THE GIRO D’ITALIA bicycle race is to weave its way through the Irish countryside for three days next month, but one senator is worried that something will lessen any potential tourism benefit: election posters.
The prestigious race will have its first two stages in Belfast before the third day will see riders making their way from Armagh to Dublin for a stage finish on Merrion Street in Dublin on 11 May.
The race is being described as “great opportunity” by Louth/East Meath Senator Mary Moran but she is asking election candidates to take down their posters for the duration of the race here.
“Our election posters will not mean much to the millions of viewers on TV across the world, and indeed I believe they will only serve to distract from the beauty of our countryside,” she says
“I have contacted Ministers Hogan and Varadkar to express my concerns and I am calling for the posters to be removed along the route for the weekend of the race.”
The race is set to hit a number of towns on the 187 km stage from Armagh to Dublin, including Dundalk, Drogheda and Swords but Moran doesn’t want to race to be turned into a political opportunity:
I do not think that this race should be overcome by election posters along the route or that political parties should use public media screens in towns to highlight their party. If unanimous agreement has been reached on this matter in the North then I believe we should also follow suit.
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