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Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald clashed in the Dáil today over inflation pressures on families. Alamy Stock Photo

Taoiseach grilled in Dáil on back to school cost crunch

A survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions’ found that one in three families are getting into debt to fund back to school costs.

MARY LOU MCDONALD accused the government of throwing struggling families ‘under the bus’ in October’s budget, as a survey found one in three families are getting into debt to fund back to school costs.

The Sinn Féin leader said the Taoiseach “couldn’t care less” about the cost pressures on families. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said McDonald was “oblivious” to the economic climate.

The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) research found that the number of families taking out loans to cover back-to-school costs has tripled to 12%.

The average amount of debt in 2025 is €376 compared to one in four parents in 2024, taking on an average of €368 of debt. The total back to school spend in 2025 is €1,450 for primary school parents and €1,560 for secondary school parents.

This is an increase for primary school parents of €364 compared to 2024, and €159 for secondary school parents. After school-care is the top expense for primary school at €197.

Over a third of parents say that they are forced to deny their children at least one back to school item. The research also found that 64% believe that back to school costs are a financial burden, while 78% of schools also ask for a ‘voluntary’ contribution.

The Sinn Féin leader read out in the Dáil the experiences of four people struggling with the cost of living, saying the cost of a weekly shop has gone up.

She said the “kick in the teeth for people is that you flatly tell them that you’re not going to help”, after the Government said there will be no one-off measures in October’s budget.

She acknowledged the economic uncertainty caused by Donald Trump’s threat of a 30% tariff on EU goods, but said working class families and young people would be “the real casualty” in that scenario.

“Why? Because they have a Government that cares more about the high rollers, the big bankers, your squadrons of junior and super junior ministers, than you do about struggling households,” she told the Dail during Leaders’ Questions on Wednesday.

Martin said he would “test” any budget measures put forward by Sinn Fein, accusing the party of offering to spend billions on whichever issue crops up.

The Taoiseach said the Government understands there has been pressure on households since the end of the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He said cost-of-living packages were announced in subsequent budgets as a result, but this year offered a different economic scenario, which he accused McDonald of being “oblivious” to.

“I heard your spokesman talking about universal benefits for the high rollers. That’s what your spokesman Pearse Doherty said this morning. He wants universal energy credits for the high incomes, for the high rollers. I will test you and your commitment and your principles,” he said.

“Will you agree to targeting? Will you agree to prioritising those in respect of child poverty in the forthcoming budget? Because we will target, and we will prioritise those most in need,” he added.

He said permanent measures such as the “gamechanger” free books scheme and hot school meals programme have also been implemented.

Martin added that Ireland’s 1.8% rate of inflation is the third lowest in the EU and is “mid-table” in relation to food prices.

He said investment in the public’s future through spending on infrastructure is “important”.

“For the first time ever now, we’re back to pre-famine population on the island of Ireland, that’s a positive, but we’ve got to provide for that in terms of our water infrastructure, in terms of housing, energy infrastructure, public transport and roads. But there are limits to what any government can do, and you’re the opposition with no limits in terms of what you will spend”, he said.

“It doesn’t matter, whatever turns up on any day, you will spend a billion or two billion on it, that’s your philosophy and that’s your mindset.”

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education and Youth, Darren O’Rourke TD, said the survey highlights  the urgent need for the government to introduce a cost-of-living package for hard-pressed families.

“This survey undertaken by the ILCU found that one in three families will be forced into debt to send their children back to school this Autumn. This is shocking and shows the stark reality of the cost-of-living crisis,” he said.

“Government must increase investment in our school system to match increasing costs in insurance, energy, electricity and elsewhere, and they should enact Sinn Féin’s Voluntary Contributions Bill to regulate this practice,” he said. 

O’Rourke urged the government to acknowledge the cost-of-living crisis and to respond to it with a cost-of-living package, adding that free school books and hot school meals do not go far enough to protect families from the increasing costs of education.

Additional reporting by PA.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:00 AM

    Australia have every right not to land anyone on their shores that they do not want.

    If only we had the balls – we send the bloody Navy halfway round the world to pick them up!

    388
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:07 AM

    @CeannairBlue: Actually they don’t hence the lawsuit and them losing. They broke international and their own national laws

    72
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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:08 AM

    @Kal Ipers: Then I’ll rephrase. THEY BLOODY WELL SHOULD DO!

