Waterford TD advertises election campaign on side of hospital wing

Matt Shanahan has been asked to explain how and why he is advertising for people to vote for him by using a laser display on the side of the Dunmore wing at University Hospital Waterford.

The display was coming from a white van parked on double yellow lines on the grounds of the hospital.

The Independent TD has been contacted for comment, as have the HSE.

It’s not known at this stage if permission was granted for the display.

The display started this evening and a man operating the van told WLR he was due to stay there for a few hours.

Matt Shanahan TD has been asked to explain how and why he’s advertising for votes by using a laser display on the side of the Dunmore cancer ward at UHW. The TD and HSE have been contacted for comment. It’s not known at this stage if permission was granted for the display. pic.twitter.com/oPIuR0uymn

— Damien Tiernan (@damienwlr) November 27, 2024

The messages to “Vote Shanahan” were beamed onto the side of the Dunmore Cancer Ward at UHW.

In a statement this evening, Deputy Shanahan said:

"This activity I consider to be fair political commentary. All political parties have repeatedly used the campuses of SETU and UHW for their political presentations. The illumination was to the gable end of the hospital wing for approximately 90 minutes and could not disturb or be seen in any way by patients resident. The activity has no environmental cost whatsoever unlike the tons of plastic posters that political parties have covered every highway and byway of Waterford in. I fight every day of my political life for better resources and services for the people who need and use that hospital. The angle of display was such that no disturbance whatsoever could have been caused to patients. Anyone suggesting otherwise is just trying to trump up a situation for their own political ends."

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