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Minister of State Alex White. Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Alex White announces reforms to drugs task forces

More than €28 million will be made available to the task forces next year to support community based initiatives.

MINISTER OF STATE Alex White today announced the conclusion of a review of the Drugs Task Forces and a series of reforms to better equip them.

The review recommends a series of changes to help the task forces to respond with the current pattern of substance misuse.

The forces will now be renamed the “Drug and Alcohol Task Forces” reflecting their current role in tackling substance misuse, including alcohol.

The other key changes include:

  • A National Coordinating Committee to be established to guide the work of  the  Drug and Alcohol Task Forces and drive implementation of the National Drugs Strategy;
  • Clearer  terms  of reference and corporate governance guidelines for Drug and Alcohol Task Forces;
  • Measures  to encourage more Public Representative involvement in the work of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces;
  • Review  of the number and boundaries of Drugs Task Forces, mainly in Dublin.

Commenting today, White said the reforms are focused on “strengthening the impact of the Drugs Task Forces so that they continue to be central to the local response to tackling the drug and alcohol problem”.

He said in excess of €28 million will be made available to the task forces from the Drugs Initiative Fund in 2013 to support community based drugs initiatives.

White also said he intends to bring forward further measures to improve  management  and  control  of  expenditure  by  the community drugs projects overseen by the Drugs Task Forces in the New Year.

Read: Government failure to tackle alcohol abuse had “devastating” impact on society – health specialist>

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21 Comments
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    Mute John Mullan
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:05 AM

    Come on UK, do the right thing…………….

    210
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    Mute Seán Domhnall O'Sullivan
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:09 AM

    …and get out.

    237
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    Mute lunatictravel.com
    Favourite lunatictravel.com
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:40 AM

    If we go which hopefuly we will Ireland should also be given the chance to leave an undemocratic fudementaly flawed EU making our islands free of damaging continental interference

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:55 AM

    Nice fence there , John……everyone thinks you sitting on theirs……lol

    87
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    Mute Alien8
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:08 AM

    @lunatic… we’ve already paid up for the next 50 years by talking on all of their bad debt. it would be a bit harsh promising to pay that off while not getting any benefits (like toll free roads, open travel and zero unemployment… oh, wait!)

    63
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    Mute lunatictravel.com
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:41 AM

    Write off that 50 years with their bad debt it will soon be 150 years youre paying for join us and leave might not get you zero unemployment but at least you would have the chance mess up your own economy as hopefuly we will lol and not have the EU do it for us

    28
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    Mute cor-mac
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:07 AM

    After that performance last night by Ireland Britain could vote to leave the planet and we wouldn’t give a shit!

    152
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:15 AM

    They should just vote to join the great nation of Ireland and too join in the celebrations of our greatest achievement.

    75
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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:27 AM

    If the EU, in it’s present form, was a benefit to people, this vote wouldn’t even need to be taking place.

    131
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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:28 AM

    You haven’t a clue!

    15
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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:12 AM

    That’s a great argument you’ve made there Proinsias. Completely changed my perception of the EU. Thanks for sharing your abundance of knowledge on the subject.

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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:38 AM

    You have the cheek to talk about my post! Read your own original post, it is a meaning less sound bite.

    I could write an essay on the benefits of the EU and the benefits to it’s people, but I don’t have the time so I found this link for you to peruse:

    http://econ.economicshelp.org/2007/03/benefits-of-european-union.html

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:07 AM

    You might want ot recheck your sources there Proinsias. Even the comments section of your link are stating that the information used is outdated and inaccurate. Maybe try again there with a more reputable source.

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    Mute Killian O'Hara
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:21 AM

    Anything we get from the EU is like receiving a hug from your rapist.

    22
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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:27 AM

    Trevor, some more links for you, I see you still haven’t posted anything to back up your meaningless soundbite!

    http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/about-us/ireland-in-eu_en

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kVolT-YwmE

    7
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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:45 AM

    Austerity, decimated fisheries industry, below cost dairy, reduced subsidies, governed from Brussels/Strasbourg, Ireland pays more into the EU than it takes out, to name just a few. The original idea of the EEC is not the issue, the EU as it is today is where the problem lies. Countries from across Europe are watching closely, because if Britain leaves the EU, they’ll be requesting their own referendum in relation to their own countries. If the union was beneficial to all, then why would anyone want to leave.

    19
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:05 PM

    Cameron says it better to be in so they can change things…but Juncker has already stated that there will be no more concessions.
    If Britain vote to stay, Brussels will take this as an affirmation of their policies and there will be no change….and Britain will never get to vote on the issue again.
    If Britain does vote to leave, this will start a debate among the remaining countries about what direction the EU is going and what can be done to change it for the better, so that it’s people feel part of it and not just flotsam in a sea of detached bureaucracy.
    This vote is about the status quo or change for the better.

