Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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2. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will request that the national judging of the Tidy Towns competition take place after the local elections in order to allow for any posters erected for the elections to be taken down in a timely manner. [20953/24]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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If it is within her gift, I ask the Minister to request that the national judging committee of the Tidy Towns competition allow for judging to take place a little later than normal, given the existence of posters which might serve as a mitigating factor in the judging criteria. I am unsure whether posters are such a factor but I am asking for a little bit of headroom while the election campaign is under way.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The SuperValu Tidy Towns competition is a unique volunteer-led programme that makes a hugely positive contribution in communities across Ireland. Ahead of the competition launch each year, officials in my Department meet with SuperValu, the main sponsor of the competition, and with our highly skilled and competent panel of adjudicators. My Department's role is to facilitate the administration of the adjudication process, but my officials are not actively involved in the formal adjudication of competition entries. Adjudication of competition entries typically takes place during the months of June and July over an intensive six-week period. Based on the experience in previous years, approximately 900 towns and villages are likely to undergo assessment during this period. In the event that the adjudication period coincides with an election, adjudicators are aware that election posters may be displayed, within the allowed timeframe specified under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended, in towns and villages entered in the Supervalu Tidy Towns competition. My Department has advised the panel of adjudicators that posters in place within the allowed timeframes should not impact on any Tidy Towns scoring.

The 2024 SuperValu Tidy Towns competition was launched on 23 March, with a closing date of 8 May. I wish all groups entering the best of luck and commend them on the excellent and inspirational work they undertake to make our towns and villages better places to live, work, visit and enjoy. The Tidy Towns competition is a great event. There are so many volunteers. I do not need to tell the Deputy about them; he knows it perfectly well, as does everybody else. The volunteers make a huge contribution to their communities and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. I look forward to announcing the results of the 2024 SuperValu Tidy Towns competition and meeting the winning entries at an awards ceremony later in the year. It is a wonderful event.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for her reply. Tidy Towns committees throughout the country will take comfort from her reply insofar as there is that communication between the Minister's officials and SuperValu Tidy Towns. It will not be lost on Supervalu and the Musgrave Group that customers are voters and voters are customers, and I am sure they will allow for that . At least there is clarity of communications around the rules governing when posters can go up and when they need to be taken down, which is welcome. At least there is an understanding among Tidy Towns adjudicators of that process under the law. I welcome the Minister's reply, which will give comfort to many Tidy Towns committees, particularly where there are voluntary codes or arrangements whereby poster bans exist in certain towns, such as my own, for instance.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his comments. I recognise that this is a very busy time of the year for the Tidy Towns committees and everyone is putting their best foot forward. They want to make their town or village more attractive. For as long as I have been involved in politics, there has been a debate around posters. Personally, I would not lose any sleep if no posters were put up, but I recognise that first-time candidates want to get their face out there and I can see why they are needed. It is part of our democratic process, so I am not going to wade into any debate on that one. It has long been a tradition in Irish politics. It was only after midnight on Tuesday that we saw all of the posters going up. They look very fresh and nice at the minute in the good weather. There are clear time periods during which posters are allowed before an election, as well as regulations specifying how quickly they have to be taken down after an election. That is set down in legislation. I encourage people to operate within the timeframe. Those putting up the posters should ensure that, when they are being taken down, the cable ties are taken down with them, because that is a torture for the Tidy Towns committees.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I thank the Minister. I stand before her as someone who will not be putting up any more posters on my own behalf. I wholeheartedly support the idea of postering. Perhaps it is easy for me to say this now, given that incumbency is a powerful thing, but when one is trying to get in the door of places like this, the poster is important, as is visibility, and there is a place for it. I share the Minister's sentiment in that regard.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is right. We all have teams who put up and take down the posters. There is a need to be careful because sometimes posters have been put up low on the pole first as it is easier, and then you have to go up and up until you are at the top of the pole. I am always very conscious of the possibility of somebody slipping and falling. Those putting up the posters need to be careful. The Deputy and I, and all Members, indeed, would give them that warning to be careful when putting up the posters and not to do any damage to themselves. It is great that they put up the posters but I ask that the cable ties be taken down afterwards. If they do not take them down, the Tidy Towns people have to try to remove them, which is quite difficult. I ask people putting up posters to be aware and to work within the timeframes. They should put them up, take them down and job done.