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Our Lady's Hospital Navan

Hundreds take part in protest against plans to close emergency department at Navan hospital

Organiser Peader Toíbín has called on ‘political establishment to realise how important this issue is’.

LAST UPDATE | 16 Sep 2022

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE gathered in Co Meath today to protest against the HSE proposal to close the emergency department in Navan’s Our Lady’s hospital.

The protest took place outside the HSE offices in Kells, with Campaign Cathaoirleach Peadar Tóibín TD, Senior SIPTU Official John Regan, Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke, Fianna Fail Seanadóir Shane Cassells and independent Cllr Gillian Toole addressing the crowd.

Aontú’s leader Toíbín earlier said the protest would be led by a number of funeral directors “to underline the life and death consequences of this decision”.

Speaking after the rally, he said there was “palpable anger” among the protestors who gathered.

“That such a large crowd gathered in the middle of a working day in Kells shows just how important this service is to us. Our march was preceded by a number of funeral hearses to underscore the life and death issue that faces the people of Meath,” he said.

“In the middle of a A&E capacity crisis the HSE is seeking to close a busy A&E in one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Surrounding hospitals are beyond capacity. Each one of them over the summer has released a statement asking patients not to present due to overcrowding.”

The HSE has insisted that the new Medical Assessment Unit that would replace the emergency department service would still be able to facilitate around 80% of the current number of patients who present to the ED every day.

The remaining patients would be treated at Our Ladies of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

However, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly recently asked the HSE to carry out a review of capacity levels in light of a number of concerns being raised, particularly from consultants in Our Ladies of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, who said they had not been consulted about the plan.

A letter, signed by 17 consultants, stated that the “transfer of risk from an unsafe ED in Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan to an under-resourced Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda will lead to poorer clinical outcomes for patients”.

He said the HSE “refuse to even research a cost benefit analysis into a functioning and safe A&E” in Meath. They refuse to do a simple feasibility study to see what investment would be necessary to make our A&E safe. The HSE management are disconnected from the reality of the people. We have no confidence in them”.

“This campaign will continue until we have a cast iron guarantee of a properly funded A&E in Meath.

Speaking to The Journal before the rally, Tóibín said it was “incredible” that the proposed closure of the Navan A&E is taking place in the “middle of a capacity crisis”.

The HSE has insisted that the new Medical Assessment Unit that would replace the emergency department service would still be able to facilitate around 80% of the current number of patients who present to the ED every day.

The remaining patients would be treated at Our Ladies of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

However, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly recently asked the HSE to carry out a review of capacity levels in light of a number of concerns being raised, particularly from consultants in Our Ladies of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, who said they had not been consulted about the plan.

A letter, signed by 17 consultants, stated that the “transfer of risk from an unsafe ED in Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan to an under-resourced Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda will lead to poorer clinical outcomes for patients”.

Deputy Toíbín told The Journal that this underscores how “the frontline clinicians radically disagree with senior HSE management”.

He also dismissed plans for a Medical Assessment Unit because “GPs are as rare as hen’s teeth at the moment”.

The Aontú leader recently delivered a petition that was signed by over 15,000 people to the Health Minister and said over 20,000 have marched in protests against the A&E closure over the past ten months.

He called on the “political establishment to realise how important this issue is”.

The specialists called for an independent review of what is needed in the hospital before critically ill patients are diverted to Drogheda from Navan.

James Galligan, from Meath, was among those who attended the protest this afternoon.

“I wouldn’t be standing here today only for Navan accident and emergency,” he said.

“Years ago I had a motorbike accident and I had a bleed on the brain, I was unconscious for a fortnight, and underwent emergency surgery. If I had to go anywhere else I wouldn’t be here today. I was given little chance of survival.

“Everyone wanted me moved out of Navan to go to Dublin but I was told that I was in the safest place and I am here to prove that. It’s so important for Navan A&E to stay open.

