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House of Commons backs call to release Hillsborough documents

THE UK’S House of Commons has this evening voted unanimously passed a motion calling for the release of all government documents relating to the Hillsborough Stadium disaster in 1989, in which 96 Liverpool fans were killed. The motion, which was triggered by a public petition, calls for the documents – including Cabinet minutes – to be released in an unedited format to the families of the 96 victims and the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

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4 Comments
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    Mute mart_n
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 3:42 PM

    Heartless bastards whoever done this. It’s scary to think that such people are at large in our society

    371
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    Mute Liz Callaghan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:13 PM

    If the fishermen are so worried about their dwindling fish numbers then maybe they should aim their guns at the Spanish trawlers which overfish our seas on a daily basis. Either that or focus on the government who allow our seas to be fair game for any country which want to stock up on Irish fish.

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    Mute Glyn Carragher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 3:53 PM

    Why, ??? is shooting a slow moving animal fun/sport ?? sad

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    Mute Elaine O'Callaghan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:58 PM

    Don’t think they were shot for fun/sport. Most likely fisherman/men.

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:09 PM

    There’s a time and a place for jokes and this is not one of them. Cruel heartless bastards…doing that to a defenseless animal.

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    Mute Nicola Monaghan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:11 PM

    another indication of the fabulous people living in our society, hope they don’t drop their gun and blow the foot off themselves!

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    Mute Paul Quigley
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:20 PM

    Absolute Disgrace – i agree with Martin, someone was clearly trying to make a statement – fishermen should learn to deal with this beautiful sea creature – after all – we are the ones invading their enviroment and taking their food … cant believe they want to have them culled.

    113
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    Mute Ciaran McGrath
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:15 PM

    I think we need a cull of fishermen.

    104
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    Mute Gerard Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:11 PM

    and let me be the first to say it – bankers!

    54
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    Mute Kevin J. Currid
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:29 PM

    …Really!!?!!…. Were you not happy enough with the 5 souls lost last month…..ingnorant replies, from ingnorant people…who said fishermen did it?…..no-one….more than likely this Muppet and his mates……come down to Kilmore Quay……..

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    Mute Ciaran McGrath
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:34 PM

    @Kevin Calm yourself down there. If fishermen really are killing seals because they’re competing with them then I have little sympathy. Surely they should be more concerned about the tons of fish that are taken from Irish waters thanks to our friends in EU.

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    Mute Livida Kelly
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:20 PM

    There are no words to describe these people!! Sickening cruelty to a beautiful creature! Obviously fishermen who a peed off with the competition!

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    Mute franco
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 3:51 PM

    surely heidi klum is a suspect …

    79
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    Mute Adam Long
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:16 PM

    A sickening act of cruelty against a beautiful and intelligent animal. Let’s hope those who are responsible are tracked down and punished and not just given a slap on the wrist either.

    And the Journal are right to report on this story. Many people are concerned about animal welfare and if anything, such stories do not get covered nearly enough in the Irish media. As for references to Syria etc etc, I have read numerous reports about the bloodshed in that country on a daily basis, and a story about an act of animal cruelty in Ireland on an Irish based website does not in any way deflect from that. It’s not an either or situation folks.,.

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    Mute Thomas Mc Carthy
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    Feb 24th 2012, 12:02 AM

    If people actually bothered to read te comment, I said “I was appalled by the lack of comments”, in reference to the thread after the story. I agree animal cruelty is horrific, I was only summing up the horrific slaughter in Syria and lack of comment from people using this app on that subject. Looking at the thumbs down tells me people don’t care about children being murdered everyday and are more concerned about seals

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    Mute Sheila Larkin
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    Feb 24th 2012, 8:14 AM

    @Adam Agree.

    @Thomas Commenting on the Journal can be very down-heartening when you see peoples reaction to your opinion. So comment carefully, ignore the thumbs voting and grow a thick skin :)

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    Mute Jambbie
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 3:45 PM

    Were they navy seals??

    Sorry in advance PETA

    75
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    Mute franco
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:12 PM

    seal hunters at large in our society must keep a look out, have they any distinguishing marks so we can spot them…

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    Mute Chris Counihan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:02 PM

    I hope the sick bastard that did this never has an ounce of luck. Evil sick scum.

