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Leo Varadkar making the announcement this afternoon. Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Taoiseach announces all non-essential shops to close, restrictions on gatherings of more than four people

The new measures were confirmed today.

LAST UPDATE | 24 Mar 2020

A RAFT OF new public health measures have been announced to combat the spread of Covid-19. 

It follows a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team this morning, with these measures then finalised at a meeting of Cabinet this afternoon.

The Taoiseach said this afternoon measures were agreed in three areas – preventing the spread of the virus, helping those who lost their jobs and new emergency legislation. Minister for Health Simon Harris says all of this will seem “surreal” to people, but the government would be honest with the Irish public throughout this crisis. 

These measures will take effect from tonight and remain in place until Sunday 19 April.

All non-essential retail outlets are being told to close, with restaurants and cafes told to close unless they can offer a take-away option. Supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open.

Other retailers deemed essential include opticians, fuel stations, laundries, banks, post offices, credit unions and hardware stores.

essential retail

There will be no restrictions on the amount of times a person can leave their home a day but people are being told not to exceed groups of four people. 

Individuals should work from home unless workplace attendance is essential.

All theatres, clubs, gyms/leisure centres, hairdressers, betting shops, marts, markets, casinos, bingo halls, libraries and similar outlets are to close. 

All sporting events are cancelled, including those behind closed doors. All playgrounds and holiday/caravan parks to close. 

All hotels are to limit occupancy to essential non-social and non-tourist reasons.

All places of worship are to restrict numbers entering at any one time to ensure people observe social distancing. All organised social indoor or outdoor events of any size are not to take place. 

All crowded places, including public amenities, should be avoided.

All non-essential indoor visits to other persons’ homes should be avoided.

Gardaí are to increase interventions where venues or outlets are not in compliance with, or where groups of people are not adhering to recommended social distancing measures.

Schools – originally told to close until 29 March – will not re-open on Monday with the closure order set to be extended. 

The Taoiseach said that contingency plans are being worked on to allow the Leaving Cert exams to go ahead. ”We’ll do everything possible to make sure the Leaving Cert goes ahead,” he said. 

On all of these measures, Varadkar said: “I wouldn’t use the term lockdown.”

The term seems to mean different things for different countries, and what we need now is clarity, the Taoiseach said. “I think it’s a term that actually causes more confusion than clarity,” he said, so it’s not one he’ll be using.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan said the measures have had to be stepped up due to the fact more than 1,000 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Republic.

He said: “Forty-five per cent of the cases have been community transmission where we have not been able to identify the original source through contact tracing and one in four of the cases are healthcare workers.

We need to move rapidly, comprehensively and quickly. That is why we have stepped up the measures.

Welfare and businesses

Varadkar confirmed the government is to increase the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Support payment for people from €203 to €350 who have been laid off due to the virus.

The payment will also apply to the self-employed who are affected by Covid-19.

An emergency wage subsidy scheme will also come into effect whereby the government will pay 70% of a worker’s salary up to a cap of €410 per week net – equivalent to the after-tax income of a worker on around €40,000.

An eligible employer will be supported by up to 70% of the income but the employer is expected to make “best efforts” to maintain as close to 100% of normal income as possible for the subsidised period. There will be “severe penalties” for any abuse of the scheme. 

Employers must self-declare to Revenue that they have experienced significant negative economic disruption due to Covid-19, with a minimum of 25% decline in turnover, and an inability to pay normal wages and other outgoings, in accordance with guidance to be issued by Revenue.

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said that original estimates of 400,000 job losses due to the crisis was a “conservative figure”. 

Varadkar also said private hospitals “will act effectively as public hospitals” for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Private hospitals have agreed to do this on a not-for-profit basis.

“Public and private patients will be treated equally.”

Health Minister Harris said patients with Covid-19 will be treated for free in a single national hospital service.

Harris said all private hospitals will be public or run by the State for the duration of the pandemic.

He said: “There can be no public vs private here.”

Economy

At the same press conference, the government said that alongside the public health crisis, the economy is also in jeopardy. 

“It needs speed and it needs scale,” Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said, acknowledging that citizens are under “intense strain”. 

The measures to cover Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment as well as the 70% wages for workers will cost an estimated €3.7 billion over a 12-week period.

“We must act now to avoid an even greater economic challenge in the future,” he said. 

There’ll also be support for renters – through legislation to prevent rent increases or the termination of tenancies – and mortgage holders.

So far, 1,125 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland and six people have died. It is expected that the number of cases will rise significantly in the coming days and weeks.

With reporting from Christina Finn

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313 Comments
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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:13 PM

    How are factories and construction sites not closing. Hundreds of people on some sites it’s near impossible to avoid people. And some tasks or heavy lifting need 2 or more people.

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    Mute Shane Barry
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:17 PM

    @Yorkie1892: The Multinational factories call the shots and they want to keep producing no matter the health implications.

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    Mute Tim Adams
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @Yorkie1892: no factories = no food

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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @Shane Barry: lot of Irish owned doing the same too.

    47
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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Tim Adams: not every factory is essential. Or makes food on that matter

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    Mute Tommy Tom
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @Shane Barry: Medtronic in Galway are doubling their production of Ventilators.

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    Mute
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @Tim Adams: didnt know you could eat a forklift

    69
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    Mute Paul O Mahony
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @Yorkie1892: 1400 on mine.

    12
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    Mute Andrew Fitzpatrick
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @Yorkie1892: The amount of sites in belmayne still going strong!

    17
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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:28 PM

    @Shane Barry: many factories are producing essential medicines and other pharma products.

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    Mute Shirley Hollingsworth
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    @Yorkie1892: and then they go home..to families..

    27
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    Mute MZ Carruso
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    @Yorkie1892: people never happy always something to give out about

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    Mute Mike McGann
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    Every food item is handled by forklift.

    104
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    Mute Newnob
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    @Tim Adams: How do American multinationals produce food? dope

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    Mute David O Sullivan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    @Yorkie1892: Goos point. Some construction is essential and should continue. Social housing, temporary hospitals and utility repairs are in this bracket. Data centres, offices and luxury residential are not and should be closed down.

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    Mute Laro Alba
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Yorkie1892: everything at the right time yorkie. The time for a complete shutdown might come but it’s not now.

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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @MZ Carruso: I’m sorry that I worry about my well-being and my family.

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    Mute Locojoe
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:46 PM

    @Yorkie1892: So what/

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    Mute Daimhín De Naois
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:47 PM

    @Yorkie1892: many factories do deal with food and pharma, you say many dont, so what-we should close all? Some factories surely have the capability to enact HSE policy. Heavy lifting, with correct forward planning, should be done by plant on a construction site . If tasks take two men in close quarters, wear a face mask and gloves and dont work with the man for more than 10 minutes at a time. Theres a logical solution to each point you raised but your reaction of close it all down is not sensible or logical. Systems can and should be implemented to keep the risk minimised. We need taxes, we cant all just stop and expect it to remain that way for who knows how long-we will run out of money, we will run out of food and we will begin to starve. Thats the potential with your suggestion.

