Call for tougher legislation to deal with littering motorists

A Sinn Féin councillor has said tougher legislation is needed to deal with motorists who litter.

Cllr Gerry Murray made the comments at last week's meeting of Mayo County Council's Environmental Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) following a presentation by the council's environmental awareness officer Sharon Cameron about the new litter management plan for the county.

As part of the consultation phase, a survey was undertaken that received 492 replies, with almost one-quarter of these coming from Ballina. People aged 45 to 54 were best represented with 149 respondents compared to 84 under the age of 18 and just 24 aged between 18 and 34.

Some 389 people said litter was a problem in their area and nature and biodiversity were most impacted by litter. Respondents said better enforcement was the best way to improve litter. A total of 327 respondents said they had never seen someone littering while only 60 people said they have reported a littering incident. Some 267 people said they never reported such an incident while 49 said they would be willing to write a written statement to assist the council in securing a prosecution under the Litter Pollution Act.

Charlestown-based Cllr Murray said it was remarkable that the Green Schools campaign has been running for 25 years and little has changed in relation to littering.

“A few generations have gone through Green Schools and yet littering continues. The amount of litter on the two national primary routes in Charlestown is astonishing. We need better legislation and a points regime for drivers who litter. It is shameful. Green Schools hasn’t brought the cultural change we need.”

Cllr Murray said littering can be fatal for livestock.

“The animal loses weight and the farmer doesn’t know what’s wrong until the animal dies and the vet opens them up and there is plastic wrapped around their intestine."

Cllr Martin McLoughlin said the cost of littering to the local authority and therefore to the ratepayers and taxpayers should be publicised in the local media to encourage people to report littering.

Ms Cameron said she is aware she will never completely solve the problem of littering but is encouraged by the younger generation.

“We’ll never get inside the minds of people who litter, there will always be littering and there will always have to be systems in place to deal with it. But there is huge interest in programmes like Green Schools. I had a 13-year-old at a programme the other day who would be comfortable in this room with the knowledge he has about the environment. Young people are leading the way and it is encouraging.”

It was agreed a letter would be sent to the Minister for the Environment regarding tougher legislation for motorists who litter.

Ms Cameron said the council would now draft the new litter management plan before bringing it back before the SPC.