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Poll: Do you think we need more bank holidays?

Ireland has fewer bank holidays than a lot of our EU counterparts.

SHOULD IRELAND HAVE more bank holidays?

This week the UK’s Labour party promised that if it was elected, it will aim to create four new bank holidays – one for the patron saint’s day of each of the home nations.

Although we have a bank holiday for St Patrick already, Ireland still ranks quite low on the list of countries with bank holidays: Finland, France and Germany have 11; Portugal, Poland and Sweden have 13; while Belgium has 17.

Ireland, meanwhile, has nine. So we’re asking: Do we need more bank holidays, and if so, how many?


Poll Results:

Yes, we need one a month  (8227)
Yes, we need one or two more (7943)
No, we've enough (3641)

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107 Comments
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    Mute Seán Clancy
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:35 AM

    Yes I think two more would be ideal. The obvious gaps are a February and July bank holiday. Have it on the first Monday of the month as with most others.

    The economic effects are neutral, while you have 2 days less work, the boost in consumer spending would offset this, plus the mental health of our society would be greatly improved. Allowing everyone to spend more time with their families.

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:26 AM

    @Seán Clancy: It’s a long way between the August Bank Holiday and the October one. Have one in early September to extend the tourist season, with the added benefit that it would occasionally fall on my birthday.

    298
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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:47 AM

    @Chris Mansfield: July and September are the obvious choices, though perhaps we align the September one to the last Monday in August and be in line with the UK one.

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    Mute Terry McClatchey
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:56 AM

    @Seán Clancy: Yes. In the modern era, shared public holidays are much more valuable than flexible leave days. In many occupations, having a day off when most others are at work is more trouble than it’s worth as others will have taken the opportunity to fill your in-box with demands for responses that you have immediately failed to meet.

    22
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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:00 PM

    @Daniel Dunne: Best just align it with Electric Picnic..

    22
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    Mute Larry Whack
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:27 PM

    @Seán Clancy: I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

    4
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    Mute Fergal O'Hagan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 5:58 PM

    What about moving bank holidays to friday instead of monday? Paddys day being a friday this year was nice. You get more use from your day off when its friday

    5
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    Mute Cian Omahony Snr
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    Apr 28th 2017, 2:17 AM

    Hi Fergal.. paddy’s day I think should be the Monday nearest to the 17th ..what good is a bank holiday middle of the week or a Tues,Thurs,

    1
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    Mute Cian Omahony Snr
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    Apr 28th 2017, 2:19 AM

    We are on the same track,same thinking

    1
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    Mute Pharmy
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:38 AM

    It’s about time we ended the confusion about Good Friday. It’s a public holiday in most of Europe & everything closes. Here the public service & banks close but everywhere else is left hanging. Either everyone opens or everyone closes … end of story!

    336
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    Mute Big Lee
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:00 AM

    @Pharmy: that’s going next year, the alcoholics couldn’t go a day without access to a pub so we’ve all to work Good Friday.

    86
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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:02 AM

    @Big Lee: Type only for yourself m8.

    38
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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:04 AM

    @Pharmy: but what about the atheists and church bashers don’t they deserve a holiday too?

    12
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    Mute David
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:10 AM

    @Big Lee: most people work Good Friday you turnip!

    36
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    Mute Rosiemonstre
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:52 AM

    @Big Lee: The only thing going next year is the ban on alcohol sales. It’ll still be a grey area – de facto public holiday but not official.

    11
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:43 AM

    @Big Lee: It’s giving people the choice to drink or not. You don’t seem to want anyone having a choice on anything you disagree with.

    14
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    Mute Brendan Mason
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    Apr 27th 2017, 12:19 PM

    @Pharmy: Fully agreed. Bang on. Good Friday should be EITHER a full CLOSED day for everyone, (bank holiday granted of course) just like Christmas Day OR leave is completely open for everyone with no bank holiday (including the pubs). Ireland treats Good Friday with complete confusion (hypocritical). eg Most Shops open, no bank holiday, and the pubs to shut.

