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Drivers caught for minor road offences will now face a breath test, says gardaí. Shutterstock/nikamo

Drivers caught for minor road offences will now face a drink driving breath test

New research has found that 10% of Irish drivers admitted to drink driving last year.

GARDAÍ HAVE WARNED drivers that if they are caught for minor road offences they will also be breathalysed for drink driving.

Launching the August bank holiday road safety campaign today, Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid said:

“We wish to remind drivers that they can be breath tested not only at mandatory intoxicant checkpoints but also after committing any road offences or after being involved in a fatal or injury collision.”

He said all members of the gardaí have been reminded of their powers to mandatory breath test anyone that is caught committing even a minor offence.

This means that drivers caught breaking a red light, holding a mobile phone while driving, or parking illegally will also have to take a breath test.

August bank holiday

Reid stated that despite warnings from the gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) last August bank holiday weekend, there were two fatalities and 15 people seriously injured.

During the same weekend, 166 drivers were caught drink driving, with 214 people caught using their mobile phone while driving.

Over 2,500 people were caught speeding over the bank holiday weekend last year, while 131 people were found not wearing their seatbelts.

“The monthly average this year for driving under the influence is 740 per month – that is a staggering number,” said Reid, who said there would be an increased presence of gardaí on the roads this weekend.

Yesterday alone, 16 people were caught drink driving, he explained.

Increase in drink driving 

New research by the RSA has shown that there has been an increase in drink driving in the last 12 months, with 10% of motorists admitting to have driven a vehicle after consuming alcohol.

Broken down by gender, 14% of men admit to have driven their car after drinking alcohol, while 6% of women admit to doing the same.

The survey of over 1,000 people shows that 16% of those under 24 have admitted to drinking and driving in the past 12 months. This is up from 7% in 2015 and 4% in 2014.

RSA chief executive Moyagh Murdock said they were very concerned about the research.

The new survey also identified that a group of ‘high risk drivers’, especially those that admit to using a mobile phone while driving, are twice as likely to have admitted to drink driving in the past 12 months.

“Bearing in mind the findings of the survey, we are reminding our members to take every opportunity to breath test drivers after the commission of any offence,” said Chief Superintendent Reid.

“If you are travelling on roads we ask you to plan your journey, take sufficient rest and if you do want to socialise and take a drink, plan for that, and allow someone else to drive the car,” said Reid.

Drug testing 

Speaking about the new drug testing initiative, he said that 46 drivers have been tested in the last four months, with just 11 motorists testing positive for driving under the influence of drugs.

Following further tests of the 46 drivers back at garda stations, some were found to be under the influence of alcohol while driving.

The drivers that tested positive for drug driving were all in the Dublin region.

Checkpoints for drug testing were rolled out in early April. Three of the drivers who tested positive for driving under the influence of drugs were detected in April, with one positive test in May. There were five positive tests in June and two in July.

‘Austerity cost lives’: Drink driving convictions in Ireland fell MASSIVELY in the last 10 years>

‘It’s an insult to my little boy’: Families who lost loved ones to drunk-drivers slam politicians opposing new law>

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92 Comments
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    Mute david dickson
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:48 PM

    The same law firm cannot represent both parties in a court case so it is not right in any situation of conflict of interest.
    May I add it is great to see TheJournal doing some of it’s own journalism. Well done and keep it up.

    431
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:28 AM

    Not factually correct.

    Solicitors in the same law firm can represent both sides in a civil case IF the parties on both sides agree, and IF they can successfully build a “Chinese Wall” to prevent information being exchanged between them.

    It doesn’t arise in a criminal case because the State is on the other side.

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    Mute Hermes
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 4:58 AM

    Maisons ?

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    Mute Dan Mullins
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:32 AM

    think winding_down has been watching Suits a bit too much lately. that exact scenario he mentioned was on the latest episode. Doesn’t mean it applies here in Ireland

    35
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    Mute Carlow Wexford
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:37 AM

    “Chinese Walls” are extremely rare in countries other than Ireland. Corporate lawyers from other countries are astonished, disgusted and amused when they hear that this practice is the norm here.

