This article is from page 8 of the 2007-05-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE amount of litter on the prom- enade at Clare’s premier beach resort has been slammed as “an absolute disgrace”.
Green party election candidate, Cllr Brian Meaney was speaking at last week’s Special Policy Commit- tee (SPC) for the Environment.
“The amount of litter at Lahinch is really shocking and is an absolute disgrace.
“Great care and attention should be given towards ensuring that Lahinch has a positive image. The county council is charging a premium for people to park their cars in Lahinch and that money should ensure that the council keeps the resort clean,” he said.
Chair of the SPC, Cllr Patricia Mc- Carthy (Ind) said, “The issue of lit- ter is out of control right across the county.”
Cllr McCarthy said that the weath- er was particularly good over the past four weeks, but that the council’s summer staff were not in place.
Cllr Meaney said, “If we had clean streets, people would be less likely to throw litter on the streets.”
The council’s Director for the En- vironment, Ger Dollard said, “Clare County Council doesn’t put down lit- ter. It cleans it up and the community needs to take on the problem of lit-
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Mr Dollard said that litter bins had been placed at all beaches in Clare now.
He also confirmed that the contro- versial ban on dogs at the county’s beaches would be re-introduced on Ait stou e
The council would not shy away from imposing fines on those found flouting the the ban. No fines were imposed throughout last summer.
Mr Dollard said that enforcement “will be up a bit higher” than last summer, although he stated that peo- ple wouldn’t be fined for the first of- fence.
Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said that continuous offenders would be fined.
Anyone found on a beach walk- ing their dogs on Clare’s beaches between llam and 6pm will face an on the spot fine of €125, or a fine of €1,270. The fines apply even where dogs are controlled on a leash.