EVERY SATURDAY MORNING we take a look at all the best comments left on the site by our readers over the past seven days.

This week there was a lot of talk about …

The 5 most popular comments this week

1. Matt Donovan pulled no punches after a scuffle on the Dart delayed services. 2,167 of you agreed.

The unwashed descending onto the public transport systems with their slabs of cans on their way to cause trouble at the beaches whilst people who pay for their lifestyles are inconvenienced on their way to work. knackers.

Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

2. Skipper Mac got 2,116 green thumbs for this comment, following the assault of an autistic boy:

Those pond life that assaulted that poor lad should be made an example of and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

3. An anonymous opinion piece on water charges garnered a huge response, with 1,709 liking Shane Walsh‘s point:

I always laughed when my uncle who moved to Canada over 20 years ago said “Ireland is the land of Winks and Nods and heavy Brown Envelopes” how right he was. Gangsters have ruined this country, no politician can be trusted anymore.

4. On another water charges-related article, 1,488 of you gave the thumbs up to Blue Blazer:

I’ll pay with my blood! No not really I’ll prob pay with my wages, if there’s any left after PAYE, PRSI, USC, TV License, Motor Tax, Mortgage, Elec bills, gas bills etc. After that myself and the other half will have to eat I suppose, add to that cost of petrol, upkeep of car to get to and from work and all the VAT et al on top of the cost of those goods. Luckily children’s clothes are VAT free considering herself is 6 months preggers otherwise we’d really be stumped.

5. Some 1,672 of you agreed with Gonzo Doyle‘s sentiment after a tragedy in the Phoenix Park left a two-year-old girl dead:

Was in the park yesterday, it was buzzing with families out enjoying the sunshine, shocking tragedy, RIP little girl, thoughts with the family.

The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week

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1. Poll: Will you boycott Irish Water bills? (416 comments)

2. Poll: How will you vote in the same-sex marriage referendum? (421 comments)

3. This would be the first act of a Sinn Féin government (403 comments)

4. An archbishop says that Christians are “persecuted” over their views on marriage and abortion (359 comments)

5. The murder of our mother did not “just happen” – Jean McConville’s son (310 comments)

Debate of the week

Not everybody is convinced about free GP care for all under 6s. Better Call Callely says:

I’m all for universal health care, but wouldn’t it be better to charge a nominal fee, say 20 euro? This would stop people abusing the system and causing further delays to an already stretched service. The money could then be reimbursed if further treatment is required or something along them lines.

But Ryan Anth countered:

Standout comments of the week

As it emerged the number of people waiting for medical appointments surpassed 400,000 for the first time, Andrea Rock Massey shared her own experience of waiting lists:

My daughter suffers terribly with tonsillitis, she has had it 5 times since Christmas and been really ill each time, missing on average, a week of school each time and she’s in 6th year. I got a referral letter for The Mater for her to have them removed which I sent in in February. I got a letter confirming her appointment with a consultant for January 27th 2016. I phoned to ask if she will be having them removed that day (foolishly) and was told that this appointment is to determine whether she even goes on the waiting list to have them removed and that that list is 4 years long. I explained how ill she is and was then told that if she doesn’t get tonsillitis at least once a month, she won’t even go on the list. What kind of madness is this?

Jack Dexter gave his two cents on another prisoner escaping from Tallaght hospital:

I would say the Garda was treating the prisoner with respect and decency but he did the dirt in their kindness..Believe it or not most of the Garda are nice people.

WWE wrestler Sheamus called on people to pay their water charges. Facebook Facebook

Jenni seamlessly brought Shaun the Sheep into the debate on water charges:

Ah well thats me convinced…if Sheamus the wrestler says it it must be a good thing..wonder what shaun sheep thinks

Meanwhile, Laura bought some confetti made out of anti-gay marriage leaflets. She said:

Will use them at my wedding which will hopefully be happening in a country where anyone can choose to marry whoever they love. Fantastic idea.

Darren Turner has an, um, interesting view on the same-sex marriage referendum:

I think gay lads should be able to suffer just as much as me

Or lassys for that matter

A lot of you also approved of Kieran OKeeffe‘s stance on the issue:

I’m voting yes as a straight man and dad of two..for selfish reasons I hope my kids are straight..and bring on the daughter/son in law and the continuity of our family..and the grandkids and the happiness that comes with all that..but it isn’t about me!..if they are gay I want them to have the same rights as me..the right to find a partner..fall in love..stay in love..get married..

Speaking of weddings, we presume Rob Cahill had a brilliant day yesterday, anyway:

And finally, most of you (just about) thought the cat was going DOWN the stairs. Madness.

Declan Carr brought some logic to the situation:

You wouldn’t have a raised edge on the top of a step, because you would trip on it. So therefore the cat is going down, problem solved , now get back to work.

Whereas, O Swetenham took a more holistic approach:

The cat looks like a Sagittarius to me, and they’re more prone to going downstairs rather than up.

See any good comments? Send them on to sinead@thejournal.ie

With contribution by Órla Ryan