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Their stories aren't new, but you're about to hear a lot more about these OTHER garda whistleblowers

The stories of gardaí Nicky Keogh and Keith Harrison are starting to get a lot more attention.

pjimage Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

IF YOU THOUGHT last week was a bad one for Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan, it may have just been the tip of the iceberg.

There are at least two more garda whistleblowers out there in the ether at present, and while their stories aren’t new ones, they’re set to get a lot more attention in the coming days and weeks.

Gardaí Nicky Keogh and Keith Harrison were both based in Athlone, Co Westmeath, in 2009.

Both made complaints regarding certain events involving their own roles in the midlands town. Neither is working at present.

Both have seen their stories raised repeatedly in Dáil Éireann by the likes of Mick Wallace, Clare Daly, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, and (before he became an MEP) Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan.

And in the aftermath of the O’Higgins Commission report, and the endless brouhaha that has followed, both are set to get a lot more attention than they have done before now.

Missing file

More than three months after being requested to do so, it’s believed that the Garda Commissioner has yet to comply with an order from GSOC to supply a crucial investigation file with regard to a probe into the claims of Nicky Keogh.

Keogh, a drugs-unit officer in the Athlone unit, lodged his complaint to force-watchdog GSOC in October of last year.

That complaint concerns the alleged coercion of non-criminal Athlone residents into buying drugs in an attempt to boost drugs-unit statistics, among other things.

30/11/2015 Governments Response on Crime Issues Commissioner O'Sullivan with justice minister Frances Fitzgerald in November 2015 Mark Stedman Mark Stedman

At least one garda based in Athlone has been suspended during the course of GSOC’s investigation into the matter. Garda Keogh himself is currently on long-term sick leave due to alleged harassment from senior management within the force.

A key allegation made by Keogh is that an original case file concerning a case he was working on in 2009 was stolen from his desk and subsequently replaced with a new file.

That file was requested by GSOC to be handed over by the office of Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan in January of this year. Such an order generally carries a 30-day compliance period.

As of today’s date it’s understood that that file has yet to be delivered to GSOC by the office of the Commissioner.

“His allegations are serious, including a cover up of an original file which was stolen, with the original incident being removed from the PULSE system; the creation of new statements and appearance of new original information; non-compliance by the Garda with the court order for disclosure and at least one of the accused being threatened by a garda to plead guilty on the day of the court case,” Flanagan told the Dáil in May 2014 regarding Keogh.

He is a hero.

That was two years ago.

Drink-driving arrest

Then there is the story of Keith Harrison. Harrison was likewise stationed in Athlone in 2009 when he arrested a fellow officer, another member of the drugs unit there, for drink-driving.

A number of claims have been made about Harrison’s subsequent treatment by senior gardaí.

Those claims include: the suggestion that people Harrison had previously arrested had been asked whether or not they wished to make complaints about him, Garda surveillance being placed on him with minimal justification, and information regarding a Garda inquiry into him being deliberately leaked.

Harrison was eventually transferred to Buncrana in Co Donegal after being confined to desk work for two years.

Currently on unpaid sick leave, he claims that he suffered panic attacks during a five-year campaign of bullying perpetrated by his fellow officers.

TheJournal.ie contacted both GSOC and the gardaí with regard to the cases of Keogh and Harrison. The ombudsman’s response was a simple one: “GSOC cannot comment on any case involving the confidentiality of the protected disclosure process.”

A garda spokesperson likewise declined to comment. However, with regard to the situation of the missing file in Nicky Keogh’s case, they did say that “An Garda Síochána’s compliance rate in providing documentation for GSOC within 30 days is over 95%”.

In addition, we are strengthening our processes around protected disclosures which includes engaging externally to ensure the mechanisms we have in place are in accordance with best practice.

Dáil privilege

31/3/2016. Housing Forum Conferences Mick Wallace and Clare Daly arriving at a forum on housing and homelessness in March Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

Neither of these stories are new. But they’re starting to gain a lot more traction.

You can put that down to the torrid week just endured by the Garda Commissioner after allegations emerged that she had instructed her legal team for the O’Higgins Commission to challenge the integrity of Bailieboro whistleblower Maurice McCabe, in contradiction of her previous claim that she had never seen McCabe as ‘malicious’.

