Fingal Co Co Taking Down Party Posters off Lamposts

Rashers72

Just curious... was driving along old N1 at lunchtime, and spotted Fingal Co Co workers taking down the large posters off the lamp posts at the roundabout at the Tesco Distribution centre turn off near Turvey. They left up all those on the way along, it was just those at the actual junction they dealt with. Note: I was only driving by, so maybe they were removing all....

discus

They could well have been removing the ones that hid road signage, or obstructed traffic lights?

Rashers72

Not in these cases. There are no lights or road signage at that junction (this was right at the junction, not at the approach).

koutoubia

Its a busy enough section of road/junction without poxy posters blocking the view!
Fair play to FCC.

Rashers72

I was back there this evening by coincidence, and in a certain lane a directional sign the other side of the junction would have been blocked by these, so looks like that it the likely reason.

KingBrian2

Perhaps it was dangerous keeping them up. Obstruction vision.

rubberdiddies

if that's the roundabout that has the two lanes going around it where the inside lane isn't wide enough for even a car without mounting the roundabout, then I can understand why they would remove them from there

jwwb

General Election 2016
Posters/Banners/Hoardings : Guidance for Political Parties/Organisations


Legislation
Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009
Under Section 19(7) it is an offence to exhibit an advertisement relating to the General Election in a public place or in view of a public place before 3rd February 2016 or after 4th March 2016.

On private property the prior written permission of the owner, occupier or person in charge must be obtained and submitted to the local authority.

All parties and organisations are reminded of the requirement to remove all General Election signage within seven days after Polling Day. Fines will be issued thereafter. Each fine is €150 and may, if unpaid and if brought to Court, may be subject to a maximum fine of €3,000 plus costs.

Roads Act 1993
Under Section 70 (9) the local authority has power to take immediate action to reduce or remove any structure that presents an immediate and serious hazard to persons using the public road.

Road Traffic Act 1961
Under Section 95 (14) it is an offence to erect a sign that is capable of being confused with a traffic sign or makes a traffic sign less visible to road users or obstructs the view of public road users so as to render the road dangerous to them.

General
In addition to the above, the local authority also has powers under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 which removes the exemption in respect of advertisements if they endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users.

The local authority also has powers under the Litter Pollution Act 1997 to 2009 in respect of the removal of advertisements in the interests of amenity or of the environment.

Nothing set out above, or in the Guidelines below, should be read as allowing actions which would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users. Neither should it be read as excusing political parties, organisations or their agents from complying with other statutory requirements.

Guidelines
Motorways, National Roads and High Speed Dual Carriageway Network
The National Roads Authority has decided as a matter of policy that all signage (including General Election posters, banners, hoardings, variable message signs, etc.) erected without permission constitutes a traffic hazard and will be removed and disposed of by its contractors.

The network includes over-bridges, pedestrian overpasses, interchanges, and Regional and Local Roads for a distance of approximately 70 metres in advance of interchanges.

Regional and Local Roads
General Election signage (posters, banners, hoardings, etc.) is generally permitted where the speed limit is 80kph or less, provided that such signage is fixed in an appropriate manner (e.g., cable ties). However, the following exceptions apply.

Overpasses/Traffic Management Signs/Traffic Signals/Regulatory Signs
For safety reasons General Election signage is not permissible at these locations. Such signage will be removed and disposed of by the local authority. This also applies to railings and land at junctions, interchanges, all roundabouts, slip roads, etc. Traffic Management signs include the rear of such signs and also includes pedestrian lights. Regulatory signs include stop, yield, speed limit, parking, pay and display signs, etc.

Roundabouts
No General Election posters/banners/hoardings will be allowed on any roundabouts. Such signage will be removed and disposed of by the local authority. A minimum of 30 metres must be maintained free of posters on the approaches to roundabouts.

Grass Margins
No hoarding-mounted General Election posters will be allowed. Such signage will be removed and disposed of by the local authority.

Street Furniture
No General Election posters will be allowed on street furniture such as litter bins, seating, bollards or decorative street railings. Such signage will be removed and disposed of by the local authority.

Recycling Arrangements
General
Fingal County Council calls on all parties and organisations to remove all General Election signage in the interests of a cleaner Fingal and for the benefit of the wider community.

General Election signage will be accepted free of charge at Coolmine and Estuary Recycling Centres up to and including the 12th March 2016.

When removing General Election signage, please ensure that all cable ties, etc. are also removed. Cable ties will also be accepted at the Recycling Centres preferably in bags and separate from signage.

