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Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Phil Hogan got 500 texts in one day about animal cruelty

When asked about live exports this week, Hogan said he was in favour of them and would make no apologies about it.

EUROPEAN UNION AGRICULTURE Commissioner Phil Hogan has said he received 500 text messages in one day this week about animal welfare issues, as he attended a conference in Brussels to discuss sustainable farming.

After his keynote speech on Wednesday, the floor was opened up for questions and Hogan was called on by a member of the Compassion in World Farming organisation to give his views on live exports.

The organisation has been involved in a number of investigations in countries in the Middle East, to show the kind of treatment farm animals are subjected to once they leave European countries. They have previously said cattle exported from Ireland to Libya are “beaten, stabbed, dragged by the eye sockets”.

Olga Kikou, asked Hogan how sustainable the current policy of live exporting is to third countries where EU laws on animal cruelty do not apply.

Will the Commission listen to the voices of citizens who demand higher welfare standards in our farming practices and stop the export of live animals beyond EU borders replacing these exports by exports in meat?

The Commissioner began his response by telling the woman that he would not be “bullied by 500 text messages I’ve got on my phone during the course of the day on animal farming and animal welfare issues”.

“If you think that will work with me you can certainly forget about it. That’s a campaigning tool that should be well gotten rid of at this stage.”

He said he was “not going to give a direct answer in relation to the manner in which animals are exported” to other countries. But he said he hopes and expects that the regulations in place are robust for animals going to third countries.

Hogan also said that some EU member states have implemented improved measures in relation to animal welfare issues for the first time as part of the rural development programmes.

Speaking about live exports he said:

“I am in favour of them yes, I make no apologies for saying that but I am in favour of, certainly, animal welfare regulations being respected.”

A spokesperson for Compassion in World Farming said animals are being sent in their millions to place across North Africa and the Middle East “where they endure horrific slaughter and the Commission is not acting to stop this”.

“There’s a terrible “out of sight, out of mine” mentality to it all.”

Read: Irish cattle bound for Libya are being ‘beaten, stabbed, dragged by the eye sockets’>

Interactive map: Here’s where all our live sheep and cattle exports go>

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82 Comments
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    Mute Tom Red
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:40 PM

    Phil Hogan
    is without doubt the worst live export Ireland has ever shipped anywhere worldwide…..

    443
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    Mute Kerry Blake
    Favourite Kerry Blake
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:04 PM

    Seriously I doubt he has the ability to count to 500….

    148
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    Mute Hermes
    Favourite Hermes
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:25 PM

    ReallyBullshit Hogan ?
    Well how is it that irish farmers couldn’t export their cattle across a border on this island – no ship no stress – yet oddly enough more money for farmers !- made a mockery of the E.U and the agricultural commissioner and those who appointed him !
    And no John Bryan will not coast into your seat – we need the H.SB.C. 350 first before an election !
    Doha, Doha, Doha !

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:46 PM

    Hogan is despicable.

    120
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    Mute Ann-Marie Wallis
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    Mar 7th 2015, 6:31 AM

    I come from a farming background. There is very little love for Phil among farmers, an odious man. Cushy job in Brussels now, what would he care for such matters as animal cruelty…its all about the moolah with him.

    66
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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:34 PM

    Hogan is a figurehead for the rot we have in Irish politics today.Arrogant and self serving,we deserve better.

    426
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    Mute I Pee Freely
    Favourite I Pee Freely
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:13 PM

    Do we though? These people don’t vote themselves in! I read talk of a joint FG & FF government being the next likely government… I mean come on FFS what the hell is wrong with people

    161
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    Mute Denis O Brien
    Favourite Denis O Brien
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:40 PM

    ff / fg government would make sense. they are 2 masts on the same ship.

    65
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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:01 PM

    It’s not going to happen if you imprison your parents and grandparents on voting day .

    79
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    Mute Aidan Camp
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    Mar 7th 2015, 2:09 AM

    Phil Hogan is a disgrace.