    65
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:51 AM

    @Dan: I’ve never seen Suits! (although I’ve heard it’s good). I have legal training though. Fiction very often mirrors reality though, and in this case does – the explanation above is the position on Ireland.

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    Mute Chucky Arlaw
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 4:15 PM

    The main reason for that however wexfordcarlow is that there are only 5 firms big enough to handle corporate law in ireland, so you’re gonna have some crossover. And it’s not ‘every country’ even Australia have the same problem, and if I recollect correctly had the exact same situation as this in the 90′s when being sued by a gambling company

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    Mute brian magee
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:05 PM

    Dan your wrong , winding is correct

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:18 PM

    Solicitors will represent whoever pays them. Morality and/or any sense of social conscience is left firmly on the door step.

    214
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:26 PM

    What’s your point? Everybody gets representation. It’s a cornerstone of our adversarial legal system.

    122
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    Mute Anthony Lang
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:10 AM

    Everybody gets representation! That’s a big claim.

    Not even the Law Society of Ireland or the Bar Council would stand over such an unqualified and absolute claim.

    Still, it sounds good and you will get lots of green thumbs.

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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:20 AM

    Everybody is “entitled” to representation, then. That is what I meant.

    98
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    Mute Derek Mahon
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:32 AM

    They provide a service, it doesn’t matter how sh*tty some of their clients are as long as they do a good job. If I’m a pilot and fly CEO’s of tobacco co. around the world, am I a heartless pr*ck? Or am I just doing my job?

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    Mute Robespierre
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:16 AM

    You’re just another heartless pr!ck doing your job and relying on the yuppy Nuremberg defence – I gotta pay the mortgage

    23
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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:03 AM

    Spot on Derek. Unfortunately at this stage whenever I see the word “Exclusive” attached to a Journal article I automatically think ‘non-story’….

    19
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    Mute Ivan Murphy
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:13 AM

    Winding_down…. have you got something to protect?

    As someone how has zero time for FG. Good on James Reilly!

    11
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:17 AM

    @Ivan: Nope, other than the rule of law. We have a independent Courts system for a reason – we leave it up them to interpret the law. If we let politicians do that too then we’d be living under tyranny.

    18
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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:24 PM

    How about if you’re flying Mafia bosses around the world? “Oh,” you’ll say, “mafia bosses are criminals!” I wouldn’t do that.
    Tobacco execs are accomplices in the murder of millions of nicotine addicts each year.
    “Murder? They choose to smoke”
    Just like you choose to eat. You choose to wear shoes. If we poisoned your food or put cyanide in your shoes, you’d be the victim of a murder.
    If tobacco execs actively conspire to addict half the population to their poisonous product–a product that kills half who use it and a substantial number who don’t use it, then I would say they’re murderers.
    Just rich murderers. So if you choose to work for rich murderers, I’d say be careful who you tell about it. Someone who lost a family member to the murderers might not take kindly to you toadiness.

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    Mute Mark O'Hagan
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:15 PM

    No problem however when we have heads of State visit us to shove a pint in front of them for an obligatory photo-op and enrich the swollen coffers of Diageo.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:33 AM

    @mark

    Very good point.

    If I’m not mistaken, did the journal not run a story last week about the cancer society refusing a donation from a certain solicitors office?

    Hmmmm

    I smell trouble.

    67
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:22 PM

    James Reilly another example of a useless minister.

    159
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:06 PM

    Are we surprised – The level of Conflict of Interests and payments to “Insiders” , where FG /Lab./ FF , is concerned is palpable .

    It can only stop when The Electorate bring it to a stop in a General Election.

    132
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:18 PM

    Ireland and the Irish legal system is tiny; conflicts of interest are almost inevitable. It’s how they are managed that matters.

