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A FINE GAEL TD who warned that Ireland faces “an ISIS situation” if the more extreme elements of water charge protests are not “nipped in the bud” has withdrawn the remarks.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Noel Coonan said: “I certainly would withdraw that comparison, but I think those people, I suppose probably anarchists would be more appropriate than ISIS.”
Coonan has also told Tipp FM that his constituency office in Templemore received a death threat after he made his remarks in the Dáil yesterday.
TheJournal Politics / TwitterOn ISIS and its beheading of western hostages, FG TD Noel Coonan says: "We cannot condone that and we do not condone that."
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) November 21, 2014
The Tipperary North TD made the controversial comparison to the Islamic State organisation during the course of yesterday’s lengthy Dáil debate on the government changes to the water charges regime.
Coonan described the scenes witnessed in Jobstown last weekend as “disgraceful” and said :“I think that that needs to be nipped in the bud.
“The people have given that signal to us now: nip that in the bud. If not we’re facing what is potentially an ISIS situation in Middle East if those people are allowed get on to do what they’re doing.”
During the course of the debate he also claimed that protesters in Dublin are “like parasites” and said they “live off country people as they have never acknowledged the role of country people”.
Coonan has told Newstalk this morning that his comments had been misinterpreted and that he was referring only to the protesters who have “infiltrated a decent protest and have been anything but nice”.
“I have the utmost respect for Dublin people,” he said adding that he apologised for any offence caused to Dublin people saying they are “some of the most fantastic people in the world” whose wit “is second to none”.
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“If you point that there gun at me…I’m a gonna shove it up your big biker a*s”
……and that’s how the gun ended up in the toilet…..true story.
Those relaxed gun laws in America are really working out.. Haha yeah…
And there are no illegal guns in Ireland either?
its the legal guns in the US that are the problem,they think they are soooo smart but they cant figure that one out
Jack. Do you know for sure that the firearms used by gang members were legally owned or are you just jumping to conclusions?
Most of these guys are heavily involved in criminal activity and would have had criminal records. And as such as far as I am aware most if not all States in through US ban former felons from legally owning a firearm. And as we have seen from our own criminals it is very easy for the criminal fraternity to get hold of illegal weapons.
Mick, have you read somewhere how many of the weapons used in this tragedy were illegal or are you speculating?
One biker arrested was a retired police detective. True. No priests have surfaced in the investigations yet…
“Wacky bikers hid guns in sacks of tortilla chips and down a toilet”
The booze fighters what a name for a gang.
When the chips are down…
Oh look at me , I’m in a motor bike gang, me and my friends nah nah na nah na.
test
I’ll wait till I hear what glen has to say about this. The last time he drew a link between the Branch Davidian’s and the authorities from 1993.
Someone should check in on Glen. Hope he hasn’t hanged himself over this ssm thing.
Stupid comments. RIP.
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