    11
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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:14 PM

    Trevor I will just address your first point, but I’ll also state that as you get richer (as we have done spectacularly since we joine) then you become a net payer!

    Before we joined the EU we did not have a fishing industry as such, we had a small inshore fleet and left the high seas to the Europeans!

    “In the period 1973-2013, the fish landings in tonnes by Irish vessels over 10m in length more than doubled. Based on one estimate of the 1973 data, the landings in the record year of 1995 were five times the level in the initial year of membership of the then European Economic Community (ECC).”

    http://www.finfacts.ie/Irish_finance_news/articleDetail.php?Irish-fisheries-industry-and-myth-of-EU-stealing-our-fish-392

    2
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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:30 PM

    Proinsias, I think you should go over your facts before submitting. http://www.sceala.com/phpBB2/irish-forums-25255.html

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:36 PM

    http://www.tradingeconomics.com/ireland/government-debt-to-gdp

    And just on your first point. If this is what you call getting richer, then I’d rather be poor.

    7
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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:39 PM

    http://www.financedublin.com/debtclock.php

    I think you’ll see from this that the figures are going up, not down, and certainly not in our favour.

    7
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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:07 AM

    Of people I know for certain which way they’re going it’s 2:1 for leave. But that’s just 3 people. It may not be indicative.

    99
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    Mute Amy Gaffney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:39 AM

    My family in London say they don’t know a single person who will be voting remain, so I’m a bit surprised to see an expected large “remain” vote there.

    61
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    Mute lunatictravel.com
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:51 AM

    I am British Ive only spoken to 1 person who wants to stay in a few have kept quiet but a lot have said the want to leave so where the 50% who want to stay in are im not sure on the telly pherhaps have seen some remain posters around but not on mass 80% to leave 20% to stay would be a fair assessment of what I’ve seen

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:48 AM

    I only know one person in Britain who is voting Leave and I know two who are actively campaigning for Remain.

    What this primarily shows is that we can’t tell anything from our own social circles, who are largely the same class, race and to a lesser extent gender as ourselves.

    16
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    Mute Pat Aherne
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 6:26 PM

    IT’S called the silent majority, babes.

    1
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:28 AM

    Eirexit ? Time to have a discussion

    86
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    Mute Richard Moloney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:32 AM

    Seeing that none of our political parties are anti eu this will not happen

    41
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    Mute Wally Mooney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:57 AM

    The AAA and Socialist Party are opposed to the anti working class and anti democratic E.U. Here’s an article outlining our position written during the E.U. led de facto cop against Greece last year:

    “the experience in the last months should definitively answer the question as to whether any “good euro” strategy is possible – whether it is possible to implement anti-austerity measures, while sticking to the euro at all costs and not decisively challenging capitalism. It is not.
    The rules of the Economic and Monetary Union and the EU itself are a neo-liberal straitjacket – designed to ensure adherence to right-wing economic policies, through the power given to the unelected ECB and through restrictions like the Stablility & Growth Targets, the Fiscal Treaty and the six-pack and two-pack. Therefore, any genuinely Left government must be prepared to pursue its demands of debt repudiation and an end to austerity to the end, even if it means being kicked out of the euro. It must prepare people generally for the need for a confrontation with the interests of capital in Europe, in order to set out to restructure the economy and society on a democratic socialist basis – organised for the interests of people, rather than for profit- maximisation.”

    http://socialistparty.ie/2015/03/lessons-from-greece-how-can-the-troika-be-defeated/

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    Mute Wally Mooney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:57 AM

    de facto coup

    6
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    Mute tommy macdonagh
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:36 AM

    The looney object to the EU …. but have no problem collecting wages from the EU, and ye wonder why everyone laughs at ye clowns :D

    10
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    Mute Wally Mooney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:46 PM

    Tommy,
    The capitalist class (for which you’re a rather inept mouthpiece) object to the working class but have no problem living off the backs of the workers.

    2
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    Mute Lee Jones
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:01 AM

    the bookies are still saying that they will stay in and they were spot on in calling the conservatives winning the last election. whatever the result it should be respected and not called in to question and voted on again unlike us.

    78
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    Mute Tony Tee
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:37 AM

    Until of course all the British living in Spain & France suddenly realize that they may need visa’s etc……come to Britain for a better life and your a immigrant, leave Britain and go to mainland Europe for a better life and your a ex-pat.

    24
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    Mute Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:59 AM

    they were spot on with the Scottish referendum too, looks like they’re staying so.