TD Mick Wallace, along with Clare Daly and Pearse Doherty (who first named Keith Harrison under Dáil privilege), has been bringing up the cases of Keogh and Harrison repeatedly in the Dáil for two years now.

“He’s been shouting from the rooftops for two years. It’s been very disappointing how they’ve dealt with him,” the Wexford deputy tells TheJournal.ie in reference to Keogh’s experience with his senior officers.

We’ve raised his issue 18 times in the Dáil in the past two years. It is a poor reflection on the media if he’s new now. They [senior management] are being nice to him now. He might have his complaints addressed in a more timely fashion.

Wallace and Daly have consistently called on the Commissioner to resign in recent times. He’s aware that the goalposts seem to have shifted to a great extent with the revelations last week on RTÉ’s Prime Time regarding O’Sullivan’s legal approach to Maurice McCabe.

According to Wallace, Keogh’s problems are not with rank-and-file gardaí (“they respect him”), but rather with senior management alone.

“He’s been pressured into disappearing and going away. He’s on sick leave, he’d rather be working, he’s on €290 per week,” he says.

They can’t just sweep it under the carpet.

Regarding both Keogh and Harrison, Wallace simply says:

“I would just say that it was unfortunate for both of them that the person they were making allegations against had much more powerful connections than they had within An Garda Síochána.”

The Garda Commissioner

Wallace believes that the lack of coverage of both Harrison and Keogh, despite their repeated name-checking in the Dáil, is attributable to ‘policing fatigue’.

“It is interesting that we would have raised Nick Keogh and Harrison, about how they were dealt with in the Dáil chamber. From January 2014 to Shatter’s (the former Minister for Justice) resignation there was huge media interest in the policing crisis but then it stopped there,” he says.

File photo Former minister for justice Alan Shatter has said it was perfectly right for garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe to raise issues of public concern. However, in an interview on RTE's Today with Sean O Rourke, Mr Shatter said: Bailieboro Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

 

The media was suffering from policing fatigue. They had no appetite for it any more. Now that the Commissioner has run into trouble, the media is back interested again.

He is steadfast in his belief that the Commissioner’s time is up.

“Nothing has changed in how whistleblowers are dealt with in An Garda Síochána. This doesn’t come as a surprise to us,” he says.

Myself and Clare Daly did warn that unless they selected a new Commissioner from outside the hierarchy, we weren’t going to get anything different.
Harrison’s case was with GSOC for two years and there has been no progress. GSOC does not have the ability to hold gardaí to account. It is not in a position to replace the confidential recipient and the sooner that is admitted by the government the better.

Regarding O’Sullivan herself, the Wexford TD simply says: “She is not the right person for the job. She never was.”

What happens now?

Elsewhere, Noirín O’Sullivan is coming under increasing pressure to clarify what instructions she gave to her legal team before the O’Higgins Commission. Over the weekend justice minister Frances Fitzgerald said that she was ‘sure’ O’Sullivan will clarify matters in due course.

The results of a new Claire Byrne Live / Amárach Research poll conducted for TheJournal.ie meanwhile say that just 18% of those polled believe the Garda Commissioner has adequately clarified her position with regard to both Maurice McCabe and the O’Higgins Report (48% say she hasn’t done so, 34% were ‘don’t knows’).

The Commissioner is due to speak before the newly set-up Policing Authority on Thursday, while the O’Higgins Report will be discussed by the Dáil on Wednesday and Thursday. Expect fireworks. This story doesn’t look like it’s going to go away.

“We need someone completely new,” says Wallace regarding O’Sullivan. “We need to get rid of the bulk of the present hierarchy if we are serious about a better way of policing.”

With reporting by Sinéad O’Carroll

Read: Days after his appointment, this junior minister might vote against the government

Read: ‘Brash, opinionated’ Kelly says he must be the country’s most psychoanalysed politician

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73 Comments
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    Mute Etherman
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:11 AM

    The UK hold a referendum and abide by it’s result. It’s Prime minister resigns because of an unkept promise. Then some here have the audacity to knock them with our record in such things.