    11
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    Mute Brendan Mason
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    Apr 27th 2017, 12:22 PM

    @Big Lee: Hopefully unless they kick that can down the road.

    1
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    Mute John Weldon
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    Apr 27th 2017, 1:36 PM

    @Brendan Mason: Its almost like the businesses can choose for themselves. Madness!!!

    5
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    Mute Padraic Courtney
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    Apr 27th 2017, 4:09 PM

    @Brendan Mason: The Courts won’t open on Good Friday. Nobody wants to be the first judge since Pontius Pilate to sit on Good Friday.

    7
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    Mute Andrew Corcoran
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:31 AM

    An extra one in July would be nice!

    241
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    Mute Alan Brogan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:35 AM

    @Andrew Corcoran: 12th! Inclusive and all that stuff…

    117
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    Mute Andrew Corcoran
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:38 AM

    @Alan Brogan: Great idea Alan. Let’s call it Orangefest, Willie Frazer can be Grand Marshall and lead the march down O’Connell Street followed by a riot and some shop lifting from Footlocker. Yay!!

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    Mute Yer Man
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:40 AM

    @Alan Brogan: I’m all for that, that would really mess with there minds!

    25
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    Mute Les Behan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:44 AM

    @Alan Brogan: Absolutely and it should be called “Love Day”!

    30
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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:51 AM

    @Andrew Corcoran: We have enough of bank holidays

    10
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    Mute Joe O'riordan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:51 AM

    @Yer Man: their

    4
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    Mute Andrew Corcoran
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    Apr 27th 2017, 3:06 PM

    @Alan Scott: One of the lowest in Europe Alan.

    6
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    Mute space invader
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:51 AM

    How can anyone say no to extra bank holidays???

    202
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    Mute Ryan Comiskey
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:52 AM

    @space invader: maybe some people enjoy their jobs and bank holidays are a hindrance.

    36
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    Mute Yer Man
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:00 AM

    @Ryan Comiskey: worst kinda people

    132
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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:29 AM

    @space invader: They employ people and are too stingey to pay them an extra day for the holiday.

    31
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    Mute Joe O'riordan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:52 AM

    @Darren Byrne: actually I am self employed and the only chance I get for 2 days off together is a bank holiday weekend!!

    17
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    Mute Brendan Mason
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    Apr 27th 2017, 12:23 PM

    @space invader: Try employers

    9
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    Mute jane
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    Apr 27th 2017, 1:42 PM

    @Darren Byrne: yeah too stingy, nothing to do with trying to stay afloat.

    10
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    Mute Karen Doyle
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    Apr 27th 2017, 5:34 PM

    @space invader: The self-employed for one. Makes no odds to me. I don’t get paid for days I take off.

    4
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    Mute The Guru
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:40 AM

    Melbourne gets holidays for Melbourne Cup and Friday of the AFL final. Monday after the all-Ireland finals would be good!

    180
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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:57 AM

    @The Guru: Why more people play soccer here now, than GAA – and more watch it, on TV?

    35
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    Mute John Ryan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:24 AM

    @The Guru: Tend to agree with u . Only 2 bank holidays in the last 6 months of the year (outside of the Xmas period). So September sounds good.

    39
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    Mute Jonathan McCoy
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:42 AM

    An Independence Day would be a good idea, we don’t do enough to celebrate it.

    113
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    Mute Big Lee
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:55 AM

    @Jonathan McCoy: We turned our independence over to Brussels.

    61
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    Mute technoviking
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:12 AM

    @Jonathan McCoy: Ye having an independence day would be some sort of sick joke now. We are not self governing and we are not independent.

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    Mute Greg Blake
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:34 AM

    @technoviking: it think Big Lee must have meant …. In-(a state of)-Dependence.

