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Nan Joyce, spokesperson for the Travellers on the March in 1984. Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

'He walks with his head down. No more' - Taoiseach recognises Traveller ethnicity in the Dáil

“It is a historic day for our Travellers and a proud day for Ireland.”

THE TAOISEACH HAS taken the historic step of recognising Traveller ethnicity in the Dáil.

Speaking in the chamber this evening, Enda Kenny said that the recognition would allow young Travellers “feel the same sense of hope and opportunity as every other young person in Ireland”.

Using the example of a 17-year-old named Robbie, Kenny said that he was deeply moved by a representation made to him earlier this month.

“On 6February last, I invited representatives of the main Traveller organisations to the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy to discuss this with Minister Stanton and other senior ministers.

“The representatives spoke passionately about how this strong message from the State would be a very important symbolic and positive step in acknowledging the uniqueness of Traveller identity.
They felt it would resonate strongly among the community and help counter the stigma and shame felt by many, particularly young people, and increase feelings of respect, self-esteem and inclusion.

“I was deeply moved as the Group spoke of their own personal experiences including their personal hopes and dreams for their own children to fulfil all their ambitions.

We all want the same for our children: to grow up and thrive in a society where everyone is free to be who they truly are. No one should have to hide their religion, their sexual orientation, their race or culture to be respected or even accepted in society.

Kenny continued and formally, as Taoiseach, recognised Travellers as a distinct ethnic group.

“As Taoiseach I wish to now formally recognise Travellers as a distinct ethnic group within the Irish nation.

“It is a historic day for our Travellers and a proud day for Ireland.

“May all the people of our nation live in the shelter and never in the shadow of each other.”

The Children’s Rights Alliance “warmly welcomed” the news.

“Today is an extraordinary day for Ireland and momentous for the thousands of Traveller children who have suffered for too long from exclusion and discrimination. Today, a grievous wrong has begun to be righted.”

Locked out

Before the speeches, there was an argument around 150 or so Traveller activists who were left at the gate during the speeches.

AAA-PBP TD Bríd Smith had asked for them to be allowed watch from inside Leinster House, but was told that the public gallery was full and there wasn’t enough staff to accompany them to a coffee dock or party meeting rooms.

Kenny’s speech in full:

A Cheann Comhairle,Thank you for making time in the House today for this historic and symbolic recognition of Travellers as an ethnic group within the Irish nation.Robbie is a 17-year-old young man.The apple of his mother’s eye.

His future ahead of him, the world at his feet….Yet he walks with his head down.

No more.

His mother, his family, his Traveller community want Robbie to feel the same sense of hope and opportunity as every other young person in this country.

So do I.

So does this House of public representatives.

Today’s Statement of Recognition of Travellers as an Ethnic Group will go some way to ensuring Robbie and his entire Traveller family have a better future with less negativity, exclusion and marginalisation.

As the House is aware, the Traveller community has for many years campaigned to have their unique heritage, culture and identify formally recognised by the Irish State.

And in this State, they make their contribution as Gardaí, doctors, members of the defence forces, prison officers.

So there should be no surprise that a person can identify as Irish and as Traveller. This is a deep and personal issue for many Travellers.

On the 6th of February last, I invited representatives of the main Traveller organisations to the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy to discuss this with Minister Stanton and other senior ministers.

The representatives spoke passionately about how this strong message from the State would be a very important symbolic and positive step in acknowledging the uniqueness of Traveller identity.
They felt it would resonate strongly among the community and help counter the stigma and shame felt by many, particularly young people, and increase feelings of respect, self-esteem and inclusion.

I was deeply moved as the Group spoke of their own personal experiences including their personal hopes and dreams for their own children to fulfil all their ambitions.

We all want the same for our children: to grow up and thrive in a society where everyone is free to be who they truly are. No one should have to hide their religion, their sexual orientation, their race or culture to be respected or even accepted in society.

