Council says material was put on lamp-posts illegally

Minister of State Pat the Cope Gallagher has said he will face "whatever consequences" for putting up posters around Croke Park in Dublin yesterday, in contravention of anti-littering legislation.

The posters, which also wished the Donegal football team well, were erected on lamp-posts to coincide with the county's semi-final match against Kildare in the Allianz football league, at Croke Park yesterday.

Mr Gallagher, Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal South West, told The Irish Timeshe and party workers had put up 30 posters along Drumcondra Road at 8am yesterday. and he thought it "very disappointing" that Dublin City Council litter wardens had cut down all but two of them by 1 pm.

The posters show a head shot of Mr Gallagher with the slogan: "Pat the Cope for Donegal. Donegal for the League."

Dublin City Council staff used knives on extendable poles to cut down the posters and a spokeswoman for the council confirmed they had been illegally erected.

"If anyone wants to put up posters on public property in the Dublin City Council area they must get permission from the council, so those posters would be illegal. There is also the fact that election posters can only be put up during the term of the election, ie when the election has been called and it hasn't been yet."

Mr Gallagher however said the posters were not political.

"There were no votes in them. They were just to wish the team well. I understand it was Dublin Corporation who took them down. I had the idea to put them up on Friday and we had the design cleared by noon yesterday and I picked them up yesterday evening.

"We were out early this morning, putting them up at about 8am. I have put them up and down the country before, and at Dalymount Park in Dublin too in the past.

"I'm not one for breaking the law. All I'm saying is I think the corporation were being overly vigilant," he said.

"And the thing is, I was getting loads of compliments about them.

"People were texting me saying they were a great idea and saying 'Well done, you're ahead of the posse there, Pat.'"

Mr Gallagher could face charges for littering, under the 1997 Litter Pollution Act.

He said yesterday: "I'll face whatever consequences there may be."