Brian Greene

[-_-] buachaill sóisialta

Contact

Posts

January 27, 12:10 PM

Boycott the home tax – eirigi.org

January 27, 06:58 AM

household tax meeting Feb 6th Donaghmede Inn 8pm

January 25, 05:07 PM

Don’t lose Leap over it #rescuez @rescuez

This is a prototype sticker tag for rescuez.com a start-up providing critical information in an emergency, contacts for next of kin, and getting the things you most cherish back to you if you lose them. We’re Rebooting Emergency Identification.

January 21, 04:52 AM

students: contrast & compare these two articles in the Indo today.

Charlie Weston: ‘Poor rich’ earn over €100,000 but can’t meet home payments
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/charlie-weston-poor-rich-earn-over…

James Downey: House tax just one battle in fight to end our woes
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/james-downey-house-tax-just-one-ba…

Students please wear your News Filter Goggles (NFG) this is the Irish Independent with Charlie Weston, James Downey & a touch of Karl Deeter.

January 20, 02:44 PM

me on dublin city fm xmas 2011

breakfast show on 103.2 Dublin City FM 27-29 December 2011

January 20, 01:03 PM

me on #rtefl feb 2011

with name typo

January 19, 03:02 AM

Irish ‘poll tax’ battle has begun

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/701/13532/18-01-2012/irish-poll-tax-ba…

January 17, 11:47 AM

999 – fire service – there’s a fire in my house – please hold for credit card payment clearance

^1 ^2 Yesterday in Dublin the new stealth tax of charging people for a call out of the Fire Brigade began. House fire call out will cost home owners €500 per call.

But there is some irony about the Irish Insurance Federation taking a position on this. Stealing the words from Joe Higgins mouth ^3 the industry federation calls it a double tax. and I don’t argue that it isn’t a shame on the city council for forcing in this unjust tax. But the origins of a municipal public funded free at the point of use fire tender service was invented purely due to the greed of insurance companies.

from ^4 Irish Fires Services / History
“At this time with the expansion and increase of wealth in the city it was the insurance brigades which had become the main fire fighting force. Dressed in brightly coloured costumes with the badges of their company on their uniforms and supplied with engines by the companies these men attended fires only in building which displayed the mark of their own insurance company. Later on cooperation did develop between the companies. The crew of the engine which arrived first received the highest amount of pay.”

The competition and greed of the insurance companies helped force the city to set up a publicly funded service in 1862. 150 years later Ireland demonstrates how we are returning to these dark ages where the uninsured or the not so sure, will hesitate to call the fire brigade as Dublin burns and lives are lost. Dublin City Council say this charge “will not be an issue” ^5 can they measure this?

Story links
^1 http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0116/firebrigade.html
^2 http://www.herald.ie/news/safety-fears-over-500-fire-service-callout-fee-2989…
^3 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0117/1224310362756.html
^4 http://irishfireservices.ie/dublin-fire-brigade/history
^5 http://url.ie/dzyp

January 16, 01:43 PM

1890 98 98 00

January 13, 12:44 PM

Campaign Against Household & Water Tax Kinsealy

Public meeting Thursday 19th January 8pm

January 09, 08:10 PM

Calculate how many people will not register or pay the household charge

January 04, 10:23 AM

Household Tax site in breach of privacy law

Press Statement: Paul Murphy MEP (Socialist Party / United Left
Alliance) 4 January 2011

Household Tax site in breach of privacy law

Paul Murphy MEP lodges complaint with Data Commissioner

Socialist Party / United Left Alliance MEP for Dublin and
anti-household tax campaigner, Paul Murphy, has lodged a complaint
with the Data Commissioner about the Household Tax site,
www.householdcharge.ie.

“The government is starting to roll out a massive propaganda campaign
to get people to register for and pay the unjust household tax.
However, the site they are encouraging people to register on is in
breach of the 2011 regulations on “Privacy and Electronic
Communications” which implements EU directives on privacy.

“The website’s privacy statement declares that the site uses ‘session
cookies’ which are erased after use, whereas in fact it uses so-called
‘persistent cookies’ that remain on people’s computers after they
visit the website. This is a breach of the 2011 regulations and I have
made a complaint to the Data Commissioner about it.

“People should not register or pay on this site. Instead, they should
join the Campaign against Household and Water Taxes and work to
establish such mass non-registration and non-payment that this tax
will be uncollectable.”

