21st Century Stupidity: Willie O’Dea On Alcoholism

Would you choose to be an alcoholic? I doubt any of us would. An addiction is something which controls you’re whole life. It’s a leech; robbing the victims of their enjoyment of life. It can be debilitating and difficult to beat.

But, according to Willie O’Dea, this isn’t the case and he doesn’t think that the 124 people in Ireland claiming illness benefits from the state due to alcohol addiction deserve the money.

Why? The  Fianna Fáil Social Protection spokesman  told The Irish Daily Mail it was wrong to pay people who were “literally indulging themselves”, adding that “If someone has a disease called alcoholism, then you don’t drink, you give up the drink.”

If we were living in the early 2oth century, O’Dea’s comments wouldn’t be that astonishing. But in 2013, with a wealth of scientific and proven information to show that alcoholism is a disease, O’Dea’s political stance is to deny those who are ill  financial help because of some cracked idea that it’s their own fault they’re sick.

” I know people who have cancer or are suffering from motor neurone disease who can’t get medical cards. They didn’t drink or bring those things on themselves and they’re the victims” he said. The Mayo Clinic states that alcoholism is a “chronic and often progressive disease”. A disease. Not something that the person asked for.

It is disgraceful that seriously ill people are facing the loss of medical cards due to cutbacks. But to link that issue with addicts receiving social welfare for an   is inappropriate and stigmatizing.

To insinuate that those who receive social welfare as they try to battle addiction are some how stealing services from terminally ill patients is disgusting. If you want to find blame in this, look to those who are responsible for cuts in our healthcare – the TD’s in the Dáil.  Not a vulnerable group in society who Mr O’Dea deems unworthy of help.

O’Dea’s comment that alcoholics should simply “give up the drink” demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of addiction and mental health issues. Should we also tell people suffering from anorexia to just eat more? Advise people suffering depression to get up and get on with it and stop moping around?

As a public figure, O’Dea’s comments are ignorant, hurtful and perpetuate damaging stereotypes. He should be ashamed of himself; I know I’m ashamed that he is a politician in my country.

Budget Battles: 9 Bones of Contention

It’s nearly that dreaded time of year again; Budget day. Every year, the people of Ireland gather to hear what brutal cuts the government has in store for us this year. Popular items to place a cheeky bet on the rise in cost is alcohol and cigarettes.

But we’re broken down the favourite battles likely to occur between the coalition. Let the games commence!

Photo: Humanrightsinireland

9. Free GP care for children under five
Labour is anxious to fulfill at least one of the promises they made in the last general election. They want a bill implemented by 2016 to provide all under-five’s with free GP care. However, doubts loom whether the government will have a new deal with GP’s by then.

8. Overtime for Guards
In 2013, there has 10 million euro worth of cuts to Garda overtime (when you hear figures like that, you kind of wonder, “How are we still in debt!?”). But our guardians are bracing themselves for more cuts with the budget, but it is believed big national operations will not be effected.

7. Water Charges
They’re not even due to begin until January 2015, but we’ve be hearing about them for ages already. But the government will be under pressure to let people know exactly how much these charges will be and the crux of this decision lies in the size of the free water allowance the government creates.

6. Middle-Class tax breaks
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton have both voiced support in favour of tax breaks for Ireland’s squeezed middle-class. Middle-class Irish citizens have been caught in a catch 22 situation in recent years and it’s hoped that tax breaks would lead to a boost in spending.

5. Pupil-Teacher Ratio
So far, Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has avoided increasing the number of this ratio, meaning more students allocated to a teacher. However, he recently said that this could amended to make more savings.

4. Private Patient Charges
Private patients will now be charged for using a public hospital bed as of next year. While this had already been announced in the 2012 budget, it won’t come into affect until next year and is set to bring in 30 million euro. As a result, the cost for private insurance for patients will rise and increases in health insurance likely.

3. The Elderly
According to reports, there will be no cut to the old age pension but a Labour budget group is examining a plan to extend the Universal Social Charge to the Contributory Old Age Pension which could create problems.

2. Social Welfare
Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton is trying to achieve 440 million euro in savings. As a result, it seems cuts will be inevitable and harsh. The holy trinity of the troika has been pushing for time limitations on social welfare benefits; for example, a person on the dole would see their weekly payment decreased in accordance with how long they have been on the dole. If this were to be implemented, it would create more painful circumstances for our society’s vulnerable.

1. Who gets the moolah?
Apparently, we have 1 billion euro to share around due to a renegotiation on the Anglo promissory note. While both parties agree this money should be used to take the sting out of the budget, Fine Gael and Labour have very different ideas on where this money should go. Prepare for fisticuff’s outside Leinster House.