget would be
challenging, if better than previously anticipated.
He said the full impact of the budget cut on schools
individual budgets would not be clear until early March.
However, the departments capital budget to build new
schools and school facilities is increasing by 46m in
2016/17, a rise of 32%.
Committee members also questioned departmental
officials on the Investing in the Teaching Workforce
Scheme which aims to replace up to 500 older teaching
staff with newly qualified teachers.
A number queried why the department had decided to
limit the scheme to teachers who had graduated within
the past three years.
The departments director of education workforce
development, LaVerne Montgomery, admitted that there
may well be further issues that we have to address and
the scheme may be adjusted.
We continue to explore the flexibility within the scheme,
she said.
She also said that there were currently fewer than 400 fulltime teachers younger than 25 in Northern Ireland.

Ms Montgomery said that the department expected up to

300 teachers to leave under the wider civil service
voluntary redundancy scheme in 2016/17.
Very careful consideration
Earlier, Education Minister John ODowd(Sinn Fin) said
people considering a career in teaching in Northern Ireland
should not expect a full-time job after their training.
Mr ODowd said those wanting to enter the profession
should give very, very careful consideration to their
choice.BBC REPORT
INTO CONFERENCE April 2015
He (Minister for Education John ODowd, Sinn Fin)
acknowledged that the planned loss of hundreds of
teaching jobs and the slashing of the education budget
would cause huge problems. However, he said, the
Northern Executive could not spend money it did not have.
Placards were held up by delegates with messages such
as SF + DUP = Tory cuts.
Nov 19 2015
DIFFICULT NOT TO BE CYNICAL ABOUT THE DEAL ON
WELFARE REFORM: ANY SOFTENING OF THE CUTS WILL BE
AT THE EXPENSE OF FURTHER CUTS IN HEALTH AND
EDUCATION .
WELFARE CUTS WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER
THE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND THE 26-COUNTY GENERAL
ELECTION
From Irish Times Editorial Nov 19
Its difficult not to be a bit cynical about the deal on
welfare reform, the row which was one of the triggers for

the latest breakdown. Anxious not to be put in a position

where it has to endorse an Assembly vote to approve the
reforms otherwise known by its supporters as cuts
Sinn Fin has agreed to a formula which devolves the said
vote back to Westminster, allowing the party to continue
to claim clean hands on the issue and to blame the Tories.
With a bit of budget juggling the compensation package,
which had been dismissed as too small, is also increased
by a small amount and spread over a shorter period the
hole left in the Executives budgets that will inevitably
have to be filled by further education and health reform
measures is not adverted to.
Sinn Fin under fire over welfare cuts move
Gerry Moriarty
Irish Times Thursday, November 19, 2015, 01:00
Sinn Fin has been attacked in the Northern Assembly for
supporting a motion handing over responsibility for
welfare cuts to Westminster rather than to Stormont.
The DUP and Sinn Fin had sufficient numbers in the
Assembly to push through a legislative consent motion
that allows Westminster, instead of the Northern
Executive, to legislate for British government welfare
reform.
The SDLP, in particular, complained that Sinn Fin, by
endorsing the motion, was diluting devolution and handing
back some powers to Westminster.
Only a matter of weeks ago, Sinn Fin would have
described this as a huge, serious mistake but now Sinn
Fin is doing Tory austerity and in spades, said SDLP
deputy leader Fearghal McKinney.
We are being asked to diminish aspects of devolution that
the SDLP, for one, fought hard to achieve. We reject that.
We are being asked to hand over to the Tories, or
Thatchers children, as Martin McGuinness likes to call

them, decisions on legislating on welfare.

During the day-long debate, Sinn Fin faced the kind of
criticism it was likely to run into in both Northern Ireland
and the Republic in the coming months ahead of Dil and
Assembly elections.
By signing up to welfare changes, the party is likely to be
accused of supporting austerity in Northern Ireland but
opposing it in the Republic.
SDLP Assembly member Alex Attwood forced a recorded
vote after Sinn Fin speaker Mitchel McLaughlin appeared
prepared to accept an orally declared vote.
The motion was carried by 70 votes to 22 with the SDLP
and the UUP the main parties to vote against it.
Alliance joined the DUP and Sinn Fin in supporting the
motion.
The British government has refused to provide any more
money to lessen the effects of British government welfare
reform.
Under the Fresh Start: the Stormont Agreement and
Implementation Plan, however, the Executive is to find
585 million from its own resources over four years to
mitigate the effects of these cuts in Northern Ireland.
Responsibility
What happens thereafter is unclear. Were the
Conservatives to lose the next election, it is possible some
or all of the welfare cuts could be reversed.
Earlier this year, an attempt to introduce a welfare Bill in
the Assembly failed in the face of Sinn Fin and SDLP
opposition.
By handing responsibility to Westminster by way of the
legislative consent motion, the new welfare legislation will

be speedily introduced.
While Westminster is bringing in the necessary legislation,
welfare will be administered from Northern Ireland by DUP
Minister for Social Development Mervyn Storey.
In an attempt to embarrass Sinn Fin during yesterdays
debate, Mr McKinney cited previous comments by Sinn
Fin politicians such as Martin McGuinness opposing
British government welfare reform.
Sinn Fin MLA Conor Murphy said the Northern Executive
was acting as a bulwark against the British
governments austerity policies.
I think what is being proposed and agreed in part of this
implementation plan gives us protection measures better
than exist anywhere on these islands for people who are
struggling, he said.
2015 irishtimes.com
New Stormont House Agreement
Belfast Telegraph 18/11/2015
The Executive will provide 345 million for welfare topups and 240 million for tax credit support over the next
four years. We have asked Professor Eileen Evason to lead
a small working group to bring forward proposals and the
Executive will implement the findings of the group. In my
view this represents a sensible way forward and will
ensure we have both a fair and affordable welfare system
while recognising the need to help those who are also in
work.
This amounts to 86 million per year for amelioration of
Welfare Reductions and 60 million per year for
amelioration of reduction in tax credits to low-paid
families. TUC(below) says that tax credit reductions in NI
will amount to 120 million. Will all amelioration stop after
4 years?-Paddy Healy

Belfast Telegraph
NI Families to lose up to almost 1,500 per year in tax
credits-TUC
17/11/2015
Under the current plans of Chancellor George Osborne, the
analysis confirms the province will be the hardest hit
region in the United Kingdom.
The report from the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) to be
released in full tomorrow 18/11/2015-shows that more
than nine in 10 (91%) working tax credit households in the
UK will be worse off as a result of the Government cuts
and then sets out the average loss in each part of the
country.
It concludes: In Northern Ireland, where average income
per head is the lowest in the UK, the average loss to
working tax credit claimants will be 1,480 the highest
of any UK nation and region. The loss to families here is
around 500 worse than official estimates calculated by
the Department of Social Development.
It warned more than 120,000 households will have their
tax credit payments reduced as a result of the July Budget
and suggested the average loss per household will be
918 per year.
TUC General Secretary Frances OGrady said: This
research makes clear that as well as making families
suffer, the tax credit cuts will make regional inequalities
worse. The households who will lose the most are those
already in low-income areas.
In contrast to the 1,480 average hit to family incomes
here(NI), the average loss for a losing household in London
will be 1,110 despite the fact that the capital has the
highest average income per head in the UK.

Irish Times 18/11/2015

On the key sticking point of welfare reform, a formula has
been agreed that will allow legislation to be introduced in
British parliament to allow for changes in the welfare
regime in Northern Ireland.
The British government has made a more expansive offer
of 585 million over four years to mitigate the effects of
welfare cuts.
This compares with mitigation of 565 million over six
years contained in the Stormont agreement.
Ms Villiers told the press conference it would mean
Northern Ireland would have the most generous welfare
system in the UK. The additional funding may be enough
to allow Sinn Fin enough wriggle room to claim it held out
successfully against what it termed Tory welfare cuts.
There are also commitments in the document to reduce
the number of MLAs in the Assembly from the current
complement of 108 to 90, which would be five per
constituency, and to cut the number of government
departments from 12 to nine.
A Bill on this issue will be drafted this month but will not
commence until after the Assembly elections in May 2016.
In essence, that will mean the reductions will not take
effect until 2020 at least (This is not correct -PH).
Irish People in great danger as new world capitalist crash
looms-Leinster House and Stormont Powerless
Caoimhn Caolin ON Future Elected Governments
The Cabinet that stood to hear those words now asks us
to put before the people for approval a treaty (The Fiscal
Compact) that flies in the face of the 1916 Proclamation.It
is a treaty that seeks to negate the right of the Irish
people to the ownership of Ireland. It is a treaty that would

surrender control of Irish destinies and fetter this and

future elected governments, tying them to the failed
economics of austerity.-Dil Eireann-2012
I believe that the left should offer to ally itself with SF in a
campaign for a left government PROVIDED THAT SF
RENOUNCES COALITION WITH FF AND FG IN ANY FORM
including FF and/or FG as a minority partner in
Government
I think that it is very important to do everything humanly
possible to fight the entry of SF into a coalition with FF or
FG in any form whatever
The notion that a Sinn Fein/left majority in a government
including Fianna Fail/and or FG could ensure that the will of
SinFin/ Left would prevail is an underlying assumption of
Sinn Fin statements. This is of course complete
nonsense. The EU, The British Government, the US, the
rich of north and south would be supporting the FF or FG
wing of the coalition. FF or FG could veto anything they
didnt like. If SF and the left got stroppy they could call in
their friends in the ECB, the international investors and the
multinationals to issue ultimatums.
In Dil ireann (Irish Parliament) during the debate on the
EU Fiscal Compact ( Treaty) on April 20,2012, the Sinn Fin
spokesperson, Caoimhn Caolin said : On Easter
Sunday the Taoiseach and other Cabinet Ministers, as well
as Oireachtas Members, myself included, stood outside
the GPO and listened to the words of the Proclamation. As
I speak on the austerity treaty today, I wonder did the
Cabinet Ministers hear the same words that I heard: We
declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership
of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies,
to be sovereign and indefeasible. The Cabinet that stood
to hear those words now asks us to put before the people
for approval a treaty (The Fiscal Compact) that flies in the
face of the 1916 Proclamation.It is a treaty that seeks to
negate the right of the Irish people to the ownership of
Ireland. It is a treaty that would surrender control of Irish
destinies and fetter this and future elected governments,
tying them to the failed economics of austerity. The people

would have expected such a surrender from the last

Government.
The British state is the sovereign power in the 6 counties
and is now enforcing increased austerity
The Peace and Neutrality Alliance is increasingly
concerned at the erosion of Irish Military Neutrality
A new International trade Treaty (TTIP) is on the way
under which multi-nationals can sue the state if health and
safety regulations are introduced which adversely affect
their business
Virtually all Irish fixed assets including many homes have
been sold off to international vulture capitalists. If one
pays to use facilities in an Irish located shopping centre,
part of your 10 cents is going to Texas Capital , German
Allianz etc etc!!!The 26-county exchequer is paying over 8
billion Euro per year on debts incurred to avoid taxing the
Irish Rich and to pay back the gambling debts of
international investors who invested in Irish banks . Rents
and loan repayments from businesses and home-owners
pour out of the country to international capitalists.UCD
Economics Professor, Morgan Kelly, says that Irish small
and medium sized businesses owe 28BillionEuro! It is
probable that research would show that there is a higher
proportion of Irish output pouring out of the country now
than was the case before the Land League Campaign led
by Michael Davitt in the late eighteen hundreds!!
THE REALITY IS THAT THE IRISH PEOPLE NORTH AND
SOUTH HAVENT A SHRED OF SOVEREIGNTY LEFT
Spokespeople for Sinn Fin and the dodgy left often say
the the reason we have not got a debt write-down is
because recent governments havent asked for it. This is
nonsense. The government has been told that they are not
going to get it so they are not going to embarass their
international backers or expose themselves to appearance
of failure by asking for it.
There are no soft concessions available to a SF/Left led
Government from London or Brussels. Ask The Greek
left party Syriza!

If people are led to believe that there is and that a Sinn

Fin/left led coalition including FF/FG can get such
concessions , there will be serious demoralisation and
disorganisation of the oppressed north and south.
We need a 32-couty campaign against austerity linked to a
drive for a SF/Left government excluding FF and FG. No
welfare Cuts in The north. Abolish Water Charges and LPT
in South ad restore the cuts!
If we dont get a majority we stay in opposition and we
continue organising mass resistance until we succeed.
Keeping the people united, organised, capable of
resistance and going forward from strength to strength is
the priority.
The total lack of Irish political and economic sovereignty
leaves the Irish people in an extremely dangerous position
as a new world economic crash looms (see New World
economic Crash at Hand-posted on this blog). The degree
of recovery which currently exists is due to the lucky
convergence of a number of EXTERNAL factors favourable
to Ireland-weak Euro, low oil prices, cheap state borrowing
due to printing of money by ECB(quantitative easing) and
high demand for multinational products exported from
Ireland. (Financial Times, London,Jul 23, 2015-Dublin
should not celebrate too soon! Ireland is enjoying a run of
luck. It would be well advised to bank it) (Colm McCarthy
Sunday Independent 02/08/2015 Recovery- But this is
largely down to good luck, rather than good
management.). When these factors dissappear, as most
capitalist economists agree they will, the economic crash
in Ireland will be horrendous. This is compounded by the
virtually sole dependence of Ireland on multi-national
investment based on low company tax rates for economic
health and employment maintenance. The large countries
are now moving towards levelling the playing field in the
matter of attracting multinational companies with low tax
rates and special tax deals. The lack of sovereignty means
that the Irish government is completely helpless in the
face of these developments. FF, FG and Labour by
refusing all state investment in modern industry and
indeed reducing it, have put the Irish people completely in

the hands of the multinationals and at the mercy of the

big capitalist powers.
The people of the north are at the mercy of the British
government-now headed by an extremely right-wing Tory
party determined to impose further burdens on workers.
A safe and prosperous future for the Irish people depends
on the fundamental sovereignty deficit being removed.

SinnFin, the biggest party in the 32-counties has a

special duty to lead a United 32-County Mass Protest
Movement Against Austerity North and South
THE ANSWER TO LONDON AND DUBLIN CUTS IS AN ALLIRELAND MASS CAMPAIGN AGAINST AUSTERITY NORTH
AND SOUTH!
IRISH PEOPLE UNITED AGAINST
AUSTERITY!
Stand Up to London, Dublin and Brussels!
Assert Irish
Independence and Sovereignty Now!
As the election in the 26-counties is now delayed, SF has
the following dilemma
Will Sinn Fin either 1) allow welfare cuts through the
Stormont Executive
2) Stay in the Executive while Tories impose cuts directly
and seek wash their hands
3) Stand up to the Tories and tell Cameron that they will
leave the executive if welfare cuts are imposed and launch
an All-Ireland campaign against austerity?
1)or 2) would damage SF in Republic in the election and
strengthen all to the left of SF in the north
An All-Ireland Campaign against Austerity is the only
answer!!! Sinn Fin has already agreed to major public
service cuts in the Stormont House Agreement. An official
one day general public service strike against the cuts has
already taken
place.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/upl
oads/attachment_data/file/390672/Stormont_House_Agree

ment.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/a
ttachment_data/file/390673/Stormont_House_Agreement_F
inancial_Annex.pdf As can be seen at the above links SF
has agreed to eliminate huge number of public service
jobs in the coming years. Voluntary redundancy of 3000
public servants is now in progress. These will not be
replaced. SF has endorsed an Agreement which imposes a
fine on the northern administration of 114 Million for
each year that the 2013 welfare cuts are not imposed.
Further welfare cuts by the Tory government are now in
the pipe line. The current controversy is designed by
Britain and Unionism to force Sinn Fin to be even more
compliant. They have decided that while they cannot quite
dispense with SF yet, they can weaken their support
among the nationalist population by forcing SF to support
unpopular measures as the price of remaining in the
northern administration. THE ANSWER TO LONDON AND
DUBLIN CUTS IS AN ALL-IRELAND MASS CAMPAIGN
AGAINST AUSTERITY NORTH AND SOUTH Why the SF
opposition to Welfare Cuts.? They have agreed to bigger
financial cuts in the Stormont House Agreement.The first
answer lies in the caste system. The dole is a huge issue
among nationalists currently and historically. Welfare cuts
would seriously damage Sinn Fin support in nationalist
areas. SDLP did not fully endorse the Stormont House
Agreement. SDLP is not yet prepared to support welfare
cuts either. Welfare cuts weigh more heavily on the
nationalist population and in the northern caste system is
perceived to be an anti-nationalist measure. If SF caves in
to the pressure they will open the door to other political
forces in nationalist areas. Welfare Cuts would also
damage SF in the south.It is true that most nationalist and
unionist citizens are not enamoured of the northern
assembly.But that does not mean that if welfare cuts were
imposed that there would not be a big political reaction
among nationalists against any party which remains in the
administration while LONDON imposes the cuts.THE
ANSWER TO LONDON AND DUBLIN CUTS IS AN ALLIRELAND MASS CAMPAIGN AGAINST AUSTERITY NORTH
AND SOUTH

Free State parties line up with unionists and British

government yet again! So whats new!
Taoiseach Kenny supported adjourment of the executive as
requested by DUP
FF Leader, Michel Martin, supported SUSPENSION of the
Institutions on RTEeven Tory Leader Cameron was not in
favour of that!
The SDLPs decision to oppose the DUPs adjournment
motion at the business committee yesterday was the
correct and only decision for the party.The party was
under enormous pressure from the Irish government but
for the first time in its existence publicly rejected a
request from the Taoiseach. It was essential for its own
electoral survival that the SDLP did so because what the
party was being asked to do was act as a mudguard for
the DUP with no p rospect of reward for its actions.
Brian FeeneyIrish News

As a Taoiseach in office, we must assume Kenny was in

constant contact with London
Thu Sept 10
KENNY WANTED TO SUPPORT DUP
McDonald, SDLP Leader, now saying on Radio that Kenny
said his(Kennys) preference was for adjournment (DUP
Position)
McDonald: If we did that the DUP would have an
adjournment motion every week!
I did say earlier that the depth and significance of the
northern crisis was grossly underestimated in 26-counties.
These developments will resonate in southern general
election.
Adjournment motion of DUP has now been defeated at

Stormont
Wed Sept 9 PM
Mitchel McLaughlin of Sinn Fein said he had written to the
Queen to mark her milestone achievement.
The Assemblys first republican Speaker has formally
congratulated the Queen on becoming the longest serving
monarch.Belfast Telegraph Aug 09
Quite the contrast to what James Connolly said: We, at
least, are not loyal men; we confess to having more
respect and honour for the raggedest child of the poorest
labourer in Ireland today than for any, even the most
virtuous, descendant of the long array of murderers,
adulterers and madmen who have sat upon the throne of
England.
WED Aug 09 AM
Crisis of northern Institutions deepens as Storey arrestedNew DUP Threats-Adams Statement
The depth and significance of the crisis is being
underestimated in 26-counties
Tueday Aug 8
Welfare cuts and public service cuts to be imposed in 6counties. FG/Lab imposing cuts and unfair taxes on
ordinary people in the 26-counties
There has already been a one-day public service workers
strike against austerity in the north. We have had huge
marches against water charges in Dublin.
Why not a UNITED 32-COUNTY popular mobilisaton on the
streets against austerity? Let us have marches in Belfast
as well as in Dublin! We did it for Civil Rights in the sixties
and for the H-block prisoners in the early 80s.
Monday Aug 7 Sinn Fein locked out of Northern Executive
by DUP until McGuigan affair cleared up to satisfaction of
DUP. First Minister Robinson Said:As a first step there will

be no further meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive

unless we deem there are exceptional circumstances. In
addition there will be no North South Ministerial meetings
in any format.
Will Sinn Fin refuse to negotiate at a disadvantage or
make concessions to DUP and British Government to get
back in?
Will SF concede on Welfare Cuts?
Will FG/Lab Government Negotiate at a Disadvantage?
Will FG/Lab tolerate unilateral suspension of North Soth
Ministerial Meetings by DUP?
Political Allies of DUP are now in untrammelled power at
Westminister
DUP could collapse Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday
Belfast Telegraph Published 05/09/2015 Liam Clarke
The future of the Executive will hinge on a speech
delivered by Theresa Villiers in the House of Commons on
Monday.
If she does not move to suspend the Assembly or to
punish Sinn Fein in some way then the DUP will take action
itself.
Last night the party was remaining tight-lipped it has the
weekend to consider it but it is understood the DUP told
Ms Villiers it could involve withdrawal from the Assembly.
That would cause it to collapse.
UPDATE AUG 6 In Response to Sec of State Villiers Martin
McGuinness said:
Any move by the British Government to impose its
welfare cuts agenda over the heads of the Assembly and
Executive will seriously undermine devolution and the
political institutions.
Martin McGuiness, interestingly, did not threaten to

withdraw from the Executive and did not allege that direct
imposition of welfare cuts by the British Government
would be a breach of the Good Friday Agreement
Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said:
I acknowledge and accept that the British Government is
doing this very much as a last resort, but it is not
something that is supported by the Irish Government.
Anything that is a departure from devolution would not be
supported by us, said Mr Flanagan, who side-stepped
questions about the degree of notice Dublin enjoyed about
the British action.-Irish Times
Like Deputy First Minister McGuiness, Minister Flanagan
did not allege that direct imposition of welfare cuts by the
British Government would be a breach of the Good Friday
Agreement
For an Electoral Alliance between The Left and Sinn Fin in
26-Co Election on the basis of No Coalition In Principle
With FF or FG
My objective in circulating this discussion document is to
bring about an electoral alliance between Sinn Fin and
left groups on a principled position of rejecting coalition
with FF or FG whether these parties are a majority or a
minority in government. In order to enable this to occur,
Sinn Fin would have to change their position of
permitting coalition with FF or FG in a Sinn Fin led
government in which FF or FG are a minority. Left groups
who already have such a position, must stop dismissing
Sinn Fin as possible electoral allies in the south.
The experience of the nationalist population in the 6counties is a huge positive resource for the transformation
of the whole of Ireland. They have experience of decades
of revolt and remain undefeated. The aggressive rightwing orientation of the Tory government at Westminister
will propel them and fellow-workers in the unionist
tradition into new struggles. Indeed it already has done so
in the one-day public service strike earlier this year.

The H-block campaign showed the political potential of a

32-county wide mobilisation. It was my privilege as
Secretary of the Natioal H-block Trade Union Committee to
instigate and co-ordinate work stoppages in the 26counties in support of the prisoners.
To fulfill my objective of bringing about such an alliance, I
warn of the terrible consequences of Sinn Fin entering
such a coalition
Discussion Document: DISCUSSION: FG/ Sinn Fin , FF/Sinn
Fin Coalition? Could it happen? -COALITION OPTIONS
The Dublin parliament is viewd in very different way than
the the Stormont Assembly by Irish people
Despite severe de facto limitations on its actual powers, it
is technically a sovereign parliament and is viewed as
such and ,above all, isexpected to act as such by the
population.
There is no threat of a return to domination by a Unionist
caste as in the north.
I believe that participation by Sinn Fin in a government in
Dublin which did not deliver significant economic gains to
the majority of the population and did not make serious
progress in enhancing Irish unity and sovereignty would
lead to a collapse in electoral support for Sinn Fin in the
26 counties. The party would follow the downward road
travelled by Clann na Poblachta,The Workers Party, the
Green Party and the Labour Party. If Sinn Fin participated
in a government which implemented austerity in
accordance with the Fiscal Treaty, it would be wiped out.
Ireland is facing a major historical turning point. The
decision of Sinn Fin on coalition in Dublin will be central
to the outcome.
I believe that the depth of the historical turning point
which Ireland is facing in the next two years is being
underestimated . Things cannot go on in the old way
because the people of the 26 counties will not tolerate
increasing austerity for much longer. They have only voted

against austerity in the local elections. The main cohorts

have not yet fought through strikes, demonstations etc
but this is on the way as it is now becoming widely
understood that restraint will not work. The outcome of
the recent local elections has accelerated this process. I
believe that political crisis will be the most intense since
the civil war.
I believe that the notion that Sinn Fin will be able to play
a long game in opposition while retaining coherence is
mistaken. Sinn Fin, in its membership and support,
contains a number of political components. At one pole are
the revolutionary republicans and at the other are the
capitulationist pro-capitalists and there are all shades in
between, most entirely genuine but politucally confused. It
goes without saying that the vast majority of Sinn Fin
voters are genuinely seeking an end to austerity.
It is well to recall that all capitulators claim to be playing
a long game. Collins said we should settle for a stepping
stone to Irish Freedom . Brendan Corish said he was
fighting for socialism eventually. McBride said he had
first to remove Fianna Fil patronage in giving out
roadwork and to secure the declaration of a 26-county
republic.
After the next election, I believe that the 26 county
capitalists and their key planners will not initially allow a
Fine Gael- Fianna Fail coalition. This would leave them with
no fall- back position as the more populist FF would be
wiped out. This will leave no possibility of a government
being formed without Sinn Fin. The problem is likely to be
addressed in the context of a significant degree of popular
mobilisation on economic issues. The class pressures on
the political components of Sinn Fin will be massive as
they were in the civil war period of 1921 to 1923.
Some argue that as the Sinn Fin cumanns will have the
final vote on any coalition proposal at a Special Ard Fheis,
the interests of the Irish people would be protected. A
PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATED BETWEEN
POLITICAL PARTIES HAS NO LEGAL FORCE. FF or FG could
make concessions to the SF programme in negotiations
and withdraw them after entering government. Already
there have been blatant breaches of the programme for

government between FG and Lab with no legal

consequences for the continuation of the government.
This Programme for Government was, of course, approved
by Labour Party branches at a Special Conference held
after the last general election.
There will be an intense discussion within Sinn Fin. The
issue will not be one of tactical stupidity or cleverness. It is
the duty of those of us who understand the positive role
that revolutionary republicanism can play in the Irish
socialist revolution to do what we can to ensure that the
revolutionary republicans are victorious. That is why a
serious discussion must take place now so that people
cannot be fooled in the future.
Simply denouncing Sinn fein in its entirety as some left
wing groups do is counter-productive.
ClannNa Poblachta leader Mac Bride told the small farmer
and cottier supporters of Clann Na Poblachta that he had
to go into coalition with Fine Gael to break the Fianna Fail
ganger system of allocating work on the roads. Collins said
the Treaty would give us the freedom to win freedom. We
must be ready for the new fangled excuses. The need to
save the peace process and to prevent a return to one
party unionist administration in the north is likely to be
invoked. The need to resist Tory welfare cuts in the north
might also feature.The threat of a Fine Gael/Fianna Fil
government will also be stressed. But there are always
unexpected excuses in politics.
Following its most recent Ard-Fheis, Sinn Fin has taken
the position that it can enter coalition provided Fine Gael
and/or Fianna Fail are a minority in the government. Many
may have the incorrect impression that in such an
arrangement Sinn Fin and the left would be in control.
The fact that Fine Gael are in control in the current
coalition may lend credence to this view. But nothing could
be further from the reality. A minority capitalist party in a
coalition would have the full support of the entire Irish procapitalist elite. It would also have the support of the the
EU and of Germany, France etc. The savagery of the EU
attack on Greece and Syriza in recent days should be a
warning. The Syriza coalition was unable to stand up to

the EU powers. What would the chances be of an Irish

government containing FF or FG, even as a minority
partner, standing up to the EU? Caoimhn O Caolin
correctly said in the Dil that the Fiscal Treaty was a
setting aside of Irish Sovereignty and flies in the face of
the 1916 Proclamation.
In my view, there is no possibility of a government
containing FF or FG as a minority setting aside the Fiscal
Compact. Backed by the EU powers, FF or FG would simply
bring down the government at a time of their choosing.
Let us do something positive to protect against
capitulation. Let us ask Sinn Fin to publicly commit
against coalition with Fianna Fil and/or Fine Gael, even as
minority partners, and to give an undertaking not to
implement the Fiscal Treaty which sets aside Irish
sovereignty and imposes continued austerity.
The electorate is entitled to know BEFORE the election
If Sinn Fin made such a commitment it would create a
new position which would have to be considered by left
wing organisations. In my view, the left groupings which
are opposed in principle to coalition with FFor FG in any
form could and should form an electoral alliance with a
Sinn Fin opposed to coalition in principle with FF or Fg in
any form.
What is important is to positively effect what happens in
the FUTURE.
Discussion of previous or current mistakes is important in
order to learn from them. There are very many genuine
people in Sinn Fin andin left wing groups.
There is wide agreement on the left that entry of Sinn Fin
or left TDs into coalition with Fianna Fil or Fine Gael would
be disastrous for the Irish People. In addition, Sinn Fin
would be wiped out in the following election.
There are also several left TDs who have not ruled out
coalition with FF and/or Fine Gael.
I believe that we should focus in the discussion on getting
a public undertaking in advance from Sinn Fin and left

wing TDs that they will not go into coalition with FF and/or
FG after the next election and that they will under no
circumstances implement the Fiscal Treaty which flies in
the face of the 1916 Proclamation according to Caoimhn
O Caolin.
Questioner 1
Paddy, as someone who has a lot of respect for you,let me
assure you that there exists an undying hatred between
SF and FG. As I stated before as well as the huge chasm in
policy terms there is also a massive gap in social and class
terms.FF ,FG Lab,PD,Renua all come from a social
demographic that is a million miles from SF and its
support base.
It is extremely dangerous to proceed to political
conclusions solely on the basis of undying hatred and
massive gaps in social class between political
formations. Sean McBride was chief of staff of the IRA after
the formation of this state and FG leader, Dick Mulcahy,
had ordered the execution of 77 republicans.Yet in 1948,
they were ministers in the same government. In fright at
the red brigandage that was loose in Munster, Collins
and Devalera made an electoral pact notwithstanding the
civil war. Labour leader,Tom Johnson, entered the Treaty
Parliament thus supporting a regime which was not just
executing republicans without trial but was also smashing
by force the worker-controlled red flag creameries in
Munster. The fact that he had been calling for all power to
the soviets a short time earlier was not a problem for
him.
History is littered with situations where powerful class
forces overcame undying hatreds and massive gaps in
social class.
If undying hatreds and massive gaps in social class were
sufficient to protect working class interests, the Workers
Republic and,indeed, international socialism would already
be in existence
Questioner 2: But,Paddy, would not a FF-FG Government
be a much easier option for the establishment?

Paddy: On the face of it, it appears to be far easier to

have an FF-FG government. But, as I argue above, I
believe that Irish capitalism and all the sections of the
establishment which serve it will be opposed to FF and FG
being in government together AT THIS STAGE. Firstly, such
a government could provoke a mass mobilisation of a
depth never experienced in this state. Secondly, it would
remove any substantial fall-back capitalist party as core of
an alternative government. It would remove the tweedle
dum and tweedldee basis on which the free state has been
run since 1932. An FF/SF or a FG/SF government would
also have the huge advantage of first demobilising the
masses and then politically disorienting them. The
establishment always has key strategic political planners
who think further down the road than one election.
There was very considerable mobilisation including strikes
leading up to the formation of the 1948 government. The
growth of Clann Na Poblactha threatened to undermine
FF(tweedledee). The entry of the then divided Labour
parties and Clann na Poblactha into government stopped
the mobilisation and saved FF as well.
Even as a minority partner in a SF-led coalition, FFor FG
can veto anything with which they do not agree, paralyse
the government and bring it down at a time of their
choosing. In this FFor FG would have full support of EU,
White House, British Government, IMF, ECB etc
There are circumstances in which the establishment would
allow a FF-FG government but only in extremis, as a last
resort to save the capitalist state. That can be expected
further down the road.

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS

October 13th 2016
Stop Evictions! Stop SUICIDES!
HEART-FELT APPEAL FROM KEN SMOLLEN-TIRELESS ANTIEVICTION CAMPAIGNER
I was talking to Paddy Healy on the phone earlier today.
Paddy works tirelessly for his brother, Independent TD for
Tipperary Seamus Healy. Both of these men are the only
people who work within the confines of Leinster House and
who are actively calling on the Government to declare an
Official Housing Emergency However, they are alone and
receive little or NO support (you cant be upsetting the
markets).
Its unfortunate that in order to make the other removed
from reality elites sit up and take notice, that its now
becoming necessary that members of some family in
Ireland do the unbelievable brave thing of being willing to
speak about a family member who has taken their own life
as a result of being in mortgage distress and facing the
horrifying thought of facing one of the EVICTION Courts.
The death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie close to The
Dail made the elites take notice of the homelessness
crisis.
The elites are not interested in attending any of the
EVICTION Courts, and are so removed from reality to think
they know what its like for people in this situation as all of
them spout on about distressed mortgage holders
approaching them in the comfort of their constituency
offices.
NONE OF THEM have the faintest idea what so many
people are enduring on a daily basis
Im not expecting anyone to come forward to tell their own
story about a family member taking their own lives as a
result of this very hidden crisis, but its a terrible
indictment on our uncaring TDs that I should even have to
ask and all I can do is hope that someone is brave

enough to do so!
Ministers John Halligan and Finian McGrath ,Shane Ross,
Boxer Moran, Sean Canney of the Independent Alliance
must Force Government to HALT ALL EVICTIONS NOW
EVICTION RELATED SUICIDES CONTINUE
Ken Smollens post on Facebook
It has just been confirmed to me in the last few minutes
that the father of a number of young children who was due
to appear before one of the EVICTION Courts this week has
sadly taken his own life. Out of respect for his family I will
not be naming the location. Suffice to say that our
uncaring TDs have more blood on their hands as they DO
HAVE the power to put a stop to the never ending
nightmare thats being experienced by thousands of
innocent victims of the bailed out banks and vulture
funds!
May he Rest in Peace-Ken Smollen
GOVERNMENT, FF, LAB, INDEPENDENT ALLIANCE ARE
RESPONSIBLE
But Sinn Fin and Independents for Change Must Share
Some of the Blame
ONLY Ruth Coppinger Dissented from Flawed
Recommendation
The Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessnes
recommended that there be a pause in eviction
proceedings until new debt resolution procedures were in
place
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the
Government should introduce legislation for a moratorium
on home repossessions until such time as the
Governments proposals are in place.
AND
The Government should urgently seek flexibility from the
European Commission on the application of the EU fiscal
rules to the financing of social housing
Surprise! Surprise! There is no halt to evictions (even on a
temporary basis) in Minister Coveneys housing plan.
Unfortunately Sinn Fin and Independents 4 Change(Mick

Wallace, Maureen OSullivan) went along with this easily

rejected recommendation. (The same attorney general
had advised Alan Kelly against it)
Shamefully, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has written a letter to
EU seeking flexibility under the Fiscal Treaty which would
give permission to Ireland to borrow money to build social
housing for the Irish People! This permission has not been
given.
Government has also consulted its own the Attorney
General, Labours M. Whelan but evictions have continued.
Hence, the government can claim to have complied with
two key recommendations of the Committee. But the
evictions and the suicides continue.
The anger at the continued evictions is more than
justified. However, my bother Seamus Healy TD(Tipperary)
has repeatedly called in the Dil for the formal declaration
of a housing emergency and a total halt to evictions. The
formal declaration of a housing emergency is required to
overcome the qualified protection of the private property
of banks and landlords in the constitution.
But Government,itself, continues to evict people through
banks owned by state (AIB, PTSB, EBS)
FG, FF, Lab, Ind. Alliance and, Unbelievably, Independents
for Change and Sinn Fin put those facing Repossession in
the Hands of The Attorney General who previously advised
that any significant interference with the private property
of Banks and/or landlords was a violation of
Constitution!!! In addition the recommended moratorium
on evictions is only for a few months!!!!!
(see Evidence of Alan Kelly to the Commission on
Constitutional Obstacles to Solving The Housing Crisis
further down)
Recommendation on Evictions
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the
Government should introduce legislation for a moratorium
on home repossessions until such time as the

Governments proposals are in place.

Commission Fails to recommend a formal declaration of a
housing emergency by Government!!!!! This will enable
banks an landlords to continue evictions despite the spin
in the Commission Report
Even the Minority Report by Ruth Coppinger TD, Socialist
Party, fails to call for the formal declaration of a housing
emergency by the Dil
Oireachtas Committee on Housing and HomelessnesMajority Report
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/32
housingandhomelessness/Final-Report-.pdf
MINORITY REPORT
http://antiausterityalliance.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/Housing-doc-2.pdf
The Minority Report makes some very good points,
particularly pointing out that the FISCAL TREATY must be
broken to enable the state to invest in housing. But the
advocacy of a referendum to change the constitution on
property rights and the right to a home, however laudable,
is not an emergency measure. It is no substitute for the
immediate formal declaration of a national housing
emergency by government to enable legal interference
with property rights in order to implement emergency
measures including a halt to eviction proceedings.
The Majority Report fails to call for breaking of the FISCAL
TREATY in order for the state to build adequate numbers
of social houses. Not alone does it put those facing
repossession in the hands of the Attorney General(a
member of the government), Chair Curran(FF) has
explained that the moratorium on evictions would only be
a short term measure for a few months. It would last until
government put in place the governments (inadequate)
measures on debt resolution.

To make things worse, The Fianna Fail Finance

Spokesperson, Deputy Michael McGrath says in the Irish
Examiner(18/06/2016) says that the recommendation to
pause repossessions is unworkable and SOMETIMES
KEEPING THE HOUSE IS NOT THE BEST ANSWER. In an
interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr McGrath said losing
the home and starting again may be best for some people
who can no longer afford to remain where they are.
Michael McGrath TD
Independents4Change was represented on the
Commission by Deputies Mick Wallace and Maureen
OSullivan. Following the failure of I4C to support an
amendment strengthening the Workers Rights Bill put
down by AAA-PBP, its complete acceptance of the grossly
deficient report is leading to queriess as to where it is
headed politically.
Sinn Fin took the same position as I4C. A piece by Eoin
Broin SF (member of the Commission) in the Irish
Independent 18/06/2016 points to no deficiencies in the
report and is quite complimentary of its FF and FG
members.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/cowendetached-durkan-rambled-but-report-shows-tds-agreecure-34812099.html
The acceptance of the Fiscal Treaty by Sinn Fin has a
particular significance. The Treaty , in effect,removes the
fundamental right of the government to provide housing
for all citizens. How far has Sinn Fin travelled since
Coimhn Caolain TD opposed the Treaty in the Dil on
the grounds that it flies in the face of the 1916
Proclamation in its undermining of Irish sovereignty?
Even after FF through Finance Spokesperson Michael
McGrath pulled the rug on the moratorium on evictions
recommendation , Eoin OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion
piece in Sunday Business Post 19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently
request flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal

rules for investment

in tackling the crisisthe strength of the Report lies in the fact that all but one
of our 14 members
signed up to the final recommendations.
There is now strong support across the political spectrum
for greater state
involvement in the provision of social housing, the
regulation of the private
rental sector and targeted measures to meet the housing
needs of those most
neglected by past policies
Coming from a professed republican, the request for
permission from the EU to put roofs over the heads of the
Irish people is very strange. The notion of FF, FG who have
always favoured the rich, genuinely working to solve the
crisis is at best naive.
Alan Kelly TD (Labour) gave evidence to the Commission
on constitutional obstacles to solving the housing crisis.
(The protection of private property in the constitution is
not absolute-it is subject to right of government to provide
for the common good). Kelly was effectively quoting the
Attorney General who continues in the new government. It
is important to note that Brendan Howlin(Labour) who was
also a minister in the outgoing government claimed to
have overcome the constitutional obstacle to confiscating
private property in pensions in the FEMPI ACT by a formal
declaration of a Financial Emergency by Government and
the laying of a document certifying continuation of the
Financial Emergency every year.
My conclusion from the evidence of Alan Kelly (below) is
that the outgoing FG-Lab government was not prepared to
formally declare a national housing emergency and to lay
the documents before the Oireachtas. FG-Lab put the
rights of property before the common good. It continued
evictions, including evictions by banks it owns.
Evidence to Commission by Alan Kelly (Lab) TD- former
Minister for Housing

Mr Alan Kelly, former Minister, stated that legal advice

on Article 43 had stopped him from introducing a more
powerful vacant site levy, which would have imposed a fee
on developers who refused to build on unused land. He
said that it had also stopped legislation preventing
keeping houses vacant and laws that would protect
tenants from so-called vulture funds, which invest in
undervalued properties and then profit from selling them:
I was not hampered by political or financial obstacles. I
was blocked by the Constitution. (Advice to Sitting
Ministers either comes directly from the Attorney General
or is commissioned by the Attorney General-PH). Kelly
continued: From the time it is taking to introduce the
Vacant Site Levy in order to tackle land hoarding, to
protecting tenants from eviction in circumstances where
their landlord wishes to sell the property, and many other
issues, I was repeatedly blocked from making provision for
what I believed was the common good by the strength by
which property rights are protected under Article 43 of the
Constitution. I believe that we need to honestly reexamine the balance between the protected and
legitimate property rights of individuals, as property
owners, and the wider needs and common good of society,
including housing needs. As a society we need to reflect
on the desired impact of the constitution here. I believe
that addressing these issues raises politically and socially
important issues which will have to be debated over the
coming years.
Letter To All Members of Oireachtas Committee on
Housing and Homelessness-Paddy Healy Wed 15/06/2016
A Chirde,
I am an activist in a campaign against eviction of
homeowners and tenants in the context of a the national
housing emergency as recently affirmed by Minister
Coveney.
Some of those who are having their homes being
repossessed are being evicted by the government which
is the owner of a number of banks including AIB and PTSB

I believe it would be outrageous for any member of the

Oireachtas Committee to agree to the issue of
recommendations on housing and homeless ness which
did not call for an immediate halt to all evictions.
In the case of Banks in majority state ownership no
legislation or constitutional change is required. The
government can simply issue an instruction to the banks it
owns. If the bank refuses to comply the Minister can call a
special general meeting of shareholders in order to put in
place directors who will carry out the instructions of the
owners. The Framework Agreement between Government
and Banks is a purely informal, non-legally binding
arrangement.
But, of course, all evictions should be banned in this
emergency. This would require emergency legislation
which could be completed in one day.
It would also be important for government to formally
declare a housing emergency and to lay a document
before both houses of the Oireachtas certifying that the
emergency exist. This would prevent landlords and banks
blocking the implementation of the legislation by
attempting to invoke the constitutional protection of
private property which is limited by the necessity to
provide for the common good.
I and my allies will hold each member of the Oireachtas
Committee responsible for future evictions who assents to
recommendations of the Committee which do not include
the emergency prohibition of all evictions until the
housing and homelessness crisis has been resolved.
Government is about to lay a document before both
houses by June 30 which will certify that a Financial
Emergency continues to exist. This, it believes is
necessary in order to protect confiscation of private
property in public service pensions from constitutional
challenge.
Yours sincerely

Paddy Healy
88 Griffith Court, Fairview, Dublin 3
086-4183732
PS I was very disappointed by the decision of the
Committee not to invite The Hub Ireland and Mr Ken
Smollen to address you
Your Recommendations will be discussed at a public
conference of anti-eviction activist to be held in Killeshin
Hotel Portlaoise before the end of this month-PH

PRESIDENT HIGGINS TELLS GOVERNMENT:

IGNORE FISCAL TREATY! BORROW NOW TO BUILD HOUSES
AND TO INVEST IN HEALTH AND EDUCATION
Well Done President Higgins!!
He (President Higgins) insists that seeking access for all
to housing, health and education what he calls values
for decent living are not wild, Bolshevik ideas.
And at a time of low interest rates, there is opportunity to
invest in these services. Better to spend now when money
is cheap, he appears to suggest, than be overly concerned
with sticking to EU fiscal rules.Paul Melia Irish
Independent 17/09/2016
Instead of borrowing the money to build the houses,
Taoiseach ENDA KENNY HAS WRITTEN TO THE EU SEEKING
PERMISSION! IRISH SOVEREIGNTY-HOW ARE YOU!!!
Seamus Healy TD has repeatedly told the government in
the Dil: STOP THE EVICTIONS: Borrow the money
immediately to build the houses and rescue the homeless!
Dont ask the EU. TELL the EU that the government is
doing it, he said.
Italy, Spain, Portugal and other countries are ignoring the
Fiscal Treaty when it suits them. We should do the same!
AS THE BUDGET APPROACHES, GOVERNMENT SHOULD
TAKE THE ADVICE OF PRESIDENT HIGGINS

From Martina Doyle and the HUB-IRELAND PHONE NO

01-5349118
A Sheriff has NO AUTHORITY to take a property
Even a receiver cannot trespass on your property
If they do, and you are fearful, call the Gardai, and tell
them that you fear for your safety.
Quote Section of the Section 13(1) of 1 of the Criminal
Public Justice Act, and ask the Receiver/trespasser to
leave.
If they refuse, they are committing a criminal offence
which can incur hefty fine or a prison sentence.
Stay in your homes. Fight the banks. We will help you. We
are FREE
ANOTHER HUGE TAX GIVEAWAY BY GOVERNMENT AND
Michael Tommy Cooper Noonan
How did the Government shaft mortgage holders and
taxpayers in one fell swoop?
The State may well have missed out on huge tax profits
through its sale of distressed home loans
Stephen Donnelly
Sunday Independent Published 10/07/2016 | 02:30
Questions to answer: Finance Minister Michael Noonan
the Government refused to let people bid on their own
distressed mortgages Photo: Tony Gavin
The Irish Government could be complicit in wholesale tax
avoidance by foreign investment firms, which are
generating huge profits in Ireland off the backs of Irish
mortgage holders.
Sarah and Dominic (not their real names) live in Kilkenny
with their two children. They bought their home in 2007.
The shop Sarah worked in closed during the recession
she lost her job and they started to fall behind on their
mortgage payments.
Theyre getting back on their feet now, but with lower
wages, theyre struggling to make full payments. Their
mortgage was with Irish Nationwide, which was

nationalised, so it ended up in state ownership, along with

about 13,000 other mortgages.
Two years ago, the Government sold these mortgages at
big discounts, mainly to US investment funds. The
Government refused to let individual mortgage holders bid
on their mortgages. Sarah and Dominics mortgage was
bundled with about 1,400 others and sold to Mars Capital.
According to finance minister Michael Noonan, this was
done with funds managed by Oaktree Capital
Management.
Oaktree is a very large US-based distressed-debt firm that
has bought up many of the mortgages sold by the
Government.
Until recently, we didnt know how big the discounts were
that the State was selling peoples mortgages at. Mars
Capitals newly filed 2015 accounts show they paid 42
cent in the euro.
Sarah and Dominics mortgage was about 350,000, so
Mars Capital got it for about 140,000 an amount the
couple could have afforded. Instead, they still owe the full
350,000 to Mars Capital and face the prospect of
eviction.
It gets better (or worse if you are Sarah and Dominic, or
an Irish taxpayer). Mars bought these 1,400 mortgages for
155m. About half of this was financed by a loan from
Citibank, with the remaining 80m being, presumably, the
funds managed by Oaktree Capital. The 2015 accounts
of Mars Capital forecast that this 80m investment will
harvest almost 400m (net of the Citibank loan) in
mortgage interest and principal repayments (so thats the
80m back, plus almost 320m extra, less administration
costs). And this is just Mars Capitals first estimate. It
assumes a level of non-payment on the mortgages they
bought. But as the Irish economy recovers and payment
rates improve, profits could become much higher.
In May 2014, Ireland was borrowing 10-year money at 2pc.

Mars Capitals accounts show them earning 14pc on their

80m, just taking into account mortgage interest
payments, from the likes of Sarah and Dominic. Why sell
an asset yielding 14pc when your cost of funds is 2pc? The
Irish State could have given every one of those Irish
mortgage holders a 60pc discount on their loan and still
have made 14pc per annum in repayments. Wasnt Nama
set up to do this?
However, it gets even better (and definitely worse, if you
are an Irish taxpayer). The funds managed by Oaktree
Capital Management seem to be accounted for in Mars
Capital as notes.
Essentially, the 80m was loaned to Mars Capital, and
Mars must pay it back, plus interest. The interest on these
notes is set at 10pc + variable residual.
In other words, the interest payable on the 80m can be
hiked to soak up any, and all, profit Mars Capital makes.
The accounts of Mars Capital clarify that these notes will
suck nearly all of the profits (interest and capital) from the
company in excess of the Citibank loan. The 2015
accounts claim exactly 1,000 as taxable profit, while
paying millions in interest on the notes.
This tax-management structure is similar to what is used
by some multinationals based in Ireland. Often, such notes
are registered in an offshore zero-tax location such as the
Cayman Islands, where their note interest payments are
made and accumulate tax-free, and get lent back to the
parent as needed. As such, the profits are taxed neither in
Ireland, nor in the US.
Irish accounting and legal firms provide the expertise to
the multinationals to help them minimise their tax
obligations. So what? Sure arent they providing jobs here?
Well yes, they are.
But if that same expertise is now being used to help
foreign investment firms suck huge profits out of Ireland

without paying tax on them, then were all worse off.

We dont know where are the loan notes of Mars Capital
located. We do know, from Oaktrees US SEC annual
filings, that many of their funds linked with European
distressed debt (ie Sarah and Dominics mortgage), are
listed in the Cayman Islands.
So, if the Mars Capital notes happen to have been issued
by an Oaktree Capital fund located in the Caymans (and
we have no evidence that they are), and if the interest on
the notes is adjusted in a way that leaves Mars Capital
with very little taxable profit (say the 1,000 filed for
2015), then not only will the State have missed the
opportunity to retain hundreds of millions of euro of value
(and maybe spare Sarah and Dominics family the threat
of eviction), it would also be the case that none of the
profits will be taxed in Ireland.
To be clear tax avoidance is, by definition, legal (as
opposed to tax evasion, which is illegal). There is no
suggestion that Mars Capital, or Oaktree Capital, have
done, or are doing, anything illegal. They are clever
investors who saw an opportunity and took it if they are
structuring their investments to minimise tax obligations,
then they are acting rationally. The Irish Government,
however, is not.
If very little tax ends up being paid in Ireland on the Mars
Capital deal, the tax leakage could reach well over 50m.
And this is a very small deal in the scheme of things if
other investment firms have structured their affairs to
avoid paying taxes here, the total missed tax take will be
in the hundreds of millions, conservatively.
Why did the Government not seek assurances from all
foreign bidders that their structures would ensure they
pay fair Irish tax on their Irish-generated profits? If some
bidders organised themselves to move their profits
offshore, did the Irish Government know? Did the
investment firms seeks assurances from the Government
that any proposed off-shoring of profits would be

acceptable? Just how complicit is the Government in what

could be large-scale tax avoidance on profits earned off
the backs of ordinary families trying to recover from the
collapse?
Best little country to do business in? I doubt Sarah and
Dominic would agree. Neither would those using our
underfunded public services and infrastructure.
RENT OF HOUSES ROCKETTING
FISCAL TREATY RESTRICTIONS ON GOVERNMENT
SPENDING AND BORROWING IS THE CAUSE
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has written a letter to EU seeking
permission to borrow money to house our people!!!
THe IRISH PEOPLE must establish ITS OWN SOVEREIGNTY
A 32-county assembly wielding Peoples Power is The
Answer
At the end of 2015, there were 139,359 or almost 140,000
people on local authority waiting lists for housing. This is
because virtually no local authority houses have been built
for years. Now due to the restrictions of the FISCAL
TREATY, Ireland is not allowed to borrow money to build
social houses. This is despite the fact that governments
can now borrow money ay rock bottom rates. Enda has
written a letter to EU seeking permission to borrow money
to house our people. Irish People have been reduced by
FF,Fg,Lab, Greens to the staus of beggars.
Now over 140,000 people have to seek private rented
accomodation to get a dwelling place!
Thousands of distressed mortgage holders are being
driven from their homes each year. They too must seek
rented accomodation.
Massive and growing demand-No additional supply!!!This
is driving the cost of rented accomodation through the
roof. The crisis is rendered even more acute when third
level colleges re-open.

The only answer is for The Irish People to establish its own
sovereignty

Stay in your homes-HELP IS FREE!

FROM Martina DOYLE THE HUB-IRELAND ON Facebook
PHONE NO 01-5349118
#thehubirelandrepealtheevictionbill
Dont suffer in silence.
There is help in hand.
It is FREE.
Stay in your homes.
If anybody tries to charge in our name, they are scamming
you.
Get a receipt
Please share as you never know who might need our help.
Thank you.
Seamus Healy TD Supports the Call by THE HUB-IRELAND
to Repeal the Land and Conveyancing Act, 2013
Seamus voted against The Land And Conveyancing Act

(2013)
Seamus Healy repeatedly Called for a Halt to Evictions and
the Declaration of a Housing Emergencyin the Dil
Irish Times:Minister Noonan Replies to Seamus Healy on
Evictions
Minister says no political interference in bank decision, but
progress being made
Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its
very hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their
jobs and I appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home
repossessions reasonably well, according to Minister for
Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being
repossessed is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people.
I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate
the concerns and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled
reasonably well by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who
asked Mr Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and
its subsidiary EBS as well as the majority shareholder in
Permanent TSB, to call a meeting of the boards of the
banks and to instruct them not to repossess family
homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that
then sack those members. You have the power to do that
as majority shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country,
irrespective of what you say Minister, facing homelessness

by these banks, of which the Government is a majority

shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed
by the Governments predecessors in office that the
political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
and they did not want to politicise the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were
looking for a loan and your first port of call had to be your
local TD rather than the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court
order and that is not the 10s of thousands of houses
thats sometimes recited on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed
that in the third quarter of 2015 (July, August and
September) legal proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases
of private mortgages.
There were 798 cases where court proceedings
concluded but arrears remained outstanding and the court
granted a repossession order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by
lenders during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and
since the changes were made by the Minister for Justice
and that the money and Budgeting Advice Service are
assisting people before the courts that will diminish even
further, Mr Noonan added.

Government Evicts Families-Statement by Seamus Healy

TD

Jan 18 2016

This government is continuing to evict families from their

homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael
Noonan to order the banks he owns to withdraw
repossession proceedings in light of the extreme housing
emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government
has given the green light to the banks they own, to
continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences
were granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the
first 3 quarters of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also
house families were also repossessed. Banks are now
seeking a further 97 repossession orders for dwellings in
Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB, EBS and
Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being
reasonably handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting
the situation, Mr Noonan quoted the 208 orders for
repossessions for the whole country for Quarter 3,2015 as
representative of the scale of the problem. COURTS ONLY
SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN QUARTER 3!! The Court
Service Figures for the whole country for Quarters 1 and 2
are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!

Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State

Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a
Housing Emergency Declared and all repossession
applications withdrawn.

In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw

the repossession applications by the banks he owns.
Land and Conveyancing Act 2013
Second Stage
T
Richard Bruton
Joan Burton
Ray Butler
Jerry Buttimer
Catherine Byrne
Eric Byrne
Ciarn Cannon
Joe Carey
Paudie Coffey
Michael Conaghan
Sen Conlan
Paul Connaughton
Ciara Conway
Ciara Conway
Michael Creed
Jim Daly
John Deasy
Jimmy Deenihan
Pat Deering
Robert Dowds
Bernard Durkan
Damien English
Alan Farrell
Frank Feighan
Peter Fitzpatrick
Charles Flanagan
Terence Flanagan
Eamon Gilmore
Brendan Griffin
Dominic Hannigan
Noel Harrington
Martin Heydon
Phil Hogan

Brendan Howlin
Heather Humphreys
Kevin Humphreys
Derek Keating
Paul Kehoe
Alan Kelly
Sen Kenny
Sen Kyne
Anthony Lawlor
Ciarn Lynch
Michael McCarthy
Helen McEntee
Nicky McFadden
Dinny McGinley
Tony McLoughlin
Michael McNamara
Eamonn Maloney
Peter Mathews
Olivia Mitchell
Mary Mitchell OConnor
Michelle Mulherin
Dara Murphy
Eoghan Murphy
Gerald Nash
Dan Neville
Derek Nolan
Aodhn Rordin
John OMahony
Joe OReilly
Jan OSullivan
Ann Phelan
John Paul Phelan
Pat Rabbitte
Michael Ring
Brendan Ryan
Alan Shatter
Emmet Stagg
David Stanton
Joanna Tuffy
Liam Twomey
Jack Wall
Brian Walsh

Nl
Richard Boyd Barrett
Tommy Broughan
John Browne
Joan Collins
Niall Collins
Barry Cowen
Sen Crowe
Clare Daly
Pearse Doherty
Stephen Donnelly
Timmy Dooley
Dessie Ellis
Martin Ferris
Luke Flanagan
Tom Fleming
John Halligan
Samus Healy
Michael Healy-Rae
Joe Higgins
Billy Kelleher
Michael Lowry
Pdraig MacLochlainn
Charlie McConalogue
Mary Lou McDonald
Finian McGrath
Mattie McGrath
Sandra McLellan
Michel Martin
Catherine Murphy
Denis Naughten
Patrick Nulty
Caoimhghn Caolin
amon Cuv
Sen Fearghal
Aengus Snodaigh
Jonathan OBrien
Willie ODea
Thomas Pringle
Shane Ross
Risn Shortall

Brendan Smith
Peadar Tibn
Robert Troy
Mick Wallace
Question declared carried.
Voting was also as above on the Report and Final Stage of
the Land and Conveyancing Bill (2013)

3,041 families up for eviction in court in this month of July

A grand total of 3,041 families up for eviction in court this
month of July. Ignoring the mortgage arrears crisis is
fueling homelessness at a horrifying scale. I am tired
contacting all the people who are paid to care. What else
can we do?Martina Doyle, The Hub-Ireland
Limerick 146 and 5.
Dundalk 55 and 52.
Tullamore 19 and 71.
Waterford 34 and 18 and 20 and 70 .
Dublin 57 and 4 and 4 and 55 and 1 and 50 and 59 and 5
and 10 and 2 and 5 and 54 and 8 and 57 and 62 and 2.
Cork 72 and 98 and 32 and 87 and 20 and 5 and 59.
Monaghan 102.
Trim 75 and 80 and 76.
Carrick on Shannon 35.
Bray 125.
Castlebar 78.
Portlaoise 40 and 32.
Naas 9 and 71 and 101 and 16.

Letterkenny 89.
Cavan 39 and 100.
Wexford 43 and 60.
Kilkenny 33 and 40.
Sligo 30.
Roscommon 75.
Ennis 84.
Clonmel 46.
Nenagh 58.
Carlow 41.
Tralee 64.
A grand total of 3,041 families up for eviction, one month
= July.
John McManus Business Editor Irish Times: 23/07/2016
Housing plan looks very like a bailout for big builders
Its not that the Government cant bring down house
prices, more that they dont want to
Irish Times Sunday, July 24, 2016, 11:18
When it comes to sorting out the housing crisis, the
Government really has two choices. They can try to bring
down the price of houses to a level people can afford or
they can help people buy houses at their current
unaffordable prices.
Affordability is hard to define but for Irish purposes it
equates to the limit put by the Central Bank on how much
a bank can lend you, which is 3 times your gross
income. For two people on the average wage, this is about
245,000. This is not a million miles away from the

average house price in most places other than south

Dublin, but if you are a single-income or low-income
family, you are not buying a house any time soon.
The Government would argue they have done a bit of both
with the action plan for housing and homelessness
published this week, but the true picture will not be
clearer until the details of the measures to help first-time
buyers and house builders are unveiled at budget time. Of
the two options, bringing down house prices is by far the
hardest one. Assuming you could actually come up with a
way of doing it that did not borrow from the Khmer Rouge
handbook, it would still be deeply, deeply unpopular.
The losers would include pretty much everybody who has
a house. People would see their positive equity eroded or
their negative equity increased. The precarious buy-to-let
sector would be decimated. Builders and developers would
be ruined and the banks would be bust once again.
Strange though it may seem, a policy that underpins high
house prices is the rational political choice in a
representative democracy. Consequently, you should not
expect the measures announced this week to bring down
the price of houses to any significant degree. If you are in
any doubt, you should know that one of the bigger
developers, Cairn Homes, has welcomed the plan. Turkeys
dont vote for certain Christian winter festivals.

Its not that the Government couldnt bring down the price
of houses. The main levers at their disposal are social
housing and rent controls. These are viable long- term

solutions to home ownership and if they are provided in

sufficient quantities at the right price, they exert
downward pressure on prices.
But the targets for social housing set out in the plan will
not put a tooth in the problem. The plan calls for the
construction of 125,000 houses by 2021, of which only one
in five or fewer will be social housing built by the
Government.
The rest will presumably be provided by the private sector,
and we can take it as read that they dont plan selling
these houses for any less than they are selling them at the
moment . They argue they are not even making money at
current prices.
If prices are not coming down and wages are not going up
and the Central Bank wont let banks lend people more
than they can afford, you get the sort of stalemate that
prevails in the Irish market. The Government, to its credit,
is trying to solve the problem by providing a limited
amount of cheap housing but the bulk of its effort seems
to be going into subsidising the building industry either
directly or indirectly.
The measures to be announced in the budget in October
are expected to include a 10,000 package for first-time
buyers and other measures to increase the profitability of
house-building. At best, this will allow more people to buy
houses at current prices and also allow more builders to
build profitably at current prices. At worst, it will trigger a
jump in prices.
No costing has been put on this part of the plan but if, for
arguments sake, you assumed that half of the buyers of
the 100,000 houses that will be built by the private sector
got the money, it would be 500 million over five years.
It represents a massive subsidy for an industry that is
fundamentally uncompetitive because it has overpaid for
land and is now sitting on sites, refusing to develop and
playing chicken with the Government. Those who worship

market forces would argue these builders should all be

made go bust and the price of land should drop, allowing
profitable house-building by new entrants. In a socialist
version of this fantasy, the State would then spend 500
million building 200,000 council houses.
It doesnt really matter because neither of these things are
going to happen. It may not be the Governments
intention but the housing plan looks like a massive State
bailout for an industry that is being protected from the
consequences of its mistakes. Sound familiar?
2016 irishtimes.com

Eviction Proceedings-No Pause in Government Action Plan

On Housing and Homelessness
FALSE PROMISE TO FIRST TIME BUYERS! Bonanza for
Developers!
Now we Know why the Oireachtas Committee refused to
invite Ken Smollen and THE HUB-IRELAND to address it!
Plan is just a pre-election gimmick
The Oireachtas Committee recommended that there be a
pause in eviction proceedings until new debt resolution
procedures were in place
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the
Government should introduce legislation for a moratorium
on home repossessions until such time as the
Governments proposals are in place.
Surprise! Surprise! There is no halt to evictions (even on a
temporary basis) in Coveneys plan. Unfortunately Sinn
Fin and Independents 4 Change(Mick Wallace, Maureen
OSullivan) went along with this easily rejected
recommendation. (The same attorney general had advised
Alan Kelly against it)
But now government promises to introduce more
favourable resolution procedures for distressed mortgages
have been seriously watered down
The number of people presenting as homeless has

doubled in the last 12 moths

Opposition members of the Oireachtas Committee say the
Coveney Plan for building social houses contains half the
investment recommended by the committee.
The EU have been resisting informal government requests
to allow money to be borrowed by Ireland to build social
houses despite the restrictions of the Fiscal Treaty for
months..
NOW Taoiseach Kenny is going to WRITE A LETTER to the
EU asking that Ireland be allowed to borrow money to
house Irish people? (Decisive action that!!!)-Irish
sovereignty how are you?
Eoin OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion piece in Sunday
Business Post 19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently
request flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal
rules for investment
in tackling the crisisThe Committee should, of course. have recommended that
the government TELL THE EU THAT IRELAND WOULD BE
BORROWING THE MONEY TO HOUSE IRISH PEOPLE IN THIS
EMERGENCY, as advocated by Seamus HealY TD.
Instead Sinn Fin and Independents 4 Change joined FF
and FG in a shamefully compliant recommendation in the
frame work of the Fiscal Treaty
BONANZA FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS-FALSE PROMISE TO
FIRST TIME BUYERS
Before any extra houses are built, financial supports will
be given to first time buyers in the budget next October
(and backdated to to-day) to help them to purchase
houses! But there will be no freeze on house prices! In the
context of miniscule supply this cannot fail to raise the
price of houses. This will be of no benefit to first time

buyers but will provide a bonanza for developers. Others

moving jobs will also have to pay the higher prices!
Developers will also be given publicly owned land at cheap
leasing rates on which to build private houses.
IRISH HOUSING NETWORK-In effect, it looks like this will
mean leasing public land to private developers who will
decide whats affordable. Without secure rent controls and
more public housing this will leave people as vulnerable as
they are now, with evictions and rent hikes commonplace
as the markets decide peoples future for them. This
hasnt worked before and it wont work now.
According to Minister Coveney these measures willfix the
housing market!
NO Housing Emergency Formally Declared
Despite verbal recognition of a national housing
emergency by Minister Coveney earlier this year, no
formal declaration of a housing emergency will be laid
before the Oireachtas.
Such a declaration would enable the public good to outweigh the right to private property in accordance with the
Irish Constitution. Former Minister Howlin explained to the
Dil that annual certification of a financial emergency was
necessary to enable continued confiscation of private
property in pensions. Minister Donoghue has done this
recently
The absence of such a formal declaration could enable
banks an landlords to continue evictions even if the
government ordered a pause.
Also, it is at least possible that private owners (including
vulture funds) will be able to block even some of the
inadequate improvements contained in the Action Plan.
My DIT colleage, Dr Lorcan Sirr ( Faculty of the Built
Environment) has pointed out that thousands of dwelling
houses are becoming obsolescent each year, thus

reducing the number of houses available for habitation.

Government or local authorities are unable to intervene
unless the building becomes a physical danger to the
public. No account is taken of these obsolescences in the
government targets for housing provision.
The absence of the formal declaration of a housing
emergency enables the owners to resist any interference
with their private property no matter how outrageous their
disregard for the common good!

Misleading Government Spin

People Laughed at Richard Bruton when he said he would
create 100,000 jobs but he did it. Simon Coveney will
drive the housing plan in the same way-Brian Hayes
MEP(FG) on Today with Sean ORourke(RTE) 22/07/2016
In fact the government were cutting public service jobs
while jobs increased in private sector. These private sector
jobs were created despite the government austerity policy
due to favourable external circumstances-weak euro,
cheap oil, strong demand for multi-national exports
produced in Ireland. These circumstances are already
changing rapidly and a new world recession will
completely reverse them.
But government politicians never !miss an opportunity to
reinforce a misleading story!
CONCLUSION

Like many previous Plans and Reports this ACTION PLAN is

bound to fail
I believe that the government ACTION PLAN is a
combination of a pre-election gimmick and a bonanza for
private developers.
FINAL WARNING TO GOVERNMENT-HALT EVICTION
PROCEEDINGS NOW!
Next Saturday 25th June, the Standing Together meeting
at 1.30 pm in The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise can see real
progress being made in our fight against the bailed out
banks and the vulture funds who have engaged in a
hidden onslaught on thousands of decent, hardworking
citizens in our country and their families. There can be no
doubt that in years to come there will be an inquiry into
how and why 3 successive Governments not only allowed
the terrorising of so many of their own people but actually
gave this great injustice their full support. Such an inquiry
will undoubtedly lead to proper justice being meted out to
those directly responsible and also to anyone who helped
facilitate this wrong doing!
For real progress to be made it is imperative that all
genuine people, groups, political parties and other
determined organisations must work together. Any division
in this very justified campaign will not only please the very
many uncaring TDs in Leinster House; it will also lead to
failure to achieve our ultimate aim. That aim should be to
achieve fairness for our people and a fair and sustainable
solution to the mortgage distress crisis where families
should no longer have to go without some of the basic
necessities of life in order to keep a roof over their heads!
There can be no doubt that many of the people who will
attend on Saturday will be living through this ongoing
nightmare every day. Others attending will simply be
aware of the crisis and see the urgent necessity for a
resolution to be found. We can also be reasonably certain
that a number of politicians will also attend, with most if
not all of them being fully supportive of our unified
campaign.

It is for that reason that I urge anyone who intends to be

there on Saturday NOT to bring banners of any kind, and
NOT to bring coffins or coffin lids with slogans written on
them. This is NOT a protest meeting. IT IS a meeting
where we must give the Government a final warning or an
ultimatum that they must force the banks who operate
within this jurisdiction to find a fair and sustainable
solution for all mortgage holders, and while that solution is
being sought, that ALL Eviction proceedings in the courts
throughout Ireland be halted. We cannot afford to give
them or any of the media who will be present reason to
see us as just a group of disorganised protesters. We
MUST be seen as reasonable people demanding a
reasonable resolution to a hidden and growing
humanitarian crisis that affects probably well over ONE
MILLION people in our country!
I have requested that the reporter and camera crew from
RTE not to film or show the faces of anyone in attendance
unless they do so with the full permission of anyone
concerned. They have agreed to this and before any
filming or photo is taken of the attendance that it is done
from the back of the room with a warning beforehand. This
is to ensure that we protect the identities of everyone in
attendance. I would therefore ask that anyone who intends
to take photographs or film the proceedings to please
adhere to the same principle as we must not cause
distress of any kind to anyone in attendance.
It is highly likely that the uncaring TDs in Government will
call our bluff as many of them will be of the opinion that
there is very little we can do if they fail to take the
necessary and appropriate action in forcing the banks to
engage fairly with their customers and if they also fail to
ensure that there is a moratorium on the Eviction
proceedings in the courts.
This is where I am of the opinion that their thinking is very
flawed. I have no doubt that a properly organised group of
people can have a huge effect on the workings of the
courts, solicitors, MABS, the Personal Insolvency Service

and other such Government backed organisations and all

without the need for protest of any kind.
I have discussed such a plan with a handful of people and
it will be openly discussed at Saturdays meeting. I feel
that its better that it not be revealed until then for the
simple reason that we dont want to show our hand before
we need to. It will be simple to implement, does not
involve protests, but will require a minimum of about 10
dedicated people in each county that takes part. I believe
that together we can achieve great success by working
closely with people who genuinely want a resolution to this
desperate crisis.
On Saturday if we decide to implement this plan, it should
be enough to cause a huge ripple effect that will cause
major problems for the cosy cartel who obviously feel that
they will always have the upper hand. The more people
there are per county will result in our aim in those
counties being achieved in a shorter period of time.
Even though Saturdays meeting begins at 1.30pm, I and a
number of other people will be in the Killeshin Hotel,
Portlaoise from 11.30am. Its not for me to decide who the
seriously committed people are who will lead the way.
That decision must be made by each individual
themselves.
We must have a proper plan in place in order to succeed.
As the saying goes, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!
Finally, thanks everyone for your continued support. I hope
to meet as many of you as possible before the meeting
and Im looking forward to meeting everyone else at the
meeting which must commence at 1.30pm sharp.
INVITATION TO TDs AND SENATORS-KEN SMOLLEN
Dear Member of the Oireachtas,
I would like to personally invite you to our third meeting in
The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on Saturday 25th June at
1.30pm concerning the desperately hidden mortgage

distress crisis and the associated Courts repossession

hearings crisis that currently exists in Ireland.
Unfortunately the number of people taking their own lives
as a result of this hidden crisis continues to grow every
day. The vast majority of these deaths go unreported,
meaning that the problem remains a very hidden and
personal one for thousands of people in Ireland.
This is our 3rd such meeting and again all TDs, Senators
and MEPs are being invited to attend. We appreciate the
fact that a number of TDs and County Councillors
attended the two previous meetings. At the last meeting
it was unanimously agreed that all TDs should again be
invited to attend on Saturday 25th June.
Your personal attendance at the meeting in Portlaoise
would be very much appreciated, when this extremely
hidden crisis must be openly discussed and REAL solutions
found.
Since retiring from An Garda Siochana in 2012, I have
been highlighting the mortgage distress/eviction crisis and
working closely with many families in distress for the last
few years. It has been suggested by the many groups
who volunteer their help and support to families in
mortgage distress, that its possible there could be as
many as 10 people or even more taking their own lives
every single week.
I have attended many repossession courts throughout the
country to offer my support to the families who are being
summoned to the courts by the banks and many people
have told me their own harrowing stories of hardship and
desperation. One case involved a family who were
advised to go into bankruptcy. They raised the 4,000
required for the process by selling the cooker and all of
their furniture. They then removed the radiators from the
walls and sold them. The family, including their 14 year
old daughter are now living in a car in a secluded place
close to Tullamore.

It is very clear that the Personal Insolvency arrangement

and services such as MABS are not the solution and are
very far from resolving this crisis. This has led to a
number of voluntary groups coming together in an
attempt to offer genuine help to thousands of people who
simply have nowhere else to go.
The meeting in Portlaoise is not a protest meeting. It will
be attended by many families who find themselves in this
desperate situation and by others who are naturally
concerned by the continuing assault on thousands of
families by financial institutions.
We are attempting to find possible solutions to the crisis
and your attendance at The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on
Saturday 25th June at 1.30pm would be very much
appreciated.
Kind Regards, Ken Smollen, 085 143 2898

FG, FF, Lab, Ind. Alliance and, Unbelievably, Independents

for Change and Sinn Fin put those facing Repossession in
the Hands of The Attorney General who previously advised
that any significant interference with the private property
of Banks and/or landlords was a violation of
Constitution!!! In addition the recommended moratorium
on evictions is only for a few months!!!!!
(see Evidence of Alan Kelly to the Commission on
Constitutional Obstacles to Solving The Housing Crisis
Below)
Recommendation on Evictions
Subject to advice of the Attorney General, the
Government should introduce legislation for a moratorium
on home repossessions until such time as the
Governments proposals are in place.
Commission Fails to recommend a formal declaration of a
housing emergency by Government!!!!! This will enable
banks an landlords to continue evictions despite the spin
in the Commission Report

Even the Minority Report by Ruth Coppinger TD, Socialist

Party, fails to call for the formal declaration of a housing
emergency by the Dil
MINORITY REPORT
http://antiausterityalliance.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/Housing-doc-2.pdf
The Minority Report makes some very good points,
particularly pointing out that the FISCAL TREATY must be
broken to enable the state to invest in housing. But the
advocacy of a referendum to change the constitution on
property rights and the right to a home, however laudable,
is not an emergency measure. It is no substitute for the
immediate formal declaration of a national housing
emergency by government to enable legal interference
with property rights in order to implement emergency
measures including a halt to eviction proceedings.
The Majority Report fails to call for breaking of the FISCAL
TREATY in order for the state to build adequate numbers
of social houses. Not alone does it put those facing
repossession in the hands of the Attorney General(a
member of the government), Chair Curran(FF) has
explained that the moratorium on evictions would only be
a short term measure for a few months. It would last until
government put in place the governments (inadequate)
measures on debt resolution.
To make things worse, The Fianna Fail Finance
Spokesperson, Deputy Michael McGrath says in the Irish
Examiner(18/06/2016) says that the recommendation to
pause repossessions is unworkable and SOMETIMES
KEEPING THE HOUSE IS NOT THE BEST ANSWER. In an
interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr McGrath said losing
the home and starting again may be best for some people
who can no longer afford to remain where they are.
Michael McGrath TD
Independents4Change was represented on the

Commission by Deputies Mick Wallace and Maureen

OSullivan. Following the failure of I4C to support an
amendment strengthening the Workers Rights Bill put
down by AAA-PBP, its complete acceptance of the grossly
deficient report is leading to queriess as to where it is
headed politically.
Sinn Fin took the same position as I4C. A piece by Eoin
Broin SF (member of the Commission) in the Irish
Independent 18/06/2016 points to no deficiencies in the
report and is quite complimentary of its FF and FG
members.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/cowendetached-durkan-rambled-but-report-shows-tds-agreecure-34812099.html
The acceptance of the Fiscal Treaty by Sinn Fin has a
particular significance. The Treaty , in effect,removes the
fundamental right of the government to provide housing
for all citizens. How far has Sinn Fin travelled since
Coimhn Caolain TD opposed the Treaty in the Dil on
the grounds that it flies in the face of the 1916
Proclamation in its undermining of Irish sovereignty?
Even after FF through Finance Spokesperson Michael
McGrath pulled the rug on the moratorium on evictions
recommendation , Eoin OBroin (SF) wrote in an opinion
piece in Sunday Business Post 19/06/2016
The Committee also called on the government to urgently
request flexibility
from the European Commission on the application of fiscal
rules for investment
in tackling the crisisthe strength of the Report lies in the fact that all but one
of our 14 members
signed up to the final recommendations.
There is now strong support across the political spectrum
for greater state
involvement in the provision of social housing, the
regulation of the private
rental sector and targeted measures to meet the housing
needs of those most
neglected by past policies

Coming from a professed republican, the request for

permission from the EU to put roofs over the heads of the
Irish people is very strange. The notion of FF, FG who have
always favoured the rich, genuinely working to solve the
crisis is at best naive.
Alan Kelly TD (Labour) gave evidence to the Commission
on constitutional obstacles to solving the housing crisis.
(The protection of private property in the constitution is
not absolute-it is subject to right of government to provide
for the common good). Kelly was effectively quoting the
Attorney General who continues in the new government. It
is important to note that Brendan Howlin(Labour) who was
also a minister in the outgoing government claimed to
have overcome the constitutional obstacle to confiscating
private property in pensions in the FEMPI ACT by a formal
declaration of a Financial Emergency by Government and
the laying of a document certifying continuation of the
Financial Emergency every year.
My conclusion from the evidence of Alan Kelly (below) is
that the outgoing FG-Lab government was not prepared to
formally declare a national housing emergency and to lay
the documents before the Oireachtas. FG-Lab put the
rights of property before the common good. It continued
evictions, including evictions by banks it owns.
Evidence to Commission by Alan Kelly (Lab) TD- former
Minister for Housing
Mr Alan Kelly, former Minister, stated that legal advice
on Article 43 had stopped him from introducing a more
powerful vacant site levy, which would have imposed a fee
on developers who refused to build on unused land. He
said that it had also stopped legislation preventing
keeping houses vacant and laws that would protect
tenants from so-called vulture funds, which invest in
undervalued properties and then profit from selling them:
I was not hampered by political or financial obstacles. I
was blocked by the Constitution. (Advice to Sitting
Ministers either comes directly from the Attorney General
or is commissioned by the Attorney General-PH). Kelly

continued: From the time it is taking to introduce the

Vacant Site Levy in order to tackle land hoarding, to
protecting tenants from eviction in circumstances where
their landlord wishes to sell the property, and many other
issues, I was repeatedly blocked from making provision for
what I believed was the common good by the strength by
which property rights are protected under Article 43 of the
Constitution. I believe that we need to honestly reexamine the balance between the protected and
legitimate property rights of individuals, as property
owners, and the wider needs and common good of society,
including housing needs. As a society we need to reflect
on the desired impact of the constitution here. I believe
that addressing these issues raises politically and socially
important issues which will have to be debated over the
coming years.
Letter To All Members of Oireachtas Committee on
Housing and Homelessness-Paddy Healy Wed 15/06/2016
A Chirde,
I am an activist in a campaign against eviction of
homeowners and tenants in the context of a the national
housing emergency as recently affirmed by Minister
Coveney.
Some of those who are having their homes being
repossessed are being evicted by the government which
is the owner of a number of banks including AIB and PTSB
I believe it would be outrageous for any member of the
Oireachtas Committee to agree to the issue of
recommendations on housing and homeless ness which
did not call for an immediate halt to all evictions.
In the case of Banks in majority state ownership no
legislation or constitutional change is required. The
government can simply issue an instruction to the banks it
owns. If the bank refuses to comply the Minister can call a
special general meeting of shareholders in order to put in
place directors who will carry out the instructions of the
owners. The Framework Agreement between Government

and Banks is a purely informal, non-legally binding

arrangement.
But, of course, all evictions should be banned in this
emergency. This would require emergency legislation
which could be completed in one day.
It would also be important for government to formally
declare a housing emergency and to lay a document
before both houses of the Oireachtas certifying that the
emergency exist. This would prevent landlords and banks
blocking the implementation of the legislation by
attempting to invoke the constitutional protection of
private property which is limited by the necessity to
provide for the common good.
I and my allies will hold each member of the Oireachtas
Committee responsible for future evictions who assents to
recommendations of the Committee which do not include
the emergency prohibition of all evictions until the
housing and homelessness crisis has been resolved.
Government is about to lay a document before both
houses by June 30 which will certify that a Financial
Emergency continues to exist. This, it believes is
necessary in order to protect confiscation of private
property in public service pensions from constitutional
challenge.
PS I was very disappointed by the decision of the
Committee not to invite The Hub Ireland and Mr Ken
Smollen to address you
Your Recommendations will be discussed at a public
conference of anti-eviction activist to be held in Killeshin
Hotel Portlaoise before the end of this month-PH
PQ REPLY YESTERDAY TO SEAMUS HEALY TD-NOONAN
REFUSES TO HALT EVICTION PROCEEDINGS BY BANKS HE
OWNS DESPITE NATIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY
ANNOUNCED BY MINISTER COVENEY
ONLY 301 Home Loans Repossessed Last Year By AIB,

PTSB-MICHAEL NOONAN
Repossessions of Home Loans are not frequent
amounting to 183 and 118 for AIB and Permanent TSB
respectively in 2015-Minister Noonan
Just as he did in a previous reply on in Jan 2016(Dail
Record further Down), Minister Noonan seeks to minimise
the horror facing families by misrepresentation and
omission of key information.
The 301 repossessions of family homes are 301 too many.
These are the 301 cases in which the state owned Banks
Only were granted repossession orders. (See I.T., KITTY
HOLLAND further down)
Noonan omits the no of repossession cases taken by the
state owned banks. Most of these never reach the stage of
the issuance of a repossession order. People are too
terrified to appear in court, of the publicity in small
communities, the stress on young children at school etc. it
is common to surrender the house and to go to live with
relations in often overcrowded conditions. Some have
committed suicide due to the extreme stress of the threat
of repossession.
Mr Noonan says he has no role in the matter of
repossessions by AIB, PTSB, EBS. He cites the Framework
Agreement with Banks. This Agreement has no statutory
force. Mr Noonan adheres to the Agreement in order to
wash his hands. Mr Noonan does have a role in evictions.
As owner of these Banks on behalf of the State, he
knowingly permits repossession cases to be taken though
he can forbid this.
Please recommend that all repossession proceedings
affecting dwelling houses, owned or rented, be halted
immediately
To ask the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD,
if, in view of the statement by Minister for Housing, Simon

Coveney TD that there is a NATIONAL HOUSING

EMERGENCY,
he will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the
Educational Building Society and Permanent TSB, which
are in majority State ownership, desist from seeking
repossession of family homes through the Courts and
withdraw all such existing applications before the Courts
and
if these bodies refuse to comply, will he call a special
general meeting of shareholders and use his majority
share-holding to dismiss and replace directors refusing to
comply with his instruction and
if he will make a statement on the matter ?
DIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Finance
14/06/2016
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will insist that a bank
and its subsidiary (details supplied) which are in majority
State ownership desist from seeking repossession of
family homes through the Courts and withdraw all such
existing applications before the Courts; in the event of the
bank and its subsidiary refusing to comply, if he will call a
special general meeting of shareholders and use his
majority share holding to dismiss and replace the directors
who refuse to comply with his instruction
REPLY.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have no role in the day-today running of the banks in which the State is a
shareholder. These institutions are run on an independent
and commercial basis and the details of the formal
relationship between my Department and these
institutions are set out in the respective Relationship
Framework Agreements, which can be found via the
following links.

AIB: http://finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Allied-IrishBanks1.pdf
PTSB: http://finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Relationship
%20Frameworks%20for%20the%20Irish%20Banks
%20Irish%20Life%20and%20Permanent.pdf
In relation to the individual institutions referred to in
details supplied Permanent TSB, Allied Irish Banks and
its subsidiary EBS:
AIB and Permanent TSB have informed me that they
prioritise keeping customers in their homes. Repossession
is a last resort. Repossessions of Home Loans are not
frequent amounting to 183 and 118 for AIB and Permanent
TSB respectively in 2015. In comparison AIB and
Permanent tsb have entered formal forebearance
measures in respect of 29,514 and 28,532 Home Loans
respectively at December 2015.
While there are some differences between the banks
referred to, their processes are similar. In cases where
customers do not meaningfully engage or do not engage
at all with the bank, reject the offer of a sustainable
mortgage restructuring solution or do not prioritise their
mortgage payment, both banks are likely to pursue
enforcement through the court process. Its important to
note that the initiation of legal proceedings does not
necessarily result in repossession and both banks seek to
engage constructively with borrowers at all times. Both
banks offer a wide range of solutions and operates
multiple engagement channels that facilitate the
maximum possible levels of engagement with customers
in difficulty.
Within the Programme for Government there are several
policy proposals detailed which are being worked on at
present. The objective of these proposals is to accelerate
the restructuring of mortgage arrears cases and keep
families in their homes in so far as possible.
Irish Times Report and Full Dail Record of Noonan Reply to

Seamus Healy TDs Call to STOP REPOSSESSIONS Further

Down
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!
State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are
seeking repossession of homes by court order throughout
the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance
Michael Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to
desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures
from a Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter
3(July, August, September) 207 properties were
repossessed on foot of a court order. The idea that tens of
thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not
correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is
nothing technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he
attempts to minimise the awful trauma for 207 families
which are losing their homes. A key tactic of the spinner
to deceive is the omission of key information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1
month only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and
September. Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the
month of July only!

The full information provided by the Courts Service and

reported by Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November

is: Of the 1,088 court orders for repossession made in

the three quarters of 2015 up to September 30, 758 were
for primary homes, 131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were
for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1

314, Q2 586, Q3 188

There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to

June period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks
the figure for Q3 which he then implies is typical though it
contains one month( July) figures only! The reason the
Central Bank figure for Q3 (207) is slightly above the
Courts Service figure (188) may be that the Central Bank
figure contains High Court orders in addition to the Circuit
Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his
tracks claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the
situation! The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct he said. Additionally,
this allows him to suggest that the repossession problem
is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is being
represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3
quarters of 2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes
since the start of the year up to September 30, the latest
figures from the Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty
Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the
third quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to
enforce the debt security on private dwelling house
mortgages in 1,687 cases (Central Bank Report).

Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to

minimize a problem which is in fact already
disastrous-the oldest trick in the book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a
most important right. The vast majority of people in
mortgage difficulty are entirely blameless for their own
predicament. They were setting up homes at a particular
time. They may have had to move jobs or have been
transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central
bank and the financial regulator and by the government of
the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and
superior interests and that the vindication of the rights of
householders to stay in their own home is a secondary
consideration even if families must be placed in hotel
rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these
banks are run on a commercial and independent basis to
ensure the value of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his
intention to sell the state owned banks to private
investors. Clearly, he is concerned to maximise the sale
value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full
international investors who risked their funds in Irish
Banks. Money was borrowed from international financiers
to pay this compensation. Now Minister Noonan and the
FG/Labour Government are using the banks to collect
money originally paid to international investors in the
same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks
are allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers
which are well above average rates in other European
countries within the Eurozone. The value of houses in

Ireland has now risen. Hence the huge rise in

repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened
up for privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no
power to give instructions to state owned banks.
He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my
predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential
component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr
Noonan had no power to instruct the government owned
banks. The old omission trick! Mr Noonan omitted the
words voluntary from voluntary relationship
framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the
relationship framework at any time. He has taken a
political decision to continue to honour it-and to allow the
banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned
banks from evicting people would lead to people applying
to their local TD for a loan and that the notion of state
owned and directed banks was preposterous! Of course
there have been state owned banks in Ireland for decades
and there have been such in other European countries for
even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for dealing
with the problem of people applying to politicians for
loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of
the government for evicting people on the one hand and
extorting money to pay off international lenders from
mortgage holders and small businesses on the other..
Pontius Pilate Lives!!!

Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan

Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears
problem is being progressively solved through helpful
measures put in place by his government. The truth is that
the problem of the banks is being solved by repossessing
homes and extending mortgages at exorbitant interest
rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not
doing so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.
Dail Record Jan 14/2016 Home Repossession
Parliamentary Question from Seamus Healy TD to Minister
for Finance Ml. Noonan
Deputy Seamus Healyasked the Minister for Finance if he
will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the
Educational Building Society and Permanent TSB, which
are in majority State ownership, desist from seeking
repossession of family homes through the Courts and
withdraw all such existing applications before the Courts;
and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the
housing crisis by repossessing family homes. I am asking
the Minister, as the majority shareholder, to instruct the
banks to desist from this practice.

Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy

Healy for raising this question. As he is aware, I have no
direct function in the relationship between the customer
and PTSB, or AIB and its subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding
the fact that the State is a shareholder in these
institutions, I must ensure that these banks are run on a
commercial and independent basis to ensure the value of
the banks as an asset to the State.
Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board
and management of the relevant institution. The
relationship framework agreements define the armslength nature of the relationship between the State and
the banks in which the State has an investment. The
banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options open to
them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,
within the significant constraints imposed by their
regulator, the Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to
address the problem of mortgage arrears and family home
repossessions. The primary focus of this strategy is to
support those home owners in difficulty with their
mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible, to avoid
repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of
and access to the insolvency framework. We expanded the
mortgage-to-rent scheme, making it more accessible. In
addition, my colleague, the Minister for Justice and
Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also introduced the
Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will, among
other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy
from three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage
arrears also provides protection as it sets out
requirements for lenders dealing with borrowers who are
facing, or in, mortgage arrears on their primary residence.
It ensures that borrowers struggling to keep up mortgage
repayments are treated in a fair and transparent manner
by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by

lenders with each of their borrowers.

The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall.
There are almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in
place and the vast majority of these are working. The
figures demonstrate that most families can, working with
their financial institutions, find an arrangement to make
their mortgage commitments affordable. Active
engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is
key to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge
borrowers in arrears who have not already done so to take
that step by contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for
an independent assessment of their situation and advice
on available resolution options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of
homelessness in this country. Last November, the Dublin
Homeless Executive provided figures according to which
some 1,425 children in 677 families were in emergency
accommodation. The Dublin Simon Community said that
was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland said that
the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks
and accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to
be introduced in the courts. These banks are majority
owned by the State and it is open to the Minister to
instruct these banks to desist from repossessing family
homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families are facing
repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very
important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the
Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy
Alan Kelly, brought forward proposals last year that have
blunted the edge of this particular social crisis. Certainly,
over the Christmas period there was less sense of a crisis
with homelessness than there had been earlier in the year.
The measures introduced by the Minister, Deputy Kelly,
have been working and, please God, they will continue to

work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of
the Deputys notified question, there is some interesting
data published by the Central Bank. During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce
the debt security on private dwelling house mortgages in
1,687 cases. During quarter three, there were 798 cases
where court proceedings concluded but arrears remained
outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an order for
repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the
quarter, of which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The remaining 215 were voluntarily surrendered or
abandoned. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct. A small amount goes
through the system. With the changes made by the
Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money
Advice & Budgeting Service assisting directly people
before the courts, I hope the number will diminish even
further. It is the policy of the Government to put
arrangements in place so that people can live in the family
home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority
shareholder in these banks and he has obviously given
permission to the banks to repossess family homes. He
could equally instruct these banks not to go down this
road and repossess family homes. He could call an
emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct
them not to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so
immediately and if bank directors do not agree, they
should be sacked, as the Minister has the power to do so
as a majority shareholder. This is urgent and, irrespective
of the Ministers comments, thousands of families in the
country are facing homelessness because of banks in
which the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister
could give instructions to stop these repossessions and I
ask him to do so immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship
framework, signed by my predecessors in office, with the

banks and the essential component is that the political

side will not interfere in commercial decisions. That is for a
very good reason as we do not want to politicise the
banks. It would be a very sad day for the country if the
first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be the
local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do
that at all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political
interference with the banks. On the question of
repossessions, 207 houses were repossessed on foot of a
court order, which does not equate to the tens of
thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in
commentary. There are 121,000 restructured mortgages
on private dwellings, with a success rate of 86.6%. That
means the arrangements stick in just under 87% of cases.
The problem is being solved progressively. I appreciate it is
very hard on people and I can appreciate that people who
lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks

Woman facing return to prison over refusal

Noonan: home repossessions being handled reasonably
well
Minister says no political interference in bank decision, but
progress being made
Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14,
2016, 12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its
very hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their
jobs and I appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home
repossessions reasonably well, according to Minister for

Finance Michael Noonan.

He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being
repossessed is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people.
I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate
the concerns and I appreciate how upset people are.
But in a very extreme situation its been handled
reasonably well by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who
asked Mr Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and
its subsidiary EBS as well as the majority shareholder in
Permanent TSB, to call a meeting of the boards of the
banks and to instruct them not to repossess family
homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that
then sack those members. You have the power to do that
as majority shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country,
irrespective of what you say Minister, facing homelessness
by these banks, of which the Government is a majority
shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed
by the Governments predecessors in office that the
political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
and they did not want to politicise the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were
looking for a loan and your first port of call had to be your
local TD rather than the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court
order and that is not the 10s of thousands of houses
thats sometimes recited on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been

restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.

So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed
that in the third quarter of 2015 (July, August and
September) legal proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases
of private mortgages.
There were 798 cases where court proceedings
concluded but arrears remained outstanding and the court
granted a repossession order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by
lenders during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and
since the changes were made by the Minister for Justice
and that the money and Budgeting Advice Service are
assisting people before the courts that will diminish even
further, Mr Noonan added.

Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy

TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael
Noonan to order the banks he owns to withdraw
repossession proceedings in light of the extreme housing
emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government
has given the green light to the banks they own, to
continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences
were granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the
first 3 quarters of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also

house families were also repossessed. Banks are now

seeking a further 97 repossession orders for dwellings in
Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB, EBS and
Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being
reasonably handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting
the situation, Mr Noonan quoted the 208 orders for
repossessions for the whole country for Quarter 3,2015 as
representative of the scale of the problem. COURTS ONLY
SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN QUARTER 3!! The Court
Service Figures for the whole country for Quarters 1 and 2
are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!

Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State

Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a
Housing Emergency Declared and all repossession
applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw
the repossession applications by the banks he owns.
Castlebar Court Anti-Eviction Protest
https://www.facebook.com/cashin3/videos/vb.1000012462
97556/1173381982713334/?type=2&theater
13/06/2016
We have being contacted by RTE Over the passed few
days over the selling of family home mortgages to vulture
funds across the county When Gerry O Boyle campaigned
in the last general election on this issue the matter was
not allowed to be high-lighted. Now it has come the light
with the assistance of Gerry O Boyle. RTE has decided to
do a documentary on corruption of Irish banks and the
cover up. RTE is now expected to do full coverage from
Castlebar Eviction Court on June the 13th

Men in balaclavas evict families for vulture capitalists

invited in by government to feed on the public
Irish
Mirror Pat Flanagan 15:33, 3 Jun 2016 Mass evictions loom
after it was revealed that 46,000 mortgages the
equivalent to all the homes in Drogheda and Dundalk are
now in the hands of vulture funds. The sight of men in
balaclavas attempting to evict families from their homes
as gardai stand idly by confirms that we are living in a
very sick state. Tens of thousands of families face being
evicted by the vultures. When a Government invites
vultures into our country to feed on the misery of families
in danger of losing their homes, you know Irish society has
lost its moral compass. The sight of men in balaclavas
attempting to evict families from their homes as gardai
stand idly by confirms that we are living in a very sick
state.Ireland is indeed a warped country which poisons
golden eagles and venerates vultures selling off thousands
of distressed mortgages at knockdown prices while
refusing to give homeowners a writedown.
It is perhaps a metaphor for a country in terminal social
decline where the vulnerable are fed to unscrupulous
wealth funds who have not the slightest inkling of concern
for their welfare.
There are few more reviled birds then the vulture yet our
Finance Minister is a fan and believes they play a pivotal
role in nature.
This is what he actually said: Vultures provide a very
good service in the ecology through cleaning up dead
animals that are littered across the landscape.
The dead animals he is talking about are the tens of
thousands of people whose mortgages have been sold to
foreign wealth funds without them having the opportunity
of doing a deal with their former lender.
Ulster Banks decision to sell 900 home mortgages to
vulture funds at a huge discount could lead to most of the
families involved being evicted from their homes.
This rotten bank is not only heartless, they are gross

hypocrites as they claim they do not do debt forgiveness

yet sell off huge property portfolios to vulture funds at a
fraction of their worth.
Ulster Bank is a private company which is in business for
profit, what possible excuse can the State have for selling
off thousands of homes in the middle of the worst housing
in our history.
Vulture lover Noonan recently had the gall to claim he
put safeguards in place to prevent the vultures kicking
people from their homes when the mass evictions have
already started.
Such protection as vultures give to lambs, said the 18th
century Irish dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan. he
could have been talking about our Finance Minister.
The spiralling number of evictions has not come about by
accident but as a result of actual Government policies
which specifically set out to sell off huge property
portfolios which could only be bought by vulture funds.
Around 90% of the States bad bank Namas assets have
been sold to international speculators who have got them
at a fraction of their true worth.
What is even more disturbing is that it appears the gardai
are allowing hooded agents of the vultures terrorise
families in the course of evictions as the Royal Irish
Constabulary did for absentee landlords in the 19th
century.
It is something of a sick joke that the country has been
losing the run of itself celebrating 1916 and the beginning
of the end of British rule when our government has
handed over the homes, and the lives, of tends of
thousands of families to anonymous foreigners.
Both Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan have taken time out
to actually meet and greet the vultures and invited these
scavengers to our country to feast on Irish families.

To help them digest the financial flesh the law here allows
wealth funds to avail of favourable tax deals which are
outside the reach of the Central Bank.
On the subject of the Central Bank, two years ago the then
Governor Patrick Honohan said he was very unhappy
about the sale of mortgage books to vulture funds and
highlighted the consequences for tenants.
But Fine Gael and Labour were determined that the
vultures be fed and allowed the sell-off which saw property
portfolios worth tens of billions of euro go ahead with
massive writedowns.
It is estimated that around 46,000 mortgages the
equivalent to all the homes in Drogheda and Dundalk are
now in the hands of vulture funds.
The newly-created Dublin Tenants Association has called
for new laws to stop vulture capitalists from forcing
families out of their homes.
DTA spokesman Patrick Bresnihan said: This is not a
natural disaster. The reality is government policy has been
to facilitate vulture funds at every turn, without any
research into the impact of international funds on the Irish
housing system.
The dreadful situation which families find themselves in is
a direct reflection of the ethos and ideology of the
previous government.
Vultures by their nature rarely attack healthy animals, but
will prey on the weak and sick and thats exactly what the
Coalition did.
So we shouldnt be too surprised about Michael Noonans
love of vultures its a case of birds of a feather flock
together
1,700 homes promised a year ago not one has been built

Irish Independent June 7,201

Some 1,706 homes were approved in May 2015. Another
134 were sanctioned the following July, and 890 last
January a total of 2,730 across 145 individual schemes.
The Irish Independent asked each local authority to
provide an update on how the projects were progressing.
Three Kerry, Offaly and Wexford failed to respond. The
data shows:
No social houses have been built by the local authorities
from the 2,730 sanctioned as long as a year ago.
Just 26 are under construction in Donegal, Tipperary and
Louth. Louth County Council said it expects 12 to be
completed this month.
Architects and design teams are only now being
appointed for many of the schemes. A significant number
have yet to proceed to planning.
Some units have been purchased Fingal has secured
44, Cork City another 28 and Louth another eight. But
some councils are only beginning to purchase homes now.
In some cases, including Cork and Galway, the number
of units has been increased, which has resulted in delays
as projects must be redesigned.
Some other projects have also been cancelled or
delayed.
In Longford, no work has started on 13 houses approved in
Lanesborough last July. Trial holes are being organised for
the site, the council said.
A land swap is also being organised with the HSE in Meath
to facilitate construction of 19 units in Summerhill,
approved in May 2015.
In one case a 3.1m scheme of 20 units at Strandhill in

Co Sligo construction work is not expected to begin until

November next year, 30 months after it was approved.
The minister said special teams would be sent into local
authorities to drive delivery.
Last year, 72 social houses were built, and around 1,160
acquired.
David Walsh Released unconditionally by High Court
03/06/2016
David had spent 4 days in Cork Jail. David was convicted
of criminal contempt in Waterford Circuit Court when he
insisted on representing his sister who was up for
repossession of her home.
David has done all those threatened with eviction a great
service
Well Done to Waterford the HUB-IRELAND and Noel
Brophy!
WOMAN LOSES HOME TO BANK AND HER BROTHER TO
PRISON
Press Release By THEHUB-IRELAND June 2, 2016
The Hub-Ireland DATE: 1-6-2016 PRESS QUERIES:
info@thehub-ireland.com (enter Press Query Subject line)
Tel: 01 534 9118 (office hours)
WOMAN LOSES HOME TO BANK AND HER BROTHER TO
PRISON At Waterford Circuit Court on Monday, a woman
lost her home and her brother was taken away to prison
after Judge Alice Doyle made a possession order in favour
of the bank and held the home-owners brother to be in
contempt of court.
He was sentenced to two weeks in prison and escorted out
of the courthouse by Garda after voicing his objections to
the proceedings in which the Judge had refused his sister
the right for him to represent her, as is allowable. The
home-owner had intended to defend her home because
she believed she had an arguable case and wished to
exercise her right to due process. She wished to bring
certain matters before the Judge for consideration before

any possession order would be given. However, she was

unable to afford legal representation and did not feel able
to carry out the role of representing herself in such an
already stressful situation, where she would be up against
the banks professional legal team, including a barrister. In
previous proceedings in the same case, but in front of a
Registrar, her brother had been allowed to represent his
sister.
On Monday, she had signed a Power of Attorney for her
brother to represent her again, but Judge Doyle disallowed
the request.
The Hub-Ireland, a voluntary group working to help
distressed mortgage-holders, is extremely concerned at
how mortgage cases are being dealt with by the judicial
system generally and for the personal plight of the woman
in this particular case, who has not only lost her home
without being able to present her defence, but has also
had to watch her brother being carried away to prison.
The Hub-Ireland is repeating its call for an end to the
Evictions Courts. Its members have been observing the
workings of such courts throughout the country and have
reported many similar cases where home-owners, who
could not afford to employ a legal team to match the
banks one, have their rights to justice severely
compromised as a result. This is wrong and it has to
stop, said Byron Jenkins of The Hub-Ireland. Tonight
there is a man in prison and a woman faces eviction,
having lost her home. This is a personal tragedy for this
family, but it also highlights all that is wrong about how
the mortgage-crisis has been dealt with. We again call on
the government and all in the political system to act
immediately to put an end to the barbaric suffering being
caused to good Irish people, whose only mistake was to
borrow to put a roof over their heads.
The Dil will break for summer holidays in a few weeks
time, but it will be a long hot summer for those facing
eviction as a result of political inaction, said Jenkins.
The Hub-Ireland is a voluntary, self-help community
organisation that offers free help, support and information
to homeowners who are in danger of eviction from their
homes by mortgage companies. It has launched a
campaign to have the Evictions Courts abolished and asks

for the public to support the initiative. It invites anyone in

mortgage distress to contact them at info@thehubireland.com or phone 01 534 9118.
/ends press release
Please Note: The Hub-Ireland has a number of expert
spokespersons who are available to appear as panelists on
radio and television programs dealing with the issues of
mortgage distress. They are also available to give
interviews to print media. Please contact The Hub-Ireland
at info@thehub-ireland.com (enter Press Query in Subject
line) or phone 01 534 9118 during office hours.
Brother of Woman Facing Repossession JAILED FOR TWO
WEEKS FOR CONTEMPT in Waterford Circuit Court
SHOCKING INHUMANITY OF EVICTION SYSTEM
He Had Been Prevented From Speaking on Behalf of his
sister in Court though she had given him her Power of
Attorney
Waterford The Hub-Ireland
In Waterford court today a man who had been given
power of attorney by his sister was denied by justice
Doyle the right to speak on behalf of his sister in opposing
the repossession of her home. When the man Questioned
the Judge he was put in contempt of court. Another man
questioned her decision also. He was also put in
contempt. Later both were questioned by garda and
brought back into court. The brother was jailed for two
weeks
Earlier,he had handed to the judge the document stating
that he had been given power of attorney by his sister.
The judge left the bench for 10min and came back with a
decision that he could not speak for her in court. She
wouldnt allow him question her jurisdiction in the matter.
She put him in contempt and later jailed him for two
weeks
He had repressented his sister 2 months earlier on the
same matter in front of a different judge who had agreed
to this procedure

Further Post on Facebook By HUB-Ireland

(A male young man appeared in court to swear the
affidavit on behalf of the bank. The signature on the
affidavit was that of a woman!!!-PH)
WANTED:
We need the ID of this child: this is the young man that
came to court yesterday as a competent witness for the
Banks: he was never sworn in / or gave his name; the only
words he uttered from the back of the courtroom was
Yes, after Judge Alice Doyle had asked did you sign the
affidavit for the Banks.
Funny that:: the deponent of the Affidavit was in fact a
woman, so how come??
The Judge then replied; thats good enough for me and
granted a possession Order on a Family Home and Jailed
the Brother for two weeks for contempt for wishing to
represent his sister.

The two hooded balaclava wearing individuals entering

the Garda Squad Car are not prisoners!
They are employees of a security company leaving the
scene having failed to evict a householder in Co Clare
recently

Stop Evictions Picket on Ennis Banks

DISAPPOINTMENT OVER CLARES TDS FAIURE TO ATTEND
DEMONSTRATION AT ENNIS BANKS
Clare FM 30 May, 2016
Clares Oireachtas representatives are being condemned
for their failure to attend a demonstration outside Ennis
banks this morning.

Groups led by Midwest Right2Change launched the picket

in protest at the repossession of houses by financial
institiutions, as well as the ongoing housing crisis.
As the sun shone down on Ennis town centre this morning,
groups picketing the towns three main banks say the
situation isnt so bright for many people facing
homlessneess across the county.
Todays protest, organised by Right2Change, began
outside Ulster Bank in the Height and from there moved
on to AIB and then onto Bank of Ireland.
A small group of public representatives and locals
highlighted their concerns following a recent high-profile
attempted eviction in Corofin.
One of them, Anti-Austerity Campaigner Niamh OBrien
says something needs to be done to stop banks from
reposessing homes.
Protestors hit out at Clares Oireachtas representatives for
failing to attend today.
Shannon Sinn Fin Counillor Mike Mc Kee says they need
to put pressure on the Government to deal with the
housing crisis.
Limerick City TD Maurice Quinlivan, who represents part of
Clare also attended todays protest.
The Sinn Fin representative is a member of the Dil
Homeless and Housing Committee and he says an
adequate Mortgage to rent scheme would help ease the
crisis for some families.
Noonan feeds the vulnerable to the vultures
Rather than Minister Noonan giving the unfortunate
mortgage defaulter a break, hes been fraternising with
their enemy

Carol Hunt, Sunday Independent, 29/05/2016

1Support: Michael Noonan will be happy with evictions
Photo: Tom Burke
The video footage is shocking. It shows a number of men,
hooded, black scarves covering their faces, attempting to
gain access to a private home. To even the most trusting
of observers, they dont look as if they can be up to any
good.
Beside them, the car they allegedly drove up in and
which we will see them later drive off in has no insurance
or tax disc displayed and the registration number is
covered over with tape. This is undoubtedly illegal.
Local men confront them, clearly agitated. Thankfully,
there are gardai present and the traffic violations are
quickly pointed out to them.
Except that, as the video footage unfolds, it becomes
disturbingly clear that the gardai have no intention of
noting these offences, that they are there purely to assist
the hooded men in gaining access to the house. They are
on the side of what looks like the bad guys.
Welcome to a modern-day Irish eviction. (There was a
doubling in the number of properties repossessed by
mortgage lenders in Ireland between 2010 and 2013, new
research has found.)
This time it fails. The heavy gang leave in their car which
still lacks a visible registration number. This time there
was no paperwork which allowed them to legally enter the
property but if members of the Anti-Eviction Taskforce
had not been present to vociferously, but peacefully,
protest, yet another family would have found themselves
homeless by nightfall.
Well, thats what happens isnt it? When you cant pay
your debts, when you fall behind on your mortgage, when
the bank lent you money with no questions or queries

beyond how much? and sure, would you not like a few
thousand more? But now, kiddo, its payback time.
Well, for some people it is anyway. But we know a few
things now that we didnt know back in 2007. We know,
courtesy of Ajai Chopra, that the EU issued an ultimatum
to Ireland at the time of the bailout. We know that the ECB
would not allow us to burn senior bondholders. We know
that we are still paying billions in interest because of this
unfortunate mistake.
We know this week, thanks to NTMA chief executive Conor
OKelly, that every worker in the country pays an extra
3,400 in tax every year compared with just 900 in 2007.
We know we were taken for a ride by banks, the
bondholders, and the head honchos in Europe as well as
our own crowd. And we know, as OKelly said, that our
State debt pile of 207bn, 102,000 per employee, is
easily the highest in Europe, by a mile. To be clear he
added: Its one of the highest ratios in the world.
Which may explain why so many people are finding it so
difficult to service 2007 mortgages with 2016 wages
(thats if theyre still lucky enough to be working).
Half the bloody economy is going into a black hole of debt
repayments. The average Irish worker took the hit for all
those bondholders and bankers who were allowed play
financial roulette with no consequences to themselves if
they lost everything.
Youd think the Government would feel a little bit sheepish
about that now, wouldnt you? Youd presume that they
would go a bit easy on Joe and Josephine Soap who were
unfortunate enough to need a mortgage when prices were
beyond the moon and the banks were happy to feed the
insanity? And youd certainly think that, in light of our
enormous State debt (remember, the highest in Europe,
by a mile!) Michael Noonan would still be in the market
for a bit of debt forgiveness from the EU or IMF.
Youd think, maybe theyd listen to people like those in

the Anti-Eviction Taskforce, The Phoenix Project, Irish

Mortgage Holders Organisation, The Hub and all those
other groups working at the coalface of people who are in
despair at the prospect of losing their homes, and maybe
ask the banks to share a bit of the risk, the cost, the
fallout?
But no, seemingly everything is going swimmingly in
Noonan Land, because earlier this month he said we didnt
need any deals on debt, because were in a pretty good
place now.
Which will come as news to the hundreds of thousands of
people in the country in mortgage distress particularly if
their mortgages have been sold on to vulture funds at
cheap prices not offered to them terrified to answer their
doors in case its the bailiff with a crowd of hooded men
and a few gardai backing them up.
It will also come as news to people like Fr Peter McVerry,
whose Trust last Friday appealed to the Government to do
more for people at risk of becoming homeless and
particularly the dangers that the vulture funds bring with
them.
Michael Noonan is a fan, seemingly. Of vulture funds. I
know, thats hard to believe, but then some people have
hard necks. They can afford to.
Fine Gael TD Catherine Byrne got terribly upset when
David Hall, of Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO),
called Mr Noonan a vulture [fund] lover at an Oireachtas
Housing and Homelessness committee meeting recently.
After a face-to-face meeting with the minister, Hall said:
He was very clear about his love for vultures. We had a
very robust exchange in relation to it the self-confessed
predators. They circulate for five years, they suck an asset
dry and they move on.
Last week Ulster Bank announced that it would be selling
over 2,900 of its customers mortgages to vulture funds.

