Mayo councillor calls for poster free zone during local elections

A WESTPORT councillor has called for his fellow councillors to enter a pre-election pact and agree not to erect election posters before June's Local Elections.

Erecting posters of election candidates on poles and lampposts has been a mainstay of electioneering in Ireland for decades but for a number of years, Westport-based candidates have agreed not to erect posters around Westport.

Now Westport-based Independent councillor Christy Hyland believes it is time that all councillors in the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District agree to extend the practice to all areas in the district.

“There was an old rule in the town council days that we all abided by and coming into an election in June, I am proposing that we have no posters during the election,” he told the monthly meeting of the municipal district.

“I remember going into Galway during an election and all along the Headford Road there were five or six posters on one pole and another five or six on another. It looked absolutely terrible. I don't want to see this in an award winning area like where I am in Westport and in our electoral area there should be no postering,” the Independent councillor requested.

His proposal was seconded by Fianna Fáil councillor Brendan Mulroy who commented that there should be a law which prevents posters during elections.

“I am only seconding the motion but it is a pity it is not in law because it sends out the wrong message to be talking about the environment one week and putting up posters on poles with cable ties another week,” he said.

Erris-based councillor Gerry Coyle commented that while elected councillors may be able to do without posters, he felt that people running for the first time who may not be well known might not be happy not being able to erect posters.

Cllr Coyle also asked if councillors have the power to prevent people from erecting posters during elections.

Director of Services, Catherine McConnell confirmed that election posters are considered to be exempted from development and can be erected without permission.

“You cannot stop people putting them up,” she confirmed but added they have to be taken down after a period of time.

Padraig Walsh, Head of the Municipal District said all the councillors can do is enter a pact amongst themselves not to have posters as part of their election campaign.

The Local Election is due to take place in June and Cllr Hyland said that the tradition of not putting posters in Westport should continue.