Campaign against election posters launched

AS election candidates in Kerry pick up the pieces and count the cost of posters torn from poles during yesterday’s violent gusts of wind, image-conscious Killarney has declared all-out war on public displays of election literature.

The tourism capital is determined that attractive shop facades and carefully maintained street-scapes will not be overshadowed by giant snapshots of grinning election hopefuls.

The has been a long-standing political pact in Killarney — officially Ireland’s tidiest large town — that posters will not be erected in the picturesque urban area and now Tralee and Listowel plan to follow that example.

Kerry County Council official Padraig Corkery acknowledged that there is nothing illegal about postering on poles and walls but he appealed to all candidates to be environmentally friendly.

Those who do erect posters have been warned that under current legislation, fines of €150 per poster are imposed on candidates who fail to take down posters within seven days of polling day.

Election candidate Michael Gleeson of the South Kerry Independent Alliance is leading the drive against postering and called on other candidates to follow his lead in pledging not to erect posters during the campaign.

Mr Gleeson was elected to both Kerry County Council and Killarney Town Council in 2009 without the use of posters.

“Posters diminish and degrade an area, particularly in our county of great beauty,” he said.