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TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS was sent a lengthy list of 23 pre-interview questions ahead of an appearance on the 2 Johnnies podcast, despite government officials denying such a list had been received.
The advance outline was sent to one of Harris’ advisers ahead of the Taoiseach’s appearance on the podcast in November, just days before the general election was called.
The interview was to be separated into two parts covering the ‘personal’ and the ‘general’, according to an email released under Freedom of Information laws.
The Department of the Taoiseach at first said no records of the podcast existed, and the outline of questions was only released following a request for internal review.
During the episode of the hugely popular Spotify show, the 2 Johnnies were visited in studio by Harris, with the trio discussing the housing crisis, the high level of young people emigrating to Australia and immigration levels in Ireland.
In promotional posts on social media, Johnny B and Johnny Smacks described the episode as “the interview the nation didn’t know it needed”.
The podcast reguarly tops Irish charts, with an average of 750,000 weekly listeners, according to the digital audio marketplace Audio One.
The lengthy list of interview questions were sent in advance to former Irish Examiner journalist and government press secretary Ciara Phelan.
Many of the questions made it in to the official interview, which aired on 4 November 2024.
The ‘personal’ set of questions included such queries as: “When you become Taoiseach, can you have a personal life?”
This was followed by questions about Harris’ family, such as: “Do you still do housework now you’re leader of a country? Who’s harder to deal with, the kids or the Healy-Raes.”
A list of questions provided to Taoiseach Simon Harris ahead of his pre-election appearance on the 2 Johnnies podcast
— Ken Foxe (@kenfoxe) January 16, 2025
"Who's harder to deal with, the kids or the Healy-Raes?"
"Do you still do housework?"
Department of the Taoiseach originally claimed no such document existed. pic.twitter.com/KVwf7rvvxC
As well as broad questions about his sporting and music interests, the Taoiseach was also briefed to expect a question on whether he listened to the 2 Johnnies podcast.
Other items in the outline included: “Do people wreck your head when you’re out an about? Do you have to have security with ya all the time? What do you think of the newspapers?”
The ‘general’ section dipped into more controversial topics including immigration.
A suggested question was: “Johnny Smacks is from Roscrea, thoughts on the situation there? Closing the town’s only hotel to accommodate refugees.
In the episode, Harris said in response that “no one gets a veto as to who lives next door to them”.
Other ‘general’ questions sent in advance to Harris covered the lack of housing, emigration, and rural Ireland.
“Is there an urban-rural disconnect? Why do you think so many young Irish people are going to Australia? Yer plan to get them back,” said one question.
“Housing? Many young working couples are not able to afford to buy or build. Conditions for young nurses and guards.”
The Taoiseach was told of a possible question over ‘catfishing’ including the notorious case where somebody online tried to dupe one of the podcast hosts as well as high-profile GAA players.
“Will we see any changes to the rules of social media?” the interview outline said. “Your own approach to social media? Is it important as a way to communicate.”
The brief said there would likely be a question on whether “we’ll ever see a 32 county Ireland” and one on the Taoiseach’s biggest challenges and ambitions.
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Shock imagery, dodgy numbers, phony ‘experts’ and squeals of ‘media bias’ any time they’re asked to put their best arguments forward.
Are we actually going to see any well thought out, properly communicated, points from the ‘No’ side before the vote?
@Matt Bateman: the same way Ian Paisley ‘denounced’ the actions of the UVF during the troubles
Ie, not at all
@The Risen:
Sensationalism is all they seem to have. It’s as if they are working to the conclusion that it’s easier to sell and therefore supersedes logic.
@Matt Bateman: Must have been the provisional No campaign.
@The Risen: These posters with graphics of fetuses are absolutely horrendous aren’t they? Why not take it a step further – pregnant women walking around should stay at home or else cover up completely – as it might cause offense to the Yes side.
Grow Up for God’s sake!
The NO side has clearly stated it’s points, which are:
(1) That abortion terminates a human life. “Fetus” or “Baby”, call it whatever you want , this simple fact remains that the’re life is terminated. For many NO campers, but not all, this would be the fundamental reason for keeping the only protection of this life in the constitution.
(2) the maternal mortality rate here is one of the lowest in the world. We are one of the safest countries in the world for a mum to have baby. The “health grounds” for abortion up to 12 weeks, without any medical reason, is extremely hard to justify.
(3) There is one abortion for every 4 newborns in the UK. It doesn’t matter if you include miscarriages, this number is unacceptably high for most people. Why would Ireland be any different? Or would we do as well as Switzerland (only 1 in 9 are abortions)?
(4) In the event of a successful Yes, abortion will be provided under the health service. As we all know, our health service is a disaster and yet we are planning to divert funds to abortion without reason up to 12 weeks (to possibly think otherwise would render a Yes vote meaningless). Can we not improve our current health service instead – like employing more midwives or giving them a decent salary?
Why can’t the YES side address these points, instead of getting upset of posters?
@Hapax: ‘Why can’t the YES side address these points’
They have. And while I am not an official spokesperson for the yes campaign I’ll certainly give you my own personal response.
1. In the era where abortion pills are easily available, the 8th protects nothing. A woman choosing an abortion will be googling abortion pill providers, not copies of the constitution.