ENDS

[PMPress]

Note for editor:

The www.householdcharge.ie site is in breach of the 2011 regulations
(EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS AND
SERVICES) (PRIVACY AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) REGULATIONS 2011),
available here http://www.dataprotection.ie/documents/legal/SI336of2011.pdf
. In particular, it is in breach of section 5, part 3, which reads:

“(3) A person shall not use an electronic communications network to store

information, or to gain access to information already stored in the terminal

equipment of a subscriber or user, unless

(a) the subscriber or user has given his or her consent to that use, and

(b) the subscriber or user has been provided with clear and
comprehensive information in accordance with the Data Protection Acts
which—

(i) is both prominently displayed and easily accessible, and

(ii) includes, without limitation, the purposes of the processing of

the information.”

January 03, 12:10 PM

1930 companies close & 40,000 private sector jobs to go

Figures for company collapses in 2011 further testimony of the failure of austerity

Government's projected savings of €185 million from cut in employer redundancy rebate indicates FG/Labour expect over 40,000 further private sector job losses

Effective state ownership via NAMA of companies like Vita Cortex should result in production being maintained and jobs saved or created

Responding to the research produced by Vision-net which looked at the impact of the crisis on private companies last year Joe Higgins TD said

"The figures provided by Vision-net regarding the closure of 1,930 private companies in 2011 up to November amount to further testimony of the failure of austerity. That this figure was 20% up on 2010 and also given the fact that this government is persisting with a strategy of austerity it is blindingly obvious that this trend will continue.

"The most high risk sectors according to the research were hotels, bars, retail and wholesale, in other words those sectors most sensitive to the spending power of low and middle income workers. This backs up our contention that the cutback approach of successive governments and unfortunately advocated by the representatives of small employers is totally self defeating. "

Clare Daly TD said:

"The government themselves have indicated that they expect at least 40,000 job losses in the private sector over most of 2012 and the whole of 2013. We know this because they have projected €185 million in 'savings' over this period by cutting the employers rebate for statutory redundancy.

"We can extrapolate from 2010 figures (figure for all of 2011 are not yet available) based on the average rebate per worker made redundant that almost 39,000 will receive statutory redundancy from the time the reduced rebate comes into effect until the end of 2013. If one takes into account those workers who won't have worked the necessary two years to avail of statutory redundancy you are looking easily over 40,000 job losses based on the government's own figures."

"This shows that in reality they don't even believe their own propaganda about creating the conditions for jobs!"

Joe Higgins added:

"The United Left Alliance proposed a range of job creation measures in the run up to the budget centered around an emergency programme of public works. The Socialist Party in addition to this calls for the nationalisation of firms threatened with closure or widespread job losses.

"Take Vita Cortex in Cork for example which was a viable firm with a full order book but because of their employers entanglement with NAMA have been sacked in the most outrageous manner . The workers are demanding their statutory redundancy which is their right. However I ask the question, why must this firm which is already in effective state ownership close?

"Instead production could resume under public ownership but under the local control and management of those workers who want to hold on to their jobs and likewise employment opportunities could be created to fill the vacancies of those who want to take the redundancy. These proposals will meet with predictable scoffs from the government and their supporters in the media but I say to them that this is the only adequate response to the jobs catastrophe they preside over."

December 31, 04:03 PM

a game of two haves – Elvis McGonagall

A Game Of Two Halves by Elvis Mcgonagall Listen on Posterous

December 24, 05:23 AM

Remember the Property Tax 1996?

Under pressure from the super wealthy in Ireland, Fine Gael & Labour abolished Property Tax in 1996. It was previously levied on the most expensive houses & mansions across Ireland.

The yield from that property tax peaked in 1994 at 14 million pounds and had fallen to 12 million pounds by 1995. Under pressure from press barons and talk show radio hosts representing the interests of the super rich the then rainbow government of Fine Gael, Labour & Democratic Left (now leading members of the Labour Party) scrapped that property tax.

Now Fine Gael & Labour reintroduce a household tax for ALL homes.

Back in 1995 77% of Property Tax collected was on homes in the Dublin area source: Dail answer by Minister for Finance Ruari Quinn http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/1996/05/21/00078.asp#N2

1996 v 2012: The banks that made mega bucks from selling mortgages on homes are now being bailed out by the same home owners. Enough is Enough.

We need to broaden the tax base. We need to seriously tax wealth.

That same government were forced to abolish water taxes in December 1996. A campaign called the Federation of Anti Water Charges Campaigns led tens of thousands of households in a non payment boycott of that charge making its collection unworkable while winning the arguments about the unjust nature of that double tax.

Now the veterans of that campaign along with newer forces are taking the Household Tax issue to a national level.