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    Mute Martin Reilly
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:07 PM

    Firstly “these people” are not “at large in our society”. This is an isolated and rare incident. Secondly it’s unlikely this was done “for sport” but rather to make some kind of statement. Stop blowing everything out of proportion and read the article.

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    Mute mart_n
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:50 PM

    What? Have they been caught or identified? I must have missed that

    And whether it was done to make a statement or not is wholly irrelevant.

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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:35 PM

    Looks like fishermen in the west and south are taking things into their own hands! Next they’ll be out with their clubs beating the living shite out of these creatures!

    http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/fishermen-call-for-cull-of-seals-after-repeated-damage-to-catch-145076.html

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    Mute Glyn Carragher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:43 PM

    Well thank goodness that was cleared up. I’m sure the animals had pleanty of time to appricate the statement while they were dying, in pain. “ A single death is a tragedy but a million is just a statistic” Joseph Stalin. P.S I managed to read the article as well.

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    Mute Martin O Leary
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:14 PM

    Yes these people are at large in our society, not specifically seal shooting but you get 10 minutes outside of the greater Dublin/cork/limerick areas and see how many people (excluding those who actually intentionally buy and love animals) and see how many are willing to shoot a dog who has a broken leg or drown unwanted puppies. Then you might reconsider your idea that these kings of things are rare.

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    Mute Ceiteach Éireannach
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:24 PM

    the man issue here is the unneccesary death of creatures who were doing nothing more than surviving. there was no other motive here other than survival.

    its not like they decided to ‘eat fish’ all of a sudden. it wasn’t a fucking carreer choice for them. they need to eat fish or they die.

    whoever is reponsible; be it fishermen or not needs a good bloody kicking. and i myeslf would love to provide such a service…

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    Mute Darren O'Brien
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    Feb 24th 2012, 12:44 AM

    I’ll give a Seal of approval to that

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    Mute Thomas Mc Carthy
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    Feb 24th 2012, 10:30 AM

    Thanks Sheila for your thoughts. And, don’t worry i have a tick skin. I’m well able for the banter on this, anyway you have a nice day.

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    Mute Howard Cooley
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 7:02 PM

    One word. BASTARDS.

    51
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    Mute Mark Sweetman
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:05 PM

    I’ve got to stop reading thejournal… 60 people died in Iraq today and there was not a word uttered on this website today, and here we have 14 comments about a dead piece of blubber on a beach. Get your priorities right, report the real news. I enjoy reading the journal, great formet, but it is slowly becoming an online rag.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:12 PM

    Yeah I know Mark, and we have all those newspapers wasting space with such trivialitys as crosswords and suduku – disgrace!

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    Mute Spud Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:19 PM

    So you’re saying that events other than the death of humans aren’t to be considered news? Riiiiiiight…..

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    Mute Mark Sweetman
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:21 PM

    I think you have misunderstood -I was talking about the fact that there was no news report on sixty human deaths. The Journal (and its readers) are more concerned about two dead seals. Which would be regarded as more news worthy?

    Back to the Irish Times I go…

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    Mute Spud Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:26 PM

    Every days there are reports on deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan etc. It’s been like that for years now, and to be honest has little bearing on our daily lives. I’m not trying to belittle the deaths of those people, but what are we expected to do? Keep a tally stick and add notches to it daily? This article about seals being shot is news worthy because of the issues which underlie it, as well as the novelty of it.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:31 PM

    No Mark I did not misunderstand. I read the IT too, I get my news from many outlets and provide my own balance on things. Animal welfare and wildlife conservation is news and it does concern me.

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    Mute franco
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:53 PM

    Better than been eaten by a killer whale , wouldn’t fancy that !

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    Mute Jamie Walsh
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:20 PM

    Mark, fair enough point, but what’s wrong with reading more than one news source?

    It’s not as if The Journal is a service you’re paying for. Read the articles that catch your eye, ignore the ones that don’t.

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    Mute Stefan Hanrahan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 4:58 PM

    It’s really sickening to think somebody would do this. I love seals they are beautiful and intelligent animals. When the perp is caught I hope he she is given a maximum jail term.
    I hope they had the mobile phone with them because the Garda can triangulate the signals to find the number and name and bring this sick person to justice.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:22 PM

    I’d love to see the feckers caught as much as anyone, but I think you’ve been watching too much CSI – for the guards to stand any chance of triangulating a phone signal they’d need to know a time, and even then its dubious how accurate the fix would be :-(

    30
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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:01 PM

    Shouldn’t be too hard to Find lads carrying guns on their boats there. There’s Only about 3 or 4 harbours in the area where they would leave from. Less that have professional boats.

