Litter laws need to hurt to work

This month is designated as National Spring Clean month, and it is all too glaringly obvious why the nation country needs its particular attention drawn to an ugly problem which still persists all over this country.

Community groups are assisting local authorities up and down the country in the effort to clean up our act nationally, while and pride in our own country should be enough to get the entire community involved.

The latest survey by the EU Director General for the Environment tells us that we Irish are not civic conscious in this regard, but that it is time we were.

Two years ago, a survey by the Department of the Environment showed that people are concerned about rubbish and the appearance of their local areas.

Those concerned however did not seem but not however concerned enough to do anything about it, as because 49% admitted littering themselves, while 68% never complained to others about littering.

Groups such as Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), which runs a nationwide campaign to make towns litter-free, say the problem is getting worse, with around half of the 29 towns in its analysis being described as heavily, or very heavily, littered.

The levy on plastic shopping bags has proved we will only change our ways if we're made to pay.

The bottom line is that, in order to work, it seems that anti-litter measures will need the force of law and an impact on the pocket.