And across society, as we discussed, there are also darker elements that challenge the law of the land that must be tackled. The Traveller community is not immune to this.

I hope that today will create a new platform for positive engagement by the Traveller community and Government together in seeking sustainable solutions which are based on respect and on an honest dialogue.

That recent engagement and these Statements from all leaders in the House will further help generate mutual recognition and respect between the Traveller and settled communities.

For some time, Ireland has implicitly recognised Travellers as having a distinct ethnic identity:
By reporting since 2000 to the Council of Europe on the situation of Travellers in Ireland in our periodic reports on the Council’s Framework Convention on National Minorities;

By reporting on the situation of Travellers to the UN and Council of Europe in our periodic reports on the main international conventions/monitoring bodies against racism;

And by explicitly naming Travellers as a protected group in our equality legislation.

Since the eighties, Pavee Point together with the Irish Traveller Movement, the National Traveller Women’s Forum and Minceirs Whidden have campaigned strongly on behalf of Travellers. They have worked hard with the community to improve living conditions, promote health and education and access to services.

They have sought to empower Travellers and have not been afraid to help them address some of their own internal challenges.

Minister of State Stanton is also finalising a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy.

That Inclusion Strategy is intended to bring about important changes to the lives of the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland.

The campaign for recognition of Travellers in Ireland as a specific ethnic group of the Irish nation, with their own unique heritage, culture and traditions has of course been part of the discussions for the new Strategy.

It doesn’t surprise us – in the context of relationships and self-identities within the island of Ireland – that a person can identify in different and sometimes overlapping ways.

We recognise as part of the Good Friday Agreement that a person can identify as Irish, Northern Ireland or British and that this self-identification can vary with greater emotional commitment to one or other element depending on the circumstances.
Under the same Good Friday Agreement, we formally recognise the identity of people of Ulster Scots heritage including in the 3 border counties and support the development of their unique heritage and culture, without prejudice to their equal citizenship in and loyalty to this Republic.

Our Traveller Community is an integral part of our society for over a millennium, with their own distinct identity – a people within our people.

I have to say it a great pleasure for me to be the person that has the honour of making this statement.

I must acknowledge David Stanton, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality and the national Traveller organisations who undertook substantial work to bring clarity to the debate.

Together we agreed that recognition of Travellers could have a transformative effect on relations between Travellers and the wider society, and will create no new individual, constitutional or financial rights.

Because of course, Travellers already enjoy all the human rights and responsibilities that are afforded for all people under our constitution and laws. The acceptance and implementation of those rights and responsibilities has to work both ways in order for society to function effectively, inclusively and with mutual respect for all citizens.

We recognise the inequalities and discrimination that the Traveller community faces and have a range of special programmes and interventions. The development of the new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy will build on this.

As Taoiseach I wish to now formally recognise Travellers as a distinct ethnic group within the Irish nation.

It is a historic day for our Travellers and a proud day for Ireland.

Lá iontach tábhactach é seo do lucht Taisteal na Tíre – La d’ár saol mar a déarfá.

May all the people of our nation live in the shelter and never in the shadow of each other.

Read: The Taoiseach will recognise Traveller ethnicity tomorrow

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178 Comments
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:38 PM

    Tickets to gain entrance to nightclubs this is turning into a right farce. It’s getting beyond ridiculous now.

    325
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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:44 PM

    @Franny Ando: No it’s the minimum that should be required given the increase in case numbers. That places are opening at all is a bonus. You need to accept the old ways are gone for now.

    206
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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:44 PM

    @Franny Ando: I know, right?! And who ever heard of being asked to show ID to get in to a nightclub?! It’s madness I tell ya!

    117
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    Mute Will Roche
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:47 PM

    @Franny Ando: I wonder if nightclubs who are opening tonight knew about this? If not tonight is going to be a mess.

    27
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:51 PM

    @Will Roche: They just announced it won’t come into effect till Monday.