    108
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    Mute ciaran mccall
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:09 AM

    “look at him walking around in his fancy cloth’s acting all normal like the rest of us” – adam and paul

    20
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:31 PM

    “Phill Hogan got 500 texts in one day about animal cruelty…” and ignored them all.

    384
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    Mute Art Vandelay
    Favourite Art Vandelay
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:38 PM

    Beer just came down my nose. Thanks.

    117
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:39 PM

    Mmmmm…. Beer!

    56
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    Mute Anita OGalligan
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    May 3rd 2015, 12:07 PM

    What an inhuman character PH is.

    2
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    Mute Sam Bartell
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:31 PM

    Did sending him to europe count as a “live export”?

    225
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
    Favourite Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:50 PM

    What can you expect from a pig, other than a grunt? That fat f**ker owes this entire country an apology for his existence. Will we get it? Will we……

    195
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    Mute John Staunton
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:38 PM

    Ya Phil you tell those 500 voters you won’t be listening to them. He always comes across as quite an arse

    191
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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:01 AM

    I doubt they were from 500 different people.

    14
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    Mute Cupid Stunt
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:51 PM

    The man’s an ignorant so and so. Is this really the sort of person we want representing us on any level, all smug and self assured, total right wing fine Gael fascist.

    136
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    Mute Patrick O'Brien
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:18 PM

    Why would a perpetrator of cruelty to humans care about cruelty to animals?

    108
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    Mute Were Jammin
    Favourite Were Jammin
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:37 PM

    Did he get any about the cruelty of threatening to turn poverty stricken peoples water down to a trickle?

    98
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    Mute mrs b
    Favourite mrs b
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:00 AM

    I cannot understand how people can have no empathy for other living creatures whether it’s the homeless person you pass on street or a hungry cat.. how do they live with themselves inflicting cruelty on animals , heading for slaughter or not. It doesn’t cost anything to be kind.

    95
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    Mute John Campbell
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:36 PM

    Animal welfare regulations are not possible to verify on a ship heading to a foreign port where regulations may not even exist!!

    94
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    Mute Mike Fahey
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:54 PM

    Yes they are. Australia does it and has cancelled shipments in the past to countries found to be in breach of animal rights. We have an excellent product in our beef meaning we can call the shots. About time we stopped accepting things as they are.

    Also Hogan completely missed the point – asked about outside EU treatment to animals and basically replied that since it’s not a problem in the EU, it’s not a problem. The man hasn’t a clue.

    86
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:45 PM

    Depends where the ship is from?

    1
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    Mute I Pee Freely
    Favourite I Pee Freely
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:44 PM

    Human beings are unique in this world in that we can do and achieve almost anything we put our minds to, yet some of us aren’t happy unless they are hacking some animal to death for the fun it. What does it say about us a species?

    89
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    Mute Ciarán B.
    Favourite Ciarán B.
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:46 PM

    “Won’t be bullied “, what a hypocrite. Tax payers won’t be bullied into paying a double taxation for IW.

    81
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    Mute john connor
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:01 AM

    What a fcuking pr!ck. Not going to be bullied by 500 texts? It’s called democracy, you tw!t. I honestly don’t know how farmers who send their cattle to North Africa, or partake in any live transport really, can live with themselves. This sort of thing is sickening

    80
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    Mute Seamus Grant
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:46 PM

    Such a poor politician the useless mob here sent him to earn his 000 s in Europe . Time we sent them all out as soon as possible

    80
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    Mute Adrian
    Favourite Adrian
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:34 PM

    God i hate this gov for creating such unjustifiable hardship on the irish people, just to satisfy international interests, but hogan takes it to a new level!

    68
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    Mute Adrian
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:44 PM

    He was thinking of introducing a cat license at one stage, just to get some money for the gov. Why didn’t he go the whole hog and introduce a rabbit license!

    53
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:22 PM

    Phil did not give a cuss about the people of Ireland what chance a timid beastie. Doha Doha says Phil and to …. with the rest of you.

