Tipperary Co. Council Fail Again In Enacting Litter Pollution Laws.
Picture G. Willoughby. [Photo taken 21st August, 2020]
As we stated earlier Tipperary County Councillors, particularly those responsible for the Templemore/Thurles Municipal District, don’t get out much any more; what with recovering from the mental anguish they suffered during their May 2019 local election campaign; then, just 11 months later, their fear of catching the Covid-19 virus, and now having to cancel foreign holidays; forced into “Staycation” in a roofless Éire. [Unless of course you are a patriotic Sinn Féin councillor.]
The 2020 Irish general election took place on Saturday February 8th, 2020 to elect members to the 33rd Dáil Éireann, latter the lower house of the Ireland’s parliament. [And despite 3 parties in charge getting lower]. The election was called following the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil, by Mr Michael Daniel Higgins, ninth President of Ireland; and at the request of the then Taoiseach, Mr Leo Varadkar, on January 14th, 2020.
Some 29 weeks have now passed since that General Election date.
There is a requirement for candidates who put themselves forward for General Elections, to remove all political posters; including any cable ties, within 7 days following any election. Failure to comply with such conditions constitutes an offence under section 19 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 and the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2009.
The responsibility for the enforcement of this stated litter law, here in Co. Tipperary, lies solely with the local authority, which in this case is Tipperary County Council and Templemore / Thurles Municipal District.
Travelling to view and walk the “Double Ditch” some days ago, I came across a continuing offender of this particular Litter Pollution Act, namely the failed German Prof. Dr. Dolores Cahill, latter a member of the minor right-wing, hard Eurosceptic political party here in Ireland, which call themselves ‘The Irish Freedom Party’, or is it ‘Yellow Vest Movement’, (So difficult to know who is who any more what with face masks being worn).
We had already notified Tipperary Co. Council on March 1st of 2 posters abandoned by Prof. Cahill, who had taken the opportunity to further introduce herself by breaching stipulated time frames as to such election posters. [No we are not aware what penalties were enacted in the past, if any.]
So what are the penalties in place for breaches of the legislation governing election posters?
Any election posters in place before or after the stipulated time-frame is deemed to be in breach of the legislation are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150 per week.
By our ageing calculator, Dr. Dolores Cahill this week owes €4,354.00 to Tipperary County Council or Templemore / Thurles Municipal District.
Will they collect, we ask, thus assisting with the wages of the individuals racing around checking who has recycling bins and no doubt advising on how to get a 3 seater couch into a green bin?
It would appear that Irish Independent politician and Teachta Dála Mr Mattie McGrath isn’t the only one ‘asleep on the job’.
Many thanks for this informative piece………also, I read that Prof Cahill has recently been asked to resign from a leading EU scientific committee over her online claims about the Covid-19 pandemic…that was in an article dated 13th June….I wonder if she has since stepped down? Furthermore, I see that she is a Professor of translational medicine at UCD……..whatever , only 527 of the Tipp electorate cast their votes for the candidate who has promised to “debunk the narrative” of the pandemic……………
If nothing else Tipperary County Council / Templemore – Thurles Municipal District are missing a trick on not “cashing in” on an easy €4k+
Templemore – Thurles Municipal District councillors and officials pass this poster 10 times each day. None have highlighted the issue, while this misguided woman rants in O’Connell Street, Dublin endangering the lives of thousands of gullable, easily persuaded people.
Your description of Prof Cahill as “misguided” is way too kind. This is a person with experience, training and expertise in medical matters – she has a post at UCD in translational medicine (someone will need to enlighten me to what exactly that means!)……….for example last Saturday she spoke of hydroxychloroquine………..she knows better than anyone that hydroxychloroquine has no benefit whatsoever for patients hospitalised with Covid-19 etc……
No Prof Cahill and people like her have other agendas – be they fame, financial gain, power, notoriety – whatever……..and they have what is now a familiar m.o. – namely, they cast doubts on the authority of experts so that all opinions hold the same authority and value – ie none! They also try to undermine accepted facts and knowledge – in this instance about medicine and health………..their thinking bears a similarity to people that deny the holocaust or other indisputable events ……………they may resemble flat earthers, cranks and nutcases but they’re not misguided……they deliberately misinform, deny and lie – they know exactly what they’re up to and they’re difficult to deal with…….just ask the people of the USA, UK and Brazil but to name 3 countries……………..and you’re right, that poster shouldn’t be there anymore – it must come down!
All the best!