Council orders posters removed

CANDIDATES whose posters block road traffic signs in Kerry have been told by the county council to take them down.

Council spokesman Padraig Corkery yesterday said it had received complaints in both Kerry constituencies about posters interfering with signs.

If candidates don’t have the offending posters removed by today, council workers will remove them and candidates will have to pay for the work.

It is illegal under the Road Traffic Act 1961 to hang posters on traffic signs, or on poles which have traffic signs.

Meanwhile, Youghal Tidy Towns Committee chairman Ned Brennan said it was regrettable that election candidates had ignored a request not to put up posters in the seaside town.

Before the election, the committee wrote to all candidates asking them not to put up posters.

Mr Brennan said election posters were fragile, and would deteriorate and cause litter in wet and windy weather despite the candidates’ best efforts.

Youghal has been remarkably successful in the Litter League Competition in the past few years, winning it in 2004 and 2005.

“The absence of election posters would greatly assist the Tidy Towns committee’s campaign,” said Mr Brennan.

“The Tidy Towns committee is a voluntary group and totally depends on the goodwill, support and co-operation of the complete community.”

The committee again called on parties to be responsible and to remove unsightly posters which spoiled the beauty of the town.