Kerry town mayor in plea as posters on ESB poles a fire risk

The issue of posters in Kerry has become something of a burning issue on the first days of the campaign — with the ESB warning that putting posters on poles may pose a fire risk.

The mayor of Killarney, Bobby O’Connell (FG), has appealed to all contestants in the general election to hold to what has previously been described as “a gentleman’s agreement” of not putting up political posters in the town.

Candidates of all shades came to an agreement several elections ago not to erect posters in the environs out of respect for Killarney’s position as a tourist destination, said Mr O’Connell, adding that it was to preserve the town from untidy postering.

The agreement was extended in 2014 to parked trucks, buses, and arctic trailers.

The agreement, which was largely policed by the town council, has been adhered to.

However, the town council is no longer.

Mr O’Connell, the chairman of the new authority, Killarney Municipal District, has asked that “the etiquette” not be broken.

“There is nothing written or binding — but I would ask that all candidates respect the long-standing tradition in this leading tourist destination and keep the town free from political advertising,” said Mr O’Connell.

Meanwhile, ESB networks in Kerry has asked candidates not to put posters up on electricity poles.

ESB Kerry area manager Ger Deenihan said he has previously observed campaign workers in the front buckets of machinery erecting posters on ESB poles.

In the last election a new type of poster had been introduced and when it went on fire, it set fire to the pole, he said. “The jury was out” on how the posters went on fire in the first place.

Mr Deenihan said the new posters have a plastic element and on fire, this ignited the creosote (tar or oil-based wood preservative) on the poles, leading to the poles burning down.

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