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Ireland among worst performers in increasing number of female directors

New European data shows 24 EU countries increased their proportion of female company directors last year – but not us.

IRELAND IS AMONG Europe’s worst performers in terms of increasing the number of women on the boards of corporations, new data has shown.

Figures published by the European Commission show that while the percentage of women on company boards increased across Europe in 2012 – from 13.7 per cent to 15.8 per cent in the nine months from January to October – but Ireland was one of only three countries not to see an increase.

Only Bulgaria, where female representation on corporate boards actually fell, had a worse performance than Ireland in 2012; Poland was the only country to match Ireland’s figures, where there was no change in the number of female directors.

Only 9 per cent of company directors in Ireland are women, the seventh-lowest total of any of the EU’s 27 member states. Malta has the lowest number, at 4 per cent; when the 12 recent entrants to the EU are excluded, Ireland is the worst-performing country.

Finland has the highest proportion of female directors, at 29 per cent, ahead of Latvia on 28 per cent, Sweden on 26 per cent and France on 25 per cent. The UK’s proportion of female directors stands at 19 per cent.

The stats are being compiled by the European Commission as it prepares draft laws which would require any company to have at least 40 per cent of its directors come from the under-represented sex by 2020, or by 2018 for publicly-traded companies.

The draft law – which requires approval by the European Parliament and by the EU’s enterprise ministers before it can take effect – would require companies to introduce new selection procedures for board members to give priority to qualified female candidates.

The laws would not apply to small and medium enterprises, and would automatically expire in 2028. Brussels has said the laws put an emphasis firmly on qualification, and that nobody would be given a position solely because of their gender – but neither would a woman be turned down for a position solely because of her sex.

The matter is provisionally listed to be discussed by EU enterprise ministers during a meeting of the EU Employment and Social Affairs Council in June, which will be chaired by Richard Bruton under Ireland’s Council presidency.

Read: Gender gap: Irish women pay ‘high price’ for motherhood

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62 Comments
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    Mute Caillte
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:21 AM

    Today will always be the first official day of Christmas to me. Tree always went up on the 8th.

    196
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:25 AM

    What does a dub call a culchie at work??
    Boss

    422
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:23 AM

    Lazy Culchies. Although some say Mullah, Mulchie or Bog -Trotter, what Dubs would call culchies at work.

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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:26 AM

    Ah good to see a dub is finally awake to reply to my comment

    146
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:26 AM

    I’m not a Dub.

    22
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:32 AM

    A wannabe dub?

    101
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:33 AM

    That’s the small-minded country in you. It’s not your fault.

    41
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:22 AM

    Okay, eggs.

    7
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:36 AM

    If you’re not from Dublin you’re a culchie in their eyes W1K

    56
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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:45 AM

    Well if your scraping the end of the barrel Alan b / neeneee ….. Why does your culchie boss always have a red neck ? ‘Slap’ .. “Get up to Dublin and get a job “

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    Mute David Carino
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:56 AM

    Think this sums it up for you neeneee

    http://youtu.be/WOdz7Ig_dCg

    6
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:11 AM

    Ah Johnny well done that’s the funniest thing you’ve ever came out with here

    7
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:12 AM

    Your lucky you have Dublin to support you. Keeps the country going.

    24
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:19 AM

    It’s you’re

    25
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    Mute neeneee
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:25 AM

    It’s funny you need a culchie to correct your grammar

    44
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:30 AM

    I was talking to you. What part of culchie land are you stuck in?

    10
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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:28 AM

    Only getting started Alan sure there’s only so much work a country mechanic can do under a wheelbarrow!

    5
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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:31 AM

    Now be careful Alan when your listening to the match later that you don’t burn your ear !

    5
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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:38 AM

    And yes before you correct me Alan b/ neenee ‘you are ‘ a spacker ….. And yes folks its singular cause he’s the same person

    3
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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Dec 8th 2015, 1:01 PM

    Like a Nigerian culchie or a Chinese culchie?

    4
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    Mute Paul Darby
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    Dec 8th 2015, 1:22 PM

    Your typical Dublin Jackeen has more in common with the Chav’s over England than they have with their fellow countrymen. That’s as far as the want to evolve to, country folk are better than that.

    36
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    Mute Seamus McGonagle
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:31 AM

    They really need to develop online shopping here. An Amazon Ireland would be great.

    109
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    Mute Luke Mc Gahren
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:31 AM

    Seamus it pains me the amount of times I have found exactly what I want on Amazon but then they wont deliver to Ireland even if the fecking thing is in the UK but yet they deliver around the world.
    There absolutely would be a market for it!