    207
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    Mute Joe Keogh
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:17 AM

    Our guys simply repeat the vote no one resigns, its a wake up day for Europe and Ireland.

    125
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    Mute Anton Friendo
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:29 AM

    The hep c scandal alone should have shamed our lot but no not a thing

    52
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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:35 AM

    She may have had a point as although Scotland is a country, but not an independent country.

    15
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:44 AM

    Not for much longer Chewy.

    8
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    Mute ktsiwot
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:50 AM

    Its only a matter to time before Scotland goes, the union is on the verge of breakup.

    17
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    Mute Matthew Reilly
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    Jun 25th 2016, 10:47 AM

    There is an unelected cabal in Brussels called the org:

    A “Faceless ‘’ soulless, ruthless, nebula of dark heavy
    Energy.

    It issues rules, injunctions and political decrees, to those

    Fearful of a bite from a faceless mouth that never shuts;

    It spew hot air at the world and cold invective at those it

    Refuses to acknowledge as classless and free.

    There is an entity in Brussels representing less than =.1%

    Of the global population, telling you to do the bidding of

    The machines they control.

    A couple of hundred years ago they invaded the Castle of

    Dark mothers in Belgium, installed there since, they’ve not

    Been idle.

    Producing remorseless hungry beasts with impaling horns

    And gnashing teeth, in faceless mouths that bite the hands

    that feed them.

    It has endless corridors, countless rooms with numerous

    names and numbers defying calculation manipulated by
    machines

    Working on auto pilot night and day for the laggard’s in

    Control of destiny.

    1
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    Mute Lily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:08 AM

    Delighted!

    A vote that took courage, going into the unknown.

    The easy vote was to remain.

    We should follow along with Denmark.

    #change

    105
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:13 AM

    It certainly takes courage to throw your economy, union and prime minister off a cliff. Doesn’t make it a smart decision.
    The vote was dictated by the oldest, most nationalist and least educated. That doesn’t sound like a pathway to prosperity to me.

    63
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    Mute Valthebear
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:17 AM

    Agree Lilly. Regardless of short term economic effects on share holders and currency speculators, this is a great day for working people of Britain. Well done UK!

    56
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    Mute Lily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:20 AM

    Actually it was the working class that came out and swayed the vote!!!

    41
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:21 AM

    Working people of Britain?? I WORK. My colleagues work. Where are we going to get money for research? There IS no money now! Already things are slowing down. We’ve received the staff email. The idiocy knows no end.

    22
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:32 AM

    What staff email?

    14
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    Mute Lily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:39 AM

    A couple of hours in? Talk about a knee jerk reaction. At a minimum it will take 2 years for the UK to cut all ties with the EU and finally be free. A minimum…

    Could be more, Denmark has itchy toes and is ready to run, I hear Sweden might go too. Switzerland is ready to help the UK if needs be.

    21
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    Mute Aaron
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:40 AM

    Ireland would collapse Lily, stop with the ultra nationalist nonsense now. You want your country to kill itself? Fine.

    13
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    Mute Gerry Healy
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:41 AM

    @Titus. maybe you’re sense of entitlement was part of the problem. You want to know where you get money for research. Do you not realise how that even sounds? All you seem to be worried about is your job which seems to be there because tax payers fund it.

    16
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:45 AM

    Fck my job, do you want science to stop? Do you have any idea what science brings to an economy. Obviously not with that idiotic comment.

    And it’s a bit rich to talk about personal reasons in voting considering working class UK voted to protect THEIR jobs.

    7
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    Mute Gerry Healy
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    Jun 24th 2016, 11:46 AM

    @Titus
    You know nothing about me so don’t make a bigger fool of yourself assuming something you know nothing about.
    Ill answer your question, yes, I do know the value of research. I work in a tech sector.
    And “THEIR” jobs are is just as important to them as yours is to you. But you seem to have a superiority complex as a researcher who does not see that.

    1
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 2:21 PM

    Oh so my comment gives you enough insight in to my character and “superiority complex” but I can infer nothing from yours, is that how this works?

    So if THEIR jobs are important to them and they vote accordingly how is that somehow different to me?

