Illegal Posters before the Election

Múinteoir

Apprently it is illegal to hang any election posters up before the Dáil is dissolved according to the Litter Acts, especially posters that encourage someone to "Vote Number 1...."

Charlie O'Connor of FF got stung for this already and was forced to take down hundreds of poster in the Tallaght area. I've heard reports of it happening in numerous places, where desperate TDs in marginal seats want to get ahead of the posse.
All it takes is a phone call or an email to your local public authority to have the issue dealt with. Anyone got other stories of this? It's probably rampant already. But it's amazing what a few "concerned citizens" can do with a phonecall or an email!

gilroyb

It's interesting that candidates can manage to get posters on every single lamppost, but when they're forced to take them down before the election they seem to 'miss' quite a few. There are still quite a number of O'Connor posters around Templeogue, I just hope the local authority sticks with its zero tolerance approach and punishes the candidates harshly for this unsightly litter.

Candidates should also be a bit weary of putting up posters too early because voters may well identify the candidate as a littering, anti-environment, careerist. Something which would probably hurt their chances at the polls. It's one thing when every candidate has posters up, quite another when it's a single candidate with a poor slogan.

mike65

They are all over place in certian towns, not to mention a cunning "workaround" - white vans parked on main road verges.

21.—(1) A local authority may, where it deems it necessary for the purpose of preventing the creation of litter, by bye-law prohibit or regulate the distribution to the public of advertising material or specified categories of advertising material.

(2) A bye-law under subsection (1) shall not apply to—
( a ) the distribution of advertising material by means of a direct delivery to a place having an address, or
( b ) the distribution of advertising material relating to a presidential election within the meaning of the Presidential Elections Act, 1993, a general election or a bye-election, within the meaning, in each case, of the Electoral Act, 1992, a local election within the meaning of the Local Government Act, 1994, a referendum, within the meaning of the Referendum Act, 1994, or an election of representatives to the Assembly of the European Communities.

(3) A bye-law under subsection (1) shall be made in accordance with, and shall be construed for the purposes of its enforcement as if it were made under, Part VII of the Local Government Act, 1994.

http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2007/03/council-orders-removal-of-roche-posters.html

Mike.

Nightwish

Theres a billboard in Kilkenny asking people to vote no1 and no2 Labour candidates.

marco murphy

Johnny Brady - Kells Co.Meath West has some up.

baxterfly

What about this one?

gilroyb

/\ /\ /\ /\ is excellent, I don't know why, but I've been laughing at it for about ten minutes.

Just to clarify on a few of the posts, campaigning isn't illegal, so paying for billboards etc is fine. It's the use of election posters around the country which is only a legal campaigning strategy during the six week period before an election is held, outside of this period it is really just littering. It's the same way candidates can be fined after the election if they don't take down the posters within a certain timeframe.

Victor

Lucinda Creighton has hers up in Rathmines, conveniently covered at the bottom with a removable sticker for a public meeting.

Seth Brundle

Are vans/cars parked at the side of roads legal? Wasn't there something recently about the legality of cars parked on verges with for sale signs? Surely it would apply here?

mikedragon32

Not sure about the legality of vans/cars parked on the side of the road, provided they're legally parked, I can see no problem.

The legality of cars for sale on the side of roads was raised because they were on paths/hard shoulders or near junctions, IIRC.

One candidate in Wicklow, Evelyn Cawley, who I'm sure you've heard of, (or someone on her behalf) parks a van outside Greystones station on a regular basis. Not a major issue as I'm certain she only parks there for the two hours allowed, however it takes one space away from people looking to drop off or pick up passengers at the station, adding to the congestion in that part of the village everytime a train arrives.

Voipjunkie

Posters or billboards on private property with the permission of the owner are legal.

It is only posters on public property like lamp posts or street lighting that is illegal.

Posters on vans or trucks is perfectly Ok as well the legal or illegal parking of vehicles is a separate matter.

Victor

kbannon wrote:

Are vans/cars parked at the side of roads legal? Wasn't there something recently about the legality of cars parked on verges with for sale signs? Surely it would apply here?

You are not allowed park on a verge or hard shoulder.

Seth Brundle

Victor - do you know if that applies to trailers also? There is one near me that I would like removed.

mike65

Phil whats her face in Tipperary South has a few of those fecking LED warning signs for roadworks perched on the roadside!

Mike.

Victor

kbannon wrote:

Victor - do you know if that applies to trailers also? There is one near me that I would like removed.

Presumably.

mike65 wrote:

Phil whats her face in Tipperary South has a few of those fecking LED warning signs for roadworks perched on the roadside!

