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'People have risen and won't be put back in their box': Jobstown supporters hail a political victory

Dozens of supporters celebrated with Paul Murphy and others, assured that their right to protest has been protected.

DOZENS OF PASSING cars beeped their horns. A large crowd chanted in unison, waving signs proudly on a grey, wet day beside Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

Alongside the crowd, a media scrum waited on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice. After nine weeks of evidence, a jury took just over three hours to find Solidarity-PBP TD Paul Murphy and five others not guilty of falsely imprisoning former Tánaiste Joan Burton and her advisor in their car on 15 November 2014.

The trial lasted two months but the result felt like it was years in the making for the defendants.

For supporters of Murphy and the other men involved, it dates back to the beginning of the movement against water charges in Ireland years before – a movement that has seen Irish Water bills all but eliminated from the country.

For the crowds gathered this was about the working class telling the establishment that it had the right to protest. They said it was all about saying, “No, we’re not going to take it” and, “You can’t stop us from protesting about it.”

IMG_3460 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

As a jubilant Paul Murphy, Councillor Mick Murphy, Councillor Kieran Mahon, Frank Donaghy, Scott Masterson and Michael Banks exited the court to rapturous applause, the overwhelming sentiment from these men and their supporters was that the establishment had tried to take on – and silence – a working class protest, and failed.

Jobstown protest

Even in a climate of people protesting forcefully against austerity and water charges, the events of 15 November 2014 particularly garnered a lot of attention.

As TheJournal.ie‘s report at the time outlined, the then-Social Protection Minister Joan Burton, and her advisor Karen O’Connell, were confined in a car for several hours.

Anti-water charge protesters focussed their attention on the Labour leader at around 1pm as she attempted to leave a graduation ceremony at An Cosán — a higher education college in Jobstown.

During the trial, the prosecution argued that the men were “plainly involved in the restriction of liberty” of the two women who were trapped in garda cars for three hours after they left the event.

The trial heard that when Burton attended the church ceremony that day, eggs and water balloons were thrown at her. She was advised by gardaí to leave in an unmarked garda car in order to avoid the crowd.

However, their car was immediately surrounded by protesters, including the accused men, and they were unable to leave the church yard.

At one point gardaí moved in and unsuccessfully tried to remove the accused men, pulling off Paul Murphy’s top in the process. Burton and O’Connell remained in that car for about an hour before a decision was made to move them to a garda jeep.

The trial was told that a police cordon set up to protect the women as they made their way to the jeep was immediately broken up by protesters, many of whom were screaming abuse.

The jeep was also then surrounded and moved “inch by inch” along Fortunestown Road over the next two hours before the women ran to waiting garda cars and left the area.

The prosecution submitted that by surrounding the cars containing Burton and O’Connell, the six men worked together with a “shared intention” to totally restrict their liberty.

“Joan Burton and Karen O’Connell were trapped,” Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, told the jury in his closing address last week.

Their liberty was not just restrained, it was totally restrained. Their liberty was never in truth restored until they were running down that road coming up to 4 o’clock that afternoon.

Defence counsel argued that it was this “fear of violence” that led to the women being kept in the vehicle by gardaí, not the peaceful acts carried out by the accused men. Some defence counsel were highly critical of gardaí, who they said were unprepared for the protest and made unwise tactical decisions.

They submitted there was “something rotten at the core of this investigation” because evidence given by gardaí was proved “demonstrably wrong” in court by video footage.

Judge Melanie Greally echoed that sentiment in her final instructions to the jury earlier this week, when she told its members that they must weigh up the evidence given by gardaí as being inconsistent with the video footage, and make their own judgement on why that would be the case.

Judge Greally also stressed upon the jury that “this case is not about the right to protest”, and added “your verdict is not about sending messages”.

Right to protest

Despite the judge’s comments, however, supporters of the Jobstown protesters were unequivocal that the right to protest was what this case was primarily about and that the not guilty verdicts sends an incredibly strong message to the political establishment.

IMG_3459 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

Although traditionally seen as a party of the working class, there was clear disdain for Labour among the supporters of the protestors who viewed the party as firmly entrenched within the establishment.

This was evidenced in court this week with the jeering and mild heckling of Judge Greally as she reiterated the evidence given to the court by Joan Burton.

In a statement following the verdict, the Labour Party said: “We note the verdict of the jury announced earlier today.

