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Frances Fitzgerald: From social worker to Justice Minister

Here’s a profile of what you need to know about her background and political experience.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS quick to spring into action yesterday, eager not to leave the seat of Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence vacant for too long.

Almost 19 hours since Alan Shatter tendered his resignation yesterday, the Taoiseach has announced that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald will be taking over the vacant portfolio – at least parts of it.

Given the numerous controversies, scandals, inquiries and investigations, it’s not going to be an easy job, so what are her credentials?

Background

Her department’s website details that the 63-year-old is married and has three sons in their twenties – an actor, a trainee accountant and a student.

Prior to entering politics she trained as a social worker and family therapist, obtaining a B.Soc. Science from UCD and an M.SC. in Social Administration and Social Work from the London School of Economics.

She worked with a number of health facilities in Dublin, mainly focusing on families in inner city communities, specialising in adoption and fostering.

The public first became familiar with her during her time as Chair of the National Women’s Council of Ireland between 1988 and 1992, before she was first elected to the Dáil in 1992 as a TD for Dublin South-East, a seat vacated by former Taoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald.

She took on a role in local politics as a councillor in Rathmines in 1999 until the abolition of dual mandate. Fitzgerald lost her Dáil seat in the 2002 General Election.

Leader of the Opposition

Fitzgerald returned to Leinster House in 2007 as head the Senead’s Leader of the Opposition.

She had failed to be elected in the 2007 General Election, but was then appointed to the Upper House by way of the Labour Panel.

After this, Fitzgerald went on to people’s Ireland first Minister for Children and Youth Affairs after the 2011 General Election – a role suited to her given her background and training.

She has overseen a number of reforms, including the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency, targeting child protection services with HIQA reports, and launching an Action Plan on Bullying.

Fitzgerald also over saw the Children First Bill 2014 which aims to put child protection and welfare guidelines on a statutory footing.

She has detailed this as consisting of three main areas:

  • A requirement on organisations providing services to children to keep children safe and to produce a Child Safeguarding Statement
  • A requirement on defined categories of persons (mandated persons) to report child protection concerns over a defined threshold to the Child and Family Agency (the Agency);
  • A requirement on mandated persons to assist the Agency in the assessment of a child protection risk, if so requested to do so by the Agency.

So how will she fit into her now role?

The Taoiseach announced this morning that Alan Shatter’s portfolio is to be split.

Kenny has taken on the Defence aspect, while Fitzgerald takes over Justice and Equality.

Her former ministry will be taken over by current Fine Gael chairman Charlie Flanagan.

Her experience with the Justice portfolio has been limited, having only spent a period on an an Oireacthas Justice committee.

However, she is familiar with Equality, and would have been comfortable with Defence, having both those portfolios under her belt during her time as an opposition TD.

Fitzgerald served as both Spokesperson on Defence, Social Community and Family Affairs, and also Equality and Family Affairs.

Read: Frances Fitzgerald is the new Justice Minister, Taoiseach takes over at Defence >

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68 Comments
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    Mute СIΔЯΔИ FΔЯЯΞLLY
    Favourite СIΔЯΔИ FΔЯЯΞLLY
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 7:36 PM

    People need to stop counting calories and start counting chemicals in their food. When you see the term “low-fat” think chemical shit storm. Natural does not mean natural anymore and something that says it’s made in Ireland mightn’t actually be made in Ireland. Once the end processing is carried out here then it can be labelled so. It’ll get worse once TTIP arrives.

    119
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    Mute William Boyd
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:23 PM

    I think people should just eat and stop worrying about Political Correct bollixoligy, oh you consumed a little extra sugar I’m sure it wiped out at least 40 years off your life?, ask the Rolling Stones, drink smoke and do every drug that ever existed and they’re all still alive only one is under 70 years of age.

    Relax you could be dead in 10 seconds or live for ever, but only if you eat rabbit food, don’t smoke, don’t drink, what do you do?

    12
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    Mute Len Brennan
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:33 PM

    Same goes for ”sugar free” or ”no added sugar”. The sweeteners added to soft drinks etc are every bit as bad for your health as refined sugar, if not worse…And parents are pumping their children full of that shite thinking that they are doing them a favour. The most common sweetener aspartame is the excreta (feces, waste product) of a genetically modified strain of E-Coli… Mmmm, sounds really good for your health, doesn’t it?

    45
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    Mute William Bayle
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:24 PM

    TTIP the huge elephant in the Irish room no one wants to talk about . A farm products exporting country like us should be extremely focus on those negotiations . But no one would fool Phil Hogan now would they ?

    36
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    Mute Neuville-Kepler62F
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:06 PM

    Trans Fats do not have to be listed on processed food packaging if the amount is less then 0.5 gr per serving … note per serving! Barack Obama has banned ALL Trans Fats in the US from 2018. Irish FSA needs to do likewise.

