Illegal dumpers branded ‘anti-everything’

ILLEGAL dumpers have been slammed as being “anti-community and anti-everything” by Ennis town manager.
Speaking at a recent meeting of Ennis East Electoral Area Councillors, town manager Ger Dollard said, “unfortunately the local authority have to spend a fortune cleaning up after other people. I would appeal to people who have information about illegal dumping that they would contact the council. This information will be followed up and prosecutions will be made.”
He was speaking as figures were released at the meeting showing that in 2010 a total of 58 litter fines were issued and 23 prosecutions taken in the Clare County Council functional area.
Recently it emerged that Ennis Town Council had issued a total of 71 litter fines, with 23 paid in 2010. There were 10 cases referred to a solicitor.
Speaking at the meeting, Ennis East Electoral Area Councillor Johnny Flynn suggested that a targeted urgent programme of clean-up and strict enforcement be implemented to deal with the “disgraceful littering being perpetrated by anti-social individuals on the environment of the Ennis East area”.
He went on, “When you walk around the environs of the town it’s dreadful to see the amount of littering and there doesn’t seem to be a fear of enforcement. Littering seems to have doubled in volume in the area of the environs and the town.
“It’s despicable behaviour, it’s dreadful anti-social behaviour. We are going into our tourism period and the town is being very badly impacted with littering. There needs to be a civic awareness out there. This is diminishing the quality of life for everyone.”
Councillor Pat Daly suggested that clean-ups could be organised in conjunction with local communities. “If these happened all over the town it would be a cleaner town,” he said.
Eamon O’Dea, senior executive engineer for the Ennis Area, told the meeting that Clare County Council has a dedicated waste enforcement team that responds and takes appropriate enforcement action in relation to waste and litter complaints.
“Where evidence of acts of littering or illegal waste is found then action is taken under relevant litter pollution and waste management legislation,” he said.
The Ennis East Electoral Area includes areas within both Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council and both councils liaise on an ongoing basis to share information and expertise and ensure the optimal use of resources, he added.
“The waste enforcement team of Clare County Council continues to take a proactive approach in dealing with illegal waste and litter activities, including the deployment of CCTV surveillance, vehicle check points in conjunction with the gardaí and other state agencies, targeting of illegal dumping at problem locations, planned inspections and audits of waste facilities, not to mention ongoing cooperation with area offices and the general public/community groups,” Mr O’Dea said.
It was outlined that the environmental patrol warden and community warden carry out routine, daily patrols in the county.
In county council areas, area-based staff are involved in the removal of waste and litter on public roads and other public lands and carry out these works as part of their other duties within the areas.
“The waste enforcement section on an ongoing basis encourages and facilitates community involvement in waste and litter prevention and removal,” he said.
The town engineer went on, “Involvement of the community is crucial and to this end, the National Spring Clean, organised by An Taisce, and supported by Clare County Council, takes place annually in the month of April and provides a means for local communities to organise clean-ups in their own localities. This might be an opportunity for elected members to work with their local community in organising a community clean-up in their locality.”
He encouraged communities to register with An Taisce for their National Spring Clean campaign online at www.nationalspringclean.org or by telephone on 01 4002219. Free passes to Clare County Council’s waste management facilities are provided to all registered groups who participate in a local community clean-up.