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THE RELEASE OF the Anglo Tapes continues to have ripples both at home and abroad but MEP Nessa Childers does not believe that it will have any effect on Ireland’s efforts to secure sovereign debt relief.
Speaking to Karen Coleman from radioep.ie , the Ireland East MEP said that she hasn’t hasn’t noticed any reputational damage from speaking to European colleagues. She does however say that the Irish people must keep repeating the words of President Michael D Higgins that the Anglo Tapes do not represent the views of the public.
Childers, who resigned as a member of the Labour parliamentary party in April, also believes the Troika will pay no heed to the content of the tapes.
Neither do I believe that it has anything to do with damaging debt negotiations. The reason I say that is that the ECB and the Troika are not influenced by such things, they are hard nosed negotiators that will give us relief from our debt if its good for them and if we push it hard enough.
You can listen to the full audio of the interview with the MEP here.
Despite Childers’ view, the tapes have been widely reported across Europe with the story making the front page of German newspapers. The exceptionally strong words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the issue, who reportedly said she had ‘nothing but contempt’ for the content of the tapes, will play well with German voters who go to the polls in federal elections in September. Indeed, recent opinions polls show that Merkel has continued to rise against her main rival Perr Steinbruck, enjoying a double digit lead.
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It’s amazing how often you see people texting whilst driving. Should be an automatic 2month ban. At least. Deadly behaviour.
It seems it’s actually getting worse as well.
Fully agree,
Thing is, given the ability to send text message by speaking (Google Now does this on Android phones by default) and the availability of dirt cheap mobile phone holders for cars on dealextreme.com or ebay there really is no excuse why:
1. you have to hold your phone
2. you have to use your hand to type or send the text
Most idiots that think its ok to use a phone while driving try to compare phone use to switching channels on their car stereo or changing CD’s, its nothing like the same level involved in using your stereo.
Mostly women
This ‘result’ quoted is simply not credible at all:
“The risk of a crash or near-miss among young drivers increased more than sevenfold if they were dialing or reaching for a mobile phone and fourfold if they were sending or receiving a text message.”
Sevenfold increase in danger just reaching or dialling (presumably from a contacts list) vs only fourfold for texting??
That is pure BS. Either dreadful reporting or bad science. Does anybody think they are less distracted texting rather than ‘reaching’ for a phone? Seriously?
Come on let’s drop the political correctness we all know its women texting and talking on phone we can see them everytime we drive our cars.
Actually it’s businessmen in their company cars that I see most with mobile phones held to their ear whilst driving. Also truck and van drivers. All of the above are usually men so I completely disagree with you.
I do agree that bad driving around the city during the day is by people on business.
However making the point about men is misleading. You are confusing correlation (far more men are in jobs that require driving cars vans and trucks) with cause and effect (what study shows men are more likely to use phone while driving?)
Most People iv seen using mobiles while driving are men but doesn’t matter what sex they are its wrong there not concentrating on what there doing and could kill someone so need licence ban
Just for the sake of balance I’ve seen gay men, lesbians, transgender, transvestite, travellers, black people, Asian people, Eastern Europeans, persons of limited mobility, a circus clown and a performing chimpanzee and a langer from Cork all doing the same thing.
God knows how they all met up but anyone would have been distracted in that car!
I cycle thru’ the city daily and there is a common sight – younger women with the eyes down looking at their phones. Of course men are guilty too but I dare anyone to look along the line of any stopped traffic and many of the younger women in there will have eyes down on the phone.
And quit with the phrase ‘texting’…none of these folks are likely sending texts..they are on facebook and twitter etc. They are essentially on a portable computer while driving.
All it takes is for Garda on bikes to go along the line and pull them out one by one….enforcement is the answer as clearly advising these folks they are doing wrong doesn’t work as I’d say most know. I dare-say readers here are guilty of it and will do it again later on the commute home.
Did I say anything about a study? I was giving my opinion based on my own observations which I am perfectly entitled to do.
Linda – you are perfectly entitled to your opinion and respect that right. However, I reserve my right to reply to comments I do not agree with or I think are misleading.
Was I insulting, personal or degrading in my reply?
Women doing the ironing while driving – i see it every day ..
Also – what takes the journal on reporting these stories ?
This report is months old
Any motorist texting while driving is more likely to cause a crash than drink driving.
Question to Mr Noel Brett. Why do those caught only get a small fine and a few penalty points?
Why have the RSA never tole us this fact, yet they want to educate us on road safety?
Amatures. I can talk on work phone text on my own at same time will doing 100 on narrow back Road. No bother.
Oh goody. Let’s make this a gender issue. We haven’t had one of those for, oh, minutes. The constant wars between members if the same species , be they military or gender or anything else based, will be the undoing of us humans
2 year ban – more like .
They are not only putting their own silly lives at risk – but other peoples .
@ Gary. I agree. Lost count how many times I’ve seen women drivers playing with their phones while driving, sometimes fixing themselves while looking in the mirror, and I’ve seen this while they attempt to drive through a roundabout. They should be not allowed to drive, I think it’s the same in Saudi Arabia . Now, in relation to men using their phones while drive, they obviously do this with great skill, so if we can’t get women banned from driving can we at least get men to train them how to do this properly? I’ll give myself the first red thumb….
