Councillor Rebukes Waterford City and County Council

An elected member of Waterford City and County Council has rebuked the Environmental Section of the Body which he is part of for the removal of posters for a recent concert in Cappoquin.

Fine Gael Councillor Declan Doocey criticised the Council’s policy on advertising signage at the most recent meeting of the Dungarvan-Lismore Municipal District.

The Lismore based Councillor blasted Council Officials for removing posters advertising a Sharon Shanahan Concert in Cappoquin over the first weekend of February.

It was claimed at the meeting that the posters were removed three or four days before the concert took place at the Community Centre in the West Waterford town.

Councillor Doocey is Deputy Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District slammed officials for the removal of posters which he claimed were advertising events that “are good for the community” and which he said “ensure that our communities remain vibrant and alive”.

He pointed out that between €4,000 and €5,000 was lost in the concert in Cappoquin.

He told Council officials that the lost was made as “people were of the opinion that the concert had been cancelled and stayed at home”, after the posters were removed.

Councillor Doocey also stated that a lottery sign erected by a local G.A.A. Club and an advertisement for a social dance was also removed by Council officials.

Fellow Fine Gael Councillor Pat Nugent agreed with what Councillor Doocey had to say, saying that events are vital to the communities where they were being held.

Ray Moloney of the Environmental Section of Waterford City and County Council told councillors that the signs were put up without permission and were removed as a result in accordance with the Council’s policy.  

Mr. Moloney told councillors that the council could have fined organisers with a €150 fine in relation to the signs but opted not to do so.

He went on to say that Council Officials had met with some of the organisers of different events and “advised them on the procedures” in line with council policy. He said that they had also met with manufactures of signs and advised them of the council’s policy.

Mr. Moloney told officials that if people want to advertise or erect signs at a public space on the sign of the road, they need to get permission.

He told officials that there is no fee and that it is “simply an administrative process so we can control them and know what signs have permission and what signs don’t have permission.