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Chocolate could encourage nurses to get flu vaccine, committee hears

There was a discussion around what is causing a mistrust of vaccines, which have eradicated many diseases in Ireland.

shutterstock_592146908 Shutterstock Shutterstock

A HEALTH COMMITTEE has been told that there is a low uptake in the number of healthcare professionals who opt to take the flu vaccine, and rewards could be used to encourage the uptake.

During a discussion on the subject of vaccine uptake in Ireland, the committee heard that there are a number of reasons contributing to a general mistrust of vaccines.

In her opening statement, Dr Colette Bonar, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Health Protection Unit said that ”all vaccines go under review to make sure that they are safe”.

Although the dramatic drop in HPV vaccine uptake has been the topic of some debate in Ireland, with levels dropping to 50% last year, the committee also heard about past issues with the MMR vaccine and problems with the flu vaccine uptake among healthcare professionals.

Dr Kevin Kelleher, the Assistant National Director of Public and Child Health for the HSE said that low rates of flu vaccine uptake is a problem internationally.

A particular problem, which the committee were asked about, is the low rate of uptake on the vaccine among Ireland’s healthcare workers.

Figures provided by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre have suggested that only one in four healthcare staff in Ireland have been vaccinated against the flu.

Kevin Kelleher Oireachtas TV Oireachtas TV

Kelleher mentioned that in North America, it’s mandatory for doctors and nurses to get vaccinated against the flu, for patients’ health and safety.

“There’s a particular problem with nurses uptake with the vaccine, and it could be to do with leadership,” he said.

“Incentives for the institution or individual does seem to work to increase those rates.”

“For example, giving them chocolates, which is advised in medical literature, or iPads [an incentive presumably for hospitals, rather than individuals].”

The General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reacted angrily to his comments, which he said were ”a perfect example of why Irish nurses and midwives walked away from the Irish health sector”.

Doran told Today with Sean O’Rourke that that kind of comment was ‘absolutely objectionable’ and Kelleher should respect nurses’ opinions and not treat them like children.

Vaccine effect

shutterstock_345038330 Shutterstock / funnyangel Shutterstock / funnyangel / funnyangel

During the committee, frequent reference was made to Dr Karina Butler’s opening statement. She is the chairperson with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and a practicing paediatrician.

“Vaccines work, vaccines save lives. You’ve heard the numbers and they’re dramatic,” she said, but stressed that the individual stories behind the numbers were even stronger.

“In the 1940s, my uncle died of diphtheria when he was 4 years old. Shortly after, my grandfather died of oropharyngeal cancer, which is preventable now most likely.

She said that during a polio epidemic in the 60s, she remembers being in a ward Capa hospital  full of children in wheelchairs.

“In the 1960s, people were getting measles and mumps but we were the lucky ones cause we were covered. Others now have lung problems and have lost their sight.”

Now, when I see my two-year-old grandchild, because of all these vaccines I don’t have to worry about him getting those diseases anymore.
This week I left the bedside of a two-year-old who is fighting for his life against meningitis. This is the real impact of vaccinations.

She said that although there is no medicine or therapy that is 100% safe for every person, the benefits of vaccines greatly outweigh the risks.

“We would not give vaccines if we did not truly believe they were safe.”

HPV

shutterstock_601142399 Shutterstock / MAGNIFIER Shutterstock / MAGNIFIER / MAGNIFIER

When questioning the experts before the health committee today, Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher said that he had been told ‘girls decide as they’re waiting to get vaccinated in school that as a group, they’re not going ahead with it’.

Dr Brenda Corcoran, Consultant in Public Medical Care at the National Immunisation Office said that the fact that doctors and experts don’t get to meet with parents and explain the vaccine to them, could be contributing to the misinformation and mistrust.

Dr Joan Gilvarry, Director of Human Products at the Irish Medicines Board said that 72 million people had been vaccinated against HPV worldwide, so there was a vast amount of knowledge on the vaccine.

She explained why two countries, Denmark and Japan, reported problems with the vaccine.

She said that symptoms of chronic pain, and chronic fatigue were reported in Denmark, so the EU’s health commission conducted a Europe-wide review. The committee had representation from all European states, and they spoke to health and safety experts and patient groups.

They made a legally binding decision that there was no causal relationship with this, and Denmark continues to use it now, she said.

In Japan, the HPV vaccine was taken out of programme but Gilvarry stressed that this was not in agreement with their regulatory authority.

The Irish Cancer Society estimates that the dramatic drop off on the HPV vaccine uptake in Ireland for the 2015/2016 academic year will result in the death of at least 40 girls due to cervical cancer, and that a further 1,000 girls will have to undergo invasive therapy to prevent the pre-cancer form of HPV.