“The investigation of any criminal matter, and the conduct of any associated prosecution, is decided by An Garda Síochána and the law officers of the state who operate with complete independence from the political system.

As we have been all along, the Labour Party remains resolutely focussed on our central tasks of holding the Government to account, and campaigning for decency, justice and equality in society.

Before the verdict was reached, TheJournal.ie spoke to some supporters of the accused men, some of whom were actually at the protest on the day. Their take was that bringing criminal charges against Paul Murphy, in particular, was an overt political act.

IMG_3446 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

One man said: “It is essential that they are found not guilty.

Otherwise, the parameters for everything changes – for any form of protest, right down to strikes. Everyone would have been affected by a guilty verdict here.

“Whatever about thinking that Paul Murphy might be a leader in all of this, some of the people on trial just went out and protested. They were vociferous, maybe, but definitely not violent. This is definitely all political and about trying to quell the movement that was the water charges.”

When asked why she was there supporting the protesters, one woman said: “Well there’s a lot of people here that were there on the day. I was there on the day.

A lot of people are looking at the accused. They think this is a farce. I think this is to get Paul Murphy out of the Dáil. They feel threatened. They’re saying it’s not political – it is political.

After the verdicts were reached, TDs and politicians doubled down on this stance outside the court.

Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry got the news just before Leaders’ Questions started in the Dáil. He told TheJournal.ie that he had the great pleasure of informing Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Labour leader Brendan Howlin of the verdict.

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

“I legged it out of there, and I came down to celebrate,” he said. “This is great for the six men, but this is great for the working class. The jury has defended the right to protest.

I’m choking back tears to be honest.

Outside the court, Paul Murphy was quick to praise his legal team, but also looked to the support the accused had received from their #JobstownNotGuilty campaigns that had become ubiquitous on social media.

He said that their efforts “inside and outside the courtroom” had contributed heavily to yesterday’s result.

As Barry and Murphy embraced, with the chants of “Jobstown, innocent” ringing in the air, there was the sense that this was a major political victory.

Party colleague Brid Smith told TheJournal.ie: “It’s a great result for the Left, the water movement and, in particular, it’s a great result for the people of Jobstown and their representatives.

It sounds out a strong message that the people have risen and will not be put back in their box… So Leo Varadkar’s attempts to shut down the Left in the Dáil will not be tolerated.

And, with that, the chanting slowly began to die down and signs were folded and put back away.

“To the pub,” one of the accused shouted, as the water charge protesters went home to celebrate as victorious, free men.

With reporting from Isabel Hayes

Read: Jobstown protest: TD Paul Murphy and 5 others found not guilty

Read: ‘I’m choking back tears’: Relief and vindication after Jobstown not guilty verdict

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124 Comments
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    Mute Dave Hogan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:36 AM

    The mob’s time would have been better spent out looking for jobs rather then throwing missiles and terrifying the women going about their job.

    523
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:44 AM

    @Dave Hogan: The slander continues. Were it not for the “mob” the water resource in the country would now be in the hands of some private corporation. Just like bin services are. We see the price gouging going on there. The lies about “missiles” also continues.
    The water resource still isn’t safe. It’s still all to do.

    540
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    Mute Dave Hogan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:52 AM

    @Dave Doyle: we are all very grateful to the residents of jobstown for saving us from the private corporations.

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:55 AM

    @Dave Doyle: completely untrue Dave. I attended ALL the water protests. We didn’t block people in cars. What went on in Jobstown didn’t nothing for the peaceful water protest movement.

    169
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    Mute Joseph Bloggs
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:54 AM

    @Dave Hogan: great point. All tax payers should protest at the ridiculous social welfare freebies given to lazy people in this country. We have the right to protest now and can stick Murphy and his buddies in a car for 3 hours to make our point.

    147
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    Mute Joseph Bloggs
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:56 AM

    It’ll have to be in Saturday though cos well all be busy working during the week.

    114
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:06 AM

    @john Appleseed: That was the whole purpose of Burton being in Jobstown. To bring the water protest movement into disrepute. She and the government got the reaction they wanted.

    74
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    Mute gerry fallon
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:17 AM

    @Dave Doyle: so you’re saying this lot saved us all money yeah?
    So you condone this intimidation yeah?