Of those, 900 are family homes, the others, one presumes,

are rental properties. (Most evictions in Ireland actually
arise when people cant pay escalating rents, as opposed
to mortgages.)
According to the recent report by the Debt and
Development Coalition Ireland (DDCI) our Government
wholeheartedly embraced vulture funds, which pretty
much tells you everything you need to know about their
attitude to Joe or Josephine mortgage problems. Or
families like my friend Danielles, who have just been
given a few months to leave the home they have rented
for 10 years.
Their landlord is sorry, but the mortgage has been sold on
to vulture funds and all he can do is commiserate and say
that they were exemplary tenants.
Like many other families in similar situations, they havent
a hope of finding affordable accommodation near their
jobs and childrens schools.
An EU-wide report headed up by NUIG academic Padraig
McKenna also found that there were relatively high
numbers of evictions (including illegal evictions) in the
[Irish] private rented sector. According to the DDCI
report, the arrival of vulture funds means an increased
likelihood of people being evicted from their homes.
Well, duh as my kids would say; it shouldnt take an
academic report to deduce that.
The people evicted will probably end up in hotels at the
States expense but hey, the vulture funds and Minister
Noonan is happy so thats all right so.
Groups like the Anti-Eviction Taskforce look set to have
their work cut out for them in the immediate future.
Welcome to the new politics, and old-style land
repossessions.


KEN SMOLLEN, THE HUB IRELAND BRIEF DEPUTIES AND
SENATORS AT LEINSTER HOUSE AT INVITATION OF SEAMUS
HEALY TD
CALL FOR STOP TO EVICTION PROCEEDINGS IN COURT,
FORMAL DECLARATION OF NATIONAL HOUSING
EMERGENCY BY DAIL
REPORT ON BRIEFING BY KEN SMOLLEN 18/05/2016
This evening is probably not a good time to write a report
on todays meeting with TDs, Senators and their
representatives in Leinster House as I usually need a day
to fully analyse any event or meeting.
However, it was an absolute pleasure to meet what I
would describe as three very like-minded people, namely
Byron, Adrienne and Martina in The Hub office in Dublin
before heading off to Leinster House. Adrienne had the job
of looking after callers to The Hub while Byron, Martina
and I went to the meeting where we first met Seamus
Healy TD and his brother Paddy. We had a cup of coffee in
the caf there while discussing the approach we would be
making when presenting our case on behalf of thousands
of people who find that they are the totally innocent
victims of the bailed out banks who want to legally steal
their family homes!
There were approx. 20 TDs present at different stages
during our presentation including the following Sean
Crowe, Eugene Murphy, Pat Buckley, Thomas Pringle, Dara
Calleary, Martin Ferris, Sean Fleming, Carol Nolan, Ann
Rabbitte, Eoin OBroin and others. Represented were
Richard Boyd Barrett and Joan Collins. Needless to say no
representative from either Fine Gael or the Labour Party
was there. It surprised me that not one representative of
the Independent Alliance made the effort either as all TDs
were invited there by Seamus Healy TD and by myself.
I began the presentation by describing to those present
what actually happens in the Eviction Courts and how
people are being treated in a shameful way in particular
by County Registrars. I described the intimidating

atmosphere in these places and the absolute horror,

despair and desperation that I see on a regular basis in
these awful places. I also informed them that during the
month of May alone there are well over 2,000 Eviction
cases listed in the courts throughout the country and with
an average of 3 or 4 members of each household it would
be the equivalent of the population of a large town being
hauled before the Eviction courts and thats just this
month alone. I also impressed on them that not only are
there approx. 100,000 families in mortgage distress but
that there could be a further 200,000 families going
without some of the basic necessities just to pay their
mortgages and that many of these people were also
slipping into mortgage distress. Again I said that with an
average of 3 to 4 people per household we are looking at
over ONE MILLION people in Ireland being in this awful
situation with no resolution in sight.
I then explained how the banks were refusing to engage
with many mortgage holders in any way even though the
banks claim that its the other way around. I also said to
them that the Government must FORCE the banks to
engage fairly with mortgage holders and that a fair and
sustainable solution must be found for ALL mortgage
holders before there would be any recovery for the people
of Ireland.
Martina then spoke about and gave an excellent
presentation on the Land & Conveyancing (Law Reform)
Act of 2013 [The EVICTION Act] and explained how it must
be repealed as it gives the bailed out banks easier access
to repossessing family homes.
Byron then gave an exception explanation of how The
Hub-Ireland is helping families every day for FREE and also
urged those present the need for an urgent solution to this
desperate crisis.
The politicians who were present then made their own
contributions with all of them agreeing that a real recovery
for the people of Ireland could only take place once the
people of Ireland were treated fairly by the banks. They

were all in agreement that they must act in the best

interests of the people that they represent.
Our next step with the help of Seamus Healy is to gain an
invitation to make a submission to the housing committee
where we can again impress on them the necessity for two
things 1) The urgent need for a STOP to be put on
EVICTION Court proceedings in the courts while the banks
are forced to find a fair and sustainable solution for all
mortgage holders and 2) To have an official EMERGENCY
declared in relation to this crisis. Such a declaration would
put a stop to Michael Noonans nonsense about the
Government being unable to interfere in private property
transactions.
All in all it was a very good day and Im sure that by
keeping the pressure on these people we can achieve real
change for the better, not only keeping families in their
homes but in the process, saving many lives.
I was not expecting to see Fine Gaels representative from
Offaly there as she was one of those who unashamedly
voted YES for the Eviction Bill and because there werent
any photo opportunities for her to take advantage of. I am
however extremely disappointed with the non-appearance
of the Fianna Fail TD for Offaly. When the meeting was
over he walked as we were talking outside the meeting
room, he looked and grinned, as much as to say Who let
those peasants into this important place.
Finally, I would like to thank Paddy Healy and his brother
Seamus for arranging this first meeting and I have
absolutely no doubt that we will now gain the support of
other TDs in our justified fight for fairness for thousands
of our people. With the help of these good men we
certainly hope to receive an invitation to make a
submission to the housing committee.
KEEP SUNDAY 19th JUNE FREE 1.30pm in the Killeshin
Hotel, Portlaoise EVERYONE WELCOME!
Thanks everyone,

Ken
Claire Byrne Live on Housing and Homelessness
http://www.rte.ie//sh/claire-byrne-live30003252/10576915/
Listen to First 30 minutes on Housing and Homelessness

Housing is national emergency says Simon Coveney,

Minister for Housing
Why does he not formally lay a certificate to this effect
before the Dil?
Because then there would be no constitutional prohibition
to stopping evictions and compusorily purchasing the
property of vulture capitalists in order to ease the housing
crisis
Why Cant State Just Borrow 10 billion at very low interest
rates to begin Building 50,000 publicly owned houses
immediately as advocated by David McWilliams Below? He
claims the loan would be self-financing at much lower than
current rents!
ANSWER? HINT -Read the provisions of the Fiscal Treaty!
David McWilliams IRISH INDEPENDENT 11/05/2016
Easy for the State to Build 50,000 houses ??
Lets examine how the State could involve itself in
financing a housing trust using the international financial
markets to massively reduce housing costs in Ireland.
Currently, the markets will finance any good opportunity.
When interest rates are zero, the obvious thing to do is
borrow for infrastructural projects and housing is the most
significant infrastructural development that one can think
of right now.
Lets look at the numbers.

Builders will tell you that building costs are around

120/130 a square foot. For a large scheme, this could be
lower and could move towards 100.
Now lets say that the average unit in Dublin or any urban
centre in Ireland is 1,400 square feet. This means that the
average building cost of a house/apartment of this size is
140,000. Add to this VAT of 13.5pc and we get 158,200.
Now on top of this there are professional fees for
architects and surveyors and the like. These could be 12pc
of the contract price plus 23pc VAT. So this is close to
19,000 on top of this price, bringing the 140,000 initial
cost, up with all the fees and taxes to around 166,000.
Then on top of this are development levies which are the
costs per unit that are added by the council to pay for new
roads, water pipes and sewage. These are typically 9,000
per unit. So we are now up to 175,000 per unit.
Now we have the cost of the build with all the charges and
taxes before we talk about site cost.
In 2011, Dublin probably had enough houses to deal with
the population. However, there should have been 60,000
built since to keep up with population growth but only
8,000 have been built, so we have a shortfall of around
50,000 for the sake of argument.
Imagine the State was to build or fund the build of 50,000
houses. At 175,000 each, this would cost 8.7bn. This is
a big number but the Irish State can borrow for 10 years at
1pc, according to Bloomberg yesterday. Therefore, the
State could issue a Housing Executive Bond, which it could
sell to Irish residents who are sitting on 94bn of deposits
in the Irish banking system. Servicing this debt would cost
87m per year.
Traditionally, countries dont pay back the principal of their
national debts, they simply roll it over.
So it would be prudent to suggest that we would do the

same for this Housing Executive Bond.

Now we have a situation where the total annual cost of
50,000 units is 87m. This means that the annual cost per
unit is 1,740. The implication is the rent that would be
needed to be charged per unit per year to pay the cost of
this build, funded by a Housing Executive Bond, is 1,740
per year. Lets round this up to 2,000 per unit per year, to
include maintenance.
So total rental cost of a new house or apartment is not
12,000 per annum, as is the case right now, but 2,000
per annum or 38 a week.
This is feasible. You have seen the numbers. The major
cost omitted is the site cost and this is where we come
into the land issue.
At a density of 60 units per hectare, this would mean
about 833 hectares of development land, or about 2,000
acres, is needed. There are 28,000 acres in Dublin in total
but just one bank, Ulster Bank, put a portfolio of 1,850
acres of development land up for sale this year. So the
development land portfolio of just one bank could almost
cover this total city requirement! Now we are talking.
The State could simply CPO this land at cost and be done
with it. You could add the repayment cost of this land to
the annual rent. This would bring up the annual cost of the
rent needed to cover everything to 3,000 per year or a
quarter of present average rent paid.
Thus, the great Irish housing crisis is solved for less than
60 per week for a family of four in return for a new
house, fixity of tenure and peace of mind!
Thats how its done in proper countries. The choice is
ours.
Lets join the 21st century and stop gouging each other for
the basic right of a roof over our heads.

Unlike the lads on the Magic Bus, these are the numbers,
no one is smoking funny stuff, just seeing things clearly
through the haze of vested interests and inertia.
Problem solved.

Organised by former garda Ken Smollen, this is yet

another meeting attended by many groups who are at the
coalface of the mortgage crisis. And a crisis it is
PUBLISHED08/05/2016 | 02:30 Sunday Independent
Vulture funds circle as mortgage crisis exacts its toll of
suffering
Thousands of homeowners left at the mercy of the banks
bear a burden of daily fear and uncertainty, with many
contemplating suicide, and some acting on those feelings,
writes Carol Hunt
My name is Sandy and I am in mortgage distress, says a
woman at the back of the room. She clears her throat and
continues: It was my little secret, because I told nobody,
I was too ashamed. My friends didnt know, my family
didnt know. I felt I had failed and I had made a huge
mistake. She pauses, I catch her eye and then look away,
embarrassed.
Were in the Hotel Killeshin Portlaoise. There are over 300
angry, frustrated and emotional people here all united by
a common goal of stopping the evictions.
Organised by former garda Ken Smollen, this is yet
another meeting attended by many groups who are at the
coalface of the mortgage crisis. And a crisis it is.
According to Smollen, as well as the 100,000 mortgages
currently in distress, there are another 200,000 in danger
of slipping into difficulty.
Plus, there are many small businesses and farms on the
brink of insolvency. Extrapolate that to include families
and that is over a million people affected, he says.
These are not accidental landlords or developers rescued

by Nama. These are people who cannot pay back Celtic

Tiger-size mortgages in a post-crash economy.
Consequently, they are faced with eviction by their banks
and, increasingly, by vulture funds.
They are ordinary people, most of whom have never asked
for anything or fallen into debt before and they are
shocked and sickened at the sudden realisation that they
may find themselves homeless.
These are the people for whom debt is seen as a sacred
obligation, a moral duty.
If they dont pay what they owe, the economy as we know
it will collapse and moral hazard will ensue.
Or so we are told.
So why isnt mortgage debt front-page news? Why isnt it
an issue garnering the same attention as those damned
water charges? Shame, is the simple answer. People are
sometimes quite literally dying of shame at the thought
that their friends and neighbours will find out their dirty
little secret.
Sandy wasnt given the option of choosing to get her
problem off her chest by sharing it with others in the same
situation. She didnt decide that she was going to be brave
and f**k the begrudgers.
She had been outed by her local newspaper, who put
details of her indebtedness on the front page.
Its obvious that the indignity and disgrace she feels still
rankle.
People will be too ashamed to come out and protest, she
insists. But there were some who disagreed with her.
One elderly man stands up and admits: The only wish
myself and my wife have is that we can die in our own
home Am I suicidal? he asks us as he clings to the

microphone. Yes, I am, he answers bluntly. Its a

companion of mine. Every morning I wake up and think of
it.
He looks around at the sea of emotionally distressed
faces. We need to tell our stories, he insists. There are
so many, many people in similar situations. We need
empathy we need a hug. We need to work with
everyone, but, he warns with the tired voice of a man
who has seen much betrayal and hurt, put your faith in
no one.
Ciaran Doyle explained that his mortgage was sold to
vulture funds without his knowledge. Smollen recalls how
one woman said she would rather set fire to my house
and set myself alight in it than hand it over to the
moneylenders.
Martina Doyle from The Hub Ireland (a voluntary
organisation which helps people in mortgage distress)
explains how the Land and Conveyancing Reform Act
2013, which gave clarity and comfort to the banks, has
led to the so-called eviction courts and needs to be
immediately repealed.
Her organisation gets phone calls of desperation from a
mother or father panic-stricken as to where they are going
to go, the single person who feels they have no rights, as
they are on their own, the elderly couple who are
frightened to death of the knock at the door that will drag
them out in front of their neighbours.
Examples are given of how the eviction courts can
intimidate such vulnerable people most of whom are
totally unused to courts of any kind.
There is a huge misconception in the public arena that
these people just dont want to pay their mortgages and
are freeloaders.
Anyone who thinks that, she says, just needs to come
to The Hub for just one day and listen to the calls we

take.
But still these people, in despair and anguish, are told, a
debt is a debt is a debt. They borrowed money from a
bank and they are therefore legally and morally bound to
pay it back. Unlike say, the well-heeled speculators who
found themselves in Nama.
Earlier this month, it was revealed by Michael Noonan that
Nama has written off debts totalling 1.5bn owed by just
80 debtors to the agency.
Noonan explained that the debt is only written off where
all of the underlying assets have been realised, there are
no further assets to be realised nor any additional
recourse available to Nama to recover borrowings from the
debtor.
Which is the same situation that would apply to most of
the ordinary people in unsustainable mortgage debt that I
have met up and down the country. And yet it doesnt.
Why one rule for one group and a much harsher one for
the other?
Because, bluntly, when debt is racked up by governments,
corporations, banks, or by privileged insiders, it can
always be renegotiated or written off. Thats how the
system works. Its only when debts are owed from the
poor to the rich that issues such as moral hazard are
introduced.
Only then does debt become a sacred obligation. Its a
way of keeping the cash/power flowing upwards. Its also a
way of keeping people in their assigned places.
In the past, precautions were taken to protect debtors
from unscrupulous lenders. Yet today it is creditors who
are protected at the expense of debtors, corporations at
the expense of citizens, banks at the expense of nations.
Theres no political will to solve this issue, said one man

at the Killeshin Hotel last week. Because there are no

votes in it. Unlike the water charges, people are too
ashamed to protest.
He may be right. An invitation was issued to every TD and
senator in Leinster House. Five attended none from the
last government parties. We know that people are going
to die [due to debt] he added.
Another man spoke passionately and bitterly of debtrelated suicides occurring daily as he urged people to act
now before there are further deaths.
You may think this is emotionally charged exaggeration,
but a recent survey by the Irish Mortgage Holders
Organisation (IMHO) found that of 488 people aged
between 29-70 who are in debt (questioned by clinical
psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy), 44pc said they felt
depressed all or most of the time; 31pc have had suicidal
thoughts in the past four weeks; 22pc had active plans to
kill themselves and 45pc indicated harmful levels of
alcohol abuse.
Now, just think of the thousands of people in mortgage
distress in this country and you can begin to imagine the
depth of human suffering in our midst.
So what can we do? This week, we heard promises about
putting pressure on banks to offer sustainable solutions
to those in mortgage distress and there are suggestions
for a new court to deal with arrears; but, judging by the
numbers at risk and the distress involved, this will not
suffice.
Certainly we need people to be offered split mortgages,
term extensions and long-term interest rate reductions.
But for many families, what is needed is debt-forgiveness.
And quickly. But the banks who brought the country to its
knees through their reckless lending and were rewarded
for doing so with billions of our euro wont play ball.

They are so confident of their power that they are

currently swindling variable-rate mortgage-holders with
high interest rates.
They are selling off homes to vulture funds at a cost not
offered to the now homeless occupiers. They are doing
pretty much as they please.
The new Government is making noises about putting
manners on them. But for many families in mortgage
distress, it may already be too late.
@carolmhunt
The Hub Ireland: http://www.thehub-ireland.com/ Phone:
01 534 9118
IMHO https://www.mortgageholders.ie/contact/
Phoenix Project Ireland 1850203040
Samaritans 116 123.
Aware 1800 80 48 48.
Pieta House 01 601 0000
Sunday Independent
NO COMITTMENT TO STOP EVICTIONS IN FF-FG DEAL FOR
GOVERNMENT
Protect the family home and introduce additional long
term solutions for mortgage arrears cases.
This is so vague that it could mean nothing.
There is no comittment to declaring a housing emergency
FF-FG DEAL on Minority Government
Securing Affordable Homes and Tackling Homelessness

 Significantly increase and expedite the delivery of social

housing units, remove barriers to private housing supply
and initiate an affordable housing scheme
Retain mortgage interest relief beyond the current end
date of December 2017 on a tapered basis.
Increase rent supplement and Housing Assistance
payment (HAP) limits by up to 15% taking account of
geographic variations in market rents, and extend the roll
out by local authorities of the HAP, including the capacity
to make discretionary enhanced payments.
Protect the family home and introduce additional long
term solutions for mortgage arrears cases.
Improve supports and services for older people to live
independently in their own home, including a provision for
pension increases.
Provide greater protection for mortgage holders, tenants
and SMEs whose loans have been transferred to nonregulated entities (vulture funds).
GREAT ANTI_EVICTION MEETING Took Place Saturday,
April 30 IN PORT LAOISE
MEETING HAS GIVEN FG-FF 6 weeks to END EVICTIONS
Listen at Links Below
Port Laoise Anti-Eviction Meeting-Proceedings Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYkC_QrkZZo
Port Laoise Anti-Eviction Meeting-Proceedings Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UX_2e8dPQLw&feature=youtu.be
Arrival of Vulture funds set to fuel evictions, report reveals
Irish Times Colm Keena
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 01:00
The arrival of vulture funds in the Irish property market
means an increased likelihood of people being evicted
from their homes, according to a report published today.

The funds that have bought into the Irish commercial and
residential property market, mostly by way of buying loans
from State-owned institutions, will want to see big yields
on their investments, which in practice means squeezing
debtors hard.
The report entitled, From Puerto Rico to the Dublin
Docklands, Vulture Funds and Debt in Ireland and the
Global South, by the Debt and Development Coalition
Ireland (DDCI), said that while there is little research yet
available on the effect of vulture fund involvement in the
European property market, research from the US indicates
an increased likelihood of people being thrown out of their
homes.
DDCI is a coalition of Irish development, faith-based and
solidarity groups concerned about the effects of debt on
developing countries. It is chaired by Sorley McCaughey,
advocacy and policy officer with Christian Aid. The report
was written by Dr Michael Byrne of the UCD School of
Social Justice.
Distressed debt
Hedge funds or private equity funds that invest in
distressed debt vulture funds originally invested in
sovereign debt but since the financial crisis in 2008 have
moved into buying loans linked to the property market in
the US and Europe.
The Irish Government, according to the report, has
wholeheartedly embraced vulture funds and their entry
into the Irish market could not have occurred were it not
for two major public banking institutions, the National
Asset Management Agency (Nama), and the Irish Bank
Resolution Corporation (IBRC).
Nama is the public entity that acted as Irelands bad bank
for property loans issued by Irish banks, while the IBRC,
which is now in liquidation, took over the collapsed Anglo
Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide.

Locals priced out

The report says that these two institutions sold assets
under time pressure and did so at high discounts. Because
the loans were sold in large bundles or portfolios, local
investors were priced out. The two institutions sell big,
they sell quick, and they sell cheap, according to the
report.
This created a context which not only favoured vulture
funds, in a sense it meant that only vulture funds had the
financial fire power required to play this extremely high
stakes game. The fact that the Irish financial system is in
crisis means it was very hard or impossible for domestic
actors to obtain credit to invest in Irish real estate.
The creation of a direct link between Irish property and the
international financial system, via the vulture funds,
exposes the Irish economy and society to the possibility of
sharp shocks caused by events very much outside the
control of the Irish political or regulatory system,
according to the report.
Global vulture funds, most of them US-based, are
snapping up distressed debt linked to European property,
most especially in the UK, Ireland and Spain. Global groups
such as Cerberus, Lone Star Capital, and Blackstone, are
among the top investors here.
2016 irishtimes.com

Irish Times Report and Full Dail Record of Noonan Reply to

Seamus Healy TDs Call to STOP REPOSSESSIONS Further
Down
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!

State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are

seeking repossession of homes by court order throughout
the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance
Michael Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to
desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures
from a Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter
3(July, August, September) 207 properties were
repossessed on foot of a court order. The idea that tens of
thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not
correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is
nothing technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he
attempts to minimise the awful trauma for 207 families
which are losing their homes. A key tactic of the spinner
to deceive is the omission of key information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1
month only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and
September. Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the
month of July only!

The full information provided by the Courts Service and

reported by Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November
is: Of the 1,088 court orders for repossession made in
the three quarters of 2015 up to September 30, 758 were
for primary homes, 131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were
for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015
Q1

314, Q2 586, Q3 188

There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to

June period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks
the figure for Q3 which he then implies is typical though it
contains one month( July) figures only! The reason the
Central Bank figure for Q3 (207) is slightly above the
Courts Service figure (188) may be that the Central Bank
figure contains High Court orders in addition to the Circuit
Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his
tracks claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the
situation! The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct he said. Additionally,
this allows him to suggest that the repossession problem
is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is being
represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3
quarters of 2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes
since the start of the year up to September 30, the latest
figures from the Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty
Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the
third quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to
enforce the debt security on private dwelling house
mortgages in 1,687 cases (Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to
minimize a problem which is in fact already
disastrous-the oldest trick in the book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a
most important right. The vast majority of people in

mortgage difficulty are entirely blameless for their own

predicament. They were setting up homes at a particular
time. They may have had to move jobs or have been
transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central
bank and the financial regulator and by the government of
the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and
superior interests and that the vindication of the rights of
householders to stay in their own home is a secondary
consideration even if families must be placed in hotel
rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these
banks are run on a commercial and independent basis to
ensure the value of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his
intention to sell the state owned banks to private
investors. Clearly, he is concerned to maximise the sale
value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full
international investors who risked their funds in Irish
Banks. Money was borrowed from international financiers
to pay this compensation. Now Minister Noonan and the
FG/Labour Government are using the banks to collect
money originally paid to international investors in the
same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks
are allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers
which are well above average rates in other European
countries within the Eurozone. The value of houses in
Ireland has now risen. Hence the huge rise in
repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened
up for privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no
power to give instructions to state owned banks.

He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my

predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential
component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr
Noonan had no power to instruct the government owned
banks. The old omission trick! Mr Noonan omitted the
words voluntary from voluntary relationship
framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the
relationship framework at any time. He has taken a
political decision to continue to honour it-and to allow the
banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned
banks from evicting people would lead to people applying
to their local TD for a loan and that the notion of state
owned and directed banks was preposterous! Of course
there have been state owned banks in Ireland for decades
and there have been such in other European countries for
even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for dealing
with the problem of people applying to politicians for
loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of
the government for evicting people on the one hand and
extorting money to pay off international lenders from
mortgage holders and small businesses on the other..
Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears
problem is being progressively solved through helpful
measures put in place by his government. The truth is that
the problem of the banks is being solved by repossessing
homes and extending mortgages at exorbitant interest

rates for a greater number of years.

Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not
doing so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.
Dail Record Jan 14/2016 Home Repossession
Parliamentary Question from Seamus Healy TD to Minister
for Finance Ml. Noonan
Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Finance if
he will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the
Educational Building Society and Permanent TSB, which
are in majority State ownership, desist from seeking
repossession of family homes through the Courts and
withdraw all such existing applications before the Courts;
and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the
housing crisis by repossessing family homes. I am asking
the Minister, as the majority shareholder, to instruct the
banks to desist from this practice.
Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy
Healy for raising this question. As he is aware, I have no
direct function in the relationship between the customer
and PTSB, or AIB and its subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding
the fact that the State is a shareholder in these
institutions, I must ensure that these banks are run on a
commercial and independent basis to ensure the value of

the banks as an asset to the State.

Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board
and management of the relevant institution. The
relationship framework agreements define the armslength nature of the relationship between the State and
the banks in which the State has an investment. The
banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options open to
them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,
within the significant constraints imposed by their
regulator, the Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to
address the problem of mortgage arrears and family home
repossessions. The primary focus of this strategy is to
support those home owners in difficulty with their
mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible, to avoid
repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of
and access to the insolvency framework. We expanded the
mortgage-to-rent scheme, making it more accessible. In
addition, my colleague, the Minister for Justice and
Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also introduced the
Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will, among
other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy
from three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage
arrears also provides protection as it sets out
requirements for lenders dealing with borrowers who are
facing, or in, mortgage arrears on their primary residence.
It ensures that borrowers struggling to keep up mortgage
repayments are treated in a fair and transparent manner
by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by
lenders with each of their borrowers.
The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall.
There are almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in
place and the vast majority of these are working. The
figures demonstrate that most families can, working with
their financial institutions, find an arrangement to make
their mortgage commitments affordable. Active

engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is

key to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge
borrowers in arrears who have not already done so to take
that step by contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for
an independent assessment of their situation and advice
on available resolution options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of
homelessness in this country. Last November, the Dublin
Homeless Executive provided figures according to which
some 1,425 children in 677 families were in emergency
accommodation. The Dublin Simon Community said that
was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland said that
the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks
and accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to
be introduced in the courts. These banks are majority
owned by the State and it is open to the Minister to
instruct these banks to desist from repossessing family
homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families are facing
repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very
important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the
Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy
Alan Kelly, brought forward proposals last year that have
blunted the edge of this particular social crisis. Certainly,
over the Christmas period there was less sense of a crisis
with homelessness than there had been earlier in the year.
The measures introduced by the Minister, Deputy Kelly,
have been working and, please God, they will continue to
work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of
the Deputys notified question, there is some interesting
data published by the Central Bank. During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce
the debt security on private dwelling house mortgages in
1,687 cases. During quarter three, there were 798 cases

where court proceedings concluded but arrears remained

outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an order for
repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the
quarter, of which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The remaining 215 were voluntarily surrendered or
abandoned. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct. A small amount goes
through the system. With the changes made by the
Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money
Advice & Budgeting Service assisting directly people
before the courts, I hope the number will diminish even
further. It is the policy of the Government to put
arrangements in place so that people can live in the family
home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority
shareholder in these banks and he has obviously given
permission to the banks to repossess family homes. He
could equally instruct these banks not to go down this
road and repossess family homes. He could call an
emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct
them not to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so
immediately and if bank directors do not agree, they
should be sacked, as the Minister has the power to do so
as a majority shareholder. This is urgent and, irrespective
of the Ministers comments, thousands of families in the
country are facing homelessness because of banks in
which the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister
could give instructions to stop these repossessions and I
ask him to do so immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship
framework, signed by my predecessors in office, with the
banks and the essential component is that the political
side will not interfere in commercial decisions. That is for a
very good reason as we do not want to politicise the
banks. It would be a very sad day for the country if the
first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be the
local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do

that at all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political
interference with the banks. On the question of
repossessions, 207 houses were repossessed on foot of a
court order, which does not equate to the tens of
thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in
commentary. There are 121,000 restructured mortgages
on private dwellings, with a success rate of 86.6%. That
means the arrangements stick in just under 87% of cases.
The problem is being solved progressively. I appreciate it is
very hard on people and I can appreciate that people who
lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks

Woman facing return to prison over refusal

Noonan: home repossessions being handled reasonably
well
Minister says no political interference in bank decision, but
progress being made
Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14,
2016, 12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its
very hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their
jobs and I appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home
repossessions reasonably well, according to Minister for
Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being
repossessed is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people.
I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate
the concerns and I appreciate how upset people are.

But in a very extreme situation its been handled

reasonably well by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who
asked Mr Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and
its subsidiary EBS as well as the majority shareholder in
Permanent TSB, to call a meeting of the boards of the
banks and to instruct them not to repossess family
homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that
then sack those members. You have the power to do that
as majority shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country,
irrespective of what you say Minister, facing homelessness
by these banks, of which the Government is a majority
shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed
by the Governments predecessors in office that the
political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
and they did not want to politicise the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were
looking for a loan and your first port of call had to be your
local TD rather than the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court
order and that is not the 10s of thousands of houses
thats sometimes recited on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed
that in the third quarter of 2015 (July, August and
September) legal proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases
of private mortgages.

There were 798 cases where court proceedings

concluded but arrears remained outstanding and the court
granted a repossession order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by
lenders during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and
since the changes were made by the Minister for Justice
and that the money and Budgeting Advice Service are
assisting people before the courts that will diminish even
further, Mr Noonan added.

Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy

TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael
Noonan to order the banks he owns to withdraw
repossession proceedings in light of the extreme housing
emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government
has given the green light to the banks they own, to
continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences
were granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the
first 3 quarters of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also
house families were also repossessed. Banks are now
seeking a further 97 repossession orders for dwellings in
Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB, EBS and
Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being
reasonably handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting

the situation, Mr Noonan quoted the 208 orders for

repossessions for the whole country for Quarter 3,2015 as
representative of the scale of the problem. COURTS ONLY
SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN QUARTER 3!! The Court
Service Figures for the whole country for Quarters 1 and 2
are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!

Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State

Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a
Housing Emergency Declared and all repossession
applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw
the repossession applications by the banks he owns.
This can be done by government decision and does not
require legislation.
Seamus Healy T.D.
18/01/2016
Tel 087 2802199
Dail Record of Reply by Michael Noonan to Seamus Healy
TD on Repossessions (Jan 14) is carried below together
with article by Kitty Holland and other material from the
Courts Service
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES
THROUGH BANKS IT OWNS

293 families and aprox 600 children have become

homeless in the first 3 months of this year in Dublin Alone
From FOCUS IRELAND

85 families became newly homeless in Dublin in March

and were referred to our family services.
These latest figures mean that 293 families and aprox
600 children have become homeless in the first 3 months
of this year alone in the capital.
These latest figures come following a record total of 125
families became homeless in Jan and 83 in Feb this year in
Dublin.
The number of families and children in homeless
emergency accommodation at a national level at a point
in time as of the end of February has shot up by a
staggering 112% in the last year from 429 families with
938 children in Feb 2015 to a current total of 912 families
& 1881 children.
These shocking new figures come just ahead of the Dail
sitting today and there is also a joint Meeting of the Cross
Departmental Team on Homelessness and the National
Homelessness Consultative Committee.
We are very worried that despite all the talk about
homelessness the caretaker Government has taken no
new actions to tackle this worsening crisis since the Dail
first sat over a month ago on March 10th.
Tackling the housing and homeless crisis must be at the
heart of any new Programme For Government, and we
previously issued a five point plan setting out the key
elements which should inform such a programme. These
demands include calling for a cast iron commitment to end
family homelessness with a firm target date to achieve
this and also a commitment to build 40,000 social homes
over the next 5 years.
We must remember that while the horse-trading to form
the new government is taking place more than 3 families
have become homeless every single day so far this year.
Todays joint meeting is a positive development to discuss

some pressing issues. However, it is important to stress

that there are a range of measures which can be put in
place while we wait for the new government to be formed
to ensure that they are not starting from scratch on
putting together a plan to tackle the housing and
homeless crisis.
Some of these urgent actions Focus Ireland is calling for
include:
Firm action to provide greater security for tenants in buyto-let properties as 27,492 of these properties are more
than 90 days in arrears. The Dail can easily fast-track
amendments to current legislation to provide this vital
protection for tenants as we wait for a new government to
be formed.
Taking action to raise rent supplement so it reflects
market rents as this will help to keep families and
individuals in their current homes and prevent them from
becoming homeless.
To confirm what action is required to ensure NAMA
delivers more social housing.
You can read more about this here:
http://bit.ly/300familieshomeless

HOMELESSNESS UP 50% AS SOUTH DUBLIN CO COUNCIL

DECLARES HOUSING EMERGENCY
The number of people accessing emergency shelters
across the State was up by almost 50 per cent in February,
compared to the same month last year, according to the
latest figures on homelessness.
The figures, from the Department of the Environment,
show there were 5,881 people in emergency
accommodation in February, which represents a year-onyear increase of 49 per cent. Among them were 1,881
children, which represents an increase of 101 per cent.
Simon Communities of Ireland spokeswoman Niamh
Randall said the figures were shocking and demonstrate
that existing measures to tackle homelessness are
failing.-Irish Times 14/04/2016
Open letter to Alan Kelly Dont blame the housing crisis

on the Constitution
Edmund Honohan
Master of the High Court
PUBLISHED03/04/2016 | 02:30
Sunday Indepenent
In an open letter to Alan Kelly, the environment minister,
the Master of the High Court Edmund Honohan says the
Constitution cannot be used as cover for political inaction
on the housing crisis
Dear Minister Kelly,
It is appropriate that you have, in this centenary year,
called for a debate about property rights in the
Constitution. Faced with repeated assertions about how
the right to property is legally watertight, politicians need
to recover control which they have ceded to the lawyers.
To do so they need to understand that the position is a lot
clearer than they have been led to believe.
Echoes of 1916: The Constitution in effect provides that
the State may expropriate private property if the
Oireachtas decides that to do so is for the common
good. Road widening is a good example.
Option A. At the moment there are long waiting lists for
housing and the private rental market is unable to provide
dwellings at affordable rents.
Consequently, if the Oireachtas is of the view that the
State should itself (or its local authorities) provide public
housing in the Common Good, the State can (and
probably, legally, should) decide not to wait the two/three
years needed to build social housing but instead to
immediately acquire houses now in private hands.
If the owners of these refuse to sell, acquisition can be by
compulsory purchase with full compensation assessed by
the arbitrator.
It so happens that there is a stock of such housing which

has recently been bought by vulture property

investment funds from Anglo, Irish Nationwide, Nama etc.
at knockdown prices. Compensation for these funds
would be that they would be repaid the price they paid for
the housing portfolios. That is the extent of their
Constitutional entitlement.
Option B. On the other hand, the Oireachtas might be
concerned to enhance tenants rights at the expense of
the landlords. Rent controls and the like are also a form of
expropriation if their effect is to rewrite contracts already
operational. And the common good rationale for such
interference with contracts is not as clearly unarguable as
with Option A.
Option A wins hands down and the timing is right.
Cue now the lawyers alternative analysis: that the
Constitution enshrines marketplace rules; that the
Supreme Court will determine what is the Common Good.
Publish the Attorney Generals advice to the Government
and have a fully informed debate.
But given that the Supreme Court has already decided, in
2000, that the provision of affordable housing is an
objective which is socially just and required by the
common good, what we do about it now is a political
decision, not a legal one.
The Constitution cannot be used as cover for political
inaction.
Sunday Independent
Dail Debate: Government Knowingly and Deliberately
Causing Homelessness-Seamus Healy TD
Deputy Seamus Healy:Information on Seamus HealyZoom
on Seamus HealyThe outgoing Government, knowingly
and deliberately, created and caused homelessness. I say

this because the State owns Allied Irish Banks, Permanent

TSB and the Educational Building Society. The Minister and
current caretaker Administration are allowing these
financial institutions to evict people from their homes.
They can stop such evictions by telling the banks to stop
causing homelessness. No legislation is required to do so
because the Government, through the Ministers for the
Environment, Community and Local Government and
Finance, could issue a simple directive to stop financial
institutions from making people homeless.
The National Asset Management Agency which is owned
by the State is creating homelessness by evicting people
and selling residences and apartments to vulture funds
that are engaging in evictions. The State could also stop
this practice by issuing a simple instruction to NAMA. I
reiterate that the State is deliberately creating
homelessness and should stop doing so immediately.
I will refer briefly to the Tnaistes reference to the housing
assistance payment. The HAP scheme is an outrageous
rip-off of tenants, most, if not all, of whom must pay
differential rent to their local authority and a top-up to
their landlord, which is often as much as 50 per week.
The scheme should be stopped immediately.
If we are to address the homelessness and housing crisis,
the Government and the new Dil must declare a housing
emergency immediately. Otherwise, we will not be able to
deal with the problem. The Government should also take
up the offer made by the credit unions to provide between
5 billion and 8 billion to help address the housing
problem.
Deputy Mick Barry:Information on Mick BarryZoom on Mick
BarryI agree with the points made by Deputy Seamus
Healy. I will make several points about the scandal that
recently unfolded on the Eden estate in Blackrock in Cork
city where tenants in 35 apartments received letters
earlier this year terminating their leases and giving notice
to quit. Many of them had lived in the properties in
question for years. The letters were issued by Grant

Thornton, the receiver in charge of 127 apartments on the

estate, which was appointed by the State-owned IBRC in
November 2010. This is the latest chapter in the saga of
Anglo Irish Bank and the Irish Nationwide Building Society.
KPMG has been the Government appointed liquidator of
IBRC since January 2013. As instructed by the Fine GaelLabour Party Government, the liquidators only interest is
in maximising the financial return to the State from the
carcases of Anglo Irish Bank and the Irish Nationwide
Building Society and it has no regard for the social impact
of doing so. In this sense, it is an even more heartless and
anti-social arm of the State than NAMA.
As of January 2016, IBRC had netted 2.1 billion from sales
such as those envisaged on the Eden estate. This sum has
not been used to address the housing crisis because most
of it has been ring-fenced for distribution among IBRCs
creditors which include Anglo Irish Bank subordinated
bondholders. Some of the money is intended to be used
for payment in full of certain employee and pension
claims prior to the date of liquidation. Does this include
pension payments to former members of Anglo Irish Bank
and Irish Nationwide Building Society management such
as Mr. David Drumm and Mr. Michael Fingleton?

NAMA (Really the Minister for Finance) Worsening Crisis

Through Sale of Homes to Vulture Funds.
Government also evicting Families through Banks it Owns
McPeake Auctioneers (Tyrellstown in Irish Times March 16)
The supply into the market from the builders is much
lower than the market needs, and that is because of a
number of reasons.
The first is that the control of sites into the market is
being controlled by a much smaller pool of players. The
big developers who were there all ended up in Nama or a

financial institution.
The financial institutions have all now basically all sold off
their loans and Nama is selling off the balance. All of those
loans have gone basically to these venture capital funds.
Its a problem thats been created, in particular, Namas
desire to do away with Nama, to be able to say Namas
now gone, isnt that great, but what youve really done is
transferred the whole stock of development land and a
considerable number of private residential properties, that
may be rented or may not be rented, into the hands of
people outside the country.
High Court Master, Edmund Honahan, urges State to
nationalise repossessed homes
The Master of the High Court has called on the
Government to nationalise repossessed homes and buyto-lets that banks have sold to speculators and investment
trusts and use them as social housing.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personalfinance/property-mortgages/high-court-master-urgesstate-to-nationalise-repossessed-homes-34282536.html
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES
THROUGH BANKS IT OWNS
Noonan Pic
Its no Joke But More Tommy Cooper than Penn and Teller!
Irish Times Report on Dil Discussion Further Down
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!
It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!

State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are

seeking repossession of homes by court order throughout
the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance
Michael Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to
desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures
from a Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter
3(July, August, September) 207 properties were
repossessed on foot of a court order. The idea that tens of
thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not
correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is
nothing technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he
attempts to minimise the awful trauma for 207 families
which are losing their homes. A key tactic of the spinner
to deceive is the omission of key information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1
month only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and
September. Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the
month of July only!

The full information provided by the Courts Service and

reported by Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November
is: Of the 1,088 court orders for repossession made in
the three quarters of 2015 up to September 30, 758 were
for primary homes, 131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were
for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015

Q1

314, Q2 586, Q3 188

There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to

June period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks
the figure for Q3 which he then implies is typical though it
contains one month( July) figures only! The reason the
Central Bank figure for Q3 (207) is slightly above the
Courts Service figure (188) may be that the Central Bank
figure contains High Court orders in addition to the Circuit
Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his
tracks claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the
situation! The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct he said. Additionally,
this allows him to suggest that the repossession problem
is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is being
represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3
quarters of 2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes
since the start of the year up to September 30, the latest
figures from the Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty
Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the
third quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to
enforce the debt security on private dwelling house
mortgages in 1,687 cases (Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to
minimize a problem which is in fact already
disastrous-the oldest trick in the book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan
The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a

most important right. The vast majority of people in

mortgage difficulty are entirely blameless for their own
predicament. They were setting up homes at a particular
time. They may have had to move jobs or have been
transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central
bank and the financial regulator and by the government of
the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and
superior interests and that the vindication of the rights of
householders to stay in their own home is a secondary
consideration even if families must be placed in hotel
rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these
banks are run on a commercial and independent basis to
ensure the value of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his
intention to sell the state owned banks to private
investors. Clearly, he is concerned to maximise the sale
value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full
international investors who risked their funds in Irish
Banks. Money was borrowed from international financiers
to pay this compensation. Now Minister Noonan and the
FG/Labour Government are using the banks to collect
money originally paid to international investors in the
same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks
are allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers
which are well above average rates in other European
countries within the Eurozone. The value of houses in
Ireland has now risen. Hence the huge rise in
repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened
up for privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no

power to give instructions to state owned banks.

He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my
predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential
component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr
Noonan had no power to instruct the government owned
banks. The old omission trick! Mr Noonan omitted the
words voluntary from voluntary relationship
framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the
relationship framework at any time. He has taken a
political decision to continue to honour it-and to allow the
banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned
banks from evicting people would lead to people applying
to their local TD for a loan and that the notion of state
owned and directed banks was preposterous! Of course
there have been state owned banks in Ireland for decades
and there have been such in other European countries for
even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for dealing
with the problem of people applying to politicians for
loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of
the government for evicting people on the one hand and
extorting money to pay off international lenders from
mortgage holders and small businesses on the other..
Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears
problem is being progressively solved through helpful
measures put in place by his government. The truth is that
the problem of the banks is being solved by repossessing

homes and extending mortgages at exorbitant interest

rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not
doing so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.
Noonan: home repossessions being handled reasonably
well
Minister says no political interference in bank decision, but
progress being made
Irish Times Thu, Jan 14, 2016, 11:39 Updated: Thu, Jan 14,
2016, 12:03
Marie OHalloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: I appreciate that its
very hard on people. I appreciate people have lost their
jobs and I appreciate how upset people are.
Banks have been dealing with the issue of home
repossessions reasonably well, according to Minister for
Finance Michael Noonan.
He said this idea of tens of thousands of houses being
repossessed is just not correct.
Mr Noonan said I appreciate that its very hard on people.
I appreciate people have lost their jobs and I appreciate
the concerns and I appreciate how upset people are.

But in a very extreme situation its been handled

reasonably well by the banks.
He was responding to Independent TD Samus Healy who
asked Mr Noonan, as the majority shareholder in AIB and
its subsidiary EBS as well as the majority shareholder in
Permanent TSB, to call a meeting of the boards of the
banks and to instruct them not to repossess family
homes.
He said that if the bank directors would not agree to that
then sack those members. You have the power to do that
as majority shareholder.
There are thousands of families in this country,
irrespective of what you say Minister, facing homelessness
by these banks, of which the Government is a majority
shareholder.
Mr Noonan said a relationship framework had been agreed
by the Governments predecessors in office that the
political side will not interfere in commercial decisions
and they did not want to politicise the banks.
It would be a very sad day for the country if you were
looking for a loan and your first port of call had to be your
local TD rather than the bank manager.
He said 207 houses were repossessed on foot of court
order and that is not the 10s of thousands of houses
thats sometimes recited on the commentary on this.
He said 121,000 mortgages on private dwellings had been
restructured and the success rate was 86.6 per cent.
So progressively the problem is being solved.
Mr Noonan said statistics from the Central Bank showed
that in the third quarter of 2015 (July, August and
September) legal proceedings were issued in 1,687 cases
of private mortgages.

There were 798 cases where court proceedings

concluded but arrears remained outstanding and the court
granted a repossession order in 329 cases.
A total of 422 properties were taken into possession by
lenders during the quarter and 215 were voluntary.
Its a very small amount to go through the system and
since the changes were made by the Minister for Justice
and that the money and Budgeting Advice Service are
assisting people before the courts that will diminish even
further, Mr Noonan added.

Government Evicts Families-Statement bySeamus Healy

TD
This government is continuing to evict families from their
homes.
In the Dil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael
Noonan to order the banks he owns to withdraw
repossession proceedings in light of the extreme housing
emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government
has given the green light to the banks they own, to
continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences
were granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the
first 3 quarters of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also
house families were also repossessed. Banks are now
seeking a further 97 repossession orders for dwellings in
Tipp, of which 32 are being sought by AIB, EBS and
Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government
through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being
reasonably handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting

the situation, Mr Noonan quoted the 208 orders for

repossessions for the whole country for Quarter 3,2015 as
representative of the scale of the problem. COURTS ONLY
SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN QUARTER 3!! The Court
Service Figures for the whole country for Quarters 1 and 2
are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be
Stopped Now!

Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State

Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a
Housing Emergency Declared and all repossession
applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw
the repossession applications by the banks he owns.
This can be done by government decision and does not
require legislation.
Seamus Healy T.D.
18/01/2016
Tel 087 2802199
Dail Record of Reply by Michael Noonan to Seamus Healy
TD on Repossessions (Jan 14) is carried below together
with article by Kitty Holland and other material from the
Courts Service
Homelessness is an Emergency-Minister
BUT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVICT FAMILIES
THROUGH BANKS IT OWNS
REPOSSESSIONS: NOONANS MASTER CLASSPaddy Healy
SPINNING TO MISLEAD ON REPOSSESSIONS IN THE DIL!

It is No Joke but Tommy Cooper Strikes Again!

State Owned Banks, AIB, EBS,PERMANENT TSB, are
seeking repossession of homes by court order throughout
the country.
Seamus Healy TD recently asked Minister for Finance
Michael Noonan in the Dil to instruct these banks to
desist from this.
Mr Noonan refused and stated that In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks.
In the course of his reply Minister Noonan quoted figures
from a Central Bank report which stated that in Quarter
3(July, August, September) 207 properties were
repossessed on foot of a court order. The idea that tens of
thousands of houses are being repossessed is just not
correct he said.
This statement is entirely deceptive though there is
nothing technically incorrect in it. It is not just that he
attempts to minimise the awful trauma for 207 families
which are losing their homes. A key tactic of the spinner
to deceive is the omission of key information.
Noonans 207 court orders for repossession are for 1
month only!!! Circuit courts do not sit in August and
September. Hence the Quarter 3 figures are for the
month of July only!

