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Plan to increase Seanad voters by 650,000 published

Minister Phil Hogan said that the expansion is overdue.

THE SCHEME OF a bill that will massively increase the number of eligible voters in Seanad elections has been published.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan today published for consultation the General Scheme of a Bill to reform how the six university senators are elected.

The bill plans to create one constituency of six senators and expand voting rights to other universities and higher education institutions.

It is estimated that up to 800,000 people would be entitled to register under the planned reforms.

When the Seanad constituencies were established in 1937, the National University of Ireland had 9,000 constituents and Trinity College had 3,400. At the 2011 Seanad elections there were some 151,000 voters on the combined registers for the two university constituencies.

Hogan said that the expansion is overdue.

“Implementation of this constitutional provision could have been done at any point since 1979.

The Government is now taking action to implement the will of the people.

“The approach being adopted is for a broad definition of institutions of higher education to be applied in order to include universities, institutes of technology, other higher education institutions and private colleges.”

The scheme is now being circulated to members of the Seanad and forwarded to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht for consideration.

The deadline for receipt of written submissions is Friday, April 11. Submissions or queries on the draft legislation can be addressed to:

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014’,
Franchise Section,
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Submissions can also be emailed to franchise@environ.ie.

Read: Senator admits his two-day week ‘gives the impression the Seanad is full of dossers’

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59 Comments
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:22 PM

    Phil hogan says it’s ‘overdue’. Remember he voted to abolish the Seanad. Nice try

    106
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    Mute Drew Clarke
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:18 PM

    Still not good enough. It needs total reform and unless everyone can vote it’s an affront to democracy. It also will likely favour women as more women than men are graduating with degrees at the moment.

    104
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:20 PM

    You fundamentally don’t the purpose of a Senate then. It is not meant to be a one vote for for all clientelist setup.

    37
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:24 PM

    I made a boo boo. My fingers can rarely keep up with my mind, so many advanced thoughts racing around, struggling to get out.

    12
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    You must have some slow fingers so

    60
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:36 PM

    Smarter than you chief.

    5
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:39 PM

    A sentence usually uttered by stupid people.

    54
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
    Favourite Leopold Dedalus
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:44 PM

    I don’t know what’s worse; that you just posted an image of your bank statement to make a statement (pun intended) or that you think getting paid 67k a year makes you a genius. You know Wayne Rooney gets three times as much a week? And he’s not the brightest spark.

    61
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:46 PM

    I pay more tax in a month than you do all year. I should really have the bigger say on the senate and politics in general.

    7
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    Mute Nigel O Keeffe
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Why post your salary for all to see…? trying to compensate for something else ?

    59
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:47 PM

    I’d get banned for posting up my lad. For my wife and gfs eyes only.

    4
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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:48 PM

    Brendan only gets €5700 per month?

    Peasant.

    53
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:48 PM

    And it’s amazing that you know that without knowing what I earn. I think the best and most intuitive system would be for the people most capable of running the country to have the biggest say no? You can move to the back of the queue…

    31
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:52 PM

    Lads he’s a sad troll, his other buddy “wright steve” should be along soon.

    23
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:54 PM

    Brenden just wondering yesterday you claimed to be working in Switzerland paying no income tax, and today you are paying tax.
    Your memory is a bit slow to I see.

    30
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:56 PM

    I could explain the tax situation to you Norm but you’d struggle to get it. Suffice to say I live like a prince.

    6
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:57 PM

    On €5700 a month? Do you live in Somalia by any chance?

    35
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:00 PM

    Its a fair wedge when I’ve only to pay a few gas and tv bills out of it. How’s life here for you?

    3
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    Mute Left_Wing_Steve©
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:01 PM

    I’m here Norman, how can I help?

    8
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    Mute Silent Majority
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:02 PM

    That’s not a pay cheque, it’s a bank statement. So you are boasting about 5k in your current account?! Let me the first to say whoop de doo! Your missus must be kicked if she’s so easily impressed.

    21
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:02 PM

    Brendan I’ll type slowly for you…pay attention yesterday you claimed not to pay income tax, today you claim the opposite.
    You do fit the profile of a Troll, sadly for you neither a very bright or believeable one.
    Now I can only respond twice more to you as I ‘m approaching my “idiot response allowance”for today.

    23
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:03 PM

    Never mentioned income tax. Tax-free means a lot of things.

    5
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:07 PM

    Brenden so “I’m working tax free” has a different meaning? English not your first language?
    Only one response left.

    16
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:13 PM

    If you’re stuck for cash lads, there are jobs going in the CRC. You can be the CEO taking home €3500 a month! A bit off me but beggars can’t be choosers.
    http://www.publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/campaignAdvert/10164/booklet.htm

    4
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:17 PM

    Another good one for you. Deputy state pathologist. You have to be a doctor and have decades of experience but the pay is pretty tidy. You’ll take home about €5500 a month, not quite the heights of my package.

    http://www.publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/campaignAdvert/10360/booklet.htm

    4
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:23 PM

    @ Norman I am surprised that you would engage with a complete and utter juvenile.

    14
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    Mute Oliver Moran
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:26 PM

    Brendan. Stop.

    There are people reading this who have a larger income than you. And there are people reading this who have a smaller income than you. They all think you’re a knob.

    38
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:31 PM

    Paul I always engage for a period just to allow them make bigger bell*nds of themselves.
    Brendan has an uncanny knack of coming across as an idiot with very little effort.

    11
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:31 PM

    I’m not saying I’m the richest man in the world. I’m just saying I’m richer and smarter than all of you here.