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    Mute John fitzpatrick
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:48 PM

    @David O Sullivan: close data centers down?. Gone are Netflix and all movie streaming, gone is all social media including newspapers, gone is all the capacity for pharma companies to use super computers to do research on the virus , gone are all the capacity to track all paperwork in hospitals, gone is the ability for people to work from home, gone is several government departments, gone are 50% of telephone calls which are up based, like it or not data centers are just as important now as power. If you don’t have a working data center, everything shuts down. Oh yeah, gone is the journal. To be honest one of the best places for social distancing is a data center. Oh yeah, also gone will be a few 100 thousand more jobs that rely on data centers to enable them to work from home.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:52 PM

    @Yorkie1892: it’s a balance between risk to economy and public health. You suspend operations where people herd close together and cannot work from home.

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:52 PM

    @Yorkie1892: some tasks in health care such as lifting also require two people – and the can apply to home carers too and people looking after those in homecare and nursing homes…. there are lots of jobs where people are in close contact – imagine flying an aircraft full of medical supplies from China… two pilots in the cockpit for 12 hours or more… – on a building site or elsewhere just use the necessary precautions or just stay at home if that cannot be achieved. An employer is required to have a safety statement and plan – what does the small print say?

    Factories make medical supplies, others make food supplies, others do software that brings income into the country, some workers keep the internet going , the TV and radio stations, the electrical supply… from my reading of the above, any business that cannot maintain social distancing is to close and that should mean building sites as well, but then I wonder how many are employed by the builder or on sub-contract work or even self employed….

    All that said I am sure there are some unreasonable employers – and these should be called out instead of vague innuendos here about what others should be doing – it is up to the people themselves to act.

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    Mute John C
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:54 PM

    You can’t, but you might need one to unload food at the supermarket. So if it breaks down how do you fix it if you can’t get the parts.

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    Mute Linda Kirby
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:59 PM

    @David O Sullivan: Facebook Data center in Clonee is shutting down, all site lads finished up yesterday and all office staff have to gone by Wednesday close of business

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    Mute Cormac
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:00 PM

    @Yorkie1892: non essential offices in the public sector aren’t even closed.

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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:03 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: I appreciate the feedback from you and everyone. Very helpful. Sorry if I annoyed anyone. Just want everyone to be safe and healthy. Stay safe everyone

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    Mute Tim Adams
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:04 PM

    @Newnob: wow! How many American multinationals produce medicine? Ah yeah let’s close em all, great plan! Close all factories= no food, no medicine, no medical devices, no machinery might as well close all supermarkets and farms then too because ya know what’s the point then! There won’t be anything to put on the shelves anyway, or factories to process the produce. I see you have really put alot of thought into your positive comment.

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    Mute Colin Keogh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:26 PM

    @Newnob: produce medication, pharmaceutical companies would be classes as essential

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    Mute George Salter
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:49 PM

    @John fitzpatrick: It seems that he was referring to the ongoing construction of data centres being halted. Nice rant, though :)

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    Mute Colin McNally
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:49 PM

    @John fitzpatrick: Doesn’t everything work right now???……when the new data centres aren’t finished?? So the new ones are not essential and Netflix, the journal, will all work without them.

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    Mute Alison Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:27 PM

    @Shane Barry: maybe some of them make essential products.

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    Mute barry sorensen
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:34 PM

    @Shane Barry: that’s just nonsense. Factories staying open keep the economy going. The same for as many businesses as possible, while keeping safe distancing where possible. Get off this old as the hills ranting about big corporations pulling the shots rubbish. Change the record.
    Its clear that public health is priority number 1 with the extent of the measures being taken.
    Everyone needs to works where they can, and those who can’t are being looked after very well.

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    Mute barry sorensen
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:37 PM

    No but you need one to unload the trucks of food and essential goods needed.

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    Mute Vin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:54 PM

    @: no but forklifts are critical in the supply chain; so they should probably continue to be manufactured

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    Mute Vin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:58 PM

    @David O Sullivan: Close data centres? Basically all software is cloud based. Cloud based working and cloud based software are critical for social distancing.

    What exactly would you prefer, each company has its own server room like its 2010 again?

    Probably even the HSE website is hosted in a data centre. Along with 99% of the entire internet

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    Mute Da Vid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:31 PM

    @Linda Kirby: thats because its in construction, its not a fully operational data center yet….

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    Mute Mary
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:03 PM

    @Shane Barry: some of these multinationals are manufacturing essential medicines for extremely sick people. Ceasing manufacturing in this case will cause many deaths. This is fact

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:41 PM

    @Yorkie1892: 200000 + 50000 more indirect people in construction the country cannot stop everything and it cannot pay everyone. It is not like they can just get on a plane and leave. Total collapse of the Irish State would be the result if it went on too long.

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    Mute teddyzigzagbigbag
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:50 PM

    @Chin Feeyin: and many aren’t. But as Beyonce says ‘who runs the world? Multinationals’ is that how it goes??

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    Mute teddyzigzagbigbag
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:56 PM

    @Daimhín De Naois: and many don’t. They should have thought about that. Be specific. Factories that produce food, pharma etc have to continue for the good of the country. Other large multinationals do not need to continue. Apple in Cork have closed. Other large orthopaedic/electronic multinationals with 1000 + employees do not need to open. How many countries are still doing elective surgery’s at the mo?

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    Mute teddyzigzagbigbag
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    Mar 24th 2020, 10:00 PM

    @Cormac: that’s ridiculous. And from I heard from some people I know in public sector jobs they havnt even been given alternative arrangement options while schools and crèches are closed. Yea your employers have closed the schools but sorry you can’t get time off to mind then unless you want to take unpaid leave. Joke

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    Mute Daimhín De Naois
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    Mar 25th 2020, 7:08 AM

    @teddyzigzagbigbag: They should? Who are ‘they’? And why would i be specific?? i argued against a blanket ban. You seem to know whats going on, i guess you’ll make sure and let ‘them’ know they don’t need to be open and let the government know which factories you’re closing. And then, when you’ve got that sorted, maybe you would open your internet and ask google the question you’re wanting the answer for about surgeries.

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    Mute Johnny 5
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    Off licences must be classed as essential services surely?

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    Mute Ross McGann
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @Johnny 5: you can get booze in the supermarkets no?

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    Mute Aaron Wheatley
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @Johnny 5: hope so

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @Johnny 5: Feck it, the supermarket is cheaper anyway!!!

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    Mute Johnny 5
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @Ross McGann: the packed Supermarkets? I’d rather not.