    Genuinely interested to see what profundity lies in your next comment.

    1
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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:12 AM

    Immigration was the deal breaker!, Boris is a happy man this morning…..

    98
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    Mute William Boyd
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Not immigration per se but Islamic immigration, I bet if you ask anyone who voted out because of immigration I bet the first word that comes out of their mouth would be “ISLAM”?.

    A misogynistic, homophobic, grievance mongering fascist ideology!.

    88
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    Mute The Oracle of Delphi
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:22 AM

    Geldof and his mob of luuvies giving two fingers to a bunch of poor fishermen from his yacht on the Thames could be the defining image of the Bremain campaign.

    113
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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:34 AM

    The EU were already given the oppertunity to agree a separate deal with the UK on borders and immigration. They sent Cameron packing back to London with some Mickey Mouse gestures that weren’t good enough. They called the UK’s bluff and now they have spoken. This is democracy at work.

    68
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    Mute Kevin McDonnell
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:42 AM

    The EU will not change Islamic immigration in any measurable sense as the EU has nothing to do with it !
    I am not arguing for or against immigration but the fact is that huge portions of British society have had issues with the topic

    The vast majority of Muslim immigration into Britain originates in Nigeria ,Pakistan, India and Bangladesh – not any EU country (but ex-colonies). The quantity of Syrians and Afghans making it into Britain is tiny in comparison.
    If a citizen from these countries is illegally there today they are there illegally full stop, it has nothing to do with the EU ! !

    The topic of so called “Islamification of Britain” (if there is such a thing) is to do with their own historical legacy not Europe. If thats why they voted to leave they were duped, as Brexit doesn’t change this.

    Tommy Tiernan put it best “Britain is famous for going out and conquering the world…….Then getting upset when those people follow them home”

    23
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    Mute Gavin Carton
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:47 AM

    “A misogynistic, homophobic, grievance mongering fascist ideology”

    You could literally be talking about ANY religion right there!!

    13
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    Mute William Boyd
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:02 AM

    Come off it Gavin stop making excuses Islam is the most oppressive religion on this planet!.

    34
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    Mute The Oracle of Delphi
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:07 AM

    Tommy Tiernan certainly did not ‘put it best’. Tommy Tiernan as per usual was in search of low hanging fruit.
    This vote came down to a lot more than the so-called Islamification of Europe.

    9
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    Mute Kevin McDonnell
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:46 AM

    Was replying to William Boyd’s comment (which I whole-heartily disagree with)

    “I bet if you ask anyone who voted out because of immigration I bet the first word that comes out of their mouth would be “ISLAM”?”

    4
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    Mute stevenocarroll
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    Jun 24th 2016, 6:24 PM

    @WilliamBoyd

    No. Not just islamic Immigration, all of it. People are pi***d off being a stranger in their own country and not feeling at home in their own home country. They are p****d at all immigration whether it be islamic, east European, African, Chinese or middle-eastern, this is Europe, this is our home and we are sick of leaving the front and back door wide open and our home being taken from us.

    2
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    Mute William Boyd
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    Jun 24th 2016, 7:17 PM

    Steve I could happily live with any immigrant bar that sick religion Islam

    1
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    Mute Gavin Carton
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    Jun 25th 2016, 3:48 PM

    again: You could be talking about any religion there!!

    1
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    Mute Brendan Hill
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:13 AM

    I worked in Bromley, south London, on 2006. A girl in the office didn’t know Scotland was a country. She was going out with a Scottish guy and she didn’t realise until they were driving rotech meet his parents and she saw the sign ‘Welcome to Scotland’. I was later on Manchester and I was taking to a girl and I mentioned I was thinking of going traveling around Europe. She said “where is Europe?”. You are up against it when people like that have a vote.

    93
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    Mute Barry Scott
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:32 AM

    Yep. I have a mate who worked with a girl who thought the sun and the moon were the same thing. She gets a vote.
    True story.

    36
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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:37 AM

    I knew a girl from Coolock who thought that milk came from supermarkets – and didn’t know of cows’ involvement…

    30
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    Mute Barry Scott
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:56 AM

    Same mate was getting a lift home one evening from work and that same girl was in the car too. Driving past Fairview park they noticed a couple of lads messing and throwing fruit at each other. My mate said what are they tomatoes? And she replied saying “no, I think they’re Polish.”

