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FactCheck: Did Enda Kenny really never call Donald Trump "racist"?

In advance of his meeting with the US President, the Taoiseach was confronted with comments he made last year. FactCheck takes a look.

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THE TAOISEACH WAS confronted with comments he had apparently made about Donald Trump some months ago, while facing questions from Irish journalists during his St Patrick’s Week visit to Washington DC, last night.

Earlier in the day former UKIP leader Nigel Farage told RTE Radio One Enda Kenny should apologise to Donald Trump for calling him “racist”.

Kenny denied this last night, claiming:

I did not refer to the person of the now-President as being racist. My comment was in respect of his language.

Let’s have a look at that.

(Send your FactCheck requests to factcheck@thejournal.ie, tweet @TJ_FactCheck, or send us a DM).

Claim: Enda Kenny did not call Donald Trump “racist”

What was said:

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Many politicians and commentators have accused the Taoiseach of calling Trump “racist”, since his comments last May.

On Wednesday, the issue came to prominence once again after Nigel Farage told Seán O’Rourke the Taoiseach should apologise to Trump for calling him “racist”.

Later on, the Taoiseach’s past remarks were put to him at a press conference in Washington DC, and Kenny told reporters, including TheJournal.ie’s Christina Finn:

I did not refer to the person of the now-President as being racist. My comment was in respect of his language.

Kenny was pressed by one journalist who asked “But if someone’s language is racist, are they not racist?”

The Taoiseach insisted:

No, it doesn’t follow at all. Language and words can be used by people in many regards…

The Facts

You can watch a short video including all the relevant comments, below, but for now, let’s examine what Enda Kenny said in the first place.

In the Dáil on 31 May 2016, the Taoiseach faced questions from TDs about his planned official engagements. In the course of that, Solidarity-PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett asked:

Given the racist, dangerous, reckless rhetoric and policies articulated by Donald Trump, if it comes about that he becomes the President of the United States, I’m asking would we continue to facilitate US troops at Shannon airport?

Later, Kenny replied:

If Trump’s comments are racist and dangerous, which they are, there is an alternative to vote for.

It’s unclear what comments in particular the Taoiseach was referring to, or whether he had specific comments in mind. We asked the Taoiseach’s press office for clarification on this, but we did not receive a response.

In any event, it’s quite clear that Kenny referred to Trump’s comments, and not Trump himself, as racist and dangerous.

Assessment

PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

It could be argued that a person who makes a racist comment, or racist comments, is by definition racist as a person, and that by calling Trump’s comments racist, Enda Kenny was by definition calling Trump himself racist.

However, this is a subjective interpretation, and even at that, it’s not entirely convincing.

A person could, for example, make a racist comment in a subversive or ironic way. It would be difficult to maintain that this person is by definition racist.

Equally, a person could make racially bigoted remarks, but later entirely abandon the views that gave rise to those comments. It would also be difficult to maintain that this person is racist, simply by virtue of having made racist comments.

This is not to make any claim about the nature of President Trump’s views, policies or past comments.

It is simply to point out that describing a person’s comments in one way does not mean that you are, in the mere act of describing their comments, by definition or logical necessity also describing that person in the same way.

Obviously, one very often follows the other. But not necessarily or by definition.

Even if we are to leave that aside, we are left with the wording of Enda Kenny’s statement last May, when he called Trump’s comments, but not Trump himself, “racist and dangerous”.

We find the Taoiseach’s claim – that he never called Trump racist – Mostly TRUE.

As our verdicts guide explains, this means:

The claim is close to accurate, but is missing significant details or context. Or, the best available evidence weighs in favour of the claim.

This is the 12th time we’ve fact-checked a claim by Enda Kenny. You can read his FactCheck File here.

FactCheck File Enda Kenny 17_03_16

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here.

For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here

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62 Comments
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    Mute Sam
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:38 PM

    My stomach turns every time I see Kenny on TV.. Why am i so like this I ask..

    277
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    Mute Palbears
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:21 PM

    Now what am I supposed to do?
    No red thumb option.

    139
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    Mute Buster VL
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:33 PM

    Try Reddit.ie. Red thumbs gone, me gone

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    Mute Jlocoroco
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:47 PM

    Let’s all pretend that the green thumbs are red thumbs and nobody green thumb something they don’t like

    21
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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:57 PM

    @Jlocoroco. .we should have an orange thumbs option..just give us time to make up our minds…

    14
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    Mute The Cheeky Pope
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:21 AM

    I didn’t download the update, so just to keep you all abreast I am red thumping the s@@t of ye.

    45
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    Mute Tensing Norgay
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    Mar 17th 2017, 2:13 AM

    Unhealthy obsession , guilty pleasure , school boy crush ,sucker for mayo accent , turned on by wirey hair, you love lilt??