2.Ireland will still be one of the safest places to be a pregnant woman. What we are voting on is a path for Ireland to also become a safe place to have an abortion.
3. The only way of gauging the true rate of abortion in Ireland is to legalise it, as there is no accurate way of measuring the import of abortion pills. Until then, any figure for Ireland is merely wishful thinking.
4. You do not fail to provide medical services to women because you are stretched.You have no idea what type of scheme will be introduced, what resources will be set aside, where the funding will come from, the proportion of pills vs surgical etc., so stop pretending you do. The WHO lists abortofascients on their list of essential medicines, therefore viewing abortion availability as essential for women. That’s good enough for me.
@Hapax:
1) It is not as simple as that unless you suffer from dualistic thinking. There is also a woman; her life, her health, her well-being to consider….well it’s obviously not for you to consider, but it is for her and the people who love and care for her.
2) This might be comforting to women who want babies, it is of little comfort to those who don’t. Each woman should be able to decide if she wants to take on the risks of pregnancy; which are quite high in a general sense.
3) Officially the ratio in the UK is 1 to 5. I agree this seems very high. We would most likely be far more conservative than the UK. Their divorce rate is 4 times higher than ours, there is no reason to presume we would match them in abortion statistics if we do not in divorce statistics.
4) Abortion up till 12 weeks consists of taking 2 pills. The cost of this is not high, especially when bought in bulk. There’s no reason a charge would not apply. Even if it were free, this is not an argument against abortion.
Any more questions?
@Hapax: The previous two posts have addressed the issue. Happy now? Or will you continue pretend that it’s black and white, right and wrong, and ignore or alter facts that you don’t like, just like so many others who feel the need to vote no…
@Hapax: “There is one abortion for every 4 newborns in the UK” That figure is incorrect. There is, approximately, 1 abortion for 4 newborns in England and Wales. Still, that figure is not an accurate reflection of pregnancy numbers including all forms of termination, both medical and natural. Further, that figure also includes thousands of abortions brought into the UK from Ireland, countries in the EU, other parts of the UK, etc. If we were to analyse England and Wales statistics and factor in miscarriages as well as only scrutinise the numbers for citizens of England and Wales (remember, there will be skewed figures for people coming to England and Wales to have an abortion versus those coming to give birth) you would find that that 1 in 5 figure drops off quite substantially. In other words, it’s a lie. Just like the poster of a 6 month old baby (actual baby) which suggests that even those who have already been born will possibly be subject to abortion.
@Elise: Well said Elise but another inconvenient fact for the No side, is that abortion is far more common in Latin America (1 in 3) where it’s illegal or severely restricted in most countries. Indeed in El Salvador, teenagers who’ve miscarried can be imprisoned because it’s assumed they’ve had an illegal abortion. This also means that women are far more likely to die from botched abortions. The availability of abortion in England makes this much less likely in Ireland but also means that the maternal mortality rate is much lower than it would be if this option wasn’t available but it’s about time we got rid of this convenient hypocrisy of an Irish solution to an Irish problem and provide abortion services for Irish women who need them.
@Elise: Well said Elise but another inconvenient fact for the No side is that abortion is far more common in Latin America (1 in 3) where it’s illegal or severely restricted in most countries. Indeed in El Salvador, teenagers who’ve miscarried can be imprisoned because it’s assumed they’ve had an illegal abortion. This also means that women are far more likely to die from botched abortions. The availability of abortion in England makes this much less likely in Ireland but also means that the maternal mortality rate is much lower than it would be if this option wasn’t available but it’s about time we got rid of this convenient hypocrisy of an Irish solution to an Irish problem and provide abortion services for Irish women who need them.
@Hapax: Can you explain why
1) The No side chose the UK abortion rate, which is one, if not the highest in Europe? What evidence do you have that Ireland will follow suit? We had the same scaremongering at the time of the Divorce referendum and that never came to fruition.
2) Tell us what they think should be done with the 3,000+ women travelling to the UK for abortions every year?
3) Why your posters are at best nothing but misinformation, but more realistically, lies?
As always, those protecting the status quo know they can’t rely on the facts or the daily realities, to support their case. Same as the Divorce and Marriage Equality, which we’re also based on lies, misleading/erroneous debate topics and a heavy dose of religious fear mongering.
@Elise:
(1) Purchasing abortion pills over the internet is illegal everywhere – even in countries where abortion is legal. The BPAS in the UK has recently raised concerns about this – why are more and more women buying pills over the internet and not using the abortion service?Anyway, I thought I separated my points clearly – availability of abortion pills on the internet doesn’t attempt to address my point.
(2) The risk of death from abortion is really really small. The Irish woman who died after from an abortion a couple of weeks ago, where an incomplete evacuation resulted in a fetal bone lacerating the woman’s uterus, was likely a very unusual case. If maternal mortalities actually increase with the introduction of non-medically indicated abortions then the obstetricians who are currently pro-choice will be eating their hats. Who knows? But let’s make our health service better where we know it could be better.
(3) Are international abortion rates nothing to go by? What abortion rate would you be OK with?
(4) “You do not fail to provide medical services to women because you are stretched.” The HSE itself proves you wrong on this point.
