‘Appalling sight’ of rubbish damaging tourism industry

IRELAND’S key tourist entry points are covered in blankets of rubbish which make for “an appalling sight” that is seriously damaging the already frail economy.

A new survey to be launched today by the Irish Business Against Litter group (IBAL) has found that despite the need to attract visitors to this country, most holiday-makers’ first experience of the green fields of Ireland involves fly-tipping, plastic bags and litter.

The group’s findings, which have been verified by independent organisation An Taisce, show almost all routes to and from key airports and sea ports “are blighted by large amounts of litter”.

As a result, those behind the investigation have called for the National Roads Authority (NRA) – which has a €44 million maintenance budget to run the routes – to immediately address the issue before the summer tourism period.

The IBAL survey claims the worst-offending “litter blackspot” tourist entry points surround Dublin and Shannon airports, the main thoroughfares to Cork and Dublin Port Tunnel.

Among the most worrying issues identified are:

* Dublin Airport road, off M1: “Street cones lying in the grass verge, white plastic wrapping in the hedge and vast amounts of casual litter trapped in the shrubbery.”

* M1 from Dublin Port Tunnel: “A distinct lack of cleaning... evidenced by the array of debris, not just casual litter.”

* Shannon Airport, northbound and southbound on the M18: “Large pieces of plastic especially on central median; litter hidden by long grass.”

* N25 Cork to Waterford /Rosslare road: “In a shocking state... an array of all sorts of discarded rubble.”

* N20 Cork to Limerick approach road: “A number of areas... have been extensively fly-tipped.”

The scenes are in stark contrast to those near Rosslare Harbour in Wexford and the Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal which the survey found to be “immaculate” and “excellent” condition.

IBAL chairman Dr Tom Cavanagh said the Irish economy will face further difficulties unless the “eyesores” are cleared up immediately.

“First impressions count, and the first impression our tourists are getting is not at all good,” he said.

Among the other litter issues to be highlighted by IBAL today is that a staggering 140 million pieces of chewing gum are spat out on Irish streets every year.

As a non-biodegradable product, chewing gum does not decompose for at least 25 years.