DIRTY TRICKS ALLEGED AS TREATY POSTERS TAKEN DOWN
A roundabout in Mitchelstown may, it appears, have become the focus of a dirty tricks campaign by the Pro-Lisbon parties according to Coir. The anti-Lisbon group has asked the gardai to investigate the alleged removal of ‘Vote No!’ posters from many points around the country.
“Poster have been systematically torn down in many areas around the country,” Brian Hickey of Coir told The Avondhu.
In Mitchelstown, one roundabout on the Fermoy road has had many ‘No to Lisbon’ posters removed, these were then replaced by ‘Vote Yes’ posters sponsored by Fianna Fail according to one Avondhu reader and Coir’s Brian Hickey.
“Our volunteers erected posters across the country. In Dublin we have seen that hundreds have been taken down. Now it appears that this is happening in other areas of the country. Firstly, it is a crime to illegally remove referendum posters and we have asked the gardai to look at CCTV footage of the areas where we know posters have been taken down illegally. That will determine who is behind this dirty tricks campaign, which is motivated entirely by politics,” Mr Hickey said.
Responding to the accusations of dirty tricks, a spokesperson for Fianna Fail said, “Fianna Fail never engages in removing the posters of other political parties. This is illegal and we would not condone this behaviour.”
There has also been a report that posters have been removed from the Fermoy area, this time it appears that the posters were in fact of the ‘Vote Yes for Lisbon’ variety. A spokesperson for Fermoy Town Council said that it was policy in Fermoy that no election posters are allowed in the town for any elections.
“It has long been the policy here in Fermoy not to allow posters within the town. This is not a law, so to speak, but an agreement between the local political parties in the town. This agreement includes general and local elections and referenda,” John Barry told The Avondhu.
One caller explained his anger at what he believed to be breaking the law and littering the streets of Fermoy by putting up posters.
“I am not advocating either way but I’m just sick of these people thinking they can come in and put up posters anywhere. Fermoy is meant to be poster-free.”
Daniel Harrington, a local advocate for a no vote, explained that they had believed the bye-laws to be the same as for the elections, however, “considering they are not, we will of course be adding our voice in the interest of fairness.”
Fermoy Town Council have not, as yet, discussed the matter among its members and it is expected that a decision will be made next week as to whether or not the council will advocate a favourable vote for the divisive Treaty. Cork County Council can remove posters if they are deemed to be a hazard to road users.
“If an election poster is interfering with road users, it is a matter for the gardai,” a spokesperson for Cork County Council said.
Published:
Thursday 10th September 8:45pm
