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| Mark goes green! |
Environment Minister
Mark H Durkan has said he is considering a ban on election posters.
Mr Durkan said it was due to their impact on the environment. Now he
does say his review would not take place before the Giro bike race in
mid-May, but could occur before the forthcoming Westminster and
Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
This is interesting on a number of fronts, firstly it limits the ability of independent candidates to promote themselves as an alternative to the parties. After all whilst an independent can deliver leaflets or issue press statements they're not going to be in the position to get a party political broadcast. Secondly there seems to a certain amount of irony in an SDLP Minister wanting to ban election posters on environmental grounds when his party are spearheading plans to build an incinerator in Derry.
This is interesting on a number of fronts, firstly it limits the ability of independent candidates to promote themselves as an alternative to the parties. After all whilst an independent can deliver leaflets or issue press statements they're not going to be in the position to get a party political broadcast. Secondly there seems to a certain amount of irony in an SDLP Minister wanting to ban election posters on environmental grounds when his party are spearheading plans to build an incinerator in Derry.
A few facts about party political broadcasts:
Each of the main parties is allowed to have party political broadcasts.
- Each of the main parties is allowed to have party political broadcasts.
- There are rules about their length and when they can be shown.
- Party political broadcasts show the voters what each party will do if elected – they are like adverts.
- Smaller parties can also show party political broadcasts as long as they are standing for one sixth of all the seats available.
With the SDLP on the
wane over the past number of years and with the number of independent
candidates standing for election could there be another agenda?
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| Ian Paisley Jnr. |
And on the subject of
pollution, there's a current debate happening in light of legislation
being enacted in England that will make it illegal for someone to
smoke in a car with children present. Now I would agree that people
should not smoke in cars when children are present, it should be
common sense if nothing else, but I would be concerned at the
advancing nanny state.
I am not a smoker or
pro smoking lobby, however I would be one to advocate a common sense
approach and educate people. Yet common sense is something that seems
to be lacking when it comes to the thinking of some politicians. The
dangers of smoking and passive smoking are well documented yet the
DUP voted against this legislation. Not only did they vote against
it, Ian Paisley Jnr accused 'Nationalist' politicians of attacking
jobs at the Gallagher tobacco firm in his constituency.
Mr Paisley actually
went as far to say 'It amazes me that the only people who come on and
attack these jobs are from the nationalist lobby'. I don't know how
Mr. Paisley can equate trying to limit the effect of passive smoking
on children with a perceived attack by nationalists on jobs. But I
suppose when MLA's pension funds have been invested in a number of
companies who have been accused of human rights abuses and the
nuclear weapons industry nothing would surprise me.
This is what the NHS
has to say on children and passive smoking.
Breathing in secondhand smoke is particularly
harmful for children. Children who breathe in secondhand smoke have
an increased risk of:
- cot death (sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS)– this is twice as likely in babies whose mothers smoke
- developing asthma– smoking can also trigger asthma attacks in children who already have the condition
- serious respiratory (breathing) conditions such as bronchitis and pneumonia– younger children are also much more likely to be admitted to hospital for a serious respiratory infection
- middle ear disease, such asotitis media (a middle ear infection), which can cause hearing loss
Children who grow up with a parent or family
member who smokes are three times as likely to start smoking
themselves.
If you’re a parent who smokes, it will be hard
to explain to your children why they shouldn’t start smoking. Try
to lead by example and quit. As well as improving your health and
theirs, your children may be less likely to start smoking later in
life.
Pauline,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why election posters are all of a sudden an environmental problem considering the material is biodegradable.
I do find it funny that the dunderhead Paisley manages to make cigarette smoking a political issue and not a health issue.
Only in the North would smoking become a case of green and orange instead of tar brown.
I agree with you about people smoking around small children in any confined space smoking in a car with kids is just the same as smoking in the house with kids.
I am not against people smoking but you are right people should try and exercise common sense when smoking around children.