    14
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    Mute KSI
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:41 AM

    I knew a girl from Tallaght who voted for Paul Murphy. You are up against it when people like that have a vote.

    9
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    Mute Cathal McDonald
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:05 AM

    Idiots

    88
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:08 AM

    Fear and idiots. Now we have the worst market crash in decades. If only someone had predicted this…

    50
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:11 AM

    They’ll pay the price, lots of opportunities in this for us as now we’re the leading English speaking market in the EU. Perhaps this’ll be the start of a brighter tomorrow for Scotland and Northern Ireland as well.
    You feel for the sensible English folk for the times that lie ahead, they’re certainly not in the majority.

    48
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    Mute Nosmo King
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:13 AM

    No matter what the consequences of this result are does this not show the pure selfishness of politicians? Cameron promised this referendum purely for personal gain with the goal of gaining power at any cost to the British people.

    45
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:16 AM

    Banks down up to 35%. Pound at a 31 year low, Footse 100 down 8.7%. This is what happens when you do not listen to experts. It isn’t rocket science. Stupid people. We’re all going to suffer for your ignorance and in many cases, out and out racism.

    36
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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:19 AM

    I’m pretty sure the same would be said about us if our decision to leave the UK was today rather than in the 1910′s. Sometimes political and social freedom is more important than the value of shares.

    68
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    Mute Lily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:21 AM

    Someone had to use the racism!

    Perhaps they are sick to death of being bullied by the EU. Taking their sovereignty away but by bit.

    62
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:21 AM

    Sorry, how much does independence buy again? What’s the going rate?

    11
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:22 AM

    It was racism ffs!!! Fighting against imaginary brown people. The markets have crashed!! What else do you need!?

    16
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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:26 AM

    Well independence inevitably bought us one of the wealthiest economies in the world, even if it was mismanaged, while the North is still struggling to catch up with even some Eastern European countries.

    The UK is the 4th largest economy in the world and it was a major player even before entering the EU. It will weather the storm and eventually recover like almost every economy does. Sometimes having the right to decide your own path and not giving power to bureaucrats who disrespect democracy is more important than short-term economic performance.

    43
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    Mute Simon Kennedy
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:30 AM

    To be treated like a human rather then a consumer

    21
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    Mute Titus Groan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:30 AM

    Sorry, 5th Jason. Because that’s dropped too. I could have sworn we had European elections. It’s not some enigma we have no hand in. Look, the expert consensus was this would be horrendous. And it is. And even the Leavers have had the balls to begin to admit this was worse than imagined. To be frank, nationalism and independence isn’t worth piss. This is a ploy by rich elites to manipulate the working class. A hint for the future, free of charge: if the elite are raising get the poor in a rebellion it isn’t a rebellion. If it was the rich would have already run to the hills.

    8
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    Mute Machiavelli O'Reilly
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:30 AM

    The vote is against being told what to do by the unelected fat cats in Brussels.

    37
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:31 AM

    Lots of opportunities in this if we had leaders with vision. Alas we have Kenny who simply follows British lead and has spoke of the horror of a Brexit.
    England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity.

    19
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    Mute Gerry Healy
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:31 AM

    It was democracy at work. Calling an electorate idiots because you dont’ agree with a vote is quite ignorant.
    It is a momentous day. No one really knows what will happen, even the Brexiters seem a little surprised and confused.
    The saying “Be careful what you wish for” may come back to bite them.

    33
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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:33 AM

    No – the 5th largest. After the US, China, Japan and Germany.

    5
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    Mute brian boru
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:33 AM

    Well said Gerry !

    Eirexit vote now please ?

    24
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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:38 AM

    Titus, you’re right that there are European elections. Let me ask you this though, can you name more than 10 MEP’s without googling them? Do you even know what they’re discussing on a daily basis?

    That’s before we touch on what the EU has done to Italy and Greece. An elected politician (granted a bad one) replaced by a European bureaucrat and ex-banker in Italy and Greece literally having economic law dictated to them by the EU (look up the forced employment regulator that the EU will ‘supervise’ complete with new rules that the EU is forcing on Greece). The EU doesn’t give a rats about anyone’s rights.

