Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE TAOISEACH TOLD Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the people of Ireland “stand fully behind” Ukraine as it faces Russia’s invasion.
Micheál Martin spoke to the Ukrainian leader in a scheduled call that lasted over 20 minutes today.
The Journal understands Martin told Zelenskyy that everyone in Ireland admired his great leadership in face of an immoral war on the people of Ukraine.
The Taoiseach told his counterpart that Ireland would show its support in any way it could.
Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the steps Ireland has taken; including introducing a visa waiver for Ukrainian citizens, the show of solidarity during St Patrick’s day festivities, €20 million in aid and contributions to the European Union peace facility.
Just spoke to President @ZelenskyyUA.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 16, 2022
I told him the Irish people stand fully behind #Ukraine.
He thanked us for our continued humanitarian aid, shelter, global support and sanctions against Russia.
He offered sympathy to the family of journalist Pierre Zakrzewski. pic.twitter.com/s3tsa7aAIJ
Talked to 🇮🇪 Prime Minister @MichealMartinTD. Discussed countering aggression & horrific crimes of Russia against civilians. Expressed condolences over the murder of 🇮🇪 journalist Pierre Zakrzewski by Russian soldiers. Thanked for helping the people of 🇺🇦. #StopRussia
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 16, 2022
He urged that international pressure be kept on Russia to end its war on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also offered sympathies to the Taoiseach and the family of Franco-Irish journalist Pierre Zakrzewski, who was killed this week while reporting near Kyiv for Fox News.
“From the people of Ireland, the admiration of you and your people is very high. We as a Government reflect that. They are behind you,” Martin said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Or maybe… more developed countries take less steps because we have better infrastructure and more cars?
@M: Better infra for more cars would equal less steps, and fatter more obese and lazy people, becoming more like the USA all the time…
My smartphone always gives lower step readings than what I actually do as I don’t take my phone with me everywhere e.g. When mowing the lawn.
@M: Why is it that the comments have consistently more logic than the articles?
@M: or the phones are left in the Gym lockers every day ? Not a true picture as even most joggers leave the phone at home.
@M: Well, how does that explain the discrepancy between Spain (more developed with better infrastructure and more cars) and Indonesia (less developed with worse infrastructure and less cars)? In fact, looking at the map above, the evidence seems to point in the completely opposite direction to what you’re saying. Unless you think Libya, Venezuela, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Iraq and Myanmar are all more developed countries than, say, Spain, Japan, Sweden and the UK.
@M: we have a crap public transport system,what are you smoking?
@M: more developed? Hong Kong is number 1 as most people don’t have cars due to having one of the best public transport systems in the world. People clock up a lot of steps changing trains etc. Having more cars does not imply higher development.
The flaw in this study is the asymmetric profile of smartphone ownership especially in poor countries. For instance Indonesians who can afford to own a smartphone are wealthy older people who will be less active. In countries with a more democratic spread of technology such as Japan and Hong Kong you see higher activity levels. Young people own smartphones!
@Clancy: And the other flaw is that many people, especially women, don’t actually carry their phone around in their pocket all day. It’s in their bag, which, unless they are Moominmamma, or the Queen of England, they don’t carry around all day either.
According to my phone, I took 3,726 steps yesterday.
According to my FitBit (which only comes off at shower time), I took 11,587 steps yesterday.
Need I say more about how flawed this study is?
I was going to read it then I thought ” Can’t someone else do it?”
@John Brennan: there’s an app for that….
If they’re using anonymous smartphone pedometers the data is seriously flawed! My phone counts my steps too (happy to say I ‘average’ 8-9k steps on the phone counter). However, like most women, I don’t keep my phone in my pocket so the steps it’s counting are only my commuting steps. The rest of the day the phone sits in my bag, stationary but I’m still moving about for at least some of that time so the true figure is much higher. These averages seem suspiciously low to me.
that”s nuts, who is walking around our cities at the moment constantly even late into the night, refugees with nothing to do. my job does not involve walking, but don’t think it makes me lazy, more likely busy.
They don’t have accurate data, “given the same color as the UK!”.
@Adrian: the whole study is pop sh!te, what about swimmers, field sports, people who don’t take their phone jogging. Senseless drivel.
Dublin marathon just sold out again, must be a few of us doing alright.
Maybe we take less steps because Ireland is small and there is less space to take more steps. Just a thought.
Social Welfare is a plague and should be eradicated apart from old age pensions.
@Owen Martin: so true. Paying people no to work and be part of a community makes them sick.
@Owen Martin: That’s right Owen, those blind and disabled ones are especially lazy and should be left to fend for themselves. Maybe we could get them stuffing envelopes or making number plates, you know, there shouldn’t be any ‘free’ money.
@Jimmy Riddler: couldn’t agree more jimmy. There was an article on here a few weeks back about blind people being able to work.
@RealityHammer: If you have to pay people to be part of a community then its not a community, if you have to bribe someone to be part of a community then it means they hate the community by the amount you have to pay them.
@Jimmy Riddler: wow extraordinary, all those blind and disabled people take welfare of €20 billion per year !!!
To be honest this title “laziest counties” has nothing to do with the content. Very annoying click bait title. I kept reading trying to find more detail on how number of steps relates to laziness and there is nothing.
I couldnt be bothered reading this guff.
They could’ve just counted the number of posts here on a daily basis! My posts don’t count cause half the time they don’t make sense, the other quarter I’m inebriated, and the last eighth I work when I want so post when I want. People will say that’s not a total of 100%, correct, I’ll be damn sure not to make full use of my time, annoy those who say to not enough hours in the day!
@Brown Boots: i think all posters should be breathalysed !
Too lazy to read the article so came straight to the comments to get the gist of it.
Some – not all – might lazy maybe when it comes to doing anything about rotten elected politicians. Walking in protest – stuff that! They would rather stay at home and watch EastEnders or some other equivalent, brain-dead rubbish – while continuing to allow themselves to be further financially screwed, by the usual political Mafia!
@Clear And Graphic: tools to distract the masses from asking questions. The amount of non working time and energy given to watching sports is unbelievable. But if it keeps the masses from initiating a coup when their oil and gas is given away or the bank Ponzi loots their pension reserve fund then keep the distractions going.
Seems we’re too lazy to get to either end of the scale also.
Sure the local post office is never that far away when collecting the “wages” is it. Screw asking why work when the government will pay me….why move when the government will pay me?
Ridiculous study. Were probably tracking something else but passed it off as this BS
I jog 12km every day of the week. Still too much emphasis on cars in Ireland. I think we will get pretty fat in the near future as things stand.
Such a stupid article ! So generalised and using the word ” lazy” takes no account of hard working people without smartphones or the need to be mobile while working. It takes no account of gender. In some countries women work so hard and men do SFA !! In Thailand for example, there is a convenience store every 100 metres because the Thai people do not like to walk in the heat ! However, the women work so hard , long hours, low wages. The men do as little as possible ! The study is a nonsense !
What a stupid way to collect data for a study.
What % of Indonesians go to the gym or pool or take part in sports?
This is more like a study that 2nd class would do.
have your say