Newsreel ticker sign at Patricks Bridge, Cork

Hope this is in the appropriate forum.

Anyone familiar with Cork city centre will know it, but for those who don’t, this sign/ad is mounted on the upper floors of a redbrick protected structure on the corner of Patricks Quay and Bridge St. It faces Patrick street and can be read from there, Merchants Quay etc. The sign features scrolling breaking news headlines but no origin, sponsor or media outlet mentioned.

I just spotted a mention of it on another forum, where someone questioned whether it has planning permission in the first place. In case linking to another forum isn’t kosher, I’ll quote that post here.

Moving ad screen on Patrick’s Quay has no Planning
When you are on Patrick Street look up at Patricks Quay and you can see all this awful news about rape, murder, shootings and the recession on a huge blue moving screen. It is impossible to ignore it. I couldn’t believe that Cork City Council would give planning permission for it. Then I found out today that they didn’t.

The applicant obviously did the classic Irish developer strategy….build first then ask for permission.

This is a link to the application but there seems to be no files, photographs or drawings with it.

http://planning.corkcity.ie/InternetEnquiry/rpt_ViewApplicDetails.asp?validFileNum=1&app_num_file=1034707

If this annoys you as much as me and you have any interest in doing something about it please make a representation to your local councillor or better still send a letter or an email to city council with your objections.

Ref: No 1a St Patricks Quay/9 Bridge Street, Cork

Planning Department
City Hall
Cork

(It’s a Cork forum, find the thread with a search if you’re interested)

So I was just wondering could anybody here shed light on the matter? Does it have permission or not? Is permission needed to change an existing advertising sign to a much brighter and eye-catching scrolling news service?

And beyond the scope of planning matters, why is it even there if it’s not directly advertising something?

It can’t be for public information — the headlines displayed are as described above – just about violent crime, government ineptitude and economic misery. It’s like they filter out anything that might be helpful, interesting or positive.
It’s been there a year or two now, but I only noticed how inappropriate it is when bringing some foreign visitors over to the fine pubs of Coburg st for some music. As we crossed the bridge they stopped to take photos of the sign; luckily they were laughing at its oddness, seeing it as something akin to a Father Ted moment, rather than dwelling on the subjects of the headlines. It’s still embarrassing to Cork, and more so to Irish people in general.
Imagine the same thing confronting you as you cross O’Connell bridge?