Travel exclusively by motorcycle and probably get to see more drivers than the average car driver – a
ALL motorists play with their phones (texting etc), however women sub 40 are particularly bad from my experience. Was recently brushed on the M1 by a young-wan changing lanes while texting – came out onto me (her door onto my knee) at 120 km/ph – scary stuff.
MPA. Not ALL motorists play with their phones while driving. So you are implying that you do.
I spotted a real idiot on the M4 last week using an iPad/ tablet placed up on the steering wheel!
Phones don’t kill people – stupid people kill people!
I must spot 4-5 mobile phone using idiots most days and thats only when I’m out running, nevermind if I take drive around in which case the numbers go way up.
so many idiots not paying attention,
Keep your eyes on the road Martin. Not other driver’s habits.
You need to do more than just keep your eyes on the road while driving, Being aware of other road users and habits is just as important. Noticing someone using a phone while driving is also important especially if over taking them as you can be sure they are not using their mirrors or looking out for other vehicles and pedestrians. They can easily travel across the lane dividers as I have seen them do many times. give them a wider berth or over take quickly
Getting the bus from Waterford to Dublin a few months back and I noticed the driver was texting, he was in charge of a bus full of lives and decided it’d be ok to endanger said lives by texting someone. Those windy little roads from Waterford to Carlow are bad at the best of times.
I’ve never had an accident texting at the wh
Hee hee
I see cops on there phones all the time
They are allowed.
But is it right? Why can they not get €2 hands free sets in a discount store?
Because Tetra handsets are quite different to your normal mobile phone.
The new problem now is social media not texting
People sitting in cars on Facebook and Twitter
my insurance is 1200 a year, stop texting while driving people!
Lethal practice, needs to be stopped. As we asked motorists in our article a while back, “put the phone down, look twice, save a life”. http://bit.ly/16shRip
The worst offenders have to be truck drivers, nearly always on the phone when u meet them on the roads
Well it is our office.
Love these ‘scientific’ breakthroughs
My question is ‘how did they compensate for the increased rate of accidents among young drivers?’ Or better yet was a control group created!
“We all agree that things like taking your eyes off the road are dangerous”. So that’s speedometers and road signs banned then. Either a poor piece of research or poorly reported. I’d lean towards the former. Texting whilst driving is unsafe but I doubt this bit of fluff can be used as conclusive evidence.
Just saying.
Actually studies have shown that concentrating on speedos increases risk, and that the enforcement of stringent speed limits actually hampers drivers as they grant too much attention to their speed rather than their surroundings. The alternative however is to grant guards the power to only punish those driving at “irresponsible” speeds or driving dangerously, and legally this would be very hard to enforce as convictions could only be achieved based on a guard’s opinion rather than an infringement of clearly stated law like a speed limit. Food for thought though.
This approach to speeding is used on some Autobahns in Germany. No technical speed limit but you can be charged with driving dangerously fast for the road and traffic conditions.
It is not left to the police to make that conclusion, it is for the judge to decide.
not so Alan. there is speed limits on some autobahns in Germany & a select few have no speed limits unless at certain times or certain conditions. Yes if your doing 250mph in your Veyron & acting the maggot they will sanction you but other than that it’s balls out & you will not be stopped.
I have seen drivers Drive past our local Garda station with a mobile to their ear.
Guards are allowed to use mobiles whilst driving
A small bit off topic but I once saw a woman brush her teeth while driving in Limerick
I cycled past a girl on my way to work one morning in Dublin who had a plated fry-up on her lap and was forking grub as she drove.
I don’t use a phone when driving , but I find my kids can be a distraction at times. 4 kids. The 6 yr old fights with the 4 yr old. And then when one twin cries the other one does they are 9 months old. So hard to drive anywhere
Using a phone while driving is just carelessness and arrogance. The tragedy is when it causes an accident and someone else suffers and the driver survives. There is virtually no enforcement in this area at all.
‘You might just run a red light’
And run the risk of smashing into another car.
Arrive safe and late rather than arriving in a wooden box.
Get caught and get banned for life, simples really
Why not propose instant ban for 6 months or more for anyone caught using mobile device while driving a car
Instant Lifetime Ban for any person who breaks any rule of the road.
Let’s see who steps out of line then.
Elect me and ill make it happen.
I promise
It’s silly but in fairness a lot of people do it now and then ,there should be some way that phones are immobilised when the car moves to prevent ,if that were possible ,if not its a problem that will go on and on
What about turning the phone off putting it in ur pocket
Should we report registration numbers of these potential killers to the gardai? It might save a few lives.
Isn’t it about time that cell blockers are fitted into cars as standard or installed aftermarket by law. Unless it’s a driving job (bluetooth enabled vehicle )
2 penalty points is a joke .. It should be 6 points, caught twice.. Off the road with you. 12 points if your caught texting.. Texting whilst driving is utter madness!!
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