@The Risen: No mention of terminations on the Yes posters at all, no facts or argument at all, just meaningless slogans. Show you care (for whom?) Compassion ( again for whom?) For women’s health ( 60 post abortion counselling services already??)
Consistently highlighting the hard cases, while refusing to discuss the actual proposal in the Draft Bill, abortion on demand up to 12 weeks. When are the ‘Yes’ Side going get real?
@Miriam O’Regan: is asking for compassion such a difficult concept to grasp? Do you honestly believe that women in their thousands are suddenly going to seek abortions? And that doctors in their hundreds are just going to carry out these procesures?
We can’t legislate for individual cases, but we can allow women to consult and discuss with their doctors what to do when facing a crisis pregnancy, whether or not you or I believe it is a crisis.
@Miriam O’Regan: I have no issue with abortion on demand up to 12 weeks. Hopefully this addresses that point adequately for you.
@Hapax: You directed your last comment at me, while addressing the answers The Risen gave you…
@EvieXVI:
(1) You seem to be answering a different question. Let me try again. Why is it acceptable to kill a healthy human life in an otherwise healthy mum?
(2) “Take on the risks of pregnancy”? Why the negativity and scaremongering with regard to pregnancy? I know very well the anxieties and risks that surround pregnancy. But I really don’t get the negative attitude towards pregnancy constantly on here. Do women want a termination due to fear of what will happen?
(3) I can’t see how divorce is in any way related or comparable. Countries that have similar legislation to what is being proposed here have high rates of abortion. It seems that it is impossible to legislate for abortion properly or that it becomes dysfunctional. 1 abortion in 5 is very high. Why can’t we learn from other countries mistakes when it comes to abortion legislation? Could our government not do better than what they proposed?
(4) An abortion service will cost money and it won’t be cheap, that’s for sure. It’s not simply the cost-price of medications, you know that. If it is to be funded by the tax payer, I see a greater need for hospital beds at the moment.
@EvieXVI: Sorry, that was indeed a reply to The Risen, thanks. I’ve replied to your comments separately.
@Hapax: I think your last comment was meant for me not Evie…
1) That’s a different question from your original one. The answer is not much different though. There are a myriad of reasons why a woman wants an abortion. Being about to lose her life should not be the only concern! Her health and well-being are important too. She is the only person qualified to make the decision. As someone who does not believe in abortion, I sometimes struggle with this too. However, I accept that abortion is going to happen in certain situations, regardless of my feelings on it. I would prefer that this happens before the embryo has developed. Call me a pragmatist!
2) Pregnancy carries with it many risks, you only really know of it when you have to deal with it. I’ve had 3 children; I’m not negative about pregnancy per se. I’m a realist about pregnancy and the negative consequence that can occur. Women do die in pregnancy and women can be left with very ill health directly due to pregnancy. It shouldn’t be forced on anyone.
3) Divorce is a similar issue in ways. My point was that yours, and many others, assertions that we will follow the UK with regards to abortion has not materialised with regards to divorce. We are a much more conservative society, so you can’t just claim that we will have the same abortion rate.
4) Again, the cost of the ‘service’ is a sideshow. It’s not an argument against abortion. I won’t get into this point with you any more than I have already.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: the figure drops off substantially to what? Have you factored in those variables or was that statement based in assumptions
@Hapax: Thank you – I don’t agree with you, but do appreciate your courtesy :-)
@Chucky Arlaw: yes sides come out with lies. Heads should roll in government over smear test Leo was health at the time.
@Hapax: ,
I have one question that no one pulled you up on.?
Why in your first comments attack women who had miscarriages.?
That was a disgusting thing to do.
You were attacking the yes voters.?
But miscarriage has nothing at all to do with abortion.
@Patricia Cooney: After so many posts I had expected you to improve “Patricia”: but no.
Still a complete disaster.
Tell us – how many yes sides are there on a triangle?
The Irish Centre for Bioethical reform, the ones behind these campaigns, have serious cross linking on their website with the Life Institute website and vise versa… The life Institute therefore want the ICBR to be as high on Google search as possible
Don’t believe the no campaign when they say they’re against this kind of thing, this is their modus operandi
@Chucky Arlaw: Yes, you are corrected. Cross tagging and use of each other’s names, site links, and materials. The Life Institute has enabled the US funded and US staffed ICBR , self described as an NGO, to enter the Irish debate and to interfere in a domestic Irish debate.
On top of this, US pro-life now has American canvassers in Ireland and supplying logistical support to the Irish pro-life side.
The pro choice people just don’t want the reality of abortion shown. The prefer the softly, softly approach, compassion healthcare etc. The reality is babies die, health babies with healthy mothers, they should be showing an abortion taking place on a fifty foot TV screen in the centre of Dublin. There’s nothing like a bit of reality to bring a bit of perspective to the yes campaign, Vote No for life.
@Thomas Troy: show us an image of an abortion that is carried out before 8 weeks..after all,that is when the majority (67%) are carried out
******crickets will be heard chirping********** whilst waiting for that image
@West Cork For Yes !: He can’t post an image to a thread on here. I guess there’s plenty of crickets ‘chirping’ inside you head all the time. But there’s plenty of graphic imagery online if that’s the kind of stuff you get off on.