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:15 AM

    @CeannairBlue: So you are fine with when countries refused to allow a ship with refugees fleeing the holocaust during WWII? They eventually returned to the Nazis and were killed in concentration camps. You think the agreements and laws brought in to never allow that to happen again should be scrapped?

    31
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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:26 AM

    @Kal Ipers: Ah the old Godwin’s Law, where would the intellectually challenged be without it.

    No, I wouldn’t have been okay with that. But I’m okay with this and the knobheads legging from Syria and leaving their wives and kids behind because “THEY’RE NOT FLEEING A HOLOCAUST”.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:30 AM

    @CeannairBlue: quoting the relevant laws is not Godwins Law.

    23
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:34 AM

    @CeannairBlue: Hard not to mention the Nazis when they are the reason for the laws. Many of these people were fleeing certain death if they stayed.
    Do you know anything about the people and how they were treated? The suicide rate in Naru camps is shocking. Do you think these people killed themselves for a laugh?

    25
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    Mute Marie Agnew
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:52 AM

    @CeannairBlue: so the millions that left Ireland because of the famine should have been abandoned as well huh!! Short memories eh!

    23
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:53 AM

    @Marie Agnew: abandoned? Abandoned would be preferable to internment

    13
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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:56 AM

    @Dave O Keeffe: Did I say it was ? Invoking the Holocaust is.

    18
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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:58 AM

    @Marie Agnew: We also weren’t leaving the country to sponge off the nearest country – we went there because a third of the country were dying of starvation.
    One in those places, we bloody well went to work.

    Honestly I used to be a left wing socialist but ffs the “left” nowadays want a slap.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:59 AM

    @Clever Jake: The Pope is a better man than I am. Thank God.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:00 AM

    So how does this effect their refugee status ??

    8
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:12 AM

    @CeannairBlue: I think this issue was dealt with at Nuremberg. All people have human rights which should not be subject to artificial borders arbitrarily drawn for political reasons.

    8
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    Mute Robert Preston
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:15 AM

    @Marie Agnew: Read a history book and educate yourself how can you compare the irish leaving to go to america and the rest of the world with whats going on now .

    45
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:24 AM

    @Kal Ipers: I doubt they even care about that . . They protected their borders and sent a message out and it stopped the boats arriving illegally. .

    33
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:52 AM

    @CeannairBlue: The law around this issue was created because of the legal grey area that existed on people fleeing the threat of concentration camps. To call mentioning where the law originated Godwin’s Law shows your absolute lack of understanding of the issue and human rights laws.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:06 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: No, you would like it to. Nice try.

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    Mute Gordon McCabe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:08 PM

    @CeannairBlue: I think you seriously need to look into what’s actually happening in countries like Syria.

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    Mute Peter donnelly
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    Jun 14th 2017, 3:10 PM

    @Kal Ipers:if they were fleeing certain death why did they go so far ? im sure there were nearer countrys they could go to, but hold on they probably wouldnt have been allowed in and would not of got any support or special treatment, would it not make more sence to stay at home and fight for your country….

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    Mute SteveW
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:10 AM

    Even sovereign countries have no control over their own borders and rules.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:26 AM

    @SteveW: Not when they sign agreements saying they will take in refugees and then don’t. They actually broke their own rules. Their own courts and laws are what is being enforced.

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @SteveW: History will look harshly upon Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers, a continent pillaged by Europeans.

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:06 PM

    @Siouxsie Dumbtime: Such an appropriate screen name with a comment like that.

    28
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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:16 PM

    @CeannairBlue: In how far is it incorrect that she mentioned that Australia was pillaged by Europeans?

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:06 PM

    @CeannairBlue: It’s an historically accurate statement so bully you!

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Jun 14th 2017, 4:30 PM

    @Siouxsie Dumbtime: sure the Aussies are worried

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    Mute Carl Ingalls
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:15 AM

    Irish Right’s groups will be licking their lips as we speak.

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    Mute Coles
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:14 AM

    @Clever Jake: Best to ignore them. Everybody else does.

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    Mute Polly Dolan
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:21 AM

    @Clever Jake: block them!!