    38
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    Mute TeaRex
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:21 AM

    Parcel Motel.

    48
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    Mute Aging Lothario
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:32 PM

    Parcel Motel, greatest invention ever for those of us who do all of our shopping online.

    4
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    Mute anthony campion
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:19 AM

    Nice to have a stroll down the boardwalk being careful not to catch the eye of the many junkies shooting up , and meander up O Connell st also being mindful of being verbally or physically abused, ah the joys of our capital

    80
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    Mute Ciaran Harford
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:03 AM

    Just shop on Grafton Street

    30
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    Mute RTibe
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:47 AM

    Yeah, skip out to Dundrum if they bother you, poor wee flower

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    Mute anthony campion
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:53 AM

    They don’t bother me you have to become immune to them, so untwist your knickers there

    11
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    Mute Carol C.
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:11 AM

    ‘Outside Dublin there wasn’t a whole lot of good shopping to be had around the rest of the country. Dublin was the shopping Mecca.’ Emmmm….nope. Do Dubs realise there are cities outside the Pale? With the same shops? I never even heard of this day until I moved from Cork to Dublin 2 years ago. I’m pretty sure it’s just midlanders. :D

    70
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:18 AM

    But everything is bigger and better in Dublin.

    19
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    Mute RTibe
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:54 AM

    You must be a young un Carol, because up until the early 00s, bogger shopping day was alive and well! The provincial shopping centres, retail parks have only really popped up in the last 10-15 years.

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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:02 AM

    And a lot of them have closed since. Much better choice in the Capital.

    16
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    Mute Carol C.
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:40 PM

    Rtibe…define ‘young’ ;) I’m not a teenager anyway, that’s for sure!
    W1K there isn’t though, that’s my point. We have all the same shops as Dublin :)

    4
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    Mute Joachin Peiper
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:13 AM

    Culchie?bit xenophobic?

    61
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    Mute George Murphy
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:41 AM

    Would definitely be perceived as mildly pejorative when used by someone from outside rural Ireland, especially someone from Dublin

    36
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:17 AM

    I married a dub to discover her granny was a culchie now where am I

    35
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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:41 AM

    If they are a decent family you should have known they had culchie blood all along

    29
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    Mute Joe Traynor
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:05 AM

    Really Michelle? I’m surprised that you would write this , The term Culchie is pejorative and often used as a term of abuse.
    I find nothing amusing about this , some people have embraced terms such as Queer , Niga , Paddy , Culchie etc. but they all have their roots in abusing a
    Minority for having different customs or accents etc.

    33
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    Mute Joe Conlon
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    Dec 8th 2015, 11:16 AM

    I like crunchies, is it still alright to by a bar of crunchie or where do we stand politically on that? or will I ask for a bar of crunchieside?

    4
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    Mute Lorna Holderied
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    Dec 8th 2015, 2:41 PM

    I much perfer to be a culchie,bogger or any other name you wish to call me. Sat here in my home by the sea in gorgeous Dingle. Im not stuck in a not so nice city. They ridicule us and call us names yet come here in their droves cause they love it so much. Jealousy is awefull. Call me what u like i dont care cause i know who the lucky one is.

    33
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    Mute Scorpionvenomm
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:41 AM

    Dublin vs culchies funny eh, when they go away to work it doesn’t matter where they’re from, that makes me laugh.

    32
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    Mute Val Rossi
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:46 AM

    Great the City will be stinking of Cabbage and Farmyard for the day.

    29
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    Mute mo
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:51 AM

    Like it doesn’t stink already

    153
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    Mute KK
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:13 AM

    Ah come on Val – there’s whiffs of all,sorts,out there now don’t discriminate :-((

    35
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    Mute jason bourne
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:22 AM

    Cool, it might cover up the smell of bulmers and hash.

    87
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:36 AM

    They won’t be eating out in the restaurants. They’ll be making the cheese sandwiches now and a flask of tea. The Cork to Dublin train will be packed this morning.

    26
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:09 AM

    Hang sangwiches, surely?

    32
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Still Recession times for them so they say. Back to the cheese.

    12
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    Mute mickmc
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:56 AM

    Today is the day in the middle of a working week in the busiest time of the year where I’ve to find someone to mind my kids as the Catholic church has shut their school because of the “immaculate conception”. Easily the fastest gestation time in history.