@Nick Drake: “if that’s the kind of stuff you get off on” you seem to be saying that would be a bit sick, while supporting subjecting people in the street to the same images…. confusing.
@Thomas Troy: The pro-life campaign doesn’t want the reality of childbirth shown. They prefer the softly softly approach with pictures of bouncing born babies. The reality is that women die, go through extreme pain, and have their health affected for the rest of their lives.
They should be showing pictures of episiotomies, and live videos of a woman going through childbirth after being forced to continue a pregnancy she didn’t want, on a fifty-foot screen in the centre of Dublin.
@David Edwards: where did you get the impression that I support showing graphic images in public, just woken up have you?
@Nick Drake: nice try,but no cigar!
You can also leave comments on the outside page of the journal.ie…would you mind posting them for me…Thanks
@Elle Grehan: our where it shows a woman’s vagina being ripped apart right up to her anus..
@Nick Drake: “He can’t post an image to a thread on here”
You would think with the amount of accounts he goes through they might let him.
@Thomas Troy: the majority of ‘abortion’ images come from one source – a Canadian who stole the remains of miscarriages (MISCARRIAGES not ABORTIONS) from a hospital then reconstructed them to make the most shocking images possible. They are for pure shock value and nothing to do with reality at all.
@Thomas Troy: The reality of abortion is that a 12 week fetus is two inches, yet the images often shown appear to be late stage pregnancy miscarriages.
The No side have no grip on reality whatsoever.
@Thomas Troy: Do I take it that seeing as you do not condem these vile and personal attacks, you condone them? Are you happy with personalised obscene attacks on particular individuals- in this case an individual not responsible for the creation of the status quo. His position as minister is not relevent to the debate.
@Thomas Troy: you don’t see the yes side putting up images of rape, suicide, poverty, foetal abnormalities, neglected unwanted children in care and other issues. The 8th will never save lives bcoz if a woman decides on abortion she will go to the UK or purchase the pills. Voting yes allows woman to access safe abortion sooner instead of going though later unsafe abortions. Those are the side effects of the 8th. Babies won’t die because they are just embryos. Don’t like abortions don’t get one just don’t tell women what they can do with their uteruses
@Orla van der Noll: do you believe in abortion on demand up to 24 weeks like the service provided in the UK?
@Sean @114:
1. Abortion “on demand” doesn’t exist.
To enlighten you – “on demand” is commonly understood as a service that is available to you on impulse and reactive need. Examples of “on demand” offerings are Netflix and other streaming services, ground transportation, video doctors, and so forth – it’s immediately available to you. E.g. It’s on demand.
There is nothing “on demand” with abortion procedures in Ireland. Not before, and not after a possible yes vote.
2. Abortion beyond 12 weeks will in case of a yes vote remain restricted, so why deflect to something not relevant to Ireland.
Lastly, do you have an actual reason to “no” that you yourself believe in and stand for?
…rather than trying to “challenge” others with a load of nonsense, that is.
@Sean @114: First, there will be no abortion on demand in Ireland, even with the repeal of the 8th. On demand suggests it will be like popping into the local chipper for a bag of chips. So, that’s a lie. Second, as it stands in Ireland, a corpse has more bodily autonomy than a woman. The 8th needs to go.
@West Cork For Yes !: this referendum will allow for abortion for up to 12 weeks and possibly longer. If you’re not going to limit abortion to 8 weeks, why should we limit our posters?
@Thomas Troy: Well said pal
@Elle Grehan:
Women have been giving birth for a long time now, not exactly something nature never intended, on the other hand abortion seems to be unnatural, no other species on the planet practice this that I’m aware of.
You would think to listen to people like yourself that childbirth was something unintended by nature, what was never intended in the natural plan of things was for someone to pull a live baby from an expectant mother limb for limb, talk about all the FFA , rapes etc. You like, they still only amount to about 3% of all pregnancies and of those some choose to go full term, the reality is 97% of these abortions are perfectly healthy babies with perfectly healthy mothers. To take a human right out of the constitution is utter madness especially the right to life which all other human rights are based on, no woman or man for that matter has the right to bodily autonomy without first been given the right to life. So for any woman to say she has the right to choose while denying her unborn baby any chance of a right to life is talking through her hat.
@Thomas Troy: actually, abortion is natural, and plenty of species are capable of it: https://www.alternet.org/personal-health/orca-whales-caribou-abortion-and-you
@Thomas Troy: I’ve watched videos of abortion, myself.. didn’t change my vote from yes.
yup, the videos were disgusting and had me looking away at times, but that was no different than watching a show like House or Grey’s Anatomy.. Not as bad as watching eye-related surgery, though.. anything optical puts me off my food, including a description of laser eye surgery..
@Thomas Troy: the irish reality of abortion has been happening in the UK for decades now, dont think there are many who havent seen or heard about it.
@Thomas Troy: Plenty of the things humans intervene with are natural.
Cancer is natural. Are you saying chemotherapy should be banned because it’s interfering with a natural process?
Actually, things like episiotomies, and epidurals, and c-sections are all completely unnatural. They were never intended in the natural plan of things. We interfere in our own human ways with the reproductive process all the time.