    6
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    Mute Massimo Osti
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:46 PM

    Brendan,

    How little you must have in your life. I genuinely feel sorry for you. Anyone who has to attempt to belittle other people on the journal must be in a sombre state of affairs in their personal life. Enjoy your night Bren, with your fantastic salary, wife and girlfriends.

    11
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:51 PM

    I’m mentally ill. This is a cry for help.

    5
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    Mute Andrew Nolan
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:03 PM

    Thats a small redundancy payment!

    10
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    Mute Matthias Baumann
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:07 PM

    @Brendan

    Without any doubt you are one of the biggest morons that ever posted a comment here….what is your point in anyway? To proof that one can occasionally be on decent wages without having any kind of qualification and lacking any intellectual capacity?
    Are you by any chance a politician? That would explain a lot….

    16
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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:31 PM

    Everyone should have a vote on it. Have the elections same day as general election. You run for one or another.

    74
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    Mute Keith Gregg
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    Feb 15th 2014, 2:27 AM

    It is and should be different to the Dåil. It should keep the Dåil in check. Ideally it would be largely a-political, representing all of Ireland. I think there should rightly be a different electorate to the Dåil elections, what that electorate is is hard to define, as well as what voting system should be used. Political parties should be limited to the amount of senators they can have, thus making sure its not the tail of the dog.

    4
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    Mute Noble Gas
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:25 PM

    Trinity senators are fecked so! This is just a distraction to delay real the change. The senate will still be loaded with political failures or government favourites.

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    Mute Keith Wizzy
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:41 PM

    About time and it needs total reform. Absolute disgrace that just because I went to a certain university that I’m more equal than others with an entitlement to vote.

    39
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    Mute Kevin
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:33 PM

    Reform!!! My fat ar$e. Hogan has more faces than Big Ben. He can take a long walk off a short pier.

    28
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    Mute David Harrington
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    Is Ronan Mullen one of the six? If so, I don’t like his chances anymore :)

    24
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:39 PM

    He’s throwing his lot in with the big boys and girls to become an MEP. Us god hatin liberals finally get to have a say in Sen Mullen’s political aspirations.

    10
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    Mute Oisín
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    Here we go again!!

    23
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    Mute Johnny Downes
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:20 PM

    This just reinforces the elitism of our version of Jurassic Park.

    14
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    Mute Fiona Ryan
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:12 PM

    So it began as a home for the elite to cosy up to the elite and not it remains a home for the elite to elect the elite (except for 6 seats which you still need a degree to have any say in). Reform my arse. People’s illusions in second houses being a progressive instead of regressive institutions have ensured cronyism for some time to come is fully protected.

    20
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    Mute Aiden Kelly
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:24 PM

    Reform how 6 seats out of 60 are elected is a start I guess.

    15
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    Mute Paolo Ciuchini
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:48 PM

    Still shamefully classist and patronising.

    12
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    Mute Alangb
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    Feb 14th 2014, 7:34 PM

    I was one of those who voted to keep the Seanad but on the basis that it would see major reform. I can’t express enough how angry I am that this is still going to be a closed shop for elitists and a chosen few. It is an affront to democracy and I for one will oppose it at every level. “The Government is now taking action to implement the will of the people.” If they believe their own propaganda then they would include all citizens rather than a select few.

    9
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    Mute Left_Wing_Steve©
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:43 PM

    I enjoy having a vote that others don’t have, maybe those without a vote should have studied harder, got more points and went to real university.

    Know your betters people.

    7
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    Mute Drew Clarke
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:46 PM

    Those betters likely paid for you to go to college as I’d doubt there were fees when you got a special scholarship for your degree in fingerpainting.

    21
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 4:49 PM

    Indeed sport. The senate is meant to be a place for more intellectual political debate. It’s not for plebs to vote in their own Healy Rae spawn.

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:17 PM

    Left… I see clear and legible English wasn’t part of the curriculum you studied in Uni.
    Let me guess the hardest part was filling in the postal order and stamped addressed envelope for your online diploma.
    There really is a lower class of Troll on this site lately.

    15
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    Mute Left_Wing_Steve©
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:09 PM

    Ah poor Norman, he does take himself oh so seriously.

    2
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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:15 PM

    Did it take you that long to think of a post? I suppose when you have to run it through spellcheck that would explain.
    Now I’ve reached my idiot interaction allowance for today bye Troll (just not a good one…sigh).

    5
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    Mute Donal Reynolds
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:24 PM

    5,700 a month ?? Pittens

    4
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    Mute Brendan Boyd
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    Feb 14th 2014, 5:28 PM

    That is insulting to an awful lot of decent irish workers earning an honest wage.

    3
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Feb 15th 2014, 1:10 AM

    Big whoop! At a stroke we will be so much more democratic – I don’t think.

    3
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    Mute scartboy
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:16 PM

    Pity we voted no then we would avoid all these comments. Ff reviewed multiple supplied through their civil servants and nothing changed. The same civil servants are running the show now so how do you think there will be a change with fg. If a few dept sec were fired and replaced with private sector then something might happen.

    3
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    Mute Kinsaleable
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    Feb 14th 2014, 7:12 PM

    How do you register to vote in Seanad elections

    2
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    Mute Left_Wing_Steve©
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:22 PM

    We’re not all retired do-gooders some of use have to earn a crust

    1
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    Mute Fintan Yetti Crerand
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    Feb 14th 2014, 6:22 PM

    Proper order!!! Us Ul people can now vote!!!! Equality is overrated anyhow!!!

    1
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