Judging for Tidy Towns will not be affected by posters for local and European elections, Rural Community Minister Heather Humphreys confirmed. 

Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher has written to Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys asking for adjudication to be delayed until after election posters have been taken down. 

He said candidates are entitled to hang posters and other campaign materials – but their impact on Tidy Towns must be taken seriously. 

“In some instances, there are billboards that can be quite sizeable, and they could be blocking displays that the Tidy Towns might have,” he said. 

“[Participants] are concerned by this, so I have written to Minister Humphreys to ask her to consider postponing the adjudication.” 

The Youghal Tidy Towns sign with a boat. Image: Andy Gibson / Alamy Stock Photo

Judging occurs in participating areas every summer on an unspecified date to ensure assessment is done in secret. 

According to the Litter Pollution Act 1997, candidates have one week to remove their campaign materials after elections. 

With local and European elections taking place on June 7th, Mr Gallagher has requested that judging for Tidy Towns be delayed to June 14th to ensure all posters are gone. 

“In this case, the Tidy Towns group who are concerned that their particular area might lose points, that won’t be an issue,” he said. 

Tidy Towns judging time

Mr Gallagher said local communities are “indebted” to participants who spend the whole year ensuring hygiene in the town. 

“Some of them are now concerned that after all their hard work perhaps they could potentially lose points because of posters and billboards being erected,” he said. 

The Department of Rural and Community Development said it “facilitates the administration” of Tidy Towns but is not involved in the judging process. 

“Adjudication of competition entries typically takes place during the months of June and July,” it said. 

Ms Humphreys clarified that when judging takes place during an election, adjudicators are “aware that election posters may be displayed, within the allowed timeframe”. 

“The Department has advised the panel of adjudicators that posters in place within the allowed timeframes should not impact on any Tidy Towns scoring,” the Department said. 

Registration to vote in local and European elections closes today.

Main image: Posters for the 2021 Dublin Bay South By-elections. Image: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie