Messages

I'm not one for conspiracy theories normally, but is there possibly someone on the inside of DFI deliberately messing up the plans and leaving loopholes for the objectors?

That point might not be as daft as you might think. Not necessarily deliberately messing things up but perhaps passing inside information to the objectors

Well if it's that easy to resolve, and I'm obviously not disagreeing with you, why are they starting to return the land to the landowners?

The problem that I have with the environmental issue is wait to you see the bonfires in about 3 weeks time. The amount of rubbish and tyres etc. being burned is crazy.

Not only that but the amount of farmers and companies poisioning fish in rivers ever other month is mad. Then a token fine.

Plus the amount of sewage being pumped into the water ways is crazy also.

I could go on but what's the point.

Either work to clean the environment or don't basically.

100% or nothing. 

The people involved couldn't give one f**k about the environment. Its to stop the fenians getting anything. Plain and simple

It's more to do with the perception of strengthening connections across the island of Ireland than 'fenians' getting something.

Certain backward looking unionists will probably see this as a road from Dublin going right through our wee country.

Objection to the Carlingford bridge comes from the same mindset.

I don't think you're comparing like with like. Narrow Water bridge is primarily a vanity project which is going to do little to alleviate congestion on the approaches to Newry. I don't recall there being any big unionist objection to it

Going back to the topic, did SF/SDLP/Alliance shoot themselves in the foot here by supporting the Green Party's proposed Climate Change Act which included the 2050 target of zero emissions, rather than the DAERA one which had a more realistic and achievable 82% reduction?

On a side issue, when they were upgrading the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, why did they place the floodlight pillars at the front of the terrace rather than at the rear. Their positioning would appear to create a lie of restricted viewing areas

Can't understand why the Cork/Kerry match, which was by no means a sellout, was on live on GAA+ while Down/Louth, which seems to have sold out, isn't available

Strange that there should be 2 Israelis shot in America just as wider public opinion is turning against them

What's actually very funny is that the feminist movement has mobilised on this big time, as if the rule had been forced on the camogs by men, and calling it a victory for girl power.

What channel is it on!

Strange that she should commit suicide on a good day to bury bad news

RIP Micko. As a manager he was years ahead of his time.

[A friend who semi retired last year showed me his figures, commute £6k per year, pay back £10k to receive £91k plus £130k interest.]

Does anyone here have a Government occupational pension that's affected by the McCloud Judgement?

No, but previously worked in pensions for the health service so have a decent understanding of it if you've any questions.

I haven't got my McCloud assessment yet. Semi retired 4 years ago, fully retired a year ago. A friend who semi retired last year showed me his figures, commute £6k per year, pay back £10k to receive £91k plus £130k interest.

When semi-retired are they still paying pensionable contributions? Is semi-retirement as part of Partial Retirement or did they go Part-Time hours wise? I'm asking as you don't have to pay back anything as part of the McCloud Judgement.


Essentially if you joined the pension scheme before 1st April 2012 and had any active service between 01/04/2015 and 31/03/2022 you will be impacted.

Your choice will be whether to move those 7 years service (or the part of those 7 years that's applicable) from the newer Career Average scheme (CARE in Health Service, Alpha/Partnership in Civil Service etc.) to your Legacy scheme. This will reduce what you receive in your newer scheme and increase what you get in your legacy scheme. You do not have to pay anything to do this, just decide if it's financially more beneficial for you.

Legacy schemes often had automatic lump sums whereas career average schemes don't (although options may be in place to convert some of your pension to a lump sum in both legacy and newer schemes). Lump sums tended to be tax-free whereas your monthly payments are usually subject to tax.

Note any pensionable service after 31/03/2022 will be in the newer scheme regardless of your choice.

Not sure of his position but when I partially retired in 2020 I continued to pay pension contributions until I fully retired in 2024.

Does anyone here have a Government occupational pension that's affected by the McCloud Judgement?

No, but previously worked in pensions for the health service so have a decent understanding of it if you've any questions.

I haven't got my McCloud assessment yet. Semi retired 4 years ago, fully retired a year ago. A friend who semi retired last year showed me his figures, commute £6k per year, pay back £10k to receive £91k plus £130k interest.

Does anyone here have a Government occupational pension that's affected by the McCloud Judgement?

Does the Monaghan jersey look like it has a poppy