Mitchell calls for ban on political slogan stickers on taxi cabs
Roy June 10th, 2008
The following paragraph is from Olivia Mitchells site, I don’t agree
I don’t have a no to Lisbon sticker on my cab (I’m voting Yes!….. go on shoot me) but I’ll fight for the right of any driver that wants one!
| Fine Gael Front Bench Spokeswoman, Olivia Mitchell TD, has criticised the placing of ‘No’ to Lisbon stickers on taxi cabs. Deputy Mitchell said that, as public service vehicles, taxis should not be used for political slogans.“I was horrified yesterday to witness political party workers placing ‘No’ to Lisbon stickers on taxis. I have asked the taxi regulator for clarification on this point but I believe that taxis should not be used to carry political slogans. If it’s not illegal, it is highly inappropriate. Taxis are public service vehicles and, as such, appear to give an official endorsement to the particular political message they’re carrying.
“I don’t believe that taxis should be allowed to carry advertising at all, but certainly political advertising on vehicles that have been publicly licensed to carry passengers should be prohibited. I understand that the taxi regulator is considering a requirement for a uniform colour for all taxis. This reflects the fact that taxis are public transport vehicles and should not be used to promote private political views. I have already spoken to the office of the taxi regulator about this issue and I will be writing to them asking that she should move to ban the display of stickers carrying political slogans.” |
- In the News , Taxi News
- Comments(25)
It is worth noting that “Olivia Mitchell” is not a fan of Taxi drivers.
When we had protests in the past she wanted the Gardai to prosecute Taxi Drivers who held up traffic.
She only flies on one wing and that is very much a right wing.
Here is a Fine Girl spokesperson who would like to have all Taxi Drivers wear bow ties.
???
Whats this about a uniform colour ??
I feel Monkey suits would fit the bill better.
Olivia, How’s about buses, are they not public service vehicles or telephone poles or ESB poles. How about bus shelters.All are public services. Get a life Olivia !!!!. For the record, I will be voting NO see http://www.eureform.net/.
Nonsense! She’s saying that a privately owned and operated business can’t advocate a political view because it holds a licence granted by the government? It’s hardly worth arguing with a view a like that. Thankfully almost everyone must disagree with her.
Advertising… would that be a useful supplement to taxi incomes? After all, we have those ridiculous vans driving around with a billboard on the back. At least taxi advertising wouldn’t be contributing to congestion and pollution.
I’ve seen it on London cabs so why not?
I can’t believe a well informed person like yourself is voting yes. I’ve been reading this blog for ages and I see this…but hey, ….if you wanna vote your rights away
Well Roy you can see what can happen when bodies are given power and are not responsable to the people. ie the Taxi Regulator.
Olivia might like to advertise on a taxi when the next election comes around.
and there was me thinking Olivia was a big hit with the boys!
David 1, It’s been tried and is even working to a small degree
David 2;
Most of those telling me to vote no seem to inhabit the lunatic fringe
I actually think the new commission is fine and fair… every country has the same number for the same period of time, so what if we lose one for 5 years? so does everyone else and they all plead an oath of impartiality.
I don’t believe the scare-mongering;
Our direct tax regime will stay as is
There won’t be abortion on demand
3 year olds won’t be detained
The President and foreign minister are elected (by the delegates we send to Europe)
The new voting arrangements are democratic and fair.
I have no problem with the European court it makes “mostly” sensible decisions and those I disagree with tend to be funny (bananas)
I’d be happy to send troops if one of out “friends” was under attack, even though we wouldn’t !
Europe is growing and the systems need to be changed to reflect that
I sincerely believe those wishing us to vote no would like to see us out of Europe and are using this referendum to undermine the European project. (Sin Fein for example) without Europe we’d be a basket case!
good on ya roy, happy to see a sensible yes voter out there! few and far between. I think the no’s will get it on Thursday. Hopefully I’m wrong.
Yes to Lisbon!
I agree Mairead, the No vote has the momentum… it’s easy to be a nay sayer, A straw poll in my cab would have it around 9 to 1 against the treaty
So no voters needn’t bother showing at the polling booths
D’ya think that’ll work?
I think everyone should take heed of the ECJ ruling on the Laval case, these rulings are copperfastened by the treaty and only serve to hurry the race to the bottom for the citizens of Europe. The treaty as presented to the public is uncomprehendable, which is insulting to all the peoples of the EU, and to think that democracy only exists on this little island !!!!
I worked at the European Trade Union Research Institute earlier this year, and while at it got a great insight into the workings of ETUC – 1 floor above. That ruling was worrying, you are right, and it is a concern of mine also, but I’m voting yes because I want to make the EU work better to tackle these issues from the inside, instead of voting no and staying stuck on EU process negotiation.
In the grand scheme of things the ECJ has made great progress for workers rights and protections and equality at work, and while the Laval case was worrying, I don’t think it represents a shift in perspective.
Passing the Lisbon Treaty makes the European Parliament with directly elected MEP’s, and the national parliaments more powerful to tackle this. Also, European countries share a strong history of employment systems protecting workers, actually more so than Ireland and the UK, who are the countries most wary of the EU’s moves for workers rights. In this context, the EU is a positive force for workers rights in Ireland. The ECJ’s ruling was a negative setback, there was flurry of activity in response to it, and I think that passing the treaty will allow these responses to carry more weight.