    15
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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:46 AM

    @Nosmo – what are you on about? He has forfeited any power that he had as a result of this referendum.

    2
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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:55 AM

    @Jason. What’s the reaction in the Netherlands? I read somewhere a few weeks ago that there was talk of an exit there too.

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    Mute The Oracle of Delphi
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:19 AM

    The Nederlands, France Denmark and maybe even Italy. This is far from finished, and who really wants an EU under German hegemony, which is what we have right now ?

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    Mute John Moynihan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 12:03 PM

    Ignorant? You for real? If you think the decision of the electorate was idiotic then you are quite entitled to express that. Just like you have the right to say that it’s momentous. As long as the British politicians don’t ignore the will of the people like FF did here and make them vote again then you can say whatever you want

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    Mute Nosmo King
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:43 PM

    doesnotcompute, he used the promise of an EU referendum to win an election purely to gain power in the short term and had to follow it up with today’s fiasco. Purely selfish to the extreme. Came back to bite him in the ass. He will go down as the worst Prime Minister in British history when this period is written.

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:12 AM

    Scotland voted to stay. Wonder if what another vote for independence would be like now and they could rejoin the EU?

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    Mute Ruadhán MacEoin
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:17 AM

    Do you not remember, Scotland was already told 2 years ago by both EU/ECB and Dave Cameron that they would not allowed be members of the EU if they voted for independence?

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:20 AM

    That’s before this vote. I’m sure a this will change the political landscape.

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    Mute Darren Tully
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:40 AM

    They weren’t expressly forbidden they were warned that they’d have to reapply to join the Eu as a different nation to the UK

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    Mute Rob O'Brien
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:40 AM

    Supposed Scottish nationalists voting to enter the EU, you couldn’t make it up.

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    Mute Darren Tully
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:46 AM

    Supposed Irish nationalist in Northern Ireland voting to remain in the Eu couldn’t make it up.

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    Mute Darren Tully
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:46 AM

    Supposed Irish nationalist in Northern Ireland voting to remain in the Eu couldn’t make it up.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Sorry, Ruadhán, but that’s not true. Scotland, at the time, was told it could not simply become independent and remain within the EU. They were told that they would have to re-apply like everyone else. That’s not the same as never being allowed in, as you say. Scotland could, if it wanted to, secede from the UK and apply to join the EU. I wouldn’t see any reason for the EU to refuse its membership application.

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    Mute Peter Smyth
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:09 AM

    All I’m wondering is what the EU is going to do about all the illegal British immigrants working throughout Europe illegally without visas…

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    Mute John003
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Europe should have been more generous to British over immigration They gave Cameron nothing to bring to the voters to limit immigration from EU

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:23 AM

    The exit will take another 2-4 years depending on the negotiations. For the time being those British residents outside of the UK are safe.

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    Mute Lily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:34 AM

    As are Europeans in the UK!

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    Mute The Oracle of Delphi
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:35 AM

    Exactly John. The EU is unreformable. Even a powerful country like the UK was unable to extract any concessions from Brussels. What hope is there for minnows like us?

    Sometimes the only way to reform something is to tear it down and start again.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:42 AM

    I think that the EU may just be open to reform now. Before today the EU saw a Brexit as nothing more than bluster from Cameron to get a slightly better deal from them. I don’t think any bureaucrat in Brussels genuinely thought that a country would dare to leave the EU, let alone the 2nd largest market.

    The only ones to blame on this are the EU. You only need to look at their handling of the Euro crisis and how quick they have been to throw democracy and common sense out the window to protect a fundamentally flawed currency to see why the UK is leaving.

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    Mute Peter Smyth
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:43 AM

    Hopefully some deal will be done to secure visas for those already abroad.

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    Mute Gavin Scott
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:11 AM

    Yep. I’m one of them

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    Mute The Viking
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:26 AM

    Everybody is scare mongering. Fairplay to the UK telling The EU were to go. The EU was showing cracks , now its going to start tumbling.