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    Mute Eamonn O'Riain
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:09 AM

    @Tensing Norgay: rt.

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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:39 PM

    He made the remark during the presidential campaign thinking that Clinton was a certainty to be elected. It was a cheap shot playing to the liberal mob in the gallery. Now it’s backfired dramatically. He has egg all over his face and will be dining on humble pie in Donald’s presence.

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    Mute goon4life
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:22 PM

    @Emmet O’Keeffe: I’m going to miss red thumbing you!

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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:24 PM

    @goon4life:
    Love the new format.

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    Mute John Considine
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:37 PM

    @Emmet O’Keeffe: Why do you guys care so much about internet points?

    Let’s get straight here, the correct format is no meaningless buttons at all. When has the popularity of an argument been testament to it’s veracity? When was it decided that unpopular arguments were necessarily false?

    Internet points are clickbait. Something you are being sold. Grow up ffs.

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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:50 AM

    Not really . Fact check kinda has his back on this one

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Mar 17th 2017, 1:06 AM

    @John Considine: Sometimes, red thumbs make you rethink your own entrenched opinions. I, personally, have deep-seated opinions. I have written comments according to my then-held beliefs. The amount of red thumbs I received made me question those beliefs and, upon subsequent analysis and discussion, I changed them. It’s not about popularity. Red thumbs won’t change that. They do have the ability to change people’s perception of things, though.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Mar 17th 2017, 1:15 AM

    @Emmet O’Keeffe:

    “He has egg all over his face and will be dining on humble pie in Donald’s presence.”

    Errm – you do realise that they already dined right? And that there was no issue?

    14
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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 17th 2017, 2:04 AM

    @John Considine:
    Affirmation by a jury of my peers on the Journal is important to me John.

    8
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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 17th 2017, 2:05 AM

    After all, this is the cutting edge of social discourse.

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    Mute Ed Magnier
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    Mar 17th 2017, 3:12 AM

    @Emmet O’Keeffe: So the millionaire son of a billionaire is not an agent of neoliberal economics. Is this this what you’re telling me?

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    Mute Buster VL
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:32 PM

    Red thumbs gone, so am i!!. Moving over to Reddit.

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    Mute Alan Farrell
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    Mar 17th 2017, 8:22 AM

    @Buster VL: Do sure. Must be tough being only able to use one app. I’ve been blessed with the ability to effortlessly switch over to one app and then back again whenever I so choose since birth.

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    Mute Palbears
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    Mar 17th 2017, 8:43 AM

    @Buster VL:
    Can I get Reddit app and use it on my phone like this one?

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:37 PM

    Endas alright. Leave him alone

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    Mute Sue Sue
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:03 PM

    @Eugene Walsh: why cant i dislike this, journal sort out your new app and Eugene your a s.a.p.!

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:06 PM

    @Sue Sue: A low like, indicates a high dislike and a high like means a lot of love!

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    Mute Seamus McSpud
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:20 PM

    @Sue Sue: red thumb

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Mar 17th 2017, 7:09 AM

    @Stephen murphy:
    Not really, the number of likes depends on how long the comment’s been up so it’s not easy to tell at a glance.
    I know people were asking to disable red thumbs for certain sensitive stories (tragedies etc.) but they’ve gone completely OTT by getting rid of them altogether and this will only see more and more people lose interest and drift away from The Journal.

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Mar 17th 2017, 7:10 AM

    @Avina Laaf:
    Maybe we should just swamp the comments section by cutting and pasting “red thumb” as a reply to every comment we dislike….

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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:38 PM

    I’m confused now..so you can say something that is racist but it doesn’t make you a racist..

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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:40 PM

    @sparky:
    Bit like when a Fine Gael minister makes a pronouncement which is pure spin then clarifies at a later date that that wasn’t what he meant at all.

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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:48 PM

    @ Emmet o’keeffe..agree but get rid of the a, should read..”Fg ministers “

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    Mute Shala
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:03 PM

    Sure why don’t we all just start writing racist comments on social media/news boards. Or to people we encounter. Going by Enda’s logic it wouldn’t make us racists.
    The man is an embarrassment.

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    Mute John003
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:35 PM

    Speaking of fact checking where was Gerry Adams today…..Trump always supported SF fund raising dinner in NY even in the 90′s….

    27
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    Mute Joe Caulfield
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:59 PM

    Kenny did the right thing. Media is trying a little too hard to stir the pit.

    22
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    Mute Joe Caulfield
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:00 PM

    @Joe Caulfield: pot

    5
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    Mute Carolmurph02
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:32 PM

    Typical Irish media, pathetic. Instead of supporting our cause in the world and our interests in America-let’s focus on Enda and what he did/didn’t say. Anyone negative commenting here needs to take a good hard look at our economy and where the majority of our highly skilled jobs come from. Not to mention our busy airports, oh and the fact or economy’s growing. The lot of you would be a complete and utter waste of time in government judging on these comments. Lose Americas suppost, lose our economy

    24
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    Mute Carolmurph02
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:34 PM

    p.s. And don’t start on the ‘oh there’s lots of homeless’ argument either, one usually favoured by the opposition when they’ve no proper points ti make-it has nothing to do with Enda in the US.

