Tullamore Tidy Towns calls on county council to introduce protocol on election posters - copy of letter below
Cllr Danny Owens
Cathaoirleach
Tullamore Municipal District
Acres Hall
Cormac St
Tullamore
Re: ELECTION POSTERS
A Chathaoirleach uasail
Tullamore Tidy Towns note with disappointment that, as of 7th March, some election posters and many cable ties are still in place in areas within Tullamore following the recent general election. We request that candidates be contacted by the council and requested to remove the posters without further delay.
We appreciate that following the removal of posters it is impossible to identify which candidates are responsible for leaving cable ties behind. The practice is widespread and our committee members have had to remove a considerable number of cable ties after elections in the past. This is an unnecessary waste of our voluntary time and effort, which could be put to more productive use on other activities throughout the town.
We are aware that it is an offence to leave posters and cable ties in place beyond a certain period of time. However we can see how, with regard to cable ties, difficulties would arise in successfully pursuing offenders through the legal process.
As this is a recurring problem, following local and general elections/referenda, we are of the view that a fresh approach is required to sort it out. It is our opinion that, as in a number of other towns throughout the country, election posters should not be allowed in Tullamore in future. We request that your members adopt a protocol under which all candidates and political parties would be requested to voluntarily desist from erecting posters for elections and referendum in Tullamore.
Yours sincerely
_____________________________
Mary Teresa Lynch
Secretary
7th March 2016