Taking the Power Back

I have come to believe that the way to take the power back is to keep talking. Lets mention the 12 million euro that has been suddenly offered to Kilkenny County Council, towards the Brewery Site development…in a 'joint venture'. Lets remind the council that they are currently losing their high court battle to build the CAS bridge to the brewery site because it is such an Environmental disaster, a town planning outrage and a plan that has elicited months of dedicated public opposition. Lets ask if this 12 million involves the guys building the bridge per chance.

Lets ask if the same people who are building the CAS are connected to the animal bodies disposal service that the council want to give the dog shelter contract to, for a further 250 grand. Call me radical, but lets not only ask, lets even expect an answer. Why do the councils and the government not need to answer questions? I thought they held public offices? And why do companies not have to answer queries either. If they are ever picked up on anything and have to own up, the council compensates them handsomely. It is absurdity at its highest level. And this company, who I suspect that the council still want to get the dog shelter, have no website, no office, no animal welfare policy, no accountability and no interest at all in responding to concerns about their operations. And still they needn't worry as the council protects them rigorously.

I was at the Green Party launch last week and the brilliant Cllr Malcolm Noonan was launching his campaign. It was difficult to even get to Green issues as everyone was talking about the lack of power people have and even the elected councillors have. One lady explained extraordinarily, why the whole public procurement plan is madness. Instead of people and groups, who know what they're doing, asking for funding…now the councils and government issue unrealistic contracts for groups to tender for. Development, community, housing, welfare - people and animals - are just dirty jobs that someone has to do and the public tenders go out and are snapped up by the lowest bidder, regardless of any further qualification to do the work.

Lets ask if its true that Joan Burton, Tanoiste, has taken a decision to sign the eviction notice of 100 families in the last months and hundreds more to come. Lets ask why the Department of Agriculture have an animal welfare law that allows fur farming, live transport and the import of thousands of mice and other animals for experimentation. Lets ask why Irish Companies pay 12% tax and really rich companies arriving on Irish shores don't have to pay tax. Is it not embarrassing to ingratiate ourselves to companies who care about nothing and no one. Dairy companies offer to coat pharmaceutical tablets, deal after deal is made. Dairy and manufactured drugs are equally indigestible, if anyone was wondering and yet these companies go to bed together.

Sellafield invites nuclear waste from other countries, Dublin invites domestic waste from anywhere and everywhere to keep its incinerator going. Oil, frack and nuclear companies have meetings and decide that its a great idea to bury nuclear waste in pre-fracked gas corridors. Who in their right mind wants those industries sitting around deciding on what the Earth can handle, waste-wise, produce-wise? I feel it might be time that we have more women on the board. Or at least people with a sense of wise unselfish governance. For the moment, though, don't be afraid to speak your truth.

This afternoon in Carlow, they marked the anniversary of the last woman to be hanged in Carlow. I didn't catch what she had done or if there were men hanged since. It was in 1835 and we had a minute's silence today at half two, which is when it happened. I should also add that one person in Carlow has killed themselves, every day of this year…and plenty more elsewhere. I ask that all remaining people, with destructive tendencies, pause before they do anything drastic. You deserve to live and thrive and be happy. Take the power back and start talking.