Problems with political posters

Madam, – I was nearly decapitated by a flying election poster that came down in front of me at Hanlon’s corner this windy morning…

Madam, – I was nearly decapitated by a flying election poster that came down in front of me at Hanlon’s corner this windy morning as I was cycling into work.

I do not need a poster to tell me who to vote for. No posters are necessary, and the country cannot afford this expense. When will prospective representatives lead by example? One A4 page (on recycled paper) to every household, hand-delivered (to save postal costs) by candidates, with all constituency candidates’ names on it, including their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, would be more than enough to guide me and the rest of the electorate. Enough wastage and poster litter.

I did not rise on the tail of the Celtic Tiger. I will not fall in the recession. Waste not, want not, and let’s support the most vulnerable in our society with our “spare” time and cash. – Yours, etc, –

BREDA GAHAN,

Cabra,

Dublin 7

Madam, – Just the other week we had Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey informing all and sundry that “cyclists matter”. Yet we now see politicians’ minions parking their vehicles and ladders on cycle lanes while erecting the eyesores that adorn what seems like every vertical pole in the country.

Many posters are even erected at the perfect height to cause an obstruction for cyclists using those cycle lane; there’s no danger of us not noticing their leering visages as they clip our helmets, shoulders or handlebars as we struggle to avoid all the other rubbish littering the lanes. Perhaps the campaign should have read “cyclists matter (but not as much as votes)”. Yours, etc,

K McCULLAGH,

Dundrum, Dublin 14.

Madam, – While waiting for a bus I found myself staring at a Fine Gael campaign poster for the local elections which had the candidate posing in front of a crowd of people. Not a single person of Asian or African origin was included in the crowd. I have since noticed quite a few Fine Gael candidates for local elections are using this image.

Even discounting diversity for the sake of diversity, surely this poster no longer represents the potential electorate? In excluding these people, how can Fine Gael propose to bring us into “a fairer Ireland”? – Yours, etc,

MARIA KELLY,

Gateway Garden,

Ballymun,

Dublin 11.

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