“There are so many new houses being built in the locality and it is essential to us.The feeling here is that some people say if they are going to do it, they will do it, but we have to fight it. Nothing else is gained if you do not fight for it.

“We need the A&E in Navan, and it’s crazy to downgrade it.”

Deirdre Butler, from Kells, also attended the protest today. She said the hospital in Navan saved her life.

“I got a bad dog bite years ago and I had to be operated on. I was very lucky that Navan hospital was there. If that hospital was to close I don’t know how I would have made it,” she said.

“I owe my life to them. It would be a total disaster if they closed the A&E. The other hospital won’t be able to cope. If I had to go to Drogheda hospital I would have to get a bus to Kells, up to Navan then over to Drogheda.

“There’s no transport going from here (Kells) to Drogheda.”

Additional reporting from the Press Association

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18 Comments
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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lei tatt
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:20 AM

    What can you say when your country’s defence minister is a teacher , butcher or college drop out.

    291
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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:19 AM

    @Lei tatt: I never understand that. Defence minister never worked in a military roll, minister for education never worked in an education roll, minister for health never worked in a healthcare roll, minister for justice never worked in law or in the guards. None of them have any experience in the positions they are in and often get moved around to different position then wonder why the healthcare, guards, army etc are in a terrible state

    242
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    Mute honey badger
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:33 AM

    @John: The current minister for justice was a barrister. The current minister for finance has a first class honours degree in BESS and was a sales director for proctor and gamble. The current minister for health has a PhD in political science. She has also worked as a solicitor and barrister.
    There are capable people in some of these roles. Some of these roles are beyond fixing, though. See the health system for details.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:18 AM

    @John: in fairness, we’ve had several doctors as Ministers and even Taoiseach and that wasn’t exactly a rip-roaring success now was it ?

    43
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    Mute William Jennings
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:40 AM

    @honey badger: Jim O’Callaghan just came out and said that shoplifters and drug users should no longer be prosecuted instead of building more prisons. BESS in Trinity is a degree that force-feeds Keynesian economics into its graduates, and Pascal Donoghue is no different in this regard. His fiscal policies have overseen an increase in the national debt every year and increased in the size of the government budget every year also. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has no proper experience in the private sector and cannot be expected to run the HSE efficiently. She’s a career politician and has presented no sort of visions whatsoever on how to cut the red tape and shrink the size of the HSE and its budget, which has doubled since 2015. Problems aren’t solved because there is no appetite to do it.

    64
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    Mute Lei tatt
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:10 PM

    @John: answers the question why irish government is so incompetent. They simply keep appointing same people to the different roles every 4 year to keep them all on ona gravy train. Nobody cares about the competence its all job for the boys.

    47
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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:49 PM

    @Lei tatt: They can only appoint ministers from the pool of elected TDs. If your complaint is that there are not enough experts becoming TDs, then maybe being a TD isn’t quite the gravy train that many on here would have you believe.

    12
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    Mute TheGood Feign
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:56 PM

    @Lei tatt: the US head of Defence is a news anchor, so I don’t think that’s necessarily the end all. It’s a civilian type of role.

    5
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    Mute Bren
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:40 PM

    @John: because they’re all conmen just wanting to extract extortionate amounts of taxpayers money for doing absolutely nothing right

    33
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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:50 PM

    @William Jennings: They are using the new prison to house asylum seekers we clearly shouldn’t have taken in!!

    8
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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 5:03 PM

    @honey badger: I never mentioned the minister of finance and never said current I’m talking about in general, Donnelly, McEntee and multiple other ministers had absolutely no previous experience in the roll they were in and then we wonder why the various departments are in tatters. Everything can be fixed with the right people with determination in place. It’s a rear thing these days though

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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 5:04 PM

    @John Moylan: nope it wasn’t because they weren’t working where their experience is. Doctors should stick with healthcare

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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 5:05 PM

    @Lei tatt: yep 100% agree

    1
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    Mute Dog Tired
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:30 AM

    The enemy in Ireland is within. Politicians who make decisions based solely on what’s best for them instead of what’s best for the Irish people is the ongoing issue, not an imaginary invading Army.

