Sign the Aontú petition to stop the NCT going cashless!

I the undersigned call on the NCT to reverse their decision to operate cashless. The NCT is a state service delivered on contract by a private company. It is a mandatory service. People who drive must get an NCT or otherwise face thousands of euro of fines, penalty points or even prison.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland do not have bank accounts. Older people, younger people and people on lower incomes are less likely to have bank accounts than the average person.

Forcing hundreds of thousands of older people to rely on their children or neighbours to carry out simple transactions with the state takes away their independence and autonomy. All citizens no matter who they are should be included in the economic life of this country. Older people should be empowered to be independent and not be excluded.

Also, many people living in rural areas do not have good broad band connections or mobile phone signals. This seriously disadvantages them in procuring digital only services with the state.

People who rely on tips, fundraise with club lotteries, charities, buskers, church gate collections will all suffer if the government allows the cash to be deleted in daily transactions.

A cashless society will also leave citizens vulnerable to Bank ICT crisis, internet scamming and cyber-attacks.

Cash is legal tender. Its time that the Minister of Finance clarified what does this mean. Does it mean that organisations such as the NCT in the pay of state can unilaterally kill cash?

SIGN THE PETITION BELOW

https://chng.it/zG2r6LfFDC

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.