    37
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    Mute Rebecca Hegarty
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 7:34 PM

    I’d settle for labelling allergens at this stage

    31
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    Mute ISBA - Seamus Maye
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 7:51 PM

    We should start with bread. Several enzymes are used but not labelled in bread. Mass produced bread (Chorleywood method) needs to be closely examined. There are serious doubts with regard to quality.

    48
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:02 PM

    I totally agree rebecca. If there is a risk of cross-contamination they really don’t seem to give a hoot. Very annoying when a serious allergy exists. I strongly believe companies should be charged with attempted murder if they dont display info correctly such as containing nuts, gbh for those that don’t state gluten etc. It is criminal that some people find this behaviour acceptable.

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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:30 PM

    Attempted murder? A bit too far. Culpable maybe but these companies are not murderers. No company in the food sector ever set up to be called murderers. Thankfully most people with allergies dont think like you. Said people look after themselves and research what they can and cannot eat. I for one always check what I buy. I also check what restaurants I can eat in, and every restaurant I have checked in with are also very accomodating..theres some amount of personal responsibility here. I have a friend that breaks out in hives if she eats strawberries..you know what, she doesnt eat strawberries. I love syrawberries but I would never eat one in her company.

    11
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    Mute sunshine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:45 PM

    OMG, I bought a baby porridge labelled as 4 months +, couldn’t understand why baby had broken out with eczema rash, only to realise when I took a more detailed look at the label that it CONTAINED gluten!! (babies aren’t supposed to have gluten until 6 months). I emailed FSA but they say once they have stated SOMEWHERE on the label the company haven’t done anything wrong. A serious case of “letter of the law” vs “spirit of the law”

    31
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    Mute Rebecca Hegarty
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:51 PM

    Personal responsibility goes out the window when it’s a toddler, or when there is multiple allergies, in our case both. You tell people what he’s allergic to and they wrinkle their nose and offer chips, once he was given chips covered in butter (dairy allergy) and another time we were informed a noodle dish was nut free only to find a peanut sitting on top when it was served, needless to say we don’t bother anymore. Murder maybe not but I wouldn’t disagree with criminally negligent homicide. The only place that serves food that he can eat is actually McDonald’s, because it’s the only one with trustworthy allergy info, so depressing when that’s the only option.

    23
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:08 PM

    @jenni Some allergies are worse than others – do you agree? Serving nuts to someone with a potentially fatal allergy is at the very least manslaughter. Serving gluten to a coeliac is assault. People who turn out in hives after strawberries would not fall under category of serious allergies

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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:37 PM

    Absolutely agree josephine..but it comes down to personal responsibility. The waiter in the restaurant does not know you or your allergy, the supermarket that you shop in does not know you or your allergy, the guy that processes the food, nor the farmer that makes your food. There is a whole food chain with hundreds or thousands of people involved. They couldnt possibly know what one customer is allergic to. So to blame the industry rather than take personal responsibility is lame. You are the reason the food industry is in turmoil.

    13
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:42 PM

    Oh and dont bother with the laballing argument..if you are in such a disposition as to be so allergic to a product..you go out of your way and then some to make sure you don’t come near it.

    7
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:44 PM

    @jenni I am the reason? Check the law – you are supposed to list allergens by law on all products for sale. I always tell restaurants about the need for food to be gluten free. I have gotten assurances from them only to discover later that they are ignorant to allergens in general- particularly gluten. For some it is a necessity. Those who claim to know what they are talking about do more harm than good.

    8
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:54 PM

    Put your stomach where your Twitter is and see how hard it is to find gluten free food. Gluten is in so many things that people don’t expect. From chocolate to ice cream it is there. I pity somebody who has the ‘disposition’ to be as ignorant as you are. I bet you prob enjoy not understanding items – after all ignorance is bliss – allegedly.

    9
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:56 PM

    Yes absolutely you are the reason. You know what you can and cannot eat. You know the ‘dodgy’ foods. You can make your choice, for you. Why do you think its a restaurants responsibility? They dont know you or what allergy you might have. You walk in , you take responsibility. If you persist on relying on some young person just waitering to make ends meet..your fault. I think some other commenter mentioned mc donalds as being good… kfc and burgerking and supermacs all have relevant information. Maybe you should go to the local take away.

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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:02 PM

    Great logic @jenni – penalise somebody for having a disease that they have no control over. Your comments are as useful as a #chocolateteapot – enjoy your ignorance

    8
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:03 PM

    Why dont you try the gluten free aisles they have in Tesco or Centras. My local Centra has a whole section for gluten free. So over the weekend, why dont you lose the anger and find the section in your local Centra.