    245
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    Mute Donal Connell
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:20 AM

    @Dog Tired: Nail on the head

    104
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    Mute offside again
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:22 PM

    @Dog Tired: yawn

    16
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    Mute Thomas Sheridan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:10 AM

    It seems bizarre to go to the USA for advice when they operate on a vastly different scale.
    Any of the Nordic countries or France would seem a more obvious choice.

    182
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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:11 AM

    @Thomas Sheridan: don’t be talking sense now Thomas, you should know that government never do anything that actually makes sense.

    103
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    Mute Áine F
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:40 AM

    @Thomas Sheridan: This has everything to do with the US arms industry making millions and nothing to do with sense, unfortunately.

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    Mute Mary.E.
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:58 AM

    @Thomas Sheridan:
    Not very safe hiring anyone from the U.S whle Dumpty is in charge.

    41
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:46 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: Mending fences?

    5
    JP
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    Mute JP
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:59 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: More than correct. Big notions from Trumpland won’t work here.

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    Mute giles wolohan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:22 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: because it will cost millions and millions to play with the USA where we would have got the same education from one of said countries for less than half the millions the Irish government is about to waste yet again

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:01 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: It would be wrong to go against the USA. If you disagree, please leave.

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    Mute Martainn -p
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:48 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: or our friends to the east , surprisingly our armed forces already work closely and collaboratively . Yes we have a shared history much of it fraught and not benign but we are neighbours and now friends .

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    Mute Dermot N Killian MD, CDR( Retired)
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    Feb 23rd 2025, 5:42 PM

    @Thomas Sheridan: in time, you will see NATO(US Navy and Air Force bases)on your West coast to contain Russia’s encroachments.

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    Mute Niall Whelan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:39 AM

    Spend it on housing building programs to help those who do an honest daily work.

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    Mute finbarr walsh
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:02 AM

    @Niall Whelan: more money for housing won’t work money is not the issue. Shortage of workers is the biggest problem

    51
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    Mute John Moylan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:19 AM

    @finbarr walsh: actually, shortage of workers is not what’s impeding house. Over-regulation, Planning, non-construction and land costs are.

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Feb 20th 2025, 4:36 PM

    @finbarr walsh: rubbish, building personnel are highly mobile ,and follow well paid jobs.
    We had battalions of immigrant builders for the Celtic tiger bonanza.
    Market rigging, from finance, site development, phased planning , and political kowtowing to lobbyists is the cause of scarcity ,not workers.

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    Mute Oweke 68
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:20 AM

    This is the American army that has never won a war on its own .

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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:22 AM

    @Oweke 68: that also know very little about defence only attack. America are always attacking other countries and don’t have to worry about any country attacking American soil. Ireland is the complete opposite, we’ve no interest in attacking another country but want to strengthen our defence so makes no sense in asking American agencies for advice, they have a totally different mindset.

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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:42 PM

    @John: the US is next to impossible to attack.

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    Mute Joe Willis
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:43 PM

    @Oweke 68: didn’t they beat the Brits in the war of Independence in 1783?

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:00 PM

    @Oweke 68: Who would you prefer, Hama

    1
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    Mute Denis Murphy
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:15 PM

    @Oweke 68: They basically defeated the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces on their own by island hopping across the Pacific without any help from anyone.

    2
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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 5:10 PM

    @Joe Willis: really? World trade centre comes to mind! Also because of how many nukes they have no country in their right mind would attack them. Suggesting we get a load of nukes?

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    Mute Pat O'Shea
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:11 PM

    @John: Plus, no doubt this US advisory agency will no doubt recommend a large volume of military toys from the US military industrial complex that will be destroyed on Day 1 of any impending attack on us anyway! This is a bad idea on every level. Using the template of a similar “non-offensive” country with similar physical boundaries the way to go. Not being advised by an agency with the vested interests of an aggressive superpower at the core of its interests.