Your argument is bull.
These graphic and fake posters were also put outside a school.
The no side just loves resorting to such dirty tactics, lies, misinformation, picketing hospitals and now this
@Barry Somers: Yeah, traumatising children with your lies is definitely the way to get people on your side…. not
@Barry Somers: Do these extremists not realize that they are putting the middle ground undecided vote off voting no. By doing this they will achieve the opposite of their aims. If I was on the no side I would reign in these extremists as soon as possible as it is doing damage to the campaign.
@ktsiwot: to these extremists the ends justify the means. That’s their mindset.
If the extremists thought murdering doctors would stop the repeal they’d likely do it.
Let’s not forget that the leader of the abortion never compaign here in Ireland who was previously involved in youth defence has previously said that doctors that perform abortions should receive the death penalty.
They do anything to stop women having a choice.
@Barry Somers: sorry if reality offends you , the images are horiffic , that’s the reality of a termination , even up to 10 weeks you are going to have large amounts of hemorrhaging , after 12 weeks torn hands feet head etc
@Barry Somers: I agree with all you say, it is just counter productive as the majority are not mad and this type of carry on will lose votes. This as a campaign has huge implications for future politics in Ireland, if a no vote wins with this type of campaign it will encourage adversarial politics built on lies and division as we currently see in the US and now see with brexit.
@Barry Somers: but you must remember that the “love both” crowd love to look after a woman’s mental health ..and that is why they agree to these images being shoved in women’s faces…they’re so deluded that they probably believe that it helps them to heal..bit like when that ‘pro life legend’ guy said that the release of oxytocin helps a rape victim to get over her rape..
@John Judd: And not enough people actually care “John” nor will they be swayed by this rubbish.
Desperate and pathetic tactics. It’s actually embarrassing to witness.
@John Judd: How can pictures of the results of natural miscarriage be the “reality of a termination” ?
@Barry Somers: that’s rich coming from somebody who thinks it’s ok to abort children.
@Dave Doyle: images of a termination, Google them yourself !
@Veronica: they need to do it more – more people will vote yes.
@Barry Somers: Perhaps these posters were erected by someone from the ‘Yes’ side to discredit the ‘No’ side and to sway opinion in favour of repeal.
The only reason they’re not allowed because they don’t have the printer’s details on them? No other problem with them? This country.
@Lisa Saputo: there’s no legislation to cover this kind of lying and sociopathy
@Lisa Saputo: It seems that’s correct, there is a law making it offensive to display obscene or offensive imagery but nobody want’s to go there for some reason.
Clearly these posters didn’t just appear overnight, someone had the foresight to plan them targetting Harris and Fine Gael. I think most people would defend the right of others to have an opinion, we may not always agree but the right to debate and voice our opinions is one of our basic human rights, a freedom we all enjoy.
Abusing this by portraying obscene imagery, especially near children, under the guise of “this is what happens” is an abdication of responsibility. If you’re displaying imagery like this there can be no excuse, you either take responsibility for it or you don’t. No excuses. No pretexts, no attempts at moral justification.
@Arch Angel: well said – these are an abuse of freedom of expression.
Still haven’t witnessed a sign of a super imposed image of a terminated pregnancy at 8 weeks …It does make you wonder as to why the antis don’t show those images..Hmmmm,.is it the way that they believe that the alien like pea sized embryo that is lost in that clot of blood doesn’t look at all like a human \O/ …
@West Cork For Yes !: good man Francis.
@Sean @114: because an 8 week pregnancy does not look anything like a formed baby. They need the WOW factor for impressionable people.
The yes side have stooped to a new low.
@Nick Drake: good one, you’re a funny guy.
And I suppose it’s the no side picketing hospitals with graphic images also?
@Nick Drake: #tinfoilhat
What is wrong with the No side? Why are they so obsessed with this gore fantasy? There’s a seriously sinister element in their ranks that seems to have emerged lately, the devout christians who fall on the same side must be appalled at this sort of extremism.
@Rochelle: ‘Foetus porn’
@Rochelle: there will always be a handful of nuts on both sides. A couple of yobos putting posters up in Bray is not representative of the Pro Life side. No more than the headbanger Yes people in Galway attacking the Ganleys. The country is split almost 50/50 on this issue so to brand one side or the other “nuts” is to brand 50% of the nation nuts…
https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/declan-ganley-claims-brother-was-attacked-putting-up-no-posters/
@Rochelle: this fantasy will become a reality if the yes side get their way.
@Sean @114: as has been pointed out above, you’re trying to equate an ALLEGED isolated incident with the overt tactics of a national campaign. There is no comparison to be drawn, and it’s disingenuous to try and use those to downplay what many elements of the No side are doing.
The best response people can give to these s**bags is to #voteyes
@James O’Grady:
Both sides are at each others throats.
Let people and their families make up their own minds without all the bitching.
It’s sickening especially on such an emotive subject.
@Christy Nolan: Not really. Only one side has been caught exaggerating and making very dubious claims. Then that side also has a fringe element putting up graphic images.
