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Zero-hour contracts 'Clare has to live with her parents and can't afford to go to the doctor'

The government needs to play catch up with Europe and implement legislation that gives part-time workers security of hours, writes Sinead Pembroke.

PART-TIME WORK IS highly prevalent in many sectors, including retail, hospitality, higher education, community health and childcare.

But there are two types of part-time work; there are those who are part-time with regular hours and there are those employed on a part-time, “if-and-when” basis.

This is Ireland’s version of the zero-hour contract.

So, why are we not calling them zero-hour contracts?

In 1996 Dunnes Stores tried to bring in zero hour contracts. Dunnes Store workers, who were members of Mandate Trade Union, went on strike for three weeks in 1996.

Consequently, in 1997 the government introduced the Organisation of Working Time Act, which provided that employers give 25% of the hours they require someone to be on call for.

Therefore, the University of Limerick’s report on the prevalence of zero hour contracts (2015) revealed that in order to get around the 1996 legislation, employers use “if- and- when- contracts”. If they (the employee) are available and when they (the employer) have hours, then they call them for work.

This has the same premise as a zero-hour contract; it gives part-time workers no security of hours, and allows for people to be employed on low hours, which consequently means low pay.

Can’t even afford to be sick

For retail workers like Clare (pseudonym), the “if-and-when” contract is very common.

Clare works for a convenience store in Dublin, with no guaranteed hours, yet has been employed in this store for over three years.

When the full-time employee left the store, instead of giving Clare the hours, the employer hired another part-time worker, also with no guaranteed hours.

Most weeks, Clare is only working two days a week and claiming part-time job seeker’s allowance for the days she does not work. She doesn’t want to have to claim part-time job seeker’s; she wants to do the job she is doing, but getting more hours and security of these hours per week.

She can’t afford the doctor’s fee

As a consequence, at the age of thirty, her circumstances force her to live at home with her parents because she is unable to afford to rent or buy.

If she is ill, she will still come into work (in order to be sent home) because she will not be paid sick leave. Clare will avoid accessing health services such as a GP or the dentist because she can’t afford the fee.

Clare’s story is the story of many thousands of workers employed on an “if-and-when” basis in sectors like retail, hospitality, education and community health all over Ireland.

Lack of job security is driven by government policy

Precarious working conditions in part-time work are being driven by policy. Recently, we have heard from government ministers, on the issue of water charges and how they must comply with EU legislation.

So, it would appear that the government can pick and choose what EU legislation they must adhere to because there is EU legislation that gives part-time workers more security called the Part-Time Workers Directive, yet, the Irish State has not implemented it.

In France, for example,where this has been implemented, they have “honest contracts”. This means that if a worker gets a contract for ten hours per week, but they regularly work twenty hours, the extra ten hours are paid at double time, or time and a half.

This creates a financial incentive for a company to give an honest contract. As this was never implemented in Ireland, there is a gaping hole in legislation that would give part-time workers more hours if they want them and more security.

The Banded Hours Contract Bill

One solution being offered at present is the Banded Hours Contract Bill. On June 14 2016, the Banded Hours Contract Bill was introduced by Sinn Fein’s spokesperson for workers’ rights, David Cullinane TD, during private members’ business

This Bill seeks to address the right for a worker (after six months of continuous employment with their employer), to be moved to an increased weekly band of hours (as described in the legislation).

We hear a lot about retail companies, who pay the living wage, but what’s far more important is the weekly wage, rather than the hourly rate. You could command a very high hourly rate but not get a decent weekly wage.

It is absolutely necessary that the government play catch-up with Europe and intervene on this issue, by implementing legislation such as the Banded Hours Contract Bill in order to give part-time workers, in retail and other sectors, security of hours.

Sinead Pembroke is a researcher at TASC (Think-Tank on Action for Social Change).

