Carlow clean up anti-litter award
Junior minister Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher pledged 50,000 support for the cross-border initiative
promoted by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).
Carlow climbed from 24th in the league to top spot within a few months.
IBAL’s Dr Tom Cavanagh said: “Carlow was a worthy winner on a number of fronts, proving clean surroundings are not beyond the reach of a mid-to-large-sized town with heavy traffic inflows.
“Its success shows how rapid improvement can be made on litter within a town if the political will is forthcoming.”
Accepting the award, Carlow’s civic leader Mayor Michael Abbey said the town had enthusiastically embraced the competition which involved 29 towns, including three from the north.
Success, he said, was achieved through hard work, commitment and leadership from the management and staff of the town council in conjunction with the Tidy Towns Association, business and residents associations.
“It demonstrates what can be achieved by all groups working in partnership,” he said. “It shows the people of Carlow have great pride in their town and their
communities.”
Fermoy in Co Cork was second with Fermanagh’s county town, Enniskillen, in third place.
Six towns, which achieved litter-free status, competed for the outright prize. The others were Armagh, Cavan and Wexford.
Ten of the 29 towns were deemed ‘heavily’ or ‘very heavily’ littered with Drogheda, Longford and the Liberties/Coombe area of Dublin at the foot of the league table.
The surveys were
conducted by An Taisce.
Dr Cavanagh said: “The results bear out IBAL’s belief that openly publishing the performance of one local authority against another is an effective means of
energising them into action on litter.
“The results also demonstrate litter can be tackled quickly and inexpensively if a focus is put on it.”
Meanwhile, the city councils of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford have agreed to take part in next year’s league.
