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THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS Authority has said that a controversial road safety ad is outside its remit.
A recent campaign by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) targeting young men was described as “insensitive”, “misguided” and “ableist” by campaign groups and disability rights activists.
The ad features a young man who has been disqualified from driving and states “when you lose your licence, you become reliant on other people to take you where you need to go and you become a burden for others”.
The Advertising Standards Authority received three complaints about the ad, but said it is not within its remit to act as “no commercial element” is involved. The campaign is instead “expressing the opinion on an issue of public interest”.
The RSA told The Journal “the campaign is aimed at tackling dangerous driving behaviours, particularly among younger male drivers”.
They added that the campaign was developed following feedback from focus groups with young drivers earlier this year.
Non-profit disability activists Access For All Ireland said in a lot of cases a car is the only option for people with disabilities “due to bad infrastructure and the lack of accessible inclusive public transport”, saying RSA should be “mindful of that when using ableist imagery and language in a national campaign”.
In a statement today, the Advertising Standards Authority said it has received three complaints about the ad.
“However, this campaign from the RSA is out of remit as there is no commercial element to it.
“Essentially, it is advertising that is expressing the opinion on an issue of public interest or concern as per Section 2.3f of the ASA Code.
“The Code does not apply to: Marketing communications whose principal purpose is to express the advertiser’s position on a political, religious, industrial relations, social or aesthetic matter or on an issue of public interest or concern.”
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Maybe because they polled people during the day and the working people were still ..ahem …. Stuck in traffic from work…. Collecting kids and feeding them …. Etc etc and only voted after all that was done.
@Peter Roche: during the day maybe… But in the morning plenty casting their vote before heading to work (as I did)
@Peter Roche: spot on. And 5000 people is f, all.
@P. V. Aglue: I know. 5000 seems very low alright. But that’s the sample for a population like ours. Thats what I remember from college anyway. But, it doesn’t work in a country like Ireland. Local issues have been the most important thing to those who voted this time, and in the past. All bar 2011 that is
@Peter Roche: well my polling area was, empty at 8pm. So guess that theory failed.
Techniques used by polling companies out dated and now redundant.
@Argus Romsworth: Absolutely
@Argus Romsworth: Rookie errors. Hope they give the fee back, they should ought to.
Polls were wrong, then I read “commissioned by RTE”, that explained everything. An organization that lied about it’s pay structure & corporate governance, getting things wrong, especially after a nearly Billion Euro Bailout, stinks.
@SV3tN8M4: why does it “stink” that they got an exit poll wrong? It can hardly have influenced the result. You’re a sh it stirrer
@SV3tN8M4: rotten to the core!!!
Was it really a low turnout?. We have 3 voters in our house but received 9 polling cards. Register is wildly inaccurate!
@Padraig O’Brien: good point, a lot of people would not have updated their current locations, and couldn’t be bothered to travel to their polling stations if far away
@Mike B: And some will have died or emigrated.
Lifted off twitter. Raw FPV v 2020 numbers. Also, stresses turn out down, but interesting reading nonetheless.
FF: 481,417 (-2,903)
FG: 458,134 (+2,550)
SF: 418,627 (-116,968)
SD: 106,028 (+42,624)
LAB: 102,457 (+6,869)
AON: 86,134 (+45,217)
GRN: 66,911 (-88,789)
PBP: 62,481 (+5,061)
@honey badger: wow how fascinating. This is absolutely riveting.
@Basildon Joe: Ha ha. Yer still ragin’ the monk was told to FO by the good people of his constituency!
@honey badger: Edge of your seat stuff
@honey badger: Just have to wonder how much of the FFG party’s electorate still be alive in 4/5 years time. The under 55s won’t stay away from the polling stations forever.
Hard luck SF pedos
@Trump24: A second election with a large vote share. As the now established largest opposition party history will tell you they will lead the government after the next cyclical downturn. It’s all but guaranteed. From a Fine Gael voter
@Argus Romsworth: They are finished people don’t want them its absolutely clear as a SF voter
@Trump24: what do people want?.500 billion spent on a hospital and 250k bike sheds it seems
Breaking News: Polling company makes excuses to try and sound relevant.
So they completely make a hames of the exit poll and blame the electorate.
They picked young voters to fill in sheet
Was out with two nephews Friday night they told me the votes Sinn Fein – I asked what was the candidates name they hadn’t a clue then asked name 3 Sinn fein tds – Mary Lou -Mary Lou and Mary Lou.
@Tim Brennan: did you then ask them the other politicians of different party’s names for balance.
@Colette Byrne: No balance required there grandfather would turn in his grave – they stupidly believe SF were going to hand them the keys of a house
Healy Raes in the reckoning for office.
Wishful thinking influencing people who are required to be impartial by moral law and professional integrity
The “Sinn Fein are traitors” campaign smashed any hope young people had of an alternative government. Any of those not in Australia or elsewhere decided not to vote or protest voted.
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