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4th April 2017 • Volume 24, Issue 11 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. K67 P5W4. • Tel: 01 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie • www.northcountyleader.ie
Reilly’s Plan
PACKAGED Local senator, James Reilly (FG), has welcomed the landmark legislation that will see the packaging on all tobacco products standardised from September.
By Patrick Finnegan A clearly delighted Reilly told the County Leader, “My colleagues Minister for Health, Simon Harris and Minister of State, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy announced that the legislation for the standardised packaging of tobacco is to come into force in September 2017.”
In his roles as Minister for Health and Minister for Children, Senator Reilly spearheaded this campaign which became law last week. This proved to be a long, hard road before last week’s landmark decision. When plain packaging legislation was introduced by Reilly, he had to get a directive through Europe during our EU presidency. “At one stage a particular tobacco company had 169 lobbyists in the European Parliament against us, as well as letters from American senators, congressmen and a state governor, all saying that
Pictured at SciFest in Fingal Community College, Swords are Aidas Arbaciavskas, Joshua Lindsy, Jordan Dunne, Brendan Brannigan, Jason Cunningham and Aaron Mannix. The first year students had a fantastic day displaying many science experiments with schools from throughout Swords being invited to observe the projects.
this legislation would damage American/Irish commerce,” said Reilly. “The move by the Government to bring forward legislation for the standardised packaging of tobacco is a monumental step in the crusade against tobacco and cigarettes.” “The aim of standardised packaging is to make all tobacco packs look less attractive to consumers by making health warnings more prominent and preventing the packaging misleading consumers about the harmful effects of tobacco. No conversation is complete without referencing the 6,000 lives lost annually through tobacco related illness,” said Reilly. “Tens of thousands of Irish people live in misery and pain, literally struggling for breath, because of these awful products. I have seen thousands of people suffer from debilitating tobacco related illnesses in my Senator Reilly work as a GP. This announcement will protect our children and is a positive step towards a brighter, tobacco free Ireland,” he said. In celebrating the announcement, anti smoking body, ASH Ireland Chairman, Dr Patrick Doorley, drew attention to the fact that Ireland has lost some time with the full roll-out of the plain packaging legislation, but emphasised the positive development that this last step in introducing plain packaging represents. “The introduction of standardised packaging will remove the last major element of tobacco advertising in this country,” said Dr Doorley. It is beyond doubt that plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of the pack itself, which is a factor in discouraging young people from experimenting with tobacco products,” he said. The news, however, has not been welcomed universally. Responding to the news, John Mallon, spokesman for the consumer group Forest Ireland, said: “Plain packaging is gesture politics. It doesn’t work. There’s no evidence that standardised packaging stops people smoking or encourages them to quit.” “Instead, by stigmatising the product you potentially stigmatise hundreds of thousands of ordinary, law-abiding consumers. Tobacco is a legal product. The health risks are very well known, so there’s no justification for a measure that treats people like idiots,” he said. Senator Reilly responded to this criticism by stating that, “Forest Ireland is a body that is sponsored by the tobacco industry and cynically uses the name, ‘Forest’ which would depict a healthy and vibrant organisation. I have already confronted them on national radio and put this to them,” he said.
Wait Continues For Oldtown’s Ciaran
Ciaran Smith
After the brave efforts of the Irish Coast Guard and all the volunteers and helpers involved in the rescue operation, R116, has finally been lifted from the seabed at Blackrock Island in Co Mayo. The wreckage was taken onboard the Irish Lights vessel, the Granuaile over the weekend. After inspection, both the aircraft and the seabed investigators were unfortunately unable to recover the remains of missing Oldtown crew
member, Ciaran Smith and his colleague Paul Ormsby. The Irish Coast Guard manager Gerry O’Flynn provided some hope for the families when he confirmed that they would continue to look for their missing colleagues in the hope of bringing them home. The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) is keenly aware of the loss and grief of the families, friends and colleagues of the crew of R116 and extends its condolences
to all concerned. The AAIU continues to work with other agencies to locate and recover the two missing crew members. For the family and friends and whole community of Winchman Ciaran Smith and Winch operator Paul Ormsby the wait continues. A community has united and prayers and hopes continue for news of the two missing crew members. Hopefully there will be a positive outcome for Ciaran’s family.
Shock At Drowning Of Malahide Man And Wife The news of the drowning of Malahide native, Frank Dunne ((39) and his wife, Alexandra Malkin (34) in what appears to have been a tragic accident in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim last week, has shocked the community of Malahide. Frank and his English wife, who had been living in Munich had been holidaying in Leitrim and had hired a boat. Sources locally say that it appears that one of them may have fallen into the water and the other one dived in to the rescue. The tragedy happened at the Marina in the town. The couple had been out for a meal earlier on Friday evening in a local restaurant. Their bodies were removed to Sligo University Hospital, where a post-mortem took place. The alarm was raised last Friday morning when they were reported missing after failing to keep an appointment on Thursday evening last.