9th September, 1999
As I write this on a Monday the rain is
coming down in torrents. A few weeks ago a reader rang us about
the lack of drains at the bus stop across from Breens Service
Station at Donnybrook. We rang the council and we were informed
that new drains were fitted during the summer. We printed this
and within hours the phone was ringing. Angry readers were
asking, “Where are the Drains?” Today I drove to Breens
and now there is a new bus top at Breens entrance. There was a
lake at the bus stop and any person who was foolish enough to
stand there would need an aqua suit. Across the road at the other
bus stop there was an even bigger lake and no sign of a drain,
and even worse the brand new tarmacadam surface is being dug up
again. Peter Kelly told us that Bord Gais and Eircom would be the
last and that the road would finally be re-surfaced and that
would be the end of the excavation. But readers, the Gods laugh
when men make plans.
The interview in the ‘Weekly’ this week is
unfortunately true. Another horror story from the innocent
fifties. Last year I did an interview with one of the women who
runs Cuanlee House, the refuge for abused women and children. I
will always remember one thing she said, which was, ‘The
first slap is one too many, get out then’. The Tel No of
Cuanlee House is (021) 277698.
Speaking of abuse the TD & senators are taking a good bit of
it from the public and the press over that word
‘Expenses’,. I honestly believe that the senate, like
the house of Lords in England is not representative of the
people, failed TD’s, business men and women, academies,
friends of politicians etc. They get paid about £20,000 a year
and on top of that expenses. Now we come to the TD’s who we
are told are looking for a £200 a week increase. A few of them
complained that they are almost on the breadline. Do they think
that we are fools to believe that line? Their annual income is
£38,000 topped up with expenses of £40,000 brings it up to
£78,000. And how many of them have other jobs and more income.
I’d love to be a TD on the breadline. One TD claimed £6,638
in a year for phone calls. That’s £18 a day on phone calls
or 54,750 calls a year. What more can I say? What about this
planned checkpoint war on dole cheats. Perhaps a few letters in
the word ‘DOLE’ should be changed, if you get my
meaning.
By the time you read this friends I will be on holidays. No, I do
not have any friends with villas in France. I do know someone
with a bungalow in Graball Bay. Come to think of it wouldn’t
that make a good name for a politicians holiday resort, Graball
Bay!
Bye for now,
Michael O’Hanlon.