Carawaystick

The guidelines are grand, but they refer to the National Roads Authority which no longer exists, so it's hard to know what else is wrong

schemingbohemia

Carawaystick wrote: »

The guidelines are grand, but they refer to the National Roads Authority which no longer exists, so it's hard to know what else is wrong

NRA still exists it uses TII as its operational name, so all references to NRA still are valid.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/si/297/made/en/print

dslamjack

Apart from that,their is definitely somebody apart from the council going around taking down various election party poster's, a lot of pole's etc have been de-cluttered,you can see the snipped cable tie's on the ground,and poster's turned sideway's to the road etc.
I drove through Lusk Village a little while ago,there seem's to be a lot less poster's about on pole's than their was the other day.
A lot of posters being defaced too,more than a bit childish to say the least,and a lot more than underhanded if someone is being sponsored to go around in the dead of night,basically stealing poster's,it bring's a sinister tone that's uncalled for.

weldoninhio

dslamjack wrote: »

Apart from that,their is definitely somebody apart from the council going around taking down various election party poster's, a lot of pole's etc have been de-cluttered,you can see the snipped cable tie's on the ground,and poster's turned sideway's to the road etc.
I drove through Lusk Village a little while ago,there seem's to be a lot less poster's about on pole's than their was the other day.
A lot of posters being defaced too,more than a bit childish to say the least,and a lot more than underhanded if someone is being sponsored to go around in the dead of night,basically stealing poster's,it bring's a sinister tone that's uncalled for.

They're an eyesore so it's all good whether they are being removed by fair or foul means in my eyes. No need for them in this day and age.

dslamjack

Originally post by Weldoninhio They're an eyesore so it's all good whether they are being removed by fair or foul means in my eyes. No need for them in this day and age.

Well that's true all right,I'm not a fan of them myself,am I right in saying this practice of electioneering ,is unique to Ireland, or is it done abroad?

The Hill Billy

I'd love to see them implement the model that they use in Switzerland where one or two official displays are put up by the local authority at prominent spots in each town with a poster for each candidate.

It is more eco-friendly, means less litter & creates a level playing field (from an advertising POV) for candidates who don't have access to big marketing budgets. Not to mention that you are saved from the eyesore of posters on every damn pole around.

dslamjack

Originally posted by the Hill Billy --- I'd love to see them implement the model that they use in Switzerland where one or two official displays are put up by the local authority at prominent spots in each town with a poster for each candidate.

It is more eco-friendly, means less litter & creates a level playing field (from an advertising POV) for candidates who don't have access to big marketing budgets. Not to mention that you are saved from the eyesore of posters on every damn pole around.

That sound's imminently practicable,a great idea all round,why can't our lot come up with idea's like that.
It would save a lot of money, waste,eyesore's and the environment.
Actually on the Tv, ye see election posters on peoples property's in the States showing support for various candidate's,like the sheriff/DA's and for politicians etc.
I have never noticed what they do in the UK, do they use poster's? ,I think I may have seen them using the advertising truck's.

Bigcheeze

jwwb wrote: »

Roundabouts
No General Election posters/banners/hoardings will be allowed on any roundabouts. Such signage will be removed and disposed of by the local authority. A minimum of 30 metres must be maintained free of posters on the approaches to roundabouts.

.

No posters within 30 metres of a roundabout answers the OP's question.

seagull

Please tell me that they send out a fine for littering as well as removing the poster. The people putting up these posters really need to learn to be less obnoxious with how they put them up. At the bare minimum, they should know the rules.

dslamjack

Clondalkin-native Maria - who doesn't want to be identified - was walking along the Firhouse Rd near the Old Mill in South Dublin shortly before midday when a poster belonging to local Fine Gael councillor Karen Warren stuck her from above.

Full Story.....http://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/national/young-woman-lucky-to-not-lose-an-eye-as-fine-gael-election-poster-slices-forehead/ar-BBpM9Se?ocid=spartandhp

Dizzyblonde

There were a lot of them blowing around out there today with the strong winds.

It's a pity they don't cap the number of posters for each candidate within a certain radius -I saw at least six posters of the same candidate on a short stretch of railings on the backroads between Donaghmede and Balgriffin today. It seems wasteful as well as being annoying. There's only so much you can take of these people grinning at you :P

Stheno

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

There's only so much you can take of these people grinning at you :P

The one of half Clare dalys face scowling down at you is frightful.