    4
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    Mute SunshineLollipops
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:33 AM

    One in February would be nice. Sometime after the January payday

    105
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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:04 PM

    @SunshineLollipops: February, July & September would do nicely..

    18
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    Mute Don Juan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:38 AM

    Should split the poll into Employer and Employee votes, see what way that works.

    59
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    Mute The Guru
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:32 AM

    Not sure if more are needed but I wouldn’t say no! What I’d like to see is naming the days rather than just calling them bank holidays. And no Arthurs Day is not an option!

    54
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    Mute Andrew Corcoran
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:34 AM

    @The Guru: Andrew’s Day has a nice ring to it ☺

    34
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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:36 AM

    @The Guru: They’re called public holidays, people just conflate them with bank holidays. But there’s actually 12 bank holidays.

    14
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    Mute William Mcgee
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:13 AM

    Lets just say we should all have the same holidays and go by what the TDs . are getting and all will be happy, and if that is not possible we will settle for what the teachers are getting .End of .

    40
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    Mute Fred Jensen
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:53 AM

    No. Half the country doesn’t do enough work as it is (public sector comes to mind)

    31
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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:42 AM

    I vote for Good Friday as a day for planting spuds in the garden……

    26
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    Mute Catherine Aisling Noonan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:15 AM

    A famine memorial day would be nice. Possibly in July.

    24
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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Apr 27th 2017, 5:33 PM

    @Catherine Aisling Noonan: Good idea – a famine memorial day to dig spuds in July.

    2
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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:59 AM

    the real issue is could we have a floating one or two so that we can grab a bank holiday when the weather forecast is good. One major issue with the existing system is that the weather gods know when the bank holidays are coming and send wind and rain and depressing weather, hence we need something to counter balance and catch the weather gods off balance.

    Seriously though when I went to see how we were doing comparing to other countries we are not too bad, a minimum of 20 days leave and 9 paid bank holidays – Cambodia, with 27 tops the paid bank holiday list and some countries, Wikipedia says, have neither paid bank holidays nor statuary paid annual leave, including, interestingly enough, the US of A.

    23
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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:50 AM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: 21 days paid holiday leave is the legal floor I thought???

    1
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    Mute Nigel O'Neill
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:48 AM

    How about starting with just calling them ‘Public Holidays’ !?

    16
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    Mute Quiet Goer
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:54 AM

    We need one on Good Thursday specifically for stocking up on dhrink

    15
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    Mute Jimmy Farrell
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:02 AM

    @Quiet Goer: *Holy thursday

    14
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Quiet Goer: Not from next year we don’t.

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    Mute DeShawn Jersey
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    Apr 27th 2017, 3:01 PM

    @Jimmy Farrell: * Maundy Thursday

    1
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    Mute Dark Knight
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:22 AM

    @Paul Foot: the fact you called it soccer automatically discredits your point

    16
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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:26 AM

    @Dark Knight: My points are correct. Soccer was used just to distinguish the game from football (gaelic).

    13
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    Mute Joe O'riordan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:58 AM

    @Dark Knight: where are you from?? Everybody in Ireland calls it soccer , EVERYBODY! That is apart from the auld west British who refer to it as football.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:37 AM

    @Joe O’riordan: GAA “football” is proper football for people with special needs.

    Oh can’t control the ball ? Never mind son, pick it up and throw it.
    Skied the ball into Row Z ? There there, have a consolation point.

    Hurling is class but this is pathetic.

    6
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:48 AM

    @CeannairBlue: I’ve been saying that for years. Some people don’t like it at all!!

    2
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    Mute Christopher Gardiner
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:52 AM

    The people who said no we have enough are members of the political parties in government.

    13
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    Mute Ryan Comiskey
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:52 AM

    We’ve too many as it is, FFS!

