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Make your car safer with these tech add-ons

Want to get new car safety technology without getting a new car? We show you how.

IRELAND’S CAR POPULATION could do with a check-up. According to Michael Rochford, CEO of Motorcheck.ie:

There are 2.1 million passenger vehicles on Irish roads today, of which 995,000 (47 percent) are 10 years old or more. The average age is just under nine years old.

Therefore, there are many cars on our roads that don’t have the latest safety technology that many newer cars boast.

But we are here to calm your FOMO with these new car technologies that you can retrofit to your own motor to make your car safer.

newspress newspress

Reversing cameras: These began creeping into mainstream European cars back in 2002. One of the first cars to feature them was the Nissan Primera. Rear view cameras are not just for safety but for convenience and better manoeuvrability, too.

And lucky for you don’t need to spend a lot to add one to an existing vehicle. Most motoring shops now sell and install reversing cameras that work with almost all cars. Installation is simple and you can even do it yourself.

newspress newspress

Parking sensors: These have been around since the 1990s but still aren’t standard on all cars, yet. These sensors alert drivers to obstacles and objects nearby on all sides of the car.

You can get your own parking sensors for the front, side and rear of your car and much like the reversing camera, they are easily fitted and again help improve safety and make manoeuvring easier.

Reversing cameras and parking sensors can save lives, prevent injuries and prevent damage to your car.

Connectivity: In the last decade connectivity tech in cars has exploded and nowadays having some sort of connectivity system in your vehicle not only helps you stay on the right side of the law regarding the use of mobile phones but it can also make driving less stressful.

MK2-16 MK2-16

You can buy multimedia / infotainment systems that allow wireless pairing with Bluetooth-enabled devices such as phones, iPods, GPS, tablets etc. This allows you to make and receive calls without ever having to touch the phone and can sync your contacts and last calls received and dialled.

You can also watch videos on the screen and listen to music and audiobooks from your devices through the car speakers. Incoming text messages can be read allowed and you can even dictate a reply via voice recognition features.

Axel Wierdemann Axel Wierdemann

These systems also have built-in navigation with high-quality visual guidance and if you connect them to the internet using your phone as a hotspot or via a WiFi dongle, you can get hundreds of online services, apps and live traffic and weather updates as well as many other features that make driving that bit more (ok, a lot more) enjoyable.

Lexus Lexus

Head-up display: HUDs first appeared in cars in the 80s but have slowly been seen in more and more cars in the last few years. HUDs project data and info on to the windscreen in the driver’s field of vision so the driver doesn’t have to look at displays and take their eyes off the road.

You too can project your speed, maps, traffic delays etc. right onto your windscreen by purchasing a portable HUD unit and hooking it up to your Bluetooth system.

Shutterstock / ambrozinio Shutterstock / ambrozinio / ambrozinio

Xenon headlights: Also known as High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights. These give off a crisp whitish-blue light that illuminates the road further ahead than standard headlights, thus improving visibility and safety. They also last a lot longer than standard bulbs, too.

If you car is compatable, you can retrofit Xenon headlights to your vehicle, however, Xenon headlights must have self-cleaning and self-levelling systems and these systems must all work in order for your vehicle to pass the NCT – ill-focused headlamps is one of the top five reasons for cars failing the NCT test.

So if you do want to get Xenon headlights make sure they are fitted correctly by someone who knows what they are doing. Also, you need to tell your insurance provider that you have modified your car as not telling them may invalidate your cover.

newspress newspress

High-silica rubber tyres: In the last decade high silica rubber has caused a revolution in the tyre industry. High-silica rubber tyres enhance grip, reduce fuel consumption and even come with 80,000-mile treadwear warranties.

This rubber has given us low rolling resistance tyres that grip in the rain and improve wet skid performance. You too can of course also add this technology to your car by fitting these tyres.

newspress newspress

Tyre pressure monitoring system: TPMS first appeared on cars in the 1980s, however, it wasn’t until the late ’90s that it first started to become standard on mainstream passenger cars and since 1 November 2014, all new vehicles sold must be fitted with a TPMS tyre pressure monitoring system. TPMS uses sensors on the tyre valves and warns of low and high tyre pressure, which can affect car handling and braking.

You can now buy tyre pressure valves that can be fitted to your car’s tyres and a TPMS programmer that you can configure yourself. Again, you can get these online and in most large car / motoring shops.