    Identify who did it and punish them. Its a crime and should be investigated as such.

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    Mute MsPoppie
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 7:19 PM

    It’s always very sad to hear when the need for profit outweighs the value of life. Disgusting pointless behaviour. Shame on them.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:14 PM

    Get a grip people. Mab Has plundered and pillaged since we first came into existance. It’s called survival of the fittest. Seals are over populated on the east coast and are the main reason for dwindling fish stocks. Seal culls should be organized every year to protect fish stocks, create employment and use them as a commodity. Everybody wins. Only a few do-gooders will be upset.

    25
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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:33 PM

    Fred the main reason for dwindling fish stocks is man not seals. The EU had to cut quotas last year because of the amount of fish thrown overboard. I also doubt very much that if every seal in Ireland gorged themselves silly everyday they still could eat as much as Irelands commercial catch.

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    Mute Livida Kelly
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:50 PM

    Fred, you get a bloody grip!!!! The seals have more of a right to the fish than the fishermen, it’s bloody nature! Feck sake sick of feckers like you not feeling like a man unless they make some kind of a kill! Neanderthals!!!

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    Mute D Burns
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:35 PM

    I think the way fish are caught on boats is really inhumane! There is no excuse for it, considering the amount of food thrown out by man on a daily basis. If there was a cure for greed, the World would be at Peace in an instant! And so would every living being! Just my opinion…

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    Mute Paul O'Keeffe
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:52 PM

    Who is Mab? Mabus maybe:-) the only cull that is needed is of the psychopath who shot these seals.

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    Mute Grainne Lavers Gould
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:27 PM

    culling is one thing but torturing is another. these seals were not even killed outright they were fatally injured and left for dead… that’s a cowards way out..

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:55 PM

    Fred must be a glutton fr red thumbs

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    Mute SeanS
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:38 PM

    Bit sad that you’re not addressing my questions Fred Davis. Again, this survival of the fittest lark, how does it all fit in to our society? Can the rich shoot the poor, the able the disabled? If I believe that the white man is superior to the black/jewish/indian etc man, can I hide behind your “survival of the fittest” bullshit should I decide that they are in my way for one reason or another?

    As I said before, I never said that it wasn’t the nature of man, or at least modern man, to be greedy. BUT IT DOESN’T MAKE IT OK! Your logic seems to be “ahk sure tis grand, sure isn’t it human nature isn’t it”. That argument could be used to justify almost anything.

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    Mute Thomas Mc Carthy
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:53 PM

    Happening every day in Syria to people, just saying.
    Have a think about it, I was appalled the other day because Of the lack of comments about that, yet a seal gets shot there’s uproar. I hate to see any animal suffer but people must come first people.

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    Mute Daithí Byrne
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:22 PM

    Yeah, I must be hallucinating with the 3 articles every day about Syria.

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    Mute Chris Mcginley
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:11 PM

    Ok, I know you are not going to like this but it has to be said.
    The fishermen killed the seals because there are too many of them and they interfere with the fishermen’s catch. (Seals swim along the nets taking chunks out of a whole load of fish, rendering them worthless.)
    I know it’s not the seals fault that they eat the fish, but fishermen who are already under pressure need to make a living.
    They try to get a humane cull, but they are refused. That leaves them with no option but to take matters into their own hands.
    Nature is all about the survival of the fittest, and we humans just happen to be the fittest.
    Surely there are more important things to be getting worked up about than 2 dead seals.
    One comment I would like to make that is semi-related is- once an animal makes it on to a protected species list, it rarely(if ever) comes of, even if they become pests. Why is that? (I don’t think seals are on any of these lists, but I am open to correction)

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    Mute SeanS
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:33 PM

    What makes you think there are too many seals interfering with the fishermen catch? Why not the other way about? Why has a human more right to that fish than an animal that spends most of its time in those waters? Low fish stock are a symptom of humans over fishing, it’s us that disrupt the balance, not the seals.

