TO poster or not to poster.
That was the quandary facing councillors at this week’s meeting of the Council’s Environment Strategic Policy Committee.
Councillors were asked at County Hall on Monday to support a voluntary ban on election posters for this year’s Council, European and Referenda elections on May 24 throughout the city and county.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins told council members that local representatives in Newcastle West had already agreed to a voluntary ban on election posters for the upcoming local elections.
Cllr Collins went on to outline reasons for a voluntary ban on erecting election posters.
“Corrugated plastic, commonly known as Corriboard is the material of choice for election posters. Like other single use plastics, they take more than 400 years to biodegrade.
“In the 2014 local elections, 2,038 candidates ran for 765 seats. An estimated 611,000 posters were erected with a combined cost of €3 million with posters covering the equivalent area of 23 Croke Parks. This produced 366 tonnes of Co2, the equivalent of driving an average car non-stop for 592 days.
“After 30 days of canvassing, the majority of these posters were sent to landfill,” he explained.
He also took the view that posters can be a safety hazard impeding sight lines and a danger to the general public where they often blow off poles in stormy weather.
“We see the damage plastic is doing to marine life. We are dumping 8 million tons of plastic into our seas every year. Once it’s in the ocean, it becomes entangled on the bodies or in the stomachs of marine mammals. Last year a sperm whale washed up on the south coast of Spain and had 64 pounds of plastic found in its intestines. Once plastic ends up in the stomachs of fish it ultimately enters the human food chain so the rest is self explanatory.”
Cllr Collins called on all local election candidates to go poster free during the local elections on the basis that there are other ways to get their message out to constituents by way of print media, social media and meeting people on the doorsteps.
Before a 70-minute debate on the topic, Director of Service for Physical Development, Brian Kennedy informed councillors that the local authority could not enforce such a ban, as there was no legislation in place.
“While it would be of benefit it could not be enforced. The legislation is not there, so this is a matter for members to consider,” he said.
Fine Gael councillor John Sheahan said it was a “laudable motion” and told council members that he had been recycling his posters for the past three elections.
“I have them stored for reuse,” he added.
Sheahan also took the opportunity to remind Cllr Collins that he was fined following the 2009 local elections after posters were left up in The Square in Newcastle West beyond the allocated time limit.
Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon (FF) supported the spirit of Cllr Collins’ motion and felt there were plenty of alternatives to election posters.
“In France, they have billboards where candidates can announce they are running for elections by putting up small paper posters. You could also put adverts in the papers and local radio. Go out and knock on doors and meet people.
“It has become like a circus, like a frenzy between candidates,” he claimed.
Labour Party councillor Elena Secas felt there should be a limit to the number of posters candidates could put up. However, she reminded council members that posters were one of the main means of publicity for first-time election candidates.
Independent councillor Bridget Teefy felt posters were necessary to create public awareness.
“They are part of the election scene,” she said.
Sinn Féin councillor Malachy McCreesh took the view that election posters could be “unsightly”, but felt without them, many people would not know of the upcoming local elections.
“They can pass some people by,” he suggested.
Cllr Michael Collins’ party colleague Eddie Ryan said he has already had posters printed for the 2019 local elections, and felt they do “no harm”.
“I don’t go along with any of it. They’re a small wheel in our democracy and have their use. I give out mine to clubs in my area. One builder has got five years use out of them. He puts them down on the floor when he is doing a job and takes them up and uses them again for the next job. They are doing absolutely no harm,” Cllr Ryan claimed.
Cllr Michael Collins accused members of being “hypocritical”.
