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Bill O'Herlihy lobbys on behalf of tobacco firms

Comments

  • #2
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    I don't get what the fuss is. Truly I don't. There's no information being suppressed any more about ciggarettes or how lethal they are. As companies they should be able to lobby on the basis of their interests to keep it working and protect their industry.

    You don't see branding being done away with on Alcohol products, or food products, or other consumable items.

    The issue which should be taken up is societies ideology and acceptance of smoking, if anything. But no, the people can't be wrong, because of the big bad tobacco companies.


  • #3
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    "Okey-Dokey we'll leave it there so with the cool clean taste of Marlboro Red."


  • #4
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,590 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    I don't get what the fuss is. Truly I don't. There's no information being suppressed any more about ciggarettes or how lethal they are. As companies they should be able to lobby on the basis of their interests to keep it working and protect their industry.

    You don't see branding being done away with on Alcohol products, or food products, or other consumable items.

    The issue which should be taken up is societies ideology and acceptance of smoking, if anything. But no, the people can't be wrong, because of the big bad tobacco companies.

    Society doesn't accept smoking.Hence the smoking ban.


  • #5
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    kneemos wrote: »
    Society doesn't accept smoking.Hence the smoking ban.

    Kids/young teenagers can purchase ciggarettes in newsagents easily. Smoking is far more accepted in society than drinking is, if it doesn't attempt to prevent that.


  • #6
    kunst nugget
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭kunst nugget


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    The issue which should be taken up is societies ideology and acceptance of smoking, if anything. But no, the people can't be wrong, because of the big bad tobacco companies.

    I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to say here.

    I find the news surprising this morning as well tbh because for one thing I hadn't realised that O'Herlihy ran a PR firm (I must be living under a rock) and that he would be quite happy to use his political connections to help out the tobacco companies in trying to influence Irish legislation for their benefit - for me, that suggests a slightly out of kilter moral compass.


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  • #7
    Specialun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,068 ✭✭✭Specialun


    Okey Dokey Now Eammon


  • #8
    humbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭humbert


    If you've defeated cancer then there's nothing to worry about.


  • #9
    My name is URL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,070 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    When Eamonn turns up to the studio pissed everyone thinks it's great craic, but poor Bill does a bit of a PR for someone and suddenly he's the devil!

    And btw, Bill was a PR adviser long before he ever became a presenter. He's just doing his job.. saying he's 'lobbying' for the industry is untrue and hyperbolic.


  • #10
    I Heart Internet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,678 ✭✭✭I Heart Internet


    Tobacco is legal and Bill O' Herlihy is a professional PR consultant (not just a soccer presenter).

    I don't see a big problem.

    I don't like smoking and don't think people should do it - but are we to prevent anyone from working for or on behalf of a legal enterprise? That seem silly.


  • #11
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    As someone who only just defeated cancer I am somewhat disappointed by this



    From the Irish Times
    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/five-former-fine-gael-aides-working-for-tobacco-industry-1.1520426

    were you somehow under the impression smoking wasn't a huge cancer risk when you started smoking?


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  • #12
    GastroBoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 863 ✭✭✭GastroBoy


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    Smoking is far more accepted in society than drinking is

    No it's not


  • #13
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,590 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    Kids/young teenagers can purchase ciggarettes in newsagents easily. Smoking is far more accepted in society than drinking is, if it doesn't attempt to prevent that.

    It's become very difficult for teenagers to purchase ciggeretts.
    Don't see how smoking is more acceptable than drinking if you have to go outside to have a smoke.


  • #14
    Blue Crystal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 382 ✭✭Blue Crystal


    humbert wrote: »
    If you've defeated cancer then there's nothing to worry about.

    :rolleyes:


  • #15
    Blue Crystal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 382 ✭✭Blue Crystal


    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »
    were you somehow under the impression smoking wasn't a huge cancer risk when you started smoking?

    I have never smoked, and my cancer was of the blood, and uninfluenced by lifestyle choices


  • #16
    cloud493
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,835 ✭✭✭✭cloud493


    So what relevance does your cancer have to smoking?


  • #17
    Blue Crystal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 382 ✭✭Blue Crystal


    cloud493 wrote: »
    So what relevance does your cancer have to smoking?

