Politicians – Rule Breakers.

Congratulations to whoever sowed the wildflower seeds on the west side of Liberty Square in Thurles and also opposite Thurles Shopping centre roundabout, which can be found when exiting unto the junction of Pearse Terrace, close to Davis Road.

Meanwhile, hopefully Thurles Municipal District Council Officials have begun to issue invoices to two of our politicians for failing to remove their posters within the required time period, following the local and European elections held on June 7th last (2024).
The first and main offender was Aontu’s Ballydehob, Co. Cork based Mr Patrick Murphy who was threatening to “Put Ireland first in Europe”.

Mr Murphy failed to remove at least 3 of his posters here in Thurles; one on the junction of the Jimmy Doyle Road and the N62 Templemore Road, and two posters on the Nenagh Road, opposite LIT Thurles.
According to these posters, we learn from the small print that same were sponsored by Mr Peadar Tóibín, a current reigning TD, who readers will remember resigned from Sinn Féin on November 15th 2018; due to his anti-abortion views, after opposing the party whip on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. So possibly best to send the invoice to him.

Mr Murphy’s poster erectors broke several rules. Posters remain attached to road signs. Same signs where posters are attached are below head height and posters do not meet the minimum height of 2.3 metres above both footpaths,

The second offender was newly elected Fianna Fáil councillor Ms Kay Cahill Skehan, sister of reigning TD, Mr Jackie Cahill, who up to yesterday, June 23rd 2024, saw her image topping a street lamp pole in the centre of Liberty Square.

Earlier, before the local election, poster erectors showed little respect for the environment, using a ‘Pozi Driver’, to screw a poster of Ms Cahill Skehan unto a tree on the N62 close to Thurles Golf Club, South of Thurles. The poster was later ripped off, but the three screws sadly remain buried in the unfortunate tree-trunk.
Rules regarding election posters state that same should be securely fixed to poles (not trees) using cable ties, to facilitate removal without causing damage. Cable ties should also be removed when the posters are being taken down.

Only today, June 24th, was Ms Cahill Skehan’s poster displayed in Liberty Square removed, so the invoice can still be sent.

The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)“. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster.
The four posters identified here should yield €600 to benificiares Thurles Municipal District Council, per the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended by the Electoral (Amendment)(No.2) Act 2009.