And there you have it; simple, easy and cheap (well, cheaper than buying a new car) ways of making your vehicle safer with some technology add-ons.

READ: Picking the right used car for you

READ: Latest motoring news

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6 Comments
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:44 PM

    I suppose when after 7 years of FG government and there’s nothing of worth to boast about, a glossy pipe dream needs all the publicity it can get. Bought or otherwise.

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    Mute Fred Joyson
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:49 PM

    @Dave Doyle:

    How’s the economy now compared with 2011?

    66
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    Mute Paul Fahey
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:50 PM

    @Fred Joyson: How are all major economies compared to 2011?

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:52 PM

    @Paul Fahey: Fred asked about our economy!¡

    23
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    Mute Vigo the Carpathian
    Favourite Vigo the Carpathian
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:58 PM

    @Fred Joyson: How do we know how the economy is with the government paying newspapers to run stories for them… For all we know we could be facing 2007 all over again and being lied to just like before…

    176
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    Mute Hurt Stoogie
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:03 PM

    @Vigo the Carpathian: come here to the N11. It’ll give you an indication of economic activity and jobs.

    20
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:05 PM

    @Fred Joyson: Better for the elite.The banks, vultures. The inmates of the ivory towers are better off. For the rest, well it’s a scrape by week in week out. And there’s potentially 14,000 families waiting for the vultures to pick them clean.
    All in all, not so great in all fairness.

    152
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    Mute Fred Joyson
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:06 PM

    @Paul Fahey:

    If you don’t give FG any credit for the upturn, then i assume you also must not give FF any citicism for the downturn.

    18
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    Mute Shane Zerbe
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:18 PM

    @Fred Joyson: Fred I agree with you on most things. But I will say this, FG were the best placed to sort out the economy, BUT they only did a lot of what FF set in motion, were bound to do some things anyway, by the Troika etc. They did what was obvious, now that said, the other idiots like Labour etc or the rest of the left, would have actually damaged the economy more and prolonged the recession…

    20
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:22 PM

    @Paul Fahey: Lagging behind ours

    7
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:33 PM

    @Fred Joyson: By 2011 FF& the Irish people had done 2/3 adjustment required by Troika!

    36
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:37 PM

    @Paddy Murray: Paddy, do you still work for a company currently benefitting financially from this propaganda?

    64
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    Mute KerryBlueMike
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:40 PM

    @Paul Fahey: How manu were bankrupted and had a troika in to conduct their affairs? Ireland, Portugal, both doing well and Greece, well that’s for the Greeks to comment on.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:57 PM

    I had to laugh when I first read about this ‘plan’. I immediately recalled the ‘plan’ that Simon Coveney had to remove homeless people from hotels which he promised would be put into action by the 31st July last year.

    Its called kicking the can down the road, avoiding your responsibility to your electorate but the most worrying aspect is that Uncle Denis used all his media power through his newspapers and radio stations to heavily promote this ‘plan’ for his beloved muppets in Fine Gael.

    78
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    Mute Irish Bob
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:11 PM

    @Fred Joyson: The Economy FFS more bull , sure the economy and the markets are great so f all else, what about how are the people of Ireland in 2018, record homelessness, record numbers on trolleys, rents and house prices s now greater than the Celtic Tiger times, ah yeah but the Economy, GDP and Mulit-Nationals are fine

    57
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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:26 PM

    @Dave Doyle:

    “nothing of worth to boast about”

    15% unemployment in 2012. 15%.

    6% today. That is an enormous achievement.

    When you compare what happened in Greece, Spain or Italy to what happened in Ireland since 2011, the Irish people have a huge amount to be proud of.

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    Mute Charliegrl80
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:38 PM

    @Brinster: 15% unemployedd you say in 2012 and 6% today, and the other 9% of 15% are on jobsbridge, Tusnua and any other free labor scheme cooked up by the Government and the free labor employers.

    58
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:54 PM

    @Brinster: In all honesty when you have the likes of Seetec, Turas Nua, Jobpath all working to get the figures down without any real employment it’s not that hard to come up with better figures.
    If what happened in Greece, Spain and Italy happened in Ireland we wouldn’t be seeing the prospect of 14,000 families being handed to the vultures, the bank theft would be long sorted, and the PTSB would be only to happy to explain itself before the PAC. The government would in all probability have fallen. And politicians would have a lot more respect for people, if not fear.