The full information provided by the Courts Service and

reported by Kitty Holland in the Irish Times Last November
is: Of the 1,088 court orders for repossession made in
the three quarters of 2015 up to September 30, 758 were
for primary homes, 131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were
for other dwellings. -Irish Times
Courts Service: Repossession Orders in Circuit Courts 2015

Q1

314, Q2 586, Q3 188

There was a huge increase in possessions in the April to

June period. Mr Noonan omits this information, and picks
the figure for Q3 which he then implies is typical though it
contains one month( July) figures only! The reason the
Central Bank figure for Q3 (207) is slightly above the
Courts Service figure (188) may be that the Central Bank
figure contains High Court orders in addition to the Circuit
Court orders supplied by the Courts Service.
In time honoured fashion Spinner Noonan, to cover his
tracks claims that it is others who are misrepresenting the
situation! The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct he said. Additionally,
this allows him to suggest that the repossession problem
is really minimal and not nearly as bad as is being
represented.
No journalist or serious person has spoken about tens of
thousands of repossessions. 1,088 orders in the first 3
quarters of 2015 is already a disastrous figure!!!
For example, Kitty Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015. says
: Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes
since the start of the year up to September 30, the latest
figures from the Courts Service of Ireland indicate-Kitty
Holland, Irish Times Nov 12, 2015.
This is in line with the Central Bank Report: During the
third quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to
enforce the debt security on private dwelling house
mortgages in 1,687 cases (Central Bank Report).
Noonan invents the tens of thousands in order to
minimize a problem which is in fact already
disastrous-the oldest trick in the book of the spinner.
STATE DIRECTION OF BANKS IS UNTHINKABLE!-Noonan

The right of human beings to stay in their own homes is a

most important right. The vast majority of people in
mortgage difficulty are entirely blameless for their own
predicament. They were setting up homes at a particular
time. They may have had to move jobs or have been
transferred in their job at a particular time. They were
failed by the state and by its organs such as the central
bank and the financial regulator and by the government of
the day.
But Mr Noonan believes that there are superior rights and
superior interests and that the vindication of the rights of
householders to stay in their own home is a secondary
consideration even if families must be placed in hotel
rooms or hostels and may be dispersed.
Mr Noonan: Notwithstanding the fact that the State is a
shareholder in these institutions, I must ensure that these
banks are run on a commercial and independent basis to
ensure the value of the banks as an asset to the State
Finance Minister Noonan has already made clear his
intention to sell the state owned banks to private
investors. Clearly, he is concerned to maximise the sale
value of the banks.
Mr Noonan voted in the Dil to compensate in full
international investors who risked their funds in Irish
Banks. Money was borrowed from international financiers
to pay this compensation. Now Minister Noonan and the
FG/Labour Government are using the banks to collect
money originally paid to international investors in the
same banks from the Irish population. Accordingly, Banks
are allowed to charge interest rates to all Irish borrowers
which are well above average rates in other European
countries within the Eurozone. The value of houses in
Ireland has now risen. Hence the huge rise in
repossessions between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2015.
The Priority of Government is that the banks be fattened

up for privatisation
Mr Noonan also tries to give the impression that he has no
power to give instructions to state owned banks.
He says: There is a relationship framework, signed by my
predecessors in office, with the banks and the essential
component is that the political side will not interfere in
commercial decisions
Many listening may have got the impression that Mr
Noonan had no power to instruct the government owned
banks. The old omission trick! Mr Noonan omitted the
words voluntary from voluntary relationship
framework -And he blames his predecessors-Fianna
Fil- as well!
The truth is that Mr Noonan can withdraw from the
relationship framework at any time. He has taken a
political decision to continue to honour it-and to allow the
banks to evict Irish families!
He then drags up the notion that stopping state owned
banks from evicting people would lead to people applying
to their local TD for a loan and that the notion of state
owned and directed banks was preposterous! Of course
there have been state owned banks in Ireland for decades
and there have been such in other European countries for
even longer. There are well tried mechanisms for dealing
with the problem of people applying to politicians for
loans.
Noonan uses the image to cover up the responsibility of
the government for evicting people on the one hand and
extorting money to pay off international lenders from
mortgage holders and small businesses on the other..
Pontius Pilate Lives!!!
Mortgage Arrears Problem is Being Solved ProgressivelyNoonan
Noonan gives the impression that the mortgage arrears

problem is being progressively solved through helpful

measures put in place by his government. The truth is that
the problem of the banks is being solved by repossessing
homes and extending mortgages at exorbitant interest
rates for a greater number of years.
Crafty Capitalist Representative
Michael Noonan is a very crafty political representative of
the Irish super-rich, Irish big business and of foreign big
business. He is a master of spinning to deceive. He is
assisted in this by the editorial writers and by the media
political and economic correspondents. It would be simple
for these to expose him but they have a vested in not
doing so!
In fairness Kitty Holland in the Irish Times has accurately
reported the rate of actual repossessions and court
applications for repossession and columnist Fintan OToole
has exposed his Tommy Cooperstyle deception on tax
equity in favour of the very rich.
Repossessions of Dwellings by Court Order-From Courts
Service
(Q2)April to June 2015
Residence
buy-to-let
Total
383 97 106 586
(Q1)Jan march 2015
233 29

52

other

314

Q3 (July to September)
41
188

142

Q3 Central Bank
207 (properties)were
repossessed on foot of a court order.
Q1,Q2,Q3
199

758
1088

131

The data, released to The Irish Times, also shows 1,088

repossession orders were granted by the courts in the first
nine months of the year, almost 70 per cent more than the
644 granted in the same period last year and 350 per cent
more than the 240 granted in the period in 2013.
Of the 1,088 orders made, 758 were for primary homes,
131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were for other
dwellings. Kitty Holland Irish Times Nov 12
These cases (court orders) in the statistics are not the
only cases in which a financial institution is foreclosing.
The vast majority of mortgages contain a foreclosure
clause which becomes operative, without the need for a
court order, if there is any failure in payment of
instalments.
Accordingly, only figures supplied by the credit
institutions would disclose the overall number of
properties being recovered or sold by credit institutions.Statement From Courts Service August 6,2015
Noonan in Dil Jan 14
Central Bank. During the third quarter of 2015, legal
proceedings were issued to enforce the debt security on
private dwelling house mortgages in 1,687 cases. During
quarter three, there were 798 cases where court
proceedings concluded but arrears remained outstanding.
In 329 cases, the court granted an order for repossession
or the sale of the property. A total of 422 properties were
taken into possession by lenders in the quarter, of which
207 were repossessed on foot of a court order. The
remaining 215 were voluntarily surrendered or abandoned.
Ml Noonan On the question of repossessions, 207
houses were repossessed on foot of a court order(in 2015ph), which does not equate to the tens of thousands of
houses sometimes mentioned in commentary. Jan 14
More than 7,000 dwellings targeted by lenders up to 2015,

says Courts Service

Thu, Nov 12, 2015, 01:00
Kitty Holland
Some 889 applications for repossession were refused by
the courts so far this year. Photograph: Getty Images
Banks have sought to repossess almost 4,500 homes since
the start of the year, the latest figures from the Courts
Service of Ireland indicate.
These are in addition to the 7,100 dwellings lenders had
already moved to repossess by January 1st, 2015.
The figures, covering the first nine months of the year,
show lenders lodged 4,440 civil bills for repossession
across the States 26 circuit courts.
Some 3,638 (82 per cent) of these are for primary homes,
89 (2 per cent) are for buy-to-lets with 713 (16 per cent)
for other dwellings.
However, the number of bills lodged is down compared
with the same period last year when 6,420 bills were
lodged, indicating a possible levelling off in repossession
activity by the banks.
The data, released to The Irish Times, also shows 1,088
repossession orders were granted by the courts in the first
nine months of the year, almost 70 per cent more than the
644 granted in the same period last year and 350 per cent
more than the 240 granted in the period in 2013.
Of the 1,088 orders made, 758 were for primary homes,
131 were for buy-to-lets and 199 were for other
dwellings.
Dail Record Jan 14
Home Repossession

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Finance if

he will insist that Allied Irish Bank and its subsidiary the
Educational Building Society and Permanent TSB, which
are in majority State ownership, desist from seeking
repossession of family homes through the Courts and
withdraw all such existing applications before the Courts;
and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1426/16]
Deputy Seamus Healy: Allied Irish Banks, the Educational
Building Society and Permanent TSB are in majority State
ownership. They are adding to homelessness and the
housing crisis by repossessing family homes. I am asking
the Minister, as the majority shareholder, to instruct the
banks to desist from this practice.
Deputy Michael Noonan: I would like to thank Deputy
Healy for raising this question. As he is aware, I have no
direct function in the relationship between the customer
and PTSB, or AIB and its subsidiary EBS. Notwithstanding
the fact that the State is a shareholder in these
institutions, I must ensure that these banks are run on a
commercial and independent basis to ensure the value of
the banks as an asset to the State.
Decisions taken by the banks are a matter for the board
and management of the relevant institution. The
relationship framework agreements define the armslength nature of the relationship between the State and
the banks in which the State has an investment. The
banks are therefore entitled to pursue all options open to
them in order to realise the value of their impaired assets,
within the significant constraints imposed by their
regulator, the Central Bank and the law as it applies.
The Government has put in place a broad strategy to
address the problem of mortgage arrears and family home
repossessions. The primary focus of this strategy is to
support those home owners in difficulty with their
mortgage repayments and, in so far as possible, to avoid
repossession of family homes. In recent months, the
Government agreed measures to enhance awareness of
and access to the insolvency framework. We expanded the
mortgage-to-rent scheme, making it more accessible. In

addition, my colleague, the Minister for Justice and

Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also introduced the
Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, which will, among
other things, reduce the normal duration of bankruptcy
from three years to one year.
The Central Bank of Irelands code of conduct on mortgage
arrears also provides protection as it sets out
requirements for lenders dealing with borrowers who are
facing, or in, mortgage arrears on their primary residence.
It ensures that borrowers struggling to keep up mortgage
repayments are treated in a fair and transparent manner
by their lenders and that long-term resolution is sought by
lenders with each of their borrowers.
The number of mortgages in arrears continues to fall.
There are almost 121,000 restructuring arrangements in
place and the vast majority of these are working. The
figures demonstrate that most families can, working with
their financial institutions, find an arrangement to make
their mortgage commitments affordable. Active
engagement by indebted borrowers with their lenders is
key to achieving sustainable resolutions. I would urge
borrowers in arrears who have not already done so to take
that step by contacting their lender directly, or MABS, for
an independent assessment of their situation and advice
on available resolution options.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a tsunami of
homelessness in this country. Last November, the Dublin
Homeless Executive provided figures according to which
some 1,425 children in 677 families were in emergency
accommodation. The Dublin Simon Community said that
was unacceptable and shameful. Focus Ireland said that
the Government had failed these families. The Master of
the High Court, Mr. Edmund Honohan, criticised the banks
and accused them of hounding home owners to suicide.
[Deputy Seamus Healy: ] He criticised the fast-tracked
repossession regime that the Government has allowed to
be introduced in the courts. These banks are majority
owned by the State and it is open to the Minister to

instruct these banks to desist from repossessing family

homes. In Tipperary alone, 100 families are facing
repossession. The Minister should insist that this stop.
Deputy Michael Noonan: Deputy Healy raised the very
important issue of homelessness and the Minister for the
Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy
Alan Kelly, brought forward proposals last year that have
blunted the edge of this particular social crisis. Certainly,
over the Christmas period there was less sense of a crisis
with homelessness than there had been earlier in the year.
The measures introduced by the Minister, Deputy Kelly,
have been working and, please God, they will continue to
work.
On the wider issue of repossession, which was the topic of
the Deputys notified question, there is some interesting
data published by the Central Bank. During the third
quarter of 2015, legal proceedings were issued to enforce
the debt security on private dwelling house mortgages in
1,687 cases. During quarter three, there were 798 cases
where court proceedings concluded but arrears remained
outstanding. In 329 cases, the court granted an order for
repossession or the sale of the property. A total of 422
properties were taken into possession by lenders in the
quarter, of which 207 were repossessed on foot of a court
order. The remaining 215 were voluntarily surrendered or
abandoned. The idea that tens of thousands of houses are
being repossessed is just not correct. A small amount goes
through the system. With the changes made by the
Minister for Justice and Equality and with the Money
Advice & Budgeting Service assisting directly people
before the courts, I hope the number will diminish even
further. It is the policy of the Government to put
arrangements in place so that people can live in the family
home.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister is the majority
shareholder in these banks and he has obviously given
permission to the banks to repossess family homes. He
could equally instruct these banks not to go down this
road and repossess family homes. He could call an

emergency meeting of these bank boards and instruct

them not to repossess family homes. I ask him to do so
immediately and if bank directors do not agree, they
should be sacked, as the Minister has the power to do so
as a majority shareholder. This is urgent and, irrespective
of the Ministers comments, thousands of families in the
country are facing homelessness because of banks in
which the State has a majority shareholding. The Minister
could give instructions to stop these repossessions and I
ask him to do so immediately.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There is a relationship
framework, signed by my predecessors in office, with the
banks and the essential component is that the political
side will not interfere in commercial decisions. That is for a
very good reason as we do not want to politicise the
banks. It would be a very sad day for the country if the
first port of call for a person seeking a loan had to be the
local Deputy rather than a bank manager.
Deputy Seamus Healy: We are not asking anybody to do
that at all.
Deputy Michael Noonan: There will be no political
interference with the banks. On the question of
repossessions, 207 houses were repossessed on foot of a
court order, which does not equate to the tens of
thousands of houses sometimes mentioned in
commentary. There are 121,000 restructured mortgages
on private dwellings, with a success rate of 86.6%. That
means the arrangements stick in just under 87% of cases.
The problem is being solved progressively. I appreciate it is
very hard on people and I can appreciate that people who
lost their jobs do not have money. I also appreciate the
concerns and how upset people are. In a very extreme
situation, the issue is being handled reasonably well by
the banks

Woman facing return to prison over refusal to hand over

her home to bank
Claire Knowles was lawfully jailed for contempt of court

order, High Court judge rules

Mary Carolan
Irish Times Dec 15
Claire Knowles (56) of Castlejane, Glanmire, Co Cork, who
will remain on bail until Wednesday evening after which
time she will return to Limerick Prison unless she has
purged her contempt of the possession order. Photograph:
Collins Court
A High Court judge has ruled a woman was lawfully jailed
for contempt of a court order requiring her hand over
possession of her home to a bank.
Mr Justice Richard Humphreys told Claire Knowles she may
remain on bail until 7pm on Wednesday after which time
she will return to Limerick Prison unless she has purged
her contempt of the possession order in the interim.
Ms Knowles was jailed by a judge at Cork Circuit Court on
December 8th for contempt of a court order of January
2014 requiring she hand over possession of her home near
Glanmire, Co Cork, to Bank of Ireland.
She was freed on conditional bail on December 10th
pending the outcome of the inquiry, under Article 40 of
the Constitution, into the legality of her detention.
Giving his decision on Tuesday having heard arguments by
Ms Knowles and the State, Mr Justice Humphreys said he
was bound by other court decisions concerning Article 40
inquiries and, in all the circumstances, must rule the
detention is lawful.
He will give a written judgment outlining his reasons for
that decision at a later stage.
The contempt application was brought by solicitors
representing Bank of Ireland arising from a mortgage
taken out with ICS Building Society on Ms Knowles home
at The Pines, Castlejayne Woods, Glanmire, Co Cork.
An order for possession of that property was made by the

Circuit Court in January 2014 and the High Court dismissed

an appeal against that order in July 2014. Ms Knowles later
got an order from the Master of the High Court extending
the time effectively for a second appeal.
Attachment and committal proceedings were brought last
October against Ms Knowles for contempt over her failure
to hand over possession and were adjourned to December
8th when Cork Circuit Court directed her detention in
Limerick Prison.
Ms Knowles was freed on conditional bail on December
10th pending the outcome of the High Court inquiry,
initiated the previous day under Article 40 of the
Constitution, into the lawfulness of her detention.
In his decision today, Mr Justice Humphreys commended
Ms Knowles for the manner in which she presented her
case but said his hands were tied by various rulings which
meant he could not direct her release.
Among arguments advanced by her to support her claim
that her detention was invalid, she argued there was an
error in the title of the committal warrant in that it was in
the name of ICS when it was lawyers representing BOI who
sought her committal. She also argued she was wrongly
refused an adjournment of the contempt application so as
to allow her try and get legal representation.
Remy Farrell SC, for the governor of Limerick Prison,
argued the net issue in the Article 40 inquiry was if Ms
Knowles was denied an opportunity of getting legal
representation, and it was his case she was not.
The transcript of proceedings in the Circuit Court showed
Ms Knowles chose to proceed without legal representation
after clearly considering matters over the lunch break on
December 8th, he said. The Circuit Court judge had made
the jailing order after Ms Knowles refused to give an
undertaking to leave her home and she was manifestly in
contempt, counsel said.

On that date, the transcript of the hearing referred to

counsel for the bank saying Ms Knowles was still in the
house and she was in flagrant breach of the order.
The Circuit Court judge warned Ms Knowles she was at
strong risk of going to jail, should get legal advice and the
case would not be adjourned unless she undertook to
abide by the court order to leave the house.
It was very clear what she had to do and legal advice
would not have altered that. It seemed clear Ms Knowles
later decided to represent herself as she was entitled to do
but she must take the consequences of that.
The Circuit Court judge had said he did not believe she
was serious about getting out of the house, he would jail
her and refuse a stay, given the brazen contempt.
In her arguments, Ms Knowles said she is being turned
into a criminal out of civil litigation and these are not
ordinary times.
She said the banks had had months to get their paperwork
in order in her case but had failed to do so until much later
and then used the name of a non-entity in these
proceedings. Lawyers for the bank were unable to answer
her when she had raised points about the delay in
amending the title of the case, she added.
She also said she had been refused legal aid for the Circuit
Court proceedings as she did not know how to get it and
was given an hour to do so.
I was given no choice, she said.

NEED HELP? PHOENIX PROJECT

FREE OF CHARGE SERVICE www phoenixproject ie
Helpline: 1850 20 30 40

Phone: 057 8636830

Email: support@phoenixproject.ie
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-andproperty/the-debt-doctors-there-s-a-black-cloud-over-a-lotof-people-1.2463335#.Vmw231bKiG0.mailto
Claire Knowles, Resisting Eviction, Released On Bail by
High Court as large number of supporters attend court
PLEASE,Could a Legal Team Offer to Represent Her Pro
Bono Publico?
It is grossly Unfair That She Should Be Forced to Represent
Herself.
Be there again NEXT MONDAY!
From Irish Times Breaking News
A woman jailed for contempt of a court order directing she
hand over possession of her Co Cork home to a bank has
been freed on bail by the High Court.
Claire Knowles (56) was jailed on Tuesday over her failure
to comply with orders obtained by Bank of Ireland over the
property at The Pines, Castlejayne Woods, Glamire.
She was brought to Limerick Prison where she was held
until she was brought before the High Court on Thursday
for an inquiry into the legality of her detention.
The inquiry, under Article 40 of the Constitution, was
sought on her behalf by anti-eviction campaigner Ben
Gilroy, who said he had assisted Ms Knowles in previous
court cases relating to the repossession.
Following a hearing, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys ordered
her release on her own bail of 100, with a condition she
stay away from her home, pending full determination of

her legal challenge.

She is to come back to court next Monday.
The judge ruled the governor of Limerick Prison was
obliged to go behind the reasons for her detention. To do
that, the governor would have to apply to make Bank of
Ireland a notice party in this case, the judge said.
In those circumstances, the judge adjourned the inquiry to
allow that occur. In the meantime, he granted bail to Ms
Knowles who was supported in court by a large number of
people.
Earlier, Remy Farrell SC, for the prison governor, said his
client had no relationship, legal or otherwise, with Bank of
Ireland.
He could not compel witnesses to attend court or provide
documentation in order to justify the reasons for
committing her to prison, counsel said.
Ms Knowles told the court she was too traumatised to
make the case because she had been in Limerick Prison
and wanted Mr Gilroy to do it for her.
The judge ruled it was established case law only the
person detained could make the arguments before the
court or could employ a qualified lawyer to do so.
Following an adjournment to allow the judge consider the
law on representation in such cases, Ms Knowles said she
was a little more composed and would present it herself.

Support Release of brave Claire Knowles From Jail Tomorrow

High Court 10.30 tomorrow Thursday Nov 10
Jailed for Refusing to Hand Over Her Home to Bank Of

Ireland
Inquiry on legality of womans detention for contempt
ordered
Claire Knowles jailed over contempt of direction to
hand over possession of home to bank
aIrish Timesbout 4 hours ago Updated: about 3 hours ago
Mary Carolan
A High Court judge has directed an inquiry into the legality
of the detention inLimerick Prison of a woman for
contempt of a Circuit Court order directing she hand over
possession of her home to a bank.
Ben Gilroy, of Direct Democracy Ireland, applied on
Wednesday to Mr JusticeMax Barrett for the inquiry
following the imprisonment the previous day ofClaire
Knowles (56), who lives with her son at Castlejayne,
Glanmire, Cork.
During the application, Mr Gilroy said there was huge
confusion over possession orders made by the Circuit
Court, an apparent reference to conflicting High Court
decisions of November and May last concerning the Circuit
Courts jurisdiction to hear certain repossession cases.
Suffered difficulties
He said Ms Knowles suffered difficulties including
depression after the possession order was made in January
2014, and the Master of the High Court later agreed to
extend time for her to appeal that possession order.
Ms Knowles has no recollection of getting a letter of
demand of November 2009 and there were issues about a
signature on that, he added.
In an affidavit, Mr Gilroy said he is a friend of Ms Knowles.

He said the warrant detaining her was invalid as it was in

the name of ICS Building Society and, as far as he was
aware, the governor and company of the Bank of Ireland
had applied to the Circuit Court to reconstitute the
proceedings by substituting the governor and company of
BOI earlier this year.
Ms Knowles is in dispute with ICS, he said. On November
10th, the Master of the High Court extended time for her
and her son to appeal the Circuit Court possession order of
January 20th, 2014. When a further extension was sought
on December 2nd, the Master granted an additional 72
hours, he said.
Notice of appeal
Ms Knowles did serve her notice of appeal on December
2nd, he said.
He said the plaintiff bank in the Circuit Court proceedings
appealed the Masters order, and the High Court on
Monday last dismissed the appeal and affirmed the
Masters order of November 10th.
Mr Gilroy said Ms Knowles previously appeared before
Judge Donagh McDonagh at the Circuit Court on October
27th. The judge said he had no jurisdiction in the Circuit
Court possession proceedings, refused to make an order
for attachment and committal, and adjourned the matter
to December 8th when Ms Knowles appeared before Judge
ODonnabhain.
A friend of Ms Knowles who was present had given a
written account stating the judge warned Ms Knowles she
was at risk of jail and should get legal representation. She
was unable to do so and was refused an adjournment to
get a lawyer, the account stated.
Described as brazen
It was also stated, when her case was called, Ms Knowles
began reading from a prepared statement but was

interrupted by the judge who made the committal order. It

was stated she continued to read the statement and the
judge said she was in breach of the order and described
her as brazen.
Mr Justice Barrett said he would direct an inquiry under
Article 40 of the Constitution into the legality of Ms
Knowles detention and order she be produced in court on
Thursday morning for that inquiry.
Dublin child homelessness figure doubles to 1,400
Kitty Holland:Shameful:Dublin Simon has described the
figures as unacceptable and shameful, while FOCUS
IRELAND said they showed Government action has so far
failed to halt the constant flow of families becoming
homeless.-Irish Times
Olivia Kelly: But the deal is a far cry from the proposal by
ALAN KELLY, Minister for the Environment, to link privatesector rent increases to the consumer price index for four
years. The measures wont make a dent in existing rents,
and its far from certain that they will make renting a
viable long-term option.-Irish Times(further down)
Kitty Holland:IRISH TIMES Saturday, November 14, 2015,
01:00
There are now more than 1,400 homeless children in
Dublin more than twice as many as a year ago, the latest
figures show.
Data published last night by the Dublin Region Homeless
Executive show that during the week of 18th to 25th
October there were 1,425 children in 677 families in
emergency accommodation.
This represents a 109 per cent increase in the number of
homeless children since October 2014, when there were
680 children in emergency accommodation in the capital.
Of the total, 975 children in 461 families are in hotels,
while 450 children in 216 are in supported homeless
accommodation.

Shameful
Dublin Simon has described the figures as unacceptable
and shameful, while Focus Ireland said they showed
Government action has so far failed to halt the constant
flow of families becoming homeless.
Sam McGuinness, Dublin Simon chief executive, said he
was alarmed at the numbers. With no measures to stop
the ever rising flow of people into homelessness over the
past year, we are now faced with the very shameful
situation where 1,425 children are forced to lay their head
in inadequate accommodation, scared and vulnerable,
without a safe home to look to this Christmas.
He said rent certainty measures announced by the
Government this week were inadequate, as rents
remained unaffordable for the poorest families dependent
on rent supplement.
Mike Allen, director of advocacy with Focus Ireland, said
the plan to freeze rents for two years was welcome but
added a rise in rent supplement levels was necessary to
keep poorer families in their homes.
Cumulative impact
The families which became homeless in October did so
primarily as a result of the cumulative effects of rising
rents over the last two years, linked to a freeze in rent
supplement, said Mr Allen.
Even if the Governments package does has the effect of
slowing down rents it will make no difference to the
families who will continue to lose their homes because of
the cumulative impact of rent rises over the last two years
while the Government took no action.
A spokeswoman for the DRHE, which manages
homelessness services in the capital, said month-onmonth the provision of emergency accommodation for
families was being increased.

In addition the executive was working to ensure 500

modular homes would be delivered next year to provide
temporary accommodation for homeless families. National
homelessness data for October are to be published by the
Department of the Environment over the weekend.
2015 irishtimes.com
Irelands rental crisis: Will new measures help?
Olivia Kelly
Irish Times Saturday, November 14, 2015, 01:00
After months of inter-Coalition wrangling, and years of
escalating rents, the Government has come up with a
solution to Irelands rental-accommodation crisis:
landlords can raise rents only every two years instead of
every year. As showpieces go its hardly dazzling. But is it
enough to make a difference?
There is a bit more to the package that the Government is
calling its new deal for tenants. There will be increased
notice periods both for ending a lease and for increasing
rent. The long-promised deposit-protection scheme,
whereby tenants deposits would be held by the Private
Residential Tenancies Board rather than by a landlord, will
be set up.
But the deal is a far cry from the proposal by Alan Kelly,
Minister for the Environment, to link private-sector rent
increases to the consumer price index for four years. The
measures wont make a dent in existing rents, and its far
from certain that they will make renting a viable long-term
option.
At other times this may not have mattered quite so much.
Ten years ago one in 10 households lived in privately
rented accommodation. Now its one in five, and another
10 per cent live in rented social housing. Numbers renting
are even higher in urban areas: a quarter of Dublin city
homes are privately rented. Historically, most Irish people
have viewed renting as a temporary measure, a stopgap
between leaving the nest and having the wherewithal to
buy your own place.

Even with so many more people renting, this perception

hasnt changed. A report late last year by the economic
consultancy DKM on the future of the private rented
sector, commissioned by the Housing Agency, showed a
low appetite for long-term renting. Almost three-quarters
of renters planned to leave the rental market this year or
next. Just 17 per cent saw themselves as lifelong tenants,
and for most of those it was not because they wanted to
but because they had to. The majority in this category
cited an inability to afford a house as the main reason they
had continued to rent.
Separately, a large group of the population rent from
landlords with State assistance, and they dont seem to
want to stay as private-sector tenants either.
We dont know for certain how many people want a
council house. The last national assessment of need,
completed in 2013, showed that just under 90,000
applicants were on local-authority waiting lists. Dublin City
Council had 16,000 on the list at the time; last July the
figure had increased to almost 21,600. More than 100,000
applicants are now likely to be waiting.
And these are just the people who have had their need for
a council house approved; many more are skittering
around the eligibility threshold and would like the stability
of a council house in effect a home for life, something
the private rental sector certainly does not guarantee.
What all these figures show is that almost nobody living in
private rental accommodation, supplemented or not,
wants to be there. And its easy to understand why.
The high cost of renting and the inability to control and
predict that cost in the medium or long term is a major
drawback. Rents have been rising steadily since 2013,
particularly in Dublin. The rises havent been minor: rents
in the capital went up by 9.2 per cent in the year to the
end of June, and rents across the State went up by 5.8 per
cent, according to the Private Residential Tenancies Board.

This means that the average Dublin renter, who had been
paying 1,275 a month for a house or 1,152 for an
apartment in the summer of 2014, is now paying 1,387
for a house and 1,260 for an apartment. Rents for houses
outside Dublin increased from 656 to 695 in the year,
and for apartments from 623 to 660.
Why has this happened? Its a simple equation of supply
and demand. To give the short version of the housing
boom and bust: we spent a few years building too many
houses (more than 93,000 in 2006), many of them in the
wrong places, then spent a few years building far too few
(8,301 homes in 2013) anywhere.
Things improved a little last year: 11,016 homes were
completed, but thats fewer than the number the year
records began, 1970, when 13,887 houses were built. The
11,016 built last year are just over half what the Housing
Agency says is the minimum needed to meet demand.
Theres an inevitable trickledown effect. Without enough
homes for sale, would-be buyers keep renting. More
people renting in a market with fewer homes pushes up
rents. More people renting who in a normal market would
have the money to buy pushes it up even further.
Real solution
At the end of the chain are people who cant afford to rent
anywhere, and for whom social housing isnt available.
The only real solution is to build more. Construction 2020,
published in May 2014, was the Governments first
response to this need. To a large degree it was a strategy
for strategies, recommending the setting up of taskforces
and working groups.
The recently announced Budget 2016 has more solid
housing-construction measures. Four thousand houses are
to be provided next year under the first phase of an
initiative to build 20,000 homes on sites controlled by the

National Asset Management Agency by 2020. About 90

per cent will be in the Greater Dublin Area, and threequarters will be starter homes.
This weeks housing package also included an initiative
aimed at kick-starting the construction of 7,000 more
affordable homes in Dublin and Cork. Developers will
receive rebates on construction levies where a scheme
has more than 50 homes and where houses are priced at
less than 300,000 in Dublin and 250,000 in Cork.
These initiatives should help to speed up supply, but
building houses takes a couple of years on average, so
this doesnt alleviate the immediate pressures on the
rental market.
Thats where the new deal should help. The two-year
rent freeze gives private tenants breathing space to
muster a deposit towards their own home if they so wish
or to find a better deal if measures to increase supply and
reduce prices work.
One announcement this week could bring a glimmer of
hope to tenants reliant on State support. Tax relief will be
introduced to encourage landlords to rent their properties
to tenants in receipt of social-housing supports such as
rent supplement. These landlords will be able to claim 100
per cent tax relief, up from the current 75 per cent. This
carrot is more likely to yield results than any of the
Governments rent-regulation sticks.
The Government also hopes to boost the market by
making apartment construction more appealing to
builders. Its guidelines on apartment standards
enforceable by ministerial direction are to be issued
early next year.
Apartments for hipsters
Here the Government is following the example of Dublin
City Council, which has put forward the notion of smaller
apartments for renters only described by one councillor

as apartments for hipsters. With 63 per cent of renters

aged under 34, and multinational firms that the
Government is so eager to attract saying that they cant
find accommodation for their workers, there may be a
case for allowing these smaller units.
Another form of rental provision, which is likely to prove
more popular, is the idea of public housing. This would
involve having private developers and investors build
housing on council land, combining social rental with
private rental.
Two schemes put forward in the Budget seem similar in
intent. One is the concept of an affordable-rental scheme,
for which 10 million from the sale of Bord Gis has been
set aside to fund a pilot project. This will be aimed at
people whose incomes are above the threshold for State
rental assistance but who cannot afford private rents.
The other, for social-housing tenants, involves a new form
of public-private partnership in Dublin. In the new scheme,
sites stay in the ownership of the State, and the developer
receives payments for 25 years, after which the houses or
apartments return to State ownership.
These are positive moves that could stave off a similar
rental crisis in future. But they are unlikely to help people
who right now cant afford, or cant find, a place to rent.
2015 irishtimes.com

Alan Kelly (Labour) Backs Down on Rent Control.

Government plans to solve Irelands rental crisis could
see landlords hike rents immediately, will not prevent
future rises, and risks marking the return of low-quality
bedsits to the market.
Threshold chief executive Bob Jordan said the charity has
alerted officials to concerns rent would be inflated

during the review period a view shared by housing

expert Dr Lorcan Sirr, who said landlords will frontload
rises because they will not be able to next year. Irish
Examiner Nov 7
Kelly had sought that rent increases be pegged to the cost
of living. But Minister Noonan(FG) backed by 25 Landlord
TDs, and American developers Kennedy Wilson forced him
to bend the knee and retreat.
Landlords can only increase the rent every two years now
rather than every year as before. Landlords must get three
local examples of rents to justify an increase.!!! This will
make almost no difference.In a situation where there is no
competition between landlords due to shortage of
accomodation,landlords can simply raise the rent by
double the yearly increase every two years! AND WORSE
STILL, THE LANDLORD CAN HIKE THE RENT BEFORE THE
NEW LAW COMES IN.The Dil Sat All Night to Bail Out the
Banks bondholders, but there is no urgency to protect
tenants!
And, of course, Alan is preparing to take water charges
from your pay or welfare cheque.
Focus Ireland Spokesperson said:However, we are highly
concerned it will fail to stem the constant rising flow of 70
to 80 families becoming homeless in Dublin alone very
month. The measures are far from a convincing
response to the scale of the problems we are facing, he
added.
Housing Crisis is Due to the Restrictions of the EU Fiscal
Treaty and by PROHIBITION by the FG/Labour Government
of Local Authority Borrowing for House Building Purposes
to comply with these restrictions.
This policy leaves Government completely at the mercy of
private developers. US investors Kennedy Wilson advised
Mr Noonans officials(before Budget) by letter that
investment in property here could be eliminated if rent
controls were introduced Irish Examiner Nov2 2015

Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred

from accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to
concerns about its implications for the national debt, need
to be given permission to borrow again for social housing
provision Dr Michelle Norris, UCD
Government found it more Important to give away 750
million in tax relief including 100 million to the Super-rich
rather than allow local authorities to borrow 750 million for
housing purposes
THE HOUSING POLICIES of THIS GOVERNMENT and THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT HAVE LEFT THOSE IN NEED OF
SOCIAL HOUSING IN A STATE OF VIRTUAL TOTAL NEGLECT
(I have brought together below articles by DR Rory
Hearne, Dr Michelle Norris and Fintan OToole on the
housing crisis)
The housing crisis is due to the implementation of a policy
under which the ability of the rich to make profits out of
housing provision and the opportunity for the rich to pay
low taxes on their incomes and assets to the to the state,
are prioritised over the need of all citizens to have security
of tenure in an adequate dwelling. The Free Market
IDEOLOGY to which Fintan OToole refers is being deployed
by governments and economists to justify this
prioritisation.
The implementation of these pro-rich policies is enshrined
in legislation and EU treaties. Why cannot Local authorities
borrow money to fund a social house building programme?
As Dr Michelle Norris UCD attests (below)local authorities,
are currently debarred from accessing Housing Finance
Agency loans, due to concerns about its implications for
the national debt.
Under capitalism, borrowing by the state to provide assets
that will endure for 100 years or more makes perfect
sense. But FF,FG and Labour supported an EU Fiscal Treaty
which places restrictions on state debt irrespective of
human need. This leaves these parties with three options

in order to provide housing:

a) IMPOSE SERIOUS TAX INCREASES on INCOME AND
ASSETS OF THE SUPER-RICH
b) Leave the Provision of Housing to the Free Market
c) IMPOSE NEW TAXES ON the Majority of the Population
It is not surprising that governments of the rich opt for a
combination of b) and c)
KEY QUOTES FROM ARTICLES BELOW
It is a national emergency and without a significant shift
in policy the crisis will only worsen. At the current rate of
families becoming homeless there will be more than 6,000
children in emergency accommodation by 2017. This is
deeply traumatic for children and their families. It is
arguably a breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child.The current crisis results from decades of
housing policy that followed the private free-market
approach which treated housing primarily as a commodity
and speculative investment asset-Dr Rory Hearne,
Tasc .
And still, after all weve been through, 75 per cent of the
Governments promised social housing is to be built
(supposedly) by the private sector.There is an almost
obsessive fear of stating the obvious that a large
proportion of people will never be decently housed by the
market. Those citizens need a State thats not afraid to
clear the ground of narrow ideology and build on the
foundations of real human needs. That might involve
relearning another forgotten word republic. Fintan
OToole Irish Times Columnist
Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred
from accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to
concerns about its implications for the national debt, need
to be given permission to borrow again for social housing
provision. This is the only realistic method of raising

sufficient finance for and delivering a social housing

programme on the scale required to meet current needs. A
relatively small amount of public borrowing for this
purpose could have enormous social benefits and cut
spending on rent supplements.-Dr Michelle Norris UCD
Rory Hearne: The STATE MUST INTERVENE IN THE
HOUSING MARKET
Last Updated: Thursday, October 22, 2015, 05:15
The Irish housing system is in an unprecedented crisis.
This is visible in escalating rents, economic evictions,
mortgage arrears, repossessions, waiting lists,
substandard accommodation and the growing numbers of
those unable to buy a home.
It is a national emergency and without a significant shift in
policy the crisis will only worsen. At the current rate of
families becoming homeless there will be more than 6,000
children in emergency accommodation by 2017. This is
deeply traumatic for children and their families. It is
arguably a breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child.
The current crisis results from decades of housing policy
that followed the private free-market approach which
treated housing primarily as a commodity and speculative
investment asset.
This continues today with the crisis being analysed as one
of demand outstripping supply and discussion focused on
how to incentivise the property industry to build more
housing stock.
However, during the boom there was plenty of supply and
still prices rose to unaffordable and unsustainable levels
contributing to the crash. This is because price is
determined not simply by demand and supply but also by
profit seeking, costs of investment, and government
regulation.

Developers can and do sit for decades on land or leave

property derelict until they consider it profitable to
commence building. Right now there is 2,233 hectares of
undeveloped zoned land in the wider Dublin region which
could provide 102,500 new housing units.
The basic problem with a free market approach to housing
is that the private market only caters for a demand that
can provide a profit. If you cant provide a sufficient profit,
as is the case with many low income households, then you
dont count. The current crisis is not just a once-off market
failure it is the modus operandi of the private housing
market. Predominantly free market or neoliberal housing
systems like ours are characterised by persistent boom
and busts, affordability problems, and exclusion.
That is why the state must intervene to protect people
from the market. It could do this in two ways which would
fundamentally address the crisis. Firstly, there is an
immediate need for rent certainty (where rents cannot be
increased beyond a certain index such as inflation) and
improved tenant protections in the private rented sector.
Rent regulation exists in many European countries (who
incidentally have plenty of supply).
There is no constitutional impediment to such a measure,
as Article 43.2.1 of Bhunreacht na hEireann states that the
right of private ownership ought to be regulated by the
principles of social justice and the State may, delimit by
law these rights for the common good. The introduction
of rent certainty, as with other measures, is clearly a
political choice and the Constitution should not be hidden
behind as an excuse for inaction.
Secondly, a State Homes and Housing Agency should be
formed to deliver a historic social, rental and affordable
house building and refurbishment programme of wellplanned, sustainable, and mixed communities. This would
be a partnership between local authorities, government
departments, housing associations, NAMA and the Housing
Finance Agency. It would have access to land, finance and
institutional expertise. It should have 1.5bn of annual

capital funding from the state. The current allocation of

500 million to new social housing building in the Capital
Investment Plan is inadequate as it will only provide 1400
new units nationally next year with fewer than 300 of
those in Dublin City.
The Agency could build on the 30 hectares of land that
Dublin City Council is currently being forced to sell off
through a Public Private Partnership because it does not
have the finances to build on it itself. It could redirect into
social use the 4.5billion NAMA plans to invest with
various vulture funds on high end office and apartment
developments. A Housing and Homes Agency could draw
on finance from the European Investment Bank. It could
also compulsory purchase vacant and derelict buildings
and take over buy-to-lets in arrears and convert them to
low cost rental housing.
As it currently stands the 20,000 units the government has
outlined NAMA will provide in order to address supply will
not be social units but are to be delivered on a
commercial basis and are more likely to be sold to
international investment funds rather than as starter
homes. Indeed NAMAs promotion of and involvement
with global wealth funds in the Irish property market must
be questioned as to how it is benefitting the Irish housing
system. It is facilitating the trend where housing is
increasingly becoming a global investment asset for the
wealthy 1per cent.
Problems in our housing system are affecting economic
competitiveness, contributing to rising deprivation,
inequality and poverty, and lowering educational and
employment prospects of those affected. The 2008 crash
should be a stark warning that a rising property market is
not necessarily a good thing. The housing system will
only be fixed when policy treats housing in the first
instance as a home, a social necessity and a human right,
not a speculative investment asset or commodity.
Dr Rory Hearne, Senior Policy Analyst, TASC Think-tank for
Action on Social Change

 2015 irishtimes.com
Fintan OToole: Opposition to social housing is matter of
ideology not economics

Fintan OToole Irish Times : Tuesday, October 20, 2015,

04:00
Fellmongery is the preparation of animal skins for tanning.
A pollard is an animal that has had its horns removed. In
1949, official statistics still listed Irelands principal
products as including fellmongery, laces, pigs heads,
pollard and snuff.
Yet in that same year, 1949, my mothers family moved
into the Dublin Corporation house where I would later
grow up. A poor, primitive, backward economy could build
social housing on a large scale for people who lacked
decent homes.
And the rich, developed, globalised Irish economy of 2015
cant.
In the late 1940s, when my family was housed, Ireland
was still recovering from the drastic economic effects of
the second World War. The average industrial wage was
5.59 a week for men and 2.97 for women.
In real terms, thats less than a third of average industrial
wages in 1998 before the Celtic Tiger bubble. Fewer than a
third of households in 1949 had more than four rooms to
live in. More than 60 per cent of households had no piped
water supply. Nearly half had no sanitary facilities only
255,000 houses had a flush toilet.
And yet the State could build social housing.
Health and education
Infant mortality was about a hundred times higher than it

is now. Kids still died in large numbers from pneumonia,

TB, whooping cough and diphtheria. Male life expectancy
at birth was less than 65 years.
People were badly educated in 1950, a grand total of
4,500 students sat the Leaving Certificate exam and the
number in all our universities combined was 7,900. The
entire output of Irish broadcasting was seven hours of
radio a day. There were just 43,000 phone lines in the
State, only a third of them domestic.
And yet the State could build social housing.
The Irish economy, dominated by agriculture and food
production, was a paltry thing: total exports in 1949
amounted to just 61 million.
Almost all of this went to the UK as raw product the
characteristic Irish export was a live cow in the hold of a
cattle boat. In order of scale, the leading Irish exports in
1949 were cattle, horses, fresh hen eggs, ale/beer/porter,
chocolate crumb, dead turkeys and tinned beef. This
makes tinned beef our leading manufacturing export.
And yet the State could build social housing.
The estate I grew up in, Crumlin in southwest Dublin, was
built by the local authority, Dublin Corporation, with
funding from the central government. The process actually
started in the 1930s, during the Great Depression: 250
acres of south Crumlin were acquired by compulsory
purchase in 1934 and the building of over 3,000 houses
began more or less straight away.
The project was far from perfect. The houses were too
small most, like the one I grew up in, had just two
bedrooms for big (often extended) Irish Catholic families.
(Our household, by no means untypical, had three adults
and five children.) Services and facilities were slow to
follow.
But the rent was affordable and the houses were a hell of

a lot better than what most people had before.

My mother had been living (with seven other people) in
what was essentially a one-room cottage in the Liberties;
my father grew up in a little hovel off the Dublin quays.
The market never had and never would give them a
decent place to live the State did so instead. For all the
problems, people in Crumlin had a secure roof over their
heads and the chance to build a good community. We had
homes.
Why could the State do this in the hungry 1930s and the
postwar 1940s but not now?
Not because we cant but because, as Enda Kenny put it
last week, interference in the market must be avoided.
The desperation to avoid the simple conclusion that
government should build houses for people who need
them is about ideology, not resources. Fine Gael, in
particular, seems incapable of understanding housing as
anything other than a market.
Free-market ideology
It is striking that the decline in the building of social
housing in Ireland follows directly from the rise of so called
free market ideology in the Thatcher/Reagan era. In the
mid-1970s, social housing made up a third of all new
houses. The shift in which that proportion dropped to just
5 per cent was as disastrous economically as it was
socially the property bubble could not have inflated
without it.
And still, after all weve been through, 75 per cent of the
Governments promised social housing is to be built
(supposedly) by the private sector.
There is an almost obsessive fear of stating the obvious
that a large proportion of people will never be decently
housed by the market. Those citizens need a State
thats not afraid to clear the ground of narrow ideology

and build on the foundations of real human needs. That

might involve relearning another forgotten word republic.
2015 irishtimes.com
From Dr MICHELLE NORRIS UCD

Letter to Irish Times

Sir, Fintan OToole (Opposition to social housing is

matter of ideology not economics, Opinion & Analysis,
October 20th) in part answers his own question when he
asks why the State could afford to fund a major social
house-building programme during the hungry Fifties
when there was no free secondary education and many of
the social welfare benefits available today did not exist.
Relatively low spending on most other public services
facilitated levels of public investment in housing which
were the highest in western Europe at this time.
Growing spending on social welfare and health,
particularly during the 1970s, is one of the reasons why
spending on social housing was cut back. Therefore, unlike
its counterparts in the inter-party government of the
1950s, the current Government faces the challenge of
concurrently funding a social house building programme
and a comprehensive system of benefits and public
services.
However, the other part of the answer to the question
raised by Fintan OToole sheds light on how the current
Government can meet this challenge. High levels of social
housing delivery were possible in the 1950s because the
funding method spread out the costs of provision and kept
them affordable for government. At this time social
housing was funded by very long-term loans, which were
repaid using a mix of central government subsidies,
tenants rents and the proceeds of domestic rates.
This funding model collapsed when domestic rates were
abolished in 1978 and after that the exchequer paid for
social house building in lump-sum grants. The latter
arrangement was less affordable because the costs of
provision were paid up front rather than spread out over a
long period, which helps to explain why insufficient

numbers of social houses were built even during the Celtic

Tiger period.
This lesson has been partially taken on board by
policymakers and in recent years loan finance had been
provided for social housing provision by non-profit housing
associations by the Housing Finance Agency, which
borrows on capital markets and from EU institutions for
this purpose. The agency currently has some 500 million
available for lending to this sector at a fixed interest rate
of 3.25 per cent.
However, despite great work by some housing
associations, it is not realistic to think that this sector,
which delivered 25 per cent of social housing prior to the
bust, has the capacity to meet the full scale of current
housing needs, at least in the short term.
Therefore local authorities, which are currently debarred
from accessing Housing Finance Agency loans, due to
concerns about its implications for the national debt, need
to be given permission to borrow again for social housing
provision. This is the only realistic method of raising
sufficient finance for and delivering a social housing
programme on the scale required to meet current needs. A
relatively small amount of public borrowing for this
purpose could have enormous social benefits and cut
spending on rent supplements.
Local authorities were traditionally the main providers of
social housing in Ireland, and Fintans OTooles article
eloquently describes the huge contribution which council
housing made to improving the lives of his own family in
the 1950s.
I agree that they have to play a central role if we are to
solve the current housing shortage. However, I disagree
with his assertion that achieving this is a matter of
ideology; an affordable method of resourcing this work has
to be put in place as well. Yours, etc,

High Court Master urges

State to 'nationalise'
repossessed homes
In a key judgment delivered last
Thursday Edmund Honohan said
receivers should be regulated,
13/12/2015

In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Edmund

Honohan said the State could address the housing crisis by
passing new laws to allow it to compulsorily acquire
properties that "the banks dump into the market for
speculators".
The outspoken senior official of the High Court and
brother of former Central Bank governor Patrick Horohan
said "the State simply steps in and takes them [the
properties] back. The entities paid a small amount of
money for them and they get that amount of money back.
They are eliminated from the equation".
Mr Honohan issued a written judgment last week that
touched on Danske Bank's bulk sale of more than 400
repossessed homes and properties to a trust fund last year.
He likened the transaction to "a Maple 10 golden circle" - a
reference to the investors who were offered loans by the
former Anglo Irish Bank to buy shares in the bank.
Speaking on foot of his judgement, Mr Honohan said:
"You can say, all right, let's go out and build houses. But if
you can go out and pick them up for less than the cost of
building, then that's what you should do.
"It is open to the legislature in the Oireachtas to pass

emergency legislation this side of the new year to

incorporate a new body which would compulsorily acquire
the property overnight at the stroke of a pen."
Mr Honohan said "there is a well-worn mechanism for
compulsory acquisition" and it is a "cut and paste job to
produce legislation".
His proposal is that the State would buy the reposs- essed
properties from the investment funds that bought them
from banks rather than from the banks directly - as it
could be difficult to establish their market value.
"The key to it is that the market value for these houses has
been struck recently and therefore there can't be any huge
profit-taking by the investors," he said.
"My view is that with a general election in the offing, I am
entitled to put this out in the suggestion box and invite
political parties to look at it."
He said politicians should consult more with lawyers.
"It does seem to me politicians say something must be
done. Then they go into power and they go to the civil
service and the civil service gives them four options and
then they go to the lawyers. It should be the other way
around. They should say to the lawyers: 'This is our
problem. Can you lawyers come up with a solution?' We
actually do have solutions.
"We have the compulsory purchase legislation in place. We
know what the Constitution means. We know what can be
done with the jot of a pen."
Mr Honohan delivered a written judgment on Thursday in
a case taken by Danske Bank against a couple whose
investment property had been repossessed. The bank is
seeking summary judgment against the couple for
outstanding debt following the repossession and sale of
their house. The couple later learned their property was
one of more than 400 sold as part of a distressed property
portfolio to an investment trust, and have raised concerns
that theirs was sold for below its market value.
In his written judgment, Mr Honohan said: "Given that we
now have a public housing shortage, it is sobering to

realise that the State could have - probably should have bought up this distressed housing stock at the time, at
knock-down prices, instead of losing them to the
unregulated and sometimes unaccountable private
investment funds. Indeed, it may not be too late to do so
via compulsory acquisition legislation."
The retired couple, Patrick and Bridget McGeeney, bought
an investment property in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, but
later fell into arrears. Having refused an offer for 90,000,
the bank sold the property last year for 60,800. The
couple's mortgage account was credited with 52,575,
after receivers' fees of 8,225 were deducted. Danske Bank
sued the couple for the remainder of their debt. However,
the McGeeneys claim the bank sold the property for less
than market value as part of a bulk sale to Finsbury Circle
Nominee Ltd, a fund set up by Davy Stockbrokers on
behalf of a client.
In his judgement, Mr Honohan found the couple had
several lines of defence to advance against the bank. He
questioned the role of receivers in the case and, in general,
said they should be subject to state regulation.
He raised questions as to how the 60,800 price for the
property was arrived at. He said the fundamental issue
may be "what is the evidence that such was the price
actually paid by the new owners and how was the
particular price identified?" and whether the "whole
process" of pricing the portfolio was a "sham exercise".
In comparing the transaction with the Maple 10 deal, Mr
Honohan said: "Furthermore, when the sale is by a
receiver with power of sale and the purchaser has all the
appearance of a tenderer pre-selected by the mort- gagee,
we have all the hallmarks of a Maple 10 golden circle."
He pointed to a "strong legal case" of liability to be shared
by the bank and the receiver "if the sale price knowingly
undervalues the security property".
A spokesperson for Danske Bank said it does not comment
on individual cases.
As Master of the High Court, Mr Honohan is not a judge

but a barrister who presides over the Masters Court and is

concerned primarily with procedural issues and case
management.
He has been outspoken on the financial affairs that come
before his court. In the past, he has accused banks of
"hounding borrowers to suicide" and has repeatedly
questioned whether the fast-track courts procedure gives
bank borrowers a fair chance to mount a defence.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/propertymortgages/high-court-master-urges-state-to-nationaliserepossessed-homes-34282536.html

215m plan to bring

4,000 vacant homes into
use
Paul Melia Twitter

EMAIL
PUBLISHED
06/10/2016

1
Challenge: Simon Coveney. Photo: Colin O'Riordan

Some 4,000 vacant and derelict homes will

be brought back into use under a 215m
package to be announced by Housing
Minister Simon Coveney today.
The Irish Independent has learned that 140m will be
earmarked for a 'repair and lease' scheme designed to
bring 3,500 vacant units back into use.
Meanwhile, local authorities will be given 75m in 2017
and 2018 to buy and refurbish derelict properties in town
centres.
The initiatives are part of the 'Rebuilding Ireland: Action
Plan for Housing and Homelessness' scheme aimed at
boosting output. They form part of Pillar 2, which deals
with provision of social housing, and will be formally
announced this morning.
The new repair and leasing scheme (RLS) will provide
funding to landlords to repair vacant and unused homes,

and make them available for families on local authority

waiting lists. The scheme will initially operate in
Waterford and Carlow, and some 150 units are expected to
be delivered this year.
It is designed for people who may have inherited
properties, or who own vacant units, but cannot afford or
access the money necessary to bring them up to the
standard required to rent. The cost of repairs, which is
likely to be up to 30,000, will be met upfront by the local
authority or an approved housing body (AHB), and in
return the landlord will enter into a leasing arrangement
of at least 10 years. The cost of repairs is offset against the
agreed rental income over a period of time.
Owners can choose to arrange a contractor to carry out the
repairs, or the council or AHB will arrange the works, and
they will also manage and maintain the property during
the rental period.
Some 140m is available over the next five years, and the
Government believes at least 3,500 units will be brought
back into use. Some 6m has been allocated for 2017,
which rises to 36m in 2018.
Two other initiatives are also being announced. The first is
additional funding to bring council-owned stock, or 'voids',
back into use. Details of funding are not known, but
'several hundred' units are expected to be upgraded.
The second is a 'buy and renewal' scheme where 25m will
be provided in 2017 and 50m in 2018 for councils and
AHBs to purchase and upgrade homes and make them
available for social housing.
Some 150 units will be delivered in 2017, and 300 in 2018.
Town centres will be prioritised, to aid regeneration, and
councils can also use CPO powers to acquire units in need
of works. Sources said there was a "real challenge" in the
works, as upgrading vacant or derelict units could be
difficult and costly.
But part of the appeal is that councils can tackle
dereliction, while also avoiding competing with private
buyers for good quality housing stock.

The net result of both initiatives is that councils or AHBs

can approach owners of vacant homes in need of works
and offer to repair and lease the unit, or buy and upgrade
the property. Further details will be announced today,
including an update on the number of social houses under
construction.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personalfinance/property-mortgages/215m-plan-to-bring-4000vacant-homes-into-use-35107860.html

Older people downsizing

could release 100,000
family homes
Paul Melia Twitter

EMAIL
PUBLISHED
11/10/2016

1
Housing Minister Simon Coveney. Photo: Tom Burke

Up to six years' supply of first-time buyer

homes could be released to the market if
older people were given options to downsize
to smaller units.
A report from the Housing Agency and Ireland Smart
Ageing Exchange (ISAX) says Ireland's older population
could be willing to move to a smaller home, freeing up
units for families, so long as they remained living in their
communities.
The 'Housing for Older People - Thinking Ahead' report
says there is an "unmet need" for 100,000 'step-down'

housing units, which would cost 25bn to build.

"This is the first time we have had this type of valuation of
the potential market," it says. "If provided, these new
homes could also free-up housing equivalent to at least six
years' supply for first-time buyers."
It comes after the ESRI controversially suggested last
March that older people be given cash incentives to move
out of their homes and free up housing for families.
Read more: Emotional ties trump lure of cash as 'empty
nesters' stay put
The think-tank suggested that some 26,000 older
homeowners could be encouraged to move out as their
children no longer lived with them, but it also outlined
potential problems, such as negative effects on the health
of the people who move.
The proportion of Ireland's population who are over 65
years of age is to double from one eighth today to a quarter
of the population by 2050. By 2050, Ireland will be home
to 458,000 people over the age of 80. There are currently
130,000.
The research says the vast majority of older people (88pc)
are very happy with their current home, but it finds the
link may be stronger to the community than the property.
More than 50pc said staying in their local community was
key, while 28pc cited staying in contact with friends and
neighbours. One in five said the type of property they lived
in negatively impacted 'a lot' on their ease of living.
The report makes several key recommendations including
a requirement that age-friendly housing be included in all
local authority development plans, and high-density
development in existing communities.
Explicit
"Given the evidence that older persons overwhelmingly
want to stay within their communities, this means explicit
commitments by local authorities in urban areas to
'densify the suburbs," it says. "This does not mean
allowing inappropriate heights - but does require
authorities to permit four and five-storey buildings. In

addition, it requires authorities to look favourably on sites

undergoing a change of use."
It says bridging finance is needed to allow people secure a
new home before moving out of their existing property,
but this does not appear to be a "priority" for banks.
The Department of Housing said that among planned
measures were initiatives for older people, including a 60unit project for Dublin City Council, while a 100,000
prize fund had been announced to support a 'smart ageing'
design challenge to develop new forms of housing.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/propertymortgages/older-people-downsizing-could-release-100000-family-homes35120071.html

Number of new homes

being built jumps by 30pc
in last year

Paul Melia Twitter

EMAIL
PUBLISHED
10/10/2016

1
Simon Coveney wants scheme to encourage construction. Photo:
Steve Humphreys

The number of new homes under

construction has increased by more than
30pc year-on-year.
New figures from the Department of Housing show that
work began on 4,154 units in the first eight months of this
year. This compares with 3,174 in the same period of 2015,

an increase of 980 or 30pc.

The figures do not include one-off homes, which are
unlikely to go on sale on the open market and will not help
meet demand.
But they also show that, in some counties, no work on new
housing developments started this year - with all units
under construction being one-off properties.
The figures come as the Government is expected to
announce new measures tomorrow to help first-time
buyers get on the property ladder and encourage the
construction industry to increase output.
Some 25,000 new homes are needed every year just to
keep pace with demand, but fewer than 13,000 were built
last year.
Read more: Budget 2017: First-time buyers' grant to be
available for limited time only
Read more: 215m plan to bring 4,000 vacant homes
into use
However, figures on the number of homes under
construction suggest that the industry is slowly increasing
output despite tough Central Bank lending rules which are
dampening demand.
Building more homes is necessary to help avoid the price
shocks that have seen the cost of buying a home increase
by more than 20pc across all parts of the country since
2013 - and by 60pc for houses in Dublin city.
Data from the Central Statistics Office also show that firsttime buyers' share of the market fell from 53.1pc in 2010
to just 24.4pc in 2015 due to the shortage of suitable
properties being built, and as cash-rich buyers and
investors snap up homes.
The Government intends to announce a tax rebate scheme
aimed at helping this cohort to stump up the deposit
necessary to secure a home loan.
Housing Minister Simon Coveney wants the measure to
have the knock-on effect of sending a clear signal to the
construction sector that there is a need to deliver starter
homes, as mortgage lending will increase in the wake of

the Government measures.

