Election poster restrictions suggested for next Offaly elections

THE cluttered vista of hundreds of posters lining the streets in the build up to the next local elections in Offaly may be a thing of the past if a suggestion from one local Councillor is enforced.

Next year, election fever will grip the country for the 2024 Local Elections, which will be held on the same day as the 2024 European Parliament Elections in May.

The traditional scene of an over abundance of election posters cable-tied to every lampost and upright pole in every town and village may change, if a suggestion by Kilcormac based Independent Councillor, John Leahy goes ahead.

Cllr Leahy suggests a similar approach to several other European countries where rules relating to election posters and circulating material through letterboxes is much stricter than Ireland's and are based on pollution and littering.

This less intrusive system sees a designated area in every town and village where candidates can erect just one poster each and local people interested in the election can visit to see the material from their prospective new elected representatives.

"We are living in times where the focus is on cutting down on signs and pollution and we all know the stories about cable-ties being left on poles and posters left up for too long", Cllr Leahy told the April monthly meeting of Birr Municipal District.

"Councillors and TDs should lead from the front on this, which is an environmental issue and we should set an example", he said.

"We can identify and area in every town where there will be one poster from each candidate - which would be a much better and fairer way", Cllr Leahy said.