Reminder to General Election candidates about election posters

Dublin City Council again wishes to remind candidates in the forthcoming general election regarding the rules around election posters.

Firstly please note that posters will only be permitted on suitable lamp standards from the 8 November 2024, and must be removed within 7 days after the election day. i.e. by midnight on Friday 6th December 2024.

Any posters found to be in place more than 7 days after the election are in breach of the provisions of the Litter Pollution Act and will result in the issuing of a fine of €150 per individual poster.

Excluded Areas

In February 2023, Dublin City Council adopted a revised Posters Protocol for the erection of Temporary Posters/Notices on Dublin City Council property to advertise Public Meetings/Events.  This Protocol prohibits the erection of posters on O’Connell Street, Grafton Street and Henry Street. 

In elections/referenda since that date, the political parties/candidates voluntarily agreed not to erect posters on those streets, and we are now formally requesting that a similar voluntary arrangement be put in place for the upcoming Elections.

Safety Concerns 

It has been our experience in previous elections that numerous complaints have been received from motorists and pedestrians in relation to safety issues associated with election posters. Our own staff have also raised a number of concerns. The main issues relate to the following:  

• Posters that are obscuring the visibility of traffic/pedestrian signals and traffic signs.  Many of the problems are caused by posters that are erected on poles adjacent to signals or signs. 
• Posters that are below head height or resting on the ground. These posters can cause obstructions on footpaths and are particularly hazardous to the visually impaired.
• Protruding cable ties that are at a level that could cause injury to pedestrians, particularly children.

Where Dublin City Council staff become aware of posters that are considered to be causing a hazard, they will be removed and disposed. 

Please note that our Customer Services Centre will handle complaints of any posters that are deemed to be causing a hazard to motorists or pedestrians and they are contactable @ 01 2222222 or email [email protected] . All complaints/requests will be logged on Citizen Hub.

The following guidelines may be helpful in ensuring that posters are not a hazard to the public. 

• Posters should be erected at a minimum height of 2.3 metres above footpaths, cycle tracks or any area to which pedestrians have access. 
• Posters should not be erected on lamp standards with overhead line electricity feed, traffic signal poles, bridge parapets, overpasses, pedestrian bridges, or roadside traffic barriers.  
• Posters should not obscure statutory road signs or traffic/pedestrian signals in any way. 
• Posters should be securely fixed to poles with cable ties or similar material to facilitate removal without damage to the poles.