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    Mute Ross McGann
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:29 PM

    @Johnny 5: have been to 2 supermarkets in the past week and neither were ‘packed’ most people seem to be doing one big shop a week, limiting the amount out and keeping distance between each other…. prefer that then a tiny local offo….

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:37 PM

    @Johnny 5: takeaways open

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:56 PM

    @Ross McGann: “you can get booze in the supermarkets no?”

    How do you answer this question. No? Yes? No/Yes? Yesno? Yneos?

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    Mute Chief
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:21 PM

    @David Jordan: maybe?

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    Mute Paddy Cullen AIWS
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:23 PM

    @Johnny 5: they come under the term “grocery” shop so should be ok to continue open.

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    Mute Marie McG
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    A lot of factories will need to stay open. Food, pharmaceutical, medical supplies all need to still be manufactured.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:53 PM

    @Marie McG: entire supply chain

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    Mute Wreck Tangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:13 PM

    Great news but what about hefty fines for those who ignore the rules?

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:29 PM

    @Wreck Tangle: I guess if they find these new measures aren’t having the desired effect, they will look at that. The UK introduced fines of £30, hardly punitive, and really just tokenism, so why bother?

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    Mute Happy entertainment
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Rochey77: fines start at £30 pound in UK but can go way higher than that with no limit if they want to

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:56 PM

    @Rochey77: I think that part of the idea is that a 500 euro fine would be beyond some peoples mean whereas a 50 euro fine or better still deduction from income would be payable by most unless you rack up lots of fines… last thing we need is emergency money being used to pay for breaching the rules – so redicing or stopping emergency payments could be a threat too.

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    Mute Wreck Tangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:05 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh:

    Ultimately every person that ignores these rules is putting themselves ahead of the greater good.

    No one gets fined if they obey the rules so personally I’d fine a percentage of their annual annual income to make sure it hurts everyone equally.

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    Mute David A. Murray
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:29 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: Niall, take good care of yourself.

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    Mute
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:13 PM

    Overdue, but good. However he needs to address the mortgage issue, and insuranfe. Banks and insurers still acting the weasle.

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:33 PM

    Well the banks may just get with the programme because, either way, they aren’t going to receive monthly repayments for very many people for some months, so they can call it restructured loans or bad debt provisions, but I know which looks better on a balance sheet.

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    Mute moneymaid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    Don’t sweat the small stuff. The Banks will just have to wait. End of.

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    Mute pat murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:11 PM

    Bottler…. Leaves the south open and the north In lockdown

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    Mute Eoin Hodgins
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:13 PM

    @pat murphy: this is basically a lockdown except he didn’t say the words “lockdown”. What difference is this to what the uk did?

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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:14 PM

    @Eoin Hodgins: well a lot of people still unnecessarily have to go to work..

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    Mute Fergal Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    @pat murphy: ???? Boris never said lock down. Not much difference in the list.

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @pat murphy: who wrote the script! civil liberties organisations some sort

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    Mute John Hetherton
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @pat murphy: wow you know so much

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    Mute Stuart
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @pat murphy: there’s a certain amount of ppl “getting off” on the word lockdown. Leo is taking the orders from Dr. Holohan. If you ever listen to him, he is always saying that if you enact measures too harsh too early, you can incite revolt and disobedience. For the health service to cope, we need 90% of the population to be good. Also, you can only keep up a full lockdown for so many weeks. Don’t play the ace card until you have to. We are right at the bottom of the curve, the surge hasn’t even woken up yet.

    UK is on “lockdown” and yet the tubes in London are still packed. I know which regime I would rather live under.

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    Mute Darren
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Niall O Neill: clown.

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    Mute John Hetherton
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @pat murphy: wow you know so much. Wish I was as all seeing as you seem to be….

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    Mute Chyippo
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Yorkie1892: who has to unnecessarily go to work in Ireland that doesn’t in the UK?

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    Mute Hels
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @Niall O Neill: yeah insulting a whole county with that comment

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
    Favourite Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:24 PM

    @pat murphy: how exactly is the north in lock down? Have you seen the trains in the UK this morning?
    Do you know how stupid you look?

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    Mute Johnsinker
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:26 PM

    @pat murphy: he has to leave the north in lockdown he has no jurisdiction there!!!

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    Mute Sid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:26 PM

    @Chyippo: there was no order to shut down factories or building sites, all those people have to go to work or lose their jobs. Leo bottled it.

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    Mute Rochey77
    Favourite Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:26 PM

    @pat murphy: you’ve clearly decided to have a dig without actually listening to or reading about these new restrictions. They are, in fact, more restrictive in many ways than those announced by Boris Johnson yesterday. But don’t let the facts get in the way of a cool story bro.

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    Mute Niall O Neill
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @Hels: seems over 50 odd people agree with the statement

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    Mute Conrad Shields
    Favourite Conrad Shields
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:32 PM

    @Niall O Neill: Probably Sinn Fein ;)

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    @Sid: again you didn’t listen to anything that was said. Employers in these sectors will be advised of measures to limit the risks to their staff while remaining in operation. How do you think you’re going to have food on the shelves in supermarkets if the food and other essential manufacturers don’t remain open?? Ffs.

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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @pat murphy: North is actually Not in lockdown, nor is UK. See pictures of the Underground this morning? Trains full of people going to work.

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    Mute Alan McDonald
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Niall O Neill: Hoors and hurlers!

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    Mute Tom Harpur Photography
    Favourite Tom Harpur Photography
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Niall O Neill: what the hell has ever come out of Mallow sweet FA Niall.

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    Mute Georges Dessaint
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Eoin Hodgins: you can stay outside all day if you want where some countries like mine you need a paper, stay within 1 km of your home and good reason to be out otherwise you get fined.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:55 PM

    @pat murphy: lockdown does not work. It delays the peak. Best plan is to slow it down so the sick can be treated. Britain did a lock down as they messed up weeks ago.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:56 PM

    @Stuart: well said

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    Mute Sk19
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:52 PM

    @pat murphy: its ridiculous our borders are not closed . At a time of crisis we can’t even Control our borders ,

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    Mute Hels
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:13 PM

    @Niall O Neill: have a good day pet !

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    Mute Andy Harding
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:12 PM

    Again not enough it seems we will pay for this in the long run .

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    Mute Donal Hogan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:15 PM

    @Andy Harding: are you an expert Andy?

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    Mute Andy Harding
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    @Donal Hogan: No I am not but are you to question my opinion ??

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    Mute Kevin McNally
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:17 PM

    @Andy Harding: What are you talking about? What else can we do?

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @Andy Harding: FFS!!! They are following the expert medical advice. How arrogant do you have to be to think you know better than them.

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    Mute Gerard Anthony McBride
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @Andy Harding: What else do you suggest?

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    Mute Andy Harding
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:24 PM

    @Kevin McNally: I don’t know to be honest but does it seem right that I can go shopping in Dundrum center which it said on the radio today was packed yesterday .