    14
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    Mute Jay Orange
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:20 AM

    @Ryan Comiskey: red thumb for u dumbass

    43
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    Mute Ryan Comiskey
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:37 AM

    @Jay Orange: the only dumbass here is the one who thinks there are still red thumbs.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:37 AM

    @Ryan Comiskey: And people who would turn down an extra day off work.

    15
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    Mute Martin Fahy
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:00 AM

    Let’s go for 8 days a week !
    You only have to work half a day with my new day which will be called Funday.
    10% boost in our productivity which will make us the fastest growing economy in the world yet you finish work at midday meaning longer weekends for everyone.

    12
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    Mute Joe O'riordan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:54 AM

    @Martin Fahy: outstanding!

    6
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    Mute Ní Maith Liom Eva
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:04 AM

    Always on a Monday. How about 4/5 Bank holiday Fridays. Mmmm

    11
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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:07 PM

    @Ní Maith Liom Eva: but it’s pizza day in the canteen, sure bank holiday Friday would be a waste.

    4
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    Mute Eamonn Dunne
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:34 AM

    Having one in July and September would make the most sense.

    11
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    Mute Eithne Brew
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:43 AM

    It would be nice to have one per month. In Ireland we close on the following Monday if a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday – that does not happen in Spain or France. It would be interesting to know what happens in other European countries.

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    Mute David Vaughan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:58 AM

    @Eithne Brew: In Germany at least, if the public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, tough. You don’t get the following Monday off.
    Drives the German mates mad when we do.

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    Mute Brendan McLaughlin
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:46 AM

    More bank holidays!?
    No way!
    The bankers manufacture nothing, produce nothing, contribute nothing and live a holiday lifestyle.
    All this for allowing themselves access to everyone else’s hard earned money in order to risk that money to generate more money but, only for themselves.
    I say do away with this notion of Bank holidays and create Men and Women’s Worker holidays.
    Bankers could not be classified as workers since they don’t meet any of the criteria and so would not be a qualifying species.
    One a month sounds about right.
    Bankers can create “Bank says Feck Aff” days if they want but, let’s stop this pretence that they are human beings or contributory workers who named our “Free days” after themselves.

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    Mute Michael McGuinness
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:35 AM

    Should have proper independents day. Change the bank holiday to public holidays.

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    Mute Chef Harold
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:46 AM

    I would think we need to start to reallocate what bank holidays we already have. Reading the journal it would seem that we need to truly separate church and state. That could start with changing public holidays from Catholic religious celebrations, so we would have 2 days from Christmas and one from Easter to reallocate. It would also remove any confusion around good Friday.

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    Mute Brendan Keegan
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:21 AM

    Bank holidays only create more revenue for the pubs. Give people more holidays.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:40 AM

    What’s this “need” “need” “need” talk?

    People might want more bank holidays but do they “need” more bank holidays?
    Should and could are being replaced by the word ‘need’ by so many these days, especially politicians.

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    Mute Donncha Ó Coileáin
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    Apr 27th 2017, 9:57 AM

    Sweden does not really have thirteen. At least three of them are always on a weekend – closest Saturday to Midsummer, Pentecost Sunday and the closest Saturday to All Saint’s Day – so they are quite useless to us. There might be a fourth, but can’t think of it now. And they don’t get compensated on the Monday like they do back in Ireland. If Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day fall on a weekend, then tough.

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    Mute Joke O'Connor Verniers
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    Apr 27th 2017, 12:00 PM

    Same for Belgium, not sure where they got the 17 as I can only count 10 …

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    Mute Brendan McLaughlin
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:51 AM

    Btw. Rebellious as I am, I must say that my bank manager and his staff are a fantastic and fun group of people who love to entertain me whenever I approach my bank.
    They all duck down behind the counters and even let the grills down and sound alarms.
    Hilarious and wonderful people.
    I know they will let me in eventually.