    59
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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:30 AM

    @Dave Doyle: Conspiracy theory BS. Joan Burton was in Jobstown because she was a long term supporter of Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan who set up An Cosain and was invited to the conferring ceremony. Murphy and his pals decided to take political advantage of it. They were acquitted correctly because they couldn’t prove it ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ but it doesn’t mean their actions were right or justifiable. I think it was a mistake taking legal action because it just gave Paul Murphy more publicity which the self satisfied pr4t doesn’t need.

    102
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    Mute Tom Kelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:35 AM

    @Dave Hogan: all my life I wanted to be a pilot. Work hard, study hard and you will get there. And maybe one day you will get to live somewhere nice like NoJobstown.

    38
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:38 AM

    @gerry fallon: Another new fraperoom member.

    35
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:40 AM

    @Joe Harbison: How convenient for Burton. Just the perfect situation and perfect place.

    39
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:44 AM

    @gerry fallon: yes he agrees with kind of intimidation. . Doesn’t see anything wrong in people’s behaviour that day .. it’s worrying thst people think this kind of behaviour and intimidation is quite ok . I wonder if this happened to one of their own and their family members were spoken to and treated that way would they still be happy with it ?

    58
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    Mute Joe Travers
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:14 AM

    @Joseph Bloggs: you could do that alright……. and paul murphy could just reverse out.

    23
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    Mute David Murphey
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:18 AM

    @Dave Doyle: dave, Burton was there to attend a conferring ceremony. I don’t know how you turned that into ” To bring the water protest movement into disrepute”.

    39
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    Mute David Murphey
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:20 AM

    @Dave Doyle: Dave, first it was “All fake news”; now it’s “fraperoom”. You really have to come up with something better than name calling.

    22
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    Mute Joseph Bloggs
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:23 AM

    @Joe Travers: I have a cunning plan to mitigate against that: by surrounding not just the front and sides of his car but the back as well. Genius.

    8
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:30 AM

    @Dave Doyle: if that was the aim ( which it wasn’t ) then they succeeded. The whole lot of them made a show of themselves. . You need to take off your tin foil hat ….

    25
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:39 AM

    @Dave Doyle: nobody would volunteer to put themselves in a situation like that ..

    11
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    Mute Jonny
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:09 AM

    @Joe Harbison: Burton & the rest of the goons are provocateurs, remember the #talktojoan twitter campaign? Set up for the sole purpose of baiting people to react negatively online. Thankfully it turned into a piss take & Burton was left looking like the fool that she is.

    35
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:12 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: I’m delighted the fraperoom have their knickers in a twist.

    26
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:21 AM

    @Dave Doyle: fraperoom? Lol .. like I said earlier . It’s says a lot about you if you think that behaviour and intimidation that day was ok ..

    23
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    Mute Jane
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:07 AM

    @Dave Doyle: it’s actually really ridiculous to think that anyone who doesn’t agree with you or with what went on in Jobstown is aligned with FG, FF or Labour. Some people see all politicians for what they are.

    15
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:40 AM

    @Jane: exactly!

    7
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    Mute David Conroy
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: The really sad thing is the young kids in an already deprived area where animal cruelty, anti social behaviour and intimidation of lone parents is allowed , will think that this is normal. Not enough role models for the poor kids !

    20
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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Jun 30th 2017, 12:00 PM

    @Jonny: Seriously, the Tainaise is invited to the graduation ceremony of an organisation she has long supported, An Cosain. An organisation that has done more for employment and achievement for the people of West Tallaght and Jobstown than Paul Murphy could ever dream of. This is a totally normal, reasonable and expected act for someone in her role appointed by the President according to the constitution and no reasonable person would think twice about it. Only self important, halfw1t conspiracy theorists like yourself would blow it up into anything else. ‘Provocateurs’! Who the hell do you think you are Leon Trotsky?

    24
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 12:55 PM

    @Jane: Everytime there’s an article on water issues, protests, banks, mortgages, housing, homeless, SF etc we see a lot of new names appear making comments supporting the government line. 99% of them are false names, and have no profile to back them up. They demean anyone who doesn’t support the government as spongers, never want for pay for anything, free home seekers, unemployed, wasters, etc.
    It’s safe to assume they come straight from YFG, the FG fraperoom.

    11
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    Mute Jane
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    Jun 30th 2017, 1:17 PM

    @Dave Doyle: but Susie isn’t one of those people. I have seen her comment on everything from political articles to the weather but because she has a different point of view on this you accuse her of being part of this ‘fraperoom’ nonsense.