    38
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    Mute John Dman
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:15 PM

    @Paddy Murray: no wonder when your boss Denis o brien is bleeding the country dry! Are you still scribbling for the Sunday world? How much have INM, for whom you work received for running government propaganda? Does it not totally demorealise you having to work for him? #ibrc #siteserv #moriartytribunal

    32
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    Mute MK76
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:05 PM

    @Paul Fahey: How many of the “major” economies needed a dig out from the IMG Paul?

    How many of the “major” economies had unemployment of 15%+ and have now reduced it to ~6%?

    But sure, don’t let facts get in the way of a good piss and a moan.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:14 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Dave, it’s rare you say something utterly false but pretending that Jobbridge, Jobpath, Turas Nua or any other scheme could account for 150,000 people is just that.

    Utterly false.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:23 PM

    @Charliegrl80:

    Here you go Charlie.

    Independent, verified CSO figures.

    releasesandpublications/er/lr/liveregisterjanuary2018

    The numbers on Job Activation schemes has FALLEN by 10,000 in the last year.

    Complete rubbish to try to claim Jobbridge which by the way has ceased.

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    Mute Charles Alexander
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:25 PM

    @thewolf: please don’t get Fred started on the welfare spending.

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    Mute Charles Alexander
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:33 PM

    @Brinster: it was about 84,000 which was about 3.8% of the workforce.
    A large number went from these schemes into retirement.

    5
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    Mute James Gorman
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:50 PM

    @Paul Fahey: all the major ones weren’t run off a cliff like ours

    3
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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 26th 2018, 11:13 PM

    @Charles Alexander:

    And what about the new entrants to the workforce?

    Come on – unemployment doesn’t fall due to retirements because retirees are outnumbered by new entrants.

    If they don’t have jobs then the unemployment number goes up.

    You’ll have to try harder.

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    Mute Charles Alexander
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    Feb 26th 2018, 11:33 PM

    @Brinster:
    Do the research Brinster – you might learn something!
    I can’t be bothered because you will only dispute it because it doesn’t suit your narrative
    No denying that unemployment figures have fallen but it’s not all down to job creation.
    Sweet dreams.

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    Mute mur
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    Feb 27th 2018, 1:05 AM

    @Fred Joyson:

    STILL PILING UP DEBT FOR BANK BAILOUT AT 19 BILLION A YEAR.
    Leo’s not a penny more . God help our country cousins when he brings in “Dublin taxes should be spent /held for Dublin ”
    his website was full of it before he got into power as then before property tax Dublin raised over 66% of all state taxes. must be near 80% now and we give nearly 30% to shore up the hinterland . if only farmers and multinationals paid a fair share of tax and add in the horsey crowd and exempt artist and we would be in clover to fund vital services.

    8
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    Mute mur
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    Feb 27th 2018, 1:09 AM

    @Frank Cauldhame:
    ah simon , the one who managed to turn alan Kelly’s 130000 each prefabricated houses into a 250000 house within a week of taking over . willing to pay a british company more money for a smaller house than they were selling in the north as reported by the IT newspaper.

    7
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    Mute Sighle A. Ni Chuana
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    Feb 27th 2018, 1:09 AM

    @Fred Joyson: Well we have more homeless people; a serious lack of affordable homes to either buy or rent. We have thousands of people on trolleys including children and the elderly and some of the worst waiting lists (some for up to four years waiting) for various conditions that are ruining people’s lives. We have hundreds of people crying on Joe Duffy’s programme who are suffering with awful pain and a few days ago, a woman lying on her floor at home and in Roscommon a 13 year old girl who could have lost her life but for a nurse living nearby, because no ambulance available to bring them to hospital. No rural Broadband, teachers, nurses & doctors leaving as soon as they are finished training. We need an election, not a spin Department trying to fool the people into believing the hype.

    9
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    Mute mur
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    Feb 27th 2018, 1:12 AM

    @Fred Joyson:
    “If you don’t give FG any credit for the upturn, then i assume you also must not give FF any citicism for the downturn ”

    no longer any difference between the two . one only exists because of the support of the other. one will go the way of labour.

    8
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    Mute Ken Bramley
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    Feb 27th 2018, 10:09 AM

    @Brinster: most of the people who are working are working for buttons. They can’t make ends meet with the wages they get paid and the high rents to pay etc. The government can brag about everybody is working but what’s the point if there is no quality to their life after they pay all their overheads .