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    Mute Anthony Lang
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:14 AM

    Big tobacco interests can use their big profits to pay big law firms with big resources to try to prevent the Government implementing a measure with the limited potential to reduce the popularity of smoking.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:55 AM

    Who would you suggest to go in?

    4
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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 1:03 AM

    @winding.

    What you say has some truth, I’m sure.

    Try it this way.

    GOVERNMENT vs TOBACCO GIANT.

    “Same solicitors”

    12
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    Mute Harold
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:51 AM

    That can be said of any business

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    Mute von
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 3:54 PM

    Doesn’t make it right. We could be the best small Country in the world if we had honest people in high places.

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    Mute Mark Miller
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:18 AM

    What is the point of this story apart from James Reilly trying to grab some public approval? Will it be subsequently divulged that the same solicitors, had some connection with Jameson or Diagio, or God forbid, Cadburys and then we will have an attention grabbing “has been” minister trying to jump on the band wagon, screaming about alcoholism or obesity and how this country’s  government  couldn’t possibly deal with such ambulance chasing low lives?

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:29 PM

    Father Fintan Stack, he had his fun.

    61
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    Mute dj dangermouse
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:11 AM

    Apparently you can’t say nothing about government ministers without getting your comment deleted.

    54
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    Mute CreditTiger
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:07 AM

    “If you ever say that to me again…..I’ll put your head through the Dáil”

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    Mute von
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 3:46 PM

    @DJ its a no go area I’ve tried

    9
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    Mute Denis O Brien
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:37 PM

    bout time these figures came out. so 4 million to attempt to bring in plain packaging that has not been proven yet to have the desired effect, with the roll out in 2017, we could be looking at double, triple, even x 10 that figure.
    .
    so how many quit groups would that fund? how many free nicotine replacement therapy’s would that have provided ? how much school level education would that have helped with ?

    Muppet are in control that’s fur sure. !!!

    48
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    Mute mammysdinners
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:48 PM

    The pie just gets bigger every year, why does a heavily indebted state not farm out the likes of this to students to figure out, abolish USC by using student assignments instead of paying consultants, no austerity for the top 25,000!! Swathes of people cleaning up in this country.

    40
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    Mute dj dangermouse
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:06 AM

    Am I barred

    35
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    Mute CreditTiger
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:14 AM

    Yup…..Penfold too……obviously!!

    9
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    Mute Vinny Wallace
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:17 PM

    F**k gave him a Doctorate? Alexander Dumass

    32
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    Mute David McCarthy
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:30 AM

    I think the ministers comments are unsettling.Access to legal services and representation is vital in any democracy,regardless of the issue at hand. Effectively the minister wants to eliminate opposition to government policy by threatening the firms who represent interests other than that of the government. If we take this to it’s logical conclusion , a firm of solicitors representing water protesters,for example,could be subject to the same undue pressure as Arthur Cox and others find themselves under. We live in an open and transparent democracy, citizens and businesses must be allowed challenge legislation regardless of it’s contents.

    31
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    Mute Drew
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 1:00 AM

    First of all the government should act in the interest of the tax payers… Meaning it should seek the best value for the money it spends when procuring legal and consultancy services.

    Secondly… That directly, in Ireland and within the slim definition of legal services. I’m pretty sure the government has spent tens of billions on companies with some involvement with ‘big tobacco’ each of the big 4 accountancy firm provide services for a tobacco company somewhere in the world… Philip Morris the world’s biggest tobacco company was once part of Kraft foods… The second largest tobacco company in the world is directly owned and all profits are collected by
    the Chinese government.

    As I said in the previous article it was a mistake not to accept the Arthur cox money… But that’s a charity, and their donors support. They certainly lost my support from doing so.

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    Mute Drew
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 1:06 AM

    Don’t forget all the banks the government proper up… Who do all the tobacco companies have their corporate accounts with?

