A MURAL SUPPORTING repeal of the Eighth Amendment which was taken down in 2016 from Dublin’s Project Arts Centre due to planning permission rules has been erected again.
The artwork, by street artist Maser, was commissioned nearly two years ago by The Hunreal Issues, a website set up to promote women’s issues.
Its painting saw around 50 complaints submitted and the centre said that it had received hundreds of messages of support.
However, the mural was subject to a warning by Dublin City Council Planning Department, who said that the work is in violation of the Planning & Development Acts (2000-2015). The decision was then made to take it down.
A spokesperson for the Temple Bar-based centre says that this iteration doesn’t need planning permission. They said that under the Planning and Development Regulations, ads for elections and referenda are exempt from planning permission, once they are removed by seven days after polling.
“What this means is that once the referendum has been completed we will need to have the mural removed by 1 June.
Since it was founded in 1966, Project Arts Centre has always placed the vision and freedom of expression of the artist at the centre of our work. We believe that all art is, in some way or other, indelibly political because it relates to the workings of the society from which it emerges. This artwork by Maser was first displayed at Project Arts Centre in July 2016 and was removed due to planning legislation. We are delighted to have the opportunity to show this important artwork which in both its presence and absence has proven itself to be a powerful emblem in an urgent and vital national debate.
“No public monies have been spent in the commissioning or installation of this artwork.”
The referendum on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment is to take place on 25 May of this year. If passed, the government proposes to allow women obtain abortions up to 12 weeks without restrictions.
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