    4
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    Mute Ben Dunne
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    Feb 27th 2018, 12:27 PM

    @Paul Fahey: don’t waste your time Paul,you are probably talking to Vradkar himself under one of his fake social media profiles he likes to use.The Journo is littered with paid gov lackeys.

    1
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    Mute Gary Casserly
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    Feb 27th 2018, 8:47 PM

    @thewolf: no, in fact they say it’s ‘The peoples’ paper’… people who’ve no interest in real news I assume. Whenever you hear ‘The Peoples’’ anything it’s usually a description.

    1
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:48 PM

    It’s no issue for Leo to spend hard earned tax payers money funding the propaganda to maintain the status quo..

    271
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    Mute Elizabeth Gregory
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:30 PM

    @Willy Malone: it’s actually sickening

    151
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    Mute William Clay
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:49 PM

    And come 2040 when only a small percentage of this is done, at a cost way over and above what was budgeted, who will be held accountable?

    229
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    Mute noBankAccBertie
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:11 PM

    @William Clay: ahh no one is held accountable in this banana republic for anything unless u murder the entire cabinet.

    139
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:23 PM

    @William Clay: What’s going to win the 2.40 at leopardstown? (You can, apparently, see into the future)

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    Mute William Clay
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:46 PM

    @Paddy Murray: going by past and present disasters overseen by FFG, it’s really not difficult to see this is nothing more than spin and deflection.

    55
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:08 PM

    @Paddy Murray: Are you personally going to benefit financially from this ‘plan’ ?

    31
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    Mute John Dman
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:33 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: sales are plummeting in the paper he scribbles for . this is just another bail out for Denis o brien, who bribed a fine gael government minister! #moriartytribunal

    14
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    Mute Concerned Citizen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:50 PM

    Ah Leo… Our version of Trudeau.

    154
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    Mute Patrick James Walsh
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:59 PM

    @Concerned Citizen: pound shop version of Trudeau

    143
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    Mute zippo
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:09 PM

    @Patrick James Walsh: Ah c’mon now PJ we’er all europeans now….Veronika is a euro shop version, mind you his propaganda machine is costing a few bob more !

    62
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    Mute Patrick James Walsh
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:58 PM

    Oldest trick in the book are the media and opposition surprised?
    Government using state funded ` communications unit` for party political propaganda ?

    130
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    Mute MichaelandMary O'Grady
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:11 PM

    @Patrick James Walsh: Question:didn’t Hitler have a propaganda MACHINE to convince ordinary citizens that what he was doing was right and we all know that it was totally WRONG.
    Dangerous things those propaganda MACHINES.

    97
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    Mute prop joe
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:38 PM

    @Patrick James Walsh: wasn’t this country built on empty promises? Fine Gael contempt for the construction industry and especially for the tradesmen who do the work has come home to roost. Why would anyone go into the trades when there is no commitment to build anything long term. These are the same things promised by the Bertie Ahern government.

    12
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    Mute Christopher Nethercoat
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:00 PM

    Please stop calling it “marketing”. Marketing means finding out what people want and providing it in a way and at a cost that people find acceptable. Spending vast sums on schemes to make the government of the day look responsible and farsighted is simply “publicity” and “promotion” intended to form the basis of the next set of hollow promises in the run up to the next election. Its not what a government says it will do that they should be judged on – but what they have actually achieved and at what cost.

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    Mute Sighle A. Ni Chuana
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    Feb 27th 2018, 1:20 AM

    @Christopher Nethercoat: No, what they are doing is packaging Ireland to look good as you would do with any product. Make it into something it is not. It’s like playing pretending what Ireland would be like if we have trains running efficiently where they should be” and so on, except the whole ‘plan’ is imaginary and being sold to the people as something real! It’s all about getting votes for those who are perceived as the people who are “getting things done”. They spend more time and money on the propaganda than on getting the job done.

    11
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:06 PM

    It’s not only a question of public money being spent on this spin machine, it’s also a question of it being staffed at non-’special advisor’ level by taxpayer funded public servants, who are required to be completely and absolutely apolitical in their work.

    This stinks….

    ….”its sister newspaper, the Ireland edition of The Times, reported today that regional newspapers “were instructed not to make government advertorials look like independent stories”

    i.e. the taxpayer funded propaganda was to be made look like regular news articles.

