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July 24, 2021, Budapest, Hungary: A member of the LGBTIQ community holds a rainbow flag during the annual Budapest Pride march. Thousands of people took part in the annual pride parade in Budapest. Aleksander Kalka

Fiona O'Loughlin Ireland can remain a leader on LGBTQI+ rights if it stands up to Hungary

The senator says Ireland must support the EU’s legal action against Hungary’s anti-LGBTQI+ laws.

TWO YEARS AGO, Hungary introduced laws banning the portrayal of LGBTQI+ content to those under 18. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claims the laws are aimed at safeguarding children as harsher punishments for convicted paedophiles have been introduced.

But an amendment was added prohibiting content, such as educational material, aimed at minors that depicts any ‘divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality’.

This is unprecedented for an EU member state. These laws discriminate against people based on gender identity and sexual orientation, are in direct violation of the fundamental rights of LGBTQI+ people and have rightly been labelled as anti-gay propaganda by the European Commission, the European Parliament and many EU member states.

hungary-budapest-viktor-orban-state-of-the-nation-address Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban gives his annual state of the nation address in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 18, 2023. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

It’s not the first time that Orban has been criticised over his human rights record. In early 2020 a law was introduced preventing people from legally changing their gender. Later that year the Hungarian parliament banned same-sex couples from adopting children. These new laws are a carbon copy of Putin’s 2013 law banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”.

polskie-babacie-polish-grannies-protest-warsaw-poland-2022 April 21, 2022, Warsaw, Poland: Polskie Babacie ('Polish Grannies') activists run a protest throughout Warsaw in protest of Putin's war in Ukraine and his stance on rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Bianca Otero Bianca Otero

This ban imposes hefty fines on people who provide information about LGBTQI+ matters or hold gay pride rallies.

The Kremlin has recently extended the ban to adults as well as children in a further deterioration of human rights for the LGBTQI+ community.

Last year the European Commission referred Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over the new laws, saying they are in violation of EU internal market rules in addition to violating the fundamental rights of individuals.

Ireland must take a stand

It is now time for Ireland to formally take a stand against Orban’s attack on what should be the non-negotiable rights of its citizens.

As a leader in LGBTQI+ rights and a progressive society which has introduced gay marriage and consistently argues in favour of gay rights and the importance of sexual freedom, the Irish Government needs to join this European Commission court case without delay.

Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin has strongly criticised Hungary’s unjust law, and it is expected a memo will be brought before Cabinet ministers before the end of March seeking approval for Ireland to join the EU proceedings against Hungary.

It is believed some 20 other EU member states could do the same in the coming weeks. If this comes to pass it would make it the largest human rights infringement proceeding ever brought in front of the European Court of Justice. While it’s rare for EU member states to join together in this way – this is one of the extraordinary times when action is needed. Ireland should be at the forefront and lead by example by being the first to join this action before the deadline of 27 March.

Council of Europe

In May, as Leader of the Irish Delegation to the Council of Europe, I will be hosting the fourth summit of the Council in its 73-year history in Reykjavik, Iceland. The Council is not only the guardian of human rights, democracy and the rule of law and an organisation with the technical expertise to draft legal standards, but it is also a political community.

It is not a defence organisation. By strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law in its member states, it contributes to democratic security for the whole continent.

Hungary’s anti-LGBTQI+ laws highlight the urgent need for the Council of Europe to be given greater political clout. However, the summit is the ideal place for European leaders to state their unequivocal confidence in the EU’s founding values and speak out against Orban’s law.

The EU has, for the most part, been a particularly successful example of a disparate group of nations coming together for the common good, working closely to maintain a union that promotes liberty, freedom and the fundamental rights of all its citizens. Hungary’s law is more than just an attack on LGBTQI+ people; it is an attack on our way of life in the EU and goes against everything that the bloc stands for.

In this, the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s entry to the bloc, it is more important than ever to make our voices heard against any form of repression and discrimination. It is only by taking a stand that we will ensure the continued success of our European project and lay the foundations for generations to come.

Fiona O’Loughlin is Deputy Fianna Fáil Leader in the Seanad and Leader of the Irish Delegation to the Council of Europe.

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42 Comments
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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
    Favourite Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    May 5th 2021, 2:29 PM

    So now they realise that people will travel north for cheap booze if they put up the prices here, who would have ever guessed that lads..

