Taking the issue outside Ireland

Scottish

I'm new to this boards thing, but have been watching it for a few weeks now, and thought I might throw in my opinion.

does anyone think it would be worth trying to promote how god awful the situation in Ireland is outside of this country? Trying to promote the awfulness of the situation in the media in the UK for example? I know that nobody would like to see Ireland being pretty much laughed at by the UK, but it might actually make the goevernment take a bit more notice. I don't think they really care about the opinions of the people in this country, but if they see themselves being embarassed overseas, they might change their attitude.

Don't know if anyone who reads this ever looks at the Guardian, but on Thursdays they run a section called "Online" which looks at the osftware and internet industry, and they are quite vocal about Broadband. I emailed Jack Scholfield, the editor, yesterday and told him the situation here and suggested he might like to run an article and told him to look at the eircomtribunal and irelandoffline sites. He got back to me (couldn't beleive it) and said it looked very interesting, and he would be researching it further. Might get an article in the Guardian. This kind of international spotlight, if we can get it, would really focus the mind

Any thoughts? I mean lets face the state of internet access in Ireland is real pig under the arm stuff (I'm Scottish, but I've lived here for about 6 years, and despite its faults I love the place).

spongebob

....in the E-Tub of Europe ©®™™

Well done Scottish, the Guardian is widely read here. You may have some PMs later ...check the User CP link top centre on your screen to read these.

M

Scottish

I think it might be well worth to contact trade press. The thing with magazines and newspapers is that they like to get ideas and tip offs.

I think the government could listen to us all day banging on, and still do nothing. If we can embarass them where it hurts, they might pay more atention.

MDR

Good Idea,

can't do any harm ...

Calibos

I always used to go mad when reading an article or watching the news from Uk print of tv media where they would mention some statistic or some european league table to show the cost or state of something in the UK etc. You know things like,"Britain has the most expensive this, Britain has the lowest that etc etc in Europe." They'd always leave Ireland out of the table. ie they should have said,"Britain has the most expensive.....after Ireland, Britain has the lowest........ in Europe after Ireland".

I used to think this was them forgetting that we weren't actually part of the Uk anymore. I'm now of the opinion that they just want to spare us the embarressment of exposing the state of affairs in this country to their readership/viewership etc. I can just picture the editor of the Guardian getting the latest survey results on some subject for use in his editorial. "Damn now I cant use that headline "Britain has the worst......." Ireland beat us to it again, If I keep printing these results I'll be accused of being anti-Irish"

Well Mr Guardian editor, please embarress us. Its the only way our politicians take any notice!:rolleyes:

Scottish

unfortunately I only contacted the Editor of the Online section, not the whole newspaper!

But I take your point. Rip off Britain this and that - they don't have a clue. But thats for another thread

If anyone can think of places to tip off about the state of internet access in this country, then do so. Got to PCPro or whatever magazines you can think of - they are all sold here, so there is a readership. Then we should draw the ministers attention to the fact that its not just a handful of people in Ireland who are getting to hear about this.

Its an incredible stroy of hypocrisy and corruption - I couldn't beleive what I read on www.eircomtribunal.com - it needs to be shouted about.

I just think if we keep screaming about it in or own little pond, they'll keep fobbing us off. If Ireland could be made to look digitally backward, how embarassing would that be?

I'm sure that not everyone would be that interested, but if we could get a few things going and then draw the ministers attention to them, we might be on to something. It wont be easy, but it only takes an email to someone in a magazine or newspaper.

Believe me, these people can sometimes be desperate for something to write about.

LFCFan

reminds me of the time of the failed Grand National over in England. Some Horsey fecker commented that even though Ireland was a 'backward' country we could still manage to run a horse race properly. Des Lynam was doing the interview and he was rightly pissed at your man for saying it and there was a big reaction to it here by the public and politicians. If there's one thing the Irish Government hates, it's other countries belittleing us. So, it's a great idea to have English papers etc telling everyone how embarrassingly useless our government are.

billy the squid

working of the top of my head here .NET magazine

http://www.netmag.co.uk