    Rules and regs are an inconvenience for varadkars government, just like kennys before it.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:13 PM

    @The Risen: And SF would do things better¿

    12
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    Mute Let free speech live
    Favourite Let free speech live
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:29 PM

    @Bruce Miller: we don’t know what SF would do in government because they have not had the chance to rule yet.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:34 PM

    @Let free speech live: And they won’t…

    5
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:35 PM

    @Bruce Miller
    If you can look at whats going on here, and the depth of your response is ‘noun verb Sinn Fein’ then you’re part of the problem and reason why FG thinks it can use our taxes as a reelection slush fund.

    60
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:35 PM

    @Bruce Miller: Instead of asking what a party that has never been in power may or may not do, tell us in the past 100 years what the political parties of the eatablishment have actually done for the citizens of the country.

    58
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    Mute Honeybadger197
    Favourite Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:41 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Funny, I note SF were in power up North. An omnishambles before the collapse of the assembly.

    11
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:42 PM

    @The Risen: GSOC crying out for 12 staff but only getting 5 while SCU has 15 staff!

    41
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:44 PM

    @Honeybadger197: Nothing to comment about the article, no? i.e. taxpayer money being used on propaganda?

    49
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    Mute Honeybadger197
    Favourite Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:57 PM

    @The Risen: That’s hilarious. Aren’t you a “public servant” who spends his day flag waving for SF/PBP? ;)

    8
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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:59 PM

    @The Risen: What an ironic photo – Paddy Pearce who can never look sideways or backwards!? To learn.

    2
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:00 PM

    @Honeybadger197: Still trying to make it all about everyone but FG. Tut tut.

    43
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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:02 PM

    @The Risen: So you missed my other comment on the article? Tut tut. So pleased my taxes pay you to shill all day for SF/ PBP though. You’re welcome! ;)

    5
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:06 PM

    @Honeybadger197: Right, so thats 3 posts nowentioning SF, when the article is about the posdible misuse of taxpayers money by your beloved FG. Poor deflecting

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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:07 PM

    @The Risen: Slow down butter-fingers, your haste in typing makes you look ridiculous!! ;)

    5
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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:11 PM

    @Honeybadger197: And still nothing about your party possibly misusing taxpayer funds.

    42
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    Mute Father Hody Commody
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:13 PM

    @Bruce Miller: Ooooh Look over there! The standard attempt at deflection by the blueshirt brigade.

    34
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    Mute Unconvertible Rebel
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:14 PM

    @Honeybadger197: The risen makes a good point. The article is about a serious subject and your contribution so far is to downplay it, make light of it and repeatedly try to turn the conversation into one about another political party.

    Please grow up.

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    Mute Irish Bob
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:15 PM

    @Honeybadger197: Would you ever crawl back up Leo’s rectum if you noting to contribute other than Sinn Fein are bad and Fine Gael are Gods , the likes of you makes me consider voting for Sinn Fein when it scares you that much, roll on a GE.

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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:16 PM

    @Unconvertible Rebel: Ive already commented on that point here. Jammin and i are only having some fun ;)

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:18 PM

    @Father Hody Commody: Never voted FG or FF – but name called away, it’s what you do best….

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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:18 PM

    @Unconvertible Rebel: You won’t get maturity from charles rex/charlie wrex/alan brogan/honeybadger. When he’s not using some of the most serious subjects out there in the most disgusting way to score tawdry political points, he’s deflecting every negative article about his beloved FG into a noun-verb-SF fest.

    I reckon most of the regulars have copped this by now.

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    Mute Unconvertible Rebel
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:19 PM

    @Honeybadger197: If you want to have ‘some fun’ go play with your lego. Leave comments sections for people with the maturity to comment properly.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:21 PM

    @Unconvertible Rebel: LOL! OUCH

    Firm but fair.

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    Mute Gerry Murphy
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:21 PM

    @Let free speech live: Hopefully will stay that way, look at Northern Ireland

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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:35 PM

    @The Risen: Again, I note you must live in a world devoid of irony. I guess you’ve never forgiven me for getting you to explicitly condemn the provos. Move on son. I have.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:49 PM

    Now the provos are being wheeled out! Anything about your beloved FG possibly misusing our taxes?

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:41 PM

    @Bruce Miller: That’s a load of boll*xs. Dozens?? Doesn’t compare to the hundreds of priests, nuns and Christian brothers who used the kids, young men and women as arse fodder for decades all with the collusion of successive FF and FG governments.