    62
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    Mute robscanlon
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:55 PM

    Conditions in middle eastern slaughter houses are deplorable. Look up the investigation into one in Beirut, if you can watch it.

    40
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    Mute Hermes
    Favourite Hermes
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:22 PM

    Rob – have you watched – Kill it cook it eat it ….. A very good English show where farm animals are killed in studio , butchered and cooked and eaten …

    6
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:57 PM

    I wonder how did he get that job?

    36
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    Mute Peter Lawless
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    Mar 7th 2015, 7:46 AM

    He was “appointed”, of course!

    10
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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Mar 7th 2015, 11:34 AM

    Had some photos of Edna where the faces were exposed

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    Mute Snorri Sturleson
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    Mar 7th 2015, 11:35 AM

    Two

    4
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 2:06 PM

    Peter, as in you do me a favour and I do you one back?

    2
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    Mute Michael Vines
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    Mar 7th 2015, 1:36 AM

    It is amazing that the people who spend their life bullying other people hate being bullied themselves

    33
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    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:48 PM

    All bullies are cowards at heart.

    5
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    Mute Tommie Brennan
    Favourite Tommie Brennan
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:46 PM

    am calling shenanigans on this claim of 500 texts..

    his inbox would run out of storage space which would require having to delete the old texts, also would bog down the phone to a point of crawling with the amount of texts as result..

    it is definitely questionable though.

    31
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    Mute Thosj Carroll
    Favourite Thosj Carroll
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:09 PM

    500 texts per day? I thought Phil Hogan doesn’t disclose his mobile number to public or he would receive hatred messages. I imagine it was email not text….right?

    30
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    Mute Tommie Brennan
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:14 PM

    spot on..

    “send text to PHILOH to share your views” remember this is a premium number so for each text you will be charged two yoyos.

    Probably reading emails and calling it text..

    clown right? xD

    20
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    Mute Fran Cowzer
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:38 AM

    Considering the cruelty he demonstrated with the Irish people the poor animals have no chance

    30
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    Mute Trevor Curley
    Favourite Trevor Curley
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:35 AM

    Corrupt to the core this slim bag surly is.

    26
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    Mute Mary Murphy
    Favourite Mary Murphy
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    Mar 7th 2015, 2:30 AM

    Any chance we could send him on a trip with those poor animals, em for research purposes??? Then he can come back ( maybe) and fill us in as the poor animals can’t waffle like him. Grrrrrrrrrrr

    19
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    Mute @mdmak33
    Favourite @mdmak33
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    Mar 7th 2015, 1:45 AM

    He is an ignorant pig.

    18
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    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:50 PM

    You get a protest from pigs?

    1
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    Mute johnny boy
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:52 PM

    Live export is needed for a viable Agri sector, otherwise the fat cats that run the Agri killing factories in Ireland would have too much of a monopoly power….. Fact…….

    17
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    Mute Business Cat
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:56 PM

    Implying that this cruel practice is necessary for the survival of an industry is false first & foremost.
    And if it was true, why save an industry based on barbarity.

    74
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    Mute johnny boy
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:04 PM

    Business cat live export is just business, would you rather if ireland went bankrupt, stoped exporting and all Agri sector went on the doll, that not very business cat of you dufas…..

    12
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:09 PM

    “Implying that this cruel practice is necessary for the survival of an industry is false first & foremost.”

    No it isn’t. Live export is integral to the survival and growth of Irish Agri business. Please try and dispute that.

    13
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:33 PM

    Cat, for the first time ever I find myself in complete agreement with you. You put the argument succinctly, I cannot put it further

    25
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:40 PM

    New Zealand exports world wide – sheep meat, processed and frozen. Get real.

    29
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:41 PM

    @ Sheik Yahbouti

    You can’t put it further because you haven’t a breeze about what you are talking about.

    6
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:44 PM

    @ Sheik Yahbouti

    Brilliant. Someone else does it so why can’t we. Maybe we should become the 2nd best country in the world to bungee jump.