Read: ‘Women will die needlessly’: Call for push to increase uptake of HPV vaccine

Read: ‘If you want to give medical advice on vaccinations, become a doctor. If not, get out of the way’

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94 Comments
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:01 AM

    Thankfully, he lost.

    1417
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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:43 AM

    @Tony Daly: What’s going on, the courts are delivering actually justice this week. That’s twice.

    583
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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:47 AM

    Trigger happy with the delete button from the copy and paster staff here.

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    Mute Les Behan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:04 PM

    @Dave cullen: As a corrupt billionaire if you can’t silence people one way, there are alway others Denis probably has a secret bid in to buy The Journal!

    I suspect that this comment will also be deleted, even though the proof is there that Denis O’Brien is a corrupt businessman. We have a cowardly media that would rather kowtow to the likes of him than actually do some real journalism with some integrity.

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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:09 PM

    @Jayo Breathneach: yea there is that.

    8
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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:40 PM

    @Tony Daly: Damn, that’s my chance of The Euro Millions gone this/weekend, it is not possible to see two miracles on the same day. At least DO. getting shafting has reduced the pain this week. Hip hip, hip hip, hip hip.

    15
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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Mar 31st 2017, 8:05 PM

    @Thomas Maher: Ah, but Dinny made his bed in Ireland several years ago with Eircom,now the chickens are coming home to roost.Karma,don’t you just love it.

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    Mute Keano
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    Brilliant news. Well done Catherine Murphy.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:02 PM

    @Keano: just award the state’s costs against him and it really will have been a victory.

    204
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    Mute John Cotter
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:01 AM

    Does that we can talk about him?

    680
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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:08 AM

    @John Cotter: If you’re in the Dail, yes.

    315
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    Mute JJ O Riordan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:34 PM

    @John Cotter: who can’t talk about him? He’s not Voldermort.

    61
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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    Could not have happened to a nicer person.

    667
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:37 AM

    @ray.farrelly: hope it cost him a pretty penny!

    277
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    Mute Just Me
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:06 PM

    @Deborah Behan: Don’t worry, FG will award him with another state contract and he will recoup the loss 1000 times over. Enda looks after his backers.

    263
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    Mute Cian Keogh
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:01 AM

    Delighted for him. Keep on losing DoB.

    518
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    Mute Eddie Byrne
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:06 AM

    At last some good news roll on the Siteserve decision hopefully it will be more good news. Well done Catherine Murphy for sticking to your guns on this issue.

    476
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:38 AM

    @Eddie Byrne: meanwhile Enda is consoling DOB!

    185
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    Mute Les Behan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:03 AM

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha………hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…..hahahahahahaahahahahaha! :-)

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:37 AM

    @Les Behan: child….

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    Mute Soupy Norman
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:50 AM

    @Les Behan:

    That’s infectious, I actually laughed.

    156
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    The separation of powers has been upheld.

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    Mute Kieran O'dwyer
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:45 PM

    @Tony Daly: he has plenty of money to be wasting it on such frivolities. I imagine the lawyers love him.

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    Mute jane
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    Delighted!

    301
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    Mute prop joe
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:14 AM

    Well done Catherine Murphy, hero to the Irish people

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    Mute Mark
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:06 AM

    Testing comment. Test. 1 2. Omg the comments are actually open!

    267
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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:07 AM

    Poor Denis.He’ll have to be putting in a lot more water meters to pay this bill.

    247
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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:13 AM

    I’m sure he was advised by his Lawyers that he didn’t have a case but he proceeded anyway to silence the Dail and media for a while. These tactics apply to corporations who have the loot to do so.

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    Mute Skinnerbot
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    Comments are closed are legal proceedings are pending…wait?

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    Mute David
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:02 AM

    Good.

    210
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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:15 AM

    Great news . Well done Catherine Murphy and co.

    183
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    Mute Colin hoop
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:09 AM

    ha ha Denis money don’t buy you everything

    216
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    Mute Virtual Donal
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:24 AM

    DOB has “constitutional rights” to SFA in Ireland because he is a tax exile. Take the case in Malta! Bring your water meters with you.

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    Mute Kate Flaherty
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:13 AM

    One would have thought that Mr O’ Brien would have known all about “privilege”, ironic it should be his downfall on this occasion…..

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    Mute Brendan O Connell
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:06 AM

    Comments closed in 5,4,3,2…..

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    Mute Nigel O'Neill
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:27 AM

    This was a very serious attack on our democracy folks…do not take it lightly…this guy, because he has been allowed to politcally, believes he is bigger than our democracy…look at the favourable rates he was paying to IBRC( IBRC is you and I dont forget) vs what the ordinary joe soap was being charged!!

