\Ok, so I am sitting here listening to a current affairs programme on the TV and I have to just wonder what are people going on about?

When I bought my house almost 5 years ago I came to live in it on my own.

I remember the day very wel when I moved in. It was a Thursday evening and I remember when my parents who were helping with the move, left locking the entry doors and checking that I had done it. I had my dog Ralph who thankfully is still with me here and I felt safe but there was always the realisation that something could happen and I was on my own in a house that I had just bought not knowing many people around me and I had to be alert.

I have heard countless radio stories about people terrified because of some shitheads that have taken an opportunity and entered a persons home illegally and either beat them up or just robbed them of what they had. A lot of these stories will be about elderly people or people that will not have the means to protect themselves. The question I asked myself for a long time up to now was why?

Now, finally someone is seing some sense.

We are being told of a new bill which is at the moment being put together by the law reform commission here in Ireland which may help to change some of what has happen.

Now, if a little shithead tries to enter my home uninvited I may have the power if I wish to use it to fight them off. If I feel threatened I don’t care bill or no bill I would do what ever I could if I felt that I had the nerve to do it but if this law is passed it will protect me because at the moment I am just meant to retreat and wait to be rescued by the police.

So, why am I writing about this cause surely this is great news?

No, this is terrible news. The burglar won’t have as many rights as before. Imagine, our friends in the Irish council for civil liberties are shocked to hear that we could be doing something that would diminish the rights of a burglar that may get into my house and possibly threaten me or put me in danger. “Remember, a burglar has rights too.” That is what I heard one of them saying on a programme I listened to recently and that really infuriated me.

So, tonight I heard it being debated again and yes, the old bullshit came out again oh we just give them bigger sentences in prison and leave all alone. But thankfully the government and myself are on side on this one. It seems that we will get some sort of protection and that I know if I hear someone coming into my house ready to rob it I can try if possible to protect myself and my property and know that the law will be on my side.

So, just in case they lose the plot as sometimes happens I would urge that anyone that reads this blog entry contacts their local TD and just gives their support to thisbill and encourages them to bring it forward and hopefully we can hope that people will feel secure in their homes.