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    Mute Seán Garvey
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:30 PM

    @Andy Harding: you do realise that the people who are making these decisions are more intelligent than you and me for that matter in terms of public health, prevention of spread, healthcare etc. This isn’t a dig at you but there’s a reason they’re the ones that make decisions and we’re the ones in the journal’s comment section.

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    Mute Joe Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:35 PM

    @Andy Harding: well he said he hopes that people would abide by these changes “without the need for authoritarian enforcement or draconian measures” or something along those lines…so stay away from Dundrum or any other hotspot unless absolutely necessary. If people don’t, then action might be needed….sounds reasonable to me!

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    Mute Maurice Fitzgerald
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:37 PM

    @Andy Harding: opinions are like aholes…everyone has one!

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    Mute Pete Gilmartin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:43 PM

    @Andy Harding: Not enough? Varadkar is shutting down 90% of the Country. All that will be functioning is essential services so you can eat. What else could he possibly do at this point?

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    Mute Delboy79
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Andy Harding: you post your opinions on a public forum and they will be questioned chap. get used to it or keep your opinions to yourself. snowflake.

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    Mute Andy Harding
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:50 PM

    @Maurice Fitzgerald: Your right thanks for yours .

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:58 PM

    @Andy Harding: OMG another naysayer who knows more than medical infectious disease control consultants.

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    Mute Zlim Jody
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:23 PM

    @Donal Hogan: nó, but everyone is an expert on what the UK is doing.

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    Mute Seagoat returns
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:52 PM

    @Seán Garvey: I would say I am more then capable of the etc… bit

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    Mute Michael Patrick Newell
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    No factories or construction sites closing, the money talks as always with Irish politics…..

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:31 PM

    @Michael Patrick Newell: that’s not true. If construction sites can’t maintain social distance then they will be closed. Did you even listen to what he said?

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:35 PM

    @Michael Patrick Newell: The European approach in general is we will not shut down business unless 1000′s die, even then, maybe maybe not..

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    Mute Nioe
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:44 PM

    @MickN: rubbish leftie rant. 1000’s will die and the country will cease up if factories and construction stops. We need food medicine and products to survive.

    A few weeks of closed construction equals a lot of misery and a few thousand les houses built. You’ll the no doubt be on moaning about the lack of housing and homelessness.

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    Mute The Irish Bull
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:00 PM

    @Nioe: Yea obviously not a construction worker. No hand santizer stations, no social distancing. Then go home to families already in lockdown. Fu** you.

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    Mute Nioe
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:48 PM

    @The Irish Bull: get on to your employer or union so. Employers have responsibility to make sure you are working safely with physical distancing. Not much use giving out on here.

    Plenty of responsible builders doing it right.

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    Mute John Deed
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    Must close all borders ports and airports to human traffic as well.

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:01 PM

    @John Deed: there is the issue of people hoping into Newry or Derry or Enniskillen or Dundalk or Clones or where ever for the daily shop – or even when the local shop is across the border – in either direction – it is an interesting point that if you cross the border you are supposed to self isolate for 14 days (having come from abroad) and visa versa.

    We would be better with an all Ireland policy as the border is only a pencil line on a map and a COVID-19 border in the Irish Sea would serve everyone better I suspect

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    Mute George Sheils
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:59 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh:
    Absolutely correct Niall. However, two weeks ago a deputation from the Republic travelled North to seek an Ireland policy with the Stormont Government but were rebuffed in favour of the Her Immunity policy of Her Majesty’s Government.
    Opportunity lost by Stormont to make a difference to the health and safety of the whole island.

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    Mute Owen Flynn
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:13 PM

    Still no decision on whether construction sites close.

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    Mute alphasully
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:14 PM

    @Owen Flynn: they wont, hes just said so

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    Mute Thunder Snowman
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @Owen Flynn: There’s too much money involved in the construction business for Leo to ask them to shut down.

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    Mute sjr
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Thunder Snowman: or maybe they learnt the lesson from the previous crash. Construction dries up and we ended up with a huge shortage of housing.

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    Mute Belter
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:30 PM

    @sjr: Are you having a laugh there is huge sites with 100′s if not 1000′s on them do you know how many lives could be lost from them staying all together…Get real

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    @alphasully: They WILL if they can’t maintain social distance requirements. You clearly didn’t listen.

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    Mute Newnob
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:38 PM

    they will be closing when people start dying

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    Mute Owen Flynn
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:18 PM

    @sjr: Construction dried up during the previous crash due to over supply and inflated prices in the housing markets as well as the banks throwing money at people that couldn’t possibly afford to repay it. The construction projects will still be there after all this has died down (pardon the pun) and so will demand for housing. Social distancing is impossible on large construction sites. A lot of guys working together in close proximity. It’s a recipe for disaster.

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    Mute Owen Flynn
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:27 PM

    @Ricky Spanish: The point I was trying to make is that no site can maintain social distancing and so no concrete decision has been made. I should have explained myself better. Thanks for pointing that out to me!

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    Mute Jake Kelly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:23 PM

    Are the tinfoil hat brigade finally satisfied or are you lot just now looking for a new thing to complain about and act like your the expert on.

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    Mute Derek
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:59 PM

    @Jake Kelly: they’re never happy, they have nothing better to do with their lives than be on here day in, day out moaning and being as negative and unhinged as possible. So thankful I don’t have to encounter this in my day to day life. Its seriously draining.

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    Mute Belter
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:55 PM

    @Jake Kelly: ah Jake dont be so angry..

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    Mute Philip Martin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:57 PM

    At 59 I’ll definitely go back,
    Leo said Defence force personnel may return at the rank they retired at.I would do anything to help my country and people.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:08 PM

    @Philip Martin: you star ! Need more like you.

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    Mute Philip Martin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 10:26 PM

    @Rúraíocht: Thank you .. I WILL do anything to help. There are a lot of unarmed missions carried out by the Italian military at the moment God help them..and I’m willing to do the same

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    Mute Ricky
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:12 PM

    Either going to stay this way now until this is over or the whole country will have to shut. I don’t know if enough is being closed.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    Not nearly enough. We needed a UK style lockdown, this is not it.

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    Mute Ciara
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @The Risen: They left it too late. This needs to be balanced to be sustainable.

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    Mute Alan Lynch
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    @The Risen: move to the uk if you think they are so great

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @The Risen: you have more expertise than the hse and Gov? Some people

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    Mute A Cos
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:24 PM

    @Alan Lynch: if only we could get him to move away. Paid commenter

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    Mute Pat O Brien
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:24 PM

    @The Risen: dont be foolish. Who would police it? You love your soundbites dont you.

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:33 PM

    @The Risen: What UK lockdown??? Have you seen the tube this morning? You really don’t have a clue do you.

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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:33 PM

    @The Risen: easy for you to say that with your cushy civil service job. You can sit at home all day long assured you’ll be paid in full, indefinitely.