    None, I just find it odd that the man lobbys on behalf of tobacco firms?


  • #18
    Dyr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    Bills a died in the wool blue shirt, lobby for cancer wouldnt bother him in the slightest.


  • #19
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    kneemos wrote: »
    It's become very difficult for teenagers to purchase ciggeretts.
    Don't see how smoking is more acceptable than drinking if you have to go outside to have a smoke.

    I'd be surprised if it has to be honest. Once nothing is done against the shops that sell kids/teenagers ciggarrettes on the same scale as what's done to prevent them from purchasing alcohol, this whole thing comes across as a farce to me.

    Social acceptance is about accessibility. Not "shunning," or sending people outside to smoke.
    GastroBoy wrote: »
    No it's not

    Did you not read the second half of my sentence?


  • #20
    cloud493
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,835 ✭✭✭✭cloud493


    Doesn't sound like lobbying to me. Sounds like he's doing a job.
    Considering everytime I pick up my pack of smokes I have to look at a picture of a diseased lung or something, I don't think people are uninformed. Drinking is much more acceptable than smoking.


  • #21
    My name is URL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,070 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    None, I just find it odd that the man lobbys on behalf of tobacco firms?

    It's not odd in the least. He's a PR executive for a firm which happens to be employed by a tobacco company.

    It's not some sort of evil plot by the man.


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  • #22
    Blue Crystal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 382 ✭✭Blue Crystal


    My name is URL wrote: »
    It's not odd in the least. He's a PR executive for a firm which happens to be employed by a tobacco company.

    It's not some sort of evil plot by the man.

    Evil no, unethical yes; especially when employed by the state broadcaster to commentate on sport


  • #23
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,590 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    Evil no, unethical yes; especially when employed by the state broadcaster to commentate on sport

    Fair point.


  • #24
    GastroBoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 863 ✭✭✭GastroBoy


    Dravokivich wrote: »

    Did you not read the second half of my sentence?

    Yes, and it didn't make whole lot of sense either TBH


  • #25
    My name is URL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,070 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    Evil no, unethical yes; especially when employed by the state broadcaster to commentate on sport

    I guess you could argue that it's unethical to some degree, but ultimately he's not doing anything wrong in terms of business or legality.

    Would it be unethical if he was advising an alcohol company or fast food corporation? It's quite a subjective thing really.


  • #26
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    GastroBoy wrote: »
    Yes, and it didn't make whole lot of sense either TBH

    I'm not too sure how it doesn't make sense. Alcohol is strongly discouraged amongst youth and those who sell it to youth can have their shops shut down and be prosecuted and this is actively enforced. I've seen it happen a lot. Nothing is done against shops that sell ciggarettes to youths. A blind eye is turned to it and the focus is incorrectly set on the product and the companies who produce it.


  • #27
    Roger_007
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,886 ✭✭✭✭Roger_007


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    None, I just find it odd that the man lobbys on behalf of tobacco firms?
    Why?
    If a product can be legally sold, then why shouldn't anybody promote it? The same goes for alcohol, junk food, fast cars etc. If the government or the health authorities believes that a product is too dangerous, then it should not be legally available. (Remember Mary Harney and the mushrooms).

    It is long past time that government ministers and health officials either 'sh1t or get off the pot'. If they really want people to stop smoking, just make tobacco an illegal substance and stop waffling about it like they have been doing for the past 30 years. Do any of them have the courage of their convictions.

    The truth is that no government wants to forego the tax revenue and jeopardise all the jobs in the little local shops.


  • #28
    Wacker The Attacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭Wacker The Attacker


    Blue Crystal wrote: »
    None, I just find it odd that the man lobbys on behalf of tobacco firms?


    I dont. Its been happening for decades.


  • #29
    cletus van damme
    Closed Accounts Posts: 960 ✭✭✭cletus van damme


    Mayeb you are too young to be surprised but I remember during the 80's during Fitzgeralds tenure as taoiseach there used to be these dinner parties for Fitzgerald friends (mostly unelected folk) in Fitzgerald's house and the media used to quip that it was the real cabinet.
    O'herlihy was a big part of that grouping and FG then went and taxed childrens shoes.

    So it's pretty clear that Bill O'Herlihy was always evil.


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