    4
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:11 PM

    I challenge you to try it. I know what it’s like jenni. U really think it’s that easy? try it! I’m not angry. In fact I believe I have been quite polite in the face of your ignorance

    7
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:20 PM

    Why are you so persistent in thinking everyone else should know what you are allergic to? In the grand scheme of things you, and me , are nobodys. You have an allergy..that most and I mean 99.9999% of people do not know about, or know about you. But you will still blame them, not yourself, if you come in contact with said food.

    8
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:30 PM

    Shows your ignorance – I said I live with it everyday. It’s my 4 year old son who is coeliac and I have no intention of feeding my child takeaway rubbish. If you want to be able to spout on about how easy it is you could at least try it is all I am saying. You could try learning a bit more about it rather than have a closed mind. I can see your ignorant and unyielding opinions are closed to accurate information so I’d like to say goodbye to you. I have offered to be nice and educate you but clearly the view from where you is obscured by something-perhaps it’s the hives :). Toddles

    7
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:30 PM

    Anyway your challenge is null. I know what I can eat because I’ve researched it. And I can fo to loads of reztaurants and they accommodate me because of my allergy. Lesson to you..be nice to staff, tip, and know what you are talking about before you abuse waiting staff and managers.

    5
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    Mute jenni
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:38 PM

    Normal..at no stage were you trying to be nice. I work as a chef in a restaurant and we have complied fully. And its hard for us because it cost us €4000 to comply over this allergen menu ruling. When at the end of the day yous all know where yous can or cannot go.

    2
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    Mute Rebecca Hegarty
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    Mar 24th 2016, 12:01 AM

    But where you can and cannot go is the issue, because most places won’t even attempt to accommodate, the fact of the matter is that quite a lot of places are NOT adhering to the new allergen labelling laws because they simply cannot be arsed. Some places are fantastic (one small cork cafe in particular) but the fact is that most seem to think it’s a courtesy rather than a legal requirement and that’s where people get angry.

    8
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 24th 2016, 12:15 AM

    If they where “transparent” how could you read them ?

    7
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 24th 2016, 6:35 AM

    Honestly I’m not picking a fight. To show I am willing to learn name the restaurant you work in and I will certainly give it s try if it’s near me or if I’m in the area – I do tip when the service is good

    5
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 24th 2016, 6:37 AM

    Rebecca- what cork cafe do you recommend? Am always keen to find new places – thanks

    5
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    Mute Rebecca Hegarty
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    Mar 24th 2016, 8:25 AM

    Puccinos in Douglas, the owner is just amazing! She has an entirely gluten free menu alongside the regular menu and is just incredible with allergies, really couldn’t rave about the place enough she didn’t bat an eyelid when we listed allergies and now when we go in she knows what he’ll have but double checks it anyway :)

    6
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    Mute Normal Josephine
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    Mar 24th 2016, 9:26 AM

    Thanks rebecca I must try that. Church lane in Macroom is very good for gluten free but I’m not sure what it’s like for any other allergies you may need to consider. They are very friendly so worth a phonecall if you want to check it out. Thanks for recommendation.

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    Mute Moderate Michael
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 7:39 PM

    Very informative article

    26
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:39 PM

    Good article. A leading UK upmarket Supermarket is selling jars of ” Wild Flower Organic Honey”. Bees forage roughly 3 miles in a circle from their hives.
    Manuka Honey – an ongoing expensive fraud.

    23
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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:50 PM

    Next, you’ll be telling me that people will pay more if they see the meaningless word “natural” on a food label!

    13
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    Mute Irish Cottage Rental
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 11:14 PM

    Endless scamming by food industry to deceive consumers with near total support of government. For example Irish smoked salmon doesn’t have to be Irish. Cully and Sully soup has endless references to Ireland on its packaging yet isn’t made in Ireland. Old Time Irish Marmalade isn’t made here either.
    The list is near endless – so if you care where your food comes from you’d need to be well aware of the scams.

    22
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    Mute Nydon
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:14 PM

    Transparent and readable – that’s a big ask.

    21
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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 8:33 PM

    Water is “a chemical”, just as salt, sugar, proteins, carbohydrates and everything else that makes up our food and our entire world.

    It’s not very honest to use the word “chemical” to try to scare people.

    19
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    Mute Alan Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2016, 10:18 AM

    True.

    Everything used in food production should be tested and safe in the proportion it is used.

    “Hydrocolloids, which make your food taste creamy; modified starch acetylated distarch adipate (E1422), formulated to maintain moisture as well as the extreme temperatures of the industrial process. And finally gelatine, magically created by boiling skins and bones of pigs and cows. Texturisers are also used to give desserts and other dishes that distinctive creamy, melting texture.”

    Milk is a colloid of fat in water. SCARY!!!

    Pectin is another colloid, a HYDROCOLLOID!!! It is derived from fruits like lemons or grapefruits. It’s a source of fiber and helps lower cholesterol… wholly positive and perfectly harmless.