    20
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    Mute Tom Bombdadil
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:53 PM

    @Franny Ando: there won’t be a single ticket given out. That’s a fact

    18
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:53 PM

    @JusticeForJoe: There’s a bloody big difference asking for I.D and being made by tickets. A covid cert and photo I.d is ample proof. Dont try to be smart because you generally fail abysmally.

    62
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    Mute Life in no motion
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:54 PM

    @Franny Ando: stop your moaning

    57
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:55 PM

    @lelookcoco: A covid cert with photo I.d is more then enough for gaining entry. Tickets are of no benefit whatsoever.

    44
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    Mute Mac Muinteoir
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:55 PM

    @Franny Ando: reminds me of when they announced the new 5 levels of lockdown, and then when they were asked which level we were in, they said “3 and a half”.

    59
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:56 PM

    @Franny Ando: buy

    5
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    Mute Kevin
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:58 PM

    @Franny Ando:

    I suspect the nightclubs & bars will be closed again within 6 weeks if the current hospitalisation rate continues. The government know this as do NPHET but they had to give a (temporary) concession given how badly affected this industry has been over the past 17 months.

    41
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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:01 PM

    @Franny Ando: It’s to facilitate contact tracing. Do you only read the news items that allow you a good moan?

    42
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:01 PM

    @Mac Muinteoir: I lost count of the many variations of lockdown:):)

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:02 PM
    14
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    Mute Melissa OHara
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:04 PM

    @Franny Ando: they say the tickets are for contract tracing but sure how are they going to know who is a close contact in a nightclub?! Also everyone has to be vaccinated anyway and when you are vaxed and a close contact it makes f all difference because you just go about you life as normal.

    47
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:18 PM

    @Life in no motion: Oct 22nd was when most restrictions were to be removed. A plan should have been in place well before 7pm on the 21st. A plan for reopening and a secondary plan if they had concerns about numbers. But that would require actual competent ministers something most have known for a long time are in extremely short supply. All the plans put in place by these venues after 22 months all gone skew ways.

    34
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    Mute Hugo Bugo
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:21 PM

    @lelookcoco: no we don’t have to accept anything of the sort, not all of us roll over so easily

    35
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    Mute Hugo Bugo
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:22 PM

    @lelookcoco: contact tracing, lol, so you’re still trying to contain it, good luck with that

    21
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    Mute Cian
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:26 PM

    @lelookcoco: surely your a troll there actually can’t be people with this view point is there? How unworkable the ticket system is. how are small Family run nightclubs going to set up this online ticketing service? Without having to pay an external company.

    28
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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 10:34 PM

    @Cian: No Cian. I’m not a troll. I’ve been commenting here for 7+ years. Family run nightclubs? Where do you live, the Aran Islands?

    14
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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 1:09 AM

    @lelookcoco: People like you should be put in the stocks.

    4
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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 9:11 AM

    @Cian: event brite is free and you can set up an account in about 2 minutes. I sincerely hope that if someone can run a nuteclub they can manage the Internet.

    5
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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 9:14 AM

    @Hugo Bugo: thought you had given up on the Journal after your dramatic that’s it I’m leaving last week. Didn’t last long before you’re back moaning.

    6
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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 9:47 AM

    @Kevin: thinking the same thing ,,,they should not have opened them .

    4
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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 9:15 PM

    @SmallbutMighty: Ahahahaha he didn’t say that, did he? Raging I missed that. No need to announce your departure, Hugo, it’s not an airport.

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    Mute Jacqui Curtis-owens
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:25 PM

    Watch this space….bye bye Christmas

    105
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    Mute Stuart Birney
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:32 PM

    @Jacqui Curtis-owens: We heard you the first time!