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    Mute Eamonn Boylan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:29 AM

    JUSTICE !!!

    129
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    Mute The Risen
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:26 AM

    Happy Friday Everyone! Have a great, great, weekend.

    112
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    Mute Paul Lane
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:17 AM

    I am amazed that he took the case in the first place as it was always going to fail…He is either thick, badly advised/ripped off and has too much money (as per Moriarity findings)

    122
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    Mute Bobby Neary
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:08 AM

    He has the eyes of a whitewalker

    114
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    Mute Noel
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:23 AM

    Great hope he has to foot bill 100%

    95
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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:21 AM

    I’m delighted.He has some neck suing the state after the mobile licence controversy.
    Every Irish families struggling to get by and working hard paying mortgages and rearing their children and this arrogant man who domiciled himself in Portugal so he wouldn’t have to pay his fair share of tax.
    Get lost back to Portugal Denis,everyone has you copped on.We don’t need him.

    142
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 4:32 PM

    @Gerry Fallon: he is still trying to sell his Vilamoura site…..

    4
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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:45 AM

    Mention noonan and o brien in the same comment and it gets deleted.

    89
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 4:31 PM

    @Dave cullen: noonan, o’brien………..not deleted yet

    6
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    Mute David Walters
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    Apr 1st 2017, 11:07 AM

    @Gus Sheridan: Not a sentence there Gus

    1
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    Mute Yenreit
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:03 PM

    Would explain why kenny was in Malta yesterday. Apologising to the master in advance.

    78
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    Mute Deskindo
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:10 AM

    Although I don’t approve of Dàil privilege, i totally agree with this outcome.

    75
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    Mute Vic's Burd
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:14 AM

    @Deskindo: I agree. This proves it was justified in this case

    62
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    Mute Sue Doherty
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:45 AM

    Good, good, good, good and good. We’ve have had enough of money hungry moguls thinking they can do whatever they want.

    79
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    Mute Rachel Didleu
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:55 AM

    Word on the street is that Dinnie rents the barricades to the gardai n people when we, the people, take to the streets, hope it was an open and fair tender…
    He is certainly well got with the shakers and weavers of Irish society

    74
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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:25 PM

    More Catherine Murphy’s needed in the Dail cesspit.

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    Mute John Nolan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:12 AM

    Next up the SUPREME COURT.

    70
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    Mute Paul
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:09 AM

    Was there ever going to be any other outcome? Waste of time and money.

    77
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    Mute Nucky
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:45 AM

    Delighted! The Irish Trump doesn’t get his way

    62
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:59 AM

    Wow a judge with gumption. Well done judge.

    56
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    Mute Coleen
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:29 PM

    In all our misery, at least we can be thankful that we have some integral TDs like Catherine, Clare, Mick, Catherine Connolly, Roisin, Pearse and many more

    64
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    Mute SomeRandomIrishGuy
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:02 PM

    Wow Now this is nice to hear! Big respect to that judge!

    48
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    Mute Cathal Foley
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:16 PM

    He can slink back to Malta for himself.

    50
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    Mute Donal Carey
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:03 PM

    Nice days work for the Government hope he is nailed for costs

    46
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    Mute TommieB
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:36 AM

    yay. \o/

    36
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    Mute Jeremy Croydon
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:23 PM

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    34
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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:08 PM

    Delighted.

    33
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    Mute Marko
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:00 PM

    LOL

    35
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    Mute Kevin Slater
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:00 PM

    Dail privilege is called that fir a reason Denis

    34
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    Mute Pat McGrath
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:14 PM

    Great news for democracy and the Irish people

    32
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    Mute Pat McGrath
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:23 PM

    Great day for democracy

    29
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    Mute John Flanagan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:20 PM

    DOB’s hair has something in common with Trump’s – both got the comb-over!

    33
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    Mute Noel Martin
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:24 PM

    I would be a bit worried if D.OB. was to read some of the comments in the comments section in case he desides to sue the Journal, i wouldn’t put it past himto do so.

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    Mute David Conroy
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    Mar 31st 2017, 11:17 AM

    And all this “you said this and you said that” has made such a difference to how our Country is governed by the people we pay to govern. One winner here, the Legal Profession and one loser, us!

    37
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    Mute Joanna
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:32 PM

    Lol

    27
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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:42 PM

    Lost? Good. This guy thinks he owns the country. He may own the odd politician but clearly not the rest of us.

    29
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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:08 PM

    If u haven’t been sued by dinny u should feel left out

    25
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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:37 PM

    Yesssss. Let this be the start of the end of Mr O’Bribe’em’s impunity.

