And in case you’re wondering, it’s exactly as strange as it sounds.
Ah, Valentine’s Day. A day of love, romance, and bizarre videos from your local politician.
That’s right, while you may have been expecting gifts such as chocolates and flowers, we imagine a Valentine’s Day-themed public service announcement from Seanad member Tim Lombard would have been fairly low down on your list.
The video shows the Cork senator sat at a candle-lit dinner, accompanied by a huge novelty phone, as he urges people to stay off their mobile device while out with loved ones, especially on Valentine’s Day.
Have a look:
Roses are red, violets are blue…@voteTimLombard has a special #ValentinesDay message.
For more info see: https://t.co/nPGyTgWHBp#Valentines pic.twitter.com/GF5fP8ZF5K
— Fine Gael (@FineGael) February 14, 2019
The campaign didn’t stop there.
Lombard released a statement to say that he is taking this very seriously, and that we shouldn’t let a modern invention detract from love, friendship and company.
A good message, in fairness.
“Since I first mooted the idea of phone free pubs and restaurants in recent weeks, I have received an overwhelmingly positive response,” Lombard said.
“In my own constituency, several pubs and restaurants have taken the campaign onboard and encourage people to chat to each other rather than waste time playing with their phones while out for an evening or night.
“Today is Valentine’s Day. This is a special day where you should spend quality time with your loved one.
“But all too often, we can get side tracked and consumed with our smartphones. Spending quality time means giving that person your undivided attention. We have done it for thousands of years. Why let a modern invention detract from love, friendship and company?
“No one wants to go on a date with a device. But that’s what happens, in effect, if you sit there scrolling through your feed instead of having a chat and enjoying the company of the person you are with. Today is a timely reminder to put the phone down.”
He even went as far as to say that he is working on an actual legislation that will could help to monitor how much time we spend on our phones every day.
“I am currently working on legislation that will require smartphone manufacturers to inform users about the amount of time they spend on their phones each day.”
You can read Lombard’s statement in full here.
Independent Senator Lynn Ruane took to Twitter to give Lombard a bit of friendly stick over the video:
https://twitter.com/SenLynnRuane/status/1095974120121081856
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