‘Tribunals and commissions achieve nothing. They just shield the guilty from prosecution’

Julien Mercille: Liberals are wrong to cheer on Trump’s bombs

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53 Comments
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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:38 PM

    Fake outrage, purely because he criticises them and their policies. If he agreed with them, then they’d have no problem with him “interfering”, i.e expressing his opinions. A bunch of authoritarians is all they are.

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    Mute F1rYnpWc
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:50 PM

    Simp harder for the billionaire, simp. HARDER!

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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:53 PM

    @Chop Chop: Musk, like Trump and JK Rowling, was a media darling until he began to criticise “the left” “the narrative” “woke ideology” whatever you want to call it, the “general consensus” amongst politicians, the media, celebrities etc.. Once he began to do that, the hit pieces started, to change public opinion against him. It’s a tactic that they use quite successfully, and it works on a lot of people. Here’s one example from the Guardian of all places, singing his praises in 2013 ww.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/24/tech-128-2013-was-the-year-of-the-dark-web-elon-musk-and-h-from-steps (you have to edit the link as I can’t post it in full)

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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:54 PM

    @F1rYnpWc: Off to bed now sonny. Adults talking.

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    Mute F1rYnpWc
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:01 PM

    @Chop Chop: nice made up story bro. Keep simping for the billionaires, they’re on your side, the peasant worker! lol

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:03 PM

    @Chop Chop: Yes, he was better before he started to promote misinformation and far-right propaganda, obviously. Being far-right yourself, of course you’re not going to see this.

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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:05 PM

    @F1rYnpWc: ok

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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:08 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: “he was fine until he disagreed with me” What a childish attitude you have.

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    Mute Thomas Sheridan
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:18 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: mainstream politicians & their NGO and MSM buddies want to have a monopoly on misinformation.
    If it wasn’t for X/YT/Facebook, etc – and notwithstanding the fact that they contain plenty of misinformation – we would never be afforded the opportunity to hear the real story.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:21 PM

    @Chop Chop: I gave you credit for a bit more intelligence. Read my comment again.

    15
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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:30 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: To be honest, I don’t really need to read any of your posts as they’re so predictable.

    34
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    Mute Fiona
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:33 PM

    @Chop Chop: I’d say Musk was well under the radar, until he accused an innocent man of being a paedophile. Tesla cars are lovely, but funding a man who thinks nothing of spreading dangerous lies, turns my stomach.

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    Mute Chutes Idiot
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:54 PM

    @Trolls R’ us : brenny, you reckon every poster on journal.ie is ( your favourite term , along with ‘simp’) ‘far right’ ?

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    Mute stephen deegan
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:23 PM

    @Chop Chop: Ha ha! And yours aren’t?

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    Mute Symon
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:27 PM

    @Chop Chop: get back up that mountain, Journal-Clickbait.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:11 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: do you realise how absurd that comment is ??

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    Mute Thomas Sheridan
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:49 PM

    @sean weir: no

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    Mute James T.Kirk
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    Jan 17th 2025, 1:53 AM

    @Dave G Doe: How long does it take you to come up with the most obvious retort possible.

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    Mute Pork Hunt
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    Jan 17th 2025, 2:58 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: funny how you always see the lefties spout promote misinformation and far right propaganda, and think we all believe their woke tearful shite

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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:31 PM

    Stop giving the guy oxygen delete you x accounts stop buying his cars

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    Mute John Darker
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:40 PM

    @Tim Brennan: knockout Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp while you’re at it…he’s not the only villain in the massive Internet room

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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:32 PM

    @Tim Brennan: No
    ‘Liberal boy’ The ‘far-right’ rule now! Get used to it. You lot are in the rubbish dump of history. God bless President Trump and everyone who is ‘far-right’…

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 16th 2025, 11:18 PM

    @Kieran Conroy: Ye rednecks love shooting up any product ye disagree with but when “lefty Liberals” Boycott something ye throw your toys outta the pram. Go shoot some more Bud light

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 17th 2025, 8:11 AM

    @Dave G Doe: And doing it in electric cars

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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 17th 2025, 12:30 PM

    @FoxyBoiiYT: Is english your first language? You seem to be struggling somewhat.

