Healthcare Crisis.

Have watched the situation in Irish hospitals unfold over the last few months, one has  to say the overcrowding issue is not new .Its the same story year after year for as long as I can remember,

Its made worse by having politicians in charge, their inept, incompetent and corrupt management of Irish hospitals leaves people in a dicey place when it comes to hospital admission, Lack of beds, lack of Consultants, lack of  nursing staff all add up.

Saw a presenter on Ireland am say that there was 6,000 more beds in the 1980’s than there is now and that was for a population of 3.5 million with the population of over 5 million now (26 counties). According to the Irish times 6,000  less hospital beds  equals to 10 hospital closures . They have done worse than that with 8 Accident and Emergency being closed in recent years.

Hardly surprising we have a situation on our hands is it ?

Things need to change, primarily the present Government which maintains the status qu0, more private medicine basically is what they’ll do. We need a government committed t0 public healthcare building new hospitals and adding thousands of beds and not lurching from crisis to crisis.

Here’s a link t0 s0me previous posts on the matter-

Health disservice / Cedar Lounge Revolution 7th June 2017

https://gearosc.eu/2017/12/13/an-excerpt-from-the-bitter-pill-or-what-is-wrong-with-irelandroi-healthcare-system/

 

 

Pensions, Pensions

 

The government have unwrapped new proposals on pension “reforms”. These “reforms” will allow people to “opt” to take a slightly larger pension at seventy years of age instead of sixty six at present. Other “reforms” will increase the length of contributions to forty years up from the present ten year prsi contribution. These measures are designed to cost the state less in pension costs and make people work till they are seventy !

I have said before that these proposals are anti-people and designed to catch the poorest and leave them with nothing . More than 50% of the workforce have no private pension and these people will be most effected by state pension “reforms.”.  Opposing the Government measures is a must for all workers.

Most people have worked hard for their retirement and don’t deserve any extra obstacles in the w\y. Maybe the government would look into civil service pensions and tax loop holes for the rich

Life expectancy Of Ireland =82.3- 82.6 yrs

Porridge.

SuperValu Porridge Oats

70 cents/kilo

 

Here’s something I came across last week – i forgot where. A man made a compliant about a restaurant charging him €16.15 for a bowl of porridge and a coffee in Eyre square in Galway. Sounds pricey allright … there is alot of restaurants that overcharge people and seem to get away with it. Tourists are particular prey for them wont get a regular crowd with prices like that.

He was charged €7.50 for the bowl of porridge… extra for maple syrup €1.50 and charged for the milk and some raisins. The c0ffee worked out at around €6 still pricey for a latte. I guess the man had grounds to complain alright.

The restauranter responded that the prices where clearly displayed and the meal was of good quality and the ambiance of the restaurant was good.

what this gourmet porridge ! Any excuse to rip someone off. To be honest i would have looked at the prices and done a quick exit. Value for money is a alien concept for most Irish retailers and who charge whatever they can get away with.

What’s your experience of restaurants in Ireland ? Rip off or value for money ?

The State of the Defense forces.

One thing that has come up recently is the condition of the defense forces. Apparently they aren’t in any condition to defend the country with less than ten thousand men to staff the army, navy and air corp. That would leave about five thousand men as combat soldiers . Lack of Capabilities for example No combat aircraft, just a few helicopters, No tanks just a few APC’s, No air defense capacity, scare Artillery and just a few days ammunition . Shockingly state really. Who would leave us in a defense less state ?|Hundred years of fianna fail/fine gael has us a push over for anyone who wants to take us.

The establishment obviously isn’t reliant on Irish arms to keep them in , we have a bigger army if that was the case . There is no guardian force to protect the country, kick out corrupt governments and so on.. Kept weak deliberately so ..We need a modern army with full capabilities  to protect us in this threatening. world

Feeling the Pinch…

 

We have all noticed in the past few months, the price of everything has gone up  especially petrol/diesel.gas which has brought knock on increases in the price of food,fertilizers,home heating oil or kerosene and . .just about everything else.

