Well done Joe Behan!
Comments(10)
There is some semblance of integrity in Irish politics.
Joe Behan, a Fianna Fáil backbencher, has resigned from the party because of his moral opposition to the automatic removal of a medical card entitlement to over 70′s and the upping of the pupil/teacher ratio from 27:1 to 28:1.
Joe Behan is a former school principal. I applaud his stance. I applaud his fortitude against the Fianna Fáil machine.
Slashing the Medical Card entitlement to such a low cut-off point will cause hardship for a lot of pensioners who worked hard for our country throughout their lives. By all means cut off the pensioners who have the company shares, the property portfolio etc. but leave the rest with their Medical Card.
I pity those who had a card, cancelled their health insurance and are now in danger of losing the card. It takes years to build up enough ‘credits’ with a health insurer before entitlements kick in. A lot of pensioners don’t have the luxury to wait years. It’s shameful.
If this is the way I can expect to be treated when I retire I’d be as well off living for today, forget about saving for a pension and take my chances when the time comes.
Returning to Joe Behan ….. there are many more like him from a teaching background within Fianna Fáil …. I wonder if they’ll follow his example?
I’ll bet that Finian McGrath, the Independent T.D. ( a current Fianna Fáil lap dog), won’t follow Joe Behan’s lead. Finian McGrath is also a former primary school principal but he’s not as principled!
Finian has previously graced these pages (Dáil debate on the Primary School Capitation Grant) for failing to support an increase in funding for primary schools. The term ‘turncoat’ comes to mind.
Given a choice of Joe Behan or Finian McGrath to cover my back in a sticky situation ….. the answer is obvious!
As a matter of fact …. to increase my odds of survival I’d volunteer to give the other side McGrath!
Eat rashers. Or when you retire move to an EU country with a predominantly young and hardworking population.
I am a native of Wicklow and know Joe Behan and I am proud to have him in out constituency. He seems to be the only one so far that has had the back bone to stand up for his and all our principals. Well done to him.
Paddy, I am a senior citizen living off my savings now and I expect to start to live off my capital after a few years. Mentally, I am prepared for this and when the day comes, I shall be only too pleased to ask you over to be with me!
In the next few years, the world will be populated by about 60% of under thirties. They are likely to ask why they should be taxed to pay for the senior citizens who did not make provisions for their old age. They are also the generation that is not overly enamored by children. That alas is already the case in many Western countries and perhaps it is so in Ireland also. The vote bank is that age group of people.
The politicians do not really care one way or the other as long as they are sure of votes and their own nests are feathered. It is rare indeed to come across someone as principled as Joe Behan and I too join you in saluting this man of character.
Our Teacher/Pupil ratio is 18:1 but class sizes tend to be around 28! Isn’t the slashing of the medical card means tested? Here everyone has a ‘medicare’ card and seniors can qualify for a Commonwealth Health Card which is means tested (must earn less than $50,000 for singles, $80,000 for couples) which seems fair to me. That’s a good after tax income. The term principled politician seems to be an oxymoron these days!
There was a unanimous vote on a motion supporting him in his resignation from FF taken at the ELSTA conference on Saturday!
Great comments ~ thank you all!
Hi Paddy
What a great man Joe Behan is – we have spent too many years just taking it on the chin from FF – I hope this is the start of the entire nation standing up and saying enough is enough !
We the public put you in your jobs – Then I think as the public we should order a minimum of 50% pay cuts for any member of government, civil servant and bank official who are eaning over €200,000.00.
I think Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan should be sacked – it is obvious that they have not done their jobs – this budget smacks of a knee jerk reaction to the credit crisis – this budget was thrown together and very little research was done on it – I have heard more innovative and fair ways of ” pulling in our belts ” ideas from the public than this disasterous budget – and the public dont get paid for it – WE PAY FOR IT.
I wish I could start a revolution – and show this government and furture governments – that they ultimately WORK FOR US – not us for them.
Regards – hope there are more Joe Behans out there
Angela
Co. wicklow
Well done Joe, You will get my vote in the future, as I am now living in Wicklow. Keep up the good work!
Yeah some ‘honourable’ politician alright. One of only 4 remaining politicians who still pockets the difference in salary between how much he is paid for a job he is holding onto, thus preventing another teacher from gaining proper employment and how much the sub teacher replacing him is paid.
Read this part slowly and carefully again. On top of his TD salary, he gets his teacher salary minus the subs salary! He is also holding onto two jobs whilst teachers are losing their jobs and newly qualified teachers cannot find jobs.
Honourable politican, an oxymoron if ever there was one!
richie