Join the Campaign Against the Household & Water Taxes
http://www.NoHouseholdTax.org

Don’t Register Don’t Pay

December 20, 09:22 AM

“nothing to lose but their chains”

illustration by paul maccormaic

December 20, 06:03 AM

thin end of the wedge #householdtax

illustration by paul maccormaic

December 18, 05:06 PM

Household Charge

Facebook.com/NoHouseholdTax

Department of Environment release

Bill to provide for €100 Household Charge to fund vital local services in our communities is published

05/12/11

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D. today (5 December, 2011) announced the publication of the Bill to provide for the introduction of the household charge of €100 to fund vital local services in line with the requirement in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland. The Government had announced, in July, 2011, its intention to introduce the household charge in 2012.

The Minister stressed the Government’s firm commitment to introduce a valuation based property tax to replace the household charge. The Minister indicated that work is to commence early in the new year on the development of the property tax.
“A full property tax, requiring a property valuation system, will take time to implement, so the Government is introducing the interim household charge to apply to the majority of owners of residential property in the State. I will establish an inter-Departmental expert group to advise me, by mid 2012, on the design, scope and implementation of the property tax,” the Minister stated.

The Bill will provide for the raising of some €160 million from the household charge which will be used to support the continued delivery by local authorities of vital services for our communities. “It is essential, if we want to continue to have the level of local services we expect, such as fire and emergency services, well maintained streets, public parks, waste services, libraries, open spaces and leisure facilities, that we provide the necessary financial resources to pay for them. I understand that the introduction of the household charge, even though modest at less than the equivalent of €2 a week, represents an additional cost for homeowners so I have provided in the Bill that it may be paid in a number of instalments. I have also introduced provisions in the Bill to protect vulnerable groups in society by providing a waiver for those on mortgage interest supplement and those residing in certain unfinished housing estates.” The Minister indicated that further details on the unfinished estates that will qualify for the waiver will be announced as soon as possible.

In conclusion, the Minister stated “This measure is a further demonstration of this Government’s commitment to restoring balance in the public finances. It will provide a new stream of funding for local government enabling the sector to continue to respond to local needs and contribute to a more efficient, accountable and effective local government system. This is local democracy in action.”

Ends.

The EU/IMF Programme of Finacial Support for Ireland commits the Government to the introduction of a property tax for 2012.
The introduction of the household charge is an interim measure and proposals for a full property tax will be considered by the Government in due course.
The household charge will be €100 in 2012 (equivalent to less than €2 a week).
This charge is another step in reforming the way local authorities are funded; it follows the introduction of the charge on non-principal private residences (NPPR) in 2009.
It will contribute to the funding of local services such as fire and emergency services, libraries, street cleaning, lighting, planting etc.
It is expected to raise some €160 million – based on the number of properties expected to be liable to the charge. The amount raised will be dependent on actual collection rates and the costs incurred in collecting the charge.
Owners not occupiers will be liable.
Monies raised will be paid into the Local Government Fund and will be allocated back to local authorities by the Minister in General Purpose Grants.
The liability date will be 1 January in 2012 and subsequent years and households not availing of instalment arrangements will have three months to pay. Late payment penalties and late payment interest of 1% per month or part thereof will apply thereafter.
Late payment fees, calculated as follows, will apply in the case of a household charge paid
not later than 6 months after the due date, 10 per cent of the amount outstanding,
later than 6 months and not later than 12 months after the due date, 20 per cent of the amount outstanding, or
later than 12 months after the due date, 30 per cent of the amount outstanding.

Collection Arrangements:
Collection by LGMA (Local Government Management Agency) by post or website (once off or instalment by direct debit four times a year).
Main overriding principles
Self declaration basis
Administration costs to be kept to a minimum
Late payment penalties

Exemptions:
Residential Properties that are part of the trading stock of a business (not sold or not having generated an income)
Social housing, including voluntary and cooperative housing units
Residential properties owned by Government/Health Service Executive
Residential properties owned by a charity
Residential properties to which commercial rates apply
Where a person is forced to leave their dwelling due to long-term mental or physical infirmity (elderly person that has moved into a nursing home)

Waivers:
Those in receipt of mortgage interest supplement on the liability date.
Those in certain unfinished housing estates to be prescribed in 2012 and 2013 by the Minister.

December 17, 04:45 PM

Maastricht treaty will include sanctions for excessive budgets

December 17, 04:32 PM

Maastricht [leaflets]

Maastricht leaflets (3 pages of a governmnet booklet)

See the full gallery on Posterous

a 4 page pro life leaflet

See the full gallery on Posterous

a 2 page leaflet from 3 pro life groups

See the full gallery on Posterous

an irish / english vote no leaflet from The Green Party

See the full gallery on Posterous