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    Mute William Clay
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:52 PM

    “The government appear to be using tax payers money, exploiting the vulnerability of the newspaper industry to advance a narrow party political agenda” – this from a member of FF.
    They must roll around the dail bar laughing..

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    Mute John Madden
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:46 PM

    Pathetic that the Government paid for good news stories to reinforce their Ireland 2040 “plan”. Propaganda and spin..

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:39 PM

    @John Madden: A total disgrace!
    Those emails should be published in full without redactions!It’s a serious issue if there is any truth to these allegations!
    I agree with Kelly( rarely esp re IW!), appearance at PAC neccessary now!

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    Mute Alex Carroll
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:23 PM

    Joe Goebbels alive and well living in Kildare Street.

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    Mute Mark O'sullivan
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:40 PM

    Fairy-tale 2040

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:51 PM

    Many EU countries – who had problems like us – are coming back to normality quicker than we are. As a few days in Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan or Lisbon will confirm¡

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:55 PM

    @Bruce Miller:

    Did you check out the employment levels in those countries?

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:59 PM

    @Nick Allen: Yes, unemployment is reducing in all.

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:23 PM

    @Bruce Miller: Simply wrong.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:27 PM

    @Paddy Murray: How then, gainsayer?!

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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:42 PM

    @Bruce Miller: That is utter crap. Bruce,a quick google search will tell you Spain and Italy’s unemployment rates are 16% and 10% respectively

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:50 PM

    @Pilib O Muiregan: Other way round¡

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    Mute Jim Kirby
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:01 PM

    The outfit that is putting out this stuff is costing us 5 million per annum–its early days to judge them but they must be kept under observation.

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    Mute Living The Laws
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:05 PM

    what a distraction?

    I’d say the tender documents make for interesting reading.

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    Mute Alan Farrell
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:27 PM

    How much were the journal paid to write all those fake news pro immigration stories?

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    Mute Pl O'neill
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:08 PM

    If you can’t house or provide health care for the People you have then surely its reducing the Population Leo and co; should be planning .

    Some fella comes to you looking for a bigger job and you ask can you do the job you have ? ….When he says No……Re-jection Time .

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:55 PM

    looks like he’s running from Mary in that picture

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    Mute Randal McNally
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:17 PM

    Leo. AKA. All style, wool pulling, and little substance!

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    Mute Adrian
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:14 PM

    The latest opinion polls show it’s not working anyway, so another own goal for an utterly useless FG.

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    Mute Hurt Stoogie
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:10 PM

    Government Have committed to spending €116 billion. They haven’t told us. They’ve kept it to themselves. What about telling the people? Where’s the transparency? Outrageous. Scandalous.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:16 PM

    @Hurt Stoogie: They’re the government we elected!

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:26 PM

    @Bruce Miller: No they’re not. They are a minority government concocted together via backroom deals and a de facto coalition with FF.
    No one voted for that.

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:35 PM

    @Hurt Stoogie: The public would have been fully informed if this Project Ireland 2040 with added additions had been fully debated in Dail (not last year’s!)with Opposition input and questions re costings,previous announced and commenced projects and those near completion(if so that money already spent is part of the €115B)etc…..that’s the purpose of Dai/Oireachtas Committeesl statements and debates of being televised!

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    Mute Hurt Stoogie
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:59 PM

    @Dave Doyle: it’s exactly what we voted for.

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    Mute Malachi
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:34 PM

    @Hurt Stoogie: Don’t you think there’s a difference between transparency and buying favourable media coverage?

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    Mute Ron
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:36 PM

    The impending economic downturn will put this on the shelf for another generation to deal with.

    When pensions can not be paid and mortgage/borrowing rates go back to what they should naturally be, my bet is that our spending power will be greatly diminished

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    Mute Doh
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:26 PM

    Leo the lip – and his bunch of crooks – know they can’t deliver in the here and now 2018 – so instead try to deflect by talking any old crap they can about 20 NEVER NEVER –

    Time for a GE they need out of office – no govt would be better than this shower of failures.

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    Mute Gary Casserly
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    Feb 27th 2018, 8:48 PM

    @Doh: So who will you vote for, FF?

