Has the Minister for the Environment John Gormley nothing better to do?

Today Mr Gormley launched a public consultation process to examine the problem of littering and pollution caused by election posters. He hinted at restrictions on the locations where posters could be displayed. He also plans to introduce a new code of practice and to allocate new powers to local authorities. At the moment, election and referendum posters are exempt from the Litter Pollution Act until seven days after polling day.

He said "Increasingly, concerns have been raised by local authorities and the general public about the proliferation of posters, their use in unsuitable locations, and the failure to remove posters, including poster ties, within the statutory seven-day period".

Sometimes the plastic ties used to put up the posters remain in place even if the poster itself is removed. However this is not a major problem. In general parties and individuals remove posters quite promptly. This was not the case in the 1980s and 1990s.

Posters are an integral part of the Irish electoral scene for generations. They are part of our electoral tradition. They are an essential prerequisite for candidates as they promote name and party recognition. They also help to create an election atmosphere. Now Mr Gormley in a puritanical streak wishes to stymie parties efforts to promote their candidates. Is Mr Gormley a killjoy? Undoubtedly he is also partly motivated by envy-envy of the larger parties. This is another example of political correctness gone mad.

Election posters are of little concern to the electorate at present. However rising unemployment, inflation, the housing crisis,crime, threats to Irish farming and fishing are the major issues, which concern voters. Perhaps the Minister might like to concern himself with these.

Mr Gormley's approach smacks of the nanny state in action. He even wishes to allocate further powers to local authorities to tackle this minor issue. The Irish people are sick and tired of more and more regulation emanating from Government sources and from the EU.