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    Mute Michael Clinton
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:33 AM

    My thoughts exactly, this reminds me of the Y2K and the scaremongering. When the United Kingdom joined the EU they kept their currency and the world didn’t collapse. We have had sterling and the punt for decades.

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    Mute China Photo Daily
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:31 AM

    Who would have thought that sneering at the underclasses would end badly?

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    Mute Ó Connmhaigh
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    Jun 24th 2016, 11:09 AM

    Actually John Mann told the BBC that Labour had shot itself in the foot by ignoring its core vote in not talking about nevermind tackling high levels of immigration.
    When presented with this on the doorstep, Labour activists told their own electorate to shut up and stop being extremists, xenophobes and racists.
    Well now it’s come back to bite them on the ass.
    And still Corbyn and co refuse to engage with their voters. No wonder UKIP are targeting them.
    Labour will see more constituency losses come 2020 if they don’t listen to their core vote and respond accordingly.

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    Mute Brian MacCarthaigh
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:14 AM

    Brits Out has a new meaning

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:20 AM

    The economic consequences have yet to play out and that will take years. Nobody can call it so who knows in the resulting EU shake up that 2% might have just done you a huge favour long term. Far too soon to be judging them as idiots. One thing is for sure this lets vote again until we get the right answer craic won’t fly in Britain the way it did here. Don’t forget how the Irish people were hoodwinked in the past.

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    Mute Honest Tom
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:39 AM

    A lot of people saying Ireland is now the largest English speaking market in the EU now. Is that really true? There are about 8.2 million in Sweden who speak English. About 92% of their population. And from my experiences of visiting the country and dealing with them in work they speak it rather well.

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    Mute Eoin Flaherty
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:13 AM

    Stop the world and let me off.

    Hate wins.

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    Mute Daniel R
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:16 AM

    Working class are uneducated and capricious when they vote against the establishment’s dictat but are told how sensible and full of good judgement they are when they do as they’re told, meaning voting against their and their families interests.

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    Mute Ruadhán MacEoin
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:20 AM

    Indeed, why should such people have a vote?

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    Mute Tomas O Beag
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Jeremy Kyle land

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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:42 AM

    Could this be the start of the demise of the European Union??

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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:55 AM

    No.

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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:11 AM

    -doesnotcompute, wouldn’t be so sure…..

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:12 AM

    15% wiped off the value of my pension. Thank you Britain. :(

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    Mute Nosmo King
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:16 AM

    Condolences Peter, you should have put it in to property. Never fails !!

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    Mute Joe Keogh
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:22 AM

    It might if we have a lower GDP no panic!!!!!

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    Mute Elbbit
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:31 AM

    Peter… sure if your not drawing done on it today nt to worry.. Much ado about nothing really

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    Mute dick dastardly
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:35 AM

    Disgraceful scenes with Boris Johnson leaving his house from the ‘remain’ side

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Perhaps now is the time to redraw the Border with Northern Ireland. The Brexit result shows that the parts of Northern Ireland that want to leave the EU approximate (and by implication to remain with Britain) to the Unionist majority areas and the parts that want to remain in the EU approximate to the Nationalist majority areas (which by implication want to join the Republic of Ireland). It is the Border that the Boundary Commission should have determined upon in 1925. The paradox is that the British would be only too happy to have Northern Ireland exit the UK. In effect the Unionists are up the creek without a paddle. The worst of all worlds. The Nationalists need only bide their time. The biggest obstacle to a Unified Ireland will be the reluctance of the Southern Ireland Government to take in the millstone financially that is Northern Ireland. Perhaps a federal state can emerge with Provincial Devolved Governments in Ulster, Connacht, Munster and Leinster with the State Parliament in Dublin. The Queen must be mortified at the outcome of this referendum. Her only truly loyal subjects are the Unionists of Northern Ireland. She can only parrot what her government instructs her to say. Interesting times ahead.

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    Mute Alice Simms
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:19 AM

    I have a lot of family in England will they have to apply for a visa?

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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:28 AM

    MasterCard will do.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:29 AM

    Eventually, but not for another 2 years at least. Things like this mean that the exit process will take a very long time to agree upon as there’s a lot of European and British expats and capital to discuss.

