Why no transparency from the water protest leaders?
NO, IT’S not just Irish Water that is in the firing line after the washout on water charges. What about other so-called ‘independent state agencies’ that stood over and validated some of the most controversial aspects of this debacle? Within hours of the first ‘registration forms’ being issued by Irish Water eight weeks ago, the issue of the obligatory insistence on people revealing their PPS numbers was raised.
Immediately the Data Protection Commissioner told us that it saw no problem with the request. Irish Water then fell back on this endorsement whenever – which was every single hour – they were challenged about this bizarre request.
Last Wednesday, Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly simply abolished the PPS requirement in one fell swoop. But to add to the gaiety of the nation he then added that the existing PPS numbers held by Uisce Éireann would be destroyed and this decommissioning would be overseen by – wait for it – the Data Protection Commissioner.
Where is General John De Chastelain when we need him? The Data Protection Commissioner is the same quango that allowed it in the first place, and previously warned householders they would be prosecuted if they dared post CCTV images of their homes being robbed.
Last year the Data Protection Commissioner agreed that county councils could access the loyalty card database of supermarket chains if they found checkout bills in abandoned rubbish bags. This meant immediate fines – without a hearing – even if the householder pleaded that they had disposed of their rubbish properly.
Another example of state arrogance? Does anyone remember the despicable letter the Revenue Commissioners sent to pensioners two years ago warning them that they would face the full wrath of the taxman if they didn’t declare everything they had? Revenue later apologised but smugly said there was no place to hide.
And of course you can retire early with a golden handshake and a guaranteed gilt-edged pension if you are a Revenue Commissioner.
The drip, drip, drip of the water charges has proved the final straw for the Irish citizen. Fed up with unending taxes, levies, tolls and charges, they have exploded. Citizens have overloaded on the perks, pensions, expenses and bonuses of the ‘entitled class’.
And so despite the massive row back on water charges, people are still angry. Organisers of the ‘right2water’ marches now realise that they are in the right place at the right time and citizens want to demonstrate for many reasons.
The only danger is that the trade union bosses who have suddenly emerged as the ‘leaders’ of this campaign are now claiming that their aim is the collapse of the Government and a general election.
In fairness, and in the interests of the transparency they so loudly espouse, they should clearly state their own party political allegiances, or put themselves before the people in the election they now so vocally demand.
Whether they like it or not, Enda Kenny and Joan Burton were elected fairly and squarely. And while most protesters, including many in Jobstown last weekend, are honourable people, let’s be clear: there is nothing radical, left wing or socialist in detaining two women in her car for three hours. It will take a lot to calm this crisis.
I HAVE had a lot of positive reaction to Father Brian D’Arcy’s revealing interview on Spirit Level last Sunday where he spoke of his censure by Rome, revealing that ‘the Vatican really upset my health. The cancer came from that. It was my inability to cope with the stress which gave me cancer. I cried an awful lot. I was a broken man, miserable and communicating misery.’
Today on Spirit Level, I will be talking to Eilish O’Carroll, pictured, sister of Brendan, who stars as Winnie McGoogan in the smash-hit series Mrs Brown’s Boys.
Eilish talks about the meaning of life and the recent death of their eldest brother Gerard.
Joe Duffy’s Spirit Level is at 5.05pm on RTÉ One today.
CLONTARF-based painter Brian McCarthy has emerged as a leading artists of the Great Recession. With a sharp eye, cutting wit and brilliant brush skills, he has created paintings of Ireland in crisis that will provoke wry laughter. His latest painting is called ‘Pandemonium’, and in truth it is the history of the State from antitreaty to austerity. It is just one of his new collection, which is now available for viewing on artinprint.com.