@Kal Ipers: what about the Yes “side”. All angels? You’re living in pro abortion fantasy land pal.
https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/declan-ganley-claims-brother-was-attacked-putting-up-no-posters/
@Sean @114: One person involved. The poster with what I would call lies are circulated by the no campaigners as a organisation. Huge difference
@Sean @114: Yes, because Declan “Libertas are running candidates in every country in Europe” Ganley is an entirely trustworthy individual who has never lied on record…
@Christy Nolan: One side claims to care about women and the ‘poor babbies’ whilst ignoring the thousands of homeless kids and the fact that it’s women asking for this themselves. The no side claim to care, but then insist that they know better about what’s best for these women.
‘I’ll decide for you’.
@James O’Grady: Yes for dead babies!
@A Curious Mind: Damn right. #repeal
@Gav Quinn: the no side does not care about us – women or the children we have. They care about forcing their societal morals on everyone only.
@Sean @114: Actually the fantasy is being lived out by anonymous posters like you “Sean”. You’d all love to be the intellectual edge of the No campaign: if only you had enough belief to stand over what you post.
‘Posters of abortions are offensive.
The same abortions on the other hand are not offensive.’
Liberal logic.
@Damien Mooney: These are NOT posters of actual abortions. The are posters of late stage miscarriages. Your logic is what exactly?
@Damien Mooney: we’d just like the pro-lies side to stop lying. That’s all.
I don’t see why there should be posters put up by any side as they are only littering the place. The putting up of posters harkens back to the days of 1 radio and 1 TV channel and really has no business in today’s information age.
This obsession the no side has with embryos needs to stop. Once the baby is born they couldn’t care less about them. They just can’t wait to start telling them what they can and can’t do with their bodies when they grow up. They couldn’t care less if the child is raised in poverty, is homeless or neglected. I don’t see them putting up posters and protesting the homelessness crisis or the rape of those girls in foster care an other issues. Where are you prolife “baby savers” for all those disadvantaged kids and adults they will grow up to be?
@Orla van der Noll: what a sweeping statement and such a ridiculous one – I am voting no and I care about babies after they are born and so do many other people- you are entitled to your opinion but please tell us the basis of your of your conclusions if you want to be taken seriously
This isn t a political campaign, it shouldn’t be. It’s a moral question that every person has to answer for himself, and the only thing required here are proper information and a private voting boot. No shouting, no waiving of banners, no blaming or hurting.
@Koen Smet: If that’s how you think, vote yes. Because at the moment it ISN’T “a moral question that every person has to answer for himself”, you are told by the state what you may do.
I like the idea of a voting boot though: “stamp on Simon Harris for NO, stamp on the Pope for YES”
More money than sense it appears. Give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves
“WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL is to remove graphic posters which were placed near Health Minister Simon Harris’s constituency office in Bray this morning.” I’d love to know what actual words were on the letter which was handed in (or however it was reported) to actually get this council to do anything. All over the country people are reporting inappropriate posters to their councils but nothing seems to be being done about removing said posters.
@Declan McArdle: These posters are illegal as they have no contact information for whoever commissioned them/put them up
They are legally just litter so people are entitled to take them down and the council has a responsibility to do the same
Independent of how one intends to vote
These posters are repulsive & disgusting – and an unfair attack on an individual ( regardless of what one thinks of him politically)
These posters must be condemmed and the people responsible legally sanctioned.
These are not the exercise of free speech, but the abuse of it. Those seeking to protect a constitutional status quo would do well to read ALL of article 40, and the associated limitations. When I saw them in Bray this morning my first thought was, they’ll get away with this filth – could it be classed as an “indecent Publication?” –
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These gruesome and usually highly manipulated images show that some on the Pro-Life side feel the need to resort to these dirty tactics because of how lame and devoid of objective merit their arguments are for retention of the 8th Amendment.
The substance of the issue is more important and the adverse impact of the 8th Amendment on the real lives of real pregnant women is the critical factor. That said, those who are undecided should consider if they wish to be associated with and in support of the side which pursues such nefarious and appalling tactics.
It would be unfortunate to see the debate descend to the horrible and disgusting level of 1983.
There is a lot of stupid save the 8th people in Bray. One woman had very graphic pictures covering the back windows of her car which had two young children in the back and she was talking on her phone while driving.
@Kim Prylowski: They care about the children that are in the womb, not in the room.
Harris is a political corpse. No need to show him the corpses of aborted babies.
Vote NO to the extreme UK-style abortion on demand agenda of this incompetent government.
@Emma Murphy: how does it feel to be on the side of people who would deliberately attempt to traumatise as many people as possible outside a maternity hospital?
Oh what am I saying, you were probably one of the people holding a giant picture of a miscarriage
@Emma Murphy: “the corpses of aborted babies” -hahahha
@Emma Murphy: Good grief. Take your head out of your arse and THINK for a change, instead of regurgitating lies and evasions.
@Emma Murphy: your implied condoning of such behavour is shameful if that is the case. For a matter of clarity – could you please give detail (reference point) for this “abortion on demand” agenda you refer to? – or are you just making up statements? – and please no assumptions on my voting intentions…
@Emma Murphy: This referendum isn’t about voting for politicians.
