Call to ban local election posters sparks debate

THE USE of posters for the upcoming local elections has been called into question for environmental reasons and the fact that when the posters are taken down there are “always plastic ties left behind”.

The use (or not) of posters in the Adare-Rathkeale municipal district was debated at the municipal district’s latest monthly meeting.

A motion was submitted by Fine Gael councillor, Stephen Keary who believes the use of election posters is a “total waste of money” and that they should not be allowed.

“These posters are the cause of pollution and littering in our towns and villages,”Cllr Keary said.

The former mayor believes the Adare-Rathkeale district needs to “stand up and lead by example” by banning the use of posters in the upcoming local elections.

Fianna Fáil councillor Kevin Sheahan, who will not be putting his name forward following his decision to retire, says he has often noticed plastic/cable ties from the posters remaining on the poles after an election with nothing being done to clean them up.

“That is a great insult to the public that you asked to vote for you. There should be serious legislation about that,” Cllr Sheahan said.

Independent councillor John O’Donoghue said he agrees that there is a Tidy Towns element to the whole situation and an environmental aspect to it but said it’s “very very easy for people who have been elected to turn around and say there should be no election posters”.

“That’s not giving the next person a chance,” Mr O’Donoghue said.

“I find it a bit odd in fairness that a man who got almost double than what he needed to get through in the last election and a man who is not running in the next election are the two who have brought this (motion) forward,” Mr O’Donoghue added referring to Cllr Keary and Cllr Sheahan.

In response, Cllr Sheahan said: “I am a community activist” and he reiterated his point that “these plastic ties” holding up the posters “are not coming down”.

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“There should be a strong compulsion on either the party or the individual about the plastic ties,” he said.

Independent councillor Emmett O’Brien disagreed with the motion calling it “grossly, grossly anti-democratic”.

“Are ye afraid of posters from other candidates?” Mr O’Brien asked at the meeting. “I think it is grossly unfair. It is the shutting out of other candidates.”

Fianna Fáil councillor Bridie Collins said it is in the public interest to have posters up but mentioned that the council could work with local community groups to establish poster-free areas.

Ms Collins said the local elections fall around the time of the judging for the tidy towns competition and posters may be unwelcome street clutter in certain areas.