Education: Not free here

I am genuinely shocked at what I have just read https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/exam-fees-for-the-leaving-cert-and-junior-cert-are-set-to-be-waived-this-year-41308131.html How on earth can any government justify charging secondary school pupils to sit exams. They need these qualifications to be able to access college, university and the world of work. I know that nothing is ever free, but is paid for through taxation so …

My Coronavirus diary 11

I’ll start this by saying that I am totally fed up. The level 5 restrictions have been extended until March 5th. Numbers are very slowly coming down here. I know it needs to be done and my anxiety level over Coronavirus has been really high since before Christmas, especially knowing that there are several more …

My Coronavirus diary 8

We went to level 3 restrictions here on Wednesday. I wish I was optimistic that it will reduce the prevalence of Coronavirus cases but I’m not. I can see us heading for another total lockdown. To be fair, I think it will be the wake up call that we need. I have spent all week …

My thoughts on 2020

So we are now 5 months into 2020 and I can honestly say it has been unbelievably awful. Not only has Coronavirus wreaked havoc on the world aided in no small part by the incompetent leadership of Boris Johnson but now there are protests and riots in the US. My heart breaks at the horrific …

Are we in a parallel universe?

I reached the age of majority, i.e. voting age at 18. At 40, I have been eligible and registered to vote for 22 years. I no longer live in the UK nor am I registered to vote there but my family and friends still live there and are impacted upon the results of referenda and …

Another political post

It strikes me more and more that governments worldwide but particularly in the UK and Ireland are more interested in the needs of the few than the many. Budget after budget sees tax breaks for big business and more taxes on the already squeezed middle. The Conservative policy of austerity has seen public services savaged …