‘Serious discussion’ needed on election posters

'An Irish solution to an Irish problem'

The debate on whether local candidates should use posters to promote themselves at election time looks set to rumble on.

Before last week’s meeting of Tipperary Co Council was a notice of motion from Cllr Andy Moloney, who called for “a serious discussion about the amount of election posters being erected in the county at election time. We need to regulate the numbers or create locations to erect posters in towns and villages.”

It was the third time for Cllr Moloney to table such a motion, having previously done so after the 2014 and 2019 local elections.

His first motion called for a complete ban on posters, while the second sought restrictions on the number a candidate could use; neither were successful.

Cllr Moloney maintained that use of posters should be discouraged due to environmental concerns over single-use plastic and cable ties.

If the council is serious about climate change, it should be regulating them, but instead the number of posters seems to be increasing.

He counted 257 along one stretch of road last year.

“The amount of posters going up at election time is crazy,” Cllr Moloney exclaimed. He said the relatively poor turnout in the last general election proves that posters are not effective.

“Posters won’t win an election for anyone,” he said. “That argument doesn’t work.”

Cllr Anne Marie Ryan spoke in support of the motion, saying the council should at least agree on allocating designated areas for candidates to put election posters.

She understood that there is national legislation at play in but said the council could come up with its own policy in time for the next election.

‘NOT FAIR’ ON NEW CANDIDATES

However, Cllr Liam Browne said he would have to reluctantly disagree with the motion. While he accepted that the amount of posters that go up is “ridiculous”, Cllr Browne was of the view that they are an important means of promotion for new candidates.

“We wouldn’t put them up if they didn’t get noticed,” reasoned Cllr Browne, who secured election to the council for the first time last year.

He said it is “not fair” to tell new candidates that they can’t have posters because they are already at a disadvantage to established, sitting politicians.

“There is a huge advantage in incumbency,” he observed.

He agreed that having a designated area for posters would be a workable solution.

Cllr David Dunne agreed with both sentiments but did not think anything would be achieved.

“This motion comes up again and again,” he noted.

“It will go nowhere. It’s an Irish solution to an Irish problem.”

Cllr Dunne said the bigger political parties would spend more on posters and “all the legislation you want won’t stop it… there’ll always be a way around the issue.”

Meetings Administrator Ger Walsh said the matter would have to be referred to the national legislature.

He pointed out that without the support of all election candidates, any ban or restriction on the use of posters would be almost impossible to enforce.