The Department of Housing statistics show that work has
begun on 7,139 new homes so far this year. This compares
with 5,324 in the first eight months of 2015, and includes
both estate houses and one-off units.
Of these, 2,081 are in Dublin, and 3,599 are across the
Greater Dublin Area, which includes Dublin, Wicklow,
Meath and Kildare.
But when the 2,985 one-off homes under construction are
excluded, the figures show the construction industry is
increasing output from very low levels.
The statistics show:
Work started on 5,154 units which form part of
developments, meaning they will be sold on the open
market.
The highest output is in Fingal, with 757 units under
construction. Kildare is next at 561, then Cork County at
435.
Work started on 1,769 units across Dublin, and 2,861 in
the Greater Dublin Area, which includes the four Dublin
councils and Wicklow, Kildare and Meath.
In some counties, no housing developments are under
way - all units are one-off. They include Leitrim, Longford,
Monaghan, Offaly and Westmeath.
The figures also show that around 80pc of all units under
construction in the cities of Cork, Dublin and Galway are
in housing estates, which will help boost supply.
Some two-thirds in Limerick City and County are in
developments.
Almost 80pc of units under construction in Waterford City
and County are one-off.
It provides first-time buyers with a rebate of income tax
paid over the previous four tax years, up to 5pc of the
purchase price of a new home, to a value of 400,000.
The maximum tax rebate available to first-time buyers will
be 20,000. The scheme applies to homes up to the value
of 600,000, but not beyond that, and the most you can
get is 20,000.

It is nothing short of extraordinary that the scheme

applies to houses at up to 600,000.
The rebate will mean that instead of having to save a
deposit of 58,000 for a 400,000 house, a buyer will
only have to save 38,000.
Anyone who knows anything about property believes that
this will simply push up prices, with the extra profit
margin being swallowed up by builders.
And to complicate matters, buyers will have to file a tax
return for the previous four years to get the income tax
rebate.
This will inevitably make the scheme less attractive.
Revenue confirmed that people who pay their taxes
through the pay as you earn (PAYE) system will have to
prove they are fully tax-compliant.
THEY will have to register with the tax authority's
personal tax portal, MyAccount.ie, and to prove they are
fully tax-compliant they will have to file an income tax
return for the past four years.
Asked about this, Revenue said PAYE taxpayers may be in
receipt of additional income from other sources, such as
rental income or share options, which is below the
threshold at which they are required to register for income
tax - currently gross income of 50,000 or net profit of
5,000.
Or they may have unclaimed health or other expenses
which would not be accounted for in their employer's
calculation of their taxes.
"Taxpayers who have not already done so will need to
complete Online Forms 12 (PAYE) and Forms 11 (selfassessed), in respect of each of these four years," Revenue
said.
The announcement of the new scheme prompted a surge
in searchers on the property website Daft.ie.
The website recorded an increase of 130pc in searches for
new homes after details of the scheme were announced in
the Budget when compared with the average daily
searches for new homes.

The problem is there is precious little for sale in the newhomes category anywhere in the country.
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland
(CPA Ireland) has also expressed concern that talented
Irish people living abroad will not be able to avail of the
new scheme.
This means a significant cohort of people - returning
emigrants - will miss out.
However, one good aspect of the scheme is that the tax
rebate may be subject to a clawback.
Revenue said the property must be occupied by the firsttime buyer for five years from the date that it is habitable.
http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/propertymortgages/number-of-new-homes-being-built-jumps-by-30pc-in-last-year35116559.html

Finance Minister Michael Noonan will set a deadline for

applications, which could be as short as two years, in his
Budget Day speech next week.

Mr Noonan (pictured) and Housing Minister Simon Coveney have

had extensive discussions about the application of the scheme,
with much debate over the upper limit for applications. Photo: Tom
Burke

It is understood that Mr Noonan wants the tax rebate to

help "kickstart" the construction industry but not to

become a standard measure.
"The idea is to stimulate the market so once it hits a
certain level then you stop the incentive," said a source.
The minister is expected to put a definitive timeframe for
the duration of the 'Help to Buy' scheme into his Budget
speech next Tuesday.
"Any tax incentive is a cost to the State. It's the same as
spending cash these days, so it's prudent to put an end
date on it," the source said.
The Government's housing plan, 'Rebuilding Ireland', is
based on package of measures until 2021 but it is expected
that the first-time buyers' grant will have a much shorter
lifespan, possibly just two years.
Final details of how the grant will work, including the
thresholds for qualification, are still being finalised.
First-time buyers will be able to claim 5pc of the value of a
new build back through an income tax rebate.
Read more: Revealed: How long it takes to get a deposit
for a mortgage
Read more: Why first-time buyers need no Budget help says economist
Mr Noonan and Housing Minister Simon Coveney have
had extensive discussions about the application of the
scheme, with much debate over the upper limit for
applications.
One source told the Irish Independent that there is a
strong argument for homebuyers spending up to
400,000 to benefit. This would mean the maximum
grant would be 20,000.
The money is likely to be paid into a holding account while
a house-hunter works through the process of buying.
"You'd have to have the money in the bank in order to use
it as part of your mortgage application," said one person
familiar with the process.
Ministers will be keen to stress that the fund is aimed at
first-time buyers and not builders.
The Central Bank's loan-to- income-ratio rules will be

cited as one way of preventing house prices from rising on

the back of the new scheme.
The grant is set to be a big topic at the Construction
Industry Federation's conference in Dublin, where
Housing Minister Simon Coveney will meet with key
stakeholders.
Fianna Fil is understood to have expressed serious
reservations about the tax rebate system to the
Department of Finance during the Budget negotiations.
The party pressed for the introduction of a government
equity loan scheme, similar to what is available in the UK.
This involves the State taking an equity stake in the house
itself in return for a loan being issued. Legislation is
already in place for such a scheme.
However, Fianna Fil has accepted defeat on the issue and
will allow Fine Gael's plan to pass as part of the Budget
under its confidence and supply agreement.
And despite the obvious financial savings in making such a
move, experts say there is a serious lack of suitable
accommodation for older people on the market.
According to the Economic and Social Research Institute
(ESRI), some 26,000 couples are 'empty nesters', where
the children have left home.
These couples over the age of 50 are living in homes with
four or more rooms.
But latest figures show that downsizers make up only 7pc
of the housing market.
A study by the ESRI found it is rare for older people to
move house, even though a high proportion live alone in
dwellings with a number of rooms no longer in use.
Property experts say that, in general, older Irish people
have an aversion to upping sticks to a new location and
have their hearts set on staying in the home where they
raised their children.
Family memories, as well as a desire to remain close to
friends and loved ones, means many empty nesters are
determined to stay put.
Owen Reilly, director of Owen Reilly Property Consultants

in Dublin, says these empty nesters currently make up a

small proportion of total sales compared to first-time
buyers and those "trading up" to a more expensive
property.
"These people have raised their family in a property which
is familiar to them. Their house is full of memories - and
they know their neighbourhood and those living around
them," he said.
However, if more suitable properties for this sector of the
market were available, more older people might be
tempted to move, he said.
"If developers were specifically targeting empty nesters, I
believe there would be more of an inclination to trade
down homes."
Speaking to the Sunday Independent, he said that while
older people understandably "have an emotional tie" to
where they live, a major issue is the fact that a lot of
developments don't provide any incentive for them to
move.
However, among those who do decide to sell the family
home, moving to a penthouse is proving particularly
popular with some buyers.
"We get empty nesters looking at regular-sized
apartments, but when they see they're 700 or 800 sq. ft,
they feel they are just too small, compared to what they're
used to.
"But I believe this sector of the market is prepared to pay a
premium if you give them what they want.
"They want space, security, privacy, storage, parking
spaces and communal areas where they can get to know
their neighbours."
According to the ESRI, an analysis of almost 6,000 people
found that one-third of those aged over 50 live alone.
Some 63pc of those over 80 live on their own, and almost
90pc of cases related to so-called 'empty nesters'.

Noonan told of
investment 'risk' if tax
laws change
Dearbhail McDonald Twitter
EMAIL
PUBLISHED
10/10/2016

1
Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been warned of the risk of a
flight of international capital. Photo: Frank McGrath

The Government has been warned that there

could be a capital flight of international
investment funds, with adverse impacts on
the domestic property market, if changes are
made to 'tax-neutral' laws used by overseas
funds to acquire and manage Irish property
assets.
Hundreds of millions of euro worth of property deals have
been stalled amid fears that Finance Minister Michael
Noonan will restrict the tax-free exemptions enjoyed by
Qualifying Investor Alternative Investment Funds
(QIAIFs) and other tax structures, such as Irish Collective
Asset-management Vehicles (ICAVs) and Qualifying
Investor Funds (QIFs).
Capital investment has also been suspended pending
tomorrow's Budget and the forthcoming Finance Bill, in
which the changes are expected to be unveiled.
Last week, officials from the Department of Finance met
investment funds, who are understood to have stressed

that unlike so-called 'vulture funds' they invested in

Ireland for the long term, based on prevailing tax
structures.
Mr Noonan has already moved to restrict the tax-free
benefits enjoyed by Special Purpose vehicles (SPVs) mostly US private equity firms - that have used S110 of the
Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to legally avoid paying tax
on distressed property assets, including mortgage loans.
And he is expected to clamp down on QIAIFs and ICAVs
amid concerns that they are being used by investors to
avoid paying tax on rental income and profits derived from
their Irish loan books.
Mr Noonan has been urged to amend the law to allow
global Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to operate
here.
Such a move would allow unit holders in REITs - which
are generally exempt from taxation at the trust level - to
pay tax on the income derived from Irish profits in the
country where they live, rather than here.
Under current legislation, REITs can only operate in
Ireland if they are an Irish incorporated company.
However, the Government is understood to be strongly
opposed to the proposal, insisting that profits derived
from Irish loan books must be paid here.
Independent TD Stephen Donnelly, who has highlighted
potential abuses of Ireland's 'tax-neutral' laws by
companies pursuing aggressive tax-avoidance strategies,
said the Irish funds industry has nothing to fear from
changes, such as a dividend withholding tax being
imposed on Irish profits.
"This is not about material changes to the funds industry,
it's about stopping a small number of companies using our
tax laws in ways they were not intended to be used," said
Mr Donnelly, formerly the co-leader of the Social
Democrats.
He added: "Ireland's reputation as a transparent,
regulated, low-tax economy could be put at risk by ICAVs,

QIAIFs and by S110s being used in the domestic

economy."
http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/propertymortgages/noonan-told-of-investment-risk-if-tax-laws-change35116560.html

Noonan ignored young

people - now it's time we
started to get really angry
Lorraine Courtney
PUBLISHED
13/10/2016

1
Finance Minister Michael Noonan at RTE Radio Studios to answer
the public's questions on Budget 2017 on Today with Sean
O'Rourke Picture: PA

Most societies consider young people "the

future", a generation that should be
encouraged and nourished, but yesterday's
Budget couldn't have tried harder to ignore
us. The young don't always vote, so we don't
matter and the Government has skewed
absolutely everything toward protecting the
interests of older generations instead.

The State pension will increase by 5. All weekly social

welfare payments, including the carer's allowance,
disability allowance and jobseeker's benefit and allowance,
will rise by 5 per week.
You would think that our Government would give the
same amount to everybody but this doesn't apply to young
people. Under the new increases, those aged 18 to 24 who
are getting jobseeker's allowance will get a miserly 2.70
per week more and 25-year-olds will get 3.80 per week
extra.
The National Youth Council of Ireland has strongly
criticised the Government on this measure.

"We're very disappointed with this measure," said James

Doorley, deputy director with the organisation. "It's
miserly, it's mean-spirited and it's further discrimination
on young people.
"Young people are already trying to survive on 100 a
week. This creates further gaps in support for the young
and old."
When it comes to the job market, I think we can all agree
that today's young adults are deserving of a few extra pity
points. I hear your objections. The 1980s weren't a picnic
and being young has never been a financial cakewalk.
The job market still has a giant, recession-shaped hole in
it. Our overall unemployment rate is 7.8pc but this
headline figure from the Central Statistics Office obscures
ongoing problems with youth unemployment.
Youth unemployment has actually risen to 16pc from
15.4pc, according to the latest data. The problem is that
young people will suffer for it all their lives, as research
shows most people never regain their footing after bouts of
unemployment and are destined to a life in and out of lowpaid work.
Creeping credentialism means graduates are spending
more and more years (and money) to get worse and worse
entry-level jobs. Sometimes these jobs don't pay at all but
the Government calls that JobBridge. Recent grads are
landing in entry-level positions that haven't historically
required four years of studying (not to mention the
exorbitant "student contribution charges" that are really
just fees in disguise). Get used to the most erudite
generation yet of baristas and waiters.
If you're on the minimum wage, you didn't get that extra
fiver either. The 10 cent increase meant that if you get 39
hours a week of work, you got 3.90 in the Budget. Young
people are the ones most likely to be on these kind of
starvation wages.
In fact, almost 40pc of all those on the minimum wage are
under 40. Yet the fact that Millennials are more educated
and more impoverished than their parents' generation at a

similar age hardly makes it onto the political radar. Just in

case you'd forgotten, there's a housing crisis right now. If
there's one thing that doesn't scare politicians, it's
'Generation Rent' even though there's about 720,000 of
us. The average monthly rent nationwide is now at its
highest level ever but 2011 brought the first in a series of
reductions which will see rent relief phased out completely
by 2017.
More importantly, for young people entering into the
rental market, an individual who began renting for the
first time after December 2010 wasn't entitled to this relief
at all. We need a serious national conversation about the
rental market; the fact that today's young people may well
be renting later in life, even once we've had families and
need stability, yet tax relief on our rent money isn't
considered important.
Recessions are hardest on the young, but this Government
has been almost vindictive. Our rites of passage have
become dead ends of disappointment. Some people do
soar but many more of us than previously will not find
work to match our skills, talents or even quite modest
ambitions for a job, a roof, floor and furniture. It's also
exacerbating class divisions: those who can make
withdrawals from the bank of mom and dad versus the
stuck.
Rescuing the lost generation should be our Government's
main mission - with jobs, homes, help and hope.
The latest emigration figures show that 31,800 of us left
Ireland between April 2015 and April 2016, some in
optimism, lots more in desperation at a system that
protects the privileges of the older and better off.
Why not free bus passes for under-25s, paid for by meanstesting elderly people's free passes?
You see, the elderly have power, money, votes and
demographics on their side.
But if the young aren't going to riot, then at least we'd
better declare an intention to vote with a vengeance and
rattle Leinster House's cage.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/noonan-ignored-youngpeople-now-its-time-we-started-to-get-really-angry-35126822.html

Paschal Donohoe claimed this as a Budget of, and for, the

"centre". But that's something of a stretch. Any Social
Democratic government across Europe would have been
more than happy to have claimed it, with its tax cuts
focused on lower earners, childcare package and welfare
increases.
More than that, though, the similarities with some of
Charlie McCreevy's budgets of the noughties are hard to
overlook.
Arguably, the scale isn't as big - though if you add the
1.4bn already factored into spending next year to the
Budget package of 1.3bn, that's as big as anything
McCreevy ever did.
But either way, there's no denying Budget 2017 fits in with
the old McCreevy mantra of 'When I have it, I spend it'.
Tnaiste Frances Fitzgerald bristled at the comparison on
radio yesterday. But despite her insistence the
Government was being prudent, there's no denying it
pushed its spending envelope to the very limit. They even
managed to find 300m down the back of the couch in the
Department of Finance in the final few days before
Michael Noonan got to his feet.
And Fitzgerald's defence that the money was being spent
on vital and valuable services sounded very like

McCreevy's equally seductive arguments to the Banking

Inquiry about his own spending back in the Celtic Tiger
days.
The reality is that, after Tuesday, the long-established
claim that things would have been different during the
boom if Fine Gael, not Fianna Fil, had been in power has
been seriously undermined. Incredibly, many of the
mistakes of the noughties are being repeated.
There is a prevailing, and deeply uncomfortable, sense of
dj vu about how matters are developing. Given the
uncertainty over Brexit - and the potentially hugely serious
impact on the Irish economy - the Government should
have played it safe. Particularly given the hard lessons of
the crash.
Instead, it went for a blatantly political budget - with
absolutely no guarantee that it will pay political dividends.
There's a real danger that Fine Gael, in particular, has
fallen between two stools.
Core Fine Gael voters - who are centrist/right-of-centre
and who believe in fiscal rectitude and responsible
governance - are unlikely to be impressed. What do they
make, for example, of the return of the first-time buyers'
grant; the big hike in spending; the long fingering of a
rainy day fund; or the obvious gamble that growth would
continue despite Brexit?
Meanwhile, that section of the electorate that believes they
should get back to 2007 levels of income as soon as
possible, are hardly likely to be satisfied by a fiver a week.
'Underwhelmed' was the sentiment expressed by virtually
every punter interviewed on television and radio over the
past couple of days - on occasions it was expressed a lot
more colourfully than that. Given the extent of the giveaway, the negative response has been extraordinary.
Either the Government spread the jam too thinly or big
sections of the electorate have hugely unrealistic
expectations about what is possible. It's probably a bit of
both.
The obvious worry for Fine Gael is that any credit that is

there will go to Fianna Fil. But there's also a real sense

that Fine Gael is now chasing the wrong target audience.
There's perhaps 30pc of the electorate that would consider
voting for Fine Gael. Tuesday's Budget was hardly for
them.
The main Government party is in danger of losing its
identity.
Fianna Fil, regrettably, has been in full populist mode
these past few weeks. It may or may not work and it's been
depressing to watch. But at least, in cold political terms, it
has a strategy of where it wants to position itself - left-ofcentre like the old Fianna Fil, pre-the men in mohair
suits.
Fine Gael, in contrast, is sending out hugely mixed
messages. To be fair, it's incredibly hamstrung because it
has to rely on others to stay in power. The Independent
Alliance must be infuriating to deal with - Shane Ross, in
particular, still talks like he's not a member of the Cabinet.
And Fianna Fil, of course, has the old enemy exactly
where it wants them.
Simply keeping the Government afloat is an exhausting
business. It's no wonder that the Budget lacked a vision or
an obvious coherent strategy for the country. When you
have a Government that's dozens of seats short of a
majority, and led by a Taoiseach who is hanging in there
by his finger nails, that's what happens. The odds suggest
it might now muddle through for another year or two. That
might be better than having no government - look at
what's being played out in Spain. But, with what's
happening with Brexit, is muddling through enough?
The only consolation politically for Fine Gael is that
nobody else is grabbing the electorate's imagination.
Fianna Fil had its populist wings clipped in the most
recent opinion poll. Sinn Fin seems curiously impotent
and almost sidelined by the post-election arrangements.
Labour's comeback will happen but it will be slow and
piecemeal. And Independents have had their problems in
the new Dil.

Maybe, though, there's a reason for voter indifference that

the likes of Fine Gael and Fianna Fil are overlooking. The
suspicion lingers that there is a great swathe of centreground voters looking for a home. You won't see them in a
'Prime Time' audience giving out about their lot; or find
them taking part in a march against water charges. And
the danger is that because they don't shout the loudest,
that they are being ignored. They certainly were in the
Budget.
Shane has hit the nail on the head with this one. It was a really
depressing budget. It is to be expected though given the make up of the
government and the lack of leadership and so lack of identity of the
biggest party in government. This is Enda's legacy. I'm not a fan of the
"strong leader" type but Enda is far in the opposite direction it isn't
funny. The way he abdicates responsibility by his apparent absence is
amazing. Surely he should have been in that radio talk show yesterday
or been there with Noonan holding up the budget book. It may just be
image but it speaks a thousand words when he's constantly missing (as
an aside, when water charges were introduced he wanted nothing to do
with it). The only time I remember seeing Enda is when he gallivanting
at a festival or GAA game or shaking the US presidents hand for Paddy's
day.
this budget was about FG doing as well as possible out of next year's
general election and nothing else.
FG need to get rid of him and put in charge someone with conviction
who will position the party to appeal to that 30% of voters who care
about fiscal responsibility and good governance. At the moment there is
no point in voting for FG as all you get is FF and that's not going to fix
anything.

Wanted: a politician to champion middle

Ireland. The 'squeezed middle', if you want
to use that term; ordinary workers in cities,
towns and villages who hit the top rate of tax
at 34,000; who paid their water charges
because it was the law of the land to do so;
and who don't have a medical card or benefit

from the other services (quite rightly)

provided by the State.

Because, currently, no one is speaking for those people in

political life. The lack of reaction from the political parties
to last week's report from the Irish Tax Institute is
evidence of this.
That report, in one fell swoop, decimated what has become
the largely undisputed political narrative of recent years.
That narrative had us believe USC was the central problem
in the Irish tax system and that it was necessary and
desirable to remove as many people as possible from the
tax net. But the Tax Institute study conclusively shows the
key problems are, in fact, the ludicrously low rate at which
workers hit the top rate of tax here, and the narrowness of
the tax base.
Its findings are startling. Somebody on 25,000 pays 5.6
times the amount of tax as a worker on 18,000. A worker
on 35,000 pays 11 times the tax of somebody on half that
salary. And the multiple is 44 if you're earning 75,000,
rather than 18,000.
Let's be clear: there is no appetite in this country for USstyle taxes where, in particular, the rich can avoid them.
Most people agree with the notion of a progressive tax

system.
But what we have at the moment is blatantly unfair. It's
right and proper those earning less should pay less in tax,
but we've taken that to degrees that no other OECD
country has.
During the madness of the Celtic Tiger years, 42pc of
workers were entirely outside the tax net. When the public
finances collapsed and the USC was introduced, that figure
dropped to 12pc.
But in recent years, with political parties intent on
repeating the catastrophic error of narrowing the tax base,
it has risen back to 29pc - and it will be higher after the
upcoming Budget.
Half the workforce now account for 96pc of the tax take.
That's simply too big a burden on too few.
The direct result of that is somebody earning 75,000 in
Ireland today pays more tax than their counterpart in
Sweden and still has to endure vastly inferior public
services.
The quality of our public services is more akin to the UK,
where somebody on that salary pays a whopping 6,136
less in tax.
So who's representing those who earn 35,000-75,000 the squeezed middle? Not Michel Martin and Fianna Fil.
Asked about the Institute of Taxation report last week,
Martin stuck rigidly to the mantra about USC being the
"focus", not the low income levels at which workers hit the
top rate of tax.
Not Fine Gael either. All their emphasis is on USC too. Leo
Varadkar was last week heralding Fine Gael's record of
removing half a million workers from the USC net.
When it was put to him that this inevitably meant an
increased burden for middle-income workers, he didn't
demur but said his priority was the lower paid. It seems a
laudable position at first glance. But the Institute of
Taxation report demonstrates that the low paid already
pay the lowest tax in the OECD.
It's the middle income earners that are getting screwed.

Yet nobody in politics seems remotely interested. Martin

says we have to get the balance right between tax cuts and
public services. He's right.
But nobody in Leinster House seems to realise that one of
the key reasons why public services aren't up to scratch is
there are too few people paying tax.
Brian Lenihan's logic behind introducing USC at low levels
was, of course, to raise much-needed revenue.
But it was also based on the belief that every worker
should pay some amount of tax; everybody should have an
investment and a stake in the system - albeit at very low
levels for lower incomes to ensure fairness.
To point this out in the current climate means being
labelled right wing. But it's not.
It's actually a clarion call for the political centre.
Centrist politics have on balance served the country
reasonably well for the past 90 years, but they seem to
have been abandoned by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fil.
The fact that even Varadkar - who the left liked to
simplistically caricature as a neo-Thatcherite a few years
back - is talking the way he now is, demonstrates that.
Ever since Paul Murphy's by-election win in 2014, politics
has shifted dramatically leftwards. The far left is calling
the tune and the former centrist/right of centre
mainstream parties are dancing to it.
Calling that out isn't about stirring up 'them versus us'
sentiments.
Most Irish people are inherently fair and want a just and
decent society - a social democratic model even. They want
the most vulnerable protected and supported.
But fairness swings both ways. It can't always be
exclusively the same group of people picking up the tab.
Fairness also demands a hard-pressed worker doesn't pay
the top rate of tax at 34,000; that whatever childcare
package is in the Budget also benefits middle-income
earners; and that those who paid their water tax are not
sacrificed for political expediency.

For all the rhetoric on the subject, is anybody in Leinster

House interested in delivering real fairness?
For the good times (see, for example, 1977-1980 and 19962007), it's across-the-board spending increases and tax
cuts like there's no tomorrow. For the bad times (eg 197376, 1982-1989 and 2008-2014), it's ... well, the reverse:
across-the-board spending cuts and tax increases, because
without them there may be no tomorrow.
Happily, today's speech falls into the former category (tax
cuts and spending increases). But the history of the past
50 years tells us it's only a matter of time before we're back
into the latter grouping. Yet, somehow, we never seem to
grasp the link between our ongoing boom-and-bust cycle
and our yo-yo approach to Budgets.
You can be sure that the budgetary policy of Germany - a
bastion of economic stability - doesn't swing so wildly
between extremes.
Does Germany halve its Capital Gains Tax rate to 20pc one
year and then a few years later bring it back to 33pc? Or
raise government spending by double digit percentages for
years, resulting in a double digit percentage budget deficit
when the wheels come off?
Of course it doesn't. And that just might be why it is that
bastion of economic stability.
You'd imagine we would have learned the lessons from the
economic and financial crash, given how painful it was for
everybody. Yet here we are, barely out of the woods, and
already the promises about tax cuts, taking people out of
the tax net, pension increases, more public servants and,
most incredibly, first-time buyers' grants, are in full flow.
What was it Einstein supposedly said about the definition
of insanity being doing the same thing over and expecting
different results?
And that makes this year's great budgetary give-away - "we
promised you a billion euros, but we're gonna raise that to
1.2bn" - all the more depressing.
Back in 2009/2010, some of us at least drew small
consolation from a (misguided and naive) belief that the

crisis represented a chance to start doing things right in

this country: reform, common sense policies, the loss of
power of vested interests, etc.
Yet here we are in Budget Groundhog Day once again. It's
arguably worse this time. Not just because we should now
know better. But because we're fully aware of the
potentially catastrophic fall-out from Brexit.
Yet despite that, here we are again with a Government
planning to spend money that it can't say with certainty
it'll still have to spend in three or four years' time.
Sure, we're at the top of the upswing. But it's still yo-yo
economics.
Imagine it were different. Imagine we had learned the
lessons of the noughties and decided to take account of
potential dangers that lie ahead. In that scenario, Michael
Noonan's speech today might sound something like this:
"A Cheann Comhairle, I stand before the house today with
our country at a crossroads. Notwithstanding the massive
strides we have made (cue positive news about falling
debt, balanced budgets, drops in unemployment), we are
facing into hugely uncertain times.
"The decision of our closest ally and biggest trading
partner to leave the EU has enormous implications for
Ireland. Suffice to say that, as the only state in Europe
with a land border with the UK, the challenges we face
from a British exit from the EU are unique.
"Anticipating the precise nature of the fall-out from Brexit
is impossible. So much is dependent on factors outside our
control. That is why we must proceed with the utmost
caution.
"A decade ago or more, the government of the day ignored
warning signs that problems might be afoot and
introduced a succession of expansionary budgets. I would
be failing in my duties as Finance Minister were I now to
risk repeating that folly.
"Our best estimation is that the downside from Brexit will
be manageable for this economy. However, until we are in
a position to fully assess the nature of Britain's exit from

the EU, the implications for its economy, for Sterling, for
the single market and, crucially, for the border that divides
the north and south of this island, it is wise to proceed
cautiously.
"For this reason, I am proposing to the house that this
year's Budget will be largely neutral - no tax cuts or
spending increases beyond upholding the existing level of
services.
"And we will maintain that approach until we know the
full implications of Brexit on our economy and we can be
certain that any 'fiscal space' is sustainable. A Cheann
Comhairle, I commend this (non) Budget to the house".
What would the reaction be to such a speech? There would
be hell to pay on the floor of the Dil. Various vested
interests would go berserk. It would probably cause an
election. But it might also hugely appeal to a large chunk
of voters. Those voters who don't have short memories and
who are rightly cynical about auction politics and where
it'll take us. It might even prove to be an electoral masterstroke.
But, much more important than the politics of it, it would
be the right thing to do. For the first time arguably ever, a
government would be taking difficult decisions before a
crisis hit, as opposed to after it - when we always take
them.
Imagine a government actually saying: "I won't spend
money because I think there's a chance, due to Brexit, that
we'll have to take that money back again in the next few
years. Governments here have done that too often in the
past and we owe it to the Irish people not to keep
repeating that mistake."
Now that really would be 'new politics'.
Sadly, there's not the remotest possibility of it happening.
Get ready for one more spin of the yo-yo.
The common view in and around Leinster House is that
Kenny knows, and accepts, his tenure is drawing to a close
and will go at a time of his choosing, sometime next
spring.

He's big on landmarks - remember the fuss about being

the first Fine Gael Taoiseach to be re-elected. And, by
April 19 next year (the Wednesday after Easter Sunday),
he will overtake John A Costello by becoming Fine Gael's
longest-serving Taoiseach - another notch to the Kenny
legacy.
So he could announce he's standing down sometime in
March or early April and, by the time a successor is chosen
and formally elected Taoiseach, Mr Kenny will have
comfortably reached that milestone. He could then head
off happily, just turned 66, to live the rest of his life leaving the country and his party in a better place than he
found them; and the near humiliation of the last election a
fading memory.
Perhaps it will indeed pan out like that. But nothing about
Enda Kenny's ruthless and single-minded term as Fine
Gael leader suggests that it will. And there is an interesting
counter view to mainstream opinion among some who
have watched Kenny's career at close quarters.
They say he feels that he hasn't got the credit he deserves
from his time as Taoiseach. That he is quite happy for
people to believe he'll stand aside in six months. But that
he actually intends staying on a lot longer - for at least
another two years.
If that is the case, then the timing of the UK's invoking of
Article 50 to exit the EU could hardly have fallen better for
him. It coincides almost exactly with the date most people
in Fine Gael expect Kenny to announce his departure.
And, were he of a mind to stay on, you can already hear
the line being pushed by Kenny's (ever-dwindling) circle:
'This is a critical time for Ireland. The national interest
requires the Taoiseach stays in place for now. With his
experience of, and contacts in, the EU, he's the man to
ensure Brexit happens on the best possible terms for
Ireland.'
It's hugely debatable whether this argument stands up to
much scrutiny. Kenny is well respected in Europe and
enjoys a good relationship with Angela Merkel.

But what has that ever really delivered for Ireland? Merkel
isn't exactly the clubbable type and is scrupulously
straight. She might like and respect Kenny, but the
Chancellor will do what's best for Germany and the wider
EU in that order.
And, while the process of Brexit will certainly begin next
spring, it could go on for years. It would arguably be far
better to have a new leader here from the beginning of the
process - indeed, a younger, more dynamic leadership
than currently offered by Kenny and Michael Noonan,
with their combined age of 138.
The Government's response since the Brexit referendum
result has been somewhat underwhelming, even if you
would hope and imagine there's more going on behind the
scenes than we know about. With so many political miles
on the clock for Kenny and Noonan, the case for a
generation change at the top is strong.
But, valid as these significant caveats may be, it's entirely
possible that a 'continuity and stability in the national
interest' narrative might raise enough question marks to
head off any move against Kenny - should he decide to stay
on.
Particularly if enough Fine Gael TDs decide that not
'rocking the boat' will ensure the 32nd Dil continues and
a potential general election is deferred for as long as
possible.
A lot, of course, will depend on how Fine Gael is going in
the opinion polls. There's also the possibility that, if it
becomes obvious that Kenny is going nowhere, it will
finally flush out one of the leadership contenders to
challenge him. But there is absolutely no sign of that
happening at the moment. As pointed out here before,
there's nobody at the top of Fine Gael with the kind of
cojones demonstrated a quarter of a century ago by Albert
Reynolds when he decided he had enough of Charlie
Haughey.
None of those mooted to succeed the current Taoiseach
appear remotely as unrelenting and hard-boiled as Kenny.

In politics, particularly when it come to survival, those

characteristics count for a lot.
And Kenny has always been a lucky general. He just about
held his seat during the 2002 FG General Election rout losing it would have probably finished him in national
politics, instead he ended up as last man standing for the
leadership.
He was blessed not to win the 2007 General Election would he have lasted six months once the economic and
banking tsunami had hit? He survived the 2010 leadership
heave only because of the ineptness of the challenge. And
then he was somehow returned as Taoiseach this year
despite losing 26 seats from the previous election.
And he might just be about to get lucky once again. A few
months back, it seemed impossible to see Kenny making it
to Christmas as Fine Gael leader. Now, Christmas has
become Easter and, with that, the possibility of a political
resurrection.
Britain's difficulty may yet turn out to be Enda Kenny's
opportunity to hang in there for another year or two.
Many in Leinster House are adamant that he won't want
to. Are you convinced? I'm not.

This week's Budget was the third in a row in which the public purse
strings were loosened. Budget 2017 also joins its immediate
predecessors in having a last minute ramping up of the amounts
splashed in new spending and tax cuts.

Fiscally, plus ca change.

More positively, that the Government has been in a
position to do this very much coincides with the changed
fortunes of the economy. The long recession/depression
hit its low point in 2012. Since then, almost every indicator
of economic health and activity has been on the up.
And, as of now, there should be enough momentum in the
economy to drive growth into the new year.
This is reflected in the Government's assumptions about
how the economy will perform next year. Most of its
economic predictions are sound enough, if too rosy.
Most notably in that regard, the forecasters in the
Department of Finance are pencilling in jobs growth next
year, well in excess of what other organisations - from the
ESRI in Dublin to the IMF in Washington - are predicting.
But even if we are not out of the woods (more of which
anon) there is little doubt that fortune has smiled on the
Irish economy over the past four years. This is to be seen
in how much the State has been taking in.
This year the Department of Finance estimates that all
income sources - tax and non-tax revenues - will generate
72bn. That, as it happens, tops the previous record intake
in 2007 at the height of the property frenzy.
That this much cash is being raised despite 150,000 fewer
people working compared with eight years ago, while the
country's population is up by 300,000 over the same
period, shows how the burden of running the State has
become more heavily focused on a smaller number of
citizens.
But it is not only the burden of taxation that is an issue;
there is some reason to be concerned about the trend.
Last year, the State's coffers swelled by 7pc, in large part
thanks to a huge surge in profit taxes. There has been no
such surge this year. As a result, total revenue growth will

come in at 2-3pc. That is not a boom-time rate of increase.

Despite the Government's own forecasts pointing to a
slower rate of expansion for the economy next year,
Michael Noonan's people have pencilled in an acceleration
in revenue growth, albeit a modest one.
That looks a bit odd but is in keeping with the hope-forthe-best approach of Budget 2017.
Modest revenue growth has not stopped the Government
from planning an increase in public spending of 2bn next
year, compared with this year's total spend.
Because of the complicated ways governments often
present their sums, the breakdown of how this extra 2bn
was divvied out got less attention than it should have.
The public pay bill will rise next year by 850m compared
with this year, equivalent to 42pc of the total spending
increase.
That is by far the largest share of the pie. It will bring the
total pay bill to over 20.5bn, only 700m below the 2008
peak.
And as if that wasn't eye-catching enough, when one
considers that there are now around 30,000 fewer people
employed across the public sector compared with 2008,
average gross pay this year has already surpassed the
bubble-era peak of 2008.
The 850m increase in the Government's pay bill next
year, flagged in Tuesday's Budget, will amount to 2,500
per person in the public sector, pushing average pay well
above the previous record (as of the middle of this year
there were 336,500 people at work in the public sector,
excluding semi-state companies, according to the CSO).
The basic arithmetic of the public pay bill and the numbers
employed shows that 'restoration' of bubble-era pay levels
has already happened, and it has happened within the
context of the Lansdowne Road agreement, which was
supposed to contain pay growth.
Pointing to these facts will rile those who prefer to keep
pay matters opaque and under wraps. Pointing to the
wider picture of the still-precarious nature of the public

finances will be almost as unwelcome to those who want to

believe that it is time to start splashing (borrowed) cash
again.
Despite lots of talk among politicians about who should
take "credit" for the measures contained in the Budget, it
should be remembered that this year the State will spend
around 500 more for every man, woman and child in the
country than it takes in.
Budget 2017 plans yet another year in the red, with
spending per person slated to exceed revenue by 250.
With the total public debt standing at above 200bn - or
100,000 for every person employed in the economy - it is
plain just how indebted the State is (and that is before we
even consider that per capita private debt levels are still
among the highest in the world).
Given that we are now in the fourth year of solid recovery,
the fact the State's books are not yet balanced and that
public debt is still rising means there will be no fiscal
leeway if the economy slows down.
If even a mild recession were to take place, it would be
straight back to austerity.
Could either of those eventualities come to pass? Of course
they could.
The British pound is in freefall. In the first seven months
of this year, Irish exporters earned 8pc less from sales to
the UK as a result.
The Sterling exchange rate is now so bad from an exporter
point of view that some companies will have to lay off
workers. Others face going to the wall.
And Brexit-related risk is only one of the many risks the
Irish economy faces now. Next year is likely to be a year of
hoping for the best.
The public sector threaten strikes unless they get their way believing
that they can hold the private sector who pay their salaries to ransom.
Can I make a suggestion that the private sector taxpayer hold their own
form of strike. If everybody on the higher rate of tax was to ask their
employer not to pay them one day per month and instead donate the
GROSS amount to a charity of their choice, tax take would be down
dramatically and would show the government that he who pays the

piper should call the tune. The loss to the individual would be relatively
small as over 50% of it would have gone in tax anyway. It would have
such a sobering effect on the government if massively supported that it
would likely not need to go on too long.
Just an idea from a fed up private sector taxpayer.
The growing fury in the private sector over the public sector pay and
mad-cap pensions is not going away.
It is increasingly leading to the attitude that to let the gravy train
continue is the only way to deal with the powerful entrenched vested
interest of the public service and that this will allow it to consume itself.
The ultimate driving force behind our politics is to satisfy this massive
economic burden and as such a major chunk of our taxes and much of
our regulation is geared towards satisfying this imperative. Much of the
rest (tax revenue) is to allow the politicians buy the votes of social
welfare recipients by steadily increasing their allowances and benefits to
the exclusion of much encouragement to return to the work force.
Will it take a Trump or Le Pen or Putin etc. etc...to bring change because
ultimately the reason for these individuals is the lack of faith in and the
growing frustration with those in power .
ums it up really well, people are turning that direction die to the failure
of mainstream politics. This week the FG/FF budget rewarded those
who contribute least with increases & a Christmas bonus for doing
nothing while those paying the highest burden of tax got nothing, a
complete incentive for those doing nothing to continue that road &
those who got 0.5% off Usc for paying for everything question whether
it's worth getting up every day to go to work. Michael Noonan & Michael
Mc Grath were talking about holding the centre of Irish politics, well the
people who voted for ye will no longer do so as Ye proved once again
this week that the do nothing/ get everything brigade are of more
importance. We need a chsnge of tack or else a revolt, I'm not going to
continue paying for the Dossers who are on here laughing & mocking
people. How long will things continue if the Dossers get more than the
workers, well Mc Grath & Noonan ?
We have an open and vulnerable economy by EU standards but our
budget deficit is going down. This development is positive. If public
sector expenditure, including wages, can be adequately controlled, then
our future looks reasonable. The difficulty is to convince Irish people
that continuing budget deficits do not create real growth. We are
spending far too much on public services resulting in heavy levels of
taxation on the average industrial worker. Comparisons with other EU
countries tend to paint false pictures as their economies are
considerably larger and more diverse. The simple fact is that Ireland is
not a large wealthy state with deep pockets. We are an island off an
island off Europe. Irish people should never forget this point. The

current fall in the value of the UK currency shows the real situation
facing Ireland. We should not be too pessimistic but the swell heads of
past years should be left in the past.
The public/private sector divide has never been greater. 2500 per
person extra in public sector per annum, equates to 50 per week in
comparison to about 3 per week for an average private sector worker.
This is despite enhanced job security and extortionate pension pots at
the end of our careers which are financed by the private sector.
Until there is a government that doesn't wilt on every public sector
strike notice, the gap will widen even though it's unsustainable.
Increased spending in public sector services was essentially public
sector pay increases.

At 11 for a packet, Ireland is the second dearest country

in Europe to purchase cigarettes with Norway being the
highest at 12.
However, there are some countries in the world where you
can get a packet of Marlboro cigarettes for less than 1.
In the Ukraine, you can buy a 20 packet of Marlboro for
0.85 cent, while in Moldova you can get them for 0.95
and in Belarus for 0.94.
Expatistan, the website which compares the cost of living
in thousands of cities all over the world, also reveals the
price of Marlboro cigarettes in the following countries:

Country
France
Malta
Spain
Greece
Poland
Croatia
Turkey
Latvia
Albania
Russia

Price
7.00
5.30
4.91
3.96
3.56
3.38
3.23
3.13
2.12
1.61

Irish smokers once again feel hard done by the Budget,

with the price of cigarettes increasing by 1 over the last
year.
Smokers rights group, Forest Ireland, has come out and
said that the only people who benefit from a hike in
cigarette prices are criminals.
Their spokesman John Mallon yesterday said:
The price increase is great news for the criminal classes
because they will sell more and more tobacco now as a
result. Its a product in demand.
In Brussels, the price of 20 cigarettes is 5. In Dublin, its
now going to be 11. Were completely out of step with our
European counterparts. We have the most expensive
cigarettes in the EU. Thats not a boast. The Government
should be ashamed of themselves.
He further added that increasing the price will not deter
people from smoking.
You could raise the price of a small car to 150k but
people would still drive cars. So you can raise the price of
cigarettes, and people will still smoke. Its that simple.
Health is a private matter between ourselves and our GP.
It has nothing to do with the Government, he told the
Evening Echo in Cork.

Proposed ministerial pay rise

from Budget 2017 to be
scrapped
13 Oct 2016

Ministers had been due to get a 12,000 boost

It seems that Government ministers will not be getting a

pay rise out of the budget after all.
They had been due to get a 12,000 boost over the next three
years, as part of a pay restoration deal.
But Public Expenditure Minister Pascal Donohoe is to ask
them to waive the rise after public outcry.
The Irish Independent, which breaks the story, claims that
ministers' pay is to be frozen at 157,000, with no increases
next year.
It is believed a process to freeze ministerial pay is likely within
weeks.

In-depth: Budget 2017

On Tuesday, Ministers Donohoe and Michael Noonan outlined
spending increases and tax cuts of 1.3bn.
In his speech, Mr Noonan said the economy will see GDP
growth of 4.2% in 2016 - and 3.5% in 2017.

Among some of the main initiatives announced were a new

'help to buy' scheme which will see first time buyers entitled to
a 5% grant on newly-built homes, a cut in USC for all workers,
and plans for almost 4,500 additional frontline staff to be
recruitment.
There will be a 7.4% increase in health spending - to a total of
14.6bn for next year.
And 319m is to go towards spending on local and regional
roads, while 15m will be used to progress the National
Broadband Plan.
http://www.newstalk.com/Proposed-ministerial-pay-risefrom-Budget-2017-to-be-scrapped

Leaders Questions- Treatment of Garda WhistleblowersOCT 2016 05

Dil Issues, Leaders Questions oct 5th 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H3A6g9hu9k

Policing Authority
Sep 29, 2016
Clare Daly speaking at the Dil Justice Committee on the role
of the Policing Authority.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UVzqLkbEi0

USmilitary flights using

Aldergrove airport
October 6, 2016

By Ciara Quinn
BELFAST International Airport is being used as a landing point for
US military flights.
Sinn Fin MLA for South Antrim, Declan Kearney, has said
questions must be answered by the airport as to the purpose of the
flights which people living under the flight path have reported to the
Andersonstown News.
The paper reported back in April how sightings of US Air Force
military transport planes had been seen taking off and landing
regularly at Aldergrove.
Speaking this week one resident said: Im concerned because of
the wars that are taking place around the Middle-East.
Are we now part of the supply chain in troops and munitions? Also
are any of the munitions going to Tel Aviv, which will then be
dropped on Gaza?
Finally how many are rendition flights and who at Stormont signed
off on USAF using Aldergrove?
Sinn Fin South Antrim MLA Declan Kearney has raised his
concerns about the flights.
A number of local people living in the vicinity of the airport have
raised concerns with my office regarding the on-going US military
flights entering at and leaving Belfast International Airport, said Mr
Kearney. Given the on-going humanitarian crises in Syria and
throughout the Middle-East and the role of the US Air Force as a
protagonist in these conflicts, it is essential that local airspace is
not being misused to facilitate and exacerbate these terrible

events.
In recent years another Irish airport at Shannon has been used for
illegal rendition flights from the Middle-East to Guantanamo Bay.
It is imperative that local airspace and the International Airport
itself are not now used for similar reasons. I will be contacting
airport management to seek answers.
He added: Sinn Fin will oppose all attempts to use the north, or
anywhere else on this island as a stepping stone for the
furtherance of conflict and war.
West Belfast-born peace activist Niall Farrell who has campaigned
against the use of Shannon Airport by the USAir Force said what
is needed is a peace movement north and south to keep an eye
on this.
It doesnt surprise me really that this is happening as there are US
warplanes flying into Prestwick in Scotland and different other
airports in Britain, he said.
I think it is great people are observing what is taking place. What
we really need is for people to keep a look-out for exactly what
type of planes are travelling through Aldergrove. Links should be
made with the peace monitors at Shannon airport, Shannonwatch.
Remaining vigilant you get to see what the warmongers are up to.
Shannon, for example, is now basically a US military base which
over the past 15 years has seen millions of armed soldiers,
weaponry and even kidnapped prisoners being transported
through this supposedly neutral part of our country. he said.
A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport said: We can
confirm that we receive military flight, however, due to security
considerations we are unable to give any further information.
Good piece from the Belfast Media Group about the use of
Belfast Aldergrove airport by the US military.
"West Belfast-born peace activist Niall Farrell who has
campaigned against the use of Shannon Airport by the US
Air Force said what is needed is a peace movement north
and south to keep an eye on this.
It doesnt surprise me really that this is happening as
there are US warplanes flying into Prestwick in Scotland
and different other airports in Britain, he said.
I think it is great people are observing what is taking
place. What we really need is for people to keep a look-out
for exactly what type of planes are travelling through
Aldergrove. Links should be made with the peace monitors
at Shannon airport, Shannonwatch.

Remaining vigilant you get to see what the warmongers

are up to. Shannon, for example, is now basically a US
military base which over the past 15 years has seen
millions of armed soldiers, weaponry and even kidnapped
prisoners being transported through this supposedly
neutral part of our country. he said."
http://belfastmediagroup.com/us%E2%80%88militaryflights-using-aldergrove-airport/

More Lies and Cover-Up About

what is Going On at Shannon
Wed, 21/09/2016 - 01:58 by admin

On a number of occasions the Minister for Foreign Affairs has told us

(and the rest of Ireland) that most requests for foreign military
aircraft to use the landing facilities at Shannon Airport concern
aircraft refueling, as well as crew and passenger rest. Allmost all of
these landinga are by US military planes of course. He has also said
that some of these US military landings relate to the transport of
dignitaries, flight crew training, aircrafy maintenance - and airport
familiarization.
Like us, Clare Daly TD was curious about why it is necessary for the
US military to engage in airport familiarisation in a small airport in
the west of Ireland, given that the US has thousands of airports of

its own adequate to such a task. Here's what the Minister said in
reply to a parliamentary question from Clare on the matter (PQ
24502/16 answered 16 Sept 2016):
"It is normal procedure for military pilots, including those of our own
Air Corps, to conduct landings at airfields outside of their home
country. Aviation, whether civil or military, is an international
activity and aviation procedures, rules and practices can vary from
country to country. Familiarisation with different local procedures,
geography and meteorological conditions contributes to greater
safety."
So the US military want their pilots to be familiar with the
procedures and geography of Shannon. Why is that, given that we
are supposed to be a neutral country?
Clare Daly also asked several questions about the landings of US
military planes at Shannon in June of this year, and the exercises or
operations the aircraft were involved in. She did so because at that
time NATO has begun its Anaconda-16 war game, involving the
largest assembly of foreign forces in Poland since World War II. It
was possible that the increased number of US military flights
through Shannon was linked to this.
Here's what the Minister had to say in response (PQ 24502/16
answered 16 Sept 2016):
"Arrangements under which permission is granted for military
aircraft, including US military aircraft, to land at Irish airports are
governed by strict conditions. These include stipulations that the
aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives
and must not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights
in question must not form part of military exercises or operations.
The countries of origin noted on requests for US military aircraft to
land in Shannon Airport during the month of June were as follows:
Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jordan,
Norway, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and USA.
The countries of destination noted on requests for US military
aircraft to land in Shannon Airport during the month of June were as
follows: Canada, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Italy,
Jordan, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom
and USA.
In deciding upon requests for permission for foreign military aircraft
to land at Irish airports, each request is examined to ensure that it
conforms to the criteria I have outlined above. I am satisfied that
the US authorities are fully aware of the need to comply with the
strict conditions attaching to permission for military aircraft to land
at Irish airports, including that the flights in question must not form
part of military exercises or operations."
Note that the Minister did not say that the US were fully compliant
with the requirement that their planes be unarmed, not involved in
military operations, etc when landing in Ireland. He just said that
they were fully aware of the need to be compliant. Thats quite
a different thing.

So as the US military planes come and go through Shannon to

places like Israel, Romania (where the US has jusr activated a
missile defence system in a show of aggression against Russia),
Turkey and elsewhere, the Minister for Foreign Affairs hides behind
technicalities and at best half-truths about what is going on at
Shannon.
Meanwhile more and more people die in wars being fought or
supported by imperialist powers, in parts of the world they have no
right to be in. And Irish civil servants and politicians are prepared to
lie or to pretent not to know in order to support these wars. Innocent
people are being killed in their tens of thousands, and millions of
people are being displaced from their homes. The world is becoming
a more dangerous place as a result of the "war on terror".
And yet we make excuses for the US, and support their militarised
aggression wholeheartedly.

http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shannonwatch.org/files
/ShannonFactsheet.pdf

a press release from Shannonwatch following on from the

Department of Foreign Affairs's refusal to release
information on US military flights through Shannon. So
much for freedom of information...
Foreign Affairs Refuse to Reveal Extent of US Military Use
of Shannon
Shannonwatch are gravely concerned by the ongoing
refusal of the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide
access to information about US military flights through
Shannon. Citing the creation and maintenance of trust and
confidence between governments the department have
said they will not provide records requested under
freedom of information (FOI) because it would hamper the
international relations of the State.
Its impossible to see how making aircraft details public
could affect our relations with the US, or any other state, if
what they tell us about the planes not being engaged in
military operations is true said Clare Daly TD who made
the FOI requests. Since Ireland claims to be a neutral
State we should not be allowing foreign military within our

territory on the scale that is happening today. And we

should certainly not be doing it without informing the Irish
people of the details.
Clare Daly continued: The refusal to provide a list of the
US military planes that passed through Shannon or Irish
airspace amounts to a cover-up of Irish support for a
foreign military power and an attempt to deny our
involvement in ongoing wars of aggression in the Middle
East. It is in direct contravention of our obligations as a
neutral state, and it makes us complicit in the
displacement of millions of refugees from their homes.
A Red C poll earlier this year found that 57% of the Irish
people oppose the United States use of Shannon Airport
for military transit purposes. The figure excludes the 'Don't
Knows' which were at 4%.
The poll, which was commissioned by TDs Mick Wallace
and Clare Daly last March, also found that 6 out of 10 Irish
people want neutrality to be enshrined in the Constitution.
At present, Irish Neutrality is a policy choice, decided on
by the Government of the day.
Having access to details of the scale of foreign military
use of Shannon is a matter of public interest said John
Lannon of Shannonwatch. The covert nature of the US
military use of the airport since 2002 demonstrates that
Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour have no interest in
protecting Irish neutrality. In fact the opposite is the case;
they have gone against the will of the Irish people by
giving a militarised super-power unrestricted access to
Shannon and Irish airspace.
There is a clear lack of accountability in relation to the US
military use of Shannon said John Lannon. The
Department of Foreign Affairs refusal to reveal what
military planes has landed follows years of denials about
rendition planes that also landed at Shannon. We cannot
believe government claims that the US Air Force planes we
see coming and going are unarmed and not engaged in
military operations, especially when the Department
refuse to tell us why they are there.
In total four freedom of information requests were refused
by Department of Foreign Affairs. The requests sought lists
of flights by foreign military aircraft that landed at
Shannon between Jan 1st 2015 and June 30th 2016.

