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An Garda Síochána

Poll: Do you agree with the plan to name and shame disqualified drivers?

The CEO of the Road Safety Authority thinks publishing names will act as a deterrent.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE been disqualified from driving can expect to see their names published in their local paper from next year.

The CEO of the Road Safety Authority told TDs before Christmas that drivers who had been proved in court to have broken the law could expect to have their details published, under a new plan being worked on by officials.

While drinking and driving is now entirely unacceptable “there still seems to be a societal acceptability to drive when you have been disqualified,” Moyagh Murdock observed.

Do you think the scheme will act as a deterrent?


Poll Results:

Yes (7071)
No (4167)
No opinion/not sure (708)

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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71 Comments
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    Mute tofu for tea
    Favourite tofu for tea
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    May 16th 2019, 7:51 AM

    When you call a climate emergency and then pump millions into the emissions spewing beef sector. Typical FG talking out of both sides of their mouth

    281
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 7:59 AM

    @tofu for tea: You’re right. Ban farming in this country altogether. Put a few hundred thousand people out of work. And import all our meat and dairy products at a hugely inflated price. Thatl show em.

    211
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    Mute Doubtchya Boy!
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    May 16th 2019, 8:16 AM

    @tofu for tea: So lose jobs, put people out of work.. send more people abroad to never return, and importing beef is what you want?
    ….riiiiight

    73
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    Mute tofu for tea
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    May 16th 2019, 8:30 AM

    @Damien: in a world of climate breakdown people can’t carry on as normal, you do realise that? There is a need to seriously cut back on meat and dairy both for the planet and our health

    54
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
    Favourite Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 8:42 AM

    @tofu for tea: FG should putting in concrete plans to transition farmers into cultivating more crops and protein rich foods. Teenagers these days are moving away from meats, beef in particular. Problem is FG only think as far as the next election.

    62
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    Mute tofu for tea
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    May 16th 2019, 8:47 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: totally agree, we need innovative solutions, not more of the same

    30
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    Mute Charles McGuire
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    May 16th 2019, 8:54 AM

    @tofu for tea: People just need to travel less, the amount of fuel burnt on an atalantic flight is far more damaging than eating a steak once a day for a few years.

    33
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 8:55 AM

    @tofu for tea: People have lived in full health and to a ripe old age on a diet of meat and dairy products for generations. If you read every health food article and ticked off every single food that was supposedly bad for you. Then your daily diet would consist of certain types of fruit and water.

    29
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 9:01 AM

    @Damien: it’s not about even if it’s healthy for you or not though at this stage. It’s about saving the planet. More efficient methods of transport and techniques in agriculture (and what we grow/produce).

    25
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    Mute Do the Bort man
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    May 16th 2019, 9:19 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Growing more crops instead of beef isn’t really the best solution. The fertility levels of Irish soil varies a lot, the land to the east and south of the shannon are more suited to tillage, and produce a much higher yield than the west of the country. In the wetter climate west of the shannon, grass is the best crop for the area, hence why we have so many beef and dairy farms in Ireland. Also, in general, replacing beef farms with tillage is not a simple solution, and also comes with extra risks. Grass land does not get many pesticides sprayed on the land, unlike cereals and veg. Soil erosion is another factor.

    30
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 9:22 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Skynet will have defeated the human resistance by 2029. I’m going to eat and drink well before the machines take over.

    11
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 9:36 AM

    @Do the Bort man: I know, it’s a complex problem. The soggy land of Connacht isn’t suited to much only rearing sheep. I previously would have been against genetically modifying food but it could be a necessity in years to come to sustain the population of Africa and for us to produce crops we never would have. Either that or have greenhouses everywhere.

    8
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 9:39 AM

    @Damien: that’s 10 solid years of leisure ahead of you, Damien. All the best!

    2
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 9:45 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Just hoping Mayo win Sam before they take over.

    2
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 9:49 AM

    @Damien: there are 70,000 full time farmers in Ireland.
    Stop eating beef, save the Planet

    9
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 9:51 AM

    @Charles McGuire: 2% of global emissions are from air travel.
    20% of irish emissions are from farming.

    21
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    May 16th 2019, 9:53 AM

    @tofu for tea: Vegans are worse for our health than meat.

    17
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 10:04 AM

    @Charles McGuire: 225 pounds of greenhouse gas per cow per day, thats 246,000 pounds in 3 years.

    159,000 pounds produced by a plane from dublin to new york.
    You sir are wrong.

    18
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 10:08 AM

    @ciar0: There are 137,000 registered farms in Ireland. There are many part time farmers as well .

    3
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 10:12 AM

    @Damien: there are 70,000 full time farmers, solely relting on farming income.
    Even includong labourers and contractors its a long way shy of your figures

    8
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    Mute David Kenny
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    May 16th 2019, 10:20 AM

    @ciar0: it’s 30% from irish agriculture. We produce 1000% of our own needs so it’s roughly 3%for feeding our population. EU is 4.32% and America 2.8% but they use gm which gives them an advantage. Globally it’s 18%. Mainly due to deforestation to produce palm oil. Ironically being anti beef farmer will drive down price and put traditional family farming practices which are practically carbon neutral according to bbcs truth on climate change program out of business and encourage higher intensified farm units which are anything but.

