COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 08, 2020

QUESTION NO. 21

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive to issue a report into who will remove the Cable ties left on poles after the recent election and to consider this matter going forward as part of the Council climate action plan 

REPLY:

It is the responsibility of the candidates to remove election posters and cable ties as Section 19 (7) of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 requires that election posters (and their cable ties) be taken down within 7 days of an election.

Prior to each general election, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment writes to all participating political parties to remind them of their obligations under the Litter Pollution Acts, and requesting them to remove both the posters and the cable ties used to attach them within the statutory timeframe. Should this requirement not be met, there is deemed to be a breach of the legislation and those responsible may be subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150. However, it has not been possible to identify the political parties or candidates that fail to remove the cable ties.

Motion 1 in relation to Election Posters was debated at the November 2019 Council meeting. As part of the report for that Motion, it was noted that; Reforming the way election candidates reach the public may require political will and legislative change. National legislation permits election posters (including cable ties) and does not (subject to road safety) put restrictions on where they should be erected, but rather when they can be erected and when they should be removed.