Joined up thinking for the Irish Left
New Books Worth Reading Mon Sep 19, 2016 23:25 | Seán Sheehan
13 Billion ? Lucky for some? Mon Sep 05, 2016 13:04 | Tony Phillips
Rebuilding Ireland: Long on Promise, Short on Detail Mon Aug 29, 2016 22:20 | Eoin O'Mahony
Brexit and Other Issues: Comments on the Current Situation Mon Aug 29, 2016 21:52 | Brendan Young
Bin Charges: From Private Circus to Public Service Tue Jun 21, 2016 12:38 | Michael Taft Irish Left Review >>
What is Dogmatism and Why Does It Matter? Wed Mar 21, 2018 08:10 | Sylvia Smith
The Case of Comrade Dallas Mon Mar 19, 2018 19:44 | Sylvia Smith
Review: Do Religions Evolve? Mon Aug 14, 2017 19:54 | Dara McHugh
Fake News: The Epistemology of Media Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:52 | Gavin Mendel-Gleason
Officials and Provisionals Sat Apr 01, 2017 22:54 | James O'Brien Spirit of Contradiction >>
Life should be full of strangeness, like a rich painting
Some Thoughts on the Brexit Joint Report 11:50 Sat Dec 09, 2017
IRISH COMMONWEALTH: TRADE UNIONS AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE 21ST CENTURY 14:06 Sat Nov 18, 2017
Notes for a Book on Money and the Irish State - The Marshall Aid Program 15:10 Sat Apr 02, 2016
The Financial Crisis:What Have We Learnt? 19:58 Sat Aug 29, 2015
Money in 35,000 Words or Less 21:34 Sat Aug 22, 2015 Dublin Opinion >>
Farewell from NWL Sun May 19, 2013 14:00 | namawinelake
Happy 70th Birthday, Michael Sun May 19, 2013 14:00 | namawinelake
Of the Week? Sat May 18, 2013 00:02 | namawinelake
Noonan denies IBRC legal fees loan approval to Paddy McKillen was in breach of E... Fri May 17, 2013 14:23 | namawinelake
Gayle Killilea Dunne asks to be added as notice party in Sean Dunne?s bankruptcy Fri May 17, 2013 12:30 | namawinelake NAMA Wine Lake >>
|
Yet Another Government Betrayal
international |
housing |
press release
Thursday June 28, 2012 17:35 by Anti Eviction Task Force - Anti Eviction Task Force

Labour and Fine Gael are content to put their feet on the heads of home owners who re struggling to keep their heads above water
Labour agree with Fine Gael that it is better to pay the mega wealthy than to keep the promises made to the slave class... oooops working class The Anti Eviction Taskforce strongly condemns Minister Bruton's actions in signing an order restricting access to the mortgage interest supplement, which has helped thousands of low income families meet their monthly repayments. This action by the government is untenable and is a further blow to the people most affected by the misdeeds of the government and banks.
Since coming to power on a tidal wave of lies and broken promises starting with the infamous mantra of 'not one more red cent', we have seen nothing but broken promises, including the present government's promise of 'being committed to helping homeowners in distress to weather the recession, and to ensuring that Ireland has a sustainable housing policy'.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind the government and the people of Ireland of what they said in their programme for government:
Introducing a two-year moratorium on repossessions of modest family homes where a family makes an honest effort to pay their mortgage.
Fast-tracking personal bankruptcy reform needed to bring us into line with best international standards, such as introducing a flexible discharge period for 'honest bankrupts', defined as one that has materially complied with the Tax, NAMA and Companies Acts among others.
Converting the Money Advice and Budgeting Service into a strengthened Personal Debt Management Agency with strong legal powers. The agency will support families who make an honest effort to deal with their debts, including non-mortgage debt, providing protection from their creditors where appropriate, so that they have time to sort out their affairs. In order to do so, the Personal Debt Management Agency will have quasi-judicial status.
Making greater use of Mortgage Interest Supplement to support families who cannot meet their mortgage payments, which is a better and cheaper option than paying rent supplement after a family loses their home.
It has become apparent without any shadow of a doubt that the only people that Fine Gael and Labour represent are those in positions of power: the very wealthy, the bankers and bondholders. This month €3.6 billion has been paid to unsecured, and even unguaranteed bondholders, yet the reasoning for this decision to stop paying the MIS from Enda Kenny according to the Independent is "It is the banks who get this money. This year it will cost about 50 million euro."
The great hope that Fine Gael and Labour would work together to get the country up and running has dwindled from a flame to a flicker to a dying ember. In fact, we have witnessed the ultimate betrayal: a Labour politician sign away the only hope that some people have of keeping a roof over their families' heads - not just a roof but a home. The most recent and most telling episode in this saga of betrayal is being released this week with the two-pronged attack on ordinary families that are striving to keep their heads above water. The Personal Insolvency Bill gives not one shred of assistance to homeowners yet gives the banks a veto on any possible resolution, coupled with the removal of the Mortgage Interest Supplement it is win/win for the banks and government and lose/lose for the people of Ireland.
Under new rules, hard-pressed mortgage holders will first have to approach their bank or building society and negotiate a restructuring of their mortgage. The restructuring plan will have to be in place for 12 months before they can even apply to the Department of Social Welfare for the mortgage interest supplement. However, there is NOTHING in place that actually obliges the banks to do this.
To date, we are all still living with the moral hazard of the financial sector, paying for their mistakes and having homes repossessed by the very same institutions we are bailing out. Restricted access to the Mortgage Interest Supplement will mean that more families will lose their homes.
There has been no real strategy or assistance given to the people of Ireland. During recapitalization the banks were given €7.5 billion specifically for residential mortgages, yet only a tiny fraction of this can be accounted for. Despite the fact that the main lenders have received significant subvention from the State, precisely to help them deal with mortgage losses. AIB, for example, was recapitalised to the tune of €7.5 billion to cover losses on residential mortgages. As of last September, the bank had written down just €600,000 in residential mortgage debt for borrowers. (Bank of Ireland received €1.8 billion, and had at that point written down nothing.) There is nothing to oblige banks to help people, yet we have been forced to pay for the mistakes of the financial sector.
Is the Irish government willing to stand over and be the cause of yet more families becoming homeless?
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (1 of 1)
Jump To Comment: 1The short answer to your question is yes, a lot (perhaps a majority) have taken on the values of the system. They don't give a stuff about anyone but themselves. What the 50% who abstained in the austerity poll think about is a mystery, perhaps they don't even try.