Madam, - Last Friday evening I conducted an election count of my own, at the roundabout at the Ballinteer/M50 interchange. I counted 125 posters of Seamus Brennan (FF), 33 of Tom Kitt (FF), 30 of Aidan Culhane (Lab), 27 of Maria Corrigan (FF), 12 of Shaun Tracey (SF), 10 of Liz O'Donnell (PD), and one of Olivia Mitchell (FG). Many of these posters would only be visible in the rear view mirror, as one travels through the interchange.
It seems that some of our politicians seem so insecure that they feel that only by plastering up their faces will they be elected. They seem to have scant respect for the intellect of the electorate - and no respect for our environment.
Personally, I would find it hard to take seriously, any party which claims to respect the environment, and then proceeds to pollute it with plastic posters to the extent noted above.
I call on all politicians to act responsibly in regard to their election posters. - Yours, etc,
MALCOLM HUNT, Ballinteer Drive, Dublin 16.
Madam, - I have the pleasure of being a member of the electorate of Dublin South. During the past week I have admired the multitude of roadside election posters. The posters of Alan Shatter and Liz O'Donnell particularly held my attention. Both appear to be attractive, clean-cut, young candidates whose appearance would grace any parliament.
Both candidates obviously have supportive families. Watching their canvass teams working I noticed that the canvassers were led by an older family member, perhaps an uncle, aunt or maybe even a parent, who bore a striking resemblance to the candidate. - Yours, etc,
JOHN MAIR, Dublin 14.
Madam, - Drivers can get no relief from the election posters. Neither, it seems, does the memory of the dead. Would Mr Creed of Fine Gael kindly remove his posters from a monument of national importance - that at Béal na mBláth? On a quiet stretch of road, could Mr Creed not have found a telephone post or two on which to display his grinning face, instead of defiling a place more appropriate for quiet reflection? What next - Edna Kenny's faced taped to the O'Connell statue in Dublin? - Yours, etc,
COLIN R. COOPER, Ballineen, Co Cork.