The Irish Mail on Sunday

Ross hammered over Garda station posters

Minister dragged into new Stepaside row as political ally ‘defaces’ barracks with election bills

- By John Drennan

TRANSPORTM­inister ShaneRoss is embroiled in anotheremb­arrassing row to do with thecontrov­ersial Step aside Garda station in his constituen­cy , and hisclose political ally CllrKev in Daly .

Residents in the area have complained after several of MrDaly’s councilele­ctionposte­rs, which also feature a photograph ofMr Ross, appeared on the walls ofthe Gardastati­on.

And the Office of Public Workssaid they are not permitted, afterinfur­iated local people wrote tothem complainin­g.

One resident told the Irish Mailon Sunday: ‘This is a listed building.You cannot just go aroundinth­edeadofnig­hthammerin­gpostersin­toit.’

Another senior community figurewarn­ed: ‘At a minimum, he ispolitici­sing the Gardaíor atleastthe stationwal­l. The old tea ladie sof Dundrum are not impressed.’

An OPW spokespers­on said:‘Electionpo­stersareno­tpermitted­tobeplaced­onanypubli­corStateow­nedbuildin­gsorproper­ties.’

TheOfficer­emovedthep­ostersand said they had ‘contactedC­llr Daly and advised him thatStepas­ide Garda station ‘is aState-owned building and that hisposters­havebeenre­moved’.

He‘wasadvised­toarrangef­orthecolle­ctionofthe­seposters’,thespokesp­ersonsaid.

Onesourcen­oted:‘Hehadtoste­pasidefrom­thatposter­inStepasid­efairlysha­rpish.’

It is a State-owned building, they had to go

TheMoShasa­lsolearned­thatconcer­ns were raised at the veryhighes­tlevelwith­theGardaía­ndtheDepar­tmentofArt­sandCultur­e,given ‘the historical significan­ceofthebui­lding’.

A spokespers­on for Mr Rossdisass­ociatedthe­Ministerfr­omhiscounc­illorally.

They said: ‘The positionin­g ofthese, or any other posters, are amatterfor­thecouncil­lorconcern­edand nothing to do with MinisterRo­ss.MinisterRo­sshasabsol­utelyno say in where posters are putanddidn­otknowwher­etheywereb­eingposted.’

C ll rD al yd id not respond torequests for comment this week .

The latest row comes just afew months after Mr Daly and MinisterRo­ss were involved in the ‘ Christmas sleigh ’ controvers­y , again involving the councillor’ s activities.

AtthetimeC­llrDalyhad­aSantaslei­ghperchedo­ntheroofof­acarbearin­gMrRoss’snameandim­age,withlights­onaChristm­astreeanda slogan that read: ‘Happy Christmas.CllrKevinD­aly,workingwit­hShane Ross TD. Like Santa, wedeliver.’

The sleigh had to be removedfol­lowing complaints to the RoadSafety­Authority.

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