Election posters to be erected across Kilkenny from today

Candidates vying for a council seat in the upcoming local elections can erect posters from today (Wednesday).

Election hopefuls can put up posters 30 days prior to polling day within seven days of the election being completed. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €150.

In Kilkenny City, the seven sitting councillors have voted not to erect posters in the city centre during their local election campaigns.

The vote is a non-binding, 'gentleman's agreement' and other election candidates are not obliged to follow suit.

Fianna Fáil councillor and Mayor of Kilkenny City, Cllr Joe Malone welcomed the agreement and the positive impacts it would have for the local environment and the image of the city, adding, "it boosted my campaign to have no poster last time."

Mayor Malone also proposed to write to candidates when the nomination process had closed to inform them of the the sitting city councillor's intentions not to erect posters.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness (FF) echoed Mayor Malone’s sentiments and suggested utilising local media channels.

Meanwhile, party colleague, Cllr John Coonan, touted the idea of putting up posters in a single set 'centralised location' in order to be fair to new election hopefuls.

Green Party councillor, Maria Dollard, who raised the original motion at March’s sitting of the Municipal District, welcomed the developments.

"They're (posters) seen as litter," she said, and claimed they have a negative impact on local tourism. Cllr Dollard also urged the relevant body to get the message out to new candidates 'fairly quickly'.

Independent, Cllr Eugene McGuinness claimed posters were just 'littering the city' and 'social media secures new candidates are not disadvantaged'.

Fine Gael's Cllr David Fitzgerald concurred with councillors and asked if councillors could 'please refrain' from using parking bays to park election vehicles in the city centre.