No advertising on the streets?

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting

Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe warned at today’s monthly meeting of Wexford County Council that unauthorised advertising signs lack insurance cover and public liability would fall on business owners. Cllr Pip Breen was presiding at his final meeting as Cathaoirleach.

Mr Taaffe stated that he didn’t understand the need for advertising signs on medieval narrow streets in New Ross, Enniscorthy and Wexford. “They are a hazard on footpaths. We can’t have streets blocked by free advertising. They want sandwich boards right outside their shops! We don’t want unnecessary obstructions. We must have free movement for families with young children, people with mobility issues and the elderly,” said Mr Taaffe.

Mr Taaffe referred to aesthetics and the need to have our towns clean and inviting for visitors.

Cllr Owens said that taking down the signs in Enniscorthy meant that “25% of the profit was taken away from business owners” and he claimed that “Enniscorthy is dying on it’s feet and something needs to be done.”

Cllr Pat Kehoe floated the notion of ‘wall mounted’ or ‘window mounted’ advertising and he wondered if it could be covered by a shop front grant? (Apparently, there is no national policy on sandwich boards).

Referring to New Ross, Cllr Pat Barden suggested “a bracket eight feet high that could be put up in the morning and taken down in the evening?”

Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said that business was getting so tight that it was difficult for businesses to keep going, however, he also understood the dangers of trip hazards on the public road.

Cllr Tom Forde proposed a motion, seconded by Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien, that “We ask that this Council create a permit system, and standardised designs, that would allow businesses to apply the use of signage on bollards/ sandwich boards throughout the county, as long as they are not creating an obstacle for any pedestrians or road users.” The amended version put to the floor included the words ‘risk assessment’ and ‘elevated’ and a majority supported it by a show of hands.