    12
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:01 PM

    @Suzie Sunshine: “The whole lot of them made a show of themselves. .”

    Yep, Labour, Fine Gael and the Gardai.

    The only opinion that has any weight on this came from the twelve jurors yesterday.

    14
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:46 PM

    @Jane: cheers .. that seems to be the norm on here .. you’re not meant to have a difference of opinion on here ..

    1
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    Mute Kath Noonan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:20 AM

    Great news,
    Now to challenge the bin prices!

    319
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    Mute Boganity
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:04 AM

    @Kath Noonan: the water protests are over ? The Government hasn’t abolished them just put a “volume knob” on them so they can slowly turned up over time

    127
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    Mute Ian McNally
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:44 AM

    @Kath Noonan: right who is gonna pay for the bins then?

    65
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    Mute MK76
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:55 AM

    So the water charges “victory” has resulted in the tax payers having to fund €500M in ADDITIONAL funding each year for the next 5yrs. Now Entitlement Ireland and the LLA don’t want to pay for the rubbish they create.

    Riddle me this geniuses, who should pay for your bins charges? Will you claim “victory” if the other guy ends up paying the bill?

    Instead of putting your energy into a real issue like homelessness, all you are out for is protecting your own interests. Me feminism continues to rise unabated in Ireland.

    69
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    Mute MK76
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:57 AM

    Great stuff lads. Claim a victory by footing the ADDITIONAL €500M per annum of spending on water on the taxpayer and now your trying to weasel out of paying your bin charges?

    Riddle me this, who should pay to collect your rubbish? The other guy again?

    58
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:23 AM

    @MK76: Waster removal was a public service service, paid for by taxes and worked very well up untill neoliberal dogma took center stage. As public services have no place in neoliberal dogma the service was privatised for profit. And we see the price gouging that’s going on. The tax still remains.
    Water is still on the cards for privatisation, and price gouging will be the name of the game once more. The taxes will still remain. They never reduce.

    77
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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:24 AM

    MK76. Riddle me this what the hell is Me feminism. Is it your soft side??

    40
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    Mute MK76
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:56 AM

    Ha.

    I’m obviously a right wing, capitalist profiteer who doesn’t have a soft side. I meant mé feinism.

    15
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:45 AM

    @Dave Doyle:

    I like the idea of state funded ‘waster removal’. A good place to start would be Jonestown.

    23
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:45 AM

    @Nick Allen:
    Jobstown

    12
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    Mute Neil Mcdonough
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:45 AM

    @Dave Doyle: Waster removal? Sounds like a good title for a protest outside the Dail . . .

    24
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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:55 AM

    @Ian McNally: the lefts answer to who’s going to pay is a universal one: somebody else.

    22
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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:44 PM

    @Kath Noonan: challenge the USC.

    3
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    Mute AlanH -AFC
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:58 AM

    For for sake they thought they were the Birmingham Six walking from the Courts. Your yesterdays news and Murphy has nothing more to offer anyone. Water charges were tackled through peaceful and legal debates through central government. Murphy had no part in that , nothing more than a champagne socialist headline seeker.

    269
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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:48 AM

    @AlanH -AFC: the corrupt water scam was crushed by the people who refused to acknowledge this fake corrupt billing company. Nothing whatsoever to do with debate in government. Hope that clarifies things for you.

    181
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    Mute Honeybadger197
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:54 AM

    @AlanH -AFC: I’m sure there’ll be jump in support from 2% to maybe 3% on the back of Murphys very own ascension into taxpayer funded heaven. :)

    48
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    Mute Barry Williams
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    Jul 1st 2017, 11:24 PM

    @AlanH -AFC: paddy hill from the Birmingham 6 has been a big supporter of the jng campaign

    1
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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:20 AM

    I don’t agree with what happened at jobstown but this cost of the case and the persecution of the 6 is yet another black mark against Ireland today. Hang your head in shame Gardaí, DPP and Joan Burton & co

    322
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    Mute Mark Jones
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:24 AM

    @john Appleseed: what did she expect going into that kip only hassle.

    118
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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:26 AM

    @Mark Jones: she expected to leave unimpeded but I think I would have described the whole incident as a bad day at the office.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:46 AM

    @john Appleseed:

    It says a lot about you when you think she should hang her head in shame following those events.