    Meanwhile, in the real world, many people would face financial hardship of a full lock-down were ordered by government.

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    Mute Mairtin Antaine O Conaill
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    @The Risen: jayzussssss if he invented the cure you’d say it wasn’t enough. You really are a muppet.

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:37 PM

    @The Risen: The Risen is already gone and onto the next article. But I’ll say this anyway – there is no lock down in the UK. What they are doing and what we are doing are almost the exact same. But “Lockdown” is the new Shinner soundbyte so they’ll shout it from the hills. Dopes.
    Great news on the increase in payments, though!

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    Mute ed w
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:42 PM

    @The Risen: its identical to the uk . if anything uk is in less of a lockdown if pictures from public transport are to be believed.

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    Mute Val Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:45 PM

    @The Risen: Jump aboard and join the winning team . If you think you can do better please step forward, if not please shut up and take your seat at the back of the class.

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    Mute Clyde
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @The Risen: Always with the negative waves Moriarty.

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    Mute Alison Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:39 PM

    @The Risen: we are actually doing more than the U.K. educate yourself

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:56 PM

    @The Risen: Oh you mean the same UK lockdown that has hundreds of people still crammed on to the tubes everyday? the Mayor of London refuses to run more services for transport. AND i seriously doubt that the hundreds of people are going to essential services or supply runs.

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    Mute Self Employed Anarchist
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:17 PM

    FFS !!!!
    CLOSE THE F##KING BUILDING SITES !!!!

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    @Self Employed Anarchist: Hey. Are you a child? Can you speak normally? Grow up. Make a point if you have one, and leave the histrionics at the door.

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    @Self Employed Anarchist: Did you listen to the statement? Construction sites that can’t satisfy social distancing requirements will be closed! You’re fake outrage must be affecting your hearing.

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    Mute Levante Dublin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:38 PM

    @Self Employed Anarchist: keep them open.

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    Mute Newnob
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Ricky Spanish: How is that going to be accessed? Why close a park but not a building site?

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Self Employed Anarchist: If non-public facing work can continue safely with PPE measures against the virus in place, it should do so. The more people we can keep on earning and reduce the burden on the economic re-boot when it comes, the better. Also all these many public facilities will need works and maintenence to assist the fight against the virus.

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Newnob: They have said it will be assessed on a case by case basis.

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:02 PM

    @Self Employed Anarchist: Keep the homeless homeless?

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    Don’t think we’ve ever needed real leadership more, or had it less.

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    Mute Mairtin Antaine O Conaill
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    @Diarmuid: wel thank god it isn’t Mary loo.

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:38 PM

    @Diarmuid: The government are doing a fantastic job. Didn’t you hear the chief medical officer saying that contacts of affected persons are down from an average of 20 last week to an average of 5 now?
    They are ahead of the curve and their actions are working.

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Diarmuid: I think they are doing a very good job in the circumstances. Thanks be to God we don’t have a bunch of inexperienced marxists running around like a headless chicken with a loaded armalite running things.

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    Mute Mary Ward
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:00 PM

    @A2 Poster: And what about the virus?
    Is that gone ? Who going to pay for this fantastic package. As

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:05 PM

    @Mary Ward: you and I and everyone who survives will end up paying for this “fantastic” package that you elude to. but the pain will be less because people will not be is as bad a state as if that “fantastic” package had not arrived… I assume we are talking of the same thing

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    Mute Phonsie Travers
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:08 PM

    @Diarmuid: My God. What’s it like to know it all.

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:13 PM

    @Mary Ward: …. What do you mean ‘what about the virus’? You want Leo to cure it himself do you? Clown. Leadership here means showing us how to beat it, listening to scientific advice from experts, and enacting that advice as law.
    Not becoming immunologists overnight, as you seem to think.

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    Mute Damon16
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:30 PM

    @Diarmuid: We have had great leadership. This is a global pandemic, the aim is to mitigate. Look at the complete botch the UK has made of it, or the US or some of our neighbors in Europe. In many of these places tests are ONLY available to several ill hospitalized patients, there is no community testing at all. Deaths are spiraling in the UK, the NHS will not be able to cope. What country has handled it better than the Irish Gov? aside from some countries in Asia who had a head start due to their previous encounters with SARS.

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    Mute Mary Ward
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:34 PM

    @A2 Poster:

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    Mute Davy Evans
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:01 PM

    The government have handled this pandemic quite well so far, and made some very important decisions. A lot of the average joe, have not. I’d love people to get a chance to look inside an icu. You would quickly change your habits.

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    Mute Leo O' Leary
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:26 PM

    Why groups of 4, still think groups of 2 would have gone further, teenagers hangin around will be happy out with 4

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    Mute sean de paore
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:11 PM

    Irish government continues to do a really good job in extremely trying circumstances. Every credit to Leo and company,

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    Mute Paul O Mahony
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    Yet allows construction sites with over 1000 people plow on. These sites are impossible to run if social distancing is employed as it should. Thanks Leo and FG. Big business and big money is far more important than lives. All the politicians bitching and moaning about people being on beaches yet are perfectly ok for construction sites to work away.

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:04 PM

    @Paul O Mahony: You obviously did not listen to what he said about construction sites. Maybe you should check your facts before posting your outrage online for all to see.

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    Mute Dermo Adams
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    This may well have been their last chance to stop a catastrophe, and they failed to take it.

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:44 PM

    @Dermo Adams: you are a moron read the news

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    Mute Anne Linda Kinsella
    Favourite Anne Linda Kinsella
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:31 PM

    The elderly should be cocooned. I.live with an elderly uncle. Who refuses ti change his routine. So while I’m working from home to protect him. He goes out in the thick of it.

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    Mute John O Donoghue
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:09 PM

    Well done Leo

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:15 PM

    @John O Donoghue: They’re all doing a brilliant job. Hats off to them and everyone doing their best fighting this thing!

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    Nowhere near enough….. Half measures again. No mention of any deterents or any penalties. Again just depending on the goodwill of the people. Won’t be enough unfortunately.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:04 PM

    Thank good the grown ups are in government. Very balanced and thought out.

    Sinn Fein is calling for lock down against the advise of experts.

    This controlled approach saves lives and society and the economy.

    Hoping those boozing by wellington obelisk got the message. Or do they need a Mary Lou for that too.

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:27 PM

    @Rúraíocht: FG just done what SF requested yesterday ya clown

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:05 PM

    @Rúraíocht: The whole thing is being driven by Holohan’s team. The stand in government are just the messenger boys. You need to understand that.

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    Mute Bernard Sweeney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:22 PM

    @David Corrigan: MickN need to understand that too.

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Rúraíocht: Sinn Fein the silent ones

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    Mute Rúraíocht
    Favourite Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:14 PM

    @MickN: wow.

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    Mute Sid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    So if you work in a factory, tough luck. Stay open and spread the disease.