    499
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    Mute Mill Miller
    Favourite Mill Miller
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    May 5th 2021, 2:43 PM

    @Tarraing Mo Liathróidí: I won’t travel ,, just the money I give to charity ,, that will be cut ,, ..what a government ,,,

    86
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    Mute Nameo Maximus
    Favourite Nameo Maximus
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    May 5th 2021, 2:47 PM

    @Mill Miller: It’ll likely be the more expensive healthy stuff getting the chop for me, bottle of vino vs salad is just a no brainer!

    61
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    Mute John Fairclough
    Favourite John Fairclough
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    May 5th 2021, 2:43 PM

    They have made owning a home so expensive, no one can afford it. Now they want to do the same with alcohol.

    317
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    Mute Martin Galvin
    Favourite Martin Galvin
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    May 5th 2021, 7:46 PM

    @John Fairclough: Yeah, we’ll soon have to rent a bottle of Jameson’s for a few swigs …..

    30
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    Mute JillyBean
    Favourite JillyBean
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    May 5th 2021, 2:31 PM

    And the Ni executive will laugh back at them

    358
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    Mute ed w
    Favourite ed w
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    May 5th 2021, 2:54 PM

    @JillyBean: I thought ni executive already had a plan to bring this in

    13
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    Mute Nigel o'Neill
    Favourite Nigel o'Neill
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    May 5th 2021, 2:55 PM

    @JillyBean: hopefully and they should

    22
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    Mute mar
    Favourite mar
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    May 5th 2021, 2:47 PM

    Varadkar said the consequences of this measure “should result in around 200 fewer alcohol-related deaths, and 6,000 fewer hospital admissions per year”. ‘

    Absolute m0r0ns. I’m sure the booze curtains that supermarkets had to install have already saved thousands of lives as well. ffs

    261
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    Mute Mark
    Favourite Mark
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    May 5th 2021, 2:36 PM

    Newry will be booming again, car loads of gargle coming back

    258
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    Mute The Risen
    Favourite The Risen
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    May 5th 2021, 3:00 PM

    Another tax on the poor, as usual. I wouldn’t imagine too many of Leos and Paschals buddys spend less than 7 quid on a bottle of wine. All this measure will do is leave less disposable income in the pockets of families where there is alcohol dependency.

    252
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    Mute Iblis
    Favourite Iblis
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    May 5th 2021, 2:35 PM

    The equivalent of the US telling Canada how to price things. I hope you are sent packing. G085h1t35

    289
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    Mute Adam Murphy
    Favourite Adam Murphy
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    May 5th 2021, 3:31 PM

    Stephen Donnelly doesn’t think people will travel to NI to buy cheap vodka, because they’d be spending more on petrol than the €7 they’d save on the Vodka
    Obviously the concept of buying more than one thing at a time is alien to him…

    206
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    Mute Honeybee
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    May 5th 2021, 2:31 PM

    Lets hope the northern executive ignore them.

    284
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    Mute Nigel o'Neill
    Favourite Nigel o'Neill
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    May 5th 2021, 2:55 PM

    Lol.. Let’s put pressure on another jurisdiction to change its laws to match and suit us… Couldn’t make it up

    180
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    Mute Peadár Ó'Cearnacháin
    Favourite Peadár Ó'Cearnacháin
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    May 5th 2021, 3:23 PM

    This is a new tax on mere mortals that want to stay at home and not go to a pub when they reopen and enjoy a beer or glass of wine in their own homes. Irish ministers giving a knee up to the publicians….. This is nothing to do with health….its all about lost revenue.

    169
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    Mute Rab C Nesbitt
    Favourite Rab C Nesbitt
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    May 5th 2021, 2:49 PM

    The penny just dropped with Egghead that the horse has bolted…….over the border.
    Talk about a cart before the horse legislation. Incompetence of the highest order

    175
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
    Favourite John Mc Donagh
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    May 5th 2021, 2:36 PM

    Goobshiites, not content with spoiling the fun in their own patch, they want to spoil it
    in somebody else’s as well

    248
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    Mute SprintFitz
    Favourite SprintFitz
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    May 5th 2021, 3:07 PM

    That whole business of the government, and not the market setting the prices of things doesn’t seem legal to me.

