Irish minister did not condemn people playing 'Driving Home for Christmas'
Irish minister did not condemn people playing 'Driving Home for Christmas'
(Reuters) - A satirical tweet that suggests Ireland’s environment and transport minister has condemned a popular Christmas song because it isn’t eco-friendly has been taken seriously by some on social media.
The original tweet (here) claims Eamon Ryan, the minister for environment, climate and communications, as well the transport minister and Green Party leader, requested radio stations to refrain from playing ‘Driving Home for Christmas’.
It reads: “Eamon Ryan has called on Irish radio stations to avoid playing ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ this festive period, claiming the song ‘glamorises and promotes’ car use.”
While many users in the nearly 300 comments beneath the tweet understood the post to be a joke, some didn’t.
“Enough of this nonsense, do they ever actually listen to themselves! does he actually think everyone is going to run & jump into their cars or buy them specially just because of a song,” one reply reads.
The claim has also been shared hundreds of times on Facebook (here).
“I never taught a person could be so stupid or not in touch with reality, but this clown takes the biscuit by a country mile.
Ladies and Gentlemen our TD who the people of ireland voted for. What a fucking idiot this lad is,” said one user.
Another asked: “Why doesn’t he cancel Christmas if a song upsets him he should not be in government”.
In an email to Reuters, the Irish Green Party confirmed Ryan did not make any such statement.
Moreover, the Twitter account where the claim originated makes clear in its profile description that it is a “left-wing satire” account, posting “fake news” and “made-up quotes”.
“Dr Harold News is a satire/fake news site, a bit like The Onion or Waterford Whispers,” said the person controlling the account in an email conversation with Reuters. “The quote is completely made up and has no basis in fact whatsoever.”
VERDICT
Satire. A quote attributed to the leader of the Green Party of Ireland by a satirical account was meant in jest and was not intended to be interpreted as accurate reporting.
