Laois local election candidate writes to Tidy Towns groups to get views on posters

A local election candidate has written to Tidy Towns groups in the Portlaoise area to find out their views on election posters. 

The Green Party Candidate for Portlaoise, Rosie Palmer, has written to the Tidy Towns groups in the Portlaoise area which includes Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Raheen, Knock and The Rock, with a view to establishing their policy on postering ahead of the Local Elections on June 7.

Speaking on the request, Palmer said: “The postering period runs from May 8th until a week after the election, which will mean posters will be up during the Tidy Towns judging period which takes place during June and July.

"I have asked the Tidy Towns groups to share their postering policies with me so I can adhere to them when it comes time to put up election posters. In Abbeyleix, Ballinakill and Portlaoise the preference is for no posters within the Town speed limits – I think this is a very fair ask.

"Laois County Council have not adopted a “no poster” policy, so any arrangement would of course be informal and couldn’t be enforced, but I’m asking all my fellow candidates to respect the preference of the local Tidy Towns groups.

"As a Green, I recognise that posters can be visually intrusive and environmentally harmful, but as a first-time candidate, I know that posters are the surest way of being recognised, and a vote for Green is a vote for better policies around matters like this one."

Ms Palmer has also written to Laois County Council to request that they make available a space within the town confines where all candidates could place one poster to ensure equal access to the democratic process.

"Ultimately, we must respect the wishes of Tidy Towns groups, and the huge amount of hard work and dedication that goes into improving our communities making them better places to live, work and visit," she said.