Smoking Ban

[crc]

How about that?

oops! egg in the general face area

[John83]

But even if the (btw unproven) benefits of people not passive smoking will be years down the line.

There is no known source of lung cancer other than smoking. No smoking = no lung cancer.

btw I'm pushing for a ban on enclosed car parks, any road tunnels, car ferries - any enclosed places where people are forced to breath other peoples car fumes. Infact, it's state sponsored with the NCT test centres...

I've tried to encourage people to cycle to work before, with limited (ie. no) success. Sextuple the tax on petrol, I say. That'll sort the temporary deficit from people giving up smoking.

[crc]

I think the smoking ban is great - I've been looking forward to the 29th March for quite some time. Its something that, as a country, we should be proud of.

We need brave politicians, well done MM (I don't take the point that its a scheme to divert attention from other parts of Health, even if that has happenned)

[Éanna]

I think he should wise up and lay off taxing drink so much. the smoking ban was a great idea, but the people who are out getting smashed and pasting each other up and down the street will drink regardless- its the poor fools who like a few pints that will suffer as usual. The smoking ban is IMO the only positive thing this government has done since it was elected.

FF OUT

[John83]

The smoking ban is IMO the only positive thing this government has done since it was elected.

FF OUT

About right, yes. I certainly won't be voting for them.

[crc]

Just so there's no confusion, I wasn't praising FF, just MM - lots of the party were against the smoking ban. Also, MM has said nothing yet about raising the tax on alcohol - that's all media speculation - all he has said is that he want to tackle binge drinking.

I'm having problems deciding who to vote for in June; there's no party (except maybe PDs) that's crying out.

[John83]

I'm having problems deciding who to vote for in June; there's no party (except maybe PDs) that's crying out.

I know the feeling, and I don't want to vote for mini-FF.

[Éanna]

Get "them" to spare you? There will be no them. There'll be an "I" and I promise I'll think about it

As for people doing anything to have a crack- not quite true. I think its more a case of people who are fundemntally opposed to the cowboys who are running our country having the good grace to give credit where its due.

[eoinh]

There's another 8 years of FF in power ahead, though the PDs may well be replaced by (ideally) the Greens (likely) Labour or (depending on figures) Sinn Fein.

Sinn Fein? To go into coalition with murderers is dusgusting. Maybe before going into coalition with them you might ask them to stop all criminal activity?

[Éanna]

Maybe before going into coalition with them you might ask them to stop all criminal activity?

Corruption is a criminal activity. FF don't exactly have the moral high ground................

[Éanna]

Your cowboys are this country's elected representatives. That doesn' put them above criticism, but what's the betting they get back in? The hardships of modern democracy!!

They are the elected representatives, they are cowboys and they will get re-elected. and it sickens me

[eoinh]

Corruption is a criminal activity. FF don't exactly have the moral high ground................

There is a difference in my book between corruption and murder. I dont want murderers running my country. I dont like FF either but the thought of being ruled over by an organisation that has brought death,injury and pyhsical handicap to other irishmen is a though thats not worth thinking about.

[Éanna]

I think its a very thin line.

death,injury and pyhsical handicap

have been caused by the IRA, no doubt, but if FF had been looking after the health services and not their own vested interests then we might have a better health service and less of the above.

IMO politicians should represent the people, and while FF represent dodgy dealings and general gombeenery SF represents a sector of Irish society which believes that kneecapping drug dealers is ok, among other things. And i have no doubt that a considerable minority of people DO think that.

You could go to the other extreme and dmeand that all politicians be of impeccable character and never do anything wrong- but a) they'd be hard to find; and b) they wouldn't represent the people

[Éanna]

In 1985 Amnesty International declared that Nelson Mandela had participated in planning acts of sabotage and inciting violence and declassified him as a political prisoner. The ANC used terrorism throughout their struggle.

Are they fit, or good enough, to rule South Africa?

I think you're spot on. once its clear there's been a change of heart, you have to give someone a second chance. IMO without Gerry Adams we'd still have people being killed every day in the 6 counties. this country has a lot to thank him for.

[patsh]

I think its great.
I'd nearly vote for M. Martin, IF
A. I was in his constituency
and
B. He wasn't such a slimey boll*x !


(btw, Conor, you go through a few "knots... to have a crack" yourself! )

[A face]

There's another 8 years of FF in power ahead

What did we all do to deserve this ??
Was it something from a past life ??
The Gods are against us !!
Mercy, Mercy !!

[eoinh]

In 1985 Amnesty International declared that Nelson Mandela had participated in planning acts of sabotage and inciting violence and declassified him as a political prisoner. The ANC used terrorism throughout their struggle.

Are they fit, or good enough, to rule South Africa?

It was sanctions that ended aparthaid along with international pressure. Violence got them nowhere


quote eanna

SF represents a sector of Irish society which believes that kneecapping drug dealers is ok, among other things

SF has also been involved with drug dealing and running as well.

[eoinh]

The majority of people in SA supported the ANC; the majority of the people in Ireland did not support the Provos

[eoinh]

It may be justified if there is no democratic way. No one i doubt would argue that the resistance groups in say norway or france etc had a right to fight nazi occupation.

Eannna was on about giving SF a second chance. Let them give up their arms and cease all activity before we give them a chance. violence very rarely leads one any where other than more violence.


As a memeber of a party in a democratically elected governemnt im surprised at you conor

[eoinh]

not everone elected is a saint.

Liam Lawlor, Nixon and though they were never given a majority the nazis gained a fair few few votes in their time.
The far right controls one of the austrian provinces at the moment.