Councillors to pack bags for illegal dumping tour

DESPITE a massive increasing in recycling, county councillors are to go on tour in West Cork to view areas hit by indiscriminate dumping.

Figures released yesterday by the Western Division of the council show major increases in recycling of glass, paper and plastics compared to the corresponding data for the first few months of last year.

However, while the figures pleased councillors, some expressed serious concern at illegal dumping. A tour of the region was first proposed by Cllr Christy O'Sullivan (Ind) who said he had come across several locations being used by illegal dumpers.

"I don't think we have enough people to tackle it," Cllr O'Sullivan said.

Cllr Paddy Sheehan (FG) blamed day-trippers for dumping bags of rubbish along the road from Schull to Goleen, while Cllr Noel Harrington (FG) said it would be no harm to publish the names of those people caught littering.

"It's a crime against the community," he added.

Cllr Joe Carroll, who drives a bus, said people's mindset had to change.

"After a 40 miles drive there's litter left on nearly every second seat," he claimed.

Officials said the litter enforcement section was being beefed up and promised to investigate all sites identified by Cllr O'Sullivan.

Senior executive engineer, Jerome O'Sullivan, then told councillors that a number of new initiatives were in train aimed at improving waste management.

A new bring site is to be opened, in the next two weeks, in Dunmanway, while the recycling centre in Clonakilty is to have extended opening hours on Saturdays.

From this month, all new refuse customers signed up by the council, will get a free bin and it is hoped to roll out kerbside collections of recyclables in the West Cork region before the end of the year.

It was also pointed out that the council had picked up a number of new customers in Glengarriff following the closure of a service run by a private contractor there.