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Sid: No, stay at home!!! Simples

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    Mute Sid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:28 PM

    @Tony Harris: then you get sacked. What planet do you live on?

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    Mute Mia Ryan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:35 PM

    @Sid: No. As was very clearly stated, health and safety and government agencies will work with the factories to implement and facilitate social distancing. If factories close, hospitals don’t get medication or supplies, shops don’t get food and people die. Can you provide a different solution?

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    Mute ed w
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Sid: if the factory closes you get laid off what planet do you live on

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:45 PM

    @Sid: if that factory creates the food you eat ………..

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    Mute ernest simon
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:14 PM

    Should be like in France . A fine if you go far away more than 1 km from home

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    Mute Alan Lynch
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @ernest simon: I wouldn’t get to any shops then. Do you suggest I go full “bush tucker man” to survive?

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    Mute Linda Daly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @ernest simon: I live 6 km from a shop. We don’t all live in a place where there’s a shop at the end of the streer

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    Mute The Culk
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    @ernest simon: that’s bs. The shops are more than 1km from my house. Can’t have that.

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    Mute Barry Buckley
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:28 PM

    @Alan Lynch:

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    Mute ed w
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:43 PM

    @Alan Lynch: sames 1.8km to my nearest shop.

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @ernest simon: Fake news on the French limitations – have you a source for this?

    I did find this:-

    The only people permitted to be outdoors are those who can’t work from home, who are going to help sick relatives, buy essential supplies from approved shops or attend a medical appointment, or who are taking brief exercise alone

    France is in lockdown and citizens are not permitted to step outside their front door without completing the form. They must state their justification for being outdoors and if they don’t have a good reason they are liable to be fined $146.

    (Soruce: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/people-in-france-can-t-leave-home-without-this-permit-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/)

    - and neither specify distance – but you have to have a form and declaration to go to the shops or be outdoors for another reason – if the shop is 10 km away that does not seem to be a problem – what could be a problem here in Ireland is the lack of computer access to the internet and a printer…

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    Mute Alison Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:44 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: it’s absolutely true. You bring your form with you. Only allowed to go shopping or exercise within 1km of home. I have family there.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:58 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: I assumed that French officers would accept an online form. Paperless.

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    Mute David Johnson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:50 PM

    All the people on the dole will be mad for a job now!

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    Mute Brian Carr
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:57 PM

    @David Johnson: lol

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    Mute Wreck Tangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:11 PM

    @David Johnson:

    Comment of the month

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    Mute Brian Nevin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:14 PM

    So is it been left up to each shop keeper to decide if there essential or not

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    Mute Ciara
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @Brian Nevin: no he said there is a list

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    Mute Johnny O’Hooligan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:18 PM

    @Brian Nevin: there’s a list

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    Mute Joe
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @Brian Nevin: nope there is a list being prepared of essential/ non essential services as was said

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:16 PM

    Softly liberal approach again! we are liberal democracy and proud of civil liberties which means we can’t have a full lock down!

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    Mute Dan Moran
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @Bobby wilson: give it a rest.

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    Mute ihcalaM
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Bobby wilson: Bobby you don’t half talk a load of babble

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    Mute sjr
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:23 PM

    @Bobby wilson: we shouldn’t need a full lockdown if people did what they are asked to do.

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:25 PM

    @Dan Moran: yes when people stop dying from dangerous virus that’s engulfing island of Ireland .

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    Mute Sid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:27 PM

    @sjr: but they aren’t, so something else has to be done.

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    Mute Gordon Comstock
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:38 PM

    @Bobby wilson: 4 people have died. Do you know how many people died of viral pneumonia over the last winter in Ireland that you didn’t give a toss about?

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    Mute George Sheils
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:39 PM

    @Bobby wilson: But you live in Northern Ireland. You’re under the Boris Johnson ‘lockdown’. Is that not what you want?

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:43 PM

    @sjr: do you think you will get 100 % voluntary compliance in any society

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    Mute ed w
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Bobby wilson: shut up and back in your bunker

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:48 PM

    @George Sheils: I want all Ireland full lock down and the draw bridge pull up Behind us.. ! And not a fudge!

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:16 PM

    @Bobby wilson: You dunno watcha want ya miserable muppet

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    Mute George Sheils
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:21 PM

    @Bobby wilson: Your Stormont Government wouldn’t agree to a full all Ireland arrangement two weeks ago. Instead Arlene and Co wanted to take the British line?

    What is the Government of the Republic supposed to do?

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:48 PM

    @Bobby wilson: Bobby you are an uneducated troll who probably gets dole and is waiting for pubs to reopen grow up

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    Mute teddyzigzagbigbag
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:22 PM

    So categorise essential? Very vague. I know my employers (multinational) will say your essential to us making money. You have to come in!

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    Mute Brian Nevin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:37 PM

    @teddyzigzagbigbag: my wife works for xerox, they were essential, god forbid there’s no one able to fix the government’a fancy photocopier

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    Mute Pete Gilmartin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:45 PM

    @teddyzigzagbigbag: Essential as in I like to eat 3 times a day. Supermarkets, factories, logistics etc.

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    Mute teddyzigzagbigbag
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:44 PM

    @Pete Gilmartin: yes agreed. However all elective surgery’s almost worldwide have been cancelled so do medical devices (orthopaedic manufacturing) come into that category? I don’t think so, yet we have been told we are essential. And that’s final!

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    Mute Bernard Sweeney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:23 PM

    @Brian Nevin: it’s not a xerox.

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    Mute nicknack
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:29 PM

    He says construction sites remain open as multi nationals are building factories.so let’s put good old tradesmen out to possibly get infected and bring it home

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    Mute Paul MacNamara
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:03 PM

    Need also keep children that are off school off the streets. Seen groups of children together not keeping safe distance. Parents need ensure their children understand the dangers.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:10 PM

    Hats off to private hospitals. Private and public .. no difference during pandemic.

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    Mute Laura Crowe
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:05 PM

    @Rúraíocht: so is the VHI essentially redundant now for the foreseeable ?

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    Good measures. Now , test , test test , symptomatic and their close contacts , contact trace and quarantine.

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    Mute Belter
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:58 PM

    @Isabel Oliveira: We can get lots and lots of sample but labs already maxed out…

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    Mute Robert McMahon
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:36 PM

    People car sharing to work are at risk more aswell

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:34 PM

    How is going to mass with social distancing any different to organised social events with social distancing? Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Prohibit them all. Praying and the peace of mind going to church brings wont stop the virus spreading, especially in a church where a majority will likely be in the older, higher risk category.

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Chris Linehan: Absolutely…….. I’m afraid its going to take more than just keeping the church door open to get us through this.

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    Mute Sarah Green
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Chris Linehan: As far as I know Mass services have been cancelled but churches can stay open during the day for people to go in and pray as long as social distancing is observed.