    16
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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:04 PM

    James Reilly when retirement speech: http://youtu.be/E8AIh2qoSnM

    25
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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 11:06 PM

    Typo of course:)

    12
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    Mute Ciaran McCann
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 10:15 PM

    Wanking causes blindness!! And his point is??

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    Mute johngahan
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:26 AM

    This story is worthy of the Daily Mail.

    What next?

    Fine Gael minister driving German car brand linked to Nazi weapons manufacturers in WWII?

    Government buying fuel for air corps from energy company linked to oil spill in Gulf of Mexico?

    19
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    Mute Hermes
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:51 AM

    But the Fine Gael Minister is driving such a car
    The irish are beginning to realise that they pay too much for cars while the germans get 7.00 per kilo for their beef while buying Irish beef to make up the shortfall at 3.40 kg -
    Germany is isolating itself with greed and control and Irish politicians that back this type of Europe would want to read the Irish Constitution to realise how much trouble they are in …

    22
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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:13 AM

    What a rubbish article. €4m is absolutely nothing for a government the size of Ireland’s to spend on legal fees. Who cares?

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    Mute Ivan Murphy
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:17 AM

    I do. €4million is a lot of money. Who many nurses would that pay for?!

    22
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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:30 PM

    You would, if your ambulance broke down on the way to the cardiac cath lab in Limerick.

    4
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    Mute Brian Dowling
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:05 AM

    €900k on legal fees relating to a sale that (supposedly) brought in €1.3B. Now… that’s pretty much most of the money wiped out. Who apparoves these things? It’s ridiculous.

    12
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    Mute Aonghus Collins
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:12 PM

    I don’t think you know how Billions work…

    11
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    Mute Brian Dowling
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:20 PM

    Yes, it was a stupid mistake. I wrote that before my morning coffee. Even still, 900K in legal fees is ridiculous. I’d love to see how that was made up.

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    Mute Conor O' Halloran
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:40 AM

    Eh… so what? Sure haven’t we paid many multiples of that to firms that auditied and advised our bankers as they ran this entire country into the ground?

    11
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    Mute Bill Madden
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 4:08 PM

    Silly story, so I can’t use solicitor “A” because he represented criminal “B” so by association I am linked to criminal “B” ….sometimes I really wonder about people!!

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    Mute Joseph O'Regan
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:04 PM

    Corruption corruption and more corruption. Feed the boys forget principal.

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    Mute Zena 92
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 5:43 PM

    If someone is going to smoke taking brands off the packing is going to make no difference

    3
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    Mute Tom Burke
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 5:16 PM

    Surely if the State, on our behalf and at our expense, is prosecuting or defending a position in the civil court the sole criterion in selecting legal advice should be the best affordable to prosecute/defend the case

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    Mute Mick Wright
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:26 PM

    No the criteria should also include a proviso that there is no ‘conflict of interest’ …This is probably one of the most ‘obvious’ rules in any form of consultancy services procurement.

    Basically you do not hire a consultant who advises your competitors unless you are planning on bribing them or twisting their arm for information!

    ….and remember this particular industry (tobacco) earns its living by killing 50% of its own customers…. do you really think bribing solicitors is below them?

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    Mute Frank Browne
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:15 PM

    well done Mr Reilly, good day for the future health of our kids

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:02 PM

    I thought that was called lobbying by lobbyists and was normal?

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    Mute Mick Wright
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    Mar 9th 2015, 6:21 PM

    Why is this not a total revaluation to me?

    Ohh yeah, thats right, its a story about how governments spend money…. I wonder how much information about the governments plans on plain packaging found its way into the boardroom of Japan Tobacco…. My guess would be as much as they wanted.

    My guess is the tobacco giants target solicitors that represent governments to get that information… money talks after all!

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    Mute Fergus Flanagan
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    Mar 4th 2015, 3:14 AM

    Conflict of interest.

    1
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