    5
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    Mute Hugh
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:35 PM

    These cl0wns are in charge of an €86 billion budget. Let that sink in

    96
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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 8:40 PM

    @Hugh: I’m more worried about the 200 billion defecit

    26
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    Mute Aranthos Faroth
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 10:00 PM

    @Hugh: jaysus sure if you’re so confident why haven’t you gone into politics? Or you just like judging but not actually doing anything?

    17
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    Mute Ian O Hara
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:02 PM

    Dancing maskless, boom covid controlled…….

    44
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    Mute JMcB
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:53 PM

    Hand sanitisers on every table is not a bad thing IMO

    40
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    Mute Mark
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:55 PM

    @JMcB: until fellas started drinking it hahahah they’ll be blind as bats

    75
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    Mute Stuart Birney
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:29 PM

    @Mark: Bat’s aren’t blind Mark but nice try!

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    Mute FrustratedASDMum
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 9:56 PM

    @JMcB: Jesus, never thought of that. You just know there are going to be knob heads in pubs and clubs this weekend who will drink some ‘for a laugh’ and end up wasting time & resources in A&Es around the country after poisoning themselves.

    6
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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 1:34 AM

    @Stuart Birney: I’d say you’re a real hoot at parties.

    5
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 8:03 PM

    I mean I get why there’s so much red tape but the amount of protocol and fuss would really put me off going out at all.

    25
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    Mute Seymour business
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:57 PM

    This all makes sense to me, at least the effort to protect all vital services are being put to priority. Unlike the sh!t show across the water. Well done all.

    29
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 12:14 PM

    @Seymour business: ha ha maybe ya should change your name to ‘see less business’ —- what ever happened to the 100m we spent on the HSE covid tracing app ? This was suppose to be the 21st century solution to contact tracing – using mobile tech like they did in south korea to retrace movements yada yada -anyone remember all that -of course not – Ireland is tieing itself up in a farcical red tape bubble being created by bureaucrats – it’s almost as if they. are setting it up to fail – heres a list of things we need you to do in order to ‘be incompliance’ and then in another month – ah we have to shut them down they are not abl to operate in compliance – i get it people who dont care much for clubbing etc on here pontificating – but for the vast majority of younger people pub club owners and operators – this just makes a laughing stock of the ‘vaccine bonus’ conversations that Govt and Health officials touted 6 months ago – people need to start demanding representatives get theor sh*t together and get this mess sorted – it is beyond farcical they had over a year to PLAN for club reopenings – could the administrators not have used all them ‘working from home on full pay’ meetings on zoom to work all this out in advance – 630pm on day of opening – seriously????

    4
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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:53 PM

    I know of someone going out tomorrow not vaxed ..how they are going to get in anywhere .,.

    14
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:56 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: A negative test result.

    36
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    Mute Mo
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 6:59 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: You should definitely report them, awful behaviour altogether /s

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:02 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: Hopefully they won’t

    21
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    Mute Sarah Lou
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:07 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: correction… you know someone who intends to go out tomorrow night….cant wait to check in Sunday and see where let them in!

    25
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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 9:14 PM

    @Mo: I’m not in Ireland

    5
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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Oct 23rd 2021, 1:37 AM

    @lelookcoco: Pull up a chair everyone. lelookcoco is saying daft stuff again.

    7
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    Mute John Keane
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 8:35 PM

    Im just interested to know what your solution is! Please share it. Do you want a freedom day? Look where that got them. People will die in more numbers again, there is no back to normal solution there wont be for a long time if ever. Unless we just all take our chances and may the strong survive. Maybe thats what darwin meant.

    13
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    Mute John Keane
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 8:55 PM

    @John Keane: that was meant for Franny Ando at the top.

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    Mute finbarr walsh
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:37 PM

    Do I need to show covid cert if staying in a hotel ?

    7
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    Mute Giovanni cans
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 7:50 PM

    @finbarr walsh: no drive on eat and drink all you like there covid doesn’t affect hotels

    44
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Oct 22nd 2021, 8:15 PM

    @finbarr walsh: No.

    10
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