    Gelatin is MADE FROM BONES!!! AAAAAAAAAH. It’s actually a mixture of peptides and proteins which go though chemical changes when processed… in the same way nutrients from food go through chemical changes when eaten.

    Sure, there is lots of crap in the food we eat today, transfats, sugar, artificial sweetner, and salt, which we no longer consume in moderation and are dangerous for our health. We could at least focus on these with better health outcomes rather than blanket scaremongering about CHEMICALS being bad.

    6
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    Mute Ken Mitchell
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    Mar 24th 2016, 6:51 AM

    All matter is made up of chemicals and if they are man made or naturally occurring tells us nothing about their safety.

    6
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    Mute Lazlo Saint Pierre
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    Mar 24th 2016, 2:31 AM

    It’s a real problem and its something the EC would be in a better position to sort out. Basically many mass food producers will look for the cheapest ingredients for any product that you are willing to buy. They generally have no interest in nutrition, no interest in adverse health effects and no interest in producing a quality product. The only thing they do care about is if you will buy it. Regulations are not seen as a framework for best practice guidelines to be followed but instead are something to be analyzed so that loopholes can be found and regulations circumvented.The regulatory bodies are always a few steps behind so when Substance A is banned from food use the big companies already have a few substitutes ready. The new substitutes get a few years of sales before regulations catch up and ban them but it’s too late. Like every con it exploits an individuals ignorance. The Food Safety Authority Ireland has the job to regulate, I don’t know if they are shirking their responsibility in this regard. Finally, TTIP is a big threat to food safety and amazingly it is still not being discussed in the media or by politicians. See vid for a brief intro, 4 mins, biased against TTIP but may offer a jumping off point for more research on TTIP.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4OQeekSD6s

    4
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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 9:31 PM

    Aldi sell by dates are hard to figure out without a calendar. 1205 means this Friday, or it could be Thursday.
    It depends on whether they start the week on Sunday or Monday.

    4
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    Mute Michael McLoughlin
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    Mar 24th 2016, 1:20 PM

    If you can’t spell or pronounce the ingredient don’t eat it

    2
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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Mar 26th 2016, 7:27 AM

    Great article!
    Knowledge is power. I for one didn’t realise that certain “ingredients” don’t have to listed.
    It’s disgusting, underhanded and needs to stop now. And as for “pink slime” – don’t get me started!

    2
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:34 PM

    Is it because they are so thick reading the ingredients on the back, if there is 40 grams of sugar per 100 grams and the pack is 200 grams with 10 biscuits, then how many grams per biscuit then of is too hard for them to work that out in their head… It is 8 grams as 10 grams would be 2 tea spoons full of sugar…
    Tell them to go back to school…

    2
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 10:39 PM

    https://www.fsai.ie/legislation/food_legislation/gmos/labelling_of_gm_food.html
    “Specific GM labelling under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 is not required if a food contains, consists of or is produced from a GMO in a proportion not higher than 0.9% of the food ingredient considered individually, provided that this presence is adventitious or technically unavoidable. In order to establish that the presence of this GM material is adventitious or technically unavoidable, operators must be in a position to supply evidence to satisfy competent authorities that they have taken appropriate steps to avoid the presence of such material.

    Where the GM component of a food or food ingredient comprises greater than 0.9% of that food or food ingredient, it shall be labelled accordingly. “

    1
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    Mute Olar Perez
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    Mar 26th 2016, 1:26 AM

    HACK ATM AND BECOME RICH TODAY!!!!

    Hello everyone. There is a new way of making cash, although it is illegal but also a smart and easy way of living big. I used to be a barrack girl until i became eager and decided to change my life one way or the other. I got opportunity to register for the militant amnesty through connection thereby taking me out of the country for training in the United States for a period of 3years. To cut the story short, during my training i made some white friends who were geeks and also experts at ATM repairs, programming and execution who taught me various tips and tricks about breaking into an ATM. with my knowledge gained from my white geek friends, i have been able to counterfeit and programme a blank ATM card using various tools and software’s. I have ready-made programmed ATM cards; I am just 29, my family are in USA and i have cash, i have a car, i live in malaysia and i travel all around the world. i do my things on a low-key to avoid suspicion. Some of you will wonder why i am selling this out if truly i am already living large. It is because it is hard task doing it yourself, i wont lie to you, its not easy to hack ATM talk more of to reprogramme the card alone and be able to get 40,000 Kuwaiti dinar each day. It takes days and sometimes weeks. Some of you will want the ready made card to avoid the stress of doing it yourself and i don’t give the ready made card out for free because i spent days trying to make it available for you. on yahoomail, (luciafernando222@gmail.com) for request of the ATM NOTE: the ATM card has no pin, no registered account number. It has no limit for withdrawal and it is untraceable.(luciafernando222@gmail.com)

    1
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