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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2016

QUESTION NO.11

QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney

To ask the Chief Executive how many fines have been issued for the illegal erection of posters/public advertisements, month-by-month, in the last 12 months; to ask how many of these have been related to political candidates, meetings and other issues; to ask if he will consider recommending the introduction of restrictions on posters which are clearly promoting candidates rather than public meetings; and to make a statement on the matter.

REPLY:

In general planning permission is required for the erection of posters, unless specifically exempted.

Section 19 (1) of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended, regulates / prohibits placing of articles and advertisements on certain structures.

Section 19 (7) of the Litter Pollution Act regulates for the erection of posters for elections and public meetings.  Under this section a poster advertising a public meeting is exempted development unless the advertisement / poster has been in position for 7 days or longer after the day specified in the advertisement for the meeting.

Election/ referendum posters are required only to be erected for a certain specified time before an election, either a) 30 days before the poll date OR b) from the date the polling order for the election has been made, whichever is the shorter.

Election posters must be removed within 7 days after an election.

Electioneering signage can be erected at any time on private property (and not confined to the certain specified election time constraints) if it has the benefit of planning permission, or is exempt development as prescribed in planning regulations. 

A total of 215 Fixed Penalty Notices issued in 2015 in respect of such offences.  One direct prosecution was initiated.  It is not possible to categorise the Notices.