Dramatic Reduction in Irish Working Hours Announced

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis

Thursday October 23, 2003 23:12

by random input

That's right ladies and gents, our overworked elected leaders have finally given the Irish working class what they have long wanted, further reduced working hours...

Well, its true except for the bit about the Irish working class. What really happened was that today, by a majority of 55 to 47 (only one PD bothered to turn up for the vote), Dail Eireann voted to give itself another week's holidays - next week! Yes indeed, our already overworked government have decided that after only four weeks back in parliament, they deserve another break - just weeks before they take their five week Christmas holliers. Uncomfirmed reports suggest that the decision was taken as Ministers are quite dizzy after a month of 'spinning like mad'.

It cannot be denied that our TDs bear a heavy workload these days, what with all those shopping centres and new pubs to open, as well as trying to steer clear of both rush-hour traffic, pedestrians and tribunals.

So while that tax-paying spongers who refuse to pay the bin tax are in jail, their taxes are being used to fund another Dail holiday. I'm sure everyone can see the justice in that.

Mary Harney addressed a concern that has been on the lips of the whole nation today - namely that TDs do not get to spend enough time with their families. She remarked: "TDs were looking forward to spending time with their children, who would be off school next week." Yes indeed, now that the schools are out, TDs can obvioulsy not afford the childcare that the rest of double-income working families must pay for during the school holidays. Of course, it would be economically unwise for all Irish workers to follow their lead in an attempt to spend more time with their children.

One wonders what this will mean for Joe Higgins. Surely the Dail was providing a much meeded diversion from breaking the law. The boredom of the next week may well see him getting up to more mischief and landing himself back behind bars (seriously Joe -and the rest of the bin taxers!- fair play!)

In other news, Clare Daly is looking like becoming a shoe-in in the next Dublin North election (or by-election) given today's "revelations" about the activities of one G.V(ery, very drunk) Wright. I use inverted commas because everyone already knew he was corrupt as fuck!

Oh, and more Job Losses - September 2003 figures up 61% from this time last year. Ms Harney however remained optimistic, saying the "upturn in the global economy" would help out. What upturn?

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Comments (6 of 6)

The jobless number

by Shannon

Fri Oct 24, 2003 02:14

Up 61? eh? Sounds catastrophic, it's a wonder they're not rioting in the streets.

So that increase leavs us with how many jobless? And waht % of the total workforce would that be?

learn to read!

Fri Oct 24, 2003 02:20

the 61% is not jobLESS it is Job LOSSES, in comparison to this time last year. I thought that would be obvious. Obvioulsy not.

(figure comes from RTE - and who am I to argue with National Broadcaster?)

I want a week off...

by Mags

Fri Oct 24, 2003 14:29

If the Unions (ha, ha,) in this country were any good they should immediately have instructed all members to take next Tuesday to Friday off, to be with their families. Some chance. However I reckon such an instruction would quickly cause the TDs to change their minds on their self given holiday.

Anyone know if the 4 rugger buggers ever came back from their little jaunt to Australia, that just happened to coincide with the World Cup?

The lack of opposition to any indulgence of the ruling class is getting a bit annoying. But I had a good laugh this morning reading in the Irish Times that poor old Denis O Brien thinks Ireland has become a 'Communist State' beause he is expected to pay tax on £290 MILLION. He is so miffed the poor man is considering 'turning his back' on Ireland altogether.

These people are beyond parody at this stage. Just find a convenient line of lamp posts I reckon.

See Ya Denis, So long and thanks for all the... oh yeah, nothing!

Fri Oct 24, 2003 14:47

There's a lovely strecth of sturdy overhanging lamp-posts down here. However, at present I must admit they look a bit bare. Just lacking that certain je ne sais quoi. I have, however, given them all names... Dukes, O'Fearhaill, Power, Wall, Welds, Maktoum, Dardis etc.

"One rule for the poor, no rule for the rich"

by Anonymous

Fri Oct 24, 2003 15:33

Report on business sector of the Irish Examiner yesterday entitled "One rule for the poor, no rule for the rich".

The article referred to the way small business's in Ireland are being hit with taxes left, right and centre - for example new tax coming in for company vans, if you use them for personal use as well, an extra tax is being levied on this.

Where as the super-rich and the owners of huge business's can legitimately avoid huge taxes by using such things as non-Irish residency and tax havens.

No one likes giving away cash, including Denis O'Brien, and including ALL of us - I'm sure we'd all be the same if were in the same postion as he is. Its the system must be changed that does not allow the super-rich to avoid taxes and better still not allow them to become rich in the first place. But as I say I'm sure we'd all grumble if we had to give hundreds of thousands/millions of euro away so get rid of the lamp post lark I reckon.

well I'm quite happy to pay me taxes...

Fri Oct 24, 2003 15:56

...as long as they are used for good things, and NOT, for example, building roads over Pollardstown Fen, paying for abuses carried out by the Catholic Church (the Vatican is rolling in dough) and of course the facilitation of an illegal war by Irish war criminals.

As for the lamp-posts - hang em high I say. But then what's one opinion in a country of millions? Ages ago someone on this board said "You know democracy has come to town when you see politicians hanging from lamp-posts". I agree.

And we should import vultures specifically to peck the rotting flesh from their acid-rain bleached* corpses.

(* I would like to say 'sun bleached' but this is Ireland aferall)

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Dramatic Reduction in Irish Working Hours Announced

Comments (6 of 6)