    108
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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    May 5th 2021, 4:33 PM

    @SprintFitz: It’s called communism. I remember it from the 1980s in Eastern Europe. It didn’t work well there either.

    60
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    Mute On the right side
    Favourite On the right side
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    May 5th 2021, 8:03 PM

    @Earth Traveller:

    Socialism: You have 2 cows, give 1 cow to your neighbour

    Communism: You have 2 cows, give both cows to the government and they might give you some milk

    Fascism: You have 2 cows, give all the milk to the government and the government sells it

    Capitalism: You have 2 cows, sell 1 cow and buy a bull

    Anarchism: You have 2 cows, keep both cows, shoot the government and steal a cow.

    18
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    Mute Mark
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    May 5th 2021, 2:35 PM

    Newry will be booming again, car loads of gargle

    112
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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    May 5th 2021, 3:00 PM

    All those fireworks warehouses on the border will now stock booze too!

    104
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 5th 2021, 3:26 PM

    Sure what could possibly go wrong?

    41
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    Mute paul mccoy
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    May 5th 2021, 3:16 PM

    They have some neck asking the northern executive to do the same . If I were them I’d tell them in no uncertain terms to Fock off.

    134
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    Mute Geoff Bateman
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    May 5th 2021, 3:43 PM

    Nah, just another tax to get more money in for the massive amount they have borrowed already

    65
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    Mute Earth Traveller
    Favourite Earth Traveller
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    May 5th 2021, 4:35 PM

    @Geoff Bateman: It’s not tax. The extra money goes into the pockets of those who sell alcohol. Why are we not hearing how this will destroy rural Ireland from the usual sources?

    26
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    Mute Lynne
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    May 5th 2021, 4:27 PM

    The thing is, even now, before this tax hike is introduced, there are better deals to be had on alcohol by travelling to NI.
    It’ll get worse when this is introduced and once people get used to the journey, it’ll be commonplace to go.

    55
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    Mute Cookie
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    May 5th 2021, 4:11 PM

    There’s little good about the DUP but hopefully they will make a big noise about refusing to cooperate on this.

    53
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    Mute Cookie
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    May 5th 2021, 4:59 PM

    Is alcohol to be banned in Dail Eireann?

    55
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    Mute IP.Man
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    May 5th 2021, 3:14 PM

    Why ministers are not put more pressure on their money pockets to prevent more tax money from flooding into it. They acting like priests, restriction prohibitions, taking away individuality…

    54
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    Mute Patrick Daly
    Favourite Patrick Daly
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    May 5th 2021, 5:00 PM

    Turning into a nanny state. And by the way anyone know the address of the place selling pints for €1.93?

    51
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    Mute Brian Haines
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    May 5th 2021, 3:39 PM

    ULSTER SAYS NO !

    66
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    Mute Life in no motion
    Favourite Life in no motion
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    May 5th 2021, 6:05 PM

    I don’t remember €22.09 bottles being sold anywhere!

    Ireland is the 2nd dearest in the EU. How does that equate to having “cheap” alcohol? Why is this not a tax so the money is put into the exchequer? What will happen once the gap between cheap and premium brands is narrowed and the inevitable price increase happens?

    Do people honestly think an alcoholic will skip his fix because it costs more? Other things will be dropped to accommodate

    Why do I deserve a price increase because I want 4 cans on a Friday night? Leo said he’d look after those who get up early. I guess anyone who drinks won’t be getting up early after a few cans so….

    This has AAI (tax payer funded lobby group) and VFI/LVA allllllll over it

    To put the icing on the cake, alcohol consumption is DOWN 6.5% on last year

    Fupping baxtards

    48
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    Mute Jonathan
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    May 5th 2021, 4:06 PM

    We’re a joke

    61
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    Mute Seamus
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    May 5th 2021, 3:17 PM

    So they don’t want to tax it. Then how is the price going up from 13 to 20 for a nagan of vodka? Is the offy owners make 7 extra quid.?

    41
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    Mute Divad Nayr
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    May 5th 2021, 3:09 PM

    I hope they tell him to f off

    69
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    Mute Liam O Connor
    Favourite Liam O Connor
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    May 5th 2021, 4:53 PM

    Another co##upt act by a co##upt government being dictated to by Sir Tony!