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:11 AM

    We could mobilise the west Cork fishermen to keep the Russian Navy at bay.

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    Mute Dan Murphy
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:55 AM

    @Willie Marty:
    ♫⋆。♪ ₊˚♬ ゚.And the boys who bet the Russian Foe were the fishermen of County Cork.♫⋆。♪ ₊˚♬ ゚.

    12
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    Mute Gavin Smartr
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:24 AM

    @Dan Murphy: gwan Christy

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    Mute Dermot N Killian MD, CDR( Retired)
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    Feb 23rd 2025, 5:48 PM

    @Willie Marty: That’s about the best you can do now, not meant facetiously. You must appreciate the need to contain Russia, and the West needs you to step up and do your bit.

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    Mute Brendan Murphy
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:02 AM

    Why go with a Pentagon related agency? The US military has lost more wars than it has won since WW2 and doesn’t exactly have a great track record of intelligence analysis from the Bay of Pigs to yellowcake uranium.
    Why not talk to countries like Sweden and Finland from whom we could learn a huge amount?

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:32 AM

    @Brendan Murphy: and they mightn’t even let us in with the bowl of shamrock.

    14
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    Mute Niamh King
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:40 AM

    This is long overdue but the right decision was made to start the process of catching up with Europe. Nobody is obligated to protect Ireland but Ireland. It’s an embarrassment to think otherwise, while depending on favours upon bigger countries.
    We also need to increase GDP spending in line with Europe and discuss why countries are in NATO. It is to protect Europe which we are part of , I’m sure some of those countries would prefer not to be in it as well ! But they join anyway to defend themselves and others. We are not the country from a 100 years ago so the excuses / reasons don’t apply anymore.

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    Mute Rochelle Hart
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:30 PM

    @Niamh King: Protect Ireland from who?

    37
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    Mute Dere
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:36 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: it’s like the cold war again, gravy train of taxpayers money for big defense contractors lobbyists.

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    Mute Daratheprofessional 1
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:01 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: You never know who but you do need to be ready just incase. I mean we don’t even control our own air space.

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:42 PM

    @Dere: Roman maxim: “Those who desire peace, should prepare for war”.

    5
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    Mute Marc Power
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    Feb 20th 2025, 5:45 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: another clueless lefty

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    Mute Niamh King
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:57 PM

    @Rochelle Hart: if it wasn’t for NATO protecting democracy, then any stronger military country could potentially cause trouble. I’m sure Russia or China wouldn’t have a problem with a nice landing zone in the EU… the point is why don’t people think for a moment what if there was no NATO or if all countries had the attitude of just looking in their back garden.

    We wouldn’t even be allowed an opinion to post any arguments for and against defence, similar to said countries listed above.

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    Mute New Boy
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:02 AM

    My question is, why do we need this .
    Is Ireland not Neutral anymore

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    Mute honey badger
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:49 AM

    @New Boy: My question is: when were we neutral? It’s not in our constitution. We haven’t the ability to enforce our neutrality. We are non-aligned. We are defenceless. We are great at words.

    66
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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:15 AM

    @New Boy: even if we are neutral we still need to be able to defend ourselves to some degree if ever attacked.

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    Mute Sean Finnegan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:07 AM

    @New Boy: The Swiss are neutral. They spend three or four times the amount on defence compared to Ireland and they don’t need or have a navy. Ireland don’t need to go mad but they need more boats patrolling, better air defence and to pay the defence forces in total a FAR better wage. They are treated terribly.

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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:07 AM

    @Sean Finnegan: Just going to make the same point.

    As an illustration Ireland is ranked 97th out of 144 on the Global Firepower Index.

    Switzerland is 45th.

    Just because you are ‘neutral’ doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a plan.

