A NORTHSIDE local election candidate has broken with tradition by refusing to place any of his posters on electricity poles.
The decision by Michael Collins, an Independent candidate in the Swords ward, follows ESB Networks’ warning against using electricity poles as poster sites for the elections on May 23.
Mr Collins and his election team have taken the decision to accede to ESB Networks’ request not to put posters on their equipment as it poses a major danger to the individual and to the network itself.
“My election team and I made the decision early in the campaign and it was one of the easier ones we had to make,
? Mr Collins told Northside People.
“People don’t want to see posters on poles and they are a danger. When I’m canvassing at the doors, some people say they haven’t seen me (on poles). I explain to them why and they say
‘fair play to you’. I’ve had a favourable reaction to my decision.
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Mr Collins, who lives in Donabate, said the danger associated with placing the posters on the poles was not the only reason for his decision.
“I previously assisted with Donabate’s participation in the Tidy Towns competition and am well aware of how quickly posters can become an unwelcome eyesore, as many of them will become detached from poles,
? he stated.
“In fact, there have also been instances in the past when posters became dislodged due to high winds, became a hazard to motorists and injured members of the public.
“Indeed while erecting these posters on roadside poles some people are putting themselves and other road users at risk.
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Mr Collins, who will be contesting the local elections for the first time, said he accepts that candidates feel under pressure to put up as many posters as possible to get their face recognised by the public and achieve some advantage over their opponents.
“However, my team and I believe that it is only by knocking on as many doors in the constituency as possible can one expect to be recognised and remembered by the electorate on polling day,
? he stated.
“I will erect a relatively small number of posters at ground level or on private property with owners’ consent.
“I will also deploy billboard displays which will be on view between 8am and 8pm daily. These will be moved around between various locations to maximise their impact. They are at ground level and are safe.
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Mr Collins added:
?We have a new way of doing things and are thinking outside the box.
?
In a statement, ESB Networks warned against the placing of posters on electricity poles/structures during the forthcoming elections campaign.
“Any unauthorised contact or near contact with the electricity network can result in serious injury or fatality to persons using electricity poles for this purpose,
? a spokesperson stated.
“Similar risks apply when posters are being removed.
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The spokesperson added:
“ESB Networks has previously experienced incidents where election posters have caught fire following contact with the electricity network resulting in loss of supply to customers and damaged infrastructure.
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Separately, voters in some areas of Swords will be eligible to vote in three separate elections on May 23.
Last week the Government announced that the Dublin West By-Election would take place on the same day as the local and European Elections.
Residents along Forest Road, Knocksedan, Park Avenue, Brackenstown Village, Rolestown, Kilsallaghan and St Margaret’s are among those eligible to also vote in the By-Election.
This situation arises from a boundary change for the 2011 General Election when Swords was controversially divided into two constituencies – Dublin North and Dublin West.