Social Europe needs to remain as important as Economic Europe, and at the moment it isn’t, but voting no is not going to change this. Voting yes will help EU citizens voice their concerns about workers rights and the direction of the economy.
Thanks Mairead, but see it from an Irish perspective. We are still second class citizens of europe thanks to the various opt outs our leaders have used to prevent the benefits of EU membership reaching the ordinary people of Ireland, I understand your reasoning, but worry that the social elements of EU membership play second fiddle to the interests of business.
I guess that’s one of the consequences of “the free movement of goods and services”
Sweden have said they will tighten up their own legislation to close this “loophole” so possibly that’s where the solution lies?
The Lavel company provided accommodation, transport and board to their workers, which I guess could be considered benefit in kind and maybe this is an area where local government can legislate for certain standards?
It’s difficult to know just what could be done to protect collective agreements and at the same time allow for the free movement of services
Well it seems we have the same concerns but different ideas on how to voice them
I’d prefer to punish the Irish government for the opt-outs…not the EU on Thursday.
Olivia Mitchell is a bigger mother*ucker than Celia Larkin and her ilke.
Same shower- wearing different caps. Fooling the people.
Farmers parties all.
If your a Dub or an ordinary worker-
Vote NO.! No! No!
Up yours Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and LABOUR.!
I wonder if they were advocating a Yes vote would she be saying anything about that. The reason she is saying it is for personal publicity. That woman constantly displays a serious hatred of taxi drivers. I,ve seen taxies with FG slogans before. I personally think that she is panicking like the rest of the Yes camp, they thought the people would follow them blindly, but now at this late stage they realise the people are going to do thier own thing. Watch, if it,s defeated in the future she will blame us for destroying the European project. I wish we had the kind of influence Ms Mitchell seems to think we have.
For eight hundred we fought the establishment and suddenly the replacement expects the Irish to follow blindly and put their faith in those who know best. Yeah right, you can fool the people some of the time, you can fool most of the people most of the time, but you can,t fool all of the people all of the time. The establishment in my straw polls are coming out as losers. If they do maybe Ms Mitchell and her ilk will realise that eventually our time will come.
I wonder does she think we are even entitled to a vote, never mind an opinion.
BTW for the record I am voting yes for all the reasons Roy gives, and like him I,ll defend everybodies rights to campaign whatever their opinions.
See here for my opinion yesterday http://john-fitzpatrick.blogspot.com/
Roy do you know if Libertas have been doing more than advertising with the taxi groups? Ie dropping leaflets and pens and the like into cars for Drivers to hand out?
Last week 2 drivers handed me a leaflet. (the amount of no leaflets I’m getting offered while out and about is really noticeable). It did make me wonder if Libertas were hoping that Taxi driver would offer opinions to passengers…Cos we all know ye have opinions on everything.
Voting yes myself – rather the EU protected my human rights and ensure my democracy thanks very much! and the commissioner and voting thing is a load of rubbish anyway. We should not be thinking about ‘our man’ in Brussels…he never did a lot for us anyway and the comissioners that are there are there for all of us!
Its a pity a lot more drivers didnt put the stickers up and a lot earlier. They obviously caught politicians attention. We could have got something out of it like the farmers did.
Joe, will you get off the fence man!
Suzy, WOW (you’re like blogger royalty!) Yep, even though I refused the sticker I got a nice pen (scraped the libertas decal off) and a leaflet….I wrote bullshit across the front of it with the pen and gave it to the next customer
John, after your first paragraph I was shocked to then read you’re voting yes (pleased mind)
Jomac, Aye we obviously have more power than we think 25,000 votes are worth harvesting , pity we’re not better organised
I know Mairead and Roy are right, but it is very hard to resist giving FF & Co a good kicking and watching them squirm before the EU bigwigs while they watch thier retirement jobs in Brussels disappear. But I do object to the way WE Irish seem to attack other groups such as the farmers for actually getting a little out of FF, remember our farmers are in as bad a spot as us ( taximen ) and we should be supporting them, we’re going to need them very soon I fear.
mayby olivia should have got some YES stickers printed up, i know i’d have put one on my car. is it that she is ticked off that she didnt think of bumper stickers. i believe that it will be the NO camp that wins, but only because of the government inaction, libertas started its campaign months ahead of the government. they are scaring the people into voting no with lies and inaccuracies, as pointed out by prime time last night. i was on the yes side before watching prime time last night and am now a firm believer that only a fool would vote no.
only those intent on undermining a united europe, the likes of sine fein, are asking us to vote no. who in their right mind would vote the same way as a terrorist organisation.
ooh, stop i’m getting my hopes up for a yes now!
If only we’d had a few more days to drill deeper SW!
My thoughts exactly Bern…. I’d have happily displyed a yes sticker
Mairead don’t get too exited!
If only we’d had a few more days to drill deeper SW!
My thoughts exactly Bern…. I’d have happily displyed a yes sticker
Mairead don’t get too exited!