    7
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:54 PM

    @Carolmurph02: God luck with your own version of eyes wide open. Think there’s a film out there called eyes wide shut and it just reminds me of you.

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    Mute RiainOg
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:17 AM

    @Mary Murphy: haha, like it!

    4
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    Mute Carolmurph02
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    Mar 17th 2017, 7:20 AM

    What part of what I said isn’t true? Are the majority of highly skilled jobs in this country not American?!

    2
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    Mute Mumpsimus
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:43 AM

    Eh no red thumbs? What’s the point then? I only read the journal for the comments. The articles were usually badly written and the comments were best bit. How will I ever now find the most controversial comments?

    21
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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:53 PM

    The guy has a problem with reality, leave him alone! He doesn’t lie he just has an alternative viewpoint. Often it’s at odds with the one he had previously too someone else! Life is like a box of chocolates sometimes he prefers the hazelnut whirls to the strawberry ones.

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    Mute Uncle Montys Cat
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:33 AM

    No red thumbs, goodbye.

    17
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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:53 PM

    The guy just has an issue with reality, leave him alone. He just has an alternative view with what others may perceive. Often that is a variance on what he previously told someone else, but shire so what? Life us like a box of chocolates and some days he prefers the hazel nut whirls to the strawberry truffles!

    12
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    Mute Leann Kiernan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 1:24 AM

    On a personal note this is one paper I will never read again. Bad enough the leader of the country making us look like fools on the world stage but now our media saying he was right. Your point may have had some footing if whim he was referring to had evolved their view but Trump has remained steadfast therefore your theory falls flat. He called him a racist but has now been so long dealing with the Irish population where the government no longer even try’s to come up with convincing lies when he was pressed he had no sensible response and for you to in any way try to say he had a point just show your own ignorance.

    16
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:44 PM

    Say what ya want, dosnt mean your racist.. Well that’s a fact check by the Journal..

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:08 PM

    @Willy Malone: Lovely English there Willy.

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:49 PM

    Why are you having this fact check???? Ffs nobody can actually let people know how they feel anymore with your crapology tests. Hate your new version of yes minister

    20
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    Mute JoeyJoeJoeJrShabadoo
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:08 PM

    Any chance of a factcheck on Gerry Adams ever being in the IRA?

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    Mute goon4life
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:27 PM

    @JoeyJoeJoeJrShabadoo: I’m pretty sure the RUC/PSNI/Garda Siochana/Special Branch/British Intelligence have all tried fact checking it already!?

    21
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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:05 AM

    You’re right … they did and they found that he is the leader of the party led by the IRA. So tell us your alternative fact to that little matter?

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Mar 17th 2017, 11:10 AM

    @justanothertaxpayer: Then there’s no party, because the IRA doesn’t exist. If they could arrest GA for sneezing he’d be in jail long ago.

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Mar 17th 2017, 3:41 PM

    Yet the authorities charged with investigating this says there is an IRA and they run SF.

    You seem to think just because they say they disbanded that we should believe them? They were more than fine with murder and terrorism… I am sure they have no problem with telling lies too

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:06 AM

    Just be careful how you comment on people’s comments. Just commenting!!!

    7
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    Mute RiainOg
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:09 AM

    He is the definition of the good pupil at school, do good, earn yourself a pat on the head. Embarrassing to say the least, when it comes to a nationally elected representative (leader of the most popular voted party) on the gobal stage.

    7
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    Mute Carolmurph02
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    Mar 17th 2017, 7:40 AM

    What is embarrassing about what he’s doing right now? What sort of idiot would you send over…one that would destroy the Irish economy in seconds by the sounds of it.

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:18 AM

    Why didn’t fact check examine more closely into Kenny’s first remark about Trump’s “racist…policies”? Surely that’s the same as calling someone racist?

    6
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    Mute Jarlath Murphy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:55 PM

    See if you can spot the did similarities?

    2
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:57 AM

    It all depends on how many angels you can get to dance on the point of a needle.

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    Mute Phil Swan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 9:32 AM

    He’s such a snake – never looks anyone in the eye.

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    Mute declan burke
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    Mar 17th 2017, 3:24 AM

    If you want some with balls send gerry

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    Mute Jonny bee
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    Mar 17th 2017, 5:52 AM

    Factcheck- is enda kenny a fckn idiot ?

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    Mute Jonathan Yeo
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    Mar 17th 2017, 7:08 AM

    This man does not represent Ireland he is only the boss by a fix

    He was not elected by the people

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