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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:57 AM

    I still say 62% to remain IN. People will bottle it today and continue in as sheep. Just like the rest of the EU.

    54
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    Mute Martin Critten
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:22 AM

    Sadly that’s often the way of it, just hope people recognise the EU structurally is beyond reform. Maybe major civil unrest in 20 years who knows what’s cooking after this..

    47
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    Mute Richard Moloney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:33 AM

    Martin did you say the same 20 uears ago?

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:48 AM

    Perhaps not. Though the rot wasn’t that particularly visible. Maybe because at that age had the head down working and paying mortgages n stuff, like a good sheep.. Given recent economic collapses it’s now more apparent what an officious undemocratic USSR style machine the EU has become.. Welcome to Skynet..

    35
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    Mute Richard Moloney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:05 AM

    Given recent econmic collaspes we like to blame everyone else but ourselves. Also we went from being the poorest eu member when we joined to one of the richest (per captia). Don’t forget the eu stopped us from jailing gays, making women quit jobs when they got married or even warning us about overheating our economy back in 2001. Stop using the eu as a boggey man

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    Mute Wally Mooney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 10:10 AM

    Who’s this “ourselves” you’re referring to Richard? Most people do not belong to the senior banking or political class who conspired to load a mountain of private banking debt on to the backs of the Irish people.

    You also seem to have forgotten that the ECB illegally coerced Ireland into the Troika bailout (stitch up) under threat of withdrawing liquidity funding to the Irish banks and collapsing our banking system as confirmed in the Trichet letters. This ensured every red cent of bondholder debt would be rapid by ourselves.

    And you also seem to have missed the fact the at the E.U is now crushing the living standards of millions of ordinary Greeks including imposing a 6 day working week again to ensure the debts of speculative finance capital are paid.

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/04/eurozone-six-day-week-greece

    Just a couple of examples to show how the E.U is no friend of the majority working class but exists to protect the interest of t capital.

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    Mute tommy macdonagh
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:37 AM

    Wally do you not say your lot represent the working class… only shame is they dont vote for your clowns, why ever would that be :D

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    Mute Phil Blanc
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 5:02 PM

    Because in order to be working class one needs to work. Voting for the Polemic before People/Anti-Common Sense Alliance shower would be a guarantee they’d never work again.

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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:22 AM

    In that voting booth it’s going to be Status Quo for a lot of people, so … Living on an island. Roll over lay down or Break the rules and Burning Bridges. Either way the Party ain’t over yet.

    23
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    Mute Barry O'Carroll
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 6:38 AM

    Announcing results at 4am?! Surely not

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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:58 AM

    Ohhh they will they will and don’t call me Surely lol

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    Mute dublin spotter
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 6:33 AM

    Who gives a hoot.

    10
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:15 AM

    Some people might say the same about plane spotting. Each to their own.

    83
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    Mute dublin spotter
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 7:21 AM

    Shots fired

    12
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    Mute Amy Gaffney
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 8:37 AM

    Who says hoot?

    21
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    Mute Pól Ó Conghaile
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:23 AM

    Hard to imagine them staying in. Hope they will but the rhetoric has been so divisive, racist and xenophobic its hard to see the Remain side winning

    9
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    Mute Adam Smythe
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 11:07 AM

    As someone remarked recently the Brexit vote is a public manifestation of an internal Conservative Party row.
    The party has been split down the middle, riven apart from the bitterness of the debate.
    These rifts will never heal.
    It’s an ill wind that blows nobody some good I suppose.

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    Mute John Call
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 12:51 PM

    tttt

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    Mute Anne Roberts
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    Jun 23rd 2016, 9:05 PM

    Seriously?! Wales is a country! Not a region!!!

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    Mute Jeffre Tomred
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    Jun 26th 2016, 2:24 AM

    BE SMART AND BECOME RICH IN LESS THAN 3DAYS….It all depends on how fast you can be to get the new PROGRAMMED blank ATM card that is capable of hacking into any ATM machine,anywhere in the world. I got to know about this BLANK ATM CARD when I was searching for job online about l 5days ago ..It has really changed my life for good and now I can say I’m rich and I can never be poor again. The least money I get $2,000 daily and now i have $10,000… Everyday I keeping pumping money into my account. Though is illegal,there is no risk of being caught ,because it has been programmed in such a way that it is not traceable,it also has a technique that makes it impossible for the CCTVs to detect you..For details on how to get yours today, email the hackers on : (cindytedder767@yahoo.com) Tell your loved once too, and start to live large. That’s the simple testimony of how my life changed for good…Love you all …the email address again is (cindytedder767@yahoo.com)

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