    13
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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:59 AM

    @Nick Allen: I hope it does… I never vote labour but even I couldn’t get over how far right that woman was. The whole incident stinks of political policing. They should have received a caution – end of. You could rape ten people and they wouldn’t put those resources on the case.

    46
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:35 PM

    @john Appleseed:

    Big big mistake by iphone-joan, Tallaght is the 4th biggest town in Ireland. Labour will get nothing from this area for generations and rightly so.

    9
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:39 AM

    This case was used to teach protesters a lesson. Regardless of the verdict, the lesson still remains. Protest at your peril. There will be no expense, no lie spared, when we go after you.

    178
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:10 AM

    Millions wasted trying to stitch up those whom protested against the austerity to keep the status quo. Those whom lied in court should be charged , and Iphoney should have to pay towards the overall bill , again put squarely at the feet of the tax payer . Great little country. Rotten at its core …

    161
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    Mute brian boru
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:38 AM

    @Willy Malone: And i thought it was about killing off the Labour party – Brutons stupidity killed Connollys once noble dream

    It will be a generation before Labour come back from Joan Bruton if at all

    52
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    Mute John O Connor
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:39 AM

    I do believe this is justice.

    128
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    Mute Con Murphy
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:25 AM

    Very biased versions of what happened by the Journal.

    108
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    Mute andrew
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:39 AM

    @Con Murphy: Nothing compared to the coverage on Newstalk this morning. The Williams/Coleman coverage was truly awful. I was growing tired of Morning Ireland and had switched to early morning Newstalk for news. But after this, I am either going back to RTE or just switching off altogether. I know that neither of the presenters are sympathetic to anything other than their own conservative values. But the aggressive way in which they attacked the protestors was totally uncalled for and really, really depressing.

    36
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:12 PM

    @Con Murphy:

    Not as biased as Shardin Ni whatsit on RTE news last night doing her impression of an East German Stasi officer when interviewing Paul Murphy.

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    Mute David Marten
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:27 PM

    @andrew: I’m not surprised that the Newstalk’s Williams and Coleman tag team were hostile to the water protest guest. Remember, their boss is DO’B and he has more than a passing interest in the installation of water meters!

    11
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    Mute Todd Ireland
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:33 PM

    @andrew: They are just mouth pieces for denis o’briens uber right wing conservative establishment ethos…..after all there are a lot more state contracts to be picked up…..

    1
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    Mute winston smith
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:00 AM

    The unsettling aspect of this whole episode is the publicity handed to the various organized protest groups who latched onto the anti water charges protest promoting their own narrow interests whilst the majority of the population has long moved on.

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    Mute Ruth Barry
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:21 AM

    @winston smith: a fair point. But you can’t deny that this verdict basically says to any future governmental strategy d&@khead advisors that the use of our judicial system to gain an advantage over a political issue such as the water charge fiasco isn’t going to silence people who refuse to adopt whatever political “wisdom” they come up with. It is a fundamental right of a democratic country for its people to protest. Any form of attempts to silence it is censorship. Burton et al should hang their heads in shame for even bringing these cases before a judge.

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    Mute winston smith
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:14 AM

    Ruth no one argues the right to protest but what happened at Jobstown was orchestrated and with an underlying element of anarchist violence. If an elderly person or parent with children happen to come upon that scene it could only appear highly threatening.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:15 PM

    @winston smith:

    All protests are “orchestrated” Winston, didn’t you realise that? They don’t just pop up out of the blue.

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    Mute sister atrocious
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    Jun 30th 2017, 3:13 PM

    @winston smith: “Various organized protest groups” lessons from history teach us the importance of such protest groups and also notable are the apologists for the status quo.

    First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Socialist.

    Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Jew.

    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
    Martin Niemoller

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    Mute William Grogan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:18 AM

    This bad decision by the jury reminds me of the O J Simpson case.

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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:46 AM

    William Grogan. The fraperoom good. The jury bad. You need to get your head out of your ass.

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:51 AM

    @ray.farrelly: and still we have the party fluffers making fools of themselves in public with no shame, not even trying to hide an alarming lack of intelligence. Dig up.

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:17 PM

    @William Grogan: “This bad decision by the jury reminds me of the O J Simpson case.”

    Do you know the difference between a “bad” decision and a decision you personally don’t like?