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    Mute IrishPolitical Scene
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:17 PM

    75% of voters didn’t vote for FG.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:21 PM

    @IrishPolitical Scene: So¿

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    Mute IrishPolitical Scene
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:40 PM

    @Bruce Miller: Someone said I a comment we all voted for them. No, we, a majority didn’t.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:20 PM

    @IrishPolitical Scene: Democracy works?

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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Feb 27th 2018, 12:16 AM

    @IrishPolitical Scene: The current political parties are all bought and paid for by the banking elite who are working tirelessly to destroy this country. Do I sound like a loony? If so, please re-read the headline.

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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:47 PM

    Simply outrageous that the government spends our money outlining how it intends to spend billions more of our money on the country. What sort of democracy is this? As my old uncle once said: “If you dont know to what port you’re heading, no wind is favourable”.

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    Mute Declan
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:23 PM

    @Honeybadger197: This is not democracy, FFG sharing Power/opposition, no real accountability. Dogmatic utterances from an obvious fan of Leo who is spending tax payers money spinning and controlling any real discourse in the media. Black, white and red should be the true colors of FFG, oh wait maybe blue, white and red. Long knives or Tory’s take your pick. Same coin and all that what what. Blasphemy! I tell you! What what. Get over yourself.

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:41 PM

    @Honeybadger197: We know who got the ‘lifeboats’ during the ‘storm’(crash)& it wasn’t ordinary people (services or communities)!That’s why those people,services and communities need rescuing now through to the future to restore damage done!

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    Mute Fred Joyson
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:49 PM

    So are some people saying that the government should not be spending any money on communicating the plan it has to spend hundreds of billions of taxpayer cash over the next 10 years? We should all just be kept in the dark should we?? Riiighht…..

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    Mute xor
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    Feb 26th 2018, 5:46 PM

    @Fred Joyson: The media are being told what to say ie. not allowed analyze this so called plan which means they are not doing a proper journalistic job… It’s paid advertising, when did any government have to resort to this codswallop!

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    Mute Father Hody Commody
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    Feb 26th 2018, 6:20 PM

    @Fred Joyson: Apart from rehashing earlier announcements, what exactly is the plan? You know, costed, tendered, etc. Anyone can come out with drivel, and none better than the FGers. But nothing of substance to back it up. No meat – in fact, no bones.

    How did Coveneys ‘no homeless in hotels by July 2017’ work out? Have a read of the FG manifestos for the last two elections. How did they work out? Apart from increasing the numbers on waiting lists, hitting new records with people on trollies, people dying on the streets within a stones throw of the dail?

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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Feb 27th 2018, 12:09 AM

    If this doesn’t sound alarm bells then what will it take to wake people up to the information war that’s going on? Stalin’s propaganda agency was called Agitprop. What is Leo’s called? While Leo might not be ordering people to their death, mass migration could just initiate (at some point) a conflict that will threaten to wipe out our indigenous population. Same effect.

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    Mute xor
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    Feb 27th 2018, 12:48 AM

    @Virtual Architect: He doesn’t give one toss, sure he has british passport…

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    Mute Keith Boland
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:12 PM

    Personally I don’t think Leo is fit for the job as Taoiseach . When you look back on Enda’s reign he never used twitter as frequently as leo to boast he’s on a fit mission to try encourage the nation to be fit , whilst I’m a sporting enthusiast I do not put on Twitter that I’m running 5 k going to a gym etc . Leo is all about his image & getting his voice heard if he put more effort to figure solutions to fix crippling homeless crisis crippling health & out of control gangland crime he would be far better . I don’t believe him I don’t think he’s the man for job he’s just a populist. If he called an election I think he may just be surprised of outcome . I don’t care what his trolls here think .

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    Mute Karl Doran
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    Feb 26th 2018, 9:00 PM

    All talk and no goods once again.. Can you blame them it’s us that voted for them.. 2040! More like 2140 with trillions billions later and still the right way is to build up not out…

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    Mute Fay Moynihan
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    Feb 27th 2018, 8:42 AM

    Lets add this to the list of government TOP 10 WHITE ELEPHANTS

    1. Irish Water €2bn plus

    2,000 staff it doesn’t need

    €86m on consultants

    2. Children’s Hospital €40m

    Costs on Mater site written-off

    3. IDA Ireland €200m

    Huge property write-downs from doomed land deals

    4. SIPTU ‘slush fund’ €4.4m

    Controversial training fund now under PAC and Garda investigation

    5. DDDA and Irish Glass Bottle site €431m

    Botched land deal which saw demise of DDDA at huge cost to taxpayer

    6. HSE €13bn

    Countless examples of waste pushes bill to €13bn a year

    7. Western Rail Corridor €200m

    Massively underused line was Celtic Tiger pet project still in need of subsidy

    8: Planning Tribunal €160m so far

    Embattled Mahon Tribunal, forced to quash CERTAIN adverse findings, now having to pay legal costs to third parties.