    Survival of the fittest seems to me to mean over exploitation of every resource to the detriment of other species. We are part of the balance of nature and yet seem to act more like the cancer of it. And how does your survival of the fittest theory work on a more social level, should the rich put a bullet in the head of the poor, the strong in the weak, the able in the disabled?

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    Mute EMD
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:50 PM

    Chris,

    The seals are protected under EU Habitats Directive http://www.npws.ie/marine/marinemammals/ and are listed on Annex II of the Directive. Seals are legally protected.

    All that aside I don’t believe shooting two seals in the head without humanely finishing them off is excusable in any sense, the fact that they are protected species just makes the crime more serious in legal terms. I don’t believe that seals are the single reason that fishermen are struggling with making ends meet. Unsustainable fishing, pollution, climate change, too many fisherman competing for the catch alongside the unsustainable fishing methods and maybe then a small impact due to a healthy seal population.

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    Mute Eoin Sher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:08 PM

    The seals and their prey are part of a balanced ecosystem.
    It is the addition of humans armed with technology to this system that had caused the drop in fish numbers.

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    Mute EMD
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:37 PM

    Eoin, I’d disagree about balance in the ecosystems. nature is naturally in a state of flux and it is natural to have periods where the seals will overpopulate & result in a dip in their food supply. The reduced food supply will eventually result in a reduction in the seal population as less pups will be born or less will survive. There will always be fluctuations occurring naturally but when you add in other factors such as unsustainable fishing etc. then you will certainly alter/impact the ecosystems interactions. Blaming the seals for reduced catch is too simplistic for sure.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:32 PM

    @eamonn. You are the one throwing personal insults around buddy. It’s better to stay silent and let people perceive you as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. If you feel you have a superior intellect to somebody, you should be able to suitably “dumb down” your points to match their intellect without insulting them. You would do well to take this forward with you.

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    Mute Eamon O Regan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:57 PM

    Oh let me guess I’m ignorant as I said you had inadequate education because you can’t understand survival of the fittest, or would I be just rude, or ignorant of manners, for the mean remark I made? I hope I didn’t remove your doubt of my foolishness by using a valid point about your understanding of survival of the fittest. Also I did “dumb down” natural selection, it’s not that hard to understand when you put your mind to it, but don’t try just yet, you probably want to try and recover from those atrocious remarks I made about you, so don’t worry I’m sure you’ll understand it over time.
    Good night sweet prince.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:57 PM

    Open your eyes Lucida man has survived only by exploiting animals and nature. You are part of the slaughter of millions of creatures unless you come from a very long line of vegans.

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    Mute MsPoppie
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 7:43 PM

    There is a difference between farming our food and shooting two animals for no other purpose to make a statement.

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    Mute SeanS
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:02 PM

    Man has a long history of exploiting man too, doesn’t make it right or acceptable.

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    Mute Conor Oneill
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    Feb 24th 2012, 4:58 AM

    But a seal team killed bin laden

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:48 PM

    Wake up and stop hugging your tree man. Nature is vicious. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. It’s human nature why do you think the country is in the Shit state that its in. Fishermen are on the seas and see the number of seals. Should farmers stop hunting the fox. They are the farmers of the sea and should be allowed plough it as they see fit.

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    Mute SeanS
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:10 PM

    Again, how does that apply on a social level? Why not weed out the weakest, poorest and most vulnerable in society and stick a bullet in their heads? Surely the same principle applies no?

    As I said in response to your earlier post, it might be human nature, but it doesn’t make it right. Fish stocks are low due to overfishing by man so where does your short sighted logic get you and when there is nothing left for us to exploit? Nature is as much about balance as it is about survival of the fittest.

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    Mute MsPoppie
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:33 PM

    Well said Sean……

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    Mute Eoin Sher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:19 PM

    Fred, thats an idiotic statement.
    With your misinterpretation of the phrase “survival of the fittest” all other animals should be exterminated. after that we would die out within a decade or 2

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    Mute Owen Kavanagh
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    Feb 24th 2012, 1:43 AM

    This headline is terrible journalising and no research it should read the seals actually were washed up on the beach not shot on it tut tut !!! There is no crazy gun man running Tramore beach shooting seals !!!!! Grrrrrrr lol local Tramore man

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    Mute John Carter
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:57 PM

    I think Fred and Lividia would make a lovely couple.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:29 PM

    I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. Good night eamonn. By the way if man’s victory over seals is not a case of survival of the fittest then what is it. We are both competing for fish. We are the dominant species. We won. Now that is as low as my obviously far superior intellect can go to try to explain it to you. I agree with your interpretation of survival of the fittest but in the real world it applies across every species.