    6
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    Mute Rosiemonstre
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:57 AM

    I never call them bank holidays: the banks don’t deserve to mentioned in relation to days off work. Public holidays all the way. I’d love to see one in July or September. Of course if we could regularise the Easter one so it isn’t too close to 1st May or St Patrick’s Day that would be great, but remember, Jesus died on a different day every year, which is calculated based on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, and that’s what’s important in a secular state.

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    Mute Aaron Gibson
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:41 AM

    1 a week would do me. Not asking much

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    Mute Sham Rogue
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:29 AM

    Definitely one in February. Family day!
    Also, we need to fix the date of the holiday for St Patricks day. This could be the third Friday of March each year. We can celebrate the day in line with rest of the world and we can give ourselves a holiday weekend. The certainty of having the holiday tagged onto the weekend will be a huge boost for tourists coming to Eire! (church can obviously continue to celebrate the 17th as the church holiday)

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:38 AM

    @Sham Rogue: March 17th will always be St Patrick’s Day. Known worldwide – no confusion…

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    Mute Virtual Donal
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:08 AM

    If you want more bank holidays you suffer from “Employee Mindset”.
    Extra holidays deny me the right to work those days.
    Reduces my income!
    Fight for more “Company annual leave” but don’t force more compulsory holidays on people who need to earn.

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    Mute Ní Maith Liom Eva
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:26 AM

    Less work days extra pay = simples.

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    Mute Jill
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    Apr 27th 2017, 12:04 PM

    I’m convinced anyone who says they wouldn’t want a bank holiday once a month is lying. Why would someone not want an extra paid day off work every month?

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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Apr 27th 2017, 10:33 AM

    One maybe two. But they need to be spread better thought out the year.

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    Mute ben
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:36 AM

    Should have a month of for the depression of living here enough said we’re here to be happy not slave…

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    Mute Daithi Gazeley
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    Apr 27th 2017, 1:31 PM

    Yes,three would be OK,one for John hume’s birthday,one for July and one for February.

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    Mute Henry Clapham
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    Apr 27th 2017, 11:36 AM

    We should have our Independence Day as a bank holiday

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    Mute Jun Stone
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    Apr 27th 2017, 8:15 PM

    There’s enough really but they need to be spread out a bit more…we’re just done with Easter, now we have May bank holiday and June coming up, also people take annual holidays around this time…a bit of a break in winter when it’s cold and dark and we can stay in bed!

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    Mute Richard Lippy Collins
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    Apr 27th 2017, 1:33 PM

    I can barely afford the sesh on the ones we have already.

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    Mute MiniS
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    Apr 27th 2017, 1:10 PM

    Maybe as a start February 29th could be a bank holiday? It wouldn’t cost too much as many people don’t get paid for working this day.

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    Mute ocJBI3Df
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    Apr 28th 2017, 3:39 AM

    I’d prefer more public holidays, I don’t work a bank…

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    Mute Bernard Kavanagh
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    Apr 28th 2017, 4:51 AM

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/mapped-the-countries-that-have-the-most-bank-holidays/
    The countries with the fewest public holidays

    Puerto Rico – 9 days

    United Arab Emirates – 9 days

    Germany – 9 days

    Ireland – 9 days

    Switzerland – 9 days

    Serbia – 9 days

    Netherlands – 8 days

    United Kingdom – 8 days

    Hungary – 8 days

    Mexico – 7 days

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    Mute Will Burke
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:04 PM

    If there was ever a month that needed a Bank Holiday, it would be January, …January is the “croc” equivalent of months… it’s there, you see it, and everyone has to just put up with it.

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    Mute TradingDuck
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    Apr 27th 2017, 2:25 PM

    @Will Burke: it already has one – 1st january !!!

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    Mute Cian Omahony Snr
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    Apr 28th 2017, 2:12 AM

    Maybe 1st Monday in July..so we have 3 in the Summer, and then perhaps last Monday in September ..its a long one from August bank holiday to the October bank holiday ..so perhaps two extra..and think easter should def be moved and made permanent at the dates it was this year..

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