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THERE HAS BEEN much conversation today, online and from Irish politicians, about the arrival to Ireland of seasonal workers for the horticulture sector.
Keelings Fruits confirmed this afternoon that 189 workers arrived from Bulgaria on a chartered flight to Dublin Airport earlier this week. The Irish Government’s List Of Essential Providers states ‘Farmers & Farm Workers’ are essential providers during Covid-19. The north county Dublin firm claimed just 40 people from the local area had applied for jobs which required fulfilling in recent weeks.
The news, however, attracted much criticism.
As part of the online conversation, there was a photo purporting to show the newly arrived workers outside a Lidl supermarket being widely shared with the caption:
“were social distancing keelings staff doing there shopping in swords, waiting on bus to bring them back to there accommodation. staff from keelings.” [sic]
Among those who shared the picture was MEP Clare Daly.
However, the woman who took the photo has since confirmed it was taken a full year ago and, therefore, does not show Bulgarian workers who arrived in the country this week.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Shantelle Farrell confirmed it was taken at Lidl on the Rathbeale Road in Swords on 18 April 2019 – almost a year to the day ago.
“I don’t even know how people got that off my page,” she added.
Daly has since clarified on Twitter that the photo was not taken today.
In a statement today, Keelings said the 189 people who were on board the Ryanair charter were health screened in Bulgaria and are restricting their movements for 14 days.
***
There is a lot of false news and scaremongering being spread in Ireland at the moment about coronavirus. Here are some practical ways for you to assess whether the messages that you’re seeing – especially on WhatsApp – are true or not.
STOP, THINK AND CHECK
Look at where it’s coming from. Is it someone you know? Do they have a source for the information (e.g. the HSE website) or are they just saying that the information comes from someone they know? A lot of the false news being spread right now is from people claiming that messages from ‘a friend’ of theirs. Have a look yourself – do a quick Google search and see if the information is being reported elsewhere.
Secondly, get the whole story, not just a headline. A lot of these messages have got vague information (“all the doctors at this hospital are panicking”) and don’t mention specific details. This is often – but not always a sign – that it may not be accurate.
Finally, see how you feel after reading it. A lot of these false messages are designed to make people feel panicked. They’re deliberately manipulating your feelings to make you more likely to share it. If you feel panicked after reading something, check it out and see if it really is true.
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. You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here
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Generic zombie apocalypse comment
They’re probably telling porkies.
P.S. No one knows what consciousness is… Is this not cruel?
So David Camerons pigs head probably knew what was going on?
@Ananya Sharma: someone had to ..
The Oinking Dead!!!
@Alan Duffy: Don,t tell Francy Brady
Did they do this because they watched Flatliners as kids?!
I always wonder does SciFi inspire inventions….
Pet Sematary
@Xanadu Marmalade: Sometimes dead is better
Cruelty. Pure and simple.
What a disgusting study. What have humans become in their search for immortality. Yuck.
@Dermot Foley: ah, curious?!
Wow , it’s going to be messy BBQ’s in years to come … ….
So there’s hope for politicians!!!!
Under current legislation it’s ok to stick your head up your arse while people are homeless…while we give cash to the f.a.i.
Frankenstein reincarnate
Wow , it’s going to be messy BBQ’s in years to come … …. in my day pigs were killed and they stay killed
Hope for trump
I read an article before where it was predicted in the future , scientists will be able to translate and display what animals think , feel and comprehend.
That future generations will look back at the savagery of our intensive factory farming techniques in horror.
Not to mention the environmental hazards it causes
It’s aliveeeee It’s aliveeee
fools i told you I’m not maaaad
soon ill kill you all hahahahaha
Interesting info. Now O need to find a source in actual English. #gobacktoschool
@Ian Phillip Creaner: Maybe take your own advice?
@Diarmuid Hunt: Unkike you, I use a phone, not a computer. Also unlike you, I have spell check switched off. It cannot deal with the 7 languages I generally communicate in. This game is fun, but unlike you, I have a life to get back to. Oh one last fun one. Unlike you, I have man hands.
@Ian Phillip Creaner: You made some great assumptions there with no information so well done you. I’m using a phone, I’m a man using my hands, I don’t jump on other people’s mistakes unless they make it while trying to point out others’ mistakes. You can’t have much of a life considering all the things you found ‘fun’ in your last comment. Anyway have a good one.
@Ian Phillip Creaner: “the 7 languages I generally communicate in”. Nice humble brag mate.
That’s sick
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