Turn Off, Tune Out and Boycott Radio Teilifis Eireann

Yesterday a number of Irish people turned off, tuned out and dropped in on Ireland’s public service broadcaster RTE. They were protesting media bias that ‘favours elites and demonizes ordinary people’. The serious overpayment of out of touch media ‘stars’, along with their conflicts of interest jarred with the obvious fiscal poverty of those excluded from the station’s grounds by barricades and riot police. In the ever widening fiscal gulf, between the internet/public library educated class and the ones who say they are worth their massive salaries, there is frustration and anger – but on the street, over riding that raw emotion, is a feeling of caring, kindliness and camaraderie. In 2013, four hundred and eleven people were jailed for non payment of the TV license fee. (Radio Teleifis Eireann fund themselves through a public private partnership of social funding and advertising revenue). In fact last year ‘almost 9,000 people, the equivalent of one every hour, were jailed for failing to pay fines,(in general) despite a Dáil (parliament) call last for a blanket ban on the practice‘. Juxtapose that with the odd rogue banker who received community service when actually sentenced or a high profile swimming coach and sex abuser released on a technicality legally living and working in the USA.

I was offered a lift by a kindly protester to a concurrent city centre rally highlighting the jailing of four Right2Water protesters. Not one to turn down an adventure, my friend and I jumped right into his car. A cavalcade of vehicles in various states of decay rolled slowly through Dublin’s south side flying Irish Tricolours, blaring horns and chanting anti austerity slogans. It was one the most effective protests I have even been part of. In this country cavalcades equal visiting ‘dignitaries’ or funerals. The people on the streets did a double take. After the initial surprise there were mostly lots of smiles and honks of solidarity that raised the roofs of the surrounding buildings.
We joined the awaiting yellow ribboned protesters on O’Connell Street amidst their cheers. Kindliness pervaded the atmosphere. Tourists taking selfies with Tricoloured festooned protesters, food sharing, chat. A boy and his mum admired a pair of designer cycling shades I was wearing. I just handed them to him. ‘I couldn’t’ he said. ‘Don’t be silly of course you can- they are only copies. Not the real deal I’m afraid ‘ . Sporting them gleefully he gave me a big hug as his mum thanked me.
Onward we marched, foot soldiers and cavalcade, to Mountjoy Jail to hear messages from the detainees read out by loved ones. Visits to them from politicians have been vetoed. This week a motion by Dublin City Council was carried to have them released but was ignored by government.

Paul Murphy MP who was recently arrested for his part in a peaceful but boisterous protest in West Dublin is awaiting prosecution. He happened to walk with me. He is a young man, gentle, sweet and moral. As we chatted it was clear to me that he actually does care about people. He also cares about the raping and pillaging of this country on behalf of banksters. We spoke about the struggle to hang onto the last of our natural resources – water.

‘It’s at a critical point and they are scared’ he said. ‘They threw us a carrot and now it’s the stick. They have jailed four. They have arrested over twenty more and although the files are with the DPP, well sourced journalists are saying that the Guards are recommending prosecution. Irish Water have again pushed back the registration date to the end of 2015. They have deferred the EU test that Irish Water LTD must undergo to show it’s funding is off balance sheet. Soon all kinds of scare tactics will hit the airwaves. Only mass non payment will sink Irish Water forever and return the resource to the people of Ireland. There is no penalty for not paying (as it’s a private company) so it would be silly to pay.’