    23
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:08 PM

    @Stanley Marsh: Aint a ‘bad guy’ in the world gonna mess with the Swiss… there are many forms of defence.

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    Mute P0h2YVAL
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:10 PM

    @Stanley Marsh: The Swiss have a huge network of underground bunkers, to shelter the population in case of nuclear attack.
    Imagine our government attempting to create even one underground bunker, keeping the debacle of the children’s hospital in mind.

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    Mute Dermot N Killian MD, CDR( Retired)
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    Feb 23rd 2025, 5:51 PM

    @New Boy: nobody is neutral anymore. Neutral means vulnerable.

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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:10 AM

    Maybe start with hiring and paying a decent wage to navy staff so the ships that are sitting up not being used can be put to use. Start with the basics. If you don’t have the staff nothing else is of any use. Bad idea too getting advice from a war hungry government agency.

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    Mute Declan McKenna
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:39 AM

    Is this the same Pentagon that sent three highly dangerous Osprey military aircraft to fly over Dublin city in August 2023. Aircraft that fell out of the sky so often they had to be completely withdrawn from service. To this day, Micheál Martin still refuses to answer questions about how he allowed such dangerous aircraft to fly over Dublin.

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    Mute Kieron King
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:57 AM

    ‘grounded in American values’, God help us.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:10 PM

    @Kieron King: Yup. ‘American values’ = lead in the drinking water

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:03 PM

    @Kieron King: Would you prefer Hamas values?

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    Mute Nick Vasilakis
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:58 AM

    Why do we want “American values and approaches”?

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    Mute did you every wonder
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:13 AM

    @Nick Vasilakis: The garda are wearing baseball hats , says it all really.

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:42 AM

    @Nick Vasilakis: No offence, but by your name I suspect you’re eastern European, Greek or Dutch South African? Western Europe, but especially England and Ireland have specially strong historic ties with America (values and approaches) that has translated through adopted and adapted culture that flows strongly west to east. Your question comes perhaps 70 years too late.

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:46 AM

    @did you every wonder: In the words of Alan Partridge “They’ve rebadged them”.

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:13 PM

    @Nick Vasilakis: Why should Irish people be dictated to foreigners like you who act entitled? America has done more for us than your country no doubt.

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    Mute Dermot N Killian MD, CDR( Retired)
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    Feb 23rd 2025, 5:53 PM

    @Nick Vasilakis: what are Irish values these days? Renal and delusion come to mind.

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    Mute Owen Mc
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:50 AM

    This is ridiculous, how much further are we going to go to appease Trump, and for M. Martin to get to the White House for St. Patrick’s Day. Is the Irish Defence Forces just going to become a Remote European Based Regiment of the American Defence Forces. If a Pentagon based Group is going to be responsible for the Modernisation, what checks and balances will be put in place to oversee their Recommendations and operation as you can bet they will have full access to our Forces Training, Planning and Capabilities, when completed, and probably most of the New Equipment they will be using will be Purchased from U.S owned Companies.

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    Mute John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:13 AM

    @Owen Mc: love to know how much this consultation is going to cost the Irish tax payer, probably millions

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    Mute Argus Romsworth
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:45 AM

    @John: I’m happy to contribute to defence given their far superior nature of the leaders east and west

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:00 PM

    @Owen Mc: Who would you prefer to appease? Hamas? Ukraine who do nothing for us except offload their problems?

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    Mute michael powell
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:22 AM

    Asking the fox to mind the chickens.

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    Mute Helena Camella Cummins
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:14 AM

    And how many years will that take. It should get Mr.Trump on board though….my advice still stands..do not join up.Maybe they will talk to the men whose lives were damaged to find out what is wrong with the Air Corps and not be bluffed by officers self serving viewpoints.