Copies of statistical reports received by the Department in

relation to US military aircraft that flew through Irish
airspace were also requested.
In his response to an appeal of the original decision to
refuse the FOI request last August, the Deputy Director of
the International Security Policy Section of the Department
of Foreign Affairs, Robert Jackson, claimed that the public
interest in maintaining the mutuality of trust with regard
to communications between States outweighed the
public interest in disclosing information about the military
flights.
Our foreign policy is now being dictated by the US and its
NATO allies said John Lannon. The US has been invading,
bombing, and supplying weapons to groups fighting in the
Middle East for the last 15 years, and has been using
Shannon as a covert operating base for its operations. It is
most certainly a matter of public interest, not just in terms
of foreign policy but also from a security and safety point
of view. Every US military plane that passes through
Shannon increases the risk of terrorist attack on our
shores.
There were a total of 1,109 requests by foreign military
aircraft to land in the State between Jan 1st 2015 and June
30th 2016. Of these, a staggering 947 (93%) were from
the US.

http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shan
nonwatch.org/files/docs/Shannon_Poster_
2015.pdf

The World Must Support

Ireland Against U.S. Wars
The governments of Ireland and the United
States

Those of us outside Ireland, and in particular those of us

in the United States, have a pressing and urgent
responsibility to lend all the support we can to our brothers
and sisters in Ireland who are resisting U.S. wars.
Despite Ireland's officially neutral status and its claim to
have not gone to war since its founding in 1922, Ireland
allowed the United States to use Shannon Airport during
the Gulf War and, as part of the so-called coalition of the
willing, during the wars that began in 2001. Between 2002
and the present date, over 2.5 million U.S. troops have
passed through Shannon Airport, along with many

weapons, and CIA airplanes used to transfer prisoners to

places of torture. Casement Aerodrome has also been
used. And, despite not being a member of NATO, Ireland
has sent troops to participate in the illegal war on
Afghanistan.
Under Hague Convention V in force since 1910, and to
which the United States has been a party from the start,
and which under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution is part
of the supreme law of the United States, "Belligerents are
forbidden to move troops or convoys of either munitions of
war or supplies across the territory of a neutral Power."
Under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, to
which both the United States and Ireland are parties, and
which has been incorporated into very selectively enforced
felonies in the U.S. Code since before George W. Bush
left Texas for Washington, D.C., any complicity in torture
must be investigated and prosecuted. Under both the U.N.
Charter and the Kellogg-Briand Pact, to both of which the
United States and Ireland have been parties since their
creation, the war in Afghanistan and all the other U.S.
wars since 2001 have been illegal.
The people of Ireland have a strong tradition of resisting
imperialism, dating back even before the 1916 revolution
of which this year is the centenary, and they aspire to
representative or democratic government. In a 2007 poll,
by 58% to 19% they opposed allowing the U.S. military to
use Shannon Airport. In a 2013 poll, over 75% supported
neutrality. In 2011, a new government of Ireland
announced that it would support neutrality, but it did not.
Instead it has continued to allow the U.S. military to keep

planes and personnel at Shannon Airport, and to bring

troops and weapons through on a regular basis, including
over 20,000 troops already this year.
The United States military has no need for Shannon
Airport. Its planes could reach other destinations without
running out of fuel. One of the purposes of regularly using
Shannon Airport, perhaps the main purpose, is very likely
simply to keep Ireland within the coalition of the killing. On
U.S. television, announcers thank "the troops" for watching
this or that major sporting event from 175 countries. The
U.S. military and its profiteers would hardly notice if that
number dropped to 174, but their goal, perhaps their main
purpose and driving objective, is to increase that number
to 200. Total global dominance is the explicitly stated
objective of the U.S. military. Once a nation is added to the
list, all steps will be taken, by the State Department, by the
military, by the CIA, and by any possible collaborators, to
keep that nation on the list. The United States government
fears an Ireland free of U.S. militarism more than we
probably can imagine. The global peace movement should
desire it more than we probably do, including for the
example it would set to Scotland, Wales, England, and the
rest of the world.
How do we, outside of Ireland, know anything at all about
what the U.S. military does in Ireland? We certainly don't
learn it from the U.S. government or U.S. journalism. And
the Irish government takes no active steps to reveal what it
knows, which is likely not everything. We know what we
know because of brave and dedicated peace activists in
Ireland, representing majority opinion, upholding the rule

of law, exercising creative nonviolence, and working

through numerous organizations, most prominently
Shannonwatch.org. These heroes have pried loose
information, elected and lobbied members of the Irish
legislature, entered the grounds of Shannon Airport to ask
question and draw attention and face criminal prosecution
for the cause of peace. If not for them, citizens of the
United States -- a nation that literally bombs other
countries in the name of democracy -- would have no idea
what was happening whatsoever. Even now, most people
in the United States have no idea. We have to help tell
them. Even U.S. supporters of war don't support a
mandatory draft, at least not until they themselves are too
old to qualify. Many should be willing to oppose forcing
Ireland to take part in wars it wants no part in.
If U.S. military transport continues to make use of
Shannon Airport, a disaster will inevitably occur there. Of
course the moral disaster of participating in the mass
killing of people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, etc., is
ongoing. The cultural disaster of insidiously creating the
impression that war is normal is underway. The financial
cost to Ireland, the environmental and noise pollution, the
heightened "security" that erodes civil liberties: all of those
things are part of the package, along with the racism that
finds a target in the refugees fleeing the wars. But if
Shannon Airport survives routine U.S. military use without
a major accident, spill, explosion, crash, or mass-killing, it
will be the first. The U.S. military has poisoned and
polluted some of the most beautiful spots in the United
States and around the world. The unsurpassed beauty of

Ireland is not immune.

And then there is the blowback. By participating in
counterproductive wars that generate international
terrorism, Ireland makes itself a target. When Spain
became a target it pulled out of the war on Iraq, making
itself safer. When Britain and France became targets, they
doubled down on their own participation in terrorism-toolarge-to-carry-that-name, generating more blowback and
deepening the vicious cycle of violence. Which path would
Ireland choose? We cannot know. But we do know that it
would be wisest for Ireland to pull out of its criminal
participation in the barbaric institution of war before the
war comes home.

Video Recordings of
Demonstration to End US Military
Use of Shannon (Sunday 9th
October 2016)
Wed, 12/10/2016 - 23:15 by shannonwatch

As the 15th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan by the US

and its allies was being marked at Shannon a Hercules C-130 sat on
the tarmac at the airport. There was also an Omni Air International
plane parked at the terminal building, probably waiting for troops to
reboard on their way to continue the occupation of Afghanistan.

To mark Ireland and Shannon's involvement in the continuing

destruction of Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East, a
crowd of over 50 people walked from Shannon Town Centre towards
the airport but were stopped a long distance from the terminal
building by a line of Gardai. The crowd, which included four TDs, at
least one Senator and several local councillors, spent an hour
engaging peacefully with the Gardai before moving to the perimeter
fence of the airport where a Shannonwatch member pointed out and
explained the presence of the two planes to the assembled crowd.
Thanks to Tommy Donnellan for recording the day's activities, and
for providing the three short videos below.

Part 1: Shannonwatch Protest Against

the US Military Use of Shannon Airport,
9-10-2016
Oct 9, 2016
Marking 15 years of Ireland's complicity in US imperial wars,
today, people came to Shannon from all over the country to
call for an end to the US military use of Shannon Airport, and
for the restoration of Irish neutrality. Since the illegal invasion
of Afghanistan in October 2001 over 2.5 million armed US
troops and countless military planes have transited through
this so called civilian airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=OYNxgrGxfN4
Shannonwatch Protest Against the US
Military Use of Shannon Airport, 9-102016

Oct 10, 2016

Depleted uranium ammunition has been carried through
Irelands Shannon Airport on board US military cargo planes on
the way to Iraq, according to a former US soldier. Ireland
remains an ostensibly neutral country and has restrictions on
what military aircraft can carry when refuelling at its airports.
Jim Massey, a former marine platoon sergeant in the US army,
said he had used the controversial ammunition while on duty
in Iraq.
"I know for a fact that ammunition has been brought through
Shannon airport," he told the Daily Ireland newspaper this
week. http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=VCu7YxS85NM

Peace Events at Shannon on

October 8th and 9th - Time to End
Irish Involvement in War in the
Middle East
Sun, 02/10/2016 - 13:14 by shannonwatch

Another venue change for the seminar: Because Bunratty

Castle Hotel have become the THIRD hotel to cancel our
booking, the event on Saturday will now be held in our
Peace Tent just before the entrance to Shannon Airport.
Fifteen years after Shannon Airport was made available to the US
military for their illegal invasions of Afghanistan and then Iraq, both
countries are in violent turmoil. Here's a small snapshot of what
happened in the last couple of days alone:
On Sept 30th a US drone strike in Nangarhar, Afghanistan killed 15
civilians.
On Sept 28t in Iraq IS set fire to 3 more oil wells; Iraqi forces
launched an offensive near Ramadi after capturing additional nearby
territory last week; US helicopters transported IS captives from
remote areas in Anbar to undisclosed destinations, possibly to be
tortured; and IS bombings in Shiite areas of Baghdad killed at least
17 people.
The US agreed to send more troops in addition to the 4,400 who are
already officially deployed there. These probably went through - or

will go through - Shannon.

Meanwhile in Aleppo in Syria hospitals are being bombed by
Russian-backed government forces. 100 children have been killed in
the city since last Friday alone as the all out destruction of Aleppo
reaches a new level. Peace deals have been broken and a quarter of
a million people are now trapped in eastern Aleppo with almost no
access to food, medicine, or clean water.
In 2001 the US unleashed a war of terror in response to the
appalling violent attach of Sept 11th that has killed and displaced
millions of people. Since then the imperialist powers have continued
to start and fuel wars, while rendering the UN powerless to deal with
them.
In response to Ireland's support for one of these imperialist powers,
the US, Shannonwatch is hosting a series of events on October 8th
and 9th to mark a shameful 15 years of support for war by Shannon
Airport. We call for as much support as possible to demand an end
to Irish government support for the wars in the Middle East. Ends
the US military use of Shannon now.
October 8th
14:00 - 17:00: Seminar and discussion on US imperialism and
militarization at the Bunratty Castle Hotel (Bunratty). (Note the
change in venue).
Speakers will include Robert Fantina of World Beyond War, a
global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and
sustainable peace, and Gearid O'Colmin, an Irish journalist
living in Paris who has appeared on RT and Press TV. [Attendance is
free but please email us on shannonwatch@gmail.com if you are
interested in attending]
19:00 onwards: Celebration of Peace - an evening of food, music and
conversation in a Peace Tent at at Shannon
A number of people intend to hold an overnight peace vigil in tents
that will be provided at Shannon on Saturday night / Sunday
morning. Please consider joining us on that overnight peace vigil
which is intended to be in solidarity with refugees and asylum
seekers fleeing conflicts, terror and hunger. The overnight conditions
at Shannon will be far more clement than those faced by refugees in
rubber inflatable boats fleeing across the Mediterranean.
October 9th
13:00 - 15:00 Peace Rally. Gather at Shannon Town Centre (car park
next to Lidl) at 13:00 and walk to airport. Family-friendly. Bring
banners, bugles and peace flags.
About the Speakers (Oct 8th)
Robert Fantina is an activist and journalist, working for peace and
social justice. He writes extensively about the oppression of the
Palestinians by apartheid Israel. He is the author of several books,
including 'Empire, Racism and Genocide: A History of U.S. Foreign

Policy'. His writing appears regularly on Counterpunch.org,

MintPressNews and several other sites. Originally from the U.S., Mr.
Fantina moved to Canada following the 2004 U.S. presidential
election, and now resides in Kitchener, Ontario. Visit his web page
at http://robertfantina.com/.
Gearid Colmin, Paris correspondent for American Herald
Tribune, is a journalist and political analyst. His work focuses on
globalization, geopolitics and class struggle. His articles have been
translated into many languages. He is a regular contributor to
Global Research, Russia Today International, Press TV English, Press
TV France,Sputnik Radio France, Sputnik Radio English , Al Etijah TV,
and has also appeared on Al Jazeera , Al Mayadeen TV and Russia's
Channel One. He writes in English, Irish and French. Visit his web
page at www.gearoidocolmain.org.

Shannonwatch Condemns Russian

Involvement in Killing of Civilians
Wed, 28/09/2016 - 22:48 by admin

A Dutch-led investigation has concluded that a Buk SA-11 surfaceto-air missile system was used to shoot down a Malaysia Airlines
plane over Ukraine two years ago, killing all 298 on board. It was
transported from Russia at the request of Russian-backed
separatists and returned to Russia the same night.
Shannonwatch condemns all such reckless attacks on civilians in
war zones.
There is no justification for the type of action that resulted in such
unnecessary loss of life. It is unacceptable, even the laws of war
emphasise military necessity (an attack or action must be intended
to help in the defeat of the enemy), distinction (belligerents must
distinguish between combatants and civilians) and
proportionality (belligerents must make sure that the harm caused
to civilians is not excessive in relation to the military advantage
expected by an attack.
The investigation into the shooting down of the Malaysian Airline
plane largely confirmed the Russian government's role not only in
the deployment of the missile system but also in the subsequent
cover-up.
Shannonwatch is also critical of the deliberate or reckless bombing
of areas that contain civilians in Syria and in other areas of the
Middle East. It is particularly inappropriate and shameful that four of
the UN Security Council Permanent Members, the United States,
Russia, Britain and France been involved in acts of military
aggression, in contravention of the United Nations Charter, that
have resulted in the killing and seriously injuring hundreds and
possibly thousands of civilians in Syria.

Shannonwatch Condemns Russian

Involvement in Killing of Civilians
Wed, 28/09/2016 - 22:48 by admin

A Dutch-led investigation has concluded that a Buk SA-11 surfaceto-air missile system was used to shoot down a Malaysia Airlines
plane over Ukraine two years ago, killing all 298 on board. It was
transported from Russia at the request of Russian-backed
separatists and returned to Russia the same night.
Shannonwatch condemns all such reckless attacks on civilians in
war zones.
There is no justification for the type of action that resulted in such
unnecessary loss of life. It is unacceptable, even the laws of war
emphasise military necessity (an attack or action must be intended
to help in the defeat of the enemy), distinction (belligerents must
distinguish between combatants and civilians) and
proportionality (belligerents must make sure that the harm caused
to civilians is not excessive in relation to the military advantage
expected by an attack.
The investigation into the shooting down of the Malaysian Airline
plane largely confirmed the Russian government's role not only in
the deployment of the missile system but also in the subsequent
cover-up.
Shannonwatch is also critical of the deliberate or reckless bombing
of areas that contain civilians in Syria and in other areas of the
Middle East. It is particularly inappropriate and shameful that four of
the UN Security Council Permanent Members, the United States,
Russia, Britain and France been involved in acts of military
aggression, in contravention of the United Nations Charter, that
have resulted in the killing and seriously injuring hundreds and
possibly thousands of civilians in Syria.

Ex-SAS Soldier/Veterans For Peace

Activist; Ben Griffin Speaks Out in
Galway, 9-9-2016
Sep 11, 2016
Organized by Galway Alliance Against War, ex-SAS soldier and
now Veterans For Peace activist, Ben Griffin, gave a strong and
much appreciated presentation at a public meeting in Galway
last Friday evening. "As far as the Americans were concerned,
the Iraqi people were sub-human, untermenschen. You could
almost split the Americans into two groups: ones who were
complete crusaders, intent on killing Iraqis, and the others who
were in Iraq because the Army was going to pay their college

fees. They had no understanding or interest in the Arab

culture. The Americans would talk to the Iraqis as if they were
stupid and these weren't isolated cases, this was from the top
down. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0paOGhCV24

Ex-SAS Soldier/Veterans For Peace

Activist, Ben Griffin Speaks Out in
Galway, 9-9-2016
Sep 13, 2016
The house we were living in was one that one of Saddams
henchmen had lived in, Ben said. The prisons we were using
were the same prisons. We had replaced Saddam [Hussein]
with us. We had appropriated his palaces to become military
bases. It tore me apart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDmvOVfEGUg

International Day of Peace Wed

21 September 2016 - Invitation to
Peace Vigil in Dublin
Thu, 08/09/2016 - 23:37 by shannonwatch

From Veterans for Peace Ireland

Here are some extracts from the UN's website for this international
day of peace.
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the
world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as
a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and
among all nations and peoples.
The Day's theme for 2016 is "The Sustainable Development Goals:
Building Blocks for Peace.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were unanimously adopted
by the 193 Member States of the United Nations ... in September
2015. ... It aims to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure
prosperity for all.
The Sustainable Development Goals are integral to achieving peace
in our time, as development and peace are interdependent and

mutually reinforcing.
Are these nice words enough to create and maintain international
peace? The UN has arguably been putting the cart before the horse
by highlighting and prioritising development over peace.
How can we have "sustainable development" or any type of
development apart from exploitation in the Middle East, especially in
countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, when these
countries have been virtually destroyed by unjustified wars that are
ongoing, causing enormous suffering, deaths and refugee crises?
The primary objective of the United Nations is to create and
maintain international peace. It has failed catastrophically to
achieve this objective, especially since the end of the Cold War,
partly because it has not been allowed to create peace by its five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, China, USA, Russia,
Britain and France, who have placed themselves above the
constraints of the UN and have been riding roughshod over
international laws in their own perceived national interests. Peace
must be created first by ending these wars before any sustainable
development will be possible.
Ireland since the 1950s had been doing our bit for international
peace by our commitment to UN peacekeeping and maintaining a
policy of positive neutrality. However, this was virtually abandoned
since 2001 when successive Irish Governments allowed US military
to transit through Shannon airport on their way to make wars of
aggression on other sovereign members of the United Nations in
clear breach of the UN Charter, and in the process our Irish
Governments have been in clear breach of our obligations as a
neutral state.
This year Veterans for Peace Ireland invite you, as an individual Irish
citizen, and other peace activists, peace groups, and faith based
groups, to participate in a peace vigil outside the US Embassy in
Ballsbridge, Dublin from 1pm to 1.30 pm on Wednesday 21st
September, International Day of Peace, and then to walk from there
to the Department of Foreign Affairs at Iveagh House, St Stephens
Green. Like the UN, our Department of Foreign Affairs (now being
called the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) has abandoned
much of its historical primary role of promoting and protecting Irish
sovereignty and neutrality, and supporting genuine international
peace, in favour of paying homage to Mammon God of money, and
prioritising trade over human life and human rights. We would ask
you to bring along a few appropriate peace banners, and bring along
an apple or two, to eat or share, as a symbol of peace and justice,
as distinct from those rotten apples that promote wars and
economic injustice and exploitation.
For more information please contact Veterans for Peace Ireland
members Edward Horgan 085-8519623 or Domhnall MacCionnaith,
087-2884494.

Fifteen Years of Direct Action at

Shannon
Mon, 12/09/2016 - 23:12 by shannonwatch

Since the shameful handover of Shannon Airport to the US military

in 2002, a small number of peace activists have taken it upon
themselves to take direct action to highlight the criminality of what
is going on there. The latest two actiwists to take action, Colm
Roddy and Dave Donnellan, will appear in Ennis court on Sept 14th.
This is not a full hearing but we nonetheless call on as many
supporters as possible to get there to support them.
Direct action comes at a personal cost for those who act. But
because it is a physical act, it often speaks louder and deeper than
anything activists might say or write. In effect, the action itself tells
the story.
The list below provides a timely reminder of some of the direct
action events at Shannon over the years. Thanks to a long-time
friend and supporter of direct action and anti-war activism for
compiling the list.
September 2002: Eoin Dubsky went into the airport and painted 'No
way' on a warplane. He was subsequently fined.
January 2003: Mary Kelly went over the fence and dis-armed a
military plane with an axe (C-40 transport). She was finally cquitted
by the Court of Criminal Appeal in February 2011; a previous judge
had refused to allow her 'lawful excuse' argument.
February 2003: The Pitstop Ploughshares five dis-armed the same
(newly repaired) plane (C-40 transport) a few days after Mary Kelly.
The 5 (Karen Fallon, Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Ciaron O'Reilly and
Damien Moran) were acquitted of criminal damage by a jury in July
2006 after a previous two trials collapsed. This year marked the
10th Anniversary of their acquital.
October 2012: Margaretta D'Arcy and Niall Farrell, both members of
Galway Alliance Against War, went onto the runway at Shannon.
Margaretta got a three month suspended sentence on condition that
she sign a bond not to go back onto the runway. She refused, so the
sentence was imposed and Margaretta ended up in Limerick prison
and subsequently the Dchas centre in Mountjoy prison. Niall Farrell
received a three month suspended sentence.
September 2013: Margaretta D'Arcy and Niall Farrell returned to the
Shannon runway. They were subsequently found guilty of having
"interfered with the proper use" of Shannon airport and sentences of
two weeks imprisonment (suspended) with conditions attached
including the signing of a bond. Margaretta, and later Niall, were
subsequently imprisoned for non-compliance.
July 2014: Clare Daly TD and Mick Wallace TD entered the airport by
climbing over the fence and proceeded towards two US military
aircraft. They were subsequently convicted of breaching airport
regulations and fined 2000 each. They refused to pay the fines and

as a result spent short time imprisoned.

April 2015: Edward Horgan attempts to inspect US military aircraft
parked near the terminal building. The case against him was
dismissed in April 2016.
May 2016: Colm Roddy and Dave entere4d the airport and were
charged with criminal damage to a fence.
Direct actions are a legitimate and effective means of protest; they
show that resistence is possible, they challenge the power
structures that refuse to respond to other forms of activism, and
they are a powerful expression of solidarity with the people suffering
from the wars supported by Shannon. We owe a debt of gratitude to
all those who have taken direct action at Shannon, for taking the
risks they did and for taking a stand against war
We need more like them.
We need to keep the pressure on a government that refuses to
listen.

Submission to Joint Oireachtas

Committee on
Public Service Oversight and Petitions
Investigation into U.S. Military and CIA
Use of Shannon Airport and Irish
Airspace
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/med
ia/committees/psop/ShannonwatchPetitions-Committee-Submission
%5B1%5D.pdf
The Financial Cost of Irelands Support
for the United States Military
http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shan
nonwatch.org/files/US_Military_Costs_Re
port.pdf

Evidence Presented to An Garda

Siochana in Relation to Suspected
Breaches of National and International
Laws at Shannon Airport
http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shan
nonwatch.org/files/docs/Delivery_of_Evid
ence_18_March_2011_final.pdf
Irish Complicity in CIA Rendition- CIA
Plane Movements Through Irish Airports
Version 1.3 February 9th 2009 First
created- August 2008
http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shan
nonwatch.org/files/docs/CIA_Shannon_Re
port_9_2_09.pdf
Lockheed C130 Herculies Landing @
Belfast Aldergrove international Airport
05-08-2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aLo-icHXg

A bench-warrant was issued for her arrest.

Ms Daly has been an arch critic of Garda Commissioner
Noirin O'Sullivan and her court appearance came just 24
hours after the two women squared off at the Oireachtas
Justice Committee.

Clare Daly dismisses warrant for her

arrest as 'distraction'
Thursday, October 13, 2016

Independents4Change TD Clare Daly has dismissed the

issuing of warrant for her arrest as a distraction saying
she will deal with the matter in due course, write Daniel
McConnell and Louise McCarthy for the Irish Examiner.
A bench warrant was issued this afternoon for the arrest of
the Dublin Fingal TD who has been slammed by a Naas
District Judge for showing "disrespect".
Speaking in Leinster House, Ms Daly said she was in court
this morning but left to be in the Dil for the job she was
elected to do.
My solicitor was there and I will have to go back in a
couple of weeks and deal with this matter then, she told
the Irish Examiner.

I couldn't stay there all day. I had to be back here at

Leinster House to be at the Committee and my other
work, she added.

On New Year's day this year, at Ballymany Newbridge, Co

Kildare, Ms Daly, with an address at 2 Elmwood Drive,
Swords, was caught driving at a speed of 59km/hr in a
50km/hr zone.
Inspector Mel Smyth outlined that Deputy Daly has no
previous convictions.
Defence Solicitor, Cairbre Finan, told the court that Deputy
Daly was not present, but had come into court to instruct
him to plead guilty on her behalf.
When Judge Zaidan asked if she had given any reasons, Mr
Finan said that she had not given any.
Judge Desmond Zaidan said:"She saw how busy we were.
A member of the Oireachtas came in and left, what kind of
respect is that?"
Defence argued that Deputy Daly did not mean any
disrespect to the court. Mr Finan argued that because it
was the first day of hearing, a week's adjournment could

be requested.
Judge Zaidan refused an adjournment.
He said: "I have adjourned people who have been absent
before and then they don't turn up and they are blaming
everyone. I have stopped that to protect everyone, why
should she be exempt?"
A bench-warrant was issued for her arrest.
Ms Daly has been an arch critic of Garda Commissioner
Noirin O'Sullivan and her court appearance came just 24
hours after the two women squared off at the Oireachtas
Justice Committee.

Bench warrant
issued for arrest of
TD Clare Daly
Updated / Oct. 13, 2016

Clare Daly attended the court but left when she saw a
large number of people waiting

This is the actual article body

A judge has issued a bench warrant for the

arrest of Independents4Change TD Clare Daly
for a motoring offence.
Ms Daly was to appear before Judge
Desmond Zaidan today at Naas District
Court.
She turned up to court this morning with her
solicitor, but left again when she saw a large
number of people waiting for their cases to
be heard before hers.
When Judge Zaidan heard that Ms Daly had
left the court he issued a bench warrant for
her arrest with discretion.
Ms Daly, with an address in Swords, Dublin,
was charged with speeding in Newbridge, Co
Kildare on 1 January 2016.
Ms Daly's solicitor pleaded with the judge not
to issue the warrant and said he would have

Ms Daly in the court next week.

Ms Daly has said the warrant is a distraction.
She said she attended the court but was
number 188 out of 188 cases. She said her
solicitor was present, and indicated that the
matter would be resolved.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1013/823844-clare-dalycourt/

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan

refuses to answer & laughs at parliament
Oct 13, 2016

Police Commissioner, Garda Commissioner

Noirin O'Sullivan spins, ducks, dives,
decieves, denys and refuses to answer
questions from the Irish parliament oversight
committee made up of members of the Dail
(Parliament).
The police Commissioner is a disgrace not
just to the Irish Police uniform but every
polce uniform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9Pd7y7a0mmg&feature=youtu.be&pl
atform=hootsuite
"As the employer" why don't this TD tell this bitch that the
Taxpayer is her employer, everyone knows how corrupt the
Garda are but are afraid to speak out.

Clare Daly spent an hour-and-

a-half in Limerick Prison

tonight
The TD was jailed for refusing to pay a fine for breaching the fence at
Shannon Airport.
Dec 9th 2015

INDEPENDENT TD CLARE Daly has been

released from Limerick Prison after
spending around an hour and a half there
tonight.
She was jailed for refusing to pay a fine for
breaching the fence at Shannon Airport.
Her Dil colleague and fellow campaigner
Mick Wallace was also arrested and taken to
the prison earlier.
The Wexford deputy was given temporary
release on condition of good behaviour at
4pm, having been processed by the Irish
Prison Service.
Daly only entered the prison shortly after
9pm, and was given temporary release after
10.30pm.

Court case
Wallace and Daly were told they faced the
prospect of jail terms after declaring they
would not pay fines of 4,000 imposed on
them by a judge in Ennis in April.
The two TDs were found guilty of breaching
airport regulations when entering a
restricted area at Shannon on 22 July 2014
and each fined 2,000. Both said they would
not pay.
Speaking to RT Radio 1s Drivetime from
outside Limerick Prison earlier evening,
Wallace said he was not kept in a cell but in a
room in the facility for a number of hours.
Nothing [happened] really, he said. I was
just taken in for a few hours and they told
me I was being let go. Its called temporary
release, as far as I know

http://www.thejournal.ie/shannon-fineclare-daly-jail-2493371-Dec2015/
Appearing before the Oireachtas Justice Committee,
Garda Commissioner Nirn O'Sulivan tells TD Mick
Wallace she did not promote her bridesmaid, as he
claims, "because I didn't have a bridesmaid".

https://www.facebook.com/rtenews/video
s/
Statements on the O'Higgins Commission of
Inquiry
May 26, 2016
Clare tells the Minister that 'it is way past
time' for Garda Commissioner Nirn
O'Sullivan to go, saying:

'Now the dogs on the street know what we

have been telling her for two years: nothing
has changed. It has just been an illusion.
'As Deputy Wallace said, we have come in
here 18 times over the past two years and
given the Minister detailed specific
information about the horror being endured
by current Garda whistleblowers, not to
mind the written questions we have tabled to
her, and she has done nothing.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SED9UH9j5BM
WHISTLEBLOWERS - "CHARACTER
ASSASSINATED" BY GARDAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Wrwgs-xcdWo
MEDIA CARTEL FINALLY TURNS ON
"INJUSTICE" MINISTER
May 18, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5es1PH4uBHE
Budget speech 2016
Oct 12, 2016
Clare Daly TD speaking on the 2016 budget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=utaF8lLPESA&feature=youtu.be

Justice Committee
Oct 5, 2016
Clare Daly TD discussing aspects of prisoner's rights on the
justice committee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P2Fc482n-k

Clare Daly Wanted For Being Honest Against

Corrupt Garda Forces
Ahh its becoming a joke now with them
quashing the points for the corrupt while
they punish the straight
CURUPT Nirn OSullivan.MUST STEP
DOWN!!!
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
/independent-body-into-garda-LIAR,

Independent body to oversee whistleblower

complaints to restore faith in garda
The Government is open to setting up an
independent, external body tasked with
overseeing Garda whistleblower complaints
due to growing concerns as to how
October 13, 16
The Government is open to setting up an
independent, external body tasked with
overseeing Garda whistleblower complaints
due to growing concerns as to how

allegations are being treated with the force.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said she
will consider establishing the powerful
group after it was suggested by Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan.
Speaking at an Oireachtas justice committee
hearing into controversial claims that Garda
management had orchestrated a campaign
against whistleblower Sergeant Maurice
McCabe and others, Ms OSullivan again
insisted she is not privy to, nor would I
approve, nor would I condone any such
actions.
The commissioner rejected claims garda are
keeping surveillance files on whistleblowers
and stressed all complaints are treated with
the utmost seriousness within the force.
However, she said a new external group
tasked with examining whistleblower
complaints may need to be set up to restore
faith in the garda.
Perhaps it is time for a consideration to be
given to some kind of independent entity
where all of these issues go to so that people
can have some reassurance that there is
somebody independently looking at all of
these matters and that we make sure the
internal structures are there to strengthen
and support individual needs, Ms
OSullivan told the committee.
The proposal was supported by the justice
minister, who told reporters at the launch of
sexual abuse survivors group One in Fours
annual report that she would consider the

move if it is recommended by retired High

Court judge Iarfhlaith ONeill in five weeks
time.
Mr ONeill is examining serious, but as yet
unproven, allegations made by former
Garda press officer David Taylor that there
was a campaign to vilify Sgt McCabe, known
as Operation Oisin, which was orchestrated
by senior officers.
If another independent body is necessary in
order to do that I would certainly consider
it. If it requires another independent layer
its certainly something Id consider, Ms
Fitzgerald said.
Government sources stressed no action will
be taken until Mr ONeill completes his work
and that the remarks should not influence
his conclusions.
Garda sources have confirmed the new
group being proposed by Ms OSullivan
would be separate to the existing Garda
Sochna Ombudsman Commission, which
has the power to investigate whistleblower
claims, and would not be linked to either the
internal protected disclosure procedures or
the Policing Authority.
However, it remains unclear how exactly
such a body would operate, what level of
powers it would be given, and how many
staff it would require to function.
The suggestion of a new whistleblower
group came as Ms OSullivan denied any
knowledge of a campaign against garda who
speak out, telling Independents 4Change

TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace that she is

not in the business of messing with
anybodys lives or families.
Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner understands
that GSOC is still waiting to receive
documents first requested from the garda
over two years ago in relation to a complaint
made by Garda Keith Harrison.
Ms OSullivan told TDs the force co-operates
fully with GSOC and has a record of
supplying documents on time in 94% of
cases.

FALSE
Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan told
an Oireachtas committee that she was not
aware of any campaign to target a
whistleblower.

But Independent TD Clare Daly claimed she had

documentation purporting to show 14 letters to the

commissioner from the solicitor of a whistleblower

detailing allegations of bullying and harassment.
In a testing three-hour session before the Oireachtas
justice committee, Ms OSullivan, accompanied by 12
members of senior Garda management, stated that:
She was absolutely not aware of any whistleblower
being put under surveillance there were no intelligence
files on whistleblowers;
That any electronic devices, including mobile phones,
sought by a judicial review into the latest whistleblower
allegations would be handed over;
That Mr Justice Iarfhlaith ONeill will be given full
access to any part of An Garda Sochna that he desired;
She would not step aside pending the outcome of the
inquiry.
Questioned by Sinn Fin justice spokesman Jonathan
OBrien as to whether she was aware of efforts to target
whistleblowers, she said: I am not aware of any
campaign to deliberately target any individual. She said
this was apart from criminals, such as those involved in
organised crime and burglaries.
In an earlier, and more demanding, question-and-answer
session with deputy Daly, the commissioner said she was
not privy to, nor did I approve, nor would I condone
any action against individuals, including whistleblowers.
Ms OSullivan repeated this throughout the session, a
statement she initially released after the latest
whistleblower allegations emerged regarding attempts
to damage the reputation of Sgt Maurice McCabe.
Ms Daly said a solicitor for a whistleblower understood
to be Keith Harrison had written to the commissioner
directly 14 times over the past two years, in which he
outlined instances of surveillance, intimidation, and
bullying.
Im looking for a yes or no, Ms Daly said to the
commissioner. Are you aware? My evidence is that you
were aware.
The commissioner replied: Im not privy to, nor did I
approve, nor would I condone any campaign or
harassment or any campaign to malign an employee.
Pressed by Ms Daly was she saying she was not aware, Ms
OSullivan said: That isnt what I am saying. What Im
saying is that personally I am not privy to, nor would I

approve, nor would I condone such a campaign against

any individual.
The commissioner stressed all complaints will be fully
investigated but that there was a procedure to ensure due
process. She said she could not comment on individual
cases and was precluded under the law from identifying a
protected disclosure.
She also said an expert was reviewing their protected
disclosure system, as was the Policing Authority.
Ms Daly said in all five whistleblower cases she knew of
they were out on protracted sick leave because of workrelated stress.
Independent TD Mick Wallace put to the commissioner
that the culture of the force had deteriorated under her
watch and that she had promoted her husband and
bridesmaid.
Ms OSullivan pointed out that she did not have a
bridesmaid and that it was quite inappropriate that a
garda, such as her husband, be defined by his
relationship to her.
She refused to answer questions from Mr Wallace as to
why she instructed her legal counsel at the OHiggins
inquiry to challenge the motivation and credibility of Sgt
McCabe.
She said her interactions with her lawyers attached
lawyer-client privilege which she, like every other
citizen, was entitled to exercise.
COVER UP WHITEWASH GARDA COMMISIONER
CRIMES AND GARDA CRIMINALS AGAINST HONEST
WHISTLE BLOWERS, THIS BITCH WAS INVOLVED IN
TRYING TO SILENCE THEM, THREATS AGAINST
THERE LOVED ONES AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF
HONEST GARDA IN FORCE ARE VICTIMS HERE
Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan said she was
confident talks between Garda staff associations and
the Department of Justice will bring about a suitable
resolution.

Garda Commissioner Nirn O'Sullivan arrives at

Leinster House. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins
It comes as discussions resume in the coming days
in a bid to avert strike action by frontline garda.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA),
with 10,500 members, has directed the
withdrawal of labour for 24 hours on November 4,
11, 18, and 25, in a dispute over pay. The
Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors,
representing 2,000 frontline supervisors, will
meet next Monday to decide whether or not to
take industrial action including the possibility
of doing so on the same dates as the GRA.
Speaking at the Oireachtas justice committee, the
commissioner said there were mechanisms in
place for staff associations to address their
concerns.
I would not, as commissioner of An Garda
Sochna, with all of the policing and security
challenges that we have, like to see anything
happen that would do anything to disrupt the
policing service and in any way compromise our
protection of the communities, she said.

So we are very focused at the moment on

ensuring that people are encouraged on staying
engaged in the processes that are there. We will
await the outcome of them and see what they
bring, but I am confident that they will bring a
suitable resolution.
Flanked by 12 members of her senior Garda
management team, she also responded to
questioning in relation to concerns raised by the
head of the Garda Sochna Ombudsman
Commission (GSOC) in terms of accessing
documentation for their investigations.

Last month, GSOC chair Mary Ellen Ring said she

needed legal powers to go to the courts to compel
the Garda Commissioner to hand over
information.
Responding to this, the commissioner noted GSOC
found there was a 93.6% compliance rate in garda
supplying information within the established
timeframe.
But she said Deputy Commissioner Donal O
Cualin was meeting Ms Ring next week to make
sure there are no blockages.
Committee chairman Caoimhghn Caolin said

the committee was seeing an uncooperative

pattern regarding the garda in the committees
meetings with GSOC and the Policing Authority.
He said this would seem to necessitate legislative
change compelling full and timely co-operation.
Ms OSullivan said that anything required by
GSOC is given in a timely fashion.
Questioned on gangland crime, Ms OSullivan said
since March 2015, when the Drugs and Organised
Crime Bureau was established, 1.9m in cash and
36m worth of drugs had been seized. She said 35
guns and 1,000 rounds of ammunition had been
recovered and that 167 people had been arrested
for drugs, firearms, and money laundering
offences.
As previously reported in the Irish Examiner, she
said 12 assassination attempts had been foiled.
She said co-operation with international police
forces would be built upon and cited the
presence here, for the first time, of Spanish police
in a joint operation targeting the Kinahan cartel.
She said there would be more of that in the
future.

Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Jack Nolan

said 45 people had been arrested and eight people

charged in relation to the Kinahan-Hutch feud. He
expected further charges to be brought as other
investigation files were being completed.
He said that under Operation Hybrid aimed at
preventing shootings in the feud there were
approximately 90 checkpoints a day.
Mr Nolan said Hybrid patrols arrived at the scene
of shootings in 90 seconds to two minutes. He said
they had recovered items and cars and that these
will feature in what I suspect will be successful
prosecutions.
He said the Special Crime Task Force, set up in
response to the feud, was targeting mid-level
members of the gangs, involved in drug
distribution and laundering the proceeds of
crime.
What OSullivan said on key issues
On the mistreatment of whistleblowers:
Commissioner: I am certainly not privy to, nor
did I approve or nor would I condone any such
action against any individual.
Clare Daly TD: My evidence is that you are.
Commissioner: What I did say is that I am not
privy to, nor did I approve, nor would I condone
any campaign of harassment or any campaign to
malign any individual employee.
Daly: So you are not aware of any circumstances,
where such claims would have been made, that
hasnt been brought to your attention?
Commissioner: That isnt what Im saying deputy.
What I am saying is that I personally was not privy
to, nor would I approve, nor would I condone any
campaign against any individual.
On complaints:
Perhaps it is time for a consideration to be given
to some kind of independent entity where all of
these issues go to so that people can have some

reassurance that there is somebody independently

looking at all of these matters.
On promotions:
Mick Wallace TD asked her about promoting her
husband and bridesmaid:
Commissioner: Again, there are a lot of factual
inaccuracies in the public domain, so lest one of
them remain that I promoted one of my
bridesmaids. That certainly isnt the case. Because
I didnt have a bridesmaid. I think it is quite
inappropriate that a member of An
Garda Sochna is defined by the person they just
happen to be associated it, let it be through
marriage or otherwise.

WHITEWASH COVER UP WITH CORRUPT

COMMISIONERS AND GSOC
AND FG, FF, LB POLITICIANS WHO REFUSE TO HAVE
AN INDEPENDENT OUTSIDER, INSTEAD THEY ALLOW
THEIR OWN OFFICERS MR O BRIEN TO INVESTIGATE
FROM INSIDE THE GARDA FORCE, ILLEGAL ON ALL
COUNTS

It was, as outspoken TD Mick Wallace joked

darkly, one for the mantelpiece.

At the end of a combative meeting between underfire Garda Commissioner Noirin O Sullivan, the
politician-cum-garda arch critic and his
Oireachtas justice committee colleagues were
asked to step outside for a formal photo to mark
the visit of their latest guest.
Despite being the bane of each others lives for the
best part of two years due to whistleblower
revelations, the high-profile pair stood together as
they smiled politely for the cameras.
But while the moment allowed a semblance of
peace to descend on the bloodied battleground of
the committee room floor which had for three
hours seen TDs lobbed grenades bounce off the
commissioners legal brick wall, it also underlined
a central point to the ongoing crisis.
Both sides of the whistle-blower controversy now
have a photo to remember the moment the
irresistible force of Mr Wallace met the
immovable object of the commissioner. The only
issue that differs is the frame they put around the

evidence of what really happened.

Throughout yesterdays meeting, ostensibly about
updating politicians on Garda operations, Ms
OSullivan was tackled over her handling of
whistle-blowers and unproven claims of
campaigns against them.
And every time the scandal was raised, she
protested her innocence, before adding she is not
privy to, nor would I approve, nor condone any
targeting of garda who speak out.
Fianna Fil justice spokesman Jim O Callaghan
was first out of the block, asking directly if she
was aware of any effort to victimise
whistleblowers, while Sinn Fin Jonathan O Brien
asked if she should resign, but it was always Mick
Wallace and Clare Dalys show.
Ms Daly went for the jugular, demanding the
commissioner clarify that if she had no knowledge
of campaigns, would she accept colleagues have
been going behind your back to the extent her
position is undermined, and asked if whistleblowers are under surveillance.
Mr Wallace claimed the problems are much as
they were when retired commissioner Martin
Callinan labelled whistleblower actions
disgusting and accusing Ms O Sullivan of
promoting anti-whistleblower garda, in addition
to separate nepotism claims about her husband
and bridesmaid.

Mick Wallace
Other than the last point Ms OSullivan
reveled in noting she had no bridesmaid
the commissioner defended herself by
providing small, general details but noting
she cannot discuss protected disclosure
claims.
No knowledge of alleged campaigns. Not
privy to information. And not going
anywhere, she said, before later stating a
systems culture comes from the tone at the
top.
For Mick Wallace, the meeting ended with
yet more proof nothing has changed in the
garda.
For Nirn OSullivan, the same meeting
ended with yet more proof politicians are
wrongly rushing to judge.
As they posed beside each other after the
stand-off, the different images of the same
event undoubtedly played on their minds.

The photo is, as Mick Wallace opined, one

for the mantelpiece. But, as ever, its
meaning is entirely dependent on the frame
it is placed within.

CLARE DALY ON GARDA CORRUPTION,

WHISTLEBLOWERS AND COVERUP

Aug 30, 2015

Clare Daly T.D. on the Garda Commissioner - Norn O'Sullivan's
- mishandling of Garda Whistleblower reports, investigations
into same and on how the Fine Gael/Labour Government is NOT
interested in stopping garda corruption, garda targeting and
garda harassment of men and women.
+++ RELATED +++++
https://dugupmore.wordpress.com/justi...
https://dugupmore.wordpress.com/artic...
https://dugupmore.wordpress.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv5ZDtyN-8

District Court judge Desmond A Zaidan was born

in December 1962 and his early education took
place in Lebanon and Sierra Leone. He attended
Rockwell College before going to Trinity College
Dublin, where he graduated with a BSc and an
MA. He later studied at the King's Inns and was
called to the bar in 1990.
He is a member of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal.
Judge Zaidan will most definitely be promoted
shortly. He has made certain people very happy e.g. the Garda Commissioner, the garda, Frances
Fitzgerald, Alan Shatter, Fine Gael ....
Oops! Hope I am not in contempt of Judge
Zaidan's court. Desmond can be a little touchy. He
once jailed a couple for kissing at the back of the
court and gave a man 7 days for clapping in court

Garda Commissioner still hiding in plain

sight
Nirn OSullivans performance yesterday did
nothing to quell doubts about whether any
confidence can be vested in the running of the
force, writes Michael Clifford.

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan arrives at

Leinster House in Dublin.
AT THE Oireachtas justice committee hearing, the
Garda commissioner hid in plain sight.
Nirn OSullivan gave assured answers to a
number of questions but revealed precious little.
She cited a whole slew of procedures and
structures that had nothing to do with flesh and
blood questions asked. And she even got away
with claiming that she could not discuss
interactions she had with her legal counsel, which
is simply not the case.
As such, the commissioner performed
competently before the Oireachtas members, but
did absolutely nothing to quell doubts about
whether any confidence can be vested in the
running of the force in general, and the treatment
of whistleblowers in particular.

Independent TD Clare Daly asked the

commissioner a number of questions that related
to Keith Harrison, a Donegal-based garda who
made a protected disclosure two years ago, and
has since claimed he has been subjected to some
appalling treatment. The commissioner said she
could not discuss individual cases, but Daly did
not identify Harrison, nor did she ask the
commissioner to do so.

Keith Harrison
The TD merely wanted to know how the
commissioner could be unaware of allegations of
constant harassment of Harrison when the
officers solicitor had written to OSullivan 14
times in the last two years.
Each individual experience is so different that
what we believe is an expert can help us improve
our internal structures, she replied to Daly at one
point.
That was typical of the management speak
engaged by the commissioner when she was asked
about harassment and bullying of anybody willing

to stick their head above the parapet within the

force.
Harrisons letters, seen by the Irish Examiner and
dating from June 2014, refer to the constant
bullying to which he was subjected. Some of it was
routine stuff, more could be presented or
interpreted as blatant harassment.
For instance, Harrison was contacted by a
sergeant in August 2015 and told of a threat of
sorts against him on a Facebook page. Harrisons
solicitor demanded to know what was at issue, as
Facebook pages were readily available and there
either was or wasnt a threat.
It took until the following March before the
solicitor was supplied with a screenshot of the
page. Why write to Harrison about a threat of
sorts without investigating it? Why the delay in
getting back? Was anybody playing mind games?

Another threat that was conveyed to him from the

force was that a man who had been known to have
access to a gun had told another hed kill
Harrison. This man, Harrison was informed, was
unfortunately in Australia and beyond the long
arm of the law.

Except a few months later, a report in the local

press had this man appearing in court in
Buncrana on unrelated and relatively minor
charges. Was sheer incompetence at work,
paranoia, or something more sinister?
On May 20, Harrisons solicitor Trevor Collins
wrote a scathing letter about what his client had
been subjected to over the previous two years.
There has been an extraordinary effort to smear
and undermine the credibility of our client by his
employer, your servants and agents. He has been
isolated and abandoned we ask that you
formally reply to our numerous letters that have
gone unanswered.
He went on to point out our client has been the
subject of unsubstantiated death threats on three
occasions.
Why were people threatening to kill Harrison?
Why were these threats somehow being conveyed
to him through An Garda Siochna? Is this not a
matter of the gravest seriousness? Apparently not,
according to the lack of urgency from on high.
Watching the commissioner yesterday, it would
appear that she believes the treatment of Harrison
is the story from one individual, a unique
experience. No its not.
The same theme if not detail runs through the
story of all those who step forward, including
Maurice McCabe, and Harrisons colleague in the
midlands, Nick Keogh.
The same themes of treatment even apply to Supt
David Taylor since he was suspended from the
force and before he even made a protected
disclosure.
Yesterday, OSullivan hid behind the notion that
she couldnt identify an officer whod made a
protected disclosure even though hes known to
the world.

Back in 2013, Maurice McCabes allegations of

abuse of the penalty points system was
investigated by Assistant Commissioner John
OMahoney, who didnt even contact McCabe
during the investigation.
He later said he couldnt because McCabes
identity was officially anonymous, even though
the same officer had been denied access to Pulse
because of his complaints of the abuse. If McCabe
had been contacted, a very different report on the
issue would have to have been compiled.
Its the same stuff every time. What is said in
public bears no relation to the actuality of what is
going on inside the force.
The thread was picked up by Independent TD
Mick Wallace in relation to the OHiggins
commission, where Ms OSullivans counsel was
instructed to go after McCabe by questioning his
motives.
Asked about that yesterday, Nirn OSullivan said
she was precluded from discussing interactions
with her legal counsel.
No shes not. Theres nothing to stop her telling us
why she instructed her counsel in that manner.

Theres nothing to stop her telling us a lot about

the corrosive culture within the force that is
damaging not just public confidence, but the
morale of so many members who want to do their
best.
Cultural change is never easy, the job of
leadership is to make sure that decisions are
taken, decisions actionedWe are on a journey of
cultural renewal, change and modernisation,
OSullivan told Wallace.
It sure sounds the business until you take a peek
behind the circled wagons and detect an ancient
and foul smell.
Senior garda bid to destroy whistleblower
requires dramatic response, says Fianna Fil
A campaign by senior garda to destroy a
whistleblower has grave and extremely serious
consequences for the force, the Dil has heard.

The allegations, revealed in the Irish Examiner,

about the treatment of garda whistleblowers,
requires a dramatic response from
Government. Fianna Fil leader Michel Martin

said the allegations go above and beyond an

investigation into wrongdoing and must be dealt
with in that light.
It was revealed that two protected disclosures by
senior garda referenced a campaign that included
spreading false, scandalous and damaging
allegations against the whistleblower.
Last night, Tnaiste and Justice Minister Frances
Fitzgerald confirmed that the protected
disclosures had been received by her in her
department, but said she could not comment any
further on the matter.
Just over 5,000 people have applied as garda
trainees, according to the Public Appointments
Service. It is a significant drop on the last two
competitions, with 16,700 applications last
January and 23,000-plus applications in
September 2014 the first recruitment to the
force since 2008.

It is not known what role, if any, the wellpublicised low pay of garda graduates who start

on a salary of 23,000 played in the drop in

applications.
The service said numbers for the current
competition, which closed last Thursday, were
similar to pre-moratorium levels.
Tnaiste Frances Fitzgerald said that 3,200 garda
were required over the next four years to bring
total strength to 15,000 an average of around
800 per year.
Over the two most recent previous garda trainee
campaigns, applications received were at an alltime high, given that there had not been a
recruitment campaign since 2008, said a
spokesperson for the service.
On this occasion, just over 5,000 applications
were received, showing a levelling off to a more
regular pattern which is in line with campaigns
prior to the moratorium on recruitment.
In the Dil, Mr Martin said: I do not know if the
Taoiseach has read the report in todays Irish
Examiner in relation to whistleblowers being
strategically undermined and under attack, both
their personal and professional reputations, at the
instigation of senior Garda management.
He added that the disclosures revealed that senior
garda were involved in a character assassination
attack which included dissemination of texts to
garda in a bid to tarnish the reputation of
whistleblowers and the opening of an intelligence
file on the whistleblowers.
It demands a fairly dramatic response from the
Government. It cannot just be allowed drift into a
process, Mr Martin added.

Michel Martin
The Fianna Fil leader, who has led on the issue of
Garda malpractice, said the Garda Sochna
Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) needs greater
powers and legislative change and asked Taoiseach
Enda Kenny if this would be granted.
It is at a very high level of wrongdoing, if I can put
it that way to the Taoiseach, without pre-empting
any inquiry, said Mr Martin. It seems to be
something that is of the most gravest import, if it is
true. Disclosures have been made and I believe it is
extremely serious. I would ask if legislation in this
area will be brought forward?
Mr Kenny said he had not seen the correspondence
but admitted it may well be there are matters here
beyond what would be a normal GSOC analysis or
investigation.
He said Ms Fitzgerald is considering the report and
will decide what the best thing to do is following
examination of the information.
Mr Kenny said he was aware of the report in this

paper but said the House would not expect me to

go into detail about who has made these disclosures
or the nature of the allegations contained in them at
this particular time.
In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a
spokesman for the Tnaiste said: The Tnaiste has
recently received protected disclosures from
members of An Garda Sochna under the Protected
Disclosures Act, 2014.
Any such disclosures will of course be fully
considered to determine what further action may be
appropriate. The maintenance of confidentiality in
relation to protected disclosures is fundamental
and, in line with the statutory obligations under the
Protected Disclosures Act 2014, it is not possible to
make any further comment.

Frances Fitzgerald
It is believed the disclosures claim that the
purpose of the campaign was to discredit the
whistleblower to the extent of destroying his

character. One of the two officers making

the disclosure is admitting his role in the
campaign to discredit the whistleblower, but
claims he was following orders.
The seniority of the officers making the
claims and the fact that one of them is
admitting his own culpability will give rise to
fresh concerns as to how those who come
forward are dealt with.
The disclosures detail a number of different
strands to the campaign, conducted over a
number of years.
The disclosures came about after a meeting
between the two officers concerned in the
last month.
The officer who admits his role in the
campaign against the whistleblower told the
second officer about it and expressed
remorse for what he had been involved in.
A spokesman for Garda Commissioner
Nirn OSullivan said: We will not be
commenting on any particular protected
disclosure reports. Any protective
disclosures made within An Garda Sochna
are welcomed, and dealt with according to
agreed protocols and the individual making
the disclosure is protected within an An
Garda Sochna. I have on numerous
occasions expressed my support for any
employees who have issues and concerns. As
commissioner I have actively asked
employees to bring forward issues and
concerns. We learn by listening.

Meanwhile, last nights Prime Time revealed

a further disclosure under whistleblower
legislation has been made to the justice
minister.
SOMETHING IS ROTTEN in the state of
Denmark.

What the hell is happening within An Garda

Sochna?
Today, politicians have been lining up to call
for the Commissioners job, to question if
the force is (still) mired by dysfunctionality
and to show serious concern about how
garda are treated if they blow the whistle.
Since Fine Gael entered government in 2011,
weve seen a Justice Minister and a

Commissioner resign. Weve had numerous

reports into various practices within An
Garda Sochna. There have been endless
front pages about GSOC investigations. New
legislation has been enacted to try to protect
whistleblowers. And, finally, an independent
Policing Authority was established which,
so far, has been none too impressed with
what it has seen.
Yet, here we are again.
Groundhog Day, exclaimed Mary Lou
McDonald in the Dil.
Something is rotten in the state of
Denmark, her opposition colleague Charlie
McConalogue said from the Fianna Fil
benches.
It is over two years, an exasperated Mick
Wallace added.
How in Gods name can the Minister say she
is dealing with these matters?
Despite sending an email to all members
over the summer about how to be a
whistleblower, it seems management are
still coming to terms with how to deal with
that breed of garda.
The latest scandal
On Tuesday morning, the Irish Examiners
Mick Clifford revealed that two senior garda
had made protected disclosures of a very
serious nature to the Justice Minister.
Under whistleblower legislation, they told
Frances Fitzgerald that senior garda
management orchestrated a significant
campaign to destroy the name and character

of a another garda whistleblower.

They allege that the campaign included:
Sending text messages to officers attacking
the person
Creating an intelligence file on him
Monitoring his activities on the garda Pulse
system
Briefing members of the media and
politicians about him, during which false
allegations would be made
One of the garda who has made the
disclosure has admitted to taking part in the
campaign
Was this not said before?
As Wallace mentioned during Leaders
Questions today, we have been talking about
the treatment of whistleblowers for years;
namely John Wilson and Maurice McCabe,
as well as the lesser-known Keith Harrison
and Nick Keogh.
Clare Daly summed up how their lives have
gone since blowing the whistle in the Dil
yesterday:
Nevertheless, two and a half years on, this
whistleblower [Nick Keogh] has been out
sick for almost a year and is surviving on
just over 200 per week. He has had five
internal investigations drummed up against
him. Medical certificates submitted that
stated he was out with work-related stress
were changed to indicating absence from flu.
Meanwhile, the superintendent who stood
over all that is on the promotions list.
Four times one of the garda whistleblowers

wrote directly to the Minister for Justice and

told her of the treatment he was
experiencing.
He made the point that as his colleague in a
different region was getting exactly the same
treatment, it could not be a coincidence and
it was inconceivable that senior
management and the Garda Commissioner
would not be aware of it.
Deputy Wallace and I have raised what has
been happening to whistleblowers Nick
Keogh and Keith Harrison who is out for
two years, surviving on a pittance with a
young family 19 times.
His post has been opened and garda patrol
cars have cruised down a lane on which he
lived, 25km from the nearest garda station.
The HSE has called to his children. This has
all happened on Garda Commissioner
OSullivans watch.

