Council prosecutes Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan for late election poster removal

Tom Tuite

Dublin City Council is prosecuting Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan and a local politician under litter laws for failing to remove election posters on time.

Boylan was elected to the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency following the vote on June 7th last year.

Posters must be removed within a week of polling day.

However, the council summonsed Lynn Boylan, C/O Sinn Fein, 44 Parnell Square West, Dublin, to appear before Dublin District Court.

According to the court document, there are two charges alleging that on July 3, at Collins Wood Dublin 9, "not being the owner, occupier or person in charge exhibit or cause to be exhibited an article or advertisement on a structure or other land, door, gate, window, tree, pole or post in or visible from a public place without being authorised in writing in advance by the owner, occupier or person in charge".

Sarah Kearney BL, prosecuting, told Judge Anthony Halpin there had been engagement between the council and the defendant, Ms Boylan, who was not present.

The barrister said the case "should not trouble the court" and asked for an adjournment until April 1st which was granted.

Solicitor Malachy Steenson, who won a seat on Dublin City Council after the June 7th 2024 local elections, was summonsed under the same laws.

The judge noted that Mr Steenson could not attend court on Tuesday, and the prosecution had his case adjourned until the same date.

The Dublin Central councillor is accused of a single offence on June 20th at Beaumont Road.

Their charges are contrary to sections 19(1) and 19(6) of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, amended by the Local Government Act 2001, the Protection of the Environment Act 2003 and the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2009.