Litter louts leave council staff with big clean up at the diving board at Portnashangan

People caught leaving litter behind at the diving board at Portnashangan and other lakeside amenities should be “made an example of” and given large fines.

That's according to a member of the public who sent the Westmeath Examiner in a number of photos taken early this morning that showed the large amount of litter left behind by visitors to the diving board yesterday (Monday).

The local man, who asked that his name not be published, goes for an early morning swim in Lough Owel every day and said that he was “sickened” by the volume of rubbish he saw there this morning.

The man added that the amount of litter left behind was just as bad the day before.

While acknowledging that it is only a small percentage of the large number of people who visit the lake regularly every summer, he says that more needs to be done to get people to either put their rubbish in one of the dozen bins provided or to bring it home with them.

“It is the exact same as last year. I don't think things have moved on much. There is a lot of littering at Portnashangan. The council men are cleaning up every morning but it is a recurring issue and it's a pity especially coming up to the fleadh,” he said.

The man says that the council should use all of the powers available to them to try and change people's behaviour, including using CCTV to identify those responsible and issuing fines. Among the items he saw this morning were a pair of Nike runners, other items of clothing, towels, and empty drink and food packaging.

“If people get hit in their pockets it might change their behaviour. They should be made an example of and the technical solutions are there to do it,” he said.