@Emma Murphy: Or how about vote yes and then choose not to use the service if you disagree.??
@Emma Murphy: That’s got to be one of the most deluded posts I’ve seen on here.
Has anyone ever actually seen the “conservative Catholic” vote ever turn out at a GE?
I haven’t.
Never voted for FG BTW and can’t see that I ever will.
@Emma Murphy: Fundamental Terrorism is what you are supporting
Please remove ALL posters both No and Yes country wide…
The no campaign with there militant behaviour would get on anyone’s tits. I read yesterday that yes campaigners were out on wexford town and bus load of no heads arrived in town all speaking with northern accents or American. The church is really splashing out on this campaign big time.
@Tom Harpur: sadly there are nut jobs on both sides, American accents too.
https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/declan-ganley-claims-brother-was-attacked-putting-up-no-posters/
It’s bizarre how people can be appalled by these images but not by abortion itself.
@A Curious Mind: No it isn’t. That’s just your opinion. And you’re an anonymous fantasist. Go figure.
I am normally a pro-lifer but I find this increasing barrage of advertisements getting disgusting. I have tried to “opt out” of this on the Huffington Post and YouTube to no avail. I watch and read USA news as I lived most of my life in the states. I do not need to subjected to the same commercials over and over again when I just want to see my three minute clip of CNN. Normally you can just opt out but cannot now, I keep getting diverted to a USA site (Oath.com)??? I have contacted these people directly to no avail. As a dual citizen I now intend to vote YES to the amendment. I am now hearing that several neighbors have been “abused” when answer the door to YES canvassers. One who said she was not interested in their leaflets was called a murderer yesterday – seriously out of control!
@David Curran: it’s great that you intend to vote yes. You do not need to avail of an abortion if you don’t want one, but I thank you for my (hopefully) next pregnancy and the peace of mind knowing my life is important. I need to be there for my born child
Posters murals actors glam snowflakes & kittens comedy nights quizzes Govt funded repeal theatre endless contrived committes without abortion videos let’s talk about anything but Abortion drama rama continues just debate the Issue Harris & stop trying to deflect from your Murderous crimes against Irish Women.
Upsetting?
Define please – sounds very subjective – I can claim upset at anything.
However if it is accurate and the truth then there is no reason to be “upset” – face facts like an adult for feck sake
@HelloGoogleTracking: pictures of decapitated murder victims or close-up details of holocaust victims might be accurate or the truth, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to blow them up to 4 feet high and plaster them all over town. Learning how to have a difficult conversation without resorting to inappropriate, indulgent, or upsetting behaviour is facing facts like an adult. It’s one of the key life skills you should have learned by now.
@HelloGoogleTracking: You can’t really claim anything though can you?
I mean, seriously, how can your anonymous alter-ego, a psychological construction no one believes, and even you struggle to keep coherent, claim anything, or have a real opinion?
How can a fantasist on a virtual debating platform convince real women, facing real problem pregnancies, to sacrifice their health, their lives and, therefore, also their families, for the vacuous “arguments” of an anonymous coward?
The feeble attempts at intellectualism do have an unusual flavour though. Keep posting – they do have some entertainment value.
I saw a really drunk guy talking to his own reflection in a shop window on Talbot St once – you put me in mind of him.
The pro life gang don’t mind people having seriously ill children who suffer dreadful pain throughout-their entire life and need 24 hour care. They don’t mind the child’s parents witness their child suffer day in and day out and know that their child will never recover or ever lead a normal life. So putting up shocking posters is nothing compared to how switched off emotionally they are from people(ironic they call themselves Pro Life).
@Cranky. It works both ways man, I’m pro life and will vote NO but I also sympathise and urge the government to do something about the hard line cases u speak of. U make out that pro lifers just want to make sick kids lives hell. We are only concerned with the healthy babies that will be murdered in the womb of which there will be lots if this passes. Both sides need to come together a d push the Government for a better solution. No voters will not vote for all out abortion but are very open to alternatives to the hard cases u mentioned.
@Andrew Cosgrave: thats not true. pro lifers were even opposing the 2013 legislation which was actually meant to save the woman from certain death.
@Andrew Cosgrave: pro life campaign was also saying back in 2013 that the legislation will bring to abortion on demand. Show me where is that abortion on demand 5 years later? None, in the same way as your assertion about countless babies being aborted has no foundation. There is abortion it is just administered in the UK. Thats exactly what will be. You just want it to be exported thats all. Stop scaremongering people, stop LIES.
Could we see the poster please?
@W Kevin Doyle: drive to Bray and look at it.
@W Kevin Doyle: It is probably deemed to disgusting to publish – one of the other papers had to pixilate sections of the image. I saw these posters this morning in Bray and they are truely offensive, regardless of how one intends to vote.
@Tom Purcell:
I have not seen them…..
What makes them more offensive than abortion on demand of healthy children ?
Actually specifically what makes them disgust / offend you exactly?
@HelloGoogleTracking: whether or not they are more offensive than “abortion on demand of healthy children” is not the matter under discussion.
Abortions are not done in public at the side of the road for all to see.
Have a look at them.
The bloody image behind Minister Harris is made to shock and sicken people.
The image, The disrespect, The cowardice of those involved, the disregard to the impact of these images are all offensive.
