Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony
Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy
Human Rights in Ireland >>
News Round-Up Thu Jul 25, 2024 01:14 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
George Orwell is Being Cancelled Wed Jul 24, 2024 19:30 | Paul Sutton
George Orwell himself is being cancelled, says Paul Sutton. In a conversation with Oxford Literature postgraduate students, it became clear that the great opponent of authoritarianism was no longer welcome.
The post George Orwell is Being Cancelled appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Farage Calls for Referendum on European Convention on Human Rights Wed Jul 24, 2024 17:39 | Will Jones
Keir Starmer says he will never withdraw from the ECHR because there is "no need" and Rishi Sunak did not disagree, despite it being the reason he failed to stop the boats. Nigel Farage says it's time to ask the people.
The post Farage Calls for Referendum on European Convention on Human Rights appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Fifteen Year-Old Swiss Girl Taken into Care After Parents Refuse to Consent to Course of Puberty Blo... Wed Jul 24, 2024 15:00 | Dr Frederick Attenborough
A Swiss girl has been been taken into care because her parents stopped her taking puberty blockers, breaching a ban on conversion therapy. Is this what Labour means by a "full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices"?
The post Fifteen Year-Old Swiss Girl Taken into Care After Parents Refuse to Consent to Course of Puberty Blockers appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Net Zero is Impoverishing the West and Enriching China Wed Jul 24, 2024 13:30 | Will Jones
The West's headlong rush to jettison fossil fuels and hit 'Net Zero' CO2 emissions is impoverishing us while enriching China, which is ramping up its coal-fired industry to sell us all the 'green' technology.
The post Net Zero is Impoverishing the West and Enriching China appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en
Voltaire Network >>
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5When Edelman work for the Israeli Government trying to brainwash Russians they use the affiliate 'Imageland'.
They claim to have lowered the, 'number of references to Israel in the military context', by 'news generation' and a 'Long-term PR campaign'. Well done!
But why do the Irish Government need these slick PR people to tell us the 'facts'? At least now we know why Ministers Gormley and Ryan look like demented puppets - because they are!
Slick PR or just more nauseating bull-crap?
I didn't look at the website of the PR firm but if what you say is true that sounds seriously dodgy, quite disturbing actually.
As for the cuts to the greener homes sheme, are you sure that's what it is? I was under the impression the scheme was about to run out totally, but that Ryan secured a smaller, extended version. Not trying to defend him however.
Oh yes, it's a major cut in government grants for eco-friendly home improvements. Grants, as listed below are dignificantly reduced, in some cases halved. Very significant for people who were hoping such grants would be increased, enabling them to install wood-pellet burners, solar-panels, water-heaters etc.
This marks a major change in Government policy under the Green Party, who have direct responsiblity for this area, against assisting the public to become more eco-friendly.
Biomass - Boiler reduced from €4,200 to €3,000
Heat Pump – Vert’l ground reduced from €6,500 to €3,500
Heat Pump – Horiz’l ground reduced from €4,300 to €2,500
Heat Pump - Water to water reduced from €4,300 to €2,500
Heat Pump - Air Source reduced from €4,000 to €2,000
Solar - Flat Plate reduced from €300/m2 to €250/m2
It was expected that grants would have been massively increased but as is the case with all Green Party policy, a complete reversal in what we see.
To add insult to injury, the Green Party is taking advice form a US PR company on how to tell us this is in fact "Phase Two" of the Grants and not indeed a cut!
Lining up to sell out - Gormley and Ryan
..perhaps because I didn't explain myself properly.
I thought that the scheme was about to RUN OUT anyway, that is it was only ever going to be available within a certain time period, and that the Greens pushed to have it continue in some form, albeit significantly reduced, which is a shame. I don't think Ryan should get the blame, whatever my feeling towards him, because would it not have run out altogether and be gone completely if it was just a FF-PD govt?
I can't believe they're using that PR firm. It's rather sick.
Did they HIRE that PR firm? Or is this a case where the PR firm offered to help them out "pro bono"? Sorry, but when it's a case of getting the best professional help an open question whther you take into account what other clients that professional outfit is willing to do work for. You don't turn down a law firm because they take on briefs for sleezebags, do you? Or if you do make that decision, you need to make it very clear because that's an "unusual" position many of us might not agree with.
And in a case like this you really do have ask whether this "reduction" was something that the Green Party wanted or the best extension they could get. They aren't exactly in a very strong position in the coalition.
Look, I understand the frustration some of the "left" must feel with the Greens agreeing to be "in government" instead of aligned with you BUT you need to look at your own decisions, what compromises YOU are willing to make with "environmental" interests to get people who are BOTH red and green to side with you. So far I have seen little evidence that you would be willing to give an inch, so sure in yourselves that the "environmental" issues are irrelevant.
Take the "bin tax" campaigns as an example. It's not so much that you campaigned against the changes as to HOW -- in total disregard of the valid issues of the "greens". You didn't, for example, argue that the poor should be compensated/subsidized to prevent them from being harmed from "pay per throw" schemes that might affect choices on the ground "to recycle or not to recycle". You argued that this was not a relevant consideration (what the environmental effects would be). In other words, you have been telling the "greens" that you don't give a damn about their concerns.
Try looking at this situation in reverse. Suppose that YOU were "in government" and the Greens a minor coaltion partner. Just how much would YOU have given on THIS ISSUE (subsidies for homeowners to install private alternative systems). Not much I bet, as it wouldn't fit with your vision of socialism and the ill being attacked in your mind irrelevant (because you believe, perhaps sincerely, that our environmental problems are an illusion caused by capitalism and like all social ills will miraculously vanish* when capitalism is ended).
* NOTE (an important one) A belief that eliminating a CAUSE of a problem will make the damage already done vanish is a separate matter from believing that cause is to blame. If a bully has been going around smashing kneecaps, eliminating that bully will prvenet MORE people getting lamed but will not correct the lameness of those already injured. So saying that it was under capitalism that our environment got so screwed up is NOT enough to justify a belief that eliminating capitalism will fix it -- and you have to justify WHY you think socialist industrial society won't be just as damaging to the environment. Understand? You need to say more about this, give you analysis of socialism with regard to the environment.