    44
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    Mute Peter Connolly
    Favourite Peter Connolly
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    May 5th 2021, 5:21 PM

    Not happy interfering with our market they are trying to dictate the north’s as well

    37
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    Mute The Firestarter
    Favourite The Firestarter
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    May 5th 2021, 6:01 PM

    The funny thing is that they try to pretend that it’s because they are so concerned about our drinking habits, when in reality it’s because the sale of alcohol is way down, and they need to recoup their losses somehow.

    33
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    Mute Davey Ohanlon
    Favourite Davey Ohanlon
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    May 5th 2021, 5:39 PM

    “What we will be doing is putting pressure on the Northern Ireland Executive and on the parties in Northern Ireland to follow suit”

    And how exactly are they going to put them under “pressure?

    25
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    Mute Barry Lynch
    Favourite Barry Lynch
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    May 5th 2021, 5:14 PM

    Ulster says NO

    21
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    Mute Seanboy
    Favourite Seanboy
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    May 5th 2021, 6:19 PM

    This is the reward for the vintners association. Obey the lock down rules and we’ll force the plebs back into the pubs you could see this coming a mile away

    21
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    Mute Ciaran Maher
    Favourite Ciaran Maher
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    May 5th 2021, 8:39 PM

    If the government is really so concerned about alcohol abuse in this country, then they should remove the dail bar and lead by example.
    No point in pontificating about alcohol when they have a bar in their workplace.

    19
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    Mute Alan Wilson
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    May 5th 2021, 5:04 PM

    The DUP listening to southern politicians

    17
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    Mute Christy Mc Carthy
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    May 5th 2021, 5:15 PM

    I will be brewing my own as soon as the equipment is back online as it’s sold out everywhere

    16
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    Mute Dave
    Favourite Dave
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    May 5th 2021, 5:17 PM

    @Christy Mc Carthy: 100% I have some equipment to get myself started but looking to go to all grain soon enough, i will buy form Amazon… Happy Brewing !

    18
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    Mute Dean Cinnsealach
    Favourite Dean Cinnsealach
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    May 5th 2021, 5:16 PM

    Ulster says NO

    11
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    Mute Stephen Campbell
    Favourite Stephen Campbell
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    May 6th 2021, 12:02 AM

    sugar tax, VRT, NOX tax on vehicles, VAT on tax, high excise on home heating oil, insurance on levies, high insurance polices because of the inflated value due to tax, loaded premiums for not having health insurance your entire life, terrible access to public health service, high salary taxation etc etc etc and now 58% increase on a can of beer…

    “relieve pressure on the health service” by expecting everyone to be a cabbage… if you have any money left over from all the above, good luck have any for hobbies or interests you can enjoy to feel alive.. depressing..

    11
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    Mute Noel Tate
    Favourite Noel Tate
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    May 5th 2021, 7:57 PM

    This is a handy calculator for working out the cost after MUP comes in…

    Example: A bottle of Miller will cost 1.23 min and so a case of 24 will cost over 29. Big difference for the €18-€20 you can pick them up for now.

    http://www.irishwinereviews.ie/minimum-unit-pricing-calculator

    8
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    Mute Nigel Barlow
    Favourite Nigel Barlow
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    May 6th 2021, 12:37 AM

    @Noel Tate: good news. After putting in some data my fave double ipa from McGargles could be cheaper! It won’t be though I bet.

    2
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    Mute Alan Wilson
    Favourite Alan Wilson
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    May 5th 2021, 5:04 PM

    The DUP listening to southern politicians

    8
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    Mute Anthony Clark
    Favourite Anthony Clark
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    May 6th 2021, 12:28 AM

    so.. from Tesco…
    Nikita Imperial Vodka 70Cl = €12.99
    Absolut Swedish Vodka 70Cl = €20

    Will Tesco bump both up 8 euros – because who would buy the cheap stuff if they are priced the same new price of €20.71?

    By the way – should be Metric Vodka not Imperial as sold in “cl” lol.

    4
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
    Favourite Paul Cunningham
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    May 6th 2021, 6:44 AM

    Implementing an unpopular measure that benefits noone? “Hey, lets make sure that the North is zero craic as well!” Yeah not going to go down well Lads, Remember when they put pressure on us to do something and we rioted?!

    4
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