    26
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    Mute Michael Griffin
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:39 PM

    A good news story at last…

    20
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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:39 PM

    I want to see him dragged away in chains some day. One of the biggest crooks not in the country for any useful purpose.

    27
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    Mute Johnr
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:34 PM

    I passed one of those revenue collection vans going home from work the other day, was a wee bit over the speed limited, half expecting a demand for money to arrive in the letter box.

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    Mute Marc Quinn
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:44 PM

    Hey Deno do you know where the five lamps are!?!

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    Mute Colm Williamson
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:26 PM

    Aw that’s a shame. My heart goes out to him.

    18
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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:45 PM

    I wonder will D O’B let this matter slide, considering that I don’t believe that the Court of Civil Appeal would give him permission to appeal this judgement to the Supreme Court.

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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:06 PM

    Most good.

    10
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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:08 PM

    Ha.

    14
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    Mute classic
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:54 PM

    Woohoo

    9
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    Mute Rob O'Brien
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:00 PM

    Dinny for Taoiseach! #MakeIrelandGrandAgain

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    Mute DeFonz
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:46 PM

    Who pays for the expenses of tying Courts (not just legal fees) Dail with Dobies rubbish

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    Mute Barbara Edwards
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:48 PM

    But he didn’t lose per se, comments in the Dáil are outside the remit of our Courts as per the Constitution. The judge couldn’t make a ruling as such.

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Mar 31st 2017, 1:08 PM

    I could not care less about DOB or this particular case and I agree with her point about TD’s not being expected to keep up with injunctions etc., but if the TD freely admins they are aware of the injunction and deliberately uses Parliamentary Privilege to circumvent it then is that not a clear abuse?
    On balance it is for the best that he lost but politicians interfering with court injunctions is not something I am comfortable with.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:49 PM

    That’s why it is called parliamentary privilege. The court’s reach does not extend into the speaking chamber of the legislature and executive. It’s called. Separation of powers.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:56 PM

    Parliamentary privilege is a tool of democracy and like any tool it can be used for good and ill. Just as Catherine Murphy uses it to expose the rank underbelly of Ireiand’s powerful, wealthy, corrupt and dishonest, and their political puppets.

    By contrast, Michael McDowell used it to maliciously and mendaciously destroy the reputation and career of an independent journalist with smear and supposition, so as to eliminate the threat of independent journalists – giving hen’s teeth a run for their money always as they do in modren Direland – investigating the corrupt theft and bribery surrounding Rossport and Ray Burke’s corrupt and criminal deals with oil companies to give away the Irish people’s hydrocarbon rights and plant enormous potential bombs near their homes.

    But that is just the fact. All tools are just tools it’s the intention, carefulness or recklessness in their use that produces “good” and “bad” results.

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Mar 31st 2017, 3:20 PM

    @John O’Driscoll: lot of sweeping accusations in there – none of which I am going to engage with.
    I simply don’t trust politicians and think there should be some group able to keep an eye on them. Right now, that group is … politicians.
    I also don’t trust the electorate to do the job given the number of crooks that are elected and re-elected.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 3:37 PM

    I think they are quite precise in fact. Agree with your second premise and that group is supposed to be known as the fourth estate however robber barons like Mr O’Bribe’em keep reducing that estate and adding bits of it to their own, irredeemably corrupting and making useless that which is supposed to be the opposite. Otherwise he terrorises it into submission with blizzards of writs. Your third premise agree also it truly is appalling but then look at the alternatives worse yet.

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 31st 2017, 3:41 PM

    Perhaps it will come down to men of straw and little property, citizen bloggers and activists, to form digital star chambers to call the likes of Mr O’Bribester to account. After all he can’t take the knickers off bare arses you can only be intimidated when you got something to lose.

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    Mute Declan Hickey
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    Mar 31st 2017, 4:59 PM

    Comments turn on for a DOB story WTF?

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    Mute Peter Higgins
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    Mar 31st 2017, 3:11 PM

    Good outcome !

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    Mute Roibeard Ó Riain
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    Mar 31st 2017, 2:38 PM

    This man should be in prison. Parasite and criminal. His self righteousness is flabbergasting!

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    Mute Rosa Parks
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    Mar 31st 2017, 3:16 PM

    Poor snowflake.

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    Mute Harry Price
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    Apr 1st 2017, 12:00 AM

    Like the gardai he thinks he is untouchable ………………………

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    Mute Lucille Ball
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    Mar 31st 2017, 9:24 PM

    Yeehoo!!!! Made my otherwise miserable day happy!

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    Mute Arnold_Layne
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    Mar 31st 2017, 12:14 PM

    He will win on appeal of course but this is a good slap in the face for him none the less.

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