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:54 PM

    @Sarah Green: But why allow social distancing in the Church but not the Bingo Hall or any other hall……. Its double standards.

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    Mute mary finn
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:24 PM

    @Chris Linehan: probably cause god forbid a loved one dies, you still need to be able to have a funeral with limited numbers in attendance.

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:35 PM

    @Sarah Green: I dont imagine they’ll be cleaning/disinfecting the pews after every visitor. Its a high risk move with a high risk group of society. If services have been cancelled, then close up and let people pray at home. As someone earlier mentioned about their older uncle, they wont change their routines unless ‘forced’ to. My 90 year old granny goes to mass everyday, but not since this broke out, but there’ll be plenty who would still see going to mass as essential. Some people need to be protected, even from themselves.

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:39 PM

    @mary finn: You dont NEED to have a funeral. You need to minimise the risk of this thing spreading before more people die unnecessarily. I dont mean to be harsh but, priorities need to be fixed and a funeral and respectful mourning can be done at another time.

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    Mute Alison Kennedy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:46 PM

    @Chris Linehan: pretty much all masses have been cancelled

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:52 PM

    @Chris Linehan: with no disrespect and I have no religion God has never sent a virus to cull the world according to my partner I drive my partner to Mass every week and wait for her. Just look after yourself and all around you you’ll be ok

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Mar 25th 2020, 6:58 AM

    @Bernard Doyle: Not my scene either but agreed, he’s never sent a virus and never cured one either. But theres no difference between limited numbers of people gathering in a church compared to limited people going for a pint alone in a quiet country pub. People unavoidably have to come in relatively close contact: for food, Doctor etc. People going in and out of a church througout the day, maybe successfully avoiding eachother but still sitting in the same seats, grabbing the same door handles is a situation that can be completely avoided by closing up shop. They should be making the hard decisions now across the board to get a hold of things with short term inconvenience instead of longer term more serious consequences.

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    Mute Jinish Rajan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:12 PM

    At least.

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    Mute Grainne Gillespie
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:18 PM

    So the government has money to increase Covid19 related payments from €203 to €350 but not the money to reverse the cuts to disability allowance and disability related payments implemented by Fine Fail

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:50 PM

    @Grainne Gillespie: are you actually complaining – the government have to priortise, there is not unlimited money and we will be paying for this for years to come – I am not unsympathetic to your cause – but now is not the time to complain if the government is spending extra money on this “rainy day” – money that will not continue to be spent into the future and money that will need to be replaced by extra taxes or other budgetary means one day.

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    Mute Kevin Cahill
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:10 PM

    My daughter works in a call center in cork city ,she has been self isolating for the last week and had a covid-19 test tomorrow,she in a office with 8 other people and has just received a email from the company stating that they are following government guidelines and will continue working,that’s how big business treat minimum wage workers

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:12 PM

    @Kevin Cahill: Business 1st health 2nd

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:44 PM

    @Kevin Cahill: I hope her test comes back negative – but I cannot comment on the call center situation. Some call centers such as the emergency services and the HSE ones will need to remain open as would the GAS and ESB and those supporting essential services. Maybe every second desk needs to be free. I have no idea and it is unfair to comment on individual cases where we lack the information to form a proper opinion – but I wish her be safe and well.

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    Mute Sean Loughney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    Leo hoping for another election here. Very careful with his words

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    Mute Bernard Sweeney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:24 PM

    @Sean Loughney: he is going to do a deal with ff, Micheal basically said this after the announcement.

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    Mute Lukevic101
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:48 PM

    If the whole world locked down at the same time, we could probably eradicate chicken pox and a few other contagious diseases.

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    Mute Vintage Summers
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:21 PM

    What about pet shops?

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    Mute Sarah Green
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:33 PM

    @Vintage Summers: I think in Europe Pet Shops were considered essential and stayed open

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    Mute Siobhan O Donovan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Vintage Summers: pet shops are non essential , just my opinion as pet food can be bought in supermarkets. I’m a veterinary nurse , did you mean Veterinary surgeries?

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:08 PM

    @Siobhan O Donovan:

    Non essential! Please note; likely to be live creatures in those pet shops, Siobhan!

    What are you proposing? Taxidermy!

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    Mute Grainne Gillespie
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @Siobhan O Donovan: Pet shops ARE essential, not everyone keeps cats or dogs.

    My leopard gecko eats live crickets, his food can’t be found in a supermarket, also our cat is on a special diet, her food can only be found in our local petshop

    I also keep snakes and whilst I bulk order from the North every couple of months, many people buy their snakes food each time they feed their snakes, supermarkets don’t do frozen rats and mice

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:27 PM

    @Vintage Summers: If it makes money it stays, that seems to be the rule without saying it aloud..

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:03 PM

    @Grainne Gillespie: Yuk, yuk YUK. what are you keeping exotic pets or reptiles for? those things should not be allowed in this country, they are essential wild animals. And i think ALL pet shops should be banned. Pets shouldnt be bought, they should be adapted. Plenty of free animals in need of a home.

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    Mute Grainne Gillespie
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:32 PM

    @Pauline Gallagher: Give it a rest Pauline you muppet

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    Mute paul johnston
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:37 PM

    Taoiseach please respect our health workers. Order the closure of Heatons immediately. I’m in the emergency services and after a 12 hour shift I have to mind young kids straight away as my partner works in heatons and is required in as it is seemingly ‘an essential public service’. I am shattered as getting 2/3 hours sleep per day before starting next shift. As all family friends self isolating in accordance with government recommendations, no help with child care. Our health workers are heroes so please don’t think I am complaining for one moment. I will do whatever it takes to keep my family and streets safe but please respect the frontline and close the heatons store countrywide. They are taking advantage of the situation and undermining all the work being done by our health workers.

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    Mute Laro Alba
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:50 PM

    Italy has these exact measures and they call it a lockdown. This is basically a lockdown.

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:26 PM

    @Laro Alba: We will see about that tomorrow..

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    Mute Eugene H. Krabbs
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    While I complete agree with the action taken by the Taoiseach, it is very concerning how quickly our civil liberties can be stripped from us. Albeit necessary, the power given to the gardai in this crisis seems to be very ambiguous.There seems to be a huge legal blur surrounding all of these measures and you’d wonder if the gardai actually have the legal authority to carry out the new rules put in place by the government.

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:08 PM

    @Eugene H. Krabbs: the Garda enforce the law defined by the people via elected representatives.

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    Mute Wreck Tangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:09 PM

    @Eugene H. Krabbs:

    What exactly concerns you.. The government are taking action based on thousands of people dying of a disease no one can control..

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    Mute Eugene H. Krabbs
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:02 PM

    @Wreck Tangle: I understand that the disease can’t be controlled and is killing thousands, but the government has now over ruled the people’s right to assemble under the constitution without a referendum.