What are they actually blowing the whistle

on?
Keogh was working as a drugs unit officer in
Athlone when he came forward with
information about garda involvement in the
selling of heroin in the area. He also alleged
there was coercion of non-criminal residents
into buying drugs in an attempt to boost
drugs-unit statistics.
Last weekend, the Sunday Times reported
that Keoghs claims have been substantiated
in an internal garda inquiry.
According to journalist John Mooney, the
probe found evidence of garda collusion in
heroin dealing. It also confirmed that a
senior garda took no meaningful action
when told about alleged corruption back in

2009. Those involved now face disciplinary

measures.
Harrison also worked in Athlone when he
arrested a fellow officer for drink driving.
After this incident, he says he was harassed
and bullied by other members of the force.
Those claims include: the suggestion that
people Harrison had previously arrested
had been asked whether or not they wished
to make complaints about him, Garda
surveillance being placed on him with
minimal justification, and information
regarding a garda inquiry into him being
deliberately leaked.
Harrison was eventually transferred to
Buncrana in Donegal after being confined to
desk work for two years. Currently on
unpaid sick leave, he claims that he suffered
panic attacks during a five-year campaign of
bullying perpetrated by his fellow officers.
Didnt we deal with Maurice McCabe
already?
McCabe became a well-known figure in
Ireland after airing concerns around
procedures and practices in the
Cavan/Monaghan garda division.
He worried about the treatment of victims,
as well as the manner in which crimes were
investigated in some instances. He has said
that the way he was treated subsequently
destroyed him, his career and his family.

He was vindicated on the publication of the

OHiggins Report which found him to be a
truthful and credible witness, if prone to
exaggeration at times.
The judge described the sergeant as a
dedicated and committed member of the
force who showed courage and has
performed a genuine public service at
considerable cost.
OHiggins also noted that McCabe took
actions out of legitimate and genuine
concerns. He also upheld some of his
claims. That report concluded that victims of
crime in Cavan were failed by garda because
of deficiencies, resources and problems with
management.
Secondly, the similarities of the known
whistleblowers stories can not be easily
ignored.

Sick leave, unpaid leave and dealing with

media reports and local rumours have been
part of the post-whistleblowing routine as
mentioned by Daly yesterday.
One of the allegations made this week was
that politicians and media were given
briefings about those who made complaints.
Last May, Fianna Fils John McGuinness
told the Dil that he met with the former
commissioner, Martin Callinan in a hotel car
park two years ago to talk about McCabe.
At the time, OSullivan said she was not
aware of that meeting.
Wasnt this all meant to be reformed
already?
We have heard a lot about garda reform
since OSullivan took over the reins from
Martin Callinan.
GSOC has been given more powers but not
enough, as referenced above and the
Policing Authority has been established to
provide oversight of the force.
But many within An Garda Sochna have
pointed to a culture that has not changed.
Some have said that OSullivans oftrepeated remark that dissent is not
disloyalty is mere lipservice and not the
reality on the ground.
Following the publication of the OHiggins
Report earlier this year, it emerged that at
one stage there was an intention to argue to
the inquiry that the sergeant made his
concerns about work in the CavanMonaghan district because of a grudge he

held against a senior officer.

There were many questions which remain
mostly unanswered whether the
Commissioner had planned to attack the
integrity, motivation and credibility of
Sergeant McCabe as the probe began.
She has always denied this is the case, saying
that whistleblowers including McCabe
were friends of the garda.
What next?

Fitzgerald wasnt giving much away today,

telling Mary Lou McDonald and Mick
Wallace that due process would have to be
followed.
She also said that there is no reason for her
to not have full confidence in the
Commissioner given that no findings of
wrongdoing have been made against her.
Although she said she was extremely

concerned about policing in Athlone, the

Tnaiste noted that the protected
disclosures were merely allegations and not
findings of fact.
For her part, OSullivan has said that she
was not privy to nor approved of any action
designed to target any garda employee who
may have made a protected disclosure and
would condemn any such action.
However, the calls for her to resign are
mounting. If these latest allegations stick
and Daly is correct that there is a huge gulf
between OSullivans public statements and
what is actually happening under her watch,
then she may need to be wary of any latenight knocks on her door. It could be a
public servant waiting to do Enda Kennys
bidding. Martin Callinan can tell her all
about it.

Youll Get Nothing From Me

Says Garda Commissioner Nirn
OSullivan

From top: Independents 4 Change TDs Mick

Wallace and Clare Daly, and Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan at an
Oireachtas committee meeting this morning
This morning.
Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan and other
senior garda appeared before the Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Justice and Equality this morning.
Their appearance followed reports of the two
protected disclosures made by Sgt Maurice McCabe
and former head of the Garda Press Office Supt

Dave Taylor.
Its been reported that Supt Taylor has admitted he
was central to a smear campaign orchestrated by
Garda management to destroy Sgt McCabes name
and character, and that former garda commissioner
Martin Callinan knew what was happening, as did
his successor Noirin OSullivan, who was then a
deputy commissioner.
Supt Taylor has alleged the campaign included
text messages; the creation of an intelligence
file on Sgt McCabe; the monitoring of his
activities on Pulse, and making false
allegations about him to both members of
the media and politicians.
Its also been repaired that Supt Taylor has claimed
there is evidence of the campaign on his phone, or
phones, that were subsequently seized as part of a
separate investigation.
Readers will also recall that on January 24, 2014
six days before Sgt McCabe gave testimony in
private to the Public Accounts Committee Fianna
Fail TD John McGuinness met then Garda
Commissioner Martin Callinan in the car park of
Bewleys Hotel on the Naas Road for a secret
meeting, at which Mr Callinan told Mr McGuinness
that Sgt McCabe could not be trusted.
Its been reported that it was Mr Callinan who
sought the meeting with Mr McGuinness.
Speaking of the meeting, Mr McGuinness told the
Dail:
The Garda Commissioner confided in me in a car
park on the Naas Road that Garda McCabe was
not to be trusted and there were serious issues
about him.

The vile stories that circulated about Garda

McCabe, which were promoted by senior
officers in the Garda, were absolutely
appalling.
In addition, on RTEs Morning Ireland on Monday,
the solicitor of another Garda whistleblower Keith
Harrison, Trevor Collins spoke to Cathal MacCoille,
saying:
[Harrison] has suffered and the
victimisation, the intimidation, the
ostracization that is ongoing what I can
say, without going into detail, is he has been the
subject of surveillance, he has suffered
victimisation, bullying harassment, as has
his family. There has been a dissemination of
rumour and innuendo which has been solely
designed to undermine his credibility and that has
been circulated within certain members of the
media, certain politicians and his Garda
colleagues.
Mr Collins also highlighted how different Garda
whistleblowers have suffered similar
mistreatment and that Minister for Justice
Frances Fitzgeralds appointment of former High
Court judge Justice Iarlaith ONeill to review Sgt
McCabe and Supt Taylors claims is a flawed
inquiry if it doesnt include the allegations of other
whistleblowers.
Further to this from this mornings Oireachtas
committee meeting:
Clare Daly: Commissioner, you said you
werent privy to any information about
allegations of mistreatment of
whistleblowers, that your knowledge was very

much based on what was in the public commentary

and, from what youve heard, but is that statement
not contradicted by the fact that legal counsel for
one of the whistleblowers wrote directly to
you 14 times over a two-year period,
outlining a litany of direct experiences that
he had had in terms of surveillance,
intimidation, and all the rest of it?
Noirin OSullivan: Deputy, as you will be aware,
Im precluded from talking about individual cases
but what I can say, in general cases, as I have said
earlier, each individuals experience is
different, we are dealing with each
individual separately and as an individual
and, indeed with their representatives or their legal
teams who raise issues with us and all of those are
being addressed. We are in the process of
retaining a professional expert to review all
of these and indeed our experience to date is,
because of the, as I say, these are single figure
numbers, but nevertheless, each individuals
experience is so different, that actually what we
believe is, the professional expert can help us to
review our internal structures, our internal process
and our approach to things. If theres areas that we
can strengthen, were very open to strengthening
those but perhaps it is time for a consideration to be
given to some kind of an independent entity where
all of these issues go to and that people can have
some reassurance that there is somebody
independently looking at all of these matters and
then that we ensure that the internal structures are
there to strengthen and support individual needs.
Daly: Ive no intention of going into details

on any individual cases but my question was

is it the case, that you received direct contact
on 14 occasions from a legal counsel, of one of
the whistleblowers stating, and giving very specific
information which I wont give here, outlining his
negative experiences as a whistleblower?
OSullivan: Deputy, again, Im not able in this
forum, in a public forum, to go into
individual cases. I think it would be grossly
unfair to individuals.
Daly: And Im not asking you to do that,
Commissioner. Im just asking you could you
confirm that you received 14 direct
communications from legal counsel in
relation to these matters. I think its a valid
question, chair?
OSullivan: Deputy I have specific obligations
under the Protected Disclosures Act, as the
employer, to protect the individuals and to
protect the identity of individuals and I am
not in a position to answer any specific
questions in relation to any specific
individual or any specific correspondence
received in relation to an individual, other than to
say that every individuals case is being
treated individually and that we have structures
in place to deal with that.
Daly: Im not asking you, Commissioner, to detail
any details about an individual case, but I am
perfectly entitled to put a question, in terms of,
particularly in the context of OHiggins [inquiry], of
the public assurances that weve got from your
offices that the Garda Siochana are a safe place for
people to come forward with information when that

public, I suppose, statement is contradicted by

other issues weve a right to tease that out and Id
just like to ask you again are you perfectly
happy to reiterate your statement that you
are not privy to any specific allegations
involving mistreatment of people whove
come forward as whistleblowers?
OSullivan: I dont think my answer to Deputy
[Jim] OCallaghan was in respect of allegations
because I obviously have heard the public
commentary in respect of allegations that
have been made but I dont think it is fair or
even just to say that all that one has to do is
look at what we have put into place, in an
effort to support and to support our
determination to ensure that people can
bring forward facts. And I think the evidence
speaks for itself in terms of the structures that have
been put in place, in terms of the systems that have
been put in place and in terms of the efforts that
have been put in place. But without going into
individual cases, I cannot go into individual
cases and Im sure
Daly: Nobody has asked you, nobody has asked
you to go into individual cases but there has
been a huge amount of public statements, and
youve done it again today to say that you are not
privy to any of these complaints, if you like, or more
specific examples that are in the public domain, Im
just asking you to either: its kind of a yes or no
can you confirm that you are aware or
youre not. Because youve said youre not
privy to it. My evidence is that you are but I
mean, if youre telling us youre not, Ill move on but

could you just tell us whether you are or youre not.

OSullivan: Well deputy what I did say was Im
not privy to, nor did I approve, nor would I
condone any campaign of harassment or any
campaign to malign any individual
employee.
Daly: So youre not aware of any circumstances
where such claims would have been made, that
hasnt been brought to your attention?
OSullivan: That isnt what Im saying,
deputy, what Im saying is that I, personally, was
not privy to, nor would I approve, nor would I
condone any campaign against any individual.
Daly: So if you had been made aware, of any such
allegations, what action would you have taken to
deal with that situation?
OSullivan: Any issues that are brought to our
attention by any individual are fully addressed and
that is the case in terms of all of the individuals,
have brought matters to our attention, or indeed
any member of any representative of any individual,
those issues are being addressed in the
structures and the processes that we have
there. As I say we are in the process of
retaining an independent, professional
expert to review those processes and it may
indeed need to go beyond that but we can only do
what we can do internally and what we have control
of and that is why we have somebody independently
being retained review either areas that can be
strengthened, recognising that individual
needs are different.
Daly: If everything is improving, youve said that
the numbers of whistleblowers are single figures,

could you explain maybe why all of those single

figures, five at least, if not more, are presently out
sick and have been on protracted sick leave for a
period of time because of work-related stress.
OSullivan: Deputy, again, and Im very
conscience that we are speaking about single figure
numbers and, even by extension, that could serve to
identify individuals and Im precluded from
speaking about individual cases and, as the
employer, I have a duty of care to all of the
individuals and their circumstances but there
are systems in place to support and to help the
individuals concerned.
Daly: Its very difficult to get an answer, chair.
Later
Daly: I mean, obviously, some incredibly serious
issues were raised here this morning and I do think
that clarity is actually critical and I
note Commissioner that, on a number of occasions,
that you said that you werent privy to, nor aware of,
nor approved any campaign to target
whistleblowers and Id just really like you to be
concise around some of these issues, yes or no
preferably. Like, is it your assertion that you
were never directly made aware of any such
allegations in relation to the targeting of
whistleblowers?
OSullivan: Deputy, I can only repeat what I said.
I am not privy to, nor would I approve, nor
did I approve, nor would I condone, any
actions such as targeting any individuals
other than individuals engaged in criminal
activity in the sense of targeting that we spoke
about earlier.

Daly: Okay. I note youre reluctance to answer

again so maybe Ill help by partly answering for you.
Im aware that you were directly made aware I
have the correspondence and your replies in my
folder here in relation to allegations of precisely
such, a campaign of targeting in relation to
whistleblowers. So what Id like to know is what
actions did you take on foot of hearing about those
allegations?
OSullivan: Well deputy Im sure you will
appreciate that Im not aware of neither who the
disclosures are, the content of the disclosures, or
the allegations that you are suggesting and in such
circumstances it would not only be inappropriate
but it would be impossible to comment.
Daly: Im sorry, Commissioner, but I didnt
actually ask you to comment on any individual cases
at all. I think that would be inappropriate, I was
talking about the general processes which I think
are incredibly fair questions, in the context of the
seriousness of what is the case. And particularly, in
light of your comments, that the system is changing,
when really, on a fairly regular basis, evidence is
being produced to say that things arent changing.
And Im wondering how you can, if you like, square
that circle?
OSullivan: Well I cannot comment on something
which I have not seen, I am not aware of and I think
that there is a process that is being set up where
there will be fair procedure and due process
provided and Mr Justice ONeill can address any
issues arising from that.
Daly: I would just like to put on the record,
chair, that I have seen that you have seen

these allegations and, in that sense, I find

your response quite upsetting actually in
many ways. But I wonder maybe the last question
that you could answer: how do you explain, if youre
not aware of any of these allegations, and yet these
allegations are there and they exist both in terms of
documented proof going back over years and, as you
said yourself, huge conversation in the public
domain, if youre not aware of that and yet
they still continue, is that not a huge
problem? Particularly as theyre continuing
in different parts of the country, in different
regions. Supposedly, without any of your
knowledge, is the issue really then that you
have no authority amongst your members?
That theyre flagrantly doing the opposite of what
youre telling them to do? And does that not put
your position in jeopardy?
OSullivan: Deputy, Im not in a position to
comment, or indeed should I comment, or its
impossible to comment on unsubstantiated
allegations which are put into the public domain by
elected representatives and others. And Im very
much aware of the unsubstantiated allegations
which are in the public domain, Im also aware that
a process has been established where all of these
matters can be afforded due process and fair
procedure, to allow for proper examination of all
these matters and I will fully cooperate, as will An
Garda Siochana with that process.
Later
Mick Wallace: Commissioner, did you admit
that you gave instructions to challenge the
credibility and motivation of Sgt McCabe, in

relation to the OHiggins report and my second

questions, and I may have missed it, I dont know,
over the last couple of years, but you were sitting
beside the former Commissioner Callinan
when he described the whistleblowers [Sgt
Maurice McCabe and Garda John Wilson] as
disgusting. And Im just wondering minister,
Commissioner did you ever disassociate
yourself from those remarks?
OSullivan: Well, firstly, deputy, the OHiggins
Commission which was your first question: At all
times, my interactions with my legal
advisors were based on legal advice and, as
you know, there is lawyer-client privilege
pertains to every citizen of this State, and
including the Garda Commissioner and, as
such, I cannot comment on any interactions
between me and my legal advice and that is
what my advice is. Secondly, in relation to my
sitting alongside my predecessor, former
commissioner Martin Callinan, a lot of play has
been made of that issue and, you know again that
was an interaction at a Dail committee, I am record
as saying that the choice of words was unfortunate
and what I actually wrote to the
Commissioner Callinan was to withdraw
those remarks because I do not believe they
were said in the way that they came across.
Meanwhile

Separately but also during Ms OSullivans

appearance, Cork Sinn Fein TD Jonathan OBrien
asked Ms OSullivan some very direct questions
Mr OBrien (above right) started by asking Ms
OSullivan if she knew of any whistleblowers being
put under surveillance.
From their exchange
OSullivan: Am I aware of any
Jonathan OBrien: Whistleblowers being put
under surveillance?
OSullivan: Absolutely not, deputy.
OBrien: Ok, are you aware of any intelligence
files being opened in relation to whistleblowers?
OSullivan: Deputy, Im aware of suggestions in
the media, and in public commentary, but I am
personally not aware.
OBrien: You spoke, in relation to electronic
materials which will be handed over if Justice
ONeill requires it. Can I ask is it one, two or
three phones which were confiscated from
the whistleblower [Supt Dave Taylor]?
OSullivan: I dont think its appropriate, we have

a number of ongoing live investigations and I dont

think its appropriate deputy to speak about
individual investigations.
OBrien: But will they be handed over?
OSullivan: Absolutely, every assistance and
any requirement of Justice ONeill will be fully met
by An Garda Siochana.
OBrien: And if there are intelligence files in
relation to whistleblowers, will they also be
handed over?
OSullivan: Deputy, I believe there are no
intelligence files but if Mr Justice ONeill
requires any access to any area of An Garda
Siochana, he will be made fully aware, given full
access.
OBrien: Will you undertake to find out if there
are any intelligence files in relation to
whistleblowers?
OSullivan: I am not aware of any
intelligence files, deputy.
OBrien: Will you ask if there are any
intelligence files?
OSullivan: I can certainly ask but we do
not, and I must state this categorically, protected
disclosures are relatively a new phenomenon, we
do not keep intelligence files. I hope youve
heard form my colleagues here today, we have
enough activities to keep us very busy and creating
intelligence files on people who are causing harm to
communities.
OBrien: Are you aware of the content of the
meeting between the Commissioner Callinan
and Deputy John McGuinness?
OSullivan: Deputy, the first I became aware

of that meeting, of the fact that even a

meeting took place, was in the media. I am
not aware and I have not been aware up to reading
it in the media of any interaction between Deputy
Commissioner, or sorry, former Commissioner
Callinan and Deputy McGuinness in a car park.
OBrien: So youre not aware of any content
which was discussed at that meeting?
OSullivan: Absolutely not.
OBrien: Have you considered temporarily
stepping aside as Commissioner while
Justice ONeill carries out his review? Given
that there are a number of allegations that you had
knowledge of a campaign to discredit a
whistleblower?
OSullivan: Well, firstly, deputy, what I will do is
reiterate my statement, I was not privy to, nor
did I approve, nor would I condone any
campaign against any individual.
A Flawed Oireacthas Inquiry

Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan and

her husband Chief Superintendent James
McGowan

Maurice McCabe
Yo may recall the two recent protected disclosures
sent to the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice
Frances Fitzgerald.
They were reportedly sent by Sgt Maurice McCabe
and Supt Dave Taylor, former head of the Garda
Press Office with Supt Taylor stating he was
instrumental in the campaign to discredit Sgt
McCabe.
Yesterday, Philip Ryan, on Independent.ie, reported
on a meeting that took place between the two gardai
in which Supt Taylor told Sgt McCabe about the
campaign.
Mr Ryan reported:
Taylor said three phones, which are
currently in garda custody as part of the
investigation into leaks, held the evidence
to back up his claims.
He said the phones contained chains of text

messages outlining the plot to target McCabe by

spreading vicious lies about the whistleblower and
his family.
The texts were sent to senior gardai,
members of the media, and prominent
politicians.
The allegations could never be printed due
to the defamatory nature of the claims, but
they spread like wildfire in political and
garda circles.
No matter how many times independent
investigations proved McCabes claims were
correct, there was always a cloud over his
reputation.
Taylor told McCabe he regretted the role he played
in spreading the rumours but insisted he was
acting under instruction.
He claimed former garda commissioner
Martin Callinan knew what was going on,
as did his successor Noirin OSullivan, who
was then a deputy commissioner.
It was further reported that, in February 2015, Ms
OSullivans husband Det Supt James McGowan
seized Supt Taylors phone and laptop two months
before Supt Taylor was arrested for allegedly
leaking information to a journalist in relation to a
Roma child being taken into custody over fears she
had been kidnapped.
On Friday, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald
appointed former High Court judge Justice Iarlaith
ONeill to review Sgt McCabe and Supt Taylors
claims.
Further to this, the solicitor of fellow Garda
whistleblower Keith Harrison, Trevor Collins spoke

to Cathal MacCoille on RTEs Morning Ireland this

morning.
It came after Colm Burke, on yesterdays This Week,
reported on a letter Mr Collins sent to Ms
Fitzgerald, on behalf of Mr Harrison, following the
appointment of Justice ONeill.
During the Morning Ireland interview, Mr Collins
raised concerns about the scope of the new inquiry.
Cathal MacCoille: I asked him [Trevor Collins]
to outline what his client Keith Harrisons
objections to the review as proposed.
Trevor Collins: Well my client, two and a half
years ago, Cathal, made a disclosure, a protected
disclosure to, at that time, the Confidential
Recipient which was later referred to GSOC and,
following on from that, my client has had to endure
a campaign that has been orchestrated, we believe,
senior members of An Garda Siochana the sole
purpose of which has been to undermine his
credibility and effectively destroy his reputation and
this campaign has been endured by my client. We
have made known to the minister and Tanaiste that
this has been ongoing and that weve called upon
her to take action.
My client was astounded to learn, on Friday
evening, the terms of references as they have been
established in circumstances where, if you take it
that, all week, the allegations that were before the
Dail and that are on the Dail record that there
appears to be a deliberate and high-level smear
campaign against whistleblowers within An Garda
Siochana, we took it that the Tanaiste would take
the necessary steps to inquire into these very
serious issues of public concern and it is

disappointing to learn that she has chosen to,

effectively, cherrypick and base any inquiry solely
upon the disclosures of Sgt McCabe and
Superintendent [Dave] Taylor rather than the other
whistleblowers who have suffered similar treatment
at the hands of An Garda Siochana.
MacCoille: And I know that youve put that view
in a letter to the Minister on the 8th of October,
seeking a wider review than that established have
you got any response?
Collins: As yet, no.
MacCoille: What do you make of the limitation of
this inquiry, as set up by the Minister to the two
protected disclosures made to her as Minister for
Justice? Thats not including, obviously a disclosure
from your client, Keith Harrison. Is that not a why
is that not a fair enough thing to do. If its on her
desk, formally, a protected disclosure, why is it not
reasonable for her to limit the inquiry purely to
those two disclosures?
Collins: Well, the issue here is that, as An
Tanaistes press release states, in her own words,
she states it is vitally important that the claims that
people make in disclosures are properly addressed
and she states that they should be proper, just and
fair to all and the rights of everyone, to fair and
proper procedures have to be vindicated these are
her words. And my submission is that while we are
a whistleblower and my client had made known to
the Minister the serious issues that are, that he has
suffered and the victimisation, the
intimidation, the ostracization that is
ongoing. I have outlined to her, in no
uncertain terms the issues that I believe are

of public concern and they have been on her

desk since May, at the very least. This is the
fourth or fifth time that Ive written to the
minister on this matter and to simply ignore
these issues and leave my client in limbo
does not vindicate his rights.
MacCoille: Can you give us some more detail on,
without naming people obviously, on the kind of
pressure you say Keith Harrison, your client, has
undergone because of being a whistleblower?
Collins: Well what I can say, without going into
detail, is he has been the subject of
surveillance, he has suffered victimisation,
bullying harassment, as has his family.
There has been a dissemination of rumour
and innuendo which has been solely
designed to undermine his credibility and
that has been circulated within certain
members of the media, certain politicians
and his Garda colleagues. And, furthermore,
theres been a deliberate frustration of GSOCs
investigations of his disclosures. The whole
campaign and operation here is designed to
frustrate any investigation into my clients
disclosures, to discredit him and to destroy
his reputation. So that if any findings are
made, that his credibility and integrity is in
his question.
MacCoille: And its his belief, is it, that all of this
dates back, or starts with the time in 2009 when he
stopped a Garda colleague for drink driving a
charge which was subsequently dismissed in the
court?
Collins: There was particular issues that relate

from 2009 to 2014. But they are being dealt with in

a separate forum. The issues that we have put
before the Minister relate to the period after his
disclosure, his protected disclosure became known
and, following on from that, the treatment he has
suffered is what has caused us serious concern. And
this treatment has been dished out effectively by An
Garda Siochana.
MacCoille: How sure can he be, given what
weve heard several times from the Garda
Commissioner [Noirin OSullivan] that she
supports whistleblowers and would not
support any campaign against him and how
sure can Keith Harrison be that this was
organised at a senior level, as he alleges?
Collins: Recently, weve learned of an
instance where certain issues were
disseminated from Garda Headquarters to
members of the media. This has confirmed
whatthis is one of the issues, this is one of
the facts that have been confirmed to our
client and this is confirmed to him that what
he believed to be the case is in fact true.
MacCoille: Confirmed by a journalist?
Collins: I cannot go into it any further than that,
Cathal, but what I can say is that the
similarities as between the whistleblowers
and so far as what has been reported and the
treatment, its, youre talking about
whistleblowers from different divisions but
theyre suffering the same type of
treatment.
Later

Collins: This appears to be a flawed inquiry

from the very outset. If Mr Justice ONeill is
unable to deal with and look into whistleblowers
and their treatment, from the outset, rather than
having it done in a piecemeal fashion where youre
dealing with Sgt McCabe and Supt Taylor, and their
disclosures, and effectively leaving aside and not
vindicating the rights of the other whistleblowers, in
so far as the complaints and issues they brought to
the attention of the minister.
WANTED!

October 13, 16
9km/h fugitive Clare Daly TD
Have you seen this woman?
Do not approach her.
Shes upset the establishment.
Inspector Mel Smyth outlined that Deputy Daly,
originally from Newbridge, has no previous
convictions.
Defence Solicitor, Cairbre Finan, told the court

that Deputy Daly is not present, but had come into

court to instruct him to plead guilty on her behalf.
Judge Desmond Zaidan said: She came into the
court like everyone else, she saw how busy we
were. A member of the Oireachtas came in and left,
what kind of respect is that?.
Judge Zaidan refused an adjournment and
ordered a bench- warrant.
Ms Dalys crime?
Driving 59 km/h in a 50 km/h area.

Breaking: Judge in Naas

Court orders warrant for
arrest of Clare Daly TD

Thursday 13th of October 2016

A bench warrant has just been issued at

Naas District Court for the arrest of TD Clare
Daly.
On this New Year's Day, at Newbridge,

Independent 4 Change TD, Clare Daly, with

an address at Swords, was caught driving at
a speed of 59km/hr in a 50km/hr zone at
Ballymany, Newbridge.
Inspector Mel Smyth outlined that Deputy
Daly, originally from Newbridge, has no
previous convictions.
Defence solicitor, Cairbre Finan, told the
court that Deputy Daly is not present, but
had come into court to instruct him to plead
guilty on her behalf.
Judge Desmond Zaidan said: "She came into
the court like everyone else, she saw how
busy we were. A member of the Oireachtas
came in and left, what kind of respect is
that?"
The defence solicitor argued that Deputy
Daly did not mean any disrespect to the
court, and that because it is the first day of
hearing, he requested one week's
adjournment.
Judge Zaidan refused an adjournment and
ordered a bench- warrant with discretion.

District Court judge Desmond A Zaidan was born in

December 1962 and his early education took place
in Lebanon and Sierra Leone. He attended Rockwell
College before going to Trinity College Dublin,
where he graduated with a BSc and an MA. He later
studied at the King's Inns and was called to the bar
in 1990.
He is a member of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal.
Judge Zaidan will most definitely be promoted
shortly. He has made certain people very happy e.g. the Garda Commissioner, the garda, Frances
Fitzgerald, Alan Shatter, Fine Gael ....

Oops! Hope I am not in contempt of Judge Zaidan's

court. Desmond can be a little touchy. He once
jailed a couple for kissing at the back of the court
and gave a man 7 days for clapping in court
A pig of a man, scum of the earth!! How much did
he cost the state handing out ridiculous sentences to
those who didn't deserve it. The other side of the
coin is how much did he make for the state handing
out extortionate fines to those who didn't deserve it.
I say we deport this parasite!!
He loves publicity ,thats why he gives out big
sentences ,he is beholden to whatever government
minister appointed he , He gave a refugee a fine of
150.00 Euro driving a car with no insurance ,no
tax ,did not ban him from driving .People were very
annoyed about that last year i think it was .,Now if
you were irish that would be a different story .
ench warrant is null and void as she can't be
arrested during Dail ..Constitutional protection
...poor judgement by the judge showing ignorance
of the constitution ...also check out Simon Coveney
and his speeding car ...as they say in England during
the Eurovision ..No Points

Simon Coveney 'embarassed' over

speeding summons for his driver
26/07/2013

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said he

was "very embarrassed" after he had a
summons for speeding struck out in the
District Court.
A car registered to him was clocked by a
speed camera van in Cobh in May of last year
traveling at 71kph in a 60kph zone.
Mr Coveney told the court that he was in the
car on the night but that it was driven by his
professional driver.
Judge Brian Sheridan said he was satisfied
Mr Coveney was not driving the car at the
time and he ordered him to pay 200 to the
court poor box and the charge was struck
out.
Afterwards the Minister said the incident is
clearly embarrassing and should not have
happened.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/simoncoveney-embarassed-over-speedingsummons-for-his-driver-601763.html

Athy man
facing
allegations of
taking
69,000 from
Department of
Social Welfare

Thursday 13th of October 2016

An Athy man is facing allegations of taking

69,000 from the Department of Social
Welfare.
Evidence was given that the man in his
sixties, is charged with inducing money from
the Department of Social Protection, by way
of a widowers pension.
Judge Desmond Zaidan ordered that the
accused, appear at Naas District Court, on
November 17, for a book of evidence. He is
released on bail.
http://www.kildarenow.com/news/athy-man-facingallegations-of-taking-e69000-from-department-ofsocial-protection/122215

Naas judge
slams high
numbers of
drivers on
mobile phones
Thursday 13th of October 2016

A judge has slammed the number of drivers

using mobile phones as 'blatant'.

Judge Desmond Zaidan was speaking out in

Naas District Court after he fined a female

motorist for texting while driving.
He said: "You see it everywhere out there. It's
so blatant.
"So many people are doing it, at traffic lights,
on the motorways, going around
roundabouts."
Road safety campaigners have called for
more enforcement of the offence by gardai
and heftier fines as a bigger deterrent.

Man facing
charges of
raping woman
in Co Kildare
in Naas Court
today

Thursday 13th of October 2016

A man charged with the rape of a woman in

Co Kildare told Naas Court today that he
understands 'certainly' that he can't use
mental health issues as an alibi, when he
goes forward for trial to the Central Criminal
Court.
The 44- year-old is facing rape charges in Co
Kildare on April 22 to 23, 2015.
Sarah Connolly BL outlined that her client,
has not applied for bail, while a book of
evidence has been prepared.
Judge Desmond Zaidan asked the accused if
he understands he is going forward to the
Circuit Criminal Court with alleged charges
for the rape of a woman.
The accused, in court, said, "Yes Sir."
Judge Zaidan said :" You are not to allege that
you are suffering from mental illness."
The accused said, "It is clear, certainly."

He is being remanded in custody, to await

trial.

Minister's
wages to be

frozen at
157K per
year following
public outrage

Thursday 13th of October 2016

Ministers will not be receiving a pay rise next

year despite the fact that they were due to
get a sizeable boost in their wages in 2017.
It had been announced that minsters were in
line to receive a pay rise of 3,911 to their
already large wages of 157,000 per year,
but Public Expenditure Minister Pascal
Donohoe will now ask cabinet members to

forego the pay increase.

The issue sparked plenty of outrage among
the public on Wednesday afternoon, but it
has since emerged that the deal was struck
under the previous Fine Gael/Labour led
government. The deal would ultimately see
pay packets for ministers restored to the
same levels as before 2013.
TDs are likely to receive their mooted pay
increases however, and they are in line to
take home an extra 2,700 next
year.Independent TD, Michael Fitzmaurice,
has claimed that he refused the pay rise on
offer, while Kildare TD Catherine Murphy
outlined her pleasure at seeing the issue
debated in the public domain.

TDs, don't take the wage increase

TDs have just gotten a massive pay rise - an
extra 5,000 per year. We call on all TDs to
refuse to take the increase, and instead use
the money for vital public services. Take a
stand with us in demanding that TDs stand
up for a more fair and
The Government has defended salary hikes
for TDs amid Budget 2017 reforms which
offered most people 5 extra a week.
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public
Expenditure and Reform, also suggested pay
rises for ministers would be looked at next
year but refused to be drawn on the prospect
of a wage freeze.
"The last thing on my mind at the moment is
the welfare and salary of TDs I can assure
you," he said.
"I absolutely understand that perception
and I'm so keenly aware of the hurt and

anxiety that's been caused to so many people

after all that we went through."
Mr Donohoe was on RTE Radio's Today with
Sean O'Rourke with Finance Minister
Michael Noonan to defend the heavily
criticised first-time buyers' tax rebate,
childcare subsidies, Brexit safeguards and
other key initiatives in the budget.

He claimed childcare costs should come

down by the level of subsidies being paid
direct to registered childminders or creches
rather than that money being used to boost
wages of staff or improve facilities.
TDs are in line for a pay rise of 2,700 next
year and again in 2018 while welfare
benefits including the dole, pensions and

carers' and disability allowance is going up

by 5, but not before March 1.
Mr Donohoe defended the salary increases
for politicians which were agreed as part of
pay restoration plans for all public and civil
servants.
"Everything is now tied in to how we treat
public and civil servants. There's the issue in
relation to ministerial salaries that we will
revisit because I don't want to be in a
situation where people feel in the future that
there's any kind of unfairness going on," he
said.
Mr Noonan rejected criticism of the budget
by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council which
said it was in breach of European rules.
He also defended the first-time buyers' tax
rebate - 5% of the price of a newly built home
or 20,000 up to a 600,000 value.

Mr Noonan said it was one of a range of measures

to ease the unprecedented housing crisis and was
intended to make it worth the while for builders to

develop new starter homes.

The minister said it had support from the Central
Bank and rejected criticism that it will force up
prices for new starter homes.

"You can't say that at present because these

houses don't exist, so we don't know where the
price will land," Mr Noonan said.
"But as the supply increases in normal economics
its downward pressure on prices as there is more
choice."
In a statement the Central Bank said the scheme
"may influence both demand and supply factors"
and that it was within the strict lending rules for
mortgages.
"The new tax rebate provides one mechanism by
which first-time buyers of new builds can
accumulate the deposit required to satisfy the
Central Bank's macroprudential mortgage rules,"
it said.
Mr Noonan also defended planning for Brexit
including efforts to deal with the collapse in
sterling and the potential for further fluctuations
in the value of the currency, including for farmers
and exporters.
It seems that Government Ministers will not be
getting a pay rise out of the Budget after all.

They had been due to get a 12,000 boost over the

next three years as part of a pay restoration deal.
However, Public Expenditure Minister Pascal
Donohoe is to ask them to waive the rise after
public outcry.
The Irish Independent, which breaks the story
today, claims that Ministers' pay is to be frozen at
157,000, with no increases next year.
Ministers would have been due a pay rise of 3,911
on April 1.
It is understood Mr Donohoe's appeal will only be
extended to Ministers, and not to all TDs, who are
due a 2,700 pay rise next year and again in 2018.
Addressing the issue of pay rises yesterday, Mr
Donohue (pictured) said: "I absolutely
understand that perception and I'm so keenly
aware of the hurt and anxiety that's been caused
to so many people after all that we went through."

Outraged rural Fine Gael deputies tore strips out

of Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell OConnor last
night at a party meeting after a presentation she
gave backfired and saw TDs turn on her.

File picture of Mary Mitchell O'Connor

There were fireworks between TDs and the jobs
minister, who tried to leave the meeting a number
of times.
Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar firstly
gave the parliamentary party a powerpoint
presentation on the budget, which was described
as sophisticated
The trouble started when Ms Mitchell OConnor
gave hers.
She stood up reading from her phone. It kept
crashing, in need of a password...She spoke about
how brilliant her department was. That really
annoyed people, one party source said.
Some of the TDs began asking Ms Mitchell
OConnor what she was doing for their region.
Sligo-Leitrim TD Tony McLoughlin lashed the
minister about job creation in his constituency,
contributing three times to the meeting.
Its because of Brexit, the lack of job
opportunities too. With all the jobs coming to
Dublin, theyre [politicians] feeling more isolated
than ever before, added another source.
Mr McLoughlin confirmed there were exchanges.

There should be incentives in the north west for

jobs, in my opinion there are a lot of announced in
Dublin and along the east coast. We are a border
constituency and with Brexit we need to be
protected, he said.
Clare TD Joe Carey also took issue with the jobs
minister.
Carey and Tony tore strips off her. She got
cranky, added the source.
It is understood that Ms Mitchell OConnor at one
stage told Mr McLoughlin that she had holidayed
in Sligo and it was thriving, to which the TD
came back even more angry.
Mr Carey also confronted the jobs minister about
how he arrived at her department last week with
visitors, and officials were unaware of 240 job
losses in Clarecastle, at the Roche Ireland
pharmaceutical factory.
Mr Carey confirmed the meeting was tense and he
wanted more joined-up thinking between the
department of job and the IDA.
It was very frank and to the point. There was a
degree of frustration expressed. She made a
presentation in relation to the department and
there was an opportunity to raise concerns.
Sources present said Ms Mitchell-OConnor tried
to leave the meeting three or four times but that
the exchange with TDs and senators went on for
an hour.
Louth TD Fergus ODowd confirmed there were a
number of unhappy TDs which led to strong
exchanges and firm opinions given.
The minister at one stage told the room that most
of the jobs are going to Limerick, but not all of
them.
This was viewed as a dig against Finance Minister
Michael Noonan, who recently shot down the jobs
ministers suggestion for a special emigrant tax.

A party source added: She lit a camp fire

basically and then set the tent on fire.
Mayo senator Michelle Mulherin also voiced
concern about the lack of jobs in her county.
Ms Mitchell OConnor was not available for
comment at the time of writing.

VINCENT BROWNE CAUSED A BIT OF A

STIR THE OTHER DAY WITH HIS CLAIM
THAT THE COUNTRY IS SUFFERING
FROM THE WORST POSSIBLE
OUTCOME OF A GENERAL ELECTION.
FROM AN ESTABLISHMENT POINT OF
VIEW THIS IS AN ACCURATE
ASSESSMENT. THE LAST THING THE
OLD REGIME PARTIES OF FIANNA FAIL,
FINE GAEL AND LABOUR WANT IS
POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND BROWNE,
AS AN ESTABLISHMENT JOURNALIST,
IS SIMPLY REFLECTING THAT FEAR.
FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THOSE
OF US WHO ARE WORKING TO BRING
DOWN THE OLD CORRUPT REGIME,
THE REGIME THAT DESTROYED OUR
COUNTRY, THE CURRENT POLITICAL
INSTABILITY IS GREAT NEWS.
BROWNE TELLS US THAT THE FIRST
CASUALTY OF THE ELECTION IS NEW
POLITICS; THIS IS HILARIOUS.
THERE IS NO NEW POLITICS
EMERGING FROM WITHIN THE OLD
REGIME. THE POLITICAL SYSTEM THAT
HAS MISRULED OUR COUNTRY SINCE
INDEPENDENCE IS HOPELESSLY
CORRUPT AND BEYOND ANY
POSSIBILITY OF REDEMPTION OR
REFORM.
THE FRACTURED OUTCOME OF THE

ELECTION IS SIMPLY THE LATEST AND

MOST DRAMATIC INDICATION THAT
THE OLD CORRUPT REGIME IS
CRUMBLING.
THE PANICKED SCRAMBLE BETWEEN
FIANNA FAIL AND FINE GAEL TO GLUE
TOGETHER A PATCHWORK
GOVERNMENT IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A STOP-GAP STRATEGY TO HOLD
ONTO AS MUCH POWER FOR AS LONG
AS POSSIBLE WITHIN A POLITICAL
SYSTEM THATS MELTING AWAY INTO
HISTORY.
AND THE RELENTLESS SEEPING AWAY
OF POLITICAL POWER FROM THE OLD
REGIME PARTIES IS NOT A NEW
PHENOMENON. IT HAS BEEN GOING
ON SINCE 1992 WHEN LABOUR UNDER
DICK SPRING BETRAYED ITS PROMISE
TO TACKLE POLITICAL CORRUPTION BY
GOING INTO COALITION WITH THE
CORRUPT HAUGHEY.
AND LABOURS BETRAYAL IS NOTHING
NEW EITHER. FOR DECADES THE
PARTY HAS BEEN NOTHING MORE
THAN A POLITICAL PROSTITUTE
SELLING ITS PRINCIPLES TO THE
HIGHEST BIDDER IN RETURN FOR A
TICKET TO PLUNDER THE STATES
RESOURCES.
INEVITABLY FIANNA FAIL AND FINE

GAEL WILL MERGE INTO SINGLE RIGHT

WING PARTY THAT WILL FIND ITSELF
UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM
WHAT IS THE MOST DRAMATIC
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT SINCE
INDEPENDENCE THE RISE OF
GENUINE LEFT WING POLITICS LED BY
ORDINARY PEOPLE FOR THE BENEFIT
OF ORDINARY PEOPLE.
THIS NEW POLITICAL MOVEMENT IS
VISIBLE IN THE WATER PROTESTS, IN
THE INCREASING NUMBER OF
INDEPENDENTS, IN THE FORMATION
OF NEW PARTIES LIKE THE SOCIAL
DEMOCRATS AND IN THE CONTINUING
RISE OF SINN FEIN
THE INEVITABLE OUTCOME OF THIS
POLITICAL TURBULENCE WILL SEE THE
REPLACEMENT OF WHAT IS,
EFFECTIVELY, A ONE PARTY SYSTEM
COMPRISED OF FIANNA FAIL, FINE
GAEL AND LABOUR, WITH A GENUINE
LEFT/RIGHT POLITICAL DIVIDE WHICH
IS THE NORM IN FUNCTIONAL
DEMOCRACIES.
THE MAJOR FLAW IN BROWNES
ANALYSIS IS HIS OWN POSITION IN
THE SCHEME OF THINGS. WHILE HE
REGULARLY CASTIGATES THE
CORRUPTION AND INJUSTICES OF THE
RULING REGIME HE IS, ULTIMATELY, A

LOYAL MEMBER OF THAT REGIME.

HIS ANALYSIS THEREFORE WILL
ALWAYS BE THAT OF AN INSIDER; WILL
ALWAYS BE THAT OF SOMEONE WHO
BELIEVES THE CURRENT POLITICAL
SYSTEM IS SOUND AND NOT IN ANY
SERIOUS DANGER OF COLLAPSE.
HE IS, IN COMMON WITH MOST
ESTABLISHMENT JOURNALISTS, BLIND
TO WHATS COMING DOWN THE ROAD.
Vincent Browne
Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour
The party on the bridge of the ship of state was in full
swing. The captain, his officers, first class passengers and
the bulk of the media were celebrating the epic
achievements of their great and glorious ship.
Servants scurried about frantically filling glasses,
restocking food trays and cleaning up the mess made by
some of the more over-indulgent partygoers.
Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the ship the steerage
passengers, who could only barely hear the sound of good
times high on the bridge, chatted among themselves about
their hopes that the ship would also take them to a better
place.
Then, at 2008, a mild but distinct shudder knocked over
some of the more precariously balanced drinks and food
trays on the bridge as it rippled its way down the entire
length of the ship.
What the hell was that, one annoyed journalist demanded
to know as she ordered a refill of her gin and tonic from a
cowering waiter.
Dont you worry your pretty little head said Captain
Cowen. Im in charge of this ship; a ship bestowed upon
me by my good friend Captain Bertie and navigated by
generations of great Fianna Fail leaders with the
occasional input from our ruling elite colleagues in Fine

Gael and Labour.

Oh Captain Cowen, Im so impressed, cooed the
journalist. Im going to write a glowing article about
your legendary intelligence and political wisdom.
Deep in the bowels there was no such assurance as the
steerage passengers struggled in vain to save themselves
from the catastrophic flood that had finally breached the
hull as a result of decades of corrosion from the disease of
corruption.
They looked on in horror as the lives and dreams of their
families and friends were swept away in the putrid waters
of cronyism, nepotism and gombeenism.
As they waded past the bodies and lost possession of their
kind, they began to move upwards to look for assistance,
guidance and sympathy from those steering the ship of
state.
All through 2009 and 2010 the party continued unabated
on the bridge.
Bankers surrounded by their good friends in the Financial
Regulators Office. Property developers feeding in the
trough of endless profit constantly topped up by the
captain and his officers. Journalists eagerly assisting their
political masters in exchange for a bottle of hooch and a
cheap headline.
But some were beginning to suspect that all was not well.
Tell me, said Noel Whelan from the Irish Times to senior
officer Brian. The ship seems to have slowed down
considerably and, while Im no expert, the bow appears
to be an awful lot lower in the water than it was before
the party began.
Theres absolutely nothing to worry about Noel,
whispered Brian soothingly. Theres been a bit of a storm
in international waters which resulted in some moderate
turbulence for the ship.
But the captain is worried that the ordinary, uneducated
people down on the lower decks might not understand
whats happening.
Of course, of course, replied Noel in sympathetic

agreement. Is there anything we in the media can do to

help?
Well, now that you mention it, there is something you
could do. The captain would be forever grateful if you
and your colleagues could man the broadcast system to
the lower decks. Youll be working with your good friends
at RTE who have already agreed to do everything they
are ordered,er, I mean, asked to do to calm the masses.
Of course Brian, what are your instructions?
Just keep on broadcasting the term Lehman Brothers,
over and over again. Its crucial that you never stop and
never question the wisdom of Captain Cowens brilliant
navigation of our great and glorious ship.
Now, now Brian, you know we in the mainstream media
never question the amazing intelligence and courage of
our great leaders but this Lehman Brothers thing, what
does it mean?
Well, just between you and me Noel, it doesnt mean
anything. We have legal advice, which of course must
remain secret, that the term has a mysterious calming
effect on the lower classes, but; to be fully effective it
must be repeated endlessly.
You can rely on us in the mainstream media to remain
loyal to the captain said Noel as he grabbed a Bloody
Mary from the tray of a passing waiter.
By 2010 the peoples struggle upwards to freedom was
blocked by a series of iron gates that had been firmly shut
by agents of the state.
The police ordered the protesters:
Get back down to your own level, nothing to see here; no
way through.
Behind the police, social welfare agents shouted:
Were cutting your allowances to make sure those on the
bridge have enough resources to live in the comfort
theyre accustomed to as they plan the mass burial of
your dreams and ambitions.
At another gate, a politicians announced:
Dont worry, although many of you are doomed we

promise, going forward, to reform the way our great and

glorious ship is navigated.
As you suffer and die we are planning to replace the
officers on the bridge with another group of officers who
have really, really, really promised to work in the
interests of those of you who are lucky enough to survive.
Through all the shouting and bedlam an endless media
drone could be heard Lehman BrothersLehman
BrothersLehman BrothersLehman Brothers
ooo
Initially, the people were downcast when their path to
freedom was blocked. But as more and more of their kind
drowned in the dark waters of despair they became angry
and began to organise.
Rejecting the authority of those on the bridge the people
elected new leaders and began to rattle the iron gates
demanding to be let through, to know who was responsible
for the catastrophe that was playing out on the lower
decks.
But the gates were strong and the agents of the state were
steadfast in their determination to keep the unruly masses
in their proper place.
Meanwhile, back on the bridge an approaching ship
interrupted the party.
Hello SS Ireland, this is the SS EU, what the hell is going
on over there; your ship is way down at the bow, you
appear to be sinking.
Not at all, slurred back Captain Cowen. Were jush,
hiccup, I mean, just having a party to celebrate the
success of our great little nation, now feck off unlesh, hic,
you have some more money to give us.
Standby SS Ireland, were sending over a three-man
boarding party.
As Captain Cowen joined ex Captain Ahern in the luxury
stateroom where they argued over who had the biggest
pension the new captain, Captain Kenny, was assuring the
Troika and the unruly masses that the ship of state was
now on a new course, a course to paradise.

Already, he claimed, his crew had repaired the breached

hull. There was no need to worry about the dangers posed
by leaking water and certainly no need to cancel the party
on the bridge. The ship, he declared, would be safe under
his captaincy.
But Captain Kenny, like his predecessors, was lying.
He was lying to the desperate citizens trapped below decks
when he promised democratic revolution. He was lying to
the Troika when he promised to carry out reforms. He was
lying when he said the ship of state was secure. The hull
wasnt repaired, the water was still flooding in and the ship
was still sinking.
As time moved on into 2013 and 2014 the ship became
unstable and began to tilt at an alarming angle.
Captain Kenny, with unquestioned support from his media
partygoers, blamed the surging masses and their leaders
for the instability as they finally escaped onto the decks
where they could see, for the first time, just how and who
was steering their ship of state.
At 2015 the bankers, property developers, financial
regulators and politicians, including former captains
Ahern and Cowen, began to take to the lifeboats.
Many journalists, loyally standing by their political
masters, helped them rescue their credibility, political
legacies and justifications for decisions made in office.
Other journalists, on witnessing reality for the first time,
went into deep shock. One of them, Fergus Finlay of the
Irish Examiner, approached Captain Ahern who was
loading up several lifeboats with family, friends and loot.
Captain Ahern, what are you doing? If you take all those
lifeboats for yourself you will be condemning ordinary
citizens to drown in the depths of despair.
Jazus, will you look at that eejit of a journalist, Captain
Ahern replied contemptuously. No wonder we were able
to fool the people when we had half the media in our
pockets and the other half believing everything we said.
Just as civil servants gently lowered Captain Ahern and his
loot safely onto calm waters, Finlay turned and, for the

first time, noticed the massive iceberg that had struck the
ship.
The giant neon sign atop the iceberg that read
POLITICAL CORRUPTION finally shocked him out of
his denial as to who was responsible for the catastrophe.
You Maniacs! Youve sunk the country, Damn you! God
damn you all to hell the befuddled journalist howled as he
pounded the heaving deck with his fist.
ooo
At 2016 the steerage passengers finally broke down the
doors to the bridge. What they witnessed shocked even the
most hardened of water protesters.
Captain Kenny was engaged in a vicious fistfight with
wannabe captain Martin for control of the ships wheel.
Ah ha, crowed Martin: You thought the people had
thrown us overboard, well.were baaaccck. Now step
aside, its our turn to steer.
Feck off said Captain Kenny punching Martin in the eye:
We got more votes than you, so there.
Yes replied Martin but you ignored the dangers posed by
water and now youre sinking.
Nearby, a group of establishment journalists led by John
Downing of Independent Newspapers huddled together
insanely muttering the same mantra over and over again:
This has nothing to do with water; this has nothing to do
with the peoples anger at political corruption.
Everything will be all right so long as we keep assuring
ourselves that Sinn Fein is to blame for everything.
Amid the bedlam the government broadcaster RTE
launched its latest deny reality TV show Lets Get Back
To The Good Old days presented by soccer pundit Eamon
Dunphy and featuring such stars as Mary Coughlan, Alan
Dukes and Noel Dempsey.
But by now the people had seen enough. Brushing aside
the huddled group of journalists they rushed towards the
bickering twosome at the wheel of state intent on taking
control themselves.
And so, as we celebrate the centenary of the rebellion that

launched the ship of state we wonder will the current

conflict result in a change of course to the left or to the
right or are we about to witness a final plunge into the
dark depths of political despair.
Tune in for the next episode but be sure to bring a
lifejacket just in case.

Revenue boss claims Tim Cook 'wrong'

about Apple's 2% tax deal with Ireland
13/10/2016

The head of Revenue has thrown Ireland into a fresh

Apple legal row, writes Fiachra Cionnaith of the
Irish Examiner.
Revenue chairman Niall Cody has insisted the tech
giant's chief executive Tim Cook was "wrong" to claim
a tax deal had been struck with this country while
under oath in the US.
Mr Cody specifically rejected the claim during a
detailed Dil meeting in which he also said Ireland's
tax authorities will seek to retrieve 13bn in unpaid
taxes from Apple from January - regardless of the fact
Government is appealing the EU ruling.
Speaking during the latest meeting of the Dil's crossparty public accounts committee, Mr Cody was
challenged to clarify Revenue's position on the multinational crisis which is threatening the credibility of
Ireland's tax system.
During a high-profile 2013 US senate committee
meeting on his company's controversial international
tax situation, Mr Cook said under oath that a "special
tax arrangement" had been struck between the firm
and Ireland in the 1980s.

When pressed on the matter at the time, Mr Cook

clarified under oath - meaning if it is proven to be
false or misleading it carries severe legal penalties in
the US - "we negotiated a tax rate which meant that
our tax was calculated at less than 2%."
However, asked by Sinn Fin TD David Cullinane
about Mr Cook's US senate comments that a deal had
been struck, Mr Cody twice said the view was "wrong"
and "absolutely not correct".
"He is absolutely not correct... That was wrong, and I
can't repeat that in any other fashion," Mr Cody said.
Mr Cullinane said the fact "the head of Revenue is
saying Tim Cook gave false information, or incorrect
information to a senate hearing is very, very serious"
and must be addressed.
However, despite PAC chair and Fianna Fil TD Sean
Fleming suggesting it may have been a
misunderstanding, Mr Cody again said no deal has
ever existed with Apple.
The claim that Ireland offered Apple preferential
corporation tax rates is central to a high-profile EU
ruling earlier this year that this country provided the
multi-national tech giant with illegal State aid and
that the firm now owes Ireland 13bn.
Ireland has rejected the claim, and is appealing the
case alongside Apple - meaning this country is

turning down 13bn in funds as accepting the money

would lead to confirmation Ireland is a tax haven.
The issue is currently the subject of a separate review
sought by Independent Government ministers which
is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
However, Mr Cody yesterday said regardless of the
appeal, Revenue must retrieve the 13bn in funds and
has been asked by the EU to provide an exact figure
for how much is owed by January 2.

