Ballyheigue to tackle illegal dumpers

PEOPLE in a popular north Kerry seaside resort are on the warpath against illegal dumpers and litter louts.

Residents of Ballyheigue, who recently filled upwards of 200 plastic bags with rubbish collected in the area, are now going to take the car registration numbers of people they see dumping locally.

The numbers will then be passed onto Kerry County Council which, earlier this week, appealed to communities to become involved in the campaign against indiscriminate dumping.

Council officials said the problem was getting worse in the top tourist county which welcomes two million visitors each year.

Last weekend, more than 50 volunteers took part in a clean-up of roadways from Ballyheigue to Kerry Head and were surprised at the volume of rubbish they collected.

Ballyheigue-based Fianna Fáil councillor John Brassil said he was alarmed at the amount of rubbish that had been thrown onto public roads in the scenic area.

Local communities could do a lot to stamp out the problem by co-operating with the council, he felt.

“People caught in the acting of dumping illegally should be named and shamed by the council,” Mr Brassil maintained.

Ballyheigue boasts a Blue Flag beach and local people are determined to ensure it will not lose that status because of littering.

The annual clean-up of the beach is to take place on Good Friday and volunteers are being asked to take part.

Meanwhile, according to Kerry Co Council, it is becoming increasingly difficult to trace and prosecute offenders. A council spokesman said many culprits were careful not to leave proof of identity, such as addressed envelopes, in the rubbish they dumped.

However, additional hidden and visible cameras, which are to be placed at dumping blackspots, should significantly increase the number of offenders identified, the council said.