COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

QUESTION NO. 27

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if he will set out the procedures whereby a business owner in Lucan Village, retail or otherwise, can apply for a permit to place signage, including "sandwich boards" outside the premises, and if he will advise how many such permits are currently held?

REPLY:

Section 71, of the Roads Act, 1993 as amended, provides that any person who, without lawful authority or the consent of a road authority erects, places or retains a sign on a public road, or erects, places or retains on a public road any caravan, vehicle or other structure or thing (whether on wheels or not) used for the purposes of advertising, the sale of goods, the provision of services or other similar purpose shall be guilty of an offence. 

Section 19 of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997 as amended, clearly prohibits articles and advertisements on certain structures, or other land etc. unless the person is authorised in advance to do so in writing by such owner, occupier or person in charge or by or under any enactment.

There are also certain provisions under the Planning Acts which could authorise the provision of certain signage.

In order to clarify the position of the Council for all concerned and in order to set down a clear policy which was supportive of the needs of the business community and others and which protected the amenity and heritage of the County, a significant policy document has been prepared and presented to recent meetings of the Transportation, Environment and Economic Development Strategic Policy Committees. The feedback obtained from these presentations is at present being examined with a view to incorporation into the final policy document.

It has been proposed that the Council's Roads Department will, in the interim, examine applications for the authorisation of signage to be placed in the public domain under the provisions of the Roads Act, subject to conditions including the provision of an appropriate insurance indemnity to the Council. At present there are no current permits in place.