    8
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:09 PM

    Nobody willing to debate the numerous variables or yez all going with whatever ideological bollox you cling to your chest to help you get a good sleep?

    Ponies.

    6
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    Mute Ross Stewart
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    Mar 7th 2015, 1:23 AM

    You have a problem with people who have ideals and get a good nights sleep? Aww

    8
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:54 AM

    I’m sure you have problems with people who act solely because of their “ideals”. Get it? It clouds the judgement in trying to have a reasoned and objective opinion.

    I think it says plenty how nobody actually has an alternative although I’m sure their are plenty. Just that the current system is wrong and that is that.

    1
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:43 PM

    “where they endure horrific slaighter ”

    …was that the way they pronounced it? :P

    15
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    Mute johnny boy
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:07 PM

    Livestock in the wild be slaugherd by the next in the food chain, loads of sheep butchered and torn weekly by lovable pet dogs…..! Get off your slipper high horse

    12
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:33 PM

    I was merely pointing out the bad spelling of the journalist which has been since corrected.
    I expect people who make their living, day in, day out, from putting ‘words’ together for others to read to be able to proof read before they post articles. it’s not as if they don’t have spell check on their computers…after all, we are in the 21st century.

    20
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    Mute Tommie Brennan
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    Mar 7th 2015, 12:56 AM

    @johnny boy aka
    https://twitter.com/eringobrath2

    Oi, get off your slipper high horse and put a johnny over your gawb.

    Back under the bridge there good lad..

    Troll alert!

    10
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:59 PM

    What! 500 fecks a day?

    12
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    Mute Charlie Mountney
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    Mar 7th 2015, 7:24 AM

    Hold it a minute someone. I’m just wondering why cattle are exported live to be killed abroad when it would be so much easier and less messy to kill and freeze over here and they would take up less room on the boat?
    Have I missed something?

    12
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    Mute Ross Stewart
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    Mar 7th 2015, 9:55 AM

    Halal

    8
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:56 PM

    Countryfile BBC1 09/03/14 on Religious slaughter in Muslim and in Jewish methods and beliefs. To summarise the contents of this program, the slaughter of animals in according to Muslim Religious rites means that 16% of animals are not stunned when they get their throats cut, this is done in order to have the animal hear the prayer like if they understand Arabic or any other language. So one fifth of sheep are killed without stunning and this mean is called Halal meat.
    But for the Jewish religion, the meat is called kosher meat and 100% is conscious when they are killed with no stunning used. It has now turned out that much of the kosher meats have entered the non-religious meat supply sector in the U.K. because of over production.
    These methods have attracted the attention from the British Veterinary Association, the RSPCA and also Compassion in World Farming as well as the European Food Standards Agency who are very troubled with the whole process especially with knife sharpness as well.
    The counter claim is that mechanical stunning methods go very awry as well but in February this year in Denmark religious slaughter without stunning became outlawed. So joining Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Poland in banning slaughter without stunning but the question is do these countries accept religiously slaughtered meats?
    According to the British Veterinary Association, “It is clear that a significant proportion of sheep and goat meat from non-stun slaughter is going outside the communities for which they were intended because it is a convenience for the food sector”, “ie it is going to general market”.
    Weekly in the U.K. non-stun slaughter affects 4% of cattle, 10% of sheep, 4% poultry and that is nearly 1400 cattle a week, 30,000 sheep a week and about 640,000 poultry a week as well, most not labelled.
    So kosher meats are entering the general meat sector without being labelled or known about and there is no figure for how much of this meat goes in exports, so no traceability then?

