Fine Gael accuses Roche of selling out over gum

A STICKY political row erupted last night as Environment Minister Dick Roche was accused of selling out to chewing gum companies at a cost of €20 million a year to taxpayers.

Fine Gael rubbished his plans for an anti-litter campaign and said major firms such as Wrigley should be ordered to pay for cleaning up the mess their customers leave on our streets.

The Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) group said the plan was a missed opportunity to get “polluters” to foot what they insisted was a €20m a year bill for washing gum from Irish streets.