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    Mute bruce banner
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:13 AM

    The consultation will cost more than 600m to be spent if history is anything to go by with our current leaders.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Feb 20th 2025, 8:54 AM

    American advice. Step 1: Invade Middle Eastern country with loads of oil. Step 2: Give Billions of contracts in said country to your mates. Step 3: Give Israel whatever they want. Step 4: Eventually retreat with your tail between your legs, hundreds of thousands dead but your mates are obscenely rich now. Step 5: Repeat Step 1 in about 5-7 years

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:59 PM

    @FoxyBoiiYT: Think you need to shut your mouth. The news today showed ordinary Palestinians rejoicing to see the bodies of those Bibas children.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Feb 20th 2025, 4:09 PM

    @Beachvibe: How many Palestinian children murdered by the Zionists? Bet you simply don’t care

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    Mute The Firestarter
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:04 AM

    In all fairness we would need to spend hundreds of billions to bring our army to a point where they probably could defend the country. Considering all our more pressing issues, and how unlikely it is that anyone would ever attack us, is it worth it??

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    Mute Ailbhe MacThomais
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:11 PM

    Buy all the latest military products you want. If you don’t pay the staff to utilise these military products real living wages these new pieces of equipment will be tied at a port or in an aircraft hanger or on the parade ground. Is the political establishment parties trying to remove neutrality

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    Mute Argus Romsworth
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:02 AM

    This is a good decision.
    Even if I’d rather have seen us use China given their far superior growth in technological advancement.

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    Mute Michael Dineen
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:15 PM

    Why do we need €600,000,000 worth of armoured vehicles.

    The answer; we don’t!

    This is all part of the headlong rush to demolish our prized neutral and non-combatant status. We should never the open to Ireland participating in foreign wars and aggression.

    We need to scrap the military in its entirety and replace it with an armed aid to the civil power. Much more fit for purpose.

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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:29 PM

    We’re being coached by a US body that has “American values and approaches” , who authorised this hijack by the US? Dig a bit deeper into this organisation upstream, dont tell me intelligence services dont scrape all the knowledge gained. Nothing should be shared with these guys , someone here is compromising our national security. Should be a pause and an inquiry.

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:53 PM

    @Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: Because we are and should be more like the US than your buddies in Palestine.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:48 AM

    I wonder when the Arms lobbies looked at their map and thought ‘you know Ireland could be a good place to make a bit of money’? Maybe in the crash, maybe earlier… but we’ve been a target for a while I would think

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    Mute Todd Hebert
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:46 PM

    If it is “pentagon-based” then it is not an agency, it is the US military itself.
    I think someone drastically misunderstood something, or the firm drastically misrepresented itself.

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    Mute Peter Finnigan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:03 AM

    I have no issue with seeking advice from an expert group. The simple truth is that the military needs assistance. Regarding the hardware, someone mentioned that we would purchase it from the Americans; however, the story indicates that we are currently negotiating with a French firm for €600 million worth of equipment. As for the ships we might need, they will likely be built in Europe or Asia. I assume that the helicopters will be of French or British origin, while if we decide to acquire jets, they will probably be the Eurofighter or similar aircraft of European construction. Although much of this is speculation, it seems logical. Historically, we haven’t purchased much hardware from American companies; even our handheld weapons are primarily of European origin.

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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:51 PM

    All part of the Nato lobby push on willing FFG to make the preferred USA defence companies rich selling us what we dont need wonder why!!

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    Mute Bat Collins
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:50 AM

    Since we’re not at war, we should first of all see that our people are housed properly, not in bed sits, flats, or rented from wealthy landowners. The politicians in all parties have the highest number of landlords in Ireland
    House the people first before you spend money on an army we don’t need as we beat the British Empire with just rifled and courage.

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    Mute Alan Brennan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:00 PM

    @Bat Collins: maybe our government should declare war on the housing and hospital debacles instead of looking to pick fights with Russia and Israel . I am no fan of either of them but to listen to some in Ireland you think our neutrality was hindering world peace .

