An Taisce has lodged legal complaints with Dublin City Council on the planning permission status of the current promotion by an alcohol company of the European Rugby Cup through advertisements on public houses and outdoor billboard sites.

The advertisements are part of a promotion and sponsorship relationship between European Professional Club Rugby and a Company through which it operates European Rugby Club Limited, based in St Stephens Green Dublin under MD Roger O’Connor, and the Dutch beer company Heineken.

An Taisce has requested both Heineken and European Rugby Club Limited to remove all unauthorised advertising structures or instillations which have been put up without planning permission or are on sites which are not planning compliant.

An Taisce has also requested that the IRFU exercise shareholder responsibility to intervene on the issue, as IRFU CEO Philip Browne and another IRFU nominee Peter Boyle are board members of European Rugby Club Limited.

Three locations in particular have been raised namely the illuminated structure currently on the Barge public house in Charlemont St, facing the Grand Canal which is a major and highly intrusive unauthorised advertising structure using bright illumination, and the advertising banners covering parts of the upper floor of public house fronts of Kiely’s of Donnybrook, and on Searson’s in Baggot St.

At a time when the relation between alcohol advertising and involvement of alcohol companies in sport is an increasing public health concern, it should be expected that all sport supporting alcohol advertising would be compliant with planning laws. Accommodating unauthorised advertising covering large parts of buildings represents an unjustifiable and unacceptable intrusion on the public realm and is a traffic hazard, as it creates a distraction for motorists.

Advertising structures, no matter of what ‘temporary’ nature, require planning permission. All sporting organizations need to ensure that any current or future advertising campaigns in which they are involved with through sponsors either directly or indirectly, no matter of what duration, comply with planning permission.

ENDS

For further information, please call:
Ian Lumley, Heritage Officer, An Taisce Tel: +353 1 454 1786
Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce Tel: +353 87 2411995
email: [email protected]
An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland
www.antaisce.ie