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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:54 AM

    @Alice SImms

    Irish citizens living in the UK have automatic right of abode, so they can’t be deported nor are they subject to immigration controls, unlike other non-Irish EU citizens living in the UK. Essentially they have the same rights as a British Citizen living in the UK.

    So no, they will not need a visa.

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    Mute Alice Simms
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:00 AM

    Thank you can only imagine the administrative backlog that’s going to happen now.

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    Mute Oisin Murray
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:24 AM

    This is the fundamental with democracy in ways… An educated man has an equal vote as the scrounger in a council flat; ridiculous!…

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    Mute Jackson Bollovks
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:31 AM

    Not to worry, it’ll be like the Nice Treaty, they will vote again and again until the result is to remain.

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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:51 AM

    How many remember voting on 2 referendum regarding the EU and we had too vote twice on each basically until we gave the right result

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    Mute Kevin McDonnell
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    Jun 24th 2016, 11:09 AM

    In fairness, the real financial implications to the pound and wider economy will only be known in about 18 months(when the new reality sets in) and then about 5 years after leaving (another new reality)

    Using the first 3 hours of trading as any “proof” whatsoever is pointless

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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:27 AM

    This is not good news for us – our biggest trading partner leaving the club. The UK’s business will now point in new directions.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:33 AM

    Your point doesn’t make any sense. Our largest trade partner in terms of trade surplus is the US where we have a $15 billion annual surplus. We run a $10 billion trade deficit with the UK every year. It’s in the UK’s best interest to keep trading with us.

    Besides many of their trade partners already are outside of the EU and subject to taxes and tariffs. All that will happen is that prices in both countries on certain goods will go up and be slightly harder to import, not exactly a doomsday scenario.

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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:41 AM

    Jason – remember you got your facts wrong yesterday too! In terms of import and export figures (combined), the UK is our largest trading partner. Easy verified on google.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:52 AM

    Import/export combined yes, but remember that imports generate a net loss for your economy while exports generate a net profit. It’s always important for a country to export more than it imports which is basic economics.

    We make a net loss every year in our trade with the UK while we make a substantial net gain with the US.

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    Mute Finn Bowe
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:28 AM

    Damn it ,should of changed my sterling to euros for hols to France another gamble I have lost. Seriously though I am gutted As an Irishman living in Scotland that we are been forced out against our will,I know so many Scots who voted to remain in the uk last year as we were told we would not be able to rejoin eu if we voted for independence . Will be interesting to see scots independence polls in the coming weeks.

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    Mute Adam Smythe
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    Jun 24th 2016, 10:12 AM

    The liberal press choking on their own bile this morning.

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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Jun 24th 2016, 9:46 AM

    Be afraid be very afraid of Farage.

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    Mute Nigel O'Neill
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    Jun 24th 2016, 11:11 AM

    Already the lies spun by Boris Johnson in particular are being confirmed as ‘mistakes’ by the Leave side as they are being challenged on them…scary that Boris is now the PM in waiting…proven the man would say anything to steer his agenda

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Jun 24th 2016, 11:01 AM

    A growing movement of ignorant ill informed voters,that has spread across the waters from the US to the UK,
    where to next?

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    Mute Jeffre Tomred
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    Jun 26th 2016, 2:13 AM

    BE SMART AND BECOME RICH IN LESS THAN 3DAYS….It all depends on how fast you can be to get the new PROGRAMMED blank ATM card that is capable of hacking into any ATM machine,anywhere in the world. I got to know about this BLANK ATM CARD when I was searching for job online about l 5days ago ..It has really changed my life for good and now I can say I’m rich and I can never be poor again. The least money I get $2,000 daily and now i have $10,000… Everyday I keeping pumping money into my account. Though is illegal,there is no risk of being caught ,because it has been programmed in such a way that it is not traceable,it also has a technique that makes it impossible for the CCTVs to detect you..For details on how to get yours today, email the hackers on : (cindytedder767@yahoo.com) Tell your loved once too, and start to live large. That’s the simple testimony of how my life changed for good…Love you all …the email address again is (cindytedder767@yahoo.com)

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