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:13 PM

    @Bat Collins: Who are we ‘housing’? It’s an infinite list it seems? Transport affects more people, Healthcare too, if we’re reducing ourselves to one problem at a time we’ll be forever waiting. Tho I suppose we already are

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:53 PM

    @Bat Collins: The gov spent 1 billion euro on asylum seekers last year. Irish citizens were never a priority

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    Mute Nigel McAtamney
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:02 PM

    Call a spade a spade. The US are offering defence advice, being all nice and making doe eyes at us, everything it can do to butter (lube) us up. And their only sole objective…..Keep Shannon open to their military aircraft. Because we would never accuse them of bringing weapons through our country, and we trust them 101% and would never ever embarrass them by actually wanting to check their cargo

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:52 PM

    @Nigel McAtamney: Excuse me? We owe the US more than they owe us. I don’t want to even hear the like of you barking. Another Hamas Palestine sympathizer no doubt.

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    Mute Alan Brennan
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:38 AM

    The Pentagon can teach us how to meddle in countries we should’ve stayed the hell out of . How to make them worse than they were before we went in .

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:55 PM

    @Alan Brennan: And yet Ireland has been meddling. Giving 50 million euro to fund the Ukraine war. And protesting on the side of Palestinians who cheered when the bodies of those two Israeli children were revealed. Some things never change

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    Mute Declan Young
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    Feb 20th 2025, 9:03 AM

    We are a NATO protectorate, we have the security of a nato state without the responsibilities. We maintain a po faced air of superioty about our “neutrality “whilst hiding behind others. Neutrality is a cowards charter. It’s not a badge of honour its a badge of shame.

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    Mute Áine F
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:42 AM

    @Declan Young: Go live in Britain then, our only historic enemy and also a founding member of NATO – considering you seem to love it so much!

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    Mute Patricia Mc namara
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:59 AM

    @Áine F: but it’s ok to ask other Europeans to die protecting us!!!

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    Mute Declan Young
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:37 PM

    @Áine F: halfwit

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:58 PM

    @Declan Young: I would only denouce neutrality if we side with the US our closest ally. Not with Hamas, Palestinans or Ukraine which is probably what you want.

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    Mute Kevin O Brien
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:57 PM

    How many billion did the pentagon waste in the nato fake orchestrated Ukraine war that killed hundreds of thousands now we see why neutral minded Sinn Fein were damaged by the controlled and bought media before the election

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    Mute P0h2YVAL
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:15 PM

    … Look outta your windows, watch the skies
    Read all the instructions with bright blue eyes
    We’re W.A.S.P.’s, yeah, proud American sons
    We know how to clean our teeth
    And how to strip down a gun
    … ‘Cause we’re the 51st state of America
    Yeah, we’re the 51st state of America
    This is the 51st state of America

    Matt Johnston, The The.

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    Mute Brendan Fitzsimons
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:15 PM

    @P0h2YVAL: 53rd. after Canada and Greenland!

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    Mute James Doyle
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    Feb 20th 2025, 1:52 PM

    Sleeveen & Traitor Martin pushing to join NATO. We owe 240, 000,000,000, Euro to lenders thanks to his Party F/F. We as a Country can not afford this Warmongering expenditure on toys for the boys. Health services in crisis, Housing and rent unaffordable, migration madness, and he wants to spend Billions on War Toys.

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    Mute leon nirwri
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:58 AM

    We will probably buy some other country’s out of date rubbish, we don’t need defence, we are a strategic location so when the time comes nato or the good old americans or Britain would defend it for themselves..with the amount of American troops in shannon at any given time and the Russian and American subs off the coast u can be sure the Chinese are there but none of the others can find them..so that’s more than enough!! Keep them Americans away or this 600 million will be 6 billion in 2 years!!! Our only threat are already here!! The government!

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:01 AM

    I would totally agree with remodeling our defence forces but not along a USA model. Most of us do not want trigger happy morons whose only idea of defence is attack!