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:57 AM

    Without doubt, it was a very disorderly protest, & it was infiltrated by persons who committed assaults on Gardai & Ms Burton, but the charge of unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping was over the top.
    It seemed to me that sitting around the cars, whilst unquestionably preventing departure, also inhibited the rowdies from attacking them with missiles.
    With all the camera evidence, surely charges of assault & disorderly conduct were sufficient against the specific offenders.
    & now that this fiasco is ended, Paschal O’ D & his colleagues kicks the bin charges into focus!
    When will they ever learn?

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    Mute Barry Williams
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    Jul 1st 2017, 11:32 PM

    @William Kelly: it wasn’t infiltrated by anyone. A lot of clowns have comments to make that were not there on the day

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    Mute John Deed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 6:43 AM

    No way we wont weigh !

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:56 AM

    @John Deed: oh please god no.

    Is there anything the left will pay for?

    Other than cigarettes and alcohol that is.

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:01 AM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: I ( like many people) protested against the jobs for the boys that Irish water is. Don’t let the ” I want a free ride” people distract you from the real issues here. Irish water is a farce that’s still running and still spending

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:21 PM

    @Theunpopularpopulist:

    In comparison to the political elite who get expenses just for turning up for work…..

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    Mute Mark O'Reilly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:39 AM

    A ridiculous case that should never have taken place. Government was never going to win regardless of the result. They’d have been martyrs if found guilty, heroes if found innocent.

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    Mute Eimear
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:09 AM

    The right the protest was and is never questioned. This was about the false imprisonment of the two women & frankly it’s wrong they got away with it. It must have been petrifying being there that day. Paul myro

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    Mute Eimear
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:11 AM

    @Eimear: posted before I was finished…to finish, Paul Murphy is going to play this ‘victory’ for all it’s worth. We’ll never hear the end of it.

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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:19 AM

    Eimer. They did not get away with it. They were found not guilty by a jury of their peers .

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:27 PM

    @Eimear:

    Those charged are innocent and were found not guilty by a jury of their peers. They were forcibly removed from their homes in dawn raids by the Keystone cops in front of their terrified families. What poor iphone-joan went through was nothing compared to this.

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    Mute John Scott
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:53 AM

    Do we know who is paying costs . I know who should be paying OConnell, Burton, . Hopefully not the tax payer.

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:57 AM

    @John Scott: if you knew anything about the criminal justice stst

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:59 AM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: if you knew anything about the criminal justice system you would know that the state not any victim/witness decides whether or not the case goes to court or people are prosecuted.

    Educate yourself.

    While you’re at it look up how much money is needed to be invested in our water system to modernise it.

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    Mute Todd Ireland
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:53 PM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: And you think that by spending Billions on another layer of bureaucracy that is the irish water quango is the way to go about it?
    BTW irish water staff received €3.2 million in ‘performance related’ bonuses last year….that is on top of their health benefits…..company cars and mileage allowance….gym/gym equipment and fitness instructors.

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    Mute birdseye
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:51 AM

    Hang your head in shame TD Paul murphy. A man of the people. …. a man who paid his property tax . The man who receives 82k plus expenses from the Irish people. The man who received €1,343,117 in salary and expenses in his time as an mep again two fingers to the Irish people and expect them to pick up his legal bill…… for shame.

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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:00 AM

    birdeye commented: you forgot to mention Paul Murphy. The man who was found not guilty.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:48 AM

    @ray.farrelly: is there anything that birdseye said that was incorrect ? . He should never have got free legal aid and taxpayers expense …

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    Mute TheHeathen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:56 AM

    @birdseye: Nearly everyone in the country would have been entitled to free legal aid for that case. You need to have a certain percentage of savings and wages available before you can pay for your case. You should be having a go at the cost of law in this country and why the case was in that court. This was a con job by the legal profession and they are laughing all the way to the bank. We were promised legal reform but that was a lie. The legal profession are milking this country. Open your eyes and understand what’s happening. Don’t be so naive and easily led! Baa baa.

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    Mute TheHeathen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:12 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: David Drumm and Sean Fitzpatrick got legal aid. Completely wrong but you can’t bankrupt a person trying to defend themselves or the law wouldn’t work and everyone would be guilty. You should be entitled to the same level of representation as the prosecution. How about discussing why this and other cases were heard in that court? How about discussing legal fees and collusion between legal and justice? 500 million had been spent on legal aid in the last few years. Where’s the promised reform? People’s priorities need to change in this country. Instead of attacking someone within their rights, how about attacking the corrupt institutions?