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:59 PM

    But this leads to questions over the use of the Captive Bolt pistol and on the site http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/123.pdf “The European Commission (EC) requested the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards for an update of the latest SSC opinion of 2002 related to the risk of dissemination of brain particles into the blood and carcass when applying certain stunning methods.”
    Also http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scv/out02_en.print.html gives a better insight with. “Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health – Safety of slaughter practices and methods : risk of spread of BSE infectivity through cross contamination of different tissues by using pneumatic stunning during the slaughtering process of ruminants – 17 February 1998
    Non-penetrative stunners have a “mushroom-headed” bolt which impacts with the skull but does not enter the brain, causing the stun due to concussive forces alone. Penetrative stunners cause insensibility due to the concussive blow to the skull, and the physical damage resulting from the entry of the bolt into the brain.
    Since the heart is still beating following the discharge of the pneumatic stunner, and actual brain tissue damage is the intention of the equipment used, there will be rupture of blood vessels within the cranium which will allow the spread of potentially infectious material (Mackey and Derrick 1979, Garland 1997).”

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 9:00 PM

    And the conclusion is http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/oldcomm4/out30_en.pdf “Some stunning methods induce immediate onset of unconsciousness and some don’t.”
    “no stunning method can fulfil all the requirements” but http://www.grandin.com/references/humane.slaughter.html with CAPTIVE-BOLT STUNNING says… “The most common cause of low efficacy scores for use of captive-bolt stunning in the USDA Survey was poor maintenance of the captive-bolt stunner (Grandin, 1998b). Captive-bolt stunners must be cleaned and serviced, following the manufacturer’s recommendations, to maintain maximum hitting power and to prevent misfiring or partial-firing. High bolt velocity causes a concussion that induces instantaneous insensibility (Daly and Whittington, 1989; Blackmore, 1985).
    A major cause of failure to render animals insensible with one captive-bolt shot is poor ergonomic design (some pneumatic stunners are so bulky it is very difficult to achieve correct stunner placement on the animal’s forehead).”

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 7th 2015, 9:03 PM

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2264972/Cruelty-horses-exposed-Red-Lion-Abattoir-Hillside-animal-welfare-group.html “Horrific cruelty at abattoir caught on film: Footage shows stunned horse waking up just before it is about to have its throat cut.” As well as http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13692280 “More than a week after its broadcast, powerful reverberations are still being felt from the ABC Four Corners investigation into the mistreatment of Australian cattle in Indonesian abattoirs.” “Australia’s butchers have also experienced a backlash. The Australian Meat Industry Council says there has been a 15% drop in sales as consumers shunned beef. And this comes despite many consumers being aware than animals in Australia are slaughtered far more humanely.”

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    Mute Eddie Byrne
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:28 PM

    Most of the complaints were probably about cruelty to J Burton

    10
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
    Favourite Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 6th 2015, 9:58 PM

    I actually like Phil Hogan.

    8
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    Mute Patrick O'Brien
    Favourite Patrick O'Brien
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:20 PM

    A true animal lover!

    39
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
    Favourite Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 6th 2015, 10:38 PM

    Patrick, fair fecks to ya!!

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    Mute Hermes
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    Mar 6th 2015, 11:29 PM

    Charles – you now have zero credibility after that !
    Can you not see through the man for what lies beneath ?

    17
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    Mute Charles Fogarty
    Favourite Charles Fogarty
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:56 AM

    Cheers Hermes. Delighted to hear I am back up to zero!

    Clearly…..I don’t like Phil Hogan. Nobody likes Phil Hogan.

    Therein lies the joke.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Mar 7th 2015, 2:23 AM

    Yes vines well put ,but sometimes they are so far up their own ass their ear’s are blocked

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    Mute John Fitzgerald
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    Apr 28th 2015, 1:46 AM

    For the record, Commissioner Hogan is also a keen hare coursing fan. He presented a trophy at the Sevenhouses live hare coursing “festival” in County Kilkenny two years ago and has openly admitted to having been a prolific hare catcher in his teenage years.

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    Mute Shay Murray
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    Mar 7th 2015, 8:06 AM

    If he doesn’t stop these live exports his texts messages will be reduced to a trickle

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    Mute Aisling O' Donoghue
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    Apr 16th 2015, 11:29 PM

    Typical arrogant response.

    2
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