    13
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 10:30 AM

    @Damien: don’t worry, Damien. You won’t have to wait long…….this is our year….

    3
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    Mute Frank Naughton
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    May 16th 2019, 10:39 AM

    @Doubtchya Boy!: go back to proper farming, tillage, cattle and sheep. Farmers are afraid of hard work these days.

    4
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    Mute fergusob
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    May 16th 2019, 10:58 AM

    @tofu for tea: how many jet engines are in the air flying right now?

    4
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 11:37 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Get those pesky annoying Rossies out of the way on Saturday week first. They’re carried away after beating Leitrim already.

    1
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 12:27 PM

    @Damien: feckin Rossies always get carried way, the poor lads. You have to lose a couple of All Irelands before you get your licence to get properly carried away.

    1
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    Mute Damien
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    May 16th 2019, 12:40 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: I’ve being told by their supporters that they have the best 6 forwards in the country, for the last 10 years apparently.

    2
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    Mute Ole dan tucker
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    May 16th 2019, 1:45 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: beef is high protein

    2
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 2:00 PM

    @Damien: let them believe that shur. Feel bad taking all hope away from them. Although they’ve had a decent showing the last few years tbf to them.

    2
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 2:04 PM

    @Ole dan tucker: serious? I thought they were just blubbery fat .

    1
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    Mute Eamonn O Connell
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    May 16th 2019, 7:16 PM

    @ciar0: so what percentage of global emissions is created by the 20% of Irish farming emissions

    2
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    Mute Sean
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    May 16th 2019, 8:01 AM

    I’ve huge sympathy for the beef farmers but should taxpayers money be used to rescue a failing private enterprise? This move is subsidizing the low price that is charged for beef in the supermarkets and the even lower prices paid to farmers. If a fair price was paid for beef that reflected the cost of producing it then subsidies would not be needed.

    154
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    Mute jamesdecay
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    May 16th 2019, 8:44 AM

    @Sean: good point. You could level that charge at a lot of food in this country. It’s effectively subsidised. We need to start sourcing food from local markets and taking away some of the buying power from big supermarkets.

    43
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    Mute Do the Bort man
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    May 16th 2019, 9:10 AM

    The problem is, people don’t really care about our fellow citizens at all. if you had an Irish steak and a Brazilian steak side by side in Lidl, people will always buy the cheapest item, regardless of where its from. Its the same with veg, people will buy imported veg from the multinational at a below cost price, while ignoring the home grown veg, and the carbon footprint the imported veg left to get to Ireland, and in the next breath, they will blame the Irish famers for climate change…..

    46
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    May 16th 2019, 9:53 AM

    @Do the Bort man: That’s not true.

    16
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 9:57 AM

    @Do the Bort man: Farmers are not solely responsible for climate change but they contribute more than their fair share.
    Likewise polluting rivers, not all their fault but a lot of river pollution is down to farming.
    Exporting live animals is cruel but hey once a farmers gets a few quid to subsidise income from his full time job thats ok

    19
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    Mute Mushy Peas
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    May 16th 2019, 9:59 AM

    @Do the Bort man: not necessarily, I’d pay a few euros more for good quality Irish beef.

    17
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    Mute Do the Bort man
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    May 16th 2019, 10:55 AM

    @Mushy Peas: so do I, but the majority of people don’t give a dam where their food comes from, they just care about the price. Then they can’t understand why these “rich” farmers are complaining about falling farm incomes.

    9
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    May 17th 2019, 3:17 PM

    @Sean: i presume as a hard pressed taxpayer in dublin i can look forward to some reductions in the price of a burger in a pub or burger joint now – ive noticed they have been steadily creeping up in recent years – imagine 11.50 for a burger in some places – i presume there are some benefits to subsidized beef ?! What — there arent ? What – rip off republic continues to squeeze middle income taxpayers to help farmers but there no benefits – f@@@ that

    1
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 16th 2019, 8:04 AM

    While i have no doubt that many farmers could benefit from such support, this has all the hallmarks of FG making sure their core vote stays with them.
    There must be an election on the way.

    91
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    Mute Seriously stunned
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    May 16th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Dave Doyle: you mean you haven’t seen any of the 50 million posters beautifying our wonderful country ?

    17
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 8:45 AM

    @Seriously stunned: you mean the ones that have faded and had to replace because they took the typically tight FG route of buying cheap posters instead of the proper UVA and UVB protected ones??

    10
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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 16th 2019, 10:58 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer:
    Maybe they are biodegradable……

    1
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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 16th 2019, 11:19 AM

    @Patrick Nolan: well that’s a lot of waste replacing biodegradable ones with more expensive uva and uvb protected ones. Symptomatic of FG policy-find the cheap option, it fails and end up paying more in the long run.

    3
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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    May 16th 2019, 8:33 AM

    During the recession there wasn’t 50 mil made available to the self employed and were treated with scorn

    82
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    Mute Adrian
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    May 16th 2019, 9:05 AM

    In about a months time, after the election, the farmers could be asking, “what about the 50 million?”, and creed could be saying “what 50 million?”

