This article is from page 20 of the 2012-01-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
VOLOUNTARY groups and organisations have been urged to ‘adopt a road’ to halt the growing problem of illegal dumping on the routes around Ennis.
The suggestion was made at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.
Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) called for the committee to request that litter visible on the western relief road (N85) be collected.
In his response, the senior executive engineer, Eamon O’Dea, explained, “This N85 Relief Road is swept by a road sweeper as part of the council’s road sweeping works in the Ennis electoral areas. The council does not have the resources available to carry out hand picking of litter on this road. The council will endeavour to remove larger items dumped on the road.”
Mr O’Dea told the meeting that rubbish bags are regularly dumped in the Ballycoree, Gaurus and Quin Road areas. He said organisations should follow the lead of the Lions Club and the Gardaí who in the past few years have taken responsibility for cleaning a street or road in Ennis. He said responsibility for a litter-free environment should rest with people. Cllr Meaney said the ‘adopt a road’ proposal should be progressed in Ennis. He said the railway road near the Corrovorrin estate had been the site for regular dumping.
“Your breath would be taken away by the volume of rubbish that is tipped there.” However, in paying tribute to the efforts of the council’s environment staff, Cllr Meaney said the introduction of camera surveillance of the area had greatly reduced the incidents of illegal dumping.
He said people are intentionally dumping in areas around Ennis. “We have to identify these people and bring the full weight of the law to bear upon them,” he added.
Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the council should explore the option of taking on student volunteers to help with the fight against litter. He said they could receive a small contribution from the council for their work.
However, Mr O’Dea cautioned that the council would be entering “a grey area that we have to be careful about”.