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    Mute Paul
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:54 PM

    More intolerance from the “tolerant” left wing LearJet Liberals

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    Mute Ian
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:59 PM

    @Paul: You must have been asleep when the right wing loons started banning books, rolling back on lgbt rights, rolling back on womens rights etc etc. The only people calling for these erosions of rights are… *drum roll* the right wing loons. Off ya fk.

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    Mute Chop Chop
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:02 PM

    @Ian: Books that teach children about fisting should be banned. If I’m a “right wing loon” for thinking that, then I’ll happily wear that badge.

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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:37 PM

    @Ian: Hey boy! We will always fight against books that sexualise kids. As for 147 genders…(LOL!!!) You far-leftist wokist’s day is done. Watch out boy…MAGA

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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:40 PM

    @Chop Chop: Be proud! Be right! Proud to be ‘far-right’!

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    Mute sean weir
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:12 PM

    @Kieran Conroy: what a feckwit

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    Mute Iano C
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:31 PM

    @Chop Chop: You’re the most brainwashed person on here. Get some fresh air.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 17th 2025, 12:47 AM

    @Dave G Doe: Trump deliberately walking in miss town usa changing rooms when the underage girls were changing. Supporting a paedo is on brand fir you alright

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    Mute John Darker
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:39 PM

    Elon Musk is without doubt dangerous, then again so is Zuckerberg who has changed his position with Trump coming on line,…then again so is Soros, who are all basically in a battle for the new frontier of social media driven information as MSM and TV stations heamorage, money from ads, drop off of viewership as eveyone streams information,
    Soros is losing badly,.but this won’t end well no matter who wins, especially with AI,.
    World is gonna be a rollercoaster Ride

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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:04 PM

    its usually the ones that are trying to do the silencing that are the corrupt ones

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    Mute Chris
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:42 PM

    Oh the irony ,, MEP ‘s complaining about interference

    What’s that term again Hypo – something?

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    Mute John Smith
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:39 PM

    No worries when it’s Soros though.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    Jan 17th 2025, 7:42 AM

    @John Smith: when has Soros done this?

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    Mute Pork Hunt
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    Jan 17th 2025, 3:01 PM

    @JoeJoe Kilbride: soros , Mr abortion. Need those stem cells to try and live forever

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    Mute Gary Condren
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:02 PM

    Musk is at least listening to the issues that the vast majority of people are concerned with, unlike EU elites who are pushing minority agendas.
    Damn the EU

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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:17 PM

    @Gary Condren: Musk is an authoritarian. He’s not some fighter for free speech. He’d soon have the vast majority of us employed as worker ants.

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    Mute Ian
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:26 PM

    @Gary Condren: what? Musk doesn’t give a flying fk about anyone’s issues only his own. You cannot be so fkin gullible, yet here you are and all the other Musk simps fawning over the richest man in the world thinking he fkin cares about the likes of you lmfao

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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:41 PM

    @Gary Condren: Well said buddy! MAGA

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    Mute Iano C
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:33 PM

    @Kieran Conroy: fk off to America, so.

    8
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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    Jan 16th 2025, 11:40 PM

    @Gary Condren: what issues are these?

    2
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    Mute alan
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:54 PM

    Time for the woke to go back asleep

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 17th 2025, 8:12 AM

    Elon the champion of woke all the same tho :)

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    Mute Dan Murphy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:43 PM

    Did they write about Soros?

    23
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    Mute Steo
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    Jan 17th 2025, 2:00 PM

    @Dan Murphy: Yes! They never shut up about him.

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    Mute Patricia Mc namara
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:27 PM

    Someone should tell musty Musk that it is 2025.

