The toy store confirms that the material distributed was done so without their consent.
Dublin toy store Banba Toymaster have issued an apology after they became aware that product catalogues of theirs were distributed to customers with pro-life material included inside.
The store, based on Mary Street in Dublin, took to Facebook to issue the apology, claiming the material was sent without their consent or prior knowledge.
The post read: “It has been reported to us that our catalogue distribution company have been distributing other material not suitable for children along with our catalogue.
“This has happened without our consent or prior knowledge. We apologise for any upset caused. PLEASE, PLEASE check the catalogue for any inserts not suitable before handing it to your child.”
Complaints were made to the store by parents, who claimed that the information distributed was inappropriate for their children.
So ive heard that @TobyToymaster @kidsstuff are distributing forced birth material in their children's toy catalogue. I guess the THOUSANDS of @parents_4choice in this country will have to shop else where. 😕 pic.twitter.com/JUzK6Uejpz
— Eves #RepealedThe8th (@shteves) March 29, 2018
Speaking to JOE, General Manager of Banba Toymaster, Maurice Doyle, revealed how he became aware of the issue and the steps the store have taken to remedy it.
“Well, we normally get catalogues distributed twice a year, once during the summer and once at Christmas. About 200,000 are made at a time, and we tend to keep them within the Dublin area,” Mr Doyle said.
“We’ve been using The Leaflet Company for the last number of years without any problems but I got a phone call on Thursday from a lady in Cabra who informed me that she’d received one of our catalogues through the door which she then gave to her child.
“The child flicked through it and said “Mammy, what’s this?” when she found the Pro-Life leaflet.”
Banba Toymaster has been inundated with calls ever since, leaving Doyle no choice but to ask the company to stop distributing the catalogues.
“I got onto them on Friday and asked them to stop distributing catalogues, especially those with leaflets in them.”
Upon being asked whether the company has claimed responsibility for the pro-life material appearing in the catalogues, Doyle told us that they did “to a degree”.
“I know leaflets are bundled together and companies can manage three or four leaflets at one time and mistakes can happen, but they said they didn’t insert them,” he said.
Banba Toymaster have deemed the material unsuitable for children and they have urged parents to check the catalogues before showing them to their children.
Speaking to JOE, Ben Parker, Director of The Leaflet Company, confirmed Banba Toymaster as a client and claimed no allegiance to either side of the upcoming abortion referendum.
“We are the distributor for Banba Toymaster, who have been a long-standing client with us for many years.
“As a distribution company we are contracted to deliver millions of leaflets for a range of different companies and politicians across Ireland. We have no allegiance to any side of the Referendum campaign and are delivering leaflets for both sides of this debate.
“The Pro Life Campaign was matched with Toymaster alongside other leaflets on our booking system. Once we were contacted by Toymaster, who expressed their concerns about the matching of these leaflets, we immediately stopped the delivering of same. We understand that this referendum is a sensitive topic and as a distribution company, we have no allegiance to any political or likewise campaigns.
“We apologise if anyone has been offended by this.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
