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 Wednesday July 30, 2003 14:09 by IMC Editorial Group - IMC Ireland
 City Council To Restrict Public Assembly and Leafleting
Many groups and organisations use street leafleting as a vital organ to inform, educate and network with the people of Galway. The very nature of many of these groups means that it is not an option to pay for advertising in the media as a means of communication, and articles/letters submitted are subject to editorial boards deciding what is "suitable" reading material for their readers. The bye-law proposal only allows street distribution during the period of political elections- is democracy now to be confined purely to conventional politics with its ballot- box timing, say once every 4 years? Byelaw Documents (with areas of importance highlighted)
Many councillors and members of the public, including many against the proposed bye-laws, are concerned over the issue of leaflet litter. However it has been suggested that if the issue was examined the findings would reveal that the offending culprits are actually big business e.g. the mobile phone companies that cover the streets with their glossy handouts, forcing them on the passers-by who do not request or desire the literature but accept the attached candy-bar incentive and the unwanted advertising material is strewn on the pavement without the offending company accepting any responsibility for cleaning up their act. Organisations that genuinely distribute material for information purposes more often than not don't have the desire or financial resources to create litter out of their literature. Regarding the public assembly proposal, does the City Council intend to use a discretionary public gathering permit scheme, with threats of arrest if people engage in their rights of free speech and assembly? People of Galway seeking to exercise their fundamental rights could be obstructed and denied those rights as the city council uses unfettered discretion to grant assembly rights to favoured permittees and deny them to what they deem are "controversial" groups and causes. If the city officials don't like a particular "cause" they could selectively refuse to issue a permit and use the bye-law to try to prevent groups from protesting or gathering at an event. A similar attempt to introduce such a byelaw in Dublin to ban public assemblies was defeated when hundreds of people protested outside a city council meeting. There has recently been an enormous lawsuit victory in Philadelphia, USA to remove such a byelaw in their city. Human rights must be regarded as sacred. The people of Galway can stop these new attacks on democratic rights. A meeting to organise a campaign to defend our rights to free speech and assembly in Galway is to be held in Java's Coffee house, Galway Thursday 7th of August at 8pm.
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Galway City Council is trying to criminalise the street distribution of leaflets and the right to free assembly. The City Council will vote on a proposal to ban leaflet distribution from the streets of Galway under the guise of a litter byelaw, and to only allow public gatherings under permit. This is actually attacking our democratic rights to free speech and assembly.
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Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Register your opposition to the bye-laws by contacting the FF,PD and FG councillors in Galway City. Both Catherine Connolly and Tom Costello of the Labour Party are opposed to the proposals.
Senator Fintan Coogan (FG)
Menlo Park, Gawlay
Ph: 091-764282
Email: fintan_coogan@oireachtas.irlgov.ie
Val Hanley (FF)
The Lantern Inn
Ballybane, Galway
Ph: 091-755308
Email: vhanly@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Michael Leahy (FF)
15 Dublin Road
Renmore, Galway
Ph: 091-755395
mleahy@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Padraic McCormack TD (FG)
3 Renmore Park, Galway
Ph: 091-753992
Email: padraic_mccormack@oireachtas.irlgov.ie
Declan McDonnell (PD)
4 Tara Grove, Monivea Road, Galway
Ph: 091.753770
Email: dmcdonnell@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Terry O’Flaherty (PD & Lord Mayor)
11 Seagrove, Ballyloughnane Road
Renmore, Galway
Ph: 091.752172
Email: toflaherty@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Angela Lupton (FG)
32 Sycamore Drive, Highfield Park
Ph: 091.523882
email: alupton@cllr.galwaycity.ie
or: alupton@indigo.ie
Michael O’hUiginn (FF)
Taylors Hill, Galway
Ph: 091.2108
mohuiginn@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Martin Quinn (FF)
134 Dangan Heights, Dangan Upper
Newcastle, Galway
Ph: 091.524877
Email: mquinn@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Paul Colleran (PD)
10 D’Alton Drive, Salthill
Ph: 091.522470
Email: pcolleran@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Sen. Margaret Cox (FF)
7 Fr. Griffin Road, Galway
Ph: 091.520440
Email: margaret.cox@oireachtas.ie
Donal Lyons (PD)
23 Knocknacarra Park, Knocknacarra
email: dlyons@cllr.galwaycity.ie
John Mulholland (FG)
1 Revagh Road, Salthill
Ph: 091.523739
email: jmulholland@cllr.galwaycity.ie
Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government
Martin Cullen (FF)
Ph: 01.8882403
Fax: 01.8788640
Email: minister@environ.ie
This is a very serious issue. Similar proposals were defeated in Dublin, primarily because the councillors kicked up an enormous fuss and wouldn't back the proposals.
Unfortunately there will be a much harder fight in Galway City as the present balance of power is extremely conservative.
However, these proposals did not come from the councillors but from the officials who presumably received them from a higher power.
If these proposals are successful in Galway don't be surprised if similar proposals emerge elsewhere in the future.
I'm living in Galway and I've been involved in leafleting in previous campaigns. This is a huge issue. Nice2 (and any recent election) showed that the big establishment players have given up on actual ground work: they have the media and loads of cash from their corporate owners, they don't need it. We do.
It would be helpful if contributors to the newswire would stick to the issue: if you want to give out about/defend Irvine or trees go off and start your own discussion somewhere else.
According to Big Brother, "demonstrated to be a liar in a court of law" now equals "right". Update your dictionaries today.
"and we must work through literally millions of documents".
well documents often are literal. Mr President.
I have offered my services at a fee, to MIT and other universities to talk about my prejudices, to date no reply has been forthcoming, "is that an attack on my freedom of speech?".
ah reo, as one of those who opposed david irvings speaking in cork, I'd like to say that it was the provision of a platform which was opposed, not his freedom to speak. but undoubtably the telling of that particular battle tale is probably shorter in templemore than anywhere else on this island.
still this galway version of the litter laws will probably be of great use during the EU summit next january.
imagine, a crime with no paperwork!!!!! a coppers joy.
remember irving .
which last year we saved in galway, thatwouldn't be litter would it?
I am absolutely stunned by this. We are rapidly go backwards in this country. We truly are a banana republic!
The mass arrest occured during protests against an informal meeting of delegates of the WTO. It was a peaceful protest and those arrested will be charged with "attending an illegal demonstration"
This is a vision of galway if that by-law is allowed to go through. It has to be stopped
The Editorial list is down so I unhid this as The author and I (Not same person) obviously approve it and am sure others have done so on the lists.