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:18 AM

    @Padraig O’Brien: The Best defence is attack. How quickly you forget WW2.

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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Feb 20th 2025, 12:53 PM

    @Keth 417: And how easily you parrot the Kremlin, who were “forced” to invade Ukraine using that same logic

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    Mute Beachvibe
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:56 PM

    @Padraig O’Brien: Ireland took sides with Arab nations and Ukraine. The activists on our streets and the government already endangered us

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:05 PM

    @Jason Memail: My point was limited entirely to the U.S forces quite literally rescuing Europe from the Nazis. And later, through the cold war, from the communists. Re: Communists, it would seem they have now evolved into the looney left movement/woke movement, especially the posh ones here and abroad who’d be the first up against the wall, should the commies ever come to power.

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    Mute Tony
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:19 PM

    We should be using European contractors. America is a lapdog of Russia now. Not Allies anymore.

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    Mute Dan Murphy
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    Feb 20th 2025, 10:47 AM

    An Army of Officers. Wonder why the Israelis called them, The Johnny Walker Brigade.

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    Mute McCarthy John
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:32 AM

    Why invest more money in armor vehicles? Ukraine has shown that drone warfare has taken over

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:16 AM

    Even though it’s far easier to buy missiles and gunships than build houses, we would be gone in the first 24 hours, conventional war or not. This talk of arming ourselves….it’s another example of obeying the current panic within the EU to arm up. Also….if we can’t get enough house builders, where we get the (boy…& girl) soldiers? The cost of a standing army is expensive, just ask William tbe conquerer while waiting for the wind to change.

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    Mute You Cant Be Serious
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    Feb 20th 2025, 7:39 AM

    Did anyone ask the Donald Duck?

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    Mute Keth 417
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    Feb 20th 2025, 11:32 AM

    Yeah…let’s bring a knife to a gun fight. …not like we’re short of knives.

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    Mute William Jennings
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:20 PM

    This should have happened a lot time ago. If we want to become one of the best, we have to learn from the best. Ireland currently spends 0.3% of GDP on defence, which is embarrassingly low. We’ve an air force with no fighter jets, a navy that can’t patrol its own waters and an army smaller than many police forces. For a start, the government has to take that necessary leap and start spending at least 2% of GDP on our national defence. Nothing is more irresponsible than a nation refusing to defend itself while relying on the goodwill of others. It’s time for us to join NATO as well. Irish politicians love to talk about “neutrality,” as if simply declaring neutrality will make enemies respect it. Ireland already benefits from NATO’s protection without contributing. That’s called freeloading.

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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Feb 20th 2025, 2:12 PM

    All the neutrality dreamers are out in force once again, would be more in their line to understand what neutrality actually means.

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    Mute Éanna o Sca
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    Feb 20th 2025, 4:57 PM

    Irish defence forces aka “Baldonnel flying club”
    Know everything already! :) Don’t think they’ll appreciate listening to all their shortcomings

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Feb 20th 2025, 4:24 PM

    Whats with our much vaunted and highly paid public servants that they need consultants to advise on almost everything. Is it lack of expertise or just avoiding responsibility? In this case, why cannot our braided Air,Marine LandDefence chiefs be brought together to design a system to effectively protect our state.
    The deficiencies are obvious to everyone, including the top brass and defence Ministers, so just take responsibility, get moving or get out.

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    Mute Dermot N Killian MD, CDR( Retired)
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    Feb 23rd 2025, 5:38 PM

    Pull your weight and join NATO.
    With Russian submarines off your western shores and overflights at a whim, it’s time.

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    Mute MN
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:39 PM

    Are we going in to regime changes now, that’s all the pentagon does

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    Mute Brendan Fitzsimons
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    Feb 20th 2025, 3:14 PM

    Would someone remove that repetitive nonsense post Beachvibe has at the end of every thread.?

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    Mute Jonathan Hanlon
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    Feb 20th 2025, 6:22 PM

    No one will mess with us

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