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jun 14th 2017, 2:14 PM

    @Carl Ingalls: the horror of not helping people who weren’t lucky enough to be born in a free society. If you had your way we’d be back in far-right paradise with human rights very restricted. No thanks.

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    Mute Alex
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:02 AM

    Go home

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:47 AM

    @Alex: The colonists?

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    Mute Trevor W
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:41 PM

    @Siouxsie Dumbtime: it’s a pity the originals didn’t send them packing centuries ago.

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:08 PM

    @Trevor W: So true, they have treated the aboriginals disgracefully and now asylum seekers, one set of rules for the white man and another for anyone of colour.

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    Mute Peter donnelly
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:41 PM

    simple answer send them back from whever they came from, no asylum….

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:10 PM

    @Peter donnelly: The Europeans? We’d have no room for all those descendants of Irish convicts.

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    Mute Peter donnelly
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    Jun 14th 2017, 2:56 PM

    @Siouxsie Dumbtime: slight problem there the irish who were forced onto death ships god knows how long age were forced to go they diddnt chose to go, and when they finished their sentance they worked for a living not expecting any one to feed and house them any irish who emmigrated went to work and try to better themselves but unfortunatly not all of them made it….

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:35 AM

    I’d say a lot of Australians will consider that money well spent.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:10 AM

    As there will be a flood of people saying how this is riddiculious I suggest you read up on what they did to these people. Also read what Australia did to Naru and to the captain of a boat who rescued people from a sinking boat.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:34 AM

    @CeannairBlue: *can’t

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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:43 AM

    @CeannairBlue: You can’t be bothered reading, yet comment here, venting your faux outrage about refugees having a right to be treated humanely, the sure sign of a hypocrite and troll

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:00 AM

    @Dave O Keeffe: Difference between hitting the wrong key and the inability to spell. Troll.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:57 AM

    @CeannairBlue: best not to make a mistake when correcting others, makes you look ridiculous. Ha, troll. Says the moron that has no idea why most laws around concentration camps and many about refugees seem to have been agreed upon in the 40′s.

    9
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    Mute Mumpsimus
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    Jun 14th 2017, 2:05 PM

    Why don’t all the lefties move to all their countries and make it better for them so they don’t have to leave. Problem solved

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jun 14th 2017, 2:22 PM

    @Mumpsimus: why don’t all righties F off to their own country? Oh yeah they still want to get a woman!!!

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Jun 14th 2017, 4:31 PM

    @Mumpsimus: keyboard warriors

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:19 AM

    Who let all of the white Caucasian Christian immigrants into Australia? The place is overrun with them.

    The Aboriginal people should not have let all of the white foreigners in.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:21 AM

    Who all entered legally into the country ….

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jun 14th 2017, 11:57 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: no, they did not.

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    Mute Greg Cavey
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:20 PM

    @Tony Daly: and look how prosperous the country is all these decades later. Germany decided to let in 500,000+ migrants into their country and they stab 5 year old boys, assault and women and plough through innocent people shopping at a Christmas market. Infact lets compare east Europe to west europe. West lets in migrants = dramatic increase in terror attacks. East stands firmly against letting in migrants = virtually no terror attacks to my knowledge. Coincidence?

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    Mute Siouxsie Dumbtime
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:09 PM

    @Suzie Sunshine: Time to revisit your primary school history books.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:19 PM

    @Siouxsie Dumbtime: they weren’t the migrants I was referring to

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 1:48 PM

    @Suzie Sunshine: who were you referring to then?

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 14th 2017, 10:33 AM

    You can’t put refugees in a concentration camp? Who knew!

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    Mute just readin
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:33 PM

    Australians should stop messing about and deport all immigrants and their families who arrived since 1606

    16
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    Mute Rodney Monaghan
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    Jun 14th 2017, 5:41 PM

    I hope they have the decency now to repay the Australian taxpayers, for the cost incurred by them, for the provision of their refugee accommodation…
    Regardless of the level of accommodation, the burden of its cost shouldn’t now be borne by Australia, given these people’s new found wealth!

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    Mute Trevor W
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    Jun 14th 2017, 12:48 PM

    It’s a small justice. As multi-cultural as it is in Oz it is seriously racist in many ways.

    Read up on the Tampa affair. Will explain a lot for the keyboard warriors on here.

    10
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