Fianna Fil to abstain from vote

on new help-to-buy scheme
Thursday, October 13, 2016

Fianna Fil has said it will abstain from a vote on

the new help-to-buy scheme which would offer a
20,000 tax rebate to first time buyers on newlybuilt homes.
The party is calling for changes to the scheme,
under which first-time buyers can get a maximum
of 20,000 (or 5% of a maximum house price of
400,000) back in tax relief that they can offset
against their required deposit. To avail of the relief,
the buyers will have to put down a 20% deposit.
The 5% will only apply to newly built houses
(including self-built) priced up to 400,000. Buyers
will still be eligible for a tax rebate on property
purchases up to 600,000, but the rebate will be
limited to 20,000. No rebate will be available on
houses priced over 600,000

Fianna Fil housing spokesman Barry Cowen

(pictured) said: "I'm really worried about the
threshold at which this has been set (at 600,000).
I think somebody considering buying a home at
590,000 doesn't necessarily need a 20,000 topup from the State.
"Had it been capped at 400,000, that would have
set a (better) target."
He added the scheme was unlikely to lead to an
increase in housing supply, and could instead lead
to an overheating of the market for first-time
buyers.
I have serious concerns that the help-to-buy
scheme will merely lead to increased house prices
for first-time buyers.
"The grant is restrictive in that it is limited to new
builds, so now we have a situation where tens of

thousands of potential first-time buyers will be

chasing fewer than 10,000 new builds which are
expected to be delivered next year," he said.
There has been a spike in new-home searches on
the housing website Daft.ie after the announcement
in the Budget of the new first-time buyers' help-tobuy scheme.
The website's Martin Clancy said interest in new
homes was greatest in the Dublin area and Dublin
commuter counties, followed by Cork, Galway,
Limerick and Waterford.
"There has been a huge spike since the
announcement," he said. "Searches have increased
by 130% compared to the average daily search rate
for 2016."
View image on Twitter

Follow

Simon Coveney
This is a good guide to how targeted support for first time
buyers will work. It's a temporary measure for 3 years

12:37 PM - 12 Oct 2016

8 8 Retweets6 6 likes

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingn
ews/ireland/fianna-fail-to-abstain-fromvote-on-new-help-to-buy-scheme759132.html

11 October 2016
This is the face of an asshole that doesn't give a shit about the old
the sick the needy the homeless, but gives himself and his corrupt
cronies a 5,000 pay increase.

Richard Bruton: Politicians 'need to

take the lead' after Ministers refuse
12k pay rise
Thursday, October 13, 2016

Minister Richard Bruton has told the Dil that

ministers will not be taking proposed 12,000 pay
rises over the next three years, writes Elaine
Loughlin of the Irish Examiner.

However, Mr Bruton would not say if TDs would

also refuse to take wage increases which are due to
be awarded as part of the unwinding of FEMPI
measures.
Cabinet Ministers would receive 4,000 a year for
the next three years and TDs 5,000 over the next
two years. While the Taoiseach would see his salary
reach 200,000 if the proposed increases are
accepted the Dil heard.
Speaking during leaders questions this morning, the
Education Minister said politicians "need to take
the lead in respect of being more economical".
Mary Lou tells the Government:
"If you don't stop these pay increases for
politicians, Sinn Fin will move to block
them" Oct 13th 2016
https://www.facebook.com
My face whenever someone says they're voting for Trump

It came after Sinn Fin deputy leader Mary Lou

McDonald told the Dil "a stop must be put" to all

increases for TDs, ministers and the Taoiseach.
She said: "When citizens are struggling that would
be the fair, right and decent thing to do.
"It is once again a case of one rule for ordinary
families and citizens and another rule for those who
are in power. It is an example of looking after
number one while the rest can wait.
"The Government tells us this is new politics but it
is the good old days again, which is perhaps not
surprising given that Fianna Fil's fingerprints are
all over a budget once again.
She asked Mr Bruton if he would assure the house
that no salary increase will be paid at this time to
the Taoiseach, Tnaiste, Ministers, Deputies or
Senators.
Responding, Mr Bruton said the previous
Government had already "curbed" expenses by
doing away with State cars and seeking to make the
Dil a more effective place to work.
He said: "That needs to continue and the
Government will confirm next week that Ministers
will not be taking the proposed pay rise."
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/richar
d-bruton-politicians-need-to-take-the-lead-after-ministersrefuse-12k-pay-rise-759187.html

Disability rights campaigner Martin

Naughton dies aged 62

One of the country's leading disability rights

campaigners has died.
Martin Naughton, 62, led a sleep-out at
Government Buildings last year to demand changes
to home care funding and was central to other
demonstrations at the Dail in recent years for better
services and funding.
President Michael D Higgins led tributes to the
Galway native and founder of the Centre for
Independent Living, describing him as an
"indefatigable advocate for human rights".

"Martin Naughton gained widespread respect

through his lifelong campaign for the inclusion of
people living with disabilities and through his work
with countless statutory and non-governmental
organisations," the President said.
"Having experienced in his early years the once

widespread practice of institutionalised living, he

became a formidable and tireless campaigner for
the right of people with disabilities to live in their
own communities and homes."
Mr Naughton had spinal muscular atrophy and
spent years of his childhood living in St Mary's
Hospital in Baldoyle, Dublin.
Follow

LEAP Ireland
We are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Martin
Naughton. His life impacted so many others. His death is a
huge loss.
6:06 PM - 13 Oct 2016 Louth, Ireland, Ireland

2 2 Retweets1 1 like

In his adult years as an activist he worked

with the Independent Living movement, the
Disability Federation of Ireland, Aiseanna
Tacaiochta, Disability Options and
Vantastic.
He also led the People with Disabilities
campaign, which personally challenged
Taoiseach Enda Kenny to revise home care
packages last year after the budget.
"As a political activist, Martin Naughton had
the vision, skills and determination to build

solidarity between all those who strive for

equality, dignity and the fulfilment of human
rights for all groups in society, making him a
valuable ally for a multitude of social justice
groups," Mr Higgins said.
Follow

CIL Carmichael House

RIP Martin Naughton Thank you for everything. We will
miss you more than words can convey.
http://www.
president.ie/en/media-libra
ry/news-releases/statement-by-president-michael-d.higgins-on-the-death-of-disability-rights#.V_4kyMIDRw.twitter

5:40 PM - 13 Oct 2016

6 6 Retweets3 3 likes
"His struggle for equality in Ireland and internationally has
been an inspiration.
"Martin Naughton will be deeply missed not just by his
sisters and family but also by his wide circle of friends and
supporters."

View image on Twitter

Follow

President of Ireland

Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the death of

disability rights activist Martin Naughton:
http://www.
president.ie/en/media-libra
ry/news-releases/statement-by-president-michael-d.higgins-on-the-death-of-disability-rights

4:33 PM - 13 Oct 2016

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/irelan
d/disability-rights-campaigner-martin-naughtondies-aged-62-759238.html

Statement by

President Michael D.
Higgins on the
death of disability
rights activist Martin
Naughton
President Michael D. Higgins today, 13
October 2016, paid tribute to Disability
Rights activist Martin Naughton.
"It is with great sadness that I have learnt of
the death of Martin Naughton, disability
rights campaigner and indefatigable
advocate for human rights.
Martin Naughton gained widespread respect
through his lifelong campaign for the
inclusion of people living with disabilities
and through his work with countless
statutory and non-governmental
organisations, including the Independent
Living movement, the Disability Federation
of Ireland, iseanna Tacaochta, Disability
Options and Vantastic.
Having experienced in his early years the
once widespread practice of
institutionalised living, he became a
formidable and tireless campaigner for the

right of people with disabilities to live in

their own communities and homes.
As a political activist, Martin Naughton had
the vision, skills and determination to build
solidarity between all those who strive for
equality, dignity and the fulfilment of human
rights for all groups in society, making him a
valuable ally for a multitude of social justice
groups.
His struggle for equality in Ireland and
internationally has been an inspiration.
Martin Naughton will be deeply missed not
just by his sisters and family but also by his
wide circle of friends and supporters.
Ar dheis de raibh a anim."
http://www.president.ie/en/media-library/newsreleases/statement-by-president-michael-d.-higgins-onthe-death-of-disability-rights

Brexit sees UK demand for Irish

passports nearly double

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Demand for Irish passports from UK

residents has almost doubled in the wake of
Brexit, it has been revealed.
In the three months after the contentious
vote, applications for Irish passports are up
more than 17,300 compared to the same
period last year.
Some 21,549 people in Britain sent off for
the documents in July, August and
September, along with 15,747 people in the
North.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan
said that demand is expected to keep rising
into next year.
"Passport applications from Great Britain
for the period January to September this
year are up 40% compared to the previous
year, surging from July onwards; with
demand in August 2016 being almost 120%
higher than the same month last year," he
said.
In total, the Republic of Ireland's passport
services are expecting to process an
additional 100,000 applications from home
and abroad this year.

One in four people in Britain is said to have Irish

heritage.
Anyone born on the island of Ireland or whose
parents are Irish automatically qualifies for
citizenship.
Diplomatic staff in Dublin were forced to issue an
appeal for calm in the days following the Brexit vote
after Post Offices in the UK ran out of Irish passport
application forms because of an initial surge.
In the wake of the referendum it also cautioned that
there have been significant fluctuations in passport
applications in recent years and demand from
Britain earlier in the year was only a fraction of
what it was from 2007-09.
One anomaly in the numbers was a dip in
applications in the weeks immediately after the
June vote.

But passport services recorded significant increases

in demand since then - up more than 10,500 in
Britain and 6,300 in Northern Ireland compared to
July, August and September in 2015.
Mr Flanagan said the big demand was combined
with the increasing number of Irish people seeking
passports to go overseas.
"Based on current trends, we estimate an overall
increase in passport applications this year of
between 12 and 14% - or 100,000 additional
applications. Next year, we project a further
significant increase," he added.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny today met with the
European Commission's Chief Brexit Negotiator
Michel Barnier at Government Buildings today.

Mr Barnier assumed his role at the start of the

month and is currently on a tour of European
capitals, ahead of beginning negotiations on behalf

of the EU with Britain on Brexit.

Formal negotiations process begins next year.
Speaking after the meeting the Taoiseach said: "I
was delighted to meet with Michel Barnier in
Dublin today - he is well-known to us here in
Ireland, has a strong appreciation of our close
historical, political and economic ties with the UK,
and also knows of our strong commitment to EU
membership.
During our discussions, I took the opportunity to
emphasise Ireland's unique set of priorities with
regard to Brexit, and the many complex issues
relating to Northern Ireland, the Common Travel
Area and the depth of our economic and trade
relationship with the UK, he added.
Mr. Barnier also had meetings during the day with
the Tnaiste France Fitzgerald, the Minister for
Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan, and the
Minister for European Affairs Dara Murphy.
A legal challenge over Brexit begins in the UK today
in what has been described as the country's most
important constitutional case in generations.
Opponents are fighting to stop Prime Minister
Theresa May (pictured) triggering Article 50 of the
Lisbon Treaty to leave the European Union without
the prior authorisation of Parliament.
Government lawyers will argue before three judges
at the High Court in London that the Prime
Minister is legally entitled to use the royal
prerogative to start the Brexit process.

Mrs May announced at the Conservative Party

conference that she intends doing so by the end of
March.

Campaigners say only Parliament is

empowered to authorise service of the
Article 50 notice and Mrs May's stance
threatens to undermine its sovereignty and
the rule of law.
The lead case is being brought by Gina
Miller, an investment fund manager and
philanthropist living in London who voted
Remain in the EU referendum on June 23.
Ms Miller said when given permission to
launch her action: "This case is all about the
sovereignty of Parliament. It is very
important that the (Article 50) issues are
dealt with in a serious and grown-up way.
"We are making sure that happens."

The first applicant to lodge a Brexit legal

challenge was London hairdresser Deir Dos
Santos, and he is among a wide group of
"concerned citizens" supporting Ms Miller's
application for judicial review.
Their lawyers contend it is a fundamental
constitutional requirement that there
should be full scrutiny by both houses of
Parliament, followed by new legislation.
Notification of Article 50 by royal
prerogative, they argue, would hit rights
established by the European Communities
Act 1972, which made EU law part of UK law.
But only Parliament has the sovereign power
to repeal the 1972 Act.
The case is being heard by Lord Thomas, the
Lord Chief Justice, sitting with Sir Terence
Etherton, Master of the Rolls, and Lord
Justice Sales.
Attorney General Jeremy Wright, the
Government's leading law officer, will argue
in court that the challenge lacks legal merit.
He said: "The country voted to leave the EU
in a referendum approved by Act of
Parliament. There must be no attempts to
remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin
it through the back door, and no second
referendum.

"The result should be respected and the

Government intends to do just that."
Other applicants wishing to intervene
include Britons living in France
campaigning as Fair Deal for Expats and
individuals from other countries living in
the UK anxious to secure guarantees for
rights gained as EU citizens.
A group referred to as "the AB Parties" say
they are representative of a large class of
"ordinary, poor or otherwise vulnerable"
people and their children whose
fundamental human rights and stability are
at stake.
Because of the urgency and constitutional
importance of the case, any appeal is
expected to be heard by the Supreme Court,
the highest court in the land, before the end
of the year.
It now looks certain that what they are
calling a hard Border will shortly be
imposed again on this island, by our powersthat-be.

The emerging reality, since Brexit, recalls to

my mind the boyhood era when I was part of
a gang of smugglers led by my allegedly
highly respectable schoolteacher mother.
Again, the purest of truths.
You see, our Erne-side rural parish was only
a few miles from the Cavan border, and my
brothers and I, led by our mother, Mary,
were mounted upon bicycles for a special
trip every autumn across the Border, into
Swanlinbar.
Worse still, at first sight, was that Mary
stripped us all down to the bare bones,
covered only by old raincoats, before she led
us down the twisty road from Arney to
Swanlinbar.
The journey past the heavily manned
Customs posts was about ten miles or
thereabouts, and crossing the Border was
highly exciting.
All cars were stopped and checked, but a
respectable looking mother, with a string of

cubs behind her, was routinely waved

through into what we always called the Free
State, and which our Protestant neighbour s
termed simply the State.
The first thing you noticed was that the
telephone kiosks, scarlet in the North, were
green in the Free State. Things like that.
It is happening again nowadays, as we speak,
that the fall of sterling is leading to shoppers
from the Republic to cannily cross the
nowadays invisible and unmanned border
for bargains.
We were boys in the Forties, just after the
end of WW2, with stringent rationing still in
force in the North, and many scarcities, and
the economic truth was that mother Mary
could clothe her lads much more cheaply in
Cavan than in the home county where,
generally, boys clothing was hard to obtain.
That is why she stripped us off before the
smuggling began.
Anyway, I think the drapery supplies were
available in a shop called McGoverns in
Swanlinbar (which we simply called Swad),
and it was here that Mary bought each of us
the fashionable corduroy sets which would
clothe us through the upcoming winter.
Many of you will remember them well. The
trousers, of course, were short. The jackets
were zipped all the way up the front.
The sets were available in navy or brown, as
far as I can remember, and, with three of us
to cover, she always went for navy sets.
They were instantly donned. For the first few

days, the ends of the new short trousers

would irritate your thighs significantly, just
as a new pair of wellingtons did when they
were first worn.
She would buy us some lemonade and
sweets, and Mary would have tea and cakes
with other women she met in Swad on the
day, all of them doing their smuggling too of
course, and then we would set off for home
with our new clothes hidden under the old
overcoats, feeling very guilty, fearing we
would be caught and jailed by the men we
called the Water Rats.
Dont know where that term came from, but
it applied to the customs men from both
jurisdictions.
Mary would also have purchased other items
to smuggle across, often for neighbours back
home.
I recall her once putting a bag of sparables in
my pocket. Those were the small steel nails
used for repairing shoes, and were almost
impossible to obtain in the North.
On another occasion, with high excitement
altogether, we brought back a brown paper
bag of the first bananas we had ever seen.
The taste was mighty. I have had a strong
weakness for bananas ever since that
smuggling operation with my mother.
There i8s always smuggling as a reality in
the borderlands, then and now.
There were always price differences which,
in fairness, folk would have been crazy not
to avail themselves of in hard times.

Today, all the talk is about diesel laundering

and suchlike. Back then, herds of cattle were
driven by night into whichever marketplace
was best at the time but, mostly, the
smuggled commodities were cigarettes and
tobacco and pots of jam and simple small
items like that.
And corduroy clothes for the boys (who were
always called cubs) around Swad and the
other nearby Border town, called Blacklion,
which we always called The Black, and which
was where the menfolk from the North could
get a drink on the Sundays that were closed
days up North.
I had my first bottle of stout in my late teens
in The Black, did not like the taste, and did
not drink for years afterwards in
consequence.
Again, the pure truth.
I will not go into the harsher side of life then
and later, either side of what was surely a
hard Border.
Is it enough to say that the little British
customs posts on the line were being blown
up in the dead of night right throughout my
lifetime?
The Erne was a sounding board for the
blasts.
The old men could listen to the booming
sounds coming rolling down the Lough, and
accurately say, Swanlinbar is gone tonight
or Theres Derrylin, and they were always
right.
It was an ongoing reality, and we do not

need to dwell here on all the blood and pain

and deaths and tragedies that were the
totemic signposts along theinvisible line.
So, after all the talking and political
posturing to come, it looks certain we will
have a hard Border again in a couple of
years.
Maybe cubs as yet unborn will be going
smuggling across it with their mothers too.
Good luck to them, and I pray they will evade
the new generation of the ones we called
Water Rats long ago.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/brexitsees-uk-demand-for-irish-passports-nearly-double759225.html

Audit reveals ineligible

Oireachtas expense claims
Five TDs randomly selected for an independent audit of
expenses paid
Mary Minihan

Independent Luke Ming Flanagan (left) returned 1,144.25; Labours John

Lyons reimbursed 1,285.33 and Fine Gael TD Helen McEntee repaid

1,675.88.

selected for an independent audit of their Oireachtas

expenses last year who between them paid back almost
5,000 after some expenditure was deemed ineligible.
They included Fine Gael TD Helen McEntee who
repaid 1,675.88, Labours John Lyons who
reimbursed 1,285.33 and Independent Luke Ming
Flanagan who returned 1,144.25. Mr Flanagan was
TD for Roscommon-South Leitrim until his election as
an MEP in May 2014. Also named in the report are
Labour TD Robert Dowds, who paid back 520.03, and
Fine Gael Minister of State for the Diaspora Jimmy
Deenihan, who repaid 287.66. Independent Senator
Katherine Zappone returned 262.91.

Receipts furnished

Auditing firm Mazars selected 22 Oireachtas members

for the 2014 audit on a random basis. Of these, 16 TDs
and Senators were able to show receipts and relevant
documentation under the public representation
allowance system.
In the opinion of the auditors, the remaining five TDs
and one Senator were unable to show sufficient
receipts and documentation in respect of 5,176.06
claimed.
This expenditure was deemed ineligible for a variety
of reasons (such as advertising and sponsorship that
was not allowable or expenses that did not relate to the
relevant period), the report states. On notification of
the above ineligible expenditure full refunds by the six
members of the total of 5,176.06 was received by the
Oireachtas service.
Ms McEntee said she had to reimburse some expenses
because of human error and had underestimated the
paperwork required.

Miscalculations

Mr Lyons said the amount returned largely related to

expenditure that should have been calculated on a prorata basis rather than that of a typical calendar year.
Mr Flanagans parliamentary assistant Pat Fitzpatrick
said confusion had arisen in the crossover between
the start of Mr Flanagans term in Europe and the end
of his Dil term. Mr Dowds said perhaps he could have
improved his approach.
The auditors acknowledged Mr Deenihans
misunderstanding of the guidelines. He lost his
position as Minister for Arts in July 2014 in the
Cabinet reshuffle. Ms Zappone said the reimbursement
was as a result of a technicality that she corrected as
soon as it came to her attention.
Other expenditure amounts claimed by the named
Oireachtas members were deemed allowable by the
auditors. The amounts were 14,735.38 for Ms
McEntee; 16,079.97 for Mr Lyons; 4,947.31 for Mr
Flanagan; 16,863.75 for Mr Dowds; 15,708.71 for Mr
Deenihan; and 11,847.63 for Ms Zappone.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/audit-revealsineligible-oireachtas-expense-claims-1.2463775

Donohue to ask Ministers to forego

12,000 pay boost after public
backlash
Thursday, October 13, 2016

It seems that Government Ministers will not

be getting a pay rise out of the Budget after
all.
They had been due to get a 12,000 boost
over the next three years as part of a pay
restoration deal.

However, Public Expenditure Minister

Pascal Donohoe is to ask them to waive the
rise after public outcry.
The Irish Independent, which breaks the
story today, claims that Ministers' pay is to
be frozen at 157,000, with no increases
next year.
Ministers would have been due a pay rise of
3,911 on April 1.
It is understood Mr Donohoe's appeal will
only be extended to Ministers, and not to all
TDs, who are due a 2,700 pay rise next year
and again in 2018.
Addressing the issue of pay rises yesterday,
Mr Donohue (pictured) said: "I absolutely
understand that perception and I'm so
keenly aware of the hurt and anxiety that's
been caused to so many people after all that
we went through."
Raising the discriminatory cuts to under 26s
Jobseekers taken by Fianna Fil and Fine
Gael. 6th October 2016

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/donoh
ue-to-ask-ministers-to-forego-12000-pay-boost-afterpublic-backlash-759123.html

The Government is coming under pressure

to extend the childcare plans announced in
Tuesday's Budget.

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone has

hinted she may try to extend the subsidies to
more carers.
The scheme will provide parental meanstested subsidies towards the cost of
childcare for children aged six months to 15
years and universal subsidies of up to 80 a
month or 900 a year for all children aged
between six months and three years. It
specified the childcare provider must be
registered with the State's Tusla child
agency.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny later clarified that
childminders who work in the home - but
who are registered with Tusla - will be
eligible for the new childcare package.
While the means-tested childcare scheme is
open to any family with a joint income under
47,500, those earning less than 27,500
will get the maximum benefits, of up to
5.38 per hour for a child aged under one.
The Department of Children hasnt worked
out the subsidies for those earning 27,50047,500.
The subsidies will translate to about 20 per
week for parents in the relevant income
bands who use registered crches and
childminders.
However, after an ESRI report said children
from lower-income families were more

likely to use family members for childcare and not State-registered crches - Minister
Zappone (pictured) said she was working on
proposals to help those families too.
Teresa Heeney of Early Childhood Ireland
said if the subsidy scheme did change, it
would need to be carefully inspected.
"I dont think it makes sense for the State to
hand over taxpayers' money to something
over which there is no monitoring
mechanism," she said.
"If we want (this system), there needs to be a
monitoring infrastructure."

Nurses who graduated between 2011 and

2015 will be more than 1,000 better off
from January 1 next year.
The Govt has announced that nurses who

graduated between those years will have the

incremental credit for their 36-week student
placement restored.
The announcement today means that they
will receive an extra increment, from
January, worth between 1,200 and 1,500
depending on their current point on the
scale.
The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, said:
I met with a group of graduate nurses
recently and it was clear to me that this issue
was severely impacting on their conditions
and morale.
I am particularly pleased that this
restoration will also apply to nurses who
graduated during these years but may have
left the country and might be thinking about
coming home. We need our nurses to stay
and we need our nurses to come home.

This decision will take effect from 1

January, 2017, and approximately 4,000
nurses who graduated between 2011 and
2015 will be eligible and will add over 1,000
to their salaries."
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation
(INMO) welcomed the announcement saying
it provides equal treatment with those
recruited prior to 2011 and those recruited
in 2016 in terms of pay.
The INMO said its removal sees the
"elimination of this very regressive
measure" and will benefit nurses and
midwives, who graduated during this fiveyear period, and are currently working in
the public health service.
INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said:
"Todays announcement, by the Minister,

must be welcomed and we acknowledge his

work on this issue since his appointment.
"It represents an important first step, which
must now be followed by further initiatives,
to address the deepening crisis with regard
to nurse/midwife staffing levels and this
countrys inability to retain these
professionals in our public health service."

There has been a spike in new home searches on

the housing website Daft.ie.
It follows the announcement by the Government
of the new first-time buyers' help-to-buy scheme.
Website spokesperson Martin Clancy said that
interest in new homes was greatest in the Dublin
area and Dublin commuter counties, followed by

Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

"We're after seeing a huge spike in searches for
new homes on Daft.ie since the Government made
the announcement about the help-to-buy scheme
for first-time buyers," he said.
"The spike's particularly interesting, because
searches have increased by 130% on Tuesday,
compared to the average daily search rate for
2016."
everything you need to know about the childcare
schemes announced in Budget 2017.

Sarah O'Leary and Michele Akerlind of Cheeky

Cherubs, Cork, at their City Hall premises. Pic:
Larry Cummins
Can you explain the new childcare schemes?
The two new schemes have been introduced under
the umbrella single affordable childcare scheme.
They havent been given individual names yet so
well call them the first scheme and second
scheme. The first scheme is the universal open-

to-all childcare scheme. It is open to all, even if

you and your partner are both hospital
consultants with a total household income of
480,000 per year.
So who can avail of this?
Its open to parents of children aged six months to
three years. A subsidy towards the cost of your
childcare will be paid directly by the department
to your crche. You wont receive a payment. After
the age of three, all such children, again
irrespective of parental income, are entitled to the
two free preschool years under the Early
Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme.
So are all crches taking part in this?
All crches registered with Tusla, the Child and
Family Agency, will be taking part. The problem is
that if youd rather your baby or toddler be cared
for by a childminder, you wont get any subsidy
under this scheme. That is unless your
childminder is one of the 160 childminders
registered with Tusla.
So how much will you get?
The subsidy is basically paid on a pro-rata basis of
50c per hour up to a maximum of 40 hours. This
means that if your child is in a crche for 40 hours
a week as you work full time, the maximum
subsidy you will get per child is 80 per month.
Yes, its better than a kick in the head but it wont
make an enormous dent in your full-time crche
bills which can range from 800 to a whopping
1,000 per child, depending on where you live.
So what about this second childcare scheme? Can
I avail of that?
The second schemes depends on how much
income is coming into your home. This will help
with childcare costs for children aged six months
to 15 years as long as their parents earn under
47,500 when their salaries are combined.

Therefore, it will benefit low earners, lone parents

who werent returning to work because of
childcare costs, those on back to work allowance
and other social welfare allowances. And yes, it
has been pointed out though that some of these
targeted groups may already have been receiving
a subsidised childcare place at community crches
because of their welfare status.
So if I meet the income criteria, can I get help with
afterschool care too then?
This subsidy applies to all children from six
months right up to aged 15. Yes, it means that you
get help with afterschool childcare too and also
with childcare during the summer holidays. Like
the first scheme, its also paid directly to the
crche.
So how much is this second scheme worth to those
eligible?
As well as actually giving us a name for both
schemes, the minister is promising more muchneeded detail by the end of the month. While the
second scheme has an eligibility ceiling of
47,500, the rate of subsidy for those earning
22,700-47,500 havent been decided yet. We do
know that if you have a household income of
22,700 or under you will receive the maximum
payments 5.38 per hour for a child under one,
4.60 per hour for a child under 2, 4.40 per hour
for a child under 3, 4.16 per hour for a child aged
3-5, etc. The maximum you can receive is 8,000
per year if your child is in a crche 40 hours per
week and you earn less than 22,700. A
spokesman for the minister said this second
scheme will operate on a sliding scale, so those
earning 22,700-45,500 will still get a subsidy
but less than those earning under 22,700.
Im a lone parent earning 22,700 and I have a
two-year-old and I need of 40 hours of childcare

per week. How much will I get?

Under the existing schemes in community
crches, a lone parent may have qualified for a
subsidy of 95 per week but they would have had
to pay 85 per week from their salary. Under the
new scheme, this family will qualify for a weekly
subsidy of 176 and will only have to pay 4.
The big winners of the new childcare subsidies are
families on low pay and on benefits.

While the means-tested childcare scheme is open

to any family with a joint income under 47,500,
those earning less than 27,500 will get the
maximum benefits, of up to 5.38 per hour for a
child aged under one. The Department of Children
hasnt worked out the subsidies for those earning
27,500-47,500.
Many of the targeted or disadvantaged groups,
such as lone parents, and parents who want to go
back to education, are already getting affordable
childcare at heavily-subsidised community
crches.

But Childrens Minister Katherine Zappones new

scheme will mean their top-up payments will be
slashed, so parents who couldnt afford such topups could now seek crche places. Take one
example offered by the Department of Children: a
family with a net income of 25,000 and two
children, aged 1 and 2, who need 25 hours of
childcare, would have received a weekly, 95
subsidy in their community crche and paid a topup of 130. Now, their subsidy will be worth 219
and their top-up will be just 6.
Going back to work or education will be far more
accessible for low-earning families.
For parents with a joint income over 47,500,
there is nothing in the childcare budget, unless
you have a child aged six months to three years.
Then, you will be given 50c per hour towards your
childcare.
The free pre-school scheme and Ms Zappones
determination to make quality childcare
accessible to the most disadvantaged have been
welcomed by creche owners, like Sarah OLeary
and Michele Ackerlind, who run Cheeky Cherubs,
in Ballincollig, Bishopstown, and at City Hall, in
Cork. However, they say the elephant in the room
was ignored. State subsidies still arent big enough
for creches to retain staff who have childcare
degrees.
The childcare developments are positive, in
theory, but its like the Government announces
them and thinks them out afterwards. Crches are
struggling, as schemes like the free school year
cost far more in salaries and costs than the
capitation fee we are paid by the department; this
fee didnt increase in the budget, despite the
sector warning crches will not be able to stay
afloat next year, said Sarah.

Michele added it was unfair the minister hadnt

levelled the playing field between crches who
only run the free preschool years service and
those who run full-time baby-and-toddler rooms
and afterschool care.

Bringing charges back in Spring

There is a difference between stupid and ignorant.
Propaganda creates the ignorant. Insulting those
who know no better makes no sense to me
At your peril ,you fucking parasite.Enjoy your last
days in the house. Your time is up . Don't even
think of sending that daughter of yours down here
she's not welcome.

Though of course Leo's on a ministerial

salary, he'll see his pay rise from 157,540 to
162,954. Plus to top it off members of the
last Fine Gael Government are due a backdated pension related 1,000 pay boost
Help is needed by the Inner City Homeless.
They are very short of sleeping bags. Winter
is coming and so is the cold and wet weather.
There are a lot of our people sleeping rough.
Our fantastic government dont care about
them.
I'm asking all my face book friends to show
you care, Every cent helps this is a real
charity who help real people without
skimming everything they can for
themselves. The workers are ordinary
people with a heart of gold.
If you can spare anything at all to help our
people keep warm this winter they are in
need of sleeping bags cost 14.50 each.
Perhaps a few of you would get together to
provide one. Alternatively anything you can
afford from a cent to Euro is desperately
needed.They have a pay pal account that is
secure and guaranteed to go to the right
place finance@innercityhomeless.ie We can
sleep in our own beds cosy and warm lets
give to our own people so they can be warm
too.PLEASE HELP DUBLIN inner City
Homeless Because our Leader wont
A response to the housing and homeless
inquiry from a TD.
She also a mother we believe. Shame on
her.....

"I encourage Minister Coveney to ensure

that the new Repair and Lease Scheme is
rolled out across Offaly/North TipperaryThe
scheme provides up to 30,000 rental
income up front to owners of vacant
properties to allow them to renovate their
properties and bring them up to a rental
standard. The properties will then be rented
to social housing tenants.This innovative
scheme incentivises owners to renovate
their properties with the provision of 3 to 5
years of rental income up front providing
the necessary capital funding. The most
recent Census says that there are over
200,000 vacant properties across the
country and this scheme will bring some of
these properties back into the market. The
Repair and Lease scheme will help increase
short-term supply of rental housing stock
until new homes are constructed.People
who have inherited family homes are often
very reluctant to sell so this scheme will
allow them to put the property back into use.
Property owners make contact with their
local authority to apply for the scheme and
once renovated the property will be rented
under the HAP scheme.I believe this scheme
forms an important part of the
Governments Rebuilding Ireland plan and
it is a very cost effective way of providing
additional housing stock across
Offaly/North Tipperary.Never EVER give up
your homes.There is NOWHERE to go.A
Sheriff has NO AUTHORITY to take a

property.Francis Fitzgerald concurs.Stay in

your homes.Fight the banks.We will help
you.

12 October 2016
Hot off of the press: just got an email
and the contents are quite mindblowing:
Can this work for us: yes, start asking
the question.:::
Below are excerpts from an incredibly
important (and well buried) UK
government document which I
discovered, the document in question

being of significance to any person in

dispute for any reason with the
incredibly corrupt Royal Bank of
Scotland Group, and where any RBS
executive or official has either refused /
failed to respond appropriately or has
responded disingenuously (both of
which have occurred in relation to
myself).
The development referred to effectively
confirms that all RBS executives and
officials are public servants (work for a
public body, designated so in
connection to the UK public circa 46
billion of this frequently seen to be
corrupt bank) and therefore all RBS
executives and officials are subject to
the Nolan Principles and therefore
subject to scrutiny by the UK
Committee on Standards of Public Life
in relation to UK Government
transparency and accountability.
The Office for National Statistics and
HM Treasury jointly publishes monthly
estimates of the Public Sector Finances
(PSF). The PSF release published on the
25 January 2011 included, for the first
time, complete data for the Lloyds
Banking Group (LBG) and Royal Bank of
Scotland (RBS).
The classification of RBS and LBG to the
public sector has a significant impact on
public sector finance statistics.

This article summarises etc etc......

On 19 February 2009, ONS announced
that it had classified Lloyds TSB and
Halifax Bank of Scotland (which now
make up Lloyds Banking Group), and
Royal Bank of Scotland as public sector
corporations with effect from 13
October 2008, All UK registered
companies within the two groups were
classified to the public sector, not just
the banking institutions.
I would state that to date, in connection
to myself, I believe that RBS Group
behaviours have not aligned with the
Nolan Principles, especially in relation
to:
Nolan Principle no 2 - regarding
integrity
Nolan Principle no 4 - regarding
accountability
Nolan Principle no 5 - regarding
openness
Nolan Principle no 6 - regarding
honesty
I have difficulty aligning the following:
We do not intend to engage in any
further discussion regarding this matter,
or any of the specific questions raised
by xxxxxxxxxx
we do not intend to engage in any
further discussion and will not be
responding to the specific questions you
have raised

This email is heavily edited for obvious

reasons, but the contents open up a can
of worms for those involved: one
question::: does the same apply here?

Budget 2017: This could also be

referred to as the Apple budget
and heres why
The 2017 budget the first since the
inconclusive general election may yet
become known as the second Apple budget
because of the unexpected role corporate tax
bounties has played in funding spending
increases and tax cuts over the last two
years.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook in Ireland

last year.
Yesterdays budget was framed just months

after the general election returned a

minority-led administration.
A year ago, just a few months away from the
election, Finance Minister Michael Noonan
infamously rolled two budgets into a single
big fiscal package. Just days before
presenting his official budget in the Dil, the
finance minister unveiled a spending
package that rivalled anything seen during
the boom years.
After years of austerity, there was suddenly
plenty of cash to fill deep holes in health and
transport, and the unexpected cash hoard
was to be spent during the last few weeks of
2015. Mr Noonan had maxed up the budget
package, effectively doubling his spend-andtax-cutting measures to 3bn.
There is no debate that the money was badly
needed. The harsh years of austerity had left
deep scars across the country. Even now,
there are many questions left unanswered
by the troika and European institutions
about the scientific basis of austerity that
was imposed across Europe.
Nonetheless, last years spending splurge
was nothing more than a pre-election stroke
which startled independent observers.
Something similar unfolded this year too. It
is easy to lose count of the times that Mr
Noonan insisted that the 2017 fiscal
measures could and would total, at most,
1bn. Little surprise then that the package
over the last few weeks had grown to 1.3bn,
based on justifications that remain vague.

The story of the 1.3bn budget does not end

there.

In a pre-budget report released last month,

before new spending measures were
unveiled, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council
(IFAC) said the economy was already
growing strongly.
IFAC said that for Mr Noonan to sanction
any more than the 1bn he had indicated for
budget spending increases and tax cuts
would be unnecessary and unacceptable.
IFAC said the budget package was, at that
time, worth as much as 2.4bn when various
new spending lines announced earlier this
year had been taken into account.
The additional spending may be needed but
it is the funding of the expenditure that
should concern us.
For over a year, the mystery of the States
corporate tax receipts has taken centre
stage.

In 2015, corporate taxes brought in 6.87bn

almost 2.3bn more than was anticipated.
That is a staggering bounty.
With various branches of Government
unwilling to reveal the full picture, it had
been long suspected through last year that
multinationals and their international tax
arrangements was the source of the
Governments corporate profits haul.
Corporate tax revenues have continued to
deliver in a big way this year too.
As recently as last month, while income tax
receipts continued to bring in less than
anticipated, corporate tax revenues won big
for the exchequer. Coincidentally, the same
day that it unveiled the September
exchequer returns, the Department of
Finance cut its growth forecasts for the
economy this year to 4.2% and to 3.5% for
2017.
On the face of it, there was little room for
any large largesse in spending increases and
tax cuts in Mr Noonans budget plans.
Septembers figures showed a puzzling
underperformance in income tax, even with
more people in work.
Including receipts from the Universal Social
Charge, income tax revenues, at 12.95bn,
fell short of target by 114m for the first nine
months of the year. Vat receipts were
slightly above target in September, but have
so far fallen short of target by 278m this
year.
But again, corporation tax receipts took in

136m more than was anticipated in the

single month and were running 644m
ahead of target for the first nine months.
Mr Noonan appears to be funding the
additional measures in his 2017 budget
disproportionately on a single tax source
corporate tax revenues. Huge revisions
announced this summer to last years Irish
GDP levels that led to the international
claims of leprechaun economics threw
new light on the corporate tax mystery. The
CSOs revised figures revealed an enormous
increase of 300bn in the capital stock in the
national accounts which implied that whole
balance sheets of large companies had been
transferred to Ireland last year.

The figures did not identify whether it was

predominantly one, two, or three large
companies, nor did they identify the
multinationals behind such extraordinary

revisions.
The transfer of the intellectual property did,
however, indirectly lead to the exchequer
having a much-enlarged pool of potential
pre-tax corporate profits from which to
collect corporate taxes.
The Irish Examiner reported last month that
the 2015 GDP revisions were predominantly
driven by the changes by Apple to its
international tax arrangements, as it
relocated huge amounts of intellectual
property rights in Ireland for the first time.
It is well known that a handful of
multinationals account for the bulk of
corporate tax receipts. The amounts that
multinationals, including Apple, pay in
corporate taxes to the State remains under
wraps.
The public deserves more information, as
the contributions made by a handful of large
corporations to funding the State is now on a
significant scale. Yesterday, Mr Noonan
announced the appointment of UCC
economist Seamus Coffey to write a report
on our tax regime.
The aim of the report appears to be to
anticipate any potholes in the Irish
corporate tax regime, the Knowledge
Development Box in particular, which is the
lure for many multinationals to deepen or
locate resources here. The report will not
touch on the 12.5% corporate tax rate, which
Mr Noonan said is secure.
The controversies must be avoided if Ireland

is to avoid any repeat of the Apple ruling

when the EU Competition Commissioner
insisted the State recoup 13bn in taxes it
said had failed to be collected from the
phone giant. The Government and Apple
have denied striking any such sweetheart
deal and plan to appeal.
Nonetheless, the Government needs to
provide more details about its corporate tax
revenues.
Additional budget spending in the 2016 and
2017 budgets has been facilitated by the
unexpected bounty of corporate tax receipts
from multinationals. That is why the latest
budget should be known as the Apple
budget.

Ireland fights proposed

EU pesticides ban
PUBLISHED
12/10/2016

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan. Photo: Reuters/Francois

Ireland is one of 18 countries fighting a

proposed EU ban on using pesticides on
environmentally protected land.
The European Commission wants to amend a 2014 law to
forbid pesticide use in "ecological focus areas" (EFAs),
land set aside for nature conservation and subsidised by
the EU.
But Ireland and 17 other countries - including the UK,
France, Poland, the Nordic countries and some eastern
and southern European states - have hit back at the move.
They say banning pesticides on these parcels of land will
harm farmers' livelihoods without necessarily benefiting
the environment.
The rule change is part of the EU's bid to simplify the
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and promote
environmentally-friendly farming.
'Environmental Measures are Here to Stay'
"The simple facts are that the environmental dimension is
here to stay and I will not stand by and watch us lower our
level of environmental ambition," agriculture
commissioner Phil Hogan said this week.
Around 30pc of direct payments under the CAP are
dedicated to environmental or "greening" measures, such
as crop rotation, maintaining permanent grassland and
creating EFAs.
For example, farmers with arable land above 15 hectares
must set aside at least 5pc of their land as EFAs, by leaving
it fallow or allowing hedges and trees to grow, for instance.
In a statement tabled at the meeting, the 18 countries said
they had "deep concerns" about the pesticide ban on this
type of land, as well as additional rule changes on crop
rotation.
They say the Commission's changes would increase
farmers' costs and "could imply that farmers are no longer
so keen about these types of EFA".

And they allege that tying a pesticide ban to EU subsidies

instead of inserting it in rural development legislation
(known in EU jargon as the CAP's second pillar) amounts
to backtracking on previous commitments.
'CAP Greening is a Failure'
The European Environmental Bureau criticised their
arguments, saying that the "demand on taxpayers to pay
farmers to spray pesticides" shows that CAP greening is a
failure.
"It is shocking and shameful to hear 18 member states
claim that using pesticides on crops grown in areas set
aside for nature protection will actually bring about
environmental benefits," said the EEB's policy manager
for agriculture and bioenergy, Faustine Bas-Defossez.
Meanwhile, the EU is still fighting over how to regulate
pesticides in organic farming.
EU negotiators are no closer to agreeing on whether to
introduce upper limits for organic food or feed that has
been contaminated by pesticide residues from
neighbouring farms or in transport.
New GM row brewing in Brussels
Another crop-related row has sprouted over genetically
modified (GM) products.
MEPs have shot down EU plans to approve the
authorisation of three types of GM maize and a
glyphosate-resistant cotton, creating difficulties for the
bloc at a sensitive time.
The parliamentarians - among them Sinn Fin's Lynn
Boylan - say the products produce a toxin that could harm
butterflies and moths, and contaminate other crops.
Organic farming groups say GM products jeopardise their
produce, a 24bn market in the EU that is growing at
7.4pc per year.
While the European Parliament has no power to veto GM
approvals - that is done by an EU expert committee, as is
the case with pesticides - the move has unearthed a longrunning fight about who should bear the political
responsibility for chemicals authorisation.

This is the fifth time in a year that MEPs have opposed GM

authorisations. And under new rules that came into force
last year, individual EU countries can restrict or ban the
growing of GM crops on their territory (but not the import
and sale of GM products). So far 19 countries - not
including Ireland - have done so.

MEP clune makes case for tillage

farmers
Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune followed her party colleague
Mairead McGuinness in making the case for struggling
grain farmers.
She called on EU agriculture chief Phil Hogan to step in to
support farmers who have been hit by difficult weather
conditions.
The Irish Farmers Association says tillage farmers are
looking at losses of around 100 million euros this year.
The EUs 500 million aid package earlier this year
promised aid for several sectors but is geared towards
dairy.
All across the country, many tillage farmers are facing
into the reality of heavy crop losses following a very
difficult spell of weather around harvest time preventing
them from harvesting crops this year, Ms Clune said.
It is time that the government, assisted by the European
Commission, stepped in to help struggling farmers.

The end is nigh for invasive aliens

New rules to protect native European crops and plants
from being wiped out by alien pests are close to being
finalised.
After more than three years of fighting over import bans
and EU compensation for producers affected by pests, a
European Parliament vote later this month will finally seal
the deal.
The new rules applicable from 2020 onwards bring in
import bans for species on a high-risk list and
mandatory plant health certificates for low-risk plants.

http://www.independent.ie/business/farming/eu/irelandfights-proposed-eu-pesticides-ban-35118813.html

Credit where it's due, but

politicians' pay must not
be allowed to return to
boom levels
John Downing Twitter
BIO
PUBLISHED
11/10/2016 | 02:30

Talking about anyone's income is a sensitive

business. And there is a coterie of people for
whom - if our professional politicians were
working for nothing - they would still be too
dear.
A minority argue that in politics, as elsewhere, you get
what you pay for and politicians' salaries should be pitched
close to the higher end of professional charges.
Somewhere in the middle lies the happy medium.
We need good politicians who should be paid a reasonable
income. Everyone has taken a hit since the recession
kicked in.
In fact in early 2013 the Government unveiled a series of
pay and pensions cuts of up to 10pc for the 1,600 senior
public group which also includes judges, army and garda
top brass, heads of universities and senior managers
across the public service.
The Taoiseach Enda Kenny dropped to just over 185,000
per year; then-Tnaiste Eamon Gilmore went to 171,000
down by some 13,000; and Ministers went to just under
158,000, down some 12,000.
When you look at things in that light you can see that
politicians have taken a hit in recent years. But too much
emphasis on that risks coming at the political pay
argument from the wrong end.

In the dying days of the Celtic Tiger, just before the

Hallowe'en weekend in 2007, it emerged that the
Government had accepted a Higher Remuneration Group
report for lavish pay increases for about 1,600 senior
people right across the civil and public service.
And in their midst was Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, lined up
for an extra 38,000 to take his yearly salary to 310,000,
while his ministers were set for an extra 12pc to take them
to 240,000 per year.
In simple terms, back in autumn 2007, Mr Ahern was set
for a salary hike which was of itself more than the average
industrial wage at the time. This at a time of signs that the
economy was beginning to creak dangerously as a prelude
to a total crash.
Happily, in a little-remembered footnote to history, Bertie
Ahern, his Ministers and Junior Ministers did not take
those crazy pay rises in autumn 2007, and instead decided
to "defer the pay raises for 12 months" after ferocious
political pressure.
Our politicians' pay is linked to that of senior public
officials. They are now in line for pay restoration in three
tranches. The Taoiseach is to go back to 200,000 per
year; the Tnaiste to 184,000. Ministers to over
169,000 and TDs to almost 93,000. These are all
significant increases at a time when the public sector is
already well advanced in calls for pay rises in so many
sectors.
Some in Government circles were extremely annoyed
yesterday at the linking of these political pay rises to the
ongoing pension row in the Budget negotiations. It was
alleged that it was cynical journalism, designed to
undermine the Budget.
Other TDs said they could see the logic in linking the two
events. "I had the ear burnt off me at my clinic this
morning," one TD told a colleague, adding: "But I can
understand why it looks bad."
The listeners of Joe Duffy on RT radio took a different
view, questioning why politicians are deserving of a pay

rise while arguing over which vulnerable sectors should

get an extra 5 per week.
It is food for thought. To many of us a fiver is a pint of
beer, in fact in many Dublin city pubs, it is not even that.
For others such a sum would be a God-send.
The lessons of autumn 2007 are worth re-visiting. Our
politicians deserve credit for reigning things in and
making dramatic reductions in pay. But political pay must
not return to boom levels. It would be a huge mistake and
a backward step. Politicians do not have to automatically
take big pay rises.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/johndowning/credit-where-its-due-but-politicians-pay-must-notbe-allowed-to-return-to-boom-levels-35120083.html

FF faces tricky task responding to a Budget it

helped formulate
John Downing Twitter
BIO
PUBLISHED
11/10/2016

1
Fianna Fil Finance spokesman Michael McGrath Photo: Gareth
Chaney/Collins

It has always been rated as an extremely

difficult task and it has bested some of our
most accomplished politicians, who went on
to hold the highest offices in the land.
It happens just after the Finance Minister and the Public
Expenditure Minister have set out their stalls. It's a time
when deputies on all sides make a break for the door.
The journalists in the press gallery are keen to hit the
phones and computers and work out their next move.
But just at that moment, it falls to the principal opposition
finance spokesperson to take up the cudgels. In reality, up
to now, what he or she has to say has been at very best of
marginal interest.
Realpolitik tells us that the action is elsewhere. It is all too
easy to be ignored. But this year it may be somewhat
different given the Dil arithmetic and our much-vaunted
"new politics."

Like it or lump it, Fianna Fil has had a big and sometimes
very noisy input into this Budget. There is every chance
that their spokespeople - Michael McGrath on finance,
Dara Calleary on public spending, and Willie O'Dea on
social welfare - will have their dabs all over tomorrow's
Budget.
So, it falls to Mr McGrath to formulate the party's headline
response. In the past, he would stand up and give it a bit of
more-in-sorrow-than-anger condemnation. It would be a
tale of "missed opportunities" and an all-round
assessment of the other crowd's efforts as "poor fare."
This time, it's a little trickier. But odds are that the Cork
chartered accountant will stand up and praise the
considerable Fianna Fil chunks in Budget 2017, and try to
remind everyone that, only for them, the document's main
thrust would be about giving posher folk tax cuts at the
cost of improved public services.
It will be no surprise if he reminds us that more money is
needed for third-level education, especially the Institutes
of Technology. There could well be a swipe at the low level
of capital investment.
He will then lament the lack of other Fianna Fil initiatives
in the Budget. Cue some nasty swipes at the "anti-business
notions" propounded by Sinn Fin and parties of the left,
notably the Anti- Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit.
Mr McGrath will garnish it all with some reminders that
these groupings "ran away" when it came to taking
responsibility for government formation earlier this year.
Add some references to Spain, without a government and
facing into its third general election in 12 months, and you
have the basic McGrath script.
You see, Fianna Fil remains in the business of staying in
business and driving on. 'Brexit' changed the public mood.
'New politics' is for the academics - it does not entirely
help with gaining traction in the next election.
Or, does it? Well, let's not run too far ahead of things.
The perennial political question remains: "How long can
this Government last?" One of the best ways of answering

that imponderable is to frame another question: When will

Fianna Fil break 30pc-and-climbing in the opinion polls?
Before the summer break, the answer to that one appeared
to be "soon" as the party soared. But three consecutive
opinion polls, in three consecutive weeks, have shown
Michel Martin's party to be very much stalled.
My own personal theory for the moment, as noted above,
is that the shock outcome of the Brexit vote on June 23 has
had an effect on the Irish public mood.
We are, quite rightly, no longer certain that economic
recovery will continue to happen.
Britain leaving the EU, and the resultant fall in Sterling,
has hit Irish businesses dependent on British exports. It is
a dismaying thought, but this may soon have an impact on
the unemployment rates.
There is an element of whistling past the graveyard in the
business news from Britain which has followed the Brexit
vote. The medium to longer-term effect could well be
recession in our second-biggest trading partner's
economy. Any way you look at that one, it is bad news for
Irish jobs.
None of it would be good news for Fianna Fil, which
continues to be a mid-market, mainstream pro-European
Union party. Its dilemma is that in those gloomy
circumstances, the messages of Sinn Fin and the parties
of the left may be more attractive.
Everyone in Fianna Fil knows that the current opinion
polls are telling them that they do not need an election.
The rest of us know, that bar the odd detail, a repeat of the
election held on February 26 would leave us exactly where
we are.
Odds are Fianna Fil will abstain as expected tomorrow in
the key Budget votes. But it will allow Budget 2017 to go
through in line with its confidence and supply deal with
Fine Gael.
There will not be an election this year but there could well
be one in 2017.
The best an early election vote would deliver Mr Martin

would be a few extra seats. That could conceivably leave

Fianna Fil in Fine Gael's current situation, potentially
and eventually leading a minority coalition dependent on
"the other crowd."
That is, of course, called having responsibility without
power. It is a very unenviable position in any walk of life,
but it is particularly disagreeable in national politics,
especially for an organisation like Fianna Fil, which up to
now has only thrived in power.
All of this is to say that what Mr McGrath has to say
tomorrow is of relevance and will be worth listening to.
For better or worse, 'new politics' will be with us for some
time to come.
It seems a lifetime ago, but Fine Gael fought the February
General Election on an ill-starred slogan of "keep the
recovery going." The party has struggled back into office
but is hugely dependent on Independents and Fianna Fil.
Since this minority coalition took office on May 6, we have
had a series of serious shocks. There was the June Brexit
vote; the EU decision to fine Apple 13bn; and big
conflicts about the public sector pay arrangements.
All of these issues require careful management from a
prudent Government which is focused on the job. But our
political environment remains very febrile and it is not
conducive to such good government.
The two "moneybags ministers" are to be commended for
sticking to their tasks and leaving the bulk of the
showboating to Fianna Fil and, more recently, to the
Independents. The public mood is conditioned, and we do
not expect big giveaways.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/johndowning/ff-faces-tricky-task-responding-to-a-budget-ithelped-formulate-35116398.html

October 13, 2016

White Line Protests: By Alan Finn.

Two white line protests are due to take place

here in the Dublin 8 area off next week. The
two protests has been organised by the
Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 Says No groups.
Following a public meeting this evening at,
St Andrews Community Center, in Rialtlo, It
was agreed that these two protests will go
ahead to raise awareness for public support
for one of the Jobstown 27. This case is due
for a sitting at Smithfield Childrens
Courthouse, next Friday week 21st October
2016.
The first of these white line protest will take
place on Wednesday 19th October at 5.pm in
Rialtlo Village, while the second one will
take place the day after Thursday 20th
October on Dolphins Barn bridge, also at
5.pm.
The Jobstown 27 has been dubbed in the
past as been a media circus, and its strongly
felt it is a waste of tax payers money.
There is also another public demo called for
the day of the court sitting, on Friday 21st
October 2016, over in Smithfield square,
here in Dublin City, according to reports on

social media pages including Facebook,

http://www.primebling.com/white-line-protests/

John Fitzgerald has long had an interest in the economics

of climate change. That's why his performance as Chair of
the government's new Climate Change Advisory Council is
so disappointing. His analysis and prescriptions seem very
narrow and outdated. So we hope the Council as a whole
lives up to it's statutory role to advise Ireland on how to
achieve an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.