    24
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    Mute Kieran Conroy
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:06 PM

    @Patricia Mc namara: He knows. 2025. The year the libtards were consigned to the dustbin of history. MAGA

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:23 PM

    @Kieran Conroy: Facist POS

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    Jan 16th 2025, 11:39 PM

    @Kieran Conroy: why are you on an Irish outlet celebrating a cult that’s intent on putting US billionaires first, to the detriment of the rest of the world?

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    Mute F1rYnpWc
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:49 PM

    The usual will be simping HARD for this dorķy billionaire. Bet they feel closer to being this billionaire than to their fellow broke coworker in their medǐôcře job

    29
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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:01 PM

    musk must be doing something right so
    Pity they were not so worried about the Gaza genocide many of the Irish MPs voting against the ceasefire over a year ago

    23
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    Mute James Keogh
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:01 PM

    @Kevin O Brien: Jayes that Musk rat is causing horrendous trouble all over the place and scaring the bejapers outa the lot of ye !

    3
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    Mute William Jennings
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:30 PM

    I’ve got no personal problem with Musk, but sometimes he can come out with some poorly-thought out or childish insults online. However, the fact that he founded SpaceX and StarLink as well as co-founding Tesla, PayPal and OpenAI means that he clearly brings much more to the table than people accuse him of taking away. There is a definitely lot of faux outrage coming from the EU. I don’t like the AFD at all. I think they’re economically illiterate when they come out in support of tariffs and against free trade. I don’t like the way they suck up to Russia and attack NATO. They also refuse to discuss raising the pension age to deal with German Social Security bankruptcy. However, Musk owns X and he is more than permitted to interview whoever he wants on it just like any other media company.

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    Mute Ronan Mc
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:43 PM

    Billionaires, they’re just like you and me. Who better to protect the interests of the ordinary man?

    19
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:03 PM

    He’s just Cun’ty McCun’tface.

    14
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    Mute Solid Stait
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:44 PM

    They should just let Musk pick the leaders from now on. Trump looks very happy under old Elon

    10
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:53 PM

    @Solid Stait: Trump would wanna watch back. Vance is the tech bro’s man in there.

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    Mute Ned
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:48 PM

    Money talks, and that’s Musk,

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    Mute James Keogh
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:00 PM

    @Ned: Jayes that Musk rat is causing horrendous trouble all over the place and scaring the bejapers outa the lot of ye !

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    Mute martin lawlor
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:34 PM

    What a load of s h 1 T

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    Mute Patrice Ahern
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    Jan 16th 2025, 7:40 PM

    That letter of deep concern is going to make all the difference. That’ll stop him and his ilk in their tracks.

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    Mute Anthony Ross
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    Jan 16th 2025, 8:21 PM

    Well he is stuk up Trumps but a horrible person both of them are horrible people

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    Mute Michael Ryan
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    Jan 17th 2025, 7:37 AM

    Ah yes, writing letters will make him quiver in his boots…

    Funny how they didn’t write letters when twitter, insta, etc were altered to lean towards one narrative

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    Mute Iano C
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    Jan 16th 2025, 9:24 PM

    He’s a troll. Unfortunately, he’s now a very powerful troll.

    If you fancy a laugh, look up “Musk Fake Gamer.” The lad’s ego is beyond fragile.

    It’s a shame, really, because he’s done quite a bit to advance our civilisation.

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    Mute SirMr
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    Jan 16th 2025, 10:22 PM

    It’s good fun to watch anyway.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Jan 16th 2025, 11:14 PM

    Paedo Space Karen needs to be stopped

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    Mute James T.Kirk
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    Jan 17th 2025, 1:53 AM

    @Dave G Doe: Who mentioned far left?

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    Mute James T.Kirk
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    Jan 17th 2025, 1:54 AM

    @Sprong: Wiped out like a kind of ‘…. solution’?

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 17th 2025, 8:14 AM

    @Dave G Doe: Lol!… That’s bad news for Musks family

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    Mute Ed Brennan
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    Jan 17th 2025, 12:12 PM

    The dung is hitting the fan, and some people don’t like that.
    Good man Musk.

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