I recently bought five hundred liters of kerosene which worked out @€1.40/liter or €700 for the fill. It was €0.86/liter before Christmas (which was up on a previous price). Very wallet emptying these increases, Bord Gáis put up prices 27% for electricity and up 40 % for gas other energy  companies have made similar increases..

What does one do ?

No body has got wage increases of 27%, poor people have decided to turn off the heating as they can’t afford it, take less journeys by car, shop at Lidl or Aldi, look for wage increases or increases in social  welfare all in aid  of making one ends meet.

  • Whats the reason for all these increases ? More demand for oil and gas, production cuts by OPEC and other oil producers, more demand by Asian countries.. Largely i blame the Saudis for “gouging” consumers and being able to get away with it..
  • The Irish Daily Mail says most people are €3,000 worst off than before all the prices increases in oil&gas. Maybe people will switch to renewable energy i.e Wind/Solar/Hydro/Nuclear it should be cheaper. . They should be a switch to electric or hydrogen cars in the next ten years that will reduce the demand for oil and gas.
  • I can’t wait for that to happen !

Classic Hits “Guaranteed Irish”.

May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'classic 94 94-105FM 105FM Ireland's Classic Hits Radio GUARANIEED WIHMEGHANN WITH'

Flicked on the radio to “Classic Hits” the show that was on was “Guaranteed Irish” with Meghann Scully 8-10 pm Sunday night . She introduced a band i think was called the  “Academic”  and their t0ur dates in Belfast and Derry which she called “Londonderry” only a loyalist calls it rhat and then asked if rhey had any Irish dates ? ? !!!

Fuck me but I thought that Belfast and Derry were in Ireland !!!

Didn’t ace at geography but at least I got that right.

Here a map of Ireland for her/

Beautiful Map of Ireland in English and Irish Gaeilge image 1

Books That I have Read- Billy Connolly Windswept and Interesting.

Here is the autobiography of Billy Connolly A Glasgow born Catholic who is famous for his comedy sketches. He was described as Windswept and Interesting by a singer who he knew. He describes people who are “Windswept and Interesting” just have to be it … they don’t care what people say about them, they don’t buy new clothes , they’ll  try on a tea cosy when no-one is around and tell their story their own damn way.

“Billy” was born in November 1942 in a Glasgow tenement to a father who was away at War and a young Mother. Their mother abandoned them when he was four years of age and was placed in a children’s home but was taken out by his Aunts on his father’s side, He went to live with his Aunts in a rather cramped house. He got a rather tough upbringing, one of his Aunts used to  beat him till he stood up to her years later, he also got a trashing from the nuns which continued when he went to the “big” school. He told his classmates that he wanted to be a comedian and they all laughed !

He was abused by his Aunt and sexually abused by his father who he had to share a bed with when he came back from the War. “Billy” didn’t do well at school, he couldn’t do his homework with the situation at home and was regularly bashed by his teachers.. He apprenticed  as a welder at a Glasgow shipyard but his heart wasn’t in it and dossed alot.

He started to play at  a folk hall with a banjo and began telling jokes to the audience. He was a “stand by” act if someone didn’t show up. His career in comedy begin to take off and played at larger and larger venues.  He experienced his marriage break up but his career kept going, He lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York  and starred in a few films.

He is now in his late Seventies  and suffers from Parkinson’s, he lives in the Florida keys and says he hasn’t done bad for a welder who got away with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams denies being Mi5 Spy.

Just browsing facebook and came across this post from Irish History and Troubles about Gerry Adams being a Mi5 spy.. This accusation dates from 2014, you can see the article on Belfast Telegraph website here .

The report alleges that Gerry Adams was turned in 1972 during a Police interrogation and worked secretly for Mi5 since then. The RUC/ PSNI made this claim when Mr Adams was arrested in 2014 over the Jean McConville killing, Mr Adams was held by the Ruc/PSNI for four days. Accusations like this are not uncommon in this regard. Rumor has it that at least half of the IRA worked for the security forces.  Working for the security forces would make alot of things add up- why all the constant “mistakes” that ended up being a propaganda victory for the Brits.

One wonders if more will come out on Mr Adams, I will keep a ear out for anymore.

 

See the source image
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