    35
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 9:53 AM

    Farmers always want something for nothing. Its too wet I need money. Its too dry I need money.
    I cant sell the milk I produce I need subsidies.
    Moan moan moan.

    49
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    Mute jamesdecay
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    May 16th 2019, 10:23 AM

    @ciar0: and we all want our food for next to nothing as well. I’m not going to bat for farmers, but average farm incomes are fairly shite and most people wouldn’t do it.

    But we still need to eat, so where do we get our food from? We’re slitting our own throats by artificially keeping food prices low for the all-consuming consumer.

    If we weren’t all getting screwed by financial cartels, we could afford to pay a decent price for food. And farmers would get their fair share.

    33
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    Mute ciar0
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    May 16th 2019, 10:39 AM

    @jamesdecay: 100% correct James.
    From constant adjournment of court cases to fatten legal profession salaries and Garda overtime to insurance cartels to temporary usc to inflated mortgage interest rates and so on and so on. But never discussed on clickbait “news” pages or on fine gaels personal tv channel rte.

    19
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    Mute Liamnolan
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    May 16th 2019, 3:23 PM

    @ciar0: just like the homeless…..

    1
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    Mute Johnny Rielly
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    May 16th 2019, 12:58 PM

    I have worked for, and am surrounded by farmers all my life… if its not prices its the weather they are crying about.. they are subsidised for everything they do by the EU. No other industry is as well looked after. Every tractor I see on the road is top of the line John Deere. None of them are old.
    Contrast this 50 million that the government WILL give with the lady on the Joe Duffy show yesterday whose child has SMA and WILL die from it, if the Dept of Health don’t approve the purchase of a certain drug. There are only 23 children in Ireland with this condition and the parents have been looking for the drug for years.
    This country and government have things all backwards in my opinion.

    23
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    May 16th 2019, 1:50 PM

    @Johnny Rielly: Only one thing you can do so Johnny —–Buy a piece of land yourself and start farming. I feel confidant that with your knowledge you’ll make a huge success of it.

    9
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    Mute Kieran Woods
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    May 16th 2019, 4:01 PM

    @John Mc Donagh: You won’t buy it, you will be outbid by other farmers who also receive handouts from the taxpayer but still want more land. Better inherit one. No commercial rates, multiple handouts, no need to worry like other private enterprises do about finding markets for your produce, just protest when prices drop even if nobody wants it.
    Do not set up your own cooperative to build your own factories to process your own beef, if you do – flog it when someone waves a cheque in your face.

    10
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    Mute missroisin
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    May 16th 2019, 11:16 AM

    Where’s the fishermen’s money??

    18
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    Mute Frank Jones
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    May 16th 2019, 8:25 AM

    I’m no fan of the beef industry but for those of us that recall the pork dioxin ‘crises’ about 10 years ago you may remember that a compensation fund of €195m was made available to the ‘industry’ for a few days of lost production. I guess that the beef lobbyists to FG don’t have the same weight as the pork lobbyists had with Minister Brendan Smith FF back in the day……..just saying

    19
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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    May 16th 2019, 8:35 AM

    @Frank Jones:
    The pork barrel is bigger than the beef barrel!

    10
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    Mute Marianne
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    May 16th 2019, 1:46 PM

    Jesus how is this helping climate change??

    10
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    Mute Alan Currie
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    May 16th 2019, 7:31 PM

    @Marianne: by speeding up the process of eliminating humans, so the earth can start again without them.

    4
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    May 16th 2019, 11:13 AM

    Betcha that the big beef barons will try to grab it all. Needs to be carefully administered!!

    11
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 16th 2019, 1:23 PM

    The farmers that heckled Leo in cork were well rewarded. Fair play to them…. but had they been protesting against hospital over crowding, homelessness,housing crisis, or the many other scandals involving this FFG government the story would not have been as kind as it was to the farmers.

    9
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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 16th 2019, 5:15 PM

    It might interest some people to know the average income of suckler farmers last year: €11,670

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/business/farming/agri-business/average-farm-incomes-declined-by-15pc-in-2018-but-some-growth-is-on-the-horizon-for-2019-teagasc-37593706.html

    The support could be worth €1250 per farmer.

    7
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    Mute Liam Dunne
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    May 16th 2019, 1:57 PM

    Food must always be in oversupply. Otherwise people could not go to work. The implications of oversupply is the primary producers get a very poor price and could not continue to invest in producing what they do. Only the best countries in the world are sufficiently organised to support its primary producers. For the rest, it’s a subsistence existence. In real terms, food in Ireland and the EU is both cheap and plentiful. Support for primary producers has worked very well for everybody.

    6
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    Mute Tim Oleary
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    May 16th 2019, 11:09 AM

    Great to be part of EU.

    4
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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    May 17th 2019, 8:21 AM

    So the govt can come up with 50m in a heart beat here but nothing for Tralee IT who owe a miserly 10m. Meanwhile I have to travel to work on a 10 year old cie bus every morning with over 5 million miles on it. What an absolute load of b@110x.

    2
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