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    Mute David Knight
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:18 AM

    @Suzie Sunshine: Were you the one who protested vociferously about Sean Fitzpatrick getting the best and most expensive legal representation who managed to get his case thrown out, (not proven to be innocent, but on a judicial technicality). and will now get his €2m bill paid for by the taxpayers of this country? No, maybe not.

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    Mute birdseye
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:08 AM

    @TheHeathen: and yet it’s ok in the district court for someone who earns say 450 euro a week to have to pay for legal representation yet albeit the costs are higher at circuit this man’s wages are a multitude of that figure. Where is the equality. Even at a quote of 100,000 which Mr murphy original expected the case to run to he still decided to have no legal fees… all drink drivers who higher barristers in that case should have free legal aid.
    My eyes are open I see the rip off that is the legal profession in this country, but it’s very very turn coat of Murphy who sticks up for the working class to not show his real place in society. I hope every thing learnt in this case from legal aid to what constitutes false imprisonment gets used as case stated against used in some context

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    Mute Pippa Maloney
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:22 AM

    And at what did this cost the tax payers ? Probably enough to keep a family in warm accommodation for a year or so.

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    Mute Lord Clanricarde
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:36 AM

    @Pippa Maloney: ohh alot more than one..you are aware the 1000′s per day these barristers charge…They are the reason this case was brought not Joan Burton, they are the ones appelaing that fellas sentence for murdering the young mother in tallaght also. Its state funds, so as far as they are concerned its a free for all and endless supply of cash!!

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    Mute gerry fallon
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:14 AM

    Great day for civil disobedience.I wonder what happens when one of the “Tallaght six”are in trouble and need a garda to protect them?
    After calling Ban gardai and male gardai disgusting names and threatening them personally, I’d say they will be left waiting.
    Mob rule seems to be acceptable.

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    Mute Rodney Williams
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:32 AM

    Waste of money that Court Case!

    I doubt Joan Brutal will be in a hurry back to Talafornia or “Jobs”town!

    Government be better gettin after the “bastxxxs” who caused the state of ruin in the country.
    Get after all those who robbed, cheated, and took bribes!
    It’s like a feckin Ponzi, those at the top get richer and all the rest poorer!

    I hear about these crooks “exiting” Nama, jaybus I love to go into Nama, leave all me debts and tge “exit Nama” like a grand fella!

    Was “ONE” person to jail for all the financial damage done … even ONE?

    Joan Brutal is hard nosed and well able to look after herself!
    She trample all over ye to get away if it was necessary!

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    Mute David Murphey
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:23 AM

    @Rodney Williams: THREE were jailed: Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and John Bowe.

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    Mute ballbreaker
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:48 AM

    Terrible the way paul had being quizzed by an ex guard on the #vinb show last night. He must have felt he was on trial again….totally shocking. The establishment will try and find something rotten with this victory and will not accept defeat. Why have none of the 180 guards that had given false statements done for perjury? Why is it not even mentioned anywhere by the media ?

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    Mute Dante Marquinhos
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:00 AM

    Anybody hear from Joan Burton yet? Also it’s worth watching Mick Barry’s statement in Dail yesterday, not for what he said but for the sight of Brendan Howlin wishing he was somewhere else.Howlin hating being reminded of their recent past :-)

    Joan Burton killed the Labour party and for that I am humbly grateful :-)

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 7:35 AM

    A Spark, that’s all that’s needed!

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    Mute William Mcgee
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:07 AM

    And now we are facing another battle with the bin charges ,only good thing about it is it’s easy to block roads with bins full of rubbish as a protest , or if it goes to it we will have to put boots on the ground same as the water , most people do not have the money to pay inflated charges . Great for the government as they would be collecting the vat money for nothing .

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:09 AM

    @William Mcgee: and who do you propose pays for all of this.

    I know your answer: anyone but you.

    Why should I pay for your waste disposal?

    I’m happy to pay my own way in life but I don’t see why I should be forced to subsidise yours.

    The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of spending other people’s money.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:20 AM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: Socialism worked well for the banks and bankrupt developers.
    They got everyone’s money and will continue to get everyone’s money for generations to come.

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    Mute eastsmer #IRExit
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:36 AM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: The problem with socialism is that it is used to bail out bankers where as capitalism is enforced against the mass of the people.