Your disingenuous response and the fact that you are operating from a Troll twitter account all suggest you’re not a serious contributor to the national discussion
@HelloGoogleTracking: the blood soaked body of a child (which looks very late for an abortion – possibly a miscarriage or actual birth). – there is no text just a picture of Minister Harris and the FG logo.
What makes them more offensivethan abortion is that I am not forced to look at the results of an actual abortion at 7.00am in the morning on my way to work.
I have made no statement pro- or anti abortion, but i am very much against the low and abusive tactics being deployed by nameless cowards afraid to use their own identities.
This is low and unspeakable. No official No campaign endorses this.
However, the Yes posters are just meaningless slogans. Show you care (for whom?) Compassion ( again for whom?) For women’s health ( 60 post abortion counselling services already??) No mention of abortion on the Yes posters at all, no facts or argument at all….?
Consistently highlighting the hard cases, while refusing to discuss the actual proposal in the Draft Bill, abortion on demand up to 12 weeks. When are the ‘Yes’ Side going get real?
Could all involved in campaigning please stop for a minute – there is more than enough evidence (from both sides) of campaigners overstepping the mark and offending members of the public; of foreign organisations interfering in the referendum campaign; of personal abuse of individuals; of offensive publications; of untruths, exaggerations and lies; of self-interest and wider political agendas.
Yes, your actions are shameful and embarrassing to the country. No, you are probably not winning anybody over.
If one looks at the opinion polls and actually listens to the public, there is a feeling that people don’t want to engage in the discussion due to the way it is being conducted.
Some of those people will keep their views to themselves and then vote (great!!) while many more will simply not want to be involved and subsequently not vote.
- On a practical side, historical evidence show a low turn-out supports the status quo (or No), so it might be the ill-mannered and offensive nature of the campaign which determines the result not the actual content of the substantive question at hand.
Why not take down all these posters both Yes and No they are serving no purpose whatsoever just litter and clutter making the road signs even harder to see. And whats so special about the posters outside Harris’s office? Typical politician. Tear down all the posters never seen so much rubbish dressed as comment.
We will hunt you down, we will find you and we will force you to look at our posters.
@Michael Lang: But only for a nice fee eh Michael? Employed protester. Who are you pretending to care about next?
@Andrew Cosgrave: I have spare tinfoil here when you run out
Is he living in the real world? I understand all these Irish politicians get overwhelmed by the €€€ eventually but is he actually for real? The government endorsed putting pictures of disgusting infected lungs and mouths etc on cigarette packs but when it’s something they don’t support they want them gone. Their exact line at the time of the cigarette boxes was that ‘the harsh reality of smoking needs to be seen first hand’. Well I believe the NO side have shown very watered down posters in this campaign. Unfortunately Mr. Harris you insatiable hypocrite, the harsh reality of killing innocent babies needs to be seen first hand for people to know what they are voting for. The Yes side are such hypocrites.
@Andrew Cosgrave: in other words, you support those posters. And then no side will claim they dont support them. Those picture are not representative in any way of the legistlation proposed. Those are viable babies and the legislation does not allow for abortion at that stage. STOP LIES.
I’m so sad minster for death, Simon “babykiller” Harris is upset by the truth.
Boo Hoo
He’s offended by the truth
@Martin Keogh: Maybe he’s offended by people breaking the law.
Sure it’s both sides at the dirty tricks and misinformation to outright lies. It’s it?
Oh wait it’s just one side. A few posters of theirs taken down aside. (Possibly by a strong breeze)
Upsetting but why is it not upsetting to have a procedure that kills a child???
Harris is a disgrace if he had anything about him he would do the right thing and resign
He has no morals or decency
Hanging on in there to get his pension
@seamus toomey: And you have no arguments against Repeal.
Simon you’re some winge bag everything is everyone else’s fault and your very angry we get it.
Do your bloody well paid job and get your employees to pick up the phone and ring the thousands of worried women in the country
@Tim Brennan: Name calling. Another barrel being scraped by no side
@Tim Brennan: Well in fairness, if he didn’t put up illegal posters it’s not his fault.
Do you have any logic to apply here or did you just crack off a few posts after you got home from the pub?
Suck it up snowflake it’s real life
@paul whelan: Thanks, you made my point for me.
What’s he so upset about? It’s only the “products of conception” removed from a pregnant uterus and thrown in a basin. It’s not like it’s a human being or anything …
@Pharmy: Maybe he’s concerned about desperate losers breaking the law. How do feel about that? Do you support desperate losers?
What about graphic pics on cigarette boxes , Whats wrong of a picture of a dead human that shows the truth .
@Michael Maher: dead human? Let them bring a picture of a real corpse and put in front of your kids. See how you like it. Weird.
@Michael Maher: What about more whataboutery?
@Marie McCormack: To me abortion is wicked vile murder and I am as entitled to my view as you are to yours .
All posters should be banned ,including political posters,people know what way they are going to vote nand they do not need posters to convince them
Let’s all own up to the truth of abortion – hace seen every other operation on TV but never abortion Why ?
If u are going to vote yes make sure you know what’s involved for both doctors and nurses and the babies
have your say