    27
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    Mute Eibhls Bakes
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:01 AM

    Isn’t the Immaculate Conception when Mary was conceived though?

    53
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    Mute mickmc
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:16 AM

    I’ll bow to your better knowledge on that one Eibhls

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    Mute jason bourne
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:20 AM

    Ah so that’s what these schools are… Child minding services..

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    Mute mickmc
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:31 AM

    Did I say that, but it is a consequence of them going to school that they don’t need to be minded for those few hours and my partner and I can be productive citizens and pay our taxes. Arrangement can be made easily made for holiday and sick day but when this curve ball is thrown at you for no sensible reason in the busiest few weeks of the week it’s a pain in the ass.

    9
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    Mute andrew haire
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:37 AM

    It must have been one erotic sweet dream.

    5
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:08 AM

    The immaculate conception refers to the conception of Mary, not the conception of Jesus.

    12
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    Mute Accord Moan Eye
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:09 AM

    No, it’s when Jesus was conceived, which correlates with his actual real birth month of September.

    11
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:26 AM

    Bit weird to be marking the day when your god’s missis ovulated.

    5
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    Mute Conor Graham
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:43 AM

    lol – boggers are funny. 15 years behind everyone else. With their Tamagochis & 1st Gen iPods. They still play Whigfield’s ‘Saturday Night’ in their nightclubs & wear Puma runners.

    27
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:25 AM

    We really are so behind the times. We haven’t even gotten around to handing our main streets over to junkies.

    67
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    Mute Conor Graham
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:53 AM

    lol – come back when this isn’t you: https://youtu.be/YkVWccmK48U

    8
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 10:20 AM

    15 years? that’s too kind. 25 years more like. They look like Mammy still buys the clothes.

    10
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    Mute MeanderingsNI
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    Dec 9th 2015, 10:49 AM

    HAHA this is too funny, Dublin doesn’t even have an apple store ffs! 15 years behind??

    1
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:58 PM

    My parents who used to always be part of that December 8th shoppers to Dublin have since switched to Cork in recent years as they find it a more pleasant city to traverse and with nicer, friendlier people.
    I, and most others do almost everything online now and for whats left the shops are the same in any city as in any other these days. I’d imagine those still making the trip to Dublin are mostly older people stuck with tradition.
    Dubs will be delighted I’m sure to have their shanty town left to themselves so they can wallow with their own kind, it’s what they’ve always wanted!

    17
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    Mute W1K
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:37 PM

    Says Rochelle from Limerick!!! Both Cork and limerick are very similar when it comes to retail. Why would to bother travelling from one to the other to shop?

    5
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    Mute Donna Moss
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    Dec 8th 2015, 6:35 AM

    online means you can buy from loads of different countries Seamus. happy Christmas everyone.

    16
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    Mute Seamus McGonagle
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:05 AM

    Shipping costs and exchange rates are a problem with international online shopping.

    57
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    Mute Stephen Devlin
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    Dec 8th 2015, 7:39 AM

    Price is displayed before you purchase.. Whats the problem? Most times it ends up cheaper for me even with those considerations

    13
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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Dec 8th 2015, 3:49 PM

    Ah, Michelle, shame on you – click bait, click bait, click bait (which I’ve taken :-) ) anything to generate a bit of (gawd ‘elp us) “controversy”. Sad in this day and age.

    15
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    Mute Lorna Holderied
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    Dec 8th 2015, 2:11 PM

    Yeah but sure half of all the ones that call us culchies,cabbage or whatever will heading in their cars to Dingle and other places for new year. Well if u dont like us and we smell so bad . Stay where u are if the capital is so great…

    14
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    Mute Pat Gorman
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    Dec 8th 2015, 1:26 PM

    The Culchies call the Dubs “West Brits”.
    (Dubliners famously know more about the Royal Family than they know about the Culchies).

    14
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    Mute Amy Gaffney
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    Dec 8th 2015, 8:39 AM

    And how exactly do they count the amount of people in the city centre on any given day?

    14
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Dec 8th 2015, 9:23 AM

    By counting the number of sales reported by members of the Chamber of Commerce.

    6
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    Mute buster
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    Dec 8th 2015, 12:23 PM

    So only country people shop on this day? When do the Jackeens venture down to guineys for their new Christmas clobber then…….

    11
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    Mute RTibe
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    Dec 8th 2015, 12:32 PM

    Is anyone old enough to remember the warning to the culchies over the tannoy in Dunnes? This chirpy little girl announcing “Pickpockets in Dunnes. Pickpockets!”

    4
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