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:16 AM

    @Dave Doyle: you’re right. I’m paying for developers gambling debts too via the banking system. That’s also not right. I never said it was.

    I just find it so irritating that able bodied people think that someone else should pay for their housing, waste disposal, water etc.

    Where do they think this money comes from?

    It comes from the sweat and hard work of the full time worker.

    People should want to pay their own way in life. I don’t understand this freebie mentality that has infected Irish society.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 30th 2017, 12:41 PM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: “Freebie mentality” You mean public services paid for by taxes, now being privatised, but the taxes still remain.

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    Mute Derrick McGrath
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:36 AM

    They were found not guilty ‘rightly so’, but the mainstream media are still trying to convict them. I’m no fan of Paul Murphy, but to be up in court for false imprisonment was ridiculous. Public order charge, get a fine and a slap on the wrist would of been enough and be done with it. But this is Ireland where corruption, lies, divide and conquer are the norm.

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    Mute bings
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:24 AM

    I stand to be corrected on this But was not a teenager charged & found guilty of the same charges. If the politicians got away with this how come the teenager was guilty. Were they all not there at the same time. What a waste of my tax money.

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    Mute TheHeathen
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:26 AM

    @bings: Teenager had no jury.

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    Mute bings
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:42 AM

    @TheHeathen: I was right then about the teenager, If he had the same politicians backing him would he have been found guilty even with no jury.

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    Mute David Knight
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:23 AM

    Despite all the talk about this being a victory for the right and freedom to protest, it’s not. Talk about this being a waste of government time and money, is also wrong. The fact is that the majority of people who have been law abiding citizens of this country and for whom appearing in a criminal court would be totally anathema to them, will definitely think twice before taking a placard to the streets again. And that was the point of this farce of a trial.

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    Mute John Weldon
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    Jun 30th 2017, 11:11 AM

    What do we want? Everything!!

    What do we want to pay for? Nothing!!

    12
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    Mute Grasshopper
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    Jun 30th 2017, 9:00 AM

    I think that the money wasted on the jobstown trial should of been put to better use like a big fat rise in our social welfare payments for all of us not working

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    Mute Keith Boland
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:17 PM

    Joan has blood on her hands because of her actions 1person took his life .philip Preston lived in jobstowm 6 ft5 arrested in a dawn raid in his family him . Got solicitor they sifted through hours of evidence and couldn’t understand why this case was going ahead as his solicitor said there is no case months latter Philip couldn’t handle the prospect of court possibility of going to prison he sadly took his own life & all because Joan thought she had the right to jail ppl for protesting for what they believed was there right but Joan lost & people power win . But @ a cost unfortunately. RIP Philip Preston .

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    Mute eastsmer #IRExit
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    Jun 30th 2017, 10:37 AM

    What happened to the young guy throwing a brick with the Garda vest on him ?

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Jun 30th 2017, 2:59 PM

    After being found innocent by a jury of their peers the victims of this farce of a trial now face the trial by mainstream media. Day after rightful verdict , media concern themselves with the use of social media. Now if the mainstream media for once reported the truth , then social media would not be the power it is. This was a political trial supported by the media . Well done to those who upheld the right to protest.

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    Mute Bernard Kavanagh
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    Jun 30th 2017, 4:02 PM

    The truth prevails, it’s the Guards who should be in the dock.

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    Mute Time to Wake Up
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    Jun 30th 2017, 12:38 PM

    Truly adore Paul Murphy! He has some balls!

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    Mute James Mc Loughlin
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    Jun 30th 2017, 3:34 PM

    Millions of euros wasted which could have been used to build houses.Who decided on this farce of a trial and will those who perjured themselves in court face charges.The amount of garda time wasted and people been murdered and robbed isalarming

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    Mute David McKenna
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    Jun 30th 2017, 8:53 AM

    Sh!te bags

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jun 30th 2017, 4:14 PM

    While they’ve risen, Amy chance they’d get jobs and actually contribute a few quid to all the stuff they want for free?

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    Mute Barry Williams
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    Jul 1st 2017, 11:27 PM

    @John Mulligan: all the accused have jobs. One is actually an elected representative. U mustn’t have read the article

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    Mute Thosj Carroll
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    Jun 30th 2017, 1:21 PM

    Anyone who lied under oath expect to go to hell not heaven…

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