Take a picture (although LEDs are difficult to photograph) and send it to the RSA. They gave Budget Travel a smacking for something similar.

mike65

Funny you should mention that Victor

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/mike65/Dsc01609.jpg

Mike.

ArthurDent

Out here in Dublin mid-west SF Spain has a raft of posters announcing an up coming meeting, but just noticed that on the back of the it has SPAIN1 written - so note actually calling for a vote, but pretty close. Clever if she get's away with it.

gilroyb

The reason it's not allowed is because it's littering, not because it's campaigning. The local authority if it's going to act, will act as much over an unauthorised meeting poster as an unauthorised campaigning poster.

There is a specified period before the election is held where campaigning posters are allowed even without requiring consent from the local authority. As the election has not been called, this period has not started.

South Dublin County Council were giving out to O'Connor over his election 'vote No.1', but they also expressed their unhappiness with some FG posters about an upcoming meeting, even though it wasn't specifically campaigning for a vote.

ArthurDent

cheers for clearing that up.

So Derek Keating better watch his ass too, several poster flying around about a meeting that happened April 3rd - I presume these should have been removed already

TomGunn

The law in Ireland forbids the erection of posters/signs on poles or other structures in public places unless you have the written permission of the owner of the pole or other structure in advance of putting up the posters/signs. There are no rules in place regarding how far in advance of a general election that posters and signs can be erected. However, local authorities have the power to introduce bye-laws if they so choose to set down when promotional material can be erected. Local authorities also have the power to remove these items should they disintegrate or cause a litter nuisance.

Following a general election, a party/candidate must remove posters within a seven day period. After that date, an on-the-spot fine of 125 euro is issued by your local authority in respect of each remaining poster. Your local authority will remove the poster as the fine is issued. If a party/candidate has been issued with a fine and refuses to pay, they can be prosecuted in the District Court by your local authority to enforce payment. The maximum penalty in the District Court following conviction for non-payment of the fine is 1,900 euro.

Múinteoir

Story in the Times today about how Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher of Donegal has been done for hanging posters around Croke Park in Dublin, to coincide with a Donegal football match there! They have every angle covered, don't they.:rolleyes:

ballooba

He claimed the council were being "over-vigilant". Bloody hilarious!

Imagine laws being enforced, god forbid. :rolleyes:

ninty9er

Rang Limerick City Council environ dept. today. There is no time limit on putting posters up before an election. However they must be removed within 7 days of polling

Victor

ninty9er wrote:

Rang Limerick City Council environ dept. today. There is no time limit on putting posters up before an election. However they must be removed within 7 days of polling

There has to have been an election called.

Seth Brundle

I'm going to contact SDCC tomorrow. Sinn Fein have vandalised several lampposts around Lucan.

billy the squid

Victor wrote:

There has to have been an election called.

Victor, is there a link to the relevent piece of legislation, I have also been in touch with same council about these posters.

http://www.limerickblogger.org/blog/?p=3015

These aren't for no public meeting.

Victor

.

Our man in Havana

Very good Victor! That would play well in Limerick!

bacon&cabbage

Bond-007 wrote:

Very good Victor! That would play well in Limerick!

Why is that, Bond....?

Our man in Havana

Guns. lawlessness etc etc.

I Nicky Kelly has his image plastered all over Wicklow. :mad:

sunny2004

baxterfly wrote:

What about this one?

Is there anywhere I can get a hi res file of the origional untouched image or any others?? LOL;)

billy the squid

Victor wrote:

.

http://cheebah.typepad.com/cheebah_hip_hop_reggae_fu/2007/02/election_promis.html
It's been done before

It seems willie was in such a mad rush to get his posters up, he forgot to proofread them

thebman

M&#250 wrote: »

Story in the Times today about how Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher of Donegal has been done for hanging posters around Croke Park in Dublin, to coincide with a Donegal football match there! They have every angle covered, don't they.:rolleyes:

I just thought I'd say he was caught doing it again today in the Irish Independant.

He put up posters in Donegal aswell. Not sure if its related to the first incident as both were about football matches but still.

I think there should be some punishement for this like a compulsory minimum fine or something.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Victor

Legal, but vandalised.

RainyDay

The Scientist wrote:

I think all towns should adopt the same policy as Fermoy did for the last election; a complete ban on campaigning posters.

This would give incumbents (known faces) an advantage over new candidates (unknown faces). Believe it or not, posters work. Parties don't spend a lot of money & energy on them for the craic.

Our man in Havana

Victor wrote:

Legal, but vandalised.

Just wait for the real vandalism to begin. Remember "Villian with purpose"?