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    Mute Eamon O Regan
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    Feb 24th 2012, 4:01 PM

    Survival of the fittest was an early and loosely used phrase to describe natural selection, thus scientists don’t use it today, just google natural selection, it’s not man vs seal, man vs other animals excluding man itself, it’s not man with shotgun vs whatever he likes! It’s the natural selection of biological traits. Maybe you don’t believe in evolution and you think we are all the spaghetti monsters playtoy in wonderland.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:30 PM

    Also sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

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    Mute Eilish Isobel Ranario
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    Feb 24th 2012, 9:26 AM

    So called “human being” acting worst than animals, shame!!!

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    Mute Karl Reynolds
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    Feb 24th 2012, 2:12 AM

    Bastards

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 5:14 PM

    Man#

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    Mute SeanS
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 7:55 PM

    Yeah but you’re still wrong

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:19 PM

    Have a look at what’s going on around you. Greedy Bastard bankers and politicians feathering their own nests at the expense of whoever. It’s human nature to look after number one. Survival of the fittest. A bit sad that you needed it spelt out for you seans

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    Mute Eoin Sher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:24 PM

    You should look into human nature a bit more deeply before making statements like that. And general animal nature too.
    Humans have always lived in groups, as such we have evolved a range of altruistic characteristics. Despite what modern marketing and pop culture tells you, we are not inherently greedy selfish creatures.

    you should read “the selfish gene” by richard dawkins.

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    Mute Jennifer Lynch Ankers
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    Feb 24th 2012, 10:52 AM

    scum bags who ever did that poor innocent seals.:-(

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    Mute TramoreTourism
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    Feb 24th 2012, 4:46 PM

    We’re stunned by this news, it totally shocked the people in Tramore as we have a very strong respect and admiration for our sealife. We hope this is resolved asap!

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    Mute Ceiteach Éireannach
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    Feb 24th 2012, 8:16 PM

    too true, i live nearby and its pissed me off no end. more were found dead today, including a dolphin…

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:22 PM

    It’s all the same Sean. You don’t have to kill something to exploit it. The seals being shot is a ruthless act, I can admit that but whoever done it did so for a reason. I don’t particularly want to see seals extinct but I am realistic enough to know that it was either a fisherman or a young drug dealer looking for target practice. I would rather try to see it from a fisherman’s view and rationalize it than belive it was the latter. Great thing human nature.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:21 PM

    Nature is not about balance it is purely survival of the fittest

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    Mute mart_n
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:43 PM

    Dangerous interpretation of evolutionary science is dangerous

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    Mute Eamon O Regan
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:10 PM

    Immediately it’s obvious that you are inadequately educated, survival of the fittest refers to evolutionary differential reproduction i.e. natural selection (which biological traits continue throughout the evolutionary course, as some adapt to their surroundings). It is not about how humans can alter various species surroundings and then claim “survival of the fittest”. Even on a literal sense we are not the fittest, we are the most intelligent species (even then we are not the most suitable for evolution it’s who can adapt), but with our intelligence we have also been ignorant and that’s a trait which seems to remain with you. I’m sure you can make up a good point on this topic but “survival of the fittest”, does a 14 year old have to point out how moronic this sounds?

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    Mute Eoin Sher
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 11:26 PM

    Ecosystems which go out of balance usually go into drastic decline, for all creatures within them especially the dominant ones

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    Mute Imy-kate Murray
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    Feb 24th 2012, 9:27 PM

    very sad .what horrendous suffering upon these beautiful creatures.what goes around comes around.that is a huge notch on ones karma.everything must be done to bring these evil people to justice.

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    Mute Cc~hibou
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    Feb 24th 2012, 7:47 AM

    its sad to see this story its a cruel thing to happen to an animal. fred is jus a s**t stirer so why waste ur time on his comments he not gonna change them.

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    Mute Fred Davis
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:59 PM

    Sorry I meant livida

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