Poster Watch

These are truly remarkable times! As the dust settles from this election, Fiana Fail is left licking its wounds and around them they see the bodies of their fallen colleagues. As our government argues over a vote of no confidence and as our country soldiers on through one of its toughest economic periods, I believe one issue, one issue above all other issues must be settled! I direct this plea to you – our elected representatives, defeated candidates and their aids. When you go to take down your posters please bring some form of cutting device to cut down the bloody cable ties.

Last night, I went out hoping for a nice, leisurely walk. What I witnessed shook me to my very core. I saw a young council person (who shall remain nameless) take down his posters and fail to take away the cable ties. I tried to call him back as he drove off but he was too busy lighting a cigar with a burning 50 euro note.

Next time you are out and about cast your eyes on out country’s telephone masts and lights. Look in disgust at the white/black cable ties on them. Not only are these things terrible looking but if you are not careful the low-lying ones could take your eye out.

A bitter reminder of the laziness and disregard of our councilmen/politicians!

The legislation or bye-law (I forget which it is) that allows for the fining of politicians and would-bes who leave their electoral materials should cover this matter. If I correctly recall, they have seven days to remove such materials from the environment. If they are not doing so, in theory they should be fined.

I do wonder though, has anyone ever been fined under this?

Well at the last locals in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown the council decided not to implement the fine which was a joke.

I'm in Ranelagh now and I immediately thought about this issue yesterday when I saw what one of the elected councillors had done. Eoghan Murphy has stuck a thanks sticker on all of his posters (well all the ones I saw). If I run into him I'll be sure to say the best way he can thank the electorate is to instead use the time to take the posters down.

Leaving cable ties in place is shameful and just highlights how irresponsible many of our politicians really are. It's especially reprehensible in the case of Green candidates since a dolphin or even a small whale could easily get tangled in the ties and be caused considerable distress.

Maybe issue candidates with different coloured tie clips? Alternatively make them take a photo of the poster erected & then one when it has been removed?

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Originally Posted by pete

Maybe issue candidates with different coloured tie clips? Alternatively make them take a photo of the poster erected & then one when it has been removed?

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Different colours would be workable. I'm glad all the posters are gone now. we should ban them outright.

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Originally Posted by Ringo

I'm glad all the posters are gone now. we should ban them outright.

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Has a poster ever influenced anyone's vote, ever?

(And if yes, should that person be allowed to vote?)

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Has a poster ever influenced anyone's vote, ever?

(And if yes, should that person be allowed to vote?)

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PEREPPADAN, Baby's posters in Tallaght made me want to vote for him due to his uncanny resemblance to Saddam Hussein. Sadly he was in Tallaght South and my vote was in Tallaght Central :(

Other than that I hate the bloody things and think they should be banned.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Has a poster ever influenced anyone's vote, ever?

(And if yes, should that person be allowed to vote?)

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Posters might alert you to the fact that certain candidates are running. How would most people without internet know what candidates were in their area if it wasn't for posters or leaflets?

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Has a poster ever influenced anyone's vote, ever?

(And if yes, should that person be allowed to vote?)

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Some guy had a poster with him wearing a hat made of a miller case with the slogan "we'll sesssion through the recession". I'd say that definitely got him votes from some people.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

How would most people without internet know what candidates were in their area if it wasn't for posters or leaflets?

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The bit in bold. I've no problems with leaflets. At least they can give a quick outline (however loosely connected to reality) of a candidate's policies. Posters only ever have "Vote no 1" for no reason, or a stupid vacuous slogan like the one dmanetc mentioned.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The bit in bold. I've no problems with leaflets. At least they can give a quick outline (however loosely connected to reality) of a candidate's policies. Posters only ever have "Vote no 1" for no reason, or a stupid vacuous slogan like the one dmanetc mentioned.

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I only got 2 leaflets this year btw

I got more than that, in fairness. I even got one person who sent regular updates throughout the past year (that I've been in Greystones); he got four quotas for the county council. I'd like to think those are linked.

Anyway, obviously how many leaflets you received doesn't mean that posters are better than leaflets, or that they shouldn't be banned.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I even got one person who sent regular updates throughout the past year (that I've been in Greystones); he got four quotas for the county council. I'd like to think those are linked.

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It could've been an influence, but he was also the only candidate from FF or FG that opposed the harbour development. Some performance all the same...

I don't think I got many if any leaflets for local elections this time. Got them from all the bye election & European candidates though.

Tight turnaround to take down all those faces. 30 days to put them up, 7 days to take them down. Especially if the people taking them down were at count centres.

http://www.irishpressreleases.ie/200...ction-posters/

"....The Department of the Environment and Local Government recently announced details of the new Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2009, which, in effect provides that posters cannot be erected more than 30 days before Election Day.

Under the amended regulations, election posters cannot be erected prior to Wednesday, 6 May 2009 and must be removed on or before Friday, 12 June 2009. Limerick County Council will shortly be relaying the new time limits to all Local Election candidates."


FAQ
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publication...d,20113,en.pdf

The only ones I'm still seeing around Limerick (North) are those of successful independent Kathleen Leddin. I'll give Kathleen the benefit of the doubt on the basis she managed to retain her council seat through pure footslog and an evident amount of goodwill and probably still has her bunions in a basin of hot water.

Big clear out of posters yesterday. Mainly SF & Independent posters left now. Lots of cable ties remaining. Seems the higher the poster the less likely the cable tie will be removed.

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Originally Posted by pete

Seems the higher the poster the less likely the cable tie will be removed.

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Just proves the folloy of the phrase, 'What goes up, must come down.'

Only Sinn Féin posters left around here that I saw on the way to tonight's game. There was a Greens van going around Churchtown collecting their posters this afternoon.