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    Mute Clark Hetherington
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:14 PM

    @Eugene H. Krabbs: This isn’t about Civil Liberty, it’s about saving lives and if that means our elected Government deems it necessary under the advice of our CMO then I think their interests are less about control and more about saving the lives of people who (some of which) don’t have the cop on to do one thing, stay at home (unless working, exercising or shopping)

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    Mute Marie McDonald
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:59 PM

    Am just wondering how we do not hear anything from those big empty convents with all those single rooms? Wouldn’t they be wonderful as “isolation “ areas .. badly need extra rooms for very sick & vulnerable people.. anyone any thoughts on this?

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    Mute James Gannon
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:33 PM

    Thank God for all the experts in the journal.ie comments section. Phew

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    Mute Conor O'Brien
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:45 PM

    Anyone know where this list of non essential businesses is?

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    Mute Charles Shelly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    No strong a enough….. need more strict rules….

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    Mute Pranab Vasudeva
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:26 PM

    Jesus . PM you still thinking what need to close down. Think bit more. You must have wide thinking. Lockdown the country.

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    Mute Fergus O'Connor
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:41 PM

    What’s the story with off licenses? Are they deemed a non essential retail outfit? Surely closure would put a further unnecessary strain on supermarkets.

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    Mute Linda Whelan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:20 PM

    From when?

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    Mute RipleyT
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:47 PM

    Is that figure correct? Increase from €203 to €250 or €350?

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    Mute Grainne Gillespie
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:22 PM

    @RipleyT: It’s €350

    Which is completely ridiculous imo, why should they get almost €150/week more than those on disability allowance?

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:09 PM

    @Grainne Gillespie: It’s a fair question, Grainne. From my own point of view it’s probably because as you earn more, your standard of living goes up.
    For example, if I’m earning 70K a year then I probably have a decent mortgage or can afford to pay a little more in rent for a nicer place. I may have decided to have children based on the fact that I could afford to support and care for them. I may have a car loan or a housing loan.
    So will need more to keep you in situ until this all blows over.
    This is just a guess by the way, and I don’t mean for it to sound like justification either. I’d imagine someone on disability might find this hard to take alright.

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    Mute Sk19
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:47 PM

    And still the airport and ports are open to non residents and citizens…

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    Mute Mark Gough
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:55 PM

    Lily livered and weak. I’m ashamed

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:12 PM

    @Mark Gough: experts in this field are clearly not good enough according to you. Specifically why?

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @Mark Gough: I’m ashamed to have dopes like you sharing a nationality with me too.

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    Mute Dariusz Bis
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:44 PM

    They decided to cure it like a cancer. Chemotheraphy. Injecting poison into blood stream and hoping cancer will die before the human body will. The same way these incredible restrictions work. It’s not the virus that is killing, it’s the solution – or at least we are coming to this point. Closing so many businesses is killing this economy, mostly succesfull due to overseas business to make it worse…

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    Mute Brenna
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:43 PM

    Can someone explain the rent freeze he mentioned? Like a free on paying rent or increasing rent?

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    Mute Kevin McDonnell
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:57 PM

    @Brenna: No increases

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:06 PM

    @Brenna: think about it

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    Mute Brenna
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:38 PM

    @Rúraíocht: no need to be rude. Just a simple question.

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    Mute Brenna
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:39 PM

    @Kevin McDonnell: thanks Kevin.

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    Mute Sk19
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:49 PM

    And still our borders are open to non residents and citizens ….

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    Mute The Irish Bull
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:57 PM

    Muppet has people going out to work in bad conditions and then coming home to families he has in lockdown. A class A clown.

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    Mute Áine Hayes Davis
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:28 PM

    Are car garages to close or not?

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    Mute Mark Reville
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:14 PM

    The building trade is generally known for having strict health and safety guidelines so employees on site may already be wearing masks etc. I don’t know for certain. Any construction workers here?

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    Mute Stephen Small
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:07 PM

    Anybody receive pandemic payment yet?

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:24 PM

    So this is what copying the successful work in Singapore means is it?

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    Mute Martin Mc Donagh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:19 PM

    Ireland will go on lock down soon probably!.

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    Mute Bernard Doyle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:43 PM

    @Martin Mc Donagh: shut up you idiot

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    Mute Anthony Sweeney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 6:34 PM

    Off licences will remain open

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    Mute J. Reid
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:03 PM

    A ridiculous over-reaction by the State. The little Hitlers in the media and Sinn Fein are in charge now.

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    Mute Wreck Tangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:07 PM

    @J. Reid:

    Get back under your bridge troll

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    Mute Brian Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:39 PM

    @J. Reid: actually Fine Gael are in charge. Idiot

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    Mute Don
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:12 PM

    Electronics, computer and phone shops are essential retail and should stay open, that’s with social distancing measure. Having good communications is critical at the moment. Also what if someone’s fridge needed to be replaced? Especially for the elderly who are not good with online shopping.

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    Mute Elaine Ni Churrain
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:58 PM

    What about petrol stations?

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    Mute Rúraíocht
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:05 PM

    @Elaine Ni Churrain: essential for birth control

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    Mute MickN
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    Mar 24th 2020, 5:11 PM

    @Elaine Ni Churrain: They should be fuel only through the wee windows.

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    Mute Anthony Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:24 PM

    Are they going to close the golf courses

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    Mute Stiofán Ó Cearnaigh
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:22 PM

    What’s the story with offices?

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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:54 PM

    Why close Golf Clubs… There is no meetings of over 4 people(3 in my club right now), it is outdoors… Social distancing is observed and is just married into the etiquette of the game which has been that way anyways…

    My club turned the holes upside down, so the ball just hits a cylinder…

    I say this because building sites with Electricians, Plumbers & Carpenters is internal and can be pretty unstructured

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    Mute Anthony Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:25 PM

    Are they going to close the golf courses tomorrow

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    Mute Anthony Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:26 PM

    Are they going to close golf courses

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    Mute Grainne Gillespie
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:37 PM

    @Anthony Murphy: Any reason you felt the need to post that three times?

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    Mute Bernard Sweeney
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:03 PM

    No sign of The Risen p’ing all over the chips?

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    Mute Anthony Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:26 PM

    Are they going to close golf courses also

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    Mute Anthony Murphy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:23 PM

    Are golf courses going to close even if all club houses and locker rooms are closed now

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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:18 PM

    @Anthony Murphy:
    Golf Courses are closed…

    Churches are open…

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    Mute Sal Paradise
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:37 PM

    People are really fixated on the construction sites and the wish for a “lockdown”. The experts on the journal are out in force today.

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    Mute Stephen Kelly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 4:40 PM

    @Niall O’Neill you must have been checking all Journal comments looking. for a chance to come up with that insult.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Mar 25th 2020, 6:47 AM

    What does the hotel part mean?

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    Mute Niall Fish Bradley
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:36 PM

    Keeping no essential factors open is ridiculous

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