You could use it to intimidate bold children into behaving

dslamjack

That Green Party one - Joe O'Brien with the neon white teeth is a hazzard to traffic ,motorist's ,cyclist's it's liable to dazzle ya even at night,if he knock's on the door in the dark you'll know who it is,with them pearlies-hope it did't effect his carbon foot print.

dslamjack

Enda as you have never seen him.....https://twitter.com/RealPMurphy/status/701345192083849216/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/DaveyHiggins/status/701331593315614721/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

http://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/see-enda-kenny-as-you-have-never-seen-him-before-721641.html

cowzerp

Great to see many of them with stickers highlighting how they support water charges or voted to evict people etc, using their signs to tell the truth and best of all, fact they take the stickers down shows they don't want people to know the truth. if proud of their actions they wouldn't rely on hiding the truth

The Hill Billy

Another way of looking at it would be that some candidates are resorting to vandalising others' posters instead of making their own policies known. That sort of carry on is as underhanded as pulling other candidates' election leaflets from letterboxes.

In fairness, the policies & actions of the government parties haven't been hidden in the slightest & have been commented on daily in the media for the past 5 years.

Elemonator

Whatever the reason, I couldn't be happier. They are a nuisance. Here where I live, they take the posters down but always leave the cable ties. Very unsightly. The should be banned altogether, they have never altered my opinion for an election. Ever.

cowzerp

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Another way of looking at it would be that some candidates are resorting to vandalising others' posters instead of making their own policies known. That sort of carry on is as underhanded as pulling other candidates' election leaflets from letterboxes.

In fairness, the policies & actions of the government parties haven't been hidden in the slightest & have been commented on daily in the media for the past 5 years.

The media! the most unbalanced media outside of north korea, all ran by denis o brien who funds fine gael.

Brendan Ryan for example gets support by been from Labour that stands up for the working man, this is not the case as he has voted on every measure to screw the people and help corporate interests.

So a sticker highlighting how he supports water charges or how he signed the eviction bill is 100% true and he is relying on the irish electorate been ignorant which it generally is

The Hill Billy

RTÉ ain't exactly in DOB's pocket. Neither are many other daily & weekly papers.

And as you mention Brendan Ryan I think you'll find that he gets support because he's an honest politician (you may not agree with his policies, but he is honest) who works hard for his constituents. As a result he attracts a lot of support from non-Labour voters.

And defacing posters is vandalism. I'd be fooked if I'd give my vote to a candidate who condoned that sort of carry-on.

If they can't behave decently outside the Dáil - I wouldn't want them representing me inside it.

The Hill Billy

And while I'm at it...

All this 'Blueshirt' malarkey to allude to a certain faction's right-wing past. And I bet half the people bandying the term about would have no problem driving a VW or Beemer or drinking a can of Fanta or wearing a Hugo Boss shirt.

dslamjack

Common now billy ,I know I'm gettin on,me auld grannie used to go on about them blue shirts and Dev(she'd spit after his name),and the jack booted nancy or nasty boys she used to call them,she meant nazi's of course.
And you're right, thing's are bad enough without them stupping to underhand tatic's like stealing posters and flyers.
Also the tactics of following politicians around like baying hounds after a fox is disgusting,totally uncalled for in this day of mass media.
Like wise picketing politicians homes or their clinic's(which intimidates constituents)it really is the politics of the last resort,and the trait's of the nazi facist's mentioned above.
Last week the PBP/AAA alliance had a huge banner held by 3 volunteers below at Blakes Cross on Tuesday morning last,how many people say that demonstration,50k more?.
I only wish people had as been as pro active when Bertie and the lads were about,instead of crawling around the streets locked and snorting wierd substances off the jack's in their locals,while their kids went totally wild and the country went to hell in a basket.

Ryan hits out at critics
Labour TD says pickets at his advice clinics have won him support ...Full Story ..http://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/news/ryan-hits-out-at-critics-34454916.html

weldoninhio

cowzerp wrote: »

The media! the most unbalanced media outside of north korea, all ran by denis o brien who funds fine gael.

Brendan Ryan for example gets support by been from Labour that stands up for the working man, this is not the case as he has voted on every measure to screw the people and help corporate interests.

So a sticker highlighting how he supports water charges or how he signed the eviction bill is 100% true and he is relying on the irish electorate been ignorant which it generally is

Exactly, how many people know that Fingal Council voted AGAINST making multi-nationals pay the full 12.5% corporate rate of tax!!!

Councillor B. Martin - Pharmaceutical Companies, Corporation Tax
“That this Council calls on multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in the Fingal area to contribute the full corporation tax rate, in order to invest in essential public services in the area.”


This was voted down!!

Stheno

weldoninhio wrote: »

Exactly, how many people know that Fingal Council voted AGAINST making multi-nationals pay the full 12.5% corporate rate of tax!!!

Councillor B. Martin - Pharmaceutical Companies, Corporation Tax
“That this Council calls on multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in the Fingal area to contribute the full corporation tax rate, in order to invest in essential public services in the area.”


This was voted down!!

Would you prefer to have it in place and a few thousand more on the dole when the pharma companies leave the country?