    9. National Aquatic Centre €120m

    MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION COST OVER-RUNS AT THE National Aquatic Centre, costly litigation left State being sued for €30m

    10. Irish Greyhound Stadium €21m

    A fiasco with a high price tag. The final cost of the stadium was around €21m, and the most alarming aspect was that it led to a doubling of the IGB’s debt to €22m, a debt which it cannot afford to pay and so is only servicing the interest.

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:59 PM

    It is still an UN plan… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda_21
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150228185340/https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal
    “12.7 promote public procurement practices that are sustainable in accordance with national policies and priorities “???
    So plenty of PPP’s then?

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Feb 26th 2018, 9:00 PM
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    Mute alphanautica
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:06 PM

    Most people in Ireland love Fine Gael’s plan and are delighted that it is being presented in a clear, uncompromising manner.

    Leaders are proud of their plans. Ireland is proud of its leaders. Ireland’s leaders are Fine Gael.

    I do feel sorry for the opposition though – caught on the hop, screeching from the ditch without a clear agenda and now they’re livid!

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:09 PM

    @alphanautica: Fine – but do not speak for Ireland. Clown…

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    Mute Free speech has to return here
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    Feb 26th 2018, 7:12 PM

    @alphanautica: Remember Leo’s health record of longest hospital waiting lists when he left it’s a new record when he the taoiseach. FF are waiting in the long grass and boom, Leo is going to be caught on the hop and GE 18. Posh sock boys grass roots prefer Coveney 2:1.

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Feb 26th 2018, 8:00 PM

    @alphanautica: 1)Most people including opposition politicians in Ireland want people,services and communities,regions damaged by crash and austerity to finally see improvements so that’s not confined to FG only!
    2)Isn’t a fundamental responsibility of a leader and Government in a Democracy to respect democracy including the people’s representatives in the Dail re proper debate and Opposition input before Project Ireland 2040 published and what about respecting the freedom of the press and their right to do proper independent analysis of the Plan?Are these allegations true and will Taoiseach ask SCU to publish these emails?
    3)The opposition politicians representing the public have every right to have concerns and for these matters to be cleared up by attendance at Dail Committees as revelations are concerning and are in public arena.

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    Mute Keith Boland
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:15 PM

    @alphanautica: what are you smoking & I don’t think you speak for majority of people in this country .finegael are totally dreaming . Where in gods name are we going to get money to build metro? Etc etc ????

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    Mute xor
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    Feb 27th 2018, 12:44 AM

    @alphanautica: Thanks for the laugh

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    Mute Felix Quigley
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    Mar 1st 2018, 8:33 AM

    This is 3 days old news. Meanwhile there are hundreds of articles today on the weather. Grow up the journal.ie

    This is by far the most important issue in Ireland today. If you are loath to report this issue we have to take action ourselves.

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    Mute Felix Quigley
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    Mar 1st 2018, 9:13 AM

    LESSONS OF THE BALLYHAUNIS MOSQUE

    There is a mention in a comment above of mass immigration into Ireland as a result of this plan. Yet there is only one mention (that I see). That will be by far the biggest issue and I cannot help thinking that all of this talk of “development” is a cloak which hides the real issue. All of this development and especially the pursuit of aggressive capitalistic agriculture is leaving no space for our precious wild life.

    I oppose all immigration. Ireland is already overcrowded. I oppose especially immigration of Muslims, call for the removal of all mosques in Ireland, and the removal right now of each and every Muslim in Ireland. Muslim immigration will only bring great peril to Ireland.

    I have been reading this morning the facebook page of the Ballyhaunis Mosque in Mayo. the style is deceptive. A parish Priest could say these things. It is only when you understand THE HISTORY of Islam that you can see they are using deception big time up